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Monday, June 30, 2008
The buck stops here
For anyone who missed it, the AG's Office settled a lawsuit against the well-known credit card issuer in 2006 for an oddly precise $749,999. Had the case settled for a dollar more, the money would have gone into the general fund for the Legislature to distribute. Because it fell a hair's breadth beneath the $750,000 threshold, Hatch was able to direct the distribution of two-third of the proceeds to two nonprofits -- $250,000 to the Legal Aid Society (a good cause, but also a politically popular one) and $249,999 to the community action group ACORN (which reportedly later endorsed Hatch in his gubernatorial bid). The other third of the settlement went to the state to cover the costs of investigation.
As with most of the various controversies that have cropped up around the AG's Office over the last 15 months or so, I am not sure there is anything illegal here, but something stinks to high heaven. It reminds me of those individuals you'd sometimes hear about who would withdraw just a little bit less than $10,000 out of banks to avoid the transaction being reported to the IRS. Eventually, the federal government had to outlaw conduct engaged in to skirt the federal reporting requirement,
There is a certain amount of hubris in making the settlement $749,999 -- an amount that can have almost no logical basis but to avoid the $750,000 threshold -- instead of some other amount, such as $700,000, which could at least arguably have some basis in the case. Alternatively, a part of me now can't help wondering whether Capital One would have paid more -- such as $800,000 -- but the higher amount was not sought because that money could not have been distributed in a way politically advantageous to the AG.
Ordinarily, a buck chiseled off a settlement for political reasons would not cause me to lose much sleep. However, in this case, it's yet another indignity in a long string of them. Just once I would just like to see someone in a leadership role in the AG's Office stand up and take responsibility for any of the numerous issues that have cropped up. If you admit a problem is there, at least you can start to deal with it. However, I fear that such an acceptance of accountability will never come -- or, if it ever does, it will likely be a day late, and a dollar short.
4 comments:
Over at the Minnesota Independent there's a longer story detailing yesterday's hearing. My favorite part - though by no means the most damaging - concerns all of those AG-generated comments that popped up on this blog a while back. Remember that? Well, here's the MN Independent story on Rep. Simon's questioning of Nobles:
"Specifically, Simon spoke of an employee who said he had been approached by Hatch (who, after Hatch's gubernatorial defeat and Swanson's AG victory in the 2006 elections, was serving as Swanson's deputy) to create a blog post favorable to Swanson, a post Hatch had already composed for him. The employee said he refused to do this, but that Hatch posted it under the employee's name anyway—and then wanted the employee to falsify his vacation time to cover the period when the blog post was made. Simon surmised that Nobles believed this matter lay outside his purview because the vacation time in question belonged to the employee, not the State of Minnesota, and thus could not be seen as misusing public funds. Nobles then replied that Simon's account "was an accurate reflection of the testimony under oath," and one corroborated by other sources."
- July 1, 2008 at 9:22 AM
- Mark Cohen, editor said...
Yeah -- Charly Shaw, the Legal Ledger reporter who was there, also has that in his original story. We ultimately went with a more abbreviated version for the Minnesota Lawyer site.
The electronic ballot-box stuffing (i.e. entry of positive comments under false pretenses) that was apparently attempted on this blog is troublesome to me on a couple of fronts. First of all, it was a frontal attack to the integrity of this blog, which we set up to benefit the entire Minnesota legal community. Secondly, it's a horrendous mistreament of employees to either force them to blog (and adding insult to injury, make them do it "on their own time") or to falsely blog under their name. As I said at the time, as far as I know, it's the first known case of involuntary blogitude. Ironically, Mr. Hatch not long ago told MinnPost that he makes it a policy not to provide comment to blogs -- apparently that policy only applies when he is commenting under his own name.
- July 1, 2008 at 9:47 AM
I'm not fond of Hatch at all - but I can see the grain of possible truth in the proffered explanation. If the AG's target says no way, no how are we gonna pay any money to the State as a fine, ever, without a full-blown case and trial, you have a line in sand, and so you look for creative ways that allow both sides face while ending expensive investigation and litigation.
Of course, I'd jail Hatch just based on the asinine choices of charities. Might as well have chosen "MN DFL Party".
- July 6, 2008 at 12:58 AM
- Mark Cohen, editor said...
You make a lot of factual suppositions with your comment, but if all the facts you posit were actually shown to exist, I would concur with your conclusion.
As far as ACORN goes, I have no real opinion one way or the other if that was a good cause.
- July 6, 2008 at 8:42 PM


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Michail Antonio has been nominated for the Championship Player of the Month award.
Michail Antonio has been nominated for the Championship Player of the Month Award.
The Nottingham Forest winger is one of four players in contention, along with Millwall's Alan Dunne, Blackburn's Tom Cairney and Charlton's Igor Vetoleke.
The winner will be announced on Friday, and Antonio's manager Stuart Pearce is also hoping for similar recognition, having been nominated for the Manager of the Month Award.
Antonio was a £1.5 million summer signing from Sheffield Wednesday, and has settled instantly at the City Ground.
In just five Championship games so far, the attacker has three goals and three assists, crucial in leading Forest to the top of the table.
Antonio has averaged 3.2 shots per game, the 11th highest of any player in the division, led by Middlesbrough's Kike (5.6) but he has scored only twice in comparison to the Forest man's three strikes.
There is one notable drawback to Antonio's game, he has registered a low 58.9 per cent of his passes finding a teammate, the lowest of any Nottingham Forest player barring goalkeeper Karl Darlow.
Where he finished higher than any other Forest player - is aerial duels won per game, an average of 5.8 leading Michael Mancienne's four per game.
In terms of key passes, Antonio has only carved out seven opportunities for his teammates, yet three of these have been converted into goals.
By comparison Andy Reid has made 15 key passes, but has only one assist to his name so far this season.
His switch has been a very positive one so far, and Sheffield Wednesday will surely be disappointed he is no longer with them.
Should Antonio win the August award or not, his start has given plenty of reason for optimism, even if there is room to still improve further.

subset: commoncrawl


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Is any faith beyond doubt? From religious leaders to ordinary believers, is experiencing doubt an unavoidable part of having faith? Can doubt give us deeper understanding of faith, or take us beyond it altogether?
In a Western world that increasingly values questioning and doubt, we question what the challenges are for people who believe.
In candid and illuminating discussion, former Bishop of Edinburgh and author, Richard Holloway, discusses his struggles with religion and takes us on a journey through its history.
Holloway rose to one of the highest positions in the Church, before becoming disillusioned with its policies on a range of issues from gay marriage to the nature of belief itself, as he describes in his acclaimed memoir Leaving Alexandria.
In his latest book A Little History of Religion, Holloway traces the history of world religions, ranging across belief systems from every part of the globe, offering insights into distinct teachings and a shared search for meaning.
This event is included in both the Saturday and Weekend Passes, and is part of The Search for the Meaning of Life Weekend.
Speech-to-Text Transcription
This talk is Speech-to-Text-transcribed.
Concessionary access tickets and specific seating requirements can be arranged through our free Access Scheme.
To join the scheme or find out more, email [email protected] or call the Ticket Office on 020 7960 4200.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Arch Coal ACI, -4.06% reported first-quarter earnings of $4.8 million, or 7 cents a share, down from $68.2 million, or $1.14 a share in the same period a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items, earnings would have been 25 cents a share, up from last year's 14 cents a share, and above the average analyst estimate compiled by Thomson First Call of 23 cents a share, as the sales price per ton improved to $7.79 from $6.86. Revenue rose 49% to $600.5 million from last year's $403.5 million. The coal producer reiterated its 2005 earnings estimate of $1.50 to $2.00 a share. The stock closed Friday down 36 cents at $44.99.
Arch Coal adj. earns top expectations
Quote References
-0.09 -4.06%


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Hot and steamy. There you have it.
The prevailing wind is from the south, blowing moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The normal pattern in summer is for the moisture to build up big clouds in the heat of the day, then in mid-afternoon to early evening, pour back down in torrential thunderstorms. The thunderstorms can last a couple of hours. The bad weather can last longer if a cool front comes from the north to meet the hot wet air from the Gulf.
Dry days are possible but the afternoon thunderstorm is a regular pattern, especially when the high temperatures are 95F (35C) and up.
The heat index readings which combine the air temperature with the humidity to give an idea of how hot it feels often reach 100F (37C) and higher in July and August.
*Note* As of this edit, June 12, the high temp today is expected to be 93F (33C)with a heat index as high as 101F (38C). We are in a dry week, with highs around 95F (35C) and lows around 75F (23C). Humidity is high.
Check the National Weather Service for weather details, and hurricane warnings.
All bets are off if there's a hurricane.
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My memories are very confused. There is even much doubt as to where they begin; for at times I feel appalling vistas of years stretching behind me, while at other times it seems as if the present moment were an isolated point in a grey, formless infinity. I am not even certain how I am communicating this message. While I know I am speaking, I have a vague impression that some strange and perhaps terrible mediation will be needed to bear what I say to the points where I wish to be heard. My identity, too, is bewilderingly cloudy. I seem to have suffered a great shock – perhaps from some utterly monstrous outgrowth of my cycles of unique, incredible experience. Continue reading
Tagsandrew doran azathoth blues blues rock book book reviews brown jenkin creature features Cthulhu cthulhu mythos dark fantasy davenport david dead duane pesice fiction fiction workshop greyhound bus hambling harry Horror humor lovecraft lovecraftian poetry matthew mcclard MFA moderan nanowrimo necronomicon convention OctoberNomicon2005 OctoberNomicon2006 OctoberNomicon2014 OctoberNomicon2015 poetry providence review serial serialized shoggoth stubbs Weird weird fiction workshop yog-sothothery


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Energia (Russian: Энергия, Energiya, "Energy") was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. Control system main developer enterprise was the NPO "Electropribor". The Energia used four strap-on boosters each powered by a four-chamber RD-170 engine burning kerosene/LOX, and a central core stage with 4 one-chamber RD-0120 (11D122) engines fueled by liquid hydrogen/LOX.
The launch system had two functionally different operational variants: Energia-Polyus, the initial test configuration, in which the Polyus system was used as a final stage to put the payload into orbit, and Energia-Buran, in which the Buran spacecraft was the payload and the source of the orbit insertion impulse.
The rocket had the capacity to place about 100 tonnes in Low Earth orbit, up to 20 tonnes to geostationary orbit and up to 32 tonnes to a translunar trajectory.
Work on the Energia/Buran system began in 1976 after the decision was made to cancel the unsuccessful N1 rocket. The cancelled N1 rocket-based Manned Lunar Launch Facilities and Infrastructure were used for Energia (notably the huge horizontal assembly building), just as NASA reused infrastructure designed for the Saturn V in the Space Shuttle program. Energia also replaced the "Vulkan" concept, which was a design based on the Proton (rocket family) and using the same hypergolic fuels, but much larger and more powerful. The "Vulkan" designation was later given to a variation of the Energia which has eight boosters and multiple stages.
Solar may refer to:
DNA India | 25 Jun 2018


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Here is Jacob last night finishing off the cherry pie lol
I think he likes it ....
I "decorated" my friends face and her daughters for Halloween... I wish I could've done a better job on her daughters but I had to work around her passing out on me and then having to be taken to the ER and then coming back to finish it lol. (Glad you are ok Sammy!!)
Here's Tristan helping Daddy close up the table (I love this one for some reason). I'm not sure who's working harder (look at John's face)
6 hours ago


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PAC-MAN Bounce v 2.0 APK Моd (Stamina/Cherries)
PAC-MAN Bounce v 2.0 APK Моd (Stamina/Cherries) BOUNCE the one-and-only PAC-MAN in a brain-busting puzzle adventure! Chomp your way through Snack Land and help PAC-MAN bounce his way back home through a food-filled frenzy of epic proportion. Can you smash through the sandwich-stuffed island of Picnic Park? Or perhaps cruise Candy Caves for some sweet treats! JUMP into PAC-MAN's latest juicy journey: bounce on walls, bypass obstacles, waka waka on PAC-DOTS, avoid ghosts, collect stars, and grab keys to win!
PAC-MAN is bouncing back like never before! Are you ready to BOUNCE?
◆ MIND-BOGGLING LEVELS! Bounce across more than 100 unique levels.
◆ DELICIOUS WORLDS! Spring your way through 10 flavorful worlds made of tasty snacks.
◆ ENEMIES TO CHEW ON! Dodge dangerous obstacles and enemies including the infamous ghost gang: Blinky, Inky, Pinky, and Clyde.
◆ FRIENDS TO OUTSMART! Compete against your Facebook friends.
PAC-MAN Bounce v 2.0 APK Моd (Stamina/Cherries)
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1 Timothy 1:8-11, "But we know that the law is good, if a man uses it lawfully, 9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for man slayers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for homosexuals, for slave-traders, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine; 11 according to the Good News of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust."
On November 14 and 15, 2014 Dr. Waldron spoke at the 1689 Conference (watch/listen). His second message was, "The Law of God: A Rule of Life or A Forgotten Truth? A definition and discussion on the proper use of God's law for the Church of Christ and its harmony with the Gospel of grace."
At his home church (Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Owensboro, Kentucky) they are going through the Baptist Catechism and are beginning the section of Our Duty to God. These are his two introductory messages.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
The Lawful Use of the Law: Scripturally Defended [mp3]:
Sunday, November 30, 2014
The Lawful Use of the Law: Confessionally Presented [mp3]:
In his messages Dr. Waldron recommends Dr. Richard Barcellos' "In Defense of the Decalogue"


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Ha! Suprise. the old cake seller is an important character!! She even has a name! (Na'an. pronounced like Nan, but with an extended name.)
Oh, I think this is the first time his name has been said in the comic!
Well, his name is Pheo.
(PS: She's really important to the climax of ch. 2 (not spoiling anything!))
I think I did well on this page!


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Our blog posts about Lisbon
5 day trips from Lisbon: Must see places around Lisbon!
The best day trips that are just a short ride from Lisbon – Read everything you need to know about day trips to Almada, Cascais, Sintra, Cabo da Roca, and Porto!Read more
11 hidden gems in Lisbon: Spots you shouldn't miss
Discover Lisbon's hidden gems! This guide will lead you to our absolute favourite spots and restaurants in Lisbon.Read more
Where to stay in Lisbon: The ultimate Lisbon Accommodation Guide
How to find the best place to stay in Lisbon? We help you figure out which district in Lisbon suits you best and recommend the best hotels.Read more


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Over two years ago I posted photos of 12 bowls of ramen and other noodle soup dishes I had consumed in the year after I came back from living in Japan. While it had been my intention to eventually publish "12 More Bowls of Ramen" or something to that effect, life got in the way of doing so in a timely fashion. But fret not, because I've finally gotten around to gathering all the ramen porn I've captured since my original post and I'm ready to share it here with all of you fellow noodle heads. And because of the huge backlog (you understand, I eat a lot of ramen), I'm breaking it up into a 3-part series based loosely on region. You're welcome ;)
My first installment features steaming bowls of salty broth from San Francisco and other Bay Area/Northern California locales:
Not pictured: beef tofu ramen from Katana-ya in SF, which was so not even close to ramen it didn't warrant a picture. Seriously, what did I ever like about that place??
Stay tuned for the rest of the ramen round-up, from LA, Hawaii, and beyond!


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Railway Recruitment Board department has successfully conducted the Junior Engineer and Senior Section Engineer posts Examination at different exam centers. Department will soon provides exam result notification on the main website. Applied candidates please wait for some more days and connect continuous with the main site and check every latest updations there.
RRB JE SSE Result 2016 | Online Merit List | Cut Off Marks
Railway Recruitment Board department is a Central government authorized department conduct different posts railway recruitment Examination every year for the purpose of full fill the seats in different Railway departments as per requirement. Every year most of students are appeared in railway examinations. Railway department also provides most of recruitment vacancies time to time as per requirements.
RRB JE SSE Result 2016 Check Online
RRB JE SSE Result 2016 will be release after few more days on the official website http://www.rrcb.gov.in/. Appeared candidates please visit continuous on the official portal and check latest updations there. Candidates also check other result related information as selection list, merit list and other more.
For more other information about to the RRB JE SSE Result 2016, please visit on the official site of Railway Recruitment Board.


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Forbes has just announced its Celebrity 100 list – and you'll never guess which celeb has made it to the top. And no, it's not Adele.
Topping the list and claiming the accolade of the richest person in entertainment is none other than... Diddy. That's P Diddy, Sean Combs or Puff Daddy, depending on what era you're in.
Yep, beating out even the likes of Beyoncé, Diddy made it to the top of the list thanks to the Bad Boy Family Reunion tour, his team-up with Ciroc, and selling part of his clothing line.
Racking up $130m (£102m) in the past year alone, Diddy has launched himself to the top of the pile after hitting the 22nd spot last year.
Related: Here's why P Diddy, aka Sean 'Diddy' Combs, laid down on the stairs at the Met Gala
While we're still no closer to finding out why Diddy chucked his $500,000 chain into a crowd last year, at least we now know he can afford it. Lucky for some, eh?
The rest of Forbes' list is less surprising, with Queen Bey hitting second place with $105m (£82.7m) thanks to the critically-acclaimed and iconic visual album Lemonade.
Everybody's favourite muggle JK Rowling is at number three on the Celebrity 100, after raking in $95m (£74.8m) – 20 years later and Harry Potter is still paying dividends.
The top 10 of Forbes' coveted Celebrity 100 list are as follows:
1) Sean Combs - $130m (£102m)
2) Beyoncé - $105m (£87.2m)
3) JK Rowling - $95m (£74.8m)
4) Drake - $94m (£74.06m)
5) Cristiano Ronaldo - $93m (£73.2m)
6) The Weeknd - $92m (£72.45m)
7) Howard Stern - $90m (£70.86m)
8) Coldplay - $88m (£69.33m)
9) James Patterson - $87m (£68.53m)
10) LeBron James - $86m (£67.8m)
If you ever need a small loan, you know who to call.
Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Twitter account and you're all set.


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This review will be short, as the chapter is short. The authors start by talking about the history of ministerial education and make their point that, in fact, mentorships and apprenticeships are far more effective in training Christian workers. I have to agree with them on this, but with a few caveats. First, this is appropriate for the church of the first century as they, for the most part, did speak Greek–biblical Greek, in fact. I believe it's important to the church to have linguists and historians and so on who specialize in Christian studies. It's not that we couldn't make it spiritually without this knowledge, but it does add an important dimension to our understanding of scripture.
As for the rest, soteriology, ecclesiology, eschatology, and so on and so on, I know plenty of scholars with no formal education who excell in these fields. Well, I don't know them personally, but I've read their books. It's fine to study about God, so long as we don't forget that knowing God is the important thing. That said, I surely don't think a seminary is the only, or even the best preparation for a life of ministry. The best preparation is a knowledge of how to hear from God, trust Him, and most of all, love Him and others.
Sunday School, the authors point out, began as a ministry to poor children who, forced to work all week, had only Sundays on which they might have the free time to learn to read. So, Sunday School actually started out as basic education for the poor. While the need for this sort of thing has long been history in the west and most of the rest of the world as well, we have continued the tradition of Sunday School as a place of basic teaching in the faith. This is where kids typically learn bible stories and Christian ethical principles. Do they learn to love Jesus? I don't know.
The authors don't mention this, but in several churches I've had experience with, Sunday School is considered "small group" time. I don't know that I'd agree. Usually it's just another mini-message with some questions thrown in, but your results might be different or better than mine.
The next topic here is youth ministry. Again, this is of recent vintage. Many of you will know this first hand as you'll remember when youth ministry was either not in evidence at all, was provided by para-church ministries, or was staffed by volunteer parents. Now-a-days nearly all churches larger that a couple hundred members have a youth minister on staff–even if he is living on Ramen Noodles.
The main point of this chapter seems to be that actual ministry prepares one far better to deal with real life situations than seminary. This maxim could as easily be applied to any profession. I think that it's probably a good thing to have both a balanced education and life experience. Throw in a good dose of self-directed study, and you really do have a better perspective on things. Nevertheless, I'll take a brother or sister who truly knows how to listen to God over a PhD whose knowledge is all in his head any day.
The next chapter is an important one, I think, dealing with our methods of biblical interpretation. I'll try to get it up sometime next week.
God bless,


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Today was again a productive day, and we had a pretty good time even if the teacher was a little grumpy. We checked, corrected, and discussed all our homework. We read a pretty interesting selection on coral reefs from the Treasures book. We did a little more work on our language periodic assessment. It's the last one for the year! I'm happy about that!
We did a couple of fun activities in Science today. The students made compasses using a doughnut magnet.
Then they became magnetism detectives. They had boxes in which magnets were hidden. They had to figure out where the magnets were in each box. This was chaotic but a lot of fun.
We read another chapter in By the Great Horn Spoon! and reviewed coordinate grids. They also had A LOT of time to get a head start on the assignments below.
Homework: (1) Do spelling words 16-20. (2) Do the spelling jumble. (3) Do "More and Most" pages 299-300 in the Practice Book. (4) Do the Great Horn Spoon chapter 4 study sheet. (5) Do "Problem Solving" pages 410-411 and "Test Prep" on pages 412-413 in the math book. (6) Do the weights and measurements study sheet.


text:
Bisogno, Ebisu ビゾーニョ 恵比寿
Bisogno is a little bit out of the way in Ebisu, about five minutes walk from Ebisu Garden Place in the direction of Shirokane. I have eaten there several times for lunch and dinner and although it is not especially cheap, I think they try hard to make the food a little more interesting than usual. On a recent visit for lunch on a Sunday, I ordered a basic "weekend" pasta set with dessert which cost 2,100 yen. The entree was a cold plate of asparagus spears, and aspic jelly topped with a runny poached egg (pictured). I was able to mop this up with some delicious warm bread, one of which had white figs in it. There were only two fairly small pieces of this bread served so I had to ask for more, and was only granted two tiny extra pieces. For the main I had a taglietelli tossed with pork sausage meat and cream. I am fond of pasta where the sausage meat has been taken out of the skin as it adds a lot of flavour to the sauce. The dessert of the day was a platter comprising of a small scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream with some crunchy biscuit crumbs underneath, a small piece of chocolate "terrine" sandwiched in some filo pastry and a piece of crepe with orange cream. Very nice, and the coffee is better than average. Dinner is also pretty good, and I would recommend the lamb. All in all Bisogno is pleasant enough and I would recommend giving it a go if you are in the area.
Tel: 03-5792-5841
Tel: 03-5792-5841


text:
So with the summer almost upon us, (not that the weather seems to be aware of this) and deadlines done and dusted, now's the time of the year when we finally get to lift our heads and see what everyone else has been up to!
What better way to start than with the Graphic Design BA(Hons) Degree Show here at Falmouth? Here's a selection of my favourite pieces of work from the exhibition.
By clicking a person's name you will be directed to their online portfolio if available.
Kelly's RSA winning idea was based on the idea of using design to bring generations together. From this, Cafe Say was created, a place for stories and memories to be told which Kelly encouraged with the use of headphones for hearing stories, blackboards for writing stories and a live storytelling corner. She then focussed on promoting the Cafe using the posters and booklets shown above.
Tall Tales & Short Stories was a project based on advertising a fictional exhibition at the British Library exploring the concept of myth and superstition. I love the concept of wooden key fobs to ensure a piece of wood is always close to hand if ever you happen to speak too soon and I also like the typographic attention to detail with the ampersand linking through the o.
Two of Jonathan's pieces caught my eye. The first being his beautiful infographics which were created to draw attention to interesting or extraordinary areas of science, and the second were his Fedrigoni collars. They were instantly visually appealing and the supporting booklet explained that they were a way of showing how paper samples could look and feel together, using a simple template and fold system. A brilliantly original and effective idea.
I love these typographic pieces by Laura drawing attention to endangered species in Cornwall. A really simple way of showing a large amount of information but ensuring the final piece remains aesthetically exciting.
This rebrand of London first came to my attention after it was nominated for a D&AD Student Award. I really like the way Cosmo uses a variety of prefixes to completely change the meaning of 'city' and show all that London has to offer.
This project by Chris came in second place for a brief set by jkr challenging students to design a cocktail based on the 1930s. Speakeasy Cocktails were created as a way to bring the 1930's prohibited cocktails into the 21st Century, disguising the drinks in newspapers which, if read, have headlines about that very practice. I love the simplicity of the bottles hidden inside using only frosted glass as a 'label.'
Jack Gibbons
I love both of these solutions by Jack. The first strikes me as an incredibly clever way of packaging beer which ensures cohesion to the beer labels themselves, and the second took First Prize in the jkr brief mentioned above. It is quite similar to Chris's solution but, by creating a very tall, slim bottle, Jack was able to disguise the drink entirely as a rolled up newspaper.
Matthew's cover for the Penguin Student Awards was also a winning solution. The simple visual trick of turning clothing and a uniform into a straightjacket simultaneously illustrates exactly what the book is about, and at a deeper level, the narrative struggle between the characters McMurphy and Nurse Ratched.
I love Emily's solution that was shortlisted for the same award, using only embossed and cut paper she manages to portray the complex narrative of the story and create a gorgeous tactile cover that creates intrigue before even the title's been read. For a full explanation of her thoughts behind the cover please click here.
Overall a brilliant exhibition showing a wide range of clever creative thinking and beautifully executed solutions that's already given me a fresh bout of inspiration and enthusiasm for next year!


text: Last week I got to spend some time with this little guy. He was all smiles and very curious about why I was there. We got to explore a couple new adventures for him, sitting in the brushes and playing with the dirt. I think he will be living in the dirt next summer. We also sat in the rain, by the pumpkins on a pretty big decline into the woods. I was testing his balance and he did a great job! Thanks Auntie Lisa for letting me captures this sweet little boy and I hope to see him again. "N" have fun out west! Enjoy!


text:
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text:
I believe I was born an activist through art.
--Dondon Jeresano
Estado comes at a time when a fresh mandate has just been handed over by the people, suspending much of our disappointment and illusions in temporarily disbelief from the previous presidential administration on the side. At a period when much of Philippine art being produced these days are from the dictates of auctions or personal emojis, Dondon Jeresano continues his in-depth expositions to the blatant wrongdoings of society by unraveling deeper into that quagmire of what destructs the very root of the system that governs us. Using architectural interiors of the very institutions that commands the governed as loci, Jeresano conforms aesthetically with the whys and not necessary the hows of their contexts to the messaging they seek to impart to its viewers.
When architect Daniel Burnham planned Manila during the Commonwealth period he made sure elegance and permanence as the cornerstones of American legacies following Roman and Greek examples. These institutional buildings of our branches of government—executive, legislative and judiciary--would reflect the sense of dignity and power that emanated from what they represent. The three states of power consist of the visible expressions of governance, laws, and justice as symbols of our acquired democracy in action.
|Lost in Paradise
Lost in Paradise is a rowdy depiction of a dysfunctional presidency's as seen in his sordid representative office at the Old Malacanang. With loss of faith and respect, the aesthetic chaos is best represented by the composition lambasting our leaders prioritizing themselves than others. With the floors creative deconstructed, fluffy cakes speak of the lust for greed; of having it and eating it too. As his signature take, Jeresano prominently floats showing him involved to its solution. Man is inherently lustful for power and fame as Jeresano's art cascades to find significance to this artistic fixture. He imparts it is in rising from one's fall, when one learns, his lessons one becomes strongest in every challenge.
The Supreme Court Hall of Justice in An Apple a Day is often venerated as sacred ground breeding equality to the law. However it is often the scene of purges with blood-stained clothes of hapless victims, piling up amounting to delayed justice. A drifting apple embodying the truth blends while headless magistrates abound showing disrespect for the law and order complete the goriness of this picture. How often has this estate been used as the affirmation of a lie well told a thousand times you are even convinced of its reverse falsehood.
|An Apple a Day
Main Attraction is a powerful allegory of poverty being neglected by a shanty inside the classic interiors of the Old Senate Session Hall. Disturbing sensibilities social realism has never been pleasing to the eyes. One should train to view how it strains the eyes. Jeresano presents it at it is—right smack to your face. The Old Senate Session Hall was the oldest and longest home of our lawmakers. It has been the last refuge of the those who have less in life. Pillows-abound representing dreams of ordinary people such as a place to sleep on with roof over their head.
|Main Attraction
With a background in architecture Jeresano's realism remains steadfast as a fusion of social commentary and contemporary imagery. It always has strong political contents while his aesthetics revolve around anatomies and allegories of people confronting the dark perils of their lives. Always leaning towards the cause of the multitude have been oppressed, he tackles problems as his luring appeal lies in the composition making sure his symbols freely converse each other. It may not sit well in the proper gallery set up. It may have the formal mechanism of art but it seems comfortable seen outdoors or in the streets.
He usually starts by finding his themes by painstakingly researching for them. He then finds the architectural perspective to go with it, even the choice of exterior or interior is compulsively interesting. Upon finalizing, he then sketches on canvas only to finish with color.
|Untold Story 1
Jeresano's art yearns for something beyond. With architecture backdrop as particulars, a dialogue among iconographic images attempts something critical and profundity emerges. With an antiestablishment pun in presence of barber chairs these tales are what seems to be a consistent influx of sham drudgery and broken dreams. What is not taken seriously leaves bad taste in the mouth and gut as in Untold Stories where small pieces forming triptychs compliment and enrich his main pieces.
Estado doubly reflects the current situation of the prevalent disillusion from the powers-that-be. It is also the governing body that rules at the present in all of us. Jeresano would want us to be vigilant of whatever false hope our government imparts to us. A realist by heart, it is his distinct visual style he has crafted that marvels us to move forward. He is most comfortable with and his audience could best identify. It is the blatant reality we all witness daily, even turn a blind eye to.
Jeresano identifies with the low and downtrodden. He forces himself to paint what they should know in their lives as his desire to let his art pinch the heart of the viewer. As an activist he does not clenches his fist rather he painterly applies his advocacies and issues on his many a canvases. More than this challenges him he wants people to recognize themselves in his paintings; upon revealing only can their emancipation begin.
Estado is ongoing at the Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo City.


text:
Here's another photo from our last weekend - this one taken on the road to Mt Kinabalu.
My copy edit of The Shadow of Tyr is done. One copy has gone off to HarperCollins Voyager Oz, the other to Orbit UK where the editors have not yet read it. (I am always awed by the fact that publishers buy books before they are written - wow, that's faith for you.)
I love doing copy edits - and I will talk about that tomorrow or at the weekend in a post How I Write a Novel (6).
And so I now have time to get back to finishing the third book, The Song of the Shiver Barrens. Yay!
...living the reality of a "retired" person, which means I work harder than ever at being a writer, lurching from one deadline to another.
About Me
- Glenda Larke
- Australia
- My life was described by one of my editors as "impossibly exotic" – although really it was not my life, but me, that was the exotic, the uprooted plant, the one who didn't belong, always living in someone else's backyard...
Now I am back in Australia, the returning native learning to live where I was born. Writer, traveler, environmentalist. Author of The Isles of Glory trilogy (The Aware, Gilfeather, The Tainted); The Mirage Makers trilogy (Heart of the Mirage, Shadow of Tyr, Song of the Shiver Barrens); The Stormlord trilogy The Last Stormlord, Stormlord Rising, Stormlord's Exile, and writing as Glenda Noramly, a stand-alone book Havenstar.
LATEST: THE FORSAKEN LANDS A clash of cultures and magic as traders and buccaneers hunt for spices and wealth in the Va-forsaken half of the world ... even as the unidentified darkness of plague and murder stalks their own land. THE LASCAR'S DAGGER and THE DAGGER'S PATH available worldwide now! Final book, THE FALL OF THE DAGGER out mid-April.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Back to Shiver Barrens at last!
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text:
Main → Afghanistan → Velayat Baghlan → Khazinah
Map of Khazinah Velayat Baghlan, Afghanistan
Other Names: Khazena,Khazenah,Khazinah,Khazīnah,خزینه, Khazīnah
Welcome to the Khazinah google satellite map! This populated place is situated in Velayat Baghlan, Afghanistan. Original name (with diacritics) of the place is Khazīnah. See Khazinah photos and images from satellite below, explore the aerial photographs of Khazīnah area. This placemark was added 2010-09-03.
Map of Khazinah
- Country: Afghanistan
- Province: Velayat Baghlan
- Category: populated place
- Altitude: 0 m
- Population: 0
Asia/Kabul +4.5
- Local Time: 21:28
- Sunrise: 04:37
- Sunset: 19:15
Wiki articles near Khazinah
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text:
It was a cool day in the low 50's when I started the hike. This was perfect weather for this hike as the start is extremely steep with over 350' of elevation gain over the first tenth of a mile. In the photo below, I climbed the hill on the left, below going towards the right (east) to Ralston Peak. The hike is just under a mile, mostly steep, uphill. The photo does not do the hike justice. It took Roxy and I 1:18 to get to the peak. I found waypoints to reach Ralston Peak on geocaching.com ( Ralston Peak Waypoints ) After climbing the first hill, there is a small trail that leads east to Ralston in the middle, right of the photo.
After cresting the first hill, I headed east towards Ralston. This next section had me looking into the sun and I was glad I didn't forget my sunglasses. I forgot my hiking poles at home and I sure could have used them on this hike. These next two photos show Ralston from the first hill.
There is a slight decline after climbing the first hill before climbing back uphill. While taking a break on this next uphill section, I spoke with Scott, WA9STI, on 2m who was about 30 miles away in Beaumont. He was enroute to an activation in Joshua Tree National Park. The last tenth of a mile or so required some light bushwhacking.
We arrived at the peak and I made contact with Scott again on 2m. There were some really nice views from the peak. The bottom photo, to the west of Ralston, is Circle Mtn W6/CT-071.
The peak is fairly flat and there are plenty of places to set up the station. I found this forest boundary pole that I used to support the "blackwidow" pole.
I sloped the antenna north to south.
While I was working the radio, Roxy was taking a nap after the tough hike.
I found the well hidden geocache on top of Ralston.
On the way back down, I took a different route, as I didn't want to go down that steep hill. I left the trail at N 34° 18.119 W 117° 30.248 and followed a faint trail to the dry stream bed and worked my way to the west around the first hill, where I picked up a dirt road that I followed back to the parking area. The first picture shows the faint trail, some pipeline markers I followed, to the dirt road. Although the total mileage was 1.45 on this route, it was much easier on the knees and took me 45 minutes. If I ever do this peak again, I would take this route on the ascent.
It is always nice to see the truck when I return from a hike. As I made my final approach to my truck, there was a hiker standing nearby that was looking for the PCT to hike a section. He mentioned that he was in the area yesterday and saw two rattlesnakes. If you take this hike, brink plently of water and keep your eyes and ears open for rattlesnakes. They are all over this area.
Thank you to all chasers! I made the following contacts:
2m - WA9STI, K6QCB
10m - KB1RJD, KB1RJC, N2BTD, NE4TN, KI4AAU, KK6WMD, AC2KL, N4EX
20m - WA2USA, KK6WMD, W0MNA, W0ERI, WB5USB, K5DEZ
40m - W7RV


text:
The Annual Christmas Carol Concert was held on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 in the Sanctuary. The Theme of this year's Concert was "Christmas News," and it captured the culture and news of Christmas in different cultures around the world. It was a night of fun, laughter that filled the audience with cheer. There were presentations from Voices in Zion and the Apostles, Junior Church's Choir, Teen Church, Onome, past God's Children Great Talent winner, Medilag Choir, amongst others.
In his short exhortation, Pastor Tola Odutola said after Jesus had being with his disciples for three and half years and was about to end his ministry on earth, the disciples were somewhat depressed, because they were used to leaning on Him for their provisions, and the first thing He said to them was "Do not let your hearts be troubled." Even though we are in a Christmas period, the hearts of many are troubled. Many in our nation today have lost their source of income, and some do not know where their next meal will come from. One thing Jesus says is "Do not let your heart be troubled," which means there's enough in you not to allow your hearts to be troubled. Jesus went further to say in His Father's house there are many mansions and He goes to prepare a place for you (John 14:1-4).
He added that in recent times we prepare for marriages, burials, house warming, etc. but are we prepared for His coming back. He warned that our God is a God of preparation and we must add some preparation to our prayers and fasting for His second coming (Proverbs 21:31). It is good to celebrate Christmas but don't get lost in the celebrations, because the LORD is coming back for those that are prepared to meet Him.
Afterwards, there was a beautiful fireworks display and lots of food to eat and drink.
Worship Center
COD Church Road
Off Ligali Ayorinde Street
Dideolu Estate, Victoria Island
Lagos State, Nigeria
[get directions]
Church Office Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Phone: 0700RCCGCOD
Email: email@example.com


text:
Luce Ristorante e Enoteca
11255 Huebner Rd # 200
San Antonio TX 78230
Mosaic Wine Group proudly celebrates the wines of Southern Italy and the Vias portfolio on Saturday evening in San Antonio. Please join Jeremy Parzen, Ph.D of Mosaic Wine Group and owner and executive chef Joe Buonincontri of Luce for classic southern Italian cuisine and wine pairings, featuring southern gems of the Vias portfolio Terredora, Cantele, Colosi, and Cataldi Madonna.
Luce Ristorante e Enoteca
Saturday, May 30
7:30 p.m.
$75 per person (tax and tip included)
To reserve, please send an email by clicking here or by calling 210-561-9700.


text:
With the weather getting really cold for the first time this year, I have had to fight common sense when deciding whether or not I am going to wear a helmet or the sweet Pro looking winter beanie. We all know that rockin' the winter cap is very pro and makes you feel pretty cool, but you know what else is not so sweet? Brain hemorrhages. My reasoning for not wearing a helmet sometimes in the winter, is that I hate trying to stuff a big winter hat under my helmet. I have no problem wearing my helmet when it is 45 or so degrees, but I guess I just need to go buy a hat that fits under my helmet, because looking sweet isn't worth spending the rest of your life with brain damage or worse. So anyway, that's what I've been struggling with the last week or so.
So I've got the Ohio State CX champs tomorrow in Columbus. I am dying to win a race and I think this is one of my best chances, since mike is out at JingleCross in Iowa, plus I have been gettin' better every week, so I think its about time to pick up a W. Yesterday I even did some motor pacing to get some speed in my legs, and today I went out and spent some good time on the cross bike and did some openers. I also tried out my new wheels and tires that I got glued up. The glue job got a bit messy, but those tires aren't going anywhere. We'll see how they do in their first race...
In other good news, stuff for our team next year is coming together nicely, it sounds like we may be getting out team Cannondales pretty soon too. I love getting team stuff!
I also just found my camera that I thought was stolen along with my ipod, it was just stuck under the seat and I didn't know it. Score!
Alright, I'm out.


text:
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January 4, 2011
R.S. AND M.S., O/B/O D.S.,PLAINTIFFS,v.SOMERVILLE BOARD OF EDUCATION,: DEFENDANT.
The opinion of the court was delivered by: Cooper, District Judge
This case arises under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ("IDEA" or "the Act"), 20 U.S.C. § 1400, et seq., and specifically under its "stay put" provision, 20 U.S.C. § 1415(j). Plaintiffs bring this action on behalf of their son, who is a student receiving educational and support services under the Act. Defendant is the regional school district. Plaintiffs are before this Court on interlocutory appeal from a recent stay put placement decision in an ongoing administrative process pending in the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law ("OAL").
The facts relevant to this appeal are undisputed, but the circumstances are unusual. We have reviewed the pertinent record and conducted oral argument. For the reasons stated here, we reverse the current OAL stay put order and reinstate the prior OAL stay put order, with some modification as we will explain.
The facts are well known to the parties and are thoroughly described in the papers docketed on this appeal. Therefore, we give only the essential description of the facts and the procedural history of the case.
D.S. is a male student, currently age 16, who will turn age 17 during this current 2010-2011 academic year. (Verified Complaint, dkt. 1 ("Ver. Compl."), ¶ 2.) He exhibited developmental issues early in his life, and since second grade he has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Central Auditory Processing Disorder. (Id. ¶ 8; Smith Aff., dkt. 1-8 ("Smith Aff."), ¶ 2.) He is eligible to receive special education and support services under the category of Autistic. (Ver. Compl. ¶ 4.)*fn1
His local school district is the Branchburg Township Public School District ("Branchburg"). That school district educates its students through the elementary and middle school levels. When its students reach high school age they come under the administration of the Somerville Board of Education ("Somerville Board" or "Board"), through a sending and receiving relationship between Branchburg and the Somerville Board. (Id. ¶¶ 5-7.)
The nature of D.S.'s disability is such that his social interactions are often inappropriate. He was the object of emotional and physical abuse by his peers since first grade in the public school system, which escalated each year despite efforts by the parents and school authorities. (Smith Aff. ¶¶ 4-7.) He progressed through each grade year on schedule academically, but he experienced emotional torment and extremely low self esteem as the object of constant ridicule and bullying. (Id.) During the meeting for an Individualized Education Plan ("IEP") for D.S. at the end of fifth grade, his parents informed Branchburg that they had concluded that public placement in Branchburg was not appropriate. Branchburg officials suggested that the parents allow him to proceed to sixth grade at the Branchburg Central Middle School, which was a bigger school with some new peers (some existing peers), and constant changing of classes. (Id. ¶¶ 8-12.) The parents consented, but the same peer situation quickly developed. Thus, at the public middle school D.S.'s emotional condition further deteriorated, with resulting negative effects on his educational progress. (Id. ¶ 13.)
A crisis point was reached in January of sixth grade, when a serious incident of peers physically attacking D.S. on the school bus was captured on a video security camera. (Id. ¶ 14.) The parents and the Branchburg child study team ("CST") then agreed that Branchburg Central Middle School was not an appropriate placement. They spent the next month (February, 2006) mutually searching for an appropriate placement for him, initially with no success. (Id. ¶¶ 15-17.) As D.S.'s mother describes:
A number of schools were considered for D.S.'s placement including but not limited to the Craig School, the Darcy School, and the Newark Academy. The Craig School rejected D.S., the Darcy School only went to 8th grade so it did not make sense to make D.S. move two times, and the Newark Academy was full. Some of the schools for children with special needs would not consider D.S. because he had an Asperger's Syndrome diagnosis. (Id. ¶ 17.)
The parents located the Timothy Christian School as a possible
placement. It is an accredited private day school offering grades K
through 12. After a series of interviews and meetings, the parents and
the Branchburg CST agreed that it would be an appropriate placement
for D.S. He was placed by Branchburg at the Timothy Christian School
on March 13, 2006 (sixth grade, academic year 2005-2006). His IEP was
changed to reflect his new placement. (Id. ¶¶ 18-20.)*fn2
His IEP program placed him in regular classes, but with a
full-time personal aide, supplemental tutoring, and behavioral
consultation by a licensed Ph.D. behavioral therapist. (Id. ¶ 20; Ver.
Compl. ¶ 18.) D.S. gradually made progress in the new placement.
(Smith Aff. ¶ 21.) Plaintiffs state that "Timothy Christian School's
policy of acceptance and tolerance combined with therapeutic support
has allowed D.S. to make social progress and educational progress."
(Ver. Compl. ¶ 20; see also Smith Aff. ¶¶
An IEP meeting for upcoming academic year 2008-2009 was held on May 28, 2008, at the end of D.S.'s eighth grade year. Those attending included the parents, D.S. himself, the Branchburg CST, and a representative of the Somerville Board because D.S. was reaching his high school years and it was the receiving district. (Smith Aff. ¶ 24.) At the conclusion of that meeting there was general consensus and the parents and the responsible Branchburg official signed his IEP dated May 28, 2008. (Id., Ex. E.) That IEP provided a continuation of his existing placement and basically the same accommodations and support services as his prior IEPs since arriving at that placement. (Id. ¶ 24.) He has continued at the Timothy Christian School since then, receiving the same services, and is currently in eleventh grade, academic year 2010-2011.
Here is how the dispute arose. On October 21, 2008, when D.S. had begun ninth grade, an official in the New Jersey Department of Education ("Department") directed a letter to the parents and to the respective Branchburg and Somerville school district officials. (Smith Aff., Ex. G.)*fn3 That letter referred to a provision of New Jersey law called the "Naples Act,"
N.J.S.A. § 18A:46-14. The Naples Act provides a procedure for school districts to obtain Department consent to place IDEA-eligible students in accredited nonpublic schools that are not specifically approved for education of handicapped children, if certain criteria are met. One of those criteria is that the proposed school must be nonsectarian. Id. The October 21, 2008 letter stated in pertinent part as follows:
As you all are aware shortly after assuming this office it came to my attention that one of our Somerset County students, specifically from the school district of Branchburg, was placed in March 2006 at the Timothy Christian School....
Some investigation into this placement revealed that there was no NAPLES application submitted by the Branchburg School district to the [Department] as is required by law. .... In September of 2008 this student began grade 9 and as such, responsibility for his case management was transferred to the Somerville Child Study Team. .... I am going to outline my expectations for the actions that need to be taken to rectify this situation. The Somerville CST must visit this student at the Timothy Christian School and .... conduct a curriculum audit to determine and document the provision of religious instruction as part of DS's academic program. Upon completion of these activities the Somerville CST should conduct a review of possible new placement options for DS ..., with the highest priority given to a public school placement and/or a placement at Somerville High School.
Then the Somerville CST should meet with the parents of DS for the purpose of determining an appropriate placement in the least restrictive environment in a non-sectarian school. .... I expect that you will utilize the most aggressive timeliness for completion of these required activities. (Smith Aff., Ex. G.)
The parents attended an IEP meeting with D.S.'s current Somerville CST on December 15, 2008, as requested by the Somerville Board. At that meeting the parents were informed that his placement was being changed to Somerville High School, effective January 5, 2009. (Id. ¶ 32.) The parents requested and received an extension to respond until February 2, 2009, so that they could have a behavior analyst observe and assess the appropriateness of the proposed placement. When they could not obtain those services on that schedule, they initiated administrative proceedings on January 29, 2009. (Id. ¶¶ 32-34; Ver. Compl. ¶ 33.)
Administrative due process cases under IDEA are adjudicated in New Jersey by the OAL. On February 18, 2009, the Somerville Board moved for emergent relief asking that D.S.'s stay put placement be changed from the Timothy Christian School to Somerville High School or to the neighboring South Hunterdon High School. (Ver. Compl. ¶ 34.) Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") Hon. Douglas H. Hurd heard oral argument on March 10, 2009, and rendered an oral decision. (Id. ¶ 35.) He ruled that the Somerville Board had not met the four-prong test for emergent relief under N.J.A.C. § 6A:14-2.7(s), based on balancing the equities.*fn4 He directed that the Timothy Christian School would remain the stay put placement, despite the Somerville Board's "concern about taxpayer money going there." This was on March 10, 2009, when D.S. was still in ninth grade. (Callahan Decl., dkt. 1-7 ("Callahan Decl."), Ex. A at 19-20.)
The due process case proceeded in the OAL, and was reassigned to ALJ Hon. Donald J. Stein. (Ver. Compl. ¶ 38.) Several hearing dates were scheduled and adjourned at the request of the parties. On December 16, 2009, "the parties filed motions for summary decision before Judge Stein as to the issue of whether or not D.S. could remain legally placed at the Timothy Christian School by the BOARD." (Id. ¶ 39.)
ALJ Stein rendered a written opinion on June 1, 2010. (Callahan Decl., Ex. B.) He found there was no factual dispute that Timothy Christian School is a sectarian school. He concluded that D.S. had been placed by the school districts at that school since 2006 in violation of the Naples Act, and since the school is a sectarian school it cannot be approved as a placement for D.S. under the Naples Act. (Id. at 5.)*fn5 ALJ Stein ordered that D.S.'s placement at Timothy Christian School "shall terminate at the completion of the 2009-2010 school year." (Id.) He further ordered "that the District complete an IEP and schedule a meeting within thirty days." (Id. at 6.)
The Somerville Board held an IEP meeting for D.S. on June 17, 2010. The Board's proposed placement for him for eleventh grade, academic year 2010-2011, was again Somerville High School. (Ver. Compl. ¶ 44.)
Plaintiffs initiated the action in this Court on August 16, 2010, with the filing of a Verified Complaint. They applied simultaneously for temporary restraints and a preliminary injunction seeking to have D.S. stay put at Timothy Christian School while the administrative due process case remains pending in the OAL. (Ver. Compl. at 9-11.) Plaintiffs state that the OAL case remains open, to adjudicate whether the proposed placement at Somerville High School, or at South Hunterdon High School, is appropriate for D.S. (Id. ¶ 45.) Plaintiffs also contend that if the placements offered by Somerville are found not to provide D.S. with a free and appropriate public education ("FAPE"), then a unilateral placement of D.S. by them at Timothy Christian School should be approved for them to be reimbursed. (See Plaintiffs' Reply Br., dkt. 7 ("Pl. Reply Br."), at 5, 9-11.)
Plaintiffs have obtained expert evaluations and other evidence to present at the continued OAL proceedings. Their position is that to change D.S.'s placement from the current school at this time would have severely detrimental effects upon his educational progress that could not be remedied in his remaining high school years. (Smith Aff. ¶¶ 35-39 and Exs. J-N.) The Somerville Board contends that its public high school will be an appropriate placement. (Defendant's Br., dkt. 6 ("Def. Br."), at 23-25.) The parents challenge that contention and seek an adjudication on these issues at the due process level. (Pl. Reply Br. at 9-10.) The parties recognize that either side may appeal the administrative ruling under IDEA.*fn6
As soon as the action was brought and assigned here, we consulted with the parties and issued a scheduling order for briefing and oral argument. (Order, dkt. 5.) The parties complied, and oral argument was conducted on October 1, 2010, shortly after the 2010-2011 academic year commenced. (Minute entry, dkt. 8.)
The Court was informed at oral argument that the Board had discontinued funding D.S.'s enrollment and supporting services at Timothy Christian School at end of the 2009-2010 school year, pursuant to the June 1, 2010 ALJ order. When the eleventh grade school term started in September, 2010, while the matter was being briefed for this Court, the parents began paying those costs weekly at their own ...
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So tonight we are in the industrial wasteland known as Manchester, home to a marginally successful football team or two and proud holders of the record for most teen pregnancies in the north west....probably.
Anyway arsehole and eights open the show with a show of force. They all crowd the ring with their latest bum chums Wes Brisco and Garrett Bischoff. Devon tries to big them up but it doesn't really go over and when both Brisco and Bischoff attempt to run a heel promo they get buried by the crowd. The chants of "who are ya!" pretty much sum up the quality of these two. Bischoff is seen as a daddy's boy who got a job via nepotism, while Wes seems as interesting as signpost restoration in Bristol.
|Brisco is about as over as Tugboat and has half the charisma
X-Division Triple Threat Match - Kenny King VS Zema Ion VS RVD
This match is for the title since they can't have their champion over here due to his drug convictions. The match is pretty good though. Plenty of high spots, triple moves and spots, but it's entertaining. I don't get why they have this massive ramp that sits against the ring because it hinders this type of match. RVD wins again after King takes out Zema, and Rob frog splashes them both.
Backstage we get a typical TNA style hidden camera spot with prichard and D'lo talking about how shocking it is that Brisco and Bischoff have joined the Aces. Really? My brother called this turn the second they joined with Angle to face the Aces. Brisco obviously wasn't making as big a splash as they had wanted so they opted to drop him with their new version of NWO.
Isn't it interesting how obsessed TNA are with re imagining the NWO? First they have Immortal which did the same thing as NWO and now we have the aces and eights, another group of rule breakers intent on owning the company and running rough shot over everyone who gets in their way. Give it another month or two and Hogan will announce he was a member all along.
Jessie starts in the ring next as he prepares to give everyone a 5 second photo opportunity. Hmmm what does this remind me of? Oh yeah Edge and Christian. The crowd also bury Jessie with a mix of "you can't wrestle" and "who are ya" chants. Both are very fitting. James Storm interrupts him and challenges him to a match. I guess this is managements attempt at getting Jessie over by having him face Storm.
Singles Match - Jessie VS James Storm
This isn't really a match to be honest, more of a squash. Jessie gets very little to do other than stand around and be pummelled by Storm. Storm celebrates post match Stone cold style completing the attitude era knock off section of the show.
We see more footage of the wrestlers as they move between locations. Daniels, Kazarian and Magnus have a pretty funny segment about using their passports as they move between countries and this seems like the most "real" piece of the segment. Zema Ion is worried about running out of Euros, even though he should be more worried about not having pounds for when he enters the UK. D'lo talks about the stresses of being a road agent on a big international tour and the challenges he faces.
|To be honest knowing Hernandez's record I would be scared to
Tag Team Title Match - Bobby Roo & Austin Aries VS Chavo Guerrero & Hernandez
This match is good and finally ends the most boring tag reign in TNA history of Chavo and Hernandez. Really they dropped the ball with Chavo who can run good matches on his own, but they have just let him languish in the tag division and will likely drop him in the next few months because he didn't make them a shitload of money. Also I like that Aries and Roo won, but I can't help but think that they are just a weak knock off of Team Hell No!
Knockouts Match - Tessmacher VS Tara
It happened. There where some ladies who did OK wrestling moves. One of the won. Match was OK. Nothing else of interest happened. Tara as champion is really really boring.
|I don't know why this photo made it to Impact website
We have a hilarious lie about Hardy needing and MRI on his leg. Could you imagine TNA forking out the money for a real MRI scan on their talent? Jesus I am surprised their talent have money to pay bills let alone their own medical bills. Anyway as we know Hardy isn't injured, it's his past DRUG CONVICTIONS that prevent him from entering the UK and Republic of Ireland. Not sure about anywhere else, but hey that doesn't stop TNA from advertising him for over a year here in the UK in full knowledge that he wouldn't be allowed entry. I feel sorry for you poor people who bought tickets to see Hardy.
Tag Tables Match - D.O.C & Devon VS Sting & Bully Ray
This match is pretty clear but and by the numbers but I have to mention that Bully Ray actually Hulks out 1980's style and wins the match using ALL of Hulks moves including the big boot to win. So does that mean that anyone related to Hulk or has his hall of fame ring can actually channel the power of Hulkamania? What kind of crazy shit is that?
Anyway the show was better than the London one for wrestling. The story is still batshit insane though and will only get worse from here on I imagine. See you next week.


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Man, I hate hooks. I'm fighting to keep my wrist straight and because I'm concentrating so hard on that, I can never get any power behind the punch. Screw it, I'll just throw an elbow or a knee if someone gets this close.
"The look of concentration you have makes you look mildy constipated. I'm just saying," said Kari, who was not only my current bag partner but also my roommate.
"Shut up Kari, or I'll tell Mike that you sing to yourself when you're on the toilet." Oh yeah, she's also dating my brother.
I practiced a few hooks in slow motion, trying to make it feel more natural. When I was feeling confident I tried throwing one at full speed and felt my wrist pop when I hit the bag.
"Sonovabitch!" I glared daggers at the stupid punching bag while massaging my sore wrist. It didn't feel like anything was broken at least.
"It would feel more natural if you kept your striking arm closer to your body and rotated from your hips rather than just your shoulders," came a voice from behind me. Even if I hadn't been familiar with that voice, Kari's smirk would've tipped me off. Ballsack.
"Hey Will," Kari said, "How's Econ treating you?"
"Meh, Professor Anderson is Satan, but I'll be able to pull a C at least. How about you?"
I continued doing hooks while Kari exchanged pleasantries with Will, AKA Current Bane of My Existence. Sure, he had the whole "Sexy Australian" thing going for him, but he also had this way of annoying the hell out of me with less that ten words. One time he did it in four. Did he realize that he did this? I don't really know. And was I going to blame him anyway? You betcha.
My revenge on the punching bag was interrupted when Will said, "Leanna, are you trying to hurt yourself? Here, let me show you." I clenched my fists and stepped back while he executed a textbook perfect hook. Watching did help me realize what I was doing wrong, but I'd be damned if I told him that. When he was done, he asked me to try a few, which I did half-heartedly.
"Looking better already. See ya later Kari." He winked and left.
When he was gone I snorted in disgust then turned and threw a solid hook at the bag. It felt awesome.
"Man, if I wasn't head over heels in love with Mike I would totally hit that," said Kari. She wasn't talking about the punching bag. "What the crap is your problem?!"
"I'm sorry, but I'm just not into patronizing, infuriating, cocky douche bags who think they're god's gift to women. I don't understand how you can stand sitting next to him for more than five minutes, this seriously baffles me. Sure, he has that hot accent and he smells amazing but...what?" I cut off my tirade at the sight of Kari's smirking face.
"You think I smell awesome? I want to say that's adorable, but it's mostly weird."
Note to self: Kill Kari. I'm sure Mike would understand.
I just stood there, frozen and staring at the punching bag. In my periphery, I saw Will bend down and grab the water bottle he'd forgotten.
"I saw that hook by the way, it looked good and solid. You're welcome." I could just hear the smugness dripping from his words, and I felt heat rise to my face. I glanced over to see if he was leaving yet. Nope. He was just standing there expectantly. As I watched, he leaned against the wall, folded his arms across his chest and raised his eyebrows as if to say, "I'm waiting".
"Thanks for the help," I said with clipped words, imagining his perfect teeth just falling out of his mouth made the words a little easier to say. I then turned to grab my stuff so that I could go and mourn the departure of my dignity in the comfort of my own room.
"If you're really grateful, you'll have dinner with me this Friday," he said. I turned and raised an eyebrow at him. Seriously?
"I work Fridays," I said, then started walking out of the room into the main gym. Kari was taking her own sweet time grabbing her gear. Will walked next to me, he really did smell amazing. I'm pretty sure I smelled like cheetos and....death.
"How about tonight then?" he asked. I opened my mouth to make up an excuse, but Kari beat me to the punch.
"That's perfect! Lea, you just told me that you don't have any homework tonight and wanted to go out for Italian. Now I don't have to!" I'm fairly positive I resembled a fish with my mouth hanging open and gaping at the traitor who Kari had become.
Will's face lit up and he said, "Excellent! How does an hour sound? Good? Ok, I'll pick you up at seven then!" and with his usual wink, he left.
I waited until I saw him drive away before turning to Kari and saying, "Just so you know, you're dead to me. Also, I'm calling dibs on the last of your peanut butter as payment for this betrayal."
"Oh you totally want him. And if you take the rest of my peanut butter I'll have no choice but to finish off your brownie ice cream."
"You suck."
"I love you too Lea."
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Natural languages may be thought in various ways to be 'logically imperfect.' Certain grammatical forms may mislead us about logical form; thus, 'It is raining' looks as if it refers to something ('it'). More radically, certain concepts may even involve us in contradiction or incoherence. For example, Tarski argued that the ordinary concept 'true' did this, since it generated such paradoxes as the liar.
A logically perfect language would be one lacking these faults, as well, perhaps, as some other 'defects', such as ambiguity and redundancy. Frege attempted to create such a language (the Begriffsschrift [concept writing or concept notation]), in which to couch the truths of logic and mathematics. Rather later, the Logical Positivists were interested in the idea of a logically with which to express the whole of natural science.
Dr. Roger Teichmann in The Oxford Companion to Philosophy


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2010 May 15: NY Kinderhook: RAWSEP View: Don't burn wood, period: OWB moratorium for three more months: Outdoor wood boiler discussion continues
Under the state Property Maintenance Code, article 302.6, Piester said, a building faces the hurdle that "pipes, ducts, conductors, fans or blowers shall not discharge gases, steams, vapor, hot air, grease … upon abutting or adjacent public or private property or that of another tenant."
The board voted to extend the town's moratorium on OWBs for another three months while the law is being hammered out.
RAWSEP View: l. This article does not discuss the health hazards of wood smoke.
2. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and mine collapses in West Virginia and Siberia do not justify creating more pollution in the form of Black Carbon. Black carbon is the 2nd leading cause of global warming and stopping it is the quickest way to slow climate change. Black carbon from among other things, wood burning, contributes to, to quote, "glaciers melting and the North Pole being turned into a lake."
3. A fireman who isn't concerned with the health effects of smoke inhalation is hopefully a unique individual.
4. Since these Outdoor Wood Boilers are already violating a code, why is that code not being enforced immediately?
5. "Smoke gets in your lungs" uses science to make its points about Outdoor Wood Boilers. There are also much more recent scientific studies of the health hazards of wood burning.
6. A neighbor who isn't concerned about the health effects of his Outdoor Wood Boiler on his neighbor is hopefully a unique individual, as the health hazards are increasingly publicized. People who complain about Outdoor Wood Boilers are not unique. Complaints about Outdoor wood boilers have occurred across New York State and the U.S., logically resulting in Outdoor Wood Boiler bans and regulations in increasing numbers.
7. Banning or regulating Outdoor Wood Boilers is not, quote, "a communist thing" or quote, "prejudice". If a CEO would come to someone's house and say NO, the official would be enforcing an existing code PMC 302.6
8. If a person spent $15,000 for a polluting device, does that person expect to be rescued from their bad decison? A bailout?
By John Mason
Mike Urbaitis built, owns and maintains one of the two OWBs in Kinderhook Village. He constructed his boiler, which heats two houses and a greenhouse in the center of the village, as an alternative to fossil fuel. His plea couldn't have been more timely, coming as the world tries to contain the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
But not everybody sees it his way: Kinderhook Village has outlawed OWBs after 2020, and at Monday's meeting, Kinderhook Town Board members heard a presentation on OWB regulations, as they explore the town's options.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is working on regulations that would phase out "existing wood boilers" by 2020 and is accepting comments through July 2. A public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. June 8 at 625 Broadway in Albany, with a public information session at 5 p.m.
During the public comment period, Urbaitis urged the Town Board to regulate, rather than banish, the OWB.
A member of the Palmer Engine and Hose Company, he described two oil burner failures that occurred in the village last fall.
"One was a residence in which a woman remained in the house a full night and day before she moved an object and saw the distinct ring showing a deposit of unburned fuel," he said. "I was doing work at the house, and I saw the film myself. She had to have every object in the house cleaned down to the stones in the cellar, at a cost of $15,000."
Urbaitis said the second incident was in the village square, and when he responded as a fireman, "thick smoke was pressing against the windows and the square was blue with the haze of unburned fuel oil. This condition lasted a full half-hour. Everyone there got a good lung full of that smoke, and my head was banging for the rest of the night. So it's true that no system is perfect, but my boiler can't cause that sort of hazard."
Unlike oil, he said, wood particles that fall to the ground do not pollute, but serve as fertilizer. Since wood is found on the surface of the earth, no mining, drilling or refining is needed, he said, and "the collection of firewood is a healthy and useful activity."
Urbaitis was responding to "Smoke Gets in Your Lungs," a 2005 publication of the state Attorney General's Office which he said "beats down on OWBs from start to finish." Urbaitis urged that it "not be outlawed, but rather taken seriously as a legitimate heat source."
"My wood boiler is an excellent heat provider," he said. "It runs clean with the use of clean wood fuel only and proper loading. I don't burn too much wood — just enough. A tall stack also helps disperse the wood smoke as I live near other people and I wish not to be a nuisance."
He said his direct neighbors "are OK with" his setup. His 30-foot high stack lifts the smoke above their houses.
"I should mention that I have one individual who always complains," Urbaitis said. "He complained when I burned my wood stove and now he complains about the boiler, which is about 300 feet from his house. I myself have seen him puffing on substandard cigars in front of his spouse, so I guess I'd be a fool to take his smoke claims seriously."
He urged board members to take into consideration the sulfur, mercury, benzene and other pollutants he and other OWB users are not emitting by not burning oil. While oil is "politically, ecologically and culturally destructive," he said, "wood has a low impact. No wars need to be fought, no sham governments need to be propped up and no spills need to be mitigated."
Urbaitis asked the town to "take a leadership position … by allowing wood boilers to operate," and suggested that stack requirements and a burn season be put in place.
Monday's meeting kicked off with a power point presentation by Ron Piester, director of the Division of Code Enforcement and Administration for the state Department of State. He addressed the state regulations regarding OWBs and how local regulations might interact with them.
Under the state Mechanical Code, he said, while there is little information about OWBs themselves, there's a wealth of information about their installation. The unit must be listed and labeled, he said, specifically designed and installed properly, "not just patched together."
Under the state Property Maintenance Code, article 302.6, Piester said, a building faces the hurdle that "pipes, ducts, conductors, fans or blowers shall not discharge gases, steams, vapor, hot air, grease … upon abutting or adjacent public or private property or that of another tenant."
He said it was up to the code enforcement officer to make sure this condition is not violated, and said his office provides technical assistance in applying the code.
The town's options, Piester said, are:
n To develop criteria for application of the Property Maintenance Code, with guidelines for the CEO.
n To adopt a local law under the authority of Executive Law Article 18, subject to review and approval by the New York State Code Council.
Over the long term, Piester said, the town could amend its codes. Most importantly, he said, the town should support its CEO's education. Code enforcement officers are the "silent heroes," he said, making sure buildings "are built safely, stand the test of time and are built so emergency personnel know what they are getting into." CEOs, he said are required to take 24 hours a year of training.
Councilwoman Patsy Leader asked whether article 302.6 applied to restaurants or burning wood in a fireplace.
"I think you're being prejudiced," she said. The 14,000 people with wood boilers in New York state "is such a small percentage compared to other things the state should be looking for," she said. "There's a very small community in Kinderhook that has this. Someone paid $15,000 [to build on] — how are you going to tell them they have to get rid of it, then increase their taxes? The people I spoke to have never burned garbage: They burn clean wood. I feel it's a prejudice."
Piester expressed his surprise at her reaction to what he considered "relatively minimal regulations."
"My feeling is, I don't think they should be banned," she said. "Who is the CEO to come into my house and say 'No?' It's a communist thing."
Piester said the state Code Council is not thinking of banning them, and that 302.6 was developed in a national context and applies to all types of exhaust from buildings.
Speaking in favor of Urbaitis were Mike Rexhouse and Dick Morell. Rexhouse said Urbaitis, whom he has worked for, cuts his own wood locally, clearing and maintaining areas in exchange for wood so he doesn't need to transport his fuel thousands of miles.
He said there is a small amount of smoke when the wood is first put in, which is replaced by steam after a minute or two, and when the unit is up to temperature, with proper use, there's no smoke at all.
"We have an opportunity here," he said. "I'm disgusted by this whole experience; our state officials are encouraging the dying fossil fuel industry."
Morell said he had never experienced any obnoxious odor from Urbaitis's boiler.
While mines collapse in West Virginia and Siberia, glaciers are melting and the North Pole is turning into a lake, he said, "our government is more interested in outdoor wood boilers than in the people creating the problem."
The board voted to extend the town's moratorium on OWBs for another three months while the law is being hammered out. Councilman Peter Bujanow said the code committee is considering how the DEC's laws differ from the ones they are proposing.
"We don't ban them," he said. "We allow them in certain zones." The committee is also considering requirements for setbacks and stack heights, and distinctions between residential and commercial units.


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The hand trend... Rad or bad?
There's something a little Picasso's Funhouse about turning bodyparts into decoration. From wearing teeth around your neck to little ears that act as wall hooks, seeing parts of your body not on your body kind of gives us the willies. When it comes to hands, the sentiment's not much different, though the creepy factor gets compounded with the creep factor when these items start looking like a perv masquerading as a sweater. But are we just too squeamish? Are hands the Next Big Thing or are you keeping your own mitts away from this grope-y motif?


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When your Monday through Friday, 9-5 fails to fulfill your high expectations, it can be difficult to mask the emotions you feel in the everyday occurrences that just irk you to your very core. Damn you, Randall, and your blasting Billy Idol playlist! Why?!
But when a job becomes a paycheck, all sanity is sacrificed for those beloved dollar bills. Here are a few crucial facial expressions you need to practice before you lose all control.
When coworkers and bosses are hurriedly running around the office, don't be the guy with the glazed-over eyes chilling in the corner on his computer. Use this expression when you don't want to look like the lazy asshole. After all, Facebook does take some concentration and catching up on your Twitter feed can be real hard work.
What do you get for laying on the couch all day Sunday watching football and reruns? One pissed off Monday morning with a fresh dose of "my new life sucks" and a side of "is it Friday yet?" Rather than sorely rushing past your coworkers to make it to your little hole of hell, practice smiling. Even if the thought of filling out another purchase form makes you throw up a little in your mouth, accept the assignment with a smile so as to appear content.
Planning on leaving early on Friday? Be strategic and use this look on Thursday afternoon. If anyone asks, you're not feeling 100%. Take the high road and come in on Friday, expression in place. Sympathetic coworkers will say, "Wow he/she's a real trooper for coming in this morning." When 2 p.m. rolls around, make your move with the boss man and ask to dip out a little early and you're home free!
Uh oh. Here comes another dreadfully long story about the boss's granddaughter. You know, the one who earned 2nd place in the school spelling bee and learned to ride a bike by age 7? Yes, the average one. While your boss seems completely ignorant to her grandchild's basicness, the look on your face cannot disagree.
Whether you work in an office of seven or 95, perfecting these phony emotions is essential if you plan on maintaining employment. Didn't you learn anything in college? Selling yourself is key.


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I don't think Kyra cares what she looks like, considering her sleeping positions sometimes. (See candid shot at right.)
But if your dog is more fashion-conscious, you might want to check out the all-new Warby Barker website. They have the latest in canine eyewear, and even a blog where readers may contribute photos of their dogs modeling various styles.
I especially like the FAQ section, as well as all the cute photos (be sure to check out the Man's Best Friend page). The Dogocle is also most impressive.


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Repeat the above mentioned measures, letting straight down parts of hair to smooth throughout the join and create an extra parting, until all of the two and three clip pieces have been used-up.Extensions made from Spanish and Italian locks tend to be better with regards to high quality nonetheless they often darken as time passes. These is obviousl… Read More
Skills are the ones items that make your idea a strong one. Talents may be individual or product-oriented and may consist of: previous business knowledge and success; adequate investment to start the business enterprise; having a person in hand; having a distinctive products or services to provide; having a proven marketplace; etc.Company designers… Read More
Divorce can very quickly make a person or family members, feel depressed and frustrated. The first thing that needs to be done if you are going through a divorce is to hire a divorce attorney. A divorce lawyer will be able to help and legally portray you during a divorce. Divorce lawyers will cope with the boring tasks and distribute legal document… Read More
These accessories are perfect for adding splashes of shade to muted or plain-colored outfits. It's a lot more of a Bohemian-style trend which can be changed as frequently as one changes their state of mind. Options from wavy to right extensions are available so all hairstyles can easily be paired with all of them. Shampooing and styling is permissi… Read More
To help deal with the pain sensation that will include breast changes, it is very important have a great fitting bra, preferably made from natural fibers, such as pure cotton. It is essential to make sure that the bra meets precisely. Don't delay changing the bra size whilst the maternity continues together with breasts continue steadily to enlarge… Read More


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Monday, October 29, 2007
1.3 Billion
Yes, there are people everywhere. 7 million more every year. 34 new ones every minute of every day of every year. Shenhzen the city where I live, I live in a suburb (Shekou), has 14 million, with over 600 thousand moving in every year. When I leave my apartment and exit the elevator I will always see between 30 and 100 people on the street. Many many people and I am never ever by myself no matter where I go. I have not gone far enough yet to ever be away from city and crowds. This weekend I did a lot of travel on the light rail system and the subway. The subway in Hong Kong carries over 2 million people daily. That is a lot of riders on ever train!
This is just a few shots of Hong Kong and people from this weekend.
Posted by Tim Winterfeld 1 comment:
Trick or Treat
Posted by Tim Winterfeld 1 comment:
Labels: Hong Kong, Trick or Treat
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