text:
Thursday, 28 January 2010
When I got back into town in the evening, I got together with some friends and we played Monopoly. It was a first for me.
After learning the rules, I bought some property when I could, refused to make early deals that would have seen me develop some from which I could have earned rent, or even allowed me to buy more, and refused to buy property I thought too cheap and in bad neighbourhoods. That you earned 200 bob every time you passed by sounded like a Mungiki-infested area.
The end? The guy who got the cheap stuff made a fortune, and was able to buy and develop other properties. Which made me broke because I had to pay too much rent. I had to mortgage my houses at half price, and ended up selling my properties to merely pass by. In the end, I was left with no property, was penniless and, I imagined, homeless.
I was shocked. Not because I lost the game (I can explain! It was my first time, and I was the second to go bankrupt, out of four people. The first loser was the mugaga-sonko-in an earlier game before I got there). I don't want to live my life like that. We all started with exactly equal opportunities, but two of us were wiped out. Just wondering could life be like that?
In the next five years, I'll focus investing for the long term, and on cash-flow outside my job in the medium term. Medium term is now through the next 5 years. God willing, and helping me. Starting........soon!
Ultimately I think Monopoly is a game of chance. But isn't life? I think a more appropriate name for the game would have been Capitalism. Like, you are either going to eat or be eaten. You know, like the animals I saw on National Geographic at the same venue some time earlier. Because I've never been to Maasai Mara, neither do I have DSTV (who's the other new Pay-TV guy after the death of GTV, R-TV? See, it's a game of chance). Not until this coming weekend, anyway. Way to get that positive cash-flow, you know?
10 comments:
Some stuff is best left OUT OF YOUR BLOG. You played monopoly for the FIRST TIME THIS YEAR??? Sacrilege! Even worse is you lost.. And you even went on to claim that its a game of chance! It is NOT. Its a game of strategy. Requires gr8 planning and vision!
- 29 January 2010 at 06:59
- Bomseh said...
Played Monopoly when I was young. I only seem to remember that Mayfair was the most expensive property. The game takes forever, so I learnt Chess instead. Less boring and it is real combat.
- 29 January 2010 at 10:43
- PKW said...
raymondchepkwony: the thing is, this blog does not exist to create an impression! But thanks, I have my Vision 2014.
Bomseh: Someone on the same gang was teaching me chess last year, and was telling me about the different pieces. For some reason, Bishop didn't stick. At one point I was like "How did you say the Pope moves?" On a lighter note, when you are in your 20s and you're posting on a 30-something year old woman's blog, avoid phrases like "when I was young". I'm just saying
- 01 February 2010 at 14:20
Hi Ms PKW,
I was interested in how you chose your real estate investments. I identify with wanting to invest in the 'nice' areas and not in low cost neighbourhoods. But in reality low cost neighbourhoods give better returns on investment. I read a while back that when you invest in a slum area you get your money back in 9 months. Try matching that anywhere else in Nairobi!
LOL at where the 'pope' moves but since I don't know how to play monopoly it is just half a laugh.
And have you played the cashflow 101?? - a game by Richard Kiyosaki of 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' fame.
Have a great week ahead!
- 02 February 2010 at 12:09
- PKW said...
I was dumb, I waited till I could get a chance to buy prime areas. And you can't develop till you own adjacent properties. AND I refuesed to deals that woud enable me buy adjacent properties because I was eyeing more expensive properties.
No, I've never played Cashflow 101, I'll be on the lookout for it. Someone please invent a game called Cashcow?
- 02 February 2010 at 15:58
- Cee said...
Ati nimepitia nione the comments that came after mine, kumbe I didn't comment when I read the post. arrrggghhh sawa tu. In life somtimes you win sometimes you lose, you just have to increase the chances of winning and reducing those of losing to succeed
- 03 February 2010 at 16:38
- Maishinski said...
PKW.. this is a great article IMO... read "Rich dad poor dad" by Robert Kyosaki... Many kenyans don't realize that a "dream house" is NOT an investment.
It helps to look at your personal cashflow and see whether it ends up in your pocket or someone else's.
You still have time to find your path.
You can set small, incremental and measurable goals and write them down on a "to do list" that you can cross out as you progress.
Additionally on a Monthly / Quaterly Basis:
1. Document and Track your cash "inflows" and "outflows". See where the pennies go.
2. Track your assets. Is your net worth increasing over time?
3. Have a personal Profit and loss statement. Are your assets working for you?
2008 was a tough year for everyone. But the future looks brighter... All the best!
- 04 February 2010 at 23:39
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- 07 February 2010 at 04:11
- PETER said...
i am also looking at ways to grow incomes outside of my current job. shockers is... i meet lotsa movers and shaker, decision makers even but i cant for the life of me come up with even one selleable concept.
- 10 February 2010 at 19:49
Thanks for sharing. Like at all times, on the money and right on object!
- 14 February 2010 at 20:26


text:
Floyd will start at CB - Tate sore, but will play
I assume a full injury report is coming, but this is from Coach Rod's radio interview this evening:
I assume a full injury report is coming, but this is from Coach Rod's radio interview this evening:
October 1st, 2009 at 7:43 PM ^
This might sound somewhat sick, but I hope that Boobi is seriously hindered by that shoulder. If not, it just confirms that a man that is slower than a good portion of DE's has taken his spot on the depth chart. This is not good
October 1st, 2009 at 7:47 PM ^
I think we're gonna have to trust the coaches on this one. We're clearly thin at the position, and they're doing the best to put us in a position to win.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:06 PM ^
Yes, he is. Remember that he was responsible for half of Michigan State's points last year, too.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:32 PM ^
then there is no reason to bury him. No he hasn't played well, and I'm not going to go over the mitigating issues again. More importantly, I'm not hanging anything that happened in 2008, with THAT defense, on Cissoko's head. It's pretty obvious looking back there was a serious issue throughout that unit that affected everyone's skills, development and performance, especially that of a true freshman.
For now, let's all lay off the kid, let him recover, and then support him.
And again, I want to remind everyone here that Stevie Brown is waiting for an apology for all the grief he took the past two years despite playing out of position at the coaches' direction. It is obvious, in the position he is in, that he can be, and is, a fine football player.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:38 PM ^
Didn't Cissoko play most of his time in the nickel position last year? I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of him just because of MSU's current passing attack. Plus with Stevie Brown playing the hybrid that might give us the speed we're going to need to slow them down.
That said, we haven't gone to a lot of nickel looks this year, as per the UFRs.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:48 PM ^
Couldn't agree more. Cissoko's a sophmore AND there has been plenty of talk about a lingering injury so please put down the pitch forks. Remember that Warren's play wasn't consistent last year but off season surgery and another year of maturity have him playing well. Let's hope for the same with Boo-boo.
Since I'm on my soap box...while we may want every player to be the second coming of Charles Woodson the fact is many of them are just so-so. But unless there is evidence that they aren't giving 100% cut them some slack. This includes calling any player "death" particularly if they are a walk on.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:56 PM ^
I appreciate your point and agree that we should err on the side of cutting kids slack, especially when they're doing all that they can to improve and help the team win. I really do understand what you're getting at.
That being said...I mean...what if said player actually, kind of is...well...death? We all know he's trying hard. We all appreciate the fact that he's giving up a lot of time and dedicating himself to improving and helping the team win. But, man, he's still kinda...DEATH.
October 2nd, 2009 at 9:31 AM ^
Before pressing the keys in the safety of your own home ask yourself if you would call Sheridan or any other player on the team "death" to their face. Come to think of it I wonder what Barwis' reaction would be?
October 1st, 2009 at 9:10 PM ^
nick sheridan = death
we all love nick and he wears a headset and holds a clipboard as well as anyone. on the field however he's a party foul.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:47 PM ^
The Death tag bounces of Nick and sticks on Coner
It doesn't rhyme, so sue me.
The honorable mention high school all-conference walk on beats out the three-star, scholarship player.
When you shrieked to the heavens "Why is he on the field?", the answer was because the alternative was worse.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:55 PM ^
why would you bury anyone on the team? I can understand being disappointed with someones performance, or wondering why the team can't perform better, but these are 20 year old kids working their asses off for the team. If there was some indication that he wasn't working hard enough, then I could understand it. But I don't understand all the anger against him. He's trying his best and he can't cut it, I don't think we cant hold it against him.
(This isn't at you jg, just seemed a decent place to put it). I've just always been miffed when UM fans boo or jeer their own players, for lack of talent. I'm sure I'm a bit defensive about it, but I don't understand it at all.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:19 PM ^
Michigan players. I love Michigan football and I support the players, so even when a guy like Ezeh frustrates me by his sometimes slow reactions, I just wait for him to make a good play and applaud that.
And personally, I think they're doing fine given their time with Robinson and the mess in 2008. The team is steadily improving in their defensive looks. I've watched a lot of teams this year, and outside of Florida, Alabama, USC and Ohio State, I haven't seen many teams that cannot be exploited defensively. It's just the way of college football.
Further, given what we know now about the amount of time (wink) they put in to get better and to get their education, and the demands put on them by Rodriguez and Barwis, I'm with you - I'm even less apt to criticize the team because it's not an issue of either preparation or effort - it's maybe talent, and probably coaching and experience. Talent is what it is. For coaching and experience, we just need to be patient.
16 or 17 of the current players in the two deep will still be at Michigan in 2011, just think about that. Plus, you can add Turner, Emilien, Avery, the Talbotts, Gordon, Big Will Campbell, Marvin Robinson, Wilkins, Paskorz, LaLota, and other 2010 recruits to that depth. Things will be very good here in the future.
In sum, all I'm just saying is wait until a guy has played 2-3 full years in his slot, not 2 1/2 games, before jumping to conclusions. Further, 2008 was a huge complication. And, given what we know now about Warren, why the rush to condemn Cissoko when rumors of injury abound?
So, that's a long winded way of saying I agree with you. Forza Azul.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:49 PM ^
Well said, I agree with you every step of the way. Interesting you mentioned Ezeh, because I feel the same way. I scream at the tv when he doesn't hit his gap or bites a fake, but I have a ton of respect for him, because he never seems to give up. I'm sure he's as frustrated as we are, he knows he's not playing up to his potential, but he's out there working hard til the end of the game.
While we're talking about the defense, I just want to say I love watching Donovan Warren play. He just looks like he wants to win more than anything.
God I love this team.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:14 AM ^
I was fond of calling him "Big Play" Stevie Brown, and not just because of the deep balls he gave up. Dude could make plays, turns out he should have been at LB since birth.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:09 AM ^
That is an odd thing to say. I would hope Boo Boo improves.. and say what you want about Floyd, but he usually is in decent position on passes and is an excellent tackler. Kid is going to be a good player, IMO...regardless of if he is not super fast. Maybe it will be as a strong safety, but Floyd can play football.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:33 AM ^
That Boubacar's injury is the reason he hasn't played very well, not that he hopes the injury keeps him off the field.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:47 PM ^
Are you talking about booboo? Boobi makes me think of Gibson the guard for the Cavs. I just hope whoever starts is able to stop the deep ball and at least make the hitch a tough completion. I expect to see booboo in the game quite a bit though. I'm not giving up on the kid.
This was a reply to Matt D.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:49 PM ^
Boobi makes you think about the Cavs? That's certainly not what I think about.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:05 PM ^
Well played. An upbang for you is in order. It makes me think of Boobie Gibson but also other things.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:53 PM ^
seemed to have a lot of upside last year and he has physical tools and obvious confidence (maybe too much)which is so important at DB. I don't get how he can be so bad, I just don't.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:54 PM ^
Does anyone know the specifics on what is holding back Justin Turner? I know, I know, he's a freshman. But what do the coaches see that says he's not ready. Not questioning anyone's judgement.Just curious.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:04 PM ^
The coaches continually say that he's behind. The inference is that its the result of him arriving at fall practice late because of his academic issue, although I guess it could be any number of reasons.
Personally, if he's still not ready by week 5, I'd think twice before burning the red shirt (crap, did we already burn it on special teams?).
October 1st, 2009 at 8:06 PM ^
No, I don't think we'd see him in there on special teams. I guess I could have missed him but I haven't noticed. I also haven't looked every time either. I doubt they have though.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:56 PM ^
Can you give a summary of what he said about Tate? "Tate's sore and will play a few snaps", or "Tate's sore now but will be 100% by Saturday," or something inbetween? Any indication?
October 1st, 2009 at 8:03 PM ^
Regarding Tate, this is directly from the linked article:
Rodriguez also reiterated that quarterback Tate Forcier will play against the Spartans despite a sore shoulder.
Forcier was limited in practice earlier this week, but returned without limitation on Wednesday....
"I don't know if he's 100 percent without soreness," Rodriguez said. "But there's no limitations and there's no damages there. He's good."
October 1st, 2009 at 8:05 PM ^
Thanks. Sorry, I am on a mobile device and probably should have just clicked the link.
Sounds to me like Tate is fine, assuming RichRod isn't trying to mislead anyone (any why would we have the injury report in the first place if RichRod finds it valuable to mislead other teams?)
October 1st, 2009 at 8:06 PM ^
between class today. He was wearing a hoodie and had both of his hands in the pocket/pouch. I'm worried he might have Raynaud phenomenon (thanks Web MD).
October 1st, 2009 at 8:06 PM ^
If spelled like so - "Boobie" - makes me think of Boobie Miles from Friday Night Lights, which is an extremely awesome movie.
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:37 AM ^
Better book, on account of being factual.
The movie writers changed quite a bit from the original manuscript.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:15 PM ^
that BooBoo had a good week of practice. He needs to keep what confidence he can b/c he CAN be a great CB. He just needs to focus.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:41 PM ^
"He just needs to focus."
My guess is that it is just not that simple.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:44 PM ^
I don't doubt you, but can you explain further?
October 1st, 2009 at 9:29 PM ^
Yes, "further" is used to indicate distance or extent in cases in which the distance is not known or when distance is spoken of in an abstract sense. It is often contrasted and confused with "farther".
Sorry - the wine has put me in a joking mood. Anyway, I think his technique is lacking (I am sure someone more knowledgeable - like Magnus - could break down his technical issues further), and perhaps his stature is hindering him, which I think are affecting his mental state, i.e., his focus.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:37 PM ^
Again, I don't disagree with you, but more often than not mental state will affect physical performance. If you head is not right, then you can't perform. I am sure you have heard people say that attitude is everything. I respect your opinion, but I think he has all the tools. He just needs to focus his mental energy into having success instead of not failing. He will work out just fine. I hope he keeps that chip on his shoulder though.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:54 PM ^
Very good point - it can go the other direction also. So much for a simple explanation. Here's to hoping he improves, whatever the problem is.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:24 PM ^
October 1st, 2009 at 9:36 PM ^
An interesting perspective. Does anyone have the coaches' information so that I may relay this tantalizing tidbit?
October 1st, 2009 at 9:51 PM ^
Maybe Cissoko is having off the field troubles. Academic or otherwise. When people say "focus" that starts sounding like personal issues.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:15 PM ^
make those assumptions and baseless accusations.
October 4th, 2009 at 1:38 PM ^
Get off your high and mighty horse buddy. People are allowed to have opinions still.. I think.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:28 PM ^
Boubacar is 5'9". I don't know why anyone expects him to be able to cover anybody. Give these kids some time--the defense isn't as bad as the numbers suggest.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:37 AM ^
it's the fact that he gets burnt to much. It's not like he's all over the receiver and the receiver just out jumps him for the ball. The wr a lot of the time is wide open.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:19 AM ^
Some players just don't figure it out until later in their careers... at least that's what I'm hoping.

subset: commoncrawl


text: While out THRIFTING I stumbled on the cutest pieces for my almost 5 year old. The bedazzled top is Old Navy and the shorts are Hannah Montana, new with tags. Since it was Maniac Monday I got an additional 75% off. This cute little outfit that I paired with gold gladiator sandals only cost $2.oo!! You can't beat that price with a stick! Thrift stores are more than dusty hand-me-downs...I had on a Vera Wang top yesterday that I paid a buck fiddy for! Gotta love it!


text:
More arctic air just hit the city and drove temps below zero. I'm staying late at work tonite for an open house and have taken the train for my last two days' worth of commutes. We put a list-price bid on a short-sale only to hear back that the seller had just signed off on a bid that was $15K less than our offer. It's been a shitty couple of days.
Thankfully, I bought more rye on my way home last night and immediately took a shot once I was inside. Took another one after hearing about the short-sale, took a nyquil & went to bed. Can't wait to do the same tonite after figuring out what to do for dinner.
Current beer-scale: 6.1


text:
Yesterday I attended my first ever live concert of a bollywood singer - Arijit Singh - and this was with live symphony. It was one of the most awesome experiences I have had.
I guess Live Symphony means they make their own music. None of the songs they played / he sang were on the same pace or exact tune of the original song. Even slow songs were played at a faster tempo.
I guess Live Symphony means they make their own music. None of the songs they played / he sang were on the same pace or exact tune of the original song. Even slow songs were played at a faster tempo.
The days leading to the concert I was skeptical if it is worth the money we were spending. Each ticket say 2250/-. And that too we were just the silver class - that means from where we sat arijit was barely visible. On top of that when we realised that we needed to be around an hour early to collect tickets, I saw quite miffed. But despite the 2 hour or so wait to get seated ( we got the best seats of our class) and around 20 minutes or so of listening 👂 to the chattoo radio jockeys, once the prodigy singer took stage it was worth every paisa of the money 💵 spent.
Man the energy he has is awesome. He sang continuously for 2 hours, not even pausing in between numbers. He would just blend one song into the next. And not once did his voice falter or change. It was adrenaline pumping time. He took a small break of about 15 minutes and after that he played the piano all the while singing some of his favourite numbers sing by other singers all ranging from oldies to current ones. That was really enthralling.
They had placed a huge screen quite next to us, so our view was nice. Though i really wished my luck had worked and i had won passes in radio 📻 mirchi contests to be able to sit right in the front.
After the break, most of the folks came out to the front of our section came to the front and stated dancing. It was almost like a disco.
My first concert was an amazing experience. I can't wait for the next one.
I also realised how lucky that we both have the same tastes and we both could enjoy the concert.


text: Yes, but that does not mean you should. The GSA Schedules program is the premier acquisition vehicle in the federal government. GSA Schedules handle about $50 billion a year in spending, which accounts for 10 percent of overall federal procurement spending. GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts streamline the government procurement process.


text:
When the stars aren't shining
And the sun's not burning,
I know it's gonna be ok.
I look into your eyes
And I seem to realize...
You make it real for me.
Like the first rainfall after the drought.
The colors of the sky as the sun sets.
The smell of the air in the springtime.
You make it real for me.
You're my best friend, that's not gonna change.
I trust you completely for you truly know me.
Sometimes it's hard to be strong with all that's going on,
But I'm by your side and it all comes back.
It's the truth that's carried in your smile.
You make it real for me.
Like the song of the morning.
The crash of the ocean waves.
The wind blowing through the trees.
You make it real for me.
Written: September 2014


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text:
Yesterday I attended a meeting that I actually really enjoyed. Unusual I know and it wasn't just because it was a trip out in the sunshine either!
It was a meeting of people interested in setting up a regional disaster network. Not to have more disasters I hasten to add, to help each other recover from them. It was great to see such good will and community across museums, libraries and archives from both small one-man-bands and giants like Tyne and Wear Museums (TWAM).
There was surprisingly low take up though – from the whole of the North East (Berwick down to Teesside) there are only 28 members so far. So one option is to use social media to promote it, and the strengths of the internet to share information. Thanks to my social media workshop last week I felt fully able to discuss the pros and cons (thank you Karen Blakeman!) and we now have a Google Group (firstname.lastname@example.com) and we will have a Facebook page and possibly a website via WordPress.
In the future the group will be running practical salvage training, setting up a call out tree for help, and offering advice with disaster and continuity planning. All a reminder to me that the disaster plan hasn't been updated recently…


text:
New Honda Civic Favourites To Win 2017 World Car Award
It is tough to decide on a winner if you have a pool of nominated cars that includes the all-new Honda Civic, Audi S5 Coupe, Fiat 124 Spyder Abarth, Mazda CX-9, Jaguar F-Pace, Volkswagen Tiguan and the Toyota C-HR but is has to be done.
The aforementioned vehicles have made it to the finals of the 2017 World Car Award and the winner will be announced on April 13 at the 2017 New York Auto Show.
Many auto heads are already buzzing about it and surprisingly, they are predicting the Civic to come out as the winner in this contest. The car fans pointed out that the Civic bagged the most sales last year and this will have a positive influence in the race for the 2017 World Car Award.
It is also worth pointing out that the Civic's all-new 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine offers the best balance in power and fuel economy which makes it the best vehicle in the affordable market.
But of course, we can't confirm anything just yet and it will have to wait until the New York Auto Show for us to know the winner. Which car do you think will win the award?


text: Honestly. why it took me over a year to do 20 minutes work is beyond me. The poor guy sat with no eyes or ears for all this time! I finally motivated myself to get this WIP done once and for all. 20 minutes later it was done. I could have kicked myself for leaving it so long.


text:
Chinese Man Records 36 by Chinese Man, Dynamite MC, Youthstar, Funk Effect, Smokey Joe and The Kid
- Label: Chinese Man Records
- Title: Don't Scream
- Reference: Chinese Man Records 36
- Format: 7"
- Country: FR
- Categories: Drum & bass, Hip hop,
- Style: Hop Hop Swing, RSD 2016
- Weight: 0.15
- Release date: 04/16/2016
- Catalog entry: 04/23/2016
Out of stock
Chinese Man Records 36 review
Swing Hiop Hop baby … And B Side a Drum & Bass mix !! CLASS A !!
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Don't Scream (Smokey Joe & The Kid Remix)
- Don't Scream (Funk Effect Remix)
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*Press Announcement* Choice Cable Launches 30 Top Channels from Olympusat
By: FUNimation Channel
Tags: anime, channel launch, Choice Cable, funimation channel, olympusat, Puerto Rico
Category: broadcast, funimation channel, Press Releases
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text:
As the knitters wrote reviews of the various yarns, they were asked to use a single adjective to describe each yarn. Amy went through them and selected the most amusing, appropriate and ear-catching ones and put them into a lovely bag. A random draw was done - the bag is the prize! Joan & I dug deep into our vocabularies 'cause a girl can always use another knitting bag ... right? I'm not weird (well, at least not about this!).
And the winner is ... Sandy!!


text:
The retailer will open an 11,000-sq.-ft. location at the mammoth shopping center, which is located in Bloomington, Minnesota, in fall 2017.
In addition to more than 20,000 products, Ulta Beauty will also feature an in-store offering a variety of hair, skin, and brow services.
Ulta Beauty currently operates some 975 locations nationwide. It plans to open approximately 100 stores in 2017.


text:
MVP Kevin Durant scored 30 points or more in eight of 13 games playoff games prior to the start of Oklahoma City Thunder's Western Conference Finals matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. Contrary to that stat, KD has yet to score over 28 points in the series so far, even scoring as low as 15 points in Game 2. It's not clear exactly what's bothering Durant, but most of the credit should go to the Spurs' gritty effort on the defensive end. The league's Most Valuable Player — who averaged 32 points per game during the regular season — is only shooting a playoff-low 43 percent through three games in the series.
Knowing Durant, he isn't going to continue to shoot at low percentages. He's poised to strike at any moment and I believe it will come tonight in Oklahoma City. If things do not go their way, this could be the Thunder's last home game of the season. That said, Durant should be ready to strike. The most field-goal attempts for Durant in the series is 19 — shooting 19 times in Games 1 and 3. Tonight, Durant has to indeed take matters into his own hands and shoot at least 25 times in order to ensure his team has a chance to win.
With Serge Ibaka back in the lineup, the Thunder will have more possessions. Ibaka's presence on the defensive end will force the Spurs into bad shots and multiple turnovers, giving KD the opportunity to hoist up shots in hopes of making them. Knowing the situation his team is in, Durant should be aiming to score around 35 or more points, but 50 wouldn't be too much. Russell Westbrook is going to get his shots regardless, whether we like it or not. He has that killer instinct that Durant sometimes lacks, even though Durant is still "the guy" in OKC.
With the Thunder facing a 3-1 deficit tonight, Durant will surely be looking to dominate in every facet of the game. I'm confident the Thunder will walk away with a victory on their home court since Durant knows he hasn't played his best basketball through three tough games.
Brian Anderson is an NBA writer for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrAnderson035 "Like" him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
Oklahoma City Thunder In Position To Seize Momentum In Western Conference Finals


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Back in June 2015, Megan Davies was an ordinary 18 year old from Pwllheli in North Wales.
28 Jun 2017
Back in June 2015, Megan Davies was an ordinary 18 year old from Pwllheli in North Wales.
She'd just completed her A levels and was set for a summer full of socialising and a holiday with the girls before starting a nursing degree in Cardiff.
But on Monday 29th June, Megan's life changed forever. On this day she was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma cancer.
Fast forward two years, and with Megan now cancer free, her brave and honest battle has been transformed into a theatre production by Frân Wen, a Arts Council Wales revenue funded organisation.
The theatre for young audiences specialists from Anglesey are taking Mwgsi on tour around Wales this autumn.
The actors Mirain Fflur - who plays the part of Mwgsi - Catrin Mara and Ceri Elen will perform in the drama.
Author and playwright Manon Steffan Ros has penned the script, and bringing the whole show together is director Iola Ynyr from Frân Wen. She promises "a brutally honest and darkly humorous drama."
"The thing that struck me about Mwgsi's blog was her brave honesty. There was no hint of self-pity, only a determination to face the cancer head on with plenty of humour. At times it made for a very uncomfortable read but love and friendship prevails through all that," said Iola, Frân Wen's Artistic Director.
"The moment I came across the blog I knew it would work brilliantly on stage - the fast pace and multiple location lends itself to a wonderfully visual story that is sure to emotionally embrace the audience."
Megan and her best friend Gwenllian - who also contributed to the blog - have been part of the creative process from day one.
"It's been a lot of fun being involved and putting everything together," said Megan, who began her nursing degree at Cardiff University this year.
"I've been reading Manon's books for years, especially when I was studying for my A levels, so it was a great experience working with her on developing Mwgsi.
The creative process included an intense period of sharing stories, improvisation, physical work, story structures and experimenting.
"There was a lot of laughing and crying but it was paramount that Megan and Gwenllian were a part of this from the start. Both felt confident enough to voice their opinions when our imaginations would start to run wild!" added Iola.
"It's been a pleasure to work with a team who have been so open to ideas and who are determined to develop the best script possible."
Initially the thought of sharing her story on stage was strange for Megan: "I feel glad that I've had this opportunity to share my story so we can raise awareness of cancer among young people," added Megan.
"Manon Steffan Ros has used my story as inspiration, and we've tried to make the production as abstract as possible using my blog as a foundation.
I hope that Mwgsi will encourage us all to talk with each other - talk about cancer, illness and mental health. We don't talk enough."
18 October1pm & 7.30pm Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli 01758 704088
20 October10.45am & 1.45pm Theatr Twm O'r Nant, Denbigh 01745 812349 / 01745 813431
23 October7.30pm Theatr Colwyn, Colwyn Bay 01492 577888 / 872000 theatrcolwyn.co.uk
25 October7.30pm Neuadd Buddug, Y Bala 01758 704 088
26 October7.30pm Ysgol Y Moelwyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog 01766 830435
3 & 4 November7.30pm Chapter Cardiff 02920 304400 chapter.org
8 November1.30pm Pontio, Bangor 01248 382828 pontio.co.uk
9 November7.30pm Ysgol Gyfun Llangefni 01248 725700
14 November7.30pm Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda 01248 208485 neuaddogwen.com
17 November6pm Galeri, Caernarfon 01286 685222 galericaernarfon.com
18 November7.45pm Theatr Clwyd, Mold 01352 701521 theatrclwyd.com
20 November7.30pm Theatr Felinfach, Dyffryn Aeron 01570 470697 theatrfelinfach.cymru
21 November7.30pm St. Peters Civic Hall, Carmarthen 01239 712934
22 November7.30pm Ffwrnes Llanelli 0845 2263510 theatrausirgar.co.uk
23 November7.30pm Canolfan Gartholwg Pontypridd 01443 219589 gartholwg.org
Director: Iola Ynyr
Playwright: Manon Steffan Ros
Cast: Mirain Fflur, Ceri Elen and Catrin Mara
Costumes: Angahrad Gwyn
Lighting designer: Ceri James
Music: Ifan Sion Davies
For further details please contact Carl Russell Owen at Frân Wen on firstname.lastname@example.com or 01248 715048 / 07557 113046
Registered Charity Number 1034245


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Growers across the state are in full harvest mode, and pleasantly surprised with the amazing yields that are coming in. While most are still focused on the current harvest, it's important to multi-task and be thinking about how to prepare the foundation for 2018 crops. It seems like these decisions need to be made earlier each year to help with logistics and managing proper timing of treatments as well as getting early buying discounts. So, whether you are driving the grain truck, auger cart, combine, or pulling a fall tillage tool, below are important questions to answer. Please contact your AgriGold Corn Specialist or agronomist if you need assistance answering these questions.
1. How will I prepare the soil for the 2018 soybean crop?
· Corn stalks will be worked this fall to help breakdown residue.
· Corn stalk won't be worked this fall.
2. How will I properly feed the next soybean crop?
· I will be checking soil pH and applying lime.
· Will soybeans get what is left-over from the corn crop?
· I will apply removal rates of P and K this fall and or spring.
3. How will I manage soybean weed pressures in 2018?
· I will be utilizing a fall herbicide to manage winter annual weeds.
· I will be utilizing a residual followed by…
· I will be utilizing an additional residual with my in-crop application for late flushes of waterhemp.
· I will not be using a residual herbicide.
4. Will I be having my soybeans treated in 2018?
· No, I won't be treating my soybeans.
· Yes, I will be treating with a fungicide & insecticide.
· Yes, I will be treating with a fungicide, insecticide & nematicide.
· Yes, I will be treating with a fungicide, insecticide, nematicide & inoculant.
5. How will I determine planting date?
· I will plant beans once I'm done with corn.
· I have a second planter that will be planting the same time as corn.
· I will plant when soil moisture temperatures are appropriate.
A few calls have been coming in across the area about sudden death syndrome, however with further investigations and diagnosis from the UK lab, all of these issues have been found to be stem canker. If you start to see some foliar symptoms that look to be sudden death, use this news letter to help diagnose stem canker.
Stem canker is a fairly common disease in many areas where soybeans are grown, but may not be recognized as much as it occurs. Stem canker can kill whole plants or parts of plants. It can be confused with Phytophthora rot. Two different kinds of stem canker are known, northern and southern, which seem to be geographically limited to some degree but their ranges may overlap. Some soybean varieties can have resistance to stem canker. This disease often appears to kill or damage scattered plants, but in some cases large areas can be killed and yield losses can be significant.
Early symptoms are reddish-brown lesions that appear at the base of branches or leaf petioles. These small lesions can develop into elongated, sunken, dark brown cankers that spread up and down the stem. Tiny black dots called perithecia (spore producing fungal structures) may appear on the stem singly or in clustered groups on plants killed by stem canker. Plant parts above the lesions may die. Reddish-brown discoloration may also occur inside the stem, and pods can abort. Leaves may develop necrosis and chlorosis between the veins that look very similar to SDS or Brown Stem Rot, however as with Brown Stem Rot plants affected with Stem Canker the leaves will remain attached after death. Lesions often develop at and remain darker at nodes, but may extend to the soil line.
Conditions and Timing that Favor Disease:
Prolonged wet weather, especially early in the season favors stem canker. Symptoms of often seen from mid-July to harvest, especially in susceptible varieties. Reduced tillage may also favor this disease.
Northern stem canker is caused by the fungus Diaporthe phaseolorumvar. caulivora. Southern stem canker is caused by the related fungus Diaporthe phaseolorum var. merdionalis. These pathogens overwinter in infested soybean residue, and may be spread with infected seed.
Disease Management:
Stem canker can be reduced by planting resistant varieties with resistance to this disease. Delayed planting and foliar fungicides may be beneficial. Tillage may reduce disease problems in fields where this disease has been a problem. Crop rotation with non-host crops such as wheat and corn may help to reduce stem canker.
University of Minnesota Extension
The 2017 corn crop is quickly coming to an end across much of Illinois and a topic on many producers' minds other than low yields is the potential for Aflatoxin. A historic drought and record high temperatures during silk and grain fill stages are certainly key criteria needed for the development of Aflatoxin.
What are Aflatoxins? Aflatoxins are naturally occurring by-products produced by two types of molds: Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Aspergillus flavus is the most common and often found when corn is grown under stressful conditions such as drought. Aflatoxins are harmful and can cause several problems in livestock, most commonly a reduction in feed efficiency and reproductivity, suppression of immune system, and in rare instances, death. The most abundant aflatoxin, aflatoxin B1, is a carcinogen. This raises human health concerns because aflatoxin can appear in the milk of dairy cows fed contaminated corn.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established levels for Aflatoxins present in food or feed. The following levels for corn are set by the FDA to maintain an adequate margin to protect both animal and human health.
Identifying Aspergillus Ear and Kernel Mold Aspergillus flavus can be identified as an olive green or yellowish green powdery fungus on drought stressed corn ears. The fungi survive on plant residue and produces abundant spores. These spores are then carried by wind to infect silks and damaged kernels. Short husks that expose ear tips are more susceptible to kernel damage from insects and weather, therefore more prone to infection by Aspergillus.
Managing Aflatoxins in Corn:
• Scout fields prior to harvest for presence of Aspergillus ear mold.
• Set combines and grain handling equipment to minimize kernel damage and remove cracks, fines, and lightweight diseased kernels.
• Aspergillus does not compete well with other fungi when corn is above 20 percent moisture. Harvesting corn when moisture content is above 20 percent followed by rapid drying to at least 14 percent within 24 to 48 hours of harvest keeps further Aspergillus growth and toxin production at a minimum. Corn that will be held long term should be dried to 13 percent.
• Do not store grain in trucks, combines, bins, or any non-aerated site for more than 4 to 6 hours. These conditions quickly escalate aflatoxin levels and deteriorate grain quality because fungal growth and grain respiration will rise quickly in high-moisture grain.
• The amount of Aflatoxin produced in storage is determined by storage conditions. The most important factors are grain moisture content and temperature. Optimum storage temperature for Aspergillus to grow is 80–90°F; optimum grain moisture content is 18-22 percent. Cool grain once dried to 35-40°F for the duration of winter.
Testing for Aflatoxin
To reduce financial loss through the Federal Crop Insurance Program, it is recommended to contact your insurance provider if there is a possibility of grain contaminated with Aflatoxin. An insurance adjuster must collect grain samples believed to be infected prior to harvest and storage and send to a GIPSA (Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration) approved laboratory for testing. Most generally the sample size should be no less than ten pounds of harvested grain and consist of subsamples as Aflatoxin is usually not distributed uniformly.
Munkvold, G. et. al. 2009. Aflatoxins in Corn. Iowa State University, University Extension. PM1800. http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1800.pdf
AgriGold has drafted this document, which details how we gather and disseminate information, in an effort to demonstrate our strong commitment to online privacy. Please contact us if you have any questions about our privacy policy.
We use your Internet protocol (IP) address for several reasons: to help diagnose problems with our server, to administer our Web site, to help identify you, and to gather broad demographic information.
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All orders and sales are subject to the AgriGold Terms and Conditions of Sale, which include but are not limited to the Limitation of Warranty & Remedy and Agronomic Zone and Planting Year. All Terms and Conditions of Sale are subject to change from time to time without prior notice. For the most up to date Terms and Conditions of Sale, see the Producers website at www.agrigold.com.
Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto's Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Certain products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Growers should refer to http://www.biotradestatus.com/ for any updated information on import country approvals. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Biotechnology Industry Organization.
B.t. products may not yet be registered in all states. Check with your Monsanto representative for the registration status in your state.
IMPORTANT IRM INFORMATION: RIB Complete® corn blend products do not require the planting of a structured refuge except in the Cotton-Growing Area where corn earworm is a significant pest. SmartStax® RIB Complete® corn blend is not allowed to be sold for planting in the Cotton-Growing Area. See the IRM/Grower Guide for additional information. Always read and follow IRM requirements.
DroughtGard® Hybrids with RIB Complete® corn blend the refuge seed may not always contain DroughtGard® Hybrids trait.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS FOR USE ON PESTICIDE LABELING. IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW to use any pesticide product other than in accordance with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba or glyphosate are approved for in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans. ONLY USE FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION. XTENDIMAX® HERBICIDE WITH VAPORGRIP® TECHNOLOGY AND IN CROP USES MAY NOT BE APPROVED IN ALL STATES. Contact the U.S. EPA and your state pesticide regulatory agency with any questions about the approval status of dicamba herbicide products for in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans.
Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate and dicamba. Glyphosate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Contact your Monsanto dealer or refer to Monsanto's Technology Use Guide for recommended weed control programs.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS FOR USE ON PESTICIDE LABELING. Products with NemaStrike™ Technology are not registered in all states. The distribution, sale, or use of an unregistered pesticide is a violation of federal and/or state law and is strictly prohibited. Check with your local Monsanto dealer or representative for the product registration status in your state.
Consult bag tags for E-Z Refuge product herbicide options; only those labeled GT/LL may be sprayed with glufosinate.
Seed products with the LibertyLink® (LL) trait are resistant to the herbicide glufosinate ammonium, an alternative to glyphosate in corn, and combine high-yielding genetics with the powerful, non-selective, postemergent weed control of Liberty® herbicide for optimum yield and excellent weed control.
Agrisure® Technology incorporated into these seeds is commercialized under license from Syngenta Seeds, Inc. Herculex® Technology incorporated into these seeds is commercialized under license from Dow AgroSciences LLC.
AgReliant Genetics® and Design, Advantage Acre® and Design, AgriShield®, and AgriGold® and Design are registered trademarks of AgReliant Genetics, LLC. Agrisure®, Agrisure Artesian®, Artesian™, Agrisure Duracade®, Agrisure Viptera® and E-Z Refuge® are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Acceleron®, DroughtGard®, Genuity®, NemaStrike™, RIB Complete and Design®, RIB Complete®, Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design®, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup®, SmartStax and Design®, SmartStax®, VaporGrip®, and XtendiMax®, VT Double PRO® and VT Triple PRO® are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. LibertyLink® and the Water Droplet Design® are registered trademarks of Bayer. Herculex® is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Respect the Refuge and Corn Design® and Respect the Refuge® are registered trademarks of National Corn Growers Association. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SEED PIRACY STATEMENT: Seed containing a patented trait can only be used to plant a single commercial crop from which seed cannot be saved and replanted. Examples of seed containing a patented trait include but are not limited to Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans, and Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans. Additional information and limitations on the use of these products are provided in the Monsanto Technology Stewardship Agreement, the Monsanto Technology Use Guide, and the Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® Soybean Technology Use Guide Supplement. U.S. patents for Monsanto technologies can be found at the following webpage: http://www.monsantotechnology.com


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A Film Review By Jason L. King
|Rating:Rated R for language, Violence and some disturbing images
Starring:Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz
Directed By:Francis Lawrence
Final Grade:
After taking a long sabbatical from the movie world, I tossed myself headlong into the grips of the movie gods once more, wasting my time and my buck on few movies for the sake of my loyal readers. Six hours later, I come bearing news. Since I last wrote a review, which was Hide and Seek, few things have changed. We are still trapped in the springtime Hollywood doldrums where the movies in the theaters are as cold as the weather outside. The secret is to find the few nuggets of greatness hidden amongst the list of letdowns. I thought I might have found that nugget by taking in a showing of Constantine. The problem was, after it was all over, I still don't know if I succeeded.
Constantine is yet another movie adaptation of a comic book character. Digging deep into the comic book underground the story of Constantine is the tale of a man named John Constantine who fights the demons of hell here on earth. As a young boy, Constantine saw visions of demons which drove him to suicide. Due to his Catholic Upbringing, suicide kept him from heaven and sentenced him to hell. Problem with it was Constantine survived his suicide. Now trying to earn his way into heaven, Constantine fights Satan's demons from defying what he calls "The Balance."
The makers of Constantine sought out Matrix Star, Keanu Reeves, to play the DC Comics chain smoking demon slaying , John Constantine. Reeves, who in real life is a jittery chain smoker just like his character, does a great job in this dark anti-hero role. He is cold and calculating, and other than a few cheesy uttered lines, Keanu is on the top of his game. His co-star the always lovely Rachel Weisz does a decent job as well. Character build up is by far the best thing about this tale. The makers of the film make sure that we as an audience cares about Jon Constantine, even though deep down inside we know he is a very unlikable man. Constantine is a man whose inner demons (his alcohol addiction and his chain smoking) are beating him down twice as hard as the demons around him are. None the less despite his unlovable nature, you like Constantine because the movie does a nice job of playing him up as a good guy, despite his cold nature.
The story is definitely an interesting one, and the idea of a battle between God and Satan for the souls of all of mankind makes for an interesting tale to say the least. The problem with the whole story was many times I felt the plot lacked explanation or detail for some actions by the story's minor characters. The film jumped from disjointed story to story and tried to tie it all together in the end. Unfortunately the dragging disjointed plot line felt as though it should have long been over before the climax had started. I remember looking at my watch 1 hour into the film thinking it should have been over already, and being very surprised to find out that I had a long way to go yet. The more this film droned on, the more the film felt as though it lost it's focus, and it's interesting special effects etc. Visions of "hell" were cool the first time, but just like in the Blade Films (in which you see blade slice up more vampires into ash than you will ever need to see), Constantine does the same thing with the same effects.
I also couldn't help but feel as though the film was a 2-hour JEL ad, talking about how smoking kills and causes diseases like lung cancer. As Constantine lights up a cigarette and slays another demon, I couldn't help but think of one of those insane Jel Activists stetting up the Q&A podiums across the street, and eventually shouting at Keanu, "Mr. Constantine, You don't want the demons to kill you but why then do you inhale that demon smoke into your lungs? Can't you seethe corporate demon is killing you?" The "smoking is bad!" hints are there if you look for them, and It gave me a very good laugh.
In the end, Constantine delivers 2 hours of entertainment, but doesn't really pack any long lasting punch. It has solid and interesting characters with great character development, but it forgot to bring a great plot with it as well. I wanted to like Constantine more than I did. I felt cheated by the film. I guess I wanted something a little darker with a little more explanation. Constantine just didn't deliver. Problem with that was, No matter how much I didn't like the film's plot and will never watch Constantine again, I know I would be fooled into watching a sequel to the film if Keanu was still attached to the project. Maybe it's a strange love for Keanu, or maybe it is my newfound love for the Constantine character that makes me want to pick up a few more "anti-hero" comic books. Conclude what you like, but while Constantine fails on one level, it succeeds on another. I wouldn't rush out to theaters to see it, but fans of the comic book films shouldn't be afraid to pick it up as a rental later on down the road.


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Jasmine Tame
Posted on 24 de June de 2012 by spicyhardcore
James becomes suspicious when he starts finding weird sex toys in his wife, Jasmine's purse and hidden around the house, even though they never have freaky sex like that! Could Jasmine be turning to someone else to fulfill her kinky needs? Is James too vanilla to give his wife what she REALLY wants? One day he follows her and catches her with someone else, licking her Master's boots and submitting to him as his willing slave. James has never seen her this docile before! This time he's furious enough to give her the exact kind of rough treatment she really wants.


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Tommy was a very devout young man. He was living with severe retardation and cerebral palsy. His total vocabulary was at best 150 words but he communicated well with his infectious smile and easy laugh. He enjoyed riding his adult tricycle in the parking lot of the habilitation facility where I worked for several years. He would often be seen riding his tricycle and singing songs of praise to God. Tommy viewed God slightly differently than most and yet his view of God might rival the leading theologians. He would sing, "All praise God in Heaven. All power glory to Him in de Highest. Hail Mary and Dracula Power forever and ever. Amen." You see, Tommy combined good and evil into one source. And if good and evil were closely aligned then why not recognize that fact in worship.
I think Tommy was on to something. We have all faced tragedies in our lives. And if we haven't, I guarantee, that at some point in our lives we will deal with some level of misfortune. Misfortune will come either to our beings personally or to someone close to us in our daily circles. So if this is true, then wouldn't it be better to accept this rather than trying to avoid and ignore the tragedies? Is there a different way for us to approach and deal with tragedies?
Our story this morning about Joseph who was his father's favorite had tragedy bestow upon him. Now perhaps he shouldn't have bragged to his brothers about his dream of them bowing down before him, but he was a little kid after all. He was probably tired of the taunting and sibling rivalry his brothers threw at him and so a little bragging, a little gloating, probably felt good but it did land him in trouble.
His brothers took things too far in putting him in his place in the pecking order. Stripping him of the special coat made for him was humiliation enough, but then to toss him into the cistern and then sell him into slavery into an unknown, unsafe future is beyond the normal scuffles that brothers partake in. And to then tell a tale of woe to their father was over the top injury because it was not just the father who would grieve, but each of the brothers as well for their part in a dastardly wicked and evil plot to place their brother in his place.
To act in such a manner requires the coldest of hearts, one that is impervious to feeling compassion for another. How they lived with their evil actions against their brother is not revealed in the story, only that they felt some remorse as the story plays out in Pharaoh's palace.
Yet, Joseph also had a charming personality which gained him favor in the eyes of those who enslaved him. So he was over all well treated as a slave and even though he was imprisoned falsely, his personality gained him favor within the prison. He used his talents well and eventually was placed in a position of power that enabled him to save not only himself but also his family who betrayed him. Hindsight might suggest that providence was guiding these events to unfold so as to save the Hebrews from the famine and drought that was to descend on the region years later.
And whether providence was at work here or not herein rests an important truth. If we are open to the process of life's unfolding, life will always win out with new opportunities, new possibilities, new configurations that were unimaginable prior to an unfortunate circumstance.
In my personal life, I have witnessed amazing outcomes from tragedies that should have destroyed the spirit of a people. In the 1980's the AIDS epidemic struck with ferocity at the gay community. People were being expelled from their homes, their schools, from hospitals, from employment when it was learned the person had AIDS. I remember one mother who struggled with her faith community because her son was living with AIDS and needed someplace to die. Her church family, where only a few years before he had served as an acolyte, told her to leave him to the judgment of God because this disease was a sign of God's deep displeasure with her son. How could she, who gave birth to him, deny him a mother's love which is as eternal as anything in the human experience? She chose love over the church and welcomed her son home where he lived his final days. She was not alone in her response to choose love first. A community of people drew close together to support one another, to fight for medications to be developed, to fight for justice.
The AIDS epidemic when it violently erupted in America was indeed a tragedy. It was a tragedy that those who knew the teachings of their respective faith to love, allowed their hearts to grow cold with fear. Yet, within that tragic unfolding, there were millions of people who said yes to love and welcomed people with AIDS into their lives. There were people who were complete strangers to one another who felt their hearts expand with love for the other. Tragedy created an opportunity for a response of love to develop and a new spiritual and compassionate awakening began to sweep over the land.
I saw it again in the days that followed the massive airline hijackings on September 11 2001. The image of the planes being flown into the world trade towers will forever be etched upon our minds. Many in the country responded with intense anger against a people of a religion that is not understood here. And while anger in the short run is understandable that anger has hardened the hearts of many against people of the Muslim faith. Yet, there were a few who chose love over hatred. A few, who recognized that the actions of a few does not mean this was done in sympathy of the whole of the Muslim world.
In my home town of Danbury, the United Jewish Center quickly responded to protect the members of the local Mosque. The Jewish men would stand guard outside of the Mosque during prayer and the women would escort the Muslim women while they did shopping to make sure that no harm would come to these neighbors. Two groups of people, who in the larger context are considered old enemies, came together to support one another during this tragic time in our lives.
This week as well as being the holy week of Easter is also the holy week of Passover. The time when Jews remember that they were once strangers and slaves in the land of Egypt and therefore are commanded to welcome the other, the stranger so as to not cause the same atrocities they experienced on another group of sojourners. New opportunities to love arose out of those tragic days surrounding September 11th So few in our country remember that their faith calls them to love anew when tragedy strikes.
Today a decade after those planes went down at the hands of radical extremists; our country has amplified our hatred towards Muslims and foreigners in our land. Instead of finding ways to bring our country together, there are forces that seek instead to divide our country, to segregate our country, to destroy the dream of E pluribus Unum; Out of many, One.
We are now witnessing yet another tragedy unfolding in our midst. We have families who are being torn apart because of a broken system that encourages xenophobia, which encourages fear of the other, which encourages oppression. For us here in Tuscaloosa, the passage of HB 56 was coupled with the devastation of a tornado that destroyed thousands of homes in our poorer communities. Many in the state are responding in a manner that rivals the racist callousness of the Jim Crow era of the 20th century. The revisions proposed to HB 56 in the form of HB 658 seeks to placate the needs of the strongest opponents: The businesses, law enforcement, and clergy. It does not address the injustice to a family that is torn apart.
I recently heard of a family where the parents are being deported to Mexico but their child, born in the US and therefore a US citizen has been denied to go with them by Alabama's Department of Human Resources (DHR) because life in Mexico is no place for a young child. The arrogance and racism of DHR is appalling and yet it affirms the reason why the family came to this country in the first place—to have a better life.
DHR is not the first institution to decree that children are better off without their parents. This story was told in Australia in the last century where children born to an Aboriginal parent and a White parent were removed from the Aboriginal parent because the state could provide a better life for the child than the Aboriginal. These children were trained to be servants to white families which was deemed the highest vocation they could attain. This current tragedy offers us an opportunity to rise up in love.
We are called to love our neighbor as our selves. I cannot imagine anyone of our families wanting the state to determine that our children would be better off in their care than in our care as the children's parents, regardless of our social economic status.
Therefore, while the revisions to HB 56 would exempt immigrant clergy and missionaries who volunteer their religious services, I cannot in good conscience accept this law when this exemption comes at the price of families being torn apart for no other reason than immigrant status. It still would be illegal for me as a clergy person to knowingly provide services that would encourage or support an undocumented citizen to remain in this country. A law I will continue to break because as Martin Luther King, Jr. says, "One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws."
What new opportunities, new possibilities to love the other are waiting to be discovered by us? What doors will open up for us that had not this evil crossed our door we would not have these powerful choices to love before us?
What stories of these days will we tell our children's children that when we tell it, it will seem in hindsight to have had the hand of providence guiding our path? Good and evil are closely aligned. It seems to me when Jesus said to not resist evil; he meant that we must find the opportunities to respond in greater love and in the process find the grace to create good.
The story of the Christian resurrection is about love prevailing over the power of death meant to end once and for all that messenger of love. The disciples were given a choice in the tragedy of the crucifixion. They could run and hide, some did. They could deny all knowledge of the man arrested and crucified, some did. They could despair of all hope of redemption and take their life, and some did that too. Or they could grieve the tragedy and choose to embody the message that the realm of love lives within us and ultimately change the world. Some did that too. Hallelujah!
The Hallelujah they experienced was a cold and broken Hallelujah that Leonard Cohen wrote in the wonderful song Louise sang this morning. Good and evil closely aligned. May we have the strength to offer a broken Hallelujah and in the process embody love. Blessed Be.


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4 things to watch out for when reading.
1. Jeffrey Deaver. He has written a ton of mystery crime novels about Lincoln Child a quadriplegic genius detective. One of the first ones "the Bonecollecter" was made into a movie with Angelina Jolie and Denzel Washington. Sounds like the perfect combos of a very active author and the start of a movie series.
Here's the problem. Each book was around 8 to 9 hundred pages long, which is not bad, but half of those pages were repetitive and written like a kindergartner. His over enunciation of events clouds the mind into not realizing they are reading the same thing over and over again.
Here's an example, "the rain came down cold. It was cold and wet and it came from the sky. The wet cold rain didn't bug him, but it came down in cold drops from the sky."
2. Any book based on a movie that was based on a book, but had very little to do with the original story. Ones to avoid, the box, Total Recall, Planet of the Apes.
3. Aaron Allston. A sci-fi writer who is so self absorbed in his own creations that he has almost single handedly destroyed the star wars series. Somehow he got appointed in charge of the books and comics about 5 years ago and has taken the whole series from something to respect because you could always say that star wars was the cool sci-fi, to something to avoid altogether for it's strange turn of events.
4. Any book that compares itself to famous books or other authors. This is especially true when the comparison is before the title or in larger print. Avoid words and phrases like "writing in the style of," or "a companion too" or "as good as."
Quotes from famous authors or celebrities on the back cover can be a warning sign, but not always. Sometimes it helps decode a confusing title.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Things to avoid when reading
Labels: Avoid when reading
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You can really design a custom shower system to be as small or grand as you can imagine. It can be as basic as a shower head, hand shower, and a few body sprays. Or you design something much more fab, like the Kohler DTV system above. This system features more than you will ever need, but isn't it so cool? I am attending a designer even tomorrow and will get to test this bad boy out!
So many homeowners say that they would still like to put a tub in their master bath for "resale value." If everyone is saying that it is just for the resale, but no one truly wants or uses a tub, what is the perceived value? I highly encourage clients to splurge inside of the shower. In our fast-paced society, most people do not have time to sit in a tub and love the idea of tricking out their shower even if they only take quick showers. At least they will be enjoyable, right?
The only tubs I truly love that, in my opinion, will never go out of style are the ultra classic soaking tubs. There are all different variations in style and different materials available for a freestanding tub. They can seriously make a bathroom.
The copper bath is hand hammered and in an antiqued finish. Perfect for any farmhouse or rustic vibe.
Volcanic limestone is solid surface all the way through and a great alternative to cast iron because of it's light weight. Cast iron is a great classic material, but can often need extra structural support.
This acrylic tub is also another alternative to cast iron. The clean and classic lines in this tub scream timeless perfection to me!
Kohler's most classic design and probably the most popular style: claw foot.
Do you have a shower you love or wish you had invested in a shower system rather than a tub? What about your favorite style of bath? Do tell!


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Leica 50mm Apo-Summicron-M ASPH: An extraordinarily competent lens
When I collected my review copy of Leica's flagship 50mm Apo-Summicron last week I was prepared to like it. I was not convinced, however, that its eye-watering £5,600 price tag justified the reportedly small increase in image quality over, say, the old 50mm Summicron or, even, the faster 50mm Summilux FLE.
Now I am not so sure. This is an extraordinarily competent lens by any reckoning. The sharpness, the dynamic range and the tonal rendering, especially as here in black and white conversions, is truly impressive. Together with the latest Leica M or the Monochrom (which I haven't had a chance to try), this is arguably the world's best fifty. I have a lot more shooting to do before I am convinced but, so far, the signs are promising.
At home
I am trying out this lens on three cameras (the M-P, the Fuji X-T1 and Sony A7 MkII), as part of my comparison test, but there is little doubt that the Apo looks and feels most at home with the traditional lines of the Leica. As it should.
Look at the top picture of one of my favourite hostelries, the famous Dove tavern on the Thames at Hammersmith. This featured in my story about the Doves Press and the missing type fount. I passed by again this morning specifically to reproduce a previous picture I had taken with the Sony A7r and 35mm Summilux FLE last year.
I was so impressed with the new results that I have replaced the earlier pictures in the article. This top picture truly epitomises the character of the narrow and ancient alleyway which binds together The Dove, the Doves Press and the 'twixt and 'tween narrow Cobden-Sanderson House.
This is one lens I will be reluctant to hand back.


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The OJT Program assists employers with the cost of hiring and training a new employee. It is funded through the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The OJT Program enables employers to hire new employees and train them at their place of business while being reimbursed a percentage of the new employee's wages during training.
What benefits or services are offered by this resource to employers?
Employer Benefits:
Employee Benefits:
Since On‐the‐Job Training is a contractual agreement, employers must agree to:
What is the process for an employer to apply?
Hire the OJT Trainee according to employer's hiring process and hiring needs. As an employee, the employer trains the trainee the employer's way. The Career Center Representative will assist the employer in designing a training plan to ensure successful on‐the‐job training.
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|Lhasa拉萨市 · ལྷ་ས་གྲོང་ཁྱེར།
|Capital City
|Lasa and Lowe Lhasa
|From upper left: Roof of the JokhangTemple; Norbulingka monastery main gate;Potala Palace; Wheel of Dharma and prayer wheels (bottom), Jokhang; satellite picture of Lhasa.
|Lower Lhasa
|Kingdom of Tibet
|Lhasa Capital District
|• Mayor
|Jigme Cezhug
|• Deputy mayor
|Doje Namgyal
|•Capital City
|59,274 km2
|• Urban
|63 km2
|3,490 m (11,450 ft)
|Population (2010)
|• Prefecture-level city
|• Density
|22.1/km2 (49/sq mi)
|• Major Nationalities
|Tibetan; Han; Hui
|• Languages
|Tibetan, Mandarin, Jin language (Hohhot dialect)
|Time zone
lhasa is the centre of Culture and tourism in 2189 and also serves as an Economic Centre for Central Asia. It is the most fashionible city to live in. The City also houses many Historic Buddhist temples and artifacts as well as being home to the 16th Dalai Lama. who resides in the Portala Palace.
Tibet is one a constitutional Monarchy, one of the last of its kind. The Monarchy, which is headed by the Dali Lama, is secular officially despite the Dali Lama being an important figure in the world's largest religion, Buddhism. The city council which has urban planning and expenditure power is a council of 20 people elected from various backgrounds by college students only to quote-un-quote "Retain Lhasa and Tibet as a centre of positive, youthful, progressive and thoughtful mindedness"
Buddhists flock to the city in their millions throughout the year, boosting the city to 3 million from 1.5 million residents in Summer. People also come to Lhasa in droves as a gateway to view, hike and stay in the unspoiled Tibetan Plateau. 100 million people from all over the universe visit Lhasa each year. 12% of these are annual visitors of both recreational, visiting family and business reasons.


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LiveScan Fingerprinting is an automated digital processing program that submits requests for criminal history records for employment, volunteer programs, and licensing and certifications.
CSULB LiveScan Fingerprinting services are provided on a first come, first serve basis (walk-in only, no reservations are accepted).
Cost is $20.00 plus any Department of Justice/FBI fees. Cash, check, credit card, or money order are accepted.
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To inquire about the status of a processed LiveScan please contact the requesting agency OR call the DOJ at 916.227.4557 (automated line).


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Friday's prep roundup: Peyton football advances to 1A quarterfinals
Highlights from Friday's high school sports scene around the Pikes Peak region.
1A Playoffs, First Round
Peyton 16, Limon 7
At Peyton: Pikes Peak 2A and Below No. 1 Peyton (10-0) earned the No. 5 seed in the state playoffs and advanced to the quarterfinals after beating No. 12 Limon (6-4). Down 7-0 after a first quarter Limon touchdown, the Panthers fought back. Sophomore Josh Gonzales knocked through a field goal before halftime, and in the second half sophomore quarterback Trevor Walker and junior wide receiver Charles Sparks connected for touchdowns of five and 24 yards to complete the comeback. Peyton will face the winner of No. 4 Bennett and No. 13 Highland, who play Saturday at 1 p.m.
Regular Season
Durango 31, Harrison 7
At D-2 Memorial Stadium: Pikes Peak 3A No. 3 Harrison (6-4, 3-2 South Central) couldn't get the offense going as the Panthers fell to Durango (7-3, 4-1). After a scoreless first quarter, Harrison got on the board first on a 46-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior defensive back Nate Patterson four minutes into the second quarter. But then Durango exploded for 19 points in response before halftime and scored twice in the second half on the way to the win.
Montrose 62, Palmer 14
At Montrose: Palmer fell to 1-9 (1-4 4A Pikes Peak) on the season as Montrose (5-5, 3-2) ran away to win easily. Senior Anthony Grassi led the Palmer offense, with touchdown runs of six and 27 yards while also scoring the two-point conversion. Grassi's touchdown with nine minutes to go in the second quarter cut the Montrose lead to 14-6, but by the time halftime came around, the gap had widened again to 35-14.
Cheyenne Mountain 20, Liberty 14
At Liberty: A touchdown for Cheyenne Mountain with four minutes left was the difference as the Indians (6-4, 2-3 4A Foothills) defeated Liberty (3-7, 1-4). Both teams did most of their scoring in the third quarter, as they combined for 26 of the 34 points in that stretch. Liberty led 14-0 after a 45-yard rushing touchdown from senior running back Cole Pelt and a 22-yard touchdown catch from junior wide receiver Ryan O'Connell. But then Cheyenne Mountain roared back with two touchdowns before the end of the third quarter. A four-yard catch by senior wide receiver Zac Baker with four minutes left put Cheyenne Mountain ahead for good.
Palmer Ridge 63, Vista Peak 32
At Don Breese Stadium: In a game that didn't lack offense, Palmer Ridge (8-2, 5-0 3A East Metro) won its sixth game in a row by defeating Vista PEAK (6-4, 3-2). After touchdowns from four separate Bears, Palmer Ridge took a 28-6 lead into the second quarter. Before halftime, Vista PEAK got back within striking distance at 35-20, but it was all Palmer Ridge from there. Sophomore quarterback Ty Evans threw six touchdown passes and ran for another as Palmer Ridge just kept scoring.
Discovery Canyon 58, Falcon 14
At Falcon: Pikes Peak 3A No. 1 Discovery Canyon (10-0, 5-0 3A Southern) finished off an unbeaten regular season by taking down Falcon (4-6, 3-2). Discovery Canyon jumped out to a 28-0 lead as four different Thunder players scored touchdowns. Up 31-6 at halftime, the Thunder scored four more times to pull away.
Lewis-Palmer 43, Woodland Park 0
At Woodland Park: Pikes Peak 3A No. 2 Lewis-Palmer improved to 9-1 (4-1 3A Southern) by beating Woodland Park (2-8, 0-5). Lewis-Palmer jumped out to a 36-0 lead by halftime, and Woodland Park was unable to get on the board.
Pine Creek 28, Mesa Ridge 0
At C.A. Foster Stadium: Pikes Peak 4A No. 1 Pine Creek (8-2, 5-0 4A Southern) beat Mesa Ridge (6-4, 2-3). Freshman David Moore had three rushing touchdowns (73-yard, 67-yard, and one-yard scores) to lead the Pine Creek offense. The other touchdown came on a 60-yard pass play from senior quarterback Brock Domann to senior wide receiver Damario Portillos.
Air Academy 21, Pueblo Centennial 7
At Air Academy: Air Academy (2-8, 1-4 4A Southern) won its second game of the season by taking down Pueblo Centennial (2-8, 0-5). Senior running back Dylan Ecker had two rushing touchdowns to lead the Kadets in the win.
Valor Chr. 45, Fountain-Fort Carson 0
At Valor Christian: Valor Christian (7-3, 5-0 5A Mount Lincoln), the top-ranked team in 5A according to RPI, shut out No. 14 Fountain-Fort Carson (3-7, 1-4).
However, the Trojans could still reach the postseason if they finish in the top 16 in the RPI and the rankings have rewarded teams despite losing when the opponents are higher in the rankings.
The Eagles threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 284 and four scores.
4A Regional Tournament
Region 10
At Silver Creek: After defeating No. 27 Summit (10-16) 3-1 in the first game, No. 15 Palmer Ridge (18-7) lost in straight sets to No. 10 Silver Creek (22-3) 25-7, 25-15 and 25-16, and did not advance to state. Silver Creek moves on to the state tournament after also beating Summit 3-0.
3A Regional Tournament
Region 2
At Valley: No. 23 Manitou Springs (12-12) went 0-2 in the regional tournament, ending the Mustangs' season. Manitou fell in the first match of the day to No. 35 Centauri (12-12) in straight sets, 25-23, 25-21 and 25-23. In its second match against No. 2 Valley (20-5), Manitou was swept again, 25-13, 25-10 and 25-12. Valley will move on to the state tournament after also defeating Centauri 3-0.
Region 10
At St. Mary's: The Pirates (20-5) earned the right to host the regional as the No. 10 seed but couldn't take advantage of the home cooking as No. 15 Delta (20-5) advanced to state. St. Mary's took down No. 27 Kent Denver (15-10) in its first match, 25-23, 25-13 and 25-22, but the Pirates couldn't beat Delta in the second match of the day, losing in straight sets.
Putnicki earns national recognition
Lewis-Palmer senior outside hitter Michaela Putnicki was selected as a 2016 Under Armour All-American, the only volleyball player from Colorado to be named. Putnicki, who has 245 kills this season, is part of the undefeated (23-0) Lewis-Palmer team that will host 4A Region 1 action on Saturday. Putnicki has signed to play for the University of Virginia next year.


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Talented. Creative. Overall good guy.The first time I met Russ was at a writers and illustrators conference in April where he won three awards for his poster depicting the conference theme. Impressive for someone who started out a shy boy drawing in the red clay of Tennessee. But Russ remains humble. Down-to-earth. The type of guy who says his two grown kids are his biggest accomplishment. And gives credit to his wife of twenty-four years for supporting his passions and making his dreams a reality.
Russ can be found on Facebook at Smiling Otis Studio, Twitter @smilingotis, his web site at www.smilingotis.com and his blog at www.smilingotis.blogspot.com.
My friend and fellow writer, Teri Ridlon, and I visited with Russ at his home in Pittsfield, Maine...
What's your typical day look like?Some mornings I get up at five o'clock and go to the gym and then I come back and take a nap. (said with a laugh)
And then usually by eight o'clock I'm off and running in my workspace. That can go on until ten or eleven o'clock at night. I usually take an hour off to have lunch with my wife. She works second shift. So, we have lunch together because we're not together at dinner time.
Do you have any interests and hobbies?I play the banjo. Played the bass in punk bands and instrumental bands. My love for music is right there with my love for art. So they kind of go hand in hand.
You went to the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and minored in Illustration.Yes, that's right and majored in Graphic Design. I always loved drawing, but I figured I wanted to make a living and at that time illustration wasn't thought of as this major thing. Most people went into graphic design. I worked at a design studio for fourteen years.
So a lot of advertising sort of work?More like logos, brochures. We did some advertising and some marketing, but it was pretty much strict design. And then I became the in-house illustrator and I rediscovered my love for illustration.
Do you strictly illustrate now?I actually have a logo I'm working on right now and I have a web site that somebody wants me to design. I do that every now and then, but I don't advertise that any more.
Anything else you're working on?
Well, I have a new book project in from the same publisher as Major Manners. And I'm working on two apps and I may have two other books coming in.
Two apps?For Ipad. And I'm working on a game for Game Write. It's a board game.
Can you talk about any of the specifics?No, I can't.
Plus I'm working on getting my own book published. It's called Faraway Friends.
How did you evolve into writing?I don't know if I evolved into it, it's something that scares the hell out of me because it's out of my comfort zone. You have these words and you try to put a story together. I talked with people and they said, "You do the same thing visually, just put words to it. That's all you're doing." So I don't know if I've evolved into that just yet.
Teri asked, "I'm curious, do you create your pictures first or your words first?"I tried doing the words first with Faraway Friends and I just kept stumbling and stumbling. So I went back and started storyboarding it out and then the words started appearing. Then I kept going back and forth. I'd change the words and the pictures until I got it to the point where I sent it to some friends who are writers and they did some editing for me.
Where do you find your inspiration?
You know what? I really have no idea. Some subconscious stream of consciousness thing that happens.
Now there's writer's block. Is there such a thing as illustrator's block?Oh, definitely. Usually, I go through it maybe once a year at least.
And how long does it usually last?I've had them last for a month or so. And then you watch a movie or go for a walk or something like that and you try to shake things loose – try to get away from it for a while. Sometimes if I get a major block, I just stop. I'll take three or four days off.
Who are your favorite illustrators and/or artists? And why?There's a lot. I love Mary Blair. She's a well-known children's book illustrator from the '40s through the '60s. She did work for Disney, too.
Do you remember Monster Magazine? I loved that magazine. They always had drawings and cartoons. Again, I think it shows in a lot of my sketches. There's a lot of monsters.
Warner Brothers Cartoons… more so than Disney, because they were edgier. They threw caution to the wind. And old Tom and Jerry. So, you know, a lot of cartoons. Three Stooges. I think a lot of it's the twisted humor that I really liked.
As far as other artists, one of my favorites is Bill Mayer. He's down in Atlanta. Ever since I went to art school, I loved him. Gerry Gersten's another one. He's more of a caricaturist. John Singer Sargent as far as fine art. Love Sargent. LoveDali. All of these people, except for Sargent, there's that twist to them and I'm drawn to that.
Mike Mulligan is your favorite children's book, but what is it about that story that you like?It's the mechanical thing. I really love robots and all stuff mechanical. It dawned on me a couple of days ago, that in a lot of my sketches, there's something mechanical usually on each doodle page. And I don't know why that is, but I like kids making things.
I used to make coasters. It's a car that you put at the top of a hill and you coast down. We used to race them all the time. It's like a poor man's soap box derby.
How many books do you have published?I have two from self-publishers. The first one is Molly Kite's Big Dream and the second one was The Very First Christmas Tree. It was a Christian Christmas story. And Major Manners is my first one with a (traditional) publisher.
Self-publishing. How does that work? And how'd it turn out?The self-publishing was really interesting. The first one was with a writer in the Portland area.
Someone already established?No, not really. They had this children's story in their mind. She contacted me from a web site she saw me on called Jacket Flap – a great resource for writers and illustrators especially in the children's market. And it's free. It's almost like a children's writers/illustrators Facebook.
You seem to do a lot of networking.
Now you have to or you're going to get left behind. Portfolio sites are great. Those directory books are done. Being on Facebook and Google Plus and Twitter and Dribble and all these places posting and posting and posting. That's just the way it is.
That's where the action is.It really is. You never know who you're going to talk to, befriend on Facebook, and then you realize they're an Art Director at Simon & Schuster. You just never know who's going to see your post or share it.
Is there a networking site that you really like or seems to work better than the others?Facebook does work. And it is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family. I know some people who have gotten nice illustration projects from Facebook.
I actually like Twitter because you have a limit to what you say and it's kind of a challenge. I use Tweet Deck. It's a filter that funnels the tweets into the columns for you. Free software that allows you to set up columns and you can do your hash tags, like #freelancewritingjobs and anything under that hash tag will start listing.
I had read about some advice you had given to writers and/or illustrators. You told them not to give up, to keep reading. I wasn't sure what kind of books.Anything and everything. I taught illustration students and they always asked, "What do you do to keep fueled?" And I said, "You need to read." Even if it's just a short little article once a day. To read is just as important as going to a museum, or watching a movie or listening to music because then your mind's working, it's not there in front of you. The words are putting everything together in your mind so you're training your mind to start thinking in other ways.
#RussCox #Illustrator #Banjo #Books #SCBWI #NESCBWI #Creative


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Celebrity Big Brother's Vicky Entwistle has been nominated for eviction.
The former Coronation Street star will face the first public vote of the series alongside Ron Atkinson and Danielle Marr.
The trio have all been chosen by Cult of Celebrity members Louie Spence, Lauren Harries and Sophie Anderton, who lived in a secret area of the house for 24 hours and have continued to nominate in secret since entering the house on Friday (August 23).
The Cult of Celebrity were unmasked by Big Brother following the announcement of Vicky's nomination. The gathered housemates were surprised to discover that Louie, Lauren and Sophie had been responsible for the nominations.
After watching footage of the Cult's comments about her over the last three days, Courtney Stodden was left upset by Sophie's description of her launch night dress as "slutty".
Abz reassured her it was only Sophie's first impression of her, explaining: "It was before she met you or spoke to you, she was here to do a job as well."
Meanwhile, Dublin Wives star Danielle was angry at Sophie for comments she had made about her.
In footage to be aired on tonight's episode, she told Big Brother in the diary room: "Oh my God, who the f**k does Sophie f**king Anderton f**king think she f**king is. I don't expect her to have heard of Dublin Wives, but she's just in her own bubble."
One of Vicky, Ron and Danielle will become the first celebrity to leave the house during Wednesday's (August 28) live eviction.
Celebrity Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on Channel 5.