text:
Anna (in Tess's body): Like cooking: I mean, have you never heard of takeout? And cleaning: let's don't and say we did. Quality time with your kids: You know what? Quit bugging 'em. Leave 'em alone. They like it!
Ryan: OK, where are we going next, Harry's school?
Anna (in Tess's body): Oh, he can walk from here.
Harry: It's 20 blocks!
Anna (in Tess's body): Fresh air will do you good.
Harry: But what about bullies?
Anna (in Tess's body): Run fast.
Anna (in Tess's body): I'm old!
Tess (in Anna's body): I beg your pardon!
Anna (in Tess's body): Oh, I'm like the Cryptkeeper!
Tess (in Anna's body): Honey. Look, I think something's happened to us.
Anna (in Tess's body): What are you?
Tess (in Anna's body): It's me, Mom.
Anna (in Tess's body): You're not my mother!
Tess (in Anna's body): Yes, I am.
Anna (in Tess's body): Get away, you clone freak!
Tess (in Anna's body): Don't you use that tone with me!
Anna (in Tess's body): Oh my God, you are my mother!
Pei-Pei's Mom: Coo-kie?
Anna (in Tess's body): Darling. Could you, like, chill for a sec?
Tess (in Anna's body): We'd like to speak to you about something that we think happened to us at your restaurant.
Anna (in Tess's body): Yeah, something that SUCKS.
Tess (in Anna's body): And what are you doing with this?
[grabs box of french fries]
Anna (in Tess's body): I'm eating.
Tess (in Anna's body): You cannot eat fast food.
Anna (in Tess's body): Why not?
Tess (in Anna's body): Because it will go down your throat and drop instantly to my thighs!
Jake: Yesterday was freaky.
Tess (in Anna's body): I look like Stevie Nicks.
Anna (in Tess's body): Who's he?
Tess: Hello, Dr. Coleman. Yes, Elizabeth. Yes, Elizabeth, I'll be at the appointment tomorrow. Ok, good. And Elizabeth, remember, you are a smart, strong, beautiful, independent woman and you don't need a man to complete you.
Butcher Woman: Thank you.
Tess: Goodbye.
Anna (in Tess's body): Root canal? That's not fair, they're not my teeth.
Mr. Bates: [to a student] Mr. Waters, describe the character of Hamlet.
Mr. Waters: Hamlet. He's, uh... he's one of the big characters. I mean, he's Hamlet. He's just... bopping around... doesn't know which way's up. I don't think the guy's got a clue.
Mr. Bates: You mean to say that he is a man...
Mr. Waters: Yeah.
Mr. Bates: Who couldn't make up his... mind.
Mr. Waters: ...mind. Exactly.
Mr. Bates: Good. B.
Anna (in Tess's body): Halibut? Eww! That's disgusting! What kind of caterer ARE you?
Anna (in Tess's body): Are you mad?
Ryan: No.
Anna (in Tess's body): Do you, like, not want to get married now?
Ryan: No. No I don't. Not if you're gonna put me in this role.
Anna (in Tess's body): What role?
Ryan: The role of insensitive stepfather who couldn't care less, or thinks it's a stupid rock band, or any of the preposterous things you just said. How can you say I don't care? I'm not that guy, Tess, and if that's who you think I am, then this is never gonna work. When I fell in love with you, I knew you came with a history and a family, and I respect the hell out of that. You have always put the kids first. That's exactly how it should be, that's how I want it. I never pushed Anna, because I want her to like me on her own terms, in her own way.
Tess (in Anna's body): You pierced your navel?
Anna (in Tess's body): Yeah, I... meant to talk to you about that.
Tess (in Anna's body): When did you do this?
Anna (in Tess's body): At Maddie's cousin's sweet 16.
Tess (in Anna's body): Well, when you get your body back, it's grounded.
Dottie Robertson: Loved your book, I actually read this one.
Anna (in Tess's body): That makes one of us.
Tess (in Anna's body): Role-playing! Her idea. New therapeutic technique. Switching points of view.
Grandpa: If I switch with Harry, do I have to wear a thong?
Harry: [mocking Grandpa] Earthquake. Save me. Earthquake.
Anna (in Tess's body): It's easy to be you. I'll just suck the fun out of everything.
Tess (in Anna's body): I do not suck the fun out of everything.
Anna (in Tess's body): Fun-sucker.
Pei-Pei: [about her mother] Oh, she's crazy.
Pei-Pei's Mom: [subtitles] Like a fox.
Tess (in Anna's body): She is dead, worse than dead. She will spend the next year in a phoneless, dateless, Amish existence!
Anna (in Tess's body): So, let's do this thingy.
Ryan: You mean our wedding rehearsal?
Anna (in Tess's body): Yeah, whatever.
Ryan: You know what, I'm not really a prying kind of guy, but just for the heck of it, I was wondering what you were doing on the eve of our wedding straddling some guy on the back of a big black Harley?
Anna (in Tess's body): Hello, it was a Ducati!
Anna (in Tess's body): So you're in my body, and I'm in your body. Why don't we, like...
Tess (in Anna's body): Yes, yes, I see what you're saying. A jolt! Okay, you go over there, and I go over here. Okay, when I say go. Ready? Go!
[they both run at and crash into each other and fall to the ground while Harry walks into the room]
Peg: Aren't you like the maid of horror or something?
Anna: You're ruining my life!
[Ryan has just let Anna go to the House Of Blues for the band audition]
Peg: Mr. Dude, you rock!
Harry: Get a room!
[Grandpa seeing Harry's underwear that was put over his head, thanks to Anna]
Grandpa: What is this, one of them thongs? I don't want to know.
Tess (in Anna's body): Mr. Bates, may I please speak with you ?
Mr. Bates: I think that would be fairly pointless, but go ahead.
Tess (in Anna's body): By what stretch of the imagination... I mean, like, how could I, like, get an "F"? What mistakes did I make ?
Mr. Bates: Grading is subjective.
Tess (in Anna's body): That was a college-level analysis.
Mr. Bates: And you're qualified to make that assessment ?
Tess (in Anna's body): I most certainly am.
Mr. Bates: Well in the words of Hamlet, "What's done is done".
Tess (in Anna's body): That's "Macbeth" you know-nothing twit. Bates. Elton Bates. Griffith High School.
Mr. Bates: How do you know that ?
Tess (in Anna's body): Well, you asked me, I mean, my mom to the prom, but she turned you down.
Mr. Bates: This is not an appropriate subject.
Tess (in Anna's body): You're taking it out on her daughter, aren't you ?
Mr. Bates: I don't know what you're talking about.
Tess (in Anna's body): It was a high school dance. You've got to let it go and move on, man. And if you don't, I'm sure the school board would love to hear about your pathetic vendetta against an innocent student.
Tess (in Anna's body): [Anna is about to leave the classroom and turns] Oh, and by the way, Elton, she had a boyfriend, and you were weird.
Tess: [Anna's bedroom door was just removed] Privacy is a privilege, Anna.
Anna (in Tess's body): 3 years ago we had a really bad thing happen we lost a father and a husband and I didn't think we'd ever get over it but then this guy next to me
[Ryan looks at Tess Proudly]
Anna (in Tess's body): came into the picture and everyone could see I was happy again I was singing in the shower again not well I may add but I was still worried about my kids Anna and Harry whether or not they would be able to accept a new man in their life and now I know how Anna feels
[Ryan looks over towards Anna]
Anna (in Tess's body): and what she feels is that...
[Tess starts to get emotional]
Anna (in Tess's body): No-one could ever take the place of her Dad
[Voice breaking]
Anna (in Tess's body): because he was a really great Dad but somebody could be part of a new family it's own kind of cool, new little unit and that for someone as special as Ryan that we would all just make a little room Anna really wanted her mom to know that.
[Tess mouths I love you]
Anna (in Tess's body): I can't marry Ryan. Eww.
Tess (in Anna's body): I don't believe in physical contact with the opposite sex. At all. Ever. Nothing.
Anna (in Tess's body): Let's just say this cute guy asks you out. What are you gonna do? WOOOH.
Anna (in Tess's body): Mom, maybe we should go to the emergency room.
Tess (in Anna's body): Oh no! All that will get us is a 72-hour lockdown in a psych ward and a Thorazine drip. No, we're not going anywhere.
Pei-Pei: Sexy new look for you, Mrs. Coleman! You look hot!
Harry: Don't tell her I like her
Anna (in Tess's body): Why not?
Harry: Because we have too much fun fighting
Anna (in Tess's body): You're way more twisted than I though
[she playful kicks him in his rear, he tries to do the same but can't reach]
Anna (in Tess's body): this try
[after dropping "Anna" off at school]
Ryan: Okay, where are we going next? Harry's school?
Anna (in Tess's body): [smirking at Harry] Oh, he can walk from here.
Harry: It's twenty blocks!
Anna (in Tess's body): Fresh air will do you good.
Harry: But what about bullies?
Anna (in Tess's body): Run fast.
Anna (in Tess's body): You mean we're like stuck in this SUCKFEST?
[as he holds Tess's hand]
Ryan: One more day.
Anna (in Tess's body): Yeah, it's great we're getting married, isn't it? Even though my husband died. How quickly I've been able to get over it.
Harry: [straws sticking out of his nose] Look I'm a walrus!


text:
Helpline 0808 800 3333 or contact us
For disability information call free
0808 800 3333 or contact us
0808 800 3333
Anything else? Other ways to contact us
Before meeting your fundraiser, I had no knowledge of what Scope does. I wouldn't have signed up if it wasn't for him.
Like you, many of our supporters have spoken to one of our fundraisers on their doorstep, at the shops or at an event.
Talking with you about disability issues and how your support can make a vital difference to the lives of disabled people, which is something we're passionate about.
If you've recently met or seen our fundraisers and would like to talk to us about it, we'd love to hear from you. Give us a call on 020 7619 7296 to speak to one of the team or send an email to email@example.com
Where are you fundraising right now?
Thousands of disabled people and their families benefit from our support across England and Wales. We fundraise by visiting different places every week.
How do I know if I met a genuine Scope fundraiser?
If you have any doubts please get in touch. Call 020 7619 7296 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Do you work with agencies?
Yes we do. Working with agencies helps us speak to many more supporters than we could do ourselves, which means disabled people are closer to having the same opportunities as everyone else.
The agencies we work with are as passionate as us when they're talking to new supporters and will hold themselves to the same high standards. Our fundraising promise to you is important to us, so we expect our fundraisers to treat you with respect and always comply with fundraising regulations.
How do you check if the fundraisers are doing a good job?
Are fundraisers paid?
Yes, our fundraisers are professionally trained and paid to work for us
Why do you fundraise this way?
Talking to people like you on your doorstep, in the street or at an event is one of the most successful ways of raising ongoing, regular donations. For every £1 spent on face to face fundraising, more than double than that is raised over the next few years.
With the help from supporters like you, more disabled people and their families can get the support they need, when they most need it.
I fundraise for Scope because I have disabled people in my family, and I've seen first-hand the difficulties they can face. I'm proud to knock on doors and spread the word about Scope. I hope my passion comes across to would-be supporters.
From every pound
70p goes towards supporting disabled people and their families, so they can have the same opportunities as everyone else
20p is spent on selling your donated goods through our shops, which raises even more money for us
9p is spent on fundraising with our supporters
1p is spent on making sure the charity is efficient and well run
Find out how @Scope is helping people to feel more confident about disability. Help us #EndTheAwkward http://bit.ly/2egoZQx
This website uses cookies to give you the best experience on our website. You can read more about our cookie policy and change your browser settings at any time.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Amongst the confusion, stress and worry that accompanied my diagnosis with type 1 diabetes 3 years ago, also dwelt concern for my ability to travel, to live carelessly, minimally and to let the world consume me, teach me and show me the way. No longer do I live with this concern. Insulin injections, blood sugar checks, CGM site changes and unprovoked mood swings be damned! After 3 years of balancing the duties of my pancreas with travel, I can say I am so consumed by this world, the road is my greatest teacher.
Michelle and I knew our daily routines were in desperate need of a change. Instead of searching high and low for new jobs we took the more extreme route, we dropped everything, built a bed in her car, moved into it and headed West.
I packed enough insulin for 4 months in a Frio Sleeve and tossed it in the cooler. I grabbed enough test strips, needles, and juice boxes for armageddon and stuffed most of what we owned in Bill and aimed her North West. (Yes Bill is a she.)
We had no plans, no idea where to stay or why, just an itch to get out of where we were. To get out of dodge. Dodge in this case was Texas. A mighty big place for those of you who have somehow managed not to visit this huge chunk of earth. So getting out of dodge meant about 12 hours of pitch black driving.
After a marathon of ass hauling, or as much ass as Bill's 4 banger could haul with all of our shit in it, we crossed the border and found ourselves in Albuquerque (or however you spell it).
So now what?
I was so tired and cranky after driving all night I was in no condition to decide what to eat for breakfast, much less what sort of adventures to embark on in this new place. Sleep is pertinent to a type 1 diabetic's routine. We have enough issues staying awake during the day when getting 8 hours a night.
Michelle came to the rescue, found breakfast, cured my Zombie episode and took to Pinterest to educate us on the fun to be had in New Mexico.
Thanks Pinterest.
P.S. Follow me on Pinterest…
Like this post? Sign up below to receive new posts and updates straight to your inbox!


text:
Authorized Payer and ePayment
Information and FAQs
How does a parent get access to pay their student's tuition & fees with an ePayment?
- The student must set up their parent as an Authorized Payer for access to the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment site secure website.
How does a parent know if they've been setup as an Authorized Payer?
- The parent receives an email containing their Authorized Payer login name, a temporary password, and link to the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment website.
- Log in and change the temporary password to one you'll remember.
- Create a "security question" to use if you forget your password and need to reset it. Otherwise your student must reset your password for you.
Where does a parent (who is set up as an Authorized Payer) pay tuition & fees?
Log in to the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment website at http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/bursar/echeckparent.html
What IS an Authorized Payer?
An Authorized Payer is a parent or other individual a student sets up for access to the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment site. An Authorized Payer can make ePayments from a regular checking or savings account, receive new bill email alerts, and view eBills.
- Students can set up multiple authorized payers for access to this website.
- Authorized Payers can view their ePayment activity and saved payment methods.
- Authorized Payers cannot view student's grades or student and other Authorized Payers' saved payment methods on this website.
What is NOT an Authorized Payer?
A Third Party such as a department, business, embassy, etc., which gives UW-Madison Bursar's office permission to bill them directly for all or a portion of a student's tuition & fee.
- Do not set up as an Authorized Payer; these are handled as a Third Party Deferral.
- Go to http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/bursar/thirdpsp.html for Third Party Deferral information.
A tuition remission from a department for a student with an appointment.
- Do not set up as an Authorized Payer; these are handled as a Tuition Remission waiver on the student account.
- Go to http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/bursar/remismnu.html for Tuition Remission information.
How does a STUDENT set up a Tuition Account Authorized Payer?
- Go to Setting up an Authorized Payer Instructions & Information
- An Authorized Payer receives an e-mail alert when a new eBill is published on the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment site, can view eBills and make ePayments.
How does a STUDENT reset an Authorized Payer's password?
- Log in to
My UW,
click Student Center, and then click the Authorized Payer Setup link to go to the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment Site.
- Click Edit next to the name in the Authorized Payer section.
- Click Reset Password.
- Click Continue if you wish to change the password; click Cancel if you do not want to change it.
- If there are saved "Payment Methods", they are not saved if the password changes.
- An email is sent to alert the Authorized Payer the password was changed.
- An email is sent to the Authorized Payer with a new temporary password.
How does a STUDENT cancel an Authorized Payer's access?
- Log in to
My UW,
click Student Center, and then click the Authorized Payer Setup link to go to the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment Site.
- Should this person be allowed to log in? Click "No".
How does a PARENT (who is set up as an Authorized Payer) change their password?
If you did not create a "secret" question in the "Account Details" section on the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment site, your student must reset your password for you.
- Log in to:
- Click Forgot Password if you don't remember your password.
- Or log in with your old password if you want to change it.
- Click "Change Your Password" in the Account Details section and follow instructions
- Click Save to commit the change.
- If you have saved 'Payment Methods' they are not saved if your password changes.
What if my student set me up as an Authorized Payer but I didn't get an email?
Ways to research the problem;
- Did the e-mail go to your "junk" mail? If so, make us a safe sender.
- Are you using a work e-mail which may block our e-mail? If so, have your student change the e-mail to a home e-mail.
Have your student log in to the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment Site and click Edit next to the name in the Authorized Payer section to;
- Verify your e-mail is correct. If not, correct it.
- Verify your name is in the Authorized Payer section. If not, you are not setup as an Authorized Payer. Possibly there was an error such as;
- The Authorized Payer name that the student creates cannot already be used by someone else on the UW-Madison eBill/ePayment site. A different name must be created if you get the message, "Parent PIN already exists".
- Student can set you up with a new authorized payer name or reset your password if necessary.
What if I have trouble logging into the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment site?
Your Web browser Pop-Up Blocker must be turned OFF to log into the Tuition Account eBill/ePayment site.
Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari are the recommended internet browsers for this site.
- How to turn off the Pop-Up Blocker on a PC using Internet Explorer browser
- On the internet, click "Tools"
- Click arrow next to Pop-up blocker
- Click "Turn off Pop-up blocker"
- How to turn off the Pop-Up Blocker on a Mac using Safari browser
- Open Safari
- Click on the Safari Menu
- Uncheck "Block Pop-Up Windows"
- How to turn off the Pop-Up Blocker using Firefox browser
- Open Firefox
- Go to the Tools menu and click "Options"
- Click "Content"
- Uncheck the box next to "Block pop-up windows"
How do I pay tuition on-line?
- Log into the Tuition eBill/ePayment Site and make an ePayment.
- Students log-in from the link on their Student Center>Finances tab.
- Parents (who are setup as an Authorized Payer) log-in via the link on http://www.bussvc.wisc.edu/bursar/echeckparent.html.
What are my ePayment options?
- ELECTRONIC CHECK ePayment
- Foreign Currency
ELECTRONIC CHECK ePayment:
What type of bank accounts can be used for an Electronic Check?
- Only a US bank personal checking or savings account.
What type of account CANNOT be used for an Electronic Check?
- A DEBIT card cannot be entered as a bank account number.
- Credit card cash advance checks, brokerage account checks, and checks marked "Do Not Use for ACH".
- Tuition payments from a 529 College Savings Plan can only be mailed to the Bursar's Office.
What bank account numbers do I enter for an ELECTRONIC CHECK ePayment?
- Click "What are my Routing/Transit and Account Numbers?" on the page where you enter bank account information for examples.
- Contact your bank to verify what routing/transit and account numbers to enter, or if you are unsure if your account can be used for an ACH transaction.
Is there a charge for paying with an Electronic Check?
- There is no charge.
CREDIT CARD ePayments:
What credit cards are accepted?
- Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover (along with JCB).
Is there a charge for paying with a credit card?
- There is a 2.75% non-refundable credit card service charge. (Fee subject to change.)
Can I pay with a DEBIT card?
- If a debit card can be used for a "credit transaction", it can be used for a CREDIT CARD ePayment only; not for an ELECTRONIC CHECK ePayment.
IMPORTANT information to help ensure a successful ePayment:
BEFORE clicking [Submit] for an ePayment –
- Verify your bank account or credit card information is correct, if not, go back and make corrections before submitting the ePayment.
- If paying with FOREIGN CURRENCY, the transaction is pending until you take the paperwork to your bank and the bank transmits the payment via Western Union to UW-Madison.
What if my ePayment is returned?
- Returned Check Information
- $20 return check charge is assessed if UW-Madison Bursar's office is unable to secure funds from the account you provide for any reason, including but not limited to, insufficient funds or invalid account or routing numbers. (Fee is subject to change.)
- Student may be charged a $100 late payment fee if tuition & fees are not paid by the due date, as a result of a returned ePayment. (Fee subject to change.)
When is an ePayment reflected on the student Tuition Account Summary?
An ePayment applies to pay tuition as soon as it is submitted – real-time.
- There may be a short delay before an ePayment reflects on the Tuition Account Summary during heavy ePayment activity.
- If you receive a payment confirmation, it was successful – do not resubmit the payment! A receipt is also sent to the e-mail provided.
- Student – if your Student Center>Finances page is open when making an ePayment, the page must be "refreshed" before the ePayment updates your Tuition Account Summary.
When is a Foreign Currency ePayment reflected on the student Tuition Account Summary?
A foreign Currency ePayment displays as "Pending" to signify that you began the process until payment is received.
- A PENDING Foreign Currency payment does not release holds, allow course registration, or pay your UW-Madison Tuition Account.
- A Foreign Currency ePayment applies to the Tuition Account when you submit the request to your bank and funds are transferred via Western Union to UW-Madison.
- It may take 2-5 business days, from the date you deliver the printed transaction form to your foreign bank to transfer the funds via Western Union to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, before the payment applies to your Tuition Account.


text:
What a sweet husband, I have! I came home from work (on my birthday) and saw that he posted a "blurb" as he called it, on my blog! Awwww...he got brownie points for that one.
I am JUST now posting about our anniversary trip to Charleston that we took last weekend..i've been so busy with work and my birthday that I haven't had a moment to blog.
Here's a recap of our weekend!
We left Friday morning and on our way, we stopped at an outlet mall. That sure was a great way to start our weekend! :) I got some running shoes, a few shirts from Old Navy and hubby got some tennis shorts (naturally).
We checked into our hotel and look what was waiting on us! Chilled champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and a bouquet of flowers-my wonderful in-laws got us that!
A little update on what's going on here...
We are moving out of our house at the end of THIS MONTH! In about three weeks, actually. So.. I have a little "panic attack" creeping up inside me. I mean, I don't really have panic attacks..but I hate packing and I'm worried that it's going to be the day before and I'm going to look around the house and say "Oh, I guess we better start packing up. We leave tomorrow"
Yes. that happened last time we moved.
no joke. and NOT FUN.
I promise to be proactive this time and pack up a little bit every day. Please hold me to that, mmkay?
I also had a great birthday! I got my sewing machine that I had been hoping for too!! I may get it set-up tonight. My dad and brothers got me a lovely bouquet of flowers, and hubby got me a hydrangea bush and rocking chairs for our new home!!!! :)
This weekend we are having a cookout with all of our college friends. I am getting a few ideas together to make it "festive". I can't wait to share it with y'all.
Happy Thursday!!!


text: My WRT54G is disconnecting me all the time when i use WLAN, i get ~65% signal quality usually, but when playing WoW or BF2 (or just browsing) my connection dissapears. The AP is about 5m from my computer, which uses a WMP54g WiFi PCI card. This also happens on my laptop, that has an intel WiFi card. The firmware is linksys latest. Anyone got any solutions for me?


text:
Can you afford to buy here? If you like, we can get one of our mortgage experts to tell you exactly how much you can borrow, which is the best mortgage for you or how much they could save you right now if you have an existing mortgage. Click here to get help choosing the best mortgage rate
The median asking price in Lorraine is $276,950, an improvement on the median three months ago which was $419,000 .
When our research team crunched the numbers we calculated that Lorraine has a median home price of $276,950.
In province, the most common property on the listings this month has 3 bedrooms, in this neighbourhood it's 3.
This month we track 312th neighbourhoods in Quebec, and Lorraine has the 312th most choice available for real estate investors.
Is Lorraine a good investment prospect? It's never a perfect science, but the data we have given us a number of indicators.
Stock on the market can be an important leading indicator of whether market pressure will be on prices to rise or fall – in Lorraine there is more stock than three months ago. This would indicate pressure on prices easing.
Canada's national median home listing price this month is $244,900, which means that Lorraine is in the top 20% for Canada.
Want a cheaply priced house? Then at $322,422 this month, Lorraine, Quebec is definitely not for you price wise.
If you're looking at investment properties in Lorraine, then you're most likely to find homes with 2 bedrooms on sale this month.
From our data, it appears that neighbourhood is number 299th when comparing neighbourhoods by the number of properties available to investors across the nation, putting it in the top 30.
It's never an exact art, but to try to forecast how property is going to appreciate in Lorraine for investors, it's important to look at data like:
It's always hard to tell what property prices will do over the coming months, but over the last three months the properties available for purchase in Lorraine have dried up which would tend to indicate that demand is higher than the supply of new properties.
Just fill in a few details, and we'll arrange for a Mortgage adviser to help you find the best mortgage for your needs


text:
Links to my reviews published this week in the Herald and Seattle Weekly, and etc.
Free Fire. "Wheatley sees the world as a cesspool where greedy humans get what they deserve and Murphy's Law prevails. Even with a few undeniably outstanding set pieces, that shtick gets repetitious when delivered with a continual smirk."
The Lost City of Z. "Director Gray is better known for intimate, self-serious dramas, and working on a bigger scale loosens him up. There are suspenseful scenes and pretentious touches, but the thing does cast a spell."
The Promise. "The characters are all thinly-sketched stereotypes, but with Isaac and Bale around to provide ballast, at least there's some decent acting going on."
Wednesday, April 26, I'll give a talk for the AIA Seattle's Urban Design Forum, on the subject of "Seattle in the Movies." The talk is free and begins at 5:30 at the Center for Architecture and Design, 1010 Western Ave.; more info here.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a comment »


text:
ANKARA (Reuters) - The market fluctuations besetting Turkey are temporary and will pass, including those stemming from the U.S. case against a wealthy gold trader, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek said on Wednesday.
Simsek was speaking at a conference in Istanbul after the lira TRYTOM=D3 hit a fresh record low of 3.98 against the dollar, driven partly by strains in ties with the United States over the trial.
Simsek also said the exchange rate was causing inflationary pressure, but the inflation would fall to single digits sooner or later.
Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Ece Toksabay; Editing by David Dolan


text:
Many homeowners enjoy the ambiance created by the soft glowing light from a warming fire in their fireplace. Some enjoy a nice fire and a good book as a way to escape their hectic days. Others enjoy a snuggle, a good glass of wine with their significant other or special interest in front of diving and darting flames. And still others enjoy family and friend time in front of the fireplace playing a game or relaxing as a family.
Camp fires can bring back special memories for many campers such as making s'mores, roasting hot dogs, telling ghost stories or singing songs. Camp fires keep outdoorsmen warm and help ward off curious, wild animals. Sitting around a camp fire with friends and family can be mesmerizing as everyone's eyes fixate on the dancing and leaping flames that soon bring about yawns and sleepy eyes.
Fires in a fireplace, fire pit or at a camp site can quickly turn from a rowdy rendition of "100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" to downright boredom and an early bedtime for all. Creating an out of the ordinary fire will keep your family and friends entertained and delighted. Colored fireplace, fire pit or camp fire flames is much like watching a fireworks display. Changing the color of the flames is easy and safe. Ready to wow your guests and listen to their oohs and ahhs?
Amazon Price: $78.26 $34.40 Buy Now
(price as of May 14, 2015)
Amazon Price: $32.95 $25.15 Buy Now
(price as of May 14, 2015)
Preparing to Make a Change in Flame Color
Regardless of the color of flames you are trying to achieve, there is some basic preparation.
Gather pinecones or save saw dust and small pieces of wood from your woodworking projects. You can also gather small twigs and break them into 2 to 3 inch sections.
Save remnants of old candles. If you don't have old candles – buy candle wax from a candle making supply store. Scented wax is not necessary, any type of candle wax will do.
The Beginning for All Flame Colors
Lay wax paper over cookie sheets or over a piece of flat wood. Place the cookie sheets or wood on a flat and level surface.
Put candle remnants or wax chips into a double boiler. Add water to the bottom of the double boiler and set the top half of the double boiler in place. Put the double boiler on the stove and turn the stove on. Allow it to melt until no solid chunks of wax remain. If you don't have a double boiler, you can place it into a microwave safe bowl and heat it for a minute or two depending on the strength of your microwave. Continue to set the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds until it melts and becomes a runny liquid.
After the wax melts, pour it into a large measuring cup to determine how much melted wax you have.
Pour the melted wax into a work bowl. If the wax begins to harden too soon, melt it again in the microve or place the bowl on top of the double boiler.
Put on a pair of rubber gloves and safety glasses.
Make Orange Fireplace Flames
Add an equal amount of table salt to the liquid wax. If you measured 2 cups of wax, add 2 cups of table salt to the bowl.
Stir the ingredients with a sturdy twig or paint stir stick until thoroughly blended.
Submerge one pinecone at a time into the wax. Roll the pinecone through the wax or use an old spoon to bathe the pinecone in wax.
Set the wax covered pinecone onto the sheet of wax paper to dry.
Continue to dip the pinecones and salt mixture until no wax remains.
Create Blue Flames
Place calcium chloride into a large zippered bag and roll over it with a rolling pin to crush the calcium chloride into a powder. You can also crush it with a mortar and pestle.
Measure an amount of calcium chloride that is equal to the amount of wax you have.
Pour the calcium chloride into and stir to blend it.
Dip the pinecones into the mixture and place them on the wax paper to cool and harden.
Make Purple Flames
Crush water softener salt with a rolling pin or mortar and pestle until it becomes a powder.
Add an equal amount of the water softener salt to the melted wax and stir until well blended.
Spoon the ingredients over the pinecones or dip them in and place them on the wax paper to cool.
Making Green Flames
If you have 1 cup of melted wax, measure 1 cup of Alum or Copper Sulfate.
Stir the Alum or Copper Sulfate into the runny wax.
Dip the pinecones and place them on the wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Creating a White Flame
Crush Epsom Salts with a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin into a powder.
Add an equal amount of crushed Epsom Salts to the hot wax and stir.
Dip the pinecones in or spoon the mixture over the top.
Set them on the wax paper covered surface to dry.
Neon Green Flames
Measure an amount of Borax that equal the amount of wax.
Stir the ingredients to blend.
Dip the pinecones and place them on the wax paper to cool.
Making Flame Color Changers Without Pinecones
Combine equal amounts of the melted wax and one of the flame color changers in a bowl.
Slowly add in pieces of twigs, scraps of wood or saw dust while stirring continuously, making sure there is more than enough wax to coat the wood.
Scoop up the wood, wax and flame color changer with a gloved hand and form a ball or log shape.
Allow the wax to cool and harden.
Flame Color Changing Tips
Do not mix more than one ingredient into the wax.
The treated pinecones or balls of twigs or saw dust are safe to use indoors or out.
Store the pinecones, balls or logs in a cool, dry area.
To Use
Start your fire as you normally would and once it begins to burn, add a color changer to delight your family and friends.
Several colors can be added to the fire at once to create your own dancing light show.
Amazon Price: $14.95 Buy Now
(price as of May 14, 2015)
Amazon Price: $18.26 $9.95 Buy Now
(price as of May 14, 2015)


text:
Causes of a lump under the tongue include salivary gland diseases, such as sialolithiasis, sialadenitis, viral infections and cysts, states Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. These afflictions are located in the ducts of the salivary glands. Other conditions causing lumps under the tongue include Sjögren's syndrome, sialadenosis and tumors.
Sialolithiasis occurs when small salivary stones made of calcium form in the glands, which may block the ducts. While sialolithiasis doesn't always produce symptoms, pain, swelling and an infection may develop when the duct becomes blocked, according to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Cysts can develop as a result of sialolithiasis, as well as after viral infections, injuries or tumors.
Sjögren's syndrome occurs when white blood cells injure the moisture-producing salivary glands, tear-producing glands, and even the sweat and oil glands. This syndrome is a chronic condition usually seen in middle-age women and in people with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma and polymyositis, states the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
One of the three major parts of the salivary glands, the sublingual glands, are under the tongue, and infection of, or injury to, these glands can cause lumps to appear under the tongue, states WebMD. Though tumors in this region of the mouth can be cancerous, they are commonly found to be benign.


text:
Archive for August, 2011
Devil's Playhouse retail release out now
Aug 26th
The retail copy of The Devil's Playhouse is now out in the UK and available for purchase from Amazon.co.uk. Lace Mamba Global are the publisher and the edition comes with the game, a poster and five badges.
"Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, the Benelux countries, Portugal and further European markets" are expected to follow shortly if they're not already out.
Season two coming to the iPad
Aug 16th
The details are a bit scarce at the moment, but according to a report from Gamespot's GDC Europe coverage, Telltale Games are bringing season two (Beyond Time and Space) to Apple's iPad platform, localised for different regions of the world. Telltale claim the iPad is the fastest-growing gaming device on the market. It's worth noting that only the first episode of season three was released on the tablet device, though.
Of course, those looking for dog and rabbit fun without having to remortgage their house can find it at Telltale's site for $29.99 on the PC. Just saying.
Interview with Vegas Trip
Aug 5th
Vegas Trip (still his real name), voice of Chuckles and fan favourite Sal in Telltale's episodic series, kindly agreed to be subject to an interview — a prospect which isn't as scary as it sounds!
Some of these questions were posed by you, the faithful readers, so be sure to read on to hear what this multi-talented – theatre, voice over and comics are all in a days work – man has to say.


text:
Govt sets ambitious target for toilets in every school
HRD minister Smriti Irani has asked states to build toilets for girls in every school by July 2015. Stakeholders have to move fast to measure up, but HT's campaign to tackle this problem shows the solution is within reach.india Updated: Aug 27, 2014 14:34 IST
Moving forward on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for building toilets for girls in every school, human resource development (HRD) minister Smriti Irani has asked states to meet the target by July next year.
She suggested the deadline at state education secretaries meet on Tuesday, requesting them to "prepare an action plan for construction of toilets in all government schools so that the goal set by Prime Minister for providing all government schools with toilets within one year becomes a reality".
The government has already identified the schools which are without toilets in every district down to the block. Around 50% of the schools without toilets are in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
The problem exists in other states too. HT has already initiated a campaign across Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir to get authorities to address the problem. The results have been encouraging.
Read: Toilets raise stink in Chandigarh schools, 300 girls forced to share one toilet
After HT highlighted the issue, Jalandhar MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh visited two schools and announced a grant of Rs 4 lakh from his MPLAD for toilets.
At Tuesday's meet, the government discussed strategy to tap funds from corporate bodies under their social responsibility outreach, said Union education secretary R Bhattacharya.
Minister for drinking water and sanitation, Nitin Gadkari, also prepared a Cabinet note for enhancement of monetary support for building different categories of rural toilets in the country.
Under the new proposal, rural households without sanitation will get Rs 15,000 each for constructing toilets while schools will get Rs 54,000 for same purpose.
The PM has made 'Swachh Bharat' (clean India) one of his priorities. Accordingly, the government is targeting the lack of toilets in rural areas.
A study from Ask How India has focused on the problem of open defecation and tried to answer how it can be reduced. Here's a look at the study.
First Published: Aug 27, 2014 10:51 IST


text:
(Ven KKP, The Nectar of Mañjurśrī's Speech (jam dbyangs bla ma'i zhal lung bdud rtsi'i thig pa), commentary on Ven Śāntideva's Bodhicaryavatara, 141-2)[/quote]In the first place, the things to be avoided comprise the eighteen root or fundamental downfalls, together with the two downfalls of giving up bodhicitta in intention and bodhicitta in action. The eighteen downfalls mentioned in the Ākāśagarbhasūtra are summarized in verse in Ven Śāntideva's Śikṣāsamuccaya(1)To steal the Triple Jewel's possessions
Is said to be a downfall of complete defeat.
(2)The second downfall is to spurn the saddharma,
So the sage has said.
(3)The third is to assault the monks or to take their saffron robes-
Even from the ones who spoil their discipline,
To sentence them to jail, to kill
Or cause them to abandon their monastic state.
(4)The fourth is to commit the five sins of instant retribution.
(5)The fifth is to espouse wrong views.
(6)The sixth is to destroy a homestead and the rest:
All these are fundamental downfalls, so the sage has said.
(7)Then to set forth emptiness
To those whose minds are yet untrained;
(8)To turn those entering the path to buddhahood
Away from their complete enlightenment;
(9)To cause the ones who tread the path of pratimokṣa
To leave it for the Mahāyāna;
(10)To hold, and to lead others to believe,
That on the path of Hīnayāna learning
Craving and the like cannot be overcome;
(11) To praise oneself for sake of fame and wealth
[... to 18]
For further context, the framing of the passage by Ven KKP:
(Ven KKP, The Nectar of Mañjurśrī's Speech, 141-2)When the root text says that Bodhisattvas "strive to never transgress" the disciplines of bodhicitta, this implies that it is pointless just to pretend to be learned and to make eloquent disquisitions tricked out with all sorts of examples concerning the Bodhisattva Precepts, ocean-vast as they are. The important thing is to have a general knowledge of what the Bodhisattva Precepts are and, in particular, to have a grasp of the crucial essence of these precepts. Regarding these precepts, one speaks, once gain, in terms og things to be avoided and things to be undertaken.
In the first place, the things to be avoided comprise the eighteen root or fundamental downfalls, together with the two downfalls of giving up bodhicitta in intention and bodhicitta in action. The eighteen downfalls mentioned in the Ākāśagarbhasūtra are summarized in verse in Ven Śāntideva's Śikṣāsamuccaya:
[here is omitted a dispensation of the 18 downfalls quoted in the first quote]
It is thus that the eighteen downfalls (the five downfalls liable to be committed by a king, the five liable to be committed by a minister, and the eight associated with ordinary people) are expounded, together with a method of confessing for them.
Here is an issue: in the source material of the Buddhavacana, these are specifically downfalls for "beginner bodhisattvas". I do not have access to a version of the Śikṣāsamuccaya that I can easily and reliably check for this passage.
Ven KKP makes no mention of "beginner bodhisattvas", and lists the final downfalls are being those of "ordinary people". Similarly, he does not describe these as the "downfalls of X class of being" (save for X meaning "normal/ordinary"), which would imply that these downfalls only apply to certain contexts, instead, Ven KKP describes each downfall as "liable to be committed by X". Lending them an added universality, although not necessarily lending these downfalls complete universality.
I would like to present a guess as to why Ven KKP seems to consider these offences to be "general Bodhisattva offenses" rather than "beginner bodhisattva offenses", looking back through the source text of the sūtra.
The part that I bolded in the OP seems to correspond to this passage in the source text:
Ven Śāntideva renders it thusly:"Furthermore, son of noble family, beginner bodhisattvas may say to some, 'Son of noble family, eschew the discourses of the śrāvaka vehicle! Do not listen to them, do not read them, and do not teach them to others. Son of noble family, eschew the discourses of the śrāvaka vehicle! They are the reason why you cannot obtain the great result, why you are not able to eradicate the afflictions. Therefore, have faith in the discourses of the Mahāyāna. Listen to the Mahāyāna, study the Mahāyāna, and teach it to others. Thus you will not go to the lower realms, you will not enter any path leading to the lower realms, and swiftly you will manifestly and completely awaken to unsurpassable, perfectly complete enlightenment.' If these words are spoken and the listener acts accordingly and adopts a similar view, then both actions incur a root transgression. This is the fourth root transgression of beginner bodhisattvas.
Subtly different, and I can only imagine that is because the context of the rule/discourse is being adapted to a new setting and new circumstances. Interestingly enough, the rule also takes another subtly different expression in the lineage of bodhisattva vows attributed to the Venerable Nāgārjuna:"[not] To cause the ones who tread the path of prātimokṣa
To leave it for the Mahāyāna;"
(from this website.)Turning self or others away from individual liberation or pratimoksha; to join the greater vehicle having rejected the pratimoksha vows.
Either way, it seems that the leaving or abandoning of prātimokṣa is the issue, not the joining of Mahāyāna, probably because of the vow-breaking very likely implicitly involved in "caus[ing] the ones who tread the path of pratimokṣa/To leave it for the Mahāyāna", not because the path of prātimokṣa & Mahāyāna and necessarily identical, or anything similar of the like, does this strike one as contrived? I don't pretend to be solidly convinced on the matter, but it strikes me as a sensible conclusion. With this in mind, although it is a downfall of a "beginner bodhisattva", it strikes me as something that would also be a downfall for a "bodhisattva of unspecified attainment" (to a reasonable degree), to cause another to break his or her monastic vows, if what I have presented above is not riddled with errors.
Similarly, we have, from Ven Śāntideva:
The way that Ven Śāntideva phrases this is key here I think, and I alluded to it before. "Craving and the like" vs "ignorance and the like". If we interpret "and the like" to refer to complete and perfect awakening, then yes, Ven Śāntideva seems to be saying that bodhisattva and śrāvaka practice are identical and the same and have identical results. But given that he is most likely not saying this, it is likely that we are supposed to interpret this (and this is merely my own reading, which is subject to change) as saying that it is a hinderance, or a stumbling block, or whichever word for "bad thing" is preferable, to believe that on the path of Hīnayāna learning craving and the like cannot be overcome, because it is simply wrong. Craving, certainly, can be overcome on the "path of Hīnayāna learning", if we want to call it that. I don't think this is a controversial statement, but I am open to being wrong. Similarly, I would say that myriad kleśāḥ can be overcome on the "path of Hīnayāna learning". There are many things that I would say, IMO uncontroversially, can be overcome on the "path of Hīnayāna learning". Ven Śāntideva, we will note, does not talk about subtle ignorance being overcome on such a path.To hold, and to lead others to believe,
That on the path of Hīnayāna learning
Craving and the like cannot be overcome;
Dealing with the sūtra, in the above quoted passage of the sūtra (not referring to the above quoted passage from the commentary), we have
Saying this, or variations of it, and having them come to lead someone to "adopt a similar view" (note: it does not actually say "convert to Mahāyāna", it says "adopt a similar view"), constitutes a pārājika (this point is not at all set in stone it seems, as that the commentary I am reading (by the Venerable Khenchen Kunzang Pelden) seems to regard the 18 downfalls as pārājika, while the commentators in the source sūtra here (source stolen from the user "Dharmic") seem to regard them lighter, as simply more generically named āpatti), but, for the sake of highlighting how the sūtra describes these āpatti or pārājika offenses on the Bodhisattva Path, from a little earlier in the sūtra:"eschew the discourses of the śrāvaka vehicle! Do not listen to them, do not read them, and do not teach them to others. [...] They are the reason why you cannot obtain the great result"
I think that there is a reason why the punishment is so severe. The person saying "eschew the discourses [etc]" fundamentally misunderstands the relationship that Mahāyāna sūtrāṇi have to comparatively more ancient scriptures. When someone says "eschew the discourses of the śrāvaka vehicle!" they are actually slandering a substantial amount of true and authentic Buddhavacana. Furthermore, when someone says "They are the reason why you cannot obtain the great result", I believe they are also mistaken, because they wrongly identify the reason why someone is not making progress. The Pāli Canon will not "hold you back" on the path (and this is a "rhetorical you" here), the Buddha's words are true and not false (Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra XVI). Even provisional teachings are perfectly "true" in their own specific way. Perhaps some views someone may hold regarding X subject will "hold them back". Perhaps some views someone may have been taught to hold by someone else regarding the interpretation of X or Y passage of Buddhavacana will "hold them back". Perhaps a lack of compassion, or diligence, or application will "hold them back," but I don't think, and maybe this is just me and my own eccentric interpretation, that the "discourses of the śrāvaka vehicle", be those particular discourses the Theravāda nikāyā, or the Sarvāstivāda āgamāḥ, or the scriptures of the Sautrāntikāḥ, for example, themselves "innately" lead away from progress on the path, or would be the "actual main cause", or reason, for backsliding or stagnating on the path. Relating to this, is the downfall in its context in the Śāntideva text itself:Son of noble family, due to this root transgression, they will forfeit the entirety of their previously generated roots of virtue.
(Śikṣāsamuccaya LXI)If the beginner wins someone over to a false view of the kind expressed in these words, they both undergo a root downfall. This is the fourth root downfall of a beginner bodhisattva.
IMO, it is the wrong methodologies for conversion that are the problem here, and the proliferation of wrong views (attempts at "failed upāyāḥ"), that are the issue, and TBH I can't imagine these proliferations being less serious on some more comparatively advances stages of bodhisattvayāna than just "beginner".
How is this guess?


text: Ganesh Exports Bangalore Import Export Data - Import Export Company Ganesh Exports Bangalore Export Import Data Ganesh Exports Bangalore, is a premier company that exports and imports goods from countries including Italy, and host of other countries. Ganesh Exports Bangalore, is a premier company that exports and imports goods from countries including Italy, and host of other countries. Export ShipmentsGanesh Exports Bangalore is a leading exporter of GARMENTS 54 CARTONS, having HS Codes 00000000. The company has its head office at . The company primarily exports products to Italy and ships its consignments mainly to Naples.DateHS CodeProduct Exported India PortForeign CountryForeign Port QuantityUnit19-09-200400000000GARMENTS 54 CARTONSTuticorin SeaItalyNaples1791Nos Sample Data Download Top Similar Exporters:Tirupur Sri Sentil Cotton Mill Tirupur Bntconnections Chennai Vikars Exports Madurai Sri Rajalakshmi Enterprises Chennai Summer India Textile Mills Pl Namakkal Sk International New Delhi Sundram Fasteners Ltd Chennai Venus Clothing Company Tirupur Classic Knits Tirupur Craftsman Automation Pvtltd Coimbatore Premier Fine Yarns Ltd Coimbatore Thiagarajar Mills Ltd Madurai Bnazrum Agro Exports P Ltd Dindigul Sp Apparels Avinashi Selvaraj Tex Madurai Bloom And Peat Products Ltd Chennai Beach Minerals Sands Company Tirunelve Skinternational Newdelhi Orchid International Tirupur Ample Commodities Pvtltd Tirupur Aviram Knitters Tirupur Sowbarinika Trades Tirupur Premier Polyweaves Ltd Coimbatore Vks Exports Chennai Asia Pacific International Tirupur Browse by Products : ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Browse by Companies : A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Latest Export Import News DateSubject 12-12-2018Rupee falls 32 paise to 72.17 against US dollar in early trade 12-12-2018Petrol, diesel under GST not possible till revenues stabilise: Arvind Subramanian 12-12-2018Shaktikanta Das: The man behind GST, note ban now heads RBI 12-12-2018India, UAE to Drop US Dollar Trade and Revert to Own Currencies 12-12-2018Higher GST barrier for local MRO industry 11-12-201832nd ISTA Congress 2019 aims to explore India's seed export prospective 11-12-2018Logistics gets e-commerce, GST boost 11-12-2018Rupee nosedives after Urjit Patel's resignation as RBI Governor; opens 110 paise lower against US $ 11-12-2018Modi government resorting to 'illegal diversion' of clean energy fund: Yechury 11-12-2018Export of raw sugar: Millers expect sweet deal from China Get a Ganesh Exports Bangalore Import Export Data Sample Report Which service(s) are you interested in? Export Data Import Data Both Buyers Suppliers Both OR Exim Help + =


text:
Today a friend shared with me a short story she'd written about playing music and the wonder and joy it brings, and it reminded me of this story I wrote for a uni writing excercise (which wasn't graded) so I thought I'd share it with you all! Take the time today, perhaps, to thank the Lord for the wonderful gift of music He has given us and to encourage those you know who share their abilities in this area with us (thanks so much Daisy!) I'm so thankful to the Lord for music and friends! :D
I gently closed my eyes, a sense of utter peace and tranquillity filling me. I, the lone audience member sat in awed silence as if in a trance, spellbound by the magic the music seemed to cast. The music began to fill the old church building, reverberating off its curved ceiling and red brick walls. Over a century in age, it must have had music played inside it countless times before, but surely never as beautiful as this! My best friend's voice reached a crescendo, a violin passionately weaving its away around her melody and a piano lilting soothingly in the background. As Saint-Saëns "Violons dans le soir" slowly drew to a close, I felt tears forming in my eyes – a rare occurrence. Now I finally understood what it meant to be truly moved by music, and if I could have held onto that moment forever than I would have.
Just moments before, we had been laughing, distracting each other, already having faced hours of practice required to perfect the piece. Somewhat mortified by a cold invoked by the incoming winter chills and the fact that I'd already had to borrow my best friend's jacket for the evening, I'd opted for a pew and played a mock "annoying audience member" in order to pass the time. Mischievously dropping a hymnal every few minutes, I managed to coax smiles from my friends. Friends I'd had for years alongside a friend I'd formed that evening and yet it felt like we could have all been a group together for a lifetime. As we prayed together, I was awed at how the Lord had brought me alongside a group of such gifted and yet like-minded people. After a brief break, and with our eyes starting to droop from tiredness, we decided to play it through just one more time...
The silence at the end of the tune only heightened the beauty of what we had just heard. All the frivolity of earlier in the evening seemed to have vanished as we looked at each other, speechless. Every other time we had played now paled in comparison. I exhaled and realised I must have been holding my breath.
"That was so beautiful, the best music I've ever heard, if you do that tomorrow you'll be bound to win!" Even as I said them, the words sounded so shallow compared to what I'd just heard. Moments later, we were chatting happily again, but something had changed. Deep in our souls was delight at the wonder of music the Lord had created.
Now whenever I hear that tune I feel a tinge of sadness, for the magic of that moment will never be repeated, and yet joy that the Lord gave me a chance to experience it.
God bless!


text:
Massage FAQs
Must I be completely undressed?
You should undress to your desired level of comfort. About half of our clients prefer to be completely undressed, while the other half prefers to keep their undergarments on. This is completely up to you. You will undress and dress in the privacy of your massage room and will be securely covered by a blanket and a sheet during your massage session.
What is included in the session time?
A session consists of massage, time for you to dress and undress and time to communicate with the therapist to make your massage truly customized. Each time you visit an Elements Massage™ studio you will go through our service path called The Elements Way®. This is done to ensure each and every massage session you receive from us meets or exceeds your expectations.
How much should I tip?
Many clients are unsure if and/or how much they should tip their massage therapist. We recommend you think of your massage therapist as you would a waiter in a restaurant. Our studios' therapists love what they do and your tip may reflect your appreciation for their service. We recommend tipping percentages be based on the full price of a regular massage, rather than the discounted price.
How often should I receive a massage?
For those who use massage as preventative care or to manage daily stress, one massage a month is common. Weekly sessions may be desirable if you are receiving massage for injury relief or to relieve chronic tightness that is interfering with your daily life. There are many people who incorporate massage therapy at least twice a month for optimal therapeutic relief.
What does a massage therapist's license or certification mean?
A license means that a massage therapist has met the requirements and paid the fee to legally practice massage in your city, county and/or state. To obtain a license, a massage therapist will usually have to complete a minimum number of training hours at an accredited or accepted school or training center and will have to undergo a full background check prior to receiving that license. Each state has specific licensing and/or certification requirements for massage therapists.
Will I be covered during the session?
You will be properly covered or draped at all times to keep you warm and comfortable. Only the area being worked on will be exposed. No areas will be exposed without your consent. You should always let your therapist know if you are uncomfortable for any reason during your massage session.
How long will the session last?
A full-body massage session lasts approximately fifty minutes (this includes the time for you to dress and undress). Many people prefer an 90 minute session for optimal relaxation.
Do you provide massage therapy to Minors?
The benefits of Therapeutic Massage knows no age limit - however minors (children under 18) must be accompanied by or have the consent of a parent or guardian via a written minor consent form.
How often shoud I receive a massage?
The answer to this question depends on your reasons for receiving a massage. For those who use massage as preventative care or to manage daily stress, one massage a month is common. Weekly sessions may be necessary if you are receiving massage for injury relief or to relieve chronic tightness that is interfering with your daily life. If this is the case, weekly sessions are essential in order to build on each week's improvements in healing until the desired results have been achieved. For most people, the frequency of massage visits depends on how well it fits into a budget. For this reason, we have several membership options to make it easy for you to afford the benefits of massage on a regular basis.
Must I be completely undressed?
You should undress to your desired level of comfort. About half of our clients prefer to be completely undressed, while the other half prefer to keep their undergarments on. Either way, you are the client and your comfort comes first. Our therapists are trained to work with you in all situations.
What should I do during my massage?
Make yourself comfortable. The therapist will either gently move you or tell you what is needed throughout the session (such as lifting your arm). Many people close their eyes and completely relax. Feel free to let your massage therapist know if you would like deeper or lighter pressure. You will feel the maximum benefit if you remain quiet during your massage.
When should I get a massage?
Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to wait until you are stressed or injured to get a massage. Any time is a good time for a massage. Massage is like a health-supplement or preventative care for a person's body and mind. A regular massage is a great way to cope with physical or emotional stress and to keep it from causing discomfort or harm to your body.


text:
Issue #61, September 2002
Race is tired. Fucking tired. The concept has seen better days. The word itself came into the English language half a millennium ago with the coming to the Caribbean of one Italian sailor on a Spanish expedition. As a descriptive device its authority has weakened significantly, most tellingly perhaps, because its implement of creation, the European phallus, hasn't written anything great of late.
While the master works of racism have been written, texts such as those of discovery, conquest, colonialism, slavery, and the New World, the Euro pen is still capable of becoming excited by current discourse of race. Consider a contemporary Italian-Hispano in the Caribbean, Aldo Bianchi, protagonist of Daniel Chavarría's El Rojo en la Pluma del Loro. As the novel opens, Aldo, an Italian by way of the Río Plata, is tired. He is fifty-five years old, divorced, and impotent. But Aldo goes to Cuba and in minutes after meeting an Afrocuban prostitute, he ejaculates in the racialized vagina. In fact, he does so five times in their first four hours together. And in his four days with Bini, Aldo fucks well, twenty-five times.
When confronted by this miraculous display of the power of racial intercourse, Aldo's friends feel compelled to account for it. The success of such racialized sex, especially when compared to the failure of the marital sex, is understood within the parameters of European racism. "No ignoraban que el embrujo de los tambores y cánticos afrocubanos, más el ron, el contagio eufórico, al lado de una hembra salvaje y bella, pueden liberar pasiones reprimadas." Bini is reduced to her sex, an element of the exotic milieu that allowed Aldo to relax. She is the savage female, not necessarily human, but beautiful.
Such transparent racism is ironic in serious, contemporary literature, isn't it? El Rojo en la Pluma del Loro won Cuba's 2000 Premio Casa de las Amíricas. Chavarría, a Uruguayan who has lived in Cuba for three decades, has the imprimatur of the revolution and its literary organ. It must be ironic.
While the issue of the European and racialized sex may serve to open Chavarría's novel, it is the raison d'être for a novel that has captured the contemporary French imagination. Michel Houellebecq's Plateforme is fully about racialized sex, its practice, its commodification, its advertising. It is a capitalist, first world, European vision of the current state of the Euro phallus and as such, Plateforme emerges as exemplar of its milieu.
The novel is unashamedly about sexual tourism, specifically about the practice and marketing of European sex with racial others. Various interlocutors delineate the predilections. "On vous parlera de Brésiliennes, ou des filles de Cuba. J'ai beaucoup voyagé, monsieur, j'ai voyagé pour mon plaisir, et je n'hésite pas à vous le dire: pour moi, les Thaïs sont les meilleures amantes du monde." Valérie, the main French female character, declares, "C'est vrai, c'est frappant, à force: les femmes blanches préfènt coucher avec des Africains, les hommes blancs avec des Asiatiques". She asks the protagonist, Michel, "Qu'est-ce que les Thaïs ont de plus que les Occidentales." She is answered verbally by Michel and graphically by the narrator.
In Plateforme, Michel has lots of sex and, with Valírie, devises and markets a sort of Club Med with prostitutes. The novel is replete with interracial sex. It is replete too with judgement, value, taste, and discrimination in regard to racial others. To what degree does Houellebecq avoid stereotype and racism in his delineation of European sexual activities with postcolonial subjects? Or more bluntly, is his racism ironic?
The beginning of an answer might lie in a self-reflective passage in which Michel (the character? the author?) considers the contemporary state of the European phallus. He is almost nostalgic when he considers its history,
Mes ancêtres européens avaient travaillé dur, pendent plusieurs siècles; ils avaient entrepris de dominer, puis de transformer le monde, et dans une certaine mesure ils avaient réussi. Ils l'avaient fait par intérèt économique, par goût du travail, mais aussi parce qu'ils croyaient à la supériorité de leur civilisation: ils avaient inventé le rêve, le progrès, l'utopie, le future.
In other words, in greater times, times which coincided with those of conquest, colonialism and slavery, the Euro phallus was powerful and wrought wondrous things. Hard working and ethnocentric Europeans dominated the world and invented notions such as dream and future.
In those times, the European also invented race. And the notion potentially came into play every time the Euro phallus engaged native vagina. Because back then,
La situation était bien sûr différente dans les précédents siècles, au temps où la sexualité était quand même essentiellement liée à la reproduction.
But if the European history of patriarchy is written as nostalgia, present day sexuality is written in economic terms.
Pour mantenir la valeur génétique de l'espèce, l'humanitié devait alors tenir le plus grand compte des crières de santé, de force, de jeunesse, de viguer physique-dont la beauté n'était qu'une synthèse pratique. Aujourd'hui, la donne avait changé: la beaute gardait toute sa valeur, mais il s'agissait d'une valeur monnayable, narcissique. Si décidément la sexualité devait rentrer dans le secteur des biens d'échange, la meilleure solution était sans aucun doute de faire appel à l'argent, ce médianteur universel que permettait déjà d'assurer une équivalence précise à l'intelligence, au talent, à la compétence technique; qui avait déjà permis d'assurer un standardisation parfaite des opinions, des goûts, des modes de vie.
If we take Michel's discourse at face value, we accept the transformation of the Euro phallus: what it had undertaken previously as a politic, it undertakes now as an aesthetic. In other words, the former project of dominating and civilizing the world was political, and in that context, the intercourse of race and sex was hard work. Miscegenation and eugenics, for example, were hard work. But today's phallus is fun. Freed from the rigors of human reproduction and the writing of race, the Euro pen is now able to experience race and sex for the sake of beauty. Sex with the racial other need not require the huge displacement of colonial power, and it need not result in the subjects of miscegenation. Instead, the tired phallus can undertake sterile sexual relations, relations dictated by matters of beauty, of discrimination, of taste, and of desire, specifically, capitalist desire.
What is this soft aesthete, the New Phallus, envisioned by Michel? If denied the function of procreation, the Euro pen is denied to a great extent the function of writing the master texts of patriarchy and racism. The tired Euro phallus need not engender humans or human difference, for sex with the racial other can be merely a matter of pleasure, of discriminating tastes and the realization of the desire for beauty. No longer needing armies of soldiers, priests, and the police, the New Phallus can rest and let money do the work.
But Plateforme itself belies the irony of the new Euro phallus, belies the sense that the new prick is any less a prick when it comes to racism. Its transformation seems more catachresis than irony, more a twisted similarity than an inversion or negation. True, the current phallus differs from its past, and according to Michel, it is due to a displacement of its reproductive function, but it is not so different that it no longer writes racism. It continues to do so. The displacement of reproduction from the sphere of the sexual politic is concomitant with the displacement in meaning, the catachresis, of the phallus in the sexual aesthetic. The phallus still writes and still means racism in the act of sex, but the act itself has been displaced in sense and in site.
With the diminution of the project of progeniture, coitus is viewed as one variation of the sex act, its preference merely a matter of taste. The vagina loses some of its pre-eminence as preferred site of pleasure for the heterosexual phallus and is frequently supplemented in Plateforme by the mouth and hand. The phallus is less tied to the vagina because sex is less tied to reproduction. The Euro pen is free to undertake sex without the huge consequences of patriarchy and miscegenation. In the vagina, as in the mouth and hand, the penis can realize beauty, pleasure and desire without recourse to racism. But race is differentiated at the anus.
After many episodes of sex in various combinations of races and body parts, there occurs one episode that is noticeably different. Valérie and Michel meet "un couple de Noirs sympa." Nicole is a nurse, and Jerome is a jazz drummer, cool and hip. Jerome proposes to Valérie a double penetration. As Michel recounts, "Elle accepta, à condition que ce soit moi qui la sodomise-il fallait s'y prendre très doucement avec elle, j'avais plus l'habitude." Jerome and Michel simultaneously penetrate Valérie, the black penis penetrating the white vagina; the white penis, the white anus. After Valírie orgasms, Nicole excitedly takes her place. Nicole tells Michel, "Avec moi tu peux y aller... j'aime bien qu'on m'encule fort." The black penis penetrates the black vagina, the white penis penetrates the black anus, bringing Nicole to orgasm. The women then kneel before Jerome and Michel, and while the men talk jazz, they take the penises into their mouths: black penis in white mouth, white penis in black mouth. Jerome, "joit d'un seul coup, éjaculant violemment dans la bouche de Valérie." Valérie then joins Nicole, instructing her how better to perform the task, and Michel nearly faints.
What Plateforme proposes is a catachresis, a depiction of difference coupled with an assertion of fundamental similarity. The Euro phallus is different, and it is the same. Yet such contradiction is not ironic, for the primary articulation is not one of difference, but rather, one of essence. The Euro phallus remains essentially and fundamentally a racist prick.
In the logic of the catachresis, the anus gains new prominence. It replaces the vagina as the site of racial transgression. Heteroracial coitus is fine, preferable in fact, but heteroracial sodomy is taboo. Valírie takes the black penis into her vagina and mouth, but rejects the black penetration of her anus. Michel's white penis is free to fuck vagina and anus of any color. This is not fundamentally different from tradition. Michel's European ancestors, in their dissemination of civilization through acts such as colonialism and slavery, worked very hard penetrating colored vaginas and restricting colored access to white vaginas. What is different is the shift of focus from vagina to anus, and it is this difference that underscores the new phallic order.
The anus is thus the site of whiteness. Houellebecq is not alone in articulating this discourse. Plateforme coincides with other articulations of the catachresis: the new but tired phallus is as racist as the old, hard working phallus, but relates to the anus rather than the vagina. In all these articulations, the phallus is still the phallus in essence, though at times hard to recognize. Four examples, all from cinema, explore variations of anal discourse where the phallus, removed from reproduction, coitus, and the vagina, remains bound to the exigencies of race. These variations of the catachresis demonstrate how far the notion of the phallus has stretched.
Two films, Storytelling (USA: 2002) and Monster's Ball (USA: 2001) demonstrate that the new phallus need not be white nor seize its traditional privilege. In Todd Solondz's Storytelling, a black penis penetrates the white anus in a scene that is obscured for viewers by a red square, purportedly to avoid classification as pornography. Mr. Scott, a tired black professor, sodomizes Vi, his white student, and in the act, demands that she utter racist epithets. The white anus is transgressed racially, and the inappropriateness of such act is condemned according to a traditional racist ethics. A black phallus is still a phallus.
In Marc Forster's Monster's Ball, the anal encounter of the Euro American phallus is opposite that of the French in Plateforme. Hank is a tired racist, tired of killing blacks, so tired that he can't penetrate the white anus. He fails with a white prostitute, who keeps his money and screws him in the process. He is rejuvenated by Leticia, a black woman, almost in the same manner that Aldo is rejuvenated by Bini in Daniel Chavarría's novel. In his first attempt at heteroracial sex, Hank first tries anal penetration, but is rebuffed. Leticia turns over and the two engage in coitus happily. A very traditional sexual relationship is espoused.
Two other films, Baise moi (France: 2000) and American History X (USA: 1998), focus on the transgression of the anus, white and male. In one of the more sexually violent scenes of Baise moi, a film full of sexual violence, Manu, an ethnic minority woman, penetrates a Frenchman's anus with a pistol and shoots. It is a particularly violent ejaculation, expressing sexual rage for sure, but also, race rage. For Manu is colored, and yet perhaps more significantly, the victim and anus are male and white. In Virginie Despentes and Coralie Trinh Ti's vision, the endless displays of sex and violence are weak on a feminist politic and reaffirm traditional hierarchies of race. The phallus need not have a penis.
Tony Kaye's American History X is as much about race and violence as is Baise moi about sex and violence. White supremacist Derek is raped in prison because he becomes a race traitor, because he engages in discourse with a black inmate. The white anus is transgressed by a white penis as punishment for opposing traditional racism. The phallus need not be heterosexual.
These films and Plateforme hint at irony but promote a catachresis that functions much in the way that does Bakhtin's carnival: on the day of carnival (or at the site of the anus) traditional hierarchy is inverted only to be reestablished the day following. There is nothing radical or revolutionary in the new phallus. Consider, for example, what is affirmed in three gratuitious instances in Plateforme.
Valérie is not the only European woman confronted by the specter of racialized anal sex. Marylse is raped by a group of Caribbeans, "Ils l'avaient pénétrée violemment, sans ménagements, par tous les orifices."
In long racist diatribe, an Egyptian declares that Arabs have nothing to do "que d'enculer leur chameaux." The Egyptian "exagérait un peu, mais c'etait un Oriental," but confirms the racist French vision of the lowest of the low: Arabs transgress the anus not across race lines but across species.
Minor character Jean-Yves has sex with the new babysitter, fifteen year old Eucharistie from Dahomey. "Elle savait très précisément, par ses gémissements, deviner l'instant où il allait venir. Elle éloignait alors son visage; avec petits mouvements précis elle orientait son éjaculation, parfois vers se seins, parfois vers sa bouche. Elle avait à ces moments une expression joueuse, presque enfantine..."
The Euro pen is alive and well, racist, orientalist, sexist, and pedophile. There seems to be no irony in Michel's declaration:
Européen aisé, je pouvais acquéir à moindre prix, dans d'autres pays, de la nourriture, des services et des femmes; Européen décadent, conscient de ma mort prochaine, et ayant pleinement accédé à l'égoísme, je ne voyais aucune raison de m'en priver.
Yet Plateforme does participate in an irony of history. The novel's publication in September, 2001, coincides with the 9/11 attacks on the first world's organs of capital and the military. The climax of Plateforme, its most violent ejaculation, is a mass slaughter of European sex tourists in Thailand by "trois hommes enturbannés". Turban functions as metonym for Muslims, who in turn stand as obstacles to Euro phallocentric rule. Muslims are inhumane, anti-capitalist fundamentalists who transgress the anus of camels and who oppose free market sex.
That the novel so coincides with history is ironic. But there is no irony in either the fictive or factual response. Michel responds fictively, as has the first world historically, by invoking the proven politic and tired aesthetic of race:
Chaque fois que j'apprenais qu'un terroriste palestinien, ou un enfant palestinien, ou une femme enceinte palestinienne, avait été abattu par balles dans la bande de Gaza, j'éprouvais un tressaillement d'enthousiasme à la pensée qu'il y avait un musulman de moins.
Alfred Arteaga is an associate professor of Ethnic Studies at University of California - Berkeley and a beloved friend of Bad Subjects editors.


text:
We'd love to send you a removable laptop sticker with our logo on it. Just tweet about why you like HostGator (be sure to use the hashtag "#hgsticker"), fill out the short form below, and look for your sticker in the mail.
Be sure to include the hashtag in your tweet. Thanks again for your interest in HostGator!
You must tweet about why you like HostGator in order to be sent a sticker. If you don't include the Tweet URL in your request, it will be not processed.
Don't have a Twitter account? No problem. Just send a standard self-addressed stamped.
Fill up form here


text:
FIRENZE CARD – 72 museums in 72 hours!
Discover more about the official museum pass of City of Florence
Since 2011, Florence has an integrated museum pass called the Firenzecard. It allows (for one person) admission to the city's major museums, villas and historical gardens, it grants a visit to permanent collections, temporary exhibitions and other activities held in these museums.
If this wasn't enough, Firenzecard also means no queues and reservation requirements (except for the Cupola of the Duomo, which requires reservation), free admission for those under 18 years of age who are members of the same family unit of the Firenzecard holder and European Union citizens.
The Card costs 72 € and lasts 72 hours/3 days from its first use (meaning: first visit to a museum).
Together with the Firenzecard, you can also purchase Firenzecard+, which grants you free use of the city public transport for 3 days, 1 Firenzecard+ bag, 1 museum guide, and other special discounts and offers. Firenzecard+ costs an additional 5 € on top of the price of the regular Firenzecard.
Since museums in Italy are run by different entities (State, Province, City, private.), it was a challenge to create this pass! However, the challenge was won and now there are 72 museums included in the Card and they are all written here: on a list and on a map!
On the official site , there are also "EVENTS" and "NEWS" pages, so you can check for updated timetables, review your benefits and get other information, like all the possible activities and events going on that are included in the price of the Card! The Card can be bought directly on line or can be purchased in one of sales points in town. Enjoy your stay in Florence and make the most of it!


text:
5015-02 Createx Illustration Lifeline Master Setmore info
Choose a variant:
5015 Createx Lifeline Master Set
Set Contents in 60ml bottles:
5016 Lifeline Light Olive Gold 5021 Lifeline Deep Espresso 5026 Lifeline Natural
5017 Lifeline Olive Gold 5022 Lifeline Fair Blush 5027 Lifeline Deep Natural
5018 Lifeline Deep Olive Gold 5023 Lifeline Blush 5028 Lifeline Natural Lip
5019 Lifeline Light Espresso 5024 Lifeline Deep Blush 5029 Lifeline Intrinsic Shade
5020 Lifeline Espresso 5025 Lifeline Light Natural 5030 Lifeline Cool Tone
4012 HP Reducer 5092 Flexible Adhesion Promoter
Createx Illustration Bloodline
Bloodline are a special set of Illustration Colors which have muted, naturalistic hues. Bloodline are made with the same resin as Illustration Colors and share the same performance attributes. Bloodline are transparent, although colors may appear opaque due to the high pigment load. Bloodline dry to a matte finish and can appear glossy when top-coated with a clear.
Write a reviewYour Name:
Your E-mail:
Your Review: Note: HTML is not translated!
Rating: Bad Good
Enter the code in the box below:


text:
iPhone 4 Battery not charging after screen repair
I recently replaced my front screen and back cover. All went well except that after completing this (slowly and carefully), the phone would no longer charge. I could plug it into the mains charger and it would start up and get to the grey screen with iPhone written on it.
When I opened the slider, it would show me the iTunes screen.
The issue is that there's no way to connect it to the Mac, because as soon as I unplug it, the phone goes dead.
If I keep it plugged to the mains, it just loops and restarts after a while.
The screen stays on the apple logo for quite a while, then I get the "new phone" screen.
I thought that maybe my battery was also dead, so I ordered a new one. The same happens except that I can actually connect it to the mac and the apple logo shows up (with the old battery it wouldn't).
With this new possibility, I tried to restore it. I can get it to recovery mode and I get as far as iTunes extracting software, verifying the phone with Apple, preparing the phone(dim screen light comes on) and it seems as if it is then restoring the phone but then iTunes gives and error message (2001) and quits the restore and the screen goes back to the apple logo.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Is this a good question?
The same exact thing happened to me! I had someone repair my screen and after that, my phone would no longer stay on unless plugged in. It has since gotten worse and now will only occasionally power on while plugged in and then if and when it does, it claims that the phone needs to be restored.
It's an iPhone 4 and was new in Nov. 2011- so so frusterating! I'm desperate for a fix!
I has someone fix the broken screen of my iPhone 4, after that my phone does not charge.
i have the same exact problem, how do you manage to solve it?


text:
Written by Scott Campbell.
Published at 13:10 GMT on Saturday, 1st December 2012.
Clyde Youth Academy to 'cycle to Lapland'
CUMBERNAULD'S Clyde Football Club Youth Academy have announced that they will take part in a number of fundraising activities next week.
"The Clyde FC Youth Academy are delighted to be taking part in an important local charity event next week", a spokesperson for the club confirmed.
The Youth Academy will be taking part in Tesco Cumbernauld's festive 'cycle to Lapland' - on static bikes in store - over three days, which will raise funds for their chosen charity of the year; Cancer Research UK.
The individual events will start at around 11am on Friday 7th, Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th December.
"The Bully Wee's youngsters will be taking part with their club kits on, so if you are in the store at the time please come and say hello and offer your support", the spokesperson added.
Latest Cumbernauld news


text:
Frozen liquidity puts a chill on growth and expansion. Even companies with no financial pressure are cutting costs and tempering ambition because they think it's the prudent thing to do.
So expect to hear the term "strategic alliance" more and more. "Partner" carriers and similar arrangements are an important element of trucking and logistics. Instead of a big cash outlay or ownership tie-up, a well-reasoned service agreement can extend your capabilities. It's a win-win, right? Not always. These agreements break down for lots of reasons:
It's a deal done on the fly. Two CEOs meet on a golf course, get to talking, and shake hands before the people who have to implement the agreement even know about it. This is a business arrangement. Make it too personal or informal and you risk losing both the deal and the friendship.
Your arrangement may involve sharing closely guarded information, including customer contacts. Lay down the ground rules: What access should each partner have to proprietary information both inside and outside the scope of the deal?
If the guy who's been championing your company suddenly decides to bolt, your partnership may vanish, too. Establish relationships with more than one decision-maker at your partner company.
Someone wins, someone loses. A solid, productive partnership isn't a game with a winner and loser. If you want something valuable from your partner, you have to have something equal to give. You're asking for trouble if you over-inflate the value of your side of the deal.
Most partnerships fail because at some point someone doesn't tell the truth. They exaggerate their capabilities or flat out lie to enhance their position, and as a result, the partner loses money, the trust of a valuable customer, or both.
A lie can happen at nearly any point in the transaction, and when it does, it creates a weak point that can snap under stress. Think of the dispatcher who puts an extra skid of freight on the trailer and tells the customer the vehicle broke down when the shipment is late. Think of the customer who juices up volumes to get better pricing. Think of the new sales rep hired on the promise that hoards of customers will follow. Think of the broker who tries to pass himself off as a carrier and double-brokers freight he scooped off an online board. Think of the manager whose fleet size expands and contracts depending on who he's talking to.
It amazes me what people will say and do to get business. They'll tell the same lie day in and day out until they believe it to be fact.
To help weed out fact from fiction, do two things. First, lead by example. People watch and listen carefully to the leaders of their companies. If you stretch the truth, so will your employees. Second, trust but verify. When credit is tight, trust and credibility are your best assets.
This is a small industry, and everyone seems to know everyone else. The "six degrees of separation" you hear scholars refer to is just one degree of separation in the trucking industry.
A strategic alliance might be just the thing to excite customers and build sales. But before you hook up, pick up the phone and check out your potential partners. Thoroughly.
Mike McCarron is managing partner at the MSM Group of Companies, which specializes in transportation and logistics service between Canada and the United States.


text:
When I went to write this intro, I pulled up my email and searched Rachel's email address. With hundreds of emails between us - I was shocked to realize when I looked at the very first convo between us to see it has been exactly 2 years today (click screen shot below!) since I have had the amazing privilege to work with this PR maven, Rachel Florio-Urso. It is our official "friendversary" (not to mention my wedding anniversary too!) and makes the perfect day for me to share this interview!
Rachel Florio-Urso is one of most driven ladies I have worked with; she has passion, dedication, and not to mention, a turn around of like .2 seconds when it comes to emails. She is seriously - just amazing. I call her my go-to-gal because it is such a pleasure to work with someone who is so great at what they do and gets you things in flash-- sometimes, even overnight. Rachel is a miracle worker who bleeds perfection when it comes to the world of Littles!
I could honestly type an entire page of how great she has been over the last two years but I won't bore you! Instead, just read our interview with Rachel below. You will soon see exactly why we not just value her friendship but simply adore Rachel.
{1} Tell us, what is a day in the life of Rachel Florio-Urso like?
Where to start...?
I kiss my husband, Robert goodbye at 7 AM as he heads off to work and one hour later it's as if the timer starts the countdown! I text my oldest daughter to make sure she made it home from another late night college party and to see that she is up and not missing class. I then check to see if my other daughter made it to high school on time. After I know the girls are all set, I wake my son, get him dressed, fed and on the bus to elementary school. Then the dog gets walked, the beds get made and my work day begins. At my desk, I weed through an average of 500 emails daily, update my many SM accounts and meet numerous deadlines to gain brand recognition for my clients. Additionally, I am always forecasting trends and speaking with A-list celeb reps in order to gift them appropriately. FYI, paying to place your brand in a gift basket does NOT mean the celeb has it and it certainly doesn't mean they wanted it or love it. Don't be fooled!
If I'm not traveling on a plane, train or in a car for my many meetings I am at my desk and often work through lunch. I think the phrase "There aren't enough minutes in the day" was meant for me. I'm sure most of us working moms feel the same! I keep many lists and I am extremely organized so that keeps me sane. There is never a day that I don't get to post a few media plugs on my site. Follow me on FB, Twitter or LinkedIn and you will see what I mean. I also started a new blog called, "Keeping up with Rachel Florio PR and the In's and Out's of the Biz". These are somewhat informative yet personal posts when I have the time to share. I told everyone Jessica Simpson was pregnant last month and last night her rep emailed me the confirmation before People posted it. This is why you might want to follow me!
After seven hours of typing, calling and meeting it is time to get my son off of the bus, get him a snack and spend some quality time together while going over his homework and then it's back to my desk. Shortly after, I cook dinner and take care of the rest of the family while continuing to work from my iPhone or iPad. Dinner is our time to discuss the events of the day and to add sporting events, birthday parties and college tours to the calendar. I have a NO tech device rule in my kitchen and my dining room and the kids know that's a rule not worth arguing over. When my two wonderful step children are home I am sure to give them some undivided attention as well as making it to all of their sporting events too. All of our kids know they are all loved equally! After everyone is off to bed the laptop is used for my late night Tweets and LinkedIn updates. You can find my Tweets at 2AM. It's all crazy, but it's also all great! I have my hobbies like riding horses, kart racing or sailing and we find time for family vacations (and staycations). We make it work!{2} What challenges do you face as you are running a major PR firm while running a household?
I appreciate you calling my firm "major" - it didn't happen over night! Hard work really does pay off. I am a very passionate person and if I believe in something I want to share it with the world. Someone once told me I could sell ice to Eskimos and while they might be right, I would only try to sell it if it was the very BEST ice an Eskimo could buy! I have always loved a challenge and doing all that I do is definitely a good one. I have owned my public relations business for over a decade now so it's a part of me. Without it I think I would feel lost.
A key component in achieving this level of success has always been my drive, determination and relationships I have built in this industry. I don't give up until I close a deal and being selective as to the brands that I take on has allowed me to gain the respect of my fellow media members. Editors can rely on me, celeb agents trust me, bloggers know I have the goods and my clients love the press and connections that I make for them. When everyone is happy, I am happy! That is what really keeps me going. As cliché as it is, I can honestly say the bigger reward is not from the retainer, but rather from the "thank you" that someone gives me. I truly love to help people. I'm a proud humanitarian that knows we are all here for a short time and at the end of the day there isn't anything more important than making someone happy.
{3} How did you become so passionate as a celebrity trend expert?
My world revolves around babies and children. I solely focus on a niche market: the baby and children market. Robert and I have five kids between the two of us ranging from ages eight to eighteen. It's a juggling act, but we wouldn't have it any other way. We are actually trying for baby number six! There isn't a five minute period in my day where I am not looking at maternity, baby and child images, write ups or brand samples. I loved being pregnant. I loved having babies. I love children. I love my teens (even when they push mom to her limits!). I have produced and hosted over 40 television segments as a celebrity trend expert and I have enjoyed every one of them as much as my first!
{4} What trends are you predicting for 2012?
This is always my favorite question…
You will be seeing more modern styles with clean lines when it comes to nursery and kid room furnishings and accessories. Bold colors and graphic prints will be even more appealing in 2012. I happen to love fluff and anything girlie or vintage inspired so I am proud to say this classic style is always here to stay. It's not always about the trend. Each consumer has their own sense of style and as I always say, "be bold and mix it up"! If you enjoy the comforts of the things that surround you, you have successfully selected the right purchases for you.
{5} Can you tell us about your latest project?
Designer Diaperz! Watch for them as they will be all over the media and on a shelf near you soon! You can follow Designer Diaperz on Facebook or Twitter. This is a brand that I have dreamt about over the past seven years and I have been working on its launch with my partner, Robert Croak of Silly Bandz, for the past year.
I wanted to be the woman that evolved the diaper world by introducing fully printed diapers. When I was offered to pitch my brand on Shark Tank I learned that other diaper manufacturers finally caught on and tested the market. I was devastated for about two minutes! When I saw them, touched them and noticed their price point I felt that much more excited and ready. So much so that I opted out of finalizing my Shark Tank paperwork and jumped on a plane to Toledo to meet with the man that made it big by creating the kid craze brand, Silly Bandz. I knew he was the perfect fit! Currently we are packaging our diapers and will be ready to roll them out soon. If any of you see a crazy lady in the diaper aisle of your local supermarket taking pictures of herself posed with diaper packages that would be me! I really think I will faint walking through a store that is carrying our brand!
{6} What is up next for you?
I am in talks with a few networks as I hope to gain my own show and hopefully another baby! Only time will tell. In the meantime I feel blessed to be able to do what I love to do on a daily basis!
If you aren't already - make sure you LIKE Rachel Florio PR on Facebook, follow her on Twitter and sign up to receive blog updates! And, as Rachel always says....."Smile and Pass it on...."
{All Things Rachel}


text:
Yesterday we heard that a white version of the Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone would go on sale in the UK from a number of retailers SIM free from the 15th of August, and now Samsung has confirmed that the white Samsung Galaxy S II will hit the UK.
Although it looks like it may launch in the UK from the 1st of September with a range of different mobile carriers and also SIM free from various mobile retailers, and now there is also a photo, although its a press one of the new white Samsung Galaxy S II.
Have a look at our Samsung Galaxy S II review to see what we thought of Samsung's flagship Android smartphone, the white Galaxy S II will have exactly the same specifications as the existing model.
If you want to know what we thought of the Samsung Galaxy S II have a look at our Samsung Galaxy S2 Review.
Source Slashgear
Filed Under: Android News, Mobile Phone News, Technology News