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Consistency is one of the fundamental issues of distributed computing. There are many competing consistency models, with subtly different power in principle. In practice, the well-known Consistency-Availability-Partition Tolerance trade-off translates to difficult choices between fault tolerance, performance, and programmability. The issues and trade-offs are particularly vexing at scale, with a large number of processes or a large shared database, and in the presence of high latency and failure-prone networks. It is clear that there is no one universally best solution. Possible approaches cover the whole spectrum between strong and eventual consistency. Strong consistency (total ordering via, for example, linearizability or serializability) provides familiar and intuitive semantics but requires slower and, in some contexts, fragile coordination. The unlimited parallelism allowed by weaker models such as eventual consistency promises high performance, but divergence and conflicts make it difficult to ensure useful application invariants, and meta-data is hard to keep in check. The research and development communities are actively exploring intermediate models (replicated data types, monotonic programming, CRDTs, LVars, causal consistency, red-blue consistency, invariant- and proof-based systems, etc.), designed to improve efficiency, programmability, and overall operation without negatively impacting scalability.
This workshop aims to investigate the principles and practice of weak consistency models for large-scale, distributed shared data systems. It brings together theoreticians and practitioners from different horizons: system development, distributed algorithms, concurrency, fault tolerance, databases, language and verification, including both academia and industry.
Plain Language Synopsis: This research applies model based engineering techniques to develop novel verification and hazard analysis methods, which help manufacturers establish the quality and safety in medical device user interface designs. Artifacts produced by these methods provide evidence for regulators to quickly and objectively assess the safety of devices' interaction with users.
Abstract: Designs of medical device Human Computer Interfaces (HCI) need to be robust and appropriately reactive to user actions. There is evidence that the HCI design of some devices on the market can cause use errors and erroneously process user input, which may subsequently lead to serious patient harm. Model based engineering (MBE) technology can be used to model HCI design decisions with mathematical precision. This technology can facilitate the development of HCI models that clearly define the device's interaction behavior with users; offering a formal (mathematical) basis to reason about and verify the safety of the design. Automatic tool support is available to facilitate such reasoning and verification activities. Tool artifacts provide manufacturers and regulators an objective and scientific basis for assessing the safety of medical device user interfaces. The authors have successfully applied MBE techniques to the analysis of medical device user interfaces in two studies. In the first study, automatic model extraction was applied to the user interface software of a marketed infusion pump to produce a model that resembles the pump's use interaction behavior. Automated formal proving on the model uncovered several design flaws in the pump's user interface that could lead to severe consequences including the pump ignoring key presses that might cause patient overdose. In the second study, the authors captured the user interface software design common in medical devices with a generic user interface model. Based on this generic model, a hazard analysis technique was proposed that integrates human cognition process models and general interaction design principles to guide more comprehensive and systematic identification of design flaws in user interfaces. Preliminary experiments showed that this hazard analysis technique can identify 3 times more software-related hazards in user interface designs, compared to standard hazard analysis techniques.
Faced with the need to quantify software (un)reliability in the presence of faults, the semantics of state-based systems is urged to evolve towards quantified (e.g. probabilistic) nondeterminism. When one is approaching such semantics from a categorical perspective, this inevitably calls for some technical elaboration, in a monadic setting.
This paper proposes that such an evolution be undertaken without sacrificing the simplicity of the original (qualitative) definitions, by keeping quantification implicit rather than explicit. The approach is a monad lifting strategy whereby, under some conditions, definitions can be preserved provided the semantics moves to another category.
The technique is illustrated by showing how to introduce probabilism in an existing software component calculus, by moving to a suitable category of matrices and using linear algebra in the reasoning.
The paper also addresses the problem of preserving monadic strength in the move from original to target (Kleisli) categories, a topic which bears relationship to recent studies in categorial physics.
The results of a preliminary hazard analysis are presented that identify common design errors in infusion pump software that may potentially cause use hazards. Many identified problems apply to other types of interactive medical devices, including ventilators and radiotherapy machines. The identified issues may be used as a basis to define safety requirements that, if satisfied by user interface software, can substantially improve the quality and safety of broad classes of medical devices
Cryptographic software development is a challenging field: high performance must be achieved, while ensuring correctness and compliance with low-level security policies. CAO is a domain specific language designed to assist development of cryptographic software. An important feature of this language is the design of a novel type system introducing native types such as predefined sized vectors, matrices and bit strings, residue classes modulo an integer, finite fields and finite field extensions, allowing for extensive static validation of source code. We present the formalisation, validation and implementation of this type system.
n development processes with high code production rates testing typically triggers fault diagnosis to localize the detected failures. However, current test prioritization algorithms are tuned for failure detection rate rather than diagnostic information. Consequently, unnecessary diagnostic effort might be spent to localize the faults. We present a dynamic test prioritization algorithm that trades fault detection rate for diagnostic performance, minimizing overall testing and diagnosis cost. The algorithm exploits pass/fail information from each test to select the next test, optimizing the diagnostic information produced per test. Experimental results from synthetic test suites, and suites taken from the Software-artifact Infrastructure Repository show possible diagnostic cost reductions up to 10 and 19 percent, respectively, compared to the best of random selection, FEP, and ART. The cost reduction is sensitive to the quality of the test coverage matrices and component health, but tends to grow with the number of faults.
We describe a model of FPGA based systems realised with the Stochastic Activity Networks (SAN) formalism. The model can be used (i) to debug the FPGA circuit design synthesised from the high level description of the system, and (ii) to calculate the signal probabilities and transition densities of the FPGA circuit design, that can be used for reliability analysis, power consumption estimation and pseudo random testing of digital circuit design. We validate the model by reproducing results presented in other studies for some representative combinatorial circuits, and we explore the applicability of the model in the analysis of real-world devices by studying a circuit for the generation of CRC codes.
Although epidemic or gossip-based multicast is a robust and scalable approach to reliable data dissemination in distributed systems, its inherent redundancy may result in high resource consumption both on links and nodes. This problem is aggravated in settings that have costlier or resource constrained links, as happens in Cloud Computing infrastructures composed by several interconnected large data centers across the globe. The goal of this work is therefore to improve the efficiency of gossip-based reliable multicast used in infrastructure management systems by reducing the load imposed on those constrained links. In detail, the proposed CLON protocol combines an overlay that gives preference to local links and a dissemination strategy that takes into account locality. Extensive experimental evaluation using a very large number of simulated nodes shows that this results in a reduction of traffic in constrained links by an order of magnitude, while at the same time preserving the resilience properties that make gossip-based protocols so attractive.
This report presents the Galculator, a tool aimed at deriving equational proofs in arbitrary domains using Galois connections as the fundamental concept. When combined with the pointfree transform and the indirect equality principle, Galois connections offer a very powerful, generic device to tackle the complexity of proofs in program verification.
We show how rewriting rules derived from the properties of the Galois connections are applied in proofs using a strategic term rewriting system which, in the current prototype, is implemented in Haskell. The prospect of integrating the Galculator with other proof assistants such as e.g. Coq is also discussed.
This technical report is meant to report our findings and ideas with respect to spectrum-based fault localization and model-based diagnosis. In the following we want to introduce and compare model-based diagnosis (MBD), spectrum-based fault localization (SFL) and our contributions using 3-inverters as a running example (which is simple, yet sufficiently interesting).The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. The concepts and definitions used in this paper are given in the next section. The combination of model-based diagnosis and Bayesian reasoning, as it is normally applied to, e.g., digital circuits, is discussed in Section 3. Spectrum-based fault localization, including the system transformation for instrumentation to collect data to reason about failures is discussed in Section 4.1. In Section 4.2 we investigate several novel approaches for applying model-based diagnosis, and notably Bayesian reasoning to systems that have been prepared for spectrum-based fault localization.
With the advent of multihop ad-hoc networks, sensor networks and large scale overlay networks, there is a demand for tools that can abstract meaningful system properties from given assemblies of nodes. Distributed aggregation algorithms allow the evaluation of properties such as: network size; total storage capacity; average load; and majorities. A useful class of aggregation algorithms is based on averaging techniques. Such algorithms start from a set of input values spread across the nodes, and iteratively average the values in neighbour nodes that are able to communicate. Eventually all nodes will converge to the same value and can estimate some useful metric. For instance, if one node starts with input 1 and all other nodes with input 0, eventually all nodes will end up with the same value and the aggregate property network size can be estimated by the fraction 1.
This tutorial paper gives an overview of automated diagnosis applied to software faults. The emphasis is on a particular technique called spectrum-based fault localization, which is well-suited for diagnosing software systems, and which can easily be integrated with existing testing schemes. We discuss applications of the technique, including the specific application domain of embedded software, and provide pointers to recent research on factors that influence its diagnostic accuracy. In addition, we give instructions for quickly getting started with applying spectrum-based fault localization to existing projects.
No contexto do projecto IVY, tem vindo a ser desenvolvida uma ferramenta de modelação e análise de sistemas interactivos, tendo em vista a detecção de potenciais problemas de usabilidade no início do desenvolvimento de um qualquer sistema interactivo. Quando uma dada propriedade em análise não se verifica, a ferramenta procura indicar um contraxemplo: um comportamento do modelo que demonstre a falsidade da propriedade em questão. Estes contra-exemplos, no entanto, podem atingir tamanhos consideráveis, dependendo da complexidade do modelo, o que dificulta a sua análise. De forma a facilitar essa análise, a arquitectura da ferramenta IVY prevê um componente de suporte à análise. Este componente visa, através de representações visuais e de mecanismos de análise, facilitar a compreensão dos contra exemplos, de forma a tornar mais claro qual o problema que está a ser apontado e possíveis soluções para o mesmo. Este artigo apresenta o componente de análise da ferramenta IVY. São apresentadas a arquitectura do componente, as representações implementadas e os mecanismos de análise disponibilizados.
This report describes the development of a component (Trace Visualiser) for a modular tool named IVY (Interactors VerYfier).
Copyright © by the contributing authors. All material on this collaboration platform is the property of the contributing authors.


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Security Center
Quick Links
Avoid Identity Theft
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft occurs when thieves obtain and use personal information - such as social security numbers, bank and credit card account numbers, your income, your name, address and phone numbers - to commit fraud or theft. Surprisingly, many cases of identity theft are committed by someone the victim knows. This is why it is important not to share confidential information, such as passwords, with anyone.
Why Protect Yourself?
Identity theft is a serious crime. Victims may be left with a tainted reputation and credit record, in addition to financial losses. Working to restore your good name is a complicated task, which can take a great deal of time, particularly if the identity theft goes undetected for an extended period of time.
How to Protect Yourself
We have strict procedures for protecting and monitoring your information when it is in our care. We never require you to send personal information to us via e-mail. We urge you to be just as vigilant when sharing or managing your own information.
The good news is that there are many things you can do to make yourself less of a target.
How to tell if you're a Victim
Monitor the balances of your financial accounts; look for unexplained charges or withdrawals. Review your credit report at least annually; look for accounts which you did not open. Other things that could indicate identity theft include: failing to receive bills or other mail, which could indicate an address change by the thief; receiving credit cards for which you did not apply; denial of credit for no apparent reason; or receiving calls from debt collectors or companies about merchandise or services you didn't buy.
What to do if you're a Victim
Accounts: Contact your credit card companies and your financial institutions and close your accounts. The FBI suggests that you put passwords (not your mother's maiden name) on any new accounts you open.
Credit Bureaus: Immediately call one of the three major credit bureaus to tell them your identity has been stolen. Request that a "fraud alert" be placed on your file and that no new credit be granted without your approval.
EXPERlAN: 888-397-3742
Creditors: Obtain a copy of your current credit report. Review it to identify any accounts that may have been opened or used fraudulently. Contact all creditors with accounts that have been set up or used fraudulently, by phone immediately, then in writing. You many obtain one free credit report every 12 months.
Law Enforcement: Report the crime to your local sheriff or police department. Get a copy of the report in case you need proof of the crime later for credit card companies, etc.
Debt Collector: If a debt collector attempts to require you to pay on fraudulent credit accounts, ask for the name of the company, the name of the person contacting you, phone number and address. Tell the collector that you are a victim of fraud and are not responsible for the account. Ask the collector for the name and contact information for the referring credit issuer, the amount of the debt, account number and the dates of the charges. Ask if they need you to complete their fraud affidavit form or if you can use the Federal Trade Commission form. Follow up in writing to the debt collector explaining your situation, include the completed fraud affidavit, and ask that they confirm in writing to you.
Stolen Checks: If your checks stolen or used fraudulently, notify your bank immediately. Put stop payments on any checks that were stolen. Complete the bank's fraud affidavit for any fraudulent checks. Close your checking account and obtain new numbers. Report it to the appropriate check verification companies.
ATM / Debit Cards: If your ATM or debit card has been stolen or compromised, report it immediately.
Fraudulent Address Change: Notify the local Postal Inspector if you suspect an identity thief has filed a change of your address with the post office or has used the mail to commit fraud.
Social Security Fraud: If you suspect social security number misuse, such as for benefit fraud, call the Social Security Fraud Hotline: 800-269-0271.
Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) theft hotline: 1-877-438-4338
How to tell if you're a Victim
Monitor the balances of your financial accounts. Look for unexplained charges or withdrawals. Other indications could be: failing to receive bills or other mail signaling an address change by the thief; receiving credit cards for which you did not apply; denial of credit for no apparent reason; or receiving calls from debt collectors or companies about merchandise or services you didn't buy.
More information about preventing identity theft is available online at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/data/idt.shtm.

subset: commoncrawl


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Cantwait has provided cash loans throughout New Zealand for years.
As a Cash loans & NZ Registered Financial Service Provider, you know you are dealing with a reputable company, fully compliant with New Zealand law.
Our service for cash loans extends throughout the country and we have many satisfied repeat customers-Check out our customers comments.


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A Star is Byrne!
9th September 2013, by John Wallace InOut
Michelin-starred chef Aiden Byrne is the cuisine genius behind all-new Manchester House Restaurant and Lounge
No prizes for guessing where Manchester House is located (smack-dab in the heart of Manchester, in Spinningfields) - but big prizes should be awarded to this all-new venue for securing the services of brilliant cuisine-meister Aiden Byrne, the youngest chef ever to earn a Michelin star! With his genius behind this new fine dining experience, Manchester House Restaurant and Lounge should be assured of huge success when it opens on the 17th of September.
And with a fresh, innovative menu that majors on modern British cuisine, Manchester House will give free reign to Aiden, who originally found fame as Head Chef at The Commons restaurant in Dublin. He's also worked at a number of Michelin-starred establishments, as well as making numerous TV appearances - and such is Aiden's reputation that the BBC has commissioned a documentary (to be aired spring 2014) following the Manchester House launch and its quest to be awarded a Michelin star.
Manchester House will be located on two floors of Tower 12 in Avenue North, Spinningfields, with the restaurant situated on the second floor. Aiden and his team will be on view in an open kitchen at the centre of the restaurant - and if you fancy some spectacular views of the city, you'll find Manchester House's lounge bar on the 12th floor, offering a unique 360-degree view of Manchester from its floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as a spectacular 15 meter-long bar and external terraces.
Behind Manchester House is the celebrated Living Ventures, which was established in 1999 by Tim Bacon and Jeremy Roberts. Following the successful launch, development and sale of The Living Room in 2007, they've gone on to create some of the country's most exciting drinking and dining brands such as Gusto and Blackhouse, as well as the award-winning New World Trading Company, Manchester's Alchemist pub, plus bespoke venues Artisan Kitchen & Bar, Grand Pacific and the high-end restaurant and bar, Australasia.
Manchester House Restaurant and Lounge
Tower 12, 18-22 Bridge Street,
Manchester M3 3BZ
Tel: 0161 835 2557
When you approach Tower 12 in Spinningfields Manchester, it looks like a very normal city tower, don't be fooled. Inside lies a very special experience for both food lovers and lovers of a life with a view. Two stunning independently different environments.


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Adobe Photoshop CS6 is the latest edition to the famous Adobe's Graphics Editor tools series. You can download Photoshop CS6 free of cost in a trial version.
PhotoShop CS6 belongs to the famous series of photo editors which is developed by Adobe, It is one of the most decorated photo-editors that is categorised as raster graphics editor. Mostly it is available in a trial version for the users who do not wish to pay for it, they can download a free version that ends after 30 days of usage. Raster Graphics editors are those special kinds of software which enable the users to create and edit various types of graphics designs, further, they allow them to save their files into a number of formats including JPEG, PNG, GIF and TIFF etc. Many people who download its free version just to try it out ends purchasing its full version to keep using it. Adobe Created PhotoShop CS6 for Windows and MAC OS using C++ language.
An Extended version of photoshop CS6 was also released with advanced features that enabled both professional and learning users to increase grip on their production. The full version of this software is being used around the globe and people are using it for better work. It receives more than half a million downloads every month which make it clear that this edition of Adobe graphics editors is no less than any other. It can be used for both 32-Bit and 64-Bit operating system and it is available in 26 various languages of the world to benefit the users of all types. As of previous versions, it also creates a .PSD format file while working on a project, later you can save the photo in whatever format you want.
This picture above show the interface of Adobe PhotoShop CS6 Extended with all its tools and features, this picture shows you how detailed editing you can do using this amazing software. Developers offers many plugins for this software you can download and install them when required, all the plugins are available for free on the official website of the Adobe. This software is much more famous than Adobe Illustrator, After Effects, Corel Draw, Sketchup and Premiere Pro. Various kinds of tools can be seen on the interface of this software, tools like Pen tool, selection tool, shape, measuiring and navigation, slicing, croping, moving, marquee, Lasso and magic wand.
Download Details of PhotoShop CS6
File Size is 30 MB
Update: 126.96.36.199
License: Trial Version
Developers are Adobe
NOTE: The link below will allow you to download trial version of this software, click the button and you will be redirected to the page from where you can get its setup easily.


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Source: Project for Excellence in Journalism
Extract from overview
A new study, which combines detailed proprietary data from individual newspapers with in-depth interviews at more than a dozen major media companies, finds that the search for a new revenue model to revive the newspaper industry is making only halting progress but that some individual newspapers are faring much better than the industry overall and may provide signs of a path forward.
In general, the shift to replace losses in print ad revenue with new digital revenue is taking longer and proving more difficult than executives want and at the current rate most newspapers continue to contract with alarming speed, according to the study by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism. Cultural inertia is a major factor. Most papers are not putting significant effort into the new digital revenue categories that, while small now, are expected to provide most the growth in the future. To different degrees, executives predict newsrooms will continue to shrink, more papers will close and many surviving papers will deliver a print edition only a few days a week.
The study involved 38 newspapers from six different companies providing highly granular data about their digital revenue and sales efforts—creating a robust series of case studies. The data sought were developed in consultation with the partnering newspaper companies after site visits and interviews with multiple executives. After collecting the data, researchers conducted follow-up interviews to confirm whether the findings reflected broader company performance. Those findings, in turn, were shared with executives from seven more companies to test how widely they could be generalized. All data was provided on the basis that it would be anonymous.
Click here to read the full report
Photo from Creative Commons: Flickr: DBduo Photography


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Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Waiting For Life To Happen
As 2013 comes to a close, it is indeed a time for me to ponder and reflect.
I must admit, many a times I am not here .... Meaning that I am lost in thought, thinking of the past or planning for the future, worrying about stuff and reacting to things that happen in my space. This clearly indicate that there is a lot of times that my life is being lived by all the old patterns and conditions that made up this life.
What does all this means? All I know for now is that I am still following old conditions as oppose to being aware of them. Somehow, old conditions seems to be like a comfortable old shirt that I have worn for years and though it's torn, faded and tattered, I still prefer it because I know how it feels when I slip into it. Basically, just looking for comfort zone instead of being aware of what is happening.
What is it like when I am living my life? It's one that is conscious of what is being experienced, knowing clearly what is happening, knowing the emotions, thoughts that goes thru the mind, the desires to take action so that I can feel better. This seemed like being passive but this is most active because constantly there something to be aware off. It's about knowing what is making this 'being' tick.
In a way, I can make my own life really miserable when I just go about it like a headless chicken. So tomorrow is another day and this moment now is just a new moment. Let's get back on the horse of being conscious!! Happy New Year !!!
Posted by BeingInquisitive at Tuesday, December 31, 2013 No comments:
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Tips and Tricks for Better Bedrooms
|Light & Bright Bedroom featuring Nate Berkus
1 - If sheer curtains appeal but you can't sleep with the moonlight and early morning sunshine streaming in, then fit a slim blackout blind unobtrusively inside the window frame. It won't show when its rolled up and when unfurled will just look like darkness.
2 - Give white bed linen a new lease of life. Buy satin ribbons or braiding and sew one band or two a little way in from the hems of your white pillowcases and sheets. As white bed linen is very often cheaper you could buy white bed linen and give it a makeover.
3 - Want a pile of cushions on your bed? Find remnants at fabric stores and use them to make expensive looking cushion covers. The wedding fabric department often has luscious silk, satin and velvet pieces at a fraction of the usual price. Foam cushion inners are inexpensive.
|Throw Pillows by Aquarelles de Maria on Society6
4 - Sprinkle bed linen with rose or lavender water to give it a fresh scent. Or use scented laundry waters when ironing your bed linen.
5 - Buy used curtains and if they are too short lengthen by adding a band of a matching or contrasting fabric. Different textures also look good. For example a wide cream colored satin band on plain cream or white Indian cotton. This trick can also be used to increase width.
6 - Plenty of hanging space but not much else? Buy more hangers and hang your T shirts, blouses, shirts and sweaters, and anything else that is hang-able. Shops hang them up and so can you!
7 - Make use of under bed space by storing clothes in baskets or boxes fitted with castors. Alternatively buy a cheap second hand chest of drawers and fir the drawers with castors.They make perfect storage units.
8 - Buy clear plastic shoe bags and use the pockets to keep scarves, belts, socks or any other small items. Hang in your wardrobe or behind the door. These are also handy in the bathroom for spare soap, washcloths, toothpaste and shampoo, or anything else you can think of.
|Flutter Butterfly Container Set - Lush Decor
9 - Costume jewelry such as bead necklaces is hard to keep untangled. Buy the tallest mug tree you can find and hang your beads on its branches.
10 - To keep your linen organized buy plastic crates of a size to fit your linen cupboard shelves. Label them: Double Bed Sheets, Single Sheets, Pillow Slips and so on. Your linen will never get into a muddle again. If you have open shelves use wicker baskets instead of plastic.
Tips and Tricks for Better Bedrooms Reviewed by Maria on October 16, 2018 Rating:


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The Case ring of the Urban Collection is the meeting of the Litracon and precious metals, architecture and jewellery design.
A special synergy: at first glimpse this piece of concrete jewellery looks like a minimalist design complement of clean form, however, when held against the light, the concrete stone springs to life…
When you wear it, anyone can see it on your finger, but you can show its translucency only to whom you choose.
All the jewellery we make are handcrafted, there are no two identical pieces among them; each piece is truly unique.
Material of the ring: silver or white gold
Dimensions of the translucent concrete stone: base: 13mm X 26 mm, height: 12 mm
Even though the stone is made of concrete, the ring is not heavy at all.
Choose the right size of ring for yourself.
If you don't know your own size, click on the 'Size guide' button to find some help to determine it.


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Position: Vice President of Procurement
Michael Reinert is vice president of procurement for Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food service. Delaware North is one of the largest and most-admired privately held companies in the United States with revenues of approximately $3 billion and 55,000 associates serving half a billion customers in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe.
In his role, Reinert is responsible for helping the company identify, acquire and manage resources in a way that is consistent with Delaware North's strategic goals. He also works to maintain and implement new procedures, programs and quality standards for the company's supply management process.Reinert earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University at Buffalo and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Rochester's William E. Simon Graduate School. He is a member of the Institute for Supply Management, Hospitality Supply Management Forum and National Association of Purchasing Management.


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I wore this coat with a sheer top and a body con skirt. I'll be honest I love wearing jeans and was so tempted to wear them with this look, but I decided to switch it up.I think I did well, what do you think?
This coat is 35%, so get it before it sells out. However the sizes are limited so I provided you with another link, but its full price :)
Photographer: Kadijah Watkins


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Page 99
March 13th, 2017, 8:44 am
Author's Comments:
Reply TheMightyMollusk, March 13th, 2017, 8:44 am
Ripley is just bored because she's not fighting anyone else today.
Reply Advertisement, May 27th, 2019, 6:20 am
User's Comments:
Reply MEDdMI (Guest), March 14th, 2017, 11:59 am
"What-eva! Ah do what I want!" *snaps fingers from side to side*
Post A Comment


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Panel 09-10 - Crucifixion with personifications of Ecclesia and Synagoga
Christ hangs from the cross, flanked by his mother and John the Evangelist. Conventional personifications of the new and old faiths stand to the left and right of the panels. The artist has gone to some trouble to emphasise that Christ's feet were both fastened to the cross with a single nail.


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The Epidemiology of Pediatric Milk Allergy in the US
Milk is one of the most common food allergies in US children, yet little is known about its distribution and diagnosis. This study aimed to better understand the nature of pediatric milk allergy in the US by surveying nearly 40,000 parents from across the United States. Notably, we found that 20% of food-allergic children were allergic to milk and that Black and Asian kids were half as likely as their white peers to have a milk allergy. Thirty percent of milk-allergic children had experienced a severe allergic reaction. Moreover, children with milk allergy--the most commonly diagnosed food allergy in the US--were twice as likely to outgrow their allergy than those with other allergies. CLICK HERE to learn more.


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Ministry Update
April - May 2004
Dear Praying Friends,
Your prayers are having an impact on our lives every day. We are healthy, the Lord has shown Himself strong in our meetings, the van is running well and we are enjoying the blessings of God!
We have had a busy and productive Spring and traveled many miles preaching and singing the gospel. What a privilege to be able to serve the Lord.
The last week of March we had a revival meeting at Victory Baptist Church in Milton, FL. Pastor Fellure and the folks there at Victory are doing a great job reaching not only their community, but also the world, through the ministry of Victory Baptist Press. We had a great meeting there and enjoyed our stay in sunny Florida.
After we finished in Florida, we headed north again for meetings in Ohio the entire month of April. We started off with a revival meeting at First Baptist Church in Milford, and then went to Calvary Baptist in New Philadelphia, Dalton Baptist in Dalton and Sandy Valley Baptist Temple in Magnolia. We had good meetings in Ohio, with several people saved and many victories won in the lives of people.
May was one of those busy months with lots of driving. We started out in Amissville, VA, at Maranatha Baptist Church. Pastor Albert Paine is the pastor there and doing a great job. We stayed with the Rodgers family that week and really enjoyed their hospitality, but what would you expect from people with a name like that? :)
We spent Mother's Day at Victory Baptist Church in Coshocton, Ohio, and had a great service there before heading over to Lebanon, Ohio, for the Bread of Life Camp Meeting at Fellowship Baptist Church. Liz and I had the opportunity to not only enjoy good preaching, singing, fellowship and food, but we also were blessed to be able to help put together a load of tracts to send the Gospel around the world. What a privilege to be a small part of folks getting the Gospel in places we may never have the opportunity to go in person! If you have never been to the Fellowship Tract League, it would be well worth your time to go and see what the Lord is doing there.
When we finished in Lebanon we went over to Aliquippa, PA, to be with Pastor Ron Cunningham at Aliquippa Baptist Temple. We had good services that day and then got to head back to the house in Kentucky for a couple of days. What a blessing it was to be able to get a few things done around the house. It's always exciting when you get to sit in your own chair and sleep in your own bed! It doesn't happen often, but when it does, we sure enjoy it!
We finally got most of the things done that we wanted to accomplish — most of them, and then headed out for Fredericksburg, VA, to speak for the graduation service of the Christian School at Faith Baptist Church. It was exciting to see a group of young people preparing to go out and serve the Lord. We need to pray for our young people now more than ever. There has never been a time when the need is greater for godly young men and women to be an influence for Christ in this world.
After we were done in VA, we drove over to Sandusky, Ohio, to be with Pastor Richard Mick at Lighthouse Baptist Church. We had a good time with Bro. Mick and the folks there in Sandusky and saw God do some exciting things in the lives of the people that week. Liz took the opportunity to fly back to Pasco, WA, to spend a few days with her parents and to see some of her former students graduate from high school. While she was gone, Bro. Roman Gray came and joined me for a few days in Sandusky. It was good to see what the Lord is doing in his life and ministry since he has stepped out into full time evangelism.
The last meeting we had, was at Landmark Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, IA, with Pastor Drew Smith. The Lord opened up the opportunity to stop in and preach at Lighthouse Baptist on our way from Ohio to Alaska. I have known Bro. Smith for several years and it was a blessing to see how God is using him there in Sioux Falls. We had a great Sunday and then hit the road for Alaska. Liz has never been to Alaska in the summertime. It will be good for her to see that there really are a few months when the ground is no longer white!
There are a lot of exciting things going on, but one of the most exciting is that we are expecting our first baby in October. Praise the Lord! We were old single people, old married people and now we're going to be old parents. Wow! Please continue to pray for us, as there will now be a whole new set of challenges to face. God knows where we are and what we need. What could be better than that?
God bless you,


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I don't believe in marriage: Nargis Fakhri
Actor Nargis Fakhri wants to lead her life as an independent womanentertainment Updated: Aug 16, 2013 10:07 IST
Hindustan Times
Nargis Fakhri, who made her Bollywood debut with Rockstar (2011) will soon be seen in a few anticipated projects like Madras Café with John Abraham, Main Tera Hero with Varun Dhawan and the remake of Shaukeen opposite Akshay Kumar. The actor clearly has her plate full right now; so when we brought up the dreaded "When will you marry?" question recently, she admitted that she was willing to remain unmarried for life.
Nargis, who was born in Queens, New York, to a Czech mother and a Pakistani father, doesn't believe in the institution of marriage. "I don't believe in marriage. I don't come from the same culture. It doesn't make sense to me. So I have no plans to get married," says Nargis.
Though, the actor's parents split-up when she was barely six or seven years old, Nargis cites a completely different reason for her thoughts on marriage. "I want to be an independent woman. I will make my own career and money, so it's okay if I don't get married at all," says the 33-year-old actor.
Nargis is currently focusing on her career. She says, "I am enjoying my career and doing the best that I can. I think I am doing well and have a couple of interesting projects coming up in the future. I think I am going to stay here for long."
First Published: Aug 13, 2013 13:22 IST


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China Said to Close Gap With U.S. Missile Defense in Monday TestThursday, Jan. 14, 2010
China's missile defense test on Monday made it the second country to destroy an incoming missile target beyond the Earth's atmosphere, the South China Morning Post reported (see GSN, Jan. 12).
The United States was the first state to demonstrate such a capability, according to the report.
Beijing's accomplishment is proof of its advanced missile defense capabilities and also shows that it now has sophisticated radar technology, the newspaper stated.
Three years ago, China took the international community by surprise when it targeted and shot down one of its old weather satellites with a missile (see GSN, Jan. 19, 2007). This led to worries that the country might seek to remove the satellites of other nations.
The 2007 event was a much simpler feat than Monday's test as the satellite's flight course was known beforehand and because it had no protective capabilities, said retired People's Liberation Army Gen. Xu Guangyu.
This week's missile interception was more complicated as the incoming target's high velocity allowed only minutes for identified and targeted and for an interceptor to be fired.
"Satellite interception is like shooting a beer bottle. Missile interception is like shooting ducks," Xu said. "Monday's announcement marked a milestone in China's active defense strategy. Midcourse missile interception requires superior technology and equipment."
Though some wondered whether the missile interception was just simulated by computers, the U.S. Defense Department said it had ascertained unusual action above the Earth's atmosphere.
China has been following and analyzing U.S. technology for more than 10 years and its navy, army and air force each possess a ballistic missile defense program, according to military research documents.
Monday's successful interception does not mean that development of China's missile defenses is finished, Xu said.
"In comparison with the U.S., we still have a lot of work to do," Xu said. "In particular, we need more better and more powerful early warning satellites. The missile defense system's base should not be on the ground, but in space" (Stephen Chen, South China Morning Post I, Jan. 13).
Kanwa Defense Review editor Andrei Chang said the test could lead nations including India, Japan and Russia to pursue defenses against ballistic missiles, the Post reported. It could also be cause for worry among some nations in the region that possess ICBMs, according to the article (Kristine Kwok, South China Morning Post II, Jan. 13).


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Lasers in Biotechnology (LiB '17)
Image courtesy FEMTO-ST
Please contact the AILU office for further details
email@example.com +44 (0)1235 539595
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to participate in Lasers in Biotechnology (LiB '17), the first AILU workshop on this high-impact topic and the very first AILU event to be held outside of the UK.
The medical sector was one of the first to seize the benefits offered by lasers. In 1961, only a year after the laser was invented, ruby lasers were used by Leon Goldman for the removal of port wine stains and by Charles J. Campbell to treat detached retinas. As conservative as medicine is, the laser has and is continuing to gain acceptance in many medical disciplines by replacing traditional tools and offering up new ones. Such is the take up of lasers that dermatology and ophthalmology cannot be practised fully without them. In consequence, the laser biotechnology market is huge, with the laser-based aesthetic devices market alone worth $1.2 billion today.
Industrial lasers for laser manufacturing and surface engineering are now established processes for the manufacture of medical devices such as coronary stents, blood filters, bone implants and other orthopaedic artefacts, with laser surface engineering paving the way for new and improved biotechnology device performance and radical new methods for cell manipulation. For the first time, we have gathered together manufacturers, end users, and academic and industrial researchers in the biotechnology field. This will create a forum so that you will hear and see how the latest developments in laser technology and academic and industrial research are having immediate and growing impact on our quality of life, as well as opening up and growing new markets.
Jonathan Lawrence
Workshop Chair
Professor of Laser Engineering, Coventry University
Editor-in-Chief of Lasers in Engineering
08.45 - 09.30 Arrival and Registration
09.30 - 09.40 Welcome
Jonathan Lawrence (Coventry University)
Dave MacLellen (AILU)
Michel Magnin (INSA, France)
09.50 - 11.30 Session 1
New laser technology for tattoo removal and laser in dermatology
Romain Royon (IRISIOME, France)
Laser manufacturing of stents
Lin Li University of Manchester, UK
Ultrafast laser inscription of photonic microoptic components for endoscopic applications
Robert Thomson (Heriot Watt University, UK)
Laser micromachining for next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics
Chris Randon (Optek Systems, UK)
11.10 - 11.30 Refreshment Break
11.30 - 13:10 Session 2
Towards high throughput laser texturing of antibacterial surfaces on stainless steel
Luca Romoli University of Parma, Italy
Using lasers to control biological and microbiological cell growth: Applications in healthcare and the food industry
David Waugh (Coventry University, UK)
Further presentations to be confirmed.
13.10 - 14.10 Lunch
14.10 - 15:30 Session 3
Comparative in vitro study of HO:YAG and TM fibre laser lithotripters in dusting mode of operation
Gregory Altshuler (IPG Photonics)
Beam shaping for transparent materials machining and cutting
Jassem Safioui (FemtoEngineering, France)
Further presentation to be confirmed
15.30 - 15.50 Refreshment Break
15.50 - 16.30 Tour of Facilities
|AILU Member
|Non- AILU Member
|Delegate only
|Exhibitor only
|Delegate & Exhibitor*
* Includes £80 discount for combined delegate + exhibitor ticket
Bibliotheque Marie-Curie
31 Avenue Jean Capelle
69100 Villeurbanne
Local hotel with special workshop rate
There is a special rate of EUR 99.10 per night (including breakfast and tax)
for guests who specify "Special rate for the INSA 15 June 2017 Conference" ((Tarif accorde pour Colloque INSA15 Juin 2017)
Hotel ATHENA PART-DIEU
45 Boulevard Marius Vivier-Merle
There is an express tram from the airport to Lyon Part-Dieu
Information on buses, rail, metro can be found here


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Fans can now stream August Alsina's sophomore album, "This Thing Called Life," a day early.
Well here's another unexpected treat. Out of nowhere, August Alsina decides to treat fans to an early listen of his sophomore album This Thing Called Life.
Set to officially drop tomorrow (12/11), the follow up to his debut album, Testimony, contains 15 tracks in total, and features guest appearances from Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Jadakiss, and Anthony Hamilton. Led by the previously heard releases, "Dreamer," "Song Cry," & "Been Around The World," fans can now stream the rest of the album for free thanks to August's Youtube channel.
However, it looks like August wasn't aware of the early stream or isn't happy about it, as he voiced some frustrations at his label, Def Jam, via Twitter moments following the leak. "I didn't do this. My shitty ass label did it. They're just fucking Shitty! Smh"
Stream the entire album a day early (below), and be sure to show your support on iTunes.


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Sweet potato & butternut squash soup with harissa
Posted on
Winter is of course the season for soups, and even those of us ( like myself ) who are usually not soup lovers become converts when the weather gets colder. This soup started out life as a 1kg pack of mixed butternut squash and sweet potato from my Ocado order. I bought it because it was relatively cheap and in our family both of the included veg are loved by everyone. As usual this soup further evolved from what I had to hand at the time. The outcome is an easy to make, filling, slightly spicy dish that has become a family favourite. Make it with vegetable stock and it's vegetarian friendly.
- 1kg roughly chopped butternut squash and sweet potato
- 2 roughly chopped stalks of celery
- 1 medium chopped onion
- 1 tbs chopped garlic
- 1 tbs chopped ginger
- Juice of 1 orange
- 2 tsp rose harissa paste
- 1 litre of stock ( either fresh or made up from stock cubes)
- 1 small tub coconut yoghurt to garnish
METHOD - Chuck everything apart from the yoghurt into a large saucepan or stockpot. Bring to the boil, simmer until tender - approximately 20 minutes. Process in batches in blender, or use a stick blender in the saucepan ( my favourite method ). Be careful to not overprocess the soup and leave it with some texture.
Serve with a swirl of coconut yoghurt and some crusty bread or warmed through pitta.


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Lenovo may not have been quite during the first quarter of this year but the Chinese giant isn't giving up yet.
Lenovo trotted its latest flagship device at IFA 2013, the 6.9mm thin Vibe X is an 121g 5-incher featuring a "20/20 vision display" 1080p display. Under the hood you'll find a quad-core MediaTek 6589T SoC complemented by 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage while Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean runs the show.
On the rear you'll find a 13MP main shooter while the front camera clocks in at 5MP capable of 84-degree angle viewing for optimal video calling. There's Gorilla Glass 3 with beveled edges as well but no mention of battery capacity.
It's quite a letdown that Lenovo is set using a dated release of Android in a flagship but 4.3 upgrade may already be the works.
The Lenovo Vibe X will hit Chinese shelves next month, with a wider release in December. International availability or prices have not been revealed yet.
via Lenovo, image via Engadget


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How to Commence A Credit Repair Enterprise - Component II
Starting a credit repair business enterprise is no laughing matter. You have to ensure you are compliant with federal and state laws regarding credit repair organizations. The penalties for operating an unscrupulous credit repair organization are very harsh. The government is within the middle of cracking down on scam artists, who promise unsuspecting clientele that they're certainly genuine credit repair companies using the ability to reconstruct their credit profile inside 30 days. The only factor these men and women do is charge a big upfront fee, then disappear! They are out to scam as many innocent persons as they can. As you could think about, this has given the genuine credit repair organizations somewhat of a "black eye"
a credit repair
company is usually a quite profitable choice, but you need to adhere to the guidelines laid down by the Congress' Credit Repair Organizations Act. Here are 3 factors which you basically can not do:
Charge before Performing Service
In line with the Credit Repair Organizations Act, any credit repair organization can not charge up front for any solutions not rendered. If you do determine to begin a credit repair small business you can't charge you customers before you do something. There are several credit repair firms that nevertheless charge an enormous upfront charge for their services, but they are playing with fire. If they are reported to the Federal Trade Commission they're going to be fined an obscene volume of income, and possibly thrown in jail.
You're permitted to charge an administration charge for reviewing a possible client's credit profile. In compliance with federal and state laws, credit repair companies should charge a retainer charge, that is a monthly fee for services you have already completed. I charge my consumers a tiny administration/set up fee, after which I charge them $50 a month for work I completed on their account last month. The month-to-month invoice also shows an itemized account of precisely what I did for them the preceding month.
EIN Quantity Fraud
Have you ever noticed these advertisements that boast to rebuild your credit profile in 30 days, or "go from a 500 to an 800 credit score in record time." These ads are extremely misleading for the average client, who desperately desires to rebuild his or her credit profile for a lot of factors. It truly is very attainable to have an 800 credit score in 30 days, however it requires the client to commit fraud by applying for an EIN (Employer Identification Quantity). The client might be directed to utilize this EIN, or new social safety number, in location of their original social security quantity. In reality, an EIN quantity is supposed to become applied only for business transactions. If somebody is caught representing an EIN number as a social safety number, they can be subject to federal prosecution, which can bring about heavy fines and even jail time.
Starting a credit repair business enterprise is often a quite lucrative business to begin. There is certainly by no means a shortage of clientele who is prepared to work with you, so it is one of the easiest enterprises to market place. The other advantage is that the business can be run from property, that is a massive perk! For those who do aspire to begin a credit repair small business, recall to evaluation all state and federal laws once you are in doubt about any aspect from the business. click here for more info:
starting a credit repair business


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Shirley Evans-Wofford
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Shirley Evans-Wofford
As the chief executive, Shirley is responsible for the daily operation of all aspects of the firms' brokerage and consulting business. She is also charged with providing sound decision making for all facets of the firm that include, but are not limited to, estimating and preparing bids, selection and retention of both management and executive level personnel, rendering all financial decisions and contract execution.
With the experience obtained from serving as a Senior Vice President at Marsh & McLennan, Inc. for 22 years, she started Lambent Risk Management Services, Inc. (Lambent) in 2001. Initial services offerings focused on insurance placement for middle markets clients. Today, Lambent's core service offerings have expanded to include third party claim administration, group health benefits and safety/loss control consulting.
With more than 40 years of experience in the insurance industry, Shirley has served as the senior executive managing program design, procurement and placement of all lines of insurance for clients that include construction, municipalities industrial, entertainment, environmental; higher-level learning institutions and non-profit organizations.
Shirley is a licensed in Property, Casualty, Accident and Health insurance broker and has completed numerous education and training coursework across all insurance disciplines. As an active member in her community Shirley serves on a number of Boards, education and social committees. She is presently the Board President for Literacy Chicago.


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Black Panther
King T'Challa returns home from America to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country's new leader. However, T'Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T'Challa assumes the Black Panther mantel to join with girlfriend Nakia, the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan 'special forces') and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over.
Creed II
Follows Adonis Creed's life inside and outside of the ring as he deals with new found fame, issues with his family, and his continuing quest to become a champion.
The former World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa serves as a trainer and mentor to Adonis Johnson, the son of his late friend and former rival Apollo Creed.
Fahrenheit 451
In an oppressive future, a 'fireman' whose duty is to destroy all books begins to question his task.
Fantastic Four
Four young outsiders teleport to a dangerous universe, which alters their physical form in shocking ways. Their lives irrevocably upended, the team must learn to harness their daunting new abilities and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy.
Fruitvale Station
The story of Oscar Grant III, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident, who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family, and strangers on the last day of 2008.
Red Tails
A crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard.
That Awkward Moment
Three best friends find themselves where we've all been - at that confusing moment in every dating relationship when you have to decide "So...where is this going?"


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The grounds of Tokyo's Imperial Palace are home to a little-known garden storing an extraordinary bonsai collection. Overseas guests who visit the Palace may be greeted by masterpieces of the Japanese bonsai art such as the 2-meter high "Neagari-goyo" pine, a 600-year-old juniper, or a 17th century shogun's favorite five-needle pine. Discover the trees -- and their pots of Imari ware and other fine ceramics -- as we explore the unsung cultural ambassadors of the Imperial Household.
For those with Foxtel I believe NHK Channel 656 is in the basic package. This show runs a couple of times Wednesday & Thursday this week (I think the times in the link are correct).
For those without Foxtel, you *may* be able to watch live online using the link above.


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by Zeus
There was a knock on the door.
'Who is that?' Akpos asked.
'We are the Jehovah Witness, can we share the Word of God with you?'
'Go and come back later, the owners of the house are not at home!' Akpos answered.
'Can we talk to you then?'
'I said they are not at home. This is their cat speaking!'
Sunday, January 18
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Obama Calls for More Narrowly Focused Policy for Afghan War
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
As President Obama prepares to formally authorize the April deployment of two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan, perhaps as early as this week, no issue other than the U.S. economy appears as bleak to his administration as the seven-year Afghan war and the regional challenges that surround it.
A flurry of post-inauguration activity -- presidential meetings with top diplomatic and military officials, the appointment of a high-level Afghanistan-Pakistan envoy and the start of a White House-led strategic review -- was designed to show forward motion and resolve, senior administration officials said.
But newly installed officials describe a situation on the ground that is far more precarious than they had anticipated, along with U.S. government departments that are poorly organized to implement the strategic outline that Obama presented last week to his National Security Council and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
With a 60-day deadline, tied to an April 3 NATO summit, Obama has called for a more regional outlook and a more narrowly focused Afghanistan policy that sets priorities among counterinsurgency and development goals. "The president . . . wants to hear from the uniformed leadership and civilian advisers as to what the situation is and their thoughts as to the way forward," a senior administration official said. "But he has also given pretty direct guidance."
The problem confronting the administration is how to fill in Obama's broad strokes while fighting a war that, by all accounts, is going badly. "It could take quite a long time to look at all the various aspects of this," the senior official said. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates predicted last week that the war will be "a long slog" with an uncertain outcome. Richard C. Holbrooke, the new Afghanistan-Pakistan envoy, who left yesterday for his first visit to the region, expects to spend weeks gathering information before he has much advice to give.
Meanwhile, the senior official acknowledged, "the world moves, obviously."
The two new U.S. brigades are set to arrive in Afghanistan in late April, with another planned to depart in August. But even with what is expected to be more than 30,000 additional U.S. troops this year -- bringing the U.S.-NATO total in Afghanistan to nearly 90,000 -- the international force will be insufficient to secure much of the country.
With the spring combat season near, the Taliban has rapidly increased its sophistication and reach. Neither the money nor the manpower is currently available to train and maintain an Afghan National Army that is expected to begin taking over security missions. Afghan elections are scheduled for summer, but U.S. officials see few viable alternatives to the ineffectual president, Hamid Karzai. Efforts to stem cultivation of opium poppies and the narcotics trade that lines Taliban and government pockets have made little discernible progress.
Nearly $60 billion ($32 billion of it from the United States) has already been spent on reconstruction programs in Afghanistan -- more than during five years of failed reconstruction in Iraq -- but such efforts remain "fragmented" and "lack coherence," according to U.S. government auditors. "I fear there are major weaknesses in strategy," retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Arnold Fields, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, said in a report released Friday.
Across the border in Pakistan, meanwhile, U.S. military officials are anxiously eyeing a map on which extremist gains are rapidly spreading eastward, toward major population centers, as the Taliban and al-Qaeda solidify their hold on the western frontier and form alliances with domestic terrorists. Islamabad's relations with neighboring India, a fellow nuclear power, remain tense after November's terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
Officials described Obama's overall approach to what the administration calls "Af-Pak" as a refusal to be rushed, using words such as "rigor" and "restraint." "We know we're going to get [criticism] for taking our time," said a senior official, one of several in the administration and the military who would discuss the issue only on the condition of anonymity.
While acknowledging the difficulties that the Bush administration faced, Obama officials dismiss the first seven years of Afghanistan war policy, when that conflict took a back seat to the war in Iraq, as reactive, ad hoc and without what one called "a very keen sense of what the goal was."


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We install wooden, cerramic, terrazo, laminates e.t.c for your residential comfort and beauty.Laminate flooring offers great looks at affordable prices. It's also durable. Kids? Pets? Relax. With a laminate floor, you won't have to worry. Our laminate floors are scratch free and made to stand up to high traffic and high impact.
We are good in sports flooring and installing concrete pavers.. We have expertise and products for various sporting activities, indoor and outdoor sporting and multi purpose gyms. When it's time for a new driveway, parking or poolside patio, this easy-to-install option is tough, cost-effective, and surprisingly beautiful.
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To provide quality urban floors using the latest innovations in flooring technology.


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Beyonce wears B-side by Wale 'Buddy Tee'
Beyonce was spotted on instagram rocking B-Side By Wale 'Buddy Tee'. B-side by Wale is a streetwear brand based in London run by the designer Walé Adeyemi. The Buddy Tee is an oversized tee with contrast orange airtex sleeves and printed text front chest print. To purchase or to see more from B-Side by Wale visit http://www.b-sidebywale.com/
Image via Beyonce's Instagram


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Since before Scout was born, I knew I wanted to write down her birth story. And I've been thinking about how to go about it for the past week or two now. We were planning a home birth, which didn't happen. And I am ok with it, really. We are both here and healthy and happy and that's really what I cared about. I know this is probably more detailed than most of you care to read, but it really is more for us than for you!
The morning of Friday, July 1st Andrew and I headed off to an appointment with our midwives. There was no internal exam this time, but the last time I was checked, a few weeks prior, I was about 1.5 centimeters dilated. Our midwife did check the baby's position and said that she was looking great, all set up in the best possible way. On our way home, we ran some errands and did a big Costco trip. Then when we got home, we cleaned the whole house, top to bottom. And no, it wasn't really nesting...we had been putting it off all week and had been saying we would get to on Friday, and am I glad we did!
I'd been having Braxton-Hicks contractions for a few weeks. Sometimes in the evenings they would get fairly regular, but they would always fade away if I tried to sleep and they were never very painful. Throughout the day as we were cleaning and running errands, I had more of the same type of contractions and didn't think much about it. We were busy getting stuff done around the house and Andrew starting building a new compost bin for us. Around 5 or 6 o'clock that evening, I noticed that I was stopping whatever I was doing each time that I had a contraction, that they were actually hurting a little bit, and that they seemed to be coming fairly regularly. When we timed them though, they varied from 5 to 10 minutes apart. After a few more hours of puttering around the house, eating, and watching an episode of Lost, we decided to go on a walk to see if they got anymore intense or if they faded away. We thought that this might be different, but we didn't want to get too excited too quick because we knew it might be awhile longer. Walking made the contractions much more painful, it was actually hard to walk through. After our walk, we watched another episode of Lost and timed contractions for an hour so that we could let the our midwives know what was going on. When we called them around 11pm, contractions were varying between 4 minutes and 8 minutes apart and were about 45 seconds long. They were definitely uncomfortable, but not unbearable just laying on the couch.
When we talked to the midwife, she suggested that I take a bath and that we try and sleep between contractions as much as possible. She said that sometimes labor that starts this way can take a long time and that we should try and get as much sleep as possible. We were both able to get a little bit of sleep, but not much. I hated sleeping in bed....every time a contraction would start I would jump out of bed and be confused at the pain. I felt like it made them worse because they would sneak up on me. The best sleep I was able to get was in the bath tub were I wasn't so tempted to jump up each time I woke up. At around 530am when the sun cam up, both Andrew and I decided to call it quits on trying to get sleep. We ate some breakfast and decided to go on a walk to see if that would help things move along. We timed contractions again when we got back and they were around 4 or 5 minutes apart and 45 seconds long still. After talking to the midwife, who said to call if anything changed and to keep doing what we were doing, and to my mom, who started driving up, Andrew and I tried to settle in. We talked, walked around the house, snacked on food, and did lots of hip swaying and ball sitting to try and help baby move down.
My mom got here around 10 or 1030 which was nice. It was someone else to talk to, and she brought us food and cleaned our kitchen. I was definitely glad she was here. The midwives came once or twice and checked me, I don't really remember. I hadn't really made much progress but the baby still seemed to be in a good position. Sometime in the early afternoon, I felt like I could sleep for a bit and I did! It was weird, the contractions just paused for a little bit and I was able to sleep for 30-40 minutes. I felt much better after. Then around, 4 or 5 pm, my water broke and contractions changed a lot. They started to hurt quite a bit, but worse than that, they came with the urge to push. I wasn't near enough dilated, but sometime during the day (I think while I was sleeping) the baby had changed positions and was now OP, with her back along my back. So for the next 5 hours, I tried to fight my body and not push. It wasn't very fun. Contractions started coupling and coming right on top of each other. The midwives started spending more time here and eventually just settled in and stayed. Because I was having the urge to push, even though I was trying not to, my cervix became very swollen and wasn't dilating very quickly. We tried lots of different things to get baby to move back to a good position. Andrew would spend 20 minutes at a time doing rebozo sifting to try and jiggle her back into position. I spent a lot of time on my hands and knees. And the midwives tried manually turning her several times. She was very stubborn.
Around 10, we had the conversation with our midwives. Andrew and I were getting tired. I was having a harder and harder time fighting my body, and we weren't making much progress. Baby wasn't moving. And her heart rate was starting to show some fluctuations every now and then. Nothing hugely concerning, just enough for our midwives to think that it would be safer for us all at the hospital and that my body might need some help getting this baby out. We were tired and I was starting to feel like I needed help. So we agreed.
It took us until 1030 to get our hospital bag together, and get me dressed and in the car. Then we had a 20 minute ride to the hospital. I was very glad that my mom was was there to drive so that Andrew could sit in the back with me. The midwives had called ahead, so when we got to the hospital they were all ready for us and I just had to make it to the room. They were very kind and let us postpone most of the entry paperwork. The hospital was a totally different experience. Everyone was very kind and considerate but there were a lot of people asking a lot of questions. And a lot of cords and people fussing over you. I was glad the midwives were there to answer a lot of the timeline and medical questions so that I could focus on not pushing and Andrew could help me. Some highlights of getting settled at the hospital:
- I was really dehydrated, despite drinking between most contractions, and it took them 4 tries to get an IV in me. Different people kept trying until the head nurse came and was able to get one in.
- The anesthesiologist was really funny. Deadpan kind of funny...I don't know if she was really trying to be funny. I was making a ridiculous amount of noise. And she had this schpeel that she was reading off to me about all of the different effects of an epidural and what is going to happen. While I was having contractions. At one point she stops and says, "Can you even hear me?" I quickly replied, "Yes" and then continued what I was doing. It was a funny moment.
- Also funny, the midwives were talking about how labor is never perfectly what you planned. That same anesthesiologist remarked that hers was because she had an elective cesarean. And then walked out of the room. We all laughed.
- I had grabbed a Tie-Dye t-shirt to wear because I didn't care if it got gross. I think we really threw the hospital staff off...coming in from a home birth and I was wearing a Tie-Dye t-shirt, I don't think they knew what to make of us at first :)
Scout was able to come straight to my arms where she spent the next 2 hours snuggling with us. During that time she was wide awake and looking around at us. It was amazing to have her with us. She nursed right away without any problems. After 2 hours or so of hanging out with us, she was weighed (7lbs 5oz) and measured (20 inches). The only issue she had from all of the pushing and difficult labor was some bruising and tenderness on her head, which went away quickly.
Around 1pm my mom came in to meet Scout and bring us food and by 3pm we were all feeling antsy to get home. It just didn't seem very comfortable at the hospital and we wanted to be home with our own bed. It took us until around 730 or 8pm to get Scout's hearing test and Vitamin K drops and be cleared to be home. It was nice to be back home, this time with baby in our arms!


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7 Tips For Driving In Snow and Ice
Driving in snow is just second nature to me now. Still, it doesn't matter if your a great driver or a bad one, a new driver or an experienced one, poor weather conditions can test your nerves and skills on the road. Studies show that nearly one-quarter of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy or icy pavement according to www.ksl.com. Here are the Top 7 things to remember when driving in bad winter conditions.
1. Reduce your speed. Adjust to changing conditions and allow extra time to reach your destination.
2. Don't power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Use lower gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
3. Make smooth, careful movements. Avoid skids by anticipating lane changes, turns and curves. Steering in icy conditions requires smooth and careful movements. Abrupt movements break traction and can start a skid. If your vehicle starts to skid, steer into the direction of the slide.
4. Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly when pulling out of the driveway or from a stop sign is the best way to regain traction and avoid slipping or sliding. It also takes longer to slow down on icy roads. So at intersections, allow for long, slow and steady stops to avoid skids.
5. Do not use cruise control. When driving on a slippery surface, such as rain or ice, never use cruise control. You want to be able to respond immediately, if you start losing traction.
6. Use extra caution on bridges, ramps and overpasses. These areas are likely to freeze first and stay frozen during a winter storm.
7. While preventative measures go a long way to keep you safe on the road, unexpected weather or vehicle problems still happen. If an emergency should develop on the road, an emergency roadside kit with winter supplies is a valuable asset. Kits should include a cell phone and car charger; blankets; flashlight with extra batteries; a first-aid kit; drinking water; a small shovel; a sack of sand, cat litter or traction mats; windshield scraper and brush; battery booster cables; and emergency flares or reflectors.


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Readers Dissect Obama Speech, Applause
Our Readers Who Comment have been all over President Obama's speech to the nation and seem sharply divided along political lines in hundreds of comments about several WaPo articles.
Three themes -- one serious, the others less so -- emerge:
- The nation is in trouble and the president's plan to fix it will be good or awful.
- Thank goodness we now have a president who can speak in complete English sentences.
- Did we really need to see so much standing applause from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid?
There were also several shots at Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's Republican response to the president. In short, the comments were highly partisan, reminders of strings during the presidential campaign and the coverage of the economic crisis and decidedly not bipartisan.
We'll start with comments on Michael D. Shear's and Anne E. Kornblut's main news story and TalkingHead1, who wrote, "Obama couldn't have been any more inspiring without appearing disingenuos, under the current circumstance... And I really hope Jindal will run against Obama in 2012, because that will easily guarantee Obama's renomination, regardless of how he does until then."
But mehollywoods said, "President Obama, don't try and kid us by diverting the attention to the bonuses or Wall Street when you know full well that prin[t]ing money and giving it to the illegal, private Federal Reserve Banking System combined with lending money for interest is at the heart of our problems..."
matrox wrote, "At first I didn't know how the economy worked, but now I do because Obama told me. The key is we gotta keep that credit flowing from the banksters no matter how much we all hate and despise them with disdain."
infuse replied, "The problem with that argument is that it represents a consumer-first Ponzi scheme. As long as our economy is built upon massive consumer spending--70% up to now--it must implode because it requires more and more consumers to keep it flowing... Maybe now is the time to rethink the idea and find a way to be citizens first and build an economy on savings..."
TyroneJonessr wrote, "The speech was great! Obama's a skilled speaker. However, the actions have got match the rhetoric...Obama must stop with the pay-offs to his base and supporters and get busy fulfilling his promise to America....not to Pelosi, Reid and the Dem highrollers."
dsrobins said, "What a pleasure it was to listen to our new President address Congress this evening. Here is a man who is highly intelligent, extremely articulate, honest, engaging and direct. What a contrast compared to the ignorant buffoon who spouted lies, smirked and misused the English language each time he spoke. America is so fortunate that GWBush is gone."
Frigistan wrote, "I think Jindal pretty much proved why republicans are out of power. I don't know the answers to our economic problems any more or less than anyone else but one thing I do know. What government we do have should do it's job. That includes FEMA, FDA, DOJ, CIA, Commerce, GSA (remember that fiasco?), SEC !!!!! and all the rest of them..."
All comments on the main news story are here.
Now we turn to comments on television critic Tom Shales' view of the proceedings and mot2win, who wrote, "The only thing I agree with is the jack-in-the box Pelosi led applause was too much and disruptive. As far as seeing or hearing too much from this President...I could listen to him every day..."
wsealsjr said, "When there's nothing newsworthy to write, but the article deadline looms, just nitpick, nitpick, nitpick."
But tristesse27 wrote, "Excellent analysis, Mr. Shales. I love Obama and would have voted for him twice, but now I'm starting to get a little worried that there's nothing more than some enlightening talk."
johnbsmrk said, "You have to wonder what planet this guy [Shales] is on. Obama delivers a superb speech at a time of huge national crisis and he's hyperventilating by some slip or other which I never even perceived and I watched the whole thing."
All comments on the Shales analysis are here.
Finally, some comments on Steven Pearlstein's economic analysis, starting with bedazzled, who wrote, "Let us get this ball rolling. That is why Obama won to make the changes we needed..."
But tropicalfolk said, "...Obama has managed to turn a deep economic crisis into a once-in-a-lifetime political opportunity... Obama's "stimulus" -a multi-trillion dollar grab bag- will send the world economy to the grave... How long will it take for people to understand the damage Obama is causing?"
lpdegeer wrote, "Last night has seen the outlines of what should be done for the rebirth of the USA and its citizens. I do hope that the Republicans can rise to the call for unity and responsability."
kcbob wrote, "Republican pushback may be what Obama expects and now hopes for. As long as the GOP only is the party of, 'No!', their future is dim. Essentially they become the enemy of the American people who want to believe that, 'Yes we can!' "
All comments on the Pearlstein analysis are here.
Doug Feaver
February 25, 2009; 7:24 AM ET
Categories: Economy Watch , Obama | Tags: Economy Watch, Obama
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had to leave our government home in two
weeks with no place to go and no way to run back to the wisdom and comforts
of family and familiarity in Florida. God had put us right where He wanted
us, to begin a 22-year test in trusting Him in Matthew 13:20-23, Mark 10:29-30,
and Luke 18:22.
At that critical time God gave us a special Christian friend, born and raised in this one-room log cabin in the Olympic Mountains. He was for many years a Mountain Rescue "Man Tracker". This friend took us up to another one-room log cabin, where two generations earlier a couple had raised ten healthy, well-adjusted children into God-fearing, productive adults. A little light began to glow in my spirit. We were being called to God-focussed simplicity!
What HAD God already given me
to provide for my family and at the same time keep life SIMPLE while
preparing for the hardships of mission life? I had grown up making art,
crafts, woodworking, stained glass, and little inventions, my first love
with a flare for functional and mechanical art.
Being a non-conformist Hippie in the 1960's taught me that, well...a school bus was a viable option for living in! I approached my 28 year-old loving, pampered, well-bred, and cultured wife, six months pregnant and with three children under five, kissed her on the cheek, and asked her if she would like to live in a school bus. Would any man reading this like to try that?
After a night of much prayer, Diane said, "OK, ...but make it pretty...". Do you remember that classic moment in the movie when Adrian looks up at her husband from the hospital bed and says, "WIN, ROCKY,WIN!! My wife tells me (an artist) that her only stipulation to living in a bus with 4 kids is to make it pretty! WHAT A WOMAN!!
The Navy taught me survival skills, and had taken me around the world to observe simpler cultures in action. As a Machinist's Mate I learned general mechanics, motors, machining, hydraulics, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, welding, water distillation, piping, wiring, and power generation.
The Coast Guard taught me Diesel engine mechanics and small engine repair, but above all, that with functionality and space properly utilized, six grown men could function on a 42-foot Search and Rescue vessel. I could certainly design a 35-foot bus to comfortably house a family of six. With God's wisdom, I did! Many of my design and utilization of space ideas came from my Navy and Coast Guard ships.
We found a decrepit 1951 International Harvester school bus in the woods, and traded our only car for it. That summer we lived in a 150 sqaure foot goat barn until the bus was livable. The barn and place to park and live in our bus was provided by another friend with 7 acres near Port Angeles.
Over the next 18 years we converted and abode in 3 more school buses that we converted together as family projects, which provided us the mobility, and financial freedom to pursue His plans and preparations for us as individuals and as a family. Each bus WAS attractive, functional, and comfortable.
Stained glass windows,
large skylights, hard-wood floors and cabinetry (oak), 86" high ceilings,
ceiling fans, real tile, indestructible Kydex®
walls, H/D washer/dryer, microwave/convection oven, separate refrigerator
and freezer, privacy, comfort, ample storage, computer, telephones, tub/shower,
china toilet, room for six to roam, and room for 12 to sit comfortably
were standard in each bus. Got to see my design and look inside to believe
This is bus number three, in 1988, parked on ten acres behind a church in Bensalem, PA, near Philadelphia.
Each bus is a separate story of God's miraculous provision and of innumerable family adventures, and opportunities for witness across America in RV parks, interstate highway gas stations and restaurants, churches, and our children's schools. We home schooled them for five years and then put them in public schools to be (as they were) dynamic witnesses.
Most of our expensive electronics, personal documents, and photos of all four buses were in a travel bag stolen by the Vladivostok Security Police (we could not believe it either!) as we returned to Siberia this past year. Sorry we can not share all our best bus photos.
|Our bus homes were
not goals,
triumphs, or ends in themselves for which we strove for recognition, notoriety,
or contentment. They were simply God's chosen tools, classrooms,and opportunities
in our lives
to build character: to learn about ourselves, one another, about faith,
and God's faithfulness. They forced us to grow close to one another
and most importantly, to grow close to God. There was no room for "things"
of little or temporary value in our buses, and thus, strangely and wonderfully
began to lose their places in our hearts as well.
We learned to find joy and recreation with one-another and in family worship. Television was not standard in our buses. We learned that things like contentment, joy, peace, and prosperity are not counted in dollars or measured in the size or numbers of one's home or possessions.They are found in daily devotion to Jesus Christ, and in the simplicity of loving Him and one-another.
The most thrilling aspect of bus life, was watching so many outside the faith reconsider the claims of Christ through our firm dedication to finding simplicity in life and faith. In the midst of a myriad of material and time distractions modern America offers, they saw us loving life and using our time and money for God and family [not family possessions]. Many too within Christianity were challenged to re-commit and refocus on the important eternal aspects of life and to forsake many worldly and trivial pursuits.(Philippians 3:7,8,and 18-20)
By far the most hurtful and difficult aspect of bus life was the overwhelming rejection from the majority of Christians we knew or met. Some rejected us and our lifestyle because of theologies which link spiritual health with material and financial "health" (of such speak 1 Timothy 6:5-11 and James 2:2-9). Among most however who were bold enough to forsake gossip and confront us, the issue was that God could not have possibly told us to live that way. Why? Because if He told us to, He might tell them to, and they just could not [would not] handle it! We praised God for the honest ones!
Among God's people, so much time, energy, and money goes into things which can not bring satisfaction. When six people live in 262 square feet, life gets real simple! It was just not fair that we had so much joy and contentment without the "things" so many struggle for. (Jeremiah 2:12-13)
The week before we moved to Siberia for the first time in 1996, a very disheartened and apologetic gentleman called from Siberia to inform us that he was unable to find a home of suitable size for American expectations. We asked him for the home's dimensions. We then made his day by describing our very adequate and comfortable bus home, and that his provision was 200 square feet larger!
Yes, God was calling us to the field for which He had prepared us for 20 plus years: a field of great discomfort and hardship where God's love, spiritual health and growth, contentment, joy, and peace are not measured in possessions, money, or lands. We were ready!
we are living in the small town of Vilyuysk, in a two-story log cabin God
has provided through the generous gift of a Christian couple in Vienna,
Virginia. We have a Yakut family with their three teenage children living
with us, as well as Yakut friends/relatives in need, and students from
distant villages living here. The ONE room Diane and I have as our bedroom,
office, quiet retreat, counseling area, and bathroom is-- you guessed it!
8 feet by 24 feet! Almost the exact square footage and dimensions of our
bus homes!


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Lee mathews eq5k315 chunky knit cardigan long line, chunky knit cardigan. Thick yarn in graduated tones. Drop shoulder, long sleeve. Knitted tab with single snap-button v-neck closure. Front pockets. Knitted rib edge at hem and cuff. 52% wool/ 48% cotton. Worn with stripe cotton long sleeve top and bobby pant. Model's height 5'11'' wears size medium. Size medium; length from front shoulder to hem 85cm and 79.5cm at centre back. Sleeve length 46.5cm.


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Asparagus Recipe Ideas
In season April-June. Plump sheeny stalks, as firm as possible. Asparagus doesn't keep well so eat it as soon as possible after buying. If your asparagus looks a little bedraggled, treat it like a cut flower: cut the bottom off the stalks and immediately place in a jug of water.
Asparagus has great decorative potential, its subtle olive colour lending glamour to most dishes. Try these:
Cook, then dip in melted butter or in warm egg yolk/hollandaise/mayonnaise or other egg-based sauce. But, whatever the accompaniment, if asparagus is presented in whole stalks, always pick them up with your fingers. Using cutlery is a faux pas on the same level as asking a restaurant waiter to heat up gazpacho
Scrambled Egg
Mix cooked asparagus into soft scrambled egg, perhaps with a little smoked salmon
Scatter slices of cold, cooked asparagus into any green salad. It goes particularly well with minty dressings, pea shoots and peas
Pasta & Risotto
Asparagus and a sprinkling of lemon juice lifts a bowl of pasta, oil and cheese to treat status. Peas and artichoke hearts are good additions. The same goes for risotto; but rather than trying to cook the asparagus within the hot rice, we find it easier to to boil or steam it separately, before chopping and stirring into the risotto at the last moment
Asparagus goes well in the typical egg & bacon quiche, and you can arrange the stalks in star or cross patterns on top to great effect
Open asparagus tart looks highly impressive and cheffy but it can be terribly easy — unlike tomato tarts, say, you hardly have to prep the asparagus at all. Just make a filling – there are many recipes, usually involving eggs and cheese, especially soft cheeses like ricotta or cream cheese – then spread the filling on a rectangle of puff pastry, arrange the asparagus on top, and bake. Those with more time on their hands can make a round tart with flaky pastry and arrange the asparagus in fancy patterns
Asparagus is a legendary aphrodisiac, possibly because it has distinct male and female versions; it used to be served before weddings in France. It is full of vitamins, minerals and folic acid, making it an excellent addition to the diet during pregnancy, and also contains rutin, which protects small blood vessels from rupturing.
The ancient Greeks called it asparagos, meaning a shoot or sprout, and used it to cure everything from toothache to heart disease. Originally referred to in england as sperage or sparagus, around the 18th Century the name was often corrupted to, rather prettily, sparrow grass; this still survives in the Malay Peninsula as saparu keras.
Asparagus can come in shades of purple and red, which turn green when cooked.
In the UK, it is traditionally grown in East Anglia and the Vale of Evesham in Worcestershire (where the annual festival takes place from April to June — go to EVENTS).
For more ingredients, go to COOK


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I can already tell you, without even reading through this set of questions, that I am going to be disappointed. A few weeks ago, I would have loved to just be done answering the questions from this book. Now that I'm on the last chapter, I was hoping for quite a few questions so that it took me some time. Unfortunately, there are only three short sections…
- Are your family and friends supportive of your goals? Do they encourage you? Do they put down your efforts?
My family is extremely supportive of my goals, though they have not always been. They don't encourage me when they see something that will lead me to hurt. At the same time, sometimes their lack of encouragement is the very thing that leads to that disappointment and hurt.
As for my friends? Most of them are family. The others, what very few that I have, are very encouraging whenever they are around. At the same time, many of them turn out to not be true friends, so how can I say that they are supporting? Half the time they end up causing me the most trouble…
- Who are some of the people you know who have obtained similar goals? How did they do it?
My coworkers. My ex. He relied a lot on me for support and help. I'm not entirely sure how my coworkers did it, though I know most of them do not have teaching certificates so their path to success may have been a tad easier than mine. *yay for politics*
- How do you handle setbacks? Do you assess the reasons behind the setback and address those issues?
Isn't that part of the reason I started this blog? If I write about my setbacks, I can more easily analyze them and determine the best plan of action. Though I must admit, when they first hit me, I'm pretty much a mess. Normally emotions range from 1) really angry to 2) really sad. Then I get my act together and start processing.
So that's it… That's the last Souls Revealed post! Maybe I will have to find another self-help type book soon. In the meantime, I'm going to read a nice piece of nonsense fiction because I have not picked up a novel in quite some time!