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Tatta, Karachi District, Sindh. Jam Nizam-Ud-Din's Tomb - carved work upon
Photographer: Cousens, Henry
Medium: Photographic print
Date: 1896
Photograph of Jam Nizam-ud-Din's Tomb at Thatta in the Karachi District of Sind in Pakistan, taken by Henry Cousens, from the Archaeological Survey of India Collections: Western India 1894-96. Jam Nizam ud-Din (r.1461-1509) was a ruler of the Samma dynasty of southern Sind with Thatta as his capital. His tomb is in the necropolis on Makli Hill. It is square in plan but the dome was never constructed, work stopped when the walls reached the springing line. On the exterior of the building there are twelve bands of decoration running around the building from top to bottom comprising diamonds, lotuses, Quranic inscriptions and geometric patterns. There are two unusual features: the mihrab in the interior and the corresponding balcony on the exterior. This type of balcony recalls those in Gujarat therefore it is possible that craftsmen from Gujarat were responsible for this tomb. This is a close view of a section of the wall, showing the richly carved balcony and the bands of decorative carving along the wall (reproduced in 'The Antiquities of Sind' by Cousens of 1929, plate XXXIII).


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Saturday, November 15, 2008
Not Character Arc, but "character"
People live in context, and are a result of the choices they've made, the way they grew up and what they've done with their lives. In other words, we are "me-centric". We have our own point of view and the world exists--for us--through our point of view.
A only child college kid in an upper middle class household might view the world as her oyster. Daddy bought her a Miata for high school graduation, she's going to University, has good clothes, and great health--her teeth are white and straight, she's got a nice haircut and for spring break, she's touring Europe. (taking it as a given she's well-adjusted, lol)
"I love life! Life has always been good to me. I have no worries and my swim team is going to Tokyo during the summer."
but...if you take that same nineteen year old and put her in different context, the world changes because the focus shifts.
This kid grew up in a single parent working class household, she shares her room with two sisters. They have bunk beds and she has a twin. Her grades were bad because she worked at McDonald's to help her mom out, and she's tired all the time. Sometimes she thinks of going back to school, but somehow she fell through the cracks.
"I wish I'd never been born. My mom works all the time, and I'm tired of taking care of my sisters. People laugh at me because my teeth are crooked and I work at McDonald's. The first thing I'm going to do when I win the lottery is get braces."
The same sun rises in the same sky when each kid gets out of bed, but for one kid, each day has unlimited potential. She gets up, thinks about eating and decides against it because she's trying to stay a size 3. The other kid pulls her uniform from the shower rod, makes a face because it smells like mildew and decides against eating because there isn't enough for three.
They were both born with the same basic equipment in the same way each character starts out as a blank page, but the girl going to Tuscany isn't the girl getting written up for a dirty uniform. The choices you make about "who" your character is, influence "how" they act.
Did you think the rich kid buys lottery tickets? A million dollars doesn't buy much. But the kid with one discretionary dollar knows a million dollars isn't a million dollars--it's toys for her sisters, a car for her mom, an end to baby-sitting and a kind of freedom the other kid doesn't know she has.
Knowing your character's social status in relation to the world they inhabit is a necessity.
IMHO, it's the most important of the character building blocks because from the social background you also get physical and emotional building blocks. Each block leans against the other.
Genetics play a large part in physical traits, but you can create traits by tweaking context, although it helps to know "what" your character looks like.
Let's take a scrawny rat-faced villain and build backwards. Scrawny? How to make him scrawny? Let's malnourish him in early childhood. Which makes him either an abused or "poor" child. I'm going with poor, so--check. Background. Poor. Rat-faced? Lots of nationalities have the characteristics, but I think Dickens when I think "rat-face" so I'm going with some kind of Irish, Scottish, Welsh or English. Too bad he's American. So...let's extend that further. He's a poor man, of Scottish, Irish, Welsh or English descendant in the United States, which means his family probably came with the big migration waves in the eighteenth century. So now he's poor, Scotch Irish and his family landed on the Eastern Seaboard, see where I'm going with this? He's got a common Scotch Irish name like William which we can easily change to Willie, and he probably has a lot of traits associated with growing up poor. Which brings us to emotional building blocks.
The emotional truth of your character determines how he'll act under stress. Let's go back to Willie.
He grew up poor, he's probably got security issues. Which brings us back to physical--maybe he slouches, and gives people furtive sidelong looks. Maybe he had to have everything in his name, out on display and wears designer clothes. Is he trying to prove himself? What does he want? What type of childhood experiences did he have to act the way he does? Was the freezer always empty? Then it stands to reason he'll do anything to keep that freezer stocked. Did he watch people treat his mom badly because of her socio-economic status? Then maybe he has a sub-conscious hatred for poor women because they remind him of his mother and his former powerlessness.
You build layers by figuring out "why and how". A character is more than the role they play in your story.
You can't stay away from your characters, you have to be willing to dissect yourself before you can dissect others. A major problem in emotional layering is not creating the right character...or--finding the right story for that character. Characters and stories are not interchangeable. Why is "this" character in "this" story? What do they bring to it someone else can't?
tell me why your protagonist belongs in your story. Go beyond the cliched "well, it's his story", or "because he falls in love with the heroine", or "he's the only one who can stop the killer". Why "this" character in "this" story? What are you trying to show?
7 comments:
- Jeanna said...
Good point. The difference between someone who grew up in a house and someone who grew up in apartments, someone who was raised in a trailer park or on military bases.
Hate to admit it, but reading "Twilight" right now and that's a big part of the character.
Sounds a lot like acting.
- November 17, 2008 at 6:19 AM
- liana laverentz said...
My two cents: Optional (I realise it's only optional for this instance, in this blog) is not really optional. You need to know that kind of info about your character, too :) Why you can't just insert some other character to do the same thing. They can not be interchangeable.
Hope your wrist feels better soon, Jodi.
- November 17, 2008 at 10:51 AM
- Kaige said...
I'm finding I don't have as much trouble building characters after 15+ years experience with an online text game (both creating computer controlled ones and role-playing my own characters in the games).
Where I'm having trouble is dovetailing those characters with "their story". Why "this" character in "this" story? What are you trying to show? Lots of food for thought and ties in with what I've been thinking about lately.
- November 18, 2008 at 8:40 AM
- jodi said...
lol, Jeanna...Forks is just a few hours drive away, luckily my daughter never read the series.
It is like actig. :)
That's true Liana--I wonder why I never thought of it. OKay, maybe I had in a back of the brain kind of way that didn't surface till you pointed it out. :) The role is important, but...I think character has to fit the role, but you can use another character to fit the same role, as long as all the components are there.
Thanks Kaige...
- November 18, 2008 at 12:08 PM
- Jeanna said...
Ooh, is it really? I'm about half way through and keep thinking, "How lucky Spunky is to live there now."
- November 18, 2008 at 4:19 PM
I'm trying to show how the traditional rolls of husband and wife have altered in such a way that stereotypical relationships can now come across as undesirable, even when they might be. I chose a doctor who is reconsidering his profession - so that he might no longer be a good bread winner, and a History major/insurance adjuster who longs to be a housewife, but doesn't respect the roll.
- November 18, 2008 at 8:57 PM
I fully believe that s story can be preeminent over character. To that effect, if I find I have attempted to cast a character in a particular roll that does not adequately support the story, I fire the character, and go looking for one better suited. There's nothing like type casting a novel. :)
- November 18, 2008 at 8:59 PM

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Founded in 1875, IUP is a vibrant, comprehensive, research-based, teaching-focused, student-centered learning community.
IUP combines the academic opportunities of a large university with the highly personalized and intimate learning-centered environment of a small college.
Almost 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled in our accredited and nationally recognized programs, enjoying traditional and nontraditional classroom experiences, engaging in research and service activities with their faculty mentors, becoming lifelong learners, preparing for rewarding careers and productive lives, and developing leadership skills for effective citizenship.
View IUP's electronic brochure for more information.
- Admissions website: http://www.iup.edu/admissions/international
- University website: http://www.iup.edu/
Basic details
- Region: Northeast
- Location: Indiana, Pennsylvania
- Campus setting: Rural
- Type of institution: Public
Admissions information and areas of study offered
- Percentage of students admitted: 60%
- Test optional?: Yes
- Common Application accepted?: No
- Areas of study offered include: Accounting/Finance; Anthropology; Archaeology; Area Studies; Art History; Arts; Biology; Biomedical Engineering; Business; Chemistry; Communications; Computer Science; Creative Writing; Criminal Justice; Dance; Design; Drama/Theatre Arts; Economics; Education; English; Environmental Sciences; Geography; Geology; History; Humanities; Information Sciences/Systems; International Relations; Journalism; Labour/Industrial Relations; Languages; Liberal Arts; Linguistics; Literature; Management; Marketing; Mathematics; Music; Nursing; Nutrition; Philosophy; Physics; Physiology; Psychology; Political Science
- Full list of majors available: http://www.iup.edu/academics/colleges
- International students are eligible for: Merit-based scholarship; Need-based aid
- Estimated yearly cost (including tuition, board, room and student fees): $36,000
- Additional financial aid information: All degree seeking international undergraduate and graduate students are automatically reviewed for financial assistance by the Office of International Education at IUP. Partial Tuition Waivers (PTW)* are awarded to eligible international students based on financial need. Additional Application form for PTW award is not necessary.
- Athletic association for the majority of sports: NCAA - Division II
- Varsity sports: Men's American Football; Men's Athletics / Track and Field; Women's Athletics / Track and Field; Men's Baseball; Women's Softball; Men's Basketball; Women's Basketball; Men's Cross Country; Women's Cross Country; Women's Field Hockey; Women's Football / Soccer; Men's Golf; Women's Lacrosse; Men's Swimming and Diving; Women's Swimming and Diving; Women's Tennis; Women's Volleyball


text:
Virtually learning
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Disruptive innovation.
Steve Wheeler's post on disruptive innovation
is thought-provoking and essential reading for those of us in education.
"…Getting education right is the most important priority for all of us. It's the whole ball of wax. No state education system will be any use, unless it trains and sustains good teachers. Teacher education in a digital age, using the best and latest technologies is a must"
Posted by
Jean Jacoby
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RoseBlood by A.G. Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary from GoodReads
In this modern day spin on Leroux's gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she's trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune's mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.
At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn's dark agenda comes to light and he's forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he's ever known.
This book has been one of the most anticipated in my TBR list for winter 2017. Not only it's written by one of my favorite authors, but also it's a retelling/"sequel" for one of the top legends (and pop culture) figure, The Phantom of the Opera!
*cue in the Overture*
*Or not*
Our story is told by a double POV: our main protagonist Rune from the first person POV and the enigmatic Thorn from the third person POV. It doesn't confuse and it's easy to read. Not to mention that getting into knowing both characters, truly resolved some issues I had with the plot at the beginning of the book.
Rune has a marvellous gift. She has the voice of an angel and when she is taken into a private music school at the coutryside of Paris, she is thrust into the mystery and the story of the Phantom. She makes friends and enemies, she explores and learns not only about her gift but also her heritage.
I admit; some parts of the book made me think that the story would evolve differently but I was amazed by the plot twists and the final outcome. There were also moments in the book, where Rune was a little annoying, since she could have asked for help in many cases. But knowing how the Phantom works I could relate with her fear.
What won me was the descriptions and the delicate micro-world building A.G. Howard created for her story. We do see some of Paris, but the details, the colors and the beauty are focused on describing the academy Roseblood and the secrets which lie hidden behind it.
The revealing about the mystery and the backstory was heart-breaking and while the swoon scenes weren't much, the plot can win you with its delicate beauty and unforgettable characters.
About the author:
A.G. Howard is the International and NYT bestselling author of the Splintered Series, with a slew of other classical spinoffs and original stories in the works that she hopes will one day find a place on the shelves.
She was inspired to write her tribute to Carroll's Wonderland while working at a school library. Her pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.
SPLINTERED, UNHINGED, ENSNARED, and UNTAMED, the first four books in her urbanized /gothic Alice in Wonderland series, are now available from Amulet Books. Also soon to be available from Amulet is her Phantom of the Opera spinoff, ROSEBLOOD -- slated to launch January 2017.
THE ARCHITECT OF SONG, the first book in her New Adult historical literary romance saga, will be available in August 2016.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Summary from GoodReads
Whatever you've heard about Caraval, it doesn't compare to the reality. It's more than just a game or a performance. It's the closest you'll ever find to magic in this world . . .
Welcome, welcome to Caraval―Stephanie Garber's sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangerous intrigue of a legendary game.
Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett's father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.
But this year, Scarlett's long-dreamt of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval's mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season's Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.
Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off, and her sister disappears forever.
If you loved the "Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern, then you'll also enjoy "Caraval". With a deadly twist of course.
Scarlett and her sister Etta grew up listening to the stories of Caraval, the magic circus where all your dreams can come true and also about its Master, Legend. And despite her dreams Scarlett has to fulfill her duties as the eldest marrying her father's choice of groom.
When the magical invitations to the Caraval arrive, both Scarlett and Etta with the help of Julian, a sailor, will embark into an adventure which may seem like a game but there is also a deadly secret attatched to it.
Caraval was a great read. I enjoyed the descriptions, the secrets, even the romance, which was the kind of "enemies-to-lovers". Both Scarlett and Etta live in an abusive family with a father who is not only the governor but also a kind of mafia boss and a man who also uses his duaghters' love to make them both afraid.
The story is full of mystery with an enigmatic ending, which will also make you carve for more and I will be highly anticipating the next book!
About the author:
Hi! Thanks so much for stopping by this page. I'm only on this site occasionally, so if you'd like to send me a message, please use the contact form on my website: http://stephaniegarberauthor.com.
I can also be found on Twitter, and I love connecting with readers. If you're looking for more information about my books, I try to update my website on a regular basis.


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Kristina Stykos with Philip Aaberg, Raven
Album Review by Robert Resnik, Seven Days
February 9, 2011
On her third recording, Raven, Orange County musician and songwriter Kristina Stykos blends the wild and the gentle, with both rockin' tunes and the smooth keyboard work and synth imaginings of Philip Aaberg. He's a veteran of Windham Hill Records, the flagship label of new-age music, whose roster also included such artists as George Winston, Liz Story and label founder/guitarist Will Ackerman.
Over the course of 14 original cuts, Stykos covers a wide variety of musical terrain. She rocks out on a big, cutaway acoustic guitar on "Thing for You." On dangerous love songs such as "Turn Off the Noise" and "Soul of My Soul," she croons with a heartfelt, emotional quaver. On "Abenaki Hills" — a current personal favorite — she chants lyrics that one could imagine rising like mist from a mountain lake at dawn.
Throughout the record, Stykos uses her considerable skill as a poet like that of a painter: She draws the listener in and captivates with a canvas of vivid imagery. Her glorious, trance-like guitar riffs and Aaberg's spacey synthesizer work underscore her words, like sunlight refracted through old glass of deep but vibrant colors.
Raven showcases Stykos' consider-able talents as a musician and singer, but also as an engineer. Renown is growing for the sounds she crafts in her homegrown studio at the end of a long dirt road in Chelsea. Listening to this disc, it's easy to understand why.
Recording acoustic music is simultaneously simple and incredibly complicated. Stykos' technical expertise here has resulted in an amazing listening experience. The record swirls with a depth and warmth that makes it stand out from the myriad acoustic releases in Vermont each year. It makes me want to duct-tape my old Dynaco A-25 speakers to my head so I can hear every snap and ring. In more ways than one, Raven is a treat for the ears.
Kristina Stykos performs Wednes-day, February 16, at Kismet in Montpelier with Bow Thayer and Holy Plow.
Kristina Stykos Goes Deep in "Raven"
CD Review by Art Edelstein, The Barre-Montpelier Times Argus
December 23, 2012
With the release of "Raven" by Chelsea singer-songwriter Kristina Stykos, the three members of the former very popular central Vermont acoustic, all-women, singer-songwriter trio — Bellatrix (Stykos, Patti Casey and Susannah Blachly) — have released new albums recently.
While Casey and Blachly have released several solo albums in recent years this is Stykos' first solo effort since 2005's "In the Earth's Fading Light," which was awarded a Times Argus Tammie for best album of the year.
With "Raven," Stykos puts herself in contention again for a year-end award. As with her previous solo album, this one is strong on song content — all written by her — lyrics and production. Stykos gets help from Montana-based Philip Aaberg, a well-respected keyboardist and percussionist with a long resume in rock music. They have been friends for years. The album was initially recorded in Stykos' home recording studio by her, and then sent to Aaberg's studio in Chester, Mont., where he completed the recording.
In the years since 2005, most of Stykos' work has been as a recording engineer and record producer. When she does perform, it is most often with others. Recent groups with Stykos include the now defunct neo-Celtic band Wagtail. These days audiences find her playing acoustic sets with bluegrass rocker Bow Thayer.
Stykos' own music has a dark edge to it. Her guitar work, primarily strummed chords in alternate-tuned guitar, has a hypnotic quality. She also adds her own mandolin and a bit of electric guitar to the mix. Her voice, which she claims is not pretty, sounds somewhat like a female version of Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. A pretty voice here would not be as effective, as her smoky, measured delivery is better suited to the musical style and its lyric content.
Stykos' music is introspective and thoughtful. Her words seem to bubble up from the depth of her psyche, ideas and emotions from an underground or subconscious place that may be a very painful one. This is an artist not afraid to put her life story out there for others to follow.
Little of what she writes about on Raven is happy or carefree. Take the title track. Stykos writes: "Raven, raven in a tree/ If I were a young man I'd have three/ One for to weep, the other for to sew/ One for to miss me when I go/ Hear her cry/ Watch her fly …" This is a succinct, thoughtful lyric.
On the haunting "Aniya" (breathe on in the Lakota Sioux language), a chant as much as a song, she writes: "If I could see your face/ If I could count the stars in the sky/ I might know my place/ Gently hold my truth in inside …"
Throughout "Raven" Aaberg has found the right groove that fills in the otherwise sparse content. This musician knows how to be supportive in a role that could have been over-the-top considering his considerable musical chops. He adds keyboard-generated strings, piano passages and a variety of percussion, choosing to flavor Stykos' songs with instrumental herbs.
If the "Raven" is Stykos' totem, then it suits her well. "The Raven's" medicine is magic and to some this bird represents the great mystery of the void. On this 14-song album Kristina Stykos is certainly exploring many aspects of the human subconscious and succeeds very well.
Album Review by Dylan Waller, The Montpelier Bridge
Decembwer 16, 2011
…What hovers just above the earthly in [the other reviewed] disc contrasts with the more subterranean but equally stellar sound of Kristina Stykos' recent release, "Raven". Stykos' voice moves in a limited range, but it's not long before one realizes that this is not a limitation but rather a hypnotic, occasionally profound strength.
The raven of her song-cycle has not found its mate yet, as announced on the first track, yet it is equally determined to fly. In fact, the way Stykos approaches her notes, with an often subtle vibrato, reminds one of a bird on the uptake of flight.
Questionable and querulous as any wind may be, her songs deftly navigate the terrain of the lone wanderer on the long journey, traversing reverent places long abandoned and potential places to revere. This is the sound of what grows organically beneath a window's view, where chthonic roots earn their way to the light. Mandolin, organ and luscious and surprising guitar leads accompany "Abenaki Hills" and "Wing and a Prayer," and there's a craft even in hitting several still-spots, such as on "Thing for You," for as soon as the verses begin to appear motionless, an unsuspecting chorus blooms: "Let the sun shine." By the time she returns to the verse "I've got my yoga/I've got my braincells/I'm a little bit damaged/but I'll manage," she is voicing the survival that comes from honestly assessing any of life's desperate situations. To make such moments into art is a testament to endurance, where the song serves not merely as a signpost of growth, but as growth itself.
"Let's Cherish the Day" is a highlight here. The percussive rasp and resonance of warning often darkening her guitar tone transcends to tenderness here, as she implores, "Step through the doorway . . ." and "follow me quickly through willow and pine," to regaining a sense of what's essential in the moments passing by which make up a life: "cherish the leaf/cherish the journey/cherish the crossroads . . . cherish your life." A moment of stinging silence follows, before the incandescent strumming of her guitar responds and resumes. On the disc's finale, "Turn Off the Noise," she compels an old intimacy's revival with a joyous, encouraging refrain: "Turn off your wireless/cut us free/let's take the old road/between you and me." With that ultimately joyous concluding refrain, the song crystallizes the entire disc: there's something else to hear, outside and under the picture windows of life, all the way down to the roots of what hasn't bloomed yet, inside and out.
These discs, taken separately, may on surface seem to represent quite disparate aspects of the human experience; the harmonic element is that both come from central Vermont (as a coincidental cross-pollination, Stykos is featured in a song on Blachly's disc), and both represent an acknowledgment of the wholeness that resides in our artistic, natural and human landscape.
(Painting by Kristina Stykos "Raven's Journey")
Kristina Stykos Flies High with Raven
CD Review by Spencer Lewis, No Depression
December 13, 2010
It's not often that the poetry of words can be so well matched with its counterpart in sound and no one does this better than producer and musician Kristina Stycos. On her latest CD "Raven" there are some hard edges to decipher but it is the human spirit's will to embrace the journey that triumphs on this CD. Windham Hill Records recording artist and Grammy nominated pianist/producer Phillip Aaberg joins Kristina on "Raven", and together they forge their own path in the new Americana landscape.
'Raven, Raven' opens the set to lay the groundwork as the articulate steel-string guitar reveals a melody at once both dark and shimmering, ominous yet hopeful. In a smoky whisper she sings:
"Raven, Raven black as silk
Dark as night, pure as milk
Fold me in your ragged arms
Keep my heart away from harm"
A stinging mandolin soars above the fray like the raven itself, the merging of imagery, sound and thought. The metaphor of flying is a constant throughout the record as she borrows from the natural world to transcend the inner. Still, there are times when all poetry is put aside to stand naked, as in the chorus from 'Abenaki Hills':
"I'm looking - even though I cannot see
I'm looking –will god help me?"
The album moves like a cheetah one moment or a team of oxen the next. As in the former, 'Thing For You' gives both musicians room to fly with pulse driven snake-like drums and dancing keyboards, while her voice is cloaked in Dylanesque punk, sultry and cutting:
"I got my yoga, I got my brain cells
I'm a little bit damaged, but I'll manage…
I got a solar gain attraction,
I got a light bending rainbow, passionate diffraction"
It also reveals some subtle but big time production skills that please the ear at every turn and put songs like this onto Triple-A radio playlists.
The oxen pull hard in the 12 bar blues 'Piece of Lovin', and it's this kind of song that assures "Raven" never gets weighted down in content or pace. Yet suddenly, with the album only half over, it delivers a one-two knockout punch starting with 'Last Cup of Love':
"It's a tired rugged road, and a flagon for the asking
It's a hearth filled with coals and a heart everlasting
It's the rough hand of fate, that's dealt without warning
It's the last cup of love and your smile in the morning"
Then 'Cherish the Day' is like a stone dropped on the calm glassy surface of a lake with the ripples fanning out – inviting you in to its profound reverence:
"Let's cherish the day for all that we've dreamed
Cherish the leaf and the journey, the current the stream
Cherish the crossroads and those left behind,
Cherish your life."
If your heart is open, you'll receive it, if it's closed, it will help it to heal.
As is often the case, the making of "Raven" itself mirror's the rollercoaster ride contained within. Even with it's core of songs already written and recorded, writer and producer Kristina nearly abandoned the project in a year-long search for the right ingredients that could lift these precious nuggets to where their true identity could be revealed. It finally took a late summer cross-country ride to Aaberg's Chester, Montana studio where he added just the right touch of sampled strings along with his signature acoustic piano and every other keyboard sound imaginable. Last but not least, he's a top-notch drummer and it was the sum of these contributions that prompted a co-billing for the project as a whole.
"Raven" can, at times, be brutally direct in its approach to matters of the heart, be they intimacy, devotion, or one's own failings. In 'Don't Walk Away' the singer has no time to nibble around the edges:
"Don't walk away just like you done before
Don't walk away while I can only cry
Don't walk away just like a man who's gone
Don't you walk away this time…"
'He Will Be Free' offers non-stop/ machine gun lyrics of a mystical meeting of an all too real account of a prisoner - and friend, ending his own life.
If your willing to meet this album halfway, it'll amuse, endear, and take you for an unpredictable ride. 'Turn Off the Noise' closes out "Raven" in fitting fashion, rising slowly, then soaring, peaking high, and imploring:
"Shut off the input, while there's still time
You got distractions taking your mind
I want to touch you, birds got to fly
Let's turn on the ocean and turn on the sky
Let's turn off the noise …and get quiet."


text: Separate the layers of the napkin and adhere the printed layer to a manila tag. Stamp stars (Unknown) with white acrylic paint and let dry. Using Archival Ink Jet Black stamp the cowboys images (Sweet Grass Stamps) on to tag, Stamp quote on to label with Archival Ink Jet Black and adhere to tag


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Arena Ball
Well, that was quick.
Bruce Arena is close to reaching a deal to become coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, sources told the Insider late this afternoon.
What are your thoughts about Arena returning to MLS and taking over another high-profile, but highly troubled, club?
Steve Goff
August 15, 2008; 5:32 PM ET
Categories: MLS
Save & Share: Previous: United Roster Moves
Next: Matchnight: United-Fire
God help him & I wish him well, but I expect him to fail.
Posted by: maw | August 15, 2008 5:37 PM | Report abuse
I think it will be really good for that team. It may be tough, but Bruce can do it! Good luck to him!
Posted by: kris | August 15, 2008 5:39 PM | Report abuse
I wish he was coming here. Best of luck. Poor Coby.
Posted by: VirginiaFan | August 15, 2008 5:41 PM | Report abuse
Re-posted from the Cooper thread:
I'm staying out of this until Chest Rockwell chimes in. Then I'll agree with him.
Posted by: I-270, Exit 1 | August 15, 2008 5:27 PM
Posted by: I-270, Exit 1 | August 15, 2008 5:43 PM | Report abuse
It will be fun to watch...
Posted by: Johnny | August 15, 2008 5:43 PM | Report abuse
How is this any different from NY? Two stars and not enough money to make the rest of the team good enough to compete. Arena will fail.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 15, 2008 5:44 PM | Report abuse
God help him & I wish him well, but I expect him to fail.
Posted by: maw | August 15, 2008 5:37 PM
I agree. I wish him well but...I have a hard time believing that this is going to turn out well.
Posted by: Not a Good Idea | August 15, 2008 5:45 PM | Report abuse
Bruce's first job should be to fill the front office with...a....non-dumbasses
Posted by: Murr | August 15, 2008 5:58 PM | Report abuse
American soccer fans are always so pessimistic. Who else would do a better job guiding the Galaxy? I think Arena will do a fine job, just as he would have done if Red Bull would have given him more time. It takes some time to transition from club to international soccer and vice-versa.
Posted by: Nic | August 15, 2008 5:59 PM | Report abuse
arena is the most overrated oversold imposter in usa soccer - after bobby - the us natl team is a summer camp for mikey -bradley. world cup 2006...disaster and took none of the responsibility. ny red bulls....disaster and...u got it, took none of the responsibility...except making reyna despise him forever. he'll go 5-4-5 with la and like sigi schmid be called a soccer genius
Posted by: jmo | August 15, 2008 6:00 PM | Report abuse
ugh. the merry-go-round continues. i hope i'm wrong, but i suspect this time next year, 2010 tops we'll be talking about who the next coach is... i just hope we're also talking about leiweke getting the boot as well.
Posted by: dashiel | August 15, 2008 6:03 PM | Report abuse
Yeah, the only thing holding up the deal is the Galaxy have to compensate the Wizards for taking their color analyst.
Posted by: AM | August 15, 2008 6:14 PM | Report abuse
This appointment offers only marginal improvement over Gullit. Arena is not a very good manager. His previous run at DCU was marked by a team that had overwhelming talent relative to the rest of the league. Caught some breaks in the 2002 WC and reverted to form in 2006. Galaxy won't improve much.
Posted by: Orange14 | August 15, 2008 6:17 PM | Report abuse
American soccer fans are always so pessimistic. Who else would do a better job guiding the Galaxy? I think Arena will do a fine job, just as he would have done if Red Bull would have given him more time. It takes some time to transition from club to international soccer and vice-versa.
Posted by: Nic | August 15, 2008 5:59 PM
Yeah, but how long will the Galaxy's FO be willing to give The Bruce to turn the team around? I'd guess it'll be at least a 1-2 year project to right that sinking ship. Will the FO be patient? Although having said that, look how patient (a/k/a stupid) they were with Lalas. Will they give The Bruce as many years?
Posted by: Beaker | August 15, 2008 6:19 PM | Report abuse
Bruce Arena is no longer the winner that he used to be, and I don't think he'll be any more successful in LA than he was in NY. I wish he had quit when he was on top, but at least I'll draw pleasure from LA's continued suckiness.
Posted by: Rock on! | August 15, 2008 6:35 PM | Report abuse
Is there a specific website that informs of all the MLS transactions that have to happen by today the last day of transfers?
Posted by: DCU Fan in Socal | August 15, 2008 6:46 PM | Report abuse
he'll go 5-4-5 with la and like sigi schmid be called a soccer genius
Posted by: jmo | August 15, 2008 6:00 PM
Whats wrong with Sigi? He coached them to how many winning seasons. Letting him go was the stupidest mistake the Galaxy made since getting Lalas. LA was in first place.
Posted by: United fury | August 15, 2008 6:49 PM | Report abuse
Good luck to him, but if this ends like Red Bull it will really tarnish his image. I hope he's given the control over personnel decisions he'll need.
Posted by: Texas Addick | August 15, 2008 6:53 PM | Report abuse
He was dead to me after the abysmal World Cup. Then, when he signed with the Metros, he was more deader. When he lost that job he went back to being just regular dead again. Signing with L.A. does not resurrect him.
Posted by: Joe S. | August 15, 2008 6:59 PM | Report abuse
Is he going to take Richie Williams and Harkes with him too?
That crack staff did wonders for the Red Bulls.
Posted by: delantero | August 15, 2008 7:01 PM | Report abuse
You know, I just don't think it's that hard to turn around in the MLS.
The league is made so that almost every team has a chance to win every year. Just a couple decent moves and you end up winning about four more than you lose and - bam - you are in the playoffs.
I'm sure Arena will do fine. LA just needs to jettison Ruiz and use that money on some defense (they might want to consider giving their backup keeper a chance too) and they are just as good, or better, than 90 percent of the league.
Posted by: scott47a | August 15, 2008 7:08 PM | Report abuse
Although having said that, look how patient (a/k/a stupid) they were with Lalas.
Beaker, the Galaxy was patient w/Lalas because Lalas was the ultimate corporate suck-up w/no backbone. Arena is anything but a corporate suck-up.
I really can't believe that Arena would take this job, knowing how loony Galaxy management is -- especially since he might very well be working w/a president or GM with whom he might clash. Is Arena going to have imput into that or will that solely be Leiweke's decision?
Leiweke should be prepared for a rocky ride because Arena will not tolerate corporate BS for very long -- especially from terminal incompetents like Leiweke.
Posted by: Joseph D'Hippolito | August 15, 2008 7:38 PM | Report abuse
yep, I hated Arena at UVa. Had to like him or at least tolerate him at DCU and the USMNT. But could happily go back to hating him when he signed on with NJ. And now he decides to go to the team I love to hate the most, so I can hate his smugness all over again.
I think he will do a bit better, but they've got no players. Too much salary tied up in too few players.
What happened with Landon going to England or wherever? Has that talk all died down now?
Posted by: Glenn | August 15, 2008 7:43 PM | Report abuse
Posted by: grumpy | August 15, 2008 7:49 PM | Report abuse
Posted by: Anonymous | August 15, 2008 7:52 PM | Report abuse
American soccer fans are always so pessimistic. Who else would do a better job guiding the Galaxy? I think Arena will do a fine job, just as he would have done if Red Bull would have given him more time. It takes some time to transition from club to international soccer and vice-versa.
Posted by: Nic | August 15, 2008 5:59 PM
Agree wholeheartedly.
The only way Bruce takes this job is that he gets all say in soccer matters. Leiweke is ready to grant that. 19 Entertainment must take the backseat. Leiweke is ready to mandate that.
Yes, this club has been a mess since dumping Sigi (and they won a championship in the midst of the mess), but losing Lalas is the key to the turnaround. Next to go is Bravo. Ruiz might have to wait a while.
Could this lead to more failure? Sure. But it also could be the smartest thing the Galaxy has done since AEG arrived.
Posted by: Troy | August 15, 2008 7:59 PM | Report abuse
is anyone surprised by this development after last nights telecast?
Posted by: JSF | August 15, 2008 8:16 PM | Report abuse
Lalas was Lie-weekly's creature, zombie if you will. I have a hard time believing that Lie-weekly will be able to coexist with the massive ego that is Bruce Arena.
Posted by: Metzeng | August 15, 2008 8:33 PM | Report abuse
He will fail and the worst part is to make beckham look bad
Posted by: boo | August 15, 2008 8:36 PM | Report abuse
When was the last time that Arena was successful as a coach? I'd say the 02 World Cup. That's a lifetime in soccer and it's even longer since he was successful in MLS. The league has changed and he hasn't adapted to those changes.
Posted by: Jared | August 15, 2008 9:09 PM | Report abuse
Monkey man back!!!
Posted by: bruster | August 15, 2008 9:18 PM | Report abuse
yep, I hated Arena at UVa. Had to like him or at least tolerate him at DCU and the USMNT. But could happily go back to hating him when he signed on with NJ. And now he decides to go to the team I love to hate the most, so I can hate his smugness all over again.I pretty much feel the same way about him. My disdain began when he was still coaching youth teams in the Richmond area though.
Posted by: sitruc | August 15, 2008 9:28 PM | Report abuse
It's easy to turn an MLS team around when your only real problem is a lack of talent. When you have poor quality players combined with massive salaries, it's much more difficult. No one in MLS wants to take any of the numerous albatrosses from LA's neck save perhaps Ruiz.
AEG is going to have to change a lot of their traditional ways to make this work. They'll have to tolerate Bruce calling them out when they act stupid. They're going to have to give him more than one season. They're going to have to put 19 Entertainment's concerns on the back burner. If all of these things happen, then Bruce could bring LA back to respectability. If we're being realistic, they're only 2 good players (center back, defensive midfield) from being a contender. When you have an offense that can score so many goals despite having no central midfield presence and no balance (you know they're attacking from the right every single time), you can go pretty far in MLS with even modest defending. I don't think he'll have the success he had in DC, but I do think LA will no longer be such a train wreck.
All that said, I don't expect AEG to change much. I think they'll give Bruce a season tops, and will take his normal caustic comments too personally. During the broadcast last night, Leiweke said he was just talking to Bruce to get his input on what they do right and what they do wrong. The problems in LA go all the way to the top, and I have seen no evidence that Leiweke and AEG are capable of blaming themselves and making changes. They're much more comfortable letting the excrement roll downhill.
Posted by: Chest Rockwell | August 15, 2008 9:42 PM | Report abuse
The "Ego" has landed.
Posted by: NotHim | August 15, 2008 10:18 PM | Report abuse
From Sexy to Ugly.
Posted by: Yikes | August 15, 2008 10:20 PM | Report abuse
As a DCU fan I would be more worried if Nowak had gotten the job.
Posted by: JMR | August 15, 2008 10:40 PM | Report abuse
If LA were smart, they'd pay through the nose to get Nowak. Arena couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag. DCU didn't rise to the top at the beginning of MLS because of Arena, they rose to the top because their squad was head and shoulders above the others. Thirteen years later when parity has truly hit, it is the coach that makes the team, and Arena has nothing to offer.
Posted by: Gary B. | August 15, 2008 11:15 PM | Report abuse
Yo JSF! There was a game on last night? I thought it was just shots of Arena preening with his phone, and dude'going on and on about him... I could hardly tell a game was being played at all..
Last nights superclasico was nearly as lame as the allstar game.
Posted by: dadryan | August 16, 2008 12:30 AM | Report abuse
Goff, can you ask your sources if they've heard anything about Hugo Sanchez becoming their new coach?
Posted by: RC13 | August 16, 2008 1:27 AM | Report abuse
Bruce used to make savvy moves. This strikes me as a thoughtless move. This is not an organization to get involved with. Bruce is no longer looking for the smart things in an organization. That is what used to separate him from the pack.
Posted by: Savvy | August 16, 2008 1:28 AM | Report abuse
what about the new info that LA might sign Hugo Sanchez? I guess everyone is waiting and watching.
as long as Cobi is still an Assistant Coach, all I care about is that into the playoffs!
Posted by: MattJack | August 16, 2008 3:26 AM | Report abuse
I wish him all the best and hope he succeeds. He's been in a slump as a manger for a while, but maybe he can turn it around.
I disagree wholeheartedly with the poster who said that Arena was a poor coach riding the coattails of a great squad while with DC. The squad was good, I'll give you that, but he made so many of those players what they were. He introduced that diamond 442 and the beautiful short-passing, switch the point of attack style that was such a joy to watch. Do you think that great chemisty is just something that happens by accident? It's a by-product of good coaching and DC had it in spades.
So many players became great pros and/or played the best football of their careers under his guidance:
A lot of these guys were no-names when they got to DC, and some went right back to no-name status when they left. It was the system that he installed and his ability to put people in a position to succeed, and therefore grow, that made him easily the best domestic-grown manager we've ever had as a nation.
I admit that the man is off his game and has been for a while, but I'm getting tired of people bashing him and trying to tarnish his legacy. For what he did with DC United and what he did with the national team, particularly the 2002 WC performance, he'll always be a legend to me.
Posted by: uranderson | August 16, 2008 5:54 AM | Report abuse
I'm available for central defense.
Posted by: George Gelnovatch | August 16, 2008 6:31 AM | Report abuse
uranderson, I think you're right about Arena. Except for the MetroCows, he's won everywhere he's ever coached. That rarely happens by accident. WC 2006 was disappointing to us fans, but I don't think people really appreciate how much more difficult a European WC is for non-European teams.
Posted by: Ash | August 16, 2008 7:49 AM | Report abuse
At least Landon will be happy. He's such an average coach. Nothing will change for LA.
Posted by: hacksaw | August 16, 2008 8:25 AM | Report abuse
I wish Bruce every success. It could work out very well. I want to believe that he learned from his experience in NY.
What WE learned from his experience in NY is that Bruce has a losing record when there are no Virginia players who he has coached for years on his roster. That's going to be the same in LA. This will be a great test. No idea what will happen.
Posted by: David | August 16, 2008 8:44 AM | Report abuse
Arena usually finds a way to get the best out of his players, in part b/c he is up front with them. I think he wants to leave the game on top, so he will work hard to rebound from a poor 2006 WC, which is his current legacy. Let's also look inward on poor coaching choices by the FO. I still cringe whenever I hear Rongen's monotone voice. Nice guy, but he had a horrible stretch for DCU. Lalas will likely pick up the guitar again and go back to being a groupie. We know he will have sunk lower when he brings back the Quaker Oats goatie. Send him to Tino for life counseling.
Posted by: MR Caretaker | August 16, 2008 9:04 AM | Report abuse
Correction, the Robert Bork Quaker Oats goatie.
Posted by: MR Caretaker | August 16, 2008 9:08 AM | Report abuse
Anyone watching the Olys?
Brazil waits until the first overtime period (yes I wrote "overtime" to annoy the purists) to score two sweet goals in the run of play against Cameroon. 2:0 fianl score.
Messi punishes the Netherlands early in the first 1:0 in the 20th.
Posted by: I-270, Exit 1 | August 16, 2008 9:20 AM | Report abuse
MSNBC has ARG-NED on. Messi just scored. I was just exposed to my first commercial interruption of the tournament. Since heretofore I watched only games involving the two USA sides, I had been spared until now. In the early matches, it was Brazil over Cameroon after 120, and Belgium over Italy. That kid from New Joisey is the top scorer in the tournament at the moment, but that won't last long.
Posted by: The Jeff | August 16, 2008 9:29 AM | Report abuse
The Dutch have pulled level with the Alibicelestes.
Posted by: The Jeff | August 16, 2008 9:42 AM | Report abuse
That kid from New Joisey is the top scorer in the tournament at the moment, but that won't last long.
Posted by: The Jeff | August 16, 2008 9:29 AM
And people wonder why is dad always picks him for the team. Oh, not that kid for Joisey?
Posted by: I-270, Exit 1 | August 16, 2008 10:15 AM | Report abuse
Arena is the best American soccer coach ever. Who else has had his success at the NCAA, MLS and World Cup level?
Posted by: Mikey | August 16, 2008 10:17 AM | Report abuse
Steve's United-Fire build-up.
Posted by: I-270, Exit 1 | August 16, 2008 10:19 AM | Report abuse
Arena's real problem is he thinks he's awesome...he's not. Anyone else remember when he was shopping himself around Europe after WC 06? Nothing has made me laugh much harder in the time since. He's arrogant to the extreme, the Czech - US game the whole team continued sending up long balls towards McBride, meanwhile the entire Czech team averages a full foot taller than the americans. He's an idiot and a poor coach. Definitely won't be the one to turn LA around. They'll win one or two with the New Coach effect, but then it'll be slump city.
Posted by: JBskynet | August 16, 2008 12:06 PM | Report abuse
Speaking of McBride, it sounds like tonight will be the start of the Blanco - McBride attack.
That would be a great game to be attending, have fun Goff.
Posted by: Southeasterner | August 16, 2008 1:22 PM | Report abuse
I have been spoiled by the Oly soccer channel. This terrible MSNBC/UniversalHD coverage of ITA-BEL is killing me with all of the commercials! Every five minutes they are taking a 2 minute break! Grrr.
What a bizarre game though! Red cards! PKs! A pretty clear non-goal, goal! And to cap it off the Italians are losing despite having a man advantage for most of the game.
Posted by: Glenn | August 16, 2008 1:28 PM | Report abuse
Chest Rockwell, those were some of the most insightful comments on the situation that I've read on this thread. Contrats.
Posted by: Joseph D'Hippolito | August 16, 2008 3:04 PM | Report abuse
A bit OT, but while we have a bit of downtime here, I wish to note an Olympic team with distinctive connections to this region; namely, the USA women's field hockey team. There are several players from ODU on the squad, and virtually everyone else hails from ACC schools. Also, many of the members of the squad played their high school ball in Olsen/Gros country. They've done better than expected, including a 2-2 draw with Argentina, the second-ranked team in the world, in their opener. However, with only 4 of 12 teams getting past the first round, there is just a sliver of a chance that they will advance at this point.
Posted by: The Jeff | August 16, 2008 3:26 PM | Report abuse
I switched to telemundo at the first comercial break.
Posted by: mifflin | August 16, 2008 3:30 PM | Report abuse
May not be the right place to post, but seems like its time to pack up and head to PG county. Goff, any reaction from the club?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 16, 2008 5:11 PM | Report abuse
No TV coverage of the UNITED match tonight?!! &*(^%@#!!!
Posted by: delantero | August 16, 2008 5:16 PM | Report abuse
The wheels on the MLS coaching bus go round and round...
Posted by: Beloved Cartoon Mouse | August 16, 2008 5:22 PM | Report abuse
"I switched to telemundo at the first comercial break."
Posted by: mifflin | August 16, 2008 3:30 PM
Telemundo was a complete travesty this morning. Just like did near the end of a US women's game earlier they cut away to a pre-paid infomercial.
This morning was even worse as they cut away from Argentina - Holland after about 20 minutes! I left the house to go play soccer and came back to some BS pre-programmed stuff about the quacky medicinal values of Chinese tea on my VCR. Then since Argentina - Holland went to OT they caught the last 5 minutes of extra time after the 2 hour-long infomercials.
The local Telemundo affiliate is pathetic and inexcusably incompetent.
Posted by: garbaggio | August 16, 2008 5:31 PM | Report abuse
The DCU match is on if you have DirectKick you should be able to watch. Or if you can find a place showing it.
Posted by: Glenn | August 16, 2008 5:50 PM | Report abuse
I don't think Bruce is a bad coach. He always strikes me that soccer (football) is not passionate to him. He couldn't kick a beach ball, but that doesn't make him a bad coach. If he fails in LA, I would be very, very suprised if he's hired again in our league. Suprisingly no-one has hired him outside of the USA? Why?
Posted by: mark | August 16, 2008 7:54 PM | Report abuse
May not be the right place to post, but seems like its time to pack up and head to PG county. Goff, any reaction from the club?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 16, 2008 5:11 PM
This editorial is two and a half months old. The fact that it generated essentially no discussion when it was first published is an indication of how little impact the WT, with its microscopic circulation, actually has.
Posted by: The Jeff | August 16, 2008 10:10 PM | Report abuse
Arena's real problem is he thinks he's awesome...he's not. Anyone else remember when he was shopping himself around Europe after WC 06? Nothing has made me laugh much harder in the time since. He's arrogant to the extreme, the Czech - US game the whole team continued sending up long balls towards McBride, meanwhile the entire Czech team averages a full foot taller than the americans. He's an idiot and a poor coach. Definitely won't be the one to turn LA around. They'll win one or two with the New Coach effect, but then it'll be slump city.
Posted by: JBskynet | August 16, 2008 12:06 PM
Any team that's dumb enough to hire a fat egomaniac like Bruce Arena is doomed to suck-city. Any team that's dumb enough to hire a guy dumb enough to give an over-the-hill holding MF [Reyna] a DP contract WILL suck mightily.
Moreover, any coach dumb enough to hire a moron like Dave Sarachan obviously has let the game pass him by.
Hires like this are one reason out of many that soccer in this country is not progressing. Any mope can get lucky when the ref misses an obvious handball in the box by John O'Brien. Any moron can get lucky when the league gifts you player after player. Arena sucks, and will be exposed as the fat moron that he is.
Posted by: Arena's Ego | August 18, 2008 12:04 PM | Report abuse
All this falls into my "whatever" bucket.
I really could care less if Arena is the coach/GM of Galaxy...
Posted by: bobf | August 18, 2008 10:16 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.


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See also: NAACP Born in the Bronx, New York in 1967, Debo Adegbile (pronounced Day'-bo Ad-eg'-bee-lay) was a child actor on the television show Sesame Street for nine years during the 1970s. After attending Connecticut College and the New York University School of Law, he became an attorney and spent the first seven years of his career with the New York City-based firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Adegbile then served in various capacities with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDEF) from 2001 through May 2013, including eight months as the organization's acting president and director counsel during 2012. While at the NAACP, Adegbile authored a brief to strip members of the Hosanna Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church of the right to practice their faith and appoint ministers of the church as they saw fit. Adegbile argued to the U.S. Supreme Court that Christian churches should not continue to enjoy the same constitutional protections of the "ministerial exception," as churches had for centuries. Instead, he held that the government should have a say in who could be a minister of a Christian church. The Court rejected Adegbile's arguments, 9-0. Also during his tenure at the NAACP, Adegbile fought against school discipline, arguing that racial discrimination by teachers and principals was surely to blame for the fact that black children were being disciplined at disproportionately high rates. In April 2005 Adegbile participated in a panel at a Yale Law School conference titled "The Constitution in 2020." The event—whose goal was to lay out a blueprint for the evolution of a new, "progressive" U.S. Constitution within 15 years—was sponsored by George Soros's Open Society Institute and the Center for American Progress. In 2008 Adegbile served on an advisory board that helped the Soros-funded American Constitution Society produce a 44-page paper urging President Barack Obama to establish, by executive fiat, a new agency designed to close the "gap between the human rights ideals that the United States professes and its actual domestic practice." Specifically, the paper condemned the U.S. for engaging in "torture" as well as "cruel, inhuman [and] degrading treatment … in the name of counterterrorism"; lamented that "inequalities persist in access to housing, education, jobs, and health care"; denounced "gross racial disparities in the application of the death penalty"; impugned the "racial and ethnic profiling that has been used unfairly to target" nonwhites and Muslims; and charged that a "pay gap persists between female and male workers." The paper also pressed Obama to "nominate judges who will [recognize] that ratified treaties and customary international law are the law of the land" in America.[1] In 2009 Adegbile and a number of other NAACP-LDEF lawyers voluntarily filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that former Black Panther Mumia Abu Jamal's conviction for the 1981 killing of a white Philadelphia police officer should be overturned because of racial discrimination in the jury-selection process. (There had been only two blacks on Abu Jamal's jury, though there would have been a third, had Abu Jamal himself not instructed his lawyer to reject that individual.) In 2011, when Adegbile was the NAACP-LDEF's director of litigation, the organization successfully represented Abu-Jamal in an appeal that resulted (in 2012) in the reduction of the defendant's death sentence to life-imprisonment-without-parole. In the course of their effort to help Abu Jamal, Adegbile and his fellow attorneys depicted the cop-killer as a political prisoner. For example, a 2011 NAACP-LDEF press release stated: "Abu Jamal is widely viewed as a symbol of the racial injustices of the death penalty.... [His] conviction and death sentence are relics of a time and place that was notorious for police abuse and racial discrimination." Moreover, NAACP-LDEF lawyers under Adebile's supervision held rallies and protests on Abu Jamal's behalf. Adegbile passionately defends affirmative action and opposes the right of employers to conduct criminal-background checks on prospective hires—on the premise that such checks have a disproportionately negative effect on African Americans. In a high-profile 2012 case, Adegbile successfully argued against plaintiff Abigail Noel Fisher, a white woman who asserted that the University of Texas Law School's affirmative-action policy had blocked her from securing admission to that institution. A brief that Adegbile filed on behalf of UT's Black Student Alliance argued that the policy was justified because the school's existing "race-neutral efforts" had resulted in the enrollment of an "unacceptably low" number of "underrepresented minority students"; that "diversity's educational benefits go to the heart of our democracy"; and that, "[b]y virtue of our Nation's struggle with racial inequality, [nonwhite] students are both likely to have experiences of particular importance to [a university's] mission, and less likely to be admitted in meaningful numbers [based] on criteria that ignore these experiences." Adegbile, who believes that "a troubling strain of obstructing the path to the ballot box remains a part of our society," has twice argued cases in the Supreme Court defending the 1965 Voting Rights Act[2]—most recently in 2013. On that occasion, he defended Section 5 of the Act, which required that in fifteen separate (mostly Southern) states, no existing election laws could be altered in any way without first being precleared by either the Justice Department or a federal court. The Court ruled that Section 5 was both unconstitutional and based on outdated racial circumstances. Adegbile has also supported the Justice Department's federal lawsuits against voter ID laws in Texas and North Carolina. In early January 2014 it was reported that President Obama was likely to appoint Adegbile—who at the time was senior counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee—to replace Thomas Perez as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. In response to these reports, America's largest police organization, the Fraternal Order of Police, sent a letter to Obama expressing "extreme disappointment, displeasure and vehement opposition" to the nomination of a man who had worked so hard on behalf of a convicted cop-killer, Mumia Abu-Jamal.[3] Noting the significance of the fact that Adegbile had voluntarily chosen to help the already-convicted Abu-Jamal in his efforts to escape execution, Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania) and Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams wrote:
"It is one thing to provide legal representation and quite another to seize on a case and turn it into a political platform from which to launch an extreme attack on the justice system. When a lawyer chooses that course, it is appropriate to ask whether he should be singled out for a high-level national position in, of all things, law enforcement."
"It is one thing to provide legal representation and quite another to seize on a case and turn it into a political platform from which to launch an extreme attack on the justice system. When a lawyer chooses that course, it is appropriate to ask whether he should be singled out for a high-level national position in, of all things, law enforcement."
On March 5, 2014, the Senate voted 52-47 against Adegbile's confirmation. Eight Democrats were among those who voted "No." One of those eight was Harry Reid, who who initially voted in favor of confirmation and later switched his vote to "No"—a procedural maneuver that allowed him to reserve the right as Senate Majority Leader to bring up Adegbile's nomination again at a later date.
NOTES: [1] Joining Adegbile on the advisory board were such notables as Wade Henderson, Ben Jealous, and affiliates of the ACLU, Amnesty International, the Center for American Progress, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the NAACP, and the Open Society Institute. [2] Adegbile has characterized the Voting Rights Act as "Alabama's gift to this country." [3] Added the letter: "This nomination can be interpreted in only one way: it is a thumb in the eye of our nation's law enforcement officers. It demonstrates a total lack of regard or empathy for those who strive to keep you and everyone else in our nation safe in your homes and neighborhoods—sometimes giving their lives in the effort."
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text: On behalf of the entire faculty, we want to sincerely congratulate our December graduates. This is a momentous occasion and one we hope you take some time to enjoy and reflect upon. You have accomplished so much in earning your college degree, and we know it has meant sacrifices, sleeplessness nights, and more along the way. Know that our good wishes are with you as you cross the stage, and you'll probably even see the HUM DEV and PSYCH faculty standing and clapping as our majors receive their diplomas. Keep in touch!!


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By this point you've no doubt heard about the Internet of Things (IoT).
In a broad sense, the term refers to the connection of everyday machines and appliances—anything from jet engines to coffee makers and oil rigs—to the Web.
Right now, the IoT mainly conjures images of wired homes, where you can turn on your lights or open your garage door with a smartphone—or even a smartwatch—while Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats like Google's Nest "learn" your schedule and adjust your house's temperature accordingly.


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Zen and the art of snowmaking
How Mt Norquay opens early and maintains its runs
As skiing and snowboarding rose in popularity through the last 90 years, ski resorts were faced with an interesting challenge: how to keep the ski experience the same with larger numbers of skiers gracing the slopes over the longest season possible.
The 3 main advances in ski area technology have been lift systems, machine grooming systems, and snow-making. In this article I'll dive into the behind the scenes world of snow-making.
The first assumption that modern skiers make about man-made snow is that it's artificial. Although it is made by a machine called the Snow gun, it's formed in the same way that nature creates snow. Atmospheric snow starts as water vapour in clouds. Once the vapour gets heavy enough it starts to fall as rain, now if the temperature is cold enough the droplets of rain will freeze into snowflakes on their journey with gravity to your favourite mountain.
In much the same way the snow gun uses two main components to create snow. Firstly, hoses attached to the gun push a large volume of water which then hits an atomizer encourages our H2O friends into a fine spray that can freeze into snow flakes quickly. Second, a powerful fan sends the water vapour into the air and in the direction that it's needed most. Otherwise you would get a very neat pile of snow at the base of the snow gun burying it and your chances at covering a full ski run. not fun.
Equally as important as water and the air blower is the temperature outside. Mt Norquay opens as early as possible when the temperature at night drops below 0 C. I talked to Norquay's general manager Andre Quenneville about this and he mentioned the efficiency of snow making has a direct correlation with freezing temperatures. "If you have temperatures at 0 snow making is much less efficient than at -10 when you can have efficiencies upwards of 90%."
Once those temperatures hit the magic freezing point we need a good system and team to capitalize on it. That would be our great team of snow making experts.
Michael "Radar" Rae manages a team of 12 that work around the clock using our state of the art snow making infrastructure to push as much snow as they can early in the season. Temperature isn't the only factor though in determining whether snow will accumulate. "It's essentially just a game of making sure every gun is working right" says snow-making guru Rae. The snow making team constantly adjusts and readjusts as the temperatures change to maximize their efficiency.
Some would say a dream job, our snow makers here at Mt Norquay are night owls, which for them is ok since they can ski all day (or sleep but who needs that when you can ski). Others might say it's a thankless job done by a tough group of unsung heroes.
All this adds up to Mt Norquay opening our slopes earlier than most North American ski resorts and creating the perfect grooming that Norquay is known for, so next time you rip up a stellar groomer on Mystic or launch yourself into the air in our terrain park, remember to send good vibes to our snow-making team.


text: To better simulate professional racing we've developed a Caution Flag Procedure for Gran Turismo 6 that can be operated by race participants, with or without an off-track spectating race official, as well as with or without a dedicated Safety Car. The goal of the caution procedure is to minimize the risk damaged and limping cars present to other racers, to reduce but not eliminate the negative effects of suffering damage, to simulate situations in which the track would be effected by debris and stranded cars, and to introduce the regrouping of the field under yellow. Each room will require a dedicated 'Race Official' with voice chat capability to operate the caution flag procedures. This can be the room host, the safety car driver or any racer with voice chat, or a volunteer spectator. Deployment of the Safety Car: A caution can be requested by any driver whose car has damage that causes a severe limping situation, or is blocking the track in a manner that is difficult to rectify. A driver requesting a caution, will call out or type in the text chat 'YELLOW'. The race is not yet under caution, but drivers should be alert for dangerous situations ahead. Once a driver has asked for a yellow the host will verify that there is enough time or laps, then call 'Caution, Caution, Caution' clearly across the voice chat. The race is then under caution flag conditions and control of the Race Official. When a caution is called the safety car will be deployed, if no safety car is present the the Race Official will tell the leader to assume the role of the safety car immediately. The safety car will pace the field at 70 mph / 113 km/h. If there is a dedicated safety car it will immediately wave by drivers until it picks up the race leader. As soon as caution is called passing is prohibited, drivers must reduce their pace slightly until they catch the pace group, and be alert for damaged cars on track. Once drivers have joined the pace group they must maintain a reasonable following distance between 5-10 car lengths in single file behind the safety car, keeping to the left side of the track on straights. Weaving and aggressive braking behind the safety car is prohibited. Passing other cars is prohibited during a caution, except for cars that are stopped, off track or not maintaining position within the pace group. Passing the safety car is not allowed unless waved by. Cars deliberately dropping out of the pace group will keep to the right and the pace group will pass on the left. Cautions can not be called within 3 laps of the end of the race. Closed Pits & Emergency Service: The pits are immediately closed when the race comes under caution. Drivers can enter closed pits for 'Emergency Service', for any reason. Drivers in a severe limp situation and those who called for the yellow must pit for emergency service. As a penalty for taking emergency service drivers will perform a stop and go pit penalty, to be served at the end of the last lap .under caution, as the race returns to green flag conditions. Open Pits: The Race Official will call the pit lane open after damaged cars have cleared their emergency service pit stops. All drivers may pit in open pits, including those that took emergency service. Returning to Green Flag Racing: The safety car will be recalled one lap after the pits are called open. The safety car will pull to the side of the track in a safe place before the final series of corners, the field is then under the control of the leader for a rolling start. Drivers who took emergency service will enter the pits to serve their stop and go penalty. On the approach to the restart drivers must maintain less than 5 car lengths to the car ahead. No passing or overlap is allowed until the car crosses the start finish line. The leader can choose to accelerate at any time between the exit of the last corner and the start finish line. Drivers must follow through with their initial acceleration, unless to avoid incident, overlap or passing. A driver may not break acceleration on a restart for the purpose of gamesmanship. Drivers that do not reasonably react to the acceleration of the driver in front of them can be passed before the start finish line. Race Official Script: When a driver asks for a yellow confirm that there are enough laps remaining: CAUTION, CAUTION, CAUTION. Pits are closed, except for emergency service. Those limping and who called for the yellow must take emergency service. After the emergency service stop are complete: Pit are open to all drivers this lap (repeat as the safety car approaches pit entrance). After the open pit stops are complete: Safety car in this lap. Those who took emergency service must pit for their penalty. The leader can go between the final corner and start finish. No passing before the start finish. Repeat as pace group approaches the final series of corners. As the leader accelerates towards the start finish line: GREEN, GREEN, GREEN If it seems a lot to take in, don't stress. Just follow instructions from the race official on the voice channel. Don't pass anybody that's not limping, and hustle safely around to join the pace car train. Don't pit unless pits have been called open, unless it's a damage or fuel emergency (and remember that if you do that you'll have to pit again for to serve a penalty when the race goes green). Here's the TL;DR version of the procedure: Anyone can call for a yellow for a car that is limping, or for a car that is in a vulnerable position and difficult to clear. Either the safety car is deployed and picks up the leader, or the leader assumes the role of the safety car. The safety car or leader will pace the field at 70mph/113kmh Pits are closed, but anyone can take emergency service. Those involved in the yellow must take emergency service. All those who take emergency service must pit for a stop and go as the race goes green. The pits are called open after emergency service has finished. The safety car will leave the track one lap after opening the pits. The leader may accelerate towards the green flag anywhere between the final corner and the start finish line. No pasing or overlap is allowed until the start finish line. With 3 laps to go cautions can not be called to prevent races from ending under caution.


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Photo: Murray Lloyd
(serves 8)
Serve this dish as a starter or a platter amongst other vegetable or antipasto platters. It also makes a glorious accompaniment to roast lamb served with new season boiled potatoes and a green salad. This is one asparagus recipe I might be tempted to peel the stalks and just for the visual aspect.
60mls (4 tbsp) olive oil
40g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter (cubed)
680-720g (40) thin asparagus (prepared)
20g (6) anchovies (lightly rinsed in cold water and chopped)
45mls (3 tbsp) lemon juice
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fried Bread Croutons
- Into a heavy based fry pan set over a medium heat place olive oil and butter and cook till butter is melted. Add asparagus and anchovies and cook for 3-4 minutes till asparagus is just tender.
- Remove asparagus and anchovies from pan and place on a platter. Add lemon juice to pan juices, stir to combine. Depending on your taste pour as little or as much of the pan juices over the asparagus to form a dressing.
- Sprinkle with parsley and season to taste.
- Scatter Fried Bread Croutons over asparagus and serve while still warm.


text:
About AaMAZE
Perform Live
Exhibit Live
Program 2018
PERFORM LIVE AT AaMAZE !
Are you a singer, musician or a band ?
Perform with your band at AaMAZE !
We will love to hear from you, so send your application as soon as possible at email@example.com
Are you a dancer, athletic or something else ?
At AaMAZE we love diversity ! If you want to perform live within dance, gymnastics or something else, we would love to hear from you too ! Write us at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Question lists
Q: In which film does Robert De Niro play Travis Bickle?
A: Taxi Driver
This is one of over 1500 quiz questions and answers we offer for FREE here.
Choose the number of questions required and degree of difficulty. You will then have three printing choices:
- Questions without answers
- Questions with answers together
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text:
University Faculty's Response to Student Loss by Death or Romantic Break-up
Abstract (Summary)Coping with a significant loss is an issue that many college students will encounter while in an environment not conducive to the mourning process. As an institution that plays a large role in students academic and personal growth, universities need to be made aware of the unique challenges bereaved students face. This study was designed to assess university faculty response to and awareness of loss in college students. Types of loss assessed were the death of a family member, the death of a boyfriend, and the break-up of a 3 month or 3 year relationship. Faculty were recruited from four Pennsylvania universities via email; 533 responded to a fictitious case by completing an on-line questionnaire. As expected, the type of loss, length of relationship, and type of relationship all contribute to the degree of support given to the griever. As far as faculty accommodations, the student experiencing the death of her brother received the most academic accommodations, followed by the student who lost her boyfriend by death. The student experiencing a romantic break-up was less accommodated. The faculty viewed the student going home to be with her family or having time off from school to deal with her emotions as most important if the student suffered the death of her brother. However, they perceived returning to normal school responsibilities as most important for the student experiencing a break-up of a 3 month relationship. The majority of respondents indicated that they did not have a pre-established policy regarding student loss. When asked about expectations for the student returning to normal functioning, the most frequent choice for a student experiencing a death was 1 to 2 months. The findings of this study indicate a great deal of variability in how student losses are managed by faculty members. Faculty members must be made aware of the impact losses can have on students so they can begin to develop policies and practices that provide an environment that encourages student success.
Bibliographical Information:
School:Indiana University of Pennsylvania
School Location:USA - Pennsylvania
Source Type:Master's Thesis
Date of Publication:08/07/2008


text:
Pre Engineered Steel Building
Pre Engineered Steel Building is a GMF structure built over a structural concept of primary members, secondary members, and the cover sheeting connected to each other. The structural members are custom designed to be lighter in weight as well as high in strength.
For today and in the future, GMF has become the material of choice in building construction, compared to concrete and timber. Thus GMF building designs have become more flexible, durable and adaptable.


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Hey everyone! So by the title you would think it's my birthday, BUT, it's not actually until Saturday.
However, since everyone never knows what to get me, and I never know what to ask for, I just got to pick everything out myself. I bought mostly all of it online so it shipped before my actual birthday.
Some of you are probably like, well that sucks, no presents on your birthday?! But I actually much prefer spending time with family I never see, and less prefer presents, so it's not really a big deal, I'm extremely grateful that I got such wonderful gifts from my family.
And if you want to know– I'm going to be 20!! Last week of being a teenager, it's beautiful =]
Before I post the items, I want to say two things:
1) This is not to brag about anything I received for my birthday! I love watching what people got for their birthday, and the excitement, so I thought I would make a birthday haul blog post as well. If you have any problem with it, just don't look!
2) I'm posting pictures of the exact things I got from off the web. I would take real life photos with my camera but all/most of the stuff I got is beauty related, and because I'm in the process of organizing, my vanity is a mess, and everything is out of place and I don't know if I can find it all. heh =]
So here it is!
First thing I got is from my wonderful fiance, Eric =] He, so generously, bought me this gorgeous bracelet from Tiffany. It's the Return to Tiffany Heart Tag Charm Bracelet in Sterling Silver. I guess you can buy charms to hook on the other links, but I'm pretty happy with how it looks plain. What do you think?
Next, Eric got me a 200 dollar gift card to Sephora, so first I purchased this Purity Cleanser. It takes off all your makeup on top of giving your face a refreshing clean. I haven't used this yet because I don't want to waste my other face cleansers, so I'm using them up first. Makeupbyleina uses this cleanser, and she loves it, so I knew this would be good for me, because we have the same skin type! I got mine in the 16 fl. oz. which was 32 dollars.
With the remainder of the gift card, I got a CLARISONIC! I was so excited to get this. And I have to say it is so worth every penny. I used it the second it arrived in the mail with the Go Clear Cleanser it comes with. I felt like I got a facial. It was so nice. The brush is nice and soft on your skin, while still giving you the scrub you need. It also made me feel like the face cleanser was really getting into my skin and not just scrubbing off dirt on the surface. I really enjoy it, and it's a really great addition to anyone's skin care routine. I totally recommend it! I purchased the Clarisonic Mia in Pink for about $150.
Next item I got is the Evian Facial Mist. I actually got in the huge 10 oz bottle for about $20. This was a gift from my mother because she knew I was searching high and low for this at every beauty and drug store in the area and absolutely no one carried it. I wanted it so bad! Its perfect to keep cool and spray on your face after a work out or something. It also can set your makeup, which is fantastic. I believe she purchased this off of Amazon.com
Last item I received is this 10 Drawer Rolling Cart. This is in every makeup collectors videos, and I wanted one desperately. And there's actually a horrible story that goes along with this. So I purchased this cart off of Amazon through the company that makes them. Anyway, It took about a week to even get the e-mail that it had shipped, and about another 1.5 weeks to receive it. It actually came today in the mail while I was at work, and Eric offered to build it for me. Well he took it out of the box and the metal bars were TOTALLY BENT. Like seriously! How does this happen, did the incredible hulk get a hold of my package?! Also, it was totally crooked! The back bar was about 5 inches longer than the front bar, so it like tilted downward. If I had put the drawers in they would just fall right out! So needless to say it was totally defective. I called the company and they are shipping me a new one, which should be here Monday the 19th. Kind of sucks that they couldn't get it here sooner, I already waited awhile for this one. So that made me super unhappy because I was looking forward to it. But hopefully I don't encounter this problem again. This is a great addition to any makeup collectors storage, and I will post on how I organize the drawers next week.
In addition to those items, the items on my "M.A.C and Prescriptives Haul" was also purchased by my amazing fiance for my birthday. He surprised me and brought me to The Cosmetics Co. and I got all of that for like 70 dollars, gotta love the discounts there. =]
Share with me what you got for your birthday! I love seeing that! =]
Thanks for reading everyone and have a great week!


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Published by Gallery Books on 4th September 2018
Pages: 320
Buy on Amazon
Hazel Camille Bradford knows she's a lot to take—and frankly, most men aren't up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don't send them running, her lack of filter means she'll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She's a good soul in search of honest fun.
Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met—when she gracelessly threw up on his shoes—to when she sent him an unintelligible email while in a post-surgical haze, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air.
Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there's nothing between them...right?
Josh and Hazel are apparently undateable together—that much power-writing duo Christina Lauren wants to bring across. But the irony is that they are never better matched despite their opposite ways, as the story trundles on. Both go on blind double dates (mostly disasters), get on as good friends (loads of banter and nonsense talk), then finally realise that they do actually belong together.
After having quite a good time with a few of this duo's books, jumping into Lauren's 'Josh & Hazel's Guide to Not Dating' was something I eagerly did…that is, until the very first chapter caught me out with the antics of a female protagonist I had a bad feeling about.
There's no other way for me to say this, but I simply found Hazel cringe-worthy. At least, there's the part where the adorable, bumbling fool kind of woman would probably find purchase with many readers because it's so obvious how flawed she is. Unfortunately, she simply read like a protagonist who couldn't grow up and stayed that way so as to become as a plot device mirroring the loud, clueless millennial—as reported about with derision in the newspapers these days—who stumbles over everything and says whatever her mouth decides to say without engaging her brain.
But unlike Bridget Jones, she appears fully formed, owns her quirks, and pretty much heads the movement for how women should be themselves (and proud of it for going through men, not wanting commitment) without changing for anyone…which is a good thing right?
For me, it was too much, too hard, too affected because it felt like the authors were trying too hard to make her the kind of woman who's just like a commitment-phobic male protagonist unable to hold a relationship. Written as larger than life because it's fiction and drawn up so deliberately like a character in a sitcom or as a mirror of this kind of male hero, Hazel simply made me sigh in resignation and not in a good way.
Unlike the usual style of Lauren's that compelled me to read what this writing duo has done so far—the first person narrative, the huge touch of the insane in this romcom—this book started as a rough ride for me, oddly so because of its very lighthearted feel that just didn't leave me clutching my sides in laughter. It did get somewhat better as Josh and Hazel find their groove together first as good friends, but I couldn't really hold an interest in a book where the protagonists obliquely get closer together while dating others.
In short, it's a story that will appeal to many, but it isn't one for me.


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Thunder from Down Under Friday Women Only
Show Time: 4:00 AM
Doors Open At: 3:00 AM
The Australian all-male dance revue Thunder from Down Under is a feast of flesh and fantasy for women, providing a titillating yet tasteful time for everyone. The all-male dance revue makes one promise of the night: to make sure you get exactly what you came for. And the Aussie imports make good on their promises, giving the females a feast of flesh and fantasy the Greek Gods would be proud of.


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Of course it's a great title when it has to do with the time and cost involved in making this great necklace!
This cost around $10 and I literally completed this in under 5 minutes!
Now of course the phrase would have been in there straight if I didn't stick it in while walking away from the craft table at the Rediscover Close To My Heart event to get a group photo taken with everyone who was there from our team but it truly shows just how easy it was.
You can see that I am wiping off the excess liquid glass from the glass cover in the group photo. LOL
I also have to share the funny story behind my choice of image in the necklace.
Back in February I attended a Women's Wellness retreat for military family members (which was an absolutely incredible, life changing experience).
A close friend and myself actually helped create a lot if the decoration, handouts and workshop stuff ahead of time including clothing items made from paper for everyone to write their worries on to hang on a clothesline between two trees for the weekend, a map of Canada with speech bubbles to record various postings and events that have happened as part of each persons story, a mini tag album and some cards for everyone to complete and more....
We showed up a day before to help the facilitators set everything up and while asking if there is anything else we could do my friend was handed a large stack of paper with leaves printed on them and a pair of scissors...
Yup... You can imagine the look!
Us who just cut using two Cricuts (some days even used 3) for weeks leading up to this and now we are given scissors with printed images to cut out???
Needless to say the printed images were handed back to the facilitator and the 60+ page sized leaves were cut out in a matter of about 30 minutes and on nicely patterned paper too!! LOL
The facilitator was then dubbed "she who runs with scissors".
Now you can understand why when staring at a large table covered in a massive variety of little images from Close To My Heart that make this project so ridiculously easy my choice was obvious and a gift for the facilitator "She who runs with Scissors" was made.