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Hello everyone,
I'm really excited to be writing this week's blog as this is our 100th Fetish Friday post!
Who would have thought that I was perverted enough to write about sexual fetish for ONE HUNDRED weeks without running out of ideas? Well apparently I am that perverted – hoorah!
Really though it is you, the kinky population of this world who I have to thank for reaching this milestone. Without all of your dirty minds and unique sexual tastes this blog really could not exist.
So, how are we going to celebrate our 100th post? With a KINKY QUIZ and an exciting PRIZE GIVEAWAY of course! Jump Straight To The Giveaway
Yes, for our 100th blog post we're not only treating to you to a fun pervert quiz but giving you the chance to win a Fetish Friday 100th Birthday Bundle worth over £150!
Sound good? Okay, fantastic.
All you need to take this quiz is a pen and paper (to note down a letter for each answer) and a good sense of humour!
Okay, let's go…
QUIZ: What Kind of Pervert Are You?
1, Wearing which of the following would turn you on the most?
[F] A straightjacket.
[A] Some kind of uniform or professional attire which represents authority.
[C] Designer briefs/ sexy lingerie.
[B] A g-string, nipple clamps and "BITCH" collar.
[D] Something revealing (in public).
[E] Wellington boots filled with custard.
2, In which of these sexy settings would you most like to get it on?
[C] A big bed with silk sheets in a luxury hotel.
[F] A room filled with balloons.
[B] A playroom with a cage – only your master/mistress has the key.
[E] A bathtub of baked beans.
[A] The boardroom at the head quarters of your multi-million dollar company.
[D] A dirty alleyway behind a nightclub.
3, Which of these items would you most like to add to your sexual play?
[E] Six cream cakes and a paddling pool.
[A] Rope, a flogger and a butt plug for your partner/sub.
[C] A bottle of massage oil and a silk blindfold.
[D] A trench coat and a picnic blanket.
[F] A sounding rod, your ex's dirty underwear and a vile of virgin's tears.
[B] Nothing. You are not worthy of gifts or possessions.
4, Which of these scenarios appeals to you the most?
[D] You are sitting in a park early one evening and notice that no one is around. You grab your partner and have them right then and there on the picnic bench.
[A] You are the school's head teacher. A 'student' is sent to your office for wearing inappropriate uniform. It is your job to discipline them.
[C] You are playing Xbox on the sofa with your partner; a friendly game turns into play fighting and before long clothes start coming off…
[E] You are in the garden after a storm having sex in the mud, rubbing dirt over one another's bodies.
[F] You are in a furry club dressed as a soft giraffe when suddenly a sexy wolf begins to grind on you.
[B] You are chained up in a dungeon. Your captor enters the room with a ball gag, whip, lube and large dildo.
5, Which of these scenarios appeals to you the most?
[B] As a punishment for not doing your homework, teacher canes your bare behind over the hard wooden desk.
[C] You are sharing in a hot romantic bath. Your partner washes your hair, massages your shoulders then reaches between your legs…
[A] After humiliating your 'colleague' in a meeting, you invite them into your office and instruct them to give you oral sex underneath the desk.
[E] You are having a shower together when your partner drops to their knees and begs you to pee on them (or vice versa if you prefer).
[F] You are alone in a room with three hyper-realistic, highly advanced sex robots. You are free to do with them anything that your perverted mind desires.
[D] You are in the middle of the dance floor. Your partner slips a hand into your underwear. A couple of people notice what's going but you moan with pleasure anyway.
6, Which of these scenarios appeals to you the most?
[F] You are in an 'adult nursery' wearing booties and a frilly bonnet. Nurse enters the room, takes off your nappy and talcs your bottom.
[D] It's 11pm and you are parked at a dogging site. There are 5 other cars parked nearby. You switch on the internal light and put on a naughty show for their viewing pleasure.
[C] You've got the house to yourselves so decide to get a little adventurous. You pull out your copy of the Kama Sutra and have fun finding out just how many positions you can manage in one evening.
[A] The church is emptying after your Sunday sermon, but someone remains seated on one of the pews. As soon as the two of you are alone that person stands and approaches you, confesses to have sinned and begs to be punished.
[E] You are both in the kitchen. On the table there is jelly, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, custard and cream. It's your turn to throw first.
[B] You're walking down a crowded street with your partner (you're both dressed normally), but rather than holding hands your partner is holding the leash which is attached to your collar, showing the world that you are owned property.
7, Lastly, dirty talk. Which of the following would make you tremble with excitement when whispered in your ear?
[E] "I've just bought a fresh can of whipped cream, which nipple should I decorate first?"
[D] "I think the neighbours can see – fuck me harder!"
[A] "I'm shy, please be gentle."
[C] "Your body is so sexy. You're the only one I want."
[B] "I'm going to whip you six times. When I'm finished, say 'thank you'."
[F] "Once I'd administered the enema, I want you to hold it for eight minutes, okay?"
You're inclined to be dominant in bed and like to take control. Whether you're a little bit of a Christian Grey or a sadistic Dominatrix, you take pleasure in delivering punishment and corrupting innocent minds.
Mostly 'B's – SUBMISSIVE
You like being tied up and told what to do and sometimes you like to be punished. You know better than most that pain can be pleasurable, so where better to explore your inner masochist than in the bedroom with a dominant partner?
You're Mr./ Ms. Mainstream. You like sex to be clean and pain-free, and what's wrong with that? You don't need a cattle prod and a gimp mask to have a good time so why complicate things? Sometimes sex is best when it's just the two of you in a big bed having orgasm after orgasm… and a nice cuddle afterwards of course.
Mostly 'D's – OUTDOOR EXPLORER
You're either a bit of an exhibitionist or you enjoy the risk of being caught, either way, you feel that sex is more fun when your venture outside. Why have sex in the house every night when you can head outdoors and mix things up a little? The woods, a parking lot, the neighbour's back garden… anywhere that's new and risky makes sex all that more exciting.
You like your sexual play to be wet and messy. Whether that's sploshing with cream and gravy in the kitchen or enjoying a nice, hot golden shower; sex is a lot more fun when you don't play by the rules. We say, cover your furniture in plastic, clear out the desserts isle of Asda and make as much mess as you possibly can!
This is the strange and obscure fetish answer, so unless you're into straightjackets, balloons, sounding, furries, sex robots, infantilism and enemas, you're probably a bit of a joker. However, if it was brutal honesty that brought you here then YOU ARE MY HERO.
I hope you enjoyed that little quiz and I'd love to find out what kind of pervert you are! But we're not done with the birthday celebrations. To thank you all for coming back each week to Fetish Friday we're offering an amazing prize to one lucky reader. In this amazing bundle you'll be getting a Black Mr Realist Suction Dildo, a set of our popular Underbed Restraints for a little light bondage, a bottle of our Bondara Luxury Waterbased Lubricant to keep you feeling good, set of Roll Play Erotic Story Dice to get your creative juices flowing, a Little Chroma Vibrator in Ruby Red worth £85 and if that wasn't enough, you'll get a £20 Bondara Voucher to spend on whatever arouses your interest! This tantalising prize bundle is worth over £150 and full of goodies that will appeal to your filthy fantasies!
To enter, just use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter up to 4 times per person (giving you a greater chance of winning!) and please remember this competition is only open to UK residents, but we still want to hear your quiz results nevertheless!
Good luck!


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tie dye skirt etc…
Nationality :
Description : Hand-made Tie Dye Dress & Spiral Tie Dye skirt (100% soft cotton)
Nationality :
Description : Hand-crafted from cowhide & python Phone Case Holder for every popular model. Each case is specially designed to fit and protect your mobile phone, as well as offering distinctive good looks with silver concho.
Nationality :
Description : Blue Opal Necklace with silver lock , polished Blue Opal stones from Peru (left)
Spiral Bracelet made with brace (copper). The spirals were bent and then hammered (right)
Blue Opal (from Peru) – Can be used for Spiritual Journeying to protect and help you to go where you wish. It helps us find the "right action" and diffuse reaction.

subset: commoncrawl


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I am manually carrying out a series of files which involves generating files on my local machine and then copying them over to a remote machine.
Currently, I use scp and ssh to perform these tasks. At the moment, eash time I want to ssh into the remote machine, or do a scp, I am (quite rightly), prompted for a password. However, I want to automate the tasks into one script that I can setup to run with cron.
I have seen insecure solutions to this problem, which involve setting the PASSWORD in an environment variable. I am not comfortable with that. Can someone suggest another, more secure way of automating a script that uses ssh and scp?.
BTW, both my local machine and remote machine are running Linux (Ubuntu)


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Home > NoteBurner Audio Converter > Version History
Version History of NoteBurner Audio Converter
Virtual CD-RW burner converts music or audio to MP3, WAV, WMA
NoteBurner converts any DRM protected music M4P to MP3, WMA to MP3, M4B to MP3 and can convert any music formats to any formats with Virtual CD-RW drive. We keep on increasing the music conversion speed by faster the CD burning and music encoding procedures. We are also focused on better music quality. Version history of NoteBurner is listed as below:
Version 2.35 was released on June 08, 2011
- Adding the feature of merging mp3 files and improving the compability with 64 bit OS.
Version 2.31 was released on Oct. 08, 2010
- Fixes bug concerning the 64-bit that the formaer version cann't support and support iTunes 10. Please download and upgrade the latest version.
Version 2.30 was released on July 01, 2009
- Fixes bug concerning the default output folder cannot be accessed for the Vista system.
Version 2.26 was released on May 19, 2009
- Increases the audio conversion speed and fixes some minor bugs.
Version 2.25 was released on November 28, 2008
- Adds new output audio formats such as Ogg Vorbis, FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec), AAC, M4A.
- Fixes bug concerning length of some converted music is not correct.
- Fixes bug concerning abnormal program exit for some music files with long TAC info.
- Fixes bug concerning some converted music still has 3-minute limitation for the registered users.
Version 2.22 was released on August 04, 2008
- Supports faster virtual cd burning and fixes some minor bugs.
Version 2.21 was released on July 31, 2008
- Fixes bug concerning the mp3 encoding error for some WinXP/Vista users.
Version 2.20 was released on July 16, 2008
- Adds the "Open Folder" menu for the right-click menu on the disc manager window.
- Adds the warning pop-up window for the deleting the disc folder.
Version 2.19 was released on June 25, 2008
- Adds more information for the status bar when scanning virtual CD recorder.
- Fixes bug concerning the program error for the main menu of More->Language->Auto.
Version 2.18 was released on June 04, 2008
- Improves the audio output quality and fix some minor bugs.
Version 2.17 was released on May 15, 2008
- Improves MP3 encoding speed and fixes some minor bugs.
Version 2.16 was released on February 25, 2008
- Fixes bug concerning track number is not accurate for the WMA output.
Version 2.15 was released on February 19, 2008
- Adds French user interface.
Version 2.14 was released on January 03, 2008
- Adds option to batch re-name output file names.
Version 2.13 was released on December 28, 2007
- Fixes bug concerning MP3 bitrate setting.
Version 2.12 was released on December 26, 2007
- Automatically checks whether the program is still running on the background.
- Fixes bug concerning setting music style for WMA.
Version 2.11 was released on December 19, 2007
- Adds Japanese language support.
- Fixes bug concerning ID3 Tag v1 Genre cannot be saved for some music files.
- Refines CHM help file.
Version 2.10 was released on December 14, 2007
- Adds "Previous", "Next", "Pause" controls for the built-in Mini-Player.
- Adds support for ID3 Tag V1 and V2.
- Supports editing the TAG info for WMA music.
- Supports artwork for WMA format.
Version 2.02 was released on December 03, 2007
- Adds the "3:00 Trial" logo for the trial version.
- Adjusts the display of the song length in the music Player according to that of the original song.
Version 2.01 was released on November 29, 2007
- Supports displaying large music artwork.
- Supports opening file folder by double-clicking the filename in the Track Info area.
Version 2.0 was released on November 27, 2007
- Adds display area of "Track Info" which contains ID3 tags for artist, album, title, Genre etc.
- Supports editing ID3 tags.
Version 1.41 was released on November 21, 2007
- Adds option to disable the "Quick Guide" window.
- Fixes bug concerning file directory cannot be recognized under Vista systems.
Version 1.40 was released on October 15, 2007
- Adds GPL/LGPL Legal Notice.
- Fixes bug concerning Manager Window cannot be flushed after play-back of one song.
Version 1.39 was released on September 11, 2007
- Fixes bug concerning error for Japanese prompt messages.
Version 1.38 was released on August 28, 2007
- Supports extracting music information from music folder.
- Fixes bug concerning program error when playing back WMA music.
- Fixes bug concerning program error when reading non-English ID3 tag from MP3 files.
Version 1.36 was released on August 06, 2007
- New designed GUI for better user experience.
Version 1.35 was released on July 05, 2007
- Adds Japanese user interface.
Version 1.34 was released on June 20, 2007
- Fixes bug concerning program error when output folder is assigned to a network drive.
Version 1.33 was released on May 18, 2007
- Fixes bug concerning output file size error when selecting MP3 VBR as output format.
Version 1.32 was released on May 16, 2007
- 1. Adds file management (Rename, Delete, etc.) for converted music files.
- 2. Fixes bug concerning ID3 tag error for multi-CD burning.
- 3. Fixes bug concerning the Manager window does not synchronize with the music file lists.
Version 1.30 was released on May 11, 2007
- Supports all versions of Windows Vista.
- Fixes some minor bugs.
Version 1.26 was released on april 22, 2007
- Adds internal audio player to enjoy converted music files.
Version 1.25 was released on March 26, 2007
- Supports faster Virtual CD ripping and MP3 encoding.
Version 1.24 was released on Feb. 26, 2007
- Fixes bug concerning blank music files are inserted when converting a long list of music files.
Version 1.22 was released on Feb. 10, 2007
- Fixes bug concerning converted music list cannot be refreshed.
Version 1.21 was released on Feb. 09, 2007
- Fixes bug concerning converted music lists on Manager window are not synchronized with output file folders.
Version 1.20 was released on Feb. 06, 2007
- Adds program exit option on the Manager window.
- Shows NoteBurner installed Virtual CD-RW drive name on the lower left corner of the Manager window to help user select default Virtual CD-RW drive for media play software.
- Shows the Virtual CD-RW drive name on the NoteBurner system tray area.
Version 1.11 was released on Feb. 02, 2007
- Adds option to automatically run NoteBurner on Windows starting-up;
- Fixes some minor bugs.
Version 1.10 was released on Jan. 31, 2007
- Adds more options for output music formats;
- Adds quick tutorial on the Manager window for beginners.
Version 1.02 was released on Jan. 22, 2007
- Supports editing ID3 tags;
- Updates CHM help file;
- Fixes bug concerning Disc and Track List incorrect synchronizing with Files on Output Folder.
Version 1.01 was released on Jan. 12, 2007
- Supports converting protected M4P music to plain MP3;
- Adds tutorial on converting iTunes M4P to MP3.
Version 1.0 was released on Jan. 08, 2007
- Supports burning music to Virtual CD-R;
- Supports Manager window to choose output formats options.


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Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Something is Fishy in local Law Enforcement. "Aquaman and his Sea Police" Adventure Comics #264
This may be one of my all-time favorite Aquaman stories.
It seems the recently flooded (and totally made up) city of New Venice is having some trouble with keeping law and order in its streets, er, canals. So, they call for good ol' Aquaman to come and keep the peace. I guess it was cheaper than buying a couple of boats for the New Venice PD.
Aquaman knows just what to do. He brings in a posse of his finny fins from the briny deep and in no time, they're using their aquatic antics to stop speeders, litter bugs, pickpockets and even a bunch of yahoos fishing out of season.
This has GOT to be a violation of these men's constitutional rights!
What grabs me most about this story, is the wonderful setting. New Venice seems like an ideal locale for Aquaman. He can interact easily with people and still get back to water every hour. He can fight crime in the city and still patrol the seas. There was a brief (read as: ONE issue) attempt in the 70's to take him back to New Venice, but it was never picked up. If I were writing a monthly Aquaman comic (and God willing, someday I will) I would totally set it in New Venice. But then, like most fanboys, I have a whole agenda of things I would do "IF".
As always, the brilliant artwork by Ramona Fradon is some of the best of it's age.
Labels: Adventure Comics, Aquaman, New Venice, Ramona Fradon, Topo
4 comments:
Gotta love Aquaman's hat and badge. It kind of clashes with the orange and green attire, but we'll forgive him for that faux pas.ReplyDelete
Jared: I think they really-well- missed the boat by not having his badge be a live starfish!ReplyDelete
That is genius Aaron! A starfish would have been great!ReplyDelete
Jacque: I know! Right?ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Huawei Technologies recruitment 2015. Huawei Technologies Hiring Freshers from 2014 batch for Software Engineer position in Bangalore. Eligible candidates can apply online. The link to apply online is provided below.
About Huawei Technologies India:
Huawei Technologies provides innovative and customized network solutions for telecom carriers around the world. Huawei holds leading positions in the global market in switching, next generation network (NGN), integrated access network, DSLAM, and intelligent network. Specializing in the areas of fixed network, mobile network, optical network, data communications, and value-added services, we strive to enable the best communication with our deep understanding of customers' needs.
Huawei is dedicated to delivering long term value and potential growth to our customers. Established in 1988 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, Huawei has already won trust from over 300 telecom carriers around the world. Our products and solutions serve over 90 countries, as well as 22 of the world's top 50 operators. In 2004, Huawei's contracted sales reached USD5.58 billion.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. is a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong. It is the largest telecommunications equipment maker in the world, having overtaken Ericsson in 2012.
Huawei was founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei, a former engineer in the People's Liberation Army. At the time of its establishment Huawei was focused on manufacturing phone switches, but has since expanded its business to include building telecommunications networks; providing operational and consulting services and equipment to enterprises inside and outside of China; and manufacturing communications devices for the consumer market. Huawei has over 140,000 employees, around 46% of whom are engaged in research and development (R&D). It has 21 R&D institutes in countries including China, the United States, Canada, UK, Pakistan, France, Germany, Colombia, Sweden, Ireland, India, Russia, and Turkey, and in 2013 invested US$5 billion in R&D.
Software Engineer
Job Description:
- The candidates will be working with the development teams in different technologies.
- Candidates have to work on outsourced software development, testing, business analytics and software/ applications development services to global clients.
- Candidate should be ready to work on Telecom domain/ Android and Wireless networks
- The candidate should be a team player.
1. BE/B-Tech/MCA/M-Tech 2014 Batch only Above 70%
2. 10th & 12th 70% & above only.
3. Only [CSE, EEE, Electronics/Telecommunication /Computer Science ]
4. Basic knowledge preferred C / C++
Technical Skills Required:
- Sound knowledge of Data Structures, Computer Networks and C Programming.
- A good understanding towards SDLC and STLC.
- Familiar with OOPs concepts.
- Good in General Aptitude and Problem solving.
Locations of work:
4.5 Lakhs Per Annum
How To Apply:
Interested candidates can apply on the below link
Huawei apply Link


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How was 2015? Sharing here a few leaves out of my diary that's full of memories - of traveling and story-telling.
With Village Women who Fight Traffickers
The first trip of the year took me to the villages of Lambadi people (a Nomadic tribe) in Mahabubnagar district of Telangana. Not so long ago, these villages were a notorious hub for sale and trafficking of baby girls. But today, local women are ensuring that every girl goes to school. They also fighting against child labor and child marriage. Here you can read their inspiring story - Not Without Our Daughters: Lambada Women Fight Infanticide and Child Trafficking.
Telling stories of India's Development Refugees
In February, I met men, women and children of Koya and Konda – primitive forest tribes living in India's Eastern Ghat mountain. Soon, thousands of them will become refugees as a mega dam is coming up in their homeland. Here is the link to their story 'Development refugees' resist Indian dam
But even as uncertainty is looming large over their future, the tribal community is learning skills that will keep them food-secure even in the most adverse situation. Here you can read that story "In the Shadow of Displacement, Forest Tribes Look to Sustainable Farming"


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"iPhone 3g vs. BlackBerry Storm" by Akkas
Detailed iPhone and BlackBerry Storm information from wikipedia site:iPhone BlackBerry Storm
Do you want to see what was the first PDA look like? Click Here
History of PDS`s. Click Here
Apple iPhone
Apple's iPhone and iPhone 3G use the "underclocking" of a more powerful processor, rather than the full clocking of a less powerful processor, to maximize battery life. The power consumed by using a slower processor is more than using the more powerful processor at a lower clock rate. In this application, the ARM 1176 processor is "underclocked" from 620 MHz to 412 MHz.
What is underclocking? Click Here
PDA Comparison iPhone 3g vs. BlackBerry Storm
page revision: 28, last edited: 13 May 2009 21:51


text: TRIATHLETE EQUIPMENT ROOM - NOT MINE THOUGH :-( Just a short post before to go to bed for the equipment geek among us :I stumbled upon this video today. Helle Frederiksen, pro-triathlete from Denmark presents us her equipment room, quite impressive (if you are into endurance multi-sports that said...)Now I wonder how she can keep it so clean! :-) Posted on : 2011-09-21 23:55:23 by Jérôme Sadou Tags : Triathlon Equipment Triathlete Add a Comment - Ask a Question By Hank At 2011-10-13 01:42:51 This is completely random but I came across your 2010 Fuji Track Comp photos on Flickr and was wondering if the fork came drilled for a brake? Thanks. By Jerome At 2011-10-13 21:45:59 The one Fuji Japan lent me last summer had indeed front and rear brakes installed, I think that is the norm for the Japanese model. I am not sure it is for other countries. Checking fujibikes site, they state that some spec. can differ from one country to an other. Tweet Shots from Instagram Youtube Channel Nickname : required E-mail : required Blog, Homepage Url : optional What are you doing ? : optional Where are you? : optional Comment : required Send Comment Close


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Lessons from my second half marathon
Always Learning – I've Joined Udacity
Udacity's online courses (Nanodegrees) teach in-demand tech skills. The courses are designed by industry experts. Here's why I'm excited about joining.
read more
Notes from NationBuilder's Masterclass
My notes from NationBuilders one day Masterclass held at The Hoxton Hotel. A full day of workshops on digital
read more
4 Email Newsletters I ALWAYS Learn Something From
Yes, email can be a bore. Yes, it can be a timesuck. Yet, there are some amazing email newsletters out there that can be a joy to receive.
This post is a collection of a few of my favourites that I ALWAYS learn something from. I would most definitely miss them if they weren't dropping into my inbox.
I think you should subscribe to them too :)
read more
Do you speak fluent startup?
I had an idea to start a startup glossary to help everyone learn the frequently used terms in the industry. Having realised there were much better resources already out there, I have curated some of these into this post.
read more
Customer Service: Good vs Great
What defines customer service as 'good' vs that of an organisation whose service is 'great'?
read more
My posts. Your Inbox. Once A Month.
Nobody likes spam and I'll never send you unnecessary email. Just my best content and news every once in awhile.
Startups | Marketing | Product | Self-Improvement | Only Good Stuff (Promise!)
Andy Parker
Entrepreneur | Digital Strategist | Marketer
© 2016 Andy Parker.


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At Hallmark Security, our security guards are highly trained, and of course licensed to industry standards. We take the time with our customers to put together a bespoke plan in place for our clients ensuring the best possible security suited to their needs. At Hallmark Security, we deliver a highly professional manned guarding service with activities including:
Our security guards will deliver physical presence as a means of protection as well as performing patrol premises.
Hallmark Security guards Huyton offer complete protection to your business and home 24 hours per day. All of our security guards are trained to the very highest standards and work under careful instructions of local management and to your safety requirements.
Whether your requirements are for:
We have the professionals for the job, and for facilities where 24 hour manned guarding isn't required, we offer various other security solutions including mobile patrols and keyholding services. To find out more about how our services can benefit your business for your manned guarding needs contact us today to arrange a no obligation confidential consultation
Popular areas we offer security guard sites services in –
Huyton – Knowsley – Liverpool – Prescot – Runcorn – Speke – St Helens – Warrington – Widnes


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The last 15 minutes of choreographer Crystal Pite's Dark Matters are among the most sublime ever created in dance, overwhelming the heart and mind with the images created.
Pite, whose company Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM is based in both Vancouver and Germany, is a true genius of dance. She usually begins her choreographic exploration with an intellectual inquiry, but then her immense imagination takes off to create works that ponder the very essence of humankind's existence.
Dark Matters (2009) was inspired by "the dark matters" of both science and of the soul. The first act uses the metaphor of puppetry to delve into the relationship between creation and destruction in the universe, as influenced by black holes or chaos theory. The second features the seven dancers under the influence of the black holes of the mind. But this quick description doesn't begin to touch the depths of Pite's choreographic inquiry.
In a way, Dark Matters sets up a sucker punch. The first act is genuinely amusing, almost cartoon-like, and Pite lulls us into a false state of equanimity. She then hits us hard in the solar plexus with her melancholy second act. Composer Owen Belton has created a stunning electronica score that fits the stage action like a glove. Designer Robert Sondergaard is responsible for the masterful lighting.
Jay Gower Taylor's conventional set for the first act is a room with a table, chairs and overhead light fixture. Dancer Peter Chu is sitting at the table busy creating his puppet. When it is ready, Chu attaches it to eight sticks manipulated by four dancers clad as kuroko – the stagehands found in Japanese kabuki and noh theatre.
Covered from head to foot in black, the kuroki give the illusion of invisibility. We see them, but we pretend they are not there. What follows is a rather hilarious encounter as the stick puppet takes on a mind of its own, getting upset, for example, over the red pants his creator wants him to wear.
As the puppet becomes more belligerent and rebellious, full-scale war breaks out between creator and creation: An epic battle causes the entire set to collapse. Pite has done a miraculous job of having her dancers move the puppet in a lifelike way, down to the smallest emotional detail.
The second act opens on a totally bare stage. Only one kuroko remains, with the other six dancers dressed in casual clothes. For this act, Pite has created movement that is so supple, the dancers look like they are made out of rubber. And then we begin to realize they are puppets themselves with invisible strings.
The dancers express yearning and bewilderment. They find no comfort in each other. They form physical attachments, strike poses of tortured kinship and then float off, like atoms adrift in space. Throughout, the kuroko (Sandra Marin Garcia) is the shadowy figure representing the black hole of fate, or perhaps human despair.
And then there is Pite's devastating ending. Dancer Jermaine Spivey performs a poignant solo that suggests a lost soul alone in the universe. Through short staccato moves, constant changes of direction and erratic turns, he becomes a puppet pushed and pulled by a relentless tide.
The last image Pite offers us is one of painful beauty. Garcia removes her kuroko clothing. Chu, now a lifeless form on the stage, is cradled by Garcia as she mimes sewing strings into his body. With these strings, she brings his distorted body to life, but to what kind of life? Pite's Dark Matters raises this disturbing question, but leaves us with no answer.
Dark Matters
- Kidd Pivot Frankfurt RM
- Choreographed by Crystal Pite
- Presented by Canadian Stage
- At the Bluma Appel Theatre
- In Toronto on Tuesday
Crystal Pite's Dark Matters continues until March 3.


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More than any other art form, fashion designing is the one place where substance meets style. A vibrant realm, it has been a perennial favourite when it comes to career choices. If it is in... Read more
One out of every 5 Indian woman suffers from breast cancer ; a disease that silently creeps into our lives and changes everything. It does not differentiate between caste or color, rich or p... Read more
Collaboration between the departments of Fashion Photography and Fashion Communication. "Unleashing the sensual side of a human, embracing the twin gender" Model : Neerjal Basnet Dept. of Ph... Read more


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Why EarthTech?
EarthTech has one priority – to provide you with the highest level of professional service – a "one stop shop" for outdoor services. We are a trusted company providing industrial landscape solutions as well as commercial and residential landscape services. EarthTech will save you both time and money by maintaining your outdoor space with professionalism and competitive prices.
- Anticipating client needs
- Preventative maintenance that maximizes and preserves property values
- Use of the latest technology to provide proactive communications, thereby eliminating many unforeseen problems
- Responsiveness, and the ability to quickly resolve issues when they arise without inflated prices or untimely scheduling
- Consistently unsurpassed service
- Complete satisfaction of our customers for landscaping design, building, and maintenance, as well as any other services we provide
These everyday practices are what puts us above the rest and makes EarthTech a comprehensive outdoor service company.
EarthTech strives to be a responsible, contributing member of the community. We utilize sound landscape practices to create and maintain ecologically safe environments for our clients.
While many companies talk about 'going green,' EarthTech practices Water Conservation, Sustainable Landscape Practices, Recycling and Green Waste Reduction programs every day.
EarthTech works hard to set the standard for quality service. We are committed to providing the highest level of service and professionalism at a competitive market price, while constantly maintaining our attention to details
EarthTech's technicians are fully licensed, and our business is fully insured, for your protection.
Our Technicians
We employ professional, uniformed technicians who are trained to be stewards of the Earth and conscious, responsible caretakers of the community.
Our technicians have years of experience and are the best in their field. They maintain intimate, professional relationships with our customers. They understand and anticipate our customers' needs and always deliver on our commitments.
We value and acknowledge each employee as a unique and individual part of our company. We encourage the continued growth of each technician professionally, personally and as a community member.
Safety in the workplace is of the utmost importance and will never be compromised. Whether working on an industrial landscape job or residential, you can expect the best quality work and customer service.
EarthTech performs background checks on all our technicians.


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Late one summer afternoon in 2012, I happened to find myself in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, wandering about in a tangle of streets and alleyways in a busy part of downtown, trying to locate a gay bathhouse and sex club called Spa Adam. I had the address, but the numbering of the alleys seemed to be out of sequence and I couldn't figure out the logic of the urban plan. I was about to give up in despair when I suddenly stumbled on the place, built into a gracious old house with a balcony, and clearly signposted. Once I did find it, I wondered how I could have missed it, not just because it was so conspicuous and so easy to identify, but because blaring from the doorway at high volume in the small street was British pop singer Adele's current hit, "Someone Like You."
Cognitive Assemblages: Technical Agency and Human Interactions
In the work of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, assemblage [agencement] carries connotations of connection, event, transformation, and becoming. Privileging desire, affect, and transversal energies over cognition, it would seem an unlikely choice to define cognitive assemblages; however, the broader definition of cognition I employ brings my argument somewhat closer to theirs (although significant differences remain). I want to define cognition as a process of interpreting information in contexts that connect it with meaning. This view foregrounds interpretation, choice, and decision and highlights the special properties that cognition bestows, expanding the traditional view of cognition as human thought to processes occurring at multiple levels and sites within biological life forms and technical systems. Cognitive assemblage emphasizes cognition as the common element among parts and as the functionality through which parts connect.
Donald Davidson once told me that to be able to use a rule one must first have the concept of error. And I used this idea in a work, changing Davidson's words to read, "The softest rule sheathes the razor edge of error." I always thought there was something wrong with Davidson's remark, but I could never put my finger on the mistake (or, should I say, lay my hand on it?). Wittgenstein says in On Certainty, "Practice in the use of the rule also shews what is a mistake in its employment" (OC, p. 6e). Do I want to say that rule and error are not separable as Davidson wanted to think? Wittgenstein's remark does not rule out that error might, in some way yet to be determined, be logically prior to the rule.
What happens when we stumble upon a decaying human corpse or, in a more ordinary case, upon an open wound, shit, vomit, brutally torn-out nails or eyes? What we experience in such situations is not just a disgusting object but something much more radical: the disintegration of the very ontological coordinates which enable us to locate an object into external reality "out there." The essay analyzes different ways we cope with such disturbing excesses, passing through Kant, Hegel, Rosenkranz, Lacan, and Kristeva. The concluding point is that, in the guise of a disgusting object, the subject encounters a stand-in for itself: the ultimate "abject" is the subject itself.
In Expressionism in Philosophy: Spinoza, Gilles Deleuze contrasts philosophy and revelation. Expressionism is the privileged modality of immanence and intelligibility, and is thus opposed to a "knowledge by signs" that characterizes the domain of revelation and is supposedly meant to foster faith in ignorant people. The ontological dimension of revelation — that is its necessity — is then dismissed by Deleuze's reading. Emmanuel Lévinas, following an apparently inverted logic, reproaches Spinoza for having subjected revelation to an overly rigid ontological necessity, thus missing its "signifying" value. Do we then find too many or too few signs in Spinoza ? By focusing on Spinoza's method of interpretation as developed in the Theological-Political Treatise, I attempt here at challenging these approaches and at showing how the issue of the symbolic inscribes itself in Spinoza's project. I define the symbolic as this dynamic of overinterpretation (superstition?) without which philosophical understanding would be impossible.
What I want to propose is that, in sight of the planetary bodies that began to appear regularly in the newspapers, magazines, and on television in the late 1960s, what I have called negative prosodic cosmography becomes, for some poets, a tool for the designation and description of the wrong world. For the most interesting poets of the age, photographic images of the earth taken from space provided the clearest evidence of the wholesale falsity of the creeping discourse of maudlin, lopsided universalism that carried the images aloft into the public sphere and pervaded the expression of their meaning and significance. The compulsion to satirize this public discourse animated a number of poets of the period. But I also want to go further and suggest that it may be a useful theoretical optic for reading a number of twentieth- and twenty-first-century poetries to conceive an entirely wrong world as a condition for maintaining its refusal on a daily, practical basis, and thus also as a condition of something like a utopian project to be realized at the far end of that resistance. The maintenance of the conceptual links and wormholes between, on one hand, a transformed totality of social relations, and the current state of things on the other, is a task intrinsic and essential to the aesthetic relation. Poetry is the art most capable not only of securing and maintaining this relation but also of flooding it with revolutionary energy.
Rethinking Meaning in Early Chinese Art: Animal, Ancestor, and Man
Students of ancient Chinese art face a perpetual challenge: they have few contemporaraneous documents to rely upon in exploring its intended meaning. Although China is famous for her long history and rich literary legacy, ancient writers seem to have determined early on what they would write about and what they would avoid putting in words. One subject they consistently evaded were the architecture and objects dedicated to the dead – the construction of thousands of richly furnished tombs and the massive creation of ritual paraphernalia used in ancestor worship. It may be argued that writings on such matters actually existed but have perished in the course of history, or that such documents may still be hidden somewhere waiting to be discovered. But I doubt that this is the case. A recurrent pattern indicates a deep taboo against writing about artistic practices related to the netherworld. Thus, although ancient ritual canons contain detailed instructions about how to conduct funerary rites, the prescriptions stop right before the moment of entombment. Similarly, few passages from the vast corpus of Eastern Zhou and Han texts, including many newly excavated documents, record the world of deceased ancestors in any detail. The scarcity of such writing cannot be taken as evidence for the lack of interest in these matters. To the contrary, people of this period were preoccupied with the construction of their posthumous homes; their numerous inventions in funerary architecture, decoration, and furnishing made this period the Golden Age of Chinese funerary art. What the contemporaneous writers' silence on these inventions indicates, therefore, should be understood as a self-imposed literary restriction. We sense the same restriction in a famous dialogue between Confucius and his disciples. Asked to characterize a wise man the master replied: "He is the one who respects ghosts and gods but keeps them at a distance." To philosopher and historians, matters "kept at a distance" were subjects of religious belief and artistic imagination unsuitable for recording in texts.
I. Response to Catherine Malabou, "One Life Only: Biological Resistance, Political Resistance"
In "One Life Only: Biological Resistance, Political Resistance" (Critical Inquiry 42 [Spring 2016]: 429–38), Catherine Malabou offers her thoughts on the enigmatic topics of biopower and biopolitics. The former term is thought to derive conceptually from Michel Foucault's first volume of The History of Sexuality (1976). The latter was formulated originally as early as 1912, though the term is often attributed to the Swedish political scientist Rudolf Kjellén, who, in the 1920s, referred to it as a logical alternative to his concept of geopolitics. Essentially biopower refers to the power of the state to use biological knowledge to intrude into the biological aspects of life in order to regulate or control populations under its influence. Biopolitics refers either to the exercise of political power over the biological aspects of life or the intersection between political power and biology.
II. Philosophers, Biologists: Some More Effort If You Wish to Become Revolutionaries!
Norman MacLeod's response to my essay "One Life Only: Biological Resistance, Political Resistance" is extremely helpful because it allows for a long-awaited discussion, that is, for a new type of exchange among biologists and philosophers (see Norman MacLeod, "Response to Catherine Malabou, 'One Life Only: Biological Resistance, Political Resistance,'" Critical Inquiry 43 [Autumn 2016]: 191–99). The problem is that this discussion is not the one imagined by MacLeod. Rather, it is generated, in a certain sense, by the holes in his response and argument.


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Why am I sitting on my couch this beautiful Sunday morning instead of sitting in church with my hubby? I'm not feeling my best this morning. You see, I am training for a 5k race using the Couch to 5k Running Program. This program is supposed to get you off your couch and running a 5k in 9 weeks; I'm in week six. The program starts with interval training (alternating running and walking.)
Thursday morning it had me running 8 minutes without stopping, but Saturday it jumps to 2 miles or 20 minutes! I was a little nervous as I have never even run a mile without stopping (even when I was in high school sports.) Surprisingly I ran for a solid 20 minutes without keeling over, however that turned out to be only 1.8 miles. I was a little disappointed that I didn't complete the full 2 miles, so I decided to try again this morning. BIG MISTAKE. The program states not to run outside of the training schedule, but of course I knew better. (My body, however, did not.) I got dizzy and light headed. I just felt week all over. I came home, and instead of getting ready for church I plopped down on the couch and started blogging.
So I made this apple seed numeral match game that is appropriate for kindergarten or some of your lower firsties. Feel free to use it if you can.
End of Year Emoji Fun!
2 weeks ago


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The Client
Dry Case provides the world's outdoor enthusiasts with epic waterproof products that work as hard as they play.
The Challenge
Dry Case contacted us for help switching their website's shopping cart platform and improving a clunky and outdated user experience. We converted their website to a more robust platform and built a custom WordPress backend to simplify daily activities and maintenance. This combination gave them a solid foundation to grow their online business.


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St Helens MP Marie Rimmer has hailed the contribition small firms make to the local economy.
Speaking ahead of Small Business Saturday, Ms Rimmer encouraged residents to "shop small".
She said: "There are lots of great businesses in St Helens South and Whiston and the campaign is a great way of raising awareness and helping boost trade."
Angela Eagle MP, Labour's Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, said: "Small Business Saturday is growing bigger and better every year, it's such an important day because it puts small businesses in the spotlight and encourages people to shop locally.
"Labour wants to do more to help our risk takers and wealth creators, by helping businesses with the challenges they face on issues like access to finance and late payments. We'll work in partnership with businesses entrepreneurs and workers to create a stronger economy."


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Hare have recently introduced a Wheel bearing press to the range of aircraft wheel and brake equipment.
The 25 ton capacity press designed using assemblies from our standard range is fitted with a manual slide table, long stroke and light screen guard for added safety.
The press tonnage can be adjusted from 1 to 25 tons, the ram movement is controlled by push buttons which allow the operator to accurately inch the ram in either direction.
The slide table will accommodate everything from the smallest Cessna wheel to Airbus A380


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Resident "Trophy Whore," TrickyMic shows us how to get several achievements in the "The King Of Chinatown" level.
Its such an easy game to Platinum
Is it really? I'll be getting this game soon. Can't wait!
i hope this video helps you! i plan to do more for this game
hey tricky great vid i will definitely be using it, is this game really that hard to platinum? and how long
the hardest thing will be beaten all the levels on a pro level but with my videos that will be no problem!
you can just play thru the game without lookin at your trophies and get the majority of them just completing the challenges
So true, last night, I got 3 bronze and 1 silver in less than a minute, I thought it was a glitch or something when I saw the trophies coming.
The trophies do come easy, thats why i focused on the challenges for this and just mentioned the trophies you will pick up in the process if you did not have them already
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It's part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today's pop culture.


text: A new Flower Kings album is a whole event by itself, a reason good enough for every fan to celebrate. The band is the brainchild of Roine Stolt, an artist well known for his works in Transatlantic, Kaipa, and numerous other projects and appearances, and this new release took five years to see the light of day. It's really hard to try and tag the style of music, maybe we destroy some of the magic, but let's just try to do so, for those that haven't had the experience of listening an album of the band. First of all, lets say that the music might seem easy to explore but complexity is the key point here, and it finds it's way to every aspect of the album. From the melodies, to the song structures and composing, everything is complicated but tempo changes and rhythms are shifting in a very natural way, and won't mind the listener, even the most freshman. The majority of the arrangements are lengthy, with the top being a 25 minute opus, where the band truly overcomes it's abilities, and leaves the listener amazed. All work here has been carefully crafted, and the performance is simply outstanding. Whether it's slower and melodic parts, or when the band hardens it's sound a bit, everything is so well performed, that both new and old fans of such music will love and grin with pleasure. The keys are excellent also, blending perfectly with the guitar melodies, and along with the gentle vocals of Roine Stolt create some stunning soundscapes. In general it's really hard to find words to describe the feelings you get when listening this, as it is to find flaws and things that could be done better. Give this album some time, it's not an easy listening. It needs hours and hours, it needs your mind focused, as it will reveal some if it's secrets as the music unfolds. Progressive Rock at it's best.


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1976 1977 Basketball # 1 Juluis Erving Nets
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1976 1977 Basketball # 1 Juluis Erving Nets in VG condition - no creases. I have almost ALL of the 1957-58 Topps Basketball cards listed in my e-bay store as well as many basketball star cards from 1961 Fleer and 1969-1980 Topps - also check out the many football, baseball, hockey and basketball cards from the 1950's, 60's, and 70's I have listed on e-bay. Shipping and handling is $3.00 for first class shipping for as many cards you may win and you can combine purchases from different days to save $ on shipping charges. Same rates apply if single cards bought different days and PAID AT SAME TIME WITH ONE PAYMENT . (H&S, 05-09, # 526)


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So blogger is acting up! My emails aren't going out and my comments aren't coming in to my email? I have no clue what is up! I'm so sorry!!! If this one goes through make sure to check out what you've missed:) I hate not having control, hummm how many of you knew that? LOL! Anyway I'm aware of the issue. I just don't know how to fix it. I emailed the powers that be, so far no help! Hang in there:)
Thanks for stopping by!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Email Notification and Comments??
Posted by Dee Jackson at 11:21 PM
1 comment:
- maria @ kitchen sink said...
This is absolutely incredible Dee! WOW! FABULOUS!!!! :D
- February 15, 2008 at 11:55 AM
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5 pounds honey, if you an get local honey all the better, I don't have a price on honey. You can also get honey powder it taste just like honey, but it is made from sugar not honey.
Oats, I get mine at IFA ( our local feed store) 30 dollars for 50 pounds. Wal-Mart price is 13.58 for ten pounds in the food storage area or 2 LBs 10 oz for 1.68.
Have you been able to find extra kids clothes? I was able to find a small bag of girls size 9 mo to 12 mo for a dollar. Got them washed up and put back.
Are you getting information off the computer?
Put back more water and add a little more to your money stash.
Hope you have a great week.


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We've worked hard to build Chipmunks into a brand our customers love – and love to engage with. Now in our 20th year, we're more excited than ever about what the future holds. Learn more about Chipmunks and our story below!
Chipmunks Playland & Café is an internationally-trademarked brand that began in Port Chalmers, New Zealand and is still based there today.
Chipmunks is the largest franchised indoor children's adventure playground in the South Pacific and caters to children aged 0-11 Years. We also host children's birthday parties, after hours functions, offer school holiday programs and out of school care, and more.
A market leader with 19 centres in New Zealand, 21 in Australia and 9 in Indonesia, we have maintained our growth through established, robust systems, backed with experienced staff, thorough training and dedicated support.
Now in our 20th year of operation, the relationships we have built with our trusted suppliers underpins our commitment to providing state-of-the-art playground equipment and facilities that are of the highest safety and operational standards.
In addition, we have created our own brand ambassador, 'Charlie' the Chipmunk. Charlie helps us connect further with families, during both visits to the store and beyond. He is our most popular birthday party host, and also features on merchandise, marketing and in-store equipment.
This year Chipmunks Playland & Café celebrates 20 years of family fun!
Always looking for new ideas, Chipmunks was born after founders Lance and Kerri paid a visit to an Auckland-based indoor playground with their then, young son.
"We loved the concept, and decided to open our own unique indoor playground after noticing there was a gap in the market."
18-months later in 1996, they opened their first store in Christchurch. Soon Dunedin, Invercargill and several other South Island centres followed.
Chipmunks eventually expanded into the North Island market, and based on the success there, decided to take the company to the Australian market where Chipmunks is now synonymous with fun and value for money.
Chipmunks was formally franchised in Australia in 2008, with the first Indonesian franchise came later that same year.
With over 49 stores in three countries (and plans for many more), Chipmunks has grown into a true New Zealand success story thanks to Lance and Kerri's drive and vision.
Chipmunks Playland & Café provides a safe, inviting, fun-filled, tech-savvy environment that visitors of all ages will enjoy and remember – for years to come.
At Chipmunks, our actions are guided by four main values;
We believe every customer has the right to play in a clean, safe playground, and enjoy quality café food at an affordable price. Our practice has always been to provide services that deliver outstanding value for money and bring a smile to all members of the family.
As part of our commitment to customers, we regularly review all our staff training and safety practices to ensure we meet New Zealand's high safety standards. We also have many guidelines in place to ensure everyone who visits Chipmunks can play and have fun – no matter their age or physical limitations!
All our stores are wheelchair-friendly & equiped with baby change facilities.
At Chipmunks we believe fun is a philosophy and not reserved for special occasions! We want every experience at Chipmunks to be a memorable one. We work hard to deliver the latest indoor play innovations, entertainment and service ensuring no two trips to Chipmunks are the same!
Using our 20 years' experience in playground technology, we've designed our exciting play structures with both physical and intellectual play in mind. We love to encourage movement and imagination and have many play structures and activities dedicated to inspiring children 0-11 years to explore active play.
Interested in a Chipmunks franchise?
Love Chipmunks! It's clean, bright and exciting for the kids. Also serves hot beverages to keep the parents sane.
Love Chipmunks! It's clean, bright and exciting for the kids. Also serves hot beverages to keep the parents sane.
Sharon Howe
July 2016
I love it because I can see the pure joy in my son's face when we are there and is making lots of new little friends. Also the hot chocolate is always good to enjoy myself when I relax.
I love it because I can see the pure joy in my son's face when we are there and is making lots of new little friends. Also the hot chocolate is always good to enjoy myself when I relax.
Ashlee Ann-Marie Tanner
August 2016


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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (April 20, 2015) – Sipp Eco Beverage Co. announced an expansion of the brand's organic sparkling drink line, Sipp Sparkling Organics, launching 10.5oz slim cans, which just finished production and are now available through pre-order.
The cans, offered in the brand's five current flavors (Mojo Berry, Ginger Blossom, Summer Pear, Lemon Flower, and Zesty Orange), will be sold in cases of 12. The suggested retail price for a single can is $1.49.
"The decision to expand to cans came about through inquiries from several food service accounts," Beth Wilson-Parentice, CEO and Founder of Sipp, commented. "We are very excited about the launch. This line will further extend our reach into bars, restaurants, and other food service establishments including natural vending companies that prefer cans over bottles. For consumers who love Sipp and want to enjoy our flavors at a lower price and lower calorie format, the slim cans are the perfect option."
For information about ordering, please reach out to firstname.lastname@example.com.
About Sipp Eco Beverage Co.
In late 2009, Beth Parentice set out to create a new, healthier soda alternative. After many months of mixing, testing and tasting, Sipp debuted at the Natural Products Expo in Boston and unveiled a brand new line of organic sparkling beverages sweetened with agave. Sipp has received celebrity endorsements as well as awards for packaging and flavors including Best Beverage of 2011 in Beverage World Magazine. Sipp has also been featured in FOOD & WINE Magazine as well as Martha Stewart's Whole Living Magazine. Visit www.haveasipp.com to find a location with Sipp near you or to purchase Sipp online.


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Gem is a sweet, friendly pit bull who got his name because of his sparkling personality. But these days, he isn't feeling so bright and happy.
The Sunday before Thanksgiving, Gem's owner died. Architect Jason Labutka had adopted Gem four years ago from the Brooklyn rescue group Strays from the Heights. Soon after, while out walking in his Upper East Side neighborhood, he met Lauren Glick, owner of a pit bull named Tiggie. As it turned out, Tiggie was a Heights alum, too.
The two dogs and their owners formed a tight pack, hanging out at the park or at each other's apartments. Even after Labutka moved to Chelsea, the four met up often. "We rarely got together without our dogs," Glick recalls.
When Labutka or Glick went on vacation or a business trip, the other looked after both dogs. And, the pair made a pact: if anything should ever happen to one of them, their dogs would stay together.
Neither imagined keeping the promise so soon. Labutka was just 29 when he died of complications from a bacterial infection. Gem now lives with Glick, 27, who says it's a huge comfort to have her best friend's best friend with her. Tiggie is thrilled to have his favorite playmate for a permanent roommate.
The trio have settled into a comfortable routine. Glick has gotten used to handling two dogs on every outing. "Tiggie likes to walk on my right, and Gem prefers the left side," she explains. But now they have a new ordeal to overcome: while cuddling the dogs on the couch two weeks ago, Glick noticed a suspicious lump on Gem's neck. A visit to the vet confirmed that Gem has cancer.
"We got a diagnosis of lymphoma," Glick says. "It's either the worst luck on the entire planet or a sick twist of fate, but we're praying for a positive outcome."
The good news is that, thanks to early detection, Gem has an excellent chance of kicking cancer. But K9 chemotherapy is costly, so Lauren is asking friends and family to make donations toward Gem's lifesaving treatment. To contribute or just send them good wishes, email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Archive for October 22, 2013
What You Need to Know about Injection Molding
Today, there are many kinds of manufacturing techniques. One common and useful technique is called injection molding. Injection molding involves the production of parts by injecting a special material into a mold. The types of materials that can be used in this process include metals, glasses and, most commonly, a variety of types of plastics.
The material of choice is heated, mixed and then injected into a mold cavity. The mold cavity is typically filled to between 95% and 99% full. Afterwards, slight pressure is applied to perfect the mold. Once in the mold cavity, the material cools and hardens to the shape of the mold. Because temperature plays an important role in the process, injection molds and machines must be kept at specific temperatures and humidity levels to achieve


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- Industry Solutions
- Products
- Application Partners
- Digium
- Fortinet
- Spectralink
- Hot Deals
- Technologies
- Media
- Downloads
- Company
Wavelink is a leading distributor of technology solutions for the mobile enterprise. Our organisation is focused on combining a range of complementary, best of breed global technology with our local market expertise to distribute and support the brands that we represent. Our narrow solutions set, technical expertise and focus on specific industry verticals is our key differentiator from more generalised volume-based IT distributors.
Each element of our product range is strategically selected to be complementary to each other element, enabling us to deliver value added business solutions to our resellers and to their customers.
Our fundamental belief is that establishing long-term, mutually beneficial and rewarding, relationships between Wavelink and its partners and customers is of utmost importance. To this end, we aim to offer the highest possible levels of ongoing support to our distribution channels and to end-users, utilising the strengths and extensive industry experience of the Wavelink team.
Wavelink has strategically positioned ourselves to capitalise on the global explosion in the enterprise mobility space.
Wavelink distributes and supports the following brands:


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West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge is located in the western basin of Lake Erie. The island is home to the largest blue heron and great egret rookery in the U.S. Great Lakes and is also home to black-crowned night herons and snowy egrets.
In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established West Sister Island "as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. . . ," and it was specifically designated to protect the largest wading bird nesting colony on the U.S. Great Lakes. The refuge is jointly owned by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.Staff at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge manage the island as a wilderness area, as provided under the Wilderness Act. West Sister Island is Ohio's only Wilderness Area.To protect this vital nesting area, access is permitted for research only.


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With the increasing trend of 'staycationing' (choosing to holiday in the UK, rather than choosing to go abroad) showing no signs of abating, the idea of owning your own holiday lodge has become increasingly appealing. These 'lodges' can range from a luxury log cabin, complete with accompanying hot tub, to a mini-cottage on a country estate. The list below is not exhaustive; half the fun of owning a holiday lodge is discovering the upsides as you go. That said, there are specific financial advantages that can benefit any investor under the right circumstances. Take a look at six reasons you should consider investing in a holiday lodge , with a few tips to help you make the right choice.
If there's one area in particular that you and your partner or family enjoy, like a National Park such as Snowdonia or the Peak District, then why not take the plunge? It makes perfect sense to invest in an area that you know and love. Owning your own holiday lodge also takes away the stress of having to research book hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, caravans and the like. It also means you can explore more and really get to know and appreciate an area.
If you're a holiday lodge owner, you can make the surroundings fit your own particular tastes and needs, something that you can't do with a hotel or bed and breakfast. Tired of the decor? Change it. Fancy a snack at midnight or when you return from a long day out? No worries. Parking difficult? Not with your own driveway or spot. Fancy a spontaneous weekend somewhere nice? Only a drive away…
Investing in a particular area means that you can be part of the local community and contribute to the local economy. If you decide to rent out your holiday lodge, holidaymakers will spend their money locally, directly benefitting local businesses, like leisure providers, pubs, cafes and restaurants. Plus, if you decide to retire there, you not only have accommodation ready to go, but a whole network of friends and support.
Generally speaking, holiday lodges can work out to be a lot cheaper to maintain and fix any problems that should arise. If you do need to invest in repairs, and we would recommend that you always look after your investments, then any work can be sourced locally, again contributing to the local good.
If you invest in a holiday lodge, you're also investing in yourself. Holiday memories are a valuable source of joy for many people; a particular location or cottage can be part of you and your family's past that you can look back on. You can also leave the lodge to your children to ensure that the good times keep rolling.
They are a number of options that include Bio cabins and other renewable energy grants and solutions that can make purchaseing a lodge or cabin an attractive investment. See example cabins.
Finally, there are a number of financial advantages to owning a holiday home. Aside from the obvious rental income that you can gain during the holiday season (check out the local holiday rate lets in your area for a realistic comparison) you may (depending on your circumstances) benefit from tax breaks. Since April 2018 , HMRC have designated a holiday let as the following:
If your property fulfils these rules, then furnished holiday lettings will be treated as a trade, rather than an investment, for tax purposes. This means that you can offset any maintenance costs, repairs, renewals, agency fees, finance costs, etc, against income. You are also allowed Capital Allowances on the furniture, furnishings, white goods, plant and machinery. As with any financial decision, it is wise to research thoroughly and be aware of the law and tax rules pertaining to any investments.
All in all, time and care should be taken when making the holiday lodge ownership plunge, but with the right research and consideration you could soon own your own little holiday getaway. All you have to do then is start filling it with those memories… Long weekend at the lodge anyone?
In the foregoing example, the income for the year 19X0 has been calculated on the basis that the expected future net receipts at the end of the year 19X0 remained the same as those at the beginning of the year. Under such conditions, ex-ante and ex-post income would be the same.
If, however, the present value of expected future net receipts at the end of the year 19X0 are different from the present value of those expected receipts at the beginning of the year, we may say that the ex-post income is different from the ex-ante income. The ex-ante income refers, therefore, to the estimated... see: Estimation of Ex-post Income


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Buy PSL, target of Rs 181: SBICAP Securities
(My Original Blog Post: -*http://www.onlineequitycalls.com/2008/12/buy-psl-target-of-rs-181-sbicap-securities/)
SBICAP Securities has maintained its buy rating on PSL with price target of Rs 181 in its November 21, 2008 research report. "At the CMP of Rs 95, PSL is trading at a PE of 2.8x and 2.1x its FY08E and FY09E earning respectively. EV / EBITDA is at 3.9x and 3.2x FY08E and FY09E respectively. We initiate coverage on PSL with a buy rating and 12 month price target of Rs 181 implying an upside of 90%," says SBICAP Securities' research report.


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Sexy. Classy. Beautiful.Feeling a little bored...lonely... curious... adventurous or just naughty?
AVAILABLE NOW * SPECIALS * AMAZING LIPZHi my Name is Candy and I'm looking to Please and allow you to enjoy yourself!
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Pensions for workers in arduous jobs
Pensions for workers in arduous jobs
Presentation of the European Social Policy Network (ESPN) Thematic Report on Retirement regimes for workers in arduous or hazardous jobs : Slavina Spasova, Researcher European Social Observatory and Bart Vanhercke, Director European Social Observatory
Discussants: Celien Vanmoerkerke, Pension expert ABVV/FGTB, Marie-Noëlle Vanderhoven, Senior adviser dealing with pensions issues at FEB-VBO and Valdis Zagorskis, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Chair: Philippe Pochet, General director ETUI
Briefing :
In several European countries workers employed in jobs recognised as 'arduous' or 'hazardous' seemingly benefit from more favourable pension rules, including advantageous accrual of pension rights and access to a (nearly) full pension before reaching the statutory pensionable age. In recent years though, pension systems across Europe have been experiencing a shift towards longer working lives and later retirement, against the background of population ageing and fiscal constraints.
In order to shed light on the retirement patterns and the current policy developments regarding the workers in arduous and hazardous jobs (WAHJ), this joint ETUI-OSE Lunch debate will discuss the key findings of a recent European Social Policy Network (ESPN) report drafted by David Natali, Slavina Spasova and Bart Vanhercke (OSE). The authors will briefly outline the end-of-career policy mix targeted at WAHJ in 35 European countries and will provide some insights on the pension rules and other social protection benefits tailored to them, as well as the main retirement patterns and the adequacy of their pensions.
The Lunch debate will address the main findings of the study, including the shrinking number of workers recognised as WAHJ, the closing down of many early retirement routes as well as the increasingly stricter conditionality linked to social protection benefits. Along with these developments on restricting the opportunities for early labour market exit, the panel discussion will pinpoint recent innovative measures aimed to prolonging the working lives of these workers.
Venue: ITUH, Bd du Roi Albert II, 5; 1210 Brussels, ETUI meeting room, 7th floor
A light lunch will be served from 12h00 in the room.
room B, 1st floor
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 5, room B, 1st floor
Bruxelles, 1210-1210
Agenda & Analytical number


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Academics Call for Thai Monarchy Law Reform
BANGKOK ~ A group of academics launched a campaign this week to reform tough laws protecting Thailand's widely revered monarchy, amid a growing crackdown on alleged violators.
More than 50 foreign and local experts, including famed linguist Noam Chomsky, have signed a letter to be sent to new Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that says the law is being abused for political ends.
The letter was unveiled at a packed press conference at Bangkok's Foreign Correspondents' Club and hosted by two experts who addressed the meeting via internet videophone.
"How far are we going to stand idly under this climate of fear? The lese majeste law has created the climate of fear," US-based academic Thongchai Winichakul told the press conference over the video link.
Lese majeste, which in Thailand means insulting or defaming 81-year-old King Bhumibhol Adulyadej or any members of the royal family, is punishable by up to 15 years in jail.
Last month Australian writer Harry Nicolaides was pardoned after being sentenced to three years in jail for slandering the crown prince in a self-published novel.
Giles Ji Ungpakorn, an outspoken political science professor, fled to Britain last month after he was charged over a book about a 2006 coup in Thailand.
The campaign letter calls for the release of individuals jailed under lese majeste laws, a reform of the law and an end to "suppressive measures against individuals, web sites, and the peaceful expressions of ideas."
"As scholars and sympathetic observers of Thailand, we are extremely concerned about the recent legal actions taken against Thai and foreign citizens under the lese majeste law," the letter said.
"Instead of protecting reputations, these lese majeste cases generate heightened criticism of the monarchy and Thailand itself."
Thongchai and press conference co-host Andrew Walker, who spoke from Australia, both said work commitments had kept them from attending in person but admitted to feeling "cautious" about attending such a discussion within Thailand.
The monarchy's role in Thailand's recent political upheaval – involving a self-proclaimed royalist group which blockaded Bangkok's airports last year – remains one of the most sensitive subjects in the kingdom.
Officials say more than 4,800 web pages have been blocked since March last year because they contain content deemed insulting to the monarchy, and that at least 17 lese majeste cases are currently under way.
Abhisit refused to be drawn on the campaign when pressed by reporters on Wednesday.
"Let's discuss it next week," he said.
But the prime minister has previously defended the crackdown, saying there were "historical and cultural differences" between Thailand and other countries.Filed under: Arts & Entertainment


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Minus 18 degrees out there! I yelled on a Saturday morning after I watched the news and jumped on my partners back in bed. It is Siberian colds out there! I made up to jump out of bed too. Let's have a breakfast and then make some fire and read a book. Or play strip chess. *wink*
He did not command.
Later at breakfast he told me he had a better idea what to do. I listen to him with wide open ears: he wanted to go to the sauna.
Sounded good to me. I agreed immediately, it is warm, relaxing. Wonderful idea. A warm idea – to tell the truth. ☺
We drove through the wonderful snow, deep in the Brandenburg. I was looking forward to the feeling of feeling warm to my bones.
There we were! After over an hour of traveling to the dream that I had when I heard the weather broadcast on TV. – Minus 18 damn degrees! –
We went to the changing cabins and changed. I wore my bikini and a dressing gown over it.
We took our showers and searched a finish sauna where we could go. I took off my dressing gown and sat in there – my partner told me I should be taking off the bikini. I asked him if he was out of his mind, I would never ever do that. This is how WE went to sauna in the UK or the USA.
He whispered that this is not acceptable in germany. I laughed. And said that " it is not acceptable for me to take off my bikini. Sorry hun bun."
He smiled. After 10 minutes I went out. The moment I stepped out of the sauna a person in charge cropped out of nothing right next to me: "Meine Dame, haben Sie das Schild am Eingang nicht gelesen?- Hier ist Textilfreie Zone."
I took a look at him with wide open eyes, wanted to say something, but could not. Just blushed. After about 30 seconds of silence- he kept on looking at me- expecting me to say something. And yeaa….. I made it to say something: "In the country where I come from we go to the sauna like this."
He answered with his heavy German accent:
"Here is XXX in Brandenburg, not the USA or England." – Gosh! He was right- Und hier ist textilfreie Zone"
The next two rounds in the sauna i set in there with my partner but wore sunglasses.
This time my partner made fun of me: people take a look at you more when you sit
here with sunglasses Eveline. Did I care? I did not! I was naked enough and had to stay anonymous!
Today, I dare to go to the sauna without any textile and any sunglasses. (That took me a year or two to give up)
And thinking: the USA is the biggest industry for sex portals and sex toys and all that jazz. So it is in the UK. Why the hell we just are up brought this way? I admire the German ladies and their approach to thing at times. I think I might either need years or will need a life time to be 100% Schwarz, rot, gold – in this aspect. Just a few weeks ago, in a training in a gynecological clinic the assistants and I are doing a role play on the phone and I explained the problem – although it is another lady I am talking to- in a very discrete way.
The remark from the German doctor assistant: well, this is exactly how the English speaking patient talks about the problem with us on the phone. Our German ladies tell everything to the last detail!
Text: Eveline Goodman.
"Eveline Goodman ist Geschäftsführerin von EforP – English for Professionals, einem Sprachinstitut, das sich auf maßgeschneiderte Trainings – auf "Integrated Trainings" sowie auf Sprachtrainings – für Unternehmer und deren Mitarbeiter spezialisiert hat.


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If you're in network advertising and marketing, you will have heard the phrase "take substantial action" several instances. It's some thing folks say all the time, so the indicating gets to be weak.
Groza Learning Center
The tragedy of this mentality is the terrible experience of loneliness that can accompany it. We are so used to hiding behind our shields that we have forgotten who we truly are, and create so many diversions to conceal absent.
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Make use of the bulletin boards in your classroom. Before the pupils return to school, plan on what you want to use the bulletin board for. For illustration, to maintain the students interested, you will want to modify the theme usually. Program what sorts of themes you want to use throughout the calendar year. The themes can selection wherever from vacations to subjects your class is studying. Even though you want to maintain the course fascinated in bulletin boards, it is also crucial to get them associated in the university spirit. Enhance the bulletin board in your school 's colors. The bulletin board can be decorated with diverse coloured scraps of fabric or paper. Nevertheless, hold out until finally the students return back to school just before commencing on this project. You will want them included in decorating it and deciding on the themes.
The physical look is a card for each of us. A pleasant appearance facilitates our good results at the social stage and reinforces our confidence in our very own abilities. The silhouette, that means flat abs, is the wish of equally ladies and men. They test all kinds of diet programs in buy to get a slender determine; they workout in get to have sturdy belly muscle tissues and six-pack abdominal muscles. But folks must know they have an important ally in their quest for a stunning physique – the fibers. Skinny Fiber is 1 of the goods they can use in purchase to drop excess weight and to have an excellent search. Skinny body care merchandise are really nicely appreciated by all their buyers.
Use energy phrases. Groza Learning Center Give your copy punch and pleasure by employing motion words and vivid descriptors. Steer clear of all types of the verb "to be." Demonstrate your item or services in motion, and it will effect her coronary heart.
Regardless of how well the medical professional does his or her job, if the household dentistry is actually unprofessional, that can be a deal breaker. Groza Learning Center For the most part, you know what you like and don't like in how you're handled. And if on far more than one situation you're not greeted with friendly mindset or noticed in a well timed fashion, then you may possibly want to carry on your search.


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SAN ANTONIO/WORCESTER, Massachusetts (Reuters) - Underscoring the divide at the U.S. Federal Reserve over its next move, Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren on Wednesday called further policy easing to bring down high unemployment even as two other top Fed officials said no further action was now needed.
"I believe further monetary policy accommodation is both appropriate and necessary," Rosengren told the Worcester Regional Research Bureau's annual meeting.
And if Europe's debt crisis worsens or U.S. lawmakers allow scheduled tax hikes and spending cuts to sending the domestic economy over a "fiscal cliff" at year's end, "more aggressive actions would certainly be warranted," Rosengren warned.
His full-throated call for more monetary easing came on the heels of more sanguine remarks from New York Fed chief William Dudley and Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher earlier in the day, both of whom were cool to further Fed easing.
Although Dudley and Fisher stand on opposite ends of the policy spectrum at the Fed, they agreed on Wednesday that the current lofty unemployment rate should not force the U.S. central bank's hand.
"As long as the U.S. economy continues to grow sufficiently fast to cut into the nation's unused economic resources at a meaningful pace, I think benefits of further action are unlikely to exceed the costs," said Dudley, usually seen as a job-focused policy dove.
Fisher - a self-described inflation hawk - reiterated his longstanding view that the best way to boost jobs is for Congress to provide more clarity on tax policy and government spending plans.
"I don't hear any business people and job creators saying, 'I need more liquidity, I need more money,'" Fisher told reporters after a speech. Even though inflation is not currently a threat, he said: "I don't see what we would accomplish with further accommodation."
Dudley has a permanent vote on the Fed's policy-setting panel while neither Fisher nor Rosengren is a voter this year. The panel next meets June 19-20.
The Fed has kept U.S. short-term interest rates near zero since December 2008, and has said it plans to keep them there until late 2014. It has also bought $2.3 trillion in bonds over the past several years to further bring down borrowing costs and boost the economy.
After a pickup in economic growth and a sharp decline in the unemployment rate late last year, recent weakness in U.S. employment data and a simmering debt crisis in Europe have rekindled speculation that the Fed may step in to do still more.
At the same time, some Fed policymakers, including Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota, want the Fed to begin raising rates again as early as this year.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has kept the door open to further easing should the economic outlook worsen, a view echoed on Wednesday by Dudley.
"If the economy were to slow so that we were no longer making material progress toward full employment, the downside risks to growth were to increase sharply, or if deflation risks were to climb materially, then the benefits of further accommodation would increase in my estimation and this could tilt the balance toward additional easing," Dudley told reporters.
Still, Dudley said expects a "gradual decline" in the unemployment rate "stretching out over next few years."
The U.S. jobless rate stood at 8.1 percent in April, a month in which job growth slowed sharply, as it did in March. The May jobs report is due to be released on Friday.
For Rosengren, the too-high jobless rate and the possibility that failing to bring it down quickly could allow it to become engrained in the economy are enough to warrant further Fed action now.
The Fed could use communications to signal more accommodation, he said.
Just one other top Fed official, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans, had called publicly for more policy easing in recent months.
The Boston Fed president's aggressively dovish stance emerges from an economic outlook that is markedly more gloomy than many of his colleagues.
On Wednesday he forecast U.S. economic growth of 2.3 percent this year, slower than the majority of his fellow policymakers, who in April saw growth of 2.4 percent to 2.9 percent.
Rosengren also expects 1.7 percent inflation, lower than any of his colleagues' forecasts in April.
And his view that unemployment will still be at 8.1 percent in the fourth quarter likewise puts him at the pessimistic end of the scale.
"My desire to stimulate more growth now is partly to prevent the structural problem from becoming more severe because the economy did not re-employ workers more quickly," Rosengren said.
He also said his forecasts were contingent upon Europe muddling through its debt crisis and U.S. lawmakers avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff - a raft of tax hikes and spending cuts set to kick in at the start of 2013 - that could otherwise send the United States back into recession.
On Wednesday, Dudley also warned about risks from Europe and a potential fiscal cliff, which would be a "huge shock" to the economy and lead to a tightening of gross domestic product growth of some 3 percent.
Reporting by Corrie MacLaggan and Jonathan Spicer, writing by Ann Saphir; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Gary Crosse


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Combining motorcycle travel and charitable works to achieve a dream.
Don't Miss Stories on Motorcycle.comMost people who fantasize about traveling the globe on a motorcycle think of the adventure they will encounter and the people they will meet. Anna Grechishkina started from those thoughts and carried them to include charitable works and inspiring others to pursue their dreams. For the past 15 months, Anna has ridden her KTM Adventure 1190 halfway around the globe from her Ukrainian home, spreading a simple message: Follow your dreams and good things will happen.
(If you want to follow Anna's dream trip, check out her website, I Have a Dream, or herFacebook page.)
Although we missed Grechishkina when she passed through California on her bike earlier in the year, we recently had an opportunity to spend some time with her while she was visiting for an event related to her journey. To say that she is charming is an understatement. This self-proclaimed introvert lights up when she's describing travel, motorcycling and, above all, inspiring others to go after their dreams. While she clearly loves motorcycle travel, her conversation always turns to working with others.
MO: What started this dream to ride around the world?
AG: Well, I just love to travel on the bike. I've been doing this for nine years before the world trip. When I came back from [my second trip to] India, I decided, "Why not make something global?" At first it was like a crazy idea, and I was scared of it: "No, I can't do that. It's so dangerous and so difficult. It's not just one month's travel – a few weeks."
Then this idea just started to come back to me again and again. I thought that maybe it's a sort of sign that I have to, at least, try to do something about it. I consulted a few of my close friends, and I thought that they would try to talk me out of it. Surprisingly, they supported me and said that it was a logical continuation of [my] motorcycle career. Because I'd been to Eastern Europe, to Asia, by that time, India, the Middle East, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon before…
MO: You've done a lot in nine years.
AG: Yeah, I really enjoy traveling on the motorcycle. So, I started to plan my trip. It took me one year, three months. I had to find the bike that was appropriate for the trip. Before that, I was riding a Kawasaki Vulcan 900. I loved this bike. On this bike, I traveled everywhere. I understood that for a world trip, it was maybe not the best bike. So, I had a lot of discussions with motorcycle dealerships. I was thinking about Japanese bike at first, a Kawasaki or Suzuki or whatever. Everybody seemed to be interested, but nobody wanted contribute somehow. Actually, nobody was sure that I would start because so many people claim that they are going to go somewhere, a world trip or just a long distance ride, but they never do.
Then I got a phone call from KTM Ukraine, they said, "We heard about your project."
MO: They approached you?
AG: I mean Ukrainian office, not Austrian. In Ukraine, it's a very small office. They said, "If you are interested in KTM, we can try to approach the Austrian office. Maybe we can do something." I hadn't thought about KTM at all, but I didn't have another choice. I said, "OK, we can try it." That's how we started to talk to KTM Austria, and it took around six months. Finally, we convinced them. They said, "OK, we give you the motorcycle and the gear, but that's it. All the rest is your responsibility."
They gave me the choice of the KTM Adventure 990 or 1190, and at first, I was thinking about 990 because everybody knows about this bike. You know what to expect. Then I thought that maybe it's better to take 1190 because it's a new bike and maybe I'll get more attention from the international community. Also, it turned out that the 1190 is not that tall, it's not that heavy. So, I decided to take the 1190. I saw the bike after a few months, in a physical form, and I was very scared because I didn't have any experience of riding a bike like this.
MO: Well, it's a huge change in riding position from a Vulcan 900.
AG: I was so horrified, but the decision was made, already. Still, I didn't have any money to start the trip. Actually, when I started the trip, I only had $1000 in my pocket. I had a few sponsors. They contributed some money, but I spent it for the preparation. So, I couldn't cancel the trip because I had the bike, and everybody in the biker's community knew I was going to start. So, if I had canceled at that time, my reputation would be gone forever. I was sure about that, and I wouldn't have any other chance to do this because people would remember my failure the first time.
So, I decided that if it was meant to be, it would be. Somehow, I will figure out what to do. Somehow, I will find sources of funds.
I started the trip. I was very nervous. One week before the start, I couldn't sleep at night and lost 10 kilos (22 lbs). It was terrible. I'm really happy that I didn't fail, and I decided to take this first step. Now, I always tell that the most difficult thing is to make the first step. After that, it somehow starts to get more and more smooth.
MO: Is this where your I Have a Dream foundation got created? (Note to readers: Since Anna is Ukrainian, this name is not related to the Martin Luther King speech of the same name that resonates so strongly in American minds.)
AG: "I Have a Dream," initially, it was the name of the [around the world] project – and the tattoo [on my arm] which I made a few years before.
I wanted to make this trip not only for myself – and not only about my dream… Actually, before this world trip, I created sort of a biker's community, charity activities and charity events. What we did was we visited orphanages, hospitals, and old folks' homes on ourmotorcycles. Our main goal was not to bring some financial material but to bring ourselves and our hearts and just spend time with people, especially with kids. Our idea was to not make it once a year or some kind of New Year's celebration or Easter but to do it regularly to let them realize that there are some people in this world who care and who want to be their friends. In a few years, we made so many connections with these kids, and they approached us with questions, and they tried to ask for advice about schools, about their personal lives.
I wanted to do something like that during this world trip. What I'm doing, right now, I'm trying to visit schools in all the countries that I visit. Some orphanages, if they exist, and some hospitals. Just to give talks about dreams or adventures about other countries. My story that I had this dream to see the world, and though it was so difficult… but at least I started.
What I've tried to tell them is that, look even if you don't have parents, even if you are in so difficult circumstances, if you have a passion, if you have a dream, you can achieve it. Everything is in your hands. That's what "I Have a Dream" is about.
MO: What do you think prompted you to be so involved in the schools and orphanages? Is that something you've been interested in your whole life?
AG: Maybe not my whole life, but I lost my parents, my mom when I was 16. My father died just a few years ago. That influenced me a lot, and I started to think about how to help other people to overcome their struggles. I tried to bring some difference into this world. It made me feel somehow better for myself, once I started to do that. So, my first visits in Ukraine, I organized a group of my friends, and we went to old folk's home and brought them sweets and fruit and just spent time with them, talking to them. They were crying because nobody ever came to them. We wanted to do that again and again.
I just realized that I enjoy it so much when I can bring some difference in somebody else's life – even if I just smiled, I saw some kind of light in their eyes. That is awesome. It helps you to become a better person.
Right now, I want to encourage as many people as possible to follow their dreams, because I understand how awesome it is to live your dream. I'm 15 months on the road, so you think I can get used to it already. But no. Every morning I wake up with the thought of "Oh my goodness, I'm on a world trip on my bike. I'm living my dream." So, I tell myself even if I encourage only one person to follow their dream, my mission would be completed. I would be absolutely satisfied and happy.
MO: Shifting gears a little, what initially attracted you to motorcycling?
AG: This is the question that I would like to know the answer. It happened in 2005, and before that time, I didn't have any friends or relatives who were motorcyclists. I was never even riding as a passenger on a motorcycle. I didn't know how it feels. Just, one day, one morning, this crazy idea came into my mind that I wanted to learn how to ride a motorcycle. I didn't know who to approach, who to ask questions, and I just went to the riding school to get my license and to learn how to ride. It took me a few months. So, that's when I bought my first motorcycle, a Kawasaki Eliminator 125.
Since that time, all my life changed. Of course, I got new friends. I started to travel, first around Ukraine and then a little bit outside to Russia, Belarus, Moldova, then Eastern Europe, Turkey, Bulgaria, and into Greece, also. Then into Georgia. Then the Middle East: Syria, Jordan, Lebanon. Then India. That's how it started, and that's how it continues. And I was involved in the charity community. Since then, my life absolutely changed.
Now, I think that maybe it was meant to be, sort of destiny. I don't know. I feel that I'm more fulfilled, now. I can do something that I like, and I can make a difference. I can help people – even with the motorcycle. To use it for the benefit of people.
MO: What's your favorite part of traveling alone?
AG: I'm actually an introvert by nature, and I need time to recharge myself. Most of the time, I'm always with people – because of meetings or because I stay with local people. Sometimes, I arrive at places very tired. Because of the ride, because of the weather, and then I meet people. Of course they want to know about my ride, my adventure, and I have to be nice and smile because they offer me accommodation. They're really nice people. I like to mix with them, but it takes me a lot of energy. Then the next day I have to ride, again, or go sightseeing. That also takes quite a lot of energy. So, when I'm riding alone, this is my time for myself. It's the time that I can actually have some rest. Even when I'm riding, even when I'm struggling with the weather or the bike, I have some rest mentally.
Another thing, when you're traveling alone, you're more exposed. People come to you easily. They start to ask you questions, and you have to go out of your comfort zone to mix with people. You don't have anybody else. That's what I like.
MO: What is your remaining route?
AG: After Texas, I pick up my bike and I go to Mexico and the other Central American countries. From there, South America, the west coast: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. From Brazil, I go to South Africa, and I take the east coast of Africa and end up in Egypt. From Egypt, Europe. So, I think that I'll be on the road two and a half years, altogether. So, probably, I'm exactly halfway through.