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Social Entrepreneurs
Our episode Raw Travel 514 – RV Road Trip: Bayou Adventure features a look at the environmental challenges facing the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest freshwater wetland in North America and the efforts of folks at Basinkeeper.org to save it.
The reasons for its importance are many, so be sure to check out the episode and the insightful interview with Albert Wilson, son Dean Wilson the founder of Basinkeeper.org. In the meantime, check out the info on Basinkeeper.org and consider being a sponsor or other ways you can help.
I've seen the area they're working so hard to save and I can tell you it's impressive and something we must work to save.
I wanted to share info on the Build A School Foundation. The Foundation builds schools and bridges for underserved children mainly in remote region Vietnam right now.
The founders are fans & friends of ours on Facebook and they are husband and wife team who are U.S. citizens who immigrated from Vietnam.
Lilly Thai, the co-founder told me their mission is to build 100 schools by 2025 in Southeast Asia. They've invited us to come out and join them the next time we're in Southeast Asia and I hope I can profile them on the show soon, but in the meantime, wanted to turn you on to them via our Social Entrepreneur Spotlight.
Below are some helpful links where you can find more information about helping them out yourself if you so choose. Keep up the good work guys!
People say I have a great "job", and I do, but producing Raw Travel is also a ton of work and sacrifice. I'm 99% sure I could make more $ doing something else, but I figured out a while back that old cliche about $ and happiness is actually true. The impact of the show and feedback from viewers is one big part of the reason we carry on. At times I wonder if the show is having an actual impact other than entertainment, but then I hear stories like this Toronto gentleman who saw Raw Travel last year (we're not licensed in Canada so I assume he saw the Buffalo or Detroit feed).
After tuning into our story on Care For Wild Africa/ African Conservation Experience this gentleman booked a trip to volunteer for them in South Africa and has returned a changed man. He's telling others about his transformation and about this critical issue as rhinos near extinction. Here is his story and I thought I'd share it. P.S. You can see our segment on the CFWA again this summer in "Amazing Animals" July 1st-2nd, 2017.
A link to his story can be found HERE:
El Ninos Del Rio – Lima, Peru & Paris, France
Lima Peru is one of my favorite international cities. Yes, it's large and congested, but the atmosphere is relaxed, people are friendly, the food is amazing and there is loads of culture around every corner.
But of course, like most of Latin America, there is also crippling poverty. To me at least, poverty is especially heartbreaking when it impacts children.
However, in all my travels, even in brutally poor areas, I've found that the youngest children do seem outwardly happy, even in what we in the developed world consider mind-numbing poverty.
They are born incredibly resilient and their needs are pretty simple. Something as simple as a bag on a string or a discarded roller blade, can serve as a distraction.
But as they get older, the temptations in poor areas are intense as the reality of their situation begins to dawn.
There are estimated 120 million children living on the streets around the world with almost half estimated to be living in South America.
Young boys (typically ages 5-17) in particular are drawn to gangs, violence and drugs. Many, for whatever reason, either run away or are abandoned by their parents and become street children, forced to try to get along with their peers on the harsh streets of Lima Peru. They are young, vulnerable to abuse and scared.
Many of Lima's street children live along the Rimac River. In 1999 a young French student traveler got to know some of these children and decided to do something about their situation. He created the Ninos Del Rio (Children of the River) organization in 2000.
Today, years later this Paris & Lima based non-profit association continues to works with street children, establishing trust, providing food, shelter and mental counseling and when the time is right, promoting their return to their own home or reintegration into another home.
They also work with the children currently on the streets in the district of San Juan de Miraflores, and help provide these kids an afternoon or so of diversion, where the kids can be kids.
We were able to stop by and meet some of the kids at the shelter, local staff and (mostly) French volunteers during our final day filming in Lima. I'm used to seeing young children in various situations in my travels, but I was surprised at moved I was by meeting these adolescent, teen boys.
Despite their harsh situation and past, I could literally feel their need for love. It was a similar feeling I'd had when visiting the really young Restavek (Child Slaves) at Freedom House in Haiti.
Kids need food, shelter, medical care, structure, discipline…. yes, but mostly they need love. Without it, their future is bleak. With it, their lives can completely change to a future capable of anything.
Ninos del Rio is a non-profit so they rely on donations and volunteers.
If you'd like to volunteer or donate please visit HERE. (Their web site is in Spanish but Google Translate can translate to English for you).
I've seen first hand the good work the folks at Ninos Del Rio are doing. I can tell you that I don't think you'll regret helping.
I know I don't regret visiting, and I hope I can come back soon and spend more time with these brave kids and the big hearted staff and volunteers.
Look for our "Give Back" segment on Ninos Del Rio coming up in our Lovable Lima episode set to premiere in the USA in May 2017.
You may recall our "Raw Travel – Pine Ridge: Tribal Tourism" episode from Season 3 about travel to the Lakota Sioux reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
Through your generosity via buying T-shirts and/or supporting our crowdfunding efforts, I'm happy to report we raised over $3k for the Red Cloud Indian School after school arts programs.
These kids grow up in the poorest county in the U.S. and have a ton of challenges facing them unlike anywhere else in the United States. It does my heart good to see the work Red Cloud Indian School does on the reservation and the support you so generously gave when we asked for it.
If you missed it and are looking for a cause to support this holiday season, there is not better organization than Red Cloud Indian School or Re-member which were both featured on our Pine Ridge show. I hope the episode will be available digitally in the not too distant future, as we continue to try to raise funds for these guys.
You can learn more about Pine Ridge and our fundraiser HERE:
Please enjoy this bit of Holiday Cheer from our little pals at Red Cloud Indian School.
2016 Red Cloud Elementary Christmas Program – Highlights from Red Cloud Indian School on Vimeo.
Much has been said and written about the coarseness of our dialogue these days with many pointing the finger to the isolation thanks to social media, and others to our elected leaders.
I think there is probably something to that but if there is one thing I've learned while traveling it is that not only does kindness matter, it's absolutely contagious.
I learned that lesson of all places, on the streets of New York City. NYC is the kind of place that will give you 10x fold the energy you are projecting. Having a "negative" day and it will give it back to you 10x as bad… having a good one and it seems everyone you see is being so kind and the beauty of all mankind is on display everywhere.
Travel is similar. When filming in Canada, everyone was so nice and polite to me and the crew that we joked we were looking for the 1 jerk in all of Canada and on day 6 of our 7 day journey we finally found him. It was a doorman at a beautiful luxury hotel (a rare treat for the Raw Travel crew I will assure you) where we were staying and filming. He was dressed elegantly in the hotel uniform and since we were filming on behalf of the hotel, we casually asked permission to film him in the background as I entered the hotel. He brusquely responded if we filmed him, he had "rights" and "would be expecting payment". Of course, we proceeded to film without him in the background,
His answer would have been par for the course most anywhere else but having just been bowled over by Canadian hospitality, it came as a shock after 6 days of kindness from everyone. As I exchanged a glance with my producer, it was clear we were on the same wavelength, "we found our jerk", it also became apparent to me that on day 6 of a 7 day filming expedition, we had become tired and probably snippy and short tempered and that very well could be why this gentleman acted the way he did. We put out the negative energy oh so subtly and we were rewarded with such. Or maybe he is a jerk, or a frustrated screenwriter, filmmaker, travel host or just having a bad day… it happens to us all.
But there is no getting around that in the U.S. we have become a pissed off society which is odd when you consider our standard of living is one of the highest in the world. I get it but I don't. We should be more appreciative and respectful to each other. Maybe it's also because in our sports obsessed culture we've learned to be bad winners and losers, flaunting individual success and trash talk over team efforts and the many life lessons sports provides.
I like Loas and cultures with the Buddhist Philosophy. People are greeted with a slight bow and with respect and it's considered bad form to "lose face" (AKA your temper). In the busy cities there was hardly even the sound of a car horn anywhere, they take this philosophy so seriously.
Well, this long winded entrepreneur spotlight wants to shine the light on an organization that is trying to bring "kindness" back "Life Vest Inside" . They show the science of being kind and how being kind can replace anti depressants and has an effect they call the Kindness Boomerang.
It may sound sappy and I guess it is, but the cliche is true, kindness is contagious. The idea is not new, but any organization making this a priority is worth checking out and supporting.
Check them out.
Freedom House is featured d on Raw Travel 406 – Port Au Prince. They are a U.S. supported charity helping to free poverty stricken "restaveks" (child slaves).
A restavek is a child that has been given to another family as a servant in hopes to have their basic needs met. If you see the segment, you will see how incredible these children are now that they are surrounded by love. Freedom House is not a huge bureaucratic organization with a lot of waste.
They are small and grassroots and just the kind of organization we like to shine the light on.
If you are so moved after seeing this weekend's episode and would like to help Freedom House rescue more children, you can donate and support HERE.
A little goes a long way in Haiti, so no amount is too small.
Sometimes the best way to help is to simply be a conscientious traveler and/or consumer. I think a hand up is so much more powerful and effective than a hand out. Case in point, Maya Xux in Guatemala. They use age old techniques from weavers in Guatemalan indigenous communities to make these wonderful and colorful shoes.
If you've visited Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru or Bolivia chances are you've met weavers like these in person. They are some of the humblest, sweetest, gentlest and kindest people on the planet. They work hard and do good work, so I have no doubt the May Xux shoes are 1st rate. Maybe I'll get a pair and wear them on the show?
Check them out and take 3 minutes to view their beautiful video. Well done Maya Xux!
I recently returned from a first time trip to the continent of Africa in what I hope will be the first of many more trips to come. As predicted, I fell in love. I also became aware of the many social enterprises helping people do good while helping the people of Africa. One such company is called Mobal allows you to keep in touch by offering a local cell number whereby you can stay in touch at a fraction of the price of most cell phone companies' roaming charges and 90% of their profits go to help people in Africa.
Mobal started with one UK man's desire to make calls while travelling, Mobal Chairman Tony Smith. As a lifelong international traveler, he was constantly frustrated when trying to keep in touch with family, friends & business contacts on his many trips overseas. On the back of the success of the international cell phone service he established the Krizevac Charity with a desire to change the world.
Tony went on to create several thriving businesses that employ hundreds of people in a poor Malawian township like the Beehive.
Income generated from these businesses funds orphan places at a children's center, scholarships for the neediest to attend school & good meals for those at work. Heartwarming stuff!
Mobal sums it up best, with a Mobal phone you don't just travel the world, you make it a better place!
Learn more about Mobal at their website www.mobal.com and via their social media links at Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mobalcomms/ and Twitter – @mobal – https://twitter.com/mobal
Our spotlight is on the beautiful, proud but struggling people of the Pine Ridge Lakota Sioux Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
I first heard about the situation in Pine Ridge reservation a few years ago while watching Diane Sawyer profiling the tragic issue of teen (and even more tragically pre-teen) suicide there. If you don't know the stats, they are mind boggling.
The Oglala Lakota Sioux Indian reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota is one of if not the poorest area in the entire United States. On the reservation it is reported that:
– Average annual per capita income is estimated at just $4,000 annually.
– Unemployment is over 80% and it's estimated that over half live below the poverty line.
– Teen (and even pre-teen) suicide is estimated to be four times the national rate.
– They have the second lowest life expectancy in the Western Hemisphere (second only to Haiti).
– Diabetes is eight times (and infant mortality three times) the U.S. rate.
– There is a massive housing crisis with multiple families often crammed into small mobile homes, many without running water or adequate sewage.
Upon seeing the piece by Diane Sawyer, I pledged then and there that if ever I was able to help the people on the reservation, I would. Finally, during the 4th of July holiday weekend of 2015, I visited Pine Ridge to produce an episode of Raw Travel entitled "Pine Ridge – Tribal Tourism" and my life has never been the same.
Nothing that specifically extraordinary happened to me on that trip. I simply met regular folks from the reservation who were kind and hospitable to me, a total stranger. But I was very impressed by their resiliency in the face of difficult circumstances. I was equally impressed by the large number of locals, transplants and volunteers working to help make the situation on Pine Ridge better, especially for Lakota Youth. I can think of no better way to inspire young people to believe in themselves than to allow them to explore the innate creativity present in all human beings.
I was made aware of the lack of creative outlets by youth on the reservation when I interviewed the local band "Scatter Their Own" where Scotti & Julianna informed me that no music schools existed on the entire reservation. After interviewing the folks at Red Cloud School I thought a good way to help would be to assist their efforts to expand their after school clubs program.
I hope we can work with some talented musicians, filmmakers and other artists and entrepreneurs to visit the reservation and speak to the youth on a consistent basis. I'd also like to try to create a small film school. Who knows where, if anywhere this will lead but I do know that to do nothing, is in essence choosing to endorse the status quo, and that I cannot do. Whatever we can contribute, big or small it will help.
- Even though this fundraising effort kicks off to coordinate with our Raw Travel – Pine Ridge / Tribal Tourism debut, it will be an ongoing effort and will continue as long as there is interest in helping Pine Ridge help themselves. For me this already is an ongoing cause I've pretty much resigned to be dedicated to until either things improve drastically or I die, whichever comes first.
- There are several ways you can help. You can simply visit the reservation or donate via our crowdfunding effort or purchase the "Still Here.. Still Proud" T-shirts and/or forthcoming special edition Pine Ridge Extended Cut DVD. Or if you prefer, you can find a plethora of deserving organizations on the reservation to donate or volunteer like our pals at Red Cloud School or Re-Member.
With your help, they I'm confident things can and will get better. For more information on Raw Travel – Pine Ridge and to donate please go to www.crowdrise.com/rawtravel or for other ways you may choose to help then click the "How To Help" link at www.RawTravelPineRidge.com which will be updated as time goes on.
While filming in Park City, Utah this summer I fortuitously came across a promotional flyer for a program called "Adopt A Native Elder" and was immediately intrigued. We made contact and interviewed founder, Linda Myer and her dedicated staff and volunteers at their warehouse in Salt Lake City where they were packing for an upcoming "Food Run". According to their website, the Adopt-A-Native-Elder Program exists to create a Bridge of Hope between Native Americans and other cultures. They do this by providing food, medicine, clothing, fabric and yarns to help these Elders, some of whom are in their 80s and 90s or even older.
As they have become elderly, it has become more difficult for them to support themselves on the Land in their traditional ways. After my interview with Linda and Roger, the organization's Navajo interpreter and ambassador, I was so taken with the program that I pledged then and there to participate in an upcoming food run.
Months later, I was finally able to fulfill my pledge by participating in the Many Farms Food Run in a remote area of the Navajo reservation in Arizona and it was as amazing as I expected.
I flew into Phoenix on some business the day before and then drove almost 5 hours to the meeting point in Chimle, Arizona. I arrived late at night at the lovely Best Western hotel in town and woke up early to meet up with the volunteers and to get briefed at breakfast.
Linda immediately spotted me and after our greeting graciously asked if I'd brought any long pants (I was wearing 3/4 length pants). Luckily I had. It turns out the Navajo are conservative and to show proper respect, the volunteers are asked to dress conservatively with the females wearing long skirts and men wearing long pants. No sleeveless t-shirts either. The main thing is to keep oneself covered.
Linda introduced me to the group of volunteers as I nervously apologized for my inappropriate dress (an unintentional but now long running theme throughout the show), and everyone laughed. It was a jovial, giving and welcoming atmosphere with approximately 50 or so volunteers from all over the U.S. including Utah, California, Texas, Indiana and at least one other person from New York City.
It was a somewhat older adult crowd with many retirees taking advantage to give back, but there were also younger folks and families with kids as well as solo travelers in attendance. The kids particularly impressed me with their selfless attitude and commitment. In my view, these kids are bound for a lifetime of giving, empathy and betterment. I spent a lot of time with them and found their maturity and character at such a young age simply inspiring.
We left in convoy from the hotel and arrived at the gathering point on the reservation around mid morning before any elders would arrive, some making a several hour journey in from remote corners of the reservations and many arriving in walkers or wheelchairs, many of which had been donated. It was obvious that many rarely if ever are able to leave home but the ANE Foodruns are special occasion for these folks.
Not only does the event allow them to stock up on food and other necessities to get them through the winter, they view these ANE occasions as social where they are able to fellowship and see old friends be they fellow tribes people or volunteers from ANE, many of whom have been coming for years and have developed long held bonds and relationships with the Natives.
Witnessing deep friendships that transcended generational, ethnic and cultural gaps was perhaps the most heartwarming part of the entire Food Run process
The elders were as sweet as could be and they and their caretakers (if they had them) of sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, etc., were grateful and appreciative. Many of the elders did not speak English but as always, smile and a warm handshake or hug bridged any language or cultural barrier. Some of the Natives also brought gifts for exchange (rugs, yarn, etc.) giving the event a festive rather than charitable feel.
The ANE foodruns have been going on for over 30 years and by now, it's run like a well oiled machine. Every possible scenario was covered and it was obvious this organization is a "waste not, want not" kind of place. The support that ANE receives goes directly to the native elders with very little administrative overhead that you would find in a larger organization.
They know by now the things that the elders most need. Items that might seem humdrum to you and I such as work gloves, knit hats, hand lotion, instant coffee, peanut butter, yarn, etc. Every elder is taken care of and every effort was made to create an event that was more of a celebration of a culture among good friends rather than a charity give away. There were skits, entertainment, games and giveaways along with a wonderful buffet style lunch that was a mixture of Native and non Native food.
Indeed, it was hard for me to keep a dry eye during the parts of the day. The love and good will flowing from Native to Non Native and back was palpable. When the young Native children showed up for their toys, I thought I would lose it. Simple pleasures from kids who don't know a thing about a computer or video game but who were absolutely thrilled with a new plastic toy car or action figure that most kids in our country today would simply sneer at.
The Elders.. the kids.. the volunteers… the love… the warmth.. in the peaceful (if hot and dusty) setting of the Arizona desert, it was surreal as well as a mind and life altering.
I hope I'm able to actually "adopt" a native elder or return on a Food Run soon and while it remains to be seen, it's a memory I'll treasure and keep for life.
I encourage you to find out about the ANE and see if it's for you and if you are so moved, participate on a Food Run or Adopt-A-Native-Elder yourself. Please visit their website HERE and look for their segment in 2016 on Raw Travel.
ROBOCOPP In the U.S. we live in a bubble. A too often violent, but comfortable (compared to most of the world) information bubble. As I commented to someone recently, the best way to experience one's own country is to leave it and see it from another's point of view, which is what happens to me when I travel. As a solo traveler, I take chances that I don't take when I'm traveling with a camera crew. Not less of them mind you, just different ones. The thing about traveling solo is that you are a bit more vulnerable.. and that's mostly a good thing as it's easier to meet locals and people in general are warmer, more eager to help a single traveler than a camera crew from that dreaded five letter word "media".
But as a male, used to walking the not so tough streets of NYC with a bit of an attitude, I have become adept to carrying myself in a certain manner when traveling. I feel I know pretty well by now when to act tough and unafraid (despite what may be going on in the inside) and when to be humble, respectful and blend into the people-scape (which is MOST of the time). Has it served me well? I don't know. I've been victim of attempted muggings twice (not the word attempted – they didn't succeed) and robbed once in a very non-violent moment of stupidity on my part. In all cases, I never felt my life was actually in danger. These were just young kids trying to get some quick money. They actually meant me no harm or they would have succeeded as I was outnumbered drastically in both cases.
They make great stories now in retrospect but when I was going through them… you can bet I was very afraid and hopped up on adrenaline. Now I don't like to focus on the danger of travel often because the reality is, I often feel MUCH safer when I leave the U.S. than when here (you just don't hear of mass gun shootings to the degree you do in the U.S. when abroad. I've wandered around remote parts of Venezuela in the middle of the night with nary a hair on my head harmed.. not that I recommend doing that however) and I think fear is a stupid reason not to do something. Fear in itself is not a bad thing. It's there for a reason… but if it stops you from doing something and from living a life fully realized then it can be crippling and it's sad to witness.
I'm so happy that more and more U.S. citizens are traveling abroad now, especially my younger amigos (millennials the marketing "geniuses" call them) who seem to really love our show. But also the older folks, who've come to the end of their careers and realized there is so much more to life than acquiring things. This isn't a generational mindset, this is a collective consciousness of which I, you and others are finally realizing. Yes, the definition of the "American Dream" is changing and I'm happy to be a part of that change.
Anything that allows unfettered travel, to alleviate the fear of travel and encourages folks to travel more often to more off the beaten path places, well I am all for it. I was recently pitched this cool little product called the ROBOCOPP Grenade.
It sounds violent but it isn't at all and it's incredibly useful, especially for female or vulnerable solo travelers. It's a personal security alarm that is legal in places where pepper spray is not (like airplanes) and the portable alarm gadget is one some travelers shouldn't go without.
But even more impressive to me are the strides this startup company is making to alleviate sexual assault and rape in places like India, Africa and all over the world. Yes, sadly, women get raped everywhere, but in developing nations where women are still considered 2nd class citizens, the fear of sexual assault can be a constant concern.
The smart folks at ROBOCOPP believe technology can be a force for good and is raising money for what I think is a very worthwhile cause and I wanted to share it here, so you could see and judge for yourself. Their video is below.
I hope you'll give look see and consider their personal alarm device. For me I think it's a much more peaceful, consistent and intelligent way, to thwart trouble than walking around looking tough.
This spotlight has been several months in development but I just couldn't ignore the cool organization U-Happy Events in Manila Philippines. We weren't able to hook up with U-Happy because of our busy schedule and short stay in Manila earlier this year, but we did communicate with them frequently in trying to arrange something and they were very organized and on top of things, which is just one reason why I wanted to feature them on our Social Entrepreneur Spotlight.
Harvard and his team at U-Happy Events are helping to fill an enormous opportunity for travelers to volunteer and give back to the youth of the Philippines, and yes, many of them are indeed impoverished and disadvantaged. But you wouldn't necessarily know this by the attitude of the people in the Philippines. If there is a more optimistic, positive and happier group of people than Filipinos, I haven't met them. And the children are simply a joy to be around. They really teach "entitled first world" citizens something about life. I'm not sure who's lives are improved more after spending time with them, but I have a hunch, it's the volunteers.
U-Happy Events provides sustainable support, teaches values to marginalized children in the Philippines all while providing a platform for sponsors and volunteers to reach out to kids in need through creative activities. Since late 2006 they have organized more than 100 events per year by partnering with individuals and organizations to aid over 80 organizations focused on children all across the Philippines.
What I love about U-Happy Events is how incredibly simple it is to get involved and give back, something sorely missing in many voluntourism organizations throughout the world. I'ts not complicated to give back, that's one of our messages on Raw Travel and U-Happy fits that philosophy to a tee. You can get involved by simply choosing from a list of available events and showing up. If you have an idea for a big event then you can help organize your own even through them. U-Happy provides full event coordination and implementation. They are, one stop shopping, in a sense for heartwarming give backs. Now that's the kind of consumerism I can get behind.
If you are planning on visiting the Philippines (it's magical) and wish to give back, check out our pals from U-Happy Events and I bet, you'll also come back really happy.
During the U.S. Vietnam War, neighboring Laos was the most bombed country (per capita) in the history of warfare. The statistics are staggering. But screw statistics, let's talk people.. flesh and blood. Today there are almost 80,000 UXOs (Un-exploded Ordinances) or land mine cluster bombs in rural parts of Laos. These cluster bombs were spread out and dropped so numerously and are so slow and dangerous to clean up that over the years, thousands of children (and adults) have been blown to bits or are missing limbs as a result of these still active bombs littering the countryside.
The U.S. and NGOs are helping some to clean up their mess but it's painfully slow and in the meantime, more and more Laos people, some of the poorest in the world, can not afford the artificial limbs that could make their lives a bit easier. So they construct home made limbs out of wood, nails, etc. and do the best they can. This is where the Cope Center comes in.
We visited last January and I was amazed at the situation in Laos and our general unawareness of it. I was even further dismayed by a couple of viewers of our show who wrote in outrage, not about the horrific situation in Laos with landmines, but instead that a village family had decided to kill the family duck to make a duck blood soup for us when we visited (a traditional meal for visitors in Laos).
Where are our priorities? One non factory farmed duck is killed to feed a family (they couldn't just run down to the local grocery store as there wasn't one in town, sorry) and we get emails of outrage, but tens of thousands of Laos children have been maimed or killed because of a controversial war decades ago and we barely hear a groan of protest.
I realize such is human nature and that most good people don't take to the internet to express anything unless they are really, really angry about something. Well now I've seen a couple of emails trickle in after the fact, saddened by the situation in Laos and wishing to help.
I thought it would be a good time to put the Cope Center of Laos into the spotlight. The Cope Center is part museum, part fundraiser and part prosthesis factory. They not only educate visitors about the situation in Laos, they fund raise and allow poor Laos people affected by this tragedy to trade in their used, home made prosthesis for more modern versions made on site at their factory.
When we visited, the people of Laos seemed some of the least bitter, sweetest, calmest folks I've ever come across during our travels. The fact that we were American didn't seem to give them even the slightest pause as they treated us with hospitality, respect and dare I say, even joy. I can't say I'd feel the same if I were in their shoes, especially if I had those shoes on a prosthetic leg caused by a long lingering mess some warring super power nation had left decades ago while waging a secret war (google it, I'm no expert on history but I do know that much).
The Cope Center is in our Social Entrepreneur Spotlight this week in hopes that it will lead to a few visitors to their website where donations can be made. If you decide to visit Laos, I highly recommend taking some time from your sightseeing to visit the Cope Center in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. It's memorable and worthwhile and chances are, you'll leave a changed person for it.
Manila is gritty and at first glance can feel slightly chaotic. It's massive but it grows on you after a few days, at least it did for us. After all, it's still the Philippines and people are still extensively helpful and friendly. But like any developing country it has it's issues with poverty. We were privileged to hang with the fine folks of Project Pearls for a day to help them, help the kids of Tondo, a community of Garbage pickers set among one of the garbage dumps in Manila.
Project Pearls helped build a community center and they provide education help, health care, food, and most importantly to the 300 or so kids they help, fun and games, to children who often have no idea they are poor or disadvantaged. I was moved like never before during this volunteering opportunity, but it's important to point out the people of Tondo don't want pity… but they do need help and I'm thankful we were able to work with Project Pearls to do our very small part. We'll feature this visit on our upcoming episode Magical Manila set to premiere May 9th-10th, so be sure to tune in. And if you are heading to the Philippines anytime soon and looking for a great way to give back, be sure to reach out to our pals from Project Pearls and tell them Raw Travel sent ya!
Lower 9th Ward Living Museum – New Orleans
Unless you have been living under a rock, you are most likely aware that in 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated much of New Orleans. It hit the working class neighborhood of the Lower 9th Ward particularly hard as they were positioned just below where the levees broke.
We were filming in New Orleans looking for Fats Domino's house when we stumbled upon the Lower 9th Ward Living Museum and ended up doing a pretty cool profile on these guys that will are in February when Raw Travel – New Orleans premieres. We're hoping you'll tune in, of course, but in the meantime, I'd love it if you visited their page and during this special time of year you may even care to contribute to their fundraiser going on right now. They are doing really good stuff for the recovery effort, sadly, still going on the Lower 9th, but they are truly inspiring. If you happen to be in New Orleans, stop by and tell them Raw Travel TV sent you. No, it's not your typical tourist experience but I sure I don't think you'll regret it.
Visit their website here and their facebook page here.
Leg Up Therapeutic Riding – Pulaski, TN
I first heard about the folks at Leg Up Therapeutic Riding when my mother mentioned that my younger brother (unlike me an avid horseman) volunteered there on a regular basis. When I further learned that most of the riders were kids, teens and adults with special issues such as MS, MD, and other mental or physical special needs, I just assumed the riding was a bit of sunshine and fun in their daily routines of physical therapy.
Well it is, but it's also, as the name suggests, therapeutic. Turns out riding helps their cognitive motor skills in ways that I could not imagine. . The connection between horse and rider, the balance needed to mount and ride gives the rider's muscles a workout unlike any they can get in their day to day routine of physical therapy on the ground.
Therapeutic riding was discovered in Europe in the 1940s and today there are centers all over the U.S. and expanding quickly. But the one in my hometown of Pulaski is special to me for obvious reasons. The volunteers I spoke with were as grateful for the opportunity to learn the many life lessons they get from devoting time to those who are supposedly "less fortunate". But when I spoke to Georgia, little Annabella and other riders there, so full of love and joy, I wondered about that label of "less fortunate". There was lots of love and Leg Up and I felt good just being there.
Learn more about Leg Up when our Raw Travel Nashville and Middle Tennessee episode premieres the 3rd weekend of February 15-16th. It's a good one. And if you are interested in volunteering but no where near Middle Tennessee then try to google "Therapeutic Riding" and you may find a center in need of volunteers where you live.
Boston Living Center – Thanksgiving Dinner
Our pal Aflredo Hernandez and hist Boston area friends are trying to raise some funds for a proper Thanksgiving Dinner to help those living with HIV /AIDS living in the Boston area. You can find out more information on how you can help by clicking HERE .
Transylvania is simply amazing and is one of my favorite destinations in Eastern Europe. Perhaps it's no surprise then that one of my favorite moments of the entire 6 week journey through Eastern Europe was when we stopped by Little John's House, an orphanage and facility that helps to take care abandoned and special needs children in the Sibiu area of Transylvania, Romania.
LJH has been around over 20 years, since just after the days of communism's fall, and are desperately trying to fill a gap that the Romanian government is unable or unwilling to fill. We met some of the kids of LJH and they were outgoing and friendly and you could tell they were loved. I shudder to think what would happen to them were it not for the dedicated staff members and volunteers who make Little John's House possible.
Little John's House is now embarking on a expansion project that would allow them to buy a farm nearby and therefore be able to help more kids in the area. You can find out more about the fine folks of Little John's House when Raw Travel features them on our Transylvania episode coming up in early November 2014. But in the meantime, check them out online and help spread there word. These are good people, unsung heroes, doing amazing work. They deserve our support.
Our Social Entrepreneur Spotlight this week is on DreamMissions, a simple but good idea to bring good things to the children near some of the world's most touristic destinations.
Their next cruise is coming up soon and sailing out of Los Angeles. Find out more information on it here at cruisinfordreammissions.com
Giving a shout out to the good folks from my old home town of Nashville, Tennessee and the founders of 147 Million Orphans. Their organization's name is based on the fact that there are approximately 147 million orphans worldwide. I saw them on the local news while home visiting family and was intrigued. I checked out their website and decided to make them our Social Entrepreneur Spotlight.
147 Million Orphans was founded by Gwen & Stephanie, a couple of Nashville moms who wanted to help bring awareness to the worldwide orphan crisis while helping to provide food, clean water and medicine to children in need worldwide. They also assist adoptive families with fundraising through the sale of original, one of a kind, handmade products from a talented group of international artisans.
This kind of stuff is right up our alley. Give 147 Million Orphans a look-see HERE and let 'em know Raw Travel TV sent ya.
I stumbled upon "Go Erin Go" when googling something or another on our upcoming trip to Eastern Europe. There are about a bazillion travel bloggers out there, and I love them all by the way :), but Erin is so much more than just another travel blogger. I don't personally know Erin but it's very clear that giving back is a BIG part of her seemingly very busy and very full life. Her site is designed to inspire others about the joys of voluntourism and giving back and she makes it easy to volunteer, something which may sound simple, but can actually be, on occasion quiet complicated, especially for the uninitiated. Case in point, the GIVING U section of her website. She features Donate My Dollars (she's raised A LOT of $ btw), Hot Organizations and most impressively for me, a free Giving Guide PDF just for signing up to her newsletter. I need another newsletter like a hole in the head, but I signed up because this is one I really think I will read. I subsequently downloaded the free guide and I love it. I bet you will too.
Check out Go Erin Go and give her a shout out for all the good work she is doing and if you are so inspired, maybe even a hand.
For some reason Romania fascinates me. So I made sure to include it on my agenda when traveling through Eastern Europe in the summer of 2012. I spent a fascinating week in Bucharest, wandering it's streets and getting to know it's people and culture. And for the 1st time in my life, became somewhat aware of the plight of Europe's gypsy population. It was eye opening and I vowed to return to learn more. Well now that Raw Travel is a reality, I am happy to announce, I will be returning to Romania, this time with camera crew in tow. We are in the planning stages now on an entire Eastern European tour that will hopefully shed light on Eastern Europe in a way few, if any, other television or travel shows have.
I was cleaning out my junk (spam) email box when I paused over the delete button when I saw the subject line of one email that said "Rain Boots Changes Lives". I was intrigued and read further and the more I read, the more I saw the more I knew I had to do something to help spread the word of this very worthwhile cause.
According to their website Roma Boots is a 'buy one give one' fashionable rain boot company headquartered in Dallas, Texas and founded in 2010 by Romanian born Samuel Bistrian who wanted to help children in his home country by combining his love of fashion and philanthropy.
Their mission is to give poverty the boot by bringing street children and orphans hope, love and lasting change in a sustainable and practical way. For every pair of Roma Boots sold, a brand new pair is donated to a child in need in places like Romania, Moldova, Guatemala, etc. Additionally, 10% of all sales proceeds go to the Roma For All Foundation to help these children break out of their cycle of poverty and despair.
Find out about Roma Boots by visiting their website HERE or watching the moving video of founder Samuel Bistrian as he tells his story much more eloquently than I. I hope we can do more to help Roma give poverty the boot, perhaps maybe even participate in a boot drop when we're in Romania later this summer.
Edeyo Foundation – Helping Haiti
It's been 4 years since the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Even before the earthquake, Haiti was not an easy place to grow up. The Edeyo Foundation is a NYC based organization trying to change that for Haitian schoolchildren by raising money to educate disadvantaged Haitian children.
There are a number of volunteer opportunities available with Edeyo for those aspiring to make a difference in the lives of children in Haiti. Volunteer opportunities include fundraising, grant writing, marketing and communications, and social media, as well as, research and administrative work and more. See the "Get Involved" section on their website for ways you can help.
We want to shine the spotlight on Edeyo for the work they are doing and remind people that Haiti is still a place very much in need of all the support we can give. Check Edayo out at their website and facebook page to support. I hope we can get there soon with Raw Travel and shine an even brighter spotlight.
MaxLove Brand
Mission – MaxLove Project is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing families fighting childhood cancers and life-threatening conditions with accessible, practical, and kid-friendly whole-body wellness.Inspired by SuperMax Wilford, a six-year-old fighting brain cancer, MaxLove Project is a 100% volunteer-driven, grassroots nonprofit organization founded to help SuperKids thrive against cancer and life-threatening conditions. Learn more about Max Love Project HERE.
So you guys know by now that drinking "pure" water from a plastic bottle is kind of silly right? Water from plastic water bottles is probably full of poisonous chemicals from the plastic and the bottles themselves are a huge environmental problem, especially in developing countries where recycling is not up to speed.
But you also know that clean water while traveling is a big issue as well. I've done such a poor job in the past, buying those plastic water bottles for me and my crew, the whole time, knowing there was a better way and just not doing it. Well, no more. I just took the pledge over at Traveler's Against Plastic (TAP) so you will NEVER see me drinking from a plastic water bottle again..well, never say never, but the deal is I am truly committing myself (and my crew) to doing what's right for both our health and the environment by just saying "no" to plastic water bottles.
I do such a terrible job explaining this and Chris from TAP does such a great job, I think I'll let her tell you. If you are still drinking water from plastic water bottles, do yourself (and the planet) a big favor and take 2:30 minutes from your life and watch her video and if so moved, take the pledge against plastic. In a complicated world, this is a real no brainer. After you see the video, take the pledge and follow them on Facebook and/or twitter and be sure and tell your friends and fellow travelers.


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I would describe myself as someone who is honest, caring, intelligent, hardworking, and ambitious. I have a great sense of humour. I am an easy going person and don't get easily disturbed by down's in my life. I love to keep secrets and all the people around me confide their problems to me. I enjoy travelling, watching movies, going out for dinner, and having great intellectual conversations!
Nothing new.

subset: commoncrawl


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"there is only one happyness in life - to love and to be loved"
-George Sand
Wedding is the most precious moment for every person. It's the beginning of a new life for you both. Our Shooters will capture all of your special moments; from the nervous preparation to the joyful part of the ceremony with laugh, kisses and happiness.


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We were unable to find any products matching your requirements.
It's possible that you followed an out of date link.
If you are having trouble finding the product you are looking for try our sitemap or contact us
Here at Triads you will find a superb range of Norse Projects Gloves available for you to buy online. Browse our current selection of gloves that this designer label has to offer and you are sure to find the perfect pair for you. Our online store is the only place to be if you are looking for the latest in mens fashionable clothing. Choose from a wide range of high end labels including Norse Projects. This is a name we are proud to stock here at Triads and we know you will enjoy the collection too. Why not try our array of Norse Projects jackets and Norse Projects t shirts that we have to offer. You will not be disappointed with the collection we currently stock alongside our mens Norse Projects gloves.
For more great menswear, check out our other brands where you will find Vivienne Westwood, Grenson, Hugo Boss Green and many more.


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Andrew Sachs, Fawlty Towers' Manuel, dies aged 86
Sachs was buried on Thursday at 86 after having vascular dementia for four years, according to reports. Samuel West, whose mother Prunella Scales starred alongside Sachs in Fawlty Towers , said of the German-born Sachs: "Creator of one of our most beloved European Union migrants".
Thousands bid farewell to Fidel Castro
Guns N' Roses in concerto a Imola, Barley Arts fa causa all'autodromo
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story promises immersive experience
Acclaimed 'Manchester by the Sea' wins at National Board of Review Awards
Intrattenimento - Tutte le novità
Texas coach Charlie Strong addresses rumors about firing, boycottShould Strong be fired, it is believed Houston coach Tom Herman would be the school's top choice. The Longhorns are in an interesting situation if they decide to fire Strong, because few (if any) programs have the money to go after a head coach that Texas possesses.
Della droga. Salvato da mia mogliePoi comincia l'opposizione. Ora riesco a gestirla; allora non capivo le gelosie, le cattiverie. "L'ex amico che si offende perché hai meno tempo e ti dà del venduto, il giornalista che ti critica, il collega che ti attacca", ha spiegato il cantante.
Pacers beat Clippers in LA to sweep season seriesPaul George returned from injury to help spark the win and was one of seven Pacers in double figures. We can't put the pressure on one guy. In a collective effort, Thaddeus Young led the visitors in scoring with 17 points, with All-Star George adding 16.
Netflix to allow TV, movie downloads for offline viewingThere will also be a new menu showing you a list of titles that are available for download. They can make their own stuff immediately available for download, thereby making it even more accessible and more likely to be viewed. Picture taken on September 11, 2014 to illustrate the on-demand internet streaming media provider, Netflix , on the home video game console PlayStation 3 in Stockholm.
Referendum: Paola Saulino annuncia il Pompa Tour, ecco le date!E adesso vuole mantenere la promessa. Dieci le tappe. Quella palermitana è fissata per il 21 gennaio . Quindi Palermo: 10 città in appena due settimane . "Io non mi tirerò mai indietro come Madonna...", aveva annunciato su Facebook l'avvenente napoletana nei giorni scorsi. "Da ciò, e dalle prenotazioni (se siete stati in grado di prenotarvi) verranno tratte le conclusioni" - ha spiegato Paola.
MI elections chief testifies on recountA federal judge late Sunday night in Detroit ordered a statewide hand recount of roughly 4.8 million ballots to start by noon Monday. Jill Stein has raised over $7 million so far, claiming that $9.5 million is needed for a complete recount in Pennsylvania , Wisconsin, and MI.
Italy's Prime Minister Resigns After Referendum DefeatAfter the Brexit vote and Donald Trump's victory in the United States presidential election, the "No" vote is likely to be interpreted as another victory for populist forces and a potential stepping stone to the government for Grillo's Five Star.
Florence Henderson, Mom on "The Brady Bunch", Dead at 82Henderson was one of what were then called " Today Girls", delivering the weather on NBC's TODAY . First time I saw her, she came in, she was completely made up as Carol Brady. And the fact that she was a young mother also helped her in the role, she said. "It is for them that my heart is aching", Olsen posted . Florence hosted The Florence Henderson Show on Retirement Living TV where she could "present an insider's view of Hollywood from a true Hollywood insider", with special guests, ...
Dolphins LB Kiko Alonso: There was 'bad blood' with Colin KaepernickWhen Kaepernick took the field in Miami on Sunday, he was booed. "I think that part of it is positive". "I had a one on one against a guard. It's in everything; his pocket presence, his accuracy, understanding and knowledge of protections".
Chelsea football club apologises 'profusely' to sex abuse victim Gary JohnsonJohnson, now 57, said that Heath groomed him and sexually assaulted him from the age of 13 but the club told him to "prove it" and his father had to confirm that Heath, who has since died, visited the player's home in the 1970s. The Professional Footballers' Association says another 17 former players have come forward with claims they were sexually abused in the sport. but the latest alleged victims say they wish to remain anonymous.
Bigg Boss 10: Elena Kazan eliminated from the showManu Punjabi too made an emergency exit from the Bigg Boss house due to the sudden demise of his mother. Mumbai: German-Russian model-cum-actress Elena Kazan is the latest contestant to be evicted from the "Bigg Boss" house. Priyanka and Sahil were successful in saving themselves from being nominated. Post the Dome task, which caused a lot of drama, four housemates were nominated for eviction where it is Bani J, Rahul Dev, Jason and Elena landed in the danger zone this week.


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Friday is finally here again! The end of the work week... the beginning of the weekend.... the day to grab some totally great freebies!! Grab them while they last:
Walgreens is offering samples of the new Always Infinity Pads along with coupons for your next purchase.
Test out Baby Phat's new fragrance - Fabulosity
Ever wanted to travel to China? Request a travel brochure from China's Lantern and your package will include a free silk handkerchief!
Grab a free coffee mug with a built in spoon and holder from Digilake.
Do you love Spaghetti? Bertoli wants to send you a pouch of their new premium sauce in a microwave pouch!
Gooseberry Patch has the cutest stuff - and now they'll send you a free fall favorites with sunmaid raisins cookbook (be sure to check off the 2nd box - "Please only send me the Gooseberry Patch Fall Favorites with Sun-Maid® Raisins & Dried Fruit" - the first one is a paid book.
Walmart is offering a free 20-count pack of Nicorette whitening gum.
Get a free 2009 Wildlife Calendar from Wildlife Gifts.
Are you a homeschooler? If so, Starbucks is offering you a free coffee on Monday, Sept 29th, details are Here.
Moms vote too! Get the word out that we Moms are not just chauffeurs, maids and cooks - we have a voice... Moms Rising is offering two window clings to remind others that Moms vote too, they are available Here and Here
There you have it, this week's goodies - not so many, but hey, it can't be an extravaganza every week - Enjoy!!!
Turning Lemons into Pink Lemonade!
Posted by Liz of Pink Lemonade
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Quick review: James has the Veto. Shelli and Clay went into overdrive last night to convince him to take one of them off the block. James was dug in against using the Veto and did not waver until early this morning when Clay and Shelli sold out Austin and his Judas persona. But, by bed time James was nearly certain he would not use the Veto and Shelli would be the target. Veto comp punishments were also completed yesterday; Shelli won 2,400 battles in 24 hours and Vanessa finished polishing Jackie's suit of armor. Oh and Austin continues his attempts to polish Liz's body parts with no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Big Brother has awakened the Houseguests.
James informs Clay that using the Veto "is still a toss-up, man."
Next James let John know in so many words that he will not be using the Veto, telling John he wanted info from [Shelli and Clay] before he made noms.
Austin fills Liz in that Shelli and Clay were ticked off because Austin wasn't campaigning harder for them. Liz eventually tells Austin she wants Shelli out and doesn't trust her.
Meanwhile Clay and Shelli ask Meg why their conversation from last night was told to Austin. They believe Meg didn't do it and figure that it must have been James. (They are basing all this off a look they got from Austin).
A little later everyone has assembled outside except for Vanessa strategizing with Shelli and Clay how to handle things if the Veto is or isn't used. Vanessa suggests coming clean with Austin before James lets him know they sold him out.
Feeds were out for just 37 minutes for the Veto meeting. It is immediately obvious the Veto was not used. Clay and Shelli are in bed; Shelli is crying hard and saying, "We have 4 days left. Let's just make them good. I'm going to miss you so much. While they go through some woulda coulda shoulda, we see Vanessa has been in the room in another bed not saying anything.
Meanwhile in the Comic bedroom, Steve is checking on James. He knows James had a stressful couple days. James mentions he didn't plan his POV speech and indicated there was a sort of blow-up at the Veto meeting. When James asks, Steve tells him Clay and Shelli were the ones trying to get James on the block.
Next we see Austin and the twins discussing they don't trust Clay or Shelli. They are loyal to Steve and don't want to go after him. They want to talk to Vanessa and James to decide which way to vote this week. They want to protect Vanessa and throw out John as a possible target.
Vanessa joins, upset that Shelli and Clay blew up their game but warns not to make an enemy out of them because they know too much. She throws out the possibility of working with James going forward.
In the Hammock Room, John tells Becky he promised Clay he would vote to keep Shelli.
The twins and Austin still don't know exactly what was said yet but they are done with Clay and Shelli.
Later in the Have Not room, Shelli wants to know if Austin is mad about the things she told James. Vanessa says he's not. Shelli makes a point she did NOT tell James about their alliance. Vanessa advises Shelli not to campaign for herself because it will make her look terrible. Vanessa will campaign on her behalf.
Next Vanessa is seen with Austin and the twins trying to calm them down. Julia apologizes to Austin for telling Vanessa about Judas and the hinky vote.
Not long after Shelli explains to Austin and the twins why she told James the things she did. Liz tells Shelli that she and Julia will vote to keep Shelli despite James wanting them to vote her out.
Then we see Vanessa telling Steve she will vote to evict Clay but would like to hear his thoughts. Steve thinks Shelli is more of a threat, "but I'm a fan of keeping bigger shields around." They figure it will be a 5-4 vote. Vanessa informs Steve that Shelli tried to get Austin back doored. Steve's response, "Oh so, it wasn't me." Vanessa advises Steve try really hard to get HoH. Things are getting hairy and there is only so much she can do.
Next up, James informs Meg that Steve knew all about the plan to backdoor Jason from Clay and Shelli. James has no regrets for what he has done now.
Austin and Liz are out on the double lounger. Austin wants to put up whoever is left of Clay or Shelli if he wins HOH next week. He is grateful to James and Meg for not putting him up this week. Liz is not happy that Shelli made a deal instead of staying on the ledge during HoH. Austin mentions a song lyric tattoo he has to keep covered.
A rotating crew of houseguests assembles on the backyard couches. Lots of general chit chat sprinkled with occasional game talk. Becky has a theory that America has a key and we get to vote at the end. Julie will insert the key for us. Big Brother makes the announcement, "House guests; remember to enjoy yourself today. These are the good old days!" They wonder if that means a Double Eviction Thursday.
James, Meg, Jackie and Becky compare notes about recent house goings on while John sits silently taking it all in.
James and Austin break away from the larger group and chat. James explains he believed in Clay and Shelli, but they lost his trust in them. Austin explains that Judas is his wrestling character and has nothing to do with the game.
When John heads over to Austin and Liz on the hammock, they tell him about Shelli and Clay trying to get Austin put up. After John leaves, they quiz each other on house events.
Clay meets up with Vanessa in the Bathroom. He thinks it's all going to be floaters at the end now that they're taking out the strong players. He complains that the twins have no loyalty and gravitate to the power. He hasn't talked to Austin yet and wonders if Vanessa has. She says, "He's pissed". Clay responds, "Well, so are we! … he's of no value to me".
When the twins appear, Clay leaves. Vanessa is excited to report that Clay thinks it's unanimous for him to stay. She pieces it together like he set Shelli up to take the fall.
Back outside in a silly scientific conversation with John, Steve says, "If Becky had a pH it'd be 10... Because she's basic."
Meanwhile out on the hammock, Clay tells Shelly, "We saved the wrong person, Austin." They wonder why Vanessa is protecting Austin and Steve.
Elsewhere Austin and twins question why Clay hasn't apologized to them yet. Maybe he didn't do anything and it was all Vanessa.
Becky, Meg and Jackie have a strategy meeting in the Bathroom, unaware things are changing direction.
Not long after Austin is with Vanessa. She mentions the vote being a blind-side. Austin confirms he and the twins will vote to keep Shelli and will tell James. Why make it a blind-side. They have the numbers and James can do what he wants. Vanessa does a 180 and says he 1000% right.
Vanessa tries guiding Austin on the upcoming week. Put up Shelly and Steve. Austin prefers Shelli and Jackie. Vanessa explains they will tell people they want Shelli out but really plan to back door someone else. When Austin complains that Shelli apologized but Clay didn't, Vanessa says Shelli doesn't want Clay to know we talked and have a deal. Austin is shocked, "That showmance didn't last long!"
Austin chats with Jackie in the bathroom. He is tired of being thrown under the bus and being called a liar by Shelli and Clay. Jackie piles on by telling him all she knew about what they said to save themselves last night.
Next, Austin goes to the Have Not room to chat with Shelli. He gives her a heads up he is telling everyone that Shelli just made all of the 'Judas' stuff up. She'll go along with it. He let her know that he and the twins are voting Clay out even though James want's Shelli out. Shelli explains that Clay really is bummed out. It's not a strategy.
Vanessa, Austin and the twins meet up again. Steve joins them and they convince him that keeping Shelli is the way to go this week.
A praying mantis appeared and called a house meeting. Everyone is very excited.
When things calm down, James and Jackie figure if Austin wears his top hat during the vote, they will know he is making a hinky vote. Jackie passes along that Meg wants to hide the top hat so Austin can't become Judas.
James and Jackie continue chatting. We learn they still think Shelli is the one leaving this week. They'll take out Clay and Vanessa next.
Later Steve joins James at pool. He questions James on how Shelli and Clay were targeting him. James explains they wanted Steve to go up. When that wasn't getting them anywhere, they switched to wanting Austin up.
James thinks Jason got what he deserved because he revealed the twins. Steve was ok with Jason going because he trashed talked him a lot.
James thinks he is mending the house split with his actions this week.
Steve mentions Meg is a good kisser and she made a deal to kiss him if he won HoH.
Before leaving Steve alone, James passes along that Clay leaving is better because Clay will crumble without Shelli in the house.
Steve talks to himself, "James knows I'm trying to play both sides. If I win, I'm putting up Shelli and Becky." He then studies dates and the order of the Gronk parties.
Shelli and Clay are out on the hammock with Steve standing beside them chatting about current and past showmances.
A little later Becky, Shelli, Steve and Clay meet in the Kitchen and sort nuts. Appropriately they wear the squirrel hats while they do it.
After Becky leaves, Clay want to make sure Steve knows that Clay wasn't throwing him under the bus last night. Steve presses how Clay would know that Steve had heard that. Clay declines to divulge.
Alone again, Steve confirms he's totally down with the plan to save Shelli. His #1 target is Becky. She is saying too much stuff about him. Now he finally wants to win HoH. He heads inside and the house goes quiet at 4:30 AM.
Will the 'save Shelli' plan work? Will they tell James and the others before the live vote? Or will things go a different direction a time or two… or eight? And will the Judas hat ever be seen again?
Thanks to the Updaters for all they do!
|Words on a Screen - by Cat LeDevic
Oh, how the gods laugh. The following happened to a good 'friend' of mine we'll call Pal.
|Celebrity Big Brother Celebrities Revealed
Meet to celebrities entering the first Celebrity edition of Big Brother (US)
|Group Psychosis, Communicated Insanity & The Social & Serial Bullying Dynamic in "The Big Brother House"
"Folie ŕ deux-Communicated Insanity"
|#BigBrother19: "Bullies, Banshees & Clowns"
A Bullying Circus Hits the House
|The Voice Finale: Broken Hearts & Exploding Farts
Just this ole country girl's thoughts on Voice winner.
|Bored? Here are my favorite clicks from TheBoredButton.com
Beware... some of these will keep you busy for hours!
|#BBOTT Finale, Last Moments
#BBOTT Last Moments: Pride For the Final Three . #BBWARRIORS All.
|BB OTT: Shane's Eviction Interview
Joker's speaks with the latest BB OTT evictee, Shane.
|Big Brother 18 House of Mirrors: Snake Joke
Final thoughts on the finale, and out of context quotes
|Big Brother 18 House of Mirrors: Social Justice
The varied meanings of "social game", end of the season awards, and out of context quotes.
|Big Brother 18 House of Mirrors: Rodeo Clown
Tracking James's bizarre Big Brother devolution, and out of context quotes
|Paul's "roommate" analysis of himself and the 15 other Houseguests he's spent the summer with
Paul gives the lowdown on how shady it is to live with some of the Houseguests
|Big Brother 18 House of Mirrors: Revolution
Showmance hell, reconsidering Paul, and out of context quotes
|Big Brother 18 House of Mirrors: Feminism Type Thing
Paulie's take on feminism and Jersey girls
|Big Brother 18 House of Mirrors: Girl Power
The resurgance of the Spy Girls, and the many complications of America's Care Packages
|Big Brother 18 "To Vic"
A poem better than Victor's
|Big Brother 18 House of Mirrors: Mateship
James accidentally says too much to Da'Vonne, and Bridgette's Big Brother life without Frank
|BB18 - Meow: Claws will Clash with Class
Meow: Claws vs. Class
|Big Brother 18 House of Mirrors: It Ain't Me, Babe
Big Brother interventions, and Bridgette vs. the Mean Girls
|Big Brother 18 House of Mirrors: Just Kiddin'
The comedic stylings of Frank, and Nicole as America's Player
|BB17: Can You Guess What Happens Next?
BB17 Daily Recap September 21, 2015
|Sleep, Sleep, Part 2 HOH and MORE Sleep
BB17 Daily Recap September 18, 2015
|BB17: The Kingdom Chronicles; Banishment Conspiracies
BB17 Daily Recap September 13, 2015
|Feeds down, Liz and Vanessa's Trip and Easy Targets on Block
BB17 Daily Recap September 11, 2015
|BB17: They Walk Alike, They Talk Alike, But What Will They Decide!
BB17 Daily Recap September 7, 2015
|The "Boy and his Teddy" Ruling the Compound, Liz Melts While Vanessa's Paranoia Takes Over Again
BB17 Daily Recap September 4, 2015
|BB17: Meg Makes a Play but Vanessa has the Last Say!
BB17 Daily Recap August 31, 2015
|More Vanessa Justification Lies, Meg and James on Block, Mean Sisters Unite
BB17 Daily Recap August 28, 2015
|BB17: John Spills the Beans Giving Vanessa her Target Du Jour!
BB17 Daily Recap August 24, 2015
|Austwins rule the HOH room again, Vanessa talks herself off the block and Johnny Mac is Johnny Mac
BB17 Daily Recap August 21, 2015
|BB17: Both Nominees Think They are Safe. How Does that Work?
BB17 Daily Recap August 17, 2015
|Austwins Control, Vanessa Paranoia and Johnny Macs Cookie Caper
BB17 Daily Recap August 15, 2015
|BB17: An Overplayed Hand Increases the Blind for Vanessa!
BB17 Daily Recap August 10, 2015
|It's all about that VETO that VETO, It's all about VETO
BB17 Daily Recap August 7, 2015
|BB17: A Decision has been Made, A Power Couple will be Split!
BB17 Daily Recap August 3, 2015
|Explosive Nominations and Meltdowns in the Compound
BB17 Daily Recap July 31, 2015
|BB17: Vanessa Delivers a Blindside Backdoor Nomination, Shelli and Clay Take the Heat (Full Version)
BB17 Daily Recap July 27, 2015 (Complete Version)
|Operation Oust Austin Underway, Twins Safe After BOB Competition, Shlay Worried
BB17 Daily Recap July 24, 2015
|BB17: It's All about Audrey and the Veto Meeting that Almost Wasn't!
BB17 Daily Recap July 20, 2015
|Lies, Denies and Audrey's Game Demise
BB17 Daily Recap July 19, 2015
|Noms, BOB and speculations!
BB17 Daily Recap July 17, 2015
|BB17: Meg Cruises, Jeff Loses, but no one Snoozes after the Veto Meeting Today
BB17 Daily Recap July 13, 2015
BB17 Daily Recap July 12, 2015
|Vanessa Rules, Party like Gronk and James bombs
BB17 Daily Recap July 10, 2015
|"There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared: twins." Josh Billings
BB17 Daily Recap July 7, 2015
|BB17: Veto Meeting Gives Way to the Twins Exposed and the Last Laugh
BB17 Daily Recap July 6, 2015
|As long as there's no train competitions, I'm set
BB17 Daily Recap July 5, 2015
|A trifecta of Competitions, Exhausted houseguests….and speculation of twin twist!!
BB17 Daily Recap July 3, 2015
|BB17: The Revolution Has Begun!
BB17 Daily Recap June 29, 2015
|1 POV, 1 Renom, 2 many meetings, 2 few house meetings
BB17 Daily Recap June 28, 2015
|Alliance galore, Paranoia and a puppet master is forming
BB17 Daily Recap June 26, 2015
|Several fast alliances, new HOH, and even who's nominated and who ELSE may well be backdoored!
#BB17 Daily Recap June 25, 2015
|Big Brother 17 House of Mirrors: Scouting Report
Your guide to the Big Brother 17 cast


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Health care workers among 'Ties That Bind'
Dr Jean 'Binta' Breeze stayed in England longer than accustomed this time around to accept an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Leicester last week. Normally, she would have wrapped up a book tour and returned to Jamaica in the latter part of the previous year.
Breeze is now working on a collection with the working title The Ties That Bind. Exploring relationships, it starts with her mother, sister and children. Based on her experiences in England, Breeze will include a section named Love Poems to the NHS. The NHS is England's National Health Service, with which Breeze is very familiar.
Breeze told The Gleaner that "the last three times I have been to England I have been very ill and ended up in hospital. I have had a lot of treatment by the NHS and I was treated so well," she said. The Gleaner reported in January 2014 that on one occasion, she had two clots on her lungs.
So, Breeze said "I found there was a larger family when I was in hospital, so Love Poems to the NHS is the last part of the book." She is now abut a third of the way to completing the collection.
The trip which Breeze extended to accept the honorary doctorate was a book tour, reading from her latest poetry collection, The Verandah Poems. She told The Gleaner she had read in about 16 cities to a "fantastic response" that included standing ovations and sold-out houses.
With the tour over and the doctorate accepted, Breeze said, "I am looking forward to getting back to my verandah. That is the home of my writing."


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The healthcare industry has naturally been one of the active areas of exploration as the world scrambles to find applications for cryptocurrency. The risk-averse nature of the medical industry combined with the enormous cost needed to initiate any change in healthcare has been a major barrier to change. As a result, the healthcare industry is renowned for being slow at adopting new technologies.
However, the overwhelming enthusiasm of the blockchain industry is not going to let those barriers stop them. Here are two areas where cryptocurrency and distributed ledger technology can potentially revolutionize the healthcare system.
The problems of centralized healthcare data management
One of the core principles behind cryptocurrency is it enables individual sovereignty. With the unidirectional cryptographic relationship allowed by private/public keys and the peer to peer nature of distributed databases, we no longer have to rely on centralized institutions to facilitate interactions. Traditionally, healthcare records were stored and maintained centrally by the clinic and hospital you visit. This centrality creates massive information silos due to the lack of permeability of data between medical institutions and it is also prone to hacking. For example in 2017 the hacker group The Dark Overlord stole over 600,000 patient records in the U.S. across three healthcare organizations and sold them on the dark web.
Patient-centered healthcare
What if instead of paternalistic data management, the patient own their healthcare data themselves securely on the blockchain? Empowering individuals with control of their medical history is what startups such as Medibloc and Medicalchain are proposing.
By giving back healthcare records sovereignty back to individuals, not only all your medical interactions will be recorded in one unified and secure platform, patients can decide on who may have access to that information. By creating an economy around patient's health records, developers can develop applications to utilize these data with consent from patients. Physicians will have access to one single source of truth of your entire life's medical data. You may decide to sell your medical history directly to researchers without having to worry third parties accessing it without permission.
Blockchain-based health insurance
Another major area cryptocurrency can tackle is providing desperately needed access to capital for people living in low-to-middle income countries (LMIC). In 2014, per capita health spending in low-income countries (LIC) was $120 as compared with $5221 in high-income countries (HIC). Furthermore, there is a minimal projected raise for LICs in the next decades. The two main reasons for this are:
1) Insufficient access to reliable data on the quality of care and management of institutions leading to limited investment confidence.
2) The inefficiencies of cross-border payments and non-competitive intermediaries currently exist in the financing industry.
Blockchain can provide meaningful solutions to both of these problems. With the likes of Ripple and Stellar for cross-border payments and medical-focused startups mentioned above.
Universal access to healthcare insurance
The transparency and immutability offered by blockchain can provide a tamper-proof audit trail which was previously impossible. This can minimize fraud and give financial credibility globally to those who are truly honest.
By removing financial institutions as third-party intermediaries, the poorest can bypass the hurdles as a result of a corrupt or unstable centralized institution previously established through no faults of their own.
For example, PwC UK blockchain lab has already performed pilot studies on blockchain implementations in wholesale insurance and acknowledges that the potential is enormous.
Another example is Wanchain, a blockchain protocol solely focusing on building a decentralized financial infrastructure, with the potential to make centralized banks a thing of the past.
There is a reason why there is such an insane amount of enthusiasm behind blockchain and cryptocurrency. Platforms like Medibloc and Medicalchain give the health record data sovereignty back into the hands of individual patients. Meanwhile, cryptocurrency can also provide health financial access to the world's poorest people. Of course, we are still in the very early days of the exploration. No one knows if the medical industry will be able to adopt blockchain technology with relative speed. Whatever the outcome is, with this much potential and this much money at stake, it is indeed worth a try.
Read original article at coincentral.com.
Author: Ron See


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Wrought iron has been used in building from the earliest days of civilisation, wrought iron door furniture being commonplace in Roman times. The structural use or iron gates from the middle ages, when bars of wrought iron would be used occasionally to tie masonry arches and domes. This use of wrought iron in tension guaranteed its use throughout the ascendancy of cast iron in the canal and railway ages, as cast iron is strong only in compression. The ill fated first Tay Bridge was of cast iron beams tied with wrought iron. The demand for higher dynamic loads in bridges and warehouse buildings, and the ever greater spans of train sheds towards the end of the nineteenth century, led the designers of buildings to acquire the technology developed to build ships of iron, and create beams of riveted wrought iron rolled sections. By the turn of the century this had led to buildings completely framed in wrought iron, and later steel, girder sections, and cast iron was once again relegated to an ornamental role. Our main concern with wrought iron, however, will be in its application to gates and railings, frequently given an ornamental treatment by the blacksmith. There are wrought iron railings in Westminster Abbey from the thirteenth century, which, in essence display all the characteristics which we have come to know as 'wrought ironwork', although lacking modern refinements such as symmetry and sweetness of line, but the great age of British ironwork, known as the 'English' style began at the end of the seventeenth century. A French fashion for the Baroque style in gates and railings, swept the country houses of Britain, following the import of craftsman by William and Mary, and the greater part of our national stock of good ironwork dates from the early years of the eighteenth century. After the rise of cast iron as an ornamental medium, wrought iron tended often to take a secondary role, owing to its comparative expense, each piece being made by hand, while castings could be repeated ad infinitum, once the patterns were made. Technically, however, the craftsmen of the age of machines, excelled their forebears, as indeed they must while making mechanical components, so that the ornamental blacksmith work of the nineteenth century displays a perfection of manufacture not seen before nor since. After the introduction of mild steel, cheap because of its ability to be mass produced, wrought iron, and the craft skills associated with it, gradually disappeared in accordance with the general decline of craft standards in the twentieth century, until the last ironworks ceased production in 1974. From 1982 Chris Topp & Co. and later The Real Wrought Iron Company, have made available a limited supply of puddled wrought iron, derived from scrap metal. The subsequent years have brought a steadily increasing demand, as the blacksmiths of Britain have slowly taken up again the ancient skills.
Wrought iron is unlike cast, in that it is not brittle, and seldom breaks. For this reason, wrought ironwork is frequently far more delicate, although years of paint can obscure this. Cast iron is most frequently identified by its repetitive nature, and forms which could be carved in a wooden pattern, but not made by hammer and anvil. Telling wrought iron from mild steel is often more difficult, as both will bend, and not break. Frequently, however, work in mild steel is readily identified by the lower standards of workmanship often used. Look for evidence of electric welding. Also mild steel is often given away by more active corrosion, rust tends to run out of the joints in a steel gate, and stain the paintwork, where this is seldom the case with wrought iron. Wrought iron may also be dated, approximately by its texture. Until the very end of the eighteenth century, sections of wrought iron were derived by forging of billets by hand or water power, this resulted in a more or less uneven surface texture, and very sharp corners. A foreshortened view of a bar displays well the irregularities of the surface. Rolled bars, on the other hand, produced from the beginning of the nineteenth century, are perfectly smooth, and the corners can display a small radius. Nineteenth century wrought iron is known as 'puddled iron'.
The modern replacement for wrought iron is mild steel. Many metalworkers are perfectly content to use this much cheaper metal both for new work and the refurbishment of old. I would like to suggest the reasons why this is not acceptable, while wrought iron is yet available.
SPECIFICATIONs WROUGHT IRON
There is a wide disparity in cost between the cheapest of work, and the best Without a sufficiently tight specification, work acquired on a competitive basis will tend towards the lower order. There is a need for a standard form of words which can be use to specify ironwork of the highest order. Definition of the materials is a good start, for example 'puddled wrought iron' rather than just 9wrought iron", which is often misinterpreted. Mention of specific techniques is important, 'all welding to done in the fire' is often used, or less positively, 'no use of electric welding'. Assurance of quality, however, can only be guaranteed by examination of the track record of the workman, or from the submission of samples.
Ironwork is commonly supposed to be nearly free of maintenance. Unlike wood work which is religiously subjected to a stern regime of regular painting, ironwork is frequently left to rust undisturbed for long periods, so much so that the only attention that much even important ironwork receives, is periodic major overhaul, at great expense. This could be avoided by frequent small attention. Insistence on frequent inspection would be of benefit, perhaps once a year, with immediate, and usually trivial remedial work to arrest any developing problems.
At present, supplies of puddled iron are derived from old material of large size, which can be rolled directly into bar form. Although, to date, such raw material has been available, we are installing the plant required to process general wrought iron scrap, which by a forge welding process produces an iron of high quality. As there are nearly limitless supplies of such scrap, the future of wrought iron seems secure. Information courtesy of The Real Wrought Iron Company
Much of what we know about the Celts has been learnt through oral tradition. It is thought that the name given to them by the Greeks - Keltoi - means " hidden people " due to the reluctance of the Celts to commit any of their vast wealth of knowledge to writing.
What we know of their early history has been largely learnt through archaeological excavations of the settlements and burial sites found across Europe.
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Za'atar Roasted Salmon with Greens
Oh gosh, I'm not totally sure how to sell this one to you. This is what we eat for dinner when we don't know what to eat for dinner. It's quick. There are five ingredients. What you spend on wild salmon, you make up for with nearly no prep and just 10 minutes of cooking. This is really good and really healthful, detox food that will still fill you up.
In fact, this is Alex's recipe. He used to make it before I made dinner for us most nights. All you do is sauté garlic, add a lot of greens, arrange the salmon on top, and bake for a couple of minutes. In the oven, the greens get slightly crisp on top but rich underneath, since they benefit from cooking in a little bit of the salmon's fat, just like the potatoes from Alex's roasted chicken. Don't get me wrong, though: this is not bachelor food. The pink salmon presents itself pretty handsomely, sitting there on top of tender farmers' market greens.
Of course the za'atar is my addition. I've been sprinkling it on salads and sandwiches since this post, when I started my Middle Eastern exploration with Sargento. With the salmon, the herb mix serves two purposes. One, the combination suits salmon perfectly: the thyme is fragrant, the sesame seeds are rich, and the tangy sumac, like lemon, helps cut through salmon's fattiness. And two, you know that white stuff that seeps out of salmon when you cook it? It's called albumin. It's no big deal taste-wise and there are cooking methods that can reduce it, but bottom line, it doesn't look that pretty, and the za'atar sprinkle covers it up.
This sponsored post is part of an ongoing collaboration with Sargento, called Flavor Journey. Throughout the year, with the support of Sargento, I'm exploring Middle Eastern cuisine–at home, in Brooklyn, at cooking classes, and wherever the flavors may take me. You can see the whole series here. Sponsored posts let me do some of my best work on this blog, and I only ever work with brands whose values and products mesh with the content I love to produce for you. Here's my affiliate disclosure.
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- ¾ teaspoon sumac
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, greens removed from stem and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large bunch spinach, washed well, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¾ pound wild salmon side (not steaks), cut into two filets
- 2 tablespoons za'atar
- 3 lemon wedges
- Mix all the ingredients together
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In an ovenproof skillet (cast iron works great!), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, until slices are just sizzling, not golden. Add greens (it's fine if there's water clinging to them), and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Salt to taste. Lay salmon on top of the greens. Drizzle the filets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes at 400°F, or until the salmon is done to your liking. Better to undercook than to overcook. Let the salmon rest for 5 minutes--it'll actually cook a little more while you wait. Sprinkle the za'atar on top. Squeeze the juice from one lemon wedge over the fish and serve with the other two wedges.
**Fall Fest**
This recipe is part of Food Network's Fall Fest, where bloggers share recipes about different seasonal recipes each week. Today, we've got spinach. Yum!
The Heritage Cook: Fresh Spinach with Maple Vinegar Vinaigrette
Blue Apron Blog: Saag Paneer at Home
Weelicious: Spinach Cake Muffins
Virtually Homemade: Creamy Spinach and Chicken Casserole
Haute Apple Pie: Parmesan Spinach, Broccoli and Chicken Bake
Red or Green: Spinach-Walnut Pesto on Bruschetta with Fried Egg
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Spinach with Sausage, Peppers and Tomatoes
The Sensitive Epicure: Spanakopita Minus the -Opita
Taste With The Eyes: Spinach and Chickpeas in a Bengali Mustard Sauce
Domesticate Me: Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette and a Fried Egg
In Jennie's Kitchen: Crispy Spinach Latkes
Devour: How to Make Spinach Gnocchi
Dishin & Dishes: Pear, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad with Arugula and Baby Spinach
FN Dish: Eat Your Spinach Sides


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It's been awhile since I last posted on here. I've been so busy with uni work that I haven't had the chance to go out and explore the beauty world for new products.
However, I recently discovered a beauty box company called Memebox! (while procrastinating one night....) The boxes are known to be jammed packed with Korean beauty products for you to try from a variety of brands - well known and the in between!
I was pretty much sold at 'Korean beauty products'...
There are a variety of boxes to choose from such as:
1. Memebox - packed with 4-8 full sized products and deluxe samples from Korea!
2. Superbox - packed with full sized products catering to specific needs
3. Luckybox - packed with the most popular items from previous sold-out Memboxes! This box is what I will be reviewing today :)
The box I purchased is the Luckybox #1 RESTOCKED - so pretty much the original one ran out so they restocked it! (YAY)
Ok here are the pictures for your viewing pleasure:
The packaging was cool! They bubble-wrapped the box inside!
Even though the box was bubble-wrapped it still was dented...however none of the products were damaged!
I pretty much bought the box because of the 'gel mist' and I am so GLAD that they included it in this restocked box as I am aware that another version of this box did NOT include it!
Jammed packed with goodness! :)
As you can see the box is filled to the brim with products! I have yet to try them out but so far so good!
The box costed me: 27.99 USD including shipping - after all coupons and vouchers were used :) - Great price if you ask me, considering all the products involved! You can refer to the attached photo cards for reference on prices and size of the individual products.
Unfortunately Memebox only ships to: US, Canada and Japan from March 31st 2014..so those of you that are located elsewhere (like MEEEE) will just have to be patient until they resume full international shipping!
However I do have another box coming my way in the coming weeks, which is the Memebox: The Masked Edition # 2 - so I will be giving my first impressions on that!
Have you guys tried out Memebox? If so do let me know which ones and how you are finding it! I would love to know! :)
Till next time!
xoxo J


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30Sep 2015
Palm Beach Condo & HOA Convention, are you going?
ARE YOU GOING? October 14th at the Palm Beach Convention Center? The Palm Beach Condo & HOA Convention, will be packed full of professionals like you! You can check out new products, speak with national experts and make valuable connections while learning about all the industry trends. This event will give you the chance, in just one day, to accomplish the many tasks on the...
Read More


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This section contains 6,040 words
(approx. 21 pages at 300 words per page)
SOURCE: Rath, Sura P., and Mary Neff Shaw. "The Dialogic Narrative of 'The Open Boat.'" College Literature 18, no. 2 (June 1991): 94-106.
In the following essay, Rath and Shaw use Mikhail Bakhtin's notion of the dialogic to analyze "The Open Boat."
In 1884, commenting in Longman's magazine on the "organic wholeness" of fiction, Henry James wrote that "a novel is a living thing, all one and continuous, like any other organism, and in proportion as it lives will it be found, I think, that in each of the parts there is something of each of the other parts" ("Fiction" 15). To achieve this narrative cohesion, he later prescribed the use of a "central intelligence" that would open one privileged window to the "house of fiction" and illuminate the characters and incidents for the readers ("Preface" 46). But if in his zeal to focus the meaning(s) of a work and thus justify the...
This section contains 6,040 words
(approx. 21 pages at 300 words per page)


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The Engel & Völkers News Brief | January 19, 2018
Friday, January 19th, 2018 at 12:00pm Engel Völkers
E&V News
Bungalow in 'Rosedale of Aurora' Retains Value in Slow Market
The Globe and Mail
Bungalows rarely come to market in the west end of Aurora, Ont., which is about a 30-minute drive north of Toronto, so this custom residence on a half-acre lot drummed up a full price offer after welcoming just three visitors in November.
Timbaland Picks Up New $3 Million Pair of Luxury 'Sky Homes' in Miami
One of Miami's most exclusive luxury buildings just locked down its artist in residence.
A River Runs Through This Stunning Utah Ranch
Toronto Star
Nature gets a helping hand to give ranch owners the maximum benefit of a waterfront home.
Old House, New Tricks: How to Sell a Historic Home
Generate excitement about your listing by accentuating what makes it rare and irreplaceable
Swanepoel Power 200
T3 Sixty
The overall 2018 SP200 ranks the most powerful leaders in the residential real estate brokerage industry as at 12/31/17.
$2.5M Lot in Upscale B.C Neighbourhood Seeks Bitcoin Buyer
Trail Times
Victoria financial advisor may make history by accepting cryptocurrency for luxury lot
House Hunting in … Germany
The New York Times
What to Expect in the Housing Market in 2018
Learn more about current trends and how to tap them to expand your business
FOMO Sends Canadian Real Estate Sales to Record High
Better Dwelling
Canadian real estate sales closed out 2017 with a bang. Numbers from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) show sales climbed across the country in December.
Why Chinese Investors Love Miami, the 'Hong Kong of the West'
"I love the Miami lifestyle, its weather and the people," Griffith explains.
Luxury Living
#TheLIST: On the Ground Trends to Transform Your Space
Harpers Bazaar
While a piece of art or furniture tends to serve as the focal point of any room, what sits underneath them can make just as much of a statement.


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ABySS 2.0, Tigmint, ARKS, and Bloom Filters at RECOMB-Seqconference ·
RECOMB 2018 will be taking place in Paris, France, from April 21-24th. RECOMB-Seq is one of its four satellite workshops this year, taking place from April 19-20th, bringing together researchers in computational genomics and bioinformatics to discuss new frontiers in gene sequencing.
Research Programmer (C++) position availablejobs ·
The Research Programmer: •Develops and implements new algorithms •Works with the BTL's large C/C++ code base (improve existing modules, create new ones, etc.) •Works on complex biological problems in which analysis of sequence data requires in-depth evaluation More info available here
ntEdit manuscript published in the journal Bioinformaticsnews ·
Our study describing ntEdit, a fast and scalable technology to polish and 'haploidize' genome sequences was just published in the peer-reviewed journal Bioinformatics
Study on bullfrog antimicrobial peptides just publishednews ·
Our latest work on antimicrobial peptide (AMP) discovery in bullfrogs was just published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports The paper describes the AMP discovery bioinformatics pipeline and functional assays to test their efficacy against microbes.
ARKS, linked read kmer genome scaffolder, publishednews ·
Our latest genome assembly scaffolder, ARKS, was just published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC bioinformatics The paper describes a new read alignment-free methodology that employs kmer-based read mapping and improves assembly runtime. In the paper we present benchmarks on human genome draft assemblies and show how linked reads can improve drafts assembled with the same sequencing data further.