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I've yet to watch the Christmas Chronicles yet but I'm very excited! x
My Top Festive Picks on Netflix
It's almost the most wonderful time of the year! I'm definitely feeling the festivities this year, and I thought what a better thing to do than to bring my festivities to my little space online with my top festive picks out of the Netflix originals I've seen so far! In my opinion, the best way to get festive is to snuggle up with your favourite snacks, a hot chocolate and whack Christmas film on. I love Christmas films, and when I say I love them, I mean it. I watched The Santa Claus and Fred Claus in the first week of November and I'm not even sorry!
I always find Netflix my go-to to watch films, they always have something new on there, whether it's a Netflix original or an old classic you just can't help to re-watch over and over again.
- The Princess Switch. I stumbled across this light-hearted Romance film one afternoon off work and it took me straight back to my teen years. It stars Vanessa Hudgens' as both main characters, Stacy, the baker store owner from Chicago and Margret, the duchess of Montenegro; soon to be princess.
- The Holiday Calendar. I actually watched the trailer for this after The Princess Switch, eager-beaver I know; but I loved it from the get go. In this film, photographer Abby is gifted a magical antique advent calendar from her Gramps which seems as though it predicts her future. However, all is not as it seems!
- The Christmas Prince. Say hello to another romance film, there's a trend here right? Junior editor Amber goes under cover for her first article on a (not so handsome) member of the royal family of Aldovia, will she be caught out? Will she get the big story she needs?
- Christmas Chronicles. Teddy and Kate, Brother and Sister create a plan to try and catch Santa in the act on Christmas Eve but it all comes crashing down, will they save Christmas? This is such a great film to watch with the family, it's such an action-packed, soon to become a festive favourite.
I have got to admit, this post took me an absolute age to write. Why? because I kept getting distracted by said movies. Every time I would go to have a look on Netflix to see what festive films are on there, I would end up watching at least one of them! I'm such a sucker.
Do you have any Netflix festive picks that you're loving this year? Let me know!
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Two-point conversion attempt thwarted by Cardinal defense to salvage 31-30 victory
In a game that will be firmly etched in Redwood Valley football lore, the Cardinals outlasted rival Pipestone Area 31-30 on a missed two-point conversion on the final play of the game to claim the Section 3AA title Friday night at Mattke Field in Marshall.
With the victory, the Cardinals (10-0) have advanced to the Class A State Quarterfinals where they will meet up with Section 4AA champion Minneapolis North (10-0) at 8 p.m. Friday night in New Ulm.
The Polars - who defeated St. Agnes 28-0 in the Section 4AA title game - have compiled a 45-2 record over its past 47 games, winning a Class A State title in 2016 and losing to eventual State champion Caledonia in the State quarterfinals a year ago. The Polars have been dominate this season, averaging over 50 ppg while allowing just 4.8 ppg (including six shutouts). They're closest contest was a 54-28 win over Breck (7-2).
"They're extremely athletic," Head Coach Matt Lundeen said, "They're the number two ranked team in the state for a reason."
Friday night against the Arrows (8-3), the Cardinals watched as Pipestone Area rallied from a 24-7 third quarter deficit to score on the final play of regulation to claw to within a point at 31-30. An extra point would've sent the game into overtime but the Arrows decided to go for two and the victory.
On the two point play, Arrow quarterback Cody Thompson rolled to the right and appeared to complete a pass in the endzone for the win but the Arrow receiver had dove out of the endzone to make the catch on the play and thus did not cross the plane of the goalline.
The Cards had escaped 31-30 and punched their ticket to State for the first time since the 2004 season.
"I was proud of the way our guys were able to hold on at the end," Lundeen said, "We've been in the Section final four straight years and at some point you have to overcome the history and have something go right so it was a great feeling to come away with the win."
On the Cards second possession of the game, they would drive down to the Arrow 10-yard line but a fumble on 3rd-and-1 and a false start on 4th-and-1 led to a failed FG try and no points.
The Arrows would then drive down the field and on 4th-and-6, quarterback Cody Thompson hit wideout Terry Price on a 16-yard touchdown strike to give the Arrows a 7-0 lead with 10 minutes to go in the half.
Needing to sway the momentum, the Cards answered right back as standout Cole Woodford took a pitch from quarterback Alex Louwagie and hit a streaking Brennan Sander down the middle of the field for a 65-yard touchdown pass to tie the score.
The Cards then got the ball right back when an on-sides kick was recovered by Woodford on the Arrow 42-yard line. Junior Adam Bommersbach would take over from there, breaking free on a 28-yard run for a touchdown that upped the lead to 14-7.
The Cards had another chance late in the half, driving to the Arrow 8-yard line before Louwagie was intercepted in the endzone to end the threat.
Redwood Valley continued to apply pressure offensively early in the third quarter as Carter Guetter caught a swing pass from Louwagie and rumbled towards the goalline before being hit and fumbling out of the endzone for a touchback.
The Cardinal defense would respond however and following an Arrow punt a 71-yard screen pass to Woodford would set up an 11-yard touchdown reception to Matthew Muetzel that upped the lead to 21-7.
On the Arrows next possession, the Cardinal defense again forced a three-and-out and on the attempted punt, the ball sailed over the punters head and was recovered on the Arrow 8-yard line. The Cards were unable to punch it in but would pick up a 22-yard field goal from Stian Vraalstad to increase the lead to 24-7.
It appeared the Cards were on there way to a rout when the Arrows answered back with a five-play, 40-yard drive that ended in a 2-yard pass from Thompson to Jason Steenstra that made it 24-14. The Arrows then tacked on a 31-yard field goal from Cesar Almaraz that made it 24-17 with 10:11 to go in the fourth quarter.
The suddenly stagnant Cardinal offense again was forced to punt and the Arrows answered by driving 88 yards on eight plays to tie the game on a 3-yard pass from Thompson to Josh Tinklenberg.
With the ship sinking and the season on the line, the Cards came up with a huge play from the offense as Bommersbach would take the pitch and chuck it to Woodford streaking down the field for a 54-yard touchdown and a 31-24 lead with 5:23 to play.
The Arrows nearly scored on their next possession but were held out of the endzone from inside the five to turn the ball over on downs.
The Cardinal offense would burn clock and then punted with just under 1:30 to play to give the Arrows one last chance. Starting on the Cardinal 48-yard line, the Arrows methodically worked it down the field, completing a 22-yard pass on 3rd-and-10 down to the Cardinal 13-yard line. Down to one last play in regulation, the Arrows somehow found the endzone as Thompson hit Dawson Schellhaas from 13-yards out to make it 31-30.
Fortunately the Cards would make a play on the two-point conversion to seal the victory and escape with a huge win for a program desperate to take the nest step.
The two defensive oriented teams combined for 919 yards of total offense, 470 for the Arrows and 449 for the Cards. Woodford had a huge night finishing with six catches for 173 yards and a score, completing 2-of-3 passes for 76 yards and two scores and adding four carries for 14 yards. Bommersbach had 16 carries for 86 yards and a score and was 1-for-1 passing for 54 yards and a score. Louwagie was 6-of-11 passing for 164 yards and an INT. Logan Prouty had eight carries for 28 yards, Carter Johnson had one carry for 14 yards, Sander had one catch for 65 yards and a score, Guetter had one catch for 45 yards and Muetzel added one catch for 11 yards and a score.
Corbin Wabasha had a huge game to lead the defense, finishing with six tackles (four solo), 2 1/2 sacks and a tackle-for-loss. Kyle Huhnerkoch had six tackles (six solo), Prouty added seven tackles (five solo), Omar Arredondo had seven tackles (five solo) and Chad Maddock and Michael Mace both had tackles-for-loss.
Section 3AA Championship
Redwood Valley 31, Pipestone Area 30
Second Quarter Pipe - Price 16-yard pass from Thompson (Almaraz kick) RV - Sander 65-yard pass from Woodford (Vraalstad kick) RV - Bommersbach 28-yard run (Vraalstad kick)
Third Quarter RV - Muetzel 11-yard pass from Woodford (Vraalstad kick) RV - Vraalstad 22-yard FG Pipe - Steenstra 17-yard run (Almaraz kick)
Fourth Quarter Pipe - Almaraz 31 yard FG Pipe - Tinklenberg 3-yard pass from Thompson (Almaraz kick) RV - Woodford 54-yard pass from Bommersbach (Vraalstad kick) Pipe - Schelhaas 13-yard pass from Thompson (2-point failed)

subset: commoncrawl


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By Cecil H. Arnim III, Senior Vice President and Group Manager, Commercial Banking, Green Bank, Houston
In January, Brad Tidwell, president and CEO of Henderson, Texas-based Citizens National Bank, began a three-year term as chairman of the Commercial Banking Program Advisory Board at Texas A&M University's Mays Business School. He took over the position held by the advisory board's founding chairman, Robert Messer, senior executive vice president and CFO of American National Bank of Texas in Terrell. In addition, Geoff Greenwade, president and CEO of Houston-based Green Bank NA, is the advisory board's new vice chairman.
A co-founder of the Commercial Banking Program, Tidwell brings more than 33 years of experience in commercial lending, credit administration and executive management to his chairmanship. He holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics and a master's degree in agricultural finance from Texas A&M University, home of the innovative banking program he now chairs. In a career that's included time at Allied Bancshares, JPMorgan Chase and Bank One, in 2008, Tidwell was named president and CEO at Citizens National Bank. Since then, the bank has grown from $700 million to more than $2.2 billion in assets.
The Commercial Banking Program began when two finance professors at Texas A&M, Dr. Jim Kolari and Dr. Sorin Sorescu, pitched the idea to a group of Aggie bankers, including Robert Messer, Dwight Garey, Geoff Greenwade, Russell Marshall and Tidwell. In 2011, the program was launched as a collaborative effort between Texas A&M and the banking industry.
Since its founding, it has graduated approximately 160 students into full-time positions at banks across Texas and Oklahoma. The program now offers both undergraduate- and graduate-level opportunities and has partnered with the Risk Management Association to incorporate that organization's credit analysis class into the curriculum. The class is taught by visiting bankers throughout the spring semester and provides students with practical knowledge to take with them to summer internships.
Among the issues that the Commercial Banking Program has sought to address is the growing concern that the banking industry suffers from a talent shortage. Specifically, there has been a dearth of trained entry-level talent seeking employment at banks, a problem compounded by the growing number of baby-boomer-aged bankers heading into retirement.
Additional threats contributing to the shortage include the elimination of in-house training programs and an increasing number of employment options at finance industry alternatives. Community banks across the state have been hit the hardest from the talent risk, but the Commercial Banking Program is determined to help the industry educate and promote an abundance of human resources.
During his tenure as chairman, Tidwell is focusing on three primary goals. First is to continue to grow the program, both in terms of student enrollment and funding. Financial contributions from the banking industry, along with industries that support commercial banking, are critical to ensure the stability and long-term viability of the program.
Tidwell's second goal is to build a stable funding base by widening bank membership in the program, eventually enabling the establishment of a permanent endowment, which will help attract top talent to the program.
The third, and most ambitious, goal is to create a nationally recognized research institute for commercial banking that would provide cutting-edge research and be the premier data provider for the commercial banking industry.
In order to accomplish these goals, Tidwell is urging community, regional and national banks to expand internship and mentoring opportunities for banking students, and to take part in programs like the one at Texas A&M. He and his colleagues stress that increasing banker involvement nationwide is the key to the long-term success of both the program and the industry.
The Mays Business School at Texas A&M University educates more than 6,400 undergraduate, master's and doctoral students in accounting, finance, management, management information systems, marketing and supply-chain management. Mays consistently ranks among the top public business schools in the country for its programs and faculty research.
Published in Bankers Digest, April 23, 2018


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Artist: Kina Grannis
Album: Elements
Year: 2014
Grade: B-
In Brief: The emphasis on rhythm and vocal layering helps Kina's original songs to match the attention to detail that she puts into her viral videos. While this one still gets a bit sleepy toward the end, I feel like her songwriting has evolved enough to keep me interested once the initial novelty of her cute innocent persona and the "Hey, she covered some of my favorite indie bands!" effect have worn off.
Even though I appreciate the role that YouTube and social media play in modern taste-making, I often feel like kind of an old fuddy-duddy who doesn't fully "get" how someone can become a celebrity based on these outlets alone. Sure, I've wasted many an hour on YouTube, but usually that's because I'm looking up live performances or music videos by existing favorite bands (in between the guilty pleasure of old Whose Line Is It Anyway? clips, of course), not because I'm poking around for something new and exciting to watch. I only just subscribed to a few YouTube channels earlier this year – even when I see some viral video that I like, it's usually not the kind of thing where I want to see everything else that musician or actor or comedy troupe has done, necessarily. So I'm always a bit baffled to find that an artist can built up a formidable following this way, and that I can not know who the heck they are until years after the fact.
Case in point: Kina Grannis, a charming young singer/songwriter who has made quite a name for herself on the Internet, mostly due to her charming "acoustic sensitive" covers of pretty much everyone from Simon & Garfunkel to Beyonce. I hadn't heard of her until my wife, who excels at finding the cutesiest things that can possibly exist on the Internet, posted Kina's "In Your Arms" video on my Facebook wall as a way of wishing me a happy V-Day last year. I was impressed with the painstaking work that had gone into its Jelly Belly-filled stop-motion animation. I looked her up and quickly discovered that she'd done a few covers of bands like Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, and suddenly I had to go listen to ALL THE THINGS. She seemed to have a gift for looping and layering her own voice with little more than an acoustic guitar to back her up, and for keeping the mood decidedly light and innocent. Also, while it has no bearing on the music itself, I'm always happy to see Asian-Americans (she's half-Japanese) making it in the music business. So I had plenty of reasons to cheer for Kina. But I didn't find that her label debut, Stairwells, really had a lot going for it in terms of repeat listenability. It was a refreshingly un-cluttered record, just letting her do her thing without any obvious outside influence trying to overproduce her simple sound or manufacture a personality for her that felt unnatural in any way. I admired that, but beyond the few catchy singles and the delicious cover songs buried at the back of that album's special edition, I got kind of bored with her default sound. It worked every now and then for light-hearted and sorta romantic background music, but it didn't really reward active listening that well.
My first glimpse of her follow-up album, Elements, was not a promising one. I feel stupid and superficial for saying it now, but… She chopped off all of her long black hair! AAAARGH! Why do women do this?! That's the sort of thing that should also have no bearing on the music, but I've seen enough mainstream starlets do this to know that it often signifies an attempt to tell me they're more grown-up and rebelling against something or other. It generally doesn't bode well for the music, since that tends to end up taking a back seat to the whole "proving you're not a kid any more" thing. As it turns out, I had nothing to fear, as she's managed to freshen up her sound and hone her songwriting skills a great deal on this record, without any of it making shocking swerves just for the sake of remaining a trending topic or something. Elements is just as genuine as its predecessor, despite being a little more sophisticated. The image makeover was probably just a personal thing – a change in the seasons of her life not intended to denote a totally different personality that she was going to try to sell us on this album. I really shouldn't fear such things, but sometimes I'm irrational like that.
What jumps out at me immediately in the first several tracks of Elements is the percussion. Without completely dominating her sound, she's found herself at home amidst some addictive, organic rhythm tracks that could well have been constructed from the simple sounds of stomping and clapping and thumping on the body of a guitar. Little electronic elements and the occasional electric guitar creep in, but she never confuses making a pretty pop song with making a generic one, so the record's focus remains decidedly acoustic and intimate despite the extra layers of production. The energy heard in those first few songs doesn't quite last throughout the album, but there are a few surprises here and there that remind me she's trying to think out of the box instead of going with the same basic "teenager playing four chords in her bedroom singing her diary entries" type stuff. There might be a few dull entries, and one genuine head-scratcher, later in the album, but overall it's a significant improvement over her old stuff. And for the first time, she doesn't seem to be leaning on covers to draw attention to her original material, as this album contains absolutely none of them. (She's still posting those to YouTube, of course, but I have no idea whether any of them will show up on a physical release in the future.)
Lyrically, I'm not ready to say she's plumbed the depths of profound poetry or anything here, but there's a loose theme of nature and how its various elements represent the moods and seasons of her life. Familial relationships are also a recurring motif here, with several songs devoted to relatives or to people she feels close enough to that she considers them family. When the expected cutesy love songs do show up, they actually seem to have an undercurrent of tragedy despite how wide-eyed and optimistic her personality can come across. Kina actually got married not long before the release of this album, but you wouldn't know it, judging from several songs that appear to be about letting go of a doomed relationship and other personal failings. She actually does better with this stuff when she's not too specific about it, which is not to say that she writes totally generic songs or that I think she should – it's just that there are a few moments where things get just specific enough that I wonder if it was wise to reveal certain things. Shrouding a personal struggle in the metaphor of seasons changing or a fearsome force of nature just seems to suit her better. That makes the bulk of Elements a refreshing listen, a light and colorful record that isn't too overbearing or too indulgent or too light or too dark. It probably won't turn as many heads as, say, recording the world's umpteenth cover of "Happy", but it shows the sort of long-term career potential that I don't think can come from an amusing link getting passed around on Facebook – because hey, it's only a matter of time before the "viral" appeal fails you due to fickle people deciding they found someone's cat more amusing.
1. Dear River
I'm in love from pretty much the first note of this song's refrain, as Kina's layered voice comes wafting in like a light summer breeze. Then the percussion comes in – and I want to describe it as "tribal", which seems a bit of a cliche, but if you watch the music video, it's actually sort of a fitting description. I love how there are so many layers here, and yet her voice and acoustic guitar rise so beautifully above the din, making it the perfect soundtrack for a trip along a winding forest road as she sings of a raging river whose great lengths and depths she cannot grasp, and whose sheer speed she cannot keep up with. I've heard this sort of thing used as a metaphor for God to think that this song could have religious connotations, but even if I'm reading something into the song that isn't there and the song is simply about a beautiful and powerful force of nature, that's compelling enough in its own right. I took a trip to Yellowstone National Park not long after first hearing this one, and the song fits perfectly with the stunning visual of Lower Yellowstone Falls, with the wide torrent of water dropping into a colorful canyon where we meager humans are tempted to say to Mother Nature, "Okay, now you're just showing off."
Grade: A+
2. The Fire
I wouldn't really describe Kina's music as "rock" most of the time… "folk/rock" fits, I suppose, but usually even her most up-tempo material isn't on the more aggressive side of that equation. This one hints at it, with its acoustic rhythm guitar used just as much for percussion as it is for melody, and the song carefully building into a controlled burn, with little bits of electric guitar grumbling about here and there as she tried to head off a conflict with a man who knows a thing or two about how certain words can ignite a powderkeg of hurt and angry feelings. "You let the fire out, and it's right in front of me", she sings in her most angelic voice, and yet it's sort of passive/aggressive, like a warning that continuing to play with this fire is going to get them both burned. The song leans on repetition a bit more than it should, which means Kina can't go into a whole lot of depth on the subject. But it's a sturdy and well-built song, setting those breathtaking vocal melodies alight on top of the raw kindling of the mostly acoustic and deliberately simplistic instrumentation.
Grade: A-
3. My Dear
OK, so this is the big, cutesy love song on the album. You'd normally expect such a thing to be either a power ballad or a quiet, intimate sort of song with very sparse instrumentation. Kina takes it in the opposite direction, basing the song around a fast, syncopated guitar strum and and one of the most fun percussion tracks on the entire album. Much like "Dear River", the song is soaked in sweet vocal ambiance, and this is one of the few moments where you can hear a bit of electronic influence, as little chopped-up bits of her voice are sprinkled in, popping up like little flowers all over the place. The lyrics read like wedding vows, discussing all the little traits and quirks of her lover that she wants to hold on to forever, and I suppose that's fitting, considering that the music video for this song is entirely made up of footage from her wedding. It's one of the sweetest things I've seen, but it's upbeat and celebratory… and that's totally the kind of outdoorsy, not-too-formal California wedding that I'd be honored to attend if a friend with those sensibilities were to get married.
Grade: A+
4. Winter
I can only hope that the songs as presented on this album do not represent Kina's life journey in chronological order. Because coming right after such a joyous wedding song, this song of heartbreak is especially devastating. On the surface, it's quite pretty, with the rich acoustics and the swaying rhythm immediately drawing me in. But it's got one of Kina's most vulnerable lyrics, as she compares herself to a tree, having shed all its leaves in the waning days of autumn, "waiting for love like it's water". This one was clearly written about a relationship that took way too long to finally sputter out and die, as she's pleading for the guy to either show some sign of genuine affection or just call it quits already. Even though you can almost sense the tears spilling onto the page as she pleads "Tell me it's over now", that little glimpse of unstoppable optimism still shines through, as she consoles herself: "We made it all these years/And no they were not wasted/No life was lost right here/If love is what we tasted."
Grade: A
5. Oh Father
With a similar "cautiously up-tempo" vibe to that of "The Fire", it's easy to imagine Kina alone under a spotlight in an otherwise dark room, strumming her guitar like it's her only lifeline to the heavens. (There's slight support from the backing band here, but they're smart to leave the atmosphere stripped down so that the raw, confessional tone of the song isn't comrpomised.) Once again I'm getting that "Could be religious, could be literal" sort of vibe as she seeks counsel and guidance for various troubles that she can see along the road ahead. "All along, I have been trying to hear you in me", she croons in the chorus. "All along, you will be the one that I'll become." Her unwavering faith in her father's provision comes clear as the bridge melts into the final chorus, with both of Kina's vocal parts intertwining quite nicely: "I never wanted anything apart from what you've given me."
Grade: B+
6. Little Worrier
Whether the past song was a prayer or just a heartfelt talk in her father's den after dinner, she's smartly positioned this one as a reply, an attempt to assuage her own fears by putting her father's advice into the format of a sweetly finger-picked ballad. It's one of those performances where the acoustic guitar is crisp and clear, you can hear the strings squeaking as her fingers glide across them, and you can imagine you're right there in a room with her playing and no other distractions, aside from the fact that there are ghostly copies of her voice echoing her lead vocal at times. She's asking the classic question that's been posed by sources ranging from the Bible and just about any piece of self-help literature you can get your hands on, asking whether worrying about the future will actually change it, or add any value to the remaining days you've got left to live. The song is a reminder to just live in the moment and let tomorrow's problems get dealt with tomorrow, and it's almost flawlessly written except for one distracting lyric: "Please don't let your tears run dry." It comes right at the end of the chorus, meaning it's the final thought that she lands on, and I know that she means to not cry so much that you physically run out of tears to cry, but it comes across as if she were saying to keep those tears flowing. It's one of a few places on this record where a slight change in phrasing could make a world of difference between a song with good intentions and a truly great song.
Grade: B
7. Throw It Away
I warned you to be prepared for a significant drop in the energy level in the back half of this album… arguably, that drop may have happened as early as "Winter", but that song was so darn beautiful, and there's such a stark yet driving energy to both "Oh Father" and this song that I don't really notice it until "Little Worrier" and this track show up back to back. This one's actually got kind of a jangly rhythm to it, so you could consider it one of the album's more up-tempo songs, but the drums stick to a distant rumble and the only other strong element of rhythm to it is a few handclaps that show up during the chorus. At times it has the sort of lightly chugging pace of an old country song, which is a tough thing to explain… suffice to say, it's not a straightforward pop song or ballad. Kina's tackling the subject of a broken relationship again, though here she's offering some solace to a guy whose girl seems to have unceremoniously dumped him. He's clinging to a specter of a lover that she knows he'll never get back, and she's getting a little impatient with the whole process, knowing that remaining in that state of denial's gonna hold him back from truly getting healed. So she encourages him to make a clean break. "Take your heart and break it now/You're the one who makes it count/You don't want this anyhow." The chorus is sung entirely in falsetto, definitely an odd choice for a song that's supposed to motivate a guy to get on with his life already, but I like the unorthodox approach. It's just so darn pretty, how could I not like it?
Grade: B+
8. Forever Blue
Here's where the album starts to sag a bit, due to a few ballads that don't seem to advance Kina's sound beyond what we heard on Stairwells, and also due to some odd lyrical choices that she makes. Some sort of a traumatic event from her childhood is recounted here, one that made her wonder at the time if she would ever get over it. It seems to be a death in the family, especially since she wonders in the second verse, "Why can I not keep her here for good". But the chorus introduces a bit of gender confusion as she tries to explain a little more about her grief: "And it broke my heart when I felt the truth/My father has a father, too." So did her grandfather die? Or her grandmother? Or someone else? It's clearly a very personal song, but the way it's phrased in the chorus makes it sound like she's pointing out the obvious. (Well duh, Kina. Everybody's father has a father.) The instrumentation picks up a bit during the bridge, which lets a little sunlight in due to the brief fanfare of acoustic sympathy, but for the most part, the song doesn't really stand out to me for any good reasons.
Grade: C+
9. Maryanne
Quite maddeningly, the one notably upbeat song in the back half of the album is, hands down, one of the worst things she's ever written. I really hate to be so hard on this one, because it's meant to be a happy love song that's all about how two lovers came together despite some unfortunate circumstances. It goes from happy-go-lucky acoustic guitar ballad to the big, delightful chorus melody with these huge drums, and I'd want to root for it if I heard this with some other lyric accompanying it. But the song is apparently all about her guy's ex-girlfriend. That in and of itself is not a bad thing – I can remember Relient K coming up with a sort of witty song about owing a current relationship to an ex taking a girl for granted. But here, I don't think she intends to be sarcastic or at all passive-aggressive, and yet that's how the song comes across, due to how it starts off recounting how they all used to be the best of friends, how the girl used to take her guy out dancing and stuff, and then some non-specific circumstance changed everything. Kina strikes me as too nice of a girl to horn in on some other dude's relationship, so I can only imagine this was one of those rom-com sorts of situations where two people who were "just friends" started falling for each other despite the upheaval it would cause in their supposedly picture-perfect lives. (If they can't all still be friends, then there are clearly some unresolved issues there. Unless Maryanne died or something, in which case the song misses a huge opportunity by not explaining that.) The end result of it all is that I just sort of feel sorry for Maryanne, whoever she is. It's never made clear that she did anything to deserve losing the guy in the first place. A bit of poor enunciation makes it hard to tell that Maryanne is being addressed in the third person, not the second, as she sings "Maryanne, understands, that you were the one for me." if you miss that "s" and you just hear "understand", as I did at first, it sounds like she's telling Maryanne to understand that she is the one for her. And I'm well past the point where I'd feel weird listening to a gay love song… but this is not that at all, and it's incredibly awkward that it'll probably get mistaken for one by folks who aren't listening closely.
Grade: C-
10. Write It in the Sky
From here to the end, it's all mellow stuff, so I'll admit to not playing as close attention to these deep album cuts the first few times through. This would be the more down-tempo, intimate, "love you 'til the day that I die" sort of romantic ballad that you might have expected earlier if you read the lyrics to "My Dear" without hearing the music. It's cute. once again, I enjoy that the acoustic finger-picking is left mostly unadorned by production gimmicks – just some light piano and self-made backing vocals. I don't think this one will immediately jump out at anyone, but it's pleasant enough, and I appreciate the vulnerability of describing a quiet moment (perhaps a proposal, or at the very least a reconciliation after a fight had broken them up) in which two lovers realize they're so happy together that it brings tears to their eyes.
Grade: B-
11. My Own
The album's shortest song, running about two and a half minutes, is one of those tracks that needs to be musically simplistic to make sure its lyrics hit home. So no accompaniment here other than the acoustic guitar and backing vocals (which I keep assuming are Kina multi-tracking herself, but her sisters have been known to back her up at times, and there would be no more appropriate song for it than this one). My reaction to this one was a bit ho-hum at first, and once again it's because of a not-so-well-enunciated lyric causing me to miss the entire point. What I initially heard was her thanking family members for all the times they've given her advice, shelter, a shoulder to cry on, a place that feels like home. A nice little sentimental thought, but nothing out of the ordinary. The last verse didn't make sense to me: "You were my brother/Even though I had none." Is the thanking her husband or some other guy who simply feels like family even though he's not related? Then I looked at the lyric sheet. Each of these verses is preceded by an "If" that seems to get mushed into the word "You" at the beginning of each line, so that it ends up sounding like "Few were my father", "Few were my mother", etc., when it's really saying "If you were…" (fill in family member here). The song isn't about family members at all. It's about how people can make a difference by caring for others as though they were family. Or something like that. It still isn't amazingly profound, but that one little "If" did increase my appreciation for the song.
Grade: B-
12. This Far
The album ends on a little lullaby that, strangely enough, is picked out on an electric guitar. Not a whole lot of other accompaniment here except for a little bit of glockenspiel and some disembodied humming in the background. It's a quiet moment following a series of increasingly quieter moments, and I've always felt that you have to ramp down the energy level carefully if you're going to end on something like this… suddenly segueing into it from something really aggressive doesn't work, but too much mellow leading up to it causes people to tune out. So yeah, I've kind of tuned this one out a lot. (Kind of like I did with much of Stairwells.) There's nothing wrong with it when you take it in a vacuum. It's a song that acknowledges ongoing pain and heartbreak, refusing to wrap up the troubling situations she's mulled over on parts of this album all get wrapped up nice and neatly just because the record is over. Still, she lets that stubborn glass-half-full philosophy get a word in edgewise: "It's hard to see a happy ending/When you don't see how you can mend things/But life is long and forgiving/And it goes on and on and on." Whatever's left unsaid, whatever wounds have yet to be stitched up, she can't ignore that stuff, but she ends the record with a hint of faith that the healing will one day come.
Grade: C+
Dear River $2
The Fire $1.75
My Dear $2
Winter $1.75
Oh Father $1.25
Little Worrier $1
Throw It Away $1.25
Forever Blue $.50
Maryanne $0
Write It in the Sky $.75
My Own $.75
This Far $.50


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- Description
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Voting for new Chairs and Fellowship Councillors ended on 5 October after all Fellows had been sent via the Fellowship newsletter information as to who was standing and where. The North West Chair (elected) Rod Hyde and North West Council (elected) Stephen Parry were uncontested. And our last term's Fellowship Councillor Erinma Ochu was voted in, with the most votes, as one of the seven At Large Fellowship Councillors.
We wish to congratulate all three and wish them a successful term in office.
The outgoing Chair Lily Barton's stated: "It has been a privilege to Chair the North West region for over two years and now it is time for me to step down. I am pleased to have introduced the annual Keep Calm Prepare for Change event and to steer the region towards the RSA's new core mission to 'empower people to be capable, active participants in creating the world we want to live in'. Globally, we are only just at the beginning of an unprecedented scale of change and challenge and thus we need to gather together to contribute creatively to them."
"I would like to thank the North West Regional Team for their support, advice and friendship over the period. I look forward to continuing being an active regional RSA Fellow and to the opportunities ahead to work with others who share the same values. Rod Hyde, I'm delighted to say, will take over for the next two years and with his vast experience and commitment he will, I'm sure, lead the region to bigger and better things."
Both Rod Hyde the new Chair and Stephen Parry the regions new Fellowship Councillor message to the region was:
Congratulations to Lily who has had a very successful two years as chair and we are keen to build on this success. In November we are holding the third Keep Calm conference and will work, with Lily, to make this an annual event.
We will be implementing the recommendations of the feasibility study on hubs and make spaces in the region. The emphasis will be on doing rather than talking. So if you have a project that reflect RSA priorities (link to Dev plan) and would like some help, we would love to hear from you.
We will also by building on the other work started by the NW team, for instance the Liverpool Survey to explore what new and established Fellows want us to do to make the best of their involvement.


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My Little Piccolo, also known as just Piccolo, is the new Organic baby food in town.
At Molly Mojo we think it's pretty special and full of organic goodness. Each pouch introduces a little bit of the revered and admired Mediterranean diet, often with a hint of something to get your child's taste buds dancing. Piccolo really does have some wonderful recipes and we have them all here, just for you.
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GOP plan to impeach four justices remains in limbo
HARRISBURG (AP) — A proposal to impeach four Democratic justices on Pennsylvania's Supreme Court over redistricting rulings remains in limbo more than a month after resolutions were introduced by Republicans in the state House.
The state lawmaker leading the effort, which so far has just 12 co-sponsors in the 203-seat House, said he hopes to make the case to GOP representatives in a closed-door session the week of April 30.
"I haven't had anybody that has said we don't have the constitutional standing for this, or they can actually point me to where the judiciary had the ability to do what it did," said Rep. Cris Dush, a Republican.
Dush drafted the resolutions seeking the removal of justices David Wecht, Debra Todd, Christine Donohue and Kevin Dougherty. The four elected Democrats put on the fast track a legal challenge to a 2011 map of the state's congressional districts passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by the governor at the time, Republican Tom Corbett.
The four then voted to declare the map violated the state constitution's guarantee of free and equal elections and enacted their own map, which is being used for this year's congressional elections. Republicans had won 13 of the state's 18 districts in each of the three elections held under the 2011 map.
The legal challenge to the 2011 map was vigorously opposed by the top-ranking Republicans in both chambers — Speaker Mike Turzai and President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati — but the U.S. Supreme Court declined to overturn the state justices' decision. A three-judge federal panel also rejected a challenge by two GOP state senators and eight incumbent Republican congressmen.
Dush's resolutions accuse the justices of acting improperly through rulings that gave state lawmakers just three weeks to draw a new map and then enacted a court-drawn map.


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Saturday, September 27, 2014
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 28, 2014
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Ez 18: 25-28 / Ps 25: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (6a) / Phil 2: 1-11 or 2:1-5 / Mt 21: 28-32
First Reading: Ezekiel 18: 25-28
But you say: Yahweh's way is not just! Why, Israel! Is my position wrong? Is it not rather that yours is wrong? If the righteous man dies after turning from his righteous deeds and sinning, he dies because of his sins. And if the wicked man does what is good and right, after turning from the sins he committed, he will save his life. He will live and not die, because he has opened his eyes and turned from the sins he had committed.
Second Reading: Philippians 2: 1-11 or 2:1-5
If I may advise you in the name of Christ and if you can hear it as the voice of love; if we share the same spirit and are capable of mercy and compassion, then I beg of you make me very happy: have one love, one spirit, one feeling, do nothing through rivalry or vain conceit. On the contrary let each of you gently consider the others as more important than yourselves. Do not seek your own interest, but rather that of others. Your attitude should be the same as Jesus Christ had: Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a servant, made in human likeness, and in his appearance found as a man. He humbled himself by being obedient to death, death on the cross. That is why God exalted him and gave him the Name which outshines all names, so that at the Name of Jesus all knees should bend in heaven, on earth and among the dead, and all tongues proclaim that Christ Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel: Matthew 21:28-32
Jesus went on to say, "What do you think of this? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said to him: 'Son, today go and work in my vineyard.' And the son answered: 'I don't want to.' But later he thought better of it and went. Then the father went to the second and gave him the same command. This son replied: 'I will go, sir,' but he did not go. Which of the two did what the father wanted?" They answered, "The first." And Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you: the publicans and the prostitutes are ahead of you on the way to the kingdom of heaven. For John came to show you the way of goodness but you did not believe him, yet the publicans and the prostitutes did. You were witnesses of this, but you neither repented nor believed him.
This parable teaches us that God wants everyone to enter into His Kingdom. The father made it clear to his sons that he wanted them to be in his vineyard, no other place. The father in the parable represents the loving God. He thinks of no other option for every human being whom He created but to be in His kingdom. God is not like an angry despot who would send everyone he dislikes to condemnation. Rather, our God is a loving and a merciful God who wants every person to be saved and be spared from condemnation. Hell is not God's option for sinners. Hell, however, is the sinners' option for themselves. The father summoned his sons to go but he never forced them to obey. This tells us that every person is responsible for the decision and response he makes to God's invitation.
God extends his invitation to all. The father approached both his sons and told them to go to his vineyard. This parable corrects the error of God's selective election. God calls to salvation the good and the bad. He calls to salvation the religious and the pagans, the Jews and the Gentiles, as Paul says, "God is not a respecter of person." Jesus said: "The prostitutes and the tax-collectors are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you." Jesus did not say that you will enter God's kingdom even if you live a life of sin. Jesus is saying instead that God is extending His invitation to everyone to enter His kingdom regardless of their moral and religious condition, provided of course they repent. No one is in a better spiritual position than any other person. There is nothing that could make God reject anyone who would come to Him. In this parable Jesus indicates the principle that when a person accepts God's invitation to belong to His kingdom, he would never live his life as he wants, but as God wants. The first son in the parable refused to obey his father. But when he came to his senses, he repented and went. The word "repent" means to change, to turn. The first son changed and turned from his self-chosen life of rebellion and selfishness. He started living his life no longer as he wanted, but as his father wanted.
The second son said "I go, sir" But he failed; he never did go to work for his father. He worked and lived as he wished, disregarding the father entirely. Jesus said to the Pharisees: "You are the second son. You lived as you wanted. You disregarded the way, the word, and the will of God. You will never enter the kingdom of God unless you repent and change." They were condemned because they lived a life of lie to God. They said one thing, and did something else. Their actions did not match their confession and profession. We should be careful to avoid the sin of the second son. If we say we are going to do something especially about your spiritual relationship with God, we better do it.
We must remember that in life, it is not how we start that matters, it is how we finish. Paul started out as Saul of Tarsus killing Christians, but he ended up a great man of God. Judas started out as a faithful follower of Jesus, but he ended up a traitor who killed himself. Entering God's Kingdom means living the way God wants us to live, not the way we want. The bible tells us that God saves us because of His mercy, not because of the righteous things we have done. He accepts us regardless of who we are. As we enter His kingdom and become His people, we are no longer to live our life as we want or as we wish, but as God wants it.
Prayer Requests:
We pray ...
... for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn
... for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary
... for families who are in need of healing
... for world peace and reconciliation
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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After yesterday's intensive double workout, it was just one training session for Juventus today as preparations continue towards Sunday's Serie A clash with Cagliari in Sardinia.
An athletic focus again formed the main bulk of this morning's workload, with Antonio Conte dividing his squad into groups for exercises both on the training ground and in the gym.
The manager is expected to begin his emphasis on specific tactics designed to combat the threat of the Rossoblu on home soil when he reassembles his troops for a solitary training session tomorrow morning.


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Hope comes alive on Friday nights.
Gary Gaines, the coach of a local football team in small-town Odessa, Texas, propels his squad to the state championships. But the path to glory is paved with racial and economic strife, and the coach must help his players navigate through the maze so they can play like winners.
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Is More Better?
Have you ever seen one of those terrifying episodes of Hoarders, where the people on the show allow cameras to come in to their homes that have been COMPLETELY taken over by stuff?
And when I say taken over…I mean you can no longer see the floors and people are literally stepping on objects to maneuver through their homes. It's an accumulation of stuff that they just can't let go of.
Luckily, this isn't about that show, but it does show you that having more isn't always better.
Get with the times and the newest trend: The small living movement.
This means people are choosing to live in smaller spaces, whether it be the young professional wanting to live in the hustle and bustle of the inner-city, or retirees looking to downsize…it's happening.
So, what does this mean? Well, you just don't need that much stuff to live or survive. It's true.
There are amazing places to live in that offer the comforts of home in smaller spaces, and still have enough room to store the essentials. And you start to become more connected to the community….walking to coffee shops, restaurants and meeting others who live in your community.
This is also a great opportunity to take advantage of your outdoor living space! Most people don't think of outdoor space as part of their living area, but it is. Entertain your friends, take in the fresh air in the morning and watch the sunset at night. This is your space too, so enjoy it.
We think this is great! And there are a lot of resources out there to help you thrive within the small living movement.
Apartment Therapy offers some amazing resources for your choice to live small. These are some of our favs:
11 Ways to squeeze a little extra storage out of a bedroom: Includes baskets under the bed, mounting a shelf along the length of the wall a ew feet from the ceiling for extra storage, a unique shelf over your doorway for extra space and so many more cool ideas!
The best desks for small spaces: Mini desk, shelf desks, desktop with shelving and wall mounted desks. It's all about the style you like.
Gardening ideas for your patio: You need a big yard to have a garden! There are some great tips here on how to grow your own garden and have it thrive.
Remember, the choice to live small is intentional. You're choosing place over space. You're choosing to be a part of the community, wherever you decide to lay your roots.
Until next time,
Your Avi Urban team
Photo cred to:
Apartment Therapy


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CSULB Dance presents "Hemispheres: A Mixtape", a performance of graduate thesis choreography by Temria Airmet, Cruz, Gen "Reagan" Li, and Manuel "Manny" Macias. Featuring work that explores themes from our modern world through contemporary dance, dance-theater, and hip hop, the concert consists of two distinct programs: Side B, featuring work by Airmet and Li, will be performed March 15th at 8:00 PM and March 16th at 2:00 PM, and Side A, with work by Cruz and Macias, will be performed March 14th and 16th at 8:00 PM. Hemispheres: A Mixtape is presented at the Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater on the CSULB Campus (located near the Pyramid on Atherton). Tickets are $20 for general admission and $16 for seniors, students, CSULB faculty and staff, and Dance Resource Center Members. $9 Parking is available in Lot G12.
For tickets call the Arts Box Office at 562.985.7000 or buy online.
Side A: 3/14 at 8PM & 3/16 at 8PM
Side B: 3/15 at 8PM & 3/16 at 2PM


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Saturday, December 26, 2009
Bumper Sticker History
This video collage of sticker images is a snapshot of an era of history, as well as telling the story of our personal lives over the last fifteen years. I couldn't bear to scrape them off the cupboard doors without a way to remember the layers that slowly accumulated. Soon the doors will be painted white, nice and bland for prospective buyers, as we get ready to move.
4 comments:
- Marie S said...
Have a wonderful New Year. Can't you just take the doors with you?? It is a shame to take them down.
Love and hugs.
- December 27, 2009 at 10:27 AM
- Susan Richards said...
Thanks Marie. Happy New Year to you too! We thought about taking the doors with us, but discovered that they were not standard sizes (too old?). The cost to custom make replacements was prohibitive.
xoxoxox ;-)
- December 28, 2009 at 9:05 AM
- Lille Diane said...
Oh this must be so hard to do. I moved this summer away from my beloved tree house to a new place. I videoed every inch so I can always have it with me. I think this must be the beginning of some new doors to sassify in your artistic fashion. Can you take the doors off and have them scanned as posters? Might cost a little but could be the best art you take to your new place~
- February 7, 2010 at 8:33 PM
- Susan Richards said...
Oh Lille. Did you move away from the cottage where "creativity grows on trees like apples"?? Video is so important for memories. 'Sassify' is a great verb. It will have to happen in a new way in the new place. Let's hear it for sassification!
- February 8, 2010 at 7:52 PM


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Lawrence does a lot of work training and upskilling the team, ensuring that every single team member is pushing the envelope of SEO and ensuring that we are producing results. Alongside that, he does some great work in Offsite SEO and Onsite.
I am the founder and director of StudioHawk, a Google Marketing Specialist SEO company which helps businesses to drive the maximum possible organic search engine traffic and sales.


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Did you know?
SLGO is the first integrated ocean observing system in Canada.
Nelson, B. 2009. Empty Archives. NATURE, Vol. 461. p. 160-163.
Data ownership has to be clearly stated whether it belongs to a scientist or to the institution where he/she works. This becomes a key element when defining data access parameters.
Contexts differ across research institutions, departments and non profit organizations. Generally, the state owns data produced by government scientists. In universities, sometimes scientists have rights to their data, sometimes, the institution owns the data.
As more alliances and partnerships are established between various organizations, intellectual property rights and recognition definitely have to be clearly stated.
Suggested readings:


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Masteri Thao Dien 3BR 120m2 for rent. As the rise in life expectancy, everyone wants to live in a full-equipped place. But not eveyone has a chance to have a room for rent with expected choice.
To live in a better life requires a more stable, safe and convenient place. Rental apartment for rent Masteri Thao Dien project can meet this demand. With family who has more than three generations, three-bedroom apartment for rent can bring to this family a more comfortable life.
- Apartment for rent in T4 Tower, 120 sqm, high floor, nice view, furnished, just bring your luggage and enjoy modern lifestyle.
- Price for rent: 1900usd/month
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This definetely becomes the greatest renting house project – bring to customer a better life.
For get more information, please feel free to contact me by:
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If you're a lawyer admitted to practice in the State of Georgia and you're working in family law or if you're interested in family law, don't forget to register for the 37th annual Family Law Institute. This event begins on Thursday, May 23, 2019 and runs through Saturday, May 25, 2019. During this three day event, you can earn 16.5 CLE hours, including one hour of ethics, two hours for professionalism, and three hours of trial practice. In addition to earning credits, participants may also register for yoga on the beach, tennis, meditation walk, boat tour, and spa services.
This year, the Family Law Institute's theme is movies: Lights, Camera, Action! Reel to Real Family Law. Participants will enjoy discussions with themes related to classic movies and various points found in family law.
Join Megan for Her Talk on Professional Liability
Megan will host an ethics session for the annual Family Law Institute. On Friday, May 24, 2019 at 8:15 am, Megan will discuss Bar Necessities: Tips for Handling Client Complaints, Lawsuits and Other Indignities.
Register Now!
Register now for the 37th annual Family Law Institute. Early registration is $525 with additional activities ranging in cost. The event will also offer onsite registration. Onsite registration costs $625 with additional activities ranging in cost. To register online, visit gabar.org/ICLEcourses. Please note that online registration only supports payments via credit card. Early registration ends two days before the seminar.
If you wish to pay by check, you may mail your registration form and check made payable to ICLE. To learn more or to get a copy of the registration form, download the brochure. Register now! Space is limited and ICLE doesn't guarantee admission to those who choose to register onsite.
The post Megan Zavieh Speaking at 37th Annual Family Law Institute CLE in Georgia appeared first on Ethics and California State Bar defense lawyer Megan Zavieh.
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text: Back to all posts Subscribe By: Kevin Lancaster on July 19th, 2012 Print/Save as PDF Sequestration Causes Need for Superior Sales Strategy in Federal Market GSA Schedule | Government Business Development | Technology | Resources and Insight | 1 Min Read Share: As our economy continues to struggle, there is now a direct pressure being placed on the Federal market place. What was once thought of as an unlimited market of selling opportunity is now scheduled to be forcibly reduced by 10% in FY 2013, thanks to the 'sequestration' measures mandating automatic cuts across the Federal government. During this time of Federal market constriction, it is even more critical to be smart about how an organization approaches Federal sales. The GSA reports that 1 out of every 3 new contract awardees does not earn any revenue in their first three years, and the number one reason for this failure to perform is a lack of strategic planning. The old adage that you 'plan the work and work the plan' has never been truer than now. It is critical to approach Federal sales as an experienced hunter would. First, identifying the sales quarry, understanding the key policy or statutory requirements that influence the purchasing terrain and most importantly, clearly aligning your solutions or services to the core mission requirements of your targeted agency. Second, selecting the appropriate channel with which to close the agency target (sell direct, through, or with) can make the difference between coming close and closing. Third, you must conservatively forecast reviews so that you can make the appropriate investments. Fourth, put in place a tailored government marketing program that raises the attention of the target agency to assist in closing. These all sound like they should be basic and fundamental practices for any Federal sales organization, and they are! But where so many teams have failed is getting away from a disciplined and efficient approach, which is now more critical than ever. About Kevin Lancaster Kevin Lancaster leads Winvale's corporate growth strategies in both the commercial and government markets. He develops and drives solutions to meet Winvale's business goals while enabling an operating model to help staff identify and respond to emerging trends that affect both Winvale and the clients it serves. He is integrally involved in all aspects of managing the firm's operations and workforce, leading efforts to improve productivity, profitability, and customer satisfaction. Connect with Kevin Lancaster


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Daughter of the Pirate King
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The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that despite heavy marketing of its title character (a snarky, tricky, self-possessed 17-year-old) as "a lady Jack Sparrow," Daughter of the Pirate King features a stunning quantity and casual acceptance of brutal violence as all in a day's work. That violence includes stabbings, throat-cuttings, beatings, torture, rape, and more. Princess Alosa and her 18-year-old captor/love interest have the occasional ethical twinge, setting them apart from most of the other characters. The story is fast-paced and a fun read, but its moral compass points to pretty dark territory.
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Finally, a girl Jack Sparrow!
I loved it
What's the story?
Seventeen-year-old Princess Alosa, DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING and a Siren, has just fallen into the clutches of her father's rivals, the young pirate captain Draxen and his 18-year-old brother Riden. But it's all part of an elaborate plan to please her brutal father (and probably avoid torture and imprisonment) by recovering a map he's convinced is stashed somewhere on Draxen's ship. Threats, imprisonment, beatings, hypnotic magic, deception, and intrigue ensue as the body count rises. Meanwhile, Alosa and Riden grapple with each other's deceit, rising romantic tension, and inexplicable twinges of conscience.
Is it any good?
Princess Alosa tells a fine tale, has many adventures, and takes care of herself, but the sheer overwhelming carnage as the story unfolds goes way beyond piratical genre-driven window-dressing. First-time author Tricia Levenseller delivers a spirited, snarky heroine who's quite at home in a murderously dysfunctional environment:
"'Kill the rest,' I say.
"Sorinda is the first to take out her sword. She starts stepping behind the men and slitting throats one after the other. Killing is practically an art for her. The way she moves is magical."
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the pirates in Daughter of the Pirate King. How does this pirate story compare with others you know? Why are pirate stories so popular?
What do you think is the appeal of being a pirate? What might be a downside?
What other stories do you know that involve the Sirens? How do those stores turn out? Does anyone ever get the best of the Sirens?
Book details
- Author: Tricia Levenseller
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Pirates
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
- Publication date: February 28, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 18
- Number of pages: 320
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 13, 2017
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.


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Sultan Bahoo | Literary Work of Sultan ul Arifeen Hazrat Sakhi standard
Sultan-ul-Arifeen Sultan-ul-Faqr Hazrat Sakhi Sultan Bahoo Rehmat-ul-Allah Alayh did not get any kind of apparent education, still there are 140 books written by him. All his books are written in Persian except "Abiyaat-e-Bahoo" (verses) which is in Punjabi language. The translators of Sultan-ul-Arifeen Sultan ul Faqr Hazrat Sakhi Sultan Bahoo's books have often written that they could not find any manuscript written by his own sacred hands, only the manuscripts written by his Khalifahs (spiritual successors) and dervishes could be found. Saad Ameer Khan Niazi, who is a translator of Sultan-ul-Arifeen's books, writes in the foreword of the translation of his book Asrar-ul-Qadri that: "As a translator of Sultan Bahoo's books, I faced the problem that original manuscripts of his ...Continue Reading


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Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk of 13 types of cancer that accounted for about 40% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States in 2014, according to the latest Vital Signs report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Overall, the rate of new cancer cases has decreased since the 1990s, but increases in overweight- and obesity-related cancers are likely slowing this progress.
About 630,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with a cancer associated with overweight and obesity in 2014. About two in three occurred in adults 50 to 74 years of age. The rates of obesity-related cancers, not including colorectal cancer, increased by 7% between 2005 and 2014. The rates of non-obesity-related cancers declined during that time.
"A majority of American adults weigh more than recommended—and being overweight or obese puts people at higher risk for a number of cancers—so these findings are a cause for concern," said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, MD. "By getting to and keeping a healthy weight, we all can play a role in cancer prevention."
In 2013–2014, about two out of three U.S. adults were overweight (defined as having a body mass index [BMI] of 25–29.9 kg/m2) or obese (BMI of 30 kg/m2 and higher). BMI is a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of the person's height (in meters).
Many people are not aware that being overweight or obese are associated with some cancers. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has identified 13 cancers associated with overweight and obesity: meningioma, multiple myeloma, adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, and cancers of the thyroid, postmenopausal breast, gallbladder, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidney, ovaries, uterus, and colon and rectum (colorectal). Screening for colorectal cancer prevents new cases by finding abnormal growths in the colon and rectum before they turn into cancer.
The Vital Signs report, by CDC and National Cancer Institute (NCI) researchers, analyzed 2014 cancer incidence data from the United States Cancer Statistics report and reviewed data from 2005 to 2014 to determine trends for cancers associated with overweight and obesity. Key findings regarding cancer types associated with overweight and obesity were:
"As an oncologist, when people ask me if there's a cure for cancer, I say, 'Yes, good health is the best prescription for preventing chronic diseases, including cancer,'" said Lisa C. Richardson, MD, MPH, director of the CDC's Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. "What that means to health care providers like me is helping people to have the information they need to make healthy choices where they live, work, learn, and play."
For more information about the CDC's efforts to prevent cancer and reduce overweight and obesity, visit www.cdc.gov/cancer and www.cdc.gov/obesity. To read the entire Vital Signs report, visit www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/obesity-cancer.
Source: CDC; October 3, 2017.


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Axis Fabio by Acclaimed Designer
Acclaimed Designer Shares The Axis Fabio Eyewear
The thinktank behind the awarded work Axis Fabio by Acclaimed Designer explicates, The frame is constructed from plywood sourced from the wood of special tree species. The outer layer of the profile and the hinges are ebony, while the inner layers and the temples are made of ash. The special glue used to secure the layers provides enough flexibility for the lenses to be snapped into place at room temperature. While designing these spectacles, it was important that the hinges be manufactured locally and in the simplest way possible. In contrast to traditional hinges, the temples of these spectacles must be rotated 170 degrees inward to close them..
Axis Fabio by Acclaimed Designer Images:
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Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'stereo'.
Found 12 results
Upgrading from my logitech z333
Luukisthebiggestnoobinaudio posted a question in Questions and AnswersHello Im a big noob at speakers. I now have a logitech z333 2.1 speakerset. And i think it sucks. I want the best sound for around 150 euro, what is the best option? My friend has a bag of riddim bluetooth speaker and it sounds so nice. I want that sound quality or better. Do i need to spend more? Plz check amazon.de for me and not amazon.com i live in holland. Haha Thanks for reading and please respons
New DSD Releases
bmoura posted a topic in Music Downloads & Streaming8 more DSD Multichannel releases are available this week from Native DSD Music. They include 5 new DSD albums from Challenge Records International Classics, Channel Classics Records, Eudora Records, London Symphony Orchestra Live, and TRPTK plus 3 more from the 2L catalog. Two of the releases are early releases - coming 3 weeks ahead of the official release date. Two also are DSD Exclusive, Not Available on SACD titles. https://www.facebook.com/NativeDsdMusic/photos/a.765895486802195/2153539384704458/?type=3
Check it out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1844799967/applepi-dac-highest-performance-raspberry-pi-dac Reviews: The Audio Beatnik "Ok, specs are great and all, but how did it really sound? Frankly, very good, surprisingly good." and "The mid-range and truthiness of the music rivaled that of the other DACs I have on hand that cost significantly more." Read the full review at this link: http://theaudiobeatnik.com/applepi-dac-review-theres-art-in-this-dac-and-it-shows/ Volumio's Founder -- Michelangelo "Sound-stage and spatial resolution are just excellent." and "This DAC is producing the most detailed sound to ever come out of my Raspberry PI, all the subtle nuances of my test tracks were there and clearly distinguished from everything else." Read the full review at this link: https://volumio.org/forum/orchard-audio-applepi-dac-review-t9633.html
Here's something really different. I avoided the first editions of "women's headphones", from Molami and Frends among others, because the aesthetics said no to me, but this one looked interesting for testing purposes at least, because of the more subtle design and the low price. The sound is rather treble-shy, but no more so than a lot of headphones in the $150 USD price range. Molami Plica ("designed for women") On-Ear Stereo Headphone review
The ApplePi DAC will be launching very soon via Kickstarter, for $175 Check out the first review here: http://theaudiobeatnik.com/applepi-dac-review-theres-art-in-this-dac-and-it-shows/ Specs: SNR: 128dB THD+N: 0.0005% Dynamic Range: >135dB
This headphone is very similar to the Bose QC35 Bluetooth headphone, with 3 important differences. One, the price is about 1/3 of the QC35's price, at $119 USD. Two, the Matrix3 does not have Noise Canceling, although the isolation is very good. And three, Bose pretty obviously uses a DSP along with the Noise Canceling to flatten out its response, which is fairly neutral. One of the evidences for that is the QC35's Passive mode sound, which is very similar to the Matrix3 sound (the Matrix3 sound is about the same either way). MEE Matrix 3 Around-Ear Bluetooth Stereo Headphone review | Headphones Hangout Forum
Here's the Elear - for my purposes, the best sound I've heard, but your mileage may vary according to your treble preferences and which amp you use. Due to the large impedance spike around 40-50 hz, the power demand could weaken the deep bass somewhat, if your amp isn't up to it. The $1000 price is a lot, but the build quality and sound quality make it a keeper for me. Focal Elear Around-Ear Open-Back Stereo Headphone review | Headphones Hangout Forum
JRiver Media Center to Stereo how?
greywolf posted a topic in General ForumHi all, I'm using the JRiver Media Center for my music library. I have a solid wireless network. I have a decent (for my budget) Denon receiver (non-AV) and some very nice old GNP Valkyrie speakers. My problem has been finding a quality wireless music player to connect the JRiver streaming to my stereo. My budget is in the under $300 range ideally. My stereo is connected to my TV as well. I've considered trying the WD Live+ player but I doubt the sound quality will be anything decent, does anyone have any experience with that one? I do own ROKU 2 and an AppleTV box but as I said I chose JRiver for my server and I do not want to use ITunes so as I understand it neither of these will do anything for me (and again I doubt the sound quality is good). I could reconsider if I really can't find anything comparable or easily navigated on the receiver side. I have also considered getting a Yamaha RX-V671 networked AV Receiver or the similar Denon AVR-1912 AV Receiver because my current setup does not have HDMI into the receiver (it's not an AV reciever) but not sure it would be worth shelling out $400... or what quality and ease of use I'd get for my money. So again, I'm primarily looking for a network music player that will work with JRiver, provide decent enough sound quality to match my system, and not bust my budget (~$300 range). It would be nice if it had a good interface, and I do have my TV connected as far as having a screen for the UI. I'd welcome any suggestions you might have. I've searched the web looking for a solid choice and so far it hasn't yielded anything at all clear. The ROKU Soundbridge sounded promising but it appears to be defunct. Thanks!
Greetings from a humble new member of your forum! (bow) I'm attempting to create a reasonable 2-channel system for music only (music style: everything). No movies. But first a little background... I was a pro musician in the 1980's and spent lots of time in recording studios with the best sounding audio systems, but I'd always had an appreciation for high quality sound. Like many others, I made compromises when "home theater" hit. My existing audio gear went in the closet to make room for HT gear, because the popular position was and is that quality 2-channel music listening is far less important than hearing BOOM! when big bad T-Rex is coming. (Is there anyone who didn't hear a demo or two of Jurrasic Park?) Anyway, my internal audiophile is back, and the old gear with it. (But WOW! The landscape is so different.) It's time to figure out what old stuff goes and what new elements need to be added that might substantially boost performance without breaking the fargin' bank. My proposed system is detailed below in order of process. Component I already own are indicated with "***" but I'll replace anything your collective wisdom so requires. Your experience is what I'm needin' so here we go: 1. ***FLAC files 2. ***Internal Hard Drive (WD 2TB Sata hdd installed in below computer) 3. Homebrew computer – tentatively comprised of the following (incl. Newegg's part#): -Bare bones computer kitwhich includes small case, 200w Power Supply, 1155 Sandy Bridge motherboard, USB 3 (model: Shuttle SH61R4 - NeweggItem #: N82E16856101124) -Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit (Item #: N82E16832116986) -Intel Processor (Celeron G530 Sandy Bridge BX80623G530 Item #: N82E16819116409) -Ram (4 Gigs of G.SKILL NS F3-10600CL9D-4GBNS Item #: N82E16820231394) -Optical Bluray Drive/Player/DVD & CD Player/Writer (ASUS Black Blu-ray Drive SATA Model BC-12B1ST/BLK/B/AS Item #: N82E16827135247) -Wireless Adapter for occasional Pandora streaming (BUFFALO USB WLI-UC-GNHP Item #: N82E16833162032) -20" Monitor (Acer G205HVbd Item #: N82E16824009314) -Wireless Keyboard with Laser Trackball(IOGEAR GKM561R Item #: N82E16823176018) -Sound Card with optical out (PCIe ASUS Xonar DGX Item #: N82E16829132052) 4. Software Music Player (I'm open to suggestions. Winamp, iTunes, MediaMonkey, etc) 5. Unknown optical interconnect from optical out on sound card to optical in on DAC 6. DAC - Schiit Bitfrost 7. Unknown RCA interconnect from DAC analog out to receiver RCA preamp in 8. ***Preamp/Amp: Denon DRA-1025R 2-channel receiver (Class-A amplification and Denon's top-of-the-line model when I bought it new in the late 1980's at Federated's going-out-of-business sale.) 9. Unknown LONG RCA interconnect from Denon's "Main Out" to RCA "line in" on sub woofer 10. ***Sub Woofer: Velodyne F1200 (circa 1995, 12" woofer, 20-85hz +/- 3db, internal amp produces 100 watts RMS, bass management which I plan on using [adjusted to 80hz]) 11. Unknown LONG RCA interconnect from "line out" to "Main In" on Denon receiver 12. Unknown speaker wire (or gauge) from Denon to speakers 13. ***Speakers: stand-mounted Canton Karat 920 DC bookshelf speakers (circa 1996, 7" woofer + tweeter, none bi-amp) 14. ***My 52 year old ears Thanks. Gary
Free DSD Stereo & DSD Surround Sound Download
bmoura posted a topic in Music Downloads & StreamingA Free DSD Stereo & DSD Surround Sound download for NativeDSD Music listeners. The favorite DSD demo track from the recent Salon Art & HiFi Show in Lyon, France. From "The Argentinian Album: Piazzolla, Ginastera, Golijov" - by Amsterdam Sinfonietta, with lead violinist Candida Thompson on the Channel Classics Records label. https://www.nativedsd.com/user/home https://channelclassics.nativedsd.com/albums/the-argentinian-album https://www.facebook.com/bmoura8/posts/10155030531838091
Maybe I am trying to do too much with one thread, but here is my situation. I have a budget of roughly $1000 to put towards new sound equipment for my gaming PC. I currently have a set of Logitech 5.1 speakers that I bought about 10 years ago for under $60 that I am using in 2.1 configuration, a Logitech desktop microphone that has since been discontinued, and a pair of Hesh headphones that do a decent job. I am looking to replace all of these. My budget allocation is $150 for mic, $250 for headphones, and $600 for speakers. However, I don't know much about what brand does what when it comes to speakers and headphones, so I figured I'd post my budget and my needs and see if you guys have some good suggestions. Speakers: $600 I live in an apartment, so volume and bass are not my primary goals. What I want is longevity and clarity. The quieter I can have my speakers while still understanding everything that is being said on that TV show, the better. I only need stereo speakers in 2.0 configuration (a subwoofer is not desired, as I think the thumps it provides are the worst offenders against happy apartment neighbors). While I'm not looking for something that can be heard in the next building, I do want to be able to clearly hear what is going on when I am in the next room if I turn up the volume during the day. I also would like fairly long cords for a desktop computer, with the assumption there are several monitors between them (wireless is a no-no). I prefer black speakers, but the color isn't a necessity. The price cap should include anything else required to make them work. I don't know much about audio equipment to know if an amplifier is needed, but if it is, factor that into the cost. Headphones: $250 I've heard that open headphones are better than closed headphones, so these are something I would like to try. Once again, I'm looking primarily for clarity. Leather or fake leather pads are much preferred to cloth/foam style pads. Circumaural is my preferred style. The headphones must be wired, and microphone should NOT be included. I am not going to use the microphone on the headphones, so I don't want to pay for one. Also, I would like a solution to easily change from headphones to speakers, and to control the volume of the headphones. Microphone: $150 I would like to change to something that isn't taking up desk real estate. I have plenty of room behind my desk that isn't being used, that could be used for a mic boom. I would like a studio-style microphone with pop filter and a floor stand. Of course, all black. I don't have a super huge budget hear, because I do care more about what I hear than what others hear. If you can suggest a better way to allocate my resources (i.e. take $50 off the microphone budget to add to the headphone budget) that is fine, but there is a hard cap of $1000. To recap, this thousand would be for: *Stereo speakers with a focus on clarity *Open stereo headphones with leather-style circumaural pads *Recording studio-style microphone with a floor stand I know next to nothing about what brands do what when it comes to audio equipment, so I'd like suggestions on what best fits my desires within my price range. Thanks!
SACD-ISO Stereo Only
MemoryPlayer posted a topic in Music Downloads & StreamingHi Guys, How to split multi-channel and stereo DSD tracks in an iso image? With almost 500 SACD saved in my hard drive, if I can save only stereo ones, I will save a lot of space, and my DAC plays only stereo, so I don't want have saved multi-channel tracks! Thanks, MemoryPlayer