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Another Tsarnaev Friend Ensnared: Todashev Relative Offers Home
By Karin Friedemann, TMO
On June 4, TMO attended a bail hearing in front of Judge Marianne Bowler for Khairullozhan Matanov, 23. The young man, clad in orange, looked exhausted. He put his hands over his face, leaning on the table briefly before the hearing began. No friends or family were there.
"He was shaking and looked like he had just finished crying,†described court observer, Jill, who attended his first hearing.
Matanov, a friend of Boston Marathon bombing suspects Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, is facing decades in prison for allegedly lying to the FBI and deleting files off his computer.
Matanov's "lies†to the FBI were completely unrelated to the bombing. They included things like whether or not he drove the brothers to a restaurant or if they walked in, whether or not he ever watched movies on his computer, and if he had seen the photos of the brothers on TV or heard the the news on the radio, before he personally went to the police to identify them.
The FBI already knew who the brothers were. They had Tamerlan's house under surveillance. The photos were intended to ensnare friends of the Tsarnaevs into becoming informants. Matanov believed his friends were innocent and had nothing of interest to tell the FBI beyond that he liked to play soccer with them.
As a result, the government is now accusing Matanov of the absurd, including: "hiking up a New Hampshire mountain in order to train like, and praise the mujahideen.â€
Matanov's computer deletions were easily recovered by the authorities after he gave them permission to search his computer – "saving them the time of having to get a search warrant,†Attorney Hayden quipped.
Yet prosecutors say Matanov "obstructed the FBI's investigation of the bombings and the suspected bombers, and have caused the FBI to expend considerable additional resources during its investigation of the bombings and the suspected bombers.â€
The files Matanov deleted were all public information that provided no additional clues whatsoever into the bombing. The FBI has been wasting ungodly amounts of money over the past year to spy on him. A large unmanned aircraft was spotted circling around his home. Several FBI agents were employed full time to follow him around in cars and to keep him in sight at all times around the clock, even following him into a dental office. Matanov's needless incarceration continues at taxpayer expense.
Former prosecutor Matt Connolly writes in the Milford Daily News: "Matanov was exercising his right not to incriminate himself… All he did was try to distance himself from the Tsarnaevs thinking that his close connection with them would get him into trouble. If you know nothing about the crime being investigated you can't obstruct it.â€
Actually, the government indictment, which claims that Matanov hid his close relationship with the Tsarnaevs from the FBI seriously conflicts with the actual transcripts of police and FBI interviews with the defendant. Matanov's lawyer made extensive use of these transcripts during the cross-examination of FBI Agent Timothy McElroy to demonstrate that Matanov immediately told the FBI everything he knew.
"I can't imagine that they did it but I am willing to help,†the transcript reads.
According to his first FBI interview report dated 4/20, Matanov said that he saw and called Tamerlan often. Tamerlan drove Matanov to get his drivers license. Matanov told the FBI he often invited the brothers to Manasawa Restaurant, went to Tamerlan's house, met his parents and skyped with Tamerlan when he went to Dagestan.
The indictment claims that Matanov told police detective Heslam he didn't know whether Tamerlan lived with his wife and daughter. However, Heslam never asked about this.
According to the actual transcript, Matanov told the FBI he saw no one in Tamerlan's apartment other than his wife and daughter.
The indictment accuses him of changing stories regarding whether or not he visited Tamerlan the Wednesday after the bombing. He admitted going to Tamerlan's house during his first FBI interview. He didn't withhold any information. The government allegation is referring to comments Matanov made to his roommate as well as a passenger in his taxicab, telling them he had not visited Tamerlan "in a while†and downplaying the relationship. He was not talking to the FBI. The FBI later talked to his roommate.
A Boston Globe editorial states, "Matanov charges look like a vindictive overreach.â€
The hearing mainly focused on wire transfers Matanov made overseas. He appears to have been working very hard as a taxi driver to send money to his family. He sent money to 15 people in 6 different countries, sometimes using an alias. He also asked a friend to dispose of some cell phones. His lawyer, Edward Hayden, argued that Matanov was operating an illegal business sending stolen cell phones overseas. Neither the phones nor the wire transfers had anything to do with terrorism.
FBI Agent McElroy testified that he has no knowledge of anything on phones having to do with terrorism.
US prosecutor Scott Garland argued against granting Matanov bail, saying he was a "huge flight risk.†He speaks seven languages and has ties in six different countries. He has no reason to stay in the US – no family, no job, no property. He faces 20 years for obstruction of justice and eight years for each lie. He is likely to be deported after time served. "His only assurance would be his promise,†and the US alleges that he "repeatedly deceived authorities.â€
Defense attorney Hayden then requested "voluntary incarceration†of his client, saying "there is no place for him to go.†Judge Bowler said if this changes, they could "revisit the issue.†She then asked if Matanov was ready to be arraigned.
As he stood to hear the charges read against him, Matanov gripped the table. He whimpered, "Not guilty†very quietly and was told to speak up. He repeated "Not guilty†to all the charges against him in a louder voice. The judge than warned Hayden to "be cautious regarding public statements,†alluding to a previous press conference. Matanov's next hearing is scheduled for July 15 at 2pm. Matanov looked emotionally broken as US Marshalls shackled and handcuffed him.
Upon hearing the news of this "voluntary incarceration,†Elena Teyer, mother-in-law of Ibrahim Todashev, the friend of Tamerlan Tsarnaev who was murdered in his home in Florida by Aaron McFarlane, an FBI agent from Boston, was deeply moved. She immediately called Matanov's attorney to offer her home in Georgia. Teyer has never met Matanov nor the Tsnarnaevs but she told TMO, "We are all family now.†Another supporter in Massachusetts also offered Matanov a home. Attorney Hayden said he would try to find out what the amount of bail would be.


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ACMAT Office Building Construction Progress Photograph 8-24-2012Add to Lightbox Download
ACMAT Corporation Administrative Headquarters Building. Construction Progress View.Architect: Quisenberry Arcari Architects, LLC Contractor: Enfield Builders, Inc. EBI Project #11-013.James R Anderson Photography New Haven CT photog.com.Date of Photograph: 24 August 2012 Image No. .Camera View:
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- 2012-08-24 14-55-33_10_ACMAT-Office-Building-Progress.JPG
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- James R Anderson
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- ACMAT/ACSTAR Administrative Headquarters Building | Progress Photography

subset: commoncrawl


text: Yeou Chyr Co., Ltd. specializes in manufacturing, supplying and exporting structural steel, with a factory in Taiwan. It has always been our focus to manufacture finest products and to deliver them on time with attentive after-sales service. Our innovative spirit enables us to stay a step ahead of our competitors by providing the widest range products. Inquiries from global wholesalers, Distributors, buyers, agents and OEM/ODM are welcome.


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Stock Rising: United States men whose values are rising out of Salt Lake
After nine points in three qualifiers, there's no shortage of praise to hand out to the U.S. Men's National Team. Whereas three or four standouts usually force their way onto our Stock Rising report, a larger flock of MNT'ers deserve some acknowledgement after Tuesday's 1-0 win over Honduras, three points that leave the U.S. on 13 after six Hex rounds.
We spare no expense handing our this week's plaudits, the positives from the U.S.'s current run proving much larger than the Stock Falling report we'll have later tonight.
Jozy Altidore - I don't know what's more impressive: (a) Altidore's calm, reassured finished on yesterday's 71st minute winner; (b) the celebration that portrayed more relief than jubilance; or, (c) the fact that throughout the night Altidore always seemed to be in the right place, whether it was the first half's targeting from wide or the second half's attempts to tick and tack through the Honduran block. In the last eight months, we've gone from asking 'where's Jozy' to always expecting him to be where his teammates are looking.
Just over a week ago, after the U.S. had dispatched Panama, Jurgen Klinsmann was asked why Altidore's finally broken through. In Klinsmann's mind, though, he hadn't. Altidore's being doing the same things in June that he done since he winter recall, the U.S. boss explained. Now, those things are leading to goals, but that doesn't mean Altidore wasn't contributing before.
It's tempting to look at four goals in as many games as a turning point, but Altidore's breakthrough probably came before this goal-scoring rush. His rising stock is build on a foundation laid throughout 2013.
Geoff Cameron - There was little argument for Cameron keeping his place in the starting XI over the returning Jermaine Jones, but after 90 minutes in Sandy that gave us a better means of comparison, Cameron's starting to make his case. Coming off a stellar performance against Panama, the Stoke City man provided some needed quality off the bench, hinting his game in Seattle wasn't a fluke. We're still a long way from being able to say Cameron deserves the nod over the more-accomplished Jones, but this is how competition starts. One man starts asserting himself. The other has to respond.
Matt Besler - While the center back to his right has been prone to mistakes, the reigning MLS Defender of the Year has been Mr. Reliable, providing a couple of new moments of reassured protection in Utah. It wasn't so long ago (like, a matter of weeks) that Besler wasn't a sure bet to start next to Omar Gonzalez. Now, he seems like an obligatory choice.
Brad Davis - The main arguments against Brad Davis's inclusion are his lack of speed and athleticism, yet while drawing a foul in a dangerous spot late in the match, the Houston talisman showed more promise than many have seen before. The arguments against his potential at international level remain, but with that flash of danger, Davis may be providing a new counterpoint.
Eddie Johnson - When E.J. was brought in at the end of the last round, everybody expected him to provide Klinsmann an alternative to Altidore. But Johnson's yet to be meaningfully used as a true No. 9. Instead, he's played on the left. He's played on the right. He's provided a needed injection of athleticism, strength, and even experience. And his presence at the back post gives the team a persistent threat. Players like Johnson and Cameron may not have starting spots, but they're proving valuable parts of Klinsmann's restructured team.
Jurgen Klinsmann - It's not only that the U.S. is on 13 points through six rounds. It's how they've done it. To this point, the story's unfolding just like Klinsmann predicted. And now, the furor ahead of the Costa Rica match seems ridiculous now.


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Can Lotus kill its one-product image?
With a major release of its Notes/Domino finished, Lotus is tackling another, more difficult challenge: Erasing its long-standing image as a company driven by a single product.
Lotus executives say they are determined to shake the one-trick pony perception by later this year touting a group of products that fall under its knowledge management strategy and are not dependent on Notes/Domino.
It's an effort Lotus has been fighting for years. Almost since its founding in 1981, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company has ate and slept one key product. In the early 1980s through the early 1990s, that product was Lotus 1-2-3, which helped spawn the PC industry.
In more recent times, Notes, the first groupware product on the market, has attracted both customers and the attention of IBM, which purchased Lotus for $3.5 billion in 1995, principally to get its hands on the Notes franchise.
One overriding issue has haunted Lotus through those two very different eras: how to develop a decent second fiddle product to augment the company's cash cow.
"They are considered the Notes company," said Rob Enderle, senior analyst with Giga Information Group. "Notes is an IBM product. It fits well with its overall strategy."
And therein lies the problem. While Notes/Domino is considered strategic by IBM, Lotus's other major product line, its SmartSuite desktop application suite, well regarded for its technical merits, hasn't benefited from IBM's marketing largesse.
"[SmartSuite] doesn't get anywhere near enough marketing dollars to make a difference," against market leader Microsoft Office, said Enderle.
Also, a plan to launch a set of Java-based office productivity applets appears to have fallen by the wayside. At one time, several hundred developers were assigned to the project, sources said. Now, the company plans to break off the SmartSuite component SmartCenter, a desktop tool that accesses contact information and gathers news from the Internet, into a separate product. No timeframe has been disclosed.
Lotus is also considering porting SmartSuite to Linux, said Lynne Capozzi, vice president of Internet applications. But again, no timeframe has been disclosed.
Most likely, Office's hammerlock on the market will preclude any additional marketing splurges on SmartSuite. The command Microsoft Office has over the desktop market is nearly universal, Ted Schandler, an analyst at Forrester Research, said. "It's as close to 100 percent as you would want to get."
Now that Notes/Domino R5, considered the most important launch of Lotus's groupware product since release 1.0, has shipped, the IBM subsidiary is ready to try again to establish a strong second-string product line. This time, the strategy will focus on a set of knowledge management applications that are not dependent on Notes/Domino.
"If you watched carefully at Lotusphere 99 and even late last year, Lotus is trying to divorce themselves from the one-product mold," said Tom Austin, an analyst with the Gartner Group. "They have products like SameTime and other knowledge management applications that are being sold as stand-alone products and as integrated components of Notes and Domino. These are good products," he said.
Knowledge management software is used to provide a system for companies to transform information from various sources--the Web, back-office applications, databases--into client applications for making business decisions.
Lotus points to a group of knowledge management software packages that it will sell as separate products and will aim at customers that may not use Notes or Domino.
One of those products is SameTime 1.0, a software tool for instant communication via the Web. Launched in January, SameTime is actually the combination of two different technologies obtained by Lotus when it purchased real-time software vendors Lexington, Kentucky-based DataBeam and Israeli-based Ubique.
Another new product is LearningSpace, a distance learning software package. Due to launch by the end of May, LearningSpace 3.0 will include LearningSpace Forum, an asynchronous version of the product; LearningSpace Live, a synchronous version; and LearningSpace Anytime, which is a combination of both the asynchronous and synchronous versions. The product includes a "live" virtual classroom environment, making it easier for instructors to deliver remote presentations, share applications, and tour Web sites with participating students.
LearningSpace "is of strategic importance and great value to Lotus," said Brian Bell, vice president of Lotus's new knowledge management division.
Lotus points to its successes in the hosted application market as yet another example of its ability to develop products that are not dependent on its vast Notes/Domino customer base.
Based on the earlier success of its Instant TeamRoom offering, which allows distributed users to work together over the Internet, Lotus QuickPlace rolled out in February.
QuickPlace allows workgroups within and between companies to use their Internet browser to set up a customized workplace to centrally communicate, share, and organize information, documents, and schedules relating to a particular project.
"The fact of the matter is we had the first knowledge management product," said Bell. "That product is Notes and Domino. We're leveraging this important product on a higher level of collaboration. Knowledge management is a huge business in its own right."
Bell estimates the knowledge management market in North America is worth $50 billion.
According to a recent report by the Gartner Group, one-third of Fortune 1000 companies are including knowledge management initiatives in their 1999 plans.
But just because Lotus is selling products in the knowledge management market doesn't mean it can completely shed its Notes/Domino skin, Gartner's Austin said.
"Will they achieve the same sales as Domino? Not on your life. But it is still worth the effort."


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What's On: Goran Bregović at Sofia's Arena Armeec, December 19
Sarajevo-born Goran Bregović and his Orchestra for Weddings and Funerals are to perform at Arena Armeec in Sofia on December 19 at 8pm.
This is the latest in a series of concerts by Bregović in the Bulgarian capital over the years, with his brand of blends of Balkan music.
For the full story about this event, please visit the Facebook page of the Radisson Blu Grand Hotel, Sofia. This series of articles about what's on in Sofia is brought to you by the Radisson Blu Grand Hotel.


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Duncan Campbell came here in November and had very hard time until he had breakthrough. By the second-week people were coming from all over the parish. As many as 14 adults were converted in one meeting, and a sudden change came over the community.
From 'Sounds from Heaven,' by Colin and Mary Peckham, published by Christian Focus Publications, p71-2.
Duirinish is the name of the area.


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Now, well into the summer, Canadians can take relative solace in how our governments have successfully worked together to manage the many challenges emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Led by a dynamic team of public health professionals, informed by science and a commitment to social responsibility, Canadians are now in the envious position of being able to contemplate key elements of a safe and steady reopening of our economy.
Canada is a culturally diverse, trading nation whose bright future is in no small part reliant on welcoming highly skilled people who can help build a stronger country for future generations. For our national economy to make the comeback we need, a national plan that will position Canada for future growth is urgently required.
A critical part of any economic recovery plan must include a safe and thoughtful strategy to re-engage with the economically and culturally relevant cohort of international students that visit Canada every year.
Canada relies upon open borders to welcome foreign students and to support the policy objectives of all governments.
International students help create significant, middle-class jobs and economic growth in over 100 communities across Canada. In 2019 alone, Canada hosted a record 628,000 international students from around the globe, 150,000 of them for English- and/or French-language education. International students generate $22 billion in export revenue each year in tuition and living expenses alone, creating 170,000 Canadian jobs and contributing significantly to Canadian tourism, food and beverage, retail, entertainment, housing and services sectors.
Many of these bright young students ultimately decide to pursue a path to Canadian citizenship, thus joining us all in our collective efforts of nation-building.
Canada's relative success in managing COVID-19 thus far and the strong public health measures in place, including mandatory 14-day quarantine measures, now place us in the position to safely begin welcoming international students back to Canada. For the Canadian economy, indeed all Canadians, this is good news.
The vibrant economic and cultural track record of our country is built in the Canadian immigrant success story. We are recognized globally for our progressive policies and cultural-mosaic society.
COVID-19 has paused this success story, and now we are in a position to responsibly seize the opportunity to demonstrate to the rest of the world that we can reopen our borders to certain priority populations.
Given our success in flattening the curve, we are in a better position than most other countries to accept international students. We know that international student education is a global market, and students will gravitate to the places where they can safely go.
Being able to safely open our schools to international students will give us an edge on other countries that have not managed this pandemic as well. We need these students, and we can safely manage their transition to Canada by following the robust public health guidelines that are available. It is time to seize this opportunity before students look elsewhere.
We look forward to working with local health authorities and all levels of government to welcome students back to classrooms in a safe and responsible way.
Even more so, we know that many of the future leaders of Canada's path back to prosperity will come from this group. They will surely fall in love with this country and want to become citizens because of the generosity we have demonstrated towards them in this critical moment in time.
Matt Collingwood, president & CEO, Tamwood International College in Vancouver; Tamsin Plaxton, president & managing director, Tamwood International College; Paul Schroeder, CEO, ILSC Language Schools, Greystone College based in Toronto; Jonathan Kolber, CEO, International Language Academy of Canada; Sharon Curl, managing director, Oxford International North America; Cyndi McLeod, CEO, Global University Systems Canada & chair, board of governors, University Canada West.


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Sensory play is probably the simplest way to help children engage their senses is by playing outside with nature, full of colours, movement, textures, sounds and smells. Summer is the best time to play outdoor for your kids, and small children love playing with sand – whether it's beach sand or usual sand in a sandbox, it's a great affordable type of sensory play. But sometimes it's not possible to play outdoors or you don't have a sandbox at hand, and then kinetic sand is your answer. Kinetic sand is a toy that looks like regular sand, but is available in different colors. It mimics the physical properties of wet sand, and it can be molded and shaped into any desired specific form. It does not stick to other materials and surfaces, but rather only to itself and does not dry out. You can buy some or make yourself of some simple things that you may have at hand. Here are some recipes that you may like.
This project will take just 10-20 minutes and such colorful kinetic sand makes great birthday gifts, stocking stuffers or party favors! You will only need a few ingredients to make this kid-approved project – colored play sand, corn starch, dish soap and water. Make party favors of it putting the sand into individual containers and adding cookie cutters to it.
This sensory bin is filled with kinetic sand and with some construction toys, which makes a cool and fun activity for children. The sand itself is blue and green, and kids love bright colors a lot. Your children will love cooping, digging, and moving the sand all around, let them have fun!
Usual kinetic sand you may buy is nontoxic, still it's not considered edible and neither is this kinetic sand recipe. Kids should always be supervised or old enough to know not to put their fingers in their mouths when working with soaps and starches. This recipe will tell you how to make super colorful and more or less safe kinetic sand using cornstarch and food coloring. Go for it and let your kids have super fun!
Here's a fun sensory activity that will happily occupy the kids for hours: It's oozy, maleable, and uses household ingredients. Cornstarch gives the mixture pliability, water makes it ooze, and choosing your own sand allows you to mix and match in any bright color of the rainbow, here it's turquoise to remind of the beach holidays but you may try any bright shade your kids love.
Kinetic sand is one of the easiest sensory toy, and sensory play activities are always perfect for kids, and they'll love making it as much as they'll love playing with it. But adults can also have fun and get relaxed with it, so make some for your kids and for yourself, too. Besides the sand, you probably have everything you need to make this in your kitchen already: water, cornstarch, dish soap, and food coloring. Go for all the colors of rainbow!
This kinetic sand recipe uses just 3 ingredients to make a soft, moldable sand that provides hours of sensory play time. This makes kinetic sand a lot of fun for kids to dig in like a sandbox, but they can also press it in their hands, cookie cutters, or other containers like candy molds. The recipe includes only colorful sand, cornstarch (or flour), and oil. Read the tutorial to find out in what proportions to mix them.
This kinetic sand recipe is very unusual as it includes shaving cream and baking soda! The result is something closer to slime, the sand is super moldable and very cool. Read how to make it and enjoy various activities stated in the recipe to play with this sand.
The real Kinetic Sand is made using dimethicone: a man-made silicone oil commonly found in cosmetics. The dimethicone is what gives the sand the ability to stick to itself, making it a much cleaner toy than regular sand. This version uses cornflour, water and dishwashing liquid to create the goopy consistency that bonds the sand. It will not feel exactly the same as the real Kinetic Sand and it is not entirely mess free, keep it in mind.
Do your kids love the beach? Why not make them their very own beach sand to play with. You can get creative with color and it will keep the kids entertained. Even when the beach season is over, it's no problem, your kid swill be able to play with this sand in any season and anytime.
Unicorns are fun and colorful, and if your children like them, too, this kinetic sand is exactly what they will love! This kinetic sand is made in all the colors of rainbow and there's much glitter added to make it more sparkling and bright. If you want to keep the colors brighter longer, simply store each color separately and play with it separately.
The nice thing about this kinetic sand, is that it doesn't fly everywhere, and get in eyes. The recipe includes cornstarch, water and essential oils. Add tea tree essential oil to the water, or use a 10% bleach solution or 10% vinegar solution this will prevent any smell or mold. Read further instructions in the source.


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It's International Women's Day, and though we here at Fangirlish would like to congratulate all the beautiful, strong ladies that read us, we'd also like to celebrate the strong women we all look up to. International Women's Day is about being us, about being loud, bold, and happy – whatever that means for you. And that's why, on this day, we want to look at the ladies who inspire us to be exactly that. The real, and the fictional ones. But let's begging with the latter.
So, here's who we're celebrating today:
Lizzie: Look, the movie just came out today, so I gotta say Captain Marvel. For a lot of girls she's a new hero, but I grew up with different versions of Captain Marvel, and it was always super empowering to see this powerful woman whose main storyline was always so much more than who she was dating, even when I was a kid. Hey, I remember Carol Danvers as the editor of Woman Magazine! So, yes, there's a lot of love for the character in my childhood, and I'm so excited for others to get to fall in love with a character that has always been a hero of mine.
Jasmine: I'm going with Lieutenant Olivia Benson from Law and Order: SVU. That woman is a badass! I've been watching that show for years and she impresses me in every way. She's not afraid and she never lets anyone stop her from accomplishing her goal; bringing down the bad guys. She worked her way up from a Detective to Lieutenant and she was not afraid to get in the trenches and do the hard jobs. She showed and still shows that she is just as tough as the men she works with. Long story short, she doesn't take shit from anyone, you call her a bitch and she doesn't even blink. She will stare you dead in the face and let you know she will not back down. That woman is by far one of the most courageous females I've ever seen on a television series.
Lyra: Evelyn Carnahan (played by Rachel Weisz) from The Mummy is my dreamboat, one of my favorite characters ever, and the kind of role model that changed the way I look at women. Evie wasn't a damsel in distress. She was a scholar, a sister, a warrior, and an unstoppable force of good that drew people into her because of the light that shined from within. Also, she didn't take anyone's crap. No matter if it was from her brother, a colleague, or her romantic counterpart, she wasn't going to sit idly by and let anyone make her feel any less than the badass woman she knew herself to be. Also, Evie love her books. I can always get behind a woman like that!
Gillian: I think I'm going to go with Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. Growing up, I was a big nerd when it came to school. I loved learning and reading and everything. To discover a character that was so similar to me in that way was amazing. In addition to that, she is extremely brave and there is no way Harry would have made it through all of his encounters with Voldemort without her. She values friendship and also has flaws. She's not perfect but she always worked hard and it's incredible all she accomplished (regardless how you feel about Cursed Child).
Mimi: I really loved Dr. Maura Isles on Rizzoli and Isles. I loved how smart she was but also how flawed she was too. Maura to me was such a vulnerable character and heroine, the friendship between her and Rizzoli bordered on OTP but no one from TNT will admit to it. Maura was adopted by very rich parents as a baby and she never knew her biological parents until she was a grown, accomplished adult. Her dad was a legit gangster who ran Boston and her mother was a world renowned physician. Maura is the lead Medical Examiner of Boston, MA and she fucking owns it! Maura dressed like she was in a Chanel runway show, with just a hint of Stella McCartney. Maura wore Stiletto's to the crime scene and helped Jane Rizzoli solve hundreds of cases while looking fabulous. I always admired her, she was witty, smart, kind, loving, generous and beautiful. That series hasn't been forgotten by me, and I really wish they would reboot it or make a mini movie, just so I know how all of the characters ended up.
Lariel: OK, I am going in a rather obscure direction — unless you happen to love Star Trek novels from the early 80s. My choice is Ael i-Mhiessan t'Rllaillieu, a Romulan commander created by author Diane Duane for the novel My Enemy, My Ally. Ael is a veteran of many campaigns, who holds honor above all else. Her family and her crew (which is much the same) both come before her planetary government. Ael is not just a canny fighter, though; she can strip a ship down to its components and put it back together. And she is so very wise. From the very first reading, I was very impressed by the way Ael led her people. I like to say that everything I know about managing people, I learned from Star Trek. In many ways, I learned it from Ael in many rereadings of My Enemy, My Ally since I bought my now dog-eared copy back in 1984. If you can get your hands on it, it's an enjoyable read, as are Duane's other Star Trek novels.
Amanda: I'm so glad that we're living in a time when fictional ladies worthy of appreciation are being created, whether in books, TV, or film, more and more frequently. That being said, I have to go back to my OG, Lorelai Gilmore. Lorelai taught me that growing older did not have to mean growing up. She showed that it was possible to be a successful, intelligent business woman, a supportive mother, friend, and community member, and still find a childlike joy and humor in the world around her. Discovering her at twelve years old gave me the strength to face my fears about adolescence and helped shape me into the fully grown-but not grown up!-woman I now am nine years later.
Alyssa: I know it's no grand revelation, but Felicity Smoak from Arrow has long been one of my absolute favorite characters for how much she's inspired me and others to embrace what makes them super in their own way. When it comes to the most empowering and inspiring women in this DCTV universe Felicity Smoak is at the top of my list. Every. Time. She defies expectations for what a hero is perceived to be. She isn't out on the front lines taking and delivering hits in a flashy costume, and yet she's the most important person on Team Arrow. Felicity is the one constant that has never needed a superhero suit to define the hero that she is. She is such an incredibly strong, intelligent, passionate woman that is a role model for women everywhere. She has shown that true strength and courage comes not from physical superiority but from the fire within.
Hillary: I'm going with one of my original first female heroine's that inspired me… Zoë Washburne. Played by the amazing Gina Torres, Zoë was the perfect mix of strength, wit, loyalty, fearlessness, intelligence, and beauty. She was a strong female character who was complex, nuanced, and a joy to watch. I personally think she's the toughest and most badass crew member on Serenity. She doesn't take crap from anyone, and her one-liners helped make the show a fan favorite. There was something about the way she carried herself that was fascinating and inspirational. I remember the left hook out of nowhere when someone threatened the people she loves. Zoë wasn't driven by just one motive. Her love for her husband, loyalty to her captain, protectiveness of her crewmates, all these gave her depth and broke down stereotypes in this genre. She was a badass who wanted a family, a gun for hire who had empathy, and a friend who always had your back. When Zoë was on screen, you can't take your eyes off, of her. She'll smile, say a witty one-liner, and go kick some ass. Her fearless and loyalty inspires me to have the courage to go after my dreams and to always support my friends and family. If I'm ever given the chance to meet Gina Torres, my first words will be thank you for Zoë.
Janelle: I have been inspired and influenced by so many incredible fictional women. When i am feeling crappy about myself, I cuddle up with Sydney Bristow or Veronica Mars, and suddenly I feel capable again. For this International Women's Day I want to highlight the powerhouse copper Amy Santiago from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Amy is Type A+ and she's not apologizing for it. Her humor, heart, and organizing skills are admirable and make me feel seen. The representation Amy Santiago provides is meaningful to me. Perhaps even more meaningful is how Amy is treated on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She is accepted, celebrated, and included at the precinct. Amy gets to be fully Amy, with her dance moves and all. I can't think of a more inspiring example.
Kayla: Kara Danvers, Supergirl. She isn't the first female character that inspired me, but she usually comes to mind when I think of strong female characters. She's overcome so much pain and loss, and yet she still goes on and continues to fight to bring love and hope to Earth. She doesn't have to even do it, and yet she does, will all she has. She fights for the rights of everyone, no matter the race, alien or human. I love the ideology Kara has, to love everyone, and everything. To overcome your weaknesses and use your strengths to empower others.
What are the female characters that inspire you?


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The theme of the Galilean ministry of the Lord continues into chapter 2 of the Gospel, but, in this chapter, we see the storm clouds of opposition and conflict begin to cross that ministry. It is a sad reflection upon those that opposed the Lord that Luke tells us, in respect to this miracle, that 'the power of the Lord was present to heal them', Luke 5. 17, and yet, as far as we are told, only the paralysed man upon his bed was healed.
Before considering the verses in any detail, we might divide the chapter into four sections:
First, then, we will consider the palsied man.
The contrasts in the section highlight the commencement of opposition. The Saviour was in Peter's house, a place He often resorted to, as Mark shows. He was welcomed in this house1 but not in the house of the Pharisees and Scribes. We see the faith of those that brought the paralysed man, but the lack of faith in the Pharisees and Scribes.
The Lord was in Peter's house. Exactly how long it had been since the events of chapter 1 verses 21 to 34 is difficult to determine. Although the KJV may imply that the 'some days' refers to this period, Wuest suggests otherwise, 'the resultant meaning being that some days went by after our Lord's arrival in Capernaum before the people found out that He was there'.2 However, since that last visit it would seem that the Lord's fame had not waned. In his customary manner, Mark tells us how quickly the news spread, 'straightway many were gathered', v. 2. Luke gives an indication of how far the message had spread, suggesting that the Pharisees and doctors of the law had come from further afield than Galilee alone. They may have come to see a miracle, but the Lord uses the moment to preach the word unto them and in a manner that suited the circumstance in which He was found.
On that previous visit to Peter's house, the Lord had healed all that were gathered at the door. Now, they were not outside but inside the house. The extent of the crowd was such that, 'there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door', v. 2.
It is worth thinking about this scene for a moment. The house is packed. Interest is high and the Lord is in His own neighbourhood. The Lord is the preacher and, as we have mentioned, the power of the Lord was present. Humanly speaking, all is right for a time of blessing. Have there been times when we have convened special gospel meetings about which we have prayed petitioning the Lord to bless? Have we been deeply conscious of the Spirit of God at work in the hearts of different individuals and yet there has been no one saved? Might we remind ourselves that this was the experience of the Lord here and it is a timely reminder of the hardness of men's hearts!
It is only Mark who gives us the number of the nameless men who brought this paralysed man to see the Saviour. The extent of the man's physical need is evident in that it took four men to bring him and that they brought him upon his bed. The word for bed, more likely a simple pallet, tells us something of this man's poverty brought about by his paralysis.
The four men persevered for they, 'could not come nigh unto Him for the press', v. 4. They did not give up but took the man up to the roof and began to dig their way through the roofing of the house. This was certainly no simple task. The digging would be hard work and the depth of the roof covering would probably be significant. At last, they were able to let this man down to the place where the Saviour was found. Equally, the sick man agreed with the activities of his companions and was prepared to take the risk of being lowered through the roof.
What is remarkable about verse 5 is that Mark tells us, 'When Jesus saw their faith'. The man's physical need was evident. Looking at the bed upon which he was let down into the midst would indicate his material need. However, the Saviour sees past the physical and material and is concerned with his spiritual need, 'Son, thy sins be forgiven thee'. The faith of the four, a testimony to the faith of the paralysed man as well, was what brought the response of the Saviour. Here the lesson is that the spiritual must take priority before the physical and material. William MacDonald says, 'Jesus went beyond the symptoms to the cause. He would not heal the body and neglect the soul'.3
The immediate reasoning of the Scribes was that this was blasphemy. The Lord had given forgiveness to the paralysed man. Only God can forgive sins. Logically, this leaves two possible solutions. Either the Lord was God, or He blasphemed.
The Scribes seemed to have arrived at their judgement. Darby's translation is, 'Why does this man thus speak?' v. 7. The word 'man', being in italics, expresses the contempt in which they held the Saviour. Their decision as to the situation was coloured by their view of the Saviour; their minds were already closed to the truth. But verse 6 tells us that they did not have the courage of their convictions. They were 'reasoning in their hearts'. They had no desire to learn the truth from the Saviour. But neither did they express their views, as that might mean they would lose face with the multitude gathered.
Human nature has not changed. Men's minds are still closed to the truth of the gospel. However, what is saddest is when believers' minds become closed, even though the truth is evident, because pride rules.
Mark's account of the response of the Saviour gives ample evidence of why the logical deduction of the Scribes was faulty. Who could read the thoughts and reasoning of the hearts of these Scribes but God alone? Who could bring such miraculous healing to this paralysed man but God alone?
There was no statement from the Scribes. There was no evidence in their posture. The Lord knew intuitively. Mark records, 'Jesus perceived in his spirit', v. 8. Wuest comments, 'Our Lord was not only immediately aware of what the Scribes were thinking, but was clearly and fully aware of it'.4 He knew their thoughts and He knew their hearts. 'Why reason ye these things in your hearts?' The problem with the Scribes was that their mental reasoning was also affecting their attitude to, and developing their antipathy towards, the Saviour. They were developing what was to become hatred capable of murder.<
The questions of the Lord cut to the heart of the matter. He had forgiven the sins of this man. But where was the evidence? To provide that evidence, He said to the man sick of the palsy, 'Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way', v. 11. Cole comments, 'It was, in point of fact, a much lighter thing to heal the body than to restore the soul, for a prophet might heal, but no mere prophet could ever forgive sins'.5
It is clear from the fact that the man obeyed that he had the faith necessary – the basis of his forgiveness. It is also clear that as the forgiveness of the man was complete so his restoration to health and strength was complete. He was able to stand. He was able to walk. He was, finally, able to carry his bed. All of these things were new to his experience. Mark, again, records that it was 'immediate', v. 12.
The testimony that this man bore is evident and remarkable. Mark tells us, he 'went forth before them all', v. 12. This was not something that was obscure, reported second or third-hand. This was a testimony that would remain in this locality because, from verse 11, the man must have been local in order to carry his bed back to his house.
The outcome of the miracle is remarkable for a number of reasons.
Today, many are taken up with what they see as the miraculous, particularly healing. They allow the material and the physical to take priority over the spiritual. Clearly, this event in the ministry of the Lord is relevant, a reminder to us all of the importance of resolving man's spiritual need first.
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Cardinals fans definitely showed that they're fed up with the performances the team is putting out, as evident in the ROTB Gamethreads.
You have to play for the little things.
Let's Go Cards!
Rock bottom or minor redemption, here we come!
Bite off more than you can chew. Then chew it! ~Courage Wolf.
by OntarioCardsFan1977 on Dec 2, 2012 9:54 AM PST actions
He called it.
I just hope we don't see McElroy.
Then the chances of the Jets winning go WAY up.
by INSOMAN1ATIC on Dec 2, 2012 10:15 AM PST actions
Patience is running out.
what the hell was that
I need to invent a button that says "Miller you idiot" every time I press it. It would wear out after a while.
See this? That's your IQ buddy! ZERO! - Mike Ditka
by SF3751Fan on Dec 2, 2012 10:18 AM PST actions
This actually makes sense.
I think I understand now why games are allowed to end in a tie.
If one of these teams had to score to end it, it would be sometime after we colonize mars. Like two hapless titans engaged in a pillow fight. For eternity.
by Iowacardinalshawkeye on Dec 2, 2012 10:33 AM PST actions 5 recs
We should've used this in the recap.
Battle of Bad Quarterbacks
Battle of Defenses
Battle of Bad teams
Battle of teams whose coaches are going to get fired at the end of the season most likely
What else did I miss?
See this? That's your IQ buddy! ZERO! - Mike Ditka
by SF3751Fan on Dec 2, 2012 10:40 AM PST actions
This was possibly one of the worst offensive games out of any sport that I've ever seen. And I watched the entire 2010 Diamondbacks season.
Remembering the dark days...
Anyone still think Lindley is our QB of the future?
This is rivaling our Max Hall experiment.
by Zapf on Dec 2, 2012 11:04 AM PST actions
Ref's wanting Arizona to lose, what else is new?
They spot NY where the ball was,
but then spot the ball where Beanie's hip hit the ground earlier? WTF.
by INSOMAN1ATIC on Dec 2, 2012 11:13 AM PST actions
It was a good feeling while it lasted.
We Scored OMG
AND were winning
by Jake6233 on Dec 2, 2012 11:26 AM PST actions
It hasn't been good since the Buffalo game.
Shakespeare would be proud.
Wrote a poem for Miller
Roses are red,
Violets are blue
Lindley can't play
You're fired.
Give Me Linebackers or Give Me Death!
by tw3kr on Dec 2, 2012 12:47 PM MST reply actions 2 recs
After the PI on Toler.
Someone needs to fax this to Rex Ryan.
I don't think you are allowed to celebrate on offense
When your first points come in the 4th quarter.
Cardinals, Suns, D-backs for life!
by Airwave on Dec 2, 2012 1:22 PM MST reply actions 3 recs
At least there's a chance of winning here.
well im out. black ops 2 sounds so much better right now
If John Skelton hasn't recieved a fair chance, then Kevin Kolb has recieved nothing.
by Scuba_Steve on Dec 2, 2012 1:23 PM MST reply actions 1 recs
Fitz is now only the 4th WR since 1960 to play with 10 different QB's in his first 9 seasons. Fantastic.
The carousel circus music on the QB carousel is fitting....
"Let's go Cardinals!!"
by Cardzfan on Dec 2, 2012 1:26 PM MST reply actions 2 recs
After the cameras showed Fitz talking to someone on the training staff:
Another rookie QB's who's confidence has been shattered by the Cardinals. We must hold the record for this.
Ryan Lindley is the worst quarterback I have seen in 44 years of watching and 20 years of covering the NFL.
— Neil Best (@sportswatch) December 2, 2012
by dedalus001 on Dec 2, 2012 1:39 PM MST reply actions 2 recs
After a game like this, not much can be said.
0-15 on 3rd down - enough said - clean out your lockers boys - good night!
by AZSunDvl on Dec 2, 2012 2:05 PM MST reply actions 3 recs
Finally, let's end on a positive.


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Dear Deb and colleagues,
It's good to resume this conversation after the summer. I've been in South Africa. The view from abroad highlights dangers and opportunities.
I agree that the signs you point to are worrying, such as the decline in democratic purpose in CPE after 40 years; and shrinking numbers of school boards. And of course the context of these is the troubling election. The Pew Center reports that for the first time in a generation, most Americans are unhappy with their choices for president.
But it's also important to identify positive trends. I see them in stirrings of citizenship.
The Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship at Augsburg College is coordinating a book project on Public Achievement, the civic empowerment and citizen education initiative which is now 25 years old. I've been listening to interviews of participants - young people, teachers, PA team "coaches." They are full of hope, stories of people who learned to see themselves as "co-creators" of communities and effective agents of change. Such hope is different than facile optimism. "I found a lot of empowerment through PA," said Tamisha Anderson, an African American student at St. Bernard's. Anderson was involved in many projects over the years, from changing school uniforms and building a playground to educating about the danger of land mines in conflict areas. "It was empowering to know that your voice matters regardless of what color or size or age."
I worked with a team to launch Public Achievement in 1990 to bring the spirit and practices I had seen in the southern civil rights movement, where I worked as young man, to today's youth. Public Achievement is based on the idea of citizens as co-creators. Students doing Public Achievement are citizens today, not future citizens waiting to vote. PA is active in communities across America, as well as in other countries.
In PA, young people work as teams coached by adults (often college students), learning skills to make change on public issues they choose. From Minnesota and Colorado to New York, Texas, and Georgia, young people fight demeaning depictions of blacks and Latinos and Asians. They champion the dignity of women, LGBTQ people, poor people and those with disabilities. They campaign for immigrant rights and against bullying. They create videos, songs and plays that convey the overlooked talents of our youth. They take care of existing public resources and build new ones, from playgrounds to recycling centers. In the process they gain a sense of power and citizenship.
Alyssa Blood did her master's thesis in education at Augsburg about Public Achievement in FridleyMiddle School, where it has reshaped the Special Education curriculum. Students worked on issues such as bullying, healthy life styles, homelessness, solar energy, and cruelty to animals. In the process, students developed habits and skills of negotiation, compromise, initiative, planning, organizing, and public speaking. According to school officials, Public Achievement deepened connections between the school and the community. In the process students grew what Blood calls "a public persona," civic identity. Blood and Michael Ricci, the lead teacher there, are convinced these skills and identities will shape the students all their lives.
As young people build the shared public world, they develop the "public persona," civic identity, described by Blood. The public world in America historically was the commonwealth, vision of civic leaders and radical change agents alike, meaning shared public things in government and civic life. Four states (Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Virginia) are officially commonwealths. The concept of "citizen as co-creator" was also foundational in the black freedom movement ("we are the ones we've been waiting for," as the freedom song puts it). A sense of an inclusive commonwealth, "realizing the promise of democracy," infused the movement.
Today, the idea of citizens as co-creators of communities is central to the transdisciplinary field of "Civic Studies," which Tufts University describes as the "intellectual component of...the movement to improve societies by engaging their citizens." The recent $15 million endowment to the Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University suggests growing authority behind the idea of citizen as co-creator, a far more substantial idea of citizen than simply voter or volunteer.
Tisch College has also been central to the movement for civic education. Working with the White House Domestic Policy Council, it hosted a conference for higher education leaders in 2014. Last July, it supported a meeting of social studies teachers in the White House. The House 2017 Appropriations bill includes the first funding for civics and American history in years. The bill includes $6.5 million in competitive grants to improve instruction in American history, civics and geography, with a particular emphasis on schools in under-served rural and urban communities.
I see these as signs of civic hope past the election. But I'm very interested in your views on citizenship. How did you all treat the concept in CPE and Mission Hill (either explicitly or implicitly)? What's the role of citizenship in your view of democracy?
The opinions expressed in Bridging Differences are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.


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1976 Chevrolet Corvette Brochure IllustrationClose
There were few changes in the 1976 Corvette, as engineering resources were occupied with meeting the demands of safety and pollution requirements while still managing to keep the character of the Corvette intact. The base engine horsepower rating was boosted 15 hp to 180 hp, marking the start of a long slow comeback to the performance of past years.
1976 Chevrolet Corvette Dashboard Brochure IllustrationClose
The steering wheel was the same as found on the Chevrolet Vega, a car that all involved, especially its owners, would like to forget. The lineage resulted in a negative reaction from the Corvette public and the mistake was not repeated after 1977.
1975 Corvette Steering Wheel - Chevrolet Vega SourcedClose
1976 Corvette Coupe RedClose
1976 Chevrolet Corvette GM PhotoClose


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DR RING DING's began his professional career in 1987 playing trombone with EL BOSSO & DIE PING PONGS, one of Germany's most famous ska bands. His experience in EL BOSSO lead to his life long love for Jamaican music. By early 1993 he had formed his very own band, DR RING DING & THE SENIOR ALL STARS, and over the next ten years they would release five albums, numerous singles, and two albums backing legendary Jamaican vocalists DOREEN SHAFER and LORD TANANMO. American releases on MOON SKA and JUMP UP helped solidify his fan base in the United States, and soon DR RING DING was enjoying a worldwide audience for his snappy vocal style and tremendous musicianship. DR RING DING is not only a popular live performer, he is a studio musician, arranger, and producer in many different music genres such as Swing, Rhythm & Blues, Hip Hop, Rumba, and Punk, but, above all, in Reggae, Dancehall and Ska. DR RING DING has also made spectacular contributions to dancehall single selections for international producers- "DOCTOR'S DARLING" (Germaica Records) went top 20 of the German Black Music Charts at the end of 2002, VOM VATER (Germaica Records) appeared on numerous Reggae compilations, and he has shared dancehall singles with SIZZLA, CAPLETON, and TANYA STEPHENS. DR RING DING is always creating new music, which is why this new album BACK AND FORTH was so important. Not only does it look back at some of the finer moments in his career, but it also exposes us to many new songs from his forthcoming projects ….plus unearthing rarities and vinyl only singles in one nice package. This is not a "best of" per se – this is a "personal selection" hand picked by DR RING DING himself. The most die-hard DR RING DING fan needs to own this not only for the rare and unreleased tracks, but for the true pleasure of the album's sequence and diversity. Reggae, Ska, Dancehall, Calypso, and even some hip hop appear on BACK AND FORTH. KING DJANGO and The SLACKERS Vic Ruggiero guest.
For Fans OF: The Skatalites, The Slackers, The Aggroltes, Trojan Records, Hepcat, King Django, Toots & The Maytals, Sizzla
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Ford recently unveiled a new 2016 Ranger at the 2015 Bangkok International Motor Show. With its more robust front end, friendlier interior, upgraded diesel powertrains and better ride comfort, it seems like it is a big step forward over the previous model. And on a side note, it also seems like it would fit right into the U.S. market. Yet, by all accounts, a U.S. Ford Ranger is unlikely.
According to Ford's press materials, the company has strengthened the truck in three key areas: styling, technology and fuel efficiency.
Styling changes are easy to see with a more robust and dominating front end. Compared to the previous version, the new trapezoidal grille and angled hood give the truck a more muscular front-end look.
The interior has also been redone as well, showcasing the new 8-inch touch-screen. This new touch-screen is lower in the center stack and is now flanked by air vents, giving the dash a more horizontal feel.
Technology improvements are found in the new Sync 2.0 connectivity system. Ford boasts that the new system is smart enough to understand voice commands like "temperature 70 degrees," "play AC/DC" or "I'm hungry."
Also, there are a host of new safety-oriented driver-assist technologies such as lane keeping alert, adaptive cruise control, collision avoidance, front and rear park assist, tire pressure monitoring, electronic stability control and a host of other features that are now commonly found in various new Ford products here in the U.S.
Engines and Fuel Efficiency
Updated diesel powertrains are a big part of the improved fuel efficiency for the new Ranger. Fords says that depending on cab and powertrain configuration, the new Ranger could see a 15 percent improved fuel-economy rating. The new Ranger will be offered in three different diesel powertrains, with a 3.2-liter TDCi inline five-cylinder being the largest. This engine is rated to produce 197 horsepower and 347 pounds-feet of torque. When properly equipped, the Ranger can tow up to 7,716 pounds. Without providing any specifics, Ford says it the Ranger will have "exceptional payload capacity." We're guessing it will have a maximum payload capacity of more than 1 metric ton, or 2,200 pounds.
There will also be two all-new 2.2-liter TDCi inline-four-cylinder diesel engines. These variants offer a choice between 128 or 157 hp, depending on customer needs. Ford has replaced both previous four-cylinder engines.
These engines will be mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. No word on estimated fuel economy ratings for these engines yet. The current Ford Ranger model gets upward of 38 mpg U.K. combined in a regular-cab, two-wheel-drive configuration with the 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, according to a Ford U.K. brochure. In the double-cab, automatic-transmission, four-wheel-drive setup with the 3.2-liter five-cylinder it tops out at 28 mpg U.K. combined with nearly 33 mpg U.K. highway.
Ford expects the Ranger to be on sale in Europe early in 2016, and then it will be offered in 180 markets around the world, but still not in the U.S.
North America Plans
Officially, Ford says it is still "all in" on investing and expanding the F-Series lineup for North America with a focus on new powertrains and improved fuel efficiency, but a midsize pickup doesn't fit into current plans.
"The compact pickup segment in the U.S. has been declining – from almost 8 percent of total industry sales in 1994 to 1.5 percent of industry sales in 2014," said Mike Levine, Ford truck communication manager. "The F-Series works best for customers in North America. The all-new 2015 Ford F-150 with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 has better EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings than V-6-powered midsize pickups from Toyota and GM, as well as better payload and towing capability."
While other similarly sized midsize pickups sold in the U.S. and abroad have had different dimensions (the Toyota Hilux and Tacoma, and Nissan Frontier and Navarra come to mind), the new 2016 Ford Ranger seems to be both similar in size to some existing midsize pickups as well as too close in size to an F-150. Looking at the dimensions compared to the current Toyota Tacoma, we see the Ford Ranger is just a bit taller and longer while not quite as wide.
Our guess is that Ford will only green-light a new U.S. Ranger if it could build it economically, make it on a smaller platform, give it much better fuel efficiency than the F-150, and offer it with a much lower price tag. No matter how you look at it, that's an unlikely set of circumstances that needs to come into alignment.
Manufacturer images


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"Elif Shafak's Three Daughters of Eve depicts a sophisticated and compelling story of modern Istanbul. Peri is now a rich and glamorous woman living a comfortable life. While suffering through a tedious dinner party with the international elite, she ponders her days as a student at Oxford, when her life was profoundly impacted by two friends and a charismatic professor. As a young, unformed student, Peri felt lost in her search for faith and self. Looking back on these years from the perspective of adulthood, Peri must confront her past before it collides with the present. Compelling, poignant, and highly relevant, Three Daughters of Eve is a modern exploration of identity in a changing world."
— Pamela Klinger-Horn, Excelsior Bay Books, Excelsior, MN
"Unfolding in both contemporary Istanbul and Oxford during the academic year 2001–2002, Shafak's compelling novel examines a series of dualities—east and west, men and women, religious and secular—in order to discover a more harmonious 'third path.' The protagonist, Peri, embodies this quest. Growing up in Turkey, she inhabited a limbo between her mother's defiant religion and her father's defiant materialism, and as a result has suffered bouts of paralyzing indecision—with tragic consequences."
— Laurie Greer, Politics and Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC
The stunning, timely new novel from the acclaimed, internationally bestselling author of The Architect's Apprentice and The Bastard of Istanbul.
Peri, a married, wealthy, beautiful Turkish woman, is on her way to a dinner party at a seaside mansion in Istanbul when a beggar snatches her handbag. As she wrestles to get it back, a photograph falls to the ground--an old polaroid of three young women and their university professor. A relic from a past--and a love--Peri had tried desperately to forget.
Three Daughters of Eve is set over an evening in contemporary Istanbul, as Peri arrives at the party and navigates the tensions that simmer in this crossroads country between East and West, religious and secular, rich and poor. Over the course of the dinner, and amidst an opulence that is surely ill-begotten, terrorist attacks occur across the city. Competing in Peri's mind however are the memories invoked by her almost-lost polaroid, of the time years earlier when she was sent abroad for the first time, to attend Oxford University. As a young woman there, she had become friends with the charming, adventurous Shirin, a fully assimilated Iranian girl, and Mona, a devout Egyptian-American. Their arguments about Islam and feminism find focus in the charismatic but controversial Professor Azur, who teaches divinity, but in unorthodox ways. As the terrorist attacks come ever closer, Peri is moved to recall the scandal that tore them all apart.
Elif Shafak is the number one bestselling novelist in her native Turkey, and her work is translated and celebrated around the world. In Three Daughters of Eve, she has given us a rich and moving story that humanizes and personalizes one of the most profound sea changes of the modern world.
"Elif Shafak's new novel reveals such a timely confluence of today's issues that it seems almost clairvoyant . . . There are novels you want to cherish in the sanctity of your own adoration, and then there are novels you feel impatient to talk about with others. Press Three Daughters of Eve on a friend or your book club for a great conversation about this flammable era we live in now." - Washington Post
"Three Daughters of Eve . . . offers a complex portrayal of Turkey." - New Yorker
"Turkey's best-known female novelist, Elif Shafak, has been building a body of work that needles her country's historical amnesia . . . The ways in which an unresolved past can fuel present-day tensions is the subject of Shafak's vivid and timely eighth novel." - Vogue
"A beautifully rendered tale of homeland and faith." - Marie Claire
"Safak is one of Turkey's most popular novelists, and her fiction and nonfiction has been translated around the world. Three Daughters of Eve, her 10th novel, takes place in contemporary Istanbul, but looks back on an earlier era, as Peri, a wealthy housewife, recalls her friendship with two fellow students at Oxford University. Together, these three young women became close through their studies, debating the role of women in Islam, and falling under the influence of a charismatic but controversial professor. The scandal that broke them apart still haunts Peri." - The Millions, "Most Anticipated"
"Rich and complex . . . Shafak explores themes of femininity and spirituality and extremism and political oppression in a way that feels thoughtful and refreshing." - Harpers Bazaar
"This is a truly modern novel--about the way we are shaped by politics, including freedom of expression and political repression, but also by our personal relationships." - Sadiq Khan, Financial Times, "Best Books of 2017"
"From Turkish writer Elif Shafak, Three Daughters of Eve follows a wealthy woman in Istanbul whose university friendships become touchstones as she navigates politics of Islam and feminism." - San Diego Magazine, "5 Books to Read in December"
"Shafaq has masterfully created equally lush portraits of warm and complicated Istanbul and cold and collected Oxford. . . . Three Daughters of Eveis a marvelous lesson in multiculturalist angst, the clash between modernity and tradition, and the vicissitudes of personal struggle. A must-read that entertains and informs without preaching." - New York Journal of Books
"Shafak is a brilliant chronicler of the ills that plague contemporary society and once again proves her mettle." - Booklist
"[Shafak's] portrait of a woman in existential crisis feels universal, shining clarifying light on Islam--and religious spirituality in general--within the frame of today's world." - Kirkus Reviews
"Readers interested in debates about the nature of God will find the book intriguing." - Publishers Weekly
"Shafak deftly captures Peri's struggles with faith, her attempts to please the people she loves and her ongoing attempts at the art of feigning happiness." - Starred review, Shelf Awareness
"Turkish author Shafak uses rich, thought-provoking prose to illuminate women's struggles and fuse Islam with feminist theory. Like her compatriot Orhan Pamuk, Shafak illustrates the ongoing fissure between Eastern and Western culture in Turkey." - Library Journal
"In striking, lovely language, Shafak considers Islamophobia, teacher-student relationships and terrorism of many kinds. Fresh and timely, this is an approachable novel of big ideas." - BookPage
"Timely, fascinating. . . Three Daughters of Eve slowly teases out the defining moments in the life of its Muslim protagonist." - The Seattle Times
"Elif Shafak's urgent, topical novel explores the ambiguities and dangers of being caught in the Land of Between. The book's protagonist, Peri, is torn between her mother and her father, between her love and hate for a charismatic professor, between the double lures of religiosity and secularism. Three Daughters of Eve upends the omnipresent but crude truisms of East and West, oppression and liberation, right and wrong that continue to divide, torment, and haunt us all." - Siri Hustvedt


text:
The* Bible for Android platform.
*Support QVGA (HTC Tattoo,etc)
*Text-To-Speech (limited)
*Marker, category, highlight.
*Reading style: flow, list
*Copy text
*Search, history, etc
*Memorizer Lite
*and lots more...
Good app, great value.
Good app, great value.
Very bad app. Don't bother.
Great app, would highly recommend it!
Great app, would highly recommend it!


text:
By W A Wijewardena –
Sri Lanka's sluggish export performance
Sri Lanka's merchandise exports have been limping from around 2011. Exports which amounted to $ 10.6 billion in 2011 have changed at a very slow rate since then. During 2011-18, the average annual merchandise exports amounted to $ 10.75. During the first 11 months of 2019, exports had grown by 1.7% to $ 10.7 billion. A prorated estimate will reveal that Sri Lanka could reach an export level of $ 11.7 billion in 2019. However, due to the high export performance in December 2018, this estimated annual performance records a decline of close to 2% in 2019.
The inactivity of previous governments
I have in previous articles in this series, drawn the attention of both the Mahinda Rajapaksa government and the Ranil Wickremesinghe government to the peril of an unwarranted slow-down in export earnings. Exports for centuries have been the main source of Sri Lanka's import financing, wealth creation, employment generation, poverty alleviation, exchange rate stability and servicing the external debt obligations. The non-recognition of these vital roles played by exports and remaining inactive in the midst of a major economic crisis by both governments have driven the country to a critical level today. Hence, Gota's challenge has been to break loose from the past fetters and implement an immediate action program to reverse the ominous trend.
Sri Lanka's sluggish export performance during 2011-14 was known to RW administration. It was evident in the first economic policy statement which RW presented in Parliament in November 2015. The issues relating to exports and strategies to be adopted to resolve them had not been presented in the statement under one heading. Hence, one has to undertake the laborious task of piecing together the numerous references made in different places to exports to gauge his government's strategy on the issue.
Recognising the importance of exports in increasing the welfare of people, RW had emphasised that Sri Lanka should produce for a market larger than that in the country. For that purpose, the country should find space in the world market. That space would be harnessed by entering into formal trade agreements with India and China which will offer a market as large as 2.5 billion people to Sri Lanka's exporters. The strategy to be adopted by his government, according to the policy statement, was to link Sri Lanka to the global value chain. This requires empowering the country with high technology. To acquire high technology, 11 business and technology development areas will be established throughout the island. This would be kicked off by establishing such areas in Hambantota, Ragama, Trincomalee and Mahaoya in 2016. The local and foreign investors who are to invest in Sri Lanka under the government's incentive schemes will be linked to this value chain.
Export targets should not be mere wishes
None of these promises were delivered and as a result, they just remained a mere wish-list. But, in the next economic policy statement presented to Parliament in October 2016 the government made further revelations about the planned export growth. It had correctly identified that to have a high growth in exports, Sri Lanka needed to have a major capital infusion and greater investments. To attain better results, Sri Lanka should go for new technological innovations, better management of data systems and up to date market information systems, the policy statement opined.
Lamenting over Sri Lanka's lagging behind both Bangladesh and Vietnam which were pretty much below the country in export performance a few decades earlier, the second policy statement promised to create a suitable climate for investments to take place in the export sector in the country. While foreign investors were to be used as a vehicle to join the value chain, the government promised to help local investors too to join the same. In this manner, the proclaimed goal of the government, as pronounced in both policy statements, was to direct all investments toward achieving a higher export growth.
But the promises made in the second economic policy statement too remained mere wishes with no practical application. Consequently, exports continued to show a sluggish performance in the first three years of the new administration. The annual average export level during 2015-17 amounted to just $ 10.7 billion marking almost the same level recorded during 2012-14.
The fate of the defunct Vision 2025
Towards the middle of 2017, the Government came up with a new medium-term policy statement titled Vision 2025. This vision did not have a detailed vision for the export sector except making some passing references. It had promised to put a stop to the anti-export bias that had dominated the economic policy making in the past. According to the vision, this anti-export bias had prevented Sri Lanka from entering the global production networks, which had been referred to as the entry into value chains in the previous policy statements. It had also envisaged to double the export earnings from $ 10 billion in 2017 to $ 20 billion by 2020. But there was no policy framework proposed in the Vision 2025 to attain this highly ambitious goal.
The new export strategy was no better
In April 2018, the Government came up with a new export strategy that had provided a detailed plan to boost the country's exports. However, the New Export Strategy had been silent on the main strategy proposed in the Prime Minister's economic policy statements, namely, Sri Lanka's joining the value chain or the global production networks. Instead, it had proposed to develop six selected areas of exports – two already mature, two emerging and two visionary sectors – which the designers of the strategy had considered as important for Sri Lanka to increase its export earnings quickly.
The two mature sectors are the development of the country's Information Technology plus Business Process Management and Spices and Concentrates. The two emerging sectors are the Wellness Tourism and Processed Foods and Beverages. The two visionary sectors are Building Boats and Electrical and Electronic Components. Though the designers of the new export strategy had been working on a set of internal physical targets for merchandise exports over the planned period, they had not been revealed in the document containing the national export strategy. These internal targets had envisaged Sri Lanka to increase its earnings from merchandise exports at an exponential rate of 11% during 2017 to 2025.
The ambitious targets in the strategy
This strategy was also not implemented by the Government like the previous economic policy statements and the Vision 2025. As a result, the actual export performance fell far below the targets. In 2018, the plan had envisaged to earn $ 13.1 billion through merchandise exports. But the actual realisation was $ 11.9 billion only. Similarly, in 2019, the target of export earnings was $ 15.1 billion. But the developments so far in the export sector shows that the country would not be able to earn more than $ 11.7 billion.
It is inevitable that the same fate would befall on the targets for the rest of the period too. The exponentially growing exports are to reach, according to the internal targets, $ 17.4 billion in 2020, $ 19.1 in 2021, $ 21 billion in 2022, $ 23.1 in 2023, $ 25.4 billion in 2024 and $ 27 billion in 2025. As it is, the installed capacity – technological as well as managerial – would not permit Sri Lanka to reach these targets.
This is the position which Gota is facing today. Even a modest growth in export earnings in the next six-year period would require Sri Lanka to adopt a special policy package relating to the export sector. The problem can be summarised as follows.
Sri Lanka's saturated export structure
As at today, Sri Lanka's exports to the rest of the world are being dominated by two product categories, apparels and 'the three tree crops' – tea, raw rubber and coconut. In 2017 in which its exports figures were the highest in the recent years, the former accounted for 44%, while the latter 'three tree crops' had a share of 17% of total export of goods. A brand-new category that had been added in the recent decades had been manufactured rubber products – mainly solid tyres – that had acquired a share of 7%.
This has been the country's export structure in the last four decades and it had been happily savouring marginal improvements in these categories whenever such improvements occurred as if Sri Lanka had hit the 'next big thing' in its exports. That complacency had sowed the risk viruses that have stunted its growth as a mature growth sector.
On the one hand, they had already reached the saturated point given the country's limited resource base. On the other, there were no new products added to the list, and worse, no concerted action had been taken to charter the unchartered territory of 'services'. With proper logistics in place and elimination of unfriendly policies, services offer a good opportunity for Sri Lanka to bring its own next big thing in expanding the earnings base in foreign exchange.
Sri Lanka's main manufactured export – textiles and garments – face a major challenge due to two related developments. The textiles and garments sector benefitted from the wave of globalisation that took place in the global economy in 1980s. Accordingly, the rich countries in the world taking advantage of the low wage costs in low income countries began to set up their mass consumption product factories in the latter category of countries. This process was known as off-shoring.
However, an unintended consequence of this process was the development of the bazaar effect, as first revealed by German economist H.W. Sinn, in which the rich countries simply became trading nations – bazaars in a traditional sense – with manufacturing off-shored to low income countries. With the consequential decline in manufacturing jobs in rich countries, there was a wide public outcry against off-shoring which became a political weapon for leaders to gain popularity among the masses.
Hence, the production model was changed to locate the mass production consumption goods industries near the final markets – called near-shoring – or on the land itself – called on-shoring – through product automation. The textile and garments industry has been the first industry to exploit these new production models.
New production model to replace off-shoring by on-shoring and near-shoring
A recent survey conducted by McKinsey and Company on the apparel sectors in North America and Europe has revealed that both near-shoring and on-shoring have become the most popular production model adopted by a large segment in the final consumer countries. According to the survey, about 67% of the US apparel executives and 80% of the global chief procurement officers have indicated that the top-most priorities in the apparel sector have been the speed at which the final products should be delivered to the market and how the goods could be procured within the season.
In the past, fashions developed by apparel companies had been forced on consumers. But, that trend is fast changing and instead, a bottom-up consumer preference system in which the consumers will inform garment manufacturers to produce the fashions they desire is developing in the apparel sector. To gain capacity to produce and supply these products, apparel trading companies need to have manufacturing facilities near the markets. That is the reason for near-shoring and on-shoring to get established in the apparel sector value chain. On-shoring has been facilitated by automation of apparel manufacturing brought in by such technological advancements as 3D print manufacturing, gluing and bonding instead of stitching and robotic employment.
Already, a Sri Lanka-born start-up entrepreneur Gihan Amarasiriwardena, together with partner Aman Advani, both of whom are MIT alumni, has begun a global enterprise in garments using 3D print manufacturing processes. The new enterprise called Ministry of Supply is to change the landscape of apparel production in the globe in the coming years. All business giants today have started their empires from humble beginnings and Gihan and Aman are set to creating such an empire in the coming years (For details see: https://medium.com/authority-magazine/empathetic-invention-the-process-of-inventing-new-products-services-and-experiences-but-b137ee71617d). As a result, the cost advantage enjoyed by low income countries like Sri Lanka with respect to garment manufacturing is fast eroding.
Apparel sector is to return home
McKinsey Survey has predicted that by 2025, a large segment of both the North American and European markets will be supplied by both on-shoring and near shoring. Table 1 presents the countries that are located around North America and Europe standing to benefit by adopting the new value chain model.
Will Sri Lanka lose its markets?
Both North America and Europe are Sri Lanka's established markets for apparel products. During the five-year period from 2013 to 2017, European Union absorbed 43% of Sri Lanka's apparel exports, while North America absorbed 46%. Thus, these two markets had accounted for 89% of the country's apparel exports. Accordingly, if they are to near-shore and on-shore apparel supplies, Sri Lanka's traditional apparel industry will face a serious risk of maintaining sustainability. It is therefore necessary for Sri Lanka to change the focus of its production to new export commodities to avert possible downside development of its export sector.
This is the challenge faced by Gota in rescuing the country's merchandise export sector. He should not make the mistakes made by the two previous governments. Instead of coming up with a mere wish list, he should present a comprehensive action plan, with time bound targets, to diversify the country's merchandise exports and link them to global markets by activating all the possible global production networks.
*The writer, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, can be reached at email@example.com


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there will be 5 so we'll squeeze a little closer!
Tablescape Thursday
Best Wishes for a
Very Happy New Year!
Very pretty ! Love your dishes !ReplyDelete
Liz- It looks so very beautiful. There is just something comforting about traditional Christmas, isn't there? You did a wonderful job and I really love what you did with your light fixture. It looks gorgeous. Blessings to you- xo DianaReplyDelete
Everything looks so incredibly beautiful! Merry Christmas to you!
Love the red!!! Everything looks so festive and beautiful!!! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!!!ReplyDelete
So winter has hit you big time, huh? The snow looks pretty in the background. I would hate to have to drive in it!!! I am sitting under the hair dryer at the salon right now after driving at a snail's pace to keep my appointment. We got a LOT of ice last night with snow on top. The streets are treacherous. I plan to get my hips back home before it gets dark. I DEFINITELY don't want to drive in the dark with this much snow and ice!!! Your table is beautiful! Not that I would ever expect anything different from you, of course! I love the plates and the centerpiece is great. I'm especially impressed that it looks so good but can be so easily moved when the meal begins. That's important! I think the table will look just as cool with 5 as with 4. You know I like FULL tables. Heck...we could eat on TOP of each other as far as I'm concerned!!! :-) Gorgeous, love! OK...gotta go. She's gonna whack half my hair off now! Talk to you soon!ReplyDelete
Gorgeous, Liz!ReplyDelete
Beautiful Liz! I love the tablecloth and all of your dishes. Your chandelier and lantern are awesome! Enjoy the season!
Liz~ I'm getting my snow fix from you! It rarely snows here and when it does, it's gone in a day. Love your red & white traditional table and those 'tis the season plates are a favorite of mine! Wishing you & your family a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!ReplyDelete
Your home looks beautiful Liz! Enjoy having your family at your home.Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!ReplyDelete
Hi Liz! Your breakfast room is so pretty. I have so enjoyed visiting your beautiful home for Christmas! So happy to hear your family will be with your for Christmas. Merry Merry!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)
Tartan and stripes and checks..Oh my! I'm LOVING it ALL! Your table setting is so Christmasy, and you even have snow outside! Great comfy chairs around the table, too. Wishing you and your family a warm and wonderful Christmas.
It's beautiful Liz!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Beautiful Liz and so festive! Your red/white dishes are the perfect touch. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and wish you all the best in 2013.ReplyDelete
Oh Liz such a beautiful table setting! Every thing is just lovely and I always like seeing the pretty upholstered chairs. happy New Year to you and yours. JaneReplyDelete
Beautiful table Liz. I love those chargers! Everything is perfectly matched and coordinated.
Truly a delightful table to sit down to. Happy New year.
So colorful and festive Liz. Wonderful Christmas setting....Happy New Year!
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Cornel Borbely, Fifa's ethics committee chairman, was investigating the alleged role of Russia's deputy prime minister for sport, tourism and youth policy, Vitaly Mutko, in state-sponsored doping when Fifa abruptly removed the Swiss from his job in May.
Mutko was banned this week from all future Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee, which accepted evidence that he was centrally involved in systematic doping of athletes, but Fifa has taken no action.
Formerly a Russian minister of sport, Mutko was alleged to have overseen the vast doping programmes before the 2012 London Olympics and 2014 Sochi Olympics. He is still president of the Russian football association and the organising committee for the World Cup next year.
Borbely, a Zurich lawyer who chaired the investigatory arm of Fifa's ethics committee, was examining the voluminous evidence on Russia and Mutko's activities when Fifa decided at its congress in Bahrain not to renew his tenure. Mutko would be barred from football if the ethics committee agreed with the World Anti-Doping Agency, its investigator Richard McLaren and now the IOC, that Mutko was directly involved in state-sponsored doping.
Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president, sought in March to prevent its independent governance committee barring Mutko from the Fifa council, arguing it would damage the prospects of a successful World Cup in Russia.
Miguel Maduro, the Portuguese law professor who chaired that committee and maintained its decision because Fifa's rules require politically neutral council members, was also fired at the Bahrain congress. Maduro told the UK parliament's select committee for digital, culture, media and sport in September that he had been urged by Fatma Samoura, Fifa's secretary-general, to change his decision and declare Mutko eligible. "She said the World Cup would be a disaster and that as a consequence the continued presidency [of Infantino] would be in question," Maduro said.
Fifa has taken no action against Mutko or Russia in nearly 18 months since Wada asked its ethics committee to investigate the findings made by McLaren in his first report, in July 2016, of Russian state doping and a systematic cover-up. Borbely is understood to have contacted Wada and McLaren for the evidence but was not supplied with much material, because McLaren was conducting further investigations.
In December last year, Wada published McLaren's second report, which found "an institutional conspiracy across [more than 1,000] summer and winter sports athletes, who participated with Russian officials within the ministry of sport and its infrastructure".
Wada said this had been concluded from forensic testing, "based on immutable facts", not only on the evidence of the whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory. Authoritative sources said that after that second report, Borbely contacted Wada again and this time McLaren did send him a substantial volume of evidence. Borbely is understood to have been examining the material, to form a view about whether he considered that action should be taken against Mutko, when his tenure was not renewed.
Borbely and Hans-Joachim Eckert, the chair of the ethics committee's adjudicatory branch, were given no notice of the decision to terminate their tenures. The FA and its representative David Gill, who is paid $300,000 a year to be a member of the Fifa council, supported the decisions to replace the ethics committee chairmen and Maduro.
Borbely and Eckert warned that their removal would set back their investigations into hundreds of cases and "incapacitate" the fight against corruption. Borbely was replaced by a Colombian judge, Maria Claudia Rojas, and he is understood to have given her the material from McLaren.
The IOC based its decision to ban Mutko and Russia from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics on a report from a commission looking at McLaren's work, chaired by the former Swiss president Samuel Schmid. Rodchenkov gave further evidence to Schmid, repeatedly stating Mutko was central to the doping conspiracy.
Fifa declined to answer questions about whether Rojas is proceeding with an investigation into Mutko, referring to the statement made after the IOC's decision, which said: "When it comes to potential disciplinary or ethical matters concerning specific individuals, it will be up to the respective Fifa bodies to evaluate them."
Mutko has rejected all the allegations and did so again at last week's World Cup draw in Moscow, where Infantino sat alongside him. The FA declined to comment. – Guardian service


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Adobe Dimension Challenge
Take-Out Breakout : Restaurant Branding in Dimension and Illustrator
This is the final design of the brand ( not real one ! )
The brand with the name
Using Adobe stock illustrations and made the brand !
The 3D Skull from Archive3D
Transformation and test in Photoshop
Export as OBJ file to import in Adobe Dimension
Models from Adobe Stock
Thank you for your attention and I hope
to have your return
on projects and others!
to have your return
on projects and others!


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The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine
Read 8/15/2020-8/16/2020
This is my second time reading Liv Constantine's work, and while The Last Mrs. Parrish is hands down my favorite book of 2020, this book was very well done. The character development is so wonderfully crafted, and you find yourself building your opinions regarding characters internal dialogue. But then that slow build comes to the peak of the book and WHAM. Twist. Smacks you right between the eyes! The twist takes you by surprise and you don't anticipate it coming, and the way everything is unveiled is so clever. I am so impressed with Liv Constantine as an author, I will definitely continue reading her work! I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Find The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine on Amazon


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State Rep. Ed Hanes Jr. has announced an agreement with The UPS Stores of the Triad to provide all teachers in Alamance, Davidson, Forsyth and Guilford counties with 100 free
Tag "Guilford"
WSSU takes health project to Piedmont Park (pictured above: Hazel Neely, president of the Piedmont Park Resident Council, is among the participants in Saving One Sister At a Time.) "Saving One
Conference draws gardening enthusiasts from across the state (pictured above: Pearl Norman shows off the carnivorous plants she had available for sale at the vendors' fair.) Green thumbs from across the
Employees who have overcome challenges feted by agency Monarch honored nearly 100 of its clients last Thursday for excelling in the workforce despite their physical or mental disabilities. Monarch, which
The Winston-Salem Regional Association of Realtors (WSRAR) reported recently that existing home sales in March of 2013 increased over 37
"The Forsyth County Community Food System: A Foundation to Grow," a study commissioned by Forsyth Futures, The Winston-Salem Foundation and
Running back Dedrick Anderson of Winston-Salem put on a memorable display in his final college football game. The former West


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Handmade and consecrated by monks, the Setrap chakra is effective for problems related to black magic and for those who reside in dangerous or life threatening places. It also bestows powerful protection against spirits and negative influences, increases positive energies, and helps overcome life's challenges. The casing protects the delicate chakra from damage and keeps it dry.
Complement the power of this chakra by chanting the mantra:
This item has been enhanced in a Tibetan Ruel Recharge Puja conducted by very senior members of the monastic community held on 1 October 2022 at Kechara Forest Retreat.
* While stocks last.
Directions for Use
- Wear as a pendant
- Hang in the car
- Keep in your pocket, wallet or bag
- Place on the altar
- Hang over the front door
- Keep in a clean and dry place
Product DetailsChakra with casing
- Height: 32mm (1.3-inch)
- Width: 32mm (1.3-inch)
- Depth: 6mm (0.2-inch)
- Weight: 10g (0.02 lb)
- Height: 30mm (1.2-inch)
- Width: 30mm (1.2-inch)
- Depth: 3mm (0.1-inch)
- Weight: 5g (0.01 lb)
More Information
- 5Review by Biljana
- Always good to have oneReview by gary
What could be more precious than seeing a dear a loved one carry a blessed buddha amulet wherever they may go. Plus I think they are practical especially the ones with casing as we tend to sweat a lot in Malaysia or for some they may even forget to take it off upon shower but the contents are well protected.
Some may even consider these chakra as a method to develop a karmic connection with a particular Buddha or Bodhisattva or tap into their energies by wearing the amulet and chanting the respective Buddha's mantra which is also indicated on the card insert which comes with the amulet.
I love it as an idea to give away as gifts. eg for older people we may give them the White Tara chakra, students you may want to bless them with Manjushri or Lama Tsongkapa Chakra :) (Reviewed on 7/29/2016)