text:
On Gardiner Street, an advertisement from the Evening Herald on the railway bridge reads simply: "SAM, MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME". There's a certain cockiness to it, and of course the time will come when the Sam Maguire cup moves on from the capital.
The 18-D-SAM novelty registration plates were printed long before the ball was thrown in on independent.ie/videos/sport/watch-dublin-win-allireland-senior-football-championship-37275667.html">that Sunday in September, and the expectation of victory was in the air for many.
Long gone are the years of drought for supporters of Dublin's Gaelic footballers; legendary sports writer Con Houlihan once noted that "Dublin's hardcore have become accustomed to losing but they live in hope. What's another year…?"
Amidst the glory of another Gaelic football triumph, an anniversary quietly passed in Dublin, as 2018 marked the 80th anniversary of Dublin winning the Liam MacCarthy cup, the hurling equivalent of the Sam Maguire.
That Dublin have gone eight decades without lifting the cup is remarkable in itself, but so too is the fact only one native Dubliner, Jim Byrne of the 1938 side, has ever won an All-Ireland hurling medal.
Twenty years ago this year, one writer joked that if you "mention Dublin hurling, the barstool pontificators think it's an oxymoronic joke like Jamaican bobsleighers". How could it be that the Irish capital, with its population advantage over the rest of the island, has failed to challenge at the top level of hurling in the same manner that it has come to dominate Gaelic football?
The divide between hurling and Gaelic football in the Irish capital is a curious thing. There was a prevailing opinion in Dublin that there was little metropolitan about hurling, which was considered instead a game of countrymen. Hurling was deeply ingrained into the traditions of parts of rural Ireland, and wrapped up also in folklore and mythology.
By the early twentieth century, hurling in Dublin was synonymous with men from rural Ireland, in particular those working in the bar trade and the civil service. Living in Dublin, these men would "line-out" for Dublin competitively, to such an extent that when Dublin took to the field of play in the 1927 All-Ireland hurling final, there wasn't a single native Dubliner on the team.
The countrymen who donned blue jerseys in the early decades of the last century were often the crème de la crème of the sport; in his statement to the Bureau of Military History, Waterford republican Michael O'Donoghue remembered making his way to Croke Park in 1922 to see "Bob Meckler of Horse-and-Jockey, Tipperary, my hurling hero of that age, who was playing midfield for Dublin, having left Tipperary to settle in the capital in 1915".
Dublin's hurling mediocrity is surprising given the importance of the city to the development of the game. As historian Paul Rouse notes, it was on the grass of the Phoenix Park that "Michael Cusack had launched the revival of hurling even before he founded the GAA".
Dubliners in their thousands had travelled to Elm Park for the first ever match in the Dublin hurling championship in March 1887, cheering on the wonderfully named Metropolitans and Faugh-a-Ballaghs.
Illustrations of men playing hurling in Dublin appeared in the pages of British publications like the London-based Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, no doubt somewhat baffled by the game that English writer Arthur Young had famously described as "the cricket of savages".
For Dubliners, the battle for loyalty in the early twentieth century was primarily between soccer and Gaelic football. The GAA's Rule 27, introduced in 1905, prohibited GAA players from playing or even attending "foreign games" as spectators, a source of considerable discontent in Dublin.
Famous soccer players like Manchester United's Jackie Carey and Aston Villa's Con Martin had been committed Gaelic footballers in their youth, but were then forced to choose a path.
Soccer, the most egalitarian of sports, requiring only four jumpers and a ball, was particularly popular in working-class districts. Athletes who showed great promise in soccer could often translate that skill onto the Gaelic football pitch and vice versa.
Officially, 37,129 were in Croke Park to witness the 1938 All-Ireland hurling final, though newsreel footage suggests plenty more found their way into the ground. The Irish Press reported that "Liffey men, Lagan men, Suirsiders, Leesiders, country folk and city dwellers … encircled Croke Park's playing pitch yesterday and saw Dublin win the nation's premier athletic trophy."
The action on the pitch gave the paper less to write about, as "the actual match was not outstanding – spectators found it a ding-dong terrior-like game – but the unique atmosphere of an All-Ireland Hurling Final was present. It was more than a game, it was a national occasion". Dublin came away victorious, defeating Waterford 2-5 to 1-6.
Subsequent decades brought great hardship for the sport in Dublin, and when the capital began to thrive at Gaelic football in the 1970s – the reign of legendary manager Kevin Heffernan – Hill 16 was jammed with young faces and home-painted banners.
Suddenly Gaelic football had it all, from intense rivalry with Kerry to the terrace passion that followed the team across the island. Heffernan himself remembered that "I said to myself, it's great to be coming now. The economy has slumped. There was no soccer team going well. The rugby team were struggling. We were arriving. There was a space for us to make a difference."
With investment and the hard work of the game's disciples in Dublin, hurling has witnessed something of a renaissance in the capital in recent years. In 2011, an unnamed Dublin hurler told the Sunday Independent that "we had it bad for long enough. I heard stories of hurley makers keeping aside their rough cuts and shite wood to send their worst sticks up to Dublin because no one would ever challenge them. Those days are over."
Some of the leading hurling clubs in the country are found in Dublin today, perhaps training a young generation that will emulate the heroes of 1938.


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Michelle Sullivan – Honored for living her passion through the Caterpillar Foundation.
Bonnie Fetch – Honored for being a voice internally and externally on gender parity.
Amy Volz – Honored for bringing Breakthrough Leadership to global audience.
Anne Marie Luethje (Hamburg) – 2017 Win member of the year.
Luis Alberto Hernandez García (Nuevo Laredo) – 2017 Win male ally of the year.
Catherine Ng (Aurora Chapter Chair) – 2017 Win leader of the year.
Parque Tecnológico, Málaga.
LeBlume (Diseño Industrial)
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subset: commoncrawl


text: 1) Should Juneteenth replace July 4 as America's Independence Day holiday?YES1%NO99% Juneteenth Independence Day Survey Thanks for voting! Below are the results. 1) Should Juneteenth replace July 4 as America's Independence Day holiday?YES1%NO99% Will you answer a few follow-up questions?2) Do you agree with Never-Trumper U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney's (R-WY) vote to pass the "Juneteenth National Independence Day?" YES NO 3) Do you agree with U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney's decision to vote with Speaker Pelosi to IMPEACH Donald Trump? YES NO 4) Are you concerned that Republicans like U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney aren't doing enough to FIGHT BACK against rising left-wing anti-Americanism -- whether that's attacks on our monuments, "Critical Race Theory" in schools and the U.S. military, or attacks on July 4 and the American flag? YES NO "Woke" corporate PACs are lining up behind Liz Cheney's campaign. In fact, according to official FEC reports, Liz Cheney is "the No. 2 recipient of donations from PACs associated with corporations and trade associations, trailing only Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for the top spot among all members of Congress."5) Are you concerned "woke" corporations like Google who are trying to shove the Democrats' far-left agenda down our throats are FLOODING Liz Cheney's campaign coffers with millions of dollars? YES NO 6) Do you agree with former President Donald Trump who stated, "we have to get rid of the Liz Cheney's of the world" in 2022? YES NO Head-to-head polls show Anthony Bouchard -- an America First conservative pit bull with a long track record of fighting the GOP establishment -- defeating Liz Cheney soundly in head-to-head primary polls. But that won't matter if grassroots conservatives won't continue to generously support Anthony Bouchard's race to DEFEAT Liz Cheney. 7) Will you agree to your most generous contribution today to help Anthony Bouchard BOOT "Swamp" Republican Liz Cheney? YES! I'll chip in $10 YES! I'll chip in $20.22 YES! I'll chip in even more NO


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Does the Net spur more stock trades?
The immediacy of the Internet appeals to personal investors, in part because it allows them to respond more quickly to market fluctuations.
The immediacy of the online environment appeals to personal investors, in part because it allows them to respond more quickly to market fluctuations.
Online pioneers from DLJdirect to E*Trade and Ameritrade helped shape the new industry in the early to mid-1990s. By the late 1990s, online trading hit its stride, as a bevy of investment stalwarts from Charles Schwab to Merrill Lynch debuted their online trading services. Only recently, with the arrival of last year's bear market, have some online brokers begun to report lower commission revenues, a slide that may reverse itself once the economy shows signs of stabilizing.
Meanwhile, industry pundits speculate that the rise in online trading over the past few years resulted in a measurable boost in stock market trading activity. Finance professor Andrew Metrick, for one, believes the Web has had an unmistakable effect on investor behavior, an impact whose effects, he says, "we are still capturing."
In a recent research paper titled "Does the Internet Increase Trading? Evidence from Investor Behavior in 401(k) Plans," Metrick, along with co-authors James J. Choi and David Laibson of Harvard University, looked at the influence of online trading at two corporate 401(k) plans. The researchers started with the premise that if the Web's influence on trading were to be detailed in a substantive way, an analysis of the trading behavior of 401(k) participants, generally considered more conservative investors, would offer up interesting insights on the subject.
In their paper, the researchers noted that the Web's influence on the average investor may have been difficult to assess in the past, especially since prior research on the subject detailed the online behavior of "self-selected" discount-brokerage customers. To address that issue, the authors chose to study about 100,000 participants in two corporate 401(k) plans. Assets in these plans can be transferred between investment options through either a phone call or the Web. The authors used data from Hewitt Associates, a large provider of administrative and consulting services to corporate 401(k) plans.
Does the Net affect the 401(k)?
As part of their research, the authors studied the effect that the addition of a Web channel had on trading at both plans. They also compared data from the two unidentified 401(k) plans against a set of large 401(k) plans without a Web trading option, to determine a more "causal role of the Web" in investor actions.
The authors found that after 18 months of access, "the Web channel nearly doubled the daily trading frequency" for one of the plans, simply identified as "Alpha." The "traded fraction of portfolio value" or "turnover" also experienced growth as a result of the introduction of online trading for Alpha plan participants. According to the research, the daily turnover for the same 18-month period jumped by more than 50 percent. The second plan studied, referred to as "Omega," demonstrated similar results after the institution of online trading.
Demographic information on firms Alpha and Omega was "limited to participants who had positive plan balances or plan activity in 1998 or 1999." The authors used a data range of May 19, 1997, to March 3, 2000, for Alpha and Jan. 1, 1997, to Jan. 26, 2000, for Omega. Both plans launched the Web channel in August 1998. Before online trading, plan participants conducted transactions via the phone. Across both plans, an average of 60 percent of assets are invested either in equity mutual funds or in company stock.
The paper found that "frequent traders" remained uninfluenced by the introduction of the Web channel at the two plans and were "less likely to try the Web." Metrick notes that this information was one of the most surprising conclusions of the research. "We expected that frequent traders would also be the types of people who wanted to check their accounts often and generally 'play' with the Web," he says. "Instead, it appears that these participants' experience transacting by phone makes them more likely to stick with that medium."
More telling, however, was the behavior of investors who used the Web for the first time. Of the plan investors who traded online, the research paper showed that an increasing number are likely to use the Web again. After their first Web transaction, 10,413 participants in both plans "made at least one more trade; of this group, 9,172 (88 percent) made their next trade on the Web." The paper documented that "with each subsequent trade on the Web, the probability of making the next trade on the Web increased dramatically, "with an empirical frequency of 94 percent on the third trade and 96 percent on the fourth trade." The frequency of Web trading increased as online transaction costs declined.
The grocery effect
Having the option of the Web is like having a grocery store move closer to your house, Metrick says: It results in more trips to the store with fewer purchases on each trip. "The same thing appears true with Web and phone transactions. We see a greater number of Web transactions but each one is smaller than their counterparts on the phone." Thus, the authors determined that "the Web effects on trading frequency are proportionally larger than the Web effects on trading turnover, because Web trades are expected to be smaller, in dollars, than phone trades."
The research supported the contention that "young, male and wealthy participants are more likely to try the Web for trading." These participants appear to hop on the online trading bandwagon earlier, as they tend to be more computer-literate.
One of the more interesting points of the research paper involves the effect of online trading on short-term investment behavior. The authors posed the question: "Does the fact that trading is only a 'click' away lead participants to more short-term behavior?" Many industry analysts initially speculated that the answer to this question would be a resounding "yes."
However, Metrick believes that the Web "has not had as much of a speculative effect, as it has had a democratizing effect on the trading environment." The research paper would seem to confirm his contention. The authors looked at what they termed "reversed trades," plan trades that were "partially reversed within five trading days," as a benchmark to study short-term trading behavior. For both corporate 401(k) plans evaluated, phone transactions had a higher reversal rate than online trades. As the authors conclude, the Web's long-term effect on investing appears to be sizable and growing. "I expect that overall trading will increase for a few more years before settling down into a new equilibrium," Metrick says. Unfortunately, he adds, "In normal, everyday, taxable accounts, more trading usually just means more transaction costs and more taxes, with little financial benefit to the trader."
To read more articles like this one, visit Knowledge@Wharton.
All materials copyright © 2001 of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.


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[Siren Everlasting Classic ManLove: Erotic Alternative Paranormal Romance, M/M, shape-shifters, sex toys, HEA]
Sean Morita and Emery Nadel are about to find out that sometimes true love is more than a lucky fluke when you meet Accidentally on Porpoise.
Sean didn't expect to run into—and nearly over—Mr. Right while out in his boat. He's thankful the naked hunk isn't badly hurt. He's even more thankful the naked hunk wants to go home with him.
Although when Mr. Right claims to be a dolphin, Sean wonders how hard he got hit in the head.
If Emery hadn't been so busy chasing another tail—literally—he wouldn't have done something so stupid as running straight into the path of a boat. Lucky for him that Sean, the boat's owner, is even hunkier than the piece of dolphin tail he'd been chasing.
Unfortunately, Emery's pod thinks he should stick to his own kind. There are those who would try to hurt Sean if Emery won't let him go. Can Emery protect the man he loves?
A Siren Erotic Romance
Tymber Dalton is a Siren-exclusive author.
4 STARS: "Accidentally on Porpoise was such a good read that I couldn't put it down until I was done reading it. The story of shape shifting Porpoises was a page turner to the end. I enjoyed the humorous by play between Sean and Emery a much as the sexual attraction. It made my Kindle very hot. The stalking element made for just the right tension and suspense. This one I recommend gladly and gleefully. I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Porpoiseful Intent." -- Sandra, Night Owl Reviews
4 STARS: "Accidentally on Porpoise is my first dolphin shifter book, and I have to say I enjoyed this take on the shifter. This is a hot and steamy one at that. If you are a fan of M/M then you will love this book! LAWD I think my iPad was melting!! Sean Morita calls in sick thinking he is going to spend a day fishing, possibly sunning his naked self on his boat, and if he is lucky have a go at his self to help with his lack of sex lately. On his way to his favorite fishing spot he notices three dolphins playing around his boat, but doesn't notice in time that one of them got in the way of his boat. He stops and tries to look for the injured animal only to find a gorgeous naked man hurt in the water first. Emery Nadel is out on the water playing f*#k tag with two other male dolphins when the smallest gets in the way of the human on the boat. Emery does his best to nock him out the way, but gets hit on the head and knocked out. He didn't intend to shift back into human form, but it is kind of hard to control that when the lights all go dark in your head. That knock on the head may be the best thing to happen to him, because from the moment he opens his eyes he is attracted to Sean on a deep level. Never one to believe in mate bonding it is hard to ignore it when they start to hear each other's thoughts and fall deep in love with each other. Discovering his mate, and telling his human mate about being a shifter will be a cake walk compared to telling his family about his human MALE mate. To say that doesn't go to well is and understatement. Will the drama of possible exile come between them, or will something much darker try? This is a hot and steamy quick read. I can't wait to see where Tymber goes with the rest of this series. I especially loved the relationship between these two. Even though it happens fast on most time tables and it beyond what others would call normal they are both willing to put their love for their mate first. I hope y'all like this one as much as I have." -- KC Lu, Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
It was a little after nine o'clock on a beautiful June Tuesday morning in Englewood, Florida, and Sean damn sure wanted to be a part of it. He'd been working his ass off six months straight with barely a day to himself. If his father didn't like it, he could go screw himself. When he woke up and saw the weather report, and the fact that he didn't have to be out in the field today supervising their survey crews, he'd decided to chuck it and called in to the office. No doubt his father would be up his ass about it, but unlike his old man, he didn't enjoy working twenty-four-seven.
Today is me time.
When he left the no-wake zone behind and reached the main channel, he pushed the throttle forward. The 250-horsepower Yamaha outboard smoothly responded, putting the boat up on plane and gliding over the silky water not yet rippled by afternoon sea breezes. He could almost feel fish tugging on his line already. Hopefully, no one would be out at his favorite near-shore fishing spot in the Gulf and he could shuck his swim trunks.
Maybe even rub one out under the sun. It'd been too damn long since he'd been laid. The only thing he didn't like about Englewood was the lack of eligible and hunky gay men. He rarely had time to trek up to Sarasota or St. Pete or even Tampa to waste nights trolling bars, which really wasn't his thing anyway. He also wasn't comfortable meeting someone online. He wanted face-to-face interaction.
He smiled when he spotted the trio of dolphins off to starboard a few hundred yards ahead of him in Lemon Bay. It wouldn't be the first time dolphins swam along with him, surfing in the outboard's wake. As a kid he'd been fascinated by the animals, wondering how they always managed to stay safe despite their dangerous-looking acrobatics while playing chicken with boats.
They veered toward him, homing in on his wake. He laughed and maintained a steady course for them. Except for some commercial guides, he practically had the glassy water to himself this morning and didn't need to watch for other boats.
* * * *
Emery and Erik closed in on their quarry, Denby. Denby was "it" in their game of fuck tag, and if he could make it to the no-wake zone before they caught up with him, they'd switch off until one of them tired enough to get caught by the other two.
And that one would then proceed to get his brains fucked out.
Not a bad fate, admittedly.
While the pod generally frowned on them going off on their own for play due to their stuffy "safety in numbers" thinking, the older younglings generally preferred to take this kind of play out on the water when the elders were at their normal two-legged day jobs.
Besides, it wasn't like they were going out in open water to hunt. And it was daytime. On a weekday, for chrissake. A few hours playing in Lemon Bay wouldn't hurt anybody. Emery loved the feel of his shifted body cutting through the warm salt water, feeling free in a way his human form didn't allow.
Denby veered toward an oncoming boat. Emery and Erik both let out chirrups of triumph, easily seeing from his trajectory that he'd have to veer away and back toward them, giving them the win. Denby had just turned twenty and wasn't used to the rocketing pace of their play yet. It was only the fourth time he'd been out with them for fuck tag, although he hadn't come out to the pod as gay yet.
Then again, Denby could be like one of many others before him, playing on the side with his male youngling pod mates while putting up a respectable front for the females and eventually settling down with a female dolphin shifter, or even a human female.
Hell, stranger things had happened.
Emery didn't give a shit who knew he liked guys over girls, and neither did Erik. Not that Erik was mate material, but as a friend and fuck buddy, he was fine. Emery's parents insisted that because he was an Alpha, and son of the Placida Pod's head Alpha, he would mate with a female dolphin shifter and produce grandchildren for their line despite him repeatedly telling them no way in hell. He just wasn't interested in women, shifter or human.
Just because Dad's in charge of the pod doesn't mean I'm going to kowtow to him.
As they drew closer to the boat and Denby didn't veer away, Emery's thoughts turned to concern. "He sees the boat, right?" he chattered to Erik.
"Yeah, I think he does. Shit. Maybe not."
They both put on speed, the game no longer fun as they sent warning clicks to the younger male. "My father will sooo have my ass if someone gets hurt," Emery said.
"No shit, dumbass. I don't want him ripping me a new one, either."
Unfortunately, Denby maintained his course. Emery dug deep, adrenaline pouring through his shifted body as he flipped his tail fluke and pulled ahead of Erik. Denby's course was too straight. He'd cut in front of the boat just in time to get hit by it if he didn't veer off or slow down.
Denby either ignored or couldn't hear their loud pleas for him to stop. Within a few yards of the boat, Emery managed to leap out of the water, striking Denby in the side and knocking the wind out of him.
Unfortunately, it put Emery directly in the path of the boat. He heard the captain throttle the engine back, but too late. The bow caught him squarely in the head over his melon, sending blinding pain throughout his body that violently spun his world into grey clouds of pain, followed by black.
They shut the water off. Barely pausing to grab a couple of towels from the shelf in the bathroom, Emery led Sean into the bedroom and fell backward onto the bed with him in his arms.
"I've never done this before," Sean said.
Emery studied him. "You've never been with a guy?"
"No, not that. I mean yes, I have. I mean…" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "This sounds so girlie, but I usually don't just fall into bed with a guy like this. With a stranger."
Emery grinned. "Neither do I, but I also don't let a good thing get away. Life's too damn short." He grabbed Sean's hair and pulled his face down again, kissing, fucking him with his tongue. He wanted to spend all day twined with this man's body, in every possible way. He wanted to fuck his ass, his mouth, and feel his cock fucking him. He wanted to sixty-nine him and try to make him come at the same time. He wanted—
He blinked. He wanted to spend the rest of his life doing that to him.
What the fuck?
Then Sean's hard cock rubbed against him and pure, raw need took over.
I'll think about it later. Much later. He pushed Sean up. "Condoms and lube?"
Sean nodded and rose on shaky legs. He opened the drawer of the bedside table while Emery spread a towel out on the bed and lay on it.
* * * *
Sean didn't know what the fuck he was doing. At least Emery had brought up the C-word before he had to. Good, one less worry.
Except as he got a good, long look at the fully erect cock jutting straight up from Emery's body, he had a new worry.
How the fuck am I going to get that in me?
Emery rolled the condom onto him and took the bottle of lube. He slicked his cock with it, his grey eyes burning into Sean's as he stroked his immense shaft.
"Kneel over me," Emery ordered.
With a will of their own, his legs complied. Emery squirted more lube into his hand. "Spread your ass for me."
Sean reached behind him and complied, a little embarrassed to see pre-cum dripping from the end of his cock onto Emery's abs.
Skillfully, Emery slicked his dark hole, playing with Sean, making him moan as he slid first one, then two fingers in him. He played with him for a minute before adding more lube and a third finger, scissoring them inside him, the pinching burn turning pleasurable almost immediately. Sean closed his eyes and rocked against Emery's hand, wanting him deeper, harder, faster.
Then the fingers disappeared. Sean was so startled his eyes flew open again.
Emery put the lube aside, wiped his hand on a towel, and grabbed Sean's hips. "My damn cock is so hard it hurts. I need to fuck you."
Sean tried to control his breathing, afraid he'd hyperventilate and pass out. With Emery guiding him, he felt the man's thick knob press against his rim for entrance.
"Just take it slow," Emery coaxed.
Slow? It was huge. He panted as he gingerly reached between his legs and held Emery's cock as he guided it past the outer ring of muscle. He whimpered, the burn back with a vengeance. He was too fucking big.
Then Emery's hand closed around his cock. "You can take it," he hoarsely said. "You know you want to."
He did want to, and the delicious feel of Emery slicking his own juices up and down his throbbing shaft quickly turned the burn into a pleasant fullness he wanted to completely experience. Slowly at first, he rocked back and forth, taking a little more each time, Emery matching his strokes until he felt his ass cheeks settle against Emery's hard thighs.
He opened his eyes and met Emery's gaze. Emery tented his legs behind Sean, cradling him on his hips. He laced the fingers of his free hand through Sean's. "You like that, don't you? You like having my cock buried in you." It wasn't a question.
Sean couldn't think, much less speak. He nodded, whimpering slightly. He didn't want to explode again so soon. He wanted to enjoy it, savor it for a few minutes at least. He just didn't know how he'd last.
"Just wait till you're used to me and I can bend you over and fuck your ass whenever I want."
Sean's cock throbbed at Emery's words. Whenever he wants? It sounded like Emery wanted more than just an afternoon fuck.
He couldn't understand why the thought of having this guy he'd just met stay in his life for the long term turned his insides into tapioca pudding.
* * * *
Emery couldn't believe he'd said it. There was no denying it, however. Unless Sean suddenly turned into a real douchebag in the next five minutes, no way in fucking hell was he letting him out of his life. He didn't understand it, but he wasn't going to argue with it. The thought of any other guy in his life had suddenly become repellant.
Fuck that shit. He could fall in love with a guy without it being a mate-bond, he tried to tell himself. He didn't even give a shit about the complications of trying to tell him the truth about who and what he was.
He didn't care. All he cared about was not letting this man walk out of his life.
Sean's ass squeezed around his cock so deliciously tight that he thought he might explode before he got his shaft totally buried inside him. And then when he started moving, delicious turned into perfection. The only thing better would be fucking without the condom.
We'll get there soon enough.
He didn't need a condom, because he was immune to STDs, but had asked for it more for Sean's mental comfort and to avoid the whole I'm-a-dolphin-shifter issue.
He thrust his hips up into Sean as he started stroking Sean's cock faster. Through a tight jaw he said, "I won't last long."


text:
Brain Blaze&trade Add
This application is a set of addition flashcards for operands 0 through 12. Parents will find the color-coded progress grid invaluable for helping kids learn their math facts. Kids will enjoy the positive audio praise when they complete a set of flashcards.
Brain Blaze Add is the third in a series of math flashcard applications, including BB Multiply, Divide, Add, and Subtract. While the multiplication and division flashcards have been popular with both kids and adults, the addition and subtraction flashcards are currently targeted for kids ages 4 to 12.
|- An artificial intelligence algorithm generates plausible multiple-choice answers for the flashcards
|- Missed problems are saved and presented in later sets to reinforce learning
|- Detailed color-coded progress grid provides easy visual analysis of strengths and weaknesses for both accuracy and speed
|- Multiple profiles (up to 6 different users can track their progress)
Available from the iTunes App Store


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Importance of Pest Control
Pets control refers to the process of managing the insects that may have an effect on the health of individuals, animals and even the environment. For you to do it, you will need a number of resources and effort. However, it is one thing that home owners should not avoid. below are a number of reasons why every home owner should handle any type of pest present in the home. Pest can damage your home and the structures I it. People spend a lot of money on repairing damages caused by pests. For instance, termites can largely destroy may products made of wood.
Pests can destroy your walls, beams and even the flooring. When this happens, your house structures will never be active again. If your house weak, the people living in it will be exposed to a lot of danger as it can easily collapse. Older homes and the ones that have not been treated are likely to be infested by these insects. For you to prevent your residence from such destruction, you should consider controlling the pests. With pests, you will have many allergic reactions. Such may include respiratory problems, skin reactions, and even asthma. For instance, when there are so many bedbugs and mosquitoes around, your skin may start itching.
Some kind of pets have high allergens that may cause severe allergy in some people. Cockroaches are known to be causing very serious asthmatic reactions especially in young children. Another reason why you should not avoid to control pests is to avoid certain disease and health risks. Such may include Lyme diseases, dysentery, malaria and also food poisoning. There are certain bacteria and viruses that pets do carry and can harm our health and that of the animals.
Even though many of such sickness can be cured, they may result to crucial health conditions that would need the attention of a professional doctor or be left under medical supervision. In the need, you will end up settling huge medical bills. Pets often damage our carpets, clothing and even furniture. For you not to keep on spending cash on replacement and amendments, you should just practice the pest control measures.
Food supply is needed for every population across the world to be able to survive. In countries whose economy levels are still micro, they mostly depend on it and even their small companies. Failure to manage the pests, our food sources will be harmed in that the rodents will be feeding on them. When rodents attack our food supplies, there will be a significant percentage of loss. Due to the organic matters such as body parts and dead skins that pests leave behind, the taste and quality of food is also affected.


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The Company
INYOKA is a modern alternative jewellery brand. Each piece is designed and hand-crafted by Marissa Engels in Toronto, Canada. Founded in 2016, INYOKA was born with the purpose of creating accessible and innovative fashion forward designs for both men and women. Marissa combines traditional jewellery parts with unconventional materials to create bold complex geometric shapes that gives the wearer something unique and of unexpected beauty. INYOKA loves living life large.
The Designer
Raised in Victoria, B.C., Marissa Engels has always been creative with an eye for design. She has dabbled in many mediums such as painting and sculpting, but it wasn't until she went to fashion school at George Brown College and worked in the fashion industry that she discovered her passion for jewellery design. Self taught, Marissa works with patterns, textures, and colours rooted in her ethnicity and her love of contemporary architecture. Her roots have deeply influenced her designs and inspired the name of her brand: INYOKA is "snake" in Swahili. As well, it represents Marissa's Chinese Zodiac sign. It is a tribute to both her African and Chinese heritage. From formulating the idea, to sketching it on paper, and finally to the construction of the jewellery piece, each process is a form of meditation for Marissa allowing her to reflect and express herself creativity.
Informing her work is her love of contemporary architecture along with the layering techniques she has adapted from the fashion industry. Her unique perspective results in an edgy design that has purpose, form and function.
Marissa continues to experiment with her jewellery designs and learn new jewellery techniques to push the boundaries of the fashion industry world.


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Mr Random has picked a number....
Congratulations Dorte! If you can please EMAIL ME with your full postal address and I will get your parcel posted on Monday.
I'll be back shortly with the next one :)
well done Dorte.
Hi Elaine! Thank you for picking me as a winner of your candy. I'll send you an email straight away.
hugs Dorte
Congrats Dorte!
Hugs Heidy
Congratulations Dorte:)
Big hug for Elaine!
Hi Elaine
a BIG congratulations to Dorte, hope you have lots of fun creating with your lovely candy, & thank you again Elaine for such a generous Birthday candy.
Sandra (craftynan)


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As if Wednesday's drivesidequickreleaseskewerlevergate wasn't enough. Today's OTS—a Firenze GL5000 sent in by Sean D in Buffalo, New York—offers us two of the OTSG's most debated topics the drivesidequickreleaseskewerlevergate AND theforklooksbentgate. Throw in a bottomed out saddle that even Julie S would find alarming, and you've got plenty to think about this weekend. And when you're done, GO RIDE YOUR BIKE!
Hey OTS! This is my first finished project bike. The Firenze GL5000.
I am not sure of the year but I do know the story of how they were given away in 1970s San Francisco with the purchase of a stove or TV. Somehow it made its way all the way here to Buffalo, NY. I picked it up from a local guy on criagslist for $120, put $170 into it. New wraps, seat, baguette bag, rear rack, and a custom paint job.
I love your site and cant wait to upload my next project once its done (1971 fuji)
Thanks Sean


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Glenn Beck will say goodbye to his Fox show on June 30.
Contrary to speculation, a person with knowledge of situation tells us June 30 was always the planned departure date.
The pundit, who makes an unbelievable amount of money, will focus on his web-based television channel as well as a book publishing outfit, his clothing line, his radio show, The Blaze, and his many other ventures.
(Only $2 million of his reported $40 million earnings in 2010 came from his Fox contract.)
The jockeying between Beck and Fox continued for some time, but it's finally coming to an end.
Fox has not announced his replacement in the 5 p.m. slot he's owned for so long.
In May, Beck beat every show on every cable news channel at every time, except for two shows. Translation: he beat every primetime show on every cable channel, except 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Fox News.


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Firefighters are still on the scene mopping up the fire that raced through a home on 90th Avenue and A Street just after 3 a.m.
Officials say the sound of the fire and smell of heavy smoke woke up a couple and their child.
The fire destroyed that home and damaged two others before crews could get it under control. The cause is under investigation, but firefighters say it does not appear suspicious.


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Backyard patio is perfect place to relax or entertain friends. If you, too, are in serious need of some shelter from the sun, I've rounded up a lot affordable projects for shades. Many such screens are made from fabric or canvas, but even materials like lattice and bamboo are good options.
Installing a shade sail is a low-cost way to create a cooler, comfier outdoor space. If you're an experienced in DIY, you can even pretty up your patio with a canopy shade or pergola and it doesn't have to break your budget.
Find the inspiration below to get started in our gallery of beautiful DIY canopy shades and pergola.


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List of MCA Colleges in Tamil Nadu
This resource "List of MCA Colleges in Tamil Nadu" gives you the complete list of the colleges offering MCA courses. Read the article to know about the MCA colleges and the admission procedure for MCA course.
MCA Colleges in Tamil Nadu
Most of the MCA course colleges are located in Chennai. Other than Chennai some of the good colleges are located in in Coimbatore, Kancheepuram, Dindigul, and Madurai. Below is the list of colleges offering MCA course.
MCA Colleges in north Tamil Nadu
• Arunai Engineering College, Tiruvannamalai
• Vellore Engineering College, Vellore
MCA Colleges in east Tamil Nadu
• B.S Abdur Rahman Crescent Engineering College, Chennai
• Bharath Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai
• College of University, Chennai
• Dr. M.G.R Engineering College, Chennai
• Easwari Engineering College, Chennai
• Hindustan College of Engineering, Chennai
• Madha Engineering College, Chennai
• Panimalar Engineering College, Chennai
• Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering and Technology, Chennai
• St. Joseph's College of Engineering, Chennai
• Vel Multi Technology Sri Rangarajan Sakunthala Engineering College, Chennai
• Vel Rangarajan Sakunthala College of Management and Science, Chennai
• Vel Sri Ranga Sanku College, Chennai
• Vel Tech Engineering College, Chennai
• Velammal College of Management and Computer Science, Chennai
• Annamalai University, Chidambaram
• Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Kalavakkam
• Hindustan College of Engineering, Kancheepuram
• S.R.M Engineering College, Kancheepuram
• Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Kancheepuram
• Valliammai Engineering College, Kancheepuram
• Periyar Maniammai College of Technology for Women, Thanjavur
• Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology and Research Academy (SASTRA), Thanjavur
• R.M.K Engineering College, Thiruvallur
• Sriram Engineering College, Tiruvallur
MCA Colleges in south Tamil Nadu
• Noorul Islam College of Engineering, Kanyakumari
• K.L.N College of Engineering, Sivaganga
• National Engineering College, Tuticorin
MCA Colleges in west Tamil Nadu
• Karunya Institute of Technology, Coimbatore
• Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore
• P.S.G College of Technology, Coimbatore
• Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore
• V.L.B Janakiammal College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore
• Kongu Engineering College, Erode
• Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi
MCA Colleges in central Tamil Nadu
• Institute of Management Studies, Dindigul
• P.S.N.A College of Engineering and Technology, Dindigul
• R.V.S College of Engineering and Technology, Dindigul
• Vivekanandha Institute of Information and Management Studies, Elayampalayam
• Fatima College, Madurai
• Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai
• Thiagaraja School of Management, Madurai
• K.S.R College of Engineering, Tiruchengode
• K.S Rangasamy College of Technology, Namakkal
• Sona College of Technology, Salem
• J.J College of Engineering and Technology, Tiruchirapalli
• National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli
Top MCA Colleges in Tamil Nadu
Among all the MCA colleges the below colleges are the top reputed MCA colleges. They are as follows:
• National Institute of Technology
• Annamalai University
• Vellore Engineering College
• Institute of Management Studies.
Admission Procedure for MCA degree
• The candidates must have completed their under graduate program in any of the science streams with mathematics as one of the compulsory subjects.
• The admission to the course is based on the marks in the undergraduate degree.
• Some colleges conduct entrance exam, group discussion and interview for selecting the eligible candidates.


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J.R. Watkins Hand & Body Lotion Lavender
Since 1868. 99% natural. Free yourself. Paraben-free, phthalate-free, propylene glycol-free, dye free. A Natural History: From a bluff high above the Mississippi River in Winona, Minnesota, comes the purity of JR Watkins. Our tried-and-true products have been good and natural through and through since 1868. The original JR Watkins satisfaction guarantee - Since 1868. Certified natural. Animal-testing free. Please recycle. Handcrafted in the USA since 1868 - Naturally. JRWatkins.com. Made in USA.


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My family recently had an extraordinarily good week. It was more relaxing, less stressful, and more harmonious than usual. I am saddened by the reason why—my third grader had a significantly reduced homework load last week. The weekly homework packet did not go out as usual due to parent teacher conferences. Then there were two out of four days without the generally assigned math homework, thanks to the third grade musical and an early release day. Instead of a 5-page packet with language, spelling, math, and writing activities, 4 daily math homework sheets, and a weekly reading log, we had two days of math homework and our weekly reading log. It felt like vacation.
Our afternoons and evenings were less chaotic and slower-paced, our weekends were free of the mandatory homework packet work, and we entirely avoided that "night-before-the-packet-is-due" freakout when we realize we'd procrastinated too long on the writing assignment. It dawned on me at the end of the week that we simply hadn't experienced that familiar strain of rushing to get homework done. It had been such a pleasant treat. And next week, it would be back to normal. I felt depressed.
Third grade math has actually been easier than second grade: multiplication and division facts fall within my skill set. But last year? Second grade math homework frequently ended with my daughter in tears, and me scrawling a frustrated post-it note to her teacher. I am not kidding—there were some nights when I stared at the complex word problem and its intricate instructions for completion that read like Latin to me (Make a ten! Use a math mountain! WTF!) and hadn't the vaguest idea how to complete it. Second. Grade. Math. And people: I graduated in the top 10% of both my high school and college classes. I took freaking AP Calculus, for Christ's sake. But I was still unqualified to assist my seven-year-old with her math. Exhibit A:
The weekly homework packet isn't terribly difficult, but it is time consuming. The kids complete several pages of spelling and vocabulary work, and then there is a fun! math game that generally takes for freaking ever. It usually involves dice, colored pencils, 45 minutes that I don't have, and a glass of Syrah. After that comes the writing assignment, which as a writer myself I don't dislike, but it also takes quite a bit of time, as the kids are expected to first brainstorm ideas, then revise and proofread their work, and finally neatly write or type (Ohmygawd have you ever stood behind a third grader and watched them type 5 sentences? 20 solid minutes of restraining yourself from intervening and screaming, "Jesus take the wheel!")
And here's the sad reality, folks—we don't even have it as bad as some other elementary school students. A close friend of mine has a second grader at another school, and in addition to 4 days a week of math homework, they also have regular spelling homework, the reading log, and a Physical Education Log. That's right—they're expected to log their child's physical exercise. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from scrawling snide and passive-aggressive entries such as "Johnny ran across the yard 42 times today!" or "Suzy jumped on the couch for 8 whole minutes while watching Austin and Ally!" Can you even imagine having to record that stuff?
I am fully aware that my anti-homework stance will be interpreted by some as whiny and lazy. Perhaps so. Maybe my attitude even merits being slapped with a condescending hashtag: I mean, if too much homework doesn't qualify as a #FirstWorldProblem, what does? It's right up there with me lamenting that my minivan needs an oil change and I don't have time between my mani-pedi and Zumba class. (That's a lie, by the way. I don't get manicures and I suck at Zumba.)
But what if it's about more than just an irritated working mother being pissed off that Homework Time has become the new Happy Hour? (Because, duh, you likely need to pour a cocktail to survive it.) What if it really is a bad idea in general to have such rigorous homework expectations for kids in the primary grades? Beneath any layer of laziness and annoyance, I honestly believe that too much homework is absolutely the wrong thing for our children. Here are a few reasons why:
- There is plenty of time for children to learn the value of hard work outside of school when they're a little bit older. Kids in junior high, and maybe even 5th and 6th graders, benefit from the regular expectation of daily homework, writing assignments on their own time, and special projects. It's great preparation for high school, college, and their adult lives. But is it really necessary for a six-year-old to spent 30-45 minutes per day on a math worksheet? I think not. When do our children get time to just be kids, the way we did 30 years ago? Parents who were raised in the 70s and 80s enjoyed so much more unstructured time than this generation of children does, and I personally don't know anyone who had regular homework in elementary school in 1984. And for crying out loud, we turned out just fine. Let's let kids be kids, and other clichés about things "going so fast." Because it's true.
- Many parents aren't equipped to help their children with homework. I'm not just talking about the plight of the two-working-parent family and a lack of hours in the day. For those of us children of the 70s and 80s, the math our kids are learning is a completely different ballgame. We memorized problems, a practice that is discouraged in most elementary schools today. I know there are a plethora of angry Facebook groups of "Parents Against the Common Core!" but I'm not here to dispute that the "new math" is a solid program. Most of my teacher friends swear that it is a superior method of instruction, and I believe them. But most parents haven't the first clue how to help our kids do it the "right way," and nothing infuriates a first grader more than their parent using the wrong lingo during homework time. We parents don't get a tutorial on how to teach this stuff, so if a 6-7 hour school day, 5 days a week, isn't enough time for a child to learn a new concept, they shouldn't be learning it. Expecting parents to have the necessary skills to back up a new style of learning is setting everyone up for failure.
- In our too-busy culture, there simply isn't time for daily homework. I personally do not belong to the "over-scheduled family" club; it's just too much for my sensitive temperament. Our third grader has one weekly dance class, and her poor three-year-old sister does jack squat outside of preschool. But that's another pressure lurking in the cul-de-sac of modern families: aren't we supposed to be doing at least one sport, learning a foreign language, perhaps a martial art, and obviously an instrument, too? Shouldn't our child be playing competitive soccer on the weekends, traveling for gymnastic meets, and meeting weekly for Spanish club? Aren't we supposed to be enriching our children's lives, if not preparing them to look good on their college applications? And shit, I forgot all about Scouts, and church youth group, and let's be mindful that if we don't preserve "Family Meal Time" every night, our kids will turn into narcissists! And we can just forget about that archaic practice of "playing with one's friends." That's so 20th century.
- It puts too much pressure and stress on children. When a first grader is in tears regularly because he or she can't figure out their daily math homework, something is wrong. My daughter is not in the coveted GT (gifted and talented) program, but she does just fine in school; she is a good student and a great reader. Given that she has frequently become frustrated with homework in the past few years, I can only imagine the feeling of dread that accompanies homework time for the family of a student with learning or attention challenges or special needs. Combined with the above concern about over-scheduling our children and prematurely introducing the concept of competitive extra-curricular activities, we are sending the clear message that performance and excellence take precedence over happiness. Why do we want our children to be consumed with expectations of hard work, self-discipline, achievement, and competition at such an early age? Surely that is not the way to set them up for a happy, successful adulthood.
Maybe I sound like another angry mom who's tired of being too busy. But I don't really believe this is about me. What are we teaching our kids by putting so much on their plates at such a young age? What is there to be gained from it? There are other ways of teaching our children responsibility and work ethic. To be honest, I'm not even sure where to direct my frustration. The amount of homework given is not the directive of one teacher, or even the school itself. It begins with the district, the state, and even national standards. Many parents feel that there is nothing we can do to make a change. I am not in opposition to homework altogether, either—by all means, let's give them a reading log, the occasional special project, and maybe even a night or two of math homework. But I believe that anything more than that is excessive. It's counterproductive, it's unnecessarily stressful, and it's contributing to the very real phenomenon of families stretched to their breaking points.
Let's connect! You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!
Keep up with all my latest posts right here!


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Choosing a WordPress hosting can be quite a challenge. All webmasters, whether new or seasoned, have had trouble with selecting the proper WordPress hosting company for their WordPress site.
Many people, even those experienced with web design, do not fully understand what they should look for when choosing a WordPress hosting.
The first thing people look at when shopping for WordPress hosting is the price. We all love saving some money, and shaving a few bucks off your monthly hosting bill can help a lot.
However, you should remember that price is not everything. Some companies provide very cheap WordPress hosting, but they have very low bandwidth, web space, etc, or they have a lot of downtime.
Cheap and Fast WordPress 4.6.1 Hosting Provider
ASPHostPortal started with just 3 servers and now manages its 225,000 customers on over 7,000 servers. With 225,000 customers and counting, there is no question that ASPHostPortal is an expert in the hosting industry.
ASPHostPortal currently offers 4 different WordPress hosting packages to satisfy the needs of webmasters on a budget all the way up to webmasters that maintain a large network of WordPress websites.
The plans are named host one, host two, host three, and host four and range from $5 to $23 per month. All plans feature unlimited domain and sub domain but they differ in things like number of disk space and badwidth that you can get. It really depends on what your needs are but no matter your needs there is a ASPHostPortal plan that will work for you.
ASPHostPortal boasts 99.9% uptime for your WordPress websites and backs that with a guarantee. Your WordPress site will be hosted by top of the line technology that helps to ensure the servers stay cool, secure, and maintain that 99.9% uptime guarantee. Furthermore, ASPHostPortal has system administrators on site at the data centers 24/7/365 to monitor all servers and proactively tackle any problems before they become serious.
Why Choose ASPHostPortal's WordPress 4.6.1 Hosting?
WordPress 4.6.1 is now available in ASPHostPortal. New features in WordPress 4.6.1 help you focus on your writing, and the new default theme lets you show it off in style.
WordPress 4.6.1 has been translated into 40+ languages with other languages yet to come. The ASPHostPortal.com hosting platform is compatible with WordPress 4.6.1 application. WordPress is always the best, well-known blogging tools. Here are the reason why you must start your WordPress 4.6.1 Hosting with them :
Guide to Choose Right WordPress 4.6.1 Hosting
When choosing a WordPress hosting, you should be very careful. The first step you need to do is analyze what exactly your needs are. Every site needs a different kind of hosting. If you just have a blog or simple WordPress web site, you could probably get away with a WordPress shared hosting plan. However, if your site is larger, or has a lot of traffic, you should get a premium WordPress hosting plan.
If you have a site that has many return users, you will need to look for WordPress hosting that has minimal downtime. However, if when choosing a WordPress host you are promised 100% uptime, you are being lied to. There is no such thing as 100% uptime. For those who do not know, "uptime" is the time your website is actually live and able to be accessed by people surfing the internet. It is nothing to worry about, as usually downtime lasts less than an hour, and is a very rare occurrence.
Though there are many resources on the web to help you when you are choosing a WordPress host, the most valuable, in my opinion, is a good forum. There are many webmaster related forums out there, filled with helpful people who are more than willing to help you out. There are also a number of websites that are completely devoted to providing you with information to help you in the difficult process of choosing a web host.
For amateurs to WordPress hosting, you should consult an internet resource, or ask someone who has more experience. It is hard to know exactly what you need in a hosting company. For those with just 1 to a few sites, a simple hosting plan will suffice. However, if you own 10 or more websites, it may be worth it to purchase your own dedicated server.
You should always take your time when choosing a WordPress host. The decision of what host to use is not one that should be made hastily. WordPress hosting is vitally important to your WordPress website. If you have low quality WordPress hosting that loads slowly and is down often, it will be hard to convince people to return to your WordPress site. Return visitors are absolutely vital to your site. Whether your site is commercial or personal, you will be much more successful if you convince individuals to return to your site.


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Presets can be used as a one-click solution to edit a photograph, as a learning tool to see how the adjustments affect your photo, or as a starting point for more creative editing.
Apply a Preset to Single Image
Mylio Photos offers useful presets to help you explore creative and functional editing.
- Open an image in Single Photo View, then open the Edit Panel in the right panel.
- Expand the Presets section and click on a preset to apply it to your photo.
- If desired, scroll down to Mylio Photos' other editing tools to see what changes were made, and refine them if necessary.
Apply a Preset to a Group of Images
Save time by quickly editing several photos at once.
- Select multiple images while in the Grid View.
- Open the Edit Panel in the right panel.
- Select a Preset from the available presets to apply it to all selected photos.
Thanks for your feedback.


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Austin Blythe Stats, News and Video - C | NFL.com
Austin Blythe
Player Info
Arms31 1/2
Hands9 1/2
2022 NFL season, Week 8: Notable injuries, news from Sunday's games
Here are the injuries and news we're monitoring around the league on this Week 8 Sunday.
NFL roundup: Latest league news from Saturday, Aug. 21
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is getting his right ankle examined Saturday, but the Kansas City Chiefs don't seem overly concerned about any long-term issues for their starting running back.
2020 NFL free agency: Three biggest needs for each NFC team
Grant Gordon outlines the three biggest free agency need for each NFC team. How will the Cowboys keep -- and help -- Dak Prescott? Will the Bears bring in a challenger to Mitchell Trubisky?
AFC North rookie grades: Steelers, Ravens, Browns found talent
How did the AFC North rookie classes compare in 2019? What must each team in this division look for during the NFL Scouting Combine, free agency and the 2020 NFL Draft? Nick Shook grades the newbies on Year 1 and spins forward to this offseason.
Nick Foles' return to Jaguars among Week 11 storylines to watch
Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles takes the field Sunday for the first time since Week 1. What impact will he have on the offense? Charley Casserly takes a look at that question and four other storylines to watch in Week 11.
Week 4 injury report for Sunday's NFL games
Week 4 is here! Check out the full tally of the official injury report and gameday designations for all 13 Sunday games.
Week 3 injury report for Sunday's NFL games
Week 3 is here! Check out the full tally of the official injury report and gameday designations for all 14 Sunday games.
Offensive Line of the Year: Dominant Rams front takes prize
The Los Angeles Rams' O-line paved the way for a stellar run game and an equally impressive pass game. Shaun O'Hara breaks down the Offensive Line of the Year.
Behind the O Line: Super Bowl LIII preview
The New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams will meet in Super Bowl LIII on Sunday. Nick Shook dives into their similarities and differences ahead of the big matchup.
Rams, Saints, Colts among Offensive Line of the Year nominees
Shaun O'Hara reveals his five nominees for the Offensive Line of the Year award. Did Todd Gurley's road-graders make the cut? What about the O-line protecting Andrew Luck?
Whitworth, Rams: Match made in Super Bowl heaven
Outside of the Los Angeles Rams hiring of Sean McVay, Andrew Whitworth was the single biggest addition to the team's success the past two seasons. But the veteran left tackle passes the praise towards the entire team.
C.J. Anderson on RB workload: 'This is Todd's team'
Rams head coach Sean McVay insists Todd Gurley will have a bigger role on Sunday against the Patriots. C.J. Anderson, who has totaled 384 yards since Week 16, is OK with whatever duty he's given.
Offensive Line of the Week: Rams' unit bolsters rushing attack
The Rams dominated the Cowboys' defense with a powerful rushing attack. Was the performance enough to land them atop Shaun O'Hara's Divisional Round O-line rankings?
Offensive Line of the Week: Colts front dominates play-in game
The Indianapolis Colts finished the regular season on a high note after winning on the road to nab a wild-card bid. Was it enough to lock up the top spot in Shaun O'Hara's Offensive Line of the Week rankings?
Offensive Line of the Week: Ravens shut down Chargers' defense
The Baltimore Ravens thrived against the Chargers behind an outstanding performance from the offensive line. Was it enough to earn their first O-line of the Week honor? Shaun O'Hara reveals his top five units of Week 16.
Rams, Saints among top five O-lines at midseason
The NFC's top teams boast the league's top two offensive lines, and that's no coincidence. Nick Shook explains why the Rams and Saints are the league's best offensive lines at the midway point.
Scary good, scary bad position groups in the 2018 NFL season
Gil Brandt spotlights three scary good position groups, including the group blocking for Los Angeles Rams RB Todd Gurley -- and three position groups that are scary bad.
Top 10 contract pushes: Melvin Gordon's makin' paper
Who's about to get PAID in the coming offseason? Chris Wesseling spotlights 10 players enjoying fortuitously timed breakout campaigns, pushing for new contracts while playing at a Pro Bowl level.
Offensive Line of the Week: Jets fuel Isaiah Crowell's historic day
Shaun O'Hara rewards a New York Jets offensive line that paved the way for Isaiah Crowell's monster day. Which other units are recognized in O'Hara's top five offensive lines of Week 5?
Jared Goff: Rams' O-line 'playing the best' in the NFL
The Los Angeles Rams own the league's No. 1 offense in total yards and scoring. Rams QB Jared Goff praised his offensive line for their play through four weeks of the season.
Jared Goff, Robert Woods credit O-line for Rams' perfect start
Jim Trotter says it's time for us to familiarize ourselves with Andrew Whitworth, Rodger Saffold III, John Sullivan, Austin Blythe and Rob Havenstein, who comprise arguably the best offensive line in football.
2016 rookie grades: Packers, Rams, Jets get limited production
First-round draft picks Jared Goff, Corey Coleman and Josh Doctson struggled to stay on the field in Year 1. Bucky Brooks and Conor Orr list the 10 most underwhelming rookie classes in 2016.
AFC South rookie grades: Titans rising under GM Jon Robinson
The Jags and Titans each snagged a stud in last year's draft, but which team had the superior rookie class? Conor Orr has AFC South draft grades (and offseason guides).


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Peter Brötzmann first showed his flair for making the most of medium-sized ensembles full of outsized talent 36 years ago on his second album "Machine Gun," but it took him another three decades to find a little big band that he could keep together over the long haul. One secret to the Chicago Tentet's longevity is Brötzmann's elder statesman status; while no one in the group could be called a youngster (trumpeter Joe McPhee, like Brötzmann, is in his 60s, and the rest are in their 40s), many of them came of age looking up to him. How else to explain how this band of bandleaders, with years of tangled alliances and a couple antagonisms between them, check their egos at the door to make this band work? It helps that Brötzmann is an exceptionally generous leader, quite willing to share his place in the sun with the troops. Of the five massive pieces that sprawl across these two companion CDs, three came from the band. The rest of the band has plenty to say about where the music goes, sometimes with surprising results. It's one thing to proclaim that you know what Brötzmann sounds like; his instrumental voice, especially in full cry, is unmistakable. But there's plenty of diversity in his discography and the Tentet, due in large part to the other writers and the many vivid personalities within the group, doesn't really sound like any other Brötzmann band.
The 37-minute "All Things Being Equal" by Ken Vandermark takes up over half of the Images disc. It is segmented and indexed, a sop for those who hesitate to commit so much time to a single performance. But it rewards persistent attention by contrasting tightly organized full-ensemble episodes like the opening segment, with its spirited McPhee trumpet solo, with arranged showcases for single soloists and some collectively improvised reed-tangle. The leader's title track, which runs 24:11, revisits Brötzmann's long-standing interest in using a group's disparate instrumental personalities to secure a myriad of improvisational possibilities, by setting up microcosmic conversations that lead into group crescendos. While the piece has plenty of forceful playing, it's quite thoughtfully deployed; Images is a compelling rejoinder to anyone who is so woefully behind the curve that they harbor the notion that Brötzmann is just an energy guy.
Mats Gustafsson kicks off Signs with "Bird Notes," a tribute to deceased fellow Swedish saxophonist Bengt Nordström. Outside Sweden, Nordström is mainly a footnote in the Albert Ayler story; he got the man one of his earliest recording breaks. First cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm bows him a bittersweet elegiac melody, then a surge of horns dissolve the sorrow in a ferocious acid bath. "Bird Notes" has some of the most bracing organized chaos of either CD, but also their most quietly gorgeous moment when, nine minutes in, Brötzmann brings it down to sing his own lament. Lonberg-Holm's own "Six Gun Territory" is a game piece that rushes through many moods, from Ives-ian three ring circus to a swirl of molten horn cries in a comparatively truncated 14 minutes. The leader's Signs goes through some changes of its own. Massive orchestral textures give way to an extended charge in which the horn players give up goods, peeling off sequences of steaming solos over surging rhythms before Lonberg-Holm ends it with a creaking, mostly silent finale. If that represents the signpost of old age that Brötzmann envisages at the end of his road, believe me, he's not there yet.
By Bill Meyer


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Now most guys, they have one goal or another.
I want to get a girlfriend.
I want to get laid.
I want to get approval.
I want girls to like me.
I want to get revenge on women.
I want to have kids.
I want to get married.
I want to build a harem.
I want to meet a white girl.
I want to meet an Asian girl.
And so on.
Fair enough, right?
But you have any goal like that…and actually… it prevents you.
It stops you DEAD in your tracks from reaching your full potential in terms of being an attractive man that every girl just loves.
Here's Why:
Just look at it like this:
Your goal is, "I want to get a girlfriend."
On the one hand, that can motivate you to take action.
But on the other hand…
Now, you are needy for something.
You talk to a girl and want to GET something from the girl.
You want to extract value from the girl.
On some level you want to manipulate the situation.
Maybe she's not "girlfriend material" and you don't want to approach her.
Or you don't want to talk to her.
Or maybe she IS really hot girlfriend material…
And then you get TOO nervous to approach her.
Goals like "I want to get laid…"
"I want approval…"
"I want to have kids…"
"Or you see a 9 or 10…"
That goal will contribute to giving you massive anxiety.
So you won't talk to her.
Or if you DO talk to her, you don't make a good impression because you're needy and nervous and just not cool.
So what IS then the secret to achieving the highest level of elite game?
Where every girl you ever talk to is at least somewhat attracted to you if not very getting the goo-goo eyes for you.
Well, just from my own experience, over the years…
I've found that the best meta-goal to have to get results…
And by "meta-goal," I mean your base level, over-arching, bigger-picture goal…
Is to inject any woman you talk to…
With ZEST…
With ALIVENESS…
And with ENERGY.
Any girl you talk to…
As long as she has a vagina…
Your game…
What elite-level game is…
Is to inject the girl with Zest, Aliveness, and Energy.
And I'm going to show you why that when you make this shift in your intentions…
Your results from game will literally explode.
What Girls Want
So look at this: what does a girl want from a guy she's just meeting?
What does she really want?
You know most girls going about their day…
Are at their natural "set point" in their happiness level.
For some women that's a 5 out of 10 happiness.
For other women it's a 6 out of 10 happiness.
It's just generally what she feels generally through her day. Whatever.
And from there, everything women do through their day is essentially to chase good feelings, and bring her good feeling up, or to feel more secure.
So she watches television to bump up her state.
She goes shopping to bump up her state.
She calls up a friend to talk to bump up her state.
She checks her phone to get validation and approval to feel better.
She goes to work to make money, to pay her bills, so that she can feel more secure.
She Can't Generate Her Own State
And it's very rare that a girl knows how to self-generate her own happiness.
She doesn't know how to make herself feel a 10 out of 10 on her own.
Especially young women have NO clue how to be happy with themselves.
So women largely rely passively, on outside forces and experience to make themselves feel good.
And women chase after that.
And when they find a GUY who is a specialist in making her feel GOOD feelings…
To pull HER up from say a 5 out of 10, so say feeling a 9 out of 10…
THAT'S the guy she wants to be around more and more and more.
What They're After
So to me, where I get the best…
My highest-level results is when my game is built on a foundation of making the girl feel ALIVE.
My aim is to inject the girl with ALIVENESS.
My aim is to inject the girl with sparkling energy.
My aim is to inject the girl with ZEST and EXUBERANCE.
To give her day LIFE…and POP… and CRACKLE to it.
I want her to feel alit up, electrified, and ENERGIZED like she stuck her finger into an electrical socket.
Or she put her tongue on a sweet fizzy lollypop that woke her up from her trance.
Look at this image.
THAT is the look I want her to have on her face.
THAT is what it sexy to girls…that is what girls want.
Because it's the one only thing a girl can't generate herself.
It's the one thing a HOT girl, a perfect stunner girl, can't generate herself.
Unless she's spent years studying self-help, which won't be the case.
It's like the girl is in a desert of dry emotion, and you're the source of refreshing thirst-quenching water to her.
And if you can deliver those emotions better than her phone can, then you become unstoppable.
I don't care how pretty she is. ALL women respond the same way.
What Most Guys Do Wrong
So when guys get stuck in beginner game and intermediate game is…
They want a girlfriend.
They want validation.
They want to be liked.
They want a harem.
They want a wife.
Or whatever THEY want.
I want…I want…I want.
The focus is all on themselves and what THEY want.
And then they go up to the girl…and because they WANT something from her.
Oh do they so desperately want something.
They're so damn serious.
They have NO facial expression going on.
Their face is flat and serious.
They're not smiling.
They're not making proper eye-to-eye contact.
Their voice is emotionally and tonally flat.
They sound either nervous, boring, or both.
And that's IF they even approach the girl.
Ninety-nine percent of the time their "very serious goal" gets in their way of even talking to the girl in the first place.
The Highest Level
Now here's what you want to do instead:
Instead of thinking to yourself, "How do I get laid…"
"How do I get a girlfriend…"
"How do I make her like me by being super agreeable…"
Instead think along the lines of…
"How do I fine tune what I'm doing to inject that girl with ENERGY…"
"Inject her with ALIVENESS…"
"Make her GEEL that snap, crackle and pop."
The Car Salesman Analogy
Another way to think of this is…
You go to a car dealership, and you meet a car salesman.
If he's a good car salesman, he has read books on how to sell high-ticket items, like a car.
He's gone to seminars.
He practices selling cars.
He picks up techniques from other salesmen.
That's what he became an expert in selling cars.
Pretty obvious, right?
An Attractive Man Sells Energy
Now as a universally attractive man…
WHAT are you selling to women?
Well, primarily, first and foremost, you are doing "ENERGY sales."
Energy sales…you are selling her on your energy.
A car salesman sells a woman on a car…
A pickup guy sells a woman on his energy.
Selling her on your energy, you get her to go along with you.
You get her to comply with you.
You get her to love you…
Get her to take on your energy herself.
You are injecting her with a particular energy.
You are selling her on that energy.
And that's what an attractive man is.
A man who has a boundless, endless supply of a particular energy that he has crafted and sells the woman on.
Let's Get Specific
So big question here…HOW. HOW do you inject a girl with feeling zest, aliveness, and energy?
How do you become an energy communicator where your product is selling her your energy?
Well, it comes down to dozens of small factors really, working together synergistically to create the effect.
For example…
Having an expressive face.
Like maybe you've noticed, I've got a rather expressive face right here on this video when I'm communicating with you.
My expressive face makes the video far more interesting and captivating to watch.
And the end effect of feeling my energy makes you feel more alive and full of energy.
In addition, I'm injecting you with perhaps some energetic passion just through the expressiveness of my face.
I'm smiling and a smile will jolt the girl out of her trance.
You create sexual teeeeension…with her with your eyes.
Good eye contact with sexual tension ENERGIZES the girl. It THRILLS the girl.
Putting your foot down on the gas pedal…all gas…and no brakes…no holding back with her…
Being unstifled…
Being free….
Not censoring yourself…
Not censoring your communication…
Full of a cheeky spark…
Full of enjoyment…
Playing with her, toying with her a little…
Messing with her a little.
Clearly enjoying what you're saying.
Communicating with her, like she's the only person in the whole world.
Looking behind her eyes…deep into her soul.
And communicating all in a way that's warm but commanding…
With certainty…
With a cocky confidence…
With a looseness…
And there's many, many little tips that all contribute to making that all happen which is beyond the scope of this one video, otherwise we'd be here forever.
That's something you learn to do.
That's something practice on a daily basis to get good at it.
Girls Love That…
Now remember…everything girls do is to improve on how they feel.
Or at least feel more comfortable, secure and have more fun.
But girls can NOT do it on their own.
They don't know how to create their own zest for the moment.
Women aren't good at making their life snap and pop with that special sparkle.
They can do it, but they don't know how.
So they look for music to do it for them…
Dancing to do it for them…
Parties to do it for them.
With some girls…drugs to do it for them.
And they look to guys to do it for them.
And that's exactly what they want in a guy that they meet for the first time.
They want a guy that after even a minute of talking to him…
She feels lit up…
She feels energized…
She feels more tingly and alive.
That's the guy that she hangs around long enough to get comfortable with him. That's the exact guy she's going to want to have sex with.
What Most Guys Do
But most guys, they don't look at themselves as professional energy communicators.
They see themselves instead as, "I want to get a girlfriend. What is the one line do I say?"
So… they're nervous.
They're tense.
They're too serious.
They lack facial expression. It's flat.
They don't smile.
Their vocal tonality is flat.
Their conversation is flat.
The guy is not feeling that zest for life or feeling alive.
In other words, he's not giving her much of anything.
In fact, in his mind, it's take, take, take, take.
He wants the GIRL to make HIM feel good.
He wants her approval to make HIM feel good.
He wants her to like him because HE needs a girlfriend.
He wants her to like him because HE has goals that HE wants her to fill for HIM.
And you can still get results that way, certainly.
You can still get laid have a ME, ME, ME, taker's mindset or goal.
But you won't get results at a high, elite level… and not with the hottest girls.
In The Summary
So, here's the secret to elite-level results with women:
If your goal is "I want to get a girlfriend…"
Or "I want to get married."
Or "I want a harem."
Or, "I want girls to like me… I want to be liked."
Or, "I want to look cool in front of my friends."
Anything like that, YES, it will push you to take action. Certainly!
Having a goal will motivate you. Certainly!
But at a certain point, taker goals like those will get in your way of achieving top-level success with women.
They will be stumbling blocks to reaching an elite level of becoming the ultimate attractive man.
But when you take on a meta-purpose of GIVING…
So that your whole game re-centers around INJECTING girls with aliveness…
Injecting women with energy…
And thinking of yourself as an ENERGY communicator…
And with every girl you meet, you have endless amounts to hand out…
Then you generate far, FAR more attraction.
You get far more results.
And then, paradoxically, getting laid, getting a girlfriend, getting a harem, being liked…
Whatever it is you wanted, but in a certain sense let go of becomes a natural byproduct.
Paradoxically, by letting go of those me-me-me goals…
By letting go of those taking goals…
And switching over to a giving to girls goal…
You achieve more for yourself.
And that's one of the key fundamentals that separates a guy who is intermediate and hit a plateau and not getting consistent results…
From a guy that's at an advanced level or an elite level of success in game….
Where he consistently attracts women like moths to a candle's flame.


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Today, consumers self-select the news they see, the ads that are served to them are based on their purchase and browsing history, and they can load a custom playlist for their next Uber ride. Big data analytics interpret our digital trail into products and services that appear to be custom built for us. We've entered into an era of personalization, where context and relevance reign supreme. Food is ripe for innovation to support this trend, because each person has unique flavor preferences, nutrition requirements and ethical standards that they're unwilling to compromise. Because … why should they?
Enter the SoulFuel cookie from cult cycle studio SoulCycle. You read that right – a fitness institution that now offers a bespoke pre-ride snack, sold conveniently at locations nationwide and specifically designed to provide the fuel required for 45 minutes of high intensity cardio.
Photo courtesy of SoulCycle
The idea of personalized wellness and eating plans is not new. Since the inception of the dietetics profession more than 100 years ago, U.S. dietitians have prescribed personalized eating plans for clients, limited in the early days to hospital patients and World War I soldiers.
The Blood Type diet was one of the first to focus on personalized nutrition on a mass scale, back in 1982, proclaiming that the foods you eat react chemically with your blood type and that eating the foods right for your blood type can help you digest food more efficiently, increase energy, prevent disease and boost weight loss (although there is no substantiation for these claims).
What's different about this trend in 2018 is the accessibility to almost all consumers, regardless of where they live or their budget. Today, for example, it's easy to go dairy-free if your 23andMe results indicate you may be genetically pre-disposed to intolerance to lactose. Personalized nutrition counseling is a growing field, with researchers and companies eager to jump onto this trend. Many of these programs are focused on providing personalized dietary advice based on factors like gut bacteria, body type and genetic background, despite having scant evidence that proves scientific validity.
Of course with any new way of eating, it's important to weigh the intended and unintended consequences of some of these plans – as always, consult a registered dietitian or physician for advice and to address any questions first!
Photo courtesy of 23andMe
"This craze of 'mass customization,' Egan says [Sophie Egan, a program director at the Culinary Institute of America, author of Devoured], makes people feel both unique and catered to when they are able to have it their way. It's a 'desire within our hyper industrialized food system to have something that feels like it meets my personal taste profile. We have access to customized and personalized food experiences at the restaurant level, at the fast casual level, and at the packaged food level and it has only increased.' People can personalize their order at Starbucks or wherever else, and they can also purchase whatever weirdly precise flavor of chips they prefer. (For example, Barbecue, Honey Barbecue, Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue, Hot n' Spicy Barbecue, and Mesquite Barbecue are all available from Lay's.) Some fast-food chains have 'secret menus' which offer both more options and a supercharged opportunity to signal how special you are for knowing about them." – The Atlantic, "Fancy Starbucks Drinks and the Special Snowflakes Who Order Them"
Given the application of big data to deliver contextual advertising to consumers online and the accessibility of mass customization, the personalization of products, services and messages is becoming an expectation consumers have for all brands. After all, we're each unique and special gluten-free, lactose-intolerant, flexitarian snowflakes trying to live long and healthy lives in a world overloaded with choices.
As marketers, what should we make of all of this?
- Find interesting and fresh ways for consumers to interact with your brand/product/service/campaign in personalized and meaningful ways. This can be as simple as an online quiz to "find out what type of X you are", with enough questions to produce a personalized (and brag-worthy/socially sharable) result.
- Consider the data you have and are able to collect via your target audience / users / fans / followers and make that data work for you. Do you have a mobile app? Able to poll visitors to your booth at a large upcoming event? Turn that data into information you can use to gain insight into your target audience's needs and wants.
- On the other side of the spectrum, we need to be cautious about over-customizing, where we can turn off some consumers completely while trying to attract a super specific subset. If focus group testing is an option, try out a few varying degrees of customization to learn what is the most impactful message for a variety of consumers. Even running an office pool or a Facebook question to your friends and family can help you understand if you've gone too personalized and specific with your idea / message.


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The Space Academy is a two-day event for European space-tech entrepreneurs to accelerate their business.
All entrepreneurs are welcome to join the Space Academy workshops(Day1) for coaching in small groups on six selected topics by prominent experts:
– Investment readiness and relationships, how to be trusted by investors and get funded;
– Kinds of crowdfunding (reward-based, equity-based, lending), how to maximize your impact with the right campaign;
– Hot trends: artificial intelligence, robotics and space applications;
– Business models, how to fine tune your business and make it even more effective;
– European funds, how to find the right funding opportunity in the ocean of the European initiatives;
– Space ecosystem, how to connect with international space institutions and corporates, and applying to ESA ITT.
Day 1: An intense workshop day where entrepreneurs can improve their skills and get insights from experts on various topics, with main sessions as well as one-to-one and roundtable meetings.
Day 2: Panel and keynote sessions as well as pitches from 10 selected companies to an audience representing
the space sector from all over the world.
All suitable applicants can attend both days and benefit from expertise and plenty of opportunities for networking and interaction. 10 more advanced start-ups (selected based on their business plans submitted to competition) will be entitled to receive individual high-level coaching, mentoring and travel support.
More information and details can be found at www.space-academy.eu


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Getting new flooring was huge for this area - the wood floor wasn't solid, so there was not way to sand and refinish it even if we wanted to. Which, we didn't. The other thing that I wanted was a more solid front door - while our other door had a leaded glass window and was very pretty, it didn't give us a lot of privacy because anybody could walk up and look inside our house. As I'm the kind of person who doesn't open the door if I'm home alone and not expecting anyone, I felt especially vulnerable when someone would ring the doorbell and Jeff wasn't home. Thankfully I always had a dog who would bark like crazy at the doorbell and that usually made the salesmen back away, but still, we needed more privacy. After looking around, we went with a stock door from Lowe's but painting it black gave it enough oomph to make it look really sleek.
Here's the comparison shots of the area:
This room has gone from broken up and dark (thanks to the wallpaper) to light, bright, and open. It seems bigger - I know the continual flooring helps with that, but not having those columns made such a difference! One friend came over and asked if we pushed the kitchen back, meaning did we move the wall, because this area looks so large. It's amazing how removing something, or in our case, three somethings, can add so much to a room.


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Europe Refugee Crisis: How Retirees In Germany Are Helping Syrians
Arabic music and shisha smoke mingle in the air in Georg Altenkamp's apartment in the northwestern German city of Gelsenkirchen every weekend. As the foreign beats linger in the background, Altenkamp alternates between cooking halal food, discussing the differences between Islam and Christianity, and teaching German to Mohammad, a 16-year-old Syrian refugee he welcomed into his home this fall after the 67-year-old retired from his job as a school principal.
"For me, I had the question of: What shall I do when I retire? I decided to stay here and help other people just like Mohammad," Altenkamp said. "This was a good situation for me personally. I am very happy about it. It is something I am proud about."
As Germany continues to grapple with an influx of over 1 million refugees in 2015 and the potential for similarly high numbers this year, retirees are stepping in to volunteer and fill the gap. Free time, financial security with pensions, German language skills and life experiences have all factored into retirees' making up more than a quarter of the country's volunteers, and some organizations would like to see more of them help out.
"They make up an important part of the volunteers," said J. Olaf Kleist, a research fellow at the Institute for Migration Research and Intercultural Studies at the University of Osnabrück in Lower Saxony, who has been studying Germany's volunteer population and what motivates them. "Often people try and continue to provide their expertise, and retirees often try and do the same things they used to do now for refugees."
Over 20 percent of Germany's population of 80 million is 65 or older, according to Eurostat. Kleist's research, based on online surveys, has found that the majority of volunteers in Germany say they are financially secure, but the largest group of volunteers is young women in their 20s and 30s.
"It is not a fully tapped [resource]; you have to reach out more to the community to early-retired and retired people," said Sven Lager, 50, who runs Refugio Berlin, a program that provides housing and integration services to refugees. He said one of his most successful volunteers is a woman in her early years of retirement who helps with language courses.
For Altenkamp, volunteering his time has meant helping Mohammad learn German so the two no longer have to communicate using broken English and the occassional aid of an Arabic translator.
Mohammad's journey to Germany is typical of many refugees who have fled Syria amid the civil war that began in 2011, which has displaced millions and left over 250,000 dead. The tall boy, who looks older than 16, fled Damascus in July 2015, leaving behind his parents, two sisters and two brothers.
Mohammad met Altenkamp in October when he was staying at a camp for refugees, a place he never expected to leave with so many people arriving in Germany and a shortage of available housing. Altenkamp was looking to volunteer when the two encountered each other and soon formed an easy relationship.
"Georg is not my father, but he is a real friend," Mohammad told International Business Times in an email.
Mohammad describes Germany in simple terms as a country with no war — a place where he wants to build a future. He speaks with his family in Syria regularly over Skype and hopes to someday be reunited, but for now they are happy with his living situation. Altenkamp and his girlfriend, Stefanie, have introduced Mohammad to both of their families to help him adjust to life and build a community of friends and contacts. Mohammad has been making friends at school and said his new best friend is Altenkamp's dog, Tinto.
At the Berger Feld Comprehensive School where Mohammad is now a student and Altenkamp was headmaster for 23 years, teachers have come out of retirement to help as additional classes have been created for new arrivals. The school, in the North Rhine-Westphalia city of Gelsenkirchen, with 1,400 students and a strong sports focus, has welcomed refugee students from conflicts such as the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s.
"There is a lack of teachers, and this is why retired teachers said, 'OK, I will come back for another six months or year, and I will have a part in the situation.' This is what people do and what they love to do," Christian Krabbe, a Berger Feld English teacher, said.
Germany's Ministry for Family Affairs launched a 10 million-euro program — Menschen Stärken Menschen (People Support People) — at the end of last month looking for guardians, mentors and host families for refugees. The ministry estimates 59,000 children arrived in Germany last year without their parents, and Federal Family Affairs Minister Manuela Schwesig has argued that mentors and host families, including retirees, will help young refugees better adjust to life in a new environment.
"The quality of guardians varies a lot depending on who you end up with," said Victoria Rietig, a policy analyst who specializes in child migration flows for the Migration Policy Institute, a think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. She said the German government has sped up the time it takes to process asylum applications, but social workers can still be overstretched and responsible for several minors at once.
Amid the growing crisis, pressure is building on German Chancellor Angela Merkel to reverse or curtail her open-arms refugee policy. A recent poll found almost 40 percent of Germans thought Merkel's policy was reason enough for her to step down, Deutsche Welle reported. Right-wing parties espousing anti-refugee and closed-border stances have also gained support in recent months. But despite the heated debate over whether Germany should keep accepting refugees, many retirees remain eager to volunteer, aid groups said.
"Germany's political environment has changed quite a bit since summer, many people being quite resent[ful] — and fearful of the recent developments. However, while we have seen a decrease in donations and rooms offered to us, the number of volunteers has remained steady," said Sophie Mirow, a project coordinator in Germany for Refugees Welcome, a volunteer effort matching refugees with people who have rooms to offer or can help refugees navigate their lives in a new country.
Of the program's approximately 300 volunteers, Mirow estimated 20 percent are retirees. She has observed the patience they bring to their interactions and the connection some have to memories of past refugee crises because of Germany's history with World War II and communism.
While many of Altenkamp's colleagues and friends are volunteering with refugees, he said he is the only retired person he knows of in his area who has opened his home. He said fear and media reports after the New Year's Eve attacks in Cologne, in which hundreds of women were robbed and sexually assaulted by men, allegedly including refugees, are holding people back.
"I feel a little bit of shame about it. We are all in good situations here in Germany, and I can't understand why more people don't do like I did," Altenkamp said. "OK, it's a personal decision always, but I can't understand it. It was a good decision for me and for Mohammad."
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We count on God to multiply our work. We recount the story of the loaves and fishes, saying "I'm giving God what little I have, and He will multiply it!"
But what about the times when He does not?
What about the times when the 5 loaves and the 2 fish don't end up feeding hundreds? What about the times when they only feed 2 people, just like we feared they would?
I love to teach; it fills me with so much joy. I've been blessed by the opportunities to teach 4th and 5th grade Sunday School students, Penn State students, Grace Prep high school students, and women's Bible studies. I've taught nursery school children, dolls, and babies. I've taught from podiums in large ballrooms, from chalkboards in average classrooms, and from tables in the library as I've tutored students one-on-one. I've loved every minute of it.
Like Eric Liddell who felt God's pleasure when he ran, I feel God's pleasure when I teach.
When I am in the midst of a season of teaching – say, a women's Bible study – I feel so close to the Lord. I ask Him for guidance during my research and preparation. I ask for His blessing on my students. I ask for His presence during my teaching. And I offer the gift back to Him. I pray,
"Lord, you've given me this gift. As I teach, take the glory! Make the most of my small offering. I am your servant and your child. This is all for you."
I offer my time, energy, and best abilities to God because I want Him to use it for His glory! I want Him to make the most of it and to multiply it. When He does – and when I see those baskets-full of miraculous surplus – I feel like I'm really serving Him. I feel like He's really pleased by my offering. And He may be.
But… what about the times when there is no multiplication? No miracle?
What about the times when my time, energy, and best abilities remain as humble and unimpressive as they actually are?
What about the times when the 5 loaves and 2 fish are just… well… 5 loaves and 2 fish?
What about the times when God isn't using my gift to feed the masses?
What about the times when God is not using your gift?
Sometimes, when I have a quiet moment or two, I acquaint myself with my longing for the rigors of teaching in a formal setting. I long for a classroom of eager students, for research and preparation, for the satisfaction of improving, enlarging, and inspiring people as a teacher.
Sometimes I feel like my "teaching gift" is dormant; that God isn't using it right now. I tell myself that maybe He will use it again – maybe – in the future.
I pray,
"Lord, you've given me this gift. You are not using it in a big spectacular way at this moment, but I will still offer it to You. I will still lay it in your hands. I am your servant and your child. This is all for you."
As it turns out, He is asking me to teach. Not from a podium, nor a chalkboard, nor a library table. Not even in a Sunday School classroom. But, He's using it at the kitchen table, on the couch, from the driver's seat, at the baseball diamond.
Right now, I teach our five precious children at home. Over the years, I've struggled to count this as real "teaching" even though every day, I teach my five little students everything good, noble, and praiseworthy that I can think of. I teach them as many practical and helpful life skills that I can. I give 100% of myself to their well-being and their development. I go to bed the way a human should – entirely grateful and entirely exhausted. And I sleep like a champ.
During this season of life, teaching for me is small and humble. I'm not on a hillside with hundreds or thousands of students.
And yet, for every loaf of bread I have – there is a hungry mouth to feed.
I've discovered that sometimes the crowds don't need my gifts to be multiplied, but instead one person needs the whole meal.
In any circumstances and in all sorts of company, may I offer everything I have to Jesus, trusting Him to use them as He sees best.