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M= 636 g
Hybrid Shell Construction
Top Shell Protection: ABS
Side Shell Protection: PC
360° Edge Protection
Customizable/Removable SoGnar Earpad & Liner
Includes 2 Liner sets
- Normal X-Dry
- Fleece X-Dry
MarkAIR Channel System
2 Position Climate Control
With the Ampire 2 Mips there is no need to compromise between comfort, style and protection. Made with a hybrid shell to reduce weight and bulk and featuring the ultra-versatile SoGnar earpads, this helmet was designed to be best in-class for comfort. The many different configurations of earpads allow to prepare for any temperature, style preference, head shape and goggle/sunglass preference. Each configuration enables optimal hearing ability and a luxurious experience. If not needed the SoGnar earpads can also be removed entirely.
Thanks to the 360° RTS Fit the head is comfortably embraced by the Helmet. Goggle fogging and overheating won't be an issue with the MarkAIR channel ventilation, both ensuring goggle ventilation for optimal climate control and anti-fogging, which can be further regulated with the 2 position climate control system.
Cold day and thick gloves? No problem with the FIDLOCK OG SNAP buckle, a staple of MARKER helmets since its inception, there is no need to take off any gloves to adjust or remove the helmet. The goggle clip will not hinder or create any bulk, no matter what specs you decide on. 360° helmet edge protection not only ensures a high-end look, but also protects the inner working of the helmet from violent aging.
Finally, this helmet comes with 2 interchangeable and washable liners - a highly sweat-absorbant Xdry liner as well as its cozier, softer fleece variant. Very simple to configurate, perfect for any condition.

subset: commoncrawl


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On Sunday, April 28th, the East Bay Barefoot Hikers met in Briones Regional Park and hiked the Old Briones Road, Lagoon, and Toyon Canyon trails.
Seventeen people took part including myself, Tim and his son Christopher (7), and the twins Jonathan and Hilary (5), Charles, Dan, Jeff from Berkeley, Phoebe, Maggie, Debra and her son Eric (12), Peter and his wife Sandy, Jeff from Santa Cruz, Duane and Fred. Also one golden retriever.
We started gathering at the trailhead around 10:00am. I had a suspicion that my directions were a little ambiguous, so I made a quick trip in the car to the "other" trailhead. Sure enough, Duane and Jeff were waiting there.
The Old Briones Road trail is a "high" trail reached by driving uphill for a fair distance. It has the benefit of being able to enjoy excellent views right away, out over the suburban valley to Mount Diablo beyond.
The trail is initially sandy dust with occasional small pebbles. We walked along chatting as "regulars" will. We only had two first timers on this hike ... Charles, and Jeff from Santa Cruz. Peter and Sandy had on their newly made "Barefoot Hikers" T-shirts. It's finally getting kind of warm out here, so most of us were wearing shorts.
We took a group photograph by same the "country stile" where Debra, Eric, Gareth, Nicole and I had stopped, back on the third hike in July of last year. How we've grown since then !! :-)
We moved onto open pasture and packed dirt surfaces, pausing for a while by one of the "lagoons". These are medium sized ponds with a good deal of weed and rushes in them. They have a sort of artificial look. Perhaps they were created to provide water for cattle. Christopher was pacing the group this day. He usually gives up and put his shoes on about a quarter-way into the hike. This day he was determined to go the whole way barefoot.
While we stopped for him to catch up, we admired the fine views out over the San Joaquin delta (central valley of California). We had a clear view of the "Mothball" fleet moored there. These are ships left over from World War II.
We stopped for lunch by a *large*, yellow earthmoving device owned by the parks department. The kids had fun clambering all over that while the adults sat and ate and socialized.
The downhill section after lunch was large chunky dried mud. A somewhat challenging surface for most. Just after that section, the faster folks found a shady spot by a stream to wait for the others. Christopher had slowed down to almost zero speed. When he eventually caught up, with encouragement and praise for his effort ... he re-shod.
The party now moved along at a regular pace. I was relieved, since the temperature (both surface and air) was climbing quickly.
We were treated to a nice shady section of pine needles before making the climb back up the hill to the cars. It was a really pretty section of green meadows studded with oak trees. I was right to have been worried about the heat. Some of us were looking kind of flushed by the time we got there.
Another fine hike. I just wish there was a easy solution to the fastest/slowest problem. If you're a hike leader ... you'll know what I mean.
-- Mike Berrow
-- East Bay Barefoot Hikers
East Bay Barefoot Hikers: Main Page


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The Gronks and Nobodys lived in Snookington Village right up to modern times with an enduring legacy. Each Gronk was riddled with resentment, while every Nobody had stubbornness running through their veins. The origin of this animosity had long since been forgotten in the mists of time. But one thing was sure. If a Gronk and a Nobody met, they never got along.
Guido Gronk was a tall, thin fifteen year old boy. Leaning against a wall, he looked at the gates of Snookington School on a dusky evening. He had just unwilling taken part in basketball practice. Smirking, he was proud his school the better of the two in the area. A group of boys wearing the blue blazer of Snookington School walked past and laughed. Guido's face dropped. He was often the brunt of jokes about his first name. He preferred to be called Gronk, but some schoolboys Insisted on Guido. Or worse, Gweirdo. His peers thought Gronk was prickly and difficult, but he knew greatness was in store for him.
"Let them laugh," he muttered. "When my genius is recognised, they'll all want to be my friends."
Gronk sighed and looked idly over the road. He saw Steve Nobody with scuffed shoes, a football and, inexplicably, wearing a blue blazer. How they let someone like him into Snookington School was beyond his comprehension. He hated anyone with the Nobody name. Steve was shorter than Gronk, about the same age, and shy. But he had a large group of friends, which irritated the hell out of Gronk. Beyond the confines of school, Steve spent time in the outdoors and played football with boys from the nearby Dundiston School. Most Snookington schoolboys looked down on Dundiston School and it had not gone unnoticed that Steve was fraternising with the enemy. Gronk looked at Steve Nobody as a soft touch, and intended to put him in his place.
The two boys knew each other only in passing, but were well aware of the long-running feud between their families. Stories passed through generations where a Gronk won an argument at one point or a Nobody got the upper hand at another. There had been a recent lull in the dispute, notwithstanding the underlying animosity. Guido Gronk was outraged when he heard anything positive about a Nobody. He figured they must be called Nobody for a reason; they were worthless losers. Whereas, he had been told the good name Gronk was synonymous with bravery and honour. He felt sure a Gronk was always right. About everything. Guido Gronk had a particular talent as a trouble-maker. And he was determined to continue the long-running enmity and break those no good Nobodys once and for all. Then dominance would enable his brilliance to shine.
Copyright © 2021 Callum Stanford. All rights reserved.


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In just a few weeks, I will be performing a new work in progress at the Art Gallery of Regina as part of the UBER GURLZ: Denizen Femme exhibition curated by Michel Boutin for the Indigenous Peoples Artist Collective. This is the second installment of the UBER GURLZ series and …
VJ Carrie Gates – live at DRAGONCENCE – Saskatoon, SK
Natural Hys Events Presents ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ ☯ D R A G O N C E N S E ☯ ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯
Pop Quiz net.label launched!!!
I just finished making the website for a Saskatoon based net.label called Pop Quiz. it is directed by Jon Vaughn. There is a ton of cool underground electronic, noise, and avant garde music to be downloaded here, so rev up your click finger :) www.popquizparty.com
Pop Quiz Party Jam 2011! Multi-Album and Website Launch!
Danceglitch – Silent VJ Clip by Carrie Gates
This is a silent video clip I use in my mixes in live performance.
Error Benders: Audio/Video Object Exhibition and Performance Series Call for Submissions
Very cool call for submissions for circuit-bending fans from my friends Jeff Morton and Leeane Berger – check it out!
Awakenings – VJ Carrie Gates and Trancer
Video by VJ Carrie Gates and sound by Trancer. Video performance by Turner Prize*. (July 2010)
Ze Hammerdance – Silent VJ Clip by Carrie Gates
This is a silent video clip I use in my mixes in live performance. Jason Cawood graces our eyes in this episode.


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With the FARC seemingly deepening their involvement in illegal mining, InSight Crime takes a look at what could happen to the Colombian guerrilla group's stake in the industry should the peace talks see success.
The first round of negotiations between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government in more than a decade officially began on October 18. While many were taken aback by the FARC's use of fiery rhetoric in a subsequent press conference, there is reason to believe that Colombia's decades-long armed conflict can come to an end. As analyst Adam Isacson has pointed out, the guerrillas have so far participated in the talks "with seriousness and discipline," demonstrating an encouraging commitment to the peace process.
But if the talks do go well, potentially resulting in the FARC's demobilization, what will remain of the illicit finance networks is unclear. The group's involvement in the drug trade is one of the five pillars up for discussion with the government, with Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon estimating earlier this week that the rebel group earns from $2.4-$3.5 billion annually from the drug trade. But this is only one of many sources of funding for the rebels. As InSight Crime has reported, illegal mining -- and gold mining in particular -- is fast becoming a central resource for the FARC. Indeed, a study released in September by the Toledo International Center for Peace (CITpax) found that illegal gold mining had overtaken coca production as the main source of income for the FARC and other armed groups in eight of Colombia's 32 provinces.
A recent investigation by El Colombiano supports this claim, finding that in the province of Antioquia, rebels charge the equivalent of between $1,600 and $2,750 for each piece of heavy equipment that illegal mining ventures bring in to their areas of control. On top of this, they also charge for the entrance of gasoline, and demand a 10 percent cut of all profits. As El Colombiano notes, this is somewhat ironic given that the head of the FARC's negotiating team, Luciano Marin, alias "Ivan Marquez," devoted much of his public remarks in the post-talk press conference to denouncing the "exploitative" practices of large scale mining companies in the country.
InSight Crime Analysis
In many ways the issue of what will become of the FARC's mining activities is linked to the broader question of the government's approach to regulating the entire mining sector. Since 2002 the government has encouraged the mining sector, drastically increasing the distribution of mining permits in the country. Despite this, some estimate that nearly half of all mining in Colombia is illegal, or conducted by small scale mines without formal permits.
The government has promised to make it easier for mining ventures to acquire legal permits, but there are still at least 6,000 mines in the country that are currently considered illegal. This measure could be vital to weakening the FARC's hold on mining. If these reforms were more strongly embraced by the state, it would grant miners the means to report extortion without fearing legal consequences.
Still, the rising price of minerals like gold gives guerrillas an incentive to hang on to their investments. Even if the FARC were to demobilize at the conclusion of peace talks, many cells currently profiting from mining would likely continue their activities despite the wishes of their commanders. Some analysts fear that a FARC demobilization would mirror the failed 2003-2006 demobilization of the paramilitary United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), in which a number of mid-level commanders and those under them turned in their arms only to return to their criminal past.
There is also evidence that guerrillas in some areas of the country are deepening their involvement in the mining process itself. The CITpax report found that in the central province of Tolima, the FARC's Central Joint Command had reportedly purchased mining machinery, presumably to rent it out at a profit to miners in the area.
Since the "end" of the conflict would likely fuel further investment in Colombia's already booming mining sector, it could put elements of the FARC hanging on to their mining operations at odds with large-scale, permitted mining companies in the country. Extortions and kidnappings of mining employees, which guerrillas have committed in the past, may increase and become more targeted as remnants of the group find themselves competing for resources and land. As such, any expansion of mining will likely require the Colombian military to prioritize security for multinational and domestic mining projects.


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A reader of this blog asked about this image - this is the largest version I can find - it shows the French backpack - a basic canvas rectangular shaped bag with a draw string closure with a belt sewn onto it. It was pretty standard throughout the 18th century and could double up as a sleeping bag for the feet.
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
Guerard 'Marche'
Posted by Ralphus at 04:31 No comments:
Labels: French army
Sovereign's Servant (2007) Battle of Poltava 1709
This Russian movie about two duellists despatched from Louis XIV's court to participate in the Great Northern War is pretty trashy but I am posting a clip of it just in case you haven't seen it and I think it's worth watching for the simple reason it's one of the very few depictions of early 18th century warfare on the big screen. Poltava is having its 300th anniversary next year and will see reenactors converge from all over Europe to recreate this famous battle. Part 2 here
Posted by Ralphus at 02:49 No comments:
Labels: Great Northern War, period movies
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Vauban, la forteresse idéale
This silent clip shows 3D virtual modelling of the various elements of a Vauban fortress with the nomenclature and so forth. It's a major achievement and I recommend you watch it. Made by Fortimedia. DVD here
Posted by Ralphus at 03:06 1 comment:
Labels: great sieges in art
Thursday, 7 August 2008
Jacques Courtois
I really like these works - not sure of the date but his wiki is here - he died around 1676 - these look like 1660s.
Posted by Ralphus at 02:49 No comments:
Labels: art, The Glory of the Sun 1665-80
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
A bloody battle fought between the French under Conde and the Dutch under William of Orange in 1674 - wiki here. The Anglo-Dutch suffered 50 per cent killed including their commander Major-General Sir Walter Vane. Coehorn distinguished himself at this battle which had no clear winner.
Posted by Ralphus at 10:01 No comments:
Labels: military history
Cuirass of Marshal Turenne
Posted by Ralphus at 09:52 No comments:
Labels: French army
Mousquetaires du roi
Nicholas Guerard.
Posted by Ralphus at 03:30 No comments:
Labels: art, French army
Hallmark 15mm League of Augsburg range
From here in the UK.
These unassuming figures have been around for quite a while - one of my reenactor friends had a huge collection of them and swore by them especially in the region of equipment for sieges and the like.
Posted by Ralphus at 03:17 No comments:
Labels: 15mm figures, wargaming
Monday, 4 August 2008
Siege of Vienna
As there is a big budget Polish movie being made about this siege I thought you might like to watch this well made documentary on this, one of history's most significant sieges. Sieges make great subject for movies in my opinion and some of the best war movies are about beleagured garrisons holding out against incredible odds. The other parts are also up.
Posted by Ralphus at 09:38 1 comment:
15mm Wars of Louis XIV figures
If you are looking for some 15mm figures for the 1690s then these figures by Venexia look interesting. Not sure how they mix with Hallmark or Donnington but they do attractive battalion packs with flags and uniform information which makes a good idea for those starting out on this period.
Posted by Ralphus at 09:29 No comments:
Labels: 15mm figures, wargaming
The classic arm of Louis XIV's army, the matchlock musket, (the mousquet a meche), has a distinct look and it is worth considering acquiring one in preference to the English Civil War types most repros are. It shouldn't be too expensive to get a gunmaker who specialises in arms of this era, like Derbyshire arms to make one for you - it will be even cheaper to order them in numbers. The matchlock was in official use until 1699 though numbers of them were still in use by 1704.
The above engraving by Nicholas Guerard is interesting in that the matchlock musketeer looks like he has a socket bayonet.
Posted by Ralphus at 02:54 No comments:
Labels: French army, reenactment
Friday, 1 August 2008
Monmouth Rebel
I did this drawing a few years back when I was doing a book on the Monmouth Rebellion and I found it this morning on an abandoned photobucket account and I'm actually pretty pleased with it in hindsight so I thought I'd post it.
I never got round to publishing the book but maybe I will some day soon. It is called Days of King Monmouth and is a day to day guide to the rebellion showing what happened when and where for this very brief - 6 weeks - campaign.
Posted by Ralphus at 03:02 No comments:
Labels: Monmouth Rebellion
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We asked Nick James of New York City to share his commuting story with us and below you'll come to see that this guy is hooked!
Since you asked…
It's hard to live in New York City and not be at least marginally aware of the bike culture flourishing here. In September of 2005, after months of debating, I bought my first new bike: a Dahon Jack full-size folder. I wanted a full-size bike, but I needed it to store easily in the small Astoria apartment I share with my wife. I bought it with the intention of taking it into work maybe once or twice a week, almost as a novelty, but I bought it probably with more intention to have it than to use it. I took it into work and back a few times (a 15-mile round-trip commute from Astoria to Chelsea), but around November, I put it away for the winter.
In late December, the local news began covering the contract dispute between the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Transit Workers Union, and the possibility of a strike by subway and bus operators. A lot of friends and co-workers were confident that the strike wouldn't happen, but I wanted to be prepared. On Monday, December 19th, I put on several layers of clothing and some cold weather gear, hopped on my bike, and rode to work. Having proved to myself that I was capable, I concluded that I was prepared for a strike. The next day, the strike was on.
Biking in sub-freezing weather proved easier than I had expected. I anticipated burning wind, icy roads, numb extremities, and other unpleasantries, but learned over a few days of trial and error some of the basic do's and donts of winter biking, the most important of which was not to overdress, which I did at the start. I also found, somewhat to my surprise, that I enjoyed it. Since you guys at CbB have done a fine job cataloging all the joys of commuting by bike, I won't waste my time listing them. I expect we're all very familiar with them. Suffice it to say that they were new to me.
The transit strike lasted only four days, but it gave me a new resolve. When one transportation option was taken away, I was forced to find another, and the alternative turned out to be the preferable option. So, when the trains started running again, I didn't get on, and I don't regret it. Commuting by bike has made me stronger, faster, leaner and smarter. It's burned my lungs, strained my knees, torn my rotator cuff, and toughened me up in a hundred little ways. My wife sure likes what it's done to my butt. My co-workers, who at first were impressed and confused, have come to accept it as normal, even to the point of buying bikes and riding to work themselves. Now, having started in the dead of winter, I'm looking forward to the warm weather and sunshine that most cyclists consider "biking season."
I don't think there's anything difficult or special about what I did. Lots of people bike more than 75 miles in a week, and I'm no athlete. Make anything a part of your daily routine and you stop seeing it as a challenge.
I encourage anyone still debating their options to try it out. If it's not possible, you'll know, but you might surprise yourself.
Thanks for sharing Nick! Keep Riding. If you're interested in sharing your story, feel free to contact us and do what Nick did, write a little story and send us some pics.


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**Embroidery was done using Aurifil thread on our Bernina Aurora 440QE.
Make sure to check out Alternating Stars, A-Maze Me, American Stars, Bouncing & Bow Ties.
Absolutely adorable! I just love this! Can you buy that pantograph in a paper version?ReplyDelete
You know it is super super cute made in the conversation hearts for Valentines Day,,, so sweet :)ReplyDelete
This is so cute with the conversation heart quotes...love it!ReplyDelete
Adorable!! A copy of your book is on my wish list!!ReplyDelete
So adorable!! I love it! The colors, conversation heart idea and quilting are fantastic!ReplyDelete
Oh if I only had a machine that could make use of those pantographs. What an adorable idea. Love love love your candy quilt!ReplyDelete
OMG it is fantastic! I just love it. Great idea.ReplyDelete
love your candy quilt...totally inspired to make a baby quilt like this xo
ps would love to see the conversation design in a print...and i love your new panto xo


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Alexandra Gomez
How to start loving yourself
Aktualisiert: 2. Dez. 2018
repeat it everyday. Words can do magic.
abundance meditation
Shakti Gawain
I am lovable
I am kind and loving, and I have a great deal to share with others
I am talented, intelligent and creative
I am attractive
I deserve the very best in life
I have a lot to offer and everyone recognizes it
I love the world and the world loves me
I am willing to be happy and successful


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Raw African Shea Butter Soap
- Regular price
- ₱180.00
- Sale price
- ₱180.00 Sale
Who needs lotion when you've got this soap?
What exactly is shea butter?
Shea butter is an all-natural oil extracted from the wells in the fruit of the African Butter Tree.
Shea Butter Soap is an extraordinary all-natural skin care that really changes uneven toned skin. In fact, out of all the nutrients around today, shea butter soap is most beneficial. If you are serious about maintaining healthy skin (specially after a good scrubbin'), this should be included in your daily skin care.
Shea butter soap moisturizes well without clogging pores . ?It is gentle enough to use on sensitive skin ? Shea butter has natural UV protection ? Helps fight skin diseases such as acne, eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis. ? Shea Butter soap is used to reduce all types of scars. ? It is soothing for burns. ? It is also beneficial for fighting wrinkles.
The benefit of natural soap with shea butter is that your skin will feel soft, has a natural shine and only requires less lotion.
Shea butter soap contains vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin E. Vitamin A helps in the reconstruction of skin cell damage and vitamin E is an antioxidant to keep skin safe from harmful free radicals. In addition, the skin readily absorbs the shea butter without leaving an oily surface on the skin.
Another interesting thing is that Shea butter soap can leave your skin soft and silky. It melts upon contact with skin. With all these advantages, it is easy to understand why is it good to combine an organic soap with shea butter. So, you have to try it now! Your dream of having a good skin is just a reach!
- choosing a selection results in a full page refresh


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Insightful post from Nir Eyal
I've often been asked about what I think about Nir Eyal's work. Most people don't realize we are good friends (he even gave me a front cover endorsement quote for my book), but regardless of that I think his work on the Hooked Model is extremely actionable and insightful. I'm also planning to write a post in the future on how to analyze his Hook Model through the Octalysis Framework, which is quite exciting.
Below I'm sharing a great post I read on his site, originally titled "People Don't Want Something Truly New, They Want the Familiar Done Differently."
The post is about how Americans were very uncomfortable with Japanese food and sushi in the early days until they could start off with the familiar ingredients of the California Roll. This is in line with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's Flow Theory, where if you make the difficulty curve too high at the beginning, it creates anxiety and users drop off.
Incidentally, this corresponds to Core Drive 5: Social Influence and Relatedness, as we only like things we can relate to. In fact, all jokes and media are a balance between that Core Drive and Core Drive 7: Unpredictability & Curiosity – the balance between what we can relate to and a new surprise that creates curiosity or delight.
I think this is very important for any behavioral designing creating any new experience. Enjoy!
In Nir Eyal's Words:
I'll admit, the bento box is an unlikely place to learn an important business lesson. But consider the California Roll — understanding the impact of this icon of Japanese dining can make all the difference between the success or failure of your product.
If you've ever felt the frustration of customers not biting, then you can sympathize with Japanese restaurant owners in America during the 1970s. Sushi consumption was all but non-existent. By all accounts, Americans were scared of the stuff. Eating raw fish was an aberration and to most, tofu and seaweed were punch lines, not food.
Then came the California Roll. While the origin of the famous maki is still contested, its impact is undeniable. The California Roll was made in the USA by combining familiar ingredients in a new way. Rice, avocado, cucumber, sesame seeds, and crab meat — the only ingredient unfamiliar to the average American palate was the barely visible sliver of nori seaweed holding it all together.
Familiar Done Differently
The California Roll provided a gateway to discover Japanese cuisine and demand exploded. Over the next few decades sushi restaurants, which were once confined to large coastal cities and almost exclusively served Japanese clientele, suddenly went mainstream. Today, sushi is served in small rural towns, airports, strip malls, and stocked in the deli section of local supermarkets. Americans now consume $2.25 billion of sushi annually.
The lesson of the California Roll is simple —people don't want something truly new, they want the familiar done differently. Interestingly, this lesson applies just as much to the spread of innovation as it does to tastes in food.
For example, the graphical user interface, a milestone in the popularization of the personal computer, used familiar visual metaphors like folders, notepads, windows, and trash cans to appeal to mainstream users terrified by the command-line interface (perhaps even more than the thought of eating raw fish). The computer underneath was the same, however the familiar veneer suddenly made it accessible.
Quaint but unnecessary representations of the familiar became a hallmark of Apple products. As Claire Evans wrote for Motherboard, "While under the direction of the late Steve Jobs, Apple's design aesthetic tended heavily towards the skeuomorphic. The Apple desktop calendar, famously, is rendered with accents of rich Corinthian leather; its bookshelves gleam with wood veneers, its chrome always brushed, its pages stitched and torn, its tabletop felt green."
Now that Apple serves a generation familiar with how its products work, it can shepherd them from California Rolls to sashimi, so to speak. "We understood that people had already become comfortable with touching glass," explained Apple's Jony Ive. "They didn't need physical buttons, they understood the benefits."
However, Apple still uses its tried and true methods whenever the company wants users to adopt a new behavior. For example, the rebranded Apple Wallethelps users feel comfortable with the technology by making payment options look just like mini credit cards. Even though there's no technical reason to do so, Apple understands the power of the familiar.
(Un)Familiarity Breeds Contempt
As I wrote about in my book, Hooked, unfamiliar products and interfaces are more difficult to use and can impede adoption. Several psychological phenomena conspire to make us resist the atypical.
According to BJ Fogg of Stanford's Persuasive Technology Lab, "non-routine" is one of six "Elements of Simplicity" — the factors that affect the likelihood of any particular human action occurring. Fogg wrote, "When people face a behavior that is not routine, then they may not find it simple. In seeking simplicity, people will often stick to their routine, like buying gas at the same station, even if it costs more money or time than other options."
Of course, we also have a love for "new and improved" but in relatively modest proportions. "New and improved" is great for things we are already familiar with — like cereal and dish soap — but not for products where we lack a frame of reference.
Unfortunately, our aversion to things that are outside the norm is particularly hard on companies producing radical innovation — no matter how beneficial they may be. If using a new product does not feel familiar, it faces severe challenges. According Fogg, "People are generally resistant to teaching and training because it requires effort. This clashes with the natural wiring of human adults: We are fundamentally lazy. As a result, products that require people to learn new things routinely fail."
What's Your California Roll?
When describing the Apple Watch, Jony Ive said his goal was to build "the strangely familiar." The smart watch is exactly the kind of innovation that is still too new for all but the most early of early adopters. And yet Ive obsessed over the details of the Digital Crown, an esthetic adopted from traditional watchmaking. Clearly, Ive knows what he's doing — industry analysts expect the company to sell 19 million units this year.
As the pace of innovation accelerates, human behavior, not technological restraints, will be the deciding factor of whether products are adopted or discarded. If new products and services are to positively impact our lives, they must find a gateway into our daily routines. The familiar done differently is the way to users' minds and hearts — and sometimes their stomachs.
Here's the gist:
- The California Roll introduced Americans to sushi by using familiar ingredients arranged in a new way.
- The California Roll Rule: People don't want something truly new, they want the familiar done differently.
- Things that are truly new need to use familiar mental models to gain user adoptions (i.e., Apple's use of skeuomorphs.)
- Unfamiliar interfaces are more difficult to use and impede adoption.
- If your new product or service is not engaging users, ask "What's my California Roll?"
What do you think?
What was your familiar gateway into a new technology or product? Can you think of other companies who have used the "California Roll Rule" to introduce new products in a familiar way? Tell me what you think in the comment section below.
If you are interested in working with Yu-kai Chou for a business project, workshop, speech or presentation, or licensing deal, please fill out the form below..


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For most guys, body hair is what I would call a taboo subject. We just don't give it a second thought, but it's not a topic we're keen to discuss either. So when I got Braun's BodycruZer a while back to test out I wasn't wild about the concept of writing about it.
I will admit the thing is useful – I'm no Robin Williams, but I did my duty and tried it out, and it's cool. But, what can I really say about it? If it's not abundantly clear yet, the BodycruZer is a waterproof electric shaver that also has a razor on it to help men tackle the fine art of Manscaping.
Think of it as a beard trimmer, that's skinnier and doesn't have any plug or wires. It comes with a base you just sit it in, and somehow it magically recharges the battery. Once it's charged up you can put on a few attachments (no, it doesn't come with shapes or patterns) and use it in or out of the shower. It is incredibly easy to use, and if you're really going for "clean cut" the razor on the back will take care of business.
Since I got it a few weeks ago, I've used it a couple of times, and it's well made, but my question for you guys out there today is how much you would use the BodycruZer? Or ladies, do you wish that your man would pick one up?
As Michael (Mr. PR) put it, after all: It's a jungle down there.
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Subscribe to our mailing list and get weekly updates on our latest contests, interviews, and reviews.


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Big Law Firms, TV Lawyers
Big law firms, those TV law firms, who you see all the time on billboards and on TV ads at all hours of the day and night, enticing you to let them handle your automobile accident or job injury case, what are they really all about?
The large law firms with 25 to 200 lawyers or larger might be great for big business clients, corporations and government.
But for the little person who is injured, do not think for a moment you are getting better results because of the size of the law firm. Big is not better. In fact, I submit that you are worse off with a large law firm. He is why:
TV advertising firms are set up to have marketing and sales persons interviewing you to filter out not so good cases and to bring you into the firm if you have a decent or good case. Then you will be interviewed NOT by the lawyer, but by a case manager, maybe a paralegal.
In these type of law firms, you are only going to meet the lawyer for 10 minutes, just as a formal introduction, if you are lucky. Do not depend on explaining your case to your lawyer. They don't have time to get to know you and your specific issues.
Your case is managed by a paralegal, not by the lawyer. Many decisions are made by this paralegal who has probably one year experience. This para professional will be negotiating with a claims adjuster who has most likely 5-15 years of experience and was trained formally by the insurance company they represent.
Settlement of your case will be for "low fruit". This means that because this TV lawyer who represents you will be attracting so many new cases with their massive advertising campaignes, they need to settle your case for whatever you "team" can get. There is little or no push back. More importantly, there is little thoughtful development, no aggressive handling of your case. Why not? Because the "team" has too many other cases to work on. Look at this math:
20 cases X $5,000 fee per case=$100,000
4 cases $25,000 fee per case =$100,000
If I handle 4 cases and get the maximum dollar out of each case, my fee would be $25,000 per case. The TV law firm "team" is so concerned with pushing your case out the door in a minimum settlement (because they have so much new business), they will accept only a $5,000 fee but with 20 settlements they make as much as I can handling only 4 cases but doing so aggressively. But who "takes it in the ear?" You do, the client.
The take away here: big or not necessarily good for you. Once inside the marble façade and glittery lobby of the big law firm, you will get less than what you expected. Kick the tires first. Ask questions, if they will allow you to do so. Then maybe you will find what I know is true.


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Raising seniors' awareness of road risk and eco-driving in Haute-Garonne
Bemobi, a subsidiary of Le Groupe La Poste, won the call for projects launched by the Haute-Garonne departmental council to raise seniors' awareness of road risk and eco-driving.
Five half-day training courses were organised in five areas of the department so that seniors could learn about the principles of eco-driving through short presentations and case studies. These workshops, funded by the Haute-Garonne departmental council, were provided to recipients free of charge.
Being confident on the road
There are some tips to achieve this, some points to review together so that they emerge reassured, confident and with more knowledge than when they arrived," says a Bemobi trainer.
"This training is essential because it has been a long time since I took my theory and practical driving tests and I admit that I no longer pay attention to signs on the road," said one participant. The training consists of raising seniors' awareness through various workshops relating to road safety, to provide them with the knowledge that will enable them to retain their independence for longer.
Better anticipating danger
"We drive based on our assessments, which are often subjective, and here we are working on the objective aspects of driving, including stopping distances, reaction times and driving distractions, to achieve greater anticipation on the road and avoid danger," says another Bemobi trainer.
Two other sessions will take place in Haute-Garonne at the end of March. Sessions were also organised in the Gers.


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Have you been feeling like you have too much work to do? Are you cranky? Have you complained? Has anyone listened? Maybe it's you.
Somehow, you got yourself into a position where you are in over your head. In some cases, it's the byproduct of layoffs—not your fault, but still your problem. Presumably, you've told your boss this and s/he has failed to throw you a lifesaver. Quit whining and make your own lifesaver. Follow these steps:
2. Draft a carefully outlined plan of what you are going to accomplish over the next 6 weeks, how much time each item will take, when it'll all be done. Account for 1 hour per day for the unexpected and 1 hour per day for "DTD" ("day to day" admin). Include a checklist to monitor your progress and help keep you on track.
3. Decide on office hours. Clearly you need more than just 8 per day. Try for 10 (more than that tends to lead to burn out).
4. Ask yourself: Can I really do this? If no, go back to the drawing board. If yes, ask yourself: Do I need an assistant? Do I have the right assistant? If your company hasn't gotten you the right help by now, can you pay for your own? Can you find an intern? Can you and someone share an assistant to get you over the hurdle? How does any of this translate to an increase in profits for the company? Option: You could try committing to working a few hours from home on Saturdays and ask for additional vacation time later.
5. Meet with your boss to review your plans, make sure you're on track, demonstrate how much you love your company and (hopefully) prove yourself as an asset.
6. At the end of the meeting with your boss, email him a copy of the agenda so he has it for his records (and you have it for yours). A slick move would be to ask if you should include his supervisor on the email because "you know he's interested in our group's progress and it would be motivating to know he's aware of this."
Remember: Without a plan, you're lost.


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The Future
Families for HoPE was formed in 2006 as an all-volunteer organization to serve the needs of children with HPE and their families. Twelve years ago, we had 2-3 new HPE families contacting us each month on average. Today, we can average 2-3 new families per day. The popularity of social media has had a huge impact on the number of requests for our services, and as a result, we have recently undertaken a strategic look at where we are today and where we want to be in the future.
In 2017, we engaged a consultant who has provided recommendations and guidance to increase our organizational effectiveness. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be implementing changes that will enable our organization to grow and flourish. This will allow us to invite more of our HPE families to become volunteers and reach more families needing our services.
This week, we have shared our new corporate logo, and you will soon see updates and new information on our website, fun opportunities for raising awareness and funds, opportunities to volunteer, and more!
We are very excited to begin this work, and we seek your patience as we work through these positive growing pains.
2 Comments on "The Future"
Best of luck with your new ventures!
Susan, Beth's mom


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Scrobbler: A Last.fm Library for Ruby
John Nunemaker has put together a pretty tight library for accessing Last.fm data called Scrobbler. gem install scrobbler will get you most of the way there, and then you can quickly find recent tracks for any user, tracks for particular albums, and all sorts of great data. This could be a useful library for anyone putting together some sort of social networking or profile app in Rails who wants to show a user's recently listened tracks within their own system.


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Force-post (a.k.a. offline) transactions are particularly vulnerable to fraud. As such, Visa recently announced new standards for these types of transactions. We believe this is an important step and will implement a new permission feature to all card types accepted by merchants.
Our new security requirement and anti-fraud feature for all card types were included in an update Monday, Jan. 14, ahead of Visa's new risk control requirement, which will activate Saturday, Jan. 26.
You'll find Visa's qualifications for force-post transactions in Section A.3 (page 51) in their Global Acquirer Risk Standards document.
If your merchants used the force-post transactions feature in the past three months their permission will remain enabled. If merchants haven't used the feature during that time, it will automatically be disabled in this update. New merchant accounts set up after Jan. 14 will default to disabled. Resellers can enable the force-post transaction feature, if requested, from either the New Users or Edit Users screen. Please use the linked photos as a reference.
Our 5-star customer support team is standing by to answer any questions you may have regarding this new feature. You can connect with them at (888) 806 6545 or email@example.com.


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SEEKING GOD: Do You Really Want To Know God?Peter JefferyNOW AVAILABLE ONCE AGAIN.SEEKING GOD by Peter Jeffery is one of the most powerful evangelistic tools ever written. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is presented in a simple and clear manner that will leave the reader with no excuse. Thousands of copies have circled the globe and touched and changed untold lives. Eternity alone will reveal all that the Lord has accomplished through this precious booklet."We have used Peter Jeffrey's 'Seeking God' for many years to show unbelievers of all ages how to 'seek the Lord while He may be found'. It has proved most effective in special Sunday School classes, as a popular item on our tract rack with visitors and in believers' personal distribution to their friends. Seeking God shows you how to seek God, cautions you how NOT to seek God and encourages you as to why it all matters. Unlike so much fluff today, this is older, wiser, biblical counsel from a veteran 'obstetrician of souls.'" - Steve Martin, Former Executive Director of ARBCA "It is refreshing to read a booklet which contains the heart and soul of the gospel. Each page is a gem" - Christian HeraldBACK COVERDo you want to know God?Are you really seeking him?If so this book has been written with you in mind. It explains simply and clearly how you may find God. And it shows that that the wonderful thing is that God is always seeking those who seek him.Read this little book carefully and thoughtfully, always remembering God's promise that those who seek him with all their hearts will find him.CONTENTS1- Seeking God2- Sin3- The Remedy for Sin4- Jesus Christ5- Christ's Atoning Death6- The Work of the Spirit7- Repentance and Faith8- Acceptance by God9- Come!BKL1 ms8 pj5 bs1 12B jsk 15b- FRCXSALE PRICE - 1-9 copies SGCB Price: $4.75 (list price $6.00)Enter the Quantity and then Update Quantity10-24 copies at just $3.95 each SGCB Price: $3.95 (list price $6.00)Enter the Quantity and then Update Quantity25-49 copies at just $3.50 each SGCB Price: $3.50 (list price $6.00)Enter the Quantity and then Update Quantity50+ copies just $3.00 each (50% discount) SGCB Price: $3.00 (list price $6.00)Enter the Quantity and then Update Quantity
Additional Information
Table of Contents
1. Seeking God
2. Sin
3. The Remedy for Sin
4. Jesus Christ
5. Christ's Atoning Death
6. The Work of the Spirit
7. Repentance and Faith
8. Acceptance by God
9. Come!


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Shipping insurance can be purchased for insured value. All shipments are insured for the declared value of the item(s) unless you opt out of insurance.
While damaged or lost packages are rare, we recommend insuring each shipment in the unlikely event something does happen to your goods. In the event your shipment is damaged upon delivery or lost, GPF can assist you with the claims process.
Please Note: You may not file a claim for damage or loss if you do not select shipment insurance.


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"I believe that everyone, especially a child, deserves to know how their brains are shaped by environment, to then understand their capacity for building proactive protective factors. We all deserve to be super heroes as we do the best we can to consciously live life well. " - Teri Barila
The superheroes we learn about in comics, movies, and TV shows swoop in to save the world with their incredible powers, to shield people from harm. But in our world, no matter how much we wish to protect our children, they sometimes get hurt. Life happens beyond our control. And even when we are being the best parents, teachers, and loved ones we can be, children have experiences they may not understand.
CRI's newest book- written by Teri Barila and illustrated by Andrea Medina- is designed to help children rise to their own superpowers in the face of challenge. They are their own real-life heroes. And the adults in their life are teaching and helping them.
Our Super Heroes: Children Living Their Lives as Real Heroes builds off of brain science, labeling our feelings, and the importance of safety and connection with caring adults. It incorporates the 42 Resilience Strategies, but in child's language, giving children the opportunity to choose with strategies to apply to each story. This further allows children to reflect on the skills they already have and explore which new skills they wish to learn. Even as adults, this reflection can build our own confidence to model for the children in our lives.
Our book also introduces 10 negative experiences; each of our superheroes is experiencing one. We are not alone in our difficulties. The more resilience we bring to our lives, the stronger we become.
"Today I had something happen that triggered a memory from my childhood, living an experience with ACEs. Seeing the drawings today in this Storybook made a difference to me. Although the trauma I experienced was many years ago, there was some sort of recognition I connected with tin these stories. I felt that I mattered. It somehow soothed me that somehow took the time to attend to the vulnerability of a child in pain and that is done in a very tender way. I would have loved to have this book read to me when I was a child. I would have made those kids my invisible friends to ease my loneliness." - Maria Merino
Ultimately, we don't learn resilience on our own. We learn it by seeing how caring adults and friends in our families, schools, and neighborhoods help and look out for each other. Resilience is about love, trust, and safety. We can all build more resilience skills, and this book shows us some ideas. We hope that you love it as much as we do.
Visit https://criresilient.org/product/heroesstorybook/ to purchase our newest Resilience-Building product!
Our Super Heroes book introduces ten very special children, facing challenging life experiences such as homelessness and bullying. Beautiful child-friendly graphics show why it is important to understand how our brains respond to stress, and how we can learn to manage our responses by building a toolkit of strategies. This is an interactive book, encouraging use of the 42 resilience strategies from the child-focused deck of cards, from a child's perspective. Coming soon in Spanish!


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On Saturday we headed into Toronto to catch another Blue Jays game. We enjoyed our first one so much we couldn't wait to go again and this weekend seemed like the perfect time. I love watching games and looking up to see the CN Tower. I also love Rachel's preferred game watching position! I don't love the fact that the Jays lost this game, especially because they had the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the eight and didn't manage to score AT ALL. Sadness. But we had fun anyways!
I love walking from the Skydome to Union station. We take the skywalk and it's so pretty. The kids love walking over the trains.
We ate supper at the food court of the mall where we'd parked to go see the game and they had a Chipotle, so I ate there for the first time ever! Yum! It's a good thing we don't have them around here or I'd have to go and eat there every day.
And here's Dave as he's finishing his run.
In the afternoon we ran a few errands, including getting Dave some new clothes, and then we came home and had a BBQ with our first CSA veggies of the season. Yum!


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Laboratory for Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA Lab)
The risk assessment facilities form the pulsating heart of the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) Laboratory, where the Wageningen Environmental Research research team gauges the effects of stressors on the environment by expertly combining measurement, analyses, and experimentation.
These assessments can, for instance, relate to the way in which a chemical substance behaves in surface or groundwater, or the effect of substances or other stressors, such as invasive exotics, on water communities. The facilities are located at two sites: a chemistry and ecotoxicology lab on the Wageningen University & Research campus, and an experimental field station at Sinderhoeve.
Sphere of activity
The ERA lab consists of a chemistry and an ecotoxicology component. The chemistry lab is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment for conducting a wide range of chemical measurements. The analyses consist mainly of chromatographic determinations with the aid of GC‑ECD/FID, GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS, GPC (gel-permeation chromatography) and HPLC-UV. Pesticides, medication, and other organic substances from various matrices such as water, sediment, soil, and vegetable and/or animal material are extracted beforehand with liquid-liquid extraction, accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) or solid-phase extraction (SPE) with Soxtherm or Unexas.
The ERA lab was set up initially for experimental purposes, such as research on ecotoxicology in the ditches at the field station or studies on the behaviour of pesticides, PAHs, and PCBs in the soil. The sphere of activity has since been expanded to include other substance groups and terrestrial systems.
Sinderhoeve is also used for microcosmic and mesocosmic experiments in which entire communities or specific species (vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants) are studied in ponds, ditches, and test fields. The laboratories are also used to determine sampled organisms, with stereo-microscopes if necessary.


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Veolia Campaign
NOTE: In August 2015 Veolia finally pulled completely out of the Israeli market. The move was welcomed by the IPSC and BDS campaigners around the world.
This campaign is now no longer active and has been archived on our website.
Veolia is a French multinational which came to the attention of Palestinian solidarity activists in 2003 when the company won a $500 million contract to build and maintain a light railway that will run across the city of Jerusalem, including occupied East Jerusalem and the illegal settlement in the West Bank.
Veolia started operating the tramway in August 2011.
The light railway project violates international law, not only because it is built on occupied Palestinian land, but also because it is an extension of Israel's illegal settlement enterprise and the Apartheid Wall.
Veolia Transport is a leading partner in the CityPass consortium, contracted to build the light rail tramway system linking west Jerusalem to illegal Jewish settlements in occupied east Jerusalem. This rail system is cementing Israel's hold on occupied east Jerusalem and ties the illegal settlements even more firmly into the State of Israel. This clearly creates the necessary infrastructure for further colonial expansion into the West Bank.
Promoting the project in 2005, then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stated, "This [light rail] should be done … to strengthen Jerusalem, construct it, expand it and sustain it for eternity as the capital of the Jewish people and the united capital of the state of Israel."
And what other illegal activities are they up to?
Whatever may be the true situation Veolia are still deeply involved in illegal activities in the oPt as the company also run 7 bus services (up from 2 a few years ago), and a landfill in the occupied territories of Palestine. More recently Veolia have begun to treat sewage waste from the illegal settlement of Modi'in Illit in the oPt. All of these projects contribute to war crimes, as defined by the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
See Veolia's illegal activities for a more indepth look at this unethical company.
Veolia: The French Connection
Who are Veolia and why have they become the target of the global Palestinian Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign?
Veolia are a French based transnational company involved in water, waste management, energy and transport across the globe. The company is divided into a number of subsidiaries: Veolia Transport or Connex, Veolia Environmental Services, Onyx or Cleanaway, Veolia Water, and TMM.
In March 2011 the Veolia Transport Division of Veolia Environnement (the parent company) merged with Transdev to form Veolia Transdev, 50% owned by Veolia Environnment which maintains effective control as the CEO/Chairman of Veolia Environnement is also the Chairman of Veolia Transdev. Veolia Transdev is responsible for Veolia Transport Israel's Jerusalem Tramway and bus operations, and also for the Veolia transport operations in Ireland and elsewhere in the world
Transdev was a subsidiary of the French Caisse des Dépôts (CDC), a public investment authority that manages public funds and is overseen by the French parliament. The CDC is now a 50 percent partner in the newly created Veolia Transdev transport company.
Even before its partial ownership of Veolia Transdev, CDC was involved in the light rail project through its subsidiary Egis Rail, which won a contract in 2008 to assist with managing the project. The current role of Egis Rail is unclear.
While many European governments are seeking to ensure that public enterprises and institutions are not complicit with Israeli violations of international law the French government has gone the opposite direction by choosing to bring Veolia Transdev under the protection of the state.
Despite the merger, however, all is not well with Veolia as the company has lost more than 50 percent of its share value since March 2011. Veolia is hemorrhaging contracts as a result of the combination of the both the global economic crisis and the intensifying global Boycott Divestment Sanction campaign.
Veolia: The Irish Connection
Veolia has extensive public and private water and energy services across Ireland. It runs the Luas in Dublin, and last year was unsuccessful in its bid for the lucrative E4.6bn Metro North. However, Veolia may now get in the back door through its recent merger with the French company Transdev, part of Metro Express consortium, one of two groups short listed for the Metro North. It is continuing to expand it operations in Ireland.
See What you can do to help call Veolia to account.
The global Derail Veolia Campaign
Veolia has come under increasing international pressure from civil society across the globe to withdraw from its illegal operations in occupied Palestine.
The Derail Veolia/Alstom campaign was launched in Bilbao,Spainin November 2008 because of its involvement in the Jerusalem light rail project being illegally built in Israeli-occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem. Across the globe solidarity organizations are building awareness of Veolia's illegal activities and the company has come under considerable economic and moral pressure to divest from Israel.
In February 2009 Veolia lost a 3.5 billion Euro contract to run the Stockholm metro. In June, in Australia, Veolia failed to renew their contract for Melbourne's train system. Across the UK more than a dozen local authorities are being challenged to exclude Veolia.
see Boycott works! for how the global Boycott Divestment Sanction campaign has impacted on Veolia
A growing number of international civil society organisations support the Palestinian call for a campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against the state of Israel.
In response to the 2005 call from Palestinian civil society and the 2009 Kairos Palestine document from Palestinian Christian leaders to boycott and divest from companies supporting the occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, the Holy Land Awareness and Action, a Task Group of the Social Justice and World Affairs Committee of the South West Presbytery of the Toronto Conference of the United Church of Canada included Veolia in their divestment list. (http://occupiedwithpeace.org/take-action/boycott-divest-sanction/).
Many organisations from within Israel that support the campaign to cut all ties with Veolia, until it stops its complicity in Israel's war crimes and violations of international and human rights law. Unfortunately recent legislative changes in Israel now makes it illegal for Israeli groups to call for boycott.
The Derail Veolia Campaign in Ireland
The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign and other solidarity groups in Ireland have been actively campaigning to raise awareness about Veolia's complicity in the illegal occupation of Palestine. This campaign has resulted in several local authority councils taking an important stand against Veolia, due to their collaboration with Israel, by passing motions condemning Israel's violations of international laws and asking the City or County Managers not to renew or grant any new contracts with Veolia. The councils to date include Sligo, Galway, Castlebar, Dublin, Donegal, Fingal and Cork.
Through local branches of the IPSC we are working with local councilors countrywide raise motions in their local councils to ensure that Veolia is not granted any further contracts inIreland.
We are also stepping up pressure on the Rail Procurement Agency, which is responsible for awarding the lucrative Metro North contract. To date the RPA have indicated that based on what they know about the JLR and 'the current status of proceedings being brought against participants in the project that they cannot see any a reasonable basis for excluding participants from a tender for the RPA contract' *.
The IPSC are also working in collaboration with The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign National Committee (BNC) to strengthen our campaign. A legal team has been engaged to review EU and national public procurement law particularly in relation to Article 45 of Directive 2004/18/EC12 which allows for excluding companies from bidding for public contracts if they have "committed an act of grave misconduct in the course of its business"#. The outcome of this advice will be to enable the IPSC provide clear legal advice to local councils on why companies such as Veolia must be excluded.
No longer will county managers or the RPA be able to hide behind erroneous interpretation of EU public procurement directives stating that they have no option but to award the contract to the most economically advantageous operator. If they persist then legal action could be the next move.
See What you can do for for details of who to write to or how to bring the campaign to your area to highlight Veolias illegal activities
* Letter from Frank Allan Chief Executive of the RPA to IPSC, June 17 2010
# http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004L0018:en:NOT


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Located at the foot of the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge on historic Airlie Road, The Bridge Tender Restaurant features the finest steaks and seafood with a spectacular panoramic view of the Intracoastal Waterway. Since 1976, this fine casual-dining establishment has earned its reputation for excellence through careful attention to detail, unparalleled cuisine...more about The Bridge Tender Restaurant
Seafood Restaurants
A strong local following has made South Beach Grill successful not just for its exquisitely prepared menu, but for its coastal ambiance as well. The decor is marked by rich colors with warm candlelight at dinner and dark wood tables and armchairs. The location, immediately south of the fixed bridge near...more about South Beach Grill
Located in Wrightsville Beach overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, Bluewater is a sprawling two-story restaurant voted the 2011 "Best Outdoor Dining" venue by Encore readers. Bluewater is open daily for lunch and dinner year-round and serves American cuisine with a distinctly coastal flair. For lunch, enjoy starters like the Bluewater Sampler, which...more about Bluewater Waterfront Grill
The view of the Intracoastal Waterway alone is worth a trip to Dockside, but if you're craving delicious and well-prepared local seafood, you'll also find the dining experience to be a mouthwatering adventure. Fresh seafood, broiled or fried, shrimp and grits and the popular shrimp boil are just a few of...more about Dockside Restaurant & Marina
King Neptune has been in business since 1946, outlasting hurricanes and the competition but not its appeal. Look for tasty fried seafood, burgers, healthy offerings, and family-friendly fare at affordable prices. King Neptune serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 7:30 am to 2 am, Sunday breakfast and lunch...more about King Neptune Restaurant
Few culinary experiences are as delightful as dining on the pier at the Oceanic. There's nothing better than a pier table in the moonlight. By day, as pelicans and seagulls kite overhead and the surf crashes below, you could be enjoying a chilled beverage, Sesame-seared Yellowfin Tuna, spicy Sun-Kissed Shrimp, or...more about Oceanic Restaurant


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DocBridge Pilot – Inserts
Workshop: CP-W1205/en
Inserts in various forms can be used in DocBridge Pilot. The types of inserts are discussed as well as where they can be used - import, DBMill import, handler sequences and / or output processing.
Advantages and disadvantages with every stage will be discussed.
|- Electronic inserts
- Physical inserts
- Inserts with: Import, DBMill Plus, Handler sequences, Output processing
|Based on (software)
|DocBridge Pilot for Windows
|Target Audience
|Project Managers, Application Developers
|Participants are able to define possibilities of defining inserts for DocBridge Pilot
|Requirements (obligatory)
|Participation in workshop CP-W1200 "DocBridge Pilot Basics"
|Requirements (recommended)
|Knowledge of document processing in output management systems
|8 persons (max.)
|1st day: 10:00 - 17:00
2nd day: 09:00 - 16:00
|Seminar Dates
|Upon request
|Costs Webinar
|€ 1.200,00 excl. V.A.T. per participant (incl. training materials) participation in the online training via desktop video conference software
|Costs On-site
|Upon request
|The workshop includes practical exercises


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Home > Fly Tying Floss
Sku: SFLO000BOLBar Code: 886741053631Old UK Sku: Sem-flo-1601Product Family Semperfli FlossLength in Meters 25Denier 400DAught 2/0Actual Spool Length M 25mActual Spool Length Yds 27 ydsProduct Delivery Package SpoolSPS-EDI-Vendor-Color Brown OliveSPS-EDI-Qty-Carton 12SPS-EDI-Category Semperfli FlossSPS-EDI-Size-Desc Spool
Different to other flosses on the market Fly Tying Floss Brown Olive is a thin floss, just 400 Denier that can be used for smaller trout flies and simply doubled over for use on Salmon patterns including classic salmon flies. By creating a thinner fly tying floss the capabilities and uses of this stunning material are enhanced so it can be used as the body for flies of many sizes.
There are 25m / 27.3 yards (approx ) per spool of Fly Tying Floss Brown Olive


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Bentley to debut Flying Spur V8 at Geneva motor showWed, 26 Feb 2014
Bentley is expanding its Flying Spur range, and will now offer a V8 engine as an option in addition to the W12 in the 2015 model year sedan. This seems like a logical extension, given the fact that Bentley has recently offered a V8 engine in the second-generation Continental GT V8, and they'll bring the new version of the Flying Spur to the Geneva Motor Show next week.
Bentley being rather straightforward with their naming practices, the new sedan will be called the Flying Spur V8. The V8 in question will be the 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged engine that debuted in the GT V8, and will produce 500-hp and 487 lb-ft of torque, and will be coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. And this being an age where numbers matter, even when it comes to cars whose power figures haven't been traditionally advertised all that much, Bentley is promising a 0 to 60 sprint of 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 183 mph. At the same time, the Flying Spur will boast a 520 cruising range, courtesy of new engine features such as cylinder deactivation, intelligent thermal management, and electrical recuperation.
The changes to this new model won't be confined to what's under the hood, as the company plans to set the Flying Spur V8 apart from its W12 sibling with figure eight chrome exhaust tips, a red center to the traditional winged Bentley badge on the hood, and front bumper grilles that will be finished in black, along with a black "wing" insert. Interior features will include Touch Screen Remote which is stored in the wood veneered center console and which will allow the rear-seat passenger to control the car's climate and infotainment system, as well as the optional Multimedia Specification which will add headrest-mounted screens as part of the entertainment system. Though if you've owned a the Mulsanne-based Bentley Eight in the late 1980s, you'll probably stick to a daily copy of The Financial Times for rear seat entertainment while on the way to the office.
The V8 will also be available in Mulliner specification, which means diamond quilted seats and a number of other details like drilled pedals.
The Flying Spur V8 will be further set apart from its W12 sibling by the standard inclusion of Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus wood veneer, 19-inch Classic painted alloy wheels, a single-piece three-person rear seat, and a choice of seven exterior colors along with four interior colors.
The Flying Spur V8 will also be available in Mulliner specification, and this popular option will add diamond quilted seats, a knurled gear lever, drilled alloy pedals, and 20-inch five spoke painted allow wheels, in addition to a 4+1 rear seat system.
The Flying Spur V8 will go on sale in the spring of 2014, and we expect prices to be announced shortly.
By Jay Ramey


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Xbox Sport Pass February 2019 Games Announced
Think about, you could have been playing a recreation for hours and simply as you might be about to finish a degree when the sport freezes up. Or you are in the course of an online competition and the sport locks up, knocking you out of it. You scream in frustration, "Why does my recreation freeze up"? The primary of its sort to commercially succeed with a 3D game engine, Everquest was launched in 1999 as an MMORPG (massively multiplayer on-line role-taking part in sport) and has since been documented as probably the most important games within the medium's historical past.
In 1977 Atari 2600 (which started what is called the second era consoles) was released by Atari and throughout the holiday season the corporate released nine games which helped gasoline the techniques popularity. You probably have a mobile phone you possibly can attempt the games at no cost on Miniclip after which download them to your iPhone, Android or Home windows Cellphone to play on the go.
What's particularly cool is that Fortnite allows you to play with your mates, it doesn't matter what platform they're on. Whether or not you are on LAPTOP, Xbox One, iOS, Android and even quickly PS4, you can be matched up towards tens of millions of different gamers from all completely different platforms.
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Xbox Recreation Move subscribers will get access to a fresh batch of blockbuster Xbox One games in February, including Shadow of the Tomb Raider , Crackdown 3 , and the primary two Batman: Arkham games. Crew-primarily based, massively multiplayer action with an enormous range of battle machines to drive into battle awaits, with new players in a position to leap into the fray immediately.
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Some folks prefer to unwind by listening to music, some like to watch TV, some like to take pleasure in a bit of baking, and a few like to play in the Arcades. When you've got 5 members of the family, each sport earns a participant a degree rating from 1-5, depending on the position they ranked in a game. By 1980 Mattel launched Intellivision with it's superior graphics this started the cutthroat business of video games.
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|Date of Effective Legalization
|July 1, 2022
|March 9, 2022
|May 26, 2020
|Costa Rica
|Jan. 12, 2020
|Northern Ireland
|June 13, 2019
|May 24, 2019
|Jan. 1, 2019
|Nov. 23, 2018
|Dec. 9, 2017
|Oct. 1, 2017
|July 12, 2017
|Mar. 1, 2017
|Feb. 24, 2017
|Apr. 1, 2016
|June 26, 2015
|United States
|Apr. 28, 2015
|May 22, 2015
|Jan. 1, 2015
|Dec. 16, 2014
|Aug. 19, 2013
|New Zealand
|Aug. 5, 2013
|July 17, 2013
|July 17, 2013
|May 18, 2013
|May 14, 2013
|June 15, 2012
|July 21, 2010
|June 27, 2010
|June 5, 2010
|Dec. 2009
(some jurisdictions; see note 2 below)
|May 1, 2009
|Jan. 1, 2009
|Nov. 30, 2006
|South Africa
|July 20, 2005
|July 3, 2005
|June 1, 2003
|Apr. 1, 2001
- The dates above are the dates on which the gay marriage laws went into effect, meaning couples could legally marry within the country, rather than the dates the laws were passed.
- Mexico City, Mexico legalized gay marriage in Dec. 2009, and that legalization led to a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that same-sex marriages performed in Mexico City must be recognized throughout the country. Since then, three more jurisdictions have legalized gay marriage: Quintana Roo (2011), Coahuila (2014), and Chihuahua (2015). Gay marriage is not technically legal throughout the country though the Supreme Court issued a ruling in 2015 making same-sex marriage easier and gave couples the right to ask for court injunctions against state gay marriage bans.
- England and Wales legalized gay marriage in July 2013, and Scotland followed in Feb. 2014. However, Northern Ireland does not have legal gay marriage, so the map above shows the United Kingdom as having legal gay marriage in only some jurisdictions.
- On May 5, 2017 Bermuda legalized gay marriage. On Dec. 10, 2017, Bermuda became the first country to abolish gay marriage. That law was overturned by the Supreme Court on June 6, 2018. The Bermuda government appealed the decision, but the Supreme Court ruled that the ban was unconstitutional on Nov. 23, 2018, legalizing gay marriage immediately. The government has 21 days to appeal and the ruling can be brought before the Privy Council in London, the final court of appeals for British overseas territories.
- On Jan. 10, 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled that gay marriages should be recognized. The ruling applies to the 23 Latin American countries that are signatories of the American Convention of Human Rights. Of the signatory countries, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay had legal gay marriage before the ruling; the other countries, such as Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, and Peru, are expected by the Court to change their laws. The Supreme Court of Costa Rica declared a gay marriage ban unconstitutional on Oct. 1, 2018 and required that gay marriage be made legal by May 26, 2020.
3News Online Staff, "August 19 Wedding Date for Same-Sex Couples," newshub.co.nz, Apr. 22, 2013
AP, "Britain Legalizes Gay Marriage as Queen Elizabeth II Gives Royal Approval," ap.org, July 17, 2013
AP, "Chile President Signs Law Allowing Same-Sex Marriage," abcnews.go.com, Dec. 9, 2021
AP, "German President Signs Bill Legalizing Gay Marriage," bloomberg.com, July 21, 2017
BBC, "Colombia Legalises Gay Marriage," bbc.com, Apr. 29, 2016
BBC, "Costa Rica Supreme Court Rules against Same-Sex Marriage Ban," bbc.com, Aug. 10, 2018
BBC, "Denmark Approves Same-Sex Marriage and Church Weddings," bbc.com, June 7, 2012
BBC, "France Gay Marriage: Hollande Signs Bill into Law," bbc.com, May 18, 2013
BBC, "Inter-American Human Rights Court Backs Same-Sex Marriage," bbc.com, Jan. 10, 2018
BBC, "Jersey to Introduce Same-Sex Marriage from 1 July," bbc.com, June 27, 2018
BBC, "Same-Sex Marriage Bill Comes into Force in Uruguay," bbc.com, Aug. 5, 2013
Stephen Calleja, "Malta OKs Same-Sex Marriages over Catholic Church Protest," washingtonpost.com, July 12, 2017
Damien Cave and Jacqueline Williams, "Australia Makes Same-Sex Marriage Legal," nytimes.com, Dec. 7, 2017
CNN, "Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in Amsterdam," cnn.com, Apr. 1, 2001
Sarah Cox, "Foreign Laws Regarding Same Sex Marriage and Civil Unions," uconn.edu, Aug. 13, 2015
Nick Duffy, "Bermuda Court to Hear Government Appeal against Equal Marriage," pinknews.co.uk, Aug. 27, 2018
Equality and Human Rights Commission, "The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013: The Equality and Human Rights Implications for Marriage and the Law in England and Wales," equalityhumanrights.com, Mar. 24, 2014
Emma Farge, "Bermuda's Top Court Deems Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional," huffingtonpost.com, Nov. 24, 2018
Aris Folley, "Bermuda Supreme Court Overturns Ban on Gay Marriage," thehill.com, June 6, 2018
Freedom to Marry, "International Progress Toward the Freedom to Marry," freedomtomarry.org (accessed Sep. 16, 2013)
Julia Hollingsworth, "Taiwan Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage in Historic First for Asia," cnn.com, May 17, 2019
Hira Humayun and Sarah Cullinane, "Taiwan Voters Reject Same-Sex Marriage," cnn.com, Nov. 25, 2018
Oscar Lopez, "Ecuador Approves Same-Sex Marriage as LGBT+ Groups Hail Landmark Week," reuters.com, June 13, 2019
Luxembourg Times, "Same-Sex Marriages from January 1," luxtimes.lu, July 7, 2017
Joseph Patrick McCormick, "Parliament in Greenland Unanimously Approves Same-Sex Marriage," pinknews.co.uk, May 27, 2015
Renwick McLean, "Spain Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage," nytimes.com, June 30, 2005
Marja Novak, "Slovenia Allows Same-Sex Marriage, but Not Adoption," reuters.com, Feb. 24, 2017
Chris Page, "Northern Ireland Abortion and Same-Sex Marriage Laws Change," bbc.com, Oct. 22, 2019
Shawn Pogatchnik, "'Bold' Ireland Votes to Legalize Gay Marriage in a Landslide," washingtonpost.com, May 23, 2015
Pew Research Center, "Gay Marriage around the World," pewforum.org, Aug. 8, 2017
Radio New Zealand, "Marriage Legislation Becomes Law," radionz.co.nz, Apr. 21, 2013
Simon Romero, "Brazilian Court Council Removes a Barrier to Same-Sex Marriage," nytimes.com, May 14, 2013
Reuters, "Switzerland Votes to Make Same-Sex Marriage Legal by Near Two-Thirds Majority," cnn.com, Sep. 26, 2021
San Francisco Chronicle, "Canada OKs Gay Marriage," sfgate.com, July 25, 2005
Julien Sauvalle, "Same-Sex Marriages Begin in Greenland," out.com, Apr. 1, 2016
Nadine Schmidt and Hilary Clarke, "Austrian Court Rules Same-Sex Couples Can Marry from 2019," cnn.com, Dec. 5, 2017
Washington Blade, "Uruguayan President Signs Marriage Bill into Law," washingtonblade.com, May 7, 2013
|People who view this page may also like:
|1. Gay Marriage in the US Supreme Court, 2015
|2. Are people born gay? Pros and cons in debate over origin of sexual orientation
|3. History of the Same-Sex Marriage Debate, 1970 - present


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9951 Standar Drapery Ring, ea
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Good afternoon!
Today I have rejoined the What I Ate Wednesday craze that seems to have taken over the blog world every Hump Day. But, before we get into that, I have some discounts I have been meaning to share with you.
• Yes To is currently offering 35% OFF any online order by using the promo code YESTO35 upon checkout! (Read my Yes To product reviews here and here.)
• Starbucks is helping all of us dive right into the holidays by offering BOGO holiday coffees today through Sunday, November 17th from 2-5 p.m. Choose from Caramel Brulée Latte, Peppermint Mocha or Gingerbread Latte at participating cafes.
• Hearts is still offering Housewife Glamour readers 30% off any regular priced item (including the mint and gray convertible envelope clutch I'm still loving!) Simply enter HOUSEWIFE30 upon your checkout.
Hopefully that keeps you busy and excited enough to jump right into the holiday season that is so quickly sneaking up on us!
What I Ate
Wednesday Tuesday
You guys. I think I may have started something serious with cereal. This week I have pushed the egg whites and oatmeal aside to try a variety of new boxes, including this Fiber One chocolate superstar.
Yesterday I topped it with a spoonful of almond butter and gave my best efforts to have Scott try a bowl of his own. No dice… but he's the one truly missing out on this one. It was so, so good and I might have had the same exact breakfast this morning too.
I wasn't quite hungry for lunch yet, so I prolonged it by enjoying a serving of veggie crisps for a snack at the computer around Noon.
I had a rumble in my belly a few hours later and decided it was finally time to clean out the vegetable drawer for a late lunch. I found a lot of things to put on top of my salad, however, the sole survivors of the "good" produce only included the following:
(Spring Mix, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, sliced deli turkey, shredded cheese and ground pepper. Not pictured is the balsamic vinaigrette dressing.)
It may look small, but don't be fooled by the plateful that held me over until my trip to the gym. (Yup, no more excuses!)
I made sure my strength was up pre-workout with a little dose of extra protein in a Designer Whey Protein 2 Go Berry packet on the way over.
(Don't be deceived by the Vitamin Water label… that pink hue is all DW!)
It felt so great to get back to running again. The first few miles are always rough when I take a week or so off from it, but once I hit twenty minutes or so it's smooth sailing.
Keeping it simple, I slowly ran my way to a steady speed of 7.2 m.p.h. for the majority of my five mile run and finished in just under 44 minutes. Woot!
Directly after stretching, I met Scott at his office to help him run a few work related errands. I also split a Chocolate Mint Zone Perfect protein bar with him for some post-run recovery.
(Best flavor ever!)
Somehow we ended up at the outlet mall. I fully blame Scott for it too, considering I left empty handed this time around. I did, however, find dinner at the food court with this cup of tomato soup from Mac 'n Cheez!
Nothing else really sounded good to me, so I ended up splitting Scott's ginormous bowl of Cubano Mac as well.
(Macaroni, ham, toasted bread crumbs, Swiss, pickles, Italian peppers and yellow mustard.)
I could have done without the mustard (not a fan), but everything else was notably delicious! Their macaroni and cheese bowls are always so creative.
We made it home around 8:30 p.m. and I had a sweet tooth that was not kidding around. Like the worst I've craved chocolate it in a long, long time. Listening to my body, I caved and enjoyed every bite of this Wendy's frosty while baking these Ghirardelli chocolate brownies.
Sorry I'm not sorry for any part of it.
And that's what I ate yesterday. If you ask me, it wasn't the healthiest day of eating, but it's okay. I work hard to be able to indulge in desserts every once in a while and encourage you to do the same, if that's what your body is telling you to do. Moderation is what helps balance it all!
• If you liked this WIAW post, head on over to Peas & Crayons to check out plenty others, or even link your own.
• Also, you can always find my latest What I Ate Wednesday posts by exploring the "WIAW" tag on the right hand sidebar.


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Disease .......is it our friend or enemy?
All of our text books say that disease is our enemy. So we have to fight against it. That means we have to declare a war against it. War? Yes, with anti biotics .......... anti fungals ...... you have to kill your enemy!
But do you have any right to kill? You have to love your enemy. So how can you poison the bacteria and virus? Actually, where is the bacteria? Inside our body. So where should you dump the killer medicine? Just inside .....! Can you kill some germs inside, without killing yourself? Is it possible? Is it religious?
Then what can we do? How can we achieve health? You see,violence cannot improve your health. Only nonviolence represents health. You have to understand "health" in a different manner to understand this. The same is true of "disease."
Disease is not your enemy. It is your friend! It communicates something to save your life. It gives some warnings to correct. It is to correct your mistakes. Suppose you are having a common cold. You may blame bacteria. Your doctor may give anti biotics. But what is it? What happens to your own body when you have it?
Some thing runs out of your nose. OK, that is why you call it a "runny nose!" But don't run behind your runny nose! It is the toxic mucous which is going out, isn't it? Do you want to keep it inside your body? Or do you want it out? "I want it out." Yes, that is what your body tries to do with a common cold. So why did you stop it?
All the mucous may accumulate inside the sinus, lungs, and stomach. It may lead to a migraine head ache, an allergy, or asthma. So disease is not your enemy. It is also the mechanism of your body.
If you would just observe fasting for two days or three, it will disappear after its purpose. Then your inner organs will become pure which may improve to health.
Jacob Vadakancherry
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Disease as Friend
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Wizard Defense
Your towers are called Elementums, each drawing its power from an element like wind, fire, earth and so on. Unlike many element-based TD games though, there are no gems or detailed resources here to play with. It's a pretty simple design, actually. You begin with just two Elementums; Leafros (a tree) and Voltoss (a storm cloud). Towers cost "Lumens" to build, which is basically the game's magical equivalent of money (you earn Lumens for each monster you destroy). Each of your towers can be given one "boost"; power, speed or range. While the towers cost different amounts of Lumens to build, the boosts always cost the same amount.
The boosts are pretty self-explanatory, especially for TD fans. However, since you can only give towers one boost each, they're pretty extreme (especially the range boost, which also improves critical hit chance). The speed boost doubles your attack speed and the power boost really increases damage a considerable amount. Lastly, boosting an Elementum also enables a secondary, inherent ability, such as temporarily freezing enemies or causing area-of-effect damage.
The controls are standard fare for this kind of game; just point and click with the mouse. Each stage of the game consists of two levels with around seven or eight waves of monsters. Your character is positioned at the end of the path, which would represent the "base" in most other TD games. You have 10 points of life, and lose them if enemies are able to get past your towers and attack you.
Your character doesn't just serve as decoration, though—you can also cast offensive spells that damage monsters and supplement your Elementums. You'll learn these spells—rather slowly—as you progress through levels by earning "medal points." At the end of each quest, you're awarded a bronze, silver or gold medal depending on your score. Each medal is worth a different number of medal points that unlock spells, like the "Magic Bolts" spell that lets you target monsters directly, or the "Fire Wall" that you can place down across the path to damage any monster that passes through it.
Analysis: Story-wise, you might liken Wizard Defense to the Harry Potter franchise at first glance. The whole "young-wizard-at-a-magic-boarding-school" is a bit similar, even if only in premise. It's the back-story though—along with the highly-polished website and fleshed-out characters—that actually confused me at first, wondering if this was some new intellectual property like a novel or cartoon that was licensed into a Flash game to promote it. Typically, you just don't see this kind of production value in independent Flash games (especially in the tower defense genre, which is still primarily a grassroots movement). It's got its own Web site, complete with professionally-drawn art with lots of written story behind it, and even a forum section. More importantly, this production value is evident in-game as well, with great animation and sound, gorgeous backgrounds and an overall gloss that's usually only found in downloaded games.
That being said, the first question is whether or not the gameplay lives up to the standard of its packaging. The answer? Almost. First of all, the game is labeled as still in beta. While there's not many bugs that hinder gameplay aside from the occasional UI overlay hiccup, it might suggest that the developers are still tweaking things behind-the-scenes, like enemy hit points or other balance mechanics.
Even though there are three levels of difficulty available, some tower defense veterans might find Wizard Defense a bit on the easy side. That's not to say it's a cakewalk; the medium and hard modes offer fewer resources and tougher enemies, and will pose a challenge to most players. The overall mechanics are a bit simple for this genre though, suggesting that it was designed to be accessible even for a pre-teen audience.
However, that doesn't stop Wizard Defense from being one of the most impressive TD games I've ever seen. Aside from the ending coming a little too quickly (and for some, requiring registration to play past the first quest), there's not too much to complain about. Multiple path routes and a variety of tower and spell abilities offer just as much strategic fun as any other defense game. Rooted by its rich story and dazzling presentation, it's something that every casual gamer should check out.
Thanks for the suggestion, Ed!


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What do you get when you mix a unique blend of design creativity, striking twins and a strong Instagram presence? Answer –social media savvy twins Bianca and Yasmin Wilshin's burgeoning swimwear brand The Hessian Collection.
Utilising their university degrees and dabbling in modelling, these Sydney Northern Beaches girls have created the perfect storm for a swimwear empire. Drawing inspiration from the colours and designs of cities worldwide, the globetrotters have developed a line that has you fast plotting your summer escape.
Here we chat to founder Bianca about the collection's journey – from unintentional beginnings to big future plans…
When did you launch the brand?
The brand was officially launched as a SoleTrader 12th May, 2016.
How did The Hessian Collection originate and what inspired you to start the brand?
Growing up with such a creative mum has always sparked my innovation. The Hessian Collection unintentionally originated after a trip to Bali a few years back, however, design and creativity is something that I had always wanted to pursue. I designed and created a few bikinis for myself, people got interested and wanted them for themselves… and The Hessian Collection was born!
How do you come up with the designs for your brand and what can we expect to see from your collection with summer coming up?
I love to travel and explore with my twin sister, Yasmin. When we visit different parts of the world, we get creative. My muse for each bikini and their designs and colours are unique to the country, city or location that has inspired us on our travels. As a local Northern Beaches girl, I like to bring a little piece of the world back home every time I travel. The Berlin Bikini and Hvar String is inspired by our last European trip!
How does your collection differ from others on the market?
With our bikinis, you really have to try them on to completely appreciate them. Our minimal cuts and stylish designs – combined with their supportive structure – shape the female figure perfectly. Not many people realise how supportive a tiny little bikini can be until they try one of ours.
You both do a lot of modelling for the collection – how did your modelling come about?
The modelling definitely became more frequent when the label was established. The initial idea was to save costs, however, the twin photoshoots have become a unique marketing technique for the business.
So you run the business and model for the collection, has this become a full-time job for you both?
Aside from each of our university degrees, The Hessian Collection has become a full-time job for both of us!
Do you find being twins helps you manage the business?
Although technically the business is mine (Bianca), we both manage it together. Having each other has definitely helped grow the business. It's amazing having someone with the same mindset and morals to bounce ideas off.
Who takes over the different aspects of the business?
Yasmin's business/finance degree and my business/marketing degree has definitely contributed towards different sections of the business. However, we are both creative and therefore share most roles.
You both have a large following on Instagram, do you find this helps you to grow the brand?
Yes, both of our personal Instagram following has definitely assisted with initial exposure and increased brand awareness to The Hessian Collection. Although, it's our timeless designs, flattering cuts and high quality that maintain our loyal supporters!
Where do you see The Hessian Collection in five years' time?
In 5 years' time, The Hessian Collection will be bigger and better than ever! March next year I will be officially qualified from UTS with a Business degree majoring in Marketing and sub-majoring in Management. I can't wait to finally apply my knowledge and dedicate my entire attention and time towards The Hessian Collection.
We have some amazing things planned for the business over the next few years. Starting with an America trip in April for some new inspiration!
Click here to check out The Hessian Collection online | Main image: @thehessiancollection | All other images: @bianca.wilshin | Words by Maddi Kinchington
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Travel Coffee Mug
Each year over 300 billion single-use cups are made worldwide and less than 2% are recycled. Despite appearances, almost all big businesses' disposable coffee cups are lined in plastic. Choose to reuse. Each time you choose to re-use, even just once a week, you will be helping in the fight against single-use waste. If 2 million people chose to re-use just once a week, we would stop 104,000,000 single-use cups going to landfill each year.
These beautiful coffee cups are made from a composite of natural, organic bamboo fiber, corn starch and a plant-based resin. The sleeve and lid are made from silicone (made from sand and not petroleum).
Size: 14 oz