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Copyright 2023 Harvard Club of Merrimack Valley, Inc. All rights reserved.
PO BOX 1041 Andover, MA 01810
Our Community
Harvard Club of Merrimack Valley, Inc.
PO Box 1041 | Andover, MA | 01810
Local Charitable Support
The Club supports community charities, including Family Services of Merrimack Valley and others.
CLICK HERE to make a tax-deductible donation to our club to support our charitable, educational and cultural programs.
Educational Support
HCMV's mission includes interviewing local prospective students for Harvard University admission, representing Harvard at college fairs and providing scholarships for local Harvard students. If you are interested in joining the interview process, please email Dick Soo Hoo or call him at 978-470-2293.
HCMV's academic support goes well beyond Harvard admissions. We encourage excellence through recognition of local high school students with the Harvard Prize Book Award. The Prize is awarded annually to selected Junior year H.S. students within our 16 towns and cities. Enterprise Bank generously sponsors this effort.
The Club has recently embarked upon an ambitious program to advise local high school students in their effort to gain admission to selective colleges and universities (Harvard and others).
HCMV sponsors a variety of cultural and educational events year 'round, including theater outings, wine-tastings, sports events, nature hikes, museum trips and more.
Through a reciprocity arrangement, members also may attend Harvard Club of the North Shore's (HCNS) events.
Aug 5 (Saturday) 1-4 PM
(rain date Aug 12)
Current members and their guests are invited to attend a potluck BBQ at Frank and Belva's house in Andover.
This popular event is free, but please register.
CLICK HERE for details and registration.
We hope you will Make a Donation to the Club so that we can continue to bring you symposia and events. We incur expenses in arranging educational and entertaining talks and events. Covid restrictions have limited fund-raising through normal ticket sales for in-person events.
Dec 1/20: Homeland Security w/
Juliette Kayyem (Members Only)
Dec 3/20: Ig Nobel Night with Marc Abrahams
Dec 10/20: Survival of the Friendliest with Prof Brian Hare
Feb 4/21: Per-Suasion
with author Robert Cialdini
Feb 25/'21: Happiness
with Robert Jon Waldinger, MD
Mar 3/21: Quantum Computing with Suhare Nur/IBM
Mar 18/21: The Voice in our Head, with Prof Ethan Kross
Mar 18/21: The Civil War and the Constitution with Prof Michael Klarman
Mar 25/21: The Hype Machine with Dr. Sinan Aral/MIT
Apr 16/'21: Virtual Cheese Tasting
Apr 26/21: Rep. Seth Moulton
Jun 10: The 2021 HCMV Annual Meeting
Sept 9/21: The 2021 Ig Nobel Prizes
Nov 3/21: Soft, Wearable Robots with Prof Conor Walsh
Nov 16/21: The Preparedness Paradox with Prof Juliette Kayyem
Nov 30/21: Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding with Prof Daniel Lieberman
CLICK HERE to watch the recording, PASSCODE: Exercised+1
Jan 27/22: Biden at Year Two: A Historical Assessment with Prof Ted Widmer
Mar 10/22: How Stories Shape History with Professor Martin Puchner
Mar 23/22: Harvard Music: Past, Present, Future with Professors Thomas F. Kelly & Dean M. Uy
Apr 28/22: Virtual Cheese Tasting
Presented by Mill City Cheesemongers
Aug 13/22: Summer BBQ
Annual outdoor party at Frank and Belva Hopkin's home.
Aug 29/22: Sunset Sailaway
Sunset "Sailaway" aboard the schooner Ardelle along the coast of Gloucester and Cape Ann.
Sept 15/22: The 2022 Ig Nobels -
Live Simulcast
Stevens Center, N. Andover, MA
Dec 8/22: Holiday Potluck
Dec 15/22: Webinar
Cooking Science
Feb 9/23: Virtual Chocolate Tasting
Feb 21/23: Congressman Seth Moulton
Live at Hawthorne Hotel, Salem, MA and by Zoom
Harvard Club of Merrimack Valley
The Harvard Club of Merrimack Valley (a merger of the the former Harvard Clubs of Andover and Lowell) welcomes alumni/ae, students, faculty and employees (and their families) from all Harvard-affiliated schools.
The Club represents 16 towns and cities surrounding Andover and Lowell. Organized as a 501 (c) (3) entity, the HCMV hosts cultural and educational events for its members and actively supports the University and the community at large.
Join the Club!
Membership runs calendar year.
For details regarding membership,
If you are unsure as to whether or not you are a current member, please CLICK HERE
for a current membership list.
Click to email Dennis Vecchi with membership questions.
Attend a Board Meeting
Interested in getting involved? Join us at a monthly meeting (usually the fourth Monday of the month). Click to email club President Stuart Peskoe for details.
CLICK HERE to see the Board members.


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Just-A-Falls kit systems include everything you need to build a beautiful waterfall.
Just-A-Falls kits are easy to install. Unlike a pond where plant ledges and shape are a concern, a Just-A-Falls layout is simply a large hole in the ground which, after the underlayment and liner are installed, gets filled with rock or Res-Cubes. Use larger rock (6"-12") to fill area within 6" to 8" of top, then use small stone (1"-2") to fill the remainder. The small rocks keep sticks, leaves and other debris from getting down into the large rock area.
**50" and 82" SHIP MOTOR FREIGHT**
Kits Include:
- 45 mil EPDM rubber liner
- Underlayment
- Waterfall spillway
- EasyPro pump vault
- Submersible pump
- Check valve assembly
- Flexible PVC pipe
- WIK installation kit
- JAF1: 5' x 5' x 2' Deep; 7' long stream (max)
- JAF2: 5' x 6' x 2' Deep; 11' long stream (max)
- JAF3: 8' x 10' x 3' Deep; 18' long stream (max)
- JAF4: 10' x 12' x 3' Deep; 30' long stream (max)
Payment & Security
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.

subset: commoncrawl


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Following a record-breaking festival last year, Dot To Dot is set to return to Bristol, Manchester and Nottingham from the 25th-27th May this year.
Heading into it's 13th year, the three one-dayers will be headlined by The Horrors. Having released their aptly named fifth album V last year, the Southend-on-Sea five-piece are set to bring an unforgettable headline set to the three cities.
They're accompanied by a brilliant lineup of up and coming bands including Dermot Kennedy, Pale Waves, Marika Hackman, Mahalia, Bad Sounds, Adam French, Our Girl, Puma Blue and many more.
Showcasing some of the best up and coming bands, Dot To Dot is the perfect place to catch the next big thing, with the likes of Dua Lipa, Florence + The Machine, Ed Sheeran, The xx, Mumford and Sons, The 1975 and Wolf Alice having played previous iterations of the festival.
Dot To Dot takes place in Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham on the 25th, 26th and 27th of May respectively. Tickets for Dot To Dot 2018 are available to purchase now for just £13, at that price there really is no excuse not to go…


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How to sum a value range with more than one criteria
I have a matrix with a column \"montant\" and two columns \"TypeP\" and \"P\" that I use as criteria.
I want to sum \"Montant\" for only one combinaison of the two criteria.
Thanks for your help.
vb67 Answered question April 4, 2021
Hi vb67!
1. Let there are three matrices:
SD{C:Fields[I:Value, TypeP, P], C:Recs[I:Rc1..Rc10]} is some Source Data,
SmlCrt{C:Criterium[I:TypeP, P]} is Sampling Criteria,
Report{C:CalcVar[I:Calc1..Calc3]} are Results of three formulas;
2. Let the TypeP criterion takes values from the range [C1,C2,C3]; the criterion P takes values from the range [E1,E2,E3].
Then the sum of the values chosen by the two criteria (TypeP & P) can be obtained by one of the three formulas (see below).
Good luck
S A U Answered question April 2, 2021


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Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's family has amassed a "vast fortune", with stakes in at least 114 domestic companies spanning most of the Kingdom's key sectors, including major energy, telecoms, mining and trading firms, according to an investigation by Global Witness, which accuses the Hun family of flouting the country's laws to build a business "empire".
The report, Hostile Takeover: The Corporate Empire of Cambodia's Ruling Family, details the vast holdings of the Hun family across 18 sectors, finding that 27 relatives of the premier are linked to companies whose official share capital value is more than $200 million.
Further, the report – and sources spoken to by the Post – stress the paper trail is just "the tip of the iceberg", stating the family is believed to use proxies to hide the true size of its business empire and its members' personal fortunes.


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John Hilgart returns to the site with an interview with Elaine Lee and Michael Kaluta on their new Starstruck push.
Elaine – This book will have 80 new pages of very detailed sequential art that will need to be drawn, inked and lettered. Our basic goal is $44,000. That would allow Michael to finish the black and white artwork, me to finish the script and layout, pay for the lettering and print signed and numbered, hardback books and mail them. Plus, other incentives.
If we can get $69,000, the whole 140 pages will get new, fully painted, digital color. If we make what we need for the color, the painting can start right away on some of the many finished pages, while Michael is drawing new ones.
We're hoping to finish the work by end of December of this year. Then we're allowing a couple of months to get the books printed.
I used to love going to the previous iteration of this comic-con.
Here are five things being thought about by comics people that Tom Spurgeon knows (guest appearance by yours truly).
Joanna Draper Carlson on the ComiXology/Saga controversy.
And these are particularly fine looking comics by Sam Alden (via Jordan Crane).


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I love Tweeter. I was once a Tweeter skeptic – what can one say in only 140 characters? I thought of it as another example of the modern culture of superficiality – where you don't have to go deep to understand anything.
Boy was I wrong. Since joining Tweeter this year, it has become my communication hub, specially since Google decided to scrap Google Reader. Instead of subscribing to blogs using RSS, I now follow the writers of the blog, and doing this I also get some extra stuff that are not published in a blog (thoughts that are not long enough for a blog post but short enough for a tweet). This is the story of one of these "extras".
If you are a software developer, and you haven't been under a rock for the last 10+ years, you have surely read/heard about Kent Beck, the creator of Extreme Programming. This guy is really popular. A while ago he tweeted one of his thoughts:
once again, trying to do it *and* do it right was too much all at once, resulting in little progress and little learning.
— Kent Beck (@KentBeck) April 15, 2013
Interesting… but what does he think should come first? Do it, or do it right? Well, this is tweeter, no walls anywhere… so I decided to ask him the question:
@kentbeck so what comes first?
— Arieh Bibliowicz (@vainolo) April 16, 2013
To my greatest surprise, he answered (surprise because he is followed by ~45K people, and I'm surely not the only one who replies to his posts):
@vainolo make it run
— Kent Beck (@KentBeck) April 16, 2013
Wow! The world is definitely getting flat.
Edit: @KentBeck posted an extended analysis of this thought in a full blog post. Very interesting reading material.


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Before every round, the West Ranch boys golf team repeats the same phrase:
"Playing for Poppy."
The CIF state finals are hosted at Poppy Hills, and that's the destination the Wildcats are hoping to reach by the end of the season. They took their first step towards that goal on Tuesday, winning Foothill League meet No. 1 at Sand Canyon Country Club.
"We're really confident this year," said West Ranch's Favian Busnawi. "We have a really good team. Our team all around is pretty good. We're actually looking at CIF, we're working towards Poppy Hills this year."
West Ranch came in first with a team score of 399. Saugus was second at 408 and Hart was third at 422. Valencia came in fourth with 435, Golden Valley fifth with 491 and Canyon sixth with 543.
Busnawi shot a team-low 4-over 76 for the medalist title. Chad Waitkus Saugus' No. 4 was second at 5-over 77 and Hart's No. 1 and 2 golfers Cameron Gadd and Joe Lotta each followed with 7-over 79.
Busnawi, the No. 3 golfer in West Ranch's lineup, said that his short game is what made the difference in his play on Tuesday. He said he dedicates one to two hours of practice each day to that area of his game.
"I didn't hit very many greens today so it was all short game," Busnawi said. "It was getting up and down from pretty much everywhere. Thirty yards, right around the green from the bunker. My chipping and putting really helped out today."
He said Sand Canyon has improved as a course and has particularly firm greens, causing him to adjust his play to get the ball right where he wanted it.
"Instead of going right off the pin, I was aiming at the setter, the front of the green and just get the ball to roll out a little bit more than usual," Busnawi said. "Same with the chips, I knew they weren't going to self check like they usually do, just playing for that extra roll."
Although the scores weren't as low as they might have hoped, the Wildcats shot consistently across the lineup. Outside of Busnawi's score, the West Ranch golfers all shot within five strokes of each other.
"Even with a bad round, they keep their head up and continue playing golf. I think that's key, they don't give up easily." Busnawi said.
West Ranch continues its journey to Poppy Hills as they continue Foothill League competition on March 26 in the second league meet of the season at Valencia Country Club.


text: kokizrole 0 Posted July 9, 2016 Subal ND4S angler version, new design with lovely custom black painting which makes the housing much friendlier to marine animals than the original shiny grey color. Housing can go with Nikon D4s as well as D4 and has a standard bayonet size FE4 and standard flash socket. Housing is in lovely condition and has few very tiny scratches as pictures show. I'm a professional photographer and always care about my gear the same way as I'm approaching my work. www.georgekarbusphotography.com PRICE €3300 The original price was € 5800. The only reason I'm selling this housing is upgrade for Nikon D5 contact email: firstname.lastname@example.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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"I haven't said enough."
It's always fun to be a post inspiration. Makes me smile.
Jen writes about the sometimes shocking amount of self-disclosure bloggers engage in, myself included, in a post entitled "T.M.I." She has some really interesting things to say. You should check it out.
Even if she thought I was from the Carolinas. I wonder if that's because I cheered for the Panthers in the Supa Dupa Bowl. (No, I just don't like the Pats. It's pretty much that simple.)
But she has a point. You learn a lot more than you expect to, if you read someone's blog with any regularity. And if you're a blogger, you find yourself wanting to share a lot more than you would in a conversation over coffee. Especially if you don't know the person very well.
Like yesterday's abrupt profession of affection for someone none of you have met, which was borne really out of the intense need to tell someone. At least, without immediately being lectured about "being sensible."
That's why I sometimes call this page my virtual confessional. Because here, behind the screen, I can say what I'm thinking.
But then again, I can't. I censor myself sometimes. I've deleted entire posts because I knew that it would offend or upset certain segments of my readership (and sometimes, a single person).
Which is why I commented to Jen that the little room I let you all peer into is not reality. It's the room I've prepared for you to see. And if there's anything less than pretty in the room, it's not because it's "reality". Not completely, anyway. I show what I want to show. I'm not dishonest with you, but I'm not completely forthright either. Because if I were, that would be too much information to share with anyone.
Just now, I deleted a sentence. I pulled it back. I decided not to take this idea thread down a particular path. You can't do that in real life. You can't delete a spoken word.
I experience the same phenomenon Jen does. I sometimes feel like I know some of you pretty well. But the fact of it is, I barely know you at all. And I have to remind myself that I don't really know you, but that I am priveleged to share with you, and have you share with me, little bits of ourselves.
But what I think motivates us to pursue these shop-window friendships is that, like so many writers and readers of literature, we are fascinated by the stories of others. I ride the train, and when I do, I sometimes sit back and think, every person here has a story all their own. A story of tragedy, triumph, betrayal, love, mystery, madness. And when I bloghop (bounding from link to link like so many stepping stones across a brook), I'm in search of that story. More than that, I'm in search of commonality with other stories. Reassurance that I'm not as, well, alone, as I feel sometimes.
I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it. Thank you, one and all, for taking this journey with me. I'm glad to have met all of you, no matter how superficially we know each other. Because if we ever crossed paths out there in that wide, wild world, I would offer you my hand. And probably some coffee or something.
By the way, it makes me very happy that my humble little page is an entertaining time-waster during class. That could be my new tagline:
Perfect Blue Buildings: Entertaining Slacker Lit-Geeks and Bored Architecture Students Since 2002!
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
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Automobile Accidents:
If you have been involved in a car wreck, contact us. We can ensure that your rights are protected. Whether you are the injured party or the at-fault party, we can provide you with sound legal representation and advice regarding personal injuries, property damage, loss of income, medical bills and insurance. Call or email us to discuss your issue.
Get In Touch
Located in Douglasville GA, Servicing All of Georgia


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Happy St. Patrick's Day!!
Having grown up in a SUPER Irish family, St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays. And I LOVE making traditional St. Patrick's Day food on, well, St. Patrick's Day. Two years ago I shared my Irish Soda Bread recipe on here and my Corned Beef and Potatoes recipe. But I realized I've never shared my easy Shepherd's Pie recipe!
It's really SUPER easy and SO delicious. I altered it a little from the "traditional" Shepherd's Pie recipe… but oh well. I do what I want! Bahaha. So, if you're looking for a St. Patrick's Day themed dinner to make for tonight… here you go!!
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a skillet, brown the ground beef and add in the worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic. Once the meat is browned, drain the grease and set aside.
While the meat is browning, make your mashed potatoes. I don't have a specific recipe for this. I just peel and cut up my potatoes, boil them, drain them, add in milk, butter, salt and pepper… mash them.
In a bowl, mix the meat, frozen peas and carrots, and about half of the frozen corn.
In an 8×8 casserole dish, spread the meat mixture evenly across the bottom. Top the meat mixture with the other half of the frozen corn. Then, top with the mashed potatoes and spread evenly.
This part is optional, but then add shredded cheese all over the top of the mashed potatoes. Not "traditionally" Shepherd's pie, but I love cheese… so sue me.
Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. If the top isn't browned, feel free to throw it on the boiler for about 2-3 minutes.
What about you? Will you try this? Do you have a Shepherd's Pie recipe? Any favorite St. Patrick's Day recipes?!
Welcome to Funday Monday! Here are a few of our favorites posts from last week's link-up:
/ Ginny Gin Gin / Peony Print / My Colors are Blush and Bashful / Floral Leggings /
The Rules for #FundayMonday Link-Ups:


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Britney Strips, Gyrates, Sweats, Flirts At Tour Kickoff
SAN DIEGO -- Britney Spears' Onyx Hotel Tour made good on its promised titillation at Tuesday night's kickoff -- with lingerie, elements of S&M and bump 'n' grind gyrations -- again and again and again.
A flamboyant emcee in a purple top hat, glittery eye patch and jacket with tails introduced the show. The production about to be witnessed, he declared like a circus ringmaster, would take the audience "where fun-filled fantasies keep you on your toes" and where "your body will be privy to many a titillation."
With that, Spears' dancers made the first of many dramatic descents from the San Diego Sports Arena's rafters and the band kicked into her latest hit, "Toxic." Britney herself arrived moments later -- first on one of the video screens that comprised nearly every vertical inch of the two-tiered stage set, and then in the flesh atop a wheeled metal platform.
Wearing the same tight black bodysuit she squeezed into for rehearsals the night before (see [article id="1485503"]"Britney Checking Into Onyx Hotel Wearing Rubberlike Outfit"[/article]), Spears led her eight dancers around the stage, up and down the silver platform, and into the second song, "Overprotected," before taking a break to say hello to the crowd.
"Goodness," she said in a Louisiana drawl. "What's up, San Diego?"
While she was making small talk, her male dancers were backstage changing into leather pants, backward suspenders over bare chests and bellboy hats for a "Boys" number in which they wheeled the girls around on luggage trolleys. It would be one of the few points in the show when the "hotel" part of the theme was clear. At other times it was easy to find yourself checking out, like when the emcee did a Rod Serling impression for a "Twilight Zone" spoof or when a video clip showed Britney wandering around a lush, garden paradise.
The night's first video clip featured Britney following a mysterious woman down an alley, where she was shown the way to a place called the Mystic Lounge. Spears' band then kicked into lounge mode, performing a subdued jazzy medley of "... Baby One More Time" and "Oops! ... I Did It Again." Carrying a microphone with a bullwhip attached to it, Spears came out wearing frilly pink lingerie with a black corset-like midsection and black stockings.
Her backup dancers, mixing undergarments with fedoras a la "Cabaret," did her "Stronger" video one better by lining up silver chairs for Britney to walk on and systematically moving the last chair to the front of the line until she'd made it across the stage.
Out of breath and quite sweaty (lip-syncing isn't the only thing giant video monitors are bad at hiding), Britney paused after "(You Drive Me) Crazy" to joke, "There's a lot of cute guys here. Who knows, maybe if you're really lucky I might marry you" (see [article id="1484029"]"Britney Spears Married In Las Vegas, At Least For A Little While"[/article]).
She would touch on her quickie marriage again moments later after changing into a short, rainbow-colored dress and sitting down at a flower-covered piano for her upcoming single "Everytime."
"I don't know if you guys know what's been going on with me, if you read the press," she said. "The past six months have been like a roller coaster with a lot of ups and a lot of downs. ... [But] everything we experience makes us realize how beautiful life can really be."
A few songs later came In the Zone's other ballad, "Shadow," and the night's most impressive dance move. With Britney sitting on a swing, long strands of cloth draped on either side of her were raised up to reveal a pair of dancers in nude-colored body stockings. The men crawled their way up, wrapping themselves in the cloth as they climbed ever higher above the stage, and once they reached the top they let go and went unraveling downward, stopping themselves just before gravity made ex-dancers out of them.
The thrills only increased as the video setting up "Touch of My Hand" appeared, in which Britney was shown lounging on a bed before blowing out some candles, letting her bathrobe drop to the floor and getting into a tub filled with bubbles and rose petals.
The crowd erupted when she performed the same disrobing onstage, revealing the diamond suit from her "Toxic" video. As her dancers stripped themselves and each other down to their underwear, Britney sent the crowd into an even bigger frenzy by enjoying, well, the touch of her hands. Slowly. From point A to points B and B.
Re-emerging for the equally libidinous "Breathe on Me" in a less expensive -- though no less revealing -- outfit consisting of a pink bra and panties, Spears cavorted on one of the stage's two beds with a male dancer, thrashing her sizable blonde mane to and fro. With everyone already dressed like Frederick's of Hollywood mannequins, it was the perfect time to slip on trench coats for the R. Kelly-penned "Outrageous," which features the lyric, "Trench coat and my underwear/ Let's go with this freak show."
But a freak show of another kind colored the finale, "(I Got That) Boom Boom." Since the Ying Yang Twins weren't there to give the song its Dirty South flavor, Britney went for the next best thing -- Mardi Gras. Tossing out bead necklaces and shooting confetti cannons, Spears thanked the crowd twice and said goodnight.
Everyone waited in their seats, though, wondering what the big encore was going to be. How was Britney going to top the Dream Within a Dream Tour's dazzling waterfall number? (see [article id="1450487"]"Britney Goes Bald, Plays Tiny Dancer, Gets Caught In The Rain At Tour Kickoff"[/article]). It turned out she wasn't.
Red lights flashed as sirens blared and warned of a "system malfunction." "Matrix"-like green graphics scrawled vertically on monitors. Then as flames burst, Britney walked out in a red pantsuit for Rishi Rich's Desi Kulcha remix of "Me Against the Music," eventually taking off the jacket to reveal a shiny red bustier but performing one of the more straightforward numbers of the night.
When the music stopped, the lights came on and a collective cry of "Awwww" was heard amongst the disappointed crowd as Britney's dancers and bandmembers awkwardly made their way offstage.
For more sights and stories from concerts around the country, check out MTV News Tour Reports.


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I've published several links to global maps of coastal hypoxia. Now, NASA has produced a new map of global hypoxic zones, based on Diaz and Rosenberg's . Spreading Dead Zones and Consequences for Marine Ecosystems. in Science, 321(5891), 926-929. NASA's EOS Image of the Day writes on Aquatic Dead Zones.
Red circles on this map show the location and size of many of our planet's dead zones. Black dots show where dead zones have been observed, but their size is unknown.
It's no coincidence that dead zones occur downriver of places where human population density is high (darkest brown). Some of the fertilizer we apply to crops is washed into streams and rivers. Fertilizer-laden runoff triggers explosive planktonic algae growth in coastal areas. The algae die and rain down into deep waters, where their remains are like fertilizer for microbes. The microbes decompose the organic matter, using up the oxygen. Mass killing of fish and other sea life often results.


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Relational circuits.
This week's revised Belonging class of the Life Model taught by Dr. Jim Wilder was again very insightful.
The topic was Relational Circuits.
These are things in our brain that can be on or off (or degrees of on and off). When they are on, there is no problem that is bigger than our relationships. When they are off, our brain does not work well, our relationships don't work well and we are not creating belonging and Shalom around us. We lose our peace and problems seem bigger than they are.
This was a real Aha-moment for me, when Jim Wilder mentioned the correlation between problems and relationships. For example, when a father yells at his daughter, the problem has become bigger than his relationship to his daughter. At this moment he no longer cares if he hurts her but completely focuses on the problem and his need to express his emotions.
When we suspend our relational functions, we treat people like objects.
Expressing our feelings and emotions become deadly weapons. We lose objectivity and perspective. Our communication hurts others instead of creating Shalom. We become as dangerous to others as drunken drivers because our relational capacities are incapacitated.
Right away I remembered situations where problems had become bigger than the relationships and things did not go well. Just recently I had to talk with somebody about a problem. And as much as I tried I could not put myself in the other person's situation in order to be less judgmental. I knew it was not OK, but I was unable to change it. Now I basically got the explanation of what happened in this situation. (Next time we will hear about what to do then.)
We receive a checklist of indicators for when our relational circuits are off.
Here are some examples that I found very telling:
- I just want to make a problem, a person or feeling stop or go away.
- I become aggressive in the way I interrogate, judge or fix others.
- I don't want to listen to what others are saying.
- When others are talking, I already know what they are going to say.
All over the world people are drawn to those that consider relationships as more important than problems, who value relationships over problems. I certainly noticed that in different African cultures, relationship are so extremely valuable – because they are their "social safety net" – and that they would not allow anything, things or problems to disrupt these relationships. My rationalization was that we in the West have social security, health insurance, retirement insurance, etc. and are therefore less depending on our relationships, and don't care as much how our behavior might damage our relationships.
But maybe there is more to it. Our ability to create belonging and whether our relational circuits are on most of the time, are related to our level of maturity. Maybe people in other parts of the world have a higher level of maturity.
So remember:
Our relationship work better when our brain (relational circuits) is running, and not just our emotions and our mouth.
(Jim Wilder) 😉


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Summer has finally arrived! It is not really a good idea to turn on the oven when the weather is so hot, but if the family wants pizza, well then it should be. Thanks to that my kitchen has turned into a sauna, but that didn't stop me from cooking a portion of veal stock and rhubarb-strawberry jam. I also planned a portion of strawberry crumble for dessert with a lot of homemade vanilla ice cream. Suddenly, I had the idea to combine the two into one: that's how this strawberry crumble ice cream was born.
for the ice cream:
200 g strawberry
500 ml milk
60 g sugar
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 vanilla pod
125 g mascarpone
for the crumble:
50 g flour
50 g almond
25 g sugar
35 g butter
Sprinkle diced strawberries with a little sugar and bake over 180°C for 10-15 percig minutes. Puree half of the strawberries and set aside. For the ice cream bring milk to the boil and in the meantime whisk egg yolks with sugar, then stir in vanilla paste. Pour hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while stirring constantly. Then put it back to onto the stove and heat until it has reached 85°C. Let it cool and stir in mascarpone. For the crumble put the ingredients into food processor and pulse until it is mixed. Bake crumble over 200°C for 5-7 minutes or until it gets slightly brown. Pour ice cream base into an ice cream maker together with with the strawberries (the machine will 'chop' them while stirring). When the ice cream is almost ready add crumble then transfer it into a bowl. Fold in the pureed baked strawberries and freeze for another 20-30 minutes. Serve with some additional crumble on top.


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It's Easter "week" here in Costa Rica. Much of the country shuts down for the entire week, kind of like spring break back home. School's out and many of the businesses close their doors for the entire week. Having said that, it means destination vacation spots are booked up and highways are going to be busy all week.
So I started the week getting caught up on laundry, it was time. Was a little surprised to find out the washing machine didn't work so I had to wash some by hand. Hopefully it'll be a long time before I ever have to do it again. I didn't know it at the time, but Donna had a new one coming soon.
As it turned out, the washer showed up the very next day. Oh well. If I hadn't done my laundry it would have been another week.
Here's some photos taken over the next few days.
La Fortuna is only seventy kilometers north of Angel Valley yet it took two hours to drive there. Roads so twisty that the speed limits ranged from 40 to 50 KPH only. On the way in there was a rear ender incident that I went by. The van driver looked pretty upset and was taking pictures of the two vehicles. No need for me to stop and gawk.
The driver of the van was still at the scene and another guy had stopped so did I. He told me that there were two young kids in the car and as soon as they plowed into the van they grabbed their beer and just took off on foot. On the way home it started to rain and I got soaked for a few miles. Then the rain stopped and in a few miles I was dry again. Also had a bit of fun riding with locals that came up on me along the way. Fun, fun, fun. Then it started raining again and they stopped. I was in "get home" mode now and just kept going.
Remember that "bit of bacon just for fun" that I picked up at the market several days ago? Well I must of eaten too much because waking up in pain on April 15th I knew immediately that gout had hit, big time. Of course this was something I was familiar with and knew I hadn't packed my "special pills". The good news is there are pharmacies everywhere and all I had to was get some help online with translations and find a pharmacy. They don't close for holidays. You sure don't need any prescriptions here and buying the drugs I needed was simple. Within six hours of popping my first pill I could feel an improvement. Thank goodness.
The oil change cost $7000 colons or less than $17.oo CDN. I'm okay with that and the motorcycle was much happier.
I'm on my way to the Monteverde cloud forest today and went through torrential downpours, hot sunshine, thunder and lightening along the way. Traveling along the Pan American highway there was a steady stream of trucks on this two lane highway. The main artery through Central America carries a lot of product. Along the way I found a nice little stop for some lunch.
With the clouds getting darker and rain close again I thought this would be a good time to stop and "refill my tank". If I was going to be riding in more rain going into Monteverde I would be doing it on a full stomach. A delicious salad and a bowl of chicken soup and I was ready to roll. In the ninety minute stop over it went from sun to torrential downpour and back to sun again.
The last 15 miles were gravel and not too bad a shape until the last couple of miles which were a bit ugly. A very beautiful countryside.
The rain held off until the last five miles so all in all it's been a wonderful day on the road. Once in Monteverde the roads in town are all paved and I popped into the Tourist info centre to find out exactly where the Hotel El Viandante was. It didn't take too long to find it, but their sign was a little small and off the road a bit so I missed it the first time. I was able to park my motorcycle next door in the owners carport which was in a gated yard so it was very safe. I liked the set up and the people were friendly so I booked both nights here.
Breakfast included, it was ham and eggs this morning and a wonderful cup of coffee. Locally grown coffee and some of the best I've had on this trip. After breakfast I booked a tour to Aventura. They would be picking me up at 10:15 and taking me up to the longest zip line in Central America. Never done anything like that before.
Adrenalin will probably always be my favorite natural drug and after a trip through the Aventura Adventure Park it was pumping through every vein in my body. WOW! Never jumped out of a plane before, never bungee jumped before, and never had a chance to ride on a zip line before….
Until today. Not only did I get to ride some zip lines, but also got to fly like Superman on the longest zip line in Central America. It's also, second longest in the world, way above the forest canopy, over 1500 meters long, and you get to do it Superman style, meaning you just hang there and ride. They also saved the best for last, the Tarzan swing. You start on a platform that's very high in the air, they get you all strapped in and then you just step off of the platform. That feeling of free falling for the first little bit was so exhilarating and then you start swinging, big time. Then they slowly reel you in and lower to the ground. Back at the reception area everyone on the tour was able to buy all the pictures that were taken along the way and they'd put them either on a CD or a USB if preferred.
Heading off this morning to complete a loop. North to Tilaran, including 25 km. of gravel, and then around the Arenal Lake to go by the Arenal Volcano, then back to La Fortuna and then home to Angel Valley. What fun I'd say.
Pt.-2 is now complete.


text: Produce an ongoing series of events linking W Hotels to the LGBT consumer. Events include concerts, networking events, pride parties and fundraisers as well as the creation of a socially aware music video with Jennifer Hudson. Created massive amounts of unique content for press and social media with single events resulting in over 30M social media impressions.


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When should a question be tagged feature-request? Is it correct to use that tag for questions about tag requests, or should it be used only for requests of non implemented features?
My thought is that support should be used for questions like "I don't understand how this works on SE; can you explain it to me?" Leaving out discussion, the only obligatory tag that is left is feature-request.


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County approves contract for designs for new grandstands, considers replacement in time for 2019 fair
County officials are making plans to replace the grandstands at Montana Expo Park.
This week, County Commissioners approved a $18,980 contract to Nelson Architects for designs related to the planned demolition and replacement of the existing grandstands.
Brian Clifton, county public works director, said the existing grandstands have been inspected twice and they are structurally sound for use during this summer's fair but it's not safe underneath.
County Commission considers funding for Expo Park grandstands, budget adjustments, storage unit project
That's where the betting windows usually are for horse racing and a dinner during the rodeo.
The plan, according to county officials, is to use the grandstands this year with relocated betting windows and then replace them in time for the 2019 fair.
That's an estimated $2 million project, according to an email Commissioner Jane Weber sent to the county accounting office while requesting a separate fund be established for the grandstand capital improvements.
Weber said Tuesday's action on the architect contract wasn't committing the county to replace the grandstands, but was to ensure the county was in a position to replace them if commissioners decide to do so.
"I think the timing is crucial here," said Commissioner Jim Larson since the county didn't have time to fix the problem for this year's fair.
Clifton said they want to have designs and figure out the most cost-effective plan to replace the grandstands.
Included in the contract with Nelson is: working with bleacher supplier on size and placement of new bleachers; code study of new layout; examine shop drawings and structural requirements from bleacher submittals; site plan showing demo conditions and new conditions; work with county's environmental testing report to develop demo plan; work with county's utility survey to establish best foundation locations; civil engineering design to connect existing area drain to existing storm sewer main; work with county's geotechnical report to develop foundation ideas to support bleacher loads as supplied by bleacher supplier; redesign existing pole lights to receive LED replacement heads; lower pole as appropriate for chosen light, design bracket to support new light heads; provide bidding and negotiation services for project; provide construction administration.
Weber said the concrete pieces falling underneath the grandstands have changed operations and will continue to be a problem if not addressed.
The grandstands are about 85 years old and are an important structure for events at the fairgrounds.
The county is also working with the Tourism Business Improvement District on an infrastructure study for upgrades at the fairgrounds.
County considering Big Sky Trust Fund application for Expo Park study
Commissioner Joe Briggs said there have been several studies that looked at options for selling the existing facility and building a new one further from the center of town. Briggs said the community response wasn't favorable to those options.
Briggs said the seats are also starting to fail and though it's not a safety issue yet, it's costing the county more in time and resources for maintenance.
Commissioner Jim Larson took issue with comments from Ryan Villines, an applicant for the zoning board who is suing the county over those board appointments. Villines said the fair was declining and Larson said the last few years have been successful.
Jeff Foxworthy to perform at Montana State Fair in Great Falls
"The fair isn't diminishing," Larson said.
Ticket sales opened April 6 for the night entertainment and Weber said so far, sales were strong.
Commissioners also approved the establishment of a separate fund for the capital improvements of the grandstand and transferred $10,000 into the account from the general fund.


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When your business is relocating, you need a partner that can anticipate your needs. Armstrong is here to help.
Office demand fluctuates every year as companies react to employment trends by expanding, downsizing or closing their physical offices. Before business leaders can embrace their new physical or virtual spaces, they need to decommission their existing space first.
Commercial leases often stipulate offices must be left in "broom-swept condition" at the end of the lease term. If these lease requirements are unmet, the exiting company could face steep fines and unnecessary headaches. If you're preparing for an office move, enlist the help of Armstrong's decommissioning services to make your commercial relocation smooth and stress-free.
Armstrong decommissioning saves you time
Trusting Armstrong to decommission your old office space allows you to focus on what you do best — growing your business. As the largest asset-based service provider in the nation, Armstrong has the experience and power to decommission your office quickly and efficiently. We can help you liquidate furniture, cubicles and office equipment that you may have left behind in your corporate relocation plan that doesn't fit your new space or needs.
Armstrong office liquidation reduces your carbon footprint
Every year, offices generate an exorbitant amount of furniture waste. Instead of sending your unwanted furniture, equipment and appliances to landfills, Armstrong provides sustainable decommission methods to minimize disposal. We'll exhaust every option to repurpose, refurbish and recycle your items as an alternative to the landfill.
Armstrong saves you money
Our experts help you find buyers for your assets to keep your furniture out of the trash while putting money back in your pocket. Armstrong's environmentally-friendly equipment liquidations, asset-resell services and tax-benefit donations lessen the impact on your budget and create value for you and your company.
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Our team helps you move and empty your office without disrupting the employee or customer experience. We work with you to create a customized decommissioning plan that will ensure your people stay happy and your company's growth trajectory stays on track.
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Learn More by Reading These Blogs:
What is Decommissioning and Why You Should Care
Business owners and their teams spend a considerable amount of time and energy on the details of moving to a new office location. Unfortunately, sometimes they spend so much time on the new move they don't think about the "what happens to the old space after we move" aspect of moving.
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Our first experience was such a success that they were our first call when the next project arose. Now they are our preferred vendor. We have had a broad range of requests from moving high end computer gear in racks to standard crate and box move/office relocation and consolidation. Armstrong has been able to assist in any area and is always prompt and professional.C.G.
Request More Information
Are you ready to get moving? Contact us to get more information today.


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Texas Furniture Maker Show 2021 - Kerrville, TX
Show Catalog Photos for Kerrville Art & Cultural Center 'Texas Furniture Maker Show 2021'Read More
23 / 25
Catalogue Item #26
*Disclaimer: When ordering prints, please keep in mind that the original proportion of the photo may not match the size you have selected.
**Digital Downloads are suitable for web use only and not intended for printing or commercial reproduction purposes. Please contact me, if you have questions.


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"Take the girl!! Don't take my dear Francis! Please!"
The mother was begging. Begging for this man to take one child, not the other. To get rid of the small butterfly girl, keeping the strong, handsome one for herself.
That was when it happened. The butterfly girl didn't feel anything. Nothing at all. No anger towards the mother that abandoned her, sold her away just to keep the other. No sadness, that she would never be back. No hurt, from the fact her own mother didn't care enough to try to protect her. The girl just felt the emptiness of her own life.
The man took the girl and tied ropes around her wrists and waist, and led her out of the house, out of the town, and through the ash field.
"You're probably wondering where we are. Right kid?" the butterfly girl didn't answer.
"You will answer me when i talk to you, with yes sir or no sir!"
The girl carefully weighed her options, which answer she would gain more from, and replied," yes sir."
"This is where the great Acra Empire once stood. There was a terrible fire, and everyone and everywhere in this fire burned to the ground. The ashes of the dead still linger here, so it earned the name 'the ash plains.'" He looked at the butterfly girl, and expected some kind of reaction from her.
She just kept walking.
At last, they reached the town of Flamyr, where the butterfly girl was to be sold.
The man and the girl stood in the main square for hours, waiting for some one to buy.
Finally, someone did. A tall woman with a mean face.
"What's special about her?" She asked, with a disgusted look on her face.
"She's a……... um."
"Im a butterfly girl." She said, answering the woman's question.
"What does that even mean?" She asked, exasperated.
"Um, it means, she's small and ugly now, but she'll be strong and beautiful later. Yeah, that's it." the man said, improvising quickly.
"Fine, I'll take her." She threw some gold coins at the man, and took the butterfly girl's ropes.
They walked for a while, then came upon a large estate in which there were a ton of girls. They were to work around the estate to earn their keep until they were a certain age, where they could leave or stay and learn a trade.
Houses like this were common in Flamyr, where the ladies overpopulated the men, so there was plenty of space for the girl, even if she hadn't been bought by the mean faced woman.
"Here!" Once the girl was clean and her hair brushed, one of the other girls held out a pink and white checkered ribbon. "It's to hold your hair back."
The butterfly girl tied her hair up, and the mean faced woman came over, but she didn't look mean anymore.
"Sorry if i scared you earlier. I have to put on a mean face sometimes or people won't take me seriously. It's the master's wife you should be scared of. She's horrible.
And I'm sorry, but I don't think I know your name. What is it?"
"Well Yuri, I believe what you said earlier. I believe you will be the most beautiful of us all."
Thank you for reading!
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« June 2012 |
| August 2012 »
Feeling really sad today, I miss my kids and my G-boy! I wish they were here celebrating like we did two years ago! Even Kat was alive and it was a perfect day!
So being sad is ok as long as I can have these great memories...just wish they were home!
Posted at 09:47 PM in Family, G-boy, Holidays | Permalink
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Someone who shall remain nameless posted kilts on my wall and now I am obsessed! LOL I love this blog! This guy has a great sense of humor and fun!
Had to share his blog!
Posted at 08:29 PM in Has NOTHING to do with ANYTHING! | Permalink
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We get involved in our own discussions and sometimes miss that others need our help. In about eight or nine hours, Pastor Yousef Nadarkhania, a convert to Christianity from the Muslim faith is scheduled for execution for apostasy. The story follows below (Google has more). Meanwhile, you can encourage Pres. Obama to intervene here, or encourage Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to intervene at 202-647-4000.
Christians are persecuted around the world all the time, a fact that the Russian Orthodox Church, to their credit, is confronting internationally. Making ourselves aware of this story is a good first step in waking up to how serious the persecution really is.
Sign the petition supporting Pastor Youself. See the Christian Solidarity website.
More information:
Source: The Washington Post | By Jordan Sekulow
Working to save the life of a Christian pastor in Iran
A week ago, Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was a relatively unknown Christian facing execution for his faith under Iran's interpretation of Sharia law. Few people knew his name, and almost no one was aware of the fate that awaited him. His only hope was and still is an immense amount of international pressure on the Iranian government to prevent the first apostate execution in Iran in over twenty years.
Earlier this week, the 11th branch of Iran's Gilan Provincial Court, on remand from the Iranian Supreme Court, determined that Pastor Nadarkhani has Islamic ancestry and therefore must recant his faith in Jesus Christ or die. Nadarkhani was to be given three opportunities to recant his face, and if he refused face execution.
Each time he was ordered to recant his faith in Jesus Christ, he refused, stating, "I cannot."
Working with Nadarkhani's Muslim attorney, contacts on the ground in Iran, American media, and congressional leaders, the ACLJ began aggressively working to highlight his situation and call for a public outcry and international pressure from the U.S. on Nadarkhani's behalf.
Our attorneys have literally worked around the clock in an effort to save Pastor Youcef's life, appearing on CBN and the 700 Club, as well as other media outlets.
The Washington Post was the first mainstream media outlet to cover the story, right here on this blog. Soon after, Fox News and CNN ran their own stories, at which point Nadarkhani's story spread like wildfire on social media.
As Pastor Firouz Sadegh-Khandjani, a Member of the Council of Elders for the Church of Iran and a close personal friend of Nadarkhani, told me on my radio show, Iran's "Constitution makes it clear . . . that Christians have the right to accept their faith," but Christian face "a religious apartheid because the tendency is not to respect the rights of minorities, minorities are not considered citizens, it is worse than apartheid because in apartheid it was written that we have apartheid, but in Iran it is not written . . . but legally we are in apartheid."
As this news began to spread, Congressional leaders began to react.
Speaker of the the House John Boehner released a statement calling for Nadarkhani's "full and unconditional release," noting that Iran's actions "are distressing for people of every country and creed." Representative James Lankford (OK-5) joined that call, noting, "Faith cannot be detained or controlled by a dictatorial regime, … a regime that falsely believes that they determine the rights they will permit for their own people." Representative Randy Forbes (VA-4), Chairman of the Prayer Caucus, reiterated, "We in America who enjoy the fundamental human right of religious freedom must demand Nadarkhani's full and unconditional release." Representative Trent Franks (AZ-2) issued a strong statement: "I appeal to whatever semblance of humanity may remain in the hearts of Iran's leaders and urge the Obama administration to make it clear, through every channel possible, that such grievous human rights abuses will not stand."
The White House has also released a statement calling "upon the Iranian authorities to release Pastor Nadarkhani, and demonstrate a commitment to basic, universal human rights, including freedom of religion."
This level of pressure on Iran is a major victory.
And it is having an effect.Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's attorney in Iran, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah told the ALCJ that at the end of the final hearing on Wednesday, three of the five judges appeared to be leaning toward annulling Pastor Youcef's sentence.
However, the death sentence still stands, and recognizing that the judges' decision is not final and may be swayed by outside pressure before delivering the final verdict, Pastor Youcef's attorney urges the international community to continue to cry out for his client's unconditional release until he is released from prison.
That is exactly what we are doing, calling on Secretary of State Clinton and other high-profile American leaders to take direct action to save this pastor's life.
Please continue to pray for Nadarkhani, his family, and his attorney.
You can help Nadarkhani by utilizing one of the various social media tools provided by the Washington Post below to share this article with your networks.


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Member Testimonials
For in-depth stories, see our ZIMS at Work series of interviews with Species360 members!
"Species360 staff are exceptionally professional, knowledgeable and efficient. And ZIMS is the easiest and safest way to keep the history of a zoo in just one place."
Syliva M. Flores, Zoo Registrar, El Paso Zoo
"ZIMS is an invaluable tool, not only allowing us to accurately monitor our facility inventory, but also record and keep track of important medical and husbandry information. These data, rather than being tucked away in paper filing cabinets, have become easily accessible tools for our husbandry and veterinary staff. The Species360 support team is fantastic. If I ever have an issue or question about how to properly use the ZIMS software to best manage our data, their response is always fast, friendly, and helpful. I never feel like I'm on my own with the software."
Matt Seguin, M.S., Curator of Husbandry and Records, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium
"ZIMS . . . is easy, speedy and user friendly! Well done!"
Maria Rodeano, Direttore, Parco Zoo Punta Verde
"The [ZIMS] features and options I always dreamed we could use are either incorporated or being planned as enhancements. In today's zoological institutions, with multiple species being managed as groups, it would be impossible to document the data the way we can in ZIMS."
Rachél Watkins Rogers, Zoo Registrar and Records Coordinator, Zoo Miami
"It's so intuitive!"
Signe Andersen, Odense Zoo
"I must thank you for your assistance, guidance and professionalism. We have only started to realize the potential of ZIMS as a management tool, even in our small institution, it's remarkable!"
Meyer de Kock, Manager, Al Bustan Zoological Centre
"This class not only synthesizes the zoo science curriculum, but it also includes a job task. [Students'] hands-on skill at entering data into ZIMS is really important for their resumes."
Maggie Liguori, Instructor, teaching with LearnZIMS, Delaware Valley University
"I just wanted to pass on a complement on the Species Holding program in ZIMS – AMAZING! I absolutely love the feature and it's incredibly easy to use. The ease of information cuts my time in half!"
Brigid Randall, The Living Desert
"ZIMS is really great!!! It's a pleasure to work with it!!"
Carsten Zehrer, Kurator / Curator Registrar, Münchener Tierpark Hellabrunn AG
"I love the batch weight entries. I love that you can see the text of all the notes. I love the weight graphs. I think I am going to like the Alerts for my fecal check due dates. I'm sure as I get further along, there will be more things I like."
Jan Johnson, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
"Species360 staff was available and prompt with 'stupid, new user' questions. I'm still adjusting to the look of the new reports, but I've never looked back to ARKS.
Tracy Frampton, Conservation Coordinator-Terrestrial, Animal Registrar, Brevard Zoo


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Improving Reality 2014 — Visibility Is A Trap
Lighthouse are putting on their Improving Reality conference again this year. It's the day before dConstruct. Come to both!
Lighthouse are putting on their Improving Reality conference again this year. It's the day before dConstruct. Come to both!
The line-up for this year's Improving Reality conference looks great (as always).
It's the day before dConstruct so why not come on down to Brighton a day early and double your fun?
Note's from Joanne's presentation at Improving Reality.
The opening keynote from Warren Ellis for this year's Improving Reality. I'd like to walk into space with this man.
One of the perks of organising this year's dConstruct is that I get to put together my dream line-up. Hence the presence of one of my favourite sci-fi authors and all-round lovely person, Lauren Beukes.
Now seeing as Lauren is coming to Brighton for dConstruct anyway, I started to wonder whether it might be possible to persuade some other authors to come to town for something specifically sci-fi to tie in with the Brighton Digital Festival. Myself and Kate started scheming together.
Here's the result: Brighton SF.
Lauren will be joined by none other than Brian Aldiss! Yes, the Brian Aldiss.
I'll be hosting the event. I'm simultaneously really excited and really nervous about that. I'm hoping that we'll have a fun hour and a half of chat and readings. I'll try to not to embarrass myself by being too much of a fan boy.
Brighton SF will take place from 6pm to 7:30pm on Thursday, September 6th—the day before dConstruct. Tickets are £7 but that includes a free drink at the bar beforehand, so get along early for that.
The venue is the Pavilion Theatre. That's also the venue for this year's Improving Reality during the afternoon. Last year's Improving Reality was excellent and this year's looks like it's going to be another winner. Warren Ellis will be speaking along with a host of smart artists and thinkers.
Improving Reality will take place from midday to 5:30pm. Tickets are £15 (or £10 for students). If you'd like to go to both events (and who wouldn't?), you can get a combination ticket for £20 (£15 for students).
This is going to be fun! Hope to see you there.


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Waikiki Spam Jam Festival 2019
Each year, 35,000 guests and local residents gather for Hawaii's most beloved and delicious annual event – the Waikiki SPAM® JAM Festival. Celebrating its 17th anniversary, the Waikiki SPAM® JAM Festival will fill Kalakaua Avenue with the sound of sizzling SPAM®, live music and entertainment, and excitement on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 4 to 10 p.m.
Hawaii's love affair with SPAM® dates back 90 years, when the pre-cooked luncheon meat was served to American military. In 2018, with billions of cans of SPAM® products sold, Hawaii continues to lead the nation in its love for SPAM® products. The most recent data suggests Hawaii residents buy nearly 7 million cans of SPAM® products per year.
Waikiki SPAM® JAM Festival attendees can enjoy a selection of SPAM® recipes from participating local restaurants and see first-hand the many ways SPAM® products can be prepared. There are twenty restaurants participating.
Admission to the family-friendly event is free and proceeds generated benefit the Hawaii Foodbank and other local charities, including the Waikiki Community Center and the Visitor Aloha Society.


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When you read spiritual books, Buddhism books, and self-help books, they are written by people who know things.
These writers have a certain view of the world, and they would like to share it with you. The writers and teachers think that if you start to see things more like they do, your life will improve and you will feel better.
I like Byron Katie's idea that each individual is wise with personal experience. Unique wisdom I can support. But I personally do not know anything much about the spiritual path for certain. I have many moments of small realizations as I go through my daily life. But I have no view of the world that I would specifically want to share with others.
My spiritual beliefs and views change very often.I read many books, from self-help advocates to spiritual teachers, to teachers of Shamanism and teachers of Buddhism.
I find many details that ring true for me. But I do not find any one path that works. I create my own path that is a patchwork of scraps from many wise people whose books I have read.
I struggled with huge doubt about considering myself a spiritual person for at least two years or more. During this time my life path was unclear, because on a different level I felt that spiritual study was actually my passion in life.
Now I am studying Transpersonal Psychologyin a Masters program. So, maybe I am now a spiritual person. But I am still ambivalent about what I believe exactly. And I certainly do not know enough about how I see the world to ever try to convince anyone else of a particular viewpoint.
I see the future of spirituality as being very personal and unique. As wisdom and traditions from throughout the world become available to read about extensively, I'm thinking other people may want to create their own spiritual paths too.
When you ask spirituality free people about what they believe, there's no phrase that can answer it.
When you ask how this unique person views the world, it's a conversation that takes hours of deep and thoughtful discussion.
Building your own spiritual path from scratch and life experience is not easy, quite the opposite.
I often feel quite confused and bewildered about life. But I'll take the confusion.
My goal is complete spiritual freedom and spiritual individuality. The future is full of intricate details and nuances that take thoughtful study of what is interesting to you.
As we notice the benefits of slowing down in life and taking our time to appreciate the world and nature, I think many of us will find the time to focus on the exact, unique spiritual path that allows us to feel passionate and fascinated by life. And so the doubt, ambivalence, and confusion show a glimmer of a positive side of spiritual freedom.
Belle is studying Transpersonal Psychology in an online Masters program. She enjoys reading tons of spiritual books and then knitting while she ponders the ideas. You can find her on twitter as @bellemusic or on her blog, www.prettycheerful.com.


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Mall rating
3.2/5 (64 %), 1 vote
1407 Retherford Street, Tulare, California - CA 93274
559 684 9091
36.230064, -119.335363
Mall hours : Mon - Sat 10am - 9pm, Sun 10am - 7pm. Hours subject to change for holidays and sales events.
Already visited Tulare Outlet Center? Write a short review!
, located on Hwy 99, the central thoroughfare of the San Joaquin Valley, extending north to I-5 through San Francisco / Sacramento and extending south to I-5 through Los Angeles. Directions from South : Hwy 99, take the Prosperity exit, turn left at the first stop light. The next stop light turn left onto Hillman, Directions from North : Hwy 99, take the Prosperity-Hillman exit. Turn left at the second stop light which is Leland.
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FINANCE March 5, 2017March 6, 2017adminshare this
Whatever we purchase, we have a never ending zeal to get some discount. If the seller gives us a discount we feel delighted and we purchase goods from him again. For this reason, many sellers give discounts to customers to increase their sales. There are two types of discounts according to the reason they are given, They are Cash Discount and Trade Discount. This article concentrates on differentiating the Trade Discount and Cash Discount.
Trade discount is defined as a discount allowed on the list price of the goods. It is given by producer to the wholesaler or by a wholesaler to the retailer for encouraging the retailer to purchase goods in large quantity. Trade discount is usually given to customers to retain the customers for a long term and the discount given is shown in the invoice and the trade discount given is not recorded in accounting records at all.
A purchased goods of list price Rs. 8,000 at 15% trade discount from X. In this case, seller allowed discount to the buyer to encourage him to make more purchases.
Cash discount is defined as a reduction in price which is allowed by the seller to the buyer to encourage him to make payment in cash at the earliest possible. It is treated as a Nominal Account transaction. The cash discount given is recorded in the accounting books. The person who allows a discount, consider it as an expense and records it under debit section as'Discount allowed'. The person who received the discount, consider it as an income and records it under credit section as 'Discount Received'.
Mr.John owes Rs. 10,000 to Mr. Carl. He pays Rs. 9,500 in full settlement against the amount due. In this case, Mr.Carl allowed a discount of Rs.500 to Mr.John to encourage him to pay the due early.
TRADE DISCOUNTCASH DISCOUNTTrade Discount is the concession given by the buyer to the seller if he purchases goods in large quantity.Cash Discount is the concession given by the buyer to the seller if he made payment before the due date. Intention of DiscountTrade Discount is also called as a strategy used by the sellers to promote sales of goods.Cash Discount is a strategy used by the sellers to encourage early cash payments from buyers. Record keepingThe trade discount allowed is not recorded in the accounting books of the firm.The cash discount allowed is recorded in the account books of the firm. Offered toTrade Discount is offered when the customer purchases goods from the seller.Cash Discount is offered to the buyer when making a payment before due date. Considered asTrade Discount given to customers is treated as a foregoing of some percent of profit for getting more sales.Cash discount given to debtors is always a loss and is shown as expenditure in the Profit and Loss Account. Provision for DiscountThere is no such concept of provision for cash discounts. Cash Discount is given according to the relationship between seller and buyer. There is a concept called 'Provision for discount on debtors' which is deducted from the profits of business every year.
From the above discussion, it is evident that both Trade Discount and Cash Discount are the tools used by the business organizations to promote their product sales and also to encourage the debtors to make payments within the due date of payment by giving a certain percent of discount on the payable amount. Anyway, these are the most familiar and widely used methods for every business to increase their business and also for maintaining a good relationship with their customers.


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PBR Launches Official Mobile Game, 8 To Glory
31 Aug, 2016, 11:54 ET
PUEBLO, Colo., Aug. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PBR (Professional Bull Riders) and Rare Labs, a leading software development firm, game developer and producer, today announced the release of 8 to Glory, a new mobile game for fans of the fast-growing sport of professional bull riding.
8 to Glory, which is available now for iOS (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pbr-8-to-glory/id1141354536?ls=1&mt=8) and Android devices (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rarelabs.eighttoglory) as a free download, features more than 30 of the top PBR athletes as well as dozens of leading PBR bulls, including Jared Allen's Air Time and Magic Train. Allen, a former NFL star who owns some of the rankest bulls competing in the PBR, came up with the concept for the game, and is the driving force behind 8 to Glory. He will help market and promote the game as one of professional bull riding's most ardent supporters.
Gamers can play individually or compete against fans around the world. Additionally, they can ride random bulls or purchase digital card packs which unlock the ability to play different riders and bulls as well as booster packs offering upgrades for the riders in their toughest match-ups.
"We've worked closely with Jared Allen and the team at Rare Labs to create a realistic mobile game featuring our top bull riders and bulls, which allows fans to compete throughout the PBR season," said PBR CEO Sean Gleason. "8 to Glory is a fun way for PBR fans to connect with our athletes and the sport while competing for bragging rights as the best cyber cowboy."
"8 to Glory is a phenomenal way for professional bull riding to expand its borders," said Jared Allen, founder and head of Jared Allen's Pro Bull Team. "The game gives PBR fans an interactive way to be more connected. It's also a cool way to get the younger generation educated and involved in the sport."
Following the initial launch, PBR plans to tie game usage to its PBR Rewards program, offering discounts on tickets and merchandise as well as other offers.
8 to Glory, the official bull riding game of the PBR, features more than 30 top riders including Kaique Pacheco, Jess Lockwood, Derek Kolbaba, Ryan Dirteater, Tanner Byrne, Fabiano Vieira, Joao Ricardo Vieira, Mike Lee, and more. Additional riders including J. B. Mauney, Cooper Davis, and Silvano Alves will be added to future game releases. The game includes more than 30 rank bulls to master, including Bushwacker, coming out of retirement, along with Air Time, Asteroid, Bruiser, Long John, After Party, Magic Train, and other top bovine athletes.
Game Features:
- Avatars of the world's top professional bull riders built on 3D models created from scans of the actual riders
- Collectible rider and bull cards that are unlocked to play in-game
- Campaign allowing gamers to follow the PBR across the country to the World Finals in Las Vegas
- Arcade mode letting users try a random bull and rider for the high score
- Fast controls and feedback that let gamers position themselves in real-time as the bulls buck and kick with realistic physics
- Leaderboards allowing users to compete against friends and players around the world for bragging rights as 8 to Glory Champion
- Real input from professional bull riders and bull owners for accurate scoring and realistic rides
- In-game Buckles to memorialize gamer achievements
About Rare Labs
Rare Labs is based in Scottsdale, AZ, and works as an external technology R&D division for multiple companies in the Southwest. The firm employs a variety of specialists in software development, product management, creative design, systems integration, project management and business strategy to give partners a complete solution in a single company. Rare Labs has the goal of being the go-to provider of technology development for companies that need custom solutions which provide a strategic advantage in their respective markets. For the games industry, the Rare Labs team has worked on more than 590 games over the past 20 years for companies including Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and Sony Online Entertainment. Rare Labs, a Rarity Investments company, has the ability to scale its local development capabilities to meet the needs of the market. For more information, visit: www.rarelabs.io
About Professional Bull Riders
The world's premier bull riding organization began as a dream of 20 bull riders 23 years ago and is now a global sports phenomenon. On its elite Built Ford Tough Series, the PBR features the top 35 bull riders in the world and the top bulls in the business. The televised Built Ford Tough Series, the BlueDEF Tour, the Touring Pro Division and the PBR's international circuits in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico have paid more than $150 million in earnings to its athletes. In May 2015, PBR was acquired by WME | IMG, a global leader in entertainment, sports and fashion. For more information on the PBR, go to PBR.com, or follow on Facebook at Facebook.com/PBR, Twitter at Twitter.com/PBR, and YouTube at YouTube.com/PBR.
Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FpV_XOL-sI
SOURCE Rare Labs


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Here's another hospital to visit, and learn about cycling and the law. Register at Eventbrite for this second, free, lunchtime talk from Cycle Law Scotland:
Jodi Gordon, Senior Solicitor at Cycle Law Scotland, Scotland's award-winning legal service dedicated to representing injured cyclists, will discuss real case studies, case law, video footage, common cycling accidents and what to do in the event of a collision. She will also talk about why she believes presumed liability should be introduced for road traffic collisions in Civil Law. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and there will be time for general debate and discussion.


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If you watched our video of the Warthog from the Halo series in action, you may be wondering how exactly you can drive this beast across the Outbacks of Australia. The Warthog is one of the best Extreme Off Road vehicles in Forza Horizon 3, which is why Microsoft isn't giving it to just anyone who plays the game.
Fortunately, we know how you can drive this beast of a vehicle as soon as you start playing Forza Horizon 3. Read on to learn more!
Driving Evolved
It was a huge surprise to hear the Warthog would be included in Forza Horizon 3 as we can't imagine anywhere else but the wide open country of Australia to drive it across. Fortunately, if you're a fan of Microsoft Game Studios titles, specifically the Halo series, you're in luck as you should already know exactly how to drive the Warthog in Forza Horizon 3.
For those who have yet to be met with a download code for the 2554 AMG Transport Dynamics M12S Warthog CST, which is a civilian transport alternative to the M12 Force Application Vehicle, that's because you need to have played either Halo 5: Guardians or Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One in order to receive a download code for the vehicle. The download code should have been sent out during the week of September 5th via an Xbox Live Message.
Microsoft doesn't mention if those who purchase either game after Forza Horizon 3 launches will be given a code for the Warthog, but we can't imagine fans of the series spending that much just to drive around in the iconic vehicle.
No Halo? No Problem!
While owning either Halo 5: Guardians or Halo: The Master Chief Collection is the easiest way to start driving the Warthog in Forza Horizon 3, it isn't the only option you have. Thankfully, Microsoft has revealed players will be able to add the Warthog to their garage through a special #Forzathon event that will launch in October. When exactly this special event will take place is unknown at this time, although we'll certainly report when it will launch as we're sure you're dying to get your hands on the Warthog.
Until then, there are over 350 vehicles to drive in Forza Horizon 3 and plenty of Extreme Off Road vehicles. If you can't gain access to the Warthog as soon as you pick the game up, just be patient and wait for the upcoming #Forzathon event to take place. After that, we're sure there will be other opportunities to earn the Warthog in Forza Horizon 3, and we'll also be sure to update this guide once we hear more opportunities.


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Door & Access Control Systems in South Carolina
Access Control Systems enable you to control who has access to your building.
Electronic access control provides the most efficient and convenient way of securing your building and assets. Installing an access control system means that you will never have to change a lock again. Tokens are issued to allow access through the controlled doors and are easily revoked if access needs to be denied.
Solutiant provides expert analysis of your access control needs, competitive pricing, and professional installation. Contact us today and don't forget to ask about our managed service program!


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From May to Oct every day at 9.00am and 2.30pm / November: Mon to Sat at 9.00am
Approx. 6 hours
Tuscany by Vespa tour: drive along scenic and silent country roads through the hillside of Tuscany on a scooter admiring the sights, smells and sounds of the Chianti region!
The only Original Vespa Tour from Florence, the very first and most beloved shared Vespa Tours in Italy! On the go for over 10 years, with over 25,000 elated clients who enthusiastically vouch for us, and our ever-growing passion and dedication this is the most carefully planned and entertaining experience you can get. Join the Vespa Club, live the Italian Dolce Vita!
Helmets on, all off for an exciting day on the road!
Led by a local guide drive your own Vespa along the quiet, cypress-lined country roads of the Chianti area, capturing the best of the scenery, the countryside aromas and soft breezes!
Our Tuscany Vespa tours start from Florence: depart from downtown aboard our minivan in the morning, for a pleasant drive to the nearby hillside. A line of state-of-the-art Vespas will be there waiting for you.
After a briefing with your English-speaking escort, a Vespa pro, you will take a practice drive in the safety of our dedicated space. Once you feel at ease and confident … whizz off, following your local guide!
Enjoy the feel of the fresh country air as you admire the gentle fields dotted with silvery olive groves, tiny ancient parish churches and golden-hued farmhouses.
Take in the beauty of luxuriant vineyards and stop along the way for photos, and for a lovely visit to a famous local winery.
Explore their cellars and learn all about wine production techniques from the expert winery staff.
Drive on along flower-filled meadows and reach the delighful boutique winery where you will enjoy a typical Tuscan lunch (or dinner). Relish the unique flavors of seasonal local specialties, learn about the estate's approach to winemaking and savor the best, with a guided tasting of the estate wine and olive oil.
To ride an AUTHENTIC PIAGGIO VESPA, the Italian design icon, choose the "SINGLE" option.
Choose the "SMART" option to ride a smaller PIAGGIO ZIP scooter.
GET THE ENDOUBLE VESPA, BRINGING YOUR PASSENGER, AND PAY FOR THE 2 OF YOU! (option "DOUBLE")
Service is operated with original PIAGGIO 50cc scooters: the authentic VESPA or the smaller ZIP (both with NO gears). We also provide APE CALESSINO (3 wheeled Vespa, driven by a tour leader) as alternative if you do not feel comfortable driving.
Mileage: about 19 miles round-trip (30 kms)
Terrain: Mostly paved countryroads with little traffic.
Difficulty: Easy. Average speed 25 km/h (15 mls/h). Minivan support always guaranteed
A valid driver's license is required (you need to have it with you on the tour) and you must be at least 18 years of age. However, you do not need a motorcycle license. If you do not feel comfortable driving, you can choose to ride as a passenger with your partner.
*From the 1st of April 2023, the activity will include a guided tour of 1 winery and a visit to the iconic town of Greve in Chianti. There will be also a special gastronomic surprise!
Suitable for vegetarians! (please inform us in advance)
FLORENCETOWN BOOKING OFFICE - Piazza Mentana 2red - Florence - SEE ON MAP
Starting from the 1st of April 2023, the tour will have a total duration of 6 hours.
Suitable for vegetarians! (please inform us in advance)
A valid driving license is required and need to be presented on the day of the tour (although you do not need a motorcycle license) and you must be at least 18 years of age to drive, at least 13 years to be a passenger.
Previous experience is not required but advantageous and highly advised. We reserve the right of final judgement in client participation of actual scooter driving or in client being a passenger, or to discontinue scooter use at any point of the tour. Any participant unable to drive scooters safely may ride double with a partner, or on the guide's scooter if available or continue the tour on board one of our support vehicles (the Tuscany Tuk Tuk or the minivan, depending which is available) if unable to be a safe passenger as well. NO REFUNDS will be granted in this case. OUR FIRST AND FOREMOST CONCERN IS EVERYONE'S SAFETY.
This tour option entitles client to ride the original PIAGGIO VESPAs, but PIAGGIO ZIP scooters (which are lighter and easier to ride) are available.
A THIRD-PARTY insurance for civil liability is INCLUDED in the price of the tour. As for any vehicle rental, please note that clients will be given two options to choose from, to cover vehicle damages (either one of these two will need to be chosen in order to rent the Vespa): subscribe an additional insurance (€20,00 per vehicle, not refundable) or sign for a guarantee deposit of €500,00 on their credit card.
Please let us know in advance any special need or impaired mobility of the clients and we will do our best to accomodate them.
Provided that we will do our best to proceed with the tours, avoiding the rain and thus possibly carrying out the tour with our minivan until and if the rain should stop and street conditions will guarantee a safe ride.
If it does not stop raining, the entire tour will be conducted in the safety and comfort of the minivan.
Since we are aware that the experience running today, might not be the one you had wished for, we are hereby giving you the following choices, to be communicated to our Front Office Staff DURING THE CHECK-IN PROCEDURE:
1) Proceed with the tour hoping for clearing weather – PARTIAL RIDE or NO RIDE due to heavy RAIN
Customers can decide to proceed with the tour hoping for clearing weather with the understanding that if scooters are not ridden at all due to rain, or if the Vespa tour is dramatically abbreviated due to rain, customers will NOT be granted any refund or discount. We will do our best to get you on a scooter, weather permitting.
2) Reschedule the tour for another day, subject to availability. Please apply to the reception desk in order to ask availability for rescheduling the experience.
If no suitable date / time is available for the reschedule, you will be able to choose any other experience available, with an equal or less value, or eventually an experience with a higher value, paying only the difference.
3) A credit, called Rain Check, (of the same amount clients paid) to be used the following days or at any other time, subject to availability. The Rain check is a voucher given to the client. The voucher is transferable and may be sold or given to others to use at a future date and lasts up to 1 year from date. It has a value that can be possibly used in any other tour provided by our company.
Please note that clients' safety and comfort are of utmost priority, and proper rain gear is mandatory for guests choosing to "ride in the rain".
We ask clients to be at the meeting point 15 minutes before the tour departure, to check the weather conditions and choose accordingly. No-shows will not be refunded.
Want to share this experience just with your partner or your family?
Discover our PRIVATE TOUR proposals.
from € 119
EUR 149 for SINGLE Vespa (1 driver) - EUR 239 for DOUBLE Vespa (2 pax: 1 driver + 1 passenger) - EUR 119 for SMART option (1 driver on Zip moped) - €179 for ELECTRIC PIAGGIO VESPA (1 driver)
Discover all the secrets of wine production and enjoy the unique experience of wine tasting and dinner at a boutique winery near Florence
The original Florence bike tours with a professional Guide: the perfect introduction to the city center!
Horseback riding and typical Tuscan wine-pairing lunch. Depart Florence and discover the Chianti countryside!


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Author: Isaiyan Morrison
Series: Deamhan Chronicles (#1)
Genre: Adult/Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Rainstorm Press
Release Date: Aug 12 2013
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print
Deamhan have survived by remaining hidden in the shadows. Ramanga, Lamia, Metusba, and Lugat have been overshadowed by what humans know as the modern vampire. But what if vampires aren't the real threat?
One woman's search for her mother who disappeared without a trace on the streets of Minneapolis takes her into the precarious world of Deamhan, psychic vampires who rule the underground nightlife in the city's most darkest corners.
She gains the trust of the only other human familiar with the Deamhan lifestyle. With his help she finds not only can the Deamhan not be trusted but it's her own father, president of a ruthless organization of researchers, who has diabolically maintained that distrust.
Places to find Isaiyan
Places to find Deamhan
Barnes and Noble (B&N)
Books A Million (BAM)


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We started our Hawkes Bay tour on the day after Cyclone Cook passed through. We had planned our road trip 4 months earlier and weren't going to let a Cyclone get in the way. Strangely enough the planning started in the back of the car in the rain when we were supposed to be sitting on the beach. In hindsight we maybe should have checked the roads were open and campgrounds were fully operational before we headed off but we were a bit excited about getting on the road.
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It was fun exploring some new territory on the way to Napier, lucky it was fun as it was quite a long drive but the sun was shining after the storm and the scenery was stunning on the Napier Taupo highway.
As we drove into Napier we were detoured round a back road as a tree had fallen across the road and that's when we realised that although Auckland had dodged the storm some parts of the country had still been hammered by strong winds and we had just driven into one of them.
After setting up the camper we decided to make the most of the Hawkes Bay sunshine and jumped on our bikes to explore the cycle trail along the waterfront that started right from our campground. The after effects of the storm made for an impressive swell crashing onto the beach which only added to the stunning views as we rode along the waterfront. A lovely flat trail and mesmerising views meant it was hard to turn around but as the sun sunk low in the sky we headed for home, well the camper.
The next day we planned to hit the Eskdale Mountain Bike Park. A tourist in the campground saw us in our bike gear and asked where we were off to and when we told him he said that the Mountain Bike Park had been pretty hard hit by the storm with lots of trees down. Undeterred and forever in denial we headed out anyhow. We probably only got 5 minutes ride into the forest before the path was blocked by fallen trees, and I don't mean one tree lying across the path more of a stack of trees making the path impassable. Still undeterred we started carrying our bikes straight up the hill over and around all the obstacles. We met a local coming back down, chatted to him for a bit and then he grabbed one of our kids bikes and started carrying it up the hill for us.
Turns out he was part of the Club committee and seemed to take everyones enjoyment of the Mountain Bike Park very seriously so he gave us the inside word on what tracks could be ridden after the storm. Not many were unfortunately but we still had a great time 'sessioning' ( his word not mine ) a few of the trails and after a couple of hours riding we decided to head back to the carpark a different way, only to be meet by more broken trees.
After a quick lunch at the campground we headed out to explore Napier on a sunny afternoon and took in the beach at Ahuriri, then wound our way up Bluff Hill and watched the workings of the port below as the sun set. We then wandered along the Napier town centres waterfront gardens and experienced the big waves crashing onto the new pier.
The next day dawned sunny and clear which made for great views from the top of Te Mata Peak. You could drive all the way up but we decided to park half way and walk up which took about half an hour ( maybe more as we got distracted by the views ) along sheep tracks. As we walked back down my son spotted mountain bikers so decided he wanted to come back and check out the trails the next day. We had planned to ride some of the cycle trails but figured we had all day and we love riding so why not ride two places in one day.
So the next morning we headed back to Te Mata Peak for our ride. Its fair to say these rides would have been more enjoyable if they hadn't been hit by a storm a few days earlier and as they were on the side of a mountain they were quite steep and muddy. After Te Mata it was back across town to ride the Puketapu Loop, part of the Hawkes Bay Cycle trails. These trails cover most of the Hawkes Bay in different sections that can be ridden separately or all together. We did a loop from Otatara Pa to the Puketapu pub and back again. It was easy riding along the riverbank with the bonus of a pub lunch but if wineries are more your style there are rides that include them as well, in fact there is a trail called the Wineries trail.
All in all we loved the Hawkes Bay and the East Cape adventures didn't stop there…next stop Tolaga Bay!!


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We spent four nights in the Birmingham area at this campground. Good facilities and internet connection made this a convenient place to make some progress on our website, do some cleaning and laundry.
On our way to Pensacola, we made two stops highly recommended by Mike's Sister and Brother-in-law. First was Headley's Big Peach for a box of local grown peaches then we stopped at BBQ 65 for some great barbecue.


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After an offseason full of uncertainty, the Houston Texans will have quarterback Deshaun Watson for the foreseeable future. It has been reported that the two sides have agreed on a four-year, $160 million extension. In total, there is expected to be $111 million in guaranteed money and a $27 million signing bonus.
Watson, who was viewed as an NFL MVP candidate in 2018, has led the Texans to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. He has totaled 9,716 passing yards, 71 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions across his first three seasons in the NFL.
In April, the team signed offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil to a three-year, $66 million extension. As a result, most believed that an extension for Watson would become imminent. Despite the delayed contract talks, Watson still has expectations to lead a Texans offense that is without star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.


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Weekend Links: The Legend of Kawhi Leonard
Here are today's best Spurs news and articles.
The Legend of Kawhi Leonard continues to grow
- Gregg Popovich is not one to typically toot his own players' horns or try to promote them in front of the media, but he wasted no time in dubbing his player the best in the league:
"Kawhi Leonard is, in my opinion, the best player in the league right now," Popovich said after San Antonio's 103-96 Game 6 victory to eliminate Memphis on Thursday. "He's the best two-way player and does it all with such class. It's impressive."
- In his recap of the series, James Hubert pf CBS Sports discusses the ever-growing legend of Leonard, Mike Conley finally getting the chance to show the world what he's made of, and the very bright future that lies ahead for the Memphis Grizzlies. (If they can ever stay healthy, that is.)
- Leonard's legend has grown so much, in fact, that his high school and college coaches have chimed in with Fox Sports' San Gardner to tell the story of his rise from a relatively unheralded high school athlete to what they also believe is the best player in the league. (The most interesting part might be disputed accusations of other AAU athletes trying to blackball Leonard out of California's top college programs, so it's a must-read.)
Recapping the first round
- At the beginning of this series, Tony Parker was seen as an X-factor who could help determine the outcome. He ended up being more than that with four very good games and a vintage throwback one when his team needed him the most in Game 6. ESPN's Michael Wright goes over how Parker found his second gear to become the second best player in the series for the Spurs.
- Speaking of which, over at Fox Sports Andrew Lynch discusses how Leonard's performance against the Grizzlies could very well cause some MVP voters remorse, but he's still going to need more help if the Spurs want to achieve their ultimate goal.
- Some of that help will need to come from LaMarcus Aldridge. Contrary to popular belief, LMA was very good against the Grizzlies, especially on defense where there aren't enough numbers to do him justice, and he was happy to act as a decoy on offense and let the hot-handed Leonard and Parker have their shots. Still, Mike Finger of the SAEN notes that Spurs may need more than that from him in the next series where offense is going to take center stage.
Looking Ahead
The time has finally come: a playoff match-up 22 years in the making against the lone Western Conference opponent Tim Duncan never faced and neither he or the Spurs have ever defeated in a playoff series: the Houston Rockets. With the clash of styles and all four regular-season meetings coming down to the wire, this should be a doozy.
- Fran Blineburry of NBA.com took a quick peek at the series with three quick questions, numbers breakdown, and a prediction.
- Over at CBS Sports, our good friend Matt Moore of the "there's something wrong with these Spurs but I can't out my finger on it" clan does his own extensive breakdown of the series.
- At BBallBreakdown, Coach Nick talked to former NBA referee and Director of Officials Ronnie Nunn to discuss James Harden's penchant for drawing fouls (particularly on the perimeter), if they are legit calls, and what players can do avoid giving him the opportunity to draw them. (You can watch below or click on this link.)
Have an excellent Game 7-free weekend!
Source: Pounding The Rock