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Title: A King Among Men
Author: Jinni (firstname.lastname@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com)
Rating: PG13
Pairing: W/Aragorn
Genre: BtVS/LotR Crossover.
Disclaimer: All things BtVS belong to Joss Whedon, et al. All things LotR belong to JRR Tolkien, et al.
Distribution: WLF, WLS, NHA, BMP, Aislin.
Author's Note: Pairing #131 at The Quickie Challenge: http://quickie.moonlitpaths.com
There are those people in this world that you can tell, just by looking at them, that they are not 'normal'.
I don't mean that they are supernatural, though there are those sorts as well. No, these people that I speak of are just different. They set themselves apart from others by their actions, their thoughts, and their words.
He was one of those people.
She didn't know who he was the first time she saw him, paying a visit to a woman she had come slowly to consider her surrogate sister. They were in love. It was a beautiful, beautiful thing. I was envious of them. Envious of that feeling that they shared with one another. The way they could just look into each others' eyes and make the rest of the world disappear for just a little while.
That was what I wanted.
'Father' introduced me to this dark haired stranger later that same night; and I knew right away that he wasn't all that 'father' made him out to be. After all, father said that Strider was a ranger, nothing more.
But I felt something different in my soul.
He wasn't just a ranger; for all that his clothes were often dirty and tattered, his hair grimy and unbrushed. He was something more, of that much I was absolutely sure.
I did not question 'father', who was really not my father at all but just an Elf who chose to take in a refugee from another realm that fell, quite literally, from the heavens to his feet. After five years I knew that it was wrong to question him in these things. He was kind, yes, but completely and utterly chauvinistic in his deeds and words. A woman did not question in this world.
And so she did not question, merely accepted what he said, filing it away in the little category of her brain labeled 'not completely true'.
He and I spoke that night, as sister played the part of the gracious hostess to the visiting lords and ladies of the forest realms. I wove for him the tale of my home, the place I would never see again.
He spoke nothing of himself; nothing more than I already knew, anyway. No clues about who he *really* was.
And then he left; leaving me with a warmth in my heart that I knew was unbecoming. He was my 'sister's' intended, and it was not my place to become familiar with him.
Though I did. And he with me.
Far too familiar for who we were. Him, the beloved of my 'sister', and me the one she confided in. Perhaps it was because we all knew that their love was doomed, that we allowed ourselves to become close friends.
But, still, I did not learn of his true nature until that fateful day when the Council was called to order; to determine the fate of the One Ring.
Oh that hateful little ring. Sending out men and hobbits, elves and dwarves, on a mad scurry to the very fiery hells of Mordor, a land I personally hoped to never see.
Yes, it was there, listening off to one side as 'father' delivered a speech I know he spent the entire night before working on, that I learned who Strider truly was.
"That is no mere ranger. . . he is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. . ."
Dear Goddess above.
I could've kissed Legolas at that moment, just for giving me that snatch of information I had been seeking discreetly for more than a year. It wouldn't be the first time I'd kissed that cutie of an elf, for that matter - he was a master of wooing the ladies; even human born lovelies from another realm like myself. Stud master, indeed.
And don't get me started on the whole endurance thing.
But that was beside the point!
I knew who he was now. Not just Strider, the ranger from the woods, beloved of my 'sister' Arwen and one of my truest friends in this place. He was Aragorn, Ilsildur's heir. The one that would, hopefully, one day take the throne of Gondor.
He was a king.
Well, king to be.
It all fell into place at that moment. The way he held his head high, the intelligence that shown so brightly in his eyes. He was no mere ranger, as Legolas had said; this was royalty.
The night before the Fellowship was to leave was the last time I had a chance to speak with that king of a man for years.
"You will be safe, right?"
"As safe as is usual in undertakings such as this."
"Pft!" I snorted softly. "You do little to ease my worried heart."
"Worry not for me, Little Tree. Do you know what is to become of you when the ships sail for Valinor? The time is coming nigh."
My own personal heartache brought out into the open by this man that I had come to care about as more than just a friend, despite my inner resolution to do no such thing.
"I -" My breath caught and I turned my head so that he would not see the tears in my eyes. "I will be staying, of course. There is no place there for me. . . as much as 'father' would like there to be. Even he cannot undo the workings of the world. . .He would move Hell and earth if it was possible. . . but it is not."
He smiled then, that sad little smile that was all about inner pain. How he knew so well the words I was speaking. Had Arwen told him yet of her intentions to go with 'father'? Yes, I could see it in his eyes. He carried her pendant still, but no longer had claim to her mortality. He would always love her, just as I would always love both her and 'father' for all they had done for me.
But our time with our loved ones was drawing rapidly to a close.
It was a sad state of affairs for both of us.
"I will make sure that you are taken care of."
I shook my head firmly, feeling that I knew the reason for this sudden offer.
"There is no reason to do say that. I will be alright on my own. . ."
But even as I said the words I did not really believe them. The world outside of Rivendell was something far different from what I had known back home. And I had little skill outside of the pathetically weak magics I had brought with me. Scarcely enough to defend myself.
Still. . . I wouldn't have Aragorn doting on me because I am the kid sister of the woman he loves.
"There are plenty of reasons why I should make sure that you are taken care of, Willow."
Ouch. My given name. He hardly ever used that. A quick glance into his eyes confirmed what I already knew - he was being a Very Serious Man.
"And the fact that you are Arwen's 'little sister' is only a small bit of it all."
He smiled then, just faintly, and laid a gentle kiss on my forehead, walking off before I could say anything else to argue.
Though I didn't have it in me to argue with him by that point. If he wanted to take care of me, then so be it. If he wanted to delude himself into believing that it wasn't because of the connection I had with his ladylove, then I would allow it.
I knew when the final battle came.
Knew when the Ring was destroyed.
There was a party unlike any other in Rivendell that night. And the elves gathered together to sing and dance. This was their farewell party, as much as it was anything else. Their farewell to Middle Earth before they left for the hallowed hills of Valinor.
"You are welcome to stay here, in Rivendell, for all of your days."
I looked up into the eyes of the Lord of this place. Lord Elrond. How he had scared me when I first came here, before I came to call him 'father'.
"Thank you."
"I wish -"
He stopped and I held up a hand, bidding him not to go on. We both knew that he wished I could come along with him. I wanted nothing more than that, too. But there just wasn't a way. I could not live out my days in Valinor and their time here was past. I would be loosing my 'family' for the second time in my life. First those I had known back in Sunnydale, and now the only circle of 'family' I had found in Middle Earth.
"Aragorn has sent word that he wishes for you to come to Gondor, however."
I cast a brief smile his way, thrilled at the news, yet saddened all at the same time.
"He would take care of me for who I am. . . Arwen's baby sister. . .I'd rather stay here and be a burden to no one. The forests are still teeming with food. . . I will be fine."
Elrond gave me a look that clearly said that he thought very little of whether or not I would be 'fine', here alone in an empty city, fending for myself.
"He cares for you. Just as he cared for my daughter. You were close friends. . .rumor has it that he wished for more when the pain of their separation passed."
Okay, so that was meant to be a jesting laugh, not something so bitter as how I ended up making it sound.
He just raises an eyebrow at me.
"I will miss you child, do an old elf a favor and go to stay in Gondor. I would feel that much the better to know that you are safe within a city."
"He's king now." I whisper softly, my eyes on the ground. "No longer just the ranger I once thought him to be. . . not even the future king of Gondor. . . I mean, he's actually king now. He has better things to do than look after a twenty-five year old woman, my would-be father."
"He does not think of you as a burden or a chore or else he would not send for you."
He grabs my hand and I sigh, meeting those steely gray eyes.
And so my will comes undone. My eyes prick with the sting of tears. I'll miss this man when he's gone. Just as I miss my friends back home. He and his daughter were all I had in this world. . . and now they, too, shall be gone. He wants me to believe in Aragorn, to believe that he cares for me. . .
Well, perhaps he does, as a little sister.
There are worse thing, I suppose.
"Yes, father. I'll go to Gondor."
The White City.
Breathtaking, even.
I had heard stories, of course.
But stories paled in comparison to the actuality of the place.
The architecture of the elves was beautiful, too; but this was different in its beauty and striking in its contrast. I was taken with it from the moment my horse set foot in the gates, my Elven escort flanking me on either side.
We traveled through the crowded early morning streets, careful to avoid trampling those that were on foot. They looked up at us with only minor glances. Elves were not commonplace, but they weren't a rarity, either. And I was just another human woman on horseback; though I dressed in the style of the elves. Another horse followed behind, laden with a good majority of my belongings. More would be coming before Elrond made his final leave of Rivendell.
I had stopped an hour outside of the city, claiming the need for a break; though really I had just wanted time to freshen up before seeing him again. Long since had I lost hope in ever finding love with Aragorn - he had given all that he had to Arwen; but that did not mean that I wanted to arrive at his castle dressed as though I had been on horseback for weeks.
So I sat here now, winding through the streets closer and closer to him; dressed in an Elven gown that had been designed by my 'sister' herself. One of many that had been made before I left, so that I would have something fine to wear while spending my days traipsing through the castle.
The castle itself was protected by an inner gate, and we were stopped by the guards.
"The Lady Willow is expected by your King."
I nearly laughed aloud.
Lady Willow.
Apparently my name was on 'the list' or something, though, because that was all it took to admit us into the inner gates. Here I dismounted, staring up at the white stone castle, mouth open.
This was to be my home?
"You'll catch a mouthful of bugs if you do that."
"Shush, Domir." I muttered to the elf next to me, giving him a mock glare. "Rivendell is the only place I've ever seen, let me have just a minute of awe-struck gazing, hmm?"
He smirked but wisely held his tongue.
I let my gaze travel over the tight lines and curves of the building, a mixture of both Elvish and Dwarven styles. The stonework was white, almost bleached in appearance, though I knew it had not been treated in that manner. Bleach did not exist here. Not in this realm of existence.
"You approve, my lady?"
My entire body tenses at the sound of his voice, right behind me. I look to the side and see Domir chuckling softly. Stupid elf, letting a king sneak up on me like that.
"Your highness." I murmur, turning and curtseying, eyes to the ground.
"So formal." His voice was chiding, a finger beneath my chin lifting my eyes back up to his face. "There is no need of that between us . . ."
"Isn't there? You're all kingly now, you know. And here I am, still just Willow."
"You were never 'just Willow'." He laughed.
It looked good on him, that smiling laughter that I had never before really gotten an opportunity to see. He had been so sad over Arwen when I last saw him. So sad and lonely. He looked none of that now.
"Who is she?" The words leave my mouth before I can stop them, an accusation. Has he already moved on from my 'sister' completely, as my 'father' hinted before I left? And not even to me, the one who loved him just as much as she had?
"Yeah, the one that's making you so happy. You needed a good woman. . . and it seems like you've found one. I've never seen you so happy."
He smiled, bending his head in acknowledgement.
"Would you believe that I only just found this happiness?"
That brought me up short.
"Really? She's new?"
Well, at least that would be a little better. He had only *just* found this woman, whoever she was.
"Mmm." He nodded, taking a step closer to me. I could smell some sort of spicy scent. Did men in this realm where cologne? Nope. That was just the yummy smell that was one hundred percent Aragorn. He gave me another smile and backed up a step, gesturing towards the huge double doors that led into my new home. "Would you like a tour? Your things will be brought to your room."
I nodded, unable to speak, pondering more on this mystery woman who had only recently captured my Aragorn's heart. It was good to see him happy, and I couldn't begrudge that he had found someone who made him that way.
"So . . . tell me about her, this woman that makes you happy? How long have you known her?"
There was that little smile again. The secret one. The one that had first made my heart go flip-flop so long ago.
"Well. . . I have known her for years, to be honest." A guard opened the door as we approached and I was allowed my first glimpse into the castle. "But she only just walked back into my life a few minutes ago."
"Oh, really?" It was noncommittal, of course. Couldn't have him thinking I actually cared about this mystery woman that had just come back. .. into. . .his . . .life?
She. . .
Goddess. . .
I stole a glimpse at the man walking next to me, blushing when his smirking eyes met my own. And from that look I knew one thing very well.
Gondor would definitely be my home for a very, very long time.
Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, though that look in his eyes says something else, but every Kingdom deserved a Queen.
Queen Willow.
Yeah, that has a nice ring to it.
~*~The End~*~


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A self-called "Real Indian" who is running against Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is suing the city of Cambridge who is demanding he takes his signs down. The sign calls Warren a "fake Indian."
The independent upstart challenger, Shiva Ayyaduai, on Sunday filed a federal lawsuit claiming the city is violating his First Amendment rights. The sign which is on his campaign bus the city is requesting be taken down says "Only A REAL INDIAN Can Defeat the Fake Indian."
The bus has been parking in a lot owned by Ayyadurai, who faces a daunting task to try and remove the incumbent. Fox News reports:
Earlier this month, the campaign received a notice from Cambridge building inspector Branden Vigneault that the signs lacked the appropriate "approvals and permits," according to local reports and the Ayyadurai campaign.
Vigneault threatened fines of $300 per day plus additional legal penalties if the signs remain in place, according to Ayyadurai.
"We will not remove the slogan from our bus," Ayyadurai told The Washington Times. "We will defend the First Amendment, and we will fight this egregious attack on the First Amendment, at any cost."
Ayyadurai's campaign reportedly thinks the building code doesn't apply to the signs because they're on a bus, not a structure.
Warren has long been accused of saying she is of Native American heritage to help in securing jobs, including one as a Harvard law professor.
Warren has been called on by left-wing groups and Cherokee genealogist to take a test and get the controversy behind her, but Warren refuses.
Warren has become an object of ridicule of President Trump who calls her "Pocahontas."

subset: commoncrawl


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Committee details
Purpose of committee
As part of modernising local government in Wales, the council has embarked on a cabinet style of local government. We consulted the public about the way all councils in Wales have been given to choose their preferred way of conducting business. This consultation involving 1000's of people in the county borough resulted in a decisive decision to select the Leader plus Cabinet system. This new system created a new political structure for the council speeding up decision-making and maintaining an open and transparent form of community government.
The Cabinet is responsible for making most of the council's policy decisions and consists of a leader, two deputy leaders and seven Cabinet members drawn from the 73 councillors elected.
Each Cabinet member has a specific portfolio area and their role is to drive forward their part of a Cabinet Work Programme. It is important that everyone has a clear understanding of what the Cabinet has identified as the most important issues, how we intend to tackle them and what we intend to achieve, by when.
The Cabinet's progress is monitored during the year through Scrutiny Committees and assessment of its' performance will take place at end of the year. Important issues, such as setting the council budget, are made by the Full Council, while some other day-to-day decisions are delegated to senior officers.
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- Councillor Nigel George
- Councillor Colin Gordon
- Councillor Mrs Barbara Avril Jones
- Councillor Philippa Marsden
- Councillor Sean Morgan
- Councillor Mrs Lisa Phipps
- Councillor David Vincent Poole
- Councillor Mrs Eluned Stenner
Contact information
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Sunday, May 31, 2015
Monday, May 25, 2015
the quiet corner part IV
A short break from minis today... a new album came out from one of my favourite bands, and this is my little miniature tribute to them.
Sorry, my computer was acting up yesterday, and it kept telling me I had some error in trying to publish the post when I wasn't even trying to publish it, I was trying to add pictures... it was odd. So far, it seems to be alright...
This is twenty one pilots, and they just came out with their new album,
BLURRYFACE, a couple days ago. We have our two band members up there, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun. There used to be three... but that's another story. Next time Rend Collective comes out with an album, I'll do a little scene for them, too. Maybe all of their unique instruments propped up side-by-side against a seawall. :D
I'm going to try to remember to stick a penny in there to show the scale. I've been meaning to do this for a long time, because I don't exactly work in 1:12 scale and I'm pretty sure that's what most of you think I work in. It's helpful for storage and material usage, and I don't buy minis anyways, so I don't have to deal with hunting down the scale I work in if I wanted to buy a miniature.
'Til next time! :D
Sunday, May 17, 2015
the quiet corner part III
After a week of spiders, rapids, and car rides, here are the photos I took.
The little glass is hot glue that started out as a stick, but then I ran the heated metal mouth of the glue gun around it and pinched away at the glue to give it its glass-like shape. I gently pressed the metal piece into the "glass", and while it was still heated, I dropped a small blue glass bead into it.
The other pictures in this series were taken from a tree beside Dairy Queen.
'Til next time! :D
Saturday, May 9, 2015
the quiet corner part II
Busy week! Finals were completed, school wrapped up, plans made and oh dear, I should probably be sleeping because we leave early in the morning for some place with hopefully a minuscule picturesque nook so I can photograph something, but more on that later.
These flowers are made of little circles of leftover paper from the hole-punch device, crumpled up and glued on top of one another with painted jewellery wire stems. There you have it, another use for jewellery wire (this list is getting pretty extensive, isn't it?).
'Til next time! :D
Sunday, May 3, 2015
the quiet corner.
That "dining room" I can never get around to has been behind my eyes insisting to be before them for days. I'm starting a series of posts similar to this, called "the quiet corner". This is day one.
Looks like cinnamon rolls. And cinnamon rolls. That's about it :)
Summer is (thankfully) just two. days. away.
I'm not saying I'll have complete time off for the mini world hidden in my room, but I can be sure of at least another five hours per day. Yaaaayy :)
Now. Need to go cram for finals.
'Til next time! :D
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Directly from TS3 on FB:
"Yahooooo! The official The Sims 3 Twitter page won a coveted Shorty Award tonight for outstanding achievement in social media. (See EA's videotaped "Thank you"). As a special thank you, we are giving the Bucaneer's Bounty Set from The Sims 3 Store available as a free download for the next 24 hours! Thank you to everyone who voted and keep sharing!!!
Hey, it's free! Get it while you can!!!!


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I am copying this recipe directly from Authentic Cuban Cuisine by Martha Abreu Cortina.
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cups sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Guava paste (optional)
Mix all of the ingredients together completely. Make a roll and cut 1/2 inch thick slices to form the cookies. Press down on the slices with the plam of your hand. Dent the center of the cookie with your thumb and fill with guava paste if desired. Bake at 350F degrees for 20 minutes.
The only problem I had with this recipe is that I had to add more shortening. The recipe may be correct and my measuring skills may be off since it is very difficult to get shortening into a measuring cup without making a complete mess. If you have trouble getting the dough to stick, add another 1/4 cup of shortening. Also I wasn't ready to bake yet, so I wrapped my roll in plastic wrap and refrigerated for a couple of hours. The cookies were a hit.


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Howard Payne University is hoping lightning strikes twice as the Joshua Prock era of Lady Jackets basketball is officially under way.
Prock, who was tabbed as Howard Payne new women�s basketball head coach on June 6, has had three weeks to settle into his new role � which is a first in his coaching career. The 2008-09 season will mark Prock�s first coaching women�s basketball, which has raised some eyebrows among program supporters.
However, Prock�s predecessor � Chris Kielsmeier � had never been a head coach before taking over the reins of the program in 2000 after serving one year as an assistant under current athletic director Mike Jones. In his eight seasons as head coach, Kielsmeier became the winningest coach in HPU history (179-44), was named Division III national coach of the year in 2008 and led the Lady Jackets to a perfect season and their first national championship in March.
Prock realizes he has a tough act to follow, but welcomes the challenge.
�There�s pressure with the job, but I don�t want a job without expectations,� Prock said. �A job without expectations is a bad job in my opinion.
�I�ll probably put more pressure on myself, but of course there are always going to be some people you can please and some people you can�t. At the end of the day, all I can do is commit to working as hard as I can to make this thing successful. The thing I have to watch is putting too much pressure on myself cause I do that quite frequently.�
Prock�s background has revolved around men�s basketball. At the University of Oklahoma, Prock served as director of basketball operations for three seasons and also worked as the Sooners video coordinator before departing in 2005. Prock worked under head coach Kelvin Sampson, who has become more notorious for the NCAA sanctions levied upon his programs at both OU and Indiana than his coaching accomplishments.
Due to his experiences at Oklahoma, Prock knows better than most the difference in the right and wrong ways to run a program. He does, however, still draw upon the positives he witnessed from Sampson during his time at OU.
�The biggest things I learned from Coach Sampson were not only how to build a program, but how to sustain it,� Prock said. �This program is already built. Coach Kielsmeier did an unbelievable job building this program. Basically, this program needs to be sustained and I learned how hard you need to work to do that from (Sampson).
�I also learned how to motivate kids. He�s probably the greatest motivator I�ve ever been around. He truly understands kids and how to motivate them. Coach Sampson�s obviously made some mistakes, but he�s been man enough to admit the mistakes and I�ve learned from those. Nobody�s perfect and he�s moved on. We�ve all moved on.�
After Oklahoma, Prock spent one year as an assistant coach at Kentucky Wesleyan before becoming the assistant boys basketball coach at Denton Ryan High School. His lone experience with girls athletics in that time was as a track coach at Ryan, which also has raised some questions. Prock stated the success of the Lady Jackets� program, along with his faith, led to his decision to try something new.
�First and foremost, and I�m not ashamed to admit this, I�m a guy that anything I do I let God guide me,� Prock said. �I know there�s concerns out there, and I have coached girls, but it�s been girls track. I do understand there�s a difference between girls and guys, but at the end of the day, as far as coaching basketball is concerned, it�s about the Xs and Os and basketball is basketball. At the end of the day the emotions are different, but the fundamentals are the same. And girls do fundamentals better than guys in in my opinion. Because of that, everything will end being fine.�
A native of Clovis, N.M., Prock lived in Brownwood for two years during his youth while his father served as pastor of Coggin Ave. Baptist Church. Prock also attended Howard Payne as a freshman and a was a member of the basketball team.
�Of all the places I�ve lived, even though I was young, this was one of my favorites,� Prock said. �The people here make this place so special. I went to school here as a freshman, I didn�t get to play much, but there�s something about Howard Payne that draws you back. For me, what drew me back is what they believe in at the university. My standards for integrity are also their standards.�
Coaching changes usually result in recruits re-evaluating their decisions, but Prock reported that the class put together prior to Kielsmeier�s departure has remained almost completely intact. As for Prock�s recruiting contributions thus far, he points to talking Lindy Hatfield into returning as associate head coach as his most important.
�When Coach Jones approached me about an assistant he mentioned Coach Hatfield didn�t have anything lined up,� Prock said. �I knew the first thing I needed to do was to try and retain her. She�s a huge asset for not only me, but the girls. It�s great for the transition because all the girls love her and the recruits love her. The relationship she�s built with them is very impressive. Not every coach I know would do that, and you can tell these girls genuinely love her.�
As for the upcoming season, nine Lady Jackets are expected to return in the fall � not counting incoming recruits. The Lady Jackets will have their work cut out for them from the opening practice as Prock is making changes both on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.
Howard Payne ranked 12th in the nation offensively in points per game (75.3) this past season and was tied for third in the nation in scoring defense (47.5 ppg). During the 2006-07 campaign, no defense surrendered fewer points per game (45.0) than the Lady Jackets� 2-3 match-up zone.
�I think the girls will be able to adjust to the system I run and they�ll have a lot of fun doing it,� Prock said. �My philosophy is to really push the ball and get up and down the court. The offense I run is the dribble-drive motion offense. Anybody that�s watched the University of Memphis play, it�s their offense. It�s a very high-octane, high-paced offense and it�s a lot of fun for kids to run. Every kid that�s run it has loved it, and I think these girls are going to love it. It�s simple, yet complex. There�s a lot of things the kids understand how to do, but there�s also things you obviously have to teach them.
�If you ask what makes me as a coach I�d say it�s my philosophy on the defensive end. I�m a defensive coach and I believe you can�t win anything without being defensive-minded. Everybody has their own philosophy on defense, but I believe in mixing it up. Some teams run a zone defense, some teams run a man defense, but we�re going to change it up. Defense and rebounding are what win championships, and that�s what won us our games at Oklahoma. We didn�t do anything special on the offensive end, we just defended and outrebounded people and that allowed us to win 75-80 percent of our games (178-56 record) when I was there.�
Coming off a national championship season, Lady Jacket fever is at an all-time high. But with four seniors lost to graduation � including three starters � and a new head coach, Prock didn�t offer any predictions for his first year at the helm of the program. He does, however, know what he feels will constitute a successful season.
�I�ve been thinking about that a lot lately and I�m not a guy that�s going to put a number on wins for us to feel like we�ve succeeded,� Prock said. �If the girls have gotten better and played hard, and also grown off the court, then that�s a success to me.�


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I wanted to yell "I'm the happiest woman in the world"...
Wait..Wait..Dont get carried away..
I just lost 10 kgs of weight in 7 months... Nothing could beat the tingling sensation I got when I saw the scales. Thanks to strict diet, glucose regulators and not so strict exercise ..I pulled it off..Life is much more easier now a days..
Now..this amazing feat called for a treat..my hubby took me to Fruit Shop on Greams Road and Subway...Cool places...
I sipped Pomegranate Milk Shake with a vengeance. We have actually taken a liking for FSoGR ...very very good outlet for fresh fruit juices. Would definitely recommend it.
Subway at Beasant Nagar was not that impressive. To start with, it had Prime Rooster (a specialty non veg res) for company..I was a bit irritated to have chickens hanging all over the place ..Subway is well known for its sandwiches. 6 inches Sub - was nice, but Veggie Delite salad was a downer (there was nothing in it for the 80 bucks they charged..Grr..Any day Naamdaari salads, bangalore and pizza hut garden fresh salads win hands down).
Anyways should lose another three kgs to attain that perfect BMI.
November 08, 2006
Treat Time
Posted by sugan at 4:07 PM
2 comments:
- Yugandhar V said...
80 bucks for a salad!!
mann, it SOUNDS expensive in india than the ~5 bucks they charge here for the green leaves :)
- sugan said...
It is on the higher side only. What to do..I am yet to find out a good Salad Bar in chennai.
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If you haven't seen it yet, the
Obama/Clinton Clinton/Obama press conference yesterday was really, really weird.
First, the last two pressers didn't go so well for The One, so was a third well-advised? No.
Second, who thought it was a good idea to bring in Bill Clinton to pitch the tax deal? Last time I checked, Obama was President. He may not be up to the job, but the White House might not want to go around making it so obvious by calling in some gray hair to give our young and apparently insecure, yet always arrogant, President an elder statesman's stamp of approval.
Third, after introducing Clinton to the media, Obama wandered off. You see, he didn't want to keep the first lady waiting. For a Christmas party. Likely one of dozens held at the White House. Seriously.
What was he thinking? If nothing else, the optics are terrible.
Anyway, Michael Goldfarb wins the prize for best snark.


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World over, there is a growing emphasis on building teams to improve results. Personally, I've done Team Building Sessions (TBSs) for a wide range of entities both in public and private sectors. Research supports the notion that building great teams helps achieve set goals. As J.C. Maxwell says, "Teamwork makes the dream work."
Team building activities with Samuel A. Bakutana and FINMAP II – Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Republic of Uganda (1)
However, I want to expertly emphasize that teams do NOT work! Unconventional as it may sound, that's the truth. I'll tell you why, but to begin with, consider two insights:
- One, every vital variable in organizational development depends on another which depends on another that depends on another – all of which work together to make exponential results possible. The impact of some may more easily be felt than others but there isn't a purely stand-alone factor for organizational development. (Leadership comes just close, intending no contradiction.) Whoever suggests one has probably seen your fat purse!
- Two, they say that two heads are better than one – a genuine statement that always flies across boardroom tables when team building plans are being discussed. However, it's not about putting any heads together; it's about what kind of heads are being put together! One good head may produce better results than three disorganized and uncoordinated ones.
Having said this, objectively consider four major considerations why teams do NOT work:
- First, most entities carry out Team Building Sessions (TBSs) for the sake of carrying them out, not to build the team, probably due to some organizational policy requirements. I know an entity where remaining with money on the account by the end of the fiscal year means the line employee didn't some tasks well – even if he rightly used cost-effective procedures and saved funds for more activities. As a result, such workers may not set specific objectives to achieve with the TBSs. They don't engage the external facilitator in a healthy discussion to generate a solid plan for effectiveness of such sessions. Once the TBSs are only in place to prove that someone is working, a lot will be missed and the team will NOT work.
- Second, most people compromise on the investment needed for the results craved for. Once you cut corners, you risk reaping a corresponding cut in the value delivered. Many human capital developers will convince you that they've reduced on the "cost" but what actually happens is slicing off a certain corner of the final value delivered. (You may only hear this from me and nowhere else – no pun intended!) So whereas Churchill said that the price of greatness is responsibility, the price of organizational results, to me, is meeting the full investment required for the results craved for. What we put in is what we get out – ceteris paribus.
- Third, most entities do not sustain the energy generated during a one-off Team Building Session. They often insert it in between two "more important items" on the agenda during a strategic planning meeting. If TBSs are made an annual event, a cap is put on results. Many organizations are increasingly learning this and have monthly TBSs where staff meet and shake off stress. Once a lot of time passes by without deliberate efforts to sustain and even improve team cohesion, the cumulative stress and growing intra-team bad blood may not be easily bulldozed away in an annual two-hour session! The more often the sessions, the better the results.
- Fourth, the teams described above do NOT work because they have never been teams in the first place! All along, they've been GROUPS, not TEAMS. To put it differently, "teams" don't work because most of them are groups – just a collection of individuals who are characterized by the following: they do not know each other. They communicate wrongly if at all they even try to. They focus much more on making their personal scores than achieving organizational goals. They do not trust one another at all and so are always looking over their shoulders. They ritualistically report at 8am, sign out at 5pm, wait for 30 days to elapse and get their bundle of paper notes! They are merely active and not productive, yet they are expected to be productive even if they were less active.
You realize that actually, teams are powerful tools for boosting performance only under the following quick conditions:
- That the Team Building Sessions (TBSs) are carried out with clear objectives to build the team, not for the sake of carrying out an activity.
- That these activities are made part of the organizational culture to sustain generated momentum for exponential results, not an annual insertion!
- That the organizational leaders do not take shortcuts on meeting the investment required for the results craved for, given that what we put in is what we get out.
- That groups get transformed into teams and teams into very productive dream families that know each other, communicate effectively and focus on achieving organizational goals together.
Therefore, what doesn't work is not inherent in teams themselves but what we do with the people we put together – and how often we do it – in the process of assembling the most productive team. While Andrew Carnegie rightly said that "teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results," I add that the teams may not work unless the right things are done at the right intervals in the right place with the right people for the right reasons. If we continue doing what we've been doing, we'll surely continue getting what we've been getting. To your success, as you build a great dream team.
Samuel A. Bakutana, the National Coordinator of Delta Communities Uganda, is a Leadership Consultant, Inspirational Speaker and Personal Development Author


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Articles and Blog Posts
Articles from Una and Neal and offerings from around the web on iRest® Meditation, Yoga Nidra and other related practices.
What Makes iRest Meditation Unique?With so many meditation offerings and trainings available today, why pick iRest yoga nidra meditation?
If you're thinking of embarking on formal meditation training, or maybe trying meditation for your own personal practice, here are a few points that highlight what makes iRest stand-out from what can feel like an ocean of offerings.
What is iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation?As the popularity of Yoga continues to expand, more and more people are being drawn into practices beyond Yoga asana (posture). One of the practices that are becoming increasingly lauded is Yoga Nidra.
This article attempts to de-mystify Yoga Nidra and show how this contemporised, yet ancient practice can be an incredibly practical tool to help us live our lives with ease, resiliency, equanimity and authenticity. We will look at the iRest Yoga Nidra protocol in some depth, and also offer some iRest Yoga Nidra resources at the end.


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I love to read folktales, especially Jewish folktales. I have been reading a book this past week and came upon a favorite story, which holds a message we can all use. Like most folktales, passed on from generation to generation by storytellers, this tale has different variations. Here is a variation of the tale entitled "Solomon's Ring of Wisdom".
Late one night King Solomon was sitting on his throne in the darkness, head in his hands. His most trusted servant, Benaiah, saw him sitting there, and knew that something troubled his king.
Solomon raised his head, and saw Benaiah in the doorway. "I am not worthy," the king said.
"Why not?" asked Benaiah.
"Sometimes when I fail, I feel beaten down by uncertainty, and I become afraid. Then I need to be comforted. Sometimes when I succeed, I feel puffed up with pride, and I become reckless. At those times, I need to be warned."
Benaiah wanted to offer to stick by the king's side, comforting him when he felt down, and warning him when he got too sure of himself, but knew that this would not suffice. "Let me go and find the greatest words of wisdom that will help you."
"Go, Benaiah," King Solomon answered. "It is what you want, and what I need."
Benaiah bowed, and left the palace that day. He journeyed throughout the land, seeking out and questioning the wisest of men and women. He asked "When the king feels down and unsure of himself, what words would comfort him?" and, "When the king feels puffed up and careless from success, what words would warn him?" He got different answers from each person, each wise and good. Benaiah wrote down every word.
When he had traveled the entire land, Benaiah sat down under a tree, and looked at the words he had collected. The words filled many pages, the pages filled many books, and the books filled many boxes. "Too many words," he thought. "How can the king read all this every time he needs comfort or warning?" Feeling dejected, Benaiah left it all behind, and headed back towards the palace empty-handed.
He sank down to the ground in the shadow of the gates of Jerusalem. "I have failed my king," he thought. "I have failed, I have failed." As he sat there, feeling worse with each passing moment, he heard the wind in the trees. It seemed to be saying "This...too...shall...pass."
Benaiah nodded his head. "It is true. This is an awful time for me, but this, too, shall pass, and I will feel better." He did, indeed, feel better.
Suddenly, Benaiah jumped to his feet. "That's it! That is what I will say to King Solomon! These words of wisdom will help him, just as they helped me!" Benaiah felt proud of himself. His head held high, he ran toward the palace. "I asked all the wisest men and women, and none of them had the perfect words, but I found them myself! Me, Benaiah the servant! Solomon will praise me, and everyone will admire me!"
The wind once again whispered through the trees, "This...too...shall...pass."
Benaiah stopped. "It is true. Today I am a great success, but tomorrow I may fail again. This, too, shall pass." Slowly, he walked into the palace, saying nothing until he stood before the king. "Great King, I have spoken to all the wisest men and women in the land. They all had words of wisdom, but none was wise enough. The wisest words of all I heard from the wind. It whispered, "This, too, shall pass."
King Solomon smiled. He descended from his throne, and embraced Benaiah. "You have brought me wise words indeed. This is the wisdom that I needed. He had a ring made, and on it were engraved the words, "This, too, shall pass." Now, anytime he felt down, he could look at his ring and be comforted. Anytime he got too confident he could look at the ring, and be warned that "This, too, shall pass."
Sometimes, when my pain is getting to me, I feel like it will never end. It seems like I have always been, and will always be, miserable. Intellectually, I know that my misery is temporary, and I will, once again, be able to cope effectively. My next art project will be a design with the words "This, too, shall pass."


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Ok, it's time for another summary of projects that I've been working on since my last update (over a month ago! Jeesh!!). As a general rule, I'm only including NEW projects that I haven't yet written about. So, these are in addition to the ongoing projects I already have, many of which involve random research work, project management, virtual personal assistant tasks, and lots and lots of writing and editing for regular clients. Strangely, I have several clients that have each, at some point in our work together, referred to me as their "coach," (aack!) which I would never ever in 100 billion million years identify myself as, but there you go. I just like that they appreciate my pestering and total fixation on TIME/deadlines. Nice to know that comes in handy somehow! 😉
(By the way, I'm pretty sure it's the combination of pestering + happy faces that works! Pestering alone would get me nowhere!)
Ummm….where were we? Oh yeah! My new projects….
- Client: Nonprofit Art Gallery devoted to new and emerging photographers
- Current Work: Ongoing gig to search for, identify/select, and write/submit grants for upcoming photography exhibits
- Initial Connection: Worked with one of the nonprofit's board members doing research for her Marketing Strategy Consulting Group (connected with her via her husband, who I worked for through the old TaskRabbit, cleaning his newsletter mailing lists and editing his book)
- Client: Videogame Company
- Current Work: Project managing/virtual assisting a group of developers and doing QA (yay!) to ensure the successful launch of an iOS and Android app (using systems like Slack, Trello, and GitHub)
- Initial Connection: Originally worked with the CEO of the company by outlining key steps involved in successfully launching a Kickstarter campaign based on a well-known blog post (since then, I've worked on a great variety of random projects for him)
- Client: Nonprofit Consulting Group
- Current Work: Writing and editing a report on a new assessment process developed by the nonprofit's director
- Initial Connection: Collaborated with the nonprofit's director on work I was doing for a Social Entrepreneurship Consulting Group (which came about through connection with one of the group's Principals…whose LinkedIn profile I updated around last year at this time)
- Client: Career Development Website
- Current Work: Writing website content about different types of careers (e.g., what education is needed, what job opportunities are available, etc)
- Initial Connection: This is my initial connection – got the gig through Guru.com (a platform sort of like the old TaskRabbit)
- Client: Financial Investment Company
- Current Work: Comparing quarterly reports to note changes in investment portfolios
- Initial Connection: Initially connected through the old TaskRabbit to do this same task (it's something I do every quarter or so)
- Client: Management Consulting/Technology Transfer Company
- Current Work: Researching new technologies and innovations for the company's specific client needs
- Initial Connection: Initially connected through the old TaskRabbit to do this same task (it's work I do regularly)


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As far as dilator insertion seems one of the most unpleasing procedures in the world, so chickies, as a rule, abhor getting through gyno inquiry (tall leggy lass Diana, par example). But some hookers enthuse over this manipulation – such like milficious pussy general practitioner Elena, ha-ha. This dissolute milf is so uneasy about it that ready to share this fun with all patients – by tempting and fingering them!
Conscientious baps groping, sky clad cardiophony and horny rhino research are performed, and the time is older to push in a dilatant. Edgy Diana waits for a hurtful manipulation, but it is not so dislikable for this once – because cougarlicious doctor Elena takes advantage of her fingers and tongue to alleviate Diana's pain! And this unsuspected tickle is so enthralling that the testee has an orgasm!
Go to watch long-legged gynecologic lez Diana satisfy the milficious analyst in turn in 25 min clinic girl-girl finger fun vid and 70 gynecological fetish sex shots in the member zone of GynoLesbians.com!


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Tonight I've been to the inaugral Spen Valley meeting, held in a lurvely coffee shop in Cleckheaton.
Theme was a little of what you fancy, so mine includes chocolate, cheese & purple – some of my fave things!
This is my cake before i had speed bump traumas in transit 😉 Its chocolate cake with purple cream cheese frosting, and sprinkled dried strawberries:
And all the other fab *and VERY yummy* cakes:


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Mayco Silkscreen Medium is a thickening agent that creates a "ceramic paste" when added to glazes, underglazes, or acrylic paints in preparation for silkscreening.
The resulting paste can be used with Mayco Designer Silkscreens (sold separately) and applied to greenware, bisque, glass, or fabric.
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Part 7 of The Easy Street Mystery has been completed. I sewed late into the night and got up this morning and continued to work on this step until it was finished.
I placed the four corner blocks and the twelve side blocks on the floor to get a feel for how it is going to look. I love this quilt.
On another note -- When I went outside to get in the car to go to work this morning I happened to look in the next door backyard (house is vacant) and what did I see but my morning glories blooming. They had sent out runners in the grass and these vines had three flowers blooming their little hearts out. What is amazing is that we have had temperatures as low as the high 20s and lots of days/nights in the 40s. I was surprised that they had survived and even more surprised to see them blooming.
Hope all of you find time to do a little sewing this weekend.


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|The Christmas Spirit (Open)
|Tweet Topic Started: Dec 25 2011, 01:01 AM (489 Views)
|Dec 25 2011, 01:01 AM Post #1
Bad Taste
On their way to furnish the mansion, Kristina somehow managed to get sidetracked and start wandering the city by herself. Kenj attempted to allow himself to go around by herself, and let her deal with anyhting that would happen, but it was too soon for him to let her out of his sight. He ended up following her once more.
"I mean, we don't start until spring semester, and we have heating and everything at the mansion already," Kristina rambled, trying to excuse her curiosity for the new city they arrived in. Kristina had felt a bit cramped over the past few days, where she and er housemates spent a good deal of time unpacking. Kristina herself was a bit worried to take her first steps into America - all she'd heard about ti combined with the movies she had seen made her think anyone she met would pull a gun out on her. She had successfully managed to go to the theater a few times, an even to a restaurant, and so far, no guns.
"The city is nice and all, but there's no Christmas market. And definitely no Hogmanay celebration," Kristina continued.
"Speaking of Hogmanay, it's been a year since we've met Hoshi and Haru," Kenji said. Kristina nodded. "We may want to do something nice for them," Kenji added, as Kristina began to wander through the streets again. The two continued in silence for a few minutes, both pondering how to treat their very new, but very close friends. The sounds of signing soon filled the air, catching their attention. Wordlessly, the followed the singing to a large church nestled in between some houses. It was beautiful for a small church.
Kristina didn't really care what faction it belonged to, just that some semblance of home was calling out to her. She slipped in, only to find, to her disappointment, it was a recording left behind by an air headed cleaner. No one was around. The pews were empty, and it looked incredibly dreary.
"Well, it's not like I wanted to go to midnight mass anyway," Kristina said, dejectedly.
|Dec 25 2011, 09:07 PM Post #2
That Guy.
|Ashley saw a pretty large building several blocks down the street. "A church? That's interesting," she said, to no one in particular. She decided to go check out the inside of it. She'd always really enjoyed the beautiful designs of the Stained Glass Windows. As she got closer to the church, she began to hear singing coming from inside. She thought aloud, "Singing? At this hour? Strange people." She finally reached the doors of the church, and stepped inside, also to be disappointed by the lack of real singing. Upon entering, though, she noticed a young woman and an old man, who she assumed were members of the church. She apologized, "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to bother you at such a late hour. I guess I'll just leave, then." She bowed her head in apology, and then turned around to exit the building.
|Dec 25 2011, 09:33 PM Post #3
Bad Taste
Kristina herself was about to leave. She didn't see any merit in staying in the abandoned church. It made her too dreary. She and Kenji turned to the exit, where they saw a young girl come into the church as well. Was she a member of the congregation, about to shoo them out? Kenji prepared to apologize and add that the would show themselves it, when she beat them to the punch. The two looked at one another, then back to her.
"No, um, you aren't bothering us," Kristina said to the young woman, who by now had turned their back to them. She looked at Jeeves, hoping for some support.
"Are we not supposed to be here, miss?" Kenji had some idea of how church services went, as he occasionally was dragged to them by Kristina, but he wasn't sure if the church was supposed to be vacated, either.
|1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
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I've been blessed to share in the joy with my cousin and her husband . They are planning on finalizing their adoption by this summer. God has been gracious on them and provided for them, as well as their (soon-to-be baby boy), from South Korea, to be together as a family.
One of the ways she is preparing for her new son, is by making hats. I do know she makes each hat with love! I have three of my own. If you are in need of keeping warm this winter, and are looking for a unique, elegant look, look no further. Attached is a sample of what she has made. All proceeds go towards the adoption process.
James 1:27 comes to mind each time I wear my hat: "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
May God be gracious to my cousin and her family as they prepare their home and hearts for their new bundle of joy!


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Happy 4th of July weekend! We had a great 4th with friends, family, food and fireworks! Pres was SO excited for the "party" and for fireworks… every morning the week prior she would wake up and ask me if it was time for fireworks yet :) This was officially the first year she didn't sleep through them. I meant to take more pictures of the adorable baby's and kids that came over… but life happened and I barely picked up my camera after everyone got here. :(
My favorite (and EASY) spiked lemonade- 1 pack of Crystal Light, 2 1/2 bottles Pellegrino and 1 cup of vodka.
Jell-O Shots! Papa is a Jell-O shot connoisseur so I wanted to surprise him with my patriotic version :) I followed this recipe. They were actually really easy to make, my one tip would be to squirt each layer in with a small condiment bottle rather than pouring.
S'more fixin's! We've had a fire pit for a long, long time (like 6 years long time) and the 4th was the first time we have ever used it! I can't wait to get lots of use out of it this summer. We made some new benches for our side yard so it feels more like a cozy fire pit nook now :)
Hope everyone had a great 4th! We are all so lucky to live in this great country!


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Guests tour the five mile stretch from Alanson toward Burt Lake, the round trip last about 1 1/2 hours. Our spacious 40 foot pontoon boat is completely covered and equipped with a restroom for passenger comfort. The tour begins in the Village of Alanson, traveling the scenic Crooked River towards beautiful Burt Lake. On route, you will experience the pristine beauty of the inland waterway, that is abundant with wildlife.
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Publisher: Rockstar Games, release Date: Apr 14, 2015, minimum System Requirements : Operating System: Windows service pack 3 for windows xp with key XP/Vista/7.
GTetup Full Version Direct Links Torrent.
Also used in history to display users location when money was sent?
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E4600.6 GHz/AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5200.YTD Video Downloader, view all Windows apps, popular Mac Apps.Add money with any bank Debit or Credit Card and enjoy One Click payments on partner merchants.Grand Theft Auto V PC Download: Rockstars games need no introduction as it is the king of todays video games industry.Device ID call information is used save users device in trusted list if users opts.View all iOS apps, popular Windows Apps, cCleaner.
Download and Install Nox App Player Android Emulator.
What do film ksatria baja hitam full episode I do if a game I downloaded says I have to burn it to a DVD-R disc, because it is an ISO file?Close, platforms, popular links, categories, hELP settings, enter.Messenger, google Chrome - The Fast and Secure Web Browser.Cause, great games dont come easily.When a young street hustler, a retired bank robber and a terrifying psychopath find themselves entangled with some of the most frightening and deranged elements of the criminal underworld, the.S.The same case takes place with GTA.The description of PayZapp By hdfc Bank.


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Mammut Spirit Jacket
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Designed especially for skiing, the Mammut Spirit Jacket for Women has a light layer of insulation underneath a waterproof and breathable shell. The attached hood is fully adjustable to fit with or without a helmet. The detachable powder skirt and Lycra hand gaiters keep any stray flakes from slipping inside. Underarm pit zips give you the option to vent when you're hiking for freshies. Articulated elbows let you grab and twist when you catch air off the cornice on the way down. You'll stay warm and dry while you revel in the freedom of the hills in the Mammut Women's Spirit Jacket.
- Altrec Outlet
Mammut designed the Women's Spirit Jacket for alpine enthusiasts who aren't willing to compromise their desire for quality any more than they're willing to compromise their love of powder days. A tough nylon shell and two-layer Dry Tech stretch laminate give the Spirit the feel of a softshell and the durability of an expedition-worthy outer layer.
- Backcountry.com
CLOSEOUTS . Head out when the spirit moves you in Mammut's Spirit jacket. It features DRYTechand#174; Premium waterproof breathable fabric and a high-loft fleece lining for extra warmth when cold air descends. Available Colors: BLACK, KIWI, TWILIGHT. Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, XS.
- Sierra Trading Post
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Burton Jet Set Jacket
$168 - $199
Spyder Amp Jacket
$151 - $165
The North Face Gatekeeper Jacket
$209 - $223
Mammut Spirit Jacket
previously retailed for:
$224.92 - $408.95
$224.92 - $408.95
The Mammut Spirit Jacket is not available from the stores we monitor. It was last seen August 26, 2013 at Altrec Outlet.


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Most Commented
"Very expensive premium with lackluster coverage and higher than expected co-pays"
"I love it i think it is great thing"
its all good, by me, i like it all,i think its good then you all are doing
401k 50% match up to 6% of your weekly gross pay. Very expensive medical insurance for a family. Approximately $180-210/ week for not that great coverage
Great benefits, 401k, ymca discounts
Offered. Need more choices for less money. Take away smoking surcharge.
Benefits were pretty standard through out in regards to healthcare and 401k. There are different plans to choose from and start after your probation period, like most companies.
Kenan Advantage seemed to have pretty good benefits compared to other companies.
Typical heath insurance and vacation pay
Not enough pay no raises insurance doesn't cover nothing
Great medical benefits. Some of the best medical insurance in the industry. It is pricey though. Yearly rates go up. Retirement benefits need some attention. Limited options for retirement choices.
Depending on your start date you have to wait 2 years to get vacation time upfront. You have to fill prescriptions through CVS if you want any kind of good pricing. The benefits team is NOT helpful with answering questions.
List based on reports from current and former employees. It may not be complete.


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Need a Drummer ?
I have been drumming for more then 7 years now. And played in a lot of bands back in bangladesh. I have covered a lot of english bands such as Metallica, Iron maiden, Scorpions, Avenged sevenfold, Alterbridge, Creed, Breaking Benjamin, Guns n'roses, Linkin park etc. Even played some death metal stuffs as well. Like Cannibal corpse, Six feet under, Behemoth, Dying fetus etc.
Most recently I have worked with one of the 33 top rated bands in bangladesh. (Band Name DARK.)
I have experience in playing with the pop bands as well as club bands. I have played in Music cafes constantly for more then a year.
If you are a band in need of drummer or a music cafe / music bar musician I am the guy you wanna knock ;)
English (Fluent)


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Last night I was trying to think of ways to eat the giant watermelon sitting on my kitchen table. Of course, I could chop it up & eat it. #classic I really like agua fresca, so maybe I could blend some for juice. But what else could I do with a melon?
Then, it hit me: Watermelon & Cucumber Salad! I remember eating a similar salad a long time ago, but I never made it before. After reading a few recipes online, I decided to give it a try.
It was so delicious & refreshing, I had to share my recipe.
2 cups watermelon
1 large cucumber
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 red onion, diced
roasted garlic
mint leaves, chopped
basil, torn
juice of 1/2 lemon
black pepper
splash of Sriracha
Chop watermelon & cucumber into chunks. Add all the remaining ingredients and toss well to combine.
serves two.
Have you ever had Watermelon & Cucumber Salad? Do you have any favorite melon recipes?


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[ Journal Index ] [ Journal Topics ]
Michael Flatley, of Riverdance fame, reminds me of Bill Clinton. They both have that same self assured smirk on their faces, while looking so caring and thoughtful. I love the dancing on Riverdance but I always had reservations about Flatley, fantastic dancer though he is, and now I know why. I'm watching an interview with Michael which is what started this thought.
I rode my bike to work today as I always carry a bunch of food for my lunches. This way I don't have to bring my lunch each day. I try to keep it down because I get irritated at people who bring too much at once. It was a nice day for a ride and on the way home it was much warmer but off in the west there were some dark clouds. So far we haven't gotten any rain from them but they are moving our way.
Monday night always seems like an anticlimax. Except once a month when I go to the archaeology meeting I feel like I'm just resting up from the weekend. I dabble at this and that but can't really get into anything. The problem comes when Tuesday through Thursday are also anticlimactic and I get nothing done.
I'm still getting depressed but am fighting it off. I'm usually fine at work but it's too easy to just sink into at home when I'm by myself without much to do. I'm much better if I'm working at something such as my web page but if I just watch tv all night it gets to me.
I'm watching a program about the restoration of a basilica and frescos in Italy. The committee is discussing the damage in Italian and sound so musical. Italian is a very musical language. I've never learned to speak other languages well but I can usually tell what European language most people are talking as they each have a rhythm and sounds all their own. Now I'm talking about the main languages. When people talk Dutch or Swedish or Croatian, whatever, I am lost.
I need to do a little research on the weather at the Olympic National Park as I hope to visit it this fall when I visit my son in Seattle. He picked a nice place to spend a few months in. Too bad he can't stay there. It's much nicer than Los Angeles but also farther away and more expensive to get to. Nothing's perfect.


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Mickey Mouse
It's important to note that Mickey Mouse wasn't always the prize creation of Walt Disney; you see once upon a time there was a young animated creature known as Oswald The Lucky Rabbit. Oswald was a happy, upbeat fellow who often found himself in sticky situations whether it was run away vehicles[1], danger at war[2] or his girlfriend getting kidnapped by a shadowy figure wearing a top hat when he's trying to milk a robot cow[3]. Sadly Oswald's happiness soon came to an end when his creator Walt Disney realized despite being the man behind the character, he actually didn't own the rights to the animated rabbit, as he was property of the distributor Universal Pictures. Upset over his contract, Disney broke his ties with Universal, which meant leaving both his staff and Oswald behind. When attempting to come up with a new cartoon character he himself would own, Walt Disney's mind wandered back to the days he spent living in Kansas City. His studio there was frequently overrun with field mice, and he found himself particularly close with one specific mouse. When bored with work he would play with the mouse, training the rodent to remain in a small circle through the process of operant conditioning by touching its nose with a pencil whenever it began to leave. Walt then decided to make the character modeled after the mouse he grew so fond of. The basic design used for Oswald was still retained, with mostly minor changes to make the character resemble a rodent rather than a rabbit. Walt originally planned to name him Mortimer, but his wife thought the name sounded pretentious. The two compromised on the name Mickey, and with that the most famous cartoon character was born.
Contrary to popular belief, "Steamboat Willie" was not Mickey's first appearance, but rather it was six months earlier with the short "Plane Crazy" (1928). Based after famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, the short consisted of Mickey becoming a pilot as an attempt to impress his future girlfriend Minnie Mouse. The Mickey in the short is quite possibly the furthest you could get from what he is today, as his goal throughout the cartoon is to get an unwilling Minnie to kiss him while flying the plane. After several futile attempts, he tries to get the kiss by using force on her until she has no choice but to parachute out of the plane to escape. Mickey Mouse lusting so heavily after a kiss would be deemed bad enough by today's standards, let alone using physical force to try and get it. Now Mickey wouldn't be caught dead doing either activity. Soon another Mickey Mouse cartoon was made titled "Gallopin' Gaucho" (1928), but it wasn't until "Steamboat...
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Because we care. We care about providing you with solutions to your home problems. We want you to tell your friends about us and call us back for more work in the future.
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DL Lyons Handyman Service has been taking care of home owners in Englewood for years now. We have many happy clients in Englewood and the surrounding cities. If you're in need of a handyman or any home repair or improvement related service we can help. There are some services we don't provide but we'd be happy to refer you to someone in the business. We've built many trusted relationships with other service providers over the years.
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All this talk about Beyonce' faking her pregnancy is the topic these days…I must admit I was a bit skeptical when beyonce' revealed her pregnancy at the MTV music awards..Im like why all of sudden is she being so open. After all she was so close lipped about her relationship with Jay-Z, and when they got married (Which still to this day there are no pictures anyway) so why the need to be so public now.
she said:
"There were so many rumors about me being pregnant every three months for the past couple of years — I thought the best way and classiest way was to just show"
Wendy Williams decided to do a little investigating of her own for her show in a segment that she called 'Beyoncé, Pregnancé, Conspiracé'. She carefully analyzed photos of Beyonce, reviewed the controversial tape of her folding baby bump, and brought out two of her staffers that were pregnant to do a chair test to see if the 'baby bump fold' was even possible.
"Now being a woman, I had my baby bump. Many of you have had baby bumps. I never remember [squatting]. Just take a look at the video. She's either giving birth to a frisbee, or Stewie from family guy. What is that, B? I was on bed rest the whole time, I'm not exactly sure. But I can tell you, when I would get out of the bed and sit up at a kitchen table, I wouldn't be able to sit like that. Like, I was so concerned about my back and the baby. Even at 5 months I sat like [stands up and leans back into the chair] this.
Five reasons (conspiracies) why beyonce' may be lying about the bump:
1) The baby is helping Beyonce's sagging recording career. It is sagging. I mean the statistics show, but you forget all about that because you're so focused on, 'Oh, Beyonce's pregnant!'
2) Beyonce's pregnancy is a way of keeping Jay-Z's alleged mistress away. This is what I love about this show. You can't see everything that I can see, but people are snapping their necks in nod-ation. How 'bout this one…
3) The alleged woman over in allegedly Trinidad with the alleged 10-year-old alleged son allegedly by Jay-Z, Beyonce's trying to keep up with her. Allegedly. And how 'bout this…
4) This is the most disgusting one. Beyonce's going to use a surrogate so she can maintain her body. I don't believe that one.
5) Well, here's one that's even more disgusting than that. They're adopting, but they're going to play it off like they gave birth.
You remember I was the first one to say this: it's going to be an at home, water birth in the master bathroom, there are gonna be three people there: Beyonce, Jay-Z, and their mother Miss Tina. Watch. There will be none of those nurses. There won't any of those witnesses at the nurses station or anything like that. Beyonce, c'mon you're not like that are you? *heavy sigh* You know how some of these celebrities can be though. Anything for attention. Anything for attention. "Moving along … so naturally after hearing Wendy's reasons I wanted to learn a little more about Jay-Z's alleged mistress (Not the one in Trinidad with the son). I found what appears to be a super disturbing gossip article suggesting that he had some chick named Cathy White on the side and that right after Beyonce's pregnancy was announced, Ms. White died. It was also suggested that Beyonce knew about homegirl for a while, and acted like a true "baby-mova" on her several times.Things that make you take a second look!


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HDFC Bank Ltd, India's second-biggest lender by assets, made a record quarterly profit from higher interest and fee income and said retail and wholesale lending was growing. ATV18 poll had estimated profit at Rs 4,143.5 crore for the quarter ended September 2017. Non-interest revenue rose 24.3 percent, helping a steady core net interest margin of 4.3 percent, it said. The total income of also improved to Rs 45,461.5 crore as against Rs 39,293.5 crore in the year-ago period.
The net interest income for the quarter rose 22 per cent YoY to Rs 9,752.10 crore from Rs 7,993.6 crore in the year-ago quarter. The total amount of other income stood at ₹3605.90 crores.
The bank also announced an increase in its net interest income that rose 22% to register a figure of ₹9,752.10 crore, the same was registered to be ₹7,993.6 crore in the same time period previous year.
HDFC bank shares were trading flat at Rs 1,864 on NSE.
The key balance sheet figure rose to Rs 1,476.2 crore in Q2 against Rs 749 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. As a result of which the provisions and contingencies for the quarter nearly doubled to Rs 1,476 crore consisting of specific loan loss provisions Rs 749 crore. Income from provisions was said to be ₹1,476.20 crores, which included 1,078.80 crores worth provisions in special loan loss and ₹397.40 crores worth general and other provisions.
Paresh Sukthankar, deputy MD, HDFC Bank, said that the lender had participated in a project loan under the flexible restructuring scheme and was now in discussions with the regulator on the status of the loan.
Talking of the gross NPA (non-performing assets), its percentage was calculated to be 1.26% for the current quarter.
Tax cost for the quarter stood at Rs 2,190.7 crore, higher by 20.4 percent year-on-year. In terms of equity volume, 1.09 lakh shares exchanged hands on the BSE.


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This Thursday it was great to have Dr. Mian present to our class his powerpoint on "Folk and Fairy Tales from Bangladesh". I have him for Physics this semester, and it was interesting to see him out of his "physics" element. I really enjoy having him as a professor this semester. He covered a lot about major characteristics of Bengali tales as well as the geography and terrain of the country and its influence on the tales. The watercolor pictures he used to display the terrain and culture. This is different than the other tales which do not specify the geography. The tales from Germany did have the forest, but there are forests all over the world, so you can not specify the location.
Bangladesh (http://www.livetradingnews.com/bangladeshs-trade-deficit-grows-as-import-rebounds-after-slump-19880.htm)
This culture prominence is a major difference in the Bengali tales. Some of these stories also have religious meanings to many people. As we learned in Tuesday with the Ramayan, which also was mentioned by Dr. Mian in class on Thursday. Some of these stories are believed to be true by the certain people.
Dr. Mian also made a point of "transformation". Although transformation was seen in other tales such as "The Beauty and the Beast" and "The Tiger's Bride", in these tales a character is transformed, but their identity is not hidden. In "Neelkamal and Lakamal" the two titled characters were almost "reborn" and took on new names.
This picture is from a Hindi movie featuring the character Neelkamal, who we read about in Bengali Tales. This shows that they are interconnected and seen as religious figures and real.
I very much enjoyed Dr. Mian's presentation. The tales he told and links to other tales were interesting. The wicked stepmother is interchangeable with the jealous co-wife. Food is also a major part of these tales, such as the magical rice bowl, which was not seen in other tales. These characters are all representative of the culture of Bangladesh.
Dr. Esa, I would like to thank you again for having us at your home. The cookies were delicious and thankyou for the gift.


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NBA/NHL Finals: Both series went 6 games and there were won by teams. In the world of hockey it was by Chicago who had won a Stanley Cup recently. In basketball the Warriors ended a drought of 40 years and brought the trophy back to Oakland. Unfortunately this means another year that Cleveland didn't win, could they have won if they stayed healthy? Cleveland still looks like the team to be in the East next year.
Money: In Zimbabwe they are ditching their currency. As their money is basically worthless and getting even worse over when September comes and they officially end using the Zimbabwean dollar. It currently sits at 35 quadrillion dollars being worth a single US dollar, and that is thanks to re valuating the currency 3 times which removed about 25 zeroes. This is the most recent case of hyperinflation, which has happened several times in the 20th century.
Architecture/Beer: This is a unique story about Heineken Bottles were proposed to be brick shaped so as to be used in construction of buildings. It is a clever idea that Freddy Heineken had as bottles used to be returned to the factory and refilled but in some places they didn't have the proper infrastructure and the bottles would just be littered around the area. So Freddy thought why not make a bottle that could be used in buildings. Although the brick bottles never made it into production many designers say that this was the first time that designers were thinking about a secondary used while they were designing it. There was a prototype house built in 1965 and it still exists at the Heineken experience.
Lego: This is a huge development as Lego is putting a billion Kroner about 150 million into finding a sustainable material for Lego to be made of. Lego is made of plastic and this is a huge step in the right direction of their 2030 goal of sustainable material. This is the second step that Lego is making as they have already build wind farms and reduced box sizes as a way to reduce the CO2 emissions. I hope that Lego can find something as I've liked them all my life and hope that whenever I have children they can share in the joy of building with Lego.
Judaism: In a very cool story out of Madison, Wisconsin the Congregation Shaarei Shamayim will dedicate their newest addition a new Torah written by a woman. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible. This is one of the dozen Torah scrolls which have been written by a woman. This is widely considered the work of a male as they have been for centuries and the men are not the willing to teach more women. The Torah consists of 304,805 letter and they are the same from copy to copy and it takes about a year for a Torah to be completed.


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You're sitting in a small, cramp room with several strangers. You're anxious, and you don't know what to expect. You've heard rumors; everyone has heard the rumors. Eventually a lady walks in. She pops a DVD in, and quickly gives an uneasy explanation: "Just to be clear, we're not anti-union… We're simply pro-individual!"
Welcome to Walmart.
It's been three long years since I first laid my eyes onto that dreaded video. At the time, I was still learning of the class struggle. However, my experience and knowledge on unions was elementary at best. What I saw that day though, I'll remember the rest of my life.
Walmart, the largest private employer in the world, has over 2 million workers at its disposal. Almost every single worker (oh wait, I mean, "associate") has laid eyes onto this anti-uni… errr, pro-individual video. It says the typical rhetoric: unions will drive up prices, they will steal your paycheck, it's bad business, they'll donate money to candidates you don't vote for!" (Funny sidenote: a black actor said that. Well, over 90% of African-American voters vote Democrat, and over 90% of big union donations to political candidates are Democrat). They keep emphasizing to you in the video "Trust us, we're not against unions. Even some of our own customers belong to a union! We simply believe in the individual, rather than forcing a third-party to filter your ideas." They simply go on and on about how a union is a evil third-party that is simply there to kill business, along with your paycheck.
It's funny, because last time I checked, unions started off as grassroots, organic workers movements. The original idea behind a union is that we, the workers, are being exploited of our labor, and only we, the workers, can move forward together. If we tried this Walmart approach, the whole "one-on-one, don't worry we won't fire you if you complain!"-idea, then we are stuck in the rut we are in now. The workers have the same interests, the same paychecks, the same work load, the same workplace, everything. So why should we all ask for our crumbs from the table separately?
I've seen some messed up stuff working at Walmart for three years. I would call it "bureaucratic hyper-capitalism." Long, pretentious term aside (I'll avoid it when I can), Walmart is the embodiment of what capitalism has transformed into the past three decades in the First World. It's rapidly anti-union, it understaffs the store, it under-schedules (denying many new recruits full-time status, thus no benefits), it underpays compared to most of its competitors, and unrealistic expectations, among many other problems. This is the world of neoliberal economics: to employ as little people as possible! Why run a stress-free front-end with 10 cashiers when you can have mentally-exhausted, stressed-out 3 workers running the front end. The lines flow to the jewelery counter, to those familiar with Walmart layouts. I've seen the worst of it, and this isn't fair to the worker or the customer. In the hot summer, by the time a worker is done ringing up a fair-share of groceries, and they've been waiting in line, their frozen food is already defrosting quickly, and will do so even worse when they go outside. Walmart brags of customer service, but the last thing I witness in there is respect for the customer and my fellow workers.
But, you know what is truly sad? That customer will keep coming back, despite leaving disappointed and frustrated every time. Along with that customer, the underpaid, overworked employee will drag their feet back in everyday as well. There is a stereotype of Walmart workers being lazy, but having worked at four (yes, literally four) Walmart locations, I can say without a doubt that is further from the truth. Why does this worker, who has no say in the workplace, who receives small paychecks, who receives topsy-turvy scheduling, keep coming back? Because in the world of neoliberalism, there aren't many choices. Sure, we have many places to shop at, but their business "ethics" are all the same. Go ahead and try working at Target, it is simply Walmart but painted in red. Workers at Target and other stores face the same problems: anti-union, small paychecks, and no respect.
However, despite all my ranting, I have yet to hit my other key topic of Walmart's fine personality: bureaucracy! It's a word people tend to stray from, but I figured I would take a shot at it. At a company where efficiency and customer service is suppose to be on top of their list, they sure like to take their sweet-time when it comes to treating their employee right. These may be petty examples, however, you must remember, Walmart will fight any battle at any cost.
When I started my first day at the most recent location I work at, there was a problem at the time-clock. I eventually ended up missing a days pay on my check. $80 to them may not seem like anything, but to me, it can make the difference in being evicted or not. I politely told my new manager of the problem, and boom, I was hit with a "That's not my problem, go tell so-and-so…" Well, so-and-so didn't work that day, so the next time I eventually saw her (three days later?) I mentioned it. Of course, it wasn't her problem either! It was personnel's! I called the next day, and of course the game picked up again: a new maze I must find my way through. This process kept up for weeks, where I would call, and the "correct" person wouldn't be working, or would be at lunch, or they wrote down my name to keep note of it. Funny how all these notes keep disappearing. I kept up, because it's the principal that these fuckers shouldn't be allowed to get away with taking someones pay whenever they wish too. I started waiting around in the personnel office everyday to get the message across, and eventually they said it would be on my next paycheck. When I received that back-pay, I counted the days. It took over 6 weeks to receive one mere day of pay. When I first raised the issue, they said they would probably take me to the Cash-Office and pay me upfront.
Walmart raises serious concerns in confronting issues head-on: they treat their customers poorly, they treat their workers horribly, and when faced with an issue, it suddenly isn't their problem. I have a laundry-list of petty complaints (along with the major ones I have raised. and even a few I haven't mentioned, such as illegal toxic dumping, sexism, racism, et cetera), but when I face issues like this (among others) quite frequently, you should get the idea that Walmart's ruling class of lazy managers simply are useless and suck up all the wealth for themselves. My main-manager makes around 12 times the amount I do, and all he does is say to me "well, you need to talk to someone else about that" and simply brush me along whenever he can, which is daily. Maybe they think if they can pass me along for so long I will simply not raise the issue anymore, and I give up. Sometimes that happens, I see workers become discouraged by having no control over their lives. It's bad enough they can't pay their bills, but when they do need one day off from work, the request is often denied. Workers have no control over their workplaces nor' their lives. However, this can be changed. We can make the change.
With a union, we can combat these issues together. We all strive for the same interests and solutions. We are weak alone, but we are strong together. Nothing can be accomplished if we all decide not to work. The truck cannot be unloaded, the shelves will remain empty, no money can be taken in for corporate profits.
It's quite amazing the solidarity I see at Walmart sometimes. We understand each others problems when we know we'll be stuck at the cash register all night, and that will result in being yelled at in the morning for not having our originally planned work done (yes, Walmart understaffs by having people run up to the register everyday). We understand low-pay and no respect. We understand heavy lifting and unnecessary criticism. We're sick of it. We run this store. Someday it will belong to us. Organize!


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State of Sound Sessions: Expectations and Hopes for the Semester
Category: Digital Media
Share your love for music and music production with other NC State students! This is an inclusive and open space for anyone interested in music production to interact with others and utilize the full potential of the NCSU Libraries' production resources. We will cover topics weekly such as the ins and outs of the digital audio workstations we provide, as well as how to begin your own home recording studio using library technology lending services. Other areas of focus will be based on what members of the meetups show the enthusiasm for learning. Any personal music projects are encouraged to be shared during these meetings as well!
Workshop Pre-Requisites
No experience required - learn more about audio production from practitioners and peers in this informal meet-up.
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