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Racist axe murder victim Anthony Walker's mother 'betrayed' by sentence cut call
The mother of a teenager murdered in a racially motivated axe attack has said her family feel "deeply betrayed" by a High Court judge's recommendation that the sentence of one of his killers be reduced.
The judge recommended one year off Michael Barton's 18-year tariff after hearing of his transformation from "racist thug" to a "sensible realistic young man" who had raised money for charity.
The tariff is the minimum term before Barton can be considered for release from prison. He was found guilty in November 2005 of the murder of "blameless young black man" Anthony Walker, 18, who was found with an ice axe in his head after being ambushed by Barton, then 17, and co-defendant Paul Taylor.
Condemning the outcome, Mr Walker's mother, college lecturer Gee Walker, said her family felt "deeply betrayed," and "disappointed".
She said: "We put our trust in the judges, in the law, and then they go and do this. It's just wrong. I will have to live with it, but what about the people who have not got a faith like me? Where does it leave them?
"This sends completely the wrong message to criminals. It tells them that if they pretend to be good they will win.
"I don't believe what he has done in prison is anything more than pretence. I believe he is playing a game and he sees that he is winning by doing that.
"This decision to cut his minimum sentence does not make any sense and it dishonours Anthony's memory.
"They promised me and my family that Barton would serve a minimum of 18 years. It is not fair to make a promise like that and then come back and say they have changed their mind.
"A promise is meant to be a promise and judges should not break a solemn promise that was made to us. We have to live this ordeal for the rest of lives. It is utterly wrong."
Barton, now 27, from Huyton, Merseyside, was sentenced on December 1 2005 to detention for a minimum term of 18 years. The trial judge Mr Justice Leveson said he was satisfied the crime was racially motivated.
Barton denied the killing at the time, but has since accepted his role in the offence. Taylor, then 20, who struck the fatal blow at McGoldrick Park in Huyton on July 29 2005, admitted the crime.
The trial judge described the attack as "racist thuggery of a type that is poisonous to any civilised society".
On Tuesday, Mr Justice Mitting - sitting in London - recommended Justice Secretary Michael Gove to reduce Barton's tariff by one year to 17 years, less four months spent on remand.
The judge said the progress made by Barton, whose brother is former Manchester City star Joey Barton, had been exceptional.
A blunt summary of a post sentence evaluation was that Barton, was "a racist thug". Although he denied holding racist views, the authors of a youth offending service report were rightly convinced that he held them, said the judge.
He had also fed his appetite for cannabis and other drugs by robbery, burglary and drug dealing as part of a gang - "violence was routinely deployed by him and other gang members".
But there had been a remarkable transformation of his outlook and conduct when he entered the adult prison system, and his offender supervisor Julie Hill had said she would not hesitate to urge consideration of a tariff reduction.
The judge said Barton now understood "the devastating and irreplaceable loss which he has caused his victim's family". This demonstrated the many offender courses he had undertaken had worked.
The risk of him re-offending had been reduced from high to low and he had undertaken cookery, cleaning and business development courses. He planned to set up in business in the catering industry if, and when, released.
For many years he enjoyed enhanced status in the prison system and was a trusted mentor.
Ms Hill, who took over as his offender supervisor in May 2014, had stated "she would not hesitate" to urge a consideration of a reduction in his tariff.
The judge ruled: "His transformation from a racist thug into the sensible realistic young man described by Ms Hill satisfies the high threshold for a reduction in the minimum term imposed by a sentencing judge on a young offender."
Members of the Walker family, including Anthony's sister Donna, were in court to hear the decision and fear it could pave the way for Barton to make an application for early parole.


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Philips AVENT DECT Baby Monitor
Price: £100 (RRP)
Available from: Philips, Amazon and other retailers
Suitable from: birth
Initial reaction: We first thought a monitor was only for checking on your baby. Little did we know that a baby monitor can come with so many useful functions as the Philips AVENT DECT 535/00. Brilliant!
- crystal clear sound
- long reach (330m)
- eco-friendly,
- no interference with other electrical gadgets,
- humidity and temperature control, long operating time
- plays lullabys
- buttons on baby unit aren't lit so you either need to memorise them or switch ceiling light on
- night light is not very bright
- lullabys just run for abour 2 mins
Value for money: Yes
Overall reaction: This is our first baby, therefore we are not really experienced when it comes to baby monitors. I even have to admit that I was a bit worried that the technical side of them would be slightly overwhelming, but you can lean back and relax. The Philip Avent DECT 535/00 is so easy to set up that we didn't even have to look into the manual to figure out how it works. Easy peasy! As we live in a three storey house it is really important for us that the monitor has a long reach and doesn't interfere with any other gadgets around the house. We took the parent unit into every single room of the house and it passed our test with an A*.
There was no interference with any other electronic devices and we could here all noises coming from the nursery loud and clear. An added bonus of the monitor is its lullaby function. The songs are slightly short and only play for a couple of minutes but they are brilliant if your little one just needs a little soothing without you wanting to interfere. Another great feature, that is especially comforting for us as first time parents, is the integrated humidity and temperature control that allows you to check if baby's room is warm enough whenever you need that little bit of reassurance.
The only thing we have to criticize is that the night light is slightly too weak and that the baby unit doesn't come with any lighting that is strong enough for you to distinguish between the different buttons. If you don't want to wake baby up by putting the ceiling light on, you'll have to find some alternative light source such as a mobile phone or something similar to it.
Overall, the Philips Avent DECT 535/00 is a brilliant product though, that will allow us to sit back without being overly careful first time parents.
By Carolin

subset: commoncrawl


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The Moosejaw CamelBak Kids' Eddy .4L Water Bottle is the perfect bottle for outdoorsy kids. It's durable, easy to drink out of, small enough capacity so it won't be too heavy, and easy to carry around with the big carabiner loop.
So sorry, but only 4 items are allowed for comparison, so we're comparing the first 4. I blame the gnomes and so should you.
Would you like to compare the products you have selected now?


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Fertility Tips - Healthy Digestion for Fertility
Digestive health is important for optimal health and overall fertility wellness. Find out how to begin supporting your digestive health today. This is a tip important for anyone, male or female, who is trying to conceive. This video was shared live on Periscope! Download the Periscope App to get notifications of my live broadcasts!
The main areas to focus on when preparing for conception are:
– eating a clean Fertility Diet
– taking herbs and supplements
– using mind/body therapies to reduce stress
– practicing natural therapies to improve circulation
What is important to understand is that the body is only able to benefit from improving each of these areas if you have a healthy digestive system. If you have poor digestion, you won't be absorbing nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals from the nutritious foods you've been eating, or the supplements you've been taking.
Think about your digestion. How can you answer these question, "I ate and now…
- how do I feel? (energized, nourished, tired, bloated, etc.)
- do I have gas?
- how many times have I gone to the bathroom today?
The goal in eating healthy and taking supplements each day is to flood the blood with nutrients to supply eggs and sperm with the material they need, the healthiest DNA possible, to pass on to become your future child.
Steps to focus on to increase digestion:
1. Eating whole foods. Whole foods provide fiber, are generally alkaline and eliminate consumption of mostly processed foods.
2. Chew your food. Chewing stimulates digestive enzymes starting in the mount and breaks down food to help digestion.
3. Eat fiber. Fiber helps the body to eliminate excess hormones, supports digestion and feeds probiotic bacteria (the good bacteria in the gut).
4. Take a probiotic. Probiotics are the good bacteria in the digestive tract that help the body help keep it and the whole body healthy.
5. Use herbal bitters. Bitters taken before, during or after a meal stimulate the digestive system, enzymes and bile, the fluids we need to properly digest our food.
Resources mentioned in this video:
Fertilica DIM Complete
Urban Moonshine (bitters)
Hethir Rodriguez is the Founder of Natural Fertility Info.com. She is a Certified Herbalist, has a bachelors in Nutrition Sciences and is a trained Birth Doula and Massage Therapist. As a Natural Fertility Specialist, Hethir is dedicated to helping to provide a source for high quality, research based information and support for those on their journey to parenthood.


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When: April 1-3 2011
"LOOK, IT'S MOVING! IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!" Henry Frankenstein's famous proclamation is no less appropriate for TheatreWorks' screening of National Theatre Live's Frankenstein. Much like this stage adaptation's title character, the broadcast isn't exactly live so much as reanimated, due to the fact that most smaller cities don't get the actual live simulcast. Still, "IT'S A WEEK OLD! IT'S A WEEK OLD!" — while technically correct — feels somehow less compelling. Directed by Danny Boyle of Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire fame, the production screens at 7 tonight, at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and at 4 on Sunday at the Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater (3955 Cragwood Drive, theatreworkscs.org). A ticket will cost you $15. — Bill Forman


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ConnectivityFosPower's premium CL2 in-wall speaker wire is used to connect power amplifiers and audio receivers to speakers in home, school, church or business environments. Use it with banana wall plates, bare wire connectors, banana plugs, spade connectors, A/V receivers, amplifiers & other home and professional sound applications.CL2 In-Wall Rated by ULFosPower's speaker wire is rated CL2 by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for in-wall use.Oxygen Free Pure Copper WireThe high-strand count, oxygen free copper wire, produces a high quality, clean sound. Consider oxygen free pure copper when purchasing your speaker wire. Mixing alloys like aluminum with copper wire (CCA/Copper Clad Aluminum) can result in a less conductive wire, poor sound quality, along with brittle/weak wires than can break easily. Poor quality speaker wires have pockets of oxygen in the copper. With time, these pockets can become larger and cause oxidation, which results in less conductive copper. Our cables are oxygen free.American Wire Gauge (AWG)AWG refers to the gauge of the oxygen free copper wire without the insulating jacket. AWG is used in North America to measure and regulate the thickness of the copper wire. Don't get confused by inexpensive speaker wire labeled "Gauge" that may be smaller in size. Jacket with Color Coded Wires Each oxygen free copper wire is sheathed in a flexible, PVC jacket that is color coded for polarity to insure a correct, easy, and fast installation. The entire cable assembly is sheathed in a CL2 rated PVC jacket. Spooled for ConvenienceSpeaker wire is wound around a spool for easy dispensing and storage. SpecificationsCL2 rated by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for in-wall useOxygen free pure copper wireColor coded wires for polaritySpooled for convenience100 Feet of 12AWG speaker wire65 Strand CountPackage IncludesSpool of CL2 in-wall speaker wire x1 Features:
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But, if the privileged experience of working with this incredible Foundation has taught me anything, it is that the road ahead of us continues to be paved with solutions. The only obstacle in our course is a lack of research funding. At a time when sequestration threatens medical research budgets nationwide, the role of the individual and the private sector could not be more critical. To eradicate this disease that continues to affect far too many women, men, and families across the world, we need a mass commitment.
With a portfolio of the world's greatest collective brain trust of more than 200 committed researchers globally, we know that we can find the answers in science - if only we dedicate ourselves to this mission. Thank you to all of the individuals, groups, companies and organizations whose dedication and support enable us to continue to fund the world's most promising research. Together, we can realize a world without breast cancer.
Myra J. Biblowit
BCRF President, Myra Biblowit, honored by Women in Development with the 2012 Woman of Achievement Award


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Jun 21, 2016
Yep, we were somewhat smitten by AdVenture Capitalist, so we are admittedly willing to assume that anything else by Hyper Hippo Games will be just as cool.
The developer's newest game is a word puzzle called Phrase Shift, and it is out now on Google Play
Excerpts from the Play Store.
Do you consider yourself a word master? Looking for a refreshing new word challenge?
From the clever minds behind AdVenture Capitalist comes an entirely new take on the word puzzle genre.
In Phrase Shift, you'll read a phrase from top to bottom and shift the words side to side until the correct answer reads down. It's like solving a crossword clue, but the answer is within the clue itself!
*Explore 120 puzzles
*3 levels of difficulty.
*A new puzzle each and every day.
The game costs $1.99; check out the trailer below:
[youtube u29WLhQJHXo 600]


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Empowering Texas Parents, Teachers, and Students with School Choice
Texans deserve to have the best education system in the world. We must empower Texas parents, teachers, and students with school choice, which will improve Texas public schools and empower parents to choose the best possible education for their children. Competition is the foundation of our success - it improves the quality and lowers the price of everything it touches. Public schools - and education in general - will be no different. SIGN your name if you agree!


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326POWER Manriki Rear Wing (NEW STYLE!)
0% finance is available on all 326POWER orders over £500 (UK customers only).
The 326POWER Manriki Rear Wing features on many of the coolest drift, stance and VIP cars around the world, with its universal design making it suitable for two-door coupes and large four-door sedans.
This is the latest version of the Manriki boot spoiler which features the 326POWER Crown logo engraved into the upper section and the numbers "326" engraved into the underneath of the wing. This will ensure that everyone knows your Manriki Rear Wing is a genuine item and not a poor quality replica.
As this is a universal part, modifications to the wing legs will be required in order for the wing to sit correctly on your boot lid. You will need to drill holes in your boot lid in order to fit this wing. The legs of the Manriki Rear Wing may need extending, shortening or shaping, depending on your application and the type of look that you want to achieve.
Dimensions: 170cm wide, 15cm tall.
Prices shown include UK VAT at 20%. This will be removed at checkout for customers from USA/CAN/AUS/NZ/JP etc. once your shipping destination is selected.


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Nigerian dwarf goats are compact home milkers, kudzu cleaners, show animals and pets.
Oldesouth Farm in Selma raises Registered Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats. These small goats are easy to handle, take up less space and eat less than a larger goat. They come in a variety of colors and some give as much milk as a large dairy goat. They breed year-round and can supply a family with milk all year. The Nigerian Dwarf is about a third the size of a regular dairy goat.
We are innovative breeders who actually milk our little goats. We have been raising Nigerians since 2004 and have really strived to develop a quality, small, family dairy goat.
These little goats average a quart of milk per day in the breed. Our herd average is a quart-and-a-half and improving. These small goats can milk over a half gallon of rich, six to ten percent milk fat milk. Some top producers give three-quarters to a gallon of milk per day. The milk is very sweet and makes great homemade cheese, yogurt and ice cream. We make goat milk soap products to sell locally and cheese like Chevre and Fromage Chevre for our family. Nigerian milk makes great Brie and Camembert cheeses for special occasions as well.
Our Oldesouth Blue Alexa is barely 19 inches tall and produces three pounds of milk a day (eight pounds to a gallon of milk).
We are the first and only Nigerian Goat Herd on the DHIR (Dairy Herd Improvement Registry) in Alabama. DHIR is a milk-testing and record-keeping entity which helps the dairy farmer keep track of their herd production. We receive information on each doe, total herd, completed and projected records, as well as somatic cell counts. We milk each doe up to a 305-day lactation. We want to improve the milking ability of these little goats and the best way to do this is by monthly testing to see where our production is and where we can make improvements.
The ADGA (American Dairy Goat Association) and AGS (American Goat Society) work with the DHIR and award production stars, advanced registry and top production awards to goats meeting certain production levels and testing conditions. A private Nigerian Club, NDGA (Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association) also offers awards and top production recognition.
We show our goats several times a year and this year will be getting our herd linear appraisals which is also improving our conformation and herd in general. The Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goat is ideal for family pets and milk. Their small size makes them easy to handle and they are not pushy like the larger dairy goats. They come in all colors, some have blue eyes and they have the cutest babies ever. The bucks are small and friendly, and do not tear up the farm like some larger breeds do.
We test our goats annually for CAE (caprine arthritis encephalitis) and Johne's, and have a negative herd. We sell goats and kids to self-sufficient families wanting to have their own natural milk supply and enjoy the process of making their own dairy products. The neutered males (wethers) make great pets, kudzu cleaners and general brush control. We can supply folks with pets, nice show goats and milk-stand trained home milkers.
We buy our feed from Central Alabama Farmers Co-op in Selma.


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Hotel Summary
Summary Page
Rooms & Prices
Rooms From £45.00
Special Offers
View Our current Special Offers
Customer Reviews
View Our Customer Reviews
Local Attractions
Local Attractions near Us
Welcome to Haymills Guesthouse NEC
Address: Kenilworth Road, Hampton-in-Arden, Solihull, B92 0LW
|Telephone: 01675 442494 01675 442494
Hotel Description
Haymills guesthouse is a modern, comfortable place to stay whether on business or pleasure to the local area. Facilities include: All en-suite rooms, TV/Video/Dvd in all rooms, Tea/Coffee making, Guest Lounge/dining room, large secure parking, Airport parking available, wireless internet connection (free), iron/hairdryers/microwave/fridge available, own key access, tastefully decorated and furnished rooms, motorway network (M6/M42) very close. Many restaurants/bars/pubs within 5 minute drive, can accommodate up to 14 people. Established in 2003, Haymills has accommodated many returning guests from all over the UK and further afield. We would be pleased to discuss any further requirements or information you may need. Long term bookings available at special rates. Parking available for airport stays. Please contact us for details.
Our Facilities
Rooms & Online Bookings - Haymills Guesthouse NEC
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Attractions - Haymills Guesthouse NEC
National Exhibition Centre Birmingham - Exhibition
Distance 3.47 miles (5.56 km)
Birmingham International Airport - Airport
Distance 4.39 miles (7.03 km)
Solihull Railway Station - Railway Station
Distance 4.99 miles (7.98 km)


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The SinglePlayer Economy Mod adds an in-game economy system to the game. You can choose between two different jobs and earn money by completing simple tasks. The money can be used for purchasing items and kits. At this point in time it is quite basic but we can definitely see it got great potential if the mod continues to be updated.
Press the Economy Menu button on the right side of the screen to open the economy menu. Here you can select to enter the Shop and Jobs menu.
Let's begin by having a look at the different existing jobs. Tap on either of the jobs to get the job.
In this case, I decided to get a job as a lumberjack. After some hard work I had earned enough money to start purchasing stuff.
Open the Economy Menu and go to Shop. Currently there are just a few different things you can buy but hopefully there will be more in the short future. I decided to buy some diamonds.
You can quit your job at any time and select another job. Type /help in the chat to get help in-game.
Author: CatGirl678


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1.2 Ghz OUTDOOR WIRELESS INFRARED CAMERA & PORTABLE DVR $919.00 (Buy or Rent!)
Combine with our Portable Digital Video Recorder (see below)
This package Rents for: $225.00 per Week
This item rents separately for $50.00 per week.
1.2 Ghz OUTDOOR WIRELESS INFRARED CAMERA $320.00
This is the perfect wireless video and audio camera for outdoors. The camera is high quality color with 380 lines of resolution at 0 lux. With its built-in infrared LED, it delivers crystal clear pictures during night time. With a 1.2 Ghz transmitter that allows you to operate the camera up to 400 feet with little interference.
Color: 380 lines resolution, 0.5 Lux
S/N Ratio: 50dB
Shutter Speed: 1/60 ~ 1/100,000 Sec
Range: Up to 700 ft line of sight
Includes: Video Receiver
Power: 12V
PORTABLE DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER II $599.00! (Buy or Rent)
DVR security will never be the same with this high resolution full motion unit. 720 X 480 video at 30fps with this new micro security DVR! Video & audio inputs!
* Solid state DVR records audio/video with advanced MPEG4 compression.
* Records over two hours on 2 gig SD card
* Built in rechargeable lithium battery
* 2.5" Color LCD display
* USB 2.0 & A/V inputs/outputs
* IR remote control for easy set up
* Incredible small size of 3.14"W X 2" H X .86D-- as small as a cigarette pack!
* Super light weight only 2.68 ounces
* Comes with DVR, carrying case, easy instructions, connecting cables, battery, charger and 1 year warranty
DPL-Surveillance-Equipment.com is a world leader in providing surveillance and security products and services to Government, Law Enforcement, Private Investigators, small and large companies worldwide. We have one of the largest varieties of state-of-the-art surveillance and counter-surveillance equipment including Biometric Identification Systems, Anti-terrorist-related equipment, Personal Protection (recommended for our female customers) and Bug Detection Products.
Buy, rent or lease the same state-of-the-art surveillance and security equipment Detectives, PI's, the CIA and FBI use. Take back control!
Phone: (1888) 344-3742 Toll Free (USA)
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Phone: (1888) 344-3742 Toll Free (USA)
Local: (818) 344-3742
Fax (775) 249-9320
AOL Instant Messenger
Yahoo Instant Messenger
Alternate Email Address
Join my Yahoo Group!
My RSS Feed
Click Here for Details on our Rental Policy.


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Microsoft BUILD 2011 Video (sans Silverlight)
Microsoft's BUILD 2011 conference is currently underway, and with its focus on what's shaping up to be the most revolutionary update to Windows since 95 eclipsed 3.1 over 15 years ago there's big news coming thick and fast out of Anaheim. Just like Apple has in the past required the OS X version of Quicktime to stream coverage from developer events, the video content on the official BUILD website is presented using Silverlight, precluding a great many from enjoying the available footage.
Luckily, MSDN's 'Channel 9' video repository has streams in raw MP4, with a high quality option for 'iPad, WP7' and standard, for 'iPod, Zune HD'.
The streams are located here, so get ready to make a tear in the fabric of time and space by watching Steve Ballmer pump up the developers, developers, developers on your Android or iOS devices.
Day 1 keynote embedded after the break. (more…)


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The Best Bolt on Performance Upgrades for Late Model Porsches
The all new specifically designed IPD 3.8L DFI intake Plenum is a direct bolt-on upgrade that replaces the factory air intake distributor and utilizes all pre-existing factory hardware and throttle body.
The improved IPD intake design allows for smoother, less turbulent and more efficient air flow resulting in impressive power and torque gains for Porsche driving enthusiasts.
The superior design of the DFI IPD Plenum provides an additional 15 horsepower at the wheels. Unlike previous naturally aspirated IPD plenums that delivered stronger gains in the mid range, the new IPD DFI Plenums deliver a similar shaped power curve as the factory but are considerably stronger from the mid range to redline without any loses in power down low.
Installation of the new IPD 3.8L DFI Plenum is relatively straight forward and can be installed by mechanically inclined DIY customers although IPD strongly recommends installation be performed by a trained and qualified Porsche technician.
©2017 IPD Plenums. Site by bigbrownvan.com


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Enology projects
A survey of S. Cerevisiae yeast populations in 3 Okanagan vineyard sub-regions
Friday, February 26, 2016
Classic breeding of low volatile acidity and low hydrogen sulphide producing yeast strains
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Acetic acid in wine is generally considered to be a spoilage product; acetic acid production can also result in the formation of other unpleasant volatile compounds such as ethyl acetate. By creating a single point mutation in the S. cerevisiae YML081W locus, we can reduce VA in wine by 32%. The production of H2S is a significant problem in the wine industry around the world. The pathways for H2S production have been studied by many laboratories around the world but it has not been fully elucidated. We have now identified a novel gene that regulates H2S production during wine fermentations. By classic breeding we can mutate the S. cerevisiae YDL068W gene which will significantly limit/prevent the formation of H2S in wine.
Population Dynamics of Yeast Fermenting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Wine
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Knowing the yeasts that ferment wine will aid Okanagan wineries in their future yeast-purchasing decisions and will give Okanagan winemakers more confidence in using spontaneous fermentation. Given that a substantial amount of a winery's capital is spent on commercial yeast, these actions will increase the efficiency by which yeasts are used, resulting in cost reductions. Also, by knowing the yeasts fermenting the wine will lead to intelligent winemaking decisions and general increase in wine quality. There are two types of fermentations: spontaneous and inoculated. In spontaneous fermentation, the must is exposed to the resident yeast population, whereas in inoculated fermentation, a commercially available S. cerevisiae yeast starter is used as an inoculant. The aim of the proposed study is to determine the yeasts present in inoculated and spontaneous fermentations in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals. We will also aim to build our microsatellite database by adding DNA fingerprints of S. cerevisiae strains that were not listed in previously constructed databases.
Analytical and sensory evaluation of tannins in red wines and grapes
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Dr. Cedric Saucier UBC-Okanagan
Establishment and Application of a Small-lot Research Winery to Determine the Winemaking Quality of Grapes from Viticulture Rese
Sunday, January 1, 2006
Proposed is the establishment of a small-lot research wine making facility at PARC Summerland, and use of the facility to make wines from viticulture research projects underway. The facility will enable assessment of the wine making quality of fruit produced in response to viticultural research treatments, and relationships among fruit and wine composition and wine sensory characteristics. The facility could also potentially be used to assess wine sensory characteristics that result from site conditions (terroir effects). Establishment of the small-lot facility at PARC will also create a new training opportunity for students.
Estimation of Brett Odor in Wines
Sunday, January 1, 2006
Brett is probably resident in most Okanagan wineries, but is kept in check by current sterile techniques, and the 4-ethylguaiacol and 4-ethylphenol concentrations are very likely well below their thresholds. The concentrations of these two compounds can be used to monitor the effectiveness of Brettanomyces control programs. This analytical method for estimating the extent of Brettanomyces contamination is rapid and will quickly provide information regarding the effectiveness of the sterile techniques. The study of Brettanomyces infection will take into account many variables and will include the following: age of barrel, cooper, block of grapes, variety of grapes, hygiene (hot versus cold water, sterilizing agent), type of oak used in barrels, sulphur dioxide concentration, cellar temperature, and dissolved oxygen.
Estimation of Smoke Contamination on Wine Grapes
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
The goal of this proposal is to develop an analytical technique to measure guaiacol and 4-methylguaiacol in grape, which are the compounds responsible for the smoke taint in wines. We have frozen grapes remaining from a previous study. We will then measure these compounds in grapes from Okanagan vineyards that were contaminated by the fire in 2003 and compare these results with grapes harvested in 2001 and 2002 from the same vineyards. We thus hope to develop the ability to quantitatively determine whether wines will have a "smoky" flavour or aroma.
Brett Odor Project Results Summary
Tuesday, August 1, 2006
View attached .pdf file.


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Jomelle – Multipurpose Business WordPress Theme Created by ab-themes. This templates have specific characteristics, namely: Jomelle has features such as Widget Ready: Yes, Compatible Browsers: IE9, IE10, IE11, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Chrome, Edge, Software Version: WordPress 4.6.1, WordPress 4.6, WordPress 4.5.x, WordPress 4.5.2, WordPress 4.5.1, WordPress 4.5, WordPress 4.4.2, WordPress 4.4.1, WordPress 4.4, WordPress 4.3.1, WordPress 4.3, WordPress 4.2, WordPress 4.1, WordPress 4.0, Columns: 4+ .
You can use this Jomelle – Multipurpose Business WordPress Theme on WordPress category for animated, business, corporate, drag, drag and drop, drop, enterprise, multipurpose, orange, page builder, parallax, revolution, timeline, video background and another uses.
Main Features:
- Files included: PHP Files, CSS Files, JS Files
- Documentation: Well Documented
- Layout: Responsive
- Software version: WordPress 4.6.1, WordPress 4.6, WordPress 4.5.x, WordPress 4.5.2, WordPress 4.5.1, WordPress 4.5, WordPress 4.4.2, WordPress 4.4.1, WordPress 4.4, WordPress 4.3.1, WordPress 4.3, WordPress 4.2, WordPress 4.1, WordPress 4.0
- Compatible with: None
- Compatible browsers: IE9, IE10, IE11, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Chrome, Edge
- Framework: None
- High resolution: None
- Widget ready: Yes
- Columns: 4+
Jomelle is a modern WordPress theme made to look awesome on any size of screen.
Jomelle is ideal theme for any agency like creative design agency, web development agency, PR agency, fashion agency, as a theme for startup company or well established company. It would also look great for product or service landing page or product microsite. With great collection of elements to choose from and present your product it is ideal theme for any startup company.
Built with the latest technologies like HTML5, CSS3, jQuery, and with SEO in mind it will help you get on top of Google Searches!
Jomelle is jammed packed with options! Theme options allow you to change the look and feel of site and great collection of Drag and Drop shortcodes to modify layouts and add various elements. Choose any color scheme you like… Pick out any of +2000 icons…
- Responsive Design (with unresponsive option)
- Revolution Slider ($18 value)
- The Creator – Visual Page Builder for WordPress included ($32 value – free)
- PSD files included ($10 value)
- Contact Form 7 Support
- Mega Menu
- Touch Enabled Slider
- Video Slider
- SEO Optimized
- Crossbrowser Compatible
- Documentation
- Customer support
Shortcodes / Drag&Drop Elements
- Accordions – with sliding animation and plus/minus sign change on expansion or collapse
- Alert Boxes – 4 styles – Info, Warning, Error and Success, each with icon and close button; Animated on close
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** Version 1.0.0 / 3 September 14 – Initial release


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sunny room for rent- center of Barcelona
Beautiful room in a modernist flat ( high ceilings, flower tiles on the floor..)for rent after 7.4.
The next metro station is GIRONA, its 5 minutes walking from Paseo de Gracia!
The room is fully furnished, there is WIFI, a fully equipped kitchen with eating area, big bathroom.
You share bathroom with 1 person, we will be total 3 people. The flat is Protected content , so there is lots of space.
We dont have a shared living space, everybody has its own area.
I am looking for a mature person that doesnt party much, doesnt smoke, doesnt bring many people to the house, also we are very clean and hope it can stay this way.
Looking forward to hear from you,
Best regards


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Afjord IL vector logo
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Dorothy Devendorf Thomas Oral History | Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives
Extent: 0.05 Linear Feet
Predominant Dates: May 25, 2007
Access and Use Restrictions
Preferred Citation: Dorothy Devendorf Thomas Oral History, Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives, Washington University School of Medicine.
Collection Material Type: Oral History
Scope and Contents: Interview conducted by Susan Deusinger of the Physical Therapy Department, WUSM. Approximate Length: 37 minutes. [OH127]


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A senior Russian diplomat Thursday denied the claim by a prominent Iranian lawmaker that Moscow had started delivering components of its S0-300 anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile defense system to Tehran.
"I am very surprised by the fuss this story has caused recently. I think this is due to a lack of interesting international news in the run-up to the holidays that many of our Western neighbors are celebrating. This causes an influx of interest in information, which has nothing to do with anything that is going on or will happen," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters in Moscow, according to a report from RIA Novosti.
As previously reported in UPI's BMD Focus column, Esmaeil Kosari, deputy chairman of the parliamentary commission on national security and foreign policy, told Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency Sunday that Russia was already sending components for its formidable S-300PMU-1 system – NATO designation SA-20 Gargoyle – to the Islamic republic. In Washington, the outgoing Bush administration quizzed Russia about the report. U.S. officials indicated they also had intelligence information to support Kosari's claim.
However, Russian officials have lined up to deny the claim. Ryabkov insisted that while Russia's weapons and nuclear trading with Iran was continuing, it was all above board and complied with international law.
RIA Novosti also noted that on Monday the Russian federal service for military cooperation also issued a denial of Kosari's claim. "Reports on deliveries of S-300 systems are untrue," it announced in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has remained silent on the controversy, neither confirming nor denying Kosari's claim.
RIA Novosti also reported an Israeli Foreign Ministry statement that the Kremlin had also sent a message to the government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that it had not begun to send the S-300s to Iran.
Russian military commentator Ilya Kramnik wrote for RIA Novosti on Dec. 19 that selling five battalions of S-300PMUs to Iran would comprise "up to 20 systems — 60 launchers — depending on the makeup of a battalion. Each of the launchers carries four 48N6E missiles — 48N6E2s with the PMU-2 mobile launchers — with a range of 150 kilometers — 90 miles — up to 200 kilometers — 120 miles — for the 48N6E2s."
"Each launch system consists of three launchers and is capable of engaging six targets at the same time, aiming 12 missiles at them. One battalion consisting of four systems is, therefore, capable of dealing with 24 aircraft simultaneously. After changing position and replenishing ammunition, it can be quickly redeployed for repulsing a repeat raid," Kramnik wrote.
Russia also sent to Iran 29 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems worth $700 million under a deal closed in late 2005. RIA Novosti confirmed that Russian technicians had taught Iranian engineers and technicians how to operate the Tor-M1, including the radar systems that guide it.
The issue of whether Russia has in fact already sent components of the S-300 system to Iran is still open. The Israelis appear more ready to accept Russian assurances that they have not than the U.S. government.


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My thirst for satisfaction may create chaos in my life. I may change jobs, relationships, and homes. Still, I may be restless. Then I refocus my desires inward and discover what I am looking for is already here. Outer circumstances do not bring me peace and satisfaction. Love does.
I retrain my mind to find fulfillment within. A spiritual wellspring of contentment and delight awaits me. I find enjoyment in little things like a blue sky, the smell of the earth, and small kindnesses extended to me by others. Most of all, I appreciate the real pleasure of living my life exactly as it is. I live in a constant state of gratitude and all is well with me and the world.
~ from the Daily Word.


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Transcribed by April Scott
Female Announcer: The entire economy of Western Canada is on fire. And, not just the oil and gas sector. That's according the President of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. He was speaking to the Parliamentary Committee; which is looking into whether the rapid development of the oil sands, is sustainable. Susan Bell reports.
Suan Bell: Liberal Alan Tonks asked the question that cut to the heart of what the Natural Resources Committee to trying to answer.
Alan Tonks: Is the pace and the acceleration of development in the oil sands sustainable? From a social and economic. And environmental perspective?
Susan: Dan Vinalovich, with the environmental group, PENBENA; says, the simple answer is no. And, not just for the environment.
Dan: The Regional Health Authority, is running about half capacity. In terms of the number total medical staff it would require, to service the population of Fort MacMurray.
Susan: But, the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, says people are unfairly blaming the oil sands. Pierre Alvarez says that makes up one quarter of all the investment in the oil sector. And, he says the West, as a whole; is on fire, economically.
Pierre Alvarez: We've got a period we're in right now, in Western Canada - where, yes it's oil and gas. But, it's pot ash, it's uranium. It's the pine beetle. And, the injection it's going to require, from the cuts there. It's municipal infrastructure. It's electrical infrastructure.
Susan: And, Alvarez says the cost of doing any business in the West, has climbed so high too; that it will actually drag down growth in 2007.
Pierre Alvarez: Companies are looking at strategies to stretch things out. How do they hang on to labor for longer? How do you design things, a little differently?
Susan: The Parliamentary Committee, plans to travel to Fort MacMurray, later this month. To see, first hand; whether the development of the oil sands is sustainable. Susan Bell, CBC News, Ottawa.
- 4768 reads


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We love it when we see a real-life Mario Kart inspired video, this latest one, by YouTube channel devinsupertramp, has left us very impressed.
The real-life take on Mario Kart comes complete with doses of humour (wait until you see the cloud with the countdown lights), some very stunning camera work with high quality production values and some very clever shell mechanics which utilises a remote control car or two.
The video is topped off with a unique Mario Kart themed love song, you can check out the awesome video below.


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Corral Swamp Trail is a 5.4 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near La Pine, Oregon that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking and is best used from July until September. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
mountain biking
trail running
Directions from Sunriver: Trail begins from Forest Rd. 4632 at Corral Swamp Trailhead, located off Century Drive between Lava and Cultus Lakes , 23 miles west of Sunriver. Northwest Forest Pass required.
hikingMonday, August 24, 2015
I did the piece between Lucky Lake and Cultus Lake. Nice trail. Lots of blowdowns in June. Mostly flat, easy trail. Could be a nice day hike from the Lucky Lake trailhead to Cultus Lake and back.


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In this episode we have a conversation with one of Brad's favorite authors, Dr. Noah Charney. Dr. Charney is an Art Historian, Novelist and founder of the Association for Research into Crimes against Art.
Evil Twin Podcast
Thank you for your interest in The Evil Twin Podcast. Our last episode was posted June 12th 2016. However, we are leaving our favorite episodes on this feed as a thank you. The rest of the episodes with be archived for future generations and buried in our underground bunker. If you prey real hard, one day they may be made available again to the public. You never know, you may see us again where you least expect it.
Skeptical, even of skepticism, The Evil Twin Podcast takes on a variety of topics from very unexpected angles. In this podcast you ride shotgun while twin brothers Brad and Thad explore the strange underbelly of "belief" and what it means to identify with those beliefs.


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Addiction is No Longer Invisible – National Recovery Month
Recovering from addiction is no small feat, it requires determination and perseverance. Learning how to live a life free from drugs and alcohol cannot be done alone, and for 80 years members of 12-step programs have helped each other recover from the debilitating disease of addiction. September is a special time of year for people in recovery, being National Recovery Month.
All month long events are being held across the country with the collective goal of breaking the stigma of addiction and mental health disorders. September is also a time to celebrate everyone who is actively working a program of recovery and the countless people who work tirelessly in the field of addiction and mental health services.
National Recovery Month events are open to the public. They are good opportunity for people, without substance use disorders and people who have loved ones active in their addiction, to learn about the disease and how they can assist people to find recovery. The nation is currently in the grips of a tragic opioid epidemic, with addicts needlessly losing their life to overdoses every day. Opening up the dialogue about addiction can go a long way in the fight against this epidemic, changing how the general public looks at addiction will result in more people seeking help for their problem – saving lives.
We encourage everyone in recovery to attend National Recovery Month events. Recovery is worth celebrating, and your success is a living testament that: "We Can, and Do Recover". On Monday, the President made a Proclamation showing his support for National Recovery Month and commending everyone in recovery. Please take a moment to read the Proclamation.
– – – – – – –
Every day, resilient Americans with substance use disorders summon extraordinary courage and strength and commit to living healthy and productive lives through recovery. From big cities to small towns to Indian Country, substance use disorders affect the lives of millions of Americans. This month, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to all those who are seeking or in need of treatment, and we recognize the key role families, friends, and health care providers play in supporting those on the path to a better tomorrow.
This year's theme is "Join the Voices for Recovery: Visible, Vocal, Valuable!" It encourages us all to do our part to eliminate negative public attitudes associated with substance use disorders and treatment. People in recovery are part of our communities — they are our family and friends, colleagues and neighbors — and by supporting them and raising awareness of the challenges they face, we can help eradicate prejudice and discrimination associated with substance use disorders, as well as with co-occurring mental disorders. Prevention and treatment work, and people recover — and we must ensure all those seeking help feel empowered, encouraged, and confident in their ability to take control of their future. Americans looking for help for themselves or their loved ones can call 1-800-662-HELP or use the "Treatment Locator" tool at www.SAMHSA.gov.
My Administration remains dedicated to pursuing evidence-based strategies to address substance use disorders as part of our National Drug Control Strategy. Seeking to widen pathways to recovery, our strategy supports the integration of substance use treatment into primary health care settings and the expansion of support services in places such as high schools, institutions of higher education, and throughout the criminal justice system. In the wake of public health crises related to non-medical use of prescription drugs and heroin in communities across our Nation, my Administration has pledged considerable resources to help Federal, State, and local authorities boost prevention efforts, improve public health and safety, and increase access to treatment in communities across the country. And the Affordable Care Act has extended substance use disorder and mental health benefits and Federal parity protections to millions of Americans.
Behavioral health is essential to overall health, and recovery is a process through which individuals are able to improve their wellness, live increasingly self-directed lives, and strive to fulfill their greatest potential. During National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, we reaffirm our belief that recovery and limitless opportunity are within reach of every single American battling substance use disorders, and we continue our work to achieve this reality.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2015 as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.
At Synergy Group Services we offer individualized treatment plans for addiction recovery.


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Join us on board a fully skippered charter for a dream sail around Corfu Island and the neighbouring islands including Paxos and Antipaxos. We offer three, four and seven night itineraries. We welcome you on board on the first night with a barbeque Greek style with calamari and other Greek delights and salads. Breakfast and lunch are included in your charter.
The name Corfu is related to two powerful water symbols: Poseidon, the God of the sea and Asopos, a large Greek mainland river. The island is sprinkled with castles and its history is full of conquests and battles. We will be taking a leisurely sail past places of historical interest on the island, stopping at bays and exploring what the island has to offer. Two castles enclose its capital.
For those who have more time, why not stay for a week? Every day you will see something different. Dip into the blue waters of the Ionic off the back deck while at anchor and enjoy a delicious breakfast or light lunch on board. Dally at a Greek taverna in the evening to sample local fare. Spend the morning snorkelling or lying on one of the often secluded beaches we choose.
This is the holiday where your accommodation goes with you. Every day is a new adventure. The Ionic islands are in some of the best, most tranquil waters in the Mediterranean. It's a hop, skip and a jump from Italy or there are direct flights from the UK and other European cities. There are regular ferries also direct from Italy.
Head north off the beaten track to the islands of Othonoi, Ereikoussa and Mathraki. The population of some of these islands is only a few hundred people. There are cypress forests and olive tree groves and of course the famous coves and beaches.
Visit the Kalypsos Cave where Kalypso was said to have kept Ulysses captive. Like many places on these islands, you can only visit by boat. Being aboard your own piece of luxury, we can pull up at secluded bays for lunch and snorkel in the turquoise waters after a siesta.
There are Byzantine churches, remains of Venetian fortresses and, on Othonois, a nineteenth century lighthouse important because the island lies between Italy and Greece. Erikoussa Island has rich traditions in olive making and you can visit a traditional oil mill. Many of the villages still make their own wine from grapes they have grown.
Paxos and Antipaxos are islands south of Corfu. A delightful island to sample the fare from a Greek taverna. It can only be reached by boat so has preserved its tranquil nature. Many of the old villages are built around ports. The western side of the island has sheer cliffs, caves and arches and plenty of swimming and snorkelling.
There are many caves on Paxos among the dramatic limestone cliffs.The best, and often only way to see them is by boat. Paxos has a population of around 3000 people. Antipaxos has beautiful beaches and we will be visiting some of the most secluded bays.
Gaios is a charming little village on Paxos whose older buildings survived the 1953 earthquake. Gaios Town has two ports: the old port for the excursions and caiques (traditional wooden boats) and the modern port for the larger ferries. Ferries toto Corfu, Athens and Igoumenitsa.
Why not join us on board for a beautiful seven day sail and explore some of the delights and medieval offerings around the island of Corfu and take in the neighbouring islands of Paxos, Antipaxos, Othonoi, Ereikoussa and Mathraki. Spend the days lounging on deck or diving off into the aquamarine ocean.
We promise you each day will be unique. There will be plenty of time for sunbathing, lunching on deck before sightseeing, stopping of at one of the small ports en route or anchoring in a secluded bay. We will explore the island of Corfu: its mountainous north, the hilly middle and low south and the vast cliffs of the west coast. Our itinerary is designed for relaxation. Some of our other ports of call, depending on the itinerary is the melancholy island of Lazaretto where Greek resistance fighters were shot during World War II and Mouse Island.
You can join us on the seven-day itinerary either on Tuesday when we head north of Corfu or Friday when we head south. We also have a couple of bicycles if you fancy stretching the legs at our destinations.
Richard and Kathy aboard "Mi Lady" winning the charter yacht category in the Southern Ionian Regatta 2014


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Reds back rookie centre
The Reds have backed inexperienced centre Aidan Toua to provide a midfield spark in their Super Rugby clash with the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday.
Director of Rugby Ewan McKenzie has picked Toua at outside centre following impressive pre-season form and his stand-out performance in the Reds No.13 jersey during a 20-13 victory over the Brumbies in 2012.
He joins vice-captain Ben Tapuai in the midfield while Dom Shipperley has won the hotly contested race for the wing position opposite Digby Ioane with goal-kicking ace Mike Harris rounding out the back-three at fullback.
Playmaker Quade Cooper also makes his return to action after missing last year's play-off loss to the Sharks through suspension and will join scrumhalf Ben Lucas in the halves.
Prop James Slipper will captain the Reds as part of a starting front-row which includes Greg Holmes at loosehead prop and Saia Faingaa at hooker.
In the absence of injured skipper James Horwill, locks Rob Simmons and Adam Wallace-Harrison will commence the game in the second-row while Reds College lock Ed O'Donoghue has earned a place on the bench.
The Reds will boast a young yet talented loose trio with Wallaby Liam Gill at openside flank, Eddie Quirk at blindside, and Jake Schatz packing down at the back of the scrum at No.8.
McKenzie has opted for a traditional 4-3 split on the bench with Albert Anae, James Hanson, Jarrad Butler and O'Donoghue covering the forwards and Nick Frisby, Jono Lance and Chris F'Sautia the backs.
"There are a lot of factors that dictate selection, including experience, but we also try to acknowledge current form," McKenzie said.
"Guys such as Aidan Toua and Eddie Quirk haven't played a lot of Super Rugby but have put their hand up during the pre-season.
"We've got some very strong ideas on how we want to play the Brumbies and the entire group has understood since Monday the role they play in that. We've had a great preparation," he added.
Reds: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Aidan Toua, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Ben Lucas, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Eddie Quirk, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Adam Wallace-Harrison, 3 James Slipper (captain), 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Greg Holmes.
Replacements: 16 Albert Anae, 17 James Hanson, 18 Ed O'Donoghue, 19 Jarrad Butler, 20 Nick Frisby, 21 Jono Lance, 22 Chris F'Sautia.
Date: Saturday, February 16
Venue: Canberra Stadium Canberra
Kick-off: 19.40 (08.40 GMT)
Referee: Andrew Lees (Australia)
Assistant referees: James Leckie (Australia) Ian Smith (Australia)
TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)


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If you've just taken the plunge and decided to start studying Mandarin, you may have been looking at Chinese characters with a bit of apprehension up until this point.
However, I often feel like this is an unnecessary reaction to what is actually a very interesting and unique writing system, and if you can manage to understand the following four concepts, you'll be well on your way to improving your Chinese writing ability much more quickly than you might have otherwise imagined
1. The Simplest Chinese Characters Are Just Like Pictures
The first thing you need to know is that Chinese characters have been around for over 5000 years.
Although their various forms have evolved greatly over time, Chinese continues to hold its place in the world as the only pictorial writing system to still be in use today.
One ancient legend tells of a time before written history when people used ropes and knots to record daily events: a big event deserved a big knot and a small event deserved a small knot.
However, it's easy to guess that this might not have been the best method for remembering specific activities and that a better system was badly needed.
The legend goes on to tell of a man named Cang Jie, who was a minister during the reign of the Yellow Emperor.
He had the attentive habit of noticing different shapes that were formed around him by the animals and objects in nature, such as the footprints of birds in the sand, the form of the human body, and the shape of the trees.
Noticing the roundness of the sun in the sky, Cang Jie drew a round circle with a dot in the middle. This eventually came to form the modern character for sun (日 rì).
He then saw the pointed mountains that stood around him and drew three mountain peaks. This picture eventually came to form the modern character for mountain (山 shān).
Then Cang Jie saw the form of the crescent moon in the night sky with wisps of clouds passing by it; this also contributed to the modern form of the character for moon (月 yuè).
Sun Pictograph
Mountain Pictograph
Moon Pictograph
Being that the Yellow Emperor and Cang Jie are only fictional actors in ancient Chinese mythology, a much more plausible explanation for the creation of Chinese characters is that of the ancient carvings on oracle bones.
During China's second dynasty, the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BCE-1046 BCE), emperors would consult shamans for a forecast of their kingdom's future.
The shamans would engrave small pictorial symbols into animal bones or tortoise shells and then place them in fire, basing their predictions on the ways in which the bones cracked and split from being given to the heat.
These cracks were regarded as answers from the gods and the shaman would then tell the emperor of, for example, the inevitable drought in store for the nation or of the coming victory in battle.
Over thousands of years, these symbols were used more and more frequently and their original forms were altered many times. This was the beginning of the long process that brought the Chinese script to where it is today.
The images below, and from left to right, illustrate some of the oracle bone writings that would have been used during ancient times. Look specifically at the characters for rat, horse, tiger, and elephant, and especially at the character for turtle. You are sure to see the direct resemblances.
2. Simple Characters Can Be Combined To Create More Complex Characters
Although Cang Jie, the fabled inventor of writing, was not a real person (I mean, he has four eyes in the picture above, right?), Chinese characters were still originally created by the observations that people made in everyday life, and many of these earliest symbols looked very much like the objects that they were meant to represent.
Even today, some of the simpler characters (directly below) still resemble their original drawings and portray their original meanings quite well (sometimes you need to a bit creatively though).
For example:
一 (one)
二 (two)
三 (three)
上 (up)
下 (down)
口 (mouth)
日 (sun)
月 (moon)
山 (mountain)
川 (river)
木 (tree)
田 (field)
大 (big)
小 (small)
人 (person)
Chinese characters evolved alongside Chinese culture, which was of great benefit for the development of writing since cultural thoughts and ideas could be used to influence and create more complex characters.
For example, by looking to the characters below, one can see the symbols for sun and moon, or the two brightest objects in the sky (we also just saw these characters above as well).
By putting them side by side, however, we obtain a completely new character meaning bright.
日 + 月 = 明
Another example would be the character for forest that we get by combining twice the character for tree. Alternatively, we can add another tree to the duo and get a third character that also means forest.
木 + 木 = 林
林 + 木 = 森
A third example would be the character for man. In the ancient Chinese mind, a person had to be strong to work the various fields that were kept. This person was often the man, and by combining the character for field (think of a partitioned rice paddy) on top of the character for strength, we get the character below.
田 (field) + 力 (strength) = 男 (man/male)
Following are several more examples of these compounded Chinese characters. Can you figure out how they're composed?
雨 (rain) + 田 (field) = 雷 (thunder) [can you see the four rain drops in the first character?]
雨 (rain) + 田 (field) + 乚 (bolt of lightning) = 電 (electricity)
宀 (roof) + 豕 (pig) = 家 (family/home) [if a household had enough food under one roof, then a family could flourish]
Hopefully you can see by now that Chinese characters aren't just random squiggles on the page, but instead represent well thought-out ideas that are represented by pictographs dating back thousands of years.
Even if these ideas seem abstract at times, a general understanding can still be attained if you stretch your imagination just a little bit.
3. You Can Guess The Pronunciation Of A Chinese Character
Many (if not most) other Chinese characters are a great deal more complicated than the ones just shown above and do not necessarily display such "obvious" meanings.
These characters instead generally consist of two parts: one gives a clue as to the meaning of the word (this part is called the radical), and the other part often gives a clue as to the pronunciation of the character.
For example, take the following character: 油
The 氵 on the left-hand side is the radical and represents three droplets of water.
Note that radicals are often an abbreviated form of another standard Chinese character; in this example, the 氵 is the abbreviated form of the character 水, which means water.
由 is our second half of the character, but has a different meaning than 油; however, 油 now takes on the pronunciation of 由 due to this shared component between the two. This pronunciation is yóu.
From this given information, you can deduce that this new character has something to do with a water-like substance, or a liquid, because of its radical. You can also guess that it probably has a pronunciation similar to yóu, if not the same.
In fact, 油 means oil, which is a liquid substance, and is pronounced yóu in Mandarin.
Though it's not completely obvious from first glance that this character specifically refers to the liquid known as oil, for someone who has not seen this character before, he or she could still take a guess as to what the meaning might include, as well as the pronunciation, because of the two separate parts of this character.
There are many different radicals that can be combined with other characters to form new words, and some of the most common are the ones we've already seen above, such as 人 (person), 口 (mouth), 女 (woman), 山 (mountain), 水 (water), and 木 (tree).
However, just as with the radical in the character for oil, these radicals may sometimes slightly change their shape when combined with other characters, therefore turning 人 (person) into 亻, 手 (hand) into 扌, and 草 (grass) into 艹 (notice that 草 itself uses the 艹 radical at the top so as to hint at its meaning).
Here are some other examples using the radicals from above. Can you see where they are when combined to create new characters?
吃 = to eat (mouth radical)
吵 = to argue (mouth radical)
打 = to hit (hand radical)
抄 = to copy (hand radical)
湯 = soup (water radical)
汗 = sweat (water radical)
媽 = mother (woman radical)
娶 = to marry a woman (woman radical)
花 = flower (grass radical)
菠 = spinach (grass radical)
峭 = steep (mountain radical)
峽 = gorge (mountain radical)
For a more detailed sample of radicals, try checking out www.zhongwen.com/s/bushou.htm.
4. Chinese Character Writing Is Very Logical And Consistent
Every Chinese character must be written in a particular order.
Now, you may be thinking, there are around 3,000-4,000 characters that one needs to know in order just to function comfortably in Chinese.
Do I really have to remember an order for each one?!
Well, yes and no.
Yes, because each character does indeed have a certain way that it needs to be written in order for it not to look sloppy or lopsided or warped.
And no, because all characters are generally written with the same stroke pattern in mind, that is, top to bottom and left to right.
This will generally have you starting your characters at the upper left-hand corner of a character and ending in the lower right-hand corner.
As an example, the following two characters, 中文, mean Chinese (the language, not the people). The grids below are writing tools that all Chinese children are given when learning to write characters in order to practice their form and spacing (if you learn how to write Chinese, you'll use them too!).
My (terrible freehand) attempt on the computer to show the individual strokes that make up the two characters 中文 can be seen below, including red arrows to indicate stoke direction.
If you want to see something more decent than my own scribbling, here's another example that shows the strokes for the character 国 (guó), or country.
I hope that this has been an informative introduction to Chinese characters. As you can probably guess, more practice would have to be done if you wanted to take your skills with this writing system any further, but this is definitely somewhere to start.
And just remember, the simplest Chinese characters are like pictures that can be combined to create more complex characters.
With a little practice, you'll see that Chinese characters aren't actually the monster they're made out to be, but that they will instead introduce you to a whole new way of thinking when it comes to writing down ideas about the things you encounter on a daily basis.
If you'r interested in learning even more about what you've just read above, try checking out some of the links below.
1) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_characters
2) zhongwen.com
3) omniglot.com/chinese/written.htm
See Also:
How to Learn Chinese in 4 Steps
Learning Languages at University: An Interview with Ed Blankenship
6 Strategies for Language Learning Success
8 Reasons Why Mandarin Chinese ISN'T Hard to Learn
How to Use Chinese Characters to Write Japanese and Korean


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Jun 26, 2013
Jun 13, 2013
Jun 10, 2013
- The need of more provinces for Federation or Division?
- Shouldn't Punjab government be held responsible for the deaths due to consumption of poisonous cough syrup in Punjab?
- Is Delimitation without census alone in Karachi is fair with the people of Karachi?
- Extremist Religious Groups in Pakistan Justifies: "Attack on Malala Yousuf Zai is a Reaction of Drone-attacks"
- In Quaid's Pakistan Independence is a Responsibility not a Privilege: Are you ready to play your part?
- Do you think that the recent statement of Mr. Altaf Hussain is an eye opener for the Pakistani Nation?
Social Media
MQM Founder and Leader Mr. Altaf Hussain vowed to continue the struggle for justice and rights for Muhajirs in his address form the demonstration outside The White House
Nawaz Sharif has been held accountable for his corruption. When will generals be held accountable for their wrong-doings – MQM Convener Nadeem Nusrat
Communication and Media Cell, Washington, DC, Sunday, July 30th 2017; Condemning the recent rise in Enforced Disappearances of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) workers and family members of MQM's Founder and Leader Mr. Altaf Hussain has been subjected to ongoing heinous act of Pakistan's Law Enforcement Agencies, as his cousin Khalid Hussain and nephew Abdul Aziz Ansari, and Muneer Ali, brother of MQM's Coordination Committee member Mustafa Azizabadi have been subjected to enforced disappearance. Alike numerous other MQM workers, no law enforcement agency has disclosed their arrest, and their whereabouts remains unknown.
MQM's Founder Mr. Altaf Hussain joined the participant via tele-conferencing and addressed the participants in a brief speech. In this brief address, he went on to condemn the role of Pakistan's Law Enforcement Agencies in Karachi, particularly against the Muhajir community. In his remarks, he stated that in Pakistan Muhajirs are being treated worst then animals, and called upon the International Community to oppose such barbarianism of Pakistan govt and military organization. In concluding he went on to thank the organizer and attendees for making this demonstration a success on such short notice.
The demonstration was attended by MQM's Convener Nadeem Nusrat, members of Coordination Committee; Wasay Jalil and Rukunuddin, Kehkeshan Lakhanvi along with Central Organizer of MQM USA, Mateen Yousuf; Joint Central Organizer Adnan Naqvi; Members of the Central Organizing Committee Imran Hussain, Mehfooz Haidry, Syed Usama Hasan, Communication & Media Cell, office bearers and workers of Washington DC, Richmond, Baltimore, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles Chapters and along with large numbers of supporters and members of Pakistani Diaspora from all walks of life, including ladies, elders and youth.
The demonstrators demanded that the Pakistani establishment should stop these cruel tactics of "unlawful kidnapping" of Mr. Hussain's relatives in order to cause him to bow his head down, a wish of their which will never fulfill. They held banners and placards demanding United States government to take notice of worst forms of Human Rights Violations, Enforced Disappearances, Extra Judicial Killings, Inhumane Torture, Ban on Political and Social activities of MQM, Blackout of MQM's Founder and Leader Mr. Altaf Hussain.
On this occasion, MQM's Convener Nadeem Nusrat addressed the participants. In his address, he denounced the state oppression upon most liberal political force of Pakistan in strongest words possible, and went on to term is a Genocide upon innocent Muhajirs in Pakistan. He stated, that our Political Offices have been razed to the ground, dozens killed extra-judicially by the state, hundreds are missing, thousands are behind bars awaiting justice for crimes they didn't even dare to commit. If this wasn't enough, family of our Founder and Leader Mr. Altaf Hussain and Coordination Committee member Mustafa Azizabadi have been targeted. He went on to question, how long will the world allow Pakistan to carry-out such heinous acts against the mankind?
Furthermore, he elaborated that Nawaz Sharif has been convicted for his corruption, when will the general and military men's be convicted for their corruption, human rights violations, and for fostering and harboring terrorist, most notable sheltering world's enemy No. 1; Osama Bin Laden.
MQM USA's Central Organizer Mateen Yousuf in his brief address elaborated that all this is taking place while the nation has been left at the mercy of secular and radicalized groups alike Taliban and its splinter organization, while the most liberal and progressive political party is barred from every avenue that exists in Pakistan's political spectrum. He went on urge the workers and supporters world-wide to remain peaceful and united in continuing to avail, every corridor of power and all international forums demanding justice against atrocities upon Muhajirs.
The demonstrators vowed to continue raising their voices till justice is sought in Pakistan, and perpetrators of such deliberate Human Rights Violations are brought to justice.


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Craig Anderson Prods., which adapted author Chris Bohjalian's book "Midwives" into last year's Sissy Spacek-led movie for Lifetime, will adapt Bohjalian's "The Buffalo Soldier," again for Lifetime.
Craig Anderson will exec produce, while scribe Christopher Lofton, who has worked with Anderson on such projects as "The Ballad of Lucy Whipple," will adapt the book. Glenn Jordan, who directed "Midwives," is directing. Rabineau Wachter Agency negotiated the book rights on behalf of Bohjalian.
"The Buffalo Soldier" concerns a grieving Vermont couple who, after the tragic deaths of their twin daughters, bring a foster child into their home.
"This story is an interesting study of what happens after grief and how people heal themselves," Anderson told Daily Variety. "It's a very powerful, emotional story that's strong in the end because it shows people can do it."
Character-driven story
Anderson, whose company's credits include CBS' live production of "On Golden Pond," as well as "The Piano Lesson" and "Sally Hemmings: An American Scandal," added that "Buffalo" is representative of the kinds of character-driven stories he aims to tell.
"We're always looking for depth of character and a fresh point of view that hasn't been told before," he said. "And when you get a good book with good characters, you also have a chance of getting some really good actors involved."
Lifetime senior VP of original movies Trevor Walton said the project fits rightinto the network's strategy of delivering "compelling contemporary stories with strong women's themes."
"Chris Bohjalian obviously is a writer we love; we had tremendous success with 'Midwives,' " said Walton, whose division preems a dozen original pics annually. "We have a great group of people on board and a book by a writer who knows how to deliver a taut story that our audience responds to."
Next up from Lifetime's movie division is an adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates' "We Were the Mulvaneys," which preems April 8.


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NEWS: August 1, 2012
Django Unchained Dentist Wagon Donated by Quentin Tarantino to Museum
Written and directed by Academy Award®-winner Quentin Tarantino, produced by Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone. The executive producers are Harvey and Bob Weinstein, Michael Shamberg, Shannon McIntosh, and James Skotchdopole.
Quentin Tarantino filmed much of Django Unchained here around the Alabama Hills & Independence. He is a great fan of spaghetti westerns and Bill Whitney - using the original clapper board from the Lone Ranger to shoot much of his scenes here. He used the Film Museum's theater to screen and share his love of old westerns with the rest of the crew. He has kindly donated the Dentist Wagon that Christophe Waltz drove in the film Django Unchained. It is recognizable by the Giant model of a tooth on the top.
Set in the South two years before the Civil War, Django Unchained stars Academy Award®-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award®-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles dead or alive.
Success leads Schult'z to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South's most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago.
Django and Schultz's search ultimately leads them to Calvin Candie (Academy Award®-nominee Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of Candyland, an infamous plantation. Exploring the compound under false pretenses, Django and Schultz arouse the suspicion of Stephen (Academy Award®-nominee Samuel L. Jackson), Candies trusted house slave. Their moves are marked, and a treacherous organization closes in on them. If Django and Schultz are to escape with Broomhilda, they must choose between independence and solidarity, between sacrifice and survival.
He has kindly donated the Dentist wagon that Christophe Waltz drove in the film Django Unchained. It is recognizable by the Giant model of a tooth on the top. The wagon was picked up this past week. The staff is working on developing the Django exhibit to premiere at the upcoming Lone Pine Film Festival.
J. Michael Riva (1948–2012)
Production Designer | Art Director | Art Department
Born: June 28, 1948 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Died: June 7, 2012 (age 63) in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
John Michael Riva was born in Manhattan, to William Riva, a Broadway set designer and Maria Elisabeth Sieber, a German-born actress. He was the grandson of Marlene Deitrich, an earned an Academy Award nomination for his work on 1985's The Color Purple. As a production designer he was the person responsible for the overall look of a film. Working directly with the director and producer, he would select the settings and style to visually tell the story.
Riva, whose recent film résumé also includes The Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man and its sequel, suffered a stroke June 3 in New Orleans while preparing to head to the set of Django. Nearly a week later, the married father of four sons died surrounded by family.
His other production design credits include the Lethal Weapon franchise, A Few Good Men, the Charlie's Angels films, The Pursuit of Happyness, Seven Pounds, Goonies, Dave, Ordinary People, Brubaker and the cult film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension.
His TV credits included the film Tuesdays With Morrie and the 74th Annual Academy Awards, for which he received an Emmy nomination. He later won an Emmy for designing the 79th installment of the Oscar telecast.
Riva also was a writer, earning a nomination from the Writers Guild of America for his original screenplay, Lily in Winter, a 1994 made-for-TV movie produced by Showtime.
"Michael Riva was a great friend and a tremendous talent, able to tailor the look and mood of a story to the emotion in the script," said Sony Entertainment President Amy Pascal. "We are stunned and saddened by his passing."
Other industry heavy weights echoed that sentiment.
"Michael Riva was a wonderful collaborator, brilliant designer, an emphatic perfectionist -- but most of all he was a great friend," remembered Marc Webb, director of The Amazing Spider-Man. "He was a gift from the universe, and I will miss him like crazy." Said Django director Tarantino: "Michael became a dear friend on this picture, as well as a magnificent, talented colleague. Every member of our Django crew family is devastated by this tragic loss as we persevere on his wonderful sets."
Harvey Weinstein, producer of the Leonardo DiCaprio-Jamie Foxx starrer, called Riva "an amazing talent and we were lucky to have him work on Django Unchained. His creativity enhanced every frame of the film. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."
A Tribute to an Exceptional Man: In the Details
An excerpt by John Reiss - Film maker
Huffington Post - 06/10/2012 6:16 pm
Michael was a true artist. He found artistry in everything around him, and everything he did was filled with artistry. While he is known primarily for designing multiple iterations of big Hollywood spectacles (most versions of Iron Man, Charlie's Angels, Spiderman, Lethal Weapon, even his smaller works had incorporated spectacle (The Goonies, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension). He was also Oscar nommed for The Color Purple and won an Emmy for designing the 79th Academy Awards. It was his attention to detail that elevated the audiences' experience of these films to another level whether it was the shape of Jamie Foxx's glasses in Django Unchained or the shower of gold confetti in the final scene of Charlie's Angels.
Django Unchained was the first film shot outside of Los Angeles that he agreed to work on in 16 years. He previously refused location work so that he would not be away from Wendy and his boys. This more than anything contributed to his oeuvre since he would have liked to have worked on more smaller, character based films, but those rarely shoot in LA.
Michael had a way of seeing the world that was infectious and inspiring -- he helped us see the world differently and elevated everyone around him. Michael exuded so much life, love of life, love of others, that I don't feel that he has left us -- he permeates everything and everyone he touched -- but even so, there still is a hole in my heart and I will miss him terribly.
Note: It is especially poignant as it is one of the last pieces award winning J Michael Riva designed as he died during filming in New Orleans on June 7th of this year. The Lone Pine Film Museum will be commemorating Michael in the exhibit. Grandson of Marlene Dietrich - He has made other sets for films in the area including Iron Man - The other film he last worked on was Spiderman.
.. a production designer or P.D is the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. Production designers have one of the key creative roles in the creation of motion pictures and television. Working directly with the director and producer, they must select the settings and style to visually tell the story.


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You are the owner of all that you perceive
"You are the owner of all that you perceive. But you can't perceive apart from your vibration. FEEL your way, little by little, into a greater sense of abundance – by looking for the treasures that the Universe is offering you on a day-to-day basis."Abraham Hicks


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I had to go and borrow this from my homie, Cool V's blog. Check it out!!!
Hey Peoples!
What's crack'n remember "Biggie Smalls" Ten Crack Commandments? Well dig this I came up with a list of my own from 2010 to follow hope you enjoy!
1.) PUT GOD 1st - in your life let him guide your steps and control your path and you can't loose. Note: this does not apply to Holy Rollers or Self Righteous people who like to condemn others and point the finger while they ass is on fire at the club errrr week meanwhile they damning you to hell tsk tsk ignore these fools (Lying Bastards) they obviously don't even own a moral compass they damn selves. REMEMBER if a person can't love GOD then you are NO different!
2.) Love Yourself!!!!! - To my good brothers and sisters stay away from assholes in relationships personal OR so-called friendships because of manners and up-bringing we normally tolerate people because of two reasons 1# we became accustom to their BS or 2# OR we make excuses for their ill mannered behavior because we think that we have to accept that sh@t as part of his/her composition package. Does this ring a bell? Sound like you? Just think back & You will know what I'm saying is true just think back & remember when you heard the line "You know that's just so and so" or the o-so famous line we hear way to often "that's just me or that's just how I am deal with it". I say "F@ck Em!!!" That shit is for the birds & doesn't matter why they are how they are you should NOT have to be the victim of their onslaught or revenge fest! Introduce their ass to K.I.M (KEEP IT MOVING!)
3.) Avoid Crabs - These are the people who come around only when your doing great or want to latch on to your success and try to manipulate the situation where somehow they on top an you on the bottom. Still don't know who these people are? Well they are they people who only want to go out when you paying or if they can be V.I.P or when your in a position of power. How do I confirm who they are? Easy it becomes a "We" situation EVERY TIME YOUR ON TOP and a YOU WHEN YOUR ON THE BOTTOM just listen to your heart. Want to weed them out? Just tell them a problem or issue and they will run like you have just caught a plague
4.) Embrace your HATERS - Kill them assh@les with kindness now I know for MOST of you reading this your probably like "F@CK DAT" but dig this. Is negative people worth your energy or worth your time? When I think back on my life and look at certain situations and reflect I realize that I wasted entirely way too much energy & time beating myself up blaming myself for thinking so stupid asking myself how did you let this happen? Well the truth be told to put it short misery loves company but only you can choose if you want to be its companion (NUFF SAID!)
5.) JUST LISTEN - How many times have we put ourselves in awkward situations trying to appease other people while gotten shot in the process? It's high time we STOP, LOOK & LISTEN Alot of times we could have saved ourselves a world pain if we just listened to ourselves. It's like the movie "The Wedding Singer" when "Julia" who never flown on a plane before asked her boy-fiend who was a frequent flyer to let her have the window seat and he denied it well she remembered the story that Adam Sandler told her about his Ex who did the same thing and eventually ditched him at the alter. He expressed if he would have never over-looked this it mthat would have never happened. That is so true and important remember it's the little things that matter.
6.) VALUE YOUR TRUE FRIENDS - I know this may sound cliche but too often too of us over look this and good people are often over-looked (Remember the phrase good guys finish last!) People don't forget to thank those that help you in your time of need the people and people you can count on who are always reliable but more importantly those that ain't afraid to speak their mind when your ass in the wrong or just doing too much!!!! Friends may NOT always agree with all your decisions but they should support what truly makes you happy just as long as it isn't hurting anything nor anyone else. Be skeptical of people who endorse bullshit or the Fuck em get yours attitude because if they have that opinion about life and people your ass may be thier NEXT VICTOM!!!!! (Real Talk)
7.) TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF - In today's world with the economy, job, kids, friends most of us don't time out for the most important individual on the planet YOU!!!! Never get too busy that you don't take at least a hour a day to reflect on how YOU are doing some of us (I Know I have been guilty Too) will give up anything and everything at times to appease people to prove ourselves or our word when these same people could care less!!! I say if they are your fiend they will understand and encourage you taking time out for yourself.
8.) AVOID SNAKES - These people like to slither into your life and usually come to cause confusion, hurt and pain. They usually have NO friends or are loners simply because people can't stand to be around their trifling asses. These individuals will use anybody to get to anywhere. You seen the type the people who are EVERYONE'S friend but NO ONES friends the "JUDAS" How many times have you seen these people talking behind that persons back only to see they same person act like they cool as hell with him/her. It's like "Craigs" (Ice Cubes) mother on the movie "Friday" when she spoke to her neighbor "Hey Girl" and mumbled a diss under her breath. These are the people that will get you in some serious F@CKED UP SITUATIONS - AVOID THESE PEOPLE AT ALL COSTS!!!!
9.)ROLL WITH THE WINNERS - Now when I say this I mean successful people. Now before you run with that statement success differs from person to person so let me make this clear. Hang around driven people who are motivated, positive, driven and who like to make things happen instead of complaining about people or things. I say surround yourself with those type of people and your NEVER LOOSE! NOTE: Money doesn't always breed success because I know a couple of lonely millionaires who wish would give up their wealth to find that person that completes them and that they could trust. What profits a man/woman to gain the world but loose his/her soul success is what makes YOU happy stop listening to others tell you what YOU need to BE do what makes you happy as long as it doesn't demean yourself or anyone else do you!
10.) ENJOY LIFE - Life is precious I just found that out just a month ago when I lost 7 very important people to me 3 that was extremely close who I loved dearly. Time waits for no man/woman so you better enjoy it while your hear. Stop listening to what people tell you YOU CANT DO or may sound silly to them If you had a DREAM AND WISHED YOU COULD SAIL THE 7 SEAS NAKED I SAY DO IT!!!!! If that will complete you or fulfill your fantasy do it! Most people live their lives with regret do you want to be one of those old people who say what they could have done or one of the old people who smiles and say man back in my day I did that and boy was I good! Basically live your life with NO REGRETS!