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The Packers have officially added new faces to their roster in Day Two of the 2017 NFL Draft after trading away their first round pick.
Green Bay selected Cornerback, Kevin King out of the University of Washington as their first selection, 33rd overall.
King, at 6'3", will bring height to the Packers backfield, as well as speed. The DB had the fastest times in two events at the 2017 NFL Combine, the 3-cone drill and the 20-yard shuttle.
In their next selection, 61st overall, the Packers continue to fill their backfield, taking Safety, Josh Jones of North Carolina State.
Jones, 6'1", 220 pounds, brings size as well as 4.4 speed to the position, but what makes him stand out is that he is very versatile. Much like former Packer Micah Hyde, Jones has played multiple positions in the backfield and could play in the slot if needed. He led NC State in interceptions (3) and tackles (109) in the 2016 season and tallied 8 career interceptions.
For their third pick, the Packers continued with the defensive theme, grabbing Montravious Adams, a defensive tackle from Auburn.
Adams was named All-SEC first team as a senior in 2016 after recording a career best 8 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. He received the news that he was drafted 93rd overall by the Packers while in the hospital, shortly after the birth of his son, Montravius Jr.
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text:
By David Ingram
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two secret courts that authorize U.S. spying operations such as the massive collection of telephone data are adding two judges who were put on the bench by Democratic presidents, a spokesman said on Friday, in a shift following criticism that one of the two courts is one-sided.
The appointments, to the 11-member U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and to the three-member U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, came without comment from Chief Justice John Roberts, who in addition to heading the U.S. Supreme Court has exclusive power to determine the makeup of the two spy courts.
Roberts is a conservative judge appointed to the high court in 2005 by Republican President George W. Bush. The vast majority of the judges he has chosen for the spy courts have been Republican appointees.
Seattle-based U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Tallman joined the court of review for a term that started last month. Democratic President Bill Clinton appointed him as a federal appeals court judge in 2000. The court of review hears appeals from the lower spy court.
U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, based in Washington, D.C., will join the lower spy court in May. Democratic President Barack Obama appointed him as a federal trial judge in 2011.
Federal judges serve for life, but their terms on the spy courts are fixed at seven years. They go on hearing their regular cases while helping on the spy courts.
Civil liberties advocates, as well as Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, have said that the lower spy court risks its impartiality by having at one point 10 of its 11 seats held by Republican-nominated judges.
Congress created the two courts in 1978 after revelations that federal agents had routinely and unlawfully spied on Americans.
By law, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court oversees investigations related to non-U.S. targets, and it usually approves requests made by Justice Department lawyers.
In an annual report to Congress that is publicly available, the Justice Department said that in 2012 the government made 212 applications for access to business records. The court denied none of the applications but amended 200 of them, the report said.
Leaks to the news media from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden showed, beginning last year, how expansive the court's orders can be.
The court approved, for example, the creation of a database that includes information on virtually every U.S. telephone call, such as the length of the calls and the numbers dialed. Obama has ordered changes to that program.
(This story has been refiled to correct throughout to reflect Tallman's appointment to court of review)
(Editing by Howard Goller and Steve Orlofsky)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This review on SINGER Futura XL-400 Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine is created to have on hand information and meant to introduce the interface features making sewing and embroidery a hassle free experience. The advanced features are well explained so that people can follow it easily. The purpose of the review is to describe its valuable contents that shall be surely helpful to people with interactive computer skills, lovers of designs, innovative, creative peoples, and the most important to all those moms who love their kids to see in their choice of designer clothes.
Overview of the contentssewing machine is very easy to connect to a PC and to work on SINGER Futura XL-400 Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine with the help of built – in tutorials, CD's, is less of a task, more of a joy as to choose your loved designs. You can select custom colors for your threads along with 125 inbuilt embroidery designs supported by 5 Monogramming Fonts and 3D Realistic View and Print Capabilities. These features will help you to see your dream design on your project by using the provided USB cable.
You can make large designs by using the embroidery hoop options and multi-hooping features. With the embroidery hoop options, you can develop a design up to 10×6 inches and with the multi-hooping you can make a design up to 12×20 inches. SwiftSmart threading mode with Drop and Sew bobbin made the easiest set-up. It has a bigger sewing feature with needle up and down area for Quilting and Embroiders by itself without using the foot pedal and is extremely easy to use; one can use any format having the following features as:
1. Swift Smart Threading System makes easy and quick needle threading
2. Drop and Sew bobbin system easily help to load and change the bobbin, and the bobbin thread is not required to pick up.
3. Very big Sewing Space
4. Design File Compatibility types as EXP FHE, SHV XXX, HUS, JEF, CHE, PES, DST, PCS, PEC, SEW, VIP, & PSW.
5. To eliminating eye strain sewing surface has a light that helps in your work ease.
6. The embroidery work is a challenging job especially T-shirts made easy with your own design.
- Required Computer knowledgeable person to operate its various functions. And required initial basic training for smooth running and operating that's it.
- No auto punch and editing software present.
- As the hoops move, it becomes loud.
With most lovable features to SINGER Futura XL-400 Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine makes user-friendly and the appearance, that makes sewing an interesting and fascinating fun filled experience for all sewers.
The product has bagged 3.5 out of 5 stars on an average scale of 374 Amazon customer reviews. Out of this 45% customers has casted full 5 stars ranking for SINGER Futura XL-400 shows the moderate acceptability, which prompts me to recommend for any beginners who wanted to practice embroidering as a leisure time as a hobby.
To summarize on the SINGER Futura XL-400 Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine review, it is an ideal Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machines meant for all those who love to make designs fun and learn. Since, the sewing job involved a lot of complicated, hard works, these problems are taken care of by the computerized features. Home decoration and clothing pattern with embroidery and quilting serve as an enjoyable pursuit for people who want to develop their creative skills. On the whole, SINGER Futura XL-400 encourages and builds confidence for the modern young sewers, by using its modern computerized features effectively.
To know more about this product, please Check on Amazon.com
Thank you for reading!


text:
Printable PDF
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Exam Name: Citrix MetaFrame Presentation Server 4.0 Administration
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Total Questions: 145 Q&As
Last Updated: Jun 27, 2016
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Hair and make-up for an elegant wedding in central London
Although this looks like a shot from a country wedding, gorgeous bride Lily actually got married at The Honorable Society of Gray's Inn in the Holborn area of central London, captured here by Jordan Banks at Source Images: http://sourceimages.co.uk/ Lily wanted a
Make-up for a wedding at St Paul's Cathedral in London
Beautiful bride Jessica got married at the very grand setting of St Paul's Cathedral in London, captured here on the steps to the cathedral by London wedding photographer Matt Badenoch: https://www.mattbadenoch.com/ Jessica wanted a very special look for her wedding day, so
Make-up for a wedding in Surrey
I love this shot of my gorgeous bride Shannon, gazing thoughtfully out of the window before heading off to her wedding in Surrey, captured by Woking based photographer Katy at Gingersnaps: http://www.gingersnaps-photography.com/ Shannon wanted a natural-looking but also quite glamorous look for
Bridal make-up and hair styling for a wedding in Kenley in Surrey
Here is my gorgeous bride Amanda, checking out her finished bridal look in the mirror for the first time, before heading to her wedding at Woldingham School in Surrey. This image was captured by the brilliant wedding photographer Andy Sidders: https://www.andysiddersphotography.co.uk/ Amanda
Bridal make-up for a wedding in West London
I love this photo of one of my September brides, captured beautifully by Lorna at Story Wedding Photography (NB. I've cropped this a little from the original): http://www.storyweddingphotography.co.uk/ Steph wanted a more glamorous look for her wedding day, so I created a
Make-up for an elegant wedding at Hampton Court House in Surrey
"Catherine did mine, my mum's and my maid of honour's make-up for my wedding and we were all so pleased with how we looked! My mum was a bit nervous about having her make-up done professionally, but Catherine listened to
Hair & make-up for a stylish wedding at Lauderdale House in London
"Massive thanks for Saturday. I had so many compliments for my hair and make-up and will be recommending you to all my friends and family. Thank you for being so lovely." - Eilis Beautiful Irish bride Eilis got married at Lauderdale
Make-up for a stylish wedding in central London
"Thanks to your wonderful and amazing work that day
Make-up & hair for a wedding at Marble Hill House in Surrey
The gorgeous Claudia got married at Marble Hill House, a beautiful white Palladian villa built in the late 1700s near Richmond in Surrey: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/marble-hill-house/ Claudia wanted a soft but classic up-do and an enhanced version of her usual make-up look for her wedding day, to compliment
Bridal make-up for a wedding at De Vere Selsdon Estate in Surrey
I love this shot of the gorgeous Jade getting ready for her wedding at De Vere Selsdon Estate, a grand Victorian country mansion in South Croydon: https://www.phcompany.com/de-vere/selsdon-estate/ To create her natural but enhanced wedding make-up, I first applied Clarins Instant Smooth Primer where needed, and


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One of Hong Kong's biggest tourist attractions is Victoria Peak (太平山) or simply The Peak (山頂) which is home to some of the country's priciest properties and a stunning panorama.
You can get there by bus, mini-bus, or taxi but the most popular way is by tram on a funicular railway that was first built in 1888.
The tram is oddly worth the ride. Before the funicular track was built, colonial residents were carried up the steep hill in sedan chairs. It's pretty amazing to consider when the steepest part of the tram's route is 27 degrees to the horizontal.
Other than the view at The Peak, there's hiking — and shopping. The two mall complexes at the top are pure tourist traps, and we unabashedly fell for it at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. hook, line and sinker.
The whole restaurant/bar is a tribute to Forrest Gump, the 1994 blockbuster movie; rooms are decorated according to the different eras and chapters of the film; photos from the actual movie are framed on the walls.
We had never heard of the American chain before and for a while, I was convinced it was a brazen copyright infringement that's so popular in this part of the world. Turns out this brainchild of Paramount Pictures has 30-some locations in the U.S., Mexico and Asia, as well as the dubious distinction of "the first and only casual restaurant chain based on a motion picture."
Bubba Gump is all about gimmick. If we needed service, the waiter instructed us to flip the "Run Forrest Run" licence plates on our table from blue to red. Once they had tended to us, they would flip it back.
To be honest, we decided to stop in here because I was badly craving a beer. And for some reason, the cheezy pictures of their American appetizers were calling to our overstimulated brains.
We shared the America Seafood Sampler (HK$155) that came in a cardboard fishing boat named Jenny.
There was chilled shrimp, fried shrimp, coconut shrimp, popcorn shrimp… Yeah, remember this?
For what it was, it was pretty good.
Jason washed it down with a their signature margarita Delta Sunset (HK$70) — raspberry liqueur, Cointreau, Cuervo Gold, and freshly squeezed lime juice — mixed in an acrylic Bubba Gump shaker that you could take home (for an extra fee) no less.
And I got my beer — Heinkeken, because the only other choices were Carlsberg and Tsing Tao.
Ah, tourists. All we were missing were matching visors and fanny packs.
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., The Peak Tower, 128 Peak Road, Level 3, phone 852-2849-2867. Click for menu in PDF.
The Peak Tram runs every day, including Sundays and public holidays, between 7 a.m. and midnight. Tram departs every 10 to 15 minutes.


text: You can follow the discussion on Scripture Roundtable: Book of Mormon Gospel Doctrine Lesson 4, "The Things Which I Saw While I Was Carried Away in the Spirit" without having to leave a comment. Cool, huh? Just enter your email address in the form here below and you're all set.


text:
Financial Resources
Read more about funding
External scholarships and funding: The Northwestern Study Abroad Office lists a variety of external funding opportunities.
Budgeting and accessing money abroad: Tips for planning your budget and accessing funds while abroad.
Budgeting Worksheet: Interactive site for preparing a study abroad budget.
CashCourse: Adios, America!: Website for personal finance tools to help plan for study abroad.
Students with high financial need: Students with significant financial needs should consult these webpages for tips and resources.


text:
SCARSDALE, N.Y. -- A business meeting of the Scarsdale Board Of Education took place on May 4 and reports were given by members of various board committees.
Here are the highlights:
Communications: Boiler replacements in the district are under discussion.Curriculum: Members reported that the District will not participate in New York State Field Tests.The District's assessment development work continues, including a five-year plan to implement Reading and Writing Workshops kindergarten through fifth grade. Work also continues in curriculum development, notably in STEAM.
Finance/Budget: The Budget Book is available online and at each building in the District. The Budget Vote and school board election will be held on Tuesday, May 17, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., in the Scarsdale Middle School Gymnasium.Human Capital and Leadership Development: 18 vacancies for the next school year have been filled, and hiring for the remaining 12 positions is in process. Drew Patrick, the incoming assistant superintendent for human resources, has been visiting the District regularly to prepare for the transition, and that collective bargaining is under way. Special Education and Student Services: Members reported that interviews are in process for Special Education positions in the district. New York State has promulgated new rules concerning transgender accommodations in the schools, and that logistics discussions and training are under way to assure that the District continues to be inclusive and welcoming. The school board's study session focused on a comprehensive Technology Report and an update on 2014 bond projects and preliminary work on the 2017 Bond Proposal, A detailed review of the new three-year Technology Plan, and the District's implementation of educational technology throughout the curriculum was presented. The State Education Department approval is expected in time for contracts to be awarded in June.
Community members were invited to address the Board, and 11 did so. Seven spoke in favor of "Option C" for Greenacres (constructing a new school building), four spoke in favor of "Option B1" (expanding/renovating the existing building):
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


text:
Heath, Eric Walmsley, 1923- :Well at least we're sending 'em out in the right order. 12 July 1974.
Reference Number: C-133-018
The cartoon shows a line of cars coming off a ship waiting to be steam cleaned. At the front of the line is a Rolls Royce that has a sign on it reading, for foot & mouth clean up. Refers to a port hold up as cars are steam cleaned.
Key terms:
1 image, categorised under Cartoons (Commentary), related to The Dominion (Newspaper. 1907-2002), Cleaning, Automobiles and Harbours.
Part of:
Heath, Eric Walmsley, 1923- :One folder of original cartoons donated for the New Zealand Cartoon Archive auction. [1973-1992]., Reference Number C-133-010/040 (14 digitised items)
Extent: 1 original cartoon(s)Ink on paper, 640 x 500mm.. Single art work
Conditions governing access to original: Partial restriction - Use photocopies in ringbinders in preference to original.
Other copies available: Photocopy in public folders.
Usage: You can search, browse, print and download items from this website for research and personal study. You are welcome to reproduce the above image(s) on your blog or another website, but please maintain the integrity of the image (i.e. don't crop, recolour or overprint it), reproduce the image's caption information and link back to here (http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?id=14750). If you would like to use the above image(s) in a different way (e.g. in a print publication), or use the transcription or translation, permission must be obtained. More information about copyright and usage can be found on the Copyright and Usage page of the NLNZ web site.
External Links:
View Full Descriptive Record in TAPUHI
View and/or order a copy of this image from Timeframes
View Archived Image on NDHA


text:
Designs and Ideas for Decorating Spaces in Fabio Luciani
| April 28, 2013 | Accessories, Crazy Ideas, Home Decoration, Lifestyles | No Comments
Fabio Luciani presents its wide range of products and accessories for all kinds of decorations. Designed by a group of internationally renowned designers, we trace the ideas and trends in accessories, furniture and decoration accessories for all types of public and private spaces. A large selection of colors, shapes, styles and quality materials used throughout the range of designs that are sure to captivate us and we will consider for our next project. You can see it below.
You Can Check These Ideas


text:
Boston-based artist Linda Pagani works with light, architecture, and landscape to examine the coexistence of manmade structures and nature. Her photographs of structures acting as futile obstacles to light are abstracted into compositions that isolate exact moments when light make its entrance. Light and shadow act as drawing tools as she transforms space into a series of folds and bends in her paper and ceramic sculpture. Objects morph from the surface of a wall, crossing the boundaries of the plane as Pagani alternates between the two-dimensional and three-dimensional worlds questioning perspective and suggesting possibility.
Pagani studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston where she was awarded the Traveling Fellowing in 2014, Karsh Prize in Photography in 2012, and the Springborn Fellowship in 2011. More recently, Pagani has expanded her oeuvre to include collaborative work with Italian artist Federica Pamio, in which the two artists utilize performative acts within landscape and architecture to suggest an alternate history of time and place.
Pagani continues to work with architecture as her central subject, making it perform with material and light. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and is held in public and private collections.


text:
No it is me whats up Charles? Jim
Charles R. Buchanan wrote:
Anyone here, that's on mswindowsxp also happen to know who the
listowner/moderator(s) is/are? I thought it was a certain person, but I
might be wrong, or something else. <shrug>
You've got teachers who don't wanna teach, you got grown people who can't write or read You got strange diseases ah but there's no cure, you got many doctors that aren't so sure, so tell me,
"Why you wanna trip on me?" - MJ
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text:
Mitt Romney is receiving criticism from women's rights groups across the country, after comments he made today about his wife Ann Romney, and her career as a "stay at home mom."
While speaking at a rally today, Mitt was asked if he felt that the left-wing has a problem with stay at home moms. Going off-topic, he gave the following response:
"Of course the left-wing has a problem with stay at home moms. They're trying to break up the basic family dynamic, where a man goes out to work and the wife takes care of the kids. Women have a very important role to play, and that role is raising our children. When Ann and I met in college I made it clear to her what I expected from her. I told her from day one that if she wanted to be with me, and live off my family's fortune, that she would have to be willing to forfeit a career in order to stay home and take care of our children, because that's what women are supposed to do. Cooking, cleaning, raising the kids; those have always, traditionally, been a woman's job, and the left-wing is trying to change how we do things. I'm running for President to restore women to their traditional roles"
This is the second gaffe for the Romney's recently. Ann Romney is still receiving criticism for saying that women shouldn't want to be paid the same amount as men.
A recent poll of women showed that President Obama's lead amongst female voters has increased to 40%, with 29% of women saying they could support Romney and 71% saying they support the President.


text:
Ginger tea
Photo by Tamara West
Feeling a bit under the weather? Snuggle up and enjoy.
Into a large tea pot, add 1 earl grey tea bag, the zest of 1 orange and a 75g piece of grated ginger. Fill with boiling water and steep for 10-15 minutes. Strain and reheat to serve, sweetened with honey to taste. Makes 4 cups.


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On the first day of Christmas ...
On the first day of Christmas ... Rage With A Smile Photography is offering a FREE one-hour photoshoot including a free print (usually priced at £45 in total combined) to the first three people who claim this offer within the next 24 hours. To be eligible you have to have liked our Facebook page and you must then share this post to your Facebook friends.
Then send Rage With A Smile Photography a message saying "I claim my free RWASP xmas photoshoot". Photoshoots must take place within 6 months of today (1st December 2013). If you are under 18 you will need a parent's permission before the photo shoot can take place. This offer cannot be used in combination with any other offer.
As we count down to Christmas, Rage With A Smile Photography will post a NEW OFFER EVERYDAY up to Christmas Day, so Like our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/RageWithASmile) to ensure you don't miss out!
Ta Dah! Drum roll please .... Congratulations to Helen Helbel Hawes (great name Helen!), Abbie Read, and Leiston Selling Page (I hope there's a human face behind that name!) ... they are the three luck winners from the first day of the grand Christmas Giveaway by Rage With A Smile Photography. They will each win a free photoshoot with yours truly! Read the rest of this message at www.facebook.com/RageWithASmile
No comments posted.
Recent PostsMe on video Raging With A Smile about Why I Will Always Wear My Poppy With Pride GIVE THEM A PERSONALISED PORTRAIT PHOTOSHOOT GIFT CERTIFICATE AND AN HOUR THEY'LL NEVER FORGET WANT SOME ROMANTIC IDEAS FOR VALENTINES IN SUFFOLK AND NORFOLK? CHECK OUT THIS SPECIAL OFFER Magnificent and Proud Bird of Prey - a portrait of Banham's Bald Eagle Photos: Another Baby Mistle Thrush finds a good spot to enjoy the sun Baby Mistle Thrush chick rescued and safely reunited with its mother The Cake Street baby blackbirds have fledged and come to say hello Now here's a delicious breakfast for you For the love of horses Happy Mother's Day to all you Super Mums - get set to say AHHHH x
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[Guest post by Joel Pearce]
This may come as little surprise to some, but I nevertheless thought that I would make it public: I support the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's exit from the European Union. In fact, no, that is something of a falsification – what I actually support is a dissolution of the European Union itself, and a return of sovereignty to the 28 member states that comprise it.Continue reading Who Rules over Us? Who Shall? (Brexit)


text:
We come to you and service
all metro areas.
Wherever you decide to hold your party, whether it be at home, in a park or in a hall, Partyworx will be there! Our party programs are absolutely perfect for 3-13 year old boys and girls – and there are so many great party themes to choose from – there's something for everyone!
Our Partyworx hosts have loads of experience and a large repertoire of FUN activities. If none of the following themes catch your attention – just talk to us about your child's likes and interests and we will tailor a party plan especially for them!
Energise your next party with a Partyworx by Fitnessworx theme!
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To read more about these activities – please click here
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- Qualified Party Host (or 2 depending on size of group)
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Optional Extras:
- Give-aways/prizes for all the kids ($3.o0 per child)
- Lolly Bags ($3.00 per child)
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- Up to 12 kids: $240 inc. GST (2 hour party with 1 entertainer)
- 13 to 20 kids: $320 inc. GST (2 hour party with 1 entertainer)
- 21 to 30 kids: $400 inc. GST (2 hour party with 2 entertainers)
- 31 to 45 kids: $500 inc. GST (2 hour party with 3 entertainers)
Parties generally run for 2 hours and can be held at any time of day. We will always break for drinks throughout the activities and will discuss with you the best time for serving your food/cake.
Partyworx by Fitnessworx are more than happy to run larger parties – prices on request. Partyworx can also run longer parties – prices on request.
Party dates can fill up quickly.Contact us now to secure your preferred Partyworx by Fitnessworx party date!
Alternatively please download the PDF booking form and email or fax back to us on 1300 668 337: Partyworx by Fitnessworx PDF Booking Form


text:
Life with the Highway
40 years of cultural change
story and photos by Karen West
part three of three | << part one | << part two
Forty years ago, on Sept. 2, 1972, the North Cascades Highway opened and forever changed the culture of what had been a dead-end rural valley where everybody pretty much knew everybody else and people worked hard for what little they had. It was a day to celebrate – an 80-year-old dream come true.
There never had been much talk about what, aside from tourists, the highway would bring into the valley. And Winthrop was all gussied up as a Western theme-town-in-waiting for them. But even those hopeful about a boost to the local economy could never have foreseen how a booming national economy, the internet/dot-com revolution and an explosion in the number of urban-dwelling weekend athletes would conspire to change the Methow Valley.
If you could choose only one statistic to show how dramatic the last 40 years of change has been, it would have to be this one from Okanogan County Assessor Scott Furman: Property within the Methow Valley School District boundaries was valued at slightly more than $15 million in 1972; today it's value is more than $1 billion.
Most locals said it took 15 to 20 years from the time the highway opened for the most visible cultural shifts to happen. But there were some early, some would say ominous, signs they were coming.
"The first thing that happened was people came [bought property] and put locks on gates and posted 'No Trespassing' signs. That was our first clue," said Donna Filer Schulz of Twisp, whose grandfather settled here in 1888.
You have to understand that nobody locked their doors before the highway opened, let alone their gates.
Schulz related to Grist a conversation she had one day at the Methow Valley Community Center, where she is a board member. The only valley native in the group, she was asked why newcomers still aren't accepted by some of the old families.
"You took our freedom away," she told them. Asked to elaborate, Schulz said, "Our freedom was the whole valley was ours. We could go anywhere, do anything. It was ours to use. There were no restrictions, even on the forest... Our rule had always been: Close the gate behind you... We lived on an honor system."
Howard Brewer, who grew up in Winthrop and married a Twisp girl – back when that was the local version of intermarriage – said he stopped deer hunting the year he hiked miles into his favorite spot only to find a house and a fence with a No Trespassing sign. "There was a road in there. If I'd of known that, I would have driven in," he said.
The second sign of change, said Schulz, was having to get permits and follow rules to use the outdoors. When Schulz was young, she said, "We could take our horses up in the hills, get off and drop the reins. The horses would graze. We'd have our little fire, our food and look out at great views."
She also talked about going to the Sunny M Dude Ranch outside Winthrop. "For locals, it wasn't a tourist thing at all. We had our rodeos up there. Anytime you wanted to ride a horse you just went there and did it. No cost."
"Because we were so poor, you could hardly leave the valley," Schulz said. "So for people to have money to come here or play here was the last thing on our minds." She marvels at the amount of money people now spend on play. "We made our own skis. We made our own fun." To think about tourists coming to the Methow Valley "for the beauty" was not something locals thought about either, she added. When the Wagner lumber mill in Twisp closed in 1984, "I think we all thought we were going to be a ghost town."
But by the 1980s there was plenty of activity fueling change in the upper valley near Mazama. Plans were proceeding for a downhill ski area at Sandy Butte and an all-year Early Winters Resort, complete with golf course. "Real estate was selling like hot cakes in the upper valley and tourism was growing," wrote Doug Devin, author of "Mazama The Past 125 Years." Devin, an avid downhill skier, and others, saw the resort as a way to create local jobs and a sustainable tourist-based economy.
Property Prices Rise
There was a lot of real estate speculation tied to the proposed ski resort at Sandy Butte, said Furman, the county assessor. The plan eventually collapsed after more than two decades of legal battles and a changing cast of characters. But part of its legacy was that the upper Methow was subject to more sophisticated land use planning than anywhere else in the county. And the media attention, especially from urban news outlets, had boosted the valley's image as a beautiful place for outdoor recreation, one friendly to "environmentalists" like those credited with--or blamed for--defeating the ski area.
The ski area proposal brought a major culture shift. Many of those who bought property from the old-timers were from the Seattle area, or places like Aspen, Colo., which already was a downhill ski destination. The new owners tended to be more educated than the local population. The valley always had a few people with college educations, Schulz said, but "they were off farms," which meant they had an understanding of local history and values.
Some new owners were speculators; others planned to stay. As with earlier and later waves of in-migration, some tried valley life and left; others worked themselves into the fabric of the community and stayed. Whatever their goals, the seeds of a recreation-based economy were planted.
The ski area "people were buying property quietly," said Schulz. "That hurt real bad when we realized they were cheating us." Not everyone agrees people were cheated. Property prices were low at that time.
"A lot of those old-timers sold their property and then they could buy a place in Wenatchee," said Bob Ulrich, who owns the pharmacy in Twisp. He supported the ski area. "I was an avid downhill skier." But in his view, the "highway and ski area hubbub" brought money to people who wouldn't otherwise have had it. Selling their property "allowed them to be financially independent" as they aged, he said. Some of them moved to Wenatchee to be closer to medical care.
Furman said when plans for the ski area ended, some high priced properties "sat for awhile." But when "the dot-com thing started," including the Microsoft wealth, "we saw a huge surge in prices," he added.
The assessor said he's watched the Methow change from a rural valley with large parcels of land and farmsteads to a landscape "chopped up into small pieces of property," many of which have "large custom homes built on them."
He's also witnessed a shift in the location of the highest valued property. The Twisp-to-Carlton area used to have a higher value than the Winthrop-to-Mazama corridor but now the upper valley probably accounts for two-thirds of the valley's total property value, he said.
There has been a "more than 800 percent increase" in property values for the Methow Valley School District, which extends from Carlton to Mazama, Furman added. That's a staggering figure given that more than half the students enrolled in the district qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Furman, and others, agree that if the ski resort had been built, its minimum-wage employees would not have been able to afford nearby homes.
By law, assessors must appraise land and structures at their fair market value for property tax purposes. "We raised values 60 percent" in part of the Methow Valley, Furman said, "and really got chewed on... We're just chasing the tail of the dog most of the time and still getting beat up," he added.
Outdoor Pursuits
Rosalie Hutson, president of the Methow Valley Senior Center, was born and raised not far from Mazama when it really was "the end of the road." She told Grist she can't name one good thing the highway has brought. As for the new people, she said, "They say they come over here for the peace and quiet and then they want to change it."
Hutson, like Schulz, recalled the days when locals made their own fun. "We used to go dig around in the old dumps at the old homesteads... Now those places are all fences and private property... All the vacant fields are full of houses now... The only people who drove the road before were the people who lived above you," she said.
As the assistant head of housekeeping at Sun Mountain Lodge for a number of years, Hutson witnessed firsthand the habits of the early tourists who came to cross-country ski. "We used to call them the nuts and berry people," she said. "They ate nuts and berries and drank tea. They would go into the lounge and order a cup of hot water – free – which would drive the lounge hostess nuts, and bring their own tea bag. And they had their [own] wine. They never tipped."
She later worked at the Idle-A-While Motel in Twisp, a favorite stopover for snowmobilers. Hutson called them "the steak and beer people." They were messier than the skiers, she said, but "they were big tippers."
Today the Methow Valley has the largest cross-country ski trail network in North America, with more than 160 miles of groomed trail. And those who ski here helped pump an estimated $13.5 million into the local economy in 2012, according to figures compiled by the Methow Valley Sport Trail Association. It is a growing number. A 2005 economic study pegged the figure at $8.6 million.
There's no way to know precisely the total dollars coming into the Methow Valley from those who see it as a destination for outdoor pursuits. But it is obvious to anyone who watches the traffic on Highway 20 through Winthrop that it is the basis of the upper valley economy. For along with those who hunt, fish, snowmobile, ride horses and camp here, there now are droves of motorcycle riders, mountain bikers, climbers, hikers and competitive runners coming as well as the cross-country skiers and non-athlete tourists on short get-aways.
There also are a lot more places for tourists to stay than there were in 1972. Winthrop is set to collect a record amount of money this year from its hotel-motel tax. It wasn't always so.
Native son Bart Northcott, who has early-day Methow settlers on both sides of his family, recalled how few overnight accommodations were available through the late 1970s. His grandparents, and later his parents, owned the Trail's End Motel in Winthrop, which had six rooms and a mobile home to rent. Northcott said after the highway opened, "People would plan to go on a day ride. They'd get to Winthrop and fall in love with the place and decide to stay overnight."
If the Trail's End was full, Northcott said they would make calls. If the local beds were filled, they'd call Okanogan and Omak and then Chelan."There were times you couldn't find a room until you got to Wenatchee," he said. "It was a blessing when The Virginian opened."
The winters before cross-country skiing became popular were the tough part, Northcott said. The highway was closed for the season. "You stayed open. All the businesses did. But you just about starved to death."
"We couldn't afford to get out of the valley," Schulz said of the pre-highway valley. "People didn't have gas money." As for the few tourists who did come, they were called "those people from the coast" who came to fish in the spring and hunt in the fall. "They drank and drank and drank" and showed little respect for local life, she added.
"When hunting season was over this valley shut down," said Ulrich, who came from Spokane in 1967 and bought the pharmacy. "There was nothing going on until fishing season in the spring." Ulrich said he "met some real characters." And like others who've lived here at least four decades, Ulrich recalled the wild days when guns were fired in the Antler's Saloon in Twisp and more than one horse was ridden through Three Fingered Jack's in Winthrop. "Forty Niners used to be a drunken brawl," he added, in reference to Winthrop's annual spring parade and celebration. "Now it's much more of a family event."
Diana Hottell, who with her husband, Bill, settled on a small farm up the Twisp River one month before the highway opened, said they started playing music at the Antler's as soon as they moved here. "Our first hunting season playing there was horrifying," she said, recalling the drunken brawls and gun-slinging.
The Coming of Second Homes
For Bill Hottell the most significant culture changes came in the 1990s with the "building of trophy homes," some of which were of the ridge-busting, "skyline intrusion" type. He said a builder once told him that a now-departed owner up the West Chewuch Road had "two complete sets of copper pipes installed" so he could have instant hot water instead of having to wait for the cold to run through a single set of pipes. He said he also heard about a house with five freezers. The people were part-timers who rarely visited yet the house sat there consuming all that energy.
By the 1990s, the Methow Valley clearly was starting to reflect the rising wealth of the middle and upper classes that was fueled by a booming stock market, strong national economy and the dot-com revolution.
"Second homes? We'd never heard of second homes," said Schulz, adding that in this valley most people she knew were struggling to have one home.
"The biggest growth [in Okanogan County] was in the Methow" during the 1990s, said Debra Featherly, who keeps building permit records and compiles the Okanogan County Building Department's reports. The trend has continued. Her report for 1999 through 2009 shows that 6,187 building permits were issued countywide, about 39 percent of them for the Methow Valley, which the county defines as from Methow through Mazama.
Looked at through the assessor's lens, it's clear a lot of those buildings were second homes. When Furman sorts taxpayers by zip code, he finds that "about 51 percent [of Methow Valley property] is owned by people who don't live there... Those people are treading lightly but contributing pretty heavily," he said, referring to the property taxes they pay. Imagine, he added, the dramatic "demand for more services" that would happen if all those part-timers suddenly became full-time residents.
Hutson has watched changes in the goods donated to the senior center's rummage room that parallel the rise of the second-home population. "We've got a lot of people with vacation homes over here," she said. "They can hardly wait for the highway to open [in the spring] so they can shop and bring their stuff in."
But there is another change in the rummage room that speaks, at least anecdotally, to a growing number of employed newcomers and retirees moving to the valley. Some second homes are becoming primary homes. "In the last 10 years, we've really noticed a difference in the stuff we get," Hutson said. "We get more expensive stuff, a lot more name-brand stuff."
She said the donors say of their suits and professional wardrobes, " 'I moved over here. I don't need these anymore.' " Sometimes there's no local market for it either, she added. Hutson also is finding that donations for the center's Christmas and Western sales are more upscale than they used to be.
Working newcomers often are here because the Internet allows them to work from anywhere. One of the most dramatic examples is the Bear Fight Institute located in the upper Rendevous, which hosts scientists from all over the world. The institute's computers are linked to the National Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., which allows them to monitor space exploration projects from the Methow Valley. No professional wardrobe required.
Everyday Life
Schulz may sound nostalgic for the days before locked gates and land-use regulations, but she is quick to say she is not bitter about the changes the highway brought. Hers is an unusual perspective. She moved to Cle Elum in 1976 as a single mother with three children, then on to Seattle. She was used to driving roads where everybody waved. She found herself in a racially-diverse urban world where nobody spoke to her – "unless you had a little doggy or a kid. Then people would talk to you." Socially, it was a struggle, but she learned to adapt.
Schulz returned to the Methow Valley in 2007 to live on family property in Twisp with her second husband, Jim, a retired advertising agency executive with whom she shared life west of the Cascades.
She came "home" after 30 years to a dramatically changed place and she's found she has to adapt again. Some of the social changes still rankle. The newcomers and second-home owners don't reach out to her generation of valley natives, she said. The newcomers say, "'You're who? I've never met anybody who was born and raised here.'"
Schulz decided she couldn't be critical of people without knowing them so she is reaching out. She joined the board of the Methow Valley Community Center – "I didn't know a soul on the board." She joined the community theater group, where she knew one person. She still refers to most newcomers, although not all of them, as "they."
Last winter the community center hosted "Methow Minds," a two-night event at which a number of people had been invited to speak on a subject of their choice. Schulz and a longtime valley friend who also has long roots here volunteered to help at the door. As they sat at the back of the room, Schulz said she heard speaker after speaker refer to when the Indians were here, and then say something like, "When I came here," as if local life started when they moved to the valley. She heard no mention of the valley between the time her ancestors came and when the highway opened. She said she turned to her friend and said, "We've been eliminated."
Winthrop before the highway opened and the town was westernized. Photo by Dick Webb, courtesy Shafer Museum.
Diana Hottell was not the only person interviewed for this story who said, "We came and tried to fit in. Now people are coming and they want to change things." Her example was to recall that she quit going to fundraising events the day she walked through the door of the Winthrop Barn and found the space all decorated. "It was so slick, organized and well done," she said. "I said, 'Bellevue!' and never went to another one. "Fundraising is something that's totally not [old] Methow... Now it's become part of the Methow."
Part of what Schulz and Hottell are alluding to is the style of urban professionals overlaid on a small, rural place. The edges where the two cultures meet aren't always smooth, but the mix inevitably brings change. Schulz gave an example. "There were always people doing art here, but they gave it away. There was no one to buy it. Then came people who wanted to make money from art."
Hottell mentioned, as a positive change, the vibrant entertainment scene that has become part of valley life because so many musicians have moved here. "You felt like you had to go somewhere else to get your entertainment," Hottell said of her early decades in the valley. "Now the entertainment has come here."
"From about 1972 to 1990 nothing ever happened here," added Bill Hottell. "We were the only band in town except for the Cascade Country Boys, two local men who played music at Sam's Place in Winthrop." The biggest – and only – musical event each year was the Pine Stump Symphony, a talent show organized by Ron McLean, a local teacher and third generation valley resident. Hottell called him "one of the giants of the valley."
The Revolution in Retail
Local business people have seen numerous changes over the past decades – bistros and barristas, T-shirt and trinket shops, bakeries and local coffee roasters, antique shops and art galleries, apparel and sports gear stores, spas and fitness centers -- to name a few.
Northcott, manager of the Winthrop Red Apple Market for many years, was in charge of dramatic change on the grocery shelves. He said he and former store owner Lyle Walker attended national food shows, so they knew the trend was toward more natural and organic foods and more fresh produce. Local people used to stock up for the winter, he added. "The case-good sales were a big thing. Now it's changed to more specialty foods."
"We were lucky to have people come in and ask for things," Northcott said. "That helped us a lot." He added that the stores here were ahead of a lot of places because of the people coming here. "Even Wenatchee took quite some time to get on the bandwagon." Still, Northcott said, "I never thought we'd see the day we'd pay $5 for a head of organic lettuce!"
Hank Konrad, owner of Hank's Market in Twisp, also credits the requests of the people "who come up here for the summer, have two homes and those who come-and-go" for many of the items he stocks today. They also helped make local people more aware of those products, he added.
Konrad moved to the valley along with his brother in 1975 from Grangeville, Idaho. "We had $11,000 and pregnant wives and had to start somewhere," he said. They purchased a grocery store located where the Confluence Gallery is now. It was a new venture for Konrad, who had worked in the logging industry. He now presides over, among other things, what is advertised as the "largest selection of cheeses in Eastern Washington."
Bob Ulrich stocks "a lot of different pills" than he did when he bought the pharmacy. He said there was one old doctor and one "young upstart" named Bill Henry when he arrived. Now there are three physicians and a number of nurse practitioners with clinics in Twisp and Winthrop.
"The people who tend to come here have been under the care of big city physicians," he said. "What they use is different from what we might use here," which is why his stock has expanded. The other big change is needing to assist the people who come and forget to pack their drugs. "We deal with it every day."
A man who knows change is a constant in today's world, Ulrich said, "I just try to enjoy what's here now. I think it's a real magical place... People come in and people go out, but for the people who live here, it's a magical place and it's still a homey place."
Katrina Auburn, who's been in the feed store business since 1998 and owner of Twisp Feed and Rental since 2004, said she's watched her customers change from the old-time farmers and ranchers to a mix that includes an increasing number of "hobby farmers."
They are "people who want to be self-sufficient and not rely solely on the food truck coming in," she said. They have small flocks of chickens, for example, not huge flocks to supply the entire valley like in the old days.
Auburn's family moved to the Methow Valley from the Omak-Okanogan area in the early 1980s. She calls Highway 20 a plus for the economies of Winthrop and Twisp. "We need the stimulation of growth... But for locals who just want to live here in peace, [the changes] can be overwhelming.
Diana Hottell, who became gravely ill soon after settling here, recalled how overwhelmed she was by the community's generosity. "It was in the valley fabric to know each other and help each other," she said. "I was ecstatic about my whole life here." Forty years on, she said, "I love Twisp. It has remained."
Auburn agrees. "I love the valley," she said. "I can't imagine living anywhere else... We have a very tight community. I think it was a tight community [before the highway]... Your survival really depended on your neighbors helping you. Now the whole community wants to help... People want to belong and be part of a community again... The attitude is, 'We're here for you.'"
Schulz said she sees a valley come "full circle," almost like "looking in a mirror." When her grandparents came here from Texas in 1888, they were looking for tall grass for their cows, good water, land and a place where they could raise their kids. "And that's what the ones coming now want," she said. "They want to live off the land. The difference is that they are educated people who also want to teach others... The land was abused and overused but we didn't know it."
Yes, she came home after 30 years to find dramatic changes, but some were welcome. "The valley is still here," she said. "It's beautiful – greener and more beautiful than when I left" because of all the grasses and crops that have been planted, the near elimination of barnaby and "the restoration of areas devastated by the 1948 flood."
And, she concluded, now that we have the Internet "We can be in our own little cocoon and in touch with the world."
Have a comment? >>
Interesting read. To put things in perspective, I'd be interested in seeing some property value comparisons for 1972-2012 for greater Seattle and some of the other places in Washington state that have seen a lot of growth/change.
Ardis Bynum
Thanks so much Karen and Solveig for these three articles. They concisely covered much of the valley's history and showed the changes from some earlier residents. I'm so glad that they still feel it is a great place to live, even after all the changes, and I thank them for still welcoming us to their valley.
Dennis O'Callaghan
Once again I'm impressed with the thoughtful and in depth look at subjects that affect us here in the Methow. Thank You Grist!
Don Ashford
Rockview Dance Hall
I remember the opening of the pass vividly. I was eleven years old. The cars were backed up from the stop sign for miles. what a historic day that changed the valley forever.
Greg Waller
Tacoma, WA
I don't think humans in general can be anything but intrusive, no matter where we live. But this wonderful written article (and who doesn't enjoy well written essays) speaks to the need of responsible Land Use Planning in Washington State. Lack of which is one of the reasons it's has been easy for tourist destinations and vacation-home meccas to blossom in some areas. As a coaster I feel real guilt about changing the magic of the Valley. Thankyou for your thoughtful essay.
Suzanne Spencer


text:
Saturday, March 27, 2010
We were on spring break from high school (he was a senior, I was a junior) and he asked me to come over and hang out one afternoon. It was the first time I had ever been to his house, and I met his mom and sister that day. We went up to his bedroom, ostensibly to watch tv/play games, but once we got into his room, he shut the door, turned around, and started kissing me.
I remember that it felt both odd and yet comfortably familiar, as if this was something we always did. It was unexpected, and yet not. After a few minutes, I made him stop, but then a little while later, being the wanton hussy that I am, I encouraged him to do it again ;)
We didn't officially become a couple for another two and a half years after that, although we were pretty much "friends with benefits" from that point forward. I think one day I woke up and realized that I had been in love with him for a long time... it just took me a while to get there.
Friday, March 26, 2010
One-liners, gender, and other thoughts
"The best thing about being pregnant after losing 120 lbs: no stretch marks thanks to all the extra skin!"
I don't have anything beyond that, just one line. Ah well.
In other news, we have our mid-pregnancy ultrasound scheduled for next week, and we may have the option of finding out the baby's gender. I'll admit that I'm curious, although the only real difference it makes to me is knowing which list of names I should concentrate on, and whether I should keep or get rid of the stash of baby girl clothes I've accumulated over the years or have my sister retrieve Jacob's baby clothes from her attic. But it seems like everyone around me is in a frenzy, needing to know right now what gender I'm having. I must get asked by the same people at least 3 or 4 times each week. It almost makes me NOT want to find out...
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Wednesday wanderings
I think a lot about moving. I like my house, but as I've probably mentioned a million time in this blog, I really don't like our neighborhood. Matt's job requires us to live within the city limits, and although I like living in the city I don't appreciate the fact that his employer dictates where we can live. I would love to move across the bridge to New Jersey, where the homeschooling laws are better, but that will have to wait until I finish college and become the primary wage-earner (I can hardly wait!) In the meantime, there are some Philly neighborhoods I certainly wouldn't mind considering, like East Mount Airy. The thought of the actual act of moving, however... oy....
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
It's been a while...
Total weight loss to date is approximately 120 lbs. I still have about 30 more lbs I want to lose, but that will actually have to wait a while because I am pregnant.
Yes, it's true... after more than eight years of trying to get pregnant, then not trying, then trying to adopt, then not trying to adopt, then trying to get pregnant yet again, not getting pregnant, making peace with the idea of never having another biological child, and completing most of the paperwork necessary in order to pursue a domestic infant adoption, surprise! Without even trying, it happened. Weird.
It's been really difficult to wrap my head around. While I'm definitely happy to be having another child, it isn't the way I planned and so I've had to process a lot of different, conflicting emotions surrounding the whole thing. I have so many unanswerable questions in my brain all the time. Such as, why did my body decide to work NOW but not for the past 8+ years? (Even longer if you count the time I spent in infertility treatment for my first pregnancy). And, what about all the really hard work I did and money we spent on the adoption? Do we just discard that now?
As I've been driving myself slowly insane with all the wondering and questions, it has occurred to me that I process things best through writing. And so it's back to my blog I go, to try and sort through my thoughts in print rather than allow them to cloud my mind. I thought about starting a brand-new blog, since the things I'm dealing with now are vastly different than what I've blogged about in the past, but I don't know if I'll go that route or not. For now, I'm back here, and so far, it feels good :)
Thursday, February 26, 2009
To mark the milestone, I've written a list of things I've learned on the way to my 100-pound loss. (It was originally going to be a list of 100 things, but let's get real -- who can think of 100 things? and who has time to read all that?) Some of these are just personal observations, some are tips I've used and feel are worth repeating. Most of it could be taken as advice, even though I hate giving advice (because how can I possibly know what's right for anyone else? I have enough trouble keeping my own life in order! But when you lose 100 lbs, people start asking.)
So, without further ado...
If you can only do one type of exercise, do strength training (aka: weight training, resistance training, weight lifting). Building stronger muscles will improve your overall metabolism, so you'll use calories more efficiently even when you're not exercising (you'll burn fat in your sleep, dude.)
Baby steps. You can't go from being a total shlub to running marathons. Seriously -- I started working out for just 30 minutes, two times a week, and worked my way up from there. Now I hit the gym at least 3 times a week (for at least an hour) and I try to get a walk or run in on the days I don't go, or sometimes a yoga class. And nobody was ever a bigger shlub than me.
Love thyself. Seriously, this is HUGE. All the times I started a diet and/or exercise plan because I hated what saw in the mirror or the number on the scale/BMI chart/clothing label, I failed. When I made a conscious decision to take better care of the body I have, so that my body could better take care of me, I was able to make permanent changes.
Shit happens. Nobody is perfect. I make mistakes. I slack off. I eat pizza. I drink alcohol. Monthly hormonal fluctuations occur. Holidays take place. I gain pounds back. It happens. I have to keep loving myself through it, and taking care of my body, rather than letting one setback lead to a total meltdown. As my friend Joe says, "This too shall pass."
Sometimes, you need hand-holding. I can't stress enough how big of an influence my personal trainer has been on my life. I trained with her for a year and a half, and I still go to her for help when my workout routines get stale or when I just need advice or encouragement. She taught me how to exercise, and more importantly, she pushed me beyond what I ever thought I was capable of doing. My Weight Watchers leader is also a huge help to me. She's funny and patient and encouraging, and I look forward to seeing her every week.
If you hate it, it's probably good for you. Not food, but exercise. I was once told that you should find an exercise you like, and do that, because if you're doing something you hate, it's not good for your stress level. Maybe so, but I've found that if I enjoy something, it's probably because it's super-easy (and therefore, will probably have no effect on my body). The stuff I hate, like squats, step-ups and the rowing machine, are the things that really get my heart pounding, my teeth gritting, and my body changing.
If you get stuck, change it up. I think I once heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results? Anyhow, yeah -- it's good to change things up every so often, especially if you're seeing the same number on the scale week after week. Try a new exercise, or try increasing the weight/time/intensity on something you already do. Try a new recipe or a new veggie. Make things interesting :)
I can't not eat pasta! Or birthday cake. Or butter. Any eating plan/diet that tells me I absolutely CAN'T eat a certain food is a setup for failure. It won't work in real life. For me, it only creates unhealthy obsessions with the forbidden foods. I think the trick is making healthier choices most of the time, and saving certain things for special occasions. That being said:
Whole wheat pasta is not bad at all. Neither is low-fat cheese, or fat-free yogurt. (I still don't like light mayo, though!) It helps to make healthier choices/substitutions. When the substitutions taste good, that is ;)
Slow and steady wins the race. It's taken me two years to get to the point I'm at now. but I think slowly developing heathy habits over time leads to permanent change (as opposed to quick fixes, like the cabbage soup diet!)
I have to belong to a gym. I have to have somewhere to go where exercise is all I can do, because otherwise I won't do it. I have about 20 exercise videos at home. Know how many I've done? One. Once. There are too many other things in my house I like to do better than exercise.
Get your thyroid checked. Seriously -- I know more people with thyroid problems than without. If I hear that someone's having trouble with their weight, the first thing I ask is whether they've had their thyroid checked. And if your doctor says your levels are "normal", ask them for the numbers. And then call me ;)
You can do it. Because I did it. I'm not Oprah -- I don't have zillions of dollars to hire a personal chef and a trainer who comes and gets me out of bed and watches me to make sure I don't eat crap. I'm a real woman with a home and a family and a million things to do every day. I'm not naturally skinny or energetic -- my metabolism is complete shit, because I have autoimmune thyroid disease AND hyperinsuliemia. Plus I have endometriosis, which means I'm in pain most days of the month. I have to fight with myself every damn day to get my sneakers on and get out the door, because I'd rather stay on the couch. But there hasn't been one moment when I haven't thought it was worth it. I'm worth it. I did it. I'm doing it. You can do it, too.
Me two years ago:
Me now:
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Quick, easy, yummy, and WW-friendly dinners
My friend Misty recently requested the pineapple shrimp recipe and gave it a rave review, so I thought I'd post it here in case anyone else wanted to try it:
Pineapple Shrimp
2 lbs. frozen raw shrimp, thawed, tails removed
1 tbsp. oil (I use canola)
1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice, drained
1/2 bottle Lawry's Hawaiian marinade
crushed red pepper to taste (optional)
In large frying pan or wok, sauté shrimp in oil over high heat until cooked through (about 3-5 minutes). Add pineapple chunks, stir. Add marinade (and crushed pepper, if desired*), stir until coasted, lower heat to simmer and cook an additional 3-5 minutes. 1 cup = 3 WW points. Serve over 1/2 cup white or brown rice (2 points) with a side of steamed broccoli and cauliflower (or any other zero-points veggies).
*If some family members like crushed red pepper and others don't, it can be added to each individual serving.
I made this recently on a rare husband-and-kid-free evening, so it serves 1, but it could be easily modified to feed a whole family (assuming that unlike mine, your family wouldn't turn their noses up at the notion of eggs for dinner):
Eggs and Beans
2 eggs (or, for fewer points, use egg substitute)
cooking spray
1 can fat-free or vegetarian refried beans
1/2 jar salsa
1 oz shredded 50% reduced fat cheddar cheese
In small saucepan, heat beans and salsa over low heat, strring frequently. Coat frying pan with cooking spray and scramble eggs (or prepare them the way you prefer). When eggs are finished, add 1/2 of shredded cheese and allow to melt slightly before transferring eggs to plate. Measure 1/2 cup refried bean/salsa mixture onto plate, top with remaining cheese. 6 WW points. Serve with a side of steamed veggies or salad.
Let me know if you decide to try them and how they turn out!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
TMI Tuesday - 2/10/09
1. What do you think is the un-sexiest part of the body?
Wow. It really depends on the person, because there are parts that may be cute on one person and not so much on another (toes, teeth, belly, butt crack... lol).
2. Toilet paper: over, under, or what the hell are you talking about?
I don't have a preference, but the hubby insists on "over".
3. Have you ever called in sick to stay in bed with a sexual partner?
Yes, I have. Skipped class, too :)
4. Did your parents have a "birds & bees" talk with you? If so, at what age?
My mom did. I was about 7, and she read to my sister and me from a book called "Where Did I Come From?" Jacob is almost ten, and I still haven't explained the mechanics to him, although I have answered specific questions. This has a lot to do with the fact that, although he is Matt's and my child biologically, he wasn't conceived the old-fashioned way. So it's like, "Well, honey, this is how babies are made, but you weren't made that way." My mom says he doesn't need to know the specifics yet, but I feel like if we're being frank enough to talk about penises and vaginas, we should be able to talk about intrauterine insemination. Wow, this really *is* TMI...
5. What is one thing someone could do to you to rock your world?
Whisk me away for a romantic trip without telling me beforehand.
I just finished reading Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. I really enjoy her books. The characters are so true-to-life. And the fact that she's a super-cool mom living in Philly who writes books -- and gets them published, no less! -- gives me hope that maybe one day I can be, too :)
I went shopping for jeans today at Fashion Bug. They've recently instituted the same sizing as Lane Bryant has for their jeans, so there are three different options for women with different body types. While I love that clothing manufacturers are finally realizing that some of us are more blessed than others in the hips/ass department, this also means that they are ordering fewer pairs in each size. And because I wear one of the smallest "Plus" sizes, there are even fewer of that size. Suffice it to say that today, while shopping their "Buy one get one 50% off" sale, I was only able to find one stinkin' pair of jeans in my size.
And speaking of Fashion Bug and plus sizes, I was on their website the other day and noticed that their "Misses" (regular) sizes go up to 16, though their "Plus" sizes start at 14. So at first I thought, wow that's great! Now that I'm down to a 16 I can shop on the other side of Fashion Bug. Not so fast, fatty! I looked at the sizing charts for each size, and while a "Plus" 16 fits a 36-inch waist, a "Misses" 16 fits a 32-inch waist. And so, as you've already figured out, a "Plus" 14 fits a 34-inch waist and a "Misses" 14 fits a 30-inch waist. Which means, as I continue to lose weight and go down through the sizes, I will go from a 16 to a 14, and then back to a 16. WTF?!
Life is never dull...


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Welcome to our Resource Center – we have 400+ resources about dementia and with tips and advice for caregivers. Use the keyword search or click on a link below to get started.
Try our advanced search to view all resource topics, tags, and categories.
We've selected some of the best resources in each category for easy reference.
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Year 8 and 9 Enrichment Week
There is a wide range of activities available for students to opt for in Enrichment Week 2018, which have now been launched to students to choose from. Please see the overview below for details of each activity. Students should return their top three preferences as soon as possible, and allocations will be made known to students during the week of 6th November 2017.


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At the age of six, Chelsea Clinton considered herself such an expert on abortion that she claims to have left her church at the time over the matter. Seriously. At an age when most of us were still believing in Santa Claus, the daughter of the morally-challenged Bill and Hillary Clinton was suffering a crisis of conscience, because the church ... Read More »
Democrats capitalize on Justice Scalia's death with fundraising email
In the hours following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the discussion quickly turned political, as both liberals and conservatives weighed in on the ramifications of a new appointee to the Court. The Democratic Party, however, may have reached a new depth of tasteless, sending out an email Saturday (February 13) asking supporters to demand Congress act on ... Read More »
Why does Donald Trump keep lying about not taking donations? (VIDEO)
After Saturday night's CBS Republican Presidential Debate in South Carolina, Donald Trump appeared on Fox News to discuss his performance. During his interview, he repeated a popular refrain from his stump speeches, namely that he takes no donations and self-funds his campaign. Here's the video of the claim: It would be a noble stand to take, if it were true. ... Read More »
A guy named Vermin Supreme is running for President, and he's nuts
A while back, we reported on a guy running for President under the name Deez Nuts. His candidacy may not have gone anywhere, but there is one other novelty candidate worth watching, even if he too isn't going anywhere politically. His name? Vermin Supreme, of course, and his satirization of the presidential race is sadly, a bit too close to ... Read More »
Urine big trouble sir! Angry flier pees on fellow passenger
On Monday, a passenger on an Air Mediterranee flight who was not allowed to drink alcohol or smoke showed his displeasure by urinating on another passenger in mid-flight, causing a wild melee that led to two men being arrested. The flight, bound for Paris after leaving Algiers, had to divert to Lyon, where the urinator was taken into custody along ... Read More »
Feminist Gloria Steinem thinks female Bernie Sanders supporters are boy crazy
Gloria Steinem has made it clear: not all women are created equal. In her view, liberal chicks who support Hillary Clinton are slightly better than those that don't. In an interview on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," on Friday, Steinem dismissed the many female Bernie Sanders supporters, saying they are not drawn to the candidate himself, but rather the ... Read More »
Did Doritos air a pro-life Super Bowl ad? See for yourself!
During tonight's airing of the Super Bowl, Doritos aired several ads as part of their "Crash the Super Bowl" promotion, including a commercial showing an unborn baby visible through ultrasound who has a hankering for the popular chips. The baby, seen interacting with its father via the ultrasound screen, then "shoots" out of its mother to get a Doritos chip. ... Read More »
PIE Editor Victor Medina on the Kevin Jackson Radio Show Feb. 2, 2016
I have the pleasure of appearing each week on Fox News contributor Kevin Jackson's radio show, discussing the various issues of the day. You can click here to visit the official radio page, or click here to listen to the show on Soundcloud if Kevin isn't on the air in your area. This past Tuesday, we discussed yet another shooting ... Read More »
Trumper Tantrum? Ted Cruz Says Angry Donald Trump Might Nuke Denmark
There's something rotten in the state of Denmark – and Donald Trump's gonna wipe it off the map. Or so says Ted Cruz. On Wednesday, Donald Trump went on a Twitter rant of epic proportions, accusing Ted Cruz of "stealing" the Iowa caucus with dirty tricks. "Ted Cruz didn't win Iowa, he stole it. That is why all of the ... Read More »
Garbage Pail Kids take on Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump
If you grew up in the 1980s, you likely remember Garbage Pail Kids stickers. The parody product from the Topps Company were popular for their gross-out characters, and continue to be popular to this day, with new stickers being issued every year. It shouldn't be surprising that Garbage Pail Kids are now doing politically-themed stickers, especially since featuring detestable individuals ... Read More »


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John Berger
11 results
Student diary: 'Eavan Boland – thankfully – came up. Others who staked it all on Plath lost'
- Education
- June 8, 2017, 20:06
It was the discussion of the Leaving Cert: which poets will appear on the paper? Like a lot of my classmates, I was really nervous about this. While (...)
Sci-fi TV asks the big question: what is it to be human?
- Film
- April 17, 2017, 05:00
Midway through the first season of Sense8 – a science fiction drama created by the Wachowski siblings and J Michael Straczynski – a mysterious man nam(...)
Irish Hygge: 'Look what good taste I have, look how Instagrammable my house is'
- Culture
- January 23, 2017, 05:00
In the first episode of Mad Men, Don Draper tells us what advertising is all about: happiness. "You know what happiness is?" he asks. "Happiness is t(...)
Has the age of instant access finally put an end to the critic?
- Art & Design
- January 4, 2017, 12:45
Upon his death earlier this week, John Berger was described by British artist David Shrigley as "the best ever writer on art". It was not the first o(...)
John Berger, art critic and author, dies aged 90
- Books
- January 2, 2017, 21:18
John Berger, the Booker prize-winning novelist and visionary writer who helped transform the way a generation looked at and perceived art, has died ag(...)
What happens to perspective when theatre adopts a first-person narrative?
- Stage
- October 1, 2016, 06:00
Art, they say, changes the way we see things. Leonardo Da Vinci lets you gaze on the last supper, each diner arranged for display like the top table o(...)
What is the point of the European Capital of Culture?
- Culture
- April 25, 2016, 06:00
What links Athens, Florence, Paris and Cork? They have all held the title European Capital of Culture. The programme began in 1985, after Melina Merc(...)
Successful publisher and left-wing campaigner
- People
- December 12, 2015, 10:17
Neil Middleton, who has died aged 83, was an influential publisher, writer and Catholic thinker who made a significant contribution to religious and p(...)
Alex Miller: 'Simple prose is valued more now than a decade ago'
- Books
- February 18, 2015, 17:36
Alex Miller is an Australian author, who won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize in 1993 for his novel The Ancestor Game. His eleventh novel, Coal Cree(...)
How well do you know your Booker opening lines?
- Books
- October 16, 2014, 17:00
THE OPENING LINES 1. "He should have seen it coming." 2. "Two former lovers of Molly Lane stood waiting outside the crematorium chapel with(...)


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The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has put in place a division to reduce litigations and tackle pendency of appeals.
Officials privy to the matter have indicated that earlier this month Sebi created a new Securities and Appellate Tribunal (SAT) Litigation Division to act as an interface between Sebi and the appellate body.
"We plan to reduce pendency and streamline litigation matters handled across departments within Sebi," said a senior official on the condition of anonymity. A query sent to Sebi remained unanswered. Currently, it is the enforcement department that cumulatively handles all the appeals against Sebi's orders, whether in the Supreme Court, other courts or SAT. The new division would be a part of the Sebi's enforcement department. Sebi has listed the functions of its enforcement department: "While undertaking defence representation in contentious matters involving complex issues of law, the division would liase with senior advocates, law firms and represent the interest of Sebi at the SAT. The division would also be an interface between Sebi and SAT while collaborating with other departments of Sebi. It would also assist Sebi in filing affidavits and submissions while attending hearings." The functions were updated recently on the market regulator's website.
"The enforcement department as a whole is required to handle all the appeals against Sebi, the specific division for SAT appeals would definitely streamline the process of representation before SAT," said RS Loona, advocate and former executive director at Sebi.
According to Sebi's latest annual report, as of March 2014, 61 appeals are pending with the SAT. Sebi in most cases uploads its annual report by August every year. But, this time, the report for the previous financial year is awaited.
With the creation of this department, Sebi also hopes to increase the efficiency of its representation before the SAT when its orders are opposed.
Recently, Sebi's stance had been criticised in three orders. This year, the SAT was critical of Sebi's order in the matter of DLF, which is now before the Supreme Court. The SAT was also critical of Sebi in the matter of setting up a self regulatory organisation for mutual funds.
"There are three aspects to determine whether any order is upheld by the SAT. One is the quality of investigation, the application of mind by the whole-time member or the adjudicating officer, and finally representation before the SAT. All three need to be strong for the SAT to pass the judgment in favor of Sebi," said Loona.
According to Sebi insiders, this division is also Sebi's way to prepare for the Financial Sector Appellate Tribunal (FSAT). The finance ministry plans to transform the SAT into the FSAT, which will hear appeals against regulators for all financial products.
Currently, the SAT is hearing appeals against Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority, Pension Fund and Regulatory Authority and Sebi.


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Travelux Zoom 3
Contemporary styled tricycle scooter with removable battery cassette.
Please contact us for the most recent price
Price list
User manual
Parts List
Travelux Zoom 3
Contemporary styled three-wheel scooter with removable battery cassette, you can take if you want to charge it just upstairs to load it beyond the scooter. You do not even need electricity in your garage or your storage space. It is therefore possible to purchase an extra battery pack that allows you to increase the range of the zoom. The battery pack is easy portability in the basket which is mounted under the seat.
The Zoom is equipped with:
- Collapsible steering column;
- Detachable swivel seat;
- Shopping cart;
- Leak-proof tires;
- Removable folding armrests.
Your reason for choosing the Travelux Zoom 3:
- The interchangeable Travelux Zoom battery cartridge and battery pack that can be loaded elsewhere.
- Takes you further than the average comparable scooter!
The Travelux Zoom 3 is available in the colors red and blue. The scooter comes with batteries and charger.
Available accessories
|Overall length:
|105 cm
|Overall width:
|56 cm
|Total height:
|94 ↔ 99 cm (adjustable)
|Total Weight:
|55 kg
|User Weight:
|Max. 115 kg
|Available colors:
|Red and Blue
|Seat width:
|44 cm
|Seat depth:
|42 cm
|Seat height:
|49 cm
|Turning radius:
|185 cm
|Ground clearance:
|7 cm
|Max. speed:
|8 km/u
|2 x 12 V / 18 Ah
|24 V / 1.8 Ah
|15 km with 18 Ah batteries (measured under ideal circumstances)
Remark: The range (if mentioned) is measured under ideal circumstances in a clinical test. Range can vary and is influenced by the battery condition, user weight, road conditions, outside temperature, tire pressure and way of usage.


text: Select an international website Zoover.at Zoover.be Zoover.ch Zoover.com Zoover.com.tr Zoover.com.ua Zoover.cz Zoover.de Zoover.dk Zoover.es Zoover.fr Zoover.gr Zoover.hu Zoover.it Zoover.lt Zoover.nl Zoover.no Zoover.pl Zoover.pt Zoover.ro Zoover.ru Zoover.se Home Destinations Accommodations Add review Add review Add photos Add videos Add new accommodation Add attraction Home Add review France Picardy Bornel Accommodations Bornel Reviews (0) Photos & videos (0) Accommodations (1) Attractions (12) Weather forecast Map Tips (0) More Question and Answer (0) There are currently no reviews for Bornel Weather 14° / 29° 19 Aug 2018 Weather forecast and climate... Unfortunately no photos available Add the first photo - Find Hotel Deals From € 85 Find the best deal Find the best deals Most visitors found the best deal for Bornel with: 1 Booking.com Check price TOP More suppliers Collapse Sort by Zoover recommends Rating Reviews Distance from centre 1 Accommodation France, Picardy, Bornel Location Radius: Select 2 km 10 km 20 km 50 km Country France Region Picardy Destination Bornel Search within results: 10 click Add review Bed and Breakfast: Le manoir du menillet Bornel, 1.5 km from center France Picardy Bornel Hotels Hotels in Amiens Hotels in St. Valéry-sur-Somme Hotels in Compiègne Hotels in Beauvais Hotels in Albert (Somme) Hotels in St. Quentin Hotels in Laon Information about Bornel Weather Bornel Map Bornel Photos Bornel Videos Bornel Question and Answer Bornel Destinations nearby Nesles-la-Vallée (Val d'Oise) Taverny Henonville Belle-Eglise L'Isle-Adam Méry-sur-Oise Fresnoy-en-Thelle Are you looking for a well-reviewed accommodation for your holiday in Bornel? Below you can find all accommodations in Bornel. read more Are you looking for a good reviewed accommodation for your holiday in Bornel? Below you can find all accommodations in Bornel. You can find comments regarding 1 Bed and Breakfast in Bornel. Please use the filters on the left to find your ideal accommodation. - - Less text


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Print Differences
SO a future client asked me the difference between "Gift Prints" and "Hanging Prints." Well simply put 8x10 and smaller are considered gifting prints, because they gift in the mail easily and efficiently. Hanging prints 10x13 and up, also the long panoramic style images are included here as well, go up on your walls. This way those who come over can "ooooo" and "awwww" over your family (not to mention great conversation starters and perfect timing to send a referral (wink ;) ).
Grandparents are the ones who LOVE getting 8x10's and wallets, they show them off at all their doctor appointments and random strangers. While the 8x10 is the perfect size so all grandkids and great-grandkids can go up on their walls. But remember this, Grandparents want BIG hanging prints when it comes to big moments in life, like: Graduation, New Borns, First Burns, & Weddings.
Aunts and Uncles LOVE receiving 5x7's, 4x6's, and wallets. The 5x7's & 4x6's they hang on their walls, while the wallets go into the multi collage frames they have up on their walls of random family members and vacations.
Hope this helps all those who are trying to decide on sizes. When in doubt, just give us a call. We'll swing by, get wall measurements, and give you hanging advice. The ultimate decisions will always be with yall guys!
P.S. Use MPIX.COM for your personal orders and those cute phone pictures. I know they have great products and customer service, they are who I use for all of our personal use.
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text: Watch the video of Ghost In The Shell Trap Remix 2017 by E-COX on YouTube Posted on November 15, 2016 by E-Cox by E-Cox E-cox releases his remix of Ghost in The Shell, before official premiere of the movie featuring Scarlett Johansson. You can download the FREE mp3 here. Read More


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I'm trying to connect Talend Open Studio (6.1.1 with trial license) to Talend Cloud Integration (trial also) but I am missing the Cloud option under the Preferences/ Talend.
Also, the Cloud Integration demo project is missing from the demo project list.
Any idea what am I doing wrong?
Many thanks!


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I have 2 autistic children now aged 7 and 14 and as they have grown older I thought I could manage but are finding life extremely hard which in affect has put a massive strain on my relationship with my wife!!!!!!!! the bottom line is I act like I can cope but CANT!!!! I struggle and doubt myself as a parent as I get nervous when around the children and then shut off most probably looking like I don't care!!! is there any advice, courses or anything that I can use to help me on dealing with parenting as I should have admitted years ago that I need advice and help!!!!
I clicked on your message and I didn't want to just read and leave so I'm not sure how much use I can be. I'm sorry to read you are struggling with parenting your autistic children. Parenting is the toughest job to do even before you add a disability into the mix! I don't know if there are any parenting courses specific to autism as such (others caring for autistic children may be able to give you better information on that). Connecting with other parents with similar situations as you may offer you the help and support you need. You say your relationship with your wife is becoming strained. Have you been honest with your wife about how you are feeling? It can be easy to forget that as a couple you are a team and it's ok to lean on each other for support. She may even feel she is struggling also. When we are stressed in a situation tension can form and couples can become short with each other maybe even saying hurtful things that we don't necessarily mean.
Have you also thought about the possibility that you may need to take some time to take care of your own needs and do some self care? When our cup is empty we have nothing left to give so to speak and we become worn down quicker and stressed more easily. It can be hard as a parent to find time to care for ourselves and take time out to do something for us, but it is very important that we make that time.
I hope something I have said here will be of some use to you and maybe others can post with more specific advice for autistic children.
Kind wishes.
thank you appreciate the feedback and to be honest that is exactly what has happened I haven't been honest about how much I have been struggling and now we are separated!!! but you are right in what you are saying as we never found time for each other and get improvements are needed but if I had looked for help with parenting issues before would have helped.
and yes groups, advice or anything in regards to the struggles of parenting two autistic children when I doubt my own abilities as a parent would be good!!!!
hard to admit this to myself nevermind anyone else including the wife!!!
thanks again for your comments as they make a lot of sense
I am sorry to read you and your wife are separated. I am in a similar situation with my husband. Please try not to beat yourself up. We can't change the past but we can make the future better. Admitting you need some help is a really good start. There is certainly no shame in seeking support in fact it takes a fair bit of courage.
Best wishes and good luck


text: Can I please get some help regarding an issue with my purple TT .games work great BUT I am having issues with the dpg movies .I know its not my movie files they work fine on my original R4. I think the issue is with the moonsell 2 .I have even tried the moonshell 210 but still nothing .PROBLEM : I load moonshell 2 and it brings me to a screen that says : TOP SCREEN :and Reset memory. REBOOT reset memory1 ARMS ...ETC :BOTTOM SCREEN: has some chinese writing then: An error was detected while trying to access the disc or a file.Please comfirm the followings: Was ROM file of a correct DLDI patch started? Please re-format the media and try again. Please try with different media from another manufacturer. WHAT THE F!@@ is this mean. ANY HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED !!!!!!!


text: Thanks to a 46-yard run by Maurice Morris that sprung open an offensive drive, the Seahawks scored on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Matt Hasselbeck to Deion Branch. Now it's a game, and the Rams have to be feeling the pressure. Hasselbeck had an odd reaction after the pass. He usually celebrates, jumping around with teammates. On this on, he simply walked to the sideline.


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• 5.8 million pensioners will host their friends and families on Christmas Day
• Average retiree expects to spend nearly £400 on Christmas gifts and entertaining guests
LONDON, 22-12-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — Many people will be rockin' around the Christmas tree with the 5.8 million pensioners (53 per cent) who will host friends and families at home on Christmas Day this year, according to new research from Prudential.
Pensioners are getting into the festive spirit as they plan to spend a total of £4.2 billion on gifts and entertaining this Christmas. The average pensioner spend is estimated at nearly £400 per pensioner with £140 going on entertaining and the remaining £250 being spent on gifts. Two in five pensioners (38%) will push the boat out even further spending more than £300 on Christmas presents for their friends and families.
More than two in five (41 per cent) pensioners say Christmas is when they spend the most time with their families. The majority of pensioners will be welcoming family and friends – with 43 per cent hosting their children, 29 per cent entertaining their grandchildren and 10 per cent seeing their extended families on Christmas Day. A further 10 per cent will welcome friends on the day.
Six in 10 (60 per cent) of their guests will be visiting just for the day but five per cent of those surveyed are expecting guests to stay for at least a week, including two per cent who will be playing host for at least a fortnight.
While almost six in ten (59 per cent) pensioners enjoy hosting Christmas celebrations for their loved ones, they exercise sufficient restraint to ensure that their festive spending is kept in check. A sensible 45 per cent say they budget in advance, while 19 per cent have cut down their spending in recent years.
However, 34 per cent of those surveyed admit they find Christmas a financial burden – 30 per cent have concerns that the costs are increasing every year, and four per cent are already dreading the bills they will receive in January.
Vince Smith-Hughes, retirement income expert at Prudential, said: "Christmas is traditionally a time for friends and families and it's great to see that a majority of the over-65s are spending time with their loved ones during the festive holiday period.
"Hosting Christmas Day celebrations is no mean feat at the best of times. While many people love spoiling their friends and families during the festive season, it is particularly important for pensioners to plan their Christmas spending carefully to ensure that they don't overspend."
The research shows 27 per cent of over-65s won't be hosting anyone over the Christmas period while 20 per cent admit entertaining at Christmas is becoming a struggle as they get older.
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Notes to editors
1. Research conducted online between 19th and 26th November 2014 among a sample of 528 over-65s by Consumer Intelligence on behalf of Prudential 2. Populations based on 10.9 million people of State Pension age in Great Britain, based on estimates from the ONS


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- Windows
- Education & Reference
- Books
- EBooks Converter
EBooks Converter 5.7.2
Ebook Converter Lite is the simplest way to help you convert a large number of ebook file format in a very short time.
You may also like
Ebooks Converter is the simplest way to help you convert a large number of ebook file format in a very short time.
It supports the current main ebook formats such as adobe epub, adobe pdf, kindle azw,mobi, prc and other types. A lot of ebooks that readers bought from all kinds of sites may belong to a variety kinds of file formats. In fact not all electronic readers or computer software can identify all the ebook formats. The reason is that they are invented by all sorts of different manufacturers. In order to solve the problem that various electronic readers can support different formats, AuexSoft book converter comes with a couple new features can easily help you convert the main ebook format to others.
In order to facilitate your conversion Ebook, AuexSoft Ebook Converter provides a batch mode and the high speed switching mode. You can add more than 200 pieces of files one-time in the conversion. AuexSoft Ebook Converter has been being optimized and improved both on the conversion speed as well as quality aspects constantly so that users can complete more conversion work in a short time.
You may want to read EPUB format Ebook in your Kindle devices, but in fact Kindle does not support EPUB format Ebook at all. AuexSoft Ebook Converter provides you with an unprecedentedly simple way. Only need to click a mouse button, you can get a new suitable Ebook format for reading them on your Kindle, and it surely keeps the best Ebook quality and content for users.
Ebooks Converter Lite does good in converting Kindle books to other ebook formats in order that you are able to access to reading them on other equipment.


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Veda got her little spring lamby haircut today.
I was sad to see her yeti locks go,
but although they looked wild and beautiful blowing in the gusty spring gales,
once you got your fingers in deep enough,
you would realized that she herself had started to felt!
Look at that wild moustache! (that is how I pronounce it)
It was seriously windy today.
What a darling beastie- right!?!
Oh, and the sand face is because she likes to eat sand for some reason.
This happens every time after she digs to China!
She is now a naked little lamb with a velvety fleece.
Its like spring gave birth to entirely new VedaLou!!!
She is as soft as she looks, too.
The second photo is of her curled up in a little puppy ball.
She likes to cross all her poodle toes and wrap them up under her,
like a cat...
Or a hen...
It is so cute
and quite charming!