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About the Book
Sales and Contracts in Early Islamic Commercial Law presents a study of business practices in the early period of Islamic history. Today when the world is moving from geo-politics to geo-economics, the Muslim Ummah is obliged to offer an effective alternative to materialistic and atheistic capitalist economic ideology. The present book, a comprehensive study of market economy in early Islam, provides foundational material for further studies in Islamic economics.
This book deals with following subjects: Pre-Islamic commerce, Qur'anic teachings, ethics of "trade and market, contracts, voidability, risk, restrictions, partnership deposits, loans, pledge, interdiction, hiring, commercial disputes and judicial settlements.
About the Author
Dr. Abdullah Alwi Haji Hassan, the author is a lecturer at the University of Malaya. He did his Ph.D. at the Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1986.
If political independence remained a basic concern of the peoples of Asia and Africa during the greater part of the twentieth century, economic independence and viability are likely to become their objectives in the future. It seems that in the changed order of the world, control over markets and economies will assume no less importance than the conquest of and dominance over foreign territories in the past. Thus the time now seems to have come for the Muslim ummah-whose intellectuals have so far been mainly engaged in developing Islamic frameworks for political life-to turn to the urgent task of developing Islamic models for business and economy. The task has assumed a high degree of urgency. For while up until recently the Islamic economic ideology was being considered a third option, besides the capitalist and the communist ones, it now seems to have become the only option worth the name to the capitalist economic ideology.
All this underscores the need for serious academic effort directed to developing viable models for economic life inspired by Islamic ethical norms and legal principles. Without any doubt, the Islamic tradition is sufficiently rich and fecund to respond to the requirements of the time. However, there should be no complacency about the task itself which is simply stupendous. For it consists neither of simply carbon-copying the laws and institutions in vogue in the contemporary world, nor mechanically reproducing the legal formulations bequeathed to us by the Muslim scholars of the past - The task to which the Muslim scholars have to address themselves today is a highly creative and critical one. In fact, it is the same task to which the Muslim scholars of the early centuries of Islam addressed themselves. It consists of looking afresh at the perennial sources of our guidance-the Qur'an and the Sunnah, of critically reviewing the work of the earlier scholars, and thereafter developing models which are at once deeply rooted in and inspired by the teachings of Islam on the one hand, and relevant to the prevalent conditions of the time on the other.
In his present book Dr. Abdullah Alwi Haji Hasan examines the business practices obtaining in the early period of Islam and highlights the legal principles which emerge there from. The author approaches the subject from the perspective of history, economics, law, market management, religion and ethics. As a result, a comprehensive study of the economic practices of early Islam has now become available in a fairly readable form. What is more, hopefully it also paves the ground for further creative work in the field of Islamic law.
This study originally formed a doctoral dissertation submitted to the Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies (The Muir Institute), University of Edinburgh, Scotland, in February 1986. This book is a slightly revised version of the original thesis.
Firstly, I wish to express my profound thankfulness and gratitude to my esteemed supervisor, Dr LK.A. Howard, for his invaluable assistance and encouragement throughout my period of study from September, 1982 to February, 1986. He patiently supervised the whole of this work and frequently made useful and constructive suggestions for alteration or addition. His advice and criticism have been of great value, sustaining this work, especially during the period of its preparation. Needless to say, for the remaining errors and omissions I hold myself fully responsible. My gratitude is also deserved by Miss L Crawford, the Secretary of the Department of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, for her general assistance throughout the period of my stay in Edinburgh, and to members of the academic staff of the department.
Secondly, I would like to acknowledge a special debt of gratitude to Dr R. Douglas of Edinburgh Moray House College of Education, who was kind enough to go through and read the initial draft of this work. He also offered many valuable suggestions for the improvement of the style of presentation and methodology. Deep gratitude also goes to all my closest friends in Edinburgh and the United Kingdom as well as in Malaysia who provided constant encouragement and kept my spirits up.
Thirdly, I would also like to record my appreciation and indebtedness to the authorities of the Main Library of Edinburgh University, particularly to the staff of the Inter-Library Loan Service for their relentless efforts in finding books, without which it might not have been possible to produce this work, and other staff of the library who took trouble in making available to me the works which were used in the course of this research.
Other people who deserve my thanks for the cooperation and help rendered to me in this regard are Professor Dr Muhammad Zain 'Uthman, the Head of the Department of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya and my colleagues at the same Department, especially Associate Professor Dr Lutfi Ibrahim who persuaded me to come and do this work in the first place. A debt of gratitude is also owed to all members of academic and administrative staff of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and of the University of Malaya who helped and supported in one way or the other in the course of my study. I must also especially thank Professor Tan Sri Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim, Shaykh Kulliyah of Laws, International Islamic University of Malaysia, and Associate Professor Muhammad Abu Bakar from the Department of History, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, for their help in reading and editing parts of the original manuscript.
Last, but not least, is the debt of thankfulness I owe to my wife, 'Azizah binti 'Abdul Ghani, for her characteristic grace and sweetness which was for me unfailing support and continuous encouragement, also to my children, Ahmad Kashfi and Maryam Safiyyah, who kept y life pleasant and happy throughout my academic sojourn in Edinburgh, and also to my daughter, 'A'ishah Harizah, who inspired me to publish this book when we were back in Malaysia. This work, is, however, dedicated to my mother, Sharifah Zain binti Haji 'Uthrnan, who encouraged me to pursue my study to the end, especially after the demise of my beloved father, Haji Hassan bin Haji Isma'il. I also wish to take this opportunity to express my profound appreciation to all my brothers, sisters and in-laws and their families. I thank them all for the enormous moral and material support and the encouragement which they have all afforded to me and my family throughout.
This study was made possible, firstly by the study award (from 26th September 1982 to 25th March 1986) under the Academic Staff Training Scheme Programme (Sekim Latihan Akademik Bumiputra) which was granted to me by the University of Malaya, where I am employed as a lecturer, and secondly by the scholarship awarded by the Public Service Department, Malaysia.
In relation to some technical aspects of this work, the separate table of transliterations and list of abbreviations are given on pp. xii-xiv and pp. xv-xx respectively. Further, it is very important to mention here that it was extremely difficult for the writer to pronounce the formula, which is normally rendered in English as "peace be on him" after mentioning the Prophet Muhammad and the other prophets, and "God be pleased with them" and "God have mercy on them" in respect of the Companions or the Successors and other venerable personalities in Islam. The difficulty of including these formulae is evident because they would have sometimes appeared several times in a single page. In consequence of that, these formulae may be regarded as understood and may be taken for granted.
The author is conscious, both as a student and as a Muslim, of man- ifesting his unqualified awareness of man's inability and weaknesses in his search for truth and knowledge, unless assisted and willed by God, and to round off the acknowledgement I recite the normative statement, as a maxim, with which the classical Muslim 'ulama' concluded their written academic works: This written work is accomplished only by the grace of God and He knows best what is true and right. All gratitude and praise be only to Him.
A discussion on the law of business transactions or contractual obligations in Islam is bound to investigate the term bay' since the majority of jurists subsume most other commercial transactions under the rubric of bay'. Literally, bay' means transaction, both sale and purchase, but in the legal- technical terminology of the jurists it means the simple exchange or barter of commodities; it is an exchange mutually agreed upon between the two or more parties concerned. I In fact, two roots are used in Arabic to imply the contract of sale: b.y,' and sh.r.y. In both senses of the word, according to original legal procedure, an element of contract or agreement, i.e. safqah, mubaya'ah or mu'ahadah, is assumed when the purchaser strikes his hand on that of the seller to signify acceptance (qabul) of the offer (ijab), which is made usually in the same session. Sale is a bilateral transaction." The most ordinary foundation for an obligation occurring is the contract ('aqd). This is the field of pecuniary and business transactions (mu'amalat). The conclusion of the contract is basically informal; only the literal meanings of definite technical terms, such as safqah, striking hand upon hand, for concluding a sale or contract, reflect former symbolic acts. In the more elaborate variant, the vendor should make an offer of the goods, e.g. by pronouncing the words, "I sell you" or "I make you owner of' such and such a thing, toe purchaser ought to pronounce his consent, e.g. by saying, "I buy the object", "I accept the ownership of', or "I accept" the object. 6 This action indicates the mutual consent which is required by Islamic law for the validity of a contract of sale or exchange of commodities or properties." A sale consists of four basic elements, namely al-ba'i' (the seller or vendor), al- mubta' (the purchaser), al-thaman (the price) and al-muthamman (the prized or valued commodity)." The legality of sale is sanctioned in the Qur'an." Such a contract of sale which illustrates the essence of the Islamic law of contractual obligations or commerce and trade includes this particular con- tract as well as other commutative or synallagmatic contracts. Al-Zurqani quotes Ibn al-Arabi who says that in the wider sense of economic contracts, transactions and social contracts (like the institution of marriage) bay' constitutes the basis of society, since human beings, by nature, rely on food resources and sex. As all resources are created by God for the benefit of man, it is essential that a man should be aware of his basic needs as of the requirements of legal contracts, to which end the study of buyu' (plural of bay') is the duty of every Muslim.
This study covers the law of contractual obligations or commerce and trade in early Islam. Therefore, other themes do not come within the purview of this investigation, because of their irrelevance or semi-relevance to the actual legal outlook of this law. Those subjects are al-hibab (donation or gift, inter vivos), al-wasiyyab (legacy), al-waqf (pious foundation or mort- main; endowment), the pre-Islamic customary law of al-'umra (donation of a life interest) and al-ruqba (donation with the stipulation that the object becomes the property of the surviving party or reciprocal posthumous gift). Since these contracts incline towards the purport of gifts and donations, accordingly, they are left out of the scope of this study. Moreover, even though al-wakalah (agency or procuration) has a great extent or range of integral relationship with the law of contractual obligations, nevertheless, it needs a separate study because of its wide and independent subject matter and because of the fact that it is open to full research independently, there- fore, it is not included in this study. The study of al-riba (usury) is also not included, except that it is mentioned in various topics which are related to it. It is considered to be unnecessary to work it out in detail in the present study, since the subject of al-riba has been extensively covered by many researchers in the East and the West in recent years. The subjects of al-ghasb (usurpation), ihya' al-mawat (cultivation of a wasteland in order to acquire its ownership), al-iqta' (grant of benefice or a piece of land), al- 'itq (manumission), al-luqatah (found property), and al-sadaqah (charitable gift) have not been studied in the present work either, because they are not pertinent to the law of contractual obligations or sales and contracts in general.
The categories of bay' (sale) have been thoroughly studied and care- fully developed by al-fuqaha' (the jurists). However, this thesis is confined to the investigation of the development of business transactions in the introductory stage of Islamic law. Therefore, the chronological phases of its growth during the Prophetic period and subsequently in the early periods of Islam, i.e. the periods of the Companions of the Prophet (al-sahabah), their Successors (al-tabi'un) are examined and, in addition, some legal opinions of the earlier jurists are also inquired into.
This thesis will closely examine the literature of the Qur'an and its exegeses, al-siran (the biography of the Prophet), his traditions, the early historical accounts of the pre-Islamic Arabs, the first and the second generations of Muslims, including their military expeditions, biographies and annals, apart from the early and late legal treatises and manuals. By doing this, one may gain the idea of commerce and trade of intense activity springing out of Makkah, Madinah and the surrounding Arabian market-places during the lifetime of the Prophet, the Companions and the Successors. It is intended that such investigation may reflect not only the commercial lives of the people in the region in pre-Islamic times of Arabia but also may project the commercial activities in the succeeding generations of the Muslim ummah (community). The inception of such Islamic commercial milieu arose from the life of the Prophet himself who retained the impress of his Quraysh education and training. After his prophethood, this fundamentally mercantile character is displayed at every turn. He expanded it in accordance with Islamic precepts and tenets, which were revealed to him.
Transliteration Table
Chapter I
The Arabian commercial background in pre-Islamic times
Chapter II
The Qur'an and the commercial life of Muslims
Chapter III
Good manners, decency and ethics in trade
Chapter IV
Management of the market
Chapter V
Voidable contracts
Chapter VI
Risk in sales and permissible sales
Chapter VII
Restriction on sales
Chapter VIII
Partnerships in business transactions and al-shuf ah (pre-emption)
Chapter IX
Loans, deposit and al-fjajr (interdiction)
Chapter X
Al-kafalah (suretyship) and al-rahn (pledge or security)
Chapter XI
Al-Ijarah (the contract of hiring) and al-ju'alah (pay in return for work)
Chapter XII
Juridical settlement of disputes, al-sulh (amicable settlement) and extinction of an obligation
Chapter XIII
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Michael Stockinger Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Tel.Nr.: +43 1 58801-360 | Pubs | Diss | ||
Worked for the IµE from 31-01-1997 to 30-01-2000. | ||||
Biography (as of 30-01-2000): Michael Stockinger was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1970. He studied communications engineering at the Technische Universität Wien, where he received the degree of Diplomingenieur in 1996. After his studies he worked on an ASIC-design project at the Institut für Allgemeine Elektrotechnik und Elektronik for six months. In February 1997 he joined the Institute for Microelectronics. In summer 1998 he was with the Advanced Products Research and Development Laboratory at Motorola, Austin, USA. His scientific interests include device and circuit simulation and design, solid state device technology, and low-power technology. |

subset: commoncrawl


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Ceramano Limone
Ceramano Fat Lava Plate from the 1960's - 1970's
Superb high quality as excpected from Ceramano. This form is extremely tactile and collectable and rarely seen in the superb yellow 'Limone' colourway.
Marked with the form number 274
Perfect Condition
Please note all 'fat lava' genre pieces do have some natural irregularities to the finish
Height= 15 cm
Width = 18 cm (handle to handle)
Weight = 0.5 kg


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Keyword Exclusive – Sunroom Energy Additions
Supplement to Cut Your Utility Bills "Sunroom energy additions"
If you're building a sunroom, here are a couple tips to keep in mind for the greatest energy efficiency:
• Make the sunroom large enough so you can have a small container garden in one corner for fresh green salads and herbs year-round. This also produces some moisture for the air, which improves your family's comfort during winter and allows you to set the heating thermostat lower.
• In warm climates, you should have a solid roof on the sunroom or it will likely overheat during summer. In average and cold climates, a clear roof captures more heat and you can control overheating with movable shades. Installing roof vents or a venting skylight also helps. Designs with slanted (lean-to) glass capture the most heat, but often have overheating problems. In warm climates, always install vertical glass.
For the best comfort and efficiency, add thermal mass to the sunroom. Thermal mass reduces overheating and helps it hold heat when the sun goes down. A brick paver floor and a concrete block knee wall are effective mass. Use large planters with heavy clay pots.
Return to the main August 2007 CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS column that goes along with this supplement.


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Lance Sandage
Lance D. Sandage has more than 22 years of criminal defense experience. Lance enjoys working with clients to solve their complex legal matters. Lance has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Top Attorney since 2008, been honored by the Kansas City Business Journal's Best of the Bar six times, and has been named as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers.
Sarah Hess
Sarah G. Hess has represented criminal defendants in federal and state courts in Missouri and Kansas since graduating from law school in 2013. She has experience handling matters from the investigation stage and through trial, appeal, and post-conviction. Sarah attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, where she was a program editor for the Urban Lawyer and a member of the UMKC Law Review.


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The titles in this booklist are just a selection of the titles available for loan from the RNIB National Library Service.
This is the story of a voyage to another planet - the hero is not the usual scientist, but an ill-informed and terrified victim who left the earth much against his will. Why they took him, what he found and how the expedition got back is the matter of this book.
of the Romulan Empire. Federation leaders suspect defection, so send Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the "Enterprise" on a dangerous, secret mission to Romulus, the home world of the Romulans, to find Spock and discover his intentions.
When penniless businessman Mr Bedford retreats to the Kent coast to write a play, he meets by chance the brilliant Dr Cavor, an absent-minded scientist on the brink of developing a material that blocks gravity. Cavor soon succeeds in his experiments, only to tell a stunned Bedford the invention makes possible one of the oldest dreams of humanity: a journey to the moon. With Bedford motivated by money, and Cavor by the desire for knowledge, the two embark on the expedition. But neither are prepared for what they find a world of freezing nights, boiling days and sinister alien life, on which they may be trapped forever.
Compiled January 2009


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The National MAC Group just moved the national fire Preparedness Level up to 4, "due to increased significant wildland fire activity from central TX to WA state, the commitment of IMTs, and the potential for new wildland fires across multiple GACCs". The highest level is 5.
NIFC has more information about Preparedness Levels, but here is the criteria for PL 5:
National mobilization is heavily committed and measures need to be taken to support [Geographic Areas]. Active GA's must take emergency measures to sustain incident operations.
– Full commitment of national resources is ongoing.
– Resource orders filled at NICC by specifically coordinating requests with GACCs as resources become available.
– Potential for emerging significant wildland fires is high and expected to remain high in multiple geographic areas.
Please take our poll. Answers must be clicked by the end of the day on Monday, July 23, 2018.
When this year will the national preparedness level be moved to PL 5? The week of...
- August 5 (35%, 123 Votes)
- August 12 (27%, 94 Votes)
- July 29 (17%, 60 Votes)
- August 19 (9%, 32 Votes)
- It won't move to PL 5 (7%, 24 Votes)
- July 22 (2%, 8 Votes)
- September 2 or after (2%, 7 Votes)
- August 26 (1%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 352
Sometimes when we're in PL 4 or 5 the honchos in Washington will distribute a "Moses Letter", telling regional and local units to Let My People Go so they can go fight fire and save lives.
Exodus 8:1
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, "Let my people go, that they may serve me."
Of course they don't actually CALL IT a "Moses Letter" and probably won't quote the Bible if they do send one, but we are in a new norm now, for many reasons.
For bonus points, let us know in the comments if you think the folks in the head shed will send a Moses Letter this year.


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Adult Learning Lewisham requires a highly experienced part time pottery tutor to join the Art, Pottery and Performing Arts team. Our classes are for adults with some family learning opportunities. We are looking to expand our provision by introducing new, exciting pottery classes to our programme. Additionally starting in September 2019 there will be the opportunity to teach a Monday evening pottery class which runs over 3 terms from September to July.
Applicants must have relevant training/qualifications and professional industry experience in their area of expertise. You will have experience of delivering pottery classes in a variety of settings. For example in schools, adult education or private classes. The ability to teach a range of subjects would be an advantage.
Our current course listings can be viewed at:
Salary details
£28.31 - £29.67 Per hour
Further information
Lewisham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Further information about Adult Learning Lewisham can be found in our online course listing www.lewisham.gov.uk/adultlearning
Please read Job Description and Person Specification before completing your application form If you have any questions relating to this post please contact Sofie Kilburn Curriculum Leader for this area firstname.lastname@example.com
02 June 2019 @ 23.30


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In the third grade, students built conceptual understandings of community, culture, and government. They learned basic geographic terms and geographic features necessary for human settlement and success. They applied their understanding of culture and community as they learned more about indigenous cultures in the Americas. They began to explore the rights and responsibilities central to representative government.
In the fourth grade, students will build on these foundational concepts as they learn about the present state of Utah. Students will study history, government, economics, culture, and geography to build their understanding of Utah's past and present, as well as make inferences about Utah's future. Inquiry into current events will help students make connections between the past and the present. Students will enlarge their world connections as they trace the global travels of people from many diverse cultures who now call Utah home.
In the fifth grade, students will enlarge the study of history, government, economics, and geography as they study the United States. There is neither an intention nor a possibility of successful "coverage" of all of United States history and geography or all of the social, economic, and political movements that have helped create the story of America. Rather, students should "discover" and "uncover" this story, with attention to the overarching concepts of global interconnectedness, the processes of continuity and change over time, the rights and responsibilities we all share, and the systems of power, authority, and governance we create. Primary source documents and literature that recounts the stories of exemplary character and life skills will help students understand their own place in the continuing saga of America.
The fifth grade core is presented in a chronological framework, separated into eras similar to the organizing framework of the National Standards for History. Under the rubric of these interconnected eras, students will be able to explore each era's essential ideas and events. The eras are: Exploration and Colonization, Beginnings of Self-Government, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the Expansive 19th Century, and The United States on the World Stage. By framing the history of the United States within comprehensible sections, students will be supported in their own cognitive development.
The eras selected underscore that while there is much more content in studying the United States than can be covered in a year, there are essential aspects students should learn. As students develop a basic understanding of key events and the basic chronology of United States history, the nation's geography, and its economic history, they will be building a foundation that will serve them well in the years to come.
The most important goal: a well-lived life
Excitement, wonder, inquiry, delight, and puzzlement are central to meaningful learning in social studies. Social studies should be fun and intriguing for all students, and provide opportunities to make important life-long connections between the past, present, and future. Students who appreciate the sacrifices that have been made in the past and understand the challenges that lie ahead can make better decisions in the present.
The Online Standards Resource pages are a collaborative project between the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah Education Network. If you would like to recommend a high quality resource, contact Robert Austin.


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Actor John Wayne made one of his last movies in Cahill U.S. Marshal. However, it was far from being one of his favorite Western motion pictures he starred in. Wayne once explained why he considered Cahill U.S. Marshal to be his worst Western. Critics and his fans wouldn't necessarily agree, but the Duke certainly had his reasons for turning his back on this one.
Cahill U.S. Marshal follows a marshal named J.D. Cahill (Wayne), who neglects his two sons. However, his whole world turns upside down when he finds his kids mixed up with an outlaw named Fraser (George Kennedy) in a bank robbery.
The film largely deals with the robbery, but the movie extends beyond that. It's actually more focused on the relationship between a father and his sons. Cahill's abilities as a parent are constantly called into question, but he must push forward. He can sense his children are in trouble as his sons try to navigate their troubles between their father and a robber.
Wayne died on June 11, 1979, making the 1973 Western Cahill U.S. Marshal one of his final motion pictures. He would later star in McQ, Brannigan, Rooster Cogburn, and The Shootist as his final feature films. However, Wayne would find himself much more proud of the final product seen in The Shootist.
In an interview with The Film Heritage, Wayne talked about his feelings regarding Cahill U.S. Marshal. He noted that he liked the core theme of the screenplay but thought that it needed a lot of improvements when it came to execution. Wayne referred to Cahill U.S. Marshal as needing "better care" at multiple stages of production.
"It just wasn't a well-done picture," Wayne said. "It needed better writing, it needed a little better care in making."
Wayne starred in 179 movies and television shows, but he picked Cahill U.S. Marshal as his least favorite of the Western flicks he made.
Cahill U.S. Marshal was made with younger audiences in mind. As a result, it landed better with audiences than it did with critics. The Rotten Tomatoes viewer score currently sits at 65%. Meanwhile, all of the available reviews from critics are negative, although there aren't enough individual reviews to compose a consensus.
The reviews call Cahill U.S. Marshal "one of his worst" and a "bore" with a "preachy message" that doesn't stick its landing. However, Wayne would ultimately impress many audiences around the world with his performance in The Shootist. He didn't earn an Oscar nomination, but many of his fans believe that the voting body snubbed the iconic actor.


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Sequence Conservation Score Calculation and Mapping
The TRAPP webserver offers the possibility to analyze the sequence conservation per residue together with the TRAPP pocket results. The user can choose
between an average conservation score or the difference in the conservation score with and without an off-target sequence. The user has to upload
a multiple sequence alignment (MSA) in FASTA format.
For calculating the conservation score for the MSA, the 'Protein Residue Conservation Prediction' tool by Capra et al.
(Link to tool, Capra JA and Singh M. Predicting functionally important residues from
sequence conservation. Bioinformatics. 23(15):1875-82, 2007) using the Jensen-Shannon divergence is applied with default parameters except
the following ones:
- -g 0.99 (gap cutoff. Do not score columns that contain more than gap cutoff fraction gaps)
- -m "/matrix/blosum62.bla" (similarity matrix file)
- -s js_divergence (conservation estimation method)
- -w 0 window size. Number of residues on either side included in the window. Default=3
f(x) = (((70-30)(x - min))/(max - min)) + 30
To visualize the conservation scores, the scores are placed at the B-factor position in the reference structure, which allows an easy way to show the level of conservation by color scheme. The applied color scheme can be seen here.
Average Conservation
For running the average conservation analysis in TRAPP, the uploaded MSA in FASTA format is used to run the above mentioned conservation calculation tool that results in a conservation score (between 0-1) for each aligned position in the MSA.To map the conservation score on the 3D reference structure, the sequence from the reference PDB file is extracted and aligned to the MSA with the MUSCLE tool. This new MSA is used to map the conservation scores to the correct residue in the reference structure.
On/Off Target
This option allows the comparison of one protein sequence class with another single sequence regarding the conservation score. This is often useful when comparing On and Off target proteins.In this case the user can upload a MSA in FASTA format including several On target sequences and on Off target sequence. The user needs to define the Off target sequence by entering the FASTA Header name. The conservation tool is applied two times: once with all sequences (On and Off target sequences) and once without the Off target sequence. Afterwards the absolute difference of the conservations core per position is calculated and re-scaled again between 30-70 as explained before.
The results of the conservation calculations are displayed on the reference structure together with the TRAPP pocket results in JSMol. For this purpose, the scores are added to the PDB file at the B-factor position and visualized via the temperature colouring option in the JSMol application. For the average conservation, the colour gradient starts at blue (low conservation) and goes via white to red (high conservation). For the On/Off target option blue means no difference between the conservation scores with/without the Off target sequence. Red highlights residues with a high difference, meaning these residues are not conserved between the On and Off target sequences.As the scores are re-scaled, the gradient starts with ice-blue and only goes up to pink. This is necessary for a better contrast between the grid visualization of opening and closing pockets and the conservation colouring. The conservation scores (or the difference scores) can be switched on by clicking the checkbox in the Transient Pocket Analysis result page in the 'Change JSmol View' tab.
Additionally, the MSA is visualized in the 'Show MSA' tab on the result page. For this purpose, the MSAViewer is used. Two additional lines are added to the MSA: the corresponding amino acid sequence in the uploaded reference PDB file and the residue numbers extracted from the reference PDB File. The user can double-click on the residue numbers to highlight them in the JSMol viewer (yellow halos).


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People living in desert areas may be forgiven if they thought they could not enjoy the thrill and fulfillment of gardening just because their land is dry. In this article we ll get to know Different Types of Desert Plants that you can use to beautify your garden space.
With millions of plant species, there are plants for every region in the world. Most homeowners with desert lands leave their desert landscape bare without any additions because growing tropical plants will cost them a lot in maintenance and water cost.
Why grow strange plants when there are adept plants that'll grow superbly in your climate? That is all about this article. Helping you change your bare land and or those plants that are costing you too much on water. We know how expensive water bills can be in desert areas.
Characteristics of Desert Plants
What makes desert plants unique? Why are they classified as 'desert plants'? How are they able to thrive in the desert ground? These are some of the questions that'll be answered here.
- They usually have smaller leaves and stems: One-way desert plants have adapted to survive in the desert with little water. They have small leaves and branches and are typically short; this is to concentrate the water in a smaller region instead of spreading it across a wider surface.
- Water storing plants: Some other plants adapted to storing water when it is plentiful for use during short periods. They keep them in their thick leaves or stems. This allows them to continue growing even when there is no rainfall.
- Dormancy: Some plant species learned how to go dormant during harsh weather with no rainfall and resume growing when rains. The weather becomes more conducive.
- Nocturnal plants: These plants adapted to the desert conditions by opening up only at night when the weather is more relaxed, and the sun has set. This way, they lose very little water.
22 Types of Desert Plants
The desert is characterized by dryness, long and too sunny days, and a rocky landscape. What kind of plants can grow in this rocky environment? Let's take a look at 22 desert plants to add in your desert landscape or garden.
1. Mojave Aster
I decided to start with this brightly colored flower to show you your desert plant doesn't have to be boring. The Mojave aster is a member of the sunflower family and is a great plant to grow if you want to attract some butterflies to your garden. It grows on rocky elevations between 2,000 and 5,500 feet.
2. Sand Verbena
As the name implies, this desert plant loves to grow in sandy areas with elevations lower than 1500 feet. If your land is sandy with a lot of dunes, then this plant will fit nicely. It has creeping vines with bright purple flowers shaped like a trumpet.
3. Arizona Poppy Desert Plant
This bright yellow wildflower is sometimes called the summer poppy. This seemingly tender plant can withstand the harsh desert condition because of its extensive root system. Its taproot can grow as long as 9 inches while its lateral roots as long as 8 inches. It blooms between July and October. So, if you're looking for a bright look in your desert landscape, then you should consider this.
4. Domestic Agave
While many people are familiar with the blue agave because of its use in making tequila, not many people know there are dozens of other agave species found in the US. Its slender leaves with pointy edges characterize this plant.
5. Barrel Cactus
Cactus is the most popular desert plant with several species for you to pick. The barrel cactus species is one out of several cactus species that can grace your desert land. It is a low desert plant that can make the right-center of attraction in your garden.
6. Saguaro Cactus
If you want to go out of the norm and grow a taller desert plant, then the saguaro cactus is the perfect plant for you. It can grow up to 40 feet tall and can raise the landscape of your garden. It survives the harsh desert conditions by storing water in its stems.
7. Hedgehog Cactus
This is another low desert plant with prickly stems. These plants are brown and match seamlessly into your desert landscape because of its color. They also produce beautiful purple flowers when they bloom.
8. Desert Willow
This is a highly tolerant wildflower that is comfortable in low desert areas. They blossom into bright flowers with red and white patches. Its shrubs are rapidly growing and can grow as long as 30 feet.
9. Hibiscus
The hibiscus flower loves to grow in warm weather under a lot of sunlight and would thrive in desert landscapes. This is an ornamental plant that'll raise the aesthetics of your home and surrounding. Its reddish flowers are even used to make tea in some climes. This tea is rich in vitamin C.
10. Bismarck Palmetto
These are substantial desert trees native to Madagascar. Your desert addition doesn't always have to be shrubs and flowers. Trees look awesome too in a typically tropical landscape, and the Bismarck palmetto is no different. Its silvery-blue leaves and the mahogany-colored trunk will surely draw a lot of attention.
11. Ficus Desert Plant
Ficus, also known as fig trees, are popular desert plants because of their dense green leaves and ability to provide shade, a scarce commodity in the desert. There are over 900 ficus species to choose from, so you're almost sure to find one that suits your needs.
12. Queen Palm
The queen palm loves to grow in warm climates and will do well in desert areas. They grow as tall as 50 feet and spread their branches as wide as 25 feet. They have a high tolerance for harsh weather conditions.
13. Date Palm
Known for its sweet fruits, the date palm is a unique Type of Desert Plant that originated from Iraq and has been commonly grown in North Africa. If you live in a desert area and would love to plant a tree your kids would love, you can't do wrong with date palm.
14. Salvia
Also known as sage, the salvia plant is an aromatic plant that is resistant to drought. It would grow comfortably in your desert landscape with little or no maintenance. This shrub produces blue flowers and can create a nice contrast in your garden.
15. Ocotillo
Ocotillo is known as candlewood or desert coral in some climes. It is unique among the types of Desert Plants with slender stems. The ocotillo plant goes into mild dormancy when there is no rain, with its branches looking like a dead stick. However, it springs to life immediately when there is rainfall, producing its brightly colored orange flowers.
16. Emu Bush
This desert shrub produces several flower colors when it blooms, from pink to orange and yellow. Grape like berries then follows after the flowering stage.
17. Brittlebush
The brittlebush is a shrub that produces brittle stems that can easily break under tension. One of the major attractions of this flower is the colorful flowers it has. The brittlebush can brighten your landscape. It goes into dormancy during dry weather by losing its leaves and using the water stored in its stem. Talking about Types of Desert Plants, this one is sure to have on the list.
18. Creosote Bush
Also known as greasewood and is native to arid deserts. The evergreen plant produces yellow flowers with its extensive root system going deep into the desert soil, searching for water. It can survive extreme drought and heat.
19. Ghost Plant
This is one of the many succulent species that survive in diverse weather conditions, including the hot desert. This succulent grows in a rosette form and covers the ground nicely. It can also be grown indoors and in open terrarium glasses.
20. Red Pancake
Some of its common names are flapjacks, paddle plants, and desert cabbage, and they are all describing the leaves of this plant. It has round fleshy leaves with patches of blue, green, and red. They produce waxy yellow flowers. Their fleshy leaves help them store water for use during dry periods.
21. Pinyon Pine
This is a desert tree that grows up to 30 feet and produces pine nuts, an essential ingredient for pesto, a famous pasta sauce. The tree can withstand extreme drought.
22. Cliffrose
Cliffrose is a member of the rose family and grows comfortably in desert areas. You can grow this species from its cuttings to get the same plant. It grows in high elevations between 3,500 and 8,000 feet, and its flowers make excellent nectar for bees and butterflies.
Dry, monotonous desert landscapes are a thing of the past; these Types of Desert Plants will take your gardens to a whole new height. From trees to shrubs and flowers, the list is almost limitless.
You can now grow the garden of your dreams even if you live in areas with minimal rainfall. I'm curious to know what other plants you have succeeded in your desert garden. Tell me in the comment box.


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Food businesses must only sell food that is safe and correctly labelled. The Australian and New Zealand joint food regulation system requires food businesses to label and advertise foods according to mandatory requirements that may differ from the EU and US systems. Foods imported to Australia are overrepresented in the food recall statistics. Of the 663 food recalls co-ordinated by the national regulator, FSANZ between 2002 and 2011, over a third were due to labelling non-compliances, including undeclared allergens. The damage to a brand and the time expended to recall all non-compliant foods from distribution due to a label omission or inaccuracy, or worse, can be significant.
The cost of non-compliance with labelling requirements therefore is more than that of compliance. If you are looking for answer of these questions, you would certainly benefit by attending this workshop:
- Are your foods in compliance with the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Code mandatory labelling requirements?
- Are your voluntary claims permitted and not misleading or deceptive, or likely to mislead or deceive? Are your foods falsely described and potentially at risk of government intervention?
Learning Objectives:
Upon completing this course participants should:
- Understand the mandatory Australian and New Zealand food labelling requirements and where to locate this information for application to your foods
- Understand different categories of food have additional requirements providing marketing opportunities for some foods
- Identify and utilize government developed guidance materials to help navigate the new system for making nutrition and health claims on food (All food labels must be compliant with new Standard 1.2.7 nutrition and health claims, from 18 January 2016)
Who Will Benefit:
This course is designed for people exporting foods to Australia and/or New Zealand for sale. This includes individuals that have Quality Management Systems responsibilities for making general improvements in their organization's performance specifically related to identification, traceability and other labelling and marketing controls in food production. Following personnel will benefit from the course:
- Senior quality managers
- Quality professionals
- Regulatory professionals
- Compliance professionals
- Production supervisors
Use coupon code NB5SQH8N and get 10% off on registration.
For Registration:


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Welcome to Milliken Mills
Milliken or Milliken Mills is a neighbourhood in the city of Toronto and Markham, Ontario. It is located in the North East section of Scarborough and South East section of Markham. The neighbourhood is centered around Old Kennedy Road (see also Kennedy Road in York Region) and Steeles Avenue, bounded by 14th Ave E to the North, Markham Road to the East, Finch Avenue East to the South and Warden Avenue to the West.
The area is heavily residential. Many of the homes were built in the 1980's and are two story, detached. One of the most popular community events is the Milliken Children's Festival (MCF). It is York Region's largest children's festival and attracts an estimated 20,000 visitors annually. It is usually held at the Milliken Mills Community Centre located at 7600 Kennedy Road, however due to construction was temporarily relocated to the Markham Civic Centre from 2009 - 2011.
If you'd like to see our Milliken Mills Real Estate Listings or learn more about this area, we'd be happy to show you around. Send us an email or call our direct line at (905) 472-7155 and we'll be in touch quickly! (We know of a great cafe in the area and the coffee is on us!)
Schools in Milliken Mills | South Markham
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Elementary School
St. Benedict Catholic Elementary School
Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy
Milliken Mills is one of Markham's oldest neighbourhoods. There's so much to see and do including Milliken's very popular Children's Festival held each year in early September.


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The Big Bang Ballers, Johannessen Legal and the National Convention Centre Canberra invite you to a presentation of the outstanding "1.4 Billion Reasons."
1.4 Billion Reasons is an engaging, thought-provoking multimedia presentation designed to educate audiences about the challenges of extreme poverty.
Endorsed by development and economics experts, and based on leading research, it articulates the facts of extreme poverty and demonstrates how everyone can be part of the movement to end extreme poverty.
1.4 Billion Reasons explains what it means to live in extreme poverty, and why extreme poverty can be ended within a generation. It outlines success stories, and addresses how barriers to development can be overcome. Specially trained presenters equip audiences with the tools they need to join the movement to end extreme poverty, and provide easy everyday actions that allow everyone to make a difference.
- DATE: Thursday 26th August
TIME: 4pm
VENUE: National Convention Centre
DURATION: 1 hour
RSVPs: please register at http://www.globalpovertyproject.com/events/
Numbers are limited to 70.
Tea & Coffee will be served.
www.bigbangballers.org www.johannessenlegal.com www.globalpovertyproject.com


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City Barbeque West Chester is hosting a donation event to support Middletown Musical Arts Club! 20% of proceeds will go directly to Middletown Musical Arts Club to benefit Middletown High School music programs. There are three ways to support:
- Ordering in person? Show the attached flyer.
- Ordering in the City BBQ app? Use the coupon code FundA at checkout.
- Ordering online at citybbq.com? Use the coupon code FundA at checkout.
- Ordering over the phone? Mention "coupon code FundA at checkout.
WHAT: Dine to Donate fundraising event for the Middletown Musical Arts Club — offer applies to dine in, in app, online, and phone orders
WHEN: Thursday, 02/24/2022
WHERE: City Barbeque, 7706 Voice of America Drive, West Chester, OH


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Vision, Mission, and Goals
The Dean of Students Office will be nationally recognized for standards of excellence in the delivery of student services and to foster a welcoming environment that is inclusive, safe, and conducive to learning.
The Dean of Students Office provides exemplary student services and opportunities grounded in ethical and moral principles. As a component of Student Success, the Dean of Students Office collaborates and shares responsibilities with other members of the university community to enhance student learning and support student success. The department assists, develops, and educates students through organizational advising; leadership programs; emergency services; legal services; alcohol and drug intervention efforts; and by responding to student complaints and allegations of student conduct violations.
Department Goals
- Deliver co-curricular programming through leadership development, support services and experiential learning activities to facilitate student success.
- Provide educational services that develop resiliency of students experiencing academic or university-related difficulties within a Culture of Care.
- Facilitate professional growth and community development for Dean of Students staff members through an environment that retains high quality employees.
- Manage resources effectively and efficiently to meet growing demands.


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Research output per year
Research output per year
Dr, BSc, MPhil, PhD
Williamson Building, 7 Floor, suite 10, Oxford Road
M13 9PL Manchester
Laura joined the University of Manchester in January 2015. Laura has an interest in health care organization and financing, particularly on how institutional arrangements affect health and health care outcomes across different systems. She enjoys applied analysis using administrative and survey data.
Laura currently holds a Skills Development Fellowship from the UKRI Medical Research Council (MRC) with a focus on the role of resource allocation formulae and local health authorities and providers in achieving equity in service delivery. She is also currently working on health system mechanisms and effects of Performance Based Financing in Zimbabwe and Mozambique and on waiting times and health care outcomes in Emergency Departments in England.
Laura worked on the refreshment of the resource allocation formula for mental health with NHS England Insights for Finance and on variations in mortality across the week following emergency admission to hospital in England. She also worked on a few CLAHRC GM (Greater Manchester Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care) projects, including the evaluation of extended access o primary care in Greater Manchester and on the effects of training on Acute Kidney Injury management in primary care.
Prior to joining the University of Manchester, Laura was based at the Global Health and Development Department at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where she completed her PhD research on equity and efficiency in the allocation of financial resources across geographic areas in Mozambique. She also contributed to teaching and she worked on a pay-for-performance scheme in Tanzania.
Laura has a background in Economics with a focus on development economics. Her interest in public health care systems grew while working as an economist in the Directorate of Planning and International Cooperation of the Ministry of Health of Mozambique for over five years, as an Overseas Development Institute Fellow and then funded by the World Health Organization and the UK Department for International Development.
International Health Economics Association - Member
UK Health Economists' Study Group - Member
European Health Economics Association - Member
Ph.D. Health Economics (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK)
M.Phil. Economics (University of Oxford, UK)
B.Sc. Economic and Social Disciplines (Universita' L. Bocconi, Italy)
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person's work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Visiting Research Fellow, Department of Economics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
1 Oct 2019 → 31 Dec 2019
Honorary Research Fellow, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
1 Apr 2019 → 31 Mar 2022
Honorary Senior Analytical Manager, Analysis and Insight for Finance - Allocations, NHS England
1 Jan 2019 → 31 Mar 2022
Senior Analytical Manager, Analysis and Insights for Finance, NHS England
4 Sept 2017 → 31 Dec 2018
Visiting Research Fellow, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
1 Feb 2015 → 31 Mar 2019
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Bee, P., Anselmi, L., Bower, P., Brooks, H., Lovell, K., Maharani, A., Renwick, L., Stokes, J., Sutton, M., Wilkinson, J. & Wilson, P.
1/08/22 → 31/07/26
Project: Research
Matthew Sutton & Laura Anselmi
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research


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This #StudentStory features Katherine Ibsen, a current UC Berkeley undergraduate student and alumna of Sacramento City College. A NISTS 2022 Transfer Student Ambassador, Katie sits down with Dr. Heather Adams to share the motivations behind her love of anthropology and fashion, touch upon her experience with impactful mentorship and and advising as a CC student, and to make the case for implementing better support systems for transfer students at pivotal moments of their educational journey.
About Our Guest
Katie Ibsen is an undergraduate transfer student currently studying Anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley. While in high school, Katie suffered from undiagnosed ADHD and struggled academically in her courses. During her senior year, she was overwhelmed with school and did not submit any college applications. At the time, she did not realize that she had alternative options to a four-year degree, and so she ultimately took a gap year to work and consider her own goals. This is when Katie learned about the benefits of pursuing a community college education.
During her time at community college, Katie found a community of "vloggers" on YouTube whose main content centered on community college. She began to watch videos focused on study skills and tips for submitting applications. Through these videos, Katie was able to regain stability and motivation. She enrolled at the community college full-time and decided that it was her turn to promote the community college pathway by developing her own vlogs about her educational journey.
Today, Katie actively works to spread the word to others about the benefits of a community college education. Using her YouTube channel, the Vintage Academic, as a platform, Katie connects with hundreds of students to provide them with valuable information and vlogs that detail her transfer pathway.
Learn more about Katie's story HERE!
Follow Katie's journey online!
The Vintage Academic: YouTube & Instagram
Accepted Consulting: Website & Instagram
Find the 2022 Transfer Ambassador winners announcement HERE!
#TransferLeadership #TransferStudents #NISTS #TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TransferAdvocacy #TransferVoiceAtTheTable #UCBerkeley #TNTalks #TransferNation
Keep talking with Transfer Nation
TikTok: @TransferNation
Twitter: @TransferPride
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Talk soon!
Show Credits
Keep talking with Transfer Nation
TikTok: @TransferNation
Twitter: @TransferPride
FB Group: Transfer Nation
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Talk soon!
#TransferPride #TransferSuccess #TransferChampion #TNTalks #TransferNation


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Understanding the Data Tree, Data Mapping, and Data Types
In this video, we will look at how to access your application data with the data tree, how to understand data types, and how to move data across applications with data mapping.
The Data Tree
In the data tree, every step — both triggers and actions — brings data into the recipe, and each piece of data is represented as a pill. It is called a data tree as data is presented in a hierarchical format with some data being nested under others, just like how there are smaller branches branching out from the main branch in a tree.
The data tree houses different types of data that can be mapped across different business application, depending on your business needs.
Data Types
As mentioned above, the data tree houses many different data types. Each data type is differentiated by its accompanying icon on the left. On the right, it shows a sample of that data and how it would look like.
It is important to note that the sample data is not the actual data that will flow through your business apps.
Common data types
Data Mapping
Data mapping refers to how data moves from one step in a recipe to another step in a recipe. To map data into a data field, from the data tree, click and drag the data pill to the data field on the right.
Map data into fields with the same data type
Although certain data fields may look identical as they have the same name, it is important to map data into a field that accepts the same data type.
For example, the date-time field below will keep the data in the same data-time format, and is able to translate it into information our engineering team can actually use. The string field however will convert the data to text, and can affect how downstream maps and system interpret that information.
This is why it is critical to map data to fields that accept the same data type whenever possible. It reduces the chance of errors, leads to an improved user experience, and leads to consistent data


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Brothers Till We Die aus Madrid werden Anfang Juli ihr neues Album Touch These Wounds / I Came Back From Death über Dead Serious Recordings veröffentlichen. Wir nahmen das bevorstehende Release zum Anlass Frontmann Felipe Alemán seine fünf Lieblingsbands aus seiner Heimat vorstellen zu lassen.
5 Bands aus Spanien, die ihr auschecken solltet
Hey, my name is Felipe, I do vocals on Brothers Till We Die, from MADRID, SPAIN. Even if hardcore and punk has been a thing for many years around here, it is still a small scene that is getting bigger day by day! I hope that you give a listen to the bands I quote here- I assure you won't regret it!
1DESORDEN (Hardcore Punk – Madrid)
Really young band, female fronted, tons of energy. They are bringing back to Madrid the spirit of Hardcore Punk. They are really friend of us and we love them, give them a try! Also, lyrics in Spanish, a good way to learn this beautiful language!
2PROUDZ (Hardcore Punk – Madrid)
A band that is coming back this year after many years in hiatus. They are really hard, also Spanish lyrics. It was a really strong band back in the days, and we are pretty excited about their comeback!
3VERSVS (Hardcore Punk – Madrid)
Versvs, and specially this song, is probably a must if you grow up in this scene. The video was pretty shocking back in the days, with images of the Spanish scene back in those years, the lyrics talk about the music and gigs. It is just history man!
4PROTERVIA (Punk rock – Madrid)
Protervia is already gone, but their music it is still with us. If you attended to their shows, you could see hardcore kids, punk kids, metal kids. Really good vibes and strong energy in the venue!
Already gone by more than 15 years, but really fresh. Tons of rock influences in it, even if the vocals. It is like the good old wine, only gets better with the years! The name is an Spanish expression literally translate to English, that would mean something like to feel really comfortable.


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Integrate Yahoo Stores
If you want to integrate Convert Experiences to the Yahoo Stores (Legacy version) please follow the instructions below.
Step 1 - Store Editor
On you dashboard of Yahoo Store Legacy there is a link to the Store Editor (see image below) click this and you will be going to edit Variables.
Step 2 - Edit Variables
When clicking on Store Editor you will see the template of your store (the design). Scrolling to the bottom will show a menu with one of the buttons "Variables" that's the one you need to click to add the Convert Experiences code (also see image below).
Step 3 – Edit Head-tags
You see a page with many options and scroll down to Page Properties and you will find the option of Head-tags there (see image below). On that location you paste the Convert Experiences code you can find in your Project Settings:
Publish your changes.


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$ 10.00
Beretta 390 Gas Valve Springs
The Beretta 390 series are well designed shotguns which handle nicely and are very reliable with most loads. The gas valve system is designed to allow the shooter to use loads which vary from light to heavy magnum. While this system works very well for the occasional user; the avid hunter or target shooter may want to tailor their shotgun to a specific load or range of loads. The gas valve springs designed by Cole Gunsmithing allow the shooter to utilize the full potential of this design while increasing reliability, reducing felt recoil and premature parts wear.
The concept of calibrating your shotgun gas system is as follows: Each shotgun potentially has different amounts of friction generated by the moving parts in the action when the gun fires. This causes each gun to require a different amount of gas pressure to cycle the action. If the gas valve system does not allow enough gas pressure to flow to the piston the gun will "short cycle" and fail to eject or feed. If the gas valve system allows excessive gas to flow to the piston the gun will cycle too fast causing premature parts wear and breakage.
Therefore, by correctly calibrating the gas system the shooter will experience less felt recoil and prevent premature parts wear and breakage.
With the Cole Gunsmithing springs the shooter can select the correct gas valve spring for a given range of loads in their particular shotgun.
Generally the shooter should use a heavier spring with light loads and a lighter spring with heavier loads. This is because with light loads the object is to reduce the amount of gas which the gas valve allows to escape as exhaust; directing most of the gas to the piston to cycle the action. With a heavy load a lighter spring is used to cause the gas valve to allow the un-needed gas to escape through the gas valve and only direct to the piston the amount of gas necessary to cycle the action.
Selecting the correct spring for your chosen load
The Cole Gunsmithing gas valve springs are now offered in only two springs. Each spring has a different weight value.
The purple spring (.089") has a value of 26 lbs at 25% deflection.
The red spring (.100") has a value of 45 lbs. NOTE: The red spring is heavier than the 41 lb factory spring and should be used only with light loads!
These springs replace part #53 (.098") w/ a value of 41lbs and work with 12ga or 20ga. model AL390 or 3901 Only. Will NOT work for the 391 or the A400
PLEASE NOTE: This used to be Cole's 5-spring set. However, due to the discontinuation of this model we've decided to phase our "Set" out.
Keep in mind that factors such as poor quality shotshell loads, incorrect/inadequate lubrication, a dirty shotgun, or worn or broken parts can affect the performance of your shotgun.
We encourage the shooter to contact Cole Gunsmithing Inc. if they have difficulty with the use of our exhaust valve springs. Our competent staff will be glad to assist you in any way.


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Coordinator of Greek Life and Student Life Project Manager
by John Smith - June 14, 2018
Whether a student hopes to improve upon their career prospects, or seeks to enjoy a greater social experience while at Ferris State University, Ashley Schulte has thrown herself into duty in support of such pursuits as Coordinator of Greek Life and Student Life Project Manager.
Schulte began her first year on the Big Rapids campus, in August, by meeting with a dozen Greek chapters to discuss risk reduction and prevention, so that the groups were familiar with policy and event requirements, whether alcohol was or was not being served at their gatherings.
"I have tried to approach my duties in a progressive and positive light since my first day on campus," Schulte said. "We have focused on managing the demands that these groups are facing, especially considering that each chapter has a new president every year. There are 21 social fraternities and sororities, with their members pursuing associate of applied science degrees, to those seeking a Doctorate or an MBA in Pharmacy. More than half of the 569 students have a 3.0 grade point average or better, and across the board, our goals are to see that they take classes, stay in their programs and succeed in pursuing their degrees."
Schulte had roles in Housing and Residence Life at Grand Valley State University, then served as a Victim Advocate in its Center for Women and Gender Equity before coming to Ferris. She was an involved member of the Xi Psi chapter of Delta Zeta, as a GVSU student, and saw the growth of fraternal organizations move from 500 to 600 participants in her college days to near 2,000 students when she moved on to her duties at Ferris. While Greek Life may not realize that kind of exponential increase in Big Rapids, Schulte said her goals are clear and believes they are achievable.
"We hope that our member organizations make retention a priority, while they pursue their academic careers and foster an environment of connectedness, for each participant," Schulte said. "They represent a wide variety of interests, and range from one to 58 members. A sense of belonging is an important indicator of student success, so we believe the experiences they will find by participating in fraternity or sorority life will be among the best indicators of quality in their collegiate experience."
Schulte is proud to have supported the chartering of the Ferris State Colony of the Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity, a national organization with a Latin@ base.
"Beyond meeting the colonization and founding requirements of their national organization, this group has chosen to emphasize sexual assault awareness as their cause of concern," Schulte said. "It is great that these students are interested in hosting programs, that they are taking a stand, by getting others involved in their actions and advocacy efforts. Those students who are part of the university community, but are not involved in a Greek organization probably are not aware of all that chartering a sorority or fraternity might require from these chapters and colonies. There is much that goes on behind the scenes to establish a new fraternity or sorority."
Whether the organization is newly-chartered or well-established in the Black Greek, Panhellenic or Interfraternity councils, Schulte said those groups can expect her enthusiastic response and support.
"I am very willing to work hard with these students, including a group that is taking the necessary strides for their organization to be clear of probationary status," Schulte said. "Chapter presidents need to be aware of many responsibilities, and delegate as necessary to other members, so they can promote group successes to our faculty and administrators, while being accountable for their choices. No one wants to be singled out by a campus newspaper, or a national news outlet, when a choice is made that the organization didn't consider carefully."
Schulte characterized her early interactions with Ferris' Greek Life and Student Life contacts as opportunities to offer support and suggestion, with many organizational success stories.
"For an example, our organizations totaled 87 event registrations for the month of February, which doesn't even include some internal events, like going bowling, holding a chapter meeting or providing an educational module," Schulte said. "This indicates that both social and impactful activities were being made available almost every day, even in that short month. I am glad to be supportive and make my connections with these groups a helpful and pleasant experience with no need to scold or criticize their efforts."
In her own experience as a member of Delta Zeta at Grand Valley, Schulte was an alumnae financial director and an on-campus advisor. While that kind of involvement may not be the desire of every fraternity or sorority member, she added that those opportunities can prove important as members prepare for life after college.
"Fraternity and sorority life did so much for me personally and many others I know,"
Schulte said. "I want there to be positive and enriching experiences for everyone
who is involved with one or more of our organizations at Ferris."
PHOTO: Ashley Schulte is the coordinator of Greek Life and Student Life project manager
for Ferris State University. She joined the staff of the Office of Student Life in
September of 2017.
John Smith is the communications specialist in the News Services and Social Media
department of University Advancement and Marketing.
For others featured in the Faces of Ferris series, visit:


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Terra Lana Products Installed: Wall, Ceiling and Acoustic Insulation
Builder: Premium Homes
Awards: Registered Master Builders Association, Gold Award for Canterbury 2019 Regional Sustainable Award
Build Location: Wairarapa Terrace, Merivale Christchurch
Builder's comments:
Andrew Breward of Premium Homes said Terra Lana insulation was a very important material component in the Foreverbreathe Wall System installed in this home. The system is designed to reduce humidity levels within the home and reduce dependency on mechanical ventilation systems. The system's incredible airtightness establishes energy efficiencies within heating and cooling systems and creates a more comfortable living environment. Premium Homes consider sustainable development a must-have in all built environments. Wairarapa Terrace inclusive of Terra Lana insulation is one that ticks all the boxes.


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I found out I was pregnant in the bathroom stall of a small theater while fulfilling my court mandated community service obligation. I was terrified.
My boyfriend and I were unstable, at best. My job afforded me just enough to get by, shift to shift. I knew there was no way I could have a baby. Not just keep one, but go through a pregnancy. How can you continue to live shift to shift bartending if you eventually will have to take some shifts off to give birth and recover? You can't.
My boyfriend supported whatever decision I made. He helped me through it. Planned Parenthood was amazing and supportive. I felt cared for and there was no judgements.
My boyfriend and I worked through things. We eventually got married. Today we have two beautiful children and I am thriving in a new career.
I am positive this would not have been the outcome for me, had I had a child all those years ago. I'm not sure I ever would've turned my life around. I would not have moved on to the next act in my life. I wouldn't have the beautiful children I have today and I wouldn't trade them for the world.
Remember that our stories are ours to tell. We'd love to hear your story too!


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There's so much to discuss when it comes to book marketing that it's actually hard to pick a subject to cover each week. I mean, holy molasses, does it ever stop? Nope. Anyway. I was running out of time to get this post up, so I decided to pick a fairly basic task, something every author really needs to know how to do, and a reasonably simple thing you need to promote your books on social media. I'm talking about creating short links telling people where to purchase your books. For example, here's a sample tweet I recently put up on my Twitter account.
You'll notice (hopefully) the blue-highlighted link at the end that starts with smarturl.it. That is a short link to the real URL link http://www.amazon.com/Spirited-Away-Book-Angela-Campbell-ebook/dp/B00ME1M9AW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407149121&sr=1-1&keywords=spirited+away+angela&tag=smarturl-20. Long, right? On social media with character limitations, that can be a problem. Actually, twitter will automatically shorten your link for you, but I prefer to do it on my own. Why? Because I'm a control freak? Well, yeah, I am, kind of, but that's not why. There are pros to using a service such as smart url. I'll explain more below.
Now, there are a variety of services that allow you to create your own links. Which one you use is entirely up to you, and you might want to try each one to find the one you like most. I tend to use either smarturl.it and bitly.com. Here are what seem to be the three most common services used by authors:
To create a short URL, highlight and copy the URL of your book link — be it from your website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or whatever — and then go to any of these websites. You'll see a field where you can paste your original link. Click on create a short link, and boom. There's your short URL. Pretty intuitive and simple.
Now, I prefer Smarturl because it allows you to input various links into the same short URL, creating a universal link. Universal link? Huh? What the what? For example, when Gerard Depardieu in France clicks on the link, he will go to Amazon France while if Benedict Cumberbatch, in the UK, clicks on the same url, he will be taken to your book's page at Amazon UK. This is a feature neither bitly nor tinyurl offer, to my knowledge. Yes, it means some extra work, but in the end, it's worth it because it allows you to reach readers in different countries. You're making it easier for them to buy your book, because if Benedict Cumberbatch in the UK clicks on your link to Amazon US, he can't buy the book and would have to go to the Amazon UK site and search for it, and we both know Benedict Cumberbatch has better things to do with his time, right? Also, if Benedict Cumberbatch clicks on your link, massive high five, because that's just cool. Anyway.
I recommend registering for a free account with manage.smarturl.it before you start, so that all of your links will be saved and accessible for later use or adjustment. SmartUrl also keeps track of how many times your short link is clicked on, which can be helpful. Actually, bitty will also show you the number of clicks, and tiny url might, too — I'm not sure on that one. Point is, create an account to see analytics.
Once you have your account created, click on CREATE smartURL. You'll see a field for "default URL" link, which is where you should put your primary link. For me, since I'm in the United States, my primary link would default to Amazon US's link for my book. The primary link is entirely your decision.
Next, you'll see a field for "Country Destinations." This is where extra work is required. If your book is listed on Amazon UK, but you're in the US, you'll have to go to the Amazon UK website, copy and paste the link for your book, and then paste it into this field, along with the name of the country. Amazon has websites specific to many countries — Amazon.ca is Amazon Canada, Amazon.fr is Amazon France, Amazon.de is Amazon Germany, Amazon.es is Amazon Spain, Amazon.co.uk is Amazon UK, and Amazon.com is Amazon US. I recommend visiting each, and if your book is available for purchase on any of them, adding it to your Smarturl for that book. A complete list of all of the Amazon websites can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=487250.
Remember how I mentioned analytics earlier?
It's a good idea to review your tweet analytics whenever you get a chance. It can help determine if your tweets are worded in a way that is driving people to learn more about your books. With that in mind, I recommend anyone using Twitter take advantage of Twitter analytics, too. Simply go to https://analytics.twitter.com. It's free! You can see how many people have clicked on your links, etc.
I hope you find this information helpful. Still have questions? Recommendations on other shortening services? Let me know in the comments.
As always, thanks for reading.
Marketing Monday: Some tips on gifting books to readers
What new authors need to know, but no one usually tells them


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Eric Newhill
If you believe that cannabis oil is going to cure people with late stage cancer, I don't know what more to say.The Book of Life troll
Worse still if you further believe that big pharma is deliberately obfuscating the magical healing power of cannabis oil in order to maintain profits.
I have nothing against cannabis, btw. In fact I occasionally use it when arthritis in my ankle acts up. Sometimes I just use it to relax.
But here's the point, if cannabis, or any other treatment, really would save all that money and make people healthy at the same, then the people I work for/with would be all over it. We, insurance, do not want to pay for treatments that are expensive, unnecessary and/or represent health risks, especially if there are better approaches. Remember, we make money when our claims expense (what we pay out) is low. If we save money while increasing quality/patient outcomes we can lower premiums and compete better in the market while keeping some of the savings as profit.
I spent several years working on understanding the diagnoses and medical procedures and tech trends, etc. that are driving our costs. I worked with our Medical Directors (doctors that work for insurance) to identify the most affordable, but effective, means of treating patients (our covered lives who became ill). We study millions of members to understand what treatments work for which members, which doctors/hospitals are providing effective treatments, how to incentivize quality affordable care for the most people. All of that scientifically determined information is used to build our benefit structures and utilization management programs (what procedure we will cover for which conditions). I do something else now, but I know that work intimately. Most people don't know that insurance is doing that kind of research all the time. Trust me, we are not approving - meaning paying for - treatments that cost too much and don't work as wlell as a less costly alternative.
We are in no way partners with big pharma. We are their adversaries if anything. We provide a check on their attempts to peddle ineffective costly drugs.


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Indians invest Rs 16,800 Crores in Dubai real estate in FY18
Exhibitions – The Important Economic Tool for SMEs : Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, UBM India
Published on December 4, 2018
By Sachin Murdeshwar
Mumbai: Jain Farm Fresh Foods Ltd., a subsidiary of Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd. has introduced Valley Spice, a complete range of pure and authentic spices that are 100% Natural and have no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors.
Valley Spice is the first brand in India which has come out with Steam Sterilized Spice range. The process makes the spices 100% safe and pure. Valley Spice comes in 3 different ranges to cater to a wider spectrum of consumers across the country. The offered range is – Select for premium consumer and comes in a unique Bottle packaging. The other two range are Popular and Value Pack. Popular range come in a Standee pack with Zip locking and the value pack comes in sachet packs. The entire range can be viewed on: www.valleyspice.co.in.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Anil Jain, Vice Chairman – Jain Group said, "The launch of Valley Spice marks another step Jain Farm Fresh has taken towards providing quality consumer products that are pure and authentic. As a company, Jain Irrigation has had a long history of working with farmers to help them grow the best produce. We procure and process these spices in our integrated spice plant in Jalgaon and bring export quality steam-sterilized spices for the first time to Indian consumers. Valley Spice aims to quickly establish a leadership position in the large spice market in India."
The company aims to attain leadership position in spice market through innovative products, deep consumer insight and sustainable business methods. As an organization we have always believed in creating share value and will continue to do the same.
Valley Spice will be offering to the consumer Straight Spices, range of authentic Blended Spices, Wet Spices, Herbs & Seasoning and Dehydrated Products. The objective is to provide the consumer the real experience of authentic cuisine through usage of Pure and Authentic Spice. The brand will be available nationally by March 2019.


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Product Description
MAILED IN A RIGID ENVELOPE FOR PROTECTION - Can withstand cold rain and snow. It will survive.
These are able to withstand exposure to wind, rain and sunlight. Printed on premium vinyl with a permanent adhesive and are coated with a protective laminate that makes them super durable and resistant to fading, scratching, tearing, and water.
Bumper, car window, refrigerator, inside door, outside door, suitcase, laptop… whatever! We ship all our decals in rigid envelopes to ensure their protection on their way to you.
Product Videos
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Send a positive message!
Make a positive statement and show your love for the greatest band ever!
Stickers are super awesome and we even got some bonus stickers! Our cars are very happy!


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Image of an expert
Where: Nazca, Peru.
This is the security guarding an old Nazca rebuilt pyramid. What is amazing, but sad at the same time, is that grave robbers have robbed the graves of the 2000 year old Nazca people, you literally step on their body wrapping and old bones.
- Copyright
- Ross Deverson
- Image Size
- 5760x3840 / 13.6MB
- Keywords
- Contained in galleries
- Human


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From the Microsoft blog post:
Have you ever wished you could easily export your Microsoft Word document into a PowerPoint presentation with just a few clicks? Now you can! We are excited to announce this feature is now available in Word and PowerPoint for the Web with your Microsoft 365 subscription, and we cannot wait for you to try it out!
Export to PowerPoint presentation enables users to export their document to a professional looking PowerPoint presentation from Word for the Web!
This feature uses artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to save you time and provide you with slide suggestions powered by Designer in PowerPoint. The slides are derived from your section headers in the document, so make sure to organize your Word document accordingly for optimal suggestions. Based on key words in your document, Designer in PowerPoint will suggest imagery, icons, videos, themes and fonts to arrange your content. You can always change the suggested content if needed.
And it really does work, I tried it in Chrome on my Mac (though obviously Microsoft would love for it to be in Edge on Windows, but at least this shows considerable interoperability):
The new function is added to the online Export menu...
Choosing one of the preset styles. I'm sure more will be added in due course...
Ai at work - I love all this alchemy!
And in seconds it's done. Here's my test Word document converted and opened.
All of this isn't for serious presentation givers, of course. But if you're (e.g.) a student with a research paper or essay and someone asks you at short notice to speak about it then this is a damn fine way of impressing listeners. It may not be the most relevant PowerPoint style and it may not have your original graphics, but it looks as though you sweated over it for hours beforehand rather than having AI do it all!


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Morning Slate
Northwestern @ Iowa
Noon ET/11:00 a.m. CT on BTN
Why you should watch: Unlike in the East Division, everyone in the West has at least one conference loss. That means that a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game is totally up for grabs! Does Wisconsin have a quarterback? Isn't Nebraska supposed to have four losses by default? These questions open the door for a dark horse like Iowa or (gasp!) Northwestern to make a run. Just which team will you be saying you saw coming the whole time? This game will find out.
Rank: Four out of five bottles of whiskey.
Maryland @ Penn State
Noon ET/11:00 a.m. CT on ESPN2
Why you should watch: If Penn State wins, they clinch the first Eastern Bloc Trophy! If Maryland wins, they can clinch with a win over Rutgers, or everyone is 1-1 and we have to draw straws. If you're still one of those who turns up your nose at these east coast teams, this match should at least be competitive. The Lions are coming off an emotional loss to Ohio State, and the Terps just got crushed by Wisconsin. Penn State's defeat was a lot more impressive, but James Franklin's offense still appears incapable of pulling away from anyone. Even if the Penn State defense shuts down Maryland for most of the game, one play by Stefon Diggs can make the difference.
Rank: Three out of four Grilled Stickies.
Wisconsin @ Rutgers
Noon ET/11:00 a.m. CT on ESPN
Why you should watch: The Knights just got blown out by Ohio State and Nebraska, but at least this game is at home. That alone should make things more interesting, as Rutgers is looking for another conference win to back up its legitimacy as a powerhouse. Even on the banks, that doesn't seem too likely, as the Knights just got ran on by Ameer Abdullah and Ezekiel Elliot. Hopefully we'll get to see Wisconsin will have to throw a little more than they did against Maryland, because Joel Stave is shaping up to be a very important part of the Big Ten title race. If he's recovered from the "yips," the Badgers could head to the Rose Bowl.
Rank: Two out of five Fat Darrells.
Afternoon Slate
Indiana @ Michigan
3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT on BTN
Why you should watch: Woohoo! Look at all these nice games on the Big Ten Network. That's bad news if it's not part of your cable package, but good news if you like rich school presidents getting even more money. Anyway, this one should be fun because the Wolverines are looking to remain bowl eligible, and the postseason is still a possibility if Michigan can win three of its last four games (the fourth is in Columbus, so they have to get moving here). On the other hand, if Big Blue drops one to the Hoosiers for the first time since the Reagan administration, the schadenfreude will be off the charts. In short, it's a crucial game for Michigan lovers and haters alike. Even with a loss, Indiana is still alive for bowl contention with games against Penn State, Rutgers, and Purdue remaining.
Rank: Three out of five Jim Hacketts.
Purdue @ Nebraska
3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT on ABC/ESPN2
Why you should watch: Because Purdue is alive, people! Yes, just in time for Halloween, the program has risen from the dead with a win over Illinois and two straight high-scoring losses to conference title contenders. A lot of the credit goes to sophomore quarterback Austin Appleby, who only started to see significant playing time four weeks ago in Champaign. Even if you don't believe in the Boilers, Abdullah is making himself to be appointment television with his fourth 200-yard rushing game of the season last week. Detractors will point to Abdullah's slow game against Michigan State, but his 6.9 yards-per-carry average and 17 touchdowns yell "Heisman contender."
Rank: Two out of five husks of corn.
Primetime Slate
Illinois @ Ohio State
8:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. CT on ABC
Why you should watch: Hey you guys! There's a reason why ESPN hates the Big Ten and loves the SEC. And it's not because Lee Corso gets chilly visiting northern stadiums during October. In consecutive weeks, the World Wide Leader has booked Ohio State against sub-par competition on national television. Penn State saved the day by improbably forcing overtime, but can Illinois also be a spunky underdog? It's going to be tougher with the Buckeyes playing at home, but at least the Illini are coming off a big win over Minnesota with Riley O'Toole at the helm. Even with O'Toole sporting one of the grittiest names in the game, Big Ten fans might find themselves switching over to the southern action at halftime.
Rank: Two out of five cute turtle trophies.


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About the Book
Revenge loves company.
Mithrid Fenn wants nothing to do with magick. Magick is a curse word, banned by the vast Arka Empire and punishable by death. Its purging has finally brought peace to war-torn Emaneska. Only a stubborn rebellion, led by the warlord Outlaw King, raids and pillages the empire's northern fringes.
To cliff-brat Mithrid, this is an age of tranquility and childhood games. That is until an illegal spellbook washes up on her shores, and she finds herself thrust into a war she never knew existed.
Now hunted by daemons and mages, she is dragged inexorably north to Scalussen and its rebels fighting doggedly to preserve a memory of freedom. Mithrid holds no such ideals. She fights for revenge and nothing nobler. If spilling blood means helping the Outlaw King, then so be it. Even if it means all-out war.
659 pages (paperback)
Published on December 1, 2020
Buy the book
Ben Galley is an author who has really rocketed to the top of my Need To Read list. He intimidates me a bit because in the indie scene, everyone knows who Galley is. His books are everywhere, and just about everyone I know has read at least one of them. Dude has attained a level of popular I admire, and yet somehow I know I will absolutely never reach with my own books.
In truth, I've been a bit burnt out on epic fantasy. I love it, but I really need to be in the right mood. I was a bit reluctant to give Galley's epic fantasy a shot, but I decided, since I've loved his other stuff so much, I wanted to give this one a try. He has a way with doing things just different enough to make it feel fresh and new, and his obvious passion for the stories he tells is felt in every page.
The Forever King was the book I chose. Reason being, I felt like it. I should also note, as soon as I finished this book I picked up The Written and devoured that beast in about three days flat. If you're looking for an early summarization of this review, there you go. It was so good, I instantly went and read the first book in Galley's other series because I wanted more.
The Forever King is its own series, but it takes place years after the events of his Emaneska series. You do not need to read the Emaneska series to appreciate, understand, or enjoy this one. Though I will say, if you have read his Emaneska series, you might get a few more of the layers and nuances in this one. Don't let that stop you. I haven't read his Emaneska series before reading this book and I absolutely loved it.
The action in this book kicks off almost from page one. Instantly, the reader is thrown into a situation full of tension and strife, where the government is pitted against a growing dissenting population who are looking for saving from an Outlaw King. War is in the air. In fact, the feel of impending strife and war fairly leaps off the page. If Galley does one thing really well, it's working with tension, and moving pieces around a gameboard really well, and creating ripples with all those motions.
The Forever King was so much fun to read. Galley takes readers on a nonstop ride. The plot is fast moving and addicting. There are a lot of twists and turns that I never saw. Probably what I loved the most was how Galley played with some of the themes he used to tell this story. For example, the emperor uses disinformation to manipulate public opinion about magic, and to manipulate the public in general. This sort thing finds its way into fantasy every now and again, but I think Galley really used it well. It is cleverly used and showed a division, of a sort, between message and reality, and the devastating consequences that result.
Mithrid, our protagonist, has been raised a certain way, and throughout the book, you follow her as she finds herself embroiled in events that surpass anything she ever anticipated. Mithrid both ends up questioning her engrained beliefs, her place in the world, and herself. She was a fascinating character to follow, and Galley dealt with her development flawlessly. On the other side, Galley marches out a bunch of antagonists you can really love to hate. I absolutely love a good antagonist, and he really knows how to craft them.
Mithrid, though, really grabbed my heart and pulled hard. She's a strong female protagonist who is hellbent on revenge against the people who did her wrong. She's got an axe and some magic no one has ever seen, and she goes all over the place on her quest. She joins up with a group of interesting characters, each of them well-crafted. Galley plays his characters off each other well, but Mithrid was really the star of the show.
The magic in this book was both central to the plot, but also really interesting. It was darker than I expected it to be. One of my favorite things about really good magic systems is its balance. Positive and negative are balanced well, and while I expected that with Galley, I don't think I expected it to get quite so dark (and sometimes horrific). I have to put the dragon in on the positive side. I know, I know, a dragon is its own thing, but this one talks so I'm counting it as part of the magic system.
All in all, Ben Galley is an author who has breathed new life into epic fantasy. He knows how to tell a good story, and his writing is superb. Never too much, never too little. Each scene blazes to life. His characters live and breathe off the page. Galley is incredibly talented, and solidly falls on my Instant Buy list. The Forever King is one of the best epic fantasy books I've read in a while. In fact, it's so good, I've basically began devouring all of Galley's other work.
If you haven't read Ben Galley's books yet, you really, really need to rectify that.
5/5 stars


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How does your organization view project schedules? Are they seen as busy work and a means to an end for data entry or are they dynamic tools that are vital for on-time and on-budget project delivery?
At 10/6 Professional Services, we help organizations get to the point of value-added scheduling by utilizing high-quality schedules that reflect reality and drive execution of work. One of the most common pitfalls we see is low-quality schedules which cause teams to discredit the reliability, usability, and credibility of the project schedule. To address this, we utilize industry best practices to take a data-driven approach and quantifiably measure quality based on the DCMA 14-point assessment. This helps gives the schedule credibility and an avenue for continuous improvement which ultimately supports buy-in from the project team.
If you need help changing your organization's opinion on the value of project scheduling contact us today!