text:
Galaxy Locksmith Store - Locks Repair 11024 - 516-283-5807
Through the years Galaxy Locksmith Store has been one of the most dependable names as lock smith solution providers. We are your go-to providers for Great Neck, NY 11024 area. On time and excellent solutions is our USP. Benefit from our expertise irrespective of the project complexity. Being your local locksmith, we remain approachable 24x7. Call us anytime through the day or night and we will resolve your problems as fast as possible. As your very own 24-hour emergency locksmith, we offer a comprehensive solution suite at amazingly affordable rates.
What we offer?
- Round-the-clock solutions: we are with you always, anywhere in zip code 11024 at anytime
- Automotive, residential, and commercial services: we meet regular lock-key needs of all types of customers
- Emergency solutions: troubles never come announced, so, we are there for such situations
- Mobile solutions: we are ever at your service irrespective of the time and location
Ours are expansive solutions as your house, office, and car lock smith. The whole bouquet of solutions is available for residents of the zip code 11024. To ensure the best satisfactions we use only state of the art equipments and ultra modern tools. Our technicians have in-depth training and the necessary skills. Thus, they are ideal for dealing with everything from the simplest unlock car, key making solutions to sophisticated lock repairs. Since we exceed customer expectations constantly, we get positive feedback in all our endeavors.
An overview of our services
- Key cutting
- Security solutions
- Locks rekey
- Repair of damaged locks
- Emergency unlock
- Replacement of locks
- Eviction solutions
- Appropriate locks recommendation
- Installation of new lock
- Key duplication
- Master Key solutions
- Lock high security setup
Are you looking for a reliable locksmith solution? Would you like to benefit from the whole gamut of professional locksmith services? Would you like the best quality services around without stretching your budget? We are your most dependable locksmith in Great Neck, NY 11024. The range of services available at a single place is hard to find. With Galaxy Locksmith Store experts on the job you will never go anywhere else ever again!
Which lock and key issues are bothering you? Is it for your home office or related to that prized 4-wheeler? Whatever it is, depend upon our enviable team of qualified people to resolve the problem. Call us today at 516-283-5807 to sort things out. Our operators will be glad to be of help!


text:
The specified permitted characters in variable names (including the first character) are somewhat more permissive than you might expect.
The specified regex is [a-zA-Z_\x7f-\xff][a-zA-Z0-9_\x7f-\xff]* (from ./functions.user-defined.php)
On running the following you can see those outside of [a-zA-Z0-9_] that work. Your browser/shell may not display all properly, and some editors (I tested in Textmate) may simply remove things it doesn't grok as whitespace. However, there are some pretty sexy characters in there should you be looking for a unique namespace which is not too lengthy. Using them can be inconvenient for others who may not have a suitable keyboard for single-stroke entry (mine is Spanish). Best used for a program's internally relevant methods - which are those we wish least to pollute a namespace.
header('Content-type:text/plain; charset=utf-8');
function unichr($u) {
return mb_convert_encoding('&#'.intval($u).';', 'UTF-8', 'HTML-ENTITIES');
for($i = hexdec("7f"); $i <= hexdec("ff"); $i++) echo unichr($i)."\n";
// simple example
function ñ(){
echo "I'm ok!";

subset: commoncrawl


text:
You must be logged in to view this item.
This area is reserved for members of the news media. If you qualify, please update your user profile and check the box marked "Check here to register as an accredited member of the news media". Please include any notes in the "Supporting information for media credentials" box. We will notify you of your status via e-mail in one business day.


text:
A native North American variety long valued as food and for their polyphenol antioxidants, and value to urinary tract health. Eden selected organic, hand harvested cranberries infused with organic apple juice concentrate and slowly dried. They are misted with organic sunflower oil to prevent clumping. No refined sugar or sulfites added. Very low sodium with no salt added. Deliciously sweet and mildly tangy.
Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. They grow in beds called 'bogs' made of impermeable layers of sand, peat, gravel, clay, and organic matter from the cranberry vines. The vines only grow where specific conditions exist, such as acid peat soil, an adequate supply of fresh water, periodic flooding, a supply of sand, and a long growing season that extends from April to November. There are two methods of harvesting cranberries - dry and wet harvesting.
Eden Dried Cranberries are native American Vaccinium macrocarpon organically grown on family owned cranberry bogs in Québec. They are wet harvested, considered to be the best way to harvest cranberries. When ripe the bog is flooded with water. A simple machine called a 'water reel' stirs and loosens the cranberries from their vines. The water reel is nicknamed the 'egg beater' and resembles a paddle boat. Cranberries have an air bubble in the center, and once loosened they float to the surface. Harvesters use a long handled gathering device to corral the berries into a large red carpet that is loaded into trucks and taken to the processing to be cleaned, sorted, and quick frozen. When ready for drying they are thawed and infused with organic apple juice concentrate to a targeted sweetness or 'Brix'. The infused cranberries are then rinsed, slowly dried, misted with organic sunflower oil to prevent clumping. They require no refrigeration.
Unlike commercial dried fruit, organic Eden Dried Cranberries contain no added refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup. They are free of sulfites, chemical preservatives, or any other additives.
Cranberries are native North American and were prized by American Indians. They used them as food, as textile dye, and as a healing plant for arrow wounds. Indians had many names for the cranberry such as sasamanesh, ibimi, and atogua. To Delaware Indians it was a peace symbol. Native Americans believed cranberries calmed their nerves. Its current name is from Dutch and German settlers who called it 'crane berry,' because its small pink blossoms resembled the head and bill of a Sandhill crane.
Nutrition Facts
Although folklore and anecdotal accounts of cranberries healthful properties (especially benefits to urinary tract health) have been touted for centuries, research is revealing how healthful cranberries are. Packed with antioxidants and other efficacious compounds, cranberries are indeed valuable. USDA found its high phenolic content delivers a potent antioxidant value, rating it one of the highest out of 20 common fruits tested. USDA uses a system called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). By testing the ability of foods and other compounds to subdue oxygen free radicals, USDA determines antioxidant capability. The ORAC value of cranberries is 1,750. Cranberries recently became the first fruit to carry a French certified health claim for urinary tract health.
Organic Eden Dried Cranberries are a versatile healthy snack, but there's no sense limiting them to snacking. Use them in baking breads, cakes, and muffins, in pie fillings, puddings, and in grain and bread stuffing. Sprinkle them on salads and put them in hot or cold cereals. They're great in granola, muesli, granola bars, popcorn balls, and caramel corn.


text:
More Than Half of Banks Hit by DDoS Attacks Last Year, Study Finds
U.S. banks became very familiar with Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks after a number of them were hit by such attacks last year. Some large institutions such as Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase were among the victims of last year's attacks. But a new study by the Ponmeon Institute, an independent research firm focused on information security, sheds some new light on just how widespread the attacks were. The study, which was sponsored by IT security vendor Corero Network Security, found that more than half of banking IT professionals surveyed had a DDoS attack at their bank in 2012.
[Se Related: Cyber Attacks More Frequent and Harder to Detect]
In all 64% of the respondents said their institution had a DDoS attack last year, and the Ponemon Institute said that on average the banks represented in the study experienced 2.8 DDoS attacks over the last year. More than 10% of the respondents said that they had at least six DDoS attacks. And 43% of the respondents expected the attacks to increase this year, compared to 22% who thought they would decrease, and 35 percent who said the number of attacks would stay consistent with last year's numbers. Despite the expectation of more attacks to come, only 30% of those surveyed said their banks is panning to purchase an anti-DDoS technology in the next 6-12 months, with many respondents citing a lack of sufficient resources - particularly in terms of IT professionals with expertise in dealing with DDoS attacks - for the scarcity of action.
Diminished production from IT staff was most frequently cited by the respondents as the most severe consequence of DDoS attacks, followed closely by repetitional damage and diminished productivity for end users. Overall DDoS attacks were ranked as the second most dangerous information security threat to banks after zero day attacks, which target software bugs.
The Ponemon Institute surveyed 650 banking IT professionals for the study from institutions ranging from community banks to national ones, with more than 64% of them working with institutions with at least 1,000 employees.
Jonathan Camhi has been an associate editor with Bank Systems & Technology since 2012. He previously worked as a freelance journalist in New York City covering politics, health and immigration, and has a master's degree from the City University of New York's Graduate School ... View Full Bio


text:
Usage conditions may apply for digital images, video, and sound recordings linked within SOVA collections. While digital content may be restricted, SOVA collection descriptions and catalog records are available CC0 for re-use. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Pearl Bowser Audiovisual Collection


text:
These are silly and just for fun. Not intended to desecrate the classics. No one can improve on the original directors' work. I'm just trying to help get the classic cartoons in the public eye again. It drives me crazy that these cartoons are barely seen anymore.
for Wicks
I've always wanted to do wraparounds to classic cartoons and managed to get some interest, so here are a few quick sketches for the pitch. Of course they would be more detailed and thought out once we actually made 'em, but these are just some ideas of degrees of varying from the models to see how the execs take to the idea.
Here's some wraparounds for the 50s WB cartoons and I loved this packaging:
I want to do the same sort of thing for the 40s cartoons and draw the bumpers in a caricatured Clampett style. (Don't worry, the arms and legs wouldn't be this skinny. This is just my doodle style, not my layout style)
For Mitch L


text:
- Home
- Page
Terms & Conditions
By accessing this Website, you agree to be bound by these website Terms and Conditions of Use, all applicable laws and regulations and agree that you are responsible for compliance with any applicable local laws. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing this site.
Permission is granted to temporarily download one copy of the materials (information or software) on Celeste Exports website for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This permission is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license, you may not: modify or copy the materials; use the materials for any commercial purpose or any public display (commercial or non-commercial); attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on Celeste Exports website; remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials; or transfer the materials to another person or "mirror" the materials on any different server. This license shall automatically terminate if you violate any of these restrictions and may be terminated by Celeste Exports at any time. Upon terminating this license, you must destroy any downloaded materials in your possession, whether in electronic or printed format.
All logos, trademarks, brands, names and contents belong to their respective owners. Celeste Exports are not affiliated with any of the merchants or suppliers. The materials contained in this Website are protected by applicable copyright and trademark law. To report DMCA, provide the following written information: an electronic or physical signature of the person authorised to act on behalf, description of the work, description of where on the site the work appears, contact person, contact telephone, email address, personal or business address.
Send to Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
In no event shall Celeste Exports or its suppliers be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption) arising out of the use or inability to use the materials on Celeste Exports Internet site, even if Celeste Exports or a Celeste Exports authorised representative has been notified orally or in writing of the possibility of such damage. Because some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties, or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, these limitations may not apply to you.
The materials appearing on the Celeste Exports Website could include technical, typographical, or photographic errors. Celeste Exports do not warrant that any of the materials on its website are accurate, complete, or current. Celeste Exports may make changes to the materials contained on its website at any time without notice. Celeste Exports do not, however, make any commitment to update the materials. We recommend that where information is critical such as prices and dimensions, that you revalidate before use.
Celeste Exports have not reviewed all of the sites linked to its Internet website and are not responsible for the contents of any such linked site. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Celeste Exports of the site. Use of any such linked website is at the user's own risk.
All contents on this site are generated on the fly based on user queries and instructions by servers and computer algorithms located worldwide.
All orders are subjected to (a) merchant's, (b) agent and (c) carrier's acceptance. All orders are also subjected to customs and authorities clearance. There will be no cancellation charges if orders/imports are not permitted. In the event whereby the customs declaration and import are not successful, Celeste Exports will cancel the order and issue a Full refund in-store credit to you.
You may cancel your order for a refund if you've placed the order within 24 hours. To qualify for a refund, you must cancel your order before order confirmation in writing. We will also absorb all the transactional and commission fees. No cancellation or refunds after the order have been confirmed or ship out.
Orders are transacted in Indian Rupees. If you are not using an Indian Rupee based credit card, the transaction may subject you to your bank's prevailing currency exchange rates and foreign transaction (FX) fee. Exchange rates and foreign transaction (FX) fees are beyond Celeste Exports control. You will see the final amount at checking out before entering your credit card details.
In the event whereby the item is out of stock or unable to provide the service, Celeste Exports will cancel the order and issue a Full refund in-store credit to you.
Celeste Exports will issue a refund back to the same credit/debit card facility, and currency transacted.
[*Policy Update/ Disclosure: 1-Jan-2021]: In-Store Credit only. In the event whereby a refund is required, Celeste Exports will process your refund and automatically issue an in- store credit in the currency transacted within 30 days.
Please also read Return and Refund Policy (here).
In-store credits are accounted for in INR. In-store credits expire one year following the issuance date or the earliest date thereafter permitted by applicable law. In-store credits cannot be redeemed for cash or transferred.
Products may not be tested safe, compatible or approved for your jurisdiction. Please carefully review the labelling, allergens, ingredients, safety, other product information and local consumption authorisation to determine if this product is appropriate for you. Please check with your local's qualified expert.
You agree that you do not ship the product to any country prohibited by law and sanctions. Please check with your local's qualified expert.
Celeste Exports may revise these terms of use for its website at any time without notice. By using this Website, you agree to be bound by the then-current version of these Terms and Conditions of Use.
You agree to indemnify us fully, defend us, and hold us harmless immediately on demand, its officers, directors, agents, affiliates, licensors, and suppliers, from and against all liabilities, claims, expenses, damages and losses, including legal fees, arising from
(i) your use or misuse of the Website or its Services;
(ii) any third party's reliance on your advertisement
(iii) your breach of these Terms;
(iv) and/or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party, including the use by any other persons accessing the Website using your account caused by your action or inaction. You agree to cooperate as fully as reasonably required in defence of any claim. We reserve the right to assume the exclusive defence and control of any matter otherwise subject to your indemnification.
You agree that we and our affiliates will not be liable for any delay or failure to perform any obligation under these Terms where the delay or failure results from any cause beyond our reasonable control, including acts of God, labour disputes or other industrial disturbances, electrical or power outages, utilities or other telecommunication failures, earthquake, storms, or other elements of nature, blockages, embargoes, riots, acts or orders of government, acts of terrorism, or war.
Any claim relating to the Celeste Exports Website shall be governed by Indian laws without regard to its conflict of law provisions.


text:
JPMorgan Chase says it will cover Social Security and Welfare payments for its customers if the government goes into default or the shutdown continues.
If nothing else, it's good public relations for a company which hasn't had much lately.
The bank spent nearly 40 percent of the company's revenue over the last quarter — more than $9 billion — on legal expenses. Money paid to fight government investigations and on fines.
The Wall Street Journal reports JPMorgan's CEO Jamie Dimon is pledging to let customers draw on their accounts for free to cover Social Security and Welfare payments if the government is unable to send them starting later this month.
"It's a very smart idea by a bank that's being punished in the press," says consumer advocate Ed Mierzwinski of U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
JPMorgan would almost certainly get its money back once Congress comes to an agreement.
Even if there's no agreement, Alex Pollock of the American Enterprise Institute says it's unlikely the government would stop paying Social Security and Welfare. But he says it's reassuring for people who need that money.
"I guess it won't be necessary but you know whenever people are worried about contingencies, to have some kind of hedge or insurance is good," he says.
If it comes to it, JPMorgan Chase would temporarily lay out between $6 billion and $8 billion. Plus it would gain some good will.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
1st Training Workshop on "Conserving World Heritage Natural Sites and Cultural Landscapes in South-Eastern Europe - Managing cultural landscapes"
Following the launch of the joint project on World Heritage natural sites and cultural landscapes in South-Eastern Europe at the symposium held from 16-18 October 2006 in Osnabrück, Germany, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development, and the Istituto Superiore sui Sistemi Territoriali per l'Innovazione are organizing the first training workshop which will take place in Cinque Terre National Park (Italy) from 18-20 April 2007.
Funded by the German Environmental Foundation (DBU) and Fondazione per l'Arte and in partnership with the Istituto Superiore sui Sistemi Territoriali per l'Innovazione (SiTI), this workshop series has been set up to enhance management capacities at natural World Heritage sites and cultural landscapes in South-Eastern Europe and Italy by bringing together international World Heritage experts and site managers from South-Eastern European States Parties as well as from Italy.
This first training workshop will focus on the topic of "Managing World Heritage cultural landscapes", by using the World Heritage site of Cinque Terre as an example and learning ground for hands-on conservation. The 3-day workshop will provide a platform for discussing experiences, challenges and necessary actions to ensure the continuous conservation of current and potential sites in the region.
The results and recommendations of the workshop will be made available on the website below:


text:
The Ballad of Gay Tony
Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony | |
Developers | Rockstar North |
Publishers | Rockstar Games |
Release dates |
PC PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 |
Platform | |
Engine | RAGE |
Protagonist | Luis Fernando Lopez |
Location | Liberty City Alderney State |
Year | 2008 |
Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (official abbreviation TBoGT) is the second episode of two downloadable add-ons for Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360. It was released on October 29, 2009. The Playstation 3 and PC versions were later released on April 13, 2010 in North America and on April 16, 2010 in Europe.
The protagonist is Luis Fernando Lopez, a part-time hoodlum and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Anthony "Gay Tony" Prince. The storyline interweaves with the original game and first episode, most notably the Museum Piece mission that involves all three protagonists. As well as a new storyline, missions and characters, it also features new game mechanics, vehicles, weapons, side missions, collectibles and achievements. As with TLAD, new radio and in-game television programming is included.
Rockstar says, "Players will struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price." According to Rockstar's official website, "The Ballad of Gay Tony injects Liberty City with an overdose of guns, glitz, and grime." Sam Houser, the founder of Rockstar Games, said before its release "This episode's focus on high-end night life contrasts with the biker gangs portrayed in The Lost and Damned, whilst giving us a lot of new gameplay possibilities."
As a downloadable expansion, it costs $19.99 (USD) on both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.
At first, The Ballad Of Gay Tony, along with the first piece of downloadable content, The Lost and Damned was going to be released to the PS3 and PC on March 30th, but due to Sony Computer Entertainment wanting to edit some of the radio stations, it was released on the later date of April 13th in North America and April 16th in Europe.
The stories for Grand Theft Auto IV, The Lost and Damned, and The Ballad of Gay Tony were written by Dan Houser and Rupert Humphries. All 3 stories happen at the same time, intertwining with each other,
Game information
In contrast to The Lost and Damned, a gritty and hardcore account of life in a biker gang, The Ballad of Gay Tony shines light on arguably the most glamorous place on earth - the celebrity nightclub scene. Luis Lopez and Gay Tony Prince are the two main characters struggling with, as Rockstar Games says themselves, "the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price". Being in debt to gangsters, Luis and Tony are barraged with the temptation to sell out their beliefs and even each other for money - their beliefs often taking the symbolic form of their shared nightclub, Maisonette 9. The duo surprisingly turn their noses at some substantial opportunities (Yusuf Amir franchising them, or Cloe Parker bailing them out), but are heavily tempted and will even abuse each other's trust for others (Ray Bulgarin buying them out, Mori Kibbutz having a high-stakes bet, Rocco Pelosi threatening them, and Tony himself resorting to fraud). Very few if any characters make it the entire game without telling a lie; sometimes because of business, other times because of a social imbalance (such as Yusuf wanting to impress Luis, or Tony mocking Mori behind his back while flattering him in person) - which gives the impression that no one is to be trusted. At the end of the game Tony and Luis have resolved trust issues they have with each other, successfully erased their debt and tell Yusuf Amir they won't franchise, leading to the moral that loyalty to "family" (blood or otherwise) should not be sold for all the money in the world.
- Luis Lopez and "Gay" Tony Prince: The two main characters of the story, Luis being the playable protagonist. They are very much like a father and son pair, despite getting frustrated with each other. They are forced to make decisions about loyalty, often having to consider how their decision effects each other.
- Rocco Pelosi, Ray Bulgarin, Yusuf Amir and Mori Kibbutz: All men of wealth who are interested in owning Maisonette 9. Their motivations ranging from benevolent (Yusuf) to sinister (Bulgarin and Rocco), they are all temptations for Tony to literally sell out, and Luis to pursue more money behind Tony's back, having to lie to Tony and make major decisions without properly consulting him (something Luis hypocritically criticizes Tony about). Luis is eventually punished in a sense, when Bulgarin attempts to kill him and he must confess his actions to Tony. Tony and Luis symbolically defeat their trust issues, as they literally defeat Rocco and Bulgarin, and are entirely solidified as a duo in the game's finale.
- Mama Lopez, Armando and Henrique: Luis's mother and childhood friends. A&H, though still very good friends, sometimes criticize Luis for quitting drug sales with them to work at a nightclub, calling him a pretentious sell out. Mama Lopez also pleads with Luis to leave both clubs and gangs to go to college and get a boring job, much like his siblings have done. Their dialogue, which appears early in the game but curbs later on, shows one of the first decisions of loyalty that Luis made in his life - a long list of issues of loyalty, dependability and appreciation with his family (including, for all intensive purposes, A&H) led Luis to work for Gay Tony and look to him as his father figure.
- Gracie Ancelotti and Evan Moss: Gay Tony's two best friends, Gracie being the daughter of the Ancelotti don and Evan being Tony's boyfriend. They are symbolic of Tony's bad habits, having lead to his drug and loan shark dependencies in some way or another. Tony is not on drugs whenever Gracie and Evan are gone, and it is also notable that Luis calling them annoying in junction with criticizing Tony's drug habits.
Another important set of characters, though they do not effect the main storyline, are the fictional celebrities met in the Club Management missions. Luis and Tony are made the peers and trusted confidants of extremely powerful celebrities parodying Paris Hilton and Prince Harry among others. Beyond the comic value of pop culture, it is meant to portray opportunity raining from the sky for Tony and Luis, some of which might lure them to abandon or endanger each other.
As read in the booklet included with Episodes from Liberty City:
Luis Lopez is a man who solves problems, and when you are the nightlife legend, Anthony "Gay Tony" Prince's right-hand man and bodyguard, there are many problems to solve. A playground for vapid celebrities and tragic socialites, Algonquin's nightlife scene is all about glitz and glamour, and owning the two hottest clubs in town (Hercules and Maisonette 9) makes Tony the undisputed party king of Liberty City. He appears to have it all - wealth, power, respect - but, in debt to mobsters, loan sharks and the tax man, facing up to a changing world and the terrible economy, and under threat from pretenders to his crown, Tony begins to spiral more and more into a midlife crisis from hell. Join Luis as he fights to save Tony's empire from the brink of collapse and to make his own mark in a world defined by decadence and excess, all while keeping his mother, Adriana Yanira Lopez quiet and stopping his friends, Armando Torres and Henrique Bardas from calling him a sell out. The party is almost over. It is up to Luis to keep it going.
Grand Theft Auto series
Luis Fernando Lopez is being held hostage at the Bank of Liberty, during a robbery involving Niko Bellic, Patrick McReary, Derrick McReary and Michael Keane. A local gun club member lying next to him, Eugene Reaper, shoots and kills Keane and is then killed by the McReary brothers in retaliation. The scene cuts to the aftermath of the robbery; Luis is being questioned by the police about the incident before proceeding to Gay Tony's loft. On the way, he is nearly run over by Niko Bellic (returning from the robbery) and Johnny Klebitz who rides past him. Rocco Pelosi, a senior Ancelotti mobster, and his accomplice Vince enter the loft and collect Tony's club income for the week as interest repayment on an outstanding loan. Tony then discusses with Luis his dire financial situation with his two clubs, Maisonette 9 and Hercules. In an attempt to curry favour with Rocco, Tony and Luis go to Chinatown to negotiate a deal with a senior Triad. Billy Grey, President of The Lost Motorcycle Gang is seen arranging an ambush on Johnny Klebitz and Jim Fitzgerald with the Triad as Tony and Luis enter the room. The negotiations with the Triad soon turn awry, and Luis protects Tony as they escape Chinatown.
Luis visits his mother, who also has financial issues, and his childhood friends Henrique Bardas and Armando Torres. Luis' mother does not approve of his lifestyle and would like him to attend to college. Henrique and Armando are Luis' friends who are heavily involved with the narcotics distribution trade. Luis soon becomes acquainted with Yusuf Amir, a real estate developer in Liberty City. Luis helps Yusuf acquire several vehicles, including an experimental military grade chopper called the "Buzzard", an APC used by the NOOSE, and even a subway carriage.
Meanwhile, Tony is headed in a downward spiral due to substance abuse, supplied by his boyfriend Evan Moss. Luis, Tony and Evan head to the docks to buy two million dollars worth of diamonds from a cook coming in on a tanker called the "Platypus". During the exchange, members of the The Lost (led by Johnny Klebitz) attack and kill Evan and acquire the diamonds. Tony promises Luis that he will quit the substance abuse and introduces Luis to Mori Kibbutz, and his younger brother Brucie. Mori is highly egotistical, constantly bullies and belittles Brucie, a source of irritation to Luis who repeatedly stands up for the younger brother. Through entering Triathlons and undertaking dangerous police chases, Luis eventually managed to cancel Tony's debt to Mori. After Brucie finally retaliates and punches Mori, he later shows up at Maisonette 9 to thank Luis. Brucie leans in towards Luis after a series of compliments, strongly implying an attempt to hit on him. Luis strongly declines, and Brucie awkwardly attempts to convince Luis that he was just testing him to see if he was gay.
Tony and Luis meet Ray Bulgarin and his associate Timur at Maisonette 9, who offer Luis some work in exchange for financial help. Luis helps Bulgarin eliminate some corrupt federal agents and acquire the Liberty City Rampage hockey team. Gracie Ancelotti gets Tony back on the drugs and is later kidnapped by unknown assailants. The Ancelottis establish that Gracie has been kidnapped because of the diamonds and are pointing the blame at Tony and Luis. Tony learns that the diamonds are being exchanged at the Libertonian, and sends Luis to retrieve them. Luis ambushes the exchange (involving Niko Bellic and Johnny Klebitz) and escapes in the Buzzard, which has since been gold plated.
Bulgarin phones Luis, telling him to go to the roof of a building in midtown Algonquin. As Luis uncovers the severed head of the cook from the "Platypus", Bulgarin explains that the diamonds belong to him and accuses the cook, Luis and Tony of colluding to steal them. It emerges that Bulgarin has led Luis to an ambush on the rooftop, and he escapes alive. Gracie's father, Giovanni Ancelotti, then orders Luis and Tony to trade the diamonds with the kidnappers and get Gracie back. At the exchange, Bulgarin shows up and orders his men to attack the assailants, Packie McReary and Niko Bellic. Bulgarin flees the scene and amidst the chaos the diamonds fall into a dump truck headed the opposite direction. Luis, Tony and Gracie escape in a speedboat.
Because of being preoccupied with recent events, Tony refuses to pay his debts and the city closes down all of his clubs. Luis meets Rocco and Vince in the restrooms in Middle Park, and they explain to him that he must kill Tony, or the Ancelottis and Russians will team up and kill Tony, Luis and all of their friends and family. Luis shows up at Maisonette 9, and contemplates shooting Tony before pointing the gun at Vince and shooting him in the head. Tony warns Luis not to shoot Rocco, as he is a "made man". Rocco escapes and the Russians show up ensuing in a huge gunfight within the club. Tony blames Luis for contemplating to kill him and flees to his apartment to pack and move to the desert. Luis convinces Tony that he chose not to kill him because it is them against the world, and that they need to resolve their situation. Luis ventures to Firefly Island to ambush a Russian heroin exchange, telling Tony to hide out by the Monoglobe in Meadows Park.
In the fairground, Luis destroys the heroin and kills Timur, who mentions that Bulgarin is fleeing the city by plane within two hours. After an opportune phone conversation, Yusuf shows up in the Buzzard and eliminates the pursuing Russians while Luis drives to the airport. Luis manages to board the plane, and kills all of the henchmen onboard. A vengeful Bulgarin emerges from the cockpit holding a grenade, threatening destruction to both of them if Luis kills him. Luis takes the risk and shoots Bulgarin, who drops the grenade causing it to explode. Luis parachutes out of the burning wreckage of the plane to safety, and heads to Meadows Park where Tony is waiting.
As for the diamonds, they in the end are found by a street dweller among a heap of garbage when Luis accidentally bumps into him en-route to meeting Tony at Meadow park.
See also
External links
- The Ballad of Gay Tony Official Website
- The Ballad of Gay Tony Official Trailer #1
- The Ballad of Gay Tony on Wikipedia
Characters | Characters | Luis Lopez | Gay Tony | Ray Bulgarin | Gracie Ancelotti | Category |
Content | Features | Radio content | Safehouses | Trailers | Vehicles | Weapons |
Gameplay | Achievements/Trophies | Cheats | Missions | Nightclubs (Maisonette 9 and Hercules) | Seagulls |
Plot Related | Diamonds | Heroin | Impossible Trinity (Museum Piece, Collector's Item, and Not So Fast) |


text:
***first*** ***previous*** Girl Genius Daily Sketch ***next*** ***last*** | |||||||
Girl Genius is written by Professors Phil & Kaja Foglio of TPU, with drawings by Prof. P. Foglio. Girl Genius is a registered trademark of Studio Foglio, LLC. Agatha Heterodyne, Transylvania Polygnostic and all Girl Genius art, characters, design elements and logos & ©2000-2022 Studio Foglio, LLC., All rights reserved. Airship Entertainment™ is an imprint of Studio Foglio LLC, and publishes Girl Genius Graphic Novels on a yearly basis. Look for them in your favorite bookstore! |


text:
Shocker: US Women lose to Canada
Posted on: February 20th, 2014 by Amy BolgerMarie-Philip Poulin scored twice for the second straight Olympic gold medal game and Canada beat the United States 3-2 in overtime on Thursday for its fourth consecutive title.
Canada trailed 2-0 before Brianne Jenner and Poulin scored in the final 3:26 of regulation, and Poulin had the game-winner with a power play goal at 8:10 of overtime.
Shannon Szabados made 27 saves for Canada, which has won 20 straight in the Winter Games since the Nagano final in 1998. That was the only gold medal for the United States, which has lost in the Olympic final to Canada three times since then.
Jesse Vetter made 28 saves for the Americans. Meghan Duggan and Alex Carpenter scored for the U.S.
Switzerland beat Sweden for the bronze medal earlier Thursday.
Vetter, the loser in the Vancouver final, had a shutout until Jenner's seemingly harmless shot deflected off a defender's knee and into the net. With the goalie pulled for an extra skater, U.S. forward Kelli Stack sent the puck the length of the ice before it clanged off the post and landed harmlessly in front of the goal.
It was still a one-goal game, but not for long.
With Szabados still off, Poulin scored just 54.6 seconds before the end of regulation.
After six tense minutes of overtime, the U.S. picked up a power play when Catherine Ward was sent off for cross-checking. But five seconds later, Jocelyne Lamoureux was called for slashing for swiping at the goalie's pads after a save. And during a bad player change by the Americans, five-time Olympian Hayley Wickenheiser got free on a breakaway before she was bumped from behind by Hilary Knight and sent sprawling.
It could have been called a penalty shot. It could have been no call.
But Knight was sent to the penalty box for cross-checking. With the 4-on-3 advantage, the Canadians worked the puck around and over to Poulin, who knocked it into the open net and set off the celebration on the bench and among the Maple Leaf-waving fans.


text:
top of page
At Tudor & Co we aim to provide you with advice when your business needs it, not just when you ask for it. We help you manage every aspect of your business and because we establish a one-on-one relationship with each of our clients, our advice is tailor-made for your business. Our flexibility and adaptability ensure we help you get the best results.
Our solutions delivered for you
bottom of page


text:
Woodhaven Information and Schedule
Buy tickets for events in Woodhaven, MI at Vipticketplace.com at the best prices! VIP Ticket Place has the best event tickets, nationwide. We know fans like to sit up close to their favorite events, and VIP Ticket Place stocks event tickets for all kinds of budgets. Where can fans buy events tickets in Woodhaven, MI? Fans can buy their event tickets from VIPticketplace.com, where event tickets are always guaranteed!
There are no tickets available, please check back on our website at a later date. Thank You!
The VIP Ticket Place site is easy and safe to use, so just click away and soon you will be watching events in Woodhaven, MI from a great seat! VIP Ticket Place offers the best event ticket prices, nationwide. Whether you are in Miami, New York, or California, our nationwide event tickets selection and prices are unmatched by our competitors. So if your heart is set on watching an event in Woodhaven, MI from a great VIP seat, you have come to the right place! VIPticketplace.com, where you can find and buy the best event ticket selection online.
VIP Ticket Place has the best selection for all events nationwide! We have been in the business for over 40 years in buying and selling event tickets. Our service is guaranteed 100% or your money back. VIP Ticket Place specializes in VIP seating and sold out events. However, not all events will carry VIP tickets, please be sure to read the notes carefully when purchasing tickets. We also have great regular tickets for all events! VIP Ticket Place can accommodate any budget. Our event interactive maps shows you exactly from where you will be enjoying your event. VIP Ticket Place sells event tickets at the lowest prices, nationwide!


text:
Egypt's Morsi adds more Brothers to his cabinet
| Cairo
Egypt swore in 10 new ministers on Sunday in a Cabinet shake-up aimed at improving the government's handling of the country's ailing economy ahead of talks this week with the International Monetary Fund over a badly needed $4.8 billion loan.
The reshuffle, which President Mohammed Morsi had promised in response to public anger over Egypt's economic malaise, affected two key ministries, the interior and finance. It also solidified Islamist control of the government, putting three portfolios in the hands of members of the president's Muslim Brotherhood.
The dire state of Egypt's economy was punctuated Sunday by new central bank figures that put December's foreign currency reserves at $15.01 billion, down $26 million from a month earlier. The reserves have dropped by more than half since the uprising that ousted longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.
The central bank said last month that current reserve levels represent a "critical minimum."
Morsi met with the new ministers after their swearing-in ceremony at the presidential palace in Cairo where they discussed ways to revive tourism and attract foreign investors, a presidential official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.
Stabilization is job No. 1
Prime Minister Hesham Kandil, meanwhile, said he stressed in his first meeting with the new ministers the need for immediate action to stabilize the economy.
At the heart of those efforts lies the $4.8 billion loan that Egypt has requested from the IMF. Cairo says the funds are needed to bolster confidence in the country's economy and attract foreign investors.
Egypt asked the IMF for a delay in the talks on the loan after a wave of political turmoil erupted in December over a contentious new constitution. Mass protests and street violence tied to the constitution dealt yet another blow to major foreign currency earners, including tourism and foreign investment.
The unrest also sparked a rush on US dollars by worried residents and led to a drop in the Egyptian pound, which shed nearly four percent of its value against the dollar over the past two weeks.
No seats for opposition
The opposition, a coalition of liberal, secular-leaning, and leftist groups, was not offered any seats in the new Cabinet and has said that any government shake-up that doesn't replace Mr. Kandil falls short of what is needed.
The two most important changes affect the finance and interior ministries.
El-Morsi Hegazy, a professor of public finance at Alexandria University, takes over the Finance Ministry, replacing Mumtaz el-Said, who was appointed by the country's transitional military rulers and widely viewed as being at odds with the Brotherhood.
Mohammed Ibrahim, meanwhile, will lead the Interior Ministry, which is responsible for the police force. He previously was in charge of prisons and prior to that was director of security in the province of Assiut, which has a large Coptic Christian population and has also been home to a number of Islamic militant groups.
Mr. Ibrahim said his priorities will be to fight a rising wave of crime and restore stability to Egypt.
"We will strike with an iron fist against anyone that threatens the security of the nation and Egyptians," Ibrahim told the state news agency, pledging to clamp down on cross-border weapons smuggling. Egypt has been flush with weapons smuggled from Libya and Sudan.
Three new ministers are Brothers
Three of the new ministers are from the Brotherhood, according to the spokesman for the group's Freedom and Justice Party, Ahmed Subaie. They take over the ministries of transportation, local development, and supply and interior trade, giving the Brotherhood a total of eight Cabinet posts.
Also included in the reshuffle were the ministries of civil aviation, environment, electricity, communication, and parliamentary affairs.
Karim Ennarah, a researcher on police and security reforms at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, said the previous interior minister, Ahmed Gamal Eddin, was likely replaced because Brotherhood leaders were upset with the police's handling of attacks against the group's offices and supporters during clashes with the opposition last month over the constitution.
"It seems like it is a clash of egos. It's obviously not a reform of any kind," Mr. Ennarah said.
With the new Cabinet set, Kandil told reporters he will meet with IMF officials Monday "to reassure them about Egypt's situation and economic recovery in the coming period."
An IMF statement said the purpose of the visit is "to discuss with the authorities the most recent economic developments, their policy plans for addressing Egypt's economic and financial challenges, and possible IMF support for Egypt in facing these challenges."
Egyptian officials have said that the country's budget deficit is likely to reach 200 billion Egyptian pounds ($31.5 billion) by mid-2013.
The implementation of austerity measures, many of which are believed to be linked to conditions attached to the IMF loan, was also delayed last month due to the political situation.
Kandil's government is expected to announce tax hikes and cuts in subsidies soon. Talk of restructuring the current system is sensitive in a nation where nearly half of its 85 million people live just at or below the poverty line of $2 per person a day.
* Associated Press writer Sarah El Deeb contributed.


text:
Red Sox - 001 000 000 - 1 3 0 White Sox - 000 001 20x - 3 3 0Tim Wakefield (7-3-3-2-5, 101) did not get his 200th career win and Dustin Pedroia (0-for-4) did not extend his hitting streak to 26 games.
The Red Sox were held to only three hits and had only two runners past second base, one of whom was Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who homered in the third.
Pedroia grounded out to third in both the first and fourth innings. He grounded into a 6-4 fielder's choice in the sixth, and led off the ninth with a first-pitch fly-out to center fielder Alejandro De Aza in right-center.
After Salty's dong to start the third, Drew Sutton singled, but he was erased when Marco Scutaro grounded into a double play. Scutaro had the Sox's third hit of the night when he singled in the sixth with one out. Jacoby Ellsbury walked and was forced at second by FY. David Ortiz walked, loading the bases. Kevin Youkilis, trying to increase Boston's 1-0 lead, fell behind 0-2, worked the count back to 2-2 and took a pitch well off the outside corner for ball 3. However, plate umpire Rob Drake called it strike 3, ending the inning. Those three runners were the only men the Red Sox left on base tonight.
The pitch (the 5th of the PA) was not a strike.
The White Sox tied the game in their half of the inning on only five pitches. Juan Pierre bunted for a hit, was sacrificed to second, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly to left. In the seventh, A.J. Pierzynski broke the tie with hit a two-run homer.
After Youkilis was called out on strikes to end the sixth, the Red Sox went in order in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings.
Tim Wakefield / Gavin Floyd
Wakefield takes the hill in Chicago, hoping to become the 111th pitcher in baseball history to reach the 200-win mark. Wakefield has 185 wins for the Red Sox, and needs eight more to set a new franchise record.
Wakefield holds a number of Red Sox franchise records: innings pitched, games started, batters faced, hits allowed, walks allowed, home runs allowed, earned runs allowed, losses, wild pitches, and batters hit by pitch. Most of those are not accomplishments you would highlight on your resume, but that the downside of longevity.
Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 25 games last night with an eighth-inning home run. It was the 7th time during the streak (since June 29) Pedroia had his first hit of the game in the seventh inning or later. The streak-extending hits have come in his first plate appearance 9 times (including four of the last seven games), in his second PA 7 times, his third PA once, and his fourth PA 8 times. ... Just for fun: if Pedroia keeps his streak alive and plays in every game, he would break Joe DiMaggio's record of 56 games on August 31 (against the Yankees!).
AL East: Orioles/Yankees at 7 PM.


text:
O.J. Simpson Plans to Sell a Knife — Yeah, THAT Knife
Recent reports indicate that O.J. Simpson has the knife that he used to murder his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and Ronald Goldman in his possession, and is making plans to sell it to a collector for $5 million.
Simpson, currently in prison on kidnapping and armed-robbery charges, was acquitted of the brutal murder of both Brown and Goldman nearly 20 years ago. The murder weapon was never recovered. Sources now say that Simpson has had the knife hidden away all these years and is seeking to profit from it by unloading it on a wealthy memorabilia collector.
According to insider sources, "O.J. wants the deal to be a well-kept secret. He's looking for a strictly cash deal so that the money can be deposited in offshore accounts and can't be traced directly to him."
Although authorities were unable to recover the knife in 1994, forensics experts say the weapon is likely a German stiletto with a six-inch blade, which was theorized to have been dumped in the trash at LAX or buried in a park somewhere near his Chicago hotel. Sources say that Simpson has not given any indication where the missing blade is and will not until the money has been successfully transferred to his account.
"O.J. will not tell the wealthy collector where it is stashed until the money goes through," according to the source. "But did say he initially kept it hidden at his Rockingham Estate and then moved it to Pacific Palisades, California, where he rented a house after he was acquitted.
So, will the knife actually be sold? Is it real? Only time will tell. Perhaps this deal will come crashing down on Simpson the same way his book deal did several years ago.


text:
Home Page Chess Life Online 2014 August On the Way to Breakthrough: Sarkar on GM Norm #2
On the Way to Breakthrough: Sarkar on GM Norm #2 |
By IM Justin Sarkar | |
September 26, 2013 | |
Sometime shortly before the US Masters (held in Greensboro, NC), which was going to be my last big event for awhile, I was brainstorming CLO article ideas without needing an outstanding result to justify it with a big win. I've been wanting to write another article for CLO ever since my article on my "Golden Win" ranked as #2 in the Best of CLO 2012.
There has been a lot going on in my life lately, from little things like learning the expression "shnoppety shnop" from Nigel Short (the most significant addition to the new Webster English Dictionary), to bigger life-changing events like the shocking death of my father 4 months ago just upon turning 66. Given my lackluster results and series of tough breaks over the summer in my tournaments, the chance of having a breakthrough event too soon seemed implausible. That's precisely what happened though when I picked up my second GM norm at the US Masters.
As for the tournament itself, I think I made the most of my extremely lucky break against Shabalov in round 5 to play fairly well in the final 4 games, including my final round win over Shmelov.
Special thanks to Alex Betaneli for an inspiring/motivational phone conversation helping me get back on track after a tough second round loss, along with other people who were rooting for me (including the organizers). Also look for some of my annotations from the US Chess Masters in an upcoming Chess Life Magazine article. Here I've indentified some components to my improvement:
I attribute my success to working on myself as a person outside of the game more than chess work itself. Becoming more comfortable and relaxed around people plays a significant part. For instance I had a nice time playing pool (billiards) with a couple of fellow chess players last month (upon conclusion of the Washington International in Rockville, MD). Even though had not played pool in a long time, the key was to have fun in a fairly interactive yet "low-key" type of setting, which was a refreshing change of course from the rigors of the grueling chess competition itself. In the future, I might pack a tennis racquet, as playing non-chess games with fellow competitors is a great idea. It's also a great ice-breaker for people like me who aren't extroverted.
Leaving New York
In February, I temporarily relocated to New Mexico for a few months to stay with a couple of friends who generously gave me a chance to live more independently for a little while. Since New Mexico has little tournament chess, let alone suitably strong competitions, I realized that this endeavor might involve a true break from tournament play, possibly even going for a couple of months or more without competing in a single event.
Having been the most active titled player in the country not named Jay Bonin, this was a real change of course for me. I think many players who know me were getting curious about my extended absence and it seemed like various people from the Marshall Chess Club were asking one another "Where is Sarkar?" I was "in hiding" and felt willing to make this sacrifice of no tournament play in exchange for the potential benefits of being away.
Being away from home seemed to give me a great opportunity for self-reflection. I tried new things like weekly karaoke (giving me the opportunity to develop my singing) and even rode the Sandia Peak Tramway (the world's longest tram). I saw a couple of private students on a weekly basis. I also went from watching virtually no TV to getting acquainted with and watching almost daily episodes of the Big Bang Theory.
Giving in to the Bug
I had an interesting idea of playing the Pan Am Continental Championship in Bolivia in early May. My friends in New Mexico really liked the idea and helped arrange the practical details (including getting a yellow fever vaccination). My original intention was to take a full 3 month break from tournaments and not play ANYTHING until Bolivia. However, by trying to take such a long hiatus from tournament play I almost started going cuckoo for cocoa puffs.
By the end of March I began checking for possible April events that were practical. One of them was the Cherry Blossom Classic held in Sterling, VA (near Dulles airport, to which there was a surprisingly convenient direct flight from Albuquerque), followed by the Western Pacific Open in Los Angeles, CA the next weekend.
I finished reasonably (clear 2nd) in the Cherry Blossom event, having suffered just a tough loss in the middle to a then mid 23 hundred USCF youngster (Sean Vibbert) who had a truly phenomenal 6-0 clean sweep against strong opposition!
My next event Western Pacific Open was a notable success of clear first with 4.5/5 in a fairly strong field.
The following weekend it was off to Bolivia for me. Overall Bolivia was a memorable experience. Something about the atmosphere including the people there (regardless of occasional language barriers) made an impression on me. The food was good if eaten in modest quantities, the fruit juices were delicious, the internet signal in the hotel room was so-so, and the mosquitoes weren't too much of a nuisance! As for my result itself, I was performing pretty well (aside from a true heartbreaker round 6 against the Cuban GM who ended up placing 2nd.
I found out the shocking news about my dad near the end of the event and ended up rushing back to NY.
Fighting Depression
Let me next touch upon dealing with depression, not because it's the most stimulating topic but rather to fill a gap. Although I'm undoubtedly far from alone in this world in my struggles with it, I can tell from vast personal experience that it's one of the worst feelings ever and a problem with chemical (not character), thus a true handicap and even unfortunate source of misunderstanding at times with people.
I'm living at home but seeking to move out. I've found staying at home to be a trigger for bad feelings, so I've been taking proactive measures to try and address that. There's no substitute for actively seeking to change the situation. One must decide to change one's thinking to get out of the quagmire of bad feelings. I know too well how easy and tempting it can be for depressed people to use depression as a great 'excuse' to slow down, to 'justify' things that happen to them, and not work on themselves! I can't overemphasize the significance of consciously working on changing oneself.
When you really think about it, surprisingly often change is easy whereas it's the resistance to change that gets in one's way. Depressed or not, it's important to do what we love. And this is the key point: my depression eases when I play chess. Naturally, I am one of the most active players in the country.
Now left for attaining GM status is 45 ELO points along with a final norm in an event lasting at least 6 days. In addition to playing a few US Chess League games for my Connecticut Dreadnoughts team this season, I will probably play the Continental Class coming up next month in Arlington, VA.
Although each individual has their own unique set of challenges, hopefully parts of my story might serve as inspiration and hope, whatever your personal obstacles. I'm satisfied with performing at a high level in such a demanding mental game despite my particular difficulties (especially depression) and definitely feel like my pulling through with a GM norm was a real accomplishment, probably making the hardships and chess reversals leading up to it worthwhile. My dad would be proud.


text:
Online survey creator, build powerful online forms
Questionform is a web application for creating, publishing and analyzing online surveys and forms (learn more).
It is easy and fun, with drag and drop and a few clicks, you can build powerful online surveys in no time. Try our form editor.
Track your survey responses in real time, analyze the results, create reports and export the data to your favorite spreadsheet.
Easily integrate the survey with your web page (example) or social network. Send the survey via email and track who has responded. Check the example survey form.
Check our features, see plans & pricing. You can also create an account here.
"Thanks again for such a useful tool. It has been genuinely liberating for people in our position to be able to generate important data so easily"
Matt Jameson Evans, RemedyUK
"It's amazing how you can build powerful data collection forms in just a few minutes. I'm in love with questionform.com"
Jane Kaye, InfoResearch, Inc


text:
Many people who've joined the Occupy Wall Street movement say the months-long communal living has been the experience of a lifetime. One of the movement's hallmarks — the "people's mic" — has come to represent the movement's collective spirit.
In New York's Zuccotti Park, protesters couldn't use amplified sound, so the large crowds took to repeating what a speaker said out of necessity. But the technique moved quickly across the country, even to cities like Oakland, Calif., where protesters had some powerful microphones.
Protesters even took to describing the people's mic to newcomers by using the people's mic.
This is how it works: Someone screams "mic-check" to grab everyone's attention and get the people's mic started. The speaker will then say something, for instance, "Thank you for your patience tonight," which the crowd repeats. This goes on until the speaker is finished.
Clearly, the practice is time consuming. The technique works best repeating short, four-to-six-word phrases. The more complicated the idea, the more difficult the task.
Psychological Empowerment
Before their encampment was removed last week, Occupy L.A. protesters explained why they keep using the people's mic.
Sheila Nichols, 41, says that it embodies the movement's leaderless ethos.
"[The] people's mic forces people to be participatory, to listen, to understand that we're in it together," says Nichols, "And it's an active experience that forces people to be a part of something that's a whole."
Nichols, who spent two months camping in front of L.A.'s City Hall, says being part of Occupy changed her life.
"It's sort of an undefined, decentralized experience overall, which is what makes it an amazing and unique experience," she says.
Many Occupiers shared the sentiment. It was the process of working as a group, building consensus, and listening to every word everyone had to say that was most important to them.
For protesters like James Best, 34, these things were more important than finding a leader or one issue to champion.
"I think the most important thing about this movement thus far has been modeling direct democratic practice," Best says. "It's a very painful process, and it sometimes seems somewhat less than defending, but it's marvelous."
In addition to repeating everything the speaker says, participants also use a wide variety of hand gestures to signify their approval or disapproval of an idea. If this causes the message to degenerate and protesters to lose focus, someone stands up to "mic-check" the speaker.
But Occupiers weren't the first to use these techniques. Consensus-building and the people's mic were heard during the anti-nuclear rallies of the 1980s and later on at the anti-globalization protests in the 1990s.
The Occupy movement, however, has given the tactics wider visibility.
Longtime activist Tom Hayden says old-school forms of protest like following a charismatic leader or joining an established organization isn't the only way to participate in democracy anymore — clearly not for the Occupiers.
"There's empowerment through voting, and there's psychological empowerment — and both are very important in a democracy," Hayden says.
Mic-Checks Move On
So what happens to the people's mic as Occupiers are removed from their encampments? The people's mic moves, too.
Protesters have taken their call-and-response to disrupt public meetings and events. Newt Gingrich recently got mic-checked.
As he introduced the Gingrich Productions' film City Upon on a Hill, someone called out, "Mic-check!" A crowd repeated, and the protester then said, "We love you Newt ... thank you for standing up for corporations."
Michele Bachmann also got mic-checked, as did President Obama on a recent campaign stop in New Hampshire.
Occupiers say the people's mic is coming to a shareholder's meeting or public event near you.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
The answer to yesterday's puzzle is Trondheim.
In Hint #9, the puzzle was broken down into 3 steps:
- Figure out what the paths are. Jasmine literally provides clues to figure this out. The paths are the conversation bubbles. Jasmine clues us into this with various clues which must be taken very literally:
- "We must watch what we say"
- "The possible paths are being created as we speak"
- "Listen, and down the right paths we will be led" - although also a clue towards the conversation bubbles, I de-emphasized this line as I was afraid it would imply that the music was relevant.
- Pick the correct paths (Jasmine tells you where this info comes from). Jasmine tells the Cub that his father (the Bear) will tell him which are the correct paths. At the very end of the video, the Bear appears in the sky and speaks the words "I Will Wait" (which, incidentally, is a loose translation of the song's title, performed by, as Mr F noted, one of the PCS Series' favorite Belgian singers, Axelle Red). So the 9 letters in the Bear's words tell the Cub which of the paths - i.e., conversation bubbles - are the correct ones. They are the 9 bubbles that begin with the letters I, W, I, L, L, W, A, I and T.
- Figure out what to with the correct paths (again, listen to Jasmine). Jasmine says "After we've picked the correct paths, we must follow them to the end." Thus, the last letter in the 9 relevant bubbles must be determined, as follows:
- "Is there an end to our quest?"
- "We need to have faith."
- "I sometimes wonder if we are on the right track...should I?"
- "Listen, and down the right paths we will be led."
- "Last time I saw you was over a year ago. What if our journey takes another year? Or two? Or ten?"
- "We must watch what we say to one another."
- "After we've picked the correct paths, we must follow them to the end, and the answer will be there."
- "I don't know where in Norway to go. Bergen? Trondheim? Stavanger? Oslo?"
- "The possible paths - correct and incorrect - are being created as we speak. We just need to properly pick them."
It was an especially difficult puzzle...so extra congratulations to Mr C, Jason, and UBragg!
So that wraps up the first half of PCS Season III. Ranking and prizes to be announced soon, and next puzzle 7am, Monday, July 12!


text:
Escort mantes la jolie
Escorts by images related to escort mantes la jolie
Escort mantes la jolie
Welcome to escort mantes la jolie. Here you can find what you desire from discreet escorts to soft sex, blondes, gingers, brunettes, BDSM, girlfriend experience, and more. Within escort mantes la jolie, we have a large selection of different types of girls who are ready to pleasure you. On our website, you can sort by countries or cities, and also search for a specific term. If you didn't find what you need, you can always try another location in our sidebar. You only need to know what you're looking for sexually. Most of the girls do both incall and outcall, but also travel if needed. Most of the girls on our website are luxury escorts, who like to be treated well, meanwhile spending time with you.
Escortreal is one of the biggest escort directory in Europe with 1000's girls who would love to meet you. The girls offer a variety of different services and you most likely to find what you are searching for in escort mantes la jolie. But always remember to respect the girl you find, you and her will get a better experience, and never try to negotiate the price or be late to your appointment this will only be disrespectful to the girl. We hope you enjoy your next escort girl and will find what you need.


text:
Classified Ads Sri Lanka
Largest classified ad site. Post 100% Free Classified.
Register for a free account
Publish your ad for free
Classified Ads Sri Lanka
clockstart49's profile
Pottuvil, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
User description
The Wind Creek Bethlehem (renamed Sands Casino Bethlehem) is a highly regarded casino resort located within the Bethlehem Works area of east Pennsylvania, in the state of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in northern Pennsylvania, also in the United States. 메리트카지노 and proximity to the world famous Amish Country shopping areas of West Consherville and West Fishkill make this a great choice for both gambling enthusiasts and residents looking to enjoy a relaxing getaway while shopping at the same time. This is the perfect place for both! Sands Casino Bethlehem is fully licensed and accredited by the State of Pennsylvania and has won a number of awards for the kind of service it provides its customers.For the ultimate excitement and "what you have seen is what you have earned" feeling, consider trying your hand at all the November table games offered, from craps, roulette, blackjack, baccarat and more! Experience the thrill of live casino poker action in this historic venue featuring the best November tables in Pennsylvania. Visit during the prime hours of noontime, Monday through Friday, from noon until four in the evening. You will find that there are no other casinos like this in the entire state where you can play November for free, or for less than the cost of admission to many other venues! Sands Casino Bethlehem is also conveniently located just minutes from the best hotels, shopping malls, and attractions in West Consharma, West Fishkill, and York, Pennsylvania as well as the scenic beauty of theanticide at Amish country! Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, this is the perfect way to take advantage of this slice of southern Pennsylvania history.Enjoy yourself for free with no money down, take advantage of the special offers, and save on your travel expenses! Sands Casino's no deposit casino benefits offer guests additional incentives to play and win during their stay. With free play vouchers, free casino games, no deposit bonuses, and other exclusive benefits, Sands Casino Bethlehem is a great value! No matter what your purpose or objectives, Sands Casino offers entertainment that is unmatched in this region.


text:
May 27, 2014 | Carpet One Floor & Home
Love those summer blooms? Use them to inspire your home décor. Your favorite summer bloom could be the perfect place to start. Use nature as a guide to take your design in a whole new direction. Floral decorations add a bit of life and serenity to any space, leaving plenty of room for creativity. Whether it's a floral pillow or an elaborate accessory, your room will be refreshed and renewed.
The best thing about accessories is that they can be easily swapped out to fit the mood or the season. Floral décor is the perfect way to spruce up a space and add a pop of color. Use bright floral print in an otherwise neutral space to bring the summer sunshine inside.
Like actual flowers, floral décor comes in all different shapes and sizes. The patterns in the décor can be used to add a layer of intricacy in a design. Use the patterns in each of the accessories to tie the design together and lead the eye throughout the space.
1. Cheungs Rattan Metal Hydrangea Flower Wall Art – Available at Wayfair.com 2. IMAX Lopez Small Floral Pierced Vase – Available at Wayfair.com 3. Jamie Young Co. Jute Flower Mirror – Available at ShopCandelabra.com 4. Distinctive Designs Short Glass Vase – Available at Wayfair.com 5. Kiyoko Red Bed from Pine Cone Hill 6. Waverly Sweet Things Twill Sterling – Available at Fabric.com 7. Floral Blossom Faux Silk Curtain Panel from Curtainworks 8. Celebration I by Visual Studio – Available at Art.com 9. Hawaii Garden Floral Throw Pillow From Pillow Décor 10. Side By Side Carpet In Pineapple – Available at CarpetOne.comAccessories are the most effective and useful way to add a personal touch to your space. Choose colors, styles and patterns that make you happy and appeal to your personal taste. Using flowers in your décor is an easy way to make your home feel unique and fresh. If you have a favorite flower, incorporate it into your design! The more fun you have decorating it, the better the room will look in the end.


text:
The Fashion sites: Fashion - Collections - Lifestyle - Travel reservations - BG monuments
The Border Collie is a working and herding dog breed developed in the English-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. It was specifically bred for intelligence and obedience.
In general, Border Collies are medium-sized dogs with a moderate amount of coat... Read more
BGpets.info is a portal of Bulgarian pets - dogs, cats, birds, raptiles and other animals.


text:
All Games
PC Games
Mobile Games
Platform Games
{{curExchangeIdf}} Currency
DK Online has attracted plenty of players since Mmogo has been doing MMORPG service for many years, and we have been the very professional supplier as MMORPG products third party. You can purchase the DK Online Florins with the cheapest price, and our fast delivery wont be forgotten by you surely. Prompt delivery is the main reason which plenty of customers choose gamecfo to purchase. 24/7 Online support include online chat and email and skype, will be your simple contact ways with us. And also, for the DK Online customers, we always give you amazing gifts. Gamecfo is trying the best have everyone satisfied with our products and service. We are working harder and harder to provide you the best products and great service. Have fun in shopping on GAMECFO


text:
December 19, 2011
45 hello's:
Thanks for the post. I love that hymn. I'm struggling with this right now. I moved across the country (from temperate to tundra) to be with the man I love (we're not engaged yet and I'm getting peeved about it...which is dumb). I left a job at a university (my contract was up), and I now work at a bagel shop. My landlord is a nutjob and my apartment is kind of a disaster...hoping I can get out of the lease, but not looking good. Regardless. I'm really happy to be here, and things are going great with him and Him for that matter - those two relationships are the glue holding me together, and I'm so thankful for that. Sometimes though, I spiral into a self-pity party that's pretty hard to dig out of...
ReplyDeleteI think that in this world it is hard to always feel positive about your place in it. I sometimes feel that I have accomplished nothing even though I have been through university, worked so hard, gained a degree but at the time i was in a dark place so I never appreciated it. Last year with the help of friends and family they encouraged me to start designing again, I started a blog and in July I quit my job that made me so unhappy and since then I have worked hard and I feel so more positive about my place in this world. And the key for me has been focusing on what I have achieved rather than what I haven't...yet...like me you have a long list of things you would like to happen in your life which can make you feel under pressure (from yourself) I have been told, pick one thing, work hard and it will slowly come into view. Just do one thing at a time and eventually it will all work out...x
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing this! I have been feeling this for a while too. I am a stay at home mom, and though I am blessed to be able to stay home with my kids... sometimes I miss working with adults, sometimes I get carried away with thoughts of "once the kids are all in school" and "once I have more me time" and I forget to see all that I have, I forget to be thankful. My list of things I can do once the kids "are older" grows daily, I just have to remember that right now, their are more important things!
ReplyDeleteso needed to hear this: "But I realized that I so easily find myself getting caught up in defining my worth and value by this world and what societies' standards of success is."
I get to caught up in what other people define as success. I need to make my OWN definition that actually works with me and who I am and what I do.
Thanks so much for being honest. I hope that you feel better and holy COW... you are pretty darn amazing from this end.This blurb that I read in a magazine really helped me when I was going through what you seem to be going through now. So, I want to share in case it will help you too. (Note: This isn't my experience; just one I read in a magazine.) :)
The Small Stuff
My experience with cancer treatment last year made me realize that my most satisfying moments are often incidental: laughing with fellow guitar students, watching friends enjoy a batch of my homemade cookies, noticing golden sunset light on city buildings. The things that can be checked off a list - going on a safari, visiting a historic site - are less important. There will always be places I want to visit and things I want to learn, but in the end, it's hard to beat shared laughter, local produce, fresh flowers, and a good night's sleep. I revel in the "small stuff."
- Susie Wyshak, San Fran, CA
(Hope this helps you as much as it did me. :))i can very much relate to your state of mind. i am a creative (freak) and i sometimes have to stop myself and just sing Amazing Grace to bring myself back to what matters most. my brother just passed away from cancer this past august and the ache & confusion is so powerful some days that i just want to run away. you are very right, when it all comes down to it putting Christ first, and our health & loved ones is really what matters most. being a healthy minded person is great, but just don't become a stress-ball cuz stress is a big component of our overall health. health sites that i love... https://www.herbdoc.com (don't mind his corny photo on the homepage, he is brilliant!) and http://drbenkim.com/
xxThank you for sharing your thoughts. I think everyone, and in particular creative people go through this "crisis" where we all want our efforts to make a difference and fulfill our dreams. I know, I had my crisis a year ago. Perspective and time has made all the difference for me. I'm still working on finding the right balance in my life everyday. But each day I feel better about my efforts because I'm keeping the things that really matter most central and I know that the dreams will happen. Big hug and welcome to the club of overwhelmed creative minds.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing others thoughts on this. It's interesting, because we sang that exact hymn in church a couple of weeks ago as well! The message was on peace, but peace kind of relates to contentedness, I think. I believe that it is important to dream, but not to let those dreams define you, as you were saying. Otherwise, it's too easy to get caught up in being discontent and void of joy! I aspire to be content in my day-to-day life, so thank you for this reminder.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, my ultimate goals are similar.
My concerns and biggest ambitions are with health, too. I had to go to the ER in January and I was told I almost died, and I also had collapsed lungs during surgery. This Summer, my husband had melanoma cancer that was caught in time. We both work from home, so sitting all day is so easy. I think God isn't nudging us about health, he's almost yelling in our ear. I know we have to meet God halfway, but I really needed the scary push (and this reminder) to get moving.Loved reading this.
There is so much catty competition out there.. in the handmade business world, in the art world, in the papercrafting world, you name it. Ppl can be so mean and hurtful. I loved reading all u wrote.. and yes.. I am turning 50 next month, and hv thought on all these same things for years now. Life is too short to worry about any of this small stuff.. xo hugs loved reading this post. LOVED IT. XO- Anonymous19 December, 2011 09:30
I recently found myself in a similar situation in these past few months.
It is so easy to get wound up with "I" and "me" and our own personal dreams, goals, and plans. I got so caught up in it, though, I started putting it ahead of what was really important in my life. Oh, what a mess I had created and was so empty because of it! I finally realized that the only path to happiness is one that lies in the Lord. He knows the path that will make me happiest. Sure others will provide some amount happiness, but not as much happiness as the one in which I follow Him completely.
With this in mind, it's only human to forget all that and drift away -- but it sounds like He pulled you back in and continue to guide you forward ;)
Love. - Anonymous19 December, 2011 09:34
Great post, thanks for the reminder. I can so easily get caught up in things of this world and forget our real purpose. Perspective.
ReplyDelete I think it's real easy to get jaded when you live a creative life style because so much of what you do is on your sleeve for all to judge. But in the end the greatest creation was done by the best creator and has set the perfect example. I love how your faith and your goals are weaved together.
ReplyDelete- Anonymous19 December, 2011 10:27
I AM at my mid-life (or just slightly past it) and have to occassionally remind myself that what I'd really like is to hear at the end of time "Well done thou good and faithful servant." The tough part sometimes is being a servant. At least one with a good attitude! :)
ReplyDelete thanks for being so honest about what you have been going through. i think everyone has these kinds of moments, but for those of us living a creative lifestyle i think we are faced with a unique challenge of defining the worth of our work from time to time. we're not doing the work of a nurse or doctor, but i think we also want to make the world better (and prettier) in our own way while doing what we love. this fall i had a doozy of a 1/3rd life crisis and it was tough.
from it i took away that some times, those types of feelings mean i need to change something / re-set my goals, b/c i'm missing out on something God has for me. i changed some things up and life is oh so much better and i'm feeling really energized.
i want to recommend this book: kisses from katie by katie davis. like she says in the book she's not suggesting that we all do just what she's done, but to find out how God is leading us where we're at. i really can't recommend it enough. it's a huge huge game changer.Interesting Post.....yesterday I wrote out all my values on a piece of paper, and then prayed over them to make sure they were values placed on the right things and for the right reasons. Day by day I'm doing this and it's helping me weed out the ones that have been misguided or need refocusing :)
ReplyDeletePS: I think publishing a book would be an awesome thing...I would buy it. Yet, I couldn't help but notice that there are, as I type this, 56 people browsing your site. I've been blogging awhile, and that's like, a dream number for me (even though I love my tiny audience). You ARE published girl!
ReplyDeleteHello all....
As a college student, I am constantly told by my parents and relatives, to just get a degree-it doesn't matter what in, just get the paper. But more and more I'm realizing that right now, for me, an education would be from travel. In our society it's about a house, nice car, and new shoes. We are taught to value all of these objects more than watching a sunset or climbing a mountain. In high school that's what I wanted....to sit somewhere far away with nothing more than I needed, but every year I get more stuff and that dream becomes farther and farther out of my reach. My life, the things I own, and the THINGS I want are what make all those moments when the sun is just right and everything is quiet seem so small and insignificant, yet those moments are what I want the most.- Hannah19 December, 2011 16:37
Thanks for sharing about your faith. One of the reasons I decided to follow your blog! Thank God for continually reminding us of the important things in life. :)
ReplyDelete I love that you take the time to post about your faith and life bumps. Remember, the only true and satisfying goal in life is to glorify the Lord. If you make this your goal and let that define your actions in life, the other important things on earth will become apparent too because He will use those things to His glory. All else will fall by the wayside. Keep Him close to your heart :)
I just love posts like these. I get sort of turned off by other bloggers who shy away from posting about their faith in an effort not to alienate people. I get annoyed that it's become politically incorrect to say "Merry Christmas." Instead, we say "Happy Holidays."
That being said, a heartfelt THANK YOU (along with a hearty e-hug) goes out to you for separating yourself from the crowd and for being a bold leader for Christ!
I, too, have been struggling with this quarter-life crisis lately, as a new mother. For some reason, the term "stay-at-home-mom" bears a certain unproductive stigma for me. Even though I now know (from my own experience!), that being a mother, besides it being the greatest blessing, is THE most productive and most difficult job ever, the stigma remains. We wear so many hats, so it's hard to define exactly what we do. It's needing 45 minutes to do what takes others 15. It's constant vigilance, constant touch, constant use of your voice, constant relegation of your needs to the second tier. It's doing all this while concurrently teaching virtually everything — language, manners, safety, resourcefulness, discipline, curiosity, creativity, empathy. Everything.
I try to tell myself this to gain some perspective. I'm a musician. I work from home, writing and licensing songs to film and TV. I do this (on most days), in my pajamas while the baby naps. When the mother role overwhelms me and the artist in me starts screaming for some attention, I question my worth: what am I DOING with my life?!
The important thing to remember is that everything I am, God has ordained in me. He placed in me, the desire to write and perform music. He sees my passion and hope and He makes me good at it. He nudges me into His expectations for me. He calls me to do better. To be better. He wants me to live out my dreams. It is my responsibility to claim who I am, who He has made me to be.
So remember, Danni, your aspirations are there for a reason. It's your responsibility to claim them.
Merry Christmas and many blessings,
Jenoh danni, this was such an insightful post. a perfect one before christmas. you are right; the simple things hold such greatness. thank you for reminding me. you will conquer your dreams; bit by bit. i know you will. i have been so impressed with your ability to be genuine and yet expand this blog and shop to the masses and help us feel like we know you. keep up the good work; focus on what really matters (like Jesus!) and everything will fall into place. happy holiday-ing.
xo.- Anonymous19 December, 2011 21:28
I am currently going through the exact same thing! and I recently had the same realization. That yes it is important to have goals and dreams but sometimes in this society it is hard to see the things that really matter, like Jesus' Truth! I have to remind myself every morning that He is the truth that we all need!
ReplyDelete I have days like that too. Days where you're afraid of all the unknowns in this world or when you're dissatisfied. I'm glad you found some peace with it and I definitely relate - peace for me is usually waiting at home at the end of the day, when my husband gets there and we shut the world out.
ReplyDeleteGod of hope, when I'm feeling sad and wondering why nothing I try turns out like I'd planned, help me to commit my life to your care. Take away my worry and put faith in its place. Teach me to trust the plans you have for my life and to believe that the most important thing of all is walking with you by my side. Amen.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. I've been feeling like this a lot lately - being torn between feelings of failure for not meeting all of my personal goals, and questioning whether they should even be my goals at all. My husband and I are in a position in our lives where we need to make a few important decisions, and we're waiting on the Lord for direction. The waiting is the hardest part. I'm thankful for this time of year where we can just spend the days with our families and let go of all the little stuff.
ReplyDeleteI read a note that was in a documentary. It was from a father to his son, and it simply said this: "All is well. Christ is risen." I stitched it on a bracelet, and keep that phrase close.
When I hit a difficult time, or I just don't what's what, I remember...all is well. Christ is risen. That's the most important thing.
Thank you for the reminder and comfort in this post, and thank you for your sweet spirit and heart for Jesus.I understand this feeling very well. Actually, your post resonated with me to the core.
I've wanted pretty much the same things ... write a book ... own a shop ... blog ... inspire people. Things happen so slowly sometimes and I dream so big that it's easy to feel like it's all impossible. But, really, we've been given TODAY and we can live it for Christ right NOW. Even when we haven't made it as far as we wanted. Sometimes *because* we haven't made it as far as we wanted.
Thanks for sharing. I needed this. I've been struggling with some very personal things lately that aren't related to design, writing, crafting, or anything else in my dream inventory that I talk about in public, and it is so easy to forget that it really is well. In every way. Even when my deepest hopes don't go according to plan.- Anonymous20 December, 2011 12:08
Thanks for posting this! GREAT reminder and beautiful thoughts. God can do amazing things at the most random times. Love it.
BeautifulHelloBlog.com - Anonymous20 December, 2011 18:51
Thank you for writing and sharing this. What a great post and so good to hear. This was a really good reminder and encouragement to me of God's incredible faithfulness to us. ~ Naomi
ReplyDelete Amen. I stumbled upon your blog... you sound like me... an overachiever who wants to do EVERYTHING because God has given us the gifts and abilities to do it all! :-) As a full-time teacher, mother of two, wife, artist, seamstress, etc... list goes on, I try to please everyone. But, at the end of the day, the most important thing is my relationship with Christ. So important to stay grounded with that, all other things fall into place when your house is built upon The Rock. Blessings. Erin Masters
ReplyDeleteI love that hymn. Do you know the story behind it? The writer penned it after learning his 4 daughters had drowned in a sinking ship. (His only son had died the year before.) So much faith in the face of such terrible suffering gives me so much hope! It is good for us to regularly examine our motives and plans. It is also good to be reminded of the things that really matter, the things we don't want to lose sight of while persuing our life goals. Not that those goals are bad, just a little reality check from time to time is necessary to make sure the first things are still first! Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm having that quarter life crisis too and need to really step back sometimes and think of what's REALLY important. I just try to remind myself often that finding that amazing job is not the most important thing in life and to not get discouraged. My bf was reading a book that said to not let the things you can't control affect your happiness. I'm trying to remember that now and let silly little things go more often. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting this. I recently stopped working to stay at home and take care of my son. While I love it, I occasionally feel ashamed that I don't have a career that I'm passionate about, or that my mind and education are going to waste. You're post reiterated what I often remind myself of - that my passion and goals are focused on my family, and that's okay because myfamily is what gives me joy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. When reading post after post in my google reader about this product and this designer, it is a breath of fresh air to have a glimpse into REAL LIFE. I enjoy reading something that keeps me thinking for a while later and questioning my own thoughts and actions. Thank you again, and Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteLoved your moving post. I too am facing simillar questions in my life and what you said "But I realized that I so easily find myself getting caught up in defining my worth and value by this world and what societies' standards of success is. Whatever comes my way, whatever I do or don't accomplish - at the end of the day, it is well with my soul." is so true... At the end of the day what matters to me, whatever calms my soul is my family, my beagle and my close friends and my love and hope in God.
Once again, thank you for your post which made me stop and think.
Friends, Thank you so much for reading + supporting my blog, and for taking the time to leave me a comment. Your comment support truly means so much to me. Have a lovely day! xo, danni


text:
Muslims Resume Building on Christian Graveyard in Pakistan
SARGODHA, Pakistan (Compass Direct News) – Muslims led by a hard-line cleric on Friday resumed building on a Christian cemetery in Mandi Bhawaldin, desecrating more graves in spite of a local government order to halt construction, according to the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA).
Radical Muslim cleric Mirza Abdul Ghani had built a mosque on the Christian graveyard off New Rasool Road in Mandi Bhawaldin after allegedly occupying the land 16 years ago, when area Christians were too intimidated to object, said Salamat Zia of APMA.
"No one could object to the construction of the mosque, as it is in the constitution of Pakistan that no religious worship place could be demolished," said Zia. "Therefore all the Christians remained silent then."
The cleric's alleged desecration of more of the graveyard land around the Masjid Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat mosque began three months ago, Zia said.
"This Christian graveyard was earmarked before the Indo-Pakistan partition on Aug. 14, 1947," Zia added, "and their forefathers were buried there."
Zia, a local journalist and resident of the Muhalla Ghorra area in Mandi Bhawaldin, said it initially appeared that Ghani's workers were building an addition to the mosque, as only pillars had been erected. Now Ghani's builders have completed a basement as well as possibly some shops, with cement plaster now being applied to the new units.
On Aug. 6 Zia led a seven-member Christian delegation intending to meet with District Coordination Officer (DCO) Muhammad Amin Chaudhary, another district officer named Syed Shahbaz Hussain Naqvi and District Police Officer Dar Ali Khatak of Mandi Bhawaldin about the encroachments on the Christian graveyard and to discuss how the graves of their loved ones were being demolished and desecrated.
As DCO Chaudhary was on leave, Acting DCO Shahid Rana took their application and forwarded it to the District Officer of Revenue and Tehsil Officer of Regulations with directives to visit the site and demolish all encroachments except the Masjid Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat mosque, Zia said.
After inspecting the site, the administrative officers issued directives to stop the illegal encroachments, and for a few days the construction was halted, he said.
"But despite the stay orders of stopping construction, the Muslim men restarted construction over the Christian graves on August 27," Zia said.
Khalid Gill, chief organizer of APMA in Punjab Province, said that Muslim leaders threatened Christians who objected to the construction.
"They threatened that in case Christians protested against the resumption of construction they would also carry out a protest rally against Christians, and Muslim clerics said Christians would be responsible for the consequences," Gill said.
APMA has demanded that the government allocate land for a Christian graveyard equivalent to the area allegedly occupied by the Muslims.
Local Urdu-language dailies in Mandi Bhawaldin have publicized the alleged encroachment on the Christian graveyard.


text:
Skype 126.96.36.199 is software for calling other people on their computers or phones. Download Skype and start calling for free all over the world.The calls have excellent sound quality and are highly secure with end-to-end encryption. You don't even need to configure your firewall or router or any other networking gear.
Additionally it doesn't just work on Windows. Skype is also for Mac OS X, Linux and PDAs using Pocket PC, with a native look and feel for each platform. Talking, sending instant messages or even file transfers work between different platforms like a charm.
- Skype calling - Skype has all the features of an ordinary phone so it's even easier to manage your calls.
- Video calling - see who you are talking to at the same time as speaking to them.
- Add Skype and SkypeOut contacts - Add contacts who use Skype and those who use ordinary phones so you can call more people.
- Organising groups - group contacts under certain names and share them with your contacts so they can talk to them too.
- Basic chat and emoticons - when it's not convenient to call, chat or Instant Message (IM) your contacts.
- Group chat - for when it's easier to chat or Instant Message (IM) all your friends at once.
- Profile settings - change how you appear to the world and let people know a bit about you.
- Conference calling - talk to more than one friend at a time.
- Import contacts - search your address book to find friends and family that already have a Skype name and start calling them for free.
- View Outlook contacts - view and call your Microsoft Outlook® contacts quickly and directly from your Skype contact list.
- Quickfilter and Speed-Dial - find Skype contacts, recent chats and SkypeOut contacts quickly and easily, then enter their Skype name to call them back quickly.


text:
Voltaren is used to treat pain or inflammation caused by arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis. Voltaren is in a group of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Voltaren works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.
Use Voltaren exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
If you take Voltaren for a long period of time, your liver function may need to be checked with blood tests on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a Voltaren overdose may include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, drowsiness, black or bloody stools, coughing up blood, shallow breathing, fainting, or coma.
Store Voltaren at room temperature between 68 and 77 degrees F (20 and 25 degrees C) in a tightly closed container. Brief periods at temperatures of 59 to 86 degrees F (15 to 30 degrees C) are permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Voltaren out of the reach of children and away from pets.
Active Ingredients: diclofenac.