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In recent years, payday loans companies have made a fortune as their financial products became more popular. This was due to the recession and the lack of financial education around the world, especially in the US and UK. People who failed to plan for emergencies or simply had no savings left turned to payday cash loans; in most cases coming with a huge burden of massive interest rates. Although these products are designed for short term, some of the payday loan interest rates are over a thousand percent a year; making easy money for the companies offering them. The increasing regulation has now made companies disclose all charges and interest rates before customers sign the agreement, still there are a few things to be aware of when shopping around for cash loans.
Annual Interest Rates of Payday Loans
Most of the companies disclose their annual rates, and although they seem high, it might only mean a few extra dollars in case someone borrows a small amount for a month. However, not many people understand that these annual interest charges are also based on the income, security and the status of the company. It is better to concentrate on the cost of borrowing than the interest rate. Getting a hundred dollars for a few weeks is still not going to cost more than a couple of extra bucks in interest.
Additional Interest
There are sometimes additional interest charges added to the payday cash advance loans when the customer misses a payment or it arrives late. Apart from the late charges, this can also be a substantial amount. That is the reason why many of the critics of cash loans are calling for a regulation. People should be aware of the consequences of late payment prior to agreeing to the finance. Checking that they are able to make the payments in time is essential, and they need to be warned about the dangers.
Calculate with Monthly Payday Loan Interest Rates
Instead of looking at the annual rates of payday loans, customers should work out the monthly or daily interest. Some of the companies do disclose this information, however, others do not. It is evident that the longer the customer uses the money and the more they borrow the higher the interest charge would be. The danger of these finances is that they do not involve a credit check, and therefore are made available for high risk borrowers. The reason for the high payday loan annual rates is that they include the risk of non-payment. Many people in these groups of the society simply do not know how to work out the daily or monthly interest rates and find themselves in trouble.
Additional Charges
Apart from the payday loan interest rates, there are further costs associated with the agreements. Application fees, arrangement and transaction charges are often added to the amount of loan, which means that customers get charged interest on a higher amount. One way to avoid this would be to allow people to pay the charge in advance, but when someone needs cash urgently, it is not likely that they could spare twenty dollars to save some money on the payday loan interest rates.


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...goes a long way. Feel free to write that little diddy down, those are words to live by.
So, we are painting - again! Is anyone surprised?
This time is different. It is not a piece of furniture - no sir-ree-bob. Today it is the upstairs bathroom! All I can say is that it was due time.
Do you see what I mean?
If you take a stroll through our home {a virtual tour is available here} you will find that one of the rooms is not like the others. Hello lime green upstairs bath! And let me tell you, these pictures don't quite do it justice.
Allow me a chance to explain.
When we were selecting paint for the house, I wanted warmth without in-your-face colour. We went with a pallet of neutral greens and beige/browns. BUT, enter the lime, I equally wanted to be the cool aunt with a hip space dedicated to the kids for when they came to visit. So I found this uber cute shower curtain with different colour owls and chose a colour from that pallet to paint the bathroom walls. I'll admit, it was fun while it lasted. The kids thought it was ggggreat - the brighter the better. But since Finn came along, and spending time in there is a daily occurrence, the wall colour just had to go.
And go it shall.
From green to...green.
We had enough leftover paint from the main floor area, which also runs up the staircase and on to the landing, to do the small bath. The colour is one of my favourites because depending on the lighting and time of day it can look green, beige, light or dark grey. And for a gal who likes to change things on a regular basis, that is as good as gold. Why mess with a good thing?
It is hard to tell what it will read when it is all said and done, but I am optimistic.
What do you think? Questions? Concerns? Anxieties?
Check back soon for the finished product.
Until then, happy weekending!

subset: commoncrawl


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Last Wednesday, November 9, was the feast day of St. John Lateran Church. It is really a great experience to at least see the Basilica of the St. John in Lateran in virtual reality. Thanks to the people behind it especially the Vatican and the Villanova University in Pennsylvania, USA for the realization of such programs. Click on the picture on the left side to experience the said tour in virtual reality or click this link http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_giovanni/vr_tour/index-en.html.
Blogs commenting Fr. Jessie's post


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South Africa to Unveil Plans for High Speed Rail Network
Posted by Big Gav in high speed rail, rail transport, south africa
High Speed Rail seems to be a hot topic lately - Inhabitat reports that the South Africans are looking to jump on the bandwagon - South Africa to Unveil Plans for High Speed Rail Network.
From the US to the UK to China, countries around the world getting in on the high speed rail bandwagon. The latest country to announce plans for a network is South Africa, which is now looking into a high speed rail line that connects Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Right now a journey from Durban to Johannesburg can take up to 12 hours, but with a high speed rail line the trip would only take 3 hours. This vast improvement is what South African officials feel is necessary to improve economic development and modernize the country.
South Africa has nearly finished construction on a small high speed rail line, which is set to open in May — just in time for the 2010 World Cup. The Gautrain (a combo of Gauteng province and train) will link Johannesburg to Pretoria and the international airport and have a top speed of 100 miles per hour. Testing for the rail line is ongoing and officials have high hopes for the train's usefulness during the games this summer.


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It's now some 10 years after the release of Blair Witch Project and still the effects are being felt. Proving that you can have a mainstream hit with a reliance on imagination instead of big bucks, A-listers or over-used narrative conventions, the likes of Cloverfield and Spanish shocker Rec have carried its seminal template on into the new millennium.
Quarantine, a Hollywood remake of the well-received Rec, offers up the old found footage schtick, this time filmed by a professional TV crew on a routine night's work. Dexter's Jennifer Carpenter plays Angela Vidal, the archetypal regional news anchor, whose job for the night is to trail a fire crew, cameraman in tow.
One presume's she's expecting nothing more engaging than to watch them rescue a few cats trapped up trees. Sadly she picked the wrong night for that, instead she gets the night when they're called to a block of flats only to discover some sweet old dear with a bit of a frothy mouth thing going on and an unfortunate yen for savagely ripping the flesh from other people's throats – and passing on the rabid virus.
With Old Mother Hubbard getting a bit bitey, the fire crew, along with a few police officers, seek to get the situation under control and evacuate the building. The authorities have other ideas though, and knowing there's a deadly epidemic of some kind and fearful of contamination, lock the building down, leaving all the inhabitants quarantined. And so the fun begins.
Quarantine adheres to the old rule of the genre – the fluffier the first 10 minutes, the more ugly it's gonna get. And get ugly it does. Setting up a claustrophobic setting, heightened by the use of the one POV shakey-cam, the inhabitants are pitched against the sufferers, with obvious shades of 28 Days Later and the Romero zombie films.
Though perhaps a more fitting comparison is Resident Evil, mainly due to the whole thing playing out like the video game - with a barren survivalist premise set up offering little in the way of plot development, it offers a steady stream of carnage, delivered in short sharp shocks, with the gaps filled with people running around looking for a way out. With not even the vaguest interest in developing any characters for us to care about, and with an obvious remit of claret-dispensation, it's a hollow experience, but a tense white-knuckle one at that. Only the PS3 controller is missing.
Starkly intense and utterly visceral, it's a film that appeals to the gut rather than the head, and on that level it works, it's just incredibly flawed. Passing up the chance to tell a story it instead needs to rely on its shock value, but sadly it telegraphs virtually every key moment, while trademark tropes – like the old Man Bites Dog camera on the floor shot – are expected rather than disconcerting.
Possibly the biggest miss is the lack of any satirical depth. While Cloverfield dealt with the intrusive saturation news coverage of events like 9/11, this misses the chance to pass comment on the media's voyeuristic love of suffering, especially as it's seen from their viewpoint – any critique of the methods of news gathering would have given a vital texture and meaning to proceedings.
Like eating a ridiculously hot curry, this is about the experience of consumption, rather than the savouring of one. There's not a whole bunch of fun to be had with it, but if you don't mind being put through the wringer, you're in luck.
Rating: 12
Starring: Jennifer Carpenter
Directed by: John Erick Dowdle
Extras: Featurettes, commentary


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I love Rocky movies. Yup; I'm that guy. I enjoyed all six of them. Sure some were better than others, but I'm glad I saw them all. I'm the kind of guy who can't get enough of stories about under-dogs and people or teams that overcome the odds to come out on top. If Sylvester Stallone is still making Rocky movies when he's 80, I'll check them out. Like I said, I'm that guy.
You could say I get attached to characters and stories. I can watch the good ones over and over again. It doesn't matter if I know the outcome, I'll still watch. Movies like "Remember the Titans" get me every time. I can be channel surfing and if I stumble on this classic, I'll stop and watch it again. I'll quote my favorite lines (you're killing me Petey!) and still get choked up during certain parts of the film.
It's like that with baseball too. Come opening day, I'll be all-in with this Angels baseball team. I'll want this team to win. Not the team I imagined we would have or the team I hoped we would have. I will be all about this squad; the team that's in Tempe right now and the one that will start the season on April 5, 2010.
I won't long for a player on another team or a free agent we didn't get. Nope. Come game day, I'll be focused on the team on the field. The past will be a distant memory. So long Figgy. Bye, bye Lackey. Adios Vlady. Hello Joel, Hideki and Fernando. Welcome to the family; now let's get it on.
Following a baseball team is all about the journey. Following the Angels can be all consuming. I'll live and die with every play on the field. The joy of winning probably won't last as long as the pain of losing, but I'm counting on the winning to come much more frequently.
There will be moments when I will want to skip to the end to see how it all turns out, but given the choice, I really wouldn't want to miss a single moment. When it's the bottom of the 9th and the Angels are down a couple runs with two outs and the bases loaded, my eyes will be wide open. I won't turn away because it will be time to embrace the experience.
When James Earl Jones' character in movie "Field of Dreams" said, "they will come;" he wasn't kidding. We are ready for some baseball and opening day can't get here soon enough.
This will be my team for better or worse. If Robb Quinlan wins a job, he'll also win my support. He'll be one of us and I'll pull as hard for him as I would for Kendry Morales. If Brian Fuentes blows a save, I'll burry my head in my hands, but then I will hope he comes back the next day to do a better job. Even if some fans call for his head, I'll cheer for him to get another chance. I will want that in the worst way because I want to see a guy get up after being knocked down; dust himself off and come back for more. Remember, I love Rocky movies.
To tell you the truth the season is actually more enjoyable when a team overcomes a little adversity. Cakewalks are boring. You start to take the winning for granted and then you become too complacent. I want that eye of the Tiger. I want to be engaged in a season and have a reason to watch. I want some swagger. I want to watch the Angels look the competition in the eyes, not blink and push on.
I want to see how they handle the best shots from the competition. I want to see them playing hard and never giving up. I want tenacity and determination. I want to be inspired.
I want Brandon Wood to silence the skeptics once and for all. I want Howie Kendrick to fulfill his potential and for Torii Hunter to remind me why I love watching him play the game so much. I want to feel like I did after game 7 of the 2002 World Series.
I want memories and tears of joy. I want victory.
It's only February, but I'm feeling it. The season is drawing near; she's stretching her legs in the Arizona sun. Opening day is coming and I'm ready.
February 24, 2010
Rocky Balboa would love this team
I love Rocky movies. Yup; I'm that guy. I enjoyed all six of them. Sure some were better than others, but I'm glad I saw them all. I'm the kind of guy who can't get enough of stories about under-dogs and people or teams that overcome the odds to come out on top. If Sylvester Stallone is still making Rocky movies when he's 80, I'll check them out. Like I said, I'm that guy.
2 comments:


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The Magyars are back Fighting Jewish Nazism, Jewish Racism and Jewish Satanism
About 800 people gathered Saturday morning at "Vértanúk tere" to remember the victims of Bolshevism and Zionism. The event started with a minute silence in memory of all the victims of World War II.
Then, Reformed Church Minister Loránt Hegedűs' pre-recorded message was played (He couldn't be present due to his church superiors' prohibition); followed by the message of Rabbi Aaron Cohen who is one of the leaders of the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta. He said: anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism, and his organization supported the objectives of the demonstration.
Márton Gyöngyösi welcomed the FBI and the Mossad agents in the crowed. He said "If a parallel can be drawn between communism and Nazism, the same situation exists in the case of Zionism and Communism."
Gyöngyösi praised Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan who called the ideology of Zionism inhuman. Erdogan knows that the only way to oppose Zionism is to show strength said Gyöngyösi. That's why his people and his nation were never humiliated to the extent like members of the present Hungarian government who are in the service of Zionism.
Jobbik vice-President Levente Murányi asked the rhetorical question: How come that there was no Communist Nuremberg in 1990 after the collapse of communism? The human filth that rules the world today grew out of Communism he said.
Jobbik President Gábor Vona attacked PM Viktor Orbán for wanting to ban the legal demonstration.
The provocateur is Israel not Jobbik continued Vona and the Hungarian political "elite" is silent. He recalled that some MPs take oath with Hungary-Israel pin on their coats; the Hungarian political "elite" often joins forces, for instance during the "Together for Jerusalem" march. Vona recalled that the Israeli ambassador to Budapest instructed the Hungarian government to take back rocker János Petrás and Ferenc Szaniszló's awards.
Israeli colonizers should look for another destination country, because Hungary is not for sale. MPs with dual citizenship should quit, Israel should respect the rights of Palestinians and Hungarian Jews should apologize for the crimes of the Tanácsköztársaság (a murderous Bolshevik coup in 1919) and the crimes of the Rakosi regime said Vona.
He added that he was not interested in power, but the future of the Hungarian nation. If we have to win this election, so be it he added.
Build a flourishing nation should be a common affair, it should be based on forging an alliance with kindred nations since we are not alone. Those who think that our country can be colonized are mistaken. "We will not be anyone's minions, we will defend our country, we are the grandsons of Attila, and are not afraid of anyone!" concluded his speech Gábor Vona.
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
The anti-Zionist rally ended without police provocation
The Magyars are back Fighting Jewish Nazism, Jewish Racism and Jewish Satanism
Posted @ 08:49


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Paul Parrish
Paul Parrish is one of those singers who maybe did too few albums, didn't have enough mystique and maybe just got unlucky and has been scattered in the wind ever since. Until recently, cos they've finally put some of his early stuff out on cd, and it is GREAT. His first album The Forest Of My Mind (1968) is a gorgeous slab of soft-psych folk-rock reminiscent of Sunshine Superman-era Donovan, full of flutes, harpsichords, flower-power anthems, and period charm (you might find it a little saccharine, personally i love saccharine keep it coming) - so go buy, it's really good.
Songs came out in 1971 and is, again, a total product of its time. A mostly piano-led singer-songwriter album, everything kept simple (title included) and sparse and heartfelt, with the odd McCartneyesque bit of piano pop but mostly a bunch of introspective and lovely little ditties you can hum along to. Again, i have to stipulate that this is an album with song titles like A Poem I Wrote For Your Hair and I Once Had A Dog, all sung completely earnestly, so you might wanna use your safe word before subjecting yourself to this if you have trouble with that kinda thing. It might be a personal failing, but I can take a harsh pounding of this kind of post-60's hippie melancholy like a champ.
Nice huh. Apart from that bit where that guy chips in ('Ed Venezuela?'). I'm sure at some point at school i wrote a poem about someone's hair. It sounds like something i would do. So I just went for a walk and listened to Songs on my ultra millenium-denial discman, and (apart from all the skipping due to aforementioned shitty discman) it sounded pretty as heck in the sunshine walking around Pontcanna. I guess there's not much more to say about it than that. It's a shame so much great music gets lost over time, or falls in and out of fashion, it all seems kinda arbitrary. Here's one that deserves to be salvaged, and hopefully with its recent reissue, might well find its place in some of our hearts.


text: British model Lily Cole is the new global brand ambassador of The Body Shop, that we know, but she has also created a collection of cosmetics for the cruelty-free brand. The limited edition collection, which comes in bright pink packaging, features lip and cheek domes, shimmer cubs, a daring purple liquid eyeliner, pearl radiance primer, lip shines, and "puff on" radiance. The color palette is definitely in line with the summer season—think: bright pink and pretty coral. But most importantly, as with all THe Body Shop products, the products were not tested on animals. With that said, check out the full collection at TheBodyShop-USA.com. Prices start at $3.


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Looking for a studio/appart. to rent (Paris)
Hello, I am looking for a studio or appartment to rent, at least 30m² and ideally unfurnished as I will stay in Paris for an unlimited period. It should be in the western part of Paris (6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th, 17th arrondissement or in Levallois, Neuilly, Boulogne or Saint Cloud). The rent should not be more than around Protected content . Any help will be highly appreciated!


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Chestertown, MD, November 26, 2001 — Washington College and the Goodfellow Lecture Series present "A Curtain of Separation: The Friendship of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams," a lecture by Professor Barbara Oberg of Princeton University. The talk will be held Wednesday, November 28, 2001 at 7:30 p.m. in the College's Miller Library, Sophie Kerr Room. The public is invited to attend.
Oberg (Ph.D. University of California, Santa Barbara, 1974) is a lecturer with the rank of professor at Princeton and specializes in eighteenth-century Anglo-American history and the political and intellectual history of the American Revolution and early republic. She is the co-author of Benjamin Franklin, Jonathan Edwards and the Representation of American Culture (1993) and Federalists Reconsidered (1998), and she is the general editor of the Papers of Thomas Jefferson project at Princeton.
With the publication of the recent best-selling biographies of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, how should we look back on these compatriots? What common vision did they share and where did they differ? Has the pendulum swung too far away from Jefferson and has his reputation been undermined in light of recent research? Oberg's lecture will address these questions.
The Guy F. Goodfellow Memorial Lecture Series was established upon Goodfellow's death in 1989 to honor the memory of the history professor who had taught at Washington College for 30 years. The intent of the endowed lecture series is to bring a distinguished historian to campus each year to lecture and spend time with students in emulation of Dr. Goodfellow's vibrant teaching style.


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|Grandma Geneve Brandley Wright, blessing dress
|1956 Mom and ???
|1965 Geronimo Villareal,Frans Yorgesen, Jack Yorgesen, Verella Yorgesen, SLC
|developed 1969
|1980 and Marilyn
|1980 aug __en and Vivian James
|1980 Darlene Possey Nield, Neva Crain Boam
|1980 mrs Rock, Mrs Possey, Mrs Crain
|1980, jonas Gurard, Passey Nield, Park, Crain Boam, Jones Clements, Rock Mackay, Stanger Stewart, vine Stanger Watson
|1980__n and Marlene Stanger
|1989 Oct 30, mom and Roesmarie
|1989, Oct 30
|Logan Tabernacle and ???
|Joanne Rock


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Bihar Board's intermediate arts topper Ganesh Kumar
BSEB chairman Anand Kishor
PATNA: Bihar Board's intermediate arts stream topper Ganesh Kumar has fallen from the grace. The police arrested Ganesh on Friday night following an FIR lodged by Bihar School Examination Board that Ganesh had forged the age certificates while enrolling for 2017 intermediate examinations.
Ganesh shook the entire education system of the state, like another topper Ruby Rai, who did in 2016, when interviewed by private TV channels he failed to justify his knowledge in music, the subject he had opted in the intermediate examinations.
During the interview Ganesh even failed to differentiate between Sur and Tal, Antra and Mukhra.
BSEB) on Friday cancelled the results and started proceedings against him and the school from which he filled up the examination form.
The BSEB chairman Anand Kishor, who was in tremendous pressure, since the TV interview exposed the topper Ganesh Kumar knowledge in music, the subject in which he got 65 marks out of 70 in practical, said that the BSEB had nullified the result of Ganesh Kumar on the charges of forgery.
"Action will be taken against him for cheating the board and he will be arrested soon", he said.
He said action would also be taken against the Samastipur based school for hiding the facts.
Ganesh had scored 83 marks out of 100 in music.
In a hurriedly summoned Press conference, Kishor says the actual age of Ganesh is 42 years and he has two children.
"He has cheated the board by lowering his age to 24 in connivance with the school management", he said.
"The actual date of birth of Ganesh is November 7, 1975 and he appeared in the matric examination from a Giridih school in 1990," he said.
Kishor said Ganesh had appeared the intermediate examination in 1992 from Jhumri Telaiya school in 1992 but he could not get it through.
"Ganesh forged his age certificate and made a new one with date of birth June 2, 1993 and got himself registered in the Samastipur school in 2015 for intermediate examination of 2017", he said.
The BSEB has given a notice to Ganesh Kumar seeking his reply within three days.
"An FIR has already been lodged against Ganesh for forgery and against the school", he said.
"The BSEB swung into action when the matter came to our notice. The affiliation of the school can be cancelled it they found guilty after the probe", he said.
"The second topper, now, will be topper of the inter arts stream", Kishor said.
Neha Kumari of Madhubani with 81.2 per cenet marks replaced Ganesh for top spot in the arts stream.
Ganesh himself stated that he had opted music as a subject for garnering maximum numbers in the intermediate examination.
Ganesh went underground after the declaration of the result on May 30 but resurfaced at his school in Samstipur district on June 1 where the TV channels took his interview.
Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui


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March 26, 1935 – March 27, 2007
I am flying to Maine in the morning and will be off line for the next 5 days.
Oh Judy. My love to you and Deb.
My thoughts are with you–here in Maine. He will live in your memories!
Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear about your dad. You have my condolences.
Thinking of you and your family {hugs}
Parents are so precious. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Have a safe journey.
Heartfelt hugs and white light to all of you,


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I love this poster by Suffolk County Council, promoting a clothes swap shop for Recycle Week. And I really wish I could go, because at these events I always find something I love. It's always a great opportunity to pass unwanted items onto a better home too.
However, I can't get along because of events relating to my pledge, but if you live in Suffolk, why not see if you can pop along yourself and take some friends. It's at Sproughton Tithe Barn, Tuesday 23rd June, 6pm - 9pm.
Doors will be open between 6pm to 7pm to accept clothing and then from 7pm onwards, individuals will be welcome to swap 'til they drop! Members of the public have been asked to bring a minimum of 1 item and a maximum of 10 of clothes,shoes and jewellery. There will also be bring banks collecting end of life textiles that would normally end up in the black bin with the aim of diverting them from landfill and recycling them instead.
It really does look like fun.
Suffolk County Council is busy supporting Recycle Week's Lets Waste Less theme by focusing on recycling textiles, so there are more opportunities to recycle your clothing across the county. For more information about what's happening in Suffolk, pop over to www.suffolkrecycling.org.uk
And don't forget, there's still time to make your pledge for Recycle Week, which starts on Monday. So if you've got a spare couple of minutes - that's all it takes - hop over to Recycle Now, where you can also find if there are similar events happening in your area.
Friday, 19 June 2009
Swapping clothes for Recycle Week
Labels: Clothes Swap, Recycle Now, Recycle Week, Suffolk Recycling
3 comments:
- Shopaholic said...
oooh, this sounds right up my street...!
- 19 June 2009 at 11:25
- Strawberry Jam Anne said...
That seems like a great idea Mrs A. Perhaps it will catch on - it should appeal to a lot. I've also noticed recently that charity shops are a lot busier. A x
- 19 June 2009 at 19:00
- ALMOST MRS AVERAGE said...
Hi Shopaholic - it looks great doesn't it. It's in Babergh, so why don't you see if you can get some friends along and pop over for a visit. I bet there will be some good things to collect. I'll be envious though. :-D x
Hi Anne - there does seem to be an increasing trend with universities and work places doing this kind of thing as well. There is something really great about the spirit of Britain at the moment and I am sure the programmed Mary Queen of Charity Shops will have done loads to boost the second-hand idea. I've noticed our charity shops are doing well too, so well they are now crying out for donations. :-D x
- 20 June 2009 at 19:11


text: You thought you'd seen the last of me, didn't you? Well you were wrong. I'm lying on my belly on the soft white skull of a cloud, heavy with rain below, staring down through the mist above the rugby stadium. It's fucking cold and my damp ragged fox costume clings to my shivering skin. To … Continue reading Journal #0000000 ~ Concluding The Ballad of Willoughby Toad


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When I was little, I always ask myself what's the meaning of 'Alina'. And to answer my very own question, I forced myself on browsing through many books related to 'collection of names in Islam'. Yet to no avail. Still, I had never gave up. When I had the chance, I did some research on it, searching on the internet; my favourite search engine; Mr. Google.
Until last year, only I really did found the real meaning of my name. That moment was beyond words as I found myself in the state of over-excitement I was like smiling from ear to ear; like the big-grin-emoticon that we use to have in Yahoo Messenger. Alhamdulillah, I found it and it's true when my dad said it has meanings.
The very first piece of information I knew about my name was it is originated from either Celtic, Arabic and Greek. In arabic, alina means noble and illustrious. It also means light. If my name was spelled & pronounced A-L-E-E-N-A the meaning would change into Silk of Heaven! Subhanallah!
O Allah, I plead to You, make this servant of Yours a noble and illustrious person that spread Your Light to the entire world that she could afford of, so that she could become one of Your Silk of Heaven! Amiin!
Thank you Abah for the honor of giving me this name; I really hope I can bear the weight of this name and its responsibility. Thank you Allah! For everything You bestowed upon me; they were beyond words, even words couldnt describe what I feel inside, You are The Most Gracious, The Most Forgiving, The Most Exalted thank you, thank you so much!
Alhamdulillah alhamdulillah alhamdulillah, thank you Allah!


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We should all face up to the fact that the manufacturing of pretty much all gadgets is going to have an impact on the environment - a negative impact at that.
However, the majority of us just can't help but love a piece of high-tech gadgetry; so when Philips sent through its details of its new Econova LCD backlit television, it gives us the hope that we all might be able to have our cake and eat it.
The Philips Econovo TV is being described - by Philips - as "Europe's greenest TV".
As the blurb states: "Philips has managed to create a 42-inch LED LCD set which achieves minimal impact on the environment while making no compromise on performance, design, materials and build quality".
The Econovo TV aims to address such issues as recyclability, material usage in production and packaging, as well as use of hazardous substances. Power consumption has also been a focus.
"The set is PVC and Brominated Flame Retardants free, and moreover, is designed for easy recycling. Its packaging contains no polystyrene buffers or plastic bags, making it all 100 per cent recyclable".
The TV will also come with a solar-powered remote.
Hats off to Philips then for making the effort, although to our mind the words green and television are somewhat mutually exclusive.
The Philips 42PFL6805H Econova LED LCD TV will be launched in the UK in November with an estimated selling price of £1199.
Philips Econova TV focuses on the eco issue
We should all face up to the fact that the manufacturing of pretty much all gadgets is going to have an impact on the environment - a negative impact at that.


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My Favorite Flirts is a feature that lets you reach your favorite Flirts easily from My Account or on 1-800-TO-FLIRT.Manage My Favorites
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I got tired of all those asshats in IM and email always wanting more than I could give them and eating up my time. But when I wanna play, I rrreeeaaalllyyy wanna PLAY!
If I'm signed on, I'm ready, hot, and waiting to talk to you about your deepest fantasies, those desires you can't share with your wife or girlfriend, those kinky little thoughts that run through your brain and make me insane with lust.
I am multi-orgasmic, I love to cum and to make you cum, so whatever's on your mind, give me a call! I hope to hear from you soon!


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I love this fabric
I added the ties to draw up the skirt and finished the hem in the hotel. Here it is with just the side seam ties drawn up. There are also ties to draw it up at the side back seams.
Whole outfit as worn in Colonial Williamsburg
Visiting Philly for the members' preview at the Museum of the American Revolution and wearing different accessories:
And at Mount Vernon for Call to Arms with different accessories.
I love this gown. It's lightweight and very comfortable. Because the fabric is so lightweight, I made sure to use a medium weight linen to line it with in order to provide the necessary structure.
The next project which I had been procrastinating doing was a new shift which I'm wearing in the picture immediately above. My old shift didn't have cuffs which I prefer so I finally made one that did. I purchased some lovely cuff links from K. Walters At the Sign of the Gray Horse last year and finally can use them. I really dislike making shifts and shirts. I think it's the gussets and felled seams that bug me so I'm glad that I got that one done.
Next project was a nifty silk work bag using the instructions in the first Lady's Guide to Sewing. I used some silk taffeta I had bought to line a yellow cloak and lined it with a scrap of yellow linen. Silk ribbon trim was added to the outside in a lighter yellow. I need to order more of this ribbon for the ties as I didn't have enough. I used white China silk ribbon in the meantime. I love these bags when I don't wish to carry a basket and I carried this one around Philly when we were there (you can see it in the pic above.)
Next small project: A green market bonnet! This green ribbed silk is one of the new ribbed silks that Renaissance Fabrics is carrying. They are gorgeous! This one has yellow threads in the weft which makes it somewhat iridescent. This silk has a lot of body and is very crisp. I used the Fashions Revisited Market Bonnet pattern which was very easy to follow and the project took one afternoon. The ribs on the silk ran horizontally on the fabric so I cut the bonnet on the cross grain which ended up only using 1/2 yard! I have enough left for another project. I also had some double layer milliner's buckram in my stash so I only needed one layer of that for the brim. Finished it off with some wide white double face satin ribbon from my stash which was ruched.
Next project was decorating a new pair of American Duchess Dunmores. The shoes were on sale and since I wanted blue shoes to wear with a number of projects, I figured why not! I bought the shoe dyes from American Duchess and mixed two colors using the provided swatch to get the color I wanted then I followed the instructions for dying the shoes. The color was nice but the dyes did not dry evenly for some reason, leaving white areas along some of the seams and looking a bit splotchy. AD sent me more dyes and I did another coat which helped somewhat. After searching online, I found that a lot of people used Rit dyes successfully to dye shoes. One difference with Rit dye though is that it typically needs to be rinsed out which doesn't happen with shoes so you have to Scotchguard the shoes. The Rit dye worked great to even out the color and I sprayed the shoes with a water proofing spray created for sports gear. Since I was using fancy buckles on these shoes, I felt they needed a little more trim so I found a narrow braid at Joann's that worked well.
I haven't worn them yet but I hope to wear them with a gown made from the fabric in the background of the pics.
My last project was a utilitarian one. I needed a hussif! I have a lovely 18th century sewing box but it's too big to take with me to events and, quite frankly, I'm tired of hiding zip loc bags in my frail. I figured out how many pockets I needed and made a hussif that would be able to house all of my basics. I also made a little leather sleeve for my embroidery scissors so they wouldn't poke through the fabric and I used Pigma pens to create a linen measuring tape. I have everything I need right at hand!
All in all, it's been a productive few weeks!


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Fans got a sneak preview of Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline's new play Mother Courage And Her Children earlier this week at New York City's Delacorte Theater.
The New York Post reports around 100 people of the 1,892 in the audience left early, with one witness quoted as saying, "Meryl is brilliant, but the play itself is boring, tortuous - it needs judicious cutting. A number of people left after 20 minutes. Many didn't return after intermission and then, three hours in, during a long song by Kevin Kline, they were pouring out."
The show's publicist insists no cuts will be made to the play, "The show is what it is - a long show."
Monday, August 14, 2006
Let's bail
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Sunday, September 11, 2011
CAL :: Learn to chain, single crochet, and turn your work
53 comments :
yay great lesson as a refresher type thingReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2011 at 8:50 PM
Teacher, teacher! I have a question! haha, just kidding.ReplyDelete
I'm so exciiiiited!! I'm so exciiiiiited. I'm so... so.... scaaaaaaaaared! hehe.
My brain kind of hurts. Maybe we should have gone with potholders as our first crochet-along project...?ReplyDelete
I already know how to crochet, so maybe I'm not the best judge, but I think you have great pictures and explanations.ReplyDelete
So I have a question... Is it normal for the crocheted portion to curl up on the outside edges? I just made a little square using 10ish stitches (started out with 11, must have lost one along the way, whoops) and went up about 12 rows, and the outside edges curl in towards the middle. Will it even out once more is done? Or will it always curl?ReplyDelete
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's scared! I've been practicing for 2 weeks, but I've never made anything. I'm super excited to complete my first project! finding the last stitch in the row and turning, has been my issue, but I'm 3 rows deep and counting! horrayReplyDelete
I left the last comment, then decided to come back and compliment your skills. as a new learner Ive been looking at pictures for weeks, yours are great with the counting added. skip one chain start in the second. second row: chain one, move into the first 'V', correct? that is the picture Ive lacked, but you have it! its really helped. you also corrected my single crochet. 'loop'/connect into the chain below, then complete a single crochet. it's all coming together. thank you thank you. and you have nice moisturized fingers. =)ReplyDelete
Great lesson! Thank you :)ReplyDelete
Love the tip of wrapping the working yarn around your pinky. I think this will help tons in containing my tension. Excited to practice!ReplyDelete
Fabulous tutorial!ReplyDelete
this looks really simple, I love it! Thanks for sharing! Please teach us how to crochet a flower soon!ReplyDelete
@Melisa--yep, totally normal for it to curl! It'll get straighter as you go on.ReplyDelete
@Misti, thank you, but I think they're probably just sweaty :-)
I taught myself to crochet when I was like 12, and I hold everything and yarn over all wrong. Oh well, like you said, so long as I'm consistently wrong, it doesn't really matter. :)ReplyDelete
And who said you weren't a good teacher?ReplyDelete
Great lesson!ReplyDelete
I totally hold my hook and yarn 'wrong' when I'm crocheting. My grandmother taught me to crochet and when I was at her home recently working on a project she said, "What are you doing with your hook??? I didn't teach you that?!?!"
So funny! But, hey...I guess it's workin' just fine for me!! lol!
Still on vacation, but I wanted to let you know I tagged you today in a meme post. Looking forward to trying out crochet when I get back home.ReplyDelete
I did it! I did it! I'm so excited!!! I can't wait for the next lesson!! :) Thank you!!!ReplyDelete
I love crocheting! I always thought it was an old lady craft, but I'm finding out it's not! Hooray!ReplyDelete
OK so far so good. I can make the chain and I finally understand single crochet. I just need a lot of practice to make it smooth. Oddly, I'm trying it right handed and it seems to be going better than when I tried lefty. Who knew!ReplyDelete
This tutorial is just great!!! I don't crochet, but this seems so easy... maybe I'll try it.ReplyDelete
Ohhhh man....ok I've practiced for about an hour and I think I'm getting the hang of it! It's still a little messy but the videos you've linked to do help!ReplyDelete
Great! The pictures you put with a view from the top helped me out a lot, as well as clearly marking stitches. I have tried crocheting a few times before and was always coming out with too many or too few stitches on each row, haha. Now I can do it right!ReplyDelete
I've been meaning to comment on your new thing…finally! I love the idea! I'm going to email this to my sister because she's been dying to figure this out. I myself know how to crochet, but I'm so PAINFULLY SLOW!ReplyDelete
Anyway…love the idea.
Awesome tutorial! I may have to pick up crochet again. I made a blanket years ago... for my baby who's 30. Something happened between those last few years and I can't for the life of me figure out how I did it. But now I will try again! Thanks for the tutorial to inspire!ReplyDelete
I am really enjoying getting BACK into crochet again. However the issue I have is arthritis!!! Unfortunately finger loop around is not working for me but that's ok... I do it my way. I have started collecting hooks with bamboo handles to help out. I was wondering if there is something out there made for those of us dealing with this problem?ReplyDelete
Nanashorty--I'm so glad you're having fun re-learning crochet! It can be tough when pain gets in the way, but there are a few things that can help . . . I bought myself one of these ergonomic hook handles: http://www.amazon.com/Boye-Ergonomic-Aluminum-Crochet-Handle/dp/B004ALF72G I didn't get a chance to use it much (I bought it a few weeks before moving and haven't seen it since we've unpacked--I think it was a casualty of the moving truck), but I enjoyed it the few times I did get to use it. There are other similar items out there, too, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C1Y23W/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B004ALF72G&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=100Q6VVVWSX1D8N0QBF7 but I only have personally used the first. My husband's a chiropractor, and he always suggests not crocheting for too long without taking breaks, massaging your hands (or, better yet, having someone else massage them for you!), and icing your hands after you finish crocheting (those aren't arthritis-specific tips . . . just what he tells me to do when I complain that my hands are sore). I hope you find something that works well for you!ReplyDelete
Thanks so much for this refresher! I'm always confused about the back loop and the front loop on the V, I think because the book I used to learn crochet had ambiguous drawings, so I was never sure if I was doing it right. My projects looked ok, so I just kept right on going. It's good to get some confirmation that I haven't been completely off my rocker :-)ReplyDelete
Thank heavens I found your blog via Pinterest! I have been trying to learn (with great difficulty) from you tube vids, friends etc. ... at last instructions, and excellent clear photos, that I can understand! Thank you!ReplyDelete
Wish I had this two weeks ago before I spent $45 on a private crochet lesson. I could not, for the life of me, figure out where to start the single crochet on the chain. I read books, watched videos, nothing... then I saw your directions and they are so clear! Thanks.ReplyDelete
I'm not sure what I'm crocheting- it may end up being a scarf, or a large washcloth lol BUT the point is I'm crocheting something for the first time ever! Thank you! Between this and the videos you linked I think I got it!ReplyDelete
When I was 9, I saw my mother crocheting, and I wanted to learn. She taught me the chain stitch...and that was it! I am now 47 and learning to crochet. I appreciate the pictures and the way you have of explaining it. We decided my first project is turning out to be a casserole dish mat, no more will I have to look for a dish towel that will protect the table!ReplyDelete
Thanks you for your tutorial ! You're a way better teacher than you think.ReplyDelete
However, I have a question for you. I need to pratice single crochet and that's why I am working on this simple pattern ( http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa041799.htm#dishcl ).
I have done and redone the same rows because either the tension wasn't good, or something that is bothering me appears.
I made sure to insert my hook from front to back, but some annoying lines keep appearing on my work ( I made sure to turn my project in order to have the chain on the right ).
Is it normal ? What is my mistake there ?
I have just realised that I didn't start to insert my hook in both loops after the first row was done.. Is it the reason ?
Thanks a lot for you helpReplies
Another thing I wanted to ask you : my work is twisting a little bit, is it because of the difference of tension I put while crocheting ?Delete
P.S. : By the way, sorry for my English that is not always very good :) It isn't my mother language
Hi Caroline, it sounds like the lines are probably resulting from inserting your hook under only one loop instead of both--doing that 'pushes' the unused loop to the outside of the fabric, so you end up with a sort of striped/lined look. Just make sure that you're inserting your hook under both loops of the "V" to avoid the lines (although I know some people who crochet that way on purpose because they like the look of the lines, so don't feel like you have to change it unless you want to!).Delete
To the best of my knowledge, some twisting is unavoidable. I could be wrong, and maybe there are some tricks out there I don't know about, but I often end up with a little twisting as well, and I don't know how to avoid it. If you're working with natural fibers (cotton, wool, etc. instead of acrylic yarn), you can block the piece when you're done to take out any twists (but this doesn't work for man-made fibers). But in my experience, a bit of twisting is normal and more often than not straightens itself out by the time you reach the end of the pattern.
Good luck, I hope that helps!
Hi Rachel,Delete
Thank you for your response ! As long as it is "normal" ( for the twisting ), I will go on like this I guess.
Thanks a lot again !
This is fantastic. I have the single crochet down;)ReplyDelete
Got here a couple months later but, let me tell you after trying 3 other sites/magazines, which didn't get me doing it right...I GOT IT!!!!ReplyDelete
Thanks a billion!!!!!
I'm going to a class on amigurumi next week, and even though they told me I don't need any previous knowledge, I didn't feel so comfortable going like that...I got it all right!!!!! Thanks, thanks, thanks from Argentina!!!
Your tutorial is great! I did do some crocheting a long time ago and had forgotten even the most simple steps. Lately, I've had the urge to get started again and it's your fantastic explanations that have promoted me to grab my Mom's hook once again.ReplyDelete
I just learned to crochet--I literally learned from your posts and from youtube videos. Just finished a pair of leg-warmers and I'm now working on an ear-warmer headband. Thanks for teaching me to crochet! I also just started a blog, and I linked to you a bunch in a post with crocheting resources! You're a rad teacher! :)ReplyDelete
I FINALLY figured this out. Thank you, thank you, Thank you!!ReplyDelete
Okay I,m giving this crochet thing another shot. Your pics and instructions are so well thought out. Here,s to teaching an old (70) dog new trick. :)ReplyDelete
Thank you so much ~I have finally after all these years have learned to crochet!!!! Thank You!!!ReplyDelete
Hi there, i am a new follower of your blog and what a helpful blog it is too, i was only here a moment looking at crochet in the round and have a little circle of crochet that i continued round in a 'i know what i'm doing now type way' but it's a start and one a few of my newly formed 'Craft Share' group will learn and enjoy from so thanks for sharing :)ReplyDelete
Thank You Thank You Thank you for writing this! lol. I am a newbie crocheter and left handed. I was being really stubborn with switching to the "other" hand haha, but realize it will be benefical for future projects since most patterns are written for righties! ;P its good to read a "lefty" blog for support and inspiration to keep at it!ReplyDelete
I am really excited to try this. I had just about given up. The picture you posted was me pulling my hair out. Thank u for your time in doing this.ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for writing this out. I was wondering why each row got shorter and shorter, then wanted to hit my forehead and say duh as I read your instructions. Definitely much more clear. This beginner thanks you! :) (I was getting tired of trying to find a video that explained the actual problem I was having and listening to them blab... although they've been great for other parts of the learning process)ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for doing this series! I decided I wanted to learn to crochet about a week ago (so that I could make my own Halloween costumes) and all of your posts were lifesavers! I am a total newbie, but look what I made:ReplyDelete
Thanks again!
thank you so much , i tried it so many times before and it worked now after your amazing lesson!ReplyDelete
You explained very nice. I just started today and it came out nice.ReplyDelete
Just made it first too tight which made it so hard for the next rows.
Thank you SO MUCH! FINALLY I've mastered the single crochet!! :)ReplyDelete
I just wanted to let you know that your crochet lessons were great! Although I'm two years late, I used your blog to learn how to crochet and I am the proud new owner of a beautiful cowl! Thank you so much for the great pictures and directions. I have referred many people to your site that are also interested in crocheting!ReplyDelete
hello...im a newbie to the crochet world...always thought it was an "old folk" thing to do. but now im an "old folk" lol 65 yikes...ive started making a scarf , got about 12 rows done and its starting to take on a pyramid type shape...? dont know what im doing wrong. any ideas??ReplyDelete
I so want to learn crochet and your post for the first lesson is awesome.l I know Im 2yrs late but is there any way I can get all your other lessons so that I can learn from you please. ThanksReplyDelete


text:
Free Streaming Singh is Bling in High QualityNow you can play full Singh is Bling in top quality with duration 140 Min and was published in 2015-10-02 and MPAA rating is 6.
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- Release date of movie : 2015-10-02
- Companies of movie : Eros International, Grazing Goat Pictures Pvt Ltd,
- Countries of movie : India,
- Language of movie : हिन्दी, English, ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
- Durationof movie : 140 Min
- Average vote of movie : 6.9
- Youtube ID of movie : J6HIAfNxzQk
- Translation of movie : EN,DA,
- Actors of movie :Akshay Kumar (Raftaar Singh), Amy Jackson (Sara), Rati Agnihotri (), Lara Dutta (Emily), Kay Kay Menon (Mark), Prabhudheva (Man in Gents Urinal), Sunny Leone (Passenger at the Airport)
Movie summary of Singh is Bling :
Download full Singh is Bling in HD Format with movie summary "Singh Is Bling is an upcoming Bollywood action comedy film directed by Prabhu Deva and produced by MetroNet Multimedia (P) Ltd., under Grazing Goat Pictures.The film stars Akshay Kumar and Kriti Sanon in lead roles. It also marks the return of Akshay Kumar in a Punjabi Sardar character, after the 2008 comedy film Singh is Kinng. Expected to release on 31st July 2015, Singh is Bling is the second actor-director collaboration between Kumar and director Prabhu Deva after their successful 2012 film Rowdy Rathore." in top video format. Play full Singh is Bling in Top Quality by clicking the download link.
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text:
Quick Reference
German cardinal. He became Abp. of Munich in 1917 and was created cardinal in 1921. In his earlier years he made some important contributions to patristic studies; later he was the leader of the right-wing German Catholics and, though originally impressed by Hitler, he became an outspoken critic of the Nazis.
Subjects: Christianity.
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"Whatever I have done, I have done on earth, and I should be punished here. I do not want to be punished by God. Please punish me by hanging," - Ajmal Kasab
"You cannot pick, choose and hang. Nowhere does it happen in the world including Pakistan, There are still about 28 mercy petitions pending before Afzhal Guru's can be addressed." - Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily
Kasab may actually beg to be hanged but the 'compassionate' Indian legal and political system wouldn't just let him go down without a 'fair' trial.
Ha ha, as things seem to suggest now, Nalini, the accused No 1 in Rajiv Gandhi's assassination will very soon walk free. Here is the 'punishment' she got for conspiring the assassination.
After getting caught soon after the assassination in 1991, an elaborate investigation ensued. In January 1998 the investigation concludes and the trial court sentenced all the 26 accused, including Nalini to death. But in 1999, the Supreme Court annulled the death sentence on all but 4, including Nalini. The 4 sentenced for death filed for a mercy petition with the president and in 2000, Nalini's death sentence is commuted to life imprisonment because apparently India just couldn't afford another orphan - Nalini delivered a kid while in prison.
That's not all. Even while engaging the hypocrite Indian system, Nalini put her time to better use.
- She spent time to pass Master of Computer Applications (MCA) course and will soon be awarded the degree by IGNOU. We are told she was brilliant at it.
- She was 4 month pregnant when she landed in jail and then delivered her baby while in prison. Her daughter was brought up by her mother-in-law in Sri Lanka. The girl then grew up, sought a student visa to study in India, on the ground that there was danger to her life in Sri Lanka! Following a petition by Nalini, the very broad-minded Madras High Court, concerned for the girl's safety, directed the equally broad-minded, acquiescing Centre to grant entry permit to her daughter, on the grounds that she was an Indian just like her mother!
Someone who assassinated a former prime minister for the actions he undertook in his position as prime minister, instead of getting punished, gets a new life, complete with highest education of this land for her and her daughter. That is something she wouldn't have even got in the dungeons of LTTE areas in Sri Lanka, where she was indoctrined to carry out the most daring assassination in Indian history. Nalini Sriharan accused #1 in Rajiv Gandhi's assassination is rewarded for what she did. What next, maybe she will stand in an election and just, maybe, enter parliament!
India's 'humanitarianism' is always under test and is ever victorious. Soon after the Nalini's death sentence is commuted, there was another high-profile case.
- Afzal Guru, convicted for his role in the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001, was sentenced to death on December 18, 2002 by a trial court.
- This was confirmed by the Delhi High Court and upheld by the Supreme Court in 2004.
- The sentence was to be carried out on October 20, 2006 in the Tihar Jail here, but it was stayed after his family filed a mercy petition to the President.
Well, with the Nalini's precedent, Afzal Guru may never ever be hanged and may in fact walk free. And maybe, so will Kasab. After all tamasha we have had with Kasab's trial, even considering that he gets death sentence, he will not be hanged anytime soon, going by our honorable minister Moily's logic. Kasab will file an appeal with supreme court, If that doesn't work, he files the dreaded mercy petition with the president, while still munching the biryani (which the court would have allowed on humanitarian grounds). Then he has to wait for his turn after those 28 petitions. That would take years, and when his case finally comes up, the President may show sympathy because he would have by then, supposedly,already undergone mental torture with the death sentence hanging over him. Death sentence would be commuted and maybe after 14 years in prison, he will be out, on humanitarian grounds. Its a pity those 170 odd who died and the 300 plus who were injured in Mumbai attacks aren't considered Humane enough.
All the outrage felt when Rajiv was assassinated fizzled out so much so that Nalini's release is now a non-issue after 18 years of dithering. The same could happen with the Parliament and Mumbai attacks cases. If not Mumbai attacks, what else could wake up this system from this hypocrisy and laziness?


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This is for the parent who is not entirely sure what they are doing here.
By here... I mean, homeschooling, on this page, or in general.
I wanted to share my last month experience with you. So, my 12 year old decided that he wanted to try public school (again). This was mainly because we lived in a small town. We gave it a go and it took less than two weeks before we considered that experience a flop. Now, he is back home and we are all happy again. I have thought about his brief two week stint and have come to the following conclusions...
1) Public school is great... for other people's kids. I have taught my son what he knows in part and the rest he has decided to learn and explore on his own. Honestly... deep somewhere inside I worried that he may be behind. I mean, who wouldn't worry about this when they don't teach to the public curriculum. That being said... he wasn't. He was pretty right on... amazingly... since we don't teach to the curriculum.
2) Kids ultimately will find a way to do what they want. The trick is allowing them the opportunity to choose wisely and the foundation to make good choices. Ask me again what I think about this when my son's puberty hormones kick in!
3) No one is going to like what you do but it doesn't really matter. You make choice for your family and whether you run it with a tightly scheduled fist or whether you are a exploratory homeschooling experience... not everyone is going to approve. It's hard to fight back glares and questions and not worry about what you are doing and not allow the creeping darkness of worry to sink in. Almost every parent that is a home educator that I have EVER talked to has expressed this concern. I have come to realize that it is normal.
4) You can't convince people and you shouldn't try. It is one thing to answer polite questions but it is quite another to feel like you have to put on emotional Kevlar before you head out to a family function or sporting event waiting for that one sibling, parent, "friend", or well-meaning stranger to assault you. You don't owe any explanations to them and the sooner you realize it, the better off you will be. There are always going to be socialization questions and people that think that they know better but until they take over your role as parent you are the one in control and who can set boundaries that make sense for your family.
In the end, there is no one that can tell you what you have to do.... Well, other than the legistators of your state and perhaps your spouse.... but other than them... it's up to you and your family. You're doing great. Remember that.


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Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
sleeping. or not.
|aregash's first night home
we are in the midst of a power struggle right now.
and she has chosen sleep to try to control.
things are off-kilter and this is what she does.
it doesn't matter how tired she is.....
she won't do it.
i lay her down for a nap and 2-3 hours later i return to find her
with black, baggy bags under her eyes.
we've been through this before.
eventually she will wear down.
or will i?
|soon after returning home-in dreamland
when she's on she's on
and she will sleep 12 hours through the night
and take a 2-4 hour nap.
she's a good sleeper.
i can't remember how long this lasted the last time.
i'm tired for her.
just sleep.
just do it.


text:
The Unites States has become a nation of religious zealots, who at the drop of a hat (or the passing of same) will wax unending upon the virtues and "truth" of the Holy Bible ...that is, insofar as their own personal foibles are not brought to light.
Indeed, one of their "truths" is to not lay with the same sex....
(dare I ask with whom would a hermaphrodite lay with?)
and that at one time, when caught, these "sinners against God" were dragged out into the street and stoned to death, along with other such dastardly people as those who masturbated, had wet dreams, or committed adultery. That this barbaric event doesn't exist anywhere except Iran, Malaysia, Afghanistan and a few other backwards countries only allows the modern scribes and pharisees point out how much more civilized and cultured we have become by not randomly murdering people for their personal choices anymore. Now we only curtail their rights, their lives, and deny them any semblance of equality...all based on a fantasy book known as the Holy Bible.
However, when considering that working on a Sunday is also a death sentence is usually forgotten when the firemen are putting out the fire in your house, or the paramedics are reviving your family from a heart attack, or the policemen are arresting some burglar stealing your teevee. Oh...your teevee, I forgot. At least three chapters of the bible call for your death if you worship an idol. How do you determine if you "worship the teevee as an idol"? Have you ever told anyone to shut up when it's on? If you lose the remote, do you find yourself bowing in front of it to adjust buttons? Is it the CENTER of your entertainment area? Then it is your idol.
Being a medium or spiritualist (or at least pretending to be) or pretending to prophesy, whether for money, or entertainment, or just in plain fun, are all punishable by death.
Striking your parents or even cursing them, or being a stubborn and rebellious son. Or being a profligate and a drunkard...get the stones out, mama, we're going to go kill someone tonight!
But don't stop there, folks, because being uncircumcised, eating leavened bread during the Feast of the Unleavened Breads, manufacturing anointing oil, or sexual activity with a woman who is menstruating, eating peace offerings while ritually unclean, or going to the temple or church in an unclean state. Yes, there seems to be no end to how a person may be judiciously declared a transgressor and murdered in the street, either by stoning, or in some cases murdered by fire.
All in the name of a Holy God, the Creator of All Life on Earth.
It just makes the mind reel, doesn't it? I mean when considering Creation....
That a group of goat herders getting drunk on the plains over 3500 years ago knew more than learned professional astronomers know now after years of study and scientific journaling.
Oh...and we'll need those scientists to show up for their stoning sometime this week,... say Wednesday or Thursday? We have some special stonings early this week to punish people who were attempting to convert people to other religions via teevee....
Brought to you by the makers of modern day religious fervor, and their sponsors,
Genesis 9:6, 17:14
Leviticus 7:20, 17:1-20, 18:22, 19:5-8, 20:1-30 21:9, 24:14-23
Deuteronomy 13:1-15, 17:2-13, 18:20, 19:15-21, 20:12-14, 21:18-21, 22:20-27 , 22:25
Exodus 12:15, 21:12, 15-17, 29, 22:18 30:33, 31:14
Numbers 1:51, 15:32-36, 19:13, 35:16-21


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Posts Tagged oil
Julius Csurgo : Stocks in Motion
Posted by mergerlaw in Uncategorized on July 10, 2016
Stocks In Motion
Petro River Oil Corp. (OTCBB: PTRC) is an independent energy company taking advantage of the downturn in oil prices to enter lucrative projects with industry-leading partners by focusing on the exploration and development of conventional oil and gas assets.
PTRC recently completed a corporate reorganization, which included new management, the acquisition of several promising new assets, and an infusion of cash. PTRC reduces risk and provides cross-functional exposure to risk adjusted opportunities by diversifying over a number of projects, each with low initial capital expenditures and strong risk reward characteristics. Additionally, PTRC has a management team and Board of Directors with more industry experience than any other small-cap oil company we have seen. PTRC announced on April 12, 2016 it had applied for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market. Read more about Petro River Oil Corp. (PTRC) in our Special Report.


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The alarm clock, albeit a Zen gong, started ringing at seven. Ugh. I don't like to wake up before eight. But I had to be at the winery by nine, so there you go. I dragged my sleepy bum out of my cozy bed and sauntered down the stairs for a bowl of Leapin Lemurs cereal. What can I say, the sweet yumminess of gluten-free chocolate-peanut butter cereal clears away the early morning blues.I hurried along, feeding the cats, cleaning the litterbox, and getting myself ready for work. I spent most of the day at the winery while a producer was filming segments for a video. I kept the time to keep things moving along. The last quarter of my day was at my desk busily working through a long line of emails.
When I got home, I changed and went to the gym. On my way, I stopped by my mailbox and opened up a letter from my uncle in Florida. In it was a fantastic photo taken of my parents from the late 60's or early 70's. My mom has this huge black chignon or beehive, a little red velvet dress, looking wiped out a la Amy Winehouse style, and she's sitting on a funky sofa (with colonial images like George Washington on a horse!) next to my dad who looks handsome in a black suit, only his eyes are totally closed. He's either very, very bored and tuning out his surrounds, or he's passed out! On the coffee table in front of them are two empty cocktail glasses. I couldn't stop laughing.
My uncle is hilarious! He included a funny note with the photo. I'm going to have to frame this photo! While it's funny to see my parents in this era, and questionably sober, it's also just cool to see them in a moment that's so honest and real – not perfectly prim, proper and posed. I don't have any other photo of my parents like this, at all. I do believe it's now my favorite.
It's also quite remarkable how much I look like my mom. Aside from the black hair. When I learned that the photo was taken in 1971, it dawned on me that I am four years older than my mom was when that photo was taken. She had an adopted three year old little boy (which explains why they look so spent!) and, they didn't know it at the time, but their soon-to-be adopted little girl was about to be born. I wasn't even a thought in the universe for another three years.
I called my mom and learned that she has to now give herself insulin shots. Her voice was hesitant as she mentioned this. I remembered practicing giving oranges insulin shots when my diabetic grandmother was still alive. I knew this day was coming. Her pills never seemed to control her irratic blood sugar. I have worried about this, which is so fitting. My mother spends many waking hours worrying about her children. It's quite the role reversal, but, I have worried about her diabetes for awhile. But, part of me was a little relieved. I figured the insulin shots might actually make her feel better. This, I decided, was a good thing.
I made a thick and very cheesy two egg omelet stuffed with crab for dinner. I had a very leafy green salad for lunch. So, I was craving protein. I had two organic sausage links with my omelet. I then fixed a cup of Yogi India Spice tea, which is so darn good, with one third of a Dagoba dark chocolate bar. I also ate two Ener-G brand gluten-free donut holes. My sweet tooth was calling.
Alas, I noticed a few ants around my kitchen sink. I was pissed. I spent days cleaning up the kitchen to get rid of the buggers. I kept mumbling under my breath, not again.
I flipped through the latest New Renaissance book shop catalog and dog-eared pages to listings on a couple events I'm interested in attending this fall, including Images & Inspiration from Tibet – a talk and slide show on Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, a tradition providing many pathways to enlightened being, which is scheduled for Friday, November 7th. Another talk that I marked was Spiritual Discourse with Anam Thubten Rinpoche, a heart-to-heart dharma dialogue and exploration of the truth that is always available to us. This class is scheduled for Thursday, November 13th.
Meantime, I am exploring other spiritual options. This isn't really to replace my Catholic faith, but to keep my heart, mind and spirit refreshed and fulfilled. I miss going to Mass and feel a void in my life, but I'm taking my own stand. So, because I enjoy the philosophy and spiritual teachings of other faiths, anyway, I have been seeking out other ways to experience spirituality. I had been on hold, spiritually, for awhile now, checked out, even. Perhaps these Tibetan talks will feed my spiritual needs until the Catholic Church decides to be more inclusive to all, including those with celiac disease.


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Americans' confidence in their ability to access and pay for health care improved in May, according to a consumer sentiment index produced by Thomson Reuters.
Respondents surveyed for the index reported an improved outlook when asked if they had experienced a reduction in or loss of insurance coverage in the past three months. Overall, the Thomson Reuters Consumer Healthcare Sentiment Index rose three points from 95 in April to 98 in May, a statistically significant increase.
"This recovery in confidence is encouraging when compared with last month's numbers, but the month-to-month variability in sentiment could be an indication of underlying uncertainty among health care consumers," said Gary Pickens, chief research officer at the Thomson Reuters Center for Health care Analytics.
The index, which is based on the Thomson Reuters PULSE™ Healthcare Survey is updated monthly.
The Thomson Reuters PULSE Healthcare Survey collects information about health care behaviors, attitudes and utilization from more than 100,000 U.S. households annually. It is representative of all United States adults and households. The Consumer Healthcare Sentiment Index is based on responses from a survey subset of 3,000 respondents each month. Its baseline measurement of 100 was set in December 2009.


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Apparently the Habs beat the Leafs 3-2 in overtime. I say 'apparently' because I only caught the first period live due to family/holiday obligations (I use the term "obligations" precisely - if you, too, have had more shots over the past several days than the Habs opponents' just to get through meals with family you schlepped across continents to escape, you know what I'm talking about).
You know what? I think I've see this game before, so here is your game summary:
- Canadiens score early and then hold on for dear life.
- SuperPleks is a god - or is at least playing like a bona fide first line centre.
- Gomez is looking much better.
- Big Tits is on a role; Saggy Tits, not so much.
- It's good (no, GREAT) to have Markov back.
- The Energized Bunny has nothing on Jaro.
- It's fucking sweet to beat the Leafs, no matter how ugly or undeserving.
- Suck it Dou$charek. Third star, my ass, you pylon.
Besides the gratuitous Leaf bashing, sounds like any one of the past 3 road games.
If the definition of a 'system' in sports is that a team plays the same way every game, the Jacques Martin Era has officially begun in Montreal. JM's version of The System is apparently to get outshot by a ton but deposit more of our shots in the back of their net.
Maybe it's the mix of copious amounts of tryptophan and Captain Morgan's still circulating through my pulmonary system, but I can't figure out if I'm happy or not about this. On one hand, a win is a win. On the other, getting outshot 50-10 every game doesn't sound like a Stanley Cup-winning formula.
I could talk about not letting an inferior opponent back into the game. I could write about taking bad penalties. I could discuss relying too much on your goaltender. There are any number of cynical and/or negative observations I could add about this game.
You know what else? Fuck it. I'm just going to enjoy a win over the stupid fucking Toronna Maple Laffs on HNIC. Go Habs Go. Leafs suck. Plan the Parade along the usual route. Yadda yadda. I'm too worn out and beaten down by the "holidays" to be negative or cynical.
Just don' t think you're off the hook, Canadiens. Because when I do have the energy to care about anything other than when the holidays (and family visits) are over, you're in trouble.
Unless, of course, they keep winning. Then we'll talk about the System working.


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The Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville Chapter is sponsoring Spring Improvement Projects at The Mount Pisgah Campground on Saturday, April 21st and/or Saturday, April 28th.
Lunch for all volunteers will be provided by Chick-fil-A!
The goal for the project is to get the campground ready for visitors this season by cleaning up debris, leveling any erosion on campsites, and installing bear proof lockers. Opening day for the campground is May 15th, 2012.
The Mt. Pisgah Campground is located at mile post 408 on the Blue Ridge Parkway - across from the Pisgah Inn.
If interested, or would like more details, please visit the Friends website AVLfriendsBRP.com. You can confirm plans by phone or email to Hugh W. Stephens, Asheville Chapter Chair at (828) 274-9048 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Update: 7/28 The Human Rights Campaign has just confirmed via their Back Story blog that Nike has pulled their latest controversial ad campaign. The move came after criticism surfaced on various GLBT and sports blogs according to HRC.
Images from the new Nike ad campaign have surfaced online and the reviews are definitely mixed. Most of the shots show two men in an aggressive game of basketball with one player's face buried in the crotch of his opponent with the subtitles" That Ain't Right", " Punks Jump Up", "Isn't That Cute", and "Now You Know".
I'm not entirely convinced that Nike set out to create homophobic advertising to promote their products, after all this is a game where men are constantly walking around the court slapping each other on the ass. But for those people who tend to over analyze everything(I'm guilty) these ads will definitely have a double meaning.
Is the campaign completely harmless or completely homophobic? I guess it depends on who you're talking to. What do you think?


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Play Nice by Gemma Halliday was an entertaining action-filled tale that follows a former assassin who fled the upheavals in her country and sought refuge in a commonplace life in San Francisco. Unfortunately, her past associations are not ready to release her from service, no matter how much time has elapsed. The former hunter becomes the hunted but complications abound when it turns out there are two different factions seeking to destroy her and the 'enemy of my enemy is temporarily my friend' rule snaps into effect. An intriguing tale filled with action and adventure that hopefully is the beginning of a series. There are a few inconsistencies for me (like having bullets in a magazine clip vs. chambered in the gun and that "Jack Bauer" recuperative power displayed by the hero) but it was still a very entertaining read. My Goodreads review is at this link.
Thank you to the author/publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.


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The Oscar-nominated actress sets the record straight on her weight.
Yesterday morning, Oscar nominated actress Octavia Spencer took to Facebook to set the record straight regarding the buzz about her weight.
In a very direct message, Spencer says she was misrepresented with headlines quoting her as unhealthy. "So, I decided to tell you in my own damn words the truth," she wrote.
PHOTOS: Live from the Screen Actors Guild Awards
She immediately started off by debunking rumors that she's worried about her weight. In fact, she only has plans to lose 20 pounds max. "I am however being proactive in being the healthiest I can be" she writes. "And before you ask, no, awards season is not the reason. I've been doing this for the past 10 years because it took that long to gain the weight!"
The Black Women in Hollywood Honoree also dug into the media for what she calls its unfair standard of beauty. "Right now, in this salacious age of the internet coupled with the 'beauty and fashion' industries respectively only promoting a 'certain' kind of pretty, we've seen a dramatic increase in bullying, eating disorders and body dysmorphia among male and female teens," she laments. "This is no joking matter."
PHOTOS: Live from the 2012 Golden Globes
Spencer adds that refuses to conform to an "unrealistic model of beauty."
Before ending the nearly 500 word post, she offers some words of encouragement to those facing similar scrutiny. "Be happy in your own skin," she says. "If you are unhealthy start by making small changes to become healthier. You are unique, beautiful, and worthy. Last but certainly not least, don't buy into any of it."


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This is a classic fractal drawn with a recursion algorithm and Turtle graphics. The Sierpinski Triangle's sides are bisected and the triangle they form is removed. The procedure is then applied to the 3 remaining triangles, and to them recursively or until the Universe ends.
Note that the use of recursion allows the code to reflect the structure of the picture to be drawn. Let S be the initial triangle (which is invisible at first). When we enter the function S, we reset the scale by one half, because the internal triangles (that will be created next) have half the perimeter of the original one. Then we create the bottom left triangle with S(l,x,y), then the bottom right, then the top one. Then we do that to each of those triangles too – bottom left, bottom right, top – until they're small enough, at which point we actually draw the individual triangles and fill them in with black.
I'd like to tell you that I wrote this amazingly simple program in a few minutes. It took me a couple of hours! Simplicity is hard work.
# Sierpinski Triangle # Authour: Alan Richmond, Python3.codes from turtle import * size=800 min=64 pf=0.8660254 # Pythagoras factor: sqrt(3)/2 def S(l,x,y): if l>min: # Not done yet? l=l/2 # scale down by 2 S(l,x,y) # bottom left triangle S(l,x+l,y) # bottom right triangle S(l,x+l/2,y+l*pf) # top triangle else: # Done recursing goto(x,y); pendown() # start at (x,y) begin_fill() # prepare to fill triangle forward(l); left(120) # triangle base forward(l); left(120) # triangle right forward(l) # triangle left end_fill() setheading(0) # face East penup(); goto(x,y) # finish at (x,y) penup() speed('fastest') S(size,-size/2,-size*pf/2.0) done()
The Sierpinski triangle (also with the original orthography SierpiÅski), also called the Sierpinski gasket or the Sierpinski Sieve, is a fractal and attractive fixed set with the overall shape of an equilateral triangle, subdivided recursively into smaller equilateral triangles. Originally constructed as a curve, this is one of the basic examples of self-similar sets, i.e., it is a mathematically generated pattern that is reproducible at any magnification or reduction. It is named after the Polish mathematician WacÅaw SierpiÅski, but appeared as a decorative pattern many centuries prior to the work of SierpiÅski.


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Wall Street Journal Publishes Call? Raise? Bluff? A Feature on the Poker Staking BusinessApril 21st, 2014
I have to admit to being a bit taken aback to read a feature on the poker staking business in the venerable Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal is the arbiter of what is fit to print when it comes to business and the subject of money. In this regard, as a newspaper published daily in both hard copy and on-line forms, the Wall Street Journal trumps the New York Times, the Evening Standard and everybody else. That's my opinion, and though it may not be shared by everyone, it doesn't really matter.You see, since forming Bear Hug Poker with my partner David Pomroy in September of last year, I have been under the misimpression that virtually no one had any idea of what we do, or really cared, outside the boundaries of our industry. Well, apparently I was wrong.That the Wall Street Journal would publish a feature on our little corner of the world, means that because the editors of the Wall Street Journal care, others will too. I think that's about all I'm going to say on the subject at this point and just allow you to read the feature below which I have copied in exactly the form (save for some graphics) that it appeared in the March 28 edition of WSJ.Money, as written by Alexandra Berzon.While the red meat in this article is clearly the millions of dollars passing between player in the form of staking, action-sharing and prop bets at the World Series of poker each summer in Las Vegas, there is a surprising amount of column space given to exactly what we do – staking on-line players.Form your own opinions on what this level attention means to our business and feel free to Tweet us if you have anything to add. Personally, this is going to take some time to sink in. I'm guessing my developing thoughts on the subject will be fodder for a future blog on BearHug.com.
The Hidden Game Behind Professional Poker
How the poker pros bet millions on their own card hands—and each other
March 28, 2014 11:02 a.m. ET
DANIEL NEGREANU IS one of the most successful poker players in the world, the winner of six World Series of Poker championships who has racked up more than $19 million from live tournament pots. So sharp is his bluffing that he once went on a TV science show to try to fool a lie detector—and, ultimately, he succeeded.
But until recently, the 39-year-old star put some serious resources into a strategy that most fans know little about. He hedged his bets, by investing in other poker players. Two years ago, he says, he invested about $2 million in 10 players at the World Series of Poker, and at times he has played against some of those he has backed in tournaments. "I play against them as hard as I play against someone I don't even know," he says.
To most observers, professional poker is a straightforward game of winners and losers, with almost $200 million in prize money dished out at more than 60 World Series of Poker events last year alone. With cameras that reveal each player's cards, devoted fans can see how every hand is played and the strategy behind each bet. But there's one thing they can't see: the financial dealing among the players.
Whether it's played face-to-face among steely-eyed pros, or online where each person may be participating in many games at once, professional poker has developed its own economy. That economy is based on players not only betting with their own money but also getting "staked," or financially backed by former and current players. Many players also agree to invest in each other and swap a small part of their earnings.
Such deal-making isn't new to the game, but veteran players and analysts agree that the amount of money—and level of sophistication—involved in the arrangements has risen considerably since the World Series of Poker championship began in 1970. According to players, agents and other experts in poker interviewed by WSJ.Money, at least half of the estimated 6,600 contestants in this summer's Main Event championship in Las Vegas, the game's biggest annual competition, are likely to receive financial support from past and current players, family members and other poker investors. The event last year collected $64 million in entry fees, which means the backing could've been in the vicinity of $30 million.
All of which is a lot of money getting shuffled around under a system rarely discussed on TV, but that consultants and players say has become an accepted fact of the game. As the largest ruling body over the game, the World Series of Poker says it has no rules against the practice, other than not allowing players to play "soft" against one another. "It's not something really discussed or disclosed," says Chris Grove, a longtime poker-industry consultant who thinks the deal-making should be formally revealed at events. "It introduces a new dynamic into the game."
SHANE SIGSBEE DESCRIBES it as "dumb luck." About five years ago, when he was in his early 20s, serving as a new trader at a trading firm in Chicago, he decided to sign up for a local poker tournament. Up until then, the former college golfer and finance major at Notre Dame had spent only a few years playing poker seriously. He'd picked it up during bus trips with his golf teammates. But he was doing so well online that he started making more than at his full-time job. At the live Chicago tournament, he won $206,000. "It was the right place at the right time," he says.
That helped prompt him and his wife, after he was laid off from his job, to give up their home and go on an extended road trip. He would play poker online and at local casinos while she did work for online magazines. They rented a ski chalet in Breckenridge, Colo., for six weeks. "I basically played poker at night and skied during the day," says Sigsbee, 28. They hit Fort Lauderdale, Fla., then Hermosa Beach in California, Fiji then New Zealand. "We ended up in Australia," he says. There, he decided to try investing in other players, including some of them in a six-week-long series of events that make up the World Series of Poker. That was 2011, and Sigsbee managed to cobble together $1 million from various investors—players and others involved in the game—to back 35 players participating in hundreds of events.
Done sometimes with written contracts but often with a simple handshake, staking usually involves paying the entry fee known as the buy-in to tournaments over the course of a year, in exchange for 50 percent to 70 percent of the player's earnings. If the player loses, he typically pays back the investor with all of his future winnings until the slate is clean. Some of the better pros interested in playing major events with a large buy-in will sell "action" to investors, who each put up a part of the buy-in in exchange for a one-time part of the winnings. Some pros will also simply swap action, agreeing to pay each other 1 percent to 5 percent, or more, of their winnings. "Everyone understands it's such a big part of poker," says Brian Balsbaugh, a poker agent who represents 30 of the top players in the world. Of those, he estimates, 60 percent do swaps, 20 percent stake players, and 25 percent receive stakes themselves.
"I've been doing it almost since I started playing," says Faraz Jaka, a well-known, high-stakes player who started playing the game seriously a half-dozen years ago and now travels the world playing poker, living out of a suitcase. Interviewed while on a visit to Chicago, he says he does staking and swapping because it "lowers your variance." While other colleagues will stake 20 to 50 players, he says, he prefers to stick to a small group of two to five players, and has a partner who handles the tracking of their results and financial arrangements. For him, it is a global operation, with investments in players in Poland, Costa Rica, Thailand and Ukraine, as well as a form of mentoring, since he likes to take the players under his wing and teach them strategy.
To a person, the players say they can do all this without it affecting their play. "It's one of those things that has the potential to be a conflict of interest but in reality isn't," says Balsbaugh, the agent. With swaps, the percentages are considered too small to affect performance, he says, while even with the larger stakes, a player would have a hard time, amid a table of players, deliberately playing easy against someone they were backing. "There are rules against [playing soft]," he says. "The other players at the table would say something."
Still, sports economist Andy Schwarz, a partner at OSKR consulting in Emeryville, Calif., says that at least in theory, the system of betting on each other and being staked would matter. "If you ask any economist whether identical players with identical cards would act the same if they own a piece of someone else or 0 percent, you'd get every economist to say they would act differently," Schwarz says. People may also play differently—likely more aggressively—if they aren't playing with their own money, he says.
"For poker authorities, "staking" practices are well-known but not acted on."
Players do say that staking can play a role in determining the field of competition at any one event, since it makes it easier for players with a string of bad luck to keep playing. And it does cause awkward moments: Jaka recalls how he and a player he backed in 2012 came into the next to last day of a six-day tournament in the Caribbean in first and second place, respectively. At one point, he says, they were seated at the same table for the first time in the tournament. As Jaka puts it, the two competed hard against each other—"it was pedal to the metal"—but he says that ignoring the dealings takes discipline. In the end, he says, he placed third, winning more than $700,000, while his opponent-partner placed further down the rankings.
FOR THE AUTHORITIES that run, organize and televise poker, staking and swapping are practices well-known but not acted on. "It has been on the radar," says A.G. Burnett, chairman of the Nevada State Gaming Board, but "we don't have a regulation that governs it." Neither does the World Series of Poker, which is owned by Caesars Entertainment and says it monitors all games closely but doesn't get involved in any player financial arrangements. "We don't want to be in the middle of those kinds of issues," says Seth Palansky, a spokesman, who offers a detailed explanation on how WSOP maintains the sport's integrity. Each event has many cameras fixed on the table, recording moves, as well as a large audience seeing cards as they are dealt. "The cards are going to give you the answers," he says. "The way they play the cards."
As for serving viewers, ESPN, which televises the World Series of Poker Main Event, says its broadcasters know about the arrangements. "Because of the uncertain nature of swapping and staking, we rarely discuss it on our broadcasts," says Jamie Horowitz, vice president of original programming and production. The network says it averaged 1.2 million viewers for the final table at the World Series of Poker last year.
How much bigger the dealings between players will become is an open question. Though the game remained large globally, the poker business was seriously hobbled in this country three years ago when the U.S. Justice Department, after long before declaring online poker an illegal form of gambling, effectively shut down the mainstream Web industry by taking criminal and civil actions against the top sites and some of their executives. Some new legal sites have since emerged, because three states—Nevada, Delaware and New Jersey—have passed laws allowing online poker, which may only open the door to more deals among players.
But whether it grows or not, observers say this side game to poker will remain a tricky endeavor, one that has tripped up more than its share of players. Balsbaugh, the agent, says he has noticed that many of the game's stars seem to pick the wrong competitors to back, unable to read the ability of a player who wants backing as well as they can an opponent trying to bluff them at the table. "The best players and smartest guys in the game have all been hustled by staking players," he says. "The skill doesn't translate."
For his part, Negreanu, who invested $2 million two years ago, says he thinks not all the players he backed played seriously enough or treated his money as their own; ultimately, he says, he lost about half of his investment. Nowadays, he's backing only two players. But Sigsbee says he discovered that the investing can work by focusing on online players. There, players can participate in many more tournaments for less money, he says, reducing the risk inherent in big-money events. Through his company, Imawhale, he now backs 80 players. And he says he's had only one losing month in two years.
He didn't have quite the same results with the $1 million he invested at the World Series event in 2011. After pulling together eight backers and investing $100,000 of his own money, he watched excitedly from the audience as one player the group had backed moved into eighth place at the Main Event. If the player won the event, the group would make a 500 percent return—Sigsbee himself, $1 million. Instead, the player ran out of chips and finished in 12th place, leaving the group with a 36 percent loss for the summer. "It was a surreal thing," Sigsbee says. "It was like, it's just over."


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Good news! I made supply labels!
There are two themes - chalkboard and herringbone. I couldn't choose, so I currently am using all of them :)
I have a WASHI TAPE ADDICTION. I used different patterned tapes to place the labels and covered them in clear packaging tape to make them more durable. Super cute! My co-workers are jealous :)
If you want to get in on this early organization and classroom pack up party, these beauties are available on my TPT STORE!
Herringbone Theme <Click Here!>
Chalkboard Theme <Click Here!>
Herringbone Theme <Click Here!>
Chalkboard Theme <Click Here!>
Talk to you guys soon! Have a great weekend!


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Partly Cloudy
Check out all the local products at CES this year!
More than a dozen Wisconsin companies are in Las Vegas this week showcasing their latest products at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show.
If you're a laser tag fan, the industry is launching a new live-action gaming system anyone can play without having to go to a laser tag arena.
"I think it is going to be more attractive to a wider audience than the audience coming to an arena because anyone can get together and play in a backyard, a park or the woods," Marie McGeorge with Laser Tag Pro said. "You're mobile so you're not just contained to your home."
The game console syncs with a player's smartphone to keep score, and McGeorge says their will be several laser tag games a user can play by downloading different apps.
McGeorge says the "BRX" laser tag game is suitable for all ages.
"It is marketed for anyone who likes to go outside and play games with their friends and family," she said. "My son is 4 and he loves to run around with this thing a shoot. "
If you think $15 for a game of laser tag is expensive, the $380 price tag for each "BRX" gun may be a deterrent for some, especially if you have multiple players.
However, the days of going to a laser tag arena are far from over!
"This is just another option for people who like to play laser tag," McGeorge said. " I don't think it will replace playing in an arena."
Switching over to mobile fitness monitoring systems, we've all heard of Fitbit fitness and sleep tracking. Adding to the "fitness" category is a new B60 wearable hydration monitor.
"The product works by shining light of different colors into the body and measuring how much light is absorbed by the tissues," Nobo Founder & CEO Russ Rymut said. "Turns out water absorbs light in well-known ways so when we look at how much water is absorbed, we can tell how much water is in the body."
The B60 monitor is geared more toward athletes to give them live updates about whether they're de-hydrated, or over hydrated.
An exact price and release date for the monitor is unknown.
Pre-orders for the BRX laser tag system began Wednesday.
For a list of all the Wisconsin companies attending this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, click here.