text:
From the Whiffenpoofs at Yale, to Hair on Broadway;Multi-Talented Andy Sandberg Is Just Getting Started
One might call Andy Sandberg, the Tony Award-winning producer of Hair (2009 revival) and star in the upcoming Scarlett Fever, a Renaissance Man of the theater. I recently had the chance to meet with him at AQ Kafe, near Columbus Circle, and soon realized that Sandberg, despite his initial training as an actor, does just about everything there is to do in the world of theater, from acting to playwriting, from directing to producing. And he's been doing just about everything since his undergraduate days at Yale, where he doubled majored in English and Theater Studies.
When it was time for Sandberg to look at colleges, he decided that a liberal arts institution would be more suited to his interests than a conservatory would, since conservatories often require students to confine themselves to a single discipline. As Sandberg put it, "I learn best by doing. You have to pick one track in a conservatory, and I was worried that I'd spend too much time in training."
A New York native, Sandberg was drawn to Yale for several reasons, not the least of which included its stellar, extracurricular theater program, run mostly by students. "I think Yale had more extracurricular productions than any other school [I looked at]," Sandberg explained. At Yale, he immersed himself in all different facets of theater production, and studied with some of the country's most formidable scholars of dramaturgy, including Toni Dorfman, Joseph Roach, and his advisor, David Krasner.
Sandberg was also a member of The Yale Whiffenpoofs, the oldest collegiate a cappella group in the United States. He took a year off from college to become business manager of the Whiffenpoofs. As he explained, "Running my own nonprofit group gave me the confidence to go into commercial producing." Sandberg's involvement with the Whiffenpoofs – as a business manager and as a singer – would serve him well, not least because it helped make him both a savvy businessman and a captivating entertainer.
Upon graduating from Yale in 2006, Sandberg immediately moved back to New York to learn more about how to produce shows. He also pursued acting as well, and in the Fall of 2006, starred in a musical called Hot and Sweet, which featured Tony-winning actress Katie Finneran, Miss Hannigan in the upcoming revival of Annie, and Lea Michele of Glee. "It was exciting and humbling to be in such a great company," Sandberg said. He also knew that he did not just want to be an actor, which is why he devoted equal amounts of energy to directing, producing, and writing.
And in fact, during those first few months out of college, Sandberg forged connections with many people in the theater world, hoping that each of his ambitions might become more fully realized as a result. He met with several writers and producers, all of whom helped Sandberg make a name for himself in a highly competitive industry. Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons Sandberg learned from his mentors is that any theatrical project requires patience and time. "So many of the projects I've been developing for years are finally coming into fruition," he said.
One of the most high-profile pieces that Sandberg has produced was the 2009, Tony Award-winning revival of Hair. He became involved with the production after meeting with actor Will Swenson, who invited Sandberg to a few dress rehearsals. Sandberg adored director Diane Paulus's unique vision for the 60s classic, and knew that he wanted to be part of it, especially after hearing rumors that it might run on Broadway.
The path to Broadway wasn't always easy, though. The show received negative press early on, largely because of the change that it would have to make from being performed outdoors (as it was performed in the Central Park's Delacorte Theater) to being performed indoors (as it would have to be performed on Broadway). Sandberg and his fellow producers strongly disagreed with the press, and it only made them more eager and determined to promote the show. "Diane and everyone on the creative kept working at it," said Sandberg, who was particularly impressed with Paulus's use of space, as well as the integration between cast and audience.
All of the hard work paid off, and in June 2009, Hair won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, and Sandberg received the award for his work as producer. Winning that prestigious award certainly opened up many doors for Sandberg, who still wanted nothing more than to continue developing exciting new projects.
Right now, though, Sandberg will turn back to acting in the upcoming play, Scarlett Fever. Written by Josh Duboff and directed by Ashley Rodbro, the play takes a look at a small group of friends obsessed with Scarlett Johansson, and addresses, by extension, current infatuations with celebrity culture. As Sandberg sees it, Scarlett Fever offers compelling and unique takes on pop culture, along with the permeable divide between celebrities and ordinary folk.
Sandberg was also drawn to the play because, as he put it, "It's for and about young people." He hopes that audiences will appreciate the talents of Scarlett Fever's team and identify with Duboff's exciting, young voice.
Sandberg has become something of an expert at multi-tasking, since he is almost always working on multiple productions at once. After Scarlett Fever, he will continue to develop a number of plays to which he has committed himself. One such play is Operation Epsilon, which tells the true story of a group of German scientists held captive by American and British forces at the end of World War II. Then there's Shida, a one woman musical concert that Sandberg is still pitching to a few regional theaters. And to be sure, there are several others. When asked whether there was a particular "dream project" that he had in mind, Sandberg suggested that he is always looking for such projects, and that he already has a few underway.


text:
Cory McCartney: Auburn, Boise State among 10 teams with huge holes to fill
On campuses nationwide, fresh faces are readying for their chance to fill the voids left by last season's departed stars. There are holes to fill, and deep ones at that. It's the college football circle of life.http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/rss/s...~4/YNrsA1A6Hpo
|All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:48 PM.
Powered by vBulletin Version 3.7.4

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Nyankunde Hospital fund
Nyankunde Hospital has faced a financial crisis in the past few months. Will you help us help the hospital?
Saboba Medical Center
Located on the border between Ghana and Togo, the Assemblies of God Hospital, Saboba Medical Center serves the poorest of the poor…
Therapeutic Re-feeding Program – D. R. Congo
A "re-feeding" program for children so severely malnourished that they essentially have lost any appetite and refuse food.
Hem of His Garment
Millions of women live daily with the humiliation and dejection of Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF), a devistating complication of childbirth.
Soddo Orphan Fund
Help us bring hope to a child orphaned and abandoned because their mother died in childbirth.
One Child at a Time – India
In India, between 27,000 and 33,000 children are born each year with cleft deformities; you can help!


text:
A new generation of conservative leaders is emerging. Some–not all, but many–have been tested in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Minnesota's Pete Hegseth is in this category. Pete is from Forest Lake, Minnesota. He is a Princeton graduate and a much-decorated Army officer. He returned from Afghanistan to Minnesota just in time to mount a whirlwind campaign for the Senate seat now held by Amy Klobuchar, a dull and stereotypically liberal Democratic machine politician. On Friday, the GOP convention begins; Pete is competing for the Senate nomination against two other candidates who are good guys but who don't have the same potential to run a competitive race or to be leaders of the conservative movement for years to come. I recorded this endorsement of Pete, which his campaign put up on YouTube:
Please go here and donate a few dollars to Pete's campaign.


text:
Ex-student at John Brown accused in explosives threat
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — A former student at John Brown University has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge involving the use of explosives.
Timothy Constantin, 20, was charged Tuesday in Benton County with criminal acts involving explosives. He was released on a $75,000 bond, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
Officers received a call in November about a suicidal person making comments about committing a mass shooting or bombing, according to a news release from the Siloam Springs Police Department.
Police and university Campus Safety officers went to Constantin's dorm room and found firearms and ammunition, including an AK-47 assault rifle and a Keltech 9 mm carbine gun, according to a probable cause affidavit. They also allegedly found a note revealing he wanted to commit mass violence because of his hatred for society.
Witnesses told authorities in interviews that Constantin was constructing explosive devices and igniting them at an off-campus location, according to police. Constantin later admitted to building explosive devices, but police found no material for such explosives in his dorm room, according to court documents.
Constantin, of Gainesville, Florida, told authorities he didn't intend to use the firearms for malicious purposes, according to the affidavit. He said he would use explosives if he wanted to commit a mass killing because they are easy to hide, synchronize and inflict mass damage, the affidavit said.
A spokeswoman for the university said Constantin isn't enrolled in classes this semester.
Information from: Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.nwaonline.com


text:
'Burn Notice,' 'Psych' renewed at USA
Both shows performed well in 18-49 over summerUSA Network wants more "Burn Notice" and "Psych."
The cable channel has renewed both series, giving "Burn" a third-season pickup and "Psych" a Season 4 green light. Each has received a 16-episode order.
In announcing the pickup, USA cited each show's performance in the key adults 18-49 demo over the summer. "Burn" averaged 2.8 million viewers in the demo, while "Psych" pulled in a 2.2 million average.
"Burn," from Fox TV Studios and Fuse Entertainment, stars Jeffrey Donovan as a burned spy operative who finds himself stuck in the tropical paradise of Miami. Matt Nix created the show and exec produces with Mikkel Bondesen and Jeff Freilich.
"Psych," from Universal Cable Prods. and Tagline Pictures, stars James Roday as a police consultant who solves crimes with acute powers of observation. Steve Franks, Kelly Kulchak, Chris Henze and Mel Damski exec produce.
"We're really lucky to have a broad palate of success with two very different shows that work in our brand filter -- one a buddy comedy and the other a sexy action show, one produced in-house and the other by a third party," said Jeff Wachtel, executive vp original programming at USA and co-head of original content at Universal Cable Prods. "But both are character-based, and both very much fit within our 'Characters Welcome' brand."
Both series are returning in January with the second half of their current seasons. The new seasons are scheduled to premiere next summer.
Asked about an eighth-season pickup of another USA hit series, "Monk," Wachtel said nothing has been determined yet, but "we'd love to have it back and will be making an announcement when the time is right."


text:
Polaris Ranger
Published: 12/14/2007
Each year since 2003, the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company has been awarding rugged, off-road utility vehicles to emergency response agencies throughout the United States. To date, 330 of these vehicles have been awarded in all 50 states. The program exists both to recognize the service of the nation's emergency responders and to provide a versatile, practical vehicle that will enhance emergency response capability at the community level.
In 2006, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office filed an application for the 2007 Ranger Donation Program. In August of this year, the Sheriff's Office received notification that it had been selected to receive a Polaris Ranger 6 x 6 utility vehicle valued at approximately $12,000.00.
The utility vehicle will be used primarily for off road Search and Rescue Missions, Forest Patrol, Marijuana Eradication and some special events such as the annual Dune Fest in Winchester Bay, Oregon.
On Thursday, November 15th, at 1000 hours, a representative of the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company will be presenting the Ranger to the Sheriff's Office. The presentation will take place at Absolute Motosport, 729 SE Stephens Street, Roseburg, Oregon.


text:
IRC 2017 Time Capsule: What will our world be like in 2047?
1. What classic book do you think will be even more relevant?
Our two California partners, Jeff and Austin, say Donald Trump's Art of the Deal, but we can't tell if they're joking or being cynical. Bracketed between Jack's Das Kapital (by the fifth Marx Brother) and both of Ayn Rand's brute-capitalism tomes, Atlas Shrugged (Michael) and Fountainhead (Tony), we have: Emma for the Harry Potter series; Trish for A Course in Miracles (by Schucford, et al.); Lord(s) of the Bible, of the Rings and of the Flies chosen respectively by Ryan (former two) and Kathy; Inferno (Tiffany); Slaughterhouse Five and Goodnight Moon (by Olev, who will bear watching closely hence); and Orwell's 1984 and Hunger Games (from our own pair of Sunshine Boys, Mike and Brandon, respectively). Rob predicts E.F. Schumacher's Small is Beautiful will grow in import, or we are in trouble.
2. Do you think we'll have a cashless society?
We have 15 answers. Mike is trying to cause a tie with a "probably," but 10 say "Yes;" four Troglodytes say "No" for reasons of: nostalgia (Rob), cost (Michael) flexibility of cash (Ryan) and security (Tony). Tiffany, Brandon and Carine say we're almost there now. Jeff wittily says he worries about the value of his coin collection. Futurists like Austin and Olev say respectively that we might be using an Amero (like the Euro) or Bitcoin for online transactions.
3. What will happen to the sharing economy?
Adriano establishes a moderate position that most people will "rent cars" in 2047. Others focus on cars and say either that utilization would increase (Emma, Brandon, Tiffany and Olev), improve (Ryan, Michael and Tony) or both increase and improve with driverless cars (Ryan, Carine, Austin, Mike and Jeff). Brandon is in this latter camp but riffs on the advent of mass rail transit; Jack says more families will live in fewer homes with more generations together and that cars, per se, would not be needed in society; Trish says that the sharing economy's impact on so many areas of life would be very positive and in ways unimaginable! Tony thinks regulation may be the death of it all.
4. What will social media be like?
Nine respondents over the age of 35 say it'll diminish or be gone, and "good riddance." Tiffany, Austin, Jeff, Kathy, Olev and Rob think it'll evolve to thrive with the key being reversibility, i.e., the ability to disconnect, retreat and delete. The former three are Californians and generally positive about the evolution; the latter three Midwesterners span an array of hope (Olev), wonder (Kathy) and resignation (Rob). Michael takes a wise (or confused) pass. Young intern-Jedi Ryan alone is voluble, saying, "…we progress to equilibrium, and access continues to bring us together (in) understanding…as we continue to socially manicure ourselves, we could face some troubles, but I believe we'll find our way through. [Social media] will play its part in showing us, across gaps of miles and cultures and separate difficulties, that we are all good people."
5. Will there be hard copy newspapers?
Nine flat "No" responses. According to Brandon, "Unfortunately there will be very few reporters who collect hard news…We will have more commentators...who spout conjecture and speculation…the truth will be even harder to find…it is ugly now and will be worse in 2047 when the newspapers are gone." Michael, Olev, Ryan, Austin and Jeff hold out hope for specialty versions that will be more expensive though less widely distributed. Two romantic answers: Mike says "newspaper" will be a candle scent; Tony predicts many folks will still want the tactile sensation of a live newspaper.
6. Will there still be a European Union?
All 16 respondents are confident of the EU's survival in some form. Most agree with Brazilian partner, Adriano, that "it just makes sense." Tony and Brandon are sure the current structure will have to be redone, but Ryan, Jack, Olev, Kathy, Rob, Jeff, Austin, Mike and Carine think the EU will strengthen naturally. Michael thinks growth prospects will be "enhanced" by pressures from Eastern Europe and the mass immigration that is so controversial today. Trish thinks the EU will expand outside the borders of Europe! Mike is concerned that Ryder Cup victories in golf will be hard to come by.
7. Will drones deliver everyday items?
We have 12 "Yes" answers differing only between certitude and certitude with rue. Ryan says "No" because we'll reserve some jobs for people. Michael thinks liability and limited air space would combine to kill the possibilities a-borning. Jeff is either being optimistic or nihilistic when he says "most things will be controlled by a chip in your head."
8. Will the Cleveland Browns or Detroit Lions appear in a Super Bowl by 2047?
Brandon does "not believe in miracles." Ryan says "God save the Queen." Emma speaks for the profoundly apathetic majority when she says "Yes," without elaboration; Jack for the cruel when he dryly says (prior to the playoffs), "Lions in 2017." Trish wants what her friend and Lions fan, Michael, wants, though he himself is not optimistic in the limited time frame, nor is Mike for the Browns. Adriano does not call our game "football" so there is nothing "Super" about the Bowl; Carine favors NCAA basketball; Tony favors silence on the subject; Jeff thinks the topic will silence itself due to head injuries.
9. What will cell phones look like?
Apparently, in the very near future, this question will not make sense at all. No one thinks they will be called "phones." They might be worn on our eye successfully (Emma), or as a failed experiment (Ryan, son of an optometrist). Tiffany, Carine, Michael, Austin and Trish think they will be worn in the ears; Rob on the wrist; Olev, Adriano, Kathy, Tony and Mike think they will be part of other devices, even clothing. Brandon says we will have a bee-killing environmental nightmare; Jack says we will have personal robots; Jeff says this will be (another) chip in his head.
10. Will we be drilling for oil or natural gas in Yellowstone?
Nine vehement "No's;" three resigned "Yes's;" and three sad "I hope nots." Jeff points out that Mother Nature has the best weapons and will outlive us all: "Might as well try to stay on her good side while we are here." Rob says 2047 will see 30% of Earth's land and 10% of oceans set aside as natural reserves in order to give species a chance to repopulate and thrive. This will include swaths of the Congo Basis, Amazon basin, Sahara Desert, Central Australia, Rocky Mountains and Russian steppes, as well as all reefs, Mediterranean/Caribbean islands and the upland centers of Sweden and Norway.
11. What will the Dow Jones Average be?
Stop reading NOW, and get thee to a trading desk. This is actionable info. Only Adriano, Trish, Emma, Olev, Tiffany, Kathy and Carine do not know this answer. The rest of us confidently predict it will be exactly between 6,000 and 265,000, and the average of eight brilliant minds is 75,347.12. So that is what you should take to the bank. (Mic drop.)
12. Will paper books still be mass-produced?
The "mass-produced" qualifier kills off affirmative responses from all but our two most optimistic (or old-fashioned) readers, Texas Tony and Emma of Yellow Spring Farms. Ryan, Adriano, Michael, Olev, Austin, Rob and Trish hold out hope for special edition books and collector items to be published. Six of the "Nays" believe the future of only lighted pages is arriving as we speak.
13. Will elephants still exist in the wild?
The lessened production of books will, according to vote returns, help save habitats needed for elephants. Twelve say "Yes" in hope or angry certainty; Olev, Emma and Austin see either zoos or extinction on the horizon for our popular pachyderm pals.
14. Who will be president of the United States?
Only Mike takes his name out of contention; other respondents apparently still have hats in the ring. We're forced by Emma to Google "Katya Zamolodchikova" but now think her chances, in character, are better than his, out of character. Rob says Malia Obama. Six respondents predict some form of Trump -- similar to the form of Trump now in the White House – and Trish abandons previous favorite, Michael, to throw her predictive weight to Ryan (probably because Michael predicts Miley Cyrus).
15. Will it be legal to manually drive your car?
Only Rob, Ryan and Brandon of the dozen "Yes" predictors think driving will be an elite luxury. Adriano of Brazil says a flat "No," while Michael and Jack risk their American citizenship to agree. Mike wonders how one would get to a golf course in the hinterlands with Uber, and whether a 'driverless' car, would be restricted to 13 clubs?" (Golf joke.)
16. Name the industry that will employ the most people?
Out of 17 answers from 14 respondents, only technology, health care and tourism garner two votes. Olev, our best musician, declines to respond, probably because music is a way of life—not just a way to make a living.
17. Will the state of California still exist?
Most predictions are enthusiastic and positive. Only Emma and one of our California residents (Tiffany) say "No." Kathy, Brandon, Mike and Rob are gauche enough to mention that pieces might be missing due to earthquakes or political "undermining." (Political joke)
18. What will be our primary means of communication?
Mike thinks we will be using paper cups and strings in 2047, while Rob predicts a comeback for cursive writing and the advent of telepathy. Tony mischievously suggests people will talk face-to-face. Intern-Jedi Ryan says, "We are trying to talk to other solar systems already. On Earth it doesn't get much better than a three-second delay to the other side of the planet." Rob sighs and says, "Listening to Ryan is like knowing Luke Skywalker as a lad on Tatooine."
19. How many people will live on Earth?
Mike, Trish, Olev, Tiffany and Kathy must have been fun in math class. They answer every numerical inquiry with "lots," "many," or "too many." Pythagoras dies anew with their every response. The right answer according to the average of the 10 respondents who aren't drinking during the test is 11,499,344,444. Rob and Brandon think that all but 500 million of the 11.5 billion will live in the world's largest 650 metropolitan areas.
20. What one thing will change that no one but you has thought of?
According to Austin, we'll be eating "insects and algae." Rob asks, "Will we be frogs?" Thanks to Jack, Trish and Brandon, we know we'll be humanoids networked in communes and every bathroom will have a bidet. Mike says, "That is no way for frogs to live!"
21. What will be the reputation of the Millennial generation in mid-career?
Today's 20-year-olds will be creative at work-life balance, hard to fool, less materialistic and innovative with solutions to overpopulation, pollution, resource scarcity and inequality of opportunity. They will be "happy, relaxed and networked," says Jack. "Happier and more peaceful," says Adriano. Some Gen-X respondents predict Millennials will drive up the price of good wines, be unable to focus, act entitled, be confused or wish to receive in their 50's awards for participation. No "Teammate" trophies for those voters.
22. What will be the reputation of Gen X-ers (b. 1965-1980) as they retire?
Well, some in this group will be retiring at age 82. Apparently, they'll be worried, tired, frightened and frustrated. On the up side, they'll likely be heroic, hardworking, connected, creative and wealthy. They also know the next two generations will have it even tougher than they did.
23. What is the best thing you expect to happen to you?
Life, luck, age, grace, kids, cats, dogs, work, hikes, grandkids, globalism—everything has been going fine until Emma mentions "witchcraft." Then we get Olev going wistful, Trish swearing like a sailor and Michael in a fever-dream about impossible World Series outcomes for the Tigers. Adriano says there will be "more humanity coming from humans." Good plan!
24. How many states will there be in the U.S. (which ones new or dropped?)
Fifty-one. Puerto Rican statehood is just around the corner, according to the Magnificent Seven: Ryan (Horst Bucholz, the kid), Michael (James Coburn), Tony (Charles Bronson), Brandon (Eli Wallach), Rob (Robert Vaughan), Jeff (Steve McQueen) and Jack (Yul Brynner). Brandon says he knows Eli Wallach was not one of the "Seven," but no one knows the actor Brad Dexter. Trish, Olev, Mike, Tiffany and Kathy say "lots," "many" or "too many." Archimedes weeps over the grave of Pythagoras.
25. What professional sport will be most popular, and why?
Five people say soccer, but not Adriano who hails from Brazil, presumably because Brazilians do not say "soccer." Five people abstain, presumably because they don't wish to openly agree with Tiffany, who says, "Hunger Games." The hopeless romantics like Carine and Mike say basketball; the merely hopeless, like Michael, say baseball.
26. Will the in-home television, as a separate instrument, still exist anywhere?
Whoa! Behold the biggest surprise of the survey: "Yes" wins 11-4 over "No" and "only in museums." And no, Ryan, we don't need your prediction about couches.
27. Will there be Ivy-League caliber degrees available online? What will the cost be?
Ten idealistic respondents follow Trish over the cliff and say "Yes," and at prices ranging from free to $1 million. Olev and Michael say "No" with long asides on the importance of the campus experience. Jack says yes to the "free" but no to "Ivy caliber."
28. What year of life will be the consensus age for beginning "old age?"
This is as scientific as we can get: Answers range from 56 to 100. The mode is 70, the median is 76 and the mean is 78.133. Mike, Trish, Olev, Tiffany and Kathy say "lots," "many" or "too many." Descartes helps Archimedes dig up the casket of Pythagoras so he can turn over in his grave.
29. Will the U.S. have a single-payer system for pre-retirement Medical care?
Ten people answer "Yes" along a wide spectrum of certitude, three abstain by silence or a confession of confusion and three say "No."
30. Will there be a guaranteed annual wage, in whole or in part intended to compensate for the disappearance of manufacturing jobs?
Carine, Ryan, Austin, Jeff, Mike, Michael, Adriano and Tony say "No." Emma, Brandon and Olev hope the answer is "Yes." Jack goes virtual with "No wages at all;" Trish goes hardcore Marxist-Flower Child, using "common," "community" and "communal" in a single sentence; Rob starts lecturing to the world in the affirmative from an empty conference room and hasn't finished by press time.


text:
Asher shivered as the blue orbs passed over him. The pup had stopped right in front the the wooded door frame, a shaking racked it's body, as if it was overly excited about something. Asher and Ingrid approached cautiously, although it was only a pup, its razor sharp teeth and claws could still inflict some serious damage. As Asher drew closer he could see the delicate features the wolf possessed, large almond eyes, and a thin snout carpeted in soft, fine, white silk fur. It could almost be said to be pretty, if it were not a wild beast. Asher stepped closer and the pup launched itself, landing at Asher's feet. He jumped back, stumbling, and landed hard on his tail bone. He heard a sharp intake of breath from Ingrid, and the sounds of her feet scrambling back toward the garden. But looking at the little white wolf sitting impatiently at his feet he suddenly had the feeling that it would not have hurt him. Waving a hand at Ingrid's disapproving sounds, and her insists that she go get help, Asher crossed the remaining distance between he and the wolf and held out a hand. The small pup sniffed his fingers eagerly then jumped again, lapping at his hand with a long pink tongue.
"It's all right Ingrid" he said, standing between her and the pup, "I will deal with the dog, would you go get me some more tea? And maybe a hot meal? Some rice and beef perhaps?" She nodded but said, "Perhaps a meal isn't a good idea? You do have the feast later…" She let the sentence carry off, knowing he understood her meaning.
"Yes Ingrid, I haven't forgotten. Have them put the beef on the side will you? Bring it here in say half an hour?"
She nodded, and with a wary but curious look at the wolf she trotted off, retrieving the dropped tray and mostly shattered tea set on her way to the kitchens.
When Ingrid had disappeared around the bend of the garden trail Asher let out a breath he had not even known he was holding, and turned toward the pup who then sat waiting patiently but the door, head tilted to one side.
"And what shall I do about you?" Asked Asher, staring at it. Blinking lazily the wolf turned and sat facing the door, then looked back toward him expectantly.
"No" he said "No way, your are not coming in"
The wolf however did not seem to take his words to heart, even though the intelligence in it's eyes made Asher think it understood him perfectly. It sounded absurd really.
Even so the wolf turned toward the door with a determined stare and planted itself in a position as to so it would be able to dash inside quickly no matter which way he opened the door.
Suppressing an aggravated growl he opened the door wide, allowing the pup inside without a struggle. The white mutt trotted inside, his triumphant gaunt souring Asher's mood further.
The animal lopped inside, obviously pleased with it self, and jumped onto the large raised bed matt in the middle of the room. It laid down in the middle looking up from between his paws, it's blue eyes starling against the dark fabric of the soft linen sheets.
Asher shook his head and made his way toward the bed, careful not to move so fast as to startle the wolf. To his surprise however, as soon as he had laid down on the edge of the bed, his feet still dangling off the edge, the wolf edged closer, it's black nose almost touching Asher's shoulder. It was disconcerting, wild animals were not supposed to behave like this, he thought back to the way the pup had brought the old wolf the hunk of meat, he had not taken notice then, but it was almost as strange as this.
Perhaps, he thought, it had not always been a wild animal, somebody had maybe taken care of it for a majority of its life, then left it out when it got to big. Or perhaps the wolf had even wandered away, knowing not the way back.
He shook his head, it didn't really matter. Sitting up he glanced at the wolf, it had been washed clean of most dirt during its brief swim in the river, and although the wolf did no smell bad, the opposite in fact, as it smelled quiet pleasant, he thought perhaps he should bath the thing if he planned on keeping it.
Grasping the wolf around the rib cage, to which it made no objection, Asher carried it into the bathing chambers. He himself needed a rather thorough bath after his trek through the wild forests of Beores, and so, stripping and sitting on the rather bloated wooden stool, he began to scrub himself, dumping buckets of warm water over his head ever time he had finished lathering. When he felt he was clean he turned the to the wolf. The animal sat patiently beside him, awaiting it's turn to be clean, and when Asher moved to dump water over its head the wolf did not growl or shy away as he would have suspected, but rather seemed quiet eager. And so, Asher tipped the bucket of warm soapy water upon it, and began to rub his hands up and down it's back. Seemingly pleased with the contact, the wolf arched its back upward, pressing its warm body against Asher's hand. The animal was a mystery, thought Asher, confused by the prospect of a wolf who seemed to have no problem with human contact. Dumbfounded still, Asher decided the wolf had been well enough scrubbed to dump one last bucket of clean water on the animal and be done with it.
The wolf shook, making it's snow white hair stand on end. Asher smiled and moved toward a tub that had previously been filled with steaming water, and by the time he climbed in, it was a perfect temperature.
For a moment he had been afraid the wolf might try to jump in with him, however it seemed content to lay on the tubs edge and watch Asher.
Asher stared back, he felt strangely close to the animal, and although it seemed illogical to keep such a beast as a pet, seeing as it would grow in size, the thought of sending the thing back out into the wild on it's own somehow horrified him.
"well" he said, looking away from the wolf, across the room. "I suppose if I'm going to do this the hard way I should give you a name yes?" out of the corner out Asher's eye, he saw the wolf stir, moving closer to him, and sitting up. When he turned his head, he found himself nose to nose with the animal, its ice like eyes clear as crystal, and boring into his. It was as if the wolf was trying to tell him all about the world. Asher pulled back, startled, and the wolf tilted its head sideways, eyes wide, and ears up. Asher smiled again, amused by the expression on the animals face. He turned his mind back to the task at hand.
"So what should it be, Ido perhaps or maybe Devon?" the wolf made a sound, something akin to a snort of amusement, Asher shook his head, and stood up, dripping and stepped out of the bath. When he was dry enough he put on his clean tunic and went about binding his dark hair, using a this piece of leather, he tied the strands at the back of his head, then sat down on the floor.
It had been half an hour since he had returned to his room, and he wished Ingrid would hurry up with the tray of food, for he could feel his stomach grumbling. A strange sensation, hunger, he thought, thinking back to the first time he had experienced it. The first time he had snuck out of the castle, he hadn't thought to bring such a thing as food. It had always just been handed to him, he never had to ask for it, and had never thought of it as an object of rarity among the inhabitants of the lower town, or that he would need money to have it given to him. He had been very young and naive then of course, no older than 8, and had spent his days watching his beloved older brother train and learn. A knock on the door woke Asher from his reverie, he stood and made his way to the door to opened it, knowing he had earlier locked it.
"Sire" said Ingrid, bowing her head.
"Ingrid" Asher said smiling, and moving aside as too allow her to enter. Asher moved to close the door, and turned to find Ingrid standing dead still staring toward his bed. It took him a minute to think of an object in his rooms that would have her so transfixed, but of course it was the wolf pup.
"It's alright Ingrid" said Asher, stepping around her, "He's harmless really. Bring the tray here would you?" The stricken servant nodded, and edged toward the table he had pointed out, always careful not to look away from the wolf, or move any closer than necessary. Laying the tray and a pile of what Asher thought might be robes on the table, Ingrid turned toward him, a look of frightened determination on her face. Before she could start, Asher gave her a warning look, but she ignored his obvious displeasure, as was her wont, and continued on with her chastising.
"Asher, you can not be thinking you will be keeping this animal, it is a wild beast! I am sure it could tear you to pieces in a matter of seconds if it so wished, and what would you father say?"
"Ingrid" he said slowly, looking at her from the corner of her eye, daring her to continue. "I will keep the animal if it so please me, and further more, it is far from wild and it's but a pup. As for my father," he said, looking at her again "He needn't know about the thing does he?"
Ingrid made an indelicate sound of disapproval as she waved at the pile of linen, "Your robes for tonights feast, freshly washed and pressed." she said, before turning and walking out, again skirting the edge of the room as too stay as far from the wolf as possible.
A strange sound came from the wolf, a sound that gave Asher the impression that the wolf was pleased that it had induced such fear in the woman.
It was only right the human be afraid, wolves are magnificent, fierce creatures. He imagined it saying, that is, if it had the ability to speak.
Sighing, he picked up the metal tray and carried it over to the bed, setting it on his lap and he settled onto the edge of the bed. With the smell of meat so close, the wolf perked up, inching closer as if it meant to snatch the meat right out of Asher's hand. Smiling Asher threw a piece of the venetian in the air and the wolf snapped it up hungrily. Setting the rest of the meat on the floor, Asher picked at some of the vegetables as he watched the white pup devour the beef. When he wolf had finished, and Asher felt he was sufficiently full as to not gorge himself on the overly rich food at the feast, he moved to pull on his new robes that his father had obviously had commissioned. He speculated at what the feast was in honour of, what royalties visiting from far away kingdoms as to throw such grandeur.
He gulped down the remainder of the tea as he finished tying the sash of the robe. The robe was a deep blue colour, almost an indigo, and it had gold piping and rich embroidery up the sleves and on the edges. It was a beautiful outfit to behold, and again he wondered at the purpose of the thing. What could be so importance that his father would spend such money on clothes.
Shaking his head, Asher tucked his customary dagger into the sash, and after checking quickly in the mirror of polished silver that the dagger would not be visible, he turned toward the wolf.
What was he to do with it well he was gone, as he would be gone for quite some time.
Resting his hands on his hips, he looked around the room. His eyes fell on door far at the back of the room. It lead to a small inclosed courtyard, something akin to a yard of a house, but connecting to his rooms alone. It was cold outside, but the courtyard was roofed, and didn't get much colder than his rooms. Besides, it was a wolf. It had spent the better part of the winter outside, and it was a wild animal, it was meant to survive such weather conditions.
Decided that this was the best corse of action, Asher walked toward the wolf. He tried herding the animal toward the door, but to no avail. The wolf seemed utterly unintimidated by Asher's attempts to establish dominance. Well, he thought to himself, at least we know who is the alpha in this relationship. Finally, after a good quarter of an hour he resorted to desperate, foolish and frankly impossible alternative.
"I need you to go into the courtyard" he said, mentally picture the door as he did so, perhaps, he thought, with all of it's other strange behaviour, the wolf could understand him. But of course the wolf ignored him completely, it simply laid curled up on his bed, seemingly asleep.
Finally giving up hope of ever getting it outside Asher conceited that it would be fine inside his rooms. As long as no one decided to venture inside, a servant coming to change the linens, or to set out a tea tray for when he returned.
Praying silently to whatever god was perhaps listening he wandered once more over to the mirror. He checked again the dagger, and straightened the tunic. There was a flash of white by his feet, and when he looked down the wolf was sitting there, looking at him, it's big blue eyes flashing.
"What do you think" he asked, not expecting an answer, but it seemed only appropriate to ask anyhow. The wolf blinked, but Asher got the distinct impression that it approved.
Smiling at the thought, Asher moved toward the door, dreading the long night ahead of loud voices, and pleasantries and wine.


text:
This recipe is for me the best option for a hot summer dinner. Use a good coconut oil, non-hydrogenated and without trans-fats, preferably organic. You can also twist the recipe by mixing half fresh lime juice and half fresh orange juice, same for the lime zest that you can mix with orange zest. Enjoy the cooking!
For the base:
For the filling:
Vegan: The Cookbook
by Jean-Christian Jury
Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) springform cake pan with vegetable oil. To make the base, using a food processor, pulse the cashews, coconut flakes, pitted dates, cacao nibs, and salt a couple of times until they are mixed and broken down. Spoon the mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared cake pan. Press with your fingers to make a firm base. Set aside in the refrigerator.
To make the filling, using a food processor or a high-speed blender, combine all the ingredients and process until smooth and creamy. Spread the filling over the base and, using a rubber spatula, create a smooth surface.
Chill the pie in the freezer for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
* * *
Adpated from Vegan: The Cookbook by Jean-Christian Jury. Copyright 2017, Phaidon. Photos by Sidney Bensimon.


text:
Fruit salads are a great way to have in a number of fruits at one go. It's one of our favourites. The kids, especially Rengoni adores it. They are always eager to help- in fact today they even helped to cut up the fruit. We all enjoyed it at the breakfast table. It is very simple and a nice way to get in all those fruits.
Any fruit of choice can be used. In our case, we had-
2 bananas, sliced
3 kiwis, peeled and chopped
1 apple, chopped
1 orange, peeled and chopped
a handful of raisins
All the fruits were assembled together in a bowl,
2 tblsp of honey
4 tblsp of cream
were added. Everything was mixed together and was ready to be served. It was delicious…
quite a nice way to start the day on an otherwise lazy Saturday morning…


text: May 29 2013 Putting Security First – Tips for Merchants to Protect Data Regardless of the size of your business, you are susceptible to fraud and data breaches and responsible to protect your customers' data while complying with PCI DSS (PCI Council Data Security Standards). While many business owners feel that their business is too small to be breached, according to Visa's estimates, some 95 percent of credit card data breaches occur with small business customers. And, in 2012, the retail industry made up 45 percent of data breach investigations - the highest percentage in history and a 15 percent increase over 2011. In the Fall of 2012, Merchant Warehouse partnered with ControlScan, the industry's leading provider of PCI compliance and security solutions for small merchants and the businesses that serve them, on a merchant survey. Nearly half (50 percent) of those surveyed were not clear on the specifics around PCI DSS and more than three-quarters (79 percent) felt that their company was at little or no risk for data compromise. Alarming statistics considering that PCI DSS compliance is required and knowing that data breaches occur regardless of business size. There are a few very basic, yet critical actions you can take as a business owner to protect your business and your customers' data – tightening up security while paving your way to PCI DSS compliance. Implement Employee Standards and Security Awareness Training Did you know that the most commonly used password is Password? Regardless of the size of your business or your industry, it's critical that you implement policies around passwords that a.) Prevent sharing, b.) Eliminate default passwords, and c.) Require periodic password changes. Ensure that you or your IT group establishes role based access controls (i.e. Managers that require more access versus part-time employees that only need access to certain functional areas) and require complex passwords as well (i.e. letters, numbers and a symbol with minimum length). It is also important that you establish policies around the handling of sensitive credit card data like regular shredding practices, not storing data that is not needed etc. Once those policies are established awareness training must be deployed across your entire employee base and conducted regularly to support any updates as well as educate new team members. Secure Your Wi-Fi While many businesses today provide complimentary Wi-Fi access for customers and patrons, it's imperative that public Wi-Fi be segmented from internal systems. This will ensure that, even in the event of a compromise to the Wi-Fi, data is protected. And, you will want to make sure that you're using compliant encryption methods, with no WEP. The same password policies as mentioned earlier should be applied with Wi-Fi as well. Use PA-DSS Validated Software and Hardware PA-DSS validated software uses secure transaction methods and encrypted storage to protect sensitive data. While not a requirement, selecting technologies that have tokenization reduces your scope for compliance and offers enhanced security. Encrypted card readers also enhance security, although they are not technically required. Don't Store Cardholder Data Ensure that you're using systems that don't store any sensitive cardholder data. This will significantly reduce your risk in the event of a 'smash and grab' as even if your system is compromised, the hackers can only steal new data in transit. By not storing sensitive cardholder data on your point-of-sale (POS) system you significantly reduce the amount of work required for your PCI self-assessment questionnaire, bringing the number of questions required from 288 to 80. And, the questions eliminated are the more technical 'tough' questions. Restrict Remote Access Typically used for software and system support, remote access is another point of vulnerability – if not managed correctly. For remote access it's important to a.) Require two factor authentication, b.) Provide role-based access, c.) Eliminate default passwords, d.) Limit access to required systems only and not entire networks, and e.) Activate password expirations and system inactivity or session lengths 'timeouts'. If possible, it's also best practice to use secure VPN for access and ensure that the action is initiated from the merchant outbound and not vice versa. Criminal activity in POS and payment processing continues to rise and vulnerability is not based on geography, size or type of business. Any business that stores data is at risk so it's becoming even more imperative for businesses of any size to employ basic security measures today to insulate themselves from unnecessary risk and achieve and maintain PCI DSS compliance. Tags: Share Post:


text:
The open-minded, liberal country of the modern world. The Netherlands leads the way in political progress concerning human rights and has many controversial policies on issues such as prostitutuion, canabis and homosexual relations. There is so much colour not only in political aspects but also the land itself; beautiful expanses of greenery where you can literally see for miles due to the remarkably flat geography. Windmills, tulips and canals are everywhere you look and decorate the beautiful scenery with Dutch identity. Amsterdam, the outstanding capital, is a partying city with so much culture to experience that people tend to spend longer here than a lot of other cities, just dont forget your clogs!
- Currency: Euro (€) = 100 cents
- Time Zone: GMT + 1
- Language: Dutch. English, French and German are also spoken
- Telephone Services: Country Code + 31, International access code 00
- Emergency Numbers: 112 for all services
The Netherlands experience a mild climate with prevalent rainfall all year round. The summer months are reasonably warm, but hot weather is not very common. Wintertime is generally quite cold and snow can be expected.
Things to see and do
Amsterdam is host to so many sight-seeing treats; the numerous flowing canals and renowned museums deserve to have the high reputation that they have been given. One of the most famous is The Van Gogh Museum and it is definitely worth a visit if you are taken by this artists work. The museum has some of his most famous work from the beginning of his life as an artist in Holland until his death in France.
The story of Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager who spent the end of her days in hiding before being deported to a concentration camp, is known and felt by millions. The house where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis during Second World War has been named The Anne Frank House and has developed into a memorial site, which is a very moving place to see.
Amsterdam undeniably attracts thousands of tourists every year not only for its culture and atristic brilliance but also due to the fact that it is host to loads of Coffeeshops, which are in fact Marijuana cafes. In a city where you can have a spliff with your cup of coffee, rather than a biscuit, and legally have sex with prostitutes, it is clear why Amsterdam is such a big attraction.
Rotterdam is another of the Netherlands beautiful cities and renowned for its architectural brilliance. There is so much to see and do, but one of the best sights, and a starting point, is a boatride which leaves from Europort, the world's largest port, and tours around the city for over an hour. The outstanding Erasmus Bridge, constructed by a Dutch architect, Ben van Berkel, is a light blue colour so during the day it can actually be difficult to see in bright sun-light, but at night-time white light illuminates the bridge and you can really see what an incredible masterpiece this Bridge is.
There are almost thirty museums in Rotterdam and every one is wonderful for different reasons. The Museumpark is very convenient for you if you want to see several in a limited time-scale. The Museumpark combines five museums dedicated to architecture and art. If you are impressed by the architecture you see in Rotterdam then you should look into doing one of the architecture walks through the city organised by The Netherlands Architecture Institute.
The Hague is the political centre in the Netherlands and the 'Binnenhof' is host to the parliament buildings. You can go on guided tours around the complex and the 13th century Knights Hall is fascinating. There is also The Peace Palace where the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration are situated, and again these outstanding buildings are accessible by guided tours. Finally, Lang Voorhout, an extensive lane between Kneuterdijk and Tournooiveld, has developed into the residential area for members of the governement. There are lime trees along the roadside which decorate this famous area, where you can also find the Diligentia Theatre.
The public transport system in the Netherlands is very efficient.You are able to travel anywhere in the country thanks to this well-thought-out system where no matter how small the village is, you can be assured that it is linked to the transportation network.
The railway network is modern and notably the trains run by the Netherlands Railways (NS) are among the best in Europe. The Intercity IC network runs a direct and rapid service between major cities, only making a limited number of stops. There are even trains that run throughout the night and, departing every hour, these trains connect the major cities, including Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Train Timetables can be found on the NS website.
If you are travelling short distances then the bus is also a great means of transport. There are city buses, regional buses and express services. The buses run reasonably regularly to destinations in and around the cities, but it is during peak hours when the buses run most frequently. There is also the Interliner service available for longer distances.
The main cities of Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam offer a tram service and Amsterdam and Rotterdam also have an underground network. Services by both these methods of transport are rapid and run from early morning until late at night.
There are public transport tickets for use on buses, trams and the underground. The Nartional Strippen Card can be used all over the country and is also valid on trains which run within the major cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague. The Strippen Cards can be purchased at railway stations, post offices, newsagents and department stores. It is cheaper to buy it from one of these stated places as if you by it on the bus or tram it is more expensive. The transport system has been divided up into zones and the tariffs relate to these zones. To travel to one zone you pay two 'strips' and then every zone after you pay one 'strip'. Once in a zone you travel 'free' within a certain time limit.
The Netherlands has a huge variety of accommodation options, ranging from extremely expensive to very affordable. Youth hostels are the least expensive choice and generally you will pay no more than €12 per night. For more information you can visit the website of the Dutch Youth Hostel Association; Stayokay: www.stayokay.com . Another reasonably inexpensive way of visiting the Netherlands is to stay in one of the many campsites. Not all campsites offer pre-booking so it is just a matter of asking on the spot. The Netherlands Board of Tourism can give you a full list of available campsites and reservations for some can be made through the Stichting Vrije Recreatie at www.svr.nl.
Bed and Breakfast accommodation is another affordable option and can be found and booked on-line at www.bedandbreakfast.nl . Hotels can be cheap if you look around and The Netherlands Reservation Centre (NRC) give help and advice on hotel reservations, email them or visit their website. The Netherlands Board of Tourism approves hotels which meet the standards laid down by Dutch Law by issuing a shield to be placed on the outside of the hotel.
You require an E111 form which entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Dutch nationals. This form is free of charge and can be collected from any post office, who also stamp it after you have completed it. You are recommended to take adequate medical and travel insurance too, and the post office offers good cover for around £30.
Useful Links
- Netherlands Railways (NS) website for timetables
- The Dutch Youth Hostel Association offers advice on hostels all over the Netherlands
- SVR provide help with reservations for campsites which offer advance booking service
- Bed and Breakfast accommodation available and on-line booking
- The Netherlands Board of Tourism offers a range of travel advice and tourist information for visitors to Holland


text:
Insurance Brokers in Blyth
List of Blyth based insurance companies offering house, auto, business & life insurance services.
Business Listings
We have been established for 14 years and our aim is to provide a professional but friendly service for the business community. Contact us for a fast, friendly, professional quote for your business. We deal with all businesses, including start-ups, manufacturing, engineering, shops, licensed trade, motor trade, professionals etc.
Medibroker Online is a fully independent intermediary and client advisor for private medical insurance (PMI) and permanent health insurance (PHI) across the domestic UK market and worldwide to expatriates. Our aim is to be the consultant to our clients and never the salesman of any insurance company. We act exclusively on behalf of the customer, as your health care insurance consultant, giving "best
Howard Insurance are an Independent Insurance Intermediary specialising in Personal and Commercial Insurance. With our independent status we are not tied to any one insurer. This means we can provide you with access to a wide range of insurance products from a wide range of UK Approved Insurance Companies. Our local position allows us to provide a professional personal service when arranging your insurance
Our strength is built on three core values; an in-depth understanding of the insurance market, exceptional added value and outstanding personal service. We offer an extensive range of products and services and have particular expertise in Commercial, Taxi, Personal and Travel Insurance and have established relationships with all of the Leading Insurance Companies and Lloyds markets.
Metropolitan was formed in June 1975 by June Allison to provide a full range of Financial Planning and Insurance Services. Over the years the firm has grown and developed strong professional connections with most leading banks, building societies and insurance companies, both locally and nationally. Firms who provide financial advice are either independent or representatives of one company.
Here at Your First Quote, we pride ourselves on our straight talk no nonsense advice, drawing on over 10 years of joint experience in the insurance industry. Our Customer service is second to none, by ways of always keeping the customer informed of progress and also ensuring that they are completely happy.
Why pay more' Everyone knows how tough it can be to stay ahead of the game. Insurance is just one of the essential costs that never seems to show any return or reduction. As specialist motor insurance advisers we are confident that we can show you significant savings on cover customised for you. Think ahead before you take your motor insurance out for the next 12 months, what cover will you need, are
Crosby Insurance is situated in the cultural haven of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is headed by Stan Crosby. We believe in servicing the insurance needs of our clients and treat all of our clients on an individual basis, ensuring that each policy is tailored to our client. Our policy is that our client comes first and this is reflected in the way we work and the facilities that we have in place, such as
We provide a comprehensive, round the clock, service to the insurance market. Our roots are in loss adjusting and today we apply that expertise to a number of different areas; it's about delivering the insurance promise in a crisis. We are one of the largest claims management and loss adjusting businesses in the UK. Our client base ranges across the insurance industry and we have the expertise and
The Lycetts Group is a well established, forward thinking group of companies providing a comprehensive range of insurance and financial advice to a broad cross-section of commercial and private clients. With offices located throughout the UK, Lycetts aims to provide clients with high quality, personal service supported by the professionalism and expertise of a truly independent company.


text:
Buy Wash Basin Singapore from top brands at best prices
Basin Singapore will come in a huge variation of different shapes, sizes, colors and styles. From your large round or oval stone basins to your small square ceramic white basins there is a lot of options to choose from. So take some time and think about what type, material and style of basin will truly complement your bathroom.
If you are considering redecorating your bathroom or perhaps even renovating or remodeling it completely then choosing the correct Taps Singapore is very important. The overall style and feel of your bathroom can be greatly influenced by the taps you choose. In fact to update and rejuvenate the whole look of your bathroom you may be able to simply change the taps.
Antique Taps Singapore is often in a polished brass finish. This means you will need to polish your bath and basin taps fairly regularly to ensure they look good. If you are lucky enough to have a cast iron plunger bath with a brass plunger and bath taps then having the plunger and taps polished makes the whole bathroom looks sensational and definitely produces the "WOW" factor.
They do look great when this is done and a lot of people prefer to keep this finish and undertake the additional cleaning that would otherwise not be required if you installed modern bathroom taps. You should also check with your plumber who is installing your taps for you if you have enough water pressure to deal with the requirements of the taps you wish to install.
Different types of furnishings can be used to decorate the bathroom and enhance its interior decor. Every bathroom requires some essential items such as Wash Basin Singapore, toilet, shower panel, bath tub, wall mirrors and so forth. Today there are many interior designing tips which can be used to enhance the overall appearance of a bathroom.
Bathroom basin taps are in constant use in our homes and this hard-wear means that as well as choosing something to fit your bathroom design ideas you need to buy good quality, too. Discount bathroom faucets may seem attractive for their low price, but make sure that they are also made by a good manufacturing company.
Among various types of fittings used in bathrooms, Singapore Wash Basin is one of the most essential components in any bathroom. As it is used commonly, it is important to choose basins according to individual needs and the entire decor of the bath. Today there are various types of basins which can be incorporated into any type of home.
Bathroom Singapore Wash Basin has evolved in designs and shapes. Today it is available according to the requisites of the customers. Most of the home owners prefer to use designer sinks as it adds to the decor of the room.


text:
by Brett White
The Marvel news keeps on keepin' on with this latest "Guardians of the Galaxy" rumor. Latino Review has a hunch that Thanos won't be working alone when he starts terrorizing our heroes at some point during Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The latest Marvel movie rumor (in a day full of 'em) is that the Controller will be serving as Thanos' main henchman and ambassador in 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy."
The Controller, whose real name is the delightful-sounding Basil Sandhurst, is a super villain specializing in mind control. Sandhurst was placed into a protective exoskeleton after barely surviving a lab explosion. He then used technology to master the art of mind control, coming into conflict with Iron Man and S.H.I.E.L.D. He later crossed paths with Thanos, who upgraded his tech and offered ruler of Earth in exchange for temporary servitude. Their plan didn't really shake out (Captain Mar-Vell put a stop to them) so Thanos left the Controller for dead. The Controller has kept a relatively low profile since then.
While the Controller isn't a name villain, his power set is not that far-fetched and doable on the big screen (this is especially important when considering the budget consumed by all-CG characters like Groot and Rocket Raccoon). Having a villain of Earthly origins would also help ground the out-of-this-world "Guardians," and his role of "ambassador" makes sense given Thanos' burgeoning interest in our planet.
Marvel has remained rather tight-lipped about where ol' prune-chin (which is definitely Thanos' nickname) will show up next, and "Guardians" is the most obvious place. The space-faring team threw down with the mad Titan in their ongoing comic book series. The team also includes Drax the Destroyer; the "destroyer" part specifically refers to destroying Thanos, Drax's sole purpose in life. It'll be a colossal missed opportunity if those two don't meet up in "Guardians."
What do you think about this "Guardians of the Galaxy" rumor? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Twitter!


text:
Download EBOOK Of Sound Mind PDF for free
Category: Children's Books
The author of the book: Jean Ferris
Format files: PDF, EPUB, TXT, DOCX
The size of the: 179 KB
Language: English
Edition: Sunburst
Date of issue: 2 April 2004
Description of the book "Of Sound Mind":A poignant novel partially set in a world of silenceHigh school senior Theo is fluent in two languages: spoken English and sign. His parents and brother, Jeremy, are deaf, but Theo can hear, which has over the years cast him in the role of interpreter for his family. Unfortunately, it's not a welcome duty, especially in the case of his mother, Palma. She is a successful sculptor who, being deeply suspicious of "hearies," expects Theo to act as her business manager. And Jeremy relies on Theo for company and homework help. It's become especially frustrating lately because Theo has met PDF a fascinating new girl at school, Ivy, with whom he wants to spend as much time as possible. Theo's father, Thomas, is the only one who has never burdened him, but that changes when Thomas has a stroke. Palma, frightened and self-absorbed, cannot bring herself to nurse her husband, leaving Theo with the full burden to bear. But with the help of Ivy and some of her friends, Theo is finally able to change his family's dynamics and find time to plan his future.
Reviews of the Of Sound MindSo far regarding the e-book we now have Of Sound Mind responses consumers haven't but still left the overview of the overall game, you aren't read it however. Yet, for those who have presently see this guide and you're simply prepared to create their particular discoveries well request you to spend your time to depart an evaluation on our site (we can submit both equally bad and the good opinions). In other words, "freedom connected with speech" Many of us completely backed. Your own responses to book Of Sound Mind : some other followers can come to a decision in regards to guide. These kinds of help is likely to make all of us much more Usa!
Jean FerrisSadly, at this time do not have any specifics of the actual designer Jean Ferris. However, we may get pleasure from if you have any info on that, and they are ready to supply the idea. Mail it to all of us! The ways to access each of the examine, and when every detail are correct, we will submit on our internet site. It is crucial for us that each one correct in relation to Jean Ferris. Most of us thank you before hand to get happy to go to fulfill us all!
Download EBOOK Of Sound Mind for free
|Download PDF:
|Download ePUB:
|Download TXT:
|Download DOCX:


text:
The American Red Cross provided this postcard addressed to George's father, informing the family that George had safely arrived back in the Unites States, marking the end of his military service in Europe.
The fact that the typeset of the signature doesn't match the rest of the card coupled with the fact that this was the only postcard that didn't close with "Your loving son," suggests that this was probably a standard message sent to the families of returning soldiers, to which the signature was typed in later.
Beth Gorman looking at the collection that she rescued from destruction. Although she found them in the album, most of the cards were stacked together with a rubber band and very few had been placed in the sleeves.
Click here to discuss this story and more in the AntiqueTrader.com message boards.


text:
Since I announced Rawr as the project of the month after nearly a week went by in March, we decided to make Rawr (http://rawr.codeplex.com) the project for April. And I have to be honest that I haven't carved out the time that I've wanted to work on the project. But this week will be different!…
Tag: Open Source Club
Introducing the Open Source Club on CodePlex – Project of the Month: Rawr
What is the Open Source Club? The Open Source Club (OSC) is a group of volunteers who contribute what they can to the specified open source project each month. If you've ever wanted to contribute to an open source project, but didn't know where to start or didn't have much time, this is your chance….


text:
Ben Glaetzer - Wallace 2015Dark Fruit Lushness
In Stock
Country of OriginAustralia
Producer Information
Key Information
- AppellationBarossa Valley
- BrandGlaetzer
- RegionSouth Australia
Grape Information
Other Information
- Acidity g/l5.9
- BodyFull Bodied
- Food MatchPoultry
- Grape TypeGrenache/Garnacha
- Grape TypeShiraz/Syrah
- Ph Level3.6
- Residual Sugar g/l0.55
- Type of closureScrew Cap
- Vintage2015
Glaetzer Wallace takes on the traditional Barossa Valley blend of Shiraz and Grenache in a modern way. The Shiraz brings backbone, flesh and body to the wine with the Grenache adding a soft, vibrant juiciness.
Colour: Medium to deep garnet, a flash of purple on the rim.
Aroma: An enticing nose of dark plum, raspberry and lavender with hints of anise and ground spice.
Palate: Black fruits prevail with touches of pepper and blackcurrant. Firm, savoury yet rounded tannins balance with brightness and lift.
Peak Drinking: A wine to enjoy in its youth that will reward careful cellaring up to 5 years.
78% Shiraz and 22% Grenache.
Also Viewed
0 Comments
Be the first to review, comment or discuss.


text:
(Reuters) - Barrick Gold Corp (ABX.TO), the world's largest gold miner, reported a quarterly net loss on Thursday, after booking an impairment charge to write down the value of some of its copper, oil and natural gas assets.
The Toronto-based gold miner reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $3.06 billion or $3.06 a share. That compared with a year-earlier profit of $959 million, or 96 cents a share.
Excluding one-time items, earnings in the period were $1.11 billion, or $1.11 per share, down from $1.17 billion, or $1.17 per share, in the same period a year earlier.
Reporting by Euan Rocha; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick


text:
The colour of the cake matched the colour of the bridesmaids dresses. The design is piped on using the brush embroidery technique and matched the design on the brides dress.
The flowers were provided by the florist.
Tags: wedding green sage cake carrot chocolate lemon 3 tier
5 Comments
so lovely
Gorgeous Colour Cathy & Elegant design
Oh Cathy I love the design and colour, so very pretty
So pretty!! :-)
Thanks for all of your lovely comments :) x


text:
Ha, but yes it was super sweet and I enjoyed cos damn these can be read fast.
Kindle Edition, 224 pages
Published January 15th 2014 by RosettaBooks (first published 1985)
Historical romance
Kindle Edition, 224 pages
Published January 15th 2014 by RosettaBooks (first published 1985)
Historical romance
Cover = very boring and very pink. :)ReplyDelete
Yeah, sometimes you just need a sweet, predictable story like that.ReplyDelete
Hmmm not sure I would like this one.
Karen @For What It's Worth
It was...lolDelete
Ladies. Idiots. Rakes. Not for me but, fortunately, it's already Thursday! Happy Weekend!ReplyDelete
THANK GOD! I need FridayDelete
I don't think I would like this with all the drama and all that.ReplyDelete
I would not exactly call it drama, I mean it felt so silly cos it was so old school---niceDelete
Sounds like fun although not sure I would go back now to read '80's books. I occasionally might though.ReplyDelete
The sweet 80s, not the rapey 80s. The sweet where they do not even kissDelete
I do enjoy those hate each other then love each other type books heheReplyDelete
They are amusingDelete
Yep, I can devour these in one sitting :)ReplyDelete
They are fun for thatDelete
I would not have pegged this as old school just looking at it, but I guess it just proves some stories are timeless, especially the nice sweet ones.
~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
It had another cover that showed its true origin ;) I loved these as a kid, I read them when I was 10, sweet romanceDelete
I love the hate-to-love trope.ReplyDelete
I've been tempted to try this author but haven't really enjoyed other old school HR I've read.ReplyDelete
I read millions as a tween ;) Barbara Cartland ya knowDelete
That sounds like a fun book.ReplyDelete
Probably too much drama for me, but LOL! I loved your review. Chit. *snort*ReplyDelete
This sounds a bit *too* old school for me, with the whole 80s drama thing...but I do enjoy a good hate to love romance!ReplyDelete
Oh but it's the exact same drama as they have now in romanceDelete
mmmm I am unsure.ReplyDelete
It was free and shortDelete
Hmm I think I have some of hers.ReplyDelete
© Blogger template Starry by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008 Modified by Lea
Back to TOP


text:
August 14, 2014 17:05 ET
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Aug. 14, 2014) - Silvercorp Metals Inc. ("Silvercorp" or the "Company") (TSX:SVM)(NYSE:SVM) reported its financial and operating results for the first quarter ended June 30, 2014 ("Q1 Fiscal 2015").
The Company is pleased that operational improvements enacted in the prior fiscal year have attributed to favourable results in all aspects of operations. Compared to the same quarter last year, silver head grade improved from 200 grams per tonne ("g/t") to 227 g/t, lead head grade increased from 2.7% to 3.3%, cash mining cost decreased 16% to $42.77 per tonne, and overhead costs decreased by 36% to $4.8 million in Q1 Fiscal 2015. Combined with more efficient capital spending, the Company's cash and short-term investments balance increased to $80.2 million as at the end of the quarter.
In Q1 Fiscal 2015, net income attributable to equity holders of the Company was $2.7 million or $0.02 per share compared to $4.6 million, or $0.03 per share for the three months ended June 30, 2013 ("Q1 Fiscal 2014").
In the current quarter, the Company's financial results were mainly impacted by the following: (i) improved production cost control yielded higher profit margins of 51% compared to 44% in the same prior year quarter, (ii) general and administrative spending declined by 36% from the prior year quarter, offset by (iii) lower metal production as silver, lead and zinc production decreased 18%, 14%, and 67%, respectively and (iv) lower net realized silver price of $15.79 per ounce, which is 11% lower compared to $17.66 per ounce in the same prior year quarter.
In Q1 Fiscal 2015, the Company realized sales of $30.6 million, a decrease of 23% from $39.8 million in Q1 Fiscal 2014. Metal sales were mainly impacted by a lower net realized silver price and lower production, offset by higher head grades achieved.
Cost of sales in Q1 Fiscal 2015 was $15.0 million compared to $22.5 million in Q1 Fiscal 2014 and included cash costs of $11.9 million compared to $18.9 million in Q1 Fiscal 2014. The decrease in cost of sales is attributable to an overall decrease of 11% in production costs and 20% less ore production in the quarter compared to the prior year period.
The gross profit margin in Q1 Fiscal 2015 was 51% compared to 44% in Q1 Fiscal 2014. The increase in gross profit is mainly driven by the reduction of production cost offset by decreases in silver prices.
Cash flows from operations in Q1 Fiscal 2015 were $13.8 million or $0.08 per share, compared to $17.7 million, or $0.10 per share, in Q1 Fiscal 2014.
In Q1 Fiscal 2015, the Company produced 1.1 million ounces of silver, 3,461 ounces of gold, 11.5 million pounds of lead, and 1.2 million pounds of zinc, compared to 1.4 million ounces of silver, 3,777 ounces of gold, 13.5 million pounds of lead, and 3.7 million pounds of zinc, respectively, in Q1 Fiscal 2014. Metal production in this quarter was positively impacted by improved dilution control, which resulted in a 14% and 23% increase in silver and lead head grades. This was offset by a 20% decrease in ore mined which resulted in overall lower metal production.
Including the trial mining production from the GC mine, the total metal production in the quarter was 1.27 million ounces of silver, 13.0 million pounds of lead and 3.5 million pounds of zinc.
1. Ying Mining District, Henan Province, China
In Q1 Fiscal 2015, the total ore mined at the Ying Mining District was 173,485 tonnes compared to total ore production of 233,257 tonnes in Q1 Fiscal 2014. In the current quarter, the Company's ongoing focus on dilution control resulted in 26% lower ore production. As a result of improved dilution control, silver and lead head grades at the Ying Mining District improved 14% and 23%, respectively, to 227 g/t for silver and 3.3% for lead, from 200 g/t for silver and 2.7% for lead, respectively, in Q1 Fiscal 2014.
In Q1 Fiscal 2015, the Ying Mining District produced 1.1 million ounces of silver, 822 ounces of gold, 11.5 million pounds of lead, and 1.2 million pounds of zinc, compared to 1.4 million ounces of silver, 1,282 ounces of gold, 13.1 million pounds of lead, and 2.9 million pounds of zinc in Q1 Fiscal 2014. The decrease in metals produced is mainly due to the lower ore production offset by improved head grades experienced in the quarter.
The cost control initiatives at the Ying Mining District yielded positive results in Q1 Fiscal 2015 where total and cash mining costs per tonne were $58.35 and $46.96, a 10% and 15% decrease, respectively, compared to $65.09 and $54.95, in Q1 Fiscal 2014. The overall decrease of 15% in cash mining costs per tonne was mainly due to reductions in (i) mining preparation expenditures; (ii) labour and material costs; and (iii) mine administration costs. On a per tonne basis, labour costs decreased 40%, mine administration costs decreased 33% and mining preparation expenditures decreased 18%, respectively, as compared to Q1 Fiscal 2014.
On the foundation of production cost efficiencies and lower overhead administrative costs, the all-in sustaining cost per ounce of silver, net of by-product credits, in this quarter, improved to $8.85 compared to $11.36 in the prior year quarter.
In Q1 Fiscal 2015, total ore milled was 169,480 tonnes, a decrease of 28% compared to 236,173 tonnes in Q1 Fiscal 2014. Cash milling costs were $12.16 compared to $12.06 in Q1 Fiscal 2014.
The consolidated operational results for the past five quarters at the Ying Mining District are summarized in the table below:
2. BYP Mine, Hunan Province, China
In Q1 Fiscal 2015, the BYP mine processed 30,548 tonnes of ore compared to 29,975 tonnes in Q1 Fiscal 2014. In Q1 Fiscal 2015, the Company sold 2,639 ounces of gold compared to 2,338 ounces of gold in Q1 Fiscal 2014. Gold head grade for Q1 Fiscal 2015 was 2.8 g/t compared to 2.8 g/t in Q1 Fiscal 2014.
Certain capital upgrades are necessary at the BYP mine in order to sustain ongoing production. However, in consideration of the required expenditures and the current market environment, the Company has decided to defer such capital investments until a later time. As such, in August 2014, the Company has suspended mining activities at the BYP mine. As the BYP mine is not viewed as a core asset, the Company is considering various strategic options for this project.
Exploration and development expenditures at the BYP mine were $0.3 million in the current quarter compared to $1.6 million in the prior year quarter.
During the quarter, the Company completed approximately 16,500 metres ("m") of horizontal tunnels, raises and declines. Total exploration and development expenditures for the Ying Mining District were $8.1 million compared to $9.7 million in Q1 Fiscal 2014.
2. GC Project, Guangdong Province, China
During the quarter, with the temporary Safety Production Permit, the Company continued mine development, ramping up trial mining production, mill processing and stope preparation work. As at the end of July, the Company has passed the final site inspection for the Safety Production Permit. The issuance of the final Safety Production Permit is expected prior to the expiration of the temporary permit which was extended to the end of September 2014.
As part of trial mining activities in Q1 Fiscal 2015, the Company mined 48,396 tonnes of ore and milled 55,784 tonnes of ore, yielding 145,000 ounces of silver, 1.5 million pounds of lead, 2.3 million pounds of zinc and 3.6 million pounds of sulphur. The head grades at the GC mine were 110 g/t for silver, 1.4% for lead, 2.5% for zinc, and 9.0% for sulphur.
Total and cash mining cost per tonne were $64.62 and $42.23 respectively, while total and cash milling cost per tonne were $25.54 and $19.17. A summary of the operational and financial results(1) of the GC mine are as follows:
(1) Production in the trial mining phase at the GC mine is excluded from the Company's total reported production results on page 10. Revenue from metal sales is offset against cost capitalized.
Based on the operational results in this quarter, the Company is pleased that the GC mine is approaching its expected operational level in accordance to the guidance for this fiscal year. Prior to declaration of commercial production, the Company will continue to ramp up mining in the coming quarters to reach operational results that consistently and sustainably achieve our planned production. While the GC mine has not declared commercial production, revenue from metal sales is offset against costs capitalized.
In Q1 Fiscal 2015, $0.4 million (Q1 Fiscal 2014 - $6.2 million) of exploration and development expenditures were incurred at the GC mine.
Myles Gao, P.Geo., President & CEO, is the Qualified Person for Silvercorp under NI 43-101 and has reviewed and given consent to the technical information contained in this News Release.
This earnings release should be read in conjunction with the Company's Management Discussion & Analysis, Financial Statements and Notes to Financial Statements for the corresponding period, which have been posted on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and are also available on the Company's website at www.silvercorp.ca. All figures are in United States dollars unless otherwise stated.
About Silvercorp
Silvercorp is a low-cost silver-producing Canadian mining company with multiple mines in China. The Company is currently developing the GC project in southern China which it expects will become its next operating mine. The Company's vision is to deliver shareholder value by focusing on the acquisition of under developed projects with resource potential and the ability to grow organically. For more information, please visit our website at www.silvercorp.ca.
Certain of the statements and information in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities laws. Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the price of silver and other metals; the accuracy of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates at the Company's material properties; the sufficiency of the Company's capital to finance the Company's operations; estimates of the Company's revenues and capital expenditures; estimated production from the Company's mines in the Ying Mining District; timing of receipt of permits and regulatory approvals; availability of funds from production to finance the Company's operations; and access to and availability of funding for future construction, use of proceeds from any financing and development of the Company's properties.
Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, risks relating to: fluctuating commodity prices; calculation of resources, reserves and mineralization and precious and base metal recovery; interpretations and assumptions of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates; exploration and development programs; feasibility and engineering reports; permits and licences; title to properties; property interests; joint venture partners; acquisition of commercially mineable mineral rights; financing; recent market events and conditions; economic factors affecting the Company; timing, estimated amount, capital and operating expenditures and economic returns of future production; integration of future acquisitions into the Company's existing operations; competition; operations and political conditions; regulatory environment in China and Canada; environmental risks; foreign exchange rate fluctuations; insurance; risks and hazards of mining operations; key personnel; conflicts of interest; dependence on management; internal control over financial reporting as per the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; and bringing actions and enforcing judgments under U.S. securities laws.
This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements or information are statements about the future and are inherently uncertain, and actual achievements of the Company or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation, those referred to in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended March 31, 2014 under the heading "Risk Factors". Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.
The Company's forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this press release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or management's assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information.
Silvercorp Metals Inc.Lorne WaldmanSenior Vice President(604) 669-9397 or Toll Free: 1 (888) email@example.com
See all RSS Newsfeeds


text:
Be more productive, so you don't have to compromise on the things that matter most
The line between our day job and home life is blurring.
The more we squeeze in, the harder it is to get everything done. Often there is a knock-on effect and something has to give – whether that's meeting a critical work deadline or missing out on time with family or friends.
If we could be more productive at work then we could enjoy more time out of work.
What does being more productive really mean?
Here's a story about Jo. She's a long way from home for an important client meeting. The negotiations are going well but she still needs more time, so she's delayed her flight back.
On top of her demanding day job, Jo works hard to spend time with her family. Her daughter has an important violin recital tomorrow and Jo has promised she will be back home in time to watch.
For Jo, being productive means working remotely with her team, closing the deal quickly and efficiently, and keeping her promise to make it home for her daughter's recital.
But can she do it?
After her big meeting, we join Jo as she regroups in the park – with help from Skype for Business.


text:
I was out for my walk yesterday and I had an idea about setting a goal for the new year so I decided to go for 2017K in walks this year. To make it more challenging, I will be counting … Continue reading
Tag Archives: walking
Week One – A Great Week
Well I turned it around for sure. Last Friday I really did feel I was at a rock bottom and this week, while not perfect (and who ever is) was pretty danged incredible. Things I did right:
- Went swimming
- Stayed Vegetarian
- Drank around 72oz or more of water each day
- Walked to and from work once (the picture above was taken yesterday on the walk home)
- Had a moderate amount of alcohol and logged it in my diary
- Logged my food every day
- Joined a Facebook Fitness group and participated actively
- Supported my colleagues with their fitness goals
- Brought my lunch to work every day
- Practiced the Ukulele every evening and mastered a new chord


text:
Update: Twitter has apologized for mistakenly suspending the @socialmediafltr account. The account is back up again for those who would like to follow news, articles, and blog posts related to social media. Thank you for your support!
One of the biggest problems with Twitter is that you can't follow topics. If you want to see all of the social media related tweets on Twitter you can't. You can follow social media lists but only a small percentage of the tweets are about social media. You can search for hash tags or keywords but these terms aren't always part of a tweet and there is no guarantee the link actually goes to social media content.
After thinking about this for several months I finally came up with a solution.
Two days ago I created a new Twitter account called socialmediafltr. socialmediafltr leverages the filtering from ReStream.me to create an account which people could follow that retweeted links to social media content. The retweets didn't change the tweet text at all and they used the old retweet style to give the author ful recognition. In less than 24 hours, with no promotion, it gained a nice number of followers, 60+, and was added to 3 people's social media lists. Not bad for less than a day.
People found value in following an account focused exclusively on social media content. Unfortunately, Twitter disagreed and suspended the account without notice. It's not clear why the account was suspended. Most likely it was automatically suspended based on some hard coded criteria that was detected by Twitter's system. I'm trying to get clarification from Twitter but from what I can tell, the account violated the following spam rule:
"If your updates consist mainly of links, and not personal updates"
Personally, I don't think that these tweets were spam but they weren't personal updates either. Hopefully, I can get clarification and the account can be turned back on. I'd love to refocus my attention on improving the Twitter experience. If it can't be turned back on then I'll look for other ways to provide the same service.
What are your thoughts? Is setting up such an account in violation of Twitter? If so, how is it any different than the thousands of other automated Twitter accounts that don't post personal updates?
Update: After waiting 5 days to hear back from Twitter on why the account was banned I've decided to start over with a new account. I'm not a very patient person and I think it's crazy to have to wait up to 30 days to find out why my account has been suspended. If you're interested in following our new Social Media filtered content account, check out twitter.com/socialmediaflt (Twitter has reactivate the account. You may follow us at twitter.com/socialmediafltr). It will have the same information as the old account but with fewer updates per hour to avoid the Twitter bots.


text:
This season is all about the new pearls. Long gone are the days where you wore your mothers pearls. Jewelry designer Sophie Bille Brahe made that really clear and I'm obsessed with her pieces (as seen above). They have a modern and edgy feel to them and they will look great in a rock chic outfit. Forget the little black dress and wear these pearls with your ripped jeans and leather biker jackets. I carefully selected some of my favorite pieces for you to shop online.
Cover picture by Lina Bessonova (wearing Dior earrings)


text:
The new Flash Builder 4.5.1 is available as of today. Go grab it and update your Flash Builder here:
We've been able to make pure actionscript project into iOS apps for quite sometime. We were able to do this in the CS5 Flash Professional application back in April of 2010. Recently, with the release of Flash Builder 4.5, Adobe has made it easy to do a pure ActionScript projects for iOS.
This update is a bit different. This update makes it easier for developers to create 'Mobile Flex' applications that target the iOS platform. You can lean on your Flex know-how and use new components and tool in the mobile Flex framework to build applications using tags like the 'ViewNavigatorApplication' or the 'TabbedViewNavigatorApplication'.
One major oddity is that all of this targets AIR 2.6. But didn't Adobe just release AIR 2.7 a few days ago?
The answer is, well yes, but I'm guessing that there is a fair amount of testing, QA, and review that requires the code to be locked down for weeks. That might be the reason that this release targets AIR 2.6. But that's just a guess, I'd love to hear more details from someone who knows.
But the Adobe marketing department is making a big deal about AIR 2.7 being 4x faster, and I think I want that.
OK, that's a fair request. here's the link to the AIR 2.7 sdk
My suggestion is that you taget that sdk if you are going to be building Flex application for the iOS platform. Seems like people have been very pleased with the increased performance on iOS with this update.
The next major oddity is that Blackberry Playbook still requires AIR 2.5. And while I know Adobe doesn't have access to what software Blackberry chooses for it's devices, it still feels odd that the Adobe Flash Builder has them listed as one of the three major devices to target and yet requires a developer to target an older SDK. And the process isn't dead simple.
In order to get your application deployed to the Playbook you need to do a bit of monkey patching. Here's a quick link to an 'unsupported' work around:
Something doesn't feel all that smooth here. Am I the only one that feels like Adobe is having difficulties getting the timing of all of their pieces together?
Just to review: the AIR 2.7 sdk comes out then Flash Builder gets an update that targets AIR 2.6 and you still have to monkey patch your project if you want to target the Blackberry Playbook because it targets AIR 2.5.
Does this feel a bit out of whack to anyone else?


text:
It all started on march 21,2007 when we had to go to MEXICO because my grandmother died my father, sense that day he started saying stuff like he don't want to live anymore all my family was like so sad because of what he was saying. that's why I believe that it's to late to tell her how much I love her.
Everyday, think and I say why did it happen I know its going to happen anyways but it heart a lot she left us we miss her a lot my grandmother died, it heart my father a lot, cause it was his mother it was our grandmother and we loved her she was all we had when she died I lost like half of my life because she and I looked all alike her and my dad he still cry's and I understand him because he cry's when he sees me or just gets sad because he says that I remind him of her a lot and that's what makes him so sad and makes him cry it hearts me because , he tells me that I make him cry .
That's why I believe that you should tell somebody what you fill for them before it's already to late that's one thing I learned when I lost my grandmother and I still regret it that why didn't I tell her when she was alive.
If you enjoyed this essay, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to This I Believe, Inc.