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Featured Artist: Janice Aponte
It is "Circus Blu."
Circus Blu, the story of a woman in a spiritual journey. In your darkest moments sometimes all it takes is a prayer to get you through your next chapter in life. This painting captures the essence of a woman transitioning, growing into her next phase. It is an integral part of my overall work.
I'm a native Puerto Rican born in Ponce and raised in New York City. I returned to Puerto Rico in my teens, obtained my college degree in Business, and shortly after traveled to Chicago in search for a brighter future. I currently reside in the Northwest side of Chicago.
My Artistic Journey:
As a child, I "loved" Art. I instinctively sketched, drew and enjoyed it with passion. I excelled at it, and it made me feel good about myself. Later, having a career and a family preoccupied most of my time; the arts remained dormant until I reached my early thirties. I had gone through a divorce and it helped me cope with a difficult situation. I started exploring my creativity more deeply in order to fill a void and soon realized this journey led me to exactly where I was meant to be. I transitioned from pencil drawing to painting, a very natural transition for me. I took art workshops, worked with other artists and discovered a new world that I now can never leave.
I experiment with pencils, charcoals, pastels, acrylics, and mixed media but prefer oils. I am very detail oriented by nature and this medium allows me to express myself with few limitations. My style and subjects vary according to where I find myself in my life-journey. Painting takes me to a place where I am unveiled, my soul stripped from all the worldly elements and the warmth of my blood flows and carries the movement of my brush...it's a dance, the colors are my music, at late hours in the night...when everyone is dreaming, my brush dances over my canvas and I am dreaming too.
There is something about the colors and shapes in "Circus Blu" that caught my attention immediately. The image is abstract and at the same time personable, with something vulnerable about it. I was looking at work in all of the booths at the Glenwood Arts Festival, which has become my habit. I wait to see what captures my attention and buy art each year. I have a limited budget, but that year I broke the bank. "Circus Blu" greets me every morning in my front room.
- Kirk Shellko December, 2014


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How married woman misteriously died in Lagos hotel after meeting with lover
Last Friday a woman died in a hotel in Ikotun, Lagos State. The woman simply identified as Iya Ginika, had left home around 9pm on the day, telling her husband that she wanted to visit a friend in the neighbourhood but died mysteriously in the hotel.
According to the residents, the woman in her 50s, had claimed that she wanted to collect something from the friend, PUNCH reports.
They added that they were shocked when news filtered in that she was found dead in Taola Hotel on Prince Adeyemi Street, Ikotun.
The deceased lived on K & S Street, Abaranje Road – a few kilometres from the hotel.
It had been reported that the woman and her lover had stayed in the hotel around 9.30pm on Friday and paid to spend an hour.
However, workers of the hotel became apprehensive when it was 12am the following day and the lovers did not check out.
One of the workers was said to have entered the room to discover that the woman was dead while her lover had fled.
The case was reported to the police at the Ikotun division.
A neighbour of the deceased squealed that she had lied to her husband, identified simply as Henry, that she wanted to visit a friend who lived on Prince Adeyemi Street.
The neighbour, who did not want her name in print, said she was shocked when she learnt that the woman died in the hotel.
She said, "Around 9pm on Friday, she told her husband that she wanted to visit a friend on the street where the hotel is located. The husband and her children became confused when she did not return.
"It was the following day when the news of her death was broken that the husband realised he had lied to him. She was about 50 years old.
"Her husband is a motorcyclist and he tries his best to provide for the family. She used to run a lotto shop but later stopped. She sold fish and soup ingredients before her death," he added.
When contacted, the deceased's husband, Henry, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said she would be buried later this month. He, however, declined comments when asked where her late wife told him he was going on the day.
"She suffered from high blood pressure before her death. We will bury her later this month," he said.
But the deceased's daughter, who collected the phone from her father, said the family did not want to dwell on the incident in order to protect its image.
"We don't want to be discussing this matter. We have our future to protect and we don't want the incident to destroy the image of the family. Please, don't call this number again," she added.
The Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the police were still on the trail of the fleeing lover.

subset: commoncrawl


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Last weekend I have been attending the KOffice Sprint is Oslo. Like every other KOffice sprint it was really cool and we had lots of fun. It was the first time I visited Norway and I really liked it. Unfortunately these sprints are always so busy that you don't really see much outside the office. I arrived friday night at the airport, where I met Jos and Jos. During the travel to the city I could try the new N900, which is really a cool device.
On saturday we had lots of interesting discussions about the lots of stuff. In contrast to the previous meetings many different things that are not directly technical issues in KOffice have been dicussed like the impending move to Git, release schedules, decision-making and the involvement of Nokia. Nokias testers did a huge amount of testing and I'm really looking forward to the development that will be done for KOffice 2.2. I got a N810 from Nokia and we had a lottery with five N900 as six month loan after dinner.
Back at the hotel we had a Krita meeting, where we discussed the plans for Krita 2.2. For 2.2 we are mainly focusing on stability and performance with the midterm goal to get Krita ready for the next Blender open movie. To reach this goal we are running a fundraiser to get Lukáš Tvrdý, famous brush wizard of Krita, working full time on Krita for three months to improve performance, stability and usability. See more information is available on the Krita website.
On sunday morning we had a discussion about getting KOffice end user ready. There is much to do to and even though it's remarkable what this small group of developers achieves we still need more developers. So in case you want to help making KOffice ready don't hesitate to drop by on IRC or the mailing list and we will get something for you.
Big thanks go to Nokia, KDE e.V. and the organizers of this great sprint for providing the location, devices, food, accommodation and everything else that made this sprint such a great experience.


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Here's me last night when I got home! I was super excited to see my fave band: Drunk Mums. They're from the western suburbs of Melbs also and really punky fun!
Today I wore this apron dress, and saw Lanie Lane perform! She was stunning and so vintage-y sweet, you'd really love her and her style! I'm not 100 % sold on this apron dress, it looks cute and flattering here, but it feels bulky and I feel very wide when I wear it. So it kinda makes me not wear it. I should picture this photo when I wear it next, because it looks sweet.
I tell you what? I'm OVER wearing tights. I'm hoping hoping hoping tomorrow is warm enough to ditch the tights and wear bare legs for reals. It's still kinda warm now, this late at night, so fingers crossed it'll be proper springtime tomorrow. I wanna wear sandals and skirts and floppy clothes again instead of tight tights!


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Pokemon GO's May Community Day is quickly approaching this weekend, with Niantic having already confirmed the event to be themed around Charmander and with it also including a Stardust bonus. Now, ahead of the forthcoming event, the game developer has decided to add Shiny versions of the aforementioned Fire-type, as well as its evolutionary family of both Charmeleon and Charizard to the popular mobile augmented reality title's servers.
This much was discovered by the prolific Redditor and Pokemon GO fan named "Chrales", with the Silph Road subreddit community member having shared the photos found below for fellow PoGO enthusiasts to peruse. The color changes for the Shiny variants of Charmander and Charmeleon don't appear to be too drastic, as both change from their orange hues to a more golden-tinted shade, while Charizard goes full charcoal black with crimson under its wings.
Not only will Pokemon GO's forthcoming Community Day this Saturday include increased spawn rates for Charmanders and the potential discovery of the aformentioned Shinies, but also would-be Trainers can have their Charizard learn the move Blast Burn should they choose to evolve it during the event. Compared to offerings of previous Community Days, Blast Burn won't be seen as viable as Venusaur's Frenzy Plant, but it does provide a decent alternative to Overheat and Fire Blast.
All things considered, the addition of the Shiny Charizard family of creatures to Pokemon GO are simply the latest in Niantic's decision to update the ARG with a slew of Shinies this year, as 2018 has seen a fair share of Shiny Pocket Monsters make the cut. Those interested can check out this list of every Shiny officially made available thus far to Pokemon GO. Hopefully, the developer will continue this trend well into the future in order to keep fans content.
Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS devices.
Source: Reddit


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Quote of the Day- Kindness
"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." – The Dalai Lama
"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." – The Dalai Lama
"Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself."
And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself. ~ Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 30
Comics and stories from a American gaijin (foreigner) and her Japanese husband, living in rural Japan
Beautiful photos of hiking and other outdoor adventures.
I have often felt a motion of love to leave some hints in writing of my experience of the goodness of God ... (John Woolman)
Thought Catalog is a digital youth culture magazine dedicated to your stories and ideas.
a new way to dine in Singapore
Sculptural stained glass of Andrew Kosorok
A coalition of international UU organizations


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Hi. This is our first trip to Universal (I haven't been in probably 23 years so I am considering this our first time!). We are at the Loews Royal Pacific for 5 nights with 4 day park to park tickets. Can I use the tickets any 4 days I want out of the 5 I am there, do I have to specify what days I'm using or use 4 in a a row? And any other advice anyone wants to give me would be great. We are planning to do SeaWorld one day and if I pre-purchase that I have to know what day I am going. Would kind of like to break up Universal and go in the middle of our trip if there is flexibility with the tickets.
Also - do you suggest making reservations in advance for restaurants or just wing it. I am a pro at Disney but have no clue with Universal.
Going the beginning of December. Help!
Margie M


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How to find cash back credit cards that have unlimited rebate potential
With so many options for credit cards these days it can become confusing with the best deal available. We all have experienced the fluctuation of the economy so saving a small percentage or having the best rebate program is important. Navigating through the many options can be frustrating and confusing, but with the proper tools it is possible to find the best choice for your needs. Credit card companies are all competing for your business and this can be used to your advantage.
Research is crucial when attempting to find the best deal on anything. An uninformed consumer enters the negotiation to lose. Understand the terms of cash back credit cards is important so you can make a proper evaluation of the offer. Unlimited rebate potential will provide you with no monetary caps on the cash back credit card. A few examples of credit cards that have limits on their cash back cards is requiring a $500 balance before any rebates are earned.
Some other important factors when choosing a cash back rebate credit card is the percentage of interest paid and the cards annual fee for usage. Reading the fine print on every credit available is crucial to making the best choice. Hidden fees or caps will only be listed in the fine print so paying close attention is crucial. An example of the wording to look for is, "cash rebate exceptions, fees for cash rebates, or rebates only on a percentage of purchases."
When choosing rebate cards, it is very important to do your research up-front and read through all of the fine print and disclosures, if you have a question or doubts, consider calling the company direct or doing additional information before you apply. If there is anything that seems unclear the representative will clarify it and also ask if they can offer a lower percentage of interest for selecting their card. Most credit card companies will offer specials for customers who call in and speak with a representative directly. They need your business and will offer specials if you ask. If you ask once and do not get a special offer call back again or ask to speak with a manager to facilitate your business. Credit card companies are large but they are in business to serve customers so do not be afraid to ask.
Review the specifics of each company rebate program. Some new additions include different percentages per dollar of use for a specific type of charge. Some examples of this includes a two percent rebate on gas, a three percent rebate on food, or a one percent rebate on all charges. Most households spend a large percentage on gas purchases so the additional percentage will help accumulate the cash back bonuses. If you do not drive or have a car, then this is not such an important bonus. Evaluating your individual needs is crucial to the best personal choices.
Choosing the right credit card company will require some phone calls and research but as long as it will save and protect your money. Remember to carefully read the specifics of any credit card and ask questions if anything is unclear.


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Recent Posts
13 May 2009
NY Photo Show
I spent Tuesday helping hang the NY Photo show down in the Old Tobacco Warehouse in DUMBO. The shows look fantastic! Above are some of the gems from our building among many beauties. It's worth a look. TOP: Matthew Porter BOTTOM: Kimiko Yoshida
check out www.nyphotofestival.com


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Quality Toys and Hobbies
Roberts Sales was formed in 1979 as a group of professional salespeople
dedicated to the specialty toy market. During the past thirty years the
organization has grown to 10 representatives who cover most classes of
trade within the toy market.
Roberts Sales differs from our competition as we do not simply sell products
to customers, we manage the territory.
Website powered by Network Solutions®


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I listened to a podcast last week, in which physicist Lisa Randall was being interviewed about dark matter. A relatively newly discovered substance, dark matter is at the forefront of physics research. It moves through us as it moves through everything, and is responsible for making up the majority of the universe. Yet, it is completely invisible. Dark matter doesn't interact with light, and because it doesn't, we can't see it. What it does can only be inferred by the gravitational pull it has on other objects around it, but it has a strong effect on the workings of the entire universe: without it, nothing would exist.
As I was listening, I started thinking about in their own way, our myths, planetary cycles and mysteries have all described this kind of thing already: that which cannot be seen but is nonetheless important. We don't really hold on to our ancient myths as a means to keep ourselves connected with the cycles of nature anymore, but this delving into the invisible darkness in science gives me hope that we might somehow come back around to appreciating that which is hidden.Read More


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Listen, Kid, You're Nothing Special
"Naturalistic assumptions…meet you on every side…It comes partly from what we may call a 'hangover'. We all have Naturalism in our bones and even conversion does not at once work the infection out of our system. Its assumptions rush back upon the mind the moment vigilance is relaxed."
—C.S. Lewis, "Miracles"
Christian philosopher and scientist/mathematician, William Dembski , once described philosophical Naturalism as "an unfortunate enlightenment hangover". If that is true…(and I am persuaded that it is)… then we are today, in the post-modern west, experiencing not just a brief, nasty headache, but a full-fledged, decades-long, toilet- hugging regurgitation of the poisons we have drunk.
Still, in between our gut-wrenching, toxic heaves, and moral "blackouts", we continue to hear words like these (below) from New Age Gurus of Naturalism condescendingly inviting us to "belly-up" and imbibe again:
"Taken seriously, evolution means there is no basis for seeing humans as more advanced or developed than any other species. Homo sapiens is not the goal of evolution, for as near as we can tell evolution has no telos—it simply unfolds, life-form after life-form. Elephants are no more developed than toadstools, fish are no less advanced than birds, cabbages have as much ecological status as kings. Darwin invited humanity to face the fact that the observation of nature has revealed not one scrap of evidence that humankind is superior or special, or even particularly more interesting than, say, lichen."
—Christopher Manes, pioneer enviro-ecologist
We've been bellying up to the bar of Proud Scientism for quite some time now. Today, we're even bringing these deceiving spirits into our children's classrooms…..And the children are drinking it in and learning their lessons well.
In the meantime, please disregard the blurred vision, glazed-over looks, trembling hands and slurred speech. (Give that kid another bottle.)
Listen, Kid, You're Nothing Special
Bottoms up, kid!...Have another!
Be enlightened!...Drink it down!
Find relief from your condition…
Bring this boy another round!
Listen, kid, you're nothing special…
Join the Eco-Goddess Club.
You're an accident of Nature,
Like a cabbage or a grub.
Face it, son, life has no meaning,
Other than "We're born, we die"....
You're not worth more than a toadstool,
That's the truth you can't deny.
Trust us, we use Bio-Logic,
There's no Telos, no Design.
We're all here for no real Purpose…
That's the truth we have divined.
Naturalism's our Foundation,
Talisman and Holy Grail…
Scientism has revealed it!
"God", boy, is a Fairy Tale.
So, you see, son…Nothing matters!
In the end, it's all the same,
Black Hole Nihilism conquers,
Outer darkness wins the game.
"What's the point then?" you are asking...
That's for you, boy, to decide!
"What's your pleasure?" is an option,
But then so is suicide.
"Perhaps we shall have to learn the truth along some Via Dolorosa. It may be that we are awaiting a great change, that the sins of the fathers are going to be visited upon generations until the reality is again brought home and there comes some passionate reaction, like that which flowered in the chivalry and spirituality of the middle ages. If such is the most we can hope for, something toward that revival may be prepared for by acts of thought and volition in this waning day of the west."
—Richard M. Weaver, "Ideas Have Consequences", 1948
Lord, have mercy…Bring revival,
Give us Hope...a brand new start...
Give us Grace to know the Truth, Lord.
Holy Spirit, stir the heart!
Give us Grace to find redemption,
Give us Grace to see we're lost…
Give us Grace to know the reason
Why You fought to gain the Cross.


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Late last week a change happened with Google Now Launcher, Google's first proper attempt at a launcher for Android. It basically became incompatible with virtually every Android phone out there. The change was unannounced and it is preventing anyone from going to the Play Store and downloading the launcher.
Up until last week, you could use Google Now Launcher as your launcher on any Android phone running Android Jelly Bean 4.1 or higher. Now, when you go to the launcher's page in the Play Store, you get a warning that the app isn't compatible with your device.
To be fair, it is probably time for Now Launcher to go away. It has been superseded by the Pixel Launcher within Google's devices and there are plenty of solid options when it comes to power launchers for Android users such as Action Launcher, Nova Launcher, Evie Launcher and even the Microsoft Launcher. The lack of customization of the Now Launcher and its overall dated look don't help it either.
But the way this has happened it feels more like a mistake than a deprecation. Usually when Google kills off an app, they simply don't update it any longer and usually let users know that support for it is going away. It is more of a natural app death: Death by lack of use. Eventually Google, like other developers, pull the plug on it and are done. But to seemingly randomly make the app incompatible with 98% of the devices out there (not sure that figure is fact, but it feels really high) is odd at best.
It feels like a code mistake somewhere that has made it incompatible. If that is the case, there will likely be an update this week to bring it back into the fold. If not, well, it has certainly been one of the weirder ways that Google has killed an app for sure.


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Kids Fight Plaque in Free Online Game by ColgatePublished on April 20, 2016
If you're looking for a fun and challenging online game to play, Colgate® has you covered with "Attack of the Plaque Monsters."
This game has Colgate®'s resident dentist, Dr. Rabbit, fighting all manner of green ghoulies (plaque monsters) by squirting them with toothpaste.
The game is free and serves as a great reminder to brush regularly to keep those pesky plaque monsters at bay. One tip: if you'd like the game to appear larger on the screen, increase the zoom on your browser window and it will enlarge the game without distorting it.
If you're ready to keep tooth decay at bay and have fun while doing so, head on over to the Colgate® website to play Attack of the Plaque Monsters now!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.


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The Desco 10550 is the 2.5 gallon bag-in-a-box Statguard Low-VOC Floor Finish. The static dissipative cross-linked floor finish is used to convert hard non-ESD floors to ESD protective flooring. I can also be used for protecting and enhancing ESD permanent flooring like vinyl, VCT or rubber.
The floor finish meets or exceeds ANSI/ESD S20.20 minimum requirements as an ESD protective floor or as a primary grounding method. It is also a low tribocharging coating measuring <100 volts per the ANSI/STM 97.2 and meets or exceeds ANSI/ESD S20.20 minimum requirements for charge generation on flooring.
The two coat system is 23% solids and reduces the labor needed for initial install and on-going maintenance of the floor. (High traffic areas might need an initial three coat application.)
It meets the CARB and other regional VOC requirements and resists wear in order to maintain ESD performance longer.
The floor finish has been tested by Underwriters Laboratory to their slip resistance standards to ensure employee safety and to mitigate the user's liability exposure.
It does not contain harmful chemicals; No APE (alkylphenol ethoxylates) surfactants; carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxins. There are no ozone-depleting compounds and no ammonia; no heavy metals (zinc free); no flammable components and no components toxic to aquatic life.
It is also lead-free RoHS compliant.
Made in the USA.


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Third Battle of Nanking
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The Third Battle of Nanking was the last major engagement of the Taiping Rebellion, occurring in 1864 after the death of the king of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Hong Xiuquan. There were probably more than a million troops in the battle and the Taiping army sustained 100,000 dead (and many more wounded) in the three-day clash. Following the defeat of the Taiping army the Imperial troops, commanded by Zeng Guofan, slaughtered much of the city's population. Nanking had been the capital of the Heavenly Kingdom and was known by the Taipings as Tianjing (Heavenly Capital—the name should not be confused with the coastal city of Tianjin). This battle was the effective end of the Taiping army and Nanking was the last major Taiping city to fall back under Imperial control.
|Third Battle of Nanking
|Part of the Taiping Rebellion
|Qing Dynasty
|Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
|Commanders and leaders
Zeng Guofan
Zeng Guoquan
Zhu Hongzhang
Hong Xiuquan
Li Xiucheng
|500,000+ Xiang Army
|370,000 defenders
|Casualties and losses
10,000+ died of illness
9,000+ killed
200,000+ killed
200,000+ surrendered
In June 1863 Qing Gen. Bao Chao took Jiufu Island (九洑洲) and the Taiping Army lost control of the entire northern shore of the Yangtze. Imperial Gen. Bao Chao subsequently led his force across the river and camped on the southern bank outside the Shence (神策) Gate of Nanking. In September 1863 Zeng Guofan's younger brother, Gen. Zeng Guoquan, attacked and took the Shangfang Bridge (上方桥) region southeast of the city and the Jiangdong Bridge (江东桥) region to the southwest. Zeng Guoquan continued his quest in the suburbs of Nanking, and by early November 1863 had succeeded in taking regions including Shangfang Gate (上方门), Gaoqiao Gate (高桥门), Shuangqiao Gate (双桥门), Qiqiaoweng (七桥瓮), Muling (秣陵) Pass and Zhonghe Bridge (中和桥). The Taiping Army had therefore lost all of its positions in the southwestern part of the Purple Mountain. By mid-November regions including Chunhua (淳化), Jiexi (解溪), Longdu (龙都), Hushu, Sancha Town (三岔镇) had fallen under the Qing army's control. At the same time the Imperial navy commanded by Imperial Adm. Peng Yulin (彭玉麟) and his deputy, Yang Yuebin (杨岳斌, also known as Yang Zaifu 杨载福), took important regions including Gaochun and Eastern Dam (Dong Ba 东坝) with the help of Bao Chao's forces. By late November the Taiping garrison at Lishui had surrendered to the Qing army. As a result, the Taiping army was evicted from the region within 50 miles of Nanking. On November 25, 1863, Zeng Guoquan and his subordinate, Gen. Xiao Qingyan (萧庆衍), deployed troops at the Ming Xiaoling. The only links to the outside left were the Shence and Taiping Gates.
On December 20, 1863, Li Xiucheng returned to Nanking from Danyang and urged Hong Xiuquan to abandon the Taiping capital the next day. However, this suggestion was not accepted by Hong, who took overall command of the operation. He declared that anyone who disobeyed him and God would be immediately executed. This doomed the Taiping army and Nanking by creating widespread discontent and, coupled with other factors, eventually over 200,000 Taiping troops went out of Nanking and surrendered to the Imperial Chinese army during the course of the battle. Those who refused to surrender but were also upset by Hong's decisions chose to break out while they still could, when the siege was still incomplete. Hong, Li and others were unable to stop such acts. On February 28, 1864, Tianbao (天保) Castle at the highest peak of the Purple Mountain fell under the Qing army's control. On March 2, 1864, Zeng Guoquan deployed his troops to Shence and Taiping Gates. The siege of Nanking was completed.
The battleEdit
On March 14, 1864, Zeng Guoquan attempted his first attack on Nanking using ladders, but this was beaten back by the defenders. The imperial army then changed tactics, digging a total of ten underground tunnels at Chaoyang (朝阳), Shence and Jinchuan (金川) Gates, and the defenders in turn countered by digging tunnels of their own and building a secondary wall behind the first. Five days after the death of Hong Xiuquan on June 1, 1864, Li Xiucheng was finally put in charge of all military and political affairs, but it was already too late—the fate of the city and its defenders was sealed.
On July 3, 1864, Dibao Castle (地保城, nicknamed Dragon's Neck 龙脖子) on the Purple Mountain fell into the Qing army's hands. This strategic location enabled the Qing to build several dozen artillery positions to bombard the entire city, thus suppressing the defenders' firepower and providing cover for other preparations to take the city. One tactic of the attackers was to fill the space between the city wall and the mountain ridge at the Dragon's Neck with earth, sand, logs, rocks and grass, so the land surface was raised to the height of the city wall, thus paving the way to attack the city. Another was to dig underground tunnels just 200 feet away from the city wall so that they could be filled with explosives to blow up the wall. Operations within such close proximity of enemy fire were possible due to sufficient covering fire, thanks to the taking of Dibao Castle. The defenders' attempts to disrupt the preparations were continuously beaten back with heavy losses due to withering fire from the attackers. Two weeks later the preparation was complete.
Realizing the final attack was coming, on the night of July 18, 1864, Li Xiucheng ordered more than 1000 defenders to disguise themselves as attackers to sneak out of the city to destroy the tunnel, but the attackers were not fooled and beat back the thousand-man formation. The following afternoon at 1:00 the attackers detonated the explosives in the tunnel under Taiping Gate, the wall breaking and flying 2–10 km far down, killing several hundred people and collapsing a large section of the city wall. The defenders put up a fierce fight, but were unable to drive back the attacking force of 60,000. The attackers divided into four fronts after entering Nanking as previously planned:
- The central front led by imperial Gen. Li Chendian attacked toward Hong Xiuquan's palace
- The right front led by imperial Gen. 刘连捷 (Liu Lianjie) pushed toward Shence gate to link up with imperial Gen. Zhu Nangui (朱南桂)'s force, which entered the gate via ladders; after the two teams had joined forces, they would attack westward toward Lion Mountain (Shizishan 狮子山) to take Yifeng (仪凤) Gate.
- The central-left front led by imperial Gen. Peng Yuju (彭毓橘) attacked toward Tongji (通济) Gate.
- The left front led by imperial Gen. Xiao Fusi (萧孚泗) attacked toward Chaoyang and Hongwu gates.
The street fights were fierce and bloody and the resistance was much tougher than expected. The attackers' artillery cover had to stop for fear of injuring their own. The defenders were very stubborn and expected to inflict heavy casualties on the attackers and hoped to drive them back outside the city.
After the fall of Chaoyang Gate, the defenders' morale collapsed and imperial Gen. Luo Fengyuan (罗逢源) was able to break his force into the city from Jubao (聚宝) Gate, while imperial Gen. Li Jinzhou (李金洲) was able to break into the city from (通济) Gate, linking up with forces led by imperial Gen. Peng Yuju (彭毓橘). At the same time, imperial Adm. Huang Yisheng (黄翼升) led the imperial navy in taking Zhongguan (中关) and then took the remaining fortresses still in the defenders' hands at the river banks, and helped imperial Gen. Chen Ti (陈湜) take two Shuixi (水西) and Hanxi (旱西) gates. By the evening every gate of the city was firmly in the hands of Qing forces.
Li Xiucheng immediately returned to Hong Xiuquan's palace after the defeat at the Taiping Gate in the morning, and took Hong's son with him to escape via Hanxi gate. However, Li's force of several thousand were beaten back with heavy losses by imperial Gen. Chen Ti's troops and was forced to go to Qingliang Mountain (清凉山). At night Li Xiucheng's remaining force of 1000 went to Taiping Gate, disguised themselves as Qing soldiers and successfully escaped toward the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum via the section of collapsed city wall because the Qing troops were busy looting and did not bother to stop them. After massive looting the city was set on fire, which lasted until July 26, 1864.
Li Xiucheng did not get far after his initial breakout. Zeng Guoquan sent out a cavalry force of 700 after him and Li lost contact with Hong Xiuquan's son. Most of the Taiping army's commanders failed to escape: Lie (列) King Li Wancai (李万材) was captured on July 21, 1864 at Chunhua (淳化) Town, while Zhang (章) Lin Shaozhang (林绍璋) and Junior Western King (幼西王) Xiao Youhe (萧友和) was killed at Hushu Town on the same day. On July 22, 1864, Li Xiucheng himself was captured alive near Square Mountain (Fangshan 方山). On July 28, 1864, the overall commander of the battle, Zeng Guofan, reached Nanjing from Anqing and ordered Li to write his confession; he was executed after its completion on August 7, 1864. Only Zun (遵) King Lai Wenguang succeeded in breaking out with his 3,000 cavalry to eventually join and lead the Nien Rebellion, during which he continued to fight for another four years.
The success of the Qing Army was partially due to the advanced weaponry adopted, namely firearms. The first Chinese indigenously-built bolt-action single-shot rifle appeared in 1864, and although they were few in number, proved themselves over other firearms and certainly over ancient weapons such as swords, sabres, spears and lances. The third battle of Nanking was a testing ground for the first modern Chinese firearms used in battle.
- Franz H. Michael, ed.The Taiping Rebellion: History and Documents (Seattle,: University of Washington Press, 1966). 3 vols. Volumes two and three select and translate basic documents.
- Jian, Youwen (1973). The Taiping Revolutionary Movement. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0300015429. Translated and condensed from the author's publications in Chinese; especially strong on the military campaigns, based on the author's wide travels in China in the 1920s and 1930s.


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I have an avid reading friend who carefully covers each book with contact before it's read. She's even been known to cover other people's books when leant, so as to ensure they are returned in pristine condition.
Not me. I'm a book mangler.
Now, I've asked around about this, and it seems one of those divisive issues. Like whether you scrunch or fold. Some people believe in the integrity of the hard copy book. Others (like me) seem to flagrantly disregard the beauty of crisp new lines. We stretch spines (cursing a too-close-to margin print), dog-ear pages, and drop books into bags (along with keys and other scratchy objects) with cheerful abandon. Our book shelves are full of the worn, tired objects, dented by abuse. And you might be forgiven for thinking this is symptomatic of carelessness or disrespect.
But not so. I see those dents and folds as marks of love. See, the books on my shelf that are still crisp and new-looking are the ones I didn't enjoy very much. Maybe the story didn't even carry me far enough to crack that spine. Maybe it got a single, forgettable read and will never be touched again. Maybe I was able to put it aside for lunch/snacks/drinks instead of trying to balance both in only two hands. Maybe I never deigned to drop it into my bag and carry it with me. Being a clean cover on my bookshelf ... well, you're skirting your luck with the next pink bag collection.
The daggiest looking book I own is Jilly Cooper's Riders, a sweeping romantic drama in the tough, glitzy world of international showjumping. I stole it from my mum around age 13, and I have read and re-read it so many times I broke it. It's in two pieces now, cracked right through the middle of Janey and Billy's first sex scene. There are chocolate stains and age spots. I love it more because of that evidence. I leant it to a friend once with a rubber band around it. That rubber band was a mark of ultimate respect - it says, I love you, story. So much that I loved you almost to death. This story has been through my life with me. It is comfort, entertainment and pleasure, and never ever gets old. Respect.
The second daggiest is Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park. It's probably less daggy only because I own two copies - one in original hard cover (which even for me is much harder to mangle). It's the book I admire most in terms of concept and execution. It's creased like I may have sat on it once. I probably did.
Now, there's probably readers out there who'd recoil in horror at such treatment, and that's fine. You can be chaste about it and keep your books behind glass. But I like getting my fists in there. I like seeing wear and tear, the evidence of my return to the precious stories. It's one of the things that ebooks can't do for me (though being digital, I guess anything is possible - has someone written an app to 'age' a book as you read it more and more?).
So, which are you? And which books have you loved to death?


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Mejo nagpanic nako kasi there's just one month left so kelangan ko na talaga mag-apply. Jeric can easily make time for this dahil first- anlapit nia lang sa DFA, at second- pwede ciang magleave anytime he wants! Unlike me, wala pa kong paid leave at ayoko ma-undertime.
Look at the fancy dates. Napansin ko full of lucky 8's!
The day after I applied online, dumating na yung courier, which is 2GO, sa bahay namen to pick up my requirements. I just handed my company ID, birth certificate, E-1 form, and NBI clearance. Nagpasa din pala ko ng passport size ID pictures. Di naman pala dapat bongga ang ipapasa na certificates, as long as it proves na Filipino citizen ka, that's your real name and birthday- valid na document na yun. Ayos! Upon pick-up of these is the payment which P1,300. The messenger pala is courteous and was able to answer all my question regarding this whole application.


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Have you ever been told to speak more positively? Discover how to use verbal framing skills to sound positive, even when you're dealing with conflicts or raising sensitive topics. Hear…… Continue Reading
Have you ever been told to 'stop taking things personally' during a conflict? This advice isn't really helpful until you understand the NLP perceptual positions model. See how assessing a…… Continue Reading
People who take feedback too personally are often unskilled at setting personal boundaries. Hear why some people take things so personally. Then explore ways to keep your message neutral and…… Continue Reading
Do you need tips for setting limits and boundaries? You'll find them in this video on boundary setting. Find out what psychological boundaries are. Hear how setting boundaries assertively puts…… Continue Reading
Would you like to become a more effective communicator? If so, you need to listen closely to what other people say. Language reflects the 'internal reality' of the speaker. This…… Continue Reading
Learn how to give handle aggressive behaviour calmly, constructively and honestly in this instructive animated video. See how two simple principles will help you deliver feedback that sticks. Hear how to…… Continue Reading
Have you ever wondered 'What does perception is reality mean?' If so, this video is for you. Find out how the statement 'perception is reality' relates to ideas about perceptual…… Continue Reading
Emotions drive behaviour at work. Knowing how to manage (or regulate) emotions can help you perform at your peak, stay resilient when times are tough, build stronger relationships and gain…… Continue Reading
If you're dealing with difficult behaviour, you need to accurately assess the communication styles they use. Maybe you're dealing with aggressive behaviours such as shouting or talking over you. Perhaps…… Continue Reading
If you want to be a confident negotiator, you need to understand BATNAs and WATNAs. This video explains what BATNAs and WATNAs are. See how setting BATNAs and WATNAs keeps…… Continue Reading
What is the win-win approach to resolving conflict? How do you use the win-win approach for handling workplace conflict? What steps are involved in conflict resolution and option generation? This…… Continue Reading


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Apple Juice Cast - EP073 - 02-28-16/
Apple Juice Show Notes
Episode #: 73
Date: 02/28/16
Hosts: Danny Tammaro & Ellyn McNamara
This Week's Headlines
With new beta, Apple states full pencil functionality is returning
Apple is working on security measures the government can't hack
Apple tops list of brand loyalty in phone, tablets and laptops
Feedback & Follow Up
Google Twitter, Facebook and Microsoft file motions supporting Apple
What's On Sale
Free App of the week: Hopiko HOPIKO
Rental of the week: The Look Of Silence
Videoshop is available for free from the Apple Store App
The Starbucks app offers free content every Tuesday. Make sure to download it and sign in before Tuesday to get your free content. This past week was: My new roots
How to Reach Us:
Where you can reach the Apple Juice crew:
Ellyn - @rockerchick on Twitter or on Ellynmc on Tumblr and Ellyn McNamara on Facebook
Danny- @DMTammaro on Twitter or Danny Tammaro on Facebook, iPhonaddict.com and the iOSDocked Podcast
In Closing
Please subscribe to the show in iTunes and take the time to leave us a review and comment. We have a Patreon page. This gives our dedicated and loyal listeners an opportunity to support the podcast for as little as $1 a month. If you would like to support us, visit our support page at www.patreon.com/tekside. Leave us your feedback on Twitter @AppleJuiceCast or email the network at firstname.lastname@example.com. Check out our website at tekside.net/applejuice where you get an overview of all the headlines and related links. Also be sure to check out all our other great podcasts, blogs, photo galleries and the TEKSide store on tekside.net. We thank you all for listening! Goodbye!


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Ok, so I feel like I've got some explaining to do. You might have noticed that I went a little bit quiet on the ol' blog of late. Well SURPRISE, I've only been growing a HUMAN CHILD.
Turns out, it's kinda difficult. I always thought that the first few months of pregnancy would breeze by.
No heavy baby to lug around, it will be easy to keep a secret, yeah I'll be fine. Erm, NO. I'm going to write a separate post to my thoughts on the first trimester, but for now hey hello let's talk about the fact that there are currently two heartbeats inside my body. What the hell.
If you've followed my blog for a few months, you might know that I was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer back in August 2016. I blogged about it here, here and here, if you want to know more. One of the things that I worried about most, was the implications the cancer may have on my ability to have children, or to carry a child, and now I've gone and shocked everyone and his cat by getting pregnant. Oops, lol.
So here's where we are.
On the 10th May, off I went on my first solo flight with work, jetting out to Switzerland for a couple of days of meetings. Except, it turns out I wasn't quite on my own. After a few niggly suspicions, I'd taken a pregnancy test with me, and saved it for the last morning before I came home. I mean, we've already had the spoiler there, the pregnancy test confirmed that there indeed was a poppy sized pickle right there snuggling away in my womb.
If you're into the detail, I'd had a couple of days of implantation bleeding, insanely sore boobs, and back pain. Oh yeah, and I cried when Ross told me he didn't love my outfit one day. Normally, I'd tell him to go and stick his opinion up his bum.
So yep, there I was all alone (except not) in a hotel room in Switzerland. Panicking just a tad. It was exciting of course, but it's scary. All I could think about right then was what this meant for me with my medical history. So in between frantically trying to speak to my nurse on the phone, I obvs wrote Ross a cute little poem to announce that he would be a daddy, when I got home that night.
In the next few days, I had telephone calls with my nurse, my Oncologist, and my GP. Without boring you all to tears with the detail, the conversations were positive and it started to sink in that I was actually bloody pregnant. If anyone relates specifically to my story here, drop me an email and I'll be happy to chat more.
So, now here I am 18 weeks pregnant. The 12 week scan was CRAZY. To actually see that there really is a baby in there is so surreal. Wriggling around and showing off the fact that he or she has in fact got 2 feet and 2 hands.
It sort of ended the level of anxiety we both had around the baby. Up until that point, we could barely talk about it for worrying that something was going to go wrong, and that just because I was pregnant, that didn't mean there would definitely be a baby bouncing around in 9 months time.
We've been trying to allow ourselves to enjoy it lately though, and stay positive that everything will just work out in the end. We even bought our first little outfit after the 12 week scan, and I can't quite believe that a little person will be filling that little babygro one day.
So yep, that's it. The explanation for my disappearance…and hello, thanks for hanging around my little gems!
Watch the vlog where I took the pregnancy test, told my husband, and go through the first trimester here.


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Revitalize and infuse your skin with moisture with Burt's Bees Classic Gift Set. This 6 piece Classics set includes Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream to nourish and hydrate nails and cuticles; Coconut Foot Cream to pamper feet; Beeswax Lip Balm to replenish dry lips; Classic Hand Salve and Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream to nurture and moisturize dry hands; and to nourish and moisturize your dehydrated skin, a tin of Res-Q Ointment. Burt's Bees Classics are time tested originals made with the finest ingredients from nature. Indulge your skin with these natural products formulated to help retain moisture and keep your skin soft and supple. This Burt's Bees Classics Gift Set is the perfect birthday or holiday present for anyone on your list. The giftable tin is designed to be gift ready so you can skip the wrapping. Give the gift of nourishment with Burt's Bees skin care.
Gift set contains 6 products including Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, Hand Salve, Beeswax Lip Balm, Res-Q Ointment, Shea Butter Hand Repair Cream and Coconut Foot Cream in a giftable tin
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Made with natural ingredients
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Explore a variety of Burt's Bees gift sets to find the perfect gift for holidays, birthdays, graduations and other gift giving occasions


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Remember in my last post when I said things have been crazy busy in my life and I am cutting my posting way back? Well, one of the things that has changed in my life became a reality today.
I have the absolute privilege of serving the young women (girls ages 12-18) in our ward as their president. Wow. Didn't see that one coming, Heavenly Father. Remember when I prayed to you to give me help in balancing my busy school, work, and mom schedule? Ya, so I wasn't really asking to add something else to the mix...Lol. But in all seriousness, I could not be more thrilled to be with the Young Women (and 1 out of 2 of the YW in my household is thrilled as well. For those of you who know my girls, I will let you guess which one is thrilled and which one is not).
But enough rambling now...the song I have chosen for today is the theme song for the youth this year. The worldwide theme for the youth of our church is "Ask of God" taken from the bible--
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
James 1:5-6


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Coach Holiday Ad Campaign!
Lindsey Calla
A few days ago I played Nsync's Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and I got really excited. Then I saw a group of men unloading Christmas trees in Soho while Sephora was blasting jingles and I knew that the best part of the year is almost here. But there never is a real official holiday kick off party...until now.
In July I was shot with nine other bloggers for Coach's holiday ad campaign and they are throwing an official launch party next Friday and you all are invited! The campaign launches on Coach.com on November 17th so you get to see everything before it actually goes live!
And what a better way to begin the holiday season then to surround yourself with shiny bags? Because let's face it: Coach is the ultimate place to shop for holiday gifts. Below is a sneak peek of the video that Coach put together for us.. So fun!
*Glossie Disclaimer: I would like to apologize in advance to the whole male race for the following sound bite.
There are even more amazing announcements coming in the next few weeks including one pretty bad ass giveaway!
Happy early holiday season!


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Sharing knowledge
Knowledge is valuable to RIFF. We make sure that you can gather all the knowledge and expertise you need to do your job well – and more. Do you have a curious nature and a great feel for innovation? Then you will get the opportunity to investigate new developments and to share this knowledge with your colleagues. You will attend internal or external knowledge sessions, or you may organise such a session for clients, or you participate in international events for branch specialists, such as Searchlove for online marketers, a Google hackathon, or Meet Magento for developers.


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Welcome Back!!
Welcome to the Lee Canyon Ski Patrol resource site. If you are interested in joining the patrol, or to transfer from another patrol, click below and fill out our form. After submitting the New Patroller interest form, a Lee Canyon Ski Patrol board member will contact you to answer any questions you might have about our patrol, Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC), training, etc.
Please note that due to a change, existing users may need to use the Request new password link to regain access.


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|Home Page
|WorldConnect Family File
|Contact Me
|Records of the Bay of Quinte
1828 Petition for Prince Edward County to become a District
1829 Petition for Prince Edward County to become a District
Background to these petitions
In 1788, Districts were established in Upper Canada. Originally, only four districts were created and they formed the basis for administration and Courts. As the population increased these districts were subdivided and by 1849 there were twenty districts.
In 1792, Prince Edward was part of the first group of counties to be established. They formed the basis for elections, militia, surveying of townships and land boards. The counties existed within the districts. In 1830, the County of Prince Edward was within the Midland District and the district seat was Kingston.
This petition, dated 1830, follows those of 1825, 1828 and 1829 and continues to request that the "peninsula" of Prince Edward County be established as a District of its own, separate from the Midland District. In 1831, following this petition, Prince Edward finally became a District with Picton (Hallowell) becoming the administrative and judicial seat. The court house was completed in 1834. See the Archives of Ontario maps for the early District boundaries. This petitions provide a partial census substitute for the years 1828, 1829 and 1830.
In 1825 Simeon Washburn, a Justice of the Peace, wrote to Major Hillier, secretary to the Lt Gov, mentioning that he is acting as the agent for Prince Edward County in its wish to become a distinct District. The petitions and signatures associated with this letter have not been found.
There are 3 later petitions found for Prince Edward County to become a District. They are in 1828, 1829 and this one in 1830. The text of the petitions themselves are very similar and only the 1830 petition is transcribed in full. See the images of each petition for the full text. All the signatures of the inhabitants are transcribed and are on their own web page.
This petition was assembled by gluing several pages together in a long scroll. The text of this petition itself is followed by seven pages of signatures in four columns each and they are transcribed below as assembled. Each column was headed by the signature of a Justice of the Peace. Signatures can be a challenge to transcribe. Let me know if you think I have misread some and I will double check.
© Randy Saylor, transcribed Dec 2011, updated Mar 2016.
Source: Civil Secretary's Correspondence, Upper Canada Sundries, 1766-1841, RG5 A1, LAC, film also at AO, Vol 104, C-6871, pp. 59152-52g, on line at Heritage Canadiana, starts at image 1225.
|The Petition
To His Excellency Sir John Colborne Lieutenant Governor K.C.B. of the Province of Upper Canada and Major General commanding His Majesty's Forces therein etc etc
The petition of the undersigned freeholders and others of the county of Prince Edward in the Midland District
Humbly Sheweth
That the Midland District extends along the Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte a distance of upwards of seventy miles in length, is generally of a productive soil and from its extensive inland roads? communication perhaps more advantageously situated than any other District in the Province. That the population of the district now exceeds Thirty Thousand [sic] Souls and when the vacant lands become occupied and under cultivation, which is rapidly taking place, it will from its agricultural products alone sustain more than five times that number.
That the County of Prince Edward is composed, as will be seen by reference to the map of the Province, of a large peninsula upwards of Fifty Miles in length, entirely cut off and separated from the rest of the Midland District, except in narrow Isthmus at the extreme Western limit of the county. That it covers an area of about eight hundred square Miles, and has already a population of upwards of Ten Thousand [sic] Inhabitants and when the uncultivated parts of the County become cleared and occupied, which will be the case in a few years, the number will be greatly increased, and it will present at tract of country on equal in its fertility and internal resources and a population unsurpassed in respectability and Loyalty to the Government by any other part of the Province.
The peculiar Peninsular situation of the County appears marked out and designed by nature to form a separate jurisdiction untrammeled and unconnected with the rest of the Midland District. The present incorporation with which has long retarded the Growth and Improvement of our County without yielding any corresponding advantage in return.
It will perhaps be unnecessary to enumerate and point out to your Excellency all the disadvantages under which we labour, the peculiar local situation of the County must render them self evident. We will merely state to your Excellency that all or almost all the taxes levied and raised in the County of Prince Edward except our representatives wages are spent in Kingston from which place sheriff's fees are charged to the remotest parts of the County a distance of more than seventy miles, and to which place we are all liable to be called that the sittings of every Court either as Magistrates, Jurors, Constables, Litigants or Witnesses.
That in many instances crimes and misdemeanors are passed over and allowed to go unpunished on account of the great expense, and damages unavoidably occurring to the persons prosecuting at so great a distance from their homes. That the communication with the rest of the Midland District, separated as the County is by the water of the Bay of Quinte is always interrupted, and, at certain seasons of the year extremely difficult and dangerous.
These and other reasons needless at present to mention induced the Inhabitants of the County of Prince Edward in the year of our lord eight Hundred and twenty five [1825], to present their humble petition to the Provincial Parliament and then in session, praying the passing of an act to set off and direct the County into a separate and distinct District, and a bill for that purpose was introduced and then passed the House of Assembly [9 words too faint to decifer] to your humble Petitioners it did not meet the convenience of the other branches? of the Provincial Legislature. Every year since that period a similar petition has been sent from the County and so well satisfied has the House of Assembly been of our ??? and the many [two words?] situation that they have year after year declared their readiness? to afford us relief by passing through their House a Bill founded upon the Prayer of our petitioners which unfortunately for us has not been conducted? in by the Honble the Legislative Council.
Your petitioners would further represent that the public debt of the Midland District which has been contracted by building a new Gaol and Court House in the Town of Kingston at present amounts to about Two Thousand five hundd pounds in equitable proportion, of which your petitioners are willing, shall be liquidated by yearly installments out of the assessed Taxes collected in the County, after which there will still remain a sum amply sufficient, with proper management and economy, to defray all necessary expenses and charges of a separate jurisdiction.
These reasons and arguments your petitioners humbly and respectively submit to the calm and dispassionate consideration of your Excellency with a confident hope they will produce that decision they look to for their relief and that your Excellency will be pleased to sanction an Act authorizing and empowering the Lieutenant Governor or person administering the Government by his proclamation to establish and erect the county of Prince Edward into a separate and distinct district, to be subject to all the liabilities and enjoy all the rights, privileges, jurisdiction and immunities of any other District in the Province. So soon as he shall receive satisfactory evidence that a Goal and Court House are erected in the Township of Hallowell in the said County and so far completed as to admit the holding of Courts therein, and that the remainder of the taxes collected in the County, after paying such proportion of the Public Debt of the Midland District as may apply, up here appear just and equitable may be paid into the hands of a treasurer of the County hereafter to be appointed, when set off as before mentioned and appropriated to the General purposes thereof and your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.
The County of Prince Edward
December 1830


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by Larry Roberts
January 23, 1998
There hasn't been any serious big-time stadium dirt racing since the demise of the Mickey Thompson events in '93. Thompson, a bigger-than- life motorsports legend (international speed records, Indy car construction, professional sports car racing, etc.), had developed stadium racing into a wildly successful national spectator sport. Thompson and his organization would truck acres of dirt into various indoor and outdoor stadiums and hold wheel-to-wheel races for specially- constructed dune buggies, off-road racing trucks and dirt bikes. The events were successful, but it all came to an end shortly after Thompson and his wife were killed in a still-unsolved murder mystery.
Now, five years later, another motorsports legend, Ivan "Ironman" Stewart, has put together a program to resurrect those crowd-pleasing closed circuit events.
Stewart made his reputation driving his tube-framed off-road trucks in such harrowing events as the Baja 1000, and the SCORE cross country races in the Southwestern U.S. high desert. For the past few years, Stewart has been building his own line of "spec" off-road trucks that can accommodate Ford, Chevrolet or Dodge truck engines and drive lines. Professional racers who buy Stewart's "Protruck" racing chassis can build vehicles to suit the requirements of potential sponsors such as the makers of aftermarket equipment or truck dealers, then "skin" them with Big Three fiberglass look-alike shells. By standardizing all the hardware except the engine and transmission, the cost of construction and maintenance is lowered to a minimum and more low-budget teams and contestants can participate. The current IRL Indy 500 single-seater formula works on a similar principle.
But the Stewart-developed racing truck isn't limited to just desert racing. Last year a Chevy powered Protruck won its class in the FIA sanctioned Montee de l'Olympe hillclimb in the French Alps. The BF Goodrich-sponsored racer was owned by Axcel Research & Development Company (The European distributor for Protruck products) and driven by American hillclimb competitor Larry Ragland.
And now Stewart has entered into the role of race promoter himself. In partnership with family entertainment producer Beachport Entertainment Corporation, Stewart has reinstated the Thompson concept of bring desert and off-road racing to spectators in urban areas. Traditionally, the events are held in typical dirt track fashion with short heat races, a trophy dash, a semi-main and a main event. This keeps the action going and keeps younger family members from reaching that I'm-bored-lets-go-home stage. All the competiting vehicles will be Protruck products which assures the promoters of having full fields and satisfied sponsors. Stewart may later include dune buggies and motorcycles, but the rational is that by racing vehicles that American pickup owners can "identify" with, the races will bring in spectators who will root for "their" truck. The rationale has worked extremely well for the NASCAR Craftsman truck series (its total spectatorship last year was over a million) and Stewart hopes it will work for him and his Protruck stadium series.
The old adage "imitation is the most sincere form of flattery" seems appropriate here.


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I came across Finding Home by Lauren Baker and Bonnie Dee on the Best Older Woman/Younger Man recommendation list from Goodreads while searching for a comparison piece to On the Island. Despite the fact that I determined that this novel wasn't suitable for comparison, I found that Finding Home had a great deal of merit as a story in its own right.
Megan is a young copywriter frustrated with her inability to get a writing assignment at the paper where she works. Impetuously she decides to take the initiative to find her own story if the powers that be will not give her one to cover. She quickly makes a place for herself among the youth working the street, guided by Mouth, a homeless teen who supports himself largely through prostitution. After he is beaten and robbed Megan takes him in to the consternation of her friends and family setting the stage for an unusual romance.
Perhaps I am in the minority but the age difference in this novel seemed pretty unobjectionable considering the context of the story itself. The other challenges, mainly his past, that they would face as a couple it would seem that the difference in their ages was paltry at best. Regardless, Baker and Dee have created a highly readable story filled with the angst and grit that you would imagine is intrinsic to life on the street.
AUTHOR: Lauren Baker and Bonnie Dee
RATING: 4 Stars
GENRE: Fiction


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Taian Yingda Xunneng Electric Science and Technology Co.,Ltd - Contacts:MR li - TEL:18615389965 - TEL:0538-5056608 - Fax:0538-5056601 - Network access:sdydxn.com
Taian Yingda Xunneng Electric Science and Technology Co.,Ltd is a new type joint stock company that build according to modern enterprise system. It's located at the foot of famous Taishan and belongs to State New Hi-tech Development Zone. It occupies more than 160 mu, has 80,000 square meters workshop and more than 400 employees. The company's R&D center has complete innovation system which insists combine internal talents and external think tank and exploration and innovation.Aim at national key projects and market's demand, the company has developed in-depth academic research and technical cooperation with Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shandong University, Harben Institute of Technology and other famous institutions of higher learning, strengthened scientific research and technological upgrading, continuously and launched new products which has significant contribution and improvement to the market. The company devotes main efforts to research and produce of 10-35kV S11 and S13 series three dimensional coiled core oil immersed power transformer, amorphous alloy power transformer, dry type transformer, S11 oil immersed power transformer, prefabricated substation, prefabricated switching station, wind power generation special box transformer substation, combined transformer, HV&LV switch cubicle, LV automatic reactive compensation device,ring main unit, electric energy metering box control cabinet, terminal box, power transformation and distribution on line monitoring devices and so on smart power control and power transformation and distribution equipments. The company always adhere to customers as focus, has passed ISO 9001 and ISO14001, adopts 7S site management, OTB target management, ERP management system and other international advanced enterprise management system and scientific management methods, builds a perfect management and guarantee system. People-oriented, integrity management, exploration and innovation, win-win development is relentless pursuit of all employees of Taian Yingda Xunneng Electric Science and Technology Co.,Ltd. All employees of the whole company develop the enterprise sprit of strive to surpass, pursuit to excellence with full confidence, provide much more high reliable products with good quality and first class service, make the company become the top class professional manufacturing enterprise.


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In Kyiv, you'll find an exceptionally strong array of internships as well as our most inclusive pricing. Kyiv is currently the focus of strong international attention. Many businesses, NGOs, museums, and media organizations there are open to foreign interns. In Kyiv, you are provided with an included homestay, two meals a day, and even a subway transport card, meaning that your expenses once abroad kept to a minimum. Further, semester terms in Kyiv are slightly shorter, so program costs are lower as well.
Kyiv is especially recommended if you are looking to gain professional experience or are looking for a shorter, more affordable location abroad.
Tuition, accommodation, pre-departure information, roundtrip airport transfers, cultural programming, health and emergency insurance, use of a mobile telephone for duration of program, and SRAS in-country support.


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City CenterTampa-St. Petersburg, Florida
Located in the core of St. Petersburg's financial district, City Center is primarily occupied by professional services and financial services tenants. In addition to its recently renovated lobby, fitness facility and common areas, the property has direct water views and is situated in close proximity to the marina, numerous restaurants, shops and new multi-family and retail developments.
|Net Rentable Area:
|239,684 square feet
|Number of Buildings:
The City Center Property is a 239,684 square foot, two-building complex with 620 parking spaces, most of which are located in the property's six-level structured parking garage. The two office buildings that form the City Center property consist of a 12-story office tower and a four-story office building, connected by an atrium.


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For today's edition of Five Bites, Nycci Nellis, friend of Metrocurean and publisher of TheListAreYouOnIt.com, offers lists from two metrocureans in training: her son, Eli (7), and her daughter, Tessa (5).
1. Lobster moilee with ginger, green chile and coconut milk and a side order of garlic naan and herbs to soak up the sauce at Rasika
2. Any cupcake that Josh Short bakes at Buzz Bakery (bumblebee cupcakes pictured at right)
3. Deviled eggs to start followed by a Mia's pizza with prosciutto at Mia's Pizzas
4. A bowl of lomo saltado at Las Canteras
5. Heather Chittum's Tic Tac Toe dessert plate — chocolate whoopie pies filled with housemade marshmallow fluff and vanilla shortbread X's — at Hook
Children can join the Five Bites fun, too! Let Metrocurean readers know which dishes you or your little ones are enjoying around town by e-mailing five of your favorite dishes or drinks and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.


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SEO, Web Generated Leads and Digital Development.
Mighty Marketing Group is a leading provider of web design and development, web lead generation services, eCommerce, mobile app development and SEO. We truly are the only full-service digital marketing agency you require and promise to deliver exceptional results for your business!
Our web generated leads are second to none, ensuring you always have a source of hot and exclusive leads provided in real time direct into your CMS or dialler system.
Thanks to Tom and the Mighty Marketing Team for their assistance. The Funeral Plan leads I have taken have been the best I have experienced with regards to conversion rates and Tom is always on hand to offer advice, help and assistance when it comes to the leads. Recommended.
Pegasus Protect
Used Mighty Marketing for 3 website builds for our company. Very responsive to my requests and delivered very good results very quickly. Also used them for SEO. Very good communication. Would recommend.
CSC Fuel Cards
I'd seen the mighty marketing group pop up more times on my LinkedIn then you could possibly imagine, always with glowing reviews. I got a conversation rolling with Sam Dunning after being disappointed in the opportunity eCommerce platforms had to offer. Mighty built an all purpose retail website which looks and feels fantastic. Delivered ahead of schedule and with constant professionalism, Mighty are worth a chat and your time 100% and you won't look back.
Mass Play
MMG helped me on many occasions with technical issues however, their support and help didn't just stop there, they went above and beyond their duties by helping myself understand processes that are not particularly in my field of work. I recommend MMG for any web design or programming, I will continue to keep in touch for future projects.
Compare The Umbrella
Having worked with Mighty Marketing for over two years now, they have never disappointed us or our clients. Very often we have clients who want specific leads that we are unable to deliver. We then introduce Mighty, who then make contact and cater for their needs. You will find their service, leads and prices second to none.
Telesales Data
Mighty Marketing Group are brilliant. In a marketplace where finding reliable people is tough Sam and the team are consistent and always do what they say they're going to do. Secondly, they've always produced results for our clients. I would recommend you give them a try.
The Magento Effect
I first came into contact with Mighty Marketing Group in 2013, they were quite literally a top notch web supplier. From there I have also worked with them on many sites and projects. 100% recommend
Every Buz Solution
Websites Launched
Web Leads Delivered
Coffee's Consumed


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Gibson powers Southern California over Oregon
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) – Taj Gibson scored 18 points and blocked
four shots as Southern California held on to upset ninth-ranked Oregon, 71-68,
in Pac-10 play at the Galen Center.
Nick Young scored 13 points, Gabe Pruitt had 12 and Lodrick Stewart donated 11
for the Trojans (18-6, 8-3 Pac-10), who swept the regular-season series with
Aaron Brooks scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Ducks (19-4,
7-4) but missed on a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have sent the game
into overtime.
Tajuan Porter added 15 points while Malik Hairston added 14 points and six
boards for Oregon, which finished a four-game road trip with a record of 1-3.
With the score knotted at 60-60 with 5:36 left in the game, Young nailed
a three and Daniel Hackett followed with a layup for a five-point USC lead.
Then, after Brooks answered with a basket for the Ducks, Hackett hit a three
to give USC a 68-62 lead with 2:45 remaining.
Oregon responded as Hairston hit two from the line before Bryce Taylor's layup
brought Oregon back within 68-66. Taylor then picked Gabe Pruitt's pocket, but
Chamberlain Oguchi failed to connect on a jumper that would have tied the
Young and Brooks then traded free throws and Gibson was able to hit only
1-of-2 shots from the charity stripe with 16.4 seconds remaining, giving
Oregon one last chance to tie the game.
However, Oguchi missed on his attempt from beyond the arc and Brooks' three as
time expired was too short as USC held on for the upset.
With USC holding an early 7-6 lead, Gibson threw down a dunk and Young
followed with a three-point play to give the Trojans an early 12-6 advantage.
Oregon quickly pulled back within one on a Hairston tip-in and a Porter three,
but Pruitt responded with back-to-back threes and Stewart's jumper gave the
Trojans a 23-13 lead with 11:16 left in the half.
The Ducks responded again later in the half as Brooks followed a Hairston
basket with a three and a layup to cut Oregon's deficit to 29-26 with 3:53
left in the half.
USC closed the first half out with a 10-2 run, capped by Dwight Lewis' three
at the buzzer that gave the Trojans a 39-28 lead at the break.
Game Notes
USC holds a 58-41 edge in the all-time series with Oregon…Pruitt also had
five steals for the Trojans…USC shot 60 percent from the floor, while Oregon
shot just 33 percent.


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Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Stellar Explosion
Astronomers using ESO's Very Large Telescope have for the first time obtained a three-dimensional view of the distribution of the innermost material expelled by a recently exploded star. The original blast was not only powerful, according to the new results. It was also more concentrated in one particular direction. This is a strong indication that the supernova must have been very turbulent, supporting the most recent computer models.
Read more...
That is a fabulous image, but I love "Very Large Telescope" for a name. It might lack poetry, but it does do exactly what it says on the tin.
Labels: Science Fact
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Revelation 21:1-7 (NRSV)
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,'See, the home of God is among mortals.He will dwell with them;they will be his peoples,and God himself will be with them;he will wipe every tear from their eyes.Death will be no more;mourning and crying and pain will be no more,for the first things have passed away.'And the one who was seated on the throne said, 'See, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.' Then he said to me, 'It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Book Referenced
Several years ago, I conducted a wedding ceremony on a Saturday afternoon in June. The bride wore a white summer dress, the groom a white linen shirt. They insisted on the simplest ceremony possible. It was held in a park in a grove of trees. Their family and friends stood in a circle, with the three of us in the middle. I began with a welcome, they exchanged vows and rings, I pronounced them husband and wife, they kissed, everybody clapped. The ceremony took seven minutes.They were then each handed a cluster of helium balloons on strings. The balloons, I told everybody, were symbols of their past marriages, pregnancies they had chosen to terminate, people they had had affairs with when they were previously married, relationships that had not lasted. As a picture of starting over, together, they wanted their first act as a married couple to be letting the balloons go.They walked out of the grove of trees into an adjoining field. Just the two of them, holding hands, standing in knee-high grass, exchanging words that only they could hear. Then they raised the balloons above their heads and let them go. We all stood there, watching those balloons float away until they drifted from sight.There are moments you wonder if you'll ever forget. Events that sear themselves on your conscience. That moment was one of those for me.A few years later their marriage imploded. She moved an hour away. He relocated to another part of the country. They divorced.I finish with this story because life is messy. Gut wrenching. Risky. Things don't always turn out well. Sometimes they don't turn out at all. Sometimes everything falls apart and we wonder if there's any point to any of it. We're tempted to shut ourselves off, fortify the walls around our hearts, and forge ahead, promising ourselves that we will never open ourselves up like that again.But I have to believe that we can recover from anything. I have to believe that God can put anything – anyone – back together. I have to believe that the God Jesus invites us to trust is as good as he says he is.Loving.Forgiving.Merciful.Full of grace.And I have to believe that God does not run out of balloons.
Setlist (iTunes links provided)


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Kuala LumpurMosaic
- Breakfast6 – 10:30am
- Lunch12 – 2:30pm
- Dinner6 – 10:30pm
- Phone+60 (3) 2179 8881
One of the best all-day dining restaurants in Kuala Lumpur, Mosaic serves a delicious mix of local and international cuisine, complemented by interactive live cooking stations and a large dessert bar.
Presented in cast iron pans, woks and copper pots or served in individual portions, dishes include Indian classics such as tandoori chicken, Japanese sushi and sashimi, and Chinese dim sum and stir-fries. To complete the experience an open kitchen offers authentic barbecued specialities.
Overlooking KLCC Park, the restaurant's elegant interior reflects the Peranakan culture with intricate hanging pewter lights and beautiful mosaic walls. In addition, Mosaic has two semi private dining rooms, seating up to 10 guests each.
International & Local Specialties
Menu highlights
Pizza "Margarita"
Roma tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves
MO Curry Laksa
Fragrant coconut broth, yellow noodles, chicken, shrimp, tofu
Rendang Daging Temasik
Malaysian spiced braised beef, grated coconut, palm sugar, ghee rice, pickled vegetables
MO 200g Prime Beef or Chicken Burger
Sesame bun, gherkins, onions, iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, coleslaw and burger relish
- PDF A La Carte Menu
- PDF A La Carte Menu


text: "David Mercer" <> writes: > mats cronqvist wrote: > >> ... It is >> a rare function that can return several valid answers. So, the >> default should be to return a valid answer, i.e. one that can be >> used directly, or throw an error. > > That's my default approach, too. Are there any arguments against this? Richard O'Keefe had a whole bunch in a thread a year or so ago. IIRC, it all boiled down to how rare the "rare functions" are. mats


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Well this is uncomfortable. Google's new flight search had the World Trade Center listed as an unavailable destination airport for New York City-bound flights.
Google's flight search uses International Air Transport Association and International Civil Aviation Organization codes to generate its list of airports, but Google didn't know that decommissioned airports remained in the list until after the service was live. They're still removing other unavailable airports, but it looks like they've already yanked the WTC.
It's an honest mistake to be sure, but still, an immensely embarrassing one. [Sydney Morning Herald via NY Post]


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Internal Comms
We've produced a variety of Internal comms video pieces for specialist audiences.
This solution is not only relevant for large companies; we've undertaken training video for new starters, mandatory video recording obligations related to assessments, pre-taped content for use in presentations.
The common theme is that this is a predominantly a non-marketing use for video – something where SEO is not important but professional production values remains necessary. Here, we are essentially "just" videographers, but bringing many years of experience, a selection of the right equipment, and the same diligence that we would apply to any project.


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Best of Delaware 2008
Our 25th salute to the places that make Delaware great, plus the Hall of Fame of winningest places ever. (Can you say Grotto Pizza?) As chosen by you, the readers (with a little help from your friends here at DT)
(page 80 of 144)
Best Ice Cream
Critics, upstate: The "creamery" in Woodside Farm Creamery always sounds appropriate because the ice cream produced at the farm is so thick and, well, creamy. Credit Woodside's on-site milking operations, where Jersey cows produce high-butterfat milk. Customers love the ice cream, but so do a lot of local restaurants, which receive custom blends from Woodside as a secret weapon on their dessert menus. Try the Canal Digger (butterscotch, caramel, butter brickle and chocolate) at Bayard House in Chesapeake City or the Lemon Peppermint Stix (lemon ice cream with bits of hard peppermint candy) at Back Burner Restaurant in Hockessin. (1310 Little Baltimore Ave., Hockessin, 239-9847)
Critics, downstate: King's Homemade Ice Cream has branched out to make delicious frozen yogurt and Italian ice. But the same 16 flavors have been served since the 1970s. The banana ice cream requires 16 pounds of ripe bananas per 10-gallon batch, so you can believe the flavor is full. Nobody tops King's butter pecan or black raspberry, and attempts are being made to produce a new Dutch chocolate flavor, which, we hear, is loaded with chunks of dark chocolate. But here's the real scoop: There's nothing like sitting on a bench in front of King's shop in Lewes on a hot summer day with a vanilla cone. (201 Second St., Lewes, 645-9425; 302 Union St., Milton, 684-8900)


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Reflection 1: The Current Generation's Film Ignorance
| Real film is old and people usually don't understand it. |
This is especially true in this digital age but its not usually a thing that has any issues for you on a regular basis. However, I do feel like there is a place where this reality really rears its head and that is when you bring large format film or any film for that matter into airport security. I mean it is kind of understandable… a box where they can't look into or use xray to look into. But what am I supposed to do here? I brought a large box of 4×5 Kodak Tri-X on my trip. Our flight out to Denver was flawless and I had them manual check the tri-x box and we were in and out of security super quick. However on the return journey manual check, security for some reason really didn't like the official Kodak Tri-X box and they were ok with the unofficial bag/box combo (I was surprised about this) where I put my exposed film. I ended up transferring some of my unexposed film in my film changing bag over to the black bag/box combo where my exposed film was. It stressed me out thinking about all the work and time that went into the photos that could be destroyed by an ignorant TSA worker opening the box, but everything went ok in the end. All that to say –there has got to be a better way to accommodate us large format photographers in the airport.
| There is an interesting phenomenon in this generation. |
You either know about film photography or you really don't know anything about it. Because digital is so standardized, film currently is reserved as a cult following, so a younger person either knows because of how hip it is or they are completely ignorant. So in an airport with TSA officers, you either are lucky or you are not (with a younger worker). Or, you just get an older TSA officer that grew up where film WAS the standard and you luck out.
My takeaway: profile your TSA line for TSA officers (preferably older folks) who you think will give you a smooth manual search.
And of course here are a few photographs I took in Colorado. Enjoy.


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"Connection" | A Save the Date Short Film | 07.2014
Dominic Hernandez x Katrina Chua's wedding save the date film featuring an ensemble cast: Piolo Pascual, Sam Milby, Gerald Anderson, Jake Cuenca, Bea Alonzo, Shaina Magdayao, Dimples Romana and Moi Bien. Filmed on location: Prost, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Why did Katrina choose Dom over Piolo, Sam, Gerald and Jake? And why did Dom choose Katrina over Bea, Shaina, Dimples and Moi? "Connection", a save the date film for Dom & Katrina's wedding.
con·nec·tion / kəˈnekSHən / noun.
1. a relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else.
2. the theme of Dom & Katrina's Save the Date film for their wedding on December 20, 2014 at Shangri-La Mactan Resort in Cebu.
3. beats the hell out of good looks, wealth, tenure, achievement, talent, et al. as depicted in this short film.
steadicam/dolly operator/key grip MIKE MERCADO
"b" camera operator RYAN PALADA
gaffer/production sound mixer ELAIN OJEDA-SUBIDO
director/DoP/story/film editor/colorist GUJ TUNGPALAN
performed by Secret Nation licensed through The Music Bed // Streaming, Internal & External Uses // Single Use | Perpetual
© 2014 themusicbed.com
special thanks to
YOU, ME & CHEMISTRY [ A Wedding Film Company ] | THEMUSICBED.COM | PROST BRAUMEISTER, TAGUIG | A TASTE OF LA, QC
color graded using VSCO FILM 01
© 2014 redsheep Photo x Cinema | redsheepphotocinema.com | facebook.com/redsheepphotocinema | @redsheepphotocinema on Instagram
"REDSHEEP PHOTO & CINEMA" is the author of this motion picture for the purpose of copyright and other laws.
This motion picture is protected pursuant to the provisions of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines and other countries. Any unauthorized duplication, distribution and/or exhibition of this motion picture may result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.
Characters and incidents portrayed and the names herein are fictitious, and any similarity to the name, character or history of any person is entirely coincidental and unintentional.


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Title: The Super Duper Princess Heroes: How It All Started | Author: Sanjay Nambiar | Publication Date: August 15, 2013 | Publisher: Umiya Publishing | Pages: 32 | Recommended Ages: 3 to 8 | Reviewed by: Renee (Mother)
Summary: When Kinney, Oceana, and Sammie stumble upon a mysterious bag with magical tiaras inside, their lives change forever. They transform from regular girls into Super Duper Princess Heroes! Their new powers, however, come with strings attached. [Read More…]
My Review
My Thoughts: One day, three regular girls – Sammie, Oceana, and Kinney – stumble upon a magical silver bag in the forest. To their delight, they discover three glittering tiaras which transform them into three Super Duper Princess Heroes who possess magical powers – the power of speed, the power of strength, and the power of flight. Soon, they are visited by the Fairy Teacher Mother Superstar Queen, Betty.
Betty teaches the girls the basics of their new powers and sets out three conditions that the girls must follow: 1) they must be kind; 2) they must work together; and, 3) they must always be humble. With this in mind, the girls head off into the forest when suddenly they hear a cry for help. They stumble upon a young prince who is in need of rescue but he is not entirely convinced THEY can help him (being girls and all). But these three princesses shatter the prince's perception of exactly what girls can do and help save the day by working together.
I like the basic premise of The Super Duper Princess Heroes. The underlying message of the book is that it is high time we dispel some of the stereotypes people may have about girls. Girls can be strong, intelligent, and brave; and importantly, they can work together to problem-solve and to embrace the hero role typically assigned to boys in the classic princess stories and fairy tales such as Cinderella and Snow White for example. Overall, I do think the author does a great job in terms of the basic plot.
I found it amusing when the prince demonstrates doubts about the girls' ability to rescue him:
"Wait a second," said Prince Felipe, as he wiped tears from his eyes. "You're girls. Aren't I supposed to help you?"
But, perhaps even more amusing is Oceana's response when the prince is worried that one of the girls will want to marry him:
"You think that just because we're princesses all we want to do is marry you?" said Oceana. "No way! Listen, Prince, you might be royalty and everything, but we have way more important things to do than marrying you, like saving the world..."
You go girlfriend!!! I really think this is an important message for young girls to hear so that they don't fall prey to the message more frequently found in traditional fairy tales: that girls must wait to be rescued by a handsome prince who will take care of them the rest of their lives. Blech!
That being said, I do take issue with the physical depiction of the girls in the story. While these are supposed to be more "empowered" princesses, when they are transformed, they don a "glittering tiara" and "amazing gowns" of typical "girlie colors". I think it would have really driven the message home if the girls could have been transformed into something other than typical "girlie-girls".
My Bottom Line: The Super Duper Princess Heroes is a fun picture book with an important underlying message about the empowerment of young girls to embrace the hero role. These three super duper princesses demonstrate that girls do not have to sit around and wait to be rescued. They can be strong, brave, and smart and can take control of their own destiny – a very positive message indeed. That being said, I was disappointed that the girls were physically illustrated as traditional "girlie-girls" and I felt this was not a good fit to the overall concept. Regardless, I would still recommend this book to young girls aged 4 years and older who love all things princess and who appreciate reading about girls who are strong role models.
* This book was provided to me by the publisher free-of-charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. *