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Six months ago, the Times Herald-Record's late, great editor, Mike Levine, sent me to Albany with a critical, albeit simple, question: Can this state be saved?
Six months ago, the Times Herald-Record's late, great editor, Mike Levine, sent me to Albany with a critical, albeit simple, question: Can this state be saved?
He wanted me to ask those words over and over again in my head as we witnessed a popular new governor ascend to the statehouse on a promise to change "everything" on day one.
Now, 176 days later, we know the answer: No. At least not in 176 days.
The state Capitol is a timeless place, steeped in etiquette and tradition. Its natural state is one of inertia. It does not easily digest change, even when force-fed by a governor's office that many civics experts consider the most powerful in the nation.
Eliot Spitzer, also, hasn't done himself any favors in his effort to live up to his perhaps-too-successful campaign slogan. He's pushed too hard, picked too many fights and, at times, folded too soon.
Indeed, during the first six months of Spitzer, I've often wondered, "Can anyone save this state?"
Fortunately, governors aren't elected to six-month terms. Spitzer has at least three and a half more years to fulfill his campaign promise. Last week, as the legislative session broke down without a deal, he vowed to stick with it for the long haul.
"There is an energy, a determination, a grit, a will, a resolve, and we're not going to quit," he said. "We're going to play hardball."
Hardball's great, governor, but if you really want to save this state you've got to adjust your strategy. Here's my two cents on how to do it.
1. Get on the property tax crisis
In the mid-Hudson, there's no more pressing concern than the skyrocketing property taxes that have already sent untold thousands of New Yorkers fleeing over the borders. Addressing the problem requires more than the rebates and funding shifts achieved in your first six months. Get on it now before anymore of our friends, parents and children leave the state.
2. Pick your battles
Nearly every nonlegislator who watched the state Legislature install one of its own as state comptroller saw it as you did, "an insiders' game of self-dealing." But, constitutionally, you had no dog in the fight. Losing that early battle caused needless and lasting harm to your relationship with lawmakers, who you'll need to enact real reform on issues that really matter (see above).
3. Make the case
If you expect New Yorkers to rally behind something as abstract as campaign finance reform, you've got to make a stronger case. Sure, most people believe that special interests hold too much sway in Albany. But how would your proposal change that? How does it relate to bread-and-butter issues, like, oh, say, our sky-high property tax rates?
4. Keep naming names
Although they might not admit it, most lawmakers are terrified about the prospect of a popular governor swooping into their districts and calling them out for questionable votes. Doing so just might be the only way to break through the three-men-in-a-room refrain that dominates the Capitol discourse. Of course, criticizing legislators can come back to haunt a governor. Thus, it must be done sparingly and without personal attack.
5. Don't back down
Who could understand all the political calculus that went into your decision to sacrifice many of your proposed spending cuts in order to get a timely budget? But many observers agree that you would hold a stronger position now if you had held the line then. Better to win real change, even if it means suffering through that same old Albany gridlock.
Brendan Scott covers Albany for the Times Herald-Record. His column runs Mondays. Read his blog and other Albany coverage on recordonline.com's "Can This State Be Saved?" page. Reach him at 518-463-1157 or by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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I have moved...
This website is no longer being updated. I have a new home for my art and photography at:
Please come say hi!
July 24, 2017
I'm building a studio. I'm 41years old (today) and I'm building a studio. In a strange twist of fate I've been offered the opportunity to do some of the creative things I like to do for money. It's a slim opportunity but it's still an opportunity. Also, I know that if I don't pro-actively start to do the things I want to do they won't ever happen.
We don't have much space in our flat, certainly not enough space for much of the photography I want to try. Balancing lights on top of mountainous toy boxes and arranging props around ironing and houseplants is not working. It's as frustrating for everyone else as it is for me, but we have an attic, a very big, mostly unused attic so I'm going to build a studio in it. I've spent a lot of my life being reminded that I'm not very good at things, certainly not good at any traditionally 'male' things, like building or DIY. I've generally accepted this as the truth and dutifully stepped aside to the let others do the 'manly' stuff with the power tools and the alpha maleness to prove. It's only in the last couple of years I've started to question this and generally, I'm ok at things.
I'm not going to go overboard, I'm just going to put down a floor initially, and if I don't destroy this reality entirely in the process I'll maybe move onto some nice additions. I don't want this to become a distraction from the purpose (a space for creative output). I don't really know what I'm doing but I know which end of a drill to hold and I know where the hardware store is.
I have no idea if this will take a weekend or a year. I'll start and see how it goes. I've ordered the basic components to arrive by the end of the week and on Saturday (courage allowing), I'll start building.
My name is Robert, I'm 41 years old and I'm building a studio. It may fail awfully but then, it might not.
April 5, 2015
Happy Easter! When did buying easter presents become a thing? I've not got a problem with it but I never expect it and don't buy them for other people so end up feeling incredibly guilty and apologising all over the place.
Anyway, there's a new T-shirt up at More T Vicar. "Political Correctness – unrelated to Health and Safety, regardless of what the Daily Mail tells you". I've started about six more designs but have not had any spare time to finish them (work has been incredibly busy).
I was going to start working more on some robot and animal designs but I keep getting exposed unpleasant levels of general bigotry and nastiness on Facebook (apparently Enoch Powell was right, a scary thought) which has inspired some more of the social commentary type stuff which I'll put together if time allows. I need to draw a Police helmet and I keep getting carried away with the details (which it really doesn't need).
In an effort to take the whole creative thing seriously I've set up a Facebook page (because no-one was able to do art before Facebook existed). In reality it's nice to be able to actually get some feedback on stuff I've done and it makes me feel a lot more positive about it all. Please follow it if you like any of what I do, I'm unlikely to be filling your timeline with bibble because I just don't have the time at the moment.
Take care!
January 27, 2015
Paul has badgered* I set up a blogger blog to track my miniature painting and scenery building. So I have…
Monsters in the cupboard
* gently suggested
January 16, 2015
Yes, yes you can!
You can also stick one in the fridge
I am officially an awesome hardcore extreme gopro user.
December 9, 2014
It's the season of goodwill, kindness and giving. Unless you work in retail or the service industry or happen get in the way in which case fuck you it's the season of aggressive self-interest.
I worked in retail once, for about three hours, after which I was 'let go' and advised that I probably shouldn't attempt to work in retail again as I didn't have the requisite social skills. I'm not going to disagree with this advice, my ongoing relationship with not working in retail is working out just fine for both of us. I do however really feel for those who do have the requisite social skills and have to deal with selling things to the great British public over the holiday season. The workload and shitty hours suck but that's just the stale biscuit base onto which the mouldering cheesecake is built. The closer the Christmas countdown comes to the big day the more some people start to transform into screeching, selfish, entitled pricks with no sense of scale. I'm not sure what the exact date is because my copy of the cunts calendar never turned up, but there's a date after which it becomes socially acceptable to treat shop staff like the dregs of society you always assumed they were. It's clearly the assistant's fault that you didn't plan your shopping early. It's also their fault there's a queue. It's their fault you have no idea what to buy for your nephew and it's their fault you are acting like a colossal arse. None of these things could possibly be your fault.
It's not just shop staff who make your life miserable. Designers and techies try our best to make you cry as well.
It happens every year, yet I always seem to forget about it until the next time round when it leaps out on me like an angry stress weasel robed in the hate-farts of a thousand marketing managers. Everything's cool. Everything is under control. We're winding down for Christmas, making plans to see friends and family, then starting as a slow trickle, building up to a flood they attack, the bad-planning zombies. Like an episode of the Walking Dead, but duller and more confusing. They rise up from nowhere, the marketing managers in need of urgent sign-off. They have somehow forgotten that Christmas happens. I accept it's only recently it's become a bit of a thing, but they seem aware of Black Friday and I'm sure that only started happening here THIS YEAR. They need to get their campaigns for the new year signed off before they can disappear wherever it is these people disappear off to over Christmas, so a sudden flurry of frantic phone calls and garbled confusing emails expecting quotes and timelines to be delivered RIGHT NOW. No time to get a brief together, no time to discuss exactly what's required just give them the numbers so they can get the client to scrawl an agreement and they can stagger off to the office Christmas party to inhale free booze and bitch about that time Derek from accounts accidentally flashed his winky at the MD of Seiko.
Fine, whatever here's some rough numbers, go to your parties, have fun. Eh? No, you can't agree that as a final cost with your client, you've not actually told us what you need because you "don't have time". When do you need it? When in January? The first of January? Really? You didn't think I might like to take some time off over the festive period myself? Oh, veiled threats. That's nice. What's that? I'm in tech so probably don't have friends or family to spend time with anyway? Nice. My time's not really that important compared to yours? Oh, ok then.
A real life conversation this week. One of many similar. A request for a piece of tech came in during the second week of December, launch date already agreed with the end client – first week of January, cost already agreed with end client – far lower that actual value. Having politely suggested that maybe making these agreements before discussing the feasibility might not have been the most tip-top planning the response was "you've got five weeks, surely that's enough", further suggestion that we may already have other things to do, and oh, there's also Christmas which we were planning to take off just sent things down the dark path. Let's not stray too far down that path, it brings the screaming and the crying and the desire to move into a forest away from technology and anyone who has ever had anything to do with branding.
Here it comes, can you sense it? I can always sense it before it arrives. Best way to deal with it is just relax and accept it's going to happen. It shouldn't, but it does. The suggestion, the attempt to shift the burden, the idea that the responsibility should change hands and in turn we should change our plans. Could we not, just you know, work through. Not on Christmas day obviously but the other days we can't possibly have anything of value to do, because, you know it's down to us to fix it when someone else screws their planning so badly they would otherwise have to put their hand up and take some responsibility. Dear Sirs, I appear to have ceased to give any flavour of fuck about this opportunity. I am off to find someone with a sense of empathy to talk to.
I sympathise, I really do. I've been there, a pushy client wants a thing, you don't really understand what the thing is and the best way to get a thing is to point at the nearest person and make it their problem now. But then I stopped being 12. I have a four year old son, all he wants for Christmas (aside from a massive pile of toys) is for me to take some time off to spend with him and his mum, if you seriously think your campaign is going to prevent that you should take a good long stare at your empty soul.
I know. I know. I really know this is getting out of hand. I know the obsession with manners and treating people acceptably is going to get me into trouble. I also know I've pissed off clients, some to the extent they are no longer clients. I care because I don't want my family to have to live in a skip on the A4 and I'm slowly dragging us there, but you, YOU can help stop this and I really want you to, I don't want my child growing up in a skip with rats for friends (no offence to rats or people who live in skips). Help me with my Christmas wish.
Please don't take offence, but for Christmas what I'd really like is for people to stop being selfish, finger pointing entitled pricks. It takes a bit of practice but we can all get there, here's some handy tips.
1. Look up 'empathy' and understand it. Here you go, I looked it up for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empathy you'll need to do the understanding yourself. In short, remember that other people are actually people, real actual humans with real feelings and everything.
2. Find yourself berating a shop assistant, designer, developer, postal worker, or ANYONE ELSE over a situation caused by your own bad planning? Stop! See point 1.
3. Find yourself berating a clerical worker, hairstylist, fishmonger, or ANYONE ELSE over a situation that was out of both of your control? Stop! See point 1.
4. Trying to shift the blame onto someone else for a situation you caused? Stop! Take some damn responsibility, also, see point 1.
5. Attempting to co-erce a builder, web-designer, piano tutor, or ANYONE ELSE into giving up on their time to fix problems you have caused? Stop! See point 1.
In general try to obey the tenets of Wheaton's Law. It's best all round.
Think you may have been a bit of a dick to someone lately? Why not try and balance that out a bit, do something positive:
Be excellent to each other!
April 24, 2014
Here is a gif of me smacking myself in the head with a hammer while wearing a metal helmet that my good friend Phil made…
February 17, 2014
I cannot sleep because I need a coat stand. Indirectly.
I can not find a coat stand I like and can afford. A normal person would just buy a fucking coat stand and not think about it.
So I spent an hour looking for a coat stand, rather than just purchasing the first one I found for a tenner on ebay.
I found nothing to make me happy. So I designed one. In my head.
Then I spent an hour working out where I could source the materials from.
Then I had a bit of a think about the fact I'm not very good with my hands.
Then finally I thought about how little spare time I have in which to build a fucking coat stand. This was upsetting because the one in my head is really nice and it would be a shame for it to not exist, and frankly I really want to build something. But by taking time out to learn how to and then build a coat stand I will be letting people down.
I should probably just buy a coat stand on ebay for a tenner.
The source of my insomnia is a coat stand. I am not normal.
August 9, 2013
Look what I found round the back of the bins (or their digital equivalent). I take no credit for this, it was made by a friend who will remain nameless for now. These are real quotes from a facebook group. Not a far-right facebook group, just a normal facebook group the purpose of which is nostalgia about a local community. There's also a version with people's full names on but since I live near them and they are clearly unbalanced I'm too much of a coward right now to include them.
Look! A downloadable version you could if you so desired print out and put up somewhere.
June 19, 2013
We actually remembered to harvest some of the edible stuff from the garden. We did pick some herbs last year and froze them but it was at the end of the season and they had mostly died down already. We've already left it a bit late this year as the herb garden looks like an explosion and much of it is probably far too mature but hopefully now I've hacked it back we'll get some new growth.
Rather than freezing them this year we're going to try and dry them. Vaguely following instructions from Grown your own month by month I've given them a good wash and left them hanging over the sink to drain a bit before moving them somewhere dry to dry out properly. They are probably tied a little too tightly at the moment but just want to get enough water off them that they don't drip all over the floor.
The plan is to pick up some large pickling jars to store the results in once they've dried out. If nothing else the kitchen smells good and my hands are lovely and minty.
We've also picked our second crop of forced rhubarb, mum got us a Rhubarb forcer for Christmas which is working amazingly.
May 22, 2013
Once more I am grateful to the NHS in general and the staff at Wexham Park in particular. In a moment of terrifyingly bad parenting, following a long day I decided to have a quick blink at which moment Alexander opted to dive backwards off our garden bench onto the concrete floor. I'm not sure if it was hitting the floor or my sudden scream of "FUCKING HELL" which caused the most distress but we had to drive to A&E.
Everyone was lovely and spent the entire time repeatedly telling us that (a) we had done the right thing by bringing Alexander in, we were not wasting their time; and (b) it happens a lot, really a lot. I still feel intensely guilty for allowing momentary distraction but slightly better. Given he's spent the evening breakdancing and demanding food I'm hoping all will be fine by the morning.
The biggest upset of the whole event was trying to leave the hospital as Alexander had grown very attached to the toy train in the waiting room and screamed "back back back" all the way to the door where he became instantly distracted by the ambulances and police cars outside.
Lessons learned today: Don't blink EVER and if you want to get through A&E quickly try being a two year old. On a serious note, we are incredibly lucky to be living in a country with a health service and it should be protected at all costs.
Here's a handy link to a campaign to save the NHS from the Tory shitbags.
I made some more stupid videos. Here are a couple from this week:
I am Bob. This is my blog. It is an outlet and a substitute for real life. It contains my art, photography, illustration and thoughts on mental health (I deal with anxiety on a pretty much constant basis).
Help fund my existence. Buy my stuff (t-shirts, art prints, stock images & graphics)
Why? -+*Because it's brilliant.
Why? -+*It was one of the best gifts in a while. I read it every morning.
Why? -+*I'm learning to be a better photographer.
Why? -+*I'm learning to write and reading any book on the subject that looks interesting.
Why? -+*Inspiration and research.
Why? -+*Because I'm a massive geek in the middle of a nostalgia episode
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Farm at San Benito
Lipa City, Philippines
The Farm at San Benito is a center for holistic healing and wellness where people balance their mind, body and spirit with nourishing live foods in an eco-friendly place.
Located a 90 minute drive south of Manila, in Batangas, Philippines, The Farm at San Benito is nestled amidst lush green jungle and boasts stunning views of the majestic mountains, pure and fresh air with clear and strong energy radiating around the property.
With only 24 suites and villas, personalized service and the Filipinos' caring hearts & nurturing touch, The Farm offers guests an unparalleled holistic holiday experience.
Dedicated to the promotion of overall health and wellbeing, The Farm at San Benito specializes in "HEALING RETREATS" namely Organic Weight Loss; Beauty & Longevity; Diabetes Prevention & Management; Heart Health & Stress Reduction; Environmental Detox; Integrative Cancer Care; Holistic Skin Therapy and All-Inclusive Luxury Premiere Retreat.
These powerful, weeklong transformative and life enhancing programs are supervised by a highly qualified team of experts in preventive health care.
The Farm's ALIVE! Cuisine
Our vegan restaurant Alive!, one of the first in Asia, will provide you with a surprising twist on your concept of healthy eating when you discover our "living" cuisine. To enhance the culinary experience, the rich tropical-wooded Alive! restaurant offers cool, screened indoor seating and ample outdoor deck tables shaded by majestic trees.
Over the past ten years, both its own and visiting chefs have experimented, formulated and revised a critical mass of recipes that are creative, super-nutritional and supremely satisfying.
All dishes use only organic vegetables, herbs and leaves grown on site and fresh-from- the-market seasonal produce. Our kitchen makes use of some healthy cooking techniques like low temperature steaming, blanching and poaching; and, most importantly, we have perfected many innovative raw food preparation techniques — dehydrating, blending, fermenting, sprouting, marinating and more.
This, The Farm believes, is the new luxury: the idea of picking fresh, seasonal produce direct from an organic garden and eating it a couple of hours later in a dish that is fit for the gods.
Activities and Awards
Two world-class golf facilities are located within minutes from The Farm. The 27-hole championship golf course at Mount Malarayat Golf & Country Club and Summit Point Golf & Country Club. Both facilities offer stunning scenery and year-round golfing.
The Farm is a multi-awarded resort with 22 International Awards including the prestigious SENSES Wellness Award in Germany for "Best Medical Wellness Resort in the World".
Guests will surely come back home feeling fresh, rejuvenated and recharged with energy.
100% vegan cuisine
100% organic food
Raw food diet available
Lactose free diet available
Gluten free diet available
Breakfast available, Half board available, Full board available
Built following ecological principles
Internet connection available
Family friendly
Fasting courses, Yoga, Meditation, Cooking courses, Golf
Spoken language(s): English
Number of rooms: 33
Price per room from: 185 US$
- incl. breakfast
Booking request
Address / Contact
The Farm at San Benito
119 Barangay Tipakan
4217 Lipa City, Philippines
Phone: +63 2 884 8074
Website: www.thefarmatsanbenito.com/
Booking request / message to hotel
Please use this form to send a message or request to a Vegan Welcome hotel.
The request will directly reach the hotel.
To The Farm at San Benito
Spoken language(s): English


text:
From the Artist:
In this work, I visit themes of femininity, tragedy, and coping. I am completely mystified by human endurance, by the capacity to endure unimaginable hardship, and emerge, whole, void, or not at all. Moments when people are hanging from a cliff and make a decision to either let go or climb up. I am interested in that isolated chapter in a life when something happens to change it forever and nothing from that moment on will ever be the same.
I am curious about how the people that experience these hardships survive, or why they don't. Why people either give up, emerge to be able to enjoy life again, or merely continue to exist, unable to step to either side. I am interested in the journey of the soul under unbearable weight, and why it ends where it does.
By using self-portraiture as a mode of transportation, I have employed various objects - organic, found, or created, as metaphors to tell a visual narrative in hopes the viewer questions the meaning of the elements and why they are placed in the manner they appear. By merging the reality of despair with the surreal realm of fantasy, these photographs are depictions of the longing to awake and find it all a dream. Intended to grip and overwhelm the viewer, I have immersed the work in anguish, and in so doing, somehow hope for my own escape, with the realization that some of us never will.


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This is currently the third top story on ESPN. Carson Wentz left a big ole $500 tip at his local watering hole in North Dakota. Which is all fine and dandy, good for Wentz for picking up the bill. But what's with this new trend in exposing player tips?
God damn I love when professional athletes mix it up with the rest of us. Dez Bryant is unlike other athletes. He won't just pretend not to hear the criticism. It's always funny to me when athletes act like word doesn't get to them.
Let Martellus speak! You don't have to agree with what the former Bears/Cowboys tight end says. You just need to be a fan of athletes speaking their mind. Martellus Bennett shouldn't be confined by the shackles of Goodell and the Belichickian regime.
Week 4 marked the first BYE week of the season meaning Cousins League managers who spend more time driving Nissans and less time listening to Keyshawn had to make split-second roster decisions that could alter their fantasy fate forever. Tinkering with your fantasy lineup while driving is a lot like texting while driving except with less nude pictures to take your attention away from the road.
The Cousins League is a "beat your opponent" sort of league. It's not about scoring the most points every week. It's about scoring more points than whomever the schedule artificially dictates. Sometimes this fact gets lost in a "how can I maximize my point total" fantasy mindset– which is a bad habit encouraged by "experts" like Matthew Berry and your neighbor's landscaper who played in one fantasy league in 2009 (he came in fourth and won't stop talking about it).
How do you replace injured players when there's nobody on the waiver wire and your team sucks? It's a question as old as time itself. And honestly there's not a lot of options. But with astute trade offers, a can-do attitude, and access to every team's roster via the LM tools, you can easily trade yourself a five-tool running back who will not only pick up yards on the ground, he'll also pick up your grandma's dry-cleaning just before closing time.
Can you say drama? Week 1 of the Cousins Fantasy Football League was like an episode of Grey's Anatomy except your girlfriend probably wasn't next to you with a bag of tissues. Or maybe she was, it's not like I was sitting outside your apartment complex with a bag of stogies and a portable radio so I could follow my own team while I watched you watch yours.
It's just like when you buy a gallon of milk at the store. You're using that jug to wash down a couple dozen chocolate chip cookies and then you're done. If you leave it in the fridge it will eventually sour.
It's the moment Brian Windhorst has been waiting his whole summer for. He's been camped outside LeBron's house just waiting for a tip. He's been snooping around Dan Gilbert's office like Costanza avoiding Steinbrenner.
I don't get why news outlets are calling this "a serious fistfight." That's just a Tuesday down in Baton Rouge. If you want to criticize Fournette on anything, you can maybe say he was a little slow on the counter jab.
You can't have it both ways. You can either be a professional football player fighting for a roster spot in mini camp, or you can be a Don Juan brings chicks back to your room. That's the sort of attitude Jeff Fisher instills in his players.
I believed in you, Evan. After watching Chad clown all over you in the Bachelorette, I thought you could overhaul your image in Paradise.
Coleslaw? We talkin' bout… coleslaw? Not a roast beef sandwich, not a three-pound bacon chili cheeseburger, not a chicken pesto, mozzarella panini with fries.
I love a good cornerback beef. Two of the best in the game jarring at each other from across training camp is a great way to pump me up for the NFL season. But this isn't your typical war stemming from on-field shenanigans.
I'd rather watch a Seinfeld episode that I've seen a thousand times over 20 seconds of pole vaulting. I find more drama in a Chopped mystery basket than I do in a Tunisian traversing a balance beam. Call me unpatriotic.
The problem is our streets are littered with youths who'd rather find fake Pokemon than a real girlfriend. At least in the new Netflix series Stranger Things, Mike was looking for both. Yeah, he was searching for a gate to a new dimension, but he was also macking Elle on the side. No shame in that.
Not everyone who watches The Bachelorette is a sports fan. And not every sports fan watches The Bachelorette. But damnit if I could draw out a Venn Diagram right now I think there'd be more overlap than people wanna admit.
You gotta expect this. Like I said I'm cool with Draymond sending out a cock shot but if you post if for the whole world to see, you're gonna get shit from your teammates. It's like accidentally ripping a fart in spanish class.
I'm not into horror movies and scary shows generally, but the backbone of the show (the writing) is there so I'm chugging through the frightening shit to figure out what the hell happened to Will Byers. Who's Will Byers? I'm glad you asked.
Well that'll wake you up in the morning. The potential first lady is plastered all over the internet fully naked for the world to see. The question is how will Donald Trump spin this?
Group sing-alongs are important. In fact they may be the most integral part of friendships. Ever take an impromptu trip to 7-11 with the windows down? Or a McDonalds run after a raucous high school party?
First things first can we stop calling this a "mistake." Putting your dong as your my story instead of sending it to its intended recipient is what I would call an "accident."
So what should Rudy Gay do? Keep making oddly aggressive comments? Shut up and let the Kings keep drafting centers? Sit out until Sacramento releases him or deals him to a contender? I have no idea.
I'm not a Pokemon Go guy. I was obsessed with Pokemon back when I was a kid, played the blue and red on game boy, organized my collection in binders, the whole shebang. But I'm leaving those memories in the past.
Josh Gordon played this beautifully. He knew hanging around Johnny Manziel wouldn't be great for his brand. He knew he'd be pigeon-holed as a druggie. A guy hanging with the wrong crowd.
Everyone's saying this is a dumb move by Aldon Smith. He didn't alter his voice, or throw out a fake name, or show any remorse for doing a popular recreational drug in his own home that doesn't hurt anyone or reduce his 40 time.
Of course Le'Veon Bell missed his drug test. He's so focused on getting ready for the season and not driving around smoking blounts with LeGarrette Blount that he totally forgot about his appointment.
So apparently Doug Christie's wife checks his balls to see if he's cheated on her. Listen, I'm no authority on marriage, but I think if Jackie Christie is grabbing Doug by the wings every time he steps in the house, their marriage may need a little more trust.
Huge allegation here if true. To think that a star athlete would be petty enough to sic a bunch of robbers on a dude just because he tarnished his name? I would expect James Harden to go with a more direct approach.
I feel for DeAndre Jordan. He's part of a dying breed, like newspaper reporters or people that drive cars. Soon enough teams will strut out five-guard offenses and gigantic guys that can't hit free throws will be obsolete.


text:
Following an overwhelming response to his Maltese debut, Aatif Nawaz will return to Malta for another comedy show hosted by Maltese Funny Business. The show will also feature Jimmy Carter, Dave O'Dwyer and Paul Pennington and takes place at Talbot & Bons in Luqa on the 23rd of February 2018. More information can be found on Maltese Funny Business' Facebook page.
AATIFLIX @ Top Secret Comedy Club
Aatif Nawaz will be debuting his brand new stand-up comedy show AATIFLIX at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The follow up to Muslims Do It 5 Times A Day, AATIFicial Intelligence and The Last Laugh will focus on social media and it's increasing dominance of our psyche. Prior to it's debut, Aatif will be performing a work-in-progress of the show at London's iconic Top Secret Comedy Club on the 26th of February, the 21st of March and the 25th of April. Tickets are available now on Top Secret Comedy Club's website.
Aatif in Malta
On Friday the 26th of January 2018, for the very first time, Aatif will be performing in Malta. The comedy show will also feature Jimmy Carter, Paul Pennington and Special Guests. Ticket information can be found on the Maltese Funny Business website.
Human Appeal Comedy Tour 2017 Coverage
The Human Appeal Comedy Tour 2017 was a huge success, with sell out crowds across 16 cities. As part of the tour, Aatif recorded 2 episodes on AATIFicial Diaries as well as a brand new show call AATIFicial Conversations. All of the videos featuring Jeremy Mclellan, Ali Official, Prince Abdi, Nabil Abdulrashid, Preacher Moss and Bilal Zafar can be found on Aatif's Official Youtube Channel and Facebook page.
Aatif on Human Appeal UK Comedy Tour 2017
For the 2nd year running, Aatif will be hosting the Human Appeal UK Comedy Tour. The 2017 edition, the tour will take in 16 cities for 16 shows featuring performances from Nabil Abdulrashid, Ali Official, Bilal Zafar, Prince Abdi, Preacher Moss, Jeremy McLellan and of course Aatif Nawaz. Click here for tickets and information.
AATIFicial Diaries - Defiant Wrestling In London
The latest entry in the AATIFicial Diaries series is online now. Subscribe to Aatif's Official YouTube Channel to never miss a video.
AATIFicial Diaries - Dinner @ BT Tower
The latest entry in the AATIFicial Diaries series is online now. Subscribe to Aatif's Official YouTube Channel to never miss a video.
Aatif @ Top Secret London...again.
On Sunday the 26th of November 2017, Aatif will be returning to Top Secret Comedy Club in London. Also performing are Ben Van Der Velde, Nico Yearwood and Jake Lambert. You can book tickets by clicking here.
AATIFicial Diaries - Football @ Wembley Stadium
The latest in Aatif's series of Vlogs is online now. Subscribe to Aatif's YouTube channel to never miss an update.
Aatif returns to Top Secret Comedy Club
On Wednesday the 1st of November 2017, Aatif will return to Top Secret Comedy Club in London. The show will also feature comedy stars Jamali Maddix, John Hastings, Nigel Ng, Tim Renkow and Dave Green. Tickets can be bought by clicking here.
Aatif @ Friends Fest
In the latest episode of AATIFicial Diaries, Aatif visits FRIENDS Fest in London, celebrating the iconic sitcom TV series. Be sure to subscribe to Aatif's YouTube channel to stay up to date on all his adventures.
Aatif @ Top Secret Comedy Club
On Monday the 23rd of October, Aatif Nawaz will be performing at the Top Secret Comedy Club in London. Also on the line-up are Alistair Williams, Inder Manocha and George Rigden. You can book tickets by clicking here.
Edinburgh Press Coverage for The Last Laugh
As well as entertaining late night audiences and earning strong reviews, Aatif's show The Last Laugh has spawned jokes included in numerous compilations of the best jokes at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Watch Aatif's VLOG from the Fringe by clicking here, or read his perfect playlist by clicking here.
The Last Laugh @ Edinburgh Fringe 2017
For the third consecutive year, Aatif Nawaz will debut a brand-new comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017. 'The Last Laugh' is the follow-up to to critically acclaimed 'Muslims Do It 5 Times A Day' and 'AATIFicial Intelligence'. It will be performed every night between the 3rd and the 27th of August 2017 at 11:15pm at The Newsroom. Join Aatif as he celebrates his 10 year anniversary in the world of stand-up comedy with his most personal and honest show to date. The show has been covered in Shortcom, Broadway World, Laugh Out London, Moody Comedy, The Edinburgh Reporter and various other outlets.
The Last Laugh Preview @ Angel Comedy Club
Ahead of this year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Aatif will be previewing his new comedy show 'The Last Laugh' at The Angel Comedy Club in London. Tickets for the preview on Sunday the 2nd of July 2017 can be purchased by clicking here.
Aatif @ The Glee Club in Birmingham
On Sunday the 9th of July 2017, Aatif will be joining an all star line-up of comedians including Guz Khan, Noreen Khan, Nabil Abdulrashid and Ali Official for The Super Muslim Comedy Show at The Glee Club in Birmingham. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
AATIFicial Intelligence Episode 15 out now!
Aatif to host the Scottish Curry Awards 2017
Aatif has been announced as the host of the 10th annual Scottish Curry Awards 2017. The awards ceremony will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow on Monday the 24th of April 2017. More information can be found on the Oceanic Consulting website by clicking here.
Subscribe now to the AATIFicial Intelligence Podcast
The AATIFicial Intelligence podcast is now available from various podcasting directories. Subscribe now to always be up to date.
For ITunes, click here.
For Stitcher, click here.
For TuneIn, click here.
For LibSyn, click here.
The podcast will also be available on various other services and directly on this website.
Get ready to spend 20 minutes of your week inside the mind of Aatif Nawaz.
AATIFicial Intelligence Podcast - Episode 1 Out Now!
The very first episode of Aatif Nawaz's brand new podcast 'AATIFicial Intelligence' is out now! Listen as Aatif reflects on his recent live events and the big stories doing the rounds. A new episode of AATIFicial Intelligence will be released every Wednesday. Make sure to subscribe on ITunes, Google Play Music and all major podcast providers.


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Nike launches new models for their Strike Series collection
Do you, like Neymar Jr., want to intensify your exercises? So Nike has what you need! With the new Nike Strike Series collection, the brand creates a new way to leave your training sessions even more efficient, with the right clothing.
Launched in July, the Strike collection is launching new pieces this month, to evolve the training of any athlete. The apparel was developed and designed with the innovative Aeroswift technology for the supreme control of moisture, making it easier to focus and to get a better performance in your activities.
With the Aeroswift, Nike's new collection maintains the body dry during the exercise, even through moments of great intensity. One of Strike Series' greatest characteristics are the high mobility and accurate precision that the material gives you, turning your efforts in the most agile way possible.
By clicking here you can watch Neymar Jr., with all his precision, wearing the new collection.
Want to check the campaign out? Run to Nike's website: http://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/football/training-wear
Published on


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When I use this endpoint to enroll a student administrator on the course, a new section is created by default, and the enrollment is attached to this new section. I want the the enrollment to be attached to th course
POST /api/v1/courses/:course_id/enrollments
Am I missing something?
Kind regard
/Anders Svensson


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Click here to sign up to usher (6th and 7th Graders)
JFS is a non-profit, non-sectarian social service agency whose mission is to preserve and strengthen the quality of individual, family and community life based on Jewish values. We provide our services to a diverse socio-economic client population that includes individuals, children, young adults, families and the elderly.
Click here for information on additional services.


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I am pleased to announce that Houston will be hosting a middle school quiz bowl tournament on Saturday, February 10, 2018. Tentatively, the tournament's field will be capped at 12 teams; we will consider raising the field cap if we have enough staff and space. All students in grades 7 and 8 enrolled in a MSHSAA member school or affiliate school are eligible. Teams are limited to eight players, although teams of six or fewer are encouraged to maximize each student's playing time. Schools may bring multiple teams. Each game consists of twenty tossups and up to twenty three-part, thirty point rebounding bonuses. we will consider raising the field cap if we have enough staff and space. If you're interested in staffing in exchange for a discount or have students in different grade levels who are not playing in this tournament and are interested in helping out, please let me know!
The tournament will use NAQT's MS-25 question set. If you plan to attend this tournament, please do not attend any other tournaments using MS-25. As of now, the Tri-County (North), Ozark 7, and Highway 275 conference tournaments will be using MS-25, as well as invitational tournament at Washington.
Entry fees are as follows:
First team from each school: $60
Second and subsequent teams from each school: $55
Providing a fully functioning buzzer system: -$5 per system
Travel discount (at least 100 miles each way): -$10 per team
Providing a trained scorekeeper: $-5 per scorekeeper (if needed)
Providing an experienced moderator: negotiated on an individual basis
All teams in both divisions will play at least eight games regardless of performance; the exact format of the tournament will be decided once the field is set. Teams are expected to stay for the duration of the tournament so we can offer all teams their guaranteed number of games.
At this time, we have filled our initial 12 teams. If there is more interest we could expand, but I have not heard from many teams so far. The teams we have entered so far are:
Richland MS
Fairview MS
Mountain Grove MS
Hartville Jr. High
Summersville MS
Houston MS
If interested, email me @ email@example.com and I will put you on the waitlist!
Are you ready for the upcoming season?
Prepare for next season with thousands of archived packets FREE for practice and study use!Need buzzers? Apply for $250 buzzer grants to be awarded in early December!
Houston MS Invitational Feb. 10
Tournament announcements, results, and discussion about specific tournaments.
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Mo' snow and holster display!
4:20pm EST - With a new month and forced wipe just around the corner, the team has some awesome stuff in store. Before we get into that, I'd like to touch on a thorn in our side...
Server performance
For the past several weeks, server performance has become more and more of an issue. Things run great the first night of a wipe, however, once entity counts rise into the six figures, we're seeing severe drops in server side FPS. This results in delayed actions for players, lag, and outright crashes.
The larger the player count, the more affected the server. This is not an issue of hosting resources, we are simply pushing the limits of the game/engine, and with that, there is some pushback. We've been working with the developers to get them save files and data dumps so they can profile the issue(s) and put some optimizations in place. This is an ongoing process and it may take some time until performance is boosted again.
In the meantime, if performance on any of our servers takes a dump, unscheduled wipes may occur. As always, I'll keep you up to date on how this progresses. Now, onto the fun stuff...
Mo' snow!
With spring near, Andre is upping the cold by increasing the area of arctic and reducing the tundra. No examples on this yet, as it is wrapped up in the save142 branch, however, that should be merged in shortly.
Holster display
Adding on the sash functionality from last week, Helk is working on getting weapon models to display on players backs. I think it's a huge deal to be able to see what people have on their person, and I'm really excited to see it in game. This, too, is on a separate branch still. Expect more details and pictures on our Thursday update summary post.
Wind flutter
Expect a bit more movement from bushes and the like this week as wind flutter has been added to foliage. This is part of a new foliage system arriving with the map changes this week, which hopefully provides some client optimizations and maybe a bit of new eye candy. More on this in our Thursday update post (once it's all merged in).
Bone frag world model
Continuing work on adding world models for dropped items, Alex has added bone fragments. It also looks like wolf skulls are not far behind, but they are not quite in yet.
Other stuff
- Fix for vending machines being destroyed when walls nearby are upgraded
- Increased nobuild zone around trainyard


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Esta página se puede ver en español usando la función de traducción en la parte inferior de la página
Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended by Congress in 1988 in enactment of the Federal Fair Housing Act, prohibits discrimination in the provision of housing and housing-related services based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (gender), familial status (presence of children under the age of 18), and handicap. Nevada state law also includes protections based on ancestry, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. Fair housing laws apply to all types of housing and housing-related transactions, including rental, sales, lending, insurance, and advertising. Any entity that controls housing choice, including public housing authorities, homeowner associations, and agencies administering housing funds, is subject to the provisions of state and federal fair housing laws.
The City of Henderson is committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing for all residents of our community.
For questions about fair housing rights and responsibilities, or to file a housing discrimination complaint, the following agencies can provide information and/or complaint intake services. Note that you have up to one year after the last incident of discrimination to file an administrative complaint, and up to two years to file a court case.
Silver State Fair Housing Council
A private, non-profit agency providing a comprehensive program of fair housing outreach, education, and enforcement services.
Phone: 888-585-8634 toll-free / 775-324-0990 northern Nevada / 702-749-3288 southern Nevada / Relay Nevada 711
Website: www.ssfhc.org
Email: email@example.com
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Regional Office in San Francisco
Federal agency enforcing the federal Fair Housing Act; receives and investigates bona fide claims of housing discrimination.
Phone: 800-347-3739 / 415-489-6564 TTY
Website: www.hud.gov
Nevada Equal Rights Commission
State agency enforcing state fair housing laws; receives and investigates bona fide claims of housing discrimination.
Phone: 775-823-6690 northern Nevada / 702-486-7161 southern Nevada / Relay Nevada 711 or 800-326-6868
Website: http://nvdetr.org/nerc.htm


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Wish I could claim this dill pickle popcorn seasoning recipe as my own, found this online and modified a bit to increase the dill flavor... Enjoy
Mix and grind all ingredients to a powder
Add to popcorn to taste
Hot mustard seeds can be used instead of regular, and add an interesting kick.
Do you have a recipe you'd like to share with The Spice House community? We are currently gathering recipes to include in our collection and we would love to share yours online.Submit Yours
This blend is addicting! Not only is is great on popcorn, but I've used it on hot dogs and sausages in place of celery salt.
I usually double the recipe, adding 1/4 teaspoon of black tellecherry peppercorns and a smallish bay leaf, stem removed and crumbled, before grinding. The doubled version nearly fills one of the 1/2 cup Spice House jars.


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Oh and hello to everyone, both old and new readers and everyone else who've stumbled upon this post! ^-^
|Tetsunosuke Ichimura and Souji Okita from PeaceMaker Kurogane.
When cosplaying a character with kimono it's important that you know the main differences between how a man –and respectively, a woman– wear kimono and the differences in the garment itself.
A woman's kimono has freely hanging sleeves that are left mostly unattached to the body of the kimono. Why the sleeves are like this is because it is better suited for the wide obi (belt) that is tied around the waist. There is also a small opening in the armpits although this, for some reason, is almost never drawn in manga/anime from what I've noticed. Men's kimono have the sleeves almost completely attached to the kimono, with only about 10 centimeters hanging free.
Another distinctive trait for women's kimono is how it is worn – women wear the kimono with a waist fold (called ohashori) to adjust the length to the wearer. This waist fold is located slightly under the obi. Because men wear their obi on their hips –and because men's obi is much narrower– there is no need to have the sleeves hanging freely.
|Image found on Google.
Same thing goes if the character crossdresses. One example is that if, let's say, a male character is crossdressing and wearing women's kimono then that's what you should be doing too, if you want to cosplay said character, that is – you should do the waist fold, make sure your sleeves are open in the back and have the underarm openings etc etc.
2. Which way are you supposed to cross the collars?
Wear your kimono like a living person would, also known as always cross the collars left over right. Right over left is reserved for the dead only. I SERIOUSLY CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH.
Don't make yourself look like a complete idiot at the con who didn't even bother to do a simple Google search to find out which way to wear the damn thing! Crossing a kimono right over left is like the biggest no-no you can do when it comes to how to wear it. Of course, if the character is actually dead (somehow) and actually wears their kimono reversed, then by all means go for it.
You know, I can honestly say that at probably every anime convention/event I've ever been to so far I've always seen at least one person donning a kimono the corpse style and it makes me cringe so bad that I can't help but do a big fat mental facepalm; I have to resist the urge to go up to that person and politely give them a short lesson on kimono knowledge. Needless to say it practically kills the cosplay for me personally, no matter how nicely sewn and perfect it is otherwise.
|"I see dead people..."
(Kenshin demonstrating my inner rage face when I spot someone doin' it wrong)
Note: while this is how it works in our Western world (example: men's jackets are left over right, women's right over left) I want to stress that it does NOT apply to kimono or any traditional Japanese garments!!
3. How are kimono constructed?
Kimono consists of one left and right panel, front overlap panels (okumi), collar and sleeves. Kimono traditionally always have a back seam but never shoulder seams. In cosplay it's not the end of the world if you do not sew your kimono the traditional way, but it is a nice bonus if you want to at least mimic the way it's cut to have it look more authentic, so to say.
|Image from Google.
First off, look at how your character is wearing his/her/their kimono. When you cosplay you will want to wear it in a character accurate way more often than not – and fictional characters tend to break and bend most real kimono dressing rules anyway. :)) But as a general rule the ideal kimono shape is like a cylinder more or less for both sexes, aka you want a straight silhouette. Traditionally women would pad their waist and even bind their breasts, if needed, to achieve a straight shape.
Also, normally you want the kimono to fall to your ankles.
|Not looking for a straight silhouette here nope, lol.
It's Kongiku from Muramasa: The Demon Blade.
If you want to invest in learning how to wear a kimono try searching with these words for a start:
• kimono kitsuke (how to dress in kimono)
• ohashori (name of the waist fold on women's kimono)
• obi musubi (different knots for the belt)
There are lots of different ways to tie the obi and some fictional characters have their obi tied in a way that has no exact real-life counterpart, and thus can be a real headache to figure out. I know at least one character with their obi tied in an actual knot, but reversed, and then there's those with something completely weird going on in the back, lol.
Luckily, many characters have their obi tied in an existing knot and I will also help you by naming a few of the different ways to tie an obi so that you can search online to find how to tie them, if you would need to.
Men's obi knots:
Kai no Kuchi musubi
Katabasami musubi
Women's obi knots:
Otaiko musubi
Tateya musubi
Fukura Suzume musubi
There are several other tying variations (especially for women) as well, just look around and you'll surely find them!
5. What fabrics are kimono made out of and what to do if the character you want to cosplay has "trims" around the collar and sleeves?
Well, first of... THEY ARE NOT TRIMS. It's very very likely that the character is wearing a juban underneath – it's an under kimono meant to guard the outer kimono from being in contact with your body and thus getting stained/dirtied by body liquids etc. Usually nicer kimono are made of silk*, which is delicate and expensive, hence the need to have something shielding it from getting ruined easily. KIMONO ARE NOT MADE OF SATIN.
In most anime/manga/video games characters tend to have a white juban. It's very common for some reason.
* = I want to mention, as an extra note, that not all kimono are silk – for example farmers and such would have kimono made out of hemp. Cotton also exists, although it's not common for anything that is not a yukata. There's also the very thin summer sha and ro fabrics but those are likely not what cosplayers will want to look for. Oh and yeah, modern/newer kimono are quite often made out of polyester, so that's not technically all wrong either.
|Kazuma Sohma from Fruits Basket wearing kimono, haori and juban.
If someone wonders what a yukata is it's a light-weight, non-lined summer cotton kimono often worn to different outdoor festivals in Japan, like cherry blossom watching. Women's yukata tend to have floral prints and be colorful while men's often are more subdued in color and have geometric patterns.
|Masato Hijirikawa from Uta no Prince-sama wearing yukata.
Notice the lack of juban.
|Typical online Bleach shinigami outfit.
Notice the "trims".
|Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki from Bleach.
6. What are these different Japanese garments called?
Kimono is actually an umbrella term meaning basically any T-shaped ankle length robe with collars and wide sleeves. That means there are different kimono types which each have a name – yukata and furisode, to just name a few. Furisode are known for their very long sleeves that can be almost floor-length; you can pretty often spot a young-ish female character in manga/anime/video games who wears a furisode. Yukata kimonos are also often seen in anime – it's a very casual informal cotton kimono worn to summer festivals, hot springs, possible sleepwear and the like. Yukata are the only kimono to which you don't wear a juban so yeah, if the character has no second collar peeking out it is likely they are wearing a yukata.
Both men and women can wear yukata but it will have the sleeve differences and stuff I mentioned in the beginning of the post. Oh, and occasionally characters (especially males) might wear a waist/hip length jacket over their kimono that is open at the front – this is called a haori and it isn't meant to be closed. Also, sleeve rules applies for men's and women's haori too, although what I've seen on authentic kimono men's haori often have the sleeves completely sewn to the haori's body. But again, look at your cosplay references first to see how their garments are.
Also, especially male characters often wear hakama. Hakama is a type of pleated pants/skirt (depending on the style, both versions exist) with long ties that are wrapped around the body and secured with different knots. Most people know them as "samurai pants".
Regarding hakama and fictional characters I've noticed that quite many shows have a hakama-wearing guy with his hakama tied knotted in a floppy ribbon or a knot with the ends hanging free in front. This is actually not an accurate way to tie them, as far as I know, but even in famous series such as Rurouni Kenshin and Bleach you will see hakama tied like this.
|Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin wearing hakama.
Also, some anime/manga/video game women like Chizuru Yukimura from Hakuouki Shinsengumi Kitan and, occasionally, Kaoru Kamiya from Rurouni Kenshin actually crossdresses. Be mindful of these!
|Chizuru Yukimura from Hakuouki Shinsengumi Kitan.
|For example: Nouhime from Sengoku Basara!
Samurai-sensei is out.


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Source: National Bureau of Economic Research
Release: NBER Macrohistory Database
Estimates For The Survey Universe, Composed Of The 1,000 Largest Companies As Ranked By Total Assets In 1967 (See Quarterly Survey, Capital Appropriations, Historical Statistics, August 1967, P.18.) Source: National Industrial Conference Board, Data For 1953-1964: Nicb Investment Statistics, Quarterly Survey, Capital Appropriations, Historical Statistics, 1967; Data For 1965-1967: Regular Quarterly Surveys, Beginning With Second Quarter Of 1967
This NBER data series q10098 appears on the NBER website in Chapter 10 at http://www.nber.org/databases/macrohistory/contents/chapter10.html.
NBER Indicator: q10098
National Bureau of Economic Research, New Capital Appropriations, Manufacturing Companies for United States [Q10098USQ144NNBR], retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/Q10098USQ144NNBR, August 19, 2019.


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You will find the best and most genuine reviews here about all gadgets like laptops, smartphones , speakers , headphones , home appliances etc.
We are always striving to get you Top 10 Lists for every latest gadget and accessories available in market.
Bookmark and subscribe us to get latest gadget reviews.


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Personalized Chef Aprons and More!
Cut 1/2-inch off top of each tomato. Scoop out
pulp from tomatoes.
Turn tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain.
In a medium bowl, combine chicken, bell pepper,
corn, and onion. In
a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and next 6 ingredients. Pour
over chicken, tossing gently to coat.
Line tomatoes with leaf lettuce or spinach leaves.
Spoon chicken
salad evenly into tomatoes. Refrigerate or serve immediately.


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Thomascook.com does not support this browser version, to benefit from a better user experience we recommend that you update your browser.
Algarve Holidays
Located on the south coast of Portugal, the Algarve region combines the best of traditional with a modern,lively and fun holiday destination. There's a big choice of resorts spread along the coastline, each withloads of white sandy beaches, lively bars and cobbled old towns where you'll find markets and seafoodrestaurants. There are lots of leisure options too, with surfing at Sagres, world-class golf courses and a bigrange of water sports on most beaches. Algarve holidays are a fun beach-break getaway.
Summer average high temperatures are 26˚C in July and August, the hottest months. Temperatures eitherside of then will be cooler but still with enough warm sunshine to get a tan on your holiday.
3 hours
Faro International Airport gives the best access to the Algarve, with good transfer options to most resorts. Lisbon airport is around three hours drive by car.
Book a beach holiday to the Algarve with Airtours to enjoy year round warm weather, a huge choice ofresorts, family friendly beaches and a warm Portuguese welcome from the locals.
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From traditional music and folk dancing to partying in upbeat nightclubs, there's plenty of evening entertainment to be had right across the Algarve. During the daytime, pick from a big selection of beaches to explore or have some fun on, or in, the water. From surfing to sailing, the Algarve and the beach lifestyle are more or less inseparable.
Without a doubt, the main attraction in the Algarve is the huge selection of beaches, with everything from secluded coves to big sandy bays. Most resorts are well placed to access at least one or more of these family friendly stretches, with warm waters and soft white sand. If you make the effort, you can get away from the crowds and discover secluded coves, like Culatra, where you might have the whole beach to yourself.
The hippy hang out of Lagos and serene Sagres are two of Europe's most popular surf destinations, with big waves coming in off the Atlantic. Take a few lessons in the smaller waves to learn the ropes before heading out to hang ten. Further along the coast is more sheltered but you can still have plenty of fun in the water with banana boat rides and sea kayaking; there's some excellent inland waterparks to check out too.
There's all kinds of night time fun to be had in the Algarve, from family friendly promenades bustling with street performers and craft markets, to the livelier grown up stuff. Hit the bars in Albufeira, one of the Algarve's busiest and hippest resorts, where you can enjoy drinks on the seafront or get down in one of the clubs. To sample the more authentic culture, try one of the bars offering live Fado music, a distinctly Portuguese mix of love songs and the blues.
Family fun: Big, sandy and child friendly beaches, lively old towns and bustling markets can be found allalong Portugal's Algarve coastline, with lots of eating options and fun activities too.
Water sports: The western end of the Algarve offers some of the best surfing in Europe, but if banana boats are more your thing, there's plenty of choice on most of the Algarve's beaches.
Golfers: Set back from the resorts in the gently rolling hills is an exceptional choice of golf courses.Morgado, Amendoeira and Oceanico are just three, where you can go for a round in the sun.
Language: The official language in the Algarve is Portuguese but English is widely spoken too.
Currency: The Euro (€) is used in the Algarve.
Local time: The same time zone as the UK so you won't have to adjust your watch.
Fly to: Faro International Airport is the best choice for the Algarve.
Flight time from UK: Just under three hours.
Tourist Information: Discover more tourist information about the Algarve at http://www.visitAlgarve.pt
Visa & Health: Before you travel, visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel- advice/portugal for more information and advice on visas and health for your holiday to the Algarve.
Temperature: Average high temperatures of 26˚C in the middle of summer.
Best time to visit the Algarve: The Algarve is home to one of Europe's warmest microclimates, which means you can expect warm sunshine almost all year round. The holiday season gets going in the spring,lasting right the way through the high summer months of July and August and the late summer. There's plenty of sunshine and little rainfall, with water temperatures warmest in mid summer but still mild the rest of the year.
By taxi: Taxis are easy to spot, reliable and relatively cheap so they're a good way of getting around. Most towns and villages have cab ranks or just ask your hotel to call one for you. Luggage can cost extra.
By hire car: Hiring a car is a good option for seeing more of the region's coastline. Albufeira and Portimão are two of the bigger towns, but the smaller resorts are often home to the quieter beaches.
By bus: There are a number of bus companies offering tourist travel in the Algarve, mostly between the airport and main resorts. You can buy tickets at most bus stops with multi day passes also available.
By train: There's a train line running the length of the Algarve region, stopping at a number of towns along the way. Trains are reliable and affordable, with connections to Lisbon and beyond available too.
For carnivals: Carnival takes place in February and is a big deal in Portugal. One of the best can be found at Loulé. Dress up in your best costume and dance the night away at the colourful parade.
For foodies: The Portuguese are very proud of their food, especially when it comes to fish. The annual Sardine Festival in Portimão and Seafood Festival in Olhão take place in August and are not to be missed.
For flowers: Taking place on Easter Sunday, the Flower Torches Festival in São Brás de Alpotel is one of the highlights of the year in the Algarve, with the streets literally carpeted in colourful flowers.
Holidays in Portugal
Holiday Types
All Inclusive, Beach, Family, Last Minute, Summer, Winter
Similiar Destinations


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Emma came to us at about 4 months old. She was found in the Dumpster at a feed store we no longer do business with. They threw her away because she had been opening bags of food in the store. Is that sad, or what?
Now an adult, she's had her trials and tribulations. She was bitten by a Mojave green rattlesnake and one side of her face was paralyzed for about 6 months. Fortunately, with medication she was saved and has now mostly recovered – but when stressed, her eye still becomes inflamed from time to time (poison remains forever in the animal's system after a bite).
Three years later… Again Emma gets bit with another Mohave green, right on the nose!


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The Resolution Foundation launched "Forging ahead or falling behind: Devolution and the future of living standards in the Sheffield City Region" yesterday evening in the Sheffield Town Hall. Its report analyses economic inequalities between cities and within cities and was presented by Stephen Clarke, Research and Policy Analyst at the Resolution Foundation. He showed how the Sheffield City Region lags behind in various sectors but mostly in terms of hourly pay.
Guest discussants – Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley Central; Emma Stone, Director of Policy and Research at Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF); Julie Kenny CBE DL, Entrepreneur; and Craig Berry, Deputy Director at SPERI – offered their views on the strengths and weaknesses of the South Yorkshire economy. There was agreement around the lack of clarity on how a Metro mayor would help boost the economy given that devolution powers would still be minimal. Julie Kenny emphasised that it was down to local leaders to support businesses, and to business leaders to invest in their workforces and pay decent wages.
The consensus was that the South Yorkshire economy had a lot of potential, especially with the development of the advanced manufacturing sector on the former site of Orgreave. This progress shows that, with bold and courageous investments, the future prospects of the area can be much improved. The challenge is to make sure that future growth is inclusive.
The event concluded with a lively Q&A session chaired by Torsten Bell, Director of the Resolution Foundation.
Sheffield Star, 20 January 2017: Sheffield named 'low pay capital' of the UK


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Turnaround of the year: Rohit Sharma.
From 2007-12, Rohit had just one international century against a Top 8 team, was let go by Deccan Chargers in the IPL and warmed the Test bench without getting a chance to play. 2013 changed all that.
He won both the IPL and Champions League as captain. He scored 177 on Test debut. And in ODIs he gained new life as an opener. His ODI record for 2013: 1196 runs at an average of 52 including a mammoth 209 that put him at par with Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.
Debut of the year: Shikhar Dhawan.
Dhawan had his ODI debut in 2010 and international T20 debut in 2011 without exactly setting the record books on fire. But his Test entry this year proved to be just that. It's not often that a Test debutant blasts 187 off 174 balls in a rare whitewash of a series. His ODI career has also
been revived. In 2013, he has scored 1162 runs at an average of 50.5 and a strike rate of 97.9!
Controversy of the year: N Srinivasan.
When the IPL match-fixing scandal broke, first the Chennai Super Kings, then Meiyappan and finally his father head honcho Srinivasan got dragged into the controversy. After a huge furore when Srinivasan tried to give himself a clean chit (like the ruling government does), he had to
step down. But still he ruled by proxy and is currently still making all the decisions of the BCCI.
Villain of the year: S Sreesanth.
Sreesanth has always been the bad boy of Indian cricket. Inconsistency. Sledging. Being in and out of the team. He's seen it all. But this time he crossed the line when he was involved in the IPL match-fixing scam. With the way things are going in India, he might just eventually get off
the hook. He ended the year in style by marrying into a royal family!
Omission of the year: Pervez Rasool.
Spinner Rasool was being touted as the first Kashmiri who would play for Team India, till it was pointed out that Suresh Raina also has his roots there. However there was a huge controversy when he didn't get a chance to play the ODI series against Zimbabwe. Headlines next day just
went berserk. However Amit Mishra picked up 18 wickets in the series and Sir Ravindra Jadeja emerged as the ICC No. 1 ODI bowler soon after, justifying their not being rested for Rasool.
Disappointment of the year: Yuvraj Singh.
This year in the only international T20 he played, Yuvi hit a blistering 77 not out off 35 balls with 5 sixes as we chased down a stiff target of 202 against Australia. However that was it. In the 18 ODIs he played, he averaged just 19.7 and failed to make a single century. This was all the
more problematic for him because the rest of the batsmen were among the runs. Also with the way the new guard performed, Yuvi's Test career may be officially over. His ODI one is under threat too.
Sickening Deja vu of the year: South Africa.
From 2003-11, we performed well in Tests on foreign soil. Then the 0-4 Test debacle took place in England. It happened again in Australia. With South Africa thrashing us in the ODI matches, things seemed quite gloomy. But the thrilling draw in the first Test at the Wanderers saw our
losing streak on foreign soil end.
Pleasant Deja vu of the year: MS Dhoni & Virat Kohli.
Dhoni continued to win India tournaments and perform well with the bat and Kohli's centuries continued to help India chase stiff targets in ODIs.
Comeback of the year: Zaheer Khan.
Zaks didn't play a single international match in 2012 and the story was the same till the end of 2013. Just when it looked like he had been retired, the BCCI picked him up for the South Africa Test series.
He made a great comeback at the Wanderers picking up the 4 wickets including the key ones of captain Graeme Smith and half-centurion Vernon Philander who was leading a fight back by the tail.
If he stays fit, then he could even play in the subsequent Test series in England!
Grand exit of the year: Sachin Tendulkar.
In 2013, Sachin averaged a just about a decent 34.5 in 6 Test matches without a single century. But he was in the news for all non-cricketing reasons. First the South Africa 4-Test series was cut short and a 2-Test West Indies series materialized which happened to be Sachin's farewell tour. In the Kolkata Test, 199 kgs of rose petals were to have been dropped from a plane in his honour and in the final Test in Mumbai, the BCCI went all out to give Sachin a grand farewell. A Bharat Ratna soon followed.
Quiet exit of the year: Rahul Dravid.
Dravid announced his retirement from IPL and as usual it was overshadowed. This time by Sachin's IPL retirement and the match-fixing scandal that cast a cloud on the Rajasthan Royals.
The author is a Bengaluru-based journalist and blogger.
He blogs at http://sunilrajguru.com/


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It's been awhile since we last checked in on what the Park Ridge Park District has been doing with its approximately $25 million annual budget.
As we've written previously, the Park District has done an exceptional job of generating non-tax (i.e., user fee-based) revenues to the point that they now exceed tax revenues. And that deserves kudos, because the path of least resistance is to underprice fees to keep the users happy while letting the all-too-silent taxpayers subsidize those users.
Unfortunately, it sounds like the District stumbled a bit in its contracting for the retrofitting of the buildings on the former Park Ridge Youth Campus – now known as "Prospect Park" – to accommodate a modern computer network and integrate it into the District's existing system. Fortunately, it sounds as if the Park Board is taking reasonable measures to square that away.
The District's administration apparently tried to steamroll a "bundled" contract for the purchase of IT services with the purchase of the hardware for the project. And that's where the Board balked.
At its meeting on October 15, the Board – with president Jim O'Brien absent – deadlocked 3-3 on a vote to approve the integrated service/hardware contract. Commissioners Joan Bende, Jim Phillips and Cindy Grau voted for approval while Commissioners Rick Biagi, Mel Thillens and Richard Brandt voted against it.
Biagi and Thillens expressed their belief that the District might be able to get a better price than the approximately $80,000 quoted by IT consultants Sikitch LLP for the "equipment" (hardware and software) – along with its $30,000 of actual IT services – if the District went out to bid.
We don't know if that's true or not. But allowing consultants (like Sikitch) to bundle their professional services with a much larger dollar amount of products that customarily require such bidding is a common scam by government contractors, consultants and bureaucrats that often bamboozle the folks we elect to look out for the taxpayers' interests.
That's because the bureaucrats love it: it reduces their workload and greatly reduces the likelihood that they will be held accountable should something go wrong. But it improperly mixes the contracting for professional services that can legally be done (although it doesn't have to be) on a no-bid basis with the purchases of commodities (hardware and software) that should be competitively bid.
According to the Park Ridge Journal article ("Park's Computer Needs Concern Park Ridge Commissioners," Nov. 11), a Sikitch rep and the District's IT manager, Mark Somera, claimed that Sikitch could get reduced prices on the hardware/software from manufacturers like Hewlett-Pcckard through volume buying for Sikitch clients.
Not necessarily the best prices, mind you. Just "reduced" prices.
But when Board members asked why the District couldn't just take Sikitch's list of components and shop around for the best deal, the Sikitch rep in attendance pled ignorance, claiming that wasn't his area of expertise. Apparently Sikitch was so confident its no-bid deal had already been cooked to the right degree of doneness that it didn't to send someone capable of answering what sounds like a pretty basic question.
Hence, the 3-3 tie that prevented the contract's approval.
That reportedly torqued Exec. Director Gayle Mountcastle, who responded with a litany of delays and woes that would ensue from any type of competitive bidding on the computer hardware – including a further delay in the opening of Prospect Park.
Which, reportedly, already is a year behind the original target date.
And already hundreds of thousands of dollars over budget.
And already having cut some of those features the District used to sell the project to the voters in the April 2013 referendum.
Of course, any additional delay related to the IT contract might have been avoided if District staff didn't try to play it too cute by half in the first place.
Or, actually, the 73% of the total contract price that the $80,000 of hardware represents.
But at the Board's November 5, 2015 meeting, staff – primarily Finance Supt. Sandra DeAngelus, with a little help from Somera – came up with what sure sounded like a half-baked (at most) attempt at backfilling the omitted due diligence to justify the District's original decision to give the whole deal to Sikitch, without bidding the approximately $80,000 hardware/software portion.
You can watch and listen to it starting at around the 10 minute mark of the meeting video, and continuing through the vote at the 17:43 mark.
As best as we can tell from that discussion, Somera got an incomplete (or inadequately detailed) product list from Sikitch and made some attempt to contact three suppliers, only one of which appears to have responded in whatever time frame was set. That alternate supplier's bid was $20,000 higher than Sikitch's, although it does not sound like an apples-to-apples situation because, among other things, Sikitch proposed a hardware-based firewall while the other vendor chose a software-based one.
Not surprisingly, only one Board member questioned that apples-to-oranges choice: Rick Biagi.
But by that point the charade was convincing enough for the other six Board members to approve the pre-cooked deal with "best boy" Sikitch by a vote of 6-1.
And the no-bid scams continue.
To read or post comments, click on title.


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The piece Remedial Measures has won the Sponsor's Prize at the prestigious Eutick Memorial Still Life Award. Selected by John McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald art critic, as a finalist, this is the fifth time Matthew has been represented in this prize. It will be on display at the
Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, Cnr Coff and Duke St, Coffs Harbour, NSW, 2450
Phone: (02) 6648 4863 from Sat November 16 to January 18, 2014
10am – 4pm Tuesday – Saturday


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In order to grow within you have to read books with nuggets; bits of information that you can carry with you forever. In his latest book, How High Will You Climb?: Determine Your Success by Cultivating the Right Attitude by John C. Maxwell has once again provided motivating words of wisdom in which the reader can take with him wherever he chooses to go.
I am a John Maxwell fan and have purchased many of his books. Though the basis of all of his books are pretty much the same, developing the leader in you, the approach varies. In How High Will You Climb? The reader is encouraged to examine his or her attitude.
Part of Mr. Maxwell's success has to do with his ability to incorporate biblical principals with the realities of life. You will not appreciate this book if you do not understand the need to incorporate God's word in your daily activities. Bible passages are woven throughout the entire book.
How High Will You Climb? serves as a life coach thus it reads like a one on one motivational conversation. The antidotes told lead to life observations which lead to suggested life applications all of which should force the reader to determine what his or her goals are.
As with any self-help, personal motivational, or leadership book, upon reading this book the individual should have a better understanding of how to succeed. I like books that focus on personal responsibility which is why I can recommend How High Will You Climb? I believe even non-Christians will be able to glean life truths from this book.
I received a complimentary copy of in exchange for an honest and fair review.


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Themrise Khan is an independent professional with over 20 years of experience in social policy research and analysis, evaluation and communications. She has worked extensively in South Asia with major bilateral and multilateral agencies and international NGOs in the fields of poverty, gender and migration, among others. She is based in Ottawa, Canada.
Youth employment is a critical issue for Sub-Saharan Africa's future. Unemployment and underemployment remain widespread and a wide range of interventions are required to increase opportunities for the region's […]Read more


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💖 SOLD & Closed # 48 for 2017 🦅 12829 High Plains Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73142 🦅 Josh Barnett 💖
SOLD & Closed # 48 for 2017 🦅 Call 405-315-7965 to Sell Your Oklahoma City Home * Virtual Tour: https://youtu.be/JKjSZ7t3buE 💖 WAIT ... WAIT ... WAIT ... honey look at this one ... 1,650 sqft Home AND New Construction & Open, Open, Open Living Room with Soaring Ceilings .... AND ... Look At This ... this beautiful loved for home is located in Porches at Ponderosa, THAT'S the Neighborhood that is GATED & has a LAKE!!!!! WOW ... how much are they asking ... ONLY 209,900 dollars, No ... you mean to tell me, a NEW Construction HOME with a Master Suite so IMMENSE with Double Vanity, with walk in shower, AND walk in closet, IS priced at ONLY 209,900 dollars ... Did you say the Home is ONLY located in Porches at Ponderosa, the GATED Neighborhood with a Private LAKE .... what about the Kitchen, NO, you don't say 💖 Open to the dining room & Living room with a Over Sized Island and Cabinets galore .... What about a half bath …. Does this home have a half bath for guests? …. YES, this house sounds perfect … it has tons of Storage also!!!!! We have to see this house, I can't believe they are only asking 209,900 dollars, we have to see this home!!!! 🚪 Call Josh Barnett with Oklahoma Real Estate Crew at 405-315-7965 to Buy or Sell Your Home, Land, or Commercial Real Estate
🏡 SOLD & Closed # 48 for 2017 💖 12829 High Plains Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73142
🏡 http://www.okrecrew.com/-/listing/18639606/12829-High-Plains-Ave-Oklahoma-City-OK-73142
🏡 Call Josh Barnett, Broker with Oklahoma Real Estate Crew at 405-315-7965 to Sell Your Home 🚪
Have a Home, Some Land, or Commercial Building to Sell? Click the link for your FREE Market Valuation http://www.okrecrew.com/free-market-analysis
Follow Me On-Line ("Like" & "Share"):
- Josh Barnett's YouTube page http://www.youtube.com/JoshBarnettREIB
- Josh Barnett's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OKRealEstateCrew/
- Josh Barnett's About Me: http://www.okrecrew.com/about-us
Josh Barnett's Memberships:
- Oklahoma Real Estate Commission: https://www.ok.gov/OREC/
- Oklahoma Association of Realtors: http://okrealtors.com/
- Stillwater Board of Realtors http://stillwaterboardofrealtors.com
- Oklahoma City Metro Association of Realtors: http://www.okcmar.org/
Josh Barnett's Award Info:
- 2014 Best of Trulia Top Agent Oklahoma
- 2014 Top Producing Team of Metro First Realty Corporate Wide
- 2013 Top Producing Agent of Metro First Realty Edmond Branch
- Serving Oklahoma City, Edmond, Stillwater, Perkins, Chandler, Yukon, Choctaw
- Representing Sellers & Buyers in Home, Farm, Ranch, Land, or Commercial Transactions
*** Information deemed reliable at the time of publishing, information must be verified by any interested party after date of publication.


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We are calling you now to better understand your needs.
Foulk Manor South - Wilmington, DE
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* Published prices are provided by the providers themselves, not by reviewers. Actual quotes may differ from what is presented based on timing and services required.
- Minimum Age of Accepted Residents
- Activities Onsite
- Devotional Services Available
- Indoor Common Areas
- Meals Provided
- Aging in Place
- Nurses on Staff
- Podiatrist Available
- Physical Therapy Available
- Occupational Therapy Available
- Speech Therapy Available
- Complimentary Transportation
- Activities Offsite
- Outdoor Common Areas
- Beauty & Barber Services
- Pets Allowed
- No Smoking Allowed in Private Areas Indoors
- No Smoking Allowed in Public Areas Indoors
- Wheelchair Accessible Showers
- Hospice Available
- Respite Available
- Resident Parking Available
- Male Residents Accepted
- Female Residents Only
- Doctor on Call
- Homecare Onsite
- Dentist Available
Very clean, older facility, great value for the money. Management is very good and very approachable. Provides nursing aide care, balanced meals, varied activities.
Not my parent
My dad did not get the attention he deserved. Bathroom in his room looked like it was once a small closet.
Staff liked to all chat at nurses station.
Five Star Reviews
Local Representative
Nice facility. Clean and bright. Staff friendly. Available room very large with view of gardens. Small community of MC residents.
I met with [Removed] regarding the different options available for my wife's parents for their care. It took only a short time, but in that time I was totally convinced that we were making the right decision for their care..[Removed] made a difficult time very easy for us. My wife and I thank her and everyone we met along the way at Foulk Manor South. The attitude of the staff always stems from the leadership and it is obvious from the moment you step in. This is one well run, thoughtful and happy place. [Removed]
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Things are going ok
The food is good and the community is kept clean. The staff are ok, however sometimes it is hard to reach someone by phone. The administrator is great and worked with us. I feel comfortable going to the administrators with any concerns I may have. We were able to decorate mom's room to her liking. They are working with hospice and so far it has been an ok experience.
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Enjoyable Environment!!
After my experience of a tour at this community I would defiantly recommend it to anyone. The staff where on time to our appointment and made sure to answer any questions we had for them in detail. I thought they where very knowledgeable and had a lot of organization in how they ran the facility. Overall great place just was not the right fit for my mother.
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Professional Staff!!
The staff at this community where very friendly and helped my loved one make a smooth transition into this facility as best as they could. She really enjoys the meals they offer as well as the dinning experience with the other women who live there. They have a great activity program and even offer to take them to the grocery store and other errands if need be.
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Went With the North Side
I had a tour of the south side of this community. I thought it was a good tour and I everything looked nice. This was just not the area that was needed, we are in the north side of the community.
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I really liked this community. However they do not have an open room in nursing care and so my mother would have to move to the "gardens" until a room opens in nursing care unit.
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I Didn't Like It
When I had my tour, the residents looked drugged and were in wheelchairs. It looked really bad and I was glad to be done with the tour. However, it did look clean but I did not want to put my loved one here.
Five Star Reviews
Local Representative
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My Tour Went Well
I toured this facility for my father. It was a pleasant tour. The community looks nice and well maintained. The staff was kind and friendly. There are nice activities and good food offered. Overall my tour went well.
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We toured this community while looking into care options for a loved one. While the facility was generally clean and well kept, it wasn't somewhere I would have been comfortable placing my loved one. The apartments were very small, and the whole place just had a depressing feel. The the residents were not active, and generally just seemed to be sitting around in their pajamas.
Five Star Reviews
Local Representative
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My sisters and I recently looked at Foulk Manor South and I have to say the staff there are extremely caring and really took the time to meet with us on short notice. We have been searching for a place for our father to live and after touring a few places in the area, we feel Foulk Manor South would be the best place. The outdoor courtyard is beautiful and they have walking paths with park benches. We like the homelike feel and there are many male residents we feel our father will become friends with. During our tour, we had the pleasure of meeting a few residents and everyone seems really nice.
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Older facility, staff seem ok, fair location, and rooms, but nothing to make me consider their facility for my mother. Looking for nicer amenaties, and activities.
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They had too much of a nursing home feel.
They had too much of a nursing home feel. We didn't feel like she would get the care she needed. I wouldn't say the place was dirty, it was clean, but it just didn't seem as bright as some of the others we saw. Though they were friendly.
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They don't nickle and dime you to death.
It's been pretty good for the most part. There has been kind of an issue as to being diagnosed with dementia and when I toured they thought she would be a candidate for assisted living but the staff seems to be having a difficult time with that.
They don't nickle and dime you to death, I only pay extra for landry and hairdresser and I would expect to pay extra for those things. Everything is included cable and meals, snacks everything. Mom is not very cooperative and when she asks them to leave the room they do and they need to push a little more with her and they are working on that. They have a lot of activities to do plenty of things. They have an activites candar with happy hour or music or trips to the library that type of thing. It is smaller and more intimate, they had empty rooms but they weren't desperate and trying to grab anybody they could and they were very accommodating. Communication between staff and us is the only area where they could improve.
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What makes FMS great is Mom loves. The staff is generally receptive to what needs to be done. The small number of residents in assisted living is a big benefit.
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Mom's daily experience
We are happy with the care Mom is getting. Friendly staff along with great health care aides and nurses. She seems very happy and comfortable. A feeling of home.
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Loved their approach and ph...
Loved their approach and philosophy, memory support unit was an uninspiring white hallway. Access to an enclosed garden and community room.
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Talked with recruiter. Seems nice
Talked with recruiter. Seems nice
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Foulk Manor South was very nice, clea...
Foulk Manor South was very nice, clean and friendly. Suites were awesome. Residents all looked clean and well dressed. the Director knew everyone by name. Total of suites is 26? I like that the place is intimate and not too big.
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As one of the friendliest retirement communities in North Wilmington, Foulk Manor South is located just minutes from Concord Pike, Route 202 and Interstate 95, and sits amidst the history and fine traditions of the Brandywine Hundred community.
Our residents and their families appreciate and enjoy our delicious meals, excellent care and inviting atmosphere. We are best known for our smaller homelike and intimate setting. Festive patios and gardens adorn the community.
Recreation and creative activities are a passion at Foulk Manor South. Our residents enjoy frequent trips, happy hours, socials, clubs, gardening and upbeat exercise programs.
We pride ourselves in our long-standing reputation for striving to provide excellent care in our assisted living, Alzheimer's and Intermediate nursing neighborhoods.
Call in today to set up a tour and hear about special promotions offered exclusively to A Place For Mom families.


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David Mitchell is surely one of the best British novelists writing today and his latest novel Black Swan Green strengthens his claim to that title. The novel's predecessor, the highly acclaimed Cloud Atlas – an intricately woven tale spanning multiple time periods and different narrative voices – was a truly captivating read, a unique balance of the real and the fantastic. Black Swan Green displays the same intricacy, allowing a truly human and heartfelt story to be told through a conventional artifice. In this novel, the balance is not between reality and fantasy but a carefully explicated portait of a young boy's struggle between social conformity and individual expression, set underneath the glassy archetypal nostalgia of the early 1980s. The struggle and the setting, the factual and the poetic are written with such a sense of stablility that Mitchell's prose is simultaneously radiant, amusing and resolute.
A painful minute went by. Green is made of yellow and blue, nothing else, but when you look at green, where've the yellow and the blue gone? Somehow this is to do with Moran's dad. Somehow this is to do with everyone and everything. But too many things'd've' gone wrong if I'd tried to say this to Moran.
Life is not easy for Jason Taylor: it's hard enough turning thirteen – threatening bullies, those mysterious things called girls, family discord – it's even harder when that comes with a stammer and you're a reluctant poet. As Jason attempts to conceal his stammer, it leads to other problems: use of 'over-elaborate' replacement words, untold anxieties and low self-esteem. Jason's stammer becomes fictionalised as the director of missing letters: Hangman. This imaginary character has his own codes of behaviour and has an incredible power over Jason's life.
The only way to outfox Hangman is to think one sentence ahead, and if you see a stammer word coming up, alter your sentence so you won't need to use it. Of course, you have to do this without the other person you're talking to catching on. Reading dictionaries like I do helps you do these ducks and dives, but you do have to remember who you're talking to. (If I was speaking to another thirteen-year-old and said the word 'melancholy' to avoid stammering on 'sad', for example, I'd be a laughing stock, 'cause kids aren't s'posed to use adult words like 'melancholy'. Not at Upton upon Severn Comprehensive, anyway.)
There is a sincere nature to the book and it is not surprising to learn that a large amount of Mitchell's own adolescent tribulations are recorded here. Like Jason, he too grew up in a small village in Worcestershire and was a stammerer (not a stutterer, an important distinction), adopting his own rules of speech to manage his problem. It is this skill with words that has enabled Mitchell to develop such proficiency interweaving different registers for his narrators within his novels. His forthcoming novel will demonstrate this skill further, opening up issues about the perceptions and misperceptions in the encounter of cultures. Black Swan Green is an acutely observed account of the transition between childhood and adolescence set against a vibrant nostalgic background, with a sharp injection of humour and a vivid evocation of life in a backwater village in the 1980s. Mitchell's beautiful poetic and powerful prose exposes this transitionary period for its strains and difficulties, asserting the importance of the individual and in making your own rules.
Posted by Jen Tomkins