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For our birthdays we always get to choose what we want for dinner, and, most importantly, for dessert. It can be a nice dinner out followed by picking up a sweet treat on the way home. Or it can be a fancy dinner in with an old favorite stand by sweet treat. Or even take-out in our pajamas in front of the TV. It can be anything we want!
For most people this would be a very good solution. However, for two very indecisive people it can actually sometimes be a bit of a struggle. It's for that reason that I started in on Chris early. I think pretty much after my birthday was over mid-November I started asking him what he wanted for his February birthday. His first response for dessert was banana cream pie, probably because it sounded good at the time. But, I hung on to that one and he confirmed that was still his top choice last week when we were menu planning.
Dinner was a bit harder. When the time to decide finally came (i.e. it was a week before his birthday rather than 3 months), he chose an old favorite that involves a tomato cream sauce (he's a total sucker for the tomato cream sauces). He chose our 30 minute skillet baked ziti (thanks Cooks Illustrated!). And a good choice that was, since we got our new skillet just in time to use that instead of baking it in a plain old square pan! We splurged on the fresh basil and used our Romano (previously we had just used parmesan in the green can).
The skillet was totally worth it because it made it really pretty.
The ingredient splurges made all the difference, because it was really tasty.
The banana cream pies were an interesting endeavor. I chose to adapt the Cook's Illustrated recipe we've used before to make mini ones, similar to what's seen here. We were traveling two days after his birthday and didn't want to be forced to eat a whole pie in that time (hard life, I know). The verdict?
However, probably not worth the extra work. I made a full recipe for a double crust pie, since we're doing a skillet chicken pot pie next week and just stole some of that. That wasn't the hard part. The hard part was getting the crust to not shrink so much in the mason jars. I tried the pie weights, but since the top is so narrow, they didn't really hold it in place well enough while it was baking. And don't even talk to me about getting the dough in the jars in the first place. I foolishly decided to roll them first, and well, it just didn't work so well. Improvisation was key.
Next was cutting down the proportions in the recipe, but not too much. As in, it's impossible to make a vanilla pudding with any less than one egg yolk. So, we quartered the recipe and still ended up with about 4 times what we actually needed for the filling. I didn't have to get out my TI-83 Plus to figure out the proportions, but it was touch and go there for a minute. Chris minded this part less, because he got a pre-birthday dinner treat and had banana pudding as a snack (hard life, I know).
Finally, along the lines of the proportions mentioned above, is the whipped cream. What's a banana cream pie with out, oh, the cream? But, the KitchenAid mixer was definitely too big, and we didn't even need enough to be able to use the hand mixer. So, we whipped our cream by hand. And even then we whipped too much and had to eat the extra (I know, hard life again).
But boy did we feel good (and sore) about what we had accomplished.
So, would I make those again? Probably not. I think fruit pies are more suited to the mini version. But was it fun to try? Absolutely.
And in the end? The Birthday Boy had a good time eating it. And when it's your birthday, your wife has made you choose a favorite meal for the evening, and you had a long day at work? Well, enjoying it is all that matters.


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I've lived in downtown Toronto since I was 3 years old. I'm now 35 and I love it! There`s a heartbeat and cultural membrane that makes downtown such a lively place to be. Seeing it evolve from old Sam the Record Man or the spot where Lick`s used to be is quite awesome.
-Yvonne Chang

subset: commoncrawl


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It's not just a celebrity secret; retinol is hailed as the beauty world's best (needle-free) answer to smoother skin, visibly lessening scars, lines and wrinkles when applied topically.
Jessica Alba – she of skin idol status – describes the ingredient, which is a Vitamin A derivative, as "the greatest thing in the whole world!" Why? She told us that for her "it takes away fine lines, it takes away spots and makes the texture of my skin better." As leading Hollywood dermatologist Dr Lancer, who works with famous faces like Victoria Beckham and Beyonce, explains – it's one that truly works.
"Retinol is lauded for it's medically and scientifically-proven ability to speed up the skin's cell cycle" he says. "It is one of the few ingredients on the market that comes with this absolute guarantee - it has no gimmicks." The zero BS approach makes it even more appealing.
But before you rush off and Google 'retinol creams' remember it's not suitable for everyone – you'll find as much on its scary reputation as its rave results. Here's the skinny:
You've seen the pros, but Dr Lancer took us through the cons of retinol, and who should keep it out of their skincare arsenal.
Sensitive types should avoid it:
"Retinol is a very powerful ingredient by nature, and many people with sensitive and reactive skin find that it can be too harsh for them. Luckily, there are many new, more innovative forms of retinol currently available to consumers that help mitigate the sensitivity it can cause."
So should pregnant people:
"Retinol's efficacy is due to the fact that it is absorbed into the body and creates activity in our cells. Vitamin A is highly detrimental to a developing foetus; it's been known to cause significant birth defects, and for this reason should be avoided by pregnant women."
It can increase your risk of pigmentation:
"Retinol does cause significantly increased photosensitivity. Wearing a high-grade SPF and a hat is highly recommended if you want to truly reap the benefits of retinol."
Your skin can get worse before it gets better:
"Some people may experience dryness, redness, or flaking skin when they first begin using retinol, but with proper care and adequate internal and external hydration, these effects should subside within two weeks."
Unfortunately, as Dr Lancer confirmed to us, there are no true 'retinol alternatives' that have a similar effect on the skin, but luckily there's been a bit of a retinol revolution with more sensitive skin-friendly formulas surfacing on the market of late. You need to look for retinol derivatives.
"When I worked to develop my Youth Serum, I formulated a type of retinol derivative that mitigates the dryness and redness of traditional retinol. Pairing it with complementary soothing and healing ingredients also helped soften the effects of the serum so it could be used even by those with sensitive skin." This version of the skin saviour is also suitable for use in pregnancy and, remarkably, designed to be used by anyone and everyone from ages 18-80.
Alternatively, try these (if you're not pregnant or breast feeding):
Indeed Labs' Retinol Reface Retinol Skin Resurfacer Serum, £19.99, delivers slow-release retinol, making it suitable for sensitive skin types.
La Roche-Posay Redermic R, £29.50, is cleverly combined with other acids to work at a deep level without requiring a potentially irritating high dose.
Sunday Riley's Luna Sleeping Night Oil, £85, is a retinoid oil combined with nourishing cold-pressed oils that helps carry its anti-ageing powers more gently.
Avene YsthéAL Eye and Lip Contour, £19.50, contains retinaldehyde, an effective derivative of Vitamin A, tested to be safe on sensitive skin.
Retinol Reform, $95, by Resurface by Shani Darden (Jessica Alba's actual facialist) contains 5% pure retinol derivative but rave reviews say is mild enough for sensitive skin and use under the eyes.


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All aboard for some railroad adventures with this sturdy, colorful train rug! Durably made to look great for countless playtimes to come, the woven rug with a skid-proof backing comes with three connectable wooden train cars and features details like tracks, a train station, switching yard, roads, railroad crossings, and more to accommodate all kinds of vehicles, play people, and more! With this rug, there are lots of ways to learn and play.
Colorful activity rug with railroad theme
Includes 3 wooden connectable train cars
Durable rug material is machine-washable; skid-proof backing is safe on all floor surfaces
Reinforced border binding prevents fraying
Rug measures 39" x 36" (100 x 91 cm); 4.4" x 4.4" x 40.5" pkg (11.2 x 11.2 x 102.9 cm)
Our live stock figures show that we currently have 1 in stock. If you would like to order more than the current in stock quantity please contact us to obtain an estimated delivery date.
If all the items on your order are in stock, we endeavour to despatch it within 1 to 2 working days of you placing the order.
If your order contains some products that have to be made or ordered specially, we will usually wait for all your ordered items to be in stock before despatch. This might typically be 2-3 weeks but could be up to 6 weeks or more for products manufactured in Europe. Most products have a guideline delivery timescale in their description. Please contact us if you would like parts of your order to be despatched as and when they become available. This would attract a separate delivery charge for each delivery.
Delivery charges vary based on your address and the items in the delivery. Orders over £100 to mainland UK (excluding Scottish Highlands) have FREE delivery (excludes furniture, radiators and stoves) and orders under £100 have a £5 delivery charge.
During the checkout process you will be able to choose a delivery method suitable for your items and see the corresponding delivery charge, and you can also collect instore for FREE. Once despatched by us, our delivery partners DPD (if chosen) will contact you with a one-hour delivery window. You can give them specific delivery instructions or rearrange delivery for FREE. To find out more about this service please visit the DPD Predict website.
If you are a retail customer then when we send you your Goods you will also receive a delivery/returns note (as well as your receipt). Full instructions on how to return the Goods to us are on the delivery/returns note. If you are in the EU you have 14 days from date of receipt to return Goods to us and do not have to give a reason for doing so. You will have to pay for the return of the Goods but will receive a refund that includes the cost of the original delivery. You can either organize the return yourself (getting proof of postage) or we can arrange a collection via our courier (at a charge of £15 per parcel). If you are not a retail customer or you are outside of the EU then you will not be able to return goods to us unless they are faulty.
If you receive damaged or faulty Goods then you should contact us to arrange the return within 48 hours of your receipt of the Goods. If we confirm when the Goods arrive back with us that they are damaged or faulty, then you will not be liable for the cost of returning the Goods. You will be offered a replacement or refund.
We regret that we cannot accept returns for Special Order items (unless damaged or faulty). A Special Order item would typically be any item that is not in stock.
We cannot be held responsible for packages lost, delayed or damaged in transit. For your protection if you are returning Goods to us, we recommend that you send your package by Royal Mail Special Delivery.


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Congratulations to the following 24 colleges that have been awarded CCC Maker Implementation grants:
Allan Hancock College
American River College
Butte College
Cabrillo College
Chaffey College
City College of San Francisco
College of Alameda
College of San Mateo
College of the Canyons
Folsom Lake College
Foothill College
Glendale Community College
Golden West College
Hartnell College
Laney College
Moorpark College
Moreno Valley College
Mt. San Antonio College
Mt. San Jacinto College
Orange Coast College
Sacramento City College
San Bernardino Valley College
Sierra College
Woodland Community College


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Banana Yogurt Shake:
It is a best summer drink and especially for Ramadan. Banana Yogurt Shake is very healthy and mouthwatering drink. Kids will love is banana yogurt shake you must try this recipe. For more amazing Recipes click here and enjoy with your friends and family.
Also try Tarbooz Ka Sharbat Recipe. It is best recipe for summers.
Banana 6 – 8
Yogurt 1 – 1/2 cup
Milk 2 cups
Brown Sugar 4 – 6 Tbsp
Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
Mint Leaves for decoration
Blend all the ingredients well. Pour into glass and decorate it with mint leaves.
Banana Yogurt Shake is ready. Ready to serve.


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More Photos
Printable Flyer
Virtual Tour
Map on Google
Request Appointment
Email Property
This serves as a sample to the quality of homes you will find for RENT in The Lake Nona Golf & Country Club. Please call and we will compile a current list of available for sale listing in this community or the general Lake Nona area. We look forward to your call!
Ph. 407.247.6777 e.mail firstname.lastname@example.com
Luxury pool home located in the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club of Lake Nona.
Magnificent Mediterranean has all the things you would like to see in a formal executive home.
Outdoor heated pool, Outside retreat, plus a fabulous kitchen with gas stove, formal living room overlooking the pool and garden.


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How to Prepare Statistics for SSC CGL Tier II – Study Notes in PDF
2 years ago .
SSC CGL Tier II Exam will be conducted soon! The SSC CGL Prelims Exam was conducted from 5th August to 24th August 2017. This year the exam pattern for Prelims Exam also went through a lot of changes. There are a total of 4733 vacancies that will be filled this year. If you are confident that you will make it through to the SSC CGL Tier II, then you can read the article given below. This article will help on How to Prepare Statistics for SSC CGL Tier II. In the following article, you will know in detail about Descriptive Statistics, viz. Central Tendency & Dispersion, Mean, Median & Mode, Skewness & Kurtosis, etc. You can also take our SSC CGL Online Mock Tests to boost up your preparation strategy.
Descriptive Statistics is the best way to describe and summarize the characteristics of a data set in terms of two of its properties i.e. Central Tendency and Dispersion.
Download 'How to prepare for Statistics for SSC CGL as PDF
Central Tendency – Prepare Statistics for SSC CGL Tier II
In order to describe and represent a set of data as a single number, we need measures of central tendency that intended to describe the performance of the group and centre of the data. It also tells us about the shape and nature of the distribution. Measures of central tendency include:
The sum of all the observations divided by the number of observations
- Find the mean of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
The score in the middle when the observations are ordered from the smallest to the largest. If the total number of observations n is an odd number, then the number on the position is the median. If n is an even number, then the average of the two numbers on the and positions is the median.
- o Find the median of 5, 6, 11, 10, 4, 9, 7
- 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 = 7
- o Find the median of 5, 17, 15, 3, 9, 18, 6, 10
- 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15, 17, 18 =
The number that occurs most frequently. If two numbers tie then the observation will have two modes and is called Bimodal
- Find the mode of 2, 6, 3, 9, 5, 6, 2, 6
- 2, 2, 3, 5, 6, 6, 6, 9 = 6
Relation between Mean, Median and Mode
Mean – Mode = 3 (Mean – Median)
Scales of Measurement:-
- Nominal Scale – That can simply be broken down into categories
- Ordinal Scale – That can be categorized and can be placed in order or ranking
- Interval Scale – That can be ranked but has no absolute zero point
- Ratio Scale – That allows to compare and has meaningful zero values
For Nominal scale, the mode is the only measure that can be used. For Ordinal Scale, the mode and the median may be used. For Interval – Ratio Scale, the mean, median and mode all can be used.
Partition Values
If the samples are arranged in ascending or descending order, then the measures of central tendency divides the observations in two equal parts. In the same way, the given series can be divided into four, ten and hundred equal parts.
Quartiles divides a series into 4 equal parts i.e. Q1, Q2 and Q3. Q1 is known as first or lower Quartile covering 25% observations. Q2 is known as second Quartile is the same as Median of the series. Q3 is known as third or upper Quartile covering 75% observations.
l = lower limit of median class; i = class interval
cf = total of all frequencies before median class
f = frequency of median class; n = total number of observations
Deciles: – Deciles divides a series into 10 equal parts i.e etc.
l = lower limit of median class; i = class interval
cf = total of all frequencies before median class
f = frequency of median class; n = total number of observations
Percentiles: – Percentiles divides a series into 100 equal parts i.e., etc.
l = lower limit of median class; i = class interval
cf = total of all frequencies before median class
f = frequency of median class; n = total number of observations
Measures of Dispersion – Prepare Statistics for SSC CGL Tier II
Measures of central tendency gives an idea of an average but it is important to know how the data are clustered or scattered away from the average and the degree to which it spread is called dispersion.
Various measures of dispersion are:-
- Range: – Range is the difference between the largest and the smallest value of the series.
- Range = Largest value – Smallest Value
- Co – efficient of range =
- L = Largest value in the observation
- S = Smallest value in the observation
- Inter–Quartile Range: – It is the difference between the third quartile and the first quartile.
- Inter–Quartile Range =
- It is also known as range of middle 50% values
- Percentile Range: – It is the difference between the 90th and 10th percentile.
- Percentile Range =
- It is also known as range of middle 80% values
- Quartile Deviation: – It is the average of the difference between the third quartile and the first quartile. It is an absolute measure of dispersion.
- Quartile Deviation =
- Co–efficient of Quartile Deviation =
- Mean Deviation: – It is an average or the mean of the deviations of the values from a fixed point. It is a calculative measures of dispersion
- Mean Absolute Deviation = where, N = Number of observations, = Mean
- Standard Deviation: – It is defined as the square root of the mean of the squared deviations of individual values around their mean. If the values of the observations are same, then standard deviation is zero and it is least affected by fluctuations.
- Standard Deviation
- = Variance
- sum of the square of deviations from the mean
- N = total number of observations
Measures of dispersion help to describe the width of the distribution, but they don't give any information about the shape of the distribution. There are further statistics that give information about the shape of the distribution. They are:-
- 1st moment – Mean (describes central value)
- 1st moment = , is equal to zero
- 2nd moment – Variance (describes dispersion)
- , gives information on the spread or scale of the distribution of numbers
- 3rd moment – Skewness (describes asymmetry)
- , gives information on the Skewness of the distribution
- 4th moment – Kurtosis (describes peakedness)
- , gives information on the Kurtosis of the distribution
Skewness – Prepare Statistics for SSC CGL Tier II
Measures of dispersion tells us about the variation of the data set whereas, Skewness tells us about the direction of variation of data set. It is a measure of symmetry i.e. same to the right and the left of the center point.
Skewness can be positive or negative or zero
- When the values of mean, median and mode are equal, there is no Skewness.
- When mean > median > mode, Skewness will be positive.
- When mean < median < mode, Skewness will be negative.
Pearson's coefficient of Skewness =
It ranges between –3 to +3
Bowley's measure of Skewness =
Where, Q1 = first Quartile, Q2 = second Quartile, Q3 = third Quartile, = Median
Kelly's measure of Skewness =
= 90th Percentile; = 50th Percentile; = 10th Percentile
Kurtosis – Prepare Statistics for SSC CGL Tier II
It measures the relative peakedness or flatness of a distribution compared to the normal distribution
- When Kurtosis > 0, the peak of a curve becomes relatively high and that curve is called Leptokurtic. The positive Kurtosis indicates a flat distribution with long tails
- When Kurtosis < 0, the curve is flat-topped, then it is called Platykurtic. The negative Kurtosis indicates a peaked distribution with short tails
- A normal curve is neither very peaked nor very flat-topped, so it is taken as a basis for comparison. The normal curve is called Mesokurtic. For a normal distribution, kurtosis is equal to 3.
The measure of Kurtosis, known as Percentile coefficient of kurtosis is:
Kurtosis =
Q.D is semi-interquartile range=Q.D=
= 90th Percentile; = 10th Percentile
Now that you know the details about SSC CGL Tier II Statistics, you can click on the link given below and start your preparation for the upcoming exams.
SSC CGL Recruitment 2017
SSC CGL Tier II Syllabus
Now that you know how to prepare Statistics for SSC CGL Tier II 2017. You can begin your preparation for SSC CGL Tier II & want to practice for the same, then you can click on the link given below and quickly start!
Solve Free Practice Questions on Testbook
Do you want to discuss with us or fellow aspirants about the coming SSC CGL Tier II Exam? If yes, then click on the link given below, which will take you to Testbook Discuss!
Kshitija Gotpagar is a Senior Content Writer and a YouTube Video Presenter with experience in Academic Content Writing & a degree in Journalism. Having appeared for various competitive exams like UPSC, CDS, IB ACIO, SBI PO and currently specializing in Sociology as a subject, Kshitija is adept in providing crisp, to the point & SEO-rich content.


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♥ Catch me online // SOUNDCLOUD // SPOTIFY // INSTAGRAM ♥
Unreal to see my first release on Shogun Audio!!
This label has influenced me since I first fell in love with drum & bass ♥
Thank you for all the support 🙂
"Hold On Me" out now on Shogun Audio
So grateful to contribute vocals on this one!
Was a dream come true to be featured on UKF, hope it uplifts your spirit ♥
"Into The Blue" out on Galacy
"Took us all a while to get there
We keep going
High up in that mountain air
(Keep going)
Where I saw bodies of oceans
In your eyes
That the sky is your mind
Bodies of oceans
All waves in motion
And still at the same time
Into the blue
Wouldn't be here
If it wasn't for you"
#anastasia #dnb #female #vocal #drumandbass #liquid #bass


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Imagine this luxurious beach front condo lifestyle with a calming ocean view to begin and end each day. An updated kitchen with newer stainless steel appliances complete this spacious 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 2nd floor Buccaneer condominium. Live like you're on a permanent vacation by relaxing on your screened in balcony, lounging next to the newly remodeled ocean front pool, playing tennis, or use your direct beach access to take leisurely walks along the coastline.
Listing courtesy of Exit Elite Realty Group. Selling Office: RE/MAX Solutions.


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Payment ProviderPayPal Account Not Required
Metal Bonsai Trees
Beautiful Cascade Bonsai made of wire in a black glazed pot. This tree has such an overhang that it needs to be sat on the edge of a shelf or in this case on top of a wire spool. Cascades bonsai's are beautiful designs and more intricate to make. This tree has a moss finish on the top of the soil.
Comes with small black display plinth slightly shorter than one shown.
Free worldwide shipping available on all wire trees


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ACT Launches "Fight The Tax Grab" Webpage
ACT Finance spokesman Rodney Hide said today that ACT's webpage set up to stop Michael Cullen's retrospective tax grab on schools and tourist operators was proving a big hit.
"We've been inundated with calls complaining about this tax.
"It's clear now that Michael Cullen has a real fight on his hands. The business community is up in arms over this tax grab. Some schools and some tourist operators have had refunds of millions of dollars; others are yet to receive a thing. They are now going to miss out.
"Some taxpayers have even received IRD cheques for their refunds only to have the government dishonour them. They are now going to miss out.
"The retrospective tax grab is dishonest and unfair. I believe the government is going to have to go back to the drawing board on this one.
"The only reason for this $200 million tax grab is to plug the holes in this week's Budget. That's a very bad reason for making a new tax retrospective.
ACT's Fightback webpage is as follows: www.act.org.nz/action/taxgrab


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Blizzard just announced the casters for Overwatch Contenders 2018 Season 1. The first season of Contenders this year will start on March 11th with Team Gigantti versus Orgless and Hungry. Gigantti won the last Contenders EU season, but only one player is still on the Finish team, Davin.
The European version of Contenders will start on 8am PT, 4pm CET. The talent lineup bringing you the action consists of:
- Sam "Tech Girl" Wright
- Derry "Dezachu" Holt
- Thomas "Tridd" Underwood
- Jack "Jaws" Wright
- Harry "Legday" Pollitt
Contenders NA will kick off with Last Night's Leftovers taking on Grizzly's Esports on 4pm PT, which is midnight in Central Europe. The NA part of Contenders will be brought to you by:
Only 4 hours later Contenders Australia is also starting. The first game is between Blank Blue and Kanga Esports and the Aussies casting the matches are:
- Ben "Sandman" Green
- Jordan "Elfishguy" Mays
Next week South America launches with Isurus Gaming and Black Dragon e-Sports. On March 13th, at noon Brazilian time the action will be commented by:
- Thauê Neves (Portugues)
- Arthur "vecetTV" Nogueira (Portugues)
- Felipe "Tonello" Souza (Portugues)
- Paula "Ana Xisde" Cardoso (Portugues)
- Juan Marco "Kerykeion" Quiroga (Spanish)
- Micaela "PaRkItA" Giagnoni (Spanish)
- Lautaro "RkT" Massara (Spanish)
- Juan Martin "Onarr" Tognazzolo (Spanish)
Later next week the Contenders tournaments for China (March 16th), Korea (March 19th) and Pacific (March 22nd) will also get going. The talent for those regions is yet to be announced. The only region that is confirmed to get English casters, is Korea though.
9 of the 12 Overwatch League teams also send Academy Teams into the tier 2 tournaments. If you want to follow your favorite's team second lineup here is how they are called:
- Boston Uprising –> Toronto Esports (Contenders North America)
- Florida Mayhem –> Mayhem Academy (Contenders North America)
- Houston Outlaws –> Optic Academy (Contenders North America)
- London Spitfire –> British Hurricane (Contenders Europe)
- Los Angeles Gladiators –> Gladiators Legion (Contenders North America)
- New York Excelsior –> XL2 Academy (Contenders North America)
- Philadelphia Fusion –> Fusion University (Contenders North America)
- San Francisco Shock –> NRG Esports (Contenders North America)
- Shanghai Dragons –> Team CC (Contenders China)
OWL teams without Academy teams are Los Angeles Valiant, Seoul Dynasty, and Dallas Fuel.
You can watch all the English broadcasts on https://www.twitch.tv/OverwatchContenders.


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Perfect for your "off" days spent relaxing or running endless errands, the Weekender Boyfriend Style V-Neck Sweater is your go to piece! Comfy, cute, and classic, you won't want the weekend to end! ...But do we ever?? This pullover features a V-neck, long sleeves, a middle seem, and hi-lo hem.
- Soft, Lightweight Material
- 55% Cotton, 45% Rayon
- Hand Wash With Cold Water,
Size & Fit
Fit: This is garment runs big.
Length: Size small measures 30 inches from shoulder to hem.
Model Info
Height: 5'8''
Wearing size: S/M


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Wedding in Iceland
Simple wedding photo session in downtown Reykjavík
Andrea & Bernd from Austria - 06.06.14
Bernd and Andrea from Austria had a simple ceremony at the registry office. We made some shots at the ceremony, at Perlan restaurant with views over the city. Then some more at the downtown pond and a nearby park. The weather was at its best. Somehow a blue sky represent a happy day.


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"Unfair, often disproportionate and probably counterproductive," says Paul Aplin, the vice-president of accountancy trade body ICAEW, of the current system of HMRC penalties.
He also stated that "… even with a nil liability — even indeed if HMRC owes you tax — being a year late incurs a penalty of £1,600."
As many as 840,000 taxpayers missed the deadline on January 31st this year, according to the Financial Times, making late penalty fees an indisputable goldmine for the Treasury. Last year, HMRC wrote off a total of £23million in late self-assessment fines.


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As soon as a baby is born, the first thing that happens is someone cuts the umbilical cord. Sometimes it's a doctor who does this, while other times it's the woman's partner or the baby's other parent.
For anyone who doesn't know, the umbilical cord transports nutrients to the baby while it's still in the womb. The umbilical cord attaches to the baby's belly on one end and to the placenta on the other end.
Once the baby is born, the cord is clamped and cut. The umbilical stump stays attached to the baby's belly for a few weeks before falling off on its own. Typically, as the stump dries out, it darkens in color, eventually shriveling and turning black before falling off.
While many parents simply dispose of the umbilical stump, some decide to save it as a way to remember their baby's first few weeks in the world and the baby's connection to the mother while inside the womb.


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Chrooma Keyboard Premium 7.4.2 APK Is Here! [LATEST]
Chrooma Keyboard Premium
Chrooma Keyboard Premium is a lightweight, fast keyboard that adapts its color to the app you are using.Chrooma Keyboard is powered by a smart artificial intelligence that provides you a better contextual prediction. Chrooma has a new exclusive neural action row that helps you with emojis , numbers and punctuations suggestions !
And if emojis are not enough for you, with Chrooma Keyboard you can search and send all the GIF you want! Chrooma Keyboard always fit your style thanks to its high level of personalization (themes, font styles, emoji styles, keyboard size ...)
Swipe typing
Resizable Keyboard
Chrooma Keyboard Supports STANDARD (English, Italian, Spanish, etc… ) and INDIC languages (more than 60 languages).
Night mode (change automatically color tonality according to the ambient light).
Choose between a gradient palette or the flat color.
A tons of emoji
Supports all devices
Remove change language button (option).
Remove language label on the spacebar(option).
Custom color picking for app.
Customizable long press duration.
Inverted theme (color letter, black/white background).
Amoled Theme
Long press to symbol on main keyboard page(option).
Number row(option).
Chrooma Keyboard PRO 7.4.2 APK [22MB] | Mirror | Mirror


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Treating People.
Good customer service is always appreciated, and in some lines of business it may make or break you. A good restaurant can get by with great food, but add good customer service and you'll keep customers coming back. Maybe great service aids digestion? We also like receiving good customer service at stores, at the spa, and at hotels. After all, those are service oriented establishments aren't they?
Generally speaking, a good customer experience enhances the delivery of many services. However there are some areas where we don't really expect good service, and if we do receive it then it's a noticeable exception. When we're sick, we visit the doctor, but whether or not the doctor has great bedside manners does little to prevent our visit. After all, we aren't going to curl up and die because we don't like how our doctor talks to us. We also expect a long wait and generally accept this a par for the course in the health industry.
We've talked about food and healthcare, both of which we cannot do without. But what about a service that we need, but that we generally don't like and tend to avoid for a long as possible. Ever had a toothache? They don't usually start out chronic do they? However most of us delay our visits to the dentist until we can't even scream in agony, as the air hitting our teeth would cause further pain.
Visiting the dentist is a uniquely uncomfortable experience. No one likes being prodded and poked in the mouth, with drills and pointed metal implements. And let's not even get started on the scratching and scraping sounds that give a new meaning to the phrase "setting your teeth on edge". Yet, routinely subjecting ourselves to dental procedures can save us a world of pain. However that's seldom incentive enough for some of us. Is there anything that could possible make a dental visit bearable? Believe it or not, one dental practice came up with a brilliant approach.
The Jamaica Cosmetic Dental Services (JCDS) Facebook page tries to lure customers with the promise of a short wait time and "wow experiences". Generally we expect to wait when we visit the dentist, and rightfully use the time to steel ourselves in preparation for the assault against our mouths. However, if you've ever tried to slip a dental visit in on your lunch break, then you know the frustration of long wait periods. So the promise of a 15 minute or less wait is actually good bait.
Before visiting anywhere, a little research is in order. A quick trip to the JCDS website gives you reason for pause. On the site you are greeted by the smiling faces of JCDS staff members looking down at you. The image is reminiscent of sitting back in your dentist's chair, minus the bright white light and gnarly instruments. The image is actually quite pleasant and sets the tone for a visit even before you've decided to go.
The image is actually quite pleasant and sets the tone for a visit even before you've decided to go.
Once you've entered the JCDS website, you are greeted by photos not of teeth, tools, or office furniture, but of smiling staff members, children, and community outreach programmes. The staff photo in which staff members pose with random things from around the office is worth special mention. One staff member is holding up a sign that says "I love my job", which while unusual is immediately believable because of the sheer fun nature of the photo. These people actually looke like they love their jobs!
Another thing stood out on the site: the details of the promise of a "wow experience". Part of this experience is the promise of a hand massage to relax you before, and music to distract you during, your treatment. By this point, it becomes obvious that these people get something that everyone else has missed: getting people to do something that they don't want to do is possible if you can make the overall experience better. Air travel sucks, but friendly flight attendants can make being stuck in a metal tube for hours slightly more bearable. And no one likes to be reminded that their airplane could fall out of the sky, but fun safety instructions go a long way to make you pay attention. So too, JCDS promises to transform your dental visit with excellent service, and they deliver on this promise!
Getting people to do something that they don't want to do is possible if you can make the overall experience better.
The first think you'll notice when you visit their office is, well, their office. It doesn't feel like a regular dental office. It's spacious and bright. The treatment areas don't have doors, but still maintain privacy while getting rid of annoying door slamming. The usual dental charts are replaced with large beautiful portraits of people. In such a beautiful environment, even the tools looks less daunting. And if you're a tea drinker, you will appreciate the gourmet tea in the waiting area. Oh, and there is coffee if you fancy that.
As a new client, instead of being greeted by forms to fill out, your receptionist asks you for basic information and enters it directly into the system. That made registration quick and easy! And you'd better drink your lovely tea quickly, because they do deliver on the promise of the 15 minute or less wait time.
Your first visit starts with a tour of the facility. That's right, a tour. They do everything to distract you from what you're actually there to do. And guess what, it works! After the tour your taken to the treatment room and talked through you're treatment.
One thing that stands out as you interact and speak with the staff is their attentiveness - they seem truly interested in your comfort and well-being, not just in getting the job done. One way that they ensure that you're relaxed and comfortable is by offering you a complimentary hand massage before you start your treatment. But wait, there is more! For many people, the noise of the machines and instruments in their mouth is even more nerve racking than the actual feel of the instruments. Understanding this, and having a desire to make you as comfortable as possible throughout your procedure, the brilliant minds behind JCDS came up with another great distraction. You can listen to music of your choosing, delivered to your ears via headphones throughout your treatment. The relaxing effect of this is not to be underestimated.
After your examination and/or treatment you are offered a warm towel. Only after you are comfortably clean does your dentist or an assistant explain what was done, and make recommendations for other procedures. Most places stop there. JCDS takes this a step further and prepares a treatment plan which is printed and provided to you before you leave.
On the counter by the reception area is a collection of small signs, including the "I love my job" sign featured in the photo on the website. Nestled in this pile is one sign which epitomises the experience promised and delivered by the JCDS. That sign reads: "We treat people not teeth". That sentence is what truly distinguishes the JCDS experience: they focus not on your cavities, your cleaning, your crown nor your filling. Instead the focus on you, and everything else falls in place.
"We treat PEOPLE not teeth".
It is evident that much thought was put into how to transform a normally unpleasant experience, into one that you no longer dread. From your first contact online, to your first visit to the office the overall experience created by JCDS is actually enjoyable and that is quite a feat.


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Reasons Not to Pay Grant Writing Contingency Fees
Fees for contract grant writers present a constant problem. Nonprofit agencies often ask something like, "Can I hire a grant writer for a percentage of the grants awarded?" The answer, simply, is no. Commissions are considered unethical by almost all professional organizations and funders. They are also a bad idea for nonprofit organizations. The Association of Fundraising Professionals states in its Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice: "Members shall not accept compensation that is based on a percentage of charitable contributions; nor shall they accept finder's fees." The Northwest Development Officers Association says in its Statement of Ethics: "Members shall . . . receive compensation based on usual and customary compensation practices in the development field. Accept no compensation based on a percentage of fundraising goals."
Grant makers frown upon contingency fees, and many will not fund your organization if they find out you pay grant writers on this basis. Funders seldom allow a grant writer's fee to be included in the program budget, and hiding the fee in another line would be dishonest. One foundation representative writes:
"A funder's main concern about fundraiser compensation lies in the answer to this question: what would charitable fundraising look like if it were a standard practice to pay fundraisers on commission? Public confidence and support of organizations would be undermined."
Grant writers are professionals who are paid for their time and expertise. They may be paid either by the hour or by the project. They are not salesmen who get a cut of the proceeds if they close the deal. Nor are they like personal-injury lawyers, who get a third of the award if they win the case. Grant writers are skilled professionals who use their expertise to help an organization obtain support for its work. They should be paid for their time, even if the proposal is not successful.
"But how is that fair?" an organization may ask. "Why should we pay the grant writer if we didn't get the grant? Proposals succeed or fail for a number of reasons, most of which are out of the grant writer's control. Among these are:
- The strength of the project: its feasibility, whether it meets a clear community need, and whether it has a well-planned budget.
- How well the project fits the funder's interests.
- The nonprofit's reputation, track record and financial history.
- Relationships: how well the funder knows and trusts the nonprofit's board and staff.
- Competition: how many other requests the funder has received.
- Funds and Timing: how much money the funder has available in this cycle.
Finally, a key element is the quality and persuasiveness of the proposal. This is the part the grant writer controls, and it is important. But even the most wonderfully written proposal will often not be funded and might fail if other factors are not in its favor.
Some small organizations might ask "We're a small organization, just starting out. How are we supposed to pay a grant writer if we don't have any money?" If you don't have any money, you're not ready to apply for a grant. Grants should never be an organization's first dollar. You need to raise funds from individuals first: people who believe in your organization and are willing to make a contribution to get you started. A good place to begin is your board.
Percentage fees are also a bad deal because, for example, a grant writer may spend many hours writing a long, involved application for $2,500 to a small funder with many requirements, and spend two hours writing a two-page request for $25,000 to a family foundation. Does it make sense for a grant writer to earn, for example, $250 for the first and $2,500 for the second.
For all these reasons and more, percentages and their ilk are a bad practice for freelance grant writers. To preserve your reputation, stay away from them.
Recent grants received by our clients include:
$25,000 for a domestic violence agency - for general operating expenses
$25,000 for an organization that assists individuals returning to society after being incarcerated - for general operating expenses
$20,000 for a mental health advocacy agency - for a program that teaches children how to avoid violence and victimization
$10,000 for an organization that provides free legal services for low-income, terminally ill clients - for general operating expenses
The topic of our next blog on Tuesday, October 18th, will be "How to Give Recognition to Grantors."
Bookmark this page, or make it one of your favorites, for your convenience.
Murray Covens, Principal


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Medal of Honour
The smaller yellow image is for those of you that was threatened with a lawsuit or Fair Game. This is the list of SP (Suppressive Person) Levels:
SP1 - you become a public church critic (posting, picketing, whatever)
SP2 - the church reacts to your actions in some way
SP3 - you get a personal response from the church
SP4 - you are threatened with a lawsuit or Fair Game
SP5 - you are sued and/or Fair Gamed
SP6 - you win their suit or stop the Fair Gaming
SP7 - you sue them
SP8 - you win your lawsuit
SP9 - you collect damages
If you want to join the battle for free thought and speech on the Net, then help fight the extreme Church of Scientology. If you need the secret files to host and can't find a ZIP file, contact me. Information needs to be free for us to make up our own mind, if we give away some of our freedom to get some security - we most probably will loose both.


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Hundreds of artists have benefited from showing their work at the Meeting Place. Our Successes of the Meeting Place webpage is a great resource to see specifically what many artists have gained by participating in the portfolio reviews.
Registration will be announced via email, on Facebook, and on Twitter. These outlets are the best way to receive news and information on the International Meeting Place Portfolio Review, the FotoFest 2018 Biennial, and other FotoFest programs.
If you have more questions about the portfolio review, please contact Sarah Ansell, at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 713-223-5522 ext. 13.
Nothing compares with the scale, the caliber and the camaraderie.
Barbara Ciurej, Chicago, IL, Registered Artist, 2016 Meeting Place
We hope to see you in March 2018!


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To James Madison from John Gavino, 27 December 1802 (Abstract)
§ From John Gavino
27 December 1802, Gibraltar. No. 109. Refers to his no. 108 of 23 Dec. and encloses a "Copy of a Letter received from Consul Eaton of Tunis 9th: Ulto.," copies of which he has forwarded to Captains Campbell and Murray.1 "A french Squadron of five large french Ships of War & a Brig whent past this day from the Westward Supposed to be from St: Domingo."
RC and enclosures (DNA: RG 59, CD, Gibraltar, vol. 2). RC 1 p. Docketed by Wagner.
1. Enclosures are copies of Degen, Purviance, & Company to Gavino, 24 Nov. 1802 (1 p.), and its enclosure, Eaton's 9 Nov. 1802 circular (1 p.) (see Kirkpatrick to JM, 23 Dec. 1802, n. 2).
A full transcription of this document has been added to the digital edition.


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Can you feel it? I know you can. That thing that when you wake up late at night shivering, it is watching. You try shutting all of the doors, windows and curtains, whatever. Just trying to escape the feeling; thinking it's the crisp chill of the night. But you know you're wrong. You try to take pills, drink, eat anything. It keeps you up at night though, causing you constant discomfort.
It wakes you up with a hot sweat nearly every night, looking around frantically, feeling sick with fright. It gets closer as you rub your eyes, clearing them of the blur. As you do so, it gets closer and closer till you can almost smell its pungent breath over your sweaty, red face. You know your time is almost up on this earth; but you don't want it to have the satisfaction of ending you. You're stronger. At least… you think you are.
You go to the medicine cupboard and take one last glance at your reflection on the mirror on it. The blinds over the bathroom mirror are swaying in the cool breeze, but the windows are all shut. Your eyes are bloodshot and bags hang from underneath them black as the midnight sky. You caress the cold touch of the mirror as you watch his eyes widen from the gloomy doorway behind you, a malicious smile now on his bony face. You reach into the medicine cabinet, and pull out a tub of sleeping pills. Hesitant, you remember what the people had told you.
"You can be around anything long enough to become tolerant of it." you wonder if that works with the bad memories that still haunt you to this day. That is until you perish the thought and rest your forehead against the cool surface of the bathroom mirror. Your eyes begin to tear slightly, it just watches and anticipates the ending…almost like a brilliant horror film. The sort of stuff you used to like watching.
You open the tub taking your time, no escape now… it's closing in on you. You signal it to stop with shaking hand. Its harsh smile soon turns into frown; but it does as you say. You reach into the tub and pull out a hand of pills. They were miniature, but "dosage of maximum 2 recommended a day" as it read on the label you took little time to examine. 2 would be too little to end your pain now.
You find yourself crying uncontrollably as you pop each of your last few pills individually into the inside of your bone dry mouth. His smile once again recovers as you find yourself choking in regret of what has become of you, struggling to swallow. A stabbing pain passes into your ribcage, then into your heart. You fall to the cold tiled ground, drooling and cursing at the eyes of death. It watches you mercilessly until your eyes are blurred and you begin to drift away. Your last breath of life escaping from your lungs…
You see it for a little while… in your head. The feeling of the darkness still lingering with its eyes still staring. You stare at it back for a while, that is until it begins to fade away as the dark side of your mind retreats away and a calming light is in the distance before you as the word 'cheater' echoes in the darkness around you; followed by a deep unsettling laugh. This does not stop you from cracking a pleasant smile for the first time for as long as you remember as you walk in to the light ahead.
You wake up to the safety of a hospital bed. The room is quiet and peaceful. You are at peace for the first time in a long time. At the foot of your bed, stand 2 familiar faces. A man and woman, you remember them as if you saw them a long time ago… but somehow, they still remain vaguely on the edge of your mind. They smile warmly at you, skin pale as a ghost. You smile back, feeling reassured and safe in the eyes of these people. You pull yourself from the bed, not saying a word.You feel nothing. Not even the brisk feeling of your bare feet on the ground below you. You walk over to them, whom are still smiling at you. You walk hand in hand, not knowing why you trust them but something in your conscience tells you to. Not feeling the need to question your actions, you begin to walk out of the single clinic room and in to the growing mist of nothingness...


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So turkey day is over and now the malls, convenient stores, and even fruit stands are on a selling mission until Christmas. Actually, I do remember seeing Christmas shit in Walmart and some drug stores right before Halloween. Did anyone see people hang up Halloween lights this year? There were several houses around here that strung Halloween lights like they do their Christmas lights. What the fuck is up with that shit?!
I had my family in for Thanksgiving dinner and a couple of days following that. I cooked--and yes, everything was edible. It turned out pretty damn tasty if I do say so myself. Well, maybe with the exception of the dressing. I fucked that one up. I didn't want to cook StoveTop out of the box, so I bought the Pepperridge Farm stuff along with some celery and onion and all of that. I forgot the sage, though. Oh well, I think there was enough other shit to eat if people couldn't stomach the dressing.
On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, I wrapped up the last of two projects I'd been working on. That project was called Junior Salesman. It's a short film for a student at the Art Institute of Atlanta. The plot is as follows: There is a young guy, Nick, who starts his first big job as a salesman at a local Volkswagen dealership. Today is his first day on the floor by himself. I, Joanna, walk in and become his first customer. He is obviously very nervous and clumsy. I am a business professional who knows what she wants and doesn't have a lot of time to coddle this kid (which makes him even more nervous). I tell him I'm interested in a new Jetta, we walk to the lot, I like the car and as we get ready to test drive it together I pull off and steal the car before Nick can get in it. Nick freaks and realizes he didn't follow protocol and get my license. So he decides he's going to draw my likeness on a flyer and hand several of them out to people on the street, in hopes that someone will recognize the drawing. But, Nick is careless and leaves the original flyer on the copier, where his boss, Mark, finds it. Little does Nick know that Mark is my husband and I have stolen the car as a practical joke, initiating Nick to the company. Mark calls Nick into his office and scares him by questioning his abilities, I pop my head in and ask Mark if we're still on for lunch and Nick about freaks when he sees me. I leave but then immediately return handing Nick the key to the car and welcoming him to the company. Mark reminds Nick to next time copy the license. I thought it was a very cute story.
There were three cast members for this little short film: Joanna, played by me, Mark, played by Kent Igleheart (he and my husband, Mike, went to the same college at the same time--odd uh?!), and Nick, played by Brad. The director's name is Whitney, her assistant is Valerie and the sound guy is Chris. All three are students at The Art Institute of Atlanta. Here are some photos from the set:
Funny little side note. The storyline had to change slightly when we discovered the Jetta was a stick-shift, or straight drive. Originally, Nick and I were suppose to walk down to the lot, he shows me the car, he pulls it out and then as we're switching places I jump in and drive off. However, Brad had not driven a stick since he was in high school and it was proving to be a little difficult. So, we changed it. Nick got in the car, realized it was a stick, got out and told Joanna he didn't know how to drive a stick shift. So Joanna offers to pull out the car, she does so slowly but then just as Nick goes to open the passenger door Joanna drives off. I liked that. I thought it actually fit Nick's character a little better anyway.
The other project I wrapped up is the feature movie, God Is Dead, with which I had my very first audition ever. I did not get the part but I was able to be part of the movie as an extra and I ended up with a few lines. Thank you, Matt! The company producing the movie is Mavin Productions. Let me just say that everyone involved with this production was super nice! I think they did an excellent job keeping the extras moving and we didn't have to sit around for hours at a time doing nothing. The location was awesome and the extras didn't have to wait in some room with folding chairs.
Here is a brief synopsis of the movie taken directly from the web site: "Rowan is an emotionally-handicapped twenty-something; never is this more evident than when he has no response to his girlfriend Cate's profession of love. But when an invitation takes him to a strangely surreal party, he is forced to take a closer look at parts of his life rarely analyzed: his relationship with his surrogate mother Rena, the engagement of his friends Lucius and Corrine, the possibility of a future without Cate, and the single most influential moment of his life - the death of his parents. What he discovers will free him." There are also some photos taken on set posted here. Here are a just a few pictures I took on the last night:
So, now I'm looking for new projects. I'm also hoping to get a professional headshot done really soon. I have started working with Southern Screen Report, in marketing and selling advertising. SSR has a MySpace page now, so please request to be its friend by clicking here. Anyone interested in placing an ad? If you know of anyone just let me know. Right now the print edition has a readership of about 7500, and growing.
Okay, that's it for now. Beware of Santa Claus's in drug stores, convenient stores and selling fruit.
I saw Running With Scissors last night and was utterly disappointed! The director totally fucked it up. I absolutely loved the book but the movie sucked! I don't think it's even worth renting.


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Lee County Coroner: Goodson, Harris
Wes Goodson to challenge incumbent for office
By Denise DuBois
Wes Goodson is a 30-year Lee County resident who is seeking election to the Lee County Coroner position currently held by incumbent Bill Harris. He will appear on the Republican ballot in Lee County.
Goodson was a volunteer firefighter and has been working as an EMT for seven years. He decided to run for Coroner because he is familiar with dealing with people in times of need.
"I've worked with East Alabama Medical Center since 2010 and I work with a funeral home in Opelika," he said. "I see different things in both fields. To deal with someone at the worst times in life, you have to have a certain level of compassion. I do have that for everyone.
"I felt that we need a change in that office as far as a different level of compassion, professionalism and commitment to the entire county," Goodson said of campaigning. "I think I'm the person for the job. I'm ready to serve not just my community, but the entire county."
If he's elected, Goodson said there are some things he would like to change, but realizes that there is probably a reason for the way certain things are done.
"I would like to learn how the office is structured and after we get in the office, see what we can change," he said. "There may be a reason things are why they are that the average citizen doesn't see. That's one thing: I don't want to make a promise about what I'll change then get there and find that I can't change it."
Goodson has been employed for seven years as a nationally registered EMT in the EMS department of East Alabama Medical Center. He was previously the Medical Officer at Lyman Ward Military Academy for two years. Goodson has an Associate's degree from Southern Union State Community College.
Goodson currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Beauregard Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as a firefighter for eight years. He obtained the rank of Lieutenant during his time of service as a volunteer. He also works with Frederick-Dean Funeral Home as a Funeral Home Associate.
Goodson and his wife Priscella, better known as "Prissy," will celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary this year. They have two children and one grandchild. Goodson and his family are members of Providence Baptist Church in Beauregard where he also serves as a deacon.
Bill Harris runs for re-election as county coroner
By Blenda Copeland
Casting his bid for another term as Lee County Coroner is the current incumbent, Bill Harris, now in his 20th year in the position.
Harris has served in the Lee County Coroner's Office since 1986 when he was appointed as deputy coroner. He has a total combined service of more than 30 years in the office, serving almost the past 20 of them under the title of coroner.
"There's no substitute for experience," he said.
Harris hopes to continue serving for at least another term, maybe two. This is the first time in 20 years that he's faced opposition for the post.
Harris's path to the coroner's office began several years ago when he was working for the newspaper that is now called The Opelika-Auburn News. He was an "ambulance chaser" for the newspaper, and during that time developed a close rapport with then-Lee County Coroner John Williams. Around the same time, the newspaper was experiencing a change in ownership.
One day, Harris got a call that Williams was moving to Florida. "Would you like to be deputy coroner?" he was asked. Harris was appointed deputy coroner.
"I ran for (the coroner's job) in '98 and I've been the coroner ever since," he said.
For many years, Harris held two jobs that complemented each other: while he was Lee County Coroner, he also was a paramedic working for East Alabama Medical Center's EMS. He began working the latter job in 1992 and retired from it as an EMS supervisor in November 2016 after a 24 ½-year Alabama-licensed paramedic career.
As for his qualifications to remain Lee County's coroner, Harris said he's not affiliated with any funeral home – noting that state law forbids such conflicts of interest. He said he's not running for the job because of the salary. When he started, he earned $7.50 an hour, and now the salary is in the $25,000 range.
Harris said he's running to keep his position because he enjoys helping people. He said if, as coroner, he can help ease the emotional pain of family members experiencing a death in their family, then his service is not in vain.
"It's not just going out there and declaring someone dead," Harris said of the job. He said it's a 24 hours a day/7 days a week kind of job – one that has at times caused him to have to leave his wife at the grocery store without a ride home, for instance. (They've learned over the years it's better to ride to places in two separate cars – just in case). The office responds to an average of about 500-700 calls a year.
He explained when someone dies, it could take anywhere from about seven to 10 hours of immediate work on a case, and then if he has to wait for a post mortem examination to be completed, it can take even longer because he must wait for the results in order to certify the cause of death.
Regarding only some of his relevant memberships, Harris is president of the Alabama Coroners Association and has served in that position for 15 of the past 17 years. He was responsible for helping get state legislation enacted that requires education and more stringent qualifications for coroners and deputy coroners. He's also chairman of the Alabama Coroners Training Commission, which regulates and approves all training for all the state's coroners and deputy coroners, and serves on the Alabama Organ Center Advisory Board as well as the State Fatality Management Group. He's the Lee County team leader for the State Mortuary Operations Response Team and saw that Lee County secured more than $200,000 in grant funds for the purchase of state assets stationed in Lee County for mass casualty response. "Most people don't realize the emergency response units that could deploy if needed," Harris said of the state's assets, one of which is stationed in Lee County – a mobile, two-suite unit that could hold up to 18 bodies at a time, if needed, during a mass casualty response.
Harris was the first coroner in the state to be certified as a diplomate of the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators. He also has been involved with several civic organizations over the past 40 years.
He attended Auburn University, Southern Union Community College and Opelika State Technical School. He and his wife Christy Mann Harris have four children and three grandchildren.


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Leafield Environmental, the Wiltshire based street furniture manufacturer has produced a new six page, full colour bollard selector that details its complete range of highway bollards in a simple brief format.
All Leafield bollards are rotationally moulded from a durable thermoplastic polymer in a wide range of colours. They are reported to withstand extremes of temperature and never chip, rust or require painting. Compared to traditional metal bollards they are up to 20 times lighter and consequently easier to transport and handle.
Leafield highway bollards are available with a variety of fixing types including permanent, anti-ram, bayonet socket and surface mount. Many are available in a "reflex" bounce back option whereby they are able to bend through 90% during a collision and yet return to shape and position quickly afterwards.
On the other hand, when a conventional cast iron bollard is struck, it tears up the pavement surface, becoming a pedestrian hazard, as well as causing significant damage to the vehicle.
Also featured in the brochure are eco-bollards, a range of environmentally friendly bollards made using a combination of 50% chipped plastic bottles and 50% regular polymer.
Related entries:
Leafield Environmental had a very successful show at this years Seeing is Believing event last week. This show specifically for the highways industry is unique as it is the only show to feature an external space where exhibitors can demonstrate their products in a simulated highways environment.
The Leafield Highways products on display included the Illuminated Night Owl, standard Night Owl Keep Left Bollard, Linsign sign bollard range, Manchester Bollard, Sentry Junction Bollard and Heritage Bollards to name a few.
For more images of our internal and external displays, please visit our Flickr page by clicking here.
For more details about our products, please visit our website at www.leafieldhighways.com
Related entries:
Leafield Environmental is set up and fully prepared for the Seeing is Believing show which starts tomorrow on 20th November.
'Seeing is Believing' is a three day show which takes place at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicestershire. The proving ground is necessary as this unique show has a unique feature; half the show takes place on the external track where products can be fully demonstrated and seen in a real-life road situation.
Leafield will be demonstrating their wide range of bollards on track space 7, of particular interest are the new Night Owl bollards which are being tested with a drive-over at 1.30pm each show day.
Also on display will be Sentry Junction Bollards, Leafield Manchester Bollards, Heritage Visibol bollards for high visibility, Linsign 150 cycle way sign bollards and the new illuminated and standard Night Owl Bollards to name a few.
Watch this space for photos of the external stand showing all bollards in a highway situation.
Related entries:
A Night Owl, retroreflective, self-righting bollard from Leafield Environmental is vying for the title "Toughest Bollard in Britain".
The Night Owl bollard from Leafield, situated at a former accident black spot near Birtley, has been nudged, whacked or run over virtually every day for over 12 months and is still standing and performing its duty!
The 'T' junction was notorious for collisions as vehicles 'cut the corner' despite the give way warning signs and road markings. In an attempt to prevent this, the Council constructed an island complete with two Night Owl keep-left, bounce-back bollards resulting in a dramatic reduction in collisions.
However, the corner remains 'tight' and although drivers are now approaching it with more care, many larger vehicles still cut the corner although not to the same extent as previous and the Night Owl bollard nearest to the junction is the victim.
"The scheme has been a great success in reducing collisions," said Ian McCran of Gateshead Council, "it has proven to us the inherent, outstanding durability of Leafield's Night Owl sign bollard; so much so that it is now Gateshead's current preferred choice for keep left self-righting bollards."
So impressed have the Council been with the performance of the Night Owl that they are about to trial the recently introduced Illuminated Night Owl which is base lit with a high performance LED and is reported to be so energy efficient that it costs less than £4 per annum to operate.
Click here to read this story in full
Visit our website to find out more about the super tough Night Owl keep left bollard and NEW Illuminated Night Owl bollard
Related entries:
Leafield Environmental will be exhibiting its range of Highway and decorative bollards and signs at Seeing is Believing 2012.
Visitors to stand 69 will see several new bollards exhibited in the UK for the first time, including the new Manchester bollard, reminiscent of the cast iron bollards used for centuries but offering the benefits of modern day manufacturing materials.
Also on display for the first time will be the Sentry Junction bollard developed specifically to mark the precise position of poorly lit rural junctions.
Of special interest will be the recently launched Illuminated Night Owl keep left bollard… a retroreflective, self righting, sign bollard powered by Zeta, that is designed to be highly visible but cause minimal damage to the vehicle or the bollard itself should a collision occur… so reducing bollard replacement costs.
A further 'first time' exhibit will be the Linsign 150, an exciting new range of sign bollards that is said to be the perfect solution for designating cycle ways or parking slots, vehicle/pedestrian demarcation or controlling site access.
Out on track area 7, visitors will see both illuminated and non-illuminated Night Owl bollards in action, along with the highly visible Sentry Junction bollard and Heritage Visibol bollards with their highly reflective banding, all in a street scene display.
Related entries:
Street Furnishings of Wargrave, Berkshire have been appointed distributor for the Night Owl range of self-righting, retro reflective sign bollards from Leafield Environmental.
The original, non-illuminated version of the Night Owl has forged a presence in the market over the past three years and the range has recently been extended with the introduction of a new Illuminated Night Owl that is base lit by LED and is claimed to cost less than £4.00 per annum to power it.
"A unique feature of the Night Owl bollards, which is of great benefit, is that they both combine a flexible polymer for bounce-back performance and a rigid sign body that prevents graphics and conspicuity panels delaminating, cracking and crazing," said Tony Barnes, Sales Director of Street Furnishings. "The inclusion of Night Owl to our offering fits with our commitment to provide the complete supply service to our customers."
Both Night Owl versions are DfT approved (and tested at MIRA) to BS8442:2006 for Retroreflective Self-righting Bollards and to BS12767 for passive safety of non-harmful structures.
Read the full story on our website here
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Personal Finance
Will new tax law downsize Sacramento area's Big Day of Giving?
Sacramento celebrates Big Day of Giving (2015)
Will the Sacramento area's Big Day of Giving be downsized by the new federal tax law?
Linda Beech Cutler , CEO of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, which runs the Big Day of Giving, says it's possible, but perhaps not to the degree that some were predicting at the dawn of 2018.
"I think that's a question on everybody's mind: How will it affect philanthropy? But early indications here show that activity is pretty good," Cutler said Wednesday.
Thursday's daylong effort to draw contributions represents a potential bonanza for hundreds of nonprofits in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties.
During last year's Big Day of Giving, nearly 600 participating nonprofits in the Sacramento region collected a record $7.2 million through more than 40,000 donations. The top fundraisers were the Placer Land Trust, which raised $141,000 through 290 contributions; the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, which took in $91,000 through 504 contributions; and the Sacramento SPCA with 773 donations raising $88,000.
Almost immediately after the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was signed into law, however, various experts predicted a multibillion-dollar plunge in charitable contributions nationwide.
In simple terms, the law's provision to increase in the standard deduction likely means that fewer U.S. taxpayers will itemize deductions during tax season next year, essentially negating any fiscal advantage gained from listing individual charitable contributions. Also, lower tax rates make deductions less beneficial for those who do opt to itemize.
At the close of 2017, Stephanie Bray , president and CEO of the United Way California Capital Region , said the organization was anticipating a 5 percent decrease in charitable giving, which would equate to around $500,000.
Yet Cutler said Wednesday that she has been encouraged by multiple developments and observations. For starters, the new tax law's impact has not been a hammer blow elsewhere.
"We've been looking around at other giving days around the country before ours, and it doesn't appear that there's been a significant erosion, if at all," Cutler said.
Also, Cutler noted that the Big Day of Giving website allows donations to be scheduled ahead of time, "and scheduling has been very robust."
She said the number of regional nonprofits participating this year is around 587, "down just a little bit" from about 600 in 2017.
Cutler added that regional nonprofits, perhaps anticipating the impact of the new tax law, have engaged in "very creative kinds of fund raising." She said more than 70 participating nonprofits are hosting special events for the daylong BDOG.
Prior to the Big Day of Giving, nonprofits have sent out videos detailing the work they do, and those whom it benefits. The California Automobile Museum in Sacramento sent out emails with color photos of the water-tight, interior-cooling roof it installed last year, a $750,000 project made possible by donated funds.
More information on all Big Day of Giving activities can be found at www.bigdayofgiving.org .


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|Call for 8th Razavi Theater Festival
|Written by News Editor
|Tuesday, 19 May 2009 03:32
The festivals in under the general title of Razavi are artists contribution to Imam Reza(AS), eights religious leader of shia Islam.
Theater is the venue chosen for artistic expression and for artists to exhibit their understanding and love to Islam through this member of prophet mohammad's (SA) Ahlul Beit who is buried in Mashad-Iran.
The best play will receive thirty million rials (300$).
The festival will focus on different issues; children and young adults, international section, experimental theater, production of scripts,street plays, radio and TV works,tazieh and ceremonial plays.also a review of the best works of past event will be on the show.
Each artisi can only participate in one section of the festival.
Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has organized this event and it running in it's eights year in Mashad the burial place of Imam Reza(AS).
Curtsy of Iran Theater
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|Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 September 2009 10:13


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Church Secretary
+1 360-435-3040
Send E-mail
Church Secretary
A Washington girl, Bev has faithfully served as FBC's church secretary since 1997. God drew her from an early age, but she never heard about Jesus until she was 25. Once called to saving faith, her life was radically transformed. Since then, she has served as a church secretary for over 38 years. She also works in Children's Ministry, teaches Sunday School, and serves with Women's Ministry.
Bev and her husband of 50 years, Dave, have a son (Russell) and two wonderful granddaughters (Aria and Lochlyn). Her hobbies include spending time with the love of her life and spoiling the grandchildren.


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Tag Archives: blessed are the poor in spirit
New study of Sermon on the Mount pt 1
Tonight we began a new study of Christ's sermon on the mount, looking at Matthew 5:1-4, on the poor in spirit and on those who mourn. The encouraging study is recorded and can be heard here, in English and Romanian. … Continue reading


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Cyclists and riders route in Meon Valley, Hampshire flooded12th December 2017
A short section of the Cyclists & horse-riders route in the Meon Valley is flooded. The section is under the old railway line bridge (Meon Vally Trail) at Stocks Lane in meonstoke is under water.
The tarmac road is under approximately 8" or 20cm of water. It is passable on bike and horseback, but walkers are advised to avoid this route as the water will be well above ankle height!
The walkers route between Exton and the Meon Valley Trail is dry and in good condition but is open to walkers only.
It is likely that this standing water will remain for most of the winter.


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City of Manassas residents can drop-off household hazardous waste and electronics at the Manassas Transfer Station located at 8305 Quarry Road, in Manassas, the following days in 2019:
Times for drop-off run from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Items accepted: antifreeze, fertilizers, gasoline, glues, motor oil, paint swimming pool chemicals, cell phones, TVs, computers, scanners, small copiers, game consoles, monitors. Shredding is limited to 4 boxes on designated days.
*Proof of residency is required to enter and no commercial waste will be accepted.
For more information visit www.manassascity.org/hhw or call (703) 257-8256.


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GDPR: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, and Depression – Take Your Pick
You know, I think many data managers are acting like little kids, and believe that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was put in place to punish them. It is what it is.
According to surveys, the majority of companies have not yet started addressing the compliance requirements. What are they waiting for? Maybe they should follow the old saying, "Turn that frown upside down." Ok, I won't say anything else like that.
It is an opportunity to clean up your data, provide accurate input to analytics, enable security to protect individual information, and increase sales through targeted marketing. I am sure there are many more benefits.
If you do business in the EU, you will need to comply. I read a very good article by David M. Raab, about how to get started with GDPR compliance. This article offers food for thought. Mr. Raab suggests the following:
- "Put someone in charge." This will be your data protection officer, and may mean a new hire. Hey, with the number of breaches, just bite the bullet as you probably need one anyway.
- "Check your procedures." Wow, this will probably take a whole person. The procedures have to do with handling customer data, not your usual procedures, such as how to process an order.
- "Meet technical requirements." This includes responding to customer complaints within 30 days. Which implies that customers are sitting in nowhere land for 30 days? And reporting breaches within 72 hours. This one is curious, as most US companies don't even tell us our information has been compromised until caught. Probably half of them don't even know they've had a breach, or so they say.
- "Define a governance structure." This means the nightmare will never end. Sorry folks, it's not a one-shot deal.
That's a lot. Mr. Raab has kindly documented access to additional information at the end of the article. So, what do you think? What attitude does your organization have – "Wait until we get caught," or "Why didn't we think of this before?" I'd put my money on you're thinking "Wait until we get caught."
Our webinars also address the topics explored in our blogs. Access all our webinar recordings and presentation slides at any time, from our website, in the Recorded Webinars area, via the Resources tab.


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Saturday, 31 October 2009
A wee update
7 comments:
- ~ Ali ~ said...
Sending hugs Lorraine, you take care now. Happy Halloween.
- 31/10/09 6:13 pm
- Lorraine A said...
You take care Lorraine x x hope you're feeling 100% better soon ,,, x x
Lols x x x
- 31/10/09 6:53 pm
- Kat said...
I'm glad you're feeling better Lorraine even if it is only a wee bit. Take care.
Kat xx
- 31/10/09 7:43 pm
- sassy said...
keep that smile and keep taking the tablets hun...you rest and be a good girl...well soon have you on the mend..but it takes time to shift....get well wishes hugs sassyx
- 31/10/09 9:52 pm
- Christine (Craftling) said...
Oh my goodness! I've just caught up with your woes! My gosh, woman, you don't do things by halves, do you?
Hope you get better and fighting fit again very soon.
Big hugs,
Chris xx
- 31/10/09 11:33 pm
- Diamond Doll said...
Hiya Lorraine so sorry to hear your poorly i do hope you recover quickly now you have your meds.
Trish (-:
- 1/11/09 12:52 am
- Kim. said...
Sorry to see you are not well Lorraine, hope the meds keep working in the right direction and you make a full recovery soon. Don't push youself too early (I know it's hard when you love to be so active and craft) but with pneumonia you can relapse too easily, take your time and have plenty of rest.
- 1/11/09 7:58 pm


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Sustained loss of jobs
- 156 thousand jobs lost relative to one year previously
- Loss of jobs compared to the preceding quarter also considerable
In the first quarter of this year, 156 thousand jobs of employees (2.0 percent) were lost compared to the first quarter of 2009. If seasonal effects are taken into account, 56 thousand jobs were lost relative to the fourth quarter of last year. According to the most recent figures released by Statistics Netherlands, the decline is much more substantial than in the previous quarter.
With 106 thousand jobs lost, the decline was most substantial in the sector business services. Temp agencies in particular were performing poorly. Employment also dropped in the sectors manufacturing industry, construction, trade, hotels and restaurants, transport and financial institutions. In health care and public administration, employment increased by 45 thousand and 18 thousand jobs respectively.
Adjusted for seasonal variation, the number of jobs shrank by 0.7 percent relative to the fourth quarter. For the fifth quarter in a row, employment decreased. The decline is more substantial than in the previous four quarters. Financial institutions and business services faced considerable loss of employment compared to the fourth quarter of 2009.
Figures on jobs and wages referring to the preceding three years were revised on the basis of improved and more accurate information. Marginal adjustments were made with respect to employment growth. The number of jobs lost in 2009 was 0.1 percent lower. The increase in wage costs was marginally lower in 2008 and marginally higher in 2009.
PDF contains complete press release, including graphics.


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So what's actually happening this Christmas at TAC?
Welcome to church!
Today we are starting our Christmas series - where we are looking at the baby in a manger and asking 'What child is this?'. We are looking from the perspective of different people in the story.
But there is a lot going on and it can get confusing... so here is your handy guide to the next few weeks...
Sunday 10th
8am, 10am & 6pm 'The Shepherds'
Sunday 17th
8am - Trad Carols and Lessons 'Mary'
10am - 'Mary'
5:30 - 8:30pm The Wonder of Christmas Festival, Show and Carols
Sunday 24th (Christmas Eve)
8am, 10am & 6pm 'Joseph'
11pm - Candle light carols 'The Wisemen'
Christmas Day
8am Traditional
9:30am Family Celebration Service
"ok - so tell me about the Christmas Festival on the 17th?"
- A festival in the top carpark - kids and youth activities, food for sale, live music and a gift shop
- A fun singalong show for all ages - don't miss it! 6pm or 6:45
- Carols singing at the live music stage as the sun sets
- More info on the website and facebook!


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Celebrate Advent: Make room for memory. (Matthew 1:1-17)
Today is the first in a series of Advent blogposts entitled, "Make room." These are "reflections" on the Christmas story. I feel like the word, "reflection" gives me some generous wiggle room to write thoughts and pose questions without the nagging pressure of being all neat and theologically buttoned up. Each day's reflection will offer a word or phrase on how we might meditate on or respond to the Christmas story. But first things first, read the Scripture indicated in the title of the blogpost.
Today's word is remember. Of all the verbs of Scripture, remember has to be one of the most important. All throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, the Israelites are commanded to remember. Memory was to be their fail-safe protection against doubt and rebellion. And it's precisely in their inevitable failing to remember that they ultimately fail God and His purposes for them as a nation.
To remember is one of our many acts of paying attention. There's something deliberate about remembering. And something inevitable about forgetting.
The Christmas story, as retold in the gospel of Matthew, begins with this very act of remembering. The story plunks itself right down in the annals of history, opening with a (yawning) genealogy.
But what could have it meant that Matthew chose to begin Jesus' story in exactly this way, in this retelling of who begat whom, in this act of remembering? Why was the author making these deliberate connections between the (then) present story of Jesus with the past stories of David and Abraham?
Because the story of Jesus is not the first chapter of God's story. In Matthew, we open to the proverbial middle of the book. Jesus is linked directly with David and with Abraham, saying something about Jesus (as the fulfillment of the promises to the Israelite people) and something about God (as the keeper of these promises).
History calls us to look back. And memory is one of the greatest faculties of faith. God's ways are often traced better in the looking back than in the looking ahead.
The future never gives up the answers we greedily demand of it. We try and wring out its secrets, but the truth is that none of us knows for certain what God will do. Looking ahead puzzles and perplexes us.
But looking back, oh, there's something certain to be learned there. It's in re-reading the chapters of life already written for me that I discover something about God. There are truths to be traced out in the steps I've already taken.
His initiative of grace, resolving to seek me out.
His scripting of good and redemption just when I'm mucking it up.
His choreography of good purposes even in the chapters of greatest pain.
And despite my reluctance, the mounting evidence that he's graciously moving me in the ways of his will.
All that movement, imperceptible. He, furtive, his purposes, hidden.
But the present has the potential to spill yesterday's secrets.
And it's up to me to pay attention, to trace out the patterns, to unearth the mysteries.
And memory fortifies courage.
And hope fossilizes in the looking back.
This Advent, I remember.
What are truths that you've discovered about God in re-reading some of the chapters of your past? And how does that help you face an uncertain future? I'd love for you to share in the comment section.


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The Curve Leicester will host the World Premiere of An Officer and A Gentleman-The Musical before it embarks on nationwide tour next year.
This brand-new musical is based on the 1982 Oscar-winning film starring Richard Gere which tells the story of Zack Mayo who is in training to become a US Navy Pilot. When Zack rolls into boot camp with a bit too much of a swagger, drill Sergeant Foley doesn't make life easy for him. When he falls for local girl Paula Pokrifki and tragedy befalls his friend and fellow candidate, Zack realises the importance of love and friendship and finds the courage to be himself and win the heart of the woman he loves. It's only then he can truly become both an Officer and a Gentleman.
The musical includes the hit song from the movie Up Where We Belong along, with 80's classics such as 'Alone', 'Don't Cry Out Loud', 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun', 'Toy Soldiers' and 'Material Girl' and features one of the most iconic romantic scenes ever portrayed on-screen.
An Officer and A Gentleman is one of the highest grossing films of all time. The screenplay is by writer and director Douglas Day Stewart which was based on his personal experience as a Naval Officer Candidate. The book was co-written by Douglas and Sharleen Cooper Cohen.
Producer Jamie Wilson said, "I am thrilled to be presenting An Officer and A Gentleman-The Musical and working once again with Chris Stafford, Nikolai Foster and the team at curve.
For the last three years we have been working on bringing this memorable and iconic story to the stage, and hope that this new adaptation becomes as loved as the film."
An Officer and A Gentleman-The Musical opens at the Curve, Leicester on Friday 6 April before embarking on nationwide tour www.curveonline.co.uk


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Cirque du Soleil brings a little chilly ice to South Florida with "Crystal," an incredible production performed on the ice. If you missed "Crystal" when it made a brief stop in the Miami area last year, local audiences will have another opportunity to see this unique show.
Not the normal fare expected from the Canadian company that produces over-the-top circus themed extravaganzas with world class performers, "Crystal" explores the artistic limits of ice with a combination of stunning skating and acrobatic feats. Instead of a tent, this production has a frozen playground as its stage of speeding skaters and acrobats.
"Crystal" is the story of a misfit, named Crystal, a dreamer searching for something more – like many of us. Feeling lost, she wanders out on a frozen pond and falls through the ice (a great spectacle in the show). In the underwater world of her imagination, she sees a reflection of herself – her alter ego – who guides her and shows her a distorted version of her life. The two, dressed identically, skate through a fantasy world of characters until Crystal breaks through the ice and faces reality once again.
For the return engagement, Scott Smith, a Fort Lauderdale born skater, has joined the company. Certainly not a new comer to world of skating, Scott has been skating since he was seven and skating on the national and international level since age 13.
In his career, he has won three senior international medals (silver at the 2003 Nebelhorn Trophy and 2003 Karl Schäfer Memorial, gold at the 2005 Ondrej Nepela Memorial—and placed fifth at the 2005 Four Continents Championships). At the 2006 U.S. Championships, Smith was the only competitor to complete a clean quadruple jump.
"I've been a fan of Cirque du Soleil for years, and have seen all their shows in Las Vegas," says Smith. "I never dreamed they would be doing a show on the ice." As a competitive skater he has had quite a career, but after experiencing muscle spasms in his back and hip surgery, he took a break. Smith shares highlights of his competitive career but is happy to be involved with
"This is one of my biggest show accomplishments, but I'm still very proud of my competitive life."
The world of "Crystal" is different from other Cirque shows in many ways. For one, it requires the acrobats to skate and the skaters to maneuvers they might not have ever done previously. For example, Smith, who is used to performing trip jumps, has been given the dangerous feat of doing a backflip over another performer laying flat on the ice. He also has added juggling to his skills, specifically for this show.
Smith says watch for his ice-skating tap dance, too. "There are actually microphones on the skates, so you can hear the sound."
Both gymnasts and skaters perform acrobatics on the ice and in the air using disciplines such as swing trapeze, aerial straps, and other acrobatic techniques.
Skating styles include synchro, freestyle, figure and extreme skating on ramps, as well as pure speed skating.
"It's a very unique and exciting show," says Smith. "A never before seen spectacle of circus meets ice skating for the entire family."
Smith says the music brings it all together. "I love the music and I'm looking forward to the release of the CD." The music of "Crystal" is described as cinematic, underscoring the action and supporting the narrative and action. The score includes grand orchestral sounds to klezmer-style chamber music to melodic folk and rock-tinged beats. The audience will recognize some cover versions of well-known pop songs that were specifically recorded for the show.
Cirque du Soleil's "Crystal: A Breakthrough Ice Experience," runs from Thursday, Dec. 13 to Sunday, Dec. 16 at the American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami. For ticket info call 1-800-745-3000 or visit www.cirquedusoleil.com. Ticket prices range from $41 to $160.


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Liveaboard Life Day 153 to 154: Full Moon Party with Fellow sailors in Luperon
Time to get out of the boat and take a break from work.. Jonathan joined other sailors in a small potluck gathering at Putula's restaurant! I cooked my favorite Pinoy Pansit, it's been a while since I cooked Pinoy food! 😬 We were supposed to join our friends to the other bar for the salsa night but when we returned to the boat to feed the cats we bot became lazy and ended up just playing with Ahab & Zissou! Hahaha 🐈🐈
Yesterday we also found out the Captain Ahab got the skin infection of Captain Zissou so he's now also under cream medication and getting his daily bath from his daddy! Haha 😬 Our kittens were very tolerable though and didn't have any problems with Jonathan! ❤
It's weekend again.. hope we'll get back to exploring! Where are you guys going this time? ⛵🤪


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That might indeed seem like a bold statement, but I truly do believe that the Emmet Otter outtakes below will make your day better. Think about it. The Jim Henson company has created thousands of hours of entertainment. New generations are daily getting their first encounters with the magic that the Henson company has created. Movies as well as of course television specials. For my money, one of the greatest of the latter is Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas from 1977.
By the way, the special was shot and indeed released to Canadian television in 1977. It wasn't seen by American audiences however until HBO picked it up for '78 and '79. In fact it was in 1980 when I first saw the special for myself, when it aired on ABC.
[Via] The Museum of Classic Chicago Television
Every single one of the Henson Company productions show a lot of heart. However I think that Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas has an extra helping of it. The special was based on the 1971 book by Russell and Lillian Hoban. But one of the reasons I believe the show stands out so much is the beautiful music by Paul Williams.
[Via] The Jim Henson Company
Jim Henson was well known for believing in hard work. But he felt that very work could certainly be filled with smiles and laughter as well. Perhaps one of the ways the puppeteer was able to accomplish this feat was to surround himself with like-minded performers. In the case of these Emmet Otter outtakes that includes the late and great Jerry Nelson as Emmet and Dave Golez as Wendel. In addition to Eren Ozker as Hetty Muskrat and of course Frank Oz as Alice Otter.
[Via] The Jim Henson Company
Now, it has been nearly 41 years since Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas was first aired. And I am so very pleased that we all can still be entertained with "new" footage after all these years.
I saved the best of the Emmet Otter outtakes for the last!
In this incredibly funny segment you will see how performers Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson handle a drum that won't behave. A short moment in the film…that took 233 takes to get right.
[Via] Ruth Hill