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While the city of Philadelphia celebrates their first Super Bowl championship, many wonder if this is just the beginning.
The only reason the Eagles were considered underdogs throughout the playoff run was because franchise quarterback Carson Wentz was side with torn ACL. The Eagles are the NFL's team of the future. They are aggressive without being dumb and united on all three phases of the game. By slaying the mighty Patriots, you can't help but wonder if this is the beginning of the Eagles' dynasty ? Here are some reason to believe so.
The Front Office Is Just Starting To Cook
The Eagles have a great front office, a great coaching staff, and a great roster, with the vast majority of the key members set to return next season, much of the core in place for much longer. Naturally, the architect, Howie Roseman isn't going anywhere. But Roseman will also continue to receive sage advice from vice president of player personnel Joe Douglas in 2018. An influential voice in many of the Eagles' offseason signings and draft picks, Douglas was blocked from interviewing for another job and will continue serving as the GM's right-hand man.
The Eagles' Roster Is Young and Loaded With Talent
Next season the Eagles will get back their franchise quarterback whom would have won the league MVP if he didn't get hurt towards the end of the season. The core of the Eagles roster is under contract for the foreseeable future: Fletcher Cox, lane Johnson, Zach Ertz, Malcom Jenkins,and Nelson Agholor will lead the Eagles to many more victories to come. The Eagles just won a world championship missing Wentz, missing Jason Peters, Jordan Hicks, Chris Maragos, and Darren Sproles. Imagine what almost this exact same group could accomplish at full strength and experience now under their belt.


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A members only private country club that is a fun course and always seems in great conditions.
After the 2 rounds here I'm even more impressed with the crew here. Everyone is professional and genuinely nice. The course has a nice layout with our group saying Good Lord out loud on a few scary looking par 4's.
If you get the chance, dont hesitate and pull the trigger on this one. But only if you got the right connections.
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We hold our weekly Cinco Ranch BNI networking meetings on Tuesday mornings at 7:15 a.m. Great meeting place and delicious business breakfast.
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I went there for my friend's company Christmas party, and I was quite impressed (except for how far away from Houston it is).
I have been told that I am a "loop snob", or just a snob... but I stand by it... it was crazy far.
As for the place itself, it was a wonderful setting. The building itself was beautiful, and the interior was impressive as well. As you enter you are greeted by an open foyer, with a large staircase up to the second floor (where the party was). It reminded me of the type of staircase that some wealthy tobacco magnate's daughter would walk down when greeting her Army 4-Star General suitor.
Unfortunately the food was not up to the standard set by the surroundings, and the DJ was a bit schizophrenic going from hip-hop jam straight into some Celine Dion cry-fest.
But all in all it was a good night out in a very nice setting (even if it did require a passport to get to).
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subset: commoncrawl


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When it comes to running a band successfully, there's a lot that goes into it. Whether you're focusing on getting the gigs you want, landing a record deal, or making some money from selling merchandise, there are many aspects to running a band successfully. And one of the most important aspects is social media marketing. The fact is, in today's modern world, it isn't just about sounding good anymore (even though that's still a huge deal, of course). It's about making your mark online and mastering your social media presence. And that's why your band's Instagram account has to be as good as it can be.
It's not just about posting pictures from gigs or using the right hashtags. That's a start, but if you're serious about improving your band's social media presence, here's how.
1. Switch to an Instagram for Business account
One of the best things anyone serious about improving their social media presence can do is to switch from an ordinary Instagram account to one for Business. You'll automatically get more views, as well as connect your Instagram to Facebook (which can be especially useful when you've got gig dates coming up). Additionally, you can add information such as your website, phone number, and email. There's also the added plus that you can get free info about your most successful posts and follower statistics with Instagram's free Insights feature.
Considering that over 60 percent of Instagram users log in daily, making it the second most engaged network (Facebook being first).


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Significantly weak sauce DJ show in the sports activities bar is it. In the event you get pleasure from even a light-weight nightlife, look elsewhere. Nearby attractions supply loads to do: Discover Gullah tradition on St. Helena Island, attempt a shrimp burger on the Shrimp Shack, climb the lighthouse at Hunting Island State Park.
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Preferred club will get you checked in faster, access to the a 'œspecial' club room which is not worth getting in after examine in, and access to the worst part of the beach. After studying different Russian River property reviews, we made sure to convey further rest room paper, however we did not need it (and we're speaking 4 ladies over 4 days) as the provision was fantastic.
There, you will discover 17 white-on-white rooms with nautical accents (picket oars, stripped lamps) and panoramic Caribbean views, and a restaurant that serves regional dishes resembling recent-caught snapper, grilled entire and served with coconut rice.


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News By Tag
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* More Tags...
Industry News
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Industry News
Introducing 5rooms.com - the South African online furniture and decor store
5rooms.com strives to provide a world-class online shopping experience when buying homeware and furniture online in South Africa.
By: 5Rooms.com
Launch Press Release, April 2012
Introducing 5rooms.com, the new home and living store that crosses boundaries
Meet the 5rooms.com founders: Sean Weldon – a local furniture maven; Emilian Popa – a global entrepreneur who co-founded Groupon South Africa back in 2010; Nireshni Naidoo – a South African e-commerce veteran; and Tiffany Hopkins – a business intelligence expert.
These passionate home and living aficionados saw a gap in the market, envisioning a way for local suppliers to expand their footprint and for international players to explore one of Africa's fastest growing markets, while bringing South Africans safe, easy and affordable shopping for everything from office furniture to home décor.
5rooms.com strives to provide a world-class online shopping experience when buying homeware and furniture online. They offer their customers 24 hour access to an ever-increasing range of popular designs and hard to get brands; a huge array of products including furniture, homeware, lighting, accessories, appliances and home décor for house, garden and kids, as well as office furniture; full product listings with all the information needed to make informed buying decisions (each item includes high-quality photographs and detailed descriptions);
5rooms.com is part of a network comprising more than ten home and living sites, including Home24.de, Zanui.com.au and Mebelrama.ru. It aims to have the most complete offering in South Africa, while ensuring the cutting edge in design and prices friendly to any budget. Even though http://www.5rooms.com only went live three weeks ago, the site is already seeing an overwhelmingly positive response from suppliers and shoppers alike. This encouraging feedback has set the team on fire – the company plans to grow from their current collection of 1,300 products to 10,000 by spring!
There are 48 brands on board to date, representing the entire spectrum from major international manufacturers to independent local design houses, with more signups daily.
The South African market doesn't promise to be easy, but http://www.5rooms.com is confident in providing the world-class online shopping experience it stands for.
5rooms.com: every thing for every space
Your one-stop shop for home & living
• Furniture, homeware, lighting, accessories, appliances and décor for home, office, garden
and kids, plus a design gallery
• An ever-increasing range of local designs & international brands
• Online for 24 hours access from your home or office
Excellent customer care
• Safe and secure payment using EFT, credit card or cash on delivery (in select urban areas), with other payment options in the pipeline
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Telephonic and online Customer Care
Multichannel Marketing
• Online and mobile with search, advertising, social media, bloggers and affiliates
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A world-class online shopping experience
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• All the information you need to make informed buying decisions
• Items include customer ratings, style and colour details, dimensions, delivery times & high-quality photographs
Excellent product presentation on site
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• Browse by category, brand or trend
Old Warehouse, 2nd Floor
Black River Park
2 Fir St, Observatory
Cape Town, 7925
email@example.com | +27 21 200 7621
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5rooms.com strives to provide a world-class online shopping experience when buying homeware and furniture online in South Africa.
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G. I. Joe 25TH Anniversary Wave 8 - Arctic Trooper Snake Eyes Action Figure
- Posable action figure comes dressed in Arctic Commando gear with weapons and accessories!
- Ages 5 and up.
SNAKE EYES is proficient in 12 different unarmed fighting systems (Karate, Kung-Fu, Jujitsu) and is extremely skilled inside the use of edged weapons. Ready for combat complete with weapons and accessories, this 25th anniversary action figure is ready to stand tall in your collection! He's a qualified expert in all NATO and Warsaw Pact small arms. His expertise with arctic conditions came in handy when a team was sent to locate out what occurred to an Arctic research station. He has received extensive training in mountaineering, underwater demolitions, jungle, desert and arctic survival, and holistic medicine. His ingenuity helped the team survive a number of encounters with the wily but honorable Eskimo operative Kwinn and recover a fear-generating frequency modulator.
G.I. Joe Action Figures and Toys - Copyright © 2019


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Some things I've seen and eaten in the last couple of weeks.
|Ron Mueck show at Hauser and Wirth
Be warned - enter with your sweet tooth in tow. My friend Sheree and I shared the peanut butter milkshake and chocolate sundae between us - a dastardly concoction of chocolate ice-cream, whipped cream, brownie, fudge, some kind of berry jam-like thing, as well as plenty of chocolate buttons and who knew what else. We had to admit defeat about three-quarters of the way through. The milkshake tasted like a cold, soft Snickers bar (if you like that sort of thing, which I do), and went down slightly easier, but we still left without finishing the whole thing.
St. Paul's looked lovely in the last light of day.


text: Just wanted to welcome you to 444 Studio, my blog and portfolio. This is my first crack at a Blog, but if we work together we just might be able to make this all work. I'll be posting some of my work, some work of friends, and other great things I learn about. This is an open community so feel free to let loose as long as its appropriate. I hope we can all have good time out here!


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Charlotte Crosby And Stephen Bear Put On United Front In Midst Of Cheating Rumours
The hot reality couple hit the town together after it was claimed Bear kissed other girls
Charlotte Crosby and Stephen Bear have put on a united front just hours after fans worried the pair could have split.
The reality stars have been keeping fans guessing for months over how close their friendship is after they were brought together to film MTV's upcoming Just Tattoo Of Us.
Fans had worried the blossoming romance could be over after headlines raged that Bear, 27, had been spied kissing other women.
He had also been cast in the upcoming series of E4's popular Celebs Go Dating – but his wild antics with the ladies has reportedly already seen him cut from the cast.
But Geordie Shore babe Charlotte, 26, has hinted things are still going strong between them both.
Sharing a snap of them together the star wrote on Instagram: "Works night out #Justtattooofus".
The pair looked ready to rock the night as Stephen wore black jeans, black cap, and a green jumper.
While Chaz looked sizzling in a black t-shirt dress, thigh high boots and fishnets.
Fans were quick to comment on their suspected romance in the comment section of the shared photo.
"I really like them together," wrote one appreciative fan, while another added: "Best couple" along with a heart emoji.
However some are still confused if they are just friends or if there is more to their ongoing time together.
"Is she with him now?" asked one baffled fan, while another wrote: "Are they together?"
Looks like these two are enjoying keeping everyone guessing.
Need more reality news in your life? Check out these moments of reality cross over realness!


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A workable resolution to the situation is still what everybody is hoping to arrive at during some part of 2010.


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Following a controversial NATO Summit, US President Donald Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. What will the world leaders discuss? How limited are their options? Will domestic opposition hinder any agreements? Leksika investigates.
With the 2018 North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit concluding, the focus of the international media's attention turns to the Helsinki meeting between American President Donald Trump and his Russian Federation counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Friction between Washington and several (but not all) of the European capitals as well as tension between President Trump and his domestic opposition cast a shadow over the summit with these parties expressing concern that the American leader will cave to the demands of the Russian president. Such concerns stem from charges that President Trump has been comprised by Russian intelligence or is at least sympathetic to Moscow.
Regardless of the validity of such accusations, it is worth inquiring as to what "demands" President Putin will make of his American counterpart. What does Russia hope to gain from this summit and what does it realistically expect to achieve? More so, how will the Kremlin react is President Trump proves unable or unwilling to comprise on any issues?
A previous article published by Leksika (and written by one of the authors of this piece) argued that Russo-American relations were at an historic impasse; that Moscow's 19thcentury great power politics and Washington's liberal interventionist agenda were incompatible on the world stage and one side would have to abandon their respective system in order to reduce tensions between East and West. Russia certainly shows no signs compromising in this regard. Russian operates on the basis of derzhavnost', the belief that Russia is a great power and should be respected as one by the West. The key objective of Russian diplomacy with the U.S. is to achieve a sort of grand bargain in which Moscow is given a free hand by Washington to execute a Monroe Doctrine-style policy in its near abroad. Andrey Klimov, the chair of the Federation Council's (the upper house of Russia's parliament) foreign affairs committee, called recognition of Russia as a great power "a return to common sense."
Experts agree that Russia will likely raise this point at the summit. Michael McFaul, President Barack Obama's former Ambassador to Russia, argues that President Putin could give President Trump "a history lesson about Ukraine or about Russia's relations with Syria, and the president somehow says he will reverse his own administration's policy. I don't predict that will happen, to be clear, but that would be my worry." President Putin will behave as he has at past meetings with U.S. leaders, using the summit as an opportunity to recount American misdeeds.Klimov argues that this is a chance for President Trump to hear the other side of the story. Russian journalist Leonid Bershidskiy adds that Helsinki will present a chance for President Putin to make himself look like the reasonable leader on the world stage.
Still, this is typical Putin behavior. Evidence of more concrete proposals for the summit – on both sides – remains scant. Bershidskiy notes that there are no plans to discuss a withdrawal of NATO troops from European soil, the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, or the U.S. returning to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA; better known as the "Iran nuclear deal"). "I'd be surprised if there were any major agreements," said former Ambassador William Burns, who is now the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace "There's a trap if anyone thinks there's a grand partnership to be had. Russia will remain an adversarial relationship." Russia too appears skeptical of any sort of breakthrough, and Moscow's agenda for the summit remains unclear. Kremlin aide Yuriy Ushakov spoke of the possibility of a joint declaration on improving U.S.-Russia relations, a sentiment shared by Foreign Ministry (Ministerstvo inostrannykh del; MID) spokeswoman Mariya Zakharova; "In general, I'd recommend everyone not to use phrases like 'breakthroughs' and such like... I suggest taking quite a pragmatic and realistic view of these meetings."
With a grand bargain between both powers highly unlikely, it is worth examining some of the individual points of contention in Russo-American relations, what Moscow's goals are with respect to each of them, and whether the Trump administration is willing or able to concede.
The Forgotten War
Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and its subsequent sponsorship of an insurrection in the country's eastern Donbas region proved to be major factors in the deterioration of Russo-American relations. They are also a major focus for Western media and politicians with regard to the upcoming Trump-Putin summit. These figures fear that President Trump's "comprised" state could lead him to "surrender" Ukraine and Crimea to Russia.
Russia strongly desires a U.S. withdrawal from interference in Ukraine's affairs. Per Moscow's narrative, the Maydan uprising of early 2014 that forced out Ukraine's Russia-leaning president, Viktor Yanukovych, was an illegitimate, Western-backed coup d'état designed to draw Ukraine away from Russia's sphere of influence, where the Kremlin argues that it rightfully belongs. Moscow was also disturbed by the how the revolution brought to power anti-Russian, ultra-nationalist political parties like Praviy Sektor (Right Sector) and Svoboda (Freedom) as well as their paramilitary arms, organizations such as the Azov Battalion and C14.
As for President Trump's views on the conflict, he has previously stated that Crimea is rightfully Russia's because the population there speaks Russian. It is unclear whether this remains his official position, with him only saying that "we're going to have to see," when directly asked if the U.S. will recognize the peninsula as part of Russia. In any event only the U.S. Congress can grant official American recognition of Crimea as a republic of the Russian Federation. For his part, National Security Advisor John Bolton insists that Crimea is notpart of Russia and Congress is unlikely to lift sanctions, one of the few points of bipartisan consensus.
Further, there is no talk of ending U.S. support for Ukraine. American weapons are already in the country and NATO advisors have become a mainstay in Ukraine's armed forces. (Including among units such as Azov, which Russia fears will acquire American weapons and use them in the east against the separatists and the Russian commandos that support them, escalating a conflict on Russia's borders.) For its part, Russia is unlikely to consider anything with regard to Ukraine until after Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary elections next year.
Yet, some suggest that Putin will reintroduce the idea of stationing peacekeepers in Ukraine. European leaders have previously rejected such proposals. Europe wants an international force to police Ukraine, forcing Russian mercenaries and special operators out and ensuring the reintegration of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblastiwith the rest of Ukraine. Conversely, Russia wants peacekeepers to serve along a 500-kilometer line of separation between eastern and western Ukraine alongside international observers. As such, European leaders most likely will not agree to such a proposal if President Putin reintroduces it, and given the views of President Trump's cabinet, the American foreign policy bureaucracy, and the U.S. Congress, a compromise with regard to the Ukrainian conflict favoring Russia – or a compromise of any kind – is unlikely to be reached at the upcoming Helsinki summit.
With Friends Like These…
A further concern among European leaders is the rather hostile rhetoric that President Trump directs toward NATO member states. The American president has called the Atlantic Alliance "as bad as [the North American Free Trade Agreement; NAFTA]," called for a reduction in the number of U.S. troops stationed in Germany, and suggested that NATO countries devote four percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) to military spending (as opposed to the two percent threshold that only five member states have met). He has initiated a trade war with Europe by putting tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union. He threatened to do likewise with European automobile manufacturers. Meanwhile, President Trump as called for the readmittance of Russia into the Group of Eight (G8), from which Russian was expelled in 2014 for its annexation of Crimea.
Such statements leave European leaders concerned that if President Trump is sincere in his statements, he will be open to manipulation by President Putin, considered by many analysts to be plotting to divide the West through subversion and immobilize the Atlantic Alliance. Indeed, the expansion of NATO is a major point of contention in Russo-American relations. Russia cites the Alliance's eastward movement as a betrayal by the West as it violated a gentlemen's agreement between U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that such expansion would not take place (though some dispute the historical context of this promise). In Moscow's view, the encroachment of the West into its traditional sphere of influence left it with no choice but to engage in military actions such as the 2008 intervention in Georgia and the sponsorship of insurrectionists in eastern Ukraine.
However, allegations that President Putin wishes to destroy the Western world order – especially by using President Trump as an asset – stand on flimsy ground. Firstly, President Trump does not have the authority to readmit Russia into the G8. The other members are stalwart in their convictions that Russia should not be welcomed back. Russia is still a member of the G20, which gives President Putin the opportunity to schmooze with such figures as China's Xi Jinping, India's Narendra Modi, and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Additionally, Russia, as a major aluminum and steel producer, will suffer from President Trump's trade war with Europe. As Stephen F. Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian studies at Princeton and New York University, points out, Russia has too many interests in Europe to risk destabilizing the Western world order. Europe is a major customer of Russian-supplied energy, Western corporations have long desired to invest in Russia, and much of the wealth held by Russian oligarchs is kept in banks in the West.
Furthermore, the U.S. government does not appear to be in line with President Trump's more drastic proposals, such as a significant U.S. troop withdrawal from Germany. BothSecretary of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have spoken positively of the Alliance, and the Trump administration continues to put pressure on it European allies to maintain sanctions on Russia. In short, the upcoming Helsinki summit is unlikely to result in any sort of dramatic restructuring of the Atlantic world order in part because of President Trump's inability to do so and because of Moscow's desire more so for a return to the pre-Crimea status quo than for the destruction of the liberal-democratic West through right-wing sleeper agents. As mentioned before, though, President Putin will still likely voice his objections to the Alliance's expansion and the American military presence in Europe (including on Russia's borders).
Sand Trap
Russia and the U.S. have been at loggerheads over Syria, Russia's primary client state in the Middle East, since protests against the government of President Bashar al-Asad began in 2012 and morphed into a violent jihadist- and Islamist-led insurgency. The U.S. took advantage of the situation by providing arms to anti-Asad rebels, some of which ended up in the hands of more hardline Islamic insurrectionists. At the same time, the U.S. launched a bombing campaign against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in eastern Syria, working with Kurdish militias to seize the caliphate's territory.
Russia intervened militarily in Syria in September 2015 at the request of the Asad government. Its air forces, in cooperation with the Syrian military, bombed Islamist positions in western Syria, with the coalition consisting of Syria, Russia, Iran, Hizbullah, and other militias gradually moving eastward (at times making kinetic contact with U.S. and U.S.-backed forces). Though the Asad regime considers the U.S. military presence in Syria a violation of the country's sovereignty, American troops remain in Syria, distancing themselves from Russian forces through the maintenance of a "deconfliction line."
Still, Russia greatly desires a U.S. withdrawal from Syria. The Kremlin has long opposed U.S. regime change efforts in Middle Eastern states such as Iraq, Libya, and Syria, arguing that they only empower jihadist factions hostile to the rest of the world, especially Russia. The Russian military intervention in Syria served to prevent Syria from becoming a haven for such elements as Libya has. Russia further demonstrated its opposition to American regime change ambitions by renewing the leases on the Tartus naval replenishment facility (Russia's only naval installation located outside the former Soviet space) and the Khmeymim air base. Both facilities will undergo considerable expansion and host weapons platforms such as anti-aircraft (AA) batteries and air superiority fighters (ASFs) designed to counter Western military technology.
President Trump, too, has expressed an interest in withdrawing the 2,000 U.S. troops stationed in Syria. However, as part of such an agreement with Russia, it is clear that he would want Moscow to limit the ability of Iranian commandos and Hizbullah militants to operate on Syrian soil.The American leader recently floated to King Abdullah II of Jordan a deal he would strike with President Putin, to set up an "exclusion zone" in southwest Syria and ensure the withdrawal of American troops, which have reportedly come under fire in the region from an "unidentified hostile force." The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) would police this zone with Russia's assurances that Hizbullah and Iran not be allowed to operate there.
The area in question is Syria's Daraa province, which is under relentless bombardment from Syrian and Russian air forces. The assault forced over 45,000 refugees to flee the city with Jordan opposed to any of them crossing its borders. As this region borders Israel, Tel Aviv, like Washington, is also opposed to the presence of Iranian and Hizbullah forces in Daraa. Interestingly, Russia appears somewhat willing to compromise on this issue, and it may be the most plausible positive breakthrough in Russo-American relations to emerge from the Helsinki conference. President Putin may try to convince the leaders of these countries that he can provide the guarantees they seek. Israel, a country with greater ties to Moscow than most would expect, has called for Russia to rein in Iran and Hizbullah in Syria.
However, Russia's willingness to orchestrate an Iranian/Hizbullah withdrawal from southern Syria is a separate issue from its ability to do so. Russia's alliance with Iran and Hizbullah was a temporary one to combat IS and retard the collapse of the Syrian government. Still, considerable tensions exist between these factions. In June of this year, Russia deployed its troops to the Lebanese border without consulting Hizbullah. In a compromise, SAA personnel took overt he positions occupied by Russian forces. On 17 May, President Putin said that all foreign forces should withdraw from Syria. He emphasized that this includes Turkish, Iranian, American, and Hizbullah forces. Israeli officials concur that only Syrian soldiers should be stationed in southern Syria. Iranian officials issued a counter-statement. "As long as terrorism exists and the Syrian government wants, Iran will have a presence [in Syria]", said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi on 21 May. "No one can force Iran to do something. Iran is an independent country and its policies are determined based the interests of the Islamic republic in the world."
Ultimately, Iran is a longtime partner of the Syrian government as is Russia. Iranian troops arrived in country at Damascus's request before Russia began its formal military intervention in Syria. Moscow is unlikely willing to compromise its relationship with its chief Middle Eastern client state, so despite its desires (and those of the U.S.), it will have to contend with Syria's decisions with regard to keeping Iranian troops in country.
Agree to Disagree
Though these are the major points of contention between Russia and the U.S. currently, there are a few others worth mentioning briefly here. The Helsinki summit is arguably the best forum for U.S.-Russia nuclear arms talks, especially given that the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) expires in 2021. Nuclear arms have been a major point of contention between the two countries since the U.S.'s withdrawal from the ABM Treaty in 2002. This event was followed by the stationing of ballistic missile defense (BMD) installations throughout Europe. Russia feels that these systems prevent it from achieving strategic parity with the U.S. (a key goal of détente) and will give America a clear advantage in the event of a nuclear war. Such insecurities likely prompted Russian violations of the 1987 Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a point that President Putin may raise at the summit.
Also overshadowing the Helsinki meeting are allegations of Russian meddling in America's 2016 presidential election and charges that Trump's campaign "colluded" with the Kremlin to secure his win. For his part, President Trump has cast doubt on assertions that Russia meddled in the U.S. 2016 presidential election. He also denies any collusion between his campaign and figures linked to the Russian government. Trump administration officials said that the president would discuss election meddling with the Russian leader. Also, merely days before the summit, special counsel Robert Mueller announced the indictment of 12 Russian officers affiliated with the Main Intelligence Directorate (Glavnoye razvedyvatel'noye upravleniye; GRU) for their role in the hacking of Democratic National Committee (DNC) e-mails in 2016. In response to the recent Mueller indictment, President Putin and his entourage will likely continue their usual tactics of deflection. Ushakov recently issued a statement arguing that those who oppose improving U.S.-Russia relations should not be allowed to speculate on Russian interference in the election and that raising such issues was harmful to any reconciliation between the two countries.
In conclusion, though, it appears that the upcoming Trump-Putin summit will yield any results disproportionately favorable to either state. Experts at the Washington, D.C.-based Kennan Institute note that a true reconciliation would involve Russia ceasing to challenge the U.S.-led order and the U.S. to recognize Russia as a partner in the international sphere. They argue that the Helsinki forum will only moderate the confrontation and is not likely to lead to any fixed outcomes. Russia recognizes that because so much of the American foreign policy bureaucracy is at odds with President Trump, therefore making it unlikely that Moscow will achieve any of the results it most desires, namely an American retreat from Russia's near abroad and recognition of Russia as a great power and international partner. Russia will continue to make such offers to the U.S. in the coming months, a state of affairs largely similar to the pre-Helsinki status quo.
However, one must not discount the possibility of a further deterioration in Russo-American relations following the summit should Moscow not get what it desires. Professor Cohen argues that a lack of progress in a Putin-Trump summit could have disastrous consequences in Moscow for American national security. Because much of what President Trump wants to accomplish vis-à-vis Moscow has to be authorized by Congress, which appears unwilling to follow the president's line on Russia, this risks President Putin falling under the influence of military and intelligence officials more hardline than him. As Joshua Yaffa writes, "[The Russians] understand and know how to deal with individuals, less so institutions, with their amorphous centers of power and internal checks and balances." President Putin could become convinced that negotiating with the West is futile, leading to a more hostile Russian foreign policy and a further deterioration of relations between Washington and Moscow.
In some ways, such behavior has already manifested itself. New evidence has emerged to buttress previous reporting that in 2016 GRU officers bankrolled a failed but potentially violent coup against Milo Djukanovic, then-prime minister (now president) of Montenegro. At the time, Montenegro was preparing for ascension into NATO, and it became a member state in early 2017. Such violent subversive activities on Russia's could become more commonplace if the coming summit convinces President Putin that it is futile to negotiate with the West. (The intervention in Syria has already convinced the military apparatus that brute force is the optimal approach to rolling back a "color revolution.") Russia will undertake more drastic steps to curtail Western interference in its sphere of influence.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons


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Crate and Barrel
I'm really liking the new leaf botanical collection at Crate and Barrel, very fresh and modern, just in time for spring! The palm leaf plates, green leaf platter, and ashton chair are some of my picks from this collection. I really like the tuck-arm chair style with the hardwood legs with classis turnings and brass casters. Traditional yet modern with the fresh cotton-weave bontanical print.
Have you shopped their ready to assemble collection yet? If you have, I'd be interested in some feedback. I really like the puzzle bookcase. For $349, it's quite a bargain!
The kelli dinnerware and the lucky glassware are wayyy cute, too. Love the funky graphics on the tumbler and the clean green and white dinnerware that has a very kate spade vibe to it. Fun!
Have children? Pop on over to Crate and Barrel's site for kids called The Land of Nod.
(photos from crate and barrel)


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Hen Hud
Peer AIDS Education Program
Peer AIDS Education Program & Stopping World Wide AIDS (SWAT)
My senior year as part of my WISE project I helped establish our school's chapter of a Peer AIDS Education student group. Besides helping coordinate training at North Shore Hospital in Long Island, I also lead a team at the AIDS Walk, worked on a film projected for that event, spearheaded our the first AIDS speaker in the district and coordinated fundraisers such as the showcased concert.
Cross Country & Track & Frield
Before a back injury at the end of 11th grade put me out of business I was actively involved in both my high school's varsity Cross Country and Track & Field teams since 8th grade. I was unexpectedly decent at competing and quickly began setting school records in long distance events (my favorite of which was the mile). I consistently made all-league and sometimes all-county. I also ran and won the first women's steeple chase event held in NY state back in XXXXXX. But beyond these athletic recognitions I enjoyed the the mental challenges this sport brought in addition to it's phsyical ones. The memories of running the trails at Van Cortlandt Park, the team comraderie and particularly my relationship with coach Marciaa Bailey are some of the most powerful from my high school career.


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HAMPTON, Va. – A two-run top of the sixth inning allowed the Wilson Tobs to hand the Peninsula Pilots a 3-2 loss on Monday night in a rain-shortened contest at War Memorial Stadium. The game was called with the Tobs batting in the top of the seventh inning.
Brenton Doyle led the way offensively for the Tobs with a pair of runs batted in on the night. Doyle went 1-for-3 at the plate with one run scored, while Matt McCourt finished 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored. Caleb Dean delivered the eventual game-winning hit with a double in the sixth that would score Doyle.
McCourt would lead the contest off with a single into center field and advance to second following a walk to JT Stone. The Tobs took a 1-0 lead as Doyle scored McCourt from third with a groundout to the shortstop.
Wilson starter David Harrison celebrating a birthday, he looked to notch his first win of the season. Harrison worked in-and-out of trouble in the bottom of the first as Peninsula put a pair of runners on base following a single and a fielding error.
The Pilots would get a lead-off double from Cole Prestegard in the bottom of the fourth inning against Harrison and the Tobs. A sacrifice bunt moved Prestegard over to third base before a fly ball and a groundout ended the frame to keep Wilson's 1-0 lead intact.
Mother Nature would start to make her presence felt in the bottom of the fifth inning as Peninsula rallied to plate a pair of runs off two hits to take a 2-1 advantage. Tyler Adams plated both runs with a single to left center as the Pilots would chase Harrison from the game. Wilson reliever Ryan Troutman used one pitch to record a pair of outs and get the Tobs out of the jam.
The Tobs wouldn't give up offensively as Doyle delivered a single to center that would score McCourt from second to knot the score 2-2. Dean followed by driving a ball to the wall in right field as Doyle raced around the bases to score from first and make it 3-2 Wilson.
Troutman used another double play ball in the bottom of the sixth inning to work around a lead-off walk. He completed the 1-2-3 frame with a groundout to the first baseman. The teams would play into the seventh inning before the umpires decided to pull the players off the field and cover it with the tarp.
Troutman (3-0) earned the win after tossing 1.2 scoreless innings of baseball. Harrison took the no-decision after holding the Pilots to a pair of runs off five hits. Harrison fanned one batter and walked one while inducing eight groundball outs.
The Tobs return home on Tuesday, July 24 to host the Edenton Steamers at 7 p.m. It will be Tobs All You Can Eat Tuesday courtesy of Da Bayou at Historic Fleming Stadium.
The Wilson Tobs enter their 22nd season as a founding member of the Coastal Plain League. The upcoming season for the Tobs will see an expanded community outreach effort, increased participation in helping the less fortunate, a Pettit Cup Championship team, and more exciting entertainment for the Wilson Community. We would like to dedicate each successful season to the Wilson Community, Coastal Plain League Organization, Host Families, Corporate Partners, and the Dedicated Fans throughout the city of Wilson. The Wilson Tobs have played host to over 100 alumni taken in the draft and have produced a dozen players who have gone on to play in the MLB, including Cy Young & MVP winner Justin Verlander. For more information on the Wilson Tobs, visit our website www.wilsontobs.com.
Season tickets and ticket packages are on sale now and can be purchased by calling (252) 291-8627, or by visiting www.wilsontobs.com/tickets.


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Trending: theCURVYcon (Day One)
Every year a magical event happens, theCurvycon! It's a celebration of self love, body positivity and embracing yourself. You mix it in with music, drinks, shopping, panels featuring your favorite people and you've got quite the extravaganza. I've gone every year so far but 2017 ladies and gents Co-Founders Chastity Garner Valentine & CeCe Olisa really out did themselves. Powered by Dia&Co theCURVYcon featured a runway show this year that I was able to somehow someway sit front row in!
It's usually a two day affair with day one being more health oriented in the morning and shopping at night. Since this years Con is during NYFW a runway show was in order! I wanna get into day one a bit because I personally hadn't done it last year (the workout) and really wanted to get a full experience this time around. Take a look below at day one!
FITNESS SESSION W/ Massy Arias
theCURVYcon WORKOUT CLASS
Boy did we ever get a workout! with the help of world renowned fitness trainer and coach, Massy Arias & resistance belts courtesy of Massy & Target we were well on our way to a healthier self, and after learning some moves to do at home we took some time to cool down (pictured above). It was a fantastic class and Massy is a great motivator and gave tons of encouragement.
Shop & Sip
Now I was not a platinum ticket holder (maybe next year?) so after the workout I wasn't at the brunch for platinum ticket holders. I took the time to go home, freshen up and get ready for the Dia&Co fashion show later that day. What I took away most from my morning workout was that I need not fear working out. I need to make it fun and enjoy it. It's about getting healthy not getting skinny. We were asked to come back at about 4pm or so for some shopping and some drinks, I got there a bit after as I didn't really want to push the bank (even though by day two I had!). The Shopping mall was incredible! All of my favorites were there, Rachel Rachel Roy, Fashion to Figure, Simply Be, and new comer (and new favorite) PREMME. I chatted with some of my favorite bloggers too, and was shocked to find some of them knew who I was!
The Dia&Co Fashion Show
Now, I've never seen a runway show live and in person EVER. I was all prepped and ready for the standing room areas as again I didn't have the highest tier ticketing and seats were assigned and I would never want to take away from anyone else, but when folks are telling you to sit down because the show is going to start and they needed more runway room my heavens you listen. I ended up front row at my first (but never last) show! Collections featured during the show: Girl With Curves, Marybelle, NANETTE Nanette Lepore, East Adeline, Molly & Isadora, REBEL WILLSON X ANGELS, RWN by Rawn & RACHEL Rachel Roy. Those of you who know Dia&co know those fashions will be coming to boxes soon enough. For more info on Dia&co go here.
After the show we saw our first of many panels at theCURVYcon, Moving Fashion Forward: Industry Leaders' Vision For the Future. Hosted by none other than Fern Mallis, creator of New York Fashion Week. Panelists included: Nadia Boujarwah, Co-Founder of Dia&co, style expert and author Stacy London, Supermodel Emma Aronson & Marquita Pring, Model & Activist. It was incredibly informative and really engaging to say the least.
In all, day one was one for the books. I'll have a post about day two up on Monday!


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Andrea & James {sneak peek}
Today we were surrounded by corn, horses, fields, and joy! Andrea and James were so nice to us as we worked with them through out the day and we had a chance to share some laughs and create some great photos together. Here is a short peek at the day.


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Spaceport America Cup 2018 - "Noctua"
Noctua is an in-house high powered rocket designed by Rice Eclipse to participate in Spaceport America Cup 2018. Noctua was entered in competition under the 10'000-ft AGL Apogee commercial of the shelf (COTS) solid rocket propulsion system category. Eclipse has participated in SEDS competition with a two-stage design in the past, where staging designs were explored. Moving forward, we are hoping to gain more experience in designing heavier and larger scale rockets. Noctua tested our ability to manufacture such rockets, create our own carbon fiber body tubes, and gain experience in performing better flight predictions. Noctua was our first rocket to enter the 10,000-ft range and we took a simplistic approach in most designs to ensure success.
Noctua is powered by a single solid COTS motor of category L. Standard two body tube configuration is adopted, each with an OD of 4" for easy avionics and motor installation. 4-fin design at the end of lower body tube is chosen to maintain high stability. A standard Ogive-shaped nose-cone is used for aerodynamics consideration.
Material-wise, body tubes are constructed completely with layered carbon-fiber, while the fins are made with carbon-fiber reinforced fiberglass. Lastly, a fiberglass nose cone tops off the rocket.
The length of the rocket and size of fins are optimized so that rocket is expected to hit 10,000 ft in simulation. However, as team progressed throughout the year, many changes were made to the design. While rocket's stability and safety remains a high priority, rocket's efficiency was traded to ensure successful recovery. The targeted apogee for Noctua has dropped from the original 10,000 ft to 9,200 ft but with increased factor of safety in design.
In addition to flying our rocket, the team participated in the payload segment of the Spaceport America Cup by launching an 8.8 lb scientific experiment from team member Sahil Patel, a researcher in Rice's Lou Research Group. By exposing the crystals to the highacceleration environment of up to 11.37 G's, we are seeking to better understand the phase stability of Mica and Silicon crystals. While preliminary inspection of the payload showed that it was structurally sound, we will only be able to draw conclusions after inspecting the samples under microscopes in the fall.
In the competition, Noctua reached a height of 7,843 ft leading to a 15th place finish out of over 45 teams in the COTS category and achieved a maximum speed of 603 mph, almost 0.8 times the speed of sound! While this height was not enough to win the very competitive event, it was the highest our team had ever launched a rocket by a wide margin.
High Powered Certification Flights
Eclipse works closely with Tripoli Rocket Association and all of our launches take place at Tripoli Houston events. As such it's important that we have a number of members who are certified to fly high powered rockets under Tripoli. In an effort to make this more widespread and less expensive, Eclipse has developed our own Level 1 high powered rocket kit. Since our first launched in September of 2016, we have certified ten members for L1, and one member for L2 certification.
Our goal is to give as many members as possible the option to achieve this certification with minimal expense. Certification candidates must build their own rocket from scratch, make its OpenRocket file, and be able to load the motor and parachute themselves. We hope that these Tripoli high powered certifications give our members the opportunity to learn a skill they cannot get in a classroom and spark a lasting interest in amateur rocketry


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My thanks to Lucas Jordan and his wife Debra for their interview about the Pad Bracket. The Pad Bracket is an invention that Lucas created, which allows you to mount an ipad on the wall without having to put sticky pads or a case onto your ipad, you can also easily switch between portrait and landscape.
Tara: Please could you tell me a little bit about your background and how you got into inventing?
Lucas: Coming up with the next "Million Dollar" idea is a bit of a family past-time. As a kid and now, we spend hours sharing and creating ideas for products or services. But mostly it is just us having fun talking. Occasionally I would try and actually bring one of those ideas to market, usually if it was software oriented. But I never managed to get anything past the prototype stage, it was just to much work on top of a day job.
I had some small success a few years back creating two educational titles for the iPhone. This was a bit of a milestone for me, since I had taken an idea (my mother's idea actually) and turned it into a finished application, available for sale.
Over the following years, I started and gave up on a few more projects, but last year I had the opportunity to write a technical book for Apress. While not an invention, it represented another big project out side of work that I had accomplished. Not to mention I got married, another huge task. So this last Winter I had a lot of confidence in myself that I could actually bring another idea to life. My wife and I picked the Pad Bracket as the idea we would run with, plus my brother and mother offered to help, which was very encouraging.
With any luck, things will work out and I can quit my day job, and spend a lot more time on new ideas. I would really like to be able to focus on educational software, but I also have this idea for a robot that can…. well never you mind 🙂
Tara: Please could young tell me a little bit about the pad bracket and how you came up with the idea?
Lucas: Last winter I was running away on my treadmill, which for whatever reason, faced a blank wall. I wanted to put a screen on that wall so I could watch videos. I think I wanted to brush up on calculus because I wanted to brush up physics because I wanted to brush up engineering. It was a long term plan.
Just about that time the iPad was coming out. I am a user and developer of Apple's iPhone, so I was pretty excited about the iPad. So I just had to figure out a good way of mounting the iPad on the wall. I had some other ideas, but quickly settled on a small bracket, one which allowed me to place the iPad in landscape and portrait. The idea that it could work on both orientations was very important to me, and it is still a feature that separates it from most of our competition.
As soon as the iPad was available for sale, I started figuring out how to design and manufacture the Pad Bracket.
Picture below: The Pad Bracket can be used to show the ipad both landscape and portrait
Tara: What were the first steps you took after having your idea?
Lucas: Well, once we decided to "go for it" and actually move forward, I contacted an industrial designer I knew from a previous job and we set up a meeting. To prepare for the meeting I used the 3D modeling tool Blender to try and draw what I had in mind. Besides starting the manufacturing process I set up a simple web site and started taking pre-orders. Being a software developer this was easy and inexpensive, and it felt really good when we sold the first couple. I could hardly believe this were happening already.
Tara: Did you try and patent your idea straight away or did you develop it first? How did you go about getting protection for your idea?
Lucas: We are in the process of setting up the patents now. I am not a big fan of the patent system in the US and was hesitant to participate, but it seems like they are required. I have really have no desire to use any patents in an offensive way, I just don't want somebody else patenting my idea and suing me out of business… that would be really lame.
Tara: Did you get presentation drawing sheets produced or have a prototype made for your idea? Did you do this yourself or seek outside assistance?
Lucas: The designer I was working with has a lot of experience creating products and thankfully he already had people who could make a prototype. It was really a painless process, he just showed up at my door with this clear plastic part. The first thing I thought was, "wow, it is really small." Which is when I realized how important a prototype really is. Nothing compares to actually holding your design in your hands, it tells you way more than seeing the design on the computer can.
Tara: How did you go about promoting your idea, did you contact possible companies with the idea of licensing your product or did you want to maintain control and manufacture and sell it yourself?
Lucas: From the beginning we wanted to maintain control, we have such a simple product we figured we could handle the logistics. Plus we didn't have a lot of start up cash, so we were dependent on making as much as we could on each sale to actually fund the next steps.
As for promoting, this is really the biggest piece of work. Thomas Edison has this quote, about one percent inspiration and ninety nine percept perspiration, not that Pad Bracket is genius or anything, but today I think he would say, product development is one part inspiration, ninety nine parts perspiration and nine hundred parts advertisement and marketing. You can have the greatest product in the world and no one will buy it, if they don't know about it.
There is all this hype in marketing about an idea going viral or whatever, that is just luck when it happens. You can't buy a viral marketing campaign, the reality is that you have to spend time and money to tell people about the product.
Debra (my wife) has taken the lead on sales and is learning as she goes, I don't envy that part of the job.
Picture below: The Pad Bracket being used at the piano
Tara: How long did has it taken from your initial idea to where you are now?
Lucas: About 10 months I guess. It is really hard to believe how much we have accomplished in that time, especially when we think about how much more we have to do. For example, we don't have our retail packing done yet, though we do have our packing sorted out for on line sales. There seems to be no end to tasks.
Tara: Where can your product be purchased from?
Lucas: http://padbracket.com
The website is running on something called the Google App Engine, which I highly recommend as a web hosting solution for startups. I also highly recommend Google Apps for your Domain, it allows you to create a URL and have a bunch of google tools ready to go. Like mail, calendar, wiki, documents, etc. Cutting out the cost/time of IT at the beginning of a project can he a huge head start.
Tara: If you had to do it all again is there anything you would do differently?
Lucas: I originally wanted to make the part out of aluminium, I thought it would be a much nicer product. I spent a lot of time and effort looking for a way to accomplish that. But it was simply undoable with our resources. In the end we made the right choice about the material, since it is lighter and wont scratch the iPad.
Tara: What advice would you give any aspiring inventor with an idea?
Lucas: Pick your simplest idea and make a prototype. Don't work on any other ideas, regardless of how exciting they are. Once you have a prototype, find a person who is good at marketing. Work with that person to create a compelling story about the product and create a very simple business plan. Use those materials to sell your idea to people who are good at running a business. Let the business people and the marketing people run the business, so you can get back to all those other great ideas. Debra adds that if you want to market and sell your product yourself, don't underestimate how much work it is! It takes a lot more time, money, and work than you think it will!
Tara: Do you have more ideas you hope to bring to market in the future?
Lucas: Ideally, I want the Pad Bracket to bring in enough money so I can afford to quit my day job. Once I do that, I want to focus on creating educational software. I think the drop in the quality of education is responsible for a lot of our social ills. I want to do my part in improving that. I also want to work on a robotics project at some point….oh, and better electric boats and bike locks that don't drive me crazy!… but those are down the road a good way, I have to be sure to do one at a time.
If you enjoyed this inventor interview you can read more here.
Are you an inventor with an interesting story to share, then please get in touch via the contact form or email tara (at) ideasuploaded (dot) com


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I will assist you with determining your mortgage strategies and solutions for primary or secondary residences, investment properties up to four units, and waterfront or island-based properties. I focus on Barrie, Collingwood, Orillia and the Muskoka's; however, I can provide solutions throughout Ontario, and across Canada.
Every client that chooses National Bank as their mortgage provider though myself will receive a FREE HOME INSURANCE POLICY REVIEW(and Cottage) by HomeGuard. Your home and it's contents are your most valuable assets!! HomeGuard does NOT sell insurance of any sort... their service is to ensure that you understand your insurance coverage and to determine if you have any vulnerabilities, or potential gaps, in what you think you have as coverage, compared to what you actually have. Your Policy Review Service includes;
• Discussion: Up to 1.5 hours (phone or face-to-face) reviewing:
– Summary of key items.
– Summary of findings from your Policy: What does it mean?
– Focus on any critical vulnerabilities that may expose you to a potential loss today.
– Annual Home Insurance Customer Satisfaction Survey: How did your insurance company rank?
– Household Contents: Why you may not be reimbursed dollar for dollar.
•Booklet: Preventing Water Damage/Protecting Your Home.
•Standard Coverages Defined: In English, not insurance-speak.
•Tips on how to make a claim: Four pages explaining what to do, say and why. Empowers you with the practical knowledge you'll need to be treated fairly.
•Summary of items that may impact the cost of your insurance.
•Summary of water damage & sewer backup prevention devices. Do you qualify for a discount?
•Next steps: How to protect yourself today based on our findings from your policy review.
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Simple Ways to Bring Beauty Into Your Life Now.
"I'm going to make everything around me beautiful - that will be my life." - Elsie de Wolfe
Ever since I came across this quote, I made it my goal to make everything around me beautiful. Since making more effort in places I normally didn't, I feel more at peace. I feel more happy.
You might be thinking "Well, duh Haley. Why would I surround myself with ugly?" Well, give me a second to explain.
It's not that you're surrounding yourself with ugly. But more so, what can you surround yourself with that will make you happy or happier? That will make you feel inspired? That will make you feel like you've got a day to conquer? That will make you feel comfortable and one with yourself? What little things can you do to add richness to your life?
But Haley, why does this matter?
It matters because being surrounded by beauty, and doing things in your life that add beauty, well, they make you feel beautiful. Redundant much? Yes. But beautiful is the best way to feel, internally and externally. In my opinion at least.
A little bit about where this post sparked from:
I've always been intrigued by aesthetics. I love looking at beautiful things - photographs, art, flowers, landscapes, smiling people, magazine designs, wall decor, gourmet chocolate cake, you name it. Beauty makes my heart happy and keeps my mind at ease but at the same thing, constantly inspired. When life seems dull or down, I've made it my mission to find beauty in the simplest things (for my own sanity.)
As I'm growing up in my twenties, I'm really discovering what it is that I like and what I don't. Who I am and who I'm not. And I want to surround myself with the things that make me happy and that give my life fulfillment and joy. And that's beautiful.
So with that being said these are some things I do in order to surround myself with beauty. Try them out or do your own thang!
Light a candle in the morning as you're making your cup of tea to awaken your senses. Place a candle on your bedside table as you tuck yourself into bed. Maybe even light one as you're eating dinner for a sensory overload. Beautiful smells count, too! And the romantic feel of the dancing flame never felt better, am I right?
Where to buy the best candles:
1. Anthropologie (best on the market in my opinion!):
2. Diptyque (because you're trendy):
1. Buy or pick bouquets of flowers.
I'm obsessed with flowers, especially wildflowers. That's just something you need to know. Obsessed. So with that being said, I love being surrounded by them. I always have a bouquet of flowers on my bedside table. I wake up to their beauty and fall asleep to them as well. Their sweet smell and delicate petals warm my heart. Every glance at them widens my smile. I either pick my own bouquets or I purchase them at Trader Joe's.
2. What to do before the flowers die:
I am currently in the works of creating a dried flower section on my bedroom wall. (So Haley of me, I know, I know.) It's just that I don't want the flowers to go to waste; I can't just throw them away in a trash can, are you kidding me?! So when I start to notice my flowers turning, I take them all and hang them in my window to dry out. (Not all flowers are suited for drying. Go for roses or baby's breath to start out.) Once they're done drying after about a week, I gather them in a bouquet, tie them together, and hang them on a nail on my wall.
Quality over Quantity - And I'm talking about clothes!
I invest in high quality clothing. Why? Because high quality clothes are carefully crafted with an pleasurable aesthetic and a long lasting functional life. There is no use in buying large quantities of clothing that will only last a year before the quality diminishes. "Well, they were cheap." So be it, but don't you think it's more expensive having to repurchase lots of clothes each year to replace the ones that aren't good anymore? See my point?
Because I've been more into fashion than I ever have been at this point in my life, I really value quality clothing and putting together killer outfits. Killer outfits make for a killer confidence boost. And when I'm feeling confident, I'm feeling beautiful. And I'm sure you are too!
What are your favorite clothing brands you're loving lately?
Slow down.
Because I work at my day job and run my own business, I'm on the clock 9-14 hours a day. It's really hard for me to take a break because I feel like if I'm not working, I'm wasting time. One thing I'm sure to do when I leave my day job is to drive home in the slow lane and admire the sunset. I even pull over at the top of my hill to watch the sun go down (if I'm not completely exhausted from my day.) Something about watching those painted skies reminds me that I live in the most beautiful world. It gives me a sense of pleasure, calmness, and peace. It slows down time. I can finally take a breath.
Style Your Food
When I have a super long morning before work or I have a lonely day to myself, I sometimes take the time to make my meals look like they came out of a Martha Stewart magazine. Please, call me chef Haley. I whip up the best meal I can think of and carefully arrange the food on my plate. There's something so pleasing and artistic looking about a dish all made up (before I shove my face like a starving cave woman.)
Check out some of the dishes I've made and arranged:
Tea Cup.
If you're any sort of a normal human being, you either drink tea or coffee at least one time a day. Personally, I'm a tea drinker. A little moment I will always treasure is sipping my Trader Joe's Mango Black Tea. And something I love more is the mug I drink it out of.
I never thought to personalize my tea drinking experience with a beautiful mug. I would just grab whatever mug was available in my cabinets (which was always a plain white one. Whoopie.) I challenge you to do a little shopping and find the most beautiful mug in the entire world. Trust me, it'll #elevate your tea drinking experience.
My go-to mug is currently from Anthropologie. I bought myself a blue one and bought my mom a coral one. (I know I've mentioned Anthro in this post already... I'm a sales associate there and let's just say I'm obsessed with everything in the store and highly do recommend their products!)
Final Thoughts:
You've just read my tips on how to make your life beautiful starting now. Little things you can do to spice up your life to give it some flavaaa flaaaave. I think it's so important to surround yourself with beauty, no matter what the form may be. Trust me, it'll make your life sparkle a little more.


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Recent Work
I help startups, companies, and nonprofits build foundations and systems out of bold visions.
A thoughtful and well traveled global citizen, I help diverse, global teams speak the same language.
summits education
BRAND + COMMUNICATIONS STRATegy
Past clients include Google, Microsoft, Fueled, Summit Series, Indie Farmer, Velapp, Don Papa Rum.
< In Haiti or in Hackney, here're some samples of my work.
Check out the films I've produced here.


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Learning Law
By: Casey Robinson on Mar 27, 2014 | Categories: General, Academic
We've had a great week! The boys are getting real excited about Spring Break ! We have been working on Tort liability and civil law this week. I think the boys found that very interesting. On Friday we took some time out to work with the dogs. I brought two working dogs in to show them the difference in an "alert" and an "indication" as it relates to training a K9 to find human remains. The dogs are very friendly and love the attention that the cadets give them. Have a great Spring Break !!


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Lovely Family Sweeps Sugar River Craft Race
The Lovely family was big winners at the 17th Sugar River Craft Race on Saturday. Taking first place and beating the record of 44 minutes were Gavin Lovely and Alex Whipple in the Wet Sandwich. The craft raft however, was not made from bread but from an industrial door. Gavin and Alex attributed their win to using oars.
Gavin's twins brothers Ryder and Jagger Lovely took second place along with their uncle Ryan McKenney Their craft raft was made from an old barn door and their secret to placing second –paddle hard.
The event that was started by the Newport Recreation Department is now sponsored by Sugar River Softball to benefit the Newport Youth Girl's Softball. Organizer Jeremy Willey said the craft race runs the same day as the duck race and they raised about $6,000 this year.
Convicted Sex Offender Apprehended
A convicted sex offender who was wanted for escape from the Springfield VT Department of Corrections was apprehended on Saturday. Dale Adams Jr was spotted on Connecticut River Road in White River Junction and taken into custody without incident by the Hartford Police Department. Adams was turned over to the Department of Corrections who transported him to the Southern State Correctional Center in Springfield. Adams is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, May 17 at 12:30 pm.
Chesterfield Man Arrested on Three Counts in Forgery
A Chesterfield man was arrested on three counts of forgery on Friday for altering $20.00 bills to $100.00 bills. Keene Police say after an investigation they applied for a search warrant for Peter Giandalone's person and residence on Thursday night. During the search, they seized computer, printer, chemicals, and other items.
Giandalone is accused of using the fraudulent bills a T-Bird, CVS, and Circle K stores in Keene earlier this month.
On Friday morning with the assistance of the Chesterfield Police, Peter Giandalone was taken into custody without incident. Giandalone is being held at the Cheshire County Jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail. His will appear in Cheshire Superior Court today (Monday) at 1pm.
The case remains under investigation. Anyone who has further information is encouraged to call the Keene Police Department at 603-357-9820, ask to speak to Det. Jen Ramey or Det. Joel Chidester.


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West Branch Local Schools Superintendent Timothy Saxton announced Wednesday that he will not make a formal recommendation to retain D.J. Dota as head varsity football coach.
Dota recently finished his eighth season at West Branch with an overall record of 38-42.
"Everyone at West Branch appreciates the time and effort involved in athletic programming, and we thank Coach Dota for his dedication to Warrior athletes," said Saxton. "After looking at several benchmarks, it is time to move in a different direction with the Warrior football program."
Saxton said in a phone interview there were many factors, including "participation [numbers], the win-loss record, the plan he had in place for program-building. Everything, including practice, working with the coordinators and expanding the program.
"From an overall standpoint, it wasn't just one area of concern, but looking at what we can do to improve the program and we felt it was time to look in another direction," said Saxton.
Dota led the Warriors to one Northeastern Buckeye Conference championship in 2012 but no playoff appearances. His best record was 7-3 in 2015, but Dota was 8-16 against West Branch's main rivals — Alliance, Marlington and Salem — and 2-5 against Louisville.
The opening will be posted for both internal and external candidates as soon as possible, said Saxton. "We very much would like to have an idea, if not by the end of December, then early January who our candidate will be."
Although the January meeting has not yet been scheduled, West Branch has typically held its Board of Education meetings the fourth Thursday of each month. Saxton said, however, a special meeting could be scheduled earlier in the month if a candidate has been identified.


text: It's okay to not have a girlfriend. It's perfectly fine to be real friends, and maintain a respectful, caring, cordial, platonic friendship with someone who you love and or like. It's okay to love someone, and NOT be in a committed romantic relationship with them. It's 100% acceptable to see qualities in someone, like them, enjoy their energy and decide that you do NOT want to engage in a relationship with them. There's such thing as a universe, and the universe has a dance. This dance can't be memorized, it can't be studied. It can be respected. So this is me respecting the universe. This is me seeing the universe's dance, and not fighting the currents. Because the universe is never wrong, despite what our primitive emotional hearts may expect.IT'S ALSO PERFECTLY OKAY TO BE COMMITTED TO WRK. IT'S OKAY TO BE TRANSPARENT. AND NOT TRANSPARENT AS IT PERTAINS TO PROJECTING MY STANCE AND ENERGY, BUT ALSO SIMULTANEOUSLY OPEN TO RECEIVING THE ENERGY AND VIEWS OF OTHERS. IT'S OKAY TO KNOW WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOURSELF, AND COMMIT TO OBTAINING THAT, AND THOSE WHO ARE SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR JOURNEY TO ACTUALIZE YOUR VISION(S). IT'S OKAY TO BE KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN AND FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND. IT'S OKAY TO NOT BE CONSUMED WITH THE THOUGHTS OF TOMORROW, AND BE WHOLLY COMMITTED TO THE PRESENT MOMENT. IT'S OKAY TO CONNECT WITH WOMEN YOU SHARE A LIKE MIND WITH, AND NOT EXPECT ANYTHING FURTHER FROM THEM. IT'S OKAY TO HAVE FRIENDLY CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE, SHARE VIEWS AND HAVE A VIBRANT CONNECTION, AND NOT DATE THEM.THESE DAYS I FIND PEACE IN BEING CONNECTED MORE TO MYSELF THAN ONE PARTICULAR PERSON. I ENJOY BUILDING WITH LIKES OF MY CLIENTS, BLACK ROSES NYC, MY HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES, AND GREATER RUNNING & FITNESS COMMUNITY THAN I DO DATING, OR TRYING TO FURTHER ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE. AND THAT'S OKAY WITH ME. BECAUSE THE ONLY PERSON I WAKE UP TO, THE ONLY PERSON I AM OBLIGATED TO, AND THE ONLY PERSON WHO DESERVES TO BE AT PEACE IN THIS LIFE IS ME, AND THAT'S OKAY.I MADE A COMMITMENT TO MYSELF TO STAY TRUE TO THE GOOD. TO BE TRUE TO MYSELF, AND NEVER AT ANY POINT, PLACE ANYONE ABOVE THE #GOODWRK THAT I DO. AND I WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS ON, HEAD DOWN, EYES FOCUSED ON WHAT'S IN FRONT OF ME Leave a comment


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It's the day after Thanksgiving. Perhaps that means today you are stumbling around your house, stunned from the amount of calories you consumed at the annual holiday feast. Or perhaps you are cleaning up from hosting family and friends in your home, and still smiling from the good times shared over your table. Or perhaps you are simply grateful. Grateful it's all over.
I know this might be an awkward topic to discuss, but I hate not talking about something just because it might be an uncomfortable discussion. When we allow that to happen, we become a slave to our fears and we let other people's bad behavior (and our own) to dictate our emotions, our schedules, and….our holidays.
With the holidays comes the inevitable: family drama. Family that stresses you out. Family that stresses your family out. Family that you only see around this time of year because, after all, they're family.
Hollywood makes movies about it. Friends make jokes about it. And we all know it exists, yet no one actually talks about it. (And no, griping about your family drama during the car ride doesn't count as "talking" about it.) We all acknowledge that there is some truth to the ridiculous Griswald family drama in the famous National Lampoon movies, yet we never admit that we experience similar dread when it comes to interacting with our family at the holidays. What's more, we never say we've had enough, and we are going to do something about it.
For about 360 days out of the year, we spend our days with people of our choosing. We share our lives with those who build us up, love us, and know us best. And we, in return, do the same for them. We spend casuals weekends together. We share over home-cooked meals or fun nights out. We laugh and cry together. We learn each others' likes and dislikes, hurts and hopes. And, most importantly, we never stop working on these relationships. We spend time, energy, and effort to go deeper, love harder and get closer.
Yet more often than not, we work really hard on our personal relationships (ie our spouse, our kids, and our friends), but we check all effort at the door when we go around extended family because, after all, they are family no matter what so they just have to accept us as we are.
We show up for obligatory holiday dinners and parties, put in our time while sharing as little of ourselves with the group as possible, then leave at the first chance we get, grumbling about each and every person there on the drive home.
Ahh… Now that's how I want to spend my holidays!
I know it doesn't have to be this way, though, and I'm ready to break the tradition of grumbling and obligation. Here's how:
1. Treat your friends like family – Why do we kick our friends to the curb at the holidays? These are the people that stood by us, laughed with us and loved with us throughout the year, so shouldn't they be a part of our holiday gatherings?
2. Treat your family like friends – Conversely, why do we only spend time with our family at the holidays? If family is truly important to you, then make time to be with them all year long. Work on the relationships like you work on your friendships.
3. Make your holiday gatherings representative of who you really are, who you really love and loves you, and who you are actually close to. Maybe it's a combination of friends and family. Maybe it's just friends. Maybe it's just family. Maybe it changes from year to year. But whoever it is, make it people that contribute to the spirit of the season.
4. Be the person you want to spend time with. We all complain about people. It's ugly, but it's true. But what is truly unfortunate, is when we complain about others without ever being reflective of our own shortcomings and our own contribution to family drama. If you go to family gatherings – whether it's because you feel obligated or because you truly want to be there – be nice! Be you! Be the type of person you'd want to spend time with!
I know this doesn't apply for everyone, but I think sometimes the reason why we dread spending time with our family at the holidays is because they really don't know us. And yes, that can be partially their fault. But if that is something that really bothers you, then why not reach out…the other 11 months of the year? When was the last time you invited and extended member over, not because they "are family," but because you want to get to know them better and grow the relationship?
So what is the secret to maximizing your enjoyment while minimizing stress this season? Well, it's not easy, but it is rather simple — treat your friends like family, and your family like friends. Work just as hard on your family relationships as you do on your friendships, and make sure your friends know just how important they are to you.
Bloodline might be a fact, but that fact isn't a reason to not try. It also isn't an obligation. This life is short, and the holidays are special, so spend them with the people that show they love you all year long.
This holiday season, let's work a little harder at expressing the love, peace and joy that truly makes this time of year so special.
We celebrated yesterday with a "Friends-giving." Here are some photos from the day:


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On Saturday, June 26th, post a 500-1000 word scene of your characters being interrupted - doesn't matter what they're doing, doesn't matter what's interrupting them (end of the world, knock on the door, little voice in their head...), they just need to be interrupted.
So, here we go. This is an excerpt from my WIP, Fighting Fate. It's raw, not super well edited, and rather first-drafty. But, nonetheless, people are getting interrupted. All comments are welcome. Hope you enjoy it :)
Marcus arrived in his suite and glanced around. Of course he had maid service, but he still straightened a few pillows on the couches. He walked into his bedroom, making sure again that he had tidied it enough. He hadn't felt this nervous going to Anabelle's home. Why was he so restless now?
Finally the door to his suite opened and then shut again. He heard voices, "Is it okay now?" "Yes." "No cameras?" "No cameras."
She shoved his chest playfully, and he grabbed her hands, pulling her close. He loved the feel of her body against pressed against his, her lips against his. Pressure hit him in two solid points against his chest where she had the stones tucked inside her bra. How had he gone so many years without her embrace? He couldn't imagine—
A heavy knock beat against the door. "Marc! Get out here. Now."
She pulled away. "Is that Roger?"
He would so lay into Roger later. What could be so important as to interrupt them? And so rudely?
The knock came again, louder this time. "Marc!"
Marcus felt his nostrils flare. "Coming." He inhaled deep into his lungs before leading Anabelle out into the sitting room. "What?"
Roger and Natalie stood outside the door. Natalie said, "You are in some serious kruk right now." Roger shoved something against his chest. Marcus took it and unrolled the newspaper—tabloid, really—until he saw the cover photo.
Any guesses as to what's in the photo?


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Monthly Archives: May 2008
miss potts panders
recently watched the long awaited 'ironman' with some friends over the weekend. found it very much a typical summer blockbuster; with the requisite suave hero, sleek cars, slick stunts and hot blondes. i was happy to leave the intellectual at … Continue reading
Posted in opinion pieces Leave a comment


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Kentucky Arts Council Newsroom
2018 Quarter 3 Press Releases
Below you will find a list of archived press releases. Click on the title to view the full text of the press release.
Arts Council Traveling Exhibit to Highlight Artwork by Military Veterans
Sept. 18, 2018
Military veterans may have put down their rifles, but the Kentucky Arts Council is asking them to pick up their brushes, pencils and other art tools to participate in an exhibit that features and honors their service.
Kentucky Arts Council Board to Meet Sept. 21 in Maysville
Sept. 14, 2018
The Kentucky Arts Council third quarter board meeting will be 12:30-2:30 p.m., Sept. 21 at the Cox Building Ballroom, 2 E. Third St. in Maysville.
Arts Council Presents Folk and Traditional Arts Area at Waveland Art Fair
Aug. 29, 2018
The Kentucky Arts Council will partner with Waveland State Historic Site in September, bringing folk and traditional artists to the Waveland Art Fair in Lexington.
Arts Council Accepting Nominations for Kentucky Poet Laureate
Aug. 28, 2018
The Kentucky Arts Council is accepting nominations for Kentucky Poet Laureate. The next poet laureate will serve for two years starting in 2019, succeeding current Kentucky Poet Laureate Frederick Smock, who has served since 2017.
Kentucky Arts Council Honors Artists with Al Smith Fellowships, Emerging Artist Awards
July 25, 2018
Sixteen Kentucky artists have been awarded $7,500 Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowships from the Kentucky Arts Council for exemplifying excellence in their respective creative disciplines.
Four Master Artists Earn Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grants
July 19, 2018
Four Kentucky master artists have been awarded Folk and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grants from the Kentucky Arts Council.
Four Americana Music Acts Added to Performing Artists Directory
July 11, 2018
JoAnna Oldfield and James Moore practiced together for about two years before starting to perform live in May 2016. That perseverance paid off for the Americana duo, known as JOANNA~JAMES, as they became one of four Americana music acts adjudicated into the Kentucky Arts Council's Performing Artists Directory.
Kentucky Arts Council Cosponsoring Second Annual Artists Thrive Summit in Berea
July 10, 2018
The Kentucky Arts Council, along with the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation and the AIR Institute of Berea College, will present the second annual Artists Thrive Summit, July 31-Aug. 3, in Berea.
Page Last updated: July 15, 2019
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Michael Francis, conductor
Joshua Bell, violin
ELGAR In the South (Alassio)
BRUCH Violin Concerto No. 1
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS A London Symphony (Symphony No. 2)
Critically-acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell takes the stage for Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, a work displaying passionate technical bravado.
Presented by The Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation
The 2018/2019 Classical Series is presented by
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra718 N. Grand Blvd.St. Louis, MO 63103


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Internet leads Fagin home
For a woman whose job it is to help businesses draw customers to a Web site, it took Shelly Fagin awhile to search and find her own home page. Fagin, owner of Hayloft Media, grew up in Burlington and was raised by her grandparents, Jack and Beverly Myers. (2 hours ago)
Hayloft Media, Job, Shelly, Shelly Fagin, Woman