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Introduction Top 5 WordPress Themes
Over the previous ten decades, I have used a great deal of different WordPress themes and have been really disappointed. Up until recently, I was utilizing MyThemeShop, which was pretty excellent. However, I had to perform a lot of customization to allow it to perform and operate how I needed it to. A few weeks ago I decided to provide GeneratePress a try, and let me just say, it's by far the best WordPress theme I have found in a decade . I had been dismissed and am now moving all my sites to GeneratePress. I will enter exactly why in my comprehensive GeneratePress review below. And if you are wondering, yes I've tried Genesis, Astra, OceanWP, Avada, X motif, Divi as well as many other lightweight and heavier multi-purpose themes. Top 5 WordPress Themes
To Begin, Click here to download GeneratePress.
GeneratePress Review
GeneratePress is a totally free WordPress theme created by Tom Usborne, a developer from Canada. I have actually seen it for years in the WordPress repository. Most of you realize that I am fairly picky when it comes to web performance, so I have a tendency to ignore everything from the repository. Typically because a lot of stuff on there isn't that great, or not encouraged for long. Nonetheless, in this case, that was a mistake. The motif now has over half a million downloads, 80,000+ busy installs, with over 500 5-star evaluations. So clearly Tom is doing some thing right here.
I Actually set up the free version of the motif and in a matter of 15 minutes bought the premium version. I could tell right off the bat, the developer was thinking exactly how I was envisioning a theme should get the job done. And I'll go into that more below, but let us first look at a number of the features. I will be covering the premium edition of the theme, because it's worth very penny. Actually, Tom, in the event that you ever read this and are seeing Scottsdale, Arizona, coffees on me.
Super lightweight and fast. Modular design allowing you to enable/disable things you do not need running. This is only one of the biggest reasons I love GeneratePress.
Responsive, looks fantastic across all devices.
Schema built-in, for greater results in SERPs.
Dramatic integration with all the WordPress Customizer. I haven't been a lover of the customizer previously, but Tom does it right.
Compatible with all popular plugins, Yoast SEO, WooCommerce, EDD, BuddyPress, bbPress, and WPML. Great browser support back to IE8.
It also works great with the popular fast-growing Elementor page builder. If you want to dive into even more customizations, these are a terrific combo. I have also read that individuals using Beaver Builder have had success.
Translation ready.
Font awesome built-in.
Tons of hooks and filters that make it great for developers.
Excellent active support from the programmer. Normally, 3 updates per month.
The Documentation is also unbelievable. Besides have good documentation on their site, the subject has existed long enough that what I Googled during the setup procedure was found inside a few seconds from their forum.
Diving Into GeneratePress
Now it's Time for the fun part! I test a brand new theme right from the box with no customizations to see how quickly the foundation is. This tells me a lot of what I can expect by the time I add everything for this. Running the stock GeneratePress WordPress theme on Kinsta hosting clocked in at a whopping 265 ms loading time. I was quite impressed.
One Thing I was worried about with GeneratePress was that the modular design was going to produce a whole lot of big files, but that is not the case. You can tell that Tom literally worked hard on ensuring that every record packed in GeneratePress is as little as possible. Together with HTTP/2, the number of documents is not as significant. But the dimensions is! Have a peek at a few of the center GeneratePress files under:
/generatepress/css/unsemantic-grid. min.css 2.9 KB
/generatepress/style. css 7.1 KB
/generatepress/css/mobile. min.css 1.6 KB
/generatepress/js/navigation. min.js 1.1 KB
/generatepress/js/dropdown. min.js 1.5 KB
That is a developer that cares about performance! And I have Seen exactly the same during all the premium add-ons. They are as small as you can possibly get them. In reality, Font Awesome is probably the largest file contained. And that is not even his. Together with Font Awesome 5 arriving round the cornerwe can anticipate that to get smaller too.
The premium add-ons Are setup in what I would call a modular layout. You can activate/deactivate anything you are not using to ensure they don't load on your website. Since the co-developer of the perfmatters plugin which has a script manager built-in, I felt at home for this. Everything ought to be designed this way.
If You're interested, I am using the next add-ons on this site:
Page Header
No Child Theme Needed
One of The best features of GeneratePress is that I no more have to use a young child motif . This makes my life so much simpler. No longer editing my functions.php or header.php documents. I will literally upgrade my GeneratePress theme this very minute rather than lose a single customization. The hooks add-on certainly can help make this possible. It permits you to add custom code/PHP everywhere throughout your WordPress site. Top 5 WordPress Themes
Other Things I Love About GeneratePress
On every Page/post you have a great deal of options. You can change the sidebar layout and the footer widgets.
You Can quickly swap a page involving the default to a complete width page, in addition to disable components.
The WordPress customizer options is really where GeneratePress really shines! Bear in mind, lots of these choices are permitted from the premium add-ons. I can not show you everything, otherwise, we would be here all day. But allow me to show you couple which really come in handy.
Responsive Columns
Another Plugin I highly suggest grabbing is your free Lightweight Grid Columns. Not to my surprise, this is also created by precisely the same programmer as GeneratePress. It enables you a super simple way to incorporate responsive columns into any page or article. Features include:
Desktop grid thickness
Tablet grid width
Mobile grid width
Insert Customized courses
Insert custom inline styles
Equal height columns
This is An example below:
You May Want to Also grab his amazing WP Show Posts plugin also. See my featured posts on the sidebar of this website? That is using the WP Display Posts plugin. I have it set to display posts from a specific"featured" category. You might also have it show last modified/updated posts, recent articles, etc.. I am using the free version and it works great.
To Get started, Click here to download GeneratePress.
Sections Add-on
The Sections add-on in the premium edition of GeneratePress allows you to perform all sorts of things concerning design. Consider it like a page builder with no bloat. GeneratePress is certainly not only for blogs! I'm in reality utilizing GeneratePress to our ecommerce site (perfmatters.io) that is operating Easy Digital Downloads. Feel free to check it out. But as you can see below, it looks nothing like a blog.
Speed Tests
For all those Of those who are regular readers, you probably didn't even notice that I changed the whole motif that forces woorkup.com. It just took me about an hour for GeneratePress to mimic my MyThemeShop motif that I had spent a year customizing. Here is a comparison below.
woorkup.com Old MyThemeShop Theme
My older MyThemeShop motif was pretty fast, but I spent a lot of time customizing it. In reality, I've gotten a great deal of emails from you guys asking me to publish all my customizations. My advice today is, just get GeneratePress!
woorkup.com New GeneratePress Theme
With the New GeneratePress theme I was able to attain faster speeds and 600 fewer lines of code! And keep in mind, I do not have a kid theme. Each of the customizations were created using the awesome GP hooks and snippets plugin (both CSS and PHP).
Like the WordPress theme I've working on woorkup? You're in luck. Tom asked if he can make a copy of woorkup for the new GeneratePress site library. I'm happy to allow you to know that you can now install my woorkup motif on your GeneratePress website with only a single click! It's known as the Marketer theme. Get started with a great blog design immediately.
brianjackson.io Old Array Theme's Theme
Additionally, I Moved over my private website, brianjackson.io, to GeneratePress. Previously I was using a theme from Array Themes. It's a fairly basic minimal site, since I do not use it for much. Since you can see it loaded pretty fast.
brianjackson.io New GeneratePress Theme
I had been Able to duplicate the whole look 100 percent in GeneratePress in under one hour. And since you can view it loads even faster! Amazing. I was even able to get rid of a few plugins that weren't needed due to GP.
forgemedia.io Old Array Theme's Theme
Additionally, I Moved over our organization site, forgemedia.io, to GeneratePress. Previously I was using a theme from Array Themes. It is a fairly basic minimum website, as we simply use it for our LLC. Since you can see it already loaded pretty fast. Top 5 WordPress Themes
forgemedia.io New GeneratePress Theme
I had been Able to move everything over and get it looking just how I needed it in under one hour. And as you can view it loads faster! Amazing. I managed to get rid of a total of four plugins and it dropped my whole page weight 2x!
I can't express my Excitement about locating GeneratePress and I'm moving over all my websites for this (which comprises some EDD e-commerce websites ). Once I have my 9 websites all running in GP with no child topics, my entire life is going to be a breeze! The developer has revived my faith in multi-purpose themes, which when done the correct way, can actually perform quicker.
And The best thing is, I finally have a billion more choices to choose from than I did before.
What GeneratePress Is Good For…
GeneratePress Is the ideal alternative for performance-focused users who want to be able to personalize and control precisely how their site looks.
You Can make GeneratePress do pretty much anything. And because GeneratePress has a focus on performance, the site that you build will have a fantastic base to make it load quickly.
Since Of that, people who assemble WordPress sites for a living love GeneratePress. They'll typically pair it with a WordPress page builder and use it for literally any type of website.
But GeneratePress Might Not Be A Fantastic Fit If…
…you Want something that will instantly look perfect from the box.
For Example, if you realize you want to produce a style blog, you may be happier picking out a market theme that's developed exclusively for trend bloggers.
While GeneratePress is becoming a lot easier to use, thanks to its pre-built Site Library, GeneratePress still seems very barebones when you initially install it.
So To make GeneratePress look how you want it to, you will almost certainly will need to go in and personalize matters. And while the significant benefit of GeneratePress is how customizable it is, many users, especially casual users, do not like having to make those changes .
GeneratePress Features That Make It Unique
Here Are some of the particular characteristics that clarify why GeneratePress is so common.
Lots Of Customization Options From The Real-Time WordPress Customizer
Beyond Functionality, another place where GeneratePress does well is its customization options.
GeneratePress Uses the WordPress Customizer for customization, which can be convenient as you'll be able to see all the changes that you create in real time.
The Free variant of GeneratePress provides you decent possibilities, but if you own GeneratePress Premium, you will have the ability to customize pretty much all about your site.
For Example, if you go in the Layout area, you can configure comprehensive settings for your:
- Header — you can move your header round and change its styling
- Navigation — GeneratePress gives you two different navigation options, including sticky menus
- Sidebar layout — you can utilize one or two sidebars
- Blog post design — such as featured image dimensions, metadata, etc..
- Footer layout — just like how many widgets to include
Similarly, That the Typography place lets you control the font to get every single element on your website, including buttons:
And You also get a detailed region to control the color of each and every element on your site.
All Whatsoever, GeneratePress will give you a lot more customization choices from the WordPress Customizer compared to most other topics. This level of detail may be a little overwhelming if you're a newcomer. But as soon as you understand how the preferences come together, you'll have complete control on how your site appears.
Optimized Performance And Fast Page Load Times
Around All of its features, GeneratePress consistently has a focus on exceptional performance and clean code. The entire theme is less than 30 kB, which is about as little as you are ever going to find for a WordPress theme. Even most other optimized WordPress topics are still 200+ kB. And some poorly coded themes can even surpass 1 MB!
GeneratePress Also does not have any code dependencies, which helps you avoid the render obstructing error that Google Pagespeed Insights often cites.
Put That together, and you obtain a superfast-loading theme. How quickly? To give you a sense, I ran a little test.
First, I set up an empty website using a haphazard popular WordPress.org theme (Envo Magazine). After testing its functionality with Pingdom, it
- Had a performance tier of 77
- Loaded in 1.05 seconds
- Had a page size of 243.9 kB
- Had 15 requests
That is Not bad in any way! However, GeneratePress can perform.
Next, I triggered GeneratePress on the exact same test website without altering anything else. Here's how GeneratePress did:
- Had a performance tier of 87, 10 points greater
- Loaded in 666 ms, ~37% quicker
- Had a page size of 26.8 kB, ~90% smaller
- Had 9 asks, ~40% fewer
If You do that same test with different themes, you are going to continue to see that GeneratePress is one of the fastest-loading WordPress topics in existence. Top 5 WordPress Themes
Other Helpful Premium Extensions, Plus A Modular Approach
Past Giving you more style controls in the WordPress Customizer, GeneratePress Premium comes with a lot of other useful features such as:
- Elements — a exceptional feature that allows you create custom hooks, page headers, or layout templates.
- Page Header — allows you create a exceptional page header onto a per-page basis.
- Sections — that is sort of like lightweight page building. It permits you to create separate"sections" on a webpage, each with their own layout and column preferences.
To Stay lightweight, GeneratePress also gives you a modular interface where you could pick and choose what characteristics you want to trigger.
That Way, you don't need to slow down your site for a feature which you'll never use.
Pre-Made Starter Sites Make It Easier To Design Your Website
In The last, you needed to construct GeneratePress websites from a blank canvas regardless of what, which made the motif difficult for casual users to install.
Earlier In 2018, though, the programmer added a new Website Library attribute for GeneratePress Premium users which allows you easily import any among the 25+ pre-built demo sites.
You Can import them directly from your WordPress dashboard.
Yes — this Website still uses GeneratePress! All I did was click a couple buttons to import a presentation site.
Page-Level Settings Provide You Comprehensive Control Over Each Bit Of Content
With Most topics, every page and post will use the very same settings for the most part. You might have some custom formats or templates — however you don't have very much control past that.
GeneratePress Changes that by giving you a new Layout meta box for every single post and page:
You Can use this meta box to:
- Change the number of sidebars your site uses, or the sidebar orientation (such as altering the sidebar from right to left)
- Choose how many footer widgets to use
- Disable certain elements, such as your header, navigation menu, article featured picture, post title, or footer
- Produce a special"container" for your page builder
Where These controls are the most useful is if you're using a WordPress site builder.
By Disabling certain components, you're in a position to create the proper baseline for your page builder layout, making it easy to create custom articles as needed. Top 5 WordPress Themes
GeneratePress Replies: Cheap And Works On Unlimited Sites
The Heart GeneratePress motif is available for free at WordPress.org.
Nevertheless, If you're serious about using GeneratePress, I believe you need to buy the GeneratePress Premium plugin, as that is what produces the theme so elastic. The free version doesn't give you nearly as numerous settings in the WordPress Customizer. And you'll also miss out on the premade Site Library.
GeneratePress Premium can be still quite affordable. It costs just $39.95, which provides you use on infinite sites. You will also get a 40% discount if you want to renew to continue receiving support and updates after the initial year (you can, of course, keep using GeneratePress following the first year without renewing — you won't get any more upgrades ).
When You consider that the typical premium WordPress theme will usually cost around $60, GeneratePress offers a great value.
As I said, I don't believe GeneratePress is for everybody.
If You desire a niche-specific motif, you can probably save time by purchasing a theme that satisfies your needs for your niche out of day one.
However, If you are ready to spend some time altering preferences, then GeneratePress' mode controls give you the flexibility to turn it into any sort of WordPress website. Or, you might even have the ability to find a starter website that fits your needs to save a little time.
Additionally, It is among those fastest-loading WordPress themes you will find. So if you're seeking the best performance possible, using GeneratePress as your WordPress site's foundation is a great choice.
If You blend it with fast-loading hosting, so you shouldn't have any problem making your website load in under one minute. Top 5 WordPress Themes
To Get started, Click here to download GeneratePress.


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Hi there! While the galleries presented here are a wonderful way to explore my works, you may also enjoy other methods - such as using the SEARCH tool in the upper right (showing the text "search for photos") for a particular subject, an image number (if you have one of my images), or a color. Searching by color (purple, pink, orange, brown, red, yellow, green, blue, white, and black) will return a smorgasbord of images combed from my entire website, allowing you to experience a different cross section of my collection with each color.
Other special subjects to try are: eye, berries, reflections, droplets, frost, seashore, rocks, and bokeh. Birders will enjoy trying these keywords: flight, feeding, and tongue.
Note that ,when you hover over a thumbnail image, it enlarges a bit to its full crop shape; if you click on that image again, it enlarges to fill the screen! Have fun exploring!
Lastly, if you have any questions, feel free to click on the "Contact" button to send me a query, whether about my Workshops, custom prints, or notecards.

subset: commoncrawl


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Faith-Based Community
Green Hills Community is a faith-based community that is supported by many churches of various demoninations. The core of 12 churches are in the West Liberty while a total of 24 churches take turns in offering worship services on Sundays in Foundation Hall. See the Activity calendar to learn which church is offering the service on a given Sunday.
The pastors of these churches along with two members of their congregation comprise a Council of Advisors. This Council and sponsoring churches promote Green Hills in the following ways:
- Support its mission and philosophy
- Assist with meeting the spiritual needs of Green Hills' residents, clients, and children by providing leadership with worship services, bible study and one-on-one visits
- Take advantage of volunteer opportunities
- Financially support Green Hills and its Pastoral Care program
- Be a leader in representing Green Hills to the community
Green Hills Sponsoring Churches
Pastor Dave Maurer, Bethel Mennonite Church
Church of God - West Liberty
Pastor Wayne Downing, Goshen Friends Church
Pastor Josh Gelatt, Grace Chapel Church - West Liberty
Pastor Floyd Lundy, McKee's Creek Chapel
Pastor Jereme Proudman, Mt. Carmel Evangelical Friends Church
Pastor Dick Barrett, Oak Grove Mennonite Church
Sunday Supply Pastors, Presbyterian Church USA - West Liberty
Pastor Matt Williams, South Union Mennonite Church
Pastor Paul Forrey, United Church of Christ - West Liberty
Pastor David Brown, Kingscreek United Methodist Church
Pastor Lee Orton, West Liberty United Methodist Church
We are blessed to have a Chaplain on staff providing for emotional and spiritual needs. Our Chaplain leads and provides:
- Spiritual care with one-on-one visits to residents and ministry to their families
- Worship leadership for weekly chapel services, biannual memorial services, and community Thanksgiving Eve and Good Friday services.
- Presence and reflection at Care conferences and personal prayer ministry for residents and staff.
- Formal and informal Bible studies and small-group faith-issue discussions
- Coordination of worship services provided by local pastors and congregations
- Participation on Council of Advisors and the West Liberty and Bellefontaine ministerial associations
Please use this link to understand the "Not-For-Profit Difference" and why Green Hills Community is proud to be part of that tradition.
Staff Contacts
Mike Ray, President/CEO


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As a hunter, we humans have long recognized that there are many delicious meats out there. From the tiny quail and rabbit to the medium sized goats, venison and beef cattle to giant bison and water buffalo.
Just a few generations ago wild game was the largest part of the average American diet. We lost this vital connection to the land, as the move to city living meant relying on corporately owned factory farms. Domesticated and easily produced choices for meat selections quickly became limited to beef, pork and chicken.
Fortunately, there is a renewed and growing interest in wild game birds and animals. Educated "locavores" and true gourmands alike are demanding more choices, especially in regions suited for raising delectable and indigenous game.
For the past twenty-five years, Nicky Farms has been bringing this assortment of meats to fine dining restaurants and select markets in the Northwest. As a butcher and purveyor of specialty game and high quality meats, Nicky Farms strives to support local ranchers and growers while providing high quality, sustainable and locally raised meats.
Bringing chefs and epicureans authentically American meats is Nicky Farms's goal. Rabbit, quail, fallow venison, Northwest elk, water buffalo, emu, bison and soon chicken are just some of the offerings Nicky Farms has coming from its own farm plus a group of family-owned, sustainable farms and ranches across the Northwest.
On Nicky Farms's own 36-acre farm in Aurora, Oregon and on the partner ranches and farms, the animals are born and butchered in one place. This results in not only the best humane practices, but the finest natural game birds and meats of exceptional flavor. The non-gamy flavor profile of these farm-raised specialty meats comes by allowing the animals to graze stress free and harvesting gently.
Always being on the lookout for new taste temptations, Nicky is introducing a unique, wild and delicious product from the Hawaiian Islands: Wild Hawaiian Venison. Working with partners on the islands, Nicky is now able to supply Nui Venison.
The Nui Venison comes from Axis Deer, which were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the late 1800's by King Kamehameha V from India. Hawaii's wild population is now more than 100,000 on Moloka'I, Lan'I and Maui. Unfortunately the deer, as a non-native species, are causing a host of ecological problems on the islands. Harvesting the wild deer not only provides a great source of game meat, but also helps protect native Hawaiian plants and wildlife from possible extinction. The largest of the tropical deer species, Axis Deer have evolved in Hawaii without the stresses of seasons, migrations and predators—the result being less than 1% intra-muscular fat and a subtle and full-flavored taste.
Nicky Farms products are available from Eugene to Seattle at New Seasons Markets, Barbur World Foods, Zupans Markets, Fitts Seafood, Central Co-op, Don & Joe's, Metropolitan Market, Olympia Local, Paris Grocery, Rainshadow Meats and more.
Come get a taste of the wild with Nicky Farms at the Seattle Wine and Food Experience, Sunday February 21st. Chef John Sundstrom of Lark and Bitter/Raw along with Januik Winery's Chef Seth Fernald and Sous Chef Jeff Zanatta will be dishing up Caribbean-inspired goat and wild Hawaiian venison.


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boot up
Ok, a lot of answers are rejected
Check the memory, make sure it is properly seated also some card is properly inserted to the expansion card?
Hard drive should properly connected?
Now if the BIOS display,,,those you mentioned try to enter and make some changes to the setting that you know, But if you don't know some parameters in the BIOS look for the manual
boot up
Have you checked the jumpers on the hard drive?
I have seen systems lock just after hardware detection if the hard drive was set for master instead of single.
Double check the orientation of the floppy cable too.
boot up
Ihave now solved this problem , I have bought a new motherboard. Thanks to all who submitted their suggestions.


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The very nice people at Link of London are holding the BEST competition!
Touring around the UK over the next few weeks they are holding gnome hunts, yep you get to run around like a maniac in your city to find the gnome, if you do you can win a free Links of London Friendship bracelet worth £105.
The Manchester gnome hunt was last Saturday, and after following the clues left on twitter there was a group of us congregating at MOSI. After half an hour of frantic searching we found the gnome in the gift shop, and posed for our photos, then it was a mini-marathon run to the shop to collect our treasure!
My mum and I both got the double wrap bracelets, two of my friends got the black same as me and my other friend got a single one with black and copper thread, to be honest they were all stunning it was hard to choose!! There was around 25 of us in the big group and it was great to meet everyone, especially a great group who had come all the way from Glasgow!
The hunt is on in Dublin this weekend, then Glasgow, Birmingham and London, and finally an online version so everyone gets a chance.
Thanks Links it was a fun event!


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Hello, everyone!
So, I have a hobby of pretty much going on Icon-sprees and collecting icons any and everywhere i can get them from. It's pretty much a collecting thing for me, and since I have so many I figured I'd share some of the icons i've accumulated with members from TheColorless!
You can view and download any icon you find here in my dropbox folder. I've gotten them from places such as DreamWidth, LiveJournal, Tumblr, and Photobucket. Each folder is organized and named according to series and character, though some of them are mixed characters from the same series.
If you're too lazy to go out and find some icons, this is the place for you! If you'd like to request for me to go out and find some icons for you, ask me here in this thread or send me a PM and then i'll upload the character or series into a folder for everyone to share!
(seriously, i love going around and gathering icons, just tell me what you want lol)
To check out the dropbox folder, head on down and browse around!
WARNING!!! Some icons may contain spoilers!
Some clarification! Icons, or avatars, are images people use online for instant messaging, forums, profiles, blogs, galleries, and many other things! However, icons are also the images that your computer uses for folders and programs (My Computer, Photoshop, Documents, etc...). Both use the same name but they are very different.
Desktop Icons and Icon Sets will be in the "Desktop Icons" folder, and personal use icons will be in the "Avatars" folder.


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The Most Important Blog I Will Ever Write…….Please Read This and Pass On If You Feel You can
May 25, 2007 -
John Heald
I have been saddened the last two weeks as have many people by the news about a little four-year-old girl named Madeleine.
Madeleine was abducted while on holiday in Portugal. She is somewhere in the world . Somewhere, somebody has her. It could be the town, village, city or street where you live. The web site below has been set up by Madeleine's brave but distraught parents. There is a reward of more than $2.5 million for any news leading to her whereabouts.
This web site has been read by 75 million people from all over the world. Someone, somewhere knows where she is. Here is the address to the website: http://bringmadeleinehome.com/
This blog has 275,000 hits and has thousands of readers a day from all over the world. I thought, therefore, that I should pass this on to you all. Please visit the site .Who knows? One of us may have seen her……………………………….we can but pray.


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BW: Hi, Ann Marie. We're excited to have you here as part of your Blog Tour for Up In the Air. Hope you are having a great day.
AMM: I am thrilled to be here as well Berk and Andy. Thank you so much for having me.
BW: This is a particularly special day because it is also the official release date of Up in the Air. We love parties and have looked forward to personally wishing you HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!
AMM: Yay! Another birthday to celebrate every year. That leaves me smiling.
BW: We've got to say we've read the book and think it has all the markings of a classic.
AMM : I'm speechless. Thank you! I am so glad you enjoyed reading Up In the Air. It's a book that's very close to my heart.
BW: Up In the Air is a magical fantasy on many levels. As part of your visit today, would you share your ideas on what makes good fantasy?
AMM: I'd love to.
What Makes Good Fantasy
In a sense, what makes good fantasy goes hand in hand with what makes a good story, except there is the added element of an invented world that form the soul, heart and backbone for the events of the story.
Fantasy can take you anywhere and everywhere. It is wide open to whatever the mind can imagine. Yet within an invented world, there have to be rules. Anything can happen, true, but the events should not be arbitrary. The boundaries, as with any book, are what help to create tension and drama.
That said, a book of fantasy should strive to be original enough that it stands out from all the other novels of the same genre. This can be a challenge given the hundreds of fantasy books on the market. But originality can take many forms, from approach to plot, and it's up to the individual author to find it.
Whatever choice is made, fantasy books should snag readers and pull them into their make-believe world, where readers will want to go willingly and happily, to be entertained and taken for the ride of their lives.
However, a book of fantasy in and of itself, isn't enough. Definitely, the more an author knows the world he is creating, the stronger and more 'realistic' the story will be. However, good fantasy cannot exist without what most good stories have:
1. A character (or characters) the reader can connect with and care about
2. Something must be at stake
3. The greater the conflict, the greater the tension, the more intriguing the story
4. Of course, basic elements of style, tone, tension, drama, pace, etc. must come into play
5. And all the above must blend in seamlessly with the world of the fantasy created.
Of the five points I mentioned above, characterization, to me, is the most crucial. A strong character can keep a reader's attention even if there are flaws in a story, because once readers connect with the character(s), a relationship is established, emotional connections are made, and readers become vested in the character's journey. They want to see how their newfound 'buddies' will get out of the mess they've gotten themselves into.
And here is where the fantasy world can step in and establish itself as King and/or Queen. The elements of the invented world can then shape the options at the disposal of the character(s). Beware though that characters, as all writers know, love to take the lead and shape the world they are placed in for their own ends.
So, the way I see it, good fantasy all boils down to strong, likeable characters; a world that fascinates and intrigues; conflict, and a story into which readers can lose themselves and suspend disbelief for a few hours of immeasurable joy and fascination.
So, the way I see it, good fantasy all boils down to strong, likeable characters; a world that fascinates and intrigues; conflict, and a story into which readers can lose themselves and suspend disbelief for a few hours of immeasurable joy and fascination.
BW: Thank you, Anne Marie. Now, if anyone is wondering what WE think of Up In the Air, hop over to OUR REVIEW. Be sure to check out the GIVEAWAY below!
Here is where you can get Up In the Air:
BW: Now comes the part where we get to brag a bit about Up In the Air and Ann Marie Meyers.
Meet Ann Marie:
ANN MARIE MEYERS grew up in Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies. She has a degree in languages and translates legal and technical documents from French and Spanish into English. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and energetic daughter. Meyers is an active member of SCBWI and facilitates a children's writing group twice a month.
Find Ann Marie online at:
The official synopsis from the publisher:
Ever since she can remember, ten-year-old Melody has always wanted to fly.
And when she leaps off a swing in the park one day and lands in the mystical realm of Chimeroan, her dream finally comes true. She is given a pair of wings. She can fly! Life cannot be any better.
Yet, dreams do come with a price. Even with wings, Melody realizes she cannot outfly the memories of her past. The car accident that has left her father paralyzed, and her unscarred, still plagues her with guilt— she believes that it was entirely her fault.
In Chimeroan, Melody is forced to come to terms with her part in her father's accident. She must choose between the two things that have become the world to her: keeping her wings or healing her father.
Praises for Up In the Air
"Although Up in the Air is an easy read aimed at young readers, it is a story that will enthrall even the most serious of adults. What begins as a seemingly hopeless story takes us up and over and into the place where our deepest desires lie waiting. Chimeroan gives Melody (the main character) and the reader a sense of new hope by reminding us all what it is to dream, and what can happen if you just trust and follow your dreams to their fullest potential. The hopeful message that Up in the Air gives the reader—entwined beautifully with fairies, dragons, witches and the like—is one that is clearly relevant and indeed necessary today."—Dawna Joy Whitman, actor and playwright, Life as a Pomegranate, The Hush Baby, Containers
"Full of adventure and fun characters, I would recommend this to anyone wanting to fulfill their dreams. Or even to those who wish to guide someone on their way. A great all around book."—Casey, Goodreads First Reads reviewer
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Have you ever felt a situation in your life was impossible? That God was asking way too much from you? This has been a constant theme in my life the past year, as the Lord has led our family to do things that have not been easy and at times in fact seemed impossible.
In my quiet time the other day I read the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. I always loved this story as a child and can still remember singing about the five loaves and two fish. I was amazed at how Jesus could take such a small amount of food and feed the thousands, mesmerized by His greatness. As an adult I still stand amazed but was struck more by what the Lord was asking His disciples to do.
Jesus and His disciples have been ministering all day to a large crowd and it is now nearing dark thirty. The disciples are ready to call it a day and want Jesus to dismiss everyone so they can all go on their own way. Jesus however, sees a great opportunity to teach the disciples yet another lesson. Instead of sending the people home, Jesus tells the disciples they should get food to feed all the people. As the disciples look around at the humongous crowd, they shake their heads in wonderment. How can they ever feed this many people.
Jesus has asked them to do something that is impossible. How can they mere men, feed everyone. They do not have the money or resources needed. I'm sure they are scratching their heads and whispering to one another about this seemingly crazy request. Jesus knowing their thoughts, was setting them up if you will, so that His glory could be declared not only to the thousands but more importantly to the twelve.
I've noticed this is the same approach the Lord uses in my life as well. Asking me to do that which is impossible. I fret and worry trying to figure it out, until finally I throw my hands in the air declaring that He will just have to do it, because I surely can't. Bingo, He has me just where He wants me. For this is where He steps in and shows His glory and declares His greatness.
As the disciples passed out the food, it just kept coming. Never seeming to run out. In fact, there was so much that they had leftovers for later. Amazing! I'm learning that I must never underestimate my Lord. That which is impossible for me, is simple or easy peasy as my daughter would say for Jesus. And as He steps in to save the day, He doesn't just do the impossible, He does it in a way that declares His glory and exalts His name. The Lord goes above and beyond what I could ever possibly come up with or imagine. Teaching me once more that He is faithful and I can trust Him.
Yea, if Jesus can feed 5,000 with five loaves and two fish, there surely is nothing He can not do. Whew, what a relief to know that what seems too much for me is a cake walk for Him.


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His mercies are new!
What a wonderful fact!! To wake up each morning knowing that His mercies are new, every single day! This morning as I laid my heart before my Father, I thanked Him for His unfailing love, His grace and mercy. There…
Mary Roth
"The One who calls you is faithful , and he will do it" (I Thessalonians 5:24)


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Let the children enjoy their experiences as children forming a group. Let adults for being busy without all the fun that has passed. Setting up a secret base, doing some challenges, going around the city, and using imagination. Adults cannot understand. It just sad when millennial kids, some of it, never do things like this again. It's just an irony when they see it. Kids who prefer watching adult movies and adults who prefer watching cartoons.
Well, "
This is just one of those shows, the show that you don't need a deep analysis to understand this anime. Or else? There isn't much I can explain in this anime. This is just about being in childhood. A phase where children are so active when doing kind of activities. Doing nothing is their enemy and therefore, these children have a mission to protect their hometown whatever the cost. Cute anime doing cute things type of anime "usually" always used a young cute pretty mature characters. "
So, this is more like kids doing kids things instead of cute girls. However, I'll not drop the "cute" word itself. This show is just a charming way to get rid of it. Various kinds of things done by them: Yui, Sacchan, and Kotoha. It's really interesting to be able to watch it. There are not many supporting characters who also fill various acts of humor from these children. Sometimes, they all act or at least participate in the game. So, this can still consider as outside the limits. So, don't worry.
The art and animation are decent. Not too special in this regardless of the art deserves what shown in this anime. It's bright, clean, colorful, and great choosing colors. They are perfect for cute anime like this. It's just we want to forget anything. With a variety of cute designs by the three kids, there is nothing to compare. Silver Link works very well with this anime.
The soundtrack, like the animation itself, is decent. Nothing to compare it. It's just an upbeat style with a pleasant soundtrack. You never regret anything and makes a rainbow in your imagination. The opening and ending theme songs are full of peace and happiness with childish lyrics and things. With various voice actresses that go beyond and support everything, the jokes are always cracked so it's not wrong if this anime sometimes draws some laugh even though there are some which didn't work. But, this is just pretty well for this anime.
There are three main cute kids characters in this anime: Yui, Sacchan, and Kotoha. Yui is the leader of her two friends. Her characteristics sometimes being innocent about the things said by Sacchan who always spit out some jokes that always making a sense of wonder to Yui. Sometimes, you want to protect it because of her innocence which makes it whiny and careless about everything. Sacchan always brings on her funny jokes because she always makes some poop jokes without any reason. She is the character who continually creates her own jokes and always provides some puns such as running gags. So, this is more like
Kotoha is just a sadistic video games addict who doesn't know to play video games. Her impression is always closed but not always imitated because of her habit that pretending play video games which is not the case. She also has a distinct impression from her own character even though not much she participates in a joke. The supporting characters are just well come from nowhere where they helped and participated in the activity of these trios. Saito who's always pissed off because of the trio but always give them some fun, Daigorou who always gives them a challenge for their adventure, Nonoka by filling in the characters and running gags, and other supporting characters. This show is just a childish enjoyable anime which you would overdose because of this anime.
I watched this anime at an improper time where suddenly, there were some of the works which I must be done and always stopped to watch this anime. Even though it was like that, I watched it at the time when my mood began at the calm circumstance and didn't think too much about other things. So, I stayed focused on this show even though this anime wasn't a heavy air. It's a fresh air that seems to be in a peerless beauty environment, a peaceful country where there is no noise sound and everything that makes you annoying. "Mitsuboshi Colors" is one thing to show for kids doing things.
"Mitsuboshi Colors" is an anime with a charming comedy that is easy to keep up. It's just a decent show about cute girls doing cute things but they are innocent kids who did their adventures to keep the city peaceful. It has a happy soundtrack, happy theme songs, colorful animation, cute characters, charming, and other cute things. It's worth it and you better check it out if you like the slice of life anime or cute girls doing cute things which always attracts a charming laugh with various funny gags to enjoy.
3.5 out of 5 stars.


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Buy custom Democrats: Americans who Dislike ObamaCare are Stupid essay
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Luxury Bee Notebook
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Over at Sunset Gun, Kim Morgan has another fabulous post about the little known Marilyn Monroe gem Don't Bother to Knock. I saw it a few summers ago while in a "let's see every Marilyn Monroe movie we can get our hands on" phase.
Also starring Richard Widmark and Anne Bancroft, Knock is by turns drama, thriller, and a pinch of film noir. Monroe plays a disturbed young woman who catches the eye of pilot Jedd Towers (Widmark), who is stinging from rejection after the hotel singer (Bancroft) dumps him. Rather than the sexbomb/airhead role Monroe is known for, this movie shows what a tremendous actress she really was.
Read Ms. Morgan's piece and go rent the movie. You won't be disappointed.


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Practical and Helpful Tips: Resources
Know More About Merger & Acquisition.
The term "merger" literally means merging of two organizations into one; term "acquisition" means to takeover or something acquiring. However, despite the difference of the two terms, the two terms are sometimes combined and referred to as M&A. The concept behind this combining is a fact that the value of shareholder is above than that of the sum of two companies alone. Even if for a fact that the terms merger and acquisition are used alternatively, the two terms are still different from each other in terms of their meaning.
An acquisition means that, it is buying one organization by another. There are only two approaches in an acquisition, it can only be either a friendly approach or a harsh one. There are also times in a friendly acquisition where the executives of a company would just prefer to negotiate, however, if they are in a hostile approach, the bidder will still insist to seek it even if the company is already willing to disagree. Due to the size of companies, it has been known that the larger companies take over those smaller companies. However in some situations a smaller company might overtake the larger one and only keeping its name for the new firm which is the result of acquisition. You can call an acquisition as a reverse merger if the smaller companies overtake those bigger ones.
Mutual decision can also happen between two organizations and it is also referred as a merger since the two organizations agreed on a decision of being one. In a merger, organizations agree to be as one organization and continue as one rather than as two separate organizations. As a result the newly merged firm's stocks are issued and stocks of old companies (the stocks of two companies before merging) are surrendered. There are different types of merger that can be a result, it actually depends on the nature of the company, the type of merger includes horizontal merger, conglomerate merger and the vertical merger. A horizontal merger means that the two companies have a competition in the same product line. If two companies of different product line agreed on a merger such that there products together enhances the company's value is said to be vertical merger. Finally, you can call a merger as a conglomerate merger if the two companies have different product lines but still decides to merge with each other. It can also be called as a consolidation or a purchase merger.
Learning The "Secrets" of Finances


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Estimated retail price 2722
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If you've been stuck searching for Large Cap Growth funds, consider Buffalo Discovery Fund BUFTX as a possibility. BUFTX holds a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance.
BUFTX is part of the Large Cap Growth section, and this segment boasts an array of other possible options. Large Cap Growth mutual funds purchase stakes in numerous large U.S. companies that are expected to develop and grow at a faster rate than other large-cap stocks. Companies are usually considered to be large-cap if their market capitalization is over $10 billion.
History of Fund/Manager
BUFTX finds itself in the Buffalo Funds family, based out of Shawnee Mission, KS. Buffalo Discovery Fund made its debut in April of 2001, and since then, BUFTX has accumulated about $1.68 billion in assets, per the most up-to-date date available. A team of investment professionals is the fund's current manager.
Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. This fund in particular has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 16.16%, and is in the top third among its category peers. Investors who prefer analyzing shorter time frames should look at its 3-year annualized total return of 11.84%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame.
When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. Compared to the category average of 11.5%, the standard deviation of BUFTX over the past three years is 10.3%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 10.65% compared to the category average of 11.46%. This makes the fund less volatile than its peers over the past half-decade.
Risk Factors
One cannot ignore the volatility of this segment, however, as it is always important for investors to remember the downside to any potential investment. BUFTX lost 47.94% in the most recent bear market and outperformed its peer group by 3.4%. This means that the fund could possibly be a better choice than its peers during a down market environment.
Investors should not forget about beta, an important way to measure a mutual fund's risk compared to the market as a whole. BUFTX has a 5-year beta of 0.91, which means it is likely to be less volatile than the market average. Another factor to consider is alpha, as it reflects a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark-in this case, the S&P 500. BUFTX has generated a positive alpha over the past five years of 1.74, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns.
As competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, BUFTX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.01% compared to the category average of 1.20%. BUFTX is actually cheaper than its peers when you consider factors like cost.
While the minimum initial investment for the product is $2,500, investors should also note that each subsequent investment needs to be at least $100.
Bottom Line
Overall, Buffalo Discovery Fund has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, Buffalo Discovery Fund looks like a good potential choice for investors right now.
Want even more information about BUFTX? Then go over to Zacks.com and check out our mutual fund comparison tool, and all of the other great features that we have to help you with your mutual fund analysis for additional information. If you want to check out our stock reports as well, make sure to go to Zacks.com to see all of the great tools we have to offer, including our time-tested Zacks Rank.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.


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These silly, unfounded fears could be wreaking havoc in your home.
) Mirrors can steal your soul.
Most people have heard that a broken mirror brings seven years of bad luck, but intact reflectors are also ominous — just think of ill-fated characters like Snow White, Narcissus, and Dracula.
The legend goes that the glass can steal your soul. In fact, Victorians traditionally covered mirrors when someone died, in case the deceased's spirit gets trapped inside.
2) Evil ghosts sit in your rocking chair.
New mothers and porch sitters take note: the Irish have long believed that rocking an empty chair invites dark forces to come sit in it. If the chair moves of its own accord, that's even worse — the malicious spirit has already settled in it, and may bring death to the family.
3) Pick a door and stick with it — or else.
According to folklore from the Pacific Northwest, it's bad luck for you and your family to leave the house through a different door than the one used to enter it.
4) You can wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
The saying goes that you should get out on the same side you got in or it'll be a bad day. As for the following night, make the bed if you want to sleep well, according to an American proverb.
5) Open umbrellas insult your home's guardian spirits.
Opening a parasol indoors might bring metaphorical rain. Eighteenth century lore states that an umbrella protects against the storms of life, so opening one inside insults a home's metaphysical protectors. Of course, the practical side of this precaution is not poking anybody's eye out.
6) Don't sweep away good luck.
There's enough broom traditions to fill the entire closet, but most concur that cleaning a new home with an old broom is bad news. Either buy a new one or sweep something into the new residence first to avoid brushing away good luck.
7) Ladders have a hidden religious significance.
Christianity could be behind the hesitation to walk under ladders. The idea is that a ladder leaning against a wall creates a triangle, similar to Holy Trinity. Breaking the triangle would be blasphemous – or dangerous, as anyone who's stood on a high perch can attest.
8) Shoes on the table could lead to death.
Old mining traditions are likely behind this superstition. You see, when a miner died in a colliery accident, his shoes were placed on the table as a sign of respect. Therefore, doing so when you aren't dead was seen as tempting fate.
9) Fix any broken clocks — before they signal doom.
The grimmest prediction of all is that if a broken clock suddenly chimes, there will be a death in the family. In fact, a 19th century American preacher recorded multiple instances of these predictive rings.
10) Keep your bedroom windows shut on Nov. 1.
In Spain, people always keep their bedroom windows shut on November 1, because it is believed that the souls of the dead roam free that day, and can enter your home through windows.
11) Bells scare away hardships.
Both wedding bells and jingle bells bring smiles to peoples' faces, but an echoing gong can also prevent misfortune. Celtic culture believes that ringing a bell frightens evil spirits away.
12) Blue porches ward off ghosts.
Since Southern culture used to believe ghosts couldn't cross water, plantation homes thought if they painted their porch blue, it would confuse these spirits so they wouldn't enter their home.
13) Acorns will protect your home from lighting.
Norse superstition claims all you have to do is put one of these nuts on your windowsill to prevent your home from being struck by lighting. In fact, that's where window blind pulls with acorns first originated.
14) Hang fennel over your door to avoid witches.
It is believe that if you hang fennel over your front door, or stuff it in your keyhole, you'll keep witches away from your home.
15) And of course, knock on wood.
For those bold enough to check out their lipstick in the mirror or leave through the side door (namely, all of us), it's easy to ward off any bad karma – just knock on wood. Cultures from across the world (from Ireland to India!) have long idolized trees, and people often lay hands on them to ask for favors or show gratitude.


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And What Many Christians Will Not Tell You About Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards was a brilliant thinker, excellent in understanding Scripture in his day, as well as 17th century philosophy; indeed, I even think that his critique of nationalism is relevant in today's world. Perhaps what separates priests from prophets, however, is where they stand on the prevailing moral issues of their times; it is suffice to say, in my mind, that Jonathan Edwards falls short of the prophetic tradition and remains in the priestly class, the church of Aaron as Bonhoeffer once preached on (See Bonhoeffer's sermon: "The Church of the World and the Church of the Word."
Why? Because in spite of all of Edwards talk of political liberty, he did not believe in the freedom of the oppressed, the enslaved Africans of his day. They were treated as a group, undignified and crucified, rather than as individuals with rights that came from the Triune God. One may say, and I have read and own works such as the Trinitarian Ethics of Jonathan Edwards , that Edwards' son became a leading voice in the abolition movement. Ye, I say to thee, the son suffers from the father's sins any more (check Ezekiel 18). Each individual is judged according to her own actions. So, I would say that this logic is flawed from the outset if one uses this defense. And there cannot be any excuse, for there were Calvinist theologians who were anti-slavery, Lemuel Haynes, Nat Turner and John Brown.
One cannot consider herself appropriately Trinitarian or ethical if she neglects movements of human freedom within the history of Christianity. For our Holy and Triune God is not the apathetic Watchmaker deity of the Enlightenment or the know-nothing/do-nothing god of process thought, but the Holy One of Israel, a Liberator and Lover of all of the Living. For this reason, Edwards must remain remembered as a member of the Aaronite priesthood within Christendom, who while serving his vocation to lead the people of God to worship, he also succumbed to the congregations request to lift up the idols of RACE and MAMMON over and above the one true God.


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Groppetti Automotive Family Christmas Wishes
Groppetti Automotive Family Christmas Wishes are back! Every year, we grant Christmas Wishes to families that need extra help making Christmas happen. If you need help, this is where you can tell us why, and how you can help. You can also send a letter to:
We will start granting Christmas wishes on December 2nd, and all wishes must be RECEIVED by December 12th in order to be considered.
The Christmas Wishes contest starts on December 2, 2019 and ends on December 20, 2019. To enter online, go to www.kjug.com and complete the contest entry. In each entry form, entrants must complete Christmas Wish they are asking for. 30 entries will be chosen at random and reviewed to determine if Christmas Wish can be granted. Criteria for a wish to be granted will be: residence of entrant, as all winners must reside in the KJUG listening area, and cost of wish. Each wish granted will fall between $100 and $650. Total number of winner chosen is thirty. Total value of prizes awarded will be $7,500. Prizes are awarded as is. Prizes are not refundable or transferable. There are no substitutions or exchanges for credit for any prize at any time. Resale for any reason is strictly prohibited. If a prize-related event is unable to take place as scheduled for any reason beyond the control of KJUG including but not limited to cancellation, preemption, postponement or unavailability, due to weather or any other cause, our only responsibility to the winner(s) is to award the remaining available elements of the prize(s). No substitution or compensation will be provided as replacement for the unavailable elements. Winner and guest(s) must abide by all on site policies. Momentum Broadcasting General Contest Rules also apply and are available by clicking here.


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While conservatives may prefer flat over-the-knee boots (ehem, Olivia Palermo), some more daring stars like to take the look up a notch with height. Take the 3.1 Philip Lim Ora Over-the-Knee Boots ($975), for example, which have been spotted on celebs everywhere. Kim Kardashian wore them over jeans while strolling baby North, model Chrissy Teigen who paired them with cut-off denim shorts, and Victoria's Secret model Lily Aldridge chose black on black for her city stroll. The conclusion? Whether you have post-baby curves or you are tall and slim, these boots work for everyone and are incredibly flattering. Now that we've settled on how great they are, who wore them best? Share your vote in the comments.
Score the over-the-knee boots below.
3.1 Philip Lim Ora Over-the-Knee Boots ($975)
Don't miss out on Alessandra Ambrosio's boots, Jessica Alba's jeans and Reese Witherspoon's quilted jacket.
[Photo: Splash News]


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Giant Games
based in
- Based in LondonPrice from £441
- Price from £598
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- Based in StaffordshirePrice from £755
- Price from £503
- Price from £565
- Price from £441
- Based in NottinghamshirePrice from £692
"Ace tonnes were incredibly professional"
From the moment I was introduced to Ace Tonnes, they were incredibly professional and also upgraded the football table we ordered. They were punctual,...
"I would have no qualms in using their services again, their prices are very comp..."
Quick responses to my queries. Prompt set up and supplier very self sufficient requiring no input from me & enabling me to get on with other aspec...
Line up:
Default lineup: 1 performer
Giant Games include; Giant Operation, Giant Jenga, Giant Wii, Giant Connect Four, Giant Table Football and more!
Offering a fantastic range of giant games suitable for all ages, whether it's Giant Jenga, Giant Wii, Giant Table Football or Giant Operation, we have a giant game for everyone!
Standard Giant Games:
Safe for both children and adults to have an awesome ride without the motion sickness. Our Gyroscope can be used indoors, is an exciting additional to any event and only requires 10ft x 8ft!
Giant Jenga-
Our Giant Jenga is great fun and suitable for 2 or more players. Test your nerves as you try to stabilise the tower of blocks for yourself, but try to make it topple for everyone else. The tower gets higher with every move, building the tension. Great for all age groups!
Giant Connect 4-
Our Giant Connect 4 is an addictive game designed for 2 players. The easy rules we all know - get 4 in a row first to win!
Giant Operation-
Operating against the clock will be a real test of your surgical speed and skill! Our Giant Operation comes complete with two surgical outfits and operating light! Great earning potential for charity events or just complete your themed doctor and nurse events.
Table Football-
A great classic game fantastic as a side attraction and stand alone activity!
Giant Game Extra:
Giant Nintendo Wii
Utilising Wii Sports, our Giant Nintendo Wii has Baseball, Golf, Tennis, Boxing, Bowling & Driving Games on the system. Up to 4 players can battle it out on any of these great games!
There is no button pressing and no complicated sequences to get your heads round; all you do is the actual motion or action of the game at hand!
Our Giant Nintendo Wii comes complete with:
Trained Professional Operator
£5 million public liabilities insurance
Full Risk Assessments
Medals for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place
Choose any of the following booking options when you hire Giant Games from Alive Network
- 1 x Standard Giant Game Free
- 2 x Standard Giant Games Add £240
- 3 x Standard Giant Games Add £480
- 4 x Standard Giant Games Add £720
- 5 x Standard Giant Games Add £960
- 1 x Giant Game Extra- Nintendo Wii Add £60
Choose one of the following performance options when you hire Giant Games from Alive Network
- Up to 4 hours £0


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Bitou is a favorite of singles as it is easy access to parking whilst still set amidst beautiful lush gardens and forest. This Storms River accommodation unit is a great choice for folks looking for a wonderful outdoor Tsitsikamma accommodation experience. Waking to the song of the birds in the morning Vlier has all of the conveniences of standard en-suite accommodation and all the touches to keep you warm in Tsitsikamma winter.
- private patio with chairs and coffee table
- North facing lush garden
- en suite open air shower composting toilet and basin
- bed configuration - twin/king
- coffee/tea facilities
- fan and heater


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Norway has said it will continue to work with the government and the opposition, as well as other stakeholders, to further advance the democratic and economic development of Bangladesh, reports UNB.
"Our countries' good and longstanding relations are based on mutual respect and the pursuit of common interests," said Norwegian State Secretary Marianne Hagen in a statement on the 11th national election held on December 30.Norway, according to the statement issued on Thursday, has deplored the violence and tragic loss of lives during the campaigning period and on the election day.
"Given the significant number of claims of irregularities, its essential that these are investigated fully and transparently by the proper authorities," Hagen said.


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Home > Prescription Glasses > JB by Jerome Boateng > NINA (JBF116 - 3)
Nina JBF 116 is available in 3 additional attractive styles
Size and availability
Free outbound and return shipping
30-day money-back guarantee
Low prices
Free outbound and return shipping
30-day money-back guarantee
Low prices
Nina Eyewear
As a customer of Edel-Optics, you are totally aware that eyewear can crown your style. This accessory makes you look very smart when you are out and about and convincing in the office and in your leisure time. The new JB by Jerome Boateng underlines that you are a trendsetter. For the current season the renowned label sets the standards with its collection for 2018. The JBF116 is available in the Edel-Optics online shop in other styles from JB by Jerome Boateng collections 2017 and 2018.
This frame was specially designed for genuine power women. Graceful design and expressiveness are interspersed with classical chic. Full rim frames completely enclose the lenses within the frame. For a convinced eyeglass wearer, any other frame style is ruled out, with very few exceptions. The cat-eye shape makes your gaze look tempting and mysterious. The JBF116 has an almost titillating effect. Wearing this model, you will definitely attract attention. Plastic is a very lightweight and flexible material. This ensures a long life and a high level of comfort.
With the help of our digital dispensing optician, your prescription lenses can be configured according to your own requirements. Anti-reflective and cleaning coatings, antistatic and lotus effect are included as standard for plastic lenses.
In our online shop we have consistently low prices. You won't get JBF116 at such a low price, not even in the sale.
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EUR/USD Retests Backside Of Trendline – September 25th 2015 FX Market Analysis
EUR/USD Tests Backside Of Daily Trendline
If you go back and take a look at the September 23rd forex commentary I posted a daily chart of the EUR/USD showing a longer term trendline. As illustrated in that chart, what would be of the most importance is when the price retests the backside of that trendline. Today the Euro did just that and was just as quickly rejected which indicates further downside is the highest probability. Even though I do have a strong bias towards further downside we do not have a valid market cycle and the current time which is why I will still have one major lower manipulation point listed as the one area I would consider a long setup from.
Is The Pound Ready To Reverse?
Is the Pound ready to reverse for at least the short term? The EUR/GBP daily chart shows a very large stop run of a major daily range area. If the EUR/USD continues to the downside that would favor a Pound reversal as well as the Euro weakness mentioned above. Keep in mind that in forex we are dealing with a currency pair and not a single currency. The next question to ask yourself is what is the USD doing. As of right now the USD looks like it may break fresh short term highs. As a result this could stifle any Pound reversal.
If the USD could be moving towards strength and the Euro is showing potential signs of weakness for the day, that would make the EUR/USD short the better option over a GBP/USD long. With all that being said actual trade entries must come from a stop run of a valid manipulation point. Should we get a valid entry on one of the pairs the information above can be used for better trade management. As far as cycle bias, the GBP/USD is not in a valid cycle either and therefore both directions are technically open pending a valid setup from a pre-selected manipulation point.
Forex News For September 25th 201
US Final GDP q/q 8:30 AM Eastern: For some reason I couldn't pull up a lot of historical data on the price action following this economic data release. From the one month I did see that had a -.2 worse than expected release, the price followed through over 90 pips in the direction of the initial spike on the EUR/USD and had very little follow though on the GBP/USD. This leads me to believe it has little weight for trend direction. This month 3.7 is the expected number.
Want to learn the bank trading strategy, join our weekly live training room, talk to members in our forum, and have access to lifetime support? Learn more by clicking here.


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What are the best insurance strategies at the moment both personal and business. Insurance, superannuation and tax planning are now more integrated than ever.
This eBook has been written to give you an up to date perspective on the subject.
Is Specialist Disability Accommodation really all that it seems? This eBook provides an overview of the scheme and explores not just the investment opportunity but what the potential pitfalls are.Download for Free


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Frontier Culture Museum
Bring your toddler or preschooler to the Museum for story time, hands-on activities, crafts, and more. Activities will vary each week.
Reservations required due to the limited spots available.
Join us Saturday mornings at 10 AM and 11 AM for our Frontier Time for children aged 2-5. Experience hands-on activities that get your toddler moving and learning! All children must be accompanied by an adult and Museum admission is included, so feel free to enjoy the Museum's exhibits after the program concludes. Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today by calling our Welcome Center at (540) 332-7850.
Reservations required.
This program is free to annual pass holders!
Check in will be in the Welcome Center.
Weekly Themes
January 26 - Animal Tracks
This time of year, we often find animal tracks in the snow. Tracking animals was important to Native Americans and settlers for hunting. Come learn what tracks different animals make and listen to some poems about some of these animals.
The Frontier Culture Museum is an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our business practices follow the policies and procedures set forth in the Virginia Public Procurement Act and the Agency … Read More
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Copyright © 2013 Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia


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By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Pacific Lutheran University built a 2-1 lead in doubles, and then split the six singles matches, to claim a 5-4 victory over Willamette University in a non-conference men's tennis match on Sunday, Sept. 30. the Lutes upped their record to 1-0, while the Bearcats fell to 0-2.
Willamette won #1 doubles, but the Lutes were victorious at #2 and #3 doubles. In the #1 match, Andrew Kabacy (Fr., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) and Aaron Schechter (Sr., Seattle, WA/James A. Garfield HS) of Willamete defeated Justin DeMattos and Jake Kim from Pacific Lutheran, 8-4.
Michael Campbell and Marcus Lee of PLU won #2 doubles against Gene Perle-Jones (Jr., Eugene, OR/North Eugene HS) and Colin Fisher (Jr., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School) of Willamette, 8-1. The Lutes also grabbed an 8-1 win at #3 doubles, as Branson Near and Jamin Perry downed Luke Hiserman (So., Monterey, CA/Pacific Grove HS) and Charles Pezeshki.
The #1 singles match was won by Michael Campbell from Pacific Lutheran over Kabacy of Willamettte, 6-3, 6-3. At #2 singles, DeMattos of PLU needed three sets to defeat Perle-Jones, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The Lutes also won at #5 singles, as Branson Near moved past Luke Hiserman (So., Monterey, CA/Pacific Grove HS) of WU, 6-1, 6-3.
Willamette grabbed wins at #3, #4 and #6 singles. In the #3 singles match, Fisher rolled to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Lee of PLU. At #4 singles, Schechter won a battle with the Lutes' Kim, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Endy Zarate (Sr., Salem, OR/McKay HS) of WU prevailed at #6 singles in a super tie-breaker, 5-7, 6-1, 10-5.
The Bearcats will take on Linfield College on Sunday, Oct. 7 in McMinnville, Oregon. Match time is slated for 10 a.m. (PDT).