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Welcome to MMSAI's first stop (of two!) on the 2016 Debut Authors Bash. I have been lucky enough to snag Melissa Gorzelanczyk, author of ARROWS for a super fun and unique interview as my first stop! Did I mention there's also a giveaway!? THERE IS!
Meet Melissa:
Melissa, I am so happy that you are here today to chat with my readers about your amazing book ARROWS! I want to do a few fun things in this interview, shake things up and give the readers something a little different that the standard questions.
In this first section, we are going to get to know you!
1. Using only 5 words, describe yourself. Zen-loving author and hopeless romantic.
2. As a child, what was your favorite book (or author)? Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. I was often lost in my own imagination like Anne, writing poetry in the forest and describing sunsets with "amethyst horizons."
3. What is your favorite food? Donuts and coffee.
4. What items can you not leave the house without? Sunglasses, lipgloss and my water bottle.
5. Best writing advice you ever received. Join the SCBWI. https://www.scbwi.org/
Now I'd like to take a look at your book, I want to get to know the characters and thought that using a good old high school year book approach to it would be a good way.
Most Likely To Lose Their Keys More Than Once Per Day: Danny.
Most Likely To Run Into A Burning Building To Save A Strangers Puppy: Aaryn.
Best Hair: Karma
Best Eyes: Aaryn.
Best Fashion Sense: Leah.
Most Likely To Take The Blame For Something They Didn't Do: Aaryn.
Most Likely To Hold A Grudge: Leah.
And lastly, let's get a little bit of info from you about how ARROWS came to be.
1. Where did the idea originate from? A good friend of mine sparked the idea of cupids being among us, kind of like angels. I loved the possibilities there--exploring how much of a say we have in who we love, and how love can go so wrong (the arrows!).
2. Was ARROWS always the title, or did you have a working title you used for yourself? Always the title!
3. What was your biggest challenge when writing ARROWS? The alternating points-of-view between Aaryn and Karma were tough. I'd never written a dual POV, and learned a lot from my editor about how to make every chapter work on multiple levels while moving the story forward at the same time.
4. What came easiest for you? Karma's character. She's a small-town girl with a big dream, which I could definitely relate to. Like her, I grew up longing for bigger and better places than the Wisconsin fields that smelled of sweet hay beneath amethyst horizons. Now I've grown to appreciate my roots. The song Down in the Valley by The Head and the Heart describes how I feel about my tiny hometown perfectly.
Melissa, thank you so much for being here today. I can't wait to see what you come up with next!!
Thank you so much! I'm a huge fan of your work, so it's been an honor to be here. xo
One winner will get a signed hardcover and swag, US only
About The Book
A modern cupid story set in present-day Wisconsin combining the fantastical elements of Greek mythology with the contemporary drama of MTV's Teen Mom.
People don't understand love. If they did, they'd get why dance prodigy Karma Clark just can't say goodbye to her boyfriend, Danny. No matter what he says or does or how he hurts her, she can't stay angry with him . . . and can't stop loving him. But there's a reason why Karma is helpless to break things off: she's been shot with a love arrow.
Aaryn, son of Cupid, was supposed to shoot both Karma andDanny but found out too late that the other arrow in his pack was useless. And with that, Karma's life changed forever. One pregnancy confirmed. One ballet scholarship lost. And dream after dream tossed to the wind.
A clueless Karma doesn't know that her toxic relationship is Aaryn's fault . . . but he's going to get a chance to make things right. He's here to convince Danny to man up and be there for Karma. But what if this god from Mount Olympus finds himself falling in love with a beautiful dancer from Wisconsin who can never love him in return?
This fast-paced debut novel explores the internal & external conflicts of a girl who finds herself inexplicably drawn to a boy who seemingly doesn't reciprocate her feelings, touching on the issues of love, sex and responsibility, with a heroine struggling to control her destiny--perfect for fans of Katie McGarry's novels and MTV's 16 and Pregnant.


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Robbie Williams launched his clothing line for men, Farrell, yesterday in London.
He appeared at House of Fraser for a signing with his wife Ayda, meeting fans and potential customers as he showed off the range.
The line is named after his grandfather Jack Farrell, and includes pea coats, grandad t-shirts and suits too.
Fans queued for a chance to meet the Take Thatter, who has also been helping Gary Barlow on the boot camp phase of The X Factor.
With prices from £35 to £350, do you think you'll be picking up any of Robbie's clothes for the men in your life?

subset: commoncrawl


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ShoreTel's Unified Messaging is a comprehensive, simple, and robust solution that satisfies a full range of customer messaging needs, including access to voicemail, fax, and e-mail by a choice of popular methods. It can scale from ten to thousands of mailboxes quickly and easily when needed, without port and disk limitations. And because the system is easy to install and administer in a dynamic workforce environment, organizations can quickly achieve a low TCO. Although ShoreTel's Unified Messaging is a native, fully integrated component of the ShoreTel UC system, it can also be seamlessly integrated with other PBXs and voicemail systems.
ShoreWare® voicemail service requires no additional hardware, consumes no ports, and storage is limited only by the size of the server hard disk. At enterprise locations, voicemail servers can be distributed to provide survivable voicemail and save WAN bandwidth.
The ShoreTel UC system provides integrated messaging from any of the following popular interfaces.
"Any-Telephone" access is available with ShoreTel's embedded telephone user interface (TUI), which can be used to access voice messages stored on ShoreTel's application server and to interface with ShoreTel's embedded auto-attendant.
"Visual" access is available through either ShoreTel's ShoreWare Call Manager for the PC or ShoreWare Mobile Call Manager for mobile devices. Both provide a simple visual display, access to voicemails stored on ShoreTel's application server, and access to the corporate and Outlook personal directories.
The Find Me capability helps callers connect with users even when they are not at their regular extension. Users can easily direct calls to ring first at their extension, then at any two other phones they assign.
With a simple click, users can manage incoming calls when they are in a meeting, working from home or out of town. Users can also customize greetings, forward calls, specify voicemail pick up, and receive message alerts.
Auto-Attendant service provides 24-hour automated call answering and routing. Outgoing prompts can be easily customized and linked to the day or time of day. Individual departments can use their own unique greetings and options. The Auto-Attendant service requires no physical ports and can be distributed at enterprise locations to save valuable WAN bandwidth.
ShoreWare® Director is a Web-based network management tool that provides a single management interface for all voice applications, across all locations. This best-in-class management interface unifies all systems and tasks, instead of using separate management systems and administrators for multiple PBX, voicemail and automated attendant systems. Extremely easy to learn and use, the system helps improve administrator productivity, lower ownership costs and reduce IT resources.
ShoreWare Director recognizes all active IP phones on the network and eliminates manual processes by immediately configuring them (except third party SIP phones). New users are automatically assigned an extension, mailbox, auto-attendant profile when they first access their voicemail, and can then be added to an Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) group.
A single-screen view of the entire enterprise system graphically notifies administrators about the performance status of all key components, at all times.
Centralized Call Detail Reporting (CDR) across the enterprise simplifies accounting and bandwidth issues. Bundled reports provide information on trunk, user, workgroup, and network activity, exposing under-utilized trunks and network performance across WAN links to help optimize performance.
Searchable online documentation gives users and administrators quick and easy answers. Resources include an administration guide, as well as installation and user documentation.
Integrated software distribution for voice switches, IP phones, and desktop applications helps reduce support overhead and ensure system optimization.
The ShoreGear® voice switches support the discovery of an SNMP agent by any network management application. In addition, the ShoreWare server can be configured using SNMP.
The ShoreWare CDR service generates call records for all locations into a single, unified database on the ShoreWare server-there is no need for "buffer boxes" and "polling devices" to integrate CDR data from multiple sites. The service also generates call records into a text file for use by third-party call accounting packages.
ShoreTel has designed this fully distributed Unified Communications (UC) system based on a unique and innovative architecture that is purpose-built with no single point of failure. The ShoreTel distributed architecture incorporates a switch-based hardware platform that makes each switch and site an independent call processor which continues to operate seamlessly in the event of a wide area network (WAN) failure. Unlike other solutions, all servers can be disconnected from the ShoreGear switches and the ShoreTel phone system will continue to place and receive calls.
Voice applications, including voicemail and automated attendant, run on standard server hardware from anywhere on the OP network. The result is a single-image system across all geographies with complete feature transparency and integration of all PBXs, voicemail systems, automated attendants, and Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) systems.
ShoreGear IP Voice Switches:
ShorePhone IP Telephones:
ShoreWare Director System Management:
ShoreGear IP Voice Switches:
ShoreWare System Monitor:
ShoreWare Call Manager UC End-User Application Suite:
Contact Center and Converged Conferencing:
Specialized Business Applications:
For more information about the architecture of ShoreTel products, contact our the experts of IntelesysOne!


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Album of the Year
Song of the Year – Finalist
The creative combination of a deeply traditional folk musician with a jazz, blues and roots singer gives Sadie and Jay an intimate and enchanting sound. They play beautiful songs with exceptional vocals, glorious harmonies, intricate finger style guitar, bouzouki and double bass. They are influenced by the storytelling nature of the Anglo-Celtic traditions and contemporary folk, blues and roots music which reflects in their collaborative songwriting.
Born in Scotland and raised in New Zealand, Jay (David J Penman) grew up in a musical family immersed in traditional British folk music. For many years Jay has been a member of four part family A-Capella group The PENMANS. With Welsh heritage, Sadie's love for singing is instinctive. From jazz & blues to world & roots music, Sadie has performed with accomplished musicians, theatre and cabaret enriching her spellbinding vocal ability.
Sadie and Jay have been performing as a duo in and beyond the Brisbane folk and festival scene for the past five years. They have had two very successful tours in the UK in 2016 and 2018. Most recently they were guests at Upton Upon Severn and Great North Folk Festivals. "Song Already Written" from their album 'Rogue Folk" won first place in the Great North's song competition.
They released their first all original album 'Curious' in early 2015. Several of their songs have been awarded and two, 'Why Would You' & 'Trinity' were shortlisted for the 2015 Australian Songwriters Association (ASA) Awards. 'Taking My Time' and 'Long Way From Lost' came first in the open category of APRA/AMCOS Illawarra Folk Festival contests 2015 & 2017.
Sadie and Jay released their second original album 'Rogue Folk' in September 2017. The album features a host of prominent guest musicians and is produced by acclaimed guitar virtuoso, Michael Fix. The songs are rich in musical depth and meaning, the distinctive vocals and crafted lyrics are focal to the tales of history and endeavour, love and light-hearted comedy.
ABC Radio Brisbane and Eden fm Cumbria UK chose Rogue Folk as 'Album of the Week'. 'Red Red Dirt' from the album reached no.2 on the Australian AMRAP Regional Charts. The title track 'Rogue Folk' and 'Red Red Dirt' were voted into the Top 30 in three categories of the 2018 ASA Awards and 'Rogue Folk' was placed in the folk category's national Top 10.
Sadie and Jay's latest release is their single "Leaving the Harbour," an anthemic Anglo-Celtic inspired song dedicated to those facing the loss of a loved one. Recorded in Glasgow's R&R Studios during their 2018 UK Tour and featuring some of Brisbane's prominent folk musicians, Sadie & Jay's latest offering is a collaboration of talent across the globe.
Richard Grainger – British folk singer/songwriter & Festival Director
"Sadie & Jay – fabulous duo, highly professional with exquisite arrangements of songs in the folk and acoustic style. Many of the songs are their own but they do sing covers and in fact the full range of material. Sadie is a beautiful singer and is the double bass player, while Jay provides expert well worked guitar accompaniments. Both take lead vocal and some of their harmonies make the hairs on the back of your head curl."
Alison Bell – Vice President of The Brisbane Folk History Project
"Sadie & Jay are attracting a growing audience and it is easy to understand why. These independent Australian artists are highly accomplished at making music and the music they make just keeps getting better and better. The pair don't take themselves too seriously but they certainly take their work seriously, the combination is intoxicating."
Ann Leung – Recording Artist and ABC Radio Correspondent
"Losing myself in the masterful instrumentation and drop dead gorgeous vocals. Beautiful work and so aptly titled. Warm, enveloping, humorous. Traditional folk references with a contemporary twist. . This is a wonderful & important addition to our local contemporary folk recording history."
Graham Blackley – Trad and Now
"One of the many highlights is the effortless way in which Sadie and Jay change gear from one musical style to another without ever sacrificing cohesiveness or losing their identity"


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the Prophet's Hat
John Bedell
The Sioux shaman Black Elk once described the excitement created among the plains Indians by Wovoka, the prophet, or Wanekia, of the Ghost Dance. Intrigued by what they heard of him, the Sioux elders sent four men to meet him and report back on his teachings. The men were impressed. As Black Elk told it,
Once, they said, the Wanekia held out his hat for them to look into. And when they did this, all but one saw there the whole world and all that was wonderful. But that one could see only the inside of the hat, they said.That would be me. I am the one who would go on a long journey to meet the prophet and see only the inside of his hat.
I have a romantic soul and an engineer's mind, and all my life I have been torn between a coarse skepticism and a longing for transcendent wonder. My rational side dismisses everything unmeasured and unseen, but my imagination still roams in search of marvels. I have always loved the worlds of fantasy, often better than the material world I see with my eyes. I used to come close to tears whenever I reflected that there were no dragons in the world, and that no matter how hard I tried I would never become a wizard. I find it unjust that I can't go off on an adventure and find an ogre's castle just over the next hill that my village somehow never knew about. I wish the stars were close enough for us to reach them.
But despite these disappointments I am proud to be the one who sees only the inside of the hat. I know that I am not so smart as many others, and that I am wrong about many things, but it still thrills me to feel the power of my mind. I love understanding and knowing and figuring things out, and I would not trade the free operation of my mind for any comforting faith. I like to think that I am not afraid to face the truth, and I know I have never swerved in my quest for knowledge from fear of what I might find out.
The rational world view requires abandoning many wonders, but it does have others to compensate. Would it be a gain to trade knowledge of dinosaurs and the braided ring of Saturn for faith in dragons? I don't think so. When I seriously compare our world to that of myth, what most impresses me is how much smaller and less rich the mythic world is. The Old Testament describes only a handful of peoples under the eye of God, while the rational narrative speaks of thousands of peoples, hundreds of nations, and swarms of heroes. Black Elk in his vision saw divine beings whose only concerns were the Sioux, the Buffalo, and the rain, and as I read his words I wondered how a man who had seen New York and Paris could cling to a heaven so much smaller than the earth. Taken together, the myths of the world are wonderfully rich, but it is only because of rational scholarship that I have access to more than one set.
I find the notion of a personal, caring God absurd. I am interested in the possibility of a creative force that set the universe in motion, but I am comfortable not knowing if such a thing is real. I have no desire to worship, although I do sometimes want to give thanks.
I am no longer afraid of death. When I first came to contemplate death as nothingness--I must have been about 8 or 9--I was terrified. I felt the dread of non-existence at intervals over the next 15 years or so, but I find that the thought has now lost its force. I love my life and I have no wish for it to end, but I no longer fear the end I imagine is coming. One thing I fear for my children is having to confront that nothingness, and I wish there were something I could do to take away their fear. But I think that any other view of death is a lie, and I won't lie to them about something so important.
I am more at peace now than ever before. Perhaps it is only the declining level of some youthful neurotransmitter, but I like to think of it as increasing wisdom. I think perhaps my children have something to do with my increasing appreciation of our mundane world. Really, we have never imagined anything more wonderful than the growth of a person from a single cell, and the flight of dragons cannot be more exciting to watch than a toddler learning to speak or a child learning to read.
I still love imaginary worlds, but it no longer pains me so much that I can't live in them. Given the choice between the worlds of legend and our own, with its unbounded richness, I think I would choose this earth to which I was born.
September 9, 1999
|From the
Commonplace Book
"My worthy friend, gray are all theories, and green alone life's golden tree."
Intelligent Design
Turning 40
Gulliver's Travels
Spiritual Testament
Gender and Children
For Common Things
Inside the Prophet's Hat
I am the Spirit of My Age
Knowing People
Having Children


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Discover and share shiny new coffee things.
Friday – June 24, 2016
• ful • Fruitful & Universal Labels • Food Iconography
ful is a useful and universal language of symbols for food products.
Sunday – June 5, 2016
The Barisieur – The Fresh Coffee Alarm Clock
A bedside alarm clock can do a lot to wake you up in the morning, but wouldn't it be better if that alarm clock served you a hot cup of coffee to go with that annoying ringtone?
Thursday – March 17, 2016
Coffee Grind Refining System on Kickstarter
The Rafino is a coffee refining system that delivers the most consistent grind with micron level precision
Categories Coffee Brewing Products
Sunday – December 27, 2015
The Morning Grind – Email Newsletter for Coffee Snobs
Are you a coffee snob? Looking for the latest tips to perfect your pour over? About to discover your next favorite roast?
Tuesday – December 15, 2015
Oomph Portable Coffee Maker
The Oomph is the worlds fastest hand powered portable coffee maker and travel cup.
The Iikone Brewer
The IIKONE mk1 is the very first pourover coffee brewer with a totally unobstructed filter.
Saturday – November 21, 2015
Venice Cold Brew
We believe nothing goes better with the warm sun on your face than a cool, crisp, delicious cold brew on your lips.
Wednesday – November 11, 2015
Auroma One, a coffee machine that boasts app control and Wi-Fi connectivity
Coffee Science machine with the ability to control all the parameters in making craft coffee according to your taste preference
Categories Coffee Machines
#pandcoffee – P&Co Coffee
It's finally happened, We're making our own Single Origin Coffee! Roasted in Birmingham hand packed delivered straight to your door! P&Co Coffee …
Thursday – September 24, 2015
The Bruvelo
Not just another coffee maker. Bruvelo was designed with every step of the brew process in mind.
5 Crimes against coffee
There are a lot of ways you can mess up a good cup of coffee. But some of them are downright criminal.
Friday – August 7, 2015
Trouble Coffee
The landmark San Francisco café expands To West Oakland
Categories Café
Saturday – August 1, 2015
MAVAM Espresso Machines
Simply stable
Friday – July 31, 2015
Supersonic Coffee
We are Supersonic. We are on a mission to make awesome coffee that breaks barriers.
Wednesday – July 29, 2015
Salvador Coffee Roasters Sydney
Salvador are roasters of fine imported coffee beans from around the world
Monday – July 27, 2015
Blue Bottle Kyoto Iced Coffee
Room-temperature water is dripped over coffee grounds for eight hours
Sunday – July 26, 2015
New App 12oz Introduces 'Unlimited Coffee'
A bottomless coffee subscription app for the city of Nashville
Categories Apps
Blue Bottle New Orleans Iced Coffee
Blue Bottle New Orleans Iced Coffee in a grocery store near you
Saturday – July 25, 2015
Woods Coffee
New roasting operation. New packaging
Thursday – July 23, 2015
Potion Coffee
Potion Cold Brew is artisan-roasted coffee served straight-up


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The word "kindred" comes from a combination of "kin" and the Old English word "ræden," which comes from the verb meaning "to advise." That being said, we advise you to check out the newly announced inaugural Kindred Music and Culture Festival, because the lineup is straight fire.
The festival strives to celebrate blackness by highlighting some of the amazing influences the black community has had on global music, culture, and cuisine.
Kindred Fest starts at noon on Sat., July 21 at Detroit's Roosevelt Park. Tickets are $25-$45 and can be purchased here.
Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox.


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Every year the Dine & Wine Festival marks the culinary high point at Hotel Castel. Many stars shine upon our guests from the gourmet heavens as some of Europe's top chefs, renowned winemakers and talented musicians gather at the Castel in November. Thus we celebrate enjoyment in three dimensions.
You might call our Dine & Wine Moments extensions to our Dine & Wine Festival. At the dates indicated,
- we host delightful gala dinners with wine guidance provided personally by winemakers, and beautiful musical accompaniment
- every gala dinner is preceded by an exclusive winemaker presentation and a wine tasting session
- our sommelière Ivana Capraro will take guests on an excursion to wine-growing estates of interest.
The special dates for the Dine & Wine Moments – each on a Thursday – are chose advisedly, so you can enjoy a longer weekend:
02.05. | 23.05. | 13.06. | 11.07. | 08.08. | 12.09.
You may choose to participate in individual events or book our full "Dine & Wine Moments" arrangement.


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Editor: Michael Spilling and Consultant Editor: Chris McNab
Little Bighorn, more than a third of Lt Col George Custer's 7th Cavalry perished along with their commander when Custer ignored the warnings of his Indian scouts and precipitately engaged 3000 Sioux and Cheyenne warriors along this river in Montana.
The march to the Little Bighorn River
The numerous and powerful Sioux tribes and the organized and militarily skilled northern Cheyenne left their reservations in the late spring of 1876, with the intention of resisting the US Government's authority in response to past massacres and white incursions into the Black Hills of South Dakota, land which the Sioux considered theirs.
The US Army's response took the form of a powerful force of nearly 3000 infantry and cavalry in three converging columns pursuing the departed Indians. Gen Terry (in overall command) and his subordinates were initially unaware that the total agglomeration of Indian warriors was of approximately equal numbers and more concentrated than the army's columns. Custer's orders and his desire for another successful engagement on the plains allowed him to rush into attack with less than a third of the army's total force, the result being the most resounding defeat the US Army ever suffered in the wars against the plains Indians.
Generals Terry and Crook locate the key targets
Generals Terry and Crook sent Custer's 7th Cavalry ahead of their two columns to locate the village and vital pony herd of the missing tribes. Custer's Crow scouts returned and told him that they had located the largest single village and pony herd that they had ever seen, claims Custer dismissed as exaggerated, despite reports of Indians shadowing his regiment and looting a fallen pack mule. Drawing closer to the village along the banks of the Little Bighorn, Custer divided his regiment of 647 men into four separate battalions, sending Maj Marcus Reno directly into the village, and Capt Frederick Benteen around the rear with the reserve ammunition, while moving his own two battalions toward the north, planning on containing and flanking the village against the river. Custer's final communication was an order to Benteen to bring up the ammunition quickly.
Reno's battalion moved directly into the village, where it encountered ferocious resistance, Reno taking casualties as he regrouped in a clump of trees before making a disorganized retreat toward a nearby hill. There, his men dug in and resisted sporadic attacks for the next two days, joined by Benteen's column with the vital ammunition. Unaware of Reno's repulse to the south and with Custer forgetting his own promise to support Reno's thrust, Custer's individual companies attacked the village or encountered groups of Indians under their own war chiefs boiling out of the village in a fierce response that began to overwhelm Custer's 241 men.
Custer's command began to disintegrate
Custer's command began to disintegrate as his movement north became a rout and then a headlong retreat away from Reno Hill. Individual units made their own 'last stands' while trying to escape destruction, their bodies found in situ by subsequent burial parties. Either because of Custer's death or due to his last order, his final remnant of the 7th stopped its flight on 'Custer Hill', where the warriors and their wives finished off the survivors, killing and mutilating the wounded in traditional fashion. Terry's column arrived and found Custer's body stripped, but otherwise untouched. The reinforcements informed Reno's and Benteen's dazed survivors of the fate of their comrades, with 268 perishing in total at Little Bighorn.
Dr. Chris McNab is the editor of AMERICAN BATTLES & CAMPAIGNS: A Chronicle, from 1622-Present and is an experienced specialist in wilderness and urban survival techniques. He has published over 20 books including: How to Survive Anything, Anywhere — an encyclopedia of military and civilian survival techniques for all environments — Special Forces Endurance Techniques, First Aid Survival Manual, and The Handbook of Urban Survival. In his home country of Wales, UK, Chris provides instruction on wilderness hunting techniques and he is also an experienced martial arts instructor.


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The Wesleyan University women's tennis team is coming off its best season in program history, in which the Cardinals posted a 14-4 overall record and 7-2 mark in the ultra-competitive NESCAC. Additionally, Wesleyan reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Championships for the first time ever and finished the year ranked No. 5 in the country.
The Cardinals will enter the 2018-19 season without its No. 1 singles and doubles player from the past four years, as the most accomplished Division III women's tennis player in NCAA history graduated in May. It will be nearly impossible to fill the void left by Eudice Chong '18, a five-time national champion, but the Cardinals are still loaded with talent. Headlining the unit is senior All-American Victoria Yu, an NCAA doubles champion, runner-up and national singles runner-up.
Head Coach Mike Fried enters his seventh season at the helm of both the men's and women's tennis programs. Fried has guided the Cardinals to national prominence with both programs consistently ranked within the top-10 nationally over the past three years. The women's team will open the season at the three-day MIT Invitational beginning Friday, Sept. 14.
- The 2018-19 Cardinals will feature one senior, one junior, four sophomores, and four first-years.
- Yu, the team's lone senior, will be tasked to lead Wesleyan in Chong's absence. As a sophomore, she captured the NCAA Division III doubles championship and a year later, she reached both the doubles and singles finals where she faced her teammate, Chong. The Texas native finished the season ranked No. 2 nationally in doubles action and No. 4 nationally in singles. She is a three-time doubles All-American, two-time singles All-American, and last year Yu was named an Academic All-American by CoSIDA. Yu is coming off a season in which she went 13-3 in dual match singles play and 17-1 in doubles.
- Sophomores Polina Kiseleva and Alissa Nakamoto figure to play significant roles in the team's success this year after impressive first-year campaigns. Polina played primarily in the No. 4 slot as a freshman and went 8-3, while Nakamoto saw time in the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 spots. Playing mostly in the No. 5 position, she finished the year with an overall singles dual match record of 9-3. The duo was also paired together in doubles action and played in the No. 2 slot last year, racking up an 8-6 record.
- Fried will also welcome first-years Venia Yeung, Alexis Almy, Megan Tran, and Victoria's sister, Kristina Yu. All four will look to have a major impact this season.
- "We're excited to integrate a big, impactful incoming group with our seasoned returners and to further solidify the program as one of the very best in the country."


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Eating is definitely something I enjoy doing and NYC offers options from around the world without the need to get your passport stamped and board an plane. With 1000's of restaurants in NYC how can you find one that you will actually enjoy and get what you're expecting? Ask around or seek out the information so you don't end up unpleasantly surprised! I decided to keep my top 10 to places within the confines of Manhattan.
10. Dallas BBQ – There are locations all over Manhattan but the most lively is the one on 23rd St. and 8th Ave. The half chicken and yellow rice is definitely a filling meal, throw in a Texas-sized margarita and you should be more than content for less than $20.00.
9. Room Service – A cute lil thai restaurant on 8th Ave and 19th St. I usually stop by for lunch here. With specials starting at $7 it's a great deal. Most of the lunch entrees include an appetizer and rice which definitely keeps me going until dinner time.
8. Vanessa's Dumpling House – If you've never had dumplings before I would definitely recommend on 118 Eldridge St. For $5 you can get a drink, sesame sandwich and two orders of dumplings. I doubt there is a way to go wrong with that and you may not be able to eat it all. Don't forget the vinegar/soy sauce dressing.
7. Blockheads – Not only do they serve decent burritos and nachos but you should definitely make it out to one of their locations around Manhattan for a $3 margarita. If you want something a little different order a "Red Nose Pit" which is a margarita with a layer of sangria over it and topped off with a Coronita.
6. Sylvia's Restaurant – Some of the best soul food in NYC is served here. For almost 50 years Sylvia's has offered everything you would expect out of a good ole down south meal. If you make your way up to Harlem head over to 328 Lenox Ave and grab a bite to eat. Sylvia's has been very successful and you can find products in local grocer's.
5. Cafe con Leche – Ropa vieja has been a favorite dish of mine for years. This Cuban restaurant on Amsterdam Ave and 96th St. has great mojitos, great cuban bread, and great meals.
4. Patacones Truck – This truck is stationed on 202nd St. and Broadway right across the street from a club called Umbrella. There is usually a line in some form as the manager, Adolfo, at the window points at customers to take their orders . Brush up on your spanish, I don't recall hearing much english going on. My favorite is a patacon full which is a sandwich made of plantains with ketchup, mayo, all types of meat, tomato, and lettuce which costs me about $6.
3. Chicken & Rice – You know you've made it to the right spot when you walk up to the corner of 53rd and 6th (SW Corner) on a Wednesday night and find a line 20 deep of locals and visitors waiting for a plate of chicken and rice. Add some white sauce and if you're feeling adventurous add a little red sauce. One plate will fill you up and can easily be shared with others.
2. Croxley Ale – In NYC it's hard to get a cheap meal that actually tastes good and it filling. If you enjoy buffalo/hot wings as much as I do then you will soon realize that you are in wing heaven on Avenue B between 2nd/3rd Sts. For 10 cents a wing you can get your fill on wings very easily. These meaty aren't the fat covered or meatless ones that many pizzerias all over the place offer, so come hungry because you will leave full!
1. Bereket – This Turkish eatery on the corner of East Houston St. and Orchard St. is open 24 hours a day and tends to have its peak hours between 12-4am Thursday night through Saturday night. I get my staple doner kebab, lamb filled, with everything and white and red sauce on top. I can eat these all week and not be tired of them.
All of these places offer a place you can go and enjoy the company of others or be alone and enjoy great food while you're at it. There are tons of other places I enjoy eating around NYC from 99 cent slices of cheese pizza and deli heros to knishes with mustard and filet mignon from some of NYC's best steak houses.


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Bids for the redesigned River Market came in under the city's $3.12 million budget, meaning the City Council likely will approve its construction along the Black Warrior River.
TUSCALOOSA | Bids for the redesigned River Market came in under the city's $3.12 million budget, meaning the City Council likely will approve its construction along the Black Warrior River.
But the competition was so close that a question remains over which company was the low bidder.
Based on the base bid alone, WAR Construction of Tuscaloosa was the lowest bidder at $2.834 million.
The company on Joe Mallisham Parkway narrowly edged out Harrison Construction of Northport, which submitted a bid of $2.836 million.
"I'm just thrilled to death that we're going to be able to build the facility," said Councilman Lee Garrison, who represents the area where the River Market will be built. Garrison was seen at the end of the bid openings on Thursday giving high fives to city officials in celebration.
What will likely decide the winning bid will be options the City Council decides to add on to the construction.
The bid proposals had a series of options, from a centralized heating and air system to materials for the facade, that could be added to the construction of the building. But for each option, the estimated costs from WAR Construction and Harrison Construction differed.
Mayor Walt Maddox said the Office of City Attorney and other city staff members would review the bids and the options in order to present a proposal to the full City Council on Tuesday.
Facilities manager Clif Penick said the project will take about eight months to build, if weather allows.
Should the City Council approve the contract on Tuesday, construction could begin as early as April 1.
"Most of the site work is being done now ... so weather shouldn't be much of a factor," Penick said.
The 18,000-square-foot River Market is the future home of the Tuscaloosa Farmers Market and the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission, which was formed in October when the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation merged.
The Farmers Market now operates out of an open-air facility on Jack Warner Parkway across from the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, and the offices of the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission are in the Jemison-Van de Graff Mansion on Greensboro Avenue.
In October, the lowest bid for the River Market came in at $4.035 million from Harrison Construction of Northport, almost $1 million above the project's budget of $3.12 million.
That forced city leaders to scale back some aspects and features of the building planned for the Corps of Engineers' property alongside Jack Warner Parkway, just east of 21st Avenue.
The now redesigned facility excludes some advanced, computerized climate control systems that would allow the Farmers Market space to host receptions and other events year-round. Instead, ceiling fans and overhead heaters will be used in the area.
However, the City Council could vote to add a centralized heating and air system for the Farmers Market side.
For the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission side of the building, about 700 square feet has been removed from a lobby and conference room.
Reach Jason Morton at email@example.com or 205-722-0200.


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Totally 100 free streaming video chat
21-Aug-2017 23:21
You'll see the names of any contacts who have the app.
Just surf to the Facebook website in your favorite browser.But if you like the interface, you can always coax them onboard.Launch the app on your mobile device, then tap on the New Call or Contacts button.Let's check out some of the best apps that work no matter what device you own.
If you and the person on the other end both have Skype (one of the industry's longest running messaging apps, currently owned by Microsoft), presto, you can call each other for a video chat.
To make or receive a video call, you need an app — either one that comes with your phone or one you download separately. If you and the person you want to engage each have an i Phone or i Pad, you can rely on Apple's Face Time for video calls.


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$132 & up – Hereford break nr cathedral w/cream tea, 48% off
About the Hotel
Why We Love This Deal
The Green Dragon Hotel is an 11th-century former coaching inn with plenty of royal connections thanks to its proximity to Hereford Cathedral. Overnight stays at this hotel in the centre of Hereford now start at $132, saving up to 48% on the usual price.
What's Included
- Overnight accommodation in a Superior Double Room, with full English breakfast, for two
- Cream tea for two (worth $18 per person)
- It's $132 to stay on a Sunday
- Monday-Friday stays are $151
- It's $247 for a 2-night stay with daily breakfast and cream tea on the first day
- Stay in a Luxury Double Room for an extra $19 per night
Why We Love This Hotel
- The Green Dragon Hotel received a £2.5 million refurbishment in early 2019
- All bedrooms feature individual décor inspired by the property's heritage
- Hereford Cathedral is a 2-minute walk from the hotel
The Green Dragon Hotel dates all the way back to the 11th century, when it housed the stonemasons who were building Hereford Cathedral. The 900 years since then have provided the hotel with a fascinating history of royal connections.
Hereford -- derived from the Welsh word for a river crossing -- is a city filled with history, at the centre of which is Hereford Cathedral, which is a 2-minute walk from the hotel. It is believed that settlers first arrived in Hereford as far back as 676 AD. You can explore this history at the Mappa Mundi -- the world's largest medieval map -- and Chained Library Exhibitions at Hereford Cathedral. Hereford Cider Museum is less than 15 minutes' walk from the hotel, and the 18th-century Berrington Hall mansion and its gardens are a 35-minute drive away.
It is believed that Edward, Earl of March -- later to become King Edward IV -- used the hotel as his base throughout the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century, and that Owen Tudor was imprisoned at the hotel prior to his execution -- you can see his battle sword on display at the Town Hall.
The hotel received a £2.5 million refurbishment in early 2019. The new Superior Rooms feature a super king-size bed, USB charging sockets and other modern amenities. The Hereford Brasserie at the Green Dragon Hotel prides itself on showcasing the very best of local Herefordshire produce, from vodka and vegan wine, to cheese and handmade scotch eggs. The Garrick Lounge is adorned with classic furnishings and cosy sofas -- perfect for afternoon tea -- while the stylish Offa Bar has a selection of locally produced ciders.
- Bar
- Restaurant
- 100% smoke-free
- 24-hour front desk
- Safe in reception
Room amenities
- Coffee / tea-making facilities
- Iron and ironing board
- Flatscreen TV
- Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel
- Hair-dryer
- Luxury toiletries
- Bathtub or shower
- Parking (fees apply)
Standard Time is 2pm.
Minimum age required to check in: 18.
Checkout: Standard Time is 11am.
Children and additional guests: Extra beds are not available.
Pets: Pets are allowed on request and will be charged at £10 per pet per day.
Cancellation: Cancellation policy & booking conditions vary by 'rate plan'. These will be displayed on the payment page after you have searched for your dates and selected a rate.
up to 48% off
$132 / night
About the Hotel
Getting TherePay-and-display parking is available at the rear of the hotel on Little Berrington Street at £6.80 per night for guests. Hereford railway station is less than 10 minutes' drive from the hotel.
Have a Question? Contact Travelzoo.
- 1-877-966-0000 U.S. and Canada (toll-free)
- +44 (0) 20 3564 9000 UK & Europe
- +61 (2) 8880-0246 Australia
- Email Us
Customer Service available Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm AET
Rates may vary by date, are subject to availability and are not guaranteed until your purchase is complete.
The room rates listed are for double occupancy per room unless otherwise stated and exclude tax recovery charges and service fees.
It is the responsibility of the hotel chain and/or the individual property to ensure the accuracy of the photos displayed. Travelzoo is not responsible for any inaccuracies in the photos.
*Unless otherwise stated, Travelzoo-exclusive extras are valid once per stay (based on two adults sharing). Value is an estimate based on double occupancy. Extras are only included with Member Rates and may not be available on all dates. Extras are non-transferable and have no cash value. Total value may vary depending on time of booking and availability. When included, breakfast may be limited to 2 guests per stay subject to hotel's discretion. Other restrictions may apply; see our T&Cs for details.
Please note: Some amenities and services may not be available in all rooms or may incur an additional charge. All prices stated have been verified at the time of publication and may vary at the discretion of the hotel.
(6 Member Ratings)


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If York's world class shopping is not quite enough for you, Leeds is just a 25 minute train ride away. With its compact city centre which is perfectly walkable, the city is a shopper's paradise. Named the best shopping destination in the UK by the rough guide to Britain, Leeds City Centre has over 1,000 shops. Wonderfully diverse, Leeds combines quirky boutiques with high-end luxury and the big name high street brands, so there really is something for everyone.
Trinity Leeds
Housed under a giant iconic glass roof, Trinity Leeds is located in the heart of the city between Briggate and Albion Street. Covering 3 floors and open 7 days a week, Trinity is home to over 120 shops, bars and restaurants. You can shop late night until 8pm from Monday – Saturday and then go on to enjoy dinner and a drink at over 20 superb bars and restaurants late into the night.
Kirkgate Market
Shopping in the city isn't complete without a visit to Leeds' historic Kirkgate Market. Leeds Kirkgate Market, part of which is a Grade I listed building dating from 1875, is one of the largest covered markets in Europe and is open 6 days a week.
Designer Shops
If you're looking for luxury buys, head to Victoria Leeds. Victoria Leeds is home to both Victoria Quarter and Leeds' newest retail destination Victoria Gate. Victoria Quarter is the place to go for luxury buys, as a designer destination bathed in Victorian splendour.
Independent Boutiques
If you want one off fashion pieces, vintage delights and quirky gifts then head to the Corn Exchange.The beautiful Grade I listed building is home to a wide range of choice independent retailers and tasty eateries and also regularly hosts vintage markets and record fairs.


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Along with two other amazing women, I am one of Delta Zeta's bible study leaders. In this role I help bring my sorority sisters closer to their faith.
In order to be in this position I have to attend a weekly bible study prep, a "cluster" where a group of other greek bible study students discuss certain topics, and then we lead our chapters weekly bible study.
This past semester there was a regional Greek InterVarsity conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. The picture above shows a few of my DZ sisters and I out exploring the town. This conference brought all walks of life in their faith closer to God. My position as bible study leader has also made me hold my self accountable for various other parts of my life. Not only am I there to lead my sisters in spiritual lives, but I need to be a representation of a women of God everyday. Being in a position of power hold more responsibilities than just showing up to certain events. When you are a leader , you must be there for people even in your down time. Being a leader is a lifestyle and I am a leader in Greek life. It's not just for four years. It is for life.


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By Brock Cooper (DoddleNEWS)
Anyone that has anything to do with writing, whether it be stories or screenplays, will tell you that rejection is all part of the business. When someone tells you that your screenplay or pitch isn't good enough, especially through a form letter, it can sting.
It's something you've put your heart and soul in to create and someone is telling you, "Sorry, not interested." It can be a blow emotionally, and also to your self-esteem, and many writers have thrown in the towel because of it. It's easier to quit than feel the harsh barbs of rejection. If you've been rejected, then take these tips to heart.
Get Educated
If you're new to screenwriting and pitching, then perhaps you need to refine your craft. You can take a few courses on screenwriting, read a few books and then try again. Screenwriting is all about format and pacing, and when you stray from that format, or if your pacing is off, then the odds of getting picked in a contest, by an agent or script reader goes down dramatically. Learn the basics and even advanced techniques before submitting your screenplay.
The same goes for pitching a story. You may not have the screenplay ready, but you need to have your pitch perfect. Pitching a story is as much an art as anything else. Read examples of successful pitches and make sure what you send is going to catch their eye.
Revise Your Screenplay or Pitch
Many times a rejection comes in the form of a form letter, but sometimes they send some feedback with it. Take this feedback to heart and revise, revise, revise. They are telling you why your screenplay didn't make the cut, so take that and make sure you fix it. These are the professionals and if they're telling you something, then listen.
Even if they only send a form letter, go through your screenplay with a fine-toothed comb and try and figure out where the problem is. If you ignore their advice and keep sending the same screenplay to different places, then odds are it's going to keep getting rejected.
Don't Take It Personally
Always keep in mind that the people sending the rejection letter get hundreds of scripts every year, and only a small fraction of those move it up the ladder. They script readers aren't rejecting you personally. Odds are they have no clue who you are. They're simply judging the work. It's easy to think that they're saying YOU'RE not good enough, but that's not true.
They're saying that at this point and time this one piece of work isn't what they're looking for right now. It's not a judgment on you, and you shouldn't hold it against them either. I've known a few writers who decided to throw in the towel because they took these rejection letters as saying that they weren't good enough. That's just not true.
Never Give Up, Never Surrender
I can take years to break into the main stream movie business and even then longevity is not guaranteed. They key is to not let rejections get you down and to keep moving forward. If one screenplay doesn't work, then write a new one. The script readers that rejected your pitch or screenplay don't want you to quit. You don't want to quit. It can be depressing to keep getting rejection letters, but all it takes is on acceptance. It may take weeks, months or even years, but when it happens it can change your world.


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by Jennifer Kessler
To Annie and Jay Warmke, the sizeable Muskingum County farm they've built and currently dwell in with their granddaughter is more than just a home.
Rather, Blue Rock Station is the product of a carefully tended collection of sustainable sensibilities, nurtured by the Warmkes for years and meant to be shared among all who venture through the front gates. From yearlong workshops to tours of various buildings constructed with recycled materials, the Warmkes spend day after day teaching people to live sustainably.
Though Annie and Jay had already purchased the 38 acres and started construction on what would become their farm–which was purchased the week their granddaughter was born, in fact–Blue Rock Station as it stands today was but a glint in the Warmkes' eyes when they decided to move to Europe for a few years in 2001. It was there, flitting between France and England and experiencing a vastly family-centric, consumption-conscious way of life that the couple really began to hatch a plan for the Station.
"It was a great learning time, and it really laid the foundation for this place," Annie says. "We had the opportunity to eat really fabulous, locally grown food. We always lived in market towns, where you could walk and buy fresh food two or three times a week."
Annie also cites a deep-seated European appreciation for family and community as having been very influential in the business plan. "In France, everything is structured around the family, including how people work," she says. "They don't live to work, they work to live."
When Annie and Jay returned in 2004, they decided to move to Blue Rock and begin to implement their ideas concerning community and sustainability. Construction on the main house had begun years ago in the late '90s after Annie heard architect Michael Reynolds on the radio. Reynolds was talking about a new kind of home, called an Earthship, constructed entirely from old tires and reclaimed wood. The Warmkes decided to go for it, eager to take on such an exciting project to occupy their summers.
Once they made it back stateside, the Warmkes first priority was finishing up the Earthship so that it could become the center of the farm. Other sustainable buildings, like the straw bale chicken chalet that houses rare breed chickens, have since popped up around it.
Soon, people began to trickle into Muskingum to see the Earthship. It wasn't long before the trickle turned into a full-fledged flood, and Annie and Jay really began catering to the community. Now, visitors have the opportunity to tour the farm, trek through the woods with the Warmkes' llamas, eat fabulous homegrown, homemade meals or attend workshops on topics that range from "Marketing Your Green Business" to "Goat Keeping and Cheese Making."
According to Annie, choosing which topics to cover in workshops is a simple enough task – if the topic interests the Warmkes, they'll speak on it.
"We decided that our walk in life was going to be the personal one, and if people wanted to walk with us, well, that was great," says Annie. The idea is to foster a sense of community among those folks who show up and to focus on what they have in common: the desire to learn to "rethink" and to live sustainably.


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Pathway to Professional Certification
Master of Science in
Speech-Language Pathology
A Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from JU's highly regarded Brooks Rehabilitation College of Health Sciences will prepare you to assess and treat individuals with diverse communication needs. Our exceptional faculty will provide you with in-depth knowledge and skills in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of speech, voice, swallowing, language and cognitive disorders, with emphasis on becoming a medical speech-language pathologist. An MS-SLP will open doors to a rewarding career in a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals and private health offices.
Scholarships or financial aid are available to qualifying students.


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This is the demolition of the last Charter Oak Communities' Vidal Court building, marking a milestone in the construction of a dual project by Stamford Hospital and Charter Oak Communities (COC).
Redniss & Mead was part of the team that facilitated the property swap between Stamford Hospital and COC to make these important developments a reality. As part of the property swap, Stamford Hospital gained a portion of the Vidal Court property which is being used for the hospital's new campus expansion. We provided planning, civil engineering and land surveying services which translated to fluency in applications for Master Plan changes, Zone changes, Text changes, Site Plan approvals, and the discontinuance of City Streets. Working closely with both development teams on zoning approvals, including three other road discontinuances, was an added value that helped us achieve a total solution for our clients.
Our philosophy includes nurturing strong relationships not only with our clients but also with influencers in the community including officials at the municipal and state levels. We proactively network and share our site design expertise to give a competitive edge to owners, brokers and developers. This particular Stamford Hospital/COC land swap was accomplished thanks to the teamwork and cooperation of many stakeholders including the state of Connecticut, Stamford Hospital, COC, the City of Stamford and Redniss & Mead, all cooperating from the concept stage.
The new Stamford Hospital campus is designed to be welcoming to the surrounding community. At the heart of the expanded grounds will be a new, 11 story, 647,000 square foot specialty healthcare pavilion that includes a 63,000 square foot emergency department and 180 private rooms. The project is currently registered with the U.S. Green Building Council under the LEED® rating system and is also incorporating a number of strategies from the Green Guide for Health Care such as outdoor places of respite for patients and visitors.
The Charter Oak Communities revitalization of Vidal Court includes a replacement of the existing 216 units and an increase in the total number of units to 350 on multiple sites. "The revitalization program for Vidal Court will create a self-sustaining housing resource for low- and moderate- income working families." (Quote from the COC Website)
For more information on Charter Oak Communities and Vidal Court, link here:
For more information on the Stamford Hospital expansion, link here:


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The AAA Fresh gallery in Rotterdam is home to three artists: Hans Kleinjan (1958), Maikel Kleinjan (1984), and Roderik Faasen (1990). At this location, they produce their manic, colorful, wild artworks. This interview dives deep into their way of working, their backstory, the future, and their wild rock 'n roll lifestyle.Read More »
Home » Tag Archives: Humor
Tag Archives: Humor
There's few people in the world who can talk shit quite like the Aussies do. This episode is a celebration of Aussie slang and cursing.Read More »


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VAT for EU Countries (VAT4EU)
This plugin, a rewrite of the "VAT for European Companies" mod (https://www.zen-cart.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=15) supports Zen Cart 1.5.5a and later. The plugin has been designed to use the Zen Cart "notification" system where possible, to reduce the number of core and/or template-override file changes required!
Once installed, configured and enabled the plugin gathers a "VAT number" from your store's business customers and displays that value on any associated orders' confirmation emails, invoices and packingslips. When the customer's VAT number has been validated, VAT4EU provides "VAT Refund" processing for orders shipped to another country.
The plugin can be configured to automatically validate a customers VAT entry, using the VIES (VAT Information Exchange System) interface or a store admin can override a customer's VAT in case their registration is new or the VIES servers are down.
See the plugin's readme (https://vinosdefrutastropicales.com/product_extra_files/vat4eu/readme.html) for additional information.
Version History
|VAT for EU Countries (VAT4EU) - Version: v2.0.0
This version supports Zen Cart versions 1.5.6 and later.
** If your store uses Zen Cart v1.5.5a-f, please continue to use v1.0.1 of VAT4EU ***
|VAT for EU Countries (VAT4EU) - Version: v1.0.1
This release contains changes associated with the following GitHub issues:
#1: PHP error generated when web-service returns error
#2: Shipping/billing address additions don't "stick".
|VAT for EU Countries (VAT4EU) - Version: v1.0.0


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Bars in Utrecht
The bars from Utrecht Nothing is better then an old pitoresk city centre. Next to old buildings and monuments. The old fashion bar can not be missed. The centre of Utrecht is filled with these bars. In this blog story you will find a selection of the most important bars in Utrecht which are a … Continued


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|The pay's alright, but the random chokings are terrible
I like to think of them as terrain.
|Can literally be whatever you want them to bee
- The monster's HP becomes 1.
- If the monster would take damage as a result of passing a saving throw, it takes no damage instead.
- If the monster would take damage from an attack or spell that deals damage on a miss, it takes no damage instead.
- Treat 4 minions as a single monster with regards to CR calculations.
First off, we've reduced the monster's HP to 1. Essentially, we want this thing to go down in one hit, no matter what that "hit" is. This also means that, in general, our monster is going to only get one attack against the party. But that's okay - minions are supposed to go down easy! And we don't really want them to be the focus.
You might be able to see why I think of minions as terrain, now. Specifically, damaging terrain. If a PC runs across a patch of razorvine, or flies too low over a magma lake, what happens? They take some damage, and their movement is likely hindered.
Well, the same thing happens when you put a wall of minions between your players and the boss monster you devised. The players have to stop and fight the minions, taking some damage in the process.
This brings us to the second and third part of the conversion: minions don't take damage on "misses" and Saving Throw failures. Why? Because otherwise, a fireball would blow a huge hole in our terrain, every single time! The minions are there specifically to prevent movement towards the boss monster while dealing a bit of damage. If the wizard gets lucky on initiative, there goes your fight.
|Nothing a well-placed Meteor Swarm can't handle!
But the question then arises: why 4? Well, I've touched on this a couple times, but the designers of D&D very clearly expected a single combat to last 3 rounds. You calculate monster damage by dividing by 3, you assume a spellcaster casts their 3 most damaging spells, etc. So why does the minion count as 1/4th of a monster, if it is only going to deal its damage once and then die?
Well, that's because a large portion of your minions are going to die before they ever see combat. Between AoE spells and multiattacking melee PCs, the players can dish out a lot more minion-killing damage than you have minions.
So, to compensate for that, we assume the following:
- Out of your minion horde, about a quarter will die before they get into attack range
- After that, each minion will get about 1 attack before they go down.
So basically, don't get too attached.
Running Lots of Baddies
Next, let's talk about the in-session adjustments. Unless you only need a few minions on the field, you could potentially be busting out a LOT of minis. Are you going to roll initiative for each one of them, and have them move and attack individually?
For the love of Pelor and Lathander, please, no.
Fortunately, the DMG provides a better way for this to be handled on page 250. To paraphrase, you calculate the d20 roll needed to hit the PC, then work out how many minions need to surround the PC to get a hit in. They offer this fine chart:
Now, the DMG notes that this system ignores the possibility of a critical hit in favor of easier play. I think that's perfect for minions, however. Mowing through a mountain of Orcs is supposed to feel good, not make the players worry that a stray battleaxe with lop their hand off.
In order to make this work, I'd suggest that you treat the minions like a lair action (See? Get it? Terrain!) and have them all move on initiative count 20. Then, resolve their attacks based on positioning.
Do note that this method does lend itself to some VERY interesting boss tactics, as well.
- A boss that can cast a Bless spell on their minions can essentially grant a +2 to hit
- A boss that can give their minions advantage can essentially grant a +4 to hit
- A boss that can lower AC can give their minions more hits per round
|Remember to give the minions personality. Or lack thereof.
Well, to be honest, you don't really need a boss. If you want the players to just fall down a chute and land in a big pile of zombies, that's your game and you can do what you like. But since minions are essentially just terrain, it's good to have an additional focus for the players to try and get to.
4th Edition has these other types of monsters that are called "Elite" and "Solo" monsters, which are designed to make a normal monster tougher. They can still be any type of role, but they have more actions and better stats than a normal monster of their type. Sound familiar? That's right. I'm linking this article to you. AGAIN. GO READ IT.
The cool thing about using paragon monsters as bosses is that you can give them extra turns to support their minions. We'll talk about the "Leader" role eventually, but Spellcasters in particular can be effective bosses when they can attack and support their minions. Have you ever had a Priest cast Bless in combat? What about a Mage casting Ice Storm or Suggestion? I bet you haven't, because they usually die before they get a chance to.
As I said, we'll talk more about this later. But for now, go read that Angry GM article and make some paragon bosses.
Thanks for reading!


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Morgan Summers
Dance Instructor (Hip-Hop)
Morgan Summers is a lifetime dancer from Panama City, Florida. Originally training in classical styles at Tonie's Dance Workshop, she started her journey with foundational knowledge in styles such as ballet, jazz, and contemporary with a focus on performance. It is here that she also began apprenticing as an instructor and choreographer.
In 2013 Morgan moved to Orlando for school and discovered Central Florida's urban dance culture. After performing with the crew RUKUS at UCF, Morgan was offered a position as a founding member of the Orlando-based megacrew theSQUADFL. It is with this company that Morgan has made it to finals at World of Dance, and been a defending champion at Prelude South for the past three years. TheSQUAD also performs on the world stage at Hip Hop International annually, and have placed in US finals for two years.
Morgan is active in the local dance community, and has trained in hip hop styles such as Waacking, House, Popping, Locking, Krump, and Dancehall with respected dancers in each style. Some of her mentors include Benjamin "Ben10" Phan, Clarissa "CRox" Turner, Lorena Valenzuela, Tarek Barrera-Malo, Angel Guzman, and Chad Frierson.
Inspired by her mentor's willingness to share their knowledge, Morgan joins the Songbirds team with the goal of sharing the joys of all these different styles of movement with the dancers of tomorrow.


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The Mazda2 is not only cute it is also a lot of fun to drive, far better than its predecessor in every way; Mazda have created a totally new car for a new generation.
The radio and CD player are easy to use and thoughtfully there is 12v socket and auxiliary line-in so that you can easily plug in your iPod or MP3 player. The audio quality is as expected not brilliant but perfectly adequate. You even get audio controls on the steering wheel, which you might find a little fiddly.
We were impressed to see that all new Mazda2 has a Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser as standard.
The Mazda2 has been awarded a Five Star NCAP (crash test safety rating) which is as good as it gets, four star child protection and is let a little down on the pedestrian test scoring two stars out of four. Mazda had kindly added DSC and TCS to our car. This is a £395 option which in our opinion we would spend - it provides you with Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), which is designed to keep the car on course when cornering, should you go into a skid and Traction Control System (TSC), which helps prevent wheel spin when pulling off, especially in the wet.
We were very pleased to see that on the TS2 and sport models you get side curtain airbags as standard to protect all passengers in the event of an accident. Of course we would like to see this as standard a cross the range but supermini's sell on price and the Mazda2 has to be competitive, but at least there is the option to add DSC, TSC and side curtain airbags to the base model for £550.
There is no doubt that the exterior and interior are very pleasing to the eye, sharing the best design elements of the new Mazda line up. We are not surprised to see that the Mazda2 was one of the three finalists for 2008 World Design of the Year, alongside the prestigious Audi R8.
The Mazda2 is not only cute it is also a lot of fun to drive, far better than its predecessor in every way; Mazda have created a totally new car for a new generation. The Mazda2 is going to appeal to all age groups as it offers so much. It is a big car in a small package with refinements such as air conditioning and Dynamic Stability Control. Therefore it is no wonder that it has won the award of 2008 World Car of the Year, beating the short-listed Ford Mondeo and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
We really liked the new Mazda2 and have personally recommended it to a number of people some of who have gone on to buy one a nd from the reports we have received back their owners are very pleased with their cars.20 May 2008
Mazda Mazda2 Road Test Data
|Model Reviewed
|Mazda Mazda Mazda2 1.3 TS2
|Body Type
|5-Door Hatchback
|Aurora Blue Mica
|Performance (manufacturers data)
|0 - 62 mph
|12.9 Seconds
|Top Speed
|107 mph
|5-Speed Manual
|Fuel Type
|Unleaded Petrol
|CO2 Emissions (NEDC Figures)
|Economy (NEDC Figures)
|40.9 mpg
|Extra Urban
|61.4 mpg
|52.3 mpg
|Insurance Group
|Euro NCAP Rating
|3-Year or 60,000 Mile Warranty
|Price (when tested on the 20/05/08)


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Polybase In Action
Target Audience: Developers and DBAs who want an easier way to query Hadoop or Azure Blob Storage data should attend. Abstract: Polybase is Microsoft's newest way of integrating SQL Server with external systems such as Hadoop and Azure Blob Storage. In this talk, we will connect SQL Server to an on-premises Hadoop cluster as well…Read More


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CCNA Collab - Anyone find materials for the Video portion yet? (CIVND I think?)
ande0255 Posts: 1,178Banned
Wondering if materials are out there for the video portion of the CCNA Voice to also obtain the collab cert.
Back in my day we used to route packets on 56k lines, through the snow, uphill both ways.
sucanushie Posts: 163MemberJeremy Cioara is doing one for CBT Nuggets now.
He has 2 videos done now.
cisco_nerd Posts: 198Membersucanushie wrote: »Jeremy Cioara is doing one for CBT Nuggets now.
He has 2 videos done now.
I noticed today that the CBT Nuggest for the CIVND exam have been completed. 11 videos in total, adding up to approx. 2.5hrs of content.
Apart from these and the little bit of resources on the Cisco Learning Network page I haven't been able to find any other training material for this.... or for CCNA Video for that matter.
Seems 2.5hrs of CBT nuggets and a few PDFs are a bit light on for resources.... although the blueprint seems to hint at a lot of theory based assessment. All up probably a week worth of study if you work in the voice/UC realm and some experience with video conferencing from the likes of Tandberg.
Hopefully I can knock this exam out fairly soon!


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In this context, I am going to use parlay as to mean: to make good use of an asset or advantage to obtain success (Encarta Dictionary, 2009). "What is in your hand is not dust but husk, look for seed in it to sow, and you will have a bumper harvest" (Quote 8 of 62). This quote of mine, sincerely speaking, is vividly explaining what it means to parlay something.
Many a time, we do not value what we have, but if some other people possess the same, we will be celebrating them. The reason we do celebrate them is because, they recognized the gifts in their lives, and they made use of it. It is only what you make use of that brings results. For instance, when people have broken bones, and the part of the body was hung for a long time, you will see that when they want to start using that part of the body, it would not perform maximally; just because it was long it has been used.
Many do not recognize God's gifts in their lives, those that do, don't use theirs; the gifts are just lying dormant. You have to use your gifts profitably for you to be great in life. Parlay your God-given gifts! Make use of what God has endowed you with to be great in life. The gifts of a man make him to stand before kings and not mean men (The Bible). You have to parlay the God-given gifts within you into stepping stones that lead to your greatness in life. The first place to check for solution when you are challenged is within you. Some people run helter-skelter in search of solution to their problems, and in the cause of doing that, the problems begin to aggravate. You have been endowed with great gifts to face all challenges of life. Those that run to people to be great in life do not know what they carry. Though, People are placed on our way to help us to get to our destination on time, but much more are the giants placed within us, to make us very great in life. What we need to do is to recognize the giants within us and wake them up from slumber, and charge them to help us reach where we are supposed to be in life.
There is nothing enemy without can do, if we can conquer the enemy within. The damages we do to ourselves are enormous when we don't parlay the gifts in us into a profitable venture. Some would put the blame of their failure on the government of their country, some on their parents, some on the course they did in school, and so on and so forth. The country you were born into, your background, your profession, etc. do not really matters, only if you can harness the gifts you are endowed with, and channeled them into a profitable use that can make you great, and be searched for. If you can do this, you will not be looking up and down for success, it is success that will be looking for you. Was it not Queen Sheba that was looking for King Solomon? Did she come alone? She came with gold and riches to tap into what the King carried.
Everyone on the surface of the earth is a king, you have royal blood running within you, recognize who you are, and make use of it, many in this world are parlaying their family connection into greatness. Know who you are, as a king, and claim your territory. There is a territory that belongs to you, there is no need for bitter competition. When you know who you are, and you claim what belong to you, nobody would contest it with you. The reason you are struggling may be because, you have not recognized your niche. Parlay your God-given gifts, and channeled them into right course that will make you great in life.
If you are impacted with this write-up, get any of these three books for more. Thank you.
The End Matters Most, authored by Peter Adewumi. (Print on Demand, eBook & Audio).
Attributes of Successful Employees by Peter Adewumi. (Print Book & eBook).
Virtues for Riches (Motivational Series) by Peter Adewumi (Paperback and eBook)
© 2017 Peter F. Adewumi


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A whimsical wreath made of natural dried curly willow branches, hand-crafted by a Michigan farmer.
Approximate total diameter 32".
Upgrade adds an accent bow.
Substitution Policy
As seasons change, so does our selection! If the exact flowers or containers shown are not available at the time of your order, we will substitute products of equal or greater value.


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|(a) Technical
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We strive to provide you with choices regarding certain personal data uses, particularly around marketing and advertising.
Promotional offers from us
We may use your Identity, Contact, Technical, Usage and Profile Data to form a view on what we think you may want or need, or what may be of interest to you. This is how we decide which products, services and offers may be relevant for you (we call this marketing).
You will receive marketing communications from us if you have requested information from us or purchased goods or services from us or if you provided us with your details when you entered a competition or registered for a promotion and, in each case, you have not opted out of receiving that marketing.
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Where you opt out of receiving marketing messages, this will not apply to personal data provided to us as a result of a product/service purchase, warranty registration, product/service experience or other transactions.
Change of purpose
We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. If you wish to get an explanation as to how the processing for the new purpose is compatible with the original purpose, please contact us firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Please note that we may process your personal data without your knowledge or consent, in compliance with the above rules, where this is required or permitted by law.
We may have to share your personal data with the parties set out below for the purposes set out in the table in paragraph 4 above.
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We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where we are legally required to do so.
We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal requirements.
By law we have to keep basic information about our customers (including Contact, Identity, Financial and Transaction Data) for at least six years after they cease being customers for tax purposes.
Details of other retention periods for different aspects of your personal data are contained in our retention policy which you can request from us by contacting us firstname.lastname@example.com.
In some circumstances you can ask us to delete your data and in some circumstances we may anonymise your personal data (so that it can no longer be associated with you) for research or statistical purposes in which case we may use this information indefinitely without further notice to you.
Under certain circumstances, you have rights under data protection laws in relation to your personal data. Please click on the links below to find out more about these rights:
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No fee usually required
You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with your request in these circumstances.
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Time limit to respond
We try to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally it may take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made a number of requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated.
Legitimate Interest means the interest of our business in conducting and managing our business to enable us to give you the best service/product and the best and most secure experience. We make sure we consider and balance any potential impact on you (both positive and negative) and your rights before we process your personal data for our legitimate interests. We do not use your personal data for activities where our interests are overridden by the impact on you (unless we have your consent or are otherwise required or permitted to by law). You can obtain further information about how we assess our legitimate interests against any potential impact on you in respect of specific activities by contacting us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Performance of Contract means processing your data where it is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party or to take steps at your request before entering into such a contract.
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