text:
Kristina Werner
Shari Carroll
Laura Bassen
Debby Hughes
Nichol Spohr
Yoonsun Hur
Yana Smakula
Heather Hoffman
Lisa Addesa
Amy Rysavy
Heather Ruwe
Wanda Guess
Nina-Marie Trapani
Adorable cards!!!! Love the Leaves...
New products and the way each 'blog hop star' uses them is the best fun ever. I learn so much with each hop! Thank you all! The PS I Love You card is stunning!
Wow so many cards, there all beautiful. Especially like the first one, will make beautiful anniversary cards.
I love all things "love" and your cards are beautiful examples of hearts, flowers, and love!
Oh my, I did not realize those leaves lifted off the page - what a great idea and a fantastic way to add texture and dimension to a piece. Love the bright splashes of colour on the cards too - beautiful.
love the way you use the dies. very simple and yet beautiful.
Stunning!!! Those lift up leaves and unbelievable!
Wow, these cards are beautiful! I especially love the watercolor card. The contrast between the rainbow watercolor and the bold sentiment strip is gorgeous!
They are all so nice! I love the watercolorlook behind the heart die!
Love the cards
Love your designs. They are so pretty.
Beautiful cards, Shari
Absolutely LOVE the "Flower Heart" die!!!!
All of your cards are beautiful, but I especially like the Heart of Flowers watercolor card - absolutely stunning!!
The watercolor hear card is my absolute favorite!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I will definitely try my hand at this one! Thank you for the inspiration!
Love the water color panel card! Stunning.
Love the water color panel card! Stunning.
Love the water color panel card! Stunning.
Your cards are amazing. Thanks for sharing your great ideas.
Beautiful cards!!
These cards are all lovely, but the first jumps out at me. Our daughter just got engaged and it would be a beautiful wedding card. Thanks for sharing.
Your Partial Cut Leaves die is to die for, Shari. Such a clever and timeless design. Also love your other cards. I'm not big on hearts, but I can see myself using the Heart of Flowers a lot.
I love all three cards! the first because no one would know what those dies really did I don't think unless they saw them in action! The second because well because it's hearts and hearts are a year round good idea in my house! and the third I love because of your gorgeous
watercoloring and again the heart but flowers and a Heart??? double bonus! TFS Shari!
Wonderful variety of cards. Like the watercolored background of the lacey cut out heart.
"Sunshine HoneyBee"
I always love the creative cards you make, Shari!
I love the heart die. I have been wanting a die like this for some time.
Beautiful cards! Love the heart die with the flowers cut out in the middle, guess I need to do more shopping.
Beautiful cards! Love the heart die with the flowers cut out in the middle, guess I need to do more shopping.
Wow, Shari your cards are sensational. So elegant and diverse. Thanks for sharing them with us:)
absolutely gorgeous cards! I love what you did with those leaves !
Love the tie die peek-a-boo card! Fantastic!
Your first card is so elegant. Beautiful.
Love the heart card with the watercolor peeking through. Thanks for the inspiration.
You always expand my vision of how to use dies! I love the white card . . . it could also be a beautiful sympathy card.
I just LOVE that partial cut leaf die. I may have to add that to my collection.
Love the randomness of he collage card. All the cards are beautiful and fun.
Oh wow! Stunning Valentine's cards!!! Love them!!!
Oh my I really need to get these supplies thanks for sharing and the chance
Oh my gosh Shari, these cards are wonderful! I love all three of them! The first one would make a great wedding card too. Thank you for the great ideas!
Shari--all three of your cards are fabulous!!! The gray, black and white card is so elegant, the collage is amazing and the heart card is...well, I just can't find the right words to described how much I love all of them! I am always so very impressed with your sense of color! Thank you for sharing your techniques and inspiration!!! (Peg)
Each of your cards are so lovely and unique. I love your grey and white one just as much as your multicolored one.
Shari, you always inspire and give excellent instructions. I especially like the second card that uses (up) washi tape. We all probably have loads to use!!
love all three cards although my favorite is the jumbo heart in multiple colors! TFS!
I love the all of these cards! I have a ton of washi tape to use and this gives me so much inspiration!
Beautiful cards!! Love those lift up leaves! They are gorgeous!! Beautiful heart dies!
Love, love, love your card with the partial leaves die cut. It's beautiful!
O my goodness that top card is to die for. I love how it turned out and of course the others are pretty too. But that first one you nailed it.
Great projects, Shari.
Love your cards. BUT the Heart of Flowers card is my favorite. "60s" style is what I see. My oldest daughter would love this card!Thank you for sharing.
Shari, I am so glad I saw your post....I would have just passed right over those leaves (I mean I have hundreds right???) These are DIFFERENT!!!! Also LOVE LOVE what you did with the heart of flowers die
Gorgeous cards!!! LOVE the heart of flowers die!!!
Beautiful cards! Love them all, but the collaged one is my favourite!!
Fabulous cards! I am loving this hop. So much fabulous inspiration. The leaves and heart dies are a must have.
Love your partial die cut leaves and the card you made with those dies. Sometimes I need to see how a product is used to see its value and that is the case here. Thanks so much for sharing your talent!
Gorgeous cards, Shari!!! Love them all !!
Lovely cards love the different guys
Lovely cards love the different dies
Love ALL of your cards!!!
All of your cards are just beautiful. I love the tone on tone of the leaf card, the intricacy of the layered card, and the heart die which really allows the background to shine thru!
I love the card with the watercolor background, thanks for being such an enabler....lol
What fun cards! I especially love the floral heart in the last card. Super effect!
I don't think there is one single thing you have ever done that I don't like. I get so much inspiration from your art - thank you!
I love all 3 cards, you are such an inspiration! TFS!
I absolutely love the flower card, it is so simplistic but gorgeous.
Both of these cards are so beautiful. I love the whites. Thanks for sharing!
What great cards! I love the the heart die with all the color in the background. So beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Such a great release. I can't wait to see what everyone makes!!
Three different looks. Love them!
These are gorgeous! My favorite is the last one, I love the bright colors.
Love that scattered heart die!!
Wow!! Awesome cards and great new die cut designs!!
Shari - your designs always blow me away! My favorite is the washi collage - so artistic and free!
Stunning cards. All 3 are amazing.
Oh my, these are just wonderful designs. I really like those dies that just lift off the page and your leaves are so pretty. I love how you used them all together and made a border. The watercolor card really caught my eye and the hearts and love is a fun, happy card with just pops of color.
Oh my Shari! They're magnificent! I love those partial cut leaves - brilliant die concept! I am in love with rainbow-licious floral heart. Stunning creations!
I love this release! The clipping heart and the heart of flowers are gorgeous!
So beautiful and inspiring. Love the way you put seemingly random things together to make beautiful pieces of art.
I love the way you use mixed media in your cards - it's gorgeous! I am so excited about this release, thank you for sharing!
Shari your cards are beautiful! I love the variety and seem like something I could do. Thanks for the inspiration.
Oh so nice...all three
Love all your cards! These are beautiful! Always inspiring - Thanks, Denise
Congratulations on a fabulous die design. The white card with the partially cut leaves is gorgeous but I have to admit that my favourite is the collage with the washi tape and black accents.
Love the watercolored heart.
They're all lush but my fav is mist definitely the relaxed just go for it one...tho I think it shows your inate talent ;)
All cards you've made are gorgeous.
Wow, these are great! The first one is so pretty and would be perfect for an anniversary or wedding. And I also love the fun tie die heart you created :)
Wow! I looked right past those leaves without even considering the possibilities- may have to get it now lol. Other two cards are gorgeous too!
Your first two cards are so elegant! And your third is why I bought that die. Can't wait to try it out. Thanks for your inspiration!!
You always inspire me with your unique talent!
Shari, I just love your cards. They are so inspiring and bring a smile to my face each time I see one!
love all 3 of your cards, especially the 2nd one that you just went for it. It was so adorable. I love your style. This looks like a great release. Tracey Magner
Wowzers! Your cards are awesome! Love each one for specific reasons - the first is so elegant, the second so graphic and the third is a beautiful rainbow of colors.
Your cards are gorgeous!! You have an amazing talent!
These are gorgeous! Love the encouragement to just go for it!
Wow! I don't know which card I like better. The white card is stunning and would make a beautiful wedding card too. Love the collage. It is Faso fun. And the your rainbow heart is gorgeous! Your work always makes he happy! Thanks.
Love the collage card, but they are all amazing, thanks for the great ideas!
Oooh, these are all gorgeous!
Your rainbow watercolor heart is my favorite from the whole collection! Just stunning!
Pretty awesome cards!
beautiful cards! Really nice dies! Love the leaves!
Love them all, but I especially love the first one. I just think that the white is so elegant. Love those leaves dies! Thanks for sharing!
Oh gosh, all your cards are beautiful! TFS
These are absolutely gorgeous!!!! You've really made these cards shine! I just love the rainbow heart and painted love one the best!
Three great cards, and what did you do to get moved to the top of the hop list? You used to always be last.
I think the partial leaves dies are awesome!
I love the flower card
I love the last card. I need to try something like this with my dies.
I love all three of your cards, they are amazing! The partial leave dies are a very clever idea, especially since the are all separate so one can create a unique pattern. Lovely!!
I've loved your design style from the very beginning...whatever you created was amazing.I must say that your style has evolved over the years and I think it is even better now. All three cards are stunning and the dies you created are probably going to end up at my house, too!
Beautiful cards!
Beautiful cards!
Oh my goodness! I absolutely love all of the dies used, all of the cards were amazing! What great inspiration, thanks so much for sharing your talents!
Loved all the cards! But the first time I saw the floral heart, I bought it! It is just BEAUTIFUL!
Your cards are all so beautiful but I love the one with the washi!
Love all the cards they are so beautiful thank you for sharing
I absolutely LOVE these cards!! I am going to have to invest in these dies. I love those leaves and your watercolor backgrounds. Fabulous!
All three of your cards were nice. I love the PS I love you....it is stunning. I love rainbows too so loved the floral heart one too. Great designs. TFS
Beautiful cards! I especially love the card with your partial cut leaves :)
Oh My!!! These are all soooo Beautiful!!!
I LOVE all of these dies!! I'm really intrigued by the leaves! Thank you for all the cards... as usual you did a wonderful job!!
Loved these cards- beautiful and inspiring!
oh My God.. wowwww.. such beautiful cards.. I cannot stop staring at them.. loved loved and loved all of them.. the 3rd card is my favourite. Thank you so much for the inspiration
Always love your cards, but I especially liked your washi tape idea. I have way too much. :)
All the cards are gorgy. I especially am in love with the leaves card .. wow wow wow
Your card with the partial cut leaves is gorgeous. I absolutely love the Heart of Flowers die, and your card is so colorful and elegant.
Lovely cards Shari! Choosing a favorite is just too hard.
Awesome cards, my fav is the one with the die-cut leaves, very subtle and calm :-) Thank you for sharing, Shari!
Beautiful cards! I especially like the all white one, so gorgeous! Hugs, Leslie
Love these cards. The die cut leaves card is subtle and elegant.
Outstanding cards! Each is so different from the other.
Love those lift up leaves and the hearts collage is lovely. Hugz
You come up with the best ideas, Shari! Love them all, but the first one is a jaw-dropper! Those leaves are going on my wishlist!
Your use of the dies on each card is amazing! Beautiful x's 3!
While all your samples are lovely I really liked the first one the best! Thanks for sharing!
All cards are lovely and am thinking the partial cut leaves die will be in my next order. Yum!
Wow! The dies are amazing and the inspiration cards are simply fabulous! Especially love the partial leaves die.
Awesome cards, especially LOVE the Heart of Flowers card.
Shari...I LOVE THE WASHI TAPE CARD! Love it. Time to get out my washi stash and duplicate this. The colors and layout r so fresh. Love it!!!
Wow... LOVE all three samples... love the elegance of the first card, love the layers on your second card and love the clean and fun colors in the third. Absolutely inspiring.
Love the mixed colr example. I have hat die so will defintely try it.
I love the Love You To Pieces card. It's fun, creative and colorful!
Beautiful cards! I so need this release set!!
Love the leaves! What an awesome card!! I am putting the leaves dies on my wish list now!
These cards are just so beautiful!!!!!!!
Gorgeous cards and I love them all especially the second one, so many interesting elements to look at. And the colors in the last one are so happy and beautiful.
The clipping heart die card is my favorite. And I am SO glad to know I'm not the ONLY one with a washi tape stash I really need to use . . . Thanks for this!
These are all so creative!
what a beautiful card, simply elegant.
I love all 3 cards and they are all so different. The leaves on the first are really interesting and create such a pretty card.
Stunning and I love your vision for card making
The heart of flowers is my favorite! And I love COLOR. The rainbow colors are perfect. Love the card.
Gorgeous cards, thanks for sharing!
Love the cards!
When a blog hop comes along and Shari is one of the participants - I know that her project will stand out from all the others. Really amazing talent!
How lovely! Thank you for sharing your inspiration :)
Awesome cards. Love the leaf dies, those are on my wish list. Thank you for sharing.
I just love all of the new VD products. I'm so tickled!!
absolutely gorgeous! love the leaf dies, and the flower heart
Love them! They are gorgeous. Thank you for sharing.
wow! love all three cards. I love the dies in the first one so pretty and fun. The second card I love the use of washi tape. I really need to figure that stuff out better. My washi tape never looks right. Sigh! The third card has such fun colors peeking out.
Gorgeous cards. My favorite is the heart of flowers cards.
Shari, WE love you to pieces. Your designs are always so memorable and quite remarkable. Thanks so much for this inspiration. I am loving this new collection of dies.
Oh, Shari, your partially cut leaf border looks fabulous. Fun way to use washi and love your sweet rainbow heart, too! You are SO creative!
What a great set of cards!! Each having something different "say" while
all could send the message of LOVE! Thank you
Love those leaves... never thought of doing that!
The partial die cut leaves are really interesting and give a great effect to the card. All of your cards are fabulous! Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely love your cards, especially the first one.
Love your cards and the leaf dies you created! Just beautiful!
Such pretty cards! The first one is my favorite, it would make a beautiful wedding card!
Beautiful card!
Amazing!!! Each one of your cards is fabulous!!!! Thanks so much.
Fabulous cards. I had my eye on that flower heart die & thought it looks fantastic on your card! I am super excited to get it and start using it. The sentiment is perfect - something I can use all year round.
I love the cards. I feel inspired
Love all of the cards, especially the white leaves one. who knew a white card could look so elegant! lol
Hi Shari!
Love these partial cut dies! They are lovely!
Thanks for sharing your ideas!
Oh my goodness. These are just gorgeous!
Lovely cards. The first white-on-white card and the last card are especially nice.
Wow, you are a fabulous designer! :-)
Love them all! Such pretty designs. I love the
2nd card for it's mixed media design, which I want to try.
Lovely cards! I love how the leaves do not cut through at their base--a lovely touch.
I loved the cards that you posted! So delicate. Thanks for the inspiration!
Love these designs. I always love your stuff. Thanks for sharing!
These are jaw dropping gorgeous!
Everything here is so pretty, love the bright and cheery colors, so needed for this winter!
three wonderful cards but love love the first one the best!!
Love the heart of flowers one!!
oh my! love, love, love them all! thank you for sharing!
Shari, I love your card with rainbow colors.
Gorgeous cards! My favorite is the 3rd one!!
I am in love with the Flowers heart.
Love all of these cards! Thanks for the ideas!
To be honest, I have never liked pink. However that being said, I love the use of the shades of pink you used and how it is not overpowering. The collage card is great!
So much to love about each of these cards! Neat how the leaf dies are still attached at the one end!
All of your cards are amazing!
Shari, thank you so much for sharing your talent and art with us all! This is just the inspiration I have been waiting for! I purchased most of the 'Hey Love' release and am now ready to spread some love!
Love it -- especially your peek thru heart.
Wow - so beautiful and classy and those second two are just so bright and fun! Love it.
WOW! These Valentine Cards must have worked because I am in love!!! Absolutely Beautiful!


text:
Thursday, 15 January 2009
Christian Louboutin in Singapore
8 comments:
- Anonymous said...
The shoes on display are pretty! But alas, I am not into wearing heels so CLs are not for me, whew for my wallet! :D
- 22 January 2009 at 00:54
- Jean Jeanie said...
Do you possibly have their phone number? I want to call and hold/wait list a couple of classics :) for when i swing by again in September ^^ Bought a pair from On Pedder last year ^^
- 21 February 2009 at 05:36
- Haru said...
According to the CL website, the phone number is +65-6732-2813
- 21 February 2009 at 07:08
- ancelin said...
pls can u help find out d price 4 d white pair with a huge bow 4 me?...v don hav a CLou here in kl n i wud certainly love a pair 4 my wedding...
- 17 October 2009 at 00:58
- Haru said...
Sorry, I'm afraid I don't have the time to do that. Why don't you try calling the store directly?
- 17 October 2009 at 09:50
- Anonymous said...
Can you also post the price of the Christian Louboutin shoes on your blog???
- 22 October 2009 at 21:40
- Haru said...
I'm afraid I don't know the prices and I also do not shop at Christian Louboutin!
- 22 October 2009 at 22:10
- Anonymous said...
Don't buy the flats, I regretted buying them because the red leather at the bottom of the shoe wears out quite quickly. Best to stick with heels to show off the reds.
I'm not sure how much they cost in Spore but in Paris they are selling them from 320euros to thousands depending on the leather and cut.
- 27 August 2010 at 11:36

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Manage strawberry fertilization with tissue testing
Strawberry fertilization has begun in the coastal and piedmont regions of North Carolina. Fruit quality and yield will depend on how well nutrients are managed from now until harvest.
"Plant tissue analysis from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides the most accurate way to monitor strawberry nutrition and adjust fertilizer rates," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
The department recom-mends that growers submit strawberry tissue samples every two weeks throughout the bloom and fruiting stages. The test costs $7 per sample for North Carolina growers and $27 for out-of-state growers. It normally takes two working days for the department's Agronomic Services Division laboratory to measure nutrient levels in each sample and post test results and recommendations online at www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/uyrplant.htm.
Strawberry tissue samples should contain only most recently mature, trifoliate leaves (MRMLs). These leaves are full-sized and green and consist of one petiole (leaf stalk) with three leaflets. They are usually located three to five leaves back from the growing point. Avoid collecting leaves that are damaged or dull in color.
When MRMLs are being collected, it is very important to detach the petiole from the leaflets immediately. This action halts nutrient transfer between the two plant parts, which will be analyzed separately for different purposes. Analysis of leaflets can reveal nutrient imbalances within the plant. Analysis of petioles indicates the amount of soil nitrogen currently available for crop growth and develop-ment, and serves as a basis for the nitrogen rate recommendation.
Each sample should include MRMLs from 20 to 25 plants randomly selected within a uniform area. For example, all of the plant material in a single sample should be the same variety, growing on the same soil type, planted at the same time and having the same management history. This is known as a representative sample.
For accurate recommendations, the Agronomic Ser-vices Division asks growers to provide specific information about each crop sample. Details about fertilization history, environmental conditions and the name of the variety being grown should be written on the NCDA&CS "Plant Sample Information" form, which is available on the division's website. On the form, it is especially important to indicate the appropriate growth-stage code (B1 through B12) based on the week of bloom.
David Dycus, an NCDA&CS regional agrono-mist based in Sanford, said it is important that growers have an overall understanding of fertilization strategy to use tissue analysis effectively. Growers who want to initiate a sampling program are encouraged to contact their NCDA&CS regional agronomist for guidance.
Information on collecting and submitting strawberry tissue samples is available online at www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/pictorial.htm.
NCDA&CS regional agronomists can also provide advice on sampling and fertilization. To identify the agronomist for your area, visit www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/rahome.htm, or call Kent Messick at 919-733-2655.


text:
The state agency charged with policing medical-marijuana dispensaries is preparing a broad rewrite of its rules for the businesses, just as the state begins to contemplate regulation for recreational marijuana stores.
In an announcement on its website, the Department of Revenue's Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division, or MMED, promises to release a draft of the rewritten rules by Dec. 28.
"Based on industry feedback, and its own experience, the MMED has determined that the majority of the existing medical marijuana rules … are in need of amendment," the announcement states.
MMED spokeswoman Julie Postlethwait said the division will hold three public forums to discuss new rules, with the first coming Jan. 11.
"We're trying to be very inclusive," Postlethwait said. "We're going to be reworking the rules and amending them, which is very common, especially when you have such a new program."
But, while Postlethwait said the rewrite is routine, it comes as serious questions are being raised about whether existing rules are enforceable. The rules are receiving extra scrutiny now that Colorado voters have passed Amendment 64, a measure that legalizes marijuana sales at stores intended to be regulated similarly to medical-marijuana dispensaries.
On Thursday, an El Paso County jury acquitted dispensary owner Ali Hillery of felony charges of marijuana cultivation and possession with intent to distribute. Prosecutors accused Hillery of growing more marijuana plants for her dispensary than state law allows. Dispensaries are allowed to grow six plants per patient who has signed up with the dispensary.
Hillery's attorney, Sean McAllister, said the problem is that dispensary owners have no way of knowing how many patients have signed up. Patients switch dispensaries frequently, the state is months behind in processing those transfer documents and, regardless, there's no system to inform dispensaries of their current patient count.
"The takeaway from this trial is that the emperor has no clothes," McAllister said. "The regulatory system is baiting people into violating the law."
"Every dispensary in the state potentially has more plants than patients," he added.
McAllister said he represents three other dispensary owners facing criminal charges in Colorado Springs for similar accusations. Another dispensary owner he represented worked out a plea deal to avoid the cost of fighting the charges, McAllister said.
As Hillery's trial loomed, McAllister filed a lawsuit asking the MMED to clarify its rules on plant counts. It since has, McAllister said. But he said the rules rewrite shows the MMED is uncertain how best to regulate the industry.
"This agency is still figuring out what the law is," he said.
McAllister, though, said he is hopeful regulation of recreational marijuana stores will be less chaotic. Amendment 64 does not impose plant limits on stores or require people to designate just one store to grow marijuana for them.
You must be logged in to post a comment.


text:
|This article is part of UnNews, your source for up-to-the-picosecond misinformation.
29 June 2012
KIEV, Ukraine -- Italy was raped by Spain on Sunday the 1st of July in an event which saw much applause and joy around the world. Spain grabbed Italy by the neck and sodomised it brutally in front of everyone. NATO members did not deploy their armies nor defence to stop Spain from the vicious violation but instead sat in the stands and watched on television as Spain inserted its giant Latin shlong inside Italy's tiny Latin anus.
Italy is currently hiding in its room with the door closed and the blanket over its face. While it sheds tears of sadness and pain from inflamed sphincter muscles, at the same time it goes over the incident in its mind and is becoming slightly aroused. Italy may be sad, but it also looks forward to being raped again by Spain in another four years.
Spain offered no apologies when questioned about the incident. "We must to have this chance to go to make violation of Italy ass hole...for the honour of eh-spain" he said celebrating while drinking cheap wine and spending the very last of its money from its bank account on one final party. "I enjoyed raping Italy very a lot, and I have looking forward for to rape Italy again. Perhaps maybe I will rape the mouth next time... I think mouth rape is more funner" he said with a very serious look on his face.
Meanwhile Europeans also celebrate the victory, happy not so much that Spain won, but ecstatic that Italy had its ass pummelled by another nation. Nothing makes a Swiss or a German happier than to see Italy thrown on the ground and have its ass ripped apart by a raging bull. "The arrogant pretentious loud and smelly country is almost asking for a good raping every time it shows its nose high up in the air " said a French fan as he watched the forced sex without intervening.
Spain says it feels very satisfied this time after a nice solid sex ravaging, enjoying it far more than the rape of Holland two years ago. "There is much nicer to bang Italy very hard...because is a place that is always saying 'please slap me in the face with your big bull penis' while pretending that they no like it. It is the play, the game, the flirting that is so nice. They say no, no, no but they think more hard more deep with you giant penis". Asked if Spain would consider looking after the child if Italy gets pregnant, Spain thought a moment and quietly walked away "Italy... who is Italy?"


text:
Old Roger Chillingworth, throughout life, had been calm in temperament, kindly, though not of warm affections, but ever, and in all his relations with the world, a pure and upright man. He had begun an investigation, as he imagined, with the severe and equal integrity of a judge, desirous only of truth, even as if the question involved no more than the air-drawn lines and figures of a geometrical problem, instead of human passions, and wrongs inflicted on himself. But, as he proceeded, a terrible fascination, a kind of fierce, though still calm, necessity, seized the old man within its gripe, and never set him free again until he had done all its bidding. He now dug into the poor clergyman's heart, like a miner searching for gold; or, rather, like a sexton delving into a grave, possibly in quest of a jewel that had been buried on the dead man's bosom, but likely to find nothing save mortality and corruption. Alas, for his own soul, if these were what he sought!
Sometimes a light glimmered out of the physician's eyes, burning blue and ominous, like the reflection of a furnace, or, let us say, like one of those gleams of ghastly fire that darted from Bunyan's awful doorway in the hillside, and quivered on the pilgrim's face. The soil where this dark miner was working had perchance shown indications that encouraged him.
"This man," said he, at one such moment, to himself, "pure as they deem him--all spiritual as he seems--hath inherited a strong animal nature from his father or his mother. Let us dig a little further in the direction of this vein!"
Then after long search into the minister's dim interior, and turning over many precious materials, in the shape of high aspirations for the welfare of his race, warm love of souls, pure sentiments, natural piety, strengthened by thought and study, and illuminated by revelation--all of which invaluable gold was perhaps no better than rubbish to the seeker--he would turn back, discouraged, and begin his quest towards another point. He groped along as stealthily, with as cautious a tread, and as wary an outlook, as a thief entering a chamber where a man lies only half asleep--or, it may be, broad awake--with purpose to steal the very treasure which this man guards as the apple of his eye. In spite of his premeditated carefulness, the floor would now and then creak; his garments would rustle; the shadow of his presence, in a forbidden proximity, would be thrown across his victim. In other words, Mr. Dimmesdale, whose sensibility of nerve often produced the effect of spiritual intuition, would become vaguely aware that something inimical to his peace had thrust itself into relation with him. But Old Roger Chillingworth, too, had perceptions that were almost intuitive; and when the minister threw his startled eyes towards him, there the physician sat; his kind, watchful, sympathising, but never intrusive friend.
Yet Mr. Dimmesdale would perhaps have seen this individual's character more perfectly, if a certain morbidness, to which sick hearts are liable, had not rendered him suspicious of all mankind. Trusting no man as his friend, he could not recognize his enemy when the latter actually appeared. He therefore still kept up a familiar intercourse with him, daily receiving he old physician in his study, or visiting the laboratory, and, for recreation's sake, watching the processes by which weeds were converted into drugs of potency.
One day, leaning his forehead on his hand, and his elbow on the sill of the open window, that looked towards the grave-yard, he talked with Roger Chillingworth, while the old man was examining a bundle of unsightly plants.
"Where," asked he, with a look askance at them--for it was the clergyman's peculiarity that he seldom, now-a-days, looked straight forth at any object, whether human or inanimate, "where, my kind doctor, did you gather those herbs, with such a dark, flabby leaf?"
"Even in the graveyard here at hand," answered the physician, continuing his employment. "They are new to me. I found them growing on a grave, which bore no tombstone, no other memorial of the dead man, save these ugly weeds, that have taken upon themselves to keep him in remembrance. They grew out of his heart, and typify, it may be, some hideous secret that was buried with him, and which he had done better to confess during his lifetime."
"Perchance," said Mr. Dimmesdale, "he earnestly desired it, but could not."
"And wherefore?" rejoined the physician.
"Wherefore not; since all the powers of nature call so earnestly for the confession of sin, that these black weeds have sprung up out of a buried heart, to make manifest, an outspoken crime?"
"That, good sir, is but a phantasy of yours," replied the minister. "There can be, if I forbode aright, no power, short of the Divine mercy, to disclose, whether by uttered words, or by type or emblem, the secrets that may be buried in the human heart. The heart, making itself guilty of such secrets, must perforce hold them, until the day when all hidden things shall be revealed. Nor have I so read or interpreted Holy Writ, as to understand that the disclosure of human thoughts and deeds, then to be made, is intended as a part of the retribution. That, surely, were a shallow view of it. No; these revelations, unless I greatly err, are meant merely to promote the intellectual satisfaction of all intelligent beings, who will stand waiting, on that day, to see the dark problem of this life made plain. A knowledge of men's hearts will be needful to the completest solution of that problem. And, I conceive moreover, that the hearts holding such miserable secrets as you speak of, will yield them up, at that last day, not with reluctance, but with a joy unutterable."
"Then why not reveal it here?" asked Roger Chillingworth, glancing quietly aside at the minister. "Why should not the guilty ones sooner avail themselves of this unutterable solace?"
"They mostly do," said the clergyman, griping hard at his breast, as if afflicted with an importunate throb of pain. "Many, many a poor soul hath given its confidence to me, not only on the death-bed, but while strong in life, and fair in reputation. And ever, after such an outpouring, oh, what a relief have I witnessed in those sinful brethren! even as in one who at last draws free air, after a long stifling with his own polluted breath. How can it be otherwise? Why should a wretched man--guilty, we will say, of murder--prefer to keep the dead corpse buried in his own heart, rather than fling it forth at once, and let the universe take care of it!"
"Yet some men bury their secrets thus," observed the calm physician.
"True; there are such men," answered Mr. Dimmesdale. "But not to suggest more obvious reasons, it may be that they are kept silent by the very constitution of their nature. Or--can we not suppose it?--guilty as they may be, retaining, nevertheless, a zeal for God's glory and man's welfare, they shrink from displaying themselves black and filthy in the view of men; because, thenceforward, no good can be achieved by them; no evil of the past be redeemed by better service. So, to their own unutterable torment, they go about among their fellow-creatures, looking pure as new-fallen snow, while their hearts are all speckled and spotted with iniquity of which they cannot rid themselves."
"These men deceive themselves," said Roger Chillingworth, with somewhat more emphasis than usual, and making a slight gesture with his forefinger. "They fear to take up the shame that rightfully belongs to them. Their love for man, their zeal for God's service--these holy impulses may or may not coexist in their hearts with the evil inmates to which their guilt has unbarred the door, and which must needs propagate a hellish breed within them. But, if they seek to glorify God, let them not lift heavenward their unclean hands! If they would serve their fellowmen, let them do it by making manifest the power and reality of conscience, in constraining them to penitential self-abasement! Would thou have me to believe, O wise and pious friend, that a false show can be better--can be more for God's glory, or man' welfare--than God's own truth? Trust me, such men deceive themselves!"
"It may be so," said the young clergyman, indifferently, as waiving a discussion that he considered irrelevant or unseasonable. He had a ready faculty, indeed, of escaping from any topic that agitated his too sensitive and nervous temperament.--"But, now, I would ask of my well-skilled physician, whether, in good sooth, he deems me to have profited by his kindly care of this weak frame of mine?"
Before Roger Chillingworth could answer, they heard the clear, wild laughter of a young child's voice, proceeding from the adjacent burial-ground. Looking instinctively from the open window--for it was summer-time--the minister beheld Hester Prynne and little Pearl passing along the footpath that traversed the enclosure. Pearl looked as beautiful as the day, but was in one of those moods of perverse merriment which, whenever they occurred, seemed to remove her entirely out of the sphere of sympathy or human contact. She now skipped irreverently from one grave to another; until coming to the broad, flat, armorial tombstone of a departed worthy--perhaps of Isaac Johnson himself--she began to dance upon it. In reply to her mother's command and entreaty that she would behave more decorously, little Pearl paused to gather the prickly burrs from a tall burdock which grew beside the tomb. Taking a handful of these, she arranged them along the lines of the scarlet letter that decorated the maternal bosom, to which the burrs, as their nature was, tenaciously adhered. Hester did not pluck them off.
Roger Chillingworth had by this time approached the window and smiled grimly down.
"There is no law, nor reverence for authority, no regard for human ordinances or opinions, right or wrong, mixed up with that child's composition," remarked he, as much to himself as to his companion. "I saw her, the other day, bespatter the Governor himself with water at the cattle-trough in Spring Lane. What, in heaven's name, is she? Is the imp altogether evil? Hath she affections? Hath she any discoverable principle of being?"
"None, save the freedom of a broken law," answered Mr. Dimmesdale, in a quiet way, as if he had been discussing the point within himself, "Whether capable of good, I know not."
The child probably overheard their voices, for, looking up to the window with a bright, but naughty smile of mirth and intelligence, she threw one of the prickly burrs at the Rev. Mr. Dimmesdale. The sensitive clergyman shrank, with nervous dread, from the light missile. Detecting his emotion, Pearl clapped her little hands in the most extravagant ecstacy. Hester Prynne, likewise, had involuntarily looked up, and all these four persons, old and young, regarded one another in silence, till the child laughed aloud, and shouted--"Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old black man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already. Come away, mother or he will catch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!"
So she drew her mother away, skipping, dancing, and frisking fantastically among the hillocks of the dead people, like a creature that had nothing in common with a bygone and buried generation, nor owned herself akin to it. It was as if she had been made afresh out of new elements, and must perforce be permitted to live her own life, and be a law unto herself without her eccentricities being reckoned to her for a crime.
"There goes a woman," resumed Roger Chillingworth, after a pause, "who, be her demerits what they may, hath none of that mystery of hidden sinfulness which you deem so grievous to be borne. Is Hester Prynne the less miserable, think you, for that scarlet letter on her breast?"
"I do verily believe it," answered the clergyman. "Nevertheless, I cannot answer for her. There was a look of pain in her face which I would gladly have been spared the sight of. But still, methinks, it must needs be better for the sufferer to be free to show his pain, as this poor woman Hester is, than to cover it up in his heart."
There was another pause, and the physician began anew to examine and arrange the plants which he had gathered.
"You inquired of me, a little time agone," said he, at length, "my judgment as touching your health."
"I did," answered the clergyman, "and would gladly learn it. Speak frankly, I pray you, be it for life or death."
"Freely then, and plainly," said the physician, still busy with his plants, but keeping a wary eye on Mr. Dimmesdale, "the disorder is a strange one; not so much in itself nor as outwardly manifested,--in so far, at least as the symptoms have been laid open to my observation. Looking daily at you, my good sir, and watching the tokens of your aspect now for months gone by, I should deem you a man sore sick, it may be, yet not so sick but that an instructed and watchful physician might well hope to cure you. But I know not what to say, the disease is what I seem to know, yet know it not."
"You speak in riddles, learned sir," said the pale minister, glancing aside out of the window.
"Then, to speak more plainly," continued the physician, "and I crave pardon, sir, should it seem to require pardon, for this needful plainness of my speech. Let me ask as your friend, as one having charge, under Providence, of your life and physical well being, hath all the operations of this disorder been fairly laid open and recounted to me?"
"How can you question it?" asked the minister. "Surely it were child's play to call in a physician and then hide the sore!"
"You would tell me, then, that I know all?" said Roger Chillingworth, deliberately, and fixing an eye, bright with intense and concentrated intelligence, on the minister's face. "Be it so! But again! He to whom only the outward and physical evil is laid open, knoweth, oftentimes, but half the evil which he is called upon to cure. A bodily disease, which we look upon as whole and entire within itself, may, after all, be but a symptom of some ailment in the spiritual part. Your pardon once again, good sir, if my speech give the shadow of offence. You, sir, of all men whom I have known, are he whose body is the closest conjoined, and imbued, and identified, so to speak, with the spirit whereof it is the instrument."
"Then I need ask no further," said the clergyman, somewhat hastily rising from his chair. "You deal not, I take it, in medicine for the soul!"
"Thus, a sickness," continued Roger Chillingworth, going on, in an unaltered tone, without heeding the interruption, but standing up and confronting the emaciated and white-cheeked minister, with his low, dark, and misshapen figure,--"a sickness, a sore place, if we may so call it, in your spirit hath immediately its appropriate manifestation in your bodily frame. Would you, therefore, that your physician heal the bodily evil? How may this be unless you first lay open to him the wound or trouble in your soul?"
"No, not to thee! not to an earthly physician!" cried Mr. Dimmesdale, passionately, and turning his eyes, full and bright, and with a kind of fierceness, on old Roger Chillingworth. "Not to thee! But, if it be the soul's disease, then do I commit myself to the one Physician of the soul! He, if it stand with His good pleasure, can cure, or he can kill. Let Him do with me as, in His justice and wisdom, He shall see good. But who art thou, that meddlest in this matter? that dares thrust himself between the sufferer and his God?"
With a frantic gesture he rushed out of the room.
"It is as well to have made this step," said Roger Chillingworth to himself, looking after the minister, with a grave smile. "There is nothing lost. We shall be friends again anon. But see, now, how passion takes hold upon this man, and hurrieth him out of himself! As with one passion so with another. He hath done a wild thing ere now, this pious Master Dimmesdale, in the hot passion of his heart. "
It proved not difficult to re-establish the intimacy of the two companions, on the same footing and in the same degree as heretofore. The young clergyman, after a few hours of privacy, was sensible that the disorder of his nerves had hurried him into an unseemly outbreak of temper, which there had been nothing in the physician's words to excuse or palliate. He marvelled, indeed, at the violence with which he had thrust back the kind old man, when merely proffering the advice which it was his duty to bestow, and which the minister himself had expressly sought. With these remorseful feelings, he lost no time in making the amplest apologies, and besought his friend still to continue the care which, if not successful in restoring him to health, had, in all probability, been the means of prolonging his feeble existence to that hour. Roger Chillingworth readily assented, and went on with his medical supervision of the minister; doing his best for him, in all good faith, but always quitting the patient's apartment, at the close of the professional interview, with a mysterious and puzzled smile upon his lips. This expression was invisible in Mr. Dimmesdale's presence, but grew strongly evident as the physician crossed the threshold.
"A rare case," he muttered. "I must needs look deeper into it. A strange sympathy betwixt soul and body! Were it only for the art's sake, I must search this matter to the bottom."
It came to pass, not long after the scene above recorded, that the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale, noon-day, and entirely unawares, fell into a deep, deep slumber, sitting in his chair, with a large black-letter volume open before him on the table. It must have been a work of vast ability in the somniferous school of literature. The profound depth of the minister's repose was the more remarkable, inasmuch as he was one of those persons whose sleep ordinarily is as light as fitful, and as easily scared away, as a small bird hopping on a twig. To such an unwonted remoteness, however, had his spirit now withdrawn into itself that he stirred not in his chair when old Roger Chillingworth, without any extraordinary precaution, came into the room. The physician advanced directly in front of his patient, laid his hand upon his bosom, and thrust aside the vestment, that hitherto had always covered it even from the professional eye.
Then, indeed, Mr. Dimmesdale shuddered, and slightly stirred.
After a brief pause, the physician turned away.
But with what a wild look of wonder, joy, and honor! With what a ghastly rapture, as it were, too mighty to be expressed only by the eye and features, and therefore bursting forth through the whole ugliness of his figure, and making itself even riotously manifest by the extravagant gestures with which he threw up his arms towards the ceiling, and stamped his foot upon the floor! Had a man seen old Roger Chillingworth, at that moment of his ecstasy, he would have had no need to ask how Satan comports himself when a precious human soul is lost to heaven, and won into his kingdom.
But what distinguished the physician's ecstasy from Satan's was the trait of wonder in it!
We care about eBooks because we care about the environment.
Copyright � 2000-2019 Literature Project. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Honoring Prouty Garden | Overview
Respecting and honoring the Prouty Garden and the respite it provided is an important element in our thoughtful design of new garden spaces throughout the hospital. As we transform tomorrow, these new green and open spaces, which will be both indoors and outdoors, will create new, lasting memories and traditions for families that build upon what we learned from the Prouty Garden.
Many of the Prouty Garden's most beloved plants and statues will be part of the new gardens, and some of the dirt from the garden will be incorporated into the new five principal gardens.
In October 2015, Boston Children's invited patients, families and staff to a celebration of the beauty, healing and comfort that Prouty Garden has brought over the years, as well as an advance look at the new green spaces that will carry the Prouty's tradition of peace and respite across our entire campus. The event, sponsored by the Boston Children's Hospital Chaplaincy and the Greenspace Work Group, gave those in attendance an opportunity to share their stories and memories and to make a toast celebrating what Prouty Garden has meant to them.
Dirt from the Prouty Garden was added to five pots, which will be preserved and carried over to the five principal gardens in Boston Children's plans for future green space. Families and staff could also take home jars filled with soil from Prouty and seeds from the Dawn Redwood, in order to carry on the Prouty's tradition in their own way. Many of the Prouty's most beloved plants and statues bore yellow ribbons, denoting that they have already been assigned new homes in Boston Children's new gardens.


text:
Services on Demand
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in Google
Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe
On-line version ISSN 2224-7912
Print version ISSN 0041-4751
VAN DER MERWE, JP. The afrikaner's experience of transformation and nation building in post apartheid South Africa. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2010, vol.50, n.3, pp.313-327. ISSN 2224-7912.
In terms of their numbers, Afrikaners have always been in the minority in their locality (South Africa). During the apartheid years, Afrikaners were the dominant role-players in South Africa, and they created rigid legislation that was stringently prescriptive with respect to the other peoples who inhabited South Africa alongside of them (Slabbert 1999:61-63). In many respects, this legislation was discriminatory and degrading (Du Preez 2000:20). In post apartheid South Africa, Afrikaners have lost their dominance in government; and, moreover, their status was diminished, virtually overnight, to that of a minority group within their locality (Slabbert 1999:104). Afrikaners were thus necessarily constrained to make certain adjustments very rapidly in a post apartheid South Africa. Now that they have a full-blown minority status in the new South Africa, Afrikaners are being confronted with the realities of nation building and transformation. Outwardly, South Africans appear to have made progress since 1994 (and possibly even since 1990), in spontaneously becoming a nation The disappearance of forced racial separation, the peaceful transition to a democratic government, President Nelson Mandela's reconciliation efforts and the achievements of national sports teams all contributed towards this progress. Notwithstanding these positive developments, the ANC government remains determined to drive nation building from above, in a centralistic manner (Scholtz 1999:6). One is tempted to infer that the reason for this is that the natural route would take far too long to follow, and that success is not guaranteed. Although the ANC-in-government has adopted a more accommodating attitude towards nationhood, according to Geldenhuys (2000:13), a strong Jacobinical tendency already seems to have become discernible in this regard. Thus, an ANC discussion document of 1997 refers to the "identity of the South African nation in the making". What is needed - so it is claimed - "is a continuing battle to assert African hegemony in the context of a multi-cultural and non-racial society". In the same vein, reference is also made to "a process of building an African nation" and "our Africanness as a nation" (Venter 1999b:22). The nation building and transformation process has been, and continues to be, a traumatic one for Afrikaners (Van der Merwe 2010:197-199). Many elements of nation building are experienced by them as reverse racism and blatant discrimination. As a result of the fact that the ANC government persists in building racial labels into its legislation, Afrikaners have developed an aversion to nation building, since the racial labelling is primarily aimed at placing white people in South Africa, and specifically Afrikaners, at a disadvantage, regardless of the fi ne words and noble motives contained in the South African Constitution. Despite all of these possible threats that nation building and transformation may hold for the Afrikaner, I would like to make the prediction that Afrikaner ethnicity - notwithstanding the "total onslaught" of nation building and transformation - will come very strongly to the fore in the course of the next ten years. The irony is that it is precisely this process of nation building and transformation that will offer renewed momentum and motivation to Afrikaners to look after and protect their cultural content and values as a precious treasure. The fact that the government continually persists in focusing on the external identity elements of Afrikaners (such as skin colour) in new legislation, leaves Afrikaners with no other choice than to develop a sense of solidarity. The government continues to single out white people in general, and Afrikaners in particular, as people who cannot really be "Africans", or who are not like the rest of the rainbow nation (Buys 2004:15, Slabbert 2006:57-63 and Venter 2004). The rest of the South African peoples are unconditionally considered by the ANC government to be part of the rainbow nation. It is only white people, and in particular Afrikaners, who are first required to carry out penance and to make sacrifices before they can be regarded as part of the rainbow nation (Bornman 2005:366-389). By means of this approach, the ANC government, with its "nation building" initiatives, is in fact achieving the opposite of what is purportedly intended.
Keywords : Transformation; nation building; Afrikaner; post apartheid; new beginning; leadership; culture; acculturation; New South Africa.


text:
I have so far seen 4 Fringe plays this year. When I get my computer back (within 10 days, I hope) I will post reviews...though too late to influence anybody.
Quick summary: Oppositie of Infinity, My Morocco, and Are Ya Dating are all faggot-free plays. I unfortunately cannot say the same of Soul Survivor, as a sodomist asian is one of the characters.
2006 Edmonton Fringe: Travelling back in time
Share |
by Feynman and Coulter's Love Child at 10:43 am
Labels: #yeg, Entertainment
2006 Edmonton Fringe: Travelling back in time
Feynman and Coulter's Love Child
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
embracing winter
32 comments:
kinfolk is beautiful, no? i adore it.ReplyDelete
lovely post. :))
-jocee <3
You are an amazoing painter Katie. I too was sick through my pregnancies, I am praying you will feel better soon.ReplyDelete
Beautiful pictures...feel better soon! :)ReplyDelete
Looks like a lovely restful winter! Want to say to you guys how happy I am for you, Max must be so so excited to be a big brother! Wishing you all the best.ReplyDelete
love the sneak peak. and you look so cozy in that robe. enjoy the wintery, cozy feeling :)ReplyDelete
I received the issue just before Christmas, and I have to say....your paintings really made it for me. You are so talented!!!ReplyDelete
That dress is gorgeous. So, is your knitting. May I ask what kind of stitch that is? Beautiful!ReplyDelete
I love your work! a perfect for Kinfolk.ReplyDelete
Your paintings were just beautiful-one of my favorite parts of the whole magazine. So glad to have been introduced to your work.ReplyDelete
I am completely swept away by this volume. Every single page is beautiful. Laying in bed with a warm cup of tea at the end of a long day is the best way to enjoy it. I'm reading it slowly to make it last!ReplyDelete
Absolutely stunning paintings!! they fit in the magazine beautifullyReplyDelete
We haven't had winter here in Seattle either. We went from spring straight to fall, minus our usual November storm.ReplyDelete
Your paintings look absolutely gorgeous!
Happy winter pretty lady!ReplyDelete
This post makes me want to curl up with a cuppa tea and a pile of crinkly library treasures that have "that good book smell". Does that make sense?ReplyDelete
I just wanted to say congratulations on your pregnancy Katie (I'm a little late hehe), what a wonderful new and exciting journey you and your family will embark on. I hope the sickness will pass soon. Sending you warm thoughts and wishes xoReplyDelete
You are so talented...I am surprised we haven't seen more of your painting here on this blog. I was just wondering, did you go to school for art? If so, where? So curious about your life as an artist. Again, you keep it very low key here on this blog...I'm sure others would love to know more about you as an artist...not just mama...although you are amazing at that as well. Hope to hear more about your talented and your (what seems to be now)evolving career. Best to you ALWAYS, CyndyReplyDelete
sounds like a perfect day (besides being morning sick of course!) It was hard going back to work yesterday teaching my kinders but it ended up being a nice night with a cup of tea, my crocheting and my new Kinfolk! your work looked lovely. congrats again my dear!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 4, 2012 at 10:19 PM
I ogled my copy while I was on our Christmas trip. Your paintings are so gorgeous! Definitely made me excited about the colder weather.ReplyDelete
Your paintings are just gorgeous!ReplyDelete
Incredibly beautiful paintings in Kinfolk--I was moved! Thanks for sharing your art!ReplyDelete
gorgeous paintings! im officially an admirer of yours! :DReplyDelete
your work is beautiful! i'm curious about your medium.....oils, acrylic, watercolor,pastels.....and what is your favorite medium?ReplyDelete
yes indeed it looks like winter has finally touched ohio air. i just posted something similar today ;)
the little peeks of your painting look beautiful!ReplyDelete
congratulations on your pregnancy.
(i'm new to blogging and just started following you, i love to read your blog!)
beautiful! i love your photographs.ReplyDelete
bamboo needles are the best as are your ever lovely photos! hoping to get my hands on that magazine!ReplyDelete
I wish I could make a snow angel for you and Max but I live in Australia, so tomorrow I'll build you a sandcastle at the beach instead :)ReplyDelete
Sorry no snow angels to be made here - the past few days have reached 70 degrees! Crazy for January, even in California.ReplyDelete
I'm off to order my copy of Kinfolk vol.2 just so I can see your paintings up close - I'm in awe of what I've seen so far!
p.s. have you tried peppermint tea for your sickies?..
I just ordered volume 2 on Monday and hope it come to my mail box today so I an escape.ReplyDelete
y'all are just the cutest! i just spent some time looking at your live journal and totally stalking you- (I am so sorry!) and it was just amazing. you are so encouraging and positive and beautiful and fun. thanks for sharing your life.ReplyDelete
I just started following your blog and LOVE the photos. I'm a photographer in Orlando, Florida so I totally appreciate this blog.ReplyDelete
love love love thisReplyDelete
how i love catching up on your blog (i know i always say that). but really, your paintings look so so incredible! i would love to see more.ReplyDelete


text:
Jacques Rabemananjara
Our editors will review what you've submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
- Born:
- June 23, 1913 Antananarivo Madagascar
- Notable Works:
- "Antidote"
Jacques Rabemananjara, (born June 23, 1913, Tananarive, Madagascar—died April 1, 2005, Paris, France), Malagasy politician, playwright, and poet.
Rabemananjara began writing in the early 1940s and published his first volume of verse, Sur les marches du soir ("On the Edges of Evening"), in 1942. A death sentence imposed on him for his alleged participation in the 1947 revolt in Madagascar embittered him, despite a later reprieve, and the poems of Antidote, written while he was imprisoned in 1947–50 and published in 1961, reflect his anger at the injustice imposed on him and his political hopes for the future.
By the mid-1960s, when he was Madagascar's minister of economic affairs, Rabemananjara had published five volumes of verse and several plays, many of them glorifying the history and culture of his country. In his writing he defended and proclaimed the values of African culture, particularly its closeness to nature, contact with ancestral tradition, and ancient rhythm of life. His plays, Les Dieux malgaches (1947; "The Malagasy Gods"), Les Boutriers de l'aurore (1957; untranslatable), and Les Agapes des dieux: Tritivatragédie malgache (1962; "Love Feasts of the Gods"), and his somewhat rhetorical poems were well received, and he became one of Madagascar's most prominent writers.
Rabemananjara was also an influential politician. He held several government posts, including minister of foreign affairs, and in the late 1960s he was considered a possible presidential candidate. His popularity subsequently waned, however, in part because of allegations of corruption, and in 1972 he moved to Paris. In 1992 Rabemananjara ran for president of Madagascar, but he was easily defeated.


text:
Fuse – Responsive Business WordPress Theme-[Clean-Nulled].zip
Fuse – Responsive Business WordPress Theme
Software version : WordPress 4.7+
Item Support / Updates: We stand behind our products and offer support to our customers through our dedicated support platform in accordance with the rules set by themeforest.
Use the item support page to get in touch with us. Free updates to ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress version, free critical security patches and bundled plugins updates.
The Fuse WordPress theme is a great choice for you whether you are a total beginner when it comes to WordPress and programming in general or a expert in the field. Continue reading to find out why.
- Built on HTML5 and CSS3
- Cross-browser compatible: Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Edge, IE9+
- Seo Optimised
- Responsive Design
- Retina Ready
- Drag and Drop Page Builder ( Visual Composer )
- Powerful Theme Options Panel
- Intuitive Page Options Panels – Page Layout and Page Sidebar Manager
- Built-in Custom Widgets
- Built In Mega Menu Support
- Sticky Header
- Boxed / Wide layout
- Color Management
- Translation Ready
- Contact Form 7 Integration
- Revolution Slider
- Comes bundled with:
- Revolution Slider
- Visual Composer
- 700+ UltraSharp Icons
- PSD Sources
- HTML Sources
- Sample Data ( XML Export of Demo Content, Demo Revolution Slider, Demo Contact Form 7 Form )
- Free updates
- Extensive Documentation
- Support
- Easy xml demo import to set up the demo site with all the pages.
The powerful Theme Options Panel paired with intuitive page options panels and a custom tailored Visual Composer – drag and drop page builder – provide you the tools you need to create complex websites without touching a line of code.
Theme Options Panel
With Theme Name Theme Options Panel you can adjust the overall layout of your website in no time.
- Theme Options panel based on Redux Framework
- Whitelabled (unbranded) Theme Options Panel
- Lots of customization options, well organized in tabs
Custom Tailored Visual Composer
- The theme comes with the popular Visual Composer Plugin (worth $28). Visual Composer allows you to build beautiful pages with an easy Drag & Drop system without messing around with Shortcodes and HTML Code. No programing knowledge is required to use it!
- Some of the most interesting things you can do with Visual Composer are:
- Custom grids
- Full width sections
- Parallax Effects
- Video Backgrounds
- Smooth Animations
- Social Media Integration
- Sliders, carousels and media galleries
- Custom Background colors
- We also ship the theme with our own Customizations to the Visual Composer Plugin that not only tweaks and optimizes the Visual Composer Plugin but also adds 17 new elements that you can use, like for e.g:
- Animations – Add animations to any elements
- Button – Customizable button with text and icon
- Icon box – Add boxed content with icon
- Pricing table
- Google Map
- Testimonials
- Divider
- Alerts
- Team member – Add info about an employee
- Headline
- Pie Chart
- Progress Bar
- Milestone – Shows milestones and numeric statistic with animated numbers
- Social – Add a list of social media links
Strong branding support. Total color control – changing the color scheme is as simple as changing colors via Color Pickers.
- Option to change the general color scheme by selecting the main and second accent colors for easy and quick color scheme customization
- Option to choose the fonts color individually for every row and element for precise control!
- The theme comes with .pot files, making it easy to translate in any language
- If you need a multi-lingual website you can use the WPML plugin, which the theme is compatible with
Set up unlimited Portfolio Pages with different filters & styles using the custom portfolio plugin that comes with the theme.
- Multiple Portfolio styles: grid, masonry etc
- Multiple portfolio sub-styles: regular, with gutter etc.
- Enable / Disable Filtering
- Enable / Disable pagination
- Choose between with 2, 3 and 4 Columns
- Post Formats Ready
- Threaded Comments
Our themes come with detailed documentation that takes you step by step through setting up the theme and using it.
All customers receive free updates to the theme and bundled plugins.
We stand behind our products and offer support to our customers through our dedicated support platform in accordance with the rules set by themeforest.
- WordPress theme
- WordPress theme documentation
- PSD Sources
- HTML Sources
- Demo Content
- Bundled Plugins:
- Visual Composer
- Revolution Slider
Incredible value – save over 85% with theme purchase!
- Revolution Slider: 19$ value
- Visual Composer: 34$ value
- 700 custom icons: 39$ value
Item Support Policy
We stand behind our products and offer support to our customers through our dedicated support platform in accordance with the rules set by themeforest.
- Pre-buy questions – please use the comment section
- Support questions – please send them through the form on the item support page! Support questions received via comments section may take much longer to process!
We offer support for our customers Mon-Fri 8:00am – 6:00 pm (GMT +2). We usually respond to support requests within 48 hours on weekdays. Support request sent during weekends/holidays will be processed on Monday/the next business day.
Item Update Policy
TheFuse WordPress theme gets free updates to ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress version, free critical security patches and bundled plugins updates.
Item refund Policy
We do not offer refunds for our themes, except when you find a real bug which we are unwilling to fix. Our themes function exactly as we advertise them, so no refunds are given for reasons such as mistake purchasing or customization problems.
Mercifully Note: We refresh new substance like WordPress Themes,
Plugins, PHP Scripts ordinary. In any case, recall that you
ought to never utilize this things in a business site.
Every one of the substance posted here for advancement
and testing reason as it were. We're not in charge of
any harm, use at your own particular RISK! We highly recommend to buy Fuse – Responsive Business WordPress Theme from the The Developer ( europadns ) website. Thank you.


text:
Book Review: Defying the Odds - Triumphant Black Women of Newark
Defying the Odds - Triumphant Black Women of Newark
Book Cover Will be Added Soon
by Barbara J Kukla
Hardcover Unavailable for Sale from AALBC
(Check with Amazon )
Buy the Kindle eBook
Borrow from Library
Publication Date: Jan 01, 2005
List Price: Unavailable
Format: Hardcover
Classification: Nonfiction
Imprint: To Be Determined
Publisher: To Be Determined
Parent Company: To Be Determined
Read a Description of Defying the Odds - Triumphant Black Women of Newark
Book Reviewed by Kam Williams
'Whether the threat is a burning cross in a sleepy Southern town, or a female doctor bucking the whites-only hiring policies of a city hospital, Defying the Odds: Triumphant Black Women of Newark speaks to the remarkable fortitude of women everywhere who struggle against the everyday realities of racial bigotry and sexual discrimination.
My purpose in writing this book is tied to my belief that too little attention has been paid to contributions made to our society by the men and women brought here in shackles to fuel our nation's early economy. [It] focuses on the contributions of eight African-American women' [and] includes profiles of more than two hundred additional black women of Newark who reached the top of their fields.'
Considered a a whole, the accomplishments of these trailblazers paint a powerful picture of what African-American women can achieve, against the odds, in their quest for excellence. Their stories can help new generations of young black women gain strength and inspiration from a broader perspective on the challenges of being black and female.
'Excerpted from the Introduction
Do the names Connie Woodruff or Gladys St. John ring a bell? How about Dr. E. Alma Flagg or Dr. E. Mae McCarroll? Or Viola Wells, Wynona M. Lipman, Mary Beasley Burch or Marion A. Bolden? Likely not, though each of these black trailblazers from Newark, New Jersey made significant contributions in their chosen fields of endeavor. And luckily, their legacy has now been fittingly preserved by Barbara J. Kukla in Defying the Odds.
Kukla, who served as editor of 'Newark This Week' during most of her 36-year tenure at the Newark Star-Ledger, was intimately involved with many of the folks found here. For besides her professional ties to the community, she is a longtime member of the city's Bethany Baptist Church.
The author is a gifted writer who has crafted each entry in a straightforward, journalistic style tempered by an ability to serve up a bio in a way which makes each subjects come alive and practically leap off the pages. For example, we get treated to an excellent sense of the personality of Connie Williams Woodruff (1921-1996), to whom the book is dedicated. We learn that Connie was an only child who could play classical music by the age of six.
She was a stellar student and was invited to Washington, DC one summer to participate in a six-week institute sponsored by the Republican Party.
Besides learning about government, she would suffer severe humiliation as the only black participant in the program.
Particularly poignant is how her chapter recounts the discrimination she encountered in the Capitol area. One incident occurred at a Chinese restaurant where she was refused service as soon as she entered by an Asian-American waitress who screamed 'No niggy! No niggy! No niggy!' in pidgin-English.
On top of that insult, Connie was informed that she couldn't stay at the hotel with the rest of the delegates, but had to find boarding on the black side of town. Despite, or perhaps because of these impediments, she managed to maintain her dignity and forge a determination which would lead to many years of dedicated service to the people as a labor leader, educator, and the editor of a black newspaper.
The other seven biographies contained in this informative opus are just as gripping, as are the mini-histories of the additional two hundred doctors, lawyers, businesswomen, athletes, politicians, entertainers and other African-American women from all walks of life who made enough of a mark to earn the right to be remembered as a favorite daughter of the City of Newark.
To learn more about Defying the Odds, call (973) 325-3760 or send an e-mail to email@example.com


text:
When-let is useful to both bind one variable and do a test on the bind value in one operation. One common usage is:
(when-let [something (get-something arg1 arg2)] (do-stuff something))
This is equivalent to this code:
(let [something (get-something arg1 arg2)] (when something (do-stuff something)))
but with a more concise form.
When-let only executes the code after the binding if the value assigned in the let form is logically true, that is only if the value is not nil or false. In our example, this means that if get-something returns false then do-stuff will not be executed. Sometimes this is not enough and we want to execute the code even for false values. For instance if we are getting our data from a database and false values are acceptable but nil values are not, or if our functions return nil on error.
We could define a when-nlet macro which does what when-let does but executes the body whenever the binded value is not nil. By spying the code from clojure.core we obtain:
(defmacro when-nlet [bindings & body] (when (not= (count bindings) 2) (throw (IllegalArgumentException. "when-nlet requires an even number of forms in binding vector"))) (let [form (bindings 0) tst (bindings 1)] `(let [temp# ~tst] (when (not (nil? temp#)) (let [~form temp#] ~@body)))))
This is fine. But what if we need multiple values to be bound and multiple checks on them?
We could write:
(when-nlet [val1 (get-something arg1 arg2)] (when-nlet [val2 (get-something2 val1)] (when-nlet [val3 (get-something3 val2] (do-stuff val1 val2 val3))))
This is not satisfying. What about writing a when-nlet* macro that does multiple binds?
We could call it like that:
(when-nlet* [val1 (get-something arg1 arg2) val2 (get-something2 val1) val3 (get-something3 val2)] (do-stuff val1 val2 val3))
and it would produce multiple calls to when-nlet.
Here it is:
(defmacro when-nlet* [bindings & body] (when (not (even? (count bindings))) (throw (IllegalArgumentException. "when-nlet* requires an even number of forms in binding vector"))) (let [whenlets (reduce (fn [sexpr bind] (let [form (first bind) tst (second bind)] (conj sexpr `(when-nlet [~form ~tst])))) () (partition 2 bindings)) body (cons 'do body)] `(->> ~body ~@whenlets)))
After the reduce the whenlets variable is assigned this list (we can see it by playing with macroexpand, macroexpand-1 and prn at the REPL):
((when-nlet [val3 (get-something3 val2)]) (when-nlet [val2 (get-something2 val1)]) (when-nlet [val1 (get-something arg1 arg2)]))
We then thread the body inside the when-nlets forms with the powerful ->> macro. We obtain:
(when-nlet [val1 (get-something arg1 arg2)] (when-nlet [val2 (get-something2 val1)] (when-nlet [val3 (get-something3 val2)] (do (do-stuff val1 val2 val3)))))
So basically what we have done is creating a macro that does multiple binds, stops after the first bind returning a nil value and executes its body if no nil value has been encountered. It is nice and it shows us how much powerful Clojure is but... if we read this tutorial on how to use monads in Clojure we quickly see that there is a simpler way to do the same thing with the maybe monad!
(domonad maybe-m [val1 (get-something "a" "b") val2 (get-something2 val1) val3 (get-somnil val2)] (do-stuff val1 val2 val3))
This code is equivalent to our usage of when-nlet*. Thus, if we still feel the need for our when-nlet* macro, we could write it simply like that (after :using clojure.contrib.monads):
(defmacro when-nlet* [binding & body] (let [body (cons 'do body)] `(domonad maybe-m ~binding ~body)))
Is that not much better?
Conclusion: we shall not write macros before learning more about monads ;-) !


text:
By Jonathan Landrum Jr. | The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES—Elton John and Chris Hemsworth are among the celebrities donating big bucks for relief efforts as wildfires engulf Australia.
Hemsworth, the Australian actor who plays Thor in the Marvel movie franchise, took to social media on Monday to share that he will donate $1 million and asked his millions of followers to show support, as well. He said that "every penny counts."
So far, the wildfires have scorched an area twice the size of the US state of Maryland. The blazes have killed 25 people and destroyed 2,000 homes. The fires, fueled by drought and the country's hottest, and driest, year on record, have been raging since September, months earlier than is typical for Australia's annual wildfire season.
John announced during his Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert in Sydney, Australia, that he will also donate $1 million. The singer said he wanted to bring attention to the devastation that wildfires have caused, saying it has reached a "biblical scale."
Hemsworth and John join a growing list of celebrities who have pledged to donate toward relief efforts, including Nicole Kidman, Pink and Keith Urban. "I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia right now with the horrific bushfires," Pink wrote in a recent social-media post.
"I am pledging a donation of $500,000 directly to the local fire services that are battling so hard on the frontlines. My heart goes out to our friends and family in Oz." Metallica announced a donation on Tuesday night of $750,000 to a firefighting agency and emergency services agency in Victoria.
An emotional Rose Byrne, who is Australian, spoke about the crisis and the relief efforts on Tuesday night at the New York premiere of her movie Like a Boss.
"Really what people need is just donations because it's all volunteer-based; the firefighters and all the rural services and the wildlife services [are] trying to rescue the animals," she told the Associated Press.
She added: "It's devastating. It's such a beautiful country. There's always drought, but this is the hottest year on record and they need rain—but a lot of rain, not just a little bit which is what's happening now. They need like a downpour, downpour and it's just getting hotter, and it's getting more and more out of control. It's a climate crisis is what it is."
At the Golden Globes on Sunday, Phoebe Waller-Bridge said she would auction off her Globe outfit and have the proceeds go to firefighter relief.
Russell Crowe wasn't at the Globes to accept his trophy for best actor in a limited series or TV movie for playing former Fox CEO Roger Ailes in the Showtime miniseries The Loudest Voice.
Instead, the actor was in Australia trying to protect his home from the wildfires, sending a speech that Jennifer Aniston read.
"Make no mistake, the tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate change-based," Crowe's statement said. "We need to act based on science, move our global work force to renewable energy and respect our planet for the unique, and amazing, place it is. That way, we all have a future."
• Writer Jill Dobson contributed to this report from New York.


text:
A newly discovered planet in a binary star system located 3,000 light-years from Earth is expanding astronomers' notions of where Earth-like -- and even potentially habitable -- planets can form, and how to find them.
At twice the mass of Earth, the planet orbits one of the stars in the binary system at almost exactly the same distance from which Earth orbits the sun. However, because the planet's host star is much dimmer than the sun, the planet is much colder than Earth -- a little colder, in fact, than Jupiter's icy moon Europa.
Four international research teams, led by professor Andrew Gould of The Ohio State University, published their discovery in the July 4 issue of the journal Science.
The study provides the first evidence that terrestrial planets can form in orbits similar to Earth's, even in a binary star system where the stars are not very far apart. Although this planet itself is too cold to be habitable, the same planet orbiting a sun-like star in such a binary system would be in the so-called "habitable zone" -- the region where conditions might be right for life.
"This greatly expands the potential locations to discover habitable planets in the future," said Scott Gaudi, professor of astronomy at Ohio State. "Half the stars in the galaxy are in binary systems. We had no idea if Earth-like planets in Earth-like orbits could even form in these systems. "
Very rarely, the gravity of a star focuses the light from a more distant star and magnifies it like a lens. Even more rarely, the signature of a planet appears within that magnified light signal. The technique astronomers use to find such planets is called gravitational microlensing, and computer modeling of these events is complicated enough when only one star and its planet are acting as the lens, much less two stars.
Searching for planets within binary systems is tricky for most techniques, because the light from the second star complicates the interpretation of the data. "But in gravitational microlensing," Gould explained, "we don't even look at the light from the star-planet system. We just observe how its gravity affects light from a more distant, unrelated, star. This gives us a new tool to search for planets in binary star systems."
When the astronomers succeeded in detecting this new planet, they were able to document that it produced two separate signatures -- the primary one, which they typically use to detect planets, and a secondary one that had previously been only hypothesized to exist.
The first was a brief dimming of light, as the planet's gravity disrupted one of the magnified images of the source star. But the second effect was an overall distortion of the light signal.
"Even if we hadn't seen the initial signature of the planet, we could still have detected it from the distortion alone," Gould said, pointing to a graph of the light signal. "The effect is not obvious. You can't see it by eye, but the signal is unmistakable in the computer modeling."
Gaudi explained the implications.
"Now we know that with gravitational microlensing, it's actually possible to infer the existence of a planet -- and to know its mass, and its distance from a star -- without directly detecting the dimming due to the planet," he said. "We thought we could do that in principle, but now that we have empirical evidence, we can use this method to find planets in the future."
The nature of these distortions is still somewhat of a mystery, he admitted.
"We don't have an intuitive understanding of why it works. We have some idea, but at this point, I think it would be fair to say that it's at the frontier of our theoretical work."
The planet, called OGLE-2013-BLG-0341LBb, first appeared as a "dip" in the line tracing the brightness data taken by the OGLE (Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment) telescope on April 11, 2013. The planet briefly disrupted one of the images formed by the star it orbits as the system crossed in front of a much more distant star 20,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius.
"Before the dip, this was just another microlensing event," Gould said. It was one of approximately 2,000 discovered every year by OGLE, with its new large-format camera that monitors 100 million stars many times per night searching for such events.
"It's really the new OGLE-IV survey that made this discovery possible," he added. "They got a half dozen measurements of that dip and really nailed it." From the form of the dip, whose "wings" were traced out in MOA (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics) data, they could see that the source was headed directly toward the central star.
Then, for two weeks, astronomers watched the magnified light continue to brighten from telescopes in Chile, New Zealand, Israel and Australia. The teams included OGLE, MOA, MicroFUN (the Microlensing Follow Up Network), and the Wise Observatory.
Even then, they still didn't know that the planet's host star had another companion -- a second star locked into orbit with it. But because they were already paying close attention to the signal, the astronomers noticed when the binary companion unexpectedly caused a huge eruption of light called a caustic crossing.
By the time they realized that the lens was not one star, but two, they had captured a considerable amount of data -- and made a surprising discovery: the distortion.
Weeks after all signs of the planet had faded, the light from the binary-lens caustic crossing became distorted, as if there were a kind of echo of the original planet signal.
Intensive computer analysis by professor Cheongho Han at Chungbuk National University in Korea revealed that the distortion contained information about the planet -- its mass, separation from its star, and orientation -- and that information matched perfectly with what astronomers saw during their direct observation of the dip due to the planet. So the same information can be captured from the distortion alone.
This detailed analysis showed that the planet is twice the mass of Earth, and orbits its star from an Earth-like distance, around 90 million miles. But its star is 400 times dimmer than our sun, so the planet is very cold -- around 60 Kelvin (-352 degrees Fahrenheit or -213 Celsius), which makes it a little colder than Jupiter's moon Europa. The second star in the star system is only as far from the first star as Saturn is from our sun. But this binary companion, too, is very dim.
Still, binary star systems composed of dim stars like these are the most common type of star system in our galaxy, the astronomers said. So this discovery suggests that there may be many more terrestrial planets out there -- some possibly warmer, and possibly harboring life.
Three other planets have been discovered in binary systems that have similar separations, but using a different technique. This is the first one close to Earth-like size that follows an Earth-like orbit, and its discovery within a binary system by gravitational microlensing was by chance.
"Normally, once we see that we have a binary, we stop observing. The only reason we took such intensive observations of this binary is that we already knew there was a planet," Gould said. "In the future we'll change our strategy."
In particular, Gould singled out the work of amateur astronomer and frequent collaborator Ian Porritt of Palmerston North, New Zealand, who watched for gaps in the clouds on the night of April 24 to get the first few critical measurements of the jump in the light signal that revealed that the planet was in a binary system. Six other amateurs from New Zealand and Australia contributed as well.
Other project collaborators hailed from Ohio State, Warsaw University Observatory, Chungbuk National University, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, University of Cambridge, Universidad de Concepción, Auckland Observatory, Auckland University of Technology, University of Canterbury, Texas A&M University, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, University of Notre Dame, Massey University, University of Auckland, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Osaka University, Nagano National College of Technology, Tokyo Metropolitan College of Aeronautics, Victoria University, Mt. John University Observatory, Kyoto Sangyo University, Tel-Aviv University and the University of British Columbia.
Funding came from the National Science Foundation, NASA (including a NASA Sagan Fellowship), European Research Council, Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, National Research Foundation of Korea, U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Marsden Fund from the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Israeli Centers of Research Excellence.
Story Source:
Materials provided by Ohio State University. Original written by Pam Frost Gorder. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Cite This Page:


text:
WALTHAM, Mass. -- The four seniors and one graduate student starting for unbeaten Bentley aren't focusing on how far they've come as a group.
Not when there's so much still to play for -- the program's first NCAA championship.
"We have some unfinished business," said Lauren Battista, a 6-foot forward and the leading career scorer in the Division II school's history.
The Falcons are 32-0 going into the Elite Eight. They're 121-11 in the past four seasons. But three of those losses came in the national semifinals, Elite Eight and, last year, in the Round of 16 where they lost to Dowling 53-51.
"Since that game ended there has been a tremendous focus by this group to get back to the regional championship game and then take that next step to get to the Elite Eight," coach Barbara Stevens said. "Our team has really been on a mission."
The Falcons have taken that next step. And if they beat Drury on Tuesday night in Erie, Pa., they will be back in the national semifinals.
For this experienced team at the 4,200-student business university 10 miles west of Boston, reaching the semis -- and going beyond -- are goals that keep them from looking back at what they've already accomplished.
"We all know what's at stake and what's right in front of us and we don't want anything to distract us from that goal," Battista said. "Hopefully, when it's all over, it ends with our ultimate goal, a national championship, and then we'll be able to reflect back and think about everything we've done in our four years.
"I know next week my career is over, no matter what. So I think we're just going to play our hearts out, play the same type of basketball we've been playing the last 32 games and hope for the best."
They've won 31 of those games by double figures, the last an 83-62 victory against LIU Post that got them to the Elite Eight. They've out-rebounded all 32 opponents."We all came to Bentley with the intentions of winning a national championship because of the storied legacy of the program and because they haven't won one," point guard Christiana Bakolas said. "What we've done is obviously a great accomplishment [but] I don't think we'll consider it a success unless we win our last game in a Bentley uniform."
Winning the next one will be a challenge.
Drury (27-3) advanced by beating Wayne State 99-63. The Lady Panthers' leading scorer is 6-foot-7 Amber Dvorak. Bentley's tallest player is 6-2.
"We have not been able to get to that national championship game, but if there was a group that I think was capable, it's this group," said Stevens, whose 914 wins make her one of six women's coaches in any division with at least 900. "However, in Division II you do not get a chance to see the great teams in other parts of the country, so I don't know where we measure up."
Bentley is in the Elite Eight for the 13th time in 26 years. But it reached the title game just once, losing in 1990 to Delta State after winning 23 consecutive games.
"We all understand that you don't get too many of these opportunities," Stevens said.
The Falcons have versatility and depth. Three players have at least 1,400 career points. Many have come from Bakolas' passes.
"I consider myself the luckiest point guard in the country because we've gotten so used to playing with each other," she said. Battista "has caught so many of my crazy passes that never should have been caught by a human being. She's saved me from so many turnovers over the years."
Battista, Jacqui Brugliera and graduate student Courtney Finn have started together since 2010-11. Bakolas joined them the next season and Caleigh Crowell is in her first full season as a starter.
"We are comfortable with each other. We know our strengths and our weaknesses," Battista said. "That's a big advantage going into this tournament."
And when it's over?
"If it should be that we don't have that opportunity to play for a national championship, I will not deem this year a failure by any means. They've accomplished so much already," Stevens said. "I would never, ever feel a sense of disappointment with anything that happens with this team."


text:
What has this got to do with the topic of this blog - trees dying from exposure to ozone? Quite a bit, potentially.
For the most part, like a child slipping into water, the trees barely make a splash compared to the daily roar for attention from a culture overwhelmingly technological.
Perhaps having these close brushes with the ephemerality of life (and a few others, besides) has enabled me to see how abruptly and capriciously life can end, as it is now in the process of ending, everywhere.
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone?
We paved paradise, put up a parking lot.
- Joni Mitchell
Here's a different version, with some enchanting photos:
I highly recommend this fountain of searing outrage from columnist Chris Hedges, "Where Liberals go to Feel Good," which is a painful evisceration of well-meaning hand-wringing disillusioned progressives who aren't really willing to step out of their comfort zone to effect the change they claim is required. And then, there is the awakening fury of courageous people rising up to denounce inequality, unemployment and, most urgently, the escalating cost of food. I have heard estimates of 90,000 people protesting in Egypt on this "Day of Anger" which will quite likely turn into many "Days" before it's over. The following news report was posted in a brief flash on Yahoo, and then was surpassed in importance by some football player with hurt feelings, the cast of Jersey Shore, and Gingrich calling for the abolishment of the EPA. The revolution will not be televised...


text:
I often get Subway's $5 footlongs for lunch so I've been playing their Subway Scrabble game. So far, the only thing I won was a cookie but that's something.
I would never advocate buying fast food just to win something. If you are already driving thru, however, it's something to consider. And with many of the prizes having less to do with purchase and more to do with timing, it's open season for everyone (even those who've sworn off Biggie Fries for life.) Here's the scoop on the best promotions going on right now.
Hardees / Carl's Jr. "Make it Your Gameday Sweepstakes" – This is a game where you can (almost) win back what you eat. Tens of thousands of prizes include mostly small fries and drinks. Game codes can be obtained by buying food or sending away for free game codes, which means one code costs a $.42 postage stamp. With no really big instant win prize to vie for (top prize is only worth $113) this isn't going to make anyone rich. They do have a second chance sweepstakes with a few gift cards worth $1500 from the Sports Authority and Best Buy, which someone is guaranteed to win. Ends October 23, 2008. Bottom line: Don't go out of your way to win this one.
Kraft / Burger King "Is it a Sundae or Is it a Shake?" Giveaway – These are the kinds of promotions I like. No purchase needed. Simply register to vote and let "The King" know how you vote. (You can choose not to opt-in for future mailings.) While there's no biggie prizes, it is a quick, easy entry for hundreds of $10 itunes or BK gift cards (plus 20 80GB iPod Classics). They will let you know instantly if you've won. Promotion runs through 9/28/08. Bottom line: Good for a quick try. Enter daily without a penny out of pocket.
T.G.I Friday's "Awesome BBQ Sweepstakes and Instant Win Game" – Similar to the Burger King promotion. This doesn't require any purchase or game piece. Simply register to find out if you are an instant winner of hundreds of small prizes (hats, shirts, and $5-10 restaurant gift cards.) They also include free appetizer and desserts with purchase as "prizes." The sweepstakes grand prize is a trip to the 19th Annual Jack Daniels Invitational BBQ and year's supply of TGIF frozen food. Enter by Sept. 30. Bottom line: OK for die hard BBQ fans or someone looking for a quick, cheap prize.
Wendy's "Twisted Frosty" Giveaway – 10,000 instant winners of a $3 Wendy's GC in this one. No purchase necessary. One grand prize of a $1,000 Wendy's Gift Card. Ends September 30th. Bottom line: Odds are good, very good. Hope you like Wendy's!
Subway "Scrabble" Game – Similar to the McDonald's Monopoly fad, this is a Collect-and-Win game. Codes are on any 6" sub, footlong sub, 21oz drink, 32oz drink or 44oz drink, or by mail in request. (Free codes have been reported by signing up for the Subway newsletter.) Hundreds of prizes, ranging from $5 Subway cards to $100,000. Promotion ends October 13th. Bottom line: Don't spend what you don't have. If you're dining out anyway, take your chances on winning $5 back, but don't hold your breath for the new car.
Orange Julius "Cash and Cali" Giveaway – The smoothie giant is offering up several prizes in its instant win promotion (including 1,000 $5 GC, beachwear, and cash.) A grand prize drawing for 10K is also in the running. No purchase is necessary if you click on the "Get a password here" link at the bottom left. Annoying flash-based website lets you turn off the music (thank you.) Promotion ends Nov. 15th. Bottom line: If there's an Orange Julius you like to frequent, give this one a try. No money out of pocket, just the time it takes to load the entry page…..
Red Robin "Dealicious Three of a Kind" Game – The quick scoop on this giveaway is this: Enter without purchase, pop in your info (I use Roboform), and see if you win a $10 Red Robin Gift Card. Easy, peasy, people. Bottom line: It doesn't get easier than this, and with 1,000 Gift Cards up for grabs, you might score a free lunch.
There are several other fast-food promotions going on. (Too many to mention here.) And while you must use your judgment on whether to enter, the winnings can be sweet. (For more information on sweepstakes, see my previous tips.) Eat healthy, and hope for the best!
Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.
Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
I often get Subway's $5 footlongs for lunch so I've been playing their Subway Scrabble game. So far, the only thing I won was a cookie but that's something.


text:
The Heights Observer is a not-for-profit effort and relies on voluntary contributions from readers like you to keep it going.
Your donation is fully tax-deductible and signs you up as a one-year member of FutureHeights.
And, as a special incentive, donate $60 and above and receive the next 12 issues of the Heights Observer sent to you or the address of your choice!
Click here for easy, secure online donation.
Thank you for your support!


text:
The last time we saw Bebionic's V3 prosthetic hand in action was in a sterile promotional video showing it doing everything from buttering up a slice of bread, to manipulating a Rubik's Cube. It was rather impressive, but this clip is even moreso since it demonstrates how life-changing the prosthetic hand can actually be in a real world situation.
Nigel Ackland lost his arm in an accident six years ago, and even though he was fitted with a V3 just last November, he's already able to use it to help tie his shoes, deal cards, and even make a cup of coffee while navigating his kitchen. It's not only surprising how capable the hand is, but how quickly Nigel's been able to learn to rely on it for all the day-to-day mundane tasks he only recently wasn't able to do. [YouTube via The Awesomer]