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The Amazing Stories blog is provided to the fan community for its enjoyment, information, education and to create a fun environment for the free and open exchange of information of interest to fans.
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text: SOS Children's Village Cartagena Cartagena de Indias is a beautiful colonial city in the Colombian Caribbean. However, this beauty is deeply contrasted by high levels of poverty that continue to affect many of its people. Tens of thousands of children who live in the city's suburbs face poverty, social exclusion and neglect. SOS Children's Villages supports children who lost parental care in Cartagena de Indias. Widespread poverty against a backdrop of colonial splendor Inauguration of SOS Children's Village Cartagena (photo: F. Espinoza) Cartagena de Indias is a city with a population of around 900,000 located on the Caribbean Coast of Colombia. The capital of the "Bolívar" department is considered a major tourist attraction, mainly due to its nearby beaches and a very well-preserved colonial center. Its charming colonial flair and the Caribbean beaches that attract hordes of tourists are contrasted by the crippling poverty that marks thousands of lives in the shanty towns around touristy "ciudad amurallada" ("walled city"). In fact, the Bolívar department is one of the most under pressured in the country. It is estimated that roughly 500,000 people in and around Cartagena de Indias live in poverty. Economic inequality is very pronounced all over the country and particularly manifest in a city like Cartagena. Bad housing conditions, undernourishment and a lack of medical attention mark the daily lives of thousands of children. Poverty and social exclusion often limit the parents' ability to care for and look after their children. As a result, family disintegration and child abandonment may seriously hamper a child's mental and physical development. The Bolívar department has also been a region profoundly affected by the internal war that continues to take a heavy toll on the Colombian people. An estimated 40,000 of all displaced people in the department of Bolívar are children younger than 14 years of age. With millions of tourists flocking in, prostitution has also been on the rise in Cartagena. Although the Colombian government has started a number of initiatives to combat commercial sexual exploitation, the problem of sex tourism has become formidable in Cartagena. Unfortunately, it often involves very young children, mostly from under pressured, marginalized families. It is estimated that roughly 1,500 children are involved in child prostitution in Cartagena. Strolling down the colonial avenidas, one is permanently confronted with young children asking for money and food. For many of them, life in the streets is only bearable when they take drugs or inhale glue. Supporting under pressured and marginalized families SOS Children's Villages started its work in Cartagena against the background of a growing number of orphans and abandoned children in the region. With roughly 40 per cent of the population living in poverty, SOS Children's Villages decided to become active. School enrollment is low here while illiteracy remains fairly high. In our SOS Children's Village, orphaned and neglected children from under pressured, marginalized families are able to grow up in a dignified, adequate environment. They receive an education, medical assistance and a lot of affection. What we do in Cartagena de Indias Children having fun at SOS Children's Village Cartagena (photo: F. Espinoza) SOS Children's Village Cartagena offers a holistic package of services to the local community, including family strengthening programs and a loving home for children who have lost parental care. We have been supporting children and young people in Cartagena de Indias since 2010. Family Strengthening: The SOS Family Strengthening Programs aim to strengthen existing family ties so that children can grow up in their own loving family. In cooperation with local organizations, we ensure that children have access to essential health and nutritional services, as well as education. We assist parents by providing day care and offering guidance on income-generating skills and parenting practices, as well as counselling and psychological support where needed. Care in families: Children whose families can no longer take care of them will find a loving home in one of the SOS families, where they live with their brothers and sisters. SOS Children's Village Cartagena de Indias comprises up to seven SOS families where up to 49 children can be looked after by the SOS mothers. We also support foster families in the area. All families live in integrated housing in the community. They receive full support from SOS Children's Villages and from the neighbors and local organizations.


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Cozy Timeline
I feel like I've been waiting forever for this one! In March of 2017, I decided to try my hand at writing a cozy mystery. I'd read several, including my friend and release buddy, Sarah Fox's and I loved the set up.
In May of 2017, I submitted the first book. It wasn't until August 2017 (which is actually fairly quick in the publishing world) that I heard back from Kensington Publishing.
The idea of trying a new genre, and succeeding, was really amazing. I was so thrilled to be working with John Scognamiglio and Kensington/Lyrical.
Though I needed to write two other books for the series, the time between then and today stretched out. Now, finally, it is here and I'm so thrilled to be able to hold it in my hands and share it with all of you.
I hope you enjoy Molly's story, the mystery, and the town of Britton Bay. For romance lovers, I have a feeling you'll be fond of Sam. Thank you to everyone who read, liked, reviewed, talked about the book and for all of the support I've had. I'm very excited to be part of the cozy world and hope you can drop by Facebook tonight to celebrate with Sarah Fox and I at our Cozy Seaside Celebration.
May 2021


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Monday, December 17, 2012by Tim Post
Shanda Groen is an ESL teacher at Willmar's Kennedy Elementary School. In her newcomer class, Groen teaches the basics of reading and writing to students with limited English. (MPR Photo/Tim Post)
That's the challenge facing roughly 65,000 students in Minnesota, or 8 percent of the student population, who are learning English as they go through the school.
Despite some recent improvement in their test scores, English learners, whose numbers are growing, perform far below the state average in reading, math and science. Only slightly more than half graduate from high school in four years. To boost English learners' performance, some Minnesota schools are trying new approaches designed to help them more quickly grasp the language. Among them is Kennedy Elementary in Willmar, Minn., which has a growing number of students from Somalia.
In the school's newcomer class, students are guided through the simplest of English words. On one recent day, four students in grades 2 to 5 sat with their books open while they tried to keep pace with a voice from a nearby CD player on words like "egg."
The intense two-hour daily class is reserved for students who need the most help, English teacher Shawnda Groen said.
"This is their first year in the country," she said. "So when they came in at the start of the year, [they could say] 'Hi', and that's it."
Most of the state's English learners are in Minneapolis and St. Paul. But in recent years the Twin Cities suburbs and communities in rural Minnesota have seen much of the growth in the number of students who are new to the language. The Willmar district in west central Minnesota started its newcomer class a few years ago to handle a booming English learner population. It doubled in the last decade as immigrant families moved to Willmar to work in local processing plants.
Of the district's 4,200 students, more than 800 are considered English learners, and the number is expected to top 1,000 next fall. Many of the students come from homes where the dominant language is Spanish, Somali, Karen or Arabic. Newcomers' classes like the one in Willmar not only teach basic English, but also introduce students to American culture and the culture of school.
Groen said many of the Somali students she teaches came directly from refugee camps and have not had any formal schooling.
But after a few months at Kennedy Elementary, they can read simple sentences such as "The man had a hat."
Students spend one year in the newcomer class, after which their school day will be a mix of regular classes and English-learner classes. English learner programs in Minnesota schools have essentially worked that way for years.
But school officials in Willmar think it's time to find new ways to help English learners perform better in school.
"We have to do better than we're doing," said Superintendent Jerry Kjergaard, who is unhappy with the academic performance of the district's English learners. "We're taking a really hard look at what our current program is and where we want to end up."
The Willmar school district was forced to take a hard look at its English learner program this year after the state Department of Education ranked Kennedy Elementary near the bottom in terms of test scores for English learners. The school is part of a state-monitored improvement program to raise English learners' scores.
Fewer than 1 in 5 English learners at Kennedy are proficient in reading. Although that is nearly double what it was four years ago, it is still 10 percent lower than the statewide average. Kjergaard said he wants nothing less than a completely new program. But he's not quite sure what that will look like.
"The best thing I can say is we're trying," he said.
This week, the district's English learner teachers plan to meet for an intense day of soul searching and data analysis. They hope to identify the root causes for the struggles of their English learners.
The district's director of teaching and learning, Cheryl Nash, said their ultimate goal is a new program that could serve as a model for other schools.
"They can come here and say, 'All right, you figured it out, you made it work. Can we please visit and maybe mimic some of the things that you're doing?'"
One piece of that potential future approach is already in place.
In a tiny office at the end of one of Kennedy Elementary's hallways, just inside the library, Loida Espinoza, the newly hired cultural liaison for Latino families. She began work a few months ago.
"I am the bridge, the communicating bridge between parents and teachers," Espinoza said. "I am the voice for the parents and the teachers at the same time."
Espinoza spends her day fielding calls from the parents of Latino students -- including a large number of students from migrant families who lived in Texas and California -- before, during and after school. She acts as an interpreter during parent-teacher conferences, and if parents can't come to the school, she visits them at home.
"Sometimes it's hard for parents to get here due to lack of transportation," she said. "So if they can't come here, I go to them."
It's all part of an effort to better involve Latino parents in the academic lives of their children.
In past years, some parents may have wanted to talk to their children's teachers, raise concerns or visit the school but did not follow through because they had a hard time finding someone at the school who spoke their language, Espinoza said.
That was the same situation for Somali parents, said Anis Iman, the other newly hired parent liaison at Kennedy Elementary.
"Where before even if they had a question they would stay away, kind of uncomfortable to come to the school or call the school, because they don't speak the language, and they know that when they call there isn't going to be help available right away," Iman said. "That's the biggest difference. Now there's help available any time."
Districts across the state are beginning to explore new ways to involve immigrant parents, who for cultural reasons sometimes take a hands-off approach to education, said Elia Dimayuga-Bruggeman, an assistant commissioner at the state Department of Education.
"My parents were never involved in the schools because within our culture we believe that once our children go to school we give our children to our educators, to our teachers, and now they educate them," said Dimayuga-Bruggeman, who as a child moved to the United States from Mexico with her parents. "Just because I don't go to the school doesn't mean I don't care."
Dimayuga-Bruggeman, a former teacher and school principal, is pushing the state's schools to give immigrant parents a better idea of what goes on in school, and how to navigate the system.
"We have to train our parents who are coming into this country on how much we need to be partners in the child's education," she said.
Education researchers say involving immigrant parents may be key to improving student performance.
"If their parent knows about what is going on in school, they're at home asking their child, 'What happened in school today? Do you have homework?'" said Marina Aleixo, a doctoral student in the second languages program at the University of Minnesota.
"All of these things translate into higher motivation into greater dedication to school," said Aleixo, who has studied parent involvement in schools with high numbers of English learners.
There's also a growing sense among educators that involving immigrant parents in school life shouldn't be about pushing them to attend parent-teacher conferences, PTO meetings or sporting events.
A better idea, they say, is for schools to invite parents into the school for a festival or a meal. That way immigrant parents will be more comfortable in the school, allowing them to learn more about what's expected of their children and how they might help.


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Bahrain plans $1bil for extended national security plan, 10 Jul 2009
From WikiLeaks
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- July 13, 2009
The PNG presents the latetst "Tactical Newswire" publication, a subscription based intelligence newswire focused on the middle east. According to the report, Bahrain is planning to spend $1 billion on a security plan to "protect the country and vital facilities against unconventional threats".
Bahrain has been recommended to contact Lockheed Martin, Thales, Finmeccanica and EADS by the Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation (MoDA).
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Diabetes risk factors in young Sri Lankans much higher than previously thought
Scientists at King's College London and the National Diabetes Centre (Sri Lanka) have found evidence of a high number of risk factors for type 2 diabetes among the young urban population in Sri Lanka. The study is the first large-scale investigation into diabetes risk among children and young people in South Asia, and provides further evidence that the region is rapidly becoming a hotspot in the growing international diabetes epidemic.
The study, published in the journal PLoS One, is part of a research programme aiming to develop methods to prevent diabetes in young people in Sri Lanka, as the disease is now having a major public health impact. The scientists suggest that urgent action is now required to raise awareness of diabetes and obesity in developing countries and encourage young people to make lifestyle changes to reduce their risk.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 346 million people worldwide have diabetes, with 80 percent of diabetes deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Recent research has shown that urban populations in South Asia are increasingly at risk from developing type 2 diabetes, which develops largely as a result of excess body weight and physical inactivity. In Sri Lanka, studies have shown that one in five adults has either diabetes or pre-diabetes, but until now no research has been carried out into risk-factors among young people.
The DIABRISK-SL project is an international collaboration between scientists in Sri Lanka, led by Dr Mahen Wijesuriya and the UK, led by Dr Janaka Karalliedde from the Cardiovascular Division at King's College London. The team surveyed 22,507 people aged between 10 and 40 from cities in Sri Lanka to check for various early risk factors for type 2 diabetes such as high body mass index (BMI), raised waist circumference and high levels of physical inactivity. They also checked for family history of the disease.
The survey revealed that 5,163 people (23 percent) had two or more risk factors for diabetes, with two or more risk factors found in 24 percent of children aged 10-14. Raised BMI was found in nearly 20 percent of children aged 10-14, and 15 percent of children aged 15-19. Most worryingly, the prevalence of physical inactivity and central obesity was nearly 40% in females aged under 16. The results also showed that physical inactivity was a lot higher among females in all age groups, with overall inactivity rising in both sexes with age.
'What we have found in this report really confirms that South Asia is becoming the centre of a worldwide diabetes epidemic,' said Dr Karalliedde. 'We were expecting the levels of risk factors to be high, but we were still surprised at just how high they were. The fact that we found such a high prevalence in children has not been shown Sri Lanka before, or anywhere else in South Asia, and is of great concern.
'This dramatic rise is clearly linked to a decline in physical activity and mirrors global trends of rising childhood obesity. Being overweight in childhood means people are much more likely to become obese as adults and will have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Now that we know how widespread the problem is, we can take steps towards identifying high risk groups to evolving preventive strategies.'
Dr Mahen Wijesuriya, of the National Diabetes Centre, said: 'These data highlight the need for early intervention in younger people in Sri Lanka. A primary prevention intervention trial is now underway to evaluate the effects of intensive lifestyle intervention on improving diet and exercise. We will have the results of this in the next two years.'
Dr Wijesuriya emphasized the importance of public health education and awareness and stressed that these results have already contributed to the development of a National Non-Communicable Disease Strategy to combat type 2 diabetes in Sri Lanka.
Professor Jean Claude Mbanya, President of the International Diabetes Federation, said: 'These figures reflect the disturbing rise in risk factors for type 2 diabetes among young people being seen worldwide. This is an example of good-quality scientific research that will bring solutions to the global epidemic of diabetes and other chronic non-communicable disease.
'We hope that the DIABRISK-SL project in Sri Lanka will lead to effective and cost-effective interventions that work in the real world. This is a golden opportunity to make a very deep and very positive long-term impact on individuals, families and entire communities in Sri Lanka.'--ends--
More information: Wijesuriya M, Gulliford M, Charlton J, Vasantharaja L, Viberti G, et al. (2012) High Prevalence of Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors in a Young Urban Sri-Lankan Population PLoS ONE 7(2): e31309. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031309 Published February 13 2012


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EA Exec John Schappert Offers Five Tips to Surviving the Next Three Years
Editorial outlet Gamasutra reports that although Schappert recognizes it's not the first time the industry has needed to fight through difficult economic times, he thinks that this storm could be even more severe. A larger number of available platforms and increasingly cautious consumer spending habits both present significant hurdles to success. He asserts that when it comes to high-profile, mass-market titles, "If you're not in the top 30, maybe the top 20, or even the top 10, you're probably not making money."
Schappert's first tip focuses on the premise that consistent attention must be paid to developing the quality of gameplay, especially in the case of games with annual iterations, such as sports game franchises. With more competition and discerning game consumers, "The days of people going in, getting excited because they saw a commercial, picking up a game and going home to try it for the first time, I don't think we have those days anymore," he explained.
His second tip relates to the importance of marketing a game well. Schappert points out that while it was once possible to successfully sell a poor game with good marketing, that's no longer the case in today's industry. "Great marketing only works on great games," he said, lamenting the fact that EA titles like Dead Space and Mirror's Edge didn't get the marketing attention they deserved, and as a result, didn't sell as well as hoped.
Schappert also advised developers and publishers to invest in the future of online gaming. He's cautiously optimistic about social gaming, but warns of "extremely high market valuations compared to the number of people rushing to the space." The value of the online-connected console space is also not lost on the EA Chief Operations Officer, who believes it's also important to extend a game's lifespan with downloadable content. "People are buying fewer games than before, but they want to play them longer," said Schappert.
His fourth recommendation was that publishers not abandon releasing games on physical media. "I think we often forget about how important the disc is, and we often underestimate the technical hurdles we have to go through to get rid of the disk," said Shapppert. "I don't think in the near term, or the medium term, arguably the long term we're going to be without the disk."
Schappert's final tip was a rosy "keep your chin up" message to his industry brethren. "Keep your head high, don't listen to the cynics, and keep making those great games for us," he said, citing a growing number of gaming consumers as a positive sign for the industry.


text:
Mickey Mouse Adult Reusable Dual Layer Black Cloth Face Mask$20.00
Release Date:
November 12th at 2PM CT
Product will ship by November 27th
This black brushed poly face mask is a reusable and washable face mask that features a flat lay design with a black Love Your Melon x Disney script logo tag sewn on the bottom and a sublimated Mickey Mouse print on the front.
This is a personal use item and cannot be returned. Discounts cannot be applied.
Magic in the Details:
Sizing: One sizeContent: 100% Brushed Poly
Care: Machine wash in a wash bag on high heat with mild detergent. Machine dry high heat.
Origin: Made in Los Angeles
DISCLAIMER: This mask is (i) not for medical or industrial use, (ii) not a toy, (iii) not for children under four (4) years of age, and (iv) to be used under adult supervision.
50% of Profit Given
Fifty percent (50%) of net profit from the sale of all Love Your Melon products is given to support charitable programming through the Love Your Melon Fund and the nonprofits we support. Since 2012, we've given $9,436,840 and 235,397 beanies.


text:
The NCAA has announced its punishment of Penn State at a press conference in Indianapolis:
How running an NFL team is like running a restaurant | Chef Emeril Lagasse
• A $60 million fine, with the proceeds going to an endowment fund for victims of sexual abuse.
• A four-year bowl ban.
• Vacated all Penn State victories from 1998 to 2011.
• A reduction of annual scholarships from 25 to 15 for four years. Current players will be permitted to transfer and have immediate eligibility elsewhere.
• Five-year probation in which the university will have to work with an NCAA monitor.
NCAA president Mark Emmert said Penn State has signed a consent decree and will not appeal. More to come.


text:
Rascal Flatts Live Album Available This November
A ten track live album won't completely make up for missing Rascal Flatts on the road last summer, but it's a start. On Nov. 8, the trio's former record label is releasing 'The Best of Rascal Flatts Live,' a package that includes many of the group's best known hits.
All ten songs were hits before the band split from Lyric Street Records in 2010. 'Bless the Broken Road,' 'What Hurts the Most,' 'Life is a Highway' and 'Bob That Head' are a few of the songs recorded from a collection of summer shows. The encore also includes a cover of the Edgar Winter's 'Free Ride.'
The group has sold over six million concert tickets worldwide since emerging in 1999, but this is the first Rascal Flatts live album. Their latest studio album, 'Nothing Like This,' was released on Big Machine Records in Nov. 2010 and includes songs like 'Why Wait' and 'I Won't Let Go.'


text:
This tray includes a variety of ham, turkey, pastrami, corned beef mini croissants. This 16'' dome platter comes with swiss or American cheese. It is topped with fresh romaine lettuce and includes sides such as pickles , tomato and a verity of dressings. (Chicken salad & tuna salad are also available)
Use keywords to find the product you are looking for.Advanced Search
MINI Croissant Sandwhich PlatterOriginal Bagel BasketsCombination BasketsFruit & Bagel BasketsDessert PlattersItalian Cookie PlattersMuffin PlattersMeat and Cheese PlattersSandwich PlattersBreakfast TraysCombination TraysBusiness Meeting TraysAdditions
Crumb Cake: Vanilla$3.50
Notify me of updates to Medium Mini croissant Sandwich Platter


text:
Even if you had NO CLUE it was National Candy Day, we're sure you're happy to know you can celebrate this holiday every year! Of course, lots of people – dentists, especially – would argue we already HAD a candy day a couple of days ago (Halloween), but November 4th is, in fact, an official holiday.
Falling on the same day as Election Day in the U.S., National Candy Day is a sweet way to celebrate all the different kinds of delicious candy eaten by people all over the world. There are hundreds of thousands of different types of candy, all with their own unique flavors, tastes and histories. For example, did you know that Tootsie Rolls, created by Leo Hirshfield in 1896 were named them after Leo's daughter, whose nickname was Tootsie?
Candy isn't just for kids, either. Americans over the age of 18 eat about 65% of all the candy produced each year. Candy is also a favorite treat worldwide. Though the average American eats 25 pounds of candy each year, the average person in Denmark eats 36 pounds annually!
So whether you like chocolate candy, gummy candy or super-sweet and sugary candy, celebrate National Candy Day with your favorite sweet treat!
Classic Tootsie Roll Commercial
Have Your Say
What is the best candy? Let us know what you think!


text:
Historic Homes For Sale, Rent or Auction
Advanced Search
- with at least 5000 square feet
- located in South Carolina
No Listings Found.
At the moment, we have no active listings in this state. But check with these agents who specialize in old houses:
Page Wade
keller williams preferred (columbia ne)
columbia, South Carolina
Changing Views Since 2001!
Sean P. Schaeffner
carolina real estate company, llc
winnsboro, South Carolina
No One Knows South Carolina Like We Do!
Tina Ormerod
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columbia, South Carolina
Experience Real Estate on a Higher Level...
Kathy Kennedy
laissez faire sotheby's intl. realty
aiken, South Carolina
Million Dollar service in every price range.
Terri Cole
oswald-cole & associates
walterboro, South Carolina
Your #1 Hometown Realtors!
Steve Shockley
century 21 blackwell co. inc.
union, South Carolina
Steve sells South Carolina
Joy Lyle
coldwell banker todd land agency
walterboro, South Carolina
Heather Lamp
real estate carolina group
york, South Carolina
More than Realtors: Neighbors, Friends and Professionals
Patty B. Wood
remax by the lake
manning, South Carolina
Please let me help you find your your perfect place!!
Shane Clardy
clardy real estate
seneca, South Carolina
Linda P. Hyatt
hyatt realty
dillon, South Carolina
Selling the Carolinas


text:
In an age of plenty of cheap products, there is something charming and almost romantic about a pan that could withstand a nuclear holocaust, that only gets better with use, that's handle will never come loose, that isn't coated in god-know-what, and that can go straight from the stove top to the oven.
Besides, cast iron pans make the best. pancakes. ever.
But if you've googled how to season a cast iron pan, you're probably aware that there are almost as many ways to do it as there are grandmas. Apparently, every bodies grandma does it differently.
The cooking oils used range from lard to flax seed, and everything in between. The temperatures and times run anywhere from 200 degrees all stinking day to 500 degrees for half an hour.
And everyone insists that their way is the only way to season a cast iron pan. I bet their grandmas told them that. You don't mess with some one's Mee-Mah.
If you find all the differing opinions daunting, don't. Even if one of these ways is truly superior, all those different ways of doing it assures us that people have been doing it "wrong" for generations...with great results!
Note: Even if your brand-spanking new pan says it is "pre-seasoned," it isn't. You still need to season it. Trust me. They're liars. Dirty liars.
So here is one way to season a cast iron pan:
- Choose a nice day. Open all the windows and send your kids out on the porch to play. This is a smokey, stinky job.
- Scrub the pan with a stiff plastic brush in soapy dish water. You don't need steel wool unless you're removing rust.
- Dry with a cloth, and then dry more thoroughly by putting on the stove over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes.
- Turn off pan and add a blob of shortening. The residual heat from drying the pan will probably melt the shortening. If not, you can turn the pan back on for a few moments. You don't want to cook the shortening, just melt it.
- Spread the melted shortening around the inside of the pan, making sure to get it all the way up the sides. I use my fingers for this, because it isn't that hot. But use common sense, if it's hot your not going to touch it with your fingers....right?
- Remove all the excess shortening with a piece of paper towel. You just want a light, even coating.
- Place upside down in a 325 degree oven, with a cookie sheet or something on the rack below to catch any drips.
- Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave pan in oven until cool.
One seasoning won't give you that slick black surface that you can fry an egg on. But it will give you a very nice usable pan, ready for cooking all sorts of yummy things. For a better finish, cook bacon in it! Pancakes, if you add butter between cooking each pancake, can be a super way to improve the finish on your cast iron pan!
A note about sticky spots: Some people claim that temperatures lower than 400 or 500 degrees will result in a sticky gooey coating. Personally, I'm hesitant to grease something up and cook it at a temperature far above the smoking point for an extended period of time. That's just me. In my experience, it isn't low temperatures that cause that gumminess, but too much grease. Make sure you have a thin coating, and your good to go.
But if you don't like my method, maybe you could ask your grandma how she does it? Mee-mah always knows best...


text:
Release Day Blitz ~ Denouement by Cassia Brightmore
Title: Denouement (The Darkness Series book 3)
Author: Cassia Brightmore
Genre: Dark Romance/Romantic Suspense
Cover Design: Mayhem Cover Creations
Photography Credit: TedScanon Photography
Model Credit: Lance Jones
Release Date: November 23, 2015
Warning: This is a dark romance novel not intended for readers under the age of 18 due to graphic violence and situations.
The past and present collide in the final book of the Darkness Series. Old enemies return and unlikely allies are formed when a serial arsonist targets the small town of Stockton Crossing, Louisiana. Working together with the surrounding towns of Durham Heights and Norton Springs, firefighter Lieutenant Weston Hunt is forced out of his reclusive tendencies to help apprehend the madman.
When Aubrey Sinclair, the sexy librarian he's always had a thing for becomes the next target, they are thrown together in more ways than one. She needs his protection and he's powerless to deny her. With the chaos closing in around them, will they solve the puzzle before it's too late? Or is their destiny to go down in a fiery blaze? All bets are off and the body count is higher than ever in this explosive, maddening conclusion to the Darkness Series. The final act is upon us—do you dare enter the darkness one last time?
- Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/21cbFLK
- Amazon US: http://amzn.to/21cbIas
- Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1ld6YQN
- Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1X7xhtb
| B&N | iBooks | Kobo
Cassia Brightmore is a Dark Romance Author. Her debut series, The Darkness Series is a trilogy of books that can be read as standalones. Malevolent and Evanesce are available now, with Denouement, the final book in the series set to release in November, 2015.
Up next for her will be Lincoln Hospital, the first book in a dark medical series. The Trauma Series is expected to release in March 2016.
Writing has always been a passion of hers and publishing her first novel is truly a dream come true. She enjoys writing dark stories and characters that she hopes will thrill the reader.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | TSU | Amazon | Goodreads | Newsletter
All images Copyright © 2015 Concierge Literary Promotions, LLC. All rights reserved.


text:
Outdated CHICKEN release
This is a manual page for an old and unsupported version of CHICKEN. If you are still using it, please consider migrating to the latest version. You can find the manual for the latest release here.
- Outdated CHICKEN release
- Unit lolevel
- Foreign pointers
- SRFI-4 Foreign pointers
- Tagged pointers
- Pointer vectors
- Locatives
- Extending procedures with data
- Low-level data access
- Data in unmanaged memory
- Record instance
- Magic
Unit lolevel
This unit provides a number of handy low-level operations. Use at your own risk.
This unit uses the srfi-4 and extras units.
Foreign pointers
The abstract class of pointer is divided into 2 categories:
- pointer object
- is a foreign pointer object, a tagged foreign pointer object, or a SWIG-pointer.
- pointer-like object
- is a closure, port, locative, or a pointer object.
SWIG-pointers are currently an issue due to "bitrot" in the SWIG CHICKEN translator. While they are considered a pointer object unexpected results are possible.
Note that Locatives, while technically pointers, are not considered a pointer object, but a pointer-like object. The distinction is artificial.
address->pointer[procedure] (address->pointer ADDRESS)
Creates a new foreign pointer object initialized to point to the address given in the integer ADDRESS.
allocate[procedure] (allocate BYTES)
Returns a foreign pointer object to a freshly allocated region of static memory.
This procedure could be defined as follows:
(define allocate (foreign-lambda c-pointer "malloc" integer))
free[procedure] (free POINTER)
Frees the memory pointed to by POINTER.
This procedure could be defined as follows:
(define free (foreign-lambda void "free" c-pointer))
object->pointer[procedure] (object->pointer X)
Returns a foreign pointer object pointing to the Scheme object X, which should be a non-immediate object. ("foreign" here is a bit of a misnomer.)
Note that data in the garbage collected heap moves during garbage collection.
pointer->object[procedure] (pointer->object POINTER)
Returns the Scheme object pointed to by the pointer object POINTER.
Whether the POINTER actually points to a Scheme object is not guaranteed. Use at your own risk.
pointer?[procedure] (pointer? X)
Returns #t if X is a pointer object, or #f otherwise.
pointer-like?[procedure] (pointer-like? X)
Returns #t if X is a pointer-like object, or #f otherwise.
pointer=?[procedure] (pointer=? POINTER*1 POINTER*2)
Returns #t if the pointer-like objects POINTER*1 and POINTER*2 point to the same address, or #f otherwise.
pointer->address[procedure] (pointer->address POINTER*)
Returns the address, to which the pointer-like object POINTER* points.
pointer+[procedure] (pointer+ POINTER* N)
Returns a new foreign pointer object representing the pointer-like object POINTER* address value increased by the byte-offset N.
Use of anything other than a pointer object as an argument is questionable.
align-to-word[procedure] (align-to-word POINTER*-OR-INT)
Accepts either a pointer-like object or an integer as the argument and returns a new foreign pointer or integer aligned to the native word size of the host platform.
Use of anything other than an integer or pointer object as an argument is questionable.
SRFI-4 Foreign pointers
These procedures actually accept a pointer-like object as the POINTER argument. However, as usual, use of anything other than a pointer object is questionable.
pointer-u8-ref[procedure] (pointer-u8-ref POINTER)
Returns the unsigned byte at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-s8-ref[procedure] (pointer-s8-ref POINTER)
Returns the signed byte at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-u16-ref[procedure] (pointer-u16-ref POINTER)
Returns the unsigned 16-bit integer at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-s16-ref[procedure] (pointer-s16-ref POINTER)
Returns the signed 16-bit integer at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-u32-ref[procedure] (pointer-u32-ref POINTER)
Returns the unsigned 32-bit integer at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-s32-ref[procedure] (pointer-s32-ref POINTER)
Returns the signed 32-bit integer at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-f32-ref[procedure] (pointer-f32-ref POINTER)
Returns the 32-bit float at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-f64-ref[procedure] (pointer-f64-ref POINTER)
Returns the 64-bit double at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-u8-set![procedure] (pointer-u8-set! POINTER N)
[procedure] (set! (pointer-u8-ref POINTER) N)
Stores the unsigned byte N at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-s8-set![procedure] (pointer-s8-set! POINTER N)
[procedure] (set! (pointer-s8-ref POINTER) N)
Stores the signed byte N at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-u16-set![procedure] (pointer-u16-set! POINTER N)
[procedure] (set! (pointer-u16-ref POINTER) N)
Stores the unsigned 16-bit integer N at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-s16-set![procedure] (pointer-s16-set! POINTER N)
[procedure] (set! (pointer-s16-ref POINTER) N)
Stores the signed 16-bit integer N at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-u32-set![procedure] (pointer-u32-set! POINTER N)
[procedure] (set! (pointer-u32-ref POINTER) N)
Stores the unsigned 32-bit integer N at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-s32-set![procedure] (pointer-s32-set! POINTER N)
[procedure] (set! (pointer-s32-ref POINTER) N)
Stores the 32-bit integer N at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-f32-set![procedure] (pointer-f32-set! POINTER N)
[procedure] (set! (pointer-f32-ref POINTER) N)
Stores the 32-bit floating-point number N at the address designated by POINTER.
pointer-f64-set![procedure] (pointer-f64-set! POINTER N)
[procedure] (set! (pointer-f64-ref POINTER) N)
Stores the 64-bit floating-point number N at the address designated by POINTER.
Tagged pointers
Tagged pointers are foreign pointer objects with an extra tag object.
tag-pointer[procedure] (tag-pointer POINTER* TAG)
Creates a new tagged foreign pointer object from the pointer-like object POINTER* with the tag TAG, which may an arbitrary Scheme object.
Use of anything other than a pointer object is questionable.
tagged-pointer?[procedure] (tagged-pointer? X [TAG])
Returns #t if X is a tagged foreign pointer object, or #f otherwise.
Further, returns #t when X has the optional tag TAG (using an equal? comparison), or #f otherwise.
pointer-tag[procedure] (pointer-tag POINTER*)
If POINTER is a tagged foreign pointer object, its tag is returned. If POINTER* is any other kind of pointer-like object #f is returned. Otherwise an error is signalled.
Pointer vectors
Pointer vectors are specialized and space-efficient vectors for foreign pointer objects. All procedures defined below that accept a pointer object allow #f as an alternative representation of the NULL-pointer.
make-pointer-vector[procedure] (make-pointer-vector LENGTH [INIT])
Creates a pointer-vector of the given length and optionally initializes each element to INIT, which should be a pointer or #f, which represents the NULL pointer.
pointer-vector?[procedure] (pointer-vector? X)
Returns #t if X is a pointer-vector or #f otherwise.
pointer-vector[procedure] (pointer-vector POINTER ...)
Returns a pointer-vector from the given pointer arguments.
pointer-vector-length[procedure] (pointer-vector-length POINTERVECTOR)
Returns the length of the given pointer-vector.
pointer-vector-ref[procedure] (pointer-vector-ref POINTERVECTOR INDEX)
Returns the pointer at INDEX in the given pointer-vector or #f if the element is a NULL- pointer.
pointer-vector-set![procedure] (pointer-vector-set! POINTERVECTOR INDEX POINTER)
Sets the element at the position INDEX in the given pointer-vector to POINTER. The alternative syntax
(set! (pointer-vector-ref POINTERVECTOR INDEX) POINTER)
is also allowed.
A locative is an object that points to an element of a containing object, much like a pointer in low-level, imperative programming languages like C. The element can be accessed and changed indirectly, by performing access or change operations on the locative. The container object can be computed by calling the locative->object procedure.
Locatives may be passed to foreign procedures that expect pointer arguments. The effect of creating locatives for evicted data (see object-evict) is undefined.
make-locative[procedure] (make-locative OBJ [INDEX])
Creates a locative that refers to the element of the non-immediate object OBJ at position INDEX. OBJ may be a vector, pair, string, blob, SRFI-4 number-vector, or record structure. INDEX should be a fixnum. INDEX defaults to 0.
make-weak-locative[procedure] (make-weak-locative OBJ [INDEX])
Creates a weak locative. Even though the locative refers to an element of a container object, the container object will still be reclaimed by garbage collection if no other references to it exist.
locative?[procedure] (locative? X)
Returns #t if X is a locative, or #f otherwise.
locative-ref[procedure] (locative-ref LOC)
Returns the element to which the locative LOC refers. If the containing object has been reclaimed by garbage collection, an error is signalled.
(locative-ref (make-locative "abc" 1)) ==> #\b
locative-set![procedure] (locative-set! LOC X)
[procedure] (set! (locative-ref LOC) X)
Changes the element to which the locative LOC refers to X. If the containing object has been reclaimed by garbage collection, an error is signalled.
locative->object[procedure] (locative->object LOC)
Returns the object that contains the element referred to by LOC or #f if the container has been reclaimed by garbage collection.
(locative->object (make-locative "abc" 1)) ==> "abc"
Extending procedures with data
extend-procedure[procedure] (extend-procedure PROCEDURE X)
Returns a copy of the procedure PROCEDURE which contains an additional data slot initialized to X. If PROCEDURE is already an extended procedure, then its data slot is changed to contain X and the same procedure is returned. Signals an error when PROCEDURE is not a procedure.
extended-procedure?[procedure] (extended-procedure? PROCEDURE)
Returns #t if PROCEDURE is an extended procedure, or #f otherwise.
procedure-data[procedure] (procedure-data PROCEDURE)
Returns the data object contained in the extended procedure PROCEDURE, or #f if it is not an extended procedure.
set-procedure-data![procedure] (set-procedure-data! PROCEDURE X)
Changes the data object contained in the extended procedure PROCEDURE to X. Signals an error when PROCEDURE is not an extended procedure.
(define foo (letrec ((f (lambda () (procedure-data x))) (x #f) ) (set! x (extend-procedure f 123)) x) ) (foo) ==> 123 (set-procedure-data! foo 'hello) (foo) ==> hello
Low-level data access
These procedures operate with what are known as vector-like objects. A vector-like object is a vector, record structure, pair, symbol or keyword.
Note that strings and blobs are not considered vector-like.
vector-like?[procedure] (vector-like? X)
Returns #t when X is a vector-like object, returns #f otherwise.
block-ref[procedure] (block-ref VECTOR* INDEX)
Returns the contents of the INDEXth slot of the vector-like object VECTOR*.
block-set![procedure] (block-set! VECTOR* INDEX X)
[procedure] (set! (block-ref VECTOR* INDEX) X)
Sets the contents of the INDEXth slot of the vector-like object VECTOR* to the value of X.
number-of-slots[procedure] (number-of-slots VECTOR*)
Returns the number of slots that the vector-like object VECTOR* contains.
number-of-bytes[procedure] (number-of-bytes BLOCK)
Returns the number of bytes that the object BLOCK contains. BLOCK may be any non-immediate value.
object-copy[procedure] (object-copy X)
Copies X recursively and returns the fresh copy. Objects allocated in static memory are copied back into garbage collected storage.
move-memory![procedure] (move-memory! FROM TO [BYTES [FROM-OFFSET [TO-OFFSET]]])
Copies BYTES bytes of memory from FROM to TO. FROM and TO may be strings, blobs, SRFI-4 number-vectors, memory mapped files, foreign pointers (as obtained from a call to foreign-lambda, for example), tagged-pointers or locatives. if BYTES is not given and the size of the source or destination operand is known then the maximal number of bytes will be copied. Moving memory to the storage returned by locatives will cause havoc, if the locative refers to containers of non-immediate data, like vectors or pairs.
The additional fourth and fifth argument specify starting offsets (in bytes) for the source and destination arguments.
Signals an error if any of the above constraints is violated.
Data in unmanaged memory
object-evict[procedure] (object-evict X [ALLOCATOR])
Copies the object X recursively into the memory pointed to by the foreign pointer object returned by ALLOCATOR. The freshly copied object is returned. ALLOCATOR should be a procedure of a single argument (the number of bytes to allocate), and defaults to allocate.
This facility allows moving arbitrary objects into static memory, but care should be taken when mutating evicted data: setting slots in evicted vector-like objects to non-evicted data is not allowed. It is possible to set characters/bytes in evicted strings or byte-vectors, though. It is advisable not to evict ports, because they might be mutated by certain file-operations. object-evict is able to handle circular and shared structures.
Evicted symbols are no longer unique: a fresh copy of the symbol is created, so
(define x 'foo) (define y (object-evict 'foo)) y ==> foo (eq? x y) ==> #f (define z (object-evict '(bar bar))) (eq? (car z) (cadr z)) ==> #t
This loss of uniqueness also implies that an evicted structure -- such as one created with define-record -- cannot be operated on with the existing predicate or accessors, as internally a symbol is used to denote the type:
(define-record point x y) (point? (make-point x y)) ; => #t (point? (object-evict (make-point x y))) ; => #f
object-evict-to-location[procedure] (object-evict-to-location X POINTER* [LIMIT])
As object-evict but moves the object at the address pointed to by the pointer-like object POINTER*. If the number of copied bytes exceeds the optional LIMIT then an error is signalled (specifically a composite condition of types exn and evict. The latter provides a limit property which holds the exceeded limit. Two values are returned: the evicted object and a new pointer pointing to the first free address after the evicted object.
Use of anything other than a pointer object as the POINTER* argument is questionable.
object-evicted?[procedure] (object-evicted? X)
Returns #t if X is a non-immediate evicted data object, or #f otherwise.
object-release[procedure] (object-release X [RELEASER])
Frees memory occupied by the evicted object X recursively. RELEASER should be a procedure of a single argument (a foreign pointer object to the static memory to be freed) and defaults to free.
object-unevict[procedure] (object-unevict X [FULL])
Copies the object X and nested objects back into the normal Scheme heap. Symbols are re-interned into the symbol table. Strings and byte-vectors are not copied, unless FULL is given and not #f.
object-size[procedure] (object-size X)
Returns the number of bytes that would be needed to evict the data object X. If X is an immediate object, zero is returned.
Record instance
make-record-instance[procedure] (make-record-instance SYMBOL ARG1 ...)
Returns a new instance of the record type SYMBOL, with its slots initialized to ARG1 .... To illustrate:
(define-record-type point (make-point x y) point?
(x point-x point-x-set!)
(y point-y point-y-set!))
expands into something quite similar to:
(define (make-point x y)
(make-record-instance 'point x y) )
(define (point? x)
(and (record-instance? x)
(eq? 'point (block-ref x 0)) ) )
(define (point-x p) (block-ref p 1))
(define (point-x-set! p x) (block-set! p 1 x))
(define (point-y p) (block-ref p 2))
(define (point-y-set! p y) (block-set! p 1 y)) )
record-instance?[procedure] (record-instance? X [SYMBOL])
Returns #t if X is a record structure, or #f otherwise.
Further, returns #t if X is of type SYMBOL, or #f otherwise.
record-instance-type[procedure] (record-instance-type RECORD)
Returns type symbol of the record structure RECORD. Signals an error if RECORD is not a record structure.
record-instance-length[procedure] (record-instance-length RECORD)
Returns number of slots for the record structure RECORD. The record-instance type is not counted. Signals an error if RECORD is not a record structure.
record-instance-slot[procedure] (record-instance-slot RECORD INDEX)
Returns the contents of the INDEXth slot of the record structure RECORD. The slot index range is the open interval [0 record-instance-length). Signals an error if RECORD is not a record structure.
record-instance-slot-set![procedure] (record-instance-slot-set! RECORD INDEX X)
[procedure] (set! (record-instance-slot RECORD INDEX) X)
Sets the INDEXth slot of the record structure RECORD to X. The slot index range is the open interval [0 record-instance-length). Signals an error if RECORD is not a record structure.
record->vector[procedure] (record->vector RECORD)
Returns a new vector with the type and the elements of the record structure RECORD. Signals an error if RECORD is not a record structure.
object-become![procedure] (object-become! ALIST)
Changes the identity of the value of the car of each pair in ALIST to the value of the cdr. Neither value may be immediate (i.e. exact integers, characters, booleans or the empty list).
(define x "i used to be a string") (define y '#(and now i am a vector)) (object-become! (list (cons x y))) x ==> #(and now i am a vector) y ==> #(and now i am a vector) (eq? x y) ==> #t
Note: this operation invokes a major garbage collection.
The effect of using object-become! on evicted data (see object-evict) is undefined.
mutate-procedure![procedure] (mutate-procedure! OLD PROC)
Replaces the procedure OLD with the result of calling the one-argument procedure PROC. PROC will receive a copy of OLD that will be identical in behaviour to the result of OLD:
;;; Replace arbitrary procedure with tracing one: (mutate-procedure! my-proc (lambda (new) (lambda args (printf "~s called with arguments: ~s~%" new args) (apply new args) ) ) )
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Thank you for stopping by to my fan page about the mildly interesting 'sports journalist' Jemele Hill. Obviously, this page is not in any way owned or operated by Ms. Hill or ESPN or anybody like that. Really.
However, I don't know what was done with these pages before I got them, and the ones that weren't written by me (i.e., all of them but this one, which was oddly left almost blank) seem funny enough to keep displaying for now.
If they really were written by Ms. Hill (which is a possibility), then I'm doing the world a huge service by preserving these nuggets of timeless journalistic excellence.
Jemele Hill is a bit like a shock jock, in that she's mainly fascinating because you're waiting for her to say something really inappropriate and potentially career-ending. Unfortunately, also like a shock jock, enduring her between such times can be a bit of a challenge.
Let's face it, if you are familiar with her radio style a CD of Jemele Hill radio rants would not be the #1 choice for a birthday gift to say, your conservative, bible thumping mother-in-law. For that matter someone like the Boston Celtics and the University of Kentucky Wildcats mens' basketball coach, John Calipar, would probably not want to receive any gifts that referenced her at all. I'll explain the reference in a moment.
Your mother-in-law might prefer a sterling silver charm bracelet or necklace with a cross or a small bible or some other religious icon. I'm rather partial to silver jewelry which it turns out is really made from sterling silver. And I especially love the rings by SterlingForever – all of them. I never really understood what the difference was between using silver or sterling silver in jewelry until I "googled" it recently. The fact is that 99% pure silver is too soft for anything that requires durability such as a ring, necklace, tray, tea pot etc. Someone discovered that by adding another metal to silver, the silver is no longer too soft! So sterling silver, an alloy of silver, contains about 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of another metal, usually copper to give it strength. The copper actually preserves the ductility and beauty of the precious silver metal, yet giving it the required durability. Now let me continue with my previous reference to John Calipar and Jemele Hill and why her CD would not be appreciated by him.
First off, a more suitable gift for John Calipar would be a basket filled with champagne, caviar, and engraved champagne flutes celebrating him and his teams achievements. Let's face it, if someone (Jemele Hill) is comparing the University of Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball coach, John Calipari, to Charles Manson or writing "Rooting for the Celtics is like saying Hitler was a victim", she definitely is not a fan. She's a tough cookie to say the least.
Nevertheless, I have dedicated myself to finding out as much about her as I can, to come to a fuller understanding and hopefully, eventually, begin to regard her with the same empathy and respect that I'd give to a real human being. My only real fear is that I may develop too much sympathy for her, and no longer have as much enjoyment of the times when she seriously embarrasses herself and journalism in general (nah).
This would be a serious mistake, because it's really only the controversies that currently interest me. If I'm looking for an insightful sportscaster…well, I'm usually pretty screwed, but every once in a while one of them says something that isn't totally obvious to the average junior high student.


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In times of doubt and uncertainty, many Americans turn to self-help books in search of encouragement, guidance and self-affirmation. The positive self-statements suggested in these books, such as "I am a lovable person" or "I will succeed," are designed to lift a person's low self-esteem and push them into positive action.
According to a recent study in Psychological Science, however, these statements can actually have the opposite effect.
Psychologists Joanne V. Wood and John W. Lee from the University of Waterloo, and W.Q. Elaine Perunovic from the University of New Brunswick, found that individuals with low self-esteem actually felt worse about themselves after repeating positive self-statements.
The researchers asked participants with low self-esteem and high self-esteem to repeat the self-help book phrase "I am a lovable person." The psychologists then measured the participants' moods and their momentary feelings about themselves. As it turned out, the individuals with low self-esteem felt worse after repeating the positive self-statement compared to another low self-esteem group who did not repeat the self-statement. The individuals with high self-esteem felt better after repeating the positive self-statement--but only slightly.
In a follow-up study, the psychologists allowed the participants to list negative self-thoughts along with positive self-thoughts. They found that, paradoxically, low self-esteem participants' moods fared better when they were allowed to have negative thoughts than when they were asked to focus exclusively on affirmative thoughts.
The psychologists suggested that, like overly positive praise, unreasonably positive self-statements, such as "I accept myself completely," can provoke contradictory thoughts in individuals with low self-esteem. Such negative thoughts can overwhelm the positive thoughts. And, if people are instructed to focus exclusively on positive thoughts, they may find negative thoughts to be especially discouraging.
As the authors concluded, "Repeating positive self-statements may benefit certain people [such as individuals with high self-esteem] but backfire for the very people who need them the most."
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Materials provided by Association for Psychological Science. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
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High Efficiency Anti-Reflection (HEAR) Coated Windows feature dual Broadband coatings, reducing reflectance to ≤0.5%. Back reflections are virtually eliminated by the coating, offering improved readability when used in industrial or scientific displays. Their high transmission makes them ideal for many other optical applications.
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BeanieBrain Reader
My Photos
On Going Giveaways
Friday, May 22, 2015
Destiny Disrupted Release
Title: Destiny Disrupted
Author: M.D. Saperstein
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: There's Always Tomorrow
Release Date: May 22
Homicide Detective Vance Summers has seen his fair share of bloody crime scenes, but nothing could have prepared him for the gore he is about to endure, not even his nine years of experience on the job. A serial killer is on the loose in Los Angeles attacking whole families, and Vance is the only one who can catch him. But that's not what the killer seems to think. What becomes a fun game of cat and mouse to the killer, turns Vance's life into a living hell for him, his family, and his friends. Sweet, demure Melina Higgins is minding her business when – BAM! – she literally crashes into the most gorgeous man she has ever seen. Although hesitant to date a man whose dangerous job consumes his life, she is unable to control her attraction to this sexy, sensitive, family man. When a serial killer sets his sights on her new detective boyfriend, Melina has no choice but to help fight for her man…and her life. *Warning* This book is intended for mature readers over the age of 18. It contains graphic sexual content, foul language, gruesome murder details, an emotional rape scene, and some hot m/f and m/m action.
Amazon US
Her hand roams over his chest again then starts down his abs. His eyes slide closed as she travels lower and lower. Shit, it's been too long. He's already hard from the innocent touch. Melina gets to the waistband of his jeans and he feels her hand brush the very top of his thigh, then her bare hand makes contact with his bare stomach. Vance hisses at the same time Melina makes a pleased noise low in her throat. Her hand slowly makes its way over each ripple of his abs to his chest, where her fingers brush over his nipple. Vance sucks in a sharp breath and looks down at her. She has a sexy little grin on her face as she watches his reactions to her touching him. The look in her eyes is that of a woman who finds something that she wants and is going to have it.
Hi! My name is M.D. Saperstein. I am currently a stay at home mom with my two gorgeous kids. I wasn't always a full time mom, though. After graduating from the University of Florida - Go Gators! - I attended law school at Stetson University. I spent the next 10 years practicing law. I also spent some time counseling mental health patients in an out patient psychiatric hospital. But, until having my own children, my most rewarding job by far was licensing families to receive abused and neglected foster children. So, that brings us to today. In my spare time, while my children were napping, I started editing novels for other authors. The more I edited, the more ready I felt to write my own. I just needed a new and exciting story line. Once Hey There, Delilah was conceived, the ball starting rolling very quickly. I hooked up with fellow author Andria Large, and we decided to tackle it together. Best decision ever! I spend most of my free time with my husband and children. But when I get some "me" time, I love to read. Mostly romance and erotica, but I don't discriminate - a good book is a good book, no matter the genre.
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An assembly occupancy is generally defined as "an occupancy (1) used for a gathering of 50 or more persons for deliberation, worship, entertainment, eating, drinking, amusement, awaiting transportation, or similar uses; or (2) used as a special amusement building, regardless of occupant load." Assembly occupancies might include the following: Armories,assembly halls, auditoriums,club rooms, dance halls, drinking establishments and exhibition halls among others.
Fires in assembly occupancies have shown to be some of the most deadly when the proper features, systems and construction materials were not present. Nightclubs, theaters and auditoriums differ from office buildings because they contain a large number of people in one main space. NFPA code provisions mandate that a considerable number of safety systems and features be present in order to keep everyone safe should an unwanted fire occur. The level of safety provided is not the result of any single safety system or feature, but rather is achieved through the combination of multiple safeguards that are provided.
NFPA publishes a number of codes and standards that work in harmony to prevent the type of life-loss that can occur in assembly occupancies:
The following elements provide an outline of the most basic requirements and criteria as found in NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®, 2000 edition. The order in which they are presented in is indicative of how they lessen a life threatening condition.
Ignition sources
There are a number of possible ignition sources in assembly occupancies. Fires caused by so-called "controlled" fire (for example, alcohol or solid alcohol fires in restaurants, flames used for dramatic effects in theaters) are well documented. Control of other unintentional ignition sources is also of crucial importance. Those include:
Furnishings & contents
Controls based on flame spread characteristics; Evaluation of existing interior finish is sometimes difficult. Where flame spread characteristics cannot be readily determined, the questionable material should be removed or treated with approved flame retardants. Where treatment cannot reduce flame spread to the required limits, automatic sprinklers can be provided to help compensate for the deficiency.
The purpose of interior finish requirements is to slow the flame spread across these surfaces to allow additional time for occupants to relocate or evacuate the building.
On-site fire protection
Apply NFPA 1, Fire Code to be confident buildings and facilities make the grade for fire protection and life safety.
More Info
Protect lives and property with NFPA 101®: Life Safety Code®.


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Marked and Betrayed
P.C. Cast and Kristen Cast
The plot is insanely interesting - seeing as it revolves around this new breed of vampyre it had to be interesting! A newbie conquering the all powerful priestess? Oh yeah, the twists and turns are great!
Oh...did I forget to mention vampyre hotties? Yeah, House of Night is full of them. Of course, that means sexual tension, but...no, actually, I can't find a problem with that.
Alas, this series is just not for me. My brothers were shocked. "It has vampires. It was like...written for you." Zoey is a strong character, but a tad too teenage angsty for me. There were things in the book that took me out of the moment, things that just do not belong in a teenage protagonist's voice - things that adults think belong in a teenage protagonist's voice.
For example, Zoey has this irritating aversion to swearing, which...no-swearing is fine, but it's not like Zoey says "Dang it" or "Shucks" or just plain avoids swearing, Zoey says "poopie." Yeah, you read that right, poopie. I made it through the third book (Chosen) before I shrugged off the series.
One the other hand, one of my life long friends absolutely loves this series. She basically has each book framed on her wall. Little creepy. In fact, she just called me while I wrote this post and let me know she wasn't slowly dying anymore because she finally got time to start reading Tempted, the sixth installment in this series.
I will admit, the ideas the Cast mother daughter team present are unique they do a great job of drawing you into the House of Night world.
This book really is in the eye of the beholder. You'll either love it or hate it or shrug and "meh" it. Reading is soooo subjective. I figured we'd better throw Marked and Betrayed in the give away since, just because I didn't like it, doesn't mean everyone else doesn't or won't like it either. And everywhere I look this series gets five star reviews.
I'd recommend this series to older paranormal fans.
We have Marked and Betrayed available in the MegaBook Giveaway, so go to the contest post to enter!


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Lancret Paintings
Art Oyster carries canvas art reproductions of such famous artists as Nicolas Lancret, which can be purchased as framed art as well. Dance in a Pavilion by Lancret is 100% hand-painted, and not a machine generated print or giclee. Our online oil paintings gallery features Lancret painting reproductions as well as famous paintings by over 4,000 other famous artists. Our wholesale art and oil paintings for sale are priced well below retail art galleries.


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The Ultimate Paint Rack
by Massive Voodoo
You can find all of the details about the campaign on the campaign page!
Maybe you can remember this post some time ago.
We finally found the solution to perfectly organize and travel with your paints and you can support us to make this real.
We were often struggling with the way we store, manage and travel with our paints. All products and options available at the time were just not what we were looking for.
Some months ago, Raffa decided to build a better paint rack than ever before! Something that fulfilled all the requirements he had. When the first really rough prototype was finished, we both could see the potential for something that a lot of other painters would love to have. Thankfully our friends confirmed this thought.
Almost everyone owns a ton of colors, good daylight lamps, nice miniatures and the best brushes in the world. Why should you settle with anything less than the Ultimate Paint Rack?
So, check out the campaign and see for yourself if you like to have one of these for your painting table!


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Two-Year Results of a Program to Reduce Poverty and Reform Welfare
An evaluation of the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), the state's welfare waiver program, found that the program produced substantially larger increases in employment and earnings among welfare recipients living in public or subsidized housing than among recipients in private housing. This paper examines several possible reasons that may account for these findings, including differences in characteristics between the two groups of recipients, differences in their proximity to jobs, differences in residential stability, which might aid in the transition to work, and interactions between MFIP's work incentives and the public/subsidized housing rent rules. The evidence, although indirect, suggests that interactions between MFIP rules and the rent rules in public housing helped to produce larger employment impacts for residents in public or subsidized housing.
Implementation of a Program to Reduce Poverty and Reform Welfare
Implementation and 18-Month Impacts of the Minnesota Family Investment Program


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I like to believe I have a good grasp of the way the folks in Redmond think, but sometimes I'm completely mystified. Take, for example, this quote by Dean Hachamovitch, general manager of Internet Explorer:
"You go through and talk to all these people and ask them what they want out of a browser and there are a lot of conflicting requests around: 'Hey, give me tabs right now' versus 'I want stability, I want a platform that won't break, I want to make sure I have extensability, I want to make sure have manageability,' " he said.
I very much doubt that providing tabs in the UI would impact extensibility, manageability, or stability. (Could it be that the Browser Helper Object API or some other IE extension API simply can't deal with multiple documents in tabs in a window? Yet it's my understanding that IE extensions work in IE shells like Avant that provide tabs.) It wouldn't even impact what I see as Microsoft's hidden agenda, stagnating Web technology to drive developers to Avalon. Yet tabs are clearly a simple feature that's pulling users away from IE, so why won't Microsoft provide them? I wish I knew.


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myUH Information Welcome to the myUH Information Page for Students
First-time users
Find out what your myUH ID is and how to access your online account.
"My Academics" Overview
Learn about the different functions within the "My Academics" feature of myUH.
"My Academics — Planner" Tutorial
Learn how to utilize the "Planner" to plan future semesters. If you are seeking your first undergraduate degree, you will be able to plan based on an interactive advisement report.
myUH Advisement Report
The myUH Advisement Report is a great resource for students who closely monitor their academic progress at the University of Houston.
A Guide to Completing Your Application
Log in to myUH
Click the above link to log in to your myUH account.


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This document is only available in German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, English, Spanish and Dutch .
Welcome to the website www.transportxxl.eu dealing with the topic of abnormal transports.
Here, you will find an overview of the regulations and application procedures for oversized and heavy transports in the EU. At the moment the website contained the following EU contries: Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Finland, France, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.
Transports which exceed the maximum authorised weight or axle load are referred to as "heavy transports". Transports whose dimensions exceed the maximum authorised values are referred to as "oversized transports" (or, in some countries, as "high and wide transports"). The term "abnormal transport" is used on this website as a collective term for oversized and heavy transports.
In the section EU Directive you will find the maximum authorised dimensions and weights with which a transport can be made on European roads without a special permit. You can determine whether you will need a special permit for your transport in the VIKING Region under the category Does my transport require a special permit?
The application procedures for each country, as well as contact information for the responsible authorities and links for required forms, can be found under Application procedures.
We hope to be able to provide you with some useful information through this site and wish you great success in your search!


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Tons of futuristic books are being turned into movies, but there's still only one Ender's Game. When we visited the set during filming last year, we saw tons of signs of just how different this film is from all the other space adventures we've seen lately. Check out the complete lowdown on our Ender's Game set visit.
io9 was privy to one day of Ender's Game shooting, where we got to watch Harrison Ford get pissed off, play in the Salamander Dorm beds and futz around with flash guns. Here's what we saw, what we learned and why you should get excited about Ender's Game, THE MOVIE. (Full disclosure: The studio paid for io9's travel and hotel expenses during this set visit.)
NASA Helped Build the Battle School (kind of)
We all know that the Ender's Game kids get sent away to space school to learn how to deal with Zero G's and space oddities and whatnottery. BUT what we learned on set was that actual real life NASA spaceship bits were included on the Battle School set.
Ender's Game was filmed inside the giant NASA soundstage in Louisiana. A place where actual rocket ships have been built. Now the whole thing is kind of empty and houses a ton of rejected or defunct NASA bits. Cue a giant mob of NASA workers tossing out old parts, in front of the Ender's Game crew. Obviously the production designers flipped, and asked NASA if they could use any of these trash bits for the movie — and after checking with the higher ups NASA said yes. So if you look closely at the screws, bolts, door handles inside the dorm rooms of the Salamander Army you will be seeing actual rocket parts here and there.
Avatar Stunt Genius Garrett Warren Dreamed Up The Battle Room Scenes
How do you shoot in Zero G right scenes, starring CHILDREN, on Earth? This is probably the most discussed aspect to Ender's Game. If the Battle Room scenes suck, this movie will fail. It is really and truly the most important part of the book. There's lots to talk about here, so I'm going to hit the main points that stuck with me after the tour.
First, Garret Warren is involved. This man is the most talented inventor and innovator in the Hollywood stunt world. It's lucky Alex Proyas' Paradise Lost film was canned, because that freed Warren up for Ender's Game (plus he used a lot of the wirework technology he created for Paradise Lost on EG). Warren specifically invented a special "lollipop crane" for this movie and was given (what sounded like) an unlimited budget to make the Battle Room fight scenes a reality.
And YES there will be Zero G stunts where entire teams of actors will be flying in formation. Think The Mighty Ducks "Flying V" — but in SPACE! The crew accomplished this by building a giant cage and stringing up the kids like puppets. Warren explained, "We literally made a marionette cage above 13 people, and were able to go like this — and move people like they were little puppets and so forth, in this world — and [have them] able to grab each other. And so, the fun thing was that they're all in and of themselves controlled by wires, but they're all controlled within one big, huge cage, which was great."
Full disclosure, I personally did NOT get to see any finished footage of the kids in action in the Battle Room. However, I did get to see a very large chunk of test footage with the actors and the cast of Cirque du Soleil alums (specifically from the Vegas show Le Reve) in action. From that very early footage I could tell that the Zero G glide that audiences will be looking for is intact. It feels slow and deliberate like one would expect space weightlessness to appear. I'm exceedingly hopeful for these moments.
Devils In the Details
The devotion to detail in this movie is ABSURD.
- Everything that could be made with 3D printers, was. Because the future is now! Broken name tags (WITH BRAILLE) were recreated using the 3D printer, helmet bits were printed, gun flash gun handles were created, and more. If you look closely you can see that inside Ender's room is a 3D printer.
- Die hard fans might notice that the Battle School looks different in this movie version, and instead of having 5 rooms there's only one, but it's a bad ass one. Note that in the trailer the school rotates to maintain the gravity in the living quarters. But the Battle Room itself does not. Presto: Zero G! Also the school was turned clear because first, it looks better. And secondly, as an attempt to mimic Discovery One in from 2001.
- The flash guns were broken down into 10 bits so the kids would be forced to train with them (build them together, take them apart). This scene was added to the movie, because it looked cool.
- The battle board in the cafeteria will constantly have the outcome of various army battles on it. A constant reminder to the kids that this is why they're there.
- The flash guns are scripted to take second and a half to power up, and a half second in-between shots. The actual idea behind it is that it's a particle beam weapon. And when the film airs audiences will be able to see the circular parts and electro magnets inside the gun.
- Even the "dopp kits" are futuristic, with wacky toothbrushes and wet naps painted grey.
No More Dystopian Saturation
Thank god this isn't another YA adaptation about a dystopian Earth. We all desperately needed a break from the huddled, moaning masses living in a future dystopia. Ender's Game presents the exact opposite, and intentionally shows the beauty of our home planet. Greening up all the homeworld shots, production designers Sean Haworth & Ben Procter foreground the message that "Earth is a place worth fighting for."
Setting the future in a "post oil economy," the designers imagine the Wiggin household as a warm inviting place with just slight touches of futurism. Think the AI household but with more ivy and green plants. All of the humans are dressed in soft tones and comforting styles. Any outdoor shots were bathed in golden hour light, green hills or set by a lake side (where Ender and Valentine have their chats). This way, (they hope) audiences sympathize with the homesick kids who are jettisoned to the Battle School which was also described as a "steel coffin in space."
This Alien World is Gorgeous
Perhaps the most exciting, and surprising reveal was the care and detail Hood and company took into developing the Formic culture. Hood went into pre-production with an extensive Formic style guide, inspired by insect colonies and the intricate ways they live their lives. Everything was intended to feel organic, like the Formic spaceships. Buildings were erected right out of the dirt of their planet, but then molded and twisted with artistic intent. Just about every Formic creation has a resin-like quality to it. That was all intentional. But instead of looking like bug spit, the Formic walls we saw on set were twisted and curved and smooth. The walls were so gorgeous that I couldn't help myself and totally touched the hell out of this construction.
If you've read the book you know that part of the novel is set on Eros, a Formic planet eventually captured by the humans [EDIT this was originally an asteroid in the book, it's been expanded in the film in order to shorten the story]. Giant Formic "skyscrapers" jut out across this reddish planet. To create this look, designers Procter and Haworth studied how termite mounds work, and replicated the temperature-controlling spheres that are seen in nature on Eros. The whole idea was that while a few spheres would stick out from the planet's crust, they were just a tip of the iceberg.
Underneath is a world of twisting tunnels, where the humans set up camp. The crew recreated the human-polluted tunnels astoundingly well. The sandy chiseled walls with artistic grooves and gorgeous curves were blocked out with black human steel and florescent lights. The contrast was amazing and completely invasive and appalling when juxtaposed against the soft lines of the Formic culture. It felt like walking through an futuristic excavation of an ancient culture, only ridiculously invasive.
It was in these tunnels where I witnessed my first snippet of Ender's Game filming.
I must have watched this pan-in on Harrison Ford 300 times, but one can never get bored watching Han Solo emote whilst pretending to be on an alien planet. Casting Ford as Graff was a masterstroke — and by God, was he a gruff Graff. We watched a scene where Graff looks out his Formic bunker window and growled about the oncoming battle. I don't really remember what he was saying, but I remembered being absolutely terrified for anyone who had to walk into that room with him, because that's INDIANA JONES. Especially when he messed up his lines and got mad. That was awesome.
Look, of all the times I've seen an adult male stare out of a fake window with the fake weight of the world on his shoulders, Harrison Ford did it the best.
No Gratuitous Alien Shots
The light-handed Formic teasery is one of the great things about Ender's Game. There's no HOLY CRAP ALIEN tight shots with KY Jelly spewing mouths and "kill 'em all" war screams (no that there's anything wrong with that). This mysterious race was handled with a lot of smoke and mirrors in the novel.
Which is why I was very excited to hear that one scene, in particular, had been cut. While playing with the props, one crew member revealed that there was a whole Independence Day scene where a downed Formic ship was popped open, and the Formic alien was ripped out and killed. Thus exposing the Formic form fairly early on in the film. It didn't make the final cut — and actually, I don't even know if it was shot at all. Either way it was cut.
Instead the audience will deal with the slow burn only getting shots of Formic ships and structures at first. Will you get to eventually see a Formic, of course, but I'm not going to spoil it for you.
Praise the holy sky beast, the production company could simply not afford to shoot this in 3D. Thank you! Hood considered 3D, but went with the more "pure and honest" take of 2D. Whatever the reason, I'm just glad I don't have to put on another set of crappy theater glasses.
And here are some new shots the studio shared with us:


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Bell Curves collaborates with organizations to provide a broad spectrum of support to help members achieve educational and career success.
Bell Curves works with organizations and schools to evaluate and identify areas in which the skills and talents of our team and the resources at our disposal will most efficiently support your organization's existing programs and goals.
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Meet A Few Of Our Partners:
- "As a result of the Bell Curves college preparation program, Rise to College scholars have shown marked improved in their performance on the SAT college entrance exam. The Bell Curves teaching staff went beyond what was required of them to best serve their students."
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