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Physical World News In Virtual Spaces: Representation and Embodiment in Immersive Nonfiction
by Nonny de la Peña
The use of spatial news and documentary, in which immersive virtual reality constructs of nonfiction are experienced through an embodied digital representation such as an avatar, is a nascent but growing field. By putting the participant into a subjective first-person position and delineating spatially where the audience will encounter editorially-controlled content, these practices raise entirely new questions about the accuracy or impartiality of the nonfiction narrative. Deliberations are certain to grow more heated as this use of the virtual body and immersive virtual reality complicates considerations on what constitutes a subjective relationship to narrative. However, fears over whether the embodied nature of an immersive news piece undermines journalistic integrity because of that embodiment are misplaced. Instead, these virtual reality constructs should be considered in the same light as any documentary or news report, with the relevant factor being the transparency surrounding the sources and research material used to support the factual underpinnings.
The fundamental idea of immersive nonfiction is to allow the audience to actually enter a virtually recreated scenario representing the story. The pieces can be built in persistent online virtual worlds such as Second Life or as a web-based Unity 3D construction. They can also be produced using a head-tracked head-mounted display system, a lightweight helmet with screens that cover the eyes called a head-mounted display (HMD). The helmet tracks head movement to ensure that digital imagery on the screens stays in perspective in order to create the sensation of having a virtual body in a virtual location. Another option is the Microsoft Kinect, an inexpensive camera that follows body movement, released as part of the Microsoft Xbox system. The Kinect has now been linked to avatar movements in multiple 3D environments. Finally, immersive nonfiction can also be constructed in a Cave, which uses full body-tracking technologies in a small room whose walls show relevant video that corresponds to how a user moves their bodies around the space.
Video and audio captured from the physical world are used to reinforce the concept that participants are experiencing a nonfiction story. For example, video triggers at key points in the virtual landscape remind a participant that the computer-generated environment is grounded in a real news story.
Embedded video reinforces the news narrative
Scripted events that create a first person interaction with the reportage can also help create a feeling of "being there." By using programming to move participants from one virtual location to the next, thus moving the embodied presence along the timeline, the experience employs "embodied edits."[i]
These experiences blur the line between recreations and cinema verité because audio and video captured live from the physical world (cinema verité material) is embedded throughout the computer-generated environment and encountered in scripted/programmed variations. The computer-generated environment also can act as a replica of an actual space from the physical world, a recreation but with verité intent. Finally, whether visiting the space as oneself or as a subject of the story, immersive constructs aim to afford the participant unprecedented access to the sights and sounds, and possibly, the feelings and emotions that accompany nonfiction stories.
Objectivity/Subjectivity in Nonfiction
When considering a nonfiction narrative, both documentary and news stories purport to represent some version of reality. In John Grierson's famous definition of documentary as "the creative treatment of actuality," it is the term "actuality" that most fundamentally describes the creator's relationship to the content.[ii] Whether that "actuality" is boiled down in a short news piece or depicted at length in a documentary film, there is an attempt to adhere to some version of what the creator considers to be truth. All the formats portray the creator's view of reality and act as "knowledge-producing and communicative practice[s]."[iii] This shared goal binds the genres when considering how the portrayal of nonfiction might be affected by using virtual reality platforms instead of formats like film, video, photographs, or text.
Moreover, the debate around whether the creator of any nonfiction can ever meaningfully represent truth is decades old. Arguments range from a sense that objectivity can be "operationalized"[iv], to a belief that "truth and objectivity claims of new journalism [are] totalitarian struggles in an ongoing power struggle," a truth which Dirk Eitzen suggests should always be measured by the question, "Might it be lying?"[v] One can also argue that recent attempts to tell both sides have descended into a sort of tyranny of objectivity that seems to deter critical thinking about the facts presented by either side.
Certainly raw video can offer an extraordinary window onto events, but edits in the footage and the selection process of interviewees are just two obvious ways that the narrative can be manipulated to merely appear to present events fairly. In comparing two Danish documentaries critical of the pesticide company, Cheminova, Olesen claims that even "investigative journalism is a political act within the boundaries of professional journalistic standards."[vi] In fact, columns like the one run by the Los Angeles Times from 1936-1941, which supported social eugenics, illustrate the fallacy that journalism has ever been editorially sophisticated enough to work outside of the influences of culture.
The difficulty of holding nonfiction to a purist standard also becomes clear when examining Walter Cronkite's documentary series You Are There (1953-1957). Cronkite is still considered one of the United States' most reputable journalists and someone who would have adhered to the asserted necessary journalistic tenets of "truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability." However, the You Are There series exposes the weaknesses in any claim of having achieved those tenets, instead reflecting the era in American history in which it was created. For example, his piece on the Alamo addresses the American view on the battle, giving little of the Mexican perspective about the United States' annexation of Mexican territory that would have made the presentation more balanced.[vii]
Interestingly, actively seeking out an acceptable balance seems to be losing its relevancy for some U.S. news organizations. For example, Salon blogger Nick Leshi writes that a local TV station in New York, FOX-5 (WNYW):
Doesn't even bother to call their on-air talent "reporters" or "journalists" anymore—their Website lists them as "personalities," like Anne Craig who covers entertainment in giddy fan-girl fashion. It even fills its airtime with comedians roaming the streets of New York videotaping passersby—no real news value, just laughs.[viii]
Such concessions to the limitations of covering nonfiction are limited, however, and impartiality issues still resonate with most nonfiction content creators. While newspapers in countries like Great Britain sidestep journalistic objectivity issues by offering a variety of papers with editorial viewpoints based on particular political positions, this is not acceptable for the government-funded BBC. The average American city may have multiple news stations, but with only one newspaper, the print publications must purport to be fair-minded and dedicated to presenting well-researched and factual content.
A recently touted solution among leaders in the field, such as Geneva Overholser, who oversees news and documentary film education at USC's Annenberg School of Journalism, is to shift the culture away from the idea that the individual journalist can act as a frictionless pipe, replacing it instead with a necessary landscape in which the news report offers "transparency." Where does the information come from? Who are the sources? Such openness is intended to help the audience judge for themselves whether the story and the analysis are valid.
This concept of transparency makes most sense in the linked world of the web, but it becomes a very different challenge for spatial nonfiction that must consider seamless integration of data into landscape and will no doubt add to the controversy that will greet such immersive nonfiction narratives. Moreover, the science behind our connection to our virtual bodies is uncharted ground for journalists and documentary filmmakers. They may understand the compelling nature of a good story and have always tried to make their audience relate to the narrative, but creating that relationship through 3D experience is a unique challenge. The feelings that may be generated through a connection that shares similarities to being in one's real body can create confusion on how to approach the objectivity/subjectivity debate. Answering Eitzen's question "Might it be lying?" with an automatic "yes!" simply because the nonfiction exists in virtual reality would be a mistake.
Connection to Virtual Embodiment
Using technology as a medium for human interaction has been in play since at least the invention of the telegraph when operators sent jokes, formed friendships, and even got married down the wires.[ix] The telephone evolved rapidly into a medium for social connection with demonstrable effects on behavior and sentiment. One study found that when males believed they were speaking to an attractive female on the telephone, they became more pleasant. When spoken to in such a manner by the males, the females turned on the charm in return. Similar relationships and personal investment in text-based virtual worlds have been detailed extensively in such books as Sherry Turkle's Life on the Screen (1995). [x] Perhaps nothing captured this connection to the technological "self" more clearly than when Julian Dibbell published a piece in the Village Voice in 1993 describing the virtual rape of avatars in LambdaMOO. Individuals behind those avatars claimed to feel raped even though nothing had happened to their physical bodies.[xi]
In 1997, Judith Donath attempted to distinguish between our real world personas and virtual ones. She wrote in "Identity and Deception in the Virtual Community":
In the physical world there is an inherent unity to the self, for the body provides a compelling and convenient definition of identity. The norm is: one body, one identity. Though the self may be complex and mutable over time and circumstance, the body provides a stabilizing anchor.
Said Sartre in Being and Nothingness, "I am my body to the extent that I am." The virtual world is different. It is composed of information rather than matter. Information spreads and diffuses; there is no law of the conservation of information. The inhabitants of this impalpable space are also diffuse, free from the body's unifying anchor. One can have, some claim, as many electronic personas as one has time and energy to create.[xii]
However, since Donath wrote her paper, virtual identities that were once constructed solely through text have now become 3D representations. In fact, it seems Donath's assertions of being free from that "unifying anchor" may have a different truth when considering the relationship to 3D avatars in new virtual worlds, even if users experience a variety of embodiments. Whatever intangible connections were present in previous technologies have been amplified by the visual representations on the computer screen into something visceral.
There are multiple studies that directly connect the sense of one's physical body to the virtual one. In one experiment, subjects wearing video display goggles saw a virtual rendition of their body in front of them and they were stroked on the back at the same time as they saw their virtual body being stroked. Subjects reported that the sensation made them feel "as if the virtual body was their own body." The video display was then turned off so it now acted like a blindfold, and subjects who had been moved from their original spot were asked to return to where they had been standing. They invariably moved closer to where they had perceived their virtual selves rather than where they had actually been standing.[xiii]
In another experiment, subjects saw their own back through stereoscopic video display goggles making them feel as if they were sitting behind themselves. When their chests were touched with a plastic rod at the same time as the rod "stroked" the area of their virtual chest, subjects felt the sensation as if their bodies were now located at their viewpoint. This was despite the fact that their real body was in plain view. When a researcher brought a hammer down toward the virtual body, subjects registered a threat that was measured both through skin conductance electrodes and self-reports of feeling anxiety.[xiv] In their minds, they now occupied the space behind their bodies rather than their actual location, since that is where they "saw" themselves to be.
This connection to the virtual body, to what we see rather than where we are, adds another dimension to how we determine "self." In fact, it seems that we are hardwired to adopt representations of ourselves as real. These studies underscore the importance of our perception about what is happening to our physical representation. They also offer a critical explanation of why an avatar becomes relevant so rapidly to users and why they become invested in the experiences of their particular avatar.
Experiencing a "Camp Xray Cage" in the Virtual Guantanamo Bay Project
Additionally, one of the most remarkable aspects of immersive virtual environments and why it is so applicable to nonfiction is that people tend to respond realistically to virtual situations and events even though they know that these are not real.[xv] Even more surprisingly, this response-as-if-real (RAIR) occurs even though the level of fidelity with respect to everyday physical reality is severely reduced—including visual appearance, the realism of computer graphics rendered scenes, the realization of physics, and above all the representation and behavior of virtual humans.[xvi] This underscores the potential for virtual reality to become an important new palette for generating immersive nonfiction pieces. While story and narrative must be rethought as being "spatial" and the content itself must always designed to be mediated through the avatar or some sort of embodiment, these environments offer a documentary space in which the public can feel that they are "there" when witnessing or experiencing a story.
Finally, what transpires in these virtual spaces occurs in real time and can reflect nonfiction narratives playing out in the physical world. Also, like their physical world counterparts, the digital events can be fleeting. For example, within days of the Israeli incursion into Gaza in 2008, Doron Friedman, from the Advanced Virtuality Lab at Samy Ofer School of Communications IDC Herliza, logged onto Second Life's virtual Tel Aviv to test a new graphics card. He was immediately targeted by the shouts of protesters and the sounds of breaking glass as if bottles were being thrown at him. Had Friedman not filmed his experience using machinima, the documentation of his experience would not exist.[xvii] Moreover, his digital representation was under threat and although he knew he could physically be assaulted he says, "It was powerful in the sense that there was definitely the feeling that there were people there who hate you and they are expressing their hate in a nonverbal way." Interestingly, he was able to ultimately converse with several protesters, something that would have been extremely unlikely in the physical world and a moment worthy of documentation.
Contrast to Documentary Games
Immersive nonfiction and immersive journalism is often compared to news or documentary games because the pieces are typically set in what has been previously solely the terrain of gaming platforms and relies on computer generated graphics. However, there are a number of distinctions, particularly to news games, with the most important being that games work best as systems. Games are better at reproducing the conditions under which events unfold rather than outlining the details of the events themselves. That means linear narrative structures or presentation of multiple specific facts, which can be key to nonfiction, do not work as well with a gaming setup. Often, players advance through the game by passing "levels" that do not necessarily relate to the inherently unchangeable nature of a nonfiction narrative (no matter from whose perspective it has been constructed).
One excellent example is Cutthroat Capitalism (2009), a news game appended to Wired magazine's story on Somali pirates. Since the audience is asked to become a Somali pirate, a deeper understanding of the economics of the highjack-and-ransom system is achieved through the play. However, it does not attempt to delineate any individual case in particular, and what happens to the player is based on his/her choices rather than reflecting the facts connected to one or more physical world events that have already transpired. Also, in contrast to immersive nonfiction, there is no virtual embodiment.
The difference between immersive nonfiction and documentary games, however, is more difficult to tease out, especially given that there has yet to be a body of research to help determine what constitutes news games versus documentary games. In Tracy Fullerton's piece on documentary games, she offers a number of examples of games that recreate the events of Pearl Harbor, allow a player to reenact John Kerry's Vietnam swiftboat tour of duty, participate in a recreation of real Iraqi war scenario in which Saddam Hussein's sons were killed, or "play" a 9/11 victim.[xviii] As Keith Halper, CEO of KUMA games, notes: "Games allow us to be who we are not, to do what we cannot, to be in places and times we cannot go… Through entertainment and action, we can educate in novel and powerful ways."[xix] However, each of these examples has shifting narratives—the player does not necessarily kill Kennedy or follow the exact documented path of any particular victim of 9/11. Even the swiftboat exercise offers a player to variations on the story. This may be a key way to clarify the difference—using an embodied experience in an immersive and unchangeable narrative that allows queries to the environment without changing an individual's story trajectory is more in keeping with traditional journalistic or documentary practice.
Consider our project using an HMD in which we put individuals in a virtual body of a detainee in a stress position.
Using a head mounted display to create an embodied news experience
The individual in that experience heard an audio of a real transcript of an interrogation read by actors as if it was coming from another room. This was a recreation of a real event and the experience proved to be journalistically accurate—after this immersive piece was complete, the British government released a video associated with the court trial over the death of civilian Baha Mousa.
The video helped establish the veracity of this particular immersive journalism construction, which had relied on Freedom of Information Act reports and International Red Cross descriptions to inform the design. Yet the experience does not allow the user to access the documents or other substantiation that were the factual underpinnings of the design. It leaves the piece open to criticism for not offering a curation system of sources that could reflect the transparency that has become so relevant for traditional journalism even as it attempts to tell the nonfiction story with an accurate relationship to the physical world events.
Final Notes
To confuse a subjective experience with subjectivity would be an error. Such an argument is as specious as to claim that true objectivity currently exists or has ever existed in traditional documentary films or news presentations. As noted in the PRESENCE article, "Immersive Journalism: Immersive Virtual Reality for the First Person Experience of News":
While we are accustomed to viewing video, images, and audio recordings as faithful duplicates of reality, we know that in many instances they are not. It has now become relatively simple to fake photographic images and even video footage using free software that can be obtained online. Such fakes have been distributed and sometimes even generated by leading media outlets. … [Moreover,] a possible objection to immersive journalism may be that it may strain the credibility of journalistic integrity, undermining the ability to bring the "true facts" to the public. … [W]e claim that, perhaps unintuitively, the opposite may be true. Immersive journalism does not aim solely to present 'the facts' but rather the opportunity to experience "the facts."[xx]
While embodiment offers what may be a new way to encounter the nonfiction story, it in itself does not eradicate the meaningful representation of facts present in a quality news story. Instead, current calls for better transparency in all nonfiction narratives are more relevant and should be the standard upon which criticisms of immersive experiences are based.
[i] Peggy Weil and Nonny de la Peña, "Avatar Mediated Cinema" ACM International Conference Proceeding Series; 352 (2008): 209-212.
[ii] John Grierson, "The First Principles of Documentary," in Grierson on Doumentary, ed. Forsythe Hardy (London: Faber & Faber, 1966), 147.
[iii] Mat Ekstrom, "Epistemologies of TV journalism: A theoretical framework," Journalism 33 (2002): 259–282.
[iv] Jorgen Westerståhl, "Objective News Reporting: General Premises," Communication Reseach, 10, no. 3 (1983): 403-424.
[v] Dirk Eitzen, "When Is a Documentary?: Documentary as a Mode of Reception," Cinema Journal, 35, no. 1 (Autumn, 1995): 81-102.
[vi] Thomas Olesen, "Activist Journalism? The Danish Cheminova debates, 1997 and 2006," Journalism Practice, 2, no. 2 (2008): 245 – 263, (247).
[vii] When I have shown a clip of this piece to audiences, they often laugh out loud at the simplicity in Cronkite's presentation.
[viii] Nick Leshi, "The Death of Objectivity in Journalism," http://open.salon.com/blog/kikstad/2011/03/11/the_death_of_objectivity_in_journalism.
[ix] Thomas Standage, The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century's On-line Pioneers (Walker Publishing Company, 1998).
[x] Sherry Turkle, Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1995).
[xi] Julian Dibbel, "A Rape in Cyberspace" The Village Voice (December 21, 1993): 36-42.
[xii] Judith Donath, "Identity and deception in the virtual community," in Communities in Cyberspace, ed. M. Smith and P. Kollock (New York: Routledge, 1998), 29-59.
[xiii] Bigna Lenggenhager, Tej Tadi, Thomas Metzinger, and Olaf Blanke, "Video Egro Sum: Maniplating Bodily Self-Consciousness," Science 317 (2007): 1096-1099.
[xiv] Henrik Ehrsson, "The Experimental Induction of Out-of-Body Experiences," Science 317 (2007): 1048.
[xv] Mel Slater, "Place Illusion and Plausibility Can Lead to Realistic Behaviour in Immersive Virtual Environments," Philos Trans R Soc Lond 364 (2009): 3549-3557.
[xvi] Nonny de la Peña, Peggy Weil, Joan Llobera, Elias Giannopoulos, Ausiàs Pomés, Bernhard Spanlang, Doron Friedman, Maria V. Sanchez-Vives, and Mel Slater. "Immersive Journalism: Immersive Virtual Reality for the First Person Experience of News," Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments 19, no. 4 (2010): 291 – 301.
[xvii] See "Gaza Protest in SL - conflict resolution in virtual worlds?" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFWZgD-To_A.
[xviii] Tracy Fullerton, "Documentary Games: Putting the Player in the Path of History," in Playing the Past: Nostalgia in Video Games and Electronic Literature, ed. Zach Whalen and Laurie Taylor (Vanderbilt University Press, September 2008).
[xix] Keith Halper, "Kuma Games Press Release," http://ww.kumagames.com/press.
[xx] De la Peña, et al.,"Immersive Journalism," 301.
Nonny de la Peña is a Senior Research Fellow at the USC Annenberg School for Journalism and Communication where she has been exploring Immersive Journalism, a novel way to utilize gaming platforms and virtual environments to convey news, documentary and non-fiction stories. Her recent projects include, "Gone Gitmo," a virtual Guantanamo Bay Prison in Second Life, which was prototyped with funding from the MacArthur Foundation and employs first person experience and spatial narrative. Another project "IPSRESS" investigates the use of head mounted display technology as a means to evoke feelings of presence in reportage. Using her twenty-years of journalism experience, as a former correspondent for Newsweek Magazine and as an award-winning documentary filmmaker, she repeatedly pushes technological boundaries for reporting, including creating the collaborative video remix site Stroome.com.


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Elements of a Great Summer Camp
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Club SciKidz has been a recognized name in delivering quality science and enrichment activities for over 18 years. We believe that every child is a scientist, and we can make them even better scientists. Our camps for preschoolers and kindergarteners offer experiments and projects in science, technology, and engineering.

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Hester van Eeghen
Hester van Eeghen
Hester van Eeghen, one of the most influential Dutch Designers of the 20th century, designs with plenty of passion gorgeous bags and leather accessories since 1987 as well as the most beautiful shoes since 2000. All products are handmade in Italy in 'limited editions' and in the meantime sold all over the world. The products always include something surprising of a hidden detail and featuring fabulous top quality leather, geometrical shapes and bright colors. With a Hester van Eeghen on your arm or foot, a 'very sophisticated' appearance is guaranteed at all occasions, from party to meeting.
Openinghours; Wednesday – Sunday 12 am – 6 pm


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In the centre of the Old town
You'll be residing in Bosanska street, a well-known historical Split venue famous for its small shops and merchants. The apartment is situated in the heart of the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, right next to the renowned Diocletian's Palace. Everything is in walking distance, from the famous Peristil and Prokurative to the energetic ambiance of the Riva.


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Blazing with Nagoya's A-list DJs is Club JB's! Expect nothing less than an inferno of sizzling EDM and mainstream music! Constantly packed from the get go, our main stage is where you can dance away to this year's biggest anthems! A must visit for all!
As you step into the depths of Club About, you will be engulfed by the sounds of Nagoya's underground scene! Make no mistake, this is a solid line-up of the most highly sought after DJ's in town and where all the festivities continue till morning!
Entering The Rock is not for the faint hearted. This International hot-spot is transformed into a raging nightclub with Hip hop, R & B, and an all-mix of party favorites! You can be sure to find the craziest party animals here in the Devil's Lair!
With the excitement and craziness of last year's new Hip Hop floor, we've put together an even bigger lineup of Nagoya's best! It will be a pure gangster paradise with the elite Eight crew mixing up the sickest beats and rocking the place from open to last! Plus, it will be even sexier with our Sexy Gogo dancers!
Get ready to be swept into a frenzy by Nagoya's young cool cats! They will be mixing it up with EDM, JPOP and western TOP 100 hits that get you really jumping! You're guaranteed a sensational time and may even be able to ask for requests?!
For those who love that phat subwoofer sound that rumbles, make sure you take the stairs to Dracula's Castle at Mothra. Chunky slamming beats of BASS await you that will secure your bloodthirsty fix!
New to this years Absolute will be our PARTY ROCK floor! From anthems like Oasis's "Wonderwall!" to the freshness of Japan's very own OneOkRock's "We are!", Trillvania will be the Absolute Halloween's very own Fuji Rock!
J-Pop lovers can again rejoice in the inner sanctum of Mirai. If you ever dreamed of singing along to all those classic JPOP anthems, then the Zombie Playpen is the place to be! It's a must for anyone's Halloween night!
Our high-energy Rainbow floor never fails to amaze! Enjoy the fantastic drag queens and their shows! As well as savour the dazzling lineup of DJs spinning a catchy "rainbow" mix of pop and other favorites. Transit Studio will truly be Absolutely Fabulous!
Costume Contest Photo Booth, Magic Shows, Pole Dancers, Performances and Dancers! There is so much going on that we can't fit it all in! Make sure you hit up Luggage and enjoy all the amazing entertainment and the groovy sounds of house and disco!
Continuing our collaboration with local upcoming DJ crew "Nagoya Clubbers" . Catch the next generation of DJ's showcasing their heady all-mix style! After midnight you can be sure they'll use their fresh vibe to boost the energy levels at Doxy!
New to the Absolute this year will be our latin floor over at MyBar! Stop on by this awesome venue opposite TV Tower and savor the catchy latin tunes and all mixes and their delicious cocktails and shots. It will be a Latin Inferno!!
After years of explosive Halloween live shows, GC Live will return to entertain all you rockers! Anticipate an amazing lineup of charismatic bands that will not only groove you but make you want to jump as well! Nothing beats stopping on by GC!
Every year we love to change things up, so at the center of the action we've made Live House Tightrope our new live music floor! Things will start off mellow from 7PM, but as the night goes on expect this wild filled crypt to get you rocking!
Get ready for Anime and all the Cosplay Chaos over in Flex Lounge! It's a secret treasure of the Absolute with the DJ Mukai and his team of DJ's and VJ's showcasing the very best of Central Japan's Otaku culture. It all kicks off from 9pm!!


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Steampunk Graveyard Coming Soon to Steam
Bad Logic Studios revealed some screeshots of Steampunk Graveyard, coming to PC this October
UK based independent games developer Bad Logic Studios announce that their zombie/steampunk themed action platformer game Steampunk Graveyard is coming soon to Steam for Windows, and will be released in time for Halloween.
Steampunk Graveyard is a 2D action platform adventure where nefarious Baron Richter von Sprocket has turned the dead into piston powered zombie automatons, making the dead walk with a metallic clunk. It's up to the Baron's mechanically enhanced former protégé, Professor Selene Gasket, to put a stop to the menace and save the terrified villagers.
Armed with a revolver, powerful explosives, and spring-loaded blades, Selene will shoot, blast and slice her way from graveyard to graveyard, as players guide her on a journey to put an end to the Baron's evil plan. Along the way players and Selene will face zombie automatons and grenade throwing robotic brain-drones, while the Baron floats above it all in his hot air balloon, controlling his creations remotely using a radio device.
Steampunk Graveyard will be availabe soon to Steam for Window, and will be released this October 2018


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HighlightsSigiriya | Polonnaruwa | Kandy | Dambulla | Nuwara Eliya | Horton Plains National Park | Tissamaharama | Ella | Buduruvagela | Yala National Park | Galle | Kataragama Temple | Bundala National Park
Description of Sri Lanka cycling holidayThis 15 day Sri Lanka cycling holiday takes you to some of the most extraordinary sites on this teardrop island, an idyll with landscapes that range from its Indian Ocean coastline to the tropical Central Highlands, which are still home to tea plantations and hill stations, dating back to its colonial past when it was known as Ceylon.
After landing in Colombo, the capital, and taking a private vehicle transfer to the first cultural highlight on this tour, the ancient palaces and remnants at Sigiriya, we are able to cycle from one place to the next, without transfers. We cycle to some of the other the main points on the celebrated Golden Triangle, which is the ancient artery of Sinhalese civilisation in Sri Lanka, including the ruins of Polonnaruwa and Dambulla Caves, which boasts eighty caves packed into a giant rock which stands 160m over the town. But also packed with Buddhist statues and iconic gifts. Cycling to these wonderful sites really helps put their magnificence into perspective, seeing how they have evolved in the stunning natural environs all around. And also how real life continues all around them.
The natural wonders that we also visit on our cycling tour include Bundala National Park, with particularly spectacular birdlife, and Yala National Park where we have a safari. If we are lucky, we will see the elusive leopard, but the park is also home to elephant, deer, wild boar, sloth bear, Asian jackal and many more.
No trip to Sri Lanka is complete without a trip to its coastline, especially after eleven out of fifteen days in the saddle. We spend two nights in the coastal town of Ahangama, and there is also an option to go whale and dolphin watching off Mirissa, between the months of November and April. Before being transferred back to Colombo for departure, we take time in the historic and gorgeous city of Galle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its 16th century coastal fort, it is a maze of shops and cool cafes, with a wonderfully chilled coastal feel about it. A great way to finish this carefully crafted itinerary through the peaceful, pretty and totally made for pedalling, Sri Lanka.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? firstname.lastname@example.com
Check dates, prices & availability
Small group holidaySmall group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. Its easy to tick off the big sights independently but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, travelling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. If youre heading off on a gap year your, perhaps but for those with a two-week holiday, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.
The leaders are not guides theyre not there to shepherd you around. Instead, theyll let you know which local restaurant serves great value food without running the risk of travellers tummy. Theyll allow you to avoid hour-long queues at train stations and attractions.
We like to think of small group travel as the Goldilocks option. It is independent travel without the fuss, worry and bunk beds and organised travel without the coaches. And its cheaper than a tailor made tour. Its sits somewhere in the middle and we think its just about right.
Have big, life-enriching experiences that would be impossible to organise without lots of time and insider knowledge.
Make the most of your holiday time by letting someone else do the hard work and boring logistics!
Peace of mind
Small group tours take care of the security aspects and provide a safety net should anything unexpected happen.
If you dont have three months to spend exploring, small groups trips let you cover more ground in less time. Your days are not spent queuing for tickets or finding hotels so you can squeeze more into your holiday.
Solo travellers whod like company
Likeminded travel companions plus peace of mind for those travelling alone. Single supplements are usually available providing privacy if you want it.
Less confident travellers
Stray from the tourist trail without worrying about getting lost, and meet local people without dealing with the language barrier.
Couples and friends have private rooms, and you can choose to eat alone or not. Single supplements give solo travellers their own room.
There wont be any free time
Free mornings or afternoons let you explore on your own, or just relax.
The accommodation will be basic
Trips are as high or low end as you like. Though off the beaten track destinations wont have luxury hotels, this is all part of the adventure.
I wont like the other travellers!
Tour operators try to create groups with a similar demographic age, families, activity levels... Chances are, youll even make new friends.
Will we be following an umbrella?
Story: The first British woman to climb Manaslu, Valerie climbed Everest for her 50th birthday. Shes spent fourteen Christmas Days trekking to Everest Base Camp, and is involved insetting up Responsible Tourism initiatives in the Himalayas.
Story: Roshan has led over 130 trips he adores showing travellers around Sri Lanka. He won the company Leader Award in 2010, but his career highlight was working on their Tsunami Project which earned him a responsible tourism award.
Responsible tourism
Sri Lanka cycling holiday
Carbon reduction
Your holiday will help support local people and conservation. We must also reduce CO2. Learn about the CO2 emissions of this holiday and how to reduce them.
By using our own power to cycle around, we have a minimal impact on the environment. We do believe in leaving no more than footprints and actively try to reduce our impact through attention to waste and energy reduction. However, having said this we do try to leave behind a positive impression through engaging with locals, visiting small cafes and restaurants and buying locally produces crafts and produce. We visit culturally important sites like the 2nd century Buddhist temple at Dambulla, the rock fortress at Sirigiya and the Temple of the Tooth at Kandy and our entry fees make a vital contribution to their upkeep, whilst also celebrating Sri Lankan history.
UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
Accommodation and Meals:
All of the hotels we stay in are dedicated to hiring local staff and using freshly sourced produce wherever possible. This helps to benefit the surrounding community by providing employment opportunities and income alternatives where they may be otherwise hard to come by. We also try to select accommodation which has strong environmental policies. For example, Hotel Sigiriya uses scheduled light switching, recycling and waste regulations, water saving cisterns etc. Where meals are not provided, we suggest that clients spread their commerce to small local businesses and try some authentic food. Whilst staying in the guest house, there will be a chance to try a homemade meal cooked in a clay pot over a wood fired stove and to see the spice gardens where some of the ingredients came from.
We financially co-sponsored a local Tsunami relief project, which enabled 25 families to be rehoused and for two schools to be equipped with toilets, running water and outdoor swings. In collaboration with a German operator and the village temple, we have helped towards 10 large water tanks and an eye clinic in a remote village with a donation of 200 pairs of glasses. We also assisted a principal agent of Unicef in development of day care and education of school children of the estate sector labourers in the hill country.
Local Craft and Culture:
There are plenty of opportunities to engages with local culture on the several visits to towns, villages and historically important sites and events. There are many places to buy handcrafted souvenirs along the way (e.g. Polonnaruwa & Sigiriya) but the markets are often a favourite of the clients for their vibrancy and authenticity. At the Kandy markets and the Moorish town of Matale, there are large spice markets. We also visit a tea factory and an exotic fruit and vegetable trading centre, where clients can learn a bit about daily agricultural life for some locals and also support the community by buying things here.
Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.
2 Reviews of Sri Lanka cycling holiday
Reviewed on 01 Dec 2017 by Norma Luccock
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Cycling through the rural parts of Sri Lanka and seeing the local people smiling and waving as we passed by.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
It's a beautiful tour, but before going, be sure to prepare for a strenuous ride!
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, definitely.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Reviewed on 01 Feb 2014 by Joy Skipper
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Cycling through the the back roads of Sri Lanka
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be fit before you start
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, as I donated to a dog charity (Embark) in Sri Lanka on my return to UK
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Extremely good.
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OSHA Updates Safety and Health Programs Recommended Practices
October 25, 2016 •
On Oct.18, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released updated guidelines for safety and health programs recommended practices. The recommendations — which are advisory only and do not create any new legal obligations or alter existing obligations created by OSHA standards or regulations — update OSHA's 1989 guidelines to reflect changes in the economy, workplaces, and evolving safety and health issues.
The recommendations feature a new, easier-to-use format and should be particularly helpful to small- and medium-sized businesses. They also include a section on multi-employer workplaces and a greater emphasis on continuous improvement, as well as supporting tools and resources.
The OSHA recommendations feature seven core elements for a safety and health program: management leadership; worker participation; hazard identification and assessment; hazard prevention and control; education and training; program evaluation and improvement; and communication and coordination for host employers, contractors, and staffing agencies.
OSHA's best practices are not prescriptive; they are built around a core set of business processes that can be implemented to suit a particular workplace in any industry. OSHA says it has witnessed their successful implementation in manufacturing, construction, health care, technology, retail, services, higher education, and government.
The OSHA guidelines follow key principles such as worker participation in finding solutions, and a systematic approach to find and fix hazards.
"Since OSHA's original guidelines were published more than 25 years ago, employers and employees have gained a lot of experience in how to use safety and health programs to systematically prevent injuries and illnesses in the workplace," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "We know that working together to implement these programs will help prevent injuries and illnesses, and also make businesses more sustainable."
The recommended practices for safety and health programs may be downloaded here.
Contact ACA's Javaneh Nekoomaram for more information.


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A point-by-point rebuttal to Kavanaugh's WSJ op-ed
Stephen H. Provost
Breaking down key excerpts in Brett Kavanaugh's Wall Street Journal op-ed, headlined "I Am an Independent, Impartial Judge," with my point-by-point response:
"I was very emotional last Thursday, more so than I have ever been."
More than on your wedding day, more than at the birth of your children. This is troubling, especially since you go on to say how important your family supposedly is to you.
"I might have been too emotional at times."
Saying you "might have been" is a hedge. It means you realize others think you were, and you don't agree with them, but because you want to save face, you're going to pretend they might have a point. Instead of taking responsibility for your actions, you're seeking to minimize them, in the same way you sought to minimize your excessive drinking and bad behavior in high school and college. No wonder you were grounded so often on that calendar of yours.
"I know that my tone was sharp, and I said a few things I should not have said.:"
Minimizing, again. "Sharp?" Try rude and belligerent. "A few things?" Many, things, some of which were distortions, others of which were simply false.
"I hope everyone can understand that I was there as a son, husband and dad."
This has nothing to do with your ability to be an impartial judge, . In fact, impartiality demands that you set aside personal biases. This is not evidence of your ability to do so, but the exact opposite. If this is the kind of logic you use making legal arguments, I'm amazed that you were even considered for the bench, much less the highest court in the land.
"I testified with five people foremost in my mind: my mom, my dad, my wife, and most of all my daughters."
No, you didn't. You testified with yourself foremost in your mind. This is clear from the testimony itself. You're using your family as human shields in a war against, how did you put it? Democrats who hate Trump and are seeking revenge for the 2016 election? You certainly didn't have the sexual assault victim who says you were the perpetrator foremost in your mind - either then or now.
"Going forward, you can count on me to be … hardworking, even-keeled, open-minded, independent and dedicated to the Constitution and the public good."
Let's take this one at a time. Hardworking? Except when you're getting drunk at frat parties that make "Animal House" look tame by comparison. Even-keeled? After Thursday's hearing, you really expect me to believe that? Open-minded? When you respond to an allegation of sexual assault by calling it a "calculated and orchestrated political hit" on behalf of the Clintons and blaming your opponents instead of expressing even a shred of empathy for survivors? Independent? In light of your history working in a political capacity for Republican politicians (whatever happened to separation of powers?) Dedicated to the Constitution: The same document prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude. News flash: Sexual assault is an attempt to subject another person to exactly that. The public good? More like your own ambition, ego and reputation.
"As a judge, I have always treated colleagues and litigants with the utmost respect."
As a judge? The implicit admission here is that, in other facets of your life, you don't accord such respect to others. Again, this is supported by your behavior in high school, college and at Thursday's hearing. Always? Not on Thursday. Or don't you consider senators to be your colleagues in upholding the Constitution you claim to hold so dear?
"I have been known for my courtesy on and off the bench. I have not changed."
Your angry, defensive and sometimes belligerent behavior during Thursday's hearing suggests otherwise. Or maybe you HAVEN'T changed. Maybe you were a discourteous jerk all along. Your behavior in high school and college would seem to confirm precisely that.
Oh, and one last thing. This op-ed piece? The Fox interview? The words "protest too much" come to mind. On top of that, any good lawyer will tell you it's a bad idea to act as your own defense attorney. But then, you're not a very good lawyer, are you, Mr. Kavanaugh? You're just an insecure overachiever who has risen to the top on the coattails of political hacks who want to use you for their own purposes. Being used by others shouldn't make you feel good, Mr. Kavanaugh, but if you've done it yourself, you probably don't have any room to complain.


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Find A Group
Embrace Grace at Sagebrush Community Church in Rio Rancho, NM
About this Group
Thank you for taking this brave first step in reaching out to us! Embrace Grace is a great way to meet other single and pregnant moms walking through an unplanned pregnancy. You'll receive support, encouragement and so much more! We would love to connect with you and look forward to contacting you soon. You are not alone!


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Coming Up With Good Research Paper Topics About Plastic Surgery
It is wrong to think that plastic surgery is nothing but an ego pleaser. The science around this procedure dates back to a time when men were horribly disfigured by being engaged in battle. While it is true some plastic surgery is meant basically to enhance facial features, there are other forms of plastic surgery that allow a disfigured person to lead a more normal life. Research paper topics in this area can cover a variety of procedures.
- Military Use of Plastic Surgery. This can explore the history of plastic surgery in dealing with combat casualties. A section can be devoted to new developments in helping veterans.
- Facial Reconstruction after Auto Accidents. The victims of auto accidents may have received extensive damage to their face. This research could outline what the more common plastic surgery procedures are for them.
- Dealing with Birth Defects. Plastic surgery is concerned with birth defects and other deformities that are preventing a person from leading a normal life. The discussion can be on how the surgery can lead to better independence.
- Effect of Plastic Surgery on Self-Esteem. A number of patients deal with a great deal of verbal abuse and ridicule due to a large nose or protruding lips. The topic can explore the before and after effects on individuals self-image. When plastic surgery is used to correct things.
- The Cyborg Man. Plastic surgery creates a new look, but can also create an entirely different personality? This particular topic and look at the recent developments in plastic surgery and what the future holds for this medical procedure.
Coming up with a good topic challenges the creativity of the student. The best way to secure a good grade on the paper is to have an interesting subject to work with. Teachers are like any other reader and do not wish to be bored. An interesting research topic is going to make them want to read the entire work. The effort also opens up avenues that may be rather interesting for the student. Some of the original investigation done develop into a fascination with plastic surgery and all of its procedures. This part of medicine is not a one trick pony; there are many avenues in plastic surgery that one can walk down in a career. The anticipation of any teacher who assigns the project is a student who ultimately finds an area worth pursuing. It does take some time to develop that great topic, but it is worth the trouble.


text: Dr. Martone received her PhD and her MSW from Loyola University Chicago's School of Social Work. Jessica was a research fellow and is currently a research affiliate for the Institute for Migration and International Social Work. Jessica has been involved with immigration and education focused research projects. Prior to SmartStart, Jessica was an adjunct faculty member at Loyola University Chicago teaching undergraduate and graduate level social work courses. In addition she worked as a consultant conducting research and evaluation.


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Mrs. Allen earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Wyoming in Laramie. She earned her master's degree in Educational Technology from National University in San Diego, California and her second one from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona where she earned a degree in Educational Administration.
She grew up in a tiny town called Baggs, Wyoming and only had 16 people in her graduating class! She loves photography, camping, horseback riding, fishing, hunting and skiing. Mrs. Allen is a mom to two awesome daughters and her amazing husband is retired from the Air Force and was actually on the USAF Thunderbird Team!
She loves working and playing on the computer. Her biggest hope is that all children from Oran K. Gragson will learn to love technology and have the skills to be competitive in middle school, high school, college and as adults when they are entering the job market.


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PANJSHIR PROVINCE, Afghanistan " The Combined Joint Task Force 76 deputy commanding general for effects visited the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team and governor on June 27.
Following a mission brief and lunch with Soldiers and Airmen from the PRT, Canadian Brig. Gen. Daniel Pepin met with Governor Haji Bahlol and reaffirmed the commitment of the PRT in its partnership with the provincial government.
Congratulations on your success and thank you for the outstanding job done so far of providing security for the PRT " their safety is important so we can continue to help you reconstruct the province, " General Pepin said.
The governor is the lead agent for all reconstruction projects in the province and the PRT works closely with him to be responsive to his priorities.
I`ve met 10 to 12 of the provincial governors in Afghanistan and I can tell you that other governors are envious of the stability and security here, " General Pepin told Governor Bahlol.
More work lies ahead, but many possibilities also exist with continued hard work and funding. The general compared the situation in Panjshir to that of a shopkeeper trying to bring in customers to make a sale.
We need to help figure out how to bring in [non-governmental organizations] and donors to show them the beauty here, but also the security and stability. That, I believe, will encourage investors in Panjshir, " General Pepin said.
Education and agriculture are the governor`s number one and two priorities respectively, but he believes the new paved road that is being constructed now will encourage more tourism and help the economy.
Education is the foundation for everything, " said Governor Bahlol. We`re working with the PRT on a plan for building a girls` high school near Bazarak and we have a number of other projects complete or in the works such as bringing electricity, safe drinking water, paved roads and retaining walls along the river to improve life here. "
Despite the successes, the government still faces challenges. According to the governor, there are only 22 schools in the province where at least 85 are needed and there are not enough teachers.
Governor Bahlol said he is honored to represent the people of Panjshir and he thanked the Coalition for supporting and helping them.
One hand cannot make noise without the other, " said the governor referring to the relationship between the Coalition, non-governmental organizations and his government. We can do a lot with the help of friends. "


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A gas leak along the Alaska Highway was quickly contained over the lunch hour today.
The Fort St. John fire department responded the call around 12:18 p.m., shutting down a portion of the frontage road outside the Wendy's restaurant, while patrons looked on. The road was reopened by 1 p.m.
An excavation crew was working in a vacant lot next to the restaurant when the struck the line.
The crew was aware of one gas line running beneath the lot, but an adjacent service line was undetected by the crew, said Golob.
"It was purely an accident," Golob said.
Surrounding businesses were not evacuated, and no injuries were reported.
The vacant lot used to house Wayne Modular Homes.


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© GQ Images
At the Geneva Motor Show, electric cars were held up as the future of motoring
At the Geneva Motor Show, electric cars were held up as the future of motoring
Do you remember those crazy "visions of the future" concepts from the Eighties and Nineties? All funky looking boxes with cool-blue backlit controls and powered by engines that ran on chocolate and magic. I still remember my jaw dropping at some of the cooler Renaults and Nissans – like the 1990 Laguna and the 1987 Saurus. It was a simpler time, and designers went all out, promising us the moon in a new era of motoring. If the parade of production ready cars at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show was any indicator, that future is now – except, instead of magic, the cars are powered by electricity. The age of the "green" car is here: The internal combustion engine (ICE) is on its way out and the electric vehicle (EV) is taking over. However, as I found out, while EVs like the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Roadster Sport – both already on sale in several markets – certainly look fascinating, driving them is a whole different story. I was apprehensive about how the Leaf would drive, seeing as how its engine is tiny. But electric motors have a lot of torque, so it was actually quite zippy, offering tons of instant acceleration. In the Tesla, the effect is even more noticeable, and the car's acceleration figures would put many modern ICE sports cars to shame (it punches to 100kph in 3.7 seconds). But it's not the performance that surprises me – it's the noise. Or, rather, the lack of it. Sure, while driving, the tyres make some sound, but stop at a light and turn off the music, and you're greeted by a disconcerting silence. In fact, most EVs are so quiet that manufacturers have resorted to streaming engine sounds through speakers placed on the front of the bonnet to warn pedestrians, who'd otherwise get run over before they even realized a car was approaching. Once you get used to the lack of noise, though, driving becomes a pleasure. Of course, it wouldn't be the future without some incredible gadgets to play with. Most EVs come with massive displays with the sort of information that requires an electrical engineering degree to decode. There's battery status, charge status, a whole bunch of watts and volts and enough data about what's going on under the bonnet to satisfy the most demanding of anoraks. But, to me, all those blue dials and numbers are there to distract you from the only one that matters: the range. Now, I'm not an aggressive driver, but in an electric car you have to go out of your way to be careful – "range stress" is a very real concern. The Leaf showed a range of 115km when I started, but after accelerating to 40kph, that number went down to 100km. You literally have to keep your eye on the gauge at all times, because if you accelerate too fast, the range drops faster than a drunken girl in stilettos. To read the full article buy the May 2012 issue of GQ India More auto news: Ferrari F12 Berlinetta unveiled Review: Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire 2012 Three reason to buy the new Ford Fiesta Automatic


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Based on surveys commissioned by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), CARAVAN Opinion Research Corporation International found:
- Americans using massage for relaxation is declining; more clients are using Clinical Massage & Bodywork for health reasons—90% of individuals surveyed perceive massage as effective in reducing pain, up from 86% in 2010. This increase may be due to the increasing number of people who consult doctors and health professionals about massage therapy.
- Massage & Bodywork services in clients' homes /business / corporate settings increased to 50% over 39% in 2010. It's a great option for older clients with limited mobility dealing with chronic, debilitating illness, and pregnant clients nearing their due date. It also appeals to business people with hectic schedules who find it difficult to find the time for massage & bodywork.
The survey has a confidence level of plus or minus three percent.
The AMTA is a professional association of more than 56,000 members, providing information about massage therapy to the public, working to improve the professional climate for therapists, in addition to helping consumers and healthcare professionals locate massage therapists nationwide through AMTA's Find a Massage Therapist free national locator service available at www.findamassagetherapist.org.
I still do several on-site sessions every year, at special mobile fees, for clients living within a fifty mile radius including:
- Corporate wellness programs – for busy executives
- Client homes –for the immobile / elderly, and for convenience
- Private offices – to save client travel time
- Hotels – for business travelers
- Wellness fairs and events – introduces benefits of bodywork to new clients with 10-15 minute mobile chair massage.


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Girl From Mars made it to Number 65 on XFM's Best 100 British songs.
Cue the nationality debate... actually let's not go there!
Thanks to everyone who voted for us, it's somewhat surreal seeing GFM above all time classics like; Should I Stay Or Should I Go, Lola and (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction.
Added on 28/05/2009 by dmh


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Happy Tuesday my loves! Bringing you a casual and cozy look with a faux fur coat and checkered shawl. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and spent some quality time with your families. I finally had some much needed down time to just hang at home and catch up on shows and laundry. Isn't it funny that back when I was young, I hated doing laundry and now that I am a self sufficient adult with a career, all I want is time to actually do my laundry. Things like chores, cooking at home, and cleaning my kitchen and caulking my bathroom… all things I would love the time to do. Yes, I know how to caulk. I'm a pretty good caulker. Hehehe… I actually do a lot of the home improvement in my house. Maybe I have control issues or maybe it's just that the hubby just isn't that handy… or maybe I just don't trust anyone but myself or a professional to do the job right. I mean is it really a surprise that I like things done my way?
It definitely felt so nice and relaxing to just do housework. No spreadsheets and tax code to deal with. I simply refused to open up my work computer and check emails. Is this what housewives with no kids feel like? I know the grass is always greener on the other side and all that jazz but man… your entire day is dictated by self imposed check lists. No one on your ass about deadlines and meetings. No stress over the little time you have to finish projects or else your job is on the line. If you've got a good man… what's there to complain about? Sigh, I could definitely get used to that life. (My feminist side is kicking and screaming in my head right now trying to punch these thoughts in the gonads) Could I really give up my cushy tax job? Because you know… tax is soooo fun! LOL. Sigh, I think I could definitely do the domesticated housewife life and have someone take care of me for once. No kids though… that's the key. House wife, no kids. Then I could just blog all day and take pretty pictures! So I won't actually be that bored. Wheeee~
Enough of my ranting…. will keep my day job because I like pretty things too much and no one else will buy them for me (except the occasional pretty purse from good ol' dad which is my reward for having my job, a consistent mortgage payment, a 401K, and a FICO score of right under 800… and yes, I have to prove these out annually).
I hope you enjoy this faux fur coat and checkered shawl look I slapped together. Lately I haven't spent too much time thinking about my daily outfits. This one just kind of fell together because I knew it was getting chillier outside. I've also transitioned my money to furniture rather than clothes. I'm just not ballin' enough to afford both at the moment. So I'm really trying to mix in some of my older pieces lying around in my closet. I've always loved the pattern on this coat. It was one of my first faux fur coat purchases. The random brown patches make me think of cows. Also wearing some Flying Monkey jeans. Surprisingly really great quality for a low price. I love that these have a shorter inseam for the shorties. The checkered shawl is great as it doubles as a scarf when you have a coat on but back to a shawl when you take your coat off. I hope you enjoyed the look!
2016 is just right around the corner! I'm excited to see what the new year brings. I'll also be heading into year end hell at work so you might not hear from me for the month of January. All my tax and accounting peeps feel me on this right? But I hope you don't forget about me! As always thank you for your constant love and support. Here's to the new year!
// faux fur coat – asos // shawl – kiz chicago // jeans – flying monkey denim // shoes – nasty gal shoe cult // bag – celine // sunnies – gentle monster // beanie – free people //


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|Australia Day: New South Wales
Committee that plans events, activities and programs celebrating Australia Day throughout the communities New South Wales.
|Australia Day: Victoria
Information, media, and history of the celebration of Australia Day in Victoria.
|Australia Day
Provides a history of the holiday, a timeline, details about national symbols, activities for children, material for teachers.
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Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Service.


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The 4-star Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa Leeds offers luxury accommodation, including on-site Spa and Pool. Fantastic for leisure and business travellers.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Leeds is located in the waterside Granary Wharf area. A contemporary hotel with one of the best views of Leeds in the SkyLounge.
Oulton Hall is a luxury hotel on the outskirts of Leeds. With an on-site Spa & Pool, the lavish Yorkshire Hotel is a ideal for leisure and business guests.
The Cosmopolitan Hotel Leeds is one of the oldest Hotel's in Leeds and situated a short walk from Leeds Railway Station. Perfect for leisure and business.
The first direct arena is Leeds largest capacity venue and hosts some of the world's finest entertainment. Excellent hospitality and event management.


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Thursday, 17 July 2014
Gold's Value as a Safe Haven Intensifies
For the second straight day, Gold has repeated last week's pattern of defying its own customary summer trading doldrums. After a precipitous sell-off that knocked the yellow metal down to $1,298, it closed Thursday at $1,320 per ounce, up $19.00 from the previous day's close. Additional sanctions on Russia, coupled with Israel's just announced invasion of Gaza, have led investors to turn to gold as a safe haven. An out-of-control Dow at high prices has proved a spinning merry-go-round, much too difficult to mount for the unsure investor now looking for stability and safety.
Published in Gold Investing
Wednesday, 09 July 2014
Gold Steady on Demand for Bullion
Gold traded mostly sideways this week, with early trading Wednesday pushing prices higher by $6.10 to $1,325.10. Silver was up $0.11 to $21.12, and platinum and palladium are also trading higher.
Published in Gold Investing


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What we do
The Company
Breeze Creative is an interactive experience design company. We create unique and engaging spaces using physical and virtual elements. Our team of multidisciplinary designers, content developers, and programmers work hand-in-hand using cutting-edge technologies to turn the wildest and most creative ideas into reality. We also offer a suite of interactive products that can be provided as a fast and easy solution.
Creativity has no boundaries, but it has an address.
Key Personnel
He joined breeze in 2004 and since then has been involved in the production and management of many projects.
Jacob has a BSc in Physics, an MSc in Engineering and years of experience in multidisciplinary project and operation management.
Graduate of the Design Experience Workshop, Eindhoven Design Academy, Holland (2000)
Well-known and richly experienced designer of Museological exhibits, visitor centers, commercial spaces and audiovisual experiences.
Director of the space design department at Breeze.
Specializes in computer graphics, computer vision and low level development.
Multi-platform development: Web, Windows, Unix and Android.
Proficient in multiple environments and frameworks: C, C++, C#,.Net, Java, Open Frameworks, Augment Reality platforms (Vuforia, D'Fusion), Unity 3D…
Education: B.Sc. in computer science from the Hadassah Academic College
The Process
Our philosophy states that our clients should obtain all their answers in one place.
And so we focus all our activities for our clients in one place and they deal with one entity – Breeze.
After the first concept meeting, we try to understand the client's needs and tailor the best possible solutions to them.
This we accomplish by means of deep and thorough research; a clearly defined and uncompromising timetable;
the design concept; and the presentation of versions at defined milestones
until we reach delivery of the final product.
The client's involvement throughout the entire process is essential and very valuable
as together we turn an idea into reality.


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"Good-buy" Old Blue, BMI S-10, 3×3 Pedal Steel
Richard Moffett
I've owned this great BMI S-10 pedal steel for at least 20 years now and it seems that the time has come to say goodbye. Used on countless recordings and live dates, this steel has become a part of me… A very heavy part of me!
With the advent of the new light-weight pedal steels like my ETS shown in an earlier post, these old heavy-weights are becoming the "stay at home" guitars of choice for older, less traveling players.
I so loved my new ETS that I began researching various other company's offerings. I needed another steel for my studio as well as one for home and traveling to the few events that I still play each year. I found an S-10, 3×4 (3 pedals, 4 Knee levers) made by renown builder Fred Justice in Arizona. I will feature that guitar in my next post.
"Old Blue" will be making a trip to a northern California Pedal Steel shop soon and I'm sure it will find a good permanent home with little or no traveling from show to show. My friend Ben Reed (who I borrowed, then bought the steel from 20 years ago) has given his blessings and the new Justice pedal steel has arrived so, the time has come. 20 years ago my BMI steel was a good-buy and I'm sure its new owner knows that he got a "good-buy".


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Oregon Sports Betting
Review all of your choices for betting on sports in Oregon. This list will be updated as more sportsbooks come onto the scene in the Beaver State.
Where can you bet on sports in OR?
Sports wagering
Oregon sports betting is one of the grandfathers of betting states. What does this mean? Well, there were 4 states that were exempt from PASPA regulations. These were Oregon, Nevada, Delaware, and Montana.
These states were free to regulate betting without having to worry about PASPA. All this has put Oregon in a different situation, as it already has a long sports betting history. But for the time being, sports betting is currently prohibited, however, give that PASPA is no longer active, it is quite likely that sports betting will once again be legal.
Currently, online gambling and sports betting are prohibited, but these things are likely to change in a near future. Once other states start legalizing sports betting laws, it is quite likely that Oregon sports betting will be legalized.
Oregon Booking Websites
Even though online gambling is currently prohibited in the state of Oregon, you should still understand what a good bookie website looks like. You can still place bets on online horse racing, therefore, you should definitely pay attention to some tips on how to recognize a good brand.
- Register on a secure platform. Check whether the website has https:// in its link.
- Use a platform that offers a lot of sports options. It will give you more choice.
- Find an online bookie that has years of experience.
- Choose a bookie with different payment options. It will make deposits and withdrawals more flexible.
These are some crucial factors that you should pay attention to. With these things in mind, you can more easily find the perfect brand where you can have some fun betting.
Oregon Fantasy Sports Betting
Oregon Fantasy Sports Betting is in a very interesting position. Even though it is not legal, playing is also not an offense. There are brands that operate with Fantasy sports betting in Oregon.
If this form of gambling is familiar to you, you can easily find it and have some fun. Keep in mind though, it is not actually legal and in a gray area.
Oregon Horse Racing
If you belong to fans of horse racing, you are going to love legal status on betting on horse racing in Oregon.
Unlike the rest of the sports betting, horse racing is actually legal and permitted, including online.
Therefore, if you are into horse racing, feel free to bet with any online entity. However, make sure that you can trust the bookmaker.


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Warriors wins Classico.
Trinidad and Tobago made it two in two over arch-rivals Jamaica when they walked away 2-0 winners in yesterday's Caribbean affair at the Hasley Crawford Stadium.
With nothing much to report on from the first half, it took T&T 49 minutes to break the deadlock. Ataullah Guerra, who scored the winner for T&T in their last 1-0 encounter with the Reggae Boyz just 4-days ago has struck again, this time, four minutes into the second-half to send T&T one up at the restart.
The former San Juan Jabloteh man collected the ball on the left side, skipped a few Jamaican tackles and rifles a low shot into the bottom right corner of goalkeeper McCallum's goal to give T&T the goal advantage.
T&T continued to dominate in the second half and it paid dividends in the 75th minute when Central FC striker Rundell Winchester made a strong run into the box and was fouled by Jamaican defender Alvas Powell which resulted in a penalty. Captain Kenwyne Jones took the honors as the Stoke City striker stepped up to convert from the spot and send T&T further into the lead.
The Reggae Boyz would hold on despite some repeated attacks by T&T as the game eventually ended 2-0 in favor of the home side.
T&T has now won the Caribbean Classico series with 1-0 and 2-0 results respectively and ended their 2013 campaign on a high note.
It was also a farewell match for Port Vale's Christopher Birchall and also paid tribute to Carlos Edwards who has not officially retired but it seems as though head coach Stephen Hart is planning on rebuilding a team with younger troops.
Final Results
T&T 2 v Jamaica 0
Guerra 49'
Jones 73-Pen'
Trinidad and Tobago 4-5-1: - Jan-Michael Williams; Aubrey David, Carlos Edwards (Curtis Gonzales 87th), Carlyle Mitchell (Radanfah Abu Bakr 74th), Daneil Cyrus (Yellow 44); Christopher Birchall (Kevan George 70th), Ataullah Guerra, Joevin Jones, Andre Boucaud (Yellow 55) (Densill Theobald 83rd), Lester Peltier (Rundell Winchester 25th); Kenwyne Jones (capt) (Trevin Caesar 79th).
Unused Sub: - Cleon John.
COACH: - Stephen Hart.
Jamaica 4-3-3: - Richard McCallum; Adrian Reid, Kemar Lawrence, Alvas Powell, Upston Edwards (Dicoy Williams 46th); Jermaine Woolencroft, Je-Vaughn Watson (capt), Omar Daley; Michael Seaton (Darren Mattocks 46th) (Jermaine Anderson 58th - Yellow 76), Jason Johnson, Deshorn Brown (Andrew Vanzie 84th).
Unused Subs: - Gariece McPherson; Montrose Phinn; Brian Brown.
COACH: - Winfried Schäfer.
Venue: - Hasley Crawford Stadium.
Attendance (APPROX): - 8,000.
Soca Warriors Win 2-0 To Pile On Misery For Jamaica
By Neil-Monticelli Harley-Rudd (The Voice)
WINFRIED SCHAFER'S short-term stint as Jamaica head coach ended with yet another defeat to Trinidad & Tobago, stuttering to a 2-0 reversal at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain last night.
T&T, who defeated the Reggae Boyz 1-0 last Friday with their first win in Jamaica for 49 years, breezed past the visitors with Ataullah Guerra and Kenwyne Jones on target.
But Schafer, despite his abject failure at the helm, is still hoping to be offered a four-year contact by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF). That is in the balance as his contract ends today (November 20), and is dependent on whether the JFF can generate enough sponsorship – and faith – in retaining the former Cameron coach despite the fact that he did not register a single win in six games.
Although Schafer again fielded an experimental side, with the focus on unearthing new talent, there is no glossing over the fact that the German has failed miserably in his mission with the Boyz since he took over four months ago.
The Boyz finished rock bottom of their final World Cup qualifying group with a whimper, and the highly anticipated Caribbean 'Classico' against T&T resulted in two defeats and the inability to score goals.
T&T English-based veterans Port Vale's Chris Birchall, who retired after the match, and Ipswich Town's Carlos Edwards were given the nod to start after the pair missed Friday's friendly to join a number of untested players in the line-up.
Finland-based Guerra, whose strike earned the Soca Warriors their triumph in Kingston, was the player who once again impressed against the Boyz. The 26-year-old was back on the scoring sheet and broke the deadlock on 49 minutes. And lively skipper Jones sealed success with his 73rd-minute spot-kick.
Guerra said: "It was a pleasure to score for my country. We played to the coach's instructions and to our strengths, and we had to show our commitment to maintain a winning performance."
In the opening half, the Boyz back four of Upston Edwards, Kemar Lawrence, teenager Alvas Powell and Adrian Reid were kept busy to stifle the Warriors. But Edwards was replaced at half-time due to injury and the visitors had their work cut out after the break.
But the hosts should have taken a two-goal cushion into the interval, Jones scuffing a gilt-edged opportunity by prodding his effort over the target from just six yards. However, the Boyz could have been given a penalty when Omar Daley was bundled to the ground but the referee waved on play.
With the vocal crowd willing on the Warriors and yelling for an overdue goal at the start of the second half, it was Guerra who obliged with a sparkling strike. He dribbled the ball from the left wing into the penalty area and then unleashed an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner.
With the Warriors eager to add to their tally, it was surprising that it took a penalty to double their lead. Rundell Winchester and Jones played a neat one-two on the left flank, with Winchester darting into the box only for Powell's late challenge to earn the hosts an undisputed spot-kick that Jones converted with aplomb.
T&T head coach Stephen Hart said: "It gave me an opportunity to continue to experiment with the team and with the players, which is the only way you can evaluate the players.
"It was a very competitive game and this is what I've been asking of the players. This has been a unique opportunity to play both home and away, which mirrors what would be necessary if we were trying to qualify for the World Cup – we have to keep building."
Schafer played down the defeat and said: "For me it is not very important about the result, the result is secondary – the importance is the development of the players.
"I'm happy about our team, which is made up of only local players and players born in Jamaica from the United States. Players need matches for experience. These youngsters did what was asked, but we just did not score tonight."
Birchall 'humbled', Hart satisfied with 2-0 win.
By Ian Prescott (Express).
Happy Send-off
Trinidad and Tobago bid farewell to Chris Birchall, one of the national team's more popular footballers of recent vintage, with heartfelt thanks and a 2-0 victory over Jamaica in Port of Spain on Tuesday night.
In doing so, the Soca Warriors swept the two-match friendly series, after also beating the Reggae Boyz 1-0 in Montego Bay four days earlier.
Tuesday's match at the Hasely Crawford Stadium ended the international playing career of England-born Birchall, best known for his powerful "rocket" goal against Bahrain in the first leg playoff during the Soca Warriors' historic qualification for the 2006 World Cup. On Tuesday, Birchall played 70 minutes before bidding the crowd an emotional farewell, and leaving to a standing ovation.
A bit off the pace early, there was that still never-say-die commitment from "Warrior" Birchall. And for the last time, he reminded T&T of his trademark hard shot when just clearing the crossbar at pace, after meeting Ataullah Guerra's pass atop the penalty area. Birchall was thrilled that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) had staged a testimonial match for both him, and yet to be retired veteran Carlos Edwards.
"I was humbled that they invited me back. It was never an option to turn it down," Birchall said. "I was glad for the opportunity to play before the fans again to show my appreciation. Throughout the journey in my career, they were always one hundred per cent behind me.'"
Guerra, the fifth minute match-winner in Montego Bay, said it was "an honour" to score for T&T in a second straight match against the Jamaicans when he gave T&T a 1-0 lead in the 49th minute, slapping a shot low to the near corner after drifting across the penalty area. German Winfried Schafer, Jamaica's coach, frowned at the ease with which Guerra drifted past his defenders.
"It is not possible that this player (Guerra) (should) go in and shoot the ball past, one, two, three players," said Schafer after the game. He felt Guerra should have been double-teamed atop the box, and also promised to beat T&T in 12 months' time.
Stoke City striker and T&T skipper Kenwyne Jones added a second goal from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute, after Rundell Winchester was tripped by defender Adrian Reid after accelerating at pace into the penalty area.
Jones also had a first half header cleared off the goalline after beating Jamaican keeper Upston Edwards to Joevin Jones' corner. And early on, Jones also curled the ball wide, following an excellent square pass from Lester Peltier inside the six-yard box.
T&T enjoyed the majority of possession against their fierce Caribbean foes, who looked for something on the break.
They got very few looks. Soca Warriors keeper Jan-Michael Williams had a scary opening minute, but his errant kick out was wasted by 17-year-old starlet Michael Seaton, and coach Schafer also swore that it was a "sure penalty" and that Carlos Edwards had tugged at Omar Daley, after being stripped in the penalty area.
T&T coach Stephen Hart made four changes to the team which beat Jamaica last week, Birchall and Ipswich Town defender Edwards among them. Also coming in were locally-based starlet Joevin Jones and Carlyle Mitchell.
The Soca Warriors looked good overall. Goal-scorer Guerra played confidently and controlled the midfield, along with a very assured Andre Boucard. The back four of Daneil Cyrus, Carlos Edwards, Aubrey David and Mitchell excelled.
Peltier was very active until he got injured an was replaced early by young Winchester, who showed plenty pace, while Jones also showed penetration on the opposite flank.
Coach Hart also said Trevin Caesar "put fear into Jamaica" by showing his trademark aggression after replacing Jones (J).
"I wanted the team to put two solid halves together. They did that. Once again, another clean sheet. We pushed the ball forward a little bit quicker. We had penetration on both sides. It is very difficult to ask more of the players," the T&T coach said.
"As I said before, I am not a miracle worker. Football is about players and the players are responding. We still have a long way to go. In Trinidad it's feast or famine, but overall, I am pleased about the performance in both games."
Hart next plans to talk with the TTFA about doing something with the local players between now and March, when there are no international match dates.


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December 29, Shenhua coal liquefaction project butt Fair held in the Eastern meters, Shenhua Group Corporation Limited produces 300 million tons of coal liquefaction project will be located in the Eastern rice.
Same day, Fort Industrial Park, Oasis meters Eastern Park, an area of 4 square kilometers of the coal-oil project site has been identified. The project is planned investment by two-step construction, every step of the investment of more than 200 billion yuan, a year after production 100 million tons of coal direct liquefaction and indirect liquefaction of coal 50 million tons. Project put into operation three and a half, after completion of all annual output of 300 tons of oil. Among them, mainly for diesel oil, liquefied gas can be output, heavy oil, naphtha and other products.
It is understood that coal-oil energy strategy has become an important trend. Extremely rich in coal resources in Xinjiang, on the capital, technology, resources, and have very high requirements of the coal-oil projects, has good prospects for development. China's dependence on imported oil was 50%, coal as alternative energy, chemical industry in the future dominant. Rich in coal resources in Xinjiang, the country's total estimated reserves of resources 40% of the total amount of more than forecast.


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Remco is a pool company with a simple philosophy: to ensure a long-term, trusting relationship with their clients by consistently providing products and service which meet or exceed expectations.
Remco was created to meet the market demand for modern, multifunctional, easy to use and aesthetically pleasing pool-cover products. Remco's design efforts resulted in their Swimroll product, which soon made it onto the wish list of many pool owners.
Since then Remco has grown steadily to become the market leader in supply and installation of motorised, automated, multifunctional pool cover systems.
Operating throughout Australia and New Zealand, Remco's service centres can be found in all states.


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Sit down and indulge the face-melting that is "A Weird Exits" by Thee Oh Sees. "A Weird Exits" is the follow up to 2015's "Mutilator Defeated At Last" which is another beast of its own. This record seems to have the same spacey vibe from "Mutilator Defeated At Last." It has its heavy hitters, with John Dwyer's recognizable blaring guitars. "A Weird Exits" takes breaks from its madness and delivers beautiful and psychedelic tracks which are more suitable for a space adventure. Or more realistically, a long and hazy drug experience.
The opening track "Dead Man's Gun" starts off with soft vocals that seem to be almost whispered, before you know it John Dwyer's guitar ruptures and destroys any misconception that suggests that this track is mellow. Right after that comes the track "Ticklish Warrior" that sounds like their older track "Night Crawler" only this one is on cocaine. The two tracks before the closing one are lengthy instrumentals that remind of the weird and spacey. "The Axis" is a hypnotic and almost emotional track that finalizes the record.
John Dwyer now 41 years of age, seems to have no intentions of slowing down. Here's to hoping that this musical weirdo genius continues to put out great records, and play unforgettable live shows. "A Weird Exits" is another great album from the never disappointing John Dwyer, and Thee Oh Sees.
Buy the album here or stream it here.
Words by Victor Villa.


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Today, a styled shoot I participated in is being featured over on Every Last Detail. For those who may not know, a styled shoot is when a group of vendors in the industry get together to stage a mock wedding as design inspiration for brides and basically just a fun time to be creative and unrestricted by the confines of, you know, a real wedding day.
I have and will always have mixed feelings about styled shoots. Sometimes I feel like they give brides an unrealistic expectation of what their wedding should or shouldn't be. Sometimes I feel like vendors use those images as an unfair representation of their wedding work, when we all know how much easier a styled shoot is than a real wedding. I mean, duh. But mostly it's just the overall feeling of inauthenticity that bothers me. When I post a photo from a styled shoot, I want everyone to know that that's what it came from, that I'm not trying to mislead anyone.
I'm not trying to bash styled shoots... please refer to the title of this blog post for that confirmation. I just want to be realistic about my feelings. Pinterest is a magical, unicorn land full of wedding designs that most couples can't afford or that just aren't feasible for a wedding with actual guests and timelines. Is it great for inspiration? I think so! I think the Our Quirky Love photo shoot on Every Last Detail today is fabulous inspiration for some affordable wedding ideas that fit a particular retro style. And styled shoots are great for that inspiration. I just don't want my brides, or ANY brides, to be overwhelmed by and expect the perfection of a styled shoot at their own wedding. Your wedding is perfect because of the MARRIAGE you're celebrating... not the decorations you chose.
So why do I do those styled shoots? Well, if you follow this blog you know that I am an introverted shut in who has to be forced out of my house and into social situations. This is true of nearly every facet of my life, include my professional life. Styled shoots have become my favorite way of getting to know fellow wedding vendors on a more personal, collaborative level. I love seeing other vendors at their most creative, away from the stress of actual weddings, and away from giant groups of clique-y wedding vendors. Every circle has its inner circles, and at a networking event it's always hard for me to break through those barriers. A styled shoot full of teamwork and camaraderie is much more my speed.
PLUS. I get so much TIME to photograph at a styled shoot. Oh, the luxury! Brides, if you're still reading, the greatest gift you can give your photographer at your wedding is time. I love thinking about what different lenses I could shoot a particular detail or portrait with to get a different look. I love trying new things and taking risks because I have the time to do it. It's inspiring and I can completely see why so many photographers participate in tons of styled shoots.
I hope I didn't take this post too negative... I don't ever mean to do that, but sometimes I have to get these thoughts out. One of the key phrases I use to guide my business is "organic" so you can see why "styled" shoots are a mixed bag for me ideologically. You can also see why my husband tells me I overthink just about everything. It's true. I won't fight it. My brain is a hard worker.
The other vendors and I would love your support over on Every Last Detail for our styled shoot. And I'll be posting some of MY favorite images soon, so don't miss that! :)


text: This year we are pulling names out of a hat for gift giving. I have been wondering what to get my sister's little girl since I pulled her name. I have been thinking about giving one of those precious baby lockets that she will appreciate just as much as her newborn. I think I will put our pictures in there because we are sisters! I love coming up with extra special ideas for gifts, not something I would just pick up at the Mall. It's a lot more meaningful and, I love to see the smile on people's faces when it looks like I really put some thought behind it!


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A new series has begun with Midday Connection called Surviving The Storms of Life.
Click HERE for the webpage.
And today they will talk with author, speaker and teacher Christopher Yuan.
Today for my Midday Connection Fan Club I'd like to start something I'm calling Midday at Midweek. By Wednesday I've heard so many great things on Moody Radio and am looking forward to what else I might hear so it's the perfect time to stop and share a little bit of that with you. If you are blogging about Midday Connection please e-mail and let me know. email@example.com I would love to visit your blog and link to you on my Midday Connection Fan Club page!
So this most recent series called Surviving The Storms of Life with Ray Kane has begun and you may be in a storm and will really appreciate some of this message. If you are NOT in a storm I want to encourage you to listen anyway because it's so much easier to weather a storm when you've prepared ahead of time isn't it?
Over the summer we had a lot of heavy rain here in Illinois. Having to fumble around for what we needed at the last minute was discouraging. If you are going to step out in a big rain storm what do you need? Maybe just a couple of things like an umbrella, maybe some rain-proof shoes or a raincoat. For sure there will be storms of stress ahead in our lives. What are just a couple of things you will need for that kind of a storm? One of the best things I've pulled out of this program to tuck away for a rainy day is this phrase "do you want to be made better or do you want to be made bitter"? And what's your eternal perspective? What were you able to pull out of the program to help you with the storm you are in now or to save for a rainy day? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts with us!
Romans 8:28
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28


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David Whyte on NOSTALGIA
"Nostalgia is the arriving waveform of a dynamic past, newly remembered and about to be re-imagined by a mind and a body at last ready to come to terms with what actually occurred. Nostalgia subverts the present by it's overwhelming physical connection to a person or a place, to a time in which we lived or to a person with whom we lived, making us wonder, in the meeting of past and present, if the intervening years ever occurred. Nostalgia can feel like an indulgence, a sickness, an inundation by forces beyond us, but strangely, force that have also lived with us and within us, all along.
Nostalgia is not indulgence. Nostalgia tells us we are in the presence of imminent revelation, about to break through the present structures held together by the way we have remembered: something we thought we understood but that we are now about to fully understand, something already lived but not fully lived, issuing not from our future but from something already experienced; something that was important, but something to which we did not grant importance enough, something now wanting to be lived again, at the depth to which it first invited us but which we originally refused. Nostalgia is not an immersion in the past, nostalgia is the first annunciation that the past as we know it is coming to an end."