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♪ [music] ♪ – [David] Hello I'm David Laroche, we are with a new guest today. He's Bob Burg, and he's with me today to answer my questions about how to unleash their potential. Bob is a convention speaker and a best-selling author and his last book is "The Go Giver." So thank you very much Bob. – [Bob] [foreign language] It is an absolute pleasure to be with you today. – Thank you very much. It's the same for me. And I let you introduce yourself. – Well, I began my career over 30 years ago, first in…Well, a little more than that. But as a newscaster, a broadcaster on both radio and then television, and I really wasn't very good at it and I ended up moving into sales, or professional selling. And again, I wasn't very good at that because I just didn't know how to do it. And so I read books from people like, back then, it was Zig Ziglar and Tom Hopkins and I kept studying it. And when you learn how to do something, you can…If you want to unleash your potential it takes really two things. You have to have the right attitude, and the right skills. So I'd had the right attitude, but I didn't have the skills. And so I read a lot books at that time, I would listen to, back then, I'm 55 so 30 years ago.. – You have lots of books behind you! – And those are just a few of them! My house has books upon books upon books! I'm just trying to read and learn. And so, we have to have both the right attitude, and we also have to have the right information if we want to release our potential. You can have great, you can have lots of knowledge, but if you don't have the right attitude, you're not going to be very effective. Now you can have the right attitude, but if you don't have the knowledge, you're just going to be a very motivated person who doesn't know where they're going and so can't get there. So we have to have both. So I really, I very early, well let's say in my mid-to maybe late 20s I started to realize that if I was going to be successful, whether it was in selling or whatever I was doing, I was going to have to really really learn and learn from the people who had already proven to be successful in doing what I wanted to do. – Okay, follow the good people. – Yes. And that's so very important, so what I suggest people do is to you know, listen to other people who you respect, and ask them who they would refer you to you know to read and to study and when you do listen to someone, always ask yourself if when they say something, you know, you don't necessarily believe it just because they say, it needs to be congruent with what seems logical and what would make sense. And of course you need to know that they're honest, ethical and they do things the right way. Once you find people whose basic information you agree with, and their style is congruent with yours, then you make a study of them and their systems and when you replicate it, you can replicate their success. – Okay! You wrote a book, "The Go Giver" in which you explain that in business, we should focus in giving instead of getting. Can you explain why? – Sure. And that is a question a lot of people ask. And it's an excellent question. My co-author, John David Mann and I really wanted to come at this topic a little bit from a different angle. And what we would call counter-intuitive. And so when we say focus on giving, we're certainly not talking, we're not in any way saying that receiving isn't important. Receiving's very important. Remember there are five laws: the first law is the law of value but the fifth law is the law of receptivity, which is all about receiving. And so some people think well, are you and John David Mann saying that it's all about giving and not receiving? No! That's not what it's about at all. It's about both. But the focus needs to be on giving value to others. When we say giving, in the business context, we're talking about constantly providing value to others. In business, people are going to do business with you because they feel they are receiving value from the exchange. In other words, they're exchanging their money for a desired value. Now in order for people to do business with you, they've got to know that you really are focused on serving them. You're not focused on the money, you're focused on providing value to them. Now here's the wonderful thing. Money is simply an echo of value. In other words, the value comes first. Now you focus on giving value, then the money you receive is a very natural and very direct result of the value you've given. – The money is the consequence of the value you give to people? – Yes! – So I have a question, how to give more values in the same time than other? How to choose your value? – Sure, because let's say you sell a certain product or service. Now this product or service has a value to it, obviously people might be interested in it. But many other people also sell the same product or service, so the value is sort of equal. So how do you position yourself and your product to be that one that other people want to choose. Well, the answer is that you become that extra value. You become that value by the way you do business. For example, John and I talk about there are five, what we call, elements of value, which basically, five ways of communicating the value you provide. One is excellence, one is consistency, another is attention, another is empathy, and another is appreciation. – What do you mean with attention? – Well attention would be, "Are you really listening to that other person? Are you paying attention to those little details? Are you making sure that you're doing everything correctly as it needs to be? When this person provides you with a question, are you really listening for the question in order to understand as opposed to listening just to speak? So it's really focusing your attention on that other person. – Okay so it's five points to have in memory when you sell. – Well it's a matter of communicating one or all of them, one or more of those. In other words, excellence, there's nothing like excellence. When doing something very competently, doing something very well. But excellence by itself isn't enough because most of your competitors are excellent at what they do as well. There's consistency. Doing it time after time after time in the same way. It's funny, we live in a very inconsistent world, where people are what we call hot and cold. Sometimes someone that we go into a store and you get great service. And other times it's very lousy service. Sometimes they're very friendly, sometimes they seem horrid. But don't you enjoy going to a place or shopping at a place, or buying from someone when it's the same type of excellence every time. Now that doesn't mean people don't make mistakes. But by and large the consistency is there. So when you combine excellence and consistency, you're providing wonderful value. Then we talk about attention. Again. Attention to detail. Attention to what this person really is asking. Sometimes what they ask and what they really want to know are a little bit different because they don't necessarily understand everything they need to know to ask the right questions, so we've got to sort of understand from their point of view. This is where empathy comes in. You know, empathy is when you can identify often vicariously with this other person's thoughts or feelings and it's understanding they may be uncomfortable with a certain aspect, or they may have a certain need. How do you communicate this empathy. And then appreciation. Hey, our customers want to be appreciated. They want to know that they matter. So sending a hand written thank you note, or making that phone call, or doing that little extra step we can do to show them that they matter. All of those things go a long way in communicating your value. – So you have to add values to people? – I think so. And it depends. It really depends what it is that you're selling, first of all. Let's say for example that you're an accountant, a book-keeper or an accountant, and you're doing that person's taxes. Well, let's say you charge them 1,000 euros to do their taxes, but you save them \$5,000 in taxes. You've given them great value right there. Let's say when they come into your office they're greeted very nicely, and made to feel right at home, let's say that when you talk to them they sense you're empathetic too their needs and you're paying attention what they're looking to… – Okay, I understand. Yes, thank you very much. What are the laws of success according to you? – Sure well law number one which we sort of went through is the law of value, and that says you're true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment, but what that means…It sounds a little bit as though you're not making a profit, you give more in value than what you take in payment but we know that's not so. Let's go back to that accountant. Remember he charged 1,000 euros but he provided well over \$5,000 in value, and so, you feel great about it as the customer, but he also made a very healthy profit. And so, when an exchange like that is made, both parties, both people come away much better off after the transaction than they were before the transaction. That's the law of value right there. That both parties come away better off than before. Now law number two is the law of compensation. And this says you're income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them. So for law number one, that says to give more in value than you take in payment, law number two tells us that the more people whose lives we add that kind of exceptional value to, the more money with which we'll be rewarded. So you're accountant who gave you great value, and made a very healthy profit from doing so, he also needs to have a lot more clients if he's going to make a lot more income. Does that make sense? – Yes. – Okay, law number three is the law of influence. And the law of influence says you're influence is determined by how abundantly you place other peoples' interests first. Now this doesn't mean, when we say place other peoples' interests first, we don't mean in a way that it harms you at all, it means you're simply always focused on how you can provide value to others. And this is before you ever do business with them. This could be the first time you meet them and have a conversation with them. How do you provide value to them? Well, by making them feel good about themselves, by talking less and focusing more on asking about themselves and what they do. Maybe by asking them how you can know if someone they're talking to would be a good connection for them, or a good referral for them. And so there's lots of ways we can do this. Now as we continue to always look at ways we can put peoples' interests first, what we're doing is what we call planting seeds of good will to good people. You know people feel good about it. The main aspect of this law is that all things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust. And perhaps the fastest, the most powerful, the most effective way of having people feel that way about you is to actually care about them! Genuinely place their interests first. – What's the first thing you have to do, according to you, to be successful? – Well I think you have to first have a desire for something in particular. If you've ever read the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill, which is…Yes, it is fantastic, it's a classic and it's something I recommend to everyone especially young entrepreneurs, it's the first book someone should read I think who really wants to be successful. And if you remember he shared 13 very important principles, and the first one was desire. It was having what he called definitiveness of purpose, or desire. And when you have that desire, everything you do is around that focus. So that's very important. Now once you have that desire, I think it's important to, and we were talking about this earlier, seek out the correct system that's going to help you get to where you want to go. Find out what other people who are where you want to be, find out how they did it. Read their books or go to their seminars or learn or however. Find a local mentor and learn from that person. And I think another thing that's important is to take action. – Yeah, I think so! – Yeah, because you can have great ideas and great thoughts and great intention, but unless you put action into the mix nothing's going to happen. We like to say that knowledge without action is the same as not having any knowledge. And then I think it's important to be persistent. Because if you're an entrepreneur, if you're looking to expand yourself, if you're looking to get to that next level of success, you're going to have setbacks. You're going to have people saying no. And isn't it interesting how the word no is pretty much the same in every language. And it feels the same way. – It's to be sure that everyone will understand. – And we have to understand that no is part of the process. A great friend of mine, a couple named Andrea Fenton and Richard Waltz they wrote a wonderful little book called "Go for No" Their website is G-O-F-O-R-N-O.com. And, it's a little book and it talks about how yes is the destination, but no is how you get there. – It's the way. – Yes, and they talk about how to embrace those nos. It's very important. I wish I'd had that book when I was first starting out because it's so valuable. It's a whole different way of looking at the word no. And so instead of becoming discouraged by them you become empowered by them. And then I think we have to have belief in what we're doing. If we really believe that what we're doing is the right thing and it's adding value to the world and value to ourselves, we're going to feel good about it and we're going to be able to stay with what we're doing until we reach that desire or that goal. – Do you have some advice for people who lack of self confidence how to improve self confidence? – Well I think there are various ways. One way is to simply get very proficient, get very good at what you're doing. Get excellent at what you're doing. It's putting in practice. It's taking the time to work on it, work on your skills. Confidence comes from practice. When we practice we get more confidence in ourselves. Another thing is to read positive books. Again, you know read books like "Think and Grow Rich", read books like "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen, written back in 1915, which talks about how your thoughts and your mind, really you have control over it, in order to really cause yourself to feel better about yourself. Books like "The Magic of Thinking Big" by Dr. David Schwartz. These are all books that can help you improve your confidence because they show you why you should believe in yourself. Here's another thing. Get around people who are going to encourage you. – Yes, it's a way I tried and it worked for me. – Right and you know what's interesting David is these people who will encourage you, that doesn't mean they're going to just say "Oh yes, that's great" no matter what you're doing. These people will also hold you accountable when you're not doing what you need to be doing. But you know they care. And you know that they are rooting for you. They want the best for you. And when you get around a group of people like this, what Napoleon Hill calls "The Mastermind" and so forth, you get a whole group of people where you can all accomplish more because of the encouragement and the help you're all voluntarily giving one another. – So in your life, what's the best choice you did at the beginning of your success, just before your success. – I would say I became coachable. And what I mean is when I was younger and even into my early maybe mid-20s, I wasn't coachable. I didn't allow myself to learn from others. I thought I had to do it myself, I thought I had to know the thing. And eventually I started to realize that not only do I not have to do it all by myself, I'm not smart enough to do it all by myself. I needed to reach out to where there was help and where there was information I could learn from. – Yes. About your expertise. I have two questions. What are the keys to sell, and according to you, what's the first book of you we have to read to start in developing the ability to sell. Two questions, and if you have your book to show it's perfect. – I think the key in terms of selling is understanding that while there are many aspects of selling that are very important, for you to obviously have a great product or service that you believe in, to have great product knowledge, those are important, but those aren't going to be the difference makers. You've got to figure that everybody has that. Most people who sell something believe in what they're selling, and there are a lot of good products out there. And as far as product knowledge goes, most people have pretty good product knowledge. So those are important but you need those just to participate. I think we also need to have selling skills. And the reason is is because selling is a profession. So we need to seek out the great sales teachers such as Brian Tracy, such as the late Zig Zigler and many others who do a wonderful job teaching selling skills. But I think the major area of importance, the most important thing of all when it comes to being a great sales person is to know that when it comes right down to it, it's never about you, and it's never even about your product or service. It's about the other person. It's about your prospect or your client and how they are going to benefit from your product or service. A friend of mine, Adam Grant, wrote a great book that recently came out, it became a best-seller right away, it's called "Give and Take" and in this book he cited a study of Australian financial advisers. Stock brokers. And what they were studying was, what was the main cause of these stock brokers, these financial advisers, being so financially successful. They were the top sales people in their companies, throughout the country. And they look at things such as financial expertise, which was very important, the ability to work hard, again very important. But those were not the determining factors. Many others had those same things going for them. The biggest differentiator was that the most successful financial advisers put the interest of their clients before themselves and before their companies. They were laser focused on providing value to their clients. And when we can remember in sales, David, that the client is the issue, the client is key, everything else is going to come together. Again, we need to have a great product, we need to believe in it, we need to have great product knowledge and we need to have good selling skills. But the big thing is focusing on the client. Now when you say which of my books to start with? I would start first with "The Go Giver" and then maybe "Go Givers Sell More" which is the next one, and then I would say…And I believe both of them have been translated into French, I know "The Go Giver" has, I think "Go Givers Sell More" has been as well. And then another book called "Endless Referrals" and I don't know if that is translated into the French language, I'm not sure. But I know "The Go Giver" and I'm pretty sure "Go Givers Sell More" are, so those would probably be good ones to start with. – Do you believe that some people who have skills how to sell, who have good product, may be speakers or consultants, but in themselves, there are beliefs that stop their ability to attract money. Do you believe of that? – I think a lot of people have what we would call an unhealthy relationship with money. And it's usually very unconscious. It's sub-conscious, it's below the level of…Because if you ask them, they'd say, "Oh no no, I'll receive a lot of money." In the law of receptivity, in "The Go Giver" we talk about this because late in the story, Pindar, the main mentor, asks Joe, his protege, to breathe out, and to hold that breath without breathing in. Well, Joe can't do it, because he can't just breathe out. You've also got to breathe in. We breathe out, we breathe in. Well breathing out is like giving, breathing in is like receiving. They're not opposite, they're simply two sides of the very same coin. It's not a matter of give or receive, it's give and receive. And as long as you focus on giving value to others, okay, you're going to receive. Especially the more free market based economy it is. The more you give value to others, people are going to want to do business with you. And so the more value you give to others, the more you're going to receive. What happens though is if we don't have a good relationship with money, we won't allow ourselves to receive. But it's not as though consciously we'll say "Oh no, I'm giving away the money, I'm not going to accept the money." But unconsciously, we'll do things to sabotage ourselves, and make it so it doesn't happen. So we talk about in the book, in that chapter on receptivity, how important it is to understand that receiving is a very good thing, so long as you provided value. Because when you give and receive and give and receive and give and receive, you're cultivating the natural flow of life. – Okay, I think, that's a very good answer. So to have more information we can go inside the book. Do you have a message for youths to be happy and to be successful in life but successful in all your domains? – Well I think the first thing is to focus on gratitude. Focus on appreciating everything you have. You know in this world we now have so much, you know, in the developed countries. We have so much that we take for granted. Just first of all to totally be grateful for being able to have eyes that see and ears that hear and a mouth that can speak and hands and feet and legs and being able to walk. I mean that's something to live in joy about and have gratitude about. Having a cup of coffee, and to think about everything that went into this cup of coffee, about the ships that had to be built, to get the coffee that had to be grown and planted and cultivated and harvested and then placed on the ship to be brought over. And then it had to be blended and had to be shipped to the different stores and there had to be cups to…You know what I'm saying? There's so much that goes into one cup of coffee, or the fact that we can speak to each other, new friends speaking from France to the United States and be able to just carry on a conversation. To have just so many things when we can first focus on gratitude for what we have, we're then in a position to be able to have a lot more. Because when we have gratitude, we put ourselves in that position, we're close to that energy source if you will. That cosmic force, whether you call that force God or energy or the universe, that allows us to tap into those good feelings and to be able to accomplish much more. So the first step is gratitude. The second step is as a youngster, finding a cause. Something you just…It's that desire we were talking about. And that doesn't mean you have to know when you're a kid what you're going to do for a living when you grow up, for a job. No, it just means you start to look for those things that you're passionate about, that you really enjoy doing. And give yourself to that. Focus on providing value to the world. Again when we can take our focus off ourselves and focus on being of value in life to others, to…Wow. Great things happen. And we live a life that's happy, that's successful, that's usually financially successful as well and we have a lot of fun doing it. – Do you have a ritual, exercise every day, a daily exercise to develop gratitude in life? – Well, every day when I awake I say a prayer of gratitude, okay? I also have right on my computer, I have "gratitude". "Desire, unwavering faith and gratitude" so I see this all the time. And when there's something I want to remember, I put it right on my computer, or I carry it with me, or I do make a practice of it every day if there's something I need to focus on. So sure, it's great to give ourselves reminders so that we're always looking at…I've got notes all over my computer, all over my office so I see it all the time wherever I go. I want to be constantly reminded of those things, until it gets into my head and into my heart. – Okay so you use your environment to remember you to have gratitude? – Very much so. Very much. – Okay, thank you very much for all your answers. I maybe I let you give a last message, how the people can follow you, how people can discover what you do in plus that the book. – They can visit my website, which is www.burg and that's spelled B-U-R-G.com and from there they can pretty much see everything. They can go to my website, they can sign up for our influence and success insights, they can connect with me on social media, and we welcome people to come along to the site and look around and have fun. – Okay, thank you very much. – My pleasure David. Thank you. Merci. ♪ [music] ♪
Download this book for free and get access to a series of video on the secrets of self-confidence and high performance in everything you do.


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Columbia Road
If you like flowers and live in or visit London, you really should pay a trip to Columbia Road flower market on a Sunday morning. The flower market started by selling off what was left from Covent Garden and Spitlafields markets on the Saturday, these days it is the best place to buy flowers and plants in London. The shops are also interesting, ideal if you are looking for a last minute christmas present. A view showing how crowded it gets is here.
posted by Ham at 00:00 -- Comments here: 7

subset: commoncrawl


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Welcome to the Web Site for Cape May Lumber. We have worked long and hard to raise the bar for our Web Destination. We are announcing new products like never before... not just reading a description of it, but also seeing what it looks like. We welcome all visitors to our web site!
In August 2009 we added to our web presence a FaceBook Fanpage. If you haven't already done so, check it out as promotional items can be found there faster. Due to our presence in FaceBook, we were featured in one of our regional trade journals.
2013 will see a ton of new information as we will be adding a section just for our hardware items. In the beginning of July, we added an updated moulding page that shows all of our profiles in one convenient location.
Our hours have changed.
Monday->Friday: 8:00-4:30pm
Saturday 9:00-12:00 noon
Closed on Sunday
Follow @CMLumber
Come and find us on FaceBook


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PORTAGE, Mich. --A dog in Michigan is the proud mother of five kittens.
The owner of Sydney, a Beagle-Terrier mix, brought the kittens home last week and it didn't take long for the dog's maternal instincts to kick in.
She is feeding and bathing the kittens. A veterinarian said this kind of relationship was impossible. Sydney already had three litters of her own but seems happier now to have little ones to look after again.


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My financial history
by Him • Tagged: about, debt
We'd like to provide a frame of reference when it comes to writing about our financial troubles, so I'm going to start with how I got into a large financial hole. She will follow up soon.
When I was in high school, I got my first job when I was 15, a cashier at the local neighborhood McDonald's. I met a lot cool people there, and learned how to have a strong work ethic. A eventually quit that job, and worked at a Turtle Wax car wash center. That was a great job because I got paid mostly in tips. The harder I worked, the more money I received. Don't you wish that's how all jobs were?
I didn't have a problem with money in high school. I got good grades, worked, and never asked for money from my parents. I was a pretty cocky teenager, but I didn't have any debt. Then came the college years.
Freshman year went by with me swatting away all of the credit card offers that came with free T-shirts, frisbees, etc. I had a debt card from my parents, and I was to withdraw between $20-$40 every week. During those years, I was frequently reprimanded for taking money out of an ATM that wasn't from our bank, thus incurring a fee. My parents didn't like (and still don't) giving away money to banks. Hey, it isn't my fault, by bank's ATM was in the student Union, not near any of the cool restaurants or bars.
I got my first credit card when I was 19. I still have it – a University MBNA card, with a $2,000 balance! My room in my fraternity house was empty, I didn't have many cool clothes, so I bought stuff. A lot of stuff. I maxed out that credit card pretty quickly. That started the waterfall of credit cards; not just Visa's, MasterCard's, but store cards. I needed to look good. After all, that's how I met my fiancée. Structure (now Express Men) was my weakness. Items that I put on the credit cards included many hung-over meals, beer, a home entertainment center, beer, clothes that I couldn't afford on my store cards, beer, and many gag gifts for holiday presents. By the time I graduated with my bachelor's, I racked up about $5,000 in credit card debt.
Luckily for me, they don't check your FICO score when you apply for grad school, so I got in. At the time, I think it was a dismal under-600. Since I was in grad school, most of my friends in undergrad had moved on, so the incessant partying and trying to fit in stopped. I wanted to mature, intellectually, emotionally, and financially. My program provided me with a $19,500 stipend per year – payable monthly. I had to learn how to budget very quickly.
At that time I had six credit cards that I was only making the minimum monthly payments on. Figuring out how to balance those payments, rent, food, and other necessities on a once a month paycheck was to be a challenge. The interest on my credit cards ranged from 12%-21%, so I decided to go down to my credit union to see if they could offer me a personal loan for the amount of my credit card balances for a lower average interest rate. To my surprise, that is exactly what they did. So I paid off the credit cards, and had a low monthly payment that was automatically deducted from my pay so I wouldn't even notice it was gone.
Until I charged up the cards again. On what? A $200 remote control? Yep. Food? Yep. More beer? Sometimes. An interview suit? Yes.
By the time I got my Master's I had paid off the loan, but was back at square one, with about $5K in credit card debt. I ended up getting a pretty good job in Chicago, and I was determined to pay off all of my credit card debt once and for all! I still needed to make better decisions, and that meant that I was to stop using my credit cards for good.
A year has passed since I finished up my Master's, and since then I have used a credit card once – in an emergency when my car broke down. While they still aren't all paid off, I have managed to drastically reduce the amount I owe. I even bought her engagement ring with cash.
Not only do I have to deal with my financial demons from the past, but now so does she. Hopefully, we can overcome all of this and one day look back, and laugh. At least a little.


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Priebus previews RNC 'autopsy'
A much-anticipated Republican National Committee chairman's report due out Monday on how to reverse the GOP's fortunes is expected to call for fewer Republican debates, a condensed primary calendar and an earlier party convention.
In an interview on CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus outlined those three main recommendations for the 2016 presidential election. The RNC's so-called autopsy — a detailed review of the GOP's 2012 failures and roadmap going forward — will also include suggestions to improve the party's digital capabilities and bolster its voter database, among other proposals.
Story Continued Below
The report, titled the Growth and Opportunity Project, is scheduled to be released Monday morning at The National Press Club.
"I believe that our primary process was way too long. I think our calendar needs to be looked at, our debate calendar needs to be looked at," Priebus told CBS's Bob Schieffer.
Priebus suggested setting definite start and end dates for the primaries to ensure the GOP gets its nominee within the allotted period of time. The protracted 2012 primary calendar forced Mitt Romney to deplete his war chest and absorb attacks from rival Republicans, which weakened him heading into the general election against President Barack Obama.
"What I would personally want to do is I would set a beginning date, maybe Jan. 1, and then, I would set a new end date for the primary season — maybe the end of April, no later than mid-May," Priebus said.
One option, he said, is a rotating regional primary. The country would be divided into four quadrants, and the states within each quadrant would have primaries on the same day. The date of each section's primary would rotate each presidential cycle.
He cited 2012 — when GOP nominee Romney had raised general election funds but couldn't use them until after the convention in late August — as a reason to compress the primary calendar. Because of campaign finance laws, a candidate can't use funds designated for the general election until after he or she has officially become the party's nominee.
Romney "was a sitting duck for two months," he said.


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The Luck of the IrishHD
A teenager must battle for a gold charm to keep his family from being controlled by an evil leprechaun.
Down with LoveHD
An homage to the early 1960s sex comedies that starred Rock Hudson and Doris Day. The story follows a best-selling female advice author who has ...
Psych: The MovieHD
The old gang comes together during the holidays after a mystery assailant targets one of their own.
Woody WoodpeckerHD
The hyperactive red-headed bird enters a turf war with a big city lawyer wanting to tear down his home in an effort to build a ...
Carter & JuneHD
Do the job. Get the money. Get the girl. Get the kid. Simple, right?


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2019 Sales Gallery Submissions
Application Deadline: May 17, 2019
Northern Clay Center will conduct its biennial review of the artists in the Sales Gallery in June 2019. The review allows for both a consideration of work by new artists, and a reevaluation of work presently in the Sales Gallery. Artists who are juried into the Sales Gallery may be represented year round, during the Holiday Exhibition, for a Featured Artist show, or all of the above. A panel of NCC staff and one or two non-staff individuals who are knowledgeable about ceramics, art, design, and retail will jury the work. Interested artists should submit the following materials to the Clay Center:
Application materials to be submitted electronically in form on right:
- A completed Sales Gallery Application Form
- A current resume or CV (maximum three pages, must be .pdf, .doc, or .docx format)
- An artist statement (maximum two pages, must be .pdf, .doc, or .docx format)
- Image list with detailed information including dimensions, materials, firing method or finish, and price (Must be .pdf, .doc, or .docx format)
- Up to, but no more than, ten digital images of current work (maximum 2Mb each file, must be .gif, .jpg, or .png)
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Getting to the top of the marketing tree
To provide fuel for debate at B2B Marketing's Leaders Forum, Circle Research recently surveyed 100 senior B2B marketers. Between them they control budgets worth £188 million.
There was one particular question which had me on the edge of my seat: What attributes does a successful B2B marketer have?
I was excited because those answering the question were marketing leaders in some of the UK's largest B2B companies. In other words, people perfectly placed to provide a blueprint which aspiring marketing leaders can follow.
There was consensus a strong marketing leader displays four attributes.
They have a particular mindset and thinking style. They:
- Are strategic, big picture thinkers with a clear vision
- Have business acumen and a commercial focus
- Couple strong analytical skills with a liberal dose of creativity
To turn strategy into action, a marketing leader also needs to be a 'statesman':
- Their mind is tuned into the wider business and they have an acute awareness of non-marketing colleagues' agendas
- They are able to navigate within their organisation, work collaboratively across functions and join up siloes
- They have outstanding communication and influencing skills – they articulate their ideas well, they inspire people and they bring everyone on the journey
They also need knowledge - a deep understanding of their market, real insight into what makes customers tick and experience in all the key marketing disciplines.
And you can always spot them by their attitude. Look for the person who:
- Is open minded, forward thinking and embraces new ideas
- Leads by example and isn't scared to get their hands dirty when it's called for
- Is determined, tenacious and fights their corner
- Is gutsy and willing to take a calculated risk


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Vietnam Relief Services Vietnam Relief Services
Here's a sample of our volunteer opportunities:VIEW AS
Mission Statement
Vietnam Relief Services is an established US based 501(c)(3) Non-profit Charity. We fundraise to create impactful programs that address critical needs in the education, health, and emergency relief sector of Vietnam.
Designed with transparency in mind, we maintain a direct link between your donations and the field level activities. Funds over $500 USD are earmarked for designated projects or purpose. We provide direct feedbacks along with photos, videos, and letters to all our supporters. The goal is to build a long standing bond between you and those underserved in Vietnam to foster a bright future for those who aren't afforded the same chance.
Vietnam Relief Services follows the 90% principle , ensuring that donations get utilized efficiently and effectively to directly impact those in need. Many charities use as much as 50% of donations for "overhead costs" to cover salaries and office costs; Vietnam Relief Services is governed and managed by a staff of qualified volunteers with longstanding experience in the Finance, Global Health, and local charity sector (No salaries - Just committed volunteers and dedicated leaders).
All programs are run by in-country volunteers living in Vietnam. This ensures accountability, productivity, and direct support for the disadvantaged community we service.
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As we drove into the city, Danny even commented how my entire demeanor had changed.
We were dropped of at our prebooked hotel to be told that they were overbooked and they had another hotel for us. I was on cloud 9- it didn't even phase me. I just nodded and followed the man out the door and down the road. As we get into the room Danny had the "wtf" look on his face. Then I came back to reality and realized it was a little strange, but still I didn't care. We headed out for a late night stroll taking in all of the traffic, sights, smells, and sounds that were around us.
|Our welcome to Vietnam smiles
Can you tell mines a little bigger
than Danny's?
We're only spending two days in Hanoi. So we made sure to get out early- you know 11am (They had a blow dryer!!!!) We walked up and down the old quarter and the french quarter. With all the main tourist attractions already checked off the list from last years visits, it was a leisurely walking day. Well maybe not leisurely when you add motorbikes, slippery roads, and the hustle and bustle that comes with Hanoi!
I continued my cloud 9 feeling all throughout the day. I couldn't shake it, nor did I want to. I haven't felt this good the entire trip. It was raining all day- not a problem, I've got a rain coat. Our cookie treats had a nice big bug in them- ehhh just spit it out. I even fell in the middle of the road, covered myself in muck, and shook it off. (Thanks to Danny I'm still alive!!) But seriously- nothing can bring me down. It feels so good to be in Vietnam.
|Happy Happy Girl!!!


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The United States Administration is expected to sue the State of Arizona over a controversial recently enacted immigration law.
Hilary Clinton made the plans known when speaking to a local television station in Quito, Ecuador. The State "will be bringing a lawsuit" against Arizona, the Secretary of State said.
The new immigration law passed by Arizona makes it a crime to be in the United States illegally and would have massive repercussions for the thousands of undocumented Irish and others currently living and working in the United States passed the expiry of their visa.
She told the local Ecuadorian television channel how "President Obama has spoken out against the law, because he thinks that the federal government should be determining immigration policy."
Arizona's Governor, Jan Brewer, was not too happy at the news. The Administration apparently hadn't even told the State before it broke the news to the TV station. She said "If our government intends to sue our state to prevent illegal immigration enforcement, the least it can do in inform us before it informs the citizens of another nation."
Public opinion, however, seems to be in favor of the Arizona law. According to a recent survey carried out by ABC/The Washington Post, 58 percent of Americans would support the measure, 42 percent of whom "strongly" support it, while 41 percent stated their opposition to the immigration reform.
Senator Clinton also said during the interview that it was one of Barack Obama's key priorities in office to introduce a comprehensive program of immigration reform, although she did not specify exactly what measures this would entail.
There's been some speculation as to whether or not the statement represents official policy, as a previous statement by the administration had merely stated that it was possible that the Department would sue the State over the law.
The lawsuit, if taken, will be brought by the Department of Justice on behalf of the central Federal United States Government.


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WASHINGTON — They would seem an unlikely pair to have emerged, for the moment at least, as the chief threat to President Clinton's health care reform plan.
One is a relatively junior--and largely unknown--Tennessee Democrat who aspires to the Senate seat once held by Vice President Al Gore. The other, though rapidly becoming an accomplished legislator, is best known to the nation as a character in a television sitcom who bumbled around the deck of a cruise ship in short pants and knee socks.
Reps. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) and Fred Grandy (R-Iowa) are the driving force behind a health plan that is now the only one in Congress commanding significant support on both sides of the aisle. And with the endorsement of their approach by the Business Round table and a tacit embrace by the nation's governors, Cooper and Grandy have left the backers of Clinton's plan scrambling to regain their momentum.
How long Cooper and Grandy will stay out in front remains to be seen. To a significant degree, their present support comes from groups more interested in using them to derail the Clinton plan than in writing the Cooper-Grandy blueprint for health care into law.


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As part of our automated services, we can install automated shades within your office or home.
These automated shades can be hard-wired or wireless, depending on the setting and the client's preference. The shades are remotely operated, so that you have the ability to control the shades from anywhere in the room.
There are ranging opacities from translucent and sheer to room-darkening. The shades provide privacy, functionality and are very stylish. Not to mention, with the hassle-free maintenance and ease of operation, you'll be impressed with the quality of the product line offered to you.


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Written by
Antony Leather
September 5, 2016 // 3:02 p.m.
Tags: #best-case-mods #bit-tech-mod-of-the-month #case-modding #modding-guide #mod-of-the-year #pc-modding #rig-of-the-month
Companies: #bit-tech #corsair
Want to comment? Log in.
Here's our pick of some of the best projects currently underway in our forum.
We've picked some of the best projects recently completed in our project log forum.
It's the final Mod of the Month of 2016 - here are the best finished projects.
Here's our pick of some of the best finished PC modding projects from last month.
We've chosen some of our favourite and most promising case mods to show you this month.
We've picked our favourite PC mods that were finished in September - check them out.
Here's a handful of some of the best in-progress projects currently underway in our modding forums.
Gigabyte is including EKWB water blocks with two limited edition motherboards.
Vote for your favourite completed projects that have been completely recently.
We've picked some of the best modding projects from our forums - vote for your favourites!
Check out some of the best completed projects from May and vote for your favourites
Parvum Systems has added three new cases including ATX and E-ATX models to its lineup
Thermaltake's latest show piece is wall mountable and offers load of watercooling support
© Copyright bit-tech


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One of the benefits of working at the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter, is the opportunity to see many things that one would not normally witness down in the city, or even at lower elevations. Yesterday I was at the Mount Lemmon summit all day and took a few pictures of some of the sights- I'll present them here in chronological order. First up is a picture of what I believe is a Blackhawk helicopter that made several passes and landings at our site during the early afternoon. We have a helipad on site (think wildfire fighting, mountain rescue, etc) and it is likely that the pilot and crew thought our mountaintop site would make for a nice training location.
As the Sun was beginning to head toward the horizon, I took the image below looking east toward the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). While at least a 4 hour drive from the summit of Mount Lemmon, it is likely only 75-80 miles away as the crow flies. In addition to revealing beautiful colors on the intervening landscape, the low angle of the Sun illuminated the dome nicely and you can see it as the little white rectangle at the center of the image.
This is a full resolution crop of the center, and you can make out the slit in the center which opens to reveal the telescope.
Finally, we are often treated to fantastic sunsets and last night was no exception. Quite often we can see the green rim of the Sun and I am always trying to take a picture of it. I managed to capture one of my better ones last night, mostly due to the fact that it was one of the strongest I have seen in some time. While viewing this phenomenon typically requires some magnification, last nights green rim was exceptionally vivid.


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Our Classes
We offer a wide variety of Yoga classes at our studio, located right in the heart of Downtown Moncton. We aim to provide a yoga practice for everyone from beginners to experts and we're always adding something new.
Restorative Yin
A mat based stretch, great for athletes, beginners or just to wind down your day. These poses are generally held for several minutes to encourage passive stretching. Props are often used to help support the body.
Yoga Nidra
The practice of yoga relaxation and meditation. It refers to the conscious awareness of the deep sleep state. It is among the deepest states of relaxation and a great practice for anyone needing to reconnect with themselves.
A quicker style of yoga where we link our breath to movement to warm up the body in order to prepare for deeper stretches at the end of class. Still beginner friendly!
A high energy mixture of aerobics to get the heart rate up as well as yoga and pilates to help strengthen and tone the body. Modifications of high or low impact exercises are demonstrated for the class to choose their own level. Sneakers are recommended but not necessary.
Power Yoga
A more intense version of your typical flow class. Frequently given the option to explore more challenging postures to advance your practice.


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Yesterday was insane. First off, the expo was really nice. It's not as extravagant as the Gotland Game Awards, but in all honesty, that was a relief. After two days smacked into a corner with dozens of speakers blasting at full volume all around us, me and Robin enjoyed an expo where you could actually talk to people without ruining your voice! Also, since this was the Swedish Game Awards finale, 100 % of the games were really good!
The awards ceremony was also very cool. Between two of the awards, they had a LED juggling act to celebrate the creation of a SGA-theme song, which was awesome
Our category was the last one to come up. Best Execution. I wasn't really nervous or anything, because I was quite sure that Dwarfs stood no real chance. However, there was a certain scenario where we could actually win "Best Execution"! In student competitions such as these, there seems to be a tradition to distribute certain prizes in order to maximize the motivational benefit of the awards. In practice, this means that no game wins two big titles.Therefore, if one of the other games in Best Execution won Best of Show, Dwarfs would only need to be second in order to win Best Execution! There was a slim chance, at least, and I could only hope.
When the member of the jury read the motivation, starting off with "A simple, yet well thought out game, whose strength lies not in graphics…" my eyes opened wide. Could that be us? But alas, it was the little can of pure, concentrated fun that is Br00t4l Qwest (http://www NULL.devourgames NULL.com/in-development/br00t4l-qwest/)! I really thought, "okay, now it's finally over". I was curious, which one would win? Sanctum with its insanely polished visuals and new take on tower defense, or Questionable Heroes, with its innovative gameplay and intense multiplayer action?
Filip, the SGA Project Manager, announced: "And here are the nominees for Game of The Year", and it zoomed in on Dwarfs. I smiled a bit, because it was nice being nominated twice.
Then he said:
"Oh, wait, this is the winner."
It took a while to process, but apparently we did win! That's kind of insane. Now we just need to finish this game (more in-game content and more polish), release it this fall, and see what the future brings! Even though there won't be any big expos for a while, the blog will keep on being updated so… remember to check in! ^^
Oh, and a big shout out to Questionable Heroes (http://gameawards NULL.se/competition_entries/547)! They were our expo neighbours, and was really cool and helpful. They used their civil engineer m4dsk1llz to stick our cloth banner to the security door behind us! Also, their game is really sweet (eight player multiplayer)! To top it off, one of their programmers (Simon Stensmar) is obviously also a progamer, as he managed to get a whooping 680 000 points in Normal 15min! Now, that's madness!
Here's a link to all the SGA10 winners (http://gameawards NULL.se/news/winners/)


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These are the tools of the Montessori classroom. We call them "materials." And because these materials are designed for the children to hold, feel, move and change, they are called manipulatives.
For letters, it's not just about learning to recognize them by sight. Our dimensional letters are called "the movable alphabet" so children can pick them up, arrange them and see how they look upside down.
Designed to invite exploration
When you look at Montessori materials, you can't help wanting to explore them with your senses. For example, you see sound cylinders… how can you not pick them up and shake them? They consist of two matched sets of wooden cylinders containing varying substances that create different sounds when shaken.
The child sorts the sound cylinders using only her listening skill. Two cylinders have the barely audible sound of sand. Two have the slightly louder sound of rice inside them. Others contain beans or items that sound louder still. After matching the cylinders, the child can grade the cylinders—that is, put the cylinders in order of softest to loudest, or loudest to softest.
Montessori materials are always beautiful. A preference is given to natural materials, such as wood and glass. Plastic is less appealing. Many imitations of Montessori materials exist, although they are not as attractive, nor as good as, the original.
Come visit the classroom at Pinewoods Montessori and see for yourself -- get hands on with our manipulatives and imagine how your child will explore their world!


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Reviews Panic Room Titles Movies
Visual film analysis from a spiritual point of view. Reviewer explains the movie as a journey from fear to self confidence.
Top: Arts: Movies: Titles: P: Panic Room: Reviews
See Also:
- Movies For Guys: Panic Room - A 3/5 star review by Billy Bob.
- Movie Forums - Panic Room - Review of the film by Kent Woods.
- HARO Online - Haro rates the film "Pretty Good."
- Flipside Movie Emporium: Panic Room - Review by Michael B. Scrutchin.
- Popkorn Junkie: Panic Room - Movie review that includes cast list, link to official web site, soundtrack, novel, and movie poster.
- Rotten Tomatoes: Panic Room - Links to reviews, photos, the trailer, and a reviews public forum.
- EW.com: Panic Room - Review by Lisa Schwarzbaum.
- Entertain Your Brain: Panic Room - Review by Shawn McKenzie.
- Metacritic: Panic Room - Quotes from and links to reviews by various p critics.
- Hollywood Jesus: Panic Room - Visual film analysis from a spiritual point of p view. Reviewer explains the movie as a journey p from fear to self confidence.
- MovieCritic.ca: Panic Room - A review by Canadian movie critic, Luc-Rock Paquin.
- Moving Pictures: Panic Room - Review, pictures from the movie, and basic cast reviews and crew reviews information.
- TheWorldJournal.com: Panic Room - Film information, rating and review.
- Shade.ca: Panic Room - Synopsis, review, and rating.
- SunTimes.com: Panic Room - Read Roger Ebert's three star review.
- TNMC Movie Reviews: Panic Room - A three star review of the film by panic room Gareth reviews Von Kallenbach.
- All-Reviews.com: Panic Room - Multiple reviews of the movie.
- DVDwolf - Panic Room Review - Positive review of the movie with no spoilers.
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We offer all sorts of classic collections jewelry replica, almost have everything that you expect to find. Our special place is that you can find some special products that other stores do not sell.


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2014 will mark the beginning of the years of many sorrows, the opening act having been the crashes of Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers starting in early 2008 – neither of which was an "accident." The following analysis is based upon information provided by Jim Willie in a recent interview with Turd Furgeson to which we add our own interpretations for good measure.
We have already given our own warnings about the US which is a kleptocracy running on borrowed fumes. The Rockefeller Nazis and Bush Crime Syndicate have plundered the USA for its wealth and gold, and have safely absconded with it to offshore locations. But the carnage is only starting.
The economy will spiral out of control as quantitative easing is exposed for the fraud that it is. The wholesale debasement of the currency which was used to continue lavish bonuses to criminal banksters and bail outs of their incompetent, Ralph Kramden inspired investing schemes will catch up with the currency in even larger inflation than we have seen to date. Just as Belshazzar was partying like a wild dog on the night he lost his life to General Gobryas' invading armies, so Americans and their Nazi leaders smugly denounce any threat to their security and prosperity. But the joke is on them.
The US deficit has doubled under the watch of Rockefeller Manchurian Candidate Barack Obama, who promised very early in his administration that we would have trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see – and he was only speaking of the visible current year operating deficit. The other deficits would simply be repudiated.
This deliberate destruction of the currency to satisfy the Wall Street banksters was partially required by the mechanics of debt based currency. Debt based currency requires ever greater inputs of currency – hence debt - in order to keep from imploding – it is a Ponzi scheme on steroids. After 80 years, the capital base of America has finally been eviscerated to the point where deficits must be accelerated. You can safely ignore the gibberish about Taper Talk. It's another lie of the US Fed.
On this point of inflation vs deflation, there is some reasonable disagreement. Professor Antal Fekete has argued that deflation is the pre-eminent threat, as 33 years of declining interest rates have depleted capital stocks, especially those of the banks. Indeed both Willie and Fekete would agree that the banks are insolvent zombies.
But we know from John Williams' work that inflation is much higher than the government calculates, so inflation is indeed a prominent threat. Fekete may prevail in that it is not hyperinflationary, but no one will deny the destruction of capital we have seen in this country as huge chunks of manufacturing have been moved offshores, resulting in chronic intractable unemployment, all of which is due to structural intangible capital destruction.
Middle East
Recently – within the last 1-2 years – the Chinese navy completely fried the entire electronics system on a US destroyer on patrol in the Indian Ocean. That destroyer is now in the Virginia naval yards being scrapped. The point is that Chinese military strength has reached parity or superiority over the US – and the Chinese are not spending 45% of the world's military expenditures to accomplish that technical feat.
This development is not to justify a new arms race, but rather a strategic withdrawal as the American Imperium is overstretched and bankrupt on its corpulent lusts. This defeat of the US Navy in the Indian Ocean accompanies its defeat in the Middle East where Russia's Vladimir Putin administered the US the biggest asswhooping since Viet Nam. Few recognize the strategic defeat of the US, but it was a geopolitical earthquake which signals the arrival of new overlords in the Middle East – Russia and China - who are friends again on the basis of the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
The supreme arrogance of the Bush Crime Syndicate's seminal Project for a New American Century had some early successes but is completely in ruins as Egypt and Syria demonstrate. The Saudis supposedly instigated American action against the Syrians, but we aren't buying it. The US was acting on the Neocons' (BCS) PNAC document created no later than the 1980s.
Willie believes that the US will tilt toward Iran, but that won't go over any better than lice at a Ms Clairol hair styling event. The US has tortured Iran, the latest episode being economic sanctions – in collusion with its mullah's we might add – and they are not going to forgive and forget so easily.
Indeed the reason for the attacks on Iran has nothing to do with nuclear weapons, which US officials have repeatedly acknowledged as non-threatening. The fear of the Iranian military is predicated upon as sound a reason as the fear of the Vietnamese in the 1960s - it was all a hoax by the leaders of the Military Industrial Complex to justify war, murder, and mayhem for Wall Street's benefit.
The real reason for the attacks was Iranian acceptance of gold for payment of oil, bypassing the aging petrodollar arrangement facilitated by Nazi Henry Kissinger in the 1970s. However, with the arrival of Russian and Chinese military installations in the Middle East, the petrodollar will give way to the petroyuan.
The only asset propping up the US dollar is the US military, which the US trots out any time a nation, most recently South Korea, utters any interest in diversifying its portfolio out of the US dollar. But the stampede has started, with even the British establishing a Yuan swap facility with the Chinese. The sun is indeed setting on the American empire.
Finally, the US was repudiated in the Ukraine when Neocon hack John McCain stepped forth to support the repressive Ukrainian government under pressure from its people to resign. Again, the US was outwitted by billionaire criminal Putin. But US policy is run by rank amateurs beholden to the trivial Rockefeller Nazi interests.
The Sino-American war in Africa continues to rage, with the US sending in its proxy forces from France to aid the losing cause. That war will end no more favorably than the others.
We have reported the emptying of Fort Knox – the world's largest store of nerve gas, but now insiders, such as Andrew Maguire, report empty London vaults with massive tonnage of gold shipped east to China where the story is rather complicated.
It turns out that the US defaulted on derivative obligations to secure the Chinese gold pledged in a quid pro quo to grant China Most Favored Nation status. The US granted the repressive corrupt communist regime this privilege because the Chinese put up gold collateral for the deal. The US stole the gold – it is gone, and then it defaulted on the securities payments, leaving the Chinese quite perturbed and short changed.
To pay for it, the US forced the British and Swiss to steal gold from allocated accounts, melt it, and recast for shipment to China. ETF accounts, private gold accounts, and companies with custodial accounts such as MF Global, have all been raided to pay off the Chinese. And lawsuits are flying like fur in a wild cat fight in Switzerland.
The African invasions are all about gold and rare earths, as the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was all about oil and heroin.
US banksters have been skimming a lot of gold, stealing enormous tonnage during the Clinton administration, but the bulk of gold has gone east where both the Russians and Chinese have at least 15,000 tons each! He who owns the gold makes the rules.
Although 2013 saw an incredible decimation of the price of gold, 2014 will see the exact opposite and then some. Its price will recover while the stock market flattens or declines. COMEX is dead. It has not delivered any gold in 6 or so months. It is nothing more than a pricing committee to fleece people of their gold.
Indeed the paper price of gold does not reflect its production costs. Consequently, more gold production is going dark, shrinking already tight supplies. With almost no gold in the West, we cannot fathom any scenario where gold would fail to increase in price in 2014.
Given the huge drainage of gold from the US, we have serious doubts about the gold content of US Mint gold products. Independent assayers overseas and domestically should assay the fineness of US gold, especially since the US disbursed an enormous amount of gold plated tungsten during the Clinton years, and we suspect subsequently as well.
Americans will begin to suffer acute privations in 2014 and should not expect any relief from the bankrupt and criminal US government. US unemployment is dropping because of statistical phenomena – not because of any hiring or economic improvements.
The first salvo will come with the bifurcation of the USD into 2 currencies. The domestic dollar will be devalued 60-80% just like banana republic currencies, and the foreign held dollars will continue as is. We expect to see the announcement in 4th quarter of 2014 or so.
The implication is that imported goods will skyrocket in price. Gasoline will be at least 10 USD per gallon. And since oil is a huge part of agriculture, food prices will double or triple as well. These price changes will force devaluations in houses and cars as demand will fall due to higher operating costs.
If you are puerile enough to believe that shale oil will bail out the US, a village might be missing its idiot.
And what about Deutsche Bank?
We previously reported Willie's prognostications about Deutsche Bank, one of a group of 4 international powerhouse banks which sold German gold down the river for a pittance, but whose most egregious crime was falsifying data allowing unqualified European countries to join the European Union. The Maastricht Treaty required that certain debt ratios be met, and when it was not possible, DB lied about the numbers.
Willie remains adamant that DB is going under. This means a ripple effect from Bonn to London to New York City and beyond. We reported on the US government's preparation by testing bail-ins which will arrive with force in 2014. Bail-ins will be applied to everyone – not just the large account holders. In fact, if the past is any indication, wealthy account holders will not suffer any losses. Only those at the 95 percentile and lower level will suffer confiscations.
But the ripple effects resulting in US bail-ins is only part of the story. The entire fraudulent house of cards, which is US banking, will collapse in controlled demolitions like which the Bush Crime Syndicate used to destroy the WTC. The problem is interest rate swaps which are currently destroying JPMorgan Chase. The London Whale Trade continues to eat billions of dollars annually, but with the collapse of DB triggering trillions in derivatives claims, DB will be only one of many banks to suffer meltdown.
This most interesting collapse has already begun as witnessed by the fire sale of One Chase Plaza to the Chinese. How is it that the primest of prime New York City real estate is sold to the Chinese government for over half off in what is supposed to be a robust real estate market? Don't the talking turds on MSNBC, CNBC, and other newsfaking organizations remind us daily of the lush prosperity America is wallowing in due to the virtuoso performance of its economic wizards?
The reason for the giveaway by the traitors of Wall Street is that Chase has a vault right next to the New York Fed's 9 stories underground as reported by Zero Hedge. This makes it very opaque to send the Chinese more gold – whatever is left of it and it is very puny – and more money. In other words, the Chinese control the US Fed and by extension the US government.
But how can this be, you ask? One narrative is that the Chinese are enemies of the US, and we would agree that there is no love lost. But the real source of the takeover is the Bush Crime Syndicate and Rockefeller Nazis. Remember that David Rockefeller denounced the US Constitution in his autobiography and everyone continued to make stupid jokes about tin hats. But the destruction of the US as a functioning independent power is required to elevate the plutocrats to ultimate power in a one world government where the poor 1% have spheres of influence but who in turn report to the .1% Rockefeller and Bush level Nazi scum.
In short, the Chinese are a tool to achieve the ultimate Nazification of the world. As such, we expect to see the dismantling of the US, starting with Alaska and Hawaii, begin within a year or so.
You see, it is one thing to own all the golden eggs, but quite another to own their goose. In a world of declining economic prospects, gold increases in relative value, but a viable company is a series of future cash streams which will handily outperform gold.
We hope our predictions – with heavy input from James Willie's public commentary – are wrong, but beware of handwriting on walls.
Roasting Jackass on an Open Fire, Turd Ferguson, December 24, 2013, accessed 12/25/2013 www.tfmetalsreport.com
Copyright 2013 Tony Bonn. All rights reserved.


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Sweet Cookies Invitation
Item# 13194
If you are planning to host a cookie exchange party then get your guests interested with this perfect invitation. It features a red pate with lots of different cookies. Great for social invitations. Red, green, yellow or white, your modern Christmas invitations will be an enticing sight! Do not forget to include not just names, dates, venue, and time, but also what you would want your guests to bring. If you're throwing a cookie exchange party, then make sure you add a text instruction on your modern Christmas invitations.
Card Size: 5.50" x 8.50" (as shown image)
Paper thickness: 110 lb. premium quality 100% post-consumer recycled paper matte feel white finish card stock. FSC Certified eco-friendly paper, made in USA.
You have the chance to review digital E-Proof image of your text, in your choosen font, laid out on your selected card for your approval prior to submitting your order.
Digital printing press delivers high resolution digital images that rivals the 4 color offset printing press that is used on traditional mass-produced stationery.
Digital print output quality is outstanding, with an emphasis on rich, vibrant color and unsurpassed detail with crisp, clean text.
This means you get the best print quality for graphics, text and photographs. With this exclusive design, we offer premium quality print output since this order is always printed on-demand.
The use of a laser printer is not recommended due to the heat process involved, which tends to interfere and distort the image of your customized finish digital print-out.| Inkjet Printable: No (?)
Traditional inkjet printer may have difficulties to properly self-feed and tends to smear the ink due to heavy card stock involved.


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Help Protect Your Home Against Wildfire Damage
So, what can you do to protect yourself, your home and property from wildfires? Here are some tips for preparing your home and yard to survive a wildfire.
Creating Defensible Space
Create a zone around your house that will slow the wildfire down and possibly direct it around your home. To do this, you must view your yard as a fuel source. Fire will only burn if fuel is present. Fuel can be your landscaping, woodpiles, decks, etc. To create your defensible space, take the following steps within 30 feet of your home, 50 feet if you live in a heavily treed area or 100 feet if your home is on a hillside. If you live in California, a minimum of 100 feet is required.
- Introduce more native vegetation.
- Space trees at least 10 feet apart.
- Remove dead or dying trees and shrubs.
- Keep trees and shrubs pruned. Branches should be a minimum of 6 feet from the ground and shrubs under trees should be no more than 18 inches high.
- Mow your lawn regularly and dispose promptly of cuttings and debris.
- Maintain your irrigation system.
- Clear your roof, gutters and eaves of debris.
- Trim branches so they do not extend over roof or near the chimney.
- Move firewood and storage tanks 50 feet away from home and clear areas at least 10 feet around them.
- Store flammable liquids in approved metal safety cans.
- Do not connect wooden fencing directly to your home.
- Keep the grounds around your home free of pine needles.
Build or Retrofit Your Home with Non-Flammable Materials
If the wildfire gets to the house, another line of defense is the type of materials used on your home's exterior.
- Use only non-combustible roofing materials.
- Box in the eaves, fascias, soffits and subfloors with fire resistant materials like treated wood, reducing the vent sizes.
- Apply 1/4" non-combustible screening to all vent or eave openings.
- Install spark arresters in chimneys.
- Enclose the undersides of decks with fire-resistant materials.
- Cover exterior walls with fire resistant materials like stucco, stone, or brick. (Vinyl siding can melt and is not recommended).
- Use double paned or tempered glass for all exterior windows.
- Install noncombustible street signs.
- Make sure your address is visible from the street.
Create a Plan
Become familiar with your community's disaster preparedness plans and create a plan for your family. Identify escape routes from your home and neighborhood and designate an emergency meeting place for your family to reunite if you become separated.
Put together an emergency kit
that includes first aid supplies; a portable NOAA weather radio; basic
tools; a flashlight; work gloves; fresh batteries for each piece of
equipment; clothing: blankets; baby items; prescription medications;
extra car and house keys; extra eyeglasses; credit cards and cash;
important documents, including insurance policies.
Download a PDF - Reducing Wildfire Risk
More Claim Resources
Preparation and Safety Tips
Information provided by the Institute for Business & Home Safety. The Institute for Business & Home Safety's mission is to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other property losses by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.
The information and suggestions presented range from simple weekend tasks to involved projects that may require professional assistance. Before starting on any activity, make sure you are comfortable with the required skill level. If you are uncertain, contact a professional. Report any property damage to your insurance agent or company representative immediately after a wildfire or other natural disaster and make temporary repairs to prevent further damage.


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Sydney coffee has a fantastic reputation with top baristas plying their trade on every corner. It turns out, it's true! We visited Australia last November and tried a new coffee shop each morning on the walk to work and over the weekend.
We purposely stayed in Surry Hills, a good 30 minute walk from my office in Pyrmont. Whenever I travel for work, I like to wake up a bit early and take a stroll through a new part of town. So many business travelers only see the inside of their hotel and office with a whirlwind car ride in between.
Taking some 'me' time on a business trip is what bleisure travel is all about. Identifying and trying new coffee places is a great way to direct that morning walking commute in a different direction each time. Here are some great places to try (listed in the order that we tried them!) for morning coffee if you find yourself in Sydney for work (or even if it's just for fun!)
1. Reformatory Caffeine Lab
This place was so bad ass with a dark black interior and street art on the walls. The coffee at Reformatory Caffeine Lab was most excellently prepared. I opted for a traditional cappuccino but loved to see all the science-y equipment in use like the addition funnel and frit used to prepare cold brewed filtered coffee. Takes me back to my days in the lab.
2. Two Good Eggs Cafe
We had Sunday brunch at Two Good Eggs Cafe and I'm happy to report that both the coffee and food were excellent. The cappuccino was small but well crafted with a healthy dose of chocolate on top. It was a nice way to wash down a plate of poached eggs and berry pancakes.
3. Colombian Connection at the Carriageworks
The Carriageworks is a weekend farmers' market in the Eveleigh neighborhood of Sydney. As you'd expect, the venue is converted from an old carriageworks and retains a historic, industrial feel. Nestled inside, we discovered the Colombian Connection. They serve their coffee traditionally or for a little extra with almond milk. We enjoyed sipping our cuppa while strolling among the food and craft stalls.
4. The House
Another of our weekend coffee 'finds' was The House conveniently situated in Ultimo between Haymarket and Glebe. We enjoyed a small, well-crafted flat white sipped next to this slightly risque statue. The House was situated in, well, an old house with a sunken area for the baristas to do their thing. Definitely worth checking out.
5. Workshop Espresso
Located in the Central Business District, Workshop Espresso was an ideal pitstop for caffeine at the midpoint between Surry Hills and Pyrmont. Spilling out onto the street, we were able to admire the classic architecture of the CBD while we waited for our order.
6. Single Origin Roasters
Single Origin Roasters in Surry Hills was one of our favorite discoveries in Sydney. There are separate 'drink in' and takeaway locations standing side by side. We sidled up to the takeaway counter. It doesn't look like much from the outside and is almost camouflaged by the air conditioning repair shop next door. Up close, we admired the drip stations and other fancy equipment.
The baristas were super friendly and even asked us where we were from. When we told them we live in Ireland, they were like "Do you know Colin from 3FE?!" I wouldn't say we know Colin personally but he did judge me in a coffee throwing competition once. However, everyone who likes coffee in Dublin knows of Colin Harmon from 3FE. I was extremely impressed that these guys halfway around the world knew him too.
The baristas were super friendly and even asked us where we were from. When we told them we live in Ireland, they were like "Do you know Colin from 3FE?!" I wouldn't say we know Colin personally but he did judge me in a coffee throwing competition once. However, everyone who likes coffee in Dublin knows of Colin Harmon from 3FE. I was extremely impressed that these guys halfway around the world knew him too.
7. Reuben Hills
A cool morning breeze swept end to end through the open doors of Reuben Hills in Surry Hills when we stopped in. Reuben Hills served a fine cappuccino and also is a great spot to sit down for lunch.
8. Bean Temple
We discovered the no fuss, Bean Temple in Surry Hills just a block or two from our hotel. Located across the street from the police station, you can't miss it. The coffee was fine and apparently they make a lovely toastie.
9. Lava
Back in the Central Business District, we tried Lava. I loved the vibe of this place from the astroturf garden and picket fence out front to the chalk decorated walls. The baristas also really knew what they were doing and handed over a well crafted cappuccino. Another great find!
10. Mecca
You might think that Mecca is the mecca of the coffee scene in Sydney. We enjoyed our stop here in Ultimo and a well-prepared latte. I do think it's hard though for any one coffee place to declare supremacy in Sydney. There are just too many darn good places.
11. Local Mbassy
I also loved the atmosphere at Local Mbassy in Ultimo. Old fashioned and rusty gadgets lined the walls with stylized black and white art in the back. Local Mbassy also featured a charming display of cronuts and other pastries to tempt those of us that just stopped in for a bit of caffeine. Definitely worth checking out.
12. The Pigeonhole Cafe
Our final discovery on the trip was The Pigeonhole Cafe. Also located in Ultimo, this place was quite popular and we had to wait about 10 minutes to be served. It was worth the wait though because it gave me time to admire the bird motif in the interior and the coffee was well-prepared.
What other coffee places would you recommend in and around Sydney? We love using our morning coffee walks as a way to gently direct our exploration of a new city and make sure we don't fall into the hotel-office death spiral that can so easily happen on a business trip.


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Last year, Showhomes, the nation's largest and most successful home staging franchise, made history. As the brand wrapped up 2015, they posted their best year of revenue ever—Showhomes had a 33 percent increase in system-wide revenue when compared with 2014.
But even after its record-breaking year, Showhomes remained committed to aggressive expansion in the year ahead. Now, as Showhomes celebrates its 30th anniversary, they've hit another important business milestone—the brand is now backed by a strong system of 56 franchises after signing five new franchises during Q1.
"We're extremely excited by this rapid growth, because it's proof that our innovative approaches to home staging are truly resonating with homeowners," said Showhomes Chief Operating Officer Matt Kelton. "Last year, we focused on expanding the unique menu of services we offer that help set our Showhomes apart, from home renovations to our proprietary home manager program. And as we watch the real estate market grow again, Showhomes is really at a turning point—we're set to continue building that incredible momentum throughout the rest of 2016 and beyond."
Much of that growth can be attributed to Showhomes' expanding slate of services. The brand now serves home sellers as a one-stop-shop, offering home updates such as interior painting and flooring upgrades to help better position a home for sale. Through the Home Updating Service, Showhomes' update experts assess a home's individual needs by providing a customized menu of changes which include utilizing the companies exclusive color palettes and flooring options to bring a maximum return on investment. Additionally, this service can save the homeowner the headache and burden of having to hire and coordinate multiple contractors to complete the work.
With real estate at its highest peak since 2008, and with the building applications for single-family projects at their highest rates since December of 2007, Showhomes is predicting another year of strong sales growth.
"Now that we're seeing homes turn around faster on the market and new construction has picked up, we're realizing that the demand for our services is increasing—people are eager to get their house into shape, and they need our help to beat out the competition," Kelton said.
As the need for Showhomes' services increases and the brand continues to refine its proven model, Kelton has no doubt that they will continue to grow. During 2016 alone, they are aiming to open 12 additional franchises throughout the country
"With a combination of low-cost investment (which can range from $45,300 to $78,000), and a business model boasting multiple revenue streams, I'm confident in Showhomes' ability to continue expanding in number of units and in revenue," Kelton said. "Moving forward, we will focus our expansion plans in areas with strong availability and continue to add talented business owners to our wildly successful and growing concept."
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"Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not." – Oprah Winfrey
There are two phrases that have come to identify what may very well be the bane of our 21st Century moral fiber:
- If you don't get caught it's not against the rules/law.
- No harm, no foul.
It is easy to see why so many of our young people, especially those born from 1980 on, are so confused when it comes to integrity. Oprah, a Baby Boomer born in 1954, understands the true basis of integrity.
While we Baby Boomers understand why it is necessary to be integrous even when there is no chance of being caught or facing any retribution if we don't, the Millennials, and those following them apparently, and obviously, have not had this ingrained into their very being. For those who accept the validity and veracity of the Bible, we find the need for integrity summed up in Col. 3:23 – "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto man" (KJV). Once you accept the fact that everything you do is being observed and, eventually, judged by God, it is a little easier to follow these sage words of advice from Oprah!
*** Special Bonus***
1900 – 1924 The G.I. Generation
1925 – 1945 The Silent Generation
1946 – 1964 The Baby Boomers
1965 – 1979 Generation X
1980 – 2000 Generation Y/Millennials
2000 – Present Generation Z or NEW Silent Generation


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Good for a laugh!
Marloes Tervoort, Wednesday, February 13, 2013 , 290 Views
A night out in a basement does something to me. Starved of daylight, I'm in my element straight away, in a manner of speaking. This was the case in the cellar bar of the building where I studied. Going in at 5 pm for one drink meant rolling out again drunk six hours later. I behave better at the Toomler comedy club but I find it just as cosy.
At the same time we're entertained by stand-up comedians, some of whom are of course funnier than others. Though Toomler is run by Dutch people, there are frequently performances by foreign comedians in English. There is even a Comedytrain International Summer Festival, where big names such as Arj Baker, Glenn Wool and Dwight Slade have performed.
A more American option is Boom Chicago at Leidseplein. The comedy troupe was established in 1993 and puts on shows that ridicule Dutch politics and social developments. Fun for tourists who identify with the Dutch habits and customs which are new to them, but there's plenty to tickle the Dutch too; I speak from experience. It's always good to find out how others see 'us'. And to realise that some Dutch habits and developments are in fact rather odd. The number one topic is rude restaurant and bar staff, but our annual Sinterklaas festival is equally fit for lampooning.
Toomler, Breitnerlaan 2, Amsterdam
Boom Chicago, Leidseplein 12, Amsterdam
Comedy Café Amsterdam, Max Euweplein 43-45, Amsterdam


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Gucci, lancement If you like the idea of being your own boss (I certainly do), chances are you get the itch sometimes to create your own product — a product whose direction you control, that you do not have to compromise on with someone else, and whose fruits you get to fully enjoy, instead of being paid by the hour or a flat rate. It could be a Web service, a WordPress plugin or a desktop application, but the core problem is the same: how do you pick an idea that will succeed?
Most of us take a very simple approach: we stumble on something that doesn't work well for us or we identify a problem that we have a lot of experience with, and we think, "All right, I'll just build x for y and make a mint." The problem is that we don't have any indicators of whether others feel the same pain and would be inclined to pay for a solution.
Credits: Gucci Shop in Wien by epicaxas


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Technical Info
The PMS colours are invaluable as you can consistently reproduce the correct colours with most printing applications regardless of the printer being used.
Glossary of Terms
EPS: (Encapsulated Postscript). EPS files are the preferred format for most logo printing applications. Logos and fonts must be converted to outlines or vector curves prior to transmission, disk or CD. EPS files can also be used to transfer photographic images. Illustrator is the preferred program that can create EPS files suitable for" APLAus" branding applications.
EPS VECTOR ARTWOK: Vector images are made up of lines and curves joined together via anchor points set by mathematical calculations. They are ideal for logos and line drawings. They always have sharp edges and are scalable to any size. Easy to edit colours (PMS or CMYK) and is the industry standard artwork format (.eps or .ai).
BITMAP: Bitmap images are made up of coloured pixels (Tiny dots) set in rows and columns. The quality and clarity relies on the resolution of the image.
JPEG: (Joint Photographers Expert Group). JPEG files are a compression format used for making graphic files smaller. Supply photographic images to "APLAus" as jpeg files (300dpi minimum resolution) but not logos. Used to display photographs and scanned images via email.
TIFF FILE: (Tagged Image File Format). TIFF files are uncompressed JPEG files. Supply photographic images to "APLAus" as TIFF files, but not logos.
PDF FORMAT: (Portable Doc Format). Ideal file format for sending viewing images to ".,PDF files are not suitable for artwork.
DPI: Dots per inch.
LPI: Lines per inch.
PPI: Pixels per inch.
RESOLUTION: The optical graphics resolution is the real maximum resolution that an input device, such as a scanner or digital camera, can render a bitmap image.
SPOT COLOUR: Printing of a single colour. Multiple spot colours can be used to create multi-colour art.
CMYK: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (aka-Black). A 4 colour process printing system used to print full colour or half tone photographic images. Process colour ink is perfect for photographic quality printing.
4 COLOUR PROCESS: Offset printing using colours made up of percentages of CMYK dots. Used in printing photographic images on items such as mouse mats and printed material such as brochures and point of sale.
RGB: Red, green and blue are the 3 colours that are used by monitors to display images. They are called additive colours because the more of each of each RGB colour that is added, the brighter the resultant colour. 100% of RGB will produce white.
PMS: Pantone Matching System-refer to our PMS chart for colour matching. The PMS system is the numbering ink system used by all printers.
REDRAW: A redraw is achieved by precisely tracing over a bitmap image (eg. jpeg) with a vector program (eg. Illustrator). To complete the process, the bitmap image is removed, leaving a perfect vector image that is ready for applying PMS colours, scaling etc.... and saving as an .eps or an .ai file.
FONTS: 3 things to remember when selecting a font.....1.Clarity. 2. Clarity. 3. Clarity. Fonts are the computer equivalent of typefaces or characters.
A process whereby a computerised embroidery machine stitches coloured threads into the material. This process is usually available on cotton, canvas, microfibre, polyester and nylon products.
Pricing is based on the stitch count. Embroidery cannot be PMS matched but with the large range of embroidery threads available can be very close to the required colours.
Screen Printing
The most versatile of all the printing processes. Fine detail through to huge print areas, vibrant colours on an endless range of materials - rigid and flexible plastics, vinyl, fabric, metal, glass etc. This is the only process that allows the printing of weatherproof, long-life outdoor inks, so if this is the application you need, screen printing is the answer.
Plastisol Printing
Plastisol transfers are used when fine detail is required when printing on items such as Caps, Clothing or Bags.
Laser Engraving
A process whereby a laser is used to burn an impression into the coated surface or basic material of any item.Available on metal products such as key tags, pens, metal mugs etc. and also glassware.
Sublimation Printing
Is a heat transfer method of imprint using heat-activated dyes that "sublimate" into the fabric; becoming part of the fabric, not an imprint sitting on top of the fabric.
Digital Printing
Digital printing is used for printing directly onto garments with full colour process. The digital colour revolution is hitting the industry in a big way - "full colour, short or long run printing, with Polo Shirts, Tee Shirts, business cards to banners produced through high-end lasers and wide format inkjet printers. Some Promotional products can also be printed digitally.
Pad Printing
Ever wondered how golf balls are printed? Pad printing allows the printing of convex, concave, recessed and discontinuous surfaces well outside the capabilities of other printing processes. Pad printing is ideal for moulded promotional products such as pens, letter and bottle openers etc. and any plastic, ceramic or metal components.
Decal Printing
Decals are used for decorating on coffee mugs and glassware. A spot colour or 4 colour process decal is pre-printed, and then fired onto the coffee mug or glass. Costs are specified for one side or two sides (full wrap decal).
General printing-Offset
Contrary to popular belief, the offset press has not yet been made obsolete. Printed stationery, brochures, posters-in fact, any paper-based product can be printed using this method. Used in printing photographic images on items such as mouse mats and printed material such as brochures and point of sale.
Offset printing is a process of transferring ink from a metal printing plate to a rubber-covered cylinder. Used on more complex artworks and for higher quantity runs.
Four Colour Process
A photo-quality full colour image is created by laying 4 colours (CMYK - cyan, magenta, yellow and black) on top of each other. The colour mix and density of each colour will determine the final colour of the picture.
Blind Stamp
A process whereby a die is pressed into the surface of a material resulting in a depressed imprint. This process is usually available on vinyl, leather and faux leather products.
A process virtually identical to blind stamping whereby a die is pressed into the surface of a material resulting in a depressed imprint. This process is usually available on vinyl, leather and faux leather products.
Deboss with Colour Fill
Combination of debossing and colouring, debossed then filled with colour (enamel or synthetic colour).
Machine presses a die into the surface of the material, resulting in a depressed area around the imprint desired. Imprint appears to be raised.
Etching is a method whereby a photographic process prepares a film mask to etch into the glass or crystal product.
Die Struck
A reverse die is made of the imprint, and then machine struck onto the metal surface. Die-struck pieces are predominantly metal (lapel pins, key rigs, etc.) and may be colour filled.
Hot Foil Stamping
Heat is used to leave a foil imprint of the design on the surface. Available in a variety of colours but can only be implemented in a single colour for the entire design.


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Italian-Style Herb Bread from "The Bread Bible"
After some trepidation, I finally attempted the Italian-Style Herb Bread from Beth Hensperger's The Bread Bible. The hubby and I are avid picnickers and my parents had just gotten me a snazzy portable picnic table I can't wait to try out tomorrow.
Several things made me nervous about this bread:
1.) The only other cooked stuffing bread I'd attempted prior to this was onion rolls (also from BB; it's the only bread book I have) and they turned out well, but the filling didn't quite blend as well as I'd like.
2.) I'm not a fan of sun-dried tomatoes, so I knew I was leaving those out. I considered adding more olive oil to the sausauge, onion and garlic stuffing, but decided against that and instead drizzed just a touch of trufflle oil (a gift from a neighbor I gave the grilled flatbread I tried last week) to over it before it cooled.
3.) I've never baked a bread with the herbs directly in the crust.
4.) I was forced to make substitions: Chambord for the anise liquer that went into the stuffing and fresh chervil instead of dry.
So, with all that in mind, I began. I'll let my photos tell the story of the journey.
There's quite a bit of prep for this loaf, between chopping the onions and mozzarella, etc., but that's the time I let the herbs soak in olive oil.
The next step was to combine the slurry with the herbs, wine and salt and "beat until foamy."
That did confuse me a bit, but I beat hard using a whisk until there was indeed a layer of foam on the top.
Next I added the flour, kneaded, and while the dough rose worked on the filling. Again, I substituded Chambord for the anise (we don't drink, and I had some on top of the fridge I was given as a gift forever ago) and truffle oil for sun-dried tomatoes (also a gift):
The next sequence is the baking:
The next part, folding, flipping and scoring, made me especially nervous:
Unfortunately, then I failed miserably....instead of making 1" cuts on an angle, I made them vertically. At first, I tried to fix it, but that wasn't working, so I simply pressed on.
One thing that would've been extremely helpful, however, is to know how long across the loaf the cuts needed to be. I'd never had this kind of bread before, so I wasn't even really sure how it should look.
And -- as is often the case with my breads -- somewhere in the oven things went wrong. When I pulled out the loaf, it was all I could do not to cry. I might be edible (I'll wait until it cools to try it) and maybe we can even take it on our picnic with us, but I think it's took dark and doesn't seem right somehow.
The third "arm" I took off to get a better image of the filling, which did bake into the dough well, so that's good at least.
The crust is definitely on the "extra crispy" side, which isn't great either.
Well, I'll try it again. In retrospect, I should've known better than to let it go for the full 40 minutes as my oven runs hot and often I have to cover the top of my white bread loaves with foil. Lessons learned, I guess.
On the brigth side, the crumb looked and tasted marvellou! I was surprised at how well the pepper and sausage came through. So that's good.