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Given fourteen years, what would an artist who could produce the caliber of music that wound up on Voodoo conjure up, provided invaluable resources and a supporting crew of creative minds? D'Angelo is back and definitely not without any fanfare. The neo-soul pioneer of the 90s and early 2000s made a comeback as coveted as any other great artist returning from a hiatus, and his new LP Black Messiah was very much long-awaited. D'Angelo's band The Vanguard also claims a piece of the crown for bringing this album into fruition and creating the album's innermost workings, yet D'Angelo artfully took the reigns of what is now Black Messiah in a way that few before him have done. An album that was roughly twelve years in the making, Black Messiah marks a release that will be revered for its innovation (especially in regards to music nowadays), breadth of creativity, and sensual personality. Black Messiah might just be a future classic.
If you've been yearning for D'Angelo's return after his 2000 release Voodoo, then you've probably heard a few of the songs that appear on Black Messiah. Do not fret, because these songs have been cleaned up and expertly tailored for an official release. Despite this fact, those in tune to everything D'Angelo's been up to may have heard when Questlove let loose a rough, unfinished version of "Really Love" back in 2007, or "1000 Deaths" when it leaked on the internet a few years back (although it was taken down by D'Angelo himself). Then just the other night, Red Bull Music Academy released the infectious "Sugah Daddy" that spread like wildfire across the interwebs.
Never mind any leaks, because D'Angelo delivers in a huge way with Black Messiah. Besides D'Angelo having written and produced every song on the album, along with help and support from the likes of The Vanguard, Questlove, Q-Tip, jazz musician Kendra Foster, renowned bassist Pino Palladino, as well as drummer and session musician James Gadson, D'Angelo resurrected the non-traditional song structure famously heard on his critically acclaimed sophomore effort, Voodoo. Yet on Black Messiah, D'Angelo kept his songs short (none go over six minutes, while only two go under five minutes on Voodoo). Apparently, there were dozens of songs cut down to the twelve heard on the album, so there might have been some that fit the lengthy trend of his sophomore effort, but the shorter songs on his third LP gave D'Angelo the opportunity to maximize each song's potential (see Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy) and cannot hurt the replay value this album possesses.
Musically, the songs are unlike previous music released by the singer/producer. If Brown Sugar was D'Angelo's commercially appreciated R&B debut, and Voodoo was his structure-breaking hip-hop/neo-soul magnum opus, then Black Messiah is the funk-rock materialization of a multifaceted musician. Sure there are bits of soul in D'Angelo's heavily layered vocals, and J Dilla's drum rhythms still echo on songs like "Ain't That Easy," "Sugah Daddy" and "Back to the Future (Part 1)," and there are definitely stand-out tracks, as well, but Black Messiah is a whole new masterpiece in its own right. The familiar mumbles of lyrics make some lines hard to understand, but over multiple listens (and the help of printed lyrics), D's words don't go unnoticed.
Various themes are explored on this album, those of sex, love, life, yet none are as shocking as D'Angelo's social and political consciousness sprinkled throughout. The cover itself resembles something of protest and defiance, yet at the same time, unity and power. The lyrics that allude to social and political consciousness are loudest on "1000 Deaths" and "The Charade," two songs about the lives of African-Americans past, present and future. "1000 Deaths" sounds more like a frightened narrative, starting off:
"I can't believe I can't get over my fear/
They're gonna send me over the hill/
Ah, the moment of truth is near/
They're gonna send me over the hill."
What's more is the timing of this social commentary. The past few months, even years, tragedies like what has happened between police and African-Americans allude to an unrest in the racial sector of the United States of America. These heavy issues have been discussed by many, but now so timely by D'Angelo in songs he made years ago. "The Charade" may refer directly to the Civil Rights movement of the mid-20th century, but the applications can be resembled unto today's times, as D'Angelo further sings:
"All we wanted was a chance to talk/
'Stead we only got outlined in chalk/
Feet have bled a million miles we've walked/
Revealing at the end of the day, the charade."
The power in D'Angelo's words are only perpetuated by the complexities of the music. Do not expect loops and predictable measures; do not expect catchy hooks and memorable one-liners; do not expect anything except powerful music. As I mentioned earlier, coming off the stride of Voodoo, D'Angelo works with a continuous stream of consciousness with his music. Rather than fall into traditional conventions (e.g. verse-bridge-hook-verse-bridge-hook-bridge-hook), the songs on Black Messiah vary greatly. Some have repeated choruses, some have a single chorus, some have no chorus. Some are just various lines repeated over and over (see "Back to the Future (Part II)," which is more or less an intrinsic jam session based off of the workings of "Back to the Future (Part I)").
It is hard to single out any songs that are really all that much better than other songs. Nevertheless, a few favorites do stand out in due time. "The Charade" is gritty in its reliance on a rock-themed foundation; "Really Love" is captivating in its epic and passionate demonstration of a love story through not only the lyrics, but the acoustic guitar and swinging rhythm; "Till It's Done (Tutu)" has an infatuating melody and signature Questlove drums; "Betray My Heart" finds D'Angelo partially crooning the equivalent of a love letter over a minimalistic soundscape, lavishing with sweet guitar riffs and just a few horns; "Another Life" and its bouncing cadence and ultimate, conclusive tone, complete with a charming piano accompaniment.
What works best is to void all preconceived notions of what a song is and let D'Angelo do the talking. Peppered throughout are notes of that funk-rock I mentioned, along with elements of his intrinsic neo-soul, and then some other fusion and hip-hop (mostly in the rhythms, but even there it is minimal). What is remarkable about Black Messiah is more than the fact that it simply exists, but rather how natural its complexity and novelty feels. Black Messiah feeds off of old-school vibes like that of Prince's funk-rock and Miles Davis' hip-hop/jazz-rock fusion heard on his album On The Corner. Yet at the same time, Black Messiah fits in an eclectic, modern-day category of genre-bending material. In today's age, artists are pulling from endless inspirations to create music that will push the boundaries of what is considered typical, right, or even just good. D'Angelo has no problem creating a modern-day pièce de résistance that breaks borders on any confining variables of what anyone thinks is music in an age when computers do most of the work, and yet Black Messiah feels so timeless in its spirit that after so many listens, it's hard to deny the magnitude of this record.
Purchase D'Angelo & The Vanguard's Black Messiah via iTunes | Amazon.


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Elmo's Rock & Roll Guitar is a Sesame Street toy made by Fisher-Price in 1998. The toy guitar plays three tunes, including "Shake, Rattle and Roll". A child can make sounds by pressing the four character buttons decorated with Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Ernie and Big Bird. Pressing the figure of Elmo plays a character phrase. Children can strum the yellow roller and use the green "whammy bar" for extra sound.
A new version was released in 2005 with an updated look.

subset: commoncrawl


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I reminded my new friend that he owns a perfectly capable fishing boat which he could trailer down, and that there are plenty of rental boats at the destination if the drive or the boat-trailering was holding him back. The guy admitted that part of his hesitation concerned the camaraderie he would miss in his guide/friend's absence, but also that he was worried about being able to safely navigate the local waters and get to the fishing spots that he had counted on his professional fishing companion to get them to.
The advice I gave him is the same I have shared with anglers testing new waters for years. The short version: hire a local fishing guide! Bite the ego bullet ("Why hire someone when I know how to fish and can run a boat?!") and shell out the (considerable) bucks it'll cost you to spend a day with a pro and I guarantee you, you won't be sorry.
Even if you own your own boat and have the basic fishing skills and equipment required to be successful in a given water system, the time and money you will spend (note I didn't say "waste;" I consider any time spent aboard and on the water to have value.) using trial and error to learn the local waters and stumble upon a fishing spot or two will positively eclipse the up-front monetary investment required to hire a local professional to help you cut some corners and straighten out your local knowledge learning curve.
That said, to be fair there are some guidelines you need to follow when temporarily hiring the services of a guide, especially one to show you the ropes in waters you intend to boat and angle in the long run on your own.
Since you are not the typical client hiring a guide for a day or two of fishing while you are in town, and instead are hoping to gain local boating and fishing knowledge for your own use in those same waters, you need to be up front with him (or her) and share that information before you agree on a trip. Most captains and guides will appreciate your candor, respect you for being open about your intentions, and may (or may not) agree to host you. While they may not be as forthcoming about taking you to their "secret" hot-spots, knowing that you may return yourself and compete with his clients for his hard-earned fishing action, most professional fishing guides who agree to a "training trip" will return the favor by extending the extra effort required to show you some tips and shortcuts for safely navigating local waters and share other equally valuable information to someone who will be boating there in the long term. The guide will also take you to good places to fish, and perhaps explain what makes those particular locales productive, which is invaluable for someone seeking information to help them start identifying potential "honey holes" of their own.
This is where a hand-held GPS unit comes in handy. Ask your guide if it's okay for you to mark some of the places he takes you. Better yet, if your model offers the option, ask if it is ok with your captain to record the route of your entire time on the water for later reference. The rule here is to ask first; you don't want your captain to catch you sneaking position fixes of his prime fishing holes on a portable GPS receiver. That's grounds for a long swim back to the dock in most locales.
As I advised my friend, in advance of any trip during which you intend to hire a local fishing guide, you should get names of guides and captains from friends who have visited the destination, local sources such as tourism agencies, chambers of commerce, tackle shops or fishing guide associations, or study magazines that carry advertisements for captains who work the waters you want to visit. Then ask the guides you choose to contact for references from past clients, and follow-up with contact with them to learn of the anglers' experiences with that particular captain.
Once you have settled on a potential guide to hire, tell them exactly your intention to use the fishing and boating experience they offer as a basis for further exploration on your own. If they agree to take you out and show you the ropes under those conditions, follow-up with additional communication to make sure you know what time to show up and where, what to wear and who is responsible for what in terms of tackle, bait and lunch.
Done right and with mutual respect, as experienced by my friend, you may be entering a mutually beneficial, long-term relationship. At the least, you will be spending invaluable time in the company of someone with professional knowledge of waters and a fishery that you want to know better yourself. And that's worth gold.
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The Civil Non-Merger Enforcement Program
The Antitrust Division's civil non-merger enforcement program has been addressing one of the most timely questions about antitrust enforcement: Are the antitrust laws adequate to protect consumers from anticompetitive harm that may arise during a period of unprecedented technological change? During this period, the Antitrust Division has filed complaints challenging a wide variety of both unilateral and multilateral conduct in industries that are important to consumers, such as personal computer operating systems, credit cards, and airlines, to ensure that consumers are not denied the full benefits of competition. The Antitrust Division has simultaneously continued its competitive advocacy efforts before Congress and federal administrative agencies to urge reliance on competition, rather than regulation, as the means to maximize consumer welfare.
Recent years have seen unprecedented technological change in many industries, particularly those involving information technology. While some people have contended that the rapid pace of change obviates the need for antitrust enforcement on the ground that new entrants can easily supplant dominant incumbents that try to exert market power, the Division believes that such a generalization is mistaken. Under certain circumstances, network externalities and first-mover advantages associated with information technology systems pose special risks that markets will "tip" very quickly in favor of a dominant incumbent. In such cases, timely and effective antitrust intervention may be even more important than is normally the case if we are to ensure that the eventual market winner prevails on the basis of competition on the merits.
Network effects, a phenomenon of various computer and communications systems, arise when the value of a product or service to a user increases with the number of other users or as products compatible with the service increase. Network effects arise directly where communication with other users is important; for example, in telecommunications or sharing of computer files. Network effects can also arise indirectly where a product's value depends heavily on complementary products (such as application programs compatible with a computer's operating system), since a larger customer base tends to attract a greater variety of such complements. Where network effects are substantial, the market success of a competitor's product will depend not only on its inherent attributes (such as price or ease of use) but also on its ability to interface seamlessly with the dominant firm's products or with complementary products tailored for those products. Installed-base compatibility advantages can give the dominant firm a competitive edge also in related markets, as well as help defend its core market power against rivals whose offerings are otherwise superior. Antitrust concerns arise when a dominant firm's advantages derive from contrived incompatibilities (that is, not from genuine efficiencies) or other exclusionary practices against rivals that restrict efficient access.
The most significant of the Antitrust Division's enforcement efforts of this type has been its action against Microsoft. In 1998, the Antitrust Division filed a complaint charging Microsoft with violating Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act in connection with its efforts to use exclusionary practices to protect its monopoly in personal computer operating systems and to extend its monopoly power into the Internet browser market. Trial on the liability issues was completed in 1999, and the District Court issued extensive findings of fact on November 5, 1999.
Concerns about innovation in services important to consumers led the Antitrust Division to file suit in another case involving collaborative conduct by competitors. In October 1998, the Antitrust Division charged Visa and MasterCard, the two dominant general-purpose credit card networks, with failing to compete against one another and adopting rules to prevent their member banks from dealing with other card networks, all of which retarded innovation. The case, which is scheduled to go to trial in June, will highlight the importance that the antitrust laws attach to preserving competitive incentives and opportunities for exiting and potential rivals.
During the year, the Antitrust Division also filed suit charging American Airlines with monopolizing routes emanating from its Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) hub in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act, through predatory practices designed to drive low-cost carriers out of DFW routes. The complaint charges that American added uneconomic flights and reduced fares in DFW routes served by low-cost carriers until the low-cost carriers were forced out of the market; American viewed such conduct as an "investment" to protect its ability to charge high fares on DFW routes. This is the first predation case brought against an airline by the Division since the industry was deregulated in 1979.
The Antitrust Division has also continued its long-standing policy of being an effective advocate for the cause of competition in various legislative proceedings. The Antitrust Division testifies regularly to Congress on various proposals with competitive implications. In recent years, significant segments of the American economy, subjected to economic regulation for half a century or more, have been substantially deregulated by statute. Where public restraints have been lifted, proper application of the antitrust laws ensures that the benefits of competition will not be impaired by private restraints.
Even in industries that have not been deregulated by statute, regulatory agencies often retain substantial discretion to promote competitive behavior. The Antitrust Division works closely with many federal agencies, including the Department of Transportation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Communications Commission, to urge that they rely in their decision making on competitive principles to the maximum extent consistent with the other statutory goals.
Thus, through antitrust enforcement actions, direct overtures to Congress for regulatory reform, and communications with federal regulatory agencies, the Antitrust Division remains the government's foremost proponent of competition.
(Description of photograph: Attorney General Janet Reno and Assistant Attorney General Joel Klein visit the Microsoft war room to learn about new technology used in the trial.)
Updated June 25, 2015


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Rosso Vino: like an Italian Trattoria scene from Lady and the Tramp
Labels: affordable, family friendly, hidden finds, italian, large groups, restaurants, robertson quay, romantic, will return, wines · Posted by Sihan at 9/10/2017 08:58:00 pm
Stuck in its ways. stepping into Rosso Vino is like a step back in time. Red napkin lined bread baskets and waiters dressed in starched and stiffened white shirts; the joint cashes in on the nostalgic factor; instilling in its diners an enthusiasm quite similar to what you would experience when you were ten and were told dinner is at Jack's Place. Despite it's conservative decor and even more time-honoured menu, dining for the first time at Rosso Vino is a dangerous love affair. The said waiters and waitresses working the dining room with effortless hospitality; like they'd been doing this their whole lives. I bet a bottom dollar that partaking in their fettuccine bolognese would be like a magical scene out of Lady and the Tramp sans the waiter serenading you with his impeccable accordion skills (though they would if they could).
The appetiser shows promise. Burrata Fresca di Andria ($19.90) features fresh soft cheese served with mixed salad and tomatoes. Give the waiter a nod and grin as he gregariously grinds fresh black pepper over the rich creamy beauty then proceed to tip that olive oil jug over. It's fabulous and your palate will revel in the luxury of the dish, the crisp greens providing relief in between orgasmic bites.
Burrata fresca di Andria - $19.90
Linguine al granchio e bisque di gamberi - $27.90
Quattro Formaggi Pizza - $28.90
Linguine al granchio e bisque di gamberi - $27.90
Quattro Formaggi Pizza - $28.90
Torta lave con gelato alla viniglia - $19.90
Dining here mandates a glass(or bottle) of wine. It's not a game of Russian roulette, even the most basic glass of Nero d'Avola ($10/glass) impresses. However, one bite into the Quattra formaggi Pizza ($28.90) and your senses are so elevated that the experience alone warrants an upgrade of wine. Get the Doppio Passionfruit IGT (primitivo) from Puglia, Italy, at just $12 per glass, this smooth criminal harbour rich black berries with a hint of ripe plum on the palate. Perfect for those who are looking to ease into the week. Big and bolder, the Chianti Buccia Nera DOCG (Sangiovese) priced at an affordable $13 per glass packs quite a punch, slightly more acidic and nuanced with floral notes, its a good match-up seafood.
The meal continues brilliantly with Linguine al Granchio e Bisque di gamberi ($27.90) providing a hinterland for all fantasies. A rich prawn bisque adheres to perfectly cooked strands with such ferocious love that the audible squish with the twirl of a fork is inevitable. You're allowed to moan in that instance, steamy circumstances call for such lustful behaviour.
Pizzas are the mainstays here at Rosso Vino and you'll understand why at first impression. Our Quatro Formaggio ($28.90) is a celebration of cheese, bread and the majesty of its combination. Precious nuggets of gorgonzola strewed over the top will rally some sort of friendly rivalry around the table.
But while its a fad to innovate food, its another thing when you come to a old-fashioned Italian diner such as this one. You'll want to order the Torta Lava Con Gelato alla Viniglia ($19.90) and trust me when I say there will be no regrets there. This tried and tested cake recipe is one that will placate the chianti stained palate. Thin crusted walls, molten centres decked in broody intensity and creamy vanilla ice cream to tango. One can't help but polish off the dirty deed.
If it's technical culinary brilliance with a touch of fusion confusion you're after, Rosso Vino offers none of that. However, if you came for a glass of wine, simple and humble fare that will induce good conversation, you won't be disappointed. The vibes at Rosso Vino will steal plenty of hearts. As it did mine.
Rosso Vino
15 Merbau Road
Operating Hours:
Mon - Sun: 3pm - 1am
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|Very rare
|Solitary or flock
|Activity Cycle:
|High (13-14)
|Chaotic evil (see below)
|No. Appearing:
|1-6 or 4-400+
|Armor Class:
|3, Fl 18 (B)
|Hit Dice:
|4 hp
|No. of Attacks:
|Special Attacks:
|Alignment alteration
|Special Defenses:
|Immune to fire-based attacks
|Magic Resistance:
|T (1' wingspan)
|Fanatic (17-18)
|XP Value:
Originally from the Seventh Hell, this "bird" now makes its home in a number of grassy plains throughout the Prime Material Plane. Although everything about it indicates that it is a bird, there are some very unusual aspects of the creature that indicate something more sinister and alien.
Its mottled brown feathers offer excellent camouflage against the variegated grasses of most plains. When it flies, it is distinguished by its distinctive black wings and tail coverts. The coverts are presumed to be used for display during the courtship dance, though it has not been confirmed. Simpathetics are shy at all times and seemingly invisible during courtship.
The simpathetic has a dark yellow beak and legs. Reports of the bird when it first appeared indicated a much different creature. The feathers were described as a sooty gray-black and the beak and legs as blood-red. It seems that the simpathetic has rapidly evolved during the short time it has been on the Prime Material Plane.
Combat: The simpathetic has one physical attack. It attacks with its beak for 1-4 points of damage. It prefers to run through the tall grasses and hide rather than to attack, but both the male and female will attack to save their nestlings.
If an intruder comes too close to a nest of eggs or chicks, the parents scurry off in opposite directions. Each flails about, dragging one wing, chirping hideously, in an effort to draw attention away from the nest. These efforts are always effective against semi-intelligent or lower creatures. Of course, once a predator has been distracted far enough away from the nest, the simpathetic flies away, suddenly whole and sound again.
It is when the simpathetic performs its injured-wing routine in the presence of humans of good alignment and demihumans that the bird uses its attack. Humans of any good alignment who can see the bird flap about and hear its pitiful cry are attracted by the bird's plight. Characters of neutral alignment are immune to the simpathetic. Characters of evil alignment are also immune to the simpathetic, but are often on the lookout for such birds. Such characters must successfully save vs. spells with a -5 penalty or they must stop to help the simpathetic.
If a character successfully saves vs. spells, he or she is forever immune to the simpathetic's charm. At no time in the future will he or she ever be inclined to help the "injured" bird.
Those who initially fail their saving throw stop whatever they doing and follow the bird. They try to catch the simpathetic and hold it on their lap for 1-4 rounds. Once the bird is caught it remains quietly in their hands.
Characters must successfully save vs. spells, again at the -5 penalty, for each round that the bird is to remain on the characters' lap. Each time the characters make an unsuccessful save vs. spells, they feel their alignment being sapped away. Each failed round causes the characters to move a bit closer toward evil.
For example, a lawful good paladin who has stopped to help a bird after an unsuccessful save vs. spells, rolls a four to indicate the number of rounds she will hold the bird. Her saving throws are unsuccessful in the first three rounds, but she is successful in the fourth round. She is now no longer lawful good, but instead has become lawful neutral. However, she can take some comfort in the fact that she will never fall for the simpathetic's ruse in the future. For the purpose of this alignment attack, alignment runs in order as follows: lawful good, chaotic good, neutral good, lawful neutral, chaotic neutral, true neutral, neutral evil, chaotic evil, lawful evil.
If characters successfully save vs. spells during the 1-4 rounds they are holding the bird, they suddenly realize the error and throw the bird from their lap. The characters are also immune to the bird's cries in future encounters. Thus, if the paladin in the above example had made a successful saving throw on her second round holding the bird, she would now be chaotic good as opposed to lawful neutral.
The simpathetic is 90% resistant to magical spells and magic-based attacks. It is immune to all fire-based attacks. Some sages think that this immunity must be a result of the species' origination point, the Seventh Hell. Yet other sages rationalize that the immunity is because the simpathetic is originally from the Elemental Plane of Fire.
Very old rumors abound about the simpathetic having a third attack. This attack is the spitting of burning blood. However, no one in recent times has reported such an attack, and this rumor is believed to be nothing more than an old wives' tale.
Habitat/Society: Simpathetics typically form family groups that consist of two adult parents and 1-4 nestlings. These family groups are the core unit of simpathetic society. The simpathetics seem totally devoted to the raising of their chicks. They are excellent parents, readily feeding and protecting the chicks, even against terrible odds. One renowned ornithological sage noted in his observations a pair of simpathetics who decided to nest in a rocky incline, despite it being home to a red dragon. They valiantly raised their first clutch, driving the dragon away several times. Unfortunately, the dragon grew more skillful once the second clutch arrived. Mother and chicks were eaten shortly after the eggs hatched. The father flew away, chirping mournfully.
In the fall of each year, simpathetics come together in flocks as small as a few family groups to several hundred groups. It is at this time of year that the birds are most visible, for in flocks they tend to become quite noisy, chirping and crying day and night. The skies are filled with spectacular aerial displays, and only lately have sages begun to believe that these displays are messages acted out rather than simply good spirits.
It is a fact that sages have observed the flocking together of simpathetics in what can only be a prelude to migration, but no one knows where they migrate to. The birds simply gather, put on their aerial displays for a few days to a week, and then suddenly disappear. Sages have observed the birds during this flocking pattern, only to notice a sudden quiet fall on the flock in the deepest part of the night and to find the birds gone by morning. The assumption is that the birds use a means of planar travel to reach their destination. In the spring, the birds once again appear as suddenly as they disappeared. The aerial displays and noise recur for a few days and the birds then depart once more in their family units.
Sages have discovered only recently that the birds are quite intelligent. Simpathetics are capable of a contorted version of Common, which makes them quite difficult to converse with. But they do know and can speak fluently all avian and avianlike languages. It is also presumed that they can converse with creatures from the Planes of Hell.
There are a number of neutrally-aligned sages and wizards who have become interested in the simpathetics from a scientific standpoint. A few of these characters have even gone so far as to capture certain simpathetics and selectively breed them. Unfortunately, the simpathetics' loyalty to one mate has hampered these experiments. The experimenters have been forced to isolate from birth a selected pair in the hope they will bond only with each other when mature and thus become mates. These experiments are quite long-range in scope, however.
It is the sages' theory that the simpathetic is gradually evolving away from the truly evil creature it was in the Planes of Hell. They believe that, by selectively breeding the birds, they can speed evolution along. The result would be simpathetics that produce eggs that will teleport to planes other than the Seventh Hell. These sages hope to either develop strains of simpathetic eggs for every plane or an ultimate strain that will teleport the consumer to the plane of his choice. As a physical indicator of their success, they believe that the birds plumage color will identify the progress. As such, they have been trying to breed light-colored birds to eventually produce white simpathetics.
Ecology: Located in grassy plains, the simpathetic is found in either family groups that consist of a male (cock) and female (hen) plus 1-4 chicks, or flocks that consist of 4-400 or more family groups.
The simpathetic mates for life and does not take another mate even if one of the pair should die. It is believed that they live for about 20 years and that they mate when about five years old.
The creature raises three clutches of 1-4 eggs a year. Both parents care for the nestlings for two months, feeding the chicks bugs, small rodents and reptiles, and bits of carrion. At the end of two months, the nestlings are sent on their way. Usually they gather with other nestlings to form loose flocks. The young birds tend to remain in these flocks and wander. Pocket populations of the simpathetic are clearly attributable to the nestlings. Once mature, the birds pair off and disperse, leaving to form new family colonies. The actual mating selection has never been witnessed.
Simpathetics are hardy breeders and so have spread to new territories. They have done so easily because of their secretive nature and few predators. Red dragons have been known to eat whole flocks of the bird as an appetizer, though it is uncertain how the dragons catch the birds, as the birds are both immune to the red dragons' breath weapon and agile fliers. Only a few other animals actually hunt the creatures, most notably the leucrotta, but only where their territories interconnect.
Evil planar creatures trapped on the Prime Material Plane and characters of evil alignment who wish to journey to the planes hunt the simpathetic for its eggs. However, a number of evil creatures have died doing so. The eggs are only edible, and thus usable for teleportation, early in their gestation. If a baby simpathetic has begun to form within the egg, the results of swallowing the partially shaped creature are most undesirable. It is assumed that the planar energy within the egg is at an extremely concentrated state while the bird is forming, and some sages speculate that those creatures who swallow the contents of such an egg implode and are transported to an entirely empty void. Most intelligent creatures have learned to hold a light source behind the egg to check its contents.
Historical Note
The simpathetic was presumably on the verge of extinction when a mated pair was teleported into the Prime Material Plane by a mighty wizard. She had heard of an obscure legend that the creature's eggs could be eaten as a means of planar travel.
The wizard worked her spells and successfully brought the simpathetics to her homeland, but they were vile creatures who, according to records, hissed burning blood whenever she was near. However, her magics were strong enough to keep the birds captive. In due course, the female laid an egg. It was then that the wizard became greedy. Instead of performing experiments on the one egg, she cracked the egg and boldly swallowed it raw.
The wizard's assistant then witnessed an amazing sight. He said that he could actually see the egg slither down her throat and into her stomach, glowing dully beneath her robes. He then noticed the wizard's face, for she had the strangest expression he had ever seen. He expected her to be in pain, but her expression was one of utter amazement instead. Her body then imploded inward and he could see through the wizard and into a strange spatial dimension showing stars and nebulae. Then the wizard abruptly disappeared, leaving behind only the metal items she had worn, including her buttons, buckles, ring of protection, and amulet of the planes. Her assistant could only assume she had meant to use the amulet to come back from the planes.
The assistant never saw the wizard again. As a reward for freeing him of his apprenticeship, he let the two birds loose. The birds subsequently secured a new home in the wastelands surrounding the wizard's lair.
Last Modified: March 22, 2014, 12:44:41 GMT
◆ 1789 ◆


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Immigration agents Friday rounded up 36 suspected illegal aliens on Santa Catalina Island, including some employed by motels, hotels and restaurants, authorities said.
Sheriff's helicopters ferried 10 Immigration and Naturalization Service agents to the island at 6 a.m., INS spokesman Joe Flores said. The operation was carried out after the INS received reports that the island's alien population was growing, said Ernest Gustafson, INS director in Los Angeles.
He said his office also had received a number of complaints about the aliens from residents and businessmen on the island. The 36 aliens were brought to the Terminal Island INS station by the U.S. Coast Guard, Flores said.


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New Jersey Man Sentenced To Ten Years In Prison For Sexual Offense With A Minor
Fort Smith, Arkansas - Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Robert Joseph Butler, age 27, of Clayton, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release for each count of Transporting a Minor in Interstate Commerce with the Intent to Engage in Sexual Activity and Sexual Assault. The sentences will run concurrent with each other. The Honorable P.K. Holmes III in the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas in Fort Smith presided over the sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Eldridge commented, "There is no higher priority in our office than cases involving crimes against children. The AMBER Alert system, which Arkansas implemented in 2001, was a critical instrument in the successful recovery of this young victim, as were the efforts of our partnering agencies in the investigation. We remain steadfast in our commitment to identifying and prosecuting those who commit federal crimes targeting children, including those like the defendant who seek to contact children over the internet for sexual purposes."
Crawford County Sheriff Ron Brown stated, "Fortunately, this case had a good ending. During the investigation it was discovered that the abductor had hidden out in rural Crawford County and disguised the stolen car by painting it a different color because of the AMBER Alerts. This signifies the importance and success of the AMBER Alert System. I commend the Deputy U.S. Marshals and the Sheriff Deputies who were able to locate the victim and apprehend her abductor, and the U.S. Attorney's office for presenting a solid case of which brought the abductor to this sentencing date."
"FBI Arkansas commends the work by the U.S. Marshal Service, Crawford County Sheriff's Office, and the U.S. Attorney's Office, rescuing this child, apprehending the subject, and prosecuting this offense," said David T. Resch, Special Agent in Charge at the Little Rock Federal Bureau of Investigation, "Our children are targeted each day, but Arkansans should be proud of the consistent cooperation exhibited as we all work to protect them."
According to court records, Butler communicated with the fourteen-year-old minor victim through social media and text messaging for over a year before meeting her for the first time at her home in New Mexico in late 2013. The two remained in contact, and on March 31, 2014, Butler made arrangements to meet the minor victim in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the pre-arranged meeting, the two decided to leave town and began traveling through Texas, Oklahoma, and ultimately the Western District of Arkansas. During their travels, Butler engaged in sexual activity with the minor. On April 17, 2014, deputies with the United States Marshal Service and Crawford County Sheriff's Office located Butler and the minor victim in Fort Smith, Arkansas and placed Butler under arrest. Later, Butler admitted to an FBI Special Agent that he knew the minor was fourteen years old when he met her. Butler pleaded guilty to the charges on August 29, 2014.
This case was investigated by the Crawford County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Marshal's Service and the FBI. Assistant U. S. Attorney Kyra Jenner prosecuted the case for the United States.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and their Criminal Division Child Exploitation and Obscenity Sections (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Related court documents may be found on Public Access to Electronic Records Website @www.Pacer.gov


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ggplot2 Essentials
ggplot2 Essentials is published by Packt Publishing in June 2015. This book has 174 pages in English, ISBN-13 978-1785283529.
ggplot2 is one of the most sophisticated and advanced packages of R and its use is constantly growing in the community of R programmers. This book is the perfect starting point for your journey in learning about one of the most refined and widely used plotting tools―ggplot2.
You will start by taking a tour of the most relevant packages available in R to create plots, such as graphics, lattice, and ggplot2. Following this, you will take a deep dive into the concepts of ggplot2 by covering different kinds of plots that will help you gear up for your first hands-on project. After this first taste of the capabilities of ggplot2, you will explore in detail the visualization approach implemented in this package, the so-called grammar of graphics, providing you with the basics to understand the backstage concepts in the plotting functions. Finally, you will take a look at some specialized and sophisticated applications of ggplot2, such as how to realize a complex scatterplot matrix, heatmaps, and how to make spatial visualization graphs.
Who This Book Is For
This book is perfect for R programmers who are interested in learning to use ggplot2 for data visualization, from the basics up to using more advanced applications, such as faceting and grouping. Since this book will not cover the basics of R commands and objects, you should have a basic understanding of the R language.
What You Will Learn
- Familiarize yourself with some important data visualization packages in R such as graphics, lattice, and ggplot2
- Realize different kinds of simple plots with the basic qplot function
- Understand the basics of the grammar of graphics, the data visualization approach implemented in ggplot2
- Master the ggplot2 package in realizing complex and more advanced graphs
- Personalize the graphical details and learn the aesthetics of plotting graphs
- Save and export your plots in different formats
- Include maps in ggplot graphs, overlay data on maps, and learn how to realize complex matrix scatterplots


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From Introduction:
While traveling through the Spine of the World Mountains, the PCs stumble upon a wrecked caravan of wagons on a lonely road. Of the six covered wagons, none have been spared whatever disaster has befallen them. The bodies of horses and humans lie scattered in the snow, some torn to pieces, their blood frozen in small puddles near their corpses.
While investigating the wreckage, the PCs hear a moaning over the frigid wind. In the back of one of the destroyed wagons is a woman. One of her arms has almost been torn completely off. Ice hangs from her face, and frozen blood is pooling under her ravaged arm. When she sees the PCs, she motions for them to enter the wagon. When the PCs are close enough, the woman tries to sit up, only to collapse onto her back. As she coughs up blood, the PCs realize that her arm was simply the only visible wounds they could see. She tries to talk, but it comes out in a half-whispered, choked voice.
"Ice trolls…took everything. Came out of nowhere. No one left alive. The outpost will die…"


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This website contains The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century and about six thousand ebooks from countless authors. The collection of those publications are in the subsequent categories: fictions/novels, short stories, poems, essays, plays, nonfictions. A number of these books are classic functions of American Literature, Language Literature, and Irish Literature from well-known authors for instance William Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Robert Ice, Edgar Allan Poe, Alexander Pope, Arthur Conan Doyle, Anne Austen. and more authors' works is going to be added to the online collection. In these special pages, you'll discover many award winning publications readily available for your online reading The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century. Enjoy and please tell someone, thanks.
Description : Charming and erudite . . . The wit and insight and clarity he brings . . . is what makes this book such a gem. Time.com Why is so much writing so bad, and how can we make it better? Is the English language being corrupted by texting and social media? Do the kids today even care about good writing and why should we care? In this entertaining and eminently practical book, the cognitive scientist, dictionary consultant, and" New York Times" bestselling author Steven Pinker rethinks the usage guide for the twenty-first century. Using examples of great and gruesome modern prose while avoiding the scolding tone and Spartan tastes of the classic manuals, he shows how the art of writing can be a form of pleasurable mastery and a fascinating intellectual topic in its own right. "The Sense of Style "is for writers of all kinds, and for readers who are interested in letters and literature and are curious about the ways in which the sciences of mind can illuminate how language works at its best."


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Check your iTunes
Just uploaded the final part in the 3 part upload of durf for your viewing pleasure. check it out.
Click here to subscribe on iTunes
if you can't view it on iTunes or on the blog…. someone has been nice enough to upload it to a streaming video site here.


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Spirit was the sailboat side of Glastron Boat company that built very sturdy boats. "The Hoya" has had many upgrades through the years and shows very well. Powered by a OMC saildrive which has been very reliable. Very nice teak interior with over 6' headroom and a large 6'1" Vee berth. A lot of boat for the money!! Open to Offers.
Located at Swans' Wilson,NY location.
Located at Swans Wilson, NY Location
CDI Roller Furling on Jib
Life Lines 2011
Cockpit Cushions
Sail Cover 2012
Battery Charger 2014
Cockpit Table
Running Rigging 2011
Steel Cradle
1710 Charles Street
Whitby, ON L1N1C2


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Wizard of Oz series I'm working on for my solo exhibition , I'll keep you posted kids! :D
Kids Art classes/Student Art Classes/Adult Art Classes. Beginners & Advanced Art Classes - teaching you in oils,acrylics,watercolor,pastels & mixed media. Art Classes run from my studio in Dolans Bay, Sydney at 30 Parthenia St Dolans Bay every Tuesday,Friday & Sunday at 12pm. Private Art Tuition is also available. Email me on firstname.lastname@example.com or call me on M:0411 380 074 if you have any further enquiries.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
My Solo exhibition I am currently creating :D
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The trends and marketing strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, adopted by each of the manufacturers provide an understanding of the level of competitiveness prevailing in the industry.
The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Frozen Potatoes industry market by types, applications, players and regions. This report also displays the production, Consumption, revenue, Gross margin, Cost, Gross, market share, CAGR, and Market influencing factors of the Frozen Potatoes industry in USA, EU, China,India, Japan and other regions, and forecast to 2022, from 2017.
View complete report: www.researchbeam.com/2017-global-f…rch-report-market
Market Analysis by Players
McCain Foods
Simplot Food
Conagra Foods
Kraft Heinz
Goya Foods
General Mills
Market Analysis by Regions:
Southeast Asia
Request for sample report: www.researchbeam.com/2017-global-f…et/request-sample
Market Analysis by Types:
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Release Year: 2016
Studio: Brazzers
Cast: Michelle Thorne
Genres: Blonde,Couples Fantasies,Wife,Big Tits,Cheating
Video language: English
Danny is on his way over to Michelle's house to fuck her brains out, but discovers her husband is working from home that day. Before leaving he intercepts a mail courier on Michelle's front step and signs for a parcel full of mysterious liquid. After downing the liquid he soon discovers he's invisible! Looks like he won't have any trouble fucking Michelle right in front of her husband.
Format: mp4
Duration: 34:02
Video: 1920x1080, AVC (H.264), 11698kbps
Audio: 125kbps
File size: 3.0 GB


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Thank you for taking the time to send us your resume. We may or may not be hiring for the specific position you are interested in, so we will contact you for an interview if we think your skills match an open position we have.
In the mean time, please connect with us on Facebook.
Thanks again for your interest in working for RetroFoam of Michigan.


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Everton's fantastic four of John Stones, Gerard Deulofeu, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku – all under 23 – have produced scintillating attacking football of late, but this January could decide whether they stay together or be picked apart by Europe's vultures.
At the Toffees, all four are regular starters and thriving under the management of Roberto Martinez, who awards his players plenty of game time and room to develop without being chastised for every mistake made.
The Premier League has been predictably unpredictable this season and staying put at Everton might just be the sensible option for the aforementioned quartet.
Do you have what it takes? Sign up today and send over your 250 word test article: https://gms.to/haveyoursay3
Leicester City sit top of the pile, Chelsea languish one point above the drop zone, both Manchester clubs have been hot and cold whilst Everton, Tottenham and Liverpool are joined by West Ham, Crystal Palace and even Watford as potential European challengers. All is not as it once was in England's top flight.
United – rumoured to be chasing Stones, Barkley and Lukaku – have spent in excess of £250 million on new players under Louis van Gaal but look anything but title challengers with lethargic displays and unconvincing results.
Would a transfer to the Red Devils be a 'forward' move in their careers at present? Arguably not.
After being courted by Chelsea all summer, Stones now finds himself looking down on Mourinho's team who are in a relegation dog fight rather than challenging for top level honours. It seems unlikely he'd have been the catalyst to stop the rot or afforded the license to make mistakes in such a way he is allowed under Martinez.
Lukaku knows Chelsea all to well and it wasn't the most fulfilling experience. The Belgian was considered too big a risk and sent on his way, whereas Everton have allowed him to develop into a top class centre-forward and become a club icon.
Summer signing Deulofeu's form has been a revelation and a buy-back clause in his contract shows how highly Barcelona rate him, though it's unlikely the Catalan giants see him as competition for Lionel Messi, Neymar or Luis Suarez.
Therefore, does swapping Everton to risk sitting on the bench for Arsenal, Chelsea, City or United – and still not be guaranteed any trophies – really make sense?
Stick together, alongside experienced teammates in Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines, Gareth Barry and Tim Howard, and they can become the spine of a superb team capable of shooting Everton to their first major trophy in 21


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ScHoolboy Q Accuses Delaware Rapper Of Stealing Old Verse
ScHoolboy Q is angry over a rapper who he claims stole his old verse for a song.
The 'Man of the Year' rapper went on a Twitter rant Saturday (March 22) denouncing Delaware rhymer Jem Cretes' tune 'Hustle 101' and said that the verse comes from a 2010 recording session. He tweeted:
In his defense, Cretes denies the beat was stolen and that ScHoolboy Q had full knowledge that his verse will be featured in the song. He tweeted:
Cretes then released a song called 'Hustled All My Life' in response to ScHoolboy Q's allegations of stealing old verses.
Another Twitter user, Street Goddess, who claims to be the original owner of the track, believes the verse was stolen as well. She tweeted:
Apparently, Cretes has some history with the TDE family. The up-and-coming rapper once directed the video for Kendrick Lamar's title track from his 2009 eponymous EP.
ScHoolboy Q has not responded to Jem Cretes' response song or the slander on his Twitter timeline.


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Welcome To The 17th Annual Meeting of Indian Society of Cleft Lip, Palate & Craniofacial Anomalies
A warm welcome to The 17th Annual Meeting of Indian Society of Cleft Lip, Palate & Craniofacial Anomalies being held in Kolkata, West Bengal. From 23rd -25th March-2018 at The Swissotel, Rajarhat, New Town,Kolkata.
Kolkata the 'City of Joy', and the 'Culture capital of India', (formerly known as Calcutta) is a city with character. Kolkata is famous for its people, their culture, food, and love for music & literature. It is also famous for its colonial edifices and modern amusement houses. The Victoria memorial, Indian Museum, Dakshineswar Kali temple & Belur Math shrine, Marble Palace, Birla Planetarium, Howrah Bridge are few such examples. Pre & Post conference tours to these places will be customized as per the interest of our delegates and faculty. You may utilize this opportunity to plan an additional vacation to the adjoining places of interest like hills of Darjeeling, mangrove forests of Sunderbans, sea beaches of Digha & Mandarmoni along Bay of Bengal and reserve forests in North Bengal.
Further ,The 'cheek flap' for cleft palate surgery was devised in Kolkata by Prof. M. M. Mukherjee and Prof. A. C. Ganguli.
We would love to host you in large numbers to partake of the academic feast and enjoy the hospitality of the city of joy.
With warm regards
Dr.Partha Sadhu Dr.Rajan Tondon & Dr.Anjana Malhotra
Organising Chairperson. Joint Organising Secretary
Dr. Partha Sadhu
Org. Chairperson
Dr.(Prof)Gautam Biswas
Chief Advisor
Dr. Anjana Malhotra
Org. Secretary
Dr.(Prof) S.S. Chatterjee
Chief Advisor
Dr. Rajan Tondon
Org. Secretary
Dr. Saptarshi Bhattacharya


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Developing an Interest Group
In This Section
NASP Interest Group Guidelines
NASP members who are interested in an area not addressed through existing Interest Groups may initiate the process for a new Interest Group (IG) by contacting the IG subcommittee chair and reviewing the Procedures for NASP Interest Groups that follow.
Purpose and Structure
NASP Interest Groups provide an opportunity for NASP members to come together around an area of common interest to the benefit of the participants and the broader NASP membership.
The Interest Group (IG) subcommittee chair oversees the formation and function of the various interest groups in the Association. Each interest group has an Interest Group Coordinator(s) who manages the activities of the individual interest group they represent.
Interest Group Coordinators are assigned or elected by procedures in the charter or otherwise developed by the interest group. All participants in NASP Interest Groups shall be NASP members. The President, with the approval of the Executive Council, appoints the Interest Group subcommittee chair, who must also be a NASP member. It is the IG subcommittee chair's responsibility to oversee the budgets, operations, and reporting of all the individual interest groups.
Reimbursement for costs associated with IG activities may be submitted for consideration as part of the association's budget process. The IG subcommittee chair will solicit budget requests from IG Coordinators and submit a consolidated budget for consideration as part of the budget process.
Interrelationships and Activities
Interest groups (IGs) may interact with NASP committees/workgroups around specific issues of common interest. Individual IGs may interact with NASP members in a variety of ways, including IG meetings at the NASP Convention and through the NASP Communities, the NASP website, and articles in Communiqué.
Interest groups shall obtain approval prior to implementation of awards procedures. Proposals for awards procedures originating from IGs should be submitted first to the Interest Group subcommittee chair who will forward them to the Awards committee chair to avoid duplication with other NASP awards and for procedural clarification. The proposal should describe goals and procedures to be used with the awards, including any potential expenses associated with the award. The selection criteria should state that if the award winners are school psychologists they must be NASP members.
The Awards chair and IG subcommittee chair will review the award for consistency with NASP's mission, fairness, and appropriate selection criteria and procedures. Because awards should represent the mission and goals of NASP, the Awards committee chair and IG subcommittee chair shall submit proposals to the NASP Executive Council for final approval. After approval by the NASP Executive Council, the interest group may adopt the award procedure.
Position Papers
IG Coordinators are encouraged to participate with the Child and Professional Advocacy committee chair to develop or revise position papers relevant to their Interest Group. Position papers may also be drafted or proposed by an IG, but all position papers must ultimately come from the Child and Professional Advocacy Committee. Therefore, a draft position paper should be submitted to the Child and Professional Advocacy committee chair to be considered for further development and submission for approval.
IGs are encouraged to interact through electronic means rather than printed newsletters. The IG coordinators should promote communications in the IG Community by posting questions and/or responding to posts on a regular basis.
IG Coordinators are encouraged to solicit and to submit articles from IG members about specific interest areas to the Communiqué following the guidelines available on the NASP website.
IG coordinators are also encouraged to solicit articles and handouts for posting in the IG Community Library. Links to resources available elsewhere on the Web may also be shared.
Leadership Transition
Each Interest Group shall develop procedures (if not in their original charter) for leadership transition and submit them to the IG subcommittee chair. The NASP President, with the consent of the Executive Council, may appoint an IG Coordinator if an unexpected vacancy occurs prior to the specified transition process or if there are no documented procedures.
The IG subcommittee chair will organize an annual meeting with IG Coordinators, which will take place at the Annual Convention. The purpose of this meeting will be to share ideas, to provide procedural information and updates, to problem-solve, and to plan for the upcoming year.
IG Coordinators are encouraged to organize a meeting (limit of one per IG each year) for interested NASP members at the annual convention. The meeting may be 60, 90, or 120 minutes long. It is the responsibility of the IG subcommittee chair annually to inform coordinators of procedures for submitting a request for a meeting room. It is the responsibility of the IG Coordinator to submit the meeting space request through the online space request system.
Social Media
NASP invites IGs to post information to the NASP fan page, LinkedIn group, and Twitter feed to provide valuable outreach among member and nonmember school psychologists and facilitate interaction among school psychologists and the dissemination of information. IGs should not establish independent social media groups.
Procedures for Developing a New Interest Group
- NASP members who are interested in an area not addressed through existing Interest Groups may initiate the process for developing a new IG by contacting the IG subcommittee chair
- Upon receiving an inquiry, the IG subcommittee chair will
- make formal contact with the individual making the request to discuss the application process,
- provide that individual with this Appendix from the Operations Handbook addressing Interest Group procedures, and
- provide any additional appropriate assistance to facilitate the IG application.
- A formal IG application will consist of a written charter minimally including:
- the name and purpose of the IG,
- the goals of the IG, including how the IG will benefit participants and the broader NASP membership,
- the name of the proposed IG leader,
- the names of at least 50 NASP members who have an interest in the topic. NASP staff will verify membership of all charter supporters.
- the proposed structure of the IG,
- a written plan for recruiting NASP member involvement (e.g., NASP Communities, Communiqué article) and possible outreach to nonmembers who might be interested in joining NASP to participate in IG activities,
- a process for leadership transition (e.g., IG Community election, selection from participants), and
- a tentative one-year plan of objectives and activities.
- Once the IG application is received, the IG subcommittee chair, and possibly other NASP members/staff, will review it. Feedback will be provided to the proposed IG Coordinator. The IG subcommittee chair will then submit the proposed charter, as amended, to the Executive Council for review and submission to the Delegate Assembly if deemed appropriate.
- Formal acceptance of an IG application, initiating all rights and benefits of full IG status, will occur with a positive recommendation by a simple majority vote of the Executive Council and final approval by simple majority of the Delegate Assembly. Such deliberations will be based upon the information in the IG application and a determination that the IG purposes are consistent with those of NASP and do not duplicate the purposes of functions of any existing NASP committee, task force, or other IG.


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Randi Rubenstein knew the house was just a house. But as she cleaned out the rooms in Newport Beach where she had raised 10 foster children, she found herself overwhelmed with memories — and wanting to preserve them.
A quick call to Keri Gee Semmelman fixed that.
Semmelman, a Huntington Beach resident, launched My Memory Catcher last fall to help people capture their favorite moments with spouses, children, pets and more. She and her team of interviewers, known as the happiness historians, talk to clients every two or three weeks and write down their cherished stories. When the process ends, My Memory Catcher presents clients with a memento of their choice — a journal, a picture frame, a storybook or a mock newspaper.
Rubenstein's order was taller than most, as she had Semmelman interview not only her but her 10 former foster kids. The collection of anecdotes is due this weekend, and Rubenstein, who sold her house last year, can't wait.


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Andrew Southwell receives Landcare Award
Andrew Southwell from Glenflesk, Rye Park received an Australia Day Landcare Award for 'Ongoing environmental works and outstanding representation of Landcare in the community.'
Four generations of Southwells have lived at the historical family farm Eden Brae, Rye Park grazing sheep and Andrew's father grew and planted native trees on this property in the 1970's.
Andrew, his wife Michelle, and their family have significantly extended the tree lanes, beginning in the early 1980's, on the family properties for productivity and biodiversity outcomes.
The trees they have planted help to combat dryland salinity, ensure that livestock are well sheltered and also provide habitat for woodland birds.
Andrew's key message to local graziers is to "have the right species of pasture and use grazing management and sub-division to improve production and environmental outcomes".
Andrew Southwell was an active member of Rye Park Landcare since 1989 and President for a number of years.
When the Boorowa groups amalgamated, he continued as a committee member of the Boorowa Community Landcare group (BCLG) for many years.
Andrew Southwell was elected to the Boorowa Council in 2013 and proudly worked with BCLG helping ensure that Red Hill Reserve in Boorowa was gazetted as an Environmental Reserve to protect its unique biodiversity from future residential development.
Another key highlight of Andrew's Council responsibilities includes helping establish the waste recycle centre at Rugby.
During his time of representing Landcare in the community, Andrew has worked on a number of Landcare projects a major one being Boorowa River Recovery.
Andrew was considered a pioneer of dryland salinity and pasture management.
He was sought out by Animal Production on Saline Land (APSL), a national salinity research program, and Australian Wool Innovation (AWI).
He worked in an advisory role during the late 1990's with a range of research scientists from CSIRO, DPI and Land and Water Australia to address dryland salinity, pasture and water management on the Land, Water & Wool program.
Andrew & Michelle have hosted many, meetings, workshops and bird walks at their property and have been involved with a long term Superb Parrot monitoring programme with Greening Australia.
Andrew is generous with his time, supporting Landcare in the community and helping others to implement Landcare activities.
Congratulations Andrew Southwell, we thank you and acknowledge your initiative to work for the environmental benefit of the community.


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Domino's Pizza has proven to be an innovate brand, creating mobile apps, a robotic assistant and now, specially made delivery cars. The cars use the Chevy Spark minicar as its base, taking out the seats other than the driver's. With this extra room, a warming oven is installed behind the driver, while the car itself can fit up to 80 pizzas.
This increases the number of houses the brand can deliver to, as well as its large order delivering capabilities. There is also a non-slip surface that is easy to clean and keeps the food and drinks stable during the ride. Finally, the outside of the cars are branded, with Domino's hubcaps and even a logo-shining puddle light.
While the DXP delivery cars may not be quite as epic as its flight delivery service in the Caribbean, they will certainly increase the company's ability to provide excellent service in the delivery sector.
Personalize Your Pizza Online
Crowdsourced Pizza Opinion Ads
Pizza-Tracking Apps
Digital Pizza Payments
Live Pizza Order Webcams
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Get the top 100 trends happening right NOW -- plus a FREE copy of our award-winning book.
Our Research Methodology
This article is one of 350,000 experiments. We use crowd filtering, big data and AI to identify insights.
Domino's New DXP Cars Have 1 Seat to Make Room for its Warming Oven
- By: Cadhla GrayOct 24, 2015
References: dominosdxp & brandchannel
References: dominosdxp & brandchannel


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As I meandered my way along, these darling little wildflowers framed the edges of my journey.
We even have 1812 wines...
I'm tickled from the inside out haven taken this brief journey with you today. Thanks for the delightful company and the exquisite views. Blessings in abundance for health and joy to you and yours.ReplyDelete
HA so lovely to have you along. Blessings on your most precious life too!Delete
Hi Jacqueline
Your bike ride is so rich in scenery.
I am particularly drawn to the wild flowers.
This brought a tear to my eye:-
"He was overseas for about four and a half years. We got married in 1946." Mrs. Kay Toye, NOTL, Ontario
Thank you Mrs. Toye for your sacrifice also
Beautiful writing Jacqueline!
Helen xx
So special isn't she Helen..we are blessed in this little town.Delete
A lovely ride. The columbines are gorgeous.ReplyDelete
Is that what they are Joanne...hahahaha!Delete
Thank you for that lovely ride through your part of the world. As I have said previously we just loved Niagara on the Lake when we visited. A marvellous place.ReplyDelete
SH...hope to see you back soon. And if you are PLEASE call me and let's have tea!ReplyDelete
Lovely bike ride. But how odd to see two ENGLISH football caps at a SCOTTISH shop. Normally they support ANYTHING but ENGLAND!ReplyDelete
I think the owners are secretly English Cro! LOL!Delete
Thank you for this wonderful tour Jacqueline...gorgeous countryside where you live. I loved travelling with you...
Jeanne xx
...and I with you Jeanne!Delete
Beautiful pictures Jacqueline. Lucky you to still have the Columbines. Ours comes and goes so quickly in early spring.
You chose such lovely, interesting things to share with us on this tour. It is a delightful post.
Things are getting a little silly with this bicentennial Sock'em...stay tuned!Delete
Your pictures are wonderful J - nostalgia - I can remember going for bike rides with my sister when we were teenagers. I love flowers and plants full stop - but the wild ones have an innocent beauty all of their own.ReplyDelete
There's just something about how they grow...anywhere and everywhere...got to love that kind of spirit!Delete
Love all those beautiful pictures! And the story with them.
If i were a little closer, I'd walk the battlefields again. See where Brock died, and climb the Monument. Fight at a Lundy's Lane, or Chrysler's Farm further to the east. Check out Fort Erie. Lots of nostalgia for my Ontario home.
P.S.: Wildflowers, any day!ReplyDelete
Me too RB...wildflowers all the way.
Hubby and I climbed the monument the other day, and stopped at the spot on the Niagara Parkway where Brock rallied the troops and cried "Push On!".


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Griffin's Honey has teamed up with Papertoy Apparel to allow Three lucky people the chance to win a t-shirt of choice up to $28!!
This is such a great company that also gives back. You can read more about it HERE.
This is a great way to get something very cool for back to school too.
Be sure to stop by the Papertoy website HERE and check it out!
All you have to do is enter on the rafflecopter below. This giveaway is open to the US only. Good Luck!
Disclosure: Participating Blogs are not responsible for prize shipment. Please contact griffinshoney@yahoo(dot)com for giveaway opportunities. a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Five S's Approach
How to soothe your baby using the "Five S's Approach" developed by pediatrician Dr. Harvey Harp (Read More).
High Need Babies
Is you baby a high need baby? William Sears, MD and his wife Martha Sears, RN, authors of the book "The Fussy Baby Book, Parenting the Fussy Baby and The High-Need Child," describe twelve features common in high need babies (Read More).
Baby Soothing Essentials
White noise, swaddles, crib soothers and pacifiers are soothing essentials that any parent-to-be should have for their newborns (Read More).


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Apparently when you realize the Burda mag tracing isn't that bad and you do it once, you become addicted to it and want eleventy patterns from the magazine and you want them NOW! So you exhibit sewists ADD and have far too many things that you want to crank out.
This issue has SO much good stuff in it and one that I absolutely love is the square neck dress, which is #112.
|It's so sweet and romantic looking! Yes, it's boxy...can I pull it off??
I decide to start with the top - less commitment.
It didn't take long to trace the pattern out and I cut it after dinner, while my kids were in a weird way...he was HELPING her clean the kitchen! They were also in full on goofy mode.
I had this thick black (twill?) remnant in my stash - just over a yard - and managed to JUST eek the top out.
Now, the top does not fit as badly as it appears in that first pic. I usually have my daughter take pics because hubby doesn't get that I need him to stand up and take them. He's sitting or lying down and I get Oompa Loompa effect.
BUT, it IS too big at the neckline, the armholes sit really low and there is too much fabric in the back. But then the front is riding up (I cut a 42). I posted on PR if I should do a 40 with an FBA and was told it looks like a tilted waist issue, not a full bust issue. Thoughts??
Also, The back isn't too tight but holy moly, the sleeves ARE. I think they are pulling the back making it look tight. I had to have him pull it off of me because I couldn't lift my arms enough to get it back off!
I really want this top and the dress! I love the little sleeves! Although they are only a rectangle that has been folded over and gathered...
**Oh, it should be noted that it is intended to be cropped - the back length is only 16"
Also - and if you have this issue that might help - the sleeve is one pattern piece that you then divide into two pieces...only to sew it back together. Is there any reason I can't leave it as a one piece sleeve?


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Shaving Stands
Browse and buy from MaleSkin's great selection of shaving stands. Whether you are looking for something practical or a show stopping stand to match that swanky city pad, you are certain to find the stand for you. Practicality meets excellence with our range of hand sculpted and truly stylish stands, which hold an array of mens grooming products including razors and shaving brushes.
Bolin Webb X1 Razor Stand
Premium Grooming Accessory£35.00
Marram Co Chrome Shaving Brush and Bowl Gift Set
Premium Quality Male Grooming Gift£250.00
Bolin Webb R1 Razor Stand
Stylish Men's Grooming Product£25.00
eShave Badger Brush Stand
Chrome Plated Shaving Brush Stand£33.00
eShave Chrome Twist Shaving Stand
Designed For a Long Shaving Brush£33.00


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Botanika Exfoliating Facial Scrub
The Exfoliating Facial Scrub from Moroccan Prestige smooths, softens and refreshes skin, leaving it naturally fresh and glowing. Our exclusive formula gently exfoliates and stimulates circulation. Three extraordinary natural oils -- argan, avocado and sweet almond -- moisturize and protect. No fragrance is added to its light and pleasing natural scent.
Our natural face scrub smooths, softens and refreshes skin, leaving the face naturally fresh and glowing. It is designed to be the best face care product for all skin types. Our exclusive formula gently exfoliates and stimulates circulation. Then our three pure, natural oils -- argan, avocado and sweet almond -- moisturize and protect. No fragrance is added to our face scrub's light and pleasing natural scent.
Our bio-certified organic, cold-pressed, extra-virgin Argan Oil is the essential ingredient all our skin care products. And our exclusive Argan Leaf Extract is rich in polyphenols which protect the skin and reduce the aging impact of UV rays.
Argan trees have grown in the south-western region of Morocco for thousands of years and have served as a natural remedy for generations. The seeds of its fruit are traditionally used by Berber women to treat their skin and hair, and they have long known of their healing, conditioning and anti-aging properties.
At Botanika Marrakech we use the best ingredients and production techniques to create the finest skin and hair care products in the market. The natural plants used for our oil are hand-harvested and hand-selected, then gently extracted in a cold-press process. The result is one of the highest-quality oils available anywhere.
+ An exfoliating face scrub made with natural ingredients including bio-certified argan oil
+ Gently cleanses skin by removing dead cells while natural oils moisturize and nourish
+ Exclusive argan leaf extract provides anti-aging and anti-oxidant benefits
+ Not tested on animals
+ Vegan
How to use:
Use 2 to 3 times per week. Apply scrub to wet skin. Massage gently for two minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Use with Botanika Marrakech Day Cream. Avoid eye contact. For external use only.


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Gays → Broke Straight Boys – Vadim Black And Dakota Ford Raw 720p
Comments Off on Broke Straight Boys – Vadim Black And Dakota Ford Raw 720p
February 9th, 2018 by Admin
Studio: Broke Straight Boys
Cast: Vadim Black And Dakota Ford
Genres: anal, bareback, gay, oral, porn, sex
Two lovely beautiful boys decided to have a good fucking! As usual, it all starts with a deep blowjob, after sucking off a pussy, our hero takes over his lover's ass and fucks it fondly. The guys try different poses, it all looks pretty and cute! Cool video for what you would enjoy!
Format: mp4
Duration: 24:14
Video: 1280×720, AVC (H.264), 2442kbps
Audio: 153kbps


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ZBC demands $165,000 from MDC-T for coverage
July 8, 2013 at 8:06 pm Leave a comment
By Violet Gonda
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation's extreme bias was exposed at the
weekend when the state broadcaster demanded $165,000 from the MDC-T to cover
the party's manifesto launch in Marondera on Sunday. This was despite
providing live, free coverage of ZANU PF's campaign launch in Harare on
It is the duty of the public broadcaster to give all participating political
parties equal coverage in the run up to elections. All state media are also
supposed to comply with electoral guidelines in providing access to
candidates from all political parties, but only ZANU PF activities are being
given widespread coverage, three weeks before the general elections.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told thousands of supporters at Rudhaka
Stadium in Marondera that he refused to make the payment after receiving a
quotation from the ZBC.
"We (have been) shut out of the public media which has taken a position to
cover live in the electronic media, the campaign of President Mugabe and
He said he was aware that ZANU PF did not pay for the coverage of their
campaign launch at Zimbabwe Grounds last Friday.
Part of Tsvangirai's letter sent to the ZBC in response read: "Thank you for
responding to our invitation, however, your invoice quoted for US$165,000 as
coverage fee is in our opinion not competitive and grossly unfair given that
as a State broadcaster, the constitution requires that you give equal and
fair coverage to all political players at this time of election campaigning.
"The action by the national broadcaster is unacceptable and totally
deplorable, your attitude towards us and your expectation that we pay for
live broadcasting grossly and negatively affects the impartiality and
non-partisanship expected of a public broadcaster."
Meanwhile, Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba accused the US ambassador to
Zimbabwe, Bruce Wharton, of behaving as if he was "an MDC councillor in
Harare" after the envoy expressed concern over the partisan political
coverage by the ZBC.
Entry filed under: Uncategorized.
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RFID File Folders
As an information solution provider, GBS understands the value of identifying and investing in technologies that change and improve the dynamics of how our customers do business. We realize the ability to find files and documents fast is critical to most companies. RFID technology provides accurate and real-time tracking of file folders, while reducing the time it takes to inventory records and locate misplaced files.
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) has no line-of-sight reading requirement, so it supports applications such as taking inventory just by waiving a wand across the edge of a shelf. RFID tags are placed inside the file folder to provide ease of tracking.
We can customize any folder with a company's logo and personal information. The file folder can utilize alphabetic or numeric labeling as needed.
RFID file folders improve business processes, responsiveness and performance. Allow GBS to customize a filing solution for your business.
Contact us at 800.873.4427 to learn more about RFID file folders.


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You Knew it was going to happen! anytime there is money to be made the government will find a way to get its pound of flesh. It seem's that the 18 state that have legalized marijuana has also invited the taxman in as well.The IRS is using an old law that lets the government tax medical marijuana center's as much as 75%
The levy is the result of a 1982 provision to the tax code, known as 280E, that stemmed from a successful attempt by a convicted drug trafficker to claim his yacht, weapons and bribes as businesses expenses.
Medical marijuana center's can not claim typical things like rent or payroll as a business expense and this in its self will put a lot of little shops out of business.
much Medical marijuana center's believe If you have a license from the state hanging on your wall, that doesn't fit the definition of trafficking, but they need to think about this it may be legal in your state but the Federal law still says it trafficking and not legal So pay up suckers you may have won the battle, but the war ain't over yet .


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|Ralph Naess, making like an elk
in the Cedar River Watershed
The obliging elk bucked, then shook his head. His antlers fell off, one after the other, and landed in the middle of the road. Apparently startled by the sound of them hitting the pavement, and perhaps by he sudden loss of their weight, the bull raced off into the woods.
Ralph and Celese took just a moment to look at each other, wide-eyed, before scrambling out of the car to collect the antlers. They found that the base of each was somewhat moist and spongy and tinged with spots of blood. Still standing in the middle of the road, Ralph and Celese held the huge antlers and called their thanks into the forest.
In the wilds, we receive many gifts. Most of them are intangible, like joy and serenity. But every so often, a gift received is as solid as an elk's antler that you can hold in your hand.


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We have always been pro girl power at BC and this girl has it in abundance! Love her colourful illustration style!
Hey Isabella, good to meet you! Tell us about yourself?
Hello! I've just recently graduated from the University of Brighton in Illustration and am getting ready to face the big bad world. I draw empowered ladies with cool hair and am an avid cat and dog enthusiast.
From the looks of your website you are constantly creating, do you ever get creative block or does it just pour out of you?
I get creative block very regularly, but not in the way that I don't know what to draw but that my confidence falters a bit. It's so important to believe in yourself and just keep drawing every day. If you fall of the wagon it can be pretty hard to get back on so, as Nike once said "just do it". It really is a motto to live by 😉
There's feminist themes in your work. Tell us what feminism means to you.
I believe in sex-positive, body positive and more inclusive feminism, which is why I talk about things like female masturbation, gender identities and different types of femininity.
I want people to keep in mind that if a girl wears make up, wants to shave her legs and watches porn, it doesn't make her less of a feminist. Feminism should be all-inclusive, respectful and empowering.
The Tigercub animations are SO ace, we freaking love them. How did that come about? How do you make your animations?
Thank you! I'm a total Tigercub fan girl and the drummer is my friend. He asked me to do some posters for a release. I was going through my phase of wanting to draw everybody as goblins so I just had to do portraits of the band members. Those animations are just simple photoshop GIFs.
Do you feel university has set you up for the working world and who would be your dream client or boss?
When you are a human as social awkward and overthinking as me you will never be prepared for the world! In all seriousness though, Brighton University was a great experience and I have learned so, so much. I highly recommend the Illustration course.
I have so many dream scenarios one of which is my own clothing company all about pastel fake furs and offensive slogans. I would love to work for a publishing company, a magazine, a screen printing studio or a fashion studio.


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Nobilis, Excelling in Healthcare Through Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
Northstar Healthcare and Atlas Care join and are now called Nobilis Healthcare. This name change expands, joins and extends the services of Nobilis Healthcare. Nobilis Health manages and owns seven surgical centers in Dallas and Houston, TX, and one in Scottsdale, AZ. They also have contractual partnerships in Arizona, Oregon, Michigan, Minnesota, Tennessee and New Jersey with six other surgical facilities. The growth of these services and expansion of care is setting new standards for spinal health care. Nobilis is well-known for their ability to manage and grow the business and improve business relationships. One new addition to their repertoire of services is the AccursScope procedure. This procedure is the cutting edge of spinal surgery.
The operation consists of a minimally invasive incision and using the AccuraScope the highly trained surgeon is able to perform the corrective surgery needed in less than one hour, in most cases. Most patients are able to walk within an hour or two after surgery, pain-free and return home the same day. There are occasions when more than one surgical procedure is required, but this is decided on a case-by-case basis depending on the process needed. This is the reason a majority of the surgical centers owned for operated by Nobilis care centers is outpatient surgical centers. They have completed thousands of successful surgeries and have a stellar reputation for patient care. Included in the patient care is the attentiveness given to health care on an individual basis. The staff works with each patient to ensure their health continues to improve with primary health care and information is made available to every patient.
Nobilis Healthcare facilities are managed by exceptional staff and state-of-the-art technology in addition to the AccuraScope surgical technology. They have the latest in imaging technology equipment and centers that perform MRIs only. The specially trained surgeons play a significant role in the management of the facilities that ensures professionalism and success not only with their surgical performance but the entire business structure. Nobilis has increased their customer care with added marketing of health improvement choices through television, the internet, radio and literature, advertising to connect with the public and help people like Mackies Stanley realize the extensive services offered through Nobilis Healthcare Centers.


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The Reality of Sugar Addiction
Are you always craving for sweet treats? It's possible that you are addicted to sugar. Read this article to know more about sugar addiction.
Most people like to eat something sweet after dinner. That's normal. But if it's a chronic sweet tooth then that's a problem. Most Americans tend to crave for sweets as a result of constantly eating processed foods. Research shows that eating too much sugar is linked to type 2 diabetes, stroke, dementia and other health conditions.
What is too much when it comes to sugar intake?
Although individuals use up sugar at different rates, the American Heart Association has a recommended amount for sugar intake. Women can only have 6 teaspoons of extra sugar per day, which is less than what is added to a 12-oz soda. Men can have up to 9 teaspoons of added sugar per day.
The problem is that Americans consume way more than what is recommended. A survey in 2009 says that the average consumption of sugar by adults is 22 teaspoons per day. You need to know how much sugar you're getting per serving of a food or drink by looking at the nutritional label on the product's packaging.
Habit to Addiction
It starts with the habit of eating excess sugary foods, but it ends with not being able to control the cravings for sweets. Sugar addiction is real. Research on this type of addiction shows that the changes that happen in the brain chemicals after eating sugar is similar to what happens after having drugs. It's terrible because constantly eating too much sugar results in addiction and then obesity.
The sugar that people are addicted to is not limited to the sweet stuff, such as candies and soda. The sugary foods also include the processed foods like ketchup and dressings as well as the white starchy foods like bread and pastas.
So, how do you know if your cravings for sweets is becoming unhealthy and you're becoming addicted to it?
Types of Sugar Addicts
According to Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, the author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now, there are four types of persons who are addicted to sugar.
- those who always feel tired and eat sugar to get a boost in energy
- those who are very irritable when they have not eaten for a while and eat sugar for a snack
- those who always crave for something sweet
- those who have hormone imbalances and boost their mood with sugar
The amount of sugar that a person eats is not the telltale sign that he or she is a sugar addict. Sugar addicts exhibit the symptoms that are described in the bullet points above — tiredness, irritability, sugar cravings and hormone imbalances. So, knowing your type of sugar addiction can help you determine how to get treatment.
Tips for sugar addict treatment
If you often turn to a sweet treat to satisfy a craving or to boost your energy, here are some tips: drink more water and get rid of soda; eat a balanced meal and get more rest and sleep.
If you turn to sugar because of stress, here's what you need to do. Identify your source of stress and take care of it.
If you turn to sugar because of a hormonal imbalance, then you need to talk to a doctor and maybe get a hormone therapy or hormone supplement.
Photo credits: Sweets – Strawberry by genniebee512 via Pixabay, CCO Public Domain


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As promised last week, fresh release candidate for the Android 2.3-based CyanogenMod 7.2 are starting to appear, bringing the popular custom firmware to a handful of new devices, while bringing the usual mix of software enhancements and bug fixes. A quick glance at the CyanogenMod download site reveals that CM7.2 RC2 builds are now available for a number of popular devices, including the LG Optimus Black, 2X and 3D, and a number of Galaxy S variants.
As the CM team mentioned in their status update last week, development of CM7 is scheduled to continue beyond version 7.3, even as many devices transition to the ICS-based CyanogenMod 9. New additions to the CM stable in version 7.2 RC2 include the HTC Status (aka ChaCha), HTC Wildfire S, LG Optimus Chic, Motorola Photon and Samsung Galaxy 5.
Check the source link for download info.
Source: CyanogenMod


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Today is the old man's birthday and how do we celebrate? Oh, you know, by touring and wine tasting at America's Largest Home! I'm talking about the Biltmore Estate, of course. I had never been before and I have to say that my mom was right - I love it! The architecture, the opulence, the sheer size of it all! It's spectacular! And even though it was our first gloomy day here in Asheville, it was a great day to tour the Biltmore.
The complimentary audio tour was great because we got our to hear some wonderful history about the house. As we walked the grounds outside and took the tour inside, we tried to imagine just how awesome it would have been to be a guest here. Imagine the parties! Imagine all the fun to be had on the ginormous grounds! The property used to span 125,000 acres and today, it covers 8,000 acres - the rest is part of Pisgah National Forest. GINORMOUS!!
I would love to come back when the sun is out and all the flowers are in bloom. The gardens would be a spectacular sight, I'm sure!
1-The Biltmore House / 2-4-Statues on the property / 5-In the wine cellar / 6-One of 10 in existence, a 1913 Stevens-Duryea / 7-Biltmore architecture / 8-Mrs. Vanderbilt's room, I believe... / 9-Creepy cat doll in one of the gift shops / 10-The Winter Garden ceiling
The Biltmore is a pretty magical place, I'd say. There are pretty neat things going on there. Honestly, if I were wealthy, I might try to rent it out for a week for my family or something! Or I'd rent it out for an entire day for a private tour with their best guides, chefs and sommeliers. But it'd be in the warmer months, of course! Or maybe even Christmas! I'm sure it's crazy beautiful around Christmas time...
Anyways - onto phase three of the old man's birthday: dinner! Phase two was lunch at Rosetta's Kitchen. Their vegan chili is wonderfully spicy and delicious! I highly recommend it!
Happy Monday!


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Pricing and services Offered
Unlimited, full-day wedding photography packages start at $4,700. All packages include:
- unlimited hours, from prep until end of reception
- all coverage provided by principal photographer, Steven
- in-person venue walk-through,
- all images edited in our signature style,
- online gallery + highlights,
- rights to high resolution files (no watermarks),
- timeline review and assistance.
Additional services and products also available:
Luxury Queensberry designer wedding albums, photobooth coverage with props and attendant, personalized USB drives, engagement shoots, boudoir sessions, fine art prints, second photographers, and any special request within our power.


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Who services my loan?
Note Servicing Center services your loan and can be reached at 1-800-646-3445.
How can I lower my interest rate?
You may be able to lower your interest rate by refinancing your loan with a new lender. You may have success refinancing your loan with your own bank or, you may be able to find a new potential lender that may fit your needs - http://www.privatemoneylendingguide.com/borrowers/lenders/". Loans will be subject to the individual lender's underwriting criteria.
Can I transfer my property out of my IRA into my personal name or LLC without paying a tax or penalty?
Generally speaking, an IRA account holder cannot transfer an asset to the account holder's personal name or an entity in which the individual owns 50% or more without paying a tax (see IRS FAQ regarding prohibited transaction - https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plan-investments-faqs). Please contact your IRA custodian and/or tax accountant to determine whether you can transfer the asset without paying a tax.
Can I sell my property?
Yes. You own your property and are in complete control of who you sell it to, how much you sell it for and when you sell it. As with any kind of traditional loan, the loan will need to be paid off to transfer clear title to the new owner.
Can I do a "short sale" on my property?
You may negotiate a short sale on your property with your individual lender. Your ability to complete the short sale is dependent upon your individual lender's willingness to work with you.
Can I refinance my loan?
You may be able to refinance your loan with a new lender. You may have success refinancing your loan with your own bank or, you may be able to find a new potential lender that may fit your needs - http://www.privatemoneylendingguide.com/borrowers/lenders/. Loans will be subject to the individual lender's underwriting criteria.
My loan is maturing, what should I do?
If your loan is maturing, you can:
1. Pay-off the loan;
2. Refinance the loan;
3. Negotiate a loan extension with your current lender; or
4. Offer to deed the property to your existing lender. If you deed the property to your lender, you will forfeit your interest in the property to the lender.
Options 3 and 4 are dependent upon the lender's willingness and ability to perform one of these options. If you are current on your loan payments, you may want to consider asking your lender for a loan extension. We have arranged for a title company to work with lenders and borrowers to facilitate the document preparation and coordination of the loan extension. The title co will charge $500.00 for this service. If you are interested in pursuing a loan extension, please email mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com - please provide a short but detailed email with the following information:
- The loan number (assigned by Note Servicing Company);
- The address of the property for your loan;
- The unpaid principal balance;
- Whether you are current or delinquent on your loan;
- Whether you are the borrower or the lender; and
- The desired loan extension period (i.e. 2, 3, or 4 years, etc…)


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Beutiq aims to be an online beauty boutique that brings you the highest quality beauty products from around the world, with a focus on Korean and Japanese beauty products.
All our products are genuine and come straight to us from Korea or Japan, or directly from the brand's country of origin.
These curated products are then put to the test with our rigorous selection process, so that we bring only the best in beauty to you. We hope you enjoy our carefully selected selection.
Happy shopping at Beutiq.co!


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Win a prize for telling us which of our Pinterest boards is your favorite.
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Babble.com, a Disney-owned site covering everything from entertainment to lifestyle and parenting, recently named Nail Art Gallery's Pinterest account as one of the most inspiring.
Are you on Pinterest? (If you're unsure what Pinterest is, take note, it's a virtual pinboard that is taking the Internet by storm.) The basic premise of the social bookmarking site is that it allows you
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