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In case you have been living in a cave, you would have come across the online storm the documentary, India's Daughter, created on social media, causing news desks to pick up the story. India has banned the documentary, and we are all supposed to be surprised and backlash against it now.
Let me be clear, anyone and everyone should take some time to watch the documentary. There will be many who will agree with me, and others who will stand firm in saying that the documentary only glorifies rape and rapists.
You know what glorifies rape and rapists? The fact that marital rape is still not recognised in India, despite the Criminal Law Amendment of 2013, which was all to please the protestors, the press and the otherwise mute public that the government is going to have a better handle on punishing and recognising rape cases. Let's couple this fact with another – 94% of rape victims know their rapists. How much am I, personally, willing to bet that most of those victims are raped by their husbands, considering women are just reared for marriage? They set up a committee that took suggestions from the public so they could strengthen laws surrounding sexual assault, rape and so forth. That committee received over 80, 000 suggestions. Eighty thousand suggestions, and we are to believe that not a single one of those suggestions had the words "Make marital rape legal?" written on them? Eighty thousand suggestions, and not a single one wanted to identify the various types of sexual crimes committed on the bodies of men and transgender individuals? Eighty thousand suggestions, and not one single Indian citizen thought to improve care and protections of domestic violence victims?
Do we even remember what the woman's name was from the 2012 Delhi rape case? I feel as though that's her name now – the Delhi rape case. Jyoti Singh will not be a name we will care to remember in the long run. Jyoti Singh has become yet another one of the hundreds of thousands of women who are assaulted, raped and thrown away until someone in the media picks it up and tweets about it.
Mukesh Singh is waiting to die by hanging in some prison. Mukesh Singh was the bus driver in the Delhi rape case. Mukesh Singh maintains the stance that he did not partake in the rape itself, but simply drove the bus while it happened. Mukesh Singh, that was you partaking in the rape. Mukesh Singh maintains a lack of regret. Mukesh Singh thinks women walking around town by themselves after sunset are simply asking for it.
Jyoti Singh is not India's daughter. The constant confinement of women as mothers, daughters, sisters as a reason to not rape them is not acceptable. What if it was your sister? How would YOU feel if someone raped your mother? Women do not belong in India, not as your mothers, your sisters, your wives or your daughters. But what about your sons? Where did they learn this astounding level of arrogance and power that they own bodies? Where did they learn that somehow, as if by magic, women are weaker, in every sense of the word? Where are your brothers and fathers learning that it's only a crime if they get caught? Where did your older brother learn that if he spots a girl walking around at 9.30pm, she deserves to be raped? Where did your father learn to slap your mother around, knowing she will not hit back let alone report it?
India is a state for sons: Mukesh Singh, Ram Singh, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta, Akshay Thakur and the unnamed teenager.


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Toronto East Chapter
Toronto East Chapter welcomes the new chapter executive
Chair: Cindy McPhee
Secretary: Raymond McCarthy
Treasurer: Susan Ellscheid
Seminar Coordinator: Roger Sarrazin
The Toronto East Chapter welcomes new members to join us at the Bayview Community Centre in Richmond Hill, 3rd Tuesday of Each month,for lively discussion and informative insights. We are currently researching possible tours and seminars.
New Toronto East Chapter Meeting Location:
College Morningside Campus – Room 320
755 Morningside Ave, Scarborough
Email: email@example.com
Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario make every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy and validity of the information provided on its web pages. However, as policies, conditions, and information are continually changing, Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario reserve the right to change at any time without notice, information contained on this website and makes no warranties or representations as to its accuracy.
Links to Third Party Sites:
External links are provided as a service to users. Association of Architectural Technologists of Ontario does not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy or content of those sites.
Your local chapter is an excellent place to learn more about the association and what it is doing for you the members.
If you have any questions about the association bring them to your local chapter's next meeting. Chapter meetings also count towards both your intern accreditation program and the continuing professional development program

subset: commoncrawl


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Professor of Theatre Arts
Chair, Department of Theatre Arts
Norm has been teaching theatre at Gordon College since 1985. In that time, he has directed 36 plays and has supervised 30 student-directed productions. His interest in encouraging the creation of new theatrical works has resulted in 15 premieres or commissioned plays. Norm is also an actor and playwright. He has performed his original one-person script as Nathaniel Hawthorne in dozens of different settings.
Professor of Theatre Arts
Before joining the Gordon faculty in 2002, Jeff was the founder and Artistic Director of The Refreshment Committee Theatre Company of St. Paul, MN. He also chaired the Theatre Arts Department at Bethel University in St. Paul, where he received the 1995 Distinguished Faculty Award for Excellence in Scholarship, and served as Director of Education, director, and performer at Lamb's Players Theatre in San Diego, CA.
His many directing ... more ➔
"The small size provides more opportunities than a larger department would. This also allows students to work closely with professionals and get a glimpse of what theatre is like outside of Gordon."
"I appreciate that we're given the tools and opportunities to grow and succeed, because the faculty inspire us to be brilliant."
"I particularly value their care for me as an actor as well as a person, exemplified by the chance to meet and talk with faculty in the end-of-year review. I feel that I am important and cared for in this department."
"While they help facilitate the cultivating of students' passions, the department faculty become involved in students' lives in a caring, loving, and mentoring way. We are given responsibility with every show. The amount of trust and faith that our professors put in us is both daunting and welcome. The proverbial ball is in our court and it is up to us to hit it back with all of our effort and being."


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No Paperwork or Fee for your Consultation
One of the first health care offices in Boone to utilize Electronic Medical Records we have made it simple and easy to process your information and keep your records and treatment updated in all areas. Our staff will help in every way to make the new and established patients comfortable in using this new technology. EMR is crucial in keeping your treatment, examinations, insurance relations accurate with less errors and time efficient.
Once your information has been entered into our system and Doctor Batchelor has reviewed your data you will have a consultation with the doctor to discuss your primary concerns whether an acute or chronic problem or just wish to stay healthy.
History and Examination
The Doctor will discuss with you your history and establish what exam is needed to evaluate your situation. Examination, specific radiographs or other tests may be required to help us help you in your goals. We may take precise digital x-ray images of you. We also have a great relationship with MRI imaging Centers and Labs in case additional tests are needed. We are conservative and do everything possible to save you time and money.
Digital X-ray Studies
Your specific condition may require us to take x-rays accurately, measure your spine biomechanics and instabilities, rule out pathology and defects or evaluate degeneration and of course rule our more serious conditions. We also take extremity views or other views if needed as we do not want to miss important areas that may or may not contribute to your main concerns. Our radiographs are precise, weight bearing, comfortable and measurable.
The biomechanics of the human spine are incredibly important for understanding numerous health conditions. Abnormal posture plays a significant role in the degeneration of tissues and in the understanding of degenerative processes. Having a thorough understanding of the normal spine and spinal biomechanics gives us a window into the structure and function of the human structure and nervous system.
The human nervous system controls and coordinates the function of every cell, every tissue and every organ system in the body. Structure determines function, and the biomechanical structure of the human spine and posture determine the function of the delicate nervous system that is housed inside.
At Batchelor Chiropractic we can visualize the most in-depth spinal structures possible! We can have insights that few others possess! We can utilize this amazing technology to see the root source of many problems from abnormal muscle function to disc, bone, and spinal pain. We can see the structural abnormalities that cause stresses and strains on the nerves and thus lead to less functional capability.
With with our high frequency, fully digital analysis, we can provide the safest, most informative analysis possible!
We will not rush into treatment without your information evaluated, your spine or other structure measured, and your case investigated. If you have an acute injury we will do all we can to begin getting you back to feeling good as soon as possible. Please visit our Services and Specialties menu.
Home Care
If your situation demands home recommendations we will create custom home care recommendations that have proven to speed your healing. We expect all of our patients to take responsibility for their health by helping themselves at home.
Your Appointment Schedule
You will be given your next appointment before leaving the office. Your next appointment (usually the next day) will include a Report of Findings in which we your go over your situation, discuss plans and goals . If you are accepted as a patient we will begin appropriate care.


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Accessibility awareness promotion
©Tony Mould: all images copyrighted
The Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Councillor Pete West, joined managing director of Brighton Buses, Martin Harris, at Churchill Square to launch a brand new accessibility bus. It was also an opportunity to inform people of the many ways the company works to make bus travel more accessible for anyone with special requirements. You can read about the help offered here.
Brighton Buses also operates a Helping Hand scheme which has been designed to help bus drivers help customers. Cards are provided free for any passenger that may need extra assistance, or require the driver to be made aware of something discreetly without having to verbally communicate it. The cards display a basic instruction to the driver such as "Please lower the ramp" for passengers that may be unsteady on their feet, or "Call out my requested stop" for visually impaired travellers. Cards can be produced to suit any bus traveller and you can find out more here.
My Brighton and Hove > http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/
Designed and built by Community Sites


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Lake County Solid Waste Management District has a list of facilities in the county where you can recycle your electronics: http://www.lcswmd.com/electronicrecycling.htm.
Here are a few additional resources you can use in order to gain knowledge in proper disposal and/or recycling of electronic waste:
Looking to get rid of hazardous waste (batteries, corrosives, diesels, poisons, pesticides, etc..)?
Check out the Lake County Solid Waste Districts Hazardous Waste disposal schedule for a list of materials accepted, and when and where to take them:
If you have any unwanted or expired medication that you want to dispose of, you can bring them to the Schererville Police Department during office hours.
Please do not dispose of these by dumping them down the drain.
Click here to view a full list of places in Lake County you can drop off unwanted medication.
The Town of Schererville has dedicated recycling pickup days at residents homes every two weeks. Click here to view Recycling Schedule Calendar. Additional information about to refuse and recycling in Town can be found here: Refuse/Recycling Services.
Recycling roll offs with 24/7 access are located at the North end of the Riders Football Field near the Public Works facility.
Recyclingcenters.org can be found to find recycling centers near you.
The Town contracts out garbage removal to Republic Services. Click here to find out more about garbage removal in Town.
Please refer to this article, Branch and Leaf Pickup Information, created by Public Works to find out how to dispose of your branches, leaves, yard clippings, etc.
Phone: 219-322-2211


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Options at Retirement
Free Annuity Calculator
This calulator will only search standard annuity providers. It will not take into account your health, lifestyle or individual circumstances, Excluding 54% of Annuity Providers and 88% of Retirement Products. Select Full Comparison to speak with a qualified advisor at our expense
Income Drawdown Calculator
Fill in the form to work out the maximum income you can take from a drawdown pension.
Lifestyle in Retirement
Inflation in Retirement
Statistics suggest you'll live longer than your parents. The average man retiring at 65 is now expected to live another 22 years, whilst the average woman is likely to live two more years on top of that. That means your pension needs to stretch further.
Enhanced Annuities
Approximately 60%* of people in the UK currently qualify for higher annuity rates (known as enhanced or impaired annuities) because of their health and lifestyle.


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EPDC 615: Foundations of Public He alth
History of Public Health, Threats to public health, guiding public health principles, International influences on public health, Role of doctors in public health, role of primary care, Housing and health, Environmental health, occupational health, Health...
EPDC 607: Principles of Epidemiology
Definitions: Uses of epidemiology; Disease and health; Disease measurement and significance of indices used; Mortality measurement and significance of indices used; Standardization of rates; Epidemiological methods, descriptive, analytic, experimental;...
This course prepares students to create and manage health data elements and data sets. It introduces health data components and systems, data structure, health data management life cycle, processing of health information, storage, and retrieval and...
BSTT 658: Health Informatics Practicum
Students spend an initial familiarization and problem identification field visit of 1 week and a 12-week practical period on the field acquiring competencies in health informatics with institutions whose functions have been identified to be relevant to the...
BSTT 638: Software Engineering
This course aims at presenting the fundamental principles of software engineering and illustrates the application of those principles in the different phases of the software development, namely, software design, process, quality, and requirements. Students...
BSTT 636: Data Mining & Knowledge Disco very
Data mining aims at finding useful regularities in large data sets. Data mining refers to a family of techniques used to detect interesting nuggets of relationships/knowledge in data.
BSTT 634: Web Technology
The subject of this course is the delivery of dynamic information via the internet. Most internet applications follow a client/server model, and as a result, dynamic data generation can be found at two places: creation of data from dynamic sources in the...
BSTT 632: Health Data and Electronic Health Care Records
This course covers approaches to the management of clinical information, focusing on the role and purpose of healthcare records and the development of electronic healthcare record
BSTT 624: Health Application Development
This course is designed for students who have already taken the Programming in health Informatics as well as the object oriented system analysis and design courses in the first semester. It covers
BSTT 623 : Progra mming in Health Informatics
This course is designed to introduce students to the basic concepts and techniques in programming. It covers concepts such as numbers, stings, assignments, functions, loops, file


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Thanks to the research carried out by experts in medicine, nutrition and various branches of health, a treatment has been achieved that eliminates the desire to smoke. stop smoking laser therapy, it guarantees that in 1 hour you will break with that difficult habit.
Even if you have been doing it for many years, the NuLife Stop smoking laser therapy gives you maximum satisfaction, without secondary reactions, without pain, and without stress. This method is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the Toronto Department of Health.
When you smoke, nicotine levels increase and endorphins, produced by the brain, increase and give you a feeling of pleasure. Soon, the endorphins diminish and the need to smoke is created, which becomes a vicious circle, difficult to overcome. This treatment balances the levels of endorphin in your body, reducing cravings to a great extent.
We guarantee that you quit smoking laser treatment; it is applied with a hand wand on the head, ears, nose, wrists, and feet. In an initial consultation, you will be checked to determine the type of therapy you need. Once the study is completed, a first 60-minute session will begin.
After this first stage, you can continue with your life normally. After 2 days, the second session will be applied, which will last 30 minutes and, if necessary, a third consultation will be scheduled.
90% of our patients have not experienced relapses after treatment. The remaining 10% who have suffered some kind of desire to return to smoking, either by stress or any other situation, you can schedule other sessions, after 6 months of the first treatment.
If you want to contact us, visit the site http://www.nulifelaserclinic.com/, where you can request an appointment. We are located in Toronto, Oakville, and Woodbridge. You can also call 416-363-5433 in the United States.
Decide and stop smoking now!


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This blog continues to chronicle my adventures in retirement or the 'next stage' of my life. Join me as I search for a simpler life as I re-learn to appreciate what I already have and to acknowledge that 'little people can make a difference'!
Monday, December 12, 2016
Wool on Sunday...
5 comments:
- angela said...
It's sad when a business that is run by a passionate person closes.
I hope they are ok.
The tree does look lovely
- December 12, 2016 at 10:30 PM
- Kim said...
What an amazing tree! All those knitted ornaments are gorgeous!
- December 12, 2016 at 11:44 PM
- Kate said...
Such a beautiful tree with all the knitted and crocheted ornies - it's a great idea. It's such a shame when a favourite store closes.
- December 13, 2016 at 4:44 AM
- Jackie said...
Lovely tree. I remember your post about the closing. Our yarn shop closed here years ago and I still miss it.
Now to get decent yarn I have to travel 2 hours away and talk my husband into going into the store. Not an easy task (talking him into the store).
God bless.
- December 13, 2016 at 5:20 AM
- Janine @ Rainbow Hare said...
That is a wonderful tree! So sad that knitch closed. I remember you posting about it. Thank you for linking up with Wool on Sundays :)
- December 14, 2016 at 8:45 AM


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I am always VERY excited when my monthly Birchbox comes to me in the mail!! Because its always a SURPRISE!!! Filled with 4-5 deluxe samples that you wouldn't normally think to purchase or that you haven't yet heard of.
This month for December Birchbox, they decorated the box with a bunch of snowflakes. They usually include a postcard with a letter from the Birchbox Team and on the opposite side it lists what you received this month in your Birchbox; but this month it was made into this really pretty card with snowflakes everywhere..its still has same information as before just in a different form.
This month I recieved..
1.) Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue- This is a Birchbox EXCLUSIVE..Fragrance won't debut till January. Spicy amber notes contrast with sweet hasmine and green mandarin.
2.)Benefit Cosmetics-The POREfessional- Camouflage visible pores with this velvety face primer.
3.) Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Birchbox Pink- Birchbox teamed up with one of their favorite brands to create this custom fuchsia shade.
4.) Nuxe-Huile Prodigieuse OR Multi-Usage Dry Oil Shimmer- You can apply it to your face and body to give skin a silken feel and subtle glow. You can also work a few drops into your hair for softness and shimmer.
5.) PREP Showstoppers- Designer Fashion Tape
6.) RECHARGE EBOOST- Orange Natural Energy Booster- Bounce back post-party with this tangy citrus energy booster packed with a mega-dose of nutrients.
Jouer Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Birchbox Pink swatch
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse OR Multi-Usage Dry Oil Shimmer swatch(this stuff smells amazing)
Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional
Have you Subscribed to Birchbox yet? You should!! Its totally worth it! When you receive your Birchbox you can go online to your Birchbox account and RATE each of the products you were sent..each rate is 10 points EVERY 100 points is 10$ off a purchase. SO the more points you build the up..the more money you DON'T have to spend. Birchbox Subscription!CLICK HERE!
Love & Lipstick, Alyssa


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June 16, 2011
I am a U.S. citizen and tax payer.
The main issue I have with the proposed rule change is that it raises the limit far too quickly all at once. For example, assuming that many affluent investors own a home with a value of $700,000 or more that is paid off then by raising the limit from $1.5M to $2.0M plus excluding the value of one's primary residence then you really are effectively raising the limit from $1.5M to $2.7M, or a giant 80% increase all at the same time
This big of jump all at one time will be very detrimental to small hedge funds and investors who want to invest in hedge funds. I don't think this was the intent of the Dodd-Frank bill. Instead the increase to should be more slowly phased in over time to give investors and hedge funds the necessary time to adjust and react.
So instead of doing such a big, potentially greater than 80% jump at one time I request you instead gradually increase the limit over time by doing the following:
To begin with please do not exclude a person's primary residence from the new net worth calculation. This is not required by the Dodd-Frank act and should definitely not be done. This has many issues including the unfairness issue to home owners versus renters, etc. Plus, by removing this from the proposal the jump would then be moderated to just be $1.5M to $2.0M which is still a large 33% jump but much more reasonable.
Next, please don't make such a big jump from $1.5M to $2.0M all at one time. Instead please scale this in slowly over time. Perhaps you could increase it by $100,000 ever two years until you get to the $2.0M level and then increase it at the inflation rate or the rate at which U.S. household net worth increases (or decreases) over time after that.
Lastly and probably most importantly please create an exception for those already invested in a hedge fund so that they don't have to be subject to this rule change and be kicked out of their existing investment. Such a change would be disruptive for the investor. Please keep the best interest of the investor in mind. Instead, the investor should be made aware of the rule change and decide when (if ever) is the right time for them to withdraw their investment from a particular hedge fund if they happen to fall below the new net worth requirement. Forcing them out at an arbitrary time would be bad. Please leave the timing up to the investor. Please "grandfather" in these existing investors and give them an exception to the new rule as this will also greatly help smooth the transition.
Thank you for considering my feedback. I do hope you will consider ways to ease this transition and avoid making too big of change too quickly that would hurt both investors and hedge fund managers. Please be prudent, deliberate, slow and careful with making any change in order to avoid unintended negative side effects for investors and small businesses. Thank you.


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This video show how to install Install Ubuntu 17.04 on Windows 10 with Oracle VirtualBox 5.1. Basically, the steps is very straightforward.
But...after setup, I cannot google in the browser. And it was found some sites can be reached, some sites cannot. Even cannot run apt-get update. After some searching, I found it's related to DNSSEC in /etc/systemd/resolved.conf.
To fix it, edit the file /etc/systemd/resolved.conf:
$ sudo nano /etc/systemd/resolved.conf
uncomment #DNSSEC=allow-downgrade and replace allow-downgrade with off .
Save and Exit
This video show how:
This page have a good explanation: Hectic Geek - Websites Not Loading (dns issue) After Installing Ubuntu 17.04? [fix]
Install Guest Addition:
The Guest Additions are designed to be installed inside a virtual machine after the guest operating system has been installed. They consist of device drivers and system applications that optimize the guest operating system for better performance and usability. (https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch04.html)
It's strongly recommended to install Guest Addition. In case of Ubuntu 17.04, simple click Devices on VirtualBox menu bar, and click Insert Guest Addition CD image...
Share folder between host Windows 10 and guest Ubuntu 17.04:
Starting with version 4.0, VirtualBox can mount shared folders automatically, at your option (link). This video show how to set auto-mount share folder in host Windows 10, and also add user to vboxsf group in guest Ubuntu to access the share folder. (Guest Addition is need)


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Here are my recommendations and pictures from our trip of a lifetime! Please let me know if there are any places in/around Napa that I need to add to my list. Enjoy! xx
Wednesday: Chris and I met my parents in San Francisco for the day, before heading to Napa. We shopped and had dinner at one of my fave SF places, Balboa Cafe. For a review of Balboa Cafe and a list of my San Fran picks, click here.
Thursday: We headed to Napa via The Golden Gate Bridge and Sausalito. On our way to Napa, we got word Chris was traded to another team, all the way across the country! I knew he would be leaving the next day, so we made sure to get in at Duckhorn Vineyards, which has our favorite wine ever! (Their 2005 and 2006 Cab) Then we had dinner at the amazing Brassica, which is one of Cindy Pawlcyn's restaurants. I highly recommend going to eat here and having the bacon wrapped figs & eggplant fries for appetizer!
At Duckhorn Vineyards...
Such beautiful grounds! Wine tasting on a wrap-around outdoor porch was heaven!
How tasting was set up. As you finished one wine, they came around to pour and tell about the next.
With my parents in the vineyards of Duckhorn.
The things you MUST try at Brassica: Bacon wrapped figs & eggplant fries...with this amazing sauce!
Friday: We had breakfast at the adorable Boon Fly Cafe before starting the day off with great wine tastings. The Boon Fly Cafe serves Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner so be sure and check it out while you're in the Napa area. It's at the southernmost end of the Napa Valley, in the Carneros region, so we took advantage of being down that way to go visit a winery that a local recommended, off the beaten path. (I love that kind of thing, and so does my fam!) It was called Ram's Gate. (pictures below) Then we went to Del Dotto, which was one of our top 3 wineries/wines on the whole trip!
Some of the views from Ram's Gate... their outdoor tasting patio overlooked the Carneros Valley.
The beautiful inside!
One of the smaller rooms. We loved the decor and architecture!
One last family pic before Chris leaves for the East Coast!
How cute is my little mama???
Entrance to Del Dotto
Del Dotto is one of the few wineries with a cave tour, which was so cool! If I am not mistaken, it's the only one where you can taste their wines straight out of the barrel. Very fun and unique experience!
The caves were dug by hand in 1885.
Mom, dad, and I inside the caves.
Here is our FABULOUS guide, Tim, pouring wines from the barrel into our glasses. We got to do a couple of side-by-side comparisons of wine aged in American oak barrels vs French oak barrels, which was a great learning experience! This was one of our favorite tours! You also got a great cheese & meat plate afterwards, with a little chocolate and port tasting as well. (if you go, Ask for Tim or Adam to give your tour)
Wines aging in barrels line every inch of the caves at Del Dotto.
Saturday: My brother finally arrives to San Fran, so we head back into the city to pick him up and take the Alcatraz tour! I tried to take the tour last time I was in town, but it was sold out. If you want to do this, which I highly recommend, definitely book as soon as you know you'll be in town. It sells out quickly! For dinner that night, we all met up with some SF friends at Garibaldi's - which was SO fun! They brought a couple bottles of great wine, and we enjoyed amazing food & conversation. If you go, get the lamb entrée!! We had dessert at American Cupcake, which is my version of heaven...
Cupcakes AND wine pairings?!? SOLD!
My happy place. You must go here!
I am doing our whole vacation in 2 posts, so stay tuned for the other half...I will tell you guys about our FAVORITE winery with an incredible view of the whole Napa valley! I also plan to give you guys a great guide to Napa, divided up into region. It helped me a lot, so I wanted to share it with you guys!


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Jana Aston
Published On: November 1, 2016
Date Read: January 25, 2017
Genre: NA - Contemporary Romance
Source: Bought
Format: E-Book
From Goodreads:
I have a crush on my boss' best friend.
At least it's not my brother's best friend.
Or my best friend's brother.
Or… never mind. It's all pretty cliche.
And worse? My boss' best friend is his business partner. Which sort of makes him my boss too. Okay - it's not sort of. It's definite. Gabe Laurent is off limits. Totally off limits.
Which is fine. I make do with my imagination. He'll never know. Ever. Unless my work bestie passes me an eighties-style teen movie sex quiz during a meeting and I fill it out.
And it ends up in Gabe's hands…
"Jesus fuck, am I going to have to resort to getting girl advice from my gay assistant?"
I was so so excited to see that Fling was a novella with the story of Sandra and Gabe. I absolutely loved both of them when they popped up in the second book in the Wrong series, Right. Fling happens around the same time as the events in Right and they really cross over. I loved seeing all of the characters that I fell in love with in the previous books too.
Sandra has been crushing on Gabe for 2 years. Ever since she got a job at the company that he co-owns. He's not her boss but he's her boss' best friend and she just can't go there. When her best friend at work passes her a hilarious made up sex quiz in a meeting Sandra answers the questions... including who in this room would you most want to have sex with... she never imagined that it would be picked up and handed to the guy she named on that sex quiz. Now she is dying of embarassment... but at least it was anonymous!
I loved this novella. Ever since I was introduced to Sandra and Gabe in the second book of the series I so wanted them to get together and I couldn't wait to see how everything went down. One of my favourite parts of this novella was the fact that we got to see Everly and Sawyer again and we saw just how much Everly's meddling played a part in Gabe and Sandra's story. I loved that.
I loved Fling way more than the previous two novels in this series. I love the characters but even more than that I loved the fact that this is told from split points of view. All the way through reading both Wrong and Right I so wanted to read some of it from the guy's POV and to see that in this we got Sandra and Gabe's point of view I just loved it and it made the book just so much better in my opinion. I loved it so much.
My only complaint about Fling is that I really wish it was a full length novel rather than a novella. It really wasn't long enough. Gabe and Sandra are without a doubt my favourite characters in this series and as much as I loved getting to just see their story I wish that it had been much much longer.
Fling was perfect, and definitely my favourite book in the Wrong series so far. It was hilarious, cute and romantic. I loved every second of it and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. I really hope Sandra and Gabe will pop up a few times so I can see my favourite characters.
"Women are complex creatures, Gabe. They think it means something when a man takes his sweet-ass time asking her on a date. They think it means you're just interested in the sex. Obviously that's not the case here, as based on the way you look at that girl it's clear you're already half in love with her."


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Failure First
Test-driven development (TDD) is a software development process that uses an initially failing automated test case to define a desired improvement or new function. After the failed test, a minimum amount of code is written to pass that test, and one refactors the new code to acceptable standards.
Learning TDD can be difficult and strange at first. If you forget to write a test first, your reaction is to stop what you're doing and write it. But the test won't fail in a useful way since the function isn't finished. Even writing the test beforehand can be a challenge because it can change too much and slow you down. , Building a new habit takes time and practice, so even though writing the test first may seem strange, it's important to keep trying.
While you already know the test is going to fail, it's important that the test fails in the expected way. For example, when you first write the test, you expect a failure because the function being tested doesn't exist yet. However, if the test fails because a library isn't included or the compiler throws an error, then there's an issue with the environment. It can't be a bug with your code because you haven't written any yet.
When you're learning TDD, you may forget to write a test beforehand. Instead of dropping everything to write a test, get to a point where a test could fail in an expected way and then write it. What does "an expected way" mean? A basic test will create an object, call the function under test, and then verify the results. An expected failure is one of two things: either the object or function doesn't exist, or the result is not what it should be. When you realize you've written code without a matching test, work to get the code to a place where test will fail in one of those two ways, then write the failing test.
If you're having trouble remembering to test first, ask for help. You don't necessarily have to pair with a experienced TDD developer, just someone (or something) to remind you to write the tests. Pairing with another programmer who is also learning TDD is great because you can alternate writing and fixing the tests. If you don't have a partner, set up some sort of reminder to keep you on track.
When learning a new habit, the most important tip is to focus on practice over perfection. Don't worry about getting mocking or dependency injection setup or a serious testing framework; build the habit of writing tests first. Don't be afraid to throw away the tests when they age poorly - by that point, you will have built the habit and will have learned what makes a good test so you can write better ones.


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Free Download and Read Online Urdu Spy Detective Novel Secret Service Mission by Mazhar Kaleem MA Imran Series pdf
Secret Service Mission by Mazhar Kaleem MA www.aiourdubooks.net by immipir
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To see specific class schedules and fees click here.
Session 1
Monday Classes:
Starts week of 1/8/18 ends week of 2/19/18
(Free Week 2/26/18)
Session 2
Starts week of 3/5/18 ends week of 4/16/18
(Free week 4/23/18)
Session 3
Starts week of 4/30/18 ends week of 6/18/18
Session 4
Starts week of 6/25/18 ends week of 8/13/18
(no classes week of 7/2/18-July 4th)
(Free week 8/20/18)
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Starts week of 8/27/18 ends week of 10/15/18
(no classes week of 9/3/18-Labor Day)
(Free week 10/22/18)
Session 6
Starts week of 10/29/18 ends week of 12/17/18
(no classes week of 11/19/18-Thanksgiving)
No Classes week of 12/24/18 & 12/31/18 (Christmas & New Year's)
All classes are 50 minutes long. This will help to allow the safe entry and exiting of the training facility with your dog.
Pre-Payment policy for all NOCI classes
NOCI has instituted a pre-payment policy for all classes, including Obedience, Rally, Agility and Nosework.
When registering for a class, all students will be required to pay in full. This is to prevent the loss of class spots and revenue caused by students who register but drop out without notifying the club or paying for their class.
The policy will go into effect for Session 4, which will begin June 25, 2018.
When current students register for their next session in week 5 or 6, they must put their payment and any service credits in the class envelope on the clipboard in order to secure their spot in the class. If payments are not received by the end of week 6,
that spot will be released to a student on the waiting list.
Checks will be held in the NOCI safe until just before the new classes will begin. If any student has a change in plans, their check will be returned only if they notify the club by the Friday before the new session begins. No refunds can be offered after that.
For information about any of our classes or activities, please contact us at: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Mingle All the Way
Mingle All the Way is a new networking app designed to pair busy professionals together for upcoming events, without long-term romance. Molly (Lilley), founder of the app, is determined to prove to her family that it is a success. Therefore, she joins the app, and meets another busy professional, Jeff (Daugherty). When Molly and Jeff are matched, they are both horrified to realize they've already had not one, but two disastrous previous encounters. Nevertheless, they agree to stay matched for all their respective upcoming holiday engagements. As the pair gets closer, perhaps their business arrangement might turn into something more this holiday season.
Genre: Romance
Actor: Lindsay Wagner, Brant Daugherty, Sandy Sidhu, Jen Lilley
Director: Allan Harmon
Country: United States
Duration: na min
Quality: HD
Release: 2018
IMDb: 6.9
Keywords: mingle all the way


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Pisces 19 Feb - 20 Mar
Idealistic, dreamy and romantic, Pisces long to melt and merge with another. Pisces has a gift for fantasy and expressing their passion and desire in subtle and imaginative ways.
Very open psychically and physically, Pisces is not usually one for stamina; they'll gladly lie back, spending all night doing the backstroke in an ocean of love. Pisces want to be consumed; they like to be kissed and touched all over, especially the area beneath the belly button.
Whether or not they've a foot fetish, they like sexy boots and love to have their feet massaged. The ankles and feet are very responsive to kisses and gentle stroking; having their toes sucked can give Pisces an out of body experience.
How to score with a Pisces: Wear a sailor suit, recite poetry, send flowers, give little gifts, and treat them to a pedicure.
Ideal date: A romantic sea cruise or a night at the movies followed by a moonlit walk along the beach, the waves lapping at your feet.


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She may be a young woman at her sweet sixteen, but you can be sure she'll still have that sweet tooth from childhood days. So bring the fun to the party with favor boxes perfect for sharing a buffet of treats among friends. Simply create a table full of gummies, peanut brittle, chocolates, sours, licorice, gum, and more; the options are limitless! Have guests scoop up their favorites into these shimmery boxes for savoring. Seven box colors to choose from, a matching colored satin bow, and a variety of customizable labels add the finishing touches to a simple but elegant favor box. Stickers on the box flaps hold them closed once they're filled. Get a few different colors to mix and match bow and box colors for a unique contrasting look.
Boxes come with bows that are the same color as the boxes. Different colored bows can be ordered as a separate item at an additional price.
Boxes arrive separate from the labels. Some assembly required (attaching the self-stick labels and stick-on satin bows to the boxes).
Due to the personalization for this product the minimum order is 2 (sets of 12).
Size: 5.75" x 3.75" x 2.5"
Box Color Options
Sweet Sixteen (or 15) Design Options
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Processing TimesThis item is shipping out of our California warehouse. Processing time generally takes 3 business days for non-personalized items or with personalization it will take 3-5 business days. For countries other than the United States and Canada, up to 6 additional business days are required to process your orders. Please visit our International Orders page for more information.
Transit TimesTransit times generally take 1-6 business days when shipping to the United States or Canada. To view the transit time map click here. We have 3 options for international orders, Priority mail (3-4 weeks transit time), Express Mail (1-2 weeks transit time), and DHL Global Express (4-5 business days). If you are unsure if your items will arrive by your event date or you have any questions regarding transit times, please feel free to contact us by phone, email or live chat.
Please include the your event date or the latest day you are able to receive your order by in the additional information box located on the billing information page.


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Willow Crest Manor can be found at Fitzwatertown Rd 240. The following is offered: Photocopying. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Willow Grove there are 5 other Photocopying. An overview can be found here.


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Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
|Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH)
|عصائب أهل الحق
Participant in Iraq War
Syrian Civil War
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq's logo
|July 2006 – present
|Shia Islamism
Wilayat al Faqih
|Qais al-Khazali
Akram al-Kabi
|Sadr City, Baghdad, Iraq
|Area of operations
|Mainly Baghdad and Southern Iraq; also active in Iraq's Central regions and Syria
|3,000 (March 2007)[1]
|Part of
|Popular Mobilization Forces
|Originated as
|Mahdi Army
23px Kata'ib Hezbollah
Promised Day Brigades
Other Special Groups
Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas
|Iraq War:
Multi-National Force – Iraq
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Syrian Civil War:
Free Syrian Army
Authenticity and Development Front
Islamic Front
al-Nusrah Front
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
|Battles and wars
|Iraq War
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH; Arabic: عصائب أهل الحق 'Aṣayib Ahl al-Haq, "League of the Righteous"), also known as the Khazali Network, is an Iraqi Shi'a paramilitary group active in the Iraqi insurgency and Syrian Civil War.[2][3] During the Iraq War it was known as Iraq's largest "Special Group", the Americans' term for Iran-backed Shia paramilitaries in Iraq, and claimed responsibility for over 6,000 attacks on American and Coalition forces.[4] According to The Guardian newspaper, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq is controlled by Iran and operates under the patronage of General Qassem Suleimani of Iran's Quds Force.[5]
Qais al-Khazali split from Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army after Shi'a uprising in 2004 to create his own Khazali network. When the Mahdi Army signed a cease-fire with the government and the Americans and the fighting stopped, Qais al-Khazali's faction continued fighting, during the battle Khazali was already issuing his own orders to militiamen without Muqtada al-Sadr's approval. The group's leadership which includes Qais Khazali, Abd al-Hadi al-Darraji (a politician in Muqtada al-Sadr's Sadr Movement) and Akram al-Kabi, however, reconciled with Muqtada al-Sadr in mid-2005. In July 2006 Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq was founded and became one of the Special Groups which operated more independently from the rest of the Mahdi Army. It became a completely independent organisation after the Mahdi Army's disbanding after the 2008 Shi'a uprising.[6] In November 2008 when Sadr created a new group to succeed the Mahdi Army, named the Promised Day Brigade, he asked Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (and other Special Groups) to join, however they declined.[7]
The group has claimed responsibility for over 6,000 attacks in Iraq[4] including the October 10, 2006 attack on Camp Falcon, the assassination of the American military commander in Najaf, the May 6, 2006 downing of a British Lynx helicopter and the October 3, 2007 attack on the Polish ambassador.[8] Their most known attack however, is the January 20, 2007 Karbala provincial headquarters raid where they infiltrated the U.S. Army's offices at Karbala, killed one soldier, then abducted and killed four more American soldiers. After the raid, the U.S. military launched a crackdown on the group and the raid's mastermind Azhar al-Dulaimi was killed in Baghdad, while much of the group's leadership including the brothers Qais and Laith al-Khazali and Lebanese Hezbollah member Ali Musa Daqduq who was Khazali's advisor was in charge of their relations with Hezbollah. After these arrests in 2007, Akram al-Kabi who had been the military commander of the Mahdi Army until May 2007, led the organisation.[6] In 2008 many of the groups fighters and leaders fled to Iran after the Iraqi Army was allowed to re-take control of Sadr City and the Mahdi Army was disbanded. Here most fighters were re-trained in new tactics. It resulted in a major lull in the group's activity from May to July 2008.[6]
In February 2010 the group kidnapped DoD civilian Issa T. Salomi a naturalized American from Iraq. The first high-profile kidnapping of a foreigner in Iraq since the kidnapping of British IT expert Peter Moore and his four bodyguards (which was also done by Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq). The group demanded release of all their fighters being imprisoned by the Iraqi authorities and US military in return for his release.[9] In Peter Moore's case, his four bodyguards were killed but Moore himself was released when the group's leader Qais al-Khazali was released in January 2010.[10] Prior to Qazali's release, security forces had already released over 100 of the group's members including Laith al-Khazali.[11] Salomi was released in March 2010 return for the release of 4 of their fighters, being held in Iraqi custody.[12] In total 450 members of the group have been handed over from US to Iraqi custody since the kidnapping of Peter Moore, over 250 of which have been released by the Iraqi authorities.[13]
On July 21, 2010 General Ray Odierno said Iran was supporting three Shiite extremist groups in Iraq that had been attempting to attack US bases. One of the groups was Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and the other two were the Promised Day Brigade and Ketaib Hezbollah.[14]
In December 2010 it was reported that notorious Shi'a militia commanders such as Abu Deraa and Mustafa al-Sheibani were returning from Iran to work with Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq.[15] Iranian Grand Ayatollah Kazem al-Haeri was identified as the group's spiritual leader.[16]
On Friday, August 10, 2012, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militia men stormed a Sunni mosque in Baghdad's Al-Amin al-Thaniyah district, converting it into a Shi'a mosque and banning Sunnis from entering it.[17]
In August and September 2012, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq started a poster campaign in which they distributed over 20,000 posters of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei throughout Iraq. A senior official in Baghdad's local government said municipal workers were afraid to take the posters down in fear of retribution by Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militiamen.[18]
The group earned the respect of the Shia-dominated Iraqi government for some of their actions in Lebanon.[19]
Syrian Civil War
The group's Syrian branch is called the Haidar al-Karar Brigades and is led by Akram al-Kabi, who is Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq's military leader and is stationed in Aleppo.[20]
According to a 2014 report by the Guardian on Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq's intervention in the Syrian civil war: "Hezbollah also claims its widespread intervention in Syria on the side of Assad is in defence of the Sayyidah Zainab shrine. So too does Kata'ib Hezbollah, another Iranian-backed Iraqi proxy, whose members are often buried alongside Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq fighters. Both Iraqi groups fight across Syria under the banner of Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas, which has been at the vanguard of attacks against the almost exclusively Sunni opposition across Syria.
They, along with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, are helping turn the tide in favour of the Assad government, which in late 2012 was losing control of Damascus to rebel groups who were finding serious cracks in the government's inner cordon. "Then came a strategic decision by all the Shia groups to defend Assad whatever the cost," said a regional ambassador previously based in the Syrian capital. "You could see the turnaround in Assad almost immediately. Even in his speeches, it was like 'we can do this.'"
Estimates of the numbers of Shia fighters in Syria range between 8,000 and 15,000. Whatever the true figure, the involvement of large numbers of Iraqis is not the secret it was in the early months of Syria's civil war, which is now being fought along a sectarian faultline."[5]
2014 Iraq elections
The organization had candidates running in the 2014 Iraqi parliamentary election[21] under the banner of Al-Sadiqoun Bloc. However an electoral meeting of estimated 100,000 supporters of Al-Sadiqoun was marred by violence as a series of bombs exploded at the campaign rally held at the Industrial Stadium in eastern Baghdad killing at least 37 people and wounding scores others, according to Iraqi police said. The Shia group organizers had planned to announce at the rally the names of its candidates for the parliamentary election. The Al-Sadiquun Bloc ended up winning just one seat out of 328 seats in the Iraqi Parliament.
The group's strength was estimated at some 3,000 fighters in March 2007.[1] In July 2011, however, officials estimated there were less than 1,000 Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militiamen left in Iraq. The group is alleged to receive some $5 million worth of cash and weapons every month from Iran.[22] In January 2012, following the American withdrawal from Iraq in December 2011, Qais al-Khazali declared the United States was defeated and that now the group was prepared to disarm and join the political process.[23]
The Organisation is alleged to receive training and weapons from Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force as well as Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah. By March 2007, Iran was providing the network between $750,000 and $3 million in arms and financial support each month. Abu Mustafa al-Sheibani, a former Badr Brigades member who ran an important smuggling network known as the Sheibani Network played a key role in supplying the group. The group was also supplied by a smuggling network headed by Ahmad Sajad al-Gharawi[24] a former Mahdi Army commander, mostly active in Maysan Governorate.[25]
Organisational structure
As of 2006 Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq had at least four major operational branches:[6]
- The Imam al-Ali Brigade – Responsible for Southern Iraq (Iraq's 9 Shi'a governorates: Babil, al-Basrah, Dhi Qar, al-Karbala, Maysan, al-Muthanna, an Najaf, al-Qadisiyyah and Wasit Governorates)
- The Imam al-Kazem Brigade – Responsible for West-Baghdad (mainly the Shi'a Kadhimiya and Al Rashid districts but also some minor activity in the mixed Karkh district and the mainly Sunni Mansour district)
- The Imam al-Hadi Brigade – Responsible for East-Baghdad (mainly the Shi'a Thawra, Nissan and Karrada districts but with some minor activity in the mixed Rusafa district and the mainly Sunni Adhamiyah district)
- The Iman al-Askari Brigade – Responsible for Central Iraq (mainly active the Shi'a areas in Southern Diyala, Samarra City (in Salah ad-Din Governorate) and some Shi'a enclaves in Ninawa and Kerkuk Governorates)
- The Haidar al-Karar Brigades - Responsible for Syria, mainly Southern Damascus and West Aleppo.[20]
See also
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Fox News Insurgents Who Killed Five GIs in Brazen Karbala Attack Captured
- ↑ Sly, Liz (15 February 2015). "Pro-Iran militias' success in Iraq could undermine U.S." The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 April 2015.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ al-Salhy, Suadad (10 April 2013). "Iraqi Shi'ite militants start to acknowledge role in Syria". Reuters. Retrieved 10 April 2015.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 ""The Insurgency," Operation New Dawn, Official Website of the United States Force-Iraq". Retrieved 17 November 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Controlled by Iran, the deadly militia recruiting Iraq's men to die in Syria, The Guardian, 12 March 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Asaib Ahl al Haq and the Khazali Special Groups Network[dead link]
- ↑ Iraq's 'Promised Day Brigade' – the reforming of the Shiite Militia[dead link]
- ↑ "The People of Righteousness: Iraq's Shi'a Insurgents Issue Demands for Hostages". The Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 17 November 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Iraqi militants post video of kidnapped US citizen". PressTV. 6 February 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>[dead link]
- ↑ Martin Chulov (3 January 2010). "Cleric freed in move expected to prompt handover of kidnapped Briton's body". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 April 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Bill Roggio (1 October 2009). "Iraqi police detain Hezbollah Brigades leader". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 25 April 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Julie Watson (12 August 2010). "San Diego man recounts Iraq kidnapping". UT San Diego. Retrieved 25 April 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Washington Post U.S. failure to neutralize Shiite militia in Iraq threatens to snarl pullout
- ↑ [1][dead link]
- ↑ "In Iraq, Iran's Special Groups to flourish". UPI. 23 December 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Religious Allegiances among Pro-Iranian Special Groups in Iraq". Retrieved 17 November 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "عصائب اهل الحق تستولي على مساجد النواصب". Iraq News Network. Posted and retrieved on 10 August 2012
- ↑ Yahoo News Iran ayatollah is poster boy for influence in Iraq, September 25, 2012
- ↑ Daragahi, Borzou (27 May 2014). "Middle East: Three nations, one conflict". ft.com. Retrieved 29 May 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Omar al-Jaffal (29 October 2013). "Iraqi Shiites join Syria war". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 25 April 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Dozens killed as blasts hit Iraq poll rally". Al Jazeera English. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "US officials name 3 Iraqi militias armed by Iran to kill Yanks". Retrieved 17 November 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Iraq Shi'ite militia says U.S. has 'failed,' pledges to lay down arms in wake of Sunni bombings, January 5, 2012
- ↑ "Iran's Hard Power Influence in Iraq". Retrieved 17 November 2014.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ New York Times The Struggle For Iraq
External links
- Articles with dead external links from June 2015
- Articles with dead external links from April 2014
- Articles containing Arabic-language text
- Pages with broken file links
- Pages using deprecated image syntax
- War faction articles using ambiguous parameters
- Anti-ISIL factions in Iraq
- Anti-ISIL factions in Syria
- Iraqi insurgency (2003–11)
- Organisations based in Iraq
- Paramilitary forces of Iraq
- Pro-government factions of the Syrian Civil War
- Rebel groups in Iraq
- Resistance movements
- Shia Islamist groups
- Syrian Shia organizations


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101 Best Websites - CSS showcase gallery with Flash and Javascript websites portfolio
Website designed with Photoshop and then created using XHTML, CSS and Flash. The content is driven by a custom built CMS using JavaScript, PHP and MySQL.The website's appearance is to illustrate some features of web design whilst maintaining simple and intuitive navigation.The entire website meets W3C validation standards for both HTML and CSS.
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009
0 Recipe #56: Cyberpenguin's Cincinnati Chili
The subject of chili is a topic that evokes passionate debate in my family. From the start, my mother put forth some pretty strong opinions about what kind of chili, if any, her family would be consuming, and so, we grew up eating very little of it, & when we did, it was always a vegetarian chili. :)
The irony is that, at university, I won a cooking contest for, you guessed it, my vegetarian chili. :)
And the prize for my efforts? A hardbound copy of Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant: Ethnic and Regional Recipes from the Cooks at the Legendary Restaurant. A great reward indeed! This cookbook is virtual goldmine of recipes that I still use to this very day!
It was not until after university, that I ventured forth & tasted the meat version, which was first made using Wick Fowler's 2-Alarm Chili spice mix, in my own kitchen. I don't normally resort to using commercial pre-packaged spice-mixtures; however, for Wick Fowler's 2-Alarm Chili spice mix, it's worth making an exception. :) I'm happy to report that the results of my first meat chili were decent, and since then, I've made several different versions -- both vegetarian & meat versions -- adding different ingredients like green & red peppers, onions, beans, masa harina de maiz (corn flour), and amazingly, even chocolate (for Cincinnati Chili, which, if you're curious, is similar in concept to a chocolate mole sauce, where the chocolate is more of a subtle accent versus an overriding flavor). (I know the addition of unsweetened chocolate might sound bizarre to some people -- and yes, I was a tad bit skeptical about the concept at first too, but trust me, it adds a really amazing flavor to the dish. Plus, it's fun to be adventurous, try something different every now & then, & expand one's horizons. Especially when that something is really, really good. :) )
I've grown to really enjoy & appreciate homemade chili, in part, due to my continual experimentation with it in the kitchen, & also because of my squeeze, Erik, who often requests it when the weather turns colder. :) I've also served this chili to my parents and also to some family friends, and both times it got a very enthusiastic response. (I was especially surprised by the former, given my mother's previously stated, steadfast opinions with regard to meat-based chili. ;) ) In the latter instance, our friend Gerry was over at the house that day and he couldn't stop raving about it. In fact, I saw him during my last visit home, and he mentioned it again. I think he might've been dropping some hints. ;)
Anyhow, here's my own version of Cincinnati Chili. Frankly, I don't like the idea of chili mixed with pasta, (which, I believe is the traditional way it's served in Cincinnati ;) ), so my version is served with tortilla chips instead, which is more like "Cincinnati Chili by way of Mexico." :)
Also, the nice thing about my version of this recipe is that it calls for 93% fat-free meat (or whatever the highest fat-free version is that you can find) & doesn't require any additional oil; the garlic & onions are cooked in the tomato juice from the canned tomatoes. Just one of the low-fat cooking tactics from my bag o' tricks. :)
This recipe is packed with flavor, so those you serve it to won't even realize that it's lower in fat. Shhhhh! :)
Anyhow, here's the recipe. Enjoy!
Cyberpenguin's Cincinnati Chili
2 lbs. 93% fat-free ground beef (or whatever the highest percentage low-fat beef you can find!)
1 large yellow onion, diced
2-3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 14.5-oz. can of diced tomatoes (NOTE: Be sure to reserve juice!)
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
4 fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1-2 c. water
2 tsp. paprika
1-2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (Adjust for heat to suit individual preferences: Adding 1 tsp. will add a small kick to your chili; adding 2 tsp. or more will add a bit more; and, adding 2+ tsp. plus some Tabasco sauce will a "Ka-pow!" :) )
1/3 c. Mexican chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. dried cilantro leaves
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice powder
1/4 tsp. ground clove powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon powder
2 Tbsp. (Hershey's) unsweetened cocoa powder
salt, to taste (between 1-2 tsp.)
1 (15.5 or) 16-oz. can kidney or pinto beans
2 Tbsp. masa harina de maiz (corn flour)
fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
1. Brown meat in large sauce pot. Drain, transfer meat to bowl, & set aside.
2. Sauté onions & garlic in the tomato juice (from the diced tomatoes can) on medium-high heat using the same sauce pot you used to cook the meat. (Using the same sauce pot will add flavor to the onions & garlic & also save on dishwasher loads; this is a good way to be economical & green. And also, it's great for those of us who hate washing dishes & despise cleaning anything in general. :) )
2. Cook garlic & onion mixture until translucent, stirring frequently.
3. Next, add meat & all other ingredients except for kidney beans, masa, & fresh cilantro leaves. Turn down heat to low & simmer with the lid on for 30 min.
4. Check on chili & add water if necessary. Taste for flavor balance, & adjust to suit your personal preferences.
5. Add kidney beans & masa. Slow cook with lid on for 60 more minutes. Taste, and continue to cook until desired thickness has been reached, approximately 30-60 additional minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves & serve.
Yield: 8 servings.
Serving Suggestions: Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve with low-fat/baked tortilla chips. I personally recommend R.W. Garcia Flaxseed Tortilla Chips, which are a tasty, crunchy, & yes, healthy alternative to plain ole' tortilla chips. :) To accompany the chili, I recommend either the Blue Corn w/Flaxseed or Flaxseed w/Soy varieties. The other flavors are probably too busy for this dish; there's enough flavor sensations already going on with the chili itself. Best not to overdo it & keep the focus on the main event, i.e., the chili. :)
Alternate Ingredients: Add California black olives. Or try fresh green & red pepper (cut into small strips), &/or cooked corn kernels.
Chef's Notes: Chili freezes well, and can keep for several months.
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Here are a few images from New Designers.
This is my space on the stand, I was greatful to receive floor space to occupy my footstools as well as some wall space so that I could add a bit more creativity to my space. I crocheted individual flowers and then nailed them to the wall when I got to the exhibition. I tried to create a flow around my mood boards so that they travelled up my wall and was really pleased with the outcome.
I loved the diversity of the stand, even those of use who specialised in the same area created completely different pieces and this diversity caught the eyes of many passers by.


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Nurit Zarchi was born in 1941 in Jerusalem. Her father was an author (Israel Zarchi) and her mother a teacher. After her father's death, when Zarchi was six, her mother moved with her to Kibbutz Geva. Zarchi was raised in the kibbutz as an outsider and during her military service she trained as a teacher. Later she returned to Jerusalem to study humanities at the Hebrew University. She has worked as a journalist and published essays about literature and art. Zarchi teaches creative writing to university students, as well as workshops for adults, and for young adults.
In Israel, Nurit Zarchi is famous as a writer of children's books, for which she has received every major literary prize over the years. Her children's books are characterized by their creative, inventive use of language, their humor, sometimes bordering on the grotesque, and the imaginary reality she creates to raise some well-known, often topical subject. In a sense, the latter also applies to her poetry. Nurit Zarchi's poems tell a story, or even a fairy tale, in strongly associative language with many layers. The emotional content of words and expressions makes up the outer layer, but underneath the readers find more. In her poems, too, she creates a world into which the readers have to delve more than once in order to perceive all the different meanings – of the words, the metaphors, the whole poem. It is a poetry that asks to be reread. Zarchi has received every major Israeli award for authors for young readers including the Bialik Prize (1999) and the Ze'ev Prize (four times). She has also received four IBBY Honor Citations and she was twice the winner of the Prime Minister's Prize for her literary work.
Books Published in Hebrew: Poetry and Fiction
Ha-ritzpa mitnadnedet (The Floor is Shaking; fiction). Yedioth Axaronoth, 2003.
Ha-tiqra 'afa (The Ceiling Flew Up; poetry). Helicon, 2001.
Misxaqey bdidut (Games of Loneliness; autobiographical novel). Yedioth Axaronoth, 1999.
Melon Hipnodrom (Hypnodrom Hotel; poetry). Tag / Helicon, 1998.
Mekhonit kmo orkhidea (A Car like an Orchid; stories). Yedioth Axaronoth, 1997.
Kfar ha-ruxot (Village of the Spirits; poetry). Zmora Bitan, 1994.
Oman ha-masekhot (The Mask Maker; stories). Zmora Bitan, 1993.
Gan ha-moax (The Garden of the Brain; poetry). Zmora Bitan, 1988.
Ha-dag (The Fish; poetry). Zmora Bitan, 1987.
Isha yalda isha (A Woman Begat a Woman; poetry). Sifriyat Po'alim, 1983.
Maxshavot meyuttarot shel gveret (Unnecessary Thoughts of a Lady; essays). Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1982.
Mata'ey bar (Wild Plantations; poetry). Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 1974.
Yaroq, yaroq (Green, Green; poetry). Maxbarot Lesifrut, 1966.
Books in Translation
Don't Banish Nanny. Spanish: Madrid, Loguez, 1996. German: Bindlach, Loewes, 1993.
Tinturu, A Tiny Elephant. English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi: New Delhi, Star, 1996.
Wolfinea Momi Bloom. Spanish: Buenos Aires, Sudamericana, 1997.
They Got Her for Free. English: New Delhi, Vikas, forthcoming.
A Feel for Business. Italian: Verona, Mondadori, forthcoming. Spanish: Madrid, SM, 2002. French: Paris, L'ecôle des Loisirs, 1999.
A Tiger in Golden Pyjamas. Arabic: Haifa, Markaz Adabu l-Atfaali l-'Arabiy fi Isra'il, 2000.


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LITTLE ROCK — Worried about a risky, high-stakes op, the blonde CIA agent received advice from her co-worker-friend who might turn out to be even more down the line.
"Going into battle is like blowing out a birthday candle," he told her in the season finale of the USA Network show.
Don't over think it, he explained.
Apply that approach to Alabama vs. Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game today in Atlanta.
Considering that a spot in the BCS title game is at stake, there is a temptation to delve too deep. Instead, begin with turnovers — the happening that turns more games than any other when talent levels are relatively even.
Instead of thinking turnovers as takeaways, consider them extra opportunities to score, and that perspective doesn't take into account how a fumble or interception affects field position, something that is at a premium when a low-scoring game is expected.
Explaining Alabama's only loss of the year, the natural focus is the gee-whiz performance of Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. Equally important were three turnovers by the Crimson Tide:
—A.J. McCarron threw an interception at midfield in the first quarter. Four plays later, the Aggies were up 14-0.
—T.J. Yeldon fumbled at the Aggies' 34 in the fourth quarter and two plays later a touchdown upped A&M's lead to 12.
—McCarron threw a fourth-down interception at the A&M goal in the fourth quarter with less than two minutes to play.
Those two interceptions were the only ones that McCarron threw all year and that transitions to quarterback play, point No. 2 in the title game. A 66.6 percent passer this year, Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray was 11-of-31 (35.5 percent) in the Bulldogs' only loss, 35-7 at South Carolina.
Murray is not talking to the media this week, an absence approved by coach Mark Richt. Linebacker Christian Robinson said it had nothing to do with the media or Murray trying to send a message. "He just wants to be completely ready and not have any distractions," Robinson said.
The Bulldogs barely topped 200 yards against South Carolina, including 109 passing by Murray. The junior explained the lack of offense by citing poor execution, a popular, all-encompassing excuse. Production, or lack thereof, might have something to do with the Gamecocks' defense that held high-powered Clemson to a field goal in the final 46:22 last week in a rivalry game.
Step back from the Arkansas coaching search for 3 1-2 hours and watch what it takes to get to Atlanta.
Both teams run the ball, both teams play excellent defense, and Murray and McCarron are one-two in the quarterback ratings in the SEC, 20 points ahead of South Carolina's Connor Shaw.
Mixed together, that recipe has worked well for years.
Considering the quality of the defenses, it is unlikely one team will line up and knock the other off the ball and that premise brings us full circle to the quarterbacks.
McCarron will miss wide receiver Kenny Bell, who suffered a broken leg in last week's rout of Auburn. The junior has only caught 17 all year, but he has averaged 25.4 yards per. In half of Alabama's games, he had a catch worth 34 yards or more.
On the other side, the Alabama secondary is not as good as the 2011 group that included Mark Barron and Dre Kirkpatrick, both among the first 17 players taken in the NFL draft. Murray will have some opportunities if his offensive line holds up, a refrain that was popular with Arkansas' Tyler Wilson this year.
Consistently, the experts who endorse Alabama fall back on the presence of Nick Saban. Richt (117-39) can coach, too. Alabama wins two of three, but this might be game three.
Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media's Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com.


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In addition to more images, some other new elements include:
- New tools, called Explore and Discover, let you find images by period, artist, or artwork type.
- Integration of Google+ and Hangouts on the site.
- Better quality of Street View images.
- 46 artworks are now available in super high "gigapixel" resolution.
- The My Gallery feature, which allows you to build, annotate, and share personalized galleries.


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Photo Backup - My process
Brian Auer of Epic Edits has a series of articles on this blog discussing the options for ensuring that you don't lose your photographs due to the various things that can go wrong with a computer hard drive. I thought I would post how I handle this since, as Brian outlines, there are several approaches.
First off, I'm a PC guy, always have been, and don't see a reason to change now. For catalog management I use Adobe Lightroom 2.0. I have been a big fan of Lightroom and have been using it since the 1.0 betas. Another critical part of my photo backup process is my Windows Home Server. I have a HP MediaSmart Server filled with hard drives.
I do not store any of my photographs on my desktop, all photographs go directly on the Home Server as soon as I transfer them from the Compact Flash cards. Since I don't have any redundant hard drives on my desktop, its safer in my mind to store everything on the server. Within the Home Server I have a file share called Photos, this share is set to be duplicated within the Home Server so I don't have to worry about a drive failing and wiping out those files. To make it simple, and to ensure that I don't accidentally store photographs on my desktop, I map the default pictures user directory in Vista to the photo share on the home server.
To do this find your user directory, within Vista it is usually C:UsersUSERPictures. Right click on the folder, select properties. From the properties dialog, select location, type in the location of your network share, \MACHINENAMEPhotos, then hit the move button. This will now set the default picture folder within Vista to the server share, the server does not need to be a Windows Home Server, it just is in my case. Now every program that wants to store or retrieve pictures will by default look in this directory.
Currently I have Lightroom configured to copy into date based folders within the Photos share. This seems to work best for me, since I frequently take shots of various subjects, and trying to come up with folders based on the subject of the photograph was just to difficult, plus that is what keywords are for anyways.
I currently have all four drive bays filled within the HP MediaSmart Server, 2 500GB drives, and 2 750GB drives. I also have a 500GB external USB drive integrated into the storage configuration. One of the nice features of WHS, is the ability to have various drive sizes within the case, and still enable redundancy between drives. I at one point had a server setup with a RAID-5 configuration, it was good for redundancy, but all the drives needed to be the same size, and with hard drive prices dropping all the time I like the ability to upgrade my 500GB for a 1 TB drive when the price drops.
The configuration I outlined above works great for making sure I don't lose any files within my home network. The one risk is that if something happens at my home, fire, theft, etc. That is why the next point of protection is offsite storage. I currently use KeepValue as my backup provider. KeepVault has a add-in for WHS that automatically backs up any new or changed files to their servers. The KeepVault interface is very simple, you just pick which shares on your home server you would like to be backed up, and it takes care of the rest. KeepVault for WHS is $100 per year for unlimited 100GB of storage. I could not find a better deal, since I backup all my photos, my extensive music collection (re-ripping all those CD's does not sound fun), and my family videos.
Well I hope this help anyone that are looking for ways to protect their photography. As photographers we like to get the coolest and latest gear, but don't forget to invest in the backend of your process, and poor backup strategy will be costly.


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This event occurs daily, every 5 day(s).
Niagara County Fair
August 1-5, 2012 Fun for the whole family featuring an antique tractor parade, an arts and crafts show, 4-H
exhibits and animal shows, a livestock auction,
stage shows, beer tent, classic car show,robotics
demo, merchants displays, farmer's market, midway rides, great food and more. Come celebrate
75 years of 4-H at this year's Fair.
Admission: $2 per person W, Th, & Su $3 per person F & Sa
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County
(716) 433-8839
We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, you should always call ahead to confirm dates, times, location, and other information.


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Ate at Frida at Grand Velas in Playa del Carmen last night. (Sneaking away from the NYC snow for camaraderie and schooling at Food Blogger Camp.) Some hits and misses.
Raddicchio and frisee salad with chilled lobster tail > hit. The salad was very lightly dressed with lime and avocado puree. This let the grilled lobster meat shine.
Duck tacos > almost hit. The oil used for the hard shells threatened to overpower the smoky, moist duck. Because they came in a trio (nice presentation), I tried one taco with the shell but then emptied the shells and ate just the insides for the other two. I would love to get the recipe for the duck.
Tomatillo gazpacho > miss. The presentation was lovely: summer roll of julienned carrot and zucchini surrounded by a lake of table-poured gazpacho. I love tomatillos but the kitchen killed the tangy crispness with too much salt. I was very sad about this. I was really looking forward to a chilled soup.
Veal ossobuco > almost hit. The veal was slow cooked to fall-off-the-bone perfection. The glaze was viscous and deep crimson. But the cut was very fatty. There was a lot to work around. Bummer.
Key lime pie > miss. I can appreciate deconstructed standards but the kitchen missed the classic mouthfeel of key lime pie. The consistency was marshmallow-y. Blech.
A Review: Frida
Ate at Frida at Grand Velas in Playa del Carmen last night. (Sneaking away from the NYC snow for camaraderie and schooling at Food Blogger Camp.) Some hits and misses.
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- January 11, 2011 at 12:30 am
That meal was like The French Laundry compared to the meal we had on Saturday night. Good thing those White Russians and the good company made me (nearly) forget the whole thing!
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I think I'm a strong person, I've been through quite a bit in my life and have been able to learn and grow from tough times and difficult relationships. However, today I heard some news that has brought me to my knees.
On February 12th, my husband was diagnosed with CLL (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia). I went online, researched it, and things sounded hopeful. There were drugs and treatments available and people live long lives with CLL. Sure, having any type of cancer isn't the greatest news in the world... but at least we believed it was a type that we could do something about.
His second appointment with the oncologist was today, February 19th. The results from the most recent blood tests weren't good. Not at all. More than 80% of his white blood cells are abnormal. We were told that my husband will have to have a bone marrow transplant within the next five to ten years, depending on how quickly the cancer progresses.
How does one deal with this kind of news? I can't tell you what's going on in my husband's head, only what I've been feeling. SCARED. HELPLESS. I was literally shaking non-stop for hours. I wanted to scream about it, tell everyone... but, at the same time, I didn't know what to say. The panic button in my heart had gone off and I was at a loss.
Now, after talking with a few close friends, crying a bit and relieving some of the pressure, I've learned to form complete sentences again.
I know that my husband and I can't face this alone... and it's not because we are weak. It's because people need each other. We need hands to hold, moments to share, pillars to lean on when we're mentally, emotionally, or physically exhausted. We need laughter to make the load seem lighter and love to bring us hope. We don't need sympathy... we need support. And... we are ever so grateful for that support.
Words cannot define how grateful we are for those who are rooting for us, sending their love, prayers, healing energy, and just showing up for us. It's comforting to know we won't be walking this road alone.
To my beautiful and loving friends who read this... I love and appreciate your presence in my life and I want you to not only know this... I want you to feel it. Thank you... with all of my heart.♥
Friday, February 19, 2010
I think I'm a strong person, I've been through quite a bit in my life and have been able to learn and grow from tough times and difficult relationships. However, today I heard some news that has brought me to my knees.
Scribbled by Self-Proclaimed Mistress of Nothing at 9:04 PM 0 comments
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Sometimes, if you're patient,
if you stay up way too late
listening to love songs
with a deep and beautiful ache inside,
if you get kicked when you're down
but have no one to call and nothing to say,
if you bite your tongue and taste the pain,
if you spill coffee on a favorite book,
lose your favorite ring,
have your home invaded,
get lost on an unfamiliar road,
worry over a sick child,
feel an increasing distance in your relationship,
see angels as they're walking away...
Sometimes, if you're very, very patient,
the tears will come.
Scribbled by Self-Proclaimed Mistress of Nothing at 5:11 AM 0 comments
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Proper Word Use
I am not a tyrant when it comes to proper grammar (outside of my home) but there are definitely many instances of improper word use that cause me to bite my tongue. I openly admit that I, too, have been guilty of a few grammatical errors. I still, to this very day, confuse "effect" and "affect". I'm working on it.
I would like to share some of the most common errors, a few of which drive me completely insane.
Seen -vs- Saw
Any time I hear someone say, "I seen that movie," I cringe. It's actually painful to hear.
You either "have seen" that movie or you "saw" it.
Then -vs- Than
THEN is in relation to a time period. "We saw a movie then we went for ice cream."
THAN is in comparison. "His shoes are larger than mine."
Your -vs- You're
YOUR is possessive. "I like your shirt."
YOU'RE means "you are". "You're very smart."
There -vs- Their
THERE is a place or a pronoun.
"We can stop by there before returning home."
"There is still a sense of longing."
THEIR is a plural possessive pronoun.
"Their dog bit the mailman."
Were -vs- We're
WERE is a past tense verb. "We were at the concert."
WE'RE means "we are." "We're busy painting the house."
Its -vs- It's
ITS shows possession. "The dog chased its tail."
IT'S means IT HAS or IT IS. "It's going to be a beautiful day!"
Past -vs- Passed
This one is tricky. I think most people confuse these every so often because they sound the same and have similar meanings.
PAST is in relation to time or space. "I have no hard feelings over events in the past."
"This past weekend, we visited my aunt."
PASSED is the past tense of PASS. "He passed me the ball."
Effect -vs- Affect
Oh, these are the two I dread.
EFFECT is a noun. "The effect his words had on the audience was amazing."
AFFECT is a verb. "Using improper grammar will affect how your readers perceive you."
Loose -vs- Lose
LOOSE is usually the opposite of tight. "His pants are too loose."
However, you can also set something free: "I let the dogs loose."
LOSE is the opposite of win. "Did you lose the game?"
It's also means something lost: "I told her she would lose that ring because it was too loose on her finger."
Me -vs- I
I have been guilty of this mistake myself. I swear it was by no fault of my own. I distinctly remember my English teacher telling the class to use "I" in a sentence any time you are speaking of yourself along with other individuals.
The best way to remember which of these words is correct is to remove everyone else from the sentence and see if it still makes sense.
For instance, "Bob went to the restaurant with Jan, Susan, and I," is incorrect. You wouldn't say, "Bob went to the restaurant with I."
Therefore, the correct wording would be, "Bob went to the restaurant with Jan, Susan, and me."
Another misuse would be, "Bob and me went to the restaurant." You wouldn't say "me went", you would say "I went". "Bob and I went to the restaurant."
i.e. -vs- e.g.
i.e. means in other words.
"Those paper plates are really ghetto, i.e., very inexpensive"
e.g., means for example.
"His friend has helped a lot, e.g., loaning him money and helping him move."
All that being said, if you feel inclined to begin a sentence with the words "and' or "but", feel free. I know we were taught not to do so but it reflects our natural speech. And, I also don't have a problem ending a sentence with a preposition for that very same reason.
Please, if you ever see/hear me use improper grammar, tell me. Unless, of course, it's obvious that I'm just playing around. =)
Scribbled by Self-Proclaimed Mistress of Nothing at 9:50 PM 2 comments


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creampuffsteph aka 4theluvofmary was so kind to review City of Bones for us.
I love The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it is my favorite Young Adult series. In fact, I love it more than, gasp, Twilight. And without a doubt I love Jace Wayland more than…you guessed it, Edward Cullen. But really, if you take the time to read the book(s), you'll understand why.
First in the series, City of Bones.
Clare has an amazing ability to weave together a world unlike many you've read about in the staggeringly increasing amounts of Urban Fantasy books on the shelves today. Though set in modern day New York City, the characters, both human and non, and the government (for lack of a better word) are so interesting it was, quite literally, impossible to put down. The book drew me in from the beginning, where sixteen year old Clary sees something unusual at a local club.
Which is where we meet Jace, resident bad boy with the cool arrogance, sharp remarks, and of course, devastatingly good looks. What sets Jace apart from other YA love interests, though, is the surprisingly sweet glimpses of vulnerability. It can probably be said for most of these boys/guys/men/whatever-you-call-them that you read about that this trait is merely a mask to cover up a darker side. And the same is here true. Yet, none of it feels contrived. As you read more of City of Bones (and consequently the other two, City of Ashes and City of Glass), you get more insight into Jace's past and present day situations. I found myself aching over this boy, grown up too fast due to the world he lives in and the people he's forced to interact with.
I should probably say more about Clary, huh? As far as heroines go, she's pretty dang likable. Not only that, but despite the otherworldly aspect, relatable. She's young, tiny (can I just interrupt myself to say how cute I think it is that she's so short?), sweet, and yet still has that flair for dramatics so common in teenagers. She's got her bff (a boy named Simon, more on him later) as well as a group of other friends, a mom who actually cares about her daughter (hello, Renee? Sorry, can't help making the Twilight comparisons…), and seemingly normal teenage concerns. Even though she is thrust into this new, strange, and downright frightening new world, she is able to handle herself with a grace proportionate to her age. Who wouldn't be scared? Who wouldn't maybe fall for the boy?
Besides the two main players in this series, Clare's supporting cast is amazing. Seriously. I don't think I've read a series where I've been rooting for the other guys as much as this one. Simon, who you learn fairly on, may harbor some stronger-than-friends-feelings for Clary, is really sweet and truly adorkable. You almost want to root for the underdog (if it weren't for how much you fall in love with Jace…). Then there are Jace's friends: Alec and Isabelle. The, basically, adoptive brother and sister to Jace, have their own plot lines weaving throughout the story. Alec, especially, grabbed my attention and held it. Then of course, you get to meet Luke, Magnus, Hodge, etc etc. I can't go into detail over them all. Otherwise not only would this be the longest review ever, but I'd also spoil everything.
So, even though I want to keep on gushing over how amazing this book (and series) is, I'll end with this: Go and read. City of Bones has action, romance, and the good story telling needed to make a literary world truly come alive.


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If I had a time machine….3
May 1, 2014 by Dadinator
I'd go back to before Monday night's bath and punch myself in the face. Pow! Right in the kisser. Stupid past me, he deserves it. You know what he did? Well, read on.
Bath time is a fun and joyous time. It often involves a lot of water (some even stays in the bath), many bath toys (some even stay in the bath), conversations about brushing teeth, some "excuse me I farted"s and (if hair washing is important) some light to medium bawling and howling. Sometimes I am bathing just The Lad and sometimes I am bathing in stereo with The Lass in there too.
On Monday it was just The Lad. Me and my boy, nay, my son and I. I do enjoy his company. As the bath progressed teeth were brushed, skin scrubbed down and a face washed we continued to play our regular pantomime with the bath toys. There are rockets and satellites and planets. They fly around and talk to each other and kiss and do all sorts of things. There are also a couple of neglected ducks and an orange bowl shaped thing that we refer to as " The Hat"
As I was fidgeting with the toys (which are totally for him, not me) I placed a flattened planet on a duck's head. And lo! The duck had a hat. I proudly showed off my accomplishment to my son, hoping he'd be proud of me until I realised I could do better. I placed the orange bowl thing on top of the behatted (totally a word) duck and so "The Duck with Two Hats" was born.
Little did I know I had unleashed a plague on both our bath-times. Mostly on me though.
Suddenly The Lad was basically unresponsive. I couldn't get him to do anything. Couldn't engage him. Couldn't wash him. Couldn't get him to avert is gaze. He just wanted to set up the Duck with Two Hats, stare at it and then pick it up. This made the hats fall straight off its yellow plastic head. So he would collect them and set up the duck…. and repeat. And repeat and repeat and OH MY GOD IT'S JUST A DUCKING DUCK! He'd point it out to me again and again and again. This was it, the bees knees, the ultimate wonder, the pinnacle of the universe. It was The Duck With Two Hats!
It…… Was…….. Frustrating. With a capital F. Time ground on, the water in the bath cooled. It grayed. It started to have a slightly murky-full-of-floating-somethings look to it. I'm sure life was forming in it somewhere in the deep. Given all this I declared it was time to get out. Bath time was over. And what did The Lad say to this?
"Look Daddy, it's the Duck with Two Hats!"
"The water is cold now Lad, time to get out of the bath"
*blinks* "Look Daddy! It's the Duck with Two Hats!"
"Yes Lad I know, I put the hats in him" I confess part of me was eager to hold onto credit for creating this marvel.
Then the hats fell off.
"Okay, time to get out. Can you stand up please?"
He was methodically reassembling the masterpiece however, he didn't hear a word I said.
"Look Daddy! It's the Duck with Two Hats!"
Arrrrrrrrrrrgh! – Please note I didn't say this out loud, my self-control was heroic.
This merry dance went on for quite a few minutes before I decided drastic action needed to be taken. I pulled the plug (I wasn't going to take the duck away, that would be madness). So he put it back in. So I pulled it out again. He put it back in. I pulled it out and put it in the hand basin, beyond his reach. He tried to cover the plug hole with his hands to extend the time he had with The Duck with Two Hats He failed miserably and the water drained.
So there we were. Stalemate. The bath empty. I stared at him. He stared at…The Duck with Two Hats. Me with a towel at the ready. Him with his eyes firmly on his artwork. Spaghetti Western music ran through my head as I squinted and twitched, waiting to make my move on the boy.
I pounced, sweeping him up and popping his towel over his head (its a poncho towel thing). And tried to put as much distance between The Lad and the bath as I could as quickly as I could. When you pull a tooth, you do it fast. When you remove a toddler from something g they are obsessing over…. Well… You do it fast.
There were cries. There were screams there was thrashing in the change table. I held my little squirming toddler in my hands and I nappied him, pyjamed him and hoiked him up in my arms to remove him from the bathroom and get him away from the duck.
Then it was bed time. And all he wanted was to see the Duck with Two Hats…. The monster I had created was not going to leave me this night. I tried to read to him. Tried to cuddle him. Tried to rock him, and still the only solace he found was in the duck. So I turned off the lights and sat with him to console him through this grieving process.
He slept eventually…….
If I had a time machine I would relive the moments of yesterday afternoon again and again. My boy is growing something inside. Something wonderful and magical. Something that lights up his soul and let's him create things out of thin air. Something precious and so powerful. He is growing an imagination.
We were eating dinner tonight. He looked at the floor, his chair is in a blue splat mat with robots on it, the robots are simple shapes with arms and legs and robot eyes. Anyway, that's not the point. As he sat he looked at the floor.
"There are sharks daddy." He said nonchalantly. Sharks, it appears, spook him less than they do the state of Western Australia.
"In the floor. They will jump up!"
"Jump up and go splash!"
I made a hand sign designed to look like a sea creature (shark, dolphin, whale whatever) jumping out of the water and diving in again, making a wavy pattern with my hand. "Like this?"
"Yep". And he went in eating.
Later it was bedtime. There hangs from my son's ceiling a string of special bunting. The bunting is of rocket ships. I really want my kids to be astronauts, but will settle for astronomer/cosmologist. He looked at it, tilting his head ceilingward. "Look! It's the rockets!"
"It is the rockets"
"They will fly down."
"Fly down where?"
"Fly down to The Lad's bed!"
"Then what will happen?……"
This conversations were magical, the wonder of the world and the wonder of a young mind learning how to control it and manipulate it. I could have these conversations over and over again and it would never get old.
So, why these moments? Because life at two is one of extremes: of repetitive tedium which seems like a psychological torture chamber; of extraordinary explosions of inspiration, imagination and learning. Of myopic obsession with the stupidest little thing. Of extraordinary innovation and insight which fills the world with colour and light. Two sides of the same coin. Or maybe two hemispheres of the same brain. A brain that is plastic that is evolving and that is forming new synapses at a rate which dwarfs the clunky old grey matter between these ears.
There are no time machines. I'll have to suffice with these memories and take the stories of sharks and rockets with that bloody Duck with Two Hats, because I'm absolutely certain I'll miss that stuipd-piece-of-crap duck one day and its two bloody hats.
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Category: Fatherhood | Tags: annoying, bathtime, dadbloggers, development, imagination, magical, memory, tedious, The Lad, thoughts
3 thoughts on "If I had a time machine…."
Pinky Poinker says:
What a lucky boy he is to have a dad like you. Your second last paragraph was brilliant!
Larry says:
Sweet moment. It's amazing how impressed kids can be with simple things. My kids are passed the needing help for bathing stage. I feel liberated in many ways but there were definitely some fun moments we shared. Anyway, bummer that the end was challenging – I'm guessing it was worth it.
Rory Mouttet says:
Hey that was fantastic. I never scan your posts Seamus. You rope me right in. I enjoyed this immensely and the Boy is a marvel. So is his Dad!


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Conversion of ''Magnification API for Windows 8/10'' to Delphi XE8
Bajet $30-250 USD
convert this code:
[url removed, login to view]
to delphi XE8...
**Conversion of ''Magnification API for Windows 8/10'' to Delphi XE8**
**Main purpose:
**I must compile your demo-application in Delphi XE8. Run it under MS Windows 8/10' and it must work with all Magnification API functions without faults.
1) Need WORKABLE conversion of all Magnification API functions (13 function) and all structures (3 structures).
2) Conversion must be in .pas file(s) (modules, but NO components!).
3) Need Delphi XE8 project (demo-application: source and executable) in free form. In this demo-application must be:
a) ALL MagnificationAPI functions and structures involved to show that all API workable under Windows Vista. In other words, every function must be demonstrated in that demo-application.
b) This demo-application must work FINE without any FAULTS on all Windows 8/10 platforms (Business, Home, etc.)
c) Demo-project (with conversion .pas files) must be easy compilable in Borland Delphi XE8 compiler without any additional VCL-components.
**Additional References:**
Microsoft Magnification API described here:
<[url removed, login to view]>
## Deliverables
1) Complete and fully-functional working program(s) in executable form as well as complete source code of all work done.
2) All deliverables will be considered "work made for hire" under U.S. Copyright law. Buyer will receive exclusive and complete copyrights to all work purchased. (No GPL, GNU, 3rd party components, etc. unless all copyright ramifications are explained AND AGREED TO by the buyer on the site per the coder's Seller Legal Agreement).
## Platform
Window 8/10 (all types: Business, Home, etc.)