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Alright, don't let the title startle you. I have not taken leave of my senses and started hoarding survivalist supplies. Nor am I writing this hold up in a cabin in Montana.
What I am developing here and in the posts to come, are simply a collection of thoughts, ideas, and observations that relate not just to woodworking, but also to a few other sociologically interesting issues that often interface with woodworking as well.
As I begin to try to string together my thoughts and plan out what I want to say here, I find the process a little bit akin to tugging at that stray string on your sweater. I keep discovering little bunny trails that coincide with original subject thoughts. I keep unravelling more and more that ties in directly with modern woodworking, especially at the professional level.
Interesting and a little frustrating at the same time.
A little while ago I found myself at an interesting confluence. I had been reading several blog posts by Paul Sellers that discussed the historical importance of the traditional apprentice – journeyman model from years past, contrasted with their current state of near extinction.
At the same time I had the fairly rare opportunity to talk with my youngest son about college, the future, and most satisfyingly, life and happiness and what they really look like. Heady things to discuss indeed.
All of this lead me to this place. I wanted to spend a little time documenting my thoughts and observations.
It sounds easy at first. At least I thought it did. However, the more I tried to sketch out a blog post in my mind, the more I had to say. The more I had to say, the larger the catalog of subjects to talk about became.
Ultimately, I settled on the idea of a series of posts that touched on some of these subjects. While this post is going to be the Preface and introduction to what is to come, I suspect that there may never, truly, be an end. I know myself well enough to know that as the blog develops, there will undoubtedly be times that I feel the need to amend or supplement, or reverse position on what will initially be the Madcap Manifesto.
Earlier in this blog, I mentioned that I may be touching on more esoteric aspects of woodworking, craft, and craftsmanship …. This is it.
To be fair though, the discussion of just those subjects, I'm discovering, require exploration of the more sociologically based topics as I mentioned above.
Happiness, satisfaction, education, career, worth, self worth, stress, fairness, equality, inequality, social change, sustainability, ecological responsibility, are all topics that have influence on modern woodworking as a profession.
They, and many similar topics, all have (or should have) relevance to the modern professional or serious amateur.
Finally, I invite comment on anything written here. Please be aware that my posts may end up with a hint of "ramble" as I sometimes struggle to get multiple thoughts down in a coherent and thoughtful manner. Not because I have not given them thought, no, quite the contrary, I sometimes feel I have thought about them too much. (Usually during long sessions of sanding projects, or sometimes after having read something somewhere, or even just wondering what my kids futures will look like.)
Just know that I will endeavor to keep things simple, and hopefully both thought provoking and entertaining at the same time.
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Update: Please note that legislation passed in 2017 amended 37.005 of the Education Code to prohibit out-of-school suspensions for those below grade level three, except for specific serious offenses involving violence, weapons, and drugs/alcohol outlined in Texas law. Additionally, the legislation allows for districts and open-enrollment charter schools to develop and implement a "Positive Behavior Program," in consultation with campus behavior coordinators, for conduct subject to suspensions under code.
- NEW! Results of the Texas AFT Safe Schools Act Survey
- Download the Safe Schools Act Booklet
- Download the Safe Schools Act Booklet (Printable 8.5 x 11)
- Download Sample Letters for Discretionary and Mandatory Removal
More than 20 years ago, Texas AFT launched its campaign to give educators key tools to respond to students who are violent, abusive, or chronically disruptive in the classroom.
The Texas Legislature responded in 1995 with the Safe Schools Act, 1 part of the Education Code. This law endows teachers (and bus drivers) with significant authority to help make our schools safe and orderly.
Appropriate use of this authority helps ensure that all students, including those who engage in misconduct, receive educational services in a safe and orderly setting that meets their needs.
However, the law is not self-enforcing. You must take steps to use it and ensure that administrators follow it.
This guide will help you navigate the key provisions of the law and help you determine what part of the statute may be applicable to your situation. To make effective use of the law, be sure to document thoroughly the student misconduct that calls for disciplinary action, and consult your union representative for assistance.
Remember: Documentation is the key to successful use of this law. Remember also that you are responsible for safeguarding confidential information about students' discipline issues, and you put your certificate at risk if you do not maintain confidentiality.
Basic Information
How does state law shape local district discipline policy?
The law 2 requires your local school district to adopt a student code of conduct that complies with state standards for disciplinary removal of a student from a classroom; transfer of a student to a disciplinary alternative education program; and suspension or expulsion.
In case of any conflict between the state law and the local code of conduct, the state law prevails. For example, the local code of conduct cannot reduce the authority granted to teachers by state law to remove disruptive students.
What removal options are included in the Safe Schools Act?
The law does more than just affirm your authority to send a student to the office for appropriate discretionary discipline. It gives teachers the power to initiate the formal removal of a student from the classroom, triggering important legal consequences and requirements.
The three options are:
- Discretionary Removal
The state allows a teacher to remove a student from her classroom for repeatedly or seriously interfering with instruction.
- Mandatory Removal and Placement in a Disciplinary Alternative Educational Program
The state mandates removal of a student and placement in a disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP) for more serious misconduct like assault causing bodily injury.
- Mandatory Removal and Expulsion
The state mandates removal, expulsion, and referral to the juvenile justice system for the gravest offenses—including aggravated assault and bringing a gun to school.
Grounds for Removal
Discretionary Removal
It allows a teacher to remove a student:
(1) "who has been documented by the teacher to repeatedly interfere with the teacher's ability to communicate effectively with the students in the class or with the ability of the student's classmates to learn;" or
(2) "whose behavior the teacher determines is so unruly, disruptive, or abusive that it seriously interferes with the teacher's ability to communicate effectively with the students in the class or with the ability of the student's classmates to learn." 3
Mandatory Removal to Disciplinary Alternative Education Program
The law requires that a teacher "shall remove from class and send to the principal for placement in a disciplinary alternative education program or for expulsion, as appropriate," a student who engages in various types of serious misconduct: 4
Placement in a DAEP is required for any student who commits:
- Any of the following acts committed on or within 300 feet of school property or at a school-related event—
(1) any conduct punishable as a felony;
(2) assault causing bodily injury;
(3) use, possession, sale, or delivery of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs;
(4) abuse of a volatile chemical as defined by the Health and Safety Code;
(5) public lewdness or indecent exposure.
- off-campus violent felony conduct (or aggravated robbery), as found by a court or jury, or as determined by the superintendent based on "reasonable belief" that the student has engaged in felony conduct;
- retaliation against any school employee, regardless of where the conduct occurs;
- "false report" (for example, a bomb threat) or "terroristic threat"; or
expellable misconduct by a student under age ten.
Expulsion to Juvenile-Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP)
The law mandates expulsion and referral to the juvenile-justice system for certain actions committed on school property or at a school event.5 These actions are:
(1) unlawfully carrying weapons and actions involving prohibited weapons;
(2) aggravated assault, sexual assault, arson, murder, attempted murder, indecency with a child, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, continuous sexual abuse of a young child; or
(3) felony offenses involving alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs.
In addition, expulsion is mandatory regardless of where the misconduct occurred if any of the foregoing types of offenses is committed in retaliation against a school employee.
The law also allows school districts to expel a student for:
(1) documented serious misbehavior while on a DAEP campus despite documented behavioral interventions (serious misbehavior means deliberate violent behavior posing a direct threat to others' health or safety; extortion; coercion; public lewdness; indecent exposure; criminal mischief; harassment; or personal hazing). 6
(2) felony criminal mischief;
(3) misdemeanor drug and alcohol offenses at school;
(4) assault on a school employee or volunteer causing bodily injury;
(5) false report (for example, a bomb threat) or terroristic threat;
(6) deadly conduct;
(7) conduct occurring within 300 feet of school property that would trigger automatic expulsion if it occurred on campus or that involved possession of a firearm;
(8) aggravated assault, sexual assault, murder, attempted murder of another student wherever it occurs;
(9) breach of computer security; or
(10) conduct occurring on school property or at a school-related event in another school district that would trigger expulsion if it occurred in the student's district.
The Removal Process
How do I initiate discretionary removal from my classroom?
(1) Gather all documentation detailing incidents that show repeated interference or behavior so unruly, disruptive, or abusive that you have determined it seriously interferes with teaching and learning (keep a detailed and organized log).
(2) Draft a letter to your administration stating you are using your authority under Education Code Section 37.002 to remove a student from your class immediately.
It is suggested you use the sample letter for discretionary removal found below.
(3) Consult your local union representative to make sure you are meeting all requirements of the law.
(4) Deliver to your campus behavior coordinator the written statement that you are using your discretionary removal authority, along with a copy of your documentation.
(5) If the campus behavior coordinator does not comply by removing the student immediately, contact your union representative for assistance in securing compliance with the law.
What happens when you initiate a student's formal removal under the discretionary provision?
The student must be immediately removed from the teacher's class. The campus behavior coordinator has the following options for deciding where that student will be placed:
(1) another regular classroom
(2) in-school suspension
(4) three-day suspension from school.
How do I initiate mandatory removal from my classroom?
Follow the same steps as for discretionary removal, but use the separate sample letter for initiating a mandatory removal. See below.
What happens when a student is removed under the mandatory DAEP placement provision?
Each school district must place such students in a DAEP outside the regular classroom and separate from students in the regular program. The alternative program may be on or off of a regular campus.
What happens when a student is removed under the mandatory expulsion provision?
The student must be placed in a JJAEP or equivalent setting, unless under 10, in which case DAEP is the destination.
When can a student return to the removing teacher's class?
Discretionary Removal: The student cannot be returned to the removing teacher's class without the teacher's consent-—unless the teacher is overruled by a placement review committee (see next Q&A) that determines such placement is the best or only alternative available.
Mandatory Removal/DAEP Placement: The law bars the student's return to the classroom of the teacher who removed the student, unless that teacher consents. The teacher's consent may not be coerced. 7
A student who assaults a teacher cannot be returned to that teacher's classroom without consent, even if no DAEP placement occurred. 8
Mandatory Removal/ Expulsion: A student who is expelled may not be returned to the classroom of the teacher under whose supervision the offense occurred without that teacher's consent, and the teacher may not be coerced to consent. The placement review committee cannot override the teacher's refusal of consent. 9
What is the Placement Review Committee?
Following the formal exercise of removal authority by the teacher, the principal cannot return the student to the teacher's classroom unless the teacher consents or a placement review committee determines that the return is necessary because the teacher's classroom is the best or only alternative available. 10
Each school must establish a three-member committee with two teachers (and one alternate) chosen by the campus faculty to serve as members. One member is chosen by the principal from the professional staff of the campus.11
Due Process
What process must be followed after a student is removed—under either the discretionary or mandatory removal provisions?
The principal must schedule a conference no later than the third class day after the day of removal. The student may not be returned to the regular classroom before the conference.
The student is entitled to notice of the reasons for removal and an opportunity to respond. In addition to the student, those entitled to attend are: the student's parent or guardian; the teacher who removed the student; and the campus behavior coordinator.
Whether these individuals attend or not, the campus behavior coordinator must then order the student's placement for a period consistent with the local code of conduct.
To expel a student, the board or its designee must provide the student a hearing with constitutional due process. The student's parent or guardian must
be invited, in writing, to attend. The board's decision can be appealed to district court. 12
Bus Drivers Removal Authority
The law requires every school district to specify the circumstances under which a student may be removed from a school bus.
It grants the school bus driver explicit authority to remove a student by sending that student to the principal's office to maintain effective discipline on the school bus.
And it requires the principal to respond by employing appropriate discipline management techniques consistent with the student code of conduct. 13
This authority provides a mechanism to compel administrative attention and action regarding misconduct that jeopardizes student safety on school buses.
Special Cases
Students with Disabilities
A student who receives special education services is subject to the same state standards triggering removal from class, but long-term (more than ten days) placement of such a student can only be made by an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee. 14
The law allows a principal to order emergency alternative placement in a DAEP or expulsion without prior due process. In either case, the principal must give the student the same due process as in other removals, not later than ten days after taking the action. 15
Access to Information Regarding Student Misconduct
Misconduct Notice
A teacher responsible for a student's instruction and that teacher's instructional aide are entitled to be notified by the principal or the principal's designee of any misconduct by a student that is listed as grounds for mandatory removal from the classroom of the teacher. 16
Arrest/Conviction Reports
What notice must school personnel receive when a law enforcement agency arrests or refers a student to juvenile jurisdiction for a felony?
(1) The superintendent must be notified of the arrest or juvenile referral before the next school day, or within 24 hours, whichever is less.
(2) The superintendent must "immediately notify all instructional and support personnel who have responsibility for supervision of the student." 17
(3) The superintendent also must be notified before the next school day, or within 24 hours, whichever is less, when a student has been convicted or adjudicated delinquent for a felony or certain other offenses, and the notice must indicate whether the student is required to register as a sex offender. 18
(4) The superintendent must, "within 24 hours of receiving notification from the office of the prosecuting attorney, or before the next school day, whichever is earlier, notify all instructional and support personnel who have regular contact with the student."
(5) The superintendent must send the full written information received, including details of violent behavior or weapons used, to all district employees with direct supervisory responsibility over the student.
(6) These notice requirements apply to all felonies and to specified misdemeanor offenses: unlawful restraint; indecent exposure; assault; deadly conduct; terroristic threat; gang-related offenses; drug offenses; or weapon offenses.
Personnel who receive confidential information may not disclose the information to unauthorized persons.19 Unauthorized, intentional disclosure is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine. Unauthorized disclosure also is a potential ethics violation subject to certificate sanctions. 20
Texas AFT offers trainings on use of the Safe Schools Act and removal authority for teachers and bus drivers.
Also available are guidance documents for districts on the steps needed to implement bus driver removal authority.
Contact your local union or the state office at 512-448-0130 to schedule a training in your district.
1 Chapter 37, Subchapter A, Section 37.001 et seq.
2 Section 37.001(a)
3 Section 37.002(b)
4 Section 37.002(d)
5 Section 37.007(a)
6 Section 37.007(c)
7 Section 37.009(e)
8 Section 37.002(d)
9 Section 37.010(f)
10 Section 37.002
11 Section 37.003. Also the teacher who petitioned for the removal cannot be a member of the committee
12 Section 37.009.
13 Sections 37.001 and 37.0022
14 Section 37.004(a)
15 Section 37.019
16 Section 37.006(o)
17 Article 15.27(a), Texas Code of Criminal Procedure
18 Article 15.27(b), Texas Code of Criminal Procedure
19 Article 15.27 (a), Texas Code of Criminal Procedure
20 Article 15.27, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure
Sample Letters for Discretionary and Mandatory Removal
To: Campus Behavior Coordinator
Re: Discretionary Removal of student under Section 37.002(b), Texas Education Code
Under the provisions of Texas Education Code Section 37.002(b), I am exercising my authority to remove ______ immediately from my classroom. Please note that under Section 37.009(a)., this student may not be returned to my classroom pending a conference held with you, the student, the student's parent or guardian, and me.
Please notify me as to the date and time of this conference. Please note also that this student may not be returned to my classroom without my consent unless the placement review committee duly established under Section 37.003 of the Texas Education Code determines that such placement is the best or only alternative available.
Attached is a cumulative discipline record documenting the repeated interference by______ with my ability to communicate effectively with the students in my class or with the ability of this student's classmates to learn.
Attached is a discipline record documenting behavior by______ that is so unruly, disruptive, or abusive that it seriously interferes with my ability to communicate effectively with the students in my class or with the ability of this student's classmates to learn.
To: Campus Behavior Coordinator
Re: Mandatory Removal of student under Section 37.002(d), Texas Education Code
Under the provisions of Texas Education Code Section 37.002(d), I am exercising my authority to remove ______ immediately from my classroom. Under Section 37.009(a), please note that this student may not be returned to my classroom pending a conference held with you, the student, the student's parent or guardian, and me.
Please notify me as to the date and time of this conference. Please note also that this student, if placed in an alternative education program under Section 37.006 for the conduct reported here, may not be returned to my classroom without my uncoerced consent, according to Section 37.009(e) of the Texas Education Code.
Please note further that this student, if expelled under Section 37.007 for the conduct reported here and eventually readmitted by the district during or after court disposition, may not be returned to my classroom without my uncoerced consent, notwithstanding any determination by the school's placement-review committee, according to Section 37.010(f) of the Texas Education Code.

subset: commoncrawl


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No more crawling under or behind your tree!
No More Hassle
No more crawling! With your Treemote you don't have to worry about crawling in and around your tree trying to plug it in, potentially knocking it over.
Simple and Easy
With the press of a button, Tremote allows you to effortlessly turn your tree on and off in comfort.
The Perfect Stocking Stuffer
The perfect gift for Christmas giving. Order a case of 12 Treemotes for only $18.99 each. Available in stores everywhere for Christmas 2014.


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The Motley Fool Discussion Boards
|Previous Page
Financial Planning / Tax Strategies
|Subject: Re: IRA to Roth
|Date: 1/4/2013 4:01 PM
|Author: DoLoop
|Number: 117292 of 129421
I'm not Marti but, yes you can do that. In fact I'm doing that very thing right now.
When you take an RMD from a traditional IRA, it's your money so you can do what ever you want with it. You can spend it or, if you have sufficient "earned income", you can put it in a Roth IRA. But you must have "earned income".
In my case, I'm taking the RMD for 2013 and then putting it into the Roth as a 2012 contribution. I had adequate earned income in 2012 to allow this.
|Copyright 1996-2019 trademark and the "Fool" logo is a trademark of The Motley Fool, Inc. Contact Us


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The Pacific Islands are as numerous as they are diverse. While they may look the same on a picturesque postcard, the various islands around this area each have their own flavor and are as different as Paris is to New York. For the uninitiated, here's a breakdown of the best islands the Pacific has to offer.
Maybe the most famous group of islands in the Pacific, Thailand has a well-earned reputation as a veritable haven for sun-seeking holidayers. Those looking for bargain holidays or who are on a budget (and who isn't?), will be happy to know that once arriving in Thailand, it is pretty cheap. You've got the revelry of Bangkok, the lush water and vegetation of Ko Phi Phi, and the underwater aquarium that is Ko Samui. Each island brings its own flavor to the mix, and it makes Thailand a truly unique place.
For those that like their view from the beach to be otherworldly, you'd be hard pressed to find a more suitable destination than Vanuatu. This lesser known cluster of islands is home to Mt. Yasur, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, right on Tanna. You can spend the day looking at it with a cold drink in hand and warm sand on feet, or you can bring your wits and adventure with you and climb this fiery volcano.
The Philippines
The Philippines is for those who like a dash of mega cities with their beach time. Its uniqueness has quite a bit to do with the Spanish, whose remnants can still be felt after their 350 year rule. Don't be surprised when you see architecture that looks like it belongs in Barcelona or come across a fiesta, it's all part of what makes Filipinos who they are today.
In the heart of French Polynesia, Thaiti is not a beach destination in the typical sense. While there are beautiful and unique black sand beaches, the real draw is the island as a whole. You can hike through century old archaeological sites or spend the day winding through valleys and rivers. It's an explorer's dream, with few tourists and many sites.
Bora Bora
Now this island is what people think about when they think of ultimate beach relaxation. Water so clear you can see the tiniest fish at the bottom and sand so white it looks painted will do that to you. It's the kind of place where you can finally stay in one of those bungalows above the ocean. What better way to wake up than stepping out from your bedroom only and diving into the lazy blue water.
These may be five of the best the Pacific has to offer, but by no means are they the only places you can go. There is no end to beautiful beaches and scenic views, so what are you waiting for?
Images by Rushen, Phillip Capper, Andy Enero, Daniel Chodusov and Pierre Lesage used under creative commons license.


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At Jet Wine Bar, we ask you to think globally, drink locally. In the mood to send your taste buds to Santorini, Sardegna, or beyond? Jet can take you there.
Jet offers meats, cheeses, small plates, sandwiches, and snacks to complement our diverse wine and beverage selection.
Jet Wine Bar opened in November of 2010 as the love child of an archaeologist (Jill Weber) and an engineer (Evan Malone). We love wine, we love bars… we love wine bars! We wanted to bring a friendly, accessible wine bar to a great neighborhood.
Jill, our Wining Archaeologist, currently works on projects in Iraq and Italy when she isn't tasting new wines. She excavated in Syria for 20 years, and has also worked in Turkey, Armenia, and Oman. Evan is the founder and president of NextFab, Philadelphia's gym for innovators. The two met in Philadelphia while both were studying at the University of Pennsylvania in 1992. They fell in love with the city (and each other!) and have been here ever since.


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The previous page is sending you to https://getxtracashnow.com/ctecu/Default.aspx which is not part of CTECU's website. Calcasieu Teacher's & Employees Credit Union's website privacy policy does not apply to 3rd party websites.
If you do not want to visit that page, you can return to CTECU's homepage.
Click Here to continue to XtraCash's website to fill out an XtraCash loan.


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Gothic Sluts review
Summary: Gothic Sluts is a amateur fetish site, with 20,000+ images and a small amount of videos in WMV, QuickTime and Real Player formats. There is also a forum area here.
Fetish, Amateur
Intro promises
"The ultimate in gothic erotica," "more than 20,000 beautiful, erotic, Gothic images."
First impression
All I can say is Every Day Is Halloween (if you got that Ministry reference, you're in the right place).
The opening pages have high quality images of girls who are definitely gothic and, if my judgement of character serves me, probably sluts as well. Let's get at 'em!
Three months: $58.95
One year: $99.00
(ccBill credit card or bank account)
Our opinion
The first page you're sent to in the member area is the latest gallery page with a small headshot of the model in the photo set. Can't get more simple than that. A simple and effective bar on the left of the page has every link available on the site. Simple doesn't mean plain, though. A nice use of the gothic imagery (hey, those links are in blood!) is nice if not a little gauche these days. Ha! I said gauche! And I even italicized it because it's French! I think it's French, anyway. Moving on to the photos...
There are 25 pages of galleries. That's a lot of galleries. At 15 models per gallery, that's like... 375 galleries. (The amount of time it took me to do that calculation is far more embarrassing than the fact that I review porn sites). Clicking on a gallery opens a page of between 5 and 12 thumbnails for your viewing pleasure (why there isn't a set number and why that number isn't way higher is beyond me). The number of images varies greatly for each set... sometimes 10... sometimes 80. Clicking on a thumbnail opens up the image in the same windown (a new window would be nice) also zip archives of the photos would be welcome. Oh well... on we plow.
The image quality is more than acceptable- the photographs are extremely professional on average. However, the images are small enough to not take up nearly the whole screen - the typical resolution is 800*600 and appear to have some compression artifacts, especially on the older images. So there's a little softness to a great deal of the pictures. All in all, it's acceptable, though it doesn't nearly do the professionalism of the shoots justice.
The galleries all have at least one really hot goth chick getting naked in them. That's the point of the site. However, look hard enough and you'll find some nice hardcore and semi-hardcore boy-girl and girl-girl shoots in there as well. It might be nice to see those seperated from the softcore shoots, but since it's a pretty subjective difference, I'll let it slide. Besides, all these chicks are hardcore enough anyway. Three lip piercings? Yeah. Hardcore.
The settings range from standard sheet backgrounds to really weird stuff like graveyards and... bathrooms.
Okay, bathrooms aren't weird, but graveyards?! Now that's gothic. Pale-skinned, tattooed, made-up, weird-haired girls are all over this place.
In fact, it would be extreeeemely convenient to have each model's sets consolidated so that you could just find all of her stuff at once. Not to mention having set descriptions under the thumbnail on the gallery pages... that would save a ton of time. But I guess if you're reading porn reviews, you've got time to burn.
One of the great parts about Gothic Sluts, though, is that each gallery has a little intro from one of the photographers (usually Amelia G, whose work is apprently well-known) that describes the shoot a little bit. These insights are usually pretty trivial, but it's nice to get some background and a personal touch like that is worth a lot in my book.
There's also a link to "Discuss this layout" in the forum, which is a very nice touch for those of you interested in becoming part of the magic.
Right now there are only 6 video sets in the "Videos" section. The older ones appear to be Windows Media format, but the newer one (and presumably all those to come) have Quicktime and Real options. The videos are not spectacular, but they give you a good chance to see some of the girls from the photos in action. Most have at least a touch of hardcore in them, which is a plus, and the compression on the older vids didn't kill the quality all that much. The videos, by the way, are available for download, and I suggest you take this route because I had some problems streaming the vids (that's probably not the site's fault... I blame Microsoft). This is a small section of the site right now and I'd treat the videos as bonuses instead of expecting a huge video section- the pictures are where the money's at on this site.
The "Forum" section includes a News and Talk forum where members can converse with each other and the photographers (Amelia G and Forrest Black of Blue Blood). There's actually a whole lot of activity on here, and Forrest and Amelia seem more than willing to do requests and to answer any and every question that members ask them.
Someone very creative could have a field day with the fact that not too many people are taking advantage of it!
Bottom line: There is a freaking ton of material on this site. If you're into the goth thing and you aren't a member, you're making a mistake and truly missing out. That being said, however, there are certainly some navigational aspects (better organization of galleries) and image quality issues to be resolved here. For the amount the site charges, you're getting a pretty good deal, though, as I believe most of this material is exclusive to this site or at least to the Blue Blood network (which also includes Rubber Dollies and Barely Evil, memberships to which are NOT included). If goth is your fetish, join up now and hop right into the forum to tell them what you want and my guess is it will be changed to your liking as soon as possible- Amelia and Forrest seem to be very interested in pleasing their customers.
Screenshots from Gothic Sluts
External Opinions
Don't take our word for it and see what others think! We have collected a list of opinions and impressions from other sites, so you can compare them all from one place.Total average: 86/100 Our score: 70.0/100
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as an intro to the subject think of the EEPROM inside the PIC as a hardware storage element that saves constant values that you could use later ( in case of our project it's the tracks that we want to save inside) the following things should be considered while doing so :
-make a lookup table for the tracks and make sure it is addressed correctly . -the (writing to EEPROM) asm file is seperated from the main project asm file ,which means that you create 2 asm files ,one for writing tracks to the EEPROM and the other is the original game and all of it playable code . -read the datasheet very well to understand that there are 2 important SFR that you'll deal with while writing/reading to/from EEPROM :
1-the EEDATA SFR which contains the data that will be written to the EEPROM in case of writing to the EEPROM and will contain the data to be read when reading from it . 2-the EEADR which contains which address in the EEPROM we will be writing to,or reading from through our code .in the case of 16F877a we have (256 locations available) now that we know these important SFR ,there's a standard extra lines of instructions is required (which we don't have to understand of even think of ) which are the following :
BANKSEL EECON1 bcf EECON1,EEPGD ; points to data memory bsf EECON1,WREN ; enable write movlw 0x55 movwf EECON2 ; init write sequence movlw 0xAA ; using 2 instructions movwf EECON2 bsf EECON1,WR ; write data
you use this sequence after you already put the correct value of both the address of the location in EEPROM to be used (again the address in EEADR) and the correct data itself from the lookup table (again put data in EEDATA) . one more step which am not sure if it's a necessity but it worked with me (the main idea of it is to hold the program flow until we're sure that the data was perfectly written to the EEPROM ) :
and finally disable writing to EEPROM using : bcf EECON1,WREN ; disables write -just remember to adjust both EEADR and EEDATA each time you want to write new values to EEPROM (you could use increment procedure for both , find your way through it ) -As for reading from the EEPROM it's an easy similar sequence just remember again to adjust the value of EEADR each time you read a certain value , and the data that u had just read is located in the SFR EEDATA . this is a brief sequence :
BANKSEL EECON1 BCF EECON1,EEPGD ; Point to Data ; memory BSF EECON1,RD ; EE Read WAIT BTFSC EECON1,RD ;read confirmation GOTO WAIT BCF STATUS,RP0 ; Bank 2 MOVF EEDATA,W ; W = EEDATA
-be always sharp and remind yourself of what BANK you're using ,because you'll be moving back and forth in the memory banks . and when you're done with EEPROM reading remember to get back to Bank 0 .
i guess this is the main procedure for both processes (writing and reading) comment if you have any problems and i'll try to help ,and correct me if i made any mistake in this tutorial .
good luck to all of you guys ...............


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One thing I've been repeatedly annoyed with during our year abroad is the total lack of helpful information online. We've come to be VERY spoiled in Seattle, where everyone seems to have a stellar website created by a brother or cousin or friend who is a web designer. In a lot of countries we've visited, businesses just don't have websites. When they do, visiting them is like time traveling back into the 1990s, the time of Geocities and animated gifs and purple fonts. Again and again, the most helpful information we've been able to find comes from blog posts written by other travelers.
When it came to taking an overnight ferry from Italy to Croatia, I was predictably disappointed in the information the interwebs had to offer. I spent hours and hours searching the internet to try to figure out what to expect. Did we need to book a cabin or can you sleep in common areas? Is it acceptable to bring food onboard with you? Are sharp items forbidden from baggage? Is there a limited liquids rule? How early do we need to arrive? Where do we go to check in? Can you buy food onboard the ferry during the 11-hour trip?
Taking the Jadrolinija Ferry from Ancona to Split was every bit the adventure we hoped it'd be. There was an all-men's Croatian choir. There were surly Italian and Croatian truck drivers (first and foremost, it is a car ferry), there was a run-down interior that made me feel like we had teleported to Atlantic City circa 1980. Since we were armed with sleeping pills, booked an actual cabin, and brought a bunch of snacks onboard, it was definitely not the nightmare ferry crossing I had feared. In fact, it was pretty fun and I'd do it again.
To try to help other travelers, and to show our blog readers what shenanigans we got into during the ferry crossing, we put together answers to some of the questions we had before taking the Jadrolinija Ferry from Ancona, Italy to Split, Croatia.
Is It Ok to Bring Booze (and Food) with You?
Absolutely! In fact, you'd be the odd person out if you didn't bring at least a liter of wine with you. We only brought two tiny 200mL bottles of red wine along. We might have been the only sober people onboard, except for a 10-year-old girl and (hopefully) the boat captain. (PRO TIP: Bring your own cups unless you're cool drinking straight from the bottle. Hey, I don't judge.) Most of the Italians and Croatians who clearly take the overnight ferry all the time brought coolers FULL of food and booze.
There is some food available for purchase onboard. You can have a full-on sit down dinner in the fancy onboard restaurant. (Note: all it takes to qualify as "fancy" with me is the use of white tablecloths.) The restaurant prices were very reasonable, especially for a "cruise". I use the word "cruise" loosely.
There's also a snack bar area where you can buy snacks, beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks. The one thing you should bring plenty of is WATER. It's overpriced onboard, and I wouldn't trust what comes from the tap in the bathrooms with my life.
Is There Entertainment Onboard, Like a Normal Cruise?
The short answer? No, unless you count people watching as entertainment. We traveled in February, the lowest of lows as far as tourist season goes. What looked like it might be a duty free shopping area was a total ghost town. There was a dance floor in the lounge area, but like I said, we had less than a half liter of wine on us. It takes more than that for me to start my own dance party.
We happened to win the cruise lottery, though, and ended up on the ferry that was transporting one of Croatia's finest all-men's a capella choirs! I'm not sure Kevin and I have ever been on a boat together without encountering some sort of musical group. In Germany, we ended up on a Rhine River ferry boat with a full-on Oktoberfest Oom-pah band!
Back to the Croatians though. Having them on our boat was everything I hoped it would be, and more. They belted out tunes with abandon for over a half hour before the boat disembarked. And when I say they belted it, they really belted it. One of the gals who worked on the ferry boat even stood with us and translated the Croatian lyrics for us! Most of the songs were fisherman's tunes traditional to Croatia, about things like missing your wife and family while you're at sea. Some were about lost love or lost friends.
We fell asleep to the rumble of the boat engines and the sound of the choir singing in the lounge after they had their dinner. It was really a special part of the cruise.
Should I Book a Cabin?
That depends on you. Do you like roughing it? Can you sleep even when there are lights on? Are you traveling with a pillow and blankets? Do you feel comfortable sleeping on a hard, semi-dirty carpeted floor next to a man who smells like prosciutto? If you answered yes to all of those questions, then just book the cheapest passage possible – a "Deck" seat. "Deck" doesn't mean you'll be sleeping outside. It just means you have to hunker down and sleep in the boat's common areas – the lounge, the chapel, the children's play area, the dance floor. MOST people who seemed like ferry regulars seemed to have just Deck tickets, and they made themselves at home in the lounge.
We booked the cheapest cabin, a couchette, and were SO glad we did. We're traveling pretty light, so we don't have things like blankets or pillows to make a deck ticket do-able. It was also nice to be able to lock our bags in our room and explore the boat without all our stuff. Also, I think there is a time and a place for the smell of prosciutto. Two in the morning is not the time.
Our simple couchette cabin didn't have a sink or bathroom, it was just a room with four bunks which we had all to ourselves. We were just down the hallway from a shared bathroom that was a bit rustic, but not a nightmare. Added bonus? If you book a cabin you get free breakfast onboard in the restaurant!
Seat tickets are also available, but literally NO ONE had one of these on our ferry. The seat room is a brightly lit room full of tightly packed seats that recline slightly. I do not recommend this option.
Here's a peek at our Cabin:
To book tickets, do it ahead of time directly with Jadrolinija.
So What Is the Price Breakdown?
First, everyone pays a bare Per Person Fee called "passenger taxes" (You pay this no matter what accommodations you book) of 114 HRK (about $16).
Then, on top of the bare per person fee, you have to select your "accommodation". Here are some options we considered:
- Deck Ticket: 301 HRK (about $43) per person
- "Seat" Ticket: 361 HRK (about $52) per seat
- Cabin 4-berth Couchette: 811 HRK (about $116) for 1 person, 540 HRK ($77) per person for 2, 3 or 4 people
- Cabin 2-berth outside with shower/toilet: 1484 HRK total ($212) for 2 people or 1114 HRK ($159) for 1 person
- Berth in a Unisex 4-berth couchette: 540 HRK ($77) per person
The couchette ended up being most cost effective for us. So the total fare for Kevin and I for the Ancona to Split ferry was 2*114 HRK for Passenger Taxes plus 2*540 HRK for our private couchette cabin, which came out to a grand total of 1308 HRK, or about $187. Not bad when you consider it was an 11-hour journey with beds to sleep in and breakfast included. It sure beat the cost of flying!
Can I Bring Liquids or Sharp Objects Onboard?
We saw so many things onboard that made us do a double take. One man had a huge butcher's knife to prepare his dinner in the lounge. Another group had a full sized rolling cooler with drinks and dinner supplies. Another group brought a couple big chocolate cakes onboard with them. One guy had a handle of vodka.
Within reason, you can bring anything your heart desires onto the Jadrolinija ferry. I prrrrobably could've smuggled Kevin onboard in a big suitcase to save money. But we're not quite THAT cheap… Yet.
Where and How Do I Check In?
Ugh. The Jadrolinija ferry check-in process is just awful. Imagine the run-around you get when dealing with health insurance in the United States. Now take that experience, and change the context to traveling, and change the language to Italian and Croatian. THAT is the joy that checking into the Jadrolinija ferry will bring you. There's a reason we opened our wine and started drinking midday before we left on our ferry:
UPDATE 2/21/2018: I fixed the map! Unfortunately, it has been several years since we've been in Ancona, so I don't know any longer if this is accurate. Please leave me a comment to let me know!
I made a google map showing all the important locations for Jadrolinija ferry check-in:
Here's what you should know to get through check-in without wanting to strangle someone:
- Arrive more than 2 hours early! Do not even think about cutting it close. You want to allow lots of extra time to account for unhelpful employees, slow check-in lines, busses that run infrequently, and last-minute trips to the store to get extra wine.
- If you arrive by train, you'll arrive to the main Ancona Train station (the red pin on the map). If it's raining and the timing lines up, you can connect on a train to the Ancona Maritima station (the blue pin on the map), which is much closer to the main Ferry area.
- The ferry check-in building is nowhere near the ferry departure point. On the map above, Ferry check-in is at the red star, while the green star is the main ferry area where the ferries dock. At the main ferry area (green star), there is luggage storage (EURO 2/bag) and free bathrooms, and this is where you'll go through passport control before boarding your boat.
- There is a FREE BUS that runs every 20 minutes or so between the Check-in Building (Red star) and the Main Ferry Building (Green star). We were glad we used the bus, because I would EASILY get lost in the area around the Check-in building and there are no sidewalks.
- Passport Control opened 2 hours before our boat departure. Unless you have a deck ticket and want to stake out a nice sleeping spot in the lounge, there's no rush to board. Take your time exploring Ancona, have some dinner at a local cafe, buy some biscotti from one of the town's many bakeries, then get on the boat when there's less than an hour before departure. Once you're onboard, head to the reception desk to pick up the key to your cabin, and hunker down for the night!
We Want to Hear From You!
Do you have any interesting cruise stories? Are you planning to take A Jadrolinija Ferry from Italy to Croatia? Leave us a comment to let us know!


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As you may have heard, the Massachusetts state of representatives passed a human trafficking bill unanimously. HR.3470 is the bill that is supported by AG Martha Coakley. It criminalizes the activity, creates a taskforce, and allows for the court to order restitution to victims if they win the case. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, we need to do more for the victims. If we do not provide the services that they need, I believe that it is highly likely that they will fall back into slavery. S820/S1921 sponsored by Mark Montigny will provide more services for victims. We should ask for as much as we can now to be in a stronger bargaining position if we have to compromise.
S1921 appears to be S820 without the minimum sentencing and with a more defined Safe Harbor clause. Safe harbor would allow prostitutes under the age of 18 to be considered victims and not a criminal if they are picked up by the police during a raid. This is important because they may have a criminal record that would be detrimental in living an independent life.
Human trafficking is as much a domestic problem as it is an international one. Many girls who are caught up in this problem are runaways or those who have been kidnapped like the Quincy teen who was forced into slavery this past May.
My real concern is that traffickers will continue to be let go even if the Coakley bill does become law. To prove that it is a trafficking case, you have to prove that the trafficker coerced the victim. The victims' testimony is critical in proving coercion. Without it, the trafficker may get off with a lesser crime. Without services, the victim may be less likely to testify in court because they may be forced to earn money back in the trade to support themselves. If it is a labor trafficking victim (agriculture especially), they may not even remain in the state. This is one way I feel like we can get more victim services back into the bill to show the legislators that they may still fail in getting traffickers locked up.
We could ask for a line item that would provide money for a safehouse. As it stands in S820, it would be subject to appropriation. Another concern I have is that the Coakley bill mentions corporations would be subject to the new law. Small businesses like nail salons, massage parlors, and restaurants are the ones that are often the ones that enslave their workers. When I think of corporation, I think of Wal Mart, Marriott, or McDonalds, not the Korean Massage Therapy or Hadley Massage Therapy. I want to make sure that those businesses too will be subject to the new law.
Here are the members of the senators on the ways and means committee. Steven Baddour, Jennifer Flanagan, Michael Moore, Karen Spilka, Brian Joyce, Thomas McGee, Richard Moore, and Gale Candaras have cosponsored Montigny's S.820 bill at the start of the session. It is just as important to thank them and ask for their continued support for the bill. S820 could go before the ways and means committee soon. I hope that some of you would have the time to contact a few members of the ways and means committee to ask them to support 820 because victims deserve more. Senate President Therese Murray should also be called/ written to.
I have drafted my own letter that I've sent to members on the committee. This is the letter that Not For Sale, an organization I'm also a part of, is asking their members to send this letter. Feel free to include your own personal reason why you think more victim provisions is important in the human trafficking bill. In fact, that would even be better.
Thank you for your help in this important cause. A hollow victory is not enough. We must pass a bill that will give the victims a chance to stand on their own.


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Trianon Reviews
Some Thoughts and Suggestions from Elena Maria Vidal
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Announcing the Winner
The randomly selected winner of the Slim-Fast sweepstakes is Kelly Massman! Congratulations, Kelly! I have emailed you privately with the information on how to claim your prize! Thanks to you all for participating! I LOVED all of your comments and kind words. You have inspired me!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Wedding Preparations
This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Slim·Fast.
Being a bride is a full-time job, especially when you're getting married on a tight budget. Getting married on a tight budget means being your own wedding planner and florist. It means that everything else in your life,including your husband-to-be, is going to fall by the wayside as you get ready to be a wife. It means making a zillion phone calls, sending a zillion emails and wishing you had a private secretary to help you keep up with it all. It means hardly having time to eat, and being glad for an occasional can of Slim-Fast to keep you going.
I thought I was being very clever and saving a great deal of money by doing all the flowers myself. I ordered flowers wholesale through a local florist. I picked them up in several buckets the day before the wedding and carried them down the street to the chapel. When we should have been getting ready for the rehearsal dinner my mother and I were instead feverishly arranging enormous bouquets of flowers for the altar. I came to have the highest regard for the skills of florists. The altar looked beautiful when it was finally decorated, but I was exhausted.
As for the bouquets and floral headpieces for myself and the bridesmaids, as well as the corsages for the mothers and centerpieces for the tables at the wedding breakfast, I saved oodles of dollars by making them myself as well. I knew that there was no way I could make them all the day before the wedding, so I got started weeks before, using dried flowers, mostly roses and herbs, entwining them with ribbons and wire. My apartment had by that time become a workshop, where wedding presents and were stored as well as everything I needed for the wedding projects. It would have been nice to have a separate apartment just for wedding stuff.
My sister Andrea was the matron-of-honor; I did not have her wearing a floral wreath on her head like the bridesmaids but a tartan Tam O'Shanter. Have I said that we were planning a Scottish wedding? My father was to wear his kilt in the MacLachlan tartan, and my sisters and I were to wear our tartan sashes. The sashes and the Tam had to be ordered directly from Scotland, as well as the brooches with the family crests, and so there was a great deal of running back and forth to the Scottish shop. In the meantime, four days before the wedding Andrea rebelled against wearing the Tam, saying that a Scottish friend told her that no woman in Scotland would wear such a thing to a wedding. I said I did not care what they did in Scotland, my wedding was a "Scottish Fantasy," like Mendelssohn's symphony. There was a heated argument. Luckily, we were speaking again by the wedding rehearsal. And she agreed to wear the Tam.
As for Michael the bridegroom (yes, it was his wedding, too) he refused to wear a kilt, which made the Scottish wedding fantasy even more of a fantasy. However, he looked handsome in his mourning suit. Because of our budget and the size of the chapel, only ninety people could be invited. Michael, however, wanted to fill the place to the rafters with his friends. He took matters into his own hand and began inviting people over the internet. So when the day of the wedding dawned, we had no idea how many would actually be there.
We had a caterer, a local woman who could whip up a hearty country breakfast for the ninety plus souls who were expected to show up. We decided to serve a buffet because then it would not matter as much what the exact head count was. The caterer could also provide china and flatware. Budget constraints ruled out having crystal or even glassware and so we had to fall back on sipping champagne out of plastic flutes. Mercifully, my friend's mother entertained a great deal and had enough large linen table cloths for the dozen or so tables. She also lent us her silver samovar for tea. I hoped that nothing would get lost or stolen.
Getting everything set up for the reception the night before the wedding gave new meaning to the word hectic. What made it worse is that a local lady, whose name ironically was "Joy," decided to "help" and ended up arguing with me about how to arrange the wedding breakfast. I wanted to scream. Looking back, I should have put my foot down more. However, the hall was lovely when we finished. We decorated the windows with white tulle and fresh ivy trailing down. The centerpieces were in place on the linen tablecloths. All I had to do when I went home that night was pray that the cake would be delivered on time. (It was.)
Have I mentioned my gown? It was made by an Italian dressmaker in the village of Mt. Airy who excelled at patternless sewing. She created a gown for me based upon a picture from a magazine of a Victorian bride. She knew exactly how much tulle and Thai silk to use. It was everything I wanted: simple, elegant and traditional. Later I had the train made into a christening gown for our baby daughter.
Yes, preparing for a wedding, even under the best circumstances, can be stressful. It is important to remember that it is only one day and that what really counts is the married life that lies ahead. What held me together amid the flurry of activity was seizing a few moments of quiet time whenever I could. Also, taking vitamins kept me healthy, not to mention those liquid meals by Slim-Fast. At least when I walked down the aisle, I looked the part of the radiant bride and had the energy I needed to enjoy my day of days.
BlogHer is hosting a sweepstakes from 3/28-4/20 with the giveaway of a Slim-Fast gift pack (worth $100.) Visit the Promotions & Prizes section.
Here are the rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post.
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post.
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post.
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
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Tuesday, December 14, 2010
A BlogHer Fan
In this age of spam and scams, it is necessary to be a little distrustful about social media groups and possible money-making schemes on the internet. It is easy to become cynical, which leads to snark and even to paranoia about the doings of cyberspace. In early 2009, after having a blog for about three years, I felt that I had witnessed the entire gamut of colorful online human behavior, and henceforth steered clear of all discussions forums, feeling that between Facebook and my blog, I had more than enough lively personalities to balance. However, since my family was experiencing financial hardship, I had not given up hope of doing more with my blog in order to help make ends meet.
My friend Karen the "Graphics Fairy" recommended the BlogHer Publishing Network. I signed up for the ads and not only did they bear the desired fruit but I found the Network itself to be a positive addition to my internet life. The BlogHer Network provides women who stay home with all kinds of outlets for creativity as well as for opportunities to use their talents in a profitable manner. BlogHer has recently gotten together with HauteLook to help women find bargains in designer clothes and accessories. I thought the "Own Your Beauty" series to be helpful in breaking down the lies that society tells women about their bodies and their looks, lies which often lead to illness and depression. Most of all, I never cease to be impressed by all the practical parenting resources. I found the "LG Text Ed" tips for parents in dealing with teen texting to be an eye-opening program.
Do I agree with everything on the Network? No. Nevertheless, I am impressed by the overall civil tone of the discourse, in which women from different backgrounds are able to discuss issues without breaking into divisive histrionics. I am always surprised by how many women do think and believe the way I do.The fact that BlogHer often links to my blog articles shows that they are not afraid to discuss controversial topics dealing with faith and history. BlogHer has become an oasis on the internet for me, a place for support, a place to find other mothers with the same worries, and thoughts on how to deal with aging, weight gain, and dozens of other issues. Most important is the feeling of sisterhood with those who are trying to build better lives for themselves and their families.
Visit this week's Sweepstakes post on BlogHer.com. Click around and see what else is new!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Making It through the Recession
I often look at pictures of my grandmothers from during the Great Depression and am amazed at how neat and put together they always looked in spite of the economic hardships. With what the economy was going through, anyone would have thought they would have felt free to look sloppy and bedraggled. Instead they were well-groomed, pretty and smiling, ready to take the troubles head-on, which they did. They were cheerful and resourceful and rose to the occasion instead of being beaten down by it. In the times in which we live, in which jobs are lost and opportunities seem scarce, I think of my grandmothers and try to be like them.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Making Possible the Impossible
This is a sponsored post from Disney and BlogHer.
"For with God nothing will be impossible." Luke 1:37
I nourish an inclination for impossible situations. Stories of those who overcame insurmountable obstacles in order to achieve a worthy goal ignite my courage and fuel my drive. The Disney production of Secretariat will be released on October 8. I am looking forward to the dramatization of Penny Chenery's story of determination and grit as she fought the odds and won. It is such a determined spirit that made America great, the stuff of which legends are made, and yet it happened within living memory. According to the official website:
Based on the remarkable true story, "Secretariat" chronicles the spectacular journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Housewife and mother Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery—with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich)—manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time.
I remember hearing about Secretariat as a child. Frederick County was the heart of Maryland horse country. We kept horses ourselves and followed the news about Secretariat with interest. I little guessed at the time that I would someday have my own impossible situation to overcome.
In 1995 I wrote a novel about Marie-Antoinette and called it Trianon. I had been fascinated by Marie-Antoinette since the age of nine. By the time I was a grad student I had visited Versailles twice, but it was not until I saw a picture of Petit Trianon in Smithsonian Magazine that I felt inspired to write something about the Queen. It was just a photo of a staircase, but in my mind's eye I could see Marie-Antoinette walking down it. I wanted to capture a moment in time, one of those happy moments that were like islands in a sea of tragedy in the life of Marie-Antoinette. I was already deep into research about the French Revolution as part of my graduate studies. I wrote the Prologue and then put the whole thing aside for ten years.
After a trip to Vienna in late 1994, I found the manuscript and the notebooks with my research in my father's basement. I felt compelled by my trip to Vienna to take it up again, for I had visited the tomb of Marie-Antoinette's mother, the Empress Maria Theresa, in the Capuchin crypt.
It was a turbulent time in my life, as I was undergoing a major career change. I had no computer, no internet, and little money. Nevertheless, I was imbued with the desire to tell the story of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette as it had never before been told, shedding a new light upon the gravely misunderstood King and Queen. I wrote ten hours a day, stopping only to eat, sleep and pray. Before I even completed the final manuscript, I began sending out query letters and sample chapters to every publisher I could think of. Rejection after rejection came. I knew in my heart that somehow Trianon would be published although at the time it seemed futile.
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Welcome to Westside Animal Clinic!!
Our sunny front entrance.
Typically there is a smiling receptionist behind our front counter, but she was the one taking the photos.
This is our main examination room.
This is our secondary examination room. We will use this one when the main room is occupied or if you have a large dog that needs a little extra space.
This is our back treatment area, plus pharmacy and diagnostic lab.
Our surgery suite, prepped and ready to go!
This is our dog kennel room. Unfortunately the angle does not allow a view of the smaller kennels and the large runs at the same time.
COMING, Photo of the Cat Kennel Room!
And our wonderful X-Ray room! We do digital radiography so no messy chemicals to deal with!


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A Derbyshire baby has been hailed a "miracle" after she overcame life-threatening holes in her heart – by suffering a potentially-lethal aneurysm.
Mum-of-three Janine Jogela-Monk, 35, said doctors called baby daughter Jemima a "million-to-one" miracle after two holes in her heart were sealed-shut by the aneurysm - a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the vessel wall
Jemima, now 18-months-old, was found to have three holes in her heart when she was five-weeks old. At just six-weeks the brave tot had to endure invasive heart surgery, and a month in hospital, to repair part of the organ.
Doctors told Janine and dad Jamie Monk, 38, that when Jemima reached 10 kilograms, she would be able to cope with full heart surgery.
But following the aneurysm in September – surgery is no longer required.
Janine, of Warmwells Lane, said: "Aneurysms certainly aren't a positive thing. But in Jemima's case, it caused scar tissue, which turned into muscle, and has now sealed the holes. Doctors even said to us the odds of this happening were a million-to-one. So she's definitely a little miracle."
After Jemima fell ill within weeks of birth, medics discovered the holes, caused by Atrial and Ventricular Septal Defects. From Derby Royal Hospital, she was rushed by ambulance to heart specialists Glenfield Hospital, in Leicester.
Janine said: "When the doctors said she had holes in her heart, we were devastated. I just thought she was going to die – I couldn't picture anything else. It was awful."
Following invasive surgery, and a period on intensive care, mum and daughter were allowed to go back home after one month in hospital.
Janine said: "When Jemima suffered the aneurysm, we thought we were going to lose her again. But it was just nature's way of fixing her."
While Janine and Jemima were in Glenfield Hospital for the month, they were looked after by Heart Link charity.
Janine said: "Without all the great things Heart Link did, that time in hospital could have been very difficult.
"From little things – like giving hospital-bound families a washing machine and a fridge to put your food in – to raising funds for new machinery at the hospital. They do some fantastic work. And after everything they did for us – I wanted to give something back."
Janine will be hosting a family fun day and craft fair, in aid of the charity, at Marehay Miners Welfare, on Derby Road, Ripley, on Sunday, April 19, between 11am and 4pm. There will be stalls, ice cream, cakes and refreshments. Derby County's mascot Rammie will also be in attendance.


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Build your own Tower of Babel! Object in this fun skill game is to build the tallest structure in the world. Place each block carefully and stack the levels higher and higher. Make sure to be as accurate as possible and beat the high score!
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What Clients are Saying
" I am so glad I chose Tim to be my coach. I have begun to experience amazing results in my life... it took only six days for me to find the job I was looking for after I started my coach-guided job search! Tim creates an atmosphere where creative possibilities emerge with an energy for immediate action to change your life from wherever it is now to Amazing. Thank you, Tim, for allowing me to dream bigger than I had dreamed before, and for reassuring me that you will walk with me until I create what I want. You are a gem of a coach."
- Eridania G. Bronx, NY
"Tim always saw significant things in what I was saying, even when I felt I was talking in circles! He was honest, candid, and kept me focused on my goals. Our time together was incredibly valuable. Tim, you are a natural!"
- Jane C., Rhinebeck, NY
- Jane C., Rhinebeck, NY
"Tim brings a whole new dimension to a conversation with his open and honest approach. I got quick and direct results. Tim assisted me in getting free from the limitation of my personal story. I wasn't clear on what I wanted to do so I had been taking no action. Tim got me in touch with my inner wanting and was the catalyst for the online community that I'm currently working on. My self-limiting story didn't stand a chance with Tim's powerful questions!"
- Matt S., Cincinnati, OH
- Matt S., Cincinnati, OH
"Why Tim Chaney? Because he puts a premium on listening, not talking, and asks questions that inspire you to think differently about how you'll achieve your goals. After just two sessions, I started to see new ways to make positive changes in my life."
- Robert R., Bethesda, MD
- Robert R., Bethesda, MD
"Tim has proven to be a wonderful coach. I have always struggled with fears...fears of not accomplishing all the things I want to accomplish... A few months ago, I felt completely overwhelmed with all the goals I had set for myself (photography, learning piano, learning Italian, maintaining a relationship with God, staying active in my church community, finding a career path). It was to the point where I was beginning to feel like a failure. My friend recommended I talk to Tim. I was very leery at first. I was not familiar with coaching nor did I know Tim. Talking to a complete stranger about personal issues was not high on my priority list. However, I decided to give it a shot. From the get-go, Tim was amazing. He told me right off the bat that he was there to help, not judge, and to guide me. Even after that first session, I felt more at peace than I had in longer than I could remember. Tim helped me to prioritize all the things that were important to me in a way that provided me with a sense of peace. Not only did he help me get to know myself better, he helped me to realize that I could accomplish anything I wanted. I really appreciate everything he has done and would recommend Tim to anyone!!"
- Jennifer K., Columbia, MO
- Jennifer K., Columbia, MO
"Working with Tim was a great way to take on all the "what ifs" and "what next" questions in my life and help me to put them into a very workable order. Tim was absolutely excellent about listening to my situation and very observant about the attitudes and thought processes I was having, some I didn't even see myself at first. With kindness and respect, Tim steered me towards alternative attitudes and ways of thinking about issues that helped me to get unstuck with some particular problems I was having. I also found I was much less worried about things despite the life changes and uncertainty I was experiencing. His outside perspective and wisdom was invaluable for me. The wonderful thing is, Tim didn't just give me pointers and help for the problem at hand, he gave me life-long tools to keep and apply to the rest of the life challenges yet to come. Thank you Tim! You do great work!"
- Marj B., Sacramento, CA
- Marj B., Sacramento, CA
"I highly recommend working with Tim to anyone looking to discover more within themselves."
- Kimberly S., Columbia, MO
- Kimberly S., Columbia, MO
"Coaching with Tim led to my feeling more relaxed and free to experiment with life. I will be forever grateful to him for that.
- Caroline C., Louisa, VA
- Caroline C., Louisa, VA
"I really enjoyed my coaching sessions with Tim. I was nervous at first but he is so easy to talk to that he put me right at ease. He helped me realize that children aren't the only ones who can dream. And he helped me overcome one of my greatest fears. Thank you, Tim!
- Keri S., Hazelwood, MO
- Keri S., Hazelwood, MO
© 2013-2016 Tim Chaney. All Rights Reserved. | CONTACT


text:
you have 8 seconds to capture the attention of your audience
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TV advertising is expensive- ensure ROI
There are many different aspects to corporate video production, television and online commercial production and content marketing that require an expert touch. Storyboard Media Group works with our clients to understand your business, your audience, your objectives, what drives them, and what type of video content will best connect.
From storyboarding and scripting to setting the tone during filming, we can help make the entire advertising, commercial and video production experience seamless. 100 million people watch one video online per day. Video can make an impression much faster than text-based product information. If you're looking to increase your market presence, you need video production to help boost sales, communications, and marketing strategies. Simply put, video connects, informs, and engages.
standing out from the crowd
Building brand awareness is one of the keys to standing out in the digital age, regardless of the type of business you're currently running. When you think about some of the most successful companies in human history – the one thing that they all have in common is that they've built unbelievably strong branding over time.
By creating a strong brand that people understand, identify with and remember, you're increasing brand awareness at the same time. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through the production of video content to support online advertising, 30 second TV ads and commercials, and other marketing channels.
At Storyboard Media Group, we'll collaborate with you to make the vision for your TV video ad spot a reality, and design your message to connect with your audience.
Trusted by startups and established brands...


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Week 8 City and Guilds Level 1 Certificate in Textiles 7161
We've all had a little break and returned fresh as daisies to week 8 of City and Guilds.
Well that's not absolutely true...... I have caught a rotten cold and the girls have been working
very hard on their hand embroidered colour wheels. Unfortunately we had such a busy session
today I forgot to take photo's, very remiss of me I know but all the more for next week and
believe you me you have a treat in store.
Our session together today included hand stitched couching, an extremely useful filling stitch
for large and small areas depending the type of thread you are couching. There are a great deal
of scrumptious yarns out there that are really meant for knitting or crochet but seeing as I am
not good at either of those it doesn't stop me from seeing the potential of them in my work.
I am a sucker for texture and yarns it never ceases to amaze me how they are made from the
finest gold thread to the chunky woolly bobble yarns. A real favourite is sari waste yarn made
from recycled sari's it's so unruly with no uniformity in it at all, just superb for lots of mixed media
Oooh it makes me go weak at the knees!
There are many types of couching Roumanian, Bokhara, Bayeux stitch and combinations there of. The real difference being whether there is a seperate thread to couch or where the working thread is couched by the same as the laid thread. It is my intention over the next couple of weeks to make some samples of my own to perfect the different types.
Here I have been playing with some very chunky wool couched down with another pure wool I purchased at the wonderful Wonder Wool show at Builth Wells earlier this year.
The background is very open weave wool fabric, I haven't used a backing and kept the stitches very loose so not to distort the material.
Another piece of couching I did some years back now, on an embroidered panel of a woodland scene not too far from where I live. I took the photograph in the early spring when it was not too overgrown and the little stream wove its way between the trees, I have a passion for streams which inspired this panel.
The trees in the foreground were couched with lots of different types of threads and yarns, some had a natural kink in them which added to the texture of the bark.
The piece below was a much more refined piece of couching using a lovely rayon corded thread. It is meant to represent water around the golden fish and the centre panel that holds a pair of small gold scissors is called laid work or lattice work. Still couching but in a more formal setting.
The little panel is part of a project that I made for my final year of City and Guilds. It was made to represent the shell of St James and Pilgrimage. I thought if I were to go on a pilgrimage, I would need to take my sewing kit and in this I could carry my most essential tools and thread.
I hope you have enjoyed this weeks blog. Next week I will take some photos of the work the girls have done, they are so diverse and I am amazed at the different approaches to the subject.
Best stitches
Don't forget to comment below and if you are interested in taking up City and Guilds you can always get in touch with me at email@example.com


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Cardiff Met's student accommodation has been shortlisted in a prestigious UK-wide award.
The university's dedicated halls team was honoured by the National Student Housing Survey Awards 2016 in the Best Student Community category.
The National Student Housing Survey (NSHS) is an annual survey of students in higher education across the UK.
The survey measures satisfaction levels in all types of accommodation and allows participating institutions to measure their performance against national and regional benchmarks.
The 2016 survey attracted over 33,000 responses from more than 200 universities and colleges across the UK.
Cardiff Met currently has nearly 1,000 study bedrooms located at the Cyncoed and Plas Gwyn campuses.
Speaking about this accolade, Head of Commercial Services, Mark Barry said:
"Cardiff Metropolitan University provides a safe and secure environment for students living on campus, with friendly halls staff available to provide support to students throughout their time at university.
"We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted for this award as it is testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team and the engagement of the students. We pride ourselves in our focus on creating a high quality student experience and aim to keep on building on this over the coming years."


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Puffy Eyes Dark Circles Eyes Bags
With the age thinning of skin under eyes takes place and blood vessels underneath become prominent resulting in puffiness and dark circles under the eyes. Environment factors, heredity, allergies, bad habits and medical reasons are the other factors that may contribute to dark circles under the eyes and puffiness. Development of unhealthy under eye skin is very frustrating to many men and women.
We have discussed causes of under eye circles, tips, precautions, lifestyle changes, home and natural remedies to get rid of from under eye circles at "Dark circles under the eyes". Here we will discuss, massage techniques, natural food based diet for detoxification, revitalization of eye area with live foods diet and facial exercises. From this three step formula you will get rid of your dark circles, eliminate the puffiness and eye bags under your eyes and also fine lines. "Face fitness center" with its program flawless eye formula is helping thousands of people to solve these problems. Some of the exercises to cure fine lines are given below.
|Exercise - 1
Sit on a low back chair and tilt your head backward keeping your lip together. Start a chewing movement and repeat it 20 times. It is great exercise for fine lines around your neck and lower jaw.
|Exercise - 2
Sit or stand straight and bend your head backward to look at ceiling while keeping your lips together but relaxed. Place your lower lip over your top lip as far as possible and keep for a count of five. Return head to normal position and repeat exercise 10 times. Four weeks formula to get rid of dark circles and puffiness of eyes This formula includes…
This 4-week formula is divided in three steps
Step-1 Detoxification process: In the first week complete detoxification is done to flush out the toxin accumulated in the body. Massage technique is also applied to smooth any stress line and cleanse the skin around eyes gently.
Step-2 Revitalization process: During 2nd and 3rd week area around eyes is revitalize with intense massage techniques, facial exercises program and live food diets. Ingredients of live foods are normally available in local market which skin industries do not want to know you.
Step-3 Strengthening process: In the fourth week advance facial exercises are carried and regular eating program is resumed.
This flaw eye formula is a practical, safe, permanent solution and easy to implement. The flawless eye formula is compiled in eBook form with online videos exercises data base and comes with 60 days money back guarantee and 7 videos as bonus.


text: Rebecca joined the musical theatre faculty in 2017 to teach Advanced Ballet. She has been teaching classical ballet for the Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania (PASCP) since 2007 and became Artistic Director in 2012. As Artistic Director of PASCP, Rebecca arranges two major productions annually, in addition to smaller-scale performances throughout the year, for which she has choreographed and set new and existing works on PASCP students and guest artists. Rebecca began her training with eight years of classical ballet with the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) under the direction of Marcia Dale Weary. During this time, she trained with permanent and guest teachers including Richard Cook, Leslie Hench, Darla Hoover, Melinda Jones Howe, Lisa de Ribere, Violette Verdy, Gennadi Vostrikov and Deborah Wingert, among others. She studied ballet and modern dance with Washington School of Ballet and Delaware Dance Co. Rebecca danced principal roles with both CPYB and Delaware Dance Co. and performed various principal and ensemble roles with Virginia Opera, Virginia Musical Theatre and Theatre Harrisburg. Local theater credits include performances with FUSE Productions and State College Community Theatre, as well as choreography for SCCT. Rebecca holds a B.S. in Exercise and Sports Science from Penn State University and lives in Boalsburg with her husband and 2 children.


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With a background in astrophysics and creative arts Athena's mission is to bridge the gap between entertainment and science. She believe's science should be more prominent in the entertainment industry, such as trending science influencers, scientists, writers and researchers.
Her goal is to make science as popular as trending memes on social media, to evolve the mindset of the general public. To create a future where children look up to astronauts and scientists as they do to reality TV stars.
While conducting research on planetary disk formations at the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, Athena's home, she was scouted to be a model.
After 15 years of dance training she thought logically this may be of interest to satisfy her creative arts dreams.
Simultaneously pursuing a modeling career and working towards her PhD in Astrophysics Athena began feeling torn between the sciences and the arts.
Athena will always remember the day her mentor Dr. Charles Liu and Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson put it all into perspective for her and said "The universe is always going to be here with open arms. Try something out and if doesn't work, you can always come back."


text:
Democracies fail when the lose the trust and confidence of the people. Trust and confidence in the American democratic process is or near all all time low. America now ranks 21st in the world in terms of actually being democratic
Of the Americans polled
93% believe members of Congress accept bribes or gifts that affect their vote
83% are dissatisfied with the way the nation is governed
78% are dissatisfied with the nation's political system
65% don't trust members of Congress to tell the truth
The vast majority of Americans—about 4 out of 5—are fair, honest, and perfectly capable of coming together and resolving community issues democratically.
The vast majority of Americans—about 4 out of 5—are fair, honest, and perfectly capable of coming together and resolving community issues democratically.
Fair, honest, effective, respectful
Neutral, nonpartisan, nonprofit
Balanced by political inclination, gender, age, financial wealth
Free from the influence of special interests
In America, We The People have always has the constitutional right to bypass our elected representatives, if necessary, and propose constitutional amendments addressing our concerns—and we have NEVER done so.
This country . . . belongs to the people that inhabit it.
Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it.
Abraham Lincoln
After 230 years, isn't it time we
Came together
Held conventions around the nation
Reviewed the state of our democratic process
Strengthened our democratic process?


text:
glXGetContextIDEXT — get the XID for a context.
GLXContextID glXGetContextIDEXT(
|const GLXContext ctx
glXGetContextIDEXT returns the XID associated with a GLXContext.
No round trip is forced to the server; unlike most X calls that
return a value,
glXGetContextIDEXT does not flush any pending events.
glXGetContextIDEXT is part of the
GLX_EXT_import_context extension, not part of
the core GLX command set. If
GLX_EXT_import_context is included in the
string returned by
the extension is supported.
None is returned if
ctx is
Otherwise, if
ctx does not refer to a
valid context, undefined behavior results.
Copyright © 1991-2006 Silicon Graphics, Inc. This document is licensed under the SGI Free Software B License. For details, see http://oss.sgi.com/projects/FreeB/.


text:
Read online or Download Ranma 1/2 (2-in-1 Edition), Vol. 8: Includes Volumes 15 & 16 (Full PDF ebook with essay, research paper)
by Rumiko Takahashi
A remastered 2-in-1 edition of the all-time classic hit from one of Japan's most beloved creators, available for the first time in a format faithful to the original work. One day, teenage martial artist Ranma Saotome went on a training mission with his father and ended up taking a dive into some cursed springs at a legendary training ground in China. Now, every time he's splashed with cold water, he changes into a girl. His father, Genma, changes into a panda! What's a half-guy, half-girl to do?
Ranma wants it, four martial artist pork buns from China want it, and especially Genma wants it… Described by a reluctant Ranma as the "seal" that keeps something terrible from happening, what is the "Dragon's Whisker"? Once that plot's tied up, the whole gang heads for a hot springs obstacle course. And then, a martial arts eating contest guaranteed to make your stomach flip!


text:
Welcome to Lanikai Beauty!
The Brush Guard Variety Pack includes Qty: 1 Large, Qty: 2 Medium, Qty: 2 Small and Qty: 1 Extra Small guards. Only the patented Brush Guard allows your makeup brushes to dry bristle-side down so water can escape properly, allowing your brushes to dry in perfect shape!
With The Brush Guard, your make-up brushes can be stored or packed without a worry in a purse, kit or roll. Now brushes can go anywhere without risk of damage!


text:
|Thu Oct 31 @12:00AM
|Wed Dec 25 @12:00AM
|Wed Jan 01 @12:00AM
New Year's Eve
Thank you for visiting our NEW website. We will periodically update this...
Welcome to our NEW website. The new interface is designed to help...
3502 White River Pkwy West Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46222
(317) 327-7300
© 2016 Riverside Golf Course


text:
POP singer Justin Hawkins has topped a poll of teenage girls. They voted the former Huddersfield Technical College student the coolest male rock star in a poll for Elle magazine.
The girls voted trendy rock band Maroon 5 their favourite group.
JK Rowling's Harry Potter books were all-time favourites of the girls, aged 16 to 19, and Grease - the film made in 1978, before any of those surveyed were born - was their top movie.


text:
Rock star Alice Cooper has confirmed that he will be making a cameo appearance in the new Dark Shadows feature film, following widespread rumours over the past week. Appearing on BBC One chat show Lee Mack's All Star Cast (incidentally also filmed at Pinewood Studios), Cooper revealed that his part was set to go before the cameras on Friday July 1.
"It's called Dark Shadows... You didn't get this over here [in the UK] – this was like Coronation Street with vampires. And somehow it was a hit. Tim Burton saw this and said somehow we have to recreate this." Asked what role he would playing, Cooper said: "I don't know. I really don't know... We're shooting it Friday. I guess they should have told me by then."


text:
It's a whole new year with a whole new bunch of gadgets coming up in your news feed. One that went pretty viral was the official launch of Samsung Galaxy A5 and Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) variants. Malaysians went pretty crazy about it as we are the first country in the world to get these two being officially launched.
A friendly reminder will be that A-series are always the mid-ranger whereby some who are not able to afford the flagship Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, you can opt for this one for a much lower price tag yet still packed with incredible features. Two things that S7 Edge is well known for will be the great camera and dust/water resistant. Samsung heard the feedback from their customers and felt that we should add the pinch into our mid-ranged A-series as this would be a great chance to own a flagship ranged smartphone with affordable price tag.
Probably a dream come true to some people out there. Best part is that the A7 and A5 feels premium nevertheless great build quality which you can expect from any IP68 certified smartphone out there, which is pretty limited. During the launch event that we attended, we managed to hold and try out the A7 and A5 which are amazing.
Before we get to the confirmed specifications, let us elaborate on the pre-order details:-
The period is from now to 15th of January and the best part about it is you will receive a FREE Level U Pro Wireless Headphone worth RM399. While stocks last.
There are two ways for you to place your pre-order:-
1.In-Store Pre-Order
Pre-order from now till 15th January 2017 and receive a FREE Level U Pro Wireless Headphone worth RM399. While stocks last.
- Step 1: Walk in to your preferred participating Samsung outlet
- Step 2: Fill in the required details on the pre-order form available
- Step 3: Make a deposit of RM100
- Step 4: Keep your "Customer's Copy" receipt from the pre-order form
Step 5: Present the "Customer's Copy" receipt and identification card at the same pre-order participating outlet and pay the balance of the amount during collection of your new Samsung Galaxy A (2017) from 25th January till 19th February 2017
List of outlets near you:-
The preferred way by many will be online:-
2.Online Pre-Order
For online pre-orders, check out Samsung's online stores on below merchants. Click the images to redirect to the pre-order page:-
For more information on the pre-order, please visit http://www.samsung.com/my/A2017preorder.
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)
The Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) features a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with Full HD resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection on the front and back since it has a 3D glass back design. Under the hood, this smartphone is powered by Samsung's very own Exynos 7880 Octa core processor clocked at 1.9GHz.
To enhance the device's capability, there 3GB of RAM accompanied with 32GB of internal storage which is expandable up to 256GB via micro SD card slot which is present on the Galaxy A7 (2017). Heading to the camera section, there's 16MP camera on both the front and rear. Both of them come with f1.9 aperture which is great for capturing good low-light images. The front camera support Light+ Camera feature which works as an alternative of having a front facing flash.
This smartphones comes out of the box with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow and will be definitely future proof despite update of Android Nougat coming real soon. The A7 (2017) is a dual sim device with the SIM tray being hybrid. Of course you get 4G LTE connectivity with the support of LTE-A that enables you to use YES 4G. The super fast fingerprint scanner is made available on the front home button.
Unique selling point of this smartphone will be its support of IP68. This ensures the phone could go through rough conditions as its Dust proof is rated at 6 while the rating of 8 represents its splash proof and a remarkable way of ensuring your Samsung Galaxy A7 to be safe from water spills and harsh environments. It is pretty hard to get a phone with such rating under RM2000, so this is definitely worth your money as well as reliability as it's coming from Samsung. We all know how capable is the S7 Edge right?
Something worth mentioning would be its Super AMOLED Display. We definitely know how vibrant and sharp the images and videos from Samsung's trademark display technology. Hence, this would be one of the best displays available out there for great movie and gaming pleasure.
The second best decision will be the battery capacity. You get a whopping 3600mAh of juice for the A7 (2017). On top of that, there's fast charging as well. There's definitely going to be enough battery that will last you at least two days. The speaker placement is good as well! It's placed at the right side of the smartphone (above power button).
Lastly, do take note that this device has reversible USB Type-C port rather than the conventional one which is a good decision as it is getting pretty common and reliable these days. There's two colors made available in Malaysia – Black Sky and Gold Sand while Blue Mist and Peach Cloud are coming soon to our shores. The Samsung Galaxy A7(2017) is priced at RM1899 inclusive of GST.
Samsung Galaxy A5(2017)
Pretty much as good as the A7(2017) as well. Notable differences will be its screen size of 5.2-inch and the battery capacity of 3000mAh. Everything else is exactly the same in terms of specifications. If you prefer a smaller and slightly cheaper alternative than the A7(2017), this one will be the right choice.
Same thing applies here in terms of colors made available for purchase and two more coming real soon. The Samsung Galaxy A5(2017) is priced at RM1699 inclusive of GST.
Samsung Pay enabled
If you haven't heard of Samsung Pay, you can actually make purchases at places where credit, debit and prepaid cards are accepted. It is an easy-to- use and secure mobile payment service compatible with NFC (Near Field Communication) and MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) terminals. Samsung Pay is currently performing an open beta test for selected Maybank Visa cardholders, with more banks such as CIMB Mastercard, Citibank Mastercard & Visa, Standard Chartered Mastercard & Visa to be made available soon.


text:
Decision making software is a tool intended to support the decision making process but not to replace it. The software frees decision makers from the technical details of the decision-making method employed and makes it possible for them to focus on fundamental value judgments.
A large number of software packages are available. I have selected the following packages for my own use:
- TreeAge Pro
- Analytica Free
- AgenaRisk
- !000mind
- Priest
These packages may be shortly characterized as follows:
TreeAge Pro is a visual modeling tool for building and analyzing decision trees, influence diagrams and Markov models. It employs Bayes analysis and multicriteria decision making. TreeAge Pro can not compute a model in the form of an influence diagram and has to transform it into a tree diagram in order to make it computable.
Analytica is a visual modeling tool for building and analyzing hierarchical influence diagrams. It employs arrays for working with multidimensional data, Monte Carlo simulation for analyzing risk and uncertainty, and optimization, including linear and nonlinear programming. Analytica can compute a model in the form of of an influence diagram.
AgenaRisk is a visual modeling tool for solving risky problems. It enables decision-makers to measure and compare different risks in a way that is repeatable and auditable. AgenaRisk employs predictive analytics.
1000minds is an online decision-making software for multi-criteria decision making. The software implements the "potentially all pairwise rankings of possible alternatives (PAPRIKA) method.
PriEsT is an open-source decision making software that implements the analytic hierarchy process method.


text:
Is there another correct way to translate this sentence?
Kwiziq community member
20 May 2018
2 replies
Is there another correct way to translate this sentence?
Personne n'a ses clés ?
Does nobody have their keys ?
"Does nobody have their keys?" strikes me as something that would rarely if ever be said in (American) English. Is there another correct way to translate this? Because this one will be really hard for me to remember because it seems so very strange.
This question relates to:
French lesson "Expressing possession with son, sa, ses and personne, tout le monde, chacun, il faut (possessive adjectives)"
Kwiziq community member
I think you got it right. -- Chris (not a native speaker).
Kwiziq community member
Doesn't anyone have his keys?
Your answer
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