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[Listen] Hear The Full Compilation 'Rave On Buddy Holly' Featuring Covers By The Black Keys, Modest Mouse, Cee-Lo & More
You can finally listen to the full compilation Rave On Buddy Holly, which we've had more than a couple of previews of in the past few months. Whether it be Julian Casablacas rough vocals on his rendition of "Rave On" to Modest Mouse's version of "That'll Be The Day". Today though, instead of a track here and there every few weeks we have the full album stream for you to enjoy.
Take some time out of your day to listen to some of the industries modern day greats laying down tribute to the late great Buddy Holly on this compilation album. Go grab a copy of the album when it hits stores next week on June 28th. Happy humpday peeps.


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NHS Trusts across the country now have sight of their 2016 National Staff Survey results, under embargo.
If you're concerned about what you see - or if it feels like an intractable problem - then you may be interested to know that a new cohort of Listening into Action (LiA) Trusts will be starting in the Spring.
More than 80 Trusts have been adopting Listening into Action (LiA) over the past five years. Those who give it their full commitment and stick to the evidence-based process typically see an unprecedented improvement in National Staff Survey results of up to 26% in key questions, within 12 months. For many, this constitutes a fundamental shift in performance compared with their peers, and reflects a positive year-on-year trend. Their first year of LiA adoption also leads to a wealth of measurable stories about the impact teams have on patient care, and efficiency improvements relating to agency spend, recruitment and retention, and staff sickness levels.
LiA Trusts commit to an initial, compelling 12 month journey to engage and empower clinicians and all other staff around priorities for patients, with a parallel effort to unblock the way for staff so they can get on and do their jobs. The evidence speaks for itself.
Here's what people say about Listening into Action (LiA):
"A powerful force for cultural change" Alwen Williams, CEO
"I haven't felt so inspired in years" Dr Ray Travers, Associate Medical Director
"This is real staff engagement. It feels different. It feels punchy. It feels great" Dr Esther Waterhouse, Palliative Care Consultant
"LiA has really empowered our staff, breaking down the barriers which used to stop their excellent ideas from progressing" Kathryn Singh, CEO
"LiA is like the wind, you can't see it – but you can feel it everywhere and see the visible impact it has" Dr Deborah Wildgoose, Director of Nursing and Quality
"Magic Dust" John Adler, CEO.
A maximum of 10 Trusts will join the new cohort in Spring 2017. Chief Executives are invited to express interest by emailing email@example.com or calling Hannah Forbes on 07734 812644.

subset: commoncrawl


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Combine the strengths of a conventional palletizer with those of a robotic palletizer – that was the idea behind PTC's new APR Series Robotic Hybrid Palletizer.
March 30, 2016
The roots of Maple Leaf Foods' growth as a company go back over more than a century, to the amalgamation of several of Canada's first food supply companies. Today, Maple Leaf Foods is a multinational with a host of brands that are well-known to Canadians. The company continues to expand, reinforcing its leadership position in Canada's consumer packaged meats industry.
To fulfill its mission of providing quality, nutritious and innovative food products without compromising on taste, Maple Leaf Foods relies on a range of high quality packaging equipment in its plants. For years, the company has maintained a major presence in the Canadian market, helping to spread many of the values that are now among the company's highest standards, especially in the area of food safety.
With this in mind and in an effort to support ever increasing production and a portfolio of highly diversified products, Maple Leaf Foods is constantly on the lookout for the best technologies available on the market. Packaging is a major concern, and competition in this area is fierce. By joining forces, The Maple Leaf Foods and Premier Tech Chronos (PTC) succeeded in developing personalized packaging solutions to improve the packaging systems used for wieners and sliced meat.
Teams from PTC and The Maple Leaf Foods met over several months to come up with the most effective solution for the group.
Guy D'Amours, a PTC Project Manager for more than 18 years, committed himself fully to the project from the very start. The challenge was a major one. The team had to design a completely new machine that would be capable of handling more than 180 different SKUs (stock-keeping units) as efficiently and as quickly as possible. "From the start, we were forced to design new technology that would work at high speeds and still be extremely versatile," he says. The new equipment would not only have to package various product formats, but also crate the products horizontally and vertically according to different patterns, as well as adjust to box formats that might differ from one product to the other.
In response, the engineering team at PTC came up with the brand new RPK Series – a Robotic Case Packer specifically developed and designed to meet The Maple Leaf Foods' needs. "In the end, we succeeded in creating an extremely versatile machine that can be used in several situations and for every kind of packaging," explains D'Amours.
Another major challenge facing PTC was the installation stage, which involved adapting to two completely different scenarios: a brand new building production area and stringent sanitary standards in an already existing plant. The new Maple Leaf Foods plant production area, which housed sliced meat packaging equipment, had been in operation for almost a year. PTC would need to adjust to construction risks and deal with any resulting delays. To manage the project efficiently, monitoring work progress became paramount. The installation of the lines in the new building production area was a success.
In the case of the wieners packaging machines, the Factory Acceptance Test was one of the best that The Maple Leaf Foods had ever seen. "From Day 2, our equipment had to run full capacity because we were replacing existing equipment," explains D'Amours. In just two weeks, three complete lines were installed in the plant – a speed record!
Bill Dolson, Director of Strategic Capital Sourcing at The Maple Leaf Foods, had high praise for the process: "We were amazed with the work done by the people at Premier Tech Chronos. The short installation time frame and context were a challenge, but they managed to meet our expectations and more."
"In the end, we succeeded in creating an extremely versatile machine that can be used in several situations and for every kind of packaging." — Guy D'Amours
Combine the strengths of a conventional palletizer with those of a robotic palletizer – that was the idea behind PTC's new APR Series Robotic Hybrid Palletizer.


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Book Review – The Amnesiac and Other Stories
by Christopher Walker
Average rating (all reviews) :
1 Blogger Review
|Dale E. Lehman
BookGobbler Author
A Collection of Beautifully Told Short Stories
In "The Amnesiac and Other Stories," Christopher Walker presents thirteen engaging, beautifully told short stories about a diverse collection of dreamers, seekers, and malcontents. Be it a photographer recalling a young woman he almost loved, a coffee shop owner unwittingly caught up in an assassination plot, or a group of young English writers in search of a legacy in Spain, Walker paints a delicious series of portraits alternately tinted with pathos, danger, and humor. It's a diverse collection, too, mostly mainstream fiction but with a smattering of fantasy and science fiction, that romps all across Europe.
Walker's storytelling is straightforward but thoughtful, punctuated by great imagery, as in this excerpt from "The Castle," in which a young girl looks out on her climate-change altered world where nonstop rain and rising sea levels have reconfigured the land:
"Sarah was peering out of the window again, her forehead pressed up against the cool glass. She imagined the feel of the rain on her skin, and she thought about how whenever they got out of the rain some of it always seemed to linger like a memory on her clothes." (p. 252)
I felt the editing might have been a bit inconsistent. Some parts of some stories don't quite have the smooth texture that typifies the collection. However, that doesn't distract much from the engrossing character of each story. You're walking alongside these people as they traverse their world and their lives, sharing in their joys and sorrows. "The Amnesiac and Other Stories" earns five stars for both story and writing. Well done, sir!
The Reviewer is the Author of The Howard County Murders series
This review will feature in his blog along with Q&A with this author
Request here:
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Please make sure you have read our terms and conditions before entering, as well as register to our website (we do not accept requests from unregistered users).


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Plastazote Foam
Plastazote is an extremely resilient, closed-cell, cross-linked foam. It is a lightweight, tough packaging solution, when used as a foam insert in an outer box and can be cut as required.
Supplied in Black LD45 sheets (Density: 45 kg/m3)
Available in various sizes and depths. Please note that sheets with a depth of 40mm and over are laminated.
- Lightweight
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For more information on bespoke inserts, please contact us


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Know more about this business than we do? Cool! Please submit any corrections or missing details you may have.Help us make it right
Be the first NOLA.com user to add photos or videos of Westwego Civic Association
This hall a money saver. It's beautiful. My guest love how everything lights up. You will save money if you pick this hall. All the decorations are there for you. All you have to do it show up.
Westwego Civic Association is located at 1220 Avenue H in Westwego and has been in the business of Civic Associations since 1950.
Westwego Civic Association can be found at Avenue H 1220. The following is offered: Trade Organizations. The entry is present with us since Sep 7, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 12, 2013. In Westwego there are 2 other Trade Organizations. An overview can be found here.


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If you just received a piece of jewelry from an inheritance or as a present, or you just bought a piece on your own, you possibly want to know far more about jewelry in general. The query is: the place do you start? This post will be very valuable to you, since it is loaded with suggestions about jewelry that will stimulate you to turn out to be a hugely educated client.
When you are purchasing for a diamond, make certain to shop about and assess. Check out the piece you are currently thinking about carefully and then examine it in opposition to some other pieces that are in the managing. However, be mindful that there are fraudulent methods to make the diamond seem greater than it is.
Pay attention if they normally put on studs or hoop earrings, white gold or yellow, and any other standard jewellery that they wear. Paying out consideration to these facets of their existing wardrobe will aid you make a obtain they are more likely to enjoy.
Be positive to at the very least inquire about the insurance policies that is available when you acquire jewellery from a reliable jeweler. Look for a very good coverage that allows you return ruined products. Some jewelers even provide insurance policies for jewelry items that have been misplaced or stolen.
Avert your jewellery from tarnishing so that it retains seeking excellent. When you are close to water, do not use your jewellery. If you permit some metals get wet too usually, they can tarnish, rust or grow to be dull. For included protection for your jewellery, consider adding a thin coating of clear nail polish.
There are so a lot of factors to know and recognize about the planet of jewellery. Nevertheless, if you conduct your research correctly, you can make sure that the parts you acquire are of the highest quality, and that the way you treatment for them will preserve them gorgeous for numerous several years to arrive. Acquiring and promoting jewellery is exciting and interesting! These tips can support you start your journey armed with knowledge.


text: Eugene Melino lives and writes in New York City. His poems have appeared in Contemporary Ghazals, Blue Lake Review, Burningword Literary Journal and Grape Press. He attended the Writers Studio, an independent creative writing school founded by the poet Philip Schultz. In his final two years, he was a member of Phil's master class. He earned his graduate and undergraduate degrees at New York University, where he majored in English education and also studied journalism, filmmaking and art history. For many years, he worked as a corporate writer. These days, he devotes his writing efforts entirely to poetry, fiction and his blog,www.americanghazal.com.


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This is Part 1 of the talk. To view Part 2 (the Q&A), click here.
The Arnold Pfeffer Center for Neuropsychoanalysis of the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
Saturday, November 7th, 2015
"Psychosis revealed through the connector: A neuropsychoanalytic perspective"
Tiziano Colibazzi, M.D.
The field of functional brain connectivity is one of the most dynamic areas of neuroscientific research because it provides the tools to study both small-scale and large-scale networks in the living brain. Arguably, complex brain functions such as those of interest to psychoanalysts are functions supported by such networks, rather than by single brain regions. The aims of this presentation are: 1) to provide an overview of methods for the study of functional connectivity and the connectome; 2) to illustrate the application of such methods to a sample of individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis; 3) to discuss these findings in the context of the psychoanalytic understanding of psychosis; 4) to discuss how such large scale networks can be understood in terms of the agencies described in Freud's structural topography.
An overview of methods for the study of functional connectivity and the connectome will be provided and illustrated with results from a large data set of adults at clinical high risk for psychosis. Functional connectivity analyses allowed us to identify functional networks involving the posterior heteromodal cortices, whose disrupted connectivity could underlie the development of psychotic symptoms. The risk of developing psychotic symptoms thus may be related to an increased connectivity between subcortical structures and cortices that are devoted to high-order processing of sensory stimuli.
We speculate that psychosis results from sensory processing " escaping" prefrontal control and "flooding thinking," lending thoughts the immediacy of sensory qualities. We submit that such a mechanism is consistent with an understanding of psychosis in terms of an eruption into consciousness of thing presentations and primary process thinking.


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【IT/Singapore】 Business Analyst, Banking System
We regret to inform you that the only short listed candidates will be notified.
1. Handle System Implementation
- Requirement gathering from the users
- Documenting functional specs for developer
- Manage team of developers
- Report situation in a timely manner
2. Post System Implementation
- On-site maintenance support
- On-site support at customer site for users' inquires
- Coordination work between customer and the company such as requirement gathering, next phase planning
- Report situation in a timely manner.
Job Requirements:
- Have experience working in the banking industries
- Have some knowledge about workflow requirements, internal audit in banking industries
- Have some knowledge for IT development, especially for .NET
- A good team player
- Some experience to do helpdesk task
For interested parties:
- Please send your resume in MS WORD FORMAT to firstname.lastname@example.com
- Please indicate your Current Salary (Last Drawn Salary), Expected Salary and your Notice Period in your resume
- Please indicate your Reasons for leaving current and/or last employment
We regret to inform you that the only short listed candidates will be notified.
Thank you
28th February 2018


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A weekend in London was just what I needed, dressing up shopping and eating fine food was a perfect start to the month.
I had previously been anxious about what I should wear for the evening 'black tie' event. Without knowing other women there it's difficult to feel confident in my choice. So I opted for a simple black lace dress with a high neck, I could have gone for something a little more out there but I felt this was a classic.
The dress is from Marks&Spencer
I don't think I have ever purchased clothing from there before but was pleasantly surprised to see a wide range of high quality evening outfits.
Selfridges was on the itinerary – this was possibly the highlight of the trip 🙂
I don't often post make-up pictures on this blog, mainly because as a mum I don't go all out on my make up routine on a daily basis. Of course the weekend was an exception so I went for a smokey eye with dark red lips, I felt this was very seasonal and I couldn't recommend the Benefit eyeliner more! Its my new favorite make-up item.
Other than indulging and having a pretty wonderful time, the best bit was putting on my favorite ripped jeans with my massive jumper and sitting on the train knowing that I will be reunited with my favorite little man 🙂 Being greeted with huge smiles and cuddles was priceless.
I love the dress, looks very pretty! How much was it?:) x
Thank you for stopping by 🙂
– the dress was £60
Absolutely love the outfit and the makeup look <3


text: Track SDK Submit Framework, Library Or SDK Box View PHP SDK Comments HTML5 This is a PHP SDK for the Box View API. This SDK provides access in PHP to the Box View API. Box View is a service that converts documents to HTML5, allowing files to be embedded into web and mobile applications. Summary Followers (1) Comments (0) Changelog (0) Summary Followers Comments Changelog Comments (0) Comment * Post Comment Leave this field blank


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Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). The common belief says that you may get a STD, if you indulge in sex. But that is not true. If your partner has an active lesion of syphilis in his/her mouth, you will contact syphilis by a mere kiss. The danger is that the sore may be so insignificant and painless that your partner may also not be aware of that. Learn more about how to protect yourself from Syphilis.
Syphilis- what cause Syphilis?
Syphilis is caused by a bacterium. This bacterium is passed on to partners through open sores. If there is no outward sign, the bacteria may not get passed on. The disease shows itself in phases- primary, secondary and latent. It can kill in the latent stage.
Syphilis- stages of Syphilis
Syphilis develops in three phases/stages. In the first stage a painless sore forms on the genitals or mouth. this gets resolved itself without any treatment in some time. After some days of the first phase, the second phase develops. in this phase red rashes are seen on the palms, feet soles and other body parts . You may also see red patches in mucous membranes. Fever may be present. Sometimes the symptoms are so insignificant that this stage is also ignored. After this the diseases becomes latent and develops after some years.
Syphilis- latent stage of Syphilis
In the latent stage, the bacteria affect most of the body organs and if the disease is severe, it may result in death. The first two stages are most contagious. Please watch for the symptoms before you kiss a new partner.


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Your shopping cart is empty!
Once receiving your order there are absolutely no refunds. The delivered product is guaranteed to be exactly as described and in working condition, if your delivered product is not as described or not in working condition, email us at email@example.com within 24 hours of delivery.
In the case that your delivered product is not in working condition, a full refund / replacement will be issued for the full purchase amount.
Kindly note , Pro Gaming Pvt Ltd , does not take responsibility for any chargebacks.


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Our daughter little red had her 8th birthday party at Rockin' Jump San Diego and had a BLAST! She had been begging us for the past TWO YEARS and I think the party fulfilled beyond her expectations!
It's a great place to jump off the walls… literally… play a game of dodge ball, an awesome game of basketball complete with slam dunks, take your jumping skills to the next level at the stunt bag area, or simply knock your opponent off the plank at the X Beam area. There is also a fun rock wall area with four different levels, plus a super cute mini golf area perfect for family outings.
Not only is Rockin' Jump a great place for everyday fun, but it's also an affordable option for a birthday party. Our party included ten kids for 1.5 hours of jump time, plus a half hour in the party room which included a party attendant that helps with the food and drinks, 2 delicious pizzas, and two pitchers of drink of choice. We were allowed to bring in cake or cupcakes and a veggie platter to finish it off right! For the 2 hour party for ten kids on a weekend day it costs $280 dollars. An excellent buy when you think about everything you need for a party at home or at a restaurant for ten people! If you would like to add another person to the party, it's $19 each person jumping after the 10. It's even less expensive if you decide to have the party during the week– at $230! I loved that I could kick back, sit down in the plush couches and relax and know that the kids were having a great time!
Signing up and reserving the party was so simple! You can give them a call at 858-693-5867 or reserve online at sandiego.store.rockinjump.com They send you a confirmation complete with e-invites to send out to party-goers. It makes keeping track of rsvp's so easy and it lets parents fill out the waiver online, instead of at the party.
The big day was full of excitement! Our guests arrived, got their personal socks (that are re-usable for them to use in future visits), and we were ready to ROCK! We started off at the main jumping area. It wasn't too crowded on that Friday afternoon, but I am sure it can get busy. Parents stayed with their kids which was nice, but there is also an attendant at each station supervising for safety. That put my mind at ease! Another plus to the day was the cleanliness of EVERYTHING! The bathrooms were clean and fresh ready for the busy day, the cafe was clean and bright with a wide range of food offerings, plus the whole place smelled fresh and clean! I have attended a party at another local trampoline park before and it reeked of feet. Not so at Rockin' Jump!
The kids passed through the dodge ball area and showed off their skills. It can be a little intense for the little ones, but I would say for the kids 8 and older, it's just fine. The kids were like a tornado going through each activity, laughing and having a ball at each stop! It was so nice to see little red in her element having a blast on her birthday! I asked her afterward what her favorite spot was and she said the basketball slam dunk zone! She wished there was more foam pit to just play in, and not only at the x beam area, but she said knocking over her big sister was amazing!
In the end, I would have my daughters birthday party again at Rockin' Jump in HEART BEAT! Everything went smoothly and timely. The kids were safe, which was so important to me.
Ready to book your next birthday party at Rockin' Jump?! Go to sandiego.rockinjump.com and tell them Golden State Mom sent you!
8190 Miralani Drive
San Diego, CA 92126
United States
Follow them on Facebook too!
A BIG THANK YOU to Rockin' Jump San Diego for the complimentary birthday party! All opinions expressed are 100% my own.


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Markets felt a little tired in June. The UK equity market had to come to terms with the disastrous showing by the Conservatives in the general election and all the uncertainty that comes with a hung parliament. The FTSE All-Share Total Return Index was off 2.5 per cent. The US Federal Reserve increased interest rates for the second time this year and central bankers in the UK and Europe hinted that the end of the era of easy money was drawing closer. This led to a sell-off in government bonds on both sides of the Atlantic, with the UK 10-year gilt yield moving up to 1.27 per cent and US Treasury 10 years up to 2.3 per cent – admittedly, in both cases only returning to the levels seen a few months ago.
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What is your favorite BIG Picture idea for Huntsville
Downtown Jobs
I would love to see an effort made to attract tech companies and other businesses to downtown Huntsville. So much emphasis is being placed on restaurants, retail, and apartments in the downtown area. This is a great thing, and I am so excited to see the developments continue. I grew to love being in downtown Huntsville so much that I decided to buy a home downtown. I was strongly considering moving to another city a few ...more »


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I made a baby blanket last week for a friend for a new baby boy. I thought the patterns and colors were very fun and very boy. Can't wait to see this baby boy all snuggly! His 2 year old sister has a pink one and now he has a blue one. Love it! Enjoy!
If you are interested in ordering one similar to this or a whole new color scheme, email me at email@example.com.
To see others, click here and here.


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I've been budgeting my money since I was 13 and got quite a bit of money for my Bat Mitzvah. My parents were always really big on teaching fiscal management (my favorite childhood game was Cashflow, which was basically a board game with the stock market and financial investments). As an adult looking back on it, I see now that that was not a typical childhood experience. It was, however, a part of my life that taught me lessons to manage my money in ways that I still very much use today.
Over the years I've developed a system for budgeting my money with the help of my dad. It's based on the quarter system, as my school is, and I revise the budget every three months accordingly. Below is an example of a budget based on my system. I've never actually demonstrated my system, so stay with me if it gets confusing and feel free to comment below with any questions or clarifications!
The first step in creating your own budget is identifying what you consistently spend money on. Groceries, the bus, prescription medication, birthday presents, eating out, concerts, trips, cleaning supplies, and shopping are the main things I spend money on each quarter. You might spend money similarly, or you might add or discard a couple things to your list. Just remember: if you spend money on it, add it to the list!
Once you know what you spend money on regularly, establish as many categories as necessary to include all expenses while still condensing the list. I, for instance, have 8 categories: health, shopping, presents, food, home, entertainment, bus/travel, and in case of emergency. I'm still always redesigning how I categorize my spending. This quarter I added the in case of emergency category after taking my dog to the vet last quarter and realizing I hadn't accounted for anything like that in my budget. Notice how I don't have living/tuition expenses listed in my budget: because my room is included in the school bill, I simply pay one fixed payment at the beginning of each quarter. Any extra money I have to spend in that area is portioned into the "home" category. One thing I found helpful when I first started this process was having a "miscellaneous" category, which has since been dissolved.
Ok, now it's time to determine how much money you are going to let yourself spend on each category in the timespan of your budget. Before anything else, you'll want to establish how much money you can financially afford to spend in a year. See how much money you have in your bank account(s) and estimate how much money you will be making this year. I recommend setting some of your earnings aside and budgeting the rest, but I am not here to tell you how to live your life!
Remember that list that you made at the very beginning of this process of your usual expenses? Now it's time to apply monetary value to each one! I've attached an example of how I usually complete this process.
Remember that list that you made at the very beginning of this process of your usual expenses? Now it's time to apply monetary value to each one! I've attached an example of how I usually complete this process.
A few things to keep in mind when reading this list: there are three months in this example budget, with eleven total weeks. Anything that I have to purchase every month or every week is accounted for by multiplying the amount I spend each time by the number of times I will have to do it during this quarter. Medication, for example, is bought once a month. At a fixed price of $2, making this purchase three times a quarter means I will have to spend $6 on medication total this quarter.
My advice would be to start by identifying the essential items on your list of expenses. Groceries, for example, should definitely be accounted for. It isn't until you know how much money you will spend on the essentials this quarter that you will be able to determine how much you should be spending on, say, Starbucks this quarter. Then and only then should you start budgeting your less-essential expenses with the remainder of your total quarterly budget.
Some expenses have a predetermined cost, whereas others do not. The medication from the example above is something that has a predetermined cost, whereas something like the entertainment budget has to be estimated. In the case of the entertainment budget, my reasoning for this estimation is simple: if I were to treat myself to a movie, which is typically a $15 experience, every week, I would be spending $165 over the course of 11 weeks. You can see a similar process in the estimations for my shopping, presents, eating out, and general home maintenance expenses. After years of using this budget system, I still mess around with these estimations, and so should you! Just because 20 year old you doesn't buy designer clothing doesn't mean 25 year old you will feel the same way and follow the same budget.
After adding together your estimated expenses and deciding how much money total you'll spend this quarter, it's time to create a method of monitoring your spending. I personally use a Google Spreadsheet to keep track of what I spend and when, as you can see in the first example photo. It only takes basic Excel knowledge to be able to put this together, but I might eventually write a post about the logistics of setting it up. You could also use a written method or even a budgeting app to keep track of your spending in comparison to your budget. However you end up monitoring your spending, I'd advise you to keep a running total of how much you've spent in each category and how much you have left to spend in each category. Adding up your total expenses at the end of the quarter and comparing it to how much you'd budgeted yourself spending is something you should only ever do the first time you make a budget to learn the reality of your spending habits. After that, you should also monitor how much money you have left in your budget to spend in any given category to avoid overspending.
To quote Melissa Levin: Wow, wow, wow! That was a lot of information. I sincerely hope I didn't leave anything essential out, and if I did, please comment below and let me know!


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I just noticed that the December 2009 issue of the FCCJ's Number 1 Shimbun had a report entitled "Jake Adelstein and Tokyo Vice" by Gavin Blair. The report mentions an Adelstein's claim that the Japan's largest yakuza group, Yamaguchi-gumi, is supporting the DPJ.
Something that definitely falls into the controversial category is Adelstein's claim that the Yamaguchi-gumi – Japan's largest criminal organization – switching its traditional support for the LDP over to the DPJ about a year before the Democrats' election victory. While somehow reminiscent of the Murdoch press in the U.K. shifting allegiance from the Conservatives to Labour (and recently back again) when either side emerged a likely winner, there may have been more to it than simply backing the winning horse, according to Adelstein. He quoted two Japanese weeklies – Asahi Geino and Shukan Jitsuwa – as reporting that the switch to the DPJ had been decided at top-level Yamaguchi-gumi meetings.According to this passage, Adelstein seems to have quoted only vulgar weekly journals such as Asahi Geino and Shukan Jitsuwa, whose credibility is questionable. Also, Gavin Blair, the writer of the article, reported that the alleged Yamaguchi-gumi's support was definitely controversial. However, as long as I know, it is not controversial. Japanese news media already reported it in 2007. I remember this, because it was a big surprise for me that the whole Yamaguchi-gumi decided to support a single political party. There had been a few times that Japanese media reported that individual politicians had connections with some members of yakuza organizations. When such connections were revealed and reported by the media, they were always big scandals for the politicians that may lead to political death of them. Therefore, it was a big surprise that it was revealed that a whole yakuza organization officially decided to support a single political party.
Since Japanese media do not keep their articles on the web for a long period, the news articles have already been removed from the web. However, I could find a cache of an article. According to the article, a member of Yamaguchi-gumi was arrested for buying votes for a DPJ candidate in the election of the House of Councillors in 2007, and it was revealed that the headquarter of Yamaguchi-gumi had issued an official notice that ordered member organisations to support the DPJ.


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Super easy, super delicious:
3-4 medium zucchini's, chopped and grilled
2 cups corn
Super easy, super delicious:
2 cans pinto beans (rinsed, drained)
3-4 medium zucchini's, chopped and grilled
2 cups corn
One of those recipes that every single person enjoyed. YAY!
*Seriously you'll want to double this, it's SO GOOD
Recipe and photo from Damn Delicious
Makes 12, in about an hour
1.5 c AP flour
.5 cup masa harina, fine cornmeal flour or more AP flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 cup plus 2 T solid shortening, lard or vegetable oil
2 1/2 c cooked and well seasoned beans
2 c grated or crumbled queso fresco, Monterey Jack or cotija cheese
up to 1/2 c milk
Preheat oven to 450. Mix together masa harina, flour, baking powder and salt. Add 1/2 c shortening. Preferable to do in food processor, but I used kitchen aid. Then add 1/2 c cold water, just enough for dough to form ball. Dough will be dry-ish. Knead for a minute or so until smooth.
Divide dough into 12 pieces, roll into balls, and cover with damp towel to rest for 20 miutes. (you can refrig dough overnight, but let come to room temperature before using) Roll each ball into 6″ circle, adding flour if necessary.
Place a couple tablespoons beans in center of each circle, then sprinkle cheese before folding each circle over. Seal seam with a few drops of water and press with tines of fork to close. Put on ungreased baking sheet and brush lightly with milk (optional). Bake about 20 minutes, until dough is golden and hot. Serve hot or at room temp.
Corn and cheese: use corn, lightly mashed, instead of beans
Roasted Red peppers and cheese: sub beans with roasted red peppers
Veggie: use 3 cups any thick or rich vegetable dish to fill.
Based on it, you might think…hmmm…maybe, maybe not.
Here is her picture:
That should do a better job of showing you how yummy these are.
1lb ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
1 4 once package cream cheese
12 large pasta shells
1 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
1 cup Monterey jack cheese (shredded)
1 ½ cups tortilla chips (crushed)
3 green onions (chopped)
1 cup sour cream
Step 1: In a fry pan cook ground beef and add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and allow to fully cool. While burger is cooking cook the pasta shells, drain and toss well with butter.
Step 2: Pour salsa in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Step 3: Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place the stuffed shells in the baking dish and cover the tops of the shells with taco sauce.
Step 4: Cover and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Step 5: After 30 minutes, uncover, and sprinkle crushed chips and shredded cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses on top. Cook for about 15 more minutes. Serve with sour cream, additional salsa, black olives or whatever you think goes good with tacos!
I saw this on pinterest this afternoon, and what good timing – we were running so long with house projects today. This came together super quick, and we had everything already. In fact, make your own biscuits or rolls and this is 100% food storage friendly.
This is also lower calorie, so yeah for that. The original recipe used ground turkey, but we used one can of chicken since we've been buying it for food storage and I am looking for ways to disguise it. :)
1 – 12.5 oz can chicken
1 – 10 oz can enchilada sauce
1 – 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 can buttermilk biscuits
1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350.
Combine meat, enchilada sauce, tomato sauce. Cut each biscuit into 8 pieces and stir in. Add 3/4 c cheese and stir in.
Bake for 25 minutes. Add the rest of the cheese to the top and bake 10 more minutes.
Adapted from the original I saw on pinterest, at chef-n-training.
It cracks me up to post a really bad picture (again!) but a few months ago I did our "what we ate for dinner" calendar as we went and did a picture each night – super nice to go back and get dinner ideas from pictures.
There's a better picture at Cooking Light, where I got the recipe.
Dinner: chicken tamale casserole/yellow saffron rice/(not fancy black beans because we ran out of cans!! whoops)
– – – – –
Cooking Light's Chicken Tamale Casserole (we LOVED this)
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.


text:
Ahead of Kraftwerk's residency at Tate Modern, ShortList's Mark Beaumont explores the birth of electronica and the early years that shaped a robotic rock phenomenon...
When American electrical engineer Elisha Gray accidentally noticed, one afternoon in 1876, that by (deep breath) wiring up a self-vibrating electromagnetic circuit to form a one-note oscillator amplified through a vibrating diaphragm in a magnetic field, he could make spaceship noises that made his dog dance, he had no idea of the synthetic storm he was unleashing.
Almost 100 years later, Robert Moog launched the first modern synthesiser in 1965, allowing any Tom, Dick or Monkee to recreate the electronic drones that church organists, radio show theme writers, university boffins and avant-garde composers had been fiddling with since 1935.
It wouldn't be long, however, before a band would successfully mate with one.
Düsseldorf, Germany, early 1970, and the cranks, crashes and hydraulic whooshes rose from the furnaces, drifting towards the studio where a band were improvising their debut album, scrabbling around for a fresh, modern Teutonic sound.
"The studio was in the middle of an oil refinery," recalled Ralf Hütter of his first recordings with Florian Schneider-Esleben, his eventual partner in Kraftwerk – the robo-godfathers of modern electronica. "When we came out of the door we could hear the sound of those big flames burning off the fumes – all kinds of industrial noises."
The refinery clatter and stark aesthetics bled into the album Hütter and Schneider – both children of Germany's post-Second World War 'fatherless generation' – were recording with their band Organisation, and into their identity.
Their debut Tone Float was a psychedelic freeform instrumental album full of glockenspiel pile-ups, bulbous bass and florid flutes. But at its core were relentless crashing, mechanical – almost danceable beats – which, despite there being no synthesiser, sounded like machines punching holes in the ore of electronica.
Hütter (the only founding member remaining) and Schneider met as music students at Düsseldorf's Kunstakademie art school, bonding over an interest in electronic music and controversial composer Karlheinz Stockhausen.
On forming Organisation, they slipped into the burgeoning intellectual scene of young, electronic-leaning German musicians opposed to vacuous 'flower power'. A collective – who considered themselves as performance artists rather than 'bands' – would play lengthy improvised shows in universities and art galleries.
Krautrock, as it would soon be tagged, had sprung that year from the 1968 Essen rock festival, where the inventions of Frank Zappa clashed with German acts such as Tangerine Dream and Amon Düül. They were politically-minded art commune outfits merging Sixties psychedelia with the surrealism of Dali and the technological innovations of the Fifties minimalist avant-garde composers such as Terry Riley and Steve Reich.
"We were very lucky," said Hütter in Pascal Bussy's seminal book Kraftwerk: Man, Machine & Music. "At the time, there were electronic music concerts, happenings, the Fluxus group [a neo-Dadaist experimental movement involving John Cage and Yoko Ono]. We were engaged in the artistic world. We played on the same circuit."
It was at one such chin-stroking event that Organisation accidentally helped kick-start Can, the jazz-inflected prog wing of krautrock.
Michael Karoli of Can has spoken about these fledgling years. "I met them in the summer of 1968," he said. "Ralf was very communicative, but Florian didn't speak much. We were to play at the preview of a painting exhibition. We had not brought many instruments, so we played one long piece on their instruments for about 15 minutes. As far as I can remember, this was Can's first public appearance."
And among Organisation's last. With the 20-minute sound collages of Tone Float failing to float the world's, um, tone, the band split. Hütter and Schneider formed a band with two drummers, Klaus Dinger and Andreas Hohmann, and began creating a German sound rooted in the aesthetics of industry and technology.
They holed up in a studio base hidden below Düsseldorf's red light district and began making music as Kraftwerk – German for 'power station'.
"We didn't have a strategy," said Hütter, recalling this period. "We rushed into making industrial music, abandoning all other activities – our education, our classical background. It was a total rapture."
Kraftwerk's eponymous debut album in 1970 was synth-free, but built on repetitive psych-rock beat, doped jams and the electronic manipulation of Schneider's flute. Replete with Doppler effects akin to falling bombs, ambient drone wobbles and crazed art freak-outs, it enthralled the krautrock scene, but ultimately embarrassed the band. At the height of their success they refused to acknowledge it existed.
During the following year the Kraftwerk line-up was fluid: Hütter left for a few months to study architecture, and Dingler and new guitarist Michael Rother absconded to form the psychedelic drone-merchants Neu!. By 1971 Kraftwerk was just Hütter and Schneider again, in need of a circuit-board saviour.
"In 1971, Kraftwerk was still without a drummer," recalled Hütter, "so I bought a cheap drum machine [with] some preset dance rhythms. By changing the basic sounds with tape echo and filtering we made the rhythm tracks for our second album."
With the likes of Faust, Can and Tangerine Dream forging the 'kosmische musik' style using synthesisers, Kraftwerk's heads were turned tech-ward. "I found the flute was too limiting," explained Schneider. "I bought a microphone, then loudspeakers, then an echo, then a synthesiser. Much later, I threw the flute away."
"Technology is no enemy to us," said Hütter in 1975, hinting at the changes to come. "You cannot say technology is any better or worse than nature."
If 1972's Kraftwerk 2 inched the band to their trademark sound – "You can define it as you want," claimed Hütter, infamously. "Sci-fi music, techno-disco, cybernetic rock, but the term I prefer is robot pop," – 1973's Ralf Und Florian saw them embrace prototype vocoders, trancey beats and Minimoog synths. Also, in 1973 Kraftwerk met electric violinist Emil Schult, who created rudimentary slide shows to project at gigs and help develop hydraulic visuals.
During the Seventies, Kraftwerk developed into the perfect man/machine hybrid. Following their 1974 breakthrough album Autobahn, they disappeared behind their android guises, posing robot mannequins onstage during their most famous hit The Model, refusing to do photoshoots post-1978, insisting the press print pictures of the Kraft-droids instead.
Kraftwerk's merging of synthetic melodies, industrial pop beats and cyborg vocals would invent modern electronica and inspire everyone from Bowie to New Order, Björk to Daft Punk. But it was their dedication to splicing their DNA with diode oil and becoming the embodiment of electronic art that would see their legend and enigma downloaded throughout the decades.
'Kraftwerk – The Catalogue' is at Tate Modern, London from 6-14 February


text:
It was the first of December. The snow was all around. More than a month has passed since that day Kate got the call from Mr. Pinkerton. Kate and David were the proud parents of three now, little Elisabeth and her twin brothers, Zachary and Finn.
However, someone else has joined their household recently. It was Bella. She "moved in" a little later than the boys, because setting up her "room" took far much more time than the boy's room did. Kate was really happy to have her beloved friend close to her… finally.
This morning, Kate was woken up by Elisabeth. When Kate heard her starting to cry, she jumped out of the bed and quickly took her out of the room, because David worked until late last night and Kate wanted to let him sleep in… after all, it was just 5:50 on Sunday morning. Kate placed Elisabeth in the high chair and gave her a bowl of her favorite baby food. Elisabeth calmed down instantly.
Kate went outside the house, because she saw from the window, that the flag of the mailbox was up.
When Kate looked inside, she saw a big package. What could this be? She thought to herself as she felt how heavy it was. The package was wrapped nicely, so Kate thought it could be a gift. She hesitated, but in the end, decided to keep it as it was and ask David about it later.
When Kate came back inside, Elisabeth was already done eating. Kate picked her up and because Lizzie looked sleepy, Kate decided to put her back in the crib in the hope she would sleep a little more, so she could prepare something good for breakfast for everybody else.
It didn't take long and at 7 AM everybody was already up. Kate has just finished frying the last pancake, when David approached her from behind, put his hands around her waist and kissed her on her hair.
"Good morning, love," he said.
"Good morning. Why are you up so early?"
"I felt the smell from the kitchen… Can I have a pancake, please?"
"Oh, David! Of course!" smiled Kate at her husband. "I see Zac has a good influence on you!" she laughed. "I only hope, you'll not behave like this all the time…"
"PLEASE, don't worry, darling," sneered David at Kate as he grabbed a pancake in his hand.
The very moment David finished his first pancake, Zac and Finn were already running down the stairs screaming Pancakes! Pancakes!
While Kate was bringing the pancakes to the table, Finn stole one from her.
"Come on, Finn! There is enough for everybody," said Kate to him.
"Pay attention so you don't explode one day," told him his brother when he saw Finn stuffing his mouth like it was the last pancake in the world.
Everybody sat down at the table together, as they always did on the weekends. Zachary was still eating his first two pancakes while Finn has finished everything that was on the plate Kate brought to the table.
"Mom! I want more!" Finn started screaming.
"There is no more!" told him David.
"Yes, sweetheart. Daddy is right, you ate the last one."
"No, I didn't! Zac still has two on his plate! I want one!" insisted Finn.
"Fine, take one," told him Zac. You meatball, he thought to himself.
"Your brother is being very kind to you, Finn. But you already had enough," said Kate.
Playing the good one with Mommy, are you, thought Finn to himself as he watched his brother eating the last pancake.
"Listen, Finn. Don't look at me like this, please. Mommy is right. You've eaten everything!"
"Whatever Zac, you're playing the brave one now, huh? Just because Mommy is sitting next to you, but wait when she is not…"
"OK, that is enough! Finn! Collect all the dirty plates and wash them," told him Kate, because all she needed now was the boys become enemies.
"But Mom! I always do the dishes! Why can't also Zac…," Finn didn't finish the sentence, because Kate interrupted him with a sharp NOW!
"Come on, Finn, I'll help you," told him Zac when he picked up his own plate.
"No thanks, just give me that," said Finn, took Zac's plate from his hand and went to wash everything alone.
"Can I go and play outside Mommy?" asked Zac.
"Yes, you can… but dress up well, it's very cold outside," smiled Kate at Zac and then turned at Finn who was still washing the plates. "Finn? When you're done, you can go and play outside with your brother."
No, thank you, Finn thought to himself, but then happily responded to Kate "Thanks, Mom!"
Zachary was happily building the base for his igloo, while Finn went upstairs to the room to pretend he didn't care about going outside.
Finn picked up one of the brushes and his color palette and continued painting the picture he started yesterday. When Mommy sees this, she will like me more, I know it, Finn naively thought to himself.
Neither 15 minutes passed and Finn got bored painting. The sun was high in the sky, but the temperature low below zero. Perfect day to build a snowman… or an igloo.
"Hey, Zac? Need help?" Finn asked his twin brother.
"Sure!" said Zac as he placed carefully another snow brick on the top of the wall.
"How do you do it, Zac?" asked him Finn.
"Do what?"
"What do you mean EVERYTHING?"
"Mommy likes you more than me… you build igloos faster than me… I think I will never be as good as you are…," said sadly Finn to his brother.
"Oh, come on, Finn! Don't get all miserable just because Mommy got angry. You have to understand her. Don't you see how much she likes you? Do you think it's healthy to eat this much? Do you want to become a fat little boy that everybody will make fun of?"
"NO!" screamed Finn.
"So? Why do you keep on working on it?"
"I just… I… I love food!"
"I know! Me too, but I don't overeat."
"Neither do I."
"Yes, you do."
"No, I don't!"
"Yes, you do!"
"Fine!" Zac stopped the useless discussion because his brother was never going to admit he's wrong. It didn't take long and the igloo was finished. Finn went inside.
"Are you coming in, Zac?"
"After a while."
"As you want, I am going to make a sofa and a TV here."
"Yeah, do what you want, Finn."
"Ok! But don't get angry later, when everything will be done as I want!"
Whatever, Finn, Zac thought to himself, because he had some more interesting plans on mind right now. He went inside the house, hoping, noone would notice him. David was too concentrated on cleaning the kitchen sink, so Zac had no problem in taking some sweet carrots out of the fridge without asking. He managed to disappear unnoticed.
Zac went outside, looked for Bella and when he saw her, he ran towards her.
She got scared a little, but when little Zac let her sniff his hand, she calmed down.
When he pulled out the carrots out of his pocket, he won her heart. Bella loved carrots as children love sweets.
"Good girl," said Zac as he fed Bella the carrots.
He caressed her strong neck and whispered in her ear: Let's be friends, I like you.
Bella whinnied happily so Zac took it as yes.
Later that day during the dinner time, when Lizzie got her third serving of baby food, Zac approached Kate to tell her about Bella.
"Yes, Zac, what is it?"
"You will not believe this!"
"What?" asked him Kate with a worried voice.
"It is Bella! She likes me!" said happily Zac.
"How do you know?" Kate was getting curious because she prohibited to the boys to approach Bella alone.
"I am sorry, Mommy. I know I didn't have the permission, but…," said Zac while looking down at the floor.
"But?" continued Kate.
"I gave her some carrots today and she let me caress her."
"Oh, Zac. I am really happy that Bella likes you, but don't you understand when I tell you something?"
"Yes, Mommy. I do. I am sorry. You know I love animals."
"I know, Zac, and that's why I will not punish you for this."
"Really?" said happily Zac.
"Yes. I am happy that nothing bad happened to you and that you found your way to approach Bella," said happily Kate and hugged her son.
"Does this mean I can ride her now?" asked enthusiastically Zac.
"No, Zac, I am afraid not."
"Why not? Please! PLEASE!"
"You will, Zac, but not now. Let's wait until you reach the stirrups," smiled Kate and went to prepare spaghetti for the dinner.
Zac joined his brother, who was watching the television almost for three hours now.
"What are you watching, Finn?" asked him Zac.
"I don't know. Something."
"Yeah. I see."
It didn't take long and the dinner was ready.
"Dinner!" called Kate from the kitchen and everybody hurried to sit down at the table.
"Enjoy your meal, everybody," said David and started eating.
"So, boys, did you tell to your father what you've been doing today?"
"Yes!" said Finn enthusiastically. "I did!"
"Right, you helped Zac with the igloo, that was very nice of you Finn," smiled David at his son.
"No! I built it myself!"
"Liar!" screamed Zac.
"Okay, let's not start again," Kate tried to calm them down.
"But Mommy! You know I started building the igloo, while Finn was still washing the plates!"
"I know, Zac, I know," assured him Kate.
"So, Finn, why do you say you built it yourself?" asked him David.
"Because I did!" continued Finn.
"No, you helped me! You would never build it alone! You're too lazy!" screamed Zac at his brother.
"Come on, boys!" warned them David. "Enough!"
"I am sorry, Daddy," apologized Zac.
"Fine, Zac. What about you, Finn? Are you going to apologize?"
"Why not?"
"Because it is not fair! I do always everything wrong. Did you know, that Zac played with Bella today, huh?"
"Finn, please," Kate tried to calm him down. "We love you as much as we love Zac, noone is better than the other. Why do you have to lie about things to us?"
"Because I want you to love me more!" screamed Finn and started to cry.
"Come on, Finn, boys don't cry," sneered Zac as he was finishing his meal.
"You don't talk to me, you…!" said Finn and started to get angry. Zac stood up from the table, picked up his plate and went to put it in the sink.
"Finn, please…," began Kate. "We love you as much as we love Zac or Lizzie."
"But I want you to love me more, Mommy…," continued Finn.
"Mommy and Daddy love us the same, don't you get it?" told Zac to Finn as he passed along the table.
"Urgh! You! Shut up!" screamed Finn at Zac.
"Finn, listen now," said David. "You are our little boy and we love you as nothing else in this world."
"I am not a little boy!"
"Finn, finish your dinner," said Kate with that kind of voice that even Finn understood that he overdid it.
"Sorry, Mom, sorry, Dad," apologized Finn and finished his plate of spaghetti.
Kate and David went to the kitchen leaving Finn behind.
"David," said Kate and looked at her husband.
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"I don't know if I am able to raise them up well…," she said sadly.
"Come here, Kate," said David and hugged her.
"Every night I ask myself if I didn't make a mistake."
"No, sweetie, you didn't. We didn't. Everything will be all right. I am here with you, together we'll manage, I promise."
"Thanks, honey…," said Kate, closed her eyes and a tear run down her cheek.
In the meantime, Finn grabbed already his third plate of spaghetti and as nobody was watching, he started quickly shoveling the spaghetti in his tiny mouth. But then Kate turned around and saw him.
Finn panicked and speeded up even more. Before Kate got to him, his plate was empty.
"How many, Finn?"
"Very well, you won't be having any breakfast tomorrow."
"But Mom!"
"You cannot do this to me!"
"Yes, I can, Finn. I shouldn't do this, but I'll have to! You have to stop overeating yourself!"
Finn didn't know what to say.
"I am going to take a shower now, so clean up and put the leftovers in the fridge. Don't you even think of having more, young man, I will find out."
"Don't worry, Mom. I will do what you told me."
"Very well," said Kate and went in the bathroom.
The moment the door closed, Finn didn't hesitate and grabbed yet another plate of spaghetti.
He sat down at the table and started eating. Finn didn't care that the spaghetti got cold, he was simply happy eating it.
Kate finished showering and when she closed the door of the shower, Finn almost choked himself, because he thought it was the bathroom door. For his happiness, it wasn't so he was able to finish everything that was on his plate.
When Kate was brushing her teeth, Finn was already cleaning the plate getting rid of any clue that could lead to another unpleasant discussion.
When Kate finished brushing the teeth, she cleaned her hands and washed her face, which gave more than enough time to Finn to put the leftover spaghetti in the fridge.
The moment Finn closed the fridge, the bathroom door opened.
"Have you seen your brother, Zac?" asked him Kate.
"Yeah, he's in the kitchen," answered Zac in a neutral tone.
"In the kitchen?" wandered Kate.
Kate found Finn standing in front of the fridge. Mommy will never know, thought Finn to himself.
"What are you still doing here, Finn?"
"Making sure noone eats the leftovers, Mommy. Now that you're back, I think I can go," smiled Finn thinking he got out of it without any effort.
"You won't be going anywhere," said Kate to him.
"But Mommy! I swear that I've put the leftovers here, in the fridge, as you asked me," said innocently Finn pointing his hands at the fridge.
"Very well, Finn. You think I don't know you? Shall we ask your brother or will you finally tell me the truth?"
"Okay. I am sorry, Mommy. I had one more plate. Can you forgive me?" said Finn feeling really bad about himself.
"I am happy, that you told me the truth yourself, Finn…," told him Kate. "… but I also told you something else. Do you know what it was?"
"Yes, I think I do."
"So, tell me, Finn, why did you have more?"
"I cannot stop eating when there is food in front of me, Mommy. I don't want to become a fat boy that everybody will make fun of, but I just cannot control myself."
"Finn, listen to me now. I know it is hard for you to understand, but eating too much is not healthy, you can end up in the hospital, did you know that?"
"What? Hospital? No! I don't want to!"
"Good, so please, stop overeating yourself, okay?"
"Come, I will read you to sleep."
"Yay! Thanks, Mommy!"
Kate picked up one book from the shelf in the boys' room, sat on Finn's bed and started reading.
Zac was already sleeping. When the story ended, Kate kissed both her sons on the forehead and went downstairs.
David was just putting Elisabeth to sleep. Now that there were the boys in the house, Kate didn't have almost any time to dedicate to her husband and it really bothered her, because no matter what, David was still one hot guy, especially in his pajamas.
She put down the fire and went to the bedroom.
David was already in the bed, but he wasn't sleeping yet. Kate got in and kissed him. She hoped, that maybe tonight could be the night… but it wasn't, not for her, but for David. He was getting up early the next morning so Kate didn't insist.
"There was a package in the mail today. Do you know something about it, honey?"
"Yeah… It's a… surprise…," said David with a tired voice.
"Oh, okay…," said Kate and smiled to herself. Little things like this made her always so happy.
"Good night, sweetie," he whispered in her ear as he hugged her from behind.
"Good night, David."


text:
Welcome to Cottonwood County, Minnesota
Cottonwood County is located in the southwestern part of the state of Minnesota. Our current population is 12,167 with an area of 636 square miles. Our county seat is the city of Windom.
To read more about Cottonwood County, click here.
To see Cottonwood County's location on a map, click here.
Cottonwood County Board of Commissioners Meetings
The Board of Commissioners meet every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board Room of the Courthouse. Click here for 2019 Meeting Schedule. (Exceptions: Wednesday, January 2; Tuesdays, June 18 & Dec 3 - afternoon meetings)
The next regular meeting is: Tuesday, July 2, 2019 at 9:00 a.m.
Click here for a tentative agenda.
Click here to view past meeting minutes.
To be scheduled on a meeting agenda, a Board Meeting Request form should be completed and submitted (with any attachments) to the Human Resources Office by 4:30 p.m. the Wednesday before the Tuesday board day. (Email to: )
Passport Information
The Cottonwood County Auditor Treasurer Office is responsible for handling all passport related inquiries, for more information click here.
Cottonwood County Properties are Tobacco-Free
The Cottonwood County Board of Commissioners voted on August 12, 2014 to adopt revisions to Policy No. 480 "Smoke-Free Workplace". The revised Policy No. 480 "Tobacco-Free Grounds" took effect January 1, 2015.
Cottonwood County is committed to providing safe and healthy environments. Tobacco use is a major cause of preventable disease and death. Smoking, tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke have been found to cause heart disease, cancer, asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory problems. Electronic delivery devices, also known as electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, closely resemble and purposefully mimic the act of smoking.
Cottonwood County believes the use of tobacco products, including electronic delivery devices, on county property is detrimental to the health and safety of its employees, residents, clients and other visitors.
The policy will apply to all visitors and staff on Cottonwood County property (excluding Cottonwood County campgrounds).
Public Surplus Website
Only selected, public institutions can sell their items on this site, therefore you always know the auctions come from a trusted source.


text:
In These High, Green Hills we're once again in Mitford, a southern village of local characters so heartwarming and hilarious you'll wish you lived right next door. At last, Mitford's rector and lifelong bachelor, Father Tim, has married his talented and vivacious neighbor, Cynthia. Now, of course, they must face love's challenges: new sleeping arrangements for Father Tim's sofa-sized dog, Cynthia's urge to decorate the rectory Italian-villa-style, and the growing pains of the thrown-away boy who's become like a son to the rector. Add a life-changing camping trip, the arrival of the town's first policewoman, and a new computer that requires the patience of a saint, and you know you're in for another engrossing visit to Mitford -- the little town that readers everywhere love to call home.
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The program provides education citywide to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death. These efforts are focused on social service providers who work with populations at high risk for the sudden death of an infant. The program also offers bereavement counseling to parents who have suffered the unexpected sudden loss of an infant or child under three years of age.
Other locations can be found on the website


text:
As speculation abounded whether or not the former Central Intelligence Agency Director David Petraeus would testify on the September 11 Benghazi terrorist attacks, word now is that he will, in fact, testify before a congressional select committee.
Acting CIA director Michael Morell is scheduled to testify on Thursday concerning the attack.
Trending: Bombshell: Media Blackout As DOJ Announces Obama Accepted At Least $21.6 Million In Foreign Donations For 2012 Re-Election
After Petraeus' resignation, lawmakers complained that the scandal was no reason they shouldn't hear from the man at the helm of the CIA when CIA operatives came under attack alongside State Department employees in Benghazi last month.take our poll - story continues belowCompleting this poll grants you access to Freedom Outpost updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
The logistics of Petraeus' appearance are still being worked out. But a source close to Petraeus said the former four-star general has contacted the CIA, as well as committees in both the House and Senate, to offer his testimony as the former CIA director.
Fox News has learned he was invited to speak off-site to the Senate Intelligence Committee on Friday about his Libya report.
The House side is still being worked out.
While Senator John McCain questions the credibility of the administration saying, "Let me be clear: there is no credibility among most of us concerning the administration and the numerous controversies and contradictions that have been involved in their handling of this issue." This comes from a man who demonstrates that his claim to "conservatism" is not exactly up to par with his actions. However, on the issue of the Obama administration's credibility, we are certainly in agreement.
Representative Peter "The President's kill list is Constitutional" King said, ""It's impossible to believe that he thought he was giving ... honest testimony," indicating that he believes that Petraeus' statements to Congress were possibly perjurious.
McCain was also joined by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) in calling for a Senate committee to investigate Benghazi. However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he wouldn't support such an effort. Anyone surprised?
With all these agencies and government investigations, you would think by now, the whole truth had been told and known, but apparently not and yet we are told that if we continue to increase the size and scope of government things will get better, healthcare will become cheaper, taxes will be lower, we'll all get along and sing 'kumbaya,' jobs will magically appear, the economy will thrive, and deficits will vanish. This "investigation" demonstrates that quite the opposite will happen in all those areas, just as it is highly likely that we will not get to the bottom of Benghazi, though I think most of us have a pretty good idea of what took place now.Don't forget to Like Freedom Outpost on Facebook, Google Plus, & Twitter. You can also get Freedom Outpost delivered to your Amazon Kindle device here.


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The English as a Second Language program requires that ESL students enter R-MA with a minimum score of 650 on the TOEFL Junior or a minimum score of 54 on the TOEFL. While R-MA will consider TOEFL Junior and TOEFL scores submitted as part of the admissions packet, we do not accept these scores for placement into English or ESL classes. Placement is determined by the score achieved on the English language proficiency test taken upon arrival. Students scoring 850 or above on TOEFL Jr. or above 75 on TOEFL are considered for current regular English courses.
International students whose English capabilities fall below the score of 650 on the TOEFL Junior or below the score of 54 on the TOEFL submitted as part of the admission's packet are required to attend the ESL Summer School session prior to being admitted in the Fall.
The current ESL program features a curriculum that addresses the needs of the second language learner in the skill areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Grammar study is a key component at each of the three levels (ESL II, ESL III, and ESL IV [introduction to mainstream English]), while reading, writing and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) Prep are the primary focus of the Introduction to Mainstream English offering.
ESL II (Progressing) Grammar and Vocabulary (650-715 TOEFL Jr. score/54 TOEFL score)
This course is designed for progressing level language learners. Goals include a reinforcement of basic grammar, an introduction and intense study of more complex grammar, including further development of conversational skills, reading skills, writing skills and vocabulary development. Journal writings, idiom study, book reports, projects and an introduction to TOEFL are included.
ESL II (Progressing) Reading and Writing (650-715 TOEFL Jr. score/54 TOEFL score)
This course works to develop paragraph level writing and essay writing skills for progressing ESL students. It includes intensive work to extend reading comprehension abilities through reading response writings, comprehension exercises and discussions.
ESL III (Expanding) Reading and Writing (720-780 TOEFL Jr. score/64 TOEFL score)
ESL III is the second level of courses offered to international students at R-MA. It is designed for students whose English level is expanding. There are two course offerings within ESL III: Composition/Grammar and Reading/Vocabulary. Grammar, vocabulary and essay writing are stressed at this level. In ESL III, students continue to develop their communicative competence by interacting orally and in writing with other English speakers, understanding oral and written messages in English, and making oral and written presentations in English. They communicate on a variety of topics at a level commensurate with their study, using more complex structures in English and moving from concrete to more abstract concepts. They comprehend the main ideas of the authentic materials they listen to and read and are able to identify significant details when the topics are familiar. Students develop the ability to discuss in English topics related to historical and contemporary events and issues. Goals for this course include developing, increasing, and refining the language skills of the students, guiding the students in preparation for the TOEFL, preparing the students in grammatical English, and assisting each student as he or she moves toward total integration in the R-MA curriculum.
Mainstream (Accomplished) English (780+ TOEFL Jr. score/74 TOEFL score)
Mainstream English is designed to be the first mainstream Literature and Composition course for international students who have an accomplished ESL proficiency. The course awards standard English credit and is offered in two sections: Literature/Vocabulary and Composition/Grammar. The classes include readings and projects accomplished in our regular 9th and 10th grade English courses. These courses fulfill all of the requirements of the current regular English courses, but also address the specific language needs of ESL students. The first quarter is an intensive study of the literary devices and concepts needed to accomplish this level of English study as well as an introduction to utilizing complex grammatical structures in MLA style essay and research writing. While the second, third, and fourth quarters follow the coursework typical of the 9th and 10th grade English programs, the approach to instruction addresses the specialized needs of ESL students.


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It's time for another challenge over at Just Add Ink and this week it's a beautiful colour combination.
But I am sad to say that I have royally stuffed up my entry this week! It has just one of those weeks that I wish I could permanently erase from my memory if you know what I mean!
It went a little something like this:
- A death and subsequent funeral
- Some bad news about the status of a friends illness (breast cancer), the end is near and it is just devastating that a young family will lose it's mother and wife.
- A scared call from my daughter after their school was put in lockdown because a large gang with knives and other weapons entered the school and was threatening teachers and students.
- On the way home from aforementioned funeral, someone threw a large rock or a brick at our car while we were travelling at 100km/h on the freeway narrowly missing the window where my daughter was sitting! Luckily we are all okay but my car will need significant repairs and will be off the road while that's done.
- All this while suffering a 4 day migraine, worse than any I've ever had before!
But even after all of that, I know I am so lucky and should be so thankful that we are all healthy and safe because others are going through a much harder time right now, and my heart is just breaking for them. So I guess it's true (and sad) that no matter what you are going through, there is always someone worse off than you are.
Anyway, enough of my drama! Here is my card for this week. And only after finishing it, did it dawn on me that I used white instead of very vanilla! So stay tuned as I hope to have another card to share with you soon using the correct colours! In the meantime, I thought I would share this one anyway.
Happy stamping!


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- A quarter of those we spoke to said they would spend more or make more impulse purchases if they used their phone to pay instead of cash or card
- 57% said the ability to check their balance would help limit their spend, while 38% said a limit on 'tap and go' payments would help curb their spending
- More than half of those we spoke to are worried about the technology. The top concern was security (45%)
- Almost six in ten consumers told us they aren't comfortable using their phone to pay
With Apple Pay launching in the UK next month, our research has found the new technology could help drive spending habits spiralling out of control.
Apple Pay has been welcomed by those looking for simpler, easier and faster ways of paying, but a quarter of those we spoke to fear that using their phone means they will spend more overall and make more impulse purchases.
Calling for limits
While the idea of paying with your mobile phone seems to be welcome, those we spoke to were after extra features to help control their spending.
Top of the list was the ability to check balance, which 57% would welcome, and a cap on 'tap and go' payments.
Meanwhile one in ten said they would appreciate a limit on when and where they can use their mobile for payment, with 10% after a restriction based on the time of day and 12% noting a limit on spending in pubs and clubs would be a good idea.
Faith in the brand
A quarter of people surveyed said they'd feel more comfortable using mobile phones for their payments with the Apple behind the technology – hardly surprising considering the size and brand power behind the Californian giant.
But, despite that it's unlikely that Apply Pay will be the final nail in the coffin for cash – 57% aren't comfortable using their mobile phone to pay for goods or services, with fears over security coming top of the list of concerns.
Nicolas Frankcom, money expert at uSwitch, said: "It's great to see people being given more options on how to pay.
"This is a clear case of how technology can make peoples' lives easier. If they can use these tools to help keep track of their money, that's an added bonus.
"However, using your mobile to pay could be a double edged sword. If paying with your phone is so simple that we don't think about whether or not we can afford it, it could lead to debt problems.
"New technology should be welcomed, but it's equally important that consumers use it to help them take control of their finances, not lose it."
Read more…
10 things you need to know about Apple Pay


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This outfit ended up looking like a cowgirl fancy dress. This was not the intention. I'll try and say I was inspired by Jessica Lowndes' shoot in Company's July 2013 issue, which was far more stylish - and whilst I'm on the topic, can I have her hair?!
I picked up this polka dot piece in Primark (alliteration much?) last week. I love shirts and it's a cute twist to the denim shirt. I only went and wore double denim too, which I'm sure some people will be cursing me for, as I know it's a trend that some hate. Again, this wasn't intentional - it was more a case of 'It's cold outside and I rip every pair of tights I wear within three seconds straight.' Who said fashion wasn't practical?!
I don't think I 'rock' these jeans to their full capability here though - they look a little baggy as I was off sick last week and my appetite did vanish for a few days - so my skinny jeans suffered. As for the name of this post, it's not a count(up) to anything spectacular, it's just a reference to a Steps song which references western/cowgirls. And yes, I know the dance...
Hat: New Look, Shirt: Primark, Jeans: New Look


text: Hi, I guess it's time for an introduction now that the Surface Pro 2 is going to be officially announced on the 23rd. I'm into my third year traveling America full-time in a motorhome while working part-time freelance over the internet. Last year at this time all my gadgets were Apple: 2010 13" MBP, 2012 "17" MBP, iPad (1st gen), and iPod Touch (5th gen). My workflow required Windows to run in a Parallels virtual machine for a couple of crucial desktop programs so I naturally gave Windows 8 a try when the Consumer Preview came out. I loved it. It made so much sense to me. With a little work I was able to modify my workflow so that everything was done in Win8, no MacOS necessary. Then I sold all my iStuff. Bought a Lenovo Yoga 13 for MacBook replacement, Nokia 920 for iPod Touch replacement + phone (had a no-contract Go Phone before) and, in due time, a ThinkPad Tablet 2 for an iPad replacement that could do real work in a pinch. Funny thing happened: the Yoga soon went unused and I did everything on the TPT2. It simply fits my way of doing things. I'm far more productive with it, which means more work done in less time, leaving even more free time for hiking, kayaking, and other such important stuff. I do projects nearly twice as fast as when I used a MacBook and it feels easier. It's wonderful. But the TPT2 is frustratingly slow at times (2 GB RAM, Clover Trail Atom CPU). Time for the same form factor, give or take, with more power. Enter the Surface Pro 2... I think. I've been reading about the first gen since it came out, tried it out this morning at Best Buy for an hour, liked it a whole lot, and am now 95% sure it's a go. But there's an outside chance someone else will do the SP2 one better, like the Sony Tap 11 might (I shall study the reviews when they come out), thus the 5% uncertainty. We'll see. I promise not to hang around here badmouthing the Surface if I do decide against it. That would be juvenile and rude and I'll have better things to do with my time. Ted