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How Healthy is Your Team?
Daily Read – How Healthy is Your Team?
Being a great team is a choice. It doesn't just happen naturally when you bring together a group of talented individuals; it takes hard work and a firm commitment that can lead to great payoff. However, some teams don't achieve the best results because they're not operating as productively as they could be. Why? Your team is unhealthy. Here are five quick questions to gauge your team's health (and future prosperity):
1. Are your team meetings a nightmare? Toxic: The leader holds court while everyone around the table nods their heads and takes notes; no discussion; no argument; in fact, hardly any interaction at all. A healthy team: discusses issues relevant to everyone present, people voice their opinions without fear., decisions are made and everyone is clear on the reasoning, benefit, and company-wide message.
2. Do you always get the best ideas on the table? Toxic: People hold back their honest opinions from the group because they fear being ridiculed or, worse, ignored. On healthy teams: opinions, no matter how far into left field, are shared at the meeting, in front of the leader. The common goal is to hear all of the best ideas before making a decision for the organization.
3. Is there backstabbing? Toxic: Team members hold one another accountable and discuss destructive behaviors open; or complain to colleagues but resist telling the person directly. High-performing teams: trust each other and know that whatever feedback they receive, no matter how hard it may be to hear, is aimed at getting the best results for the team. It is not personal. Of course, teammates tell each other the kind truth, the most constructive way of saying something.
4. Do you hold each other to the same standards? Toxic: Do you look the other way when star performers act out, yet hold others accountable for their mistakes? Successful Teams: understand there are different roles on every team, but everyone is held to the same standard. Regardless of whether they're generating revenue, providing support, or leading, each person plays by one universal set of rules.
5. Do team members put the good of the group ahead of their personal goals? Toxic: People forget that the goals of the team supersede their personal or departmental goals. Healthy Teams: automatically put the good of the whole first, realizing if the team is struggling and needs to cut expenses that everyone needs to make sacrifices in their areas for the greater good. People have a sense of shared responsibility, and they trust that they'll be taken care of when it matters most.
How is the health of your team?
Read entire article at: http://goo.gl/gCXGro


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Add-on >> Plug-in - 50x Lightroom Wedding Presets 130456 by pmvchamara @ CreativeMarket
File Size: 67.33 KB; Requirements: Adobe CS4+.
50x Professional Lightroom presets to make your wedding photos alive.
Compatible file types are: RAW, JPG, PNG
tested with lightroom 4 & 5
Keywords: lightroom, presets, pack, bundle, photo, edit, adobe, plugin.

subset: commoncrawl


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Why former Ranger Miguel De Los Santos could be the best dollar the Brewers ever spent
If former Rangers prospect Miguel De Los Santos does anything for Milwaukee, it will be the best dollar the Brewers ever spent.
Milwaukee obtained De Los Santos, a left-hander, from the Rangers on a waiver claim. The Rangers removed De Los Santos from the major league roster on Aug. 31 to clear a spot for Profar.
Ordinarily, the Rangers would have tried to keep De Los Santos in the organization by putting him on outright waivers. A team that claimed De Los Santos would have paid $20,000 to the Rangers. They picked up $60,000 on three previous claims this year.
The Rangers had put De Los Santos on "trade" waivers earlier in the month and pulled him back when an unidentified club made a claim. Because of the earlier move, the Rangers were prohibited by the rules from putting De Los Santos on outright waivers in this period. The only way to remove him from the 40-man roster was by release waivers.
The difference is $19,999.
The payment for adding a player on release waivers is only $1. The Brewers got a bargain.


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Agnes b Le Pain Grille
Shop 1, 111 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
Tel: 2577 2718
Open: Sunday-Thursday noon-11.30pm (last orders at 10.30pm), Friday-Sunday noon-midnight (last orders at 11pm)
(Branches in Causeway Bay, tel: 2577 0370; Festival Walk, tel: 2265 7680)
Signature dishes: Fish soup, mussels with white wine and cream, grilled lamb chops with garlic confit, rosemary sauce and mixed vegetables.
Amigo Mansion, 79A Wong Nai Chung Road, Happy Valley
Tel: 2577 8993
Open: noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight
Signature dishes: Turtle soup with cream and light curry flavour, roasted oyster and grilled fillet steak with shallot red wine sauce, pan-fried sea bass with mushrooms, Grand Marnier souffle.
L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon
Shop 401, 4/F The Landmark, Central
Tel: 2166 9000
Open: Monday-Saturday 7.30am-10am, daily noon-2.30pm, nightly 6.30pm-10.30pm
Signature dishes: Sea urchin with lobster jelly and cauliflower cream, beef burgers with foie gras, spaghetti with black truffle, parmesan and egg, steak tartare.
BB's Bistro
13 Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2316 2212
Open: noon-2am (Friday-Saturday until 3am, Sunday until 1am)
Signature dishes: Wild rabbit stew, seafood crepes with lobster sauce, clams with herb butter.
Bistro Le Fauchon
Shop 2310-2311, 2/F Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2956 3286
Open: 11.30am-11pm
Signature dishes: Goose liver pate, onion soup, grilled quail.
La Brasserie
B/F The Marco Polo Gateway, Harbour City, 13 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2113 7925
Open: noon-3pm (Sunday from 11.30am), 6.30pm-11pm
Signature dishes: Pressed duck (one week advance notice), gratinated burgundy snails, bouillabaisse, daube of beef bordelaise.
Brasserie on the Eighth
8/F Conrad Hotel, Pacific Place, Admiralty
Tel: 2521 3838 ext 8240
Open: noon-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm
Signature dishes: Alaskan crab salad with mango and avocado, bouillabaisse with rouille, veal cheeks braised with aged port wine sauce, Provencale-style rack of lamb with tarragon sauce, chocolate mousse with passion fruit coulis.
Cafe de Paris
23 Elgin Street, SoHo
Tel: 2810 0771
Open: noon-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm (Friday-Saturday until 11pm)
(Branches in Discovery Bay, tel: 2987 8203; Stanley, tel: 2813 4822)
Signature dishes: Pan-fried foie gras with grape-ginger marmalade, mussels in white wine and parsley butter sauce, rib-eye steak with Cafe de Paris butter, chocolate fondue.
6/F Four Seasons, 8 Finance Street, Central
Tel: 3196 8860
Open: noon-2.30pm, 6pm-10.30pm
Signature dishes: Ravioli of langoustine, sweetbread and chanterelle mushrooms with shellfish sauce, smoked scallop skewer with rosemary, truffle capellini and pumpkin emulsion, warm duck foie gras with sweet and sour red berries.
Chez Patrick
26 Peel Street, Central
Tel: 2541 1401
Open: Monday-Saturday noon-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm
(Branch in Wan Chai, tel: 2527 1408)
Signature dishes: Venison, carpaccio, seabass (menu changes weekly).
1/F, 102 Austin Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 3526 1228
Open: noon-3pm, 6pm-11pm
Signature dishes: Angus beef carpaccio with truffle and Parmesan cheese in light anchovy sauce, sauteed foie gras with apple chutney, roasted suckling pig with marinated grapes, roast rack of lamb with port wine sauce.
La Fourchette Bistro Moderne
Shop 007, LG/F Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty
Tel: 2522 8830
Open: 8am-11.30pm
Signature dishes: Vegetable salad with seared tuna and olive oil dressing, crab cakes with crushed avocado on tangy cocktail dressing, grilled rib-eye steak with bearnaise sauce.
The Peninsula, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2315 3171
Open: noon-2.30pm, 7pm-10.30pm
Signature dishes: Scallop carpaccio and black truffle, poached pike souffle with pan-fried crayfish, roasted pigeon with white beans and pan-fried goose liver.
Le Gouter Bernardaud
Shop 2028-2029, Podium Level 2, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central
Tel: 2295 3955
Open: 8am-8pm (Saturday-Sunday and public holidays from 11am)
Signature dishes: Croque monsieur, tartine chevre on Poilane bread, French-cut US pork chop with mashed potatoes, grilled eggplant, onions and tomatoes.
Le Marron
12/F Ying Kong Mansion, 2-6 Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay
Tel: 2881 6662
Open: 6.30pm-midnight
Signature dishes: Pan-fried foie gras, cassoulet with imported confit de canard, tarte Tatin.
La Mer Brasserie
1/F LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central
Tel: 2523 0200
Open: Monday-Saturday noon-3pm, nightly 6pm-midnight (Friday-Saturday until 1am)
Signature dishes: Le Plateau La Mer, Nicoise salad, cod a la Marseillaise.
Shop 2A, 2/F Carfield Commercial Building, 75-77 Wyndham Street, Central
Tel: 3101 2828
Open: Monday-Saturday 7pm-2am
Signature dishes: Pan-fried foie gras, souffles.
Le Petit Paris
Shop 2076, Level 2, ifc Mall, Central
Tel: 2805 5293
Open: 11.30am-10.30pm
Signature dishes: Pork rillettes, pan-fried goat cheese with tomato confit, poached slices of turbot with steamed potatoes and hollandaise sauce, traditional duck confit with a Madeira and foie gras sauce.
56/F Island Shangri-la, Supreme Court Road, Admiralty
Tel: 2820 8590
Open: 7am-10am, noon-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm
Signature dishes: Smoked Scottish salmon fillet with a royal caviar cream, Brittany turbot fillet stuffed with lemon confit, vanilla mille-feuille with jam.
25/F Mandarin Oriental, Central
Tel: 2825 4001
Open: Monday-Friday noon-2.30pm, Monday-Saturday 7pm-10pm (last order at 9pm)
Signature dishes: Degustation menu, 'La Rouge', rack of lamb, 'La Langouste', les desserts de Pierre Gagnaire.
27/F The Park Lane, 310 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
Tel: 2839 3327
Open: Sunday-Friday noon-2.30pm, nightly 6pm-10.30pm
Signature dishes: Light lobster salad, lobster fricassee with creamy Chablis sauce, penne pasta scented with black truffle oil, pan-seared Australian rack of lamb with wild mushroom risotto
Rive Droite Rive Gauche
2/F, 29 Wyndham Street, Onfem Tower, Central
Tel: 2525 1681
Open: Monday-Saturday noon-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm
Signature dishes: Foie gras with compote of pear with preserved ginger, honey sauce and brioche, roasted chicken crepinette with vegetables and mushrooms, confit of duck legs with grandmother's mashed potatoes.
Savoye Bistro
Hon Man Mansion, 9-11 Wing Hing Street, Tin Hau
Tel: 2503 3222
Open: noon-3pm, 6.30pm-midnight
Signature dishes: Grilled beef tenderloin with green peppercorn sauce, Cajun-style roasted garoupa, souffles.
La Terrasse Wine Bar & Restaurant
19 Old Bailey Street, SoHo
Tel: 2147 2225
Open: Monday-Friday noon-2.30pm, Monday-Saturday 7pm-10.30pm
Signature dishes: Vol au vent with escargot in parsley butter, prawn cocktail with avocado mousse, coq au vin, aiguilletes of duck breast with morel mushroom feuillete, chocolate moelleux.
Le Tire Bouchon
45A B/F, Graham Street, Central
Tel: 2523 5459
Open: Monday-Friday 11.30pm-11pm, Saturday 6pm-midnight
Signature dishes: Pan-fried duck liver with fresh raspberry sauce, warm sausage salad with potatoes and mixed green leaves, tournedos Rossini, souffled pancake flavoured with orange and Grand Marnier.
Voyager Bistro
49 Graham Street, Central
Tel: 2525 2624
Open: Saturday-Sunday noon-2.30pm, Tuesday-Saturday 6.30pm-11pm, Sunday until 10pm
Signature dishes: Warm goat cheese salad, mussels, beef fillet.
Chiu Chow
Chao Inn
10/F One Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2369 8819
Open: 9am-midnight
Signature dishes: Chilled red crab, cold soy meats, baby oysters with scrambled eggs, scallop dumplings with broccoli, sliced taro in golden syrup.
Chiuchow Garden
UB2 Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central
Tel: 2525 8246
Open: 11am-4pm, 5.30pm-11.30pm
Signature dishes: Cold soy goose, cold crab.
Shung Hing Chiu Chow Sea Food Restaurant
39 Queen's Road West, Sheung Wan
Tel: 2543 7794
Open: noon-2.30pm, 5.30pm-11pm
Signature dishes: Cold crabs, soy goose, baby oyster congee, mashed taro dessert.
Tak Kee Chiu Chow Restaurant
533-537 Queen's Road West, Sheung Wan
Tel: 2819 5568
Open: Tuesday-Sunday 11.30am-3pm, 6.30pm-11pm
Signature dishes: Soy goose, cuttlefish rolls, oyster congee, oyster omelette.
Most Popular
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A Swedish online retailer has posted the Microsoft Surface and its pricing on their site. Microsoft haven't officially announced the pricing for their new tablet yet, so one wonder's where the Swede's got their price?
The site Webhallen has the Surface priced at around £650/$1000 for the 32GB RT model and rises to a very pricey £1'389/$2'100.
If these prices are correct, then Microsoft will be pretty much pricing themselves out of the market. For a tablet that is designed to pretty much compete with the iPad, Microsoft need to be VERY competitive when it comes to pricing. The iPad being the preferred tablet for the world over, is in no danger of being outed as the most popular tablet, and pricing like this will not help Microsoft shift their new toy.
The site and its prices are still up at time of writing, it will be interesting to see how long, they stay on there, or if Microsoft will give any statements on pricing, now sooner rather than later.
Source: TechRadar


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TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Students at Topeka High School will express togetherness during heightened political tensions.
A unity walk will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday.
During the walk, students will be allowed to leave class and walk from the high school to the statehouse.
USD 501 said the unity walk is a way to bring teens back together as a school community.
Topeka high principal, Rebecca Morrisey said the school has worked with school police to provide safety for students who make the walk.
School administrators and staff will also participate in the event.
A similar event will take place on the K-State campus at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Students will come together for a sit in on the university's Manhattan campus.
Organizers call the event a "response of love to hate filled acts."


text: Would you rather be kicking back on that Belize island above right now? That's Hatchet Caye, one of two stunning places you'll be staying if you enter our Belize vacation giveaway this month. Every once in a while we like to team up with some of our partners to give back to our regular readers [&hellip


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Double Frozen Shoulder
Filed under: Case of the month, Cases, Spinewave Bulletin, Symptoms
Both shoulders 99% repaired – Rex.
Frozen shoulder is common, yet poorly understood. For most people who get frozen shoulder, the onset is idiopathic – meaning of unknown cause.
For any condition where the cause is unknown, or when an individual finds themselves just "waking up one morning" host to a problem, you're thinking chronic condition; you're thinking long term build up; nervous system based issue; inflammatory and or autoimmune condition.
Nothing ever "just happens". The human body walks a fine line of homeostasis (balance) and the things we do, think, eat, drink or say affects that biology over time (whether you believe it or not).
The body always keeps score. Inflammation causes most of the same changes in the brain and body that have been repeatedly observed in animals and humans exposed to stress, especially when the stress is chronic and of a psychosocial nature1. Inflammation can cause any number of problems in the body: where and how is dependent upon your nervous system's particular wiring. Your nervous system is like a glass of water. How much stress and inflammation it can handle is finite. Eventually the glass will overflow.
"Adhesive capsulitis" is the term given to frozen shoulder because the shoulder capsule becomes stuck and inflamed. The capsule is like cling film which vacuum packs the shoulder joint. The shoulder "freezes" and movement becomes limited, difficult and painful. The underlying pathology of frozen shoulder is chronic inflammation of the synovial capsule (the cling film) and reactive capsular fribrosis2 (the formation of adhesions).
Frozen shoulder is a "system" problem, not just a "shoulder" problem. Simply exercising and stretching the shoulder alone will not help without addressing the underlying neuroimmune issues.
Frozen shoulder typically goes through 3 stages: Freezing (painful), frozen (stiff), and thawing (resolving) – click here for more. This journey can potentially last up to 2 years. However, that timeline depends totally on you and the specific kind of treatment received.
"In my opinion the services provided to me during my course of care have been excellent.
I first went to Neil following a fall, resulting in an injured right shoulder. On my first consultation Neil discovered I actually had two frozen shoulders: The left shoulder being from a gym injury that had occurred 6 to 12 months earlier.
Having two frozen shoulders prevented me from enjoying my golf career, boating and fishing. Additionally, I had daily challenges. For example, simple movements that involved reaching for something like parking tickets became too painful and I had to find other ways to complete the task.
So game on! Neil began a 9 month course on me which resulted in both shoulders 99% repaired. I can now enjoy my golf career, plus boating and fishing is not a problem. Thanks Neil!
I continue to attend regularly for treatments to my spine as required. Regular visits to Spinewave for me have become an important part of my lifestyle and for keeping pain free. I have become a life member.
I encourage anyone who has constant pain or other issues to visit the team at Spinewave – you will not be disappointed."
Rex Dagger – Resolution of Double Frozen Shoulder
© Dr Neil Bossenger 2013
- Miller, A. et al. Inflammation and its discontents: the role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of major depression. 2009. Biol Psychiatry 65, 732-741.
- Brue, S. et al. Idiopathic adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder: a review. 2007. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 10.1007/s00167-007-0291-2.


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Almost seven decades after its first heyday, South Korea's Chinatown is expecting a renaissance, not so much as an ethnic enclave, but more as a booster for the local economy.
Like most other Chinatowns around the world, two Chinese-style gates stand at the two entrances to the Chinatown in Incheon, a South Korean port city that faces East China's Shandong Province across the Yellow Sea. The gates at South Korea's largest and only official Chinatown were built in the early 2000s with donation from Weihai, Shandong, where 90 percent of initial overseas Chinese in Korea come from.
And from the early 2000s, the Chinatown began to see some vitality.
One Sunday afternoon in late August, South Korean college student Lee Sun-mi visited the Incheon Chinatown for the third time with three other friends.
"I come here to eat jajangmyeon (black bean sauce noodle) once in a while," Lee told the Global Times.
The noodle dish has Chinese origins, and 7 million bowls are believed to be sold a day across South Korea.
The Chinese restaurants attract tourists like Lee, whose frequent custom has made the town busier than ever before.
Such a buoyant mood on the street, however, is relatively new considering the 130-year-old history of the precinct and the 70 years of its near demise.
The owner of a Chinese restaurant specializing in jajangmyeon and also a granddaughter of the owner of the very first jajangmyeon restaurant Gonghwachun, Wang Ae-joo, saw the changes occur about seven years ago when new Chinese restaurants began opening up.
"In the 80s and 90s, there were only three Chinese restaurants like us, but now there are about 25 restaurants, 15 of which are run by Chinese residents," 42-year old Wang, whose grandparents are also from Shandong, told the Global Times.
The booming business opportunities have brought some Chinese people to the Chinatown, but many of Wang's classmates or erstwhile neighbors have already left in search of better opportunities.
Instead of original residents, more new Chinese immigrants from the Chinese mainland have poured into the Chinatown seeking economic opportunities as investors and restaurant workers.
Rise and Fall
When Chinese first came to the then Chosun Dynasty (1392-1910) through Incheon port in 1882, they lived not only in Incheon but also in Seoul.
Even Seoul, one of the few cities with a population of more than 5 million without a Chinatown, had the potential to prosper when a Chinese man named Tan Jiesheng was the biggest tax contributor in the capital city.
However, it all ended with the establishment of South Korea and the Korean War (1950-53) and the following South Korean governments, which introduced a slew of discriminatory policies against foreigners.
Such policies included banning entrance into the country, restricting foreigners from owning land in 1961, higher taxes and two rounds of currency revaluation in 1962 which had a negative impact on the Chinese population, who preferred holding cash.
Combined with the severing of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China until its normalization in 1992, such policies deprived people of economic opportunities and led to an exodus of overseas Chinese to countries such as the US, Australia and Canada.
The Incheon Chinatown used to be crowded, with its peak population at thousands of people, but the number continually declined to as little as 625 people as of 2010.
Since the early 2000s, the Incheon municipal government has been pushing for a revival of the 114,000-square-meter Chinatown by designating the town as a special district for international tourism and has allocated as much as $17.6 million to the project.
Backed by the government's efforts, the number of tourists visiting the Chinatown has hit at least 2 million a year since 2008, up from 1.3 million in 2006, according to the Incheon government.


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Voluntary conservation of private land plays an important role in shaping the future of the Nisqually Watershed. As development pressures increase – South Sound is projected to be the fastest growing region of Puget Sound over the next 25 years – and as reduced funding forces local, state and federal land agencies to consider reducing public services and divesting or closing publicly-owned properties, private conservation will be essential to the long-term health of the watershed.
Many visionary watershed residents have worked with the Nisqually Land Trust to conserve natural areas and working farms and forests in perpetuity. If you are considering making a similar gift to the future of the Nisqually Watershed, please review the information below and then call us with any questions you may have.
Conserving Your Own Land
For many of us, the ability to own and care for land in the Nisqually Watershed is a special gift. Healthy and undeveloped land has provided us with clean air and water, wildlife habitat, recreation, fresh food and scenic beauty, and it is perhaps the single most important legacy that we can pass on to our children and future generations.
If you're a landowner in the watershed who is considering conserving your own property, learn more below.
Getting Started
As a landowner, you may choose among a number of voluntary conservation options. These range from placing lasting restrictions on the use of your land, to donating your land outright, to selling it to a conservation organization such as the Land Trust. And all of these options have variations.
Conservation gifts may also create tax benefits for the donor. This helpful factsheet, produced by the Land Trust Alliance, describes the types of conservation gifts that may qualify for a tax donation and explains the potential tax benefits. Anyone considering making such a gift should consult his or her attorney, accountant, or tax advisor for more specific information.
There is no single best land conservation method. Your approach will depend on your property's natural attributes, your financial and ownership situation, and the specific vision you have for the long-term future of your land.
Conservation Options
Approach 1: The Nisqually Land Trust owns the land. In this approach, the Land Trust purchases or receives donations of land. Like any other private landowner, we are then responsible for the long-term care of these properties.
Approach 2: The Nisqually Land Trust holds a conservation easements on the land. In this approach, the Land Trust purchase or receives donation of a conservation easement, a voluntary, legally-binding and perpetual agreement that is made with a private landowner that identifies and protects specific conservation values on their property. The landowner may continue to own, enjoy, sell or bequeath the land, but its use is forever subject to the terms of the conservation easement.
Other Options for Land Conservation: There are a number of variations on the above approaches that may be considered, including a bequest of land or a conservation easement in a will and donations of land with reserved life estates, which allow a landowner to continue to live on the property.


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Navy Strike Game Cheats
Hints: ------ 1) When there are lots of simultaneous engagements, stay in the command position. If you're out gallivanting with your pilots, you may return to some nasty bleeps on the radar screen or, even worse, a message telling you why you have been fired. 2) Don't send missions over well-protected enemy positions. Instead, set the mission waypoints to skirt around them. l Ground vehicles can be used as mission waypoints so your planes can home straight in on them as they attempt to scurry away. 3) Keep your planes at as high an altitude as possible to avoid anti-aircraft fire. 4) If you want to bomb a ground target yourself, send a reconnaissance aircraft to film it first and then view the target using the camera icon on the command screen. You don't want to accidentally blow up innocent civilian buildings, do you? 5) Even though your task force can defend itself against air attack, your job is to keep the enemy away at all times. If you can't, you won't last long as a commander. 6) Prepare your mission flight paths and gather all your information and reconnaissance as soon as possible, because when things get going you'll need your attention on the enemies' units and not on your own. 7) Keep one eye on your combat air patrol planes, because if they're chasing enemy aircraft, they can fly off over enemy territory and be shot down by SAMs.


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How To Increase Sales
Now that they're in the door… what do you do with them?
Increasing sales is one of the hardest challenges businesses in Florida face – the myth of the "slick talking" salesmen scares the pants off everyone. You have that picture in your mind already, don't you?
Sadly, that's what all too many of us think when it comes to the job of selling. Which is just flat-out wrong. Instead, you need to recognize sales as the critical partner to business marketing. They work in tandem, hand-in-hand. Marketing sets up the sales; sales closes the deal. And when done properly (again using proven GKIC-style marketing) getting to signing the check should be a much easier and pleasant journey.
Here are some of Dan Kennedy's Secrets of Exceptional Selling:
- You're only there by invitation, as a Welcome Guest, respected expert and trusted advisor… not as an unwelcome, hard-driving pitchman.
- Use TONS of PROOF — the mightiest weapon a sales professional can wield.
- Discipline yourself to talk constantly and only in BENEFIT LANGUAGE — every element of your presentation has gone through the filter of "what does this mean to my customer?"
- Have a carefully prepared and practiced MILLION DOLLAR SALES PRESENTATION that you have confidence in and rely on.
- Pay as much attention to the customer AFTER the sale as you do in making the sale.
- Do EVERYTHING with SINCERE ENTHUSIASM!
Finally consider this: if you increase your closing percentage by 10% — say from closing 1 of 10 to 2 of 10 — that means a direct 10% increase in revenues at zero cost. There's no way to accomplish a similar increase in revenues through marketing without a huge increase in costs.
No other skill set will as directly affect your revenues and success as mastering the art of sales!
Would you like generate more leads faster than you ever imagined possible? FREE Report reveals:
"How to Attract a Flood of Your Ideal Clients in 60 Days or Less… Guaranteed!"
In this report, you'll discover:
- The "Unwelcome Truth" about how prospective clients see you and the steps you must take to overcome that perception.
- Three simple keys to successfully attracting clients on a repeatable, predictable basis using the principles of Magnetic Marketing.
- How to capture your prospect's attention with a single phrase so dynamically compelling they can't stop themselves from dropping everything and call you NOW!
- And much, much, much, more!
It's simple. Just enter your email address and click the "Get Instant Access" button. There's no obligation and you'll get instant access to the report now.
GKIC Palm Beach serves small business owners in and around Palm Beach, FL, Boca Raton, FL and Fort Lauderdale, FL


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Is This The Best Entry Level Smartphone Ever?
All right, we will jump straight in. At the time of writing, the Motorola Moto G is a $179 Android smartphone, unlocked, without contract. You might think that a phone at this price point might not have much to offer but Motorola all out to prove you wrong with the Moto G. It might not be the most powerful or the most feature-packed phone in the market but at $179, let us just lay it out straight that the Moto G is the best sub $200, off contract smartphone that you can buy today.
The natural question to ask is what did Motorola leave out on this phone to make it so cheap? While there are some obvious compromises made to achieve this price point, we are proud to report that none of them significantly affects the user experience. For instance, the packaging of the Moto G is very minimalist. All you get is a thin cardboard box, a USB charging cable and the manual. That's it. Who needs fancy packaging anyway?
In terms of aesthetics, the Moto G is very similar to the Moto X. The just is just a little thicker and heavier, measuring 5.11 x 2.59 x 0.46 inches and weighing 5.04 ounces. Other than that, it sports most of the design features on the Moto G right down to the logo dimple found on the back casing. Motorola have also understandably excluded the Moto Maker color customization feature with the Moto G. You can however change the back cover with 6 colors to choose from. These extra back covers are of course, sold separately.
Specs and Features
The Moto G comes with a 4.5-inc 720p HD LCD (instead of AMOLED) screen with a 720 x 1280 resolution. You might think that Motorola would have thrown in an old-generation dual core processor to achieve this price but this phone actually comes with a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor. Quad core processors in entry-level phones are virtually unheard of today. The smooth and near flawless performance of the phone due to this processor will help you quickly forget that you are using a $179 phone. Other specs include 1GB of RAM and 8-16GB for storage.
Some of the most exciting new features on the Moto X include the 'Ok Google Now' voice activation feature and the camera that can be activated by a twist motion. Just so you know, both these cool features are not incorporated on the Moto G. Then again, some may consider these two features are 'frills' and not essential to the smartphone's fundamental features. Some of the other compromises made to achieve this price point would be the lack of NFC and LTE connectivity. Once again, many would consider these two connectivity options to be non-essentials.
The 5MP camera on the Moto G might not be something to shout about but it does come with several features such as recording slow motion videos that makes it fun enough to use.
So is the Moto G the best entry-level smartphone ever? Yes, yes and yes. The biggest feature on this phone is its magical $179 price tag. Thanks to its decent set of specs, there is very little on this phone that gives away the fact that it is a sub $200 phone. This device currently runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The phone also comes with a guaranteed Android 4.4 Kit Kat (which is more resource efficient) update and this will further improve the already impressive performance of the phone. So here is the verdict: If you have just $200 to spare for a new smartphone, the Moto G is the best choice by far!
Check out the review for the Motorola Moto X here >>
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Stillen supercharger month continues at Z Car Garage! Our last reports included Daly's G37 sedan,
David G's G37 S coupe and today we bring you 2009 David S' G37 Convertible. The trifecta of supercharged Infiniti G-cars is complete!
As with previous builds, the Stillen supercharger kit installation is straightforward. A Stillen oil cooler and colder plugs were added:
From NA to boost!
Out of the box with the Stillen-supplied CAN tune the 'vert made 408hp/325tq to the wheels. This is a great improvement of 122hp/75tq over stock but at Z Car Garage we can do better!
Rob's tuning yielded +12hp peak with smoother delivery all the way to 7500rpm:
With 420whp we also thought it would be prudent to start David off with some fresh tires 🙂
This concludes our Stillen supercharger month at the shop…can we help you boost your Nissan/Infiniti?


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this might be taking things a little far, hmmmmm?
LOL! Is this a new bag, or vintage? Or custom?
OOH! that is too cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lmao
oh my call me crazy but i find it good in a weird way sort of well ahem it has that himalaya appeal :shame:
I like it, hehehe.
Thanks for sharing it.
Way too Cute!!!! Actually, it's very appealing...
i should clarify, i don't find it hideous -- i think it's hilarious -- as lilach says, with that himalaya appeal.
BUT, i can't say i see myself plunking down a few grand for one . . . .
"Hmm - if I could find a hat to go with it, I would be set to go out for a plate of escargot." she silently muses.
That is SO cute! I would wear it if it was a messenger.
I think it's quite clever! I personally wouldn't wear it, but I could see it on certain people. People with far more panache than I, that is.
what IS that?
dq, I actually like it!! It might be more universally appealing if it didn't have the snail swirl design. I think it's cute.
Well its certainly cute DQ. I dont think I would wear it though. Maybe if I was seriously loaded, I would have to have one in my collection. But Im not .
Love it!!! Not sure I would wear it, but still love the design and especially the color. Great find.
it is cute!


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Buying property is a rather big deal, and for most of us it's an incredibly scary process that involves spending a lot more money than we are normally used to parting with in one go. For this reason then, we will usually try to collect as much information as we possibly can prior to going ahead. Knowledge is power, and the more we know about how to deal with mortgages and choose the right properties, the better chance we'll have of making the best decision, getting a good investment and being happy in our new home.
Only some of the information out there is wrong, and there are many commonly held misconceptions when it comes to buying property. Read on to discover some of the common real estate myths so that you can avoid letting them influence you in the wrong way.
You Need at Least 20%
There's a lot of doom and gloom being spread when it comes to the property market. Generally the economic troubles we've seen in the last few years have made it more difficult for many of us to get the properties we want, and some young people have pretty much written off any chance of ever getting on the property ladder as a result.
Actually though things aren't all that bad. Governments and banks around the world recognise this difficulty and they want to do what they can to help you buy property despite the obstacles. That's why there are so many different 'schemes' available to help first time buyers such as 'rent to buy' and '1% mortgages'. Don't assume you can't afford a property – because you probably can.
Paying Off Your Mortgage is Much Cheaper Than Renting
On the other hand though, don't get too carried away. Many people will tell you that everyone should buy as it's so much 'cheaper' than renting. In some ways that's true, but what you have to remember is that there are many hidden costs when you buy real estate. For instance you'll need to pay for any repairs to your home yourself, and you'll also be shelling out for interest and for stamp duty etc on top of the mortgage repayments themselves.
It's Best to Put Down a Massive Deposit
If you have lots of cash, then it makes sense to put down a huge deposit right? That way you can ask for a smaller loan, pay it off more quickly, and pay less interest over the years.
It sounds logical, but in fact it doesn't always work out that way. The problem you see, is that when you put down a lot of money on your real estate, you actually cost the banks because they won't be making as much money off of you. As a result they can end up charging you greater interest on your smaller loan in order to ensure they're still making as much money as possible and that means the difference ends up being quite negligible. You may have been better off just keeping the money in your account to help with future cash flow!
Featured images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
Today's feature writer, Jim Carter, is a part of the team at Mark Richards Real Estate, a team of property consultants based in Toronto. He is an earnest employee and he enjoys swimming and surfing when he is not busy with work.


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Measurably Better Respiratory Health
Propeller Health is a new kind of disease tracking service that uses a device to monitor the time and location where someone uses his or her asthma inhaler. The goal is to capture data about asthma from daily life to help people better manage the disease, while aggregating data from everyone to improve public health. I think of it as participatory public health.
How often someone uses their inhaler is actually an important sign of how well their disease is managed. Unfortunately, only a minority people with asthma has the disease under control. Experts recommend that patients record their use of inhalers, but pen and paper logs have many limitations. Asthmapolis tools simplify and streamline the process.
Asthma is unique in that everyone carries around the same important medication and uses it at the time and place where they havesymptoms. Knowing when and where these inhalers are used could help scientists identify exposures that cause symptoms. Until now identifying locations or exposures that pose a particular threat – whether they are at home, work, school or in the community – has been a struggle for public health experts.
Our objective is to help patients and their doctors better understand what is happening with their asthma in real-time. And we put anonymous data about when and where inhalers are used to work in public health surveillance, helping scientists sharpen their search for the causes of attacks and the development of asthma.
Visit Propeller Health to learn more. Or follow the company on Twitter – @propellerhealth.


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Are you mother nature's number one fan? Browse through these nature wallpaper images custom sized to fit your Barnes & Noble Nook Color. Nookcolorwallpapers.com has everything from jaw dropping beach paradises to crystal clear mountain backgrounds.
Advertising | Instruction | Contacts | PAQ | Support Us | Skynet | Administration


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Posts in category "Windy City Dating"
Couponing On A First Date? Attractive Or Not?
Vote for The RD as Chicago's Most Valuable Blogger
Show some RD love in this year's Chicago's Most Valuable Blogger Awards hosted by CBS Chicago! It's under "Everything Else"…
Breaking Up The Right Way, You Say?
Break ups are a total downside to relationships, obviously. So, how would end it with someone you're not romantically linked to but has a role in your life? This may be where you have to consider a little etiquette, which is exactly what The RD chatted about on ABC Chicago'sWindy City Live recently! Check it out!... Read more »
Sexy Spring Fling Time, New Crush Time!
So spring is here (Well according to the calendar)…And while it may be taking its time to make itself known, it's pretty much coming at us, and we start to think of all that heat that will soon be coming our way with summer… Admittedly, I'm convinced that the change in season means great things... Read more »
Mind-blowing Bedroom Fun... Or Super Bowl? (Random Stats)
Photo Credit: ChicagoBears.com Last night's playoffs were a disappointment, especially to the tons of loyal Chicago Bears fans out there… However, I'm sure that many non-football loving girlfriends are happy that they may at least get their guys back with the season being over. Sunday night's loss may have hurt.But it seems that some random... Read more »
Flirting Lessons & Fun at the One Night Only Concert Series
Alright, I'll admit it: while I'm totally open to dating all types of guys and attending all sorts of bars and social scenes in Chicago, I, like many people just like what I like. For example, as an original New York native, I love watching baseball at a NY-friendly bar, so Gaslight in Lincoln Park... Read more »
Dear Chicago: You're a Special Kind of Sexy (An Open Letter)
NOTE: After a trip to Miami, I decided to write a letter to let this city know that despite it all, I appreciate it — including its roller coaster dating scene. Dear Chicago, I've been away from you for a while, having a secret affair — with the ever popular city of Miami. Sure, it... Read more »
Notes from the single scene: Stay focused to land the digits!
Even though dating has its tricky points, being single and available for mingling can be a ton of fun. Especially when you're talking about hitting up bars full of fresh, like-minded people, holding the beer on special (which I find in Chicago, tends to be tons of Miller Lite), and really just enjoying the flirtation... Read more »
Sexy Weekend Giveaway: Table at the Back on the Market Party
Unless you've been living under a rock (well, not really but whatever), you're probably in the know that my pal Ana has been weathering a difficult break-up. And, after going through as much of the pain as she possibly could, she's decided to celebrate her return to the dating scene in style THIS FRIDAY, September... Read more »
Chicago's a top five city for online dating? Go figure!
Newsflash to all you Chicago daters: You're in luck! This is actually a pretty good place to be for online dating, according to some news. Apparently, the Windy City is ranked fourth in using online dating at Match.com, preceded by Miami, New York and Los Angeles. The press release, which hit just a few days... Read more »


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Cardiovascular Clearance Exams
Please NOTE: You must complete an application and an Examination Result form (e.g. an OFA form) to Schedule a Cardiovascular Clearance Exam. Please follow the preceding link to obtain forms and instructions.
While the terminology isn't universal, VVCS makes a clear distinction between a Cardiovascular Screening Examination (CSE) and a (Cardiovascular) Breeding Clearance Examination (BCE). Both examinations are conducted by a board certified cardiovascular specialist, but there are significant differences in sensitivity, for detecting cardiac abnormalities, and cost. Recently, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Cardiology subspecialty has clarified the nature and goals of these examinations, describing different tiers of examination or clearance. Please see the ACVIM Website for official information. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you become familiar with that information before investing in clearance examinations for your breeding stock. Examination for specific cardiovascular abnormalities qualifies dogs and cats to participate in a registry, a database that indicates the health status of individuals. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the ACVIM Registry of Cardiac Health (ARCH) are registry examples and most breeders are familiar with the former.
By our definition, a Cardiovascular Screening Examination is nothing more than a careful cardiovascular physical examination. The most important part of the examination consists of auscultation, listening with a stethoscope for the detection of abnormal heart sounds such as murmurs. This examination is appropriate at any age and is suitable for determining an individual's cardiovascular health at the time. It cannot rule out minor cardiac abnormalities, heart diseases that only manifest physical abnormalities after a year of age, or congenital defects that notoriously do not manifest physical abnormalities at all until/unless they are severe. Examples of the latter include tricuspid dysplasia, mitral or tricuspid valve stenosis, and atrial septal defect. Young animals can be screened using this examination to determine whether they are suitable for sale with reasonable assurance of cardiovascular health. VVCS issues a report with this examination that can be presented to a prospective pet owner, indicating the outcome of the exam and the suitability of the pet for sale. The report stipulates that mild abnormalities may not be detected and that perinatal disease may still develop after the examination. (Subaortic stenosis, for example, is a condition that may not be detectable at birth but increases in severity over the first 6-12 months of age.) A CSE is relatively inexpensive, can be performed quickly, and can be used to screen litters of animals. However the exam must be performed in a quiet, secluded environment and it may be necessary to sedate an individual if required by the cardiologist. A panting, squirming puppy can sound like it has a murmur, when it doesn't. Alternatively a significant cardiac abnormality can be missed due to the additional background noise caused by an uncooperative patient.
A cardiovascular Breeding Clearance Examination at VVCS includes the same physical examination as a CSE and also includes an echocardiogram with Doppler echocardiography. Additional tests may also be necessary depending on the circumstances. A BCE is suitable for animals intended for use as breeding stock and may take an hour or more because of the Echo/Doppler study involved. Obviously this is more extensive and expensive and a BCE is more sensitive to detect diseases that do not manifest abnormalities on physical examination. Dogs must be greater than one year of age to obtain an OFA certification document because of diseases that are not necessarily apparent at birth. A BCE rules out congenital heart disease to the best ability of the cardiologist. This can't be done without an echo/Doppler.
Some tips for breeders:
- Do not consider an animal for a breeding program that has not had a breeding clearance examination. Time and again we've found serious congenital heart disease in grand champions! After such a serious investment in time, energy, and money, this is a heartbreaking experience for everyone.
- Results of tests vary with circumstances. Don't bring an animal for either a CSE or BCE that isn't healthy in other regards. A fever, anemia, or pregnancy can result in a substantial heart murmur in an animal with an otherwise normal cardiovascular system.
- If an animal is found to have congenital heart disease, then related animals are suspect genetic carriers! This includes progenitors, siblings, offspring, and other related individuals. Optimally you need to find the source of the abnormality, i.e. the individual(s) originating the defect, and discontinue related individuals from the breeding program.


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I turned 37! Jason got me this owl chair for my birthday:
Angela brought me a delicious breakfast of my favorite bagel. I had lunch with Mary, Jen, Steph, Jessica at GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT which included my favorite bacon waffle with strawberry butter. After an afternoon of flute shopping with Olive, I finished the night with some Bella Via delivered in and karaoke! I love singing my heart out--it's great for the soul.
I did not purchase this t-shirt, but it is sort of perfect for my birthday. I have learned a lot and grown a lot and 37 is not so bad.


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Cliff notes:
Met a girl online
She DOES like me a lot and i like her
Long story short but I found out through creepin that she likes another dude
I called her out on it and she said "Well I technically am single, and so are you"
She said "if you really liked me you wouldn't care about another guy in the picture"
am i just being beta and worrying about this other dude she lieks more, or is she right and i should ignore him?
- go for it, she's rightVote A
- don't go for it, get outa thereVote B
Most Helpful Girl
First of all creeping can break all forms of trust for any future. I know it can be hard to trust another being but nothing good can come from creeping. You either find out something that will upset you and mess with your emotions or you find nothing and keep digging until you do which usually makes the other person back away from you even further. If you are not happy about a situation than change it. If you want to be exclusive with someone don't creep around to find out your odds and where you stand. Communicate with her in a positive way. Tell her how you feel and that you want to be exclusive. That you don't intend to see other girls and you want the same in return. She will either take the step to move forward with you or she might need time. Its up to you to play it cool if she needs more time. You don't want to push a relationship on someone that isn't at that point yet. Everyone deserves to be with someone that wants them 110% If she is not feeling that with you there are plenty other fish out there. Its hard finding chemistry but not impossible.10|10|0
I halfway agree with her. Most people nowadays do their research on people they are interested in, however, you were beta both in a) looking for something specifically negative and b) calling her out on it when you knew it was rather invasive thing to do in the first place. Give her a chance who cares if she turns out to be a bitch, you learn.


text: Romp's Water Port, Inc. Marina – Dairy Dock – Putter Port 5055 Liberty Ave Vermilion, Oh 44089 440-967-4342 "R" News Have the official newsletter of Romp's delivered right to your inbox! Your email address will be used by Romp's only, no 3rd party or other soliciting. You can unsubscribe at anytime. Subscribe to "R" News, the official newsletter for Romp's Dockers and Customers


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Check out this 3D imagery. Pretty well done.
My image below isn't animated because my water marker munched the image. But click through and you'll see some nice stuff.
Check out this 3D imagery. Pretty well done.
My image below isn't animated because my water marker munched the image. But click through and you'll see some nice stuff.
Jim and I didn't get out to film a Squirrel from his RC plane yesterday (due to my schedule). We're going to try it this week or next weekend.
Anyways, one thing I'd like to do is make a quadcopter that is programmed to follow a Squirrel and return to home base.
Jim gave me these links to an affordable project that may be a good starting point (link1, link2, link3).
I'm looking at getting some aerial video and pictures for the Squirrel model airplane project.
I already have a small camera I can mount on a Squirrel. That's a start. It's a little heavy so I am using an 18″ Squirrel rather than the stock 12″.
I think it would be interesting to have a quadracopter platform to carry some camera equipment. Perhaps it could follow the Squirrel using a beacon mounted on the Squirrel or some other technique.
ARDrone is about 300 bucks.
Seems to have lots of accessories and parts available.
This might not be as open as needed for modification and it might not have the load carrying capacity. But the price tag is pretty good.
Perhaps it could be coupled with a light weight closed circuit camera such as the one at robotshop.ca.
That's rather expensive at 250 but I'm not convinced I can't get a similar one for cheaper.
I'v seen this sort of camera around on other Web sites and 150 seems to ring a bell.
If I'm understanding the literature this is iPhone controlled. Hmmm, there's another bill to pay. But I so happen to want an iPhone someday.
Then theres quadracopter.us.
They have a lot of models.
A whole load of other features.
But they are all about 10,000.00.
Um, that's sort of out of budget.
I posted a this issue into Ottawa Robotics Enthusiasts and ArtEngine online communities. I'm starting to get lots of ideas.
The most affordable is a blimp. That could very well work. So I'll keep my eyes peeled for blimpy stuff.
This could be a really fun DIY project. It might get me more into robotics too. Andrew Plumb mentioned the BlinkRC. This is a way of controlling things from Wifi. I might order that for this project (and I have a couple other uses for it in mind).
Arducopter seems the most promising so far (Mike from ORE).
It's a few hundred bucks but it looks pretty nice. I think it's open source so I should look that over.
I'd have to save my pennies.
Other stuff in my queue to research are:
I made another attempt at getting lightning on my Nikon P7000. I noticed that if I went to a manual configuration, the aperture smallest is 2.8. Seems I can't get a very long shutter at that rate unless it's very dark. Boo hoo.
I put it on video setting and managed to grab this but it's pretty lame.
With the shutter I was only able to grab some lousy sheet lightning.
Paul Nicklen tells a couple funny stories about his pictures under and around Antarctic ice.
I made an attempt to take a picture of the lightning.
This was the closed I got. It's not lightning but it's a long exposure with me moving around like a goof.
I'll try again next storm but I think I need to use the remote shutter release with a tripod. Well that's one technique.
I got one of these for taking pictures and stop motion video and stuff.
I also got a remote control so I can control the camera once it's mounted.
I'm a little up to my eyeballs but I will make some stop motion sooner or later.
Got the camera problem solved. It works really well. So I expect to get a lot more good pictures since it works very well without the flash. Also seems to do great closeup shots and video.
I've been wanting to try this and I happen to need another digital camera. I figure this is a great chance to try out CHKD which is an open source project that gives ordinary Canon Powershot cameras the ability to do things such as motion detection, time lapse and many other advanced features.
There is a list of the cameras that support CHDK. There are a lot of cameras available from Canon. What I've been doing is when I see a model then I go to the list to see if it's supported. If it's supported then I will look further at the model of camera. But most of the time the camera isn't supported so I'd like to work backwards. I'd like to know which of the cameras work really well with CHKD. Then I can go looking for that camera. This one seems okay at first glance: "Canon PowerShot SD780 IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera". Is there anybody out there who knows their line of cameras?
Okay, I got my hands on this camera a couple of days ago (Jan 2, 2011). I've got CHDK running. Seems pretty cool. Now I guess I need to learn how to use scripting and all the advanced stuff. Looks like the features they talk about are not in the camera. You have to write and load scripts into the camera using your computer. I will try CHDK for a while and see how well things work out.
Here's an example. Apparently the code is here. I'm supposing the manual for CHDK is here. More movies!
Apparently you can use ffmpeg to convert a bunch of pictures into a video:
I just learned that Majic Lantern will work on the Cannon dLSR cameras. I will look into this since a digital SLR is on my todo list. More info. The Cannon 5D Mk III looks a little pricey but I'll look into it anyway.
I've got a lot of video that was taken with my small digital camera. It takes great HD video but because it is small and it's shape most of the video has quite a bit of shake. I'm want to try and smooth things out when I'm filming but I'd also like to fix a lot of the video that I have.
I made this camera stabilization system out of aluminum angle. It needs a ballast so I used a small container with batteries in it. That way, it's free to carry the batteries. This is all fine and dandy but it will make the camera even harder to carry, harder to recruit people to take video and it wont fix my existing video.
I've been working on a model airplane project and I want to make nice videos of the planes flying. The challenge is that I can't seem to fly it and take video at the same time easily. The obvious is to get your friends to take the shots right?
In this video I'm explaining "Press the button… Now we're filming…. Now press it again… now we're not filming…". I think I went over it about 10 times.
It's really hard to get people to take video. In the video above, the first guy I tried could not understand how to operate the video camera despite explaining it over and over to him. Mind you were each had a plastic cup full of rum.
So anyways, now I'm wondering what sort of video quality I'd get in terms of shakiness and staying on subject.
I've also looked at making a camera stabilizer but that seems to need a camera operator so I'm still left with the guerrilla recruitment of people to take video.
Here's another fine example. In this example, I asked the lady to try and get the whole bike and myself into the picture. Not only did she fail to do that, she managed to give me mouse ears.
Here's a cool video with one idea. It's interesting to see if a head mounted camera is steady enough.


text: We bundled up Ella and all of Jenny's Christmas gifts and headed off to La Casa. Jenny was very happy to see us, and enjoyed visiting with us, opening her gifts, and playing a few card games. Ella learned that straws are fun to play with. She also helped her daddy with his card game.


text: HAIRPORT (YORKSHIRE) LTD has been working since 6/15/2015. The current status of the business is Active HAIRPORT (YORKSHIRE) LTD located on MOLLAN & CO ACCOUNTANTS, HOLTBY MANOR STAMFORD BRIDGE ROAD, DUNNINGTON, YORK, NORTH YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, YO19 5LLHairdresser Curry Fiona is known as a Director of the company. "Hairdressing and other beauty treatment" is a known activity of the company.


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Cecilia LevineManaging Editor, New Jersey firstname.lastname@example.com
Cecilia Levine's career in journalism began her junior year at Pace University. While writing for the university's paper, she helped shed light on campus problems and couldn't see herself doing anything but reporting. The West Hartford, CT native graduated in 2014 and began working for NorthJersey.com weeklies in Essex County. It was there that she launched a health column profiling locals battling serious illnesses, helped impact change to the local animal shelter and earned an NJPA award for health writing. Cecilia started off as a reporter for Daily Voice when the company launched its New Jersey pod in Summer 2015, and has since worked her way up to become the managing editor. She is proud to now call Bergen County "home."
Cecilia Levine's Contributions
Hero Landscaper, Pregnant Wife Nearly Killed Helping In GSP Crash
World Leader In Car Care Service AAMCO Expanding To Hackensack
Single Clifton Mom From Poland Shares Inspiring Story Of Power, Immigration
Northern Highlands HS Graduate Carolyn Edwards Dies In Florida, 41
Hackensack Native Brett Verdicchio Dies, 39
Paterson's Michael Wolff To Stephen Colbert: Believe All Of 'Fire And Fury'
Edgewater Man Picks Up Uber Riders In Lamborghini
Bergenfield Hit-Run: Stop Sign Sent Flying, Crossing Guard Nearly Struck
Wedding Show Surprises Garfield Police Officers With Dream Photo Shoot
Lodi Party Store Featured On 'The Sopranos' Prepares To Close


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VideoHive Spring 13 8755769
Stock Footage \ Nature
Forest \ Spring \ Summer \ Titled \ Created \ Lyrical \ Included \ Preview
Stock Footage - Spring 13 8755769 by mormecs @ VideoHive
Stock Footage \ Nature
Spring no. 13
- 29,97 fps
- Audio track (not included) used in this preview is titled Lyrical Forest created by talented AudioJungle author "OceanicPiano" .
Spring, Forest packs
Spring, Forest shots
Windmill shots
Chimney shots
Alpha Channel: No; Looped Video: No; Frame Rate: 29.97; Resolution: 1920x1080; Video Encoding: H.264; File Size: 22mb; Total Clip(s) Length: 0:17; Number of Clips: 1.
Keywords: forest, forest environment, marsh, mormecs, moss, nature, spring, stream, summer, summer forest, sun, swamp, tree, water, wildlife.


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From the Classroom to the Boardroom
Our Executive Assistant Program is designed for particularly ambitious candidates. As an executive assistant, you'll have a unique chance to be intimately involved in the management of the company at the highest level.
You'll work closely with the six members of our management board, supporting them in their activities while taking on important responsibilities. Specifically, you will assist the executive team in their day-to-day work, drafting memos, conducting research when information is missing, and providing recommendations. In addition, you will collaborate with employees who report to the management board, serving as their point of contact and helping to coordinate decision-making processes. Over the course of the training program you will become increasingly involved in special strategic projects, and will even have the chance to assume full responsibility for projects at the global level. Such projects will provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your abilities, and may even lead to internal promotion within the company – for example, to the head of a department with group-wide responsibilities, or to an upper management position at a foreign subsidiary.
Sound appealing? We'd be happy to assist with any questions you may have. Have a look at our current job openings.
You should have:
- A university degree with excellent marks in business administration, economics, engineering, or a hard science
- Excellent English skills
- Strong familiarity with MS Office
- A drive to succeed
- Discretion and sensitivity in managing assigned responsibilities
- Excellent analytical abilities
- A results-oriented and hands-on approach to completing assigned tasks
Three-year assignment (approximately)
Special features:
- Personal mentoring from a member of the executive team
- Numerous opportunities for further education
- Regular engagement with other executives


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Last week: February is recognized as Black History Month or National African American History Month, and is one of the nation's oldest organized history celebrations. Many of our cities commemorate the achievements of local black Americans and recognize the central role of African Americans with community, cultural and celebratory events honoring community members for their significant contributions to Black American history. These events allow all of us great opportunities to learn and stay engaged and connected with the rich contributions that Black History Month celebrates. Check out your city's website to see how and where you can learn about and be part of these important celebrations. Read
President Greg Ross in Sun Sentinel 100
February 19, 2017
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text: Monday, August 25th is our final Cruise Night and will be held on Olde Western Avenue between 135th & Broadway (instead of York and Western). We will have picnic tables available, music and Island Bar & Grill will have a waitress taking orders for their delicious food and will serve it outside. They have a great menu and the food is not expensive . Cruise Night hours are from 5pm-8:30pm.


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"You sure do look funny!"
Rarity glowered sleepily up at Applejack. "What did you say?"
"Nuthin'. Jes admirin' your mane."
This produced an even worse scowl. Rarity could feel the state of her grooming without even looking, and the state was dire. Her mane felt wrong—normally, Rarity liked to stay within a few minutes' trot of a mirror so she could check if her coiffure looked wrong, but this was so dreadful she dared not even look.
Applejack's amusement served as a mirror of sorts, but a most unwelcome one.
"Stop it," said Rarity.
"Aw! All right. Sure do sleep late, don'tcha?" said Applejack. She began to nuzzle at Rarity's saddlebags with her trail-dusty muzzle. "Ya got any breakfast in there?"
"Don't touch!" shrieked Rarity.
Applejack jumped back. "Yiii! Well all right then, consarn it! You din't have to yell!"
"Not until you've washed up!" demanded Rarity. "In fact, I have packed so carefully and thoroughly, that perhaps we had better leave the revealing of the contents of my bags to me, hmmm? Oh, don't sulk, Applejack, you'll understand later. We were all too tired to retire in a decent civilized manner last night. It shall not recur!"
Applejack stared at her lover, in disbelief. Rarity's mane didn't seem funny anymore—it twisted in ragged curls off her head, but the formerly elegant unicorn stared fiercely, smudges of dirt on her face heightening the peculiar drama. Applejack met the stare.
"Ya brought a four-poster bed or somethin'? It's too early in the mornin' for unicorn crazy…"
That tore it. Rarity bared her teeth. "Some ponies have the foresight and ingenuity to maintain standards, even in the wilderness!"
"Is that so? Is that so? Missy, th' wilderness got its own standards, and it don't need no help maintainin', either!"
"Immaterial! It is my pleasure and my duty to bring suitable, nay, necessary luxury to the wilderness, and no matter how heavy the burden, I will not fail…"
From under a nearby tree, a miserable voice was raised: Rainbow Dash.
"Will you quit FIGHTING?"
Both Applejack and Rarity glanced that direction, then looked at each other, abashed.
"Sorry, sugarcube…"
"No, no… I fear I have been simply veHEment…"
Applejack blinked. "Still look like a mare ta me. Ain't nothin' wrong with that! Everythin' in its place, huh?"
Rarity smirked at the adorable yet maddening fumbling with vocabulary. 'He-ment'. So typical. In fairness, she'd emphasized it oddly, which was doubtless Applejack's bad influence. She looked up at the wide-eyed earth pony, who shifted her back hooves awkwardly as she tried to find her gentleness and be less argumentative—'ornery', surely, would be the word she'd favor.
"Rarity, hon? Ya laughin' at me?" Applejack bit her lip, glancing nervously over to where Rainbow Dash and Twilight lay. They weren't watching, apparently—it was hard to tell, for the tree was some distance away.
Rarity studied her marefriend further, not speaking. The touch of disapproval and dominance pushed Applejack, second by second, farther into an entrancing bashfulness that was most feminine. Or, perhaps, thought Rarity, it was she who felt masculine—travelling with her bit in her own saddlebag all day long, and then sleeping by it—my, yes, the proximity effect was not to be denied. Rarity felt outrageously he-mare. Her eyes narrowed in a predatory way, and her lip curled into a dangerous smile as she looked up at Applejack.
"Ya mad? I'm sorry. You're smilin'… sorta…"
"Ssh," said Rarity, and beckoned with a wave of her horn.
Applejack gulped, and fell silent, her eyes a question. She lowered herself, to listen more closely to what Rarity told her.
"Lie with me," whispered Rarity. "I know what I want for breakfast."
Her horn glowed. The saddlebag opened. The bit lifted furtively out of it, glinting softly in the dawn light.
Applejack's eyes went very wide. "Aw, hell naw!" she hissed. "You crazy?"
"Lie with me right now," said Rarity, softly, naked hunger in her voice. That voice could be pitched into an amazing array of tones and expressions—but Applejack had never heard such a sexy contralto throb, and her legs quivered as she met Rarity's commanding eyes.
"Um… in th' mornin'? Ain't like I never… er… listen, you hush! We ain't alone here…"
"I don't care."
"Well, ah do!" whispered Applejack. "I have to! It's nice me bein' sexu'ly inspiring an' all, but come on, darlin', don't be so heartless…"
Rarity bared her teeth, her eyes flaring with animalistic hunger. Applejack's legs quivered worse.
"Oh my," she said, and looked around frantically. "Dammit, Rarity. Playin' dirty, givin' me looks like that… meet me behind that hill over there in five minutes, hear what I'm sayin'?"
Rarity glanced that direction. "No, the big rock near it—and right now."
"That's too consarned close!" hissed Applejack.
"It's a rock. It will reflect sound away…"
Applejack bared her teeth in turn. "You best not be plannin' to make sound…"
Rarity smirked again, wickedly. "I shan't need to. It can reflect your sound. Your little, repressed cries of ecstacy."
"Like hell I will. It'd be cruel. Y'all playin' so dang dirty, Rarity—stop lookin' at me like that! Ya gone all stalliony on me, all right. What's got into you?"
Rarity shrugged, elegantly. "You bring out the best in me, darling…"
Applejack bit her lip. She glanced again at Rainbow and Twilight, seeing no sign of movement. She glanced at the hill, and the huge rock that would totally obscure their bodies from view.
"Th' rock. Five minutes. If ya cheat and come early, I'mma buck you not in the way you like."
Rarity's smirk grew fangs of wicked delight. "Assumptions!"
"Promise!" hissed Applejack, desperately.
"Very well… you go. Now."
"Oh my," whispered Applejack, and got to her hooves. She announced, "Gosh—I'mma take a piss…" and Rarity winced at the gaucherie, but her eyes didn't leave the country pony's fine rump as she trotted, a spring in her step, off toward the hill—only to veer aside with a laughable display of faux sneakiness, and duck behind the rock.
Rarity waited, smiling—and then took the bit very slowly and carefully between her teeth. She had no intention of making a sound, for Applejack wished a degree of secrecy—but among her own fetishes was the indulging of voyeurism, and if she was being watched, nothing pleased her more than to put on a show.
She knew a certain pony who'd enjoyed voyeurism before—and knew that Applejack did not understand perversion nearly as well as she or the other pony understood it.
Perhaps Dash was even kinky enough to get off on the situation—but regardless, she'd asked for it, and Rarity did not take competition lightly. Applejack wasn't going to be the only pony fucked this morning. Rarity's rival was going to feel inadequate whether Applejack liked it or not.
Five minutes later, Rarity rose and walked deliberately toward the big rock, daunting unicorn bulk jutting from between her hindlegs and slapping her belly gently with each step…
"You don't speak, little Lulamoon?"
Trixie stared straight ahead.
"We… understand our methods may have been distressing…"
No response.
"You were delightful. It was appreciated."
Princess Luna sighed. "I see we are at an impasse. You are clever, Trixie Lulamoon. How to battle royalty thousands of years your elder? How to defeat a creature that can turn any thought, any action to her own ends? And so you do not act, you do not think. Were you to starve and die without lifting a hoof, you would indeed win. Would you not?"
No response.
"She would not want you to perish before your time…"
Not even a tear. Trixie's gaze was stony. Luna caught her breath.
"Oh, you're good…"
The alicorn Princess paced, talking as if to herself. "We don't know whether my suggestion holds, that your Twilight would wish you to make the best of things…"
A quick glance told her that Trixie had not risen to the bait, had made no demand that Luna cease using her beloved's name. Trixie Lulamoon was fixed, unwavering in her contemplation of nothing, and showed no sign of hearing.
"Or," continued Luna, "whether you are correct that she would value your freedom and faithfulness above all else, and would wish you to die alone should you not have her. It is, admittedly, a romantic notion, and perhaps she is immature enough to hold it. Do you think it healthy for her to cling to what she shall not have, in her pathetically short blink of a lifetime?"
Trixie didn't respond, and Luna added, "Do not misunderstand—I consider that tragic. Know that if you two did not undertake a suicide pact, one of you will inevitably survive the other. She has lived a more comfortable life, where you have lived the life of a Lulamoon out of her proper time, so it's likely that she would survive you. In that event, should she also cling to the memory and refuse to love again?"
Trixie's eyes showed pain, but that was all. She couldn't help her emotions, but she was damned if she would let them lead to actions or thoughts to aid Princess Luna. She made no response.
"She is surviving you now. If you like, I could smite you out of existence at a stroke, and she can survive you quite literally. Do you wish this? Is loving me so painful that oblivion appeals, my pet?"
Trixie continued to deny all thought, all feeling. The words became meaningless noises, apart from the gentle tears they provoked—and Trixie allowed those, knowing she was only a pony trapped and doomed to a choice of terrible fates.
Luna sighed. Her voice softened.
"Poor little kindred. I've controlled your mind, and now you take it back from me, you give me the choice: love you as a mere puppet knowing it is a hollow victory, or allow you to perish rather than serve me. Truly you are worthy kin to my beloved Lulamoons—you are brave, and your loyalty is unshakable, and it is not to me. Do I need to bind you, little one? Will you destroy yourself in some manner, left unattended? How deep does your rebellion run—what acts could your Twilight bear, were she to know of them? Do you understand that were you to perish by your own acts… I could give you back?"
Trixie whimpered, just for a moment, before stubbornly going silent again. It had been a horrific suggestion. She took a moment to reflect on how unthinkably evil her own private Nightmare Moon was, that she would contemplate such a cruel act…
Luna was crouching directly before her, and tears were in her eyes as she pleaded.
"No, Trixie. No! I am sorry I even expressed the thought. It is unworthy of me. You may believe that or not, but I will tell you words of truth right now, and I will honor them: I will not do that. Do you understand? No matter what happens to you, Twilight Sparkle will never be tormented with the reality of your fate. I think she will get over you, but if she does not, she does not. She will never suffer the grief of confronting your corpse. It will be a gentler, more peaceful memory of you that fades. I swear I will never disturb that memory."
Trixie struggled to stay silent, to fight back the flood of thoughts and feelings stirred up by the wicked Princess and her mind games. It had been important to Luna never to lie to Trixie—she was depending upon the building of a relationship that contained an important kind of trust. Trixie understood that, instinctively, even as she rebelled and refused to extend the relationship. She fought to blank her mind, to not engage in any way with the Princess.
Luna watched her, and continued to speak with great earnestness while Trixie was off-balance. "I will say more than that. If freedom is the only gift you'll ever let me give you, I give it without caveat. I confine your body, and I have enjoyed its gifts—but I shall not restrict your mind again. Do you hear me? I will not tamper with your mind. Now, more than ever, I long to win that mind over, to see you serve me willingly. Until that day, Trixie Lulamoon, there will be no more demonstrations of mental compulsion… I will reason with you, perhaps even plead and beg. Were I to see you charge at the rock wall, I would beg you to desist, in genuine horror. You are a wondrous creature, Miss Lulamoon: you should not perish unloved."
Princess Luna gulped, looking distressed. "If I may say it…"
"You may not," said Trixie, and coughed, for her throat was parched and dry.
Luna glowered. "We never said we would take back-talk, girl. Darling impossible perfect Lulamoon… you are not perishing unloved."
Trixie returned to her truculent silence, staring at nothing. Luna sighed.
"We shall return. In time you shall not have strength to dash yourself against the rocky walls, even if you wished to do so. We shall heal any lesser woes you inflict. Would that I could heal my own… oh, Trixie! I did not want to kill you. I could have done so at any point, you're but a mortal pony. Please be with me. I miss your kind—there is only you now, and we are estranged."
No response.
Princess Luna walked off, her head hanging low, and eventually the pool of light she brought with her was lost in the darkness.
Fluttershy paced the floor of Pinkie's bedroom. "Do you think they're going to be all right?"
"You're worried too, huh?"
"We shouldn't have let them go. I'm not saying you were wrong!" added Fluttershy. "I'm only saying, they should never have gone. What if it's dangerous?"
Pinkie considered this. "Well—she does have the bravest ponies around to take care of her! And Rarity is there too."
"That seems like a terrible idea as well," said Fluttershy. "Rainbow Dash and Applejack and Rarity traveling together? I can't believe Rainbow Dash agreed to go. What if she finds it hard to be around them?"
"Maybe you have that backwards—Rainbow Dash could make things really uncomfortable for Applejack and Rarity. I kinda wouldn't blame her," said Pinkie. "That would be pretty typical for her."
Fluttershy nodded. "I guess if they can stand it, it'll be okay? It's just a matter of what they can stand to be around." She dropped her gaze, licked her lips. "Um."
Pinkie Pie blinked. "You okay, Fluttershy?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I like it when you look at me, your eyes are so pretty. It means I notice real quick when you won't look at me. You're totally looking away, how come?"
Fluttershy pouted, and met Pinkie's gaze again. "I'm sorry. I was just… wondering what you can stand to be around." Her wings lifted.
"I don't get it. I love being around you being sexy, Fluttershy. It's the best!"
Fluttershy dropped her gaze again.
"All right," said Pinkie. "What is it?"
"I'm so foolish. It's probably a bad idea…"
"What is it, Fluttershy? Whatever it is, I can handle it, but you're making me really worried!"
Fluttershy gulped. "Would it ruin me for you if… I was with a stallion?"
Pinkie froze. She didn't even blink for a minute, and Fluttershy began to cry. "I'm so sorry, Pinkie dear, pretend I didn't even say it…"
Pinkie said, "If this is you, telling me you're done with mares… I guess I should be grateful that I had some time with you at all…"
"No!" cried Fluttershy, trotting over and hugging Pinkie. "It can be only you, I am so sorry to have brought up whatever terrible thing happened to you that made you hate males! I…" but she broke off, for Pinkie had shoved her aside, and stood, stomping her hoof.
"What is it with ponies that nopony can possibly understand this? Even you! You are not very clever, Fluttershy! I expected better from you!"
"I promise I'll never make you think of it…"
"Why do you all assume something happened to me? That I hate stallions? Do you have any idea what it feels like that ponies think I got broken into being the way I am? I don't know how to put this to you, Fluttershy, but my sexy feelings were always about vag and girls and stuff! Okay, okay, listen. Let me try and put it in a way you can understand. You're a girl pony and I always thought you were straight as anything. I bet you have a big straight streak, and that is totally fine. Well, imagine a big, fat pony cock, okay? How's that grab you? How does it feel having a big fat pony cock pressing into you?"
Fluttershy looked sulky. "Never mind. I only want you. I'm sorry I even brought it up."
"Well if you want me, listen!" said Pinkie. "Now pretend you're a guy pony. He's got a pony cock too, he likes mares. Crazy about them. What do you think his feelings are about a big fat pony cock pressing into him?"
Fluttershy blinked. "Gosh. You know I've watched some of them do that with each other…"
"Not that kind, Fluttershy, a straight colt. How does he feel? I mean a totally straight colt who gets nothing out of boy parts at all. How does he react to ye olde big fat pony cock penetrating him?"
"Um…" said Fluttershy, having spent much time being frustrated and pent up. "Well…"
"I guess you haven't seen as many straight colts as I have—I've always been able to hang out with them 'cos I'm kind of like them in some ways, we can play pranks on each other, we can even crave vag together. I'll tell you how he reacts—he freaks out, it doesn't feel right, maybe he even hurls if he's too off guard because that way of being sexy just does not work for him. Now, listen. Does that mean he hates males?"
That stopped Fluttershy. "I guess not…"
"Do you have to ask HIM if males did bad things to HIM to make him not be attracted to penis?"
"I'm so sorry, Pinkie Pie. I didn't mean to make you upset!"
"I'M NOT…" began Pinkie, and then facehooved. "Okay, maybe I'm a little upset, but only because everypony in the world seems to think I had to be MADE into a raging lesbian. Like something super awful had to break me into loving vag that hardcore. What can I even tell you? I always craved mares, even before I knew you could do stuff with them. I don't know why—it's just me. I even tried playing with colts a couple times and it was real squicky and weird—and then the night came when I lost my virginity for real and I knew what my tongue was for…"
Fluttershy's eyes were wide. "With a mare?"
Pinkie Pie winked. "Three wild pegasus fillies. Huh… no wonder things turned out as they did… and life has been beautiful ever since." Her eyes softened. "Especially once I found you, Fluttershy. You're a dream of fillyness. Or mare-yness."
"Or… motherliness?"
Pinkie stared. Fluttershy returned her gaze bravely.
"Maybe I'm the not-clever pony," said Pinkie. "You're… not breaking up with me, are you?"
Fluttershy shook her head.
Pinkie licked her lips. "Exactly why are you talking about being with stallions, Fluttershy?"
"I think you know. I think when we played that way, you could tell."
"I need you to spell it out for me," said Pinkie, unsteadily.
Fluttershy didn't drop her gaze at all. "I love you, Pinkie. I want to stay with you all my life, and I want to have your foal, more than anything in the world."
Pinkie's eyes swam with tears. "Fluttershy…"
"And we are both mares—so I will need help. Is that okay?" said Fluttershy, seriously.
Her answer came in a rush—a pink earth pony rush, a fierce hug that knocked the breath out of her frail pegasus frame, the joyful trembling of her lover's body—and in a word.
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…"
Fluttershy petted her, gently, her eyes softly closed in bliss. After a while, she felt Pinkie stir, and looked at her inquisitively. "Yes?"
"I hope I don't have to… okay, hear me out, Fluttershy. I can still be, like, one of the guys, right? I mean, I don't have to be sexy at him or anything, do I? That's your job, right? To get him to squirt in you?"
Fluttershy looked puzzled. "My job is to be sexy?"
Pinkie beeped her nose with a hoof, playfully. "More like your calling! No, what I mean is… well, I get to keep on being me, right? I don't have to be any different?"
"I don't even understand what you mean," said Fluttershy.
"Okay!" said Pinkie. "You remember when Cranky Doodle Donkey came to town? And I ruined his toupee, and he was being a big sourpuss so I climbed a flagpole and asked the whole town to find a toupee for his big bald head? Was that a ladylike thing to do? Something you would do?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "Never!"
"Or when I startled Spike until he had hiccups, with Dashie's help… or put ink on a telescope Dashie was using, she's just as good as a boy to prank, and she totally gives it back as good as she gets! Please tell me there doesn't have to be some stallion out there that I can't prank and kid around with. It would be horrible to have to act all mushy to a guy, ew!"
Fluttershy blinked. "That's right—you've always done that, haven't you? And some of your roughest jokes have been on boys, though I heard that one day you pranked Twilight and Rarity and Spike all in the same day."
"And Applejack!" added Pinkie proudly. "Me and Dashie painted all her apples plaid. She's like Dashie, counts as a boy for pranking. You can prank her really rough!"
"Gosh," said Fluttershy. "What was Rainbow Dash doing with a telescope?"
"Spying on somepony, of course!"
"Do you prank everypony?" asked Fluttershy curiously.
Pinkie's gaze dropped, shyly.
"Almost…" she said, and snuggled into the embrace of Fluttershy's wing.
"Ssh!" whispered Applejack, from behind the rock. "Nopony saw ya?"
Rarity smirked, around her grip on the magic bit. "Who's c'nting?"
"Consarn it, I don't want you to be rude…"
"L've is n'ver rude," said Rarity. "Mmmmm…."
She snuggled in between Applejack and the rock, her hoof reaching down between Applejack's legs to fondle her pony breasts.
"..hhh!" gasped Applejack. "Mmmm…"
"Sing f'r me," suggested Rarity. Applejack bared her teeth at her, and clamped her jaws shut stubbornly—but wriggled her bottom against Rarity's crotch.
"V'ry well," said Rarity softly. "Th'n, relax…"
For a moment, the thought crossed her mind to ram her erection into Applejack eagerly. It would surely cause her annoying beloved to cry out, even shriek loudly—but it would also do harm, and Rarity wasn't sure which would be worse—the physical damage she might cause, or the rage of the country pony at being forced to let out sexual wails from behind the rock. For whatever reason, she was clearly determined to be furtive, and Rarity decided to humor her, or at least give her a fair chance to have it her way.
Rarity shifted her hips, and her horn glowed as she freed her ponycock from being pressed against the top of Applejack's croup, and moved it into position, poised at Applejack's quivering entrance. She wiped it against Applejack's labia, and her lover shuddered in total silence, winking against her, vagina parting expectantly. Though Applejack refused to cry out her pleasures this time, she plainly was ready for them.
Rarity grinned around the bit—and pressed forward, with mocking, maddening slowness.
Applejack's body shuddered, hard, as the end of Rarity's stallionhood entered her, prying her wide. The unicorn's arousal was so great that she barely fit, and earth pony body squirmed in sensuous agony, sturdy hips wriggling to try and ease the penetration. But it wasn't just a matter of tolerance—fascinated, Rarity paid close attention, for Applejack's vag had clenched almost immediately, and she'd gone incredibly slick inside. The feeling of spasms and shivers was unmistakable. Applejack had come from the moment she'd been entered. Some aspect of the naughty, furtive sexplay turned her on—either it was the mischief factor, or the helplessness and being at Rarity's mercy, or possibly she was just livelier in the mornings.
Rarity pressed deeper and deeper, savoring every moment. It felt like a quickie—hasty sex snatched from the edges of an inappropriate situation. Was that what turned Applejack on so? Regardless, thought Rarity, there was no question that it drove her stallion mad with arousal. She swelled unbearably stiff as she sank deeper and deeper into the frantic, silent depths of her erotic victim.
Applejack was thrashing her head about as quietly as she could, making only the faintest rustling sounds as her mane swept the grass. Tears leaked from her tight-shut eyes, her nostrils were flared, her ears laid straight back—one forehoof pawed the air helplessly, shuddering with the force of her continuing orgasm. She fought to keep her breath even and subdued, and Rarity grimly did likewise as her hips continued to press forward.
Finally, Rarity bottomed out in Applejack's marepussy, seeing her lovely ears thrash briefly in shock as that massive bulk nudged gently but firmly against her womb. She still made no sound—not with her voice—but faint squelches came from elsewhere, as her vagina went ballistic and delivered wild spasms against the intruding hardness.
Rarity briefly considered being more naughty, and giving a couple good thrusts—she was certain she could get a wild squeal or even cause Applejack to pass out. Her vision blurred, for her excitement was so overwhelming—Applejack was seconds from bringing her off, the earth pony mare felt obscenely good, sexy beyond imagining. That vag felt like it was trying to jerk her off—how could even so athletic a pony work such unthinkable feats of eroticism, all without training and discipline?
In the end, Rarity just held her position and allowed her orgasming lover to coax her over the brink. She kept perfectly still, didn't thrust or nudge, went hard as carved marble against Applejack's hysterical quivering womb—and blasted.
Rarity controlled herself with savage, practiced willpower, even as her come gushed violently into Applejack, and she remained utterly silent. It was the earth pony whose eyes rolled back in her head, whose forelegs kicked the air—and whose voice was forced into one quiet, strangled vocalization. It was Applejack who cried out—faintly—and then it was just her body, stiff with her effort to suppress reaction, fevered with the intensity of its orgasm, shuddering all over in silence as Rarity lovingly nuzzled her neck.
Rarity hung onto the bit for a while, allowing Applejack to get control of herself again—then patted her heaving side to signal her intention and warn her partner, and released the bit. Quickies weren't about lingering, and stealing sex from public spaces required shrewdness—that, Rarity knew well. Applejack kicked her hindleg a little bit as the stallion cock withdrew, but didn't make a sound. She looked back at her lover, frazzled and sweet and anxious next to Rarity's poise and smugness. Neither spoke. Rarity's foreleg cradled her body, possessively.
Applejack stirred, as if to rise, and then froze, ears perking up.
"That's weird. Where are Applejack and Rarity?"
It was Twilight's voice. Applejack's heart pounded. Then…
"Oh, behind that rock pretending they're not fucking!"
Dash's voice was bitter.
There was a dreadful silence for one second… two… three…
"CONSARN IT!" raged Applejack.
"Stop it, will you calm down?" hissed Rarity, furious.
"Let me go, damn it! This is all your fault!"
"OW! Don't kick! How dare you? How dare you throw a childish fit after I complied with all your silly requirements? You were the one who squeaked! And what is so wrong with that?"
"You got a lot of nerve an' no damn sense! Why did I ever listen to you?"
Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash stared, horrified, at each other. The lovebirds were screaming, raging, as suddenly as a bomb going off. It was difficult to tell which pony was angrier. Fire clashed with ice, and each grew worse by the second.
"Rainbow, come on! Run this way, we've got to give them some space!"
Dash gulped, and took off at a dead run, following Twilight away from the painful scene, leaving just dust, the sound of receding hooves, and one anguished parting pegasus cry…