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Grilled Lamb Chops: Succulent & flavorful, these are the perfect, meaty appetizer!
Fluxus Dinner in Mono ~ a monochrome cookbook with recipies for six 3 course meals – Black, blue, red, green, yellow and white.
Mulled wine poached pears - a lighter, yet still festive take on the holidays!
Gingerbread Cheesecake—dense and delicious.
Neapolitan Cookies
Honey Nutella Rice Krispie treats - just 3 ingredients and a microwave.
'Le Froglet' individual glasses of wine packaged in a cup ... Shiraz, Rosé and Chardonnay
Chocolate Genome Sequenced ~ Scientist have finally turned their attention to chocolate.. io9 deciphers the findings.
Spicy hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows. So thick and creamy, it's almost like dessert.
Croque Monsieur Macaroni and Cheese ~ A brilliant comfort food combo from Food2.
FEATUREDBeautifully illustrated Story of (ginger)SNAP ~ as found around the neck of the bottle of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction's SNAP spirit.
Marzipan Butter Stollen
Eggnog Flans with Maple and Walnut
Almond-Hazelnut Buttercrunch Toffee - Delicious holiday snacking!
A Strawberry & Vanilla Macaron trifle, the perfect way to end our Christmas Eve dinner. A Donna Hay winner!
Almond Cakes ~ Tartelette shares a great gluten free nutty dessert served with kumquats.
FEATUREDThe final NOTCOT Holiday Giveaway! #31 is from The Is A Limited Edition, which is giving away the 9 Cups & Saucers with Prints from Series 2! Gorgeous limited edition works of art from NOTCOT artist faves!
The Urban Baker makes some truly adorable hot cocoa on a stick.
Feta-Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf with Tzatziki Sauce
This rich Chocolate Hazelnut Bark is made with Nutella.
Modernist Cuisine shares a modernist holiday feast complete with a candied yam interpretation served with a sage foam.
Spicy Gingerbread Cookies ~ Smitten Kitchen adds cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and ground pepper to spice up this traditional Christmas dessert.
FEATUREDStranger & Stranger's 12th Christmas Spirit is a deliciously beautiful Absinthe! See the details!
Pavlovas ~ Joy the Baker whips and whips egg whites into a light fluffy holiday treat.
Panettone – tweaked with less sugar, cute mini Panettone for thanking all. Merry Christmas.
A Food Tour of Paris' Montmartre Neighborhood, including where to find the freshest oysters.
Martha Stewart's Ginger Bread Cupcake is soft and fluffy - my favourite Christmas treat.
Pastry Chef Brian Sundeen and his team spent more than 800 hours baking and building this life size Ford woodie out of gingerbread, royal icing, and candy.
Snowflake Sugar Cookies with the best sugar cookie recipe-ever!
Gingerbread White Chocolate Biscotti - delicious with your coffee on Christmas morning!
A holiday punch to knock your socks off!
Simple frosted sugar cookie bars....perfect to bring to a last minute holiday party
Let out your inner Jackson Pollock with this Winter Bark recipe!
Gingerbread Castle Bundt cake - whimsical and tasty this cake will impress and have your guests asking, "more please!"
Alice Medrich's Very Tangy Lemon Bars
Bread pudding made out of Christmas Stollen that we baked for Daring Bakers. It was amazing!
Ciao Bella Gelato Key Lime Graham Gelato Squares are magically delicious.
Christmas Fudge - Foolproof Fudge in 15 minutes - Chocolate Marshmallow & White Chocolate Fudge topped with crushed Blueberry & Peppermint Candy Canes
Swiss Miss shares her fondue recipe at Print Mag!
Red Rice and Paneer Pilaf - "Christmas Rice" redolent of spices, nuts and pomegranates
Vanilla-Coconut Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Jelly-Sweet, silky panna cotta with a burst of tart pomegranate jelly.
Moroccan Lamb and Beef Stew - Perfect for a Christmas dinner, or these long cold winter nights!
Shortbread Walnut Sandwich Cookies ~ Walnut shortbread in the shape of walnuts from Blondie's Cakes and Things.
Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookies ~ Beautiful holiday snowflakes from Love and Olive Oil.
Spiced Chocolate Torte Wrapped in Chocolate Ribbons ~ Bon Appétit makes a spectacular looking holiday cake.


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- Home
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Has it been eight years?
Eight years, 2,922 days (or something close to that) since an Anderson County Little League All-Star baseball team advanced to the state tournament?
The 11-year-old team broke that drought when it won the District 3 title Saturday night with an offensive onslaught that made final scores more gridiron-esque than fitting the diamond. Anderson County routed West Lexington, 19-7, in the final at Legion Park.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Anderson News, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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subset: commoncrawl


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What does SEK mean in Banking?
This page is about the meanings of the acronym/abbreviation/shorthand SEK in the Business field in general and in the Banking terminology in particular.
Find a translation for SEK in other languages:
Select another language:
Discuss this SEK abbreviation with the community:
Use the citation below to add this abbreviation to your bibliography:
"SEK." Abbreviations.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2018. Web. 20 Mar. 2018. <https://www.abbreviations.com/term/1404467>.


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Skip to comments.Malaysia to investigate "Bigfoot"
Posted on 12/29/2005 1:55:33 AM PST by Stoat
MALAYSIA'S wildlife department says it will investigate claims that man-like "Bigfoot" beasts are roaming the jungles of southern Johor state. Newspapers have this week aired stories of sightings of the legendary creatures, and photographs of a giant footprint left near a jungle swamp.
The director of the wildlife department's Biodiversity Conservation Division, Siti Hawa Yatim, said they would examine the prints, which reportedly measure up to 45 centimetres).
"We are going to check first if the case is a true one," Siti Hawa said.
She said officials would interview people living around the Kota Tinggi area, where workers last month reported seeing two huge creatures and a youngster, and may set up cameras in jungle areas to try to capture images of any beasts.
"If we can't work out from the evidence what it is and we can see the footprint is still there, and there's the possibility of something other than animals, then maybe we would put camera traps," she said.
Johor is home to large tracts of jungle, including its famed Endau-Rompin National Park, and unconfirmed sightings of large creatures surface periodically.
An adviser to the Johor branch of the Malaysian Nature Society, Vincent Chow, has been lobbying the government to look into the claims and said an investigation could spur global interest.
"We are sitting on a wonderful opportunity by way of the Bigfoot research to spur ecotourism in Johor, taking the cue of Loch Ness in Scotland," Chow was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.
Chow took the photographs of the footprint and estimated the beast was three metres tall, based on a broken tree branch found hanging over the site.
Brown hair reeking of body odour has also been retrieved around the area, he said.
Sightings of mythical ape-like creatures have been reported in wilderness areas all over the world. They are known as Bigfoot or Sasquatch in the United States and Canada, and yetis in Asia.
"No, I said that my FEET are 21 inches long. My brain has been shown to be this big"
That explains a LOT of things! Thank GOD for the Swifties.....they saved us all from more than anyone realized!
'.....at some time something we call a Troll did exist, and may still exist somewhere."
SHAKE Rocks King Kong
If all you wanted for Christmas was a giant ape holding a beautiful woman atop a landmark building on a superwide screen, this holiday has certainly turned out for you. King Kong roared into theaters just in time for the holiday, carrying big name talent, Oscar buzz and eye-bending special effects.
The visual effects were created by Weta Digital, the same company that did the effects for Kong director Peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings trilogy. And as it did for Rings, Weta used Shake as its primary compositing tool on King Kong.
Even More Effects
Matt Welford, the films 2D sequence lead who worked on most of the films New York sequences, quantifies the task. Kong has a little shy of two and a half thousand visual effects shots.
This was a more intensive effects package than Lord of the Rings, says Welford, because Kong is more action-packed from start to finish. In the Rings trilogy there were frequent breaks in the action. Not so in this film. And then of course, there were all the creatures that Peter Jackson loves to put into these films the bugs and worms and flies. So the shot count went up just because of those sequences.
Synthetic City
It is difficult for people who have seen King Kong to believe that the sequences, which prominently feature 1930s Manhattan, were shot on a one-story high New York street back lot in New Zealand and then digitally extended by a crew of 500 artists and technicians using thousands of carefully researched and prepared elements.
We had a huge library of reference photos, and a department of researchers who were able even to find out what color the street signs were in 1930s New York, says Welford.
He points out that that the jungle scenes were similarly shot and altered. Animation would animate the creatures, the modeling guys would build the models, the TDs would light whatever was needed, and then pass them over to the comp department. We would take those elements and integrate them into the plates that were provided by Peter Jackson and the shooting crew. Then it would be our job to basically layer it together with any extra 2D elements that we need. Using Shake, we could integrate those in with the CG and the plate and come out with the final shot.
Welford says that Shake was also used for some 3D work in the roto and paint departments. Our TDs could actually do rough comps of their work before they pass elements off to the comp department, so they could check that their elements were working before we actually start.
Composite Solution
Welford, who has used Shake since it came out, says the product was perfect for their task. Personally, Im a big fan of the node-based compositing. Its a lot more logical and it allows for you to change things quickly, so you can experiment and jump around to different parts of the tree. Youre not locked into pre-rendering elements and then working on those pre-renders.
Another advantage of Shake was its ability to work with independent bit depth images.You can have an 8-bit file, a 16-bit file and a float file and Shake will resolve and comp them all together, he says.
And at a fundamental level, the large available Shake talent pool allowed Weta to scale up quickly and dramatically from a small core compositing crew essential, it turned out, to meet a challenge as big as Kong.
Sounds to me the second story you wont hear a peep about reading the entries from the website.
I believe this is a hype-campaign for Shadow of the Colossus for Playstation.
Happy New Year, FRiend.
Well, ummm......actually no I didn't. I'm not even remotely close to being a hardcore gamer (game controllers aren't designed with stoat paws in mind....I have enough trouble with a standard keyboard """"""sad""""") and I don't really follow that avenue of consciousness with any degree of closeness. As a result, I had to look it up to get an idea of what you might be referring to :-)
Happy New Year, FRiend.
Thank you, and happy new year to you and yours as well :-)
<<<< putting out a dish of Purina Squirrel Chow \_______/
from December 2005, related to two others.
'Bigfoot' sightings in Malaysia
News 24 (South Africa) | January 8, 2006
Posted on 01/08/2006 4:35:59 AM EST by Stoat
Malaysia Creates Team to Track Bigfoot
Fox News | January 26
Posted on 01/26/2006 2:02:37 PM EST by pcottraux
I'm delighted to hear that the finest minds in the universe will now be focused upon this weighty issue (snort!) . With such overwhelming intellectual horsepower being brought to bear upon the subject we will no doubt have a definitive answer in short order. :-)
Perhaps if they have time they can also find evidence of the long suspected direct genetic link from Helen Thomas to her forbears.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Football Tower - 300 Spartan Way
On exhibit through Jan. 15, 2008
The MSU Museum is highlighting works on campus by Professor Leonard D. Jungwirth (1903-1963). Seven sculptures from the MSU Museum's collection will be augmented by photographs, a Sparty statuette and the artist's woodworking tools. While The Spartan may be MSU's best-known work, Jungwirth's art is more varied than Sparty may suggest. His work can be monumental or small, angular or streamlined, softly modeled or bearing obvious chisel marks. Whether free-standing or in relief, the pieces are characteristically figurative, with strong, clearly-defined forms and minimal detailing. Jungwirth was a dedicated art professor who taught at MSU from 1940 until his death. Born in Detroit, he worked in his father's wood carving shop before earning degrees at the University of Detroit and Wayne State University. He also studied religious sculpture in Munich. In the 1930s, he was an artist and supervisor in Detroit for the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project, a government program which paid artists to make work for public facilities during the Depression. His secular and religious sculptures were exhibited widely, often with his wife, painter Irene Gayas Jungwirth. Professor Jungwirth suffered a fatal heart attack after casting bronze at a local foundry with his students.
The Football Tower - 300 Spartan Way in the Spartan Stadium expansion - is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.


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We've taken care of the hard problems of building, integrating, scaling, securing, and managing your mobile platform so you can spend time on what matters most: your user experience.
As the company that introduced Backend as a Service to the market in 2011 – and the only vendor in the space to hold a patent for it – we are known in the industry to continuously define the benchmark for a mobile platform. Kinvey is the most complete, proven, easy to use, and advanced platform available today
The Kinvey team is now part of Progress Software. We are honored to be part of Progress's Cognitive Apps family of products.
We are proud and conscientious that our customers run mission critical apps, and sometimes their entire businesses, on Kinvey. All of this has been made possible because we have a large and thriving global developer ecosystem that builds apps on our platform.
Our success with our customers has propelled us to a year over year growth rate of more than 100%. Almost all of our customers increase the number of apps they run on our platform every year.
From a core consumer experience for media, to HIPAA-compliant apps for pharma, to innovation from startups, Kinvey powers any digital innovation use case you can imagine.
Everything we deliver in Kinvey's platform adheres to six core tenets:
Instantly available, complete platform.
Infrastructure and ops are included
Sub-second data delivery
from any enterprise system
any developer, any tools
Security, compliance,
& end user support built-in
Scales to millions of users.
Go live ready
Open, standards-based
"Kinvey pioneered the backend-as-a-service market. As BaaS evolved to encompass API management functionality and grew to be a viable alternative to the mobile middleware space, Kinvey evolved as well. It embraced the need for robust enterprise data access, added deployment options that span many varieties of hybrid, and provided a modern Node.js-based business logic platform that supports any number of corporate use cases."
The Forrester Wave™: Mobile Infrastructure Services, Q3 2015, Michael Facemire and Jeffrey S. Hammond September 10, 2015
Best Overall Mobile and Wireless Solution, 2015
Hot Vendor in BaaS, 2015
Best Emerging Technology Solution, 2014
Featured In
"We've accelerated our app dev from months to weeks. Kinvey makes it simple with no IT overhead."
"With Kinvey, we've been able to extend our SAP landscape for new use cases, and the performance has been unbelievable. I went from 14-second SAP data access down to 400-millisecond mobile-friendly data access."
"By using Kinvey's BaaS, we didn't have to worry about having in-house expertise in a wide range of areas like database management, custom Web service APIs, user management, offline/online sync, and messaging."


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An audit of the Lawrence school district's fringe benefits program appears to have been productive, providing the district with some options for lowering premiums and broadening coverage, an administrator and a teacher said this morning.
"It's looking real good at this stage," said Bill Wilson, the district's director of human resources. "I feel that we're going to be able to increase benefits and-or reduce premium costs either to the school board or to the employee."
The district in February hired CPI Qualified Planning Consultants, Great Bend, to conduct an audit of the district's fringe benefits. The district contracted to pay $10,000 for the audit.
Wilson said CPI sought bids from various insurance companies to see what packages they could offer. CPI just recently presented those bids to the district, and Thursday the district's fringe benefit committee discussed the bids.
The committee, which includes both administrators and teachers, is awaiting a bid from one other company. Wilson said the committee probably would develop a fringe benefits recommendation next week. That recommendation then would be put on the table during Lawrence teacher negotiations on May 18.
Doran Chaput, a teacher at Hillcrest School and a member of the fringe benefits committee, said that arranging the audit was a good move on the part of the district.
"I think it's going to be money well-spent," Chaput said.
The district recently has had to choose between higher premiums or more restricted coverage.
The district presently provides health, dental and life insurance through a self-funded program with Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Wilson said that last year Blue Cross and Blue Shield suggested that the district would have to raise premium rates by 26 percent to keep up with health costs.
To avoid that increase, the district this school year switched to the Blue Select Plan, which changes employees' insurance coverage somewhat. For example, under the new plan, school employees now have to designate a primary-care physician.
Copyright 2018 The Lawrence Journal-World. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. We strive to uphold our values for every story published.


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ASEAN-OECD Investment Programme fosters dialogue and experience sharing between OECD members and ASEAN member states to enhance the investment climate in the region.
This dialogue between Indonesia and the OECD supports policy makers in their efforts to enhance disclosure of beneficial ownership and control as part of overall efforts to improve corporate governance standards and practices in Indonesia.
Costly and lengthy regulatory barriers, accompanied by sluggish markets, have long been reasons for companies and their shareholders to look for alternatives to Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). A popular alternative has often been to pursue backdoor listing – often accomplished through a reverse merger, exchange offer, or rights offer, for instance. Because backdoor listings are often not under the strict oversight of listing rules and regulations, it is argued that they are prone to fraud and abuse. This report provides four regulatory strategies for consideration by policy makers in Indonesia, in order to support their efforts to improve listing and corporate governance standards.
English, PDF, 360kb
Poor corporate governance was identified as a major factor in Indonesia's economic crisis in 1997. Since then a wide range of laws and regulations have been introduced and standards developed. Sound corporate governance will reassure stakeholders that their rights are protected, thus building confidence and trust in doing business in Indonesia.
English, PDF, 357kb
Infrastructure investment in Indonesia was seriously impaired by the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Indonesia plans to increase investment sharply through both public spending and private finance. Yet, Indonesia lacks suitable long-term investment vehicles and capital markets are still developing.
Legislative and regulatory policy options for sustainable capital markets - A good corporate governance framework should combine transparency, accountability and integrity and this requires knowledge of beneficial ownership. This report assesses the costs, benefits and practicalities of different approaches, suggesting policy options to better identify ultimate beneficial ownership in Indonesia.
A first consultative meeting of the OECD-Indonesia Policy Dialogue took place on 5 October 2011, back-to-back with the annual meeting of the Asian Roundtable on Corporate Governance. The discussion focused on enhancing disclosure of beneficial ownership and control in Indonesia.
The 2011 Asian Roundtable meeting in Bali, Indonesia, focused on challenges and reform priorities in Asia's corporate governance landscape and corporate governance developments in Indonesia.
This conference focused on experiences with investment policy reforms, ways to achieve a better investment environment and the role of international investment agreements in ASEAN.
This investment policy review charts Indonesia's progress in developing an effective policy framework to promote investment for development.


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Make a donation!
Brain aneurysms and AVM's represent a serious health condition that are often only discovered when they rupture. More than 30,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with an aneurysm this year and 10-15% will die before reaching the hospital. Another 50% will die within the first month of diagnosis.
The Greater Sacramento Brain Aneurysm and AVM Support Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to making a difference in the community. We provide the highest quality support services to all survivors of aneurysm and AVM in Sacramento and the surrounding areas. Your donation will help us to continue to provide service to the Greater Sacramento area. To make a tax deductible donation, please follow this link:


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- Posted August 6, 2014 by
Hatboro, Pennsylvania
This iReport is part of an assignment:
Living with a rare disease?
A Toddler's Struggle for Answers
The label "rare disease" is frightening; however not knowing what is causing an ailment is horrific. Waiting months on end and receiving "the results came back negative" is unbearable, but we were fortunate to have our daughter's latest test come back as positive, regardless of the diagnosis being a rare disease. This may sound horrible, but here the story of Raina.
Scare 1
When my wife first became pregnant, we were ecstatic; we created a life that we can love and cherish. Shortly after we learned the news, my wife was experiencing pains which wound us up in the hospital. During the evaluation, the student doctor informed us that it was an ectopic pregnancy and if the embryo didn't miscarry she would have to give a shot which would dissolve the embryo. I had a panic attack and almost passed out. My wife was extremely upset.
We were discharged, and two days later my wife had the pains again. We went back to the ER. We told the doctor on call it was an ectopic pregnancy, and he asked us who told us that. We told him when we were there a couple days prior and the student doctor gave us the diagnosis. He said that was incorrect, rather it was very early on in the pregnancy.
Scare 2
The joy of hearing that we are able to keep our baby and that there was nothing wrong was a tremendous feeling. For the next several months, things were great. Our baby was growing; two hands, two feet, a head, abdomen, etc., etc. We found out she was a girl, and the perinatal tests came back as everything being healthy.
Six and a half weeks before the due date at a routine visit to the OB/GYN, they found that my wife's blood pressure was extremely high. We were put in the hospital and told that my wife had preeclampsia. At 12:03PM on January 16, 2013, Raina was born weighing 3lb 10oz and 16 ½ inches. Her due date was March 3rd, 2013.
Scare 3
Two days in to her birth, we were told Raina had SVT (supraventricular tachycardia). We were also told she had hydrocephalus (brain bleed), and possibly an issue with her thyroid. Luckily, the SVT was treatable with a medicine, and the brain bleed stopped. The thyroid test came back negative the second time around, and Raina was released from the NICU three weeks after birth, which was before her due date.
Scare 4
For the next 4-5 months, Raina was growing. She did frequently vomit, she had a lot of gas, a lot of diarrhea, and her growth wasn't superb, but she was growing. Then around 6 months old things took a turn for the worse. She stopped growing, refused bottles altogether, and started to lose weight. She wound up with a blood infection, and was admitted to the hospital and treated. The hospital was more concerned about the size of her head compared to her body, and transferred us to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Upon arrival at CHOP, the neurosurgeon reassured us that there was nothing wrong with her head circumference, and was ready to discharge us. We reminded them that the original point for admission was the blood infection and poor growth, so they kept us there awhile and discharged us with a diagnosis of failure to thrive. We were advised to follow up with the feeding team at CHOP.
Scare 5
The feeding team at CHOP was not a pleasant experience for us. We followed their direction, which was to continue with breast milk and supplement with solids. This was fine, but the problem is Raina continued to vomit after every feed. Her gas and diarrhea got a lot worse. The feeding team's solution was to feed her more and more each time we saw them. Each time we fed her more, she vomited more. I suspected the issue was lactose intolerance, and when I mentioned this to the feeding team I was scolded (the only term that is as close to what I experienced for suggesting the fact). They were against my opinion, and pushed for more breast milk. As time went on, Raina's health continued to deteriorate and we wound up in CHOP several more times. During one of the stays, she had an NG tube put in to feed her since she refused the bottle.
The last time we met formally with the feeding team, I completely lost it and told them the answer is not to feed her more; the more food we push on her the more she screams and refuses the bottle and the more she throws up. I pushed my feelings again about the lactose intolerance, and they said that while her tests didn't show an allergy, she could have a sensitivity to lactose. They suggested we try Nutramigen. We tried it, and things were a little better but she was becoming distended (bloated) after each feed. Her growth was better, but not good. We followed up with the NICU follow-up doctor, and she suggested we try Elecare. Nothing improved.
Scare 6
January 4th, 2014 Raina took a turn for the worse. She was screaming for food, and no amount of food (formula or solids) was calming her down. She wanted more and more. In addition, she was losing weight. To put it in perspective, she took in over 60oz of formula (27kcal per oz), and several jars of solids, but lost weight. We brought her to our local hospital, and they said she was dehydrated (which is impossible with the amount of food she took in). They kept her overnight and gave her an IV. The next day, they discharged us and said to feed her as much as she wants. Well, that didn't hold over well because we weighed her and she lost more weight. She was inconsolable. We brought her back to the hospital, and they didn't want to admit her. I begged for an IV to be put in; she looked like a skeleton. They discharged us without giving it another thought.
The next day, she had blood in her stool. Off to CHOP we went.
Scare 7
January 7th, 2014 Raina was admitted to CHOP… again. She had lost 23% of her body weight in the last 48 hours; despite having ate more food than a full-grown adult. Her face and body were skeletal. CHOP had no clue as to what was going on. Several tests were performed, but everything was negative. They did see that her lower bowel was red, which indicated irritation and finally confirmed what I was saying all along; she had a milk and soy allergy. They put in a PICC line (IV feed), which got her weight up. Finally she started to look healthy. She also started crawling, standing, and walking! She also spent her first birthday in the hospital, and was featured on CBS and Fox Philadelphia for CHOP's Pet Therapy Program.
Around mid-February, one of the attending physicians thought that she may have a disaccharide deficiency called Congenital Sucrase Isomaltase Deficiency (CSID). We became ecstatic that we may finally have an answer. After further testing, this became her diagnosis. An estimated 9000 worldwide have her disease. It is luckily treatable. We changed her diet, which was tricky because of the milk and soy allergy, and after spending 3 ½ months in CHOP we were discharged with a custom made formula (consisting of Pedialyte, Fructose sugar, microlipids, iodized salt, and amino acid powder) and a G-tube put in (the NG tube kept coming out, and the G-tube made more sense since we were in it for the long run).
While it may sound absurd saying we were grateful to have a diagnosis of a rare disease, take into account what we went through the first year of her life. Every time we fed our child, we were hurting her. Imagine looking at your child in the eyes as they scream in agony while you are unknowingly pushing a poison into their body. The doctors said most babies would eat the food whether it hurt them or not, but Raina was smart enough to know what caused her the pain; she only ate enough to survive and refused the rest. Cognitively, she is as bright as can be. She is a little behind physically, but now that we know what to avoid feeding her she has been catching up to her peers fast. Her disease isn't life threatening providing she adheres to a strict sucrose free and low starch diet. She also has to steer clear of milk and soy. Our little enigma can finally live the life she so very well deserves.


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Three Excellent Young Scientists Honoured
Forschungszentrum Jülich awards 2013 Excellence Prize
Jülich, 17 June 2013 – Giuseppe Mercurio, Felix Plöger, and Chao Zhang are the recipients of Forschungszentrum Jülich's 2013 Excellence Prize. The three early-career scientists received the award, including prize money of € 5,000 each, at Forschungszentrum Jülich on Saturday. Jülich also celebrated the achievements of the other 37 PhD students and bid them farewell at an official ceremony entitled 'JuDocs 2013 – Karriere made in Jülich'. The theme of the ceremony centred on the internationality of science and research.


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The weather is hot and humid which I do not like because it makes me tired and angry at the same time. No good conditions for doing somethig creative. So do not expect too much from this Weekend Wave issue ....
Edi's Guidepost
The Lighthouse
News and information straight from the horse's mouth by Lighthouse keeper ediFanoB
- Reading progress
- Work in progress
The latest report from our shelf shop net correspondent Bona
- Review copy
- Paperback copy
- Digital copy
Messages from the depths of the blogosphere by spheronaut Bona Fide
- Alive and well
- Topographic Tomes
- Free book on June 30th 2012
Remote control junkie Fide and his zapping highlights
- Something practical
The member of the house of quotes and a quote himself the Keeper of the minutes ( we call him Kotm) fished for you
German proverbs, sayings and idiomsAge
The Lighthouse
Reading goes well. I read 678 pages which means I finished four books and a short story.
I finished
- Red Leaves and the Living Token (digital,pb, 2012) [ISBN13: 978-0615618524; AMAZON KINDLE ASIN: B007KFGS36] by Benjamin David Burrell
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"For me it is a kind of a refreshing dark fantasy tale which is well executed. This is the first of six planned books.- The Scourge of the Betrayer (digital, May 2012)[Amazon Kindle ASIN: B0087D3H34] by Jeff Salyard.
The end of the novel is like a rest on a long journey and I must say I lookforward to continue the journey."
I wrote on GOODREADS:
"After reading several glowing reviews I expected a lot.
I'm not sure if I read the right reviews or the wrong book or vice versa.
I admit the idea of story is good.
But I could not cope with the execution. I do not like stories without chapters - an endless stream of words.
I think this time I have been the wrong person to read and like this book."
- Der Eisplanet (February 2012) [Amazon Kindle ASIN: B007C711JS] by Torsten Ralf Oster
The blurb sounded interesting but the book has been disappointing. Der Eisplanet = The Ice Planet. Ice, ice world, ice names, ice characters ....
- Action Jack und die Steintafel der 6 Artefakte - Band 1 (Die Kristallkugel von Naica) (2012) [Amazon Kindle ASIN: B007NLSIVM] by Joachim H. Schwartz
To keep it short: This is a lightweight copy of Indiana Jones. Fast food read.
- Demon River (January 2012) [Amazon Kindle ASIN: B004A8ZSXW] by Mark Lord
I wrote on GOODREADS:
" Intense Short story which delivers everything mentioned in the description."
As my comment does not makes without the description, I add the description.
"Set in a fantasy world of dark magic, Demon River is a short tale of politics, false religion, demons and treachery.
Benetus, the King's chancellor, fears the return of a rival he had thought banished from court. Benetus turns to the help of demons to rid himself of his enemy. But things are not always as they seem in the spirit world." [Source]
- 114 pages in The Mammoth Book of Steampunk (April 2012) [ISBN-13: 978-1849017367] edited by Sean Wallace.
No progress
- 79 pages in The Jackal of Nar [ISBN-13: 978-0553578874] by John Marco.
No progress
- 126 pages in Land of Hope and Glory (pb, 2012)[ISBN-13: 978-1444721126] by Geoffrey Williams.
This is alternate history I like.
Despite the weather I try work on what I want to do the next three months.I'm still not satisfied with the numbers of reviews.
I will definitely post a review and an interview which belong together (I need to read and write the review and the interview is in progress)
Depending on a reply I will have a second interview combined with something special.
I work on a half year report and my summer reading list for July, August and September. Tomorrow is the 1rst of July. So I have to hurry up with the reading list.
Beside that I have the strong will to write three more reviews.
I will be part of a blog tour with a book review (the good thing is that I have finished reading).
Beside that I want to write and post three more reviews.
When everything goes well I will finish two books which I put on hold.
And I want to write and post four reviews.
Enjoy your weekend ....
Dear readers, I'm the one to tell you about books - only books? What about novellas and other stuff? My name is Bona. I scour shelves, shops and the net for books. If you call me a book whore I would not gainsay you. But be aware I have my own, sometimes elusive taste.
This week I received a paperback review copy, bought one real paperback and bought a digital copy of a short story.
On GOODREADS I have a Malazan Empire shelf. This reflects one of my big reading projects. So far I have read nothing more than The Gardens of the Moon (2009, 10th anniversary edition) [ISBN-13: 978-0593065068] by Steven Erikson the author of the ten book series The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Ian C. Esslemont who is the co-creator of the Malazan world is still writing books set in this world.
To my great pleasure the great people over at Tor/Forge for sent me a copy of Orb Sceptre Throne (pb, 2012) [ISBN-13: 978-0765329999]. Thank you very much for that. Now my contains 14 books and 13 of them unread.
"The epic new chapter in the history of Malaz—the new epic fantasy from Steven Erikson's friend and co-creator of this extraordinary and exciting imagined world. Darujhistan, city of dreams, city of blue flames, is peaceful at last; its citizens free to return to politicking, bickering, trading and, above all, enjoying the good things in life. Yet there are those who will not allow the past to remain buried. A scholar digging in the plains stumbles across an ancient sealed vault. The merchant Humble Measure schemes to drive out the remaining Malazan invaders. And the surviving agents of a long-lost power are stirring, for they sense change and so, opportunity. While, as ever at the centre of everything, a thief in a red waistcoat and of rotund proportions walks the streets, juggling in one hand custard pastries, and in the other the fate of the city itself.
Far to the south, fragments of the titanic Moon's Spawn have crashed into the Rivan Sea creating a series of isles...and a fortune hunter's dream. A Malazan veteran calling himself 'Red' ventures out to try his luck—and perhaps say goodbye to old friends. But there he finds far more than he'd bargained for as the rush to claim the Spawn's treasures descends into a mad scramble of chaos and bloodshed. For powers from across the world have gathered here, searching for the legendary Throne of Night. The impact of these events are far reaching, it seems. On an unremarkable island off the coast of Genabackis, a people who had turned their backs upon all such strivings now lift their masked faces towards the mainland and recall the ancient prophesy of a return.
And what about the ex-Claw of the Malazan Empire who now walks the uttermost edge of creation? His mission—the success or failure of which the Queen of Dreams saw long ago—is destined to shape far more than anyone could have ever imagined." [Source]
In July 2011 I read following post over at Layers of Thought:
Review: The Map of Time ~ by Felix J. Palma
As I do not buy hardcover I put the book on my list. And today arrived my The Map of Time (pb, July 2012)[ISBN-13: 978-1451683035]
paperback copy.
"Set in Victorian London with characters real and imagined, The Map of Time boasts a triple play of intertwined plots in which a skeptical H.G. Wells is called upon to investigate purported incidents of time travel and to save lives and literary classics, including Dracula and The Time Machine, from being wiped from existence.
What happens if we change history? The author explores this question in the novel, weaving an historical fantasy as imaginative as it is exciting—a story full of love and adventure that transports readers to a haunting setting in Victorian London for their own taste of time travel." [Source]
Be sure that Felix J. Palma's first book in his Map of Time series will be part of my summer reading list. Book two - The Map of the Sky will be published in September 2012 (hardcover). That means I have to wait until 2013 for the paperback.
In October 2008 I read one of the best books in my life: The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. And this week I found following post
"Rose of Fire", a short story by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
over at Dark Wolf's Fantasy Reviews.
I could not resist to by a digital copy of Rose of Fire (June 2012) [Amazon Kindle ASIN: B008B7VCBK].
"Set at the time of the Spanish Inquisition in the fifteenth century, "Rose of Fire" tells the story of the origins of the mysterious labyrinthine library, the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, which lies at the heart of Carlos Ruiz Zafón's novels The Shadow of the Wind, The Angel's Game, and now The Prisoner of Heaven." [Source]Mihai (Dark Wolf) wrote in his post that you can read the story for free. That is true. But I want to read it offline and therefore I bought a digital copy which is cheap.
No more today, see you next week ......
Hey, I'm Bona Fide. I just came back from my last foray through the blogosphere. What can you expect from me? I tell you: Everything from Art to Fart as long as there is any faint connection to books. And here is some honey from the beehive blogosphere...
There is this phenomenal detective. You know the one you can see in cinemas and on TV but never in real life. He is known since 1887 and seems to be immortal. You want to know more? Then read
4 Capital Clues That Prove Sherlock Holmes Is Alive and Well
over at bookgasm.
Did try to carve books? What a question! No book lover damage books. But there are artists who know what to do with books after reading as you can see over at the WebUrbanist. Enjoy
Topographic Tomes: More Carved Books by Guy Laramee
As I appreciate Rosalie Skinner's The Chronicles of Caleath series, I need to inform you that you can get the first book in the series
Exiled:Autumn's Peril (eBook, September 2011) (read my review)
And this is the official announcement:
FREE EBOOK... Amazon Best seller. One day only.
Book One is being offered FREE
for ONE DAY on 30th JUNE as an
END OF FINANCIAL YEAR celebration.
Grab your copy today. Please tell your friends.
Keep posted on the upcoming release of Book FIVE by following this blog or The Chronicles of Caleath
So hurry up to get your digital copy.
That's it for today. Come back next week for more ......
Hey, it's me Fide. I'm a remote control professional. I'm that fast that I can watch two movies at the same time.
But don't worry. All the stuff I present to you will be shown at normal speed.
Today you get no movie trailer because I did not find one I would like to share with you. Instead I show you something useful .... in case you are a fan of steampunk. But it may be also interesting for other people.
Have a look at how to build a steampunk mechanical arm.
That's all for today. See you next time....
I 'm the Keeper of the minutes. But I don't mind when you call me Kotm. No, no. I don't explain to you how to pronounce.
There is something which a lot of people want but never will be ....
"You know you're getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you're down there."
George Burns, US actor & comedian (1896 - 1996)
George Burns, US actor & comedian (1896 - 1996)


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This weekend we are very lucky to have super-freelance-groom Alison Prescott blogging from Spruce Meadows- Alison has taken the long trip to Calgary together with Italian rider Juan Carlos Garcia and his two horses Bonzai van de Warande and Prince. Alison is almost always smiling and (trying to) enjoy life wherever she is.
This photo has been added to your cart !Your shopping cart »


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#1 Ranked Children's Hospital by U.S. News & World Report
MyPatients provides referring primary care providers with secure access to their patients' information.
Boston Children's has launched the world's 1st program dedicated to offering hand transplants to children who qualify.
Innovation insider is a semi-monthly e-newsletter analyzes innovations at Boston Children's, other academic medical centers and from industry.
Read the latest blog by a Boston Children's doctor, clinician or staff member.
There are many ways you can help children and their families get the care they need.
A diagnosis of acute kidney injury can be frightening. But you can rest assured knowing that Boston Children's physicians are considered among the best in their field, compassionate and committed to helping your child and family.
At Boston Children's, treatment for acute kidney injury usually involves three components:
1. Stabilizing your child's health
To do so your child's doctors may:
2. Treating the underlying cause of your child's AKI
This may include:
3. Support your child's kidneys as they recover. This may include:
If your child's AKI is quite severe, her doctors may recommend dialysis, a procedure that filters and rebalances your child's blood so that her kidneys can rest and heal. Read more about dialysis.
Typically, your child will be weaned off dialysis as the kidneys repair themselves. In rare cases, after three months on dialysis, the kidneys still might not have regained function. This may indicate that the kidneys are unable to repair themselves enough to work properly, and your child's doctor may recommend that she continue dialysis or begin to be evaluated for a kidney transplant.
Coping and support
From your first visit to Boston Children's, you'll work with a team of professionals who are committed to supporting your child and family during treatment for AKI.
Patient education: Our nurses are on hand to walk you through your child's treatment and help answer any questions you may have. They will also reach out to you by phone, continuing the care and support you received while at Boston Children's.
Parent to parent: Want to talk with someone whose child has been treated for AKI or a similar condition? We can often put you in touch with other families who can share their experience.
Faith-based support: If you and your family find yourself in need of spiritual support, we can connect you with the Boston Children's chaplaincy. Our program includes nearly a dozen clergy representing Episcopal, Jewish, Lutheran, Muslim, Roman Catholic, Unitarian and United Church of Christ traditions who will listen to you, pray with you and help you observe your own faith practices during your treatment experience.
Social work and mental health professionals: Our social workers and mental health clinicians have helped many other families in your situation. We can offer counseling and assistance with issues such as coping with your child's diagnosis, stresses relating to coping with illness and dealing with financial difficulties.
On our For Patients and Families site, you can read all you need to know about:
Integrative therapies
Our patient-centered approach means that we want your child to not only get better, but also feel good along the way. Throughout the hospital, you¹ll find clinicians trained in therapies that can make your child feel more comfortable, learn to shift focus away from pain and enjoy some peaceful moments during what may be an anxious time. Read more about how acupuncture, guided meditation, guided imagery, Massage, Reiki and therapeutic touch could help your child.
Boston Children's is so much more than a hospital—it's a community of researchers, clinicians, administrators, support staff, innovators, teachers, patients and families, all working together to make the impossible possible.


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Sarah Boucher assisted on Lindsey Richert's goal, then scored with sister Casey Boucher assisting as the No. 3 Rams (10-0-2) topped the Indians (6-2-4) at home. Nikki Zuidema (eight saves) registered her sixth shutout of the season.
Northbridge 2, Grafton 0
Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, at Whitinsville
Updated: Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013, 8:49 p.m.


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Training farms known as incubators are helping immigrants and others get into farming. But Congressional wrangling over the Farm Bill has put their future in question.
Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London, have learned that climate change endangers Ethiopia's coffee crops. Here's what they're doing to make sure the plants will survive.
Hungry for okra, collards, and trout? In Appalachia, you can now get all your soul food cravings from local farmers.
If Initiative 522 succeeds, it could push manufacturers nationwide to begin labeling foods that contain genetically modified organisms.
Ron Finley speaks to YES! about why "gardening is gangsta" and how he's getting city youth back in the dirt.
Maybe there's something deeper to the stereotype of old-school farmers as plodding, slow-moving people.
Our Seattle Town Hall was a great success! We're grateful for everyone who attended. Here are some pictures from the event.
In "Paradise Lot," two residents of an inner city write about how they transformed less than an acre of their blighted yard into a thriving food forest full of mushrooms, gooseberries, silkworms, and more.
This weekend, people in 250 cities on 6 continents will march against meddling in the global food supply by Monsanto—the company that brought us Agent Orange, Dioxin, PCBs, and the bovine growth hormone.
There's nothing like talk of "government handouts" to get people upset. But when it comes to farm bill, the real culprits might not be who you think they are.
Video: Whatever service you might need, you're likely to be able to get it at Onion River Time Bank, where you pay by doing what you love.


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Accommodation options within 8km from Moonflower Cottages B&B include:
A charming 4 star TGSA graded Guesthouse in Secret Parkhurst.
Affordable accommodation available: 4 Suites with bedrooms, bathrooms, en-suite bathroom and small kitchenette facility. 4 bedrooms with bathrooms, 5 cottages with bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and lounges.
Jojendi is situated in Linden, a centrally located Northern suburb of Johannesburg. Jojendi Guest Suites offers you a unique combination of both bed and breakfast with a kitchenette in selected units.
Situated in a quiet suburb. Easy access to freeways and tourist attractions. Luxury cottages furnished in African style, surrounded by beautiful garden. Cottages have TV, fridge, microwave, coffee facilities. Phone, fax, internet and Secure parking.
Cherry Tree Cottage in Linden, Northcliff in Johannesburg. Four, twin bed, executive, spacious & airy suites, shower en-suite accommodates eight guests. Close to Randburg, Sandton, Hyde Park, Rosebank, Cresta, Parkhurst, Parkview, Melville.


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The Orioles continue to trail the White Sox, 2-0, in the top of the fifth because left fielder Juan Pierre made a diving catch near the line to rob Brian Roberts of two RBIs.
Paul Konerko homered with two outs in the bottom of the fourth to pad Chicago's lead. Luke Scott leaped at the fence and hung on it for a few seconds.
At some point, the Orioles will start scoring runs for Jeremy Guthrie. Maybe not tonight, but it's bound to happen. Be sure to DVR the game so you can show your friends, who will refuse to believe it.
Matt Wieters threw out Pierre trying to steal second base for the second time in this series.
Down on the farm, Single-A Delmarva shortstop Manny Machado is 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored, as the Shorebirds lead Charleston, 8-0, in the seventh inning. Machado has raised his average to .349.
Update: Machado was removed for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, but he's not hurt. The Shorebirds had a big lead and will play an early game tomorrow. Manager Ryan Minor was resting him.
Left fielder Kipp Schutz is 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, leaving his average at .375. Third baseman Jonathan Schoop is 2-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored. He's batting .327.
Scott Copeland, a 21st-round pick last year out of Southern Mississippi, is blanking Charleston on three hits over six innings, with four walks and six strikeouts.
First baseman Tyler Townsend hit his fourth home run for Single-A Frederick. He's batting .321.
Double-A Bowie's Wynn Pelzer allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, with five walks and five strikeouts. Both runs scored on home runs. The Baysox trail Harrisburg, 2-0.


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Thursday, June 28, 2012
before we paint
13 comments:
I think the pictures look very nice in your room. Love the jug! Looking forward to the new photos with changes you are making.ReplyDelete
What a peaceful place to relax. Very pretty. I absolutely love the new pictures on the wall with the black frames. Everything is so nicely put together. Love the enamel pitcher with the pretty flowers......and the dragonfly! Looking forward to the end results after the painting is finished. I know it will be very nice.ReplyDelete
Happy Canada Day . . .ReplyDelete
Such fun to have things spruced up, painted, rearranged . . . oh my though, it does result in so much work! I like the framed photo arrangement behind the sofa.
I recently found some large napkins at Anthropologie. I think they would be perfect for pillows. An inexpensive fabric to use for the change of seasons/pillows.
I love painters, the alternative is me painting. Oh my aching neck muscles. hahahah. I am you current newest follower. I linked to you from Lavender Dreaming. She is a sweetie. Please come see me when you can. MaryReplyDelete
Painting does seem to take over the whole house even if you are only painting one room. Everything is out of place...drives me nuts but it's so worth it in the end. Happy Canada Day! We broke a temp. record here in Ohio. Today it got to 103. Whew!ReplyDelete
I like your re-arrangements. Your living room looks very fresh and summery now.
At least you have photos now so you know exactly where to put everything after the painting is done!
What a concept - painters!! Perhaps I could introduce my husband to this concept, and then we'd actually get a room painted, thoroughly, in one go! :)ReplyDelete
I was here last night and read your post and had not a lick of energy to comment...nothing to do with the post...everything to do with my day. Oh I love that you are using your photography! Have you ever thought of having a photo enlarged a lot? Your photography is so terrific that it would be cool to see it enlarged. I'll send you a link to what another blogger is doing along these lines so you can see what I mean. (I do like the grouping over the sofa, but it's difficult to see the photos.)ReplyDelete
Painters! Yay! While washing the deck last night, painters came to mind because the thought of painting that thing again is just too overwhelming. I once hired the youth group to do it, but they were young and didn't do the finest job.
My faux flowers live in a drawer in the sewing room.
Hi Pamela! Oh, your living room looks so lovely and I do love the fauxs! Yours look pretty and I love the pitcher with the little dragonfly on it. Your picture arrangement looks great and I wondered if you ever framed and hung your snaps. I'm so glad you do - they're lovely. How exciting to have some painting going on! :)ReplyDelete
Be a sweetie and Happy Cananda Day!
Shelia ;)
Those are your shots in the frames aren't they? You should have some blown up really big!ReplyDelete
What colors are you painting? Have you chosen them yet, this is exciting.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I'll have to take your word for it that the place needs painting because I think these "before" photos are looking pretty terrific. Have a wonderful weekend, Pamela. Happy Canada Day.ReplyDelete
It all looks so nice now Pam.. Painting is a lot of work but it is so lovely when it is all finished.. Happy Canada Day...ReplyDelete
It looks good already but it will be interesting to see the new paint. The arrangement over the sofa looks good. Frames like that can be so hard to get just right but I think you have done it. I hope you have a good holiday weekend and stay cool!ReplyDelete


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For 200 years, royaly, famous designers, artists, actors, sophisticated and demanding leisure travellers and the most discerning business travellers from around the world, The Claridge's in London is more than just a hotel – it is an institution which has always been striving for perfection in service as well as product. It is a heartbeat which i could feel from the team through everything I touched, sensed or smelled throughout my entire stay.
Upon my swift check-in I came across the Map Room, a photo of which I saw on the hotel website before arriving. I thought it was a new themed suite. It is Claridge's unique innovative approach which have transformed a former barbor shop into a very cozy and warm living room, where in-house guests could work, have a tea, read etc. It is what other luxury hotels call a Business Centre or a Lounge. I actually used the Map Room (I have always found maps inspiring) doing some work on my laptop or simply reading the paper.
I was pampered to one of the finest suites of the hotel, The Linley Suites (short video), created by David Linley with a stunning mix of antique and contemporary bespoke furniture – a lavish living with a business desk, a dinner table, couch, coffee table, a fireplace and a state of the art Loewe Flat Tv. Warm tones of beige, cream, pastelle green and cherry wood make up for a very cozy, residential feel. Linley's sophisticated interpretation of Art Deco was mainly driven by functionality and comfort. Traditional Art Deco lamps are completed by Murano chandeliers, not to mention details such as an exquisit silk wallpaper in the entrance of the suite, depicting birds in a garden. A heavenly comfortable oversized king bed with Pratesi linen, a second beautiful fireplace and a huge wardrobe space make up the bedroom. While the desk in the living room is the working area the desk in the dining room resembles a boudoir with a concave mirror.
When opening the wardrobe, there was another pleasant surprise – two brand new Burberry trench coasts hanging, with a tag of the hotel, one for "him" and one for "her' for use during one's stay. WOW, I thought, what a sensible idea – I learned it was introduced less than a month before my stay and many guests love the new service. Guess what? Even the bathroom had several surprises in store – The Claridge's recently introduced the Bamford organic line of amenities, thus becoming the only luxury hotel in London with organic bathroom amenities in all rooms and suites. I gladly put aside my own toiletries and pampered myself with the Bamford products, based on geranium, peppermint and lavender (I adored the botanical geranium relaxing bath oil and the body lotion). Besides the mirror enclosed Tv I was to enjoy the best quality towels of the finest cotton by specialist Frette – custom made for The Claridge's.
Houseekeping and butler service have excelled during my stay – particularly my butler, Adam, who would go out of his way to please me. On my arrival he prepared a fresh cup of Moroccan mint tea, so I could warm up and suggested I take a bath using the botanical bath oil. I slept like a baby and woke up so refreshed the other day.
Early morning and night are the only times of the day the lobby and The Foyer restaurant are not busy. So I could take my time and admire the recently restored Art Deco entrance and the Foyer Restaurant, which is the centrepiece of the hotel, with a magnifcent glass atrium adorned by a huge glass chandelier. The working fireplace in the lobby with the leather couches are so inviting… At The Foyer, I had probably the best English breakfast ever – from the freshly squeezed Valencia sweet organce juice, sweet British ham, organic friend eggs and an anti-oxidant booster fruit plate with a selection of berries and pomegranate. I just wish that the hotel would be able to implement a recognition system like the major luxury chains, so that guest would not be asked their room number all the time.
Innovation is clearly part of Clardige's DNA, with a WOW factor waiting to be discovered in every corner of the hotel. During my stay, the hotel organized its first Charleston Master Classes, as part of its commitment to its local patrons. Claridge's a very family friendly hotel, with children being pampered with a wealth of services. Other exceptional details include the in-house flower shop by renowned McQueens florist, the hotel's very own candle by Cire Trudon, the world's oldest candle maker – a luxurious candle which captures the scent of the hotel's Fumoir bar with accents of leather and rhum, the personalized Bentley chauffeur service and last but not least, Claridge's very own 'artist in residence'- famous fashion illustrator David Downton who has been drawing portraits of some of Claridge's most famous guests and not only.
But probably my most cherished moment was when I walked back to the hotel from the nearby Bond Street and wondered through the exquisit contemporary art galleries of Mayfair, and realized upon entering the hotel how proud and priviliged I felt to be a guest of the Claridge's and this, I believe, to be the ultimate level of satisfaction a luxury hotel should be seeking for.
Oliver Petcu in London
*an extensive, dedicated photo gallery is available on the CPP-LUXURY.COM Facebook page
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Navy vs Penn State Wrap - Penn State Wins 34-7
Penn State won 34-7 on Saturday against Navy behind a 136-yard receiving performance from Allen Robinson at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State was a favorite by 6.5 points and came through with an ATS victory for bettors. The game went UNDER the consensus closing total of 48.5.
Matt McGloin completed 13 of 21 pass attempts for 231 yards for the Nittany Lions in the win. He did not throw an interception in the game.
Gee Gee Greene rushed for 70 yards for Navy, while John Howell added 37 yards. Keenan Reynolds threw for 44 yards for the Midshipmen, while receivers Shawn Lynch and Casey Bolena had 39 and 30 yards respectively.
Penn State was outgained by Navy 371-341 yards in Saturday's match, while the important battle of first downs was won 22-16 by the Midshipmen.
The time of possession battle favored Navy as their offense was on the field for 36:23, longer than the 23:37 of their opponents.
Penn State looks to continue their winning ways next game with a battle against Temple. Navy will aim to get back on the winning track vs VMI.


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Harry Redknapp says Luis Suarez 10-game ban not a surprise
QPR boss Harry Redknapp says he was not surprised by the 10-match ban given to Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.
Last Updated: 26/04/13 12:56pm
Suarez was issued with the punishment for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, an act which drew condemnation from the Prime Minister as well as football pundits.
Redknapp said: "I could see it coming. Once politicians have opinions, you could see he was going to be hammered, for sure.
"He's such a player, just the most fantastic footballer. I think he's amazing. You'd absolutely love to have him playing in your team.
"He could play in any team in the world he is that good so it's a shame that he goes off the rails.
"I agree with what Graeme Souness said: he's now in the last chance saloon. He can't do it again. It's quite a fierce punishment, 10 games, but he's got to learn. It must be difficult for (Liverpool boss) Brendan Rodgers.
"He gets slaughtered for whatever he says, but he's got to protect the player and protect the club. He is in a difficult situation.
"The boy is some player but he's got to learn his lesson now and this has got to be the last time he does something as stupid as that."


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The British based automaker Aston Martin is planning to introduce a replacement for the DB9 which is expected to make its way onto the market in 2016 under a different name.
The Aston Martin DB9 will soon be discontinued but the car manufacturer will not be dropping the model from the market as a replacement is planned for 2016. The announcement hasn't been made official but according to the model in question will be renamed. The successor of the DB9 will likely wear the "DB" moniker but the number to follow it hasn't been decided just yet.
The successor of the Aston Martin DB9 should be named the DB10 but according to the company's design director, Marek Reichman, the carmaker has "skipped a number last time" so its name is currently unknown. In terms of design, the sports car will be looking "unmistakably an Aston and a DB at that" but it will be coming with a fresh touch. The vehicle will be based on a new architecture and aluminum will be used in order to keep its weight down. The DB9 successor is believed to be powered by a Mercedes-Benz AMG sourced engine, the 4.0 liter twin turbo V8, which will be connected to a 9-speed automatic transmission.


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Unaccustomed to simplicity
"For G-d so loved us, that He became flesh. And while in His flesh, He experienced death - not to condemn us nor to accuse us, but to show us the truth of His great love." (Based on John 3:16-17, NIV)
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Lisa Bevere, on Girls with Swords
Posted by Unknown at 10:08 PM 1 comment:
Labels: abortion, bible, bride, christianity, college stories, diary, drama, dreams, ecards, education, faith, God, rebellion, sacrifice, scripture, sex, Short stories, suicide, swords
Monday, February 15, 2016
Posted by Unknown at 10:03 AM No comments:
Labels: bible, bible verses, bread, bride, cat, christianity, Church, college, crisis, diary, dreams, ecards, education, faith, God, healing, healthy, history, memes
Friday, February 12, 2016
Jesus Wasn't a Good Man...
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction... Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:1, 34-39 (ESV)
Basically, it doesn't matter how you approach Christianity - people are going to hate it and be offended by it no matter how sweetly you say His Name. So just say it. Just pray, just worship and don't look to the secular (G-dless) community for approval. Hey, don't even look to your fellow believers for approval - look to G-d, because He's the only one who is equipped to properly judge your heart. There is no pastor, rabbi, or teacher who can take the Mercy Seat as his own, so believe that the L-rd is True in all that is written, and follow Him.
JESUS WASN'T JUST A GOOD MAN... He IS G-d.
So many people who are on the fence about faith claim "Jesus was a good man." The truth is, Jesus was either G-d, or furniture chewing crazy. There is no middle ground on this. You either believe Him or you don't. When you attempt to take away His Divinity to make a more comfortable presentation, you're really just displaying your own insecurities and doubt about your own faith. The secular community ALWAYS jumps on this, because even they aren't blind to rot. JUST BE FEARLESS in your presentation, be BOLD, be COURAGEOUS, be a vessel for contaminating impurity by refining the waters of the unrighteous, that ALL may partake in His Sovereign Goodness.
Posted by Unknown at 11:48 AM No comments:
Labels: bible, Christian, christianity, Church, college, diary, drama, dreams, education, Europe, God, homosexuality, human trafficking, inspirational, islam, Judaism, marriage, philosophy, politics, rebellion
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Rodney Mullen on the Culture, Technology, and Separating Yourself from the Normal:
Posted by Unknown at 4:20 PM No comments:
Labels: abuse, Christian, christianity, Church, college, diary, drama, dreams, education, Europe, God, history, inspirational, philosophy
Sunday, December 7, 2014
I Create for My G-d
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Labels: art, bible, Chanukah, christmas, college, diary, drama, dreams, ecards, ethics, European, fairy tales, French, graduation, holidays, photography, red, redheads
Sunday, November 2, 2014
From Facebook
"The secret of the L-rd is with them that fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant. Mine eyes are ever toward the L-rd; for He shall pluck my feet out of the net." Psalm 25:14-15 (KJV).
It's funny how so many people want to be on the "elite" team - among the big wigs of the believing community - but one thing that the L-rd makes clear is that there is no secret knowdlege given to only a few. There is knowledge of Him and His Glory, and that is meant to be shared freely with all. No man has the authority to take the judges seat, because no man has control over the breath of G-d.
This scripture is especially important to me, as it captures the exact feelings of being plucked from the net of fear. When I was younger in my faith I would be plagued with terrible nightmares riddled with terrible beasts. Every time - without fail - when I would cry out to the L-rd in faith, He would come and seemingly pluck me out of the situation. Even in my waking hours, I would experience situations in which I thought there was no escape. The L-rd would open up a dialogue with me - prayer being my personal sword - and then He would lead me out of the desert face first into the still water, giving me drink and nourishment.
"The L-rd is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul; He guides me in the path of the righteous, for His Name's sake..." Psalm 23:2-3I sit here writing this as the very cold first winds of autumn blow past us, and now living on my own, I take in all of the situations G-d has plucked me from. Some more dangerous than others, but I praise His Glorious Name for being the constant refuge and strong tower - not blown by any cold wind. And even though it's quite chilly outside, there's nothing more I enjoy than basking in His fresh spring; warm in the cold, and cool in the heat. He is G-d, and can do all things.
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Labels: bible, christianity, crisis, diary, drama, dreams, faith, God, graduation, healing, holidays, Judaism, philosophy, photography, poetry, politics, spirituality, thanksgiving, truth, Yeshua
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Sometimes when I'm pouring over my Sophomore texts, and I'm zooming through the homework I feel Him bend down to whisper in my ear, "it's happening..." And then I see it... His plan for me in only a glimpse; anywhere I want to go. I see myself comparing Oxford and Cambridge, or University of Bordeaux. He shows me packing my things for Willian & Mary; internships in Israel, Greece and France. Then I see books, research papers, lecture tours, vacations back home simply to antagonize my brother... Maybe so our kids can have a relationship with their aunt and uncle... And bragging to him that I dug up an Assyrian toilet (since every archaeologist seems to find a toilet).
Then, of course, He reminds me that I have to finish my homework... *sighs* Yes, Abba, homework is nearly finished.
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PCR Thermal Cyclers Support
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Getting Started
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- My PCR tubes got deformed after the experiment. What is wrong?
Guides and tools
- Brochure: Applied Biosystems™ Thermal Cyclers
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MINNEAPOLIS Kevin Garnett had 35 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his first triple-double of the season, helping the Minnesota Timberwolves hold off Dallas 114-109 on Thursday night for their fourth straight victory.
Sam Cassell added 26 points, and Gary Trent had a season-high 18 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota.
Kings 101, Hornets 90
NEW ORLEANS Brad Miller had 21 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists for Sacramento.
Mike Bibby added 19 points, Bobby Jackson had 18 and Peja Stojakovic 17 for the Kings.
Trail Blazers 101, Suns 94
PORTLAND,Ore. Zach Randolph had 29 points and 20 rebounds to lead Portland past Phoenix.
Damon Stoudamire and Rasheed Wallace each added 15 points for the Trail Blazers. Shawn Marion had 20 points for the Suns.
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And yes, our values include tolerance of those who wish to make fun of religion.
In the end, the line between magic and religion may be something of an artificial one.
It needs to be said: bigotry in the name of religion is still bigotry; child abuse wrapped in a Bible verse is still child abuse.
The Communist Party of China gets a bad rap for cracking down on religion.
The religion shaped all facets of life: art, medicine, literature, and even dynastic politics.
Aspasia remained in Athens, triumphant over the laws of religion and morality.
The influences of religion have been multiplied and strengthened.
There is a moral, and a religion too, even in the silent walls.
I wish it were possible to speak of God without the implication of dealing with religion.
The minute you touch on religion, as commonly understood, you reach the sectarian.
c.1200, "state of life bound by monastic vows," also "conduct indicating a belief in a divine power," from Anglo-French religiun (11c.), Old French religion "piety, devotion; religious community," and directly from Latin religionem (nominative religio) "respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods; conscientiousness, sense of right, moral obligation; fear of the gods; divine service, religious observance; a religion, a faith, a mode of worship, cult; sanctity, holiness," in Late Latin "monastic life" (5c.).
According to Cicero derived from relegere "go through again" (in reading or in thought), from re- "again" (see re-) + legere "read" (see lecture (n.)). However, popular etymology among the later ancients (Servius, Lactantius, Augustine) and the interpretation of many modern writers connects it with religare "to bind fast" (see rely), via notion of "place an obligation on," or "bond between humans and gods." In that case, the re- would be intensive. Another possible origin is religiens "careful," opposite of negligens. In English, meaning "particular system of faith" is recorded from c.1300; sense of "recognition of and allegiance in manner of life (perceived as justly due) to a higher, unseen power or powers" is from 1530s.
To hold, therefore, that there is no difference in matters of religion between forms that are unlike each other, and even contrary to each other, most clearly leads in the end to the rejection of all religion in both theory and practice. And this is the same thing as atheism, however it may differ from it in name. [Pope Leo XIII, Immortale Dei, 1885]
Related Terms


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How to Convert JPG to PNG
Three Methods:Using an Image EditorUsing an Online ServiceConverting Multiple Image FilesCommunity Q&A
Do you have a JPG image that you need to convert to PNG? While you will get better quality if you are able to convert the original version to PNG instead, there are a variety of ways to convert your JPG file if you don't have access to the original. See Step 1 below to learn how.
Using an Image Editor
1Open the JPG in your image editing software. This can be a free, basic program like Paint, or a complex program like Adobe Photoshop. The end result will be the same.
- Consider finding the original source of the image instead of converting the JPG. JPG files are compressed, and suffer a quality loss at the time of compression. This means that converting them to PNG will not result in a higher-quality image. In order to get the best quality, you will want to find the original source image and save it as a PNG file.
2Click File and select Save As. This will create a copy of the original file, and allows you to set a new format. Give your file a name that helps you identify that it has been converted.
3Choose your format. In the "Save as type" or "Format" drop-down menu, select PNG as the file format. Click Save. When you save the file, it will be turned into a PNG image.
Using an Online Service
1Find an online conversion service. There are a variety of free online conversion services that will convert your image files for you. This is especially useful if you are using a computer without any image editing software accessible. Popular services include:
- Zamzar
- Online-Convert
- Picture Resize
2Upload your file. The process will vary depending on the service you are using, but generally you will be able to upload any JPG image from your computer. Some services allow you to insert the URL for images on the web instead of uploading them.
- Make sure you are comfortable uploading your image to these servers. While most have a privacy policy in place to protect you, trust is an important factor. If the images are a security risk or highly personal, you may want to convert them using another method.
- You may be required to enter your email address in order to receive the converted file.
- Since some services are designed for multiple formats, make sure you have PNG selected as the format when you upload your JPG file.
3Download your converted file. Some services will convert as soon as you upload, while others will require you to click a Convert button. The conversion process may take a few moments to a few minutes. After the conversion is complete, you will either be given a download link for the converted file, or it will be emailed to you as an attachment.
Converting Multiple Image Files
1Download a batch conversion program. If you have a lot of files that need to be converted from JPG to PNG (or any other image format), downloading a conversion program will save you the most time and busywork. These programs also have the benefit of keeping your files local, so that you don't have to upload them to another server for conversion.
- One of the most popular batch conversion programs is Bulk Image Converter, an open-source program available for free from SourceForge. Another popular program is Imagicon, but it is ad-supported.
2Place all the images you want converted in one directory. Bulk Image Converter loads entire directories for the conversion process. Place the directory somewhere easy to navigate to, such as on the root of your hard drive.
3Start the batch converter. Load your directory of images into the program. Choose what the original format is. The program will scan for all images of that file type in the directory you selected. Select the format that you want to convert them to (PNG in this case).
- You can choose to delete the originals automatically, but this is usually not recommended as errors may occur during the conversion process.
- Click the Start button to start the converter. You can watch the progress of the conversion process. in the "Progress" section.
4Review your converted images. After the conversion process has been completed, review your images to ensure that the conversion went smoothly. When doing a batch conversion, there is a small chance that errors may occur with certain images. If this is the case, try converting the problem images individually using the first method of this article.
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Community Q&A
I have NCH photo editor and I am wondering how to convert my JPG pictures into PNG transparents. What can I do?wikiHow ContributorClick on file tab, select 'save as,' change the format to PNG and click on 'save.'
Why convert image JPG to PNG formatwikiHow ContributorBecause one may be preferable to the other for certain applications. PNG format is good for high definition photos, such as logos.
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Categories: Image Conversion
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Español: convertir un archivo JPG a uno PNG, Italiano: Convertire un File JPG in PNG, Português: Converter JPG para PNG, Русский: конвертировать JPG в PNG, Français: convertir un fichier JPG en PNG, Deutsch: JPG in PNG umwandeln, Bahasa Indonesia: Mengonversi JPG menjadi PNG, Nederlands: Afbeeldingen van JPG naar PNG omzetten, 中文: 将JPG格式的图片转换为PNG格式, العربية: التحويل من جى بي جي إلى بي ان جي, ไทย: แปลงไฟล์ JPG เป็น PNG, Tiếng Việt: Chuyển đổi JPG sang PNG, 한국어: JPG 파일 PNG로 변환하는 법
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The Hooligan Navy (The Corsair Fleet)
This rare documentary originally aired as part of the "Sea Tales" series on A&E. It tells a little-known story about a band of young yachtsmen and fishermen who were recruited during World War II to help protect the United States' East coast from Hitler's deadly fleet of Nazi U-Boats.
The sailors were sent out to find and confront the U-Boats equipped only with antique machine guns mounted on wooden recreational sailboats that were put into service so quickly the grey paint was still wet when they left the docks.
Download & read 24-page historic treatise posted by the United States Coast Guard on how the beach patrols and the Corsair Fleet worked to keep America's Atlantic coastline safe during World War II.
Click here to download a PDF copy of "The Beach Patrol and Corsair Fleet" written by Dennis L. Noble
Length: About 47 minutes.


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Caught! Discipline from both perspectives.
|by Millard
Copyright on this story text belongs at all times to the original author only, whether stated explicitly in the text or not. The original date of posting to the MMSA was: 01 Feb 2006
It was a dare. Pure and simple, it was a dare. Billy Franklin was an honest, God fearing kid who never got into trouble. He was a good student, and was well liked by his teachers, and other students. The dare was simple. Sneak into Mr. Brewer's classroom, and change the grades for every boy on the boy's fourth grade basketball team. Billy wasn't stupid. He well knew that there were risks involved. Still, the thrill of the hunt took over, and he did it.
Billy was a blonde haired, blue eyed, normal build ten year old with a mischievious grin. Mr. Brewer was 38, a quiet man, small of stature, one who did not raise his voice often. He taught history, and quite obviously loved what he did. He was respected by the ten year olds in his care, even if they didn't express it. He was a good teacher.
Suffice it to say, even the best laid plans can go amiss. While Billy was in Mr. Brewer's classroom, four of his buddies were milling around in the hallway, standing watch, making certain nobody came by. They would whistle a warning if they saw somebody. After all, it was after school, and nobody should be around.
"Nobody", Mr. Brewer, had decided to go back to his classroom to pick up his reading glasses. He walked in and saw the boys standing near his door. When he called out "what do you guys want" they scattered like the wind, a wind that hadn't whistled. Thus Billy was caught red handed.
Mr. Brewer was livid. This occurred during the 1950's, when teachers were empowered to discipline, and did. Mr. Brewer was not one to spank, or paddle. Oh, an occasional boy was taken to the hallway and cracked once or twice. On an even rarer occasion, a girl was taken to the cloakroom and taken over his lap for a 'fatherly' spanking. These were rare, and didn't involve breaking and entering, and cheating. He walked to the boy, who was frozen at his desk, like a deer in the headlights. He lifted the boy up by the shoulders and shook him as he yelled the typical comments such as "why" and "how could you do this", all of which had no real answer. He finished with a sentence that would send chills down the boy's back. "If you want to be a big man, a thief, a cheat, then I'll show you what happens to big men." With that, he reached out and unfastened the boy's belt, unsnapped his jeans, and pulled down his zipper. The jeans fell to the floor and Bily stood in his small white jockey shorts as the only covering over his lower body. Mr. Brewer placed his hands at the waistband, and lowered the underpants. He didn't just rip them down, he lowered them slowly, increasing the boy's fear and embarassment, which became obvious as the undies cleared his little circumcised penis which popped out, standing stiff and tall, actually pointing upwards. The undies were pulled to the boy's ankles, and the jeans and undies removed from his feet. Naked below the waist except for his shoes and socks, he was turned, and placed in the time honored position, over the now seated man's lap.
Billy was frightened, so frightened that he thought he was going to wet himself. He had never seen Mr. Brewer this angry. When the man unfastened his belt, he could only say 'no'. He well knew that he was in for a spanking. The lowering of his jeans was embarassing enough, but when the man reached out and took hold of his underpants waistband, Billy's eyes bulged out. Worse, he felt his little manhood bulge out also. As his undies lowered, his face reddened. When the undies pulled down far enough, his little guy popped out, stiff as a board. He was mortified. The rest was a blur, until he found himself over the man's lap, looking down at the worn wooden flooring that schools all seemed to have. He had never studied flooring before, never having been this close to it. He could feel the air on his bare butt. He clenched his cheeks together, in the vain attempt to protect himself. He was terribly embarassed. This was, to the man, simply a necessary preliminary to the main event. To the boy, in some ways this was worse than the actual spanking. He was bare, his butt was on display, and he couldn't do a thing about it.
Mr. Brewer got right to his duty, raising his hand high, and cracking it down hard across Billy's right buttock cheek. A loud sharp "crack" sound filled the room. When he raised his hand, he saw a white imprint on the buttock, an imprint which quickly turned pink, then red. He then spanked again, harder this time, working his hand up and down the boy's buttocks, alternating from cheek to cheek, covering the area from his waist to his upper thighs, spanking over and over, harder and harder at a steady pace, not hurried. In truth, he was enjoying watching the boy's bottom. While he would never admit it, he was thinking back on his own spankings, when he found himself over his mother or father or uncle's lap. Billy's cries and pleadings fell on deaf ears. He spanked.
Billy felt the first spank, and tensed his body so much that he was almost horizontal across the man's lap. The subsequent spanks came hard and strong. He felt them, felt the sting, the burning, the pain. He cried. He sobbed. He begged, but the spanking continued, over and over, harder and harder. He found himself draping his body down, giving in, accepting what was coming as a dog might accept a bigger dog's bite. It went on and on. Through teary eyes he saw a small puddle of tears and snot on the floor. He tried to put his arm back to stop the spanking, but Mr. Brewer simply held it down. He couldn't move now, couldn't even squirm as he was spanked, over and over. Then it stopped. He was alive!
Mr. Brewer's hand was getting sore, but not as sore as Billy's butt, he assured himself. The boy's bottom was a dark red color, with some splotches of blue here and there which Mr. Brewer knew would become small bruises. To say that the boy had been spanked would be an understatement. He well knew, however that boys will be boys, and Billy would shrug this off to his cohorts, saying how it didn't hurt. He had a fix for that, as he wasn't finished, not by a long shot. He stood the boy up, watching as his hands flew to his burning butt, noting the snot and tears running down the boy's red face, noting that his little penis was now nothing more than a pink acorn atop the two walnuts that hung beneath. He could see in the boy's eyes that look. The look that said "I have won. You have given me your best, and I have won" He knew that Billy would prance out of the room bragging about how he had taken the spanking without even crying. He knew. He had been there.
Billy indeed was forming a plan in his mind. He would tell the other boys how Mr. Brewer had spanked him, but it didn't really hurt. He would tell how he had stood defiantly afterwards, the defeated teacher dismissing him when he couldn't 'break' him, or make him cry. He had a plan! His plan was smashed when the man lifted him up, his hands under his armpits, lifting him like a sack of potatos. He was shocked at the man's strength, but even more shocked when he found himself laid atop the teacher's big, heavy desk, on his back. Mr. Brewer then pushed his legs up and shoved them back as far as they would go, then pulled his hands and placed them in the hollows of his legs, telling him to not let go or they would start over..."from the beginning". Fear caused sweat to form on the boy's face as he looked through his legs toward the man. Mr. Brewer then pulled him forward, so that his little red (he could now see the lowest part of it) butt overhung the edge of the desk. His legs were pushed back even more, and spread out more. He was staring at his own penis, noting the underside of the head, his mind wondering why he hadn't looked this closely at it before. He was distracted enough that he didn't see the man take his belt off. It wasn't until the belt bit hard into his upper thighs that he knew he was in for a belt whipping. He screamed at the sudden pain, his hand moving to his thigh, where it was promptly strapped by the belt. He pulled his hand back, listening to the threats of what would happen if he tried that again. He was crying now, really crying. He could see the man's face as he raised the belt which then came down and hit him right on top of his butt hole.
Never had he felt anything like that, never had he screamed so loudly. It was the worst thing he had ever felt...and it was only the beginning.
Mr. Brewer looked down with satisfaction on the naked boy, picking his target, he strapped him in the most sensitive of spots, places which were before this only thoughts in his mind. The belt curved down and cracked into the boy's lowest buttock area, and then moved over, cracking against the widened opening, and up and down the cleft, cracking and snapping, leaving welts as it went. The boy's screaming only causing him to continue. He moved to the boy's left side, and gave strokes across the left buttock, strokes that only covered the left buttock, and ended in the cleft. The right side was visited and 'treated' to a similar series. Finally, he stopped. He looked down, amazed at the marks that he had given. At first, fearful that he had done too much, then calming, he was comforted by two things. First, the boy had deserved what he got, and second, he was certain he would never tell, never admit that he had been beaten so harshly. As an aside, he was also certain that Billy would never break and enter nor cheat...at least for a while. He allowed him to cry on the desk, still in the same position. Later, when the boy was reduced to soft sobs, he gently placed the belt in the boy's crack and said "remember". He picked up the belt, put it on, and walked out of the room, leaving the door open.
Billy couldn't believe the pain from the belt. He heard screams, not knowing that they were his. Over and over he was beaten. When it ended, he didn't even know it. He continued to cry. When the man placed the belt "there", he cringed. Mr. Brewer said only one word "remember", and left. He lay quietly atop the desk, afraid to move, afraid that he couldn't move. He finally got up, the pain coming back to his butt as he moved. He cried out again. In due time, he dressed (carefully) and left the building. His friends were long gone, and he faced the painful trip home. His only prayer was that he wouldn't find his dad standing at the door holding the paddle in one hand, the phone in the other!


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Join the May Bike Month Challenge and ride your bike and burn calories instead of gas.
Congratulations Sharon Fowler! You win a cool new "Fargo" cap in the May Bike Month Challenge!
You can join too, just "like" the page and "Ride your bike everyday, at least a mile for the rest of May"


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Tim Sparks
Chris Britt
Andy Cherrill
Rob Marrs
Simon Mortimer
Richard Pywell
Ian Rotherham
Victoria Stokes
Duncan Westbury
An increasing number of other challenges face those involved with vegetation management. These include
Pressure from development and urbanisation
The need to adapt to climate change and climate extremes
Continued biodiversity loss
Resolving recreation and conservation
Restoration and enhancement
Invasive species
Plant-soil interactions
Cultural landscapes
We invited offers of papers and posters in areas associated with Vegetation Management in its broadest sense, including those areas outlined above. As a consequence this volume contains a diversity of contributions including habitat management, restoration, creation and vegetation management for invertebrates.
Thanks are due to all members of the organising committee (see below) for their invaluable help with this conference. Sincere thanks are also due to Carol Millman, Becky Morgan, Claire Hartry and Bernadette Lawson at the AAB Office for organising the administration for the conference and preparing this volume of Aspects of Applied Biology.
Organising Committee
Tim Sparks
Chris Britt
Andy Cherrill
Rob Marrs
Simon Mortimer
Richard Pywell
Ian Rotherham
Victoria Stokes
Duncan Westbury
2011 pp.272
Price £30.00 (AAB Members £21.00)
Plus P&P to be applied on completion of purchase
For contents list click here
|Aspects 108: Vegetation Management


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Planet: Hoth
Companion type: Ranged DPS
Armor: Medium
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Age: 24
Likes: The Empire, the Sith, duty, honor
Dislikes: Cruelty, casual violence, selfishness
Primary Stat: Cunning
Secondary Stat: Endurance
Primary Weapon: Blaster Pistol
Secondary Weapon: Blaster Pistol
Crew Skill Bonus: +10 Scavenging Efficiency, +2 Armormech Critical
Romance Option
Personal History: Standard searches reveal no Imperial citizenship record for a "Raina Temple," but the usual caveats apply -our data on the Imperial populace remains sadly incomplete. Temple's skills and attitude suggest Imperial Army training, but her presence inside the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force is extremely unusual; neither the CEDF nor the Imperial military is known for its transfer programs.
Analysis: Personable and bright Imperial military cadets don't en d up embedded with aliens at the far edge of the galaxy without good reason. Temple could be a plant, but it's just as likely she's intentionally forced out of the picture. Best-guess personality profile suggests she's a typically patriotic example of the rank-and-file Imperial military -a true believer in Imperial superiority and duty. No matter how easygoing or empathetic she may be at times, the needs of her nation have to come first.
Raina Companion Gifts:
Holocron > Companions and Crew >


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A BILL to repeal §19-23-27, §19-23-28 and §19-23-29 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be repealed; to amend and reenact §6-7-2a of said code; and to amend and reenact §19-23-4, §19-23-5, §19-23-6, §19-23-15, §19-23-16 and §19-23- 17 of said code, all relating to the organization of the racing commission; establishing the criteria for membership; creating the position of director of racing; establishing the qualification of the director of racing; permitting the director to hire a staff; providing a compliant procedure; requiring the use of the administrative procedures act to conduct a hearing and providing an appeal procedure.
§19-23-4. West Virginia Racing Commission.
§19-23-5. Director of Racing and other personnel.
§19-23-15. Investigation bythe commission; suspension or revocation of license or permit.