text:
Corporate life and its very overwhelming side-effects (plenty, on which I shall elaborate in detail later..if you haven't had enough of it so far, that is) have been one of the prime factors of inspiration (if not the only) for the genesis of my blog.
You know... I've read blogs on politics,societal hypocracy,college pressure, family knots,patriotism and some on improving your culinary skills too and all these blogs would be really enticing and not to mention, insightful.
I'd always wonder what I would blog on bearing in mind the multifarious topics that will interest both me and a common reader so that one day an arbit reader would exclaim out loud.. 'Ah good blog! I should definitely come back and learn more.'
But try as I might, I am exceedingly incapable of refraining from centring my blogs around the common-denominator, 'Work'.
And it doesnt stop with that..
From work, springs more work...which leads to pressure...which brings us to tension...taking us to dissatisfaction, and eventually my most favourite comfort-zone, 'cribbing'
Ah, cribbing!
Now don't you uncategorically dismiss this act as a trite activity.
Judgemental you!
Convincing and captivating cribbing comes only with practice and how convincingly you enthrall your sympathizing audience depends on how well you've mastered this art (and of course the sort of people you're subjected to at work...but thats just a tag added-on for humour. Or is it?)
I for one am the indeclared Mistress of Cribbing. Why, in fact, 'crib' is my middle name (after whining, fusspot, and lazy-bum of course)
And you know what?
Cribbing is contagious too. In a fun sort'ov way.
Well...picture this...you wouldn't want your life to sound all mega 'peachy' over the phone when your poor friend's stuck at work with absurd timings, a crappy home...with crappy roomates...with an abominable boss..not to mention the miserable pay she might be getting.
So what can you do?
You can't undo her crappy life-style...No siree!
But what you can do, is make your life sound a little less chirpy...just trying to make your friend feel better, if not good.
So you do an itsy-witsy bit of cribbing in front of your depraved friend.
Like a harmless drink in front of your boss.
No harm after all.
Its not going to change anything anyway.
Thats harmless, steadfast and unadulterated cribbing for you. :)
The problem only rises when this becomes a habit and when you blame all your problems on one soul reason.
This is whats called 'uncool' cribbing
That is when you need an urgent metamorphosis on your outlook on life, in general.
hmmm....so much for uncalled-for philosphy-preaching.
(Please dont hate me for this)
So...will my blogs be worthwhile and constructive henceforth??
umm.... Next kosteen please :D
A forward I accidentally happened to read. Somethink to think about.
Vivek Pradhan was not a happy man. Even the plush comfort of the air-
conditioned compartment of the Shatabdi express could not cool his frayed nerves. He was the Project Manager and still not entitled to air travel.
It was not the prestige he sought, he had tried to reason with the adminperson, it was the savings in time.
As PM, he had so many things to do.
He opened his case and took out the laptop, determined to put the time to some good use.
"Are you from the software industry sir," the man beside him was staring appreciatively at the laptop.
Vivek glanced briefly and mumbled in affirmation, handling the laptop now with exaggerated care and importance as if it were an expensive car.
"You people have brought so much advancement to the country sir. Today everything is getting computerized."
"Thanks," smiled Vivek, turning around to give the man a look.
He always found it difficult to resist appreciation. The man was young and stocky like a sportsman. He looked simple and strangely out of place in that little lap of luxury like a small town boy in a prep school. He probably was a railway sportsman making the most of his free traveling pass.
"You people always amaze me," the man continued, "You sit in an office and write something on a computer and it does so many big things outside."
Vivek smiled deprecatingly. Naivety demanded reasoning not anger. "It is not as simple as that my friend. It is not just a question of writing a few lines. There is a lot of process that goes behind it." For a moment, he was tempted to explain the entire Software Development Lifecycle but restrained himself to a single statement. "It is complex, very complex."
"It has to be. No wonder you people are so highly paid," came the reply.
This was not turning out as Vivek had thought. A hint of belligerence came into his so far affable, persuasive tone.
"Everyone just sees the money. No one sees the amount of hard work we have to put in.Indians have such a narrow concept of hard work. Just because we sit in an air-conditioned office does not mean our brows do not sweat.
You exercise the muscle; we exercise the mind and believe me that is no less taxing."
He had the man where he wanted him and it was time to drive home the point.
"Let me give you an example. Take this train. The entire railway reservation system is computerized. You can book a train ticket between any two stations from any of the hundreds of computerized booking centres across the country. Thousands of transactions accessing a single database, at a time concurrency; data integrity, locking, data security. Do you understand the complexity in designing and coding such a system?"
The man was stuck with amazement, like a child at a planetarium. This was something big and beyond his imagination. "You design and code such things."
"I used to," Vivek paused for effect, "But now I am the Project Manager,"
"Oh!" sighed the man, as if the storm had passed over, "so your life is easy now."
It was like being told the fire was better than the frying pan. The man had to be given a feel of the heat.
"Oh come on, does life ever get easy as you go up the ladder. Responsibility only brings more work. Design and coding! That is the easier part. Now I do not do it, but I am responsible for it and believe me, that is far more stressful. My job is to get the work done in time and with the highest quality. To tell you about the pressures, there is the customer at one end always changing his requirements, the user wanting something else and your boss always expecting you to have finished it yesterday."
Vivek paused in his diatribe, his belligerence fading with self- realisation. What he had said, was not merely the outburst of a wronged man, it was the truth. And one need not get angry while defending the truth. "My friend," he concluded triumphantly, "you don't know what it is to be in the line of fire."
The man sat back in his chair, his eyes closed as if in realization.
When he spoke after sometime, it was with a calm certainty that surprised Vivek.
"I know sir, I know what it is to be in the line of fire," He was staring blankly as if no passenger, no train existed, just a vast expanse of time.
"There were 30 of us when we were ordered to capture Point 4875 in the cover of the night. The enemy was firing from the top. There was no knowing where the next bullet was going to come from and for whom. In the morning when we finally hoisted the tricolour at the top only 4 of us were alive."
"You are a..."
"I am Subedar Sushant from the 13 J&K Rifles on duty at Peak 4875 in Kargil. They tell me I have completed my term and can opt for a land assignment. But tell me sir, can one give up duty just because it makes life easier. On the dawn of that capture, one of my colleagues lay injured in the snow, open to enemy fire while we were hiding behind a bunker. It was my job to go and fetch that soldier to safety."
"But my captain refused me permission and went ahead himself. He said that the first pledge he had taken as a Gentleman Cadet was to put the safety and welfare of the nation foremost followed by the safety and welfare of the men he commanded."
"His own personal safety came last, always and every time. He was killed as he shielded that soldier into the bunker. Every morning now, as I stand guard I can see him taking all those bullets, which were actually meant for me. I know sir, I know what it is to be in the line of fire."
Vivek looked at him in disbelief not sure of his reply. Abruptly he switched off the laptop. It seemed trivial, even insulting to edit a word document in the presence of a man for whom valour and duty was a daily part of life; a valour and sense of duty which he had so far attributed only to epical heroes.
The train slowed down as it pulled into the station and Subedar Sushant picked up his bags to alight.
"It was nice meeting you sir."
Vivek fumbled with the handshake. This hand had climbed mountains, pressed the trigger, and hoisted the tricolour. Suddenly as if by impulse,he stood at attention and his right hand went up in an impromptu salute.
It was the least he felt he could do for the country.
PS: The incident he narrates during the capture of Peak 4875 is a true-life incident during the Kargil war. Capt. Batra sacrificed his life while trying to save one of the men he commanded, as victory was within sight.
For this and his various other acts of bravery he was awarded the Param
Vir Chakra the nation's highest military award.
Live humbly, there are great people around us, let us learn!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
To Crib or Not to Crib..
Corporate life and its very overwhelming side-effects (plenty, on which I shall elaborate in detail later..if you haven't had enough of it so far, that is) have been one of the prime factors of inspiration (if not the only) for the genesis of my blog.
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 3:21 PM 3 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Life's Lesson #300507.....
Leave all your attitude at home when dealing with the Management.
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 3:27 AM 0 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Labels: Life
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Now tell me…
Am I weird just because I sit on my office-chair with my legs crossed ?
Am I pretentious just because I prefer the Queen's Language to any other?
Am I confused just because my blog says so?
Am I unromantic just because I'm not in love?
Am I content just because I'm not ruthless?
Am I a narcissist just because I love myself?
Am I egoistic just because I think I can?
Am I a spoilt-brat just because I'm the only kid?
Am I a push-over just because I'm accomodative?
Am I aggressive just because I want to get my work done ?
Am I your friend just because I tolerate you?
Am I callous just because I don't tell my dear ones how much I love them?
Am I cruel just because I have no control over my temper?
Am I a sissy just because I like pink?
Am I selfish just because I don't wish to share my make up?
Am I vain just because I'm obsessed with my kajal and mascara?
Am I a nice person just because I let you have all the paneer from my dinner plate?
Am I a snob just because I don't make the first move?
Am I meek just because I don't rebel?
Am I self-centred just because I don't volunteer to do your work?
Am I asking for too much when I want some time for myself?
Am I lazy just because I demand a sound 10 hour sleep?
Am I indifferent just because I don't remember my best friends' birthdays?
Am I stupid just because I don't get things instantly?
(Don't answer that, thank you very much)
Am I jobless just because I put this post up?
Are you, just because you're reading this?
So many questions…so little time..
Life is unfair.
But Tell me…So what?
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 5:42 PM 5 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Life's Lesson #564855.....
A fever doesn't let you sleep for nuts....
How many ever sheep you try counting.
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 5:06 PM 2 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Labels: Life
Monday, May 21, 2007
I'm learning...
I dunno.
Life, over the last few weeks has become unexpectedly hectic and overwhelmingly flustering.
Thanks to the work-factor I'm a part of, I'm able to keep the insanity in my life live 'n kickin .
(Goooooo WORK!)
Lets see… lots of deadlines sprouting up, lots of tension in the air, lots of planning, lots of talking, lots of midnight tea, lots of strategy making, lots of strategy re-making, topped with lots of timely goof-ups, lots of laughter, lots of tempers flashing about, lots of frustration, lots of cursing (:D), lots more laughter, lots more midnight tea……….
Yep, quite a lot I'm seeing here with my naïve inexperienced eyes.
The team of ten I spend an average of almost 60 hours a week with, is the most heterogeneous and amajjingly bindaas kind of team…. and can be quite a handful to deal with when I'm tensed and under pressure (which is like…always)
Every day is a new day (well duhh..) but I've come to learn that you don't always start on a clean slate. You do carry some baggage on to the next day, whether you like it or not.
So I've learnt to play it cool….chill, sit back and watch the fun (purely figurative mind you. Can't afford otherwise)
Something makes me think of this song at this moment.
I'm sittin' here in the boring room
It's just another rainy sunday afternoon
I'm wasting my time, I got nothing to do
I'm hanging around, I'm waiting for you
But nothing ever happens and I wonder
I'm driving around in my car
I'm driving too fast, I'm driving too far
I'd like to change my point of view
I feel so lonely I'm waiting for you
But nothing ever happens and I wonder
I wonder how, I wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky
And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon tree
I'm turning my head up and down
I'm turning, turning, turning, turning, turning around
And all that I can see is just another lemon tree
I'm sittin' here, I miss the power
I'd like to go out, taking a shower
But there's a heavy cloud inside my head
I feel so tired, put myself into bed
But nothing ever happens, and I wonder
Isolation, is not good for me
Isolation, I don't want to sit on the lemon tree
I'm stepping around in the desert of joy
Maybe anyhow I get another toy
And everything will happen, and you wonder
I wonder how, I wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky
And all that I can see is just another lemon tree
I'm turning my head up and down
I'm turning, turning, turning, turning, turning around
And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon tree
And I wonder, wonder
I wonder how, I wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky
And all that I can see, and all that I can see
And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon tree..
Fools Garden
I'm work-under-progress.
I'm learning.
It slow and crappy.
But I'm liking it..
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 3:43 PM 0 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Labels: Reflection/Me
Friday, May 18, 2007
...My first 15-hour day at work.
Am I on fire or what!
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 7:29 PM 0 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Labels: sos
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
A Sip of Coffee for the Beginners' Soul
I was stuck in a meeting this morning with some angr(ej)y folks at work and the amount of continuous yada-yada-yada blah-blah-blah I was subjected to, is just inexplicable.
It was past my lunchtime and this meeting just never seemed to end.
I was beginning to feel hungry...and restless...and fidgety....and agitated...and jumpy, and irritated to say the least 'coz my tummy was now making funny noises and let me tell you, you don't want to be within a 10 metre radius from me when my tummy is no longer under my control.
I was desperate. I'd keep eyeing the door waiting for a miracle to happen.. like for instance, someone coming through the door with lunch on a tray or the bell ringing signalling that all activity ought to stop.
(Bell???? At work?? Anyone having the feeling I skipped college and joined work straight away from school??)
Just when I was I beginning to lose all hope a fellow enters the Conference Room with a tray.
Prayers answered!
Talk about wishful thinkin...Boy, that was quick!
But wait...a tray...with cups?
At 01:30 pm in the afternoon???
Who, in his/her right senses would serve TEA in the afternoon?????!?!?!?!?!?!!?
Fine whatever....I gazed hopefully at that tray while it was gracefully but friggin slowly taking its turn round the table.
I grab that cup when I get the chance.
No...more like...gulp...lick..gulp...gulp...gulp...mmmmm...(burp)
That drink was well deserving...Big smile on face.
But wait..this wasnt tea....this was...wait..its like something I've never tasted before.
Coffee....It was Coffee!
By George!
I drank my first cup of coffee ever, unknowingly that too....shattering all my ancient apprehensions on caffeine, throwing my prejudice against poor-'ol-coffee out the window.
And, you know what?
It didn't taste all that bad.
Think I'll give this drink a try once in a while.
(I'm still loyal to milk and tea though)
Well...whaddya know....looks like coffee,most definitely, is my cup of tea after all:)
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 1:03 PM 8 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Sunday, May 13, 2007
A Song for the Heart
The radio played Anne's Song a few days back.
Its been more than a decade since I've listened to this song and I'd almost totally forgotten what it was like to listen to the most romantic song ever (not that I have a single romantic bone in my body but still)
I remember having listened to this song over 'n over again some 14 years ago till I could sing it in my sleep (and also till the tape got stuck in our old fashioned tape-recorder which had be thrown out by my disgruntled mother who was disappointed that her 1980's-ka tape-recorder didn't last another decade or two.)
There are few songs that please your ears and even fewer songs that go an extra mile in making you a happy person.
Have you ever felt the need to listen to some songs over and over and over again…because of the tantalizing effect they have on you; Some songs which haven't really been played anywhere in ages, but make you sit back and allow yourself to bask in those abandoned and disremembered tunes the moment the blessed radio or the doordarshan plays them one fine day;
Or some songs,where all you have to do is just listen to them once…and you can feel your heart smile from inside.
Music in its varied forms has always captivated me and I say this at the risk of sounding clichéd. But I, like everyone else, have a set of songs that mean more to me than just rhyming words and addictive tunes.
Paradoxical as it may sound, I don't have any if these tracks in my lappy or my new Ipod (what better place to flaunt it than here) save one or two of them thanks to the bulk of the population that's gaga over KK's voice.
(that would ideally include me by the way)
My hitlist (in no particular order mind you) for eternity would be thus and will never ever be subject to change.
(Well, that's what I always say :P)
1. Blowing in the Wind - Bob Dylan
2. Hari Tum Haro – M.S. Subhalakshmi
3. Anne's Song - John Denver
4. The Boxer - Simon 'n Garfunkel
5. I am a Rock - Simon 'n Garfunkel
6. Jane Vaalon Zara -Dosti
7. Scarborough Fair - Simon 'n Garfunkel
8. Yesterday - The Beetles
9. Vanchathonuna set to Raag Karnaranjani-sung by T.N.Seshagopalan
10. Tu hi Meri shad hai
11. Enda Mutho-By Saint Thyagaraja set to Raag Bindumalini sung by T.N.Seshagopalan
(Actually all songs by TNS but I'll restrain myself from giving too many details)
Now will yours truly, at least now, take some efforts in loading some if not all of her favourite songs into her lappy?
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blowin' in the wind.
- Bob Dylan
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 3:49 PM 3 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Labels: music, Reflection/Me
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Lets Talk About Making an Impression
Funny what you put yourself through JUST to make a good impression.
Even funnier how things blow up on your face at the end of the day.
Life, Bah!
Picture this, my boss asks me to send one of those neat meeting invites you can create in Microsoft Outlook for a meeting over the phone, to brief me on some Client-Fundas I ought to be aware of, and in turn enlighten my team.
So ,Friday evening, the excited me fixes up a decent meeting-invite (first time you know.. )all properly worded and stuff, keeping in mind the time-zone-complexity involved in this entire scene.
Meeting for 1 hour.
11:30 am, afternoon, on Sunday.My time
2 am. His time.
Comfy for both my boss and me.He doesn't sleep early on weekends.. he said so himself.
Nice, meeting invite accepted also.
Not bad na?
So, Saturday afternoon, I ask myself if I have to do some reading-shmeeding, just to go over the company's policies, so that I don't sound like a complete jerk on Sunday's meeting.
Its all about making an impression, remember?
Its Saturday evening, and I haven't yet bothered to read through any of the relevant pdfs in my mailbox.
Oh well, its probably genetic by now.
Saturday night.
Will not be smitten by the procrastination-bug.
That's the spirit.
I read all the pdfs in my mailbox…so that I can smartly say… 'Yes Boss, I know that…Oh yes, that too' :P
Fine…apart from that, the least I can do is get a decent note-pad and a pen..that writes (That combination is a luxury in my house…trust me). And to make the call even more convenient on my side, I hunt for my long-lost earphones, so that I don't have to tilt my head during the entirety of the call.
The checklist before I hit the sack that night….infrastructure, all set.
I've told my grandparents not to summon me and make me run any errands for them from 11:30 hours- 13:00 hours.
Rite, done.
Yep all set.
Am I prepared for a meeting or what!!
Sunday morning.
Yawn….stretch….yawn yawn..
Lets look at the clock....
Meeting with boss!!!!!!!!!!!
Frantic hunt for cell under the sheets….missed calls.
Missed calls!!!
Christ…I just slept through a supposed-to-be-meeting with my boss!!!!!!
As if things weren't 'great' enough at work!!!
(Don't believe me? Check the post downstairs )
I sit on my bed…...and think.
And think.
Any more smart ways to make a good impression??
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 1:33 PM 8 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Friday, May 4, 2007
Its a 'Crazy' night out there
You know, these timings sort of bring out the worst in you. No wonder God programmed all of us to sleep through this time entirely and wake up when the world is devoid of darkness.
Boy….we have one hellova focused fellow up in the skies, I tell you.
Not an axiom I'm coming up with, but with the exasperating experience I've had over the past 4 weeks, I think I'm entitled to form my share of judgment.
Night…There are only 3 things you can, ought to and should be doing at this time.
Sleeping……Studying… and thirdly ,well..I'll leave that to your imagination (ahem..)But I seriously don't think 'work' ought to come anywhere near this list.
People are like the skies…they turn their shades in the absence of the sun.
Wait, did I say people??
I don't wish to make a universal statement on the global juntha. I'm not that old-and-wise to comment on Human Behaviour 'n all.
But comment on myself…yes that I can do very well.
I'm beginning to understand myself better every day….Or, every night.
(Night shifts remember? :D)
Let the unit of measurement of Human-Tension, for this discussion, be….say, Litres.
(Might sound crazy but do bear with me..)
If the average tension level of Yours Truly, on a normal working day, be 40 litres..
Night shifts bring up my tension level to a whooping un-precedented 400 litres.
Profound self assessment over the past few weeks has lead to the final conclusion ….. that, I'm unimaginable crazy under pressure.
The funny part of all this is that…my poor project mate is having to bear the brunt of my flaky temper and eccentric idiosyncrasies.
I end up losing my cool and screaming at him every other day…and also shamelessly apologizing every other day.
Crazy crazy cycle this is .
Amazing patience this fellow has… man!!!!!!!!!
Today, …we had quite a lot of documentation to do. It was around 2:30 am….'n we still had miles left…when I totally lost it..and screamed at this Mr. Fellow for not helping me with the doc'n . This shameless act of loose temper was followed by the customary goofy apology I deliver with great ease. This time with more style and élan.
Our crazy crazy conversation goes something like
(Anyone here feeling that I'm using the word 'crazy' more often than not )
Oh well..Koi baat nai…read on
(I walk up to this fellow's seat)
ME: Ravi..
RAVI(eyes anticipating havoc): Ab Kya?
ME: I'm….I'm….sorry .
RAVI(Non-chalant look): Ya, I know
ME(with over-whelming guilt ): Hey..lots of documents…all unfinished business… all drove me visibly insane.
RAVI(sarcastically): Really? I didn't notice.
ME(detecting the tint of sarcasm):Ya, Whatever. We're ok na? Not angry or anything na?
RAVI: Ya ya..go go..do your documentation.
ME(alarmed at his shameless reply yet grateful for not being mistaken ): Ya ok..
And I go on to do documentation at some goddamn time at the middle of the night…while Mr. Fellow, is doing some non-documentation work.
That's what I call style man.
(Or ishtyle… whatever :D)
Now I sit at home…in front of the lappy, at 5:30 am typing this mail…. Asking myself ….is life, or more specific, work, worth all that tension…and all that apology???
Really…..like what Sahil (my friend,philosopher 'n guide) says…all our problems, in a broader perspective, disintegrate to be minute atoms in the Solar System called Life… So why bother ??
We just have to remember that …In the end, it doesn't really matter.
(Copyright: Linkin Park)
So…Tension Kai ko lene ka?
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 3:25 AM 0 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Woman's Day...or something like that
I seriously fail to understand what this day is all about.
This 'Women's Day'
Forgive me,but I really am a dumb girl.
My logic is generally acknowledged to work in the most bizarre of ways, so I don't wish to impose it on all of mankind but I still feel that I have the liberty,if not, the right,to proclaim what I'm ponddering over.
With due respect to all the women of this world (a dignified fraternity of which even I am a part of) who feel that this very day has its own significance in the calendar, let me say that I cherish this very day and I do agree,we certainly are a unique species and I don't wish to disprove or antagonize you.
But still, I go on to ask... What exactly are we trying to prove to the world here, on this special day?
The existence of women?
The importance of women?
The crucial and indispensible role we play in the circle of life?
The significance of the weaker sex?
The compassion thats an intrcate part of us??
The extent to which we can make a difference in the society?
The equality,if not the superiority, of the Women-species V's Men-species?
This is something that has always irked me on the dawn of every 8th of March, every year, ever since I was able to think clearly on my own; uninfluenced by the shadow of my parent's and society's thought processes.
Gandhi-Day, Nehru-Day, Netaji-Day..yes understandable.
You pay homage on that one day dedicated to them, bcause you certainly can't remember them everyday.
They are indeed great souls, yes, but come on, they're dead people.
But Tell me...Are women something to be remembered and celebrated on just ONE day in the calendar?
Is that ALL we are???
Somethin to be remembered?
On this day, 8th of March, We thank the woman for being who she is....
while for the rest of the year we watch, in total helplessness, man beat his wife, a child scream at his/her mom, girls harassed on streets, adults throwing their aged-parents into old-age-homes, young girls(and boys)forced into child labour, female-infantiside
We watch all of this with total indifference and non-chalance.
Women have suffered in the past and have been submissive till the dawn on the 19th century.
Yes, women didn't receive the appreciation they deserved in the past.
Yes, women were looked at with scorn and contempt, as useless memebers who could contribute nothing to the family except food and off-spring.
Now things have changed.
But only in a superficial level.
A deep look into the interior villages of India can bring the entire country to shame at the way women are looked at and treated.
Women can't be thanked on just one day.
We are beyond all that.
We have to do something more.
We ought to kick this hypocracy of 'Celebrating Women' out the door...and deal with serious matters.
Are women being treated the way they ought to be, in the real world?
Is a women free to walk out into the streets of Delhi at 11:30 pm without any element of fear?
Can a woman walk into a police station and file a complaint against one of the police-men working there...without anticipating an attack on her family the very next day?
When she can...that will be a revelation and definitely my idea of a celbreation.
That will be my 'Woman's Day'.
Untill then....we can just wait and watch.
Happy Woman's Day!
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 3:23 AM 0 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Labels: Rant
Helmets are a girl's best friend
Hi Logon!
(The bulk of juntha who read the first line as log-on, please take a long coffee break, come back and start all over again)
Hi Ppl...
I love my helmet!
Hope you guys are doing splendidly well this fine Friday morning!
Bet you hundred bucks that half of you readers spent at least 11 seconds this morning, on your way to work, marvelling at how fast the last one week has sped by, and how last Friday just seemed like....a few days back.
Well...Thats 'Corporate Life ' for you.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Amen to that.
I, for one, have actually stopped cribbing about my life. Cool na?
I mean....me, the goddess of complaints...NOT even bothering to make my life sound more crappier than someone else's ...wow, indeed a transformation, I might add.
Well lets just put it this way...
Splendrous architectural ambience,ravenous appetite, delicious food, money in the wallet, jovial team-mates, friendly boss, so-far-interesting job (touch wood), decent project, good pay (yeah rite!!), and enthusiastic 'ol me.....
All this sums up to form an ambitious and explosive combination.
Yeah....Thats what YOU might think...but..hehe.....I've STILL found some reasons to crib. ;)
Lets just hope that the light at the end of this tunnel is goddamn bright. ;)
More about my reason-to-crib in my next mail. (Yes, there's more where this came from)
Right....Just a few days back..... I was sitting on my living-room sofa with my legs crossed and eyes gazing at the ceiling (Legs crossed on a sofa...yes,I know I'm weird), and thinking to my-esteemed-self ...
' Ah, Life is stagnant. Stagnant indeed! You need some thrill Maythini ...Something out-of-the-blue....Something that would make you say, Oh yes....That day, god!! Remarkable! I'll never forget that day!! '
hmm....Funny how life ' misinterprets ' what you mean, in the most inexplicable of ways.
Wait....I shall explain.
(I still love my helmet though)
Yesterday,after a good day at work, and a quick conversation with Takloo, I was riding my Scooty home...speeding quite a bit, unable to curtail my excitement to see my father who'd just come home on a 2 week vacation.
( Okay..not speeding a bit, quite a lot actually. 65km/hr is quite a speed for a poor two-stroke engine, called Scooty's Engine, to bear)
Nevertheless...I was just approaching my abode... When I spot a huge garbage bin at the centre of the road.
Let me quickly describe what these blessed 'Garbage bins' in Madras look like.....They are huge, unattractive, stinky, 3 feet high, 2 feet broad and 2 feet long... dark green in colour (which makes them look practically invisible at night time) and last but definitely not the least, a necessary evil.
Ok...My mind took a microsecond to register the presence of the garbage bin ahead and the fact that it was far too opaque for my Scooty to just drive through...So I make a sudden jolt to the left, to circumvent the obstacle.
But to my surprise what do I see on the road....Oil !!!
Yes, oil!
Oil spilt all over the place!!!!!
Ahhhh.....So THATs why the garbage bin was placed on the road as an obstacle...To act as a speed-braker, for people who might skid on the oil that was spilt in front of the bin.
Ah, the irony of late realisation!
Too late!
The oil had already done its job....and my Scooty skid majjjjorly with me on top of it. (Picture Hrithik Roshan in the former half of Kaho Naa Pyar Hai...Its always nice to have a dramatic effect in a story thats being narrated)
I fall..my bag falls, myScooty falls...bigggg scary fall !! People come running....blah-blah-blah!
Had bruises allover..but head, untouched, depite falling head first on the road.
My big fat ugly helmet had saved me.
Helmet saved me.
Helmet helmet helmet!!
God bless my helmet.
Helmet helmet helmet......You're something I wont forget...!!
(Think I'll compose a song and dedicate it to this incredible piece of plastic...or metal....or whatever!! )
So...How am I going to conclude this piece of blah-blah?
ONE: Be careful what you wish for. I did get my memorable day after all...But with a sadistic sort of thrill at the end...which, at the end of the day, DID make me say....Ah! That day...I will never forget! (For all the wrong reasons)
TWO : Always love thy helmet.
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 3:21 AM 3 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
My Best Friend's Wedding
(Something I wrote a few months back…old stuff can't hurt)
My best friend got married yesterday. Kal meri yaar ki shadi thi.
This was a special wedding for me for TWO reasons predominantly.
First of all, this would allow me to witness the most important ceremony in my precious friend's life, whom I've known ever since I began to crawl. Those were the days when she'd bite me and I'd cry.(Or was it the other way round, I don't remember).
Secondly, this was my first ever North-Indian wedding.
'The Raos and The Rathis welcome you' , read the big hoarding at the entrance. A confederation of two communities. Thats just euphemism for 'A Love Marriage'.
(I need not mention who one of these names reminds me of )
Much against all speculation, my mom gave me her usual mommy-ka-funda's on how girls nowadays, have the audocity to stand up to their parents and demand what they want(or what they think they want).
Culture this....tradition that...preceeded by the usual 'When I was a girl...' story.
I think my mom covered everything, a normal history book would cover, within those 35 minutes we travelled to the Mandap.
Moms, I tell you, have the innate ability to talk forever, regardless of you paying heed or not. (But I Still love you ma!)
We reached the mandap an hour earlier because the bride was afterall 'our' girl, and we wanted to help around the place, if not just perform the trite(usual) come-smile-eat-smile-leave routine. I found a lot of my friend's parents there, whom I hadn't seen in some gazillion years. All of the mommies gleaming in pride because all of their daughters were married off in great splendour.
What is their hurry I secretly exclaim, but who listens to me!
While I was in my own dream world, (Sahil would know what I mean ), gaping at the grandeur and the melange of colours with which the mandap had been decorated, there suddenly was an army of women cascading themselves to ME shooting out all sorts of questions,which drove me crazy,like ...
'Ah Maythini, when're you going to get married' and ' Maythini darling, your's should be the next wedding'...blah, blah blah blah blah!
I gave them one of those 'Will-your-highnesses-please-mind-their-own-businesses' look, topped with a vibrant smile just to cover my distinct exasperation, while my mom gave me a desperate look, signalling me to be polite with these aunties.
What is it with women and weddings, I ask while I shake my head in defeat.
Suddenly there's this loud drumming noise which startled the entire crowd. Really loud. And everybody goes rushing to the entryway. I go there a few minutes later to see what the crowd's flocked over there for, and I see the groom arriving on a horse. A horse!!
God..it was soooooo adorable. Really!!! Reminded me of the scene from Kuch kuch hota hai, when Salman does an entry on a donkey. :)
My excitement (considering that this was my first non-southie wedding) was clearly visible in that crowd while I was watching the 'scene' intently. Some of the ghar-ka women even let me take the front row seat in watching the celebration. Watching all the girls and women dance there, brought out an insatiable urge in me to go out there and join them in that circle, but my shy-demeanour got the better of me. (As if I'd go there and dance anyway).:)
The second phase of drumming, a few minutes later, was for the bride. She arrived in the traditional Marwadi red attire surrounded by people holding up a carpet of garlands.
God.. She looked stunningly beautiful. I'd never seen my friend is such a graceful and bewitching form before.
Man, girls grow fast!
Finally after doing a mini-chit-chat session at the mandap with the bride and the groom, I descended the alter to watch the bride walk around the whatever-you-call-it 7 times with my jiju.
This ceremony, was then succeeded by the traditional southie-styled ceremony to honour the girl's side. The contrast in these two nuptual(wedding) ceremonies was ever so striking that it set me thinking on another plane; On how varied and beautiful our country's cultures areand perhaps how EVERY girl (and fine, every boy) could have both kinds of ceremonies in their wedding. Gives the wedding a wholesome feel. As ridiculous as it may sound, it certainly looked like a whole lot of fun there. (I'll write on this, sometime during this lifetime)
My friend was getting married to the bloke she loved...something I wouldn't dare do even if you held a gun down my throat....Cheers Aruna!
So..what is my point to all this blah-blah afterall???
'Love' is a feeling, that doesn't smack you at your face when you want it to. Different people find love at different phases of their lives.
But when you think your even 'close' to falling in love, no matter how long you'veknown him/her, no matter how he/she would react... Express it explicitly...Just go for it.
Go for it like, you'd go for a chocolate brownie behind a glass panel...just plunge and indulge without second thoughts.
Trust me, you'd rather vent the feeling out of your *system* and face defeat , than live your entire life wondering what would have happened if you'd just tried.
I dedicate this mail and my arduous hours of pondering over what to write, to..
Deepak Nagar whose just got married....
Aruna (Rao) Rathi, who's unknowingly, the sole inspiration behind this mail...
Those of you in love
Those of you being loved...
Celebrate Love... the most genuine and un-pretentious fashion.
Happy Valentines Day!!
Posted by Confounded-Lady at 3:16 AM 2 Confounded-souls had something to say Links to this post
Labels: Friends


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You are here
Key challenges for Jordan's security services
Jan 20,2019 - Last updated at Jan 20,2019
Recent history has taught many about the dynamics of terrorist groups, most importantly their capacity to consistently adapt innovative actions and doctrines to ensure their survival. Their transformation does not only help with their persistence, but it also inhibits programmes and policies trying to deter them.
Jordan's intelligence system is the major power of the country, especially for the role it plays in encountering global terrorism trends. To ensure the efficiency of this security system, it is always important to analyse the new challenges and their impact on the security apparatus. This requires a comprehensive revision of the nature of all the challenges, from ideological to logistic.
Any review of the intelligence and operational level should also consider the entire de-radicalisation process. It is clear that all the conferences, seminars and money spent on strategies and plans to combat extremism and terrorism, including the establishment of the anti-extremism unit, have been in vain, and had no concrete results so far.
It is also vital to remember that security and military methods will never be enough to fight radicalisation on their own. These methods must be applied in combination with concrete development projects and supplementary integration processes to reduce the risk factors that create the threat. Abandoning the next generation will only create more radicalism; we must nurture our youth, feed their minds with constructive ideas that help them integrate into our society and the rest of the world. It might also be difficult for the security apparatus to find people to recruit who are not influenced by any radical thoughts in any way.
Jordan should focus on the redistribution of power among society and the state, where citizens feel involved in the decision-making process, especially in matters that directly impact their lives, such as fixing of prices and salaries, taxation, inflation, political banking, strategic projects and election laws. People need to be engaged in the processes, rather than hear rumours or read about the decisions afterwards in the media. With the challenges the world is currently facing, we should be focused on adopting a strategy that combats terrorism by recognising its causes and influences. If some countries continue to use terrorism for politicking, we cannot effectively combat an increasingly sophisticated network of terrorists.
Enhancing and advancing the competency of the security system is crucial. The few incidents that Jordan has experienced should be a wake-up call for the security apparatus to treat the threat with sensitivity and decisiveness. Fatigue, ill preparation and underestimation of the threat have resulted in the attacks we have been victims of so far. So, it is imperative to understand the nature of the threats and the sensitivity of the situation. We cannot underestimate the threats and we must understand the risks in our current context. Therefore, it is essential for the government to enhance its security measures, both on the borders and internally, simultaneously, which should not affect the image of a civic state.
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OP014 A multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study of ustekinumab, a human interleukins-12/23p40 mab, in moderate-severe Crohn's disease refractory to anti-tumour necrosis factor α: UNITI-1
P. Rutgeerts*1, C. Gasink2, M. Blank3, Y. Lang2, J. Johanns2, L.-L. Gao2, B. Sands4, S. Hanauer5, B. Feagan6, S. Targan7, S. Ghosh8, W. de Villiers9, J.-F. Colombel10, S. Lee11, P. Desreumaux12, E. V. Loftus, Jr13, S. Vermeire14, W. J. Sandborn15
1University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Department of Haematology, Leuven, Netherlands, 2Janssen R & D, LLC, Spring House, United States, 3Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC., Horsham, United States, 4Mount Sinai Medical Centre, New York, New York, United States, 5Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 6Robarts Clinical Trials, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada, 7Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, Division of Gastroenterology, Los Angeles, California, United States, 8University of Calgary, Department of Gastroenterology, Calgary, Canada, 9Universiteit Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 10Mount Sinai, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States, 11University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States, 12University of Lille, Lille, France, 13Mayo Clinic Rochester, Department of Gastoenterology, Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 14University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Gastroenterology, Leuven, Belgium, 15University of California San Diego, Division of Gastroenterology, La Jolla, California, United States
IL 12 and 23 are implicated in the pathophysiology of Crohn's disease (CD). These pro-inflammatory cytokines are blocked by UST. In a phase 2b study (CERTIFI),1 UST IV induction followed by surveillance colonoscopy (SC) maintenance was shown effective in moderate-severe CD refractory to anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. This phase 3 study examined efficacy and safety of IV UST induction in these patients (pts).
Pts with moderate-to-severely active CD(CDAI 220–450) who previously failed or were intolerant to at least 1 TNF antagonist were randomised (1:1:1) at Wk0 to a single dose of IV placebo (PBO), UST 130 mg, or weight-based tiered UST dosing approximating 6 mg/kg (260mg [wt ≤ 55kg], 390 mg [wt > 55kg and ≤ 85 kg]), 520 mg [wt > 85 kg]). The primary endpoint was clinical response at week 6, defined as reduction from baseline in the CDAI score of ≥ 100 points; pts with baseline CDAI score ≥ 220 to ≤ 248 points were considered in clinical response if a CDAI score of <150 was present. At week 8, patients either transitioned to the IM-UNITI maintenance study or were followed to week 20.
The 741 randomised pts had a history of TNF-antagonist failure, with baseline median CDAI of 317, C-reactive protein (CRP) of 9.9 mg/L, and prior disease duration of 10.1 years. Of these, 51% had previously failed ≥ 2 anti-TNFs with 29.1%, 69.4%, and 36.4% of pts, respectively. Clinical response at week 6 (primary endpoint) was observed in 33.7% of the ~6 mg/kg and 34.3% of the 130 mg UST groups vs 21.5% in the PBO group (p = 0.003 and 0.002, respectively). Clinical remission (CDAI < 150) at week 8 was observed in 20.9% of the ~6 mg/kg group and 15.9% of the 130 mg UST group vs 7.3% on PBO (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, respectively). Clinical response at week 8 was seen in 37.8% of the ~6 mg/kg and 33.5% of the 130 mg UST groups vs 20.2% on PBO (each p ≤ 0.001). Proportion of patients with 70-pt CDAI response at week 6 was 43.8% of the ~6 mg/kg and 46.1% of the 130 mg UST groups vs 30.4% on PBO (p = 0.002 and < 0.001, respectively), and at the first post-baseline week 3 visit, 40.6% in ~6mg/kg and 38.4% in the 130 mg UST groups vs 27.1% on PBO (p = 0.001 and p = 0.009, respectively), the final major secondary endpoint. Both IV UST induction doses additionally resulted in significant improvements in CDAI, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), C-reactive protein (CRP), faecal lactoferrin, and calprotectin vs IV PBO. Proportions of pts with adverse events (AEs), serious adverse events (SAEs), and infections were similar in the UST and PBO groups. One opportunistic infection (listeria meningitis) was reported in the ~6 mg/kg UST group. No malignancies, deaths, major adverse cardiovascular events, or TB occurred in UST-treated pts through week 20.
In pts with moderate-to-severe CD refractory to 1 or prior TNF-antagonists, IV UST induced clinical response and remission and was well tolerated throughout induction, confirming the previous positive induction data from CERTIFI.
[1] Sandborn WJ, Feagan BG, Rutgeerts P, et al. N Engl J Med 2012; 367:1519–28.


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Art student wins award
Erica Hitzman wins Lawrence Duckler New Arts AwardNews contact: Laura Hancock, University Advancement, 541-962-3585
PORTLAND, Ore. July 15, 2016 – Erica Hitzman, a senior at Eastern Oregon University, is the recipient of the first annual Lawrence Duckler New Arts Award. The award is given to the artist whose work garnered the most votes from visitors to the Recent Graduates show at Blackfish Gallery.
Underwritten by the Duckler family, the award was presented by Lawrence's widow, Selma. According to a gallery press release, Lawrence was a beloved physician, father, husband, friend and staunch supporter of the arts in Portland who believed in the importance of arts and artists in society and the impact of their imagination.
Hitzman, of Pendleton, describes her work as a combination of decadence and decay. By painting hyper-realistic images on rotting but beautiful backdrops, she endeavors to give the pieces a sense of faded beauty, commenting on fleeting youth and the unexpected splendor age can bring. Having spent years in the advertising industry, Hitzman has felt the negative effects the media can have, especially on women. Her work is her own exploration of what it feels like to be treated as an object, and the wear and tear such experiences can have on an individual.
Donni Later, of Union, is a 2016 EOU graduate who is also showing work in the Recent Graduates Exhibition, open through July 30.
Where: Blackfish Gallery: 420 NW 9th Ave., Portland, OR 97209
Contact: 503-224-2634 or firstname.lastname@example.com | www.blackfish.com
Gallery Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.


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Are you crazy about becoming a celebrity broadcaster?
Do you wanna host TV/Radio programme professionally?
Have you ever thought of hosting red-carpet & be celebrated in doing it?
Take this golden opportunity as a TEAM of professional broadcaster is set to give back to the society through an intensive training Tagged "BROADCAST SUMMER TRAINING" on TV,Radio, Spoken words, Red-carpet as well as how to be good @facing the crowd.
The training will be in the six geo-political zones of the country.
To be part of this awesome opportunity, Send: Name, location, Age,interest & contact to 08035531083, 08054805044.
The Registration is on, get your forms & join the "2015 BROADCAST SUMMER TRAINING" with "CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION" & be able to host programmes on any Radio/TV, good at Public speaking as well as a great red-carpet host.
Our resource persons have over 20 years experience in the broadcast media industry to take different courses designed for you all which include the renowned Sadiq Daba, Amber Asowata, Ben200, Emmanuel France, Chris Ogodor, and the whole Abuja OAP/TV hosts as guest lecturers.
Get your forms now and become a celebrity broadcaster as you send your Name, location, Age,interest & contact to 08035531083.
Limited space available or you will have to wait for the next season.


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Taco Salad. This Is It Eatery, Freeport IL.
Above: Taco Salad from This Is It Eatery, Freeport Illinois.
I've always had a thing for taco salads (or taco bowls, same thing). I didn't eat a taco until I was in college. We had no Mexican food near Pittsfield- not even a Taco Bell, something I never tried until I was in my 30s. That shit is NASTY.
I saw tacos as a teen. I remember those hard shell taco box kits at friend's houses and wished they'd make them while I was around. I suppose I saw tacos on TV and probably in MAD Magazine. Tacos were oddly alluring, though I can't imagine anything less sexy than ground beef. The hard shell was so pretty. So pretty.
As soon as I hit NYC I started in with tacos. Cheap, delicious, and gorgeous! I had no idea that they could/should be made with a soft tortilla binding the gorgeousness together. On a trip to Los Angeles I was introduced to fish tacos. Gimme gimme! Soon after that I witnessed my first taco salad. What the heck?
Taco salads have absolutely no roots in Mexican (or even in Hispanic- keep reading) cuisine. Their lineage goes only as far South as Tex-Mex. Delicious but as authentically Mexican as a Royale With Cheese is French.
Since Donald Trump's infamous taco salad tweet ("Happy Cinco de Mayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill! I love Hispanics!") taco salads have been always on my mind. That numb tweet is hard to forget even without the photo of Trump with his weird little thumb up. Cinco de Mayo is a lesser Mexican holiday that Americans have marketed to sell Cuervo and chimichangas- a dish only slightly more Mexican than the taco salad. The "I love hispanics" line is also a bit of a chucklefest, as Hispanic countries run all the way from the southern US border all the way down to Argentina and include a bunch of easy to name islands over in the Carribean. OOPSIE! Once we get that wall built we'll be safe with the knowledge that the taco bowl is "ours" at last.
The taco bowl I just ate at This Is It Eatery was pretty delicious- sometimes authenticity is overrated. Consider taco salads a gateway drug. Eat a few and it's a slippery slope. Before long you'll be hooked on chapulines!


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Whatever your style is, Plush will help your refine your ideas to make your event a larger than life experience! We love the adventure of planning and designing to manage every detail needed to make you and your guests swoon. Here's a collection of past events that represent an assortment of tastes.
Viewing entries in
Clovis CA
We brought the sparkle and shine to Vikki's Studio 60! Garland, market lights, silver, gold and a splash of mint brought disco fever to a festive summer night. With a taco bar, mirrored vases of all shapes and sizes, vinyl and mercury glass... It's safe to say we created a cool little canvas for all of the groovy vibes!


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Yep 5SOS may have only just released theirs but we've got another massive release just around the corner. Photos have been popping up online more than an unwanted spot when you've got a hot date.
so what do we know so far?
It's been filmed in the desert.
Lottie may or may not be in it as someone's girl being stolen.
Harry is wearing a GORGEOUS Saint Laurent coat you can buy here for just £2,655.
Danny Devito stars in it, maybe with a special cameo for his Trollfoot
cant believe that Hollywood Royalty @DannyDevito is in the steal my girl video ! what a legend ! pic.twitter.com/2PH42Q3sul
#StealMyGirlVideo…Oh so you wanna meet Trollfoot? pic.twitter.com/MyviuwHlbV
— Danny DeVito (@DannyDeVito) October 10, 2014
— Niall Horan (@NiallOfficial) October 10, 2014
There really is a blooming monkey in the video!
We are so ready.
Don't know about you but we CANNOT wait to see the #StealMyGirlVideo pic.twitter.com/ra1jFuzeyE — One Direction (@onedirection) October 10, 2014


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Growing Calendar for Begonia Non-stop Mixed - 48 Plants
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If you would like us to email you when this product comes back into stock, please login or register first
This pack contains 48 medium plug plants that will bloom in a range of colours and shades from yellow to pink to red or orange. You will certainly not be disappointed with your purchase as these beautiful blooms live up to their name, giving you intense bright colour.
Our medium plugs have a well-developed root system and are ready for immediate potting into 3in (7cm) pots to allow them to grow on before planting out into their final position.
You only need one pack to be able to fill four 12in (30cm) pots to dress up your decking or patio.
Your bedding flower plants will arrive to you in a plastic wallet contained in a bubble-lined envelope or a box for larger orders.
The wallet allows your young plants to stay healthy by giving them an ideal air and root environment when it arrives to you. Check all your plants are there in the plastic wallet, according to your order.
Great quality plants will buy again next year.
Brilliant they am lovely beautiful colourful flowers
Wouldn�t buy these again in this size just too small
Our products are all grown with the utmost care and to high standards of quality. We regularly check our nursery stock to determine exactly when they will be at the optimum time for despatch.
We despatch our fresh, nursery-grown live plants (including vegetables, trees and flowers) when they are at a stage of growth ready for you, the customer, to plant on at home.
The delivery period shown on your order confirmation indicates when you can expect to receive your order and we will endeavour to despatch your plants in this period within 7-14 days


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"You remind me of a young Westlife," we imagine that's what Louis Walsh said to these boys when he first saw them standing together. That's right the former X Factor veteran has launched a brand new boyband and you know what? They're bloomin' brilliant. After storming to the top of the charts with their first two singles in native Ireland (not even One Direction managed to do that), HomeTown are now ready to take on the UK with their debut single.
The single 'Where I Belong' was written by fellow Irish band Kodaline and is an uptempo love song with a real sing-a-long chorus and upbeat and buoyant melody.
The six-piece boyband which consists of seventeen-year-old Josh, eighteen-year-old Brendan, twenty-year-old Cian and twenty one-year-olds Dayl, Dean, and Ryan are now bringing their pop hits to England after touring Ireland with Olly Murs and supporting The Vamps and McBusted up and down the country this summer.
HomeTown's 'Where I Belong' is available to buy in the UK right now.


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Bystander intervention: told him to let go
Guy came up and grabbed me and wouldn't stop when I said I didn't want him to until another man came up and told him to let go.
Guy came up and grabbed me and wouldn't stop when I said I didn't want him to until another man came up and told him to let go.
A car was following me, then a guy inside screamed at me to get in… First I ignored him, then I told him to f* off. Walking home alone changed after that.
After a visit at the cocktail bar, I was standing in front of a hotel waiting for my ride to arrive and looking on my mobile, when a hotel guest walks up the stairs and out of nowhere says "Ni Hao" to me based on my appearance. I call him out a racist. How dare … Continued
I early twenty, and was looking at the timetable at platform 2. Platform 2 is a very wide platform and it wasn't crowded at all when it happened. While I was looking, I felt something like a finger or part of a hand gliding across my butt. I was surprised that I had any physical … Continued
I was walking towards the bus stop minding my own business when out of nowhere a guy yells "Ni Hao!" to me.
I was walking in the Westerstraat on my way to the post office to pick up a package, when I walked past a group of older, disheveled (alcoholic) looking men. A man looked at me and said "Arigato" when I walked by. Even with my sunglasses on, he still took the time to identify and … Continued
A man used abusive names. I experienced this several times from men. Out of nothing, normal dressed (no skin shown accept face and hands), normal behavior.
Ik liep van de trein station naar mijn fiets, had een beetje haast, en geen zin om met onbekenden mensen te praten. En man liep langs en zei best hard, maar gericht op mij, "Wauw, sommige mensen lopen gewoon rond met mooie glimlachen altijd, nou zeg!" Ik loop niet rond voor dit man, en ik … Continued
Ik kwam uit de supermarkt en stapte met mijn boodschappen op de fiets. Een man liep langs me, stopte en zei "hallo, lekker ding". Zat ik echt op te wachten!
Ik was op weg naar mijn werk vroeg in de ochtend, het was nog donker. In tegengestelde richting kwam een man aanfietsen, op hetzelfde fietspad. Terwijl hij langs fietste keek hij mij verlekkerd aan en bleef staren.


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Go Green with Energy Efficient Windows
Chelsea O'Donnell
Energy efficiency is continuing to gain popularity as more and more people are making the conscious decision to take environmental matters into their own hands. As I visit homeowners and talk to them about their options, I'm excited to report that people are taking proactive measures to reduce their carbon footprint, often asking me for my advice on ways to make their home a place that's friendlier to our planet. One of the first suggestions I often make, in addition to ensuring they have proper insulation, is replacing old windows with a modern, energy efficient option.
Here in the Bristol area, many of the 1950's home have old, drafty aluminium windows that let tons of heat and air conditioning escape during the winter and summer months. These old windows are expensive to keep in the house because they let so much air pass through. This means that homeowners (especially seniors who are more sensitive to the temperature,) are constantly cranking up or down the dial to make the house more comfortable. It's a lot of money and energy wasted for no good reason.
These days, many window and door products are certified by EnergyStar, a joint program developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help consumers better understand the benefits of using energy efficient products and appliances. But what makes a window energy efficient in the first place? There are a few components, and different manufacturers use different options based on the environment and climate where the windows are sold.
Firstly, the frame will be made of high-quality materials (such as fibreglass, vinyl, or wood) that are durable and reduce heat transfer. Then there is the glass, which should be at least two panes, separated by a gap to absorb sound and provide a stronger barrier between the inside and outside. In addition to multiple panes, the glass will also often have a Low-E (or low emittance) coating, which makes the window more effective in diminishing heat transfer, and reduces ultraviolet light from entering the home, which can damage carpets, rugs, and fabric furniture. These three important factors are key to ensuring hot and cold air stays where it belongs, depending on the time of year. Plus I love a window with a tilt-in sash, which makes cleaning both the inside and outside of the glass a breeze.
It's important for us all to help the environment, and creating an energy efficient home is a great way to do your part while reducing your power bill at the same time. If you're not sure which windows are right for you, talk to a professional or visit energystar.gov to get more information on the options available.


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Tessa (London Paleo Girl) was joined in the studio by British swimming star, former World Champion & double Olympian, Katy Sexton MBE. Katy walked us through her favourite post-training meal - full video available here.
Ingredients (serves 3-4)
1 x Tin of Cream of Chicken Soup
Grated Cheese (as much as you like)
A cup of Frozen Peas
1 x Tin of Sweet Corn
500g of Pasta
4 x Rashers of Bacon
2 x Chicken Breasts
Recipe (Serves 3-4)
1. Boil the water, place the pasta in.
2. Chop up the chicken into small chunks.
3. Cook off the chicken; once almost cooked, add the bacon to the same pan (to save on the washing-up!).
4. Once the bacon is cooked too; take the pan off the heat, and chop the bacon into smaller pieces.
5. Drain the pasta, into the saucepan add the chicken, bacon, soup, sweetcorn & peas - stir through.
6. Pour the mix into an oven-proof dish & cover in cheese.
7. Place under the grill until the cheese has melted & begin to crisp; then serve.


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Back in the 60's & early 70's, seeing apartments in Houston with signs and banners advertising their rental prices along with the words "All Bills Paid" (ABP) or "Utilities Included" was commonplace. These days however, apartments that still boast of such deals are few and far between.
If I had to guess as to why the change, I'd suppose the main reason probably was it just started getting too expensive for apartment owners. They saw electric prices steadily soar from only $.02-$.04 cents per kilowatt hour from the 60's thru the early 80's up to $.12 cents and higher in the following three decades.
Also, it's a fact that most tenants knowing that their electric and water are "on the house," they tend not to be too concerned about conserving energy…you know like letting the a/c run all day and not turning off lights when not needed.
I remember as a kid growing up in my parents' house that it was 'law' to turn off the lights and if I ever forgot, I'd get the same lecture that always started with, "do you know how much money it cost to run the lights… It's not free little man"
With this in mind, in 1973 the Texas legislature passed a law that there could be no more "All Bills Paid" apartments. This was because of the oil embargo and energy crisis that was going on. Some properties that were already ABP were grandfathered so they could stay ABP. This is why you never find ABP properties built after 1973.
Also in the early 2000's the legislature mandated that properties had to charge for water and that's why most apartments charge for water now.
With all that said, believe it or not, there are still a few apartments in the Houston and surrounding areas that include all utilities. My recent count that include both water and electric is 24 complexes (three of which are in the Galleria area) and 9 others with the free electric but not the free water.
Their rent prices vary depending on location but many are actually very reasonable. For example, the three above mentioned complexes in the Galleria area start at only $705 for 1bd, $925 for 2bd, $1,225 for 3bd & $1,685 for 4 bd.
For a list of these rare Houston apartments still offering No Electric Bills, some with No Water Bills also, contact a good reputable Houston Apartment Locator who knows about these and other great apartment deals in general.


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Although I always enjoy participating in the FrAG and Inner Circle tournaments in Glen Burnie, I had a particularly good time in this tournament. I faced three knowledgeable and extremely sporting opponents, all with distinctive and flavorful armies, and got a chance to field an old standby of mine (Imperial Guard) using the latest codex. Guard are still quite shooty, and infantry guard are still very static and somewhat brittle – but much more effective in the current edition and codex than I feared they might be. They're almost certainly going back into semi-retirement for the time being, but my Imperial Guard can now be certain that they can field a competitive list that I can credibly play at need; a good thing to know, particularly if I ever manage to begin regular club play again.
My Guard finished +1=1-1 at the tournament, and placed 8th out of 18 total, about right for how I did overall. About the only gripe I could have about this tournament was my painting score – I earned 8 points out of 15, for an army that was fully painted AND heavily converted. I earned fewer points than some partially unpainted and WIP armies (!), so I'm not sure exactly how this particular bit was scored. That said, it's not really a big deal, as I didn't expect to win the event, and certainly had a great time against some class opponents, an experience I wouldn't trade for just a few more points in the tournament. I mean, honestly, what's the difference between 6th or 7th place, and 8th (where I placed)?
About half the armies at this tournament (10 of 18) were Marine or Marine variants (including three Space Wolves, one Blood Angels, and two very vicious Chaos Marine armies), and there were a good mix of Xenos armies in attendance as well – three Nids, two Tau, and an Eldar player. No Inquisition armies in this tournament, and the overall winner was a heavily mechanized Guard list. Go, guard!
As for the future, in the next few months, I plan to keep working on revising my Slann (proxy Tau Empire) army list, and to begin putting paint to my Sisters of Battle immolator list. I'll probably take my time on the second project, however, as I understand that the Inquisition codex is due out later this calendar year, or possibly early in 2011. I'll keep tweaking and practicing with what I have now, but try not to get too locked into a single army design just months before a new codex comes out.
Thanks again to my three excellent opponents – Tien, Tim, and Marc – and to my earnest and hard-working hosts (and tourney organizers) at the Frederick Area Gamers. I'll be sure to keep coming down to Maryland and participating in tournaments, so long as you guys continue to put together such amiable and friendly competitive events.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
27 March 2010 FrAG (Frederick Area Gamers) Tournament (Postscript)
Posted by The Fabulous Orcboy at 9:56 PM
1 comment:
I too really enjoyed the tournament. There is something nice about a smaller scale tournament.ReplyDelete
Sucks about your painting score. Your army looked good and there were a lot classic miniatures in there. I particularly loved seeing all the necromunda models.
Yes, Guard are very competitive. Good thing you didn't go fully mech. I can't stand the mech craze, even though I am guilty myself. You had a good mix of infantry and tanks, like a guard army should.
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A Birmingham software firm is launching a new Android app which it says will generate influence ratings for all Twitter handles.
Majestic, the largest tenant at the Innovation Birmingham Campus, has created the app which aims to provide instant influence ratings based on 800 topics when scrolling through a Twitter newsfeed.
The app is intended to give Twitter users instant data on the influence of all tweeters appearing in their newsfeed or as a result of a key word or hashtag search.
The automatically generated score, which is called 'Topical Trust Flow', is based on the quantity and quality of the web links to each Twitter handle.
Majestic is launching the new app in Beta form to make way for further development and functionality.
It will be free of charge to the thousands of Majestic account holders located worldwide while new customers will be able to take up subscription packages.
Marketing director Dixon Jones said: "The majority of our customers regard Twitter as a vital information tool, with many increasingly relying on it as a principle route to market.
"By instantly gauging how influential each account is our new app will ensure key tweets aren't unknowingly overlooked.
"This will be particularly useful when looking to build up a higher base of followers and interact with established Twitter influencers."


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A tufted, oversized storage ottoman located in central area next to a large sectional sofa or couch makes a coffee table or in ideal screen. Place Ottoman mode can be reached by anyone who sits around and put a decorative tray on top. Add magazines and books, a vase with silk flowers, and you have a fashionable and stylish addition to your room. Remove objects, if you are expecting a large number of people and use it as extra seating.
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This week, I was lucky enough to attend a creative business workshop held by The Design Trust's Patricia van den Akker. Patricia visited us at the Vanilla Ink school, along with 20 other attending jewellers and creatives to teach us how to make more money from craft and how to run a successful creative business. Two things I had never done before. My first and only taste of a creative business so far is Vanilla Ink, where I've only been working three weeks so far. My experience of earning money from anything I had previously made was zilch. I only ever gave my artwork away for free to family and friends or to charity shops. This was due to having very little confidence in my work and zero knowledge on how to price it. Enter extremely experienced and enthusiastic Patricia van den Akker, director of The Design Trust, an online business school offering training and support to entrepreneurial creatives.
Let's face it, us creatives aren't known for being business savvy or having an easy time making a lot of money. I suppose it doesn't help when you give your work away to charity shops right enough but the majority of creatives I know who do sell their work don't earn very much from their sales. Patricia pointed out something very interesting at the beginning of the workshop. Something I had never even noticed or thought of before as an ex-art student - art schools teach you how to create, but not how to actually make a living out of being a creator. Why? I forgot to ask. Who knows? Maybe creative industry tutors have little knowledge on it themselves having also studied in institutions where the business side of an art career wasn't taught. Many of the creatives attending the workshop didn't know much on the subject either. BUT! Not any more. Patricia certainly had obtained a lot of confidence and knowledge over the years and had no problem telling us it straight. "Be realistic". "Get your head out of the sand". "MAKE time for the things you need to do". "Prince Charming isn't coming to save you". A huge thing I was guilty of in both my creative and personal life was saying "I didn't have time." When the truth was I just didn't MAKE time. Since the workshop I haven't said those untruthful words since.
As I'd never sold any work before or even been close to running my own creative business I was able to be shame free knowing I hadn't made any of the mistakes that Patricia explained most creative entrepreneurs make when running their own business. But there was also not one thing from that list of common mistakes that I know I wouldn't have done if I did try to actively sell my work pre-workshop. Post-workshop saw us all leaving with marketing plans, precise and achievable goals and whole load of motivation and confidence for the future. Thank god for The Design Trust and Patricia for doing what they do! (And of course, V.I. co-director Kate for organising the workshop and connecting us all with Patricia).
I won't lie, a lot of the workshop was way past my comprehension. (Don't tell Kate!) Only because I personally have no clue about anything business or entrepreneurial related. Hopefully that will change with the Vanilla Ink Programme starting tomorrow, yikes! Kiddin, nothing like starting a professional development programme focused on helping jewellers successfully start their own business straight off the back off an extensive two-day creative business workshop. Patricia's workshop has definitely filled me with confidence and excitement for things businessy! Roll on some intense learning and development in the next coming months through the programme.
I would recommend Patricia and The Design Trust to anyone looking to make more money from their craft and have a successful creative business. I want to see art and craft take over in this world of money, mass production and consumerism. Us creatives bloody deserve it! It's inspiring to see such successful, experienced people like Patricia share their knowledge with others for a bigger purpose than themselves. Something we creatives are good at doing in my opinion. And it was amazing to feel the change of energy and positivity at the end of the workshop from everyone too. I really hope everyone who attended the workshop achieves their goals and gets to where they want to be. Thank you to Patricia, Kate and everyone who attended. It was one valuable workshop!
Top tips from Patricia:
Pricing your work 'cheap', doesn't mean it will sell.
It's not what you do that will make a buyer interested in you, it's WHY you do it.
Be more like Marmite. It's okay if people don't like you, if others absolutely love you.


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A Virgin A Day ~ Twelve Days With Mary ~ Day 9
Ave Maria!
Maiden mild!
Oh, listen to a maiden's prayer
For thou canst hear amid the wild
'Tis thou, 'tis thou canst save amid, despair.
We slumber safely 'til the morrow
Though we've by man outcast reviled
Oh, maiden, see a maiden's sorrow
Oh, Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria
Ave Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
The murky cavern's air so heavy
Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled
Oh, maiden, hear a maiden pleadin'
Oh, Mother, hear a suppliant child
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Original melody
by the French Romantic composer Charles Gounod,
words from Alphonse de Lamartine's poem
Le livre de la vie ("The Book of Life")
This picture is from
Amiens Cathedral, Amiens, France
photo taken May 2012
Come celebrate these twelve special days
of honoring the sacred mother,
of loving Lupita,
by visiting Rebecca and others
at recuerda mi corazon


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While looking for hosting service a question that jogs around our mind regarding shared hosting is that is it worth to have numerous domains targeting to one single website to boost SEO ranking. Let's check out and explore the answer.
So as to accomplish this, the customer had the thought of registering seven distinctive domain names, develop one site and target those domain names to the main website. Really very smart move, isn't it? Theoretically yes, however from a SEO perspective, it's not so effective.
The reason why it isn't an effective procedure is for the reason that duplicate content is never a great in the realm of SEO! As a rule of thumb, search engines will take a gander at the diverse domain names and the content on it is identical (or extremely similar), which will increase the risk of low ranking of the website from a credibility point of view. Some experts believe that multiple domains won't really bring down the quality for all versions, rather search engines will select a version of the site and overlook the others. On the other hand some experts believe that situation isn't perfect as it open the objectionable interpretation that the duplicate content is considered as spam. Put differently, SEO is so critical it would be impossible to risk an undesirable understanding if we surefooted that the procedure doesn't help at best.
The same problem takes place on the off chance that you have your site with the acronym "www" before your domain name and without it. For instance, http://www.xxxxx.com and http://xxxxx.com both are viewed as two separate destinations and would be considered as copied content. In the "www" illustration, the least demanding approach to get around being viewed as copy is the usage of what is known as a "301 redirect," a permanent redirect form one URL to the next. If in case, somebody writes in duplicate domain names, the "301 redirect" will consequently take the client to the actual site such that only the key website will be indexed by search engines.
Keep in mind that both of the aforementioned situations just allude to diverse domains that have copy or extremely similar content. It would not be pertinent if your business makes more than one websites and contain totally different subject matter.
After reading this what you feel is it good to have multiple domain names to boost one main website. Or is there anything else you wanna say regarding this topic? Leave your comment below to discuss with us on this.


text: Brian, our team President, just finished a 10,000 mile car rally across Europe and Asia! With no backup, no support and no set route; it was just him in a tiny car he bought from a scrap yard. He raised over $1,900 for the Michael J Fox Foundation and you can still donate, just click the button below and view his journey along the way. Congratulations Brian, we can't wait for you to get back on the pitch!


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.. highlight:: kotlin
.. raw:: html
`_ for using JPA inside your flows and services.
* :ref:`reference_states`, that let you use an input state without consuming it.
* :ref:`state_pointers`, that make it easier to 'point' to one state from another and follow the latest version of a linear state.
Please also read the :doc:`CorDapp Upgradeability Guarantees ` associated with CorDapp upgrading.
Step 14. Possibly update your checked in quasar.jar
If your project is based on one of the official cordapp templates, it is likely you have a ``lib/quasar.jar`` checked in. It is worth noting
that you only use this if you use the JUnit runner in IntelliJ. In the latest release of the cordapp templates, this directory has
been removed.
You have some choices here:
* Upgrade your ``quasar.jar`` to ``|quasar_version|``
* Delete your ``lib`` directory and switch to using the Gradle test runner
Instructions for both options can be found in :ref:`Running tests in Intellij `.


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Rugged Does Vegas/Vegas Does Rugged: A Flip-Flop Series
Once upon a time, there was a slightly-chubby ginger boy who lived in the middle of a frozen wheat field. On the night of his sixteenth birthday, this young redhead found himself surrounded by family and friends at The Olive Garden. With a complimentary basket of bread sticks, and braces that sparkled sterling-silver in the candlelight, you'd think that sadness would be nothing more to him than a professional hockey game. However, if you looked closer, you would discover that was not the case. For just yonder his freckles was the faintest drop of a tear. And if you sailed into that tear, like a gigantic ocean wave, then you would discover the painful secret this sweet sixteen-year-old held so deep. For this ginger was in love, and this was a love that dare not speak its name. But if it could speak! Oh me oh my! The glorious sound it would make! Like a choir of angels sent down from Meryl Streep above, to dance with basic choreography and harmonize in five perfect parts. Wiping the tear from his eye before anyone noticed, the young Rugged Fox took another bite of chicken parmesan. Twirling a side of spaghetti in tomato sauce, he looked up at the ceiling and prayed that one day he would not only meet the love of his life; but live long enough to tell everyone about it.
Next up ... Part One: "We're going to see the Backstreet Boys!"


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Creating a group of Twinkly allows you to extend the number of led lights to which apply the same effect.
To create a group of Twinkly, you need to connect each Twinkly to the local Wi-Fi through the Twinkly mobile app.
Add all of yours Twinkly to the same network
Follow both the steps of the guided procedure for each Twinkly you want to manage.
Ensure that you always connect your Twinkly to the same local Wi-Fi networks so you can manage them together and create groups.
Creating a group
Open the app and open the "Devices" menu
Click on "Create Group"
Give your group a name
The app will ask you to add the group's name, which will be useful to distinguish them later on.
Give them the name you prefer, it might be the name of the setting, like "Sitting room" or "Outdoors", or of a decoration, like "Big tree"
Choose to create a Join Group or a Sync Group
Join Groups make your different Twinkly act like a great big Twinkly, meaning:
- They extend the number of available lights up to the sum of led lights on each Twinkly
- They have a group layout
- They can be mapped as a single device
- Once you'll have mapped all your led lights in your group, you'll be able to apply basic and advanced effects to it.
- One of the most frequent ways Join Groups are used, are as led lights on on a single tree.
Sync Groups allow the simultaneous application of the effects on all the Twinkly that are part of the group.
- They extend the number of available lights up to the sum of led lights on each Twinkly.
- Each Twinkly keeps its basic layout, even if it has been mapped.
- Sync Groups cannot be mapped as a single device.
Important! You can create a Sync Group only among Twinkly with the same number of led lights.
Now you know it all! Free your fantasy to create amazing group effects!


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27 – Bosom Buddies (1980) (w/ Esther Dee)
We're joined by Esther to talk about the cross-dressing sitcom Bosom Buddies, starring Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari!
In 1980, ABC commissioned a new show starring up-and-coming actor Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari, about a couple of young ad execs who, after losing their apartment, are forced to dress as women to move into a women's hotel. Despite a great theme song from Billy Joel, the show only lasted two years.
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text:
Layers of Love is still working hard to reach our goal for the chemotherapy patients at the Lehigh Valley Health Network. We are getting closer to our goal, and this is a BIG part of how we are reaching that goal.
A while back I received an email from a wonderful woman who had 3 bolts of fleece fabric she wanted to donate to us here at Layers of Love.
What a very generous donation! I was so excited, not only for the donation but also because I knew that it would be able to open the door for even more donations to us. And open the door it has! It has enabled not only individuals but community groups to do more with less fabric. I am so grateful that Elizabeth contacted us and we will be able to benefit so many more chemotherapy patients from her donation. She has continued to be in my thoughts and prayers since the day I had the pleasure of meeting her and her daughter. Elizabeth herself has been going through chemotherapy treatments. We pray she is doing well.
Since I have received the 3 bolts of fabric, I have received other donations of fabric, this has enabled me to be able to pair two parts of donated fabric from two different sources together, to help more chemotherapy patients.
Layers of Love has been working with several groups that have chosen us to benefit from their community projects. When we are contacted by a group looking to help us out, we try to do all that we can to help them complete their goal. Recently we were contacted by a youth group leader at Bethany Wesleyan Church, which is a local church here where we are located. They wanted to make their fabric go as far as possible to help us help as many chemotherapy patients as they could. So I told them we had donated fabric here that they could pair up with the fabric they had and we could collaborate to make their fabric go further. Their youth group met last week and look at the fantastic work they did with both fabrics!
We are giving them a BIG thank you for all their hard work. This is exactly what I was so excited about when we received the generous donation of the 3 bolts of fabric. I knew it would open the door to help more people and groups to be able to have a hand in helping even more chemotherapy patients.
Community collaboration for chemotherapy patients. It is a win win situation no matter how you look at it.
*If you have a fleece fabric you would like to donate, you can contact us here in the comments or at: firstname.lastname@example.com We accept brand new fleece fabric and no sew fleece fabric kits (available at many craft stores). Don't have the time, or not sure how to put a kit together? No problem, we can put the kits and fabric donations together for you. More information is in our FAQ tab and Guidelines tab above this post.*
*If your community group would like to donate to us here at Layers of Love, feel free to contact us: email@example.com We have and continue to work with several groups, giving directions of how to put the blankets together, supplying scissors, even gathering more volunteers for your group if needed. Making blankets truly is community collaboration at it's best!*


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& my family on White Beach
& patio view
& my brother, Marino
& Jules
& a mango margarita
& a coconut souvenir
& a coconut souvenir
Boracay was incredible. When I went 20 years ago (from what I can remember which aside from wearing a bathing suit the entire trip, is not a ton) it was much less developed than it is today - now it's the most popular vacation spot in the Philippines and as a result it was teeming with tourists. Regardless, it was and remains the most beautiful beach I've ever been too with the softest and whitest sand and most stunning sunset ever.


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All Films.All Above Board.NOW INCLUDES TV SHOWS & TV LISTINGS
An experiment to destroy an asteroid goes wrong and shifts the Earth closer to the sun, plunging a city into a relentless heatwave. The population is driven into a frenzied outbreak of crime, which a dedicated police officer battles to control while also keeping his own family safe. Thriller, starring Casper Van Dien and Venus Terzo


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WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 - President Bush called on governments around the world on Wednesday to halt the violence that has followed the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, while Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accused Iran and Syria of fueling the protests for political gain.
Mr. Bush, in an Oval Office meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan, said, "We reject violence as a way to express discontent over what is printed in the free press." Hours later, Ms. Rice delivered a far more pointed message, saying that Iran "hasn't even hidden its hand in this." "Iran and Syria have gone out of their way to inflame sentiments and to use this to their own purposes," she said. "And the world ought to call them on it."
Ms. Rice spoke as she met Israel's new foreign minister, Tzipi Livni. "Nothing justifies the violence that has broken out," she said, noting that the top Shiite religious leader in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and other Muslim leaders had spoken against the rioting.
Their condemned the violence on a day in which police officers fired into a crowd marching toward an American military base in Qalat, Afghanistan, killing three. That brought to 11 the number of people killed in protests in Afghanistan in recent days.
In France, a satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo, republished the cartoons with images poking fun at other religions. The move drew a rebuke from President Jacques Chirac, who condemned "all manifest provocation that might dangerously fan passion."
Mr. Bush, too, tried to balance the Muslim outrage with a Western respect for the right of publications to run the cartoons. "With freedom comes the responsibility to be thoughtful about others," he said. But he called on governments "to stop the violence, to be respectful, to protect property and to protect the lives of innocent diplomats who are serving their countries overseas."Continue reading the main story
On Tuesday, Mr. Bush called Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark, whose embassies have been the particular focus of attacks. Mr. Rasmussen said later that the president had expressed "support and solidarity with Denmark in the light of the violence against Danish and other diplomatic missions." King Abdullah was less forceful in suggesting that free expression rights deserved special protection. "With all respect to press freedoms, obviously anything that vilifies the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, or attacks Muslim sensibilities, I believe, needs to be condemned," he said.Continue reading the main story