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Dear prospective Graduate Student,
Thank you for your interest in graduate education at UNI! Our nationally and internationally recognized graduate faculty are committed to provide you with high-quality and high-impact learning experiences. You will be challenged and supported as you achieve your personal and professional goals.
In UNI's exceptional graduate programs, you will have opportunities to participate in research, creative activity, engaged learning, and professional development. These experiences will enhance your education through the development of skills and knowledge. I believe these experiences will prepare you to be a leader in your profession and community, and ultimately make a difference in the lives of others.
In my years at UNI, I have met many graduate students who have gone on to make important contributions to society. I believe that you too will experience transformative opportunities if you choose to pursue graduate education at UNI. If you have any questions about graduate education. I would invite you to contact us @ firstname.lastname@example.com.
Dr. Jennifer Waldron, Graduate College Dean


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Welcome to our 100% Free Texas Social Swinger Board! Please make sure to include your email address in the message, so that interested parties can contact you. Please respond to ads you are interested in by emailing the person(s), not by replying through this board...
For a subject, I would suggest included what you are looking for, IE. Couples seeking other couples or females.
Adding Pictures: Sorry, I can't host your picture, but you can link to a picture hosted on another site.
View My Guestbook
Sign My Guestbook

subset: commoncrawl


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Up Helly Aa opening at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse
The Visitor Centre at Sumburgh Head Lighthouse will open during the Up Helly Aa celebrations on 27th and 28th January from 10am to 4pm each day, to enable visitors to see the exhibitions and enjoy a series of special events in the education room.
The Gift Shop will also be open for tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold drinks and snacks.
Admission prices to the Visitor Centre displays on marine and wildlife, the Engine Room, Smiddy and Radar Hut have been kept at 2014 rates. The Season Ticket allows for free access for the rest of the 2015 season, from April to September.
Morgan Downie Poetry Readings
Tuesday 27th January - 2.00pm
Morgan Downie, the Sumburgh Head artist in residence for January, will read from his earlier collection, stone and sea, published by Calder Wood Press, on this, his first visit to Shetland from his native Orkney.
Wednesday 28th January - 1.00pm
morgan will read entirely from his new works, which he will create during his stay at Sumburgh Head in January. this will be followed by a question and answer session.
Both events are free to attend, with no booking required.
Location: Education Centre
Brian Johnson - Lighthouse Experiences
Brian Johnson is an ex lighthouse technician and current Retained Lighthouse Keeper for the Northern Lighthouse Board. Brian will show his own photographs from the history of Sumburgh Head, and talk about his experiences in a question and answer session on the lighthouse service.
Brian has been responsible for the restoration of the Diesel Kelvin engines that power the foghorn, which has not been sounded for 27 years. He has recently carried out pressure tests in anticipation for the foghorn's re-activation in 2015.
His original images of lighthouse history will be seen at their best on the new wide screen and projection facility in the Education Room.
For more news and information please visit www.sumburghhead.com


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Rhythm of healing: Nature & ecstacy
A Summer Retreat at Pumpkin Hollow With Siri Sat & Amanbir
Wednesday, August 3rd - Sunday, August 7th, 2016
When challenges of the mind, body and heart present themselves, it is an invitation to listen deeper to the great rhythm within. Allowing time in nature helps us to restore back to the space of deep healing and nourishment. To listen to the true nature of our souls and allow for the currents of the healing force to move through us.
"Our waterfall, trails, labyrinth and other sacred spaces allow you to commune intimately with Nature and your Inner Self... Our practice is to live lightly and simply on the land."
Join Siri Sat and Amanbir for this 4-night retreat in the majesty and beauty of Upstate New York. Daily nourishing vegetarian meals, made with organic vegetables, much of which are grown on-site, will be served 3 times a day.
Kundalini Yoga, morning Sadhana, Gong Restorative Sound Baths before bed, and plenty of relaxed time to explore the surrounding forest or refresh yourself in the mountain stream or swimming hole.
What's included?
- Accommodations and access to Pumpkin Hollow Amenities
- All yoga classes and early morning sadhana
- 3 vegetarian* meals a day**
* Lunch on August 7th before departing
** Pumpkin Hollow is strictly vegetarian do not serve meat poulty or fish. The consumption of Recreational Drugs or alcohol are strictly prohibited on the premises
What's not included?
- Transportation to and from Pumpkin Hollow
- Lunch on August 3rd
As the course approaches we will send all the registrants further information on retreat and recommended travel and directions.


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post722333529811913259..comments2016-12-23T14:28:28.287-08:00Comments on Girl's Gone Child: Liner Notes 1/17GIRL'S GONE CHILDhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-57090880460082720542012-01-25T19:27:20.440-08:002012-01-25T19:27:20.440-08:00wow...yes...those are the moments that i think abo...wow...yes...those are the moments that i think about in bed at night when I should be firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-84051916087496123792012-01-25T00:57:21.657-08:002012-01-25T00:57:21.657-08:00Loved this: "I went back and got the same smo...Loved this: "I went back and got the same smoothie the next day, this time with both babies. Crossed the same intersection. Felt time surround me like a sort of god-like enterprise. Because that's what time is: an invisible government, every moment a newly elected president of presence. Seconds distinguish us from death, happiness, fear... The clock is always right and we are always against it. Every day, time hooks us up, pulls us back, guides us forward. Whether we insist on walking, driving, riding a unicycle along an electric line... We're all just a bunch of weirdos trying to get from one side of the street to the other, safely, or at the very least, more enlightened."

Reminds me of a poem I wrote. Not just about time in general, but a few lines.

So very sorry to hear about your friend.Rayhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-41412727567995711582012-01-24T13:26:10.226-08:002012-01-24T13:26:10.226-08:00been reading for a couple months...first comment t...been reading for a couple months...first comment though. found you randomly because I am expecting twins (my first babes) in a couple months, love your insight...even made me buy the Prophet from Amazon ;)

Just wanted to comment and say, your almost accident, the left turn, it's called a left cross and it is by far the most common accident where pedestrians and bikers get hit. I wasn't so lucky 2010 on my bike and got hit... I got off easy considering I broke the windshield, flew threw the air, totaled the bike, etc. Nut I am always wary of people turning left now... I imagine you will be too ;)Caseyhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-44146683060002670552012-01-24T11:50:03.037-08:002012-01-24T11:50:03.037-08:00bang tutorial, please! would be lovely!bang tutorial, please! would be lovely!Abbyhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-43433783683600098832012-01-22T00:03:18.617-08:002012-01-22T00:03:18.617-08:00Yes, please do a bang tutorial!Yes, please do a bang firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-2080549359941842922012-01-21T21:02:25.576-08:002012-01-21T21:02:25.576-08:00First of all, I LOVE the pictures of you holding b...First of all, I LOVE the pictures of you holding both girls - so beautiful!

Second, I accidentally went to girlsgonechild.com. Wow.

And... UGH. I hate those close call moments. They bug me for days too. But then I actually think that I am given those moments as a wake-up call. Maybe I just needed to be reminded that I'm alive. My kids are alive. We're all okay. Thank you.Verahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-71863329504630856472012-01-19T14:25:24.730-08:002012-01-19T14:25:24.730-08:00Cute, adorable blah blah blah... just want you to ...Cute, adorable blah blah blah... just want you to know that I adore your family all the way from ny but everytime I come to your page and see your new banner I think "oh it's winter and we're on the beach mehhhhhhh!" And the "mehhhh" is this really obnoxious sound that I can't spell almost like a creaky door. And I think it EVERY SINGLE email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-19985847236882441992012-01-19T13:56:26.700-08:002012-01-19T13:56:26.700-08:00"We're all just a bunch of weirdos trying..."We're all just a bunch of weirdos trying to get from one side of the street to the other, safely, or at the very least, more enlightened."

I love, love, love this. I'm glad you two made it safely across. I'm also completely taken with how much Rev looks like Fable. Maybe those are the two that will end up looking like TWINS!

Also, Hal's mom is beautiful. Thank you for sharing your world with ours. It matters.Unknownhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-43228774407057307152012-01-19T04:39:06.849-08:002012-01-19T04:39:06.849-08:00"Math and working on my personal narrative.&q..."Math and working on my personal narrative." Bwahahaha. Archer is awesome! Totally made my day (although slightly ashamed that I then googled 'personal narrative' to know what he was talking about.)firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-37046365323584265612012-01-18T20:13:56.782-08:002012-01-18T20:13:56.782-08:00the same thing happened to me on my way home from ...the same thing happened to me on my way home from a pto meeting when miss james was a wee baby. a crazy lady came barreling down the street as i was crossing. i was in a daze for days. hugs.

hal and his dad have the same damn head.

i'm gonna have to go to lacma & visit the metropolis exhibit when we come in march. sounds fab.

you guys rule.oh, jenny maehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-90422905507521211232012-01-18T12:25:03.293-08:002012-01-18T12:25:03.293-08:00my daughter's cancer came back in October - sh...my daughter's cancer came back in October - she's seven (after 16 months of remission). Now we are in the fight of our lives. But we too try to "go forward with joy, hope, gratitude, courage and humor." It's all we can do - just try to get to the other side of the street without too much fuss. Anyway, this post hit a nerve and just wanted to say hello.Shelley @ The Happiness Diarieshttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-11291727550061177322012-01-18T12:04:53.378-08:002012-01-18T12:04:53.378-08:00Last night I dreamed you brought Fable and Archer ...Last night I dreamed you brought Fable and Archer to my house while your Mom watched Bo and Rev so that you could browse colleges for Archer. (???!???) I'm totally not a weirdo, by the way.
So glad you are still alive too!Jillhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-960285184594036342012-01-18T10:56:16.504-08:002012-01-18T10:56:16.504-08:00Felt time surround me like a sort of god-like ente...Felt time surround me like a sort of god-like enterprise. Because that's what time is: an invisible government, every moment a newly elected president of presence. "Seconds distinguish us from death, happiness, fear... The clock is always right and we are always against it. Every day, time hooks us up, pulls us back, guides us forward. Whether we insist on walking, driving, riding a unicycle along an electric line... We're all just a bunch of weirdos trying to get from one side of the street to the other, safely, or at the very least, more enlightened."

Whoa. You went there. So good.

Beck
beckcourtpress.blogspot.comBeckhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-35013513818069361332012-01-18T09:43:48.816-08:002012-01-18T09:43:48.816-08:00So glad that you and Revi made it across the stree...So glad that you and Revi made it across the street safely!

Love your post. Love that last picture of R&B. Love Rev's big ol' cheesy smile and BO's bluest eyes. These girls are GORGEOUS! X2 :)

Fable's makeup and smile = gorgeous
Archer's = my personal narrative = genius! <3

Sorry to hear about your friend's Cancer. To that I say "FU Cancer". I lost my mom in 2004 to Cancer...

Yesterday I read of two kids passing to cancer, and then got good news that a friends tumors are not growing. Ugh! firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-68153665347462423132012-01-18T08:11:56.598-08:002012-01-18T08:11:56.598-08:00Such a beautiful post. I really needed your words ...Such a beautiful post. I really needed your words and Denise's. Thank you. xo.nicolehttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-70279127307596663932012-01-18T01:09:27.386-08:002012-01-18T01:09:27.386-08:00Yes the bang tutorial! I know you did one one time...Yes the bang tutorial! I know you did one one time, but this girl is going to need the 'post partum' bang trim tutorial here real soon...Elisehttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-57934141006004033902012-01-17T23:41:49.305-08:002012-01-17T23:41:49.305-08:00Great post, Great fotos, what's that camera yo...Great post, Great fotos, what's that camera you're firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-57607661983336278162012-01-17T21:15:50.927-08:002012-01-17T21:15:50.927-08:00Holy Cow, you had be laughing hysterically from th...Holy Cow, you had be laughing hysterically from the first picture! Archer's "working on my personal narrative"...I'm stealing that line for sure! Glad you're safe and your eloquent description of almost dying was beautiful and Hal and his mom look amazingly alike. Revi's eyes are as big as platters...that is one girl who isn't going to let the world pass her by without noticing all it has to offer. Sweet post, thanks for sharing.Jaimhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-60368483716658212512012-01-17T21:15:37.189-08:002012-01-17T21:15:37.189-08:00would love the bang tutorial-- i've got a 3 mo...would love the bang tutorial-- i've got a 3 month old and my hair has started jumping ship. it has happened with all 3 kids but i usually hide with a swoop pretending to be bangs.

first time on your blog, thanks for being so open with your thoughts and and your mom email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-71840282786089044282012-01-17T20:50:50.333-08:002012-01-17T20:50:50.333-08:00I love the Cleopatra eyes on Fable! Absolutely pr...I love the Cleopatra eyes on Fable! Absolutely precious! My mother would occasionally put makeup on me when I was about Fable's age and they are some of my favorite pictures.

I hope your family friend can kick that cancer's butt!Amandahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-45244624742369430972012-01-17T20:50:45.083-08:002012-01-17T20:50:45.083-08:00Oh my God, girl. I almost got hit crossing the str...Oh my God, girl. I almost got hit crossing the street with my 3 year old son on the way to preschool. We live in SF, land of the 4 way stop. And in our 'hood, many of them get rolled right through, or forgotten completely. It's something that's bugged me since we moved to the 'hood 2 years ago. Also, such strange timing, b/c we were in the crosswalk that our preschool has been fighting to get repainted, and the city is being a bunch of douche nozzles about it. Yes, I sent a LONG angry letter. UGH so glad you and babe are safe, what a bunch of crap.Very Bloggy Bethhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-67899544782712559922012-01-17T17:07:52.812-08:002012-01-17T17:07:52.812-08:00So sorry about your friend Bec! Live strong Denis...So sorry about your friend Bec! Live strong Denise!!

Rev is totally rocking her jazz hands in that last firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-19327301629954215962012-01-17T17:07:41.063-08:002012-01-17T17:07:41.063-08:00The scene with Archer and the cashier had me liter...The scene with Archer and the cashier had me literally laughing out loud. This made my evening! Thanks.Melissa firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-31340336655968907902012-01-17T16:00:27.748-08:002012-01-17T16:00:27.748-08:00grrr. sorry it posted twice so i deleted the secon...grrr. sorry it posted twice so i deleted the second one. (just so you don't think the deleted one contained all sorts of vitriolic nonsense and i passive aggressively deleted it.)kristahttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751784.post-51784997746494932242012-01-17T15:57:47.695-08:002012-01-17T15:57:47.695-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.kristahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com


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Yesterday the Southern Baptist Convention elected their first black president, an historic moment for an organization that got its start defending slavery in pre-Civil War America.
CNN Starting Point host Soledad O'Brien interviewed Fred Luter Jr., who will be installed as president Wednesday evening. The interview on the main was fine, but towards the end, contributor Margaret Hoover pressed Luter as to whether he would champion as a "civil rights" cause, "inclusiveness of gay Americans," referring it seems to same-sex marriage. Luter answered in the negative, citing the Bible's teachings on the definition of marriage. It's then that O'Brien retorted that his stance put him in opposition to President Obama, as if to suggest that were a scandalous position for him to be in:
LUTER: ...We're going to embrace them [gays] as far as who they are, but we are also going to stand on biblical principles that the Word of God has already established, that marriage is between one man and one woman.
O'BRIEN: Which puts you directly, sir, in opposition to President Obama.
LUTER: On this particular subject, yes. I support my president. He is my president. I pray for him and Michelle and his daughters on a daily basis. But on this issue, the president and I have two different opinions for sure.
After thanking Luter for coming on the program, liberal contributor Richard Socarides snarked that Luter was "inclusive up to a point."
"Clearly, he is making it very clear that he is inclusive up to a point," O'Brien replied, adding to Hoover, "That was an excellent question there."
Here's the segment transcript, courtesy of MRC intern Kelly McGarey:
Starting Point
June 20, 2012
8:35 a.m. EDT
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, anchor: It's an historic day for the Southern Baptist Convention. The country's largest Protestant body has elected its first African-American president, the Reverend Fred Luter Hr. His election comes 160 years after the SBC was founded as a pro-slavery church and just 17 years after its leaders apologized for the denomination's support of white supremacists and segregationist policies. Reverend Fred Luter Jr. officially becomes president this evening. Nice to see you sir, congratulations to you. Thanks for being with us this morning. I can't say you're surprised, right? You ran unopposed, but it still is a tremendous honor. What's going to be your agenda as the new president?
FRED LUTER, Jr.: Well, thank you, Soledad, for being on the program. I'm very honored to be here with you and with CNN. It was a surprise that I was unopposed, particularly because this is such a large convention and it's the year of the president's election. I was really, really, really surprised that no one stepped up and wanted to run against me, and then just to see the support I got from the floor, it just brought tears to my eyes. I'm really grateful for that. My agenda will first be, first of all will be learning what I have to do. This is my first time doing this, so I'll be meeting with the staff there at the headquarters in Nashville and talking to other former presidents and find out, you know, specifically my duties and responsibilities. I know I'll be representing our convention across the country and across the world, but there are other things that I need to do as far as working with our Southern Baptist entities and working with other churches and denominations across the country.
O'BRIEN: You have said that you want to help solve the church's divisive civil rights history. What specifically would you do on that front?
LUTER: Well, we cannot deny the fact that of our history. It's there. Everybody knows about it. I'm sure by now they do. But one of the things I'm so proud about is that understanding the fact that every one of us have a history. I've got a history. You've got a history. Everybody watching this program has a history. There's nothing we can do about our past. But there's a lot we can do about our future, and so one of the things I'd like to do is, first of all, say to those outside of the SBC that this is a brand-new convention. Yes, we started out as a result of slavery. But that's behind us now, and we have proven the fact through the years that we want to move on from there, and I think by electing me as president of this convention is exhibit A to the world that this convention is now ready to open its doors to different groups, no matter your background, no matter your race, no matter your color. So that's some of the things that we hope to put out there, that people will understand, that we need to learn to get together here. Because if we don't get together here, we're not going to get together in heaven.
O'BRIEN: Some people might say, though, exhibit B would be what Dr. Richard Land said, who is the head of the ethics committee for the SBC, not too long ago about the Trayvon Martin case, obviously.
LUTER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: And I think he said that the president poured gasoline on racist fires. Then he did an apology, and then a second apology after that. So it's not really, really history for some people in some ways.
LUTER: Yes. You know, that's something that Richard Land - if he can go back and do that over again, I'm sure he would. All of us. I know I've said some things in the pulpit and I've said some things in interviews, hopefully not this interview, about you in interviews that I have regretted that I have said.
O'BRIEN: So far, so good.
LUTER: But you cannot deny the fact that there will be some, and there are some, who still has a problem with the skin. And I told folks yesterday that I was talking to, we don't have a skin problem in America, we have a sin problem, and until we deal with our sin problem, we will always have a skin problem.
O'BRIEN: Reverend Fred Luter joining us this morning, the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Did you want to jump in and ask some -
MARGARET HOOVER: , Reverend Luter, your election is a huge triumph for civil rights, and I wonder, you know, Pastor Worley, Baptist preacher in North Carolina, has made headlines recently. I wonder if your agenda will include a new civil rights issue, inclusiveness of gay Americans.
LUTER: Can you are repeat that? I didn't hear the last part.
O'BRIEN: Will your agenda include inclusiveness of gay Americans, a new civil rights issue?
LUTER: Well, no, no. I'm a man of the book. I believe in the word of God. I believe in the Bible. And God has specifically spoken about marriage. Marriage is between a man and a woman. You know, that's biblical. No president, whether it's a president in the White House, no governor, no mayor, no one can change that. God has already established a marriage between one man and one woman. So I will stand for that because that's what the word of God says, and that's what I believe in. We want to love -- I love all of us as believers. All of us love everybody. Including those in the gay community. We're going to embrace them as far as who they are, but we are also going to stand on biblical principles that the word of God has already established, that marriage is between one man and one woman.
O'BRIEN: Which puts you directly, sir, in opposition to President Obama.
LUTER: On this particular subject, yes. I support my president. He is my president. I pray for him and Michelle and his daughters on a daily basis. But on this issue, the president and I have two different opinions for sure.
O'BRIEN: Reverend Fred Luter, nice to see you, sir. Congratulations again on your election.
LUTER: Thank you, Soledad. Listen, thanks for all you've done for New Orleans. We appreciate you.
O'BRIEN: My pleasure. I'm going to be there this weekend. Maybe I'll get a chance to run into you, sir. Swing by church.
LUTER: That would be great.
O'BRIEN: Take care, sir.
LUTER: Thank you very much.
O'BRIEN: You bet.
RICHARD SOCARIDES, writer, NewYorker.com: He's inclusive up to a point.
O'BRIEN: Clearly, he is making it very clear that he is inclusive up to a point.That was an excellent question there.


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Chocolate Protein Pancakes
These alternatives to regular pancakes are easy to make, high in protein, gluten free, dairy free, no eggs, and paleo approved. The best part is you get your chocolate fix!!
I have always wanted to get a camper van and explore the amazing national parks we have in our own backyard in America. Most people aren't able to take long road trips until after retirement because they have a job, a family, and a house, etc. They save up money to go on a vacation to Paris or Costa Rica, but a lot of people haven't even experienced some of the treasures we have at home. I spent the past year abroad in Thailand and met several travelers that commented on the natural beauty of America. I came back from Thailand for a potential job that didn't end up working out. So I decided to take advantage of my situation: no job, no apartment, not knowing where to go next, and just go on a "freedom journey" while I consider my options.
However, I wanted this journey to have a bigger purpose. Huge cuts have been made in the funding for America's parks, public lands, wildlife, and water resources which will also directly affect local businesses and communities. My goal is to share with others some of the amazing places to visit in our country and bring awareness to the need for conservation of our national parks. I plan to visit as many sites as possible as time and funding will allow. 50% of every donation on this site will be given to the National Park Foundation. So let's get outdoors and #FindYourPark.
You can help me achieve this by making a donation – however small to my gofundme page
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These alternatives to regular pancakes are easy to make, high in protein, gluten free, dairy free, no eggs, and paleo approved. The best part is you get your chocolate fix!!
Chilean Sea Bass is full of flavor making it easy to cook without the need to add tons of ingredients. Although it's a great source of protein, it has higher levels of mercury than other fish options so it should only be consumed a few times a month. Think of it as the filet mignon…Details
A lot of people don't enjoy exercise saying "That hour of cardio was torture" or "I'm sore for days afterwards" etc. But not all types of training are created equal. What works for one person, might not be the type of exercise your body needs. Due to an old sports injury, I'm not able to…Details
Diwali means to be in the present, dropping the regrets of the past, the worries of the future, and living in the moment. The sweets and exchange of gifts symbolize forgetting the bickering and negativities of the past, and renewal of friendship for the times to come.
This is one of my personal favorites, only takes a few short minutes to prepare and is delicious!
Honestly a great little salad to have as a meal or as side with any meal, build in bulk and it lasts for at least a week of snacking also.
Courtney's Coconut Tropical Fruit Salad is a really simple treat whose ingredients can be purchased from just about any store. If possible try a farmers market or local fruit store.
Life is Work in Progress… 2 things I learned this past year: Everything happens for a reason and Change is good
Ice Cream in bed for breakfast cuz it's my birrrrfday and I want it!!! Turning 32 is looking good #icecream #inbed #puppylove #sharingiscaring #birthday #gettingolderisfunDetails
Stop and embrace the beauty around you… Everyday is a blessing @bluewaterbliss #tbt #tulum #mexico #bluewaterbliss #lagoon
Awesome shoot today!! Who knew there were mountains in Miami?? repost @rodrigovarela: #funshoot today with @court.fitness #montainsinmiami #fitness #photoshoot #montainclimbing
If there is one partner in life that never disappoints it is a dog and I simply love my puppies. I think ewverone at some stage has to feel the love a dog can bring you. Nothing better to come home to. Please support Paws For You Miami
Standing at the edge of the world… Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
Wake up, work hard, give your all in everything you do! Off to the gym to work on my ninja moves
Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery. So much fun finally doing my first #boxing photoshoot!! Now time to eat Thanks @rodrigovarela for the awesome photos and @sobekickgym


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II Timothy 2:15 – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Every day, every hour of the day, inside churches and outside churches, people are rejecting the Bible. They reject its power. They reject its righteousness. They reject its final authority. They reject is literal truth and inerrancy. Now they will claim to love its history. They will claim to love its values. They will claim to love its traditions. They even claim to love its impact on world culture and history. They do this because of a need to seem tolerant, valid, moral, even righteous in their own eyes and before the world. All morals, all righteousness, all purity, all reason demands that they accept SOME of the Bible. After all, who can disagree with "thou shalt not murder"? Who can disagree with "love thy neighbor as thyself"? Who can disagree with "judge not lest ye be judged"? Who can disagree with peace, justice, and "the golden rule"? But alas, these people cannot accept all of the Bible. They want to accept some of it. The parts which sound good TO THEM. The parts which sound consistent TO THEM. The parts which sound righteous TO THEM. The parts which THEY want to keep. So they tell themselves the big lie, which is that it is possible to keep SOME of the Bible without rejecting ALL of it. THAT is why you have people claiming such nonsense as morality being evolutionary. Why? No one wants to oppose morality. Without morality, without standards, there would be chaos. So they claim that morality, just like man and even the Bible itself, just happened out of nowhere. Even worse are the so – called Christians who claim that the Bible is merely stories and allegories, not to be fully believed, but instead should only be referenced in the context of philosophical and legal constructs that can be adapted to changing times. Which is, of course, ridiculous, for the Bible read as a philosophy or law is confusing, antiquated, contradictory, and barbaric. Even reading the Bible as literature or history is utterly useless. It makes for bad literature because God goes from being an excessively overused plot device to barely being seen or heard to do much of anything after the destruction of the first temple save for Jesus Christ being God in the flesh, and even Jesus Christ mostly departs from the scene after the gospels. And it makes for bad history because so many of the people and events recorded in the Bible, often in excruciating detail, are simply of no consequence in any secular context. So the Bible has meaning only as not only truth, but as absolute truth; the only truth. Yet that is the very meaning which everyone, especially Christians, seek to deny. The question is: why? The answer is sin. Despite what you have heard, it is quite possible to follow the Bible, because following the Bible is not something that is done by action of hand or profession of mouth but rather by the faith and will of the heart. So, the problem is not that it is impossible not to sin, because the Bible itself says that it is impossible not to sin and moreover says that one should not even try. The problem is that one should DESIRE NOT TO SIN. Make no mistake: THAT is what people cannot accept. And you know what? It is more tolerable to preach in your little "Christian" megachurch that God does not want you to sin than it is to preach the truth; that God does not want you to DESIRE to sin. Why? If you preach the LIE, then people are comforted with the LIE. Why? Because the LIE is unattainable, and everyone knows it. They will say "Hey, what God wants of us is too hard, so therefore God, being loving and righteous, will not punish be for failing to do the impossible. Instead, He will reward me for my good works." Therefore, you will believe a LIE because that LIE will allow you to believe that it is OK to want to sin and be an unrepentant sinner. Most of all, that LIE, your very own STRONG DELUSION, keeps you from having to acknowledge the TRUTH, which is that unless you change you will die in your sins and spend an eternity in the lake of fire, and that will happen not because of what you DID, but because YOU LIKED DOING IT AND DID NOT EVEN WANT TO CHANGE! THAT is the reason why you will fail God's test and be judged unrighteous by a God who will retain His Righteousness. It is not because God is this evil God who created some standard that was too high for you to meet because God created you for the purpose of your destruction and is gleefully awaiting that day! God forbid! God's Own Word, the Bible which you reject, says that it is not His Will that any should perish; that the lake of fire was not prepared for man but rather for Satan and his demons! No, you will be destroyed because you loved your sins more than you loved God. That means that you loved yourself more than you loved God, and thereby you made yourself a God. Well, God's Word said THOU SHALT HAVE NO GODS BEFORE ME! But you are a lover of self with all your lusts, filths, abominations, blasphemies, and corruptions, and not a lover of God. And for that reason, the only thing that awaits you is your destruction. Your only future is judgment.
And that is why you hate the Bible. The whole book is about YOU and what will happen to YOU. You want desperately to believe that God will save you for your works' sake, but the Bible tells you that it is a LIE. So you reject that part, but that makes the whole thing a LIE. So you tell yourself that the Bible cannot be true, because if it is true, then judgment is true. If the Bible is true, then the judgment is true, and the judgment is coming after you. And your judgment does not merely await you, does it? No, it does not. The only thing that awaits is REWARD. True followers of Christ who have accepted the truth of the Bible and have thereby decided that they do not wish to desire sin in their hearts, THEY are awaiting something. THEY are contending something. And something is REWARD. But you? You are not contending for anything. You are not awaiting anything, because you have not been granted that privilege, you have not been given by the free gift of grace that status. I will tell you the status that you do have, though: THE STATUS OF HUNTED PREY.
Yes, that is what you are, my friend. You are an antelope. You are a rabbit. You are a chicken. You are a mouse. You are a fly. And judgment, that coming judgment day, is stalking you. You are its prey. My friend, tomorrow is not promised to you. It is not even known to you with certainty that you will finish this document. If you do, you cannot deny that the sad fact is that by the time you get through reading this, several people will have died. Now you may dispute whether some will go to reward and the rest to damnation of flame. You may dispute the standards which determine who receives reward and who inherits flame. But you cannot dispute that even if your life does extend past the amount of time that it will take for you to read this document, others will not be so fortunate, and you also cannot dispute that just as right now is their day and time, your day and time is too coming. So, my good friend, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. Judgment is coming, and unless you are born again through the one who is commonly called Jesus Christ but His Name was more likely Yeshua HaMashiach, then judgment is coming after you.
The coming judgment is a roaring lion. It is a ravening wolf. It cannot be stopped or delayed. It cannot be pleased or appeased. It knows no pity, it has no compassion. Judgment is not even death, for death itself will be overtaken by it, and the grave with it! Now a partial judgment my friend, already happened during the time of Noah. But God remembered Noah, and the partial temporary judgment was appeased. Why? Because it was the judgment of WATER. And its purpose was to cleanse creation of corruption for a time so that it could have a second chance, a second dispensation, during which Shiloh Emmanuel the Redeemer would come. But the next judgment will be by FIRE. Its purpose will not be to cleanse creation of sin for a second chance, but rather to destroy a creation that has run out of chances forever! All that is sin and all that loves sin will be destroyed in the second complete judgment, AND THAT JUDGMENT WILL LAST FOREVER! There will be no second chances for that which loves sin, but rather a new heaven and a new earth will be created for God and for all of His Servants WHO HATE AND HAVE REJECTED IT! And regrettably my friend, that does not include you. And that is why you are prey and I am not. That is why you are the fox to judgment's hound. That is why you are the pigeon to judgment's hawk. That is why you are fish to judgment's shark, squid to judgment's killer whale, and bug to judgment's wasp. That is why you are the wildebeest to judgment's crocodile. That is why you are the fly to judgment's frog, the worm to judgment's robin, and the moth to judgment's spider. The difference is that where sometimes an occasional lucky intended victim will escape the jaws of its pursuer, forcing it to either find another quarry or starve to death, there will be no escape for YOU, lover of sin. Not only will judgment overtake you, but it will be in no danger of starvation for it will spend an eternity with you as its meal!
And when that day comes when judgment overtakes you, oh what a live one you will be. At your Creator will you shake your fist. Against Him you will gnash your teeth. Upon His Name you will spit and curse. Against His judgment shall you rebel. And of His Righteousness and Love you will accuse and deny. The whole point of your presentation will be that God's standard was too hard, that you never knew the truth, that you never had a chance, for God had it out for you from the beginning and it just isn't fair. After you are done, you will do at death what you never did in life, which is bow before Him and confess His Word as Your Lord. You will be made to confess that God IS Righteous, that God IS Love, and that it is because of that Righteous Love that you must be forever destroyed, tortured in an indescribably grievous flame, because you loved your sin more than you loved His Righteousness. Your love of sin you accepted, His Love of Righteousness you rejected, the choice that you made was your own for reasons none other than your own selfish arrogant pride, and that you had your chance and you blew it. You had the Bible and decided that it was not true. It was not because you could not live up to the Bible's standard, but rather because you did not want to. God will take you through every minute of your wretched wasted existence which was so depraved that it would have been better had you died in the womb, and show you each and every chance you had to accept the gospel and rejected it. He will show you each and every time a preacher spoke to you, and you scoffed at him. He will show you each time you knowingly came near a Bible and passed it by. He will show you every time you read the Bible and denied its meaning. He will show you every time you sat in church allowing your ears to be tickled with what you knew was a lie. And then he will show you every time you persecuted a Christian for his unwillingness to abandon or compromise the truth and join you in your love of sin and your being prey for judgment! And after all of that is done, God will command His servants, those who did not join Satan in a rebellion that like you Satan knew was destined to fail but tried it anyway because of the pride in his heart, to take you and cast you into that same judgment that can never be filled, pleased, or appeased, but instead will spend an eternity trying to be filled, pleased, and appeased with you.
And you, despite how you might lie to yourself and others, despite how you are running away from it, despite how you are rejecting the loving God that so desperately wishes that you not receive it, know that your judgment is coming. You can hear it. You can smell it. You can taste it. You can feel it. You can even SEE it. In that little moment that you have when your mind slips between reality and fantasy, you see yourself in the flame. When you fall asleep and night and start to dream, you see yourself in the flame. When you step outside your door and leave your manmade house and your manmade car into God's creation, you see yourself in the flame. And when you look past what you call the physical natural realm past the limitations of time and space and into the eternal spiritual realm, you see yourself in the flame. Now sure, it is just a glimpse, a shadow, and it does not last very long, only a hint of an instant, but for that time you see yourself in the flame! Why? Because in that hint of an instant the natural you sees the same thing afar off that the spiritual you is seeing up close! The spiritual you knows its fate, and desperately wants to avoid it and is doing everything that it can to warn you, begging you and pleading you to get reconciled with God before it is too late, before the mouth of judgment devours it! But the natural you? It tells the spiritual you no, to go and sit down. Why? Because I like sin. I like my lusts. I like my pride. I like worshipping myself. I like my false religions. I like to rant, to hate, to lie, to gossip, to cause dissension, strife, and confusion. I like to consider myself righteous because of works that are noble in my own eyes. So go away, spirit, I like my life just the way it is and have no fear of or love for this God of which you speak. I have a god of my own invention that suits me much more.
But there is just one minor detail: the Bible. Oh the Bible. Oh that book that describes what is going to happen to you. That book that describes why it is going to happen to you. That book that not only describes how one can avoid your fate, but why YOU are not going to take advantage of it. You cannot deal with it. You cannot abide it. And you cannot even tolerate anyone in your midst who does. So, therefore, you hate it. You may have seven or eight in your house, and you may even read it every day and not only quote it but thump it whenever you speak. But it is all a lie, for deep down inside you hate it because your love of sin cannot coexist with it. And you also hate me. You hate me because I love God and therefore have the Bible in me. You resent me because I will not follow after your lies. You loathe me because I will not accommodate your false doctrines. You reject me because I will not cast rose petals at your feet while you are walking down the highway to your destruction. You believe that the highway leads to heaven like that hymn says, but it does not, for the way to heaven is no highway. It is a tough, narrow, winding road filled with obstacles, rejection, pain, and persecution. If our Saviour had to endure the cross, why should our walk be a bowl of cherries? But the bowl of cherries is what you went after, and you eat your fill of it, and the part of each one that you love best is the core, rotten stinking and oozing with your own lusts and filthy abominations. Well, you are what you eat, my friend, and that is why judgment is going to eat you. And that is why you have rejected the Bible, for the Bible is Truth, and the Truth reminds you of your fate. And because you cannot face your fate, you choose to believe a lie.
Now my friend, I have told you. I have told you everything that you have ever done, and I have told you why you have done it. Moreover, I have told you everything that you will do, and why you will do it. It is not because I am some great prophet, but rather because I have seen everything about you in the Bible. The Bible is the Book of Life, and you aren't in it! And that, my friend, is the real reason why you hate it. Now you can change. You can get on your knees and cry out to God at any time while breath is in Your Body, and He will forgive your sins and accept you in His Kingdom of Heaven. And I have already dedicated lots of my writing to those people. But this is to you, sinner. This is to you, who will harden your heart to everything that everyone who comes to you preaching in God's Name from the Bible. This is to you, who have chosen your path and is following it. This is to you, who have made your bed and is about to lie in it. This is to you, who will never change because you have decided that if you cannot be your own god then there will be no god at all. Well then why, you might ask, am I dedicating this effort to you? Simple, because it is my job. I must do it so that when judgment day comes, God will remind you that you read this, and then remind you that you were warned.
And as for the rest of you, if you have not done so, repeat with belief and sincerity below.
Father God, the One True God of Heaven Who Created The Land, Sea, and All Things In The Earth, Above, And Below, In The Name Of Lord Jesus Christ. I Am Sorry For All My Sins. Please Forgive me. I believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost) Born of the Virgin Mary Died for my sins on the cross Rose from the dead on the third day Ascended into heaven And is the one begotten Son of God And is God and part of the One God That is The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) And who was God and man while on Earth. I submit that you are greater than I and all elseI submit myself to your complete authority And promise to zealously seek and obeyYour will and your will aloneAll the days of my life. I humbly request, Father God, In The Name Of JesusThat I be baptized with the Holy Spirit (or Holy Ghost)And receive evidence thereof At the time that you in your infinite wisdomWould deem appropriate. I believe that if I have said this prayer and fully believe and have faith in the contents therein that I am saved. I believe that this prayer and belief is all that is necessary to be saved And will hold fast to my salvation and the belief therein Whatever the words or actions of any man or spirit Save God himself. The Word Of God is the only Truth there is And I renounce all else. In the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus ChristI thank you God for having mercy on meI thank you God for saving meI thank Jesus Christ for dying for my sins on the cross and rising again For defeating death, hell, and Satan And thereby through him giving me the victory over the same And thereby through him making a way for me to enter heaven. Thank you Father for accepting me into the Body of ChristFor my salvation And for my entrance into heaven should I sincerely obey and serve you henceforth and for the rest of my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.If you have fulfilled above, then urgently go tell someone and thereby bear witness of your testimony. If you desire instruction and guidance concerning your salvation, feel free to contact me at email@example.com.


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Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Won't Back Down (Anthology)
Editor: Samantha Derr
Authors:Andrea Speed, Caitlin Ricci, Mell Eight, Archer Kaye Leah, Kish Swanson, Mina MacLEod, Diana Sheridan, Annabelle Kitch, S.S. Skye, Freddie Milano, August Aimes
Purchase at Less Than Three Publishing
Purchase at All Romance eBooks
Cover Artist: Aisha Akiju
Genre: Anthology (contains fantasy, science fiction, contemporary)
Length: 189k words
Formats: epub, mobi, pdf,
Blurb: MMA. Jousting Knights. Dueling swordsman. Gladiators. They do it for the money, for the love, and the necessity. They aren't afraid of bruises, blood, and broken bones. Less Than Three Press presents a collection of stories about people who won't back down even when the whole world seems stacked against them.
Due to the huge number of stories in this volume and my woeful tendency to say something about each one, the individual story blurbs will get pushed down into the review section. There is something for everyone here.
Only a few of the pieces have on-screen sex, which is an interesting choice for the anthology and generally a good choice for the stories. None of them lose anything for not having the explicit, and a few are weakened by having it there. A few need every touch and thrust the author gave them.
Word counts where offered are my best estimates based on the number of Kindle locations, which very roughly give you 22-23 words per location.
Heart's Tournament by Mell Eight—Torn apart by the guilds vying for control of the city, twin brothers Keel and Saar must learn to fight, and win, if they hope to reunite—but winning might be exactly what tears them apart forever. Note: This story contains twincest.
This was a novella length fantasy piece (est 30k) that turned out to have a number of irrelevancies stuck in, made to look important, and then ignored. Start with the twincest: I read this anyway although twincest usually hits my squick buttons. Turns out there's nothing there to squick me with. If you want on-screen sex, don't look here, nor should you look for the boys' examination of why they became lovers. We only get third party psychobabble about a two sentence issue. You wanna push this button, at least make me care one way or the other about it. The trainers Sariel and Linalee were the more interesting couple.
Another example: the battle cats' only function was to separate Saar and Keel. Battle cats? I want to know more than that they grow to over 400 pounds and are orange with stripes. Which sounds like a tiger. I want to see what they do. Here, nothing.
Long, shallow, and ultimately tensionless, this was not a good lead-off piece for the collection. It's a big bucket of meh. 1.5 marbles
Champion by Andrea Speed—Kell is the first Human heavyweight champion in the Ultimate Fighting League of the Unified Worlds, where Humans are considered the lowest of the low. His presence could make a difference for his race, especially with his lover contending for featherweight champion—if they survive.
After struggling through the first piece, I was rewarded with the story that should have led the collection. In this science fiction story, humans are the low species on the totem pole, and like marginalized groups gaining acceptance through boxing, look to grab acceptance via physical triumph. We have an established couple who worry for each other, support each other, and love each other. I bled in the ring with Kell and Layne, and rejoiced with them after. 5 marbles
Canis Project by Kish Swanson—There is no one Liam loves more than his twin brother Alex. In the eyes of society, they probably love each other too much, but that's never stopped them. When Alex is brutally taken, however, it does stop the police from investigating. Then a stranger offers Liam a chance for revenge against the genetically-engineered monsters who murdered his brother... Note: This story contains twincest.
If you want on-screen brotherly love, here it is. Once we're sure how dear Alex and Liam are to each other, we follow Liam through years of revenge-hunting until he meets the opponent who can take him down. There are wheels within wheels here with motivations, and the truth might be out there somewhere. Annoying and possibly deliberate absence of understanding on what genetic engineering actually is, but go with it, the story has some interesting twists. 3.75 marbles
Experiment Number Six by Mina MacLeod—When his mission goes sideways, sniper Jason Slate wakes up in a strange hospital, drugged out of his mind, and captive of a shrewd terrorist organization. He's rescued by the military and placed in the care of Eric Archer, a warrant officer charged with helping him recover. But did the terrorists lose Jason... or let him go?
Excellent contemporary/science fiction story, with a plot worthy of more examination in a longer piece, although my tolerance for present tense might not hold out that long. The slow bloom between Eric and Jason is tense, with self-awareness on both sides that this may be a product of isolation and manipulation. Jason's undergone prolonged medical torture and interrogation for information he doesn't have, and Eric helps put him back together. Great team, interesting scientific twist in the plot. 4.5 marbles
Knight & Novice by Cassandra Pierce—Renulf's tedious days of copying manuscripts is interrupted by two unlikely visitors to the Sanctuary: a rampaging, troll-like thief, and the knight who slays him. In thanks for his assistance, Lord Bazel is invited to stay at the Sanctuary for a few days. But when night falls, he asks Renulf to secretly translate a strange manuscript...
Here's a fantasy short that's really the first act in a longer piece, it perks along and then chops off after the first mystery is resolved, but not the greater problem. Renulf is torn between loyalty to his old codger of a master and excitement from the visitor to their remote sanctuary, who has hints of the greater world and is terribly sexy. Sword and sorcery, but without the truly exciting bits. 3 marbles
Fight to the Finish by Diana Sheridan—Maltroos has always been proud to be a Pledger and fight against other swordsmen for the amusement of the king. But he clings to the promise of his secret lover, Prince Saxtry, who vows that one day he will abolish the brutal duels. Then the king announces a Grand Competition—and that all fights will be to the death.
Told like a rehashed fairy tale but without the logic that usually applies when a king offers the hand of his heir. Maltroos fights for the right to live openly with his beloved, Saxtry worries, and there you have it in a rather flat style. 2 marbles
Rule Breaker by Archer Kay Leah—Gren has a very simple list of rules: no attachments, no loyalty, he'll fight for anyone willing to pay. His only exception to the rule is Tracel, a healer who is also his casual lover. When she is taken hostage, however, Gren realizes he may have broken his rules, and he'll have to break a few more to get her back.
One of the gems of this collection, with very full and rounded characters, a plot worthy of the name, adventure, and excitement. Here's the story that made me sad to end and want to reread. Tracel is *trans, in a world where lifestyle is possible but difficult, and physical modification too dangerous to contemplate. She's a beautiful character and nuanced to the bone. Gren has two fights, one with himself over what's truly important and one with the upstart Allon. There's a lot of worldbuilding in a very small space. At about 18k words, it's long enough to tell the story and short enough to leave me wanting more. 5 marbles
A Little Magic by Annabelle Kitch—When Thrim is taken to the south, he believes he can sink no lower. The slavers took his dignity, the guards took his book of magic and the arena will take his life. Then an unexpected friendship earns Thrim a new enemy, who uses Thrim's own magic to shrink him to the size of a rat and leave him even more helpless.
What was probably meant as humor came out as TSTL to get Thrim captured, and then to be shrunk to a pocket-pet adds to the indignity. Fortunately, the character starts thinking better when his brain is the size of a pea. One of the other gladiators befriends him, and the story becomes a partnership between the two. There's no sex, and the story didn't even really need to be cast as m/m to work. 4 marbles
A Good Man by Caitlin Ricci—When Emory loses his job he's afraid of what his boyfriend will think. A friend at the gym offers a solution: go one round in an upcoming fight and he'll give Emory a job training the guys. But Emory hasn't been in the ring for years, and getting back into fighting won't make his boyfriend any happier than the lost job.
The motivations are there, the backstory is there, but it's all on the surface. I didn't feel any of this, and Emory's shame, his connection to his father, and his decision to get punched in the face repeatedly all ought to get more of a reaction. Nor did I feel any real understanding of the sport. 2 marbles
Gladiatrix by S.S. Skye—When Daelan is sold to the kingdom to pay off her father's debts, she knows she is bound for the Games—and not likely to last long. When she arrives, however, she unexpectedly finds she has a patron who seems determined that Daelan come out of the Games alive...
This is the one lesbian story of the group, which is mostly focused on external plot. It takes place in a medieval-feeling world with some Roman Empire tendencies toward bread and circuses. It's well done—the other MC is crucial to the resolution, and the story wouldn't work the same if they weren't potential lovers. Daelan's terror and determination come through very strongly. Little of the word count is devoted to them getting physical, but you just know that this couple will work. 4 marbles
Feint of Heart by Freddie Milano—For the past six years, Cal has been trying to gain the attention of Sir Taren Veretti outside of training sessions, but Taren refuses to see him as anything but a squire. He's forced to set aside his amorous goals, however, when he stumbles across a plot that could ruin Veretti and everything they've worked for.
Cal's adorable: he's a squire and thus a knight in training, but he's still like a big puppy in some ways and very much picked on by another squire. He's enamored of the knight to whom he gives service, and he manages to be in the right place at the right time almost as often as he manages to get into trouble. There's lots of court intrigue and fighting which are bright on the page, and a sweet ending. 4.5 marbles
Chasing Coyote by August Aimes—Jove has been chasing his quarry for more than a year, but infamous thief and magic worker Coyote always manages to stay one step ahead—until suddenly he isn't, and Jove is way more tangled up than he ever wanted, in ways he never expected...
This is the Western in the group, with magic. Not quite the American West, but with the right feel. The magical system is well thought-out and not over-explained, which let talisman worker/thief Coyote and not-too-bright but rather humorous bounty hunter Jove chase each other around, working mostly at cross-purposes and occasionally in tandem. The goal isn't what Jove thought it was, and the ending is perfect. 5 marbles
As with any anthology, the stories will vary, and my favorites may not be your favorites. However, the huge gap between the stories that worked well or really well and the three that felt phoned in makes me wish this anthology had worked out 50k words shorter. That would have improved the price point (which is steep for an ebook) and given the overall volume a 4.25 average rating instead of the 3.5 marbles which is unfairly penalizing some really good stories.
Copy received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Forget the notion email is dead. It's a ridiculous idea, according to SendGrid CEO Sameer Dholakia.
"If you forget your password, you get an email to reset it. If you hit the 'buy' button on a website, the confirmation of the purchase arrives via email. When you leave an Uber, your receipt is emailed. How about your communications with Yelp, OpenTable, Airbnb, Spotify?"
Dholakia could have kept going, but his point was made. Even companies that were born digital rely on email.
$33M Series D Round
Denver-based SendGrid delivers more than one billion email messages on behalf of its customers each day. "That is two times the volume of the activity on Twitter," Dholakia told CMSWire, noting that his company reaches 1.6 billion unique email recipients every month.
If Dholakia sounds like a pitchman, he is. This week the company closed $33 million in a Series D round led by Bain Capital Ventures, with participation from Foundry Group, Bessemer Ventures and SofTech Ventures.
This isn't money SendGrid necessarily needs at the moment, according to Dholakia, who said that the company was profitable in the third quarter, is cash flow positive and will be profitable in 2017.
"We control our own destiny," he added, noting that the additional funds might be used for opportunistic acquisitions.
"MarTech has been over-invested by a lot," he said, explaining that there are solution providers in SendGrid's space who were founded at about the same time (2009) and are solving interesting problems.
"But they are products or features, not platforms (the way SendGrid is)."
What SendGrid Might Buy
Odds are Dholakia is already shopping. If he is, he will likely acquire a company to augment SendGrid's existing services: email infrastructure that automates much of the transactional world, email marketing and expert services business.
Some of the money will be used to grow the company as well. SendGrid plans to triple its workforce from 320 to 900 by 2020.
Providing a platform for email delivery might not seem like rocket science, but it is not easy to do it well, Dholakia said.
Dholakia told CMSWire that 20 percent of legitimate email never reaches the intended recipients. Blame or thank Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for that with their aggressive spam filters.
It is up to SendGrid to make sure the latter doesn't happen.
"We have 320 people who wake up each morning and think and breathe email," said Dholakia.
Their success is something that SendGrid just took to the bank.
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Zoe Whitley is a London-based curator. In 2013 she joined the curatorial team at Tate Britain, as a Curator of Contemporary British Art where she works on acquisitions and oversees the monthly programme of artists' film and video. Since 2014 she has held a dual curatorial role at Tate Modern, developing research around collecting and presenting contemporary art from across the African continent and by African artists in the Diaspora: there, she is currently Adjunct Research Curator, Supported by Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.
Prior to joining Tate, Zoe was a curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum; first as an Assistant Curator of Prints and Posters (2003-2005) and subsequently as Curator of Contemporary Programmes (2005-2013). Site-specific artists' commissions and temporary exhibitions to her credit include projects with El Anatsui, Mat Collishaw, Lubaina Himid, Anselm Kiefer and Yinka Shonibare, among others. She co-curated The Shadows Took Shape, an international exhibition about Afrofuturism at the Studio Museum in Harlem (2013-14).
Zoe is also a PhD candidate at the University of Central Lancashire. Her doctoral research focuses on contemporary artists of the African Diaspora, institutional critique and the racialised space of art museums. Zoe earned an MA in the History of Design from the Royal College of Art in 2003.Select publications
Frank Bowling: Traingone, Spritmuseum Stockholm, 2015 (with Mel Gooding, edited by Mia Sundberg)
The Shadows Took Shape, Studio Museum in Harlem, 2013 (with Naima Keith)
The Graphic World of Paul Peter Piech, Four Corners Books, 2013
In Black and White: prints from Africa and the Diaspora (with Gill Saunders), V&A Publications, 2013
The Graphic World of Paul Peter Piech, Four Corners Books, 2013
In Black and White: prints from Africa and the Diaspora (with Gill Saunders), V&A Publications, 2013


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Shopaholism: An Inside Look at Uniqlo NYC
We've talked a lot about Uniqlo as a brand and showcased some individual items we've acquired but we've never shown you the inside of the store. So here it is- the huge three floor store on Broadway between Prince and Spring Streets in SoHo is filled from floor to ceiling (literally) with Uniqlo's signature low price-point but very well designed and constructed garments. The first floor features a large glass showcase which is readily changed, an area dedicated to the +J Jil Sander diffusion line and a mixture of men's and women's gear. The second floor is all menswear and the basement level is all womenswear. Overall, it's an overwhelming retail experience. There's so much to go through and so many people to push through that you might find yourself frustrated. But, I assure you, once you find that perfect pair of Uniqlo selvedge jeans for $70 or that great fitting winter jacket for less than $100 you'll be hooked.
Check out more photos of Uniqlo NYC after the jump (click to enlarge).
|The main floor of Uniqlo NYC showcases +J as well as the newest featured products for men and women.
|The showcase at the front of the store is filled with innovative displays like this one for UV protective fabrics.
|The store is stocked floor to ceiling with garments of all colors.
|The +J diffusion line is a big hit. It contains fashion forward pieces in collaboration with Jil Sander.
|The +J section of the main floor has all of the items for men and women currently available- good luck trying to find the popular sizes!
|The UT t-shirt section for which Uniqlo is quite famous has moved from the main floor to the area between the first and second floor. Current collaborations include Uniqlo x Naruto and Uniqlo x Dragonball.
Uniqlo NYC
546 Broadway (btw. Prince and Spring Street)
SoHo, NYC


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OPtion A
$45 per family
12 month membership
3 x 2 hour duty sessions (6 hours annually)
$5 free toy hire on the day you do your duty session
Unlimited toy hire
Hire toys for 2 or 4 weeks
OPtion B
$96 per family
12 month membership
Unlimited toy hire
Hire toys for 2 or 4 weeks
How much are the toys to hire?
Rental is based on the value and age of the toy. On each toy's packaging there will be a coloured spot
which denotes the rental price. Posters are at the library to remind you of the colour codes:
Yellow - $1 Red - $2 Blue - $3, DVDs - $2
What fundraising are you required to do as a member?
We require all members to either complete one fundraiser per year (usually donating a bag of used clothes in good condition, raffle ticket) or pay an additional exemption fee of $16. Refer to our FAQ page to find out more about our Fundraising.
You can join by:
Coming down to the library when it's open, fill out an application form and paying by cash or eftpos.
Or download an application form and email it back to us firstname.lastname@example.com and pay by internet banking.
Causal membership
We do offer a causal member of $10 membership, plus toy hire for a two week period.
This membership is ideal for grandparents or others who have children staying for short periods.
Come down to the library and speak to the librarian, if you wish to do a casual membership.


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photo by seanwolter
Are you sitting down? Sadly, the answer is probably yes. And this is probably not unusual. Most of us sit for hours during the day. The problem is that all this sitting is killing us.
The Challenge
How can reduce the amount of time that we spend sitting? And how can we do this in a way that is easy to adopt? Sure price is an issue. Most people will likely be testing this new behavior, so they wont want to spend a fortune. Also, we need to make sure we fit into current work environments - we probably cant remove existing desks and chairs, so need to work around them.
Need some inspiration? Here is a recent NYTimes article discussing some interesting (but often expensive) approaches. Of course, there are various IKEA hacks to create standing desks, too (most of these seem to be for folks who have offices at home, so not sure it solves the office issue).
How You Can Help
We're looking for simple solutions to help us sit less. We're looking for drawings, renderings or even pictures of prototypes. Our goal is to
What's in it for you
[still working on the righs incentives to cover Money, Attention and Experience. my sense is that the social good element hear is already visible]
Revenue share - if your idea is selected for prototyping, you will immediately receive a contract for 10% share of future revenues from wholesale sales.
Its your idea - even if you don't win, the idea is still yours and you have feedback to help make it better.
Our media partners [stil working on who they are] will be covering the challenge, so there is an opportunity to receive media coverage as well.
Evaluation criteria
+ minimum disruption - we still need to work. Sure Google Glass is just around the corner and we might be able to walk and work all the time, but until then, we need to find approaches that let us work with the tools we're used to - most likely desktops and laptops.
+ possible impact - how much do we think we can change behavior (could be complete transfomation for a small group or small transformations for a large group).
+ feasibility - do we need new technologies like materials or manufacturing approaches to make this work?
+ viability - we want to be able to make and sell this and have enough left over to reinvest and pay out the folks who help make this happen (and the revenue share of course)
1. announce challenge
2. ideas submission and feedback
3. peer review and jury review
4. winners announced
5. build and test rough prototypes
6. crowdfund first product iteration
7. move idea into production
[will add some more details to each phase]
[currenty thinking about Greatist + Coworking spaces]


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Yonex launched the Duora ten in 2015 departing from their historical tradition of introducing a new variety with the quantity 7. Yonex has already experienced success with this racket winning a number of Super Series competitions, as this is the racket employed by the excellent singles player from Malaysia, Lee Chong Wei. There is not a lot more to say truly, it is a excellent racket in my opinion, not as much energy as the Apacs nano 999 energy, but then once more it is a tiny bit lighter. A very good quality badminton racket will also typically come with a head cover when you acquire it. This head cover will aid to maintain your racket secure when it is not in use. You can imagine what the typical player thinks when they see that the ArcSaber is the most strong racket ever created.
Each of those rackets will do just fine, in fact i would most likely go with the least expensive a single due to the fact little ones can modify their minds very rapidly as you most likely know! Strength Pro badminton rackets are created to assist strengthen badminton particular muscle tissues there are two rackets obtainable weighted at 140 grams and 160 grams. Subsequent time you get a new badminton racket make confident you know all the information about it, such as weight and balance. At that age it really is all about just playing and acquiring used to hitting the shuttle appropriately, and Carlton badminton rackets are among the greatest worth for monay, i play with them as effectively. The analysis also shows that the worst type of racket you can use for injury is a lightweight racket with a head heavy balance, and a stiff frame. Only by knowing your self will you be able to tell if a racket is going to suit your game.
1 other thing that I often discover effects my game psychologically is my grip – on the Yonex, I have a duo grip and there are instances when the further ridge gets on my nerves so I revert to the Carlton with a single colour grip and it feels more organic. These types of racquet are for advanced players, the manufacturer assumes you are great enough to use them, and you have to be, or else your game will probably get worse with these advanced rackets. Let's say for instance i am a energy player with a extremely quick swing who has been employing a head heavy badminton racket with a really stiff flex to get the most power attainable. The advocates of lightweight rackets claim that this extra swing speed equals more shuttle speed on impact, and to a particular extent this is correct. This is going to be a break in tradition on this blog due to the fact i will in fact do my own evaluation on them.
I consider I actually arrived at this website although searching up Tactic rackets but I only identified out about them 'cos I was hunting for a new racket bag… I adore an world wide web meander but locating this website has been an eye-opener. It is a tough job to examine and assessment badminton rackets that are created by so a lot of diverse brands, and to come to a definitive conclusion that a specific brand of racket is the very best. It is primarily based of the game of Badminton as the game Regarded the national Sport in the state Of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The lightweight racket can be swung faster but does not have the mass, and vice versa.
I'm here to inform you, in as considerably accuracy as I can, how my games went with the racket. First of all, thank you quite much for your overview of the Browning Oxylite Racquet as you are possibly the only individual that has reviewed it. What you want is a racket that has low perform, higher perform is negative simply because the player has to swing harder to attain the identical outcome. The light head balance must also make the racket a bit more unstable on impact, although the technology in this Nanospeed 9000X must reduce this. Not a secret anymore that worldwide the majority of leading badminton players use a rackets created by the organization famous.


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next MARKED event coming in 2019!
What is Marked?
Marked is an interactive conference that invites followers of Christ to journey together in making real and lasting change in issues challenging women around the world. In our own communities and abroad, women are being marked by statistics of violence, fear and death. Issues such as domestic violence, human trafficking, incarceration and armed conflict affect women everyday. We simply believe that women should never be marked by statistics of fear, death or violence, but should only be marked by love, hope and a future.
Theme of Marked 2017:
In our home cities and all around the world, women are experiencing violence, pain, poverty and victimization at alarming rates. We never want women to be marked by these truths. We believe women should ONLY be marked by a future, marked by life, and marked by HOPE.
How do we build a road from what is to what we desire? How do we begin to make things different when the problems are SO big?
DEFIANT: Boldly resistant or challenging.
HOPE: feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
Defiant Hope is joyful resistance to the reality of the world the way it is. Defiant Hope is a deep and unwavering strength on behalf of those who are hurting. Defiant Hope is believing that OKC can be a part of seeing women everywhere marked by HOPE.
Marked will be led by some committed community leaders we call Ambassadors. These ambassadors will invite a group of individuals to attend Marked with them, to participate together and to learn with each other, encouraging a continued engagement after the event. Ambassadors may lead a group they know from church, school, work, etc., or they may make get to know a table full of great new friends at the event. Either way, Ambassadors' goal is to make participants comfortable, guide them through the day and ensure a great event for everyone who joins us at Marked!
Partner Agencies:
Partner Agencies are at the heart of the Marked Event. These agencies are working on the ground locally or globally on behalf of marginalized women. They are practicing the ideas we talk about at the conference every day all over the world and we have much to learn from them. Partner Agencies help guide the content of Marked and are available the day of the event to engage participants and offer entry points to action.
It's so important to us to support Partner Agencies well and encourage them to continue the crucial ministry they are doing. As a participant in Marked, you are not only giving Partner Agencies access to a pool of prospective supporters and volunteers. Your ticket purchase also helps us make a pre-Marked event just for Partner Agencies possible. This event offers tangible training, relational support and pastoral care to staff and key volunteers of Partner Agencies.
Key Values of Marked:
While Marked may, at times, partner with voices of experience and expertise from outside of OKC, it is important to us that most of the leaders and speakers present are based in Oklahoma or have a specific tie to our city (even though they may be working in places all over the world). This is important because: 1. Local leaders understand the local context and can work toward goals that fit our city's specific strengths and needs. 2. Local leaders remain accessible to conference attendees. We aren't just seeking to inspire a fleeting interest in an idea. We want to see real and lasting change that is rooted in consistent relationship and connection.
The Marked conference wants to move beyond highlighting easy-access volunteer opportunities. It's our goal to have the hard conversations that lead to engaging root causes of violence against women. We believe our work has to focus on prevention as much as it is focused on rehabilitation. When men and women in all walks of life begin to believe they can work to change cultures and systems that marginalize women, we will begin to see real change in this city and around the world.
Tangible, hands-on activities at the event spark ideas for daily living that can be integrated immediately. We believe real change happens over time and in community. Finally, the scheduling of Marked is intentional. We hope to provide a conference that is not designed primarily for "vocational Christians" who can attend long conferences during traditional work weeks. A half-day conference on a Sunday afternoon means that we believe everyone in the city who follows Jesus is ready to get involved!
Who hosts Marked?
Marked is hosted by The Spero Project, a local, faith-based 501©3 nonprofit that cultivates innovative engagement in local communities. The Spero Project works with an amazing volunteer planning committee to lead Marked each year.


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Things I've learned at Rancho La Brea:
1.) La Brea means "the tar" in Spanish, so if you say The La Brea Tar Pits, you're really saying The The Tar Tar Pits
2.) The fossils found in the Tar Pits are from the Ice Age
3.) No dinosaur bones have ever been found at the Tar Pits because dinosaurs were extinct 65 million years before the Ice Age (and L.A. was underwater during the dinosaur years)
4.) Dinosaur books, toys and other dino-phernalia are still hot sellers in the museum's gift shop
5.) La Brea docents don't necessarily appreciate questions about dinosaurs.
Located on Wilshire Blvd in the Miracle Mile district, the La Brea Tar Pits is a smelly, wondrous and fascinating place. Tar continues to ooze up in spots around Hancock Park, where the odor of asphalt hangs heavy in the air.
On a recent trip, we followed the walking path through Hancock Park around the lake, where we watched shiny bubbles of methane simmer and pop across the oil-slick water's surface. Inside the Page Museum's "fishbowl," researchers busily worked on a mammoth femur. The nearly intact skeleton of the mammoth, nicknamed Zed, was discovered during a recent excavation. We watched the almost obsessive workings of the research team as they dug, scraped and brushed away at the asphalt-encrusted bones of the beast.
Perhaps my favorite part of the museum was the short movie about how scientists presume thirsty water-seeking animals became trapped in the tar, their cries for help attracting predators who in turn got stuck in the muck to die alongside their prey. The strangely intense movie can make small children cry.
Also fascinating: the wall of hundreds upon hundreds of Dire wolf skulls, and Petri dishes of teeny-weeny mouse fossils.
More from SDReader
- More stories by K.A. Okagaki
- Cheap art in L.A. — Aug. 2, 2013
- San Diego Natural History Museum shows off a new fossil — May 13, 2013
- Outtatown dinos unloaded in Balboa Park — April 3, 2013
- Ricardo Loves Dinosaurs... — May 5, 2010
- Mammoths, camels, and hyaenadons roamed San Diego — June 18, 1992


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New! Food Works Organic Produce section at Village Market./
The Village Market has an exciting new partnership with the Food Works youth Farm. Starting Wednesday, August 23, Food Works youth will be stocking organic vegetables in their own organic section in the produce department. The Food Works youth plan to launch this new section over the next 2 months, creating a place for customers to access local organic vegetables at a competitive and affordable price. The goal is also to provide fresh, high quality, produce each week. Youth will be merchandising and stocking their own produce section 3 times a week to ensure quality. Please head into the market this month and watch the Food Works organic produce section grow.
This week Food Works is featuring:
- Organic Dragon Tongue Beans at $0.99/lb
- Organic Slicing Tomatoes at $0.99/lb
- Organic Squash at $0.50/lb
- Organic Jalapenos at 6 for a $0.99
- Organic Tomatillos at $0.50/lb
- Organic Lemon Cucumbers at $0.50/lb
- Organic Slicing Cucumbers at $0.50/lb
Thinking about making salsa? Grab your Tomatillos and Jalapenos for salsa verde at the Village Market this week!


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The Art and Craft of Working with Wood
We've renamed the Free Lecture / Presentation Series to "The Art and Craft of Working with Wood". This new name really reflects what we're trying to do with the series. Some of the presentations share the joy of working with wood for Art or to create homes. The homes can be on the ground, in a tree or on wheels
We need to work on timing a little... Kim Kelzer gave a wonderful presentation of her philosophy and work last week. Little did I know that it was going to be the same evening as Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the DNC when I asked Kim to give the presentation back in May. A small but enthusiastic audience got a whirlwind tour of Kim's life and work. Many thanks Kim!
I'm envious of the speed and intensity of Kim's new work. She certainly challenged me to think about how to work faster. Catch Kim's new work at the Museo in Langley on Whidbey Island from September 6th through 28th.
Next up Jim Tolpin on making a Gypsy Wagon (house on wheels) and then Jake Jacobs on Treehouses.
More details here.


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Svend Weihrauch: Solv/Silber 1928-1956
En dansk funktionalist
by Jorg Schwandt
(text is taken in whole from the single page English Summary at the end of the book)
"From 1928 to 1956, the silversmith Svend Weihrauch (1899-1962) was in charge of the workshop and production activities at the Franz Hingleberg Silversmiths company in Arhus, Denmark- as well as being the company's sole designer. Weihrauch's early consistent use of rationalised production techniques within the sphere of a traditional craft established him as an exponent of functionalism – a fact confirmed by the international success of his work from 1932 onwards, particularly at the World's fair in Brussels in 1935, Paris in 1937, and New York in 1939.
Franz Hingelberg Silversmiths was distinguished by both the application of specialized labor and the use of the mechanical spinning process in the production of hollowware. The extensive use of highly rationalized production techniques allowed considerable leeway for a high degree of craftsmanship in subsequent work processes. The technical processes thus became the dominant influence on the design, as when the smooth surface served to reveal the use of spinning as the production technique. The main material used for insulation was ebonite, an industrially produced substance made from natural rubber and sulphur. The ebonite was subsequently cut and polished by hand.
Until 1954, Weihrauch's hollowware consisted almost exclusively of unique items. Most unpretentious pieces were occasionally produced in series of approx. four to six, but they always varied in detail.
Svend Weihrauch was unusually prolific. In the course of his twenty eight years at Hingelberg's he drafted approx. 4,500 designs for hollowware, cutlery and jewelry and almost all of these were produced.
The hollowware of the early years already features a strictness of shape, while still using the floral and geometrically inclined elements of the Art Deco style. In the more stereometric forms from 1931/32 onward, however, the aesthetic effect is derived from revealing the technical processes involved. The undisturbed reflections from the smooth surface enhance the effect of the pure geometrical shapes. The individual component parts are kept separate from each other to emphasize their different functions. This allows a composition of forms that expresses itself in vivid contrasts. Over time, Weihrauch adopts new techniques for attaching the insulation material, illustrating the functional interplay with the silver while at the same time being extremely decorative.
From c. 1935 onward, the stringent constructivism of Weihrauch's designs gives way to shapes that are increasingly organic in inspiration. Even though the individual parts of an item of silverware now flow into each other, their geometric origin is always discernible. The contrasting effects still remain, but are now caught up in an outer rhythm.
In the 1950's the character of many of the pieces derives from the inner forces at work. In many cases, a central organic principle determines the shape of almost all the parts. Exampled of this are the egg and droplet shapes and the movement of a wave. Where a handle continues as one single uninterrupted line onto the rim and the foot of a piece, a degree of unity that is almost sculptural in effect is achieved.
The cutlery designed by Svend Weihrauch is distinguished by the functionalist sense of simplicity and marks the beginning of a new epoch in design. Until 1948, such cutlery was exclusively made by hand, and thus only found in small numbers. Again, the design has its origins in the technical process involved. The decoration is both economical and strict in form, achieved by means of simple craftsmanship or by adding prefabricated parts.
Weihrauch's work in jewelry design is of lesser significance. The pieces featuring naturalistic floral decoration demonstrate all the skills of traditional craftsmanship, and are primarily tribute to Weihrauch's additional training as a silver chaser. From 1940 onward, his jewelry uses silver wire, so that here, too, the production techniques influence the design.
The Hingelberg company was founded in 1897 and ran its own silversmith's workshop from 1928 until 1971. The company still exists today, but only in the form of a jeweler's shop and a goldsmith's workshop. It is here that the six large work journals containing photographs and much other material from the period 1928-67 are kept. Svend Weihrauch's drafts are now in the Erhvervsarkivet in Arhus, the Danish archive for documents relating to commercial activity."


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The Best Hammocks Come in Double
Bigger is often better, and two is usually better than one. The best hammocks are no different.
A large "double hammock" is better than its regular size cousin for several reasons. Here are four of them.
1. More Room to Move
Just as a King size bed is more comfortable than a twin, a large offers a more relaxing stay than a smaller one. With the extra space you can move around until you find the most comfortable position. While smalls force you to lie straight in a banana-like cocoon position, larger models let you lie sideways to achieve a flatter, more bed-like familiar feel. You can even stretch completely sideways, if there's room, and playfully swing away.
2. Double Hammock = Twice the Friends
If you're willing to share that extra space you can often fit two, or even 3 people into a large one. The key is to all lie, or sit, sideways. The most comfortables are woven hammocks from Mexico or Nicaragua, and the larger sizes can hold up to 800 lbs! So unless your friends are an NFL lineman and an adult gorilla, you should be safe.
3. Use it as a Bed
Because of the comfort factor, doubles work great as hammock beds. You can lie straight for short naps or to read a book; the straight position will cause your back to be supported in a reclined position and the sides of the hammock will form a cocoon that serves as an armrest for holding a book. When you're ready to fall asleep you can stay as you are or move diagonally until you're most comfortable. And there's plenty of room for a pillow and blankets if you need.
Note: Some of the best hammocks include fringes on the sides which can work great as makeshift blankets on a cool night.
4. Durability
As long as you take good care of yours the extra strength provided by a bigger size will allow your hammock to last for years, or even decades. Just avoid sharp objects and don't leave out in the sun and rain too often and it should last just short of a lifetime.
So there you have it: 4 good reasons why the best hammock is the biggest you can find. Unless you're camping, traveling, or in 2nd grade there's no reason to go small, and every reason to go big! Happy napping!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8534927


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WeLab said Monday that it has closed $14 million in Series A funding. The investors included TOM Group and Sequoia Capital. Headquartered in Hong Kong, WeLab is an internet finance tech firm.
Hong Kong, 16 June 2014 – WeLab, the internet finance technology company behind HongKong's first peer-to-peer lending business, WeLend.hk, has announced initial Series A financing from a group of strategic and financial investors, including TOM Group and Sequoia Capital.
WeLab plans to use the funding to build broader internet finance technology services for the region, including a new product launch in Mainland China later in 2014 that will use big data for credit risk modeling. WeLab is establishing strategic partnerships with a variety of mobile, e-commerce, and financial companies that will enable unprecedented analytical insights into consumer behavior in the fast-developing China market.
TOM Group focuses on technology-enabled, value-added services in China's e-commerce and mobile Internet sector. Sequoia Capital is the Silicon-valley based venture capital fund with a remarkable history of investments in technology companies such as Google, Apple and Yahoo.
"This round of financing validates our mission to use internet technologies to enable massive disruption and innovation in Asia's financial industry, which began with WeLab's launch of WeLend.hk in Hong Kong last year," said Simon Loong, Founder and CEO of WeLab. "As we look beyond WeLend.hk, we are particularly excited by the network of our strategic investor, TOM Group, to facilitate our fast expansion into mainland China, Greater China and Asia."
Internet finance is experiencing explosive global growth, improving access to credit for mainstream consumers and SMEs. "In Asia, the market opportunity is huge as banks remain constrained by dependence on legacy businesses, while the traditional lending model is generally both inefficient and misaligned with the interests of consumers," according to Loong. "But the internet changes everything and gives market participants an opportunity to find ways to serve the consumer better."
Founded in 2013 in Hong Kong, WeLab was launched by a team of senior professionals from leading financial institutions, such as Standard Chartered, HSBC, and Goldman Sachs. "WeLab is Sequoia Capital China's first start-up investment in Hong Kong. We are optimistic that the WeLab team, with its extensive internet and finance experience, can offer superior services targeting a young consumer base. Sequoia also hopes that WeLab can offer convenient, innovative and attractive financial services to more borrowers and investors in Asia, especially China," said Neil Shen, Founding and Managing Partner of Sequoia Capital China.
Mr Ken Yeung, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director of TOM Group said, "We are very excited about WeLab's cutting-edge risk and fraud control technology, which has the ability to leverage Big Data, a massive untapped opportunity in the region. We look forward to working closely with the company to launch its technology and services throughout Mainland China, Greater China region and Asia."
About WeLab
Founded in 2013 by a team of financial professionals, WeLab is Asia's leading internet finance technology company. WeLab is transforming traditional credit services by creating seamless online and mobile lending experiences for the Asian market. WeLab's sophisticated credit risk management tools leverage the latest internet technologies and big data analytics.
WeLab is headquartered in Hong Kong with offices in China and India. The company operates WeLend.hk, the first online social (or peer-to-peer) lending platform in Hong Kong, regulated under the Money Lenders Ordinance in Hong Kong (License No.:293/2014 |(c) 2013).
Visit www.welab.co for more information.
About TOM Group
TOM Group (stock code: 2383) is listed on The Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. A leading Chinese-language media conglomerate in Greater China, TOM Group has diverse business interests in E-Commerce, Mobile Internet, Publishing, Outdoor Media, Television and Entertainment and across markets in Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In 2010, TOM entered a joint venture agreement with China Post to establish Ule, a unique offline-to-online/mobile e-commerce platform, to jointly tap the nation's fast-growing e-commerce market. The Group was founded in October 1999 as a joint venture between Hutchison Whampoa, Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited, and other strategic investors. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the Group has regional headquarters in Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei with about 2,600 employees in about 20 cities.
About Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital was founded in 1972 in Silicon Valley and is a leading global venture capital firm. Sequoia Capital focuses on early-stage investments and has invested in Apple, Cisco, Oracle, Yahoo, Google and many other successful companies.