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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post9201071437001807128..comments2019-04-06T03:13:43.439+05:30Comments on Just The Way I Like: ABC Challenge: The JourneyAshwini C Nhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-23763738247642007562013-09-10T22:40:26.399+05:302013-09-10T22:40:26.399+05:30Thank you Saru :-), Standing here even I'm sur...Thank you Saru :-), Standing here even I'm surprised I came this far! Thanks for all the encouragement :-)Ashwini C Nhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-16227648788705413702013-09-10T22:39:49.302+05:302013-09-10T22:39:49.302+05:30Thank you :-)Thank you :-)Ashwini C Nhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-33765028682339511442013-09-10T22:39:39.302+05:302013-09-10T22:39:39.302+05:30Thank you so much KP Sir :-). Thanks for all the s...Thank you so much KP Sir :-). Thanks for all the support!Ashwini C Nhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-83005214858414872762013-09-10T22:39:18.102+05:302013-09-10T22:39:18.102+05:30Thank you :-) and Welcome!Thank you :-) and Welcome!Ashwini C Nhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-87641592576740135242013-09-10T22:39:04.077+05:302013-09-10T22:39:04.077+05:30Thanks Dad :-)Thanks Dad :-)Ashwini C Nhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-73672222749870921932013-09-10T22:38:46.254+05:302013-09-10T22:38:46.254+05:30Thank you Sir :-). Thanks for the encouragement :-...Thank you Sir :-). Thanks for the encouragement :-)Ashwini C Nhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-24366476157774360992013-09-10T22:38:26.849+05:302013-09-10T22:38:26.849+05:30Anu! Thank You! Thank you for suggesting me to ta...Anu! Thank You!

Thank you for suggesting me to take this up in the first place. Thank you for completing the challenge and being an inspiration to all of us. Thank you for everything :-) Ashwini C Nhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-5123293495695922432013-09-10T22:37:29.574+05:302013-09-10T22:37:29.574+05:30Thank you so much Jemina :-). Well I planned to do...Thank you so much Jemina :-). Well I planned to do that Initially but somehow things did not go as per the plan and I had to take on the challenges as they came. Glad to know you liked it. Thanks for the encouragement :-)Ashwini C Nhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-28643503750027831512013-09-10T22:35:30.068+05:302013-09-10T22:35:30.068+05:30Thank you Rama ji! I agree with you on certain po...Thank you Rama ji!

I agree with you on certain points. Yes, some people can do it and have also done it, but somehow writing a post a day or once in 2 days and making it mandatory will not work for me, given that I'm awake just for 3 hours when I'm at home. And sometime I realized that the best writing comes when you allow the thoughts to rest and gradually shape into an idea rather than focusing on deadlines.

This was fun for me because I probably broke every single rule associated with it, just because I did not want to give excuses for not taking it up. No one is perfect and no one is here to judge us, so I took my own sweet time, about 8 months to cover all the alphabets, as and when I could. That is where the fun was, for me :-)

Thanks for all the support.Ashwini C Nhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-7949120951694125192013-09-10T22:30:47.437+05:302013-09-10T22:30:47.437+05:30Thank you so much :-) Please read them if you find...Thank you so much :-) Please read them if you find time. Ashwini C Nhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-39539346929536771592013-09-10T22:30:09.302+05:302013-09-10T22:30:09.302+05:30Thank you so much :-). I guess that is the only th...Thank you so much :-). I guess that is the only thing I can write about and hence it comes naturally to me. Another challenge? Are you kidding me? :-P. Thanks for all the encouragement! Ashwini C Nhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-13287187369039712982013-09-10T22:29:13.842+05:302013-09-10T22:29:13.842+05:30Thank you Binu :-). That's the arduous journey...Thank you Binu :-). That's the arduous journey for the world to see. You have no idea how relieved I am to have finished it. Thanks a lot for all your encouragement :-) Ashwini C Nhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-23391402733395691642013-09-09T08:14:29.556+05:302013-09-09T08:14:29.556+05:30That's quite a story. Well it was a difficult ...That's quite a story. Well it was a difficult challenge, I don't even have the courage of attempting it. Good that you discovered various styles and yourself through it. :)Saru Singhalhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-307131881523355512013-09-08T18:48:49.439+05:302013-09-08T18:48:49.439+05:30good Ash...well donegood Ash...well doneashokhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-309326950084682112013-09-06T20:13:58.771+05:302013-09-06T20:13:58.771+05:30Clap,clap,clap You deserve more for your indefatig...Clap,clap,clap
You deserve more for your indefatigable spirit and the great job done!!!KParthasarathihttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-31129140105550179962013-09-06T05:06:33.306+05:302013-09-06T05:06:33.306+05:30Nice post, great blog, following :) Good Luck :)...Nice post, great blog, following :)

Good Luck :)GranTurismo Driverhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-20494801557557576042013-09-05T17:00:40.528+05:302013-09-05T17:00:40.528+05:30Congrats Ashwini for completing the challenge. T...Congrats Ashwini for completing the challenge.

The topics were well chosen and written. It clearly exhibits that you enjoyed the challenge and your journey from A to Z, and reached your destination graciously and gloriously. I have been reading all the posts from A to Z.

Well written - which reflects the clarity of your thoughts.

Keep writing.

Proud of you, Darling

C M Naresh Kumarhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-80246079832845245812013-09-05T16:26:05.104+05:302013-09-05T16:26:05.104+05:30A lovely series and a lot of hard work, Ashwini:)A lovely series and a lot of hard work, Ashwini:)Rahul Bhatiahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-19650760570732545282013-09-04T03:41:40.254+05:302013-09-04T03:41:40.254+05:30Hey Ash. Well done, and big congratulations girl! ...Hey Ash. Well done, and big congratulations girl! You are such a determined person, and kudos for all that effort!Anuhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-87887497857573353312013-09-03T22:39:41.380+05:302013-09-03T22:39:41.380+05:30I have been following the post of ABC challenge si...I have been following the post of ABC challenge since a while ..read it all till the end. and trust me it couldn't even in my imagination had thought that u must have been writing them like it. at times I just assumed that may b you first decided the alphabets then the words and atleast made short notes before writing it majorly 'coz your posts had Continuation of a kind.
anyways. glad to know how u penned down those words and I must say u have done great. loved reading every post of urs..:)Jeminahttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-83566740355735502682013-09-03T07:51:16.959+05:302013-09-03T07:51:16.959+05:30For me the inspiration came from Shilpa Garg, who ...For me the inspiration came from Shilpa Garg, who took up the A to z challenge. However, the idea of writing something everyday on each letter was not my cup of tea. I need time to think and then only write, for I don't like the tension of writing anything everyday. Writing to me must come freely, not a forced one, a kind of everyday deadline. I know people had done that successfully, and I admire them, for these people thrive on challenges and they prove that they are up to it. There was a lady who had started writing a story,(not a different story, everyday, but a single long story which continued with each alphabet, she somehow finished with the z).
I chose to update once a week.
Somehow I don't like these everyday writing something kind of challenges. Also I don't want to force my followers to come and visit my blog everyday and post comments on my blog everyday. People are busy, they have other things to. Well this is just my opinion.
Congratulations once again to you!Rama Ananthhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-16561375353712471152013-09-03T07:35:44.314+05:302013-09-03T07:35:44.314+05:30Hey Ashwini..that was a wonderful roundup. I misse...Hey Ashwini..that was a wonderful roundup. I missed few of your posts in this series...But reading this informed me of what you have written :) Good one. Congrats on finishing the series..Found In Folsomhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-32969471750327140522013-09-02T12:10:29.317+05:302013-09-02T12:10:29.317+05:30Great work. The way you combine philosophy with wr...Great work. The way you combine philosophy with writing is very good. Next time, take up a time-bound challenge - #ABC challenge to be completed within 26 consecutive days, for example :P

Destination InfinityDestination Infinityhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8883798362104593949.post-63005380815072341152013-09-02T10:38:29.730+05:302013-09-02T10:38:29.730+05:30Nice description of how you came up with words for...Nice description of how you came up with words for every alphabet. It was a challenge and really happy that you completed the same! :) Congrats again Ashwini..Binu Thomashttps://email@example.com


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71" Zen Industrial Natural Indian Rosewood bench
71" Zen Industrial Natural Indian Rosewood bench
Designed to be the perfect complement many styles of tastes the Zen bench features a nice industrial gorgeous metal X Legs. Each bench is finished with a clear lacquer finish.
This bench is manufactured lovingly by hand in India to the highest quality standards using only solid rose wood releasing the unique richness of the wood for you to cherish for years to come. All benches are similar but not identical as the wood boards are all unique.
Base and top can be cleaned with a humid cloth.
- Sku: ZEN-SAL30_N
- Dimensions: 71"L x 17.25"H x 18.5"D
- Bench legs: 2.75" cross-section; 15"H legs x 14"base
- Rosewood - sheesham
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- Made in India
- Assembly required (all tools provided)
We can deliver to any address across Canada using carriers such as Canpar, UPS, Purolator, etc. for item under 125lbs. Simply add your details in the cart page and the website will provide your options prior to checkout.
We tried as hard we could to get automatic shipping rates integrated into our website but sadly for items over 125lbs or big bulky items like bedframes, this isn't possible. Rest assured we can ship just about anywhere! Just call us 1-800-764-7808 and we will be able to get a quote to you in less than 24 hours.
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The Perfect Fruit Gift... Our All Seasons Fruit™ Club delivers the season's best fresh-picked fruit to your friends, relatives or business associates every month. Easy to send, delicious to receive and guaranteed to win you rave reviews.
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Easy to Send...With plans that range from three months to a full year, we have the perfect gift to suit all your recipients.


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Launching a product or business under the wrong auspices could be a disaster. While most entrepreneurs are excited to introduce their offering, the majority fail after the first year or two. These businesses fail to meet sales expectations for numerous reasons, including upset or confused customers, a crowded competitive marketplace, or a negative return on investment.
It's important to understand the current offering, which areas are entrenched, and the opportunity areas that the existing competitors are ignoring. The barriers are just as important; there may be a reason why the other companies are avoiding certain areas or maybe you can develop a way to reduce the barrier? Study the competition before you finalize your product features and benefits.
A great idea is one thing, but it won't monetize unless you can verify that the idea is a need among your target consumers and represents a white space versus the competitive offerings. The best launches delight the target audience by being better, newer, and solving a meaningful problem for your audience. The only way to discern this is to identify and measure your target's needs and wants, prior to launch.
Is the audience larger than your friends and family? Can you project a target size that is interested in your product that is large enough to provide the sales necessary to cover your fixed costs and provide the profit that is warranted for your time? Then after you have validated your target size, you need to understand where your consumer wants to buy and at what price. I've seen several amazing product ideas launched earlier than when consumers were ready to adopt them in their home.
Focus on the development of the base product and not the features. The best practice is to get a product a third of the way ready and then share and test it with your partners. This includes three key audiences: your consumers, your distribution and retailers, and your manufacturing reps. Your goal is to glean the most amount of insights in order to refine the product to meet all three needs. By testing before the product is fully ready, you save time and money in the long run.
There are multiple ways to acquire the necessary insights for your business venture, and it doesn't have to be a large scale research project. Before you embark on your research, you need to succinctly define the problem you are trying to solve and what action you will embark post the insights. Then you can match the insight needed with the research methodology. Whether it's a beta program, a quick focus group, survey, or an in person interview, make sure that you partner with someone who has market research experience.
Once you understand the value that your business can bring to consumers, then you need to continue your research efforts as you design your messaging, marketing, and portfolio expansion. Just because you gathered insights at the beginning, does not mean that you will have a successful business long term. You should update your research needs and questions as you progress along your business launch. Every business finds pain points as they move along the product life cycle. Only the successful ones continue to conduct research to ensure they are delivering a promising value and a financially feasible business for their stakeholders.
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Rosary Intentions
During Our Lady's fourth apparition in Fatima, she told the children, "Pray, pray very much and make sacrifices for sinners. For many souls go to Hell because there is no one to pray for them." Together let us answer Our Lady's call to prayer and conversion.
The Joyful Mysteries
First Joyful Mystery - The Annunciation
Jesus, Mary and Joseph protect all pre-born children from conception to 3 months of age from abortion. Lead all men and women who have committed the sin of abortion to repentance and back to your loving embrace.
Second Joyful Mystery - The Visitation
Jesus, Mary and Joseph protect all pre-born children from 3 to 6 months of age from abortion. Lead all men and women who have committed the sin of abortion to repentance and back to your loving embrace.
Third Joyful Mystery - Nativity of Our Lord
Jesus, Mary and Joseph protect all pre-born children from 6 to 9 months of age from abortion. Lead all men and women who have committed the sin of abortion to repentance and back to your loving embrace.
Fourth Joyful Mystery - The Presentation
For the protection of marriage and the family, and for religious freedom so parents are able to raise their children to know God, to love Him, and to obey His commandments.
Fifth Joyful Mystery - Finding Jesus in the Temple
May I always possess a youthful zeal for the Father and a desire to be about His business.
The Luminous Mysteries
First Luminous Mystery - Baptism in the Jordan
In thanksgiving for the Sacrament of Baptism, which cleanses us of Original Sin and makes us the beloved children of the Father.
Second Luminous Mystery - Wedding at Cana
That I may show my love for the Lord by doing as Our Lady instructed the servants to, "Do whatever He tells you."
Third Luminous Mystery - Proclamation of the Kingdom
Give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts may be brought to repentance and return to you, Lord.
Fourth Luminous Mystery - The Transfiguration
May all people come to know Jesus, the Son of the Living God, and in knowing Him they will "listen to Him" as the Father commands.
Fifth Luminous Mystery - The Institution of the Eucharist
In thanksgiving to Jesus for humbling Himself to come to us, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, under the guise of simple bread and wine.
The Sorrowful Mysteries
First Sorrowful Mystery - The Agony in the Garden
That I might above all, and in spite of all, do the will of the Father.
Second Sorrowful Mystery - The Scourging at the Pillar
Thank you Lord Jesus for taking upon your body reparation to the Father for all my sins of the flesh.
Third Sorrowful Mystery - The Crowning with Thorns
Thank you Lord Jesus for making reparation to the Father for all my spiritual sins of pride, avarice, sloth and envy.
Fourth Sorrowful Mystery - The Carrying of the Cross
I would be your disciple, Lord. Teach me to take up my cross each day, to greet those I meet along the way with kindness, and to quickly rise up each time I fall.
Fifth Sorrowful Mystery - The Crucifixion
Jesus, help me to understand how great Your love for me is and forgive me the sins which pinned You to the Cross.
The Glorious Mysteries
First Glorious Mystery - The Resurrection
"Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe." Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.
Second Glorious Mystery - The Ascension
You go to sit at the right hand of the Father and to prepare a place for me. Help me to take my place among the Saints.
Third Glorious Mystery - The Descent of The Holy Spirit
For the Confirmation Candidates of Our Lady of Fatima who are preparing to receive the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit next spring.
Fourth Glorious Mystery - The Assumption
Mary, pray for us sinners at the hour of our death for the grace of a happy death for those I love and for myself.
Fifth Glorious Mystery - The Coronation
The mother of the king is the queen to whom the people go for mediation. Jesus is the King of Kings and Mary you are the great Queen, pray for us now, especially for this special favor for which I now ask…


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Donald Trump's Presidential campaign is pulling out all the stops in an effort to woo the crucial youth vote for the upcoming election. Wednesday night, Trump kicked off his new "Before It Was Cool" campaign tour to a packed auditorium in Brooklyn, NY. Though the rally covered many topics ranging from urban government's restrictive animal husbandry laws to the patentability of beard styles, the focus of the night was emphasizing that Trump's candidacy might appeal to young voters in ways they had not considered and that their peers might not expect.
"You know, everyone assumes a lot about you guys," Trump responded when asked why any sane person would vote for him. "Hipsters, I mean. You guys probably deny it, but you're all hipsters. I can tell just by looking at you. Sorry, but it's true. I'm not trying to be mean, but I tell it like it is. Sometimes people don't like that, but I think America is sick and tired of politicians lying to them." Trump shrugged before continuing.
"Don't get me wrong. I love hipsters. Lots of people assume that all you do is drink that disgusting Pabst beer and raise your own chickens, and, you know, all that stuff. All that lady stuff, too. Don't get me wrong, I get it. I don't agree with it, but I get it. I've spent most of my life in New York."
Though the crowd appeared visibly confused, Trump pressed on. "See, the thing is they—and by 'they' I mean the Washington elites, the Democrats, the Republicans, all those politicians—they also think you tow the party line and vote liberal no matter what. You know, in the bag, so why bother? Lost cause, so why bother? Like you're just a bunch of sheep following whatever's in fashion. Is that true? Are you sheep? You think that's true? I don't think that's true. I love hipsters."
Trump paused again, raising his hands into the air and shrugging in an exaggerated fashion. "Well how about you turn that notion on its head by voting for me? I mean, can you think of anything more unlikely for a 20something, skinny jean-wearing urbanite? You know what I'm talking about. The type who works some unpaid internship at a nonprofit and has to 'borrow' money from his parents for rent? Can you imagine a little shit like him voting for me? Or her. I love women. I'm like the PBR of candidates." Several members of the audience shouted their approval, though it was unclear whether they were serious.
"How hilarious would that be?" Trump continued. "People would look at each other and be like did that guy just say he voted for Trump? You won't even have to announce it, either. I can pay staffers to hand out 'I Voted Trump' stickers at the polling places. I can afford it. It won't even matter since the first thing I'm going to do when I get in office is make the Democrats pay for those stickers. Like most Americans, I'm sick and tired of getting stuck with politicians' bills, and if it weren't for the Democrats this country wouldn't be so screwed up, and I wouldn't need to run in the first place. It's not like I want to be President, you know. You think I like this? Parading around the country, appearing on TV, in the newspapers, on the internet and all of that, giving speeches about the real issues affecting real Americans and speaking the truth for once? No. Hell no. I'm doing it because I care about this country. I'm doing this because I want to make America great again."
Several young people who denied being hipsters at press time seemed to respond to Trump's message. "That would be hilarious," said 24 year-old social media expert Lindsay Gruber. "Like so many of my friends are like, 'Oh, Donald Trump is so [expletive] stupid. He's a [expletive] racist and sexist and doesn't understand anything about politics.' I can just see the looks on their faces when I show them my 'I Voted Trump' sticker. Like, I already bought that red hat he wears because I thought it was hilarious, but actually voting for him? Oh man."


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Cruise Ships
Diamond Princess
An absolute sparkler
Diamond Princess is a luxury destination in itself.
And the choices of how to spend each sparkling day are in abundance. Wake each morning in anticipation of a new horizon.
Diamond Princess was built for Princess Cruises by Mitsubishi Heavy Industry in Nagasaki, Japan, and joined the fleet in February 2004.
Vital statistics
Operated by Princess Cruises
Entered service: March 13, 2004
Registered: Bermuda
Builders: Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, Nagasaki, Japan
Cost: $430 million
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Gross tonnage: 116,000 tons
Crew: 1,100
Passenger elevators: 14
Decks: 13
Passengers: 2,670
Passenger decks: 13
Cabins:1,323 including
- 28 Suites with private balconies
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- 186 Mini-suites with private balconies
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- 212 Standard outside cabins
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Length: 952 ft
Width: 123 ft
Five main dining rooms, casino, four swimming pools, one with sliding magradome cover, steam rooom, fitness center, library, casino, cinema, wedding chapel.
Princess Cruises
Welcome to the world of Princess Cruising - a world of luxury and easy living on board some of the finest cruise liners just waiting to whisk you away to the lands of your dreams. More...
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Updates: Instagram + Q&A Session!
2 years ago
View Comments See more: my family, people
Awwwww, ma'sha'allah, so beautiful - I'm guessing this isn't the same Javeriyah that write for Muslimness, hehe!
MashaAllah Tabarak Allah. so cute and adorable :)
^ JazakAllah khairan. Wee Muslima. Tiny thing, has the lungs of a soprano.
Thank you. Have you read Muslimness.com?


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Fin de Course or Intermission, Act II
The thing that I liked most about coming to see the Tour de France in person were the sights and sounds that you never get to see on TV. The energy of the people on the roadside. The caravan coming through. The thrill of the peloton. Running the Tour de France is an amazing job. The race is assembled like a rolling caravan throughout the country and as soon as it goes by the roads are restored to normal circulation. One of my favorite things in watching the tour was the special truck that drives right at the end of the race behind everything. It's a non-descript vehicle and on the back with red letters on white are the words
Fin de Course
I don't know exactly why I found that so special. I told Tammy it was like a classic movie where they actually put "The End" on the screen before rolling the credits. It just seemed well suited.
If I can extend the metaphor, we have finished the first course of our trip and are sending off the hectic days of the Tour de France in favor of relaxing days of strolling the streets of Paris and visiting museums.
Before we leave the cycling, a couple of notes:
If you plan a cycling trip to the Alpes, be careful. You do not want to go through the expense and hassle of coming here only to be stupid on a mountain descent, go down and hurt yourself. A decent number of people had accidents and in nearly all cases it was a lack of IQ and skill. Remember, you didn't grow up descending alpine roads.
Packing your bike and lugging it around is a pain in the neck and very heavy. We'll be glad to drop them off at UPS today.
The French are amazingly nice and considerate to cyclists. The only time I ever felt the pressure of traffic was a short jaunt on a freeway when we were lost on a ride. The drivers in the country and villages are amazing and even though there are no shoulders, you feel completely at ease.
Seeing the Tour de France in person is amazing, but I missed OLN. The daily TV coverage is so much more informative. If you love the tour and do not at least read French, be ready to have very little information. While there is ten times the coverage here, it's entirely French. (They show the tour live on three channels all day!)
Bikestyle did a great job. The accommodations were fine, travel was well managed and Tammy and I both felt comfortable at all times.
That's all for that. We're going to transfer to our next hotel and I'll probably post some more frequent notes before we head off to Switzerland. I'll try to get some photos up as well. I've been copying all the photos we've taken so far to the server at home but it takes some time to transfer 2.5 gigabytes even on the high-speed in the hotel.
France Tour de France Cycling Travel


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Sacked Hockey Coach Roelant Oltmans Criticises Indian Impatience
Roelant Oltmans was fired as the coach of the Indian hockey team for showing short-term results.
The bad run of foreign coaches in Indian hockey team continued with Roelant Oltmans, when the Dutchman was sacked as the chief coach. The decision was made following a three-day review meeting chaired by high-performance director David John on September 01. John, who is primarily a fitness coach, has been given charge until a new coach is found.
The poor performance of the national team in the World League decided the fate of Roelant, Hockey India officials have been reported as saying.
Oltmans Defends Himself
After getting the termination email from Hockey India, Oltmans gave an exclusive interview to the New Indian Express, criticising the way things prevail in the sport in the country.
"I can only say that at least from the area where I come from, not too many people will be keen," he said. "Of course, there are people like me who think you can change the system. But one thing is sure, you cannot change the system. If you're coming to India as the foreign coach, there is one thing for sure — before you finish your contract, you will be fired. Look at Jose Brasa, Terry Walsh, and Paul van Ass."
Oltmans also defended himself against the charge made by the officials that he is not a result-oriented coach. He cited several examples of the team's growth in the last couple of years, pointing out the first ever silver medal won by the team at the Asian Champions trophy, and that the team has risen from 13th to the 6th spot in rankings.
The 63-year-old coach, under whom the Dutch men's team won the gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics and the Dutch women's team bagged the world title in 1990, added that his experience should act as an eye opener for both Hockey India and the foreign coaches who wish to work in India. He added that any foreign coach who works in India will feel the same heat and pressure.


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Right now, as I write this, I'm between jobs. Earlier today I finished my last day as an in-house data warehouse solutions architect and business intelligence developer. Tomorrow I'm starting my new job as a technical architect in a consulting company. It's sad to say goodbye to wonderful coworkers, but it's also very exciting (and scary!) to start a new chapter in my life.
Goodbye Storebrand
I started working in Storebrand as a consultant in August 2011, then became a full-time employee in November 2012. It was a big change for me back then, going from being a consultant to working in-house. I was looking forward to digging into the business, working on a large enterprise data warehouse, and taking responsibility for a solution for more than just a few months before starting all over again on a new project. I had a great couple of years being an architect/developer by day and an MMORPG gamer by night :)
In October 2013 I attended PASS Summit as a shy first-timer. It completely changed my life. I knew nothing about the SQL Server community when I arrived in Charlotte that year, but then I got sucked into this whirlwind called #SQLFamily! Since then I have organized two SQLSaturdays in Oslo, helped restart the Microsoft Data Platform User Group in Norway, spoken at 10 SQLSaturdays in 7 countries, spoken at 7 larger conferences in 6 countries, presented a full-day workshop, presented several webinars, participated in interviews and podcasts, been in the newspaper, written a bunch of blog posts, become both a Data Platform MVP and BimlHero. Phew.
Long story short: I'm definitely not that shy, want-to-be-invisible person anymore :)
Over the past couple of years I have realized how much I enjoy traveling, teaching, speaking, blogging and sharing knowledge. I have also learned the hard way, with a massive crash and burnout, that I can't do all of it on top of a full-time job – even if I love what I'm doing and have fun doing it.
After nearly five years of working for and in Storebrand, I decided to take a huge step out of my comfort zone and quit my job.
Hello Advania
…and it's going to be a huge step out of my comfort zone. I've taken some small steps so far: start speaking, start blogging, blog and speak about new and more advanced topics, speak at larger conferences, do a full-day workshop…
But this time I have absolutely no idea what to expect – and I can't wait :)
Advania, formerly Knowledge Factory, is a tiny consulting company with zero employees focusing on SQL Server and zero Business Intelligence projects in Norway.
Wait, what?
Yep! I will be their first employee focusing on SQL Server and Business Intelligence in Norway. (The others work with Skype for Business, SharePoint, O365, Active Directory, Exchange, Security and more – so much to learn!) Part of my job will be working on projects and part of my job will be doing what I love: sharing knowledge by teaching, speaking, blogging, presenting webinars, organizing events and so on. A lot of responsibility and even more possibilities.
Honestly, it's terrifying! I have a million thoughts running through my head: What if I can't find any projects? What if no one wants to hire me? What if I don't know everything from day one? What if what if what if?
But I try to turn all of those what ifs around: What if I find the coolest project ever? What if I finally get to work in other countries? What if I get to spend my days doing what I love…?
This is an opportunity I couldn't say no to. No matter what happens, I'm not going to fail – I'm going to learn. Sure, it's scary, it's going to be stressful, but it's also exactly what I have wished for. New challenges and new opportunities. A chance to grow and learn and pay it forward and help others. A new chapter. I can't wait to write this story :)
Dear coworkers
To all my former coworkers in Norway, Sweden and Lithuania: thank you. I have learned so much from working with you, we've had lots of fun and I'm going to miss you so much. I wouldn't have been where I am today without you. I wish you all the best and I can't wait to catch up with you to hear all your success stories!
And to my new coworkers: Hi! I look forward to getting to know you :)


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H is for Hope
I met my friend Hope through a book. It was Christian fiction and she wrote it. Her characters befriended me. I wanted to keep hanging out with them long after the book was over. So I wrote to Hope.
This was long before I had a Twitter, LinkedIn or even a Facebook account. I wrote a draft of the letter I wanted to send on lined yellow paper. I still have those pages. Early in the morning, I took the bus to college, went into the computer lab, carefully copied the text into an email and sent it to Hope. I didn't expect a response.
I checked my email before I left school, as I often did. I logged into the desktop computer with my credentials. I didn't carry a device that kept me connected to email during class or in the halls. I had a laptop, but it was heavy and I didn't like carrying it around all day.
My heart skipped a beat as I realized that Hope had returned my email. I wrote her right back.
That first email exchange was the beginning of a correspondence and friendship that has lasted 8 years (and counting).
Recently, I went back and read those first messages. It's amazing to see how little we've changed. We're more at home with one another, but even then, our hearts came through, we write versions of those emails even now.
Hope and I have walked together through many things, hard and happy. I'll tell you a few of the stories that are mine to tell.
I poured out all of my writing dreams to Hope. When I reached out to her, I was writing Christian fiction (which is what I did all through college). I shipped her a copy of my first cover story for my college newspaper. When I became frustrated with writing, she encouraged me, but also encouraged me to rest. She was one of the first people I told when I started as a food writer four years ago. She has never given up on the book that I've been writing (which has morphed so very many times over the years). I still text her every time something good happens in my writing life (and when I struggle with rejection and self-esteem, too).
Hope has listened to me through every single romantic relationship I've ever had. She has been enthusiastic and thoughtful with her questions (in my last relationship she asked me to describe him to her in 5 words). When my relationships have ended, she is prayerful and kind, but also deeply wise. I have never forgotten what she said to me after I broke up with my first love: "maybe it was a lot more work than it should have been?" Those words have followed me through one relationship after another, becoming a guide for walking forward, or veering off alone.
I can't tell you how many times I've been in the midst of something hard or momentous and received an email or a text from Hope at just the right time. Her heart is with spiritual direction and I think that she's been practicing on me for a while. She sits close enough to God that they can play telephone together.
When we met in person for the first time, it was just after my birthday. It had been such a disappointing day for me and Hope knew that. She reclaimed my birthday as no one else could, beginning with a glass of Anam Cara Pinot Noir. That night, she gave me a poster from our beloved band, Over the Rhine's "The World Can Wait Tour." Hope knows that I'm always wanting to run ahead. She knew I needed a reminder that the world can wait. I hung it above my bed and every time I see it, I grin.
This April, we met to have lunch before I was set to be at a conference. Though Hope expected to have a nice simple lunch, she ended up witnessing the death of my car's starter. We had lunch, but then we called roadside assistance, negotiated battery-buying at Costco, and wrung our hands when it didn't work. She wrote down the names of the men who had helped us and stood with me as they took large, loud tools to my car, trying to get the starter to turn. When we abandoned my car in the Costco parking lot, she made sure I had a ride back to my hotel. Even then, we knew it was going to be a good story. There is no one I'd rather have car trouble with.
It is easy to doubt that consistent presence is of use. When I am tempted in that direction I think about Hope. She could have chosen to treat my email like any other fan letter, but she didn't. She has encouraged me, challenged me, prayed for me, and advocated for me more than I can say. I only hope that our friendship has been half as meaningful for her as it has been for me.
This post is the eighth installment of a series called A to Z, one for each letter of the alphabet. These posts will be in order, about whatever strikes my fancy, posted each Monday.
To read "A is for Aravis" click here.
To read "B is for Bacon" click here.
To read "C is for Cake" click here.
To read "D is for Depression" click here.
To read "E is for Email" click here.
To read "F is for Finally" click here.
To read "G is for Grace" click here.


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Golf Club braces to fight city rule
All I can say is they are standing up for what they believe in. I applaud them. My company bowed under the pressure!
The leadership of the Druid Hills Golf Club has sent a letter to its 1,100 members arguing that the club should not change its policies to provide full benefits for partners of unmarried members, whether gay or straight.
The board's letter comes 10 months after a city commission ruled the club was discriminating against homosexuals by not providing full spousal benefits to partners of gay members. The letter comes about a month after Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin warned the club in writing to accept "responsibility to address the unfairness of its current policies" or face sanctions.
A legal battle between the city and the club appears likely. The Druid Hills club's board has alerted members that legal fees to defend spousal benefits policy could reach $200,000.
"It depends on how the mayor responds," said Richard Ling, the club's membership chairman.
Under the city's Human Rights Ordinance, the mayor could impose a range of punishments against the club, including the removal of the club's business or liquor licenses. Such measures would trigger a lawsuit by the club against the city. The club's board stated in its letter that lawyers' fees would cost Druid Hills $150,000 to $200,000.
The showdown between the city and the club is the first major test of Atlanta's ordinance, passed in 2000, which guarantees equal rights for gays in Atlanta public accommodations.
The club contends that the city cannot tell a private group what benefits it must provide to members. The board argues the club only will provide full spousal benefits to people who are legally married under state law. Georgia law forbids gays from marrying.
"State and federal law already provide strong support to the club's position that it is permissible to distinguish between the privileges extended to married and unmarried persons," the board states in its eight-page letter.
Lee Kyser, a lesbian club member who filed the complaint against the club with another gay member, said the club's letter shows Druid Hills is disregarding the mayor's authority.
"They are thumbing their noses not only at us, but at the mayor as well," she said.
The mayor's office had no comment Wednesday about the board's letter.
The letter does suggest some minor changes in club policy, including allowing "designated partners" of unmarried partners of members to visit parts of the club without members. The proposed changes, however, fall far short of allowing gay members to share their membership rights such as golf course privileges and inheritance. On Jan. 12, the Atlanta Human Relations Commission ruled anything short of those benefits amounted to discrimination against gays.
The unsigned board letter asks for members to send in suggestions to the board by Nov. 12. The board will vote to formalize any changes later next month.
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'Wrap around care' is available from Mondays to Fridays from 8.00am to 7.00pm at a reasonable price. (Earlier or later times can be organised through the office)
Your child will always be safe at our school because if you are caught in traffic, at a meeting s/he will be able to stay in the Boarding House.
Before school care for early years must be pre-booked to provide regulatory supervision
- Pupils waiting for after school events like Carol Concerts may stay for supper
- Parents who need to have a break may make use of flexi-boarding from Mondays to Fridays
- Pupils late home from matches are welcome to stay the night
- Before extended trips abroad sleepovers are part of the service
Flexi-boarding is an option for pupils on visits / activities or for parents on business / holiday trips.
"I think it is a lovely, calm and caring school. The staff care for the pupils and this is instilled into the pupils who seem to all be supportive of each other."
Present Parent


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Debenhams is definitely your one-stop shop. You can find everything you need at Debenhams. You can choose from a wide range of clothing, furniture, accessories, household items and other personal necessities. At Debenhams, you'll never ask for anything else. Do you want more surprises? Well, Debenhams is offering huge discounts on selected items, so you can enjoy great savings with their excellent products. Debenhams ensures that every customer will have 100% satisfaction. You can use their voucher coupons and visit their website.


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- Education
|About ESSKA
Share |
In all this, ESSKA's aim is to improve our patients' quality-of-life, by improving the quality of their treatment.
The ESSKA Congress is held every two years.
This is a major event in the pan-European calendar, which brings the leading players together so they can learn the latest techniques and research from each other.
ESSKA congresses are famous for their vibrancy. There are scientific papers, demonstrations of surgical techniques, discussions, debates, workshops, and of course, the social gatherings.
The last event was held in Glasgow and attracted over 3,200 professionals. The next congress will be held in Milan in 2020, followed by Paris in 2022.
ESSKA fellowship programmes are a valuable tool. They select promising surgeons — our hopes for the future — and expose them to the current "stars" and to their facilities. The range of fellowships is extensive: 13 separate programmes, with more than 80 positions, ranging from one week to a month, and several of them truly international. They are eagerly contested.
ESSKA accredits teaching centres across Europe ensuring the highest of standards. Only accredited centres are allowed to take part in ESSKA's fellowship programmes.
ESSKA has four specialised sections — AFAS, EKA, ESA and ESMA — as well as 10 committees.
ESSKA publishes the research of its members through its monthly journal KSSTA, which has an Impact Factor of 3.210. This is a prestigious forum for scientific contribution and attracts an ever-increasing number of submissions.
The standards are stringent, with less than 30% accepted for publication.
ESSKA also successfully launched the Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics (JEO), an international journal focusing on orthopaedic basic science. JEO is already indexed in both PubMed and MEDLINE.
ESSKA also publishes books, which are renowned for their academic excellence.
ESSKA works closely with affiliated societies, offering them a larger arena than their national confines. We provide expertise and organisation and a bigger forum for their members. Our sister societies overseas are AOSSM, APKASS and SLARD.
ESSKA Membership offers many benefits, apart from the comradeship of your peers.
You will have access to our KSSTA journal and online material. You can apply for fellowships and there are also various financial reductions.
16/09/2019ESSKA September newsletter now online
12/08/2019ESSKA-AFAS: Run to Milan!


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From Larry Summers to James Watson, certain scientists have a long and questionable tradition of using "data" to make claims about intelligence and aptitude.
So it's no surprise that, when well-known computer scientist Richard Bornat claimed his PhD student had created a test to separate people who would succeed at programming versus those who didn't, people happily embraced it. After all, it's much easier to say there's a large population that will just never get it, instead of re-examining your teaching methods.
The paper, called "The camel has two humps," suggested instead of a bell curve, programming success rates look more like a two-humped ungulate: the kids who get it, and the kids who never will.
Though the paper was never formally published, it made the rounds pretty extensively. Now, Bornat has published a retraction, stating that he wrote the article during an antidepressant-driven mania that also earned him a suspension from his university. Here's the meat of the notice:
It's not enough to summarise the scientific result, because I wrote and web-circulated "The camel has two humps" in 2006. That document was very misleading and, in the way of web documents, it continues to mislead to this day. I need to make an explicit retraction of what it claimed. Dehnadi didn't discover a programming aptitude test. He didn't find a way of dividing programming sheep from non-programming goats. We hadn't shown that nature trumps nurture. Just a phenomenon and a prediction.
Though it's embarrassing, I feel it's necessary to explain how and why I came to write "The camel has two humps" and its part-retraction in (Bornat et al., 2008). It's in part a mental health story. In autumn 2005 I became clinically depressed. My physician put me on the then-standard treatment for depression, an SSRI. But she wasn't aware that for some people an SSRI doesn't gently treat depression, it puts them on the ceiling. I took the SSRI for three months, by which time I was grandiose, extremely self-righteous and very combative – myself turned up to one hundred and eleven. I did a number of very silly things whilst on the SSRI and some more in the immediate aftermath, amongst them writing "The camel has two humps". I'm fairly sure that I believed, at the time, that there were people who couldn't learn to program and that Dehnadi had proved it. Perhaps I wanted to believe it because it would explain why I'd so often failed to teach them. The paper doesn't exactly make that claim, but it comes pretty close. It was an absurd claim because I didn't have the extraordinary evidence needed to support it. I no longer believe it's true.
I also claimed, in an email to PPIG, that Dehnadi had discovered a "100% accurate" aptitude test (that claim is quoted in (Caspersen et al., 2007)). It's notable evidence of my level of derangement: it was a palpably false claim, as Dehnadi's data at the time showed.
We caught up with Bornat via an emailed Q&A:
1) Why now?I presented our latest results about 18 months ago at a PPIG workshop/conference in the UK. I felt it was helpful, since the claims I made had provoked hostility to the work, to retract those claims verbally. It had a dramatic effect, to the good. But I found (how I know is the confidential bit) that there are people who didn't hear that retraction, and who are still hostile; and that hostility is doing harm. So I decided to retract more publicly.Interestingly, one person who I would have counted previously as hostile heard (indirectly) of the verbal retraction, and this summer was more than supportive. Research inspired by our work is going forward. So the retraction was worthwhile.2) Do you think there's validity to the idea of or the search for a programming aptitude test?In the long term, perhaps. I'm wary of the notion of 'aptitude'. I'd rather understand how people do (and don't) learn.3) Was this paper ever published in a peer reviewed journal?The retracted 'paper' never was. Neither was any of the other work (one paper was in a peer-reviewed conference; the rest were in lightly-reviewed workshops). But computer science doesn't use journals the way other disciplines do: we're more convinced by peer-reviewed conferences. However, watch this space.4) Are you concerned about the effect your paper may have had on computer science education?Yes.5) Any other comments regarding the retraction?I didn't claim in that 'paper' any sex differences in learning programming. One statistician claimed to have seen sex-related effects in our data. I trumpeted that (verbally). Wish I hadn't: friendship is hard to rebuild.I wish it were easier to retract … it's painful, and it's ineffective.
We also got in touch via email with computing pioneer Alan Kay, who had previously commented on "The camel has two humps," to get his opinion on the retraction, and the idea of a programming aptitude test in general:
Under the rubric of "coding", there are now groundswells to have every child learn to program to some extent. This is a very tricky area to critique because the rudiments of "coding" do not necessarily extend into more comprehensive "programming" and into even more comprehensive "systems design", etc. But, suppose for now we pull back from this enthusiasm to think about "training for a profession" and whether there could be "aptitude tests" to help steer learners and teachers.
Here we come up against the idea of "ability" = talent + will + skill. When I started programming (in the Air Force in the early 60s) there was an aptitude test made up by IBM that all prospective candidates had to take. It was not an easy test, but those who passed it were then able to undergo an intensive week of training (taught by IBM) and come successfully out the other side as a "machine code coder", and be put into on the job program writing the very next week. Some months later there was another intensive week covering the rudiments of program design, etc.
Looking back on this from the experience of both working as a programmer for a while, and also quite a few years of investigating how to help children learn to use computers as part of "powerful ideas" learning experiences, I posit that the IBM test most likely excluded many potential programmers, and especially many potential *designers*. So it was only useful in predicting one kind of success — for processes that were like building simple dwellings from simple materials: "brick laying and carpentry".
A simple way to sum up here is to say that "the computer revolution hasn't happened yet" (not even within the field of computing). So wise people trying to make progress will keep a more open mind about what computing might be about, what it means to teach computing while the field is still being invented, and to be as open and helpful as possible to get many kinds of minds involved in making better forms of computing for the future. And when trying to assess progress in soft areas, to be as tough as possible not to be misled by the kinds of false positives that result when there are many degrees of freedom contributing noise, and too few trials over too short a time to get results that actually reflect what is going on.


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It's official! I am having way too much fun with this Layer Cake Sampler by Material Girl Quilts! In January, I invited readers to join me as I start a new project, and year long Quilt Sampler. I truly love half-square triangles, though when I was first introduced to them, we had a love/hate relationship.
I have been working on 2 blocks a month as she did when the sample was initially introduced and the pink and green fabrics I chose are definitely keeping me motivated.
As some may recall, its been an busy month with unexpected surprises, including my husband making two trips to the ER in a week due to a nasty virus that knocked him off his feet for nearly 5 days! I also got around to transferring my freelance marketing into the birth of a new business, LindseyRose Marketing and I am working with a variety of quilt companies and shops. I'm in heaven! This week we have Spring Break which is busy with activities as well as work, but all in all, it seems like a bit more overwhelming than it has turned out to be.
I started this month's two blocks while my husband was ill and finally put them together this week during Spring Break.
Block 5
Block 6
While they have some seams that are a bit off, I wanted to photograph them and get this month's blocks posted so you can see them. I'll probably work on fixing them later this week or next when Lil Monkey returns to school.
I can't wait to explore what other blocks will be added to this sample, and for the most part have only looked at the current and previous month's blocks, so each one will be exciting and new when I get to it.
Here is a preview of the schedule for this Block of the Month. If you'd like to join, there is still time to catch up.
January 15: Blocks 1&2
February 15: Blocks 3&4
March 15: Blocks 5&6
April 15: Blocks 7&8
May 15: Blocks 9&10
June 15: Blocks 11&12
July 15: Blocks 13&14
August 15: Blocks 15&16
September 15: Blocks 17&18
October 15: Blocks 19&20
November 15: Completed Quilt Top
If you'd like to quilt the blocks along with me feel free to explore Material Girl Quilts and learn from her step-by-step instructions and various layout choices for each block.
Follow along by visiting her on the blog, as well as see updates and progress on our Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages. Post your own photos and progress updates using hashtags: #TheTeacupCottage and #MaterialGirlQuilts.
Until our next cup of tea ...


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It accomplishes zero.
To those who believe Alex Ovechkin, the league's best player, committed a heinous hockey crime on Sunday, two games of press box exile is laughable, particularly with his victim, Chicago's Brian Campbell, reportedly out for the rest of the season with a busted collarbone.
To folks who view the incident this way, it's just as bad as seeing Claude Lemieux given a mild scolding while Kris Draper was being carted away for plastic surgery on his mashed face.
On the other hand, there are also those who believe two games is two games too many, that Ovechkin deserved no more than what he got immediately – a major and a game misconduct. There is compelling logic to this argument given that on Sunday afternoon Colin Campbell had no intention of suspending the Washington Capitals captain, and then, surprise surprise, on Monday morning there was a hearing.
Apparently somebody, perhaps somebody who'd been taking long distance phone calls from unhappy Blackhawks executives, convinced Campbell of the error of his thought process.
Conducting the hearing without rolling his eyes in exasperation must have been one heck of a challenge.
Then there's the current environment of utter confusion. With the league still reverberating from Matt Cooke's completely unpunished cheap shot on Marc Savard, you now have a plainly illegal yet clearly less dastardly hockey crime dealt a game misconduct and two-game ban.
Another Cooke-like rat, Tampa's Steve Downie, tried to put a figure-four leglock on Sidney Crosby on the same day Ovechkin hit Campbell, and walked away scot-free. In another game, Islander tough guy Matt Martin drilled Dion Phaneuf face-first into the ledge along the boards from behind with no puck in sight after he and his teammates had vowed to get even with Phaneuf for an incident earlier in the season. Martin's punishment? A two-minute penalty.
But they got Ovechkin, a guy who stands up for himself and requires no goon for backup.
Well, they kinda got him.
See? In the end, nobody's happy. This sure isn't justice. It sure isn't deterrence and it can't possibly address the loss of Campbell to the Hawks. It's a two-game holiday for an overworked athlete who probably welcomes the time off with the playoffs just around the corner.
At the same time, it's punishing a big guy for overpowering a little guy, which in the NHL is what bigger guys are supposed to do.
``We have no problem with the way Alex tried to finish his check,'' said a defiant Washington GM George McPhee in a statement.
The business, meanwhile, of comparing one NHL incident to another is exhausting, and generally pointless. Blaming Colin Campbell, an honest man trying to do an honest job in impossible circumstances, is equally pointless. Even when he wants to take action, or is pushed into it, the sentences handed out are generally so mild as to have no impact. Just last week at the GMs meeting in Florida, Dallas GM Joe Nieuwendyk said ``one- and two-game suspensions don't cut it.''
If the league really didn't like Ovechkin's actions, if the Bettman administration really believes he's a reckless player who got off lightly earlier this year with a knee clip on Tim Gleason that saw him suspended for two games, then throw the book at him.
Give him 10 games. Or more. Otherwise, have the courage to say the referees made the correct call and play on.
But not the half-pregnant NHL. Let's try to give everybody a little of what they want.
The only significant impact of the suspension is that it could cost Ovechkin the Rocket Richard Trophy, and maybe the scoring title. Otherwise, a few writers might hold these suspensions against the Russian when it comes to Hart Trophy voting, but that's about it.
Of course, every borderline bodychecks will now have fans and teams screaming for suspensions knowing if they make enough noise and if the YouTube video gets enough hits they just might be successful. The picture is getting more and more distorted, with each incident exaggerated and twisted to suit individual points of view and partisanship.
It stinks, and a great sport suffers.


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The Riverworld Series
Comprising in Two Volumes
To Your Scattered Bodies Go & The Fabulous Riverboat
by Philip José Farmer
(Tor Books, April 2010 and June 2010)
Steve Fahnestalk
To SF and fantasy fans of the modern age, it's probably hard to believe that within living memory it was impossible to put anything sexual in an SF or fantasy story, or even in a book. But prior to publication of Philip José Farmer's "The Lovers" in 1952, the magazine and book publishers were ruled by the likes of John W. Campbell Jr.'s eagle-eyed assistant, Kay Tarrant*, who would not allow anything of even a vaguely sexual ("smut!") connotation to enter the hallowed pages of Astounding. Other editors, like the agoraphobic H.L. Gold, may have been of a more liberal bent, but the publishing world was ruled by a semi-Victorian sensibility, and would have none of that, thank you very much.
[*Kay Tarrant was alert to any whiff of "smut," but was judged to be somewhat naïve scientifically—George O. Smith sneaked a description of "the original ball-bearing mousetrap" (which sounds like an engineering description, but was actually a tomcat) into a story. Later, under Ben Bova, after Campbell had died (and Astounding had long-morphed into Analog), Kay learned to let things pass that she would have blue-penciled back in "the day."]
Someone had to be first to break that barrier, and it was Phil Farmer who did so, by writing a tale of a sexual relationship between a human and an alien; he won his first Hugo for this tale, which was not published by any major SF magazine (Astounding or Galaxy, for example) but by Startling Stories. (Interestingly enough, his second Hugo was for "Riders of the Purple Wage," a story that had more explicit "smut" in it than the first story, but that passed more or less without comment in a morality tale about a welfare state—written in a pseudo-James-Joycian Ulysses style.)
Farmer continued to garner some notice in the SF field with his World of Tiers series, and a number of stories featuring obvious pastiches of Doc Savage ("Doc Caliban") and Tarzan ("Lord Grandrith"), but it was the publication of To Your Scattered Bodies Go that made the SF world sit up and go "wow!"—because (among several reasons), the scope of this book was in its own way as staggering as the multimillion-year scope of Olaf Stapledon's First and Last Men! The Doc Savage and Tarzan stories (also interestingly, later Farmer was to write authorized stories for both characters), together with a thinly-disguised Phil Farmer in World of Tiers (the character Kickaha's real name was Paul Janus Finnegan) provided Farmer with both the desire and opportunity to take the "real person novelized" ball and run with it.
In the first three books of the Riverworld series, the basic premise is this: every person over the age of eight who has ever lived on the planet Earth (back to something like 100,000 B.C.) is resurrected on a constructed planet, a giant planet with Earth-like gravity, but which is home to a giant river that winds its multi-million-mile course over the entire surface of the Riverworld from pole to pole. There is the River, then there are the banks leading to plains in some cases, but bounded by steep hills or mountains in others, and behind the plains are the mountains, always the mountains—think Everest-high mountains. There are no animals (though the river, nowhere deeper than about 1 1/2 miles, is teeming with fish—including the giant Riverdragon), and no insects. There is grass, and fast-growing bamboo, and various trees, and scattered along each bank of the entire river are giant mushroom-shaped stones with indentations along their rims.
Every person wakes up along the river at apparently age 25, nude, hairless and healthy. The men are all circumcised, and the women have intact hymens (see? If it weren't for Farmer, I wouldn't be able to say this!), and every physical hurt is healed. In fact, as the Riverworld inhabitants learn later, their bodies are immune from infection and can heal from terrible physical wounds—better still, if they are killed they are resurrected again, only several thousand miles from where they started! Each person is resurrected with a metal cylinder tied to the wrist (they came to be called "grails" and the stone mushrooms "grailstones") which, when placed in the circular depressions on the grailstones are almost miraculously filled with food, and drink and a small variety of creature comforts including booze and cigarettes and cigars. (Why not? After all, it appeared that death had no sting along the River.) And cloths held together by magnetic tabs so that they don't have to be naked all the time. (And eventually, their hair grows back, although the men remain hairless facially, which bothers some of the men who used to have beards and mustaches.)
So that's the setup; now we move to the characters. I mentioned earlier Farmer's fondness for using real people in his stories—the first book, To Your Scattered Bodies Go, is about Sir Richard Burton (not the actor, the explorer), his biographer Peter Jairus Frigate (check the initials) and a woman named Alice Liddell Hargreaves, a Victorian woman who was the model for Alice in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Burton is apparently the sole person out of the approximately 36 billion human beings who has awakened before they were all placed on the Riverworld, and he meets, soon after waking there, someone who asserts he is one of the beings, called "The Ethicals," who placed them all there.
This is, the Ethical insists, a test and a proving ground, so that humans may evolve out of their own limited ethicality—the Riverworld is a bare world with few natural resources, but with unlimited food and recreational drugs (alcohol, tobacco and an apparently psychoactive gum called "dreamgum") so that they can concentrate on inner resources and not evolve another tool-making so-called "civilization" as before! (They may be millions of years scientifically advanced over humans, but they're not terribly smart, as the novels show….) Yeah, that'll work. First thing the naked human beings do is grab them some skin. Seems the dreamgum when first used promotes one hell of an orgy. And the oppressor-types start oppressing, and the rapist types start raping and so on and so on… same old song; since the grails are genetically tied to their owners and could only be opened by their owners, if you wanted more than your own grail provided you, then you took a slave and owned the contents of their grails. Human greed and misery continue to play out along the banks of this new world.
Burton, his cohorts (including a Neanderthal named Kazz) and an alien named Monat (who may have been responsible for the death of the whole human species in 2008) attempt to make their way up the river to find those responsible. Along the way they meet various well-known historical personages such as King John (the one who was forced to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymede), Hermann Göring and others. By the end of the book, most of the human population along the banks of the Riverworld has ganged together into enclaves or territories—some self-ruled, some as fiefdoms or dictatorships. As always, during anarchy the biggest and meanest rise to power. Along the way there is much musing from all concerned (and more than one bloody war) about whether this is "the afterlife" and what it all means in terms of gods and religion.
Book two of this omnibus Riverworld volume is The Fabulous Riverboat, in which we meet one Samuel Langhorne Clemens, otherwise known as Mark Twain. In this and The Dark Design we also meet Manfred Von Richtofen, the so-called "Red Baron," Cyrano de Bergerac (the real one, not the Rostand character), a man named Firebrass, a very large proto-human called Joe Miller, who lisps, and more Ethicals here and there. Sometimes there's an almost staggeringly large array of historical personages, including Tom Mix and Jack London (who are disguised as someone else) and occasionally it appears Farmer is throwing these people in for the hell of it. But I digress…. Also, since many of the major religions appear to have been discredited by this resurrection, someone has started a Church of the Second Chance, which Hermann Göring joins, repenting of his Nazi ways.
Clemens is determined to, and with the help of another Ethical does, build a riverboat, which he names the "Not For Hire"—partly to flout the Ethicals' no-technology rule, partly to impress the locals, and partly to journey upstream and confront the Ethicals on their home territory and find out what they were thinking when they did all this. Also, Clemens is hoping to find his dead wife, Livy, somewhere on the river… almost nobody has been resurrected near someone they knew—and with 36 billion people along the river, it could take years to find anyone. Clemens has help, as I said, from an Ethical, who causes a metals-rich meteor to crash nearby, and he and rival King John agree to share the task of building the boat so they can all voyage upstream together. At the end of the book, King John betrays Twain before the latter can cut him out of the voyage altogether, steals the boat and sails on up the river, with Twain vowing eternal vengeance.
Book Three, The Dark Design, continues the story of Richard F. Burton, as well as those of Mark Twain, who found and lost again his Livy (to Cyrano de Bergerac!), King John and many historical personages, including one on whom H. Rider Haggard based the character of Umslopogas. (For further information on this person, read Rider's Alan Quartermain stories, such as She.) However, the stories take several detours into the personal life of Farmer in the fictional character of Peter Jairus Frigate, who is revealed to have two personas! There's a false Frigate, who is actually an agent of the Ethicals, and the real Frigate, who is unaware of the existence and actions of his double. In this book more than in the previous two, Farmer explains to the reader much of his background (I haven't researched, but it seems obvious that a lot of what's explained is true to Farmer's life), his thoughts and feelings. So much so, and so much introspection, that the novel bogs down a bit in several places.
Ultimately, though, we get to the main conflict, which takes place partly in a city-state called Parolando, headed by Milton Firebrass, who is determined to build the biggest lighter-than-air craft (i.e., "Zeppelin") the world (either of them) has ever seen; he begins searching for crew and enlists Jill Gulbirra, an Australian aboriginal and extreme feminist as well as former airship captain, having logged over 800 hours in a gasbag. They eventually reach their destination only to find themselves (all except a Japanese Sufi who calls himself "Piscator") denied entrance to the tower at the headwaters of the river. The end of the book sees a confrontation among the various parties: King John, Mark Twain, Milton Firebrass and Jill Gulbirra.
I've glossed over a lot of the action in these three books (there are two more in the series—The Magic Labyrinth and The Gods of Riverworld) so as not to deprive the reader of a lot of the enjoyment to be had therein—as a matter of fact, I'd forgotten a whole lot of the story myself after thirty or so years. And enjoyment is to be had whether you're an action fan, a hard SF fan (although Twain, Firebrass and the rest seem to get high technology including radar fairly quickly; in actuality it's probably close to or more than fifty years since the books' beginnings—one forgets that the people on Riverworld don't appear to age and remain at the apparent physical age of 25 for a very long time), or a philosophical SF fan, there is enough here in just the first three books of the quintology to keep you busy for a while.
Is it worth it to the reader? Is there enough there to justify all the hoopla? Considering that Farmer won his third Hugo for To Your Scattered Bodies Go, it would seem that the readers have thought so for many years. I'd have to add that I've really enjoyed rereading these, and will seek out the other two—I must confess that when Gods of Riverworld came out in 1983 I had lost interest and didn't read it. Do you, who've never read any of these, need to read them? Absolutely. It's one reason we all began reading SF—the mind-expanding concept, coupled with enough action to fill several seasons of TV shows and some interesting philosophical juggling.
Also, there have been two or three absolutely terrible TV movies made from the books; I've seen both of them, and have two on DVD, and they're uniformly bad. They pick and choose what to include from the books, and although the 2003 one was somewhat faithful, the 2010 was not very. So don't judge the books from the movies. If you let the movies turn you off the books, you'll be the loser.
In summary, the folks at Tor have done a fine job and a service to the SF/F community by reprinting these books and allowing the newer and/or younger reader to experience some of the best of past SF in a day where the SF/F bookshelves are crowded with media tie-ins (which seldom hit the high notes of independent SF writing).
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On Tuesday mornings, we send out a short newsletter recapping the events of the weekend and looking ahead to upcoming events. Think modern (digital-age) bulletin. It contains a recap on kids, links to important items, and who knows what else... you get it... if you want to be in the loop with what's happening at Branches, we highly recommend signing up!
If you would like to receive this newsletter, just fill out the form below! You can opt out at any time, and we, of course, won't pass on any information to anyone.


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|Product Name
|Womens Button Down Shirts Long Sleeve Cotton Stretch Work Shirt Navy
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|0.3000 kg = 0.6614 lb = 10.5822 oz
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|Alex Vando
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Req Number: 17360BR
Position Description:
We are seeking a Project Finance Consultant to join the Project Development Division (PDD) of the Corporate Finance & Project Development Department (CF&PD).
The CF&PD is a part of the Finance business line in Saudi Aramco and reports to the Treasury organization. Its objectives are to provide expert financial advice to organizations developing new businesses or joint ventures; coordinate the Finance organization's overall involvement in such development activities; and obtain debt and equity capital for such new business ventures when appropriate.
Minimum Requirements:
As the successful candidate, you will have a bachelor's degree in finance, economics, accounting, mathematics, information systems, engineering, or business. An MBA or other advanced business degree is preferred. You should also have at least 15 years of relevant work experience in project finance and corporate finance. A high degree of experience with limited recourse and structured financing, export credit, and quasi-governmental support agencies is required. Knowledge of, and experience with, Islamic financing is a plus.
Additional Requirements include:
Significant experience in the development of joint venture projects, business and strategic analysis, and investment theory and application.
Broad exposure to, and experience in, one or more of the following: the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry; chemicals; power (conventional and renewables); and infrastructure.
The ability to quickly establish credibility in the position and to effectively interact with all levels of management, including senior leadership.
Demonstrable leadership and management experience.
Superior written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
Strong command of English. Knowledge of Arabic is a plus.
Negotiation experience with and comprehension of complex legal agreements and banking documents.
Ability to work effectively within a matrix organization and with multidisciplinary teams.
Duties & Responsibilities:
You will be required to perform the following:
Provide expert analysis and recommendations regarding the financing of potential joint venture development projects, mergers, and acquisitions in the energy, chemicals, power, and infrastructure business sectors.
Handle complex, non-routine financial or banking projects, which often have little precedent.
Develop and interpret data from public and private sources; and prepare highly technical and confidential analysis upon which executive decisions will be made.
Assist in solving complicated business problems and developing alternatives or options to mitigate risk and improve performance. Lessons learned and best business practices developed will be formalized into policies, programs, and procedures to expand knowledge sharing within the organization and facilitate the successful fruition of subsequent project development and deals.
About us:
As an integrated, global petroleum enterprise with operations in Saudi Arabia, Europe, the United States and the Far East, Saudi Aramco is one of the cornerstones of the world's energy supply. Saudi Aramco has a proud legacy of accomplishment in the oil and gas industry. In recent years, the Company has been creating downstream joint and equity ventures, both in Saudi Arabia and in China, and is exploring additional opportunities in refining and petrochemicals. Projects such as these, combined with Saudi Aramco's stature – both as a corporation and as a corporate citizen – in the Kingdom and wherever the Company does business, make for a challenging and rewarding work environment for the personnel of the Finance business line.


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Lila - Age 2, Week 45 | Long Island Children's Portraits
Lila, I was really proud of you on a couple of occasions this week. On Monday you came to Central Park with me to meet a bunch of folks that I toured with before you were born. You did really well, especially since I know you don't like big crowds. You even let some of my friends help you out when you were climbing on the rocks! You were also excellent in the car - which is a big deal since we were stuck in traffic for 4 1/2 hours that day! You also had a great day at school on Wednesday - you only looked for me once! Tuesday was hard because it rained and you got antsy being inside. And then you stayed home sick on Friday. I was also really impressed with you at the playground on Thursday - you went on all the equipment even when other kids were on the same pieces as you. You used to wait until a certain piece of equipment was empty before you went on it. This shows me that the socialization you are getting in school is already proving so beneficial. You are already getting more comfortable around others. Keep up the good work, Lila!


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Strand Bookstore at Club Monaco
I often wander into bookstores on free afternoons. As a new writer, I am constantly looking for sources of inspiration, so what better way to do so than to surround myself with tangible sources of knowledge.
The original Strand Bookstore, located on the corner of Broadway and East 12th Street, has become somewhat of a New York classic. This second location, however, is far less known and differs from your typical bookstore. It's wedged between the clothing store Club Monaco and the coffee shop Toby's Estate, and surrounds a picturesque flower shop called Polux Fleuriste.
As for content, the bookshop offers a decent range of books. You won't be finding any rarities here, but you'll be presented with a pleasing collection of bestsellers and classics.
If you have some free time go grab a coffee, shop around, and be sure to take time to smell (or buy) the flowers!
ADDRESS: 150 5th Ave. New York, New York 10010


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At Baked, our all natural dessert menu is ever changing. Of course, we stock our tiny bakery with what we call "fan favorites"! Shelly's Apple Crumb Pie and Snickerdoodle Cookie, along with my Red Velvet Cake and Mad Bourbon Vanilla Cupcakes, but we also love experimenting with new flavor combinations and researching "old school" dessert recipes.
Recently, we began baking Whoopie Pies! Traditionally chocolate, this "part sandwich cookie, part cake" is a delicious concoction whose origin is quite controversial. Some say it's Pennsylvania Dutch while others insist that it's was introduced by an Amish sect in New England. Whoever or wherever the genius, the Whoopie Pie has quickly propelled itself to a place on our permanent menu board.
Most of the recipes we found for the Whoopie Pie used vegetable shortening in both the batter and buttercream filling. Although, sometimes they are filled with "marshmallow fluff". We never use shortening, so the first "order of business" was to make a cake and filling that meet our "all natural" criteria. After a couple of passes and after customer "taste testing", we believe we have achieved success. Our Chocolate Whoopie Pies, filled with homemade Marshmallow Cream have SOLD OUT everyday! A variety of gourmet Whoopie Pie flavors are coming soon, so stop by and get "BAKED" at the beach!
If you have a favorite recipe that you would like us to try, feel free to share!


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Where are you staying?
As we write this update, it is nearly Thanksgiving in the US and we have a lot to be thankful for this year! Through the spring and summer, we've been working on some updates and exciting new additions to Casa Chips. And now, we can announce the availability of our twin suites on our new fourth floor! Our fresh additions are named appropriately, La Gamela Norte and La Gamela Sur. They offer stunning views, spacious bedrooms with domed ceilings, king-sized beds, bathrooms, kitchens and direct access to the new roof terrace. Perfect for a week or an extended stay on the beach! We are accepting reservations now.
Our rooftop Terraza del Cielo is available to all our guests – to sun themselves on a bright, winter day, take in the sunset or just chat with friends while you enjoy the best of what Barra has to offer.
Stay at the top of Barra with Casa Chips!
The Las Gamelas Suites are both beautiful – you are going to love them!
Kitchen with Ocean View – #9 Gamela Sur
You deserve it.
Imagine – You've spent a leisurely day visiting the small pueblos around the bay, had a great dinner of fresh seafood, watched the sunset from the Terraza, and now you can retire to your king-sized bed in your suite. In the morning, you can have coffee on your balcony – right from your private kitchen. When you have taken a shower, you can come down join us at Marlena's for breakfast and make plans for another great day.
There are more photos of Las Gemelas on their room page. Do take a minute to look at them. And we have a special page set aside just for the Terraza. Come down and see it yourself – at Casa Chips!
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Double B Farm
What will you be bringing to the market this year? Seasonal produce, eggs, log grown mushrooms, honey and pork
How did your company get started? We started growing in a small garden in our backyard for our children. We started with basic small fruits, tomatoes and stuff like that. As we got better at growing we decided to grow more varieties and then started working on growing more in quantity.
What do you wish people knew about your product? Our produce is CNG, Certified Naturally Grown. We grow the way you wish the commercial companies grew. We do not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and try to use only non GMO seeds and planting stock.
What question do you never get sick of customers asking? Any time a customer steps up to my table I am always happy to answer any and all questions.
Do you have any recommended recipes or surprisingly awesome ways to use your products? I try to take a moment and offer suggestions with every product my customers buy.
What do you love about the Brookhaven Farmers Market? Our market seems to be a great buyer's market. Most of our customers are there with the intention of buying and not just looking or walking through. We are the destination not just on the way.


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Overnight Oats
Continuing with the breakfast trend of yesterday's post, I thought I'd share another delicious treat I like to enjoy in the morning, especially because it also incorporates peanut butter! This breakfast was perfect for me while I was prepping for graduation because I was also trying to get rid of all of my food! Anyone who moves from place to place knows that the last few weeks are crazy when it comes to food — you're going out to eat with friends that you won't see for a while, yet you're trying to get rid of all of the random food items in your fridge, freezer and pantry. The solution?
Overnight oats, my friends.
It's really simple to make, but you have to do the prep work the night before. Well, you could do it the same day, but you have to wait for 30 minutes to actually eat it, so it's better if you do it the night before. It becomes a quick grab-and-go breakfast too, making it even more glorious!
I know it doesn't look like much, but I assure you, it's delicious. I got the idea a few months back while reading Meghann's blog at Meals and Miles, and now I have it every time I get to the end of a peanut butter jar. Which, I admit, happens more often than it probably should. Oops.
To make this yummy breakfast, grab a nearly-empty jar of peanut butter (or any nut butter) and pour in the following:
- 1/2 cup raw rolled oats
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt (I use Chobani's vanilla. You could use regular yogurt, too.)
- 1/4 cup milk (I use Silk Pure Almond)
- Sprinkle of Cinnamon
- Raisins
- Any other mix-in you want, like berries or nuts.
Mix it all together, then toss it in the fridge for the night. Once you're ready for your meal, just grab, give it a little stir and mow down! If you want a little more oomph to your meal, and you have the ingredients on hand, you can add granola or any type of fruit to the top of your oats mixture in the morning.
The breakfast satisfies me for a few hours, but I recommend having a healthy snack to munch on between breakfast and lunch. Whenever I have overnight oats, I usually find myself grabbing a few handfuls from this goodie bowl.
I love trail mix and this little puppy always hits the spot! There's a mixture of raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots and dates in there.
Have you ever had overnight oats before? What do you like to mix in? If not, what are some of your favorite grab-and-go breakfast ideas?
Posted on May 20, 2011, in Food, Uncategorized and tagged Breakfast, Fast meal, Grab-and-go breakfast, Overnight Oats, Simple breakfast. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.


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Short Film Competition 2016
All qualifying submitted works have been reviewed by our panel of 7 judges from the film industry, academia, and media.
The winners, announced during the 11th Austin Polish Film Festival, are:
Alicja Blaszczynska for the best animation, "Chainlets"
Jan Groblinski for the best short narrative, "System"
Thank you to all the participants! Join the next year's competition!
The APFF International Short Film Competition is inviting film students and independent filmmakers, who want to present their creative work in front of the Austin audience at the 11th Austin Polish Film Festival. Accepted films will be shown in a special Shorts segment. A panel of judges from the film industry, academia, and media will choose the winners.
We are looking forward to showcasing interesting works in Austin – a city with vibrant, creative culture and film lovers.
Prizes, Awards, and Recognition:
- Best short non-animated film prize - $300.
- Best short animation prize - $300
- Official recognition awards granted by the Jury and the audience.
- Featuring the best works on the APFF website and APFF Blog.
- Special interviews with the creators of the best projects.


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By Ron & Ann Mainse
We all know that good habits can help us feel better and live better…and that's especially true in marriage! Things we do consistently every day can be like a daily dose of vitamins for a marriage, just what the doctor ordered for a long and healthy relationship.
There are probably hundreds of little habits that can help to strengthen your marriage, like picking up your shoes or replacing the toilet paper roll, but let's just focus on some of the biggies…
Saying "I love you" goes without saying (meaning, it's a given that you should say it regularly). But what about saying "thank you" (and meaning it!). That may not seem like much, but when your spouse feels valued and appreciated on a regular basis, the groundwork is laid for deeper intimacy.
I know it means a lot to me (Ann) when Ron thanks me for even the little things like doing the laundry and putting it away. It means a lot that he noticed. How about complimenting your spouse in front of others (especially your kids). When you point out something that you appreciate about your spouse in front of other people, it not only builds their self-worth but encourages them to keep it up.
Also, stay in touch during the day. One of the quickest ways to lose intimacy in a marriage is to stop communicating. These days it's so easy for us to stay in touch with our spouse. Text each other… often! Send "one line" insights into what's going on in your day. Find an emoji that has a special meaning for the two of you and text it to her for no reason. We have friends who went on a cruise for their honeymoon, so sometimes, when life gets stressful he'll text her an emoji of a cruise ship, and that brings back lots of good memories.
Another great habit is kissing – and we're not just talking about a "quick peck". Marriage researcher, John Gottman, recommends a 6-second kiss every day, or as Gottman calls it, "a kiss with potential." Sure, life gets busy but isn't it time for us to take the kissing experience from the parking teenagers and put it back into its rightful place as an official symbol of marriage!
Here's one that you were probably pretty good at early on but may need a little reminder – flirt with your spouse! I think Hollywood has pretty much drained all of the romance out of marriage and given it to the singles (what's up with that!). But when you've been married for awhile, you know each other pretty well and you know the things that make her blush. Use them…often…and just see where that leads!
And the best habit any couple can form is to pray together. Research shows that couples who pray together have only a 1 in 10,000 divorce rate! As you get into the habit of beginning your day humbled before God, you'll be amazed to see how much more focused, calm, content and loveable you are!
So to recap these good marriage habits… say thank you, give public compliments, keep talking, keep kissing, keep flirting…and pray together!
And remember… closer to God… means closer to each other.
Ron & Ann