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Are the Kids Alright?
The REAL Position of Women in Islam – What the Media don't want You to Know
Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you
Whether you are a Muslim or a non-Muslim, I'm sure everybody's either heard or read this before; that Islam is a religion which oppresses women.
Or you may have heard or read that Islam doesn't give women equal rights, etc, etc…..and the list goes on.
One thing in common with all these [...]
To Your Heart's Content
Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you
Contentment. Happiness. Success.
It seems that the three words I have mentioned above are interchangeable in what they describe and in what they define.
You could say that if one is successful, then that success will lead to happiness which in turn will lead to contentment in life. However, if that is [...]
My Amazing Journey – Hajj 2009 – Part 2
Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you
Continuing now with the second part of my Hajj 2009 recap and also the long-awaited photos that have now been uploaded.
Day 1
So off we went after Fajr Salaah on the first day of Hajj. Before Fajr, we got up early and made the necessary arrangements to get into the state [...]
My Amazing Journey – Hajj 2009 – Part 1
Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you
Well what can I say? When people say that Hajj is the journey of a lifetime they're certainly not exaggerating. Subhanallah (Allah is Pure) it was an amazing experience and one which I will never forget insha-Allah (God willing).
What I aim to do is to give you my full report [...]
Too Many Questions
Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you
So the BNP appeared recently on Question Time on the BBC – and as well as his outlandish and disgusting theories and views of which we are more aware of than he thinks, the whole country is also now in uproar debating whether or not Nick Griffin should have been allowed on [...]
Islam and Climate Change – Blog Action Day 2009 Special
Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you
To realise the Greatness of Allah we really don't have to look far, time and time we hear the Scholars say to see Allah's Greatness look at the sun, the sky, the trees, his animals and you will see Allah's Greatness. You see, Allah has created such a beautiful world [...]
Hayatus Sahaba – The Lives of the Sahaba – The Evening Sessions at Zakaria Masjid
Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you
Alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah) I've got to be one of the luckiest people in the world – or at least in West Yorkshire!
You see, I say this because of the fact that Sheikh Yakub Qasmi has once again re-started his evening discourses reading and elucidating upon the seminal [...]
Video of the Week – The Signs of Allah
Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you
Well I have something really special for you today people.
Alhumdulillah (all Praise belongs to Allah) we all get a spiritual boost when we hear somebody narrate the story of how they entered the fold of Islam. The hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you continually wonder [...]
The Role Model to End all Role Models!!
Assalaamu-Alaykum – Peace be Upon you
Most role models these days tend to be the famous celebrities that we see on the screen or in print everyday. They range from your beautiful film stars, soap stars, right through to the latest fashion models, sports men and women and also increasingly, as money is taking over our [...]


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A couple days ago, I was asked a really interesting question by a client in the Pilates Method Fundamentals Class. What is neutral? It took me a second to answer the question. Well, is neutral relaxed? is it in the middle? Is it defined as the lack other movements or displacements like flexion (bending forward) extension (bending backwards), or rotation?
I guess it really depends on what part of the body we are referring to. When we talk about a peripheral joint (joint in an extremity like a leg or arm) being in "neutral" position, we are referring to a position of the joint, in the midrange of that particular joint's range of motion where it demands the least support from ligaments, connective tissue, and other non-muscular tissues around the joint. It is in this "neutral" position, that stress on the joint is at its minimum and the small, deep, local stabilizer muscles that surround the joint are best able to control the joint's movement. Mobilizer muscles are relaxed when a joint is in a supported, neutral position. Ideally, we would like to keep joints at or near their neutral position as much as possible to reduce wear and tear.
The spine is a bit more complicated. The spine can be divided into sections; the cervical (neck) spine, the thoracic spine (upper back, attached to ribs), lumbar (lower back) spine, and sacrum. Neutral means something slightly different for each section of the spine. The cervical and lumbar spine are both curved forward (the anatomical term is lordosis) where there is a space between the spine and the floor when you lie down on your back. The thoracic spine and the sacrum both are curved the opposite way (kyphosis) so that when you lie down on the floor, your upper back and sacrum (base of the spine) touch the floor.
The spine actually requires quite a bit of support to remain "neutral." If we find a position where our ligaments are minimally stressed, muscles of our core have to be "engaged" and working. Neutral alignment in the spine is defined as having the center of C7 (the lowest cervical vertebral body/bone) over the very front, bottom corner of S1 (the very top of the sacrum). In case you don't have x-ray vision, alignment can be approximated by aligning the ear canals over the shoulders over the hips.
Finally, a "neutral" pelvis indicates that the anterior superior iliac spines (the bony part of your pelvis just above your groin that you feel on either side of your lower abdomen) and pubic symphysis (the bony part of the pelvis in the midline of the body just above the genitals) fall in the same vertical plane/line.
Once you can position your body as close to neutral as you can, I try to distinguish between muscles being "engaged" vs core muscles being rigid. To use volume/sound as an analogy, engaged means that the muscles are working at a hum. Rigid muscles are working at a shout. You want your body to be supported and muscle to be awake, but you don't want to be stiff and full of tension. The goal is to have neutral body position that is supported and still responsive to movement. More on movement in a future posts.

subset: commoncrawl


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What do you do when you want engagement pictures in the snow and it's 60 degrees in February? You go to Mad River Ski Mountain.
After waiting for months for a good snow, we decided to take matters into our own hands. It turned out to be the best of both worlds: pictures in the snow without freezing!
I had a great time photographing Kyle and Eireánn last month. I cannot wait for their wedding in just 2 weeks!Read More


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Etihad launches 'Wi-Fly' inflight mobile service
Abu Dhabi, December 3, 2012
UAE's national carrier Etihad Airways has launched the new "Etihad Wi-Fly" inflight Internet and mobile connectivity service being powered by the Panasonic Avionics global communications suite.
The airline's first aircraft equipped with Panasonic's communications technology, an Airbus A330-200, took flight today for Brussels, offering high-speed broadband Internet connectivity as well as data and mobile phone services, said a statement from the Abu Dhabi airline.
The A330-200 will be used for long-haul destinations across Etihad Airways' network, such as Brussels, Dublin, Manchester, Munich, Frankfurt and Milan, it added.
The new "Wi-Fly" connectivity solution will be available for guests at a cost of $13.95 per hour or $24.95 for 24 hours. Mobile telephone usage will be charged based on the international roaming rates of guests' mobile network providers, said the airline.
The service, however, will be complimentary for Etihad Airways' Diamond First Class guests, it added.
Etihad Airways president and CEO James Hogan said the 'Etihad Wi-Fly' is a result of the 10-year, $1 billion agreement the airline signed with Panasonic Avionics in November last year.
"We continue to invest in our product and consider ways to offer our guests the most engaging and dynamic inflight entertainment options. The broadband Internet is high-speed, in line with what our guests would experience at home or at work, so we believe this will be hugely popular," he remarked.
"By the end of Q1 2013, we will have 10 'Etihad Wi-Fly'-equipped aircraft, and I am pleased to announce that by the end of 2014, every single Etihad Airways aircraft will be equipped for inflight connectivity," he added.
All Etihad Airways narrow-body aircraft will be outfitted with data and mobile phone connectivity, while wide-body aircraft will be additionally equipped for broadband Internet services.
Etihad Airways also currently operates six connectivity-enabled aircraft under an agreement with OnAir: three Airbus A320s and three Airbus A330-300s.-TradeArabia News Service


text: The Royal palace, Château de Chambord is just 6 miles away, one of the most extravagant in the region and well worth the visit, day or night. Slightly further out is the beautifully romantic Château de Chenonceau. Also visit the narrow streets of Tours for a spot of shopping and a bite to eat, and marvel at its Gothic cathedral. For walkers and cyclists, there are many forests and parks waiting to be explored. Finally for chocolate lovers there's the Max Vauche Chocolate Factory, just 15km away.


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USN-1765-1: Apache HTTP Server vulnerabilities
18 March 2013
apache2 vulnerabilities
A security issue affects these releases of Ubuntu and its derivatives:
- Ubuntu 12.10
- Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
- Ubuntu 11.10
- Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
- Ubuntu 8.04 LTS
Several security issues were fixed in the Apache HTTP Server.
Software Description
- apache2 - Apache HTTP server
Niels Heinen discovered that multiple modules incorrectly sanitized certain strings, which could result in browsers becoming vulnerable to cross-site scripting attacks when processing the output. With cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, if a user were tricked into viewing server output during a crafted server request, a remote attacker could exploit this to modify the contents, or steal confidential data (such as passwords), within the same domain. (CVE-2012-3499, CVE-2012-4558)
It was discovered that the mod_proxy_ajp module incorrectly handled error states. A remote attacker could use this issue to cause the server to stop responding, resulting in a denial of service. This issue only applied to Ubuntu 8.04 LTS, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and Ubuntu 11.10. (CVE-2012-4557)
It was discovered that the apache2ctl script shipped in Ubuntu packages incorrectly created the lock directory. A local attacker could possibly use this issue to gain privileges. The symlink protections in Ubuntu 11.10 and later should reduce this vulnerability to a denial of service. (CVE-2013-1048)
Update instructions
The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:
- Ubuntu 12.10
- apache2.2-common - 2.2.22-6ubuntu2.2
- Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
- apache2.2-common - 2.2.22-1ubuntu1.3
- Ubuntu 11.10
- apache2.2-common - 2.2.20-1ubuntu1.4
- Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
- apache2.2-common - 2.2.14-5ubuntu8.11
- Ubuntu 8.04 LTS
- apache2.2-common - 2.2.8-1ubuntu0.25
To update your system, please follow these instructions: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Security/Upgrades.
In general, a standard system update will make all the necessary changes.


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Beloved Brisbane quartet Cub Sport have spent two years in the shadows, honing their live show and focusing on their debut album, This Is Our Vice, due on Friday March 4th. Today we're not only pleased to be sharing a chat we had with lead man Tim Nelson, but an exclusive stream of the first track from the record, 'Sun'.
You had a two year layoff between releases which is quite a long time for any young band. How do you think you evolved in that time?
We recorded the album kind of in the earlier part of the break between releases, but I guess I did a bit of growing up and I definitely made a conscious effort to be more genuine with the songwriting and to write more honestly, and I guess I wanted the album, for people to connect with it on a deeper level than "oh, this is catchy or fun" or whatever. So, yeah, I guess with the content of the songs and, like I said, more serious lyrics at times, lyrics that really mean something to me, it ended up being a bit more emotional that our previous songs. Keeping that big of upbeat, bright energy that we've always had in our music in the core, then kind of marrying that with some darker themes or more emotional content, it kind of ended up like a dichotomy of sadness and happiness, I suppose.
And the parallels to great '80s and '90s acts that can be drawn- were they references you set out to subtly draw with the release?
I was listening to acts that reference a lot of '80s production, but not necessarily actual music from the '80s. I was listening to a lot of Blood Orange, Sky Ferreira, Toro Y Moi and those sorts of acts which I think inspired a lot of the choices, the drum sounds and bass parts, that sort of thing. Then I was also listening to some pop albums. Around when I wrote a lot of the album Beyonce had just released the visual album and I was listening to that a lot, I was listening to Lorde's album a lot- I really loved that album, I was listening to it for a long time. Then also bands like Arcade Fire and Solange. So, I think it kid of ended up a bit of a middle ground, with little bits of inspirations taken from all of the different things I was listening to at the time.
The Karaoke competition… I can't imagine anything more suited to you guys. Who came up with the idea?
I can't remember, it would have been Sam, Zoe or me I think. We were having a meeting with our manager, she was like "what are we going to do for the JB Hi-Fi preorder competition?" and we were kind of just throwing around ideas and I think it came up half as a joke because doing karaoke with a fan is a bit of a logistical nightmare. But somehow our manager has worked it out so, yeah, it should be pretty funny.
The vocals in the record have clearly progressed to a stronger, more emotive sound. What was the catalyst for that?
I think probably the content and also the setting that I recorded the vocals in. A lot of the vocals on the album are the ones from the original demos where I was singing it for the first time. Often I'll write the lyrics into my phone and I'll just be holding my phone there and kind of making up the melody, recording whatever, using the lyrics as a guide. So there were parts on the album with those takes where I was making up the melody. I guess trying to take the lyrics that were in front of me and then use the melody or delivery or whatever to send more than just what the words were saying. Then the fact that we got to use a lot of those vocals I think has a lot to do with why it sounds more genuine.
Yeah and it definitely has more of a maturity around not only your vocal but the songwriting as a whole, which is really quite impressive.
Well, we had a whole bunch of songs recorded that were just kind of a regurgitation which was cool and easy, and that's what we were wanting to do at the time. We've always made the type of music that we want to make, and we have an album of that, that I guess we could have put out but we realised that it's not really sustainable to keep singing upbeat, happy songs that don't really make you feel anything and I guess as the performers of those songs, if we're not connecting to it then how could we really expect anyone else to connect with it.
I'm really glad that we did take the time to get it right, and to put out something that we honestly believe in and that's something that we actually want to perform and show people.
So you spent a fair bit of time on the road as well over the past couple of years- especially overseas?
Yeah, we did a tour of the states in 2014 just before we recorded the album, so we got to road test a few of the album songs on that tour, and then I went on another trip doing some writing in LA and London just separately to Cub Sport because the album was already finished by then. Yeah, just kind of writing for things to be pitched for TV and movies and other artists. I got to write with people who have written with Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey, people who I'm obsessed with. It was a pretty cool experience. I'm really excited to go overseas to do more Cub Sport stuff and really, really excited to tour Australia again because it feels like it's been so long.
You'll be touring with Saskwatch too?
Yeah, we join up with them in March for the New South Wales leg, then continue through April to do pretty much the rest of the tour with them.
And is there anything- other than new songs- that you'll be bringing to the show that we may not have seen from you guys before?
We've kind of had a bit of a shuffle around on instruments. Zoe plays guitar now instead of bass, and she's incredible at it and she's got a pretty massive pedal board so that she can accurately recreate all of the guitar sounds on the album. I'm playing guitar for a few songs now, which is new. I wasn't very confident at the start but I've had a while to get around it now, and yeah I'm pretty excited. Keyboard is a bit of an anchor on stage, because you can't really move very far and so it's a bit restricting, but having a guitar you have a bit more freedom which is nice.
People are going to be a bit surprised by that, too.
Yeah, a brand new Cub Sport.
Listen to our exclusive stream of 'Sun' from Cub Sport's debut album This Is Our Vice, due out Friday March 4th.


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Millennial investors turn to apps, computers
By Chicago Tribune
Computers help us decide what route to take to the grocery store, who to date, and what music to listen to. Why shouldn't they also decide how we invest?
Younger investors, particularly those born in the early 1980s to late 1990s known as millennials, are increasingly adopting apps and what are known as robo-advisers to make their retirement decisions for them. In the last year Betterment, Wealthfront, Acorns and others have brought in several billions of dollars in assets that used to be handled by traditional brokerages or wealth advisers.
In Betterment's case, the largest of the robo-advisers, the company went from $1.1 billion in assets under management at the beginning of last year to $3.5 billion this year.Read the Original Article
This article originally published March 4th, 2016 on Chicago Tribune


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Birthday Ganache/
I always make a point of posting on Saturday morning at 9:30 eastern and this Saturday happens to be my birthday so I've chosen my favorite frosting to write about.I'm sure you all know what ganache is but just to be absolutely certain, it is, in my opinion, the best way to eat chocolate--a beautiful blending of bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream. Sometimes it contains a little butter and sometimes some liqueur, but basically all you need is your favorite eating chocolate and heavy cream. There are recipes galore in every dessert book and on the web and in my newest book, Rose's Heavenly Cakes, with over 10 recipes fro making ganache. I even list how to vary the amount of cream depending on the percentage of cacao in the chocolate. If you have a food processor, all you need to do is process the chocolate until fine bits and add cream that has been heated to the boiling point. But what I want to share with you now is the proper texture or consistency you need in order to be soft enough to frost a cake smoothly and evenly and not separate from the cake after it is set. If you weigh the chocolate and the cream and follow the suggested proportions depending on the cacao content of the chocolate, the next thing you need to know is that it must cool uncovered for 1 hour and then covered to prevent evaporation for as long as it takes to reach a creamy texture. It is best not to stir it during this time and it really depends on the room temperature and quantity of ganache as to how long this will take, which can vary from a few to several hours. My fellow author, Lisa Yockelson, also recommends straining the ganache while pouring it out of the food processor into the bowl for a shinier texture. Ideally, ganache spreads most easily when it has cooled down to 80˚F/26˚C. Cooler and it will firm up so that it will require a few seconds in a microwave or a gently stirring over hot water. If you need to use the ganache before it is firm enough to spread, whisking it briefly will do wonders to thicken it but the incorporated air will also lighten its color. That's all there is to this magic mixture of chocolate and cream. Except for one more thing: Woody is working on three wonderful substitutions for the cream so that even the lactose intolerant will be able to enjoy eating ganache. Posting to follow soon. Meantime, you can be surfing through the over 7 million results from putting ganache into your web browser.


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You Can Overcome panic attacks and anxiety!
That is great news to those who suffer day in and day out, year in and year out. I have and I know that you can too.
For me it started with heart palpitations. My thoughts immediately steered to fear. Then my throat would become dry so I could not swallow. Then my body would feel weird. Dizziness and blurred vision. By this time I was convinced that I was about to die. I kept waiting for the symptoms to get worse and they did. I use to suffer from panic attacks so badly that I had to go to the hospital by ambulance. I was so embarrassed when the doctor checked me and told me that there was nothing wrong with me. When I had to go grocery shopping I would get a funny feeling in my stomach before I left the house. Once I got inside the grocery store I felt like I had to run out or else I would become overwhelmed. I dreaded the thought that I might have a panic attack in public. I had to talk to myself and prayed up and down each and every aisle of the store. I knew that if I ran out, my family would not have food and I would have to start all over again. The people in the store had no idea the personal torture I was experiencing. People at church had no idea how hard it was to sit in a large crowd.
When the symptoms started, I had no idea what was happening to me. One day I was watching T. V. and some people were on a show talking about the symptoms and the light went on, "That's me! That's what I have been experiencing". That was the beginning of my healing! Knowledge is power. I thank God that He allowed me to turn to the channel and hear those people talking. I also helped me to know that I was not alone. I suppose that those of you who suffer from the effects of anxiety are glad to hear that you are not alone.
Steps to Overcoming
Read as much as possible about anxiety and understand what are some of the causes.
Go to a counselor or therapist to get to the bottom of the anxiety. The physical discomforts are trying to get your attention - Pay attention to a greater dis-ease within. Pray for God to send you to the right person. He will.
Listen to a tape or CD for RELAXATION This was one of the things that helped me tremendously. I needed to reprogram my mind with positive and true statements that were life giving and empowering. CD's and cassette tapes can help you overcome anxiety and panic attacks. Breathing correctly is a part of relaxation.
Physical exercise has tremendous value. It releases chemicals that generate good feelings, called pheromones. It's good to feel good!
Meditate on scriptures that enhance your trust in God. One scripture that helps me when I really let it sink in is: Matthew 5:25-34. Am I not more than a bird to God? You better believe it and so are you! Birds don't work or store up food yet God takes care of them. Wow! The next time you see a bird think about that!
Create a time line by drawing on a sheet of paper when your first signs of discomfort started. Write down what major events happened at that same time. Note the year/date. Go back as far as you can. This process helps you to take a bird's-eye view of your life. When I did this exercise, I found that the first time I experienced a full panic attack was in 1984 and I had just made a major move from someone very dear to me. I also discovered that there agoraphobia before any panic attack ever appeared. Doing this will help you understand what's been going on and what triggers extreme anxiety. (You may need to use than one piece of paper).
7) God's Power to Heal
Remember, God still heals. We must let go of all the disappointments of the past, and betrayals. God is not like any human being with whom we have had a relationship. God faithful and just. Jesus walked this earth so you can talk to Him about yours trials. Pray as the early disciples did, "Lord, increase my faith". FAITH is the opposite of anxiety. Faith not only pleases God but keeps us trusting in God's fatherly care. I am a witness!! Praise God!
If just one person is helped by this article, I will have accomplished what God set me out to do help someone along our earthly journey.
Pray for me. I will pray for you.


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Integrate PostgreSQL with MongoDB
About PostgreSQL
With more than 15 years of active development, PostgreSQL has become one of the most powerful open source object-relational database systems available.
About MongoDB
MongoDB is the leading open source NoSQL database for operational storage of Big Data. Leveraging JSON files and dynamic schemas, it makes it fast and easy to integrate data from certain types of applications with features of key/value stores, document databases and relational databases. Xplenty allows you to quickly connect to MongoDB data stores and integrate it with other data sources. Using Xplenty's intuitive point and click interface, it's easy to process and prepare data from MongoDB for your analytics purposes.


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When Everything Goes Wrong
Have you ever had one of those days, weeks, months or even years when it seems like everything goes wrong? You feel as though you will never reach a breakthrough and get to where you would like.
This happens at one time or another to all of us. In fact, it may happen several times in your lifetime. You may experience illness, financial hardship, relational difficulties, struggles with how you view yourself personally and the list could go on and on.
Here's the good news: It will get better. This happens to all of us.
Here's the not so good news: You have to get through it first.
If you are experiencing a really hard season in life, here are some things that may help you as you walk through it:
1. Remember that you will get your joy back. It may seem lost to you now, but you will find it again.
2. Seek support. Don't hide it all away. Be cautious in who you confide in but don't be so afraid of being vulnerable that you never seek help. Find a close friend, family member, pastor or professional counselor to help you through this tough season.
3. Be advised that there is a fine line between being a complainer and legitimately needing help. Don't wear your best friends and family members out. If it gets to the point that you are leaning on them too much, you need to find professional help instead.
4. Go out of your way to find things you enjoy. Even take time to enjoy the small things in life. Stop and admire the flowers. Pick up a book that you used to love. Even the small, insignificant things can bring some positivity back into your life.
5. Treat yourself. Yes, you read that correctly – Treat yourself! It is okay to spend a little money on yourself once in awhile. For some it may be a small amount, others more. But regardless, it is okay to treat yourself to something fun or relaxing. Give yourself permission to do this occasionally.
6. If you absolutely cannot treat yourself, then get creative! Call the hair salon/restaurant/theater that you would like to visit and tell them you would love to go but cannot afford their rate and ask if they could do better. You just never know – they might give you a reduced rate, have a special coming up or just give you complimentary tickets!
7. Ask for the help you need. Tell your husband that you really need some time to yourself and see what he can arrange. Ask your best friend or sister if they can help you out for a week or so because you are really struggling. Be clear and direct on what you need to get help. Subtle hints will not work. Dropping huge hints may not even work. Just be direct and have a specific request. If we never ask we will never know what help we might have available to us. Do not assume others know what you need.
8. Be grateful. Sometimes just being grateful for what you do have is enough to help change your mindset. Your house may be a disaster and the kids running wild, but you have a home and a family, do you not? You may not like that the car broke down but be thankful you have good neighbors and friends who will be happy to give you a ride occasionally. It's all in your perspective sometimes.
This list is not to make light of huge burdens some may be carrying. We can only imagine what awful things others may be experiencing.
But just as an example I will share my latest plight: Just these past few months I have had to resign a position, moved three times, experienced significant health struggles, struggled with relationships, had family members with failing health, discovered my car has a major issue and the list goes on and on.
Through it all I keep trying to remind myself that there has to be a bigger plan in all this chaos. When life seems to be falling apart, God is putting things back together in a better way, right?
I had one day in particular where everything seemed to be going wrong all at once. While the kind gentleman at the car repair shop was patiently explaining to me what was going wrong with my car, (I had the hardest time not laughing at what he had to say), I was just thinking to myself how this was nearly comical! It was just one thing after another!
Then I just gave up. Very clearly in my mind I just thought "Okay, God. I give up. Obviously, You are not allowing anything to work out the way that I think it should be worked out. I am not going to try to take care of this anymore. It is all You now."
Sometimes I think that is all God really wants from us. He just wants us to depend on Him.
In the Bible it talks about a Father who relates to us as His children. No, it does not solve or explain away all our problems, but it does make sense that through all the chaos of this crazy, broken, sin filled world He would want us to lean on Him and allow Him to develop our relationship with Him!
So I would challenge you to use some of these tips to help walk yourself through the hard season, but even more so I challenge you to allow God to have a relationship with you.
1. Tell God what you think and feel.
2. Read your favorite Bible verses and see how you can apply them to your life. Or dig deeper into your Bible and see how God has used hard circumstances to build relationship with His children.
Despite the hard times God has a plan for your life and I hope that you can hold onto that truth while you walk through the difficult season.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."
❤❤This was written by a Rural Sister who wishes to remain anonymous at this time! ❤❤


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Need a Cigar Roller or Expert for Your Private Event?
If you are looking for a cigar rolling station and/or a cigar expert for a guided tasting event, you're in the right place! Our team has created hundreds of private and corporate cigar tasting experiences for thousands of guests.
For details and an immediate quote, call us at 310-467-5582 now. Our fast-response email address is email@example.com.
We have complete cigar rolling stations, with authentic Cuban cigar rollers and well-spoken experts for hire in a full range of event packages, or any custom format you desire. Our most popular events are walk-around tasting receptions with stations that represent each of the important global cigar styles, guided cigar tasting fireside chats with an expert who teaches every attendee optimal enjoyment and tasting technique, as well as our relaxing and beautiful cigar roller presentations.
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We're experienced in hosting events in-home, in-office, and in restaurants, hotels and resorts across the country. Whether you've chosen a venue for your event or not, we're able to work behind-the-scenes with any venue to coordinate all the details and create exactly the event you imagined, so you can relax and entertain your guests.
For cigar party ideas and detailed information, call 310-467-5582.
Our event management team will take the logistics of sourcing the cigars, entertainment and any other needed essentials off your shoulders, working with your event planner, caterers or other event service providers on your behalf.
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- Wine, brandy, port tastings
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Call 310-467-5582 now or write to email@example.com to get all of your questions answered. You'll have all info from us in less than 15 minutes.


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Common Low Back Pain Problems & Solutions
Low back pain is the second most common health complaint (after the common cold) and is the most expensive health problem, estimated at upwards of $80 billion per year in health and social costs. This is more than costs for severe health issues like cancer and AIDS.
What Is Low Back Pain?
The vast majority of low back pain is mechanical, meaning problems with the way joints and muscles are functioning (See 'What is joint dysfunction?') and can therefore be effectively managed with non-drug, non-surgical methods.
How to Help Low Back Pain?
Chiropractic adjustments (spinal manipulation), ART, stretching, yoga, and core strengthening exercises can all be helpful. A medical study published in the prestigious medical journal SPINE, showed massage and chiropractic are found to be 'very helpful' by 65% and 61% of users, while conventional care (medicine and physiotherapy) is found to be 'very helpful' by only 27% of users.
For chronic back pain, specific rehab exercise has been found to be extremely beneficial, getting even better long term results than surgery in some studies, without the potential adverse reactions. At Alberta Back and Neck Rehab & Sports Injuries in Calgary, our chiropractors use the most effective strength testing and rehab machine for chronic low back pain – the MedX Medical Lumbar Rehab Machine. This programs is quite different from conventional physical therapy, which aims to limber up muscles, but isn't nearly as intensive. What is needed is not just exercise, but vigorous workouts that target muscles weakened from disuse. When the back is injured, a person tends to baby the damaged area and use other muscles to compensate. The unused muscles begin to atrophy within two days, making them stiff and more vulnerable to further injury and exacerbating back pain. And the more they hurt, the less those muscles are used, which triggers a self-perpetuating cycle of de-conditioning.
How MedX Medical Lumbar Rehab Machine Helps?
To make sure the weakened muscles get a workout, the MedX Medical Lumbar Rehab Machine is able to isolate and test the strength of your spinal muscles. If indicated, your chiropractor will set up a rehab program specific for you that exercises the weak muscles with increasingly heavy weights to the point of fatigue. This process, known as progressive resistance training, builds up the muscles around the spinal column and hastens the healing of ruptured discs and damaged facet joints between the bony vertebrae.
"To get the maximum benefit, you have to use a piece of exercise equipment that will make certain muscles work and blocks out the others. Home exercises don't isolate the muscles sufficiently. Recent studies suggest that even for people in crippling pain, an aggressive exercise regimen may be a wise alternative to surgery.
"There's growing evidence that this boot-camp-style approach can make a real difference," says Dr. Richard Deyo, a back-pain expert at the University of Washington in Seattle.
In 2003, for example, Norwegian researchers compared sixty-four patients with disc degeneration. Half underwent spinal-fusion surgery to stabilize damaged discs. The other half participated in an intensive exercise program. A year later, the success rate was 76% for the exercisers, compared with 70% for the surgery group, which also experienced an 18% complication rate from the surgery.
And a 1999 study suggests heavy-duty workouts could help sufferers avoid the knife altogether. Sixty patients whose doctors had recommended surgery were enrolled in an intense 10-week exercise program at the Physician's Neck and Back Clinic in Minnesota. Of the 46 who completed the program, three ended up having surgery.
For more information, visit the MedX official website or call the chiropractors at Alberta Back and Neck Rehab & Sports Injuries Clinic today.
For chronic, severe low back pain and sciatica due to disc herniation, disc degeneration, or arthritis, Alberta Back and Neck Rehab & Sports Injuries Clinic has Western Canada's first DRX 9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression System. This technology has been found to be successful at relieving pain for 86% of sufferers. For more information visit Decompression.ca.
"Feel Healthy and Happy Naturally and Remember: lt's Never Too Late to Invest in Your Health!" Contact Now!


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Advent 2013: This is It/
Maybe because it's Christmastime, I'm so nostalgic lately for when my kids were younger. I've been telling them stories and finding old photos, and I'm blown away when I think about having these little people in my life for almost 11 years. Parenting is a relationship, and boy do they ever have a relationship with me! They've seen me at my wits end, they've seen me cry, they've eaten thousands of my meals, been in my body and close to my body.
I wasn't excited about having kids. When I think about the possibility I could have said no this, I almost come undone. I didn't know how much I'd feel hung out to dry--how terrifying it would be to love someone so much. And I didn't know how terrifying it would be not to. Like I've said before, there are many ways to be broken open. These two are my way, and I am alive with love and longing for them.


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Sterling Silver 1 carat Moissanite Antique/Deco style ringStock #A101SS:1 Carat Moissanite Antique/Deco Estate style Ring. .925 Sterling Silver Reproduced with gorgeous, Hand-Crafted, top quality Jewelry workmanship!. (These Charles & Colvard Moissanites are more precisely cut & polished from the finest quality Moissanites) Satisfaction Guarantee! Unique corner prongs, do not snag. Picture does not do justice to this piece! Available in 14k Gold.
SKU Number: A101SS
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Email: email@example.com
Copyright 1999-2014 MoissaniteJewelry.com


text: Maroons trade in the illusion of democracy and freedom, the false pretense of equality and integration for a celebration of our indigenous blood, ancestral heritage and creative souls. There is no room for validation, assimilation, or mis-education from those who have historically denied us complete emancipation. We hold ourselves accountable for sustaining our communities and providing the necessary tools for liberation.


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With my luck as it pertains to you
Three-ten in the morning and I am thinking
about the two white-and-gray feathers.
You really should have seen them,
the way they were. Resting side
by side, parallel parked on the scorch
of asphalt desert stretching lost
behind the defunct community stage.
With my luck as it pertains to you and
you alone in our one-strike world,
they'd have been long gone by the
time I led you to see. Two birds or one?
I know what you'd say, as I always do--
my pointless rubber-band snapping of
the dead air between the synapses still
promised off to you, you and your gentle
eyes, you in your village garb--
you, the tailor's grandson who dared
to take my shepherdess hand when no
one was looking.
The dead cows and the soiled embroidery
and the stale sesame bagels never got
the message: the time for dowries is
long past. They wait at the ready, still, in
a carved alder box in a damp earth
cellar, because some love knows nothing
but wait and love and wait.
You'd probably like me to set the rest
of the scene, keep things moving. Yes, I can
be so tedious this way, building skyscraper
word towers on my red Xs, wherever I'd like
take your hand and climb to that different
view. Just once I'd like to break the curse,
offer you the last live calf, a bright blue
stitched bow around its neck, a fresh bagel
in its soft sweet mouth.
Never mind. I will talk to you now about
hard hot asphalt: someone's fault,
that untraceable variety that worsens migraines.
Point your finger all you like, but you walk on it too,
away from your car and its invisible emissions,
nocturnal and otherwise, clouds of Renaissance
onion breath, the breath you'd wished you'd
saved once in this very lot. I know better than
to ask you if you remember.
I chased you across this black Sahara into
the red room full of artist-idiots and idiot artists,
fat tears mortifying my own idiotic flesh better than
any hair shirt from the Martyr Gap.
Listen, although you will not, but goddamn it,
I would be pleased to be wrong once:
Always Dear, I maintain I had a point, still do.
I will forever work night shifts as the maintenance man
of what we were, mopping up the burst garbage bags
neither of us saw coming, unclogging the the corner toilet
full of shit and piss and blood and breastmilk and semen
and puke, sorting and tagging the leftovers of the
grotesque and gorgeous art of our once-shared life.
It's a crap job and nobody's got to do it, except there
are these women who will ask someday what I found.
I like to have a few answers when I can. I'd like to
tell the women it's amazing, what you find in the stinking
bins, in the slick drains, when everyone else has gone home.
Why, just this week I've found an expression of yours on
the face of a child--
the tailor's grandson risen from the dead
of the wretched urinal floor,
flown up into her eyes,
blessing everything she said to me,
every word that knew nothing and never would.


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For those who can't wait to get more of the ladies of Litchfield, there's some new character posters that show some of the favorite prisoners in action.
The new posters, released by Netflix on Monday, tease Yael Stone's Lorna character perhaps finally getting married and show Laura Prepon's Alex putting on some makeup, Laverne Cox's Sophia doing her hair, Natasha Lyonne's Nicky just being Nicky and Taylor Schillings' Piper ready for round two.. There's also posters of Lea DeLaria's Big Boo and Tiffany Doggett's Pennsatucky, though they didn't get the motion poster treatment.
The comedy-drama was created by Jenji Kohan based on the Piper Kerman memoir "Orange Is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison." Netflix released a trailer for season two last month.
The second season of the Netflix critical darling will hit the streaming service June 6. "Orange is the New Black" has already been renewed for a third season.


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BHP Motorsports - Quality Service at a Lower Price.
BHP Motorsports is a family owned and operated motorcycle and ATV service shop. We offer all forms of maintenance and repair, as well as performance upgrades. We also offer custom Dyno tuning for all motorcycles and ATV's on our state of the art Dynamometer. For a complete list of our services click here.
Before founding BHP Motorsports, owner, Aaron Barnum, spent over nine years working for a large motorcycle dealership in Roseville, CA. As lead technician, Aaron was instrumental in building the service department's reputation. Since BHP's inception, Aaron Barnum has successfully created a solid reputation of his own in the local motorcycle community. To learn more about Aaron's experience and awards click here.
BHP shares your passion for speed! With our Dynamometer, we can tailor the characteristics of how a motorcycle or ATV's power is delivered to match the riders riding style or needs. We strive to take the most advanced machinery to its limits while maintaining reliability for all types of motorcycles and ATV's.


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Pamela Lee leads local programs to unite the equine and human worlds on a spiritual level. She employs horses to help awaken the genuine inner self and facilitate deep, inner-soul work,. Lee's unique program helps participants to overcome self-judgment and to live in the present and feel secure in their vulnerability. Continue reading
Tag Archives: healthy montgomery county
New Collaboration offers Relationship Workshop
The Possibility Coaches, Jon Satin and Chris Pattay, are collaborating with The Bliss Mistress, Edie Weinstein, to offer what they have learned in more than 50 years of combined professional experience in the field. The trio will facilitate a workshop, Creating Healthy and Fulfilling Relationships, from 2 to 6 p.m., June 23, at Circle of Miracles, in New Britain. This workshop will cover communication skills Continue reading
Locals Offer Tips on How to Sustain Happiness
The illusive happiness that one seeks is truly accessible at any given moment. It is a state; a way of being that can be created when awareness becomes primary; when finding the emotion of pleasure, contentment and joy becomes important in every moment. Often, as we rush around, getting tasks done and moving at a quick pace, it seem unattainable. Yet it Continue reading
Connecting Dads and Daughters
by Nicole Ricchetti, MA, LMFT
One of life's greatest relationships is between a father and a daughter. However, not every father knows how to connect with his little girl.
Here are some ways to connect: Continue reading
Heaven and Earth, Light and Sound
Tami Trapp and Bob Rowlands collaborate with their individual spiritual healing abilities to allow for a uniquely deep and balanced healing experience, called Heaven & Earth, Light & Sound. Heaven & Earth sessions are recommended, in particular, for those who feel nudged to let go of the old stories that defined them in order to make space for a new story. Rowlands, a Reiki master teacher, is a gifted natural Continue reading
River Valley Waldorf School Offers Three Summer Camps
River Valley Waldorf School, in Upper Black Eddy, is offering three different summer camps to satisfy children ages 3 to 12. The camps are consistent with the child-centered practices and principles of Waldorf Education.
Campers ages 3 to 6 can enjoy ample time playing outdoors and in the water; they also learn baking, craft-making and other creative pursuits including creating puppet stories. This camp is also offered at the Waldorf Morning Glory Doylestown campus. Continue reading
Natural Awakenings Publishers Gather at Annual Conference
Natural Awakenings publishers from throughout the nation, attending in person or via live webinars, came together from May 3 to 5 for the company's annual conference, held at the Naples Bay Resort, in Naples, Florida. At the event, Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. founder and CEO Sharon Bruckman said, "We're here to support each other, sharing our hearts and energy to lift our magazines and communities to a higher level." Continue reading
Boost Your Immunity, Boost Your Business
Dr. Wendy Warner, a board certified holistic physician and obstetrician/gynecologist, is co-author of Boosting your Immunity for Dummies. The nationally known lecturer and teacher of integrative medicine will provide expert advice on how to harness the power of your immune system from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., June 6, at the Lower Bucks Chamber of Commerce (LBCCC), in Fairless Hills. Continue reading
A Spiritual Walk with Horses
*The opinions and views expressed at or through this article are the opinions of the author and do not reflect the opinions of Natural Awakenings or the opinions or views of any other individual.
Jo was nervous yet excited for her turn in the round pen with Lacy, the beautiful chestnut mare at the Horses as Healers workshop. She watched Lacy respond with enthusiasm, giving specific messages to the first three women in the group as they shared with her their goals for the future. Jo envisioned the same kind of response from Lacy, if not a better response because she was so connected to her dreams. Envisioning them in great detail was an easy task. Jo stepped into the pen and started pouring her heart out to Lacy expecting an affirmative response from the mare. To her horror, Lacy stood still looking so Continue reading


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Home » Cases
It seems we can't find what you're looking for. Perhaps searching can help.
Mr. Moraitis handled my complicated divorce with exceptional professionalism and kept me informed and updated of every detail, every correspondence and encouraged participation in numerous amount of court dates over a period of more than three years, so I would be completely informed in all the processes.I was very satisfied with his complete knowledge of…
- Posted by Rene Monday at 8:27am
(5 star review)


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The Confession of Peter
The Confession of Peter
Pentecost 14A; Proper 16A; Ordinary 21A
Matthew 16:13-20
Peter confesses Jesus to be the Son of the living God.
All digital packages include 4 x 6 and 4.5x 4.5 sizes as shown in the gallery. Actual sizes in pixels for large and small JPGs, PNGs, and TIFs: 1200 x 1800, 1350 x 1350, and 600 x 900 and 675 x 675.
After purchasing the artwork, an email will be sent to you with a link that allows you to download the art onto your computer.


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I ALWAYS need quick breakfast options in the am. This recipe is so easy and a wonderful thing to wake up to! My friend Stella recently introduced me to this delicious breakfast and I am addicted.
EASY OVERNIGHT STEEL CUT OATS // makes 4
by brunchpants
prep time: 10 minutes // cook time: 15 minutes // TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 4 cups filtered water ( filtered water prevents a film from forming )
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 cup frozen or fresh strawberries ( blueberries or raspberries also work )
- 1 cup fresh fruit for topping
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a rapid boil.
Pour in the oats and salt.
Stir and let boil for 1 minute.
Turn off the heat, cover and let stand overnight.
The next morning, on medium heat, stir the oats until heated through.
Add fruit and serve! ( store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week )


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Nestled in the heart of the city, The Museum of Sydney celebrates the people and events that have shaped the character and soul of this beautiful city.
The Museum of Sydney, managed by Sydney Living Museums, is one of Sydney's most important properties, showcasing the development of our beautiful city from colonial times. Nestled in the heart of the city, the Museum of Sydney is a distinctly modern building, set on and around the heritage listed site of Australia's first Government House. Steeped in history but with a strong focus on contemporary exhibitions, the museum celebrates the people and events that have shaped the character and soul of Sydney.
An accurate scale model of Australia's first Government House takes pride of place in the museum, and remains of the site dating back to 1788 can be glimpsed through glass openings in the museum forecourt and foyer.
Visitors to the museum can enjoy the latest contemporary exhibitions, take a tour through the permanent exhibitions and marvel at the amazing scale models of the First Fleet ships.
A tour around this deeply significant historical site can be rounded off by experiencing the award winning Edge of the Trees installation– a cluster of 29 poles with soundscape on the forecourt evoking the first encounter between the Indigenous (Gadigal) people and the convicts, sailors and marines of the First Fleet.
Visitors are welcome to browse the retail offering and make a selection from a range of gifts and publications or enjoy lunch or dinner at The Governor's Table restaurant, next door to the museum.
In 1788, Arthur Phillip, the founding Governor of the Colony of New South Wales chose a site, now the corner of Phillip and Bridge Streets, as the place for his official residence. It quickly became the centre of the colony's administrative and social life and an important focus of first contact between the Gadigal people and the colonisers.
Built with convict labour on a foundation of Sydney sandstone, using a combination of locally made and imported bricks from England, Australia's first Government House was typical of the so-called Georgian style then popular in England.
Over the next 57 years, eight successive governors lived at the site, conducting the business of government in the fast growing city. Official, family and social life intersected and with formal dinners, banquets and balls, the public and private lives of the colony's leading citizens played out.
In Australia's bicentennial year, 1988, the state government announced a new design for the site that was to include the preservation of the archaeological remains and the construction of a new museum to interpret them. In 1995, the Museum of Sydney was officially opened.
Two exhibitions at the Museum of Sydney offer a broad exploration and experience of mid-20th century architecture and design as an important part of Sydney's heritage.
The Moderns: European Designers in Sydney
22 July – 26 November
The Moderns is a richly illustrated exhibition that explores the personal stories of our 'forgotten' émigré designers during mid-20th century and their distinctly European style and influence in shaping modern Sydney.
In Australia, a large number of Europeans immigrated to Sydney as a result of imminent war and included a significant number of architects and designers. Well educated, urbanised and middle class, Sydney's émigré designers brought with them a direct experience of European modernism.
While they often encountered obstacles in resuming their professions in a new country, many designers adapted their skills and went on to have a substantial impact across architecture, interior design, furniture making and in the media. A few of these émigré designers became known for their work during 1950s – 60s but the exhibition also features a number of designers with remarkable European design pedigrees working virtually unknown in Sydney.
This exhibition is both a social and design history, an acknowledgement of our émigré designers and their substantial achievements and impact on modernist design in Australia.
Marion Hall Best: Interiors
5 August – 12 November
This exhibition celebrates a colour filled career of one of the first independent and most influential Australian interior designers.
Described as electrifying, vital and avant-garde, Marion Hall Best's interior decorating schemes vibrated with colour through her signature glazed painted finishes at a time when designers preferred a more subdued palette. She claimed that 'gentle, soft colours … are not restful, but dreary, sapping the energy and the mind'; by contrast, 'bright clear colours challenge the mind.'
Best is attributed with introducing international modernism to the Australian market through importing furniture and furnishings from all over the world.
Her ability to transform space through colour has rarely been matched. The rich objects in the exhibition are drawn from the extensive archive held by Sydney Living Museums. Visit the exhibition and be immersed in a world of colour.


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Twin centre holidays are a great way to sample the best of both worlds. In this epic adventure, take in soaring skyscrapers, fabulous shopping and adventurous activities in Dubai before jetting off to the secluded and peaceful Maldives for snorkelling, sunbathing and sunsets. These two destinations couldn't be more different and yet they make the perfect combination for an unforgettable escape.
Dubai is a good starting point for this adventure and what better place to base yourself than the spectacular JA Palm Tree Court. This all-suite hotel is located on a palm-lined stretch of golden beach along the glimmering Arabian Gulf.
The grounds are filled with picturesque gardens scattered with streams and waterfalls with delicate peacocks showing the brilliance of their feathers. It's a stunning location to base yourself in and it's made all the better by the excellent standard of accommodation – think high ceilings, relaxing neutral shades and extravagant bathrooms. Take advantage of the resort's extensive all-inclusive dine-around offering here with 15 restaurants and bars to choose from.
You're perfectly placed to explore the city of Dubai, a glass and steel metropolis risen from the desert. From the soaring heights of the futuristic Burj Khalifa to the timeless splendour of the old souks, the endless fun and excitement of the amusement parks to the vast stillness of the desert, this is a city of endless possibilities.
Moving away from the brilliance of Dubai, it will be time to escape to the tranquillity of the Maldives. It won't be difficult to reach your next destination with the flight to Malé taking just over four hours and then a seaplane taking you on a scenic flight to JA Manafaru.
Located on the staggeringlybeautiful Manafaru Island, JA Manafaru is a small oasis of white sand, azure ocean and lush green forest. Accommodation is either in beach bungalows or overwater villas, each with its own private pool. Peace and serenity are the order of the holiday with the Calm Spa offering Maldivian-inspired treatments and wellness classes.
Of course, with the shimmering, crystal-clear Indian Ocean all around you, you can don your snorkels and meet the colourful marine life, take out a kayak and perhaps have a go at waterskiing. The resort even offers unusual water sports such as monoskiing and kneeboarding. Better still, you can escape to an uninhabited castaway island for a daytrip, sunset dinner or overnight stay.


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On Feb. 2 I celebrated a golden anniversary as 50 years of surfing passed beneath my feet. It started with a borrowed board until I bought one of my own, a used 9-foot-6-inch Wardy with two wedged redwood stringers encasing a swatch of condensed tinted yellow foam. I was too stoked to notice that my new board weighed about 30 pounds. It didn't matter; I was a real surfer now and my life would change in some predicable and some unpredictable ways.I had first attempted surfing three years earlier, after seeing "Gidget" at the Gar-mar Theater in my hometown of Montebello, with my neighbor Robert Vermont. All we talked about on the two-block walk back to my house that day was surfing and how hot Sandra Dee was.Robert had a secret he knew how to build a surfboard. He helped me tear the tracks from the plywood that carried that boring old toy H.O. Railroad around in a circle. Then he plugged in his dad's skill saw and cut two rectangular "surfboards," before squaring off the noses. We painted them with the extra yellow enamel that was lying around the garage.
At the beach our new boards didn't float well, so we used them as skimboards. It was endless fun. Turns out Robert was on the right track and had actually made alaia boards, those finless, thin craft recently revived by surfers like Tom and Johnny Wegner and considered by some to be the fastest boards in the water.
But from the first day of riding my Wardy, I knew I would never return to surfboards made of plywood. The thrill of paddling out, catching a wave and beating the whitewater to shore, was just too great.
My next two boards were made by Hansen. Next came a flurry of different boards: A Velzy Bump, a Hobie Phil Edwards Model, A G&S Hynson Model, a Jacob's Donald Takayama Model and a Harbor Cheater among them.
I was in Hawaii in 1967 when surfboards shrank from 9-foot plus, to 7-foot plus and shorter. My first shortboard was a Dick Brewer mini gun with a Buddha painted on the deck. I lost track of that board 30 years ago and pray that it didn't suffer the indignity of having a leash plug routed into it, or rotting in some Riverside landfill.
By the late '60s I tried making my own surfboards, hacking down the masterpieces of craftsmen like Phil Edwards in order to ride the latest thing. Phil recalls a time when his board-making was at a peak and he was building long and beautiful boards in Hawaii. He lowered his tone as he told me the story about the guy who came into his shop, raving about the newer, smaller wave rockets.
The guy then lifted one of Phil's masterpieces from the rack, something equivalent in my world to a Stradivarius violin, and thrust it from the tail, into the air, where it came back and landed, hard, on the floor, shattering the tail and severely damaging the fin. Phil, along with other master craftsmen, figured it was time to move on.
Sorry about the ramble. Not sure what it was really for or what I really learned in the last half century. Maybe that the old will again be new and not to disregard the works of the masters. Or maybe it's just to have fun while you have waves and youth and sunshine. You tell me.


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Telecom Carrier Portals in 5 Easy Steps
In this industry, online portals are becoming a valuable marketing tactic. Telecommunications resellers rely on carriers to provide the information necessary to win business. It's a simple relationship in a competitive industry. By creating online portals, carriers can simultaneously better serve resellers AND streamline their processes. The progression to online portals is differentiating carriers in the eyes of resellers for several reasons. For one, they're a faster and more efficient way of communicating with resellers. They also simplify the process of doing business with carriers – quick quotes, up-to-date marketing material, and results tracking, to name a few.
Business Agility, always a must
Business agility is rudimentary to riding out the current changes in the telecom industry. Implementing portals can seem like a big undertaking, but as more carriers provide this service, the naysayers will be left in the dust. In fact, one Sales Manager I spoke with is adamant about carriers implementing these portals. It sounds like carriers and resellers alike can benefit from a pinch of cloud computing magic; we've put together five easy steps for taking on these projects.
1. Streamline marketing communications
The first step towards realizing the power of online portals is using them to disseminate information efficiently. The fastest and most global of communicative systems makes this process as easy as the click a mouse. Sales in this industry are driven by intensive campaigns for which supporting marketing materials and product/services catalogs need to be readily available. There is no better way to provide this information to resellers that via an online portal.
2. Provide online availability checks
Manually checking service availability for clients is inefficient and costly for resellers. Automating these processes frees up sales and marketing teams so they can focus on more important activities like acquiring new business. Both resellers and carrier's account managers can do their jobs better when this information is provided over the internet. Notice how steps one and two focus on channeling information efficiently.
3. Empower agents with accurate quoting and submission
What's more important than providing a potential client with an accurate quote? Enabling resellers with 24/7 online quoting and order submission is a huge time saver for both parties involved. Rather than having to call a channel manager, resellers can compute their own quotes. It's as simple as that.
4. Increase partner and client satisfaction with self service
We know that resellers, business development managers, and channel managers want to focus on driving revenue by acquiring more customers. The trick is that acquisition of new business needs to be balanced with existing client satisfaction. The self service method is the best way of going about providing support to these stakeholders. Think: dinner buffet.
5. Give real incentives to resellers
Commission and bill processing is an enormously difficult task for telecommunication organizations —it also provides an opportunity to differentiate themselves in the market. Online portals can be automated and customized for recurring commission structures based on the type of partner and product/services being sold. Commission management and execution is a key business driver in the industry. Optimizing the partner sales channel should be a high priority for the organization, right?
Hopefully these five steps make the seemingly overwhelming task of implementing an online portal a bit more feasible. Here at Mendix, these portals are a common request and the average application usually takes around two months to finalize. In the end, the sooner a carrier adopts these strategies the more business they will win – application development is not the headache it used to be.


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NUFORC Home Page
Web Report Indexes : by Event Date | by Location | by Shape | by Posting Date
|Sighting Report
|Occurred : 12/31/2013 22:00 (Entered as : 12/31/13 22:00)
Reported: 4/12/2014 7:45:02 PM 19:45
Posted: 4/18/2014
Location: Columbia, SC
Shape: Other
Duration:5 minutes
|Big red orb hovering above treeline
Fairly big red - orange orb hovering over trees on 77 between Fort Jackson and Garners Ferry Road.
Appeared to be illuminated from within. Had a pale orange slow pulsating light in the middle.
Lost sight of it when turned off the highway onto Garners Ferry Road.


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The Natural History Museum in Hertfordshire
Natural History Museum
at Tring
Free entry
The Walter Rothschild building
Akeman Street
Hertfordshire HP23 6AP
Open Monday - Saturday 10.00-17.00
Sunday 14.00-17.00
Closed 24-26 December
Things to do at Tring
British Dinosaurs
Go on an adventure around Britain and discover why it's the birthplace of dinosaur studies in our free family exhibition.
Until 11 October
What's on
Find out what events are happening at the Museum at Tring. Join in with exhibitions, workshops and activities for kids.
Explore the Museum
From anglerfish to zebras, meet the stars of our free galleries. There's six to explore, plus the Rothschild room which tells the story of one man's passion that created the Museum.


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Located on the lower level of our Cape Breton cottages, our two bedroom suites provide spacious accommodations for up to 6 guests! Each suite features one king bed in one room, 2 queen beds in the other and one sofa bed in our spacious living room. At the end of the day, take advantage of your private deck and enjoy a private barbecue with our state-of-the-art Napoleon BBQ or treat yourself to a soothing whirlpool in our full-sized ensuite air whirlpool tub.
Two Bedroom Suite Amenities
Cottage Rates
Off-Season November – April
$225.00 + 2% ML + 15% HST Book Now
On-Season May – October
$299.00 + 2% ML + 15% HST Book Now
Off-Season Discount:
On-Season Discount:


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Monday, May 25, 2015
Judge and hunter
15 comments:
That judge is a standout. All sorts of things to love. Quite a diverse colour palette that works really well, and love the freehand on the shield and the shoulder pad.ReplyDelete
The great thing about your Judge and the Arbites in general is that they have a defined look and feel but at the same time that look can be very flexible with different pieces and paint schemes. Does he have any backstory or is he just another law keeping badass?ReplyDelete
As for the Explorator I would say you hit the nail with making him look undeniably Mechanicus.
Can't wait to see him in his painted up.Replies
Like Judge Dredd the arbite is more of a "Lawman with no name" kinda deal.
You really don´t need a backstory...
Love the arbite, really a trip back in time to the good ole days for 40k.ReplyDeleteReplies
I actually have a couple the classic models painted up. I have to take some pictures of them sometime...Delete
- Anonymous25 May 2015 at 11:19
You're so rock solid in your delivery, but always manage to squeeze in small details here and there that makes it equally interesting every time.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thank you bigboss!Delete
Awesome work, man! I really like what you've done with all three figures. It's amazing how much you achieve with your kit bashes where others would rely on greenstuff work. I think I may have to borrow the arbite build once more. Kraut really started something here. :PReplyDeleteReplies
I actually sculpted a cod piece on the magos!Delete
Really great painting. The chosen color tones (less saturated, and sometimes darker shades) is excellent. Congrats :-)ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks! I tried to keep them dark and moody, while still retaining contrast so they "pop" when wieved from a distance.Delete
More outstanding conversions. You really have a great sense of what parts will work together. The arbite is particularly excellent.ReplyDelete


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Rohini LakshaneDec 08, 2012 16:06:50 IST
Have you ever wished you could query Wikipedia with a question? Have you ever wanted to run a search on Wikipedia to extract data rather than trawl through reams of Wikipedia pages and interlinks? Have you ever imagined a world where everyone could freely pool knowledge even without sharing a common language? Wikidata is an attempt to do all this, and more.
Wikidata, deployed in October this year, is the newest project by the Wikimedia Foundation, the organisation that runs Wikipedia and its sister projects. It is a semantic, multilingual, structured database that anyone can read and edit. It is machine readable, which makes searching, sorting and handling of data efficient and fast. Like with its siblings, Wikidata's content and software are published under a free license.
Central repository of links
Wikidata aims to streamline Wikipedia's rich but chaotic linking structure. Every Wikipedia page has 'interwiki links' that link it to other Wikipedia pages. 'Interlanguage links' connect pages to other pages on the same topic published on Wikipedias in different languages, creating a mesh of links. With around 23 million articles in 285 languages, the linking structure leads to immense duplication. Wikidata intends to act as a central repository for all language links on all Wikipedias, with the ultimate objective of levelling off the raw data in the language versions. Under the first phase of Wikidata deployment, which is now live, editors can add interlanguage links (sitelinks) on Wikidata pages.
The layout of a Wikidata page showing links to Wikipedias in various languages on the topic The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Sven Manguard)
Ask Wikipedia a question
The future phases of Wikidata deployment involve converging the data found in Infoboxes (December 2012 or January 2013), and the enabling of the creation of lists on Wikipedia (April or March 2013).
Infoboxes -- tables with the summary of the most important information on the pages -- across Wikipedias are not uniform. Internationalised export and import of data present in Wikipedia templates such as the Infobox would greatly enrich its encyclopaedic value. All information present in all Infoboxes will then come to one central repository from where it could be updated everywhere else at the same time.
Wikipedia houses lists on assorted topics created by users -- episodes of the most popular TV shows, heads of state, and even inventors killed by their own inventions. However, it is currently not possible to query these lists and cull out specific information. For example, searching the string "countries with highest GDP" leads to a search results page with the entries 'List of countries with the highest GDP per capita' and 'Historical list of ten largest countries by GDP'. But if you were to search for 'ten countries with highest GDP in Asia' you wouldn't quickly reach the relevant information even though it exists in these lists. Wikidata will automatically create a user-queried list to answer semantic queries such as, "What were the ten countries with highest GDP in Asia last year?"
Konarak Ratnakar, who has registered over 8,000 edits on Wikidata, says, "I found that Wikidata had very few India-related entries. So I started adding information on Indian cities and the capitals of small countries. I like Infoboxes very much, and that fact that this project would make Infoboxes grow motivated me to contribute."
Supporting smaller Wikipedias
Of the 285 Wikipedias, only four have more than a million articles. 40 Wikipedias have over a 100,000 articles. Big Wikipedias have legions of editors; most Wikipedias with a smaller article base have fewer speakers of the language or less volunteer manpower. Wikidata aspires to enable smaller Wikipedias to extend their tendrils to bigger ones, and benefit from the vast amounts of language-independent data present on them. Having up-to-date data at their disposal will potentially rope in and retain editors and contributors on smaller Wikipedias, where researching and writing voluminous content from scratch may be a laborious task. The web and Wikipedia would get more content, which in turn, would become useful to those who only speak the languages in which smaller Wikipedias exist.
Verifiability and difference of opinion
Wikidata can handle differences of opinion. If different sources of data portray discrepant or conflicting information, Wikidata has the provision to include such differences, and the different nuances of information. This data will be accompanied by its source in keeping with one of Wikipedia's cornerstones of verifiability. Lydia Pintscher of Wikimedia Deuthschland, who handles community communications for Wikidata, explains, "Say you have the number of inhabitants of Israel. People don't agree on an exact number for that for various reasons. In Wikidata it will be possible to add all of them (within reason) with sources. So it'll not be about what is right but about what some source says."
Pushing the envelope at Wikipedias and the web
Once Wikidata is fully deployed, and if all goes as planned, it will allow for more new articles to be created with fewer contributions. Editors will not need to write full articles on topics that already exist on other Wikipedias. Instead, they will need to enter data at the specified data points to get an article with the preliminary framework ready. Wikidata will also enable micro-contributions to articles that already exist by allowing easy data entry for editors to expand or update articles using the available datasets.
Machine-readable data facilitates automatic updating of content that is currently done manually on Wikipedia, for example, the updating of census figures or election results. Wikipedia lists too will be automatically created and updated.
Editing on Wikidata is done through a form-based editor, instead of using wiki syntax, the mark-up present on Wikipedia, which new editors generally find tedious.
Once Wikidata is fully operational, it will act as an interchange point for more Wiki projects, such as the Wikimedia Commons, a media repository. Wikidata is governed by the Creative Commons Public Domain license, which renders the data on it copyright-free. As the Wikidata API is freely available and the software is open licensed, you could run your own instance. The availability of interwiki data and API opens up many possibilities -- data extraction, data mash-ups, using interwiki metadata for regional or localised Wikipedias, and expanding the scope of apps such as the Interwiki Redirect Service. Pintscher says, "In the near future we'll see the roll-out of phase 2 of Wikidata and then the adaption of that on the Wikipedias. With time I hope that more and more players outside Wikimedia will make use of Wikidata and build great things on top of it. I'm sure they'll come up with many things we haven't even thought of yet."
Wikidata has the potential to be a repository of repositories where the sum total of human knowledge coalesces, a database that glues together Wikipedias of all 285 (and counting) languages.
Disclosure: The author is a member is a Wikimedia India Chapter and a Wikipedia editor.
Cover image: Wikimedia Commons
Find our entire collection of stories, in-depth analysis, live updates, videos & more on Chandrayaan 2 Moon Mission on our dedicated #Chandrayaan2TheMoon domain.


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Overview Product Details Customer Reviews Shipping & Returns Questions (0)
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including LEAD AND LEAD COMPOUNDS, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/.
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Today we are going to go way back to Christmas- which already seems so long ago! We did a Secret Santa gift exchange amongst Flock Together and I got the sweetest package from Dus! She loaded it up with some good finds- 3 skirts and a pair of blue cords, all wrapped in a cloth bag. I failed at taking a picture of all of them, but they will make their appearances here in time.
This bow print skirt was one of the gifts and it's absolutely perfect! I love the fit and will always love a good novelty print. Since Dus and I live about a mile apart, she had her mom drop off the package to make it more of a surprise- and it worked because I was so confused as to who was bringing me a package :)
skirt: gift from Dus
sweater & scarf: thrifted
tights: Target
shoes: Nordstrom Last Chance
I have mentioned before how much I have loved being a part of Flock Together the past few months and this was another reason it is so fun. Thanks for the great gifts, Dus!! You should pop on over to Katie's blog to see how she wore the vintage blouse I gave her, you will fall in love with her amazing, nostalgic style!outfits and tagged Christmas, flock together, lucky, outfits, t-store scores. ← Flock Together- in the details Paper Plane- Shop Update →
That skirt is so cute! Dus sure does have a great taste! Also, your shoes are so adorable!
Love the metallic wingtip oxfords!
I knew you lived close by but not that close together! Oh, how fun!
You look darling and colorful in this, and those shoes are fantastic.
Oh my goodness, Dus totally spoiled you! This skit is absolutely adorable! She's the best.
woah, you guys are practically neighbors!! that is so cool! and those mustard tights look amazing- you make me want to bust mine out again.
xo marlen
Messages on a Napkin
This skirt is perfect and I totally love your color pairing as usual.
Lady, I love your style so much. You always look so cute! I love the prints and colors in this outfit.
Becca | Ladyface Blog
What lovely gifts to get! I really love that skirt =)
Corinne x
Aweee, such a cute skirt! And I love the way it looks with the mustard tights ;).
Would you just get out of here with that pink and yellow combo!!?! I am so madly in love with this look. Those colours are to die for and then add in those ridiculously amazing shoes and I'm swooning all over the damn place.
As always, you are the cutest little lady on the interwebs.
this is just adorable! loving the creative color combo. what a cute skirt & i'm totally envious of those shoes.
aww thx for the kind words Lisa!! and ah, how fun seeing you in it! it's always a crap shoot on sizing so i'm so glad it fits you, & you look darling in it! i'd never have thought of the mustard w/ it but it's absolutely perfect.


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Video Game Law: Right of Publicity
Join BESLS and IPLA for an opportunity to meet members of the legal department at Take-Two Inc., one of the most successful video game companies in the world. The Senior Counsel for Rockstar Games will discuss T2's Label Affairs practice, including the Right of Publicity issues raised by recent cases involving Lindsey Lohan and Karen Gravano. The Legal Operations Analyst for Take-Two will also discuss working at Take-Two and Take-Two's internship program.


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Canada dials in Hollywood movies
EmptyTORONTO -- Phone giant Bell Canada on Thursday became the first Canadian company to phone in Hollywood movies to mobile phone subscribers on a pay-per-view basis.
Toronto-based Bell Canada is offering selected Disney and Sony movies as part of distribution deals with Buena Vista International Television and Sony Pictures Television International to video-capable cell phone subscribers for $5.99 a play, plus a subscription fee.
The Mobile Movies service, powered by mobile media company mSpot, represents Disney's first mobile agreement for full-length movies with a foreign partner.
Orest Olijnyk, senior vp and managing director at the Walt Disney Co. Canada, said the agreement "demonstrates our focus on leveraging technology to enhance our content and bring it to consumers in innovative, flexible new ways."
The Hollywood movies will stream directly to Bell Canada cell phones using the phone giant's wireless high-speed network.
Once downloaded, cell phone subscribers will employ DVD-like playback controls to view a movie as many times as they wish during a rental period, typically 24 hours to a week, depending on the title.
Bell Canada cell phone subscribers will be able to choose from a range of movie genres, including action, comedy, drama and horror.
Initial catalog titles on offer include "Spider-Man 2," "As Good as It Gets," "The Cable Guy," "Charlie's Angels" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle."
Canadian phone subscribers can access the Mobile Movies program north of the border only, and not when roaming in the U.S. market. ■
Japan aims to choke off camcording
By Julian Ryall
TOKYO -- Japan's movie industry has welcomed reports that the ruling party is to introduce a bill to make it illegal for anyone to enter a cinema with a digital camera and record a movie.
At present, it is not illegal in Japan to record a film as it is screened as long as the recording is for personal use. Pirates have been taking advantage of the regulations and were able to have bootleg copies of "The Da Vinci Code" available within 24 hours of the movie's first screening in May in Japan.
Under pressure from the U.S. movie lobby, Japan's Liberal Democratic Party will submit a new bill that would make recording movies at screenings illegal, with punishments as harsh as 10 years in prison or a fine of as much as ¥10 million ($47,620).
"We support this new bill because we believe that it makes crystal clear to the public that it is not acceptable to bring into a movie theater a video camera," said Satoshi Watanabe, manager of the transmissions rights department of the Japanese Society of Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers.
"This is a good move on behalf of rightsholders, and we support any effort to discourage this activity."
At present, a message is screened before a movie is shown in a cinema politely asking viewers to refrain from recording the film, but the loophole that makes a recording permissible for private viewing has stopped cinema operators from cracking down on the practice.
"It is a significant and serious problem," Watanabe said. "Pirated films and soundtracks are being shared on peer-to-peer sites as well as being turned into DVDs, and we have been doing all we can to stop this situation.
"It is very important that this message is reinforced and that the public understands that it is not acceptable to record movies in this way."
The bill is likely to be submitted to the Japanese parliament this year and has the support of many in the political arena, meaning it is likely to become law.
Japan's movie industry missed out on an estimated ¥80 billion ($381 million) from piracy in fiscal 2005.


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Hero Ebola Doc: Save My Colleague, Not Me
Two American healthcare workers with the aid organization Samaritan's Purse who had been in Liberia to fight an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus both came down with the disease. Dr. Kent Brantly, who understood the gravity of his chances better than most, refused the single available dose of an experimental drug developed to fight Ebola. Instead, he asked medical workers to give it to his colleague, Nancy Writebol, according to the New York Daily News.
There is no known cure for the disease. The two are in "stable but grave" condition. A medical charter flight with an isolation pod is on its way to Liberia to evacuate Brantly and Writebol back to the United States, according to CNN. The hospital at Emory University, which is near the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, has said that it will take one of the two.Brantly was instead scheduled to receive a blood transfusion, including a unit of blood from a 14-year-old saved from Ebola by the doctor, according to the Daily News report.
Amber Brantly, wife of the 33-year-old doctor, released a statement through Samaritan's Purse to offer her "heartfelt thanks to the many people who have reached out to me and my family during this difficult time."
The disease is highly dangerous, with a fatality rate of 90 percent, according to the World Health Organization. Ebola is communicated through contact with bodily fluids of infected animals or humans. Medical workers "have frequently been infected ... through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly practiced."
Many people have been asking how I am doing. The children and I are physically fine. We had left Liberia prior to Kent's exposure to the virus. I am always anxiously awaiting any news from Liberia regarding Kent's condition. Through the mountain tops and the valleys of this ordeal I have been given a peace that comes from my relationship with my God. Jesus remains the Rock that I lean on. I feel strengthened each passing hour by your prayers. Through letters and comments, we have felt God's love and comfort poured out to us from literally every corner of the world.
The leading Ebola doctor in Sierra Leone recently died from the disease, as the Washington Post reported.
After finishing his residency two years ago, Dr. Brantly and his family moved to West Africa to help people, according to the Associated Press. He had been treating patients in Monrovia, Liberia and became the medical director of the Samaritan Purse's Ebola relief Center in recent months when he noticed his own disease symptoms.
"Kent is a calm, confident, focused individual, with a deep calling for the work that he's doing," said Dr. David McRay, of the Fort Worth, Texas John Peter Smith Hospital, to AP. "Many people are infected with Ebola in Africa, and many people are not surviving. And Kent does not see his situation as unique in any way." According to CNN, the World Health Organization estimates that Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria have seen 1,323 cases between March and July 27.


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RSVP Requests
Best practice.
To get the most out of the song requests on RSVP's we have to think a little bit like a mass marketer. With that in mind, adding a URL or link like http://www.... Is not such a good idea because it adds an extra step to the process and means people would have to do a lot of typing.
Bear in mind, in that moment when they have their invite and a pen in their hand to tick the box saying they'd love to come to your wedding and they don't have any allergies. The pen is the best technology.
The pen is mightier than the URL.
My current thoughts is that the best method for the RSVP is to add a space on your Wedding Invitation for a song or songs request's. With a sentence nudging them into the party mind-set. It's not ideal when people decide to…
…pick a song that only they know.
…pick a song because it has 'wedding' or 'beautiful day' in the song title.
…make a list of the 5 greatest musical masterpieces the world has ever known. But mean nothing to you.
…put an awful song down (because your friends think that's funny – and don't realise they get sent for approval first and they're wasting your precious time and you've got a wedding to plan!)
A popular nudge is 'A song you'll definitely dance too'
On my site there's a Reason / Dedication box and the suggestion is that it could be a 'family favourite' or 'uni song'.
Favourite memory would be good too. You'll know what will work best for your friends and family but I think that would make people cast their mind back to a certain time and place. Which is the main idea and probably explains the large number of holiday destinations that get written in that reasons box.
Also thinking like a mass marketer, they would send it out a number of times. The URL is super for email, social media sharing and even sms – because most people have smart phones now and tapping the link will pull up the phones internet browser.
Maybe try…
...Once with the RSVP's. And see how it goes. Then another send out, maybe just to selected people, on the electronic version.
Some people have included it as an option on their RSVP's too. But I don't recommend having it instead of having the space for people to write request. Maybe put 'more than one request? Use this link.' Just to save people with more requests from having to write super small.
If you're really into your modern music, sending one out very close to the day would be more useful than if your focus was not so current. But allow at least three weeks minimum please, I do have to compile and send them to you.
Seeing how it goes is vital. That's why I'll keep you updated.
Get in touch if you have any questions and one final thing - don't send it out too many times please, I don't want your guests think you have no faith whatsoever in your Wedding DJ! Haha.


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Half Term Cottages In Selkirk To Rent - Save up to 60%
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Eildon - 5308
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Overbutton Cottage
Ref: S89457
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Near Selkirk
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Ref: S23816
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Ref: S23825
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What our customers are saying about our Half Term Cottages In Selkirk To Rent.
Ken - verified booking
"Aikwood Tower in the glorious border region is an absolute gem of a place for a family gathering. It is a historic and impressive building by anyone's standards, but also wonderfully well equipped, with every comfort for visitors. It's also, as you can imagine, a very robust setting for families. You are not walking on eggshells or over worried about the décor or arriving back from walks with muddy wellies etc. so ideal for our big group, plus the two dogs. The gardens are lovely as is all of the surrounding countryside. Cycling opportunities are many and varied from the front door - the borders really are one of the best areas of GB for cycling both on and off road. Little traffic and courteous drivers - the local people were very friendly and Selkirk has some excellent shops and sufficient supermarkets. An excellent butcher too. We went to a concert at Haining House Selkirk and it was obviously set up and organised by a local group who are helping with the hall and grounds - again, really nice people taking a pride in their community. The train from Tweed Bank to Edinburgh was well used by some of our guests and what good value it is on a lovely stretch of line. Edinburgh is less than an hour away and its far easier and cheaper than driving for a day return. There are lots of other attractions in the area but we had a lot of fun just staying in and around our stronghold! Everything was really well prepared and Tina was most welcoming on arrival. Vicki was so helpful also and we felt as if they wanted us to have a nice time and weren't listing rules and regulations. We had lovely flowers and Easter eggs and chocolates all round. Plus, some fantastic local bacon and sausage. We really enjoyed our stay despite the weather but then again, the hills looked lovely in the snow!"
Nikki - verified booking
"We were very happy with our stay at Overbutton Cottage. The main photo doesn't really do it justice - I passed it over a couple of times initially while browsing places to stay. The location is great - we liked that we didn't really need the car once we had arrived - Gattonside is a very attractive village - we had a lovely meal at the Hoebridge and appreciated being able to walk and have a drink with our meal - and very pretty and easy walk across the river into Melrose as well. There was also great walking from the door - we were only there for the weekend so just had one (very muddy) walk on the Eildon Hills - but there are a couple of long distance footpaths that pass through Melrose so loads of choice. I was a bit concerned before we came about the "pull out bed" in the second bedroom - we have two tall teenagers and didn't want arguments about who would get the short straw - but when we arrived they were already made up and both just looked like normal full size single beds. Karen went out of her way to make sure we had a good time - log burner was on for our arrival, some lovely welcome treats, and she came straight out to sort out an initial glitch with the wifi which worked fine after that. The view across to the Eildons was absolutely stunning. Lots to do locally - we took the kids ice skating in Kelso but if we'd been there longer we would have taken advantage of train station and gone in to Edinburgh. We didn't really get on with the coffee pods and would personally have preferred a cafetiere but can't think of anything else that we didn't like."
Claudia - verified booking
"I'm not typically given to hyperbole, but I am having a hard time finding words that do justice to Aikwood Tower. It is simply gorgeous. The tower has been lovingly restored in a way that blends the charm of its history with the comforts of five star luxury accommodation. The gardens are beautiful, the views spectacular -- many times I stopped on my way to fetching a jacket or a book from one of the rooms to gaze out the window at a stunning vista and was so mesmerized that I completely forgot what I had originally been after. Owner Vicki is lovely and supremely helpful, and my energetic family -- three teenagers, and eight year old, my husband and myself -- felt welcome and very much at home. My young son had the adventure of his life exploring the many interesting nooks and corners of the tower and the delights of the gardens, including a play house in the orchard. Our stay was all too short, we were there a mere three nights but we filled the days hiking the hilly trails at Bowhill House and exploring the nearby villages. We are all in agreement that we cannot wait to return for a longer stay! Thank you, Vicki and family, for sharing this gem of a home with us and others."
Dave - verified booking
"No words can describe this.... but I will try. Aikwood Tower, is the most amazing place I have ever stayed. I have always wanted to stay in a Scottish Castle with my family and with my 60th birthday to celebrate with my twin sister, I started searching. We were there for 3 nights and lived like landed gentry. We were in awe of this wonderful property, the history and the location. Vicki, who owns the tower, was so helpful and an absolute pleasure to deal with. All ten of my family didn't want to leave. If it wasn't for the pressure of returning to work, Vicki would have had to drag us out by our feet as we held on to the door frames! Beautifully and tastefully restored, with sympathetic contemporary touches, it is no wonder they have received architectural awards for the restoration. I can only say, you must visit - then you will appreciate what I can't out down in words. My father now wants to return for his 80th birthday - we will be back. And hopefully for a longer stay. It was an honour to experience Aikwood Tower."
Michael - verified booking
"We have been staying at mill cottage for a week. All in all 4 persons, me, my wife and our two daughters (10,14). Our host Grace was really nice and very helpful with her suggestions to what to do in the surroundings of the cottage. Thank you Grace!The cottage itself is just wonderful. Well equipped, nothing missing, clean, just perfect. It was our first trip to Scotland (we are from Germany), so we wanted to see all the highlights in the surroundings and if you do not refrain from a one hour drive you can reach so much stuff to see We did St. Abbs Head, Jedburgh - Dryburgh and Melrose Abbeys, Edinburgh (twice), Stirling, The Moffat hills with the Grey Mare's Tail - and had a fantastic week at the cottage. It is really nice to come home to such a beautiful and calm cottage in the evening.So this review is a suggestion to everybody visiting Scotland: The mill cottage is a wonderful place to stay to explore the borders region all up to Stirling."