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Good Morning - It is Monday, April 16th and we are at Hobby Airport, waiting to head off to NYC for the week... If you don't know - BAD weather in New York - a "Nor'easter" is hitting the east coast and flights are being cancelled or greatly delayed - well it was worse yesterday and those folks really had it bad - we are just being mildly inconvenienced. Our flight was scheduled for 10:30 am - and now we are told an update would be coming at 11:30pm (just heard a rumor we are not leaving till 2pm - we will see...) Thing that really bugs me is that we were checking the flight status up until we left for the airport and everyone said it was still on time - even thought CNN was saying things were delayed!!! Then when we got here and checked in, the one computer posted "Delayed", but the main Departure Board said "On Time" - you would figure that once a call is made to delay - all systems would be updated, but nope... Oh well - lets not stay in this mode... Lets talk happy thoughts...
Why NY, Why now? The answer in a word - "Nana!" Now the answer in a whole lot more... Nana Mouskouri is one of the biggest selling recording artists in history - she has sold over 350 million albums - to put that into perspective, Garth Brooks made a big deal about how he was the artist of the century when he hit the 100 million mark... Anyway - Nana is huge, she has been recording since the late 50's in Greece and France - then spread out to Germany, Spain, England, all over Europe and even the US (her first English language LP - "The Girl From Greece Sings" {re-released on CD in 2000 as "Nana in New York"}, was recorded in NYC in 1962 (approx) with Quincy Jones as producer). Now after all these years, and all those albums and countless tours, Nana (a la Cher) is calling it quits with a World Farewell Tour. The Tour started in 2005 and will continue through next year, with the final concert in Athens next spring.
So Nana returns to Lincoln Center on Tuesday night (April 17th) for her last New York concert - and I have to be there!!!
Now you ask, "Why?" - it all started years ago (and since I have a 3 hour wait to board the plane, I have time to tell the WHOLE story - LOL - brace yourselves...). I grew up in Upstate NY in a place called Binghamton. For a while we used to go out to dinner every Sunday night (usually to "The Little Venice"), and on the way home, our country music station would give Sunday nights over to the Greek Radio Hour - and play Greek music. We would listen for the short drive home, as my dad would try, in his somewhat less-than-perfect way, to translate what the singers were saying - often times it has something to do with love, and the fisherman, and the sea and the dove... you get the idea. One singer that was a staple was Nana Mouskouri... "Who?" I would ask - "The Greek singer with the black horn-rimmed glasses, and straight, middle-parted hair," would be the reply... More about loves found and lost under the watchful eye of gods and the sea... We would laugh at Dad's poor translations... and life went on...
Fast forward - it's the 80's, and I am now living in Chicago and going to school at Loyola University. One of my favorite things to do on weekends was to scour the Used record stores that pepper my neighbor. It all started when I was listening to radio and heard a reference to the number of album Elton John had recorded and I thought, "I could get all of those..." and so my search began. To give you just an Idea, I moved to Chicago with two small boxes of albums, and when I moved to Texas, after selling 300 of my collection, I still had over 1300 albums - so yes I spent a lot of time in those used record stores... BTW - if ya know of anyone who buys old used vinyl albums, send them my way ;-)
One day, I came across (in the 3 for a $1 Bin) - and album called "Nana" - on the front was the bespecled, dark haired woman I had heard of in my youth - dress oddly enough like a flight attendant, and covering songs like "Apples Won't Grow," and "Solitaire" - I just had to have it and see who this woman really was.
Back at my apartment I thrilled to her soaring soprano, and must admit - had a good laugh at it all - this woman with glasses and all, with a warm voice had become a national treasure - something about it made me laugh and I had to know more. I played this album for all my friends who thought I was insane - but I continued to find more of her works - and the more I found and listened, the more I started to not just appreciate, but totally enjoy her works - years went by and I continued to buy - lots of albums - and listen - and actually began to learn things. The main thing I learned from Nana (who sings in over 10 different languages) was that the voice could be a musical instrument - I didn't have to understand the words, but could still get the feeling and emotion (it is that lesson that later in life let me enjoy opera) from the singer and the song. Sure I found a lot of duplication in the recordings I would buy - when you are a musical empire and you need to produce, your repackage and re-record - I mean honestly, there are only so many songs in the world and with her out put (in 1989 we calculated she had released an album every two weeks since she began recording - of course that included compilations and multi language discs - when the tracks are recorded and then she would add the vocals in 4 or 5 different languages and then the albums would be released in different parts of the world). Even today there is a VP at her record label (now Universal Music France) whose sole responsibility is the Nana Mouskouri catalogue. She is big business the world over.
Around 1987 things changed - I had about 50 of her albums (and had just started collecting CD's - again, if anyone knows someone who is looking to buy old vinyl...) and had been doing a radio talk show (Outlook Newsmagazine) and I read that Nana Mouskouri was going to be performing in Toronto - TORONTO?!?!?! Not too far from Chicago - could I actually go and see her???? Even better, could I actually get an interview with her????
I was on a mission - better yet, I was on a crusade - I was determined to not only see her in concert, I was gunna sit down with her and learn the secrets of how this soft spoken, little Greek girl had taken the world by storm... Sam Gesser's name comes to mind, he was the tour manager/promoter for Nana's Canadian Tour and I located him (things were a lot harder to do back before the Internet - a lot of time in the library for ever wild idea I had...) and he arranged for me to have tickets to the concert and to interview La Mouskouri in the afternoon right before sound check. OK - so what if all of this was gunna take place in Toronto and I was in Chicago - that is what young and foolish is all about... Oh yeah - I was a broke college student too... But where there is a will there is a way... (bet you wish this flight would just board at this point...)
After checking all forms of transport - it seemed Greyhound bus was the best option - a bus for Toronto left Chicago's terminal every day at 5:30pm and arrived in Toronto at 7am the next morning - perfect... Board the bus and sleep the night away and awake at my destination. Now being that I can never do anything alone (and probably why ever-so-often I need to find new friends), I talked my friend Randy Gonzalez into going with me - more like begged while making it seem like a privilege to get to go on this excursion... He agreed and on the late spring afternoon in 1987, we went to the bus station and headed off to Nana... Sure all was not rosy - a group of Amish got on the bus, and maybe they were at peace with their way of life, but they could still have been a little more at peace with it all had they worn some deodorant... That would be one of Randy's biggest memories of the trip - that and the fact that he could not sleep on moving transportation - I on the other hand did not have that same trouble - I had been sleeping in moving vehicles since I was a child (Dad suffered from wonder lust - and we covered the country like Gypsies during our summer vacations).
Our day in this Canadian city was wonderful - we wandered the clean streets, shopped a little - and I even had to stop into one of their used record shops - where I happened to find a Nana album I had been looking for for years - even though Canada is the U.S.'s neighbor - when it came to Nana they were still more United Kingdom then United States... And then as it go closer to the appointed Nana meet time - we went back to the bus station, got our clothes out of the locker and washed up and changed in the Men's Room - (again, who had money for a hotel room when you need to keep buying Nana albums?) And then we walked the short distance to Roy Thompson Hall and our audience with The Goddess of Music.
I remember the room like I was just in it - pale white walls, green grey furniture - a long room - with a large photo print of (I assume) the symphony that usually plays in the hall - this was the relaxing green room of years gone by... and a round laminated coffee table in white... we were welcomed and then waited... A dream was about to come true - what would I ask her, I assumed she would be nice (most Goddesses are...), but could she live up to the image I had created... And then she entered... A warm smile - glasses as should be - but wait - something was different... Her Hair - NOT straight down by the sides of her face - it was up on... a bun!!! Sure I had seen pictures of her with out the glasses (even riding a motorcycle) - But her hair up - LOL that was a new one for me with her!
And she must have sensed it too - as we talked and Randy took pictures, she delicately reached up and pulled out the bar that held her hair up and with the soft shake of her head, her hair fell to frame her face again as it had on the cover of countless records and magazines across the globe. Nana had arrived!
We walked through her life and career - she was generous with her answers and sweet as the day is long - and open and honest - covering every topic from plastic surgery, to her divorce (which after the interview I learned she NEVER talked about in the media) to just her amazing success, "Honesty and true emotion," was what she felt she brought to her songs, "unlike some singers who are just machines and sing song after song." And this from the woman credited with over 900 albums (at that time)... What a wonderful afternoon - then of course the obligatory photos, and autographs and the moment that would be the foundation of our friendship. Nana had heard that an American Journalist was coming to interview her - so imagine her surprise when she walked into the room and found a teenage boy there? Not only, "Why would he care about me?" but, "How did he even know who I am???" She laughed as she told us that and she was thrilled that she had a fan in the US in my age range!
After that it was off to sound check (which we got to sit through - we overheard a comment from her on stage to her manager about not being in the best of voice because he had made her do an interview that afternoon - OUCH!!!), and then - SHOWTIME!!!
She sounded amazing and the audience loved her! Seated next to me was Loreena McKennitt, who, like I, was a Nana Fan.
(Ohhh - word that our flight may actually board soon - so the story may start missing some of the fine details you have come to love so much...)
(We are in flight - let see how much battery I have left...)
The show was wonderful and we rushed back to catch our midnight bus back to Chicago - with the memories of Nana fresh in our minds... And the Ernie-Nana affair was born. A couple of years later, Nana toured the U.S and came to Chicago - and again I got to see her, and spend time with her, then I saw her at Radio City Music Hall, then Chicago again. She did my radio shows a number of times - with each tour, for holiday special ("Nana Presents Christmas Around the World").
Then I moved to Houston - and she visited for a concert and a UNICEF reception - a lovely gathering at a Houston River Oaks home - where Nana and my Mother met for the first time ("oh Ernie loves his Nana" - "Oh No - Ernie loves his mother" - "No, No, he loves you more..." "I am his mother when you are unable to be close" or something like that - it was surreal).
She even gave my Mom a huge bouquet of flowers when we went to visit her back stage at the Houston Music Hall. We sat down for a 30 minute TV interview, and even did stories about her on "WeekNight Edition" leading up to the big Interview "Ernie & Nana: Together Again."
In the late 90's she even did a concert for PBS and we all met up in Miami for dinner and an intimate cabaret performance - "Oh Ernie, you are always there with a big smile in the front row looking up at me..."
When it came time to air "Concert for Peace," Nana even flew in to join me for the pledge breaks... It was the same night that Clinton addressed the public about the Monica Lewinsky incident - Live during prime time - not good for our viewership - but still, we had the highest pledge rate of any PBS station outside of NYC - we were very proud!
And then in the 2000's things slowed down for Nana & me - she was touring less and I was working more - less time to just run off and find her... I had a chance to go see her in Montreal in 2004, but the week before the concert and TV special, my Grandmother passed away and so I had to call off the trip. And then word Nana was retiring, and I thought - I have missed my last chance to see her... But then the Farewell Tour started - Maybe I can see her in concert again???? I watched the web sites for tour dates - Please come to Houston, Please come to the U.S.... But nothing... Until last year - The Farewell Tour was coming to Toronto - how perfect - to go and see her for the last time in the place where I had seen her for the first time... 19 years later! By this time, I knew Nana's agents and reps and was able to quickly set things in motion. This time Jackson was going to be the lucky one - but this time we were flying, and we could stay in a hotel! Everything was set and we were going north and I was to see Nana once more.
As always with these kind of events, details are often left to last minute - so we arrived in Toronto still without confirmed tickets to see Nana, or knowing if for sure she even knew we were there - there are always layers of folks to go through and I believe in always trying to follow proper protocol - so I had put in word to the tour producer that I was planning on attending - so I knew they knew...
Show day, I get the call - we have our tickets at will call and Nana is thrilled we are coming... The performance this time was for a sold out crowd at Massey Hall, and we were 4th row from the stage - center! I was a child again - all giddy and excited - poor Jackson - I can be a handful when I get on one of my obsessions. But now it was something more - as I watched the concert, it was more then just being witness to a Greek treasure who was saying goodbye to her fans, I was watching a dear friend experience all that had held her through her career - facing an uncertain tomorrow, but with all the joy and privilege she had earned from years of giving to her fans... This time the show was not about what she could do for us, but more of how we could show her our love, and her performance back was a way to say thank you for this wonderfully rich career!
At intermission we found a member of the crew who filled us in on what the deal was with the meet and great after the show. We made our way to the area we were told to gather in at the end of the concert, when one of the managers appeared on stage and called out my name. Nana was thrilled we were here and wanted us to meet her back at her hotel when she got finished at the theatre. You can just imagine my excitement - but I couldn't just let go - I still wanted to see her back stage... So we waited with the rest a little while and then Jackson and I and a couple others (one woman was even dressed like Nana - and my friends say I go too far) were escorted to the receiving area. And then more waiting - and I started to worry - it had been a few years, what if she didn't recognize me - I mean to me she is a huge star, but to her I am just one of many upon many people she has met through the years.
Eventually she entered the room and the applause was deafening. Slowly she made her way from person to person - greeting each warmly and speaking briefly with them - you could tell they were all just as excited as I was, and she spoke of Toronto and her joy of visiting this wonderful city... I was next - Oh god - I will feel so stupid if she just does a "hello how are you thank you for coming" and moves on...
"Hello, Thank you so much for coming," a smile and a nod and she begins to move away... I smile (nerves) and she stops... "ERNIE?" (Oh thank God) And the years disappeared - and she pulled me in tight for a hug (and whispered in my ear, "You were supposed to come to the hotel" - I assured her I would be heading there shortly)... I was on cloud 9 (what ever that means - as if Cloud 8 is just not good enough, and cloud 10 is just too much)...
We spent the late night hours - Nana, Andre (her husband), Lanou (her daughter - also a singer), Elke (her road manager, Jeff (the tour co-ordinater) and Jackson and I just talking and driniking and catching up - it had been too long.
The evening ended with Nana saying she hoped to get some U.S. dates, but that the last show of the tour will be in Athens in spring 2008 and that I MUST be there!!! (Guess you know where I will be next spring).
Well as you can figure out at this point, NYC was added to the tour (as were 2 Florida dates, and a few more Canadian shows - including Roy Thompson Hall - exactly 20 years from our first meeting) and so here we are on our delayed flight to NYC to see Nana for her (possibly) final Big Apple concert - this time at Lincoln Center!
The Pilot has just announced our decent and so with that I will end this little blog ;-) Thanks for indulging me - well at least thoughs of you who made it through this tome...
And no I'm not listening to anything any one else could hear - but in my head Nana Sings!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Nana Mouskouri - A Long Story
Posted by Ernie Manouse at 9:24 PM
Labels: Ernie Manouse, Lenou, Loreena McKennitt, Nana Mouskouri
1 comment:
- Pilar said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- August 13, 2007 at 10:54 PM
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Thanks to another Obsessive Shopper, Megan, telling me about this deal we can all have sweet smelling homes and fatter wallets!
At Wal-Mart Regular Price $4.13, with the coupon found in SS 8/3, $4 off one regular Plug-In, Expires 9/13/08
With the savings and the product your home will be smelling twice as nice!
Thanks Megan.
If any of you ever see a great deal like this let us know. You can email me or you can post it as a comment.

subset: commoncrawl


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How roofing companies spring hill fl can Save You Time, Stress, and Money.Uncover rentals with income restrictions and belonging to Neighborhood Pillar landlords and house professionals.
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text: In Photography today feels like a darjeeling limited day Thursday 12 March, 2009 it's so hot outside we may as well be in india, right? and look cool at the same time! Related posts: No related posts. adrien brodyangelica hustonindiajason schwartzmanluggageowen wilsonthe darjeeling limitedwes anderson Write A Comment Cancel Reply Current [email protected] * Leave this field empty


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After all the fun of our 'Every Single Sin' shows at XYYVR, the band and I are coming back for a Friday night full of music, entertainment & fun! Show starts at 10:30pm and features special guests as well as an ALL-REQUEST piano bar segment!
WHEN: Friday, April 6th (Doors 9:30pm, Show 10:30-midnight)
WHERE: XY YVR (1216 Bute Street)
HOW MUCH: $8 earlybird $10 week-of
The band: Ace Bradley on guitars, Michael J Chamzuk on drums, Ian Malinski on bass
Special guests: TBA


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Recent Stories
- Businesses urged to tap into science and technology young talent
- Digital relay baton enables remote crowd cheering of athletes
- Health Innovation Campus moves a step closer
- £7.1 million R&D boost for North West businesses
- Centre of excellence created for the next industrial revolution
- Artificial intelligence toolkit spots new child sexual abuse media online
- Strategic partnership set to help plug cyber security skills gap
- What your choice of smartphone says about you
- InfoLabTree: Discover the Story
- novi.digital Launch Event - 'An Event to Help Businesses Grow Online'
RSS Feeds
RSS feeds can deliver the latest InfoLab21 news and events direct to your browser without you having to visit the website.
In most browsers you can click on an RSS link and choose to subscribe to the feed to add it to your favourites or bookmarks.
Using Social Media to Monitor UK Alcohol Consumption
Research by a group of Lancaster University academics has shown that social media sites such as twitter can detect drinking patterns in the UK including spotting the variations on national holidays and celebrations.
The researchers (PhD student Daniel Kershaw from the HighWire Doctoral Training Centre, Lecturer Dr Matthew Rowe from the School of Computing and Communications and Dr Patrick Stacey from Lancaster University Management School) who wrote the paper "Towards Tracking and Analysing Regional Alcohol Consumption Patterns in the UK through the use of Social Media" were recently awarded Best Student Paper at the international WebSci14 conference which was held from 23 to June 26, 2014.
Ever-increasing drinking levels have led to calls from public services (e.g. police and health services) to assess the effect it is having on people and society.
Current research methods that monitor rates of alcohol consumption across the UK are costly, time consuming, and do not supply sufficiently detailed results as they look at snapshots of individuals' drinking patterns, which rely on generalised usage patterns, and post consumption recall.
As an alternative, this new research looks at using the much cheaper and faster tools of social media, such as Twitter, to monitor the rate of alcohol consumption in regions across the UK by introducing the Social Media Alcohol Index (SMAI).
By looking at the variation in term usage, and treating the social network, which also records location and time, as a self-reporting sense-network, the SMAI will show variation in drinking patterns on both local and national levels within the UK.
The study used 31.6 million tweets collected over a 6 week period, and used the Health & Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) weekly alcohol consumption pattern as a ground truth.
High correlations between the ground truth and the computed SMAI (Social Media Alcohol Index) were found on a national and local level, along with the ability to detect variation in consumption on National holidays and celebrations at both local and national levels.
Daniel Kershaw said, "Taking this forward we are looking into the variations of the language used across different geographical locations and social groups. In the near future we will be aiming to enhance our work by collaborating with local public services in order to gain feedback on real-world applications of this research."
On the graph below the green line is the HSCIC data, blue is the scores, and red is the moving average.
Mon 14 July 2014


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Tom Werner, CEO and chairman of SunPower.
Werner graduated from Marquette University with an engineering degree in 1986 and is a member of Marquette's Board of Trustees.
Content referencing Tom Werner
Press Release
SunPower CEO to discuss changes in the solar industry at Marquette University's Opus College of Engineering
Werner will talk about the evolution of the solar industry.Dec 6th, 2016 by Marquette University


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From the Introduction:
The characters on this adventure are pilgrims, all seeking the knowledge that can be gained from an Oracle that lives high up in the Cathedral. The Cathedral in Santa Cora stretches as high as the clouds and beyond, and walking the millions of steps up into the clouds is considered a form of worship and a holy endeavor.
To reach the Oracle requires a trek equivalent to climbing several mountains, and most pilgrims turn back. Even if the pilgrims are hardy enough to climb the Cathedral there is the issue of the thousands of monks, hermits, stylites, ascetics, zealots, mystery cults, priests, paladins, cenobites, stoics, sages, saints, fakirs, holy fools, desert mothers, demianites, matrisses, nuns, templars, sōhei, mendicants, eremitics,
barefoot seekers of truth, and celestines. Each god or goddess of light has a temple within the mighty Cathedral, and to pass up the Cathedral it is necessary to pass through most of them. Some might be bypassed or passed through with naught but a simple tithe or show of devotion.
...other holy places are not so easy to pass through.
This is a dungeon crawl, but ascending vertically and with a 'holy' theme.


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Almost a year ago to this day, on May 11th 2012, I spent 36 hours in labor with my son. As a first time mother I was nervous, excited and anxious – hoping that everything would go smoothly, and so excited to meet him for the first time.
In some ways the launching of Googaro has felt similar to the birth of my son. Almost a year in creation, there has been the worry that comes with launching any new startup, accompanied with the excitement and knowledge that I was creating something new. I have immersed myself in finding the best, safest, and most stylish items on the market – ones that I would recommend in a heartbeat to my friends who are new parents, and that I could stand behind. It has been an exhausting, but exhilarating process.
So how did the idea of Googaro start? One day a friend who was due in a few weeks asked if I could recommend a baby book – and that question made me laugh. Just one? I had a huge stack by my bed that was growing daily! As we talked, I voiced my concerns and exhaustion about the endless options out there, and joked that I wished I had a personal assistant who could research all of this stuff for us. Find the best baby books, the best bath wash, the safest and cutest organic baby clothes. "Isn't there something out there that can help mothers find the best products on the market?" my friend asked. And thus, the idea of Googaro was born.
With all of the endless baby supply options out there, I want to make your life simpler. Every month we will ship you a box of carefully curated products tailored to your child's age and needs. With top brands for your baby in every box, the Googaro team selects a great mix of cute and practical products to make your job as a mother just a little easier. And with naptimes, messy meals, and sleepless nights, we know that it's these little things that help make a difference.
I would not have been able to get through those first few months of m without my friends who were also parents helping me along the way. Their recommendations of products, their support, and their encouragement was invaluable. And that strength is what I hope to share with you. So let's keep the conversation going! If you have any products you think we should carry, or suggestions on how to make Googaro better, please reach out to us at email@example.com.
Give yourself a birthday present every month with Googaro – a gift for you, and a gift for your baby. Because really? We all deserve the best.
Meghna Prasad is the founder of Googaro, a premium subscription service for parents of tots newborn – three years of age.


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YHA Brecon Beacons, Brecon, Wales
Formerly known as Llwyn y Celyn YHA Brecon Beacons is set in 15 acres of ancient woodland, overlooking the River Tarell with views towards Y Gyrn - great countryside for walking or cycling holidays. Tasty home-cooked food and local ales served.
Please quote greentraveller when you book
Prices from £21 - £86 (dorm beds - 6 bed rooms)
Why we've chosen Brecon Beacons YHA:
If you're looking for Brecon Beacons accommodation for a cheap family break, this cosy 19th Century farmhouse is set in a tranquil position with access to some of the best walking in Wales. The hostel is in 15 acres of ancient woodland, overlooking the River Tarell with views towards Y Gyrn - great countryside for a walking or cycling holiday. In summer, take a guided walk or mountain safety course at the nearby Brecon Beacons Visitor Centre. Tasty home-cooked food and Brecon Brewery ales served at the hostel.
The hostel is in a fantastic area for either a stroll or more challenging hike. YHA Brecon Beacons is next to the Beacons Way or there's a half day circular walk up to Pen-y-Fan to take in the spectacular views. If you're wanting an inter-hostel walk you can walk from Danywenallt across the Beacons and stay at both hostels or try the Martin Hanks trail from YHA Brecon Beacons to YHA Brecon.
The Brecon Beacons National Park has lots of green roads, ideal for the relaxed mountain biker. You can hire bikes in the town or have them delivered to the hostel if you book in advance. A short drive south will take you to Garwnant Forest, a little more adventurous but not too extreme - you'll still have the energy to enjoy the rest of the day.
The hostel sits just across the valley from the Taff trail that runs from Cardiff to Brecon. It's not an overly busy trail so you'll avoid the crowds and get the most out of your ride. You can hire a bike locally or bring your own.
Review by Lucy Symons:
"The Youth Hostel Association has undergone quite a renaissance and YHA Brecon Beacons in Powys, Wales is no different. Not a youth? Fancy a double room with en-suite? Prefer a duvet to sleeping bag? Come on in!"
>> Read Lucy's full review of Brecon Beacons YHA
>> Brecon Beacons YHA is featured in our Greentraveller Guide to Powys
Watch a video of this accommodation:
Top Eco Features at Brecon Beacons YHA:
Cycle store and drying room available
Sympathetically renovated farmhouse
Locally sourced produce used where possible


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***Release Day Blitz & Review***
Body of Law Volume 1
by Amanda Lance
Out Now!!!
This routine is killing me.
Day in and day out, it's; the same thing: go to work, bed a whore, get a criminal off on a technicality— pretty standard for one of Chicago's most established criminal defense attorneys. Yet I'm almost positive that if I don't find something to get me out of this rut I'll go as crazy as the murders I defend.
And when Violet Donovan walks in, the smart-mouthed intern who is anything but routine, I'm sure those pouty lips and fuck-me eyes are just what I need to get my cock and love for the law twitching again.
Too bad she also happens to be the daughter of the man who once tried to mentor me.
Too bad she's completely off limits.
My Review
My Review
|3 Sebastian Made Me Mad Stars!
Body of Law Volume One is the first instalment in Amanda Lance's latest series, I was lucky enough to be gifted this novella in exchange for an honest review so here goes....
I'm going to start with Violet; I liked her ideals and moral values. I warmed to her almost instantly; I'm intrigued as to why she took an internship at a criminal law firm when she is so vehemently against defending criminals who are obviously guilty. I'm going to assume that it's solely down to Sebastian and her ongoing teenage crush on him?? If that's the case then the saying love is blind seems fairly apt here.
Sebastian... I'm going to be blunt what a F**ing asshat!!!! What are his redeeming qualities because I've not seen any yet!!!
I recently watched American Psycho unbelievably I had never seen it before, I'm sorry but Sebastian is Patrick aka 'the psycho' don't get me wrong it's minus the gory hitting people in the head with an axe but otherwise they are incredibly similar!!!
Sebastian is narcissistic, vain, self absorbed and seriously thinks he's god gift!!!! Does this sound a lot like Patrick the psycho himself well yes, yes it does. Now I think it would be a bizarre twist to this love story should Sebastian start murdering people but who knows lol
This law firm feels like a real boys club complete with slimy can't take no for an answer and the big boss who smarms over red heads young enough to be his daughter.
Violet needs to sack off Sebastian and find herself a nice bloke who actually has a soul.
Ok rant over but in conclusion... Love violet.... Hate Sebastian but amazingly id probably read the next instalment just to see what happens lol.
Sebastian gets 3 stars just for provoking such a reaction!
A native of New Jersey and lifelong nerd, Amanda Lance recently completed her Master in Liberal Arts at Thomas Edison State College after her BA in English Literature and AFA in creative writing. As an avid reader of all genres, some of her favorite authors include Hemingway, Marquis de Sade, Stevenson, Bukowski and Radcliffe. When she isn't writing or reading, Amanda can found indulging in film noir or hiking with her other half and their extremely spoiled dog. She is obsessively working on her next book and trying to tame her caffeine addiction.


text: Little Wanderers invites you to take a stand and join us as we do our part to end the suffering. Be a part of the solution! Become TNR certified (it's a free class and lasts one hour) and put on a cape and become a superhero for a cat or kitten in desperate need.Click here to get started!


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Honda B Case Study
Honda Case Study B
Honda's emphasis on technology began with Sochiro Honda's own tinkering to develop engines one at a time, and his ambition to build and race high performance motorcycles. The success of his higher horsepower engines confirmed his ability as a designer. Beginning with the study of combustion, he doubled horsepower and halved weights of engines.
The establishment of The Honda Institute of Technology was misleading because, while it sounded big and impressive, it consisted of just a few men. The establishment did, however, create an image of technological improvement of the motorcycles and a growing organization.
Targeting the local delivery market in Japan was the idea of Honda's partner, Takeo Fujisawa. Fujisawa encouraged Honda to design a motorcycle for local couriers who carried small packages. Honda adapted his technology for a commercial motorcycle called a Supercub. It featured an automatic clutch and starter, and step-thru frame.
Targeting the low end market in the US was a dilemma for the owners of Honda. They preferred to gain a reputation as a large engine motorcycle manufacturer, but their large bikes were not built for the distances and speeds needed for the US roads. The large bikes were sent back to Japan to correct oil leaks and clutch failures.
During this time, the smaller bikes, called the Supercubs, were noticed by the buyers of small sporting goods stores. There, they were sold on consignment. The owners of Honda entered this low end market reluctantly for fear of alienating the high end market. In began to pay off immediately, with the demand for the Supercub increasing enormously, creating a new market opportunity. This was a big break for them.
Building a new manufacturing plant in 1952 increased Honda's independence for parts. They began manufacturing chains, sprockets and frames. The plant was a collection of semi-independent activities under the same...
Please join StudyMode to read the full document


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The powerful doctors' lobby is set to ramp up pressure on the federal government to take action on climate change.
Australian Medical Association vice president Stephen Parnis says a working group has been established to write the group's new climate policy ahead of the UN climate change conference in Paris later this year.
"We would like Australia's targets and priorities to be informed by AMA policy and influenced by AMA advocacy," he told doctors at the AMA's national conference in Brisbane on Sunday.


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|My No 6 Collection: Huarache, Old School, and Open Toe Weave
You can order them online here or head down to the store in NoLita. There you can try on the various styles and have them custom made! They are hand made in NYC and the turn around time is 10 days. I should warn you they are quite addictive. On my first trip to the store I met a woman there who owned 70, yes 70 pairs. I thought she was off her rocker. 3 pairs in 3 months? I might be a little off mine too :o) xxj


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A Month in the Country
Photo by Jen D.
I always smile when I hear a recovering person say they cannot have a healthy relationship. My love story starts in 1995. I was 15 years sober, newly retired and taking a year off before looking for another job. My plan was to visit friends and relatives in Florida for the winter. Well, that didn't work out, so I volunteered for the month of February at the Wilson House in Vermont. One day, after I was there a week, this man arrived. He had 30 years sober. That's where it all began.
That very night a visitor asked us how long we had been married. I answered that I had seen some whirlwind romances in AA before but, in fact, I had just met him that morning. The visitor said we looked like we belonged together. I was not looking for anybody special and neither was he, but things happened. We spent time together, and we listened to each other. Imagine communicating honestly. After my stay, we kept in touch. He lived in Connecticut and I in New York.-- Anonymous
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Janpath in Delhi
Janpath Overview
Janpath remains one of Delhi's most famous markets, among both Indians and foreigners. The market is made up of a line of stores selling everything from souvenirs, brassware, carved woodwork, postcards, footwear, ethnic wear, colorful clothes, scarves, Pashmina shawls and mirror work wall carpets among a lot of other interesting knick knacks.
An interesting Tibetan Market can also be found near the Imperial Hotel on Janpath where you can pick a range of Tibetan and Himalayan artifacts like wall hangings, Tibetan masks, beads and quirky bits of jewellery.
One handy tip while shopping in Janapth is to bargain like a pro if you're looking for a great deal. If all the shopping has made you hungry then there are many places around Janpath where you can grab a quick bite, like De Paul's and their famous cold coffee and kathi rolls.
Opening Closing Time 10:30 am to 7:30 pm, except Sundays
Entrance Fee Entry to the market is free.
Don't Forget to Buy
- Rajasthani style wall hangings
- mirror work table covers and ethnic footwear.
Similar Street_market in Delhi
Janpath, near Conaught Place, New Delhi


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Get ready to dirty your boots as we head to Washington state for the fifth round of the season.
About this program:AMA Endurocross Series
Episode title:Round 5: Washington
Episode number:4
Run time:26m 02s
Category:Racing coverage
The AMA EnduroCross Championship is an endurocross championship held in North America since 2007. It is held in stadiums or arenas, recreating enduro obstacles such as rocks, boulders and logs. More info >


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When English Majors Graduate
We can't just read anymore—we have to talk about it, too.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
I read
Little Dorrit
in 2010 or 2011. My notes at the time suggest I was not terribly blown away by the book. I'm not surprised. But, I loved it enough to dedicate a lot of time to finding the Marshalsea Prison wall on my 2012 visit to London. It's significance to the book, and Dickens' experience with debtor's prison, made it a must-see on the trip.
The one remaining wall of Marshalsea in London
Lil' D also spent a night in the church, which still stands nearby as well.


text: If only there was an open source as3 fps counter. If only... 1. June 2007 Squize General (3) I've noticed my little frame counter pop up in quite a few peoples games since I included it in a bit of open source, which I do find pretty cool ( I wonder if anyone's used my scroller class ? Doubt it ).Anyway, I thought it may help someone out there if I posted my as3 version. It's written using Flex as opposed to Flash, so it uses [Embed] to bring the assets into the swf, but I wouldn't have thought getting it working in CS3 would be that much of a mare.Hopefully it should all be pretty straight forward, it just requires two arguements to get it going. Anyway, enjoy seeing how quick your shiny new as3 code really is.fpsCounterAS3.zip (8.35 KB)Squize.


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KARACHI: The mother of an alleged attempted rape victim slit her wrist on Tuesday after police officers allegedly harassed her to withdraw her daughter's case.
The family has claimed that their neighbour, Mansoor, who lives on the first floor of their building in Gulshan-e-Iqbal tried to rape their five-year-old girl on Sunday.
A case of attempted rape was later filed by the girl's mother against the neighbour at the Sharae Faisal police station. The girl's mother said that police officers barged into her house on Tuesday, pulled her hair, slapped her and demanded that she take the case back.
The woman told the media that for the past two years, she had been living alone in her house with her five children as her husband has been working in Lahore. She said that her neighbours were affiliated with a political party and were using their connections in a bid to scare her and force her to take the complaint back. "I want the case to be transferred."
SP Ali Asif said that an inquiry would be conducted into the woman's statement against the accused men and a report would be presented in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Meanwhile, the adviser to chief minister on human rights Nadia Gabol visited the girl's family and said that action would be taken against the police officers involved in the intimidation and harassment.


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Josh Corn
Josh Corn is an experience designer and creative technologist based in New York City. He works to combine his various backgrounds in performance magic, architectural consulting and storytelling to foster curiosity for the seemingly unexceptional things in life. He was our Associate Designer and Technologist for Sweet Shoppe.


text: Modern, commercial, cool punk rock track with crunchy, distorted guitars, bass, drums, sub bass and overdrive percussion. Very cool and energetic, happy and positive, motivational and corporate, uplifting and powerful. Very good for active promotion, motivational promo, trailer, sports activities, applications, soundtrack, action movies, ost, commercial video, games, and other media projects.


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Eden-Rose Coppice Trust Ltd in Sudbury, Suffolk is the first project of its kind in the UK where woodlands are used as a free sanctuary for people living with Cancer or terminal illnesses.
The intrinsically linked and important usage of the sanctuary is for young people, especially those with learning disabilities, serious illness or behavioural problems, who work with mentors or carers and develop the site for our palliative care visitors. This integrated approach improves outcomes for both groups.
In addition, the positive and proactive role that voluntary action and social enterprise plays within the construct of this approach is instrumental in promoting improved social inclusion.
A total of 1400 hours were spent on the haven by volunteer visits in 2011 by young people living with severe learning disabilities or excluded from the conventional educational system. Currently ten families living with Cancer use the facility on a regular basis along with friends.
This is about giving young people, especially with disabilities, serious illness or living with behavioural problems, the help, care and skills they need to lead a healthier and more fulfilling life and provide an unquestionable sense of satisfaction. Eden-Rose Coppice Trust promotes an additional healthy active lifestyle allowing a break from the structured classroom or clinical care, picking up great experiences and new skills along the way.
All activities are under the guidance of the group's carers or teachers.
Our natural woodland retreat is specifically designed as a stress free refuge for people living with Cancer or terminal illnesses. Working in partnership with educational institutions, most of the woodland development is carried out by young people living with learning disabilities, complex needs or life limiting conditions.
This integrated approach vastly improves outcomes for both groups, having a profound affect on people's lives.
If you can help in any way at all, please get in touch on 0800 772 3755.


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- Ege FeyziogluAsked on May 15, 2017 at 10:24 AM
I was trying to access my account and I got back n error message: Login failed - AUTOSUSPENDED
Why has my account been suspended and what can I do to get it back?
Thanks in advance,
Ege Feyzioğlu
- AIDANAnswered on May 15, 2017 at 10:38 AM
I have resolved the issue. Your account should be working properly now.
If you need further assistance please let us know. We will be happy to help. Thank you.


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Definition of Freshers
1. Noun. (plural of fresher) ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Freshers
1. fresher [n] - See also: fresher
Freshers Pictures
Click the following link to bring up a new window with an automated collection of images related to the term: Freshers Images
Lexicographical Neighbors of Freshers
Literary usage of Freshers
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. The Bookman (1898)
"Flit the fever-stricken feet Of the freshers as they meet, Come and go; ... See the freshers one or two, Just a few. Now on view, Who are sensibly and ..."
2. Echoes from the Oxford Magazine: Being Reprints of Seven Years by Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch, Alfred Denis Godley (1890)
"BY EAP IN the sad and sodden street, To and fro, Flit the fever-stricken feet Of the freshers as they meet, Come and go, Ever buying, buying, buying Where ..."


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- MatthieuAsked on December 12, 2011 at 01:01 PM
Could you please desactive this automatic renewal on our account (mygaytrip). Thank you
- fxrAnswered on December 12, 2011 at 02:28 PM
I am not quite sure what you mean by automatic renewal?
I see you have just purchased a bi-yearly premium subscription. Thankyou! Do you want me to cancel the next payment on that? So you just run the two years you have paid for down? (til 12-dec-2013)


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Chrissy Teigan with husband John Legend Photograph:( AFP )
Chrissy Teigan is famous in Hollywood circles. Among other accomplishments she's a Sports Illustrated cover girl, a New York Times best-selling cookbook author and a host of the Emmy-nominated TV series Lip Sync Battle. She is married to the famous American singer John Legend. After Teigan had her first baby it seemed she had everything, but it wasn't that way at all.
In an open letter to US magazine Glamour, she writes about developing postpartum depression--her experience, why she kept it hidden and how she's coming out with it now. She begins by saying "it can happen to anybody".
She writes that for long periods of time she was unable to leave the house, shutting herself away in the dark and barely moving from "the exact same spot" all day. She realised that she was behaving differently only when she started working on the TV show Lip Sync Battle four months after giving birth to Luna.
Teigan writes, "I had everything I needed to be happy. And yet, for much of the last year, I felt unhappy. What basically everyone around me – but me – knew up until December was this: I have postpartum depression. How can I feel this way when everything is so great? I've had a hard time coming to terms with that, and I hesitated to even talk about this, as everything becomes such a 'thing'."
But even when she realised that something was happening, she found it difficult to speak about it. In her letter, she calls the feeling "selfish, icky and weird" to admit she was struggling.
I'll just say it: I have post partum depression. So much love to @glamourmag for letting me share something that was eating me up inside for months and months. One of the most amazing things about social media is the ability to interact candidly with friends and fans and it felt so weird knowing what I was going through but not really feeling like it was the right place to speak on it. I've always felt genuinely close to all of you and I'm insanely relieved you now know something that has been such a huge part of me for so long. My full essay is on the @glamourmag bio. ?
A post shared by chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) on
She writes that she has everything she needs in the world, a doting husband, a beautiful child and a good career, but depression did overshadow the feeling of happiness. She writes, "But postpartum does not discriminate. I couldn't control it. And that's part of the reason it took me so long to speak up."
In her letter, she explains that she is now taking an antidepressant and is also in therapy. "I'm speaking up now because I want people to know it can happen to anybody and I don't want people who have it to feel embarrassed or to feel alone. I also don't want to pretend like I know everything about postpartum depression, because it can be different for everybody."
She adds, "But one thing I do know is that – for me – just merely being open about it helps."
As a message to all, she thanks her family, friends and fans for being there with her throughout her depression.


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As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, we appreciate your support. The more animals
we can save, the better! All donations go to helping us rescue, rehabilitate, and
re-home more dogs, cats, and critters!
We accept cash, check, money order, and credit card donations
at Emerald City Pet Rescue, yet there are many ways to give!
We also accept Paypal donations and non-monetary donations. Our animal's specific needs are listed below!
Don't forget to visit our pet supply store at our 1st Ave location : 2962 1st Ave S, Seattle WA 98134
All photos are credited to wonderful supporters, volunteers, and partners.
The contributors include but are not limited to: Anna Sweet, Lawrence Ripsher, Bethany Black, Brandon Miguelez, Vivian Goldbloom
Web Dev / Webmaster: Kelley Frillman | Illustrations: Morgan Miano + Kelley Frillman
(206) 557-4661
2962 First Avenue South, Suite B. Seattle, WA 98134
Open 7 days a week | 10AM - 7PM Monday - Friday
10AM - 6PM Saturday | 12PM - 5PM Sunday


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Now that the dust from the Kensington Dolls House Festival has finally settled, I am delighted to announce that this morning the MAY edition of Petite Properties' free monthly NEWSLETTER is being emailed to all of our current 'subscribers'…
If you would like to receive your FREE copy of the Petite Properties' Newsletter; simply email us at email@example.com, including the word 'SUBSCRIBE' in the subject heading of the email.
Many thanks & Enjoy!!
Bea (Fiona) Broadwood


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6 hours ago
Spinach Salad with Grapefruit Dressing
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Spinach Salad
4 cups of spinach
1/2 cucumber, sliced in half circles
2 tomatoes cut into 8ths
1 green onion, finely chopped
Tear or chop the spinach into bite sized pieces and place in a salad bowl. Top with remaining ingredients. Drizzle the grapefruit dressing.
Grapefruit Dressing
1-2 grapefruits
1-2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
Juice the grapefruit using a citrus juicer. Pour the juice and the pulp into a blender and blend with the olive oil until smooth. Alternatively, peel the grapefruit, quarter it removing as many seeds as possible and blend with the olive oil until creamy.
Posted by Krista at 3:11 PM
Spinach Salad with Grapefruit Dressing
Raw Foods|Salad|Spinach Salad with Grapefruit Dressing|
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
To Cook or Not to Cook Copyright © 2009 Designed by Ipietoon Blogger Template for Bie Blogger Template Vector by DaPino


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I'm Emily McCormick, director of research and a writer for Bank Director magazine and BankDirector.com. Bank Director's research focuses on topics important to bank boards and C-suite officers, like compensation, risk management and M&A. If you're curious to about my writing, you'll find my complete portfolio HERE (you can also click 'My Work' over on the left).
Here at Heart of the Matter, I write a little more casually, but still with a focus on the financial space. Opinions expressed here are my own.
Want to reach me? Just fill out the form below, connect with me on LinkedIn or follow me on twitter (@ehmccormick).


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The Power of Introspection
La Grange Park | Website
This event occurred in the past.
Map | Find Parking
This workshop, filled with journaling and reflective exercises, is designed to help reimagine and recalibrate your life's purpose. The class will meet three times over six weeks (every other week) and will include homework.


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Just found some of those Aerodynamic side gills... for $60? Little cheaper elsewhere too
Hoping it doesn't get cancelled. Wouldn't be surprised. But I quite like the aero grills although I know I'm in the minority there
Same with an aero bumper i tried to order through them
OK, kids. Here it is....the motherload of coupe parts in my garage. My coupe has been in someone else's garage for a year. It's time. PM or email works. Life is hectic at the moment, so please excuse any delayed responses.
**Updated, please read** I have marked everything pending that I have received interest in (but not payment for). If we have been communicating about these items and you are no longer interested, please let me know as most items have back ups waiting. I will get everything (paid for) shipped by 2/14 as I will be travelling for the rest of the month.
Estoril Leather 42 x 28 pending
M coupe trunk mat 82110003880 pending
Fuel Rail Cover stock
Fuel Rail Cover Dinan CF D592-0367 pending
Philips 4300K set
Hatch speaker cover 51468400235
Spare bulbs (?)
Shaft seal set 33 10 7 505 602
Switch 61 31 8 376 440
Roundel 36 13 1 095 361
Toshiba 9012
Toshiba 9011
H&R 10mm spacers w lugs pending
Shift removal tool
Hamann E brake handle 8009915 pending
Hamann peddle covers 80099100 pending
Esroril Lighted Knob
PBR front pads (50%) D1131
Porterfield rear pads (50%) AP 394 R4S
Porterfield front pads (30%) AP 396 R4S
Blau connector 8 600 360 175
Bimmian black roundel stickers
Corteco motor mount 601552
Oil pan drain plug
Passenger side blank 51 41 1 900 853
Gas cap pending
Rear hatch links
UUC SS clutch line 92 95 325 pending
AC Expansion valve 64 11 8 362 851
Stygar clutch pedal pending
Stock handle
Peake R5 Code reader/reset tool
Peake R5 Code reader/reset tool (with booklet)
OEM outdoor cover 82 11 0 000 323
Last edited by mz.368; 02-13-2015 at 01:07 PM.
Things you might like to buy:
Lots of Z3 stuff!
Interested in your Vorschlag spacers..... PM me price.
Is the estoril lighted shift knob a ZHP knob by chance? PM me details and price please.
Potentially interested in the Stygar clutch pedal. PM me details and price please.
- 1of1 rebuild (build thread) -
- Wanted Car items - FS: PnP aftermaket alarm details -
- 99MR Left over parts - FS: Z3 Coupe LED 3rd brake lights -
I also PM'ed him Though I doubt any of you want what I'm looking for lol
Jen thought she could post and delete it and not get caught!
Detail on the headlights?
I'll update the list for what's spoken for and get back to everyone over the next couple days.
Things you might like to buy:
Lots of Z3 stuff!


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~ Kalawao Agents - CREATE A FREE PROFILE! ~
Real Estate Agents in Kalawao. Real Estate Agent Profiles, Kalawao county, real estate agents, Hawaii, directory, local, Kalawao
This website is a human-edited real estate agent directory for the local US real estate market. RealEstateAgentProfiles.com takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, as they are written by members. Add Your Free Profile.


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Explanation of 32:27
English Translation of Al-Quran [32].Surah As-Sajdah [The Prostration] Ayat 27. Have they not seen how Allah drive water (rain clouds) to the dry land without any vegetation, and therewith bring forth crops providing food for their cattle and themselves? Will they not then see? Tafseer of Surah Al Sajdah (The Prostration) Ayat 27. And do they not see that Allah do drive Rain to parched soil (bare of herbage), and produce therewith crops, providing food for their cattle and themselves? Have they not the vision? Again, as in the last verse, there is an easy transition from the physical to the spiritual. In physical nature there may be parched soil, which is to all intents and purposes dead. Allah sends rain, and the dead soil is converted into living land producing rich crops of fodder and corn, nuts and fruits, to satisfy the hunger of man and beast. So in the spiritual world. The dead man is revivified by Allah's grace and mercy through His Revelation. He becomes not only an asset to himself but to his dependents and those around him. The verse begins with "do they not see?" (a wa lam yaraw), a physical act. It ends with "have they not the vision?" (afala yubsirun), a matter of spiritual insight. This is parallel to the two kinds of "hearing" or "listening".


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Today's quote: "I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them." — Mark Twain.
The beautiful sun-drenched Billings morning could do nothing to dent my first dose of crabbiness of the trip. The cumulative exhaustion, complete lack of anything other than beige food, and Billings itslef have slapped me across the face like a hot sausage. Sometimes on a long motorcycle trip (especially when you know you need to make some miles after a couple soft days), you can feel literally trapped in a town's quicksand, and the more you struggle, the deeper lodged you become. You feel like you may never leave this town unless you get out, right now. And then, irrationally, as the time slips away, you actually start to think that the people of the town are personally responsible for your time bleed and terror. Every stop light takes longer than seems possible as you sweat your ass off in your full gear in the hot sun on a hot bike with no air flow. Every car is piloted by some 89-year-old curmudgeon who's lived here his entire life and drives like there's no reason to go above 15-20 miles an hour while his wife of 40 years is yelling at him to slow down. Yea, I get that he's someone's grandfather, but at this point, general surliness has taken over and reason has been left behind. Your headlights in his rearview have no affect – he's seen them before. Honking would just be mean at this point, which would just make you feel worse, so you just gulp it down like sour medicine. Then, the line at the crappy coffee shop is absurdly long, filled with absurd people (in your distorted perspective), AND they have no food! What's wrong with these morons! Don't they know I'm starving! Why oh WHY are they doing this to me?
And now I have to go find Brad – the lucky recipient of my manic mood swing this morning. I finally find the gas station that somehow has gravel all over it (even the gas station is out to get me), and he's all excited because he found a new tire that morning and has huge relief about the drive home and naturally wants to high five and talk tires. Not happening dude. Immediately after I get my music off, I throw out a nasty, "Let's roll dude!" I can feel the Billings-induced sweat running all over my back, and now I'm (again irrationally) pissed at Brad for not being ready when I got here. I mean what an inconsiderate ass! Doesn't he know that we need to leave this town RIGHT NOW or be stuck here FOREVER? I lost half my soul at the last stop light and I'll be damned if I'm going to leave the whole thing is this slow-moving, fucking cauldron of a town! The poor bastard hasn't even been able to get any coffee yet this morning because he was scrambling to get a tire he desperately needed and had to get up almost two hours before me. Never seen anyone throw their helmet on so fast. By the time we leave the on-ramp, I'm already doing about 95 like some moose escaping the ferocious clutch of a hungry grizzly. But, we're gone. And I can start to breath again. Almost. No grandpas ahead of me. Onto the next challenge. Enter the RV's.
You seriously learn to really hate RV's when you're out west driving – and it's even worse on a motorcycle. These beheamoth's create their own wind patterns and apparently will not go above 50 mph – in either lane, anywhere. They remind me of something Brad had said a few days earlier about flying helicopers – "It's like public masterbation. Totally disgusting to everyone but the guy doing it." If you're into mobile homes and that's your thing, that's cool. Do your thing bro. But please, please, don't drive like an ass. Pass with purpose. Be aware of the fact you're not the only one on the damn road. Leaving Billings, we were behind some fuckwad who took 15 miles to pass a semi. 15 MILES! In Canada, they'd take him out back and shoot him. Then they'd turn his RV into a hunting camp. I can't even ram him with my motorcycle! Sonofa! End rant. I needed that.
Once we were on the freeway, which is something I normally hate, things began to improve, and it was actually kind of nice being on the freeway for a bit – we just pegged it at about 85 and sat back watching America roll by under a big blue sky. We knew how far we had to go, and we just let it come to us. We'd get there when we got there, wherever "there" was. While we'd obviously rather be twisting through the mountains on carless, rolling, tree-lined, mountain-shaddowed roads, it was nice to turn off some of that and just ride. Unfortunately, I turned off a bit too much, and we missed our exit – by 20 fucking miles. This did NOT improve my mood. But, after putting 50 miles between us and Billings, this was setback I could deal with, but it was ALL on me – Brad's GPS broke on the second day of the trip. Oh well, all we can do is backtrack and get to our road, which would also get us off the freeway, which was starting to get old.
Turning back was definitely the right move. We got back to state highway 212, and it was worth the backtrack. For the first 50-100 miles, we rolled through the South Dakota Indian reservations that would blow you away. I've seen reservations before in Canada and Wisconsin, but this was on a whole new level. I wish we'd had more time to pull off and take pictures because I'd love to share what we saw, but we really needed to get miles in. These towns looked like something out of the Twilight Zone. Every building was barely erect. Every road, and most were dirt, was in disrepair. Every person was like a shadow, a ghost, shuffling down the street seemingly with nowhere to go. And the land itself? Worthless, brown, uninhabitable. It struck me that this is one of our country's shattered china dishes smashed at a party that we've swept under the rug to hide from guests and hopefully even forget ourselves. It never happened if you put it under a part of the rug you never walk over. You could almost see the hopelessness like a fog blanketing the land. Hope is a giving lover, but when she leaves, she takes everything with her leaving stark, joyless nothingness behind. What is life like here?
I found myself wondering how I'd respond to these conditions and thinking about the high rates of alcoholism and suicide in these communities. How would I survive in this? I consistently disappoint myself with my reaction to life's challenges, and I've been given every advantage anyone could have. It's quite humbling. It's always good to get off the freeway and see how other people live – it forces you to at least attempt to understand them, and if not that much, it at least open your eyes to the fact that not everywhere is Lake Drive. As Mark Twain said, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." Or, as Henry Miller said, "One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things."
I don't pretend to be an expert on this (or really know anything about it at all) after rolling through at 50 miles an hour watching it fly by, and it's impossible to understand a place AT ALL after just driving through it, but I could FEEL the depressive soul-sucking nature of these "towns," and it hit me right in the gut. If you ever have the chance to drive through these areas, get off the freeway and do it. You'll never see this or anything else from the freeway. "Thanks to the interstate highway system, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything," Charles Kuralt.
We finally pulled through the reservations and stopped at some no name town for fuel and coffee. The only reason I mention this is what happened in the parking lot after our bikes sat in the roasting sun for a bit. I went to get back on my bike, and I could barely sit on it due to the massive swarm of flies and bees! Our bikes are now so nasty with so much dead shit on them that they're attracting entire colonies of flies and bees. I had to put my gear on off the bike, get all set and then jump on, start it fast, and pull away swearing and trying not to get any in my helmet! Yuck. So cool!
Then we pulled into Sturgis. Yikes. I'm not sure that I "get" Sturgis. I mean, it's cool to be with other riders and all that, but well, it's just not my thing. Totally not knocking it – it's just not for me. Add to that these guys who trailer bikes out there, and I really don't get it. I mean, I like to ride my bike – not stand around it and look at it. These guys trailer their bikes out (some from just one state away – lots of Minnesota trailers – LAME), park them, and then stand around. Brad and I figured, why not just take a photo of your bike, put it on the ground and put some cones around it so no one parks on it? But, hey, like I always say, to each his own. Do what you do brother. It's funny too – the guys who trailer bikes out there just get hazed by the riders. I find it shocking that they can show their faces out there. But then, it's good that they do that because it gives the riders someone to make fun of.
We hung out in Sturgis long enough to walk around a bit and take a couple lame pictures. Had to get one gratuitous thong shot just to show that I was actually there. We decided to hotel it that night in Deadwood. I think we both wanted to camp in one of the rowdy campgrounds, but we were approaching a pretty deep level of cumulative exhaustion, and we still had about 900 miles to go – through South Dakota and Minnesota – not the most exciting terrain. Once again, our maturity was shining through. Right.
Deadwood is an ok town that looks great as you drive in, and since the freeway is about 10 miles away in Sturgis, it hasn't been crushed by all the shwaggy freeway development, but it has been run over by casinos. Driving into town, it looked like it could be a cool western town, but when you peel the skin back a bit, you realize that every fucking storefront is backlit by money-sucking slot machines being stroked by mindless zombies. Ugh. I've always thought that gambling should be fully legal – people should be able to do whatever they want with their money. But after seeing what happens to towns when it's fully legal, I'm not so sure. We even had a hard time finding food at 9:30pm! What? During Sturgis? Unreal. And of course, we couldn't help ourselves from constantly saying, "Where's Woo? Fucking cocksucker." If you haven't seen the show Deadwood on HBO, you won't get that. If you have, you're laughing your ass off right now. Trust me, you are. Where's Woo? Fucking cocksucker. Ha! Swearengen. Why did they take that show off air? Was it too good?
Well, we survived the day, and I think our friendship is intact. I'm really not that good at spending so much time with one person (hence my hyper-bachelor status at nearly, but not quite, 40), but somehow Brad and I have pulled it off. My near meltdown today really had nothing to do with him – I'd just hit a temporary low spot, and he got to experience all of it! Lucky guy. But, overall, I'd say the wingman travel has gone extremely well. My brother did warn me before the trip saying, "You think it will be safer with Brad going along? You guys seem to find or make more trouble than you avoid." Fairly prescient now. But, I think all that trouble created memories and experiences and got us through a lot of long days together.


text:
Title: Against Me
Series: A Cedar Tree #3
Author: Freya Barker
Release Date: April 1st, 2015
Series: A Cedar Tree #3
Author: Freya Barker
Release Date: April 1st, 2015
Patience has always been Caleb Whitetail's strength. Quiet and unassuming is what you see with the GFI investigator, but the blood boils hot right under the surface. He kept his distance for years only to see the woman who has held his attention almost lose her life not just once, but twice. He is done standing in the shadows.
Katie Acker, once a tough and athletic security specialist now struggles daily to walk. The closest to family she has are her colleagues at GFI. Especially the man who saved her life and always has her back. So when she unwittingly becomes the focus of a Mexican cartel, it's no big surprise she finds him right by her side.
With the combustive change in their deepening bond, Katie and Caleb do not see the oncoming danger - until it surrounds them.
The sound of voices gets louder as I make my way through the now dark guesthouse to the bedroom. Leaning against the doorway into the room, I can just catch the last few sentences exchanged between the women sitting on the big bed. It's obvious from the tearstained faces that some emotional stuff has gone down and I feel guilt eating at my insides. But then I hear Katie say that me walking out earlier meant I must have regretted what happened between us, I have to set her straight. She can't be further from the truth and it's time she knows it.
The moment her head swings around and her eyes meet mine, everything else disappears. I barely notice Emma leaving. In a few steps I reach the bed, lean in and pick Katie up.
"Whoa!" she calls out, scrambling to hold onto my neck. "Whatcha doing?"
"You in my bed means I can't think, and I'm having a hard enough time thinking around you. We need to set some things straight." I tell her, trying not to get lost in the feel of her soft body against mine, her subtle scent teasing me and her restless fingers playing against the short bristles in my neck. My dick, however, is a goner, and there is no way to hide it when I sit down on the couch with Katie in my lap.
"Stop squirming, you're making it worse,"
When she throws me an irritated look I'm glad to see the fire back in her eyes. There she is.
"Okay, enough of the manhandling, Caleb," Katie bats at my hands as I shift her around so she faces me. The old tank top and shorts she wears as PJs aren't doing much to cover her and I can't help the tortured groan that slips from me. Fucking hell, this is gonna be torture, with her nipples poking through the threadbare material. Right in my face.
"What the hell is this? I honestly don't know whether I'm coming or going with you."
"Shhhhh, don't get upset," I try to settle her before the tears I hear wobbling in her voice start flowing. "I just needed a minute."
Cupping her face between my hands, I tilt her head so I can look her in the eye. "This I have wanted and waited to do for so long, I need to make sure I don't miss a thing."
Her eyes are big and a little uncertain and her lips are perfectly parted when I brush my nose along hers, breathing in the soft pants of her breath. A light brush of my mouth over hers, barely skimming, and then I taste the length of her full bottom lip with my tongue before sucking its plumpness in my mouth. Fucking heaven. Her taste is heaven and I need more. Katie's fingers rubbing against my scalp is all the encouragement I need and I finally let go of my hunger for her and take her mouth. Jesus. Delicious wet heat meets me when my tongue plunges between her lips. Someone groans... and in the now furious tangle of lips and tongues I can't tell anymore. I want inside her. In one twist and without my mouth ever leaving hers, I have her below me on the couch, and I'm grinding my painfully throbbing cock between her legs. It isn't until she wrenches her lips from mine and murmurs, "Caleb..." that I realize I am fucking humping her like some deranged rutting animal. I shoot back upright and move to sit on the coffee table, my head in my hands.
Why? Why does she make me lose all control when control has always come so easy?
"Are you gonna walk out of here again?" The amused tone of Katie's voice tells me she may be a little more attuned to the struggle I'm waging than she was before. "Because, that would seriously mess with my self-esteem, you know; getting rejected based on my abilities for giving head and kissing?"
I throw my head back and laugh. "Oh sweetheart, you couldn't be further from the truth if you tried."
Purchase Links:
Against Me:
Hundred to One:
Slim to None:
About the Author:
Freya Barker has always loved being creative. From an early age on she danced and sang, doodled, created, cooked, baked, quilted and crafted. Her latest creative outlets were influenced by an ever-present love for reading. First through blogging, then cover art and design, and finally writing.
Born and raised in the Netherlands, she packed her two toddlers, and eight suitcases filled with toys to move to Canada. No stranger to new beginnings, she thrives on them.
With the kids grown and out in the world, Freya is at the 'prime' of her life. The body might be a bit ramshackle, but the spirit is high and as adventurous as ever. Something you may see reflected here and there in some of her heroines.... none of who will likely be wilting flowers.
Freya craved reading about 'real' people, those who are perhaps less than perfect, but just as deserving of romance, hot monkey sex and some thrills and chills in their lives – So she decided to write about them.
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My Review:
Freya Barker is a completely new author to me and I have to say that the main reason I picked up Against Me was because I am meeting her at a signing in a little bit over two short weeks. Well, I have to say that I thank my lucky stars :) The book started a little bit slow for me but once I pushed over the first 30-40 pages, I found myself engrossed into the story and the characters. I loved the smart entanglement between suspense and romance, between danger and love :)
Caleb and Katie are quite interesting characters. Being in their late thirties and early forties, they are a little bit older that the characters I usually read about. But that definitely didn't stop me from connecting with them and their problems. Freya Barker managed to express Katie and Caleb's feelings in a way that made me feel like I can see their story through my own eyes.
Through the book I admired Katie's strength and determination. It was amazing to read how she slowly becomes herself again and finds the one thing that could heal her wound - love.Considering her past and trials, I can only imagine how difficult it was for her to open her heart, even if it was for her best friend. But his persistence and support, his love and protectiveness, Caleb definitely managed to prove that he deserves her trust and is worth the risk. And let's be honest. That delicious alpha ex-ranger is definitely worth the risk :D
The suspenseful part of the story definitely kept me on my toes pretty much all of the time. There were some twists and turns that I didn't expect, and that's not something I experience often ;) I loved the danger and the fast paced action. And that combined with the love story between Caleb and Katie developing in the middle of everything, just made the book that much more exciting :)
In a few words, I definitely found the story intriguing and captivating. I quite enjoyed myself reading it and I will be definitely checking this author's other works :) I can't wait to find our more about her characters :) And I definitely can't wait to meet her ;) Lucky me :D


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Carnforth and District Otters ASC basis its data protection policies around ASA Guidance (2014)
About us
The Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) is a constituent member of British Swimming Limited (British Swimming). The other members are the Welsh Amateur Swimming Association (WASA) and the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association (SASA). The ASA has a number of subsidiary companies details of which can be found at www.swimming.org.
The ASA (which includes its subsidiaries) and British Swimming will each hold the details provided on this registration form with other information it holds or obtains from or about you and will use this for the following purposes:
- for maintaining records
- to respond to any enquiries you make
- to administer any events in which you participate or may wish to participate and to deal with any incidents involving you
- to create an individual profile for you so that we can understand and respect your preferences
- to create anonymised aggregated information about members and swimmers to enable us to secure funding
- to contact you about swimming events, offers and opportunities available from the ASA or British Swimming or any commercial partner of either of them by post, email, online or phone (where you have indicated you are happy to hear about these)
Recording images
The ASA and British Swimming may record the competition events in which you participate and general images of swimmers will form part of the information we hold and use. In addition to the purposes for general information set out above, the ASA and/or British Swimming may use these recordings and images for the purposes of education and training, swimmer analysis, promotion, performance,
development and selection and event analysis.
Other uses
Where your information may be used for additional purposes, such as medical information, you will be provided with further details of how your information will be used at the relevant time.
Publication on websites
Details of your achievements in events will be included on the British Swimming website(s) and these will be available to the general public. If you do not want your details to be visible in this way you can block them by registering via the Home Country Membership Check webpage and selecting the 'hide' option, by ticking the appropriate tick box at the end of this form, or by contacting the ASA Rankings department with your request to hide your details.
If you hide your details they will not be visible on the Rankings Database which may affect your ability to enter events. Event organisers may in these cases require proof of age and/or of eligibility to enter and you should contact the particular organiser to check.
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If you apply for or take part in an event that takes place outside the European Union, your information will be disclosed to the relevant event organiser(s) in the host nation. These nations may not have laws as stringent as ours to protect your personal data.
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As constituent members of British Swimming, WASA and SASA will be able to view your information for swimming administration purposes only.
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If you enter swimming competitions, you may be subject to doping control as part of the ASA/British Swimming commitment to a drug free sport. At the time of sample collection, your personal data will be collected by UK Sport which undertakes the testing and administers the programme. You should see the data protection notice for UK Sport for details of how your information will be used.
The ASA and British Swimming each work with a number of sponsors and commercial partners (details of these can be found at www.swimming.org) to promote swimming, raise funding for the sport and to secure opportunities for members. The ASA and British Swimming would like to contact you by post or electronically to tell you more about the offers available to you. Partners help us serve you better by telling us if you express an interest in their goods and services.
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You have the right to refuse direct marketing and can do so by contacting the ASA.
You are entitled to a copy of your personal data from the ASA and/or British Swimming (a small fee will be payable in each case) and to correct any inaccuracies in it. For details of how to do this you should contact the Data Protection Officer, The ASA, SportPark, 3 Oakwood Drive, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3QF.


text:
As George Bain prepares to bid a fond farewell to academe, he offers university vice-chancellors some hints to help them survive the pressures of the role - but do as he says, not as he does
We have recently been treated to "Rumsfeld's Rules" and "Powell's Principles", tips for success from two senior US political figures. My experience is much less extensive and exalted than theirs. But on the eve of my retirement after 40 years' employment in universities and almost as many years chairing arbitration panels, committees of inquiry, commissions, charities and professional bodies, I thought I would offer "George's Guidelines" that might be useful to vice-chancellors.
1. Lead more, manage less
The vice-chancellor's job involves management - the ability to cope with complexity, to devise structures and systems that produce order and harmony - and leadership - the ability to cope with change, to get individuals and institutions to move in new directions. But the latter is more important than the former. The key function of a vice-chancellor is to lead the university: to harness the social forces in it, to shape and guide its values, to build a management team, and to inspire it and others to take initiatives around a shared vision and a strategy to implement it. You should be an enabler rather than a controller, forcing innovation by creating a gap between the university's ambitions and its resources - and setting appropriate targets and motivating people to hit them.
2. Appoint the best people
If you are going to spend most of your time leading, you need to recruit others to manage. In particular, ensure you have an outstanding registrar or similar person to head the administrative structure, to ensure that operational matters are dealt with efficiently. Make sure the staff in your private office who act as personal advisers, gatekeepers for people and filters for paper are sensible and sensitive because they will often be your public face. Others will confide in them, so encourage them to tell you the truth. Appoint first-class people, not least because they try to appoint first-class people, whereas second-class people often appoint third-class people. Remember a good vacancy is worth more than a bad appointment. In making appointments do not confuse "intelligence" - analytical ability - with "judgement" - good sense.
3. Delegate extensively
If you don't delegate problem-solving, committee chairing and other work as much as possible, you will become swamped with detail, and the routine will drive out the non-routine, the creative and the strategic.
In delegating, specify "what" and "why" but not "how"; the people to whom you assign tasks will often think of better ways of doing them than you.
Remember you can delegate authority but not responsibility. If a person errs in performing a task you have delegated, you are responsible. Hence, always take more than your share of blame, and less than your share of credit.
4. Focus your efforts
No matter how much you delegate, if you are to be effective, you need to stress key themes and focus on a limited number of activities.
Your greatest strategic tool is your diary: how you allocate your time. You have to learn to say "no" to many of the social invitations, chairmanships, committees, judging panels and speaking engagements you will be offered.
5. Be visible
Focus your efforts and you will have time to perform the leadership functions that are core to your role. Remember John le Carre's observation that "a desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world". Get out and about inside and outside the university.
Vice-chancellors need an abundance of interactive energy. Regularly visit schools and departments, and hold lunches and informal meetings with small groups of senior staff, new recruits and other natural groupings. An advantage of meeting people in their offices rather than yours is that if they are garrulous, you can excuse yourself more easily and leave for your next "pressing engagement". Use your official residence by entertaining not just the great and the good, but as many people as possible in the university and a wide social and political spectrum outside it.
6. Don't procrastinate
Have a sense of urgency about getting things done. Follow the Duke of Wellington's rule: "To do the business of the day on the day." Be willing to make decisions knowing some of them will be wrong. Profit from your mistakes by admitting them, correcting them and learning from them. In a crisis, remember that the perfect is often the enemy of the good and speed is more important than precision. Do not expect problems to be solved permanently - as someone once said, the chief cause of problems is solutions.
7. Don't expect gratitude
You should expect more criticism than praise. But much of the former should not be taken personally: when people attack someone in a position of authority, they are often attacking the role, not the person.
You require emotional strength: sufficient self-doubt to question whether your course of action is correct but, having concluded that it is, sufficient determination to proceed in the face of opposition. Follow Churchill's example: at the end of the day "get into bed, turn out the light, say 'bugger the lot of them' and go to sleep".
8. Don't hold grudges
Some of your critics may develop into enemies, but try to keep them to a minimum because they can become time-consuming. One way of doing so is to follow Napoleon's advice to "never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence". However many enemies you may have, bear in mind an anonymous wit's advice for managerial success: keep those who hate you away from those who are undecided. Jesus' instruction to love your enemies is perhaps too much, but at least endure their attacks without outward resentment and do not discriminate against them. Generosity tends to annoy them more than animosity; in addition, it protects you from accusations of being unfair.
9. Don't believe your rhetoric
One of the basic functions of a vice-chancellor is to be the university's chief ambassador. If you are performing your role properly, you will stress the university's strengths more than its weaknesses, its successes more than its failures. This is what modern public relations demands, but it is a poor basis on which to develop policies and strategies. You should base these, as you would your academic research, on empirical evidence and rigorous analysis.
10. Don't stay too long
More harm is done by vice-chancellors who stay too long than by those who go too soon. If you are unsuccessful, the longer you stay the more damage you will do. But even if you are successful, you should limit your stay because nothing fails like success. Your strengths often become weaknesses: either you push them to excess, or the context that made them appropriate changes and you fail to change with it because your successes have made you conservative. Hence follow Derek Pugh's advice: "Aim to stay for ten years. Go after nine: result, sighs of nostalgia. Go after 11: result, sighs of relief."
And, finally, the danger in publishing a list of this kind is that readers might assume the compiler is a paragon. Alas, I can make no such claim.
Those who have worked with me over the years will know that, at one time or another, I have disregarded most of my guidelines. Hence, I conclude with one further guideline: do as I say, not necessarily as I do.
George Bain is vice-chancellor of Queen's University, Belfast. He retires next year.


text: The new film Suburbicon is George Clooney's first attempt to direct a Coen Brothers movie. The brothers reportedly wrote the script as far back as the eighties, but never got around to making it themselves. Enter their frequent collaborator Clooney, along with his writing partner Grant Heslov, and the project is finally seeing the light of day with Matt Damon in the lead as an average suburban father whose seemingly peaceful life goes askew. The plot and tone of the movie definitely scream "this is a Coen Brothers film", but it ultimately is missing the panache of their iconic directing style.


text:
Our lives are being written as volumes that will rest between the bookends of John 3:16 and 1 John 2:15.
God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus. The same John wrote that if you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you.
Somewhere in the middle, (John 20:21) Jesus sent us like Father sent Him.
G. K. Chesterton said, "We must hate the world enough to change it, and yet love the world enough to consider it worth changing."
At the end of each day, you have given another slice of your life for or to something or someone. Leave tracks that could lead someone to Jesus. Ask Jesus for clarity regarding where and to whom He is sending you tomorrow.
You know – be awesome!
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