text:
Updated Date: 07/30/2007
This technical note documents the process of upgrading to BIG-IP software version 9.1.3 from BIG-IP software versions 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12, using the remote upgrade procedure. For information about installing the software, please refer to the instructions below.
The minimum system requirements for this release are:
The supported browsers for the browser-based Configuration utility are:
Note that we recommend that you leave the browser cache options at the default settings.
Important: Popup blockers and other browser add-ons or plug-ins may affect the usability of the browser-based Configuration utility. If you experience issues with navigation, we recommend that you disable these types of browser plug-ins and add-ons.
This installation method is supported only on the following platforms:
If you are unsure which platform you have, look at the sticker on the back of the chassis to find the platform number.
This technical note describes how to remotely upgrade the BIG-IP software to version 9.1.3. You need to perform a remote upgrade if you do not have direct access to the system. The remote upgrade provides the ability to serve the installation files from a different network using HTTP. We recommend using the local upgrade if you have a direct connection to the unit you want to upgrade.
Important: A valid service contract is required to complete this upgrade.
Warning: You must reactivate the license on the BIG-IP system you intend to upgrade before you begin the upgrade.
Important: The BIG-IP system does not support upgrading from version 4.5 PTF-03 or earlier. If you are running BIG-IP software version 4.5 PTF-03 or earlier, you must upgrade to version 4.5 PTF-04, before you can upgrade to version 9.1.3.
Important: If you are running BIG-IP version 4.5.13, 4.5.14, or 4.6.x, you must revert to version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 before you apply the version 9.1.2 upgrade. However, you can perform a clean installation on a version 4.5.13, 4.5.14, or 4.6.x system without upgrading the configuration or moving the license forward. (The minimum supported version is version 4.5 PTF-04.) Once you have installed a 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 version of the BIG-IP software, you can proceed with the version 9.1.3 upgrade. When you revert to the 4.5.12 or earlier software, you lose any features introduced in version 4.5.13, 4.5.14, or 4.6.x.
Important: You should perform the installation on the standby unit in a redundant system. If you are satisfied with the results, initiate failover and apply the upgrade to the other unit in the redundant system.
The BIG-IP version 9.1.3 upgrade provides a special One-Time Conversion Utility (OTCU) for converting your version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration during the upgrade. The OTCU parses pre-9.x configuration files and uses the data to create a 9.x configuration database. This conversion is necessary because the configuration files, file locations, and file formats in version 4.x versions are different in version 9.x.
Warning: You must license the version 9.1.3 software before you can run the OTCU or configure the system. If the entitlement check was successful, you can log on to the system. If it was not successful, you can log on to the browser-based Configuration utility and license the system as soon as the installation process is complete.
Before you begin the upgrade process, you should save the dossier from the version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 system you want to upgrade. This is in the event that the entitlement process during the installation is not successful.
If the BIG-IP system is currently running version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12, you can upgrade directly to version 9.1.3, using the following procedure..
If you are running a pre-4.5 PTF-04 version of the BIG-IP software, you must first upgrade to version 4.5 PTF-04, and then upgrade to version 9.1.3.
The process of upgrading to BIG-IP version 9.1.3 requires completing the following steps:
The following sections describe how to perform these tasks.
Before you upgrade to BIG-IP version 9.1.3, you need to save your version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration data. This file is used by the one-time configuration utility (OTCU) to convert your version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration files to the 9.x configuration file format. In addition, this prevents loss of data if, for any reason, the version 9.1.3 upgrade is not successful.
Collect and archive the version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration files, by typing the following command. Note that config.ucs is the name you must use for the UCS file, and the file must be saved at the / partition.
bigpipe config save /config.ucs
Important: If you are upgrading a system that is using zone files with named, you must manually back up all necessary zone files and save them to a remote location. After the upgrade is complete, you can place them on the 9.x system. There is a new location on the 9.x system for these files: /var/named/config/namedb.
Important: It is critical that you back up the archived configuration files to a secure remote location. In the event installation fails, you must use the remotely stored file in order to restore your configuration data. For more information about UCS archive files, see SOL4423: Overview of UCS archives.
After you save the existing configuration, download the installation CD-ROM ISO image from http://tech.f5.com. For details about downloading the ISO image, see SOL167: Downloading software from F5 Networks.
Note: Before you continue, we recommend downloading the associated MD5 checksum file and performing the MD5 checksum operation to ensure that the file downloaded correctly. For more information about running the MD5 checksum, see Verifying the MD5 checksum of the installation file.
After you save the existing version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration and download the installation CD-ROM, you need to copy the remote-install-18.104.22.168.0.im file from the root of the CD-ROM to the /var/tmp directory on the BIG-IP system that you want to upgrade. The following example shows how you use the scp command to copy the file to a remote BIG-IP system, where <remote_upgrade>.im is the name of the remote upgrade IM you copied from the CD-ROM, and the <bigipsystem> is the BIG-IP system to which you want to copy the IM file.
scp <remote_upgrade>.im root@<bigipsystem>:/var/tmp
After you copy the remote upgrade IM file to the BIG-IP system you want to upgrade, use the CD-ROM to create an installation server (this process is described in the following section).
Before you run the remote upgrade, you must designate and configure a remote host to be an installation server. The installation server must meet all the following criteria:
Note: You must connect the installation server to the same network to which the management port on the BIG-IP unit is connected.
Note: If you are installing the software on a BIG-IP 1500 (C36), BIG-IP 3400 (C62), BIG-IP 6400 (D63), BIG-IP 6800 (D68), or BIG-IP 8400 (D84) platform by directly connecting the unit to the installation server, you must use an Ethernet cross-over cable to directly connect to the management interface. If you are installing the software on a BIG-IP 1000 (D39), BIG-IP 2400 (D44), BIG-IP 5100 or 5110 (D51) by directly connecting to the installation server, you can use a standard Ethernet cable to directly connect to the management interface.
Once you have designated a host, complete the following steps.
Select terminal type? [vt100]
Maintenance OS Options Serve Provide network installation services Install Install software onto hard disk Reboot Reboot to your current system Exit Exit to maintenance shell
Use existing DHCP server on subnet [no]?
IP network [10.1.10]? IP address of server 10.1.10[n] [199]? Lower range for clients 10.1.10.[n] [199]? Upper range for clients 10.1.10.[n] [200]?
Note: When you specify the IP address of the server, you need to enter only the last octet. When completing the lower and upper ranges for the clients, type the network numbers where the clients are situated.
If the settings displayed are correct, type yes. If they are not, type no and you are prompted to re-enter the addresses.
Now that you have copied the remote upgrade package to the target system and configured an installation server, you are ready to install the 9.1.3 software. On the BIG-IP system, use the im command to extract the installation files from the IM package. After you extract the installation packages, you can run the installation script.
The installation script prompts you for the following information:
Terminal type? [vt100]
Press the Enter key to continue, or specify the terminal type you are using. We recommend that you use vt100.
The system posts a number of messages, and then installation starts. Once installation starts, you can use the arrow and Tab keys to navigate the presented options. You can select an option from a menu using the Enter key or the highlighted character key, and you can toggle select boxes on or off using the spacebar.
After the installation is complete, the BIG-IP system reboots and you lose connectivity to the BIG-IP system.
Warning: You must license the version 9.1.3 software before you can configure the system. If the entitlement check was successful, you can log on to the system. If it was not successful, you can log on to the browser-based Configuration utility and license the system as soon as the installation process is complete.
Before you can convert your configuration files or configure the system, you must license the version 9.1.3 software. To activate the license for the system, you must have a base registration key. The registration key is a 27-character string that lets the license server know which F5 products you are entitled to license. We recommend that you save a copy of the version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 dossier to another system before you begin the upgrade process. For details, see Saving a copy of the version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 dossier. It is important to note that during the remote upgrade, the entitlement check contacts the F5 License Server and creates a license for the system.
During the remote upgrade entitlement check, a 9.1.3 registration key should have been provided. The browser-based Configuration utility displays this registration key in the Base Registration Key box on the Licensing screen. You simply need to activate the license. Certain systems may require you to enter keys for additional modules in the Add-On Registration Key List box.
After you install and license the 9.1.3 software, you can configure the 9.1.3 system from scratch, or you can convert the existing configuration you rolled forward on the system. If you want to configure the new software from scratch, you can skip this step. This section describes how the One-Time Conversion Utility (OTCU) works.
To convert your existing version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration files to 9.x configuration files, you use the One-Time Conversion Utility (OTCU). The OTCU parses version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration files and uses the data to create a 9.x configuration database. Due to the complexity of the 9.x release, and differences in the version 4.x and 9.x feature sets (which depend on your configuration), the OTCU may produce some unexpected results. We ask that you use the OTCU as a starting point for converting your version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration files. Keep in mind that, in most cases, you will need to examine the resulting configuration files, troubleshoot the contents, and make adjustments where necessary. To view an example of a converted file, see conversion example. The following notes are to help you understand the conversion process and interpret the output of the OTCU.
When you run the OTCU, the files in /otcu.ucs are extracted and placed in /var/tmp/otcu_4.x. These files remain in their original state. They are not altered during the conversion process. Selected files used for the upgrade are moved into /var/tmp/otcu_9.1.3. For example, /etc/hosts is moved to /var/tmp/otcu_9.1.3/etc/hosts . After the files are moved, they are converted as much as possible into the version 9.x format and then placed in the version 9.x system. After the conversion is complete, the /otcu.ucs is renamed to /renamed_otcu.ucs. Renaming the file prevents you from being prompted to run the OTCU every time you start the system.
During this process a log file is created and saved as /var/tmp/otcu.log. This file contains everything printed on screen during the installation. This information is useful for understanding what files are converted, and for reviewing or troubleshooting the resulting configuration. The files in /var/tmp/otcu_9.1.3 remain in the state they were in before being moved to the version 9.1.3 system.
If you want to refer to your version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration files, these files are saved in /var/tmp/otcu_4.x. The /var/tmp/otcu_4.x_miscellaneous directory might contain some files that are not carried forward during the conversion that may be of interest to you. This could include the version 4.x license file, inetd.conf file, openssl.conf file, or monitor files that were not converted. You can also find these with the rest of the files located in /var/tmp/otcu_4.x, however they are moved here for convenience.
Warning: You should run the OTCU only one time. If you need to run the OTCU again, we recommend that you reinstall version 9.1.3 and then run the OTCU.
The following version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 files are removed during the conversion:
/config/default_base.conf (no user alert)
/etc/ssh_host_key (no user alert)
/etc/ssh_host_key.pub (no user alert)
/etc/ssh_config (no user alert)
/etc/sshd_config (no user alert)
/etc/ssh3/hostkey (no user alert)
/etc/ssh3/hostkey.pub (no user alert)
/etc/ssh3/ssh3_config (no user alert)
/etc/ssh3/sshd2_config (no user alert)
/etc/snmptrap.conf (no user alert)
/etc/rc.local (no user alert)
/etc/syslog.conf (no user alert)
/etc/login.conf (no user alert)
/usr/local/www/bigipgui/.users (no user alert)
/config/bigconfig/slapd.txt (no user alert)
/etc/irs.conf, /etc/irs.conf.dns, /etc/irs.conf.nodns (no user alert)
The following version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 files are moved forward with no conversion:
/root/.ssh/id_dsa.pub (no user alert)
/root/.ssh/id_dsa (no user alert)
/root/.ssh/identify.pub (no user alert)
/root/.ssh/identify (no user alert)
/root/.ssh/authorized_keys (no user alert)
/root/.ssh/authorized_keys2 (no user alert)
/root/.ssh/known_hosts (no user alert)
The following table lists the files that are moved and converted during the OTCU process.
|version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 config files
|9.1.3 conversion notes
|Routes commands are converted to 9.x bigpipe commands.
|The ServerName line from this file is inserted into the new httpd.conf located at /config/httpd/conf/httpd.conf.
|is moved to /config/httpd/conf/ssl.crl.
|is moved to /config/httpd/conf/ssl.crt.
|is moved to /config/httpd/conf/ssl.key.
|is converted to BIND version 9, and references to 3-DNS are removed.
|sysip is deleted and com2sec is changed to com2sec6.
|sysip is deleted and com2sec is changed to com2sec6.
Use the following procedure to convert your existing version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 configuration data to version 9.x.
Note: If at any point you want to go back to version 4.5 PTF-04 through 4.5.12 you must re-install the original software. For information on how to install the version 4.x software, please refer to the associated release notes. For instructions on how to reinstall your previous version 4.x configuration files, see SOL3135: Backing up and restoring BIG-IP or 3-DNS configuration files.
If you skipped the step to consolidate profiles and rename virtual servers, profiles, pools, and SNAT pools, you can run the consolidation utility by typing the following command:
profile_consolidator /config/bigip.conf
You can run the renaming utility by typing the following command:
config_renamer /config/bigip.conf
Note: In order for the renaming to take effect, you must reload the configuration file.


text:
22 May 2017
Targeted traffic Runner - Automobile Racing 2nd
Start off the thrilling journey of Site visitors Runner - Auto Racing 2d and enjoy one of several most entertaining freeway bike and vehicle racing online games 2d. bike racing highway If you are in for a few visitors runner highway racing, make sure that you are going to receive the best of the most effective! A lot of various enemies, police vehicles, tracks, autos, bikes, missions and difficulties are awaiting your racings skills. Is it possible to total all issues and unlock all cars, bikes and driveways? Start off among the most fun 2nd car racing video games and encounter a real traffic placing that is certainly challenging to drive on!
o Targeted traffic Runner - Auto Racing 2d Characteristics
o five incredible tracks of 2nd vehicle racing
o Many autos and bikes to unlock
o Problem Fb buddies and find out which friends enjoy
o Contend with buddies
o Dodge law enforcement automobiles
o Escape biker gangs
o Cave in to unexpected emergency autos
o missions and problems
o world-wide rankings
o bike racing highway
o Acquire cash
More about the game
Site visitors Runner - Automobile Racing is the best automobile racing game by Arka Technolabs. The objective from the match is to generate rapidly automobiles, acquire power-ups, gather cash and unlock nuts bikes. bike racing highway It is going to maintain you busy with numerous vehicles and bikes it is possible to unlock.
Drive quickly cars or bullet bike in five wonderful tracks in one on the most alluring combos of auto racing online games and cost-free bicycle games.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hi there! Happy Friday...Kelly here today with some bright summer fun for you!
I clustered up some chipboard, flowers, and Tiffany Jewels. That large bright pink rose is really gorgeous, isn't it?! To finish it off, I stuck in some sweet Inkido stick pins and pearls.
I just love these pink butterflies! Adding a bit of ink and some pearls really finish them up nicely.
Thanks for taking a look! I hope you have a great day!
Inkido products used:


text:
The best science fiction books by author R. Peter UBTRENT
About the Author
Contact the Author
A Requiem for Caelus
Book One:
Va'Shan Trilogy
RELEASE DATE: Summer 2013
On the planet Caelus, magic was as natural as the sun or the grass. It thrived in the trees and the water, in the wind and the rain. And it thrived in the people. Possessing a myriad of abilities, depending on where one lived and grew up, the people of Caelus were cultured and wise, creative and intelligent, using the abilities their gods imparted on them with care and wisdom. But the past has not always been so peaceful. The various clans of Caelus have warred with each other before, vicious affairs that killed thousands and never solved anything. The last war had only ended five years ago and the tensions and feuds were still fresh. War was in the air again.
This was all to change with the wedding of the beautiful Lorelei Heartstealer of the Kar Clan to the handsome Lothar Mistshrouder of the Fikir Clan. The binding of these two clans, who had been feuding for centuries, was to bring the other restless clans to the negotiating table and seal a treaty of peace for all time.
But it was not to be.
The Va'Shan Empire had been ravaging the galaxy for millennia. Their sophisticated war machines and elite shock troops, called the Destructor's Hand, invaded planet after planet looking for slaves and resources. Many had attempted to stop them, none had succeeded. The Kral, supreme leader of the Va'Shan, held his reigns of power with an adamantine grip that none dared oppose. When a planet was taken by the Va'Shan, all females over the age of eighteen and all makes over the age of six were slaughtered without mercy. The remaining males and the females under the age of thirteen were taken to various planets, separated from others of their kind, to be trained as the elite shock troops the Empire ate so ravenously. For the remaining females, it was worse. They would be taken to the Kral himself, who would choose those who were beautiful and caught his eye for his vast harem. Those who were beautiful and not chosen by the Kral were used as forced prostitutes for the pleasure of the nobility and those who had gained favor with the Kral. Those who were not considered beautiful were fed to the Destructor's Hand, to be used as they saw fit, instilling a fanatic loyalty in the weapon that was the Empire's forceful arm.
When Caelus is picked at random as the next target of the Va'Shan's insatiable appetite, the world of the clans is changed forever. The attack came in the middle of a warm spring day. Lothar was training young apprentices in the Way of the Fikir, teaching them in the fundamental mental process necessary to master the power the gods had bestowed upon their clan. The rain of fire and death from the sky was horrific, the small city outside of which they trained, destroyed in a matter of minutes. When the first Destructor's Hand began killing the children around Lothar with their range weapons, bluish bolts of intense heat and energy, he realized that this had turned into a life or death situation. Gathering those around him still alive, he rushed off into the forest and ran for an entire day, heading for forgotten caves where he and Lorelei had gone off to be alone when their parents had strictly forbidden such things. After several days of hiding, Lothar makes his way back to the city to find that it has been totally destroyed, the palace in which Lorelei and her family had been staying, reduced to so much rubble. Believing her to be dead, Lothar takes the children under his care and begins to work his way across the land, hoping to find anyone else alive.
Lorelei had just left the palace to find Lothar, to bring him the lunch he had forgotten and to watch him with the children he loved so. When the first explosions occurred, she thought them to be premature fireworks in celebration of her up-coming wedding that evening. She quickly realized that it was more than that and before she knew what was happening, the world around her was falling apart. Buried by a collapsing wall, she woke up laying next to several other girls she didn't know, naked and bound. Within a few hours she was roughly taken aboard a strange ship that had no sails and soon found herself vomiting violently as he stomach reacted to the ascent. After a few weeks of travel, she found herself in a line-up with other beautiful women, all naked, being leered at by a group of haughtily dressed men who were odd looking in their features, tall and skinny as if they hadn't eaten enough. She soon found herself in the Kral's harem and the night that she should have spent with her beloved Lothar in a passionate embrace became a night of rough and rude pain at the harsh and old hands of the Kral himself.
Thus begins the epic journey of Lothar and Lorelei, both thinking the other dead and trying anything that will allow them to live just one more day with the hope that they will find their loved one and end this nightmare. Lothar joins up with one of his bitterest enemies, Jo'tal Skyshaker of the Edthul Clan, the most war-like of the clans. Believing that they are the last of their kind, they struggle to survive, hounded by the Cleansers and their own hatreds. Lorelei realizes quickly that the only way to survive in the brutal and competitive world of the Kral's harem is to become the Kral's First and then avenge herself and her people by assassinating him as he sleeps in her arms.
Requiem for Caelus is the first book in the struggle for Lothar and Lorelei and those around them to adapt to their destroyed way of life and incorporate their magical talents into a world of starships and technology.
Home Page


text:
A Mirror in Medina
Photo: Worshippers hurry to the Prophet's (saw) mosque for Maghrib prayer. © Fareena Alam. Please do not re-use without permission and proper credit.
I realize that it has been months since we returned from our stirring journey through the two holy cities, but I sit here knowing that I am still writing this too soon. I had no idea that we had started a blog until I returned to America and began sifting through the plethora of emails I had received in the time I was gone. I sit assured that no time will ever come when I will feel like I am ready to talk about the tumultuous journey my heart followed during our Rihla.
We were one of the last groups there. The arrival was sudden and overwhelming. I had not left the states since I was three, and, specifically, I had imagined for so long what it would be like to visit the blessed city of my Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم). Sure, I had so often shuffled through the poetry so that I could let my mind wander to what the streets the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم) walked down, and what the trees he (صلي الله عليه و سلم) sat under. Nothing in the world could prepare me for what I was about to get into, which is something I realized much later. When we arrived there, it was straight to a cab, and on the cab ride to the hotel – I saw the minarets in the distance. SubhanAllah. I was left speechless, breathless, and filled with awe. I couldn't cry, I couldn't smile; I was completely outside of myself. For some reason, my brain could not comprehend where I was. I kept telling myself – this is what you came here for, to see the beautiful vision of the light that comes from the Prophet's صلي الله عليه و سلم masjid.
There I was and it was different. To be honest with you, I couldn't explain it then, and I really can't even do it now. As we started taking the field trips, it became impossible for me to deal with everything. It was immensely intense to imagine that these roads that I dare put my unworthy shoes on, or that my unworthy forehead prostrate on were the same roads that the blessed foot of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم) tread in his daily life. Suddenly, all those stories I had collected during my childhood, and my teenage years, and even in college were coming to life. I have been blessed to be able to attend the Seerah classes of Dr. Sherman Jackson at the ALIM program, and while Dr. Jackson did an amazing job of humanizing the seerah in the classroom, I relived the entire class, and Dr. Jackson came with me everywhere. His booming voice resounding in my head as I walked through the tranquil city.
Each day I would come home at night to our hotel room, having no idea how to handle this. I have had my share of tests in my life, and I have been through emotional situations, but nothing of this caliber. I slowly let the intensity build up, and as the intensity increased my capability to handle myself was diminishing. Finally, at the end of the first week, I couldn't take it anymore. Suddenly, the city had turned into an enormous microscope that allowed me to look at myself. My insides hung all over the town, and suddenly it seemed all my weaknesses had been revealed to me. That Friday, I broke down, and I was scared out of my mind. I had never felt so alone and so scared. I knew that I had been taken apart, I was unwoven, and I knew that all I had left to do was put myself back together.
The day I broke down was the first time I went to the Rawda and subhanAllah, because I could not bring myself to feel okay within the beautiful garden of the Rawdah. There were so many things that just made me realize that I was not worthy of this, and that there were so many people in the world that were more deserving of such a visit. I could not imagine bringing my face in front of the grave of my beloved Rasul (صلي الله عليه و سلم), but I had to. The man led us through the du'a to read in front of the grave, and after a list of salawat and salaams, he ordered us to say the most important thing I have ever said. There I was, standing in the middle of the city of the Prophet Muhammad (صلي الله عليه و سلم), son of Abdullah, and it was over 1425 years ago that someone was here, saying it for the first time. My lips barely spilled the words: Ashhadu an La ilaha illa Allah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasul Allah. That was it.
It didn't matter how many times in my life that I had said those words, but I just bore witness at the grave of the man who brought me the message that guided my life, the message that meant more to me than anything else which the Lord of the worlds created. Every other time I said it would be so secondary to the idea of bearing witness before the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم), because I knew then, that I could never betray those words. When I say betray, I don't mean by worshipping a Lord besides Allah, or that the love I have for the Rasul (صلي الله عليه و سلم) will diminish, because those things are in the hands of Allah, and I pray they are never taken away from me. My fear, which makes me tremble with every fiber in my being, is that I betray this with action. I fear I will not be actively preserving the message that our Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم) sent. I fear that I will betray the message the Prophet (صلي الله عليه و سلم) sent forth, and that I will not be the person I should be or that I can be. That one action of mine will be in contradiction to the declaration I made that day, and then I will be counted as someone who lied to the Prophet of Allah (صلي الله عليه و سلم).
I could spend a lifetime telling you about the beauty of the city of Medina, and the marvelous person the Prophet of Allah صلي الله عليه و سلم was, but you have so many sources for that, all of which can relate to you these things in a much more articulate and beautiful manner. Instead, I can tell you what happened to me when I tried to wrap my head around these sources, because something inside me tells me that I was never alone in my desperation. That the troubles I have are troubles of the heart, and that someone somewhere battles the same troubles. And the thought of the words I write reassuring someone somewhere that indeed, these problems are a test for many, is my principle motivation.
The image of everything that occurred in those twenty-one days is emblazoned in my mind. There is a light that forever shines within, which reminds me of the warm glow of the Prophet's صلي الله عليه و سلم mosque. There is a shade of gray that reminds me of the cosmic building the Sacred Mosque is. There is a smell, which I never hope to get rid of, that reminds me of the greatest human to have walked this earth. Each time I see a black sheet, I immediately remember the feel of the House of our Lord. When I see a crowd, I can't help but be reminded of the rush on Fridays at the Prophet's mosque صلي الله عليه و سلم, or the constant crowd surrounding the Ka'ba. Most of all though, each time I look in a mirror, I know that I am nothing but a small being, who once stood before the greatest man ever created (صلي الله عليه و سلم), and repented for all that I have done, and all that I will do. I am a small being, capable of enormous misdeeds. I am a small being, created by a Lord no one will ever comprehend. I am a small being, who has been given the greatest gift a human can receive. For that, this small being, wishes she could show enough gratitude, but I know in my heart of hearts, that it is a blessing I will never be fully grateful for. And for that, I repent again.
Lubna Grewal


text:
we had a very cool christmas card and blog banner created by vanessa at butterflysparks. if you haven't ordered your cards yet, click on over to her site.
i'm not revealing our christmas card until christmas day, but check out our new header!
props to tyler reagin for his photography skills. he's amazing, so if you need some photos done and you live in metro atlanta, call him!
here are just a few from the shoot...


text:
Rafael Nadal crushed Argentine fifth seed del Potro 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to enter the French Open final for the 11th time on Friday.
The Spaniard is just the second man in the Open Era to advance to 11 championship matches at a single Grand Slam, joining Roger Federer, who has won eight titles from 11 finals at Wimbledon.
Agency Inputs
Images: AP


text: Papeete (pronounced [pa.pe.ʔe.te][3]) is the capital of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the Pacific Ocean. The commune (municipality) of Papeete is located on the island of Tahiti, in the administrative subdivision of the Windward Islands, of which Papeete is the administrative capital. The French High Commissioner also resides in Papeete.[4] It is the primary center of Tahitian and French Polynesian public and private governmental, commercial, industrial and financial services, the hub of French Polynesian tourism and a commonly used port of call.[4] The Windward Islands are themselves part of the Society Islands. The name Papeete[Note 1] means "water from a basket".[5]


text:
memorial day pictures to put on facebook
USS ALABAMA BATTLESHIP MEMORIAL PARK location: rcc campus the holocaust memorial day trust (hmdt) is the charity that promotes and supports holocaust memorial day (hmd). 2703 Battleship Parkway 27 january is the day for everyone to remember the six. Mobile, AL 36602 today s national, local, international and offbeat news and opinion, expertly selected from across the best uk and global newspapers. To access Battleship Memorial Park from I-10, please use I-10 Exits 27/30 celebrate a legacy. Above: Commemorative Plaque on Building (32 West 40 Street, Manhattan, New York), The Engineers Club , was erected in memory of famous American Engineers who helped with a legacy. In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever com memorial website you will celebrate and honor the legacy of your loved one's life and inspire family and friends to do the same. Beneath these words, the 16th located in downtown washington, d. Memorial Hermann is the largest not-for-profit healthcare system in Texas c. We serve greater Houston with 13 hospitals, a network of affiliated doctors and many , the memorial honors martin luther king, jr. National War Memorial Monument commémoratif de guerre; The Response (La Réponse) Two Ceremonial Guard sentries at the National War Memorial in Ottawa WWII Memorial E-Store: A variety of high-quality memorial products are available from a commercial vendor through the link below s legacy and the struggle for freedom, equality, and justice. All purchase and information located along. See all the schedules for Memorial Day 2017 in Washington, DC, details on the special events, concerts, parade for Memorial Day in Washington, DC The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC honors those who died in the Vietnam War watch the national memorial day concert the sunday before memorial day. Their relatives and friends leave letters, poems, and photographs at the find out who s performing, view past performances and share a remembrance. Share our profile comments, graphics and pictures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest preliminary 2017 officer fatalities. Copy and paste image codes to Fubar, forums, tumblr, and your blog compare 2017 fatalities today to 2016 fatalities on this day. Events total fatalities: 51 ↑ 31% firearms-related: 17 ↓ 15% memorandum for the heads of exec depts and agencies subject: white house program for the national moment of remembrance 3 may 2000 as memorial day approaches, it is. Resident Information hillary clinton is facing new questions over whether she brought her personal doctor, lisa bardack, to the 9/11 memorial where she collapsed. Our Community the democratic candidate. Town Officials find out more about the history of memorial day, including videos, interesting articles, pictures, historical features and more. Town Departments get all the facts on history. Contact Us com yolocaust is a project by shahak shapira that explores our commemorative culture by combining selfies from the holocaust memorial in berlin with footage from nazi. Links slideshow: spartanburg firefighters free entrapped driver after crash slideshow: spartanburg firefighters free entrapped driver after crash the 2017 morton memorial day travel tournament will begin next week, running thursday may 25 through sunday may 28. Page maintained by: Town of New Hartford Information on the history and traditions of observing Memorial Day in the United States College Closed - Memorial Day game schedules have been posted here == http. Time: All Day Location: RCC Campus The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT) is the charity that promotes and supports Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD)


text:
Mikel Merino has reacted to his loan move to Newcastle United.
The midfielder today joined the club on a season-long loan from German club Borussia Dortmund.
Merino, 21, said: "It feels good and I'm very happy to be here, to be part of this club.
READ MORE: Newcastle United back away from midfielder deal
"I'm looking forward to touching the ball, meeting my new team-mates and starting to play football.
"I know it's a great club and a really nice city. I had different options, but I think this is the right place for me to play."
Merino also tweeted: "Really happy and proud of being part of the familly!
United manager Rafa Benítez added: "Mikel is a midfielder with talent, an Under-21 international for Spain.
"He's a good size, has quality on the ball and he's very, very focused and professional.
"Hopefully, he's the kind of player we can improve a lot. He certainly has the mentality to get better and better.
"He comes from a top side in Dortmund, and although he did not play too much last season, he was signed as a young, talented player and to be signed by a club like that shows that he has something good.
"He has to show what he has, and hopefully he can enjoy playing here for a long time."
Merino will trigger a permanent move to Newcastle if he plays a certain number of games this season.
"Mikel was not getting the playing time that he had hoped for given the range of high-quality options we have in the midfield positions," said Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc.
"We have therefore agreed to his wish and wish him all the very best for the coming season in England."
Merino is in Benitez's squad for tomorrow's game against Germany club Mainz at the Opel Arena.


text:
These old Japanese pottery Sake cups were made by Tanba Ware. It is a Blue Green Brown pottery process where the clay is covered with sand and then fired to a light brown glaze.
The original light blue glaze is developed with sand and poured on during the firing process set into the firewood only for a few days.
Tanba Ware originated approximately 800 years ago and has played an essential role in people's daily lives, as well as becoming sought after as artwork in recent years.
Its distinguishing feature is its simplicity and absence of decorative flourishes. It consists mainly of tableware made for daily use, made with a view to being a part of daily life.
Practical knowledge about daily life was drawn on in making Tanba-yaki pottery, so that the finished product is easy to use, and to the touch imparts a sense of the warmth of the earth and of the people.
I love the colours. So warm


text:
Stop and think . . .Ron Reese
What choices are staring you in the face right now?
How do you make choices? Do you make them based on what your parents and family members tell you to do? on what your friends say? or based on God's answers to your prayers?
Hot topic of the week
Hello everyone! What are some of your favorite things to do on Sabbath? I like to watch nature shows, listen to music, and read! :)
What do YOU think?
Click here join in the discussion.
Web Bonus
To Join or Not?
by Ron Reese
Right after graduation Josh faced a big decisionto join the Army or not.
Josh, Dan, and their friends had just finished talking to Rick, an Army recruiter. Rick had shared with them that if they wanted, they could all enlist on a buddy plan and take their basic training together.
"Wouldn't it be great if we could all go to boot camp together!" Dan exclaimed.
Josh and the others nodded that it would make the ordeal seem a bit more fun. Josh, his friend Dan, and their friends Tom, Rick, and Troy had always done everything together in high school. They'd gone out for the same sports. They took a lot of their classes together. They even decided to all work on the yearbook staff their senior year.
To Josh it seemed like the second half of his senior year was going by faster than any other time of his life. There were so many choices he needed to make, so many things that needed to be completed by the end of the year. It all seemed a bit overwhelming.
Then, on top of everything else, Josh had recently experienced something that his friends hadn't. During the past few months he'd decided to take Bible studies at a local church. The church had caught his interest because the people there kept Saturday as a day of worship.
Josh couldn't understand why any church would want to stick out like that, but after he studied with several of the youth and young adults, he believed that the Seventh-day Adventist believers he had met were right about keeping holy the 24-hour period between sundown Friday night and sundown Saturday night.
He was so impressed with the sincerity and the message of these Christians that he even tried to get his four buddies to come to the Bible studies and to church with him.
Dan told him, "Religion just isn't a part of me." His other friends gave him similar responses.
Jesus Christ was becoming most important in Josh's life. The whole thing about Christianity really seemed like something he'd always missed. Sure he'd enjoyed sports in high school, but now church was fast becoming something awesome that he hated to miss.
One afternoon Josh thought about what he was learning at the church, and what he had learned during his past four years in school. He realized that soon he'd graduate, and a different phase of his life would begin. In the past he'd thought about going off to college, but his buddies had persuaded him that first he ought to join up with them in the military.
"You can save your money and get your education in the military," Dan had assured him.
Saving money sounded like a good thing to do. Furthering his education was something he definitely wanted to do, so Josh began accepting the idea that maybe the military would be the best choice for him.
Timely topic
"Coming to Bible study?" asked Darrel, a guy his age from church, one Friday night.
"Wouldn't miss it," answered Josh.
Later than evening the two sat in a circle in their leader's living room.
"Tonight I'm going to share a few things with you regarding Christians and the Ten Commandments," announced their leader, Mr. Fry.
"Because several of you are approaching the age when you could join the military, I wanted you to think about a couple things before you make a decision that you might not be able to change as quickly as you'd like," he stated.
"Many years ago during the Vietnam War, I was drafted into the Army. There was no way I could get out of serving a two-year term. I had the hardest time keeping God's Sabbaths while I was in the Army. My superiors seemed to always try to make it extra hard for me to have time off with God on Saturdays.
"Because I believed in the Ten Commandments, I didn't believe I should have a part in killing the enemy. So instead I was what they called a conscientious objector. Because of that, I chose to never carry a gun. Instead, I was a medic. That's like a paramedic, only our ambulance could fly. We evacuated soldiers wounded in battle."
Mr. Fry went on to talk about the importance of keeping God's commandments. Josh had to admit that he appreciated being able to enjoy Sabbath services with the worship group on Friday nights and in church on Saturday. And he wasn't really sure whether or not he could kill another person simply because that person was dressed in an enemy uniform. As Josh left the study that evening, many questions ran through his head.
Responding to Rick
About a week later, Josh and his friends went in for some preliminary testing to get into the Army at the invitation of their recruiter friend, Rick. At the recruiting station they each told Rick what kind of education they wanted to pursue in the military.
Josh said he wanted to learn more languages. In high school he'd taken three years of French, and he'd had a year of German in middle school. He even had several friends, such as Dan, who spoke Spanish, and he'd learned a bit of that as well.
"Sounds like you could become an interpreter and possibly even a decoder," suggested the recruiter, a young man with a winning smile.
After Josh, Dan, and the rest of their friends took several of the tests, Rick asked some more questions including, "Are any of you conscientious objectors?"
Slowly Josh raised his hand.
"Now you know what I'm talking about when I say conscientious objector, right?" questioned Rick.
"Well, it means I don't believe in killing," the words slowly slipped out of Josh's mouth.
"Let me ask you a question," Rick tried to change the direction of the subject. "Suppose someone broke into your house, and they were going to harm your sisters and your mom. Now let's suppose you had a gun. What would you do?"
"Well, it's kind of hard to say," Josh slowly answered as his friends looked on. "I've never been in that situation, so I really can't say what would actually happen. I might not use the gun on the intruder . . . but I'd probably do what I could to protect my family."
Rick tried several other approaches, yet Josh still didn't feel right disobeying one of God's commands. As he left the classroom, Josh was still sweating, even though he was thankful that he'd spoken up and said what he was thinking.
Surreal dream
A few months later the time finally came for Josh and his friends to sign up for the Army. Right after graduation, Josh, Dan, Tom, Rick, and Troy went for a three-day trip to Fort Carson in the Eastern part of Colorado. At the fort the five guys were given rides in tanks, Humvees, and a helicopter. The sergeant showing them around even took them to an area where soldiers dressed like the old U.S. cavalry and rode on horses.
It seemed to Josh like the Army was trying quite hard to convince him and his four friends that they should sign up, which is what he and the others intended to do the next day.
That night, though, Josh had a dream. He dreamed that he and the others did go ahead and sign up for the Army. The dream seemed so real that he awoke in a cold sweat. Not until then had Josh fully thought through the decision he planned to make the next day.
Now he had a little better idea about what it was he was doing. In his dream he realized he was no longer his own person. He understood that he owed the government three years of his life. Suddenly he could see how hard it would be to keep the Sabbath in the military. He could see that down the road it might be hard for him to be a conscientious objector if he were placed in certain situations.
Josh did quite a bit of praying that night. It was as if his life were at stake over the choice he was about to make. While lying on the hotel bed that night, Josh made a decision.
The next day after each of the five guys had gotten their physicals, Josh informed his friends of his decision not to sign up.
"Ah, come on, Josh!" urged Dan. "We've always been together in everything!"
But Josh had made up his mind. It was as if he'd come to a fork in the road. Although not everyone approved of the choice he'd made, it was his choice—the one he felt comfortable making.
True, he and his friends had always stuck by each other, had always been there for each other. But as he took a glimpse at his future, he realized a basic fact that each of them had chosen to deny. Eventually each of his friends would probably get married and raise a family. Eventually their lives would diverge into separate paths.
No one could ever take away all the games he and his buddies had won and lost together. All those experiences they'd shared from the time they'd worked their way through grade school, middle school, and now high school had helped each of them become who they were.
A few weeks later, Josh said goodbye to his friends as they went away for their basic training. He wrote to each one of them and brought their names to his Bible study group for prayer.
A few months after his friends' departure, Josh heard that a guy who'd graduated from their school a couple years earlier had been killed in the war. Josh prayed that end would not be his friends' fate.
That fall Josh went to college. There he realized that life is all about choices. While he respected his friends and their choices to serve in the armed services, he respected himself for the choices he felt God wanted him to make for his life.
Ron Reese writes from Canton, North Carolina.


text:
Hello All! Today I am here to share my card for Kenny K's Krafty Krew Challenge
the challenge this week is: Strawberries & Cream
I have made this card for my cousin who recently lost her husband due to a stroke. They were a young couple just starting out. So this is a great shock to the whole family. I wanted to send her a sympathy card but instead decided to send her an encouraging card. She needs to be strong for herself and her two kids. I really hope she likes it.
Here is a close-up of Strong Island I have colored her with Copic Markers.
Ultimate Tool from Crafters Companion. Seriously so easy to make!
This weeks sponsors are:
I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
One Stop Craft -#192 Olympic Sports, Secret Crafter -#195 Olympic or Sporty, Sugar Creek Hollow - #21 All about Sports, Card Makin' Mamas -Recipe : 1 image, 2 papers, 3 embellishments (Flower, Buttons, Pearl Swirl), Inspire Me Fridays – Always Anything Goes, Phindy's Place -Button It, Poodles Parlour -Use a Digi Stamp, Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Anything goes, Paper Crafting Journey -Pearls & swirls, Sarah Hurley Challenges -Buttons
Thanks for stopping by:0)


text:
Foreword from ShareInvestor
This article "Is It Game Over For Midas Holdings?" by Cai HaoXiang was first published in The Business Times on 19 Feb 2018 and is reproduced in this blog in its entirety.
There were warning signs since 2017 after sell-offs caused shares to slump to all-time lows. Now, investors can only hope for clarity.
The script is all too familiar. A company makes grandiose promises to expand its business. Large sums are spent on new facilities. Unfortunately, the investments don't seem to lead to better cash flows or profitability. Debt grows.
One fine day, shares are suddenly halted, then suspended. Irregularities have been found. Analysts cease coverage.
Is it game over now for investors in Midas Holdings?
In the worst case scenario of lenders pulling the plug, minority shareholders might not have much. Equity stakes in Midas' subsidiaries and associates are either pledged away or embroiled in lawsuits.
Even if the company remains a going concern, there is uncertainty over the damage caused by potential fraudulent transactions. We now know that there are other corporations in China in which Midas subsidiaries have invested, which apparently have not been disclosed before.
So there is uncertainty over whether company assets can still be saved. The board is getting a China-based independent director (ID) to become the legal representative for all its China companies.
Seals for a number of key subsidiaries were originally held by Midas chief executive officer Patrick Chew and executive chairman Chen Wei Ping. The rights were then transferred to trusted lieutenants Ma Mingzhang and Sun Qixiang in the course of 2017. The stated reason was to reduce the need for the CEO and executive chairman to travel so much.
One can't say that shareholders haven't been warned. In 2017, Midas replied to Singapore Exchange (SGX) queries six times. Queries had escalated after a sell-off last November and December caused shares to slump to historic lows.
The Business Times also weighed in during a column published on Dec 4, 2017 ("Diversification, the Midas curse"). We pointed out, among other things, that a recent acquisition might be at too high a price. We also asked why it was taking so long for the company's diversification efforts to pay off.
In the new year, it was also clear that, price-wise, something odd was happening to Midas shares traded in Hong Kong.
What Is Going On?
To recap, Midas shapes aluminium pieces. Its customers include train manufacturers around the world, but especially in China where its key subsidiary is called Jilin Midas Aluminium Industries Co.
Midas also owns a 32.5 per cent stake in one such train maker, CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Rail Transport, otherwise known as NPRT.
In recent years, Midas spent billions of yuan to add new capacity to diversify its revenue sources. There were three initiatives.
First, for its existing train business, new capacity was added in a Luoyang plant as early as 2011. The relevant subsidiary is Luoyang Midas Aluminium Industries Co. It commenced commercial production in Q2 2015.
Second, new investments went into capacity to make aluminium plates and sheets for the car, shipbuilding and aviation industries. Again, investments were made as early as 2011. The relevant subsidiary is Jilin Midas Light Alloy Co.
Commercial production was initially meant to begin in 2015, was pushed back to 2016, and then 2017. Apparently, extensive technical checks had to be done to certify the products for commercial use. Maybe market conditions were weak.
Third, shareholders were significantly diluted as a result of a 2016 deal to acquire the Huicheng Group, a business making aluminium stretched plates for various industries.
Huicheng was an existing business of the executive chairman, who received a chunk of new Midasshares as payment. The relevant company is Dalian Huicheng Aluminium Co.
As Midas diversified, it received funding from a medium-term note programme established in 2013. In November 2016, it borrowed US$60 million. The lenders were its major customers, all linked to Hong Kong and Shanghai-listed CRRC Corporation, the main railway group in China.
Terms Of Agreement
With the benefit of hindsight, what triggered the latest sell-off might be the terms of an agreement entered into with the medium-term note lenders on Nov 21, 2017, terms only revealed on Dec 12, 2017.
As part of the deal, Mr Chen, the executive chairman, appeared to have been anxious to reassure the lenders.
For one thing, Midas pledged its equity stakes in Dalian Huicheng and NPRT. These two companies alone contributed more than half of the group's profit before tax for the nine months to Sept 30, 2017.
In addition, certain Midas subsidiaries had to provide a performance deposit, and also factor receivables. Mr Chen, as guarantor, undertook to pay an extension fee, and even roped in a personal friend to enter into a pledge.
Such nervousness points to a lack of confidence from CRRC in Midas's balance sheet. That's not a good sign.
What triggered the recent share suspension was something even more serious. On Feb 8, 2018, an announcement late at night revealed that freezing orders were discovered for shares in Dalian Huicheng, NPRT and Luoyang Midas. Jilin Midas, the main subsidiary, is also being sued to the tune of 30 million yuan (S$6.2 million). Another 12 million yuan for Midas's China subsidiaries were also frozen by court orders.
One can only speculate on what is happening here. Perhaps Midas was unhappy with the quality of goods from its suppliers, and refused to pay them. Suppliers sued. Such disputes can drag on.
If that were all to the story, and the sums above were all that Midas had at stake, it might yet survive.
But now, with previously undisclosed Midas-linked corporations in the picture, fraud is a concern.
Looking ahead, one big question is whether it will be business as usual at Midas. Will its customers and suppliers still have confidence in the firm?
Midas's debt and cashflow situation, already not in the best shape in 2017, might be worse than previously thought. Its negotiating power with customers might not be that strong, hence its high receivables.
Stories similar to Midas abound. Most do not end well.
The conclusion to this one has yet to be written, and the trading suspension might yet be a false alarm.
But all said, minority shareholders might want to take a prudent write-down on what has, at best, been a speculative China play.


text:
UPDATE: I've done 68 so far!
- Be in a Book Club
- Parasail, Paraglide or Para-something else
Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef Scuba Dive in the Ocean Be in a Boxing Match Swim with Dolphins Bungyjump Gamble in Vegas Climb the Eiffel Tower
- See the Pyramids
- Walk along the Great Wall of China
Go to the Ballet
- Party at the Rio Carnival
Go Snow Skiing
- Go to an Ice Bar
- Go to an Oxygen Bar
Party at a Mardi Gras Parade Ride in a Helicopter Go to a Huge Festival Cycle over the Golden Gate Bridge Visit a Japanese Onsen Go on a Cruise Watch sunrise in a Beautiful Place
- Be Part of La Tomatina in Valencia
- Be Part of a Flash Mob
- Be an Extra
Visit Niagara Falls Do a Cookery Course
- Make my Own Sushi
- Go on Safari
Use a Pottery Wheel Feel an Earthquake Ride an Elephant Visit a Fortune Teller
- Sunbathe on a Nudist Beach
Go Kayaking somewhere Beautiful Go Cave Tubing Meet under the Grand Central Station Clock
- Fly First Class (or Business!)
- Go Hunting
Party until Sunrise Skinnydip Catch and Cook my own Fish CouchSurf Watch the Vegas Bellagio Fountains Run for Charity
- Start a Family
Go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Go to the Edinburgh Hogmanay Get a Tattoo
- Break a World Record
See the Grand Canyon
- Milk a Cow
Eat strange foods- snails, frogs legs, crickets...
- Go to the Opera
Waltz with my Grandad
- Climb a (notable!) Mountain
- Visit Machu Pichu
- Blow Glass
Go Wine Tasting
- See the Taj Mahal
- Cook a Roast Dinner from Scratch
- Ride in a Hot Air Balloon
Do Yoga alone on the Beach Go to Hollywood
- Ride a Motorbike
Hike a Glacier
- Send a Message in a Bottle
- Own a Herb Garden
Play Digeridoo
- Participate in the Holi Festival
Learn the Alphabet in Sign Language See a NY Broadway Show Cuddle a Koala
- Do an Army Assault Course
- Visit a Concentration Camp
Surf a wave
- Bake a Creme Brulee
Dance in the Rain
- Ride a Segway
atch a chick hatch
- See the Aurora Borealis
Visit The Louvre
- Go Stand-Up Paddle Boarding
- Host a Cocktail Evening
Drink from a Beer Bong See Cirque Du Soleil
- Publish a Book
- Make an Igloo
Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge Ride a Camel Browse the Marrakesh Markets
- Visit the Colisseum in Rome
- Bake my own Bread
- Distill my own Alcohol
Start my own Business Teach Children
- Be in a Protest
Hitchhike Canter on a Horse Climb a Waterfall Try Wakeboarding or Waterskiing
- Give Blood
Vote Become a Lifeguard and know CPR
- Fast, for more than a couple of hours
Go Rock Climbing
- Make a Souffle
Swim in the Rain
- Try trapeze
Lounge in a Hot Spring
- Drink Absinthe in the Decadent way
- Fly a plane
Go to see a Movie alone Shoot a gun
- Sell my own Artwork


text:
Thinking of Selling? See how ASSIST2SELL can save you thousands!
Flat Fee. Full Service. Sell your home for $5995.*
*Broker co-op may apply
Homes above $800k, a 1% fee is charged
Sell Your Home For $5995 - How It WorksAt Assist2Sell, our mission is to bring down the high cost of selling a home and pass those savings back to you. We do that by charging a flat fee of $5,995 to sell your home. That flat fee includes all the services of a traditional agent, starting with an in-home consultation, professional photography, yard signs, lock boxes, scheduling showings, marketing and advertising. On top of that, your home is listed on the MLS, which pushes your home onto thousands of websites including Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com. With over 92% of homebuyers searching for homes on the internet, online exposure is critical to attracting buyers. But our services don't stop there. Our team stays with you, helping you understand inspections, contracts, negotiating offers and closing. A traditional listing agent would typically charge you a 6% commission for all those services. On a $450,000 home sale, that adds up to $13,500! At Assist2Sell, we offer the same service for only $5,995. That's $7,505 in savings, keeping your equity where it belongs; in your pocket! At Assist2Sell, we're changing the way homes are sold!
Save Money. Preserve Your Equity.
*By law, all commissions are negotiable. Savings is compared to the traditional 6% commission. Homes over $800k fees may vary. Homes under $300k fees may be less. Call us for details.
What's Your Home Worth?
Free market report of your home


text: Ashton Ridge Classic Collection is one of the leading communities in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. Explore the great amenities and homes offered in this development from over 0 of the top builders in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Whether you opt to build from the ground up, or explore the move in ready homes at Ashton Ridge Classic Collection you'll be home in no time. Let NewHomeSource guide you in your home search when you filter by price, and bed/bath count to find the home that's right for you.


text:
The complexities of the Great Pyramid's design and construction could not have been deciphered without the aid of 3-D imaging software. (Dassault Systemes)
How to Build a Pyramid Volume 60 Number 3, May/June 2007
by Bob Brier
Hidden ramps may solve the mystery of the Great Pyramid's construction.
Of the seven wonders of the ancient world, only the Great Pyramid of Giza remains. An estimated 2 million stone blocks weighing an average of 2.5 tons went into its construction. When completed, the 481-foot-tall pyramid was the world's tallest structure, a record it held for more than 3,800 years, when England's Lincoln Cathedral surpassed it by a mere 44 feet.
We know who built the Great Pyramid: the pharaoh Khufu, who ruled Egypt about 2547-2524 B.C. And we know who supervised its construction: Khufu's brother, Hemienu. The pharaoh's right-hand man, Hemienu was "overseer of all construction projects of the king" and his tomb is one of the largest in a cemetery adjacent to the pyramid.
What we don't know is exactly how it was built, a question that has been debated for millennia. The earliest recorded theory was put forward by the Greek historian Herodotus, who visited Egypt around 450 B.C., when the pyramid was already 2,000 years old. He mentions "machines" used to raise the blocks and this is usually taken to mean cranes. Three hundred years later, Diodorus of Sicily wrote, "The construction was effected by mounds" (ramps). Today we have the "space alien" theory--those primitive Egyptians never could have built such a fabulous structure by themselves; extraterrestrials must have helped them.


text:
I'm implementing a new regular feature to Uncommon Sense today. I'll try to run it every day, but that is a goal set in pudding at this point. It's the Money Quote of the Day! Stop back here often to see who in the Catholic universe gets a gold star for linguistic brilliance.
Today's winner is "liberty" at GetReligion.org's story The Buck Stops with Benedict.
Here is liberty's Money Quote of the Day.
"Call me crazy – but I thought the media's job was to accurately report the facts.
"The elaborate contortions many in the media are going through to try and create links to the Pope has destroyed any confidence I had in the media.
"The lowlight for me was when the NYT used a Yahoo machine translation of a set of notes that were initially in Italian. They used this bad translation in order to attack the Pope in a story that has been proven inaccurate – but has not (to my knowledge) been corrected. I guess that use of a really bad translation served the purpose of tying the Pope to the issue – but it did not serve to accurately report the facts."
Thank you, liberty. You get it.


text:
Hello family and friends again another week has gone by. I got to call home on Sunday and talk with the family for a bit. That was the best! This week has been great I could not have asked for a better week. (Mom I feel very happy about this week...is that better?)
Thursday we went out to Tewkebury and had a good lesson with a 19 year old named Zak. Then our bus just didn't show up so we had to sit around and wait forever and we then went to young mens and had a nerf gun fight in the church. That was alot of fun!! I hope they do that more.
Friday we did service for an old lady again. Then we had a flat check. Oh my goodness longest flat check ever. She was looking at every single place on the floor, the sink, the shower... oh my gosh. But we did pass so that's good. But oh man that took forever, I wish I timed it. Let's just say it was long. They we had weekly planning and went to a member's house for dinner. It was very good hamburgers so a nice American meal.
Saturday we had a lesson with an Indian man named Dayarum. He hardly spoke any English to us so it was kinda funny. The lesson was alright he wants us to come back so we shall see how that goes. We then went by some former investigators and then went to a members so elder Webber could skype home. He was very happy to skype his family.
Sunday we had church it was good very nice just sat back and listened had an investigator come for a bit that's always nice. We then went to the Greaves for lunch and a meeting eith the branch president. He wants us to start working with the young single adults. We have 21 YSA. So I'm looking forward to working with young single adults. We then went to the Barnes and I got to skye home. It was awesome to hear from thenm. Sounds like things haven't really changed at all.
Overall it was a very good week. Tonight I get the call if I stay in Evesham or not. I hope and pray that I do.
Love you all and miss you all very much!
Elder Doty


text:
Working Long Hours and Having No Choice: Time Poverty in Guinea
Download full text from publisher
As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.
Other versions of this item:
- Bardasi, Elena & Wodon, Quentin, 2009. "Working long hours and having no choice : time poverty in Guinea," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4961, The World Bank.
References listed on IDEAS
- Tania Burchardt, 2008. "Time and Income Poverty," CASE Reports casereport57, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
- Wodon, Quentin & Beegle, Kathleen, 2006. "Labor Shortages Despite Underemployment? Seasonality in Time Use in Malawi," MPRA Paper 11083, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- Alan Gelb, 2001. "Gender and Growth : Africa's Missed Potential," World Bank Other Operational Studies 9789, The World Bank.
- Haddad, Lawrence, 1999. "The income earned by women: impacts on welfare outcomes," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 135-141, March.
- Apps, Patricia, 2003.
"Gender, Time Use and Models of the Household,"
IZA Discussion Papers
796, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Apps, Patricia, 2004. "Gender, time use, and models of the household," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3233, The World Bank.
- Patricia Apps, 2003. "Gender, Time Use and Models of the Household," CEPR Discussion Papers 464, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Research School of Economics, Australian National University.
- C. Mark Blackden & Quentin Wodon, 2006. "Gender, Time Use, and Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Bank Publications, The World Bank, number 7214, December.
- Christiaensen, Luc & Scott, Christopher & Wodon, Quentin, 2002. "Poverty Measurement and Analysis," MPRA Paper 45362, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- Maria Sagrario Floro & Marjorie Miles, 2003. "Time use, work and overlapping activities: evidence from Australia," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 27(6), pages 881-904, November.
- Hoddinott, John & Haddad, Lawrence, 1995. "Does Female Income Share Influence Household Expenditures? Evidence from Cote d'Ivoire," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 57(1), pages 77-96, February.
- Haddad, Lawrence, 1999. "The income earned by women: impacts on welfare outcomes," Agricultural Economics of Agricultural Economists, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 20(2), March.
CitationsCitations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
Cited by:
- Benvin, Evelyn & Rivera, Elizabeth & Tromben, Varinia, 2016. "A multidimensional time use and well-being index: a proposal for Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Uruguay," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), April.
- Pierre-Richard AGENOR & Otaviano CANUTO, 2012.
"Access to Infrastructure and Women's Time Allocation: Evidence and a Framework for Policy Analysis,"
Working Papers
- Pierre-Richard AGENOR & Otaviano CANUTO, 2012. "Access to Infrastructure and Women's Time Allocation: Evidence and a Framework for Policy Analysis," Working Papers P45, FERDI.
- Marilyn Power, 2013. "A social provisioning approach to gender and economic life," Chapters,in: Handbook of Research on Gender and Economic Life, chapter 1, pages 7-17 Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Canuto, Otaviano & da Silva, Luiz Pereira, 2014.
"On gender and growth: The role of intergenerational health externalities and women's occupational constraints,"
Structural Change and Economic Dynamics,
Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 132-147.
- Agenor, Pierre-Richard & Canuto, Otaviano & da Silva, Luiz Pereira, 2010. "On gender and growth : the role of intergenerational health externalities and women's occupational constraints," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5492, The World Bank.
- Greg Seymour & Maria S. Floro, 2016. "Identity, Household Work, and Subjective Well-Being among Rural Women in Bangladesh," Working Papers id:11520, eSocialSciences.
- Daniela Campus & Gianna Giannelli, 2016.
"Is the Allocation of Time Gender Sensitive to Food Price Changes? An Investigation of Hours of Work in Uganda,"
Working Papers - Economics
wp2016_16.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
- Campus, Daniela & Giannelli, Gianna Claudia, 2016. "Is the Allocation of Time Gender Sensitive to Food Price Changes? An Investigation of Hours of Work in Uganda," IZA Discussion Papers 10376, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Daniela Campus & Gianna Claudia Giannelli, 2017. "Is the allocation of time gender sensitive to food price changes? an investigation of hours of work in Uganda," CHILD Working Papers Series 53 JEL Classification: J1, Centre for Household, Income, Labour and Demographic Economics (CHILD) - CCA.
- Meurs, Mieke & Slavchevska, Vanya, 2014. "Doing it all: Women's employment and reproductive work in Tajikistan," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 786-803.
- Seymour, Gregory & Floro, Maria S., 2016. "Identity, household work, and subjective well-being among rural women in Bangladesh," IFPRI discussion papers 1580, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
- repec:eee:rensus:v:81:y:2018:i:p1:p:669-681 is not listed on IDEAS
- Parra Osorio, Juan Carlos & Wodon, Quentin, 2010. "Gender, Time Use, and Labor Income in Guinea: Micro and Macro Analyses," MPRA Paper 28465, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- Gouse, Marnus & Sengupta, Debdatta & Zambrano, Patricia & Zepeda, José Falck, 2016. "Genetically Modified Maize: Less Drudgery for Her, More Maize for Him? Evidence from Smallholder Maize Farmers in South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 27-38.
- Minh Cong Nguyen & Quentin Wodon, 2012. "Measuring child marriage," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 32(1), pages 398-411.
- Naidu, Sirisha C., 2011. "Rural Livelihoods, Forest Access and Time Use: A Study of Forest Communities in Northwest India," MPRA Paper 31060, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- Minh Cong Nguyen & Quentin Wodon, 2015. "Global and Regional Trends in Child Marriage," The Review of Faith & International Affairs, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 6-11, September.
- Diksha Arora, 2014. "Gender Differences in Time Poverty in Rural Mozambique," Working Paper Series, Department of Economics, University of Utah 2014_05, University of Utah, Department of Economics.
- Hobbes, Marieke & De Groot, Wouter T. & Van Der Voet, Ester & Sarkhel, Sukanya, 2011. "Freely Disposable Time: A Time and Money Integrated Measure of Poverty and Freedom," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 2055-2068.
- Jason R. Williams & Yuta J. Masuda & Heather Tallis, 2016. "A Measure Whose Time has Come: Formalizing Time Poverty," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(1), pages 265-283, August.
More about this item
KeywordsTime use; employment; underemployment; poverty; Guinea;
StatisticsAccess and download statistics
All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:femeco:v:16:y:2010:i:3:p:45-78. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Chris Longhurst). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/RFEC20 .
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
If CitEc recognized a reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.


text:
Journal of Aging Research
Volume 2015, Article ID 542183, 3 pages
Active and Healthy Ageing and Independent Living
1Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University and R&D, Federico II University Hospital, Italy
2Roessingh Research and Development, Telemedicine Group, Enschede, Netherlands
3University of Twente, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Telemedicine Group, Enschede, Netherlands
4Centre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation, St. Finbarr's Hospital, University College Cork, Ireland
5CIRFF, Center of Pharmacoeconomics, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
6Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
7Department of Computing Science, Umeå University, Sweden
Received 27 April 2015; Accepted 27 April 2015
Copyright © 2015 Maddalena Illario et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
How to Cite this Article
Maddalena Illario, Miriam Vollenbroek-Hutten, David William Molloy, Enrica Menditto, Guido Iaccarino, and Patrik Eklund, "Active and Healthy Ageing and Independent Living," Journal of Aging Research, vol. 2015, Article ID 542183, 3 pages, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/542183.


text:
This time last week I was all for getting a bit more snappy with my blogging - I'd only made four posts in January so far, I was really feeling like I wanted to pick up the pace with the beginning of the school year imminent. I had spent Thursday making a little softie for a new baby and even managed to wrangle the increasingly geriatric DSLR into taking some pictures as I went along.
And then last Friday the smallest one wasn't well and needed my care and attention over the weekend...and before we knew it it was Monday already and time to do this with the five year old.
The first day at school - a momentous occasion for the parents, maybe not so much for the boy. He was keen to go and no tears were shed on the day. We shed a few together the night before at bedtime. He confessing he would miss me as we went over again the fact that it was a five day a week deal, me just crying about the enormity of it all and not really wanting to let my little pre-schooler go to the next phase of his little life. Ahhh, if you think about it hard enough and reflect on all that you have done over the last five years to get your kid to this point then you are bound to have a few tears trickle down your face. I'd be surprised if you didn't.
And then it wasn't just tears coming down, it was rain. It's been bucketing down in Brisbane, everything is soggy, we can't walk to school anymore, the washing won't dry, the bathroom and the laundry smell and I am starting to see the dreaded mould popping up in a few places. My new hang out has been the laundromat for the services of a clothes dryer.
Gosh, if it doesn't rain, it pours. I've written this past week off and am looking forward to a better one after a recovery weekend.
Friday, January 27, 2012
The week that was
Posted by Caroline at 4:17 PM
2 comments:
- Wendy Sice said...
Oh, the rain! We've only had one day of it here, so you guys must be struggling big time! xx
- January 27, 2012 at 6:31 PM
- Bungalowgirl said...
Oh Caroline, Accident + baby= nervous breakdown! When Liongirl was about 4 months old I was dropping the boy at childcare and she was in the car capsule. I put it down on a bench and it tipped off and landed upside down- she was strapped in but still donked her head. I swore in front of the whole class of 3 year olds and left the teachers to try and explain why I said Oh shooooot! Luckily she was ok but it was horrific. Glad you are all back home and hope prep is going well for your number one. melx
- January 27, 2012 at 9:10 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text: I'm currently in my last year at the University of Waterloo, studying Math/Finance. I created this blog to share my random snippets of writing with you all, and I'm hoping to post updates at least once a week while I'm in school. For now, the content will be pretty random – just some of my opinions about the things I've come across, pieces of creative writing, etc. I really hope you enjoy! :')


text:
Miss Elaine
Long Sleeve Printed Pajama Set
Details https://www.belk.com/p/miss-elaine-long-sleeve-printed-pajama-set/2100014416107.html
Orig. $62.00$23.49 23.49
Additional Information
Stay amazingly warm all night long in this cute printed pajama set. Featuring long sleeves and cozy matching pants, this comfy combo will become one of your favorite things to slip into.
- 2-piece set
- Top: 27-in. L, notch collar, long set-in sleeves
- Approximately 29-in. inseam
- Machine washable
- Polyester/Cotton
Shipping Details
Shipping Details
Shipping your purchase is easy at belk.com. Depending on your shipping method and the destination of your package, you can expect it to arrive within 4-7 business days Shipping Information.
Return Details
Returns are easy at belk.com. Easy returns


text:
Guidecraft products now available in Canada at amazing prices! Save big on expensive US shipping costs, customs brokerage and duty fees.
We sell Guidecraft products for much less than the big retailers and even eBay vendors in Canada, and are authorized Guidecraft vendors in Canada.
Click http://www.kidworld.ca/guidecraft/index.cfm
We currently carry the following Guidecraft products in Canada:


text:
Stalker Creepers Mod Available for Single- and Multiplayer, requires FML. Video: Installation: Install Minecraft Forge Extract the contents of /setup/ in the downloaded archive into your ./minecraft folder Changelogs: Update to MC 1.8 Download Stalker Creepers Mod For 1.8 http://www.dl3.5minecraft.net/download.php?file=7ac37fcd8ea9a6688c79bd420f5bfeab Old version http://www.dl3.5minecraft.net/download.php?file=68fc5e8d7c34913cd7e498485599d3af For 1.7.10 http://www.dl3.5minecraft.net/download.php?file=0c7ba8e30a07975b7a841e8a8c5b7648 For 1.7.2 http://www.dl3.5minecraft.net/download.php?file=9b302548fbc03696576235887b1a8753 For 1.6.4 …Read More »
Battle Towers Mod 1.8/1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Battle Towers Mod Changes from Kodaichi's original, maintained by freakstritch: Completely rewritten Tower Spawning to properly work in most cases There is 6 Types of Towers now 3 spawn depending on their underground (Sand, Ice, Water) Battle Towers now have actual staircases Adjusted Items and Blocks in Chests Rewritten Golem …Read More »
Pet Bat Mod 1.8/1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Pet Bat Mod Pet Bat mechanisms: If not fighting, will always follow and remain close to the owner If owner isn't present (left server), remains where he last was Tries and finds a hanging spot if it can, will not leave whatever area it is in Can be startled from …Read More »
Simply Hax Mod 1.8/1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Simply Hax Mod Simply Hax are plain cheating/utility modifications, which, unlike pretty much all other cheat mods, should not interfere with notch classes. Thus, they should be compatible with anything that isn't another cheat mod doing the same thing. Simply Hax Inventory: Keep your items on death! Works SSP only …Read More »
Multi Mine Mod 1.8/1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Multi Mine Mod Video: Installation: Install Minecraft Forge Extract the contents of /setup/ in the downloaded archive into your ./minecraft folder Changelogs: Update to MC 1.8 Download Multi Mine Mod For 1.8 http://www.dl3.5minecraft.net/download.php?file=83bfea15b00953f5856c6565779fa305 For 1.7.10 http://www.dl3.5minecraft.net/download.php?file=55d1a8b9e810b1d0869e02dcce89c2ec For 1.7.2 http://www.dl.9minecraft.net/index.php?act=dl&id=1390104337 For 1.6.4 http://dl2.5minecraft.net/download.php?file=d89493d209edff5a605344d470ce5cf2 For 1.6.2 http://dl2.5minecraft.net/download.php?file=dbdcc8b2d7e0b4f9194d01dd87dd42c7 For 1.5.2 http://dl2.5minecraft.net/download.php?file=c6b1b221b8dfff63641778acb942cafa Credits: AtomicStrykerRead More »
Infernal Mobs Mod 1.8/1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Infernal Mobs Mod This mod randomly imbues spawning Living Things in the World with Diablo-style random Enchantments, making them much harder and much more rewarding to kill. They also drop the quadruple amount of xp and a random enchanted item. Video: Installation: Install Minecraft Forge Download Infernal Mobs Mod Just …Read More »
Dynamic Lights Mod 1.8/1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
'Dynamic Lights Mod This modification makes 'shining' items (default: Torch, Glowstone, Glowdust, Lit Pumpkin, Redstone, Lava Bucket, powered Minecart) illuminate everything around them if The player has them equipped (in hand/armor) They are dropped on the ground Another player has them equipped in Multiplayer On top of that, burning …Read More »
Ruins Mod 1.8/1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Ruins Mod Ruins is a mod that spawns Structures in your Minecraft worlds upon generation, similar to Villages or Strongholds. Every Structure is defines by a template and configured to spawn under specific conditions, and all of that can be changed by you! There is a lot of Structures already …Read More »
Ropes + Mod 1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Ropes + Mod 1.7.10 What this mod does: It is a merged and enhanced version of the 3 above mods. Changes include: Added new elemental Arrow, the Rope Arrow, which on Impact attempts to spawn a falling Rope (max 32 lenght) Rope Arrow against wall creates wallmounted Rope, hit against …Read More »
The Necromancy Mod 1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.2/1.5.2/1.4.7
The Necromancy Mod 1.7.10 This mod is all about necromancy. Also known as the art of reanimation. using this mod, you can reanimate slain foes and use your minions to rule the world! (of minecraftia). Screenshots: Recipes: First things first. you need to get some blood. In order to harvest …Read More »
Magic Yarn Mod 1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Magic Yarn Mod 1.7.10 Introduces a new Item to Minecraft, the Ball of Magic Yarn. It is crafted by surrounding a Compass with Wool (any kind). Note: In Multiplayer, you can't craft this Item. You use a button instead, by default "J". Button can be customized in auto-created file under …Read More »
Kenshiro Mod 1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Kenshiro Mod 1.7.10 Unleashing rage only possible with bare chest and empty hands. Drains a lot of stamina / hunger. For real men only. You know that you can use Kenshirawesome if you see your second fist waiting on the lower screen edge. Hit entities movement and attack strenght will …Read More »
Finder Compass Mod 1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Finder Compass Mod 1.7.10 What this mod does: Diamonds within a certain range and in your height region appear on your standard compass. If there are multiple, it always points to the closest one. It will by default _not_ point to diamonds "above the ceiling" or "below the floor". If …Read More »
Minions Mod 1.7.10/1.7.2/1.6.4/1.6.2/1.5.2
Minions Mod 1.7.10 By now, many great extensions of the Minecraft gameplay exist (such as Industrialcraft, Buildcraft….) but they have one common weakness. They usually require you to amass X resources before you can make use of the advanced stuff. The process of mining down and then stripmining for raw …Read More »


text:
Rosie is in somewhat of a routine now that she is three months old. She wakes up in the morning and after eating she usually goes back down for a long nap (2-3 hours). Each time she wakes up, I look forward to being the one who picks her up out of her swing because I am greeted by the
Of course we have hundreds of these cheesy grin of photos by now but here are a few that I love.
Other times we can catch a sweet Rosie smile are during a diaper change, while giving her a bath, and always when she is talking to her daddy.
Happy 3 months little lady! You are becoming cuter and more fun each day.


text:
We are ONE28 — the student ministry of Foothill Bible Church!
Our name is derived from Colossians 1:28, which says,
"Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." (ESV)
The mission that Paul lays out for his own ministry is what drives our ministry. Discover more about us and see what's on the calendar for this week.


text:
Continuing in the fine tradition of this blog, I would be remiss if I didn't add The Big Lebowski to my existing collection of film-inspired business wisdom. Previous entries include Working Girl, The Princess Bride, and Ghostbusters (an ode to Harold Ramis).
We all know Jeff Bridges finally earned himself a shiny little gold man named Oscar back in 2010 for Crazy Heart. But personally, I think The Big Lebowski is Bridges's magnum opus regarding memorable one-liners that also function as business-world advice.
Seriously, this movie has it all: the delirious genius of the Coen brothers, White Russians (the alcoholic drink, which The Dude also refers to as a "Caucasian"), nihilists, and bowling as a lifestyle. Additionally, a splendid gaggle of actors (including Steve Buscemi, John Goodman, and John Turturro) provides slacker Jeff Lebowski (The Dude himself) with ample opportunity to achieve maximum underachievement.
The film's storyline is a profane romp of mistaken identity and modern Chandleresque potboiler. (There is another Jeffrey Lebowski, a crusty, old millionaire with a porn-star trophy wife–he's the BIG Lebowski.)
Are you ready to be "bowled over" by the hidden wisdom of The Dude and his bowling buddies, Walter and Donny? Additional trivia related to this unforgettable film follows way below the fold:
Above All, The Dude Abides (And So Should You): It's quite possible that Jeff Lebowski is the ultimate human resources manager. This famous phrase is his alone, the ultimate in zen philosophy. And what does it mean to abide?
My trusty Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary offers multiple definitions, but the one that seems most appropriate is this: "to endure without yielding: withstand."
Rather than taking sides or favoring one employee or peer over another, the best way to remain as neutral as Switzerland is to work this "Dudeism" into your professional vocabulary.
Here's a profoundly righteous interpretation of The Dude's words via the IMBd website:
"'The Dude abides' is a reference to Ecclesiastes 1:4, 'One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth abides forever.' It is a reference to how The Dude, much like the Earth, can weather change and chaos around him, but still remain the same."
Because after all,
"The Dude abides. I don't know about you, but I take comfort in that…" (The Stranger)
But Sometimes You Have to Mind, Rather Than Abide: There will be times in your work life when you need to circumvent a potential altercation or collective dissent among the troops. Rather than clamping down on people in an angry way, follow the Dude's more laid-back lead and let them know that you mind.
For my political-junkie readers, you'll be pleased to know The Dude (and the Coen brothers) borrowed from remarks President George H.W. Bush made back in 1990 ("This aggression will not stand…") in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Here's how you talk the talk with your disgruntled employees, Lebowski style:
"I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, ya know, this aggression will not stand, man." (The Dude)
Allow Jackie Treehorn to Be Your Visionary Role Model (And Pimp): If The Dude is the mindful and zen-like HR manager, then Jackie Treehorn (the superb Ben Gazzara) is the brash and hungry marketing executive. He's your basic ruthless pornographer and loan shark posing as a more genteel businessman.
But Mr. Treehorn (hmm, how many ways could we interpret that surname?) is a man who foresees his industry's progression. He welcomes the opportunity to tap into the future without any hesitation or regrets.
Here is Jackie Treehorn in action (circa 1991 Los Angeles), dragging The Dude into the modern world of advancing technology:
"Interactive erotic software. The wave of the future, Dude. One hundred percent electronic!"
(Of course, The Dude gently reminds this sleazy prophet that some processes are best handled [my very bad!] in a traditional way: "Yeah well, I still jerk off manually." If I've offended you, so be it.)
In Business, As in Life, You Must Be Prepared to Be Eaten by Bears (And Bars): This is not the actual quote–I'm saving it for the end of this section. It's said by the movie's narrator, known as The Stranger. But trust me, you'll recognize his voice immediately. (By film's end you see that it's gravelly-voiced actor Sam Elliott.)
The most amusing thing about this bit of advice is that since The Stranger is a Texas cowboy, it's hard to tell whether he's saying "bar" or "bear." Here's the video clip–you decide!
Regardless, being aware that karma can be a "bear" and that sometimes you will not always be the winner (of a new project, account, client, or customer) is a pragmatic philosophy:
"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you."
(Honestly, does business advice come gift-wrapped any better than this carnivorous line?)
Other Outstanding Quotes from The Big Lebowski:
"…I'm talking about drawing a line in the sand, Dude. Across this line, you DO NOT… Also, Dude, Chinaman is not the preferred nomenclature. Asian-American, please." (Walter)
"This is a very complicated case, Maude. You know, a lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous. And, uh, a lotta strands to keep in my head, man. Lotta strands in old Duder's head." (The Dude)
"Your revolution is over, Mr. Lebowski. Condolences. The bums lost. My advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose. Do you hear me, Lebowski?" (Said by the Big Lebowski to The Dude)
"By the way, do you think that you could give me that $20,000 in cash? My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax…" (The Dude)
Finally, here is Walter's eulogy for the dearly departed Donny (before scattering his ashes into the Pacific Ocean):
"Donny was a good bowler, and a good man. He was one of us. He was a man who loved the outdoors… and bowling, and as a surfer he explored the beaches of Southern California, from La Jolla to Leo Carrillo and… up to… Pismo. He died, like so many young men of his generation, he died before his time. In your wisdom, Lord, you took him, as you took so many bright flowering young men at Khe Sanh, at Langdok, at Hill 364. These young men gave their lives. And so would Donny. Donny, who loved bowling. And so, Theodore Donald Karabotsos, in accordance with what we think your dying wishes might well have been, we commit your final mortal remains to the bosom of the Pacific Ocean, which you loved so well. Good night, sweet prince."
By now you've probably figured out that The Big Lebowski is a genuine cult film. If you've never seen the movie, give it a whirl the next time it shows up on a premium (without commercials) or regular (with plenty of commercials) cable channel. Better yet, stream it for free online!
Other indicators The Big Lebowski is firmly entrenched under the circus's big top include Dudeism.com (The Church of the Latter-Day Dude) and the annual multi-city Lebowski Fest, which originated in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2002. There's also a British version of this festival, Lebowski Fest UK.
Are you a fan of the Coen brothers' The Big Lebowski? If so, what favorite "Dudeism" of yours did I neglect to include in this post? If The Dude were to become the CEO of a corporation, what type of business do you think he would run? Newbies, please be advised: There is a ton of profanity in The Big Lebowski. It's quite possible that Ethan and Joel Coen are huge David Mamet fans…
Lori Shapiro is the owner of By All Writes LLC, a business-to-business (B2B) writing, editing, and research company in Marlton, New Jersey. She revels in shielding her clients from the pain of writing their own print and web marketing or educational copy. Please call Lori Shapiro at 856-810-9764 or email By All Writes LLC at firstname.lastname@example.com for a no-obligation project quote today!


text:
The idea of the game is to accurately position the missing letter from a varying sized, type-oriented word as it falls down the screen, just as Tetris works. It is great to see games made by graphic designers for graphic designers. KERN is, in fact, one of a series of design-oriented applications made by US design studio FORMation for the iPhone. I have not purchased this game yet because I am cheap and seem to stray away from paying for applications. I also do not have the time to play them, but it seems lik a lot of fun, so I'll give it a recommendation.
Below are a few snapshots of the game, so you can get a feel for the gameplay and interface.


text:
GOP Freshman Says Budget Deal Only Cuts $352 Million
Well now. Seeing that The Troops aren't worth fighting over - see Obama and Reid - this cut is better than nothing. Right? Left? Moderate?
Fox News senior producer Chad Pergram reports from Capitol Hill:
As we know, there are dozens of ways to move decimal points and calculate budget and spending numbers. But here is a new one. Freshman Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., says that the CR that the House is expected to vote on tomorrow will only save $352 million, compared to the $38.5 billion that the House GOP leadership says.
Here's how he arrives at that figure:
According to the Congressional Budget Office, total outlays for the ORIGINAL CR (which ran from October 1, 2010 through March 4, 2011) were $1.289483 trillion. But when you compare that figure under the new CR, set to be voted on tomorrow in the House, the total outlays come in at $1.289131 trillion.
By that measure of comparison, the savings between what they spent in the first CR, which was law until March 4, and the new CR, which could prospectively become law later this week for the rest of the fiscal year, is only $352 million.
Huelskamp describes this as "phantom savings." Ironically, according to Huelskamp, the figure of outlays in the $61 billion CR that the House approved in mid-February come in at $1.280260 trillion.
Here's why: Some of the money comes in the form of rescissions (Congress cutting money already allocated), highway money, military construction and census dollars that weren't targeted to be used anyway. So Huelskamp argues that the problem is that the cuts don't amount to very much.
Here's the takeaway:
Huelskamp was a no on the interim CR Saturday morning and is expected to be a no tomorrow. This is one more example of how skittish many freshmen GOPers, many with Tea Party backing, who are gravely concerned about this bill and are thinking of voting no.
The Snooper Report
Join us as we Take Our Country Back
Sic vis pacem para bellum
Fight Accordingly


text:
Why haven't I been posting?
This busy busy bumble bee is hard at work with quite a few things going on.
First on the list is doctor visiting.
My Fridays are being eaten away very quickly with doctor's visits.
Second, taxes are due and well I'm not quite done yet.
Planning a wedding in less than two months is reason number 3.
Last but not least, the little creature growing inside of me hasn't always been the nicest.
Nausea still continues, but it hasn't been as bad as of late.
Also, I'm going to be planning a dye day for my hungry drum carder. :D Yay for batts.
Hopefully after my OBGYN appointment Friday, there will be more news to give.
It will probably be a few more weeks until we find out what this little bugger is.
It could be a boy, girl, sea monkey, mutant, or even a mutant sea monkey.


text: I read (actually listened to) Stephen Kings book 11/22/63. I try to avoid any information about the book before I read it, so time traveling came as a surprise. Book was interesting all the way but "mandatory romance" was really clumsy. I have to say that King did a bad job at the sex scenes. Usually King doesn't have to many cliches but this book especially romance had lots of them Other than that very enjoyable. What do you think?