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Jared posted a gallery image in Member's Album
Revelations 2012 GETTING A SEQUEL?
Ludono posted a topic in General Game DiscussionYou may all remember the wonderful gaming gem that was Revelations 2012. A deep and riveting game set during the Mayan apocalypse featuring fantastic 4-player co-op and was TOTALLY not shameless using another game's engine... REGARDLESS. After finishing the first game with several of my fellow GPers (905 and Pixel amongst a few others) we did what undoubtedly everyone who'd played the game had done. Asked ourselves if we would be graced with a sequel. And so, this tweet gave us a glimmer of hope. https://twitter.com/DarkArtzEnt/status/327866632720482305 You heard it here first folks. We may be getting a sequel to GOTY 2012. Oh, and here's some footage from Revelations.
What Would It Take For Shenmue 3 To Release Today?
Jared posted a article in Analysis & OpinionsGo to any major search engine and just slam your hands against your keyboard. What comes up on the search bar will more than likely just be gibberish, but I can guarantee* you'll still find at least six articles mentioning how badly people want Shenmue 3 to release. When it came to Duke Nukem Forever, the hype was a bit more than absolutely insane. But to be fair, that was entirely warranted. The over-the-top nature of the game's twelve year marketing campaign perfectly matched the game's history. It didn't save the game from bad reviews, but it cemented it in history. This is not the type of hype that follows the hope of a Shenmue 3 announcement. After enough time had passed, the hype behind Duke Nukem was more of a joke instead of actual interest in the game. The hype behind Shenmue 3 is that of pure desperation. So why hasn't it been announced yet? Well here's the most obvious reason. The Shenmue series bled so much money that there was never any chance of the games making even the smallest amount of profit. To put just how expensive Shenmue was into perspective, its been said that Sega would have had to sell at least two copies of the game to every single Dreamcast owner just to make a profit. As you might be aware, that is simply impossible. At the time of it's release it was the most expensive game ever made and took a whopping seven years to produce. At that point Sega had no choice but to continue working on it. They were simply in too deep. The fact that we even got one sequel to the game at all is absolutely amazing, but not completely unwarranted. I'm looking for some sequels Once the game's engine was created, Shenmue 2 was actually a breeze for Sega to make. And it was just good business sense. Despite being unable to sell an infinity amount of copies of Shenmue, it still sold considerably well. If Sega wanted any chance at making some money off their IP, then Shenmue 2 was their only route. Shame that the Dreamcast was already knocking on death's door at that point. No matter how much people enjoyed Shenmue 2, there was never any chance of it saving Sega. But that wasn't the end of the franchise by any means. There was still the chance of porting the game to a different console! And that's exactly what Sega did... to disastrous effect. Because Microsoft had exclusive rights to Shenmue 2 in America, the Dreamcast version of the game never made it to our shores. This means that any of the original fans of the Dreamcast version of the game couldn't play it, and any Xbox users who didn't own a Dreamcast couldn't play the first game to be able to follow the second game's story. Have you seen any sequels around here? Sega effectively locked out any potential consumers and killed any chance of Shenmue ever making a profit on it's new console. To make matters worse, the game was poorly advertised in the American marketplace, so any Dreamcast user who was willing to buy an Xbox for the game ended up getting left out in the dark with no knowledge of the it's existence. Since then, Sega hasn't exactly been able to rebuild itself. They've made plenty of great games, but they've gone on record plenty of times saying that if they tried to make another game as ambitious as Shenmue, it could very easily tank the company. So how could they pull it off? Well, it isn't exactly going to be easy. But it could be done. Option One: Sell The Rights While I'm sure it would just kill Sega to sell off one of their most beloved franchises, it seems like it would be a better use of the IP than shoving Ryo into different racing games or trying to set up some sort of social cellphone game using his image. But here's the problem. Shenmue has proven time and time again that it is revenue poison. Both games in the series managed to end up costing Sega millions of dollars, so why would someone want to buy the series off of them? Option Two: HD Remakes Sega has really been on a roll with all these HD remasters they've been churning out this last year.You would think with so many iconic Dreamcast games already on the different console stores that Shenmue 1 and 2 wouldn't be far behind, right? Could you help me find some sequels? Well you need to remember that those games are a completely different beast compared to Space Channel 5 and Sega Bass Fishing. While the cost wouldn't be astronomical, it could end up eating into the profits of all the other remasters they've already released! And I already mentioned that whole exclusivity mess that went into releasing Shenmue 2 into the west. While I have no idea how it would end up working with an HD remake, let's just assume Microsoft wouldn't take a Shenmue 2 release on the PSN very well at all. Option Three: Just Go For It We already know that Sega can't handle the stress that would accompany a game as costly Shenmue in this day and age, but what about a budget Shenmue title? Couldn't Sega release a watered down version of the game just so people could finish the story? Well of course they could. They could release the next Sonic game one level at a time and try to sell the rest of the game as DLC if they wanted to. The reason they don't is simple. They would kill their fanbase and possibly even hurt sales for their games with larger budgets. Sega knows that if they ever had a chance to make another Shenmue game then it would have to be top notch. They'd just be wasting money otherwise. Barring the possibility of someone over at the SEGA headquarters winning the Powerball and then funding the Shenmue 3 production by themselves, we probably won't ever see Shenmue 3 come to light. There's just too much going against it. But Sega is still a game company, and as long as they live there is always hope for a sequel. Just not much. Thanks for reading!
5 Video Game Franchises That Need To Rise From The Dead
Jared posted a article in Analysis & OpinionsLet's just face it - there are games we've all been wanting to play even though we know they'll probably never be released. Every big gaming convention goes by, and a little bit more salt gets poured into our gaming wounds. Yet each and every year is the year we hope those specific games are going to be announced. We can't help but hope for their release. Whether it is because we've invested so much time into the originals, or because we've been through so much with the main character, and we just so badly want to see how it all ends. I can easily think up a hundred different games I'd like to see in the future, but for this article we'll keep it down to five. TimeSplitters IV When it came to the TimeSplitters series, many nights were wasted hurling bricks at monkeys with my friends and running from infected AI players on giant levels trying not to get touched by them in some sort of precursor to the zombie craze that hit in the late 2000's. It was a fun time had by all, but now with a full generation nearing it's end, one has to wonder - just where did TimeSplitters go? Well there are plenty of valid explanations. The company that made the TimeSplitters series, Free Radical Design, started off their next gen game development with a little game called Haze. For reasons probably unrelated to Haze, the company went into financial administration and was bought up by Crytek. Its probably for the best. I killed way too many monkeys. After the buyout, TimeSplitters IV was canceled and the company then helped work on Crysis 2 and has now apparently started work on Homefront 2. Fans had constantly asked the company about a possible TimeSplitters IV being announced, but they were all shot down. A fan page on Facebook was opened up in an attempt to get 100,000 members to show their support for TimeSplitters IV, but so far nothing has come from it. While a new sequel being announced isn't completely out of the question, I wouldn't hold my breath. Crytek seems to think the game would never be able to pull in the numbers to make it a success, no matter how much the fans beg them for it. But there's always that hope that drives people forward! Shenmue III Shut up, everybody wants this game to happen. At one point it was even in production as an MMO. We got a freaking trailer for it and everything. While I'm glad the MMO idea didn't pan out seeing as an MMO is no way to end a trilogy, I hate the fact that we haven't heard anything about the game since that one trailer released roughly one hundred years ago. While I, along with the rest of the gaming world, have been dying for an ending for so many years, there is actually a reason SEGA won't give it to us. The death of the Shenmue trilogy is one of the things keeping SEGA alive. Even during SEGA's more financial years, Shenmue was a huge drain on the company. WANNA PLAY A GAME OF LUCKY HIT? With a development budget of around 40-50 million dollars for each game in the series, it was the most expensive game ever developed in it's time. With SEGA practically bleeding money with the Dreamcast, there was no way they could afford the budget of a third game in the series. Now that the damage is done and SEGA is merely a software company, they have to play it close to the chest. If they make another big budget game and it ends up failing when it hits retailers, it could actually kill the company. Finishing the Shenmue series could ruin SEGA for good. So, essentially they're stuck. Either they go all in and hope for the best, or they make a subpar game with a limited budget and it fails anyway, tarnishing the game forever. The best possible scenario would be SEGA either selling off the IP or just plain getting bought out by another company. But even then that wouldn't automatically mean we'd get a new Shenmue game, as evidenced by Crytek buying out Free Radical Design. Either way, I'll still keep my fingers crossed for a new entry in the series. Pokemon Snap 2 I just love games that are jam packed with secrets. The ability to replay the same levels over and over again, finding more and more new stuff every time I play is one of my most beloved features. But the games that do it right are so few and far between it hurts me physically every time I pop in a new game that does it wrong. Noo, don't take our picture! Neither of us have makeup on! One of those games that did it perfectly was Pokemon Snap on the Nintendo 64. You rode on a trail with a few random items and you took pictures of Pokemon. That was pretty much it. But each level was filled to the gills with secrets. Performing certain actions in certain areas could trigger new encounters in levels you already completed. You would need a strategy guide to figure everything out. And now that the Wii U is nearing release, it seems more than obvious that the game should finally get a sequel. First of all, duh, the Wii U's controller is perfect for the type of game Pokemon Snap is. Secondly, Pokemon games freaking print money for Nintendo. And finally, people loved the Pokemon Snap game. So why aren't we getting a new one? WHAT COULD THEY POSSIBLY BE WORKING ON THAT IS BETTER?! Dungeon Keeper 3 This is one of those super impossible ones that will never work for so many reasons, but I'll never stop hoping for it's eventual release. Dungeon Keeper was a game series where you built and maintained dungeons (surprise!) You would build it in certain ways to attract different types of monsters. There was an economy, and you had to keep your monsters happy and fight off those pesky heroes. And it was great. In fact, i would say it was even super great. I don't usually like to play these sorts of games, but the company behind the series just knew how to make me love their games. Theme Hospital, Dungeon Keeper, and Startopia. All pretty much the same type of game, but all great in their own ways. "The time has cometh." Just... Not yet. Bull Frog seemed to think they were pretty great as well. So great, in fact, they included a trailer for Dungeon Keeper 3 with every copy of Dungeon Keeper 2. Unfortunately, not everyone seemed to love them as much as I did, and they were dissolved into the powerhouse company that was EA. AND THEN EA KILLED THEM. Well not so much killed them as totally stopped working on any of the games they were working on, including Dungeon Keeper 3. All of their games then fell out of the limelight and weren't actually supported on newer operating systems until Green Man Gaming stepped in and brought the games back from the dead. While there could always be a chance of a new Dungeon Keeper in the future, all signs point towards a big fat no. The reason why is because of a recently released game called Dungeons. A spiritual successor to the Dungeon Keeper series, Dungeons was supposed to be everything we wanted in a new Dungeon Keeper game. Spoilers, it wasn't and it pretty much sealed the series' fate right there. Sim Earth 2 Imagine if Spore was on the Super Nintendo. Now imagine instead of playing as one set species, you actually played as the planet itself. That was pretty much what Sim Earth was. You were given a boiling hot rock and told to make it sustain life. You did this by causing volcanoes and sending meteorites down at the planet to help cool it down. Trust me, this is edge of your seat stuff here Eventually after a few hours of playing, you would have the first forms of life splashing about in the ocean. From then on out you pretty much just sat back and watched evolution happen. While that sounds boring, it was actually quite fun. It was kind of like having sea monkeys, but at the same time there was that possibility they would kill their planet with nukes. For some reason, Spore was unable to capture this same feeling of amazement. The dominant species would always be the one you made. You never had the chance to actually watch over your planet either. The whole game was just one enclosed single player game. Nothing on your planet really mattered and their was never a feeling of discovery no matter how far out into space you traveled. And that is why we'll never get a true sequel to Sim Earth. Spore missed the mark by so much that I'm doubtful any company (especially one like EA) would ever take the chance on a new Sim Earth, and if they did, odds are they would just end up making another Spore. I would love to get an updated version, but if that is all we have to look forward to we might be better off with the old version. There are plenty of game series out there that deserve to be brought back into the limelight, but these ones specifically are the ones I'm dying to see again even though I know it'll probably never happen. What are some game series you want brought back from the grave? why not post about them in the comments below? As always, thanks for reading.
Shenmue 3
Jared posted a gallery image in Member's Album
Pokemon Snap 2 Duodo
Jared posted a gallery image in Member's Album


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Former President George W. Bush will make his first public appearance on behalf of his brother's presidential campaign on Monday in South Carolina.
"I'm a Bush and proud of it," Jeb Bush has taken to saying during speeches.
The appearance comes just a week after the family's matriarch, former First Lady Barbara Bush, hit the campaign trail in New Hampshire with her son and appeared in two joint national interviews.
The campaign confirmed to NBC News that the brothers will appear together in North Charleston, S.C. Monday night.
Read more from our partners at NBC News
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subset: commoncrawl


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I dreamed I was in the hospital. I felt labor pains, but I knew I wasn't pregnant. The nurse was insisting I stay in the hospital until I had the baby. I kept arguing with the nurse that I wasn't pregnant.
The nurse kept saying you are about to have a baby at any moment.
I wanted to get out of there I didn't want to relive labor pains and the pains of giving birth.
|I had been sick the past 2 weeks. Sometimes it felt I was pregnant and like I had labor pains
I guess this is what triggered the dream. And I miss my children being babies.


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Most of us agree that learning in a small group is easier, more enjoyable, and less time consuming than in a large class. Unfortunately, due to budgets, space, or lack of teachers, many Nail Academies only offer large classes which may consist of up to 20 or more students. While the class may look more like a lecture room, the educators' job however is not to lecture. Whereas in learning within a small student to educator ratio, students are more able to keep up with their interest and focus with the goal of improving their technical skills as there are more engagement with the educators. Let me share my past experiences from some of the the large nail academies I attended in both Singapore and overseas.
"Sometimes I'm afraid to ask too much questions in the class because of the large number of students (12-18). What if i asked silly questions? Will the others laugh at me?
"There are often many distractions in large classes, such as latecomers and people chatting while you are learning."
"In some academies the product which the school provides are without any labels, whereas instructors themselves are using branded products to conduct classes their. Questions are, why are the educators using different products from their students? Are the student kit more inferior and are they safe to use in the long run?"
From these past experiences I have gathered the key points for conducting effective teaching methods in J Nail Studio. Classes will have a low ratio of maximum 3 students to 1 educator per session, and training kit provided for students are definitely the same as to those I'm using personally. Students who are working or studying in the day have the freedom to plan their own timetable according to their schedules.
Our aim is to provide an engaging, high interaction and efficient learning environment.
WHY Choose Odyssey Nail System Education?
Odyssey Nail System offers wide range of products for salon, nail academy and competition arena. ONS has the best product for competition in fact, created by world Champion Mr. Trang Nguyen. With our training departments all over South East Asia, (Singapore, Malaysia, Hongkong, Taiwan, Thailand, Korea, Australia and New Zealand) We train you to get ready for competition regardless you are professional or novice.
ONS International Examination will be held twice a year in Singapore/Malaysia, judged by international educators according to ONS international standards.
Professional nail technicians who have graduated from a recognized professional nail course or with at least 1 year experience in nail enhancements can enroll in this fast-track program towards becoming an ONS Ambassador.
Upon completion of the 8 certificates you will receive an elegant ONS Ambassador Certificate, VIP Ambassador Discount on ONS Products and all ONS Classes organized by ONS South East Asia and invitation to our Annual Training Event and Award Presentation Party. You will be able to print your Ambassador status on yor business card and you will also be listed on our website as an ONS Ambassador. An ONS Ambassador can qualify for the ONS Instructor Training as a future career path.
The next level up from 'Ambassador' is ONS Instructor. To accomplish this status you will be required to attend the Annual Instructor Training, organized by ONS South East Asia. In this training, you will be required to sit an assessment on both written and practical evaluation. The fees for Instructor Training will includes an Education Kit and Instructor Training Manual. As an ONS Instructor you are entitled to further benefits for product discounts, commission on sales and earning additional income by being able to deliver classes.
Once you have been an Instructor for a period of 2 years, less if you are an exception (dedicated, efficient, loyal, professional, talented, etc.) you may be invited to attend our Annual Global Educator Training held in Korea at the start of every year. ONS proudly covers your training (2 days), accommodation, meals and airport transfers for this event for every educator nominated across the world. At the completion of this event you are presented a beautiful Educator plaque and ONS Swarovski Crystal Logo uniform recognizing your status during an Award Ceremony.
As an ONS Educator, you will be able to conduct the international ONS examination and issue/sign the Ambassador class certificates. You will receive even further discounts benefits, media exposure, overseas assignments & classes, and invitation to free training for new product launch.
Odyssey Nail Systems Educators are a TEAM and are to be courteous and thoughtful at all times. Unsportsmanlike conduct is strictly unacceptable. We are all on the same team, we all win when we support each other!
Odyssey Nail Systems Educators know our products, keep up on the industry news in and around the world and most importantly have experienced different techniques from 5 continents and are aware that "Nail Art" varies from country to country due to the different cultures and nationalities.
Odyssey Nail Systems Educators remember that they are leaders in our industry and must always set an example. They are always on stage and act professionally, representing themselves and Odyssey Nail Systems. Always practicing, aiming to make the next nail better than the last. We at Odyssey promise to support our Educators to the best of our ability.
You are our customers, friends and future educators. We will meet in Odyssey Nail Systems classes and workshops, trade shows, and events year after year. We want to build a strong marketing base for Odyssey Nail Systems education and your business.
Within Odyssey Nail Systems you have a supportive team to work alongside utilizing the Odyssey Nail Systems brand and our education program. As always we welcome you as a member of our family.
We at Odyssey Nail Systems will apply the highest standard of excellence by meeting your expectations, and creating a product that will bring exceptional results to our Nail Industry. In addition, our intent is to make our clients proud with up-to-date Nail Technology. We believe that education is the key to any successful product. Without education even the best product is doomed to fail.
It is the necessary blend of good education, thorough product knowledge, creativity, commitment and passion that ensures that together we can grow our industry to new heights.
We at ONS will ENDEAVOR to provide you with the most up to date product knowledge, technical and educational skills required for ANY challenging task and to inspire you to achieve your maximum potential and attain unbelievable heights of creativity.
As members of the Odyssey team of Educators, we share the goal with Odyssey Nail Systems to increase and develop nail technology. Our focus is to raise the standard of the nail industry with professionalism and enthusiasm. Our goal is to present and use Odyssey products to the highest expectation and share with you without any limitations thru our exclusive distribution network with a willingness to keep you informed of proper application techniques, terminology, product knowledge and increasing product awareness.
We are challenged as Odyssey Competition Team Members to keep our skills up-to-date.
Our team has been ranked #1 in the USA for the last 3 years, but that is not what makes us most proud. What makes us proud is to be able to work along side you, the nail technician, so we can all be successful as a team! We are all on the same team, when we support each other we all win!
And we want to win it with you.
Find our more information of J Nail Studio and ONS Courses here


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Have you ever looked up to saw a big cumulus cloud in the sky and
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In San Francisco's most acclaimed alley for street art, it's stood out for almost two decades. Mojo Man is transfixing and flat-out strange — a portrait of a man with out-of-proportion limbs and an out-of-place demeanor. Kenneth Huerta put up Mojo Man at 1 Clarion Alley in 1996, at the height of his street-art career, but Huerta has since disappeared from public view. A one-time standout in San Francisco's street-art scene, Huerta hasn't been heard from in years. "It's a beloved piece," says Aaron Noble, an artist and co-founder of the Clarion Alley Mural Project, under whose auspices Huerta made Mojo Man. "Kenneth was a very bohemian guy who hung out a lot in North Beach. He met [Lawrence] Ferlinghetti and did a mural on the side of City Lights. He did a portrait of Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe. He was very much of a Rimbaudian, hallucinatory kind of bent." Huerta's work has survived at Clarion Alley because of its artistic value (the Mission District alley's most prominent works are retouched as necessary) and because of its location on the upper floors of a Clarion Alley building, which keeps the piece out of taggers' reach. Huerta, who completed Mojo Man in his early 20s, based the large work on a tiny collage of photos that he'd stitched together. The next year, Huerta returned to Clarion Alley to paint the cosmic, planet-oriented motif that surrounds Mojo Man. It's Huerta's last surviving S.F. street art, and, as long as it's up, it will be imbued with mystery. "He went out of town, and just kind of drifted away," Noble says of Huerta. "Kenneth deserves to be remembered. He was super talented and super energetic — tagging all over the place. When you were with him, you were in constant fear of getting arrested."
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Approaches to training and development
So how should training be managed within an organisation in order to build capabilities and capacity?
Traditionally vocational training has been the responsibility of a Human Resources (HR) department to co-ordinate. New starters and those aiming to progress in a role might have been required to engage in a series of prescribed training events. Training may be delivered by HR teams, line management teams, more experienced qualified colleagues or via external delivery.
For specialist activities or where greater depth is required personnel are likely to attend training courses delivered internally or externally on behalf of the employer.
In some cases, training (internally or externally) may not exist or be actively supported, or time and resources may not allow access, but increasingly organisations have a complex suite of training and development programmes, events and mechanisms. In some organisations, training requirements are highly structured (they are conditions of continued employment and progression) or training may be discretionary, at the call of the individual or line manager. These two end points of the training and development programme continuum have positives and negative aspects. The former approach tends to be quite rigid and may make 'one size fits all' assumptions, where training is targeted at particular ranks or position rather than individual needs. The latter can identify the needs of individuals, but whether those bespoke needs can be met within the organisation should be questioned. The equity in delivery and attainment may vary across the organisation and between agencies.
A training and development strategy is a mechanism that establishes what competencies an organisation requires currently and with an eye on the future, and it details the means to achieve those required competencies through training and development.
The development of a training strategy should be a consultative strategy with both internal and external stakeholders (especially for those organisations whose mission is to serve the public). It forms a strategic planning document (and associated process) that provides an overview of competence to be achieved at operational level, through to middle and high level management levels. It is likely to be linked to a series of other organisational documents, plans and guidance.
At the top level…
Corporate/organisational vision, mission and objectives
Finance and budgets
Personnel/staffing planning and any associated progression, leadership and management development plans,
Then more specifically …
Competency requirements and skills profiling
Employee training and action plans
Train-the-trainer planning
The training strategy must also take account of changes in …
Organisational structures
Processes and services
Technology and equipment
External drivers such as policy and legislation
Now we are beginning to see the feedback required between the various organisational capabilities.
Your task
Which internal and external stakeholders are important voices in terms of the development of successful training and exercising strategy?
© Coventry University. CC BY-NC 4.0


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goldennuggets says:
Michael, can you say something about why you consider Ada by Nabakov to be such a great book. I completely agree with you, but Martin Amis has always claimed that it's 'dead'. He's wrong, surely, but why?
(Here's what Michael said about Ada earlier on, if you missed it).
'Moonglow is, on one level, Gravity's Rainbow fanfic'
isabelmarlowe is writing her thesis on Moonglow:
I'm particularly interested in the question of muteness and the narrative gaps in history that can be filled by fiction. In some of your essays you've said that good works of popular culture, such as fantasy or adventure stories, always provide the possibility open-ended world that transcends the written text. I've considered this idea in my analysis of the novel. Your fictional (ok, that's not the best word) narrator/memoirist rewrites his grandfather's memories in the form of adventure stories. I also think of the many gaps and questions that remain open in the story of the grandmother. In this sense, what's your point about the possibilities of life writing? Should auto/biographers aspire to discover the truth or do you think that the really important story lies in the open-endedness of a life, this is, on the possibilities of constant revision and recreation? Thank you!
Our own samjordison has a question:
Towards the end of Moonglow there is the most beautifully cathartic verbal dressing down of a Nazi. Felt like a complete punch the air moment to me - and I couldn't help wondering how long ago you wrote that - and if you knew when you were writing how current some of the issues in the book were going to be?
'Steamrollering my hard-drive would useless because everything's in the Cloud now, too.'
not_only_words says:
Hi Michael, I once had a very brief conversation with you at a reading event in Paris about your very long, unpublished second novel which I think was called Fountain City. I wondered how you used it - the experience of it or even the actual material - in Wonder Boys and also what you think about the whole business of knowing when to abandon a novel. What do you do with all the good bits - a sentence or tree, an image, perhaps a whole section even - that are locked up in that manuscript? Use them somewhere else? Or leave them in case you want to come back to the work later? And if Fountain City remains unpublished, will you order the steam-rollering of your hard drive, Pratchett-style, on your death? Looking forward to the Moonglow paperback.
CarrAgger asks:
Would a 10-part HBO adaption of The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay be the best programme ever made?
CeefaxTheCat, keeping it short and sweet:
Trump. WTF?
MythicalMagpie says:
I'd like to ask Michael Chabon something about The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. I know it was submitted as his thesis for a Master of Fine Arts degree, so I was wondering what was in the intro to the submission. What was his aim in writing the novel?
Chrishale has a question about Michael's involvement with a collection of essays about Israel and the occupied territories, called Kingdom of Olives and Ash:
Why did you lead the investigation of the occupied territories? Can Israel recover its status morally?
unclearleo asks:
Have you ever, during a meeting with a publisher, thrown a manuscript against the wall with the words "You can't handle the truth"?
(By the way, if you haven't read Michael's amazing piece about his son Abe, you can read it here).


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travel to more than 95 Destinations with SAUDIA
Flights to Manama, capital of Bahrain, with SAUDIA
SAUDIA flies to Manama from Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International. SAUDIA offers its First and Business class passengers access to the Skylounge. This is also available to African Gold and Silver members as well as frequent travelers.
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Fly to Manama with SAUDIA.
There is a tower on the island midway across the King Fahd Causeway which connects Bahrain and Saudi Arabia; go to the top to get your bearings. After you've had a look at both countries and the sea below, put your feet on the ground and dive into the country's history at the Bahrain National Museum. Its archeological pieces cover Bahrain's nearly 5,000 year history from Babylonia to its main modern industry of pearl diving. The Al Fateh Islamic Center was built in the late 1980s and is the biggest mosque in the country; it is also home to Bahrain's national library. Singular in its subject matter, almost exclusively focused on the Quran, Beit Al Quran is an Islamic arts complex whose entrance is wrapped in script and houses a vast collection of ancient manuscripts and some 50,000 books in several languages. The Bahrain National Theatre's very architecture plays homage to arts and letters: it has a wonderfully telling 1,001 seats. It is one of the largest theaters in the Arab world and artists from around the globe come to perform here.
Travel from Jeddah to Manama
Bab Al Bahrain once housed the country's government offices and now marks the entrance to Manama Souq (known for its pearls) and is also where you'll find the tourism office if you're in need a map or a few tips. Not far from the city center is Qalat al Bahrain, Ancient Harbor and Capital of Dilmun, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This fascinating tell (artificial mound created through years of human occupation) dates back more than two thousand years and was inhabited up until four hundred years ago. A Portuguese fort was built on top of the mound. Another in Riffa, south of Manama, Sheikh Salman Bin Ahmed Al Fateh Fort, has amazing views of the surrounding countryside which you can take in leisurely from the café built inside. A stroll through old Muharraq, directly across from Manama to the east, will dazzle visitors with traditional Bahraini houses, some of which have been converted to museums such as Shaikh Isa Bin Ali House.


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Vernon Davis: 'Skins must 'contain' Watt and Clowney
The Redskins offense will have to work hard to "contain" J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney in order to be successful Sunday, Washington tight end Vernon Davis said.
"I think the biggest challenge for us is being able to contain their best players, we're talking about Clowney and J.J. Watt," Davis told The Sports Junkies Friday. "Their entire team defensively, they're all good, good players. Tremendous athletes on that team, but there's always a few guys that you really have to account for, and J.J. Watt and Clowney are those kind of guys."
"They can change the game, they're big time playmakers. So we have to be cognizant of that, and be aware of where they are at all times," Davis said.
Davis pointed to Watt's and Clowney's speed and athleticism which makes them difficult to stop. The duo have combined for 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and a touchdown for a Houston defense ranked third in the NFL by Football Outsiders.
While not entirely unbothered by getting shutout of the passing game in Tampa, Davis isn't worried about his contribution to the Redskins offense.
"It hurts, man. I had to go in and tell Jay, 'Man we need to sit down, I need to take you to Taco Bell or Jamba Juice, man, so we can talk," Davis joked. "Come on, Jay. Come on, Jay. Give me the ball, Jay. Give it to me."
"For me I'm elated to be apart of the journey. It doesn't bother me at all when it comes to catches," Davis said. "I just wait for my opportunity, man. It doesn't bother me. It doesn't. You know, if my teammates are successful, we're winning, that's what I want."
"I feel like they're doing everything they possibly can to make sure that everyone is involved," Davis said.
When asked about the recent back-and-forth involving players like Josh Norman asking for better support during home games at FedEx Field, Davis said both fans and players are in it together.
"Everyone wants to win," Davis said. "We just want to make sure the fans are behind us and we're in it together."
Follow Ben Krimmel and 106.7 The Fan on Twitter and Instagram.


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Almost exactly a year from now, I'll be heading off on my senior trip–my one chance to go (almost) anywhere in the world. I still haven't managed to choose a destination. Iceland is one of my top picks:
(Laugavegur Trail, photo by Ida Koric for National Geographic)
(Blue Lagoon Hot Springs, photo by Jessica Anand)
(Reykjavik, photo by Vinod Krishnan)
(Dyrhólaey Promontory, photo by Noelia Magnusson)
(Seljalandsfoss, photo by Giedre Lesmaityte)
(Snaefellsness, photo by Natalie Panek)


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To George Washington from the New York Provincial Congress, 3 August 1775
From the New York Provincial Congress
In Provincial Congress New York Augt 3d 1775
We are informed in a Letter from the Continental Congress that the General would make out the Commissions for our Regiments to such Persons as this Congress should recommend;1 but are at a loss to know whether You, or General Schuyler are to issue the Commissions.
We understand however that they have been transmitted to You. If this should be the Case, and the Commissions are to be filled up by General Schuyler, we beg you will send them to him or us without Delay. If they are to be filled up by Your Excellency, we submit it, whether, to prevent Delay, it would not be proper to send them in blank to General Schuyler, or to us; that the Names may be filled up agreable to the Arrangement made by this Congress. The Number of Commissions wanted will be about two hundred.2 We are with the greatest Respect Your Excellency's Most Obedient humble servants
By Order.
P. V. B. Livingston President
LS, DLC:GW. Endorsed in Joseph Reed's writing "Recd 9th & answd the 10th." See GW to Peter Van Brugh Livingston, 10 Aug. 1775.
1. Hancock wrote similar letters, dated 27 June 1775, to the colonies of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire (Smith, Letters of Delegates description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds. Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774–1789. 26 vols. Washington, D.C., 1976–2000. description ends , 1:547).
2. GW instructed Schuyler in June to apply directly to the Continental Congress for the commissions needed for the New York department, but Congress had not yet responded to Schuyler's letter of 28 June on that subject. See Schuyler to GW, 1 July 1775, n.5, and GW to Schuyler, 10–11 July 1775.


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August 2020 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
- 1939 World's Fair
- Ada Clement
- Angelo Rossi
- Arthur Brown Jr.
- Arthur Dolan
- Aviation
- Baby Adonis
- Baby Venus
- Beaux-Arts
- Berkeley
- Billy Rose's Aquacade
- Bullfighter
- Burton Becker
- Cal
- Carol Doda
- Cats
- Circus
- Colgate-Palmolive
- Condor Club
- Corporations
- Cow Palace
- Dixie Belle
- Dogs
- Duke Kahanamoku
- Earl Warren
- Ernest Bloch
- Everyday Dogs
- Fidel Castro
- Flying Nun
- fur coat
- Gin
- Giraffe
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta
- Golden Gate International Exposition
- Griller Quartet
- haut monde
- Historical
- Hoboes
- Jenny Dolly
- Lady Richmond Brown
- leopardskin
- Lord and Lady Carnarvon
- Los Angeles
- Mark Bulwinkle
- Millicent Armstrong
- Miss California
- Mobilopter
- National Sweater Week
- North Beach
- Oakland
- Olympic Club
- People
- Pigeon
- police horse
- Prohibition
- Punkin the Elephant
- San Francisco Conservatory of Music
- San Rafael
- sculpture
- Sheriff
- Stanford
- swimsuit
- Taxidermist
- the Axe
- The Big Game
- Thelma Ferretta
- Tiger
- topless dancer
- Treasure Island
- Trevor Bale
- Virginia Clark
- Women
- Zoe Dell Lantis
Author Archives: bancexam
More Unsuitable Swimwear
Swimsuit weather is well and truly behind us as December draws near, so it feels like the right time to share these photos of bathing-suited beauties not only out of season, but out of context. For starters, why is Ms. … Continue reading
Posted in Staff Tagged Duke Kahanamoku, Fidel Castro, Perry Mason Leave a comment
The Swimsuit Issue
September 22 marked the autumnal equinox, so let's bid farewell to summer with a few remarkable swimsuit photos. First up is Carol Johnson, shown here placing the flags for a snowshoe race at Alpine Meadows. No doubt the minimalist outfit … Continue reading
Posted in Staff Tagged Baby Adonis, Baby Venus, swimsuit 2 Comments
Arthur Brown, Jr. Revisited
The Cal campus is jolting back to life this week as the students return in full force for the fall semester. No better time to remember one of UC Berkeley's most illustrious graduates, architect and Oakland native Arthur Brown, Jr. … Continue reading
Posted in Staff Tagged Arthur Brown Jr., Beaux-Arts 1 Comment
Zoe Dell Lantis, GGIE Theme Girl
Miss Zoe Dell Lantis was the Golden Gate International Exposition's theme girl. The fair was first held in 1939, yet Zoe spent years prior to its opening traveling and promoting it. Some of my favorite images of Zoe are below. Be … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Golden Gate International Exposition, Zoe Dell Lantis Leave a comment
Tigers and stingrays and ponies … oh my!
From miniature ponies at the circus, to photographing dolphins underwater, we have some more fantasic animal shots to share from the Examer's print team! Below, Robert Hayward, chief taxidermist of the British Museum, London, uses a dentist drill to prep … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Circus, Cow Palace, Taxidermist, Tiger 1 Comment
Here Comes the Sun
All this rain we've had lately makes me think about … swimming, of course! Today the sun emerged, and what better way to celebrate the vernal equinox than with a selection of bathing beauties, spanning the early decades of 20th … Continue reading
Posted in Staff Tagged Billy Rose's Aquacade, Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta, Miss California, Olympic Club Leave a comment
Rain Maker from Glendale, California
This morning we had some showers in Berkeley, CA, that were much appreciated. But what if it were your job to make the rain? Charles M. Hatfield from Glendale, CA, had just that job! According to the Examiner, Mr. Hatfield … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized 1 Comment
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, brilliant violinist and child prodigy, regularly returned to the San Francisco area throughout his life. Below are just a few samples of many photographic prints of Yehudi in the Examiner's print collection. BANC PIC 2006.029–PIC, Carton: P530, Folder: Menuhin, Yehudi … Continue reading
Posted in Staff Picks 1 Comment
Illustrated Photographs
In the days before Photoshop, how did newspapers illustrate or alter sensational photographs? It appears they drew, painted, and used old fashioned cut and paste (with scissors and glue)! Below are some of our favorite samples from the Examiner collection: … Continue reading
Posted in Staff Picks 2 Comments
Fashions from a Bygone Era, Part 2
So yes, attitudes have changed. We no longer consider it chic to wear an entire animal as a decorative wrap (collective sigh of relief from all those little weasels). BANC PIC 2006.029–PIC, Carton: P263, Folder: French, James E. Jr. and … Continue reading
Posted in Staff Tagged fur coat, leopardskin 2 Comments


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He was a sadistic executioner who spoke with a metallic squeaky child-like voice who produced deadly sweets to suit it's role for execution of sadness. The sweets were supposedly so delicious the human body couldn't cope and would overload their senses and kill them.
The Seventh Doctor and Earl Sigma whilst escaping from the Happiness Patrol entered the Kandy Kitchen and ran into the Kandy Man but the Doctor outsmarted him by tricking him into spilling lemonade onto his feet sticking him to the spot giving the Doctor and Earl time to escape.
The Doctor returned to the Kandy Kitchen and sprayed water on the Kandy Man's feet freeing him before making him stop Fondant Surprise from being poured on a former member of the Happiness Patrol Susan Q. After this the Kandy Man tried to kill the Doctor but was once again stuck to the spot by him.
Later the Doctor returned again to the Kandy Kitchen along with his companion Ace to confront the Kandy Man forcing him to retreat to the pipes.
He was later killed when Pipe People sent Fondant Surprise down the pipes causing the robot's outer shell to dissolve leaving nothing but his metal insides left which were discovered by his creator Gilbert M and Helen A's husband Joseph C.
He was played by David John Pope.
- After part two of The Happiness Patrol was broadcast HB Stokes the chairman of Bassett Foods complained that the Kandy Man resembled the company's mascot Bertie Bassett. But there was no copyright infringement committed after the character's debut. However, Stokes was assured that the character would not be used in the series again.
- On April Fools Day 2010, Doctor Who TV reported that the Kandy Man would be the main villain of Matt Smith's first series.


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Motion To Reduce Bail
Union County Attorney For Bail Reduction Motion
Every defendant has the right to seek a bail reduction and most individuals are aware of this right. What they do not realize is that the best opportunity for reducing the amount, changing the type or eliminating a restriction on bail is often at the time of the first bail motion. This is because judges often given significant weight to the decision made on the initial bail reduction motion thereby making it that much more difficult to reduce bail if you don't the first time around. It is therefore important that you make every effort to present the best bail motion possible as opposed to thinking that any effort will do. This thinking is plainly in error and can cause significant problems for someone in custody at the Union County Jail, 15 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ, on drug charges, a sex offense, weapon violation, or any other criminal offense. Our attorneys are seasoned criminal litigators, many of which are former prosecutors, who are prepared to immediately meet with you or your loved one at the jail and to file the type of bail motion that is necessary to provide the best opportunity a bail modification. Call us 24/7 for immediate assistance at 908-272-1700.
Procedures For Setting Bail
- Initial Bail. When someone is arrested for criminal offense, the court have authority to impose bail. The purpose of the bail is not to insure that the accused remains in custody (i.e. jail) but rather to provide assurance that they will appear in court should they be released. By requiring the posting of money (i.e. cash), a bond, or property, that will be forfeited should the defendant fail to appear, the law seeks to provide a disincentive for non-appearance. The Court Rules provide twelve (12) years from the time of arrest for the Court to set an initial bail for this purpose.
- Review Of Initial Bail. If an individual is unable to post bail, they are entitled to have terms of the bail reviewed by the Superior Court. This typically occurs within two (2) business days of entry into the Union County Jail. The Judge who conducts these reviews is the Honorable Joan Robinson Gross.
- Bail Reductions. An individual may present a formal bail motion to modify the amount, type of bail or a condition on bail, at any time following the initial review.
Amount of Bail
The New Jersey Administrative Offices of the Courts has published a statewide bail schedule to be referenced by all judges when they set a bail. This schedule provides a recommended range of amounts that may be set as bail for a particular offense. In order to determine where within this range the judge should set the bail amount, New Jersey Court Rule 3:26-1 sets forth factors to be considered by the court including, but not limited to, seriousness of the crime, likelihood of conviction, the defendant's prior record and ties to the community, etc. Since a Judge rarely has the benefit of anything more than what police tell them at the time of calling in the initial bail, the amount can often be inflated. This is why a motion to reduce bail may be necessary in your case. Our attorneys will make sure that the court is made aware of the real facts at the bail hearing so that a fair and reasonable bail amount, including the possibility of a 10% bail, may be presented.
Bail Reduction Hearing, Elizabeth NJ
All hearings to reduce bail or modify a condition of bail are conducted at the Union County Superior Court, 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth NJ. It is therefore in your best interests to obtain representation by attorneys who know their way around this courthouse. Our firm, the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, have been appearing in Elizabeth on all forms of indictable criminal offenses for decades and can help you successfully obtain a reduction in the bail amount or other modificationl. A member of our team is available around the clock to help individuals in urgent matters like securing an immediate bail and/or preparation of a bail motion. Call us 24/7 at 908-272-1700.


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"Dear Manager,
I've been working at a small nonprofit in an entry-level position for a couple of years. I recently decided it was time to start looking for a new job and have been actively applying and interviewing for the past few months.
When I took my current role, I didn't really consider organizational fit during the interviews. I was just happy to find work! But now that I've been working for a while I've realize how important it is to fit with the culture of the nonprofit I'm going to work for.
So my question is, how do I find out more about the culture of the organizations I'm interviewing with, and how do I figure out if I would fit in?"
– Cara
Congratulations Cara on securing your first role. Don't be too hard on yourself – one needs to get the first job to understand what one likes and doesn't like. You'll find as you migrate through your career, that you'll get better at assessing the type of working culture you fit in best.
I encourage people early in their careers to think about their career in 5-year increments. While it's important to strive for fit, make certain you can learn as much as you can early on so that you can leverage that experience when interviewing for your next role. Here's how you can determine if the culture is right for you.
Two key pieces of advice:
1. Interview behind-the-scenes. Speak with current or past employees of the organization about the working culture. Look at how long they worked with the organization and ask them key questions (see below), if they're willing to talk.
2. During the interview, ask your questions strategically. For example, when the interviewer turns to you to ask if you have any questions, ask questions that will help you to understand the culture. Here are some questions to help you get a better sense of the organization's culture.
- Why did you join this organization? What keeps you here? – In response to this, people tend to reminisce and talk about when they joined. Length of stay is a key indicator and the longer the stay suggests that the individual is happy and is committed to growing the organization. The "why" is equally important. Understanding what attracted the individual will inform you about an opportunity you may not know about or it will confirm what you are looking for. Look for real pride in the response.
- How does the organization support professional development and career growth? – Although it is challenging, especially for small nonprofits to provide a budget for professional development, it may be important to you. Understand what the budget is.
- Is risk-taking encouraged, and what happens when people fail? – If you are a risk-taker and like to try new things, look for an answer that indicates that people are rewarded for new ideas. Conversely, if you are more comfortable with structure and less of a risk-taker, you may be uncomfortable surrounding by a competitive culture.
What's key, is to look for consistent responses. Is the interviewer giving you similar responses that you are hearing from your behind-the-scenes contacts? Do you like what you hear? Most importantly, can you see yourself succeeding in the organization? If the answer is yes, perhaps you've found your fit. A great resource for determining fit is The Muse.
Good luck,
As the President of crawfordconnect, Deborah Legrove's goal is to help Canada's non-profit organizations make positive changes to our world. Deborah brings a depth of experience to crawfordconnect from her 30 years of work in healthcare, social services and higher education in Canada and the USA. Since 1999 she has been connecting Canada's charities and nonprofits with executives, managers and fundraisers who have the experience, skills and confidence that enable these organizations to achieve their objectives.


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When you manufacture ultra-sharp tools like Microplane does, injuries from grating, slicing, and chopping are possible. Fingers and knuckles can end up in the way. You can use a food guard for grating and slicing but may find it awkward because you can't grasp the food in your hand. Kitchen cuts are #5 in the top 10 reasons for visits to the ER. Microplane tools may make kitchen tasks faster and recipes more delicious. However, nothing kills time like going to the ER because of a kitchen injury. Be safe and 'glove up'.
Product Details:
I have large hands, will this glove fit?
If you normally wear size XL gloves, then this glove probably won't fit.
Is this glove cut proof?
This glove is cut resistant and not cut proof. Always use with appropriate safety attachments. NEVER USE WITH MOVING OR SERRATED BLADES! No claim made for point-puncture resistance. Replace glove when frayed or damaged.
Machine washable, drip dry - do not wash in the dishwasher. Replace when frayed and damaged.


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The Visiting Life
On December 24th 2011 it was frosty, cold and very misty. It was Christmas Eve and the famliy who lived in The King's Head were having a party. Suddenly, they realised that the house was on fire.They felt shocked, worried and terrible. They smelled the horrible smoke and heard screaming. Upstairs a three year old girl was too scared to call some one. Then she just didn't care she just run and tried to open the door but it was stuck. (If I was her I would have opened the window and shouted for help and say there's a fire in my house) I would have felt very scared and I would try to not think about what will happen next so I wouldn't feel fearful. Then some one knocked down the door and saved the people and he was the hero of the whole of England and he saved the day. People called him a nick name too, they called him "The Saviour of all England" and he liked his name and he called them "my people who I rescue". THE END
, there is no way to totally praepre. But there is alot to be learned from others' experience. You are doing a wonderful thing here and I have notebooks full of notes I would love to share with you. I am not in this project for the money, although I always need money. But, I want to help others not make the same mistakes that I did. Please let me know if and how I can help you. I can definately give a perspective to the struggles a sex offender faces after release. There are struggles, but they are doable and any struggle out here is better than anything in there. Ron
I am really enjoying the theme/design of your web site. Do you ever run into any internet browser compatibility issues? A couple of my blog visitors have complained about my website not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Safari. Do you have any ideas to help fix this problem?
I think the blog is successful and poupalr because teachers AND children get to make posts and people have spread the word that we have got the blog and they have spread about our blog. Plus, we get to see the work we have done in the past so we will always have the memories of year 6.From Phoebe.


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We are REAL Sports
What qualifies someone as a Special Olympics athlete? Any child or adult with a diagnosed intellectual disability is eligible. Children can start as early as age 2 in our Young Athletes® program.
At age 8, children are able to participate in team or individual sports seasons and qualify to participate in local and state competitions. We offer 27 different sports, year-round events and more than 500 competition opportunities in the state. Athletes must train a miminum of 8 weeks to qualify for a competition.
Unified Sports Program® combines approximately equal numbers of Special Olympics athletes with athletes without intellectual disabilities (called Unified Partners) on sports teams for training and competition. This program is successful on and off of the field. It brings inclusion to Special Olympics athletes and expanded friendships far beyond sports. SO-SC offers Unified Sports® competition in badminton, basketball, bocce, bowling, cheerleading, disc golf, flag football, golf, gymnastics (artistic & rhythmic) kayaking, sailing, soccer, swimming, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
State Competitions
This competition offers all levels of basketball including traditional and unified divisions, collegiate divisions and skills.
This multi-sport competition takes place in Columbia. Sports include Bocce, Bowling, Gymnastics, Powerlifting, Softball, Swimming and Track & Field.
Held in Columbia, this competition features all levels of cheerleading events including individual and squad competitions.
This competition features equestrians from around the state. Typically held at the Aiken Horse Park Foundation.
Kayak teams from around the state compete in various races at James Island State Park in Charleston.
Typically held in September, our State Tennis Championship is known as September Slammer! Athletes from around the state come to Columbia to compete in various levels of tennis.
Fall Games is held in Conway, SC at Coastal Carolina University. This multi-sport weekend event brings more than 1400 athletes, coaches and unified partners plus even more families and volunteers to the Grand Strand area. Fall sports include Under 21 Bocce, Masters Bowling, Disc golf, Golf, Flag football and soccer.
National and International Competitions
Special Olympics USA Games are held every four years. The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games will be held in Orlando, Florida.
Special Olympics World Winter and Summer Games are held every two years on a rotating basis. The 2021 World Winter Games will be held in Sweden and the 2023 World Summer Games will be held in Berlin, Germany.


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I've had so many zucchini's pop out of my garden this summer. I got so sick of having zucchini in every meal I had to figure out a way to use them up. I've attempted to make zucchini bread the past few years and every time it doesn't come out tasting good. This year I was determined to create a recipe that would be moist (sorry) and sweet. It took over about a year to finally nail a recipe that both myself and my husband were pleased with. I'm so excited to share the recipe with you today! It's so good I guarantee it will be gobbled up by your friends and family almost immediately.
My two not so secret ingredients are chocolate chips and nutmeg. I think it's a Connecticut thing to put nutmeg in everything (we are called the nutmeg state after all). I feel like adding a pinch of nutmeg to you all your baked goods gives them a warm homemade taste. You can also NEVER go wrong with adding chocolate chips to any of your dessert recipes (enough said). This zucchini bread recipe has been a crowd pleaser for ALL the picky eaters in my family. Here's my recipe:
- Preheat oven to 350 deg
- Beat the eggs, vanilla extract, and sugar together
- Add shredded zucchini and oil, then mix
- Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon together and add to the mixer slowly
- Add the chocolate chips and mix
- Pour batter into greased bread or cake pan
- Bake for 40 minutes (or until golden)
NOTES: Don't over mix this recipe it will result in a dense bread. Also if you'd rather make muffins you can bake them at the same temperature for 20 minutes.
That's it for this weeks post! I'd love to know if you've tried this recipe. Let me know your favorite summer baked goods recipe. I'm always looking for new things to cook up!


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Started from nearly 2 months ago, when I'm trying to build a WebSocket connection with an IP address in Singapore, the connection would always be cut off immediately when it was established.
Observed from TcpView, I found that a connection with sg2plpkivs-v02.any.prod.sin2.secureserver.net was the cause this issue--Each time the WebSocket connection was established, a connection with the above domain will appear and then my WebSocket connection is cut off.
And search from Google, I found this domain is one of GoDaddy's secure domain. So I thought it was because my IP is blacklisted by GoDaddy. However, when I was asking an unblock request through https://unblock.secureserver.net/, I was told that my IP was not on the blacklist.
Did anyone suffer from a similar issue like this? Or anybody has some suggestions? Thanks
Hi @WillKeeper, have you tested the connection from another network to see if you get the same results? If you can run a traceroute from the network that is having trouble and a traceroute from a successful connection you can reach out to our live support teams to have them reviewed. Thanks.


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Understanding the Kinematically Aligned Total Knee Arthroplasty
At ICJR's Pan Pacific Orthopaedic Congress, Dr. Stephen Howell described the rationale for the kinematically aligned knee Below is his abstract for the presentation.
Stephen M Howell, MD
Dr. Howell has disclosed that he is a consultant for Zimmer Biomet and THINK Surgical.
The first kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was performed in 2006, and since then, this technique has gained interest among surgeons who would like to improve the pain, satisfaction, and function of knee replacement to levels associated with hip replacement.
In a recently published Level I randomized trial and a multicenter study, patients treated with a kinematically aligned TKA reported significantly better pain relief, function, and flexion as well as a more normal feeling knee, than patients treated with a mechanically aligned TKA. [4,20]
Aims of Kinematic Alignment
The goals of kinematic alignment in TKA are to:
Set the anterior-posterior, proximal-distal, medial-lateral, flexion-extension, varus-valgus, and internal-external rotational positions (6 degrees-of-freedom) of the femoral and tibial components on the tibial-femoral articular surface of the native knee
Setting the femoral and tibial components on the native tibial-femoral articular surfaces co-aligns the axes of the components closely to the 3 kinematic axes of the normal knee (Figure 1). [4,6,15] The kinematic axes are either parallel or perpendicular to the native tibial-femoral articular surfaces of the knee. [2,5,6,9,11,16]
Figure 1. The composite shows a right femur and a kinematically aligned TKA and the 3 kinematic axes. The green line represents the flexion axis of the tibia, the magenta line represents the flexion axis of the patella, and the yellow line represents the longitudinal rotational axis of the tibia. All 3 axes are either parallel or perpendicular to the joint lines of the native knee and the TKA. [15] Compensating for wear and kerf and resecting bone from the distal and posterior femur condyles equal in thickness to the condyles of the femoral component kinematically aligns the femoral component.
Setting the articular surface of a component in a position that differs from that of the native tibial-femoral articular surfaces malaligns the rotational axes of the components with the 3 kinematic axes, which shortens or lengthens the native resting length of the collateral, retinacular, and posterior cruciate ligaments.
Shortening or lengthening the ligaments causes unnatural knee motions and laxities that patients may perceive as pain, binding, stiffness, instability, and implant loosening and wear. [6,8,9]
Restore the native, or constitutional, alignment of the knee and limb.
Restoring mechanical alignment in patients with constitutional varus and valgus alignment is unnatural and causes strain deviations in the medial and lateral collateral ligaments that are greater than that of the native knee. [1,3,8]
There are benefits to restoring the native alignment (Figure 2). In a recent study, [24] patients with preoperative varus had better clinical and functional outcome scores and the same implant survivorship at 7 years when the limb alignment was left in mild varus, as compared with patients in whom the limb alignment was corrected to neutral.
Figure 2. The composite shows an anterior-posterior computer tomographic scanogram of a kinematically aligned right TKA (A) and a mechanically aligned right TKA (B). The kinematically aligned TKA restored the native tibial-femoral joint surface (blue line) and limb (white line) and co-aligned the flexion axes of the tibia and patella of the femoral component with the femurs. The mechanically aligned TKA changed the native tibial-femoral joint surface (red line) and the native limb and knee alignment and malaligned the flexion axes of the tibia and patella of the femoral component with the femurs.
Restore the native laxities of the knee, which are markedly different at 0º and 90º of flexion
At 0º of flexion, the native tibia-femoral joint essentially behaves as a rigid body because the average varus (0.70), valgus (0.50), internal (4.60), and external (4.40) rotations of the tibia on the femur are nearly negligible. [7,23]
At 45º and 90º of flexion, the mean laxity was reported to be fivefold greater in varus rotation (3.1º); fourfold greater in distraction (1.7 mm); and threefold greater in valgus (1.4º), internal rotation (14.6º), and external rotation (14.7º) than at 0º of flexion (Figure 3). [23]
Figure 3. The composite shows column graphs of the varus (+), valgus (-), internal (+), and external (-) rotational laxities of the native knee at 0º and 90º of flexion (A and B) and the native gaps of the knee at 0º and 90º of flexion after making resections parallel to the native joint line with use of the kinematic alignment technique (C). [23] The native gap at 0º has a symmetric shape, whereas the native gap at 90º has an asymmetric shape (C). The gap at 90º has greater laxity laterally than medially, and the gap at 90º greater laxity lateral and medial than at 0º of flexion. Those paired columns connected by a P-value less than 0.05 indicate the laxity at 90º is greater than at 0º of flexion. Error bars show +/- 1 standard deviation.
Hence, the kinematically aligned TKA does not strive to gap-balance the laxities equally at 0º, 45º, and 90º of flexion. There may be a disadvantage to changing the native laxities at 45º and 90º of flexion to match those at 0º of flexion in a TKA, as this may result in over-tight soft tissue restraints relative to those of the native knee, which patients may perceive as pain, stiffness, and/or limited flexion. [23]
Kinematic Alignment Techniques
The following techniques were developed to kinematically align the femoral and tibial components and restore the tibial-femoral articular surface, alignments, and laxities of the native knee. [13,15]
Femoral Component
The femoral component is kinematically aligned with use of a distal and a posterior femoral referencing guide placed sequentially at 0º and 90º of flexion, respectively.
When treating an osteoarthritic varus knee, a distal referencing guide is selected that compensates for 2 mm of wear on the distal medial femoral condyle and no wear on the distal lateral femoral condyle.
When treating an osteoarthritic valgus knee, a distal referencing guide is selected that compensates for 2 mm of wear on the distal lateral femoral condyle and no wear on the distal medial femoral condyle.
A comprehensive analysis of magnetic resonance scans of end-stage osteoarthritic knees treated with kinematically aligned TKA have shown that wear is rare at 90º of flexion in the varus and valgus osteoarthritic knee, which means that a posterior referencing guide set at 0º of rotation can be used to set I/E rotation and A/P translation of the femoral component without compensating for posterior bone or cartilage wear. [15,19]
A caliper is used to measure the thickness of the distal and posterior femoral resections, and when the thicknesses equals the thickness of the condyles of the femoral component after compensating for wear and kerf, the femoral component is kinematically aligned.
Consequently, kinematic alignment of the femoral component does not reference the femoral mechanical axis, intramedullary canal, transepicondylar axis, or anterior-posterior axis of the trochlea (Whiteside's Line). [5,6,8]
Tibial Component
The tibial component is kinematically aligned when the position of the component matches the native internal-external, flexion-extension, and varus-valgus positions of the proximal tibial articular surface. [15,21]
The internal-external rotation of the tibial component is set by drawing the major axis of the elliptical-shaped boundary of the articular surface of the lateral tibial condyle. A guide is used to drill 2 pins parallel to the major axis through the articular surface of the tibia. A conventional extra-medullary tibial resection guide is applied to the ankle.
The varus-valgus position of the tibial component is set by laterally translating the slider at the ankle guide until the saw slot is parallel to the proximal tibial articular surface after compensating for cartilage and bone wear.
The proximal-distal position of the tibial component is set by adjusting the thickness of the tibial resection to accommodate a 10- to 11-mm thick tibial component. [15]
The flexion-extension position is set by adjusting the slope of an angel wing placed in the saw slot of the guide until parallel to the slope of the proximal medial tibia.
The internal-external position of the anterior-posterior axis of the tibial component is set parallel to the 2 pin holes drilled in the medial tibia.
The native laxities and alignment of the knee and limb are restored at 0°degrees of flexion by removing all osteophytes and adjusting the varus-valgus angle and the thickness of the tibial component until the varus-valgus laxity is negligible without ligament release.
The native laxities are restored at 90º of flexion by adjusting the anterior-posterior slope and thickness of the tibial component until the normal anterior offset of the anterior tibia from the distal medial femoral condyle matches the knee at the time of exposure and the internal and external rotation of the tibia approximates 14º (Figure 4). [15,21]
Figure 4. The flowchart shows the algorithm or decision tree for balancing the knee with a kinematically aligned femoral component. The predicate step is kinematic alignment of the femoral component, which is confirmed when the thicknesses of the distal and posterior bone resections equal the thicknesses of the condyles of the femoral component. Any balancing is performed by adjustment of the proximal-distal, varus-valgus, and anterior-posterior slope of the tibial component by fine-tuning the resection of the tibia.
Consequently, kinematic alignment of the tibial component does not need to reference the tibial mechanical axis, intramedullary canal, or posterior condylar axis. [8,10,15,21]
Research on Kinematic Alignment
There has been a misconception that kinematic alignment places the limb, knee, and tibial component in a degree of varus that might lead to early catastrophic implant failure. [17] However, a multicenter study [22] reported that TKAs performed to restore the mechanical axis with patient-specific or conventional instrumentation actually aligned the limbs and knees in significantly more varus angulation than TKAs performed to restore the kinematic axes.
In addition, a 10-year follow-up study of mechanically aligned TKAs with a 1º greater average varus angulation of the tibial component of 3º +/- 3º reported an acceptable implant survivorship of 96%. [4,18]
This acceptable 10-year implant survivorship is consistent with 3- and 6-year follow-up studies of kinematically aligned TKAs that showed a 0% and 0.5% incidence of catastrophic failure and restoration of high function as measured by Oxford Knee and WOMAC scores, regardless of the alignment category. [12,14]
Interestingly, in the 2 studies these excellent scores were achieved even though 75% and 80% of tibial components, 33% and 31% of knees, and 6% and 7% of limbs were categorized as varus outliers, respectively. [12,15]
Collectively, these studies suggest that the concern that kinematic alignment compromises function and places the components at a high risk for early catastrophic failure is unfounded. This should be of interest to surgeons who desire better function for their patients and who are committed to cutting the tibia perpendicular to the mechanical axis of the tibia. [12]
Author Information
Stephen M. Howell, MD, is professor of mechanical engineering and a member of the biomedical engineering graduate group, University of California at Davis, Sacramento, California.
- Bellemans, J.; Colyn, W.; Vandenneucker, H.; and Victor, J.: The Chitranjan Ranawat award: is neutral mechanical alignment normal for all patients? The concept of constitutional varus. Clin Orthop Relat Res, 470(1): 45-53, 2012.
- Coughlin, K. M.; Incavo, S. J.; Churchill, D. L.; and Beynnon, B. D.: Tibial axis and patellar position relative to the femoral epicondylar axis during squatting. J Arthroplasty, 18(8): 1048-55, 2003.
- Delport, H.; Labey, L.; Innocenti, B.; De Corte, R.; Vander Sloten, J.; and Bellemans, J.: Restoration of constitutional alignment in TKA leads to more physiological strains in the collateral ligaments. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc: 1-11, 2014.
- Dossett, H. G.; Estrada, N. A.; Swartz, G. J.; LeFevre, G. W.; and Kwasman, B. G.: A randomised controlled trial of kinematically and mechanically aligned total knee replacements: two-year clinical results. Bone Joint J, 96-B(7): 907-13, 2014.
- Eckhoff, D.; Hogan, C.; DiMatteo, L.; Robinson, M.; and Bach, J.: Difference between the epicondylar and cylindrical axis of the knee. Clin Orthop Relat Res, 461: 238-44, 2007.
- Eckhoff, D. G.; Bach, J. M.; Spitzer, V. M.; Reinig, K. D.; Bagur, M. M.; Baldini, T. H.; and Flannery, N. M.: Three-dimensional mechanics, kinematics, and morphology of the knee viewed in virtual reality. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 87 Suppl 2: 71-80, 2005.
- Freeman, M. A., and Pinskerova, V.: The movement of the normal tibio-femoral joint. J Biomech, 38(2): 197-208, 2005.
- Gu, Y.; Roth, J. D.; Howell, S. M.; and Hull, M. L.: How Frequently Do Four Methods for Mechanically Aligning a Total Knee Arthroplasty Cause Collateral Ligament Imbalance and Change Alignment from Normal in White Patients? The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery, 96(12): e101, 2014.
- Hollister, A. M.; Jatana, S.; Singh, A. K.; Sullivan, W. W.; and Lupichuk, A. G.: The axes of rotation of the knee. Clin Orthop Relat Res, (290): 259-68, 1993.
- Howell, S. M.; Chen, J.; and Hull, M. L.: Variability of the location of the tibial tubercle affects the rotational alignment of the tibial component in kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc, 2012.
- Howell, S. M.; Howell, S. J.; and Hull, M. L.: Assessment of the radii of the medial and lateral femoral condyles in varus and valgus knees with osteoarthritis. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 92(1): 98-104, 2010.
- Howell, S. M.; Howell, S. J.; Kuznik, K. T.; Cohen, J.; and Hull, M. L.: Does a kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty restore function without failure regardless of alignment category? Clin Orthop Relat Res, 471(3): 1000-7, 2013.
- Howell, S. M., and Hull, M. L.: Kinematic Alignment in TKA: Definition, Surgical Technique, and Challenging Cases. Orthopedic Knowledge Online, 10(7), 2012.
- Howell, S. M.; Papadopoulos, S.; Kuznik, K. T.; Ghaly, L. R.; and Hull, M. L.: Does kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty negatively affect six year implant survival and function? In American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting. Edited, Dallas, Texas, 2014.
- Howell, S. M.; Papadopoulos, S.; Kuznik, K. T.; and Hull, M. L.: Accurate alignment and high function after kinematically aligned TKA performed with generic instruments. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc, 21(10): 2271-80, 2013.
- Iranpour, F.; Merican, A. M.; Baena, F. R.; Cobb, J. P.; and Amis, A. A.: Patellofemoral joint kinematics: the circular path of the patella around the trochlear axis. J Orthop Res, 28(5): 589-94, 2010.
- Klatt, B. A.; Goyal, N.; Austin, M. S.; and Hozack, W. J.: Custom-fit total knee arthroplasty (OtisKnee) results in malalignment. J Arthroplasty, 23(1): 26-9, 2008.
- Malkani, A. L.; Rand, J. A.; Bryan, R. S.; and Wallrichs, S. L.: Total knee arthroplasty with the kinematic condylar prosthesis. A ten-year follow-up study. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 77(3): 423-31, 1995.
- Nam, D.; Lin, K. M.; Howell, S. M.; and Hull, M. L.: Femoral bone and cartilage wear is predictable at 0 degrees and 90 degrees in the osteoarthritic knee treated with total knee arthroplasty. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc: 1-7, 2014.
- Nam, D.; Nunley, R. M.; and Barrack, R. L.: Patient dissatisfaction following total knee replacement: a growing concern? Bone Joint J, 96-B(11 Supple A): 96-100, 2014.
- Nedopil, A. J.; Howell, S. M.; Rudert, M.; Roth, J.; and Hull, M. L.: How Frequent Is Rotational Mismatch Within 0±10 in Kinematically Aligned Total Knee Arthroplasty? Orthopedics, 36(12): e1515-e1520, 2013.
- Nunley, R. M.; Ellison, B. S.; Zhu, J.; Ruh, E. L.; Howell, S. M.; and Barrack, R. L.: Do patient-specific guides improve coronal alignment in total knee arthroplasty? Clin Orthop Relat Res, 470(3): 895-902, 2012.
- Roth, J. D.; Howell, S. M.; and Hull, M. L.: Envelopes of Passive Motion in the Intact Tibiofemoral Joint: An In Vitro Study. In ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference. Edited, Sunriver, OR, 2013.
- Vanlommel, L.; Vanlommel, J.; Claes, S.; and Bellemans, J.: Slight undercorrection following total knee arthroplasty results in superior clinical outcomes in varus knees. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc, 21(10): 2325-30, 2013.


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Money Saving
I am often asked how I got into the purse design business. With the development and continually-expanding use of the Internet, many entrepreneurs are discovering it easier to faucet their potential market, and market their products and services to customers throughout the globe. What might start out as a small niche enterprise might in time turn into a major world skincare brand.
The perfect method to beginning your personal enterprise is to research all these providers or merchandise which can be required in each good and bad economic occasions. These articles let you know concerning the straightforward and simplest methods to boost money for businesses.
Begin a flea market Enterprise. Learn extra about the right way to develop a business plan for different businesses from the articles offered below. Under are some steered steps in beginning a selfmade pasta making enterprise, categorized into: Preliminary Stage, Regulatory Compliance and Advertising.
After you begin to build your stock, construct your enterprise by discovering different distribution channels that may promote your clothes and costumes. These listings can even let you know if there are businesses in your local. With some onerous work, you should have no less than 70 companies in time to print.
Branding is a necessary advertising and marketing technique to develop a loyal market and to separate a product from others for higher shopper visibility. I'm referring to individuals who have owned a group mountain climbing or strolling businesses. I do know this sounds obvious however you must promote flea market objects that individuals want.


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Hungary's U16 national hockey team made quite an impression at last year's annual Richmond International Bantam Midget Hockey Tournament. They're back again this year, but in need of billet families.
Photo submitted
Hungarian hockey team needs billets
By Don Fennell
Published 10:59 PST, Tue December 12, 2017
After impressing many with their skills last year, Hungary's under-16 national hockey team is returning for the 2017 Richmond International Bantam Midget Hockey Tournament.
However, billet family homes for the players are urgently needed during their stay from Dec. 26 to Jan. 4. The players are all 15 years old. An honorarium of $200 per player will be given.
"This is a great opportunity for our community and a great experience for your family," says Isabel Angeles, who is heading up the host group. "Ideally, if you have room for two players more than would be great."
Angeles says if this is an opportunity you are interested in, email firstname.lastname@example.com.
The 37th annual Richmond International Bantam Midget Hockey Tournament, sponsored by Sheraton, Marriott and Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotels features teams at the Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 levels from mostly throughout Canada and the U.S. It will be played at the Richmond Ice Centre, Minoru Arenas and the Richmond Olympic Oval from Dec. 26 to 31.
Visit the tournament website at www.ribmht.com for more information.
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HONG KONG — Stocks around the world declined on Wednesday, a day after Mr. Trump posted a series of messages on Twitter warning that a fragile cease-fire in the trade war between the United States and China could be derailed. The drops in Asia and Europe came after stocks on Wall Street fell more than 3 percent on Tuesday.
But global investors appeared to be calmer than their counterparts in the United States, after official comments by the Chinese government that were vague but nevertheless expressed confidence that talks between the two countries would yield a positive outcome.
In Britain, France and Germany, stocks fell 0.6 percent, 1.4 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively. In Hong Kong and in Taipei, Taiwan, investors sent the market down roughly 1.6 percent. Markets in Seoul, South Korea, and Tokyo finished slightly more than half a percent lower.
China's currency, the renminbi, weakened slightly, by 0.3 percent, against the United States dollar on Wednesday. It trades within a band set by the People's Bank of China. It had reached a two-month peak earlier this week.
Futures contracts that predict the performance of stocks in the United States indicated that shares there would rise when markets reopen on Thursday. They were to be closed on Wednesday in observance of the death of former President George Bush.
Conflicting signals on the trade front have sent investors on a wild ride this week. Just two days ago stocks rode a wave of optimism up after Mr. Trump and President Xi Jinping of China agreed a truce over dinner in Buenos Aires on the sidelines of the G20 meeting.
Since then, the White House has offered a mixed message about what, exactly, the two sides have agreed to. Mr. Trump has also chosen a trade hard-liner to lead the next round of talks. China's Ministry of Commerce has said negotiations would follow a timeline. The two sides have 90 days to work out a resolution.
The biggest concern plaguing investors is that an extended trade war could erode global growth just as the world's biggest economies are already starting to cool. In China, there are increasing worries that the dispute will weigh on an economy that is under stress from a plunging stock market, a weakening currency and dampened consumer appetite.
"While investing we try to avoid the noise, but these trade war issues in China and Japan have the potential of such large impact on certain industries it's increasingly difficult to ignore," said Seth Fischer, the chief investment officer at Oasis Management, a hedge fund based in Hong Kong. Mr. Fischer was referring to potential tariffs on the automobile industry that could affect the entire supply chain across Asia.
Mr. Trump referred to himself in one tweet on Tuesday as "a Tariff Man" In another, he wrote, "We are either going to have a REAL DEAL with China, or no deal at all — at which point we will be charging major Tariffs against Chinese product being shipped into the United States."
Investors in the United States sent Treasury yields sharply down on Tuesday, a sign of broader concerns about growth. The difference between short- and long-term interest rates reached its lowest point since before the financial crisis. Some expect that long-term interest rates could soon fall below those short-term rates, a phenomenon known as an inversion of the yield curve. Inversions are closely watched by investors, as they have a good track record of correctly predicting recessions.


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Mindfulness on the appreciation of others
Mindfulness on the appreciation of others.
This is an exercise that I have never done enough off in the past. But in the last couple of years I have used this form of contemplation a lot more often and I have learnt to better understand and appreciate some of the people that I have known in my life.
This practice is about the appreciation of another human being. It is very easy to do; otherwise its value would have to be considered. And like all mindfulness practices it only takes a few minutes a day and it doesn't matter when. Though at approximately the same time each day tends to act as a good reminder not to forget about it. Late afternoon has always been my best time.
I usually like to close my eyes for a short while and take a couple of deep breaths. I find that breathing in and out through my nose helps me to control the rhythm and the pace of my breathing; it also helps me to relax. Then I cast my mind and think of someone I care about. It doesn't have to be the great love of my life. Not even necessarily a close family member or friend. Though most of the time this may be the case. Then I let my mind remember a small happy incident or mannerism or thing that, that person does. Something that I have gained joy from. I don't want to contemplate on their whole life just some small part that I was able to share with them. Something that makes me feel happy that I know this person. I do not continue if negative feelings or unresolved issues come to the surface. These matters can be dealt with at other times. Why do such a thing when the other person does not consciously know and there is no recognition on their part for my thoughts?
Exactly that!
Because I am genuinely realising why it is that I appreciate an individual thing that is part of the make-up of another person. Once an instant is done, it is gone but the vibration of its being, remembered by the witness, stays for as long as it is.
John Audet


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Incase you hadn't heard, sometimes it gets really flipping hot in Australia. Last year they even had to create a new colour on the weather map because parts of central Australia got so extra hot. That is some crazy weather shiz (and definitely some global warming) right there.
Mega hot days here are like nothing else I have ever experienced. Even the wind is hot, like walking towards a giant hair dryer. The temperature seems to go up all day so it feels even hotter when you go to bed. It's bizarre, not to mention very sweaty.
Anyway, what I really want to tell you about is the best thing about these crazy hot days. The beach, you guys. When it is still 37 degrees at 9pm where else is there to go? People swim all evening and the beach stays crowded well into the night. The water is always fresh and you can feel a light breeze coming off the waves.
Yesterday was one of these crazy days, so after work we drove to Coogee beach in an attempt to cool off. It didn't really work, but it was fun, the water was cold and we ate fish and chips.
posted by Claire.


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Famed Miraval hotel makes first foray into Texas with new Austin location
There's a new place to find your zen and balance your chakras in Texas: wellness resort Miraval Austin recently opened its doors at 13500 FM 2769 with 220 acres of Hill Country land overlooking Lake Travis.
Miraval gained popularity at its flagship property in Tuscon, Arizona. This location is the brand's first foray into the Texas market. The original outpost, now operating for more than two decades, made a name for its unique approach to wellness, including some offbeat activities. Instead of a standard horseback ride in nature, patrons can instead opt to paint a portrait ... on a horse. Yes, on a horse.
VALENTINE'S GETAWAY: Romantic travel destinations in Texas
The lodging offers the ultimate spiritual -- and metaphysical -- getaway with staff that includes tarot-card readers, "Wild Harvest Herbal Healers" and masseuses that offer floating massages.
The 117-room hotel includes a spa, full-service restaurant Life in Balance Culinary Kitchen and the Cypress Creek Organic Farm and Ranch, from which most of the restaurant's ingredients are sourced.
At HoustonChronicle.com: Urban Harvest sells trees for Houston area
"We are incredibly proud to open Miraval Austin as we embark on an exciting period of expansion at Miraval," Marc W. Ellin, global head of Miraval Group, said in a prepared statement. "Miraval has been dedicated to inspiring total mind, body and spirit wellness by offering guests authentic experiences rooted in mindfulness."
The Hyatt, which obtained the Miraval from KSL Resorts in January 2017, also owns nearby resort high-end resort and spa, Travaasa Austin. However, Miraval retains its standalone status among the Hyatt portfolio establishments.
As we open Miraval Austin, we look forward to welcoming Miraval's loyal guests, as well new audiences to experience the fulfillment, pleasure and growth that come with a Miraval experience."
Miraval Austin
Where: 13500 FM 2769
Phone: 855-234-1672
More info: www.miravalaustin.com