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If you play Otome games, then you've probably heard about this game. I sort of randomly found it while looking for a different game and initially thought it was another one of those ticket based visual novels where you have to wait 4 hours to get one ticket. Gosh I hate those games – I'm currently playing 3 of them – and how they practically force you to do the "Tapjoy" thing for points and spend money.
To my delight, Mystic Messenger is nothing like that. I find it rather unique in how it takes advantage of the fact that it's a mobile game. Basically, the game is designed to simulate a chatting app. It includes a photo album, email, "friend" profiles, chatrooms, messenger, and a call function. It's really cool!
The story:
One day you're minding your own business, downloading some apps, when you receive a text message from a mysterious stranger with the handle "Unknown". They tell you that they found a cellphone at the train station, but that it seems to be broken. The only thing they could access was this app (the app you downloaded), some important looking information and an address. They're hoping you can help them by going to the address and finding the owner of the phone as they are out of the country. You chat a bit, you agree to help, and you go to the address. You basically trespass, you suddenly get access to a private chatroom on the app and the story begins… Please don't let my lackluster explanation deter you from giving this game a chance. It's actually really good. There's actually a rather intriguing mystery to the overall story, a sense of betrayal, danger and of course hot guys (and a girl).
The dialogues are so well written that I actually felt like I was having a conversation, well, to be more precise it felt like I was "eavesdropping" in on a conversation between friends. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and in some cases I became pretty emotionally invested. I also like that the characters are not perfect. They all have some somewhat realistic issues, they're jerks sometimes (NOT in a tsundere way), and they even hurt my feelings a time or two. Mostly, they're all very charming of course as this is an Otome game, but I like the complexity in their personalities.
Some would say that the best thing about this game is that it's possible to finish this game in it's entirety without spending a dime. There are guides out there on how to do it. That being said, I think this would make the game feel more like a chore thus less enjoyable, as the chatrooms are based on real time. You're bound to miss a chat or two, especially those 3AM ones, which means that you're going to have to spend "Hour glasses" sooner or later. Hour glasses let you unlock missed chats, call characters, and unlock DLCs. Personally, I've enjoyed this game so much that I want to support it with my hard earn money.
There are 56 different endings. Yes 56. Including the DLCs, bad endings, good endings, normal endings, and bad relationship endings. At this point I plan on doing all of them. Some are fairly easy to get and don't require too much time. Actually, some require you to basically not spend any time on the game. I've done about 9 some far… please wish me luck.
Conclusion: 10/10 I recommend this game.
Tip: Save your progress! I've had to re-install the game 3 times. For some reason after Google Play and my phone decided to update the game wouldn't show push notifications anymore, and as this is a real time based game it's important to not miss those notifications!


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This anti-theft smell proof travel case is all you need for your next on-the-go sesh. With a cushioned inside and adjustable Velcro straps, you can secure your stash without a worry. The interior lining absorbs any interior odors making it completely smell proof -- keeping odors in while keeping your goods fresh! The best part? It's fitted with a TSA-approved combination lock, making it the most secure stash bag in your collection. Don't worry about sticky fingers getting to your goods!
Size: 8.27x4.33"x3.54"

subset: commoncrawl


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AbstractCurrent knowledge about incident dementia is mainly derived from studies undertaken in the West, showing that dementia is related to older age, low socio-economic status, lack of social network, depression and cardiovascular disease risk factors. We know little about incidence and predictors of dementia in China, where the prevalence is increasing and the patterns of risk factors are different. Using a standard interview method, we examined 1526 non-demented people aged ≥65 years who had at least minimal educational level in China in a 7.5-year follow up. Incident dementia was diagnosed by GMS-AGECAT algorithms and psychiatrists. Age-standardised incidence of dementia was 14.7 per 1000 person-years (95%CI 11.3-18.2 per 1000 person-years). The increased risk was significantly associated with age, female gender (adjusted odds ratio 2.48, 95%CI 1.20-5.13), low educational levels, smoking, angina (2.58, 1.01-6.59) and living with fewer family members. Among participants with low educational level, the increased risk was associated with higher income, and with the highest and lowest occupational classes; adjusted odds ratio 2.74 (95%CI 1.12-6.70) for officers/teachers, 3.11 (1.61-6.01) for manual labourers/peasants. Our findings of high incidence of dementia and increased risk among people having low education levels but high income suggest a more potential epidemic and burden of dementia populations in China. Maintaining social network and activities and reducing cardiovascular factors in late life could be integrated into current multi-faceted preventive strategies for curbing the epidemic of dementia.
PublisherPublic Library of Science
JournalPLoS One
PubMed ID21966372
TypeJournal article
Scopus Count
The following licence applies to the copyright and re-use of this item:
- Creative Commons
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Boston is an ultramodern metropolis that boasts of some of the tallest buildings in United States. Boston is New England's major and most significant metropolis. You will appear throughout some of the tallest skyscrapers that will mesmerize and enchant your senses. So, be completely ready to take a look at Boston and embrace its' stunning skyscrapers.
The metropolis is the web-site of sixteen skyscrapers that increase at minimum five hundred feet (152 m) in height, more than any other metropolis in New England. Dependent on present and under-development buildings above five hundred feet (152 m) tall), the skyline of Boston is ranked 2nd in the Northeast (following New York Metropolis) and tenth in the United States.
The Hancock Tower, commonly regarded as the John Hancock tower is the tallest composition in the metropolis which was built in 1976, consists of 60 floors and rises 790 feet higher. The 2nd-tallest constructing in Boston is the Prudential Tower, which is 749 feet (228 m) higher. Nonetheless, apart from these two, there are other tall structures in Boston.
60 State Avenue is a modern day skyscraper in the Authorities Heart community of Boston, Massachusetts. Accomplished in 1977, it is Boston's thirteenth tallest constructing, standing 509 feet (one hundred fifty five m) tall, and housing 38 floors. The Berkeley Creating (also regarded as the Aged John Hancock Creating) is a 36-tale, 495-foot (151 m) composition situated at 200 Berkeley Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, Usa.
One particular Worldwide Place is the tallest constructing in Boston produced in the nineteen eighties. It is Boston's fifth-tallest constructing, standing 600 feet (183 m) tall and housing forty six floors. The constructing is very outstanding in the city's skyline, specially when seen from Boston Harbor.
I think I have furnished very good information and facts about some of the tallest structures in Boston. This information and facts will be practical to anyone- be it a visitor or the resident of Boston!


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As busy mom entrepreneurs, we're constantly seeking ways to build our brand without cutting into our time with our families. Luckily for us, the Internet and social media makes it possible to do so without spending a dime.
That's right, you can create a kickass online marketing presence armed with some cool social media tools to help you do more with your Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest presence.
Here are five must-have social media tools that every mom entrepreneur should have in her marketing toolbox:
1. PinAlerts
Cool Factor: This free tool helps you to monitor your Pinterest presence without having to manually search for pins from your site. Simply head over, set up an account, adding your website links and determining the frequency of emails you'd like to be sent. That's it. Sit back and enjoy knowing what people are pinning from your site.
How to Use It: You can use PinAlerts to monitor popular products or content on your site. You can also set up PinAlerts for competitor sites to keep tabs on what are their hot products. Also, you can use it for research to see what people in your niche are pinning.
2. Monitter
Cool Factor: This easy-to-use and free tool helps you track mentions, hashtags and trends on Twitter. While you can always link it to your Twitter account, I prefer just typing in whatever I'm 'monitter'ing and tracking data. You can also filter results geographically. Neat!
How to Use It: There are SO many ways to use the information you get from Monitter. You can use it to find relevant followers in your niche, hone in on conversations about your brand, discover potential customers and also, find interesting and related content to share.
3. EdgeKick
Cool Factor: With all the changes happening to Facebook, I'm sure you want to know what type of posts are popular and also which posts get the most comments, likes or shares. Enter EdgeKick {thank you Heather for directing me to this!}, yet another easy-to-use tool that will help you do all that in just a few clicks.
How to Use It: Set up your analysis by entering your Facebook page URL and then, wait a bit while it pulls all your data. Then, whenever you want to track your results, simply go to EdgeKick, enter your Facebook page URL and voila, you'll see how many likes per hour you're getting and best of all, a post summary for the last 90 days. The post summary will help you see the popularity of Photo, Status or Link posts with your audience, and tailor your posts accordingly.
4. Similar Sites
Cool Factor: Ever want to find sites that are similar to yours so that you can guest post on them or maybe collaborate with them? Well, Similar Sites makes that super easy. Just type in the URL of your website and you'll get up to 25 sites that are similar to yours ranked from highest to lowest.
How to Use It: Moms with businesses can use this tool to find sites to guest post on as well as identify best practices and apply them to their business website.
5. Visual.ly
Cool Factor: Finally, in the day and age of infographics everywhere, I couldn't leave without sharing a tool to help you create one, easily. As someone who is blessed to have a non-tech brain, a tool like this is really handy. All you need to do is select a story or template, connect your Facebook or Twitter account, and then, customize. Fun!
How to Use It: Mom entrepreneurs can use Visual.ly to create eye-catching and engaging infographics in minutes and use them to boost exposure, traffic and visibility on various social media channels.
Want more great resources?
How about more than 125 of them to help with your online business? Get our FREE 22 page guide, right here.
Prerna Malik
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A great way to experience Lancaster County
Posted on July 9, 2015
in News
I've driven a scooter once before, so I felt fairly comfortable the second time around. I'm not talking about an Amish scooter propelled by leg power; this one has 50 ccs of power and is a registered vehicle. The day was gorgeous. The sun was out and the temperature was in the low 80's. My friend Andrea and I were ready for a fun afternoon with Strasburg Scooters. Read more…


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YOGA MATTERS -Yoga Chitta Vritta Nirodha
Feb 21, 2013
These humble four words are the fundamental mandate for practitioners of Yoga and those yoga teachers who would formulate practices for their students. The definition of these words is truly the definition of Yoga as a whole.
Patanjali's framework provides a translation of the mandate of Yoga into simple, actionable, repeatable and concrete phases to bring about spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity is the ultimate goal of Yoga practices. Yoga destroys ignorance along the way.
This article is the first in a series of articles examining how Western students deeply enter into spiritual practice starting with Yoga.
To begin anything, especially something as deep as Yoga is, one must do the following:
1) Know What You're Getting Into
2) Know Where You Are
3) Prepare for Getting Into It/Find A Teacher
4) Serve, Love, Give, Purify
5) Meditate, Realize; Evolve, Transform
6) Teach: Contribute to others by translating or advising on practices that result in transformation
Truly, Yoga is like a pot into which one climbs and is therefore "cooked". The contents of the pot are forever changed, but the pot itself remains unaffected by the heat applied or the nature of the contents inside.
Barriers to Removing Modifications: The Modern Student
Translated, 'Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha' simply means 'Yoga is the practice of removing any and all modifications of the mind'. Patanjali's 8-step process is intended to operate upon this mandate. Each of the 8 limbs (or ashtanga) of Patanjali's framework is what he termed the evolution or practice of "kriya yoga", or 'cleansing action'.
What is being cleansed is the mind, as this mind sits at the very center of all Yogic practices.
"Mind is the cause of bondage, mind is the cause of freedom."- Swami Vishnu-devananda
Pantanjali's formulations of the Ashtanga Yoga are, essentially, an observation of the common layers of focus that assist aspirants in removing barriers; practices that result in the removal of modifications of the mind; resulting in total; a balanced left/right brained, non-theistic recognition of Reality. These practices result in an increasingly mature outlook on this Reality.
Qualifications of A Sincere Aspirant
In my experience as a teacher, I have used the Sadhana Chatushtaya (the qualifications of an aspirant) as my touchstone for how to proceed through the spiritual path. Swami Venkatesananda, one of Swami Sivananda's longtime disciples, speaking about my guru, said it thusly:
Swami Sivananda accepted the supreme and vital need for what is known as Sadhana-Chatushtaya. Whereas the orthodox Rishis, sages, Yogis or holy men waited for the ripe seeker (one who was ready, who had disciplined himself, who had prepared himself) to approach them, Swami Sivananda said that it is perhaps too much to expect a person living in the modern world, assailed on all sides by distractions and temptations, to develop discrimination and dispassion. He said that even in the case of a person who runs away from failure it is possible to find a spark which could be fanned into a big flame. Sometimes if the spark didn't exist he even ignited it. That was the extraordinary beauty in Swami Sivananda.
One of the methods adopted by him was massive dissemination of spiritual knowledge. It was absolutely and totally indiscriminate. Viveka is often translated into discrimination. Here was a master who performed indiscriminate charity and undertook indiscriminate dissemination of spiritual knowledge in the hope that one of these pamphlets or books, dropping into the hands of a man at a certain psychological moment, might ignite true Viveka, true aspiration, in him.
I have taken a similar compassionate and yet informed approach with my teaching method. This article is written from that point of view.
The challenge is greater in today's ultra-modern materialistic society than it was in 1930's India. Our method of learning in the West is largely the English method of teaching, rooted in a time well before the modern era and it's flood of information.
Left/Right Brain In Yoga
Modern life is very left-brained and focused on technical, separate, imbalanced and historical information- leaves us unprepared for Yoga's balanced left/right approach to learning and the extremely right-brained experiences found there. As a result, we are often overwhelmed by a sudden shift in context brought about by this integrated method. The right-brain-world is ENORMOUS in it's context, and feels very like being given a million separate facts to process, but this is not actually the case.
The right-brained approach is important, and yet can be disorienting, as the right brain doesn't recognize ANY of the differences we've been trained since birth to look for. This can overwhelm us. For an incredible description of the left/right brain, see Jill Bolte-Taylor's Stroke of Insight:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9wjQy3Mnjc
For those on the spiritual path (even affiliated with any world religion or genuine teacher), classical Ashtanga yoga is an integral framework that gives one context and confidence to proceed and deconstruct the layers of belief in thoughts that arise in the mind. The mind is merely a thought-production machine, and it's very nature is to produce thoughts. Knowing this, one can begin to disconnect from thinking each one is so important.
Even so, following the Sadhana Chatushtaya provides the framework for how to prepare the mind to proceed along the eight-armed path properly.
What little we are taught is quite clearly left-brain oriented, concerned with details and even the English language is better at explaining technical concepts than spiritual ones, whereas Sanskrit is far better at encoding spiritual concepts. Even a single three-letter word "sat" requires en entire sentence to describe it. Hare Om Tat Sat requires a whole page to describe in English. Thus we see that the context of the philosophy Yoga evolved in teaches us to think more three dimensionally, and to understand more clearly the deep wisdom of Vedanta.
Our cultural reference is so far away from classical Yoga and Vedanta methods as to make them seem even impossible to accept, and we tend to unconsciously contextualize a genuine teacher and practices into our separate way of thinking, taught to us for so many years oof the English method. Thus the necessary steps of accepting a Yoga or Vedanta teacher who will introduce you to your own mind is an even more challenging prospect. Yet, it is exactly this sort of right-brained practice many are longing for, without being able to identify it properly.
We are further challenged by our own lack of understanding this new right-brained context and even when we accept a teacher, we give over a control of ourselves to them in an overly idealized way; like a rock star or celebrity. There are too many stories in the past to warrant further discussion.
It makes sense, then, that Modern yoga practices tend to be overly focused on the body or some non-integrated sense of self in our materialistic society. Thus, we can see that a number of barriers exist to learning yoga in the deep, integrated way that the gurukula system has been designed to work.
Yoga Destroys Ignorance
The gurukula system and Patanjali's Yoga is a system designed for one purpose: to destroy ignorance.
The ignorance of what?
Your true nature as Brahman, or undifferentiated consciousness.
Since we're in the business of destroying ignorance, then, it follows that one will be eventually forced to deal with the barriers in the mind that one has built due to the following factors, in diminishing order:
1) Past life influences/genetics
2) Parental Influences
3) Cultural Influences (television, writings, religion)
4) Personal Ethics, Choices, Grief/Loss
Many practitioners, ignorant of the larger nature of Yoga- and it's difficult struggle to deconstruct unhelpful and selfish thought patterns; belief in, and attachment to thoughts and ideas- will silently believe Yoga is the pursuit of "feeling good", blissfully unaware of the reasons why one feels peaceful; or how to deepen that feeling. Merely chasing after a "good feeling" is an approach that yields some short-term benefits, but can become it's own barrier over time.
Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha is a beautiful pointer to the deeper aspects available in Yoga to those who are ready. This article has been written for those who might be ready to look deeper and stop believing their thoughts.
Often the above past factors can harden and form into literal walls in the mind. These walls are built from repeated thoughts, reinforced by the past (a left-brain activity).
Yoga, however, takes place only in the present moment. When one spends one's present thinking of the past or future, one is emphasizing the left-brain. Yoga is, at the beginning, connecting the breath, the movement and the awareness together. These are all right-brain acitvities.
Only thoughts that are believed can create such walls. Experience, yogic training and especially Vedantic understandings can bring these walls down. Knowing that every part of the practice of Yoga is to prepare the mind for tearing down these left-brained walls, and the attachments that go with them, we connect with the right-brain and find peace.
Someone once asked the Buddha: "What have you gained through meditation?" The Buddha replied, "Nothing at all."
"Then, Blessed One, what good is it?"
The Buddha said: "Let me tell you what I have lost in meditation: greed, hatred, delusion…"
Yoga practices (and Buddhist practices that are largely based upon Yoga) address the ego directly, the ego being merely a long-believed-in construction of thoughts in the mind. Stop believing "your" thoughts, and you are on your way to the goal of Yoga practice. Each practice of the 8 limbs of Yoga will bring about another chance to connect to the right-brained connection to the true Self. Then, the various side-effects of this practice: peace, love, happiness, calm, clarity of purpose can arise in the mind, informed by the right brain.
"Are you unselfish? That is the question. If you are, you will be perfect without reading a single religious book, without going into a single church or temple."- Swami Vivekananda


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"Voices are a soul's signature," says psychologist Dan Shapiro, who in his daily practice hears plenty of them. For all his expertise, he admits he's still terrified that "someone will keep something from me, and when they tell me the truth, I'll be useless."
Treating other physicians has become one of Shapiro's specialties. When the obstetrician Amelia Sorvino seeks his help—distraught that her own medical error could have injured a patient's baby— Shapiro finds his talents as counselor and healer pushed to their limits. Session by session, he works to discover the sources of Amelia's anguish–for his own sake as much as hers: he's familiar with the burden of a doctor's guilt, and he has seen how loss and trauma, if unchecked, can echo from generation to generation in a family. In this probing, intensely personal memoir, the words "Physician, heal thyself" assume a fresh and moving urgency.


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Benefits of a protein-rich breakfast
Women who consumed protein-containing breakfasts maintained better blood glucose and insulin levels than those with lower protein or no protein meals
We have been told that that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and now recent research further indicates this.
Several health benefits have been associated with having a daily breakfast including weight loss, improved concentration and performance in the classroom or boardroom and lower cholesterol levels. Not only is having breakfast important, but what we choose to eat at breakfast time is just as important.
Researchers at the University of Missouri found that when women consumed high-protein breakfasts, they maintained better glucose and insulin control than they did with lower-protein or no-protein meals.
Previous research has shown that extreme increases in glucose and insulin in the blood can lead to poor glucose control and increase an individual's risk of developing diabetes over time.
The researchers, Heather Leidy and Kevin Maki, studied women aged 18-55 years who consumed one of three different meals or only water on four consecutive days. The tested meals were less than 300 calories per serving and had similar fat and fibre contents.
However, the protein content varied: a pancake meal with 3 grams of protein; a sausage and egg breakfast with 30 grams of protein; or a sausage and egg breakfast with 39 grams of protein. Researchers monitored the amount of glucose and insulin in the participants' blood for four hours after they ate breakfast.
The results revealed that both protein-rich breakfasts led to lower spikes in glucose and insulin after meals compared to the low-protein, high-carb breakfast. In addition, the higher-protein breakfast led to lower post-meal spikes compared to the high protein breakfast.
These findings suggest that for healthy women, the consumption of protein-rich breakfasts leads to better glucose control throughout the morning than the consumption of low-protein options.
Based on the study's findings, the researchers are hopeful that the consumption of protein-rich breakfasts would also benefit individuals with pre-diabetes, although further research is needed. This research highlights the importance of including a good source of protein at breakfast each day.
Good sources of protein include meat, fish, eggs or cheese.
My tip: Limit sources of sugar at breakfast time, such as orange juice and sugary cereals which can further upset blood sugar balance throughout the day.
University of Missouri-Columbia. Women who consume high protein breakfasts may decrease their risk for diabetes. Medical News Today 2014.


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An Architect's Guide to Public Procurement
Prices & shipping based on shipping country
Book Description
There is suspicion in the UK and across Europe that the upcoming introduction of new European Directives will encourage a regime of conservatism and legal risk aversion, fostering the delivery of mediocre and banal building design. This book dispels these myths and instead looks at the genuine impact of EU law on architectural practice.
Engaging in public sector work requires a broad understanding of this seemingly complex and constantly evolving subject, and unlike other texts, the book is designed to explore public procurement from the perspective of the architect. An easy to follow guide through the complex legal and technical jargon involved in the procurement process, the book provides practical tools which will assist architects in developing their own, clear procurement strategy.
Although written with a UK audience in mind, the advice will also be applicable to other European jurisdictions. It is invaluable reading for existing practitioners wishing to expand their current involvement in the public procurement process, as well as those encountering it for the first time.
Table of Contents
Part 1: Demystifying Public Procurement Public Procurement in the EU and UK: Purpose and Core Principles 1. Procurement Procedures 2. Contracting Authorities i.e. 'bodies governed by public law' Part 2: Planning for Success in Public Procurement Direct and Indirect Means of Participation 3. Qualification: Evaluating Real and Perceived Barriers to your Participation 4. Award Criteria: How Can I Improve my Chances of Success Part 3: Challenging the Process 5. What are an Architect's Rights? 6. Challenge Procedures 7. Influencing Buyer Behaviour (individually and as a group) Part 4: Managing an Architect's Public Tender Strategy 8. Identifying your Strengths 9. The Architect's Strategic Lifecycle Approach to Participation 10. Navigating Contract Notices: Avoiding Pit-falls and Playing to One's Strengths 11. Learning through Participation 12. Planning for the Future
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Fin Garvey is Director of iPM (a Management Consultancy). A qualified and registered architect (RIAI), Fin is an established speaker on the topic of Project Management and public procurement. He has led the management process from the perspective of owner, sponsor, consultant and implementer and his experience ranges across large-scale engineering, building construction and conservation, software systems, R&D, new product development as well as social and environmental projects.


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West Ham will be looking to make it seven points from nine Premier League games when Manchester United visit the London Stadium on Saturday.
Manuel Pellegrini's men won 8-0 in the EFL Cup in midweek and will be hoping to carry that momentum into the clash.
Jose Mourinho's side are fighting among themselves and faltering badly. The league is probably already gone, they're just looking to regain some form and unity.
We've got a detailed preview of the match below…
Head-to-head Record
West Ham have beaten United just five teams in the Premier League, with three of those victories coming at home.
The most recent league triumph came in the final league match to be played at Upton Park, with Winston Reid sealing a 3-2 win after a topsy-turvy clash.
The sides' last meeting was a drab 0-0 draw at the end of last season; Saturday's encounter is sure to be a more hotly-contested encounter.
United's form
Just as United looked as if they might be getting their act together, they faltered again. Consecutive away wins against Burnley, Young Boys and Watford calmed the talk of a crisis brought on by losses against Brighton and Spurs.
Then the Reds were outplayed by and fortunate to draw with Wolves and Derby on their own patch, with the latter dumping them out of the EFL Cup. United do not go into this one in good nick.
Former Manchester United man Chicharito's hopes of facing his old club have been dashed by glandular fever, but talisman Marko Arnautovic is fit to play.
Carlos Sanchez joined the list of long-term absentees on Wednesday; which of course already includes Manuel Lanzini, Winston Reid, Jack Wilshere and Andy Carroll.
For the visitors, Marcos Rojo is the only long-term absentee. Otherwise, Mourinho has a full squad of players to select from.
Danger Man
Romelu Lukaku's record against West Ham is simply staggering. In 13 games against the Hammers in all competitions, the Belgian has 11 goals.
He scored every time he faced the Irons in an Everton shirt, with the exception of one game. But he made up for that by bagging twice on the only occasion he has encountered West Ham in United red.
The superstitious among the fanbase may feel the Hammers are already 1-0 down. Those who prefer to look at the evidence on the pitch may be more buoyant.
Lukaku's link play is still substandard and he is wasteful in front of goal; missed opportunities against Brighton, Spurs, Burnley, Watford and Derby bear that out.
Superstition suggests he will score; his form suggests otherwise.
Score prediction
The Hammers have a genuine chance of winning this one. Keeping Chelsea out last weekend was a harder challenge than facing United will be and confidence is sure to be higher now.
United always cede chances and rely on David de Gea to keep them out. If West Ham are clinical, they can win this one. 2-0 to the Hammers.


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It's pretty simple. If you are unsatisfied with your product for any reason, send it back for a full refund! If there are any defects or quality issues, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or message us on our Facebook page, and we will work quickly to resolve the issue.
If you have any questions, please contact us.


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Monterey Green Beans
Total TimePrep/Total Time: 10 min.
Makes6 servings
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 package (9 ounces) frozen cut green beans
- 1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- In a large saucepan, saute onions in butter until tender. Add the beans, mushrooms, lemon-pepper and salt. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until beans are tender. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand for 1 minute or until cheese is melted.
Nutrition Facts3/4 cup: 106 calories, 9g fat (5g saturated fat), 24mg cholesterol, 364mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.
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Aug 2, 2014
My husband will sure be surprised; making for Sunday Dinner. He loves anything and everything with cheese. Have feeling he'll devour these!
Jul 5, 2013
This was a very good side dish and an excellent change to green beans. I do not care a lot for mushrooms but my family does and devoured these, thus the 4 stars instead of 5. I could eat them & enjoyed the change. May try them next time without the mushrooms. I did not have Monterey Jack cheese on hand so I used Swiss instead. It worked very well.
Mar 20, 2013
No comment left
Feb 22, 2009
I made this recipe with items I had on hand, using frozen french-style green beans, fresh mushrooms, sliced regular onion, and cheddar cheese. It was very good and I will definitely make it again.
Feb 23, 2008
No comment left
Oct 6, 2007
No comment left


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|ASUS ROG Zephyrus S GX701 (GX701GX-XH78)
|Processor (CPU)?Central Processing Unit is the heart of a laptop and is responsible for executing programs.
|Intel Core i7-9750H
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Processor Manufacturer: Intel
Processor Type: Core i7
Processor Generation: 9th Gen
Processor Model: i7-9750H
Processor Speed: 2.60 GHz


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The Homemade Curing Kits
Launched in late 2014, The Homemade Curing Kit… Bacon contains everything you need to cure your own Original, Sweet and Smoky Bacon at home. You just need to add the pork. Buy one online from our shop here. It has already gone down an absolute storm with bacon lovers around the country.Buy Now


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@tt01, bearing in mind the comments from your previous thread, I suggest you are transparent with this listing, answering all questions with as much detail as possible. Rousetafarian requested a copy of the receipt which you should post here (omitting personal details). The reason being; you are a new member with no verifiable history, selling an extremely high-value item on the basis of trust.
Thank you.
Go to Original Article


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Map of Forest Park
Publication Date: 04/01/2011
Document Type: Maps and GIS
Sponsor: Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry
Map of Forest Park available for download.
Includes amenities, roads, parking, bike paths, playgrounds, park information, picnic areas, comfort stations.
Format is landscape, letter size 8 1/2 x 11
- Map of Forest Park Document (2.30 MB)
Need Help Viewing?
You need a program that can open Adobe PDF files. A free option:
- Adobe Reader (can read PDF files)
Feedback is anonymous.


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MSTC Limited (formerly known as Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited), Kolkata is a Mini Ratna Category-I PSU under the Ministry of Steel, Govt. of India. The company has a wide spectrum of activities ranging from import / export of industrial items to acting as the leading service provider for e-commerce in the country. The Company is looking for goal-oriented and motivated SYSTEMS & FINANCE personnel:
1. Jr Manager (F & A): 02 Posts
2. Jr Manager (Systems): 07 Posts
2. Jr Manager (Systems): 07 Posts
Qualification: Candidates should possess CA/ICWA from a recognized university/ institution for Jr Manager (Finance & Accounts) post, BE/ BTech in Electronics/ IT/ Comp. Applications or MCA from a recognized university/ institution for Post Jr Manager (Systems).
Last date: 13th May 2013
For Job details CLICK HERE


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This event will take place over 2 days 15th & 16th May 2018 at the Union Station Hotel, Nashville, TN
The event's new name, EHSS Connect, reflects the expert knowledge and peer-to-peer learning that is a hallmark of our events. What does this mean for you? Well, we are positioning industry innovators to headline thought-leadership sessions (speakers to be announced soon), expanding our workshops to help you get the best from your systems, and hosting exciting networking sessions that will enable you to develop vital contacts and share best practices.
Aaron Morales – Account director at Trucost, part of S&P Dow Jones Indices will be speaking at this event.
For more info or details on how to register please click here


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Per the National Park Service: It is a geologic feature protrudes out of the rolling prairie that surrounds the Black Hills. The site is considered Sacred to the Lakota and other tribes that have a connection to the area. Hundreds of parallel cracks make it one of the finest traditional crack climbing areas in North America
After a 1 hour drive through the interstate and then a beautiful countryside I see it in the distance. Can you?
There it is.
Getting closer.
And closer. No, I'm kidding. That is just a zoomed in version.
And then I arrive. Another free entrance thanks to my National Parks Annual Pass.
Before I begin the hike uphill and around Devils Tower it is important to note the following.
There he/she/it is.
I walk around the trail.
And take various angled photos of Devils Tower.
There are actually people climbing the tower. You will have to zoom in to see. It is hard unless you know where to look. I sooo want to climb it.
And the surrounding views along the trail
There is life at the top of the tower.
After I am done with the trail, I get into my car and head for the exit. But stop by randomly to take pictures.
These little critters are cute, especially when they stand up on the hind legs.
The prairie dog grounds.
Just beside the road
Oh no! They've spotted me.
After I leave Devils Tower I continue to drive by and stop along the way and take pictures of gorgeous scenery.
This part of Wyoming was really beautiful.
Expenses: $0.00


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Just Minutes From the Heart of the Capital District
Welcome to Village One Apartments, an affordable community in the heart of the capital region. Located on the CDTA bus line in Menands, and adjacent to the beautiful Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park, residents of Village One Apartments have easy access to downtown Albany and a variety of major shopping, entertainment, and business areas. Enjoy a community park setting without giving up the ease and convenience of a central Capital District location. Village One is located close to I-787 for easy commuting to Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs, Malta and Rensselaer.
At Village One, you'll be minutes from everything the Capital District has to offer. Shopping centers, delicious restaurants, inspiring art galleries, and exciting entertainment venues can be found in and around Albany. For the active lifestyle, outdoor pursuits are as varied as the city's landscape. The area's many lakes and rivers offer world class water sports for both beginners and advanced athletes alike. In the winter months the surrounding mountains offer some of the finest skiing in the region. From biking to hiking or kayaking to fly fishing, the region is home to endless possibilities.


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MATLAB 및 Simulink 교육
Training To You - Phoenix
2200 N. Central Ave
Suite 400
Phoenix, AZ 85004
United States
(602) 266-1500
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Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Downtown
15 East Monroe Street
Phoenix, AZ 85004
전문 강사가 귀사의 요구사항에 맞는 현장 교육 세션을 제공합니다.
Select a Web
Choose a web site to get translated content where available and see local events and
offers. Based on
your location, we recommend that you select: .
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The 2018 Audi S5 Sport back is Audi's resolve to revive the market for the hatchbacks. This car has power, style and is fairly priced. The S5, now available at $55, 375 is powered by a 354 hp turbocharged 3.0 litre V-6 engine. The Quattro All-wheel drive system and its eight speed automatic transmission is similar to what we saw in its predecessors. It
It doesn't, however, have manual transmission. It can reach 60 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds and clocks an impressive 10.9 second in reaching 100 miles per hour. The ZF-supplied gearbox takes advantage of the 369 lb-ft of torque allowing an rpm as low as 1370 rpm and as high as 4500 rpm.
You will have no issues with turbo lag if you are driving in Dynamic mode or you have switched to first gear by manually selecting via the paddle shifters. It might become a bit annoying if you use the car in its Comfort Setting. The Dynamic setting analyses recent driving style history to give us the performance we need.
Exterior and interior:
The Audi S5 Sport back is a real charmer on the streets. It is more visually appealing than its two door predecessors. The roofline is tapered and the window line is kinked to cater to the visual delight of the customers. The Tango Red paint is enough to grab your eyeballs. With 22 cubic feet of cargo space, this is comfortably spacious.
However in terms of headroom and legroom, the S4 scores better. The ergonomics of the car is breath taking and entertainment is served via the 7 inch unit infotainment screen. The screen controls are easily accessible for the driver. An on board navigation system, 360 degree view camera system, LED interior lighting, Virtual Cockpit are the additional features worth a mention here. It has adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, automatic high beams and the cosy seats are adorned with quilted leather.
It has adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, automatic high beams and the cosy seats are adorned with quilted leather.
The Audi S5 is a great performer in the road whatever mode it is driven on. In terms of fuel efficiency, the S5 is rather frugal. In a 75 mph highway fuel economy test, the car could do 33 miles per gallon which scores more than the EPA's rating by 3 miles. But the weakest part of this car has to be the steering. The S5 becomes prone to understeer if driven spiritedly. This is because of the weight distribution with 56 percent on its nose.
But the weakest part of this car has to be the steering. The S5 becomes prone to understeer if driven spiritedly. This is because of the weight distribution with 56 percent on its nose. However the red brake callipers and adaptive dampers allow the driver to enjoy a firm ride and avoid the possible jerks.
There is ample leg space and knee room for the passengers though the third row is much compact than its competitors like Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Highlander. On the looks aspect, it has come with some overhaul and redesigning to enter into the stylish class of the Tucson and Elantra. With the spoilers, alloys, sunroof, LED lights and other attractive nuances, the 2018 Audi S5 stands out as one of the most impressive looking sports backs out there.
Bottom line:
This car is surely going to revive the hatchback market and remove people's apprehension towards hatchbacks. It is totally worth the price at which this car is available right now. A little more additions to that budget will allow you to enjoy luxury along with great performance. This is a highly capable car and you cannot get your eyes off this one.
The correct dynamic mode will allow you to enjoy the ride you always have imagined on the speedway.


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The central Polish city of Lodz was a thriving hub of Poland's Jewish community before the Holocaust. Its story is told, in part at least, through one of its former residents, Lilka Elbaum, who lived in postwar Lodz until 1968.
What most reminds her of her birthplace is an unremarkable still life painting that adorned her parents' apartment from 1945 until their departure from Poland. To Elbaum, it's an "object of memory" that conveys a sense of place and security.
In Still Life in Lodz, a documentary by the Polish-American filmmaker Slawomir Grunberg, Elbaum returns to Lodz after a long absence to connect with her past. Her reference points are the painting, the work of a Russian artist, and the tenement that was Elbaum's home for the first 19 years of her life.
Grunberg's film, which summons up images of pre-war Poland and presents glimpses of contemporary Lodz, premiered at the Mark Edelman Dialogue Center and the Man in Danger International Film Festival in Lodz in November. Next month, it will be presented at a Russian film festival in Moscow organized by the Russian Jewish Congress and dedicated to International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Elbaum and her parents left Poland under duress 51 years ago in October. In the wake of the 1967 Six Day War, the Polish government launched an aggressive anti-Zionist drive that soon degenerated into a state-sponsored campaign of antisemitism. Jews were dismissed from their jobs, stigmatized, marginalized and made to feel like foreigners.
Twenty to thirty thousand Jews, the vast majority deeply assimilated into Polish society, were forced to emigrate. Elbaum, who lives in Boston today, was among them. She seems like a lively and interesting person, but oddly enough, Grunberg tells us precious little about her or her parents in terms of their respective backgrounds and occupations.
Despite this yawning gap in his film, Grunberg — a native of Lublin who emigrated in 1981 — understands Polish Jews like Elbaum. This explains his affinity for making empathetic films about Poland's Jewish dimension. Prior to the Holocaust, Poland was home to 3.3 million Jews, of whom approximately 200,000 resided in Lodz, which was known for its textile industry. Jews like Izrael Poznanski, as well as ethnic Germans, played an enormous role in developing its industrial infrastructure.
Elbaum and her parents lived in a now shabby building that had been inhabited almost exclusively by Jews prior to the war. Before they moved into their flat, its previous tenant had been a Pole of German descent. The still life that is at the center of Grunberg's film was acquired by a Polish woman after the Elbaums vacated the apartment. Elbaum meets the new owner shortly after her arrival in Lodz.
During the course of her visit, she reminisces about her formative years in the city, chats with former neighbors and walks around Lodz. She visits the current Jewish community center, which serves a minuscule Jewish population struggling to rebuild what was shattered by the Nazis. Lastly, she pays a visit to the huge Jewish cemetery, where Poznanski's remains are interred in a massive mausoleum, and meets a Polish family which assisted her mother after she went into hiding during the Nazi occupation.
Occasionally, Elbaum is accompanied by Paul Celler, an American Jew of Polish ancestry who's trying to discover his ancestral roots in the nearby town of Lask, and Roni Ben-Ari, a photographer from Israel whose family left Poland in 1926.
Grunberg uses vintage photographs to paint a vivid picture of early 20th century Lodz. A photograph of a marketplace is especially evocative.
The Nazi occupation of Lodz, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, is one of the film's most important elements. Grunberg uses animation to good effect and file footage to fill in crucial details. What is particularly affecting is footage of bedraggled Jews inside the sealed Nazi ghetto and en route to German trains bound for the one-way journey to the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp in August 1944.
With Still Life in Lodz, Grunberg has made a poignant documentary suffused with both tragedy and hope.


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Published on 18 June 2020
Fairfield School of Arts
Fairfield City's community centres and halls will reopen from Monday, 22 June following the easing of NSW Government restrictions.
Council is working with hirers to ensure that they are prepared and able to follow all hygiene and social distancing requirements upon reopening.
Regular hirers will be able to access the centres and halls from Monday 22 June, with casual hire to resume from 1 July.
With more than 300,000 people using our centres and halls every three months, COVID-safe plans are being put in place by Council and hirers. This includes increased cleaning of the centres and halls before and after use, setting a limit on the capacity of each hall and centre depending on its size, and ensuring hirers provided hand sanitiser for their guests and enforce the one person per four square metre rule.
The venue capacity limits can be viewed at www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/venue-capacity.
Fairfield City Mayor Frank Carbone said he is pleased to be able to reopen Council's community centres and halls to the community.
"Our halls and community centres are the soul of our community. They are spaces where cultural, social and fitness groups gather together to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of residents.
"It is important that all hirers and participants continue to practice good hygiene and social distancing, and follow the agreed COVID-safe plans we are putting in place. These plans will ensure the health and wellbeing of all visitors and residents, and help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
"I thank everyone for their patience while our centres and halls were closed due to the pandemic. The health and wellbeing of our residents has always been our top priority. I look forward to making further announcements soon about the reopening of other Council services."
Council will continue to update the community on changes to its services as and when changes occur on social media and its website. For a full list of changes, visit www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/coronavirus.
Email: email@example.com
Tel: 02 9725 0222, ABN 83 140 439 239
Fairfield City Council, Administration Centre:
86 Avoca Road, Wakeley
Open Monday to Friday: 8:30am – 4.30pm


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I've wanted to show pictures of my studio as a Friday Finish ever since I moved my space upstairs, but before I could take decent pictures, it would either get messy again or I would rearrange it. I'm constantly repositioning my sewing table, ironing board and cutting table. I think I finally have it where I like and now our house is on the market ;-) My studio is as picked up as it's ever going to be, so let's take a look:
Right outside my room is an alcove with a desk, shelves, bulletin board and an extra design wall. This is where I sit when participating in online guild meetings which happen about once a month. There's also room for a laptop, printer and quilting books.
Usually the latest quilt project(s) is on this design wall as it is easier to stand in front to rearrange blocks and then step back to get a better look. The design wall has been taken down temporarily so as not to overwhelm prospective buyers....ha!
When you walk in my studio, my sewing machine in on the left as well as another design wall and a bookcase.
There are also some lovely handmade gifts from friends all around my sewing space! More gifts have been added since this picture was taken....I'm still going through my mail and unpacking from retreat.
On the right when you walk in is my fabric stash, directly in front is my ironing surface and then around the corner is a small closet. I love looking across my machine and seeing the lovely fabric eye candy and more handmade quilty goodness from friends.
Most of my fabric is folded around comic book boards and "filed" on the shelves by color. Additionally, I have shelves dedicated to precuts, novelty and favorite fabric lines.
My pegboard above my ironing surface is a favorite feature of my studio. There's a container to hold my Flatter spray, various size baskets for notions and patterns, a magnetic board, and pegs for rotary cutters, scissors, rulers and small artwork.
Under the ironing surface is more storage. I also have a foldout cutting table that I rarely use. Now that my fabric is on mini bolts, I find I can cut yardage on a smaller cutting mat right on my ironing board.
Several aqua Ikea rolling carts hold WIPs...the idea being each bin holds a different project. If that were the case, I would need twice as many carts!
|planning area
|to-dos and inspiration board
|Design wall
|the left side of the room
|my Juki, Janome, and Featherweight
|the right side of the room
|closeup of shelves
|small area for displaying notions
|one of several turquoise rolling carts
|beautiful minis gifted to me (other than the far left)
Above and below are updated pictures of my mini quilts after rearranging to accommodate my sister's latest gift!
|wall hanging made by Michelle - pattern from book Paper Pieced Modern
Now that summer is almost over and school is about to start, I am spending more time in my sewing space, and I love that! The hard part is keeping my area clean while creating....I'm a messy quilter!
|currently on my design wall - two different MCM Bee quilts in progress


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Category Archives: CCTV
How to Choose A Security Company
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash When you think about your security solution, you want to make sure you are choosing a company who can no only get the job done, but who can be trusted while doing so. We've compiled a list of things to look out for and ask about when choosing your security sup...Read more
Protect Your Vacant Property with Proguard
Our Proguard rapid development alarm is a battery powered alarm system ideal for properties that are vacant as it supports up to 15 wireless sensors and alerts our mobile response unit via SMS. We have a range of Optex sensors which are possibly the most reliable detectors in the world. Thes...Read more
CCTV Monitored Systems Can Help Deter Burglars
Taking the proper security measures for your business is important. The majority of businesses could benefit from a good CCTV system and people who monitor it. Our trainee specialists monitor from our state of the art control system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Just the sight of C...Read more
We Will Help Secure Your Construction Site
Construction sites can be opportunistic targets for thieves due to the high priced items and equipment on site. If building sites are left without security you could fall victim to attacks which could prolong your job, costing you time and money. We can help you assess what is needed and make yo...Read more
The Benefits of Full Audio CCTV
We provide a range of different CCTV security solutions for businesses as well as private homes, and providing full audio security systems can help you get the most of your CCTV. When intelligently linked with remote monitoring, CCTV can prevent crime with our full audio facilities, which ena...Read more
Is Your Business's CCTV System Secure?
Following a number of Security Audits on some of our clients, it seems that their CCTV installer has left the manufacturers' default access and password installed leaving the system vulnerable to attacks. This will allow anyone who can access your IP address or DVR to view or change your CCTV...Read more
The History of CCTV
CCTV (Closed Circuit Television) has a varied history in its devices and applications, and there are improvements being made consistently. The devices used today are significantly more advanced and therefore more easily able to capture perpetrators. Here's a look at some of CCTV's history. T...Read more
Is Mobile Security Patrol Right for You?
A growing number of businesses and private individuals are opting for mobile patrols where a security presence is needed, but not on the premise all the time. We provide mobile patrols for numerous types of businesses and premises such as construction sites, parking lots, warehouse facilities, of...Read more
Guarding Services to Secure Your Building Site
Construction sites are easy targets for thieves as they often contain a lot of expensive equipment and materials, some of which can be easily taken from the site. You will not only get opportunistic thieves who come across your site, but if your building works are going to take a while, burglars or ...Read more
3 Ways to Secure Your Business
Stopping criminals doesn't have to be a long term battle. With the right security measures in place, and a great security system, you can help protect your business. Restrict Access Only give access to your business or certain sections within your business to the relevant people, and no on...Read more


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Hooray for Wednesdays! It is such a breath of fresh air to shine a light on people who care about others, who are giving of themselves, even in the smallest of ways, to somehow make life better for somebody.
California is on fire …
You've all seen on television or the internet the terrible devastation caused by this year's wildfires in California. The fires extend from the northern to the southern border, and some 9.000 firefighters are working day and night to contain the fires. Typically, when disaster strikes, good people jump into action, and today I would like to share with you a few people who are helping. First of all, though, I want to give a shout out to those 9,000 firefighters. They are working in horrid conditions, with very little sleep, risking their own lives to help save lives, property, forests … these guys are HEROES!
I had never heard the name John Cena until last night (yeah, I'm sure you are all rolling your eyes … I've told you, I am a pop culture throwback!), but it's a name I'm not likely to forget anytime soon. Turns out Mr. Cena is a former wrestler-turned-actor, who has a new movie coming out day after tomorrow in which he plays … a firefighter! Mr. Cena put out a very touching video on Twitter, announcing that he is donating $500,000 to the California first responders. But, he didn't stop there … he called on Paramount Pictures to match his donation, which they did.
Other celebrities who have donated to the cause include Chris Pratt, LeBron James, and others. You all know how I generally feel about celebrities, millionaires and such, but when they open their hearts and wallets to those in need, I give credit where credit is due.
Last year, I wrote a post about heroic efforts large and small during the California wildfires of 2018 (I do hope this won't become an annual feature!), and one part of that post featured celebrity chef José Andrés and his wonderful organization World Central Kitchen. Just as they did last year, they are back out there this year feeding the firefighters.Joining Chef Andrés were celebrity chefs Tyler Florence, Guy Fieri as well as many other chefs and volunteers. You can see some of the pictures on the World Central Kitchen website. Hats off to this very worthy organization and those who give of their own time and money to help feed those firefighters who are putting their lives on the line 24/7!
Two hearts …
Jonathan Pinkard collapsed at work one day a few months ago and was rushed to Piedmont Newnan Hospital in Coweta County, Georgia. At 27 years of age, it was determined that Jonathan needed a heart transplant. The problem wasn't, as so often is the case, finding a heart, but rather Mr. Pinkard was deemed ineligible because he had no family to be his support system, to help him through the recovery process. Without the transplant, Mr. Pinkard would die.
Enter ICU nurse Lori Wood …
"I think at some point God places people and situations in your life and you have a choice to do something about it. For me with this situation there was no choice. I had a room, I was a nurse, I could take care of him. So it really wasn't anything that I struggled about it was just something that had to happen. He had to come home with me."
So, Lori officially adopted Jonathan Pinkard, which got him onto the transplant list, and he received a new heart in August. Ms. Wood is helping him transition to living independently once again, and Mr. Pinkard plans to return to work next month! Jonathan Pinkard may have a new heart, but Lori Wood has a huge heart, don't you think?
A very little good people …
This story first came to my attention via our friend Keith, and then I found it on the 'net. It's a little thing, but I thought it worthy to be included here.
The kid's name is Jackson Champagne, and he is 8 years old. On Hallowe'en night, Jackson was out trick-or-treating when he came to a house with a candy bowl set outside, as some people do. But alas! The bowl was empty! Not so much as am M&M remained!
"All gone. There ain't no more candy."
Jackson turned as if to leave empty-handed, but as he noticed other witches, ghosts and goblins coming up the walkway, he stopped, dug around in his own bag, and put some of his own candy in the bowl for the little guys coming behind him!
Now if that doesn't just melt your heart. Happens that the homeowner, Leslie Hodges, saw the whole thing on their home security video later on that evening. Hodges said just what I always say on these Wednesday posts …
"He renewed the faith that there are still some good people out there."
Quite so.
Remember, folks … there are lots of good people out there doing good things … you don't even have to look far. In fact, I'm betting that if you go down the hall in your house right now and look in the mirror, you will see a 'good people'.


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White Bellied Sea Eagle Background
This Photo: "White Bellied Sea Eagle Background" is part of "Birds" - Free Art Backgrounds category. The image is high-quality and high-resolution JPEG format and you can free and easily download it from the links below.
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Lazy Saturday Reads: Obama's "Mysterious Reluctance" Helped Give Us Trump.Posted: June 24, 2017 Filed under: morning reads, U.S. Politics 53 Comments
Good Morning!!
I think I'm finally past the stage of dreading what I'll learn every morning when I go on the internet or turn on the TV. After 5 months of Trump, I've begun to accept that every day there'll be new and horrifying revelations; but I'm also beginning to understand how quickly everything is spinning out of control while we wait for this monster to be brought down somehow.
After the blockbuster Washington Post story yesterday, we now know for sure what many of have suspected: President Obama's cautiousness helped the Russians get Trump elected. In August of 2016, the CIA informed Obama that Russia was actively working to damage Hillary Clinton and, if possible, get Trump elected. Furthermore, they knew for a fact that the election meddling was happening under the direct orders of Vladimir Putin.
And what did Obama do? As always, he dithered endlessly and tried to reach a "bipartisan" solution with Republicans. When Mitch McConnell actually questioned the validity of the Intelligence community findings, Obama hesitated to take strong action against Russia and inform the American people of what he knew was happening because he feared being called "partisan." From the article:
At that point, the outlines of the Russian assault on the U.S. election were increasingly apparent. Hackers with ties to Russian intelligence services had been rummaging through Democratic Party computer networks, as well as some Republican systems, for more than a year. In July, the FBI had opened an investigation of contacts between Russian officials and Trump associates. And on July 22, nearly 20,000 emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee were dumped online by WikiLeaks….
It took time for other parts of the intelligence community to endorse the CIA's view. Only in the administration's final weeks in office did it tell the public, in a declassified report, what officials had learned from Brennan in August — that Putin was working to elect Trump.
Over that five-month interval, the Obama administration secretly debated dozens of options for deterring or punishing Russia, including cyberattacks on Russian infrastructure, the release of CIA-gathered material that might embarrass Putin and sanctions that officials said could "crater" the Russian economy.
But in the end, in late December, Obama approved a modest package combining measures that had been drawn up to punish Russia for other issues — expulsions of 35 diplomats and the closure of two Russian compounds — with economic sanctions so narrowly targeted that even those who helped design them describe their impact as largely symbolic.
Obama also approved a previously undisclosed covert measure that authorized planting cyber weapons in Russia's infrastructure, the digital equivalent of bombs that could be detonated if the United States found itself in an escalating exchange with Moscow. The project, which Obama approved in a covert-action finding, was still in its planning stages when Obama left office. It would be up to President Trump to decide whether to use the capability.
In political terms, Russia's interference was the crime of the century, an unprecedented and largely successful destabilizing attack on American democracy. It was a case that took almost no time to solve, traced to the Kremlin through cyber-forensics and intelligence on Putin's involvement. And yet, because of the divergent ways Obama and Trump have handled the matter, Moscow appears unlikely to face proportionate consequences.
We're stuck in this place because Obama let Mitch McConnell veto his chosen response.
"The Dems were, 'Hey, we have to tell the public,' " recalled one participant. But Republicans resisted, arguing that to warn the public that the election was under attack would further Russia's aim of sapping confidence in the system.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) went further, officials said, voicing skepticism that the underlying intelligence truly supported the White House's claims. Through a spokeswoman, McConnell declined to comment, citing the secrecy of that meeting.
Key Democrats were stunned by the GOP response and exasperated that the White House seemed willing to let Republican opposition block any pre-election move.
On Sept. 22, two California Democrats — Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Adam B. Schiff — did what they couldn't get the White House to do. They issued a statement making clear that they had learned from intelligence briefings that Russia was directing a campaign to undermine the election, but they stopped short of saying to what end.
A week later, McConnell and other congressional leaders issued a cautious statement that encouraged state election officials to ensure their networks were "secure from attack." The release made no mention of Russia and emphasized that the lawmakers "would oppose any effort by the federal government" to encroach on the states' authorities.
Obama was President of the United States. He had the entire Intelligence community behind him. He didn't need Republican approval. But he hesitated and now we have the Trump autocracy in charge of our country.
All of this because everyone assumed that Hillary Clinton would magically overcome Trump's vicious lies about her at the same time she was fighting back against a Russian attack on our country with no support from the media and very little backup from the Democratic President who supposedly wanted her to succeed him.
Here's Julia Ioffe at The Atlantic: It Took Two to Make Russian Meddling Effective.
If there is one thing TheWashington Post'sstory on the Obama administration's anemic response to Russian meddling in the 2016 election makes clear, it's that it took two to make the meddling effective.
There is a reason the tactics Russia used on the American elections—which are similar to things they've done in former Soviet republics and in Europe—are referred to as "asymmetric warfare": They embody the art of leverage, of doing a lot with a little. As former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told Congress in May, the Russians "succeeded beyond their wildest dreams and at minimal cost." The whole operation, according to Clapper, cost a mere $200 million—a pittance in military spending terms. But the Russians used that money not the way a conventional army would, but the way a band of guerrillas would, feeling around for pressure points, and pressing—or not. Though, as Bloombergreported this month, the Russians were clearly exploring ways to attack voting infrastructure in parts of the country, it still appears they ultimately decided not to pull the trigger, sticking instead with the hack-and-dump and the manufacturing of fake news. "It was ad hoc," an Obama administration official told me shortly after the inauguration. "They were kind of throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what would stick."
And then there was Obama's mysterious reluctance, as described by many of his advisers, "to put his thumb on the scale" and influence the election, even as he and Michelle Obama were campaigning for Hillary Clinton all over the country and coining anti-Trump memes like "Come on, man." What difference would a thumb on the scale have made when he already had his other nine fingers on it?
Obama's "mysterious reluctance" is part of his essential personality. We watched this throughout his first term and he repeatedly came very close to giving away the store to the GOP just to demonstrate his willingness to be "bipartisan."
Now what do we do? We have an illegitimate president who is never going to lift a finger to prevent Russia from continuing to basically take over our government, and we have midterm elections coming up very soon.
NBC News: Trump White House Has Taken Little Action To Stop Next Election Hack.
The Trump administration has taken little meaningful action to prevent Russian hacking, leaking and disruption in the next national election in 2018, despite warnings from intelligence officials that it will happen again, officials and experts told NBC News.
"This attack is really the political equivalent of 9/11 — it is deadly, deadly serious," said Michael Vickers, a career intelligence official who was the Pentagon's top intelligence official in the Obama administration. "The Russians will definitely be back, given the success they had…I don't see much evidence of a response."
According to recent Congressional testimony, Trump has shown no interest in the question of how to prevent future election interference by Russia or another foreign power. Former FBI Director James Comey told senators that Trump never asked him about how to stop a future Russian election cyber attack, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who sits on the National Security Council, testified that he has not received a classified briefing on Russian election interference.
Dozens of state officials told NBC News they have received little direction from Washington about election security.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said this week he had never addressed the matter with Trump.
That apparent top-level indifference, coupled with a failure to fill key jobs at the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies, has resulted in a government paralyzed by inaction when it comes to protecting the next election, experts and government officials told NBC News.
"The Trump administration is woefully missing in action," said Gregory Miller, co-founder of the Silicon Valley based Open Source Election Technology Institute, a non-profit research group.
"It isn't happening," said David Jefferson, a voter security expert and computer scientist in the Center for Applied Scientific Computing, when asked whether he saw a U.S. government effort to address the problem.
I'll end with two thoughtful articles by conservatives on the Trump problem.
David Frum at The Atlantic: What Happens When a Presidency Loses Its Legitimacy?
Day by day, revelation after revelation, the legitimacy of the Trump presidency is seeping away. The question of what to do about this loss is becoming ever more urgent and frightening.
The already thick cloud of discredit over the Trump presidency thickened deeper Friday, June 23. The Washington Post reported that the CIA told President Obama last year that Vladimir Putin had personally and specifically instructed his intelligence agencies to intervene in the U.S. presidential election to hurt Hillary Clinton and help Donald Trump.
Whether the Trump campaign knowingly coordinated its activities with the Russians remains uncertain. The Trump campaign may have been a wholly passive and unwitting beneficiary. Yes, it's curious that the Russians allegedly directed their resources to the Rust Belt states also targeted by the Trump campaign. But it's conceivable they were all just reading the same polls on FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics.
Frum points out that others in the government are working around Trump's insanity as best they can, but how long can the government function when it's so crippled from the top and from foreign cyber- and propaganda attacks?
The U.S. government is already osmotically working around the presidency, a process enabled by the president's visible distaste for the work of governance. The National Security Council staff is increasingly a double-headed institution, a zone of struggle between Kushner-Flynn-Bannon types on one side, and a growing staff of capable, experienced, and Russia-skeptical functionaries on the other. The Senate has voted 97-2 to restrict the president's authority to relax Russia sanctions. It seems the president has been persuaded to take himself out of the chain of command in the escalating military operations in Afghanistan. National-Security Adviser H.R. McMaster recently assured the nation that Trump could not have done much harm when he blabbed a vital secret to the Russian foreign minister in the Oval Office, precisely because the president was not briefed on crucial "sources and methods" information.
In their way, these workarounds are almost as dangerous to the American system of government as the Trump presidency itself. They tend to reduce the president to the status of an absentee emperor while promoting his subordinates into shoguns who exercise power in his name. Maybe that is the least-bad practicable solution to the unprecedented threat of a presidency-under-suspicion. But what a terrible price for the failure of so many American institutions—not least the voters!—to protect the country in 2016 from Russia's attack on its election and its democracy.
Bruce Bartlett at Politico: 'Trump Is What Happens When a Political Party Abandons Ideas.'
Bartlett was among those of us–including Obama–who assumed Hillary would win in the end and then we could deal with the Russia situation. Like the rest of us, he was shocked and horrified by the outcome of the election.
Almost everything that has happened since November 8 has been the inverse of what I'd imagined. Trump didn't lose; he won. The Republican Party isn't undergoing some sort of reckoning over what it believes; his branch of the Republican Party has taken control. Most troubling, perhaps, is that rather than reassert themselves, the moderate Republicans have almost all rolled over entirely.
Trump has turned out to be far, far worse than I imagined. He has instituted policies so right wing they make Ronald Reagan, for whom I worked, look like a liberal Democrat. He has appointed staff people far to the right of the Republican mainstream in many positions, and they are instituting policies that are frighteningly extreme. Environmental Protection Administration Administrator Scott Pruitt proudly denies the existence of climate change, and is doing his best to implement every item Big Oil has had on its wish list since the agency was established by Richard Nixon. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is actively hostile to the very concept of public education and is doing her best to abolish it. Every day, Attorney General Jeff Sessions institutes some new policy to take incarceration and law enforcement back to the Dark Ages. Trump's proposed budget would eviscerate the social safety net for the sole purpose of giving huge tax cuts to the ultrawealthy.
And if those policies weren't enough, conservatives—who, after all, believe in liberty and a system of checks and balances to restrain the government to its proper role—have plenty of reason to be upset by those actions Trump has taken that transcend our traditional right-left ideological divide. He's voiced not only skepticism of NATO, but outright hostility to it. He's pulled America back from its role as an international advocate for human rights. He's attacked the notion of an independent judiciary. He personally intervened to request the FBI to ease up on its investigation of a former adviser of his, then fired FBI Director James Comey and freely admitted he did so to alleviate the pressure he felt from Comey's investigation. For those conservatives who were tempted to embrace a "wait-and-see" approach to Trump, what they've seen, time and again, is almost unimaginable.
And yet as surprising as this all has been, it's also the natural outgrowth of 30 years of Republican pandering to the lowest common denominator in American politics. Trump is what happens when a political party abandons ideas, demonizes intellectuals, degrades politics and simply pursues power for the sake of power.n
Please go read the rest at Politico.
Sorry this got so long . . . What stories are you following today?
53 Comments on "Lazy Saturday Reads: Obama's "Mysterious Reluctance" Helped Give Us Trump."
Thanks BB and everyone for writing and commenting on the WaPo article and Obama's non-action. It infuriates me and yet so many idolize Obama. He looks good compared to Trump, no doubt, but he hurt us all on this one and many other times he chose his own legacy of dignity over fighting for what was needed.
And if friends, the Republicans, get their way, Obama will have no legacy at all.


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A 97-year-old Chicago man really won the Kentucky Derby
Sun., May 5, 2019
Country House won the 145th edition of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday after the horse that crossed the line first was disqualified. But the real winner – and it's the same every year – was the Duchossois family, the biggest individual shareholder of Churchill Downs Inc.
Known as "the greatest two minutes in sports," the race generates as much as 20 percent of Churchill Downs's annual revenue, which topped $1 billion last year, fueled in part by the 127,000 mint juleps served over the weekend and hundreds of millions in gambling wagers on Derby day.
Dick Duchossois, a 97-year-old Chicago native known affectionately in racing circles as Mr. D, began to build his fortune in earnest in 1952, when he became president of a railroad freight car manufacturer. Today, he and his family control 9 percent of Louisville, Kentucky-based Churchill Downs, whose shares have more than tripled in the past five years, pushing its market value to $4 billion.
The holding represents just a fraction of the family's assets, which exceed $2 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The Duchossoises, who declined to comment for this story, also own such varied interests as rail-car leasing, ophthalmology and companies that make garage-door openers and gate-operating systems. His son Craig is chief executive officer of the Duchossois Group, which holds most of the family's assets, and daughter Kimberly is chairman of the Duchossois Family Foundation.
The clan's fortune can be traced back to Thrall Car Manufacturing Co., where Dick Duchossois became president at age 30. In 1983, a few years after the death of his wife, Beverly, the Duchossoises bought out the Thrall family and renamed the firm Duchossois Industries Inc. It was the same year that Dick took his first trip to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby, he recounted in a 2014 interview with BloodHorse.
"I just wanted to see what it was like," he said, though "not because of a love of horses, not because of a love of racing."
During that trip he met two executives from Arlington International Racecourse in Illinois, who were looking for someone to buy their track, according to a 2017 Chicago Tribune profile of Duchossois.
"I said no, but after the fifth race I said, 'I'll take 10 percent,'" Duchossois told the newspaper. A month later he got a phone call. "Nobody else had any money, so we ended up buying the whole thing."
Two years later it burned to the ground, but Duchossois, a decorated World War II veteran who commanded a tank battalion during the invasion of Normandy, was undaunted.
"As it was burning, I visualized it would be rebuilt" he told BloodHorse. "There was never any question in my mind."
He invested $200 million in Arlington's reconstruction and it reopened in 1989. Then, in 2000, Churchill Downs acquired Arlington in a $71.5 million all-stock deal, and the Duchossois family has been the largest individual shareholder ever since.
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SpawnStaff's April Playlist
April may not have had as many high-profile releases as March, but that doesn't mean the SpawnFirst staff took a break from gaming. Check out what they played below!
Elle Garza, Staff Writer
What Were You Playing in April?
"I was gifted all of the DLC for the entire Mass Effect trilogy, so I thought it would be a great idea to do a completion run through all three games. It's my favorite series, so I don't regret it, but it's definitely taken up most of my gaming time. The Citadel DLC has been a blast.  I decided to go back and get a 1000 for the first Darksiders, too.  One of these days, my achievement completion percentage will be the death of me.  I picked up Injustice, which I've been thoroughly enjoying. I just wish I wasn't notoriously bad at fighting games. After a long hiatus from MMOs, I'm finally back on World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 2 as well, and I'm in love with my Asura engineer!  She's little, adorable, but still kicks the ass of everything in her way.â€
What's Up for May?
"I have some downtime before the summer releases I'm looking forward to. Mostly, it's just working on my backlog! I have about thirty games for my systems alone that I haven't touched yet. As a game store employee, I compulsively buy when price drops happen, which is a terrible habit! With next gen systems on the way, I'm anticipating some price drops for current gen games, so I'll start amassing even more for my backlog soon, too. Aside from that, with the semester being over, I'm looking forward to really grinding out my MMO characters and starting end-game content with them."
Alex Layton, Staff Writer
What Were You Playing in April?
"Oh man, what am I currently playing? If only there was an easy answer to this. Well, I'll start with the most relevant game, Dragon's Dogma. While trying to get my heart back from that wretched dragon, I'm taking time to smell the flowers, cook nice meals for my pawns, and slaughter goblins with my longbow. Capcom really knows how to make a good action-RPG. Dragons Dogma 2, please?
And now for the "dated" game I've been playing lately, Tales of Symphonia. Quite possibly one of the best action-RPGs ever made, it's one of the longer ones too. After 75 hours, just when you think the story is over, something is in the way. Something to be discovered still, which can be frustrating, but mostly great. And to finish it off: Terraria. That's right folks, Terraria. Gotta love it! Currently building my never-ending fortress and gearing up to fight a giant demonic Wall of Flesh in Hell. That's all that's in my gaming roster at the moment, so keep playin' folks! Dwarven Vow #10: 'Play Hard, Play Often' "
What's Up for May?
"Next month I'll still be playing Dragon's Dogma, A man's got to cook! I'll be making my way over to Bitterblack Island in the new DLC "Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen", facing its many new enemies while reminiscing about Dark Souls. Terraria will still be on my list too, with no ground to expand my fortress on to, it looks like I'll be moving up to the sky. Maybe I'll recreate Bioshock Infinite's Columbia. Who knows, as for new games I'll probably pick up a couple 3DS games. Fire Emblem? Sure.â€
Mark Hanratty, News Writer
What Were You Playing in April?
"Recently, I purchased GTA: Vice City, my personal favorite of the series and plowed through it in under a week. With any Grand Theft Auto game, I can find myself playing hours on end, even after completing it to 100%. I also completed GTA IV, in preparation for V.
Along with these, I've been leveling up on Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, slowly edging my way to 10th prestige. I love playing online with friends, but by yourself can be irritating and cause many 'rage quits'. Leveling up your weapons and completing hard challenges may be annoying but is quite rewarding after the three hours of pain and suffering you have to endure."
What's Up for May?
"I plan on revisiting the Crash Bandicoot series; especially the original Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped and my favorite game of all time, Crash Team Racing. With these games I can have hours of enjoyment, with no added rage. I also plan to continue grinding levels on Black Ops 2. Along with these, I hope to buy either Far Cry 3, Bioshock Infinite, or Trials Evolution. All these have been on the waiting list for a long time and I think it's about time to cash in on one of them."
Nolan Alber, Staff Writer/Creative Director
What Were You Playing in April?
"With the life slowly draining out of the current-gen consoles, most of the high profile releases for the year have already come and gone. That being said, I've begun to work my way through the back catalog of PlayStation 3 titles that I was too cheap to buy at full price.
The Resistance Collection has been on my plate for a few weeks, and I'm lovin' it. The weaponry Insomniac Games has in stock for you is always fun and versatile. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has been making me break several controllers as well. Why is it so impossible for me to get a damn 10-hit combo?â€
What's Up for May?
"The second and third installments of Resistance are still on my list to finish, and my obsession with trophy hunting will be taking me back into BioShock Infinite to collect audio logs and squeak out a platinum. I impulse-bought BulletStorm on the cheap and Demon's Souls is still sitting on my PlayStation with a Plus membership, so don't expect to see me out in public any time soon."
Karam Elahi, Writer/Editor-in-Chief
What Were You Playing in April?
"Oh jeez, where do I start. Outside of slogging through Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel for review purposes, I have been playing Injustice: Gods Among Us on the PS3. Now this is no Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe, with castrated versions of MK's characters and bland and lifeless DC icons. No sir, this game is amped up. It satisfyingly conveys all the DC Universe characters' powers, and the impact of their presence onscreen. Injustice includes 24 of the most powerful, iconic, and enthralling characters from that universe. The best part of the game is all the classic fights that you can recreate from the comic books: Superman vs. Doomsday, Green Arrow vs. Green Lantern, Shazam vs. Black Adam, and so on. And once you fill up your character's power meter and unleash a special attack…oh baby. Sit back, grab some popcorn, and relish the absolutely over-the-top onslaught.
When I'm not punching the absolute bejesus out of Solomon Grundy, I like to hit up Battlefield 3 (Deathmatch) and Halo 4 (Big Team Battle) in my already very limited downtime. Both of these games have that "instant-fun†aspect to them. I can just play 4 or 5 matches of Halo 4 (virtually equivalent in length to one match in Battlefield 3) and just enjoy the games for what they are, with my brain turned off all the while. I call these kinds of games "zombie-mode†games (yup, my mind just works like that :/  ), just because I can play them without thinking too much. Outside of that: Minigolf on my iPhone. It's like crack. In fact, I'm playing it right now with my feet. Please don't download it. Promise me."
What's Up for May?
"May's going to be a tough one. With Metro: Last Light, Resident Evil Revelations, Fuse, and Grid 2 coming out, I'm going to have a helluva time partitioning the month out. It'll be even harder to do, since I want to catch up on a few older games sitting in my backlog, like XCOM Enemy Unknown, Devil May Cry, the Hitman Trilogy, and God of War: Ascension. Um yeah…when writing it down, it all really looks intimidating. Okay, scratch the backlog; the new games take precedence and the others ones can sit it out for another month *sigh*â€
The SpawnFirst staff have been playing busy, but what have you been playing?  Make sure to tell us what title you've been grinding through, or what you have in store for May in the comments below!


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In the face of global economic uncertainties and trade headwinds, Canada once again proved resilient posting higher than expected job gains in September (+53,700). Canada has now created 358,100 jobs this year, which is the most in the first nine months of a year since 2002. The unemployment rate also dropped to 5.5% near the lowest in the past four decades.
What does this mean for mortgage rates?
From a fixed rate perspective, bond yields increased on this news and we are starting to see lenders pull their rate specials and increase their fixed rates slightly (increases are ranging anywhere from +0.10% to +0.25%). There are a few lenders that have yet to change, so potential homebuyers may see this as a good time to secure a rate.
From a variable rate perspective, the market still anticipates that the next move by the Bank of Canada will be downward -- the big question is when. At this point, it appears any change by the Bank of Canada would not be until 2020.
Note that while fixed rates have crept upward recently, they still remain near all-time lows, and continue to be below variable rates. While a 5-year fixed may seem like the obvious choice (also some great 2-year and 3-year fixed rates available), it is always important to incorporate clients goals and the potential risk of penalties in any analysis.
Article courtesy of Samantha Comito, Mortgage Broker and Partner with Outline Financial
Questions? You can contact Samantha directly at 416.803.1453, or via email at email@example.com. You can also fill out the form below and we'll get back to you!


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