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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
For customers wishing to promote the development and use of renewable energy, the City of Healdsburg offers a Green Rate. Under the Green Rate, the City will procure, on the customer's behalf, renewable energy to match the customer's monthly energy consumption.
The charts below compare the electricity cost for three typical customer types from three local utilities: Healdsburg Electric, PG&E, and Sonoma Clean Power

subset: commoncrawl


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Total revenue rose 3.3 per cent to £980m, driven by 6.1 per cent growth in its cable business.
The firm added a staggering 40,600 new subscribers to its services and the average customer spent 5.8 per cent more than in the same period in 2008, adding 228,900 new products. The three-fold increase in new subscribers compared to the year before is the steepest since Virgin Media was formed in the wake of the merger between NTL and Telewest in 2006. It now provides services to 4.77m customers.
The company narrowed its overall losses, caused by depreciation of its networks, and expects to swing into net profit by 2011.
The results coincided with the announcement that Virgin will soon begin to roll out the UK's fastest broadband service. It vowed to begin offering internet speeds of 100Mb by the end of the year. The firm pointed to a 45 per cent increase in subscribers to its 20Mb internet service as proof customers are demanding cutting edge internet technology.
Neil Berkett, chief executive of Virgin Media, said: "In the fourth quarter, we successfully grew both the size and quality of our customer base.
"New and existing customers bought more, higher value products. This demand underpinned growth across all our product lines."


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Read this: BBC News - UK broadband not fit for purpose, says business group
Summary: It is calling on the government to commit to delivering a minimum of 10Mbps megabits per second for all homes and businesses by 2017. It would like to see this rise to 1Gbps gigabit per second by 2030. The report found that 94 of small business owners consider a reliable internet connection to be critical to the success of their business 45,000 UK small businesses are still on dial-up speeds Only 15 of firms say they are very satisfied with their broadband provision. - bbc.co.ukRead full article: BBC News - UK broadband not fit for purp…
Lots more recommendations to read at Trends - ukfree.tv.
Summaries are done by Clipped-Your articles and documents summarized.
CommentsYour comment please


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White Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies
Use peach, cherry, or strawberry jam to fill this drop cookie recipe. A drizzle of white chocolate adds a finishing touch.
Rate This!
White Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies
- Chop half of the white chocolate; set aside. In a small saucepan cook and stir the remaining half white chocolate over low heat until melted and smooth; cool.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and melted white chocolate until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in the 4 ounces chopped white chocolate.
- Grease a cookie sheet. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are light brown around the edges. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack; cool.
- About 1 hour before serving, in a small saucepan cook and stir raspberry jam over low heat until melted. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the jam onto the top of each cookie. In another small saucepan cook and stir the 3 ounces white chocolate and the shortening over low heat until melted and smooth. Drizzle melted white chocolate mixture over cookies. If necessary, chill cookies about 15 minutes or until set.
From the Test Kitchen
To Make Ahead:
Prepare as directed through Step 3. Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw cookies, if frozen. Top as directed in Step 4.
Nutrition Facts (White Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies)
- Per serving:
- 109 kcal ,
- 4 g fat
- (2 g sat. fat ,
- 0 g polyunsaturated fat ,
- 1 g monounsaturated fat ),
- 13 mg chol. ,
- 64 mg sodium ,
- 16 g carb. ,
- 0 g fiber ,
- 10 g sugar ,
- 1 g pro.


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And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15
Yep, God is putting it to us in an outrageously simple way: And be thankful.
And God is putting it to us in an outrageously challenging way: And be thankful.
No matter if we don't get to have everything…and everyone…just the way we want them in life. And be thankful.
No matter if we are tired, sick and frustrated of body, mind and heart because of the obstacles in this broken world that we encounter, to some extent, on a daily basis. And be thankful.
Our God loves us so much that He wants us to know and sense and trust His love for us no matter what our circumstances may be. And be thankful.
Our God knows that being thankful for His love, His presence, His Intimacy and His Sovereignty will give our hearts and minds an all encompassing, transcendent peace and an eternal persective regardless of the hardest of circumstances or relationships.
Our God knows that being thankful for the amazing beauty that can be found within our own little corner of the world…and throughout all of God's creation…will give us minds and hearts that celebrate the preciousness and the purpose of the lives we have been given.
So, live this day, know and trust God's love this day! And be thankful!
In love, peace and purposeful passion, Sylane


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The meaning of the name Grayson is Son Of The Grey-Haired One. The origin of the name Grayson is English. This is the culture in which the name originated, or in the case of a word, the language.
Grayson is a name with English origins. The meaning of the name Grayson is Son of the Grey-Haired One. Alternate spellings of the name Grayson include Greyson and Gracen. The most common nickname for the name Grayson is Gray.
Grayson is a name that was far more common as a surname but gained popularity in the 20th century. People with the name Grayson include athletes Grayson Boucher and Grayson Burne. Grayson Hall was an actress as were Kathryn Grayson and Bette Grayson.
Fictional characters with the name Grayson include Dick Grayson, Batman's sidekick Robin. Amanda Grayson is Mr. Spock's mother in Star Trek. Grayson Kent and Grayson Ellis were television characters on Drop Dead Diva and Cougar Town, respectively. We can't forget the Grayson family (Conrad, Victoria, and Charlotte) from t.v.'s popular Revenge.
People who like the name Grayson tend to like names that are trendy and of English origin.


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New Holiday Hours and Holiday Catering!
Cormier's Restaurant will be closed Nov. 1st until mid January. Even though our restaurant will be closed, we will be open for holiday catering, fried turkeys, dressing, smoked hams, and all the other trimmings that make our Holidays so special. We are Now taking orders forRead More


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Noosa in Autumn
06 May 16
It's not what you planned for your Sunshine Coast vacation, but you've arrived and found the weather is less than favorable – fear not! Noosa can still offer fun and relaxation during the rainy season. There are a number of attractions that will keep you entertained – you'll forget the rain is even falling.
While shopping may be the obvious solution, the choices extend to more than the famous Hastings Street. Catching a ferry all the way to Noosa Marina will offer you a great alternative to the hustle and bustle. There is a small collection of shops with markets every Sunday morning. While you are there, enjoy a spot of lunch at one of the cafes. Alternatively, Noosa Civic is accessible by bus or taxi and has an array of the popular chain stores. Or with an umbrella in one hand, you could explore the factory shops in Gateway Drive Noosaville for a few bargains.
Booking a surf lesson shouldn't be written off either. You were going to get wet in the ocean anyway and the water is traditionally warmer in the wet. And, for the added bonus, there won't be the usual crowd of on-lookers keeping an eye on you. A Stand-up Paddle lesson works in much the same way. As does hiring a Kayak from one of the many boat hire places from Gympie Terrace or even a jet ski.
Treat yourself to an indulgent spa treatment at one of the many therapists in town. Enjoy a long massage or hot stone treatment – go on, you deserve it and you are on holiday!
Sunshine Beach Road is home to the Noosa5 Cinema complex offering the latest in film releases. Get tickets early and relax with a coffee before your movie starts. Don't forget Tuesday is the discount day, so it will be a popular choice.
For the groups, a trip to Bartlett Road in Noosaville for a few games of Ten Pin Bowling is not to be missed. Fully air-conditioned this is the perfect seven-day destination, all weather venue for families.
And if all else fails – then a long lunch to discuss all the other options is recommended. A visit to the Noosa Information Office at the end of Hastings Street (just a three minute walk from the Dowling and Neylan office), will offer you further inspiration to shake the rainy blues and get you back on track to enjoy your Noosa holiday.
Holiday Destinations
- Noosa Hill Accommodation
- Hastings Street Accommodation
- Sunshine & Southern Beaches
- Little Cove Accommodation
- Noosa Waters Accommodation
- Noosaville Accommodation
- Noosa Sound Accommodation
- Noosa Heads Accommodation
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Great Unit, perfect position, the staff at Duke Street were extremely helpful
Gail - July/August 2017
Thank you for your assistance on our regular annual holiday. It is comforting to arrive, after travelling, to a warm and sincere welcome from staff. We would like to thank Penny, Lynda and Lin for their efficient and reassuring service, and communication, during our long stay. See you next year
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Clean and tidy, light and airy, great location and value for money - we will be back
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Noosa Holiday Time Fillers
- 19 Sep 18
- NOOSA HOLIDAYS TIME FILLERS… Our wonderful weather has outdone itself again for the September School holidays, Noosa... read more
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- Its Sunday here in Noosa and I am sitting in the office on Hastings street, for the most part working hard. – However this... read more


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Driffield Art Club Annual Exhibition 2018
The Exchange, Exchange Street, Driffield YO25 6LD
(by courtesy Messrs. Dee, Atkinson & Harrison)
Tuesday 9th to Saturday 13th October
Weekdays from 9.30am to 4.45pm
Saturday from 9.00am to 4.00pm
Friday July 14th 2017
Trip to Patchings Art Festival
£18 per person for coach and entry
Pick up at Driffield Cattle Market Car Park at 8:30am
and Walkington Pond at 8:30 am
Leave Patchings at 4:00 pm
Organised by Duncan Baird
email: email@example.com
to book your place and find out more
The Spa, Bridlington Artwaves
May 13/14th 2017
Driffield Art Club took a stand in the main hall and several member exhibited their work.
The Driffield Art Club Annual Exhibition Preview evening and awards took place on Monday October 11th 2016.
In summary:
Guest Artist and Judge, Rose Horspool, Chair of East Riding Artists and Director of Vista Arts, North Dalton was our Guest Artist and Judge this year.
39 Artists entered their work and there were 73 exhibits on the walls plus 29 prints in the browser. Six framed paintings were sold plus one mounted painting from the browser for a total of £ 835.
In total c£ 230 was raised including the raffle ticket sales and entry fees and minus printing costs for posters and invitations.
A contribution of £ 83.50 (10% of art sales) will be donated towards Dee, Atkinson and Harrison's chosen charity which, this year, is Macmillans Cancer Support.
The work that was voted to be the most popular by the visiting public was 'Hunting' by new member Carole Cutland of Walkington.
This was also the winner of the watercolour category.
During the course of the exhibition which ran from Tuesday 11th to Saturday 15th October a raffle was held in aid of a charity to be chosen by Dee, Atkinson and Harrison.
The raffle prize, a landscape kindly donated by the artist Dave Newbould who had visited the art club in June to do a demonstration, was won by Mr and Mrs Hall of Cranswick.
About Driffield Art Club's Annual Exhibition
This prestigious art event takes place each year and over time trophies have been given to the club by sponsors and these are awarded to the artists whose artwork is chosen by the guest artist and judge, in this case Rose Horspool.
The exhibition is an opportunity for artists who are members of Driffield Art Club to showcase and sell their work.
Preview evening Monday 10th October 7 – 9 pm
Guests were given light refreshments and enjoyed a private viewing of the artwork.
A short introduction by Mary Wells, the newly elected Chairperson was followed by the announcement and presentation of trophies and awards by Mimi Claughton, outgoing President of the club and special Guest Artist and Judge Rose Horspool.
Mimi welcomed Driffield Art Club's incoming President Cath Inglis – Cath is a professional pastel from East Yorkshire and sometime member of Dac who has exhibited, amongst other places, at the Mall Galleries in London and won several awards there. Please visit her page on this website to view her wonderful pastel work.
Trophy award:
AINLEY TROPHY for Guest Artist's Choice
Rebecca Clark, Mare and Foal (Oil)
Trophy award:
SCHOFIELD ROSE BOWL for Best Flower Painting
Sally Bell, Summer
Trophy award:
STATUE for Best Oil Painting
Jill Grinstead, Chitting Potatoes
(Photograph to follow)
Trophy award:
DRIFFIELD ART CLUB TROPHY for Best Pastel
Mary Wells, Sunset Over the Creek
Trophy award:
RICHARDSON CUP for Best Watercolour
Carole Cutland, Hunting
Trophy award:
For Any Other Medium
Kay Jones, Dusk at Skelwith Bridge
Trophy award:
SCHOFIELD TANKARD Interior or Still Life
Denise Charlton, The Little Blue Shelf
Trophy award:
ANTHONY STEELE TROPHY for Innovation
Mimi Claughton, Seascape
Trophy award:
PETER WALKER TROPHY for Best Acrylic
Teresa Hollins, Dandelion Seedhead
Peoples Award ROSE BOWL
Carole Cutland, Hunting
Right Mary Wells (Chair) hands over the 'Peoples Award' ROSE BOWL to winner Carole Cutland, for her watercolour titled 'Hunting'. The visitors to the exhibition are able to vet for their favourite artwork and in this case it was Carole's extremely popular 'Hunting'.
Below is Mr Geoff Hall who, together with his wife Lyn were winners of the raffle prize, kindly donated by Artist Dave Newbould – an acrylic and pastel painting. Dave came to do a demonstration at Driffield Art Club in June 2016.
General photos of the Preview evening and visitors during the exhibition week.
Left to right:
Rose Horspool Guest Artist and Judge with her artwork.
Joanne Blacker outgoing Chair with Mary Wells, incoming Chair
Left to right:
Mary Wells with the Mayor of Driffield Cllr Mark Blakeston
Below: Richard Burton of Buckton nr Bempton buys raffle tickets from Brian Mellonby.
In the background is Martyn Coltman, Exhibition curator at Bridlington Spa.
Driffield Art Club's 'Spring Open' Exhibition at Bridlington Spa is open daily between 10:00am and 4:00pm from May 23rd to Sunday June 19th 2016
The preview of our Spring Open Exhibition at Bridlington Spa was both enjoyable and successful. The members had submitted a very high standard of work and there was more then enough to fill the large exhibition area with most members entering four pieces each. The hanging committee are to be congratulated on an excellent job – the exhibits were well spaced and easy to see.
The preview was well attended with guests from Bridlington and Hornsea art societies as well as friends and contacts invited by members of Driffield Art Club.
Some sales were made on the preview night and we hope that others will come and enjoy the exhibition and maybe be tempted to purchase more of this unique artwork during the course of the exhibition which runs until and including Sunday June19th.
Members are asked to collect their unsold work before 5pm on Monday 20th June 2016
Please keep checking our website for further information about exhibitions in 2016
Previous exhibitions
5-10th October 2015 Annual Exhibition
The Exchange, Driffield (Courtesy Messrs Dee, Atkinson & Harrison) 4th October Handing In 10:00am to 12 noon Preview – Monday 5th October – 7:30pm Exhibition Opening by Mimi Claughton, President at 8:00pm Guest Artist/Judge John Naylor Exhibits to be collected between 4:00pm and 5pm on Saturday 10th October 2015
Driffield Art Club 2-Day September Exhibition
Within the GAME AND COUNTRY FAIR At THE SHOWGROUND, DRIFFIELD. (By courtesy Driffield Agricultural Society) On Saturday & Sunday, 19th and 20th September 2015 From 9.00am to 5.00pm each day —————————————–
June 2015
Driffield Art Club Golden Jubilee Exhibition at the Triton Gallery, Sledmere.
Founded in 1965 the art club has gone from strength to strength over the years and is one of the largest of its type in the UK. This dynamic club hosts a varied annual programme of events for its members including demonstrations and workshops by big names in the art world such as Geoff Kersey of Darley Dale, North Yorkshire.


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Md. Man Tries to Take Knife Into Capitol
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 28, 1999; Page B1
A Maryland man with tickets to the Senate impeachment trial was arrested last week when he tried to bring a bag containing an 18-inch knife and two explosives into the Capitol, federal authorities said yesterday.
Walter Wilson Johnson, 36, was stopped by U.S. Capitol Police at 2 p.m. Jan. 20 when they checked the bag on an X-ray machine. At the time, President Clinton's attorneys, led by special counsel Gregory B. Craig, were presenting their second day of opening arguments before a crowded Senate chamber. Johnson told police he kept the knife for "protection," authorities said.
Capitol Police said a search of Johnson's bag also turned up two M-60 explosive devices, a "terrorist handbook," weapons price lists, an article on the Oklahoma City bombing, survivalist materials and a Soldier of Fortune magazine. One law enforcement source likened the M-60 devices to bottle rockets and said Johnson had no match or lighter that day to ignite them.
Johnson, of Capitol Heights, was jailed without bond on charges of carrying a dangerous weapon and illegal explosives. On Monday, a federal judge ordered he be held pending a psychiatric evaluation and set a follow-up hearing for March 17 after citing reports that Johnson has a bipolar disorder.
Authorities said Johnson's arrest marked the first such incident during the impeachment trial. He was stopped at 2:05 p.m. at the entrance to the Capitol's law library, the area being used for admission to the Senate gallery. If he had gotten past that entrance, police said, he would have faced another search before gaining entrance to the trial. There, all bags must be checked in.
The episode came six months after a mental patient, Russell Eugene Weston Jr., entered the Capitol and allegedly opened fire and killed two officers. Weston allegedly charged past a checkpoint, gun in hand.
According to an arrest affidavit, Johnson gave police permission to search his home, where they found a 9mm semiautomatic weapon loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition, a ski mask, more Soldier of Fortune magazines, and other items.
© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company


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Hi readers. I am back with blogging after a very long month...Some of the people used to ask me, why don't I blog,the reason is that my laptop is not working for these days and I terribly missed blogging..Now I bought a new laptop and I am happy to blog once again :)..Those times I realize that I got more than 1000+ likes in facebook..I got good response for my recipes..First of all,wishing all my readers a very happy and prosperous New Year..
As it is New year, I am trying to give you a delicious dessert..Coming to the recipe, I am posting a recipe of dates and chickoo ( Sapota) pudding...Chikoo is my favourite fruit,when it combines with dates, it tastes awesome..Difficult part I think is peeling the skin of too many chickoos. Main setting agent used most of the pudding is Gelatin or China grass..but I used in this pudding is agar-agar ( china grass)..It is said that china grass is purely vegetarian,it is derived from plant,where as gelatine is non-vegetarian, it used a fat from animals..I think most of the beginners have difficult in melting china grass..In Sha Allah,I'll include next pudding post with step by step pictures...Because of the lack of time, I didn't took step by step pictures..I made this pudding last Friday..My hubby and bro-in law love this pudding very much..Do make this pudding..Its a tasty dessert..Off to the recipe :)
Ripe Chickoos ( Sapota) - 250 gm
Dates - 6 to 10 no.s
Water - 2 1/2 cup + extra 1 cup for soaking china grass **
Any good quality milk powder - 4 heaped tbsp.**
Sweetened condensed milk - 200 gm ( 1/2 of one tin)
Agar-agar strands ( China grass) - 10gm
Sugar - 4 tbsp ( according to your sweetness)
Milk - 1/4 cup ( to soak dates)
Peel and deseed the skin of chickoos and cut into halves..keep aside.
Deseed the dates, remove the top part and cut into halves.Soak the halved dates in 1/4 cup of milk for 10 minutes
Soak the china grass in 1 cup of water for 10 to 15 minutes.
Heat a small pan, add china grass along with soaked water..Set the flame to low and allow to melt completely..can stir in between...
In another sauce pan, add 2 1/2 cups of water,milk powder and sugar. Boil for few seconds..
Add condensed milk and stir at medium flame in order to prevent burnt at bottom..Boil for few minutes and off the flame...No need to wait for the bubbles to appear..
China grass might have dissolved completely without any strands..If there is strands appearing increase the flame at high and stir vigorously till it dissappears..Can add little water ( 1 tbsp if needed).Off the flame
Pour the melted china grass mixture immediately through the strainer in condensed milk- milk mixture while hot..Also milk mixture should be warm..Stir well and set aside to cool slightly..
In a blender, add soaked dates along with milk and halved chickoos ..No need to make into smooth paste..Can leaves few bits of dates and sapotas..
Pour the blended mixture into china grass- milk mixture and stir well..( No need to switch on the flame)..
Taste it..Can add little more sugar if needed..
Pour this mixture into wet rectangle glass pudding dish or baking dish..Allow to cool completely..
Cover it with cling film and place this in refrigerator and allow to set for 6 hrs or overnight..
When it set completely, cut into square and serve cool..
Instead of water and milk powder, you can use 2 1/2 cup of milk.. (I have a very less milk in my refrigerator, so I use milk powder..I always use milk to make pudding, its a first term I am using milk powder..It turn successful )..
If using milk, you can boil condensed milk and sugar all together by strirring in between..If using milk powder,don't boil all together as mixture may curdens if boiling together..Do wait for the water and milk powder to boil slightly for few seconds then add condensed milk and stir it..Then boil for few seconds and off the flame..No need to wait for bubbles
Be careful while melting china grass..It should melt completely with any strands..Don't allow the china grass to cool otherwise it will turn back to solid form..You should pour china grass immediately into the warm milk mixture while hot..You can use strainer to pour china grass, so if there is tiny strands it will settle on it...
If you don't have time to keep china grass in low flame..You can increase the flame to highest and stir continuously without taking your hand..It may take upto 7 to 8 minutes..
You can add any desired fruits of your choice..


text: Separator and Sifter Small 320×314 Medium 640×627 Large 1024×1004 Download TIFF Original 2400×2353 | (889.4 KB) Description Separates wanted elements from unwanted material using a filter such as a mesh or net. However, in cooking, especially with flour, a sifter is used to aerate the substance, among other things. A strainer is a type of sieve typically used to separate a solid from Keywords projection screen, screen, separator, Sieve, sifter, silver screen, surface Galleries Dishware Source: Government Printing Office Official Gazette (Washingon, DC: Government Printing Office, 1912)


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So I was afraid to fly...did it! I really was. Bry dropped me off at the airport, and I was seriously like "Oh my God...why did I think this was a good idea?" And then I meet this guy, much older than me, who was more afraid to fly than I was! He told me he's flown before, but it's been 25 years. I haven't flown for 15 years, and never by myself. So I'm thinking "maybe I shouldn't be talking to someone who is more afraid than I am..." but then I realized that talking to him actually calmed me down. I was telling him "We're going to be okay...we'll get there safely" and my need to nurture and mommy made me jump into "care" mode. I was able to suck it up and made him feel better. It also helped that the woman sitting next to us was used to flying and it was no big deal to her, but she wasn't laughing at us or anything...I mean, maybe she did later to her friends! I even made that joke to her!
But nonetheless, I made it to L.A. safely and I'm so happy that I didn't chicken out and call off the trip...not that I would have! I made it here, safe and sound, and I'm staying with the best friend person, Jontynise. I've had such an adventure so far, and I've only been here 2 days! I've been all over Hollywood, partially in the valley, and even to Orange County! And, I've been up in the Hollywood Hills! I'll post pictures on here at some point, but in the meantime, you can go to my facebook page: www.facebook.com/angelinascene if you want to see the whole arsenal of my Hollywood trip...so far. I am determined to get closer to the damn Hollywood sign, especially considering that they don't let people touch the sign, from fears of suicides and graffiti, but you can get close enough to get a real clear pic...I wanna do that before I go home.
Meanwhile, I'm missing my 3 babies like crazy! I miss their little chubby cheeks and the way Mia says "yesh" instead of "yes" and the way Laila whines for her BearBear. I miss how Ani talks with her hands like me and asks me questions back to back. I also miss my big ass tv and watching "Gossip Girl" with the incomparable Penn Badgley on Netflix. Oh well. 2 more days. I think Bry really misses me too. He just texted me to say good-night. I miss him too.


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So I saw rhemotologist the other week and she did Vitamin D check and it came back as 38 with range being 30-100. A doc originally put me on 400IU twice a day bit I got a phone call today from hospital saying they want me to take 50,000 once a day for next three days then 50,000 once a month for a year. Wth? Why is the doc saying i only need low dose but hospital has put me on high dose?
I asked my doc yesterday to check B12 and result is 233 with range being 180-100+. I asked my doc if anythinf can be done for that because its very very low bur becauze it's in rang nothing will be done. Do you think the endo i'm seeing next month will help with my low B12?


text:
RememberSet a Reminder for the Anniversary
Raymond Charles Watson
- December 6, 1942 - March 24, 2015
- Ash Flat, Arkansas
of Raymond's Passing
Share This Obituary
Make a Memorial Donation
Tributes.com partners with over 100 national charities. It's easy and secure.Donate
Raymond was born on December 6, 1942 and passed away on Tuesday, March 24, 2015.
Raymond was a resident of Ash Flat, Arkansas at the time of passing.
The family will have a memorial service at a later date.


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Show Summary Details
Quick Reference
With battlements (crenels, crenelles). A castellated building is one with battlements, turrets, balistraria, etc., to give it the appearance of a castle, common in the late C18 and early C19. It was often a folly.
Subjects: Architecture — Art.
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Event Photography
We have been providing the finest in Corporate Event and Incentive Program photography and video since 1990. Whether you are bringing a group of ten or a thousand to Hawaii, I hope you will give us the opportunity to capture their visit with photography as we have done for so many before them.
Our skill and experience in organizing and photographing groups of any size has been proven time and again over the years. Taking an exceptional photograph of a large number of people takes not only great technical skills, but exceptional people skills as well. We have demonstrated our ability to do this year in and year out since 1990.
You may think your group is too large for a single photograph, not so. We have done stunning group shots of as many as 600 people at one time! There is no group too large or small that we cannot send home with an incredible photograph.
Couples Portraits
Hawaii is blessed with gorgeous natural backgrounds that allow us provide your guests with beautiful couples portraits which we will print, place in a folio cover and give to them to take home as a great reminder of their stay here.
Candid Photographs of Events
We will expertly and discretely capture everything and everyone enjoying the special events you are providing them. These photographs can be given to the participants as souvenirs of the event or arranged into a digital montage to be shown on their final night.
We have worked intimately with each of the hotels and resorts on the Island of Hawaii. Having an exceptional working relationship with not only each resort's catering personnel, but the banquet staff, entertainers and transportation folks allows us to discretely and professionally get all the photos your group could think to have.
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© 2009 Hawaiian Images Photography & Video75-5834 Melelina Street - Kailua Kona, Hawaii - 96740Phone: (808) 329-7880info @ hawaiianimages.net


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Borderlands 2: Add On Content DLC US PS Vita CD Key
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text:
That's the conclusion of researchers here who analyzed data from 13 prospective cohort studies -- involving nearly three-quarters of a million people -- on the link between fiber and cancer.
"We did not find support for a linear inverse association between dietary fiber intake and risk of colorectal cancer," Yikyung Park, Sc.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues reported in the Dec. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
On the other hand, the researchers concluded, fiber from whole plants has been shown to be beneficial in other disorders, including heart disease and diabetes, so there's good reason to keep eating it.
The finding adds to the cloud of uncertainty surrounding dietary fiber, said John A. Baron, M.D., of Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, N.H., in an accompanying editorial.
Compared with other disorders and diseases, "colorectal cancer arguably has the most confusing association with fiber," Dr. Baron wrote, noting that various studies have shown it is beneficial, has no effect, and even increases the risk.
It is even difficult to decide what exactly is meant by the term "dietary fiber," he said, adding that "dietary fibers often do not conform to their popular image."
They're not simply roughage, he said, and most are not even fibrous. Although most share a resistance to breakdown by alimentary enzymes, many dietary fibers are digested by bacteria in the colon.
"The heterogeneity of dietary fibers has been a major contributor to the confusion regarding associations with colorectal cancer," Dr. Baron wrote.
Dr. Park and colleagues from a range of institutions in the U.S. and elsewhere examined the pooled data from 13 studies, involving 725,628 men and women who were followed for between six and 20 years, depending on the study.
The primary endpoint was incident colorectal cancer.
The analysis found that 8,081 colorectal cancer cases had been identified in the studies. The median energy-adjusted dietary fiber intake ranged from 14 to 28 g/day in men and from 13 to 24 g/day in women. In Europe, the major source of dietary fiber was cereals, while in North America, it was fruits and vegetables.
After adjusting for age alone, the researchers found a significant benefit for fiber: the relative risk was 0.84 (with a 95% confidence interval from 0.77 to 0.92) favoring those with the highest intake of fiber.
But when other dietary factors were included in the analysis - such as folate intake, alcohol use, and red meat consumption - the benefit was attenuated and the association was no longer statistically significant, Dr. Park and colleagues found.
Although its negative result is contradicted by the recent European EPIC study, which found a benefit, the study by Dr. Park and colleagues provides "valuable help" in sorting out the confusion, Dr. Baron said.
"Unfortunately," he concluded, "there is more to do."
- Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD Emeritus Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Primary Source
Journal of the American Medical AssociationSource Reference: Park Y et al. Dietary Fiber Intake and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. JAMA. 2005;294:2849-2857.
Secondary Source
Journal of the American Medical AssociationSource Reference: John A. Baron. Dietary Fiber and Colorectal Cancer: An Ongoing Saga. JAMA. 2005;294:2904-2906.


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Thursday, April 27, 2017
12:00 pm
Andersen Library, RM 120
West Bank, Twin Cities Campus
Join the Immigration History Research Center as we screen digital stories created by current and former University of Minnesota students. These stories include the experiences of refugees, international students, international adoptees, and reflections on family, identity, and belonging.
Immigrant Stories helps recent immigrants and refugees create digital stories: brief videos with images, text, and audio about a personal experience. The IHRC shares and preserves these digital stories for future generations through the IHRC Archives, the Minnesota Digital Library, and the Digital Public Library of America.
Learn more about the Immigrant Stories project.


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Two quick-thinking Chino Hills children have been credited with saving the life of a three-year-old dog after they videotaped a man beating the animal for 10 minutes, an animal welfare organization announced this week.
The incident, which occurred in late May, began when a family heard a dog crying out in pain. The family went to their window and saw a female Cocker Spaniel being beaten by a man, a news release from the Inland Valley Humane Society & SPCA stated.
Two kids immediately grabbed their camera and began videotaping the beating while the mom called the Humane Society & SPCA to report the incident, according to the release.
The video showed the man hitting the dog with what appeared to be some sort of stick. The heartbreaking cries of the dog could also be heard as she desperately tried to get away from the man abusing her.
"I'm sorry doggie," one of the kids could be heard whispering as he watched in horror at what was unfolding.
A short time after the call, Humane Officer William Taber arrived at the scene and found that the dog, named "Mookie," had been neglected and was being kept inside a "very small, feces infested wire pen," the release said.
The officer took Mookie to the Inland Valley Humane Society & SPCA, where a shelter veterinarian examined and treated her.
Mookie has since healed and has a new home, thanks in part to the actions of the two unidentified kids who videotaped the beating.
"We are never surprised by the ingenuity of today's youth," said Beth Les, Supervisor of Animal Services of the Inland Valley Humane Society, according to the release. "Their quick thinking not only saved this dog from a life time of abuse but they were able to ensure we had the evidence to pursue criminal charges against the abuser."
Qihui Zhai, a 21-year-old resident of Chino Hills, was charged on June 6 with one felony of count of animal cruelty, according to the San Bernardino's District Attorney Office.
Zhai was scheduled to be arraigned on June 30 in Rancho Cucamonga Superior Court, the DA's office said.


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Is This Really All There Is?
When you started thinking critically about the existence of God, did you ask yourself this question? If you did, you're not alone. Nearly everyone, regardless of their religious beliefs, asks it at some point. We're all worried about what life is about, and what we can realistically expect. Even so, this question is loaded, and not just a little bit. Let's apply our critical thinking skills, and see if we can determine what we really want to know, and what the answer might be.
First, let's make sure we have our words properly defined. We'll skip over the definition of "is," since that was defined on all the major news networks several years ago. The very next word, however, is crucially important. What does "this" refer to? In this sentence, it's not completely clear. The obvious answer for most people would be something like "Being alive once and then dying," or perhaps "The universe that we can see." Let's not be vague about it. Let's settle on what we're actually talking about. We'll look at several different meanings, one by one.
Is this one life all there really is?
All the evidence says that it is. Despite hocus pocus claims from preachers and urban legends about people who have been to heaven and come back, there's no evidence that life goes on after death. Consciousness is dependent on physical processes. When the brain dies and the body decays, there is no longer an organized physical process, so the only logical conclusion is that there is no consciousness.
But what about near death experiences? Couldn't they be proof of an afterlife? Let's examine the evidence. All the stories are just that – stories. Anecdotal evidence, as we've seen, is extremely weak, and should only be considered when stronger corroborating evidence exists. Were the people who experienced NDEs in good mental and physical condition? Obviously not, as near death is a pretty bad situation, both physically and mentally. We know that even minute changes in the brain can trigger wildly erratic perceptions and behaviors. Dying is considerably more than a minute change in the brain. On the surface, the evidence for NDE's as proof of an afterlife seems fragile at best.
We're still not done, though. Is there better evidence that NDE's are simply physical, and that the perceptions of heaven and hell are illusions? It turns out that there is quite a lot. Before discussing NDEs directly, we need to be clear on a few terms.
If you've ever watched the movie, The Princess Bride, you will remember Miracle Max's famous words about death: "Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do. Go through his clothes and look for loose change." The scientific descriptions are not as witty, but they're not radically different. There is a big difference between clinical death and brain death. Clinical death usually results from cardiac arrest. When the heart stops pumping, neurons no longer receive oxygen. Without new oxygen, they continue to fire for a short while, sometimes with odd side effects. It would only be a slight stretch to say that a clinically dead person is mostly dead.
Brain death, on the other hand, is all dead. Clinical death can be reversed within a certain time frame. We've all heard stories, and seen depictions on medical dramas. The heart can be started chemically, electrically, and manually, depending on the situation. Assuming that there is still some neural activity, starting a clinically dead person's heart will bring them "back to life." Not so with brain death. Once the brain dies, the person is fully dead, and will not come back.
What, then, can we say about people who are clinically dead? For one thing, they are the only people who have ever had NDE's and lived to tell about them. For another, we can make some observations about what happens when the brain begins to die. If these observations form a parsimonious explanation for NDE's, we will have a compelling reason to believe they are not supernatural, and do not give proof of an afterlife.*
As the brain becomes oxygen depleted, neural networks begin to break down. Infants and small children have small neural networks. As they age, they form larger and larger networks as they process more and more information. An adult can temporarily break down access to fully formed networks by using drugs, or possibly meditative practice (although the latter is the subject of considerable debate). In fact, it's ironic that in the vernacular, many people say they have "transcendent" experiences while on mind altering drugs. The reality is that they are actually moving to a lower level of consciousness!
The sense of "loss of self" is a commonly reported experience in NDEs, and it has a well understood cause. Though the technical explanation sounds quite daunting to non-scientists, the cause is quite simple. In some cases, extreme overproduction of serotonin can inhibit the ability of neurons to pump potassium out of neural channels, effectively de-electrolyzing the neurons. In others, drugs can perform a function known as transmitter masking, essentially inhibiting the ability of transmitters to function properly by substituting an imposter chemical (such as an opiate) for the "proper" chemical. The end result is that synaptogenesis (the process of forming synapses) becomes temporarily "flooded." In other words, new synapses are formed and then overturned so quickly that the brain becomes unable to process them effectively.
Critics will often object at this point in a conversation. After all, scientists have not explained every aspect of NDEs. In fact, most scientists are perfectly willing to admit that there are some very puzzling things about them, and the explanations are not always apparent. Hopefully, you've gotten good at spotting the fallacy. Someone who wants to believe in NDEs will say, "Since science doesn't have an answer, it must be proof of the afterlife." This is a fallacy of ignorance, and is not valid logic. Still, many will argue that there are common threads. People from different religions have the same kinds of experiences. Kevin Nelson, a neurophysiologist at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, has this to say: "People say that because there's a common thread running through them all there must be a spiritual element," he says. "I look at that common thread and I see a biological process." (New Scientist, October 17, 2006) Nelson believes that he can explain the entire experience in purely scientific terms. He might be able to, but then again, he might miss something. This is not as relevant as it may seem. The important point is that good critical thinking demands that we not make up answers.
In fact, there is a common misconception about NDEs. It's not necessary to be at death's door to experience one. Quoting from the New Scientist article:
Nelson says that that's because despite the name, NDE has little to do with actually being close to death. He argues that the experience stems from an acute bout of "REM intrusion" - a glitch in the brain's circuitry that, in times of extreme stress, may flip it into a mixed state of awareness where it is both in REM sleep and partially awake at the same time. "The concept that our brain is either 100 per cent awake or 100 per cent in REM sleep is absolutely erroneous," says Mark Mahowald, a neurologist at the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Minneapolis. "We can have pieces of one state intruding into another, and that's when things get interesting."
REM intrusion is a common feature of narcolepsy - a neurological disorder characterised by uncontrollable bouts of sleep that can cause elaborate hallucinations and, sometimes, out-of-body experiences. But REM intrusion can affect anyone, and frequently does. Recent estimates suggest that up to 40 per cent of people have experienced "sleep paralysis", a form of REM intrusion in which you awaken with part of your brain still in REM sleep and your body paralysed. Often the result is a terrifying feeling of being unable to move, accompanied by visual or auditory hallucinations and pressure on the chest. Sleep paralysis has been offered as a rational explanation for many apparently supernatural phenomena, including witch attacks, visitations by the dead, and more recently alien abductions.
Scientists are experimenting with the phenomenon of out of body sight, too. Olaf Blanke, a cognitive neurologist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, has caused subjects to see their legs, disembodied, from a floating perspective, simply by applying an electrical stimulus to the angular gyrus, a part of the brain involved with processing sensory information. (New Scientist)
There's yet another example of transcendental experiences that we should look at. Epileptics often report NDE-like perceptions after having particularly intense seizures. Seizures which effect the limbic system are well known for causing religious or transcendent experiences. In a way, this is an opposite cause for a similar effect. When a person has a seizure, their brain is firing too many neurons at once. Just like a computer, our brain seldom uses all of it's capacity at once. The myth that we only use 10% of our brains comes from a simple misunderstanding of this concept. When a computer is idle, or is only running a few processes, it uses a small percentage of its total processing power. Our brains function essentially the same way. Also, just like a computer, when we over tax our brains, the results are not always pleasant. How this relates to clinical death is simple. When the heart weakens, the body must compensate by increasing blood pressure drastically, keeping precious oxygen flowing to the brain. The increase in pressure wreaks havoc on the brain. Though it is still alive, it is far from normal functioning.
There is much speculation about the connection between epilepsy and religion. A nun at a Carmelite monestary in California recently discovered that the visions and transcendental raptures she'd been experiencing for years were actually epilepsy. Careful review of the private lives of many religious figures has prompted the question, were many of the prophets and religious visionaries of the past epileptics? In the end, we will probably never know about those who have long since passed. New research is coming in all the time, however, and as the connection becomes more and more concrete, it's becoming harder and harder to dismiss the evidence that NDEs, as well as mystical experiences not associated with dying, are simply misfiring neurons playing a game with our perception.
We can look at this another way. Dismiss for a moment all the possible explanations that scientists have come up with. In a recent survey, researchers found that among people who had had NDEs, a full 60 percent had sleep problems involving REM intrusion. Only 24 percent of people who had not had NDEs had similar problems. There is clearly a physical connection between REM intrusion and NDEs. Which explanation makes more sense? That there is an afterlife, and the apparent connection to sleep problems is coincidence, or that the connection is evidence of what really causes them? (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12274186/)
So, in the end, we have to concede that though there might be compelling emotional reasons to want to believe in life after death, there's simply not enough compelling logical reasons. In fact, if we apply our objectivity test by substituting another trivial question, we see clearly that without the emotional tug on our reason, we would dismiss the question out of hand. There is simply no reason to believe it.
Is the universe we can perceive really all there is?
The short answer is that we don't know. Remember, though, that the argument from ignorance is not a valid reason for making up an answer. Describing a thing about which we know nothing is absurd. If there is something that we cannot perceive, how could we ever know about it? Many things are very hard to perceive, such as subatomic particles. However, they are not imperceptible. If something were truly imperceptible to humans, then there would literally be no way to say anything about it! To give it a name would be to define it in some way. To say what it is not is not to say what it is. Put another way, anything that exists which is truly imperceptible to man is completely irrelevant to man.
Here, you might object. Suppose there is something which we do not perceive now, but at some point in the future, it will become perceptible, and might even do something catastrophic. Surely I would not object to such a possibility! True. Scientists might discover something in the future which is completely imperceptible now. Nevertheless, this concession leaves us in exactly the same place. At this time, we cannot say anything about what this thing will be, or what it will do. There is a virtually endless number of possible things that might exist, but admitting this is just an exercise in logic. If we have no perception of a thing now, it is completely irrelevant to our lives.
What does the question really mean?
Many people will find the previous two versions of our question to be lacking. There's something else hidden in the question. It's bigger than just the question of the nature of reality. What we really want to know is this: "If life is just the product of blind evolution and physical processes, what is the purpose of it all?" This comes closer to the question that's really on our minds, doesn't it? We want to know if there's room for hope in life. Is there something to look forward to, or is life really just an exercise in respiration, mastication, and procreation?
When we start thinking about the question this way, it becomes bigger, and more pertinent. We want to know what meaning this life might have. Why are we here? Is there something that we should accomplish? If there is no higher purpose, why are we bothering with all the drudgery and obligation? Why don't we just throw off our yokess and run free through the streets, or live out in the woods, solitary and blissfully unfettered?
Hopefully, you can see the disconnect between the question and these hypothetical answers. Regardless of the existence of an afterlife, we fulfill our earthly obligations because it's in our best interest to do so. Humans are social creatures. We crave love and friendship, and the best way to get them is to give them. As a result of a long and staggeringly complex chain of adaptive events, we have developed brains which drive us to reproduce and form long term bonds. When we have offspring, we have a natural bond with them, and we try to protect them, teach them, and give them the best possible chance to live happily. This stands to reason, of course. Those of our ancestors that did not have these drives as strongly tended not to reproduce as successfully.
Looking around the animal kingdom, we can see how this fits logically into place. Our brains come at a high cost. Such complex organs require many years to grow to maturity. During that time, we are quite vulnerable and easily killed. We do not have claws, or night vision, or highly developed senses of smell or hearing. We cannot survive most environments without clothing. Without protectors, human children would virtually always die. At least one parent is necessary for the continuation of the species. So, we can say with virtual certainty that there is a purpose in life. For the goal of continuing the human species, it is necessary that we live in such a way that our children have the best chance of growing old enough not only to reproduce, but to then live on long enough to provide the same chances for their children.
If this seems overly simple to you, you're thinking well. Intuitively, we know that there's something more than just reproduction. After all, many people do not, or cannot have children. Are we to say that their lives are worthless? Obviously not. What else is there, then? Here, we can go in many different directions, and we can find truth in almost all of them. Art, literature, invention, service, discovery – all these things are meaningful to us and bring us pleasure. Many of them benefit people in ways that we can link directly to reproduction, if we wish. The discovery and harnessing of electricity led to the invention of the transistor, which led to the invention of the computer. With the help of computers, we invented amazingly complex and powerful devices like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines. With these machines, we are able to detect and cure many physical illnesses that would otherwise lead to death, often before the sick individuals are able to reproduce.
Can we say, then, that everything is linked to reproduction, and leave it at that? I suppose we could, but that feels rather empty, doesn't it? Even if a childless inventor creates something that benefits someone else, who later has a child, it seems rather cold to suggest that this is the only purpose in his life. There are so many aspects of life, it feels impossible to reduce them down to a single, unified purpose. How could we possibly say that reproduction, or altruism, or money, or fame, or anything else, for that matter, is the single purpose in life?
Perhaps you have just had a "Eureka" moment. If not, bear with me for a bit longer. Think about everyone you know, and try to think of one or two people who seem to march to a different drummer. Almost everyone knows one of these people. Perhaps it's an eccentric artist who lives in a trashy house, doesn't own a car, and only eats rice and beans. Maybe it's that cousin who insists on remaining single, even though he's got enough money to have five wives and fifty children. Or, maybe it's the woman who has never wanted to have children, even though she's been happily married for ten years, and is in the prime of her life. What can we say about their sense of purpose? The answer, obviously, is that they each have very different goals in life!
Now, think about the last time you browsed through the self help section at a bookstore. Did you notice how many different versions of the "Truth that will set you free" there are? Hundreds, maybe thousands, of self-help books proclaim their own secret to living a happy life, filled with purpose. You know this already, but have you thought about what it means? Each of these books is selling well enough to still be on the shelves, and unless you live in a bubble, you've met someone who claims that they've found the answer they've always been looking for. (Except in rare cases, it seems that we never agree completely with these people!)
If the answer isn't obvious enough already, here it is: There is not one universal "purpose" for humanity. Because of differences in genetics, culture, and individual experience, each person has a built in set of likes, dislikes, and motivations. In short, each person has their own unique purpose.
That's great, but what is the purpose in life?
When I first began thinking about life without religion, this last epiphany was difficult for me to accept. Something deep inside me rebelled at the notion that we can just leave things so open ended. How can we really say that every person has their own purpose, and they're all equal? How can we hope to mobilize humanity towards a common goal if everybody just gets to make up their own meaning? What of morality? What of obligation to our fellow man?
As I struggled with these questions, I slowly began to realize something profound – something that would ultimately change how I viewed my own life as well as those of the people around me. Behind each of these troubling questions, there are hidden assumptions about the nature of reality. Without questioning these assumptions, we risk answering a question that isn't even valid to begin with.
Are all purposes equal?
This question is deceptive because it doesn't tell us in what way the word "equal" is being used. I know Americans are a bit wary of asking for too many definitions. Again, the word "is" is perfectly clear, and we know what happens when we start allowing too many questions about definitions, right? Actually, wrong. It's a mistake to take a political fiasco like the Clinton impeachment hearings and make such a sweeping generalization about critical thinking. The fact is, if we want good answers, we must ask good questions. What, then, does the word, "equal" mean in this sentence?
Suppose I place two identical dinner glasses next to each other and carefully measure out eight ounces of water from one source. Are they equal? Yes, and no. They contain roughly the same amount of water, so they are equal. However, they do not contain the same number of water molecules, and are not equal. The water in each glass came from the same source, so they are equal. However, the water at the bottom of the source container had some sediment that did not get poured into the first glass, but made it into the second. They are unequal. One glass is intended for a man who has not had a drink in three days. The other is intended for another man who has had over a gallon of water today. The glasses are not equal in the effect they will have on the people who consume them.
So, when we ask if all life purposes are equal, what is it that we're really asking? The standard Christian answer goes something like this: 'All lives are equal in the eyes of the Lord, for he loves us all equally.' Or, another pastor might tell us, 'In the end, the only difference that matters is whether or not we are saved. Your life is worth nothing if you go to hell, but your happiness will be complete if you accept Jesus and go to heaven when you die.'
Do you see the error in the question now? When we ask, "Are all purposes equal," we are carrying the same baggage as when we were Christians. We are assuming that there is a single goal, granted by God, and that all lives can be measured by this goal. Now that we know there is no such thing, we must disabuse ourselves of the notion that we can still ask the question in the same way. We must recognize that every person has their own drives and goals, and we must rethink our entire approach. The key to this is remembering that we must ask another question. When we say "equal," we must ask, "equal in what way?"
Where does this leave us? It might feel to you that it leaves us in an impossible position. If we must specify exactly what we mean by equality, it's possible to ask the question of purpose in thousands of different ways, and every answer will be different! How are we to ever find something to hold onto? How do we find our own purpose? I promise I'll get to these questions, but for now, let's look at more of our initial questions.
Common Goals
Is it possible that humans can unite for a common goal if everyone gets to make their own meaning? Again, there is a hidden assumption in this question. In asking the question, we are assuming that it is a good thing for humanity to have a common goal! If you've assumed that, you must ask yourself, "How do I know that it's good for humanity to have a common goal?" "What is the common goal?" "When I say it's good for humanity, to which end is it good?"
The answers are difficult. We instantly recognize huge obstacles. Many nations are busy trying to feed their own people, while others throw away scraps that would be treasures for some. Is it fair to say that ending world hunger is a good goal? Though it seems noble enough on the surface, there are many scientists who say there are too many people on earth, and that we will not have enough resources if we continue to reproduce at current rates. Maybe the problem isn't a lack of food. Maybe it's a surplus of people. This might be a callous thing to suggest, but let's remember that our very own nation has only recently supported the killing of tens of thousands of civilians in a foreign country, with the stated goal of removing one man from political power. History is littered with tales of entire populations who willingly killed thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, for lesser goals than preserving the ecosystem and allowing the human species to continue to survive.
Many people, myself included, would like to see humanity united in the goal of sustainable coexistence with the other species on the planet. This seems a very noble goal, but the price would be high. Cars and electrical plants produce most of the greenhouse gases introduced into the environment by humans. Sustainable living might well involve severe restrictions on vehicles, fuel, and power consumption. We might have to restrict reproductive rights. Standards of living might have to go down for many wealthy nations. Is it fair for me to say that my goal is the one that we should follow? Should fairness be the measure by which we choose a goal?
What of Morality?
Without mincing words, I will simply say that this question is ludicrous. Please pardon me for being blunt, but after more than a decade of answering this question, it gets tiring. Morality and purpose in life are not related to each other. Morality is our sense of right and wrong with respect to our fellow humans. Our purpose in life is our goal. A person can be either moral or immoral and still have purpose. He may accomplish his purpose, or not, and his morality has little or nothing to do with it.
I'll deal with morality thoroughly in another essay, but for now, let's just say that every action has a consequence. If we decide to act immorally, we risk social and criminal punishment. If the potential result of our action is worth the risk, we act immorally. If not, we don't. In any case, both moral and immoral people have goals. Purpose is a goal. Enough said.
The last question, "What of our obligation to our fellow man," is simply a restatement of the question of morality. Our obligations to others are the very things which define morality. Imagine two men, each of whom take a bottle of wine from the cellar at a dinner party, and then put it into the trunk of their car. Neither man tells the host of the party what he has done. The first man is a great friend of the host, and has been told for years that he can always consider himself welcome to take a bottle, so long as he replaces it in the future. The other is a friend of a friend, and doesn't even know the host. He saw the door to the cellar open, and decided to take a bottle for himself. He has no intention of telling the host what he has done.
Clearly, these two actions are not remotely morally equivalent. The first man, a friend of the host, has been giving and receiving friendship and gifts with the host for years. They have established a sense of obligation to each other. The gift of access to the wine cellar was given as a means of solidifying social bonds. The act of taking advantage of the gift is both an act of gratitude and reciprocation. Surely the friend has done things for the host without receiving immediate benefit!
The second man, obviously, is a criminal. He has stolen from the host. He has no intention of giving him anything in return. He has broken the rules of societal obligation. Though the two acts were identical in one sense, they were vastly different in another. Again, morality and social obligation are two ways of describing the same thing.
If my purpose is my own, how do I judge whether it's good?
It may seem trite to say that we judge our lives by our own happiness, but it's not nearly as naïve or simplistic as it sounds. Again, I'd like to reach back to my Christian days and retrieve the standard religious response to happiness as its own purpose. "Judging our lives by our own happiness is selfish and short-sighted. God has a design for us, and often, we are called on to sacrifice our own happiness for what is good and right in God's divine purpose. Those who pursue happiness for its own sake are doomed to ultimate failure!"
Though this sounds menacing, it's psychologically empty. First, it's creating a strawman – a weak version of a philosophically sound version. The idea is that if a position can be made to appear ridiculous, it doesn't need to be argued against. People will reject it on their own.
Consider a hypothetical person, Bob, who decides that every decision in his life will be made based on which available action will make him the happiest. On the first day of his new life, Bob realizes that expensive gourmet food makes him happier than scrambled eggs, so he goes to the finest restaurant in town and orders their best breakfast. After breakfast, he considers whether to go to work or play a video game. His job is pretty boring, and he's often unhappy while there, so he decides to play the video game. By the end of the day, he's ready to go out. His wife wants him to go pick up the children from baseball practice, but the fact is, he doesn't want to deal with them right now. A beer would make him happier, so he goes down to the bar, leaving the kids without a ride. Somewhere around two in the morning, Bob realizes that paying money for a cab will not make him happy, so he gets into his own car even though he's drunk, and drives home.
Clearly, this situation is ridiculous, but why? At each crucial decision, Bob weighed each of his choices and decided on the one that would make him happiest. If we were to predict Bob's future, it's not very bright. He's going to get fired from his job. He will run out of money. His wife will divorce him, and his children will most likely hate him. It's also very likely that he'll lose his driver's license. He might even kill someone while driving and go to jail for the rest of his life. Since choosing happiness obviously doesn't lead to good decisions, we can see that the Christians are right... right?
This hypothetical situation is an example of something called reductio ad absurdum. (That's Latin for "reduction to the absurd.) What I've done is taken the spirit of the Christian argument and taken it to a logical conclusion to demonstrate that it's absurd. When Christians say that pursuit of happiness is a dead end, or that it will end in destruction, they are talking about pursuit of instant happiness. As intelligent beings, we are able to make predictions of the future and realize that there is short term happiness and long term happiness. Unless Bob is insane or incredibly stupid, he will realize that he cannot spend all his money in one day, and that he must go to work, and that he must pick up his children. He will hopefully realize that the short term sacrifice of a few dollars far outweighs the consequences of being arrested for driving under the influence. In short, he will realize that short term happiness often must be sacrificed for long term happiness. This doesn't take religion to figure out. It only takes a little common sense. Very little.
When we say that happiness is its own goal, we are obviously not talking about only short term happiness. We mean a more or less continual state of contentment and long term happiness, derived from both instant gratification and immediate sacrifice for a greater long term good. We are constantly making conscious and unconscious decisions about what will be best for us. In the end, it's about a balance of long and short term satisfaction – having enough happiness now, but sacrificing enough that we can continue to be happy in the future.
Perhaps you will object that the pursuit of happiness as its own goal doesn't take altruism into account. If we're always looking out for ourselves, how can we account for helping others, even when there is no direct benefit to us? To answer this question, simply think back to the last time that you sacrificed something of your own – something that you valued highly – for the good of another person. Maybe it was your valuable time donated to a blood drive. Maybe you sat through a tedious photo presentation of your neighbors' trip to Branson, Missouri because you knew how much it would mean to them. When it was all over, and you thought back on what you had done, and realized that it was the right thing to do, how did it make you feel?
The reason we do things for others is that it makes us feel good. Perhaps we don't enjoy it at the time, but in the long run, we feel like we have done a good thing, and we are happy with ourselves. It's simply an example of sacrificing short term happiness for long term happiness. It may seem flippant to dismiss such a big question with such a simple answer, but science backs it up.
Humans are social animals. We have to be – our survival literally depends on it. At the time of this writing, there are many popular television shows about surviving alone in the wilderness. One of the reasons these are so popular is that the thought of being alone in a survival situation is very scary to us on a primal level, and we admire the bravery of people who are willing to take that risk. Our animal instincts tell us that we need to be with the group to survive. Before we had spears and axes and city walls, the group really was our best hope of survival.
As social animals, we developed ways of strengthening bonds. Love, respect, altruism, and loyalty are all adaptations to the need for close knit groups. When one of our own was unable to find any food for himself, it was in our best interest to give some of ours up, for in realizing his own plight, we were able to see the possibility that one day, we would also be in the same situation. Long term prediction allowed us to sacrifice short term gratification for long term survival.
Fine. So what is the purpose of life?
Now, finally, we can return to our original question. What is the purpose of life? The answer, simply enough, is that your purpose is your own. Everyone else has their own purpose, too. Many people accomplish great things in their lives and feel a great sense of fulfillment. Others live their entire lives without doing much of anything by most standards. In the end, each person must judge themselves by their own standards.
There is no final judgment, but there is constant judgment while we're alive. There is no divine forgiveness of sins, and no wiping clean of the slate. If we screw up our own lives, there is not always a way to fix it. In one sense, we can do whatever we like with our lives, but we are constantly beholden to those around us. When we die, we will no longer exist, and none of it will matter to us. What greater motivation is there for living the best life possible? What other purpose do we need than the realization that we only get one chance, and if we mess it up, there are no mulligans? Life, then, is its own purpose, and we, as individuals, have the chance, but not the obligation, to live happily.
* It's worth pointing out that if there were cases of complete brain death where the patient came back and reported an NDE, that would defy the natural explanation and would suggest the possibility of consciousness after death. It's crucial to notice that there has never been one case. In this instance, a lack of evidence is most certainly evidence of lack. With so many millions of deaths in hospitals, we would expect at least one case that defied science if there were life after death.


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LomoMatrix Perugia1 14 Share Tweet
After some big international cities such as Beijing, Berlin, São Paulo and London, we thought it was time for an Italian LomoMatrix!
During a sunny afternoon in May, a small group of photographers had an appointment in a wonderful garden in the middle of the historical center of Perugia. A LomoMatrix is a handcrafted analogue version of what we call "bullet time" in movie recording (when time is stopped and the video camera turns around; the name comes from the famous scenes in the movie The Matrix).
To build a LomoMatrix, you need a group of people in a wide circle, each one with a toy camera, Lomo or disposable camera, and one person in the middle. The person in the middle of the circle then does something and the people around the circle take photos at the same time. Single pictures from each camera are arranged and displayed consecutively to produce an orbiting viewpoint of an action frozen in time and space, but with a Lomo influence, different frames, with different colours and different sizes, because of the Lo-Fi cameras…and this is the style that we like.
This is what we did, I hope you like it; for us it was an amazing and funny experience!
Lomo Matrix Perugia from Officine Macadam on Vimeo.
written by francescco on 2011-08-11 #news #matrix #lomography #italy #news #perugia #lomomatrix #francescco


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Flowermate Aura Water Pipe Adapter
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Vaporizing herbs is a very clean way of enjoying the benefits of certain herbs, but some like to go the extra mile and add a water tool to their experience. For the Flowermate Aura, there is this water pipe adapter - it fits onto 14 and 18mm male adapters and into 10, 14 and 18/19mm female adapters.
Product status: In stock


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Media ban on Salman Khan: Aamir Khan offers to turn mediator
The actor offers help to the protesting camerapersons that have decided to boycott Salman Khan lately.entertainment Updated: Jul 22, 2014 14:19 IST
On Sunday, July 20, Aamir Khan's daughter Ira organised a celebrity charity match in the city, which saw participation by several big film stars and television actors. While Salman Khan, too, made an appearance at the event, it was surprising to see that none of the photographers present at the venue — except an in-house lensman from his upcoming movie's team — clicked photos of the actor, thus, standing by their decision to boycott the actor.
Aamir, upon gauging the situation, decided to have a chat with the mediapersons. He walked up to the photographers to get a lowdown on the incident.
"It was a sweet gesture on Aamir's part to intervene and try to settle the problem," says a source present at the venue. After listening to their part of the story, Aamir asked them if they would like him to talk to Salman and sort out the issue. However, the photographers politely declined the offer.
"They told him that the issue was being addressed by their association and that it would decide the next step. Until then, the lensmen have decided to abide by their decision to not photograph Salman at any public event," informs the insider.
First Published: Jul 22, 2014 14:14 IST


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1 Min Read
Oct 27 (Reuters) - Postal Savings Bank Of China Co Ltd :
* 9-mnth net profit amounted to RMB40,495 million, up 17.06%
* 9-Mnth net interest income RMB 136.54 billion versus RMB 123.60 bln Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:
All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays.
© 2018 Reuters. All Rights Reserved.


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Psalm 149 & Luke 6:20-31
Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC
Rev. Tina Walker-Morin
November 6, 2016
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable to you O God, our strength and our redeemer. Amen.
This morning I have a message for you about blessings.
In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Chevy Chase plays the father of the Griswald family. In one scene as they sit down for Christmas dinner, Chevy Chase stands up, picks up his knife and taps his water glass and says "since this is Aunt Bethany's 80th Christmas, I think she should leads us in the saying of grace."
"What dear" Aunt Bethany says, the other aunt yells down the table "Grace", to which Aunt Bethany replies: "Grace she passed away thirty years ago". "They want you to say Grace" the uncle yells in her ear. Aunt Bethany shakes her head no. The uncle leans over closer "the blessing…" Aunt Bethany then begins and repeats the Pledge of Allegiance… "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and too the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." [see above or click here to watch the movie clip]
Blessing, we hear it all the time, "God bless you" when someone sneezes. Or "I am so blessed" usually referring to someone's good fortune or when referring to having a good home, job or family. Yet when we read the Beatitudes from the gospels Jesus seems to be saying quite the opposite.
Blessed are the poor, blessed are the hungry, blessed are you who weep now, blessed are you when people hate you. Should we strive to be poor, hungry or weeping? Should we give up all we have, deprive ourselves of food and cry until our eyes can no longer produce tears?
No, that is not the case. Jesus sees everyone and is comforting us all. Who are the poor? The poor are not just those without money, those who cannot afford healthcare, or who cannot afford to fix the family car, or who cannot afford to have a roof over their head to shelter them from the cold and rain. No the poor are also the lonely, the child who sits at the lunch table by herself, the poor are the ones who are left out of the office lunch gathering, the poor are those who go unnoticed, who do the work of God when no one is looking.
Think of our Saints this morning. My grandmothers lived through the great depression. Grandma, my maternal grandmother, grew up in Dayton Tennessee on a farm with her 3 sisters and 1 brother. Dayton is located outside of Chattanooga and is known for the Scopes Monkey trial. The Scopes Monkey trial was an American legal case in 1925 in which a substitute high school teacher, John Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee's Butler Act, which had made it unlawful to teach human evolution in any state-funded school. My grandmother and her sibling were there for this trial.
My grandmother grew up in a home which valued education. Her father insisted that all of his children (including the girls) receive a college education. So in 1928 my grandmother set off for the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. A year later the Great Depression hit the country. Grandma's father has just bought her a new fur winter coat prior to the depression and once it hit, he asked her come home to return the coat because the family would need the money. The coat was gorgeous, dark brown and black, long sleeves and ankle length. I imagine it was as soft as a rabbit's coat. My grandmother returned home with the fur coat but when they went back to the store owner, he told them to never mind the amount owed for the coat and to keep it. She would need the coat, as the winter was coming. The store owner did this without pride and when no one was looking or expecting it.
I imagine my grandmother and others were poor in spirit when the depression hit, not knowing what was going to happen. This act by the store owner was a true act of kindness, a true blessing. Not because it involved a material good, but because the store owner acted out of kindness and generosity.
Who are the hungry? Have you ever been so hungry your stomach hurt, or you felt faint? Yes that is hunger. Yet what if we took it to a spirit realm. What does it feel and look like to be hungry for Jesus and God? Hungry for the Holy Spirit to come and fill you? Imagine that yearning that obsession for God and all things Holy that feels even greater than your physical hunger. Those are the hungry, when we are reaching out for God, and praying with all our might. Searching for answers and searching to know the risen Christ. And Jesus reassures us that "Blessed are those who are hungry for they will be filled". We will know Christ and through our hunger do know him.
And who are the weeping? I can think of a time or two when I literally could not stand or hold myself up as I wept. Maybe you have been there also, on your knees or sitting on the floor with tears flowing down your face. And yet in those hardest times Jesus is right there with us, blessing us and promising a brighter day.
Jesus is reassuring and reminding us where we have been and what the future will hold. We are blessed, not because we are poor, hungry, weeping or have people who hate us. No we are blessed because God is with us and helping us through those tough times and we believe and trust that good will come. That Jesus who is all good, is by our side leading us to a closer relationship with God.
"Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God" (Psalm 146:5).
God is always with us, when we look back at times when we were poor in spirit, health or wealth, God was there. When we look back and asked or prayed to God to show up, God does (even when we don't see it). God is there as we weep, because God too suffered when God's son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross. God was there. And God promises a better future if we walk and trust in God. That is not a future full of wealth and prosperity but rather a future with a Spirit filled heart.
As the holidays come and we sit around our tables ready for the blessing, no matter what is said, trust and know God is with you. May God bless you and may you bless others.


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THE GREAT PUMPKIN - Randy Strombeck of West Chazy stands behind a giant pumpkin he is growing in his backyard on Slosson Road. The pumpkin currently weighs approximately 1,002 pounds and will be entered in a competition in Vermont Oct. 8.
A closer look at the 1,002-pound pumpkin being grown in the backyard of Randy Strombeck's Slosson Road home in West Chazy. Strombeck plans to enter the pumpkin in a contest in Vermont laster this month.
When Randy Strombeck grows pumpkins, he doesn't mess around.
It's been eight years since Strombeck grew his first "giant pumpkin," weighting in at 435 pounds and, this year, he's more than doubled that figure, growing a pumpkin at his Slosson Road home weighing approximately 1,002 pounds.
"It's still growing," said Strombeck, laughing.
Strombeck first became interested in growing big pumpkins when he and his wife were interested in growing their own pumpkins for Halloween.
"[The pumpkins] ended up getting covered in bugs, so I went on the Internet to find out how to get rid of them," said Strombeck.
What he found was something way beyond pest control. Strombeck found a hobby that would become part of his fall routine, just like raking leaves and putting candy out for trick-or-treaters.
"I found all this information on how to grow [pumpkins] by doing things like making sure they had nutrient-rich soil, and a lot of water," he said.
The information was key to helping him grow pumpkins so big that he could enter them each year in a contest in Colchester, Vt., where he proudly displays the gigantic gourds that have managed to increase in size each year.
"I've been able to increase them in size by about 200 pounds each year," said Stormbeck.
The key has been in the research he's done on websites like www.bigpumpkins.com, which Stormbeck considers a wealth of knowledge for pumpkin heads.
"They've got message boards, chat rooms and all kinds of information on there," said Stormbeck.
It was on the Internet that Stormbeck learned using the popular plant food Miracle Gro won't give you bigger pumpkins — at least not the size that will win contests, he said.
"Miracle Gro is actually bad for growing big pumpkins because it contains a lot of salt, and it dries up the plants," said Stormbeck.
What he found works best is a combination of organic fertilizer, regular waterings and, of course, the right seeds.
"The seeds for this pumpkin came from a 1,622-pound pumpkin from Des Moines, Iowa," said Strombeck. "I got them from a guy I chatted with on the website."
Strombeck began growing his current big pumpkin back in July, and has seen steady growth with it week by week, with his creation sometimes shooting up several pounds overnight.
"I've had one go up 37 pounds before overnight," claimed Strombeck.
Why does he do it? The fame? The glory? The cash prizes he could win?
None of the above.
"It's fun to see the excitement it creates," said Strombeck. "There's this awe people have that have never seen a pumpkin get that big."
"If you've never seen really big pumpkin, it's something you've got to see," he said.


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ISLAMABAD - Youngsters Sunday turned out in droves to their respective polling booths to exercise their right to choose party leaders for Islamabad chapter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf during first phase of PTI's countrywide intra-party elections.
Though the facility of casting vote while sitting at home through cell phone was available but they prefer to visit nearby polling booths for the purpose. The overall voters' turnout was at 72.1 percent at around 7:30 pm, when still four and half hours were left to vote.
Turnout was high at union councils including Rawal Town, Kuri, Chirrah and Jhangi Syedan, where it was around 80 per cent, while as lower as 13.1 per cent in Sector E-8 and 13.5 per cent in union council Malpur. Total number of PTI registered voters in Islamabad region is 62,112.
While some 893 candidates from across Islamabad are running for 520 party positions.
Out of 520, 164 seats are reserved for women. Election results would be compiled at central office in Karachi and would be announced on Monday afternoon (today).
PTI had established 41 polling stations across 40 union councils of Islamabad region to facilitate those voters who either don't have access to cell phones or not know how to vote through the new technology gadgets. In every union council election was held for 9 general and 4 women seats. Party activists and media persons present at the PTI central office expressed their astonishment when turnout suddenly climb up to 72.1 per cent at 7:30pm, as it was at 49.2 per cent at 6:30pm.
"Ask the Karachi office to look into the matter, as if the turnout continue to rise in this way it would cross the 100 per cent mark after an hour," a PTI activist commented in light mood.
Earlier, in the morning a scuffle between the supporters of two main groups contesting the elections - Ali Awan group and Aamir Mughal group - was reported over the issue of establishment of a polling booth at the residence of Aamir Mughal.
While Aamir Mughal blamed the other group for rigging the elections at three polling booths. "Supporters of Ali Awan group took the presiding officers present at three polling booths along with them," Mughal informed his supporters at central office.
While in several union councils voters complained for delay in establishment of polling booths.
PTI leaders including Javed Hashmi, Hamid Khan, Shafqat Mehmood, Pirzada Rahat Quddusi, Aila Malik, Qazi Anwer and others visited polling booths established in Sector G-9, G-10 and I-10.
Later, according to a press stated issued by PTI media wing, PTI chief Imran Khan congratulated the PTI workers for taking part in intra-party election stating that the PTI would get rid of the family control in the political parties.
"This is a historic day today. The PTI workers have laid foundation of change and a new Pakistan would emerge from these polls where the peoples' will would prevail and there would be no place for political monarchs. This is a real change and this change process would continue till the time when the people would see their true leaders taking over from the coterie of corrupt," Imran Khan remarked.
PTI leaders also alleged government for creating hindrances by blocking three phone lines dedicated for voting. On the occasion, Dr Israr Shah said that the PTI election was a challenge for other political parties as the PTI had set a process of change in the country's political system. He said from now on, no political activist even in other political parties would accept nominations by their dictatorial leaders.


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As of 2015, Best Buy does not offer an online layaway plan option, according to Best Buy. However, the company does have other options that allow customers to pay for purchases over time.
Best Buy offers a My Best Buy credit card and a My Best Buy Mastercard, notes Best Buy. Once approved, the applicant selects between the two cards. The My Best Buy card is used exclusively for purchases at Best Buy, while the My Best Buy MasterCard is used for purchases at Best Buy and other locations that accept MasterCard.
BestBuy also offers financing options that range from six months to 24 months. The purchase price dictates the length of the financing terms, advises Best Buy.


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This one's long.
"That's what she said:" sometimes it's another way of asking, "Literally?"
Think about it - you could respond either way to any of the following:
"You almost poked me in the eye with that thing!"
"You really think you can go all day long?"
"He's got a really big head." (Sorry.)
"Go ahead, put it wherever you want."
That's-what-she-said montage from The Office:
(the best is the deposition episode wherein Jan's attorney takes Michael's that's-what-she-said joke literally)
A few choice lines from Star Wars: