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They followed their favorite team by car, bus and plane. They planned to stay for a few hours, overnight or – if their luck holds out – a few days.
And while they're here they wanted to find a good place to eat some chicken wings and see some sights, if they have time in between watching college basketball games.
They're the out-of-town fans who flocked to Buffalo for Thursday's opening round of the NCAA tournament.
In interviews just before the tipoff of the Notre Dame vs. Princeton game, visitors mostly gave high marks to Buffalo. Most said they weren't bothered by this week's storm that dumped up to 29 inches of snow on the region just as fans were preparing to travel here.
The exception to that was Spio Garbrah, a web consultant from Queens whose brother, Nana Foulland, plays for Bucknell. He said when he learned on Sunday the Bison would be playing in Buffalo, he immediately thought of the city's reputation for nasty winter weather.
"So I'm like, wow, it's going to be in Buffalo, OK. And in a snowstorm," Garbrah said. "So this is going to be like what I've see on TV, but it's going to be in real life."
He arrived in town by bus shortly before the game, but he said his initial impression of Buffalo is that it's quieter than New York.
"It's more of a residential kind of place, seems more of a family kind of place," Garbrah said. "A place where I'm sure if you get married you want to move in with your family."
The Prices of Edinboro, Pa., near Erie, are used to the snow. "We left about two feet," said mom Gwen Price, who drove up with her son, Nate, and her daughter, Morgan. Mom is an alumna of Bucknell and Morgan is a sophomore at the college, and all three wore their orange-and-blue Bucknell shirts as they prepared to grab their seats at the arena.
It was their first time in downtown Buffalo, although Gwen said, "We do pass by it a lot."
The Prices had tickets to the two games in the first session on Thursday, and planned to stick around and do more exploring Friday. "We're going to try to do some Canalside stuff," Gwen Price said.
As for food? "I will eat anything you put in front of me," Nate Price said, drawing laughs from his mom and sister. A Buffalo native's description of a beef on weck sandwich drew tentative interest.
It wasn't hard to figure out who Stephen Goldsmith was rooting for. The Princeton, N.J., resident had a eye-catching Tigers scarf draped around his neck. Five years ago, he followed the team to a tournament game in Tampa, Fla. What was his reaction this year when he saw Princeton was playing its opening game in less-temperate Buffalo?
"That it's doable. It's definitely driveable," said Goldsmith, who praised the snow-clearing efforts of city road crews.
He said Buffalo on first blush seems like a city he would like to take some time to explore at greater length. But for now, he's just hoping to get some of our signature food product. "I have a co-worker who recommended Anchor," Goldsmith said. "I'll definitely check that out because I've heard that's a good spot and I do like wings."
Friends Kevin Trickler and Dave LaRocca from Geneva, in the Finger Lakes, are big Notre Dame fans who travel whenever they can to the team's basketball games and who have personal ties to the program. They planned to watch Thursday's game from a suite at KeyBank Center.
"Buffalo's nice. You've got the Bills. You've got the Sabres," LaRocca said. "You've got the casino, I like that."
Either way, they'll head back to Geneva after Thursday's game. And now that Notre Dame won, they'll come back Friday night to "do our thing for St. Patrick's Day in Buffalo," LaRocca said.
When a local pointed out that the big St. Patrick's Day event here is the Delaware Avenue parade on Sunday, LaRocca said, "Imagine if Notre Dame wins [on Saturday], I'll be celebrating, who knows, I might be in the parade."
Drew Eller might have traveled the greatest distance, coming here from Richardson, Texas, outside Dallas, with his father, Devin, to stay with family friends in Franklinville and take in the first two rounds. Eller is from Binghamton originally, so he knows about snow.
"I took some pictures to send back," Drew said before heading into the arena.
He checked out the University at Buffalo when he was applying to colleges, but ultimately decided to attend Purdue.
"I avoided Buffalo because it's cold, and that's why I'm now down in Dallas. But it's beautiful. Definitely it's now easier to get around than when I was here before," Drew said. "I've heard a lot of good things about the resurgence of the downtown area."
Story topics: Shared


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Calm. That's how I would describe my experience in Abu Dhabi. It was my first time in the Middle East, a surreal place. The buildings were magnificent, the water was clear but super salty, and the day we left, it was so hot there was a heat haze. Hummus, baba ghanoush, and dates were plentiful and delish. Alcohol, on the other hand, was not common. In fact, our hotel was a "dry" hotel.
As race day approached, I wasn't as nervous as I've been in the past. I was relieved to be relaxed; it was a nice alternative to my last WTS (Edmonton 2014).
During my week in Abu Dhabi I was invited to a local's house for dinner. Being able to get out of the hotel and eat a home cooked meal when I'm at a race is refreshing. I was able to catch up with an old friend Omar Nour (who I hadn't seen in over two years) and a few others from the triathlon scene. Our hosts, Marc and Mary Carol, were incredibly generous. They welcomed us with wine, water, cheese, and nuts, followed by a healthy dinner of chicken, fish, salads, quinoa, and desserts. I left full, happy, and at peace. Maybe this is the reason I was so calm leading into the race.
The Abu Dhabi WTS sprint distance triathlon started at 3:06pm for the women. It was a beautiful day for a triathlon and I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of triathlon fans there to cheer us on. This was the first ITU race Abu Dhabi hosted, and they knocked it out of the park. Everything was on time, ready, and safe.
The swim was a beach start where we ran into the calm, salty, buoyant water. As I approached the first buoy, I wasn't in the top five and paid the price. It was brutal as I struggled to stay above water around the buoys. I came out of the water in the middle of the field and had some work to do. I never panicked. I remained in the moment and focused on the task at handing: getting to the finish line as quick as possible. Over the course of the 20km bike ride, I was in the second chase pack. Before I knew it, I was in T2 putting on my running shoes. I exited transition on a mission to test myself on the run. By the end of the first (of two) laps, I saw the current leader: Flora Duffy. I was shocked I was making up so much time on the run and before I knew it I was in the lead. As I crossed the finished line and looked over my shoulder, I couldn't have been happier to see USA teammate Katie (Hursey) Zaferes cross the line in second for her first ever WTS podium. Team USA had five women in the top ten! I'm proud of our country and proud to be a part of triathlon history with the other USA women.
I'm now back in Wollongong. The main goal of the year is the Rio test event in August. Thank you to Coach Jamie, Patrick, Heather, USAT, my family, and my sponsors. It's going to be a challenging season and there is still a lot of work to do. I'm excited and ready.
Up next is round two of the WTS in Auckland, NZ on Sunday, March 29th.

subset: commoncrawl


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Leighton Meester Beauty Tips
Leighton Meester Shares Her Top Beauty Tips
Leighton Meester doesn't rely on a lot of beauty products to look gorgeous every day. Instead, she opts for the basics. That's what she told us at the recent celebration for Vera Wang's newest fragrance, Lovestruck, in New York City. Check out our latest video to find out which products the Gossip Girl keeps in her purse, why she loves being the face of the new perfume, and what she uses to maintain her signature healthy glow.


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Subsidy applications have now closed. Applicants will be notified by 5pm, Monday 21 January 2013.
Due to the support of the Federal Government, Renew Australia is offering regional community leaders
a limited number of fully subsidised conference places including:
+ Conference registration
+ Two nights accommodation in Newcastle
+ Return travel expenses to Newcastle from your hometown, anywhere in Australia.
We are looking for regional community-based leaders who have demonstrated not-for-profit community
renewal initiative in their local area voluntarily (not part of paid employment).
Perhaps you have been involved in fixing your local park, saving your local theatre or have been apart of
building a community garden. Maybe you have initiated or organised a outdoor community event, pop-up
or mural. If you are currently involved in or are willing to take your community-based renewal initiative
to the next level we want to hear from you.
To reward and enable inspirational regional community-based leaders to take their renewal initiatives further.
+ Must complete the below form addressing the selection criteria.
+ Agree to forfeit the subsidy should the applicant, for whatever reason, be unable to attend.
+ Must submit a written report (max. 3 pages) on the benefits of your attendance at the conference and
an outline of any activity initiated by you within your local community due to your experience and knowledge
gained at the conference. This report will need to be submitted within four months of the conference (July 2013).
+ Location: Preference will be given to applicants who live in regional cities and towns within Australia.
+ Your story: Provide an outline of your interest in community renewal initiatives and evidence of initiation
and / or participation in local community renewal activities (please include website links to images, promotional material,
blog / newspaper articles where possible).
+ Perceived value: Outline your perceived value of the conference; what you are hoping to learn
and achieve and what kind of workshops you would like to attend, or information you are most interested in understanding.
+ Potential: In the event that there are more applicants than the number of subsidies available,
applicant's potential and willingness to pursue a community renewal initiative in the future will be
taken into account. Your ideas for a community renewal space activation project within your town should be
outlined briefly.
Two Renew Australia employees, none of whom are applying for a subsidy.
5pm, Monday 14 January 2013
By 5pm, Monday 21 January 2013


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Solutions for Btrieve Error 3012
A Btrieve Error 3012 is one that comes up from time to time with computers that are running specific Microsoft Operating Systems. While not all that bad at first, when left alone this error can quickly intensify and pose a real risk to your computer's overall performance.
Btrieve Error 3012 Symptoms
The Btrieve Error 3012 occurs when you are attempting to run a certain program on your computer. When it first starts you get a message that tells you to restart the application. This might work at first but after awhile you will find that you have to restart the application more than a few times. Eventually you will not be able to run the application and you might begin to see the error far more often with other applications as well.
Btrieve Error 3012
The Btrieve Error 3012 is typically caused by a breakdown on the operating system of your computer. This can be caused by a program with corrupt files, a registry that has become corrupt, or an operating system that is not properly updated. It might even be that there is a virus on your computer that is causing all the grief.
Fixing Btrieve Error 3012
To start with, make certain that your computer is up to date with its Windows Updates. If it is then try the following solution.
- Start your computer in Safe Mode by pressing the F8 key during boot up.
- Click the Start Button.
- Click on All Programs.
- Click Accessories then System then System Restore.
- Click on a restoration date of your choice.
- Follow prompts.
Restart your computer to allow restoration to take place.


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One of the most asked-about features of our apps (FrontlineSMS and FrontlineCloud) is regarding the ability to handle sending and receiving messages through a third party application or web service. Many of our users want to build apps for a wide range of application areas which talk to our apps so that we can handle their SMS functionality. Using any language that can call normal API methods many successful integrations have been developed with great success and with limited input required from us.
It's relatively straightforward to set up, and to make this even easier, we have set up a sample PHP implementation of a message-sending app. View the sample PHP code here: https://gist.github.com/lesiki/9384612
The Web Connection API docs that describe the available functionality are online hosted part of our comprehensive knowledge base: https://frontlinecloud.zendesk.com/entries/28395408-Using-the-WebConnection-API-to-send-messages
We hope this sample code shows just how easy it is to use our API but we're constantly . We're always happy to help users who get stuck when using this or any other functionality through our support forums.


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Publishing the Works of St. Thomas Aquinas/
Thomistica.net just received this exciting message from Dr. Peter Kwasniewski of Wyoming Catholic College:
The Aquinas Institute for the Study of Sacred Doctrine is pleased to announce the publication this summer of St. Thomas's Commentaries on the Letters of Paul. This publication brings all the great Pauline commentaries together for the first time in a uniform hardcover bilingual edition, with Latin and English in parallel columns. Visit our website to view PDFs of sample pages and to read more about this and other projects under way.
Between now and July 16, The Aquinas Institute is offering you an opportunity to buy, at a discount rate, the Commentary on Romans, or the entire set of Pauline commentaries, or even to reserve your copy of other works nearing completion: the Summa theologiae, the Commentary on John, and the Commentary on Matthew. Click here for more information.
All publications from The Aquinas Institute will feature the same outstanding qualities:
-the best base texts available, in Latin and in English, reviewed for accuracy by a team of scholars
-elegant and readable typeface
-user-friendly layout
-thick paper, suitable for writing notes on
-strong hardcover binding
-affordable pricing, including bulk discounts for classrooms


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Stargate Universe's co-star Brian J. Smith who plays Lt. Matthew Scott (a gross looking, military, sex addict) confesses that the majority of Stargate fans are fed up with the new show. Smith claims that the fans aren't open-minded enough if they don't like it, and that they need to take time to 'transition'. What a load of crap. Honestly, this guy needs to wake up from the little fantasy world he's living in; SGU has no depth, its slow, its boring, and the cast is absolutely annoying!
There's a sense of ownership from a lot of fans that's amazing and rare, but it's also dangerous" says Smith.
Damn right we're dangerous! I've protested SGA's cancellation and boycotted SGU since 2008! To listen to more of Smith's delusional opinions visit GateWorld's article.
Some more cheerful news: lots of new banners and avatars have been added! This is just a preview, want to check out more?
Filed under: News, updates | Tagged: 90210, abandoned, addict, avvie, avvies, axe, bad, Battlestar Galactic, brad wright, Brian J. Smith, BSG, cancel, Chicago Now, Chloe, controversy, convention, conventions, core fan base, dangerous, drama, failing, fake, fan, fans, fool, Galactica, geek, geeky jocks, gross, jock, lame, Lt. Matthew Scott, negative, new banners and avatars, remake, reviews, save sga avatars, SGU, siggies, siggs, sigs, smith, Snow Patrol, space, Stargate, stargate atlantis, Stargate Universe, Stargate Voyager, Startrek, stupid, teen, ugly, user, voyager 90210 | 2 Comments »


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The other day Rachel and I had the pleasure of taking the stars of the TV show Two Men and Their Fishing Rods fishing for Sockeye in the Alberni Inlet. We started our day before sunrise joining about fifty or so boats all working the China Creek area. After about a half an hour it was clear that there was no action and the Sockeye today would not co-operate as planned. I ran three dummy flashers per side but three feet above the top flasher I ran a small Coyote Spoon two feet above and two feet behind the longest flasher. The spoons had the Electron secured to the hook with elastic thread, no flasher.
As it got brighter out the fish started to bite for us and in the next two hours we played Sockeye Basketball with fish after fish. We were getting bites about every five minutes, lots of double plays, lots of hits and misses, lots of frowns from other boaters, our guests had pointed out to us that no one had seen any other boat catch a fish. Our two guests had a ball, we were all laughing hard making too much noise, our stereo was playing blue grass too loud.
The morning was playing out as too much fun.
But as every Sockeye angler knows the fish make the rules and after two hours of fun the fish quit biting, we had a half dozen in the box and had twenty or so on. We never did see any other boat catch a fish, the lads were impressed.
Watch for the episode in 2016
UPDATE, the show airing date is APRIL 16, 2017
will post link here as soon as we can.
Tight Lines


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Did you know that November is World Quality Month? You still have a few days left to create your own list of top ten actions you'll take to improve the quality of your work. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Organize your workspace. Make it lean and clean.
2. Tell the person in charge of document control at your office that you appreciate his or work.
3. Check to see that you've completed all your own training tasks before reminding someone else to do theirs.
4. Attend an ASQ or SQA meeting to network and learn something new. Continuous learning is essential to professional growth.
5. Develop a current LinkedIn profile and actively participate in industry discussion groups.
6. Be proactive in your work. If you see an opportunity to improve a process within your job scope, seize the moment and improve it!
7. Organize your priorities and put first things first. It's easy to get derailed if you lose your focus.
8. Make listening a habit. Hear what is being said before you formulate your response. You'll improve your communication skills and score points with your coworkers.
9. Do a good deed for someone at work daily. Paying it forward yields positive results in the workplace.
10. No matter how bad your day has been, leave it at the office. Walk through your front door with a smile on your face and a cheerful greeting.


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Obama: The Subtleties of A Dictatorial Tyrant
He sure looks pretty, doesn't he? All dressed up and well groomed and all. Pearly whites all aglow pounding out verbiage not of his own, spouting of things he knows nothing of. Teleprompters not withstanding, isn't he all dashing, smiling and a champion of all of the oppressed? WOW! He doesn't fool me for a nano-second. What a fraud this Obama is.
There is a must read over at Roger Guy's Radar Site blog entitled, The Fouse Report: 20 Jul 08 with a sub-title of, The New Nazis. It describes, in part, via a brief summary of known historical facts the rise of Hitler's Nazi Germany and the more than "coincidental" commonalities of Nazism and Islamofascism. Those of us that have studied Islam at length see the parallels of both.
Barack Obama has said more than once that we have to talk to those that have sworn to destroy us. Not only is he lost and out of his element, he now decides, coincidentally or not, to give a speech in Germany in a location rife with Nazi symbolism. So, tell me, again, why I shouldn't be concerned about...
[...] "We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded." [...]
...and why I should not be concerned when he mentions his presidency of 8 to 10 years?
Hell! Even "real" liberals are starting to catch on to the flaming communist that is Obama. They also recognize other issues with this lame fellow that tries to project his manhood. We all know that he is no man but a mouse and I oftne wish that he would at least squeak up and admit it.
I have written about this topic of America's enemies within for decades now all culminating within The List 0f 45 until I have become blue in the face. I distribute the list as often as I can and as many as I can far and wide. The enemies within are people like Barack Obama and other socialist liberals within both political parties of our nation.
On 10 MAY 08, Sheik Muhammad Abu Al-Qat' had this to say: (video here)
[...] ... let me bring good tidings to the Muslims: Allah willing, the American empire will very soon collapse. They object to any talk about the destruction of the state of Israel. ...
That's not the issue. We say that Allah willing, within 20 to 12 years, America will collapse. This won't happen as a result of war. Not at all. Allah will send to America an American Gorbachev, from within. Gorbachev, who brought about the USSR collapse, was one of them. Everybody knows this story. An American Gorbachev will surface in America, and he will destroy this empire. [...]
Enter Barack Obama with his 10-year presidency, (video here) his Civilian National Security Force, and his plethora of gigantic government entitlement programs under the influences of Karl Marx, Engles and Saul Alinsky. It is no wonder, then, that he so sympathizes with people of his like-minded principles of dictatorial tyranny such as Islamofascism. And, no, 4 years of Barack Obama is not what we need to wake this country up from its self-induced stupor of idiocy and complacency. What we need is for the Silent Majority to get up off their lazy asses. That will only take place if they have the motivation to do so which will require hitting the streets with a Man On The Street grassroots effort on our part. I am actively involved in this effort. Are you?
Purple People Vote blog has also noticed Barack's dangerous antics and refuses to acquiesce.
In regards to Iraq, 16 of the 18 Iraqi Benchmarks have been met thanks to the American and Coalition forces that have wiped out Al Qaida from Iraq. Yet, Barack and his whore Pelosi still yammer on and on with known lies for political power. The Iraqi people are looking forward now to a peaceful time in which to rebuild their country and stand on their own two feet with their own very capable and trustworthy Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police Force. Yet, Barack refuses to accept that and neither do all of the other socialist twits in DC.
We also know that many of our enemies are routing for Barack's victory and that alone should frighten all Americans. He panders and caters to them at our expense because he is an enemy within. And, let us not forget the ongoing collections of posts in regards to Obama's Civilian National Security Force.
This JUST in from World Net Daily...the full transcript of Obama's 02 JUL 08 speech includiing the verbiage seemingly AWOL fro the "official versions
Obama on 'civilian national security force'
Transcript of senator's controversial remarks in Colorado July 2
Others blogging the Obama Yoots Issue


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The Fair at Impruneta (first plate)
The Fair at Impruneta (first plate), 1620
plate: 17 1/8 × 26 5/8 in. (43.5 × 67.63 cm) sheet: 17 3/4 × 27 1/8 in. (45.09 × 68.9 cm)
Purchase, with funds from Ethel K. Hockerman, from the collection of Philip and Dorothy Pearlstein M2000.124
Photo credit: Larry Sanders
Jacques Callot executed The Fair at imprunta, one of his most virtuoso works in etching, during his tenure as a court artist in Florence for Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Depicting an autumn market in a small Tuscan village during the Feast Day of Saint Luke, the print is a virtual lexicon of society. Elegant and effete aristocrats mingle with ruffians, cripples, and animals. Merchants hawk their wares while a snake charmer mesmerizes onlookers and guards hoist a criminal on the strappado. Such traditional religious festivities, as well as the outdoor spectacles organized by the Medici court, were immensely popular events attended by every manner of individual. Recording them in full detail, Callot appealed to a ready market.
Callot was an exceedingly methodical artist. He made over 200 preparatory sketches, some of them from life, for figures in The Fair at Imprunta, and a number of large compositional drawings in ink wash to develop the effects of light and dark. To achieve the dramatic chiaroscuro that makes this work one of the artist's most extraordinary prints, Callot etched some lines briefly and lightly, while deepening and widening others by a longer immersion in the acid. Callot also used to full aesthetic advantage in this print a special stylus that he invented, which allowed him to draw with sweeping and swelling strokes.
Excerpt from Building A Masterpiece: Milwaukee Art Museum. New York: Hudson Hills Press, 2001, p. 180. Entry by Terry Marvel.
Milwaukee Art Museum News, January 2004, no page number, color illus.
Kirk, Sarah B. and Britt Salvesen. The Incisive Imagination: Jacques Callot and His Contemporaries. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Milwaukee Art Museum, 2004, p. 11-12, b/w illus. front & back cover (detail) & 11.
Milwaukee Art Museum. Building a Masterpiece: Milwaukee Art Museum. New York: Hudson Hill Press, 2001, p. 180, color illus.
The Incisive Imagination: Jacques Callot and His Contemporaries, Milwaukee Art Museum, February 6–May 2, 2004
This information is subject to change as the result of ongoing research.


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bring humor to your writing
The best thing about writing humor is that you learn to surprise yourself. Not amuse yourself with your cleverness, because the front of your brain likes to be impressed with itself and ends up being a crashing bore. But to genuinely surprise yourself into a laugh... At first it seems as impossible as tickling yourself. But once you get the hang of it, writing comedy is more fun than a carnival ride. Sure, like with all writing, there are times of strain and frustration. But the writing, when it happens, is like having a puppy playing with a squeaky toy inside your brain.
I lead general writing workshops for people who are looking to communicate in a professional setting with simplicity and natural ease. My specialty workshops focus on humor, both for stories and for scripts. My history not just as a writer but as a clown, a translator, a choreographer, a performer, and a painter has laid the groundwork for my approach to creative expression.
"Some women illuminate the diverse—and often poorly understood—structures some women use when they write scripts: Susan di Rende from the Broad Humor Festival (I wish she'd write a book) and Linda Seger." – Marian Evans, Wellywood Woman blog
Workshops offered in
The beauty of a screenplay is that you don't have to explain anything. You keep the rules of the game as back story in your head, and then you play with abandon.
The playwright, unlike the screenwriter, controls time. And in comedy, timing is everything.
Plot is the means but character is the purpose. Don't get them reversed or nobody will care about your story, no matter how well-crafted.
NOTE: If you want to know my bona fides, I teach classes for areas in which I have won awards. Not that being able to write is the same thing as to be able to teach. But I've also received multiple teaching awards.
Past bookings include:
- Olympic College, Bremerton, WA
- City of Bremerton, WA
- 19 Tory Street, Wellington, NZ
- Borrego Springs Film Festival, Borrego Springs, CA
- Greater Los Angeles Association of Legal Administrators, Los Angeles, CA
- Broad Humor Film Festival, Venice Beach, CA
- WisCon, Madison, WI
- George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Kyobo Bookstores, Seoul, South Korea
- Donna Discover, Lucca, Italy
Looking for someone to create a custom workshop?
Laughter from Tears
I was 28 and heartbroken. I lamented to my friend, Roberta, that I would miss his sense of humor, how he made me laugh. I sighed over the sad reality that I was not funny at all. Roberta started crowing one of those high, giddy arpeggios you hear when someone is tickled to the bone. She turned to me and said, "Susan, you are the funniest people I know." This surprised me no end. I thought I was intellectual, serious, and a bit on the drippy, sentimental side. Telling Roberta this only made her laugh louder.
Until that day, it hadn't occurred to me that I might be funny, even though I had toured as a clown in a small circus. I had been a silent, sad clown, after all. And there I was, making those same sad clown eyes at Roberta while she laughed with glee. I have tried to live up to that day, to transform my ponderous writing into farce. It turns out they were not so far apart. I slowly found my voice, and it was cranky, contrarian, and unapologetic. However, the greatest benefit of this revelation has not been in my writing but in my life. I laugh a lot these days, regardless of relationship status.


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There are three deities in the Taoist philosophy that represent good fortune. The personified images of these three are Fu star, Lu star and Shou star. They are referred to as stars because of their ties with chinese astrology. You will see statues of these three stars in almost every temple in Hong Kong and in many homes, restaurants and shops.
Shou star or I believe, Sao, in Cantonese is the God of Longevity. He has a high domed forehead, carries a staff in his right hand and holds a peach in his left, which represents immortality.
This watercolor sketch is from a Sao statue on a wall at Hung Shing Temple thatI would pass on my way to my framers on Queens Road East, in Wan Chai. This is just a small street side temple that used to face the water front until Hong Kong expanded outward! There seemed to be a revolving display of deities on this wall, because every time I passed by there was something new to see. I enjoyed taking photos of whatever happened to be there. It would have been impossible to sketch at this location as busy as Queens Road is and the temples proximity to the street, so I did this one in the studio because I wanted a memory of this temple in my sketchbook. I'm planning on a series of temple paintings featuring the other stars! Stay tuned.


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"Warrior" Is Blood-Stained & Breathtaking
Tom Hardy gives a career-best performance as a broken ex-US Marine who has to face his estranged brother in a winner-take-all MMA event. Warrior is blood-stained and breathtaking.
Warrior might displease the cynic who derides it for wallowing in self-pity while following sports movie cliché with the studied eye of a join-the-dots picture specialist. But cast aside the emotional manipulation – and indeed the right-on-cue music montage training sequence – and you have a gripping, blood-stained and sweat-ridden bare knuckle rendition of the best attributes the genre has to offer.
Writer-director Gavin O'Connor has been around for what seems like ages but hasn't had much mainstream success. Penning Ted Demme's directorial debut, short film The Bet, O'Connor achieved some success with Tumbleweeds in 1999 when actress Janet McTeer was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance. But his work remained largely in the background during the 2000s after setting up Final Cut Features to help finance and encourage independent film productions. With his twin brother Greg, he conceived of Warrior, in part based on United States Marine G.P. Pennington who Greg met after a fellow soldier told how Pennington heroically saved his life.
The O'Connor's film, which follows the exploits of two brothers as they try to win the $5 million winner-take-all prize at a mixed martial arts event, begins when Tom Hardy's Tommy Conlon returns home to find his father Paddy, played by Nick Nolte, successfully beating his alcoholism. But Tommy doesn't believe his father has completely changed from the abusive parent he once knew, and their relationship remains fractured, possibly irreparably so. But when Tommy finds out about the $5 million MMA event, he has to call on his father to help him train.
Across town lives Tommy's brother Brendan (Joel Edgerton). The two men, estranged since childhood after their mother and father split, have no clue both are to enter the mixed martial arts event. Brendan, a former UFC fighter, had left the sport and become a teacher. But when the bank threaten him with losing his home, he turns to fighting to pay the bills. However, the high school where he works is not pleased to see its teacher arrive bloodied and scarred by the fighting of the night before and suspends him without pay. This leads to him entering the $5 million event despite the concerns of friends and family.
Warrior will undoubtedly remind people of other combat sports films such as Rocky and more recently The Wrestler and The Fighter. Where it distinguishes itself is the great central conceit involving two warring brothers who literally have to take their quarrel into the ring. Instead of supporting the single protagonist in his or her goal to win the main prize and defeat the unstoppable opponent, we have two men who both want to take home the trophy. It makes for a suitably unpredictable journey despite the formulaic plot construction. In the film's final stages your heartstrings are pulled in so many directions you become as dazed and confused as the brutalised fighters themselves.
"Cast aside the emotional manipulation – and indeed the right-on-cue music montage training sequence – and you have a gripping, blood-stained and sweat-ridden bare knuckle rendition of the best attributes the genre has to offer."
While Warrior makes use of its melodramatics to draw you into this family struggle, the O'Connor's script never becomes overly sentimental. This is evident in the ferocious, emotionally charged final fight that sees Tommy strike a heartbreakingly lonely presence in a ring surrounded by thousands of people. It brings the struggle of his life to full prominence. Of course, it would be less affecting without the commendable work of Tom Hardy. Hardy, the English actor who seems to be in every new film right now, put on twenty-eight pounds for the role. His dedication definitely paid off. He delivers the performance of his career as the emotionally-scarred ex-soldier, mixing deep-rooted contempt for a troubled family upbringing with a frenzied utopia when breaking limbs in the ring. He is ably supported by Nolte, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance.
Warrior delivers on its promise. As with all great sports movies there's an expectation that needs to be met and the O'Connor brothers' film doesn't disappoint. Warrior's melodrama and cliché fails to get in the way of a thoroughly good story that, at its heart, sees three disparate family members, each with their own scars from the past and their own problems in the present, forced together by circumstance. Its two-headed assault for glory tugs valiantly at your convictions and makes for a less predictable journey, while the frenzied photography during the fighting scenes is as uncomfortable as it is visually arresting. Warrior might not be able to distance itself sufficiently from its cinematic inspirations to achieve true greatness, but its more than satisfying rendition of sports movie formula is a pleasure to behold.
Review by Dan Stephens
Directed by: Gavin O'Connor
Written by: Gavin O'Connor, Greg O'Connor
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, Nick Nolte
Released: 2011 / Genre: Sports Drama / Country: USA / IMDB
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Written by: Gavin O'Connor, Greg O'Connor
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, Nick Nolte
Released: 2011 / Genre: Sports Drama / Country: USA / IMDB
Buy on DVD:
Amazon.co.uk: DVD | Blu-ray
More reviews: Latest | Archive
7 Comments
March 27, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Great review and I agree w/ your rating, I actually think it deserves a Best Picture nom. Y'know I actually didn't feel emotionally-manipulated watching this like I did w/ War Horse. I mean the story of the two brothers are heart-wrenching, and the actors weren't overacting in portraying the characters. I thought both Hardy and Edgerton were both good, though of course Tom's role is flashier. I'm not normally a Nick Nolte fan but he did give a compelling performance. I was also impressed w/ Grillo as the sympathetic coach. Overall a wonderful sports drama!
March 27, 2012 at 7:15 pm
I think Nolte was robbed of that Oscar, I was nearly in tears every time he was on screen! Loved the characters, liked the story and was very generally very pleasantly surprised by the film. Great review, spot on!
March 28, 2012 at 7:39 am
One of my fave films of last year!! I was on the edge of my seat throughout… and it is a LONG film too, and I usually get bored!
March 28, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Glad you finally saw this Dan. I thought it was a solid MMA flick although a bit overly dramatic and predictable at times. The cast gives some excellent performances but I felt Tom Hardy was a bit weak… His character was so aloof he seemed mentally disabled or something.
March 29, 2012 at 9:09 pm
definitely not my type of film, since I don't get American obsession with rivalry and competition even within the family, and them even sending kids to pageants, choosing kings and queens of the prom… brothers boxing each other… it's just all terribly wrong…
But you know me loves Tom Hardy 🙂
April 10, 2012 at 9:55 pm
I gotta go with Pete here and admit that I was also nearly in tears each time Nolte showed up. He was so powerful in his performance.
April 19, 2012 at 4:59 am
Great performances in this film, especially from Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte. Hardy was laser sharp with his American accent and body language. Nolte was equally as good as a father trying to make up for past bad behavior. The best part, it all comes together in the film's third act.


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A Tour of the High Line in New York
It's been a while since I shared any photo essays with you all. What with the move to New York and my being so busy getting all settled and then getting ready for the holidays.
But I am going to correct that today. Now you may not know this but I grew up here so there are very few things that would surprise this veteran New Yorker. I have seen it all and gone up to the highest buildings...and I've spent half of my life in the train system, below and above ground.
But I had never walked on a train line...till now!
I am taking you with me on a tour of the High Line in New York. It is a long post but so worth it.
Below is the entrance to the High Line on 34th Street in Manhattan.
And what is this High Line? It is a recycled railway into an urban park. The elevated railway opened in 1934 and served to transport meat between the factories and warehouses of the meat packing district. You can read more about the history here.
The railway closed in 1980 but it was structurally sound. And the gravel was perfect for plant growth. This eventually led the community to remake it into the present park. It has been opened to the public in stages from 2009, to the most recent opening of the upper section in 2014.
My little trip took us from 34th Street which is the newest section all the way down to the start on 12th Street. The photos I am sharing are of my perspective as I walked along the park on a crisp fall day.
To the left you can see the famous Javits Convention Center. As you can see there is lots of construction going on in the city...all the time.
As we continue our walk we can see the Hudson Yards construction area with the rail yard at the forefront. It is the largest private real estate development in the history of the United States and the largest development in New York City since Rockefeller Center.
Let's zoom in for a second and look at that web like structure to the right, wedged in between the two skyscrapers. It is called "The Shed" an arts center with an exterior shell that opens and contracts to accommodate different events at the same time. In fact if you are an architecture enthusiast like me, watch this video to see how it works.
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That red and black structure is called "The Vessel" and is the centerpiece of the public area of Hudson Yards. When it is completed it will consist of 154 flights of stairs, almost 2,500 steps. Now that is a workout!
In the background you can even see the Empire State building. And I have gotten off track...but the point is the High Line is a great place to see so much of the city.
As we continue our walk we see that the area if full of greenery and trees. There are also a number of gardens on the Line, which must be incredible to see in the spring and summer.
A bit further and we encounter this enclosed space that is for concerts and other events.
Here you can see what the line looks like as it crosses above 30th Street. I did not know it at the time but there was construction going on above us and "The Shed" was right behind this area.
As we crossed 30th Street and looked back this is what we saw! That giant metal and glass tower is 10 Hudson Yards, newly built. And the other building is luxury apartments.
Moving along we encounter this condo by Zaha Hadid, a world famous architect. It has robot valets and a private IMAX theater. But what is really impressive is the facade which was sculpted piece by piece.
If you look to the west you can see the Hudson River, and New Jersey.
We continue down towards 26th Street, where we see lots of interesting buildings and also fall trees. There are access points every few blocks leading up to the line. You'll have to excuse the photography as the weather was unpredictable.
Rest stops are also included at strategic points.
So much foliage it makes you forget you are in the heart of the Chelsea District.
Looking down on 27th Street toward the east we see Chelsea Park to the left.
This sculpture "Sphinx Joachim" by Marguerite Humeau is located on 26th Street. It is a winged lion that is meant to protect the site against potential enemies.
This interesting condo juts out into the Line and is located on 23rd Street. It is aptly named HL-23 and has huge glass paned windows.
Below you can get a better idea of just how expansive the High Line. The Street Lawn which stretches a block, is where visitors can have picnics and enjoy the parks summer programs.
On 17th Street we come to a Square with trees and benches. To the right is the Overlook.
This is a better view of the square with those ever present benches.
And the Overlook which is right next to the Square. This space is like an amphitheater which allows the visitor to look up onto Tenth Avenue.
You may have noticed that up till now we were only looking at the Streets going across, meaning east to west, underneath the High Line. Overlook is above Tenth Avenue, meaning South to North.
The original train tracks which snake their way up along various points on the High Line path.
We continue on under the Chelsea Market Passage and finally make our way to the end of the line below 12th Street. This is where the Line was severed in the 1990's.
It was quite a walk for me and not at all what I was expecting.
Like I said I may be a veteran New Yorker but I never expected to see this oasis in the middle of the city. Oh there are many parks and green areas but this is the first time I've seen one perched on railroad tracks.
If you happen to visit New York this is a must see. Here is their website and as you've seen it is so much more than just a park. I hope you have enjoyed my tour of the High Line in New York.
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11/30/2017 12:44:33 am
How fascinating Mary. I was enthralled all the way through your post and that video of The Shed. Wow, how on earth do people come up with such amazing ideas. Just imagine the engineering and planning that must have gone into that. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall in those planning sessions. People are so clever. Thanks so much for doing the long walk and taking all these pictures. Mind blown
11/30/2017 01:11:32 am
Michelle this post took me so long to write. I ended up researching every building, every nook and cranny! I find all this stuff so fascinating. And yes, how do they come up with these ideas. Who is going to walk up and down all those flights of stairs in the vessel? And why would they want to? But it sure looks awesome! And all those cool looking buildings, there were a few that the high line went through but I didn't take photos, it was too dark. Maybe I will go back n the spring to report on the progress of the Hudson Yards and share the gardens.
11/30/2017 07:23:02 am
These pictures are amazing.
11/30/2017 09:44:14 am
I am so happy to be here and rediscovering New York all over again!
11/30/2017 07:31:44 am
Wow that shed is really cool, and that area that people can sit and overlook the street is pretty neat. I haven't ever been to New York so I really enjoyed the tour.
11/30/2017 09:45:12 am
Thanks Linda I was very impressed with the way they thought it out and how they decided to repurpose the tracks.
11/30/2017 07:36:26 am
Hello, wonderful scenes and views of NYC. I love the reflections. What a nice walk. Great photos. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!
11/30/2017 09:46:58 am
Thanks so much Eileen. This place was an eye opener for me. First time I walked on the tracks so high above.
11/30/2017 09:20:43 am
So glad you are enjoying and making the most of your time in NY Mary. The high line is a great place to take a walk on a nice day and I love the history behind it.
11/30/2017 10:01:27 am
Doreen the history was fascinating to me too. I was also very impressed with all the surrounding buildings. It would have been great if they could have done this with the Tappan Zee as well.
11/30/2017 09:21:21 am
If I ever come to NYC, I would definitely want to see THIS! Fascinating tour! Hubby and I love RR tracks, new and old. The Shed is fascinating too (I watched the video you provided). Was it once a part of the track system? And they built over it? Is it pretty safe to walk around?
11/30/2017 10:04:54 am
The Shed is a new construction and is not on the tracks but on a space above the railroad yard. That is where the whole of the Hudson Yards is being built. I guess it must be safe. They know what they're doing. All of those skyscrapers are on top of New York which is full of subway lines and tunnels underneath.
11/30/2017 09:22:03 am
So fun! I haven't been in about 5 years!
11/30/2017 10:23:16 am
It is definitely worth another trip. They have extended it to 34th Street.
12/9/2017 09:44:56 am
Thank you Claudia, it was a revelation to me to see this place.
11/30/2017 12:05:48 pm
12/9/2017 09:50:49 am
I felt like a little kid in a candy shop, so much to see.
11/30/2017 02:01:02 pm
Wow, very beautiful photos. I would love to visit there.
12/9/2017 09:52:51 am
It was a once in a lifetime experience for me.
11/30/2017 03:01:46 pm
Everything is so tall! I haven't been to NYC since pre-9/11. I need to get back!
12/9/2017 09:54:54 am
Everything really is tall. I just came back and am astounded at how tall everything really is. I don't remember all these tall buildings. I think them must have had a construction boom while I was away! ;)
11/30/2017 03:17:55 pm
12/9/2017 09:56:58 am
Erica don't be jealous, New York is so much more expensive than I remembered it. But yeah all these things to see is a huge plus! Next time you come up we will get together.
11/30/2017 05:07:14 pm
That is FANtastic! What a great way to see the city.
12/9/2017 09:58:28 am
And to think I had no idea it even existed till my son told me about it.
12/9/2017 09:59:51 am
Well, it has to go on your bucket list for sure. There is so much to see in NY!
11/30/2017 08:20:58 pm
I've visited NYC many times but never heard of the High Line. It is a must see on my next visit. Which I hope is soon. Hope you are settling in well.
12/9/2017 10:01:28 am
Sharon it sounds like you are due for another visit soon. You have to see this, even an old NYer like me was impressed.
11/30/2017 09:21:00 pm
What a great project for an old railway line, I enjoyed the walk, with some great views and photos. That shed is amazing. I've just found your blog via Jeanie at Marmelade Gypsy. I'm so sorry to hear about you having to leave Greece. Greedy politicians and bankers cause so much misery. I hope you will be very happy in your new home.
12/9/2017 10:03:57 am
Thank you so much Polly for your kind words. I am lucky to be returning to my childhood home so it is not as bad as that. But you are so right those politicians and bankers are the worst. And we are seeing no end to this mess.
11/30/2017 09:45:45 pm
I have a friend from high school who recently posted a bunch of photos of this on FB and it intrigued me, but I really loved all your commentary to help me understand it all better!
12/9/2017 10:05:25 am
I have to admit Lisa, I didn't understand half of what I was seeing till I got home and googled everything. It's a good thing I had all those photos for reference.
I loved walking on the Highline when I lived in NY, Mary! They always seems to be expanding on it and adding new features and it looks different in different seasons The neighborhoods underneath are also fun to explore.
12/9/2017 10:07:26 am
I am having a blast Pat. It is like seeing NY with a new eye. Everything has changed so much!
Mary, Thanks so much for sharing your fascinating walking tour of the High Line. I had heard about it, but have not had an opportunity to check it out. I think it is such a great idea to turn something that could have just become another abandoned addition to urban blight into a park. I enjoyed seeing the sculptures and buildings you highlighted --many of which I had never seen before. I will make a point of walking the High Line next time I visit NYC.
12/9/2017 10:08:40 am
I'm glad you enjoyed my tour Lisa. I would love to go back in the spring and see it all again from a different point of view.
12/9/2017 10:13:48 am
Thank you Gigi. I was so fascinated reading all about it. And there is still much more but I tried to limit myself before I bored all of you.
12/9/2017 10:16:06 am
Marie I had never heard of it either, till my son told me about it. The truth is there is so much to see in NY that the bigger attractions sort of overshadow these other more unique experiences.
Oh I am so happy for you Mary and really wish to meet you there one day! Cause this girl needs to go! I can just imagine how fun it must be to discover all those new to you spots around the city since you haven't lived there for so long. Well, enjoy my friend and Thank you for this fun High Line tour of New York!
12/9/2017 10:17:28 am
Aww I too cannot wait for you to visit one day. There is really so much to see, you'll have to stay for a month! ;)
12/2/2017 04:03:54 pm
Thanks for the autumn tour, Mary!! We walked part of the High Line in August, and it was lovely, with tons of people taking advantage of the beautiful weather.
12/9/2017 10:19:41 am
I lived here for almost 30 years before moving to Greece Cynthia. This is my home town.
12/2/2017 11:28:27 pm
Mary, you are so great at giving us all a tour, whether it's NYC or someplace in Greece... thanks so much! Liz :)
12/9/2017 02:16:29 pm
Thank you Liz. I personally found myself so engrossed in this place. It was like uncovering layers and layers.
12/9/2017 02:18:16 pm
It was quite a revelation for me. I know all about the hidden passageways of the subway but never expected this.
12/4/2017 12:53:07 am
Mary, thank you for taking us on your journey of the high line. There's so much history and awesome architecture along the way. I'm glad you captured it.
12/9/2017 02:19:56 pm
Keri NY is all about architecture. My kids are always making fun of me because I walk in the streets and stare up all the time. There is always so much to see.
12/4/2017 03:11:35 am
Wow!! Talk about a whole bunch of 'eye candy'!! Thank you for such a spectacular tour of your 'hood! The public art is amazing and I especially like the Vessel. And the architecture of course.
12/9/2017 02:23:46 pm
It feels great to be home and finding everything so inspiring. I'm an architecture buff so this is the place for me.
12/9/2017 02:40:47 pm
I certainly hope so Florence. I'll be expecting you. :)
12/5/2017 09:42:01 am
Such a beautiful walk Mary! Maybe someday I can do this in person!
12/9/2017 02:42:26 pm
I hope you have the chance to come and visit one day Katerina.
12/5/2017 06:56:15 pm
A bit dizzzying, isn't it?
12/9/2017 02:43:36 pm
Yes, especially those mammoth buildings going up in Hudson Yards.
12/9/2017 02:45:45 pm
Thanks so much Lady Fi. It was an eye opener for me.
12/6/2017 05:45:28 am
It is all so fantastic thanks for sharing!
12/9/2017 02:48:54 pm
Thank you Kelleyn, and to think that all this changes with the seasons.
12/9/2017 02:50:35 pm
Thank you Peter. It was quite a revelation for me.
Mary Kalpos
12/9/2017 02:52:15 pm
Linda NY is a magical city that has something for everyone. I never expected this when my son told me about this place so I was really pleasantly surprised.
12/7/2017 10:53:10 am
Thanks for hosting Sweet Inspiration Mary. Wow. I saw the Highline a few years ago, when it wasn't all finished. I was impressed then and am even more so now. Your pictures are great and it was fun to visit NYC via a photo essay. Be well and Happy Holidays to You!
12/9/2017 02:54:05 pm
Thank you so much Nancy. The city is always evolving and changing. We can never see it all. Happy Holidays to you too.
12/9/2017 02:55:56 pm
Thanks so much Amy for the feature. I am thinking of going back in the springtime. The gardens which I didn't really show because well, fall... they must be amazing to stroll through then.
12/9/2017 04:24:01 pm
I hope you have a chance to see it too. It was such a pleasant surprise.
Amber Harrop
12/11/2017 05:25:11 pm
It is lovely that they made a garden out of it
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I'm Mary and I recently moved to New York from beautiful Greece. I like to re-purpose and up-cycle anything that is old or looks like junk. Join me as we use our creativity to spark some life into old things. And do it frugally! You will also see lots of photography of my Greece and New York.
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Comic books fans at long last were able to get a first look at the upcoming Wonder Woman movie.
If that wasn't enough to satisfy nerd hunger, never fear! The Comic-Con trailer for Justice League is here!
Scroll down to check out more of this week's new trailers. ~ Yanis Khamsi
1.) Wonder Woman
2.) Justice League
3.) Suicide Squad
4.) Marvel's Doctor Strange
5.) The Great Wall
6.) Split
7.) The Accountant
8.) Office Christmas Party
9.) Ben-Hur
10.) T2: Trainspotting
Wonder Woman: A princess (Gal Gadot) from the closely guarded Amazon homeland of Paradise Island travels to the outside world and becomes the superheroine Wonder Woman.
Justice League: Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), to face an even greater enemy.
Suicide Squad: When the White House becomes concerned about the safety of the President of the United States, Intelligence Officer Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has a plan. She wants to get a team of super villains together and have them fight against possible threats to the country.
Marvel's Doctor Strange: A brilliant but arrogant neurosurgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) is taken under the wing of a sorcerer, who teaches him the mystical arts in order to defend the world against evil.
The Great Wall: An elite force makes a valiant stand for humanity on the world's most iconic structure—The Great Wall of China.
Split: SPLIT delves into the mysterious recesses of one man's (James McAvoy) fractured, gifted mind.
The Accountant: Even when he was a boy, it was clear Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) was a math genius with an obsessive personality. He had a talent for numbers, but trouble relating to people.
Office Christmas Party: When bank manager Josh's (Jason Bateman) CEO sister threatens to shut down his branch, he decides to throw an epic Christmas party in order to secure a huge client and save the branch. But the party turns out to be a lot crazier than Josh had anticipated.
Ben-Hur: Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) has endured five years as a slave before being in a shipwreck and washing up on shore. Having grown up as a member of one of the most respected families in Jerusalem, he's finally able to return.
T2: Trainspotting: The sequel to 1996's Trainspotting. starring Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller and Ewen Bremmer. The original cast is back on board.


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2012, 2014 Paralympian - United States
@OksanaMasters - Twitter & Instagram / Facebook Fan Page - Oksana Masters USA
STATUS: Rio 2016 Paralympic Hopeful (Cycling)
WORLD CHAMPION. 3x PARALYMPIC MEDALIST. 2x World cup overall champion. MULTIPLE SPORT 26x WORLD CUP MEDALIST.
The human spirit is something that when a person puts their mind, heart and soul together for what is their ultimate goal, it is something that can take a life of it's own when you have total buy-in. This statement is not just a line, but the truth about a remarkable young lady from the Ukraine that made her indelible mark in her adopted country, the United States of America.
A native of the Ukraine who ultimately came to the United States via the generosity and love of an adoptive parent, Gay Masters at the age of 7 1/2. The adoption of Oksana could have taken place as early as 5 years old but due to geo-politics that prevented Americans from adopting Ukrainian/Russian children her journey was delayed for a few years.
Once in America, Oksana and Gay lived in Buffalo, NY where her mom was a professor at the University of Buffalo. Oksana had been born with birth defects as a direct cause of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl and ultimately in the United States her mom had to make the tough choice to amputate both of her legs above the knee because her legs were not able to bear weight on them. Her first procedure was on her left leg at age 9 and her right leg at age 12. During her childhood, she also had her hands surgically opened up because when she was born all of the digits were fused together. Oksana would now be able to have usable thumbs which would allow her to be able to grip and use her hands in a more productive manner.
At age 13, Oksana had been urged to try sports and she gave it a try. She and her mom moved from Buffalo to Louisville, KY as her mom got another professorship this time at the University of Louisville. Upon getting to Louisville, Oksana ultimately found a love of being on the water and the sport of rowing. With rowing, the sport relied upon upper torso strength primarily and Oksana was able to use that part of her body with no limitation. Rowing became not only a love, but something that she could excel at on the banks of the Ohio River at home in Louisville.
Her journey in rowing ultimately led her to the USA Rowing and their paralympic program in 2011. With partner, Rob Jones who suffered an IED explosion while in the Marine Corps, the two of them competed as a team in Trunk and Arm Double Sculls with their eye on the London 2012 Paralympic Games. With a Gold medal in the 2012 Samsung World Rowing Cup III this punched their ticket to London. At the Paralympics, the two of them were not considered to be a contender for a medal but that did not stop them from winning a Bronze medal.
In the winter of 2012, Oksana was introduced to skiing for the first time and by the end of 2013 she got on snow for the first time. Initially, she wanted to try downhill skiing, but the team at U.S. Paralympics thought because of her upper body strength in rowing that she would be best equipped for Nordic Cross Country. This guidance ultimately was the right call and she has blown away the expectations that anyone could have ever had after she learned how to ski. She is a winter ski athlete and then a rower in the summer months. Oksana since her beginnings in the Nordic Skiing disciplines has done things American females haven't done consistently in 20 years of World Cups, World Championship and the Paralympic Games; she wins medals. Lots of them in fact. Historically this discipline has been dominated by the Russians. Today, since 2013, Oksana has won 2 Paralympic, 15 World Cup, 3 World Cup Final medals along with a World Cup Season Championship.
In the summer of 2014, Oksana had been struggling with back issues related to rowing and thought to try another summer sport. That summer sport she chose similar to skiing would utilize her muscular shoulders and core, would be hand cycling. Still new to the sport, Oksana would study her competition and how they generated tremendous speed in road racing. This study would pay off in her first full year in the sport with 2 Bronze World Cup medals and won a Bronze medal at the UCI Para-Cycling Worlds in her second attempt in 2015. With the medal, the United States has qualified a position at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.
Oksana in March of 2016 finished the IPC Nordic Cross Country World Cup season with a familiar position on the global stage. She won her second consecutive Overall World Cup Championship. At the World Cup Final, she swept the podium winning all 3 short, medium and long distance races. For the Biathlon season, she picked up 2 medals as well.
In the Spring of 2016, she goes back to the U.S. Para-Cycling Team and will be training for qualification in Champaign, IL and Colorado Springs, CO. U.S. Para-Cycling trials take place in Charlotte, NC the last week of June, first week of July.


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DHS publishes new rule affecting H-1B1 and E-3 Nonimmigrants and EB-1 Immigrants/
On January 15, 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") published a new rule that clarified and enhanced opportunities for highly skilled workers from Chile and Singapore who are employed in the U.S. pursuant to the H-1B1 program and for similar workers from Australia in the E-3 category. Congress created the E-3 and H-1B1 categories after the effective date of many of the existing regulations concerning nonimmigrant work authorization. As a result, E-3 and H-1B1 nonimmigrants were excluded from some benefits that similarly situated nonimmigrants enjoyed, and for many years there was ambiguity concerning other aspects of their employment authorization in the U.S. Under this new rule, which goes into effect on February 16, 2016, DHS expressly provides:
- H-1B1 and principal E-3 beneficiaries will be permitted to continue their employment with their current employers for 240 days upon timely filing an extension of stay request. Previously, H-1B1 and E-3 were not among the list of enumerated nonimmigrant categories that permitted the automatic 240 extension upon timely filing;
- H-1B1 and principal E-3 beneficiaries will be included in the classes of foreign nationals who are authorized for employment in the U.S. incident to status with a specific employer. This clarifies that H-1B1 and principal E-3 workers are not among the classes of nonimmigrants that must separately apply for employment authorization to begin work with their petitioning employer; and,
- H-1B1 and principal E-3 beneficiaries will be permitted to file for extensions of stay and change of status requests while in the U.S. Although it has been the case that the Form I-129 instructions permitted H-1B1 and principal E-3 workers to use the form and file for extensions and change of status requests for many years, the existing regulations were not drafted in a way to specifically permit these filings.
In addition to the changes to the H-1B1 and E-3 categories, DHS's new rule has also revised the EB-1 regulations for outstanding professors and researchers. DHS acknowledged the list of evidence that applicants in the EB-1 category may submit to prove their outstanding qualifications was dated and needed to be amended to expressly permit applicants to submit "comparable evidence" to establish their eligibility. The regulations specifically cite evidence of "important patents or prestigious peer-reviewed funding grants" as two types of comparable evidence applicants may now submit to demonstrate they are recognized internationally as outstanding in their academic areas.
To review a full copy of the new regulations, visit the Federal Register online at https://federalregister.gov/a/2016-00478. Please contact the attorneys at Iandoli Desai & Cronin P.C. at email@example.com with any questions you may have about the changes coming next month to the H-1B1, E-3, and EB-1 categories.


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To our Arctic Program community: As of midnight, Sept. 30, 2013 several U.S. government operations have entered a period of shutdown due to lack of funding. Although the National Science Foundation (NSF) will be closed for routine operations until further notice, NSF has a small number of "excepted" employees who will remain on the job expressly to ensure the safety of personnel and property in the Polar Regions.
At no time will we compromise our ability to access our personnel for safety and to continue operations as appropriate. We will continue to house, feed, and provide care for our personnel currently deployed throughout the Arctic, including Summit Station, Greenland and Barrow and Toolik Lake, Alaska.
We are hopeful that this situation is resolved with limited disruption to the critical research our nation is performing in the Arctic and to our cooperative commitments to the Arctic international research community.
Dr. Kelly K. Falkner
NSF Division of Polar Programs


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Softening the tone of questions with "ne"
Similar to
- Questions with "ne" (A1)
- Suggestions with "ba" (A1)
- Modal particle "ne" (A2)
- Softening speech with "ba" (A2)
Used for
We have seen before that 吧 can be used to soften the tone of statements, or make commands feel more like suggestions. 呢 works in same way, but it is used to make questions more indirect and uncertain in tone.
呢 used successively with 还是
呢 can be used successively in questions using 还是.
Option 1 + 呢 + 还是 + Option 2 + 呢?
- 我 去 缅甸 呢,还是 泰国呢?我 得 想 一 想!Should I go to Myanmar or Thailand? I have to think a bit!
- 咱们 打 游戏 呢 ,还是 泡吧 呢 ,我 都 可以!Should we play computer games or go to the bar? I can do either!
The example sentences above almost have a tone that the speaker is talking to him/herself, as the question is not directly asked at the listener. A second verb is only necessary if different to the first verb.
呢 with questions involving interrogative pronouns (哪儿,谁,怎么,什么 etc.)
⋯⋯Interrogative Pronoun⋯⋯ + 呢?
- 这 是 谁 的 笔呢?I wonder whose pen this is.
- 他 去 哪儿 了 呢?I wonder where he's going?
- 怎么 会呢?How could that be?
In the previous example, the speaker has a tone of conjecture, a bit like saying "I wonder" in English. Again, as in the first example, the question is not directly asked at the listener. Adding 呢 to 怎么会 as in the last example sentence can sound a bit feminine; overusing 呢 can have this result.
呢 with "verb 不 verb" questions
If a "verb 不 verb" question is posed without 呢, it can appear as though the speaker is a bit impatient, or is ordering the listener to do something. This of course depends on the tone of voice used. Adding 呢 can give a tone of uncertainty, and is more polite.
Subj. + Verb 1 + 不 + Verb 1 + (Verb 2) + 呢?
- 你 去 不 去 逛街?Said as though demanding an answer, potentially in a hurry.Well are you going to go shopping or what?
- 你 去 不 去 逛街呢?Less intense, just asking a question.Are you going to go shopping?
- 牛奶 你 喝 不 喝?Said to a child, with the implication that if the milk isn't drunk, there will be consequences, with emphasis placed on 喝Did you drink the milk or not?
- 牛奶你喝不喝呢?Perhaps said to a friend, with no implication of coercion. Perhaps you want to clear away their cup.Did you drink the milk?
- 你周末能不能加班?Perhaps a manager asking a subordinate. This is not too direct, as 能 has been added. Saying 你加不加班 would seem more like an orderCan you come into work on the weekend?
- 你周末能不能加班呢?Much more indirect than the above example.Would you mind coming in on the weekend?")
Again, the meaning of the above sentences depends on context, and the interpretations given are just examples.


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The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Atlantic Bluefish Monitoring Committee (MC) will meet via webinar on July 25, 2016 from 10 a.m. until noon. The purpose of this meeting is for the Monitoring Committee to review, and if necessary, revise the current management measures designed to achieve the recommended Atlantic Bluefish catch and landings limits for 2017. The meeting will be held via webinar with a telephone-only connection option.
Webinar link: http://mafmc.adobeconnect.com/bluefish-specs-2016/
Meeting Material
- Meeting Agenda
- FR Notice
- SSC Report (July 2016 meeting)
- Staff Memo: Bluefish Specifications Review for 2017 Fishing Year
- 2016 Bluefish Fishery Performance Report
- 2016 Atlantic Bluefish AP Information Document
- 2016 Bluefish Data Update (NEFSC)
- 2016 Bluefish Data Update Presentation (NEFSC Presentation for the July 2016 SSC meeting)
These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aid should be directed to M. Jan Saunders, (302) 526-5251, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.


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Parish County Line
Country, Classic Rock, Southern Rock
Parish County Line is a cover band based out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. All 4 band members being from small towns in Louisiana and Mississippi, the music of Parish County Line has been shaped by classic country artists like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Randy Travis, and Hank Williams, Jr. to name a few. But, growing up in the 90's with artists like Alan Jackson and George Strait on the radio, PCL has a wide variety of influences.


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Enquire or call
+44 (0)208 1445990
Andalucia, Seville, Spain
Average user rating
Please note that prices for the holidays do not include flights. We recommend using www.skyscanner.net to check flights.
Nearest airport: Seville (SVQ - 10km away, 20 minutes from the school)Alternative airports:Jerez (90km 1h 10mins), Cadiz (130km 1h 30mins)By taxi:Taxis are readily available outside of the airport and cost approximately €25 each way.By public transport: Trains and buses are frequent from other cities in Spain, and there are good connections between Seville and Madrid, Malaga or any other Spanish city. Information on how to find train times and prices will be on your confirmation voucher.The metro from Seville airport to the city centre is typically the cheapest and fastest way to travel.Arrival days: If you are booking accommodation with your course, we advise you to plan to arrive on Sunday afternoon to check-in to your chosen accommodation. Accommodation typically runs from Sunday before the course starts on Monday morning and you check-out Saturday morning after the course ends. We recommend you book flights to arrive Sunday and leave Saturday. If you need to arrive a day earlier or leave a day later, please don't hesitate to contact us by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com and we'll see what we can do to accommodate you.
Full, detailed directions will be shown on your booking confirmation voucher.
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0105: On Moving Forward/
Content Warning: The following story contains reference to loving someone with an addiction.
"On Moving Forward," Ali
Whenever I leave my girlfriend's house in the morning, I always have to allot myself twenty minutes to get to main campus.
I don't mind this; I love walking. Whether it's to music, or just to the life of the streets in Somerville, the act of walking allows me to energize my thoughts, and to feel their depth move in line with the incline of Summer Street. It's almost as if they become a tangible thing, a knot I can work out just by choosing to step forward, again and again—but, sometimes, when things aren't that deep, it's nice to just stand at the top of a hill and think, "With my own two feet, I made it here myself."
May 12th brought the spring semester of my Junior year, and my final exams, to a close. I had woken up a little earlier than usual, setting a louder alarm for 9:00 a.m. in hopes for studying my Spanish II notes. There wasn't anything I was sincerely concerned about, but I knew reviewing the material would give me greater comfort walking into my test. As I was sitting cross-legged on top of her yellow, floral-patterned bed, my partner nudged me in the side of my thigh, rolling over. "Try not to worry too much." she mumbled.
After a quick shower, I began to gather my things into my backpack, stowing them away for later in the day: my laptop, hidden behind my girlfriend's bed; my extra, gray sweater, folded over the wooden chair of her desk; my shoes, which had retired underneath her pink towel, and elicited expletives that were whispered with fervency in their search. I only found my phone as it began to ring, its vibration humming loud enough for my partner to stir. "All good?" she asked, lifting her voice and propping herself onto her elbow.
I waved a hand, and in a single motion, she fell back to the pillow. As I looked to the screen, I didn't recognize the number; it had a 617 area-code, and my phone said it was from Jamaica Plain. I normally didn't pick up unknown numbers, mainly because I'm too anxious to make small-talk to somebody I don't know, but this seemed local.
Standing in the center of her room, I was so caught up in the act of making a decision that I actually missed the call. "Shit," I groaned, and pulled the other strap of my backpack over my shoulder. Slipping out of my girlfriend's room and through her front door, I started my trek down her street, crawling my way to Somerville Avenue. If I had left any later, I would actually be tardy for the start of my exam.
Popping my headphones into my ears, I kept thinking about the phone call. Although I could not quite articulate it, there was something about this that felt hurried, and rushed. Even the way it rang seemed to have a sense of urgency in its tone, annoyance, almost, creeping into each bzzz, bzzz, the more I had ignored it. Who had called me from JP? And would they call—
I felt my palm vibrate as the number reappeared once more. White, stark digits against a darkened background, I tried to memorize their order, whispering them to myself once before answering. I needed to know I could call back, if possible.
Although I could not place it immediately, I knew the voice from somewhere. It was a woman's voice, and she sounded older. "Yes?"
"This is Mrs. Grane, your mother's landlady. I'm sorry for calling you this early in the morning." An accent accompanied this voice now, and it influenced the weight in which she placed her words. She spoke slowly.
I had only met Mrs. Grane once, in passing, a few months previously. She was an on-call nurse at a nearby hospital in Dorchester, and often spent the afternoons sleeping. Even shaking my hand that one evening, I felt the callouses of her toughened fingertips and the deepened grooves within her palms. She was a woman who had seen it all—she was a woman who didn't fuck around.
I didn't realize how quickly I walked until I found myself at the base of my girlfriend's road, my knees trembling as I looked to my feet. The sun's shadows were cast with the faint tracing of the morning light, and although the day promised beauty, my chest was beginning to heave a wreckage. I didn't need to be the daughter of an alcoholic to know that this news, whatever it was, was not going to be good.
"Please, don't apologize," I began, turning the corner onto Summer Street. I continued my route to class, my free thumb looping around the strap of my backpack. "How are you?"
Mrs. Grane answered honestly, and to the point. "I'm not too good… I'm not too good. I'm calling to let you know that your mother—she's not well. She's very ill."
As Mrs. Grane spoke, I kept walking. My phone was pressed to my ear as I did, and often, she kept telling me to calm down, or to take a breath, or to stop crying. She explained to me every, single, excruciating detail of my mother's relapse—she spared nothing. She recited the words, verbatim, that my mother had used to plead with Mrs. Grane, crawling toward her on her knees as she begged for help. She told me how many empty bottles she found in my mother's house when she was at the hospital. She told me I had to pack up her things soon, because she was evicting her two weeks later.
Since I began college, my mother has relapsed once a year, and almost always around the same time. In the beginning of my freshman year, it was my father and then-partner who helped me move into my college dorm room that sticky, August afternoon. I couldn't ask her opinions on the menial things, like room décor, what kind of stationary to buy, or even how to take effective notes in my classes, because she wasn't there.
She was finishing the last month of her three-month rehabilitation program, which she had begun in the previous May. The last time I had seen was in a Marshall's parking lot, wishing me well for my first semester as her ex-husband drove her back to New Hampshire. With my mother moving to Boston a year later, I thought there would be a change. I thought, and hoped, that this would be the part of her life where this ends, where she can find balance, and her own definition of normalcy again. But it's still not like that.
By the end of Mrs. Grane's phone call, I had arrived to campus, five minutes before my exam. Steadying my voice, I thanked her; her response was flat, but sincere before she hung up, the sharp click of the other end's disconnection echoing in my head. Shoving my phone into my backpack, I sunk into a patio chair and wept, because there wasn't a way to put it beautifully: this hurt me. A lot.
When I collected myself, I stood in the center of my campus with a lingering sense of confusion, wondering how I managed to arrive here when I thought of it: choosing to step forward again and again was my strongest way of survival. It's difficult and frustrating and downright heartbreaking when someone you are supposed to love seems to turn to their addiction more than to you. It's especially hard to admit that out loud, to hear the ring of its truth sing past your lips. But I think my sanity has come in knowing that the more I choose to move forward, the less inclined I am to allow her behaviors influence my actions. By doing this, I have been able to find goals to move toward, passions to pursue; my love for writing, my yearning to always learn more. I found these things all on my own, and there's a comfort in that. I'm an entirely different person than my mother, simply because of the steps I took by myself.
My exam was supposed to start in two minutes from then. Rubbing the backs of my hands beneath my eyes, I chose to step forward. I took the test.
About the Art:
For this piece, I wanted to create an image that would represent what this survivor does to keep moving forward every day. Lacing up her Vans, and taking life one step at a time.
I hope this can serve as a reminder for Ali that even when the going gets tough, slipping on your shoes, and putting your best foot forward is what you need to do to survive. I'm so proud of her resilience, and I know that even in times when family is stressful to her, she has created her own family of friends who will help her through anything.


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Se HCG is a hormone mainly released by the trophoblastic (placental) tissue. It is an essential hormone marker in early pregnancy and detectable following embryo implantation. The presence of this hormone in the blood and subsequently in the urine by the third week post implantation forms the basis of the urine pregnancy test.
Se HCG discriminatory level and diagnosis of early pregnancy
The main use of this test is to indicate the presence of pregnancy tissue. The detection of se HCG precedes ultrasonography evidence of a gestation (pregnancy) sac. The general threshold for the presence of a gestation sac on ultrasound is approximately 2000iu/L (Barnhart 1999). When the se HCG exceeds this threshold, the gestational sac must be seen in the uterine cavity for a normal pregnancy. Failure to observe this is an indication of ectopic pregnancy, until proven otherwise.
In clinical practice, most doctors would order a Se HCG when the pelvic ultrasound failure to demonstrate a pregnancy sac following a positive urine pregnancy test (UPT). If the se HCG level is above the threshold for detection by ultrasonography, then ectopic pregnancy must be excluded.
A slow rising Se HCG and diagnosis of a viable pregnancy
It is a known adage that a rising se HCG indicates a viable intrauterine pregnancy. Kadar (1990) had shown that a hormonal rise of at least 66% over 2 days is highly predictive of a healthy pregnancy. Failure to observe the 'doubling effect' could indicate an abnormally developing pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy or impending miscarriage.
Declining or flattening HCG levels
When the result of HCG flattens or decline, it certainly describes a failed or non- viable pregnancy. Barnhart (2004) had found that declining HCG level is quadratic and exhibits a faster decline when the initial se HCG is higher.
An abnormally high Se HCG
It can also indicate multiple pregnancy or abnormal placental tissue (trophoblastic tissue) when the serum level is excessive higher than expected. This observation is explained by the presence of a larger placental tissue, producing more HCG hormone as in multiple pregnancy and abnormal trophoblast cells with autonomous hormone production.
Se HCG is a useful additional test useful in the diagnosis of early pregnancy and its complications.
Barnhart KT et al., Obstet Gynecol (2004)
Barnhart KT et al., Obstet Gynecol (1999)
Kadar et al., Fert Steril (1990)


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I've been lacking inspiration for my lifestyle posts recently, despite having a pretty exciting week. I started a new job, on Thursday, my old job had an amazing staff day out: Go Ape in Delamere Forest, Sapporo, and Alma de Cuba. Go Ape is kind of like an assault course but up in the trees (ending with amazing zip wires!): the meal in Sapporo Teriyaki was incredible and anybody in Liverpool that hasn't been to Alma de Cuba (and has a decent size budget) I would advise you to get down now! Saturday was a friends 21st in a new 24 hour casino that opened. So, pretty good all in all.
1. Go Ape Treetop Adventure. 2. Sapporo Teriyaki. 3. Cocktails.
But now it's that time where I have to settle down, do some work, and try to be a responsible student for my last (eep!) year of education. I got the inspiration for this from Hannah's wonderful blog. Like she says, I've made these resolutions every year since I started my GCSE's, but this year it really counts. Uni couldn't have made it any easier for me to laze around with my 4 hours a week timetable (full time, yeah right!). These are my aspirations for the year:
1. Get most of my project done in Semester 1.
Due to my lack of actual lectures in this term, I have plenty of time on my hands. Instead of using it to stay in bed, shop, go for lunch with friends (as I spent the entire of my second year doing), I will go to uni, and work hard at getting my work done. One year of hard work – maybe I'll miss it when it's gone so why not do something productive, instead of doing nothing (*cough* playing on The Sims).
2. Get fit.
I never appreciated the effect 13 years of ballet had on my body, until I quit two years ago. Now my confidence is low and I need an overhaul that doesn't feel like a chore. Joining the uni gym sounds like a good idea – having Lauren as a gym buddy will make me more likely to go! And I want to get back into swimming. Also, eat more healthily.
3. Spend my money wisely.
Getting into the habit of buying things out of boredom is never good…also, find cheaper alternatives to going to Topshop all the time. Forever 21 cannot open in Liverpool fast enough.
4. Travel.
This relates to after I finish really, but starting now! I go to Poland for a few days next week (history, water park and vodka), and am planning a shopping trip to London soon too as I am completely in love with the place. Instead of Christmas presents, my boyfriend and I are looking at going on a short break somewhere which would be lovely.
But the big one is my plans for after exams/graduation. I'm not ready for a serious career; I haven't lived and found what I really want to do. Me and Lauren are planning to go somewhere after exams for a couple of weeks (tropical and beautiful!), then Glastonbury with a few others, then Crete for her 21st. Feel like it would be scary, but I think would make a huge difference to how negative I've felt for the last few years.
5. Write a lot.
This has already started here, and I'm also writing for a new student website/magazine in my uni, as well as a creative writing module at uni. With experience, comes interest and hope, and I always have hope that one day something brilliant will come to me. And I'll get a job on Cosmo magazine and everything will be amazing. (maybe).
Do any of you guys make resolutions at the start of uni/school/college as well as new year? Also, how do you like these kind of posts compared to my beauty posts? Let me know, opinions welcome and appreciated!


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魔法先生 ネギま!Volume 0 Mahou Sensei Negima! Manga Special Note: this was a special manga done for the release of the Mahou Sensei Negima! Anime Final movie in theaters along with the Hayate no Gotoku! Heaven is a Place on Earth movie. ***SPOILERS*** I'm going to forgo my usual summary and just jump into things since
Posts Tagged 'Negima!'
Negima! Manga Volume 0 Review (Some special lovin' from when the movie came out in Japan.)
November 4th, 2013 AstroNerdBoy


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About Peyton
I am a freelance landscape and travel photographer currently based in Raleigh, North Carolina. I grew up in the Appalachian Mountains where my love for the outdoors led me to find photography. I have a special place in my heart for the desert, but I am right at home in the coldest of places in my efforts to create stories through my images.
I have worked on marketing campaigns and projects for various entities including:
- Travel Alberta
- Visit California
- The National Park Service
- IcelandAir
Over the past few years I've been helping my good friend Colby Brown with some of his workshops as well as coming on board with The Giving Lens (TGL) as a trip lead and instructor.
As of early 2016 I am now working as the assistant Manager of Operations for The Giving Lens, helping with the daily operations, trip preparation, as well as continuing to serve as a team lead for the organization.
I am available for marketing campaigns, workshops, private instruction and a variety of services that I will be fully established sortly. If you have questions about licensing of images, purchasing prints or other inquiries please do not hesitate to contact me via email - email@example.com
Aperture Academy | Photographer of the Month Interview
Photography Roundtable Podcast June 2016


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Can You Stand Where He Stood?
". . . kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;" 1 Peter 2:23
Do you think you've got it bad? Do you wish this day was over with already? From where you stand things look tough and trying, it feels like hope has run out in you. There is encouragement in the struggle. One has only to lift their eyes above their storms and struggles to look to all Jesus endured.
Jesus endured more than we are ever called to suffer, yet spoke no words of impatience. He endured His suffering at the hands of injustice, and was cruelly and wrongly treated, yet only submission to the Father was exemplified through Him. He uttered no resentful words. In the face of accusations, Jesus held His peace. His sufferings were many and acute, but He did not give in to the impulse of sarcasm or revenge.
We only have to look down the road He traveled to see where He stood. Christ's endurance gives the example for every disciple to follow. Where He stood is where we are called to stand – placing our feet in the foot marks of where He stood. We stand not in the mocking, but the meekness; not the scourging, but the submission; not the dread and desertion of the Father's love, but in the unrelenting devotion. We, like the Son, cry out to the Father, "Father, forgive them." Like Jesus, we are called to live in complete surrender to the Will of God. His endurance is to be our pattern.
This way of living is completely contrary to the way we live. Our way of living often is in utter opposition to the high-spirited way of Jesus. We have such thin skin, the most minor insult sets us into defense mode, hurling back insult for insult, all while we call ourselves disciples. Do we ever remember to stop and stand where He stood? The cross is the ground for all our peace and hope, it's also our pattern for living.
Your bad day will never match the days of Jesus' suffering, but it is an opportunity to display your loyalty to the ways of Jesus, to cultivate the spirit of Christ, to act as His friend in tough situations. To stand where He stands is the lifelong practice of filling our heart with Holy ambition, to be conformed to His likeness.
Today, can you stand where He stood?


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Marshall H. Ginn, CFRE has more than 30 years of experience working with local, regional and national organizations. Mr. Ginn is the former Vice Chair for Annual Giving of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy and a former board member of the Washington DC Metro Area Chapter of the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP/DC). For 6 years, Mr. Ginn served as chair of the selection committee for the AIM for Excellence Award Competition (formerly known as The Washington Post Awards for Excellence in Nonprofit Management) a project of the Center for Nonprofit Advancement. Mr. Ginn is a former grant reviewer for the Arlington Community Foundation and the UPSTART grants program at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. In the spring of 2017 he served as a peer reviewer for a national grantmaking project managed by NeighborWorks America awarding support for neighborhood redevelopment initiatives. He recently served as a volunteer application reviewer for the 2017 JMK Innovation Prize, a project of the JM Kaplan Fund.
Mr. Ginn is currently the Senior Director of Development at the Virginia Hospital Center Foundation in Arlington, VA
Mr. Ginn has made numerous presentations on major gifts, donor stewardship, nonprofit management and board development to a wide range of organizational clients as well as for the DC Public Private Partnership Conference, the Foundation Center, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the Center for Nonprofit Advancement in Washington, DC, George Mason University, Leadership Arlington, the Bridge to Integrated Marketing and Fundraising Conference, the AFP International Conference on Fundraising, and the BoardSource Leadership Forum. This fall he will present at the Exponent Philanthropy National Conference.
He is a graduate of the AFP Faculty Training Academy, and he received his CFRE certification in 2003. He also completed the Nonprofit Management Institute hosted by the Stanford Social Innovation Review in 2015. Mr. Ginn has also written two monographs on major gifts fundraising and on engaging staff in the fundraising process for the AFP Information Exchange series, as well as white papers on organizational leadership in the nonprofit sector.
A native of Richmond, VA, he holds a Bachelor of Architectural History from School of Architecture at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and currently resides in Arlington, VA. As a community volunteer, Mr. Ginn serves as co-chair for Team DC's Night OUT at the Nationals, the largest GLBT sports fan event in the nation, in addition to being assistant to the tournament director for the MAGIC Softball Tournament held annually by the Chesapeake and Potomac Softball League.
Click here to see a list of recent and upcoming speaking engagements


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Thank you for making a move of generosity that honors God and furthers his ministry. We firmly believe what the apostle Paul had to say in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7:
Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.
We do want to encourage you to either use your Debit Card or your Bank Account to give as we want to be consistent with the Financial Peace Principles of Money Management.
Text: "give + ($ amount)"
Example: give 50
To: 512-384-1335
• Be sure to save the # as a contact on your phone
• Click the link given and create an account
• Submit your payment and all you have to do next time is text once and done!


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Celebrities are expected to look perfect in every way, and this pressure extends to their teeth. Today, veneers are so common that audiences do not even notice when a television show or film is full of actors whose teeth are fake.
Before veneers San Jose can be applied, the real teeth have to be filed down to tiny, thin planks that are incredibly weak and sensitive. This process cannot be reversed. The remaining bits of teeth are then covered with porcelain or a composite material. Veneers might be more superficially appealing than real teeth, but they are weaker and need to be replaced occasionally. It is not recommended that people circumvent proper orthodontic procedures in favor of a quick cosmetic fix. The teeth are still crooked below the gums.
Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise was one of the first actors to become known for having artificial teeth. His markedly crooked natural teeth can be seen in his early films, like The Outsiders and Born on the Fourth of July. His top left tooth used to stick out much further than the right one. Already a handsome man, his new teeth helped to make him one of the most successful movie stars of all time.
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner got veneers and had her lips plumped at around the same time. She looked much more mature and womanly after the procedures were performed. Her gums used to be prominent when she smiled, but now she has a more attractive, toothy smile.
Paget Brewster
Paget Brewster has the best veneers in Hollywood. In fact, many people did not realize that Paget had veneers until she posted pictures of herself in a dentist's chair on her Twitter account. She was an ideal candidate for veneers because her natural teeth were already quite large and straight. She just had them smoothed and squared.
Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff's first set of veneers was so large and obvious that she was publicly mocked in tabloids and on talk shows. She eventually had those veneers replaced with a much smaller set; as previously mentioned, it was impossible for her to undo her mistake and get her original teeth back.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus became famous at a young age and never had time to wear braces. Instead, her dentist created the illusion of straighter teeth with veneers, though her teeth still look a bit uneven. This actually works for her, since she still has a natural-looking smile that helps her young fans relate to her.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato closed the sizable gap between her front teeth with veneers. Demi's case is interesting because she could not have fixed her smile any other way. She had the gap because her teeth were too small to reach each other.
Veneers can transform a sweet grin into an A-list smile. When applied judiciously, veneers can make a major difference in an individual's appearance without looking unnatural.