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A stay at Loro Loco Hostel places you in the heart of Santa Cruz, convenient to Ethno-folkloric Museum and Arenal Park. This hostel is within close proximity of Franco Aleman Cultural Center and Municipal Library.
Make yourself at home in one of the 6 guestrooms. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available to keep you connected. Bathrooms with showers are provided.
Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as an outdoor pool or take in the view from a terrace and a garden. This hostel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services, and an arcade/game room.
Full breakfasts are available daily for a fee.
Featured amenities include multilingual staff, luggage storage, and laundry facilities. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available 24 hours), and free self parking is available onsite.
8 495 668-14-51


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Wednesday, September 19, 2012
.. the next instalment in my quest for health.
3 comments:
- Jenny said...
There is no doubt Mardi... you are a strong and inspirational woman... good luck with the diet changes... and yes... I am sure I would be having the same internal dialogue :) but good on you for moving forward with this... I look forward to reading more...
Jenny x
- September 20, 2012 at 11:47 AM
- Lissa said...
Hi Mardi, I met you a few years ago at a Scrapboxx retreat (although I wouldn't expect you to remember me) thanks to you and your everyday blog, you've inspired me (and hubby) to take up the Sarah Wilson 'I quit sugar' challenge as well. I saw it on your blog and was impressed with your quest for good health and eating. Your posts have encouraged me to eat better for myself and ultimately for my family too. I also have issues with not feeling the best as I can and I'm trying to change that. I've always been relativly active but still struggled with my weight. I'm up to week 4 of the quitting sugar programme and I'm noticing small changes. I would love to follow along reading this aswell and want to say 'good-on-you' for doing this for yourself. We are strong women and it takes courage to make these huge changes to improve our well being (even when we aren't entirely sure it's the 'right' way) Thank you Mardi, thinking of you and like I'm 'in it' with you... Lissa
- September 20, 2012 at 10:21 PM
- kim said...
Ooh I love that you are documenting this so I can come along for the journey too.
I'm so glad Manon was able to ease your worries and concerns and like any major change, there will always be questions. We don't dive into things without research and making well thought through decisions and you have done that here.
It's interesting that you have to add Himalayan salt to your water - that was something my Bowens lady said..and I had my hand on a box of it to buy yesterday at the farmers market place i was telling you about, but I ended up not getting it as I wanted to read more about it before buying!
While your detox doesnt leave as many options for you, I KNOW you will get creative int he kitchen again and come up with some great ideas using such basic ingredients.
- September 22, 2012 at 12:35 PM

subset: commoncrawl


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I photographed David Barton, a mixed media artist, recently. I set out to capture a side of David that is not often apparent in the photos that I had seen, or taken of him in the past. A fascinating personality, David creates sculpture that he calls 3D Paintings. I'd give you his web site, but...um...he doesn't have one yet!
David - The Artist
in People


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The Omoide Project: Spokane
In Japanese, 'omoide' means memories or recollections. Our church is working together with the Hifumi En Society to compile a detailed account from our Spokane Japanese-American community. The overall idea is to create a series of short memories about the Spokane Japanese-American community. Our model is the Omoide project from Seattle. The basic format is short memories that focus on a short, but meaningful memory that can be described in about 500 words. Our goal is to get as far back into the past as possible (early 1900s), since this is the history that is most at risk, but we welcome all stories from childhood and adulthood.
We'd like to emphasize remembering people from the past because that is a big reason why we're doing this project.
If You Would Like To Check It Out Click The Link Below!
*A special thanks to Hifumi En, and to everybody who shared their stories! Thank You all for your support!*


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From: "Peter F. Patel-Schneider" <email@example.com> > There are arguments to be made on either side. Some argue that there > should be multiple reifications, some argue that there should not. Given > that there are two viable possibilities, and that RDF M&S clearly comes > down on one side, switching to the other is a significant change, and > should not be made lightly. That's just your opinion; I believe there are lawyers who could argue persuasively against it. > > But the essential requirement that you will need to answer is not a > > legalistic one, but a practical one. If you throw out the ability to have > > multiple descriptions of statements, then how are we to describe multiple > > occurances of the same proposition relative to the contexts in which they > > appear? > > Well I guess then you can't, at least not with RDF reification. This is unacceptable and will break running applications and will render planned applications impossible. > RDF reification is what is described in RDF M&S. It may not be very > useful but that doesn't mean that RDF reification should be something > different from what is described in RDF M&S. (There are enough unclear > aspects of RDF M&S to argue over without changing the clear parts.) You may say it is clear to you, but it has been pointed out that M&S is inconsistent in that regard. The working group has been chartered to fix these confusions. We are not still back there in 1999 arguing about a literal interpretation of the M&S bible. It seems to me that those in favor of a one-one mapping between a proposition and the description of that proposition are trying to limit the usefulness of RDF. For what purpose, to what end ? Seth RussellReceived on Monday, 4 February 2002 14:17:24 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Wednesday, 2 March 2016 11:10:37 UTC


text: The climb through Kaleidoscope built by James Morales and Lukas Whatwhat for our very first group art show, Cognitive Dissonance, was featured as an installation at the Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. It was also featured as a cover photo for an article in 7x7 Magazine, "100 Things to do in SF before you die." Read the article here.


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Eye-Tracking Help
Running an Experiment on Eyelink Sanjay Manohar
There are two computers:
1) Stimulus PC: running Windows and Matlab, connected to the main CRT screen, and
2) Eyelink PC: in DOS, running the eyelink software
Record age and handedness. Ask if colour-blind.
If wearing glasses / contacts, check prescription in dioptres.
Setting up
Turn on power to both computers
Turn on Eyelink at mains, ensure power plugged in and yellow light glowing.
Boot the Stimulus PC into Windows (may need to use keyboard to select)
Log in to Stimulus PC "cogneuro" "kilo1000"
Boot Eyelink PC into DOS
Check there is enough free space on Eyelink PC, type "dir" and check free space > 50,000,000 bytes.
Type "elcl" on Eyelink PC to start eyelink software.
Start Matlab on Stimulus PC and navigate to directory that has experiment
Start experiment by typing "result = " then the name of experiment at the Matlab prompt.
The Eyelink PC should now show the camera setup screen.
Brief the participant on the task, with example sheet or powerpoint. Get participant comfortable, ask them to adjust their seat. Then raise or lower the monitor table so their chin is near the rest. Adjust chin rest height with side-screws, and adjust forehead-rest by raising or lowering the camera, by carefully releasing the side-pins.
Warn them that you are going to turn the lights down. Turn off all lights and close the door.
Adjust focus lever on camera. The iris should look crisp on the eyelink PC.
Can you see the eye fully? If not, adjust the mirror on the eyelink using the screws in front, and gently moving the mirror up and down.
Press "autothreshold" to get the blue circle to enshroud the pupil, and the yellow circle to highlight the corneal reflex.
If eye is not immediately "captured", adjust "Pupil +/-" if necessary, to avoid blue on the eyelashes encroaching upon pupil. Similarly with corneal reflex adjustment, so that it avoids the medial canthus or any reflective studs on glasses etc.
There should now be a steady crosshair visible on the eyelink PC. Select "Calibrate".
The Stimulus PC should now show a circle in the centre of the screen. You can press "accept fixation" on the eyelink PC if the participant seems to know what they are doing, and are not too confusible. If the participant is elderly or brain damaged etc, best to first turn off "auto-calibrate" on the Eyelink PC, and the manually press "Accept fixation" for each of the 9 calibration points, when the participant has correctly fixated each dot.
At the end of calibration press Exit Setup on Eyelink PC.
Running experiments
The stimulus PC should now show "Start of Experiment" etc.
Between blocks, turn the lights up, and give the subject a minimum of 1 minute break. That is a good time to complete questionnaires etc. Then turn the lights down and resume; it is not usually necessary to fully recalibrate, as drift-correction is performed online in most tasks.
If recalibration becomes necessary, some experiments are configured that if the "C" key on the Stimulus PC is held down at the end of the trial, the calibration will start again. Otherwise, exit the experiment by holding "escape", and restart it using the command "result = " name of experiment "(result"). Adding result in parentheses after the task name should resume from where you left off.
At the end of the experiment, right-click the "result" variable, and save it as a file with an appropriate name.
Signs of a problem:
Crosshair vanishes (e.g. for more that half a second) during trial,
Trial takes longer than usual to complete, or there is a pause before the foreperiod
Orange square appears in middle of screen: Ask participant to keep eyes on centre of screen. After 4 seconds, if eye is detected correctly, experiment will continue.
Eye position appears to jump around erratically or oscillate on the Eyelink PC.
A large blue region is visible above the pupil on the camera image
A large yellow spot, or yellow grids, are visible outside the eye on the camera image
If Subject loses fixation:
Is their head forwards enough? Instruct to keep head fully forwards against forehead rest
Remove mascara / other eye makup
Try the other eye – loosen the screw of the camera, slide to other eye, and re-tighten.
Ensure no hair in front of face
Ask them to brush their eyelashes upwards
Is the subject sleepy? Are their eyes half-closing? Turn the temperature down with the air conditioning. Offer a drink. Remind them about task / incentives. Ask them to walk outside for 3 minutes in the breaks.
Instruct to keep eyes wide open. Older participants may have a "ptosis" - naturally droopy eyelids. Eyelash problem is much worse with droopy eyelids.
Do they need their glasses on?
1. Try with no glasses, unless your task requires visual discrimination.
2. Do they have contact lenses? Tracking is much better with contacts.
3. If glasses required, clean the glasses.
4. Try adjusting the glasses position, up or down the nose.
5. If the reflection remains bad, try adjusting the height of the camera and the mirror simultaneously, so that the camera is "looking around" the reflection.
If the Eyelink is getting confused with eye vs non-eye objects, you can set a "bounding box" for the eye position, so that it only looks in a fixed rectangle. Click on the pupil to set the location of the box, which should appear superimposed on the picture.
Impossible subjects:
These participants' data will probably need to be discarded.
Albinos / very pale iris
Very long eyelashes
Sleepy subjects: if eyelid comes down over pupil you will lose the trace.


text:
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The rubber parking blocks are molded with yellow reflective stripes to increase nighttime visibility. They feature a honey combed bottom that easily conforms to uneven surfaces and slightly reduces the weight so that you can handle these by hand rather than by machine; making this an ideal alternative to concrete.
Installation is made simple with the predrilled holes to use as guidance. Hardware is sold separately.
Click here to download Innoplast's high quality design files for your next project
Rubber Parking Block Installation Instructions
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The Club Member Lounge
Yao Famiy Wines offers an exclusive, private lounge available only to members of our Wine Club, The Founders Club.
Located at the north end of Bar Two, The Club Member Lounge is a casual yet elegant space where club members can relax and enjoy a glass or a bottle of wine with friends and guests. The Club Member Lounge is adorned with soft, comortable couches and chairs, along with a gas burning fireplace and 55-inch flat screen television. It comfortably seats up to ten guests.
To book the lounge in advance, please call the Tasting Room at 707-968-5874.
Photogallery rendered here.


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I voted. . .
Danny Johnson
for TEMP to go on a Pilgrimage to College Station!
But first, thanks to all of who came to the Sephardic concerts last week. We really love doing that rep. . .so many old favorites and some new pieces that will eventually be old favorites! It was terrific to have Peter Maund with us again and new-to-us oud player Josh Peters. And thanks to all for coming to hear us at Congregation Beth Israel; it was a welcoming venue and they were very gracious!
At any rate, concerning the upcoming pilgrimage to College Station: We are preparing for our annual (since 2010) pilgrimage to St. Thomas Episcopal Church in College Station to present a shorter version of last October's popular concert Medieval Pilgrimage in Iberia. (It was nominated for Best Chamber concert for last season by the Austin Critics Table, btw ...) If you're in the vicinity and want to re-visit the concert or if you missed it the first time around, then check out the info below and come see us! Or you could recommend it to your friends in College Station and environs.... News about the Christmas concert is coming up ...
Medieval Pilgrimage in Iberia:
Music on the Way to Santiago de Compostela
Sunday, November 13, 2016, 6:00 p.m.
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
906 George Bush Drive, College Station
A company of eight female singers explores the music of pilgrimage in Medieval Spain. This music celebrates the richly transparent timbre of treble voices in unison or in polyphonic settings, making the most of sweet consonances and pungent dissonances.
There was never a more popular time for religious pilgrimage than during the Middle Ages. In those times, people made long and dangerous trips, lasting months or years, in a search for spiritual meaning or fulfillment or as an act of penance.
Several of the most important sites of pilgrimage during the Middle Ages were located in what is now northern Spain, along the route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. TEMP performs music from the Llibre Vermell, from the monastery at Montserrat in Catalonia, which was intended to be sung by the pilgrims themselves. We also feature music from Ms. Las Huelgas, from the Cistercian convent in Burgos; Las Cantigas de Santa Maria from the royal court of Alfonso X; and the Codex Calixtinus from the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. All of these places are stops along the route to Santiago de Compostela; Santiago is Galician for the Latin Sanctus Jacobus, St. James. Many people continue to make this walking pilgrimage, even today.
Featured soloists include Jenifer Thyssen, Stephanie Prewitt, Cayla Cardiff, and more, along with the TEMP Medieval orchestra of vielles, harps, oud, psaltery, and gittern.
Whether you are focusing on the music with closed eyes or silently clapping your hands and tapping your feet, the long-lasting beauty of our Medieval Pilgrimage will delight you. We invite you to join us for this Concert!
The Concert is supported by generous grants from the Gilbert and Thyra Plass Arts Foundation and the Joe and Florence Ham Charitable Trust and TEMP is happy to be supported by the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Admission is $10/$5 students, at the door
For more information, please contact Bonnie Harris-Reynolds, Organist & Music Director, St. Thomas Episcopal Church
St. Thomas: firstname.lastname@example.com
Phone: (979) 696-1726 or the church office at (979) 696-0452


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Deadline Extended:
2015 – 2017 Hamiltonian Fellowship Program
Apply today!
New Deadline: Saturday, March 14th, 2015
The Hamiltonian Fellowship Program serves as a professional steppingstone for emerging visual artists by helping them reach new levels in their artistic practice and career.
The two-year program offers a comprehensive suite of exhibition opportunities, professional development trainings, mentorship, career guidance and an annual artistic stipend to five new artists annually. Emerging visual artists working in all media are encouraged to apply.
Applications must be postmarked by or dropped off at Hamiltonian Gallery by 6pm on Saturday, March 14th.
For more information visit: www.hamiltonianartists.org
Hamiltonian Artists is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing professional development opportunities for creative artists early in their careers. We offer a competitive two-year fellowship program to new, innovative visual artists in all media through an annual competition.


text:
The Magic of Thinking Big
The Magic of Thinking Big contains the secrets to getting the most out of your job, your marriage and family life through positive thinking and psychology. The book illustrates how you don't need to be incredibly intelligent or unique to have the success you want, you simply need to think in a way that cultivates success. By thinking big you can motivate yourself to improve your work life, earn more money and get more happiness and fulfillment out of life.Read More


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Letter from a 90-year old
Sam Barrington, pastor of another church in our area, posted this letter he received from a 90-year old lady who attends Granger Community Church. I loved that one of our attenders would encourage another church like this. Way to go Ruth!
Dear Friends in Christ:
Ever since you brought the large stones to the front of your property, I have been feeling the nudge to write to you and thank you. I love beauty especially around our houses of worship.
I am typing this as I am 90 years old and you can read this better than my writing.
I drive past your church quite often going to the post office and every time I go past it I really look and enjoy the landscaping. I am a 50 year member of First Presybterian Church of South Bend and attend Granger Community Church quite often. I just want you to know I love looking at the outside of your church. Then, today I received a flyer on Deal or No Deal - You are doing something right and I pray that it will glorify God. I am sure you do. Just wanted you to know you are a blessing to those of us who live in this part of town. THANK YOU - and may God Bless your Efforts.
Thank you again


text: Organising an event you want everyone to know about? Music, fashion, kids, sports, food, parties or something else? Need a talented events videographer to film it? You've reached the right person for the job. I don't just record video. I tell stories that photos and words can't. Contact me for bookings and enquiries.


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The Laura Geller Bronze-n-Brighten powder was a welcome addition to my collection. I am slowly building a small collection of some great products from the Laura Geller brand that really work – and make my product collection that little bit prettier! Not only does this product do exactly what it says on the tin, it is so pretty I feel like it shouldn't be used! In the usual Laura Geller signature style, the packaging is a black, basic flip top pot and the product itself is a masterpiece! In addition, I was really pleased to see that a half mirror has been included in the lid – always welcome!
Bronze-n-Brighten is a baked bronzing powder, however, one look at this product tells you it is a little more than that. It is a dome shaped, semi matt powder and the shade 'Pale' is a marble effect swirled pattern of browns, pinks and champagne shades with a subtle hint of glitter. The powder is also available in the shade 'Medium' to for a darker finish and both shades retail at £26.00 for a 9g pot.
The powder is primarily a bronzing powder but is most defiantly multi-use. It boasts highlighting properties and the ability to grace the complexion with the uber desirable 'lit from within' look.
I have a very pale complexion and, as a bronzer, I find this really easy to use. With many bronzers I can end up looking orange even with the lightest of touches and it can sometimes be difficult to blend the colour into the skin, leaving me with a patchy face. As I never use self tan products on my face, I do rely on good make up bronzing products to warm up my complexion. It applies well and blends easily, whether I am using it for a gentle contour on the cheeks or to warm up my entire face. I have read some reviews that complain about too much glitter transfer with this product, however, this is not something I have experienced.
It adds a really polished finish to the face when used as a finishing powder and I can certainly see that my face looks much brighter when I use it. I find the best finish is achieved by buffing this powder over the entire face with a buffing brush such as a MAC 109 brush. For me, it is not intense enough to use as a cheekbone highlight alone, I still need to add another product for this purpose, however, I get a really nice effect by dusting this product over the top of highlight for a finishing touch.
I can certainly recommend this powder if you are looking for a work horse for your make up collection that can be used for a variety of different looks and finishes and is a real multi tasker. The fact it is as pretty as a picture is just an added bonus!
Have you tried the medium shade? What other ways have you found using this powder?


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Mollie King and Liv Tyler share sexy lingerie photos to celebrate Valentine's Day
The stars took to social media to share the sultry snaps on the most romantic day of the year
THE SATURDAYS singer Mollie King and Lord of the Rings star Liv Tyler have treated their fans to some lovely images on this day of love.
The pair posed in their underwear while wishing their fans a Happy Valentine's Day.
Mollie looked pretty in a pink and black underwear set.
She grinned in delight, showing off her pearly white gnashers as well as her toned tum and arms in the picture.
Mollie told her Twitter followers: "Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you spend it with the people you love."
Liv took to Instagram to show off a hot pink brassiere with an unusual double strap feature.
She captioned the image: "Dear valentine ..... 💗💋 will you be mine ?!?!"
Mollie is thought to be in a relationship with her Strictly Come Dancing partner AJ Pritchard but the pair refuse to confirm the rumours.
However, Brendan Cole told the audience at his All Night Long tour that he had seen them getting cosy backstage during Strictly.
He revealed: "One evening I went in the boys' changing room, walked in the door and there were AJ and Molly.
"I wouldn't have thought anything of it if they had gone, 'Hey, Brendan, nice to see you'. But when I walked in the door, they went, 'Sorry, sorry! Didn't see you there'.
"Two young single people who get together on the show — it's great, right?"
Lucy Mecklenburgh also used Valentine's Day as an opportunity to showcase some sexy lingerie.
She posted a snap to Instagram, saying cheekily: "Valentines night in or night out?"
Lucy and her boyfriend Ryan Thomas have already enjoyed at least one night out this week.
The good-looking pair went to fancy Manchester restaurant Rosso where a Valentine's Day dinner that includes a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Rose will set you back £300.
The TV twosome were whizzed off in a Rolls Royce at the end of their night.
Got a story? email email@example.com or call us direct on 02077824220.
We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.


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EP28: On Unfinished Video Game Backlogs/
Why do so many video games we own end up unplayed or unfinished? How old is the oldest game in your backlog? Do you feel pressured to play through your games? Big backlogs happen to the best of us. With Black Friday sales over and Game of the Year awards coming up, we discuss which video games we haven't played yet and why in our neverending backlogs.


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May 21, 2014: Bloomfield Hills MI: Starting June 9th, The Angel Pillow Project and Yoga by Design Foundation will team up to host free Yoga classes every Monday from 2-2:30pm at Karma Yoga (3683 W Maple Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301) Survivors in all stages of their cancer journey are welcome at the free R.E.A.C.H. Yoga classes. Classes will be taught at Karma Yoga by instructor Katherine Schaefer, E-RYT500.
R.E.A.C.H. Yoga is a therapeutic practice for those who have been touched by breast cancer; Restore Exhale and Align with a Community of Healing. Yoga has been known to enhance physical and emotional wellness, establish reconnection in the body, heal the heart, enhance quality of life, boost immunity, combat fatigue, manage neuropathies, and improve strength, flexibility, and mobility.
"My healing truly began with the practice of yoga at the conclusion of treatment. I regained my strength, the mobility in my shoulders, chest and arms as well as being able to release the deep trauma of all the physically-invasive procedures," shares Sabrina Mayhew, breast cancer survivor and founder of The Angel Pillow Project. "Yoga has so impacted my life that I wanted to share it with others who have also experienced the ordeal of breast cancer. Collaborating with Lynn Medow of the Yoga by Design Foundation to provide this offering supports the mission of the Angel Pillow Project and the realization of a dream
"I am very excited to share the healing gifts of yoga to breast cancer patients and survivors.," says Katherine Schaefer, yoga instructor "I am honored to be working with the Angel Pillow Project and Yoga by Design Foundation to bring the women together in a positive, healing way."
The Angel Pillow Project is a non-profit 501-c3 organization in which heart-shaped pillows, created by breast cancer survivors, are donated to those currently undergoing treatment to soothe physical and emotional pain immediately after surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
The Yoga by Design Foundation is a non-profit 501c3 organization which funds yoga programs for under-served populations.
For more information on the program visit www.reachyoga.org
For media inquiries contact, Sherrie Handrinos at email@example.com or 734-341-6859
About Yoga by Design Foundation: Lynn Medow is the founder of Yoga by Design. Lynn has earned her a reputation as the "go-to" person for healing through yoga. The Yoga by Design Foundation is a non-profit organization which funds yoga programs for under-served populations.
About The Angel Pillow Project: Sabrina Mayhew started The Angel Pillow Project to encourage healing, offer support, and provide comfort to breast cancer patients. The foundation provides heart-shaped pillows which are made by breast cancer survivors for those who are currently battling this disease; the pillows are used to soothe the physical and emotional pains that woman faces with breast cancer.


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Seven Countries Join to Hunt Ships Smuggling Fuel to North Korea
A U.S. navy ship will host a new multinational coalition that aims to better track ships violating U.N. sanctions
WASHINGTON—The U.S. is convening a multinational coalition to significantly expand surveillance of ships smuggling fuel to North Korea in violation of United Nations sanctions, American military officials said.
The coalition is the first unified international effort to monitor the ship traffic in the year since the Trump administration launched its "maximum-pressure" sanctions campaign, aimed at strong-arming North Korea into abandoning its nuclear and missile programs. Surveillance efforts until now have been a hodgepodge...


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FRED HARVEY BRACELET c. 1940s. GREAT TURQUOISE STONE!
Although this is a vintage 1940s bracelet, with everything going for it, the stone is what is magical. It is a soft green stone that is gorgeous. The two side panels are stamped with an arrow in each panel. Tooled all the way around the double shanks. Opening: 1 1/4″.


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Strut Replacement Cost – Is It Worthy To Spend That Much?
When a car starts to age, drivers may start to question the strut replacement cost, and wonder if it is really worth paying that amount of money in order to get the car fixed. The main problem is that a vehicle starts to lose value faster after a certain number of miles, and eventually the front strut replacement cost could be even more than the actual value of the automobile itself. Drivers who are uncertain about how much their car is worth or how long they intend keeping it could decide that it is too costly to do the replacement.
Most car mechanics will be able to tell drivers when it is time to fix the suspension parts, and they may even provide a list of strut replacement cost details, including labor. They may also offer advice about whether it is really worth trying to do something about the vehicle, either fixing it or scrapping it and starting over with a completely new car. Owners will have to balance up the problems being caused by the suspension, against the high price involved with repairing the assembly.
The price of the change will depend very much upon the type of car, and where the damage is. Often, the cost of the front and the rear strut replacement cost will be very different. This is because it is often harder to change the front assembly than the back, and there is also difficulty in raising or lowering the front of the car. So a driver with a rear car struts problem may be more inclined to do the repair than one who has a damaged front part. Weighing up these decisions is clearly a matter of personal choice.
There may also be other factors which can affect the decision just as much as the assemblies themselves. Firstly, it may be necessary to change other parts, typically involving more prices. The strut replacement cost can be affected by adding on further repairs, some of which are more costly than the price of the struts, such as the shock replacement cost. The whole thing together can be far too costly for most people, and instead it is more likely that the car will be sold, or the owner will work out how to do it for themselves.
DIY is an effective way of managing the strut replacement cost without giving up the car altogether. There are plenty of web pages which will show the driver how to fix their problem, including replacements or repairs, and also removing other parts such as the shocks. Drivers who are prepared to go down this route might find it helps to get advice from a professional before they start any of the processes. However, DIY is the most extreme option, and some people just do not feel capable of doing this by themselves. In this case, the cost of the repair is probably going to be prohibitive.


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Code Flag H "Hotel"
Click images below to enlarge:
Code Flag H "Hotel"
$65.00 AUD incl. GST
Product Overview
- Product No:
- 279245
- Manufacturer:
- Size:
- 790 x 610 mm
- Weight:
- 100 g
- Format:
- Screen Printed Flag
- Sales Rank:
- 2092 (See Top 100 in Flags)
Product Description
The code flag H "Hotel" means 'I have a pilot on board.'
International Marine Signal Flags are international signals used by ships at sea.
They can be used to spellout short messages, or more commonly, used individually. When shown in certain combinations they have special meanings.
Current reviews for 'Code Flag H "Hotel"'
No reviews yet, but you should totally write one. It's easy, just put some words and stuff in those boxes over there and everyone will be super happy.


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Being Commissioned
In the early years of commissioning I had this fond belief that being commissioned to provide a mental health service was a bit like being commissioned to produce a work of art. It appealed to the Grayson Perry in me, and I tried to respond creatively. Well, we live and learn, and I've long since abandoned my provider-as-artist fantasy. I still think we can find win-wins out of being commissioned, but it's getting harder.
The cynical view is that, if the 2015 Guide to Public Sector Commissioning ever existed, it would probably start with how price trumps quality and conclude that compliance beats creativity every time. At its worst, commissioning and procurement have become interchangeable and, driven by ever more intense pressures on the public purse, aggressive commissioning / procurement behaviours have become commonplace. That sense of the commissioner investing in a relationship with their provider for the wider benefit of service users would be incomprehensible to many new commissioners. In such circumstances why would any 3rd sector organisation in its right mind be at all interested in tendering, being commissioned, and delivering public services?
And much of the rhetoric within our sector conjures up variations on these dismal themes. We still hear people harking back to a golden pre tender, pre contract-compliance era when we were given a grant and left to get on with it.
In fact, of course, neither the commissioning-killed–goose-that-laid-golden-grant, nor the 'get real, get competitive or get out' camps quite captures the whole truth, and there are signs that a somewhat clichéd debate is now moving on.
The NHS needs the 3rd sector, and senior NHS Managers are starting to say so, and invest in us. Sometimes via a competitive tendering route and sometimes through negotiation, we are being told that we bring independence, humanity, and a set of public engagement skills that the NHS envies. One of our Peer Support Workers on an acute in-patient ward was told last month: "I like the fact that you work for Solent Mind. It makes you different"
Even some local authorities in some circumstances are not averse to setting out a broad vision – defined by users of services – and asking tenderers to say how they would achieve that. This clearly plays to our traditional strengths.
Yes, competitive tendering is tough: margins are shrinking, contract terms are getting shorter, poor decisions sometimes get made and the endless round of TUPE transfers takes staff away from the organisations they chose to join. And all of that needs challenging.
But I'm not convinced that grants ever offered real security, or always enabled us to recover full costs. And grants – dare I say – sustained too many poorly performing charities for too long. Commercial discipline, the challenge of reshaping services to meet real and emerging needs, and sheer competition ( how can we do this better than our competitors?) arguably produce better services and healthier organisations.
And no one can tell us what we must or must not do. Every invitation to tender is different. If the money or the ability to deliver quality isn't there, we should walk away. No one compels us to pay the lowest wages or accept impossibly low margins.
I think there is a prize which is worth fighting for here: our sector can help redefine public service for the benefit of those who need public services.


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Dining Out with Kids
Dining Out with KidsOne of the rules my father had us when we were growing up was that we "were to be seen and not heard". Meaning that it was ok for us to be around as long as we kept quiet and didn't bother the adults. This rule was in effect when they had company over. My dad taught me his version of how kids should act around adults. We went to church and had to behave appropriately while we were there. We rarely went to restaurants for dinner but when we did, we were well behaved. But times have changed.
With the restaurant industry predicted to "reach a record $537 billion in 2007—a solid 5.0 percent increase over 2006 sales" it's obvious that we are dining out more and more these days. People have busy lives, parents are working, kids have their extra after school activities, play dates, homework, school projects, leaving little time to make a home cooked meal. "The industry is heading into 2007 as an economic powerhouse and an essential part of Americans' lifestyle, with Americans spending 47.9 percent of their food budget in restaurants." (source)
As more and more families are dining out at restaurants, I'd like to offer some friendly advice/commentary to make every one's experience a little more pleasurable. In my experience dining out at restaurants I have come across a few different types of children. They are:
- The Roamer - The Roamer ranges in age from "just learned to walk" to about 3 yrs old. Roamer likes to walk up to roughly 8 ft from his table. Just enough to come hang out at my table. I don't mind the Roamer too often as long as they don't want to touch me with their often dirty hands. Most of the time a smile will send them running back to their table to shy away from the looks. But then the game begins where the Roamer will creep back, make eye contact and then run away again.
I'd prefer at least a simple gesture from the guardians of the Roamer to coral the child. Many times I have witnessed the guardians who don't say anything and let the Roamer do his thing. The Roamer can be cute but can also get annoying at times...especially if they have the sniffles like Coughy.
- Coughy - Coughy actually ranges in age from infant to adult. Coughy is an annoying child for me. I don't like sitting near a child that has the sniffles or a bad cough. No matter what the parents say "oh it's just allergies", "oh he's not contagious", not acceptable. Germs = bad. Take your junk to-go please.
- The Pitcher - "Oh he's going to be a baseball player" I hear as chips, fries, dino-nuggets, go hurling across the table bouncing off the floor and end up resting near my foot. No, no he/she is not going to be a baseball player. The worst is the spitball Pitcher. Once food enters the mouth, I would prefer that it stays there. Throwing food at the table is only acceptable when the child is too small to hurl the projectile past your party. Once it enters another patron's circle of trust, action needs to be taken.
- Pig Pen - I like Pig Pen especially since I don't have to clean him/her. That girl chomping away on her corn dog all the while with her hair in her mouth...that just cracks me up. Pig Pen leaves such a mess on the table and floor, I just hope the 'rents tip well for the extra clean up.
- Poltergeist - This scary child lives exclusively in the booth next to you. Her head spins around while the adults are not paying attention and next thing you know, BAM, there's a 3 yr old's face two inches from the back of your head. Scary. I normally handle Poltergeist as I do with the Roamer, a smile and hope for parental guidance on the other side of the wall. The worst is when Poltergeist makes physical contact...or has a bit of Coughy tendencies. Eyes front!
- The Screamer - This innocent child is usually the youngest of the bunch. In its infancy, the screamer is actually rather cute. Newborns that don't have the lung capacity to scream loudly is adorable...but once they get that second wind...its time to take it outside. Wrap that meal to-go and enjoy it at home.
- Stinky - Oh man, nothing worse than that kid that's just a little too old to still be in diapers dropping a deuce in the middle of the restaurant and the parents being oblivious cause they are used to it. This needs to be a hazard zone, bring in the Hazmat team and sanitize the building. Oh it's that bad and you know it.
- Hey Mom - hey mom...hey mom...hey mom...hey mom...mommy...mommy...hey mom...hey mom...hey mom...hey mom...mommy...mommy...mommy...ANSWER HIM!!! I know you can't hear him anymore as your ears have tuned this phrase out but the rest of us heard him the first 13 times.
The point of all this nonsense is that I feel kids these days (yes, I just said "kids these days") have been given, or maybe have slowly taken, some sort of equality as adults. They seem to think that they can say NO to their parents now. That it's ok to express their unhappiness really loud in public places. There seems to be way too much freedom and acceptance or tolerance with kids now. I don't get this.
It's purely my opinion but I think that the above characteristics are annoying for people with and without kids. A couple of these are not really a big of a deal for me (Coughy is just not right) but could be an issue for many. Obviously with the Baltazar's conversation the comments showed that there are some people who have strong opinions about the subject of kids in restaurants.
I'm not saying that your kid is annoying. I like kids. Kids are great. I just think that SOME parents and SOME kids should display a little more common courtesy to those around them. You know who you are and you are NOT hansei. Most parents I've witnessed dining out at restaurants actually do a great job with their children, it's just those few that ruin it for the rest.
Eat or die,
Setting a Counterexample
Additional Articles:
Labels: Dining out with kids, Kids in Restaurants
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LAFAYETTE JOURNAL & COURIER / SEARCH: 306 S 4th Street Ambia, IN 47917
Single Family Detached
- 3 beds
- 1 baths
- $55,000 price
- 201908802 mls id
- Square Feet: 1,024 sqft
- Year Built: 1948
Cute home located in the heart of Ambia IN with updates galore! This home has 3 bedrooms 1 bath and is perfect for a starter home or investment property. Offering all new plumbing new water heater new septic tank new washer/dryer new 200 amp breaker box new roof and new vinyl flooring! Seller installed new cellulose blown in insulation in the attic. Updated bathroom with fresh paint throughout and hardwood floors. Come take a look today!
- Site Link
- Style Other Style
Courtesy of: Coldwell Banker Shook
Office Phone: +17657421400
Listing Agent: Tabitha Casto
Updated: 16th September, 2019 8:29 PM.
306 S 4th Street Ambia, IN
Real Estate | Lafayette Journal and Courier Powered by Placester


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Posh Prepped Meals with a Healthy Twist: K Squared Meals
Huevos rancheros (pictured below) with spicy chili sauce. Tilapia poached in cardamom and ginger broth, mixed fingerling potatoes, and sautéed veggies. Is your mouth watering yet?
But wait — it gets better. Each of these dishes contains only healthy ingredients, are appropriately portioned, and are ready to heat — or eat — in individual containers. Welcome to the bliss that is K Squared Meals.
I first learned about the gourmet prepped meal service from my sweet friend, Joey Detenber, who also happens to be director of the go-to spa for my mani shellacking: Bliss at the W Atlanta Downtown. A few months ago, Joey mentioned that his partner, Kevin Kusinski, was a personal trainer and chef, and had started a business called K Squared Meals. After reaching out to Kevin, he offered to let me try a week's worth of meals — and who am I to turn down free food, right?
What is so unique about Kevin's food is that he cooks with a variety of flavors in mind, ranging from Thai to Mexican. He prepares breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals that are proportioned in individual containers to ensure that you don't overeat.
Ingredients are fresh, which is why you should stick meals that won't be eaten until the end of the week in the freezer. One of my meals had a bit of fur growing on it because of when it was made and when I received it. That's why I recommend you take a peek at things as soon as you get them, and let Kevin know if you need any replacements — which he's happy to provide.
What I loved about these meals is that they're easy. Kevin offers delivery to folks living in the Atlanta area, and everything is ready to go when you need to eat. What was challenging for me is that I like to be able to cook certain things during the week (think smoothies for breakfast and salads with a can of tuna for dinner). I don't necessarily want to have something ready-made for every meal. So if I were to try Kevin's meals again, I'd probably pick and choose what I wanted.
Also, there were some dishes that I enjoyed more than others. For example, I'm not a fan of reheated omelets. But what doesn't work for me might work for others. So was it a "fit" or a "miss?" I'd say it's a partial "fit." I like the convenience and the diversity of dishes — but I still like to cook some of my own meals.
For all of the details about K Squared Meals (and the deets on following a paleo diet) check out my latest article in Atlanta's JEZEBEL Magazine.
Keep up with my FWABulous adventures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


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SAP Event Management (SAP EM) is an
application within the component SAP SCM that belongs to the mySAP Supply Chain
Management solution. SAP EM can be connected to other mySAP Business Suite
components such as SAP R/3, SAP CRM, and SAP BW. It can also be connected to
non SAP systems using BAPI or XML / XI calls. IDocs are also a popular way to
get data to your SAP EM system.
With the SAP Event Management application
your company can monitor and manage events across your distributed processes
involving partners, inventories and assets. It captures events from your system
and your partners systems, analyzes them against it's predefined plan and
alerts or workflows a response to the required people to react of deviations
are found. It comes integrated with SAP NetWeaver BI and SAP Auto-Id
Infrastructure (RFID enabled scenarios).
SAP EM provides monitoring capability (visibility)
to any business process.
Real time notification of events using:
SAP SCM EM provides both operational and
analytical reporting capabilities


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Product Description
The TORNADO 26″ is built with a new lightweight frame that will last to your expectations. You can ride in confidence over the rough ground and carry more speed through the corners with this bike. It would serve as the best one for the rider's looking for more excitement in their riding.


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New Serial Aadhira 06-04-2015 Watch online now Episode 05 of Aadhira 06/04/15 Sun TV Tamil drama watch online Aadhira 06.04.2015 Sun TV Tamil Serial watch online now @ TamilTwistTV.com. Aadhira is a brand new serial on Sun TV watch today's episode of Aathira April 6th 2015.
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New Delhi, Feb 9 : Ten provoking plays, themed on compelling issues of contemporary interest, ranging from corporate insecurities and prevalent socio-cultural divides to Indian mythology and troubles of the fast-paced modern times, have been shortlisted from over 300 entries for the 12th edition of Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards (META).
The shortlisted plays will be staged in the capital between March 4 and 9. The entries were vetted by a discerning selection committee comprising eminent theatre practitioners Arundhati Raja, Deepa Punjani, Deepan Sivaraman, Danish Husain and Debesh Chatterjee, the organisers said.
Jointly promoted by the Mahindra Group as part of its cultural outreach, and Teamwork Arts, META has emerged among the most respected events for theatre enthusiasts and professionals across the country in recent years.
Recognising the sheer diversity of cultural identities and languages represented in Indian theatre, the 10 plays are in Bengali, Malayalam, Rajasthani and Kannada, along with Hindi and English.
"It is great to see the diversity and vibrancy that is reflective of contemporary theatre in India," Festival producer Sanjoy K. Roy said of the shortlisted works.
"From comedy to musicals, religious and socio-cultural issues to contemporary reinterpretations of India's rich mythological texts, these productions bring alive the complexities that are representative of the subcontinent," he added.
The selected works highlight India's vibrant theatre scene and come from places as diverse as Kota, Patna, Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Bengaluru and Kolkata, indicating the passion for and practice of theatre as a significant art form across all regions of the country, the organisers said.
The 10 plays competing for the 14 awards at stake are: "Awdya Shesh Rajani" (Bengali/directed by Bratya Basu), "Bhima" (English-Malayalam/Anitha Santhanam), "Dhumrapaan" (English-Hindi/Akarsh Khurana), "Elephant In The Room" (English/Yuki Ellias, "I Don't Like It As You Like It" (English/Rajat Kapoor) "Kaali Naadakam" (Malayalam/Chandradasan), "Katha Sukavi Suryamall Ki" (Multilingual/Rajendra Panchal; "Lassanwala" (Hindi-Khadi Boli/Hemant Pandey), "Mahabharata" (English-Hindi-Kannada/Anurupa Roy) and "Outcaste" (Hindi/Randhir Kumar).
The awards are for the Best Play, Best Director, Lifetime Achievement award, Best Stage Design, Best Light Design, Best Innovative Sound Design, Best Costume Design, Best Actor in a Lead Role (Male), Best Actor in a Lead Role (Female), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female), Best Original Script, Best Ensemble, Best Choreographer.
"Mahabharata" and "Outcaste" have received the maximum nominations from the selection committee and will compete across seven categories each.
"We herald the 12th META with a sense of gratitude to India's theatre community for making the awards their own. Over 300 entries received consistently over the past few years shows the interest and faith theatre groups have placed on this effort by the Mahindra Group. We are excited to see and celebrate the final nominations in early March," said Jay Shah, Head, Cultural Outreach, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd.
Theatre enthusiasts can view the nominated productions staged live for the jury during the META Festival in Delhi at Kamani Auditorium, Little Theatre Group (LTG) and Sri Ram Centre from March 4 to March 9.
The META Red Carpet Awards Night for is scheduled to be held here on March 10.


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If we're paying attention, white people are mostly quite frank about race. One time in high school, at a cookout, a white girl told me an earnest story about the way her grandmother still refers to black people as "colored." Another time, a group of white kids sat about a foot from me and openly discussed the racial epithets they'd sometimes think (or say) whenever they'd been cut-off by black drivers in traffic. A few years ago, a white woman in a religious studies class raised her hand and reluctantly admitted to associating all Muslim people with terrorism. At my last job, the white manager warned employees to watch Asian women in the store to ensure they didn't shoplift. "I'm sorry if this sounds racist" she'd said "but it's always those tiny Asian ones who steal"
They'd all been, for what's it worth, "well-intentioned" whitefolk. Some of them were friends, others were wide-eyed liberals on the "right side" of The Fight and eager to Learn. All of them had fashioned themselves as just having been honest.
But incidentally, none of this mattered much to me at the time. Their honesty hadn't managed to soften the subsequent blows of their words. I hadn't felt relieved or appreciative of their willingness to be transparent, nor did we join hands in the sudden emergence of post-racial America. Racism did what racism always does: evoked shame, humiliation, and anger; silenced me, objectified me, broke me, victimized me in an act of violence.
Mark Cuban's honesty, we decided, was somehow different. In a interview with Inc. Magazine, Cuban discussed race on the heels of the Donald Sterling controversy, saying:
"In this day and age, this country has really come a long way putting any type of bigotry behind us, regardless of who it's toward," Cuban said Wednesday. "We've come a long way, and with that progress comes a price. We're a lot more vigilant and we're a lot less tolerant of different views, and it's not necessarily easy for everybody to adapt or evolve.
I mean, we're all prejudiced in one way or another. If I see a black kid in a hoodie and it's late at night, I'm walking to the other side of the street. And if on that side of the street, there's a guy that has tattoos all over his face — white guy, bald head, tattoos everywhere — I'm walking back to the other side of the street. And the list goes on of stereotypes that we all live up to and are fearful of. So in my businesses, I try not to be hypocritical. I know that I'm not perfect. I know that I live in a glass house, and it's not appropriate for me to throw stones.
I'll try to give them a chance to improve themselves, because I think that helping people improve their lives, helping people engage with people they may fear or may not understand, and helping people realize that while we all may have our prejudices and bigotries we have to learn that it's an issue that we have to control, that it's part of my responsibility as an entrepreneur to try to solve it, not just to kick the problem down the road," Cuban said. "Because it does my company no good, it does my customers no good, it does society no good if my response to somebody and their racism and bigotry is to say, 'It's not right for you to be here. Go take your attitude somewhere else.'"
Reactions to his comments were peculiar but not surprising. Black and white liberals gushed about his "courage", hailing him as being a "giant step ahead of most of America." They'd said his comments, unlike Sterling, contained introspection that he "shouldn't be punished for." That he deserved "credit" for speaking openly. And anyone who took issue with his statement was hindering the "progress" of an "honest conversation about race."
But let's look at the context of Cuban's interview. He evokes the undeniable image of Trayvon Martin without acknowledgement of system of white supremacy that conditions him to fear "a black kid in a hoodie." Nor is the racial imagery attached to an understanding of the white privilege from which he benefits; never having experienced racial microaggressions himself. No critique of the racist mythology of black deviance that sanctions the criminalization and murder of people of color. No mention, in fact, of whiteness at all.
He contextualized blackness only within the safe backdrop of race-neutral "biases"; throwing in a tattooed white guy for good measure. The implication of racism existed in an ahistorical vacuum, floating somewhere between white guilt and colorblindness; unweighed by anything that would illicit blame or interrogation, a collective racism with no real oppressors and no real victims.
Mark Cuban's statement was confessional, seemingly genuine and introspective. It wasn't dripping with Sterlimg's maliciousness, nor mentioned racial epithets or even thinly-veiled code words. It failed to evoke the familiarity of cliché racism, so we didn't read it as such.
Part of this is due to the lack of cultural understanding of what racism actually is. "Post-racial" liberalism continuously conflates racism (the institutional oppression and racial stratification of people of color via white supremacy) with individual prejudices (preconceived notions of another group/person on a social, micro level.) The former requires the presence of power and privilege (of whiteness) to be realized; the latter amounts to hurt feelings at best.
This lack of understanding gives way to misguided conversations about race that often use "prejudice" and "bias" in lieu of words that acknowledge systematic ties to racism. Mark Cuban said "attitude" when he meant "oppression"; he said "entrepreneur" when he should've said "white people."
It's the same type of willful ignorance around the cultural idea that "everyone is a little racist", which laughably implies that "all of us" somehow perpetuate and experience racism interchangeably. That racism is an inexplicable colorless disease from which we all suffer, rather than what it is; the social ailment of people of color to which whites are indefinitely immune.
In all the praise of Cuban's "honesty", we seem to forget that as obstinate to progress as ignoring racism is, equally counterproductive is white refusal to confront it in any way that requires social, economic, or political sacrifice on their part. What good is an honest conversation if not also an effective one? What's the value of transparency if it's the wrong window entirely?
Colorblind post-racialism is exhaustively preoccupied with the discourse around racism, and completely disinterested with racism itself. It perpetually diminishes racial oppression to interpersonal relationships so the presence of white "niceness" and associations with people of color ("my best friend is black") makes any claims of racism seemingly ridiculous. It couches the "racist" in an inflexible identity instead of behavior; so it becomes about who "is"/is not racist. As if it something you were born, rather than something you can embody at any given time. It laboriously deciphers the delivery and tone and circumstances of racist language and determines it's merit by arbitrary standards. And as the list of arbitrary standards grow, so does the list of dis-qualifiers for racial offense. It sets a ceaseless cultural trap wherein racism exists but virtually no one or nothing can ever be racist.
We don't need a running inventory of every racist internal monologue from white people like Cuban. When we said we wanted to have an honest conversation about race, we meant white relinquishment as facilitators and beneficiaries of the racialized structural power that imprisons people of color on a global level and become responsible for actively destroying it. But I guess we should've been more specific.
And in this supposed quest for more "honest" conversations about race, why is the open disclosure concept of post-racial progress never applicable to people of color? Why aren't we applauded whenever we are forthcoming with the ways racism informs our lived experiences, only to have them invalidated, ignored or silenced? Where is our "credit" for our centuries of honesty we have since paid for with our wallets, our freedoms, our blood?
Because white people are almost never actually concerned about racism, but only controlling the ways that people of color are allowed to combat it. They police the means by which we can discuss it ("stop playing the race card") legitimize it ("I don't see color") hold it accountable ("not ALL white people") and now acknowledge its existence (through uncritical white voices). It's a way of recognizing racism only as an abstract concept while actively disguising its inception and obstructing the trajectory to its demise.
Mark Cuban did not have a conversation about race in any of the radical ways deserving of praise or recognition. He semantically maneuvered around the very system that allows him to profit from the performance of black bodies; even as he irrationally fears them. He screamed "progress" without abdicating the lofty throne of privilege. And there is absolutely nothing honest about that.


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Delivery Information
All items are sent via Royal Mail Signed For (£4.50) estimated 1-3 working days. Items will usually be sent within 1 working day of purchase.*NOTE WE ARE CLOSED ON A MONDAY SO WEEKEND ORDERS AFTER 1PM FRIDAY WILL USUALLY BE SENT THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY* ALL items require a signature upon delivery. If you are unlikely to be in, please ensure you check for the Royal Mail card to inform you of which sorting office your item has been taken to. If you are needing your item quicker then please contact us in the shop directly and we will endeavour to accommodate your needs.
Telephone - 0161 881 7107
Opening Times are as follows
- Tues 10.30am-5.30pm
- Wed 10.30am- 5.30pm
- Thurs 10am- 6pm
- Fri 10am-6pm
- Sat 10am- 6pm
- Sun 12-5 (Subject to seasonal changes)
Any item maybe returned within 14 days of receipt of item as per distance selling regulations as follows:
Changed Your Mind
Contact us first by e mail or phone we will reply to you within 48 hours (not including weekends or bank holidays).
So if you email on Friday night/sat/sun you may not receive a confirmation until Monday afternoon or Tuesday.
If goods are found to be used when inspected they may be returned to you. Charges will apply.
We advise that you send your item back via a signed for service for which you are responsible for the cost. If you choose not to send via a signed for tracked service we cannot be held responsible for lost items.
Any postage costs incurred when ordering ( if
your order was less than £100) will not be refunded if item returned.
Item must be complete, unused, unwashed and in original packing with ALL original tags. Items will NOT be accepted without tags attached.
Personal items such as swimwear, underwear, and earrings removed from inner packaging may not be returned for hygiene reasons.
PLEASE NOTE: Customers that request cancellation
of an order prior to receiving their goods, maybe charged return costs if the
goods have left us. Please
note the cancellation request must be acknowledged by us, and this can take up
to 48 working hours by email. E.g.
If a cancellation request is made on Saturday or Sunday, this may not be
acknowledged until Tuesday/Wednesday afternoon (we are closed on Mondays), and
goods may have left us In this
case, it would be best to phone us, early in the morning 0161 881 7107.
Faulty Goods
Goods found to be faulty will need to be returned to us at the store. Once inspected and IF found to have a fault that is a manufacturing defect then any repair or replacement plus postage costs will be free of charge, or if out of stock a full refund will be issued.
Any item found to have a fault caused by wear and tear under the Faulty Goods Act or misuse ( even unintentional ) will incur a repair and charge for all postage costs.


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New Step of Faith
In June 2017, Tanya and I joined the full time staff at Maranatha Camp & Retreat Center in Maxwell NE. I am the Program Manager and Tanya is the Guest Experience Manager. Our positions are support-based which means we partially rely on monthly support from generous donors in order to receive our full salary.
What Does the Program Manager Do?
- Program oversight of all camps, retreats, reunions, etc. during the year
- Develop vision for reaching more campers and guests for Christ through public relations and programming.
- Promotion and relationship building across a 5 state region and the churches and organizations Maranatha serves.
- Maintain a strong, vital relationship with the local community that Maranatha serves.
- Leadership and implementation of Maranatha year-round sponsored programs.
- Develop public relations with churches, schools, and other organizations, making personal visits and pursuing opportunities to address people.
What Does the Guest Experience Manager Do?
- Take reservations and contract with guests and guest groups.
- Oversee the hospitality of all guests during their stay with Maranatha.
- Oversee the cleanliness and upkeep of all accommodations.
- Manage accommodation staff for all Maranatha buildings and housing.
- Insure excellence in hospitality.
Why Maranatha?
We are excited for the opportunity to serve and minister at a quality organization that has its purpose to reach people for Christ and see them grow in their relationship with Him. Maranatha is a national Christian Camp situated on 306 beautiful acres. Maranatha exists to glorify God by introducing people to Jesus as Savior, training them in Christian living, and send them out to represent Jesus Christ to the world.
Our campus has several recreational areas (including a swimming pool and a 40 acre lake) and over 50 buildings (including a conference center/gymnasium/dining hall/chapel/kitchen, dormitories, motel-style buildings, and small cabins). Each year, Maranatha hosts nearly 12,000 guests of all ages, giving them a place to connect with God and make life-changing decisions.
How Can I Support Barry & Tanya?
We will be serving as Maranatha Missionaries. Maranatha is providing us a home and stipend and we are needing to raise the reminder of our support.
We are asking God for monthly supporters in the amounts of $50, $100, or $200 per month. Smaller monthly amounts will be accepted. One time gifts are appreciated, but regular monthly support is our goal!


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Have you ever felt stuck in a pattern of negative interaction with your spouse? You know those moments, about two years into marriage where it feels like you can somehow go a week with constant miscommunication or maybe work stress starts seeping into your home life and you become short and impatient with one another? It's so unlike you guys. But surprise, surprise, here you are…stuck in the negativity abyss.
I've certainly felt that way in my own marriage. Nothing was clearly wrong, no big disagreement or fallout to blame, just a series of days where the chasm between us seemed to grow and irritability dominated our tone with one another. It's very common in marriage. After all, we are human, and our moods shift sometimes like the wind. But if we don't put a lid on the negative cycle, layers of resentment can begin to pile up and it can be harder to find our way back to happiness.
So what do we do? How can you shift a pattern of irritation in your marriage?
It's simple really. Be nice.
I know that sounds like elementary school advice, but your first grade teacher actually knew what she was talking about. The more you express kindness toward your partner, the more you build up positive regard for one another and the tides of communication begin to change. It's really hard to be annoyed by someone who is telling you how great you are. And when your partner affirms or recognizes something you've done during the day, it's hard to feel unappreciated or invisible. Instead you feel known, connected, and valued.
So I recommend trying a quick trick I use with almost every couple I see in marital therapy. I always begin our sessions together by having each partner tell the other one thing they have appreciated about the other person that week. It can be a big statement (like I'm so grateful for how you stuck up for me when your mom was criticizing the way I parent) or something minuscule (like I appreciate how you loaded the dishwasher this morning). There is always something to be grateful for no matter how bad your marriage feels. Let me repeat. There is always something. I haven't found one couple yet who is at a loss for something to say about their spouse and I often work with couples on the brink of divorce or recovering from affairs. If it's hard to identify something, think harder. We'll wait.
It's your turn to put this into practice. Try committing to telling your spouse one thing you appreciate about them everyday for one week. Better yet, grab my "I'm Grateful for You" free download and follow the template to do this simple activity that will enrich your marriage. Be sure to let me know how it goes in the comments below or shoot me an email.


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Clovis News
Robotics teams anxiously await unveiling of new game, playing field
Winter break may be approaching, but Clovis Unified students involved in robotics are looking weeks ahead to January, when they will get their orders to work on a robot that can do things like stack crates or shoot rubber basketballs.
Last year Buchanan High School students were so successful they became world champions after a grueling competition that took them all the way to St. Louis.
Hundreds of students in Clovis Unified School District take on that challenge every year through a program known as FIRST Robotics.
Thomas Bayhi, outreach coordinator for Central Valley Robotics, a nonprofit in the San Joaquin Valley, said FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.
Students as young as kindergarten and all the way through high school get the opportunity to learn real world job skills, Bayhi said.
"Our particular programs are all centered around taking engineering, math, science and real world job skills like public speaking and time management and communication in groups," Bayhi said, "and kind of packaging it in a way where it's a really fun competition where kids are having the opportunity to really not even notice that they are learning."
Students all over the world participate in similar robotics programs, dedicating hours of time in a six-week period to perfect the robots for competition.
"This program takes a lot of dedication but it's a program where you have to force kids to go home at midnight because they are having so much fun learning to use a lathe or power tools in general," said Danielle Carranco, a Buchanan High senior and CEO of the Buchanan Bird Brains, the school's competitive robotic team. "It definitely takes a lot of dedication but you get so much out of the program it makes it worth it."
Buchanan senior Juan Cortez, driver of the world champion robot, describes the whole experience as the "hardest fun you'll ever have."
"It's a life-changing experience," Cortez said. "After a match you're just like 'Oh my gosh, I feel like I've been holding my breath the whole time.' "
When Sophia Brodish, a Buchanan sophomore and the team's computer-aided design director, realized sports were not a fit for her, she took a leap and joined the robotics team, knowing very little about it.
"When I first joined the team I couldn't name a single thing in the shop," Brodish said. "I started off with computer-aided design and I had no idea what I was doing, but little did I know that a year and half later I would be the director of computer-aided design and be teaching 15 members."
The high school competitive robotics program provides less assistance from adults than other robotics programs offered in the Clovis district. Instead, students are encouraged to work together to design, build and figure out what needs to be done to be successful. Adults from Central Valley Robotics act only as mentors for the students during competitions and are there to answer questions if needed, but do not work on the robots at all, Bayhi said.
Aside from the competition, the FIRST robotics program fosters a unique experience.
"One of the big things about these programs is that they have this thing called 'coopertition'," Bayhi said. "It's kind of a nonsense word, but it just encompasses the fact that everything the kids do when they are competing is also in cooperation with the other teams that are there and they are all trying to do what they can to make sure that everyone who is competing does their best."
If one team sees another struggling to get its robot running before competition, it is expected that help will be offered, Bayhi said.
The robotics program helps prepare students for success in their futures. It teaches the students time management and how to balance schoolwork and robot work.
"I've never seen a program that comes anywhere near this program's ability to prepare people for the future," Bayhi said. "I mean every single one of us that is a part of Central Valley Robotics who did this program knows what we want to do with our career, with college, with this program, because we participated."
Paul Lake, teacher advisor for the Buchanan robotics team, describes his students as much more than simply competitors.
"We are actively involved in community service," Lake said. "For example, my team organized a bunch of other local teams to march in the Veterans Day Parade. We also promote the FIRST program."
The competition season starts every year in January when the students receive a challenge, which tells the students what kind of robot to build and what the robot needs to be able to do. From there the teams have six weeks to design and build the robot from scratch. Once the six weeks is up the robot goes into a big plastic bag and is zip-tied shut until competition.
On Jan. 9, more than 3,000 teams comprised of more than 78,000 students from around the globe will receive instructions for 2016's game and playing field, dubbed FIRST STRONGHOLD.
Lake describes the competition robots as huge, weighing around 120 to 130 pounds, and they collide with other robots during competitions.
So what is preparation like for these teams?
"It's a pretty big process," Bayhi said. "I mean the competitions themselves have a $5,000 registration fee so it's a big undertaking to go to even one competition."
The competitions are usually three-day long events, starting on Thursday and finishing on Saturday.
Once the qualifying matches are finished, the competition continues until one team is crowned the champion.
After the regional competitions, teams have a few different ways of moving on to the world championships. One way is by winning the robot games at the end of the competition and another is by winning one of two prestigious awards, the Engineering Inspiration Award or the Chairman's Award, Bayhi said.
The Buchanan Bird Brains have been recipients of the Chairman's award for the past two years.
"World championships is like the Super Bowl," said Lake, the Bird Brains coach "It's huge."


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Nerima Daikon Brothers - Show Me Your Daikon + Artbox (DVD 2)
Title: Nerima Daikon Brothers - Show Me Your Daikon + Artbox
Volume: DVD 2
Running time: 100
Distributor: ADV Films
Release date: 2007-02-20
Suggested retail price: $39.98
Age rating: 15+
Why can't the best blues band in all the world find cash to build their Concert Dome, get a recording contract, and make their dreams come true? Well, the best blues band in all the world probably can, but what about the Nerima Daikon Brothers?! Nerima's other number-one host boy dukes it out with Ichiro, and plies his trade on unsuspecting housewives while Mako becomes fascinated with a fortune-telling hag and Hideki falls prey to his love for Mako.
Includes an art box sized to hold all three volumes and a booklet of interviews and notes.
Contains episodes 5-8.
DVD Features: AD Vid-notes, Commentary with Nabeshin and Shigeru Matsuzaki (Hideki), Commentary with Nabeshin and Showtaro Morikubo (Ichiro), "Sing Along with the Daikon Brothers" Subtitle Track, "Nerima Daikon Brothers Extended Promo," Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation, Previews.
Spoken Languages: English, Japanese, English subtitles.
(added on 2006-11-30, modified on 2006-11-30)
- Encyclopedia information about Nerima Daikon Brothers (TV)


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These beautiful feather earrings are flowing and long, measuring around 6" from top to tip. Paired with moonstone, they're made for a goddess.
About the artist:
Flight of Fancy is a San Diego, CA based couple, Damien Ducommun and Kate Connor, who hand make jewelry and objects that focus on using sustainable materials in every way possible: gems are hand selected from sustainable mines, metal is discarded scrap, leather is reclaimed, and animal products are collected either completely cruelty-free, or are the byproducts from free-range, complete life cycle food farms. Having traveled around the world sourcing material and inspiration, the duo aims to create from the heart, and share their experiences on a wearable and personal level. By supporting a sustainable lifestyle, they hope to make a difference in some small way, one jewelry box at a time.


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Mărţişor is a traditional celebration of the beginning of Spring, on the1 st of March It is a tradition in Romania and all territories inhabited by Romanias. Similar customs are found in Bulgaria ( Macedonia, Albania, Italy)
The name Mărţişor is the diminutive of the name for March (Martie, in Romanian), and thus literally means "little" or "dear March". It is also the folk name for this month.
Mărţişor, marţ and mărţiguş are all names for the red and white (or black and white, also blue and white) string, from which usually a small decoration is tied, and which is offered by people on the 1st day of March. Giving this Talisman to other people is an old custom, and it is believed that the one who wears the red and white string will be powerful and healthy for the year to come. It is also a symbol of the coming spring. Usually, women wear it pinned to their blouses for the first 12 days of this month, until other certain spring celebrations, or until the bloom of certain fruit-trees. In some regions, a gold or silver coin is hanged from the string, which they wear it around the neck. After wearing it for a certain period of time, they buy red wine and sweet cheese with the coin, according to the belief that their faces would remain beautiful and white as cheese, and rubicund as the red wine, for the entire year.
The Mărţişor is a talisman (amulet) made of knitted threads (wool, cotton, or silk). Nowadays, the most popular version of it is made of red and white threads, but in some regions it is still made of black and white, or even blue and white.(sursa Wikipedia)
Today , the school boys offered girls amulets.
Great joy on both sides. Each girl received many amulets 16 (number of boys in class). They wear martisoarele the entire month of March, then Martisor will be caught by the branches of a fruit tree. It is said that this tree will bring plenty of people in the house.
It is further said that if someone puts a wish while hanging Martisor tree, it will come true at once.
De 1 Martie on PhotoPeach
domenica 14 marzo 2010
23:00 Pubblicato da MariaD
Etichette: celebrations, Romania, Spring
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text: Cape Town - 19 stats and facts ahead of Saturday's England v Springboks clash at Twickenham in London.Team and milestones:• The total Test caps in the starting line-up is 492, of which 190 caps are in the backline and 302 among the forwards. The combined Test caps of those on the bench is 47. The average caps per player for the matchday 23 is 23. • The youngest player in the 23 man squad is Lood de Jager (23y, 10m) while the oldest member of the team is Willem Alberts (32y, 6m).• The tallest player in the squad is Lood de Jager (2.05m), the shortest is Faf de Klerk (1.72m), the heaviest is Steven Kitshoff (125kg) and the lightest is Faf de Klerk (80kg).• The following players will play in their 10th consecutive Tests in the starting XV under Allister Coetzee: Eben Etzebeth, Adriaan Strauss and Tendai Mtawarira.• Of the 23 players, JP Pietersen is the most capped against England with eight Tests, while Patrick Lambie has the most career points with 27 (three conversions, six penalties and a drop goal). • Should South Africa be victorious in this Test, it will be the 13th consecutive Test undefeated against England. As a result of this winning streak of the Springboks, none of the current England squad members have a win against South Africa. • England are currently undefeated after 10 consecutive wins since winning their final Rugby World Cup pool match in October 2015.• Francois Venter will make his Springbok Test debut as Springbok #877. He will be the 84th Springbok from Free State.• Eben Etzebeth will play in his 31st consecutive Test.• Adriaan Strauss will captain the Springboks for the 10th time.• Only seven players have played against England before: They are Willem Alberts (4), Eben Etzebeth (5), Pat Lambie (5), Willie le Roux (1), Tendai Mtawarira (6), JP Pietersen (8) and Adriaan Strauss (6). Head to head:• England and South Africa will play in their 38th Test match since 1906. South Africa won 23, lost 12 while two matches were drawn for a win percentage of 62%.• The last time that England won a Test match against South Africa was 10 years ago. John Smit's Springboks lost narrowly at Twickenham on November 18, 2006 with the score 23-21. Since that day, South Africa and England clashed in 12 Test matches in which the Springboks were unbeaten with 11 wins and one drawn.• South Africa's complete record against England is: P: 37; W: 23; L: 12; D: 2; PF: 780; PA: 592; TF: 72; TA: 42; Percentage won: 62%; Average score: 21-16.Match officials:• The match officials for this match are: Referee - Jérôme Garcès (France); Assistant referees - Glen Jackson (New Zealand) and Andrew Brace (Ireland) with Jon Mason (Wales) as TMO. • It will be Garcès' 10th appearance as referee in Test matches involving South Africa. The Springboks won only three of the previous nine with Garcès in charge. The stadium:• Twickenham is the second largest stadium in the UK, after Wembley, and the fourth largest in Europe. It is the home of the English rugby union team. • The first international at the stadium, England v Wales was played on January 15, 1910. South Africa's first Test match at the stadium was against England on January 4, 1913 which was won by the Springboks 9-3.• South Africa's record at Twickenham is P: 19; W: 11; L: 8; PF: 314; PA: 324; TF: 30; TA: 29; Win %: 58%. Average score: 17-17.


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Top Court ordered Special Investigation Team of Karnataka Police to probe the involvement of former Chief Ministers N Dharam Singh and H D Kumaraswamy in direction of mining case. Court asked SIT to file report in three months.
In the bench of Justices P C Ghose and R F Nariman controlled all other judges including high court from giving any instruction in the mining case.
It is said that past chief ministers plotted with numerous bureaucrats in re processing a huge forest land and allowed unlawful iron ore mining on a big gauge.


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For porn fiends, their name is a gigantic disappointment but for people who actually like poppy, fun music, the Barenaked Ladies definitely deliver. The rockers will perform at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd. in Santa Rosa, tonight at 8. Tickets are still available.
You may have never heard of the band but chances are you have heard at least one of their songs. Massive Attack created the wildly popular song used for the hit television show "House" but there is more to the band than being the opening act for Hugh Laurie. Massive Attack will play the Warfield, 982 Market St. in San Francisco at 8 p.m.


text: Lew McCoy also reported on the 10/20M interaction in a CQ product review article on the LB quad about 10 years ago. Based on my personal experience, separate feedlines with 1/4 wave links between the driven elements and the switch terminals are the best way to go. FWIW, I modeled and constructed a two element, two band quad for 30/40M. The feed impedances were indeed around 100 ohms, but I deliberately was aiming for that impedance in the model so I could use 1/4 wavelength 72 ohm matching sections to match 50 ohm feedline. 73, Joe K2XX Jim Jarvis wrote: >Like Jim, below, I also asked Mike at Lightning Bolt about the >feed system, and got a similar response. > >However, there MUST be an interaction between the 10 and 20m >elements. A 2 wave loop emits in exactly the opposite fashion >as a 1 wavelength loop. The result is that the 20m element fills >in nulls on 10. What tends to limit that effect is that the 20m element >is seriously mismatched, so very little actual current flows in it. >Mike denied that this was even a factor. Cebik says it is. > >I was seriously considering separate feeds for my 2 el lightning bolt, >fed with 1/4w lines to a central switch. (don't forget to use ferrites >to decouple the feedlines from switch common). Upon further consideration, >I donated the antenna to the red cross and bought an lpda. > >Incidentally, I also had the 4 el. add-on kit. It's a monster antenna, >which I am quite sure plays extremely well. Remember how big it is, >when planning the tower site. Trees can be a problem. > >n2ea > > >Message: 2 >Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2006 06:43:26 -0500 >From: Jim Rhodes <k0xu at iowadsl.net> >Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Lightning Bolt Quad >To: "denis coolican" <coolican at telus.net>, <towertalk at contesting.com> >Message-ID: <184.108.40.206.0.20060420063739.01f7aef0 at iowadsl.net> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed > >I asked the Lightning Bolt guy about that once and he got very >defensive about his feed system. Said the tuning would be all off and >he wouldn't be responsible. Others have said the opposite, that >quarter wave lengths to a switch were needed. I am sure there are >many opinions on this. > >At 12:02 AM 4/20/2006, denis coolican wrote: > > >>This four element Lightning Bolt Quad covers 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 >>meters. It is fed by a common balum. (one input PL259 and 5 output >>pairs of conductors) >> >>Does anyone know what type of balum this is and what would be the >>replacement for it? >> >>I imagine the driven elements for each band has an impedance of >>about 80 to 100 ohms. The feed into the balum is 50 ohms. >> >>If a person provides a 2:1 balum for each feed, would the unused >>balums be terminated in 50 ohms or left open? >> >>Any more thoughts on this antenna? >> >>Denis Ve6aq >> >> > > > >_______________________________________________ > > > >_______________________________________________ >TowerTalk mailing list >TowerTalk at contesting.com >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk > > > >


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A Whole New Spring Break Experience – Lake Havasu Houseboats
Take your Spring Break party to the next level by staying on a 67-foot houseboat with up to 12 friends instead of a hotel room! We've partnered with Lake Havasu Houseboats, the only houseboat rental agency in Lake Havasu City, to offer an incredible experience during The West Coast's Largest Spring Break Event!
You can now rent a houseboat for your group and dock at our new Deluxe Headquarters Hotel, The Nautical Beachfront Resort, so you're in the middle of the SWAT Spring Break party 24/7!
All Spring Break 2015 houseboat rental packages include sleeping accommodations for up to 12 people (depending on the size of the vessel that's rented,) 12 SWAT Spring Break 2015 Party Package wristbands, 10 cases of Rockstar Energy Drink, and a sleeve of 25 Rockstar Energy Drink trucker hats.
Houseboat rental packages start at $4,895 for a four day rental and are based on the size of the vessel that's rented. Please note that an additional $2,000 refundable damage deposit and fuel are not included in the rental prices listed.
Click here to view the special deals available exclusively to SWAT travelers and to learn more about renting a houseboat for your Spring Break 2015 Lake Havasu vacation.


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Born in Chickasha, OK, I was born again in 1956. I was baptized by Victory Missionary Baptist Church in Norman, OK in early 1959. On July 21, 1959 I was called to the preach God's Word. To prepare myself to fulfill that calling, I enrolled in the Oklahoma Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary in Marlow, OK where I spent 6 years in study, earning my Bachelor, Master, and Doctor's Degrees in Theology. I also served as a student teacher for 3 years before becoming a full-time faculty member for one year. While attending seminary, I pastored churches in Reed, Ringling, and Dryden, OK. In 1966 I moved to California where I pastored in Concord, CA for 2 and ½ years and in San Jose for 15 and ½ years. I also served on the Faculty of Landmark Baptist College in Sacramento, CA, California Missionary Baptist Institute and Seminary, Bellflower, CA, and Landmark Baptist College, Hayward, CA. I returned to Oklahoma in 1984 and served as Associate Pastor at Eastern Ave. Baptist Church in Moore, OK for 5 years and Headmaster of Eastern Ave. Christian Academy for another 4 years. In November 1989 I came to Bethel Baptist Church in Choctaw, OK where I have been pastor for more than 25 years. While in seminary I met my wife to be, Patricia Gregston, to whom I have been married for 56 years.


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Scottsdale to spend $380,000 on WestWorld sculpture
The cost for WestWorld upgrades is now about $9 million beyond what the city originally budgeted.
Scottsdale will use hotel guest-tax savings to fast-track completion of a $380,000 sculpture at WestWorld, an expenditure that comes as the overall cost of an improvement project at the venue may exceed the original estimate.
The stainless-steel horse sculpture, proposed by Scottsdale artist Jeff Zischke, is part of a $51.3 million expansion and related improvements at the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center at WestWorld.
That cost is now about $9 million beyond what the city originally budgeted. Because of the escalating project costs, the city opted to use hotel-tax funds — reserved for tourism-related projects — to get the artwork installed. The piece originally was part of the overall project budget.
Despite approval of the art expenditure, several council members complained about the way costs have escalated.
"I believe this piece of art is a signature piece, and it will provide significance as an entry point," Vice Mayor Virginia Korte said.
"My concern is that this total budget has ballooned over 10, 12 percent," Korte said. "Not to have $380,000 to spend on this piece of artwork just lacks accountability."
MORE: Costs rise for Scottsdale's WestWorld expansion
The 300,000-square-foot, climate-controlled Tony Nelssen center recently celebrated a grand opening. It is now open year-round, with most of the work completed.
The original cost of the project, including related improvements, has grown by nearly 20 percent since 2012, Republic calculations show.
In 2012, the Scottsdale City Council agreed to fund the expansion project, at a budget of $42.8 million. A key element was creating an enclosed and cooled arena that could host horse shows and other events during the hot summer months, along with facility expansion.
Per a city ordinance, the city earmarked $428,000 of the budget toward a future public-art piece at the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center, which is home to the Barrett-Jackson Car Collector Event and Arabian Horse Show.
Then in December 2012, the council agreed to spend an additional $4.2 million on the project, bringing the total cost to $47 million.
The additional money mostly paid to expand the center's North Hall to accommodate the Barrett-Jackson car auction, which takes place at WestWorld each January, said Dan Worth, Scottsdale's public works executive director.
"When we made it bigger, we increased the height of the ceiling inside," Worth said. The project "necessitated a lot more structural steel to add the height, to hold up the additional weight, so they had to recalculate that since it wasn't in the original cost proposal."
Later, Scottsdale spent $4.3 million more to reconfigure parking lots, build a show office and construct other improvements next to the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center.
The total cost of the project and improvements is now $51.3 million.
"We spent a lot of that $4.3 million to remove paving and level out" a hill next to the center, which was repaved and now serves as a multipurpose area, Worth said.
To pay off the debt, Scottsdale is using non-voter-approved bonds backed by revenue from WestWorld operations and the city's hotel-bed tax. Barrett-Jackson, the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona and the Arizona Quarter Horse Association also have agreed to contribute a combined $7.2 million over 20 years.
At a recent council meeting, City Manager Fritz Behring said the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center "became a far more expensive project than anyone expected it to be."
Scottsdale is waiting to see if the project could go over the revised project budget.
The city has turned down requests valued at $550,000 from contractors and a consultant, who could dispute that in an attempt to collect the money, Worth said.
"We've given the contractors the opportunity to come up with documentation to justify the requests we've initially turned down," Worth said.
As it stands now, the city does not anticipate paying any of the $550,000, Worth said. If it does, however, the project would go over budget.
"The path we're on right now, we have been waiting until we have a conclusion of that settlement effort before we commit to spending the $380,000" on the sculpture, Worth said.
The majority of City Council members did not want to wait that long. The council agreed to tap a new funding source — bed-tax savings — to accelerate the construction of the horse sculpture in time for the city's 2014-15 event season. The city's hotel-bed tax is dedicated to tourism endeavors.
Having the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center in "the best of form is really frankly advantageous to us," Mayor Jim Lane said.
The City Council agreed to a capital contingency-budget transfer to accelerate the fabrication and installation of the sculpture.
Still, at least three council members expressed concerns about the growing cost of the WestWorld project, as well as the city's inability to pay for the sculpture from the original budget.
Councilwoman Linda Milhaven, who voted in favor of the budget transfer, still voiced concerns about the budget and the $4.3 million pavement project.
"I'm a big supporter of public art and this is a spectacular piece of art," Milhaven said.
But Scottsdale has "so many capital challenges," she said.
"To think we're paying to pave a parking lot when we have, in my opinion, so many more urgent needs is really disturbing," she said.
Milhaven said the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center "has just been so poorly managed to have so many overruns and so many add-ons, and the fact a piece in the budget wasn't even delivered on is very disappointing."
WestWorld General Manager Brian Dygert talks about the WestWorld event center in Scottsdale.
Former Scottsdale City Treasurer David Smith, who retired last year, argued against the use of bed-tax savings to pay for public art.
The Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center "is the most overspent, overrun, miscalculated project that probably any council in the history of Scottsdale has ever dealt with," Smith told council members on April 8.
Smith, who has announced his candidacy for City Council, said the project "started out at forty-some million dollars; went up by 10 percent when we realized we needed a second floor on the North Hall; went up by another 10 percent when we realized we needed to pave so people could park."
The city's tourism dollars from the bed tax "are not intended to fund public art," he added.
"This is a dangerous precedent," Smith said.
But City Treasurer Jeff Nichols, who replaced Smith, said the use of tourism funds for the sculpture is legal.
The sculpture "adds a lot of value " to the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center, he said.
"I also know there has been discussions with the person we contract with to try and fill that venue during the shoulders seasons," Nichols said. "They believe it would really help them in marketing that event center, if you will, by having this art project out front."
In December, Scottsdale hired SouthBridge developer Fred Unger's corporation to market the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center. Unger is president and a director of National Western Capital Corporation in downtown Scottsdale.
The idea is to draw more events year-round so the city-owned center becomes financially self-sufficient.
"It's important to get this thing marketed, since that was the whole idea to spend this money to generate more business," Scottsdale Councilman Bob Littlefield said.
Worth said the company is in favor of building the sculpture in time for the busy fall and winter season. It could help draw more events, he said.
"It's the visual focal point. It's the picture-taking opportunity we expect people are going to want to use when they are there," Worth said. "It's what we want to have in our marketing materials when we go around the country to try and sell this facility to event promoters."
Ace Bailey, president of Ultimate Art & Cultural Tours, said she believes Scottsdale has one of the finest public-art programs in the country. The artists and art pieces are carefully vetted to be appropriate for the site and lend beauty and interest, she said.
"Impulsion" has these components, said Bailey, who has worked in the arts and tourism fields for 16 years.
When people arrive at the new North Hall and see the equestrian sculpture at the main entry, "guests will certainly feel a sense of place and beauty," she said.
"We are taught to not touch art when in museums and galleries; however, public art gives us the freedom to touch art and relate to it up-close," Bailey said. "I like to think of public art as user-friendly art and I believe that 'Impulsion' will be such a piece."