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Cover Reveal for MACHINE HEAD by TA Brock
Today's Brew: Hot water, lemon, and honey. Rumor has it it's supposed to wake you up better than coffee. We'll see. It's yummy, though.
by Kristen
TA Brock is bringing us something brand new that I'm really excited about. If you don't know her zombie series, first of all, go pick up Fatal and Brutal.
I'll wait. *sips lemon water*
Okay, now that we've fixed that, let's talk about MACHINE HEAD. TA Brock is bringing back one of my favorite things ever in this YA dystopian.
Choose your own adventure! Yes. It's happening. Check THIS OUT.
Where young rule and elders are hunted to extinction… and you decide who's guilty.
An Interactive Novel
Available April 10, 2015
Available April 10, 2015
Adults have poisoned the world with their selfishness, jealousy, and deceit. Now it's up to the young to heal it. First order: eliminate every elder. Second: discover the secret to never growing up. Third: procreate.
Ten Sixty-Four is on trial for treason. The crimes he committed are unforgivable: hiding elders who should be long dead, consorting with illegal untrained young, and purposely botching kill missions. He's come a long way from the cold, unfeeling, Sleepwalker he began as. He's still four years from the death age, which means the Hex can't afford to kill him. If found guilty, he'll be given to the Machine for reprogramming. But none of that matters because he's done what no other Sleepwalker has dared to. He's found love. And he knows something they don't. Falling in love is the secret to achieving the third order.
Brille has a secret of her own: the elders aren't extinct. They're not even endangered. But what the rest of the world doesn't know can't hurt them. At least, not anymore than they're already hurting themselves. There is no more laughter. No more crying. No feelings of any kind. Only in the secret hiding places where the untrained dwell with elders, can emotion be found. Then it's anger, rage, and hostility. When she finds herself a target of the Sleepwalkers, she realizes she's not the only one with secrets. Ten Sixty-Four feels. He might even be capable of love. The idea leaves Brille with an emotion she never thought she'd have: hope.
The Hex has convened. A trial will commence. You, a member of the jury, must decide Ten Sixty-Four's fate, and with it, the future of humanity.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter
T.A. Brock spends her days gleefully plucking words from the chaos of life and dressing them up so they look pretty. Then she calls them stories and tries to convince people to read them. Paranormal, horror, and contemporary romance rocks her socks, but anything YA makes her feel young again, so she sticks with that mostly. She resides in the great land of mountains and green things (Arkansas) with her husband, two children, and her beloved Keurig machine, which she has built a countertop shrine to.
For more information, visit http://www.tabrockbooks.com
For updates on new releases and other fun little bits, sign up for T.A. Brock's Newsletter HERE.


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Star Traders - All New Theme
Star Traders 5.0.23 introduces an all new theme for the user interface -- from buttons to the sliding bars for selling and exchanging goods, to drop downs for selecting captains. The new sleek look matches the HUD and also puts more visual emphasis on highlighted buttons for training or contract completion.
Packaged with a set of bug fixes and new ships, the 5.0.23 is a exciting new update to the long standing space RPG favorite.
Amazon "Star Traders RPG" Free
Google Play "Star Traders RPG Elite" ($2.99USD)
Amazon "Star Traders RPG Elite" ($2.99USD)
Please support Star Traders RPG By Leaving a Review
v5.0.23 - 4/21/2013
- New Button Artwork and Game Theme
- Fixed Jyeetax and Bolllish Aliens
- Fixed Travel to Top Edge of Map
- Fixed Travel to Left Edge of Map
- Fixed Space Hive Awards
- New type of 'Templar Space Hive'
- New Ship: Callus Freighter
- New Ship: Callus Hauler
Read more:http://startradersrpg.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=updates&action=display&thread=4083#ixzz2R8NRAqak

subset: commoncrawl


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Facet Browse
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Title | Creator | Date Made Visible | None
Actor Karl Malden and Roy Menninger, M.D.
Actor Karl Malden was a member of the Board of Directors of the Menninger Foundation. He is shown here with Roy Menninger, M.D., in 1993 at a gathering in Los Angeles, California.preview
Marilyn Maye onstage at a Topeka Jazz Workshop concert
This photograph shows Marilyn Maye, a jazz vocalist who was born in Wichita in 1928, onstage at a Topeka Jazz Workshop concert. She began singing on the WIBW radio station in Topeka when she was 9 years old, and performed for 11 years at the Colony in Kansas City, Missouri. She had appeared frequently on television--notably 76 times on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. In 1966, she received a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, and in 2008, she received the Kansas Arts Commission's Distinguished Arts Award. The Kansas Native Sons and Daughters named her Kansan of the Year in 2012.preview


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In the east of Amsterdam Dentist Amsterdam opens a clinic together with the successful Dental365 Emergency Clinic. In this clinic you are able to get emergency help 24/7. The clinic… read more →
It's time for our fourth English speaking practice in Amsterdam, already! After the very succesful summer in all three of our practices, we have decided to employ some more English… read more →


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See Dr. Tokowitz on WGN TV's Living Healthy
Is your smile suffering from imperfections like chipped, cracked, worn, or stained teeth? Dr. Eliot Tokowitz may recommend cosmetic dentistry in Chicago, Illinois. Cosmetic dentistry can help you reach the radiant, bright smile you have always dreamed of. To learn more and to schedule your next visit with our dentist, please contact Sheffield Square Dental Care at 773-409-4097 today.
Cosmetic Dentistry
See Dr. Tokowitz on WGN TV's Living Healthy


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I love books. Especially cook books (and cooking magazines, and cooking websites… ). I can read a cookbook at any time of the day. Cooking from them though, well, that's another story.
I have a lot of cookbooks. I read through them all the time, I use post it notes to mark recipes I want to cook and I make list after list of what I'd like to try. But, when it comes time to cook dinner it never fails I open the fridge scan around, grab a few random things, close my eyes and start cooking. When it works it seems impressive "you can make anything at the drop of a hat", when it doesn't… well let's leave those comments out of this.
So in that respect I'm a horrible cook. I go about it in a completely haphazard manner and I'm not really that great at following a recipe. Actually, I'm terrible at following recipes. Aside from the fact this propensity to ignore directions adds an unpredictable element to mealtime, it also means that my meal planning can get stuck in a rut. When the time for dinner looms I often find myself making variations on the same theme. For the sake of my friends and family, I've decided the time has come to change this.
Years ago when I was first living on my own and learning how to cook for myself I set myself a challenge. Every week I took one recipe straight from a cookbook or magazine and prepared it with absolutely no deletions, additions or substitutions. Today many of those recipes have become part of my everyday repetoire (in spirit if not in content). The important message here is that by learning how to cook the real recipe (made by a professional chef who had tested it many, many times) it allowed me to learn and then vary it and create something new that was all my own.
So for the sake of all those who share my table I have decided to set myself that challenge again. Starting next week I will choose a cookbook and make two recipes exactly as written. But, I'm older now so I'm going to up the ante. First, I'm also going to hand my husband a cookbook at random and let him pick something. and secondly, at least one of the recipes we choose has to be vegetarian.
I challenge you to try it with me. Take some time on the weekend and find two brand new recipes, shop for them and make them next week. Don't have a cookbook to peruse? No excuse. If you are reading this you have the internet, therefore you have epicurious . You could also go to my Link Love page and explore some great food blogs, look in the food section of your local newspaper this weekend or even peruse some of my other recipes.
Let me know what you choose and stay tuned to see what I make!


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Lets Learn something new together!
For Learners
For Professionals
Speech Synthesis
Instruction Manual
Free Textures
2016/06/10 - V1.01b released! Fix to Installer - Download now!
Click Here!
Fixing Benkyou Studio for use on linux in Mono!
While I am currently still primarily a windows user, it is my intention to migrate to Linux
I use Linux for my web-browsing, but at the moment most of my development skills are windows based
So, I was looking to see to what extent my study tool Benkyou Studio could be used within Linux
This was especially important, as I had to buy a Win10 tablet soley to use the study tool - so
it was currently restricting my platform choices - and at this stage a total rewrite to Andoid
or Java is out the question.
So, the options for Linux
The program loaded in Wine, but there were a lot of layout issues, more worryingly there was
Mojibake - scrambled symbols as if Linux was converting the japanese symbols wrongly, as
I was leaving this 100% to the .Net framework - so I ruled Wine out of the game for now.
Mono was a different kettle of fish.
Building had a slight issue, as Linux couldn't support the speech synthesis I use, no problem
I'll just disable it for now with Compiler statements
#if !LINUX
using SpeechLib;
I declare LINUX during compile, and with a few of these compiler conditionals in the right places
the program compiles with Xbuild just fine - a good start!
Now, thats as far as things went well, as Out of memory errors started firing up before anything
happened... I opened the project up in the excellent MonoDevelop - which seemed to open everything
fine (and equally incredibly - did not alter any of the files in a way Visual studio did not like
- so I can open the same files on both)
Anyway, it turns out there is something weird about the System.Drawing.Image.FromFile() command
, it appears it leaves its files open! I read this online and assumed it was a mistake, but I since
- due to a mistake of reinstalling over the open program - it seems to be true, files that were opened
by the program are still in use after they have no place being!?!
return System.Drawing.Image.FromFile(filename);
Stream sr =new FileStream(filename,FileMode.Open);
System.Drawing.Image im= System.Drawing.Image.FromStream(sr);
return im;
Fixed the problem, both for linux crashing and windows keeping its files open! great stuff!
So whats next.. well, the big killer is windows paths - all my paths are relative,
eg res\img\img1.png , so I didn't have to worry about c:\ or anything, but linux doesnt like
\ symbols in the path, it needs / - whereas weirdly .net on windows is happy with either.
Also Windows is not case sensitive, but linux is - a big problem! even bigger since my program
is designed to use user developed scripts - even if I keep my case constant, other users may not
so what to do?
Well, the solution I found was to write a "pathfixer"... what does it do? well
it makes all / and \ symbols the correct one for the current machine, also it goes through the path
bit by bit, and looks at all subfolders for one that matches - irrespectively of case - then returns
the "Case corrected" version of the path back
In short, I can give my "PathFix" function a windows path with \ symbols and the wrong case in the path and filenames
and it will give me the linus / symbols, and the correct case - assuming the file really exists! - putting this in all the places in my code that looks for a file fixed all the path case problems in one go!!!
Here is the code!
public static string slash = Path.DirectorySeparatorChar.ToString();
public static bool exists(string lin) {
return System.IO.File.Exists(PathFix(lin));
public static bool IsLinux // found this online, it detects if current os is linux
int p = (int)Environment.OSVersion.Platform;
return (p == 4) || (p == 6) || (p == 128);
public static string PathFix(string lin) {
// right now this is a fix only for linux
// It switches slash symbols, and corrects case of folders and files
if (!IsLinux) return lin;
if (slash == "/")
lin= lin.Replace("\\", slash);
else {
lin = lin.Replace("/", slash);
string buildup = "";
int ii = ss.CountItems(lin, slash);
for (int i = 0; i <= ii; i++)
if (i < ii) {
buildup = PathFixDir(buildup, ss.GetItem(lin, slash, i));
} else {
buildup = PathFixFile(buildup, ss.GetItem(lin, slash, i));
return buildup;
public static string PathFixDir(string path, string lookfor)
if (lookfor.Length == 0) return slash;
string path2 = "";
if (path.Length > 0)
if (VbX.Right(path, 1) != slash) path += slash;
path2 = path;
else {
path2 = "." + slash;
foreach (string dir in Directory.GetDirectories(path2)){
if (dir.ToLower() == path+lookfor.ToLower()) return dir;
if (path.Length > 0) lookfor = path + slash + lookfor;
return lookfor;
public static string PathFixFile(string path, string lookfor)
string path2 = "";
if (path.Length > 0)
if (VbX.Right(path, 1) != slash) path += slash;
path2 = path;
path2 = "." + slash;
foreach (string dir in Directory.GetFiles(path2))
if (dir.ToLower() == path + lookfor.ToLower()) return dir;
} catch (Exception ex){
return path + lookfor;
So almost all done as everything now works, however my icons looked kinda weird still, now, my code automatically recolours
the icons with the theme color and after a bit of messing, it seems I have to "Premultiply"
the alpha, adding just one line of code fixed the problem!
if (lnx.IsLinux) {R = R * A / 255;G = G * A / 255;B = B * A / 255;}
the R G and B colours could now be used to set the pixel value, and everything worked as on windows.
With all these tricks combined, the same code works on Windows and Linux (except text to speech)
Most impressive of all the whole "Conversion" job only took about three hours!
Excellent stuff!
Here's a picture of the software working on PcLinuxOs!
Quick Links:
Benkyou Studio Free, Open Source software designed and developed by Keith Sear.


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Winter is a great time to turn your attention to indoor house maintenance. Make note of wear and tear, paint that's chipped, discolored caulking, and wood cabinets that could use an oil treatment. By its very nature, maintenance is eco-friendly because you're preventing untimely replacements and extensive repairs that waste resources.
Check These Monthly
Refrigerator: Vacuum the vents; clean coils are more energy efficient. Check the drain pan for excess water.
Furnace and fans: Check and clean or replace the furnace filter; a dirty filter impedes the flow and quality of air. Exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath tend to collect dirt. (Hint: Be sure to turn off the power before cleaning.)
Drains: Why resort to toxic drain chemicals? You need only pour one cup of baking soda in and around each sink drain, then follow with 1/2 cup of white vinegar. A half hour later, chase the mixture with a cup or two of boiling water.
Sinks and tubs: Check kitchen and bath grout and caulking. Discoloration could be hiding damage. When the waterproof seal is broken, structural damage and harmful molds can find a home in the wall.
Check These Seasonally
Plumbing: Water creates costly damage. While you're inspecting plumbing fixtures, also check appliances that have water connections (dishwashers, ice-making refrigerators)..
Clothes dryer: Collected lint in the hose and exhaust area obstructs hot-air flow. Besides creating a fire hazard, lint blocks the hot-air exit, which slows the drying process and wastes energy.
Doors, drawers, hinges: A few drops of oil can improve the longevity of hinges and drawer guides. Avoid products such as WD-40, which is high in toxic chemicals. Vegetable oil works, but it can become rancid. Try mineral oil instead; although it's a petroleum byproduct, it's nontoxic.
Walls, baseboards, corners: Regularly touch-up trim paints to keep your home looking clean and bright, using up older paint you have on hand. For new projects, low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint emits far fewer air-polluting chemicals.


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I love my new internship! This week I had the pleasure to meet with Kate from King of Pops who told me all about their refreshing and delicious handcrafted popsicles. With a broad selection of flavors and new exciting combinations inspired by the season, King of Pops have something for everyone. You can find their signature carts at different locations and events all over Charleston, but more exciting you can now also book them for your big day! What better way to cool down your guests on a hot summer wedding than with these ice-cold pop!
Prices start at $2/pop so it's an affordable and fun way to put that extra spark into your event. They can also customize the sticks to reveal a personalized message that surprises your guests as they munch away on their pops. (Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds had these at their Boone Hall Wedding- see clip below via Martha Stewart Weddings).
Check out their website to found out more about their different packages, and their long list of inventive, mouth-watering flavors! www.kingofpops.net


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Join other ABCNJ Women In Ministry this Saturday as they gather for prayer, friendship, and learning. The cost is free, so don't pass up this opportunity to grow in Christ!
[raw] [column size="1/2"] [label style="info" icon="info-circle"]Location[/label] Fountain Baptist Church 116 Glenside Ave Summit, NJ [/column] [column size="1/2" last] [label style="info" icon="clock-o"]Time[/label] 9 AM – 12 Noon [/column] [/raw]
[button color="info" link="http://wimdecprayer.eventbrite.com" size="default" iconbefore="book" target="self" block="false"]Register Today[/button]
For more information, please download the flyer by clicking or tapping the image below.


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1 Star – Disappointing
There are few aspects of human life that provide more opportunity but has caused more difficulty than race relations. The opportunity comes from the possibility of uniting around our common humanity. The difficulty is that we often do not. Instead we amplify the skin-deep differences of color and create isolated cultures with resulting injustices and difficulties. We had hoped that Justin Simien's Dear White People may be of assistance in understanding and healing these racial divides. We were disappointed.
Although the film is filled with clichés and stereotypes as ingredients of the plot, the film does not in fact rise above being a cliché in virtually every area. These are found in presenting characters of wealth, power, or privilege as well as those representing the opposites of poverty, powerless and underprivileged. Homosexuality, ambition and even academia are also presented in shallow stereotypes.
Written and directed by Justin Simien in his first full-length film, the ensemble cast revolves primarily around Samantha White (Tessa Thompson). A brilliant and articulate media major at the prestigious ivy-league Winchester University, she and her fellow minority students experience both prejudice and racism. Releasing her frustrations through film and radio, Sam creates a radio show titled "Dear White People." Using social media and the struggles of race relations, Sam begins to create waves within her school.
Also playing major roles in the tale are: Lionel Higgins (Tyler James Williams) an aspiring reporter; Colandrea "Coco" Collins (Teyonah Parris) a beautiful black woman looking for fame; Kurt Fletcher (Kyle Gallner) whose playful humor and kind heart blend in unexpected ways; Troy Fairbanks (Brandon P. Bell) whose father, Dean Fairbanks (Dennis Haysbert) has great ambitions for his son, and Reggie (Marque Richardson) a Malcolm-X disciple, to name only a few.
Navigating our future as a nation of many races, America could provide a model for future peace among all nations and races. But we need more from our artists than this film provided.
Discussion for those who have seen the film:
- The post-modern nature of this film in which every person is flawed and there is no model on which these young people could base their lives, do you see this as just a reflection of real life or a jaded view? Why do you answer as you do?
- The love that is expressed at the end of the film was counter-cultural. Do you believe this is a statement of hope or irony by the director/writer?
- Do you believe this film is an accurate reflection of race-relations? Why do you answer as you do?


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New Arrivals
Sales Hours
- Monday 9:00AM - 8:00PM
- Tuesday 9:00AM - 8:00PM
- Wednesday 9:00AM - 8:00PM
- Thursday 9:00AM - 8:00PM
- Friday 9:00AM - 6:00PM
- Saturday 9:00AM - 6:00PM
- Sunday 11:00AM - 5:00PM
Route 44 Hyundai
1094 New State Hwy
Raynham, MA 02767
- Sales: 508-928-8713
Welcome to Route 44 Hyundai
Tempted to Test Drive a New Hyundai? Let Route 44 Hyundai Put You Behind the Wheel in Raynham, Today
If there's one thing at Route 44 Hyundai we love more than the lineup of new and used vehicles in our Raynham showroom, it's the excitement we get out of helping Taunton, Brockton and Attleboro drivers find their match. We take the time to explore the features that are important to you and our knowledgeable staff is here to answer all of your questions. But what would buying a new car be without a test drive first? Visit Route 44 Hyundai where we'll get you out on the road to find a Hyundai vehicle perfectly suited to your needs.
You have preferences. You also want to find the vehicle that grabs your attention. Thankfully, at Route 44 Hyundai we have many Hyundai options to choose from. That's because our online inventory is always changing in order to reflect the latest arrivals in our showroom, including the likes of the Hyundai Accent, Elantra, Tuscon, Sonata and Santa Fe. When looking for that ride that screams 'you' it should be stress-free. That's why we always encourage drivers to relax, and try all the options until you've found the right fit.
If a new car isn't tickling your fancy, a vehicle from our broad selection of used Hyundai inventory is sure to do the trick. There are many advantages to opting for a pre-owned auto, including a cost savings. Moreover, each car we offer at our dealership in Raynham exceeds our strict standards for quality, reliability, and performance.
Ready to Drive Your Next Hyundai Home?
Route 44 Hyundai is ready to discuss car loan and lease solutions
If you can already picture the Hyundai Accent, Elantra, Tuscon, Sonata or Santa Fe you've had your eye on in your driveway, remember you can always ask Route 44 Hyundai for help. Our financing team is prepared to explain your car loan and lease options in detail after you've gone for a test drive. That way, you can know exactly what it will cost to get back behind the wheel and cruise the streets of Taunton, Brockton and Attleboro in style.
If you bought a vehicle from us a day ago, a month, a year, or longer, you're still a member of the family. Whether it's a quick tune-up, a recall, or the need for a more immediate fix, Route 44 Hyundai's service center is open during normal business hours for your convenience. Once you've scheduled an appointment online, over the phone, or in person, our automotive enthusiasts will take on nearly any job, big or small.
Looking to find out more? We invite you to stop in and see us at Route 44 Hyundai of Raynham, where we can keep the conversation going. We can be reached in a variety of ways; either over the phone, through our website, or of course, in person. Our team loves getting to know drivers in greater Taunton, Brockton and Attleboro and we strive to give you the most enjoyable experience possible. Feel free to swing by during regular business hours to 1094 New State Hwy, Raynham, MA 02767 or call us at (508) 824-7600 and we can get the ball rolling and discuss all your car options.


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My DLD - Sign in
Forgot Password
Choose / Confirm new Password
My DLD - Create Account
My DLD - Sign in
To link your Twitter account with your DLD profile, we need you to enter your DLD Email and Password. You only do this once.
My DLD - Sign in
To link your Facebook account with your DLD profile, we need you to enter your DLD Email and Password. You only do this once.
Borys Musielak
Borys is a founder & CEO at Filmaster.TV, a company providing cloud-based personalization technologies for the entertainment industry, including TV, VOD and cinema chains. In 2011 Borys co-founded ReaktorWarsaw, a place for startups to work, collaborate and network. Reaktor quickly became a major Polish startup hub, integrating the Warsaw tech scene. In 2007 he founded OSnews, now the leader of citizen IT journalism. Prior to founding his own companies, Borys worked as a consultant, programmer and team leader for both for startups and large corporations in Poland (empolis, eo Networks), Germany (CoCoNet) and United Kingdom (Rule Financial, Deutsche Bank). He graduated with distinction at Polish-Japanese Institute of Information Technology holding M.Sc. degree in software engineering. Listed as one of 50 most creative Polish entrepreneurs by BRIEF in 2012. HackFWD geek. Film buff. Blogs at borys.musielak.eu, tweets as @michuk.


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I hope you have some time to read, because you're not going to want to put this one down.
About the book: To most, Princess Katya Nar Umbriel is a rogue and a layabout; she parties, she hunts and she breaks women's hearts. But when the festival lights go down and the palace slumbers, Katya chases traitors to the crown and protects the kingdom's greatest secret: the royal Umbriels are part Fiend. When Katya thwarts an attempt to expose the king's monstrous side, she uncovers a plot to let the Fiends out to play.
Starbride has no interest in being a courtier. Ignoring her mother's order to snare an influential spouse, she comes to court only to study law. But a flirtatious rake of a princess proves hard to resist, and Starbride is pulled into a world of secrets that leaves little room for honesty or love, a world neither woman may survive.
I can only say that this book was incredible. The characters were complex and well-written. The dialogue was fantastic and often humorous. Each character brought something new to the book and was very distinct. Not a single one felt forced or unreal to me. By the end of the book I was so caught up in their world that I found myself wish I lived in it.
It's not just the main characters, Katya and Starbride, that are well-written, though. Each secondary character became larger than life and had a huge stake in the book as well. I could easily see each one having his or her own book because I wanted to know that much more about them.
Wright creates an interesting world where magic is harnessed through pyramids, and Fiends lie sleeping just below the kingdom, controlled only by the humans in charge. In this world, love knows no bounds, be it gender or ethnicity. Starbride is from Allusia, another country, and it is visible in her looks. While some of the other courtiers scorn her, she does find some friends. And, of course, the Princess.
I loved Brother Brutal. I want to know more about his chapterhouse and how he seeks enlightenment through fighting. And Pennynail is such an intriguing character! Communicating only through gestures, he does not talk, and it seems the only person who knows his true identity is Crowe. It makes me wonder just who or what Pennynail is. I also have to admit a fondness for Lord Hugo and Countess Nadia.
If you enjoy fantasy with romantic elements, this is one book you will not want to miss out on. Finding the identity of the true enemy will leave you guessing until the last page. Wright weaves together a wonderful tale full of peril, intrigue, romance, and magic.
This book will be released on September 18, 2012. You can preorder the book from Bold Strokes Books or Amazon.


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Jerusalem, June 15 —High-level meetings between Israeli and Palestinian leaders are being planned to jump-start the moribund peace process.
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz isexpected to meet sometime next week in Jordan with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas. Meanwhile, arrangements are underway for a meeting between the PA leader and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, although no dates have been announced.
"Put aside the dispatches, put aside the letters, enough chatter and preconditions – come and talk peace! Come now," Mofaz urged Thursday. "The Palestinians must know that our hand is extended to peace with those who are willing and able to decide. We will not have a better opportunity than this one."
Palestinian Authority negotiators said earlier this week that they were interested in meeting with Netanyahu's coalition partners, prompting the invitation by Mofaz.
Mofaz is also planning to travel to Washington early in the week to speak at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy Tuesday.
But before Abbas will agree to a meeting with Netanyahu, Israel will have to meet certain preconditions, said PLO Secretary- General Yasser Abed Rabbo, who has yet to specify the caveats. Netanyahu has said time and again that he is ready to meet with the Palestinians any time, any place, without prerequisites.
Said Rabbo, "Contacts are continuing to ease tensions between the two sides and prepare for the resumption of the peace process."
Middle East envoy, David Hale is headed to the region soon to assist in restarting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Talks have been stalled for almost two years, when the Palestinians last walked out of negotiations between the two sides.


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CLHS Athletic Secretary
Concordia Lutheran High School seeks a qualified individual to serve as the Athletic Secretary. This full-time position will be responsible for assisting the Athletic Director with contracts, maintaining the athletic budget, preparing contest programs, and tracking records and scheduling, among other responsibilities. An associate degree or two years of related experience are required. A college degree is preferred. Visit www.clhscadets.com/employment for the full position description and responsibilities and to fill out the application.


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Very Pinteresting…
Photo Credit: jeffbullas.com
Every wonder why users are getting tired of reading Facebook and Twitter status' and resort to pinning their lives away? So did MKTG INC's Susan Liao, who really pin-points the amazing appeal of the ever-growing social media giant named Pinterest in MediaPost Communications. We highly recommend checking it out–after all, she is the VP of Digital Solutions.


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Toulouse siege gunman 'planned another attack'
Issued on: Modified:
Alleged Toulouse gunman Mohamed Merah told police Wednesday that he had planned "more killings" after claiming responsibility for the deaths of three paratroopers and four Jews at a school, before police surrounded his home overnight.
Scroll down for Wednesday's coverage on developments throughout the day.
REUTERS - A besieged gunman suspected of shooting dead seven people in the name of al Qaeda boasted to police on Wednesday he had brought France to its knees and said his only regret was not having been able to carry out his plans for more killings.
In an unfolding drama that has riveted France, about 300 police, some in body armour, cordoned off a five-storey building in a suburb of Toulouse where the 24-year-old Muslim shooter, identified as Mohamed Merah, is holed up.
Authorities said the gunman, a French citizen of Algerian origin, had been to Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he claimed to have received training from al Qaeda.
Merah told police negotiators he had killed three French soldiers last week and four people at a Jewish school in Toulouse on Monday to avenge the deaths of Palestinian children and because of the French army's involvement in Afghanistan.
"He has no regrets, except not having more time to kill more people and he boasts that he has brought France to its knees," Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins, part of the anti-terrorist unit leading the investigation, told a news conference.
The gunman, who filmed his killings with a small camera, had already identified another soldier and two police officers he wished to kill, Molins said. The gunman had repeated promises to surrender this evening to members of the elite RAID unit surrounding the house, which had been evacuated of its other residents.
"He has explained that he is not suicidal, that he does not have the soul of a martyr and that he prefers to kill but to stay alive himself," Molins said.
President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is running for re-election in five weeks time, paid tribute at a ceremony in an army barracks in Montauban, near Toulouse, to the three soldiers of North African origin killed last week. A fourth soldier of Caribbean origin is in a coma.
"Our soldiers have not died in the way for which they had prepared themselves. This was not a death on the battlefield but a terrorist execution," Sarkozy said, standing before three coffins draped in the French flag after paying his respects to bereaved relatives.
"We must remain united. We should in no way yield to discrimination or vengeance," he said in his eulogy. "France can only be great in unity. We owe it to the memory of these men, we owe it to the three murdered children, to all the victims."
Sarkozy's appeal for national unity came after far-right leader Marine Le Pen, a rival presidential candidate, said France should wage war on Islamic fundamentalism.
Interior Minister Claude Gueant said Merah was a member of an ideological Islamic group in France but this organisation was not involved in plotting any violence.
He said Merah had thrown a Colt 45 pistol of the kind used in all the shootings out of a window of the block of flats, where he has been living, in exchange for a mobile phone, but was still armed.
Two police officers were injured in a firefight with the gunman after police swooped at 3 a.m. local time (0200 GMT).
Police sources said they had conducted a controlled explosion of the suspect's car at around 9:00 a.m. (0800 GMT) after discovering it was loaded with weapons. Officials said police had also arrested Merah's girlfriend and his brother, who is also known to authorities as a radical Islamist.
Gueant said Merah had contacted the first soldier he attacked on the pretext of wanting to buy his motorcycle.
Investigators identified the IP address he used - that of his mother - because he was already under surveillance for radical Islamist beliefs.
"We knew, and that is why he was under surveillance, that he had travelled to Afghanistan and Pakistan," the minister said.
Merah's telephone was tapped from Monday and with the help of other information the police decided to raid his house. Merah has a criminal record in France, Gueant said, but nothing indicating such an attack was possible.
A police source told Reuters that investigators had also received a tipoff from a scooter repair shop in Toulouse where the gunman asked to change the colour of the Yamaha scooter used to flee the shootings and to remove a GPS tracker device.
A group of young men from Merah's neighbourhood described him as a polite man of slight build who liked football and motorbikes and did not seem particularly religious.
"He isn't the big bearded guy that you can imagine, you know the cliche," said Kamal, who declined to give his family name. "When you know a person well you just can't believe they could have done something like this."
Sarkozy had been informed of the standoff early in the morning, officials said. The president's handling of the crisis could be a decisive factor in determining how the French people vote in the two-round presidential elections in April and May.


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Quino of Big Mountain
Joaquin McWhinney, aka "Quino", has one of the most recognized voices in Reggae music. As the lead singer for Big Mountain, a San Diego reggae/pop band, he has toured hundreds of cities in more than 30 countries and sold more than two million albums and six million singles. Big Mountain formed in 1991 and earned national notice in 1994 with their release of the Reggae version of Peter Frampton's song "Baby I Love Your Way." The song reached the U.S. Top 40, and over the course of the past two decades has continued to be the most-played non-current hit song on radio worldwide. Big Mountain and Quino (who is of Mexican/Irish decent) attract a multi-national following with songs in both Spanish and English. Quino resides in Ensenada, Mexico and is currently on tour with Big Mountain.
Live Screen Printing @ BAJA BEER CRAFT!
Mexico Collective (MexCo.) are bringing their live screen printing setup to BAJA BEER CRAFT. They will print our event logo and other commemorative screens on t-shirts and book bags, right in front of your eyes!
MexCo. is a home-grown, grass-roots operation that develops and manufactures Mexican-inspired novelty products that celebrate Mexican cultural crossroads with the rest of the world.
Mexico Collective is the personal project of Robby Vient, co-founder of the brand NaCo, and his wife Samantha. Together they are combining their diverse professional and cultural backgrounds and their mutual experiences to share everything they love about Mexico with a fresh approach.


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We trade in all types of postcards, please call in to show us what you have or check out our latest stocks. We are happy to trade in new or used cards complete with postage stamps and franking from the era they were used.
We can also provide a range of albums to store your postcards.
Collectables for children
Postcards can make a great collectable for children, they are cheap to buy and you can specialize in different subjects:
- Local area
- Shipping
- Vehicles
- Seaside
- Cartoons
- Any subject you fancy!


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The Worst Way to Judge Others
Chester High Is In the Spotlight For Winning Eight State Championships
Where you reside, should never have an impact on your accomplishments. Sure, it helps when we reside in the lap of luxury within a secured location, where our desires beyond the necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter are fulfilled. Our private and #public schools are ranked among the highest in the nation. We lack for nothing. The world can be ours if we decide that is our desire. But what about our neighbor, only a few minutes away?
The city of Chester is located in Pennsylvania and is preeminently known for its violence, often leaving the shed blood of its young people in the streets. The educational structure of the school district is in "complete disarray," although it struggles to survive battles of drugs and crime that the city is constantly confronted with. An article within The Republic expressed concern about the possible closing of Chester's school system earlier this year by stating, "Chester Upland is among the poorest school districts in Pennsylvania and get about 70 percent of its budget from the state. It threatened to shut down in January because it had run out of funds, and district officials filed a federal lawsuit to force the state to spend more money." With these sources of low self-esteemed news related articles along with #educational deprivation, Chester Upland's students, found the incentive, within themselves to rise and be acknowledged as successful people who can win.
Chester High's Clippers continued its victorious pattern as a winner of the #PIAA, Quad A, State Championship. This team resonated with excitement, as it accomplished for the first time in Pennsylvania's state's history, eight championships. The Clippers were impelled with a determination to work diligently to obtain this goal. Chester clearly exhibited this stamina against Lower Merion, where they ran their opponents up and down the floor until they prevailed. What a magnificent group effort, by the team, coaching staff, vibrant cheerleaders, parents and the Chester community.
The Halftime Statistics Gave Chester's Fans Hope
The game was intense from the beginning as Chester High initiated its run, against Lower Merion, right up to halftime. Their score of 22 to their opponent's 16, gave Chester a lead of 6 points. Number 23, Rondae Jefferson, led his team by scoring 5 points at this time in the game. Would Lower Merion's D.J. Johnson, number 35 and his team members be able to redeem themselves in the third quarter?
Third Quarter Anticipation Was Rampant Throughout the Stadium
The unease of fans existed on both ends of Penn State University's stadium. Would the Clippers, suddenly become fatigued and stop their running game, giving Lower Merion the opportunity to revitalize themselves? With 3:42 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Chester Clippers were still in the lead with more than 9 points. There was a glimpse of hope for Lower Merion when there was 2:17 seconds remaining, and the score was 25, Lower Merion and 32 for Chester, with only a seven-point lead. At this point, Rondae Jefferson had a total of seven points. It was obvious, the Clippers came to win.
Developments of the Fourth Quarter as Chester High Wins
With less than six minutes in the fourth quarter, Richard Granberry, number 32, missed a foul shot. Chester's fans were still inundated with the hope of a victory. Lower Merion, had the reputation and history to capture the support of the media. After all, this was the high school that Colby Bryant, of the Los Angeles Lakers, attended years ago. Lower Merion is still recognized for their famous alumni. Yet, they were on the ropes. In the fourth quarter with 3 minutes remaining, the score was 45 to 33, with Chester winning. A fan within the audience gladly held a sign up that said, "All we do is win championships." It was a defensive struggle all the way because Lower Merion played well defensively. Suddenly, Chester Clippers were 26 seconds away from making history, by becoming the first team to win eight championships within their division. The final score was 51 points by Chester and 33 points for Lower Merion. The crowd was completely in an uproar as Chester High School Clippers became the winningest program in the history of Pennsylvania. They had once again beaten all odds against them and descended for the ashes of environmental failure. Never allowing the city they came from to hinder their success. Congratulations to Chester High School's, PIAA, Quad A, State Champions.
Within the Same Week, Chester Upland's School District Had Another Victory
It was a little discouraging to hear First Lady, Michelle Obama, admit that the City of Chester did not have a grocery market within its city limits. During a recent television interview, she expressed concern about how parents from Chester would have to catch various forms of public transportation just to purchase fresh vegetable for their families. The daunting thought of that sad predicament could appear hopeless. However, hope resonated in Chester again, when students from the school district were invited to the White House. Stacy A. Anderson, of theAssociated Press, wrote in an article entitled, Chester Students Join First Lady #Michelle Obama to Plant White House Garden. Within this article, she mentioned how, "the first lady was helped by schools from New York, Pennsylvania and North Carolina in planting potatoes, spinach, broccoli, carrots, radishes and onions at her fourth annual spring planting." Mrs. Obama continued to express how "the kitchen garden is part of her Let's Move! Initiative to spark discussion about healthy eating habits for children." The voices of Chester's youth echoed with sounds of joy and pure elation because they were invited to be a part of this historical event where it was acknowledged that, Mrs. Obama's, "vegetable garden is the first at the executive mansion since Eleanor Roosevelt's Victory Garden." The fact that students were invited to be a part of this event, once again proves that your location or city you reside in should never have a negative effect on the success you can obtain. We can evolve from the worst locations and aspire to greatness.
Never would we want to just give ourselves the credit for these achievements. We should try to think about the one who gave us the breath of life to accomplish these things. The scripture at 1 Corinthians 1:27-30, beautifully summarizes how we should feel when we are successful beyond our expectations, "but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put the wise men to shame; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put the strong things to shame; and God chose the ignoble things of the world and the things looked down upon, the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are, in order that no flesh might boast in the sight of God. But it is due to him that you are in union with Christ Jesus, who has become to us wisdom from God, also righteousness and sanctification and release by ransom;" The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures What encouraging thoughts each of us can meditate on daily.
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Behind The Blog: Bryanda of Quirky, Brown Love
After stumbling upon the work of Bryanda of Quirky, Brown Love, you'll be inspired to embrace your differences and stay authentic to who you really are. Just starting her blog a little over a year ago, the site has grown tenfold, reinforcing the fact that the Black community isn't just the stereotypes that you see in the media, but diverse in all of it's beauty and uniqueness. We had the opportunity to chat with Bryanda to talk about everything from how to grow a successful blog to what it means to have a long term relationship in this day and age.
So for those of our readers, who might not know, tell us a bit about Quirky, Brown Love and what you aim to accomplish with the platform.
Quirky, Brown Love is blog that I started in October 2014. The purpose of the blog is to act as an online medium for Black and brown people who have decided to allow themselves to be themselves. Through my quirky life realizations, love stories and features, I hope to encourage the Black community and let them know that they can be whoever they want to be and that they can speak their mind.
The title is so intriguing, even though you touch on a diverse range of topics other than love. Where did you get the inspiration for the name of the blog?
It's funny, when I started Quirky, Brown Love I had the intentions about solely writing about black love. I got really pissed off after watching a marathon of Nicholas Sparks movies and realizing that there were no brown people in any of his movies. Like really, how can you create a world without Black people, Latin Americans or Asian Americans, etc.? I also hated the fact that all of the movies about Black people were riddled with baby mama drama, violence and stereotypes.
Why can't there be a movie where a Black girl who loves alternative music and anime, meets a Black guy at a comi-con convention or music show and fall in quirky, youthful love together? Or where is my powerful yet awkward Black girl boss (think Jess Day from New Girl or The Mindy Project)? The fact that this doesn't exist is the reason that I first started Quirky, Brown Love. From this intial concept, QBL has grown into a platform for all people who are misrepresented in the media.
Growing and managing a successful blog is a pretty tedious task, especially if you have other life commitments. You do an amazing job at handling it all, what does a normal day look like for you?
I'm glad that it seems like I have my stuff together because I really don't! This is honestly the busiest time of my life, as I am balancing two part time jobs, a blog and applying to medical school. Therefore, whenever I have off days, I dedicate several hours to my blog. Most of my time on my blog goes into writing and scheduling posts, scheduling social media through HootSuite and networking on Twitter. I also have a blogging tribe that meets almost every week online, so that definitely helps me dedicate a block of time to blogging.
So, you minored in Spanish while you were in undergrad. Have you ever been to Spain or would you like to visit one day??
I definitely wish that I would have studied abroad when I was in college. Luckily, I'm taking a gap year now and plan to go to Costa Rica in a few months. Barcelona, Spain is definitely on my wishlist, though I'll probably have to brush up on Catalan before I plan a trip. I also applied to a medical school in Puerto Rico, so we'll see if the Lord takes me there :)
On the topic of travel, if you had the opportunity to go anywhere tomorrow (with no limitations), where would it be?
Anywhere in South Africa. I have always wanted to visit Johannesburg so it would be a dream come true. Also, another really random place that I want to travel is Iceland. I really want to visit the Blue Lagoon.
The Internet is filled with amazing bloggers and resources. What are some blogs that you admire? Where do you go to find community?
Oh, there are so many! I actually read a lot of blogs, so I ended up making a post listing 200+ of my favorite bloggers. If I have to pick a few, I love whoisamberjanae.com, the kelfix.com,thebudgetdivaa.com, michelenej.com and myrookienotes.com. I also network with a lot of bloggers in Black Bloggers United.
Of course, we should chat a bit about relationships. You've been in yours for over three years! What do you think is necessary for people to learn in regards to having a serious relationship in this day and age, when "Netflix + chill" seems like the norm?
It's funny, my boyfriend, Matt and I always say how lucky we are to have each other in a day in age that everyone is always on their phone. Neither Matt or I have an Instagram and if I didn't have a blog, I probably wouldn't be on social media at all. I met Matt at Subway Restaurant near our university as he was making my sub. We started talking while he made my sandwich and after a few times of stopping by Subway, he gave me his number and we've been together ever since. One thing that I will say is that Matt and I never really had a "honeymoon" phase. We had both been screwed over in our previous long term relationships, so neither of us were in the mood for dealing with someone who wanted to play mind games. If you are hoping for a serious relationship, you need to go into the dating scene with honest and realistic intentions. If the person that you are with is not being upfront with you, don't waste your time. Also, realize that there is no perfect relationship. There have been times in my relationship that I've had to swallow my pride and I know that Matt has had to do the same. Lastly, remember that your body is a temple. Our generation seems to have forgotten this.
Quirky, Brown Love has had amazing growth in the past year. What advice would you give to other bloggers who are looking to grow an engaging network and reach different communities?
The best advice that I can give is to not try to grow your blog alone. If I didn't have my blogging tribe and if I didn't join blogging networks, I would not have nearly as much success as I do now. To build my blogging tribe, I literally just cold emailed bloggers that I liked and that had a similar blog size to me and are about my age. I definitely stepped out of my introverted comfort zone to build my tribe, but it has literally been the best thing for my blog and for my personal life. These ladies have my back even when I don't get support from family or friends.
Quirky, Black Love does an amazing job at representing a demographic of people of color that are normally looked over (or completely disregarded) by mainstream media. How do you hope that your platform can inspire others to be themselves, no matter how quirky or different that might be?
Growing up, I always felt like I didn't really fit into the box that people fit me in. As a light skinned, Black girl, my identity was always challenged. I was never Black enough for my Black classmates and even though I participated in activities that were seen as typical of White culture, I didn't relate to White people and want to be seen as myself, a Black woman. When I was in elementary and middle school, I went through an immature phase of what I thought was "being Black" such as listening to rap music, not raising my hand in class and getting in trouble. I even got suspended from class because I thought it was the cool thing to do. You would never believe that if you met me in person now!
Later, I realized that I was just stereotyping Black people based on what I saw in the media. I was putting on a front when I went to school and then coming home and listening to the music that I actually liked and study for hours because I actually liked school. I'm sure that there are other people out there who can relate to the struggle that I was feeling, but there wasn't really a prominent outlet for people like us. I hope that Quirky, Brown Love grows to be this outlet. I want to tell the Black community that they can be themselves, whether that means listening to alternative music or listening to trap music while watching anime. Not everyone is the same kind of weird and not everyone's life fits perfectly to the Instagram standard. I hope that my transparency and honesty on QBL encourages others to be themselves as well.
What can we expect next from you? What do you have planned for 2016?
I've actually scheduled a few posts for the next month, so I can tell you for sure that there are a lot more features of amazing artists, bloggers and musicians. Also, I will be giving more insight into my life with my boyfriend, Matt and any other random observations that I can somehow shape into a blog post. I'll also be attending the Blogging While Brown Conference this year because I won the award for "Best Original Graphic Design In a Blog", so hopefully I'll make some great connections there!
This interview was conducted by Sienna Brown. Sienna Brown is the founder of Las Morenas de España. From New York to Murcia, Spain, she is constantly on a journey to inspire and be inspired while engaging in different methods of creation. Her passion for learning about others leads her towards constant exploration and practicing the art of listening as much as she can. See more of her work here and follow her adventures on instagram.


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Hello! My name is Daniel Piker and I am a photographer from Seattle, Washington. As an avid car enthusiast, mechanic, and Stage Rally Co-Driver, I am a lover of all things automotive.
I first picked up a DSLR during the Winter of 2015 and growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I have developed a strong passion for the beauty that surrounds us. I started off with shooting landscapes and portraits, but it wasn't long before I dipped my toes into the automotive world, and it just went up from there!


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|"There was no better regiment in the
Confederate Army than the Fifteenth Alabama, and when properly
commanded, if it failed to carry any point against which it was thrown
no other single regiment need try it."
-- Col. William Calvin Oates
"The 15th Alabama went further (at Gettysburg)
than any other troop ... Co. E went as far as any part of the Regiment
and stayed as long. The men fired their guns until the barrel became so
hot they could not hold and load them."
The purpose of this site is to memorialize the officers and men of Co E, 15th Alabama Infantry Regiment, CSA.
The 15th Alabama was organized at Fort Mitchell in August of 1861, with eleven companies recruited from Barbour, Dale, Henry, Macon, Pike, and Russell Counties. Co E was raised in Dale County, and was known as the Beauregards.
An attempt has been made to include as much information about these soldiers as possible. If you have information to submit, please click on the Submit Data button to the left.
-- Georgia Fleming, Coffee County, Alabama
Copyright © 2006 Georgia V. Fleming All rights
Photographs are copyright to the submitter unless otherwise indicated.
Revised: March 17, 2008
This website is sponsored by
122 S. Main St. - Enterprise AL 36330 - 334-347-0017


text: Contact Us If you are interested in staying at the Hospital Hospitality House, please speak with a social worker or chaplain at Borgess Medical Center or Bronson Methodist Hospital. They can make all necessary arrangements for you. Otherwise, please feel free to complete the following form and someone will respond shortly to your needs. Be assured, your email address and other contact information will not be shared with anyone. Your Name (required) Your Email (required) Your Phone Subject Your Message To use CAPTCHA, you need Really Simple CAPTCHA plugin installed.


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We build our applications based on The Reactive Manifesto's fundamentals. At Evojam, they're embodied using Scala, Angular, Chef, Rabbit MQ and other technologies.
Thanks to this techstack, we develop even the largest applications which easily handle significant load, users or volumes of data.
We focus our culture, process and tools around quality. We use the best-of-breed developer tools to achieve the finest end products.
Our developer tools range from automatic code style checks to automated build, distribution and testing processes.
We design application architectures with careful attention to code structure. Simple, single-response services, consistent APIs and concern separation ensure long-term productivity.
These practices guarantee our apps will be highly reconfigurable, expandable and future-proof.
Massive app availability is achieved by controlling the competencies throughout the entire application stack.
Constant monitoring, careful configuration of the network and deliberate isolation of environments in our private cloud delivers stability and security.
We're always a click away. Working software, code, work-in-progress and the plans are always available to the customer.


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This shoot made me feel an overwhelming sense of Girl Power.
First off is Nicole, you might recognise her from the blog I posted on Monday about her lovely jewellery. These images were made to promote her Davis Designs line of upscale or costume jewellery. She is such a creative and talented person and cares about the environment enough to up-cycle old plastic into awesome art you can wear!
Lee is Nicole's best friend and made a new and improved way to make water taste better and be better for you and the environment! Little tea bag-like filters which do something similar to what Britta Filers do but you can use them in your existing bottle and save the plastic! It blew my mind to know someone so young has made such an awesome thing.
Raina is a Mermaid. She uses her teaching background and amazing breath holding skills to teach children the importance of looking after our environment at birthday parties and fundraisers. She is a very inspirational woman to have overcome everything that life throws at her and we all loved to be able to say 'There's a mermaid in the basement'!
And last but not least, Bryana Doyscher is an amazing make-up artist and even from just from something simply described by us went over and above our expectations.


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dvgrn wrote:Hmm. Adding a block here extracts a glider, and protects the catalyst from immediate destruction, and gets a Herschel out to the north. But it's probably still a bit too messy to be a very likely candidate for a complete cleanup:
Hmm. Maybe run the south area's late evolution through catgl just in case; that's where the troublesome debris shows up.


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Most religions embrace and promote certain notions about the meaning of life, offering the faithful reasons why we and all other organisms exist. Indeed, perhaps the fundamental definition of religious faith is the belief that life serves a (divine) purpose. Science, however, has always given a resounding "no" to the question "Does life have a higher meaning?"
At least until now.
In a series of lectures and in a forthcoming book, science writers Eric Schneider and Dorion Sagan argue that even from a scientific perspective, life does serve a purpose, and thus does have a meaning that transcends the self. They arrived at this conclusion when trying to reconcile a contradiction that has long puzzled those who study both biology and physics.
Living organisms obviously embody arrangements of matter into complex structures. They transform chemicals and, in an orderly fashion, transport and store them in purposeful ways. Above the level of individual organisms, they form societies and ecosystems. All of us are familiar with these fundamental biological notions, and we are all part of these processes. Order seems to be the name of the biological game, and evolution leads to more complex organisms and more organized structures.
This is, of course, at odds with one of the fundamental principles of physics: the second law of thermodynamics, which holds that entropy -- the degradation of all matter and energy in the universe to an ultimate state of inert uniformity -- increases as a result of each and every process. The more the world develops the more disorder there will be. Physics even accepts the idea that entropy defines the direction of time. In the end everything will be broken down and randomly distributed.
How do Schneider and Sagan reconcile the contradiction between what appears true of life -- that it organizes matter into increasingly complex creatures and structures -- and the notion that disorder should increase and order should be lost? Equally important, how can science see any meaning of life in the reconciliation of that apparent contradiction?
The bottom line is that the second law of thermodynamics rules and that the existence of life helps increase entropy. In other words, life promotes disorder. Some might think that this could be true only if the logical end of evolution and intelligent life were to be a nuclear explosion that pulverized Earth. But that is not what Schneider and Sagan mean. Instead, they make a distinction between matter and energy and say that matter organized in structures disseminates energy gradients faster than randomly distributed matter.
As one example, they consider a phenomenon of which beer drinkers have long been aware. If you want to empty a bottle of water (or beer) and turn it upside down, the water will come out in uneven glugs. If you spin the bottle and create an eddy inside it, the water will flow out much faster and more smoothly. The eddy in the bottle is a structure in the water. Water running down is matter losing its potential energy. The structure speeds up the dissemination of the energy gradient.
Similarly, on a hot day, the air in a forest is cooler than over adjacent bare lands, thanks to evaporation and transpiration in the trees. The energy gradient, in this case that of heat, is disseminated more effectively by the structure of the forest and the life within it.


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Belmont City Council works to improve Twin Pines Parks
Leela Stuepfert, Staff Writer
April 9, 2019
After many years, the Belmont City Council has finally acquired future plans to upgrade Twin Pines Park. "Twin Pines is one of the jewels of Belmont, but it can use some updates and polishing," said Charles Stone, a Belmont council member. "The Twin Pines Master Plan outlines an ambitious vision that...
Varsity football keeps playoff dream alive
Zain Patel, Staff Writer
October 16, 2018
The Scots inch closer to the playoffs and league division championships with their decisive win over Jefferson, 42-22. This solidifies their first place position in the league, with a record of three wins and zero losses. Jefferson drops in the league standings with an overall record of 4-3. While the...
Students only dream of getting enough sleep
Taya Yakovenko, Staff Writer
February 15, 2018
All students have been there— the fight with morning sleepiness, which they will inevitably lose. Every night, a person needs to spend at least 8 hours laying in a bed unconsciously. It may seem like a waste of time at first, but sleep turns out to be one of the most important functions that th...
Carlmont student presents original play: 'The Diner on Washington Street'
Hannah Young, Staff Writer
April 12, 2016
Second semester of senior year is often spent relaxing and anticipating college acceptance letters. For Denis Yudin, however, second semester has been spent directing his original play, "The Diner on Washington Street." The inspiration for "The Diner on Washington Street" came to Yudin at...
Aspiring actress pursues her dream
Claire Porter, Staff Writer
May 2, 2014
As many students gear up for summer jobs and vacation, junior Jasmin Riedel is preparing for her on-screen debut. "I first wanted to become an actress when I was in first grade, so that year I was in the play "Annie," and I was the youngest member of the cast," said Riedel. "I loved playing...
Striving for her dream
Jocelyn Moran, Social Media Team
April 6, 2014
The passion for music is the motivation for junior Christina Galisatus to work hard in maintaining a high GPA and to participate in extracurriculars outside of school. Galisatus started playing the piano at the age of five and the French horn at the age of 10. "I like playing the French horn and the pi...
Chasing a dream
Athena Duran, Staff Writer
March 4, 2014
"I go to Los Angeles every other weekend for acting classes," said sophomore Ashley Kawasaki. Starting this past February, she began taking classes at The Playground, a young actors conservatory center in the heart of Los Angeles. Gary Spatz is the director of the conservatory. Stars such as Dylan...
Three common dream themes
Ivy Nguyen, Staff Writer
February 5, 2014


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Danni wrote The Butterfly Effect book to inspire parents to create their own new realities for their daughters. Talking to multitudes of girls every year in Australia and New Zealand, Danni's message is authentic and passionate, and her book both celebrates and challenges the joy and beauty of teen girls in an age of raunch and consumer culture. The Butterfly Effect offers practical, intuitive and powerful strategies, and uses humour to disarm and open up new ways of looking at self-esteem, resilience, body image, friendship, consumerism, navigating the online world, overcoming girls' fear of failure and finding positive role models.
Dannielle Miller is an experienced teacher and educator committed to empowering young people to reach their full potential. Her work has been featured in education journals and has made her a popular speaker at various national conferences and forums. Dannielle founded Enlighten Education in 2003. Enlighten is now a national network of passionate, talented women who believe that if we enter our young girls' world and engage them, they have the capacity to be a voice of difference and facilitate meaningful conversations around gender and identity. Dannielle delights in working with thousands of teenage girls across Australia, and with the media as a guest expert on teen issues.
The connection Danni forges with teenage girls and her ability to get them to open up to her and think about themselves and the world around them gives her a unique and invaluable insight into what makes teenage girls tick, and how we can help them navigate everything life throws their way. Dannielle writes primarily for the mothers of teenage girls, encouraging them to realise that they are more like their daughters than they think, and that mothers can help their daughters by helping themselves, too. And what's more, she does this in a blame-free way — the last thing mums need is to be saddled with more guilt!
*Learn about The Butterfly Effect in-school program for girls
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International orders welcome – Please email us for all international order enquiries (outside of Australia, New Zealand & Singapore) to ensure accurate shipping quotes.
Please allow 7 working days once your order has been sent for delivery within Australia.


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Archive: January 2016
Health Care Pricing Reflects Quality – and a Host of Other Factors
A report released by the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) last week has once again brought the complex issue of price variation to the forefront of health policy conversations. While the HPC and others are quick to highlight providers that charge higher prices than their competitors, their conclusions leave out a num...
Putting Massachusetts Health Care Costs in Context
In Massachusetts, we're known for offering a standard of medical care that is among the best in the nation and even the world – patients come from all over for treatment at our hospitals. We're also known for having some of the nation's highest medical costs. However, while health care spending in Massachusetts is high in absolu...
Why It's Time to Reduce Health Care Costs in Massachusetts
Reducing the cost of health care is a top priority for Partners HealthCare. For the past 40 years, per capita health expenditures in the U.S. have risen at a rate higher than inflation, with challenging consequences. For U.S. employers operating in a global marketplace, rising health care costs can be crippling to the bottom lin...
Transparency on Our Finances
Occasionally, as part of the ongoing health care cost dialogue, the issue of hospital assets is raised and the question is asked – why do hospitals need "reserves"? Most hospitals and health systems across the state have some level of investment assets and there are good reasons for it.


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Brooke Wilson, Marketing and Branding Intern (Summer 2015)
Brooke is focusing on bringing Pasand's innovative work to a wider audience. Prior to Pasand, Brooke wored for the Department of Transportation and Holland America and Princess Cruise Lines. Brooke is currently an undergraduate student at Clark University, majoring in Economics and Business Management. Her coursework includes Marketing, Managerial Communications, and Social Entrepreneurship. In addition, she will be organizing and leading a service based trip to the Dominican Republic through the organization Service for Peace in the upcoming school year. LinkedIn
Lacy Clark, Monitoring and Evaluation Project Lead, MBA Intern (Summer 2015)
Lacy is from Cape Cod, Massachusetts and went to the Northfield Mount Hermon School in Western Massachusetts. She attended the University of San Francisco where she studied international politics and economics. Directly out of college she worked in documentary and educational television for networks like National Geographic and the History Channel. She is a MBA candidate at Boston University specializing in social enterprise and innovation. She is passionate about monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in the social sector and very excited to work with the amazing Pasand team. LinkedIn
Carly Carlin, Marketing and Branding Intern
Carly has a passion for all things international, and has been to every continent except Australia and Antarctica. In 2012, she studied abroad on a comparative global health program that went to India, China, and South Africa, and she's been interested in human rights and gender equality ever since. In college, Carly interned for Innovation Africa, The Syngeros Institute, and the Children's Environmental Health Center at Dartmouth. Carly graduated from Dartmouth College in 2015 with a degree in Geography and Environmental Studies. LinkedIn


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Real Estate Services
Searching for the right property for you is our main responsibility and we take it seriously. We will work with you to understand your needs, requests, and personal lifestyle and diversify our strategy to capture the ideal solution. Our communication is comprehensive and transparent, we will cooperate with you to make the right selection and ensure that you are satisfied with the outcome.
Our Group of companies leads the Real Estate market in Greece - based on a solid network that takes care of the details - able to guarantee you the most professional property management service.
Our Main Services Include:
- Mediation for renting, purchasing, or selling holiday villas, shops and land
- Design and development as well as exploitation of touristic areas
- Assessment and management of real estate
- Merges and acquisitions of tourism businesses and hotels
Property Management
With Revithis & Partners, you get more than property management; you get a complete real estate solution. Property management goes far beyond property performance. We will make your goals our own and develop a deep understanding of your vision for every asset.
Our services are designed to bring value for money, providing efficiency and economy. We continually look at ways to improve the quality of services, reduce cost, and pass these benefits to our clients.
Construction Management
Revithis & Partners offer professional construction management services that match the size of any given project.
Innovative development, avant-garde architectural designs and eco-friendly materials have been integrated in our construction process giving a new style into buildings. We provide construction services that enable our clients to achieve the best value and security on their investment, while constructing their dream property in Greece.
Renovation Management
Among our extensive range of services in real estate, Revithis & Partners also offer Renovation Services.
Projects of any scale are executed by our experienced team, able to deliver services such as Renovation and Interior Design of existing buildings, Planning Permits, Architectural design and many more. Renovation upgrades the value of your property so that it can be sold for a higher price than its current estimated value (renovating to sell).
Agency & Brokerage Services
Revithis Real Estate offers Agency and Brokerage services from landlords and occupiers, institutional or corporate investors and developers to local or central government authorities.
Our agency and brokerage specialists provide acquisition & space sourcing, transaction negotiation & execution services, sales & lease marketing as well as lease administration & audit. We actively support relocation management, fit-out projects as well as facility management procurement exercises.
Property Market Research
The Market Research Department of Revithis & Partners is closely monitoring the property market, keeping in touch with the prevailing conditions and identifying trends.
Findings are regularly depicted in each periodically published comprehensive report, which constitute a reliable source of information on the major industry sectors. Furthermore, it conducts specialized market research for individual customers.
Valuation & Advisory Services
We offer dynamic, well-researched real estate appraisal related services for a variety of property types.
Our Valuation professionals are widely recognized for providing the most sophisticated advice on the current and projected value of real estate and real estate-related investments. Our comprehensive and informative advice is relied upon by investors, lenders and occupiers alike, while helping sellers determine the value of their property and protect their investment.
Renewable Energy
The renewable energy industry generates hundreds of billions in economic activity, and tremendous opportunities for the countries that manufacture and export clean energy technologies.
The past few years we saw an extreme rise in the installation of solar panels in Greece due to the largest amount of sunlight that exists in the country. Our company has actively entered into licensing transactions or finished solar and wind energy parks of any dynamic with reliability and efficiency.
Residence Permits & Visas
The Immigration and Social Integration Code gives the possibility of granting residence permits to foreign investors and the members of their families, who proceed to the purchase of real estate property in Greece, when value exceeds 250,000 Euro.
We are dedicated to providing superb customer service and personal attention to your Permit and Visa expediting needs. We will help you in every step of the process, from collecting all the necessary documents to advise you for your Visa submission.
Villa Photography Services
To capture a property's unique beauty, it is important that your photos are not only vibrant, but they can accurately reflect the experience your guests can look forward to in your home.
Professional property photography is one of the most important investments you can make. Whether it is interior, exterior, or aerial photo shoots that you wish for, our team is experienced and equipped with all latest technology to make your property shine.


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Natural Mercantile has been in the business of good healthy eating since the 70's! It is the oldest health food store in the Northern Virginia area. We love what we're doing, always looking for the latest health foods, we have a great variety of products (everything from bulk beans, fresh produce, locally made soaps, local honey, organic wines, beer, chips, nuts, seeds, chocolate, gluten free breads and baking supplies, fresh local meats, grass-fed beef and much more!).
Natural Mercantile has been in the business of good healthy eating since the 70's! It is the oldest health food store in the Northern Virginia area.
Here at the Mercantile we are not just passionate about serving amazing, natural & organic milk, produce, supplements and allergy free products. We are passionate serving Loudoun County as a whole. We want to encourage, enrich, and energize through every conversation, supplement sold or recommendation made. Come check out our community here in Hamilton!
Would you write a review and share your experience with us?
Since starting our business, we've committed to growing through word-of-mouth referrals from families like you. We don't pay for traditional advertising because we believe that if we stay focused on loving and serving my clients, their testimonials will speak louder than radio ads, shine brighter than magazine spreads, and help attract more amazing families just like YOU!
— The staff at the Natural Mercantile
Sign up for our Newsletter!
Our newsletter informs you of the latest sales, newest brands and helpful information to support your healthy lifestyle. Stay informed by signing up today!


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It shouldn't be a secret.
29 of the top US companies failed to disclose their paid family leave policies. Join our call for transparency.
and you
November 16, 2016
The Paid Family Leave Problem:
An Open Letter to the Top Employers in the United States
The Bureau of Labor Statistics's recent report on private sector access to paid family leave was sobering. Only 13% of people working in the private sector have access to paid family leave through their employer, and this number falls to 6% for low-wage workers.
Today, the parental leave policies of the top 60 employers in the country were published at www.paidleave.us/topemployers. Together, these companies employ more than 14 million people, and their policies have wide-reaching impact across the workforce, from low wage and retail workers, to executives and senior staff.
The database and its accompanying report reveal some startling new information about the state of paid family leave in the United States. Despite numerous outreach attempts, more than half of these companies have failed to reveal what their paid family leave policies are. Nearly all of the companies that did respond have discriminatory policies that leave out adoptive parents, fathers, same-sex parents, and employees who don't work in the corporate office.
Access to paid family leave is critically important to our families, our health, and our economy. Companies must be transparent about their policies so employees and prospective employees can make fully informed choices about their careers, families, and lives. It is also critical for policymakers to understand the full scope of these business practices in order to facilitate the development of much-needed paid family leave public policies.
We believe that companies that are truly family friendly will be proud to share what they do to ensure that all of their employees can be there when their families need them most. We urge employers to be transparent about their family leave policies by making them fully accessible to their own employees and the public.
Studies show that paid family leave is good for a company's bottom line, reducing turnover costs and increasing retention -- especially among female employees. We applaud companies with universal and equal policies, and encourage companies without such policies to extend these benefits to all of their employees.
We encourage the 60 largest employers in the nation, as well as other firms, to learn about and support public policy that will provide coverage for all working people in the United States.
Paid family leave is essential to support our next generation of workers, who we need to fuel our future economy. It's time for American businesses to do their part to ensure that everyone in the United States can be present when their families need them most.
Thank you,
We look forward to greater transparency on this important issue.
Sign the Letter
Signed by:


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Currently viewing the tag: "Karbonn"
How to root Karbonn Titanium S5 running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
On July 30, 2013 · Leave a Comment
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Karbonn Titanium S5 is an affordable Android smartphone packing large 5 inch display with Qhd 940x560px display. This phone is powered by 1.2GHz Mediatek processor along with Adreno 203 GPU. There is 1GB RAM for smooth multitasking capability and 4GB internal memory which can be extended by microSD card. Karbonn Titanium S5 has 8MP rear […]


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Hannah Leader
With an immense amount of expertise in independent film production, working with many Hollywood based clients Hannah is a Film and TV solicitor and is also qualified at the California bar.
Hannah has traditionally worked in the independent film world with producers and financiers as clients. She advises on production issues as well as financing structures and sources.
Hannah has considerable experience with co-productions as well as all forms of distribution arrangements, independent and studio based. Hannah is experienced negotiating in Hollywood with agents and studios and can advise on rights acquisitions, cast contracts, production insurance issues and music clearances.
Hannah's clients are independent producers, distribution and sales companies, rights acquisition companies and film financiers.
Practice Areas
• Media Finance
• Film & TV Production
Tel: +44 (0)20 7291 1670
Mobile: +44 (0)7771 581 215


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Artist: The Senseless
Album: The Floating World
Label: independent, promoted through Suspicious Activities
Genre: extreme metal
Release Date: February 18th 2012
The Floating World, the second album by The Senseless has been released more than 1,5 years ago. The Senseless is a project of Sam Bean, (known from The Berzerker and Mithras), and The Floating World took 4 agonizing years to finish.
Somewhere on the edge of grindcore, death metal and thrash metal, with influences of virtually everything from punk to gabber, the music on The Floating World is best described as extreme metal. Overall: very fast and extreme is the direction of the album. It's an attack on all your senses and your sensibility, and when you close your eyes and let the music take over, it is so fast that you could almost confuse it with binaural beats massaging your brain.
With 12 tracks, and only 39 minutes in total length, The Floating World is packed with short, in-your-face balls of energy. Sometimes, however, these tracks feel less like an elaborate recording and more like an idea and a few riffs shot in the air.
Unlike most extreme metal bands, The Senseless seem to be using vocals borrowed from the punk scene. The guitar solos are super fast, yet also super short and they sound as mean as the shouted vocals, laced with screams and death grunts.
The Floating World is shock-therapy. It is foul-mouthed, heavier than heavy metal in its most extreme form. Of the 12 tracks on the album, 3 tracks stand out: "Amazing Pain", which throws a classic guitar solo in its mix, and then starts dropping down chords, while still holding together the song, "Death To Metal", which sounds first as if we are all together merrily in a pub, but then starts blasting some throat-slashing heaviness, and "Let Me Sleep", which sounds more like a metal-core track, and the riff sounds vaguely familiar.
If you like extreme metal, and grindcore is too narrow of a genre for you, then check out The Floating World by The Senseless.
Buy The Senseless – The Floating World
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Point of Sale
This is a design for a Maplin headphone display. They wanted a modular concept that could be used to display up to four headphones on one of Maplin's standard bays. They also wanted their customers to be drawn in to pick the products up and test them with their media devices.
We started the project by going to a Maplin store to see if there were any problems we could identify that the client hadn't told us about. We also went to Currys to see their displays to get a feel of problems shopkeepers and shoppers would experience using the display.
The key issues that we found were: untidy cables, lack of POS space and also an area to place your media device to plug into the headphones to test them. Although there is a ledge and the audio jack of the headphones is currently sticking out of the display, it is not obvious that you can plug your device in to listen.
With this in mind I started sketching out forms and ideas, before moving onto modelling in Solidworks. We had only a three days to go through and finish this project so the sketching stage was invaluable to focus ideas so I could go into the program with a clear sense of what I was doing.
The final design incorporated a printed neoprene pad with a clear phone and audio jack graphic, a generous POS holder and a sideways mounted headphone stand, which helped to keep the display compact.
The concept was then engineered, costed and then built as a fabricated mock-up of the injection moulded concept by our prototype team. The client requested a mirror to be placed on the stand so that the wearer could see themselves, but this was later taken out in further revisions.