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A recent Robbie Fulks show in Milwaukee included a horrendously funny German beer-hall-style song, a soon-to-be-trademark cover of Cher's "Believe," and more evocative originals like "In Bristol Town One Bright Day." At the end, Fulks bounded offstage and played his way back to the bar with a final chorus of "Let's Kill Saturday Night." Fulks' fans come to shows seeking this kind of playfulness as much as the music, which is one reason his new double-disc live set Revenge! is so entertaining. Fulks recently took a break from mixing an episode of his Secret Country XM Radio series to tell The A.V. Club about the evolution of his live set and the logistics of killing people with pianos.
The A.V. Club: Why is the album called Revenge?
Robbie Fulks: Well, I'd heard this old saying that performance motivation is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent revenge, or some proportion like that. And once that cover concept with the grand piano came into mind, it seemed to match that well. That was before I saw that Janis Ian had a record called Revenge, and Charles Mingus had a record called Revenge! I didn't realize it was a clichéd record title along the lines of Meet The Beatles until I saw it on Amazon the other day.
AVC: On the cover, you're about to drop a piano over the audience. Aiming for anyone in particular?
RF: Yeah. Probably the bald guy that's painted into the third row, stage left. It isn't really a big enough piano to cover the whole audience, but if you aimed for the middle, just for maximum density of impact, you could probably wipe out one third of my total demographic. The problem with digital pianos nowadays is, they just don't have the heft to wipe out an audience.
AVC: During the first song, there's a sketch where you nonchalantly ask the president of Yep Roc Records to wire you $50,000, which is funny, because you've really never had that luxury.
RF: I've never had that luxury, and in fact still don't. [Laughs.] "Wire me $10,000" might kind of work, but might still be greeted with a stricken heart-attack sound on the other end of the line.
AVC: That isn't the first time you've gone out of your way to mock your label. You included a pretty nasty cartoon about Bloodshot Records with Country Love Songs.
RF: Yeah, making fun of the label seems to be de rigueur for me. I don't know why. It's just a naturally, inherently tense relationship. Not even tense, but there are mild conflicts that come up from time to time. I haven't had any horrible conflicts with any of my labels that I can think of, but things come up sometimes, so maybe it's a little way of blowing off steam by having fun with it, I guess.
AVC: You said you wrote new songs for Revenge! because you think live records are a rip-off. What else did you want to do differently?
RF: I had no idea what to do with this record. I just don't like live records. I couldn't get a line on how loud the audience should be. When you try to take them out of the way and make it a pristine, hothouse-sounding live record, that seems to defeat the whole idea, but since I don't like the idea to begin with, I wasn't sure if I wanted to defeat it, exaggerate it, or what. But I knew from the top that it needed to have the value of new songs and not just go through a bunch of retreads. The difficult part was where to place the audience, and how much of me just yakking with the audience, and yelling things between songs the way I do.
AVC: If this record catches on, do you think you'll change your live show?
RF: Just to fuck with people? I don't know. Really, the spectrum of what I can do live in a bar or a club or whatever is kind of defined for me. I don't have much control over that at all. If the parameters are electric guitar, acoustic guitar, rhythm section, and a crowd full of drunks, which it is most of the time, then I can't do Shostakovich or piano ballads. I just go up there and make it broad and loud, and keep their attention. That's really set the boundaries for my live shows for a long, long time.
AVC: Your shows seem to move easily between funny and serious. How did that develop?
RF: Well, I got a criticism kind of early on, probably 10 years ago, one of the very few and most useful criticisms that I've ever learned from. Some critic was at my show, and I pretended to weep. I sang a really sad song, and then afterward, I wept in a really maudlin, sarcastic way, and it was just off-the-cuff, the way I felt that second, that I would undermine everything I had implied emotionally in the last four minutes by doing that. Anyway, he called me on it, and I thought it was a good call. I thought, in retrospect, "Well, that's kind of obnoxious to do, because you're there to set and sustain a mood, and not to be pulling the carpet from under yourself constantly. It's just self-defeating." So I've tried at least to keep the moods consistent since then, but I still think there's room for serious and funny stuff. I think not to have that kind of emotional variety in a two-hour set is really boring. I hate to listen to the same mood for two hours straight. Maybe a lot of electronica or bluegrass fans do, but I like to have it mixed up. It's just part and parcel of my idea of what a good show is. It goes back to old corny things like a show by The Louvin Brothers, where they'd have five minutes where the bass player would step forward with blacked-out teeth and do a little number about how he went down to the county to get immunized that week.
AVC: Songs from very different albums tend to sit together pretty well on this album. Does that surprise you?
RF: I haven't really thought about it, but it doesn't really surprise me. I've liked the same basic musical things since I was probably 5 years old. I like melody, energy, and the same things probably everybody likes in a three-minute song. The lyrical vocabulary and the way that I put chords together gets more refined over the years, but the basic core of it, how your own tastes play into that, is kind of set from an early age, I think.
AVC: It's just that people tend to talk about each of your albums as a big shift from the previous ones.
RF: Yeah, that's overplayed with me, though. That's not really entirely true, I don't think. To me, it all sounds like my personality. Obviously, there's some superficial differences, and I think there's maybe a growth curve in the recording quality and the arrangement quality of my records, but I don't think there's miles of difference between "Rock Bottom, Pop. 1" and "Let's Kill Saturday Night." Obviously, one's fast and one's slow, and one has a louder this or a softer that, but to me, it sounds like the same guy writing them. Definitely the same nasal nerd singing them.
AVC: Did it take you a while to find an audience that enjoys being messed with?
RF: I really don't know. I would say that the caustic side of the humor in my shows, and the amount of humor, has probably increased over the years as I've gotten more confident about it and put out record after record.
AVC: But some people seem to come to your shows hoping to be antagonized a little.
RF: Now that you mention it, there are people who come to my shows with the idea that they're supposed to give me 10 kinds of shit, and that's a mixed blessing. There are shows that I do in sit-down, sacrosanct, NPR-ish kind of rooms, where it's a theatrical presentation and the expectation is that everybody's gonna be quiet, but there's two guys in the room who are maybe younger and more into the punk aspect of my records, and they'll come out and sort of ruin it for everybody. Maybe it is funny, but in the moment, it's always two guys that don't know what the fuck's going on, or how to read the room. A couple guys came up onstage one time and starting fucking with me, and it was one of those very delicate rooms where they didn't even have security. They didn't even know what to do, because everybody was just the kind of polite person with a mustache, about 50 years old, except for these two guys. A couple shows a year, that'll happen.
There were some guys out in San Francisco that were, like, skinheads and just wanted physical contact, and wanted to turn the show into kind of a boxing match with me, just knocking over shit on the stage and pushing my mic stand into my mouth. Frankly, I'm not G.G. Allin. I sort of expect adult behavior for some reason out of my audiences. [Laughs.] I'm just sort of old-school about it, I guess. I expect people to clap between songs and just stand there and take it, like adults. But when they start rushing the stage and knocking me around, I don't like it at all. I never know what to do. I think a lot of singers are tougher than me, and more pugilistic than I am. I can control a lot of kinds of audience behavior, but fighting, I can't control.
AVC: People don't seem to catch on to the cover of Cher's "Believe" until you get to that vocal hook.
RF: It's possible they didn't even know the song until that point, and were just laughing at the way I got that noise out of my throat. That's very possible with my audience, actually, that they don't know some massive contemporary hit. I mean, I didn't know it until recently. It's easier to be out of it in that way than people might realize. I heard that song probably in 2004, and it comes from 1999 or so.
AVC: What made you want to play it?
RF: I remember liking the song almost as soon as I'd heard it, just really drawn to it. The melody and the hooks just wormed their way into my chest or something.
AVC: It can be easier to appreciate out of context.
RF: There are all these songs that are dressed in a certain way so as to prevent a segment of the population appreciating them. All these great songs. They've just got a great chorus that goes up high and is scientifically designed to stick in your craw.
AVC: In a good or a bad way?
RF: Well, I don't know. It sticks to you like a piece of gum sticks to your shoe, or a piece of great meat sticks to your gullet. Take it how you want. [Laughs.] I find out about these things in kind of retarded ways a lot of the time. I have this older son who's 23 now, and that's one way I find out about things. Recently, he was listening to some Beyoncé, and I ended up buying a record of hers. I seldom listen to Top 40 radio or buy a copy of Spin and make a list and go out and buy whatever they're talking about. I don't really feel any need to do that. And then when I do find something I like, it just seems so much more miraculous for some reason.
I think I get this arrogant point of view that there's nothing of interest out there, just because 80 percent of it strikes me as junk, and I accidentally hear something that I really like, and I'm kind of proud of myself for a moment for keeping up with the times or something like that. I tend to brag about it. I found out how good Eminem was a couple years ago, and I started really overplaying that hand. Anytime I'd meet someone who was 19 years old, I'd start singing that little excerpt of, "If there's any bitches in this room…"
AVC: You made that really melodious.
RF: "I never thought I'd see you get so out of control / even though my penis was deep down in your hole…"
AVC: When you're introducing the song "I Like Being Left Alone," you say that you're running out of enthusiasms with age. Where does a songwriter go from that point?
RF: I think in that statement, there's just kind of a grain of truth, but I don't think that whole sentiment was too much more than just a way to set up that song. I don't really feel that's glaringly true of me, because I get totally excited about lots of things, especially about the kind of music that we're talking about. And I have a great life. It's more of a little bit on the record. I don't think it's emotionally representative of my approach to the world. It's not what I'd use for my epitaph, or anything like that.
AVC: On the first song, you mention Cracker Barrel, which seems to get a bad rap from touring musicians.
RF: If you talk to Alison Krauss or Larry Cordle or Vince Gill or one of those guys, I bet they'd have some good things to say about the old Cracker Barrel. We actually search it out from time to time. If a billboard says it's another 10 miles, we'll pass a whole bunch of Denny's and other things. I think it's a cut above what else is out there for breakfast.
AVC: So country musicians seek out the faux-country place?
RF: I think you'll hear some good things about Cracker Barrel from the crackers themselves. I know what you mean, but I think country people are kind of cool about it. I shouldn't speak for all of them, but I don't think they necessarily object. I mean, country people watch My Name Is Earl, for God's sake, and that's kind of making fun of them. I think country people are pretty easygoing about that kind of thing.
AVC: How did your Secret Country radio series get started?
RF: My wife conceived it as a way to keep me in town more often. It takes about a week of time out of the typical month for me. I get to invite anybody that I want to come to the Old Town School of Folk Music, and the school contracts it so I don't have to argue about money with people. Then afterward, I take the recordings and I get to mix them down with my friends at the studio and pick out the songs and present them and write a little commentary. It's like being 8 years old, and you probably weren't this nerdy when you were 8, but I'd make radio shows and have a Beatles song play, and I'd pretend to be Johnny Olson or Don Pardo and do an announcement for a commercial or a sponsor. It's like the same thing for a grown-up.


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- Artist: New Model Army
- Format: CD
- Release Date: 2/1/2011
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British post-punk trio New Model Army took their name from Oliver Cromwell's antiroyalist military force, and released their first album, VENGEANCE-THE INDEPENDENT STORY, in 1984. The ferocious punk attack and staunchly left political views heard on that album were qualities that would define the band through their career well into the 2000s. New Model Army stood out from their contemporaries with their poetic, socially committed lyrics and knack for melody and, on later albums, their explorations of acoustic, folk-oriented material (they sometimes add violin or harmonica players to their basic line-up). in addition to a steady stream of albums, including NO REST FOR THE WICKED (1985), THUNDER AND CONSOLATION (1989), and CARNIVAL (2005), New Model Army tour constantly and have a devoted fan base called "The Family."
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subset: commoncrawl


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USAG-HI Fellows graduate from program
Jocelyn Chang-Chuck
Work Force Development Office, U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — The U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Fellows Program graduated its first class, here, recently.
Overseen by USAG-HI's Workforce Development Division, the 12-month Fellows Program grows civilian leaders, supervisors and staff. The program supports Installation Management Command's Line of Effort, or LOE, 3 for Leader and Workforce Development.
Through the year, Fellows visited nine USAG-HI directorates and activities to learn more about the garrison's mission of supporting Soldiers and their families. They also attended luncheons with USAG-HI senior leaders.
Also, Fellows attended several garrison meetings throughout the year to link their visits with organizational challenges.
Graduation day began with a practice run of their project presentations, followed by a luncheon with senior leaders.
During graduation, the Fellows presented their team projects. All projects were linked to one of IMCOM's LOEs and keys to success.
Project topics included energy conservation awareness, education center informational awareness, a Microsoft Office application competencies assessment, streamlining processes for family travel section and a community programs initiative.
It is the Fellows' hope that their projects will be implemented soon.
USAG-HI Fellows Program
Applications are now being accepted for the 2012-1213 USAG-HI Fellows Program. Applicants GS-7 and above or equivalent are eligible for the program. The suspense date for applications has been extended to Jan. 31. Call Jocelyn Chang-Chuck at 655-9037 or email Jocelyn.changchuck@ us.army.mil. Employees who completed the Growing Leaders and Enhancing Leaders courses are highly encouraged to apply.
USAG-HI Fellows Program Graduates
Jay Lynn Angeles, DPW
Micah Bargas, DHR
Bambi Bjugstad, DPW
William Brazill, DPW
Angelita Dizon, DHR
Gary Ikeda, NEC
Katy Kluck, DFMWR
Brenda Mance, DOL
Carlos Munguia, DRM
Robert Musgrove, DPW
Frankie Salas, HHD, USAG-HI
Michelle Santos, IRO
Aimee Wond, DFMWR
Category: News


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01 of 12
Materials Needed
Kids love stuffed animals and this stuffed bunny pillow is bound to end up one of their favorites. This free sewing pattern creates an adorable stuffed bunny that is also a great usable pillow. This stuffed bunny is bound to find it's way to the car for road trips and visit many homes for slumber parties. The design allows for the "bunny" to be removed from the pillow and laundered.
Materials Needed:
Continue to 2 of 12 below.
- 1/2 yard of 60" wide fabric - soft fluffy fabric such as fleece, Chenille, Valour or fake furs. (You may even have an old sweater that could be used for this pattern. ( Make sure you know ahead of time about Cutting and Sewing Fur)
- scraps or a quarter yard of non-fraying contrasting fabric for the feet
- Embroidery Floss - Pink for nose and black for eyes (DMC Pearl Cotton was used on the sample shown in these directions)
- Print out of Pattern
- 5" circle template
- Scraps of craft weight fusible interfacing - large enough for four of the ears pattern piece (The number you will cut out will be decided by the weight of the fabric you are using and how stiff you want the ears to be.)
- Travel Pillow
- Heavy duty thread such as button and carpet thread or Pearl Cotton for secure attachment of the head and tail.
02 of 12
Cutting, Interfacing and Markings Instructions
Cutting and Marking
- Cut one rectangle 17" by 13"
- Cut two rectangles 12" by 13"
- Cut two face (Piece A)
- Cut one of the Back of the Head (Piece B)
- Cut four Ears (Piece C) - Two can be cut in a different fabric or color for the inside of the ear.
- Cut four foot/corner template pieces (Piece D)
- Cut one 5" circle for the tail. (Template is red circle on the pattern print out.)
Note: If cutting fur, remember to flip the pattern piece over. If cutting through two layers of fabric have the fabric folded with right sides or wrong sides together so the pieces you cut will produce two cut pieces that can be assembled.
Optional -- The Interfacing
- Cut interfacing to match the ear pattern pieces.
- Fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the cut-out ear pieces. To gain more stiffness, fuse a second layer of the interfacing on each ear piece. Eliminate bulk which will make it difficult to turn the pieces once they are sewn, by trimming corners and points off of the interfacing before fusing it. Fabric such as the fabric shown in these photos cannot be pressed without loosing the bubbles or texture, use a temporary spray adhesive to hold the interfacing in place while working the pieces.
Continue to 3 of 12 below.
- Transfer the markings on the face pattern piece to the fabric.
- On the 17" by 13" rectangle
- Mark the center of the 13" edges for the head and tail placement.
03 of 12
First Seam and Embroidery
Continue to 4 of 12 below.
- Place right sides together and align the edges on piece A (the face).
- Pin the edge with the nose and mouth.
- Sew the seam from the top point to the neck on the face seam, using a scant 1/4" seam allowance.
- Embroider a nose and the eyes on the face.
04 of 12
Assemble Ears and Attache Ears
Interface the ear pieces as described in step 2
Continue to 5 of 12 below.
- Place two ear pieces right sides together and align the edges.
- Using a scant 1/4" seam, sew from the flat bottom of the pieces, around the entire ear to the opposite flat edge.
- Trim the top corner to eliminate bulk.
- Turn the ear right side out.
- Press the seams to the edges.
- Turn the seam edges to the middle at the bottom of the ear and baste in place.
- Repeat for the second ear.
- Place the fold side of the ears against the face with the ears down on the face, aligning the bottom edge of the ears with the markings on the top of the pattern piece, and baste the ears in place.
05 of 12
Assemble Head
Continue to 6 of 12 below.
- Fold the back of the head piece in half lengthwise to find the center of the top of the piece.
- Place the right side down on the right side of the face joined face pieces, aligning the edges and the center top with the center seam of the face pieces. Pin in place.
- Align the bottom corners of the back piece with the bottom corners of the face pieces, keeping the ears in the middle away from the seam allowances. Pin in place.
- Align the remaining edges and pin in place.
- Sew the pieces together using a scant 1/4" seam.
- Apply a seam finish if needed.
- Turn right sides out.
06 of 12
Stuff and Close the Head
- Using a very strong thread, sew a running stitch around the neck opening of the head piece.
- Stuff the head firmly.
- Pull the running stitch thread to close the opening at the neck of the head pieces.
- Stitch to close the head pieces.
Note: Leaving a tail after the note when sewing this running stitch will allow you to tie off the threads securely when you are done.Continue to 7 of 12 below.
07 of 12
Prepare the Bunny Tail
Continue to 8 of 12 below.
- Hand sew a running stitch around the edge of the bunny tail piece. Leaving a tail after the note will make it easier to tie off the opening when you are done stuffing the tail.
- Gently tug the running stitch threads to start gathering the edge of the circle and form a "cup" to stuff.
- Stuff the tail.
- Pull the threads to close the opening and close the opening by knotting the threads or stitching the opening closed.
08 of 12
Hem the Pillow Back Sections
Continue to 9 of 12 below.
- On one 13" edge of each pillow back section, turn under the edge, bringing wrong sides together, 1/4" and press in place.
- Turn under again to enclose the raw edge.
- Stitch the hem in place, stitching as close to the unattached fold as possible.
09 of 12
Start Attaching the Pillow Back
In this step, you will not completely attach the pillow back sections so that it will be easier to strongly and firmly attach the bunny head and tail pieces.
Continue to 10 of 12 below.
- Place the un-hemmed 13" edge of a pillow back, right sides to right side, on a 12" end of the pillow front with the hemmed edge to the middle.
- Align the 13" edge and the sides. Pin in place.
- Trim the corner, the same way you did on the front section so it matches the "foot" corner.
- Sew from the side of the foot, across the 13" edge, to the bottom or side of the opposite foot.
- Apply a seam finish.
- Repeat for the opposite end of the pillow.
10 of 12
Attach the Bunny Head and Tail
Please note that the bunny head is not centered on the seam. Please read all of the directions before sewing the head in place. The head and the tail are placed at the center ends of the pillow.
Continue to 11 of 12 below.
- Turn the end seams of the pillow right sides out.
- Place the bunny head so the mouth of the bunny is about 1 1/2" past the seam toward the back of the pillow.
- Using strong thread, hand sew the head in place, sewing through the front pillow fabric.
- From the inside of the pillow cover, sew a complete circle to hold the head in place. This circle is approximately 2" across.
- Repeat for attaching the bunny tail except the tail is centered over the pillow front/back seam.
11 of 12
Feet and Pillow Corners
Continue to 12 of 12 below.
- Placing wrong side down with the foot pieces on the right side of the pillow front, align the sides of the foot pieces with the corners of the pillow front.
- Pin in place and trim the square corner of the pillow front so it matches the foot pieces.
- Zigzag or satin stitch the straight edge of each foot to the pillow front.
- Top stitch the "toes" on the foot pieces, sewing through the foot pieces and pillow front.
12 of 12
Finish the Pillow Back Seams
- Turn the pillow wrong sides out, and finish aligning one pillow back with the long edges of the pillow front.
- Repeat for the second back piece, laying it over the first back piece to form an overlap.
- Start sewing about a 1/2" over where you stopped sewing the end seams and stop the same way.
- Repeat for the second side.
- Apply a seam finish and turn right sides out.
- Optional: Add hook and loop tape or a snap to hold the pillow back closed


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Other people with disabilities (particularly on Twitter) describe themselves as "spoonies". Just check the #spoonie hastag.
The spoon analogy works for a lot of people; even the original creator says "I think it isn't just good for understanding Lupus, but anyone dealing with any disability or illness". However, (and not just because I enjoy being bloody awkward) I disagree because it just doesn't apply to (how I experience) N24.
A while back, I came up with a modification to better explain my life. It's not as good and concise and requires significantly more imagination to be able to 'understand' it, but it's the best I've been able to come up with so far.
You're likely familiar with the practice of making trails of dominoes so that you can later flick one and have the entire lot fall over in a pile of win, like this video. If you've attempted it, you'll be familiar with the frustration that comes when something beyond your control (a cat, a gust of wind, the infernal machinations of fate) pushes one over and ruins everything.
Now imagine if you had to build that track of dominoes on different surfaces.There's flat and hard surfaces which are relatively easy; the wood tables and concrete floors, but there are softer and bumpier surfaces like carpets and grass that are more difficult to build upon. Then there are surfaces like jelly; trying to build a track of dominoes on jelly would not be advisable.
My life is a domino track built on myriad different surfaces. The dominoes are best conceptualised as 'life units' (a combination of my wellbeing and my ability to do things) and the quality of the surface is a combination of whatever societal obligation I'm under at the moment and the current state of my circadian rhythm. The more stressed I am by social obligations, the more dense the dominoes are tracked.
I'm going to use an example from my real life, back when I started claiming ESA and my sick notes "went missing".
For the first week, I was sleeping "normal" times and had little in the way of social obligations. The dominoes were few and far between and built on a solid smooth wooden table. The most obnoxiously demanding cat would have difficult knocking the trail over.
The next week, however, I was nocturnal. I was having to sort out the DWP's "error", sort out hospital referrals and desperately try to get my GP and the DWP talking to one another while having literally no income and during the exact times my body needed to be asleep. The physical and psychological effects were rapid and intense.
The dominoes were densely packed on an unstable surface. Keeping them upright in the first place would be a Sisyphean task. They were toppling over, and fast.
There are two ways I can think of that you can stop a trail of dominoes falling once the first has toppled. The first is to simply wait it out, to 'tank the damage'. This is viable if you know what's ahead with some certainty; if you know that the surface will become solid or the dominoes will move further apart further down the track, you can let it run its course. Eventually, the next domino won't fall. A few horrible weeks, but "it'll be over soon". If you guessed what surfaces or density were coming up, though.. this can cause more problems.
The safer option is to get ahead of the tide and push some of the dominoes away, creating an artificial gap in the track. When a domino falls into this gap, it won't push the next one over. You have to surrender your wellbeing and life for a while, so you have some left later. It doesn't matter what happens, it's already a write-off; funerals, weddings, appointments, birthdays, dates, games, films. Everything is gone for these few days. Being alive takes all of your effort, and it doesn't feel worth it. Curl up in bed and just sleep for a few days and hope you didn't accidentally knock the next few dominoes over in your desperation and have to start it all over again.


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There's loads of pictures in this post plus a little video at the end too. Lot's of eye-candy! The sentiment was created using Chipboard Embellishments from Make it Crafty, colored with a black Copic marker and then some Sparkles glitter glue was added on top.
Polka Dot Pals Sally was colored with Prismacolor Pencils and Copic markers. The hair, clothes, and polka dots are with the pencils then I did the skin and ball with the markers. I did this mainly because I wasn't near my pencils but also because I wanted a soft looking skin.
The card opens from the left and just the grass part opens so the image can be seen when open or closed. The Hallmark card was cut apart and I kept the components together. I then took two layers of cardboard and cut a center hole just large enough for the innards. Here's what it looks like after I wrapped black cardstock around the back and over the edges.
I also salvaged the pink bouncing marks from the Hallmark card and used them on the inside of the card. Here's what the card looks like when it's open.
Are you ready for the video? This is just five seconds on Polka Dot Pals Sally bouncing on her ball with mad-giggle sounds. It's actually really funny to listen to and a lovely surprise when it's opened. Bounce!


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WingFly ShieldDaniel LeMath on 13th October 2013 in Arduino | 2 Comments »
The WingFly shield from Watterott lets you screw cables onto the Arduino instead of sticking them into the headers. This is very practical for prototyping.
The WingFly shield from Watterott lets you screw cables onto the Arduino instead of sticking them into the headers. This is very practical for prototyping.
Next in LoL Shield history: a sort of "growth simulation":
If the movement crosses a border then move to the other side. Mathematically spoken: we are on a torus.
First a short video
For a long time I'm addicted to blinking LEDs, so it was only natural to buy a LoL Shield by Jimmie P. Rogers. I ordered it at Watterott and – as usual – they delivered very quickly. With trembling hands I unpacked the parts – and decided to wait until tremor disappeared. After reading some descriptions of the assembly and watching this recommendable video from Super Awesome Sylvia. I started to solder the 126 LEDs; a good exercise.
This is a new version of the evil spider. I've replaced the LED in the head with two smaller LEDs in the eyes. This way the brightening is easier to see.
Some close-up photos are at the end of this post – if you fear spiders, scroll slowly down to the image with breadboard 😉
(BTW: at 00:10 you can see Daniel)
The source code is rather simple:
Finally my birthday present arrived: the Cube4, a 4x4x4 RGB LED cube by freetronics.The assembly was rather simple due to the good instructions an the freetronics site and the detailed video. Because I've been a little impatient, the cube is not 100% rectangular. The first own skteches were no problem. It's a lot of fun to view the colourful cube.
Unfortunatly I cannot upload sketches since yesterday evening. I'm in contact with John from freetronics. So a word concerning the support of freetronics: wonderful! Quick and competent.
The patterns are:
If this intro has finished, the patterns repeat in random order.
If someone has an idea how to make a better video, please let me know.
The first Arduino project off the breadboard. The eyes begin to glow if someone approaches.
(Repost from my old blog, 2012-04-15)
One year ago I started to dive into Steampunk. My first Steampunk gadget was a USB stick. A part of a copper tube (18 mm diameter) and two end caps gives the following.
Looks a little boring, so I prepared some decoration:
And here is the result:
Additionally some details:
(Repost from my old blog, 2012-10-03)
Today (OK – last year – this a copy from my old blog) arrived the RedFly shield from Watterott. Here are some images of the soldering:
The main difficulties of the start were:
But finally the WebServer.ino sketch worked:
(Repost from my old blog, 2012-04-27)


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GuildWiki has been locked down: anonymous editing and account creation are disabled. Current registered users are unaffected. Leave any comments on the Community Portal.
Game updates/20101123
Update - Tuesday, November 23, 2010[edit | edit source]
Bug Fixes[edit | edit source]
- Fixed a bug that sometimes prevented Nicholas the Traveler from appearing in Watchtower Coast.
- Added additional language support to the War in Kryta Overarc and Hearts of the North quests.


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29/4/11 Press Release
Stamford, CT – April 27, 2011 – What does the Silk Road, delicious cuisine, and Saffron spices have in common? They'll all
be featured on the NEW Saffron Road™ website,www.saffronroadfood.com, which launches today. Given the brand's
outstanding response since its launch in August 2010, its web presence simply needed to be expanded and improved to allow
for more content and consumer engagement.
The new Saffron Road website enables consumers to dive deeper into the brand to understand its values and learn more
about its products. Sections on the site such as 10 Things to Share About Saffron Road highlight important values and current
news that the brand wants its consumers to be aware of.
"Our online presence is very important to us and it's crucial for both our website and social media properties to give consumers
the level of information they need," says Jack Acree, Executive Vice President of American Halal Co. (Saffron Road's parent
company). In addition to more brand information, the site enables consumers to further engage in two-way communication with
the brand via several social media plug-ins.
"We care what our consumers think, and frequently utilize their feedback as we expand our product offerings and retail
partners," says Adnan Durrani, CEO of American Halal Co. Given this priority for engagement, the site includes live feeds to
Facebook and Twitter, and includes a section to sign up for Saffron Road's new e-newsletter. "In fact, many of these new
sections on our site are actually features that our consumers told us they expect from our brand," adds Durrani.
Not only for consumers, the new site includes dedicated sections for news media and bloggers, as well as trade peers.
Please visit the new site at www.saffronroadfood.com to explore our brand and product offerings. Some of the news found on
the site includes the brand's Best Product Award from the recent World Halal Forum, the brand's recognition as One of the Top
10 Hottest Products to watch in 2011 at the NASFT Winter Fancy Food Show, and being named a "hit" by The Supermarket
Guru, Phil Lempert, on his popular New Products Hits & Misses video review show.
About Saffron Road
American Halal Co. markets All Natural Halal Certified food under the Saffron Road brand. Adnan Durrani, the CEO, and Jack
Acree, the EVP, are serial entrepreneurs having been involved in companies like Vermont Pure Spring Water, Stonyfield
Farms, Inc., Alexia Foods, and Terra Chips. The Company's management and Board represent a team of proven
entrepreneurs at building premium food brands. Saffron Road's mission is to offer All Natural Halal Certified and Gluten Free
foods, which are also holistic, sustainably farmed, and antibiotic free. Saffron Road's products are sourced from livestock
which is fed only 100% vegetarian feed and are humanely treated. The Company seeks to bring its mission to a higher
awakening with the local and global community, embodying a socially conscious company ethic as well as setting the standard
for premium quality Halal Cuisine.
Media Contacts: Lisa Mabe, Hewar Social Communications, 202.834.4498, email@example.com
Kate Tayloe, American Halal Company, Inc., 203.961.1954 x100, email@example.com
For more information about Saffron Road, please visit www.saffronroadfood.com. You can also join us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/SaffronRoadFood and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SaffronRoadFood.


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You are thinking about buying solar panels, but got confused about which type to go for? You're at the right place. There's a myriad of variables that you should take into account when you are buying a solar photovoltaic (PV) system – our job here at Energy Informative is to help you sort through them! In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about the different types of solar panels for home use (mono-, polycrystalline and thin film). Let's start with the different types of solar panels currently on the market, list their benefits and downsides, and then look at a few typical scenarios where certain types would be the better than others (hopefully one of them resonates with you).Contents● Crystalline Silicon● Monocrystalline● Polycrystalline● Thin-Film Solar Panels● Building Integrated Photovoltaics● Best Solar Panel Type for Home UseThe term solar panels will be used to describe photovoltaic solar panels (the type that generates electricity), not solar thermal collectors.Crystalline Silicon (c-Si)Almost 90% of the World's photovoltaics today are based on some variation of silicon.[1] In 2011, about 95% of all shipments by U.S. manufacturers to the residential sector were crystalline silicon solar panels.[2] The silicon used in PV takes many forms. The main difference is the purity of the silicon. But what does silicon purity really mean? The more perfectly aligned the silicon molecules are, the better the solar cell will be at converting solar energy (sunlight) into electricity (the photoelectric effect).The efficiency of solar panels goes hand in hand with purity, but the processes used to enhance the purity of silicon are expensive. Efficiency should not be your primary concern. As you will later discover, cost-and space-efficiency are the determining factors for most people. Compare Solar Panels is the most comprehensive and up-to-date solar panel comparison service on the Internet. Compare the specifications of 10,000+ solar modules. Solar Cell Comparison Chart provides a quick overview over the different cell types, their benefits and how they compare against each other.Crystalline silicon forms the basis of mono- and polycrystalline silicon solar cells: Monocrystalline Silicon Solar CellsSolar cells made of monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si), also called single-crystalline silicon (single-crystal-Si), are quite easily recognizable by an external even coloring and uniform look, indicating high-purity silicon, as you can see on the picture below:Monocrystalline solar cells are made out of silicon ingots, which are cylindrical in shape. To optimize performance and lower costs of a single monocrystalline solar cell, four sides are cut out of the cylindrical ingots to make silicon wafers, which is what gives monocrystalline solar panels their characteristic look.A good way to separate mono- and polycrystalline solar panels is that polycrystalline solar cells look perfectly rectangular with no rounded edges.AdvantagesMonocrystalline solar panels have the highest efficiency rates since they are made out of the highest-grade silicon. The efficiency rates of monocrystalline solar panels are typically 15-20%. SunPower produces the highest efficiency solar panels on the U.S. market today. Their E20 series provide panel conversion efficiencies of up to 20.1%.[3]Update (April, 2013): SunPower has now released the X-series at a record-breaking efficiency of 21.5%. [7]Monocrystalline silicon solar panels are space-efficient. Since these solar panels yield the highest power outputs, they also require the least amount of space compared to any other types. Monocrystalline solar panels produce up to four times the amount of electricity as thin-film solar panels.Monocrystalline solar panels live the longest. Most solar panel manufacturers put a 25-year warranty on their monocrystalline solar panels.Tend to perform better than similarly rated polycrystalline solar panels at low-light conditions.The efficiency of individual solar cells is higher than for entire solar panels/modules. For a complete overview over how the efficiency rates of the various solar cell technologies have advanced since 1975 check out Best Research-Cell Efficiencies (NREL). The efficiency rates in this article refer to solar panel/module efficiencies. Check out What Factors Determine Solar Panel Efficiency? for more information on this subject. DisadvantagesMonocrystalline solar panels are the most expensive. From a financial standpoint, a solar panel that is made of polycrystalline silicon (and in some cases thin-film) can be a better choice for some homeowners.If the solar panel is partially covered with shade, dirt or snow, the entire circuit can break down. Consider getting micro-inverters instead of central string inverters if you think coverage will be a problem. Micro-inverters will make sure that not the entire solar array is affected by shading issues with only one of the solar panels.The Czochralski process is used to produce monocrystalline silicon. It results in large cylindrical ingots. Four sides are cut out of the ingots to make silicon wafers. A significant amount of the original silicon ends up as waste.Monocrystalline solar panels tend to be more efficient in warm weather. Performance suffers as temperature goes up, but less so than polycrystalline solar panels. For most homeowners temperature is not a concern.This article is solely about different types of solar panels. If you want to learn about what other equipment a photovoltaic system consists of, go to Grid-Tied, Off-Grid and Hybrid Solar Systems. Polycrystalline Silicon Solar CellsThe first solar panels based on polycrystalline silicon, which also is known as polysilicon (p-Si) and multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si), were introduced to the market in 1981. Unlike monocrystalline-based solar panels, polycrystalline solar panels do not require the Czochralski process. Raw silicon is melted and poured into a square mold, which is cooled and cut into perfectly square wafers.AdvantagesThe process used to make polycrystalline silicon is simpler and cost less. The amount of waste silicon is less compared to monocrystalline.Polycrystalline solar panels tend to have slightly lower heat tolerance than monocrystalline solar panels. This technically means that they perform slightly worse than monocrystalline solar panels in high temperatures. Heat can affect the performance of solar panels and shorten their lifespans. However, this effect is minor, and most homeowners do not need to take it into account. DisadvantagesThe efficiency of polycrystalline-based solar panels is typically 13-16%. Because of lower silicon purity, polycrystalline solar panels are not quite as efficient as monocrystalline solar panels.Lower space-efficiency. You generally need to cover a larger surface to output the same electrical power as you would with a solar panel made of monocrystalline silicon. However, this does not mean every monocrystalline solar panel perform better than those based on polycrystalline silicon.Monocrystalline and thin-film solar panels tend to be more aesthetically pleasing since they have a more uniform look compared to the speckled blue color of polycrystalline silicon. String Ribbon Solar CellsString Ribbon solar panels are also made out of polycrystalline silicon. String Ribbon is the name of a manufacturing technology that produces a form of polycrystalline silicon. Temperature-resistant wires are pulled through molten silicon, which results in very thin silicon ribbons. Solar panels made with this technology looks similar to traditional polycrystalline solar panels.Evergreen Solar was the main manufacturer of solar panels using the String Ribbon technology. The company is now bankrupt, rendering the future for String Ribbon solar panels unclear. AdvantagesThe manufacturing of String Ribbon solar panels only uses half the amount silicon as monocrystalline manufacturing. This contributes to lower costs. DisadvantagesThe manufacturing of String Ribbon solar panels is significantly more energy extensive and more costly.Efficiency is at best on par with the low-end polycrystalline solar panels at around 13-14%. In research laboratories, researchers have pushed the efficiency of String Ribbon solar cells as high as 18.3%.[3]String Ribbon solar panels have the lowest space-efficiency of any of the main types of crystalline-based solar panels. Thin-Film Solar Cells (TFSC)Depositing one or several thin layers of photovoltaic material onto a substrate is the basic gist of how thin-film solar cells are manufactured. They are also known as thin-film photovoltaic cells (TFPV). The different types of thin-film solar cells can be categorized by which photovoltaic material is deposited onto the substrate:Amorphous silicon (a-Si)Cadmium telluride (CdTe)Copper indium gallium selenide (CIS/CIGS)Organic photovoltaic cells (OPC) Depending on the technology, thin-film module prototypes have reached efficiencies between 7–13% and production modules operate at about 9%. Future module efficiencies are expected to climb close to the about 10–16%.[4]The market for thin-film PV grew at a 60% annual rate from 2002 to 2007.[5] In 2011, close to 5% of U.S. photovoltaic module shipments to the residential sector were based on thin-film.[1] AdvantagesMass-production is simple. This makes them and potentially cheaper to manufacture than crystalline-based solar cells.Their homogenous appearance makes them look more appealing.Can be made flexible, which opens up many new potential applications.High temperatures and shading have less impact on solar panel performance.In situations where space is not an issue, thin-film solar panels can make sense. DisdvantagesThin-film solar panels are in general not very useful for in most residential situations.They are cheap, but they also require a lot of space. SunPower`s monocrystalline solar panels produce up to four times the amount of electricity as thin-film solar panels for the same amount of space.[3]Low space-efficiency also means that the costs of PV-equipment (e.g. support structures and cables) will increase.Thin-film solar panels tend to degrade faster than mono- and polycrystalline solar panels, which is why they typically come with a shorter warranty. Solar panels based on amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride and copper indium gallium selenide are currently the only thin-film technologies that are commercially available on the market: Amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Solar CellsBecause the output of electrical power is low, solar cells based on amorphous silicon have traditionally only been used for small-scale applications such as in pocket calculators. However, recent innovations have made them more attractive for some large-scale applications too.With a manufacturing technique called "stacking", several layers of amorphous silicon solar cells can be combined, which results in higher efficiency rates (typically around 6-8%).Only 1% of the silicon used in crystalline silicon solar cells is required in amorphous silicon solar cells. On the other hand, stacking is expensive. Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Solar CellsCadmium telluride is the only thin-film solar panel technology that has surpassed the cost-efficiency of crystalline silicon solar panels in a significant portion of the market (multi-kilowatt systems).The efficiency of solar panels based on cadmium telluride usually operates in the range 9-11%.First Solar has installed over 5 gigawatts (GW) of cadmium telluride thin-film solar panels worldwide. The same company holds the world record for CdTe PV module efficiency of 14.4%.[6] Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIS/CIGS) Solar CellsCompared to the other thin-film technologies above, CIGS solar cells have showed the most potential in terms of efficiency.These solar cells contain less amounts of the toxic material cadmium that is found in CdTe solar cells. Commercial production of flexible CIGS solar panels was started in Germany in 2011.The efficiency rates for CIGS solar panels typically operate in the range 10-12 %.Many thin-film solar cell types are still early in the research and testing stages. Some of them have enormous potential, and we will likely see more of them in the future. Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV)Lastly, we`ll briefly touch on the subject of building integrated photovoltaics. Rather than an individual type of solar cell technology, building integrated photovoltaics have several subtypes (or different methods of integration), which can be based on both crystalline-based and thin-film solar cells.Building integrated photovoltaics can be facades, roofs, windows, walls and many other things that is combined with photovoltaic material. If you have the extra money and want to seemlessly integrate photovoltaics with the rest of your home, you should look up building integrated photovoltaics. For most homeowners it`s simply way too expensive.This article covered the advantages and disadvantages of different solar panel types. If you want to learn more solar power in general, go to Solar Energy Pros and Cons. Best Solar Panel Type for Home UseHaving your particular situation evaluated by an expert would be the best way to find out what solar panel type would be best for your household. Here are some of the typical scenarios we see: Limited SpaceFor those who don't have enough space for thin-film solar panels (the majority of us), or if you want to limit the amount of space their PV-system takes up, crystalline-based solar panels are your best choice (and they would likely be the your best choice even if you had the extra space). There are not a whole lot of solar installers and providers that offer thin-film solar panels for homeowners at this point.You will have a choice of different solar panel sizes. The 180, 200 and 220-watt rated solar panels are usually physically the same size. They are manufactured exactly the same way, but under- or overperform when tested, hence ending up in different categories for power output. If size is important, you should go for the highest rated power output for a particular physical size.Both mono- and polycrystalline solar panels are good choices and offer similar advantages. Even though polycrystalline solar panels tend to be less space-efficient and monocrystalline solar panels tend to produce more electrical power, this is not always the case. It would be nearly impossible to recommend one or the other by not examining the solar panels and your situation closer. Monocrystalline solar panels are slightly more expensive, but also slightly more space-efficient. If you had one polycrystalline and one monocrystalline solar panel, both rated 220-watt, they would generate the same amount of electricity, but the one made of monocrystalline silicon would take up less space.We always keep an up-to-date list over the most efficient solar panels on the market today: What are the Most Efficient Solar Panels? Lowest CostsIf you want the lowest costs per rated power, or in other words, pay as little as possible for a certain amount of electricity, you should investigate if thin-film solar panels could in fact be a better choice than mono- or polycrystalline solar panels.Read More>>
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What is Solar Energy?
You probably know that solar energy is sunlight (solar radiation) that is constantly being emitted from the sun. Where does this sunlight actually come from and what exactly is solar energy? Solar energy is nuclear fusionSolar radiation energy, sunlight, or insolation, are all words used to describe the total spectrum of electromagnet energy that is emitted by the sun. A small fraction of this energy hits the Earth. The sunlight that hits the earth's surface does not only include visible light, but also infrared and ultraviolet light. It takes about 8 minutes for sunlight travel from the sun to earth. What does sunlight, nuclear reactors and atomic bombs all have in common? Nuclear reactions drive them all. Nuclear fission, which is the foundation of conventional nuclear reactors, is the name of the process where an atom is separated into two smaller atoms. Nuclear fusion is the process where two smaller atoms merge together, forming one larger atom. The net mass before and after a fission or fusion process is negative; in other words, there is a loss of mass in a nuclear reaction. This mass does not just disappear, but is converted into energy.Where does the energy in the sun come from? Nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium. In fact, the Sun fuses about 620 million metric tons (almost 1.4 billion pounds) of hydrogen into helium every second.99% of the energy from nuclear fusion is generated inside 24% of the Sun's radius, which flows outwards through several different layers, before it escapes as sunlight. A little further out, there is no nuclear fusion taking place at all. How long will the sun continue to shine?The sun has been burning for several billion years already. The continual loss of mass caused by nuclear fusion means that the sun is slowly disappearing. But don't worry; according to NASA the Sun has another 6.5 billion years worth of fusion processes left before it shuts down.Read More>>
What is a solar power system?
Also called a solar electric system or photovoltaic PV system, solar power systems use solar panels to collect photons of light from the sun and use them to create an . To learn more about solar PV systems, please our page How Do Solar Power Systems Work. A photovoltaic PV solar power system is a collection of components which, when used together, produce electricity from sunlight that can be used for a variety of purposes. There are several different types of solar photovoltaic systems including the following:Grid-tie (no battery)Grid-tie (with battery storage)Off-grid (no battery)Off-grid (with battery, DC-only)Off-grid (with battery AC + DC) All of the system types listed above begin and end with the photovoltaic array, consisting of one or more solar panels, which converts electromagnetic radiation in the form of sunlight into direct current (DC) electricity. This is true for any residential, commercial, or industrial solar power system. And, depending on whether or not a system includes batteries, a solar PV system will also include a charge controller, which regulates the charge to the batteries, and an inverter, which converts DC electricity to AC electricity. A PV system also includes cables and wiring that connect all the system components together into a complete system. Our wide selection of solar electric systems come in various wattage configurations, or sizes. We have residential solar power kits that are capable of powering a home. We also supply solar lighting kits for lighting up a dark sign. Providing power to scientific or oil and gas patch sensing and telemetry in remote locations is easy using our pole-mount solar kits. The list of examples of applications that can be powered by a solar power system is long and includes numerous military and federal, state, county, and municipal government applications, transportation including street lights, traffic control, rail, and even satellites and space stations. There is even a start-up company attempting to perfect their solar roadway invention. Our solar photovoltaic systems and kits include high-quality components that are tested and certified to the highest quality standard and are designed for optimal durability and performance for up to 25 years - and beyond.Read More>>
Solar-Tec 2017--- Cairo Solar energy exhibition
Solar-Tec 2017, co-located with Electricx 2017, brought together more than 200 exhibitors and over 16 VIP speakers from more than 14 countries. The exhibitions and conference were under the patronage of The Cabinet of Ministers, The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, The Ministry of Military Production, The Ministry of Housing Utilities and Urban Communities, The Ministry of Local Development and The Ministry of Supply and Internal Trading. They gathered thousands of high-profile industry experts from across Egypt and North Africa to discuss a wide-range of topics related to Egypt's electricity network. The Egypt International Energy Exhibition & Conference is hosted in Cairo, Egypt. The event is organized by Pyramids International and highlights recent industry developments in oil and gas, wind energy, solar, geothermal, biofuels, and electricity generation. The official website for the conference utilizes the new .ENERGY brand and is located atwww.Egy.energy. The names of countries throughout the world are specifically restricted from domain name registration, therefore "Egy" was selected as the alternative to the full country name, Egypt. Since Egypt has become one of the world's largest natural gas producers, the country is in a unique position to supply natural gas worldwide and to compete with other gas-rich countries now gearing up for major global distribution & sales. The Egy.energy internet address will provide a memorable destination for future energy conferences hosted in Egypt.Read More>>


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Cracked Tongue Advice
Your tongue is one of the toughest muscles in your body, but sometimes fissures break out on it. This is known as cracked tongue, scrotal tongue or grooved tongue. There is not a single established cause of cracked tongue, but there are many potential sources. Often it does not hurt, but it can be painful and lead to discomfort and bad breath. A regular oral hygiene routine and an antibacterial wash may combat it.
Cracked tongue affects between 2 and 5 percent of the population, explains NetWellness.org. It is most common in males, and the cracks increase and deepen as you age. Its most apparent symptoms are the cracks, fissures or grooves on your tongue. You may have many cracks, or one long crack that runs along the middle of your tongue. You may notice pain, irritation, mouth sores or burning when you eat spicy food. If the cracks are deep enough, specks of food may become wedged in them and bacteria may breed and lead to bacterial or fungal infections of your tongue.
Your tongue is one of the most overworked muscles in your body. It comes into contact with dozens of external forces each day as you eat, drink, or even kiss. Excessive spicy food or exceedingly hot drinks may cause a cracked tongue. Meanwhile, DermNetNZ.org explains that cracked tongue could be a genetic condition: if you have a cracked tongue you could pass it on to your child. Nutritional deficiency is another potential cause. Tobacco and alcohol are also significant tongue irritants.
When you are stressed, you may chew your tongue, and it may happen even when you are asleep, so you could be giving yourself a cracked tongue without knowing it. Grinding your teeth together when stressed is another potential reason for developing a cracked tongue. It could also be an accident: when you bite your tongue you could cause fissures in it, especially if you have a chipped tooth.
There is no established treatment for a cracked tongue 1. It is a benign problem with asymptomatic causes, so instead of a cure or an active treatment, a diligent oral hygiene routine should suffice. An antibacterial wash may minimize pain, and regularly brushing and washing your mouth will remove lodged food particles that may cause discomfort or infection. Many supermarkets and drugstores sell tongue scrapers 1.
A cracked tongue may be an irritation that passes with time, or you may experience it throughout your life with no pain. But it may be an indicator of a far more serious condition, such as diabetes or cancer. Ideally, if you have a cracked tongue, you should visit your doctor or an ear, nose and throat practitioner that will offer you a diagnosis. Meanwhile, your dentist will advise you on the best dental routine to adopt.
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images


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I will be the first to admit that I always expect the worst from my kids. I always assume that there will be tantrums and meltdowns whenever we go out together. Obviously, there's reasons why I have grown to expect this bevior (re: I get it now). But honestly, I'm not proud of feeling this way, I'm really not.
Every single day is a new day, with a new beginning. And my kids deserve the benefit of the doubt. They deserve for me to believe in them. And beyond that, they deserve a Mother who is more confident in her abilities to take care of them, and resolve & diffuse any outbursts or issues that may occur.
Case in point:
On Monday, a friend of mine posted on FB that she was going to Ikea, and asked if anyone wanted to meet her there. ::raises hand:: Umm.. yes, I will!! That was my first thought. Then, I thought about it for some more and quickly decided that I'd probably better stay home. Taking two little kids to Ikea? That could prove to be exhausting and irritating, at best.
But then, another moment past, and looked down at my beautiful 3 y/o, who smiled up at me sweetly. Right then, I thought to myself "You know what, why the heck not?? I GOT this." And without another thought, I told her I would be meeting her at Ikea at 2pm.The baby woke up from his nap at 1:00, and I got the kids fed and ready to go. Bennett took a short little snooze on the way to Ikea & off we went to wander the gigantic warehouse.
And you know what?? The kids were amazing!! Bennett was well-behaved and followed almost every direction I gave him. And Easton was happy just being pushed around in the cart. I don't give my kids nearly enough credit. They deserve so much better from me. I don't want to be the Mom that doesn't go anywhere or do anything fun with my kids because I'm scared of what might happen when we get there. Kids have off days, and can be challenging, but that's life. I need to do better at just rolling with the punches.
My kids surprised me that day. And I surprised myself, too.
And I got some fun stuff for myself and the kiddos (a new rug, some play kitchenware for their playhouse, and some new candle holders.) Score!
Remember there are no real rules. I do ask that whatever post you link up, is recent. Please don't link to a post from your archives. Thanks! And please feel free to grab this button and add it to your post so that others can quickly link back here to play along! :-)
Hashtag: #mamamemoirs
The next Mama Memoirs link-up will be Thursday, May 2nd!


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Check Out UTOPIA
Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:31 am by Admin
Utopia Forum is almost complete and is now ready for all new members and visitors.
The forum is a little different to here as it uses a single page forum which puts all the topics on one page with important threads globally pinned at the top of the page.
Like i said we are ALMOST complete but we are still playing around and moving things about so please bare …
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In this technology-driven world, the huge potential of the Internet is no longer limited to rants on blogs and hate pages on social networking sites.
Nowadays, many companies are seeing how powerful the World Wide Web is in creating an impact on the global market. Hence, the birth of online marketing.
However, online marketing can be a tricky business. Thus, in such cases, it is a good idea to get the services of an Internet marketing company such as Hua Marketing. Hua Marketing specializes in three different online marketing services—Social Seeding, Link Building and Marketing Assistants. Let's take a close look at these services.
Social Seeding
In a nutshell, social seeding is an Internet marketing strategy wherein companies use social networking sites to reach potential customers. This technique allows businesses to showcase their products and services through content, infographics and other marketing strategies to gain visibility.
Hua Marketing's take on social seeding goes beyond promoting your content on social networks, blogs, portals and social aggregation sites. It uses online communication tools like email and IM as well to increase visibility. Plus, its use of both free and paid services ensures that you receive the best and highest visibility possible.
Link Building
One of the most popular Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques is link building. The goal of this process is to create links that direct people to a specific website, which in turn generates traffic and income for the said website.
As part of the company's core services, link building is taken very seriously and with utmost care by taking into account the quantity and quality of links created. Hua Marketing creates personalized link building campaigns to suit the specific needs of your company. It is designed to target specific and credible sites under your niche to provide you high search ranking results.
Marketing Assistants
Let's face it—Internet marketing is huge, and the responsibilities are so varied that trying to handle all aspects of your business by yourself isn't going to cut it. This is why Hua Marketing provides you your very own Marketing Assistant who can handle your Internet marketing needs.
Hua's competent and highly-trained Marketing Assistants are able to design marketing plans that cater to the needs and preferences of your company. In addition, they ensure that their marketing plans and services are uniquely designed just for you.
Plus, Hua Marketing associates pride themselves for being well-rounded in all aspects of Internet marketing including reputation management.
When it comes to online marketing, it is crucial to fully understand its ins-and-outs in order to make the most of it. And for that, Hua Marketing makes the cut. The company strives to provide the best services unlike anything the World Wide Web has seen before.


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Choosing The Phone Cover for You
There is never a better time to think about your phone cover style than heading into a new season so I will offer you some hot tips to get a phone cover in time for the season to come.
There are countless mobile phone covers available so choosing one to meet your style is never easy but don't let that stop you this year because I am about to make it easier.
There is no need to spend big on phone covers because you can pick up a cover at a very reasonable price if you shop around. Quality leather will usually cost you more than a rubber slide on but if it makes you feel good then the price difference won't matter in the long term.
One last thing to keep in mind when you go phone cover shopping this season is that it all comes down to being about you and what you feel good about having on you. Keep that good feeling at all times and grab a phone cover that matches your personality and says you.


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The pressures were already immense when David B. Kellermann was promoted to the top financial position at the mortgage giant Freddie Mac last September. Then they got even worse.
Mr. Kellermann's boss and other top executives were ousted when the Treasury secretary seized Freddie Mac and its sibling company, Fannie Mae; others left on their own and were not replaced. Soon President Obama told the companies they were responsible for carrying out some of his programs to revive the economy, in addition to keeping the housing market afloat by buying and selling hundreds of thousands of mortgages a month.
Mr. Kellermann, 41, began working nonstop, sometimes returning home only to change clothes, colleagues say. He was losing weight and telling friends that it seemed impossible to appease everyone — regulators, lawmakers, investors and other executives — given their competing demands. Someone was always angry with him, he told one friend. And no matter how many hours everyone worked, it seemed as if the economy and homeowners were still slipping farther into the abyss.
Then early this month, Mr. Kellermann and other executives at Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae became the focus of intense scrutiny when lawmakers learned they would receive bonuses totaling $210 million. Mr. Kellermann was set to receive $850,000 over 16 months. Reporters and camera crews showed up at his home in Vienna, an affluent Virginia suburb of Washington. Fearing that someone might attack his house, his wife or their 5-year-old daughter, he asked the company for a security detail.
Early on Wednesday, Mr. Kellermann went to the basement of his brick home and hanged himself, according to people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to speak. His body was removed five hours later, through a throng of neighbors, television crews and others.
His colleagues, some of whom learned of his death on the radio commuting to work, bought and sold about 8,500 mortgages that day, their frantic pace interrupted only by an 11 a.m. meeting for employees who wanted to share memories of a deceased friend.Continue reading the main story
"David was such an honest and humble person," said Tim Bitsberger, Freddie Mac's treasurer until he left in December. "He had an incredible commitment to this company and trying to get the economy back on track."
"It just doesn't make sense," Mr. Bitsberger said.
The roots and causes of suicide are often unclear. It is not known if Mr. Kellermann succumbed to the pressures of his job. But in the aftermath of his death, it is plain that at Freddie Mac, as at many of the companies in the center of this economic storm, there are forces so strong they can overwhelm almost anyone.
At General Motors, executives are fighting to save a company that has cut their salaries and suspended their vacations. On Wall Street, professionals are demonized and then asked to work overtime to repair the damage colleagues have wrought. These professionals may not deserve tears, particularly compared to the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs and their homes. But Mr. Kellermann's death is a reminder that those suffering in this crisis reside in every neighborhood, from the squalid to the opulent.
"The pressure right now is relentless," said a Freddie Mac executive who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak. "Everyone in the financial sector, regardless of where you work, is constantly told both that this is our fault, and that we have to work as hard as possible, otherwise the nation will fall apart."
Mr. Kellermann, who spent more than 16 years at Freddie Mac and saw his stock and options decline precipitously last year, was at the intersection of some of the most difficult issues facing the company. Last month the company's chief executive, David M. Moffett, resigned in part, he said, because federal regulators were using Freddie Mac to carry out economic policy at the expense of nursing the publicly held company back to financial health. The company has not had a president since 2007.
Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which together own or back more than half of the home mortgages in the country, have been hobbled by skyrocketing loan defaults and have received a total of $60 billion in federal aid since they were taken over last fall.
Mr. Kellermann was also working in a poisonous political atmosphere. In addition to taking criticism over the bonuses, he was recently involved in tense conversations with the company's federal regulator over its routine financial disclosures, according to people close to those discussions who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Freddie Mac executives wanted to emphasize to investors that they believed the company was being run to benefit the government, rather than shareholders. The company's regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Authority, had pushed to play down that language. Freddie Mac reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission that changes it had made in practices to help the government "have increased our expenses or caused us to forgo revenue opportunities."
Mr. Kellermann was also required to certify Freddie Mac's filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company disclosed in March that there was a continuing federal investigation of its accounting, disclosure and corporate governance practices. That investigation is currently being overseen by the United States attorney's office for the Eastern District of Virginia, which declined to comment. A spokesman, David Palombi, said Freddie Mac knew of no link between the death and the legal inquiries.
A spokeswoman for the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia said there were no signs of foul play in Mr. Kellermann's death. The police would not comment on whether a note had been found, but a spokesman said that nothing except the body had been removed from the house.Continue reading the main story


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I am on the road tonight in Lansing Michigan gearing up for Purdue vs. Michigan St basketball, but I had to share some good news. A live concert download is available from the frontman for the Old 97's, Rhett Miller. This 17 song solo set was recorded at "The Fez" and features special guest Ken Bethea. But that's not even the end of it! They are also offering an UNRELEASED 7 song studio recording of the groups side project "Ranchero Brothers" for a limited time.
Grab it quick! This group has been making great music for quite some time and deserves a download. I intend to download this when I return home. I may update this post at a later time after I get to listen. Click the link below to navigate to the Old 97's media page for the download. Enjoy!
Download: Rhett Miller
Boiler Up!


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Jackson NJ
Jackson is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population had increased to a record high of 54,856, and has a total area of 100.8 square miles, of which 0.8 square miles of it (0.74%) is water. Jackson is the largest city by area in Ocean County.
Cassville and Vista Center are census-designated places and unincorporated area located within Jackson Township. All of Jackson Township is considered a USDA Rural Development eligible area.
Jackson is the county's largest rural region featuring rich clusters of woodlands, fascinating wildlife, sparkling streams, and room to grow. Although the area is sparsely settled, its combination of natural beauty and untapped resources are attracting growth in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. The influx of new residents has resulted in forty subdivisions, where condominiums and townhouses combine with single-family homes in a variety of architectural styles and price ranges.
Jackson's most famous attraction is Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park, which as of 2010 is home to the tallest roller coaster in the world: Kingda Ka. Jackson is also home to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor water park and Six Flags Wild Safari.
Jackson Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 6, 1844, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township), Freehold Township and Upper Freehold Township, while the area was still part of Monmouth County, New Jersey. It became part of the newly-created Ocean County on February 15, 1850. Portions of the township were taken to form Plumsted Township on March 11, 1845.
The Jackson School District serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are six elementary school serving grades K-5 — Crawford-Rodriguez Elementary School, Elms Elementary School, Lucy N. Holman Elementary School, Howard C. Johnson Elementary School, Sylvia Rosenauer Elementary School and Switlik Elementary School — Carl W. Goetz Middle School and Christa McAuliffe Middle School for grades 6-8, along with Jackson Liberty High School and Jackson Memorial High School for grades 9-12.
Major highways CR 527, CR 528, CR 547, CR 537, CR 526, and CR 571 pass through the township. CR 539 also passes through the township, but in the southwest corner, for less than half a mile. Interstate 195 is a major artery that travels through the northern section of Jackson (Jackson is the only municipality in Ocean County that hosts any interstate). While the expressway travels into Howell and Millstone Townships, it's also a vital link for Six Flags since it grants access to the Garden State Parkway, Interstate 295 and the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95).
New Jersey Transit bus service is provided to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Philadelphia is served by the 317. Local service is available on the 311 bus line.
Points of interest include--
- Farmers Market at Jackson Crossing -- located at 21 S. Hope Chapel Road, Jackson on summer and fall Thursdays, 12-6pm.
- Prospertown Schoolhouse Museum -- located at the Municipal Complex, 95 West Veteran's Highway (Route 528), Jackson. Maintains an original one-room schoolhouse, containing local artifacts, photographs, and documents, including cranberry and blueberry sorters, St. Vladimir Memorial Church Commemorative Medals, and dirigible and blimp memorabilia.
Some open space areas in Jackson Township include--
- Butterfly Bogs Wildlife Management Area
- Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area
- Barnegat Bay Watershed Inland Area
- Toms River Headwaters Area
- New Jersey Wildlife and Game Refuge
Some golf courses near Jackson include--
- Metedeconk National Golf Club, 50 Hannah Hill Road, Jackson
- Westlake Golf & Country Club, 1 Pine Lake Circle, Jackson
- Pine Barrens Golf Club, 540 South Hope Chapel Road, Jackson
Some restaurants include--
- Solo Bella (Italian) - 426 Chandler Road, Jackson
- Surf Taco Jackson (Mexican) - 21 South Hope Chapel Road, Jackson
- Java Moon Cafe (American-New) - 1022 Anderson Rd, Jackson
- Inzillo's Pizzeria (Pizza) - 2103 W County Line Rd, Jackson
- Enzo Pizza (Pizza, Italian) - 237 W Commodore Blvd, Jackson
- Koto Japanese Restaurant (Sushi, Japanese) - 21 South Hope Chapel Road, Jackson
- Tuscany Italian Specialty (Italian) - 10 S New Prospect Rd, Jackson
- Doraldo Restaurant & Pizza (Pizza) - 21 S Hope Chapel Rd, Jackson
- China Ming (Chinese) - 255 S New Prospect Rd, Jackson
- Jersey Mike's Subs (Sandwiches/Subs, Soups) - 2275 W County Line Rd, Jackson
National Register of Historic Places listings include--
- Cassville Crossroads Historic District, Jct. of CR 571 and 528, Jackson Township
Historically, early Woodland Period Indians, known as Lenape, emerge as hunters and gatherers in the Jackson Township area. By 1740, there were only about 200 Native Americans living in New Jersey, south of the Raritan Bay to Cape May.
In 1600, the Dutch explorer Cornelius Hendrickson navigated Barnegat Inlet and the Toms River onboard the Onrust, becoming the first European explorer to set foot on what became Ocean County soil. The land, which he claimed for Holland, became part of New Netherlands.
In 1664, King Charles II gave his brother James, Duke of York, the lands of New Netherlands after the Dutch surrendered the land under pressure from the British. It was renamed Albania, and James deeded this territory to two friends: Lord John Berkeley, who was given the western half, and Sir George Carteret, the eastern half.
After Sir George Carteret died in 1685, his land holding in the province was sold off piecemeal to pay his indebtedness. The Proprietors began to buy land from the local Native Americans, which gave title for Ocean County lands to Europeans for the first time.
It wasn't until 1712 that the first road was built in Ocean County. In 1844, and in honor of ex-President Andrew Jackson, Jackson Township was incorporated by the state legislature as a new municipality in Monmouth County by taking portions of Freehold, Upper Freehold and Dover Township. Initially the new Jackson encompassed 170 square miles and included today's Plumstead Township. Although it has dwindled during the years, as other municipalities were created by the Legislature, to a mere 100.4 square miles, it is yet, the largest municipality in Ocean County and the third largest in the state.
Agriculture was the main industry of Jackson Township's population prior to mid-20th century. Forestry, with the hewing of trees for boardfeet at the local sawmills and the manufacture of charcoal for the local furnaces (converting iron bog ore to pig iron), was the first industry. As the forests were stripped from the land, owners converted their farms to crop growth.
When it was discovered that consuming wild cranberries (by the crews on the long voyages of sailing ships) prevented the dreaded Beri-Beri disease, John "Peg Leg" Webb, a retired seaman turned local schoolteacher, residing in the Bowman Road area east of Cassville, has been credited with initiating the domestication of the wild cranberry and the development of unique cranberry bogs for maximum growth production in the early 1840's. At peak production after the Civil War, more than 200 cranberry bogs were in production.
In 1917, when the United States entered World War I, the former ammunition proving grounds in Manchester and Jackson townships was acquired by U.S. Army and renamed Camp Kendrick. After World War I and starting about 1920, a new agricultural industry arose as the charcoal and cranberry industries began to wane. Everyone became a poultry farmer, egg producing poultry sprang up everywhere, as well as brooder houses.
It was inevitable that starting in 1960, land development in Jackson shifted from agriculture to new home development as the North Jersey megalopolis reached out into southern Monmouth and upper Ocean Counties. In 1950, the Ocean County population was 56,622, however by 1960 had almost doubled to 108,241 and almost doubled again by 1970 to 208,470. Slowing the pace a little it took until 1990 to reach 433,203 and in 2000 it stood at 510,916,
These days, Jackson is a commuter community. Jackson in its 150 years of development grew from an incorporated municipality, watching the population of its 100.4 square miles mount from 1,330 in 1844 to a population over 50,000 in about 12,000 dwelling units today.


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Butterfly Valves
Product Code : 23
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Product Description
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Developed and Managed by Infocom Network Ltd.


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Leamington Ladies were unable to continue their giant-killing exploits at home to Manchester-based Brooklands Poynton in the third round of the Investec Cup.
Leamington shocked National League side Liverpool Sefton in the previous round, but found the Conference North leaders too strong despite a gallant effort.
The home side had to absorb large periods of pressure in the first half but did succumb to a short corner to go in at the break one down.
They settled into the match after the break and created chances on the break thanks to the pace of forwards Kerry Luckett and Lucy Miszkowska.
However, Brooklands put away a second to secure their progress to the last eight.
Jordan Savage picked up the man-of-the-match award for Leamington after a sterling defensive effort.
The previous day, Leamington claimed a 3-2 win at home to promotion rivals Cannock 2nds to move up to second in Midlands Division One.
Cannock took the lead against the run of play but Leamington responded well, with two goals from leading goalscorer Kerry Luckett putting them 2-1 up at the interval.
A Bethan Ellis goal extended the hosts' lead before Cannock struck back to set up an anxious finale.


text: In 2005 after being friends and associated production whores with Mikah Freeman, Vance Musgrove & Ross McGrath started their digital label project, dubbed The Aston Shuffle. What started off as a group effort to get their previously unreleased tunes to the masses has skyrocketed into 2007 with the group heavily in demand for their white hot remixes – a little electro, a little techno, but all house. When the swing on their tunes hits the dance floor you'll be more than pleasantly surprised how hard it is keep your body from going retarded.


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House Brew
Gold Mine Pale Ale - ABV 5.3%Two row Munich & crystal malts combine with a 4 hop blend to give this ale a refreshing but not overpowering bite. Dry hopped with citra.
Whispering Pine IPA - ABV 8.1%Our Whispering Pine IPA is a medium bodied IPA featuring a five hop blend then dry hopped to enhance citrus & pine flavors.
Sidewinder Red Ale - ABV 8.5%Our Sidewinder Red Ale is very unique. Its bold malt flavors & mild hops give it an undertone of pineapple & citrus with slight pine aromas. This is a well balanced ale even with the higher ABV.
Ode to Winslow Robust Porter - ABV 6.1%A dark roast with a slight coffee flavor that finishes with a tropical feel.
High Altitude Hefeweizen - ABV 5.2%Our American style High Altitude Hefeweizen is made with two row American pale malt & red wheat. It's fermented with American ale yeast & hopped to give a citrus flavor with light earthy tones.
Barely Legal Honey Blonde - ABV 6.6%A favorite for everyone! Our Barely Legal Honey Blonde is a clean, crisp ale produced with two row American malt, lightly hopped giving a subtle licorice & citrus profile, 120 pounds of orange blossom honey gives this ale its great taste & flavor with a sweet lift on the finish.


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I love the latest theme for FM 166 so decided to join in with their latest challenge.
The challenge over at the FRIDAY MASHUP is to -
- Create a project using "Sequins".
- Create a "Hello or Hi project".
- or Mash it Up! and create a "Hello project with Sequins".
I opted to mash it up and include a 'hello' and sequins! It's also my first time playing along with their challenges. Thanks for the inspiration.
I actually managed to make 3 projects today so I will back to share something that I made for our team 'Sneak Peek' Catalogue Launch which is on tomorrow.
Until then, happy stamping, die cutting, scrapping ...


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"After the Grand Palais, I had to do the opposite."
-Karl Lagerfeld, on the intimate setting for the Pre-Fall 2011 collection presentation, Style.com
If I had to summarize the Chanel Métiers D'Art Pre-Fall 2011 Paris-Byzance Collection in one word it would be opulence. Hearkening back to the Byzantine Era and Empress Theodora, Karl Lagerfeld resurrected the intricate mosaics and gold filigree of the lost empire.
A somber palette of black, navy, royal plum and gold highlighted the textured knits and intricate tweeds. Mosaic patterns of churches were replicated on dresses and necklines and gold was woven through textiles. The accessories were gorgeous and evoked the lavishness of the Byzantine Empire. Gold coin necklaces, bib necklaces, chunky cuff bracelets and filigree headbands are all fit for an Empress. Over the knee boots and sandals were the footwear of choice and completed the looks.
Though inspired by antiquities, Karl Lagerfeld kept the collection current with hints of mod 1960′s London. Pea coats, straight-leg pants, swing coats and shift dresses gave a modern feel to the otherwise classic sumptuousness of the Byzantine-inspired pieces.
This collection was truly beautiful and I love how Karl can take something so small, like Coco Chanel's signature Verdura Cuffs (wit Byzantine crosses) and create a whole collection around it. The Métiers D'Art are always a stand out because, as the name implies, it's a collection focused around artisan skills and gorgeous craftsmanship. I can't wait to see the detail shots of the accessories and the look book which was shot in Ravenna, Italy where Byzantine mosaics still exist. Stay tuned for more info! Until then, please enjoy images from the collection.
Images: WWD