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Best Shots Reviews: AVENGERS #1, GREEN LANTERNS #10, CHAMPIONS #2
Avengers #1
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Mike del Mundo and Marco D'alfonso
Lettering by Cory Petit
Published by Marvel Comics
Review by David Pepose
'Rama Rating: 8 out of 10
Despite having a new title, a new artist and a new #1 on its cover, Avengers #1 is, in many ways, a straight continuation of Mark Waid's previous work in All-New, All-Different Avengers with only some minor adjustments. With literally half of Waid's previous team having left to go found the Champions, Waid and artist Mike del Mundo spend much of this issue shoring up the Avengers' ranks, while picking up plot threads from the last run's Kang-centric storyline.
While much of Waid's plot points stem from his previous run on the book, readers will have little problem getting up to speed — namely, after being turned into a puppet by the time traveler Kang, the Vision traveled back in time and kidnapped Kang as an infant, absconding with him for parts unknown. Unfortunately, hell hath no fury like a time lord scorned, and the Avengers wind up getting caught in the crossfire for their synthezoid friend's actions. The premise is a decent one, and one that allows for the Avengers to get a little bit of action into the mix, but the timing feels wrong, particularly after the "future crime" angle of Civil War II.
But while Waid is still finding the right balance with his new cast members, he still has a strong sense of characterization that keeps this comic afloat. With Iron Man MIA, Peter Parker has taken up the mantle of the Avengers' financial benefactor, and it's very funny to see how he has zero of the chill that made Tony Stark such a dashing figure. (In particular, the way that the Wasp just naturally hates Peter is a great touch, as Waid keenly notes that spiders and wasps are natural enemies.) Yet one new recruit, Hercules, still feels a shade underdeveloped, making little impact beyond a perfunctory action opener.
What will be most interesting about Avengers, however, is whether it will make or break the upward trajectory of artist Mike del Mundo. Already an iconic cover artist in his own right, del Mundo dazzled with Marvel's Otherworld series last year, but having him draw a flagship Marvel book is a heck of a promotion. And unlike mass-market artists like Humberto Ramos, Jim Cheung or Steve McNiven, del Mundo is not your typical superhero comics artist — his characters are dark and twisted, with a color scheme similar to that of Frazer Irving. It's an acquired taste to be sure, but del Mundo works at his best when he's exploring the weirdness of Waid's story — beats like Kang and Scarlet Centurion splitting from one another, the spindly Spider-Man swinging into action, or the Vision shrugging off a shattered skull are among the book's best visual moments. That all said, however, the darkness of del Mundo's color palette can be a little daunting, and without hot colors to contrast them with, can occasionally dampen this debut's energy.
While Waid's other big team book, Champions, is on the fast track to superhero success, Avengers doesn't feel as sure of a bet. Though on a purely narrative level there's little difference between this book and All-New, All-Different Avengers, the change in art might make this book as easy of a jumping-off point as it is for readers to get on board. Yet All-New, All-Different Avengers had some moments of real brilliance in its short run, with Waid coming up with new and interesting team-ups for a diverse group of Marvel heroes — and with a challenging new artist and a story that could span all of time, I have faith that Avengers could be gearing up for a bold new era.
Green Lanterns #10
Written by Sam Humphries
Art by Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira and Blond
Lettering by Dave Sharpe
Published by DC Comics
Review by Justin Partridge
'Rama Rating: 8 out of 10
A new original threat and strong characterizations keeps the tenth issue of Green Lanterns in the air. Sam Humphries continues the title's streak of presenting Baz and Jessica as fully fleshed-out characters, but it is the introduction of Volthoom and the new wielder of the Phantom Ring, Frank Laminski, that gives the title its own worthy threat beyond the established Green Lantern villain roster. New series artist Eduardo Pansica, along with inker Julio Ferreira and colorist Blond, adapts well to the otherworldly visuals of the title as well as the grounded emotion that Humphries employs throughout the script. After an epic opening arc, Green Lanterns #10 aims to put the new Green Lanterns in untested space against a bold new threat.
With the major introduction to Frank and Volthoom out of the way thanks to the previous issue, Humphries wastes little time getting to the meat of his story this week. With the Phantom Ring in his sights, Frank sets a woman's house on fire with her daughter napping upstairs in order to distract Baz and Jessica, clearing his path to the new powerful weapon. Though the previous issue was all about Frank's origins and drive toward evil, #10 explictly shows how far he is willing to go to gain power, instantly establishing the stakes for this new arc. Humphries also gets to play with his creepy charm and positivity in this issue, highlighting his crocodile grin in the scene where he asks to "borrow" the woman's house before setting the flame and his intense glee when he finally gets his hands on the Phantom Ring. Couple Frank's smiling lunacy with the enigmatic Volthoom, and you have a compelling pair of foes for this new arc.
But while the new villains of Green Lanterns impress, the stars of the title continue to develop and grow with each issue. Now that Baz and Jessica are finally on a more solid ground as partners, Humphries throws another wrench into their pairing with the introduction of the Phantom Ring. Though Baz experiences its power first-hand in a gorgeously trippy single-page splash sequence from Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira and Blond, the very idea of the new ring is an interesting new kink in their working relationship. Without overdoing it, Humphries allows both characters to ponder wielding the new ring and how their heroic career could benefit from using the entire spectrum. This new narrative thread along with Baz's easing bullishness and Jessica Cruz's deep-rooted charm keeps Green Lanterns on steady ground plot-wise and character-wise.
As for the visuals, this art team makes Green Lantern #10 look more like a 2000AD comic than a story starring heroic space cops. Starting with a multi-panel multicolored freakout detailing Baz's brush with the Phantom Ring, Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, and Blond give this issue a sketchy, heavily inked look that highlights the weird creatures, constructs, and slightly exaggerated emotions of this story. Thanks to Ferreira's inks, Pansica's pencils are highly defined and clear, even when things start to get a bit hectic like in the scene where Baz and Jessica face a burning building. Blond's rich colors add a layer of vibrancy onto the sharp pencils, highlighting the more otherworldly aspects of the story like the ring constructs which seem to glow on the page and the dusky shadows that make up Volthoom's body. By balancing both the grounded and science fiction elements in a way that highlights what makes them pop visually Green Lanterns #10 starts this new arc off on an artistic high point.
Though Green Lanterns made great use of the Red Lanterns in its opening arc, the inclusion of the Phantom Ring puts the title and its cast into uncharted, narratively rich waters. Sam Humphries and a game art team start this new arc with big stakes and honed artwork without sacrificing what made the title interesting in the first place. With its solid character work and fast-paced introduction to the new baddies, Green Lanterns #10 is a solidly entertaining start to the title's latest story arc.
Champions #2
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba and Edgar Delgado
Lettering by Clayton Cowles
Published by Marvel Comics
Review by David Pepose
'Rama Rating: 10 out of 10
Mark Waid and Humberto Ramos' sophomore issue of Champions is a much more laid-back affair than their debut story, but it's also a far more engaging and character-driven installment. Taking the chattiness of Brian Michael Bendis's Avengers and somehow perfecting the formula, Champions #2 is a great way to get introduced to the next generation of Marvel heroes.
Stop me if you've heard this one before — the Avengers quip away over their breakfast table, largely just taking up time until the next superhero showdown arrives. That was a staple of Bendis's run on Avengers, but instead of the rapid-fire, Mamet-esque dialogue, Waid brings a deliberateness to the Champions' team-building camping trip that fleshes out their dynamic wonderfully. Kamala Khan, arguably the standard-bearer for Marvel's modern-day efforts, acts as the precocious team leader, Spider-Man and Nova are her everyman lieutenants and comedic relief, the Hulk is the team troublemaker, while Viv Vision is the intimidating mystery of the group. Waid settles nicely into the group's banter, but takes great care to ensure every character has their own unique voice and personality — in particular, Nova and the Hulk's back-and-forth generates some of the best sparks in the issue, while Ms. Marvel deftly avoiding genre cliche is a great beat, and Viv being an unexpected love interest is a particularly cool twist.
What keeps this largely action-free comic so engaging is that Waid recognizes he can't just talk his way out of this script — he still has to have his characters doing something interesting as well. As Kamala has the team introduce themselves and their powers, it's not only a good in-story mechanism to get readers up to speed, but it also allows artist Humberto Ramos to do something other than just have talking heads. Kamala gets to grow and shrink to demonstrate her power set, while Viv phases through a tree as she discusses her internal wifi system. (The password is "evenanandro1dcancry," by the way, mixing comics continuity with teen angst perfectly.) Even the brief bursts of action — like the Hulk leaping so high he literally is gone for a scene and a half, or Cyclops showing Amadeus that he's more than a match for even a gamma-powered titan — are engaging and character-driven enough to make the comic work.
And I think that's something that resonates with Ramos, who has already had a long and illustrious team-up career with Waid on their Impulse series. Ramos' enthusiasm shows here, and without a frenetic action sequence to cramp up his pages, his layouts are the most clean and clear I've seen them in quite some time. While there are the occasional panels rendered a little choppily by inker Victor Olazaba (or, in the case of the Hulk, rendered a little too heavily), there's so much character in these pages, even when it's just four teen superheroes huddled around a campfire. (And the less I say about the final page cliffhanger, the better — suffice to say it's one of the best single images from Ramos in years.) Ramos also seems to zero in on the unique physical characteristics that makes each character so interesting — Spider-Man with his ultra-expressive mask, Cyclops' thin and lanky physique, or the way that Viv's eyes suddenly narrow to ominous green dots when she feels snubbed — these beats keep this story visually interesting in a way that makes over-the-top action suddenly feel so unnecessary.
And maybe that's because Waid is dealing with a story that's all about character. The Champions aren't a team with a mission — instead, they're an age cohort, a meeting of the next great minds from the Marvel Universe. You don't need to have car chases when you've got Hulk-related drama. You don't need to have a bad guy trying to take over the world when you've got young superheroes in love. Sometimes you just need to stop and smell the roses in the comics business, and when you've got company as great as the Champions — not to mention the creative team behind them — this kind of getaway is exactly what readers needed.


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Cartesian equation:
4(x2 + y2 - ax)3 = 27a2(x2 + y2)2
Polar equation:
r = 4a cos3(θ/3)
Click below to see one of the Associated curves.
|Definitions of the Associated curves
|Involute 1
|Involute 2
|Inverse curve wrt origin
|Inverse wrt another circle
|Pedal curve wrt origin
|Pedal wrt another point
|Negative pedal curve wrt origin
|Negative pedal wrt another point
|Caustic wrt horizontal rays
|Caustic curve wrt another point
The name Cayley's sextic is due to R C Archibald who attempted to classify curves in a paper published in Strasbourg in 1900.
The evolute of Cayley's Sextic is a nephroid curve.
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subset: commoncrawl


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You will be booking with:
Situated in the heart of Cannington a small village to the west of Bridgwater, The King's Head is a well run traditional village pub serving great food.
Cannington is an ideal base to explore the nearby Quantock Hills Exmoor National Park and the West Somerset coastline. The King's Head is the ideal pub to eat drink or stay - preferably all three !
From: £45.00
Room Facilities
Tea and coffee making facilities
Wireless internet connection
Colour television
Family/oversized room
Non-smoking (throughout)
Lock-up facility for bicycles
Baggage store
Ironing facilities
Internet access (wireless) in public areas
Off-site parking
Free parking
On-site parking
Business Facilities
Internet connection (wireless)
Dining Facilities
Food at The Kings Head is delicious homemade pizza served all day everyday. We also served a basic snack menu. There are a couple of other pubs in the area serving more substantial meals if required.
Child Facilities
Children's menu
Pet Policy
No pets
Get Directions on Google maps
View on:
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Get an Ordnance Survey map covering the Bridgwater area.
Heritage Rated from 1- 5 (low-exceptional) on historic interest
Bridgwater Travel and Heritage Information
Cannington Walled Garden - 0.3 miles (Garden)
Cannington, St Mary's Church - 0.3 miles (Historic Church)
Otterhampton, All Saints Church - 2.4 miles (Historic Church)
WWT Steart Marshes - 3 miles (Countryside)
Bridgwater Museum - 3.4 miles (Museum)
Stogursey Castle - 3.6 miles (Castle)
Stogursey, St Andrew's Church - 3.6 miles (Historic Church)
Stogursey Holy Well - 3.7 miles (Historic Church)
Coleridge Cottage - 3.8 miles (Historic Building)
Fairfield - 4.6 miles (Historic House)
Other Nearby Accommodation
+ Heritage Rating + ?


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I have a confession to make.
For a couple of months now, I've been really angry at God. So angry that I often can't even bring myself to pray. Sometimes I struggle to believe He's there, He's listening, He cares.
Why am I so angry, you might ask? Well, let's just say that something I had prayed about for months and truly thought that God was going to provide…that something never happened. Even though God truly seemed to promise it to me in prayer consistently over the course of the year. I thought it was what He wanted, so it became what I wanted, and my heart became set on it, and I truly believed it would happen, just like we're supposed to, because as Christians we're told, "if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20) and "Whatever you ask for in prayer and faith, you will receive" (Matthew 21:22) and "If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it" (John 14:14).
I had asked for it, I had prayed humbly, I had done my best to walk in the way of the Lord, and I had been faithful to the last hour, truly believing that God would give me the desire of my heart, the very thing which I thought He promised.
But then, it didn't happen. Not even close. It was a no-go, an utter failure, the kind that leaves you feeling like the fool for believing it could've happened. And I got angry because I felt – and still feel – completely lied to by God, abandoned and betrayed and made a fool of. I had trusted so wholeheartedly in Him, only to be completely let down. Now what? I was having a crisis of faith.
Is God even real?
Why did He lie to me? He said if I prayed for it, He would make it happen.
Why did He constantly reassure me in prayer that it would happen, when He knew it really wouldn't?
How could God be so mean as to fool me into false hope, only to rip the rug out from under me and have me fall flat on my face?
Struggling in this darkness for months, I could find no answers to these haunting questions. At last a friend pointed me to the writings of the saints. I opened up a daily reflections book called Mornings with Saint Therese, and this is what I found:
The very desires and intuitions of my inmost heart assured me that another and more lovely land awaited me, an abiding city. Then suddenly Jesus allowed pitch-black darkness to sweep over my soul for months. I am still waiting for it to end. It is a sunless tunnel where the voice of unbelievers mocks me out of the darkness: "You dream of light, of a fragrant land; you dream that their Creator will be yours forever. Hope on! And look forward to death! But it will give you, not what you hope for, but a still darker night, the night of annihilation." He knows very well that although I haven't the consolation of faith, I force myself to act as if I had. I have made more acts of faith in the last year than in the whole of my life. I sing very strongly in my heart: "After death life is immortal." What darkness! But I dwell there in peace even though the veil of faith is no longer a veil; it is a wall, shutting out the stars. When I sing of heaven's happiness, of what it is to possess God forever, I feel no joy; I simply sing of what I want to believe.
– St. Therese of Lisieux, 1896
This shook me awake. Feeling like God has abandoned you and falling into darkness is not something that only happens to "weak Christians". And it doesn't mean you're becoming an atheist. It doesn't make you a bad Christian to feel this way. Many of the holiest men and women, the strongest and most faithful Christians, have gone through this dark night of the soul. So the question then becomes, if even people like Mother Teresa, Therese of Lisieux, Bernadette of Lourdes, Padre Pio, and many many others can feel this "crisis of faith", why would God do that to us?
Two reasons. And before I touch on them, we must change our thinking. Rather than thinking "how could God do this to me?", think of it as something He allows you to encounter. He isn't necessarily doing it to you, but He is allowing it to happen – a lot like in the book of Job, where God allows bad things to happen to test Job's strength of faith. Will you love me even when you don't feel I'm there? Even when I don't give you everything you want? Even when I allow you to walk through the storm, will you still believe in My goodness? Will you hold fast to your faith through the most bitter of trials?
Because that's what faith really is, isn't it? What merit is there in believing something wholeheartedly when you feel its real presence and see proof of its existence? That's why it's easy for children to believe in Santa Claus – they see the half-eaten cookies and the presents under the tree on Christmas morning. Proof that he is real, he was there. But what happens when there aren't any presents under the tree on Christmas morning? What happens when the cookies go untouched? Does that mean he's forgotten you or abandoned you? Do you give up on believing because it didn't happen? Does that mean Santa doesn't exist?
Real faith is believing in what you do not see, you do not hear, you cannot touch or experience with bodily senses. It's choosing to believe even when the doubt creeps in and overwhelms you. It's choosing to believe even when everything around you is darkness, like you're walking through a sunless tunnel and hear the voices of the mockers around you laughing, "Where is your God now?" It's praying when you feel no consolation, it's affirming your beliefs even when you may not necessarily believe them in your heart or mind, and its trusting in the Word of God even when you feel everything is a lie. "Faith" is belief not based on proof. It wouldn't be "faith" if there was no darkness.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Even Jesus went through a crisis of faith. He was the Son of God, one with the Father, yet he too felt that darkness in his soul as he endured his Passion. In the agony of the garden, hanging on the cross, he felt the dark night of the soul:
He began to be troubled and distressed. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death." (Mark 14:33-34)
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood (Luke 22:44)
Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
If God spared not even His Son from such darkness, should we not count it as an honor to endure such a trial of faith? Through it, we are made like Christ, who endured his suffering with humility and obedience. Through it, we inherit eternal life. And let us never forget God's response to our cries and the cries of Jesus:
Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me." Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. See upon the palms of my hands I have engraved you (Isaiah 49:14-16)
God never abandons us. He never leaves us and never stops loving us. But He does allow us to feel like He isn't there, like He doesn't love us. Not because He wants us to suffer, but because He knows sometimes what's best for us is to live in that darkness so that our faith may be tested and purified, like gold refined in fire (1 Peter 1:7). If you are struggling in the darkness, undergoing a crisis of faith, know that you are not alone, and you are not a "weak" Christian. Just keep fighting the good fight and persevering in faith. The darkness cannot last forever. Your Resurrection will come.
Recommended reading: I Loved Jesus in the Night, Dark Night of the Soul, the Book of Job, the Book of Hebrews chapter 11
Recommended listening: "Kind" by Amanda Cook, "The Lottery Ticket" by Stuart McLean (for a good analogy about faith)


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World leaders are meeting this week to mull over whether to pursue economic growth or austerity, and Republicans and Democrats in Washington are in the midst of the same debate. But when it comes to funding itself, Congress appears to favor a third option: the status quo.
A House Appropriations subcommittee last week approved its version of the legislative branch spending bill for 2013. At $3.3 billion, the measure is $34 million — or 1 percent — less than this year's funding level. It does not include money for Senate operations, which that chamber will add in its version.
Although technically a cut, the package shows that House Republicans are less keen to slash Capitol Hill budgets than they were last year, when the chamber approved a 6 percent reduction for the legislative branch. The Democratic-led Senate is expected to propose spending the same amount or more.
Even with overall funding staying about the same, the House bill would have winners and losers. The winners would include police, librarians and spending watchdogs. The losers would include printers, a foreign exchange program and the Capitol Dome.
Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.), the chairman of the legislative branch subcommittee, said his panel "made tough but workable choices that will allow our agencies to move forward in a responsible manner."
And Democrats, while criticizing a few items in the measure, did not complain about the overall funding level.
"For the most part . . . this bill has been protected from Ryan budget austerity," said Rep. Norm Dicks (Wash.), the appropriations panel's top Democrat, referring to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (Wis.). "Many programs and agencies important to the operations of Congress have been spared from harmful cuts."
The bill would provide $1.2 billion to cover the main operations of the House, including the personal offices of members as well as committees, leaders and officers. The total matches last year's allocation, a significant shift, given that Republicans had cut more than 10 percent from the House budget since winning control of the chamber in 2010.
The Capitol Police would get a boost of $20 million, or 6 percent, over last year's bill, which provided the same amount of funding as the 2011 measure. The budget increase wouldn't grow the size of the department but would maintain the current authority for 1,775 sworn officers and 370 civilian employees.
The Government Accountability Office's budget would increase by $8.5 million, or 2 percent, over the 2012 bill. That would be welcome news at the GAO, which faced a $35 million reduction last year, leading to complaints from some that it made little sense to cut back on auditors when federal spending required increased scrutiny.
The Library of Congress also would escape the knife. It would receive a 1 percent funding boost. Last year's House bill sought to cut the library's budget by $53 million, and the final compromise with the Senate lopped more than $40 million from library operations.
On the other side of the ledger, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) would face a reduction of $52.5 million — or 11 percent — compared with last year. "Within this funding," Republicans on the appropriations panel said on release of the bill, "priority is given to projects that protect and promote the safety and health of those who visit and work in the Capitol complex, including deferred maintenance projects."
But the AOC is also cleaning and restoring the Capitol Dome. Dicks said the House GOP bill "doesn't provide the funds needed to begin the second and most expensive phase of that effort, but rather cuts significantly below last year's funding level for the AOC. I'd prefer the dome remain a monument to our nation's greatness and not become a symbol for shortsighted austerity."
The Government Printing Office would take a smaller hit of $3.6 million, or 3 percent, as Congress continues its push to put more documents online.
And the Open World Leadership Center, which runs exchange programs for "young leaders" from countries in the former Soviet Union, would see its budget reduced by 90 percent, from $10 million to $1 million. The center was a priority for the late senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), a longtime appropriator.
"While I understand there are strong champions of this program," Crenshaw said, "it is difficult to sustain it within the legislative branch."
John M. O'Keefe, the executive director of Open World, said the House bill would provide only "enough funds to pay off our bills and then suspend operations.
"This happened last year, and we didn't know whether they would do it again this year," he said, noting that in 2012 the money was restored in conference with the Senate. He declined to predict whether that would happen again.


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Ong Dao Dua, the Coconut Monk, was born Nguyen Thanh Nam in the Mekong Delta, in 1909. Aged 19, he travelled to France where he studied chemistry until 1935, when he returned home, married and fathered a child. During a lengthy period of meditation at Chau Doc's Sam Mountain he devised a new religion, a fusion of Buddhism and Christianity known as Tinh Do Cu Si. By the 1960s, this new sect had established a community on Phung Island, where the monk lorded it over his followers from a throne set into a man-made grotto modelled on Sam Mountain. The monk became as famous for his idiosyncrasies as for his doctrine: his name, for instance, was coined after it was alleged he spent three years meditating and eating nothing but coconuts.
Unfortunately, the Coconut Monk never got to enjoy his "kingdom" for long: his belief in a peaceful reunification of North and South Vietnam (symbolized by the map of the country behind his grotto, on which pillars representing Hanoi and Saigon are joined by a bridge) landed him in the jails of successive South Vietnamese governments, and the Communists were no more sympathetic to his beliefs after 1975. Ong Dao Dua died in 1990.


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Mar 29, 2013
A Continentalist in Paris: Fragonard Perfume Museum
I'd come across the Fragonard perfume museum a few times when researching free museums in Paris considered suitable for kids, and since the weather was pleasant enough on Monday I decided to take T into town for the afternoon. We strolled down Boulevard Haussmann, where we especially liked the look of Printemps in the sunlight, and took in some other sites on the way to rue Scribe. Palais Garnier. When we arrived, the anteroom was crowded with a group of 30 or so waiting for their tour. Following the example of other individual visitors, I squeezed my way through to the reception desk; they gave us a pamphlet and let us head up to the museum on our own. The museum staff was very helpful and kind - e.g. they gave T a little tour sticker though she wasn't part of a tour. The museum space, on the first floor of the building, stretches across three rooms (no photography permitted). The exhibit includes old-fashioned distillation and other perfume manufacturing equipment; perfume bottles through the ages; and a scent room where visitors can identify different fragrances. T wasn't the only little visitor, but she's definitely too small to get anything out of the experience - and a guided tour would have bored her to tears. Thanks to Patrick Süskind's Perfume (which I didn't actually enjoy very much), I have a rudimentary understanding of the perfume-making process and could give T a basic explanation of what the equipment was used for - but all in all, she wasn't intrigued. The last part of the museum experience is the Fragonard store, which is appealing both in decor and layout - but since I can't wear perfume (migraines), we didn't linger.
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Here's an article from today's Washington Post arguing that Jeff Sessions will fail in his quest to limit patients' access to medical marijuana.
Our new Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, has targeted marijuana including medical marijuana in his new War on Drugs. He has asked Congress to allow him to prosecute doctors patients and providers of medical marijuana in states where it is allowed, breaking the years-long agreement between the Federal and State governments. So far, Congress has resisted this terrible policy, but we all need to make our Congressman(person) aware of our support for medical marijuana.
Call the local office of your US Congressperson and tell them you want marijuana on Schedule 2. That's short hand for making medical marijuana equal to oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl for the DEA and FDA. Right now it's the equivalent of heroin ("no medical use"). Both the NAS (National Academy of Science) and NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) have said that medical marijuana is effective in treating disease and may be one of the keys to taming our opioid epidemic.
It is crazy that we have to fight our own Attorney General to make sure that facts about reality determine our government's policy. So be it, but fight.


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The best thing about LittleBigPlanet is, without a doubt, Stephen Fry. But Stephen Fry, sadly, has nothing to do with this post, so we move onto the second best thing about LittleBigPlanet: it's music.
It's...well, it's just not the sort of thing you expect to hear from a video game. And that's a good thing. As is this! It's a CD by Daniel Pemberton, who contributes to the game's soundtrack, and the album's called Little Big Music: Musical Oddities From And Inspired By LittleBigPlanet.
As you can probably deduce from the title, it's not a soundtrack per se. While many of the tracks included are to be found in the title, some aren't, but as B-sides either cut from the game or inspired by it, you're likely not to notice the difference.
A sample of the album can be heard over on Offworld, with the album due for release on iTunes on December 15.
Only on Offworld: A sneak peek at Daniel Pemberton's LittleBigMusic [Offworld]


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The director of the San Francisco Zoo said Thursday that he had overstated the height of the sheer wall in the tiger grotto -- and that the tiger that killed a teenage visitor on Christmas Day may have been able to escape over the walls.
Manuel Mollinedo said the height of the sheer wall in the tiger grotto was 12 1/2 feet, not 18 feet as he previously stated.
Outside experts immediately questioned whether that height was adequate.
But zoo and police officials stressed at a news conference that they still have not determined exactly how Tatiana, a Siberian tiger, escaped from her cage to kill 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. and badly injure two others.
At the news conference with police outside the gates of the closed zoo, Mollinedo also corrected his previous figure for the width of the grotto's dry moat. He said it was 33 feet across, not 20.
Mollinedo said that inspectors from the American Zoological Assn. had not raised concerns about the security of the structure in visits prior to the incident. He said he would invite an association expert to assist in a reevaluation of the site.
The zoo director said the rear doors of the tiger exhibit were secured during the escape.
"My speculation is that the animal came out of that grotto at some location," Mollinedo said. "How she was able to jump that high is amazing to me."
The accreditation organization, which was founded in 1924, said it would wait for a report from the zoo to draw any conclusions. But in a release posted on its website, the association said the incident was the first "visitor fatality resulting from an animal escape at an AZA-accredited zoo."
The zoological association does not specify wall or moat dimensions, but the recommended height is 16 feet -- a 14-foot wall or fence, plus a 2-foot ledge pointed into the enclosure at a 45-degree angle, said Ron Tilson, conservation director at the Minnesota Zoo and coordinator of the association's Tiger Species Survival Plan. He is expected to be the AZA expert who will inspect the tiger grotto.
"I know from personal observation that an adult Siberian male tiger -- a little bit bigger than an adult female -- can step on its hind legs and reach its paw up to 12 feet," Tilson said. "And any cat that can get its paws on a ledge can get up on the ledge."
Asked why a tiger had never previously escaped from the 1940s-era grotto, Tilson replied: "It probably didn't want to."
At the San Diego Zoo, one tiger enclosure uses 12-foot walls on two sides and a 16-foot wall on the third -- equipped with a 4-foot curved barrier at the top that extends inside the enclosure. All the enclosure walls are electrified at the top. In the zoo's Wild Animal Park, tigers are enclosed by a 13-foot fence topped with a 5-foot inward-curved barrier.
United States Department of Agriculture inspectors arrived at the San Francisco facility Thursday to conduct their own investigation of the zoo's animal care, Mollinedo said. The zoo plans to improve the big-cat exhibits, installing new fencing, surveillance cameras and electrified wires.
Contrary to published reports, Police Chief Heather Fong said police had no information to suggest that any of those who were attacked dangled a leg or other body part over the sheer wall, perhaps making it easier for the tiger to climb out.
She said police found a shoe print on the railing of a low fence that separates the grotto from the visitor walkway and that police are trying to determine if the print matches any of the shoes of the three victims. But she denied published reports that a shoe was found beyond the fence, inside the enclosure. The only lost shoe, she said, was found at the Terrace Cafe, about 300 yards from the grotto, where police encountered the two badly injured victims and fatally shot the tiger.
Fong provided some new details of how the incident unfolded.
All three victims were at the grotto when the attack began, she said. When Sousa was attacked, the other two, who are brothers, yelled to distract the tiger. Tatiana released Sousa and turned toward the brothers, injuring one with claw slashes and bites.
The brothers fled to the cafe, but the tiger followed and mauled the second brother there.
Responding to the emergency call, police found Sousa dead near the grotto. After being alerted by zoo staff that the animal was heading toward the cafe, they pursued and found the tiger mauling one of the brothers.
"They saw a victim seated there on the ground. They saw blood coming from his face," Fong said. "They heard him saying, 'Help me, help me.' "
The tiger ignored the police officers' shouts. When a second squad car arrived, Tatiana turned on the officers.
"To protect the victim as well as everyone else, they fired," killing the animal, Fong said.
Nineteen minutes elapsed from the time officers were dispatched to the time the tiger was killed, she said.
Fong said earlier reports that several tigers had escaped were the result of multiple sightings of the same tiger.
The two brothers remained hospitalized in stable condition Thursday at San Francisco General Hospital.
The zoo remained closed Thursday as the investigation continued. The tigers were locked in cages behind the grotto.
"When we open the zoo," Mollinedo said, "the zoo will be safe."
Times staff writer Tony Perry contributed to this report.


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Using Sign Language with PreschoolersTuesday, November 1st, 2011
Many parents wonder what will happen to their children's signs as they get older and if there is any benefit in continuing to use sign language with them. Will they continue to use their signs once they develop speech? If so, what is the benefit of using sign language with verbal Pre-schoolers?
Baby sign language is not only beneficial for pre-verbal children but it has also proven to be beneficial for verbal Pre-schoolers. It is never too late to introduce to sign language to your child and to begin experiencing the benefits.
So what are these benefits? (more…)


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We aim to be where the growth is, connecting customers to opportunities, enabling businesses to thrive and economies to prosper, and ultimately helping people to fulfil their hopes and realise their ambitions.
Listed on the London, Hong Kong, New York, Paris and Bermuda stock exchanges, shares in HSBC Holdings plc are held by around 200,000 shareholders in 129 countries and territories.
Note: In case of discrepancies between the Armenian and English versions of this page, the Armenian version shall prevail.
Last modified: 06/12/2019 17:42


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Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
This rustic tomato salad hardly needs a recipe, but here's a simple way to intensify the flavours of fresh tomatoes.
Well, this is a little embarrassing. This site has received a lot of new subscribers this week, and the first post they will receive is this? A simple tomato salad that hardly needs a recipe? But read on. It's so worth it.
It's been a good year for tomatoes here in the Pacific Northwest. That's "gardener talk." Anyone who has a garden will likely be raving about their tomato bounty. Our tomato plants are heavy with ripe fruit and I've had a hard time keeping up with them. Denis helps out by making his favourite tomato sandwich (toast, Hellmann's mayonnaise, sliced tomatoes and lots of pepper) almost daily, sometimes for breakfast, often for lunch, and occasionally for an afternoon snack. He loves summer tomatoes with as much passion as he despises the imposters we get here in the winter: those insipid, mealy, lackluster ones.
How to make tomatoes taste even better, and what to do with tasteless tomatoes.
You can easily further intensify the flavour, texture and sweetness of tomatoes with this simple 5-minute technique.
- Just slice or chop fresh sun-ripened tomatoes
- sprinkle with a little salt
- squeeze some lemon
- add a very generous drizzle of good quality olive oil, and
- a healthy dribble of balsamic vinegar
- give it a toss, add some fresh basil if you like, and serve.
That's it. Top-drawer tomatoes in five minutes.
So don't pass over those local tomatoes or the heirlooms at your farmer's market this week. Get them quick before they disappear for another year and enjoy this rustic tomato salad . . . or a sandwich.
Rustic Tomato Salad
- 6 - 8 cups medium tomatoes or 4 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp sea salt
- juice from half a lemon
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- Slice or chop the tomatoes (or halve the cherry tomatoes and place in a shallow bowl.
- Sprinkle with salt and toss.
- Squeeze the lemon juice on the tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to combine.
- Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh torn basil leaves.
Like this recipe? Pin it or share it!
Let's get social! Like my Facebook page. Follow me on Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram. Thanks for stopping by!
If you make one of these recipes, be sure to snap a pic, Instagram it and hashtag it #flavourandsavour. I'd love to see what you make!


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Osceola, Nebraska, the county seat of Polk County, is located in east-central Nebraska. Osceola is 49 miles northeast of Grand Island, 76 miles northwest of Lincoln, and 90 miles west of Omaha. With nearly 50,000 people living within a 30-mile radius of Osceola, there's plenty going on.
Click on one of the topic links above or contact us for further information about Osceola:
Copyright ©1999 Nebraska Public Power District. All rights reserved.


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Hi we're Lauren and Jack. We are literal idiots from New York City who don't know a goddamn thing about NASCAR. But when we got an opportunity to see the the Daytona 500, aka The Great American Race, we decided to go and see what all the fuss was about.
Because for every person who says this joke (which is a lot of people for how dumb of a joke it is!):
There is someone else who feels this way:
Anyway, spoiler alert: After 24 hours of nonstop car stuff, we went from being skeptical and confused to loving NASCAR like Kyle Busch loves being a sore loser (that's a NASCAR joke!) This was our journey:
First we learned a whole bunch of shit. We rode around the track at 120mph in a pace car. It was scary and exhilarating and the start of our love affair with car racing. It turns out that the need for speed is real.
We also got to take a tour of well, literally everything, and it turns out THERE IS SO MUCH TO KNOW ABOUT CAR RACING.
We learned that each one of these Haulers carries 1-2 million dollars worth of equipment.
Inside the hauler everything is organized and labeled meticulously.
Everything is just so. It's a neat-freaks dream come true.
There's also an office inside where all the ~speed secrets~ are kept. We've very carefully colored over anything that might reveal any speed secrets. Also, saying speed secrets is fun.
Later on we got to meet some of the drivers. This guy, named Aric Almirola ended up coming in fourth place in the race and he designs his own firesuits. Not too shabby.
Hot tip: Don't refer to the firesuit as a "jumpsuit." We made that mistake with NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Bubba Wallace and he said "I've never heard it called that before" and made us feel pretty dumb even though he was very nice about it.
This driver, Brennan Poole, told us about his strategy for name-dropping his sponsors during interviews. It's something NASCAR people take very seriously.
But it's not just the fact that there is so much shit that goes into race car driving. Raceday itself is just fun as fuck. Before the day even starts the infield of the speedway gets packed with RVs and cars who camp out and basically party nonstop. They have tiki bars.
Firepits and deer heads…
And THESE PEOPLE HAD AN INFLATABLE POOL. It was hawt.
There was even a pop-up coffee shop. It's like a tiny town inside a stadium. TBH it seemed pretty comfortable and like a nice place to live and raise a family.
By now you might be thinking "OK, but the race can't be THAT fun." And you'd be wrong. It can be, AND IT IS.
Literally up until like 15 minutes before the race begins, fans have an opportunity to go walk around certain area of the track. This is us touching that sweet, sweet pavement.
The grass in the middle of the track is also weirdly so, so nice, and everyone was making the same joke that they wished whoever was responsible for it could come over and mow their lawn.
Which is a real shame. Because this is what happened to it at the end of the race. This driver did this crime against grass DELIBERATELY because he was very, very pleased to have won the Great American Race.
Not only did we get to casually hang on the speedway, but upon closer inspection, we realized there were hidden messages all over the track.
We weren't sure if this was actually allowed or not, but it seemed like a thing so we found someone to stealthily hand over their sharpie and we left our marks on the track.
Everyone at NASCAR races is super friendly and there is a team spirit amongst the spectators, so we gave our clandestine sharpie to another track-vandalizing ne'er-do-well as soon as we had finished our graffiti crimes.


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Comprehensive M&A data with integrated detailed company information
Posted on Tuesday, 04 December 2018 15:16
Canada-based medicinal cannabis producer Cronos confirmed recent media reports that it is in talks with cigarette manufacturer Altria Group, as the latter looks to broaden its portfolio and move away from traditional smoking products. Shares in the potential target closed down to USD 10.17 on 3rd December, following the rumour being made public, giving it a market capitalisation of USD 1.81 billion. However, Cronos cautioned that no deal or any other possible transaction between the two companies is guaranteed. Formed in 2012, the target specialises in the manufacturing and distribution of medicinal cannabis, with sites over five continents, and has two licensed producers, Peace Naturals Project and Original BC. Having recently completed the construction of a 286,000 square feet facility in Ontario, it posted revenue of CAD 10.09 million (USD 7.64 million) for the nine months ended 30th September 2018, a considerable increase on CAD 2.47 million in the corresponding period of 2017. A purchase would represent one of the largest collaborations between a mainstream tobacco company and the fast-growing medicinal cannabis industry. According to Zephyr, the M&A database published by Bureau van Dijk, the biggest deal targeting the tobacco manufacturing sector announced this year, involved Japan Tobacco buying Russia-based Donskoi Tabak for RUB 100.00 billion (USD 1.50 billion). Back in June, UK-based Imperial Brands agreed to buy Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies, for an undisclosed sum. Zephyr shows there have been 82 deals targeting all other miscellaneous crop farming services announced worldwide since the beginning of 2018. Constellation Brands, in the largest ever deal in this sector, agreed to buy Canopy Growth for CAD 5.07 billion. Sources familiar with another deal told Reuters Altria is also involved in talks to take a minority stake in cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs. Headquartered in Virginia, the potential buyer claims to be one of the world's largest producers and marketers of tobacco. With more than 8,300 employees and over 200,000 retailers in the US, it generated revenue of USD 16.99 billion for the nine months ended 30th September 2018, down from USD 17.35 billion in the same period twelve months earlier. A deal will diversify Altria's product range, as consumers are increasingly favouring e-cigarette and alternative smoking substances such as vaping. Citing US federal data, Reuters noted that cigarette use among adults is now at 14.0 per cent, the lowest in the country's history. Conversely, statistics provided by Statista show that e-cigarette sales have flourished in recent years with total sales of USD 133.00 million for the entire US last year, and Juul contributing USD 54.00 million in convenience store sales in the year ended 16th December 2017. © Zephus Ltd


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The Camden Opera House will host James Judd, comedian, author and radio personality from National Public Radio's Snap Judgment, Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m.
In addition to Snap Judgement, Judd is a former member of The Groundlings in Los Angeles and the New Faces at the Hollywood Improv.
Often compared to David Sedaris and Oscar Wilde, Judd connects with audiences as he shares stories classified as "spectacular public embarrassments and utter failures." However humiliating, they affirm that part of being human is telling the stories that have happened, emphasizing that even in the face of failure, it's getting up and moving forward that matters.
Judd was recently the New York All For One Theater Festival Artist in Residence, where he developed his 75-minute autobiographical play Killer Quack. The piece details the true story of his involvement with Dean Faiello, an infamous con-man who posed as a dermatologist in Manhattan, dubbed by The New York Post as "The Killer Quack in the Concrete Coffin Case."
Faiello made tabloid headlines when it was discovered that he'd killed one of his patients, buried her in a garage, and fled to Costa Rica. Judd, looking to have a tattoo removed, became his patient, and is now his prison confidant.
DC Metro Theater Arts called Judd's Killer Quack: "One of those rare moments in the theatre that moves the audience along the spectrum of emotion ... the beauty of the work that Judd has composed, or rather lived through and repurposed into this evening of storytelling, is that he spends time in the grey areas of emotions, where humor and drama coincide, and where self-awareness and uncertainty overlap."
The Washington Post said: "Judd's conversation style is loud, lightning fast and nonstop — he doesn't seem to need to breathe as much as a typical human — and the result is a constantly engaging pileup of quips. It can take a few moments for a joke to register, but by then Judd has unfurled a few more laugh-worthy lines. One of Judd's biggest assets is his delivery, which rarely feels rehearsed, as if he's simply recounting these absorbing personal anecdotes over dinner. And his talents extend to physical humor, whether he's imitating a shark or mimicking an oafish boat captain."
"RELAX," Judd said to the audience. "You're in the HANDS of a MASTER." You can take him at his word." — The Washington Post.
Reserved seating tickets available at camdenoperahouse.com; $28 rear, $32 prime.
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OCSiAl in the Magazine Packaging Europe January 2017: The Affordable Nanotech Revolution
Founded in 2009, OCSiAl has rapidly grown from a Siberian tech startup to a Luxembourg-headquartered global business that is realising the potential of nanotechnology at viable costs in a wide range of industrial sectors. Tim Sykes travelled to Novosibirsk to learn what makes single wall carbon nanotubes such a potent technology and explore the implications for the packaging market.
Read the entire article in the Packaging Europe


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Chaos, puppets, free PBR.
Only a few elements of a Dirty Reggae Punx concert.
Featuring members from the ever-cycling comedy punk band, Green Jellÿ (formerly known as Green Jellö), DRP will be rolling into town to play The Brown Hotel August 14.
"Really, we don't even know what to prepare for, to be honest," said Kelly Randolph, aka PunkRawk Kelly, lead singer and guitarist. "We're not your average sit-in-a-chair-and-watch band."
They pass out hand-made puppets to the audience members. In fact, wearing a puppet is one of the requirements to get a free beer, Randolph said. It's clear they try to make their performances interactive.
"We treat every show like it's its own deal…we never really have any days where we don't feel it," he said.
"We're not your average sit-in-a-chair-and-watch band."
Accompanying him in this band from Alexandria, Minn., are Rub (bass), Alex Shockley (guitar, keyboard, vocals), Aleko Loughrey (drums), and Markus J Dandy (drums).
A YouTube video of DRP shows Randolph wearing a white hockey mask, not wearing pants and dropping F-bombs.
Yet between the music, the beer, and the expletives, Randolph is a small-town husband and father. His hometown, with a population of just under 500, Brandon, Minn., has one stoplight and just a couple grocery stores. Out in the middle of nowhere, in what he calls "God's country," Randolph is conspicuous, like his music.
"I'm the only one out here rocking a huge mohawk…in a town playing country jukebox artists," he said.
RELATED: What A Dancing Old Man Taught Me About Stage Presence
His wife, Amanda, of nearly four years, inspired the band's name. Her first impression of Randolph, about six years ago, was a "dirty reggae punk," which is how she had listed him in her cellphone. Not that his idea of her was romantic either, listing her as "hippie" in his phone.
"When I met my wife, we were just kind of digging on each other," he said. "We didn't even know each other's names."
Family matters, it seems.
Even his kids helped with his music, co-writing the song "Zombie Racoon" where they sing "I'm a zombie, a reanimated raccoon!" Randolph and his kids, then 11 years old and 13 years old, saw a roadkill raccoon while driving and joked about it coming back to life and what that would look like.
He said it's one of the band's top songs now.
RELATED: How To Write Songs That Think Outside The Box
Community matters also. DRP's Facebook page reads, "If you enjoy freedom, thank a vet! Support music as a form of therapy in VA hospitals! We love supporting communities and making the world a better place!" When he's not on tour, Randolph visits the local Veterans Affairs hospital to do music with the patients.
"Oh, it's life-changing," he said about those sessions. "There's so many stories. I could have you on the phone for a week."
One powerful story came to his mind.
He told of when he gave a guitar signed by the members of Dropkick Murphys, a Celtic-American punk-rock band, to a man in the Air Force named Michael. Three years later, Randolph visited Michael's home for a night during DRP's Snowbird Tour. He got to meet Michael in person, and they jammed on their instruments together.
"It was really cool to meet him, shake his hand, and hear his stories," Randolph said.
So despite the chaos PunkRawk Kelly creates and encourages on stage, Randolph seems steady with family, community, and charity. He likes the peacefulness in between the music. He said being in Brandon is a break from all the craziness.
"You got to drive over a river or stream to get anywhere," he said about his hometown.
He can't stay away for too long though. As Green Jellÿ member number 343, he and his current band are hoping to team up with his old friends in Green Jellÿ for a 2016 tour.


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Montessori Training
Sunflower Montessori Training – May 2015.
All Sunflower staff were involved in an intensive training weekend May 15th/16th. Led by Michela Yagoub from Montessori Centre International which is based in London. The staff were inspired and enthused by her passionate workshops. It was a lovely weekend of staff bonding and a confirmation of Montessori practices that the staff were excited to use in the classrooms for the children. Sunflower Montessori truly embraces the Montessori teaching philosophy and it is very important that the staff receive continual training and renewal in their practice and can translate this into their settings.


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Auto Wash and Detailing, Boat Washing, Mobile Power Washing in Riverhead, Long Island
Absolute Detailing Concepts is a professional mobile detailing company specializing in Boat Detailing, Car Wash & Detailing, Aviation Detailing, and Fleet Washing. With over 10 years experience in the industry, we take pride in maintaining the value of your most prized possessions. Serving the Long Island, NY area for over 10 years
We come to you
We take pride in our ability to honor service requests on short notice in locations outside of our normal geographical areas. Due to our Long Island coverage and multiple travel options, no request is outside of our scope of capabilities.
Services we offer
Marine Services
Luxury Auto Detailing
Aviation Detailing
Mobile Detailing
Fleet Washing
Custom Detailing Services


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California law requires that any business having one or more employees must carry workers' compensation insurance. Hiring workers as independent contractors is a common employment arrangement, and one employed by businesses trying to get around the law's requirement that a business with employees must carry insurance. It is not uncommon for employers to operate under the mistaken belief that including a provision in their employment contract stating that a worker is an independent contractor is an air-tight lock on showing that the worker is not, in fact, an employee. However, this is not always the case. The contents of an agreement between a worker and a business is not the only factor when determining if a worker's status as an independent contractor or an employee. This becomes an essential question when an employer is determining whether workers' compensation insurance is necessary.
First, it is important to note that the labor code presumes that a worker is an employee. It is possible, however, to overcome that presumption. As already mentioned, a written agreement between the business and the worker is not determinative. Instead, the most important factors are actually whether the business has the right to control the worker, the way the work is done, and what work is actually performed. If the business does have the right to control these factors, then the worker is probably an employee, and not an independent contractor. So, for example, if a business tells the worker that she must be present at her desk, every day from 9 am to 3 pm, her work must be performed using particular business software and in a particular manner, then that worker is probably an employee. However, if the worker may work remotely and use her own methods to accomplish the work requested, then the worker may, in fact, be an independent contractor.
It is also important to note that just because a worker is paid like an independent contractor does not mean that the worker actually is an independent contractor. An employer's decision to provide a worker with a 1099 instead of a W-2 has no bearing on whether the DLSE will decide if the worker is an employee.
A variety of other factors may be taken into account when deciding if a worker is an employee. These may include, but are not limited to special skills required to perform the task, whether the worker is engaged in a job that is distinct from that of the business, what tools the business provides, local custom of whether such a job is usually performed by an employee or independent contractor, and whether the worker was paid by the time spent or by the job completed.
The issue of whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee is not only fact sensitive, but legally complex. Your business could face serious consequences for getting the distinction wrong. Contact me at (714) 516-8188 or email [email protected] to talk about your workers and protecting your business.


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Modern bedroom ideas are important in modern home design, what ever the bedroom you want to design, children bedroom, teen bedroom, adult bedroom, young couples bedroom ideas, all of this need some good inspiration and themes. Below picture are special edition of modern bedroom ideas for girls. I hope you will enjoy to visit this site and get some inspiration later. the first step to develop a girl's bedroom is choosing the best bedroom themes, after that, you can designing them with some bedroom colors ideas. Give her a romantic colors. Check this out!
|modern bedroom ideas for girls
|Modern bedroom ideas for women


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|Our view from the living room window.
Since I've pretty much summed up all activities of note for the day I wanted to take some time and vent out one very particular frustration I have had with this whole move.
|Our view from the living room window.
|The Commissary has a coupon section up front. WOOT!
|Our view of the city.
|Remember all that cleaning I'd done? Yeeeeah...
|My soap that had the scent die off. Pretty, but no scent.
|I get stuffed animal buddies when I play video games.
|I am not irresponsible in bringing coffee to an active soap making session. Nope.
|Yummy yummy in my tum- I mean nose.
|No new pictures so how about some soap I have yet to post about?!
|I'm very mature. Instead of 'dogs' I call them pooper doopers.
|Oooooh, aaaah, haul picture!
|Teaser for a haul post I'll do... eventually? :P
|Black Raspberry Vanilla & Pink Sugar. Yum!
|It was dark by the time we got home so indoor artificial lighting will have to do!
|I've quickly outgrown my fragrance shelf.
|View from the upstairs back porch.
|Instead of another no picture post here's our Christmas tree!
|My silly hubby while painting the porch.
|Playing video games together? First, let us take a selfie.
|What? No, this picture is PERFECT.


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The body of a British tourist who died on holiday in Egypt has been returned to the UK without his heart or kidneys.
David Humphries, 62, collapsed after playing in a hotel pool with his young grandchildren last month.
The family group, which included David's wife Lynda, 59, their daughter Anita and two grandchildren, were on a two-week holiday in the resort of Hurghada when the tragedy happened.
Following chest pains, David had visited the Red Sea Hospital where he had been given antibiotics for a chest infection and sent back to his hotel. He died days later.
The family say that they had asked for no post-mortem to be carried out in Egypt, but that they were told it was necessary given the concerns they had expressed about the hospital's treatment of David.
Anita said: "We didn't trust anyone anymore but they told us it was a police inquiry.
"When the body arrived home we were told it was in no state to be seen. That's when alarms started ringing. His heart is most likely the thing that will tell us how he died. Now we'll never know."
The shocking discovery that David's heart and kidneys were missing was made soon after his body arrived home, when the UK coroner requested a second post-mortem.
Lynda, his wife of 39 years Lynda, said: "We want answers."
MORE: Huge rise in number of Britons applying for German passport and most are descendants of Nazi victims
MORE: British tourist, 23, facing 10 years in prison in Thailand after being caught on camera spray-painting graffiti
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson told The Sun: "We are assisting the family of the British man who died in Hurghada on 18 September.
"Our staff in Cairo continue to request further information from the Egyptian authorities to share with both the family and the UK coroner."
Organ trading has long been an issue in Egypt, with poverty driving some people to illegally sell body parts. In July, 37 people were convicted of illicit human organ trading in a Cairo court.


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update the agents to avoid any issues with the server. 12.5 needs the current agent to properly backup remote servers. You of course will need to license the remote agent on all the target servers. If you use granular restore, backup exchange or SQL, I believe you have to have the current version installed
Register Hereor login if you are already a member


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We strive to provide you with affordable, high-quality treatment that fits your budget! Your treatment plan will include a breakdown of all applicable fees, and we will inform you of all costs before treatment is administered.
We offer a variety of payment options to meet your needs, and our office accepts cash, checks, EBT, and Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover credit cards.
Don't let finances stand in your way of achieving the beautiful, healthy smile you deserve! We are pleased to offer in-house financing and financing options through CareCredit with low monthly payments. These flexible payment options allow you to pay for your treatment over a period of time, making it more affordable and allowing you to focus on what matters most – keeping your smile healthy!
Our office is committed to helping you maximize your insurance benefits. Because insurance policies vary, we can only estimate your coverage in good faith but cannot guarantee coverage due to the complexities of insurance contracts. Your estimated patient portion must be paid at the time of service.
Anamosa Dental Associates is in-network/a preferred provider for Assurant, Connection Dental, Delta Dental, Dental Health Alliance, Guardian, MetLife, United Concordia and Wellmark insurance plans.
As a service to our patients, we will bill insurance companies for services and allow them 45 days to render payment. After 60 days, you are responsible for the entire balance, paid-in-full.
If you have any questions, our courteous staff is always available to answer them.


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Audiophile Gaming, Is It Possible? (Part 3)28 Jan 2011
So in the last post I went through the different types of headphones and headsets available on the market and came to the conclusion that for a audiophile gaming rig, I needed some audiophile-quality stereo headphones to go along with it.
Before I get too carried away with pretty shiny headphones, I think it's best to go over some pretty important tech-jargon first; impedance. Impedance in it's most simple form is the electrical resistance of the headphones. It is measured in ohms with low-impedance headphones generally falling in the range of 32ohms -> 80ohms and high-impedance headphones 80ohms upwards (600ohms is not uncommon). "But what does this mean?" I hear you ask… In short, the higher the level of impedance the more power the headphones need to be driven properly, so the more likely they are to require a headphone amplifier to get enough volume and/or to allow the true quality of the headphones to shine through. This is because most sound cards only offer a line-level output, which isn't powerful enough to drive high-impedance headphones.
If you are interested in learning more about impedance and it's effects, I'd recommend taking a look here.
Right, back to headphones… I've searched high and low for what users are recommending and that knowledge along with my own experiences so far, have allowed me to compile a list of recommended choices (I'll add to this list over time). I'm going to separate out headphones that I have personal experience with, from the ones that I have investigated / researched as to meeting my own criteria for my gaming rig. First up are the one's I have used myself:
Goldring NS1000
|£55~60 (although some places seem to think that they can get away with £150+)
|100ohms when in "passive" mode, 300ohms in "active" mode.
At the £55 mark, these are an absolute steal. Compared to my Razer Carcharias gaming headset (which cost 1.5x this), the Goldring NS1000 simply blows it out of the water (pun intended, for those that know what a Carcharias actually is). Not to mention that they are amazingly comfortable; the ear pads are made of something that feels simply sublime, they are reasonably light and the headband doesn't dig in at all. I personally don't use the Active Noise Reduction (ANR) feature, but if you're in a noisy environment then it could be an added bonus. Given a 5-Star rating by What Hi-Fi? in 2007, these really are a brilliant set of cans for someone making their first steps into audiophile-grade hardware. One thing to note is that they have a relatively high impedance level (as will most audiophile headphones), 100ohms in "passive" mode is still more than most un-amped sources can manage to drive properly. As such it's worth getting a headphone amplifier to get the best out of these; whether that be a sound card with an amp built-in, an external headphone amp or a DAC/Amp combo.
The last thing is more of a warning: There have been some build-quality issues with what seems to be a previous "bad batch", although recent purchases seem to be ok so far, when you get them make sure you give them a proper going-over before you bin the packaging!
Beyerdynamic DT770 PRO
|80ohms or 250ohms (2 separate versions available)
If there's one word that can describe these it's this: BASS. Yup, these are bass demons. Having a closed-back design helps with bass reproduction and while the mid and treble isn't as good at the AD900's, it's not awful by any means. Designed and built in Germany these are a set of headphones you can rely on, they are built to last, even if you decide to be reckless with them they sell separate spares for them so you'll never need to bin them! Comfort-wise they are hold up very well; the earpieces are very soft and don't squeeze your head above what's necessary to keep them on, the headband is well padded too and the only complaint really is that you might end up with "hot-ear syndrome" as they are closed back they have a tendency to get quite warm! Brilliant for the type of gamer that want's to "feel" every explosion, gunshot or photon torpedo, however the bass makes it harder to consistently determine directionality. Availability in two different impedance levels (80/250) allows users to choose a set that will be driven best by their set-up.
Now for the one's that I've heard are good (from multiple generally reliable sources), or used lightly, but not to the extent that I'm happy to put my own personal stamp of approval on.
Audio-Technica ATH-AD900
Obviously these are at quite a different price-point to the Goldring NS1000's and as such they need to deliver a lot more. Most people seem to be in agreement that the mids and treble on this set of cans is hard to beat (without spending silly amounts), however the bass is a little on the weak side (most "open back" cans have a harder time to get punchy bass notes). As such it's a good choice for a competitive gamer that wants to hear where everything is around them, without getting too distracted by overpowering explosions and gunfire sounds. Comfort-wise they fair very well; the headband adjusts when tension is applied so that there is never any pressure on the top of your head and the earpieces have only enough force applied to keep them on your head (rather than like a vice!). Also worth a mention is the fact that they are very low impedance, meaning that you should be able to drive them reasonably well with a standard headphone output (although I'd always recommend an amp!).
Denon D2000
Another stunningly well made bit of kit here, this time from Denon. Having a closed back design these feel less "airy" than the AD900's, however they do have a bit more bass impact; notice that I say a "bit" because generally speaking these are very well balanced between bass, mid and treble. They produce a sound that I think most people would describe as "refined", not overly bass-heavy, but it's there when you need it. Build quality might be a bit lacking however; they are made in China and have been known to suffer from the odd manufacturing defect (loose screws, etc). Comfort wise they are good, if a little "slippy". Perhaps a good choice for a gamer that want's to do a mix of bass-heavy gaming and music listening.


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Dawn has over 15 years experience working with children, teenagers, young adults, and families. She has worked extensively in residential treatment settings, community-based programs, and with youth involved in the juvenile justice system.
Dawn has experience in treating mood disorders, ADHD, disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders, anxiety, attachment/relational issues, and issues stemming from trauma. Dawn is trained in NMT (Neurosequential Models of Therapeutics) and PracticeWise MAP program.
Dawn utilizes a trauma-informed and strength-based approach in her practice. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers through the National Association of Social Workers.
Education: Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Illinois University with a concentration in Psychology; Master of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois
The Child Trauma Academy acknowledges that Dawn M. Cluver has completed NMT Training Certification through the Phase I level. For more information on NMT Training Certification and the NMT Assessment Process, click here.


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He must be at least in his 70's. His fingers are arthritic. He actually owns this shop. Yet every day, he stands for hours (especially during the lunchtime rush) in front of this steamer, churning out those rice noodle rolls (腸粉 | cheong fun) that people queue up for outside his humble corner shop.
08 September 2015
I ❤ Faces | Hard at WorkCategory: i heart faces, photos
Author: Buckeroomama
- Megan Landmeier said...
I love the steam in front of his face.
- 08 September, 2015
- Rebeckah Leatherman said...
I remember him from before. I love dedicated people. It's great to see you again, Singwa.
- 08 September, 2015
- Tamar SB said...
This is stunning. Great submission!
- 08 September, 2015
- NC Sue said...
Great shot.
Thanks for linking up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/09/allium-glorious.html
- 08 September, 2015
- Tracy P. said...
You can practically feel and smell the steam! Love it!
- 08 September, 2015
- *Jess* said...
Love this! You have a knack for capturing the everyday world around you :)
- 09 September, 2015
- ElishaSnow said...
Amazing image! This photo evokes so many senses! Beautiful!
- 11 September, 2015
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Performance Poetry
We have been exploring Kit Wright's famous poem, The Magic Box. We looked closely at the features of this senses poem, including alliteration, adjectives and similes. We recorded our favourite smells, places, toys, sounds and tastes to add to our Magic Boxes. We used Kit's poem to help us plan and then write our own versions.
Here are some of our completed poems. We hope you enjoy reading them.


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Rapid levels with float
Additional information
|Connector with sensor block
Side output, grey colour, with a built-in reed switch. It offers protection class IP 65 according to UNI 529 table against water sprays.
For a correct assembly see Warnings .
Featuring two raised scales (oil and water) marking the exact cutting point so as to obtain the desired set point (dimension L).
|Features and applications
HFLT-E rapid levels detect a predefined minimum or maximum level, according to the application needs.
Highly versatile, these rapid levels allow to define both the most accurate set point required by simply disassembling the dipstick float and cutting the dipstick exactly where needed, and the kind of operation required, with normally open (NO) or normally closed (NC) contact in presence of liquid, by loosening the fastening nut on the opposite end of the dipstick and positioning the inner magnet according to specific requirements (refer to the adhesive label).
The magnet is generally supplied with normally open (NO) contact in presence of liquid.
Free from magnetic parts, the float is integral to the dipstick making this level indicator ideal for use in tanks containing dirty liquids, water, oil, coolant oil, also with iron metal parts or foams. Moreover, the operation is independent of the fluid electrical conductivity. To ensure utmost safety, the electrical components are separated from the tank and perfectly sealed by means of ultrasound welding.
Polyamide-based technopolymer (PA), colour grey. Resistant to solvents, oils, greases and other chemicals.
|Maximum continuous working temperature
|Packing rings
– TPE flat gasket (HFLT-EF).
- NBR synthetic rubber O-Ring (HFLT-ER).
|Special executions on request
– Polypropylene body (PP).
- With flange with 6 holes for fastening with cylindrical head screws (supplied), in addition to the threaded body.
- For use with maximum working temperature up to 120°C.
|Standard executions
– HFLT-EF: assembly by means of a flange with 3 holes at 120° for 3 zinc-plated steel screws with hexagon socket, supplied, and a threaded coupler.
- HFLT-ER: assembly by mans of a 1" Gas threaded coupler.
|Two-pin connectors assembly instructions
1. Remove the connectors from the indicator by unscrewing the set screw placed in the bottom, take the contact holders out and loosen the cable glands.
2. Slip on the two-pole cable into the connectors (standard connectors) and connect the wires to the terminals nr. 1 and nr. 2 of the relative contact holders.
3. Assemble by pressing the contact holders into the realtive connectors in the required position.
4. Screw the connectors to the indicator and then tighten the cable glands.


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Hi and welcome to my blog!
I am so happy to have you join me and 30 other Close to My Heart Consultants who have put together some wonderful artwork which we hope will inspire you!
If you have come from Carol's Blog, you are in the right spot! The hop is one big circle, but if you get lost, please head to Melinda's Blog for the complete list of all the hoppers! Now onto some artwork!
Using the fabulous September Stamp of the Month, Blessed Measure, I created a layout featuring the Enchanted Fundamentals papers and embellishments:
This great stamp set is available only during the month of September, for just $6 with your purchase of $50. Check with your local CTMH consultant, or go HERE, for all the details or to purchase your set!
Now hop on over to Donna's Blog to see what beautiful artwork she has created for you!


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The PowTown GetDown 2018_12_21Dec 22, 2018 by PowTown
PODCAST!! My "BEST OF" 2018 Volume 1 including some of the best tunes that I played for y'all over the last year. Volume 2 will be broadcast live 1/11/19 on CJMP.
We're gonna get down to tunes by
Jazz Against the Machine,Resonators,Flo and Behold,Booboo'zzz All Stars, @Rebecca M'Boungou,Mad Caddies,Pozitive Rebellion,Tribal SeedsCapitol 1212,Iya Terra,@Spiritual, Mellow Mood,Phish,Texture & Light,Samora feat. Open Season,Paul Izak,Lioness Haze,The Expanders,Ziggy Marley,Païaka,Phonosonics,Jah9,Mystic Bowie's Talking Dreads,Caz Gardiner & The Badasonics,Stick Figure,Damian Marley,Protoje,Sting & Shaggy AND MORE!
The PowTown GetDown 2017_12_22Dec 23, 2017 by PowTown
BEST OF 2017 PODCAST! An entire year of reggae radio concentrated in to two great hours! Tunes from The Hempolics, SOOM T, Ammoye Evans, adham shaikh, Back Eddy and the Procrastinators , BURNT., Caleb Daniel Hart, Dub Gabriel, EBM Earth Beat Movement, Iseo & Dodosound, Leah Rosier, Subatomic Sound System and Lee Scratch Perry (official), Macka B, Mo'kalamity, Piper Street Sound, Roger Robinson, Sister Carol, Trilion, dreadsquad, INDOU, B. Davis, Kytami, Sara Lugo and lots more!!
The Pow!Town GetDown 2016-12-23Dec 24, 2016 by PowTown
Best of 2016 on this weeks podcast! Tunes from Jah9 Macka B EBM Earth Beat Movement Tasman Jude, Stick Figure, Ziggy Marley, Lioness Fonts - Fyah Artist, Head High, DU3normal, Med Tone Records, Leah Rosier , Dubmatix, Clinton Fearon, Gisto, House of David Gang, Dirty Dubsters, Balkan Beat Box, Dub Kartel, Riddim Fernandez, Liquid Stranger and more!


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Do not Know In which To Begin With WordPress? These Guidelines Can Assist!
Do you want to find out much more about WordPress? If you are all set, you are in the right area to find out some fantastic issues about WordPress. Read through this write-up to uncover out how to use blogging to your benefit.
If your title is extended, clear up your post's permalink. Excessively lengthy titles make for cumbersome, clumsy URLs. Instead, attempt generating the permalink "tips-mothers and fathers-uncontrollable-youngsters" or some thing equivalent based mostly on the Search engine optimization keywords and phrases.
Get some time to familiarize yourself with all the instruments and possibilities available to you when blogging with WordPress. For example, if you click on the Kitchen area SINK button, you will get plenty of further choices in importing and formatting that can truly make your posts exclusive.Additionally, you will most likely discover the Screen Choices tab on your admin web pages. That will assist you with formatting.
Make sure that you find out all you are in a position about WordPress before even installing it. It really is ideal to start WordPress when you have an comprehending of how it performs and a common concept of which plugins will function ideal for you. Discover all you can about Search engine optimisation and how to construct intelligent material with WordPress.
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Utilizing WordPress is not hard, particularly now that you are conscious of the different instruments it supplies. Keep this info in brain and have a very good time as you weblog. By applying these ideas to your own site, you are positive to see some fantastic outcomes.


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Using Tsai-Wu Material Model (Orthotropic Plastic)
Tips & Tricks
With the orthotropic plastic material model in RFEM 5, you can calculate solids with plastic material properties and evaluate them according to the so‑called Tsai‑Wu failure criterion. The Tsai‑Wu criterion goes back to Stephen W. Tsai and Edward M. Wu who published it in 1971 for plane stress states.
This material behavior can be used for fiber-reinforced plastic or wood‑based panels. Characteristic for these materials is their structural anisotropy (compared to homogenous materials like steel that show a largely isotropic material behavior). Therefore, a fiber‑reinforced plastic / wood‑based panel can be described completely only if, in addition to the elasticities, the material strengths, that is, the material failure can be described direction dependent. These properties can be specified when selecting the material model.
Contact us
Do you have questions or need advice?
Contact our free e-mail, chat, or forum support or find various suggested solutions and useful tips on our FAQ page.
Associated Products
Main Program
Structural engineering software for finite element analysis (FEA) of planar and spatial structural systems consisting of plates, walls, shells, members (beams), solids and contact elements


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Go Back
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If you find that this page is useful (quality of web sites, images and videos, ...), you can add it to your favorites.
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If you want cheap VoIP services then switch over to Skype VoIP
Skype is a proprietary peer-to-peer Internet telephony (VoIP) network. It has achieved rapid growth in usage and software development since its launching, both of its free and its paid services. The Skype network can scale very easily to large sizes just over hundred million users without an intricate and exorbitant centralized infrastructure. It is free in the beta phase. Skype is a prominent VoIP category product worldwide, with near sixty million people are registered to use Skype's free services. Moreover, more than three million people using Skype concurrently at any one time. Every Skype user must have the Skype software downloaded on his computer. This software is currently available free of charge but the software is proprietary.
About the Author: John is a high profile technical writer and business consultant and provide you latest information about various Voip products available in the market. Read more on Skype VOIP.


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DIY Full Size Low Loft Bed
Full size low loft bed – Design a low loft bed that fits your child and the available space. Whether you choose to model your design for something you've seen in a furniture store, working with a plan or design your own, there are options to suit every room. Customize the bed to a height your child is comfortable with. Low loft allows enough space under the bed for a playground. pray
Design bed portion of your growing child in mind. While it may be tempting to make it small as a toddler bed, your child will soon surpass the length, and it would be better to make it a standard full size low loft bed. The bed needs rails which it is raised and there will be access via a ladder. Determine a color scheme to paint the whole bed. If you plan to have more than one child, paint or stain it a gender-neutral color or be prepared to paint it a different color for each child who uses it.
12 Photos Gallery of: DIY Full Size Low Loft Bed
While traditional loft has a desk under the bed, low sleeping loft has a playground. Make it a special place to hang out by hanging curtains designed space. Add a collection of throw pillows in prints your child can help you choose and make room for oversized stuffed animals. If you add a light that can cut to the side of the full size low loft bed, can play area double as a reading area.


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I'm looking forward to getting Nepthu. Too bad Nepthu wasn't in my Club Eternia instead of the spoiler figure.
I'm looking forward to getting Nepthu. Too bad Nepthu wasn't in my Club Eternia instead of the spoiler figure.
Last edited by MasterCollector; October 14, 2013 at 09:19pm.
MYP Sorceress is a MUST HAVE figure for MOTUC!
Happy for those that like him, but I think Nepthu was a terrible choice for MOTUC. He looks more like a DC Comics fringe character than a MOTU.
One of the most underwhelming figures of this entire line.
And he looks too happy to be a bad guy.
I agree the figure selection of Nepthu is somewhat odd, but he is a cool looking figure.
Out of say Jarvan, Gamesmaster, Anghast, Toy Maker, Rago, & Danavas would you have preferred one of these guys over Nepthu?
They maybe obscure but still they had no control from Skeletor & still a few may look good along side Plundor.
I just wish 4H did a better job on translating him. He looks nothing like his Filmation counterpart. I love the character and I also love his new bio, so I will have to overlook the horrible design choices they made.
They can't all be the best figure... a figure like this guy makes the others look better and I appreciate that. LOL ...then again; I love B-movies and the underdog.
Cool checklist:
I'm happy for nepthu....I'm happy with most figures this line produces...sir laser lot was my least fav but I got an unhelmeted head from Kevin Kosse so it made him 100 times better!
I can see your point of Nepthu looking like a fringe DC character but for me, a mummy themed DC looking character fits into my Sword & Sorcery display a lot better than a lavender Looney Tunes bunny.
MYP Sorceress is a MUST HAVE figure for MOTUC!
I'm going to give Nepthu some gold weapons from the new WP. I also scored an extra green perch for his falcon in a trade awhile back. I'm looking forward to him, even in such a month jam-packed with awesomeness.
MOTUC Most Wanted: Skeleteen, Prince Keldor, Captain Randor, The Great Black Wizard, Lady Slither, Spirit, Tuvar, Baddra, Cursed Marzo, Tug-O-War, Scrollos, Songster, Mini-Comics Spirit of Castle Grayskull, and for the love of the Sorceress and Julie Winston, ODIPHUS!!!
Instagram: Just_Thommy
Strangely enough I'm looking forward to Nepthu this month, I've been so pumped for Mantenna, Dactus and the Troopers, I forgot we're getting him too.
MOTUC WISHLIST - Karg | Lady Slther | Kothos | Staghorn | Sorceress of Serpos Teela | Hunga the Harpy | Kittrina | Dylamug | Hawke | Angast | Zilora | Artilla | Quakke | Robo-Woman | Great Black Wizard | Enchantress | Red Beast | Delora | DC He-Man | DC Skeletor | Lodar | Fang-Or | Mini Comics Tri-Klops | Filmation Jitsu, Frosta & Kobra Khan | Hans Hammer Holder | Granita |
Just got Nepthu... pretty "meh" figure... almost as bad as Karatti...
He is listed as "Almost Gone", but still has roughly 2,312 figures left in stock.
MOST WANTED: Filmation Whiplash, Filmation Ram Man, Filmation Two-Bad, Filmation Buzz-Off, Filmation Sy-Klone, Ice Armor He-Man
I don't think the selection of Nepthu was all that odd actually. He is a memorable character from the series. Most Filmation fans remember and liked him actually. Along with others like Plundor, Deimos and Tyrella, Celice, Ileena, Lord Tyran and Lady Valtira, Queen Elmora, etc...
It's really the design choices that kind of threw cold water on this figure. Nepthu's Filmation Model design, much like Frosta's, didn't make it in the translation from artwork to Classics figure.
...I got him yesterday, and I think he's awesome! Gave him the curvy "kriss"-style dagger from the 200X Castle Grayskull, makes a great sacrificial knife! He looks like a charming cult-leader type...
..."Conceived in a Hell Beyond Your Depth of Perception... Designed and Directed by His Red Right Hand."
...Seriously looking for a gray Sir Laser-Lot sword from the Final Wars weapon-pack!!
I really love him! Great are the little details they gave him without destroying the original design. Only not so good thing are his wrong painted eyes and the missing bird stand we saw at the cons.
Nepthu with stand.JPG
Anyone else's crystal Zoar very yellowish? Mine looks like it's old and sun damaged instead of brand new toy.
If you want a trick to try and get rid of the yellowing, put it in a clear glass bowl or mug and submerse it in hydrogen peroxide. Shake or stir it every so often and keep your eyes on it. After a day or so, it should be crystal clear without hurting the plastic. This works really well with sunburnt or 'yellowed' toy plastics like model kits or figures.
Darth Pardus
Classic Want list: Stinkor shield, Extendar, Snake Face, Snout Spout, Snake mountain bridge and net, Fright Fighter, Talon fighter radar dish, jetsled, tower tools, cliff climber, scuba attack, turbodactyl, bionatops, tyrantosaur, and Eternia
Here's what I did with Nepthu...
It's still WIP, need to sculpt some hair.
Got him.
VERY bland.
Things that bother me the most are his shoulder- and chest armor that got reduced to a collar, the textureless hat and the missing paint aps in his face, especially the eyes, to make him look more sinister. He´s actually not too bad of a figure for a good-guys custom, with added armor and a few weapons. As is, he´s really boring. Sorry for all that do like him, not my cup of tea. And I am hiding him right behind Strobo, Shokoti and Gygor.
- - - Updated - - -
Positivity, folks!
Let´s all agree to love MOTU enough to let others love MOTU, too!
Man he's so bland and boring looking. He looks like he belonged to another line and not MOTUC. Remember when the first figures showed up on ebay before SDCC and people said "this must be a bad custom and no way did the 4H create this figure"? I still feel about him that way. He is not one bit better in person. He is even worse than Spector... The 4H failed miserable on this one. They got the armor all wrong and the eyes of course. It seems he even lost details in comparison with his cartoon incarnation. I could go on with this rant forever.
Bottom line: I don't like him.
Awesome sticker included!
Personally, I like the figure, but I think its funny that most of the posts here for Nepthu are negative or indifferent, but we were told from an official source at Mattel that Nepthu was highly fan demanded! Surely that information was honest and accurate.
Maybe the dozen threads asking for him, and the thousands of posts andf request can be found in the He-Man.org archives.
I actually like the figure, though I agree his face should be much more menacing. Like....at all menacing. But I like him.
One thing for me is I was out of the game for a bit, and went back to rebuild my collection. When I was seeing all of the reveals, characters like this always made me mad. But coming back to collecting after some time off and buying tons of figures at once, well I wasn't hoping for someone else or expecting someone or something better so I like the figure more than I think I would have.
On the whole, I think the filmation sub could have been a much cooler cast of characters, and being a filmation fan I would have been ticked to see that reveal. But, life unfolding for me as it did, I like all of those figures quite a bit.
The concept behind nepthu is good and fits perfectly with MOTU, but as mentioned by many he's a character that was not well executed in motuc.
A stactionesque's version would have probably permitted the horsemen to express their genius and passion for egyptians-gods/ sort of magic beings because their Gothripolis line is a masterpiece.
Its a shame, but nephtu belongs to MOTU and I'd love to see him in the DC comics/ future media
look at this! its so cool!!
12gfrr 040.jpg
Last edited by Triklops 1; January 13, 2015 at 03:36pm.
"The Most Powerful Man in the Universe..."
"Where Hope seems Lost..."
"Good Journey!"
"I was summoned on the future..."
"A Hero shall emerge to protect Eternia..."
"A Hero will Rise..."
"The Power of Grayskull Awakens......"
"Let the Power Returns....!"


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General Luo Yuan, a senior researcher with China's Academy of Military Sciences, claims that his country needs to develop three or more aircraft carriers to assert China's influence and defend its interests.
In an interview with Beijing News, Luo specifically cited India and Japan as potential rivals who could challenge Chinese interests:
If we consider our neighbors, India will have three aircraft carriers by 2014 and Japan will have three carriers by 2014. So I think the number (for China) should not be less than three so we can defend our rights and our maritime interests effectively.
(Japan currently only uses helicopter carriers, but could purchase vertical take-off and landing aircraft)
China has purchased an old soviet aircraft carrier from Ukraine and is in the process of refitting it for research, experiments and training. It will use knowledge gained from that research to develop future aircraft carriers. It is already building an indigenous carrier and destroyers with anti-aircraft capabilities to use as part of carrier battle groups.
In addition to power projection, the aircraft carriers would boost China's ability to serve its interests through coordinating sea and air power in multinational deployments in areas like the coast of Somalia.
India has operated aircraft carriers since the 1950s. It is in the process of refitting an old Soviet carrier (the INS Vikramaditya) and is building an indigenous aircraft Carrier, which is due to come into service in 2014.
China's old Soviet Carrier is about 300 meters long, slightly larger than India's old Soviet Carrier, and will likely have a larger complement of aircraft.
Xinhuanet has a useful graphic that gives brief descriptions of all the aircraft carriers currently in use around the world. As it shows, China will be the third Asia country, after India and Thailand (!) with a proper aircraft carrier.


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Thursday, May 27, 2010
Phillies Talk Podcast - Phils stumble in May
Sound the alarm? Not quite yet, the Phillies can bounce back from this losing streak. The Phils have dropped four games in a row now is their any end to this slump? We'll be talking about this and more on this week's edition of 'Phillies Talk' the independent podcast.
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Posted by Rich Baxter at 7:21 AM
Labels: "Phillies Talk"
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