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Hitchhiking in Eastern Europe- is it safe and easy?
about 5 years ago about Europe
I've heard that lots of people hitchhike in Eastern Europe. I will be travelling through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and Russia.
Has anyone done it? Any tips and advise would be great.
Asked by W.A.W via WorldNomads.com


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Reg Davidson & Glen Rabena holding
elbow adzes.
artist Cultural Group: Haida
Born: August 29, 1954
Birthplace: Masset, Queen Charlotte Islands, B.C.
Reg is from the Eagle Clan. He began carving in 1972. His influences include: brother Robert Davidson, father Claude Davidson, grandmother Florence Davidson, great grandfather Charles Edenshaw. His many published and widely exhibited works include: limited edition prints, silver and gold jewellery, masks, helmets, large poles, rattles, argillite sculptures and drums. Reg is also an accomplished singer and dancer with the Rainbow Creek Dancers, a Haida Dance group formed in 1980 by Reg and Robert.
you can find his work to purchase at the sites below
/ Artists / legends / Native Art Books /
Home/ Links
/ Limited Edition Prints / / image collection Fashion
/ Galleries and stores / Gatherings
and Exhibitions /
/ Mission / News
/ Past Shows / Scrolling
Gallery / Contact Us /
Website design
©2013, All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved


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Ticket Types
|1 Day Ticket (Mon-Sun)
|2 Days Ticket (Mon-Sun)
Above prices only can be paid by cash or bank transfer; if other payment method is requested, additional 3% will be charged for each item.
#2 Days tickets are valid for 2 consecutive days entry
- Adult rates for pax above 1.4m
- Child rate for child 1-1.4m; Senior rates for elderly 65 yrs or above
- Infant 1m or below accompanied by a paid adult is free of charge
- Personal identification documents must be advised upon reservation. Maximum 5 tickets can be purchased for each I.D.
- Home Return Permit for HK/ Macau/ Taiwan Citizens; Passport for other nationalities
- Tickets will be date-specific and valid for guaranteed admission only for the date purchased. Guests with valid admission will be guaranteed entry into Shanghai Disneyland for the date purchased.
- Please reserve your tickets 5 working days in advanced
- THE LION KING production at the Walt Disney Grand Theatre at Disneytown is a separately ticketed event
- Guests need to present personal identification documents to verify their identities upon ticket redeemption
- Kindly print and bring along the E-voucher with you when you visit the park
- Date & type of tickets must be confirmed upon reservation and cannot be amended
- Tickets are non-transferable, non-exchangeable, non-refundable, not for re-sale and are revocable
- No compensation if the theme park close due to weather condition
Reservation & Contact Us
For enquiries or reservation, please contact us at Tel: (852) 2739 4296 or email to
The above information is for reference only & subject to change without prior notic


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Sunday, January 27, 2008
The Princess of Patience !!!!
....and here is the "formal" quilt presentation picture of Maura and me (note tiaras and sashes .... we "royalty" like to wear this stuff for such dignified ceremonies) .... our photographers, Erin (Maura's younger sister) and Boop (my younger sister, and Maura and Erin's mother) are just plain jealous of me and Maura (i.e the big sisters) and our tiaras, and I just know they purposely made this picture BLURRY !!!!!
......ahhhhhh, but look!!! See how sweet we BIG SISTERS are ........there's Maura sharing her quilt with little sis, Erin
...OK .... just one more picture of this quilt so that you can actually tell what the heck it looks like, maybe ..... (those big ol' feet sticking out from under the quilt belong to my "baby", Evan ..... I didn't want you to think they belong to me !!!!)
....oh, and Maura picked out the sayings in the borders ..... a few of her favorite things ... chocolate, fuzzy slippers, flowered bathing caps, and sparkly tiaras .....has this kid been taught well by her Aunt Mare, or what !!!
SHEESH !!! Such excitement for one day ..... the quilt and Maura have aged gracefully and well since it was started ..... I , however, am falling apart at the seams ..... I'm pooped !! ...... but, tomorrow I'll be ready to dive into the next project(s) !!!! .......or maybe I should take the Christmas tree and decorations down first .......
Mary Anne (aka Mare)
4 comments:
- Nancy said...
The quilt is beautiful and I am sure Maura is very happy it is done! LOL Are those buttons? between the blocks....
- January 28, 2008 at 6:01 AM
- Tamara said...
The quilt is just beautiful. Now about this Christmas issue. Really let it go. Groundhogs day is this saturday and Valentines Day is just around the corner too. Enjoy ;-)
- January 28, 2008 at 1:30 PM
- black eyed susans kitchen said...
First, let me say gorgeous! Your niece is one lucky girl. That quilt came out...like I said. Gorgeous. Susan
- January 29, 2008 at 1:34 PM
- Lisa Boyer said...
Aloha, Mary Anne! I enjoyed poking around on your blog—I LOVE all your food instruction pictures! So fun to see cooking in process, and the pictures are great! And of course, I love your cat pictures…I especially love the one of your kitty nabbing the green bean off the plate…precious.
I hope you feel better soon!! (And what IS all that WHITE STUFF on the ground in those pictures?)
- February 3, 2008 at 1:02 AM


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Made for.
This inking pen is perfect for inkers and illustrators who love to work with extra fine details. Makes a great cross-hatching pen to slowly build up your tonal values.
Why it was created.
This inking brush is perfect for inkers and illustrators who love to work with a small tipped inking brush. It offers an beautifully expressive thick-to-thin line. Most closely matches a flexible #3 brush tip.
How it was created.
I made this pen by researching, what I felt was, the perfect smooth paper texture. I scanned in the paper at a high-quality, highly-detailed, 600dpi resolution and performed some Photoshop magic to bring out the details, just so, to make a perfect paper texture file that Clip Studio Paint could use effectively. Then I applied that texture directly to the pen so you get the perfect textures, hi-resolution pencil stroke every time. Further, all my Digital Art Brushes are already sized to match real world tools (when working on a 600dpi canvas), so you don't need to fuss and waste time constantly resizing your brush.
Suggestions for fine tuning to fit your needs.
If you don't already know how to make some fine tuning adjustments in Clip Studio Paint, I suggest you head over to my article, How to make fine-tuning adjustments to my digital brushes in Clip Studio Paint, for some helpful tips and tricks on how and why you might want to make personalized adjustments.


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Accessible Travel Online Team
We proudly present our team!
Travelers, hotel addicts, tourism specialists, inventors, researchers and assistance dogs
They are seasoned travelers, hotel addicts, or passionate campsite lovers.
Some of them founded accessible travel companies.
Others invented cool products like portable transfer slings or pathways.
Some of them know all about travel for the visually impaired. Three people in our team have assistance dogs.
Above all, they all have a passion for travel.
Read personal words or quotes to live by that our team has shared here. A beautiful post to read and share, as these words are truly powerful.
Social Media
Elizabeth (USA) manages the ATO social media accounts. Connect with her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Elizabeth has been fascinated by other cultures and languages since childhood. Her first international travel experience was as a Mobility International USA disability rights exchange delegate to Costa Rica.
She returned to Costa Rica for a semester while pursuing a B.S. in Spanish at Minnesota State University-Mankato. Also, she was the first wheelchair user from her university to study abroad.
From Costa Rica to Tanzania
After all that, she then pursued a M.A. in International Leadership at the University of St. Thomas and studied abroad in Tanzania. Since then a strong commitment to promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in international travel and education was on her priority list. You can read her blog, The Global Access Files to communicate this message. Elizabeth is excited to join the AccessibleTravel.Online team and currently lives in Minnesota.
Would you like to be on this map?
Join us as Country Partner, Regional or City Agent. More info here. Looking forward to meet you – we love to connect!


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The symptoms of rotator cuff injuries are different in individuals.
There are many ways which can affect people.
You can observe few normal symptoms of them like pain or inflammation and weakness on shoulder.
However, it is not necessary that you will go through with such kind of situations.
The disease does not have any specific list of causes. But you can find some of the common signs which cause many people.
Chronic Tear
The general symptoms of it are weakness and pain which happen to most of the people. Often it occurs in shoulders. Despite the fact that the injury is very chronic but pain generally arise at early stage. It can even disturb your sleep.
Most of the time pain reduces without treatment. But regular actions for pain contains in R.I.C.E.
You can take anti-inflammatory or counter medicines to relief from pain. Complete recovery from rotator cuff injury can be achieved through systematic exercise. It can also affect your arms by sustained and gradual weakness.
You can feel slight pain in your arms while moving it. Usually, you feel more pain while moving it to either side. You can measure certain changes while lifting, pulling, pushing some objects.
Acute Tear
You can measure symptoms of rotator cuff injury unexpectedly and immediately. Commonly, acute tear can occur when you strain on your shoulder to perform certain task. It can be nasty too with excess of stress.
The motions of your arms are limited because of muscle spasm. There are chances of internal and external bleeding as well. You need to check it at right time for proper treatment. With a chronic tear, you can feel weakness for long time.
Symptoms Of Rotator Cuff Injury
Some Tendonitis Symptoms:
- Pain
- Ache in Shoulders
- Burning Feeling
- Tenderness Point
- Onset pain in your arms
- Inflammation
Other symptoms that can also develop are:
- Not able to sleep properly
- Weakness in your muscles
- Stiffness around your shoulders
- Shrugging on your shoulders
Apart from these, you can find some other indications of rotator cuff injury as well. It is better to consult with your doctor as soon as you feel any one of them. Your awareness is important which plays a crucial role to overcome from these types of situations.
Remember that the signs of rotator cuff injuries are unique in different people. Do not make any conclusion with little knowledge. Learn first about it and then only decide any treatment method.


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Kesha - Rainbow
In a year when Lorde has released a much anticipated second album and Taylor Swift is ramping up the hype machine again it would have taken some gigantic gamblers balls to put any money on Kesha putting out the pop album of the year. Well if you put money on it you're quids in as she has. Let's not mess about, Rainbow is bloody awesome.
The major surprise is that there's any new music at all, everyone knows the court battles between the singer and her "mentor" Dr Luke, they've kept the tabloids busy for a couple of years now at least. It seemed like we'd heard the last of Ke$ha, and we have. There's no $ now. What isn't a surprise though that this album is laced with potential references to the last five years, from the acoustic opening of 'Bastards' ("I've got a lot of people to prove wrong / All those motherfuckers / Been too rude for too long") to the gospel flecked 'Praying' ("Well you almost had me fooled / Told me I was nothing without you") there's no lack of tabloid fodder.
For the less sensationalist listener though it sounds cathartic, you can hear her pain at times ("I'm so sick of crying" on 'Bastards'), her defiance - the primal scream of 'Praying' ("I'm proud of who I am") - and maybe the real Kesha Sebert, laughing on 'Woman'.
What's genuinely stunning though, aside from the honesty of the lyrics, is the effortless mix of genres; there's bubblegum rock on the duo of tracks with Eagles Of Death Metal, rebellious funk on 'Woman' ("I'm a motherfucking woman") ably supported by the Dap Kings Horns, a touch of disco-rap on 'Learn To Let Go', proper honest-to-god country on 'Hunt You Down' and her Dolly Parton duet 'Old Flames (Can't Hold A Candle To You)', and show tune glamour on the title track, the list goes on. It turns out Kesha is a musical chameleon, the likes of which haven't been heard before, and it all hangs together, it's all her.
There's an incredible rawness to Rainbow and a tremendous heart at its centre, it feels and sounds all Kesha. Who knew there was an artist this accomplished trying to escape the $.


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26606 Ephraim Island
Paradise Point, QLD, 4216
- 3bed
- 2bath
- 2car
Your Very Own Slice of Luxurious Privacy!The sensational views over the Broadwater and private positioning of this apartment make for a superb island lifestyle. Perfectly positioned on level 6, you have complete privacy. A rarely available floor plan, this abode boasts three large bedrooms and open-plan living and dining leading out to a wide outdoor entertaining balcony. Act now - this one will not last!
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- Enjoy the panoramic vista over the Broadwater from Level 6
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Call Shaun today to arrange your inspection!


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America has awoken from the collective drunken stupor that was the government shutdown. Groggy, unclear about what happened in the last two weeks and wondering who it was that shut down the National Zoo's Pandacam, the nation is longing for a bit of calm.
They're not going to find it.
Like a college student who swears off alcohol after a bad night and is back at it the next week, we will find ourselves right where we started again soon enough.
The crisis was averted, but the structural factors that were behind it have remained untouched. The Republican Party is still hopelessly divided, a substantial chunk of the electorate still wants to destroy Obamacare by any means necessary and the larger question of the proper spending levels of government is still not solved, only pushed back a few months.
Most problematic, the precedent has now been set that trying to bring down the government is an acceptable way to deal with legislation that you don't like.
In a normal system the voters could be counted on to reward the residents of Capitol Hill with one-way tickets home, but the worst offenders are safely protected by expertly gerrymandered districts and won't be going anywhere.
Some have talked of a breakup of the Republican Party, but that is very unlikely. Our system is simply too harsh on third parties in its very structure. Were a hypothetical Tea Party to form it would definitely have congressional seats, but it would ensure that the White House and most of the senate stayed Democratic indefinitely. As anarchistic as much of the Tea Party is, most of them do realize that and will stay in the GOP.
Which means the Republican Civil War will rage on for quite some time. The more establishment types, namely the pro-business faction and the national security hawks, will be stuck in a party that they no longer recognize.
Since it will be a very cold day in hell before they defect to the Democrats, their only real option is to fight back.
Who can say who will win?
If the Republicans want to be anything more than a regional party 20 years from now, they better hope it's the moderates. The two groups that the Tea Party has had the least success reaching have been minorities and the young. As those two groups happen to comprise the future of the American electorate, this should be setting off alarm bells in the American Right.
On a more immediate note, the debt ceiling has only been pushed off for a few months. Neither Democrats nor Republicans came out of this looking any more likely to compromise on major questions such as entitlement reform.
We can only keep pushing back the debt ceiling in increments of a few months for so long. At some point the problem will have to be solved for good. The fiasco of the last few weeks has done little to inspire hope that such a grand bargain on spending will be easy to agree on.
When shown the Versailles Treaty that ended the First World War, French General Ferdinand Foch famously prophesied that this treaty did not mean peace, but instead an armistice for 20 years.
Generalissimo Foch would say something very similar if shown the deal that raised the debt ceiling.
This isn't peace at all. It's an armistice until next time.


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Ride-On & Walk-Behind Floor Sweepers
Factory Cat floor sweepers are built for industrial applications, with powerful motors & a solid steel chassis they are designed to last in the harshest of environments whilst giving outstanding performance in sweeping & dust control. Our sweepers are used in factories, warehouses, bulk powder & concrete works, they can also be used on sports courts and large carpeted areas.
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The dust generated from the sweeping process is controlled with a powerful vacuum & the unique filter system which has a long life polymer felt filter, which is kept clean with an on board filter shaker.
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|(3.343 m^2)
|Battery Power
|Cleaning Path
- Carpet conditioning/grooming kit
- Turf conditioning/grooming kit
- Extra Battery
- HD Bumper
- Nomex filter


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Brooklyn singer and musician Ayọ (which means "Joy" in Yoruba) is issuing her fifth album, "Ayọ," on Friday, October 6. BK Reader writes that Ayọ…
…understood at a very early age the healing power of music, which is why she has chosen it as a means to heal not only others but also herself. Born in 1980 in Germany to Romanian and Nigerian parents, Ayọ– whose birth name is Joy Olasunmibo Ogunmakin– was shuffled through the foster care system after her parents separated when her mother became addicted to heroine and spent some time in jail.
During a four-year stint in a children's home, she learned to play violin and piano and then later taught herself how to play the guitar. She maintained contact with her father, who was a DJ and who was the first to discover her talent for singing. At age 15, she wrote her first song, which was about her mother, and which helped her to cope with her traumatic childhood. And at age 18, she recorded her first studio demo with her father.
Ayọ has lived in Paris and London, but spoke about the attraction of Brooklyn, where she lives now: "The thing that I love the most about Brooklyn is that people are so direct. It's a huge melting pot, but at the same time, so personal." And she told BK Readers about her journey as a musician and singer:
Before I had the guts to sing in front of anybody, I used to rap. Now I'm going back into the hip hop; back into the reggae, I'm pleasing myself now. I'm not trying to be loved by anyone anymore. I want to love myself. And if someone doesn't like me that way, it's okay for me.
That's why this album is self-titled… because it's the person I am.
On Sunday Sept. 24 fans of the musician can get a preview of her new album when she gives a free performance at the 8th annual Soul of BK Festival to be held at Weeksville Heritage Center. Read more of BK Reader's interview with Ayọ here.


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Project Summary with Interim Results
The project deals with the still-widely-unknown political theories of Czech and Slovak dissidents Petr Pithart, Petr Uhl, Egon Bondy, Milan Šimečka and Miroslav Kusý. In their works, the authors described, interpreted and criticized the existing political system in Czechoslovakia in the 1970s and 1980s and designed what is called a "normative democratic theory".
The project's main objective is to describe, reconstruct and re-interpret the political thinking and political theories of the above authors, and to offer a critical review of these theories. The project focuses first on their critique of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia in the 1970s and 1980s. It describes the main attributes of the so-called Normalization regime in the understanding of the above authors and their objections to them. Second, the project deals with the political outline of their (positive) program. It reconstructs and discusses the type of democratic society they strove for. Third, the project also answers the question of who influenced the (political) thinking of these authors.
Last year I wrote an introduction to the historical situation in Czechoslovakia in the 1970s and 1980s. So far, I have covered political developments in Czechoslovakia between 1970 and the early 1980s. This work is still in progress. During 2016, I was mostly working on the authors' critique of the Czechoslovak political system from the mid-1970s until the mid-1980s. I finished Petr Uhl's, Egon Bondy's, Miroslav Kusý's and Milan Šimečka's critique, which constitutes a structural analysis of the situation of the time and a multi-dimensional examination of the workings of the Czechoslovak political system and society. I have encountered problems regarding Petr Pithart for in his writings one cannot find any particular discussion of the given state of affairs.
In 2016, I published an article on Egon Bondy's critique of the situation in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the German journal "Forum für osteuropäische Ideen- und Zeitgeschichte". In the political science journal Studia Politica Slovaca I published a study on Petr Uhl. The article deals with his critique of communist Czechoslovakia and the democratic Western world and with his normative democratic theory formulated in the late 1970s. In addition to this, I edited a book on "Migration and asylum", which includes two articles authored by me. Furthermore, I presented a paper on Miroslav Kusý's critique of Czechoslovak society in the 1970s and 1980s at a colloquium on Kusý in December, co-organized by the Institute of Political Science SAS. This paper will be published in 2017. In September 2016, I attended a conference where I presented a paper on the vision of Europe as perceived by former Czechoslovak Foreign Minister Jiří Dienstbier. Furthermore, I attended three other conferences and workshops. The expected outcome of my research project will be classical history of political ideas and theories.
Potential contribution of this project lies in the application of the current results to similar studies on East-German, Polish, Hungarian or Latin American dissent. I also plan to apply for ERC with a project on the vision of Europe in the Slovak, Czech and Polish political thinking in the 19th and 20th centuries.


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Owning a dog is very common in California and other states across the nation. Whether it is a small or large breed, dogs are a lot of work. Dogs require time, training and attention. Even more so, dog owners are also required to ensure the safety of others that come in contact with his or her dog. Failure to do so could result in a dog bite, causing much harm, pain and suffering.
Tips for reducing injuries while lifting patients
Nurses and aides that work in medical facilities face a lot of occupational hazards. Violence from patients with dementia or those under the influence of drugs, handling dangerous materials and equipment, or exposure to pathogens and environmental risks can all cause injuries or illnesses for medical workers.
Three killed in intersection crash in Oceanside
When individuals operate or travel in a vehicle, they are under the impression that they will get from one point to another safely. Sure, a person may encounter traffic, deal with inclement weather and even drive by accident sites, but most people do not consider the possibility of being involved in a collision. They certainly do not think that they will lose a loved one in an automobile collision.
Rate of fatal car accidents in California
The rate at which fatal car accidents occur varies from state to state. However, when looking at data in California and all other states across the nation, the number of fatal crashes occurring on a national level remains high and is concerning. With regards to the data collected in 2017, there were a total of 34,247 recorded fatal motor vehicle crashes that year. And, in these crashes, a total of 37,133 deaths occurred.
What are common causes of crane accidents?
A construction site can be a complex and busy area. Not only are there barriers set up around the area, there is heavy machinery, ladders, tools and material throughout the whole site. While this is common, all the components at a construction work site could pose some dangers to workers. When working around heavy machinery, construction workers not only need to be trained properly but also need to be aware of their surroundings, as a simple error could result in a serious construction site accident.
How does weather affect a personal injury claim?
Whether there is heavy rain, a pinch of snow on the mountains or flooding, the way people drive in the weather can have an impact on safety. Those who aren't familiar with the weather conditions could end up causing a collision when they make errors such as overcorrecting or not slowing down enough for the conditions.
How to protect your safety when working at height
It doesn't matter if you work at height every day of the week or here and there, a strong focus on safety is a must. With the right safety precautions in place, there's a much smaller chance of being involved in an accident, such as a fall to the ground below.


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Copyright Newberry Downtown Association™. All rights reserved. Maintained by EMILY Revolutionary Marketing Group™.
My Favorite Book:
The Shack by William Paul Young
Christie Iannitelli
Owner, Armfields Office Supply
Downtown Newberry
My vision for Newberry is to see more of a variety for the younger generation and families to keep them, and their business, local.
The advice I would give my 20-year old self is that ninety-nine percent of the things that you worry about will never happen - don't stress over the little things.
I most admire my dad, Bill Armfield, who instilled strong work ethics and taught me the meaning of family.


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I had an epiphany one morning as I was standing in my kitchen looking at a big beautiful glass jar container that was sitting on a little desk in the corner.
It had been an expensive jar I had invested in for the functionality of adding beauty to tables at events and served well as a drink dispenser. I used it at a bridal shower I gave 10 months ago, where it gave under the pressure of the liquid in it and a hole just burst through the side. I didn't throw it away though. It sat in the corner of the kitchen for that long.
This beautiful expensive jar had a hole. I even had several moments of deep cleaning the house for company and guests coming and had done some dusting and purging and clearing things away over those 10 months and for some reason I had still kept this jar and in a place where everyone could see it. I stared at it wondering why I hadn't thrown it away all this time. It was useless to me now. It could hold no liquid and no matter how I tried to turn it, it was a clear jar so you could still clearly see the hole. I thought to myself, "why have I hung on to this for so long?" and then as I looked deeper within myself and realized that everything I do is a reflection of my life and how I live it, I wondered "why do I hang on to broken things?"
I started noticing other things in my home that I had hung onto that were broken. I have another vase in the living room that I absolutely love that has a hole in the back and I just filled it with flowers and turned it so everyone could see it's beauty and not the hole in the back that is now hidden. Why do I hang on to things that really can't be fixed and why don't I just throw them away? Is it because I'm cheap? Is it because I am resourceful? Is it because I see value in things and really in people when I see they have broken parts to them? Like a container in my living room that holds beautiful decorative balls. The bottom had broken and had come apart from the top of the container and so I just put it on a different pedestal and made it functional again. It still had value to me. It still brought beauty to my living room. Is it because of the investment I made in the object or the person in the first place that I don't just throw them in the garbage or out of my life?
What does that say about me? Do I keep broken relationships in my life because of the time I already spent on them and invested in them and so it's hard to let it go because I have already spent so much time in it and I feel like if I let it go now than it was all a waste of time? Do I need to learn to let go more and stop hanging on to things that no longer serve a purpose or a function? Like a broken relationship that no longer brings me love and fulfillment and happiness and just let go of it, grateful for the blessing it was and the purpose it served for the time I had it and now it's over and no longer serves a purpose? It functioned as it was supposed to in my life when I had it, but it no longer has a place, a space, or use in my life and it's time to let it go and be grateful for the time and lessons learned in it. This could say something else as well.
For instance let's go back to the vase with the hole. I have loved that vase since the day I bought it and even though it has a broken part to it with the hole in the back, it holds beautiful flowers in it that still bring beauty and décor to my room and nobody even notices the hole in the back because of the beautiful flowers covering it. There are relationships in our life that might have been broken a time or two and yet they do still have function in our lives and they still add beauty so we keep them around and keep investing in them. Those things and let's say- people -that have broken parts to them (we all do) because of their experiences still have functionality and depth and beauty and we don't just get rid of people or things because they are broken. We look at the other aspects of them, their functionality and what they do bring to us and our lives and the energy exchange and contributions you give to each other rather than zeroing in on their broken part but when something no longer serves a purpose in your life and has no functionality left, and stares you in the face, it's time to let it go. It's important to recognize those things that continue to serve a purpose and those things that we just really need to be let go of. I looked at the jar in my kitchen and was grateful for the purpose it had served in adding beauty to the tables it had decorated and added function to and then I threw the beautiful expensive, non-functioning jar away and said goodbye and opened a space for something more beautiful to come in.
Here is an exercise that may be helpful for you to determine what relationships need to stay in your life and which ones need to be let go of:
Let's categorize our relationships. Not all relationships will fall in the same category for us. I tend to put my relationships into three categories when deciding what direction to take when a relationship is in crisis:
Mending It
If it is worth fixing and keeping in your life then mend it and repair what has been lost or broken. Give the necessary apologies and accountability for wrongs that need to take place and ask and give the forgiveness needed to do so and start to build the relationship in a healthier more positive way.
Happy Trails to You
These are the people that you choose to keep as an acquaintance and when you see them you greet them in a friendly and positive way and keep that positivity between you. It is a cordial friendship and you might have chance meetings every now and again but it is no longer a large investment of your time and energy to keep this relationship. We wish them best in their lives and adventures and send good and positive thoughts their way.
Some of our relationships no longer serve a purpose that is uplifting and beneficial to us and it is time to say goodbye to that relationship, wishing them well and sending good vibes to that person. In these relationships, when we disconnect, it means we completely disconnect and let go and yet wishing them well at the same time. Don't allow it to take any more energy from you. Disconnect means, you no longer take their phone calls or have contact whatsoever, there are no spewing and non-beneficial remarks any longer and you let go, forgive and move forward.
We have a choice in how we feel each and every day. When you realize that you control who comes in and out of your life, you then begin to build a solid and positive foundation that can lead the way to always having fulfilling relationships and release those that could potentially be harmful and lower your vibration. Life is meant to be fulfilling and feel good. You have the power to shape your life and that includes choosing who is or is not carrying non-beneficial energy into your sphere of influence.
For help in disconnecting, you can find a powerful tool in my book AromaHeal or for deeper disconnect and healing, you can do a session with me. Just go to my website @ www.thehealingcoach.com and visit the "Store" Page to purchase a 1 on 1 session and and you can schedule it through the "Scheduled Events" Page.
The Healing Coach Blog
First blog post:
Very often I have many random thoughts go through my mind and occasionally, they are profound. I don't know that this is all from me but from wherever it comes from, I'm grateful for it because those moments reach me to my core and bring out thought provoking questions and truths. When they come about, I often think…."wow, I'm really learning something from this, I wonder if someone else could learn something from this too?!" I then share those thoughts with others and they experience their own message and growth from it. I don't profess to be a guru of any sort but I do know that over the years through my journey, life experiences, professional and personal life, I've learned a few things and I have something to share with others. I don't have life all figured out nor do I know how to live it perfectly in bliss daily! I do know how to live from my heart and how connection with my Creator and those around me can be so profoundly fulfilling and I know I've learned a lot about myself and still have yet so much to learn. I know we are all here to learn and grow and evolve into the best form of ourselves but I also know there is time for acceptance of who we are right now and that we don't have to be fully evolved to have joy and fulfillment in our lives and that bliss is part of that journey and not a destination. I've been told many times I should start a blog to share these things within me so here I am doing just that.
I'm a woman who believes in dreams, tiny little ones and big huge amazing glorious ones! With that said, I have had mine broken a time or two. I've experienced heartache and heart wrenching moments ; moments of feeling broken and unworthy of love and fulfillment. I'm also a woman who has overcome. I'm a woman of faith with a strong belief in God and dare I say knowledge of God? I know to my core that He exists and it is undeniable to me, so is that pure faith or knowledge? I am a woman who has worked with hundreds of people who have dealt with loss on all levels- be it death, broken relationships, trauma, heartache, loss of home or jobs and a million other losses we can experience throughout life. These all seem to be uncomfortable topics for many yet they are such a part of life. I have also worked with people who have experienced loss of self- feelings of unworthiness, feelings of inadequacy and lonliness, feelings of wanting to give up. Some have felt unworthy of abundance and money and love and fulfilling and lasting relationships. Basically, I have worked with people from all walks of life who are experiencing their own humanness every day and some are just barely holding on and others are simply thriving. So what's the secret sauce of how to get from barely holding on to totally thriving? Not sure I know it, but I have seen what works in healing and what doesn't . I have seen what strengthens someone and weakens another. I know that overcoming begins with healing of self in some way, shape or form. I have seen people who literally throw life away because it's too overwhelming to deal with the pain of it. They lose that beautiful light they once saw inside themselves. They get discouraged and lose hope and then stay stuck or go to a dark place. Somewhere along the way, they show up as a client, experience a healing session and all the sudden the light within flickers and gets brighter and brighter and pretty soon, they see hope and then one day their own magnificence and they discover life is all about shining their truth and feeling joy! It's transformational to watch!
I feel so profoundly that part of my calling is to be an instrument in healing. I didn't seek it. It came seeking me. Part of my journey began while working in a non profit where there was much loss, heartache and pain and I distinctly remember the first day working there, I drove home sobbing. I could barely see the road through my tears because they spilt so freely. I had been asked to go through some of the cases I would be working with so I opened the first folder and started reading. I read about tragedy in someone's life effected by the sudden violent death of a loved one. It pulled at my heart strings. I later opened a folder that hit too close to home. It was a case about a woman who had been killed while struck by a driver under the influence while she was out on a morning bike ride. This left 3 motherless little boys to carry on in life without her. It hit so close to home because at the time I was the single mother of three little boys who relied on me for everything. I called my sister telling her I wasn't sure if I could do this career. I wasn't sure if I could deal with the daily heartache of watching others experience so much pain and she said something that really stuck with me. She said "Christi, this work will go on with or without you. You can choose to not be part of it or choose to be fully in it". I chose to be fully in it. I learned so much over those years with that organization. What I learned was invaluable. I saw the depths of humanity on so many levels. I later chose to pursue other avenues of healing. Over the course of a few years I had mentors walk into my life who taught me about energetic healing and as I experienced it myself I saw how powerful and quick it was without having to relive the trauma or the pain. My passion grew into sharing it with others so here I am sharing it all with you.
So if you are interested in gaining insight from the experiences I have had in my life and in working with hundreds of others, join me! You are in for a journey of soul discovery and who knows? You might totally see the light at the end of the tunnel and realize that YOU were actually the light that so often has evaded you.
I will be doing posts on how to heal yourself in a variety of ways:
Tools I use on my clients and myself.
Ways in which I clear my energy.
Secret keys to fulfilling your dreams
What joy really is and where its found.
How to find permanent healing.
How to find permanent happiness.
How to discover your own gifts.
Life was meant to be fun too!
How to become the God/Goddess you truly are!
How essential oils are very healing to the body when they are in their purest forms.
What essential oils help best with certain emotional issues and hundreds of tips on how I use them in my practice and with my clients to help them progress faster in their healing and releasing.
I plan to make it all easy to do and to understand. , even beginner levels so that you don't feel overwhelm or intimidation of where to even begin. I will share stories of healing that are inspiring and uplifting and I will share my truths of how to connect with God on a deeper, richer and more fulfilling level and therefore help you connect with yourself and your own truths.
The Healing Coach
"the bridge from where you are to where you want to be"
March 2019


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TOKYO Japan's national sport of sumo ejected a top wrestler and a coach on Sunday and slapped punishments on nearly two dozen others for their involvement in gambling run by organized crime.
The Japan Sumo Association, the sport's governing body, decided at an emergency meeting to issue a lifetime ban from the sport on the wrestler, Keiji Tamiya, 34, for betting tens of thousands of dollars on professional baseball games, and for paying $35,000 to a mobster who blackmailed him.
Mr. Tamiya held the second-highest rank of ozeki and wrestled under the name Kotomitsuki.
The association also barred the coach, Tadashige Naya, 42, master of the Otake stable, for his involvement in the gambling ring.
The revelations have further tarnished an ancient sport that has already declined in popularity after scandals over drug use and match-rigging.
In May, sumo was also shaken by a scandal over the sale of front-row seats to gangsters, apparently so they would be visible during television broadcasts to a crime boss watching from prison.
While sumo's ties to the underworld have long been a poorly kept secret here, the recent scandals have stirred public anger by appearing to show that the links were larger than thought.


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Please help me save my home
|Submitted By:
|Prayer Request:
|I need a prayer to help me save my home. The bank is days away from selling our home at a sheriffs auction. Please say a prayer for me that this horrible tragedy doesn't happen.
* Prayers submitted through the Prayer Request Form will be moderated prior to publishing, to ensure the bona fides, as best as possible, of the submitter are genuine. St Martin Apostolate reserves the sole right to select/list prayer requests on this website.


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Direct labor costs
Direct labor cost is a part of wage-bill or payroll that can be specifically and consistently assigned to or associated with the manufacture of a product, a particular work order, or provision of a service. Wikipedia
Do you know your direct labor costs by Line of Business (LOB)?
To help you combat this problem, we developed LaborCast
LaborCast can split out the labor costs in just a couple of minutes, so that profitability for each of your Line of Businesses can determined. To do this manually with the same amount of accuracy, would take hours each payroll.
Updated Financial Report After LaborCast
The single goal of LaborCast is to give your IT company deep insight and understanding of the information crucial to your business.
LaborCast pulls time entry data from your ConnectWise Manage, then splits off TRUE labor costs by each line of business.
No more estimates, just true numbers to work with. Now you'll know exactly where you need to direct your attention and efforts based on the data.
- Proof of payroll
- Assists with over time calculations
- IIF file to import into QuickBooks to automate journal entries
Pricing - $149 mth
- Requires ConnectWise Manage
- Requires specific GL Mappings to properly function
- Support included
- Unlimited Users
- Flat Monthly Rate


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The tech specialist agency beat Metia, Hotwire and Grant Butler Coomber for the business, reportedly worth upwards of £500,000.
Incumbent firm Band & Brown did not repitch as Cisco head of European PR David Cook decided the company 'needed an agency with a fresh approach'.
Harvard's brief includes content creation, event planning, media relations and liaising with agencies in 21 countries including France, Iceland and Israel.
Around 80 per cent of the work will be B2B, although Harvard MD Chris Cartwright has said he intends to 'get Cisco on the con-sumer radar'.


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This tractor carries a 001 serial number and is the first 8R machine as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of John Deere selling tractors. The Purvis Family of Naples, Fla., are the new owners. From left, Wade, Karen and Kyle Purvis, and Matt Lavendar, Everglades Equipment, their dealer.
The hood goes onto the 8245R tractor that's being completed on the line at the John Deere Tractor Works in Waterloo, Iowa. This machine goes to the Purvis Family from Naples, Fla.
At this stop, the wheels and tires go onto the tractor that will eventually go to the Purvis farm in Florida. John Deere used proprietary equipment to attach wheels to their machines.
The Purvis family got a trip to Waterloo to see their tractor get finished, and even take the first ride in the new machine. Their Gold Key experience included plant tours and a look inside the John Deere operation.
Kyle Purvis got a chance to finish tightening bolts on the wheels of the family's new John Deere 8245R machine during a special visit to the John Deere Tractor Works.
At a Gold Key event the receiving farmer gets to be one of the first to ride in the new tractor. In this case, Kyle Purvis, son of Wade and Karen Purvis, got that first ride off the line with is parents looking on.
John Deere has several commemorative events planned for celebrating its 100 years marketing tractors. This 100 Years badge is just one sign the tractor is part of the celebration.
Even the rear window calls out that the company has been making tractors 100 years, with this special notation.
A Gold Key delivery is always special with farmers taking possession of their tractors at the plant - transportation is still handled by John Deere. Part of the presentation includes not only the gold key (upper right), but also this plaque that shows the serial number (see 001 at the end) and the certificate signed by every John Deere team member that worked on the tractor.


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In contrast to conventional cutting processes, in which micro-fissures form in the break edge, with this process glass can be cut with almost no defects. This is achieved by introducing deliberate thermal stresses into the glass. Local stress fields, which are used to guide a separating crack through the glass with contour precision, are typically generated using laser light. Lasers can apply heat controllably to exactly the right position and with exact timing, which makes them an ideal tool for this task.
With our competences in materials mechanics in glass and plastics, in optical laser light guidance and in evaluating the mechanical properties of materials in manufacturing processes, we have
devised a new method of cutting laminated safety glass (VSG). In this method the internal PVB polymer is first cut using the laser light
and then the glass is cutted. This allows new scope for the design of cutted laminated safety glass.
PVB polymer is cut by laser beam
Cutting of the PVB polymer within the laminate is independent of the glass cutting process
Process offers new possibilities for creating customer specific contours and also opens up the way to automated cutting of laminated safety glass models
Process is integrated into a laminated safety glass cutting unit of the company HEGLA
Various laser sources and wavelengths
Mechanical testing methods (tension test, bending, double ring)
Microscopic analysis processes (light microscopy,
scanning electron microscopy)
Simulation (finite elements, particle-based numerical methods)
Fraunhofer IWM has many years of experience in designing cutting processes for brittle materials. Various methods have been developed in our well-equipped laboratories for thermally cutting different types of glass and laminated safety glass. Particular emphasis has been given at each stage of development to the adaptation of the process to the specific material to be cut, in order to realize as much of the potential of the material as possible. At
the same time, the demands of implementing such methods in an industrial environment have been taken into account to a high level, resulting in a series of functioning modules for production
We assist our customers by developing and implementing new techniques, we perform feasibility tests and develop the necessary
know-how to ensure that they master the special cutting process to a sufficient degree.


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Travel to the southeast to green Vietnam, popular for its light food with robust flavours. Hold on, hold on now! You don't have to open up your jam-packed iCalendar just yet and fret over your lack of free time. We're not talking about taking a three and a half hour tiring flight, when the roads of Delhi will take you directly to the lakes of Hanoi or the narrow alleys of Ho Chi Minh City. Restaurants in the city are now serving exquisite Vietnamese dishes that will keep you wanting more.
4 Places in the City to Try Vietnamese Cuisine
Asia Central
Great food that won't burn a hole in your pocket is what you'll find here. If you're seeking comfort in food, head straight to Asia Central without batting an eyelid. Big city, fast-paced life means you can't always afford a holiday, but you sure as hell deserve good, authentic food.
DSSC Recommends: Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls – not many places can serve a good rice paper roll for it's a tricky dish to whip up. Nothing is fried or cooked, it's all about the real flavours of produce. Our kudos to Asia Central for being brave enough to serve these bad boys up, and serving them right.
Where: Shahpur Jat, Greater Kailash - 2, Vasant Vihar and DLF Phase 4 Gurgaon
- Price for two: ₹ 1000
It's ironic that this place is called Honk, because what it offers is the complete opposite. With peaceful and serene interiors and delicate food, a meal here will make you feel like you've just stepped out of a spa retreat. We also suggest this place for its location – it's tucked away close to the airport and away from the hustle-bustle of city life.
DSSC Recommends: Ma Po Tofu – we realise that tofu is an acquired taste, but this dish has a black bean and spicy sauce that will even switch tofu haters to lovers!
- Price for two: ₹ 2500
We recommend this place because it's one of the few authentic Asian restaurants in Dwarka serving different dishes that you don't often find on the menu of a Vietnamese restaurant. Parts of their interiors are pagoda-inspired, which will give a slightly spiritual touch to your dining experience.
DSSC Recommends: Braised Water Chestnuts, Pak Choi and Bamboo Shoots – now where else have you seen these beauties?
Find out more about DSSC here and follow them on Facebook here.
- Price for two: ₹ 4000


text: After already saying NO resoundingly once, Ireland is again being required to vote for a constitution that would make it a province with no self-determination of a mightier political empire pursuing its own empowerment and with little concern for the interests of the Irish people. Sound familiar? For more on my nickel's worth, click here


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Children Throw Dollar Bills at Dancing Drag Queens in Public Library
Young kids hand money to drag performers during 'family friendly' show
A public library hosted a "family friendly" drag queen show where young children were seen giving cash tips to performers who danced provocatively for them on stage.
The library in Ames, Iowa, hosted the "All Ages Drag Show" which consisted of "entertainment" provided by men and boys dressed in women's clothing who performed sexually provocative dance routines.
Parents in the audience were seen taking photos as their children handed money to the adult entertainers.
The event was promoted by the public library, offering music and dance drag performances by professionals and amateurs.
According to Life Site News, adults and children were in the audience on April 6 to watch gyrations, lip-synching, and exotic costumes during an evening that included "all-ages" performances that were followed by a "teens only" show featuring "sparkles, costumes, free snacks, and mingling!"
According to local reports, more than 240 people attended the fourth such event organized by the library.
Children in the audience were seen handing money to the performers, in much the same way that strippers and other such performers are rewarded.
Librarian Tanvi Rastogi posted photos of the event on Instagram.
On Instagram, one person commented, "These photos are amazing, they capture just how awesome the show was."
In September, during the Ames gay pride festival, similar drag performers accepted cash on stage from kids in the audience.
According to the Facebook page for the event, "Drag is for everyone."
It said, "Grab your best friend, your preschooler or grandmother, your dad or your neighbor and your neighbor's kids, roommates, bandmates or that cool kid that sits next to you in math class and check out the free all age-friendly performances by professional and amateur drag performers."
Featured performers included, according to Iowa State Daily, Queen Marie, Smokey Moon, Christiana, Boyencé, Sage Umbra, Macie Maize, Jacob Sanchez, Cadaverina Von Corpse, Jaymee Sexton and Lonika LaBelle.
Iowa State Daily provided a synopsis of the drag performances.
The paper reported that Mara Spooner (AKA The Governorness) of the Ames Pride and Renegade Arts Collective was the hostess for the event.
It said that Jaymee Sexton danced and lip-synched during the All-Ages Drag show, showing up in three different outfits.
At least two performers were minors.
"Smoky Moon," for example, was identified as a middle-school student who had graduated from the library's training for cross-dressing.
The library gained nationwide notoriety last year for hosting a summer camp to teach kids K–12 the art of cross-dressing and drag performances.
The camp was supported by local LGBTQ activists, who said it was intended to make transgender children feel safe and to prevent suicide.
The Ames Pride and Renegade Arts Collective provided content for the camp.
Both Spooner and Rastogi were dismissive of parents' concerns, suggesting that those who objected to the camp were free not to attend.


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Our team have done some extensive and detailed research and today we present to you our professional Paddy Power Casino Review. We all know that finding an online casino is easy but finding a casino which offers top bonuses, jackpots, a good customer service and a downloadable app is another question entirely. Although Paddy Power casino is only available to UK players that offer all this and much more. The simple theme taken on by Paddy Power emphasizes a relaxed and fun gaming experience for everyone and makes the whole experience effortlessly flawless. Recently they have undergone a renovation to their site and this is what we found out about them.
Customer and player reviews is the most important aspect when looking into a casino and here is what players had to say about Paddy Power.
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"I registered with them because of their welcome gift which I couldn't redeem anyway and no-one could tell me why. I made a deposit and had terrible luck playing with them. The minimum bet at blackjack is 0.50 which is higher than elsewhere. Saying that I like their games, their layout and the variety of software they use. The live dealer games also are inviting to play and I keep getting offers every now and then from them."
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"There really isn't much in the way of promotions and bonuses. The jackpots are good and the design is good but there isn't really anything really exciting here."
Paddy Power does not use the top software providers but they use ones with a high reputation. Eleven software is the main provider and along with them, they use Amaya, OpenBet, Playtech, Evolution gaming and Electrade. Players get a merge of the best games around when using Paddy Power Casino. On the visual front, their games are highly attractive, the graphics are good and the sounds make for a fun gaming experience all around. There is a lot of entertainment to be had at Paddy Power Casino from traditional games, slots all the way to the live gaming tables accompanied by expert dealers.
Paddy Power Casino took on the feedback from customers and now have an up and running web version, downloadable version and even a Paddy Power app for the casino. All the major mobile devices are supported like Android, iOS, Blackberry and even Windows. The downloadable app is easy to use and players can manage their account, play games and deposit and withdraw money in one simple place while on the go. Players are raving about these options which Paddy Power Casino gives them because they have now made it easy for people to enjoy a few slots while on their lunch break!
There are over 200 games to choose from at this minute in time and each game is superior in quality. They load fast, do not lag and offer a unique fun game each and every time. There is so much going on from scratch cards, roulette, blackjack, poker, high and low, bingo and live games to betting on sports you will not get bored anytime soon. They even have keno, craps and bingo which is a rarity with online casinos these days.
On average the stake limits are just the same as elsewhere. High rollers and low rollers can enjoy the flexible betting options at Paddy Power Casino. The highest deposit you make at any one time is 50,000 pounds through bank transfer and you can enjoy playing your money on all of the games with the live games taking the highest bets. They have recently changed their minimum betting options on some of the tables with the lowest being 0.50 whereas before it was 0.10 but there are still one penny slots and exciting games to choose from for those on a tighter budget.
There are over thirty-five games to choose from that offer large progressive jackpots at Paddy Power Casino. One recent winner just won short of one million pounds and the remaining jackpots reach millions. There are also smaller jackpots available in the thousand mark range and there is players leaderboard where you can check in and see who won what and where. The great thing about Paddy Power Casino is their activity on social media such as Facebook, if you follow them then they make updates the second someone wins something and their posts are hilariously funny as well!
The casino offers New Customers a £50 bonus on your first deposit of £10 along with 20 free spins.
Paddy Power also offers various Paddy Power voucher codes and promotions all throughout the year. Loyal customers get personalised offers sent to them through email and there was even one player who won a jackpot just with the bonus money they got.
We give Paddy Power a rating of nine out of ten because they offer a lot of cool features which other casinos do not. Although the restriction of global players is still in place, UK players can take advantage of their app, their large catalogue of games and their amazing jackpots which total up to nineteen million and counting. Nevertheless, please read our Paddy Power scams & frauds page to learn how to protect yourself and what to avoid.


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a couple of days ago my friend gave me his "old" pmp3000 because it dident work (i once repaired his iphone so i must be a tech god). as i then proceeded to plug it in to test the thing for myself it shorted my whole house (main relay).
naturally i check the fuse, curcuit and psu with no luck. the curcuitry is split in three main compartments, the power input, the main curcuit and the amps (as far as i can tell). i have diagnosed it to be the main curcuit (foto).
what are my options and how do i proceed. my skill and budget are limited.
kind regards
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We guessed from the fact that he couldn't help even with 5 minutes when Lorbek was fouled out that it won't be simple.
What about Becirovic, will he start the season for Olimpija (first game vs Maccabi a weak before the rest of the round)?
Beno Udrih?
Becirovic playes, so no questions about him (for now).
Last edited by ip84; 09-29-2009 at 04:51 PM.


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Paul Bailley, French 1906
A fine violin by Paul Bailly, 1906.
Paul Bailly was born 1844 in Mirecourt and died 1907 in Paris France. He was pupil of Galliard and J. B. Vuillaume and then worked successively in Lille, Douai, Mirecourt, Paris, Brussels, America, Rheims, London, and for Harry Dykes in Leeds. He finally moved to Paris in 1899, established at 197 rue de Grenelle. He accomplished very fine, varied work and was a copyist of classical models
10 Madaillan Or. Vermeil Argent er Bronze
Paul Bailey
No 1228 Luthier
A Paris s pnny M L Bourne, ste
Ancies Eleve de J.B. Vuillaume de Paris
1907 rue de Grevelle Paris 1906
Additional Information
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text:
By: Leopoldo Esquibel
The capital of China is Beijing it is the second most populated city in China right behind Shanghai, the major language is standard mandarin, and it is located in asia.
China is known for its long diverse history. This country was made independent on October 1, 1949. Most of China's rulers were part of dynasties. The first one was the Xia dynasty founded by Yu the great. Right now the current ruler is Xi Jinping. These rulers would eventually lead their country to many wars. Ex. Chinese civil war, WWI, and the Korean War.
China is filled with deserts, mountains, and coastlines. It also contains many rivers, one of the most popular are the yellow river and the Yangtze River. It is greatly known to home one of the wonders of the world. The Great Wall of China.
Ancient Chinese wore robes and silk jackets, meanwhile in the present everything is more modern. Thesy usually wear business or farming clothes. Like us Americans Chinese also have holidays. They have Chinese New Year, Mid autumn day, and the Dragon Boat Festival. Many people in China enjoy eating rice, noodles, and dumplings. Most of the religion in China is split between Buddhism and Taoism. China is also a communist country.
China is home to 12% of the worlds mining resources, 72.8% of the land is used industrially, and about 10% is used for farmlands. Most of the people are split into 3 jobs. 1/3 of the people are farmers, another 1/3 are government workers, and the last 1/3 are industrial workers. The currency they gain is yen. ¥¥
China suffers intense weather. The avg. temp. is between 26C - 15C. (Beijing) avg. rainfall is 577mm (Beijing). Since China was a lot of pollution it increase the extremeness of the weather. Ex. Heavy rain
Interesting Facts
- Population - 1.357 billion (2013)
- Mode of transport - fright train
- Native animals - panda and tigers
- Strange laws - you must only be able to have one child or they will need to pay a fine
- Travel tips - use your money usefully
- Story behind flag - Red=communism Yellow=color of Manchu dynasty
The End
"An Introduction to China's LARGEST Cities." ChinaHighlights. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2016.
"China Map World." China Map World. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2016.
"Ancient China." History: For Kids. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2016.
"Independence Day of China." , Chinese Independence Day, China National Day. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2016.
"Geography." Geography. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.ancientchina.co.uk/geography/home_set.html>.
N.p., n.d. Web.
"China Weather." : Major City Climate with Weather Forecast, Maps. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2016. <https://www.travelchinaguide.com/climate/>.


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Life Insurance Company Reviews [Best Life Insurance Co. Reviews]
At Good Life Protection we know how frustrating it can be trying to find the best life insurance company to fit your needs.
Literally, thousands of options flood the markets and it's tough to understand what makes one company better than another company.
That's where we come in and what we specialize in.
We take the time to review them all.
We like to know who the best life insurance companies may be for high-risk life insurance.
The good and the bad.
The pros and cons of each company.
We review anything from the best no-exam life insurance companies all the way to the best life insurance for seniors.
Best Life Insurance Company Reviews 2019
Feel free to see our life insurance companies list below that we have put together so far for complete reviews on each of the companies below.
Each of the companies listed, if we have completed our in-depth analysis of them, the company name will allow you to click to a full, honest and unbiased review of the company.
Beware though, we don't hold anything back, your favorite company or the company you currently have might even have some negatives listed within the review.
Just a fair warning.
We are not here to sugar coat anything.
These life insurance companies reviews are critical.
Individuals often get tunnel vision towards one life insurance company when shopping rates and approval chances.
We hate to break it to you but American General Life Insurance Company will not always be your best option.
No matter how big of a name they have in the industry.
Plain and simple.
If that's not appealing to you and your just looking for the best life insurance rates money can get you, use the rating engine to the right on your desktop
You can also get a quote directly below and compare rates with all life insurance companies currently offering coverage on the market.
It will give you live accurate rates from over 60 of the top rated life insurance companies.
Following the list of companies we review, you can find our actual grading criteria on how we give the companies the overall grade report that we do.
List of Life Insurance Companies We Have Reviewed for 2019
- AARP Life Insurance
- Acacia Life Insurance
- Accordia Life Insurance
- Aetna
- Aflac Life Insurance
- AICPA Life Insurance
- AIG (American General Life)
- AIG Direct Life Insurance
- Allianz Life Insurance
- Allstate Life Insurance
- American Amicable
- AAA Life Insurance
- Amica Life Insurance
- American Equity
- American Family Insurance
- American Fidelity Life
- American Income Life
- American International Group
- American Memorial
- American National Life(ANICO)
- American United Life (AUL)
- Americo Life
- Ameriprise Financial
- Ameritas Life Insurance
- Assurity Life Insurance Company
- AXA Equitable
- Baltimore Life Insurance
- Bankers Life and Casualty Company
- Banner Life/ William Penn
- Berkshire Life Insurance Company
- Boston Mutual
- Brighthouse Financial/ Metlife
- Christian Fidelity
- Cincinnati Life Insurance
- CMFG Life Insurance Company
- CNO Financial Group
- Colonial Life
- Colonial Penn Life Insurance
- Combined Insurance
- Columbian Mutual Life
- Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company
- Costco Life Insurance
- Columbus Life Insurance
- CUNA Mutual
- Delaware Life Insurance Company
- EMC National Life Company
- Equitrust Life Insurance Company
- Erie Insurance
- Ethos Life Insurance
- Family Life Insurance
- Farm Bureau Insurance
- Farmers Insurance Group
- Fidelity Life Insurance Company
- Fidelity Security Life Insurance
- First United American Life Ins.
- Foresters Financial
- Forethought Life Insurance
- Geico Insurance Company
- Genworth Financial
- Gerber Life Insurance Company
- Globe Life Insurance
- Great American Life Insurance
- Great-West Financial
- Great Western Insurance Company
- Guarantee Trust Life Insurance
- Guardian Life Insurance Company
- Horace Mann
- Haven Life Insurance
- The Hartford
- Illinois Mutual Life Insurance
- ING Life Insurance
- Investor Heritage
- Jackson National
- John Hancock Life Insurance
- Kansas City Life Insurance Company
- Kemper Corporation
- Knights of Columbus Life Ins.
- Woodmen Life Insurance Company
- Ladder Life Insurance
- Lafayette Life Insurance Company
- Leap Life Insurance
- Liberty Bankers Life
- Liberty Mutual Life Insurance
- Life Insurance Company of Alabama
- Lincoln Financial Group (LFG)
- Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance
- Madison National Life Insurance
- Manhattan Life Insurance Company
- Mass Mutual Life Insurance
- MassMutual/ Haven Life Ins.
- Metlife Insurance Group
- Midland National Life Insurance
- Minnesota Life Insurance Co.
- Motorist Life Insurance Company
- Mutual of Omaha Life Insurance Co.
- Mutual Trust Life Insurance
- National Gaurdian Life
- National Income Life
- National Life Group Life Ins.
- Nationwide Life Insurance Company
- Navy Mutual Life Insurance
- New Era Life Insurance
- New York Life Insurance Company
- North American Company for Life and Health
- North American Life Insurance Co.
- Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
- Ohio National Life Insurance
- Oxford Life Insurance Company
- Pacific Life Insurance
- Pan-American Life Insurance
- Penn Mutual Life Insurance
- Petersen International Underwriters
- Phoenix Life Insurance Company
- Physicians Mutual Life Insurance
- Policy Genius Life Insurance
- Primerica Life Insurance
- Principal Life Insurance Company
- Progressive Life Insurance Group
- Protective Life Insurance Company
- Prudential Financial Life Insurance
- Riversource Life Insurance
- Royal Neighbors of America Life Insurance
- Sagicor Life Insurance Company
- Saving Bank Life Insurance (SBLI)
- Securian Life Insurance Company
- Security Life of Denver Insurance Company
- Security National Life Insurance Co. of NY
- Security National Life Insurance Co.
- Select Quote
- Senior Life Insurance Company
- Sentinel Security Life Insurance
- Service Members Group Life Insurance Company
- Settlers Life Insurance Company
- Shelter Life Insurance Company
- Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company
- Sun Life Financial
- Standard Insurance Company
- Standard Life and Casualty
- Standard Group Life Insurance Co.
- Starmount Life Insurance Company
- State Farm Life Insurance
- Symetra Life Insurance Company
- Thrivent Financial Life Insurance
- Transamerica Corporation Insurance Co.
- United American Insurance Company
- United Home Life- Life Insurance
- United of Omaha Life Insurance
- Unum Group Life Insurance
- USAA Life Insurance Company
- Vantis Life Insurance Company
- Veterans Group Life Insurance Co.
- Voya Life Insurance Company
- Washington National Life Insurance Company
- West Coast Life Insurance Company
- WoodmenLife Insurance Company
- 5 Star Life Insurance Company
Here is where you will learn how we grade the life insurance companies that we review.
What really matters to us and what should matter to you as well.
Important items are always covered by Good Life Protection when reviewing the best life insurance companies.
It's our goal to never steer you down the wrong path and it all begins with solid reviews and a Life Insurance Agency you can trust.
In our grading material for the life insurance companies, you will notice important topics such as the following.
- Company Overview and History/ Track Record
- Financial Strength and BBB Ratings
- Products Offered
- Competitive Pricing
- Underwriting Strengths
Life Insurance Carrier Ratings, A Side By Side Comparison
Prudential Life Insurance Vs. Foresters Financial
Who wins? Most people would not be able to answer this. A typical consumer is going to say, "Prudential…why?"
Prudential Life Insurance Company (Pruco) has been around longer and had a stronghold on the entire life insurance industry at one point. Oh and no, we do not want you to run to Wikipedia to find out.
We want you reading reviews from real experts in the industry.
Reviews that provide you with good and bad information.
From the people I speak with daily, whoever has more commercials on television typically is who wins.
Simply put, this is not a good approach to purchasing life insurance.
Research and a professional independent agent is the most optimal way to buy life insurance.
What's the problem with going off of advertisements alone?
Other life insurance companies may be comparably strong and have advantages that are not showcased in commercials alone.
At Good Life Protection, we strive to bring you up-to-date information surrounding the life insurance industry and we intend on doing so through our life insurance company reviews we provide on a weekly basis.
Part of bringing you the most up to date information is to provide detailed reviews of the top life insurance companies currently offering insurance to consumers.
Without proper information and honest reviews, it can be difficult to know which options are your best fit.
Our goal is to have that information readily available to help you with your life insurance purchase.
Ultimately, we want you to be the final judge of what company you want to do business with.
Of course, we always recommend working with an independent agent who knows the ins and the outs of the industry for education, but you have the final call.
Nevertheless, having a great source of honest reviews is a good start to making an informed decision about which life insurance carriers can best represent you.
So how do we review life insurance carriers, and what are we looking for in particular?
The list is surprisingly lengthy.
We look at several factors.
Factors most carriers probably do not even want to be revealed.
We even take industry experience from our agents and their analysis of the life insurance companies before completing our review.
Also, we try to look at real-life case studies that have been sent to these life insurance companies and what the outcomes were.
Why Finding The Best Life Insurance Reviews Matters
For the sake of this review, let's assume you are a healthy 40-year-old male that chews tobacco.
Let's assume you do not read any of our reviews and walk into the application process with a life insurance agent over the phone.
Yes, your agent should know what you are about to read.
New agents do exist and agents who may not know every life insurance company's niche for good ratings.
This in return can lower your premium monthly.
You complete the initial process and now have your case submitted to underwriting.
Without understanding your options, you complete the process and pay your initial premium after your approval.
You are all pumped up and excited because you got a preferred tobacco rating.
This is the second-best rating you can achieve. I, myself, would be excited as well.
The only problem now is, could you have done better?
Let's look and see… Option 1
Foresters Life Insurance Company– Outcome- Preferred Tobacco (Great Rating for Tobacco User)
|$ 250,000
|20-year Level Term
|$ 90.34
Look at that, you did great! Oh, wait…we may have another option.
The exact same situation as before. Male Age-40- Very Healthy- Chews Tobacco.
Prudential's Outcome- Standard Rating (lower than preferred) – Non- Tobacco.
|$ 250,000
|20-year Level Term
|$ 45.94
Yes, tobacco can be a killer for insurance rates.
What can be an even bigger killer is not knowing what you are looking for.
Again, a veteran agent should know what life insurance company should fit your personal situation the best.
However, not every life agent can broker multiple companies.
Some life insurance agents are career agents, also known as captive agents, that can only represent one company.
How do you know what's the best company for sure?
Well, an honest review of life insurance companies at your fingertips can also go a long way
Life Insurance Company Reviews and Carrier History
The next item Good Life Protection likes to look at is company history.
I am not referring to financial strength history with this either.
Just an overall snapshot of the company's history and development.
All life insurance companies come from different beginnings.
What is important to know about the life insurance carriers?
- Years in the industry?
- Are they a mutual company or stock company?
- Have they ever de-mutualized (turned into a stock company)?
- How many subsidiaries do you have? Or how many sister companies are involved?
- How many times have they been re-purchased by other major life insurance companies (merged)?
- What other branches or arms do they represent?
Reviews of Products Offered By Life Insurance Companies
- Financial Planning or Services
- Annuities
- Investments
- Retirement Planning and Wealth Building
- Home and Auto Insurance
- Disability and Long-Term Care Insurance
Another Company Review and Side by Side Comparison
Although Ameritas Life Insurance roots stem all the way back to the late 1800s, they have still undergone many changes.
Ultimately, forming the stock company they are today in 1997. That's right…only 21 years old.
That is nothing bad against Ameritas. In fact, they may have the best no exam life insurance product currently on the market, and I am a huge fan.
My point being, when you stack it up against a company such as AIG (American General Life), things look a little bit different.
AIG is also one of my personal favorite companies in the industry, but they are vastly different.
Yes, they were part of the federal government bailout in 2008, but their life insurance division was a crown jewel on their balance sheet.
Yet, they also have been around 100 years or very close too.
They are a giant in the industry and always have been.
They vary greatly in product lineup and options.
Neither one of these companies has any major pitfalls.
The point being, most consumers are very concerned with company history.
About 50% of consumers do ask me about company history related questions.
Good Life Protection likes to dive into these questions.
We also want to provide you with comprehensive information detailing life insurance company history information.
Life Insurance Company Overviews, Locations and Brief History
This ties directly into company history but gives a little broader of a look to our reviews.
We like to know how the company operates.
- Where are they headquartered?
- How many employees do they have?
Consumers enjoy knowing they are working with household names.
Good Life Protection aims to…
Represent all the powerhouse life insurance companies in the industry.
We also feel you have the right to know about the life insurance companies as well.
That is why we are here, and we hope our reviews help you make an educated decision when purchasing life insurance.
A Review of The Positives with Life Insurance Companies
We strive to point out all the good that life insurance companies do for consumers.
After all, we represent them, so we need to boast about them from time to time.
All the life insurance carriers in the life insurance industry want your business.
They want to help, and they DO pay death claims!
The point being, some companies do things better than other companies.
All life insurance companies have strengths and weaknesses.
The goal is to understand what they are or let your independent life insurance agent explain them to you.
So, what are some of the items we are talking about?
Well, we already covered one earlier.
- Are they priced competitively?
- Does the life insurance carrier have strong underwriting niches? (Prudential vs. Foresters)
- How is the company's customer service? (for you and the agent representing you)
- How flexible are they on payment options and payment methods?
- How fast are they overall? (life insurance, in general, is unbelievably slow) – except, express issue
- What built-in features are included in the policy, and what riders are offered?
- How easy and streamlined is the application process?
- A combination of company history and company overview?
- Do they provide any discounts for annual payment mode?
- Do they have anything that makes them stand out?
And for the….
A Review of the Negatives With Life Insurance Companies
We also find it very important to bring you the negatives.
We may represent life insurance companies, but that does not mean they are all perfect.
We choose to represent the companies we work with for many reasons.
At one point or another, we know they will be the company to ensure you or your family depending on your unique needs.
That is why we vetted each life insurance company vigorously.
This is very important to us, and we cannot stress it enough.
Not all companies are built for the same consumers.
What are some of the potential negatives that I am talking about?
- Possible short time in the industry?
- Low financial ratings?
- Tough underwriting guidelines?
- Customer service not up to par?
- Noncompetitive pricing?
- Limited product lineup?
- Poor overall customer satisfaction?
2 Life Insurance Carrier Reviews, Another Side by Side
These are all important items to consider when choosing the right company.
Sometimes, you should leave it in the hands of the agent.
Let me give you an example.
Phoenix Life Insurance Vs. Banner Life Insurance
Banner has been around for decades and has 7.3 billion in assets with an A+ Rating.
First side rant with this is, many consumers still have not heard of them and tend to not trust those names.
What can you trust more than an A+ rating and 7.3 billion dollars in assets?
Phoenix Life Insurance Company is a little different.
They only have a B rating.
They have also been in the industry for a very long time, dating back to the 1800s.
Both carriers are well known for helping diabetics (especially type-2) at favorable rates.
For the sake of our example, let's say we are an individual terrified of needles, currently has 5 kids home for the summer, has a demanding 9-5 job, and cannot find time to complete an exam?
BANNER Life Insurance Company DOES NOT OFFER NO-EXAM LIFE INSURANCE
So who are we going to go with? Phoenix.
This is the point we are trying to make.
Not every company is going to be 5 out of 5 stars across the board.
It is important to know the strengths of each company, so you know which life insurance carrier to have in mind when you pick up the phone.
This makes it much easier to trust your agent's knowledge if you have done a little homework.
So, what else do we look at
In-Depth Review of Product Lineups and Life Insurance Coverage Offered
Products offered can be one of the biggest factors when looking for your future relationship with a life insurance company.
Some companies have basic lineups such as…
- Term Life
- Whole Life
- Universal Life
Although this is enough to get the job done, some companies also offer varying perks and options within these certain classes.
Let's go over a few quick examples.
Protective Life Insurance is my go-to insurance company for term products and universal life insurance.
I am a firm believer they have the best product lineup on the market in these classes.
First, Protective Life is not going to skyrocket your premiums at the end of your term policy!
Simply put, this is a game-changer for many families.
Instead of increasing your monthly premium year after year, Protective will keep your monthly premium level and begin decreasing your death benefit until it levels off at $10,000, usually around age 90.
This is a huge added perk. Why may you ask?
- Who wants to pay 10x the price to keep some coverage in force? Not me, and I am assuming not you either.
- Who does not want the security that if you develop a health condition, you can still affordably maintain some coverage after your level-term period expires
Those are two underestimated advantages that Protective Life Insurance Company has.
Financial Strength Ratings
This is another big area Good Life Protection is concerned with when it comes to the life insurance carriers we choose to represent.
Financial strength is a large indicator of a company's performance.
Not only past performance but the likelihood of future performance.
So how are financial strength ratings broken down?
When the rating agencies for life insurance companies analyze the company's financial strength, they are looking at three different items:
- Profitability
- Liquidity
- Solvency
The rating 4 Big rating companies all use different codes to rate the life insurance carriers.
Basically, you want to aim for a company with at least an A rating.
The following is a breakdown of the financial strength ratings:
- A+- Superior Financial Strength
- A- Excellent Financial Strength
- B+- Good Financial Strength
- B- Fair
- C- Marginal
- C- (Weak)
- D- Poor
This is also a question that I get asked frequently about life insurance companies, "What is the financial strength? I only want a life insurance company that is A-rated".
Some great life insurance companies exist who are slightly below that threshold.
Although, they are still very reputable and good life insurance companies to work with.
A+ Rating – Superior Financial Strength
Aa3- Stable Outlook
Nothing is to say one of these companies is better or worse than the other.
Both are great companies and have strengths and weaknesses.
It was to illustrate that differences between companies that do exist.
We take pride in providing you the most up to date ratings and reviews.
Life Insurance Carrier Reviews of Underwriting Niches
Good Life Protection wants to know the niches these life insurance carriers are great at underwriting.
We covered this with the tobacco situation with Prudential.
Vapers, cigar smokers, and chewers can still get a non-tobacco rating with Prudential.
This is one of the niches they serve.
The same goes for Phoenix Life and Banner being great life insurance carriers for type-2 diabetics.
We aim to find these niches through our actual practice.
Working with clients to find the best possible rates that they can get.
Working with a life insurance agent that knows the underwriting niches of multiple life insurance companies can serve as a huge benefit to your wallet.
Why pay more for any life insurance policy if you don't have to?
Underwriting Speed
This is a common problem agent run into with life insurance cases.
It is something important to address.
Sometimes people need coverage quickly.
It could be for a divorce decree or even to secure a small business association (SBA) loan.
Long underwriting processes cause consumers and agents to get upset after enough has elapsed.
You as the consumer, start wondering what could be taking so long.
The agent is also thinking about the exact same thing.
We aim to keep an eye on the companies that keep the process expedited for both the life insurance agent and the consumer.
Again, our goal is to relay that information to you.
Carrier Reviews of Pricing For Products
I know you are wondering why this did not rank higher to the top of our list.
The first answer is that we do not find the pricing as important as a typical consumer for several reasons.
We believe the value is more important.
What does the policy include?
What carrier is it with?
The second reason being, pricing fluctuates greatly based on health, age, and tobacco use.
It would not be accurate to rate all carriers.
The life insurance carriers in certain underwriting niches, do better with pricing in certain categories.
The opposite is also true. Some life insurance companies for perfectly healthy have unbeatable prices. It is too much to juggle to judge the carriers strictly on this criterion.
And last but not least…
Customer Service With Life Insurance Companies
What is more important than top-notch customer service?
We would suggest next to nothing.
We as the agent, need customer service as well.
When we call for risk assessments or ratings for high-risk clients, we need answers and we need them fast.
You as the consumers, when you need something answered you expect the same service.
Some carriers do an extremely good job of this and some lack in this department.
It is important to know this upfront and we want to be your source of finding the answers.
To sum things up, we think it is rather difficult to judge a life insurance carrier without knowing them inside and out. A lot of factors must be considered.
We personally represent over 50+ of the top-rated life insurance carriers.
We will be the first to admit they all have strengths and weaknesses.
What sets us apart is the ability to quickly determine which life insurance company is best for you and your individual needs
Final Thoughts On Our Life Insurance Company Reviews
Before you make any decision on what life insurance company you are going to choose to protect your family, you need to do your homework.
Use our website as a free resource to learn more about the top life insurance companies in the industry.
As experienced high-risk life insurance brokers, we take pride in providing all the information needed to make the best decision.
Don't you like reading?
Not a problem!
Give one of our veteran agents a call or request a quote today, and they will bring you up to speed.