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Learn Everything There Is A Need For You To Know About Emergency Plumbing Service Experts
It is already very common for homes or for offices as well to experience plumbing problems hence, if you suddenly find yourself in such a predicament, you need not have to be surprised about it anymore. Regardless of the amount of money you have already spent just to have the plumbing problems you have be fixed, there seems to be no definite resolution to it as new problem seems to always come up. You should know by now that the plumbing and drainage system you have in your home will always be subjected to a number of defects and damage which may eventually cause problems in areas that you are not expecting them to arise hence, you have to see to it that you get professional and expert help for any plumbing problems you may have.
Plumbing problem such as drainage problem is known for being one of the problems that may arise in our home that can be quite frustrating, troublesome and hard to overcome. If it so happen that there are issues that arise which is already beyond your control or beyond you skills, it would be best for you to immediately contact a plumbing contractor that is reputable and reliable in providing you with all the services required in fixing the problems you are currently dealing with. Regardless of whether the service has something to do with detection of leaks, cleaning the drains or even installing faucets, all of these are being offered by a good plumbing company.
Another plumbing problems, apart from drainage problems, that is commonly the issues being faced by so many people these days are blockage in the drainage and pipes that are leaky. One thing that you can do to guarantee that the minor problems that possibly arise will not become a major one, you have to ensure that here is constant maintenance being applied to your drainage system and the said maintenance must be done by professionals and experts in the said field therefore, you have to hire plumbing service experts which you can find when you search in online directories or through paperbacks.
It is very important for you to see to it that the job is being done by professionals. Surely, we do not want to risk leaving the plumbing problems we have into the hands of plumbers that are not experienced just because they are plumbers cause the only thing that is expected to happen here is the rise of more problems instead of its resolution. That is why if you want to hire a plumbing contractor, you have to see to it that, that plumbing contractor is a licensed and certified, someone who has multiple years of experience in plumbing.
Reference: read


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Complete with an eco-safe stainless steel drink bottle, pen, pad and an exclusive invite to an event later this year, all packaged in a high-quality cotton tote. We think these swag bags are "on point" and deliver a classy introduction to the new brand.
Tricks and Tips
Here are our top tips to keep in mind when selecting promotional swag;
- Get samples, try it out, test it and try to break it. The tactile nature of an item makes all the difference; a silver plastic pen that looks like metal but doesn't feel like it is never a good look. It may portray a cheap brand image, if you believe your product is quality, show it. How easy is the item to break? Cheap doesn't last.
- Ask yourself who is the recipient? Is this going to be something they want to use and reuse? The more they use it the more your brand is seen. For Wild Legend many of the recipients were the fisherman, so a stainless drink bottle was a perfect durable option.
- What is your brand personality? Are you traditional, edgy or quirky - understanding your brand will help you pick the items to include. From temporary tattoos, aprons to flash drives and beach balls - if you can imagine it, you can brand it.
- Think about the context in which your audience will receive your swag. If it's a conference or meeting situation, give them something useful, give them something to write on and write with? If it's a tradeshow will they be receiving a lot of things? Give them a bag to carry it all.
- How is it going to be packaged? Loose, gift wrapped or in a tote? What is the unboxing experience?
- Keep it simple. Simple is classy.
- Last but never the least, be mindful of lead times. If you are ordering large quantities or speciality products this will affect your delivery time.
If you need some swag (aka corporate gifts), or simply love your brand and want to see it everywhere, give flick the Firebrand team an email firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text: William. Posted May 29, 2019 I hear high pitched sounds in my head as well as a faint bell sound by my right ear. I feel great sensitivity and qi in my solar plexus.. where some call the 'Yellow Court', but I feel nothing in my lower belly. I just feel my consciousness drawn to the area between my belly button and solar plexus. I feel the impulse to breathe there. But, at times I don't feel like breathing and putting my attention on that area.. I just feel like feeling sensations around the body, occasionally breathing into them. Can I generate qi and jing in my solar plexus at the diaphragm level or does it have to be in my lower belly below the navel? Yours Truly, William Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text: im not sure what i did, but apparently gmail likes me. before i had 5 or 6 invites in my accounts, but out of nowhere in one of my accounts i now have 50 invites. seriously. if you want one. just ask. i dont even know 50 people, much less 50 people i havent already given an invite to. :)


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Plenary Keynote Lecture
Anthony Pym is lead researcher for the work group on "Mediation" in the large-scale Collaborative European Project MIME (Mobility and Inclusion in Multilingual Europe, 2014-18). He was President of the European Society for Translation Studies from 2010 to 2016. He has authored, edited or co-edited some 25 books in the general area of translation and intercultural studies.
Dr. Pym will be giving the following presentation:
"How general is translation?"
- At Lexmark Room in Main Building
- On Friday, April 20th @ 5:30 p.m.
- Food and beverages will be available following the talk, including a cash bar
Concepts of translation now range from a narrow focus on what professional mediators do (European Translation Studies is thus seen as focusing on "accuracy" and nothing more) right through to a generalized view of the way all cultures evolve and interrelate (where "cultural translation" is potentially everywhere). Scholars in the first camp, often linguists, becry theft and misuse of one of their foundational terms, while those in the second, mostly literary and cultural scholars, proclaim that the transformational, non-representative nature of translation has long been misunderstood. Without choosing between those two sides, it is possible to see how concepts of translation have evolved over the past thousand years across many different cultures, and how the separation of these two camps is a relatively recent development, actually appearing in the foundations of translation studies as an academic discipline. Adopting this long view and calling for calm, it is possible to list the things that literary and cultural scholars might want to borrow from a linguistics of translation, and what linguists might like to take on board from current notions of cultural translation.


text: Delta Group Electronics was founded in 1987 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and has kept the Albuquerque facility as its headquarters since its inception. Delta Group Electronics - Albuquerque operates out of a 40,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility offering turnkey solutions for customers in need of CCA, cable and box build product assembly. Delta Group Electronics - Albuquerque operates under the same AS9100/ISO9001 quality standard as the entire Delta Group organization. In additon, the Albuquerque facility is fully ITAR compliant and registered.


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Fiera de L'oca is an event that was born from the intention of promoting the territory of Valpolicella through exhibitors of wholesale replica breitling watches art and local craftsmanship proposing an original attraction: the Game of the Goose. The n. 64 boards realized, involving adults and children in the traditional game of the goose designed for the occasion to "human pawns". The main product of the event is the Valpolicella DOC and DOCG wine that accompanies traditional dishes of the typical local cuisine. There are thematic musical evenings and the participation of voluntary associations of the territory as well as of Veronese artists with the setting up of breitling replica watches uk exhibitions.
9^ FIERA DE L'OCA - San Pietro in Cariano
San Pietro in Cariano (VERONA)
Pro Loco San Pietro in Cariano
tel. 045 7701920
There are other 10 events of VERONA. Discover them all!!


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IN PHOTOS| Miss Earth Philippines Fire 2018 Jean Nicole de Jesus' homecoming parade in San Rafael, Bulacan
Newly crowned Miss Earth Philippines Fire 2018 Jean Nicole de Jesus receives warm welcome during the grand homecoming parade at her home place, San Rafael, Bulacan last June 4.
Friends, family and fans warmly welcomed the beauty queen with so much love upon her arrival. She roamed around the streets of San Rafael, Bulacan while waving to her fans and supporters.
Aside from the crown, De Jesus is one of the Top 10 scorers of Beauty of Figure and Form and Intelligence and Environmental Awareness preliminary rounds. She also grabbed the gold medal during the talent competition and one of the finalists of Hana Beauties.
"Thank you for welcoming me here. It feels so nice to be back at the Municipal Hall. Before I was standing here as a delegate of ME representing San Rafael and now I'm here as your Miss Fire Philippines 2018. I just want to say thank you to everyone who came out and those who came from Manila. I just want to say that it would be so much pride to be here and represented our beautiful Municipality of San Rafael, a first class municipality reaching out to any cultural tourism, delicious foods & history and I'm so proud to be here for all of you to represent our beautiful municipality", De Jesus said in her speech addressed to the people who attend her homecoming parade.
Check out the photos below taken during the homecoming parade.


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1. Switch to a Six Digit or Longer Passcode
Probably the most obvious yet effective tip our list – upping your passcode. Although Apple made six-digit passcodes a default feature, many users still stick to the standard four-digit passcode or alternatively none at all. Yes, it may be annoying to continuously tap it in, but this is the foundation of securing your iPhone. Although an extra two added digits may not seem worthwhile, the possible combinations for four characters versus six makes a huge difference. If you're serious about assuring the security of your iPhone, you should consider setting a passcode with both numbers and letters. To do this:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Touch ID & Passcode.
- Select Change Passcode.
- When selecting your new passcode, select the Passcode options and tap 'Custom Numeric Code' or to guarantee the security of your iPhone even further select 'Custom Alphanumeric Code'.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
This is Apple's latest 'fool proof' method for ensuring the security of your iPhone. When Two Factor Authentication is enabled, you use a trusted device to log into your new device. For example, when you buy a new Apple product and you sign in using your existing Apple ID, your other trusted devices will receive a notification seeking approval. Once you enter the verification code the new device will be approved. This feature not only prevents iPhone hacking but also every other key chain approved Apple device you own. This is because every time someone logs into your Apple ID you will receive a notification and then have the choice to either accept or deny the request. To turn on Two-Factor Authentication:
- Open settings on your iPhone
- Select 'Password & Security'
- Tap 'Two-Factor Authentication'
3. Turn on Find My iPhone
This feature is a must have for any iPhone user. This step is self-explanatory and by enabling this you are able to see the precise location of any of your devices. Although there's nothing you can do to retrieve the phone if it has fallen into the wrong hands, you can remotely erase your data so hackers can't retrieve any of your personal information. Ensure that this is turned on by:
- Opening the Settings app.
- Selecting your 'Apple ID' and the select 'iCloud'.
- Scrolling down to 'Find My iPhone' and enable this.
4.Update iOS regularly
The dreaded iOS update, every iPhone user's worst nightmare. Although there is a lot of speculation about whether this is good for your device or not, this is crucial element in securing your iPhone against hackers. In every update, Apple improves security features and fixes any previously overlooked vulnerable points that could allow hackers access to your iPhone. To update your iPhone simply:
- Open the settings app and select 'General'.
- Select 'Software Update' – if an iOS update is available follow the steps to download and install.
5. Disable Siri on your Lock Screen
Although it's seen as a much-loved feature by most Apple users, over the years, Siri has played as a major loophole in the access of your iPhone from outside forces. Although Apple are swift to remove these opening's for hackers by updating its systems regularly, it's still something to consider doing. If you're worried about hackers finding their way into your iPhone, turning off Siri on your lock screen is the ultimate precaution for securing your iPhone. To disable Siri on your lock screen:
- Open the settings app on your iPhone.
- Select 'Siri'.
- Deselect 'Access When Locked'
6. Change your Apple ID Password regularly
Your Apple ID is an integral factor of ensuring in securing your iPhone from hackers as well as overall device security. Therefore, updating your password on a six-monthly basis will ensure no one will be able to access your account. Also, ensure that you're not using the same password for multiple accounts including social media as this will give a hacker free reign to all your personal details. When choosing a password provide variations of letters and numbers rather than something generic – this will give ultimate security for your iPhone against hackers. To change your Apple ID simply:
- Open your Settings.
- Select your name at the top and select 'Password & Security'.
- Select 'Change Password'.
7. Set Your Phone to 'Self-Erase'
If you are precautious enough and want to ensure hackers won't be able to obtain your personal details should your iPhone be stolen, you can turn on a setting that will completely wipe your device clean after ten continuous password attempts. As mentioned earlier, only enable this setting if you have essential information on your iPhone that you wouldn't want exploited – word of warning for the readers with children since ten failed attempts puts you at risk of losing your data at no real threat. But nonetheless, a fantastic security measure for the appropriate audience. To enable this feature:
- Open your Settings.
- Select 'Touch ID & Passcode'.
- Scroll down and select 'Erase Data'.
8. Avoid Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi is one of the easiest way's hackers can get into your phone as the network is inherently less secure. This could come in many different forms such as fake Wi-Fi connection hotspots which may come across as legitimate – when connecting to an outside hotspot you should consider downloading a Virtual Private Network (VPN) as this will create a 'safety net' around your internet activity.
If you do use public Wi-Fi, always make sure you sign out afterwards. If you forget to sign out this gives the opportunity for a hacker to continue your web session and may give them access to your important details. This is done via your cookies, so always remember to sign out to protect your iPhone from hackers.
9. Monitor your Bluetooth
Bluetooth can give a hacker the opportunity to gain access of your personal details without even touching your device and the hacking can also go unnoticed by the iPhone user. It can also infect other devices around you if they also have their Bluetooth switched on. To guarantee the security of your iPhone against hackers make sure your Bluetooth is switched off when you're not using it and always be aware of any suspicious downloads or URL links in your texts, emails and messenger services including WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
10. Be aware of Phishing Scams and Pop Ups
A huge way that many hackers will gain access to your iPhone information is through malware links and scam emails. A great way to tackle this is to only open links, messages and emails that you trust. If you receive any messages from unknown numbers containing strange links, asking for something or containing suspicious text; quite simply delete it. The same goes for emails, if you're unsure of the sender or received something you hadn't signed up for then once again, just delete it.
Beware as hackers can seem very legitimate by posing as companies such as Apple. Many people receive these scam emails telling them that they have been 'locked out of their Apple ID' or have a 'new bill' from the Apple Store – always make sure to check the URL to certify that there aren't subtle variations of what it should be. Make sure to always be vigilant to guarantee the security of your iPhone.
So, there you have it; the ten guaranteed tips to prevent your iPhone against hackers. But if these tips have failed you or you're too late and hackers have already ransacked your iPhone of all your personal information – recycling it could be the only way forward. To check out our rates take a look here.


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Thank you for your interest in Faucet Grip. Faucet Grip attaches quickly and easily to any round or oval open latticework faucet handle. Please allow 2 weeks for delivery. If for any reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for a full refund.
We suggest that a paper or cloth be placed under the hose bib to keep any dropped screws or nuts easily in sight.


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post7477712579943951529..comments2020-03-28T02:09:05.981-04:00Comments on Ales of the Riverwards: Spelt Saison w/ Imperial Organic Rustic - Amos InspiredAnonymoushttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-21004027120228515162020-02-12T12:07:11.985-05:002020-02-12T12:07:11.985-05:00There are several cannabinoids that can be extract...There are several cannabinoids that can be extracted from the cannabis plant and this is one of them. pure CBD store
Jason Royhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-61370689514913275392016-10-08T10:24:55.564-04:002016-10-08T10:24:55.564-04:00You know this experiment makes me wonder if I need...You know this experiment makes me wonder if I need to start playing with raw grain more. My last 3 Saison were a OG 1.048 70% Pilsner, 30% Rye Malt, WLP585. Then two OG 1.054 SMASH saisons with Pilsner and Willamette. WLP585, IO Rustic, respectively. The thing is I find they all are rather nice, I am fine with just letting the yeast do the driving.
I like to bottle condition in large format 750s at 4.0 Vol. I simply do not like my keg results as much. So I now have 8 cases of Saison getting happy in my mock conditioning room.

I think I may be getting a bit rambly, I love this blog. I was actually getting around to saying perhaps I need to play with a 70-80 Pils, 20-30% (Einkorn, Spelt, Oats, whatever) grist to see how they develop.

Also - I love your target water profile. I've actually normalized at about 100:100 SO4:Cl for most my beers off the well water here on the farm, and 88% Lactic for ph Adjustment. 10 Gal (Finished Beer) BIAB. Anonymoushttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-17386425383071681442016-10-06T09:46:18.560-04:002016-10-06T09:46:18.560-04:00You know, I hadnt thought of that, which is weird ...You know, I hadnt thought of that, which is weird bc I have used unmalted wheat in the mash numerous times with success but for some reason treated this differently.

Pre mix! Genius, another great suggestion. Thanks Jeff!Anonymoushttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-28494512814138516362016-10-06T09:44:56.833-04:002016-10-06T09:44:56.833-04:00Wow that house beer sounds fantastic, Celeia is a ...Wow that house beer sounds fantastic, Celeia is a fun hop. Im a big fan of the 1.050 and lower OG, I just dont need/want those massive Saisons, its an everyday drinker for me. Sweden is certainly on my short list of Euro vacation spots, will I see Zlatan if I visit? ;)

Spelt seems to be a slightly better body builder than Wheat is, so light and fluffy with a subtle more distinct flavor. I just used the Spelt flakes on a more recent version, I cant tell the difference between it and the unmalted version and since they dont require a cereal mash, I see myself using them exclusively. Cheers!Anonymoushttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-82731439049959022802016-10-06T09:40:41.268-04:002016-10-06T09:40:41.268-04:00I remember! I plan to try that out the next time I...I remember! I plan to try that out the next time I used some unmalted grains. Great idea!Anonymoushttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-30452040848035967552016-10-06T09:40:03.906-04:002016-10-06T09:40:03.906-04:00I wanted to do it inside but didnt want to wake up...I wanted to do it inside but didnt want to wake up the kids as this was a late night brew. But yea that makes more sense.Anonymoushttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-6700852123125272422016-10-04T14:22:45.683-04:002016-10-04T14:22:45.683-04:00Next time I'd skip the cereal mash. Spelt is a...Next time I'd skip the cereal mash. Spelt is a type of wheat and has a similar gelantation temperature as barley. I remember having good results using this method years ago - http://jeffreycrane.blogspot.com/2012/08/saison-series-spelt-saison.html

Also if you pre-mix in the spelt with your barley so that the mill doesn't have to crush just spelt, only a couple pieces at a time, it should help.Jeffrey Cranehttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-31215454949172990372016-10-03T10:22:28.380-04:002016-10-03T10:22:28.380-04:00thanks for the post. very informative. I now have ...thanks for the post. very informative. I now have a bunch of new tabs open! you mentioned Blanc in your write up but not in the overall profile, btw. Anonymoushttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-72885877400885783332016-10-02T04:32:45.118-04:002016-10-02T04:32:45.118-04:00Also, interesting that you got nutty and tangy. I ...Also, interesting that you got nutty and tangy. I get that a lot. I get honeyed flavors, fluffy and apparently "sweet" despite insane dryness, INSANE beta glucans content and creaminess out of spelt always – it's an absurdly stiff head that never, ever leaves. I love it.Anonymoushttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-9831817554234676302016-10-02T04:30:55.930-04:002016-10-02T04:30:55.930-04:00Wonderful post, Ed! Thank you! Saison D'epautr...Wonderful post, Ed! Thank you! Saison D'epautre became my favorite clean saison on the market, ever, and I set out to making that beer as my house beer for several batches now. I've been doing my version of it – at 1.046-1.047 instead, I feel 6% is a bit hot, and with Celeia in a whirlpool – every couple months now. It's a beautiful beer. Luckily we have spelt flakes everywhere in the grocery stores super cheap here in Sweden, perhaps get a move on over (; Saison D'epautre's "skeletal" structure has been serving as the model for the rest of my saisons since, and a small portion of the Blaugies spelt saison with homegrown apples thrown on it for 8 months became my house culture for the rest of history.

Cheers!!

Anonymoushttps://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-2837692283735581752016-10-01T11:47:55.946-04:002016-10-01T11:47:55.946-04:00I posted on Facebook a couple weeks ago but though...I posted on Facebook a couple weeks ago but thought I'd post here too if people aren't on FB. I milled raw spelt (a few passes through the mill) and then cooked on low over night in a crockpot. That worked really well for me instead of cereal mashing.Weston Wrighthttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024711812578768171.post-76498266865835192532016-09-30T17:04:39.456-04:002016-09-30T17:04:39.456-04:00Hey Ed. Thanks for including the water profile - v...Hey Ed. Thanks for including the water profile - very helpful! Sounds like a cool beer... and I heart saisons. They taste best when you sweat over them - cereal mash can be a pita... maybe do the next inside on the stovetop?Anonymoushttps://email@example.com


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Ridinghouse pop–up bookstore20 February–19 April 2014 Drawing Room, London
A selection of Ridinghouse titles are available in a special pop-up store at Drawing Room to coincide with the group exhibition Abstract Drawing.
The exhibition – curated by Richard Deacon – focuses on abstraction in contemporary drawing, and the accompanying pop-up features books on many artists included in the exhibition: David Batchelor, Bob Law, Alison Wilding, amongst others.
All proceeds from the pop-up support Drawing Room, an independent and non-profit gallery dedicated to contemporary drawing.
20 February–19 April
Tuesday–Friday: 11am–6pm; Saturday: 12–6pm
Drawing Room
Tannery Arts
12 Rich Estate
Crimscott Street
SE1 5TE, UK [map]


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Do you worry about the current state of a property you want to buy? Perhaps you think it has mold problems? Clarity Property Inspectors brings you the best mold inspector in Northern California. With my help, you will know everything about the property you want to buy, including potential mold problems.
Is mold inspection necessary?
Considering that you want to live in a healthy house, a mold inspection is essential as a safety net. This is even more important if you have a family and children. Mold can be extremely toxic for small children and might cause severe breathing problems. There's nothing to worry about – with my services; you'll know immediately if your future house is moldy.
A mold inspection helps anyone in increasing a home's value. For instance, you can increase the price of a house if you've done a mold inspection. In the end, a potential buyer will be glad to know there are no moisture or mold problems in the home. This could become the tipping point that leads to the decision to purchase the house. In a way, hiring me to conduct a home inspection is an investment that will pay off in the future.
Home inspectors check everything
Many of us have gone through the process of buying a house only to notice later that it had several unaccounted for problems. These might have influenced our decision to buy the house in the first place. The seller hadn't conducted a home inspection, and we didn't bother either.
However, this moment of inattention can lead to grave repercussions, both personal and financial. After all, you're the homeowner now, and you have to fix it. As a professional home inspector, I go through extensive analyses with each house I inspect. From the floor, the walls, ceiling, roof, and attic, I check everything that could present problems, and I write a comprehensive report.
Excellent mold inspector
Throughout my career, I have checked countless properties for mold infestation, and I have yet to overlook anything. Usually, when a house has a lot of moisture, usually in the basement, mold is free to spread. From there, it slowly seeps into the walls and expands further into the house.
As a professional mold inspector in Northern California, my job is to make sure that doesn't happen. The moment I walk into a house, I look for any signs related to mold. If an area in the home has too much moisture, it's a perfect breeding place for mold.
How can I test my home for mold?
The shortest answer I can give is looking for a good home inspector that offers that service. Personally, as the foremost mold inspector in Northern California, I will guarantee that a house I inspect is safe to live in.
At the Clarity Property Inspectors, rigorousness and precision are trademarks of the job. I have followed these principles to the letter in every inspection I did, providing quality services to my clients as a result. If you'd like to make an online appointment, there is an online form that can help.Mold Inspector Northern California
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An ear infection is the typical name, but it's medically known as otitis media or AOM. These ear infections can have an effect on adults and children alike, especially after a sinus infection or a cold. You can even get an ear infection from a bad tooth.
Exactly how long will hearing loss last after an infection of the middle ear? You might not recognize it but the answer can be complicated. Ear infections have a lot of things happening. You should understand how the injury caused by ear infections can have an impact on your hearing.
Otitis Media, Exactly What is it?
Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear to put it simply. It could possibly be any kind of microorganism causing the infection however bacteria is the most common.
The primary way in which an infection is specified is by what part of the ear is infected. When the infection is in the pinna, or outer ear, or in front of the eardrum, the condition is called otitis externa or swimmer's ear. An inner ear infection, otherwise known as laberynthitus is brought about by bacteria in the cochlea.
The middle ear is comprised of the space behind the eardrum but in front of the cochlea. The three little bones in this area, called ossicles, are responsible for vibrating the membranes of the inner ear. The eardrum can actually break as a result of the pressure from this sort of infection, which tends to be really painful. Your inability to hear very well is also due to this pressure. The infectious material accumulates and blocks the ear canal enough to interfere with the movement of sound waves.
A middle ear infection has the following symptoms:
- Drainage from the ear
- Pain in the ear
- Reduced ability to hear
Over time, hearing will come back for the majority of people. The ear canal will then open up and hearing will return. The issue will only be resolved when the infection is resolved. There are some exceptions, though.
Chronic Ear Infections
The majority of people get an ear infection at least once in their lifetime. The problem can become chronic for some people and they will keep having ear infections. Chronic ear infections can cause complications that mean a more significant and maybe even permanent hearing loss, especially if the issues are left untreated.
Conductive Hearing Loss From Ear Infections
Ear infections can sometimes cause conductive hearing loss. As a result, the inner ear can't receive sound waves at the proper intensity. By the time the sound reaches the tiny hairs in the inner ear, they are already amplified by the components of the ear canal and reach their maximum power. With a conductive hearing loss, something changes along that route and the sound isn't amplified quite as much.
Bacteria don't just sit and do nothing in the ear when you have an ear infection. The components that amplify sound waves are decomposed and eaten by the bacteria. Typically, this type of damage involves the eardrum and the tiny little bones. The bones are very delicate and it doesn't take much to break them up. Once they are gone, their gone. That's permanent damage and your hearing won't return on its own. In certain cases, surgeons can put in prosthetic bones to fix hearing. The eardrum might have some scar tissue once it repairs itself, which will influence its ability to move. Surgery can correct that, as well.
What Can You do to Counter This Permanent Hearing Loss?
If you believe that you might have an ear infection, call a doctor immediately. You shouldn't wait if you want to preserve your hearing. If you have chronic ear infections, don't ignore them. The more severe the infections you have, the more damage they will cause. Finally, take the appropriate steps to prevent colds, allergies, and sinus infections because that is how ear infections normally start. It's time to give up smoking because it causes chronic respiratory issues which can, in turn, lead to ear infections.
If you've had an ear infection and still are having trouble hearing, see your doctor. It could be possible that you have some damage, but that is not the only thing that causes conductive hearing loss. Hearing aids can be very helpful if you have permanent loss of hearing. You can schedule an appointment with a hearing specialist to get more information about hearing aids.


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The Errandonnee is over, and so far I've only written about running with a chair. So here goes the rest, all by running (of course!)
Day 2 (March 5), Trip #2, Errands #2-4: Books, art tour, donut!
This was a mostly manufactured set of errands to put a Saturday longer-than-commute run to good use. We had a few books to return to the library that I simply carried in my hand to avoid having a bag for the rest of the trip. I chose the route to go on a Kirkland public art tour (half real, half sarcastic mocking):
First we have the poem post (meta-art?), a neat addition to the neighborhood:
Next we go the sarcasm route with one of Kirkland's fine single-lot sidewalks. Remodels and new construction are required to add sidewalks, which is good in some places but results in a patchwork of sidewalks. Legally, one is required to use a sidewalk when it exists, which basically means that anyone that walks in Kirkland breaks the law. The bigger problem, literally, is that often the road is widened to add an unused parking lane, and then people drive faster. This was a neighborhood street that both our 7- and 5-year olds bike with us, and we're really hoping it stays that way. Luckily the widening was minimal here:
More meta-art, the Kirkland Performance Center:
Ok, some actual art. First at the library:
Then bears near the bakery:
A bench near the bike shop:
Some stuff on Park Lane (sorry, no skillful commentary here):
Some rabbits and then a blurry dog on a cow (on Central Ave near stuff that I can't remember because I usually avoid that area):
Heritage Hall and the archway at nearby Heritage Park:
A break for sarcasm, the Kirkland Pedestrian Flag of Surrender:
Juanita Bay Park (ok, you're supposed to look from the pathway, but this is where I run so that's what you get):
I'm tired of embedding these, so you'll have to go to Juanita yourself. Here's my donut:
Categories: Non-store (library), arts & entertainment (art tour), personal care (donut)
Miles: 10.4 (cumulative 18.4)
Day 3 (March 6), Trip #3, Errand #5: Church drop-off/pickup
I escorted our 7 year old to the church for choir practice. I didn't stay this time and ran a 7 mile loop with no transportation purpose whatsoever. Hills affects running and biking very differently. I can't keep up on the downhills, and she can't keep up on the uphills.
Category: personal business
Transportation Miles: 1.6 (20)
Total Miles: 9 (27.4)
Day 4 (March 7), Trip #4, Errands #6-7: To running workout, commute
I ran down to the Sammamish River Trail for some tempo miles. Pretty place. Note that the workout miles are not transportation, but getting there is.
Categories: personal care, work
Transportation Miles: 5 (25)
Total Miles: 11 (38.4)
Day 5 (March 8), Trips #5-6, Errands #8-9: 2 x commute
Commutes seem kind of boring in the context of writing up an Errundonnee, but really they are probably the most important transportation running that I do. The single car for our family works easily because we don't do any of our regular trips by car, so basically any time either of us needs the car (which isn't all that often), the planning is pretty easy.
I usually commute with a backpack that contains some or all of 1-2 days of clothes, shoes, and 1-2 days of lunch. If I get far enough ahead on stuff at work, I get to go without the backpack. If I go in another way, I stock up for the same reason. Going without the backpack is rare.
Also, I hate most of the street crossings.
Categories: 2 x work (overflowed that category)
Transportation Miles: 7.6 (32.6)
Total Miles: 7.6 (46)
Day 6 (March 9), Trip #7, Errand #10: Chair (round 2)
I already wrote all about the chair, but here are some better pictures of the setup:
Yes, it rained again. Having the chair covered really loses the effect of pushing a chair in a stroller. Oh well. I did get one thumbs-up on the CKC. The weight balance ended up fine going up the hill, and a chair is lighter than the twins, so the hill was bad but not that bad.
Category: Store
Transportation Miles: 8.5 (41.1)
Total Miles: 8.5 (54.5)
Day 6 (March 9), Trip #8, Errand #11: Church pickup
I ran a stretch of sidewalk that I don't usually use to get to the church for another pickup, and I saw this masterpiece:
Category: Personal business
Transportation Miles: 2.7 (43.8)
Total Miles: 2.7 (57.2)
Day 7 (March 10), Trip #9, Errands #12-13: To track workout, commute
Similar to going to the river trail, this time I had intervals on the track. My observation is that no one will care about a picture of a track. Also I was tired.
Then I ran partway to work and jumped on a bus. I won't describe any more commutes because they don't count anymore anyways.
Categories: Personal care (also overflowed), work
Transportation Miles: 2.5 (46.3)
Total Miles: 8.6 (65.8)
Day 7 (March 10), Trip #10, Errand #14: Commute
Category: Work
Transportation Miles: 3.7 (50)
Total Miles: 3.7 (69.5)
Day 8 (March 11), Trip #11, Errands #15-17: Fail, Trader Joe's, commute
When an REI email says "The garage sale is happening", sometimes they leave out the word "tomorrow". I picked up a few items at Trader Joe's to see how they'd like the backpack. The pasta (I picked a robust shape) and pretzel sticks were fine. The Os were starting to pulverize in the bag. I should bring them home someday.
Categories: Wildcard (fail), store (TJ's), work
Transportation Miles: 7.3 (57.3)
Total Miles: 7.3 (76.8)
Day 8 (March 11), Trip #12, Errand #18: Commute
Transportation Miles: 3.7 (61)
Total Miles: 3.7 (80.5)
Day 9 (March 12), Trip #13, Errand #19: Playground
Everybody likes transporting bikes on bikes, so…
Everyone thinks bikes are for transporting people, but really people are for transporting bikes.
The bike in the bag worked great. The quick bungee job on the other wasn't so effective, though I only had to hold the handlebar in place to keep it stable. With better attaching this would work.
Category: You carried WHAT?!?
Transportation Miles: 1.3 (62.3)
Total Miles: 1.3 (81.8)
Day 9 (March 12), Trip #14, Errand #20: Strava art, library
Repurposing a longer weekend run again…
My first attempt at Strava art went pretty well. The 'r's came out great (yes, the curves were intentional). The slammed together 'n's and final 'e's could have been better. Next time?
The planning:
And a library stop on the way home. Ok, five books in a hand is unpleasant.
Categories: Arts & entertainment, non-store
Transportation Miles: 10.6 (72.9)
Total Miles: 10.6 (92.4)
Day 10 (March 13): off!
Day 11 (March 14): Trip #15, Errand #21-22: ATM, Commute
Transportation Miles: 6.5 (79.4)
Total Miles: 6.5 (98.9)
Day 12 (March 15): Trip #16, Errand #23-24: To running workout, commute
Transportation Miles: 5.1 (84.5)
Total Miles: 9.6 (108.5)
And that's it for 2016! I got 2+ of each category except only one declared wildcard and no social calls. A downside of transportation running is that it's pretty hard to no sweat. Certainly something could have been made to work, but I didn't try. An equipment post will follow.


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Recruiters Want Hiring Managers to Stop Doing These 5 Things
Apparently, HR managers and hiring managers are in quite a bit of a pickle when it comes to agreeing on hiring. There are a number of situations that arise to highlight the differences in the way they do things, and this can be problematic for businesses. So it's important to grasp the distinction between HR managers and hiring managers.


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62-79. That is the score of the game Razorback Nation will remember when looking back on the '17-'18 campaign. With a team that featured 3 NBA prospects, finished t-4th in a daunting SEC, and had a top 30 RPI, one would think a loss to Butler wasn't possible. Except it was possible and it did happen. Butler exploited all of Arkansas' flaws to the maximum. The rebounding was atrocious, 41-23 in favor of the 10 seed. A 21-2 deficit wasn't helpful either. Once they miraculously managed to storm back and take the lead, it seemed like there was no gas left in the tank. Butler was a sound, well-coached basketball team. They took no bad shots, took GREAT care of the glass, and got stops when they needed to. Butler also had a smooth flow on offense, and cashed in on the Razorback's mistakes defensively. They play basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Hats off to the Bulldogs out of the Big East, they deserved every bit of their victory.
Even with a lot of changes next year, I expect a young and talented group to make their 4th Big Dance appearance in the last 5 attempts. Here is a (hopeful) starting lineup for the '18-'19 Hogs.
PG: Jalen Harris – New Mexico transfer that averaged 20 minutes as a Freshman (Sophomore)
SG: CJ Jones: Mark my words, this dude is gonna be a STUD (Junior)
SF: Darious Hall: Reminds me of Manny Watkins, love his energy (Sophomore)
PF: Ethan Henderson: 6'8, #1 player in the state of Arkansas (Freshman)
C: Daniel Gafford: Expected to be selected in the NBA Draft in June, but why not hope he stays (Sophomore)
I am a big fan of this lineup. The Hogs should be more balanced next year and much improved defensively.
One more thing… HOW ABOUT THOSE UMBC RETRIEVERS!
- Ben Larsen


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The seed is the vegetable equivalent of a fertilized egg, and the Earth acts as the seeds womb. Development begins once the seed is planted in the Earth. In mammals the fertilized egg must be planted in the womb of a female for development. Man reproduces by means of sex cells, however, the Earth Mother reproduces her creations by means of any one of the other body cells with the information stored in the DNA of the nucleus of the cell.
I walk alone and wait about the Earth, which is my Mother's gate knock-knocking with my staff from night to noon and crying "Mother, open to me soon! Look at me Mother, won't you let me in? See how I wither, flesh and bone and skin! Alas! When will these bones be laid to rest? (Chaucer)
While it is taken for granted that the burial of a seemingly lifeless seed will lead to the development of a plant, when man plants an equally seemingly lifeless person in the ground it is considered a great tragedy. Solemn pallbearers carry the human seed as though they were conveying it to the outskirts of the Solar System. Relatives clad in black are filled with despair at every muffled word of the last rites. The human seed consigned to the Earth, is bitterly mourned. Far from having the atmosphere of a garden, full of the promise of a fruitful new season, a graveyard has an atmosphere of finality, as though a hidden hand which condemns humanity to eternal oblivion has reached out and snatched for itself a struggling victim.
A cemetry saddens us because it is the only place in the world in which we do not meet our dead again. (Francios Mauriac)
When you bury a seed in the ground you can later see the plant growing over the burial place. By observing the growth of a plant, your eyes provide testimony that is the seed is not wiped out of existence.
We do not see Nature with our eyes, but with our understanding and our hearts. (William Hazlitt) When you return to a graveyard a few weeks after the planting, you do not see your planted friend standing, young and vigorous, above the soil where you planted him. Mother Earth reproduces man with information stored in the DNA of his planted body. Your "individuality", "identity", that which makes you uniquely who you are, consists of information in the form of energy, and it is planted with you in the soil. Sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. (William Cullen Bryant)


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Virtual reality training consists of simulating real cases in a controlled virtual environment. It is a perfect tool to properly prepare employees for complex situations they could face in reality. It allows employees to train autonomously, that is, without needing to enlist the help of a professional. No maximum capacity, no schedule limitations; available 24/7, and borderless: it can be done anywhere without any physical limitations.
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VR training provides greater motivation for workers, since it is an incentive for training. Unlike traditional knowledge training through books or procedural manuals, VR training simulates realistic experiences allowing users to have a personal experience, further motivating and stimulating the training.


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Lollapalooza 2016 was Alle Farben's first big show in the U.S., but he was ready for the crowd, as he tells Fuse in a backstage interview. Check out what the German DJ had to say -- and exactly why he's wearing a "Who the Fuck is Rosie?" hoodie -- in the video player above.
Go behind-the-scenes at Lollapalooza to watch Melanie Martinez talk about her plans for her upcoming album.


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Added on: 2017-11-17Share on :
"About 10 percent of them will go to Oxford or Cambridge and they will be reading not music but engineering, law, medicine, veterinary science, dentistry, architecture, accountancy" said Ashley Deacon, the Director of Admissions & International Recruitment of Wells Cathedral School in his exclusive interview with us.
Click the link below to watch the video
BE: Could you please introduce the school first? Maybe the history and its unique standing?
Ashely Deacon (Ashley): I'm Ashley Deacon, the Director of Admissions & International Recruitment of Wells Cathedral School. We're a co-educational independent school in Somerset in Southwest of England. We've been a school for over a 1,100 years. The school was founded in 909 AD, not 1909 but 909. And if my Chinese history is right, it's somewhere around the end of the Tang Dynasty. So as I said, we think we're one of the ten oldest schools in the country.
We think we're unique in not that we do music, but we're one of the 4 specialist music schools in England recognized by the British government. As we call it a specialist school, by that we mean we offer a pre-professional level of musical training for our most gifted musicians. And they probably account for about 20 percent of the school, and they will leave Wells Cathedral School not to go on to university like the rest of the students do, but to go to a music college or a music conservatoire, like Shanghai Conservatoire or Beijing Conservatoire.
In fact, a girl I've just interviewed who's at a middle school attached to the Xinghai Conservatoire in Guangzhou. In the UK where we'll see most of the students will go on to be in music colleges like the Royal College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, the Birmingham Conservatoire. But we have students at conservatoires in Europe. We have two students currently at the Juilliard School in New York City in United States. One of them is a Chinese girl, a very gifted soprano singer.
BE: What curriculum are on offer at Wells Cathedral?
Ashley: And the unique element of that within Wells Cathedral is that level of extraordinarily good musical training with some of the very best young musicians in the country goes on in what we call a proper school. And by that I mean, those other 80 percent of the students will be leaving to go on to university. About 10 percent of them will go to Oxford or Cambridge, and they will be reading not music but engineering, law, medicine, veterinary science, dentistry, architecture, accountancy, literally everything down from the alphabet accountancy to zoology. So it's a proper school in that sense.
A broad array of academic subjects. Our curriculum is based on the English national curriculum. So we teach the last stage of that A levels, the key academic qualification that gives you entry into a British university and universities around the world as well. And before that the GCSEs. Typically students will graduate from Wells, having taken 3-4 A level subjects. And in the 2 years before that maybe 10 or 11 GCSE subjects. So a broad education, an education sufficiently help them matriculate, and will get them the access to any universities in the country they wish, including Oxford or Cambridge.
BE: How about the extra-curricular activities at your school?
Ashley: We call them at Wells co-curricular activities rather than extra-curricular activities. And that reflects the fact that we consider them as important as the curricular activities, as what goes on in the classroom. And the reason we attach such importance to them is that yes of course, parents and Wells' educators want children to fulfill their academic potential, but what we're able to do is do that in a way that build their character, and it enables them to develop as individuals.
That might be through sport, through playing a musical instrument, playing an orchestra, something like that. It might be through debating, might be through rock climbing, or sailing, things that push the students quite often in the physical way outside of their comfort zone. Those are things that are initially a bit like the interview that we're doing now. It's quite scary at the start, but you get an adrenaline rush from air time, you learn that experience and that builds your character.
And that's an important skill to learn, because if you're to, for example, apply to Oxford university or Cambridge university, you will have an interview. And if the admissions tutor asks you "So actually what did you do apart from study at Wells Cathedral School?", and there's a silence, you will probably not get the offer of the place.
Whereas if you say "I played in the school's orchestra, and I played for the first 15 Ruby team, and I studies medieval history, and I found that really interesting because I was in this very historic city." Those are the sort of things that will mark you out from the next candidate. So those co-curricular activities are very important we think.


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Congrats on the new arrival mate
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Congrats on the new arrival mate
Congrats on the new arrival :)
Woo hoo congratulations! Yep slings are awesome cuddles are the best thing in the world! Happy days.
Thank you, everyone! It's been a fun, exciting, and exhausting few weeks! Not much painting time, but I did manage to make a little progress on the Dragoon.
On a completely different topic, I decided I wanted to try my hand on a vehicle project. I picked up one of the steampunk style Fish Subs from Industria Mechanika. I love the stuff they come up with, even if most of it is outside my comfort range. There is a nice thorough walk through of the other fish sub in a book from Rinaldi Studio Press (check out a review here). I'm hoping that along with some vehicle weathering tutorials will help me find my way with this project.
Attachment 50694
Really glad you're finding time to paint, David. I'm a big believer in 'keep yourself sane in times of stress'!
The dragoon is looking gorgeous. Those subtle variations of white & cream are a treat to look at, and the red is just killer. In a sea of incredibly well-executed historical models, that one will stand out.
I'm also excited to see the Industria Mechanika sub take shape. I've admired those models myself, and I can only imagine what you'll turn out. I'm eager to see a painter of your skill step "outside [your] comfort range".
Anyway, thanks for the update at such a busy time for you & your family. Hope everything's going great!
It was a matter of time I suppose!!! This is the crystal brush winner!!!! No 1 nobody has it and no 2 nobody can paint it as good as you will David! I will watch this closely and steal more tricks from my mentor!!!
Looking forward to see the sub devellop. such a great model done by such a great artisit must become something realy amazing. Can't wait.
Wish you a lot of painting time,
The dragoon looks great, like a masterclass of two difficult colours to get right (black and white) I'm also looking forward to seeing the sub come along, itll be nice seeing what you come up with on something so different from your comfort zone models :)
WTH? One little baby and Mr. Powell goes off the deep end and assembles a model from Finding Nemo to paint up! Lol :)
Attachment 50723
Seriously though, the sub looks like a fun project.
Thanks, all. Krule, ha... well, I've got to start doing some more kid friendly stuff at some point. :)
Wasn't able to do any painting since the last update, but I did spend some time thinking about other projects I might want to do. I've been feeling the need to do some more fantasy-related pieces but have had trouble finding the right figure to work on. One idea I came back to was an earlier plan for my dwarf pirate. Although I was going to do him as a stand along figure and even built (and partially painted) a base for him... that was mainly so I could enter him in Crystal Brush. My original idea was to put him in a multi-figure scene and give him a crew! Since I wasn't able to finish him in time for this past Crystal Brush, I thought maybe I'd scrap the base and go back to my first plan.
As far as his crew goes, what do you think of pairing him with Redghar from the Black Sailors range? Size-wise they fit, both are 1/35 (though the orc is a good deal taller than the dwarf). I think they'd look pretty good next to each other...
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I'm tempted to do Redghar with a very dark green skin tone, as a black orc, using the same colors as the Dragoon's coat. I probably would shift it a bit towards the lighter end by expanding the highlight area... but something like this
Attachment 50856
I'm not entirely sure if that's a good idea or not. Still mulling it over. What do you all think?
I like the idea of dark skin for the orc but the dragoon coat looks more in the bluish range than green to my eyes, maybe shift it more towards the green range for orc skin and it should look cool
maybe brown skin with blues in the shadows?
The dragoon looks ABS FABS AS IS!!! The black orc idea is also ideal!!! Great brainstorming and as usual it's hard to keep impressing us when your standards of painting are incredibly high!!! ;p
Thanks, Sicks, Zab, and BAM! Sicks, the coat is dark green mixed with dark purple, then highlighted with grey... so it's not exactly in the traditional green-range. It's still coming across as green to my eyes, but there are definitely teal tones, so taking it into the blues as well.
Zab, the brown would look good, however that's what they did in the box art and I wanted to try something a bit different.
I had a bit of painting time yesterday and, instead of working on the Dragoon, I decided to jump right into painting the orc. As I said, I've been wanting to work on a fantasy piece. I opted to go with colors similar to the Dragoon's coat for the skin, though I made some minor adjustments. This is still very much a work in progress. You can see I've only done a portion of the face. When I've done the rest, I'll go back in with some glazes to continue to tweak things and add more color variation. This is my first (serious) attempt at orc skin, so I'm figuring out things as I go.
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I think this colour scheme is really going to work, something very different. The execution is as usual faultless. It's great to see you trying something like this, adapting your historical expertise into fantasy will be a fascinating road to follow.
I can see the green tones much more with the orc (and the dragoon coat for that matter now, maybe the sunlight was changing my perception last time I looked) hes already looking awesome, can't wait to see more
Really liking that skin tone. I'm thinking that would be a cool look to go with on the Troglodytes from the Massive Darkness campaign. Writing it down as the minis won't arrive till next year.
Thanks, Gandalf, Sicks, and Grayfax!
Grayfax, if it's any help, here's a bit more detail on the mix I used... For the basecoat, I used Dark Green from Badger Minitaire and Burgundy Wine from Reaper (roughly 2 parts green to 1 part burgundy). To shade, I mixed more and more Burgundy wine into the base color. To highlight, I added a 50/50 mix of Dark Elf Skin and Vampiric Shadow into the base. For the topmost highlights, I used pure Vampiric Shadow.
You can use substitutes for all those paints, just get similar colors. You can see three of those four colors below. The reason I used a 50/50 mix of the Vampiric Shadow and Dark Elf Highlight has nothing to do with those specific colors, I just wanted a grey that was lighter than the Dark Elf Highlight, but not as light as Vampiric Shadow... so I split the difference and mixed the two.
Cool... thank you very much for the additional info!
Also... paints made in Texas?!? Right here in my own backyard?!?
I don't know why I thought Reaper was also a UK product... Hmmm...
Maybe my bride won't notice a couple dozen new paint bottles sneaked in, right?
No problem. I like their paints, they're primarily what I use. If you want to check out a few before investing in a lot, I recommend trying some of the skin tones. They've got a lot more variations than most other paint lines when it comes to skin colors, so ideally you can get some paints that add something new to your collection rather than just replacing a color you already have. On another note, I know Texas is a huge state, but if you're not too far away you might want to consider checking out Reapercon in October. They've got a lot of classes on painting and sculpting and a very nice painting competition. The painting comp is based on the open system, so medals are awarded on merit rather because you beat out someone else. That makes it more like an art show than a painting contest.
I did a bit more work on Redghar. I made a few tweaks to the upper part of the face and then took care of the green on his jaw. Up next I'll take care of his ears and the back of his head (and blend it all into what I've already done). Doing these colors with the high contrast is tough work and I'm finding it easier to go about it in small sections at a time. Of course I've also got to do his torso and arms like this too so that is going to take forever to paint. Ugh, what was I thinking! =P
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Las Vegas Overwatch: Where are the industry ethics?
Our ongoing series to help you shop smarter at the Las Vegas Shows
With the Las Vegas shows starting tomorrow, I am reminded of the situation at the JCK Show three years ago when the Chinese dealers were selling jewelry made from the material seen at left, composed of powdered turquoise and plastic and sold as "natural turquoise". When I questioned the ethical practices of this the Chinese dealers got the GIA to issue an identification report calling the material "natural turquoise".
Absurd! You may say. Fact! I retort. This is a true story.
The whole situation brings into question our modern day industry perception of ethics. What are ethics? More importantly, what do we as an industry do when we see breaches of ethics? And who is really held accountable for breaches in ethics when it is, in fact, a proven breach of ethics?
Here is another case on point: Richard W. Hughes and his hoax Tibet andesine expedition reports published by the GIA as well as the Gem-A publications. In this case, Richard W. Hughes reported two separate expeditions to Tibet that supposedly discovered an authentic Tibet andesine mine including a near-by town with vendors full of Tibet andesine for sale at the local bazaar.
The problem was, in 2008 Jordan Clary, reporter for Colored Stone Magazine spent many weeks there and found no trace of a Tibet andesine mine, and no one in the town had ever heard of it. The whole Tibet andesine story magically appeared after Hughes arrived in Tibet at the behest of Jewelry Television and Andegem. Clary's report was published in Colored Stone Magazine. You can read the full article here: Sunstone Hunting in Tibet.
Perhaps more damning to the Hughes hoax report was the report from the National Gem Testing Center of China. They sent a team to the Tibet location where Richard W. Hughes claimed to have found this mine, and instead found a warehouse full of artificially treated felspar, and reported no evidence that any mine existed at that location. No geology to support the Hughes claim.
But wait…there is more!
While Hughes offered no geological evidence to support his mine claim, a professional geologist studied the area where Hughes claimed to be the source of the gemstones, and the area where the claimed alluvial deposit was supposed to exist. She found that for an alluvial deposit to exist where Hughes claimed, the water would have had to flow 130 kilometers away and UPHILL!
But wait, there is still more!
The research done on this issue by Dr. Joel Arem concluded that andesine feldspar of the type claimed in Tibet does not exist. Furthermore, investigations with the Geology Department of the University of Texas at San Antonio further confirmed that andesine does not occur in large transparent crystals as claimed by Hughes. Dr. Arem's report is still available on the website of the Canadian Institute of Gemmology: OBSERVATIONS ON THE OCCURRENCE OF PLAGIOCLASE FELDSPARS.
The end result is that there is a myriad of prima facie evidence that the Tibet andesine expedition reports by Richard W. Hughes are hoaxes, perpetrated by Hughes and his crew.
And yet….Hughes continues to be a keynote speaker throughout the industry, and this blatant and costly breach of ethics has simply been swept under the rug by the industry.
Where is our commitment to ethics? At what point do we hold industry leaders accountable when they perpetrate fraud? Clearly Richard W. Hughes committed fraud. I am putting this in writing in case he wants to take the "Jason" mask off and confront this face to face. (This is part of a larger image taken by Hughes and his "Gobsmacked Gang" with a threatening letter sent to my home).
I have a few people who tell me that this was all 6 years ago and that I should let it go. But I tell them and all of my readers here that there is no statute of limitations on multi-million dollar frauds that virtually wiped out the Oregon Sunstone industry. This thing is not over until it is over.
We are either going to stand for ethics in this industry, or we are going to have anarchy.
I choose ethics.
You will need to choose for yourself.
Richard W. Hughes certainly chose not to follow the path of ethics.
This will not be over until the Oregon Sunstone miners get a retraction of the Hughes Expedition Reports published in the GIA and Gem-A Publications, and an apology from Richard W. Hughes for trying to kill their business.
But wait…….there's more…………………..


text: Tunisian protesters planned a rare national strike for Monday as protests entered their 18th day [AFP] Online activists have attacked and at least momentarily disabled several Tunisian government websites in the latest act of protest against the country's embattled leadership. As of Monday afternoon, local time, at least eight websites had been affected, including those for the president, prime minister, ministry of industry, ministry of foreign affairs, and the stock exchange. The attack, which began on Sunday night, coincided with a national strike, planned to take place on Monday, that organisers said would be the biggest popular event of its size since Zine El Abidine Ben Ali assumed the presidency. The strike comes on the day that school students return from their holiday. Ben Ali's administration has tightly restricted the flow of information out of Tunisia since widespread protests began on December 17, following 26-year-old Mohamed Bouazizi's suicide attempt. But reports of civil disobedience and police action filtered out on Twitter on Monday, with some users reporting the use of tear gas by security forces. The loosely organised hacker group Anonymous claimed responsibility for the cyber attack, which it called "Operation Tunisia", an apparent arm of the group's broader effort - termed "Operation Payback" - aimed at taking retribution against governments and businesses viewed as hostile to the similarly amorphous document-leaking group WikiLeaks. Operation Tunisia came just days after a similar attack on Zimbabwean government websites;in that case, Anonymous said that it had targeted Robert Mugabe's administration for actions taken by officials to suppress information about the thousands of secret US diplomatic cables that WikiLeaks has released. But on Monday, Anonymous and its followers sought to tie their cyber attack to the ongoing protests and social unrest in Tunisia, not WikiLeaks. In a manifesto reportedly posted on the prime minister's website but later removed, the group said that it was "enraged" at the Tunisian government's behaviour, and that Ben Ali's administration had "unilaterally declared war on free speech, democracy, and even [its] own people". "Anonymous is willing to help the Tunisian people in this fight against oppression," the statement said. "Cyber attacks will persist until the Tunisian government respects all Tunisian citizens' right to free speech and information and ceases the censoring of the internet". Denial-of-service attack Sami ben Gharbia, a Tunisian exile living in Europe who monitors online censorship in the country, told Al Jazeera that Monday's sabotage was the first time he had seen an international group like Anonymous target a Tunisian website. Gharbia said he had witnessed the hackers planning the "denial-of-service" attack in a chat room arranged by Anonymous and that it appeared Tunisian users were among those participating. The protests in Tunisia, which have led to three confirmed deaths, have garnered comparatively little attention in the Western media, which closely followed developments in 2009 in Iran when hundreds of thousands of citizens protested presidential election results. Western governments have been similarly reticent about voicing criticism of Ben Ali's government, or its response to the protests. The country is a popular European tourist destination and has been praised by the World Bank for its financial policies. But many within the country say the image of calm and success belies simmering resentments and unemployment rates that reach 25 per cent in certain areas. High-level corruption In private, the US has said that Tunisia's corruption - a contributor to the unemployment driving many to protest - is getting worse. A 2008 diplomatic cable signed by Robert Godec, the US ambassador, and released by WikiLeaks in December describes both low- and high-level corruption in the country that scares away foreign and domestic investors. "Whether it's cash, services, land, property, or yes, even your yacht, President Ben Ali's family is rumoured to covet it and reportedly gets what it wants," the cable states. Gharbia said Monday's cyber attack probably will not affect protests "on the ground" but may serve as a "good story" to attract the mainstream media and embolden online activists in Tunisia. "It might give a sense of solidarity to Tunisian bloggers who have been witnessing censorship for years now, to see such actions targeting the main body of the censorship," he said. SOURCE: Al Jazeera Politics Africa US & Canada Tunisia United States


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Norman Reedus sat down for an interview with Yahoo TV shortly after The Walking Dead's fifth season finale aired. He discusses his thoughts on Daryl, the events of the season, and how the Wolves could factor into Season 6 (as an actor, not a writer, he doesn't know).
When asked how he could picture Daryl's death, Norman couldn't at all: "You know, I don't want to see him die. If Daryl would ever leave the show, I would want him to just walk off into the distance and have like a little dog or a little wolf puppy who just starts following him up over a hill. Some people would be like, "Whatever happened to that guy?" It would be like The Legend of Billy Jack or something. Like, whatever happened to that guy? But I don't even want that to happen. I really like Daryl.
Norman thinks the Wolves are scarier than Gareth: "I think they're way scarier than Gareth! I think that somebody who hides and just stabs you in the back, there's a weakness to them. You can probably crack those people much earlier. I can see Gareth crying at the end of a gun, "Please don't kill me. I didn't mean to eat all your friends." The Wolves, they kind of have another feeling… they're just going to go shoot me… and they're not going to cry if using a pistol.
Norman's chain whip was part-CGI: "I was very excited to see that chain whipping thingy, because you kind of do it, and then you leave it up to Victor [Scalise] of the special effects team. They tell you how cool it's going to look and you're like, mmmm… the chain doesn't really go to the actors' faces, it's about a foot short just in case I accidentally whip them in the face. You just kind of picture a certain Indiana Jones thing going on. I was very excited. I should send him a bottle of champagne or something."
Norman still has Andy Lincoln's beard: It's still in the fridge in a Ziploc bag. It's still there, and it's not going anywhere. I'm not giving him his beard back. He knows better than that.
Read the full interview here.


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one-act: Words, Words, words
Words, Words, Words is a one-act play I wrote a few years ago in 2016. At the time, I was considering my own qualifications as a writer and what I had to bring to the table. This script is a product of that, as the main character's doubts and inhibitions reflected my own. Through this character, however, I managed to materialize those doubts and falsify them. Thoughts can be clouded and deceptive, but putting them into the dialogue of a character makes them real, tangible. As the writer of that character, I can read his lines and recognize how absurd they are. This was my stand against self-deprecation, and my refusal to tell myself that I am not a writer. I write: I am a writer. From speaking to others, I learned many writers experience that same mental block. I pray the sentiment in Words, Words, Words resonates in others.
Click "Read More" to read the script!
This post is from June 1, 2017, originally posted on Tumblr.
Right now, I'm working in a team of 4 to make a game based on Zelda II, so I was doing some research on concept art for the game. I mainly wanted to gather inspiration to try and capture the aesthetics of the game. Our game will definitely differ significantly from Zelda II (mostly in quality) so I thought concept art would be a good place to look for that core feeling of the game.
The difference between the generations of games, in this regard, is that concept art for old, NES and SNES games played a different role in development. On newer systems with photorealistic graphic capabilities, concept art aims to show accurately how characters and areas appear. Old concept art, on the other hand, wasn't concerned with accuracy hardly at all, it seems. Proportions don't matter when the developers are well aware the graphics will look nothing like real life. Link's body had very limited pixel real-estate.
A prime example of this is the fact that the images below are the same scene. Both depict Link fighting the first boss of the game, the cleverly named Horsehead. All of the basic parts are shared in both: the stone, the pillars, the curtains, even the color of the boss's armor. But when you compare them, the concept art is definitively more impressive than the gameplay. The light flooding in, the upward angle of the frame, Link's anticipative stance all contribute to the scene of a powerful enemy towering over you.
Still, when I played the game again recently, I discovered that viewing the concept art had an unexpected effect. I laughed at the concept art, at the juxtaposition of coolness between what the game should be and what it is. But when I was playing through this first dungeon, I entered the final room, I saw the curtains hanging down, Horsehead patiently waiting for me, and I got a shiver down my spine. I played the game and I remembered the concept art. In a way, it conceptualized for me the aesthetic experience of the battle. It felt so much more exciting.
The game we completed is called Monumental Pain and can be played on Itch.io here:
New Ep: Sit With Me
I released an album!
After several months of recording and rerecording, mixing and remixing, I've finally called a project done. The EP is called Sit With Me released under the artist name onehundredthousand. It is the first album I have released under this name, and I don't plan on it being the last. Although it is amateur in many ways, completing a project was more important to me than perfecting one. If I continually revisit and rework ideas, none of them will ever come to fruition.
That being said, you can listen to it on Bandcamp here!
Introducing a face
This weekend I did a photoshoot with this great face. I was unfamiliar with the camera and we fumbled in coordinating with the sun, but the day turned up some fun results. These photos only constitute part of everything taken. While I had the time, I focused on ones I either liked the best or thought were fun or interesting for some reason.
Navigating a moving target on camera in addition to the background was awkward. I definitely do not have the skill or experience to process all of the visual information in front of me quickly. Hopefully that can be remedied through taking considerably more photos. The camera does not belong to me, so my practice will straddle availability of equipment. That may hinder swift progress, but will at least facilitate a journey full of experimentation.
The sun began setting, and I began panicking. Again juggling multiple aspects of the photo, the sun's position, the exposure settings on the camera, the actual setting in frame had me fumbling. Many shots ended up a blurry mess. Thankfully, a few survived enough to give at least a fun expression or a curious situation.
In between the modeling, we spent time scouting for locations. The more you look, the more you find, I've discovered. Many spots were interesting enough on their own to be worth capturing, so I felt compelled to include a couple.
More experimentation
I found time and motivation to work on more photos. Some are from today, some are a bit older. Right now, I'm mainly trying things out, seeing what works and what doesn't. Thankfully, I am satisfied with some of the results.
With experimentation being the primary goal, sometimes a good photo isn't always the most pleasing to take. On the other hand, taking a particularly terrible photo can be so eye-opening that it offers the hope of works ten times better in the future.
Click images to enlarge.
What isn't as promising is when the reasons a photo doesn't pass any standard of quality wholly elude me. Not much gets worse than creating something bad that can't be learned from. Perhaps that's the fun in it, though.
In the end, I enjoy taking pictures immensely. I look forward to getting better footing in the art form, maybe to the end of acquiring equipment other than GIMP and a cell phone camera. Until then, I will try to push the limits on what I have as far as they'll go.
First shots
I decided that although I do not have a real camera, I have to start somewhere. All I have is GIMP and a smartphone camera, but it works. I'm hoping it'll be a good way to learn the basics of composition and color manipulation without dropping a ton of money on fancy equipment.
Kiefer Nemeth
I like games. I hope to one day make them as a means of survival.


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Bishop's Palace & Gardens
The Bishop's Palace & Gardens have been home to the Bishops of Bath and Wells for over 800 years and this stunning medieval palace is open for all to enjoy. There are 14 acres of outstanding, RHS Partner gardens to explore, including the beautiful well pools from which the city takes its name, family events, guided tours, a gift shop and a café with the best views in Wells!
Garden audio tours
Listen in on the secrets of selected gardens from their head gardeners. Our audio tours take you through seasonal planting, histories and stories.
Find Us
Wells Somerset GB BA5 2PD
Areas of Bishop's Palace & Gardens
The Bishop's Table caféServing delicious, locally-sourced homemade food and some of the best coffee and cake you will find in Wells, it is the perfect place to meet friends for brunch, lunch or afternoon tea. Summer (April - October): 9.30am - 5.30pm, last orders 5:30pm. Winter (Nov '19 - March '20): 9.30am - 3.30pm, last orders 3:30pm. Food is served between 12pm and 2.30pm daily throughout the year. Breakfast is served between 9.30am and 11.30am daily.
Chapel10am-4pm (winter) 10am-6pm (summer) Last admission to The Bishop's Palace, and therefore including the Bishop's Chapel, is half an hour before closing. Services weekly Tuesday at Noon. A short time of prayer and praise at 12 noon. All are welcome. There are occasionally other services open to the public. Please check the web site for details.
Great Hall
ShopDaily: 10am - 6pm (summer. Apr - Oct), 10am - 4pm (winter. Nov - March).
Opening times
SUMMER 10am – 6pm, 7 days per week (from 31 March 2019 - 26 October 2019). WINTER 10am – 4pm, 7 days per week (from 27 October 2019 through to 28 March 2020). Last admission is 30 minutes before closing time.


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Dual centuries from Ihsanullah & Rahmat propelled Afghanistan to a strong position at the end of day 1 of their ICC Intercontinental Cup match against UAE at Abu Dhabi.
Ihsanullah (124 off 242) and Rahmat Shah (103 off 191) shared a 197 runs partnership for the 2nd wicket after the early loss of Javed Ahmadi. Both batsmen played with caution and did not let UAE have any advantage after being put into bat first on a cold morning.
UAE bowlers toiled hard for the better part of the day's play as they only managed to pick up 3 wickets after bowling 96 overs in the day. Afghanistan skipper Asghar Stanikzai (67 n.o off 95) continued his good form in the first-class competitions and will be looking forward to score big tomorrow. Giving him company at the end of the day's play was Nasir Jamal (8 n.o off 38).
Mohammad Naveed (2/52) was the most successful bowlers for UAE with Ahmed Raza picking up the only other wicket to fall.


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Hard to believe CRUSH WALLS is seven years running now — and that's not a swipe at the organization responsible for the RiNo mural fest. Just a musing on how quickly time passes, and how much things change.
In this case, the festival has grown bigger, more organized, and more elaborate (and expensive) than it's ever been, culling arguably Denver's best mural artists along with international names of well-regard. Some 75 or so artists and crews, not including the unofficial, satellite operations. Not a number to scoff at. The neighborhood itself, of course, has exploded with shiny, new commerce and smooth roads to replace the cracks and potholes we all loathed. The alleys (at least during the festival) are cleaner and safer — a great place to bring the family!
It's all a bit Disney, the feel of it at times. Where wild things grew, created, and thrived, tangled in verdancy and violence, in the dark utility roads of our (un)fair city, now seem manicured. A marvel of organization and unity, control and beauty, soft to the touch, inviting to the senses. No Spidey sense necessary.
But the weeds always find a way back, and the beefs between artists and crews flair up as pockets grow fat and fires of inequity keep burning. Work will be dissed, and murals we loved and got used to will be missed. New players will emerge, while those who worked so hard for a bit of bricks in the shade will work harder to remain relevant, in hope of permanence. Though, we all know those too will be painted over.
How many old walls, thick with paint and histories, stacked by design and disdain will be knocked over, broken up, ultimately crushed? And how many new walls will rise to take their place?
For more information on CRUSH WALLS 2018, please visit https://crushwalls.org/


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Stoweflake Hot Air Balloon FestivalJuly 10-12, 2020
Let your spirit soar as more than 25 hot air balloons fill the sky at this 33rd annual event. View breathtaking launches, enjoy live entertainment all while sitting back and relaxing with offerings in the beer and wine garden. Balloon rides and tethered rides available, as well as a children's area. This signature event is hosted at Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa and is a Vermont Chamber Top 10 Summer Event.
The highlights of this event are the sunset and sunrise launches. The sunset launches take place during the festival, with kids activities, games, food, and a beer/wine garden. The sunrise launches offer a unique opportunity to visit the pilots before the launch. There are no pets or coolers allowed at this event.


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Top down windows up is a terrible look. The car equivalent of hiking your shorts up to your armpits. I guess you could come up with reasons to do it, but it still looks like shit. Embrace the outdoors! Top down, windows down.
This hot take was sparked by a colleague responding to my email with a picture of himself and another co worker in some roofless FCA product they rented in Chicago. You guessed it, top down, windows up looking like a couple of jabronis. Just awful.
Happy Friday. I hope everyone's got something fun on tap for the weekend.