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What is Michael Porter Jr.'s race — is he biracial?
Coming into the 2017-18 NCAA season, Michael Porter Jr. was on the short list of top players on the incoming freshman list — and projected one-and-done, NBA lottery pick.
Unfortunately, the 6-10 high-flying forward and MVP of the 2017 McDonald's All-American Game would suffer a season-ending injury in his first college game — just two minutes into his Missouri debut. That essentially ended his season. Porter Jr. was cleared to play months later and returned to the court for two games before his Tigers were eliminated.
Still Porter Jr. believed in himself and his talent and potential to forgo his final three years of eligibility. He declared for the NBA Draft hoping that NBA teams also believed in the player that put up 36.2 points and 13.6 rebounds per game during his senior year in high school where he led his team to a perfect 29–0 record and the Washington Class 3A State Basketball Championship.
His potential was enough to entice the Denver Nuggets to take a chance on him with the 14th overall pick. That's not a lottery pick, but to be drafted so high after just a few games under his belt shows what type of prospect Porter Jr. was/is. Still there are naysayers, ones that are cleary concerned about his back issues — that's an injury that can be chronic and career-ending. There are also whispers that Porter Jr. is "soft" because he's more finesse than power, but also because it's a preconception unfairly put on light-skinned players.
Why Does Michael Porter Jr. Have Light Skin
What Michael Porter Jr. is going through in regards to his lighter skin is no different than other light-skinned NBA stars have had to put up with — in particular Stephen Curry's toughness is constantly challenged due to his lack of darkness. Jordan Clarkson famously said that he needed to be tougher because Kobe Bryant labeled him soft for taking the ball to the hoop like a "light skinned dude".
Porter Jr. complexion comes from having a black father, Michael Porter Sr. and a white mother (Lisa Becker) — making Michael Porter Jr. mixed race. And that means that's Michael's seven siblings are also biracial: older sisters Bri and Cierra and younger siblings Jontay, Coban, Jevon, Izaak, and Jayda. And they all hoop.
No doubt basketball runs in the family, but if you assume that Michael got his high scoring mindset from his dad's side, you would be making a huge assumption. We don't know about his father's skills on the court and where he played, but we do know that his mom Lisa averaged a mind-blowing, jaw-dropping 58.7 points a game for Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School back in 1983.


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Scrim jims, butterflies, overheads, 4×4 frames, whatever you want to call them, are a staple on most film sets – and for good reason. They can be used to turn almost any light into a large soft light source; they can be used to even out the light during outdoor shoots; and you can use them, with a dark fabric, as large flags. They're versatile, they're sturdy, they're portable, and by building them ourselves, they're certainly worth having one or two in your kit. Matthews and Westcott, among others, make these that you can pick up for $150 – 200, but today we're going to make our own for around $80.
Tips on getting Gradient Reflection on Reflective Surfaces Part 2by 4 Comments
Last year I made an article about getting good gradient reflections on surfaces, but after a while of using this that I've come to realize that I actually get slightly better (and easier) results with a different technique.
You can consider this as he second part of the How To Get Gradient Reflection On Surfaces tutorial.
How To Shoot Cosmetic Products Using DIY Scrimsby 6 Comments
Cosmetic products are some of the hardest things to photograph. The combination of reflective, translucent, opaque and shiny surfaces makes it an absolute nightmare. Below you will find my quick and dirty method for dealing with those hard to shoot subjects.
How To Build And Use A DIY Scrim (Made From A Portable Clothes Hanger)by 8 Comments
I have been planning around trying to build a DIY scrim for about a month now but couldn't think of a frame where I could start my project. First thing I thought of was making it out of PVC pipes (sadly PVC pipes are not as easy to get here), then thought of using wood for the frame. I put it aside for a while until I found the perfect frame for my new project.
A scrim is not a stand alone unit and you want a light source behind it – either a strobe, a strong continuous light or even the sun. The scrim will diffuse that light (and eat quite a bit of it during the process) into a beautiful soft light.
Normally when I go to the local mall I visit the Japan Store because almost everything there is for P88 ($2USD) and there is a LOT of stuff to choose from, so I was looking around the other day and found a portable clothes hanger for around $5.50 USD. WIN! This would be the perfect frame for my next project. (If you don't live in the Philippines, fret not, they are pretty cheap in the US too)

subset: commoncrawl


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Pair of Gold Chic Metal Octagon Mirrors
Status: Available
Pair of Gold Chic Metal Octagon Mirrors. They are in nice as found VINTAGE condition with some minor pitting to the surface (see photos)
Dimensions H-36 W-24 D-1.5
Note: All items are sold in as is vintage condition. Possible scuffs, scrapes, and chips to the finish may be present and/or wear to the upholstery. (see photos)


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Stafford, Etienne, LaEace testify at Indiana Health Finance Commission on Communities for a Lifetime Bill
September 8, 2010
Thanks to the efforts of State Senators Vi Simpson and Vaneta Becker, the Health Finance Commission of the General Assembly, under the leadership of Rep. Charlie Brown, agreed to hear testimony on Senate Bill 0287, Hoosier Communities for a Lifetime. Joined by Duane Etienne, President Emeritus of CICOA, and Kristen LaEace, CEO of the Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging, Phil Stafford presented an overview of the importance of this issue for Indiana's current and future elders. The bill would establish a cross-sector commission to research and report back to the General Assemblly regarding a process for designating Indiana towns and cities as "communities for a lifetime." and identifying the public and private resources necessary to support comprehensive, cross-sector planning and implementation to transform Indiana neighborhoods and communities. A copy of Dr. Stafford's testimony is provided here. His power point presentation can be viewed here.


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Welcome to Out on Their Own, where brave women share the nitty gritty stories of how they kicked their 9-5 jobs to the curb and began living the One Woman Shop lifestyle. If you want to share your story, email us!
Meet Jessica Remitz. She's a writer, editor and content producer living in Brooklyn with her boyfriend and pound puppy. She co-writes the blog I Love I Need with her sister and is currently contracting with Food Network and freelancing for various lifestyle, health and pet websites. Check out her personal website and don't hesitate to contact her to swap freelance stories.
So, what prompted you to quit your job? Was it one moment or was it simmering for awhile?
I had wanted to quit my most recent job, in some ways, even before I started it. I had been working on the advertising/sales side of online publishing, first as an assistant, sales planner and ad trafficker and finally as a client services manger, for three and a half years. While I had wonderful co-workers and great, supportive bosses at both companies, I wasn't happy in advertising and knew my jump from company to company wouldn't change that. I took the job hoping to move into a more editorial or creative position within a year (I had been told that the company was "all about" moving people internally at my interview) and when it didn't happen and time continued to tick by without any concrete plans for a future transition, I knew it was time for a change.
What (if anything) did you do to prepare for the transition out of your 9-5?
Over the time I spent in advertising, I tried to make as many professional connections as possible. I never burned bridges and tried not to blame anyone at work for my situation. I knew I wanted to be writing (in any capacity), so I kept in touch with those early connections and stayed persistent (or lightly stalked, whichever) in order to secure my first freelance writing gigs. Those opportunities gave me the confidence and small financial cushion I needed to feel comfortable taking the next step.
Let's get real: how did you feel the day you quit? Liberated, scared sh*tless, nauseous?
The morning I decided to put in my notice, I was all: "I'm totally quitting today, ain't nothing gonna hold me down!" but when the time came to actually do it, I was shaking like a leaf. Fortunately, my boss had known it was a long time coming (we had discussed what I may do next when it became clear that I wasn't getting the help I needed to move into a role that would make me happy) and was very accepting of it. If she saw that my palms were sweating and my voice was cracking, she had the decency not to judge me for it 🙂 I think, in some ways, everyone feels this panic--physically and mentally--when they're about to do something scary, no matter how prepared they are for it.
Tell us about the days and months following quitting your job- were you overwhelmed with work? Eating Ramen? Networking your butt off?
The two weeks or so felt strange--like an extended vacation that could end any minute. It felt like I would wake up the next day and just go back into work, like any normal day. I was lucky to have some writing work to keep me busy (the same work I used to do at night and on the weekends in my spare time) and spent the rest of my weekdays reconnecting with people, sending pitches and basically telling the world, "I'm available to write for you! Please hire me!" It's only been four months since my last day working full-time so in a lot of ways, it still doesn't feel real.
How do you feel now? Do you wish you transitioned earlier? Do you wish you didn't go out on your own at all?
In July, I accepted a contract position working for Foodnetwork.com in their office 30 hours/week, so I'm readjusting to life in an office three days a week. I'm thrilled to have this project though, and hope it continues on to more contract or freelance work. I'm still juggling my writing gigs and picking up more when I have the time, and it's so nice having two weekdays all to myself to focus on the projects I want to. In a lot of ways, I think I'm still transitioning and am curious to see what next year brings, but I'm so glad I made the leap when I did. It was the scariest thing I've done, and even though I still feel panicky thinking too far into the future, I'm optimistic that I'll always look back on 2013 and have no regrets about going out on my own.
Do you have any advice for others considering going out on their own? Words of warning? Caveats?
Yes! I shared these tips on my friend Amanda's blog, Advice From a Twenty Something, and would love to provide them again here. Even though I still don't have it all figured out (clearly) I have found that these four things have been crucial to my success.
- Be realistic—I knew I wanted to leave my job about six months before I actually did, but giving myself a reasonable amount of time to make the changes I wanted helped me to stay positive even when I felt bad about my situation.
- Think about YOU—it was so easy for me to get tripped up about what my coworkers are doing, how much my friends were making and what I thought I should do next. Guess what? None of these things made me happy. To find something I'm good at and actually care about doing has given me the drive to keep networking, writing and e-mailing folks every day.
- Say "no"—I don't regret anything I've done professionally, but I do wish I was better about saying no to things that didn't feel like the right fit or that I did because I felt like I had to. This is something we all need to be stronger about business-wise, and I hope to remember it as I consider future assignments and projects.
- Grow what you love—I left my job with the hopes of building a portfolio of work I'm proud of, finding a role that fits my skills and passions and give my little blog the time and effort it deserves with my wonderful sister. Who's to say if any of these things will make me particularly rich or successful, but I can only hope that everyone gets the chance to grow something they care about.


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16 March 2020
We are thrilled to be hosting the Endo Warriors West Lothian who are extending their already established support group t…
We welcome your views on our website and invite you to take part in a brief survey when you've finished your visit.
Your response will help us improve the site and the experience we offer to visitors.
Consultant ENT Surgeon
MBChB, FRCS (ORL-HNS), PhD
Some of the principal treatments carried out by Mr Iain Nixon at Spire include:
Submandibular gland surgery
Thyroid gland surgery
Parotid gland surgery
Neck Lymph node surgery
I am currently an Ear Nose and Throat surgeon in NHS Lothian and an Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at Edinburgh University.
My background is in ENT surgery, however I chose to specialise in head and neck surgery, for both benign and malignant conditions. Following standard UK higher surgical training, I completed advanced fellowship training in Guys and St Thomas' Hospital, London and then further super specialised training in one of the world's most highly regarded head and neck cancer hospitals: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York. During this time I developed an interest in the management of thyroid disease, and completed a PhD in 2013.
I am very active in research both in the UK and on an international front. I am a recognised world expert in the management of thyroid cancer, having written a PhD on the subject. I regularly teach and present work on this subject at national and international meetings. My major interest is in the conservative management of well differentiated thyroid cancer.
I have spoken across the UK, Europe and North America on the subject and national and international levels, with special recognition from the Royal Society for Medicine, the British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists, the New York Head and Neck Society, the American Head and Neck Society and the American Thyroid Association.
Having completed my training I worked for two years in East Kent as an ENT consultant before taking up my current academic position in Edinburgh.
My current scope of practice includes not only general adult ENT surgery but thyroid surgery and head and neck surgery.
Ear, nose and throat
Balance disorders
Head and neck pathology
Head and neck surgery
Hearing loss
Sinus surgery
Sleep disorders
Thyroid surgery
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General Medical Council
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British Association of Head and Neck Oncologists
American Head and Neck Society
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16 March 2020
We are thrilled to be hosting the Endo Warriors West Lothian who are extending their already established support group t…
02 March 2020
Spire Edinburgh Hospitals are delighted to announce their Endometriosis Clinic at Spire Shawfair Park Hospital is now an…


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BUILD Magazine has announced winners of the 2018 Sustainable Building Awards.
The 2018 Sustainable Building Awards aim to reward the work done in the milieu of green building. From the pioneers to the rising stars; like Ridgewater Homes who look to commend the people who work tirelessly to ensure the global community decreases its collective carbon footprint. Due in part to incredible advancements in technology, in addition to the sheer hard work, Sustainable Building has transformed into a billion-dollar industry which is making a difference in daily and future living.
Catching society unaware, the buildings in which we work, live and play were, and in some cases still are, doing long-term damage to the environment. Since the days of the global energy crisis in the 1960s -70s, a movement to provide ecologically aware buildings with long-term solutions has existed. Yet it has only been recently that major cities from across the world are passing laws and commissioning green buildings, as leaders realize the need for reduction in carbon footprints.
Our goal is to highlight the work done in all areas of green building, from the advancements in sustainable building materials & designs to utility usage, as well as waste & pollution reduction initiatives. We will reveal the notable efforts of all involved in the planning, development, and manifestation of the structures which will provide shelter for societies to come.
Discussing the awards, Sam Jordan-Turner, Awards Coordinator commented: "Due in part to incredible advancements in technology, in addition to the sheer hard work, Sustainable Building has transformed into a billion-dollar industry which is making a difference in daily and future living, and it is our privilege here at BUILD to be able to share the very best of the best. Congratulations to all of my winners, your success was well deserved."
As with all our awards, the 2018 Sustainable Building Awards are purely based upon merit. To ensure this, our in-house research team will go in-depth to find the industry firms and leaders who deserve acknowledgment for their outstanding performances within the sector. Winners of this award can rest assured that their win was one that was truly deserved.
The Sustainable Building Awards 2018 awards Ridgewater Homes with:
- Most Innovative Bespoke Home Builders – British Columbia
For More Information: Ridgewater Homes


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Restaurant Review: Coastal Flats
February 26, 2019
The other day, my Mom and I drove to Fairfax Corner and arrived at Coastal Flats around 4:30 for dinner. A part of the Great American Restaurant chain, I have frequented it many times while growing up; I've had consistently good experiences each time and so it has earned my respect. Anyways, since we hadn't dined there in a while, we decided to return again to see how it was doing. As soon as we entered through the revolving glass doors, we saw that the dinner crowd was already gathering. The restaurant was so packed, in fact, that you had to raise your voice to hear above the chatter and laughter.
We were welcomed by a smiling hostess, who seated us in a nearby booth. As we glanced around the dining room, one color stood out: this cheerful shade of yellow that brings to mind lemons and sunshine. We looked around at the metal tropical fish dangling from the ceiling. They had nice lighting, complete with stained glass chandeliers and decorative light fixtures carved with images of starfish and seaweed. One of the walls was covered by a colorful mural depicting Havana, Cuba in the '50s. Coastal Flats definitely had a distinctive tropical feel to it and established a coastal theme with its decor that was right on par.
Within five minutes after being seated, we were greeted warmly by our waiter, who was very friendly and attentive during our visit. I chose the Short Smoked Salmon Filet, and Mom went with the Hickory Grilled Chicken. Our entrees were promptly delivered to us, and we were excited to try our food.
The Short Smoked Salmon Filet is marinated, smoked, and then hickory grilled. It comes with a tangy Creole mustard sauce, broccolini that's sprinkled with Parmesan and a hint of lemon, and a creamy cauliflower mash with the tiniest chives scattered on top. The bold flavors of the sauce, broccolini, and mash made the salmon sing and brought out its smokiness. Though salmon is hard to prepare, mine was cooked to perfection. Its exterior was a dark reddish brown color, and its center was rosy pink. The fish was moist, delicate, and light. Most impressively, it was flakey and tender to the point of being melt-in-your-mouth.
The Hickory Grilled Chicken Breast comes with thin green beans, roasted cremini mushrooms, and sliced bell peppers – all served on a bed of angel hair pasta with herbs and a brown butter sauce. The chicken was cooked to a golden brown and had neat grill marks and a crisp, crackly skin. My Mom cut it open with a fork and knife, revealing glistening white meat. The breast was plump, juicy, and well-seasoned. Between the succulent breast meat, earthiness of the mushrooms, and the sweetness of the sauce, it was a very hearty dish.
To finish off our meal, we ordered and split the Warm Flourless Chocolate Waffle. This rich, decadent dessert is a chocolate lover's dream. It came topped with a dollop of fluffy whipped cream and vanilla ice cream that was drizzled with caramel. The waffle itself is lightly dusted with powdered sugar and sprinkled with a handful of crunchy slivered almonds. True to its name, the waffle is pleasantly warm, with a silky, velvety texture that we liked. Cut it open and a small lake of ooey gooey molten chocolate goodness comes pouring out. The only thing it was missing (which I noticed right away) was the proverbial cherry-on-top: the signature chocolate star. Being as I grew up with this dessert, it stood out to me like marinara sauce stains on a white shirt. I asked our waiter why; apparently Coastal Flats does not put the star on their waffle (unlike its sister restaurants, Jackson's and Artie's). I say they should. The plating of the dessert was not as neat as it was at Jackson's (Jackson's waffle is downright gorgeous), but it was not bad either. It still made my heart skip a beat (love at first bite? It's a thing) and did not deter Mom and me from enjoying the entire thing.
Overall, it was clear that the dishes were executed by innovative chefs with skill and exceptional attention to details. Dinner at Coastal Flats was quite the gastronomical experience. Using the official rating system of the Association of Food Journalists, we give this excellent restaurant three out of four stars.


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Cycling in Sydney Australia
Started this discussion. Last reply by Russ W Aug 10, 2019. 7 Replies 0 Likes
Lane Cove has a bike plan on public exhibition for the next couple of weeks. At first glance, looks like infrastructure is being proposed mainly where it wont upset the motoring masses, but some…Continue
Started Jun 29, 2016 0 Replies 0 Likes
Fizik Arione saddle - New in box - Black - $90http://www.wiggle.com.au/fizik-arione-saddle-with-kium-rails/Bought this…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by 34 x 28 Mar 11, 2016. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Really keen to hear what peoples experiences are with trying different road bar widths and what you are running now. On bike fitter recommendation I was always following the as wide or slightly wider…Continue
Started Dec 4, 2013 0 Replies 0 Likes
A cyclist was on the road next to the William Street cycle lane yesterday. About 6:30. He was being well looked after by a few folks that had closed off the space around him using thier car and…Continue


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I've always thought of myself as a critic..
By LouieWpHs04
@LouieWpHs04 (4556)
United States
April 30, 2008 6:22pm CST
I've always thought of myself as a critic, which gets me thinking... How do some of these people land a job being a critic for things such as music, sports, movies, and otherwise? Is it all about landing a job at a good newspaper and working your way up or is it much harder? What're your guys thoughts on this :P And what do you think critics make? I would love love love to be a critic almost more then anything in the world, ;P
No responses


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UCLA Magazine recently reported on the California Climate Expedition, a 550 mile bicycle journey accross California. The ride was led by the Center for Climate Science.
California Climate Expedition
more >>
Society of Women Geoscientists
more >>
A new organization this year is the Society of Women Geoscientists. With funding from the AOS Department, they are excited to host events this year that target the four pillars their mission statement.
Professor Emeritus Richard Thorne
more >>
Professor Emeritus Richard Thorne passed away on July 12th at his home in Boise, Idaho from complications of lymphoma. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his wife, Monica, his brother, Mike, and his sons, Peter, Michael and Thomas. Richard's research focused on a fundamental understanding
FIREX-AQ Project
more >>
Graduate students Katie Tuite and Nathaniel Brockway installing the UCLA mini-DOAS telescope on NASA's DC8 research aircraft in preparation for the FIREX-AQ project. FIREX-AQ will study the emissions and chemistry of forest fires in the western US.
AOS Graduate Student Alex Arnold Wins UC President's Award for Outstanding Student Leadership
more >>
Alex Arnold, an AOS graduate student studying climate science was given this honor for her exceptional leadership in student mentorship and building pathways to STEM higher education for underrepresented students.


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Tile and Grout Cleaning Duncanville, TX
Duncanville Tile and Grout Cleaning professionals at KIWI have specialized equipment to handle all your tile and grout cleaning needs. Our special cleaners and bonnets use steady abrasion to clean tile and grout, loosening particles and dirt and lifting them off the floor and out of your home. Over time ceramic and tile and grout collect grease and dirt and become dull and dirty, requiring hours of labor to simply clean off dirt and mildew.
Safe Tile and Grout Clean by Expert in Duncanville
Come to KIWI for all of your tile and grout cleaning services of Duncanville, Texas!


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Celtics close in on playoffs, Spurs win 11th straight
The Boston Celtics rolled the depleted Cleveland Cavaliers 117-78 in NBA action on Sunday.
With the Eastern Conference second seed already assured, the Cavaliers (51-29) opted to rest LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith at TD Garden in Boston.
And the Celtics (38-42) took full advantage as they consolidated seventh spot in the East, a game clear of the eighth-placed Brooklyn Nets (37-43) and Indiana Pacers (37-43), who both lost.
The Celtics had an even spread of contributors, with seven players posting double-digit points, including Isaiah Thomas (17) and Evan Turner (15).
"Our guys just played very maturely the whole game," said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. "I thought we played well, but, obviously, they didn't play their best players."
The Pacers stayed in the post-season hunt courtesy of a 116-104 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Russell Westbrook posted a career-high 54 points in an attempt to propel the Thunder but a 10-1 run late on saw the Pacers triumph in Indianapolis.
The Pacers were led by CJ Miles and his 30 points and 10 rebounds, while George Hill scored 19 points.
Oklahoma City remain outside of the playoff positions in the Western Conference, despite the eighth-placed New Orleans Pelicans falling to a 121-114 defeat to the Houston Rockets.
The San Antonio Spurs jumped up to second in the West via a 107-91 victory against the Phoenix Suns.
Veteran Tim Duncan finished with a double-double, scoring 22 points and collecting 10 rebounds to lead the Spurs to an 11th consecutive win.
The Spurs (55-26) are now half-a-game clear of the Los Angeles Clippers (54-26), having won 21 of their past 24 games.
"I had a headache last night trying to figure out who I wanted to win or lose, or what I want the outcome of the game to be," Duncan said.
"I actually sent a message to Tony [Parker] to try to figure it out, because he always knows. So, we're just going to try to win our games and whatever comes out of it comes out of it."
Elsewhere on Sunday, the Washington Wizards downed the Atlanta Hawks 108-99, the Dallas Mavericks trumped the Los Angeles Lakers 120-106 and the Nets lost 96-73 to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Detroit Pistons routed the Charlotte Hornets 116-77, while the Denver Nuggets were 122-111 winners against the Sacramento Kings.


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On the Thursday evening after arriving, Sharon (with J) picked me up and we went for a meal at an American style restaurant. (She knows me well). It was a blessing to be eased into the country in this way.
Angela, Yohee and Peng joined us. Yohee kindly leant me a phone, with a pay-as-you-go SIM card, which I am using as a wi-fi hotspot for my phone as I am more used to it. This will be extremely useful for finding my way around, keeping in touch with friends and finding out information about places.
We then went for a walk through the Olympic Park and to take a look at the "Bird's Nest", because the restaurant was near there.


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How nice is it to be back in the baseball grind? After an unpredictable opening week with a stupid amount of injuries, it's time to build off that momentum and ride down the stream. This week's streamers are actually much weaker than last weeks and it'll do some digging to find some good options. While last week's article was called Week 2 because it was our second article, we're going to go ahead and call this Week 2, since that's the case for most of you fantasy owners. With that in mind, let's get into a couple of two-start streamers.Please, blog, may I have some more?
fantasy baseball strategy
Learn more about our 2019 Fantasy Baseball Subscriptions!
The best daily/weekly Player projections (hitters, starters, and relievers) for each of the next 7-10 days + next calendar week starting Friday. Kick-ass DFS lineup optimizer and projections for DraftKings, FanDuel, and Yahoo!.
Razzball's daily fantasy baseball tools – Streamonator, Hittertron, and DFSBot – are available by subscription in 2015. If you play in roto leagues with daily roster changes or Daily Fantasy Sports like DraftKings, these tools will rock your world. Please see our Subscriptions page for details – including how to get a free subscription by opening up a new Daily Fantasy Sports account.
In my previous 'hot hitter' post, I found that a hitter's recent performance (measured as last 3 games and last 5 games) had no value in projecting next game performance once you account for the player's known skill (as measured by Steamer Rest of Season projections) and the relevant gameday matchup info incorporated into our Hittertron/DFSBot (e.g., quality of opposing pitcher, handedness of opposing pitcher, park factors).
This post will cover whether recent performance by a starting pitcher helps improve the next start projections in our Streamonator and the pitching component of DFSBot.Please, blog, may I have some more?
Greetings all, and welcome to the first installment of The Numbers Game. "Boy, that title sounds about as exciting as it would be to draft Omar Infante in 2015." Hey, quiet in the peanut gallery! Fantasy baseball is, as the title of this series makes blatantly obvious, all about the numbers. The idea behind these posts is to identify players who fit a specific set of search criteria using statistics accumulated over the past three seasons. The various criteria that I'll be using will be established based on player comps and/or the MLB averages in key statistical categories. Some results will include data from 2014 only, while others will include some combination of the previous two seasons as well. The ultimate goal of these exercises is to provide a different perspective that will help to confirm your evaluations of certain players and perhaps reconsider your opinions of others. While I'll be providing my two cents from time to time, it'll be up to you to decide how valid the results truly are.Please, blog, may I have some more?
In 2014, we got up to 84 Razzball Commenter Leagues (1,008 teams). We appreciate all the participation and came up with a way to show it. (Sign up for this year's leagues here.)Please, blog, may I have some more?
This post is a sequel to this post on maximizing ABs.
In recent posts, I used the results of our 2013 Razzball Commenter Leagues (based on 64 12-team mixed leagues with daily roster changes and unlimited pickups) to show:
- The end of season value of a team's pitchers explains about 59% of a team's final season Pitching Standings Points
- The PROJECTED value of a team's pitchers before the draft explains on average only 3% of a team's final season Pitching Standings Points (with a range in 2013 from -6% to 15%)
- Thus, even with the best performing rankings, 44% of a team's pitching success is driven by deviations from what was projected and what actually happened (drafter prescience may be part of this but it is likely driven by good/bad luck in pitcher performance and health)
So this leaves 41% of Pitching Standings Points that could be attributed to a manager's in-season moves.Please, blog, may I have some more?
In recent posts, I used the results of our 2013 Razzball Commenter Leagues (based on 64 12-team mixed leagues with daily roster changes and unlimited pickups) to show:
- The end of season value of a team's hitters explains about 70% of a team's final season Hitting Standings Points
- The PROJECTED value of a team's hitters before the draft explains on average only 15% of a team's final season Hitting Standings Points (with a range in 2013 from 2% to 37%)
- Thus, about 55% of a team's hitting success is driven by deviations from what was projected and what actually happened (drafter prescience may be part of this but it is likely driven by good/bad luck in hitter performance and health)
So this leaves 30% of Hitting Standings Points that could be attributed to a manager's in-season moves.
Inspired by one of our commenters (initials SF), I thought of a way to reduce the size of that 30% black box. While estimating the quality of a manager's in-season moves is very complicated, estimate the quantity of a manager's moves is EZPZ. That would be interesting…..but what kind of guidance would that provide? Making roster moves just for the sake of it is a waste of time and if you, our loyal readers, are going to waste your time, we prefer you do it on our site vs. your league site.Please, blog, may I have some more?
For these pitcher pairings, I'm going to be using our 2014 fantasy baseball rankings. Notably, the top 20 starters for 2014 fantasy baseball, top 40 starters for 2014, top 60 starters for 2014 and the top 80 starters for 2014. You can also just go to our Fantasy Baseball War Room once it's ready, which should be by Tuesday. Or the fantasy baseball tiers. Okay, now that we have our links and shizz done. What is a pitcher pairing? It's how you plan on putting together a fantasy staff. It's a plan of action. If you have A pitcher, which B, C, D, E and F pitcher goes with him? Which is different than 'F this pitcher,' that's what you say in May. You should have six starters. The sixth starter is Wily Peralta or take whoever you want. I suggest an upside pick. Jeff Samardzija comes to mind. Or Brandon Beachy. Zack Wheeler also comes to mind. I'm going to assume you're in a 12 team, 5×5 and some variation of 9 pitcher leagues like the Razzball Commenter Leagues. Speaking of which, the RCL league sign-ups begin on Monday. (NOTE: What you are about to read is massively confusing. If it were found scribbled in a notebook, the FBI would be watching me. If Charles Manson stood up and read this at the next prison Meet N' Greet, no one would blink an eye.) Anyway, here's some pairings for pitching staffs for 2014 fantasy baseball drafts:Please, blog, may I have some more?
Hit/pitch splits are commonly associated with fantasy baseball auction drafts auction drafts – e.g., spending $180 on hitting, $80 on pitching or 70/30 hit/pitch split. The discussions around hitting vs. pitching in snake drafts tend to be less mathematical in nature – often limited to debates on which round to draft one's first starting pitcher and relief pitcher.
This post will demonstrate how to calculate hit/pitch splits for snake drafts as well as analyze 2013 Razzball Commenter League data to see what the most optimal hit/pitch splits are.Please, blog, may I have some more?
Maybe it's the rush of the holiday season with two kids or the fact that some major cash is flowing in free agency, but I feel like this year's offseason is just whizzing by. This will be the last sort of "stat review" for SAGNOF before I head into the territory of value plays for steals in 2014. This post will lay out some of the best and worst catchers in terms of their caught stealing percentages (CS%). Keep in mind that pitchers have a lot to do with holding baserunners as well, and you can find my previous post on the best and worst pitchers against the stolen base here at Razzball. A quick note on the catcher tables – I sorted them by qualified and non-qualified catchers. "Qualified" catchers played more than 1/2 of their team's games, while "non-qualified" catchers played less than that. Catchers who split times between two teams, like Kurt Suzuki, also end up on the "non-qualified" list. The league average caught stealing percentage in 2013 was 28%, and that hasn't really changed much over the last 3 years (27% in 2012, 28% in 2011). Last but not least, consider that playing time situations can fluctuate with free agent signings and trades, creating new opportunities for previously non-qualified catchers as the offseason transactions continue. Green columns indicate guys that are easy to run against, and red columns designate the toughest to run against:Please, blog, may I have some more?
We are halfway through the fantasy season and it's another week, another closepocalypse. Didn't Smokey predict this back in March?! Andrew Bailey's job was outsourced, Jose Valverde was sent packing, Heath Bell is absolutely stuffed and the Mariners closer by committee is as uncertain as a child's bottom. That's a straight up Ulysses quote my literate homies. SAGNOF! While in the real baseball world it has become quite obvious that saves are overrated, in our fake baseball world closers are one of those necessary evils. Kind of like root canals and prostate exams. Fortunately, I get both taken care of at the same place. One-stop shopping. Thanks ObamaCare! While closers can be a pain in the fanny perpendicular, I'm not one to punt a category. Even one as frustrating as the save. Who invented this dastardly stat? Apparently the dean of baseball beat writer's, Jerome Holtzman is to blame. He invented the save in 1959. There wasn't much to do in the late 50's except "like Ike" and cower in the bomb shelter with a tin of beans and a deck of nudie cards. According to Razzball historian Paulie Allnuts, the very next year the term "Sagnoff" was first uttered by one Winston Greystone Albright II after drafting Moe Drabowsky with his first pick in the inaugural drunken fantasy draft at The White Horse Tavern in New York's West Village. An 'ol fashioned donnybrook soon ensued, but not a mustache was harmed according to reports. Thanks Paulie. This week let's run down some candidates for saves that just could mean the difference between fantasy glory and fantasy defeat. Time to jam it or cram it. Dr. Pfister, I'm ready for my… Do you really need to wear the dive watch?Please, blog, may I have some more?


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Following again the spells relating to ice and snow, and all the other frosty effects from a while ago (the Wall from GoT, a series on Frozen (posts 2, 3, 4), and spells for cold climates). It seemed that my Ice Magus for Ars Magica was missing a basic spell to drop a huge block of ice in place, encase something in ice, and a way to shape it easily; sonand these spell effects add this capacity.
The intent is to create a barrier of ice for defence or strategic purposes, which might also be used to crush opponents.
Obstructive Ice Block
Creo Aquam 30, R: Voice, D: Moon, T: Individual
This spell creates a large block of ice in a simple shape (walls, rings, arcs) and orientation chosen by the caster within range, up to 5600 cubic feet of ice; akin to a wall roughly 6 feet tall, 3 feet thick, and 300 feet long (roughly 90 yards); for the duration. A Finesse check is required for particularly fine placement or targeting specif people.
(Base 3, +1 simple shapes, +2 Voice, +3 Moon, +1 Size)
Then a spell similar to The Mystical Carpenter (ReTe25, Cov p.51) this effect is for carving and shaping ice to a desired shape using Rego magic. Combining that with a previous spell which makes the ice as strong as metal might grant some wider applications.
The Mystical Ice Carver
Rego Aquam 25, R: Touch, D: Momentary, T: Part
The targeted ice is shaped as if worked upon as an ice carving. The spell affects a large volume, or even a part of huge ice formations, up to 5600 cubic feet.
While the spell is intended to be used to carve specific useful shapes in the ice it is also possible to carve out space within the ice as a cavity or to destabilise an area of ice. A Perception + Finesse check is required to confirm the quality of the work, with an initial ease factor of 6 for simple shapes.
(Base 5, +1 Touch, +1 Part, +1 flexibility, +1 size)
A memory from a previous edition, is the effect to totally envelop the target in conjured ice. It has since also been made into a Magic the Gathering card, which is well, nice?
Encase in Ice
Creo Aquam 20, R: Voice, D: Sun, T: Indivdiual
The target is surrounded in ice, potentially encasing the target. Enveloped targets may attempt to break free, see Shackles of Frozen Ice (ReAq20, HoH:S p.35). If the target is too large the ice will cover an area up to 560 cubic feet.
(Base 3, +2 Voice, +2 Sun, +1 flexibility in shape)
Find these and many more new spells for Ars Magica in my grimoire.


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Some places are just plain special. Campbell River on the coast of Vancouver Island has two great high schools – Timberline and CARIHI. Every year they produce two of the finest grad shows of the western provinces of Canada.
Here's a couple of videos from recent shows.
Timberline, Campbell River – Rob Hadley dry grad hypnosis show. from Rob Hadley on Vimeo.


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Windows removal instructions
Windows 7 and Vista users can go to Control Panel -> Programs. Older versions of Windows will be under Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs.
Find Java in the Program list, highlight it and choose Uninstall. Windows will prompt you to confirm. Say yes.
You can confirm that Java is no longer installed by visiting java.com. Click "Do I have Java?" Click verify and confirm that it says "No working Java was detected on your system."


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thistle floral art
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
If you want to see my work up close, or buy any, you can here at the Royal Exchange Theatre Craft Shop in Manchester.
Monday, 18 October 2010
packing is hard work xxo
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Seventyseventyone Design
Seventyseventyone Design has a great blog you should have a look at it and also vote on here for her blog to win the Dorset Cereals award for best blog. Seventyseventyone makes beautiful felt corsages, have a look xxo
Currently I am packing (or sometimes maybe finding things to do instead of packing) because I am moving to Brighton. I am incredibly excited but will dearly miss Manchester xxo
Friday, 1 October 2010
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Friday, 10 September 2010
New gun book
i made this gun book for my friend today xxo
fishy dishy
welcome to the late 70's early 80's where food wasn't just for eating, it was for liquidising and setting in various jelly moulds xxo
Monday, 9 August 2010
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
I just posted this from my BB, ludicris, and I joined twitter, I am totally on it.
Friday, 30 July 2010
Ideal Husband
In between looking for a job, and eating too much I have become hooked on Twin Peaks. I can't believe i've waited until now to watch it. It is brilliant. I have also discovered Agent Dale Cooper is a dream boat xxo
Home made pin cushion
I made this for my freind Louise as she kept saying, "oh i need somewhere to put my pins whilst i'm doing my sewing". I stuffed it with my own hair, I'm sure she appreciated the gift, but maybe the hair freaked her out xxo
Some of my earrings
Made using scrap leather donated to me from Anne, dontbitchstich and silver. Taking inspiration from trees I then created pieces of embroidery and also took inspiration from this for the final laser cut image. The leather has been laser cut xxo
Ribbonesia is something that i think I really should learn
Monday, 26 July 2010
Some day my prince will come
I watched this short yesterday "some day my prince will come". I watched it on a website called Mubi, for free, you can watch various films on there for free if you sign up. It's on the link. It's about a young girl and her quest to find her prince charming, it was pretty sad xxo
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Friday, 23 July 2010
Have you ever seen such amazing designs. The patterns are out of this world, hermes silk scarves. I was reading my friends blog, she was talking about fantasy shopping. So I ended up thinking about my fantasy shopping, and it would be in Paris, and I would buy a Hermes silk scarf xxo
The beguine
I thought I would start off my new blog with some inspiration, my friend emailed me a link to this most beautiful page yesterday, Sebastiaan Bremer. When I look at his work I am happy, I am reminded of Sebastien Tellier's Le Ritournelle, I don't know if that is because they share the same name, i think it's because both the pictures and the song are bright, they remind me of picnics and being in love. Take a look xxo
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
Time to start a fresh
I haven't really kept on top of my blogging, but I intend to do so from now on, watch this space xxo
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How the IoD can help you build a portfolio career
Many experts recommend that you should start out in a voluntary capacity, rather than trying to make the leap from executive director to corporate Ned. Schools, academies and charities, for instance, are always on the lookout for directors with strong commercial skills to serve them as governors and trustees.
How to prevent identity fraud
Directors are at high risk, but there are new ways to protect your data at Companies House
Everyone's talking about the gig economy
Should firms adopt a less casual approach to using freelance workers and contractors? Industry experts debate
Polar explorer Neil Laughton shares his inspirations
The founder of Laughton & Co has walked to the South Pole and crossed the Sahara in a flying car
Path59 founder asks: "How can I manage client expectations of my time?"
IoD 99 member Merje Shaw needs to delegate more as her company grows. She asks a panel of expects how best to inform clients
Should your start-up use a non-disclosure agreement (NDA)?
The IoD's Information and Advisory Service (IAS) explains how to keep sensitive material under wraps
IoD Open House – a business opportunity not to be missed
On 12-14 March, for the first time in its storied history, the IoD's annual showpiece will take the form of a three-day business festival.
IoD Open House – speaker Josh Graff shares his leadership inspirations
The LinkedIn boss on vulnerability, role models and power networking
IoD Open House – speaker Sam Conniff Allende says today's leaders should be more like pirates
The author argues that today's bosses have much to learn from the seafaring rogues of the 17th and 18th centuries
Curated Crowd founder asks: "How do I balance my long and short-term goals?"
Ada Zhao asks an experienced panel of IoD members for advice
How I did it: Chartered Director Jane Williams
The Chartered Director with 30-years experience at board level shares insights that have made her a better leader
How to launch a new product – 5 tips from Eric Ries
The entrepreneur who popularised the concept of Minimum Viable Product (MVP) on getting your great idea to market
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Pure Encapsulations PureLean Fiber 343 gms provides a minimum of 6 grams fiber, typically providing 3.5 grams soluble fiber from glucomannan, guar gum, apple pectin and prune fiber and 3 grams insoluble fiber from rice bran, cellulose and flaxseed. Soluble fiber helps slow the rate of digestion, promoting satiety, digestive health, nutrient absorption and healthy glycemic control. It enhances satiety by absorbing water and adding bulk in the digestive tract. Research has revealed that the high molecular weight and viscosity of glucomannan is particularly supportive. In an 8-week double blind trial, glucomannan provided statistically significant support for weight management in volunteers. Several randomized controlled trials indicate that glucomannan supports healthy lipid metabolism and promotes healthy glycemic control. Studies with glucomannan, Sunfiber® partially hydrolyzed guar gum, flaxseed and rice bran indicate that these soluble and insoluble fibers promote abdominal comfort, GI motility and bowel regularity while being well-tolerated.
1–3 servings per day, mixed with a beverage. Adequate water intake is recommended.Not to be taken by pregnant or lactating women.
Pure Encapsulations
At Pure Encapsulations, ingredient quality and manufacturing excellence are their most important priorities. They manufacture their supplements in their own state-of-the-art facility in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Every step of the manufacturing process exceeds the requirements for nutritional supplement manufacturing. Each piece of equipment used in the manufacture of Pure Encapsulations supplements is dismantled and sterilized before each production run. Pure Encapsulations was founded by practicing physicians who were seeking the highest quality hypo-allergenic supplements for their patients.
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How do I clean nail varnish from a leather sofa?
By dean from Plymouth, UK
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
i suggest to use hairspray or some strong sofa cleaning spray. With some cotton for cleaning...
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
My daughter got a touch of pink nail polish on our brand new black leather couch. How can I get it out?
By joy from Penfield, NY
I tried the most non-invasive approach as possible to remove blue nail polish from a brand new dark brown leather sectional. I was worried that using the acetone might eat the finish and dull the color of couch. So I used the hairspray.
Good luck and I hope this helps. (09/19/2010)
By Michele
How do I remove nail polish from a red leather suite please?
By J A Gates from Cambridgeshire
Does anyone know how to remove nail polish from a leather chair?
By Sabrina Barr from Council, NC
Does anyone know of a way to get nail polish off of leather furniture? My son dumped a whole bottle on the couch.
By Kristi from Charleston, WV
You may be screwed. I would try wetting the area around the spot with "Neatsfoot" oil, a leather preservative. The idea would be to apply until the leather under the spot became saturated, hopefully destroying the bond and allowing you to carefully pick the dried nail polish off. You may be able to find matching leather dye to touch-up. (05/15/2009)
How do you get nail polish off of leather?
Get the polish and paint a new coat on the stain (dried up polish) and wipe off the coat (you applied over the stain) before it dries, gently. (01/30/2009)


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Alherramp Ilewerr Mamp Arrangkey Tywerl Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
The Alherramp Ilewerr Mamp Arrangkey Tywerl Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC administers land on behalf of the Alherramp/Rrweltyapet, Ilewerr, Mamp/Arrwek, Tywerl, Arrangkey, Anentyerr/Anenkerr and Ntyerlkem/Urapentye Estate Groups. Their native title rights and interests were first recognised in the Napperby Perpetual Pastoral Lease native title determination of 2013.
This matter concerned the first claim over land and waters subject to pastoral leases to the north-west of Alice Springs. The first claim was made by seven groups over approximately 5,600 square kilometres of land and waters within the Napperby pastoral lease and part of the North-West Stock Route (200 kilometres to the north-west of Alice Springs).
In both cases the parties had reached an agreement on the external boundaries of the determination area in which native title existed and on a number of areas within these boundaries which should be excluded from the claim including roads traversing the land, land held in fee simple, areas the subject of pastoral improvements and public works. The determination areas were both subject to pastoral leases issued within the last 20 years. The Court noted that this was only recent history compared with the claimant's historical relationship with the land.
|Type of RNTBC
|Contact number
08 8895 16211
|Postal address
27 Stuart Highway, ALICE SPRINGS NT 0870
|Office Address
Same as Postal address
|PBC size
|Date of incorporation
16 Jun, 2013
|Date of registration
5 Jul, 2013
|ICN (Indigenous Corporation Number)
|Link to ORIC
PBC activity feed
Native title recognised over NT cattle stations
The Federal Court will recognise two native title claims over Northern Territory cattle stations this week.


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Fun Figural Enesco Tinker Bell BankHome | By Character | By Type | Ordering Information | Auction Orders | Search
Tinkerbell Bank
This fun vinyl bank of Tinker bell is in mint condition as it has never been removed from it's store package. Tinker Bell is by Enesco.and about 7" tall. This adorable hard vinyl bank features everyones favorite pixie sitting in her famous pose. Quite a little treasure for the Tinker Belle or Bank collector!


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MV Haven is a body of Miiverse goers here to continue as a community beyond the closure of Nintendo's social network, Miiverse.
Miiverse closing in 2 weeks
We have 2 more weeks of Miiverse! It's been interesting to see the variety in ways people are responding to this; some headed straight here, others are waiting until after the closure, others have headed to other venues and others seem to have no plans at all - aside from members who've already left Miiverse. This domain is on trial until August 31st 2018 while we establish the demand for a place such as this as opposed to the alternatives. In the meantime we are happy to provide this as a new Miiverse home!
Count of comments: 0
Posted on 25 Oct 2017 by King-X
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Well, I didn't do so good. The beginning of the month I had a loss in the family and it threw my reading but when I got to the first book in the series that I picked, as much as I liked it, I didn't like it enough to want to continue but that is ok, that is one series I can cross off my list 🙂 I also can't win the prize so really it's about how you all did! 🙂
So, as promised, we'll be giving away (2) $5 gift cards to Amazon, you can find the Rafflecopter to link up HERE. If you said you wanted to try and read 2 or more but only read 1 completely, that's okay. The challenge was just for one, so you're a winner in our book!
To show us that you completed the challenge correctly, we just need a screen shot of the series page on goodreads, showing all the books read. You can do this in a blog post, twitter post, facebook post, etc. Like this (my successfully completed series):
[inlinkz_linkup id=723164 mode=1]
Can you read a series in a Month will be back in October,
Sign ups will go live sometime in September!
Hope you can join us again!
Thanks for joining us! So… Could You Read a Series in a Month
Can You Read a Series in a Month is over! How'd you do? Click To Tweet


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COVER STORY Weatherill demand places Murray-Darling in jeopardy
EDITORIAL China completes island building in South China Sea
CANBERRA OBSERVED Greens: wouldn't know a cowardly act if they did one
REDEFINITION OF MARRIAGE Government forms say it is fluid gender marriage
FREEDOM AND LAW Gender and anti-discrimination: wedges between you and freedom
HISTORY A look back at B.A. Santamaria gives us a forward impulse
GENDER POLITICS Transgenderism: A state-sponsored religion
LAW AND SOCIETY Protecting freedom of religion in Australia
HISTORY Hungary, 62 years on from the anti-Soviet uprising
MUSIC Reel to real: Johann Johannsson, RIP
CINEMA Sweet Country: Sour taste of bush justice
BOOK REVIEW Lessons from the UK front of the GFC
BOOK REVIEW The dragon has woken and rumbled
BOOK REVIEW Recovery manual for morals and culture
OUT OF THE ASHES: Rebuilding American Culture
by Anthony Esolen
Regnery Publishers, Washington DC
Hardcover: 256 pages Price: AUD$47.99
Reviewed by Brian Coman
Among classicists, Professor Anthony Esolen is well known for his acclaimed translation of Dante's Divine Comedy. However, Esolen has also written many books dealing with the general Christian heritage of the West and of its demise in our own times. This new book, Out of the Ashes, deals with the social, cultural and religious decline in America (but is relevant throughout the Western world) and the ways in which it might be regenerated.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" said George Santayana, and Esolen takes up this theme in exploring the current situation in America. Of course, he is well aware of the general tendency that all of us have, as we grow older, to suppose that civilisation is going to the dogs. Just before the time of Christ, Roman poet Horace (in the Ars Poetica) proposed that, when a man becomes old, he likewise becomes "testy and querulous, given to praising the way things were when he was a boy, to play the critic and censor of the new generation".
But Esolen has two answers to this general dismissal. Even if it were not true that our civilisation is in decline, then surely pointing out some of its current failures is a good thing. But Esolen believes it is in real decline and his second point is simply this: we know from the past that many great civilisations have died, so why should we think ourselves as being somehow immune from decay?
Furthermore, we know from history exactly what sorts of things lead to the decline of civilisations and those sorts of things, Esolen maintains, are very much in evidence today.
The last decade or so has seen the publication of many books dealing with the deterioration of our shared culture. What sets Esolen's book apart is its lively style, its author's prodigious knowledge of history, and, most of all, the way in which the subject matter is reported. For instance, Esolen actually takes you back to the classroom of a small public school on Prince Edward Island (Canada) in the year 1895 to see what the young children were learning at that time. He then contrasts that with what is being taught today and asks the reader to decide, on the evidence provided, which system of instruction better prepares young children for a happy and fulfilling life.
Using examples of this sort throughout, Esolen examines the decline in the status of human work, the decline of the family home as the primary nurturer of human life, the loss of the sense of beauty in the world, and many other aspects of what we might term a fully realised human life.
Some of his topics are surprising. For instance, he places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of physical games and "play" for children. His reflections here, immediately recalled to my mind – as it will to many older News Weekly readers – schoolyard games like "tag", "release", "cops and robbers", and many others. These games, we ought to remember, were handed down from one generation of children to the next and adults had little or no part in their transmission. They are now gone, replaced almost entirely by computer games.
Esolen writes from a Christian viewpoint and, in the main, for a Christian readership. All of his arguments are underpinned by a Christian theology. This raises an important question not directly considered by Esolen in his book, although it is implicit in his arguments. That question is simply whether any civilisation can persist over the long term without reference to a religious tradition, which, of its very nature, provides an absolute reference point for a set of moral standards. It is sobering to remind ourselves that the secular state – to which we are now so accustomed – is only a few hundred years old. There are no guarantees that it can deliver on its promises in the longer term. A fully secular morality is a very dubious enterprise and no one has better exposed its weaknesses than philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre (in After Virtue and subsequent books).
There is, I think, one shortcoming in Esolen's account. While he is able to depict our problems in a very engaging and forthright manner, his call for a return to an earlier moral and social order presupposes that we can turn back the clock. This is a doubtful proposition. In the first place, the percentage of practising Christians in the West has declined enormously in the last 50 years. If, indeed, we are to rise again "out of the ashes", in the manner he proposes, then a massive resurgence of believers will be required.
That, of course, may well happen, but the record of history suggests that, if it does happen, it will do so in some entirely unexpected manner. It will not be a simple "return" to some earlier state of affairs. And, this very uncertainty has given rise to another suggested stratagem for rescuing the West – the "Benedict Option".
This is the title of a recent and highly publicised book by another American Christian writer, Rod Dreher. In fact, the title of Dreher's book was suggested by the very last paragraph of Alasdair MacIntyre's After Virtue. Having demonstrated the inability of modern secular moral philosophies to replace what came before them, MacIntyre reminds us of those early Christian eremites who, sensing some turning point, left the decaying Roman Empire and went into the wilderness to set up their own communities.
He then ends his book with these words: If my account of our moral condition is correct, we ought also to conclude that for some time now we too have reached that turning point. What matters at this stage is the construction of local forms of community within which civility and the intellectual and moral life can be sustained through the new dark ages which are already upon us. And if the tradition of the virtues was able to survive the horrors of the last dark ages, we are not entirely without grounds for hope. This time however the barbarians are not waiting beyond the frontiers; they have already been governing us for quite some time. And it is our lack of consciousness of this that constitutes part of our predicament. We are waiting not for a Godot, but for another – doubtless very different – St Benedict."
Perhaps in the event both approaches will be necessary – an attempt to arrest the decline and turn it around and, at the same time, a strategy to survive the new Dark Age.
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NATIONAL AFFAIRS Cardinal Pell's appeal in the High Court this week
NATIONAL AFFAIRS Time and timing are crucial to Cardinal Pell's appeal by Peter Westmore
COVER STORY Beyond the Great Divide
COVER STORY Murray River full; reservoirs low; farms for sale ...
ILLICIT DRUGS Cannabis marketed to children in Colorado
COVER STORY The world has changed: Now for the new order
EDITORIAL Holden, China, covid19: Time for industry reset


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When are my bins emptied?
Bin collections will be significantly impacted by staff absence during the coronavirus epidemic. Our staff are working hard to maintain our usual services.
Please check our social media for updates on service disruptions
Your bins are emptied on alternate weeks. When there is a public holiday, the collection days will be revised. To see when your bins are emptied, use our postcode lookup:
You can also find a full year's calendar for the bin emptying schedule by visiting Find my nearest, enter your postcode into the 'Search for a location' box and select your address. Your bin collection information will be in the Waste and recycling section.
Things to remember
We always try to collect your bin at a similar time each week but now and again we may have to change our rounds. You can help us by making sure that:
- you put the right items in the right bin
- your bin is put out by 6.30am the morning of your collection day
- your bin is placed next to the kerb with the lid shut (if it is open it can affect the lifting machinery and it might not be emptied)
- any recycling that will not fit in your blue bin is put in council issued blue sacks; we will collect a maximum of two.
Occasionally, the bin collections can be affected by poor weather. For tips to try and avoid frozen bins, and other information, please read Waste collections in colder weather


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Recently, I met Beckie A. Miller online and learned that her writing career began with the need to write about loss. This week in our series on writing grief, I am sharing her first published essay, a recent humorous essay she's written, and her commentary on the development of her writing life. Beckie describes the … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: July 2010
Writing one's way through grief is a process that helps us integrate our loss into our interior life. Writing about loss, we face life without the physical presence of someone we loved dearly. Having written a memoir about the loss of my son and teaching an online class called "Writing Grief" for those who want … Continue reading
A few months ago, Writing it Real subscriber Leslie Wake suggested that she interview me about the writing of my memoir, A New Theology: Turning to Poetry in a Time of Grief. We began an email correspondence that resulted in the interview we are posting this week. I was honored to be asked to talk … Continue reading
When guest judge Anna Quinn selected Sindee Ernst's essay as our Winter No-Contest Contest winner, she wrote, "A wonderful piece. Writer uses specific sensory detail beautifully to evoke feelings of leaving one's childhood home and discovering another. Strong ending." Sindee wrote back: Thank you so much for this great news. I enjoyed working on that … Continue reading
So often as writers we know we have captured something in our drafts and have brought the work as far as we can at the moment, but sometimes we miss seeing what our writing is leading us toward. That's when we need an outside reader who can help us identify the core energy in our … Continue reading


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If there were an award for Big East coordinator of the year, Pitt's Frank Cignetti Jr. would likely have won it for the 2009 season.
In his first year guiding the Panthers offense, Cignetti developed Bill Stull into a confident decision-maker and top-flight quarterback while helping true freshman Dion Lewis become one of the nation's leading rushers. Cignetti also found a way to use Dorin Dickerson to the utmost effect at tight end while making Pitt the league's second-highest scoring team behind Cincinnati.
Now, entering his second season under Dave Wannstedt, Cignetti is looking for even better things.
"We were happy with last year but not satisfied," he said this week. "We're going to make it better. We want to go from good to great."
He will have a talented and experienced cast to work with when the Panthers open spring practice on Thursday. But there are still some question marks, beginning at quarterback. Tino Sunseri opens the spring listed atop the depth chart, with Pat Bostick behind him. But Cignetti insists it will be a healthy competition between the two to replace Stull.
Sunseri was Stull's backup last year and has long been a fan favorite.
"First of all, I like his mental makeup," Cignetti said of Sunseri. "He's competitive, he's tough, he's functionally intelligent, he expects to win. He's a very good passer who can make all the throws. He can throw the ball deep, he can throw the intermediate route. And I like his mobility -- not only can he play within the pocket, but he has good movement outside the pocket."
Bostick has won big games in his career already (at West Virginia in '07, at Notre Dame in '08) and spent last year honing his game while redshirting.
"He has made tremendous strides," Cignetti said. "When you talk about functional intelligence, he's got it. Pat can think and react as fast as anybody, and that's why probably why, in practice when I've been around, he completes so many balls. He's a decisive decision-maker and he has tremendous leadership skills and the respect of all his peers."
A good running game is the best friend of any quarterback, and Pitt has that with Lewis, who ran for a league-best 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Cignetti said he expects Ray Graham to step up and challenge Lewis this spring and that Lewis can still get better, though his numbers might not necessarily show it.
"As Dion progresses throughout his career, he'll make better run game reads, become a better pass protector and become a better receiver out of the backfield," Cignetti said.
Cignetti also has the luxury of working with receivers like the emerging Mike Shanahan and freak-of-nature Jonathan Baldwin, who could become an even bigger force this year as a junior.
"It's my job and my responsibility to make sure Jon gets his touches," Cignetti said. "He's legitimately as good a playmaker as there is in the country. We're looking forward to increasing his production."
One concern for the offense is the loss of Dickerson, who had 10 touchdown grabs last year, and his outstanding blocking tight end counterpart, Nate Byham. Cignetti said it's a big spring for Mike Cruz as he looks to step into the featured tight end role, and that there's nobody who really matches what Dickerson could do.
"Guy's like that don't come around too often at that position," he said. "[Dickerson] legitimately ran a 4.4 at the NFL combine and verticalled 43 [inches]. I just don't know how you replace that talent. But we've got to find ways to replace that production."
Pittsburgh needs to find a few answers on offense this spring. But the Panthers feel confident that they've got the right man in charge of that task.


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A local gym had a recent PR campaign where the slogan was "Commit to Something". The underlying suggestion being that in the age of options that we live in, commitment is hard to come by. There was a time in human history (prior to the ease of escape via text message) where people generally just did what they said they would do. Yes meant yes. No meant no. These days the highest level of societal commitment, marriage, often carries a somewhat common understanding that it might not work. In some cases I've even heard of couples changing vows from "until death do us part" to "until love do us part". In other words, until I don't feel like it anymore. Really? Does the power of choice ever depart from us?
I read a quote from Danny Silk recently that said "I'll try" is asking permission to be irresponsible. Confronting to say the least. We base our decisions around our values. We are the only ones in charge of our time and resources. How we behave is a manifestation of our priorities and convictions. Why have we allowed ourselves to become so… well, flaky.
Unfortunately these flaky cultural values have a way of creeping into the calling that we have as Christians to grow into maturity through discipleship. When the Apostle Paul speaks to the Hebrews in 5:11-14 he says: There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others (suggesting that all are called to disciple others). Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn't know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training (suggesting that we should be submitted to spiritual training aka discipleship) have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong." Then in speaking to the Corinthians he gives a similar rebuke: Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren't ready for anything stronger. And you still aren't ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
Interestingly, the Corinthian church had only been in existence for less than 5 years total when they received this letter. Would we be surprised to the point of rebuking someone if they had become a Christian 5 years prior and were still immature in their faith?
Could it be that Jesus is calling us to live with a set of values that conflict with our cultural norms? Could it be that the best version of humanity is not afraid of commitment at all, but embraces the opportunity to live powerful and free lives? Could what we have now come to consider "extreme or radical" just be what it means to follow Jesus? (Spoiler alert: The answer to all these questions is YES).
I used to believe that it was easier for the "strong personality types" to live with conviction until I thought about it. The entire message of the gospel is that the very ability to become like Jesus comes from the Holy Spirit anyway, not from a personality type. If Jesus came for all people then this commitment to abandon all and follow him must be equally possible for all people, not only those with assertive personalities.
A paraphrased version of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 would be: "Tell people about me, baptize them and them teach them to obey my word. I'll be with you the whole time." Proclaim, convert and then teach. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul asks the church to "follow him as he follows Christ". Practically, discipleship has two people involved. It's following Jesus as we follow someone… yes an imperfect human person who is teaching us to become like Jesus. There is a mutual commitment of both people:
The leader commits to do their best to point to Jesus and His truth always, to live by example, to love and encourage and to teach the truth of the Bible. Discipleship is the essence of living life together, not only for formal "discipleship meetings" but for everyday things. It's learning how to live life in a new and foreign culture, the Kingdom of God.
The person being led commits to keeping their heart teachable and humble and commits to the process of maturity. There's nothing wrong with asking questions or disagreeing. This isn't a relationship of control. But at the end of the day there has to be a recognition that we don't know everything and as long as we are not being led into anything immoral, unbiblical or illegal we can submit in the process of learning. God really is in charge and will make sure we are not kept from anything that he is trying to get to us. It's in this process of learning and through our submission to those is spiritual authority in our lives that we step into the purposes God has for us and obtain the ability to lead others.
So, if every believer is supposed to become mature in their faith what should we be aiming for? How do we measure maturity in our lives? What does the Bible describe as attributes of those who follow Jesus?
The Mature Christian:
We have to be careful that we don't mistake things like charisma or leadership skills for spiritual maturity. Often in a church community it's easy to do, sometimes with devastating results when true character is forced to the surface. More than likely all of us have something from this list that we could work on. Maybe it's starting to learn how to study the Bible? Maybe it's purposefully measuring the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives- a good way to do this is to vulnerably ask a few close friends to give you honest feedback (hard but invaluable). At the end of the day we are not expected to be perfect today. It's a process that God gives us the grace to walk out.
The goal here is to return to Biblical Christianity. More than ever we need to return to an authentic faith of power that demonstrates the gospel and testifies that Jesus is Lord. We don't need big churches as much as we need authentic faith and dedication. (FYI, churches were actually bigger in time periods where Christians lived this way) Does a higher standard force us to cross the line? Well yes, that's the point. Jesus never shied away from high standards. In fact He allowed many to walk away and He never lowered the bar. Watering something down only makes it confusing and ineffective. It's time to drain the complacency out of our faith.
Amen sister


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Beaming with pride
The colours of the rainbow have caught the fancy of designers the world over.
If one has to choose a colour for 2018 it would clearly be a mélange of rainbow shades because that's so haute right now. It's been a colourful ride for fashion lovers, who can't get enough of the glitter and glam sprinkled all over the runway. Internationally, brands like Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang, Karl Lagerfeld, and Gianni Versace have incorporated the pride elements in their designs and slaying the rainbow colours in many interesting styles. While in India, with the historic judgment of scrapping Section 377 of IPC, the rainbow effect on pride fashion is going to shine for long.
It was high time for India to come out of the closet, and the legal victory was just monumental, feels designer Ranna Gill. Speaking about the rainbow trend, she says, "The trend is beautiful and uniting for us all as designers. The elements are happy and are a breath of fresh air. This will give more freedom to designers to create gender flexible clothing, colour play and further freedom of expression. Although, wearing rainbow colours can be tricky but if worn the right way, it can make an impactful statement. A rainbow scarf over a white outfit or a belt in the same colours over a plain white tee and jeans, or vertical-striped comfy pants in multi-colours are a few of the many ways to work rainbow colours without looking like a clown."
Collection by Suneet Varma
While designer Samant Chauhan lauds the pride fashion movement across the world and especially in India and shows his support towards the trend. He says, "It's a beautiful trend that indicates optimism and positivity. For me, the bright colours of rainbow trend and the over-the-top glitter is actually a symbolic representation of love winning over the years of struggle and pain that the LGBTQ community faced in all these years. Wearing rainbow shades is not easy, but if you look at Paul Smith's multi-coloured stripes or Burberry's rainbow check interpretation for Fall/Winter it would come across as the most stylish trend for this season. One can wear a multi-coloured top with dull pants, or just get a rainbow coloured hemline on a plain outfit or blazer to look trendy."
While supermodel Gigi Hadid's sultry looks for Missoni's rainbow coloured knit-wear is already a hit, it's hard to forget model Cara Delevingne's iconic rainbow trench coat for Burberry's runway show this year. Designer Rina Dhaka, who was part of the rainbow finale show at the fashion week this year, feels that India has always been a great supporter of multi-coloured shades. She says, "If you look at the leheriya saris and tie-and-dye crafts or the Gujarati mirror work – you'll always find rainbow shades shinning out. We have been wearing these colours with pride since ages, and there is no stopping. If one wants to wear the rainbow colours, pair it with neutral shades or white with minimum accessories."
Not just apparel, but even in terms of accessories, the rainbow trend is quite upbeat this season. Accessory designer Akassh K Aggarwal says, "The idea is to wear the colours with confidence as these are shades of pride. One can choose how to play it up or low but mixing it with other contrasting and neutral shades." Whereas, designer Jenjum Gadi recalls his runway show with two male models walking hand-in-hand to educate people more about the LGBTQ community. He sums up this trend and says, "The best way to work rainbow trends will be it to not go overboard with it. For example, if you wear a rainbow shirt then pair it with a solid bottom. Or if you are wearing a rainbow coloured dress than keep the accessory neutral. The pride fashion is all about expression, and everyone has a right to express freely."


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The city of San Salvador de Jujuy, known as Jujuy and locally often referred to as San Salvador, is the capital city of Jujuy Province. Located in northwest of Argentina near the southern end of the Humahuaca Canyon, placed near the Andes and lies 1,240 m above sea level, where the lowland meets the wooded hills. The rivers Xibi Xibi and the Río Grande de Jujuy unite here with the next bigger city of Salta. Jujuy has a very pleasant humid subtropical climate, humid during the summers and dry and cold during the winters. Temperatures vary widely between day and night times.
Use the services like car for rent in San Salvador de Jujuy on your arrival at Gobernador Horacio Guzmán International Airport and cruise the 33 km to the city.
Rent a car in San Salvador de Jujuy and enjoy a fascinating city tour on your own. You will quickly notice that the inhabitants have a more aboriginal character than in other parts of the country, reflecting the predominant Chiriguano, Aymara and Chiriguano cultures and its people. But there are as well Hispanic reminders present as in the impressive Basilica Cathedral with is bustling square, especially during the evening hours. There are quite a few museums worthwhile visiting such as the Museo Historico Franciscano and the Archaeological Museum. The church of San Francisco de Jujuy with traditional Franciscan architecture is another 'must see' attraction; many parts in this church were built in wood such as its altar and well decorated by local craftsmen. Do visit the small market area on the south side of the Rio Xibi Xibi which gives you an idea about the local delicatessen.
Hire a car in San Salvador de Jujuy and cruise the fascinating countryside. On the way out of the city watch the locals working in the Salinas Grande or salt fields. You surely will enjoy a swim in a thermal pool, surrounded by mountains, about 20km away from the city center. A must is a visit to the most picturesque village in the Humahuaca Ravine, Purmamarca, meaning "the lion's village" in the Quechua tongue, with its famous hill of the seven colors due to the various pigments acquired in the stony walls. A good 100 km away lays the Calilegua National Park with one of the richest biodiversities in Argentina. There is a big chance to see the world's biggest flying bird, the majestic condor among over 250 other species, therefore a heavenly place for any bird lover. Other typical mammals include cougar, crab eating fox and endangered jaguar.
There is so much more to do, from driving up mountains, fly-fishing in rivers or diving into crystal clear lagoons, the list is sheer endless and therefore a 100% success is guaranteed.
05 April 2020
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06 April 2020
Heavy Rain
07 April 2020
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Nextdoor Advertising for Small Businesses
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After a week long of events and activities it's Friday finally to relax and rewind. Though , I do have one place to visit today- one of favorite spots as a reading mama-' Sharjah Book festival' at the expo centre today !inshAllah! Will keep you with me via instastories.
It was Pink October – breast cancer awarness month, hence all events were mainly based on that theme. We were invited over for scrumptious breakfast and goodies , informative doctor sessions and lovely mum meet ups. I'm kind of enjoying 'blogger mama' life! Alhamdullilah!
The highlight of the week was definitely Nayel's play date with my school friends's son- Shaan! Both are 2 weeks apart and super similar. It was such a fun play time for them as they enjoyed running around and most of all playing with kitchen pans!
This Ipad loving toddler that you see down here was the super model at mama's event. Can't wait to share some of his model posing clicks! – P.S – please don't judge me, ipad saves my life on every single event and date with his daddy. Because of those cartoons and rhymes in there, we get to spend some 'us time' and socialize a little bit 😂- I might forget my handbag now, but never ever his blue friend( the ipad☺)
A new thing that I have learnt and have started implementing: I take away every single piece of bread that is a left over on our table when we eat out. I bring it home and feed my birdies! ( so many wait for a three course meal every day! 😍😍) Otherwise it's usually dumped away by the restaurant. This helps me feel better and happy for not wasting it atleast 🙂
We visited this new beach in Dubai called La mer, and oh my god! If you're in Dubai, you have to go here! More to follow soon on my next blog! It was a beautiful evening, mummy and Nayel enjoyed so much! We ate some lemon and almond cake with hot mugs ( yes 2) of cappuccino by the beach 🏖. A must place to visit with kids as they get to run around and explore some swings nearby ❤