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Here in Houston, the temperatures have become ideal for outdoor walking (that is, when it's not raining). You can enjoy the many health benefits of fresh air, sunshine, and walking, all while reflecting on God's creation.
If you're already a walker, great! Keep it up!
If you need some motivation to start walking (farther than from the couch to the refrigerator), read this article published by Harvard Medical School. Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says that walking is "the closest thing we have to a wonder drug."
Whether you need to reduce sweet cravings, lose a few pounds before the holidays, improve joint health, boost your immune system, or just clear your head, walking is one of our best health tools!
Getting started:
1. Read "5 Surprising Benefits of Walking". Determine your "why" for walking.
2. Choose a time and place to walk: around your neighborhood, at the gym, in a park, etc. For some, it may be the simple act of walking to their mailbox and back, then to the next door neighbor's mailbox, etc. Walking can be a great time for socializing with a friend, spouse, child, or a special time of literally walking with God.
3. Decide how many days a week you will walk, and set a reminder: put it on your calendar, appointment book, smartphone app, or wherever you keep your reminders. If you have an Alexa Echo Dot, you can program it to remind you to walk. Start with a realistic, manageable goal, slowly increasing as you develop the habit.
4. Decide how long or far you will walk: minutes, miles, steps, destination, etc. It's better to start with a mini goal and build on it. Feeling successful will motivate you to continue. If you want to keep track of distance, you can download one of many apps available for smartphones, or just use a simple pedometer like this one on Amazon.
5. Have faith in the present and long-term health benefits of walking. "For we walk by faith, not be sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7.
The Autoimmune Revolution is free from Monday, November 5, through Friday, November 9. You can register and receive a free ebook to help you better understand autoimmune disease and what to do about it. Here's the link: Autoimmune Revolution registration and free ebook
Keep learning to be healthy!
Lisa Hernandez, Certified Nutritionist & Health Coach
1 Corinthians 10:31–"Whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for God's glory!"
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. It does not take the place of any medical care that you may need. Consult your health care provider about making dietary and lifestyle changes that are right for you.


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© Kari Collins
The "New Documentary Award" from the Julia Dean Photo Workshops for a long term project in 2006 was fiven to Kari Collins, for her moving multi-media presentation on the care-givers of an Alzheimer's patient. Her presentation is available here.
Florence Abel, 89, of Owebsboro, Ky., has spent the majority of her life caring for others. Suffering the final stages of Alzheimer's, Florence now depends greatly on her family and caregivers for comfort and support. This story documents her final journey; one filled with love, compassion, and strength. While her ability to care has become full circle, her strength in the final stages of her life is greatly supported by the compassion of those she once cared for, as well as the people her kind spirit has touched in the process.

subset: commoncrawl


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NB This post will remain at the head of a page for a duration, content will continue to be published below.
We can't talk about a new season of rugby league and NRL without talking about State of Origin – can the mighty maroons make it six in a row? How brilliant would that be? It would almost make up for all those defeats pre Origin – no it wouldn't.
In 1980, big Artie made State Of Origin what it is today – the best sporting contest on the Australian sporting calendar. Last year Coach Aaron from Fazzies Cougars posted a comment in response to our NEX league –
"It's like origin, it will never die."
That got me thinking of how we could introduce a State Of Origin concept into NEX. We will never recreate what the real State Of Origin gives us but with passionate Dream Team coaches in our midst, we have an opportunity to create something unique to NEX and give our best coaches something else to play for.
This will run along the same time line as the real State of Origin. Coaches are selected to represent their state based on the best overall averages at the time of the designated selection rounds. You don't have to do anything extra, we only use the official scores posted by your own Dream Team in the designated origin rounds.
The best QLD and NSW coaches in NEX will compete for State of Origin Dream Team supremacy. Coaches will play as a team, the highest average of the combined score posted by all state coaches will decide the winner of each SOO round.
For this to work we need a balance of QLD and NSW coaches. NEX State of Origin gives our coaches something else to play for and be part of a team effort to take down their archenemy across the border.
This is a trial concept, it all depends on interest from coaches as to whether the concept extends beyond one game and becomes a best of three series each year.
Basic Rules
The full set of rules will be published later in the season, well before the first NEX SOO match is played.
- A minimum of 4 coaches from each state for the concept to go a head with a maximum of 13 coaches from each state involved (the latter would be better = 26 NEX Coaches involved)
- Coaches selected across all NEX leagues based on the best average at the time of selection
- NEX SOO round/s will be played the NRL Dream Team round immediately after the real State of Origin game
- Official NRL DT scores posted by coaches with their own Dream Team in the designated rounds count – the highest average of the combined scores for each team in each round will decide the winner of the round and ultimately the series
If it gains enough interest then it will become a permanent fixture on the NEX calendar for years to come.
All I need from our coaches is to post a comment – if you are interested in taking part leave;
- Your Coach name as it appears on the NEX ladder
- Your NRL Dream Team name
- The name of the NEX league you are in
- NSW or QLD – the state you passionately support in the real State of Origin
You have until the round 4 lock out to respond. If there isn't enough interest then it wont get up.


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The knight found himself in the forest, with a weird feeling. He can't remember anything..
A Knight to Remember78% A Knight to Remember
An extensive universe on a torn Earth almost three-hundred years in the future..
Echoes: Operation Stranglehold91% Echoes: Operation Strangleh..
Guide the Knight to defeat as many enemies as she can before her life ends! Gather gold via combats, and direct her to stronger equipments, healing items, and divine deathblow techniques to defeat deadly dragons, in multiple rapid split-second decisions!
The cursor will change depends on what event you encounter, be it upgrading your weapon, armor (restores HP!) or buying items. Don't be late or you'll miss it. Triggering events requires some gol though, so be careful!
Use only your mouse for actions. Press M and S to mute the music and sfx, P to pause the game.
Welcome to Flonga Games!
All the games on our site are FREE to play and we launch new games every day.
You can play thousands of free online games including action, life, puzzle, skill and sports games. Also there are a lot of interesting tags you can browse like tower defense games, room escape games or cooking games.
Flonga Homepage | RSS: New Games | Follow Us On Twitter | Top of the page


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"We certainly recycle and force our children to recycle and we compost," says saxophonist Branford Marsalis, adding that his wife's attempts at gardening have lacked success "because the deer and rabbits and raccoons love the garden more than you do." He lives in Durham, N.C., "an environmentally conscious area. I'm trying to convince the city to invest in hydrogen cars for the fleet they drive. BMW and Hyundai make them. Right now there are no stations, but if they buy them the stations will follow. I have a hybrid, but I would love a hydrogen car."
Marsalis is featured in the premiere episode of PBS' ten-part series "Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr." in which the Harvard professor traces the ancestry of such celebrities as Kyra Sedgwick, Kevin Bacon, Geoffrey Canada, Barbara Walters, Michelle Rodriguez, Margaret Cho, Robert Downey, Jr., Maggie Gyllenhaal, Martha Stewart, Wanda Sykes, Samuel L. Jackson, John Legend and Condoleezza Rice. Marsalis' friend and fellow Louisiana jazz musician Harry Connick Jr. is also in the opening episode.
"I've always been really curious about my family," says Marsalis, who grew up in New Orleans, with lots of musicians on his mother's side. He recalls an awkward moment in school when he wasn't able to tell the class about his ancestors. "We were slaves. We didn't have that information. So it was great to find out that my family tree goes so far back," he says, happy to be able to trace his lineage on his father's side to slaves and on his mother's side to, more surprisingly, a free black woman. "I don't feel shame about that," he says of his slave ancestry. "I feel good about it because all that stuff puts me here, and I'm cool with that."
Marsalis is touring the U.S. now before heading to Europe next month.


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The Day of Great Signs of Allah's Power and Glory
By Allama Muhammad Shahid Raza (M.A)
Head Imam, The Islamic Centre, Leicester
1. Repentance of Prophet Adam (Allah's blessing be upon him) was accepted by Allah
2. The ship of Prophet Nuh (Noah) (Allah's blessing be upon him) came to rest on a mountain called Al-Judi.
3. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) (Allah's blessings be upon him) was born on this day.
4. He got the title Khalil-ullah (friend of Allah) on this day.
5. The fire in which Prophet Ibrahim (Allah's blessings be upon him) was thrown by the kingNamrud become cool and means of safety for Prophet Ibrahim, by the order of Allah.
6. Allah delivered Prophet Ayub (Job) (Allah's blessings be upon him) from distress and he was restored to prosperity.
7. By the Grace of Allah, Prophet Yunas (Jonah) (Allah's blessings be upon him), after being swallowed by a huge fish (whale) for forty days, was casted out on the shore.
8. Prophet Mussa (Moses) (Allah's blessings be upon him) got victory over Pharaoh.
9. Prophet Suleman (Solomon) (Allah's blessings be upon him) was made a king to rule over mankind, Jins, Animals and the air.
10. Prophet Idris (Enoch) (Allah's blessings be upon him) and Prophet Issa (Jesus) (Allah's blessings be upon him) were lifted up alive.
11. Imam Hussain (Allah be pleased with him), the grandson of our beloved Prophet, got martyred at Karbala in Iraq.
12. The day of resurrection and judgement will take place on this day (Ashura)
(Ghunia-Al-Talibeen & Tafseer-e-Sawi)
Things to do on Ashura Day
It is Mustahab (desirable) to practice the following on Ashura day:
- To give to charity
- To offer Naf'l (optional) prayers
- To read Surah Iklas 1000 times
- To visit rightful Ullamas (Islamic Scholars)
- To take a bath
- To be kind to orphans
- To provide food generously to family members
- To apply Surmah (Collyrium) to the eyes
- To cut nails
- To visit the sick
- To Invoke blessings (Dua)
- To commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (Allah be pleased with him)
(Fazial Al-Shahoor Wal Ayyam)
Prayers for Ashura Day
1. Perform 2 rakaats Naf'l prayer, after having a bath. In each rakaat recite Surah Fatiha once,Surah Iklas 10 times. On completion of the prayer recite Ayaat-ul-kursi once and DaroodIbrahim 9 times followed by the Ashura Day dua.
2. Perform 6 rakaats Naf'l prayer.
In each rakaat recite the following once:
- Surah Fatiha
- Surah Wa-Shams
- Surah Qadr
- Surah Zulzilah
- Surah Iklas
- Surah Falaq
- Surah Na'as
On completion of this prayer read surah Al-Kafiroon once in Sajdah and then invoke the blessings of Allah. It has been written in Ghuniya-Al-Talibeen that after performing this prayer whatever good is asked for Allah is granted.
3. Perform four rekaats Naf'l prayer
In each rekaat recite Surah Fatiha once and Surah Iklas 50 times. Allah will forgive 50 years of sins and a palace will be prepared in paradise. (Rahatul Kulub)
To Hold Meetings on Ashura Day
Holding of religious meetings during the first 10 days of Muharram, specially on Ashura day, is lawful (Ja'iz) and it caries a lot of reward.In these meetings, speeches are made about the heroic deeds and virtues of the martyrs of Karbala. These meetings crease a sense of stability, peace and endurance in the hearts and minds of Muslims. On such occasions speeches should also include stories form the lives of Khulfa-e-rashedean (Rightful Caliphs) and other As-haabs (companions).
Fatiha and Isal-e-Sawaab
Fatiha and Isal-e-Sawaab is a way of sending rewards of good deeds to the souls of our beloved Muslim realtives, friends, scholars, Saints and Prophets who are no longer with us.Fatiha and Isal-e-Sawaab is lawful (Ja'iz) and strictly in accordance with the tenets of Islam. Some people, due to their ignorance, consider Fatiha and Isal-e-Sawaab as Haraam andBida'at, but they are not right.On Ashura day, Muslims make Fatiha and Isal-e-Sawaab for the souls of Imam Hussain (Allah be pleased with him) and other martyrs of Karbala. For this purpose Muslims prepare sweet dishes, cold drinks (sharbat), fruit etc, and distribute these among relatives, friends and the poor.
Fasting on Ashura Day
Fasting on Ashura day carries a great reward. It is better to fast both 9th and 10th of Muharram. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) has said that this is the most rewarding fast next to Ramadhan. Our beloved Prophet has also said that fasting on Ashura day will compensate for one year's sin.
(Tirmidhi Sharif)
It is said that when Prophet Nuh (Allah's blessings be upon him) landed safely on mount Judi, after the flood, he along with others, including birds and animals, observed a fast on Ashuraday to thank Allah
Hazrat Hafsah (Allah be pleased with her) is reported to have said that our beloved Prophet practised the following four things without fail:
1. Fasting on Ashura day
2. Fasting during the first nine days of Zil-Hajj
3. Fasting for 3 days in every month (13th, 14th and 15th of each Islamic month)
4. Two rakaat sunnah prayer of Fajr.
(Nasai Sharif)
Hazrat Ibne Umar (Allah be pleased with him) has reported that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that fasting on Ashura day is equivalent to the reward of fasting for one year.
(Ma Ssbata Bis-Sunnah)
In the light of the above references all Muslims should observe fast on Ashura day.
Virtues of Ashura: 10th of Muharram by Mufti Abdurrahman Ibn Yusuf Mangera


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There's nothing like the hum of a well-tuned engine that greets you every time you turn your key. Frequent tune-ups keep your intricate engine components in sync and running smoothly for years of dependable performance. Check out AutoZone's high-quality maintenance tools ensure superior engine performance that's designed to last for the long haul.
Most Popular Parts
A malfunctioning engine usually occurs when a cylinder casting cracks due to pressures created by friction or temperature change. You should be able to determine symptoms of a deteriorating engine so you can avoid the hassle of replacing it with a new one.
If you see steam emanating from your engine, it's likely to be damaged due to the fact that your pipes, radiator or gasket are leaking. Another sign of motor issues is if your engine leaves behind an oil patch after being parked. If your engine overheats, you could be facing a cooling system failure, which could lead to warped metal components or a damaged engine. Also, if you notice smoke coming out of your engine, this could be a result of defective piston rings, valve problems or a poor air-fuel mixture. You can keep your vehicle's performance effortless and efficient with quality motor components from AutoZone.
Stop by your local AutoZone or shop online to find the perfect upgrades to ensure top-notch engine performance. AutoZone supplies a wide range of products that are exclusively designed for your make and model, so whether you're searching for replacement engines for Ford Ranger trucks or a Honda Civic engine, you're guaranteed to find the perfect match when you check out our extensive selection. For added convenience, utilize our Same Day Store Pickup when you order online.


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Who's Behind the E-paper FES Watch?
As it seeks to differentiate itself in a competitive market, Sony is developing watches and bow ties using electronic paper.
A Sony spokesman said the Japanese electronics giant has a project in development called "Fashion Entertainments," where it is studying how electronic paper can be used to make fashion products.
The most notable prototype the team has developed is a watch called Fes Watch, whose wristband is also based on electronic paper and changes its appearance depending on the user's gesture. The watch comes with 24 design patterns which can be selected manually.


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For my surprise, when I opened VS 2005 Express and attempted to create a new project based on that kit, I found the kit wasn't shown in the IDE's projects browser.
The template was installed under this folder:
... but still the IDE didn't notice it at all.
At first I thought it had something to do with the fact that I'm using a non-english version of the IDE and a non-english version of Vista 32-Bit (something similar to what it's commented here: see section 1.2.2), but I cannot set the "International Settings" to "English" since, in my case, everything is in Spanish.
So, what to do? After locating the "SpaceWar" Stater Kit template file, I found that both, PC and 360 versions, where installed under a folder named "XNA Game Studio 2.0".
So, I created a new folder under ".../ProjectsTemplates/Visual C#", then renamed it to "XNA Game Studio 2.0", finally moved the "Net Rumble" template file to that folder, and presto!Cheers!


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Solar Battery StorageFrequently Asked Questions
Are government incentives available for Brisbane, Gympie and Sunshine Coast solar battery storage?
What happens if there is a solar power failure?
If you have a battery storage system with EPS (Emergency Power Supply) functionality your solar battery will provide you with power after a few seconds. This should not be confused with UPS (Uninterruptible power supply) which is supplies power within milliseconds.
What is a standard installation
- Single story dwelling with a tin or tile pitched roof
- No split arrays i.e. all the solar panels are installed on the same area of roof
- No cathedral or raked ceilings
- Solar Inverter mounted inside garage or other location with 15 metres or meter box or sub-board
Glossary of terms
DEPTH OF DISCHARGE: How much energy can be taken from a battery – most lithium batteries have a depth of discharge of between 90 and 100%
EPS: Emergency power supply – most battery storage systems can supply electricity in the event of a power supply however there are limitations and it is not designed to run entire households.
GRID-CONNECTED OR GRID-TIED SYSTEM: Solar power system connected to the electric grid.
INVERTER: A unit that converts the electricity from the solar system (DC – Direct Current) to electricity that is compatible with the grid (AC – Alternating Current).
HYBRID SOLAR POWER: A solar power system that is grid-connected and has a battery
kW (KILOWATT): Unit of power equivalent to 1,000 watts.
kWh (KILOWATT HOUR): A Unit of energy equal to that produced or consumed by one kilowatt in one hour.
MONOCRYSTALLINE SILICON: Processed silicon where all the material consists of only one crystal.
MULTICRYSTALLINE SILICON: Processed silicon where the material consists of several small (typically 1–20 mm diameter) crystal grains. Sometimes also called Polycrsystalline.
mW (MEGAWATT): Unit of power equivalent to 1,000 kW.
OFF-GRID SYSTEM: Solar power system not connected to the electric grid. Normally used in areas where grid-connected electricity is unavailable or available only at a high cost.
PHOTOVOLTAICS (photo=light, voltaic=electricity): Solar cells are made of silicon. When a photon (particle of sunlight) strikes a molecule within the solar cell, an electron is knocked free. An electrical field causes this free electron to move to one side of the cell. The accumulated effect of millions of this interaction generates electricity
SOLAR CELL: Semiconductor device that creates electricity when exposed to sunlight. Normally made from silicon wafers.
SOLAR MODULE (SOLAR PANEL): Interconnected solar cells encapsulated and protected behind transparent materials that protect against humidity, air and mechanical damage. Normally solar modules are made with a glass front, a polymer back sheet and aluminium frame. The photovoltaic module, more commonly known as the solar panel or solar module, is then used as a component in a larger photovoltaic system to offer electricity for commercial and residential applications.
UPS: Uninterruptible power supply – battery storage systems are not UPS and can take up to 30 seconds to supply power in the event of a power failure.
Wp (WATT PEAK): Power from solar cells is normally measured in watts when the solar cell is exposed to a standard sunlight irradiation (1,000 W/sqm).


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Noisy but chart-friendly '60s psychedelic pop-rockers The Yardbirds sound embarrassingly tame by 2012 standards, but at the time their experimental forays into feedback, fuzz tone, distortion and a plethora of other then-radical guitar effects marked them out as the bold innovators of the pre-Hendrix era. They also churned out three of the most famous guitarists in rock and roll history, which isn't exactly a bad record of achievement. Jimmy Page went on to pioneer the crunchy proto-metal of Led Zeppelin, the most influential band of the 1970s, Eric Clapton sprung from the 'Birds to Cream to solo success with his wholesome blues-rock, while Jeff Beck, the strangest and the best, was nowhere near as successful as either but by far the most interesting.
Decades later, this video technically features all three – filmed during Beck's five night residency at London's swanky Ronnie Scott's jazz club during late 2007, it shows him tempting Clapton on stage to cover 'You Need Love' by their mutual idol Muddy Waters, statesman of the blues. Page is in the audience, the irony being that this is the number he, Robert Plant and co so blatantly ripped off for Zeppelin's much-hummed 'Whole Lotta Love'.
Witness the well-heeled clientele jerking along as Beck's strangulated whammy-bar abuse is married to Clapton's bluesman growl and singing bends. Both in their mid-60s, it's less dynamic than it once might've been – and, unavoidably, Jeff Beck resembles Jon Pertwee in a Mystic Meg wig, while Clapton looks like he's just come in from creosoting the shed on a Bank Holiday Monday – but it's got a grizzled veteran-earthiness that more than makes up for it.


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Customertimes is excited to participate in MEDICA / COMPAMED trade shows in Düsseldorf on November 12-15 and will appreciate an opportunity to meet you at your booth for a brief presentation and talk about how we can help your business to sell more.
This time, Customertimes is going to present a mobile application that gives your sales team access to interactive product presentations and your CRM data even offline, improves sales and service effectiveness, optimizes field force management, decreases sales and marketing expenses.
MEDICA / COMPARED are the world's largest events for the medical sector focused exclusively on the medical equipment market and is designed to provide you with high quality and effective, sales, marketing, educational and networking opportunities.
The event will attract more than 4500 exhibitors and healthcare professionals, more than 135,000 people attend form 110+ countries to see the world's leading healthcare suppliers, manufacturers and service providers.
Submit the form and we'll get you on our list and reach out to you to schedule a meeting.
See more at: http://www.medica-tradefair.com← all news


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Join Our Network
Welcome to The Breathe Network!
Thank you for considering joining our national community of practitioners who are dedicated to supporting integrated healing for survivors of sexual violence. Please read below to learn more about how The Breathe Network functions, the application process, membership fees and the way in which we share the resources found on our website with survivors, rape crisis centers, therapists, social services agencies, and more! We are thrilled that you would like to join our network!
Individual Practitioners Apply Now! Organizations & Groups Apply Now!
Why Should I/My Organization Join The Breathe Network?
The Breathe Network is a resource for survivors of sexual violence as well as local, state and national anti-sexual assault coalitions to use as they seek out healing modalities that will support individuals in transcending the trauma of sexual violence. Survivors, and those organizations who serve this population, can search our website for healers in their community – by location and by modality – and then initiate contact with the service provider to arrange an appointment, inquire for more information about the treatment and address other questions and concerns.
There is no referral fee when a survivor elects to work with a practitioner from our website, however there is a one-time joining fee of $150 for individuals/$300 for organizations, as well as an annual membership fee of $100 for individuals/$150 for organizations. The joining fee is not due until your application has been processed and the annual membership fee is required before December 31st of the calendar year. Please note that sliding-scale options are available upon request and we will do our best to accommodate your budget.
We promote our organization through online marketing, interviews, events and trainings, and our extensive Breathe Blog which explores the nuances of sexual violence and healing. We engage with various social media outlets, spread awareness about our mission via partnerships with universities and rape crisis centers, as well we present at local and national conferences addressing issues connected to sexual violence and trauma resilience. In addition, at a community-based level, we reach out to local health and wellness organizations to invite their collaboration and offer trainings designed to meet the unique needs of their existing programs. We are intentional in building our network of practitioners and partner organizations in a sustainable and thoughtful way that upholds quality of services, accessibility and alignment with our mission.
Our thorough application process allows us to ensure that we offer safe healing modalities with highly trained practitioners who have an established practice working in their modality with survivors of sexual violence and/or trauma. If our team does not feel that your application meets our minimum requirements at this time, we will do our best to direct you towards education and training opportunities that will better prepare you for joining our organization in the future. We utilize your application responses to develop your practitioner/organization page which gives individuals searching our website a unique and important opportunity to learn about a diverse range of holistic healing techniques and to gain a clear sense of the practitioners' training and experience, their approach to trauma-informed care, as well as their overall philosophy on healing and resilience.
Our hope is that The Breathe Network serves as a catalyst to promote options for integrated healing for sexual violence survivors at any stage in their healing process – it is never too late. As well, we believe our network provides a powerful opportunity for you as a healer to intentionally connect with survivors who may (re)discover the priceless gift of their own embodiment through their work with you. We invite you to share information about The Breathe Network with your peers, friends and experienced colleagues who may be seeking to expand their clientele, as well as with survivors who are exploring new resources for healing – and please, do not hesitate to contact me directly at email@example.com.
Thank you for your interest in joining The Breathe Network!
Molly Boeder Harris, Founder & Executive Director
Individual Practitioners Apply Now! Organizations & Groups Apply Now!


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China is likely to produce 400,000 mt, in metal content, of high-grade nickel pig iron (NPI) within this year, we?expects.?
Domestic production of high-grade NPI picked up?after nationwide environmental reviews from May to June. Output is likely to rise 10% from July to 32,800 mt in nickel content this month, according to an preliminary estimate. Resumed operations in Inner Mongolia and Jiangsu province accounted for the increase.
In September, NPI plants in Guangdong province are expected to return to operations after their solid waste disposal systems are upgraded, and this will bolster domestic production?to 35,000 mt in metal content, we?estimates.
However, some plants in Inner Mongolia that failed to pass environmental checks in the previous round of review could be shut?permanently by the end of October. Currently, they are producing?to deplete in-plant stocks of raw materials.
Market participants should monitor?the commissioning of new capacity at?Shandong Xinhai, China's largest producer of high-grade NPI. The company plans to expand annual capacity by 60,000 mt in nickel content, with eight more submerged arc furnaces of 48,000KVA.
We expects six submerged arc furnaces to be commissioned after October, within this year, bringing the company's overall annual capacity to 165,000 mt in nickel content by the end of 2018. The remaining two furnaces are set to commission at the start of 2019.
Source: SMM


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Hello Partners!
Curious how to find likeminded partners with whom you can collaborate? Looking to strengthen your relationship with Microsoft? Want to build your network and your business simultaneously?
Our wide variety of partner communities can help you accomplish all of the above goals and strengthen the overall value of your partnership with Microsoft.
The IAMCP is the largest partner network outside of the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) itself. For 20 years, the IAMCP has focused on expanding connections among Microsoft and our partners in order to develop strong relationships and improve partner businesses. The nonprofit partner organization also helps partners learn to navigate the Microsoft partner ecosystem more efficiently by providing access to partners and Microsoft employees around the world eager to connect with one another to share learnings and best practices.
With roughly 90 chapters around the world and 3,600 individual members, the IAMCP provides an opportunity to get involved locally and build connections on a global scale. In the words of IAMCP member David Gersten of Bond Consulting Services, "Being part of the IAMCP has made us visible on the Microsoft radar." David's company now receives leads and funding that would not have been possible without their IAMCP membership—and David also credits the IAMCP for helping him learn about being a Microsoft partner. IAMCP member Ro Kolakowski of 6th Street Consulting agrees, saying, "When we first started with the IAMCP, we knew very little of how to actually work with Microsoft, and this has been able to really open our eyes and see how the Microsoft ecosystem works; it has taught us how to work with other partners, and has really increased our relationship with Microsoft." IAMCP members most often use the word "incredible" to describe the value of the community because of the unique networking, learning and partnering opportunities it provides. To learn more and join the IAMCP, visit their website.
IAMCP Women In Technology (WIT) is a community within the IAMCP network that provides women in the Microsoft ecosystem with mutual support in achieving personal and professional goals. IAMCP WIT has multiple thriving communities globally focused on building professional and technical skills, attracting and retaining women in information technology careers, and giving back to the community. Please email firstname.lastname@example.com if you're interested in getting involved.
The IAMCP and IAMCP WIT meet annually at WPC to celebrate the past year's accomplishments, build in-person relationships, plan for the year to come, and connect with the broad Microsoft partner ecosystem.
The IAMCP may be the largest partner community outside of MPN, but it's certainly not the only one. Get involved with SMB partners, Voices for Innovation, and other partner groups via WPC Connect. Start conversations in groups related to your interests, find partners relevant to you, and connect with Microsoft employees. Then, solidify these relationships at WPC, where you can put ideas into practice.
WPC 2015 takes place July 12-16 in Orlando, Florida. Register today to secure your spot and commit to growing your place in the Microsoft partner community.


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He said my comments got under his skin:
"In the bits Virgilio is quoting, he's talking about human experience and saying that the most fundamental problem isn't that our experience (the Symbolic) "can't reach" the Real, it's that the Symbolic can't reach itself — it is inherently incomplete, which is precisely the point where itdoes reach the Real. This doesn't mean that the Symbolic "creates" the Real or (even stupider) that language comes first and the external world is a consequence of its incompleteness."
Out of respect for his blog I decided not to comment further. But I think I deserve to counter his views on my particular view of Zizek which I think he misunderstood. The bits he is referring are the following comments I made:
"In his lecture held at Bonn University, he emphasized the following (Bonn has compiled reading materials from its Summer School Program this year; the title of Zizek's essay is "How to break out of correlationism"):
"The Real is the point at which the external opposition between the symbolic order and reality is immanent to the symbolic itself, mutilating it from within: It is the non-All of the symbolic. There is a Real not because the symbolic cannot grasp the external real, but because the symbolic cannot fully become itself" (pagination not available).
I take his words to be consistent with his Lacanian orientation. Zizek, at some point in the transcribed lecture, has additional words to spare:
"[Why] this constitutive withdrawal from reality of a part of the Real? Precisely because the subject is part of reality, because it emerges out of it….We can also see in what way two lacks overlap in this impossible object (the Real): the constitutive lack of the subject (what the subject has to lose in order to emerge as the subject…) and the lack in the Other itself (what has to be excluded from reality so that reality can appear)…. So the Real is not some kind of primordial Being which is lost with the opposition of subject and object (as Hölderlin put it in his famous Ur-Fragment of German Idealism); the Real is, on the contrary, a product (of the overlapping two lacks)… (pagination not available).
As to the Hegelian connection of this notion of the Real (which Zizek broadly exhibits in Less Than Nothing), Jean Hyppolite can help us draw the connection regarding its relation to the opposition between being and nothing: "That is due to the fact that it is the self that has posited itself as being and that this positing is not tenable; it engenders a dialectic. The self is absolute negativity and this negativity shows through in its positing itself as being. If the self is being, that is because being as such negates itself, and if being is the self that is because it is in-itself this negation of itself" (Jean Hyppolite, Genesis and Structure of Hegel's Phenomenology, trans. Samuel Chernak and John Heckman [Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press, 1974], 590).
This 'being' is the active subject, or simply the subject. And I humbly think this is the resting point of the Real for Zizek whose Hegelianism is no longer news."
For some reasons I decided not to include a follow-up thread before Kotsko made his last comment, which runs as follows:
I think Laruelle is more to the point when he states that the Real is the Man-in-Man (contrary to Žižek's subject-in-Real, or Man-in-Real): the in-Man being the product of the doubling of Man's self-objectification of the Real in which the doubling proceeds from Man to the Real whose foreclosure deflects the objectification.
Now to Kotsko's points regarding my view.
First, it was Zizek's views not mine. Kotsko seems to attribute to my view the proposition "the Symbolic "creates" the Real or (even stupider) that language comes first and the external world is a consequence of its incompleteness." Where did he get this attribution? Precisely where we can locate Zizek saying "There is a Real not because the symbolic cannot grasp the external real, but because the symbolic cannot fully become itself." But why attribute it to me? Earlier in the discussions I made the following comments:
"…But if only for a fully symbolic leap we can properly make the necessary leap to infinity or absolute knowledge relative to what can be temporally ex-posed as knowable by the Universe that as Real unilaterizes objective reality by affecting it through the throw of the dice. One simply has to radicalize or accentuate the full symbolic or speculative direction of thinking.
Rather than the principle of sufficient reason inscribed by the correlation of subject and object (in Žižek, always from the standpoint of an incomplete subject, yet a subject in the last instance that must decide to be a subject vis-a-vis the Real) Meillasoux's contingency or unreason allows what 'is' to be what it is. The very contingency of the Real allows the subject to either objectify the Real or negate the autonomous persistence of the Real ala Žižek. The 'symbolic failure' of the symbolic order only comes later, as a unilateral excess of the Real. The subject has never been in the Real contra Žižek."
(NB: Before I laid out those views I issued an apology for gatecrashing). But, in fairness to Adam, his post on "Zizek on Meillasoux" is a careful analysis of Zizek's views on After Finitude and its many controversial claims. I admire Kotsko. His book Zizek and Theology has been of valuable help to me as I am working, among others, on philosophy of religion. Meillasoux is not only a controversial thinker but full of ambivalence. His ambivalence nonetheless challenges us to rethink our philosophical ways. And we are grateful Zizek has handed out his initial verdict which will continue to provoke discussions in the academe and the para-academic.
See itself.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/zizek-on-meillassoux/ for your fair assessment of the discussions.
Btw, happy holidays to everyone!


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- Justice is distorted, and our economy is held back, by irresponsible class actions and frivolous asbestos claims -- and I urge Congress to pass legal reforms this year.
... I wonder if he was thinking of cases like this:
- The Halliburton Co. will pay $30 million to about 120 families of people who were exposed to deadly asbestos while working in shipyards, construction sites and industrial plants in the Pacific Northwest or serving on Navy ships that were serviced here.
The amount, announced yesterday in Seattle, is part of a recent $4.3 billion national settlement to wrap up the Houston-based oil-services giant's liabilities for people who are ailing, have died -- or will die in the coming years -- because of asbestos exposure.
... Halliburton inherited a flood of asbestos and silica claims when it acquired Dresser Industries Inc. in 1998, during Dick Cheney's tenure at the helm of Halliburton before he became vice president. Most of the claims had been filed against Harbison-Walker Refractories Co., a Pittsburgh-based subsidiary of Dresser.
"Halliburton is pleased to have the matter of asbestos and silica litigation fully and finally resolved," company spokeswoman Beverly Scippa said yesterday. "The settlement will provide a permanent resolution to a difficult and complicated problem."
Nah. I'm sure instead he was thinking of "frivolous" cases like this one in Montana:
- Asbestos from a now-closed vermiculite mine on a mountain near Libby has killed 192 people and left at least 375 with fatal diseases. Doctors say the people of Libby will keep dying for decades.
This was the case, you'll recall, that put W.R. Grace out of business:
- Saying it can't handle the flood of asbestos personal-injury lawsuits, W.R. Grace & Co. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Because of the filing, taxpayers may get stuck with millions of dollars for cleaning up sites contaminated by the 150-year-old company.
... "This doesn't come as a surprise. We've known that Grace was going to use the legal system to get out of its responsibility to the hundreds of people their actions have sickened or killed in Libby," says Gayla Benefield, whose parents both died from exposure to asbestos contaminating the ore at Grace's nearby vermiculite mine.
"There are hundreds of people in Libby who are relying on Grace's promise to pay their medical bills for treatment of the diseases caused by the asbestos and they have no idea what (the bankruptcy) will mean to their future," Benefield said.
Yep, those lawsuits sound pretty damned frivolous to me.


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Couples wishing to celebrate a honeymoon or anniversary, or just enjoy a vacation together, can find romance in Key West, Florida. This island community's charm and scenery includes a variety of activities, dining options and places for relaxation. Full-scale resorts can take care of all of the details so guests can focus on having a worry-free vacation.
Couples Activities
For a romantic afternoon, the Key West Lighthouse can be a beautiful backdrop. Climb the 88-step stairway in the 150-year-old building for ocean views. The lighthouse and adjacent keepers' quarters have been fully renovated and now also house a museum as well. The Key West Lighthouse is located at 938 Whitehead Street.
For couples wishing to take in the town and all that it is has to offer, Duval Street is a great place to start. Locals and guests converge to take in the sites here, such as great people-watching, art galleries featuring artists Wyland and Thomas Kinkade, and hotels. Food options are plentiful, ranging from pizza to sushi, and shopping comes in the form of name brands like Express and Banana Republic to souvenir shops.
For a relaxing day at the beach, Smathers Beach offers two miles of sand. Set on the southern shore of Key West, Smathers has sand imported from the Bahamas, chairs, snacks, volleyball and beach craft rentals. Couples can take a leisurely stroll along the water and picnic under the palm trees. Smathers Beach is on South Roosevelt Boulevard.
Romantic Dining Options
For a couples vacation in Key West, the Grand Cafe Key West can provide a romantic meal. Housed in a Victorian mansion, this family-owned establishment features lunch and dinner. Meals are served in the house, the garden or on the wraparound porch. Shrimp, blackened mahi, snapper and veal are served, along with wine and martinis. The Grand Cafe Key West is at 314 Duval Street.
Nine One Five Bistro is set in a 1906 Victorian home. This restaurant has a sophisticated feel and couples can dine on Florida lobster, Vietnamese chicken rolls, baked vegetarian crepe, creme brulee and chocolate truffle cake. Upstairs is Point 5, Nine One Five's wine lounge. Visit Nine One Five and Point 5 at 915 Duval Street.
Where to Stay
The Hyatt Key West Resort and Spa offers a bar and grill, seafood restaurant, and room service. The hotel staff can help guests set up romantic outings such as a sunset sail or a spa package. For an added touch, the Amour package gives couples breakfast, rose petals, truffles, candles, beverages and also includes a late checkout. The Hyatt is located at 601 Front Street.
At the Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel guests can enjoy views of their private beach, seven acres of land and a pool on the waterfront. They offer a tavern, restaurants and poolside dining. Staff at the Marriott can reserve scuba adventures, sailing, kayaking, hiking tours, and a free shuttle to downtown. With the Romance Honeymoon Package those celebrating their honeymoon or even a couples retreat can enjoy rooms facing the Gulf, chocolate-covered strawberries, champagne and a couple's massage. Rooms include spa tubs, gourmet kitchens and balconies. The Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel is located at 3841 North Roosevelt Boulevard.


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Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2009
- Messages
- 31,062
Taoiseach's family links to candidate are revealed - Independent.ie
At a maximum? Kenny's admitting he engaged in cronyism. People have gone for far less.
So Kenny admits he helped a family friend get a role in an industry they've no experience in so they can get a political appointment. Takes responsibility, but won't actually DO ANYTHING. This is really bad stuff. At a minimum McNulty needs to be gone and the position he was appointed to awarded through a fair and transparent process.Mr McNulty is a family friend of a number of Mr Kenny's relatives living in the Kilcar and Carrick areas of Donegal.
And members of the Taoiseach's family played a central role in the businessman's election campaign during his failed attempt to secure a council seat earlier this year.
Mr Kenny said he took full responsibility and the blame for the controversy surrounding the nomination of Mr McNulty for the Seanad. Mr Kenny said he regretted what had happened, which was of his own making but would never happen again.
"I wouldn't say it was my finest hour and I take responsibility," he said.
Seeking to take the pressure off Arts Minister Heather Humphreys, Mr Kenny said she was not in any way to blame for what happened.
At a maximum? Kenny's admitting he engaged in cronyism. People have gone for far less.


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Travel with your Member of Parliament, Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs & MP for Aljunied GRC at this year's Harmony Trail to Hatyai/Penang/Malacca!
Date: 7 June 2010 to 12 June 2010 (6D5N)
Departure by Tiger Airways (SIN to Hatyai)
Tour Fare: S$570 per person (Twin Sharing) | S$493 per child (without bed)
Limited Vacancy based on first-come-first-served basis!
Registration can be made at Eunos Community Club (Tel: 6448 6971)
Filed under: Constituency Activities | Tagged: Eunos Harmony Trail | Leave a comment »


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Traymoor Ltd was established in 1991, and since then it has become the premium catering meat supplier to London and the East Anglia region.
High quality meat, poultry and game products to Hotels & Restaurants, Schools & Colleges, Care Homes & Catering Companies throughout Essex, London and throughout East Anglia
We only source the highest quality produce from approved suppliers with full product traceability. Proud members of the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society and the Scotch Beef Club.
Health & Safety compliance and environmentally friendly practice are key to our product delivery. All our staff have taken food hygiene training. EC regulated cutting plant. We are fully SALSA accredited.


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In the three decades since the Napa Valley began its steep ascent to international wine stardom, California's best known appellation seems at times to have become a cliché, with its increasingly opulent wineries, as-seen-on-TV chefs and spectacular restaurants. At worst, it's a boozy adult Disneyland, complete with rides (the Wine Train) and lines (Highway 29 traffic). At best, the valley is undulating hills, crisscrossed by vines and awash in wildflowers — a stunningly beautiful landscape studded with small towns. Excellent wine is everywhere, including downtown Napa, where 20 wine bars and tasting rooms have opened in the last decade. The proliferation of new places to taste wine has reversed what was once the norm in Napa: the inevitable hustle to get into a handful of respected wineries. Now there is more time to indulge in other sensory pleasures.
4 p.m.
For an immersion in Napa's decadent food culture, start at the 40,000-square-foot Oxbow Public Market (610 and 644 First Street, Napa; 707-226-6529; oxbowpublicmarket.com). Try the Sweetwater oysters on the half shell (from $15 for six) at Hog Island Oyster Bar (707-251-8113; hogislandoysters.com). Then order a scoop of the organic cardamom or lemon cookie ice cream at Three Twins (707-257-8946; threetwinsicecream.com) or pick up one of Kara's Cupcakes (707-258-2253; karascupcakes.com), in flavors like sweet s'mores and peanut butter milk-chocolate ganache. Then follow First Street over the bridge into downtown, where shops are buzzing.
6 p.m.
Drive north to Yountville, a tiny town where you can sit beside a wood-burning fireplace on the terrazzo at Bottega Ristorante (6525 Washington Street, Yountville; 707-945-1050; botteganapavalley.com), which the chef Michael Chiarello opened in 2008. Try the Polenta Under Glass, with caramelized mushrooms and balsamic game sauce ($12), and the Lamb & Egg (lamb sausage, peperonata, crispy soft-boiled egg, red endive and smoked olive-oil-poached mushrooms; $15). Another option is the remodeled Restaurant at Meadowood (900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena; 707-967-1205; therestaurantatmeadowood.com), which may have California's priciest tasting menu (from $500 with wine). Besides the French Laundry, it's the only restaurant in the Bay Area with three Michelin stars.
9 p.m.
When the tasting rooms close, tourists and young Valley dwellers compete for tables at Carpe Diem Wine Bar (1001 Second Street, Napa; 707-224-0800; carpediemwinebar.com). Housed in the former Alexandria Hotel, the bar serves 63 wines by the glass, from small production wines to the $85-a-half-bottle Krug Grand Cuvée Champagne. Reserve a seat at the Uptown Theater (1350 Third Street, Napa; 707-259-0123; uptowntheatrenapa.com), an Art Deco movie palace with acts like Ani DiFranco and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
9 a.m.
For exceptional oversize English muffins, start your Saturday at Model Bakery (644 First Street, Building B, Napa; 707-259-1128; themodelbakery.com), a 100-year-old Napa Valley institution. Pick up a batard of bacon bread or a Northern California-style sourdough, and head next door to the Fatted Calf charcuterie shop (644 C First Street, Napa; 707-256-3684; fattedcalf.com), where you can buy salumis (from the herbaceous air-dried salami Petit Sec aux Herbes to Spanish-style chorizo), pâtés and confits for picnicking among the vines and mustard blossoms.
10 a.m.
Drive into the Carneros hills to di Rosa (5200 Sonoma Highway, Napa; 707-226-5991; dirosaart.org), the former estate of Rene di Rosa, the founder of Winery Lake vineyards and an eccentric collector who devoted himself to the work of Northern California's emerging artists. The 200-acre property has peacocks, sculpture-covered hillsides and a lake. The Gatehouse Gallery features rotating exhibitions (a recent show included art cars and sound installations) and is open to drop-ins. But to fully experience di Rosa's vision, arrange a tour (two hours, $15) of the permanent collection, the sculpture meadow and the di Rosa house, where nearly every surface is covered with art and mementos.
In an area known for its ostentatious dining rooms, try a food truck pit stop instead. Options include the wood oven mozzarella chicken sandwich with spicy bacon at Crossroad Chicken (call for location; 707-280-3868; crossroadchix.com), the Oooh Girl Fried Chicken slider at Mark's the Spot Truck (500 First Street, Napa; 707-226-7768; marksthespottruck.com) and the classic taco truck La Esperanza (Soscol Avenue at Vallejo, Napa; 707-246-4908).
Napa Valley, Beyond the Vines
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2:30 p.m.
The Culinary Institute of America has turned out some of the country's best-known chefs — from Grant Achatz to Anthony Bourdain to Roy Choi. For those without $97,000 to devote to a culinary education, the C.I.A. campus in the 1888 Greystone Cellars building in St. Helena (2555 Main Street; 707-967-2320) offers weekend two-hour classes on the New Spanish Table and regional Italian cooking ($95; www.ciachef.edu/enthusiasts). There are also one-hour demonstrations (at 1:30 p.m.; $20) and 30-minute tours ($10), which visit the Corkscrew Museum and herb garden.
3:45 p.m.
While in St. Helena, stop at the St. Helena Olive Oil Company (1351 Main Street, St. Helena; 800-939-9880; sholiveoil.com) to sample another prized local liquid. Housed in the former Bank of Italy, the shop sells extra-virgin oils from seven Napa estates, six more from greater California and a collection of flavored oils (jalapeño, orange) and wine vinegars. The bank's vault has been converted to a private tasting room, offering extra-virgin tastings and oil-food pairings ($25 to $50 a person). Then, hike the River to Ridge Trail (ridgetrail.org), which connects the Kennedy Memorial Park on the Napa River with the Skyline Wilderness Park, two and a half miles inland.
7 p.m.
The first West Coast restaurant in the Masaharu Morimoto (a k a the Iron Chef) empire, Morimoto Napa (610 Main Street, Napa; 707-252-1600; morimotonapa.com) opened on Napa's riverfront in 2010. It brought high design (midcentury modern furniture, exposed concrete) and urban energy (a bustling bar, blasting techno) to the city's tame downtown. The East-meets-West menu includes foie gras chawan mushi ($19), sea urchin carbonara ($20) and beautifully sculptured sushi and sashimi. The omakase tasting menu (from $120 per person) is a splurge, while the chirashi bowl (sushi rice topped with fish and vegetables; $32) gives a glimpse of Morimoto's craft without the painful price tag.
10 p.m.
After the kitchen closes on Saturday nights, tables and chairs are cleared, and the dining room at Bistro Sabor (1126 First Street, Napa; 707-252-0555; bistrosabor.com), an ever popular Latin American restaurant, turns into a dance floor. While the owner-winemaker Ariel Ceja gives lessons, locals and out-of-towners dance to salsa, bacchata, merengue, cumbia and reggaeton — until after midnight. No cover.
10 a.m.
Last year, the couple behind Clif Bar opened Velo Vino (709 Main Street, St. Helena; 707-968-0625; velovinonapavalley.com), a hybrid coffeehouse, wine tasting room and bike shop that arranges bicycle rentals and sells energy bars and some very drinkable wine (sold in a 1.5 liter pouch; $17). Though the Napa Valley Vine Trail project (vinetrail.org), a 44-mile paved bike path that's to stretch from the Vallejo ferry station to Calistoga, has yet to be fully realized, part of the project has already been completed in Yountville, where it runs parallel to Highway 29.
12:30 p.m.
At the north end of the valley, Solbar (755 Silverado Trail, Calistoga; 707-226-0850; solagecalistoga.com/dining), a barnlike restaurant at the five-year-old Solage Calistoga resort, serves colorful, flower-topped California salads. But the real knockout here is the Lucky Pig ($36), a slow-roasted shoulder of Hampshire pork, served with black sesame crepes, pickled pineapple, Mongolian peanuts and lettuce cups (meant to be shared). Along with the Napa-requisite multipage wine list, Solbar offers exquisite cocktails like the sage canyon flip (Charbay white whiskey, pear purée, lemon, house orgeat syrup, egg white sage; $13). Vegetables and herbs are grown in a garden out back.
Opened in 2009, Bardessono (6526 Yount Street, Yountville; 707-204-6000; bardessono.com; from $800) is the first Platinum LEED certified hotel in California. A free Friday afternoon wine tasting and Saturday morning yoga session are included ($8 for nonguests).
For the unrepentant urbanite, another newcomer, AVIA Napa (1450 First Street, Napa; 707-224-3900; avianapa.hyatt.com; from $289), has 141 rooms in downtown Napa and a fire pit on the terrace.


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In 2010, I underwent a rather intense paradigm shift. For those who do not know what a "paradigm shift" is, it is a change in the way you approach a given situation or the assumptions you may have had. Basically, a change of thought.
As a Christian, I believed that the ancient Scriptures contained in the Bible are the way to know the "gospel" – the good news that Jesus came to take away sin and death. I believe that Jesus Christ was Lord and Savior. I also took serious the teachings which Jesus taught His disciples about the "end times". I was taught the Christian view that the end times were soon. Jesus Christ could come any day, I didn't agree with what was called the "pretribulation rapture", but instead believed that everyone would be caught up with the Lord at the Second Coming. I believed that we were living in the end times and should take that serious. If people were going to live in a world of "great tribulation"- what were we doing to prepare? Wouldn't that be the most loving thing? I could not understand why people didn't seem to take serious what the "end times" would be about. I desired to see sinners repent and put their faith in Christ so they could enjoy eternal life both here and in the afterlife as well as urge people to take the teachings of Jesus Christ very seriously.
It was in the midst of this passionate following of Jesus Christ and seeking to "study to show myself approved ()" that I underwent the "paradigm shift". I was challenged with a historical approach to properly understanding the "literary genre", the original audience, and the context of the story contained within the Bible. However, I resisted and argued because as Maimonides once said, "…. those opinions of a man to which he has been accustomed to from his youth, he likes them, defends them, and shuns the opposite view".
I'll never forget the day that Pastor Alan Bondar of New Covenant Eyes Church met with me for lunch and told me that he believed that the "coming of the Lord", what many refer to as the 'Second Coming' already happened. It seemed like a joke. Who believes that?!?!?! I wanted to prove this wrong and "defend the faith", just as I had done with atheists, Jehovah Witnesses, and others who argued against the truth of God. The more I studied, seeking to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21), and show why I believed what I believed and that being what Scripture is about I began to realize how true the following statement by J.I. Packer really was:
"We do not start our Christian lives by working out our faith for ourselves; it is mediated to us by Christian tradition. In the forms of sermons, books, and established patterns of church life and fellowship. We read our Bibles in light of what we have learned from these sources; we approach Scripture with minds already formed by the mass of accepted opinions and viewpoints with which we have come into contact, in both the Church and the world…It is easy to be unaware that it has molded us. But we are forbidden to become enslaved to human tradition, either secular or Christian, whether it be "catholic" tradition, "critical" tradition, or "ecumenical" tradition. We may never assume the complete rightness of our own established ways of thought and practice and excuse ourselves the duty of testing and reforming them by Scriptures" (quoted from Fundamentalism and the Word of God).
Pastor Alan Bondar's belief in "preterism" surely seemed laughable because of what I believed, but even so, I did the Biblically correct, least lazy, and 'intellectually honest" thing to do- sought to prove it wrong by using Scripture.
It was then through actually reading the writings contained in the Bible in their context and allowing them to say what they said to who they were written (without putting myself as the primary audience) that I realized this view "Full Preterism" had some merit to it. I began looking around to see what others said about this "preterist" stuff. To my surprise, many popular teachers within Christianity believed in some parts of Preterism- what they call "Partial Preterism" but called "Full Preterism" heresy. I wanted to figure out why and prove this to Pastor Bondar.
I remember when Pastor Bondar first asked me, "Mike, what do you believe happens when you die?" I began to explain how the dead go into the grave, and then at the coming of the Lord they will be raised in the twinkling of an eye (1 Thessalonians chapter 4 & 1 Corinthians 15 seem to speak of this). Pastor Bondar explained this was called "soul sleep" and would have been foreign to the Jewish mindset and their view on Sheol/ Hades. I did my research and sure enough Pastor Bondar was right. This peaked my interest.
Reading through Matthew chapters 23-24 realizing that Jesus was giving His actual disciples answers to the questions they were asking. He was telling them about the soon coming destruction of the Temple and the "end of the age" (age does not mean world, instead it means the end to a period of time). Sure enough, reading the things Jesus spoke about in Matthew chapters 23-24 in light of the historical account that Apostles do in the New Testament (gospel being preached to the whole world- Romans 1:8, Romans 16:19, Colossians 1:6, 23 ; persecution – a read through the book of Acts will serve well, not to mention 2 Thessalonians chapter 1; false teachers – again are seen throughout the New Testament however read 1 Timothy 1:3-6, 2 John chapter 1, for some insight; and the 1st century Jewish historian Josephus' written accounts of the Jewish-Roman War.
After hearing Pastor Bondar explain that he believed the resurrection of the dead already occurred I knew I had him pinned as a "false teacher". I approached him with 2 Timothy, and how the early church was warned to stay away from those who were saying the resurrection had already occurred. The first point Alan made was – if the resurrection of the dead was understood to be biological corpses coming out of the graves – how in the name of reason could people convince others that this had occurred and they had missed it? I had to admit that was a rather good point. Alan also pointed out that in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1, there were some who believed the "coming of the Lord" already occurred. It forced me to face the fact that the physical sighting of Jesus Christ that I demanded must happen in the future was an error. Actually stood in direct contrast to some of the things Jesus Himself said in John chapter 14.
Pastor Bondar then explained how what we read in the New Testament is referring back to things in the Old Testament. Jesus made it very clear He came to fulfill the Law (the Old Covenant/ Testament). It was His blood that was establishing the New. The Apostle Paul was emphatic about the fact that the gospel he preached was the hope of the forefathers of Israel, "the hope of Israel", which was detailed in the Law and the Prophets (Acts 24:13-16; Acts 26:22; Acts 28:20). It is vital that we understand what the Old Testament before trying to understand or interpret the New Testament.
A major aspect of the Old Testament is the use of "prophetic language'. The Hebrew Metaphors and idoms that are used throughout the Old Testament are foreign to our common thought. Imagine trying to explain to an ancient Hebrew the expressing "It's raining cats and dogs". This would be just as confusing as them trying to explain how they used language such as "hearts melting" (Isaiah 13:7) and the sun turning black (Joel 2:21; Matthew 24:29) to depict the coming war with a foreign nation. I remember as I sought to understand how the 'original audience' would have understood these phrases, it caused me to change the way I understood writings in the New Testament. For example, if throughout the Old Testament the prophets used phrases such as "coming of the Lord" to speak about invading armies- why would we interpret Jesus' words any different? Why all of a sudden to Jesus' words mean literal cosmic events and a literal Jewish man coming out of the sky? Where do we get this understanding?
After understanding the use of the language, I then was able to pay attention to what are called "time statements" in Scripture. In speaking about the "end of the age" or the "coming of the Lord", Jesus' seemingly gave time frames when these things would happen. Obviously, the "end of the world" had not happened yet because I was living in it and there is no historical record of a man coming out of the sky. However, when the "prophetic language" is properly understood we realize the Scriptures speak of the "end of the age", which was the "present evil age" the 1st century Jews were living in which would change at the "coming of the Lord" (again, I point out that this was a term depicting judgment of God that would come through foreign armies. An in-depth study of the following passages proves this point: Genesis 18:21; Exodus 3:8; Isaiah 19:1; Isaiah 64:3; Matthew 24; Luke 21; 2 Thessalonians 1-2, and so many more!
I knew that embracing the truth as I was seeing it, through a view called Full Preterism, was quite controversial and stood in contrast to the 'traditional thinking' most Christians utilize. However, I came to a point where I had to choose from what the Bible teaches in context or the comfort of tradition. This is what men of God like John Wycliffe and Martin Luther had to deal with. If these men where not 'intellectually honest' and had the courage to challenge the 'status quo', we would hardly have the Christianity we know of today.
By understanding the historical and redemptive context of the Scriptures, as is weaved through the Bible in a beautiful way, we can truly understand the Bible as the original audiences would have understood each of the writings. The Scriptures are not dealing with world history, that is why we do not read about those people in Australia or the natives in the Americas in the Bible. Instead, the Biblical writings are dealing with the God of Israel and His relationship with His people. The Messiah of Israel comes and through His fulfilling their promises, He invites others "through Jesus Christ" to enjoy the blessings of being "in covenant" with Him. That my friends is the glorious gospel as revealed through Scripture. The 'death' that Israel experienced in Adam, was taken away in Christ. Those that were without God, without hope, "far off" from covenant relationship with God, "the Gentiles", were called to the New Covenant (Ephesians chapters 2-3 explains this).
So, all of this serves as my defense of my position as a "Full Preterist". I have been willing to debate and defend these views- firstly, because I believe my position is correct. If you would like to discuss these things in more detail, I would love to explain. Secondly, I have been wrong once and am humble enough to be wrong again. However, I seek to be faithful to understanding Scripture in an effort to truly understand God- therefore I ask to be shown if I am wrong through the use of Scripture in context and not what 'tradition' teaches. I see much hypocrisy alive and well in the Church when it comes to "proving all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and instead of doing so, many have a "zeal without knowledge" as the first century Jews who persecuted Christ did (Romans 10:2). They believed they were right and the Christians were wrong- how do you suppose the Truth was made known? Go and read Acts 17:11- 'SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES". Scripture commands that we "study to show ourselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15)" and therefore I ask you, the reader of this document, to not only prove what I am saying wrong (if I am wrong) and prove your position through a historical and Biblically consistent examination.


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Front yard mooseApril 13, 2010 at 7:20 am | Posted in alaska, anchorage, Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Tags: anchorage, front yard moose, habitat, wildlife
Hello, friend!
I'll tiptoe around you while you're here.
Stay as long as you like.
If you don't like lilac, there are some others around back.
Where have you been, where are you going next?
I would like to know of your whole experience, your five year plan.
But I'll just have to speculate.
[Do those antler sprouts hurt?]
You don't travel far, I understand.
You and your ancestors have always raomed what's now Mt. View, and Ship Creek.
Your grandparents found a few more places to pause and rest than are now available.
I'm glad you're here on my little patch of grass today.
Blog at WordPress.com.
Entries and comments feeds.


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*Before trying out all these solutions, restart your computer and make sure that your operating
system is fully updated in the settings*
Q: How do I connect to the internet when the connection says "Limited Access" and displays an exclamation point?
A: Simply disconnect and reconnect, because of our school filter the internet connection malfunctions because it mixes up the deciphering between your student netbook and a teachers normal desktop.
Q: Why is my username incorrect when I try and log in on another desktop?
A: Make sure you put STUDENTS\"last name""first name".
Q: How do I move a picture/video from my phone onto my netbook?
A: Moving Stuff from Phone to Netbook.mp4
Q: How can I do my advanced math assignment when I don't have the graphing calculator given to us in class?
A: How to Get TI-83 Calculator at Home.mp4
Q: How can I close non-responding windows?
A: Closing Windows an alternate way.mp4
Microsoft Office 365
How to get on Office 365.mp4


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A Park Savoy Wedding {Rob + Gina}
Documented by Berit Bizjak (Principle) & Carly Jara (Second Shooter)
We are so thrilled to share the preview of Rob and Gina's wedding! Rob and Gina met in 2010 in an engineering lab. Robert would try to get Gina to watch episodes of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" just so they could spend extra time together (how cute is that?!?). Gina said, "I think it took me a little while to get the hint :)". They started dating but shortly thereafter Robert had the opportunity to pursue his Ph.D. in Austin, Texas. Gina visited often and after two and half years of a long distance relationship, Robert moved back to the East Coast to be near Gina. Over the past few years, they've spent time enjoying each other's company, doing the things they love to do – traveling, hiking, eating (they love trying different foods) and loving their adoring pup, Boccebear!
Robert proposed a year and a half ago at Blue Hill Stone Barns – a place Gina had been itching to go to for as long as she could remember! Robert picked up Gina from the train station. As they hurried to the beautifully rustic barn building in the cold, Rob asked Gina to stop and look around. The area was picturesque, warmly lit with winter decor. He then asked if she wanted some chocolates – Baci chocolates – Gina's favorite! She insisted it would ruin their appetite if they ate them. After realizing she was rushing to the entrance, Robert quickly knelt down and began his speech. He hid the ring in a Baci Chocolate box. He took the time to cut a little recess into the middle of the box to house a beautiful blue Tacori box! Gina exclaimed, "I repeated over and over again – "Is this really happening?" Robert had to assure her that YES – THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING. Then finally, as he knelt there, holding the ring in front her, he asked – "So, Yes?" Gina of course accepted! Theirs is such a sweet story and we were so honored they shared it with us and gave us the opportunity to document their long-awaited wedding day.
When we asked Gina what the inspiration behind her wedding day was, she shared "I've always loved a rustic and vintage feel for the day of. Rob and I both appreciate DIY and handmade things so I wanted to incorporate as much as we could into the day. We fell in love with the Park Savoy because of its elegance and vintage feel. It's classic and ornate but not over the top. We wanted our day to feel intimate and special!"
Ceremony: St. Patrick's (Bedford, NY) | Reception: The Park Savoy
Makeup: Jessica for Beauty on Location | Hair: Solia Salon Bedford Hills
Dress: Pnina Tornai | Bridal Shop: Kleinfeld | Shoes: Emmy London | Bridesmaids: Amsale
Florals: Westchester Floral (Tablescapes) + Four Seasons Flowers (Bridal Party) | Cake: Palermo's Bakery
Invitation: Passion Fruit Letterpress | Entertainment: The Voices – Angelo Venuto and Band


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Companies exploring feature management are looking for control over their releases. A common theme is using feature flags to rollout a feature to a small percentage of users, or quickly roll a feature back if it is not working properly. These future flaggers also seek to control a feature further by limiting its visibility to individual users or a group of users. In this piece, we'll explore how LaunchDarkly lets you control your releases in these ways.
When launching a new feature, or simply updating an existing feature, you may not always want everyone to receive the same experience. When working with a new front-end marketing design, a back-end improvement to search, or anything in between, targeting specific users can help ensure the best experience for all of your customers. Below are a few common scenarios where targeting can come into play. We'd love to hear your thoughts on other targeting best practices—let us know what you come up with!
Targeting users within LaunchDarkly's UI.
Internal QA
Perhaps the most common use case for individual user targeting is internal QA. Testing in production is a scary thought, but so is launching to production without knowing how the rollout will go. Feature flags enable safe testing in production. By targeting only your internal QA teams to receive the new feature, you can experience how it will function in a production environment without exposing the untested feature to your customers.
Beta Releases
When releasing a feature or product in beta, you can target users in your beta group to receive this update while not releasing it to anyone else. Essentially, you would set the flag to "true" for all beta users to enable the new feature. Everyone else would have the flag set to "false". When Kevin from LaunchDarkly asks to be part of your beta group, it's as easy as adding that user to the true variation to enable the new feature.
Attribute-Based Targeting
Sometimes, you'll want to target users, but may not want to dive into as many specifics as we just visited. Perhaps you are constrained by regulations, and need to deliver a different experience to customers from different states. Or, maybe your marketing team is launching a campaign specifically to Gmail users. You can place the email domain "gmail.com" in your targeting rules to deliver an experience only to that group.
Targeting in a Canary Launch
Many companies are seeking to slowly rollout their releases to before releasing to everybody. Rolling a new feature out to 10% of users, for example, is a great way to gain validation before a complete launch. You can target your internal QA team to be a part of the 10% initial rollout, or specifically include members from a beta group to see the new feature first. Conversely, you can target specific users or groups to exclude from the launch, and give them the new feature only when it is rolled out to everybody.
A common challenge with canary launches is delivering a consistent experience to users from the same group, especially in B2B applications. LaunchDarkly's platform provides a bucketing feature that solves this problem. By bucketing users, you are ensuring that all users from the same group receive the same variation for the duration of a canary launch.
Other Considerations
The examples we have covered so far are typically used for short-term flags, either upon initial rollout or for a shorter-lived feature. As your company's feature flag use continues to mature, wrapping a feature or set of features in a long-term or permanent flag is a logical next step. A common use case here applies to entitlements. For example, if you have Basic, Pro, and Elite versions of your product, user targeting helps manage these tiers effectively across your organization. Many products with different account tiers already have a way of controlling functionality, but with a feature management platform, this can be easily managed by anyone on your team. Customer success team members can quickly dial functionality up or down without the need to go to engineering for support. When a customer upgrades from Pro to Elite, a user simply flips the appropriate flags on.
Managing targeting rules at scale is an important consideration, especially as the amount of feature flags you are managing continues to grow. We introduced a new feature we call Segments to help tackle this very topic. Segments enables you to build reusable targeting rules to make this practice quick and scalable. Borrowing from a few of my examples above, you may want to flip a feature on for everyone with an Elite subscription, but also include all beta members as well. Because this is an important feature, you may want to also target internal users to ensure rollouts go smoothly. This same rollout strategy will likely apply to future features and you can simply target your Segment to receive the true or false variation. We'll be featuring Segments in a future post, so stay tuned for more.
Build reusable targeting rules with Segments
Data Privacy and Targeting
Targeting often involves customer data, and we launched Private Attributes in January to add an additional layer of protection. Private Attributes allows you to shield your customer data from LaunchDarkly while still enabling targeting rules on the shielded data. One thing I'd like to point out is that you never need to upload a database of users into LaunchDarkly to enable targeting. LaunchDarkly simply stores your targeting rules, which are evaluated based on the user objects that you provide. Ben Nadel wrote a wonderful piece describing InVision's use of targeting and Private Attributes: Using LaunchDarkly To Target Personally Identifiable Information (PII) During Feature Flag Evaluation Without Leaking Sensitive Data.
To wrap things up, there are a number of different ways targeting users can deliver a more valuable experience. We visited just a few above, but the opportunities here are endless. At the end of the day, you'll target users based on what makes the most sense for your product. We'd love to hear your thoughts and how you think user targeting can help. Until then and for more pointers, you can visit our documentation here.


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New branch in Cambodia
For the first time since 2004 a new Khmer-speaking LDS branch was organized in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Teuk Thla Branch was created in the Phnom Penh Cambodia North District, becoming the sixth branch in the district. The Phnom Penh Cambodia South District has seven branches whereas the Vietnamese district has only three branches. LDS missionaries report that the Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission may baptize as many as 1,000 converts this year. Church attendance numbers appear to have increased in many LDS congregations in Cambodia but low convert retention remains a serious challenge which appears to be the primary obstacle in preventing the creation of the nation's first stake. Currently Cambodia is the nation with the most Latter-day Saints without a stake. There are now 25 branches and five districts in the LDS Church in Cambodia.
New branches in Malaysia
Two new LDS branches were recently organized in Malaysia bringing the total of LDS branches in the country to 30. The Masai Branch was organized from the Johor Bahru Branch and both branches pertain to the nearby Singapore Stake. The Masai Branch becomes the first Malay-speaking branch to be organized in West Malaysia since the Butterworth Branch a couple years ago. In East Malaysia, the Kota Kinabalu Branch was divided and the Kota Kinabalu 2nd Branch was created. Kota Kinabalu is now the first city in Sabah State with more than one LDS congregation.
Congregational growth in northern Haiti
Three new LDS branches were recently organized in the Fort Liberte, Pivert, and Vertieres Branches, bringing the total of branches in the district to nine. The creation of the three new branches marks a significant development in the growth of the LDS Church in Haiti as there have been no recent instances of as many new branches organized at the same time in Haiti. Currently there are two stakes, two districts and 36 congregations in the country.
New branches in Spain
For the first time in several years, two new LDS branches were recently organized in Spain. The Vic Branch was organized in northeastern Spain near Barcelona and the Huércal-Overa Branch was organized in southern Spain. Unlike many Western European nations, the LDS Church in Spain has experienced only a slight decline in the total number of LDS congregations over the past decade. Additional congregation organizations may indicate sustained improvement in convert retention and greater efforts by mission leaders to expand national outreach.


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Engineered Controls – Your Building Control Technologies Contractor
Engineered Controls (engineeredcontrols.com) is Nebraska's premier building control technologies contractor, with offices in Omaha and Lincoln, Neb.
For more than 20 years, we have been dedicated to designing easy-to-use building automation and security systems that provide the highest possible energy efficiency, while ensuring occupant comfort and maintaining a safe and secure workplace.
Engineered Controls designs, installs, manages, and services building management and security solutions for buildings and facilities of all sizes and types. As a technology contractor, our vision is to participate in projects that transform the way buildings are designed, built and operated, and to create environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. From the integration of new control technologies to the contracting work we engage in for new construction, and the service we provide after our projects are completed, we're proud to deliver solutions that meet our clients' needs now and well into the future.
Clients seek the help of Engineered Controls for a wide range of services and solutions including building design, equipment retrofits, commissioning, training, repair, preventive maintenance and energy management.
Engineered Controls field technicians use remote analysis and diagnosis of system performance prior to service calls, ensuring time and cost efficiencies. They use hand-held computers to speed the dispatching and service delivery process, diagnose problems correctly and fix problems the first time. At the same time, they will assess the overall condition of the affected systems, looking for worn and obsolete components likely to cause trouble in the future. After each service call, you will receive a summary report via fax or e-mail, verifying that your mechanical systems were repaired or components were replaced and are operating correctly.
Our advanced diagnostic capabilities and swift repair and replacement services will quickly restore your system's operating efficiency and return your building to peak performance.
Building Services – Engineered Controls provides commercial customers with reliable, cost-effective HVAC building automation and control service and energy solutions.
Energy Optimization – Saving energy saves money; it's as simple as that. As most building owners know, energy is the single largest expense in a building's total operating budget. Engineered Controls will customize a solution to meet your specific needs.
Today, we have achieved a reputation as the premier service provider in our industry by developing a solid reputation for creating innovative building management and energy performance solutions. Our portfolio includes corporate, education, government, healthcare, hotel and housing, industrial, parking structures, recreation and entertainment, religious, technology, and green building projects.
When you choose Engineered Controls, you can be confident you are receiving dependable service from highly-trained industry experts, who will respond promptly, work diligently, and who are committed to ensuring the best possible outcome.
Engineered Controls has experience in a variety of industry and facility types. Since 1994, we've been delivering innovative solutions to help our customers improve building efficiency and reduce the cost of operating their buildings.
Project Categories:
- Education
- Government
- Healthcare
- Hotel & Housing
- Industrial
- Parking
- Corporate
- Recreation
- Entertainment
- Religious
- Technology


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|Copyright Elena Norbiato 2007 Creative Commons
So there really is a crock of gold over the rainbow!
It turns out eating a "rainbow" of different coloured fruit and veg each week is great for us because each colour group is packed full of different good stuff. All these different things together can protect against cancer and heart disease.
This got me thinking about my all the fruit & veg I like in each colour group:
Red & pink: Strawberries, peppers, tomatoes, raspberries, rhubarb, radishes, beetroots, blood oranges, cherries, red grapes, red onions, chilli pepper, red apple, cranberries, guava, papaya
Yellow & orange: Bananas, melons, peaches, carrots, apricots, grapefruit, peppers, squash, corn, mango, pineapple, lemons, nectarines, pumkins, sweet potatoe
Green: Spinach, peas, spring greens, chard, courgettes, beans, broccoli, apples, pears, gooseberries, avocado, cabbage, cucumber, grapes, lettuce, limes, kiwi fruit, celery, samphire, asparagus, leeks, sugar snap peas
Purple, blue & black: Blueberries, blackberries, aubergines, sprouting broccoli, bilberries, blackcurrants, plums, damsons, figs, grapes, prunes, raisins
White: Mushrooms, onions, potatoes, parsnips, garlic, ginger, cauliflower, white peaches, shallots
Wow! I never realised how many different fruit and veg I love to eat!
What about you? What are your absolute faves in each colour group?
Note to self: Eat your way over the rainbow every week!
Did you know? The nutrients in red fruit and veg can help to protect joint tissue in those with arthritis
Enjoy more posts about fruit & veg:
Favourite fruit
Tastes like chocolate
Hidden Gems


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We were at Random Tea Room for our weekly Thursday Philly Tea Meetup.
After a pot of Assam, we were ready to get into gong-fu style, so Brandon asked Becky to bring out a gaiwan.
Brandon is a devotee of the wee pot of tea (repeat to infinity). So he was amazed when Becky produced a gaiwan of perhaps 10 ounce capacity. He dubbed it the monster truck of gaiwans.
Accordingly, he decided we would pack this beast to the brim with white tea. Folks, I don't know how to explain this, but it just isn't done. It's like playing thrash metal on cellos. Gong-fu is done with oolongs and pu-erhs. Years ago I asked a now-departed Random employee to make me some green or white tea gong-fu style, and he gave me a quizzical look and said, "that doesn't fu." The decision was all the more surprising because Brandon can sometimes seem like the model of tea orthodoxy.
"I never understood white tea," he said; "I can't taste the flavor." Gong fu uses a higher proportion of leaves than westerners typically use, so the flavor is more intense. This may be why green teas aren't often brewed in this fashion–perhaps their astringency becomes overwhelming at higher concentrations. Looking at the white tea selections, I recommended the Fuding White Treasure over the Drum Mountain White Cloud. The former has a crisp, bright flavor, whereas I imagined the latter's vegetal tones would get harsh and sour when amplified.
So how did it taste? It was a mud-bogging, car-crushing, mobile-home-bulldozing rampage of flavor. OK, it just tasted like stronger Fuding White Treasure. Am I misremembering cucumber? Apparently thrash metal on cellos works too.


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Vinny Golia: Sfumato and Music for Like Instruments; The Clarinets
Vinny Golia Quartet
Clean Feed
Vinny Golia
Music for Like Instruments; The Clarinets
Nine Winds
The increase in the number of recently released solo piano CDs could be a direct result of the popularity of the piano-less quartet. The Vinny Golia Quartet on Sfumato is just a little bit different. It's piano-less, as well as alto- (and tenor-) less, as the leader sticks to a few of the more conventional instruments in his vast repertoire (soprano sax, bass clarinet, contrabass flute), giving the music on the CD an element of fresh surprise. Veteran trumpeter Bobby Bradford lends his dark tone and mucousy phrasing to Golia's compositions, pushing the tunes with concentrated effort and precise timing. The rhythm section of Alex Cline on drums and Ken Filiano is rock solid and liquid quick with Filiano particularly impressive, whether producing a chunky sound with his fingers or a magisterial sound with his bow. Over the last 30 years, Golia has released a lot of music characterized by a gift for the unusual. Sfumato is the Golia Quartet playing it straight, if not entirely straight-ahead.
The clarinet doesn't necessarily have a reputation as an instrument of the avant-garde. Put five of them together in one ensemble, however, and the concept is creatively risky, at least. The Clarinets is the third in Vinny Golia's "Music for Like Instruments series, but this five horn lineup is not without precedent (Bluiett's Clarinet Family, Brötzmann's Clarinet Project and the Clarinet Summit come to mind). Where this group differs from the usual Bb and bass clarinet attack is Golia, who is listed as playing no fewer than eight licorice sticks in different keys, with a taragato thrown in for a little variety on "Blugger! . The compositions favor group improvisation and interplay and run the gamut from high-pitched and peppy on "Clown Car Syndrome to "Well Beneath the Sleeping Floor , a low-end tone poem featuring Golia's leonine purr on contrabass clarinet. Each soloist has his moment, but it's the leader's alto clarinet solo on "Played 2 or 3 Times that delivers the sharpest cut.
Tracks and Personnel
Tracks: That Was for Albert Phase 3; All Together Now; CBQ241; Monday at Eight, Just Black & White; That Was for Albert Phase 5; NBT; Transition of Power; Repetition; Small Group Caught in the Reel World
Personnel: Vinny Golia: soprano and sopranino sax, bass clarinet, Bb clarinet, G and contrabass flutes; Bobby Bradford: trumpet; Ken Filiano: bass; Alex Cline: drums
Music for Like Instruments; The Clarinets
Tracks: Clown Car Syndrome; The Flaming Valve; Accumulation; You Were the One Who Drew First; Which One Is the Real Dr. Otto; Hand as Tongue; Monuments of Broken Balloons and Burnt Promises; Blugger!; Played 2 or 3 Times; Why Is That Thing So Pointy?; Well Beneath the Sleeping Floor; Five Solo Statements on the Disappearance of Elfego Bacca; Tricostomy
Personnel: Vinny Golia: taragoto, Ab, Eb, A, Bb, alto, bass, contralto & contrabass clarinets; Andrew Pask: Bb & bass clarinets; Cory Wright: Bb & bass clarinets; Jim Sullivan: G, Bb & bass clarinets; Brian Walsh: Bb & bass clarinets


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This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Tom and Jasper are strong.
In January, the team of Belgian draft horses won the heavyweight division of the horse pull at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. They pulled 16,620 pounds 20 feet on a sled through dirt.
And they are big, too.
Tom weighs about 2,460 pounds. Jasper tips the scales at 2,480. They stand 19 hands high at the shoulder.
That's slightly bigger than their owner, Jack McKee, of South Jordan. He's 92 years old and has been competing in horse-pulling contests since the end of World War II.
Jack, Tom and Jasper are set to appear in the Days of '47 Parade on Monday. They will be entry 27B.
"When I was a kid, we always farmed with horses," McKee said. "One day my dad said, let's take Duke and Shorty over to Draper on the 24th [of July for the horse-pulling competition]. I've been pullin' horses ever since."
The secret to a good pulling horse is "they have to like it," McKee said. "And then they have to have the talent."
Several years ago, McKee went to Indiana to buy Tom and Jasper from Amish farmers who breed Belgian draft horses for heavy farm work. The horses get a workout six days a week at McKee's South Jordan farm. And they are pure muscle.
As it turns out, the two are quite gentle and well-mannered. But a mere friendly nuzzle can push McKee along like he weighs nothing. It doesn't seem to bother McKee. He knows how to talk to horses, and Tom and Jasper know who is boss.
As World War II ended, McKee, who served in the U.S. Merchant Marine, bought 80 acres in South Jordan, where he still lives.
"In 1951, I bought a tractor," he recalled. "But I still kept a team, and I just kept pullin' all over."
One of Jack's eight daughters, Della Backus, said horse pulling has been a family affair.
"Since I was a little kid, we'd go to horse pullin' matches with him," she said. "It was a family thing. It was real nice."
McKee's wife of 56 years, Reta, died in December 2005.
McKee also has two sons, 30 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. McKee and his sons and grandsons and nephews pull in competitions nationwide in all three divisions: heavyweight, middleweight and lightweight.
His family was originally from Vernal, where he was born and lived until age 13.
"I was born in a sawed log house with no plumbing or electricity," he said with a smile.
But McKee's father, a sheep man, went broke during the Great Depression and moved his family to the Salt Lake Valley in 1932.
"My father rode a horse from Vernal to South Jordan at the age of 13," Backus said. "It took 6½ days."
McKee says he doesn't know the secret to his longevity but that he always has worked two jobs. He ran his farm and also operated a general contracting business.
"I poured 100 yards of concrete on my 80th birthday," he said. "I eat a good breakfast, some eggs and bacon and potatoes. I never do eat lunch. And just a snack at night, but not too late."
His daughter said he's still sharp as a tack and just keeps going.
"He amazes me. We had a 90th birthday party for him and hundreds of people came," she said. "And he remembered everybody and all the things they have done together over the years."
Some of Monday's Pioneer Day festivities
Salt Lake City • 5:30 a.m. Deseret News Marathon/10K/5K; 7 a.m. sunrise service, Tabernacle on Temple Square; 7 a.m.-dusk, Native American Celebration in the Park, Liberty Park, (fireworks at dusk); 9 a.m. Days of '47 Parade (South Temple and State Street, east to 200 East, south to 900 South, east to Liberty Park); 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Pioneer Heritage Festival, This Is the Place Heritage Park; 7 p.m. Days of '47 Rodeo, Maverik Center.
Ogden • 7 a.m. Kiwanis Club pancake breakfast, Ogden Municipal Gardens; 9 a.m. Pioneer Days Parade 35th to 20th streets, Washington Boulevard; 6:30 p.m. pre-rodeo entertainment, Ogden Pioneer Stadium; 7:30 p.m. PRCA rodeo, Ogden Pioneer Stadium; 8:30 p.m. Miss Rodeo Utah coronation, Ogden Pioneer Stadium; fireworks after the rodeo.


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The conventional political wisdom is that presidential candidates run to their base during the primaries and then back to the center during the general election. Usually there is an unspoken agreement not to give each other serious grief over the things said to win the primaries, because both candidates have said equally embarrassing things.
2004 was an anomalous election in this sense, because both the Bush and Kerry campaigns sensed that there was not very much center up for grabs. The normal 12-14% of undecided moderate voters in the center without strong party identification had shrunk that year to less than 6%, which left both the Dems and the GOPers in the weird position of having a better potential for picking up votes in their respective bases. There were more anti-abortion, social conservatives, and evangelical Christians available to vote for Bush, and more environmentalists, gay rights advocates, and anti-war activists available to vote for Kerry that undecideds in the middle.
As a result, both Bush and Kerry ran to their bases to win their nominations, and then ran even further toward their bases during the general election campaign. This produced the unusual situation of Bush running hard right while Kerry ran hard left.
This year something even stranger is occurring. Senator Barack Obama is very obviously pursuing the traditional strategy of running back to the center, earning him fire from his liberal base that somehow expected he wouldn't do it.
Senator John McCain, on the other hand, actually won his nomination by more or less ignoring his base, running toward the center during the primaries, completely alienating the hardline conservatives quite early in the process. Now he's spiraling around trying to find a direction.
Meanwhile, Bob Barr--having pissed off whatever base he had in the Libertarian Party--is clearly running for the libertarian-leaning Republicans, most of whom would normally have been considered part of the GOP base.
And all the latest polling reports suggest that he's eating into that GOP base.
What makes this really interesting, however, is the potential dynamic for John McCain (if he's smart enough to take advantage of it).
Make one assumption for the sake of argument: Iraq could be off the table as a major issue by October. The fact of the matter is that American voters have short memories. If the current, apparently positive trend in Iraq holds up, and we are drawing down troops and declaring victory, Senator Obama will lose one of his key issues. He will thus be thrown back on domestic issues.
His stances there got a pass in the primaries, but since McCain never went seriously after his own base back then, he's now free to go after Obama as too socially, big-government liberal to be trusted as president. He'll have to do it hard, because Barr will have infiltrated the GOP base.
This could get really interesting.


text: I'm a little new to this caliber and looking to learn from those who have actully fired it. I know many LEO around the world are using this, which should be testimate enough, but how does 5.7 stack up as a defensive caliber? Where does it rank among the more common calibers? School me.