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Jarren Jasper is a typical teenager in this day and age. He's obsessed with playing the "Fortnite" video game, sleeps late during summer vacation and causes a kerfuffle at home by accidentally taking his older brother's headphones.
Jarren is getting ready to begin his sophomore year at Broadneck High School and is already working as a manager for the football program.
Such seemingly routine acts of daily life are pure joy to Ivin and Donna Jasper because just one year ago there was a chance their youngest child would never do any of those things again.
At this time last year, Jarren was fighting for his life after a relatively low-risk procedure. While undergoing an operation to correct an abnormal heart rhythm, he went into cardiac arrest and almost died.
It was Aug. 4, 2017 — the day life changed dramatically for the entire Jasper family.
Donna was sitting in the waiting room at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., with her daughter, Dallas, when a nurse came out of the operating room and uttered the unforgettable phrase: "Things aren't going as planned."
The nurse explained the cardiac ablation procedure was not working on one side and therefore doctors needed to try the other side. Donna was stunned and immediately called her husband, a longtime Navy football assistant coach.
"I was in panic mode and called Ivin screaming," Donna said.
Ivin and Donna had been assured by doctors that a cardiac ablation procedure had a very high success rate and that complications were extremely rare. So Ivin went to work that day since Navy football had begun preseason practice.
At exactly 11:01 in the morning, Ivin sent Jarren a text message: "Don't be afraid son. You'll be fine."
"I'm not," Jarren replied. Ivin then sent Jarren the thumbs up emoji.
One year later, Ivin still has that text message exchange saved on his cellphone.
Jasper, the longtime offensive coordinator for Navy football, was sitting in a staff meeting on the third floor of Ricketts Hall when he received the panicked call from his wife.
"I was going over the practice script when Donna called and said, 'You have to come here right way. Something went wrong.' I just sprinted out of the building," Ivin recalled.
Jarren Jasper, son of the longtime Navy football offensive coordinator, returned to his Arnold home two weeks after undergoing a heart transplant.
Ivin arrived at Children's National Medical Center and was dumbfounded when told by his wife that Jarren's heart had stopped during the procedure. Moments later, a nurse came into the waiting room and said the medical staff was doing everything it could for him.
"Doing everything you can? What do you mean? Are you kidding me?" Ivin remembers saying.
Now distraught himself, Ivin called Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo in tears.
"I called Coach Niumat and said, 'They're acting like they might lose my son!' It was absolutely surreal," Ivin said.
'Out of left field'
Jarren seemed like a perfectly healthy teenager on July 27, 2017, when he went for a routine physical required to play football as a freshman at Broadneck High.
He had been a standout running back for the Cape St. Claire Cougars through multiple weight classes and age groups. He has been described by coaches as a talented runner with good speed and agility, dynamic enough to be moved to quarterback as an eighth-grader with the Varsity-U squad.
Dallas Jasper took her younger brother to the physical and was stunned when the doctor found a problem.
"Dallas called and told me that Jarren had failed his physical. She said the doctor didn't like the sound of his heartbeat," Ivin recalled.
Jarren was taken to see a heart specialist and was diagnosed with accelerated idioventricular rhythm. A stress test showed his heart rate was irregular when he was at rest, but returned to normal rhythm whenever he exerted.
"Jarren had been playing football for eight years and passed his physical with flying colors every summer before practice began," Donna said. "So this completely came out of left field."
Jarren Jasper, son of Navy football offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper, is recovering nicely two days after his heart transplant and doctors are encouraged by his progress.
No one knows for sure why Jarren's heart began beating irregularly, but one doctor theorized that it resulted from a chest cold. It is possible a piece of mucus got stuck to the heart and caused the abnormality.
Doctors determined it was an electrical issue and that is when the cardiac ablation procedure was brought up.
"We were lost and didn't know what to do. One doctor said medication could possibly improve the situation, but Jarren wouldn't be able to play sports anymore," Donna said. "Jarren wasn't going for that idea. Our other option was the ablation procedure, which was usually effective in correcting the problem."
Cardiac ablation works by scarring or destroying tissue in the heart that triggers or sustains an abnormal heart rhythm. In some cases, cardiac ablation prevents abnormal electrical signals from entering your heart and, thus, stops the arrhythmia.
It seemed like the best course of action so the procedure was scheduled for Aug. 4, 2017, at Children's. No one ever imagined how terribly wrong it would go.
In his first interview with The Capital since the ordeal began, Jarren said he thought the heart issue would be cleared up quickly and he would be back playing football at Broadneck.
"The whole entire time I thought there would be some quick thing that they would do and nothing bad would come out of it," Jarren said on Wednesday while sitting on the living room couch of his home in Arnold.
It turns out the cardiac ablation procedure was a life-changing event. Again, there is no clear-cut answer as to why a relatively low-risk operation wound up almost being fatal.
"It is so incredibly rare what happened to Jarren. It is like one in a million," Donna said. "Honestly, they don't know what went wrong. It could have been a reaction to the anesthesia or his heart just didn't like the procedure."
Jarren Jasper, son of Navy football offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper, underwent a heart transplant early Tuesday morning.
When Jarren finally woke up in the hospital following the failed cardiac ablation, he had tubes and wires running everywhere. He was heavily sedated and partially paralyzed, but knew something had gone horribly wrong.
"What ripped my heart out the most was when it first happened and Jarren was lying in that bed. He would come to every now and then and ask, 'What happened?' What could Donna and I say to him?" Ivin said during an interview this past week. "Still to this day, I can remember reading his lips: 'What happened?' "
Donna said Jarren must have asked that question at least 50 times over the next couple days. All she and Ivin could do was just look at each other helplessly.
"There's a lot of anger about what happened because it was supposed to be a relatively straight-forward procedure," Ivin said. "Donna still blames herself for that decision, feels she should have told the doctors to wait until we had more information. You can't second-guess yourself. We made what we thought was the best decision for Jarren's future well-being."
A new phase of life
Initially, there was hope that Jarren's normal heart function would return on its own, but as the days passed that became more and more unlikely.
Eventually, doctors delivered the news that because of the damage done during the cardiac ablation procedure, Jarren would likely require a heart transplant. They suggested implanting a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, a battery-operated, mechanical pump.
The Jasper family initially resisted that idea and was hopeful a balloon angioplasty procedure could help jump-start the normal heart function. Unfortunately, doctors determined that idea would not work. Navy football had just completed practice on Aug. 14 when Ivin received a phone call from his wife stating firmly that Jarren needed a new heart.
"When it all first started, we didn't want anything to do with the LVAD. We wanted his heart function to come back completely," Ivin said. "Next thing you know, the LVAD became the only hope."
Navy offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper missed practice on Wednesday after a potential complication arose involving his 14-year-old son's ongoing medical situation.
Dr. Steven Boyce from Washington MedStar Hospital was responsible for implanting the LVAD, which helps the left ventricle (main pumping chamber of the heart) deliver blood to the rest of the body.
"Thankfully, we had one of the best doctors in the whole world. I remember shaking Dr. Boyce's hand with a firm grip and he said, 'Ivin, be careful now. These hands are insured by Lloyds of London.' Dr. Boyce was very informative, very upbeat and very reassuring," Ivin said.
By this point, word had spread through the college football world about Jarren. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney sent a personalized video message to Jarren, and dozens of other Division I programs followed suit in one way or another.
Ivin and Donna were touched by the nationwide outpouring of support. Looking back upon it now, Jarren didn't want to call the constant stream of videos, cards and phone calls "uplifting" because that would mischaracterize the way he was feeling at the time.
"I wasn't down, but it did make me happy," Jarren said. "I feel like if I would have gotten down I would have gotten sadder, and I really didn't feel the need to be sad."
For the entire Navy football family, which had been rooting for Jarren since the news broke about his predicament, Oct. 7 was an important day. Having been released from the hospital and allowed to remain at home because the LVAD was functioning properly, Jarren attended the Navy-Air Force game with his mother.
"It was a good day. That was my first game of the year and it just felt good to be back going to the games again," Jarren said when asked about his memory of the service academy showdown.
Donna corrected her son, calling it a "great day." Navy defeated Air Force 48-45 in a real thriller after quarterback Zach Abey tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tyler Carmona with 15 seconds remaining.
Sitting in a private suite in the press box, Jarren became exhausted during the second half of the game and tried to stretch out in order to sleep. Donna realized he'd had enough and decided to head home. They were leaving the stadium when the crowd started roaring because Air Force had scored on a 51-yard pass play.
Donna told Jarren they could not leave with the game hanging in the balance so they watched Navy's final scoring drive from the end zone in the closed end of the stadium. During the post-game locker room celebration, Niumatalolo presented the game ball to the 14-year-old who had inspired the entire Navy football team.
"Today is a great day — not because we beat Air Force, but because Jarren Jasper is here," Niumatalolo said.
Navy offensive coordinator Ivin Jasper and wife Donna are hopeful their son Jarren will be released from the hospital soon and will be able to await a heart transplant at home.
With the help of the LVAD, Jarren was able to move forward with life. He kept up with schoolwork thanks to a home tutor provided by the Anne Arundel County Public Schools system and attended Navy football practice on occasion.
Things were far from normal, but the outlook was much brighter as the Jasper family began the process of hoping and praying for a donor heart that was a match for Jarren.
A perfect heart
When Donna met with Dr. Niti Dham, the pediatric cardiologist who would perform the transplant, she asked how much a new heart cost. Dham replied that it was basically $1 million.
Barbara Niumatalolo, wife of the Navy head coach who accompanied Donna for that appointment, leaned forward and said, "Well we don't want a $1 million heart; we want a $2 million heart!"
Dham was somewhat amused and responded, "Oh, you want the penthouse." To which Donna said: "I want the penthouse with an ocean view and palm trees outside."
Ivin, Donna and Jarren were at the family cabin at Deep Creek Lake in late January when Dham called with the news they had been waiting six months to hear: A donor heart had come available.
"We got the penthouse," Dham told Donna on the phone.
Time was of the essence so the family immediately drove to Children's National Medical Center without even taking time to collect all their belongings. During the long drive from Western Maryland to D.C., all Jarren could think about was the fact his Playstation 4 console had been left at the cabin.
Dr. Pranava Sinha, a cardiac surgeon, performed a successful transplant on the morning of Jan. 30 and Jarren's body accepted the heart well. Jarren was asked on Wednesday what he remembered about waking up following the operation.
"I remember my brother was in the room and he wasn't there the day before so I was kind of confused about that," he said.
Jaylen Jasper, a standout volleyball player at Stanford University, was sitting bedside when his little brother opened his eyes and said, "Jarren, you got a hew heart." Donna started crying tears of joy as she watched Jarren's fingers reach for the wires attached to the battery pack that powered the LVAD.
"When Jarren couldn't find those wires, he realized it was true," she said.
Two weeks after the surgery, following numerous tests, Jarren was released from the hospital. In a fitting conclusion to an incredible journey, the youngster returned home on Valentine's Day.
There have been all sorts of milestones since. Jarren celebrated his 15th birthday on April 28 and passed his six-month biopsy with flying colors on July 12 at Children's. That was a critical time marker as it provided solid proof the body was truly accepting the new heart.
By far the biggest milestone came on Aug. 4 when Donna commemorated the one-year anniversary of Jarren's initial heart failure with a posting to Facebook and a huge hug of her youngest child.
"I just started sobbing when I hugged Jarren that day and he got annoyed and said, 'Mom, it's over and done with now. No more tears...' I am constantly amazed by how stoic he has been through all of this," Donna said. "Jarren is truly the strongest human being I've ever known.He shows absolutely no emotion about anything."
Last week, Donna took Jarren to Broadneck High to get his class schedule arranged. After not attending school for an entire year, Jarren is looking forward to being back in that environment interacting with friends.
"I'm just trying to get back to as normal a life as possible and doing the things I did before any of this happened," the shy and soft-spoken teenager said.
Jarren misses playing sports and longs for the day he is physically able to resume those activities. A tube that was inserted through his groin caused some nerve damage in the leg and foot, which has limited his mobility.
Donna does not want her son to play football again, but Jarren gets mad whenever she says that.
"If it's up to me, I would say no to football, but if it's up to Ivin and Jarren, the answer is yes," Donna said diplomatically.
Jarren will continue to undergo regular cardiac therapy and physical therapy as he works to improve his overall strength and health. He will be required to take medication for the rest of his life and looks forward to 2020 when the biopsies will only need to be done once a year.
"I wake up every morning and go to bed every night thanking the Lord. God has great things planned for this young man because he left him with us," Donna said.
Ivin shakes his head and smiles when he mentions that he actually enjoys hearing Jaylen yell at his younger brother.
"Now that things are better, they're back at it again, which is really good. Jaylen yells at Jarren to get out of his room and to leave his stuff alone," Ivin said. "Jarren is back to being the annoying little brother as far as Jaylen is concerned. It's good to hear that again because it means that things are getting back to normal."
Ivin sometimes allows his mind to wander back to the day before the fateful cardiac ablation procedure. Jarren had a sleepover with several friends and they were down in the basement playing video games and goofing around.
"I look at Jarren and think about where he wanted to be at this point in his life and what he had plans to do, and it's hard to see that he can't be that kid anymore," Ivin said.
Before sending Jarren home after the heart transplant, doctors talked to the family about seeking counseling. A young boy had just gone through a year's worth of life-altering experiences and there are all sorts of issues to confront.
A patient specialist interviewed Jarren at length prior to discharge and determined, based off his responses to questions and overall behavior, that counseling was not needed at this time.
"The strength and resiliency of that kid is amazing. That's why I say that Jarren is my hero," Ivin said. "People ask how I got through this and I have to tell them: My life hasn't changed. Jarren's life has changed. He's the one who had to go through this ordeal.
"I get my strength from my son because he's been a real soldier going through this. He's remained positive and upbeat the whole way. He's exhibited a strength and courage beyond anything I could imagine and given us all a different outlook on life."


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El Chapo enters US supermax prison in Colorado
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Fallen Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was locked up Friday at the ADX federal maximum security prison in the US state of Colorado, where he will spend the rest of his days.
"We can confirm that... Guzman is in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons" at the Administrative Maximum (ADX) site in Florence, central Kansas, read a short email from the prisons bureau.
Guzman, the 62-year-old former co-leader of Mexico's feared Sinaloa drug cartel, was convicted in February of smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana into the United States.
In a New York courtroom on Wednesday he was sentenced to life in prison, and sent to the notorious supermax prison nicknamed the "Alcatraz of the Rockies."
Guzman -- who escaped Mexican prisons in 2001 and 2015 -- will find it nearly impossible to slip out of the ADX, built in 1994 and located in a remote mountainous desert region of the western US state.
Current ADX inmates include convicted "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski, Oklahoma City bomber Terry Nichols, the British "shoe bomber" Richard Reid and the Boston marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who is awaiting execution.
The most dangerous prisoners are allowed out of their small steel and concrete cell for only 90 minutes a day -- and they must wear shackles on their hands and feet.
Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaperlive
1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper � email addresses will not be published.
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subset: commoncrawl


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David's High-End Gaming PC
David's Feedback:
My system is up and running and Windows 8.1 is set up (until windows 10 releases). My sister nicknamed my computer "Charizard" because of the red led fans. I'm still shocked at how speedy this thing is and how much fun it was to build. Thanks a lot for the help!
Built: June 2015
David based this build off of our $2,000 Premium Gaming PC Build, as of June 2015. He modified it with one of the ultra-high end case options we've listed in our $3,500 Build, the awesome Corsair Graphite 780T. We always provide a number of component options in our builds to cater to different needs and tastes, and there's no component that is more personal than the case. We therefore definitely encourage our readers to check out our other builds for case ideas, as each of our builds lists what we consider the best cases at their specific pricepoints. Whether you want to go big and bold, small and sleek, ultra-modern, or something in between, there's a case out there for you. And for David, the 780T was the case of choice!
Below you can see the all-important "box shot", followed by David's complete parts list.
Component List:
- CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core
- Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD5H Black
- Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 980 Gaming G1 4GB
- Memory: Patriot 2x8GB Viper III DDR3-2133
- SSD: Crucial MX200 500GB
- Hard Drive: Toshiba 5TB
- Case: Corsair Graphite 780T
- Power Supply: EVGA Supernova G2 850W
- Optical Drive: LG Blu-Ray Burner
- CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S
- Operating System: Windows 8.1 64-bit
TBG's "Premium Gaming PC" is a high-end build to start with, but David actually upgraded it with more than just a super-high-end case. He also went with Toshiba's new (and very reasonably-priced) 5TB hard drive for bulk media storage, along with a Blu-Ray drive for playing and writing to Blu-Ray discs. He also got a bit lucky with the video card, which had just dropped in price about $50 right before he purchased it. Below, you can see the entire system as built up.
By the way, we helped David get past a minor stumbling block during the building process. Turns out that he missed one small but crucial step - plugging in the 8-pin CPU power connector, which is located in the upper-left corner of the motherboard. This is an easy one to miss, as it's far away from the power supply and just about all the other power connections in a PC build. Luckily, once David plugged that last cable in, his system was up and running! We provided one last tip after David sent in these photos: the 140mm fan mounted on the Noctua NH-U14S CPU cooler would actually be more effective if mounted on the right side of the cooler, blowing through to the back of the case, rather than mounted on the left side of the cooler as in the photo above. Mounting it as shown, however, can be useful if RAM clearance is not sufficient on the right side, or if you want to run dual fans.
As shown below, David has his gaming PC hooked up to a sleek Sony 42" 1080p HDTV, along with color-matched peripherals, the excellent Razer BlackWidow Chroma Mechanical Gaming Keyboard and Razer DeathAdder Chroma Gaming Mouse.
No doubt about it - this is one well-coordinated gaming rig! Congrats, David, on your awesome new PC!


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Since I started working as a massage therapist, one of the most common areas of concern for the modern day client is the shoulder/neck area. Every week, at least one client will comment on issues in the upper body area. Sometimes it is posture, other times it is stress, fatigue or emotional issues.
Posture can be inherited or developed from an unnatural everyday position, or as a result of a trauma e.g. accident or injury. Consider the forward head posture when someone is on the phone, with the phone to the ear, or texting with neck flexed forward & down. Same unnatural posture applies to using a laptop, especially when lying in bed, or sitting on a sofa. Guilty.
These unnatural everyday postures affect the Neck, Arms, Shoulder & Hip (NASH). In the long term, the shoulders can become elevated or rounded. The neck can become flexed in a forward head posture, and the hip flexors can become shortened pulling the hip too far into a frontal plane.
Sleep position too can have both a long term and a short term effect on posture. Some clients really like memory foam pillows and others don't. Any pillow should provide gentle support to the head in order to allow the neck muscles to relax and switch off. The Alexander Technique is a very good method to research how head position affects health.
Emotional factors can contribute a lot to posture. Feeling a lot of responsibility or "the weight of the world" on the shoulders can tense the area. An environment where positive thoughts & energy from a massage therapist can help a client concentrate on the area of tension, with support can work wonders on the area. Combined with a balm (no showering that evening) e.g. tiger balm to soak through the muscles via the skin overnight, can help relieve tension, stress & worry. To try a balmy massage contact www.NEEBA.ie. Heat therapy can be very useful too, either with stones, or a hot towel placed on the shoulders after the massage is very reassuring & comforting.
The following diagram gives an idea of how long-term postural weakness can lead to chronic skeleton-muscular difficulties.
This modern day posture picture shows how the Angle of Compression can degenerate to ultimately effect the sinuses, and the nasal cavities. The increased pressure and strain on the neck can lead to problems with the jaw, gums & even ears.Strain on the neck has been known to be responsible for headaches, and even depression – as the angle can put pressure on areas in the midbrain. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome can develop. A therapist may first assesses a client with postural problems, then without regular treatments, a condition if untreated or unchecked, can over a few years present as depression.
This stooped postural angle can lead also long-term to breathing issues as the diaphragm is compressed and pressure is exerted on the ribs, sternum (or breastbone), and chest cavity. Yoga & mindfulness are both very useful for drawing the client's attention to their breathing patterns. Shallow breathing is a symptom of modern day living as we need to remember to stop & "take it in". The hours and hours that a student may spend in this position may squeeze the digestive organs too, leaving the stomach & colon under pressure with less space for peristalsis to gentle move the contents of the small & large intestines along the digestive tract.
If the muscles in the back are allowing to remain in an overextended position for long periods of time, and the muscles at the front of the chest are tight, they loosen & weaken. Exercises may be advised by the massage therapist to strengthen these muscles again, as the massage will help loosen them at the front. Only when the frontal muscles are loosened, then can the muscles e.g. Rhomboids be strengthened to help draw the shoulders and arms back into the correct postural position. If this does not happen, the hip bones may also be displaced by tight hip flexors, and with the same principle, loose hip extensors e.g. glutes & hamstrings. Extreme weakening of the shoulder muscles at the back may lead to a pattern called a winged scapula where the scapula can be seen to protrude out of position at the back.


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2011 Progie Awards For Best Progressive Films & Artists
By Don Simpson | February 22, 2012
George Clooney has won The Sergei Progie, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the James Agee Cinema Circle's fifth annual "Progie" Awards for Best Progressive Films and Filmmakers of 2011. A Better Life, a film about Latino immigrants, has won The Trumbo Progie for best progressive picture. Angelina Jolie's directorial debut about warfare in the former Yugoslavia, In the Land of Blood and Honey, has won The Renoir Progie for best antiwar movie. The Danny Glover-co-produced The Black Power Mixtape, 1967-1975 has won The Dziga Progie for best documentary.
The James Agee Cinema Circle (of which yours truly is a proud, card-carrying member) is a new international, independent umbrella group of lefty film critics, reviewers, scholars and historians dedicated to raising public awareness about films dealing with political, social and cultural issues such as: Human rights, workers' struggles, women's rights, environmentalism, ethnic rights, free speech, gay rights, civil liberties, immigrant rights, people's activism and peace. The JACC annually presents The Progies to the year's Best Progressive studio features, indies, documentaries and artists. The Progies are the "un-Oscar", the "people's alternative Academy Awards," honoring movies and talents of conscience and consciousness.
Below is a complete list of all of the 2011 Progies winners, followed by the nominees in every category. Each Progie is awarded in a category named after a great cinema artist or film that made a contribution to movies that inspire, enlighten and entertain audiences.
THE TRUMBO: The Progie Award for BEST PROGRESSIVE PICTURE is named after Oscar-winning screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, a member of the Hollywood Ten, who was imprisoned for his beliefs and refusing to inform. Trumbo helped break the Blacklist when he received screen credit for Spartacus and Exodus in 1960.
Winner: A Better Life
Runners Up: The Help; Le Havre; The Time That Remains
THE GARFIELD: The Progie Award for BEST ACTOR in a progressive picture is named after John Garfield, who rose from the proletarian theatre to star in progressive pictures such as Gentleman's Agreement and Force of Evil, only to run afoul of the Hollywood Blacklist.
Winner: Peter Mullan (Tyrannosaur)
Runners Up: Demián Bichir (A Better Life); George Clooney (The Descendants); Viggo Mortensen (A Dangerous Method)
KAREN MORLEY AWARD: The Progie Award for BEST ACTRESS in a film portraying women in a progressive picture is named for Karen Morley, co-star of 1932's Scarface and 1934's Our Daily Bread. Morley was driven out of Hollywood in the 1930s for her leftist views, but maintained her militant political activism for the rest of her life, running for New York's Lieutenant Governor on the American Labor Party ticket in 1954. She passed away in 2003, unrepentant to the end, at the age of 93.
Winner: Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Runner Up: Jessica Chastain (The Debt)
THE RENOIR: The Progie Award for BEST ANTI-WAR FILM is named after the great French filmmaker Jean Renoir, who directed the 1937 anti-militarism masterpiece Grand Illusion.
Winner: In The Land of Blood and Honey
Runner Up: War Horse
THE GILLO: The Progie Award for BEST PROGRESSIVE FOREIGN FILM is named after the Italian director Gillo Pontecorvo, who lensed the 1960s classics The Battle of Algiers and Burn!
Winner: Le Havre (France)
Runners Up: The Time That Remains (France); A Separation (Iran)
THE DZIGA: The Progie Award for BEST PROGRESSIVE DOCUMENTARY is named after the Soviet filmmaker Dziga Vertov, who directed 1920s nonfiction films such as the Kino Pravda series and The Man With the Movie Camera.
Winner: The Black Power Mixtape, 1967-1975
Runners Up: Project Nim; We Were Here
OUR DAILY BREAD AWARD: The Progie Award for the MOST POSITIVE AND INSPIRING WORKING CLASS SCREEN IMAGE is named after King Vidor's 1934 classic about an American collective farm, which starred Karen Morley and was produced by Charlie Chaplin.
Winner: Le Havre
Runner Up: Albert Nobbs
THE ROBESON: The Progie Award for the BEST PORTRAYAL OF PEOPLE OF COLOR that shatters cinema stereotypes, in light of their historically demeaning depictions onscreen. It is named after courageous performing legend, Paul Robeson, who starred in 1936's Song of Freedom and 1940's The Proud Valley, and narrated 1942's Native Land.
Winner: Pariah
Runners Up: The Help; Le Havre; London River; Mooz-Lum; The Black Power Mixtape, 1967-1975
THE SERGEI: The Progie Award for LIFETIME PROGRESSIVE ACHIEVEMENT ON- OR OFFSCREEN is named after Sergei Eisenstein, the Soviet director of masterpieces such as Potemkin and 10 Days That Shook the World.
Winner: George Clooney
Runners Up: Sean Penn; Raul Ruiz
THE BUNUEL: The Progie Award for the MOST SLYLY SUBVERSIVE SATIRICAL CINEMATIC FILM in terms of form, style and content is named after Luis Bunuel, the Spanish surrealist who directed 1929's The Andalusian Dog, 1967's Belle de Jour and 1972's "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie.
Winner: The Artist
Runners Up: Potiche; Carnage; Hugo
THE PASOLINI: The Progie Award for BEST PRO-GAY RIGHTS film is named after Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini, who directed 1964's The Gospel According to St. Matthew and The Decameron and The Canterbury Tales in the 1970s.
Winner: Pariah
Runner Up: Weekend
THE LAWSON: The Progie Award for BEST ANTI-FASCIST FILM is named after John Howard Lawson, screenwriter of 1938's anti-Franco Blockade and the 1940s anti-nazi films Four Sons, Action in the North Atlantic, Sahara and Counter-Attack, and one of the Hollywood Ten.
Winner: Sarah's Key
Runner Up: The Debt
THE LANGLOIS: For BEST PROGRESSIVE PICTURE DESERVING THEATRICAL RELEASE IN THE US and distribution in other countries and platforms is named after film archivist Henri Langlois, co-founder of Paris' Cinémathèque.
Asmaa; Boleto a Paraiso; Carre Blanc; Cinema Komunisto; Escribeme Postales A Copacabana; Granito: How To Nail a Dictator; Green; Ispansi; Jesus Was a Communist; Land of Opportunity; The Loving Story; Omar Killed Me; She Monkeys; Le Skylab; The Sleeping Voice; Vapor Trail; Vito; Will the Real Terrorist Please Stand Up; Without; You Hurt My Feelings
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As an entity grows, their website should grow with them. The City of Salisbury's website hadn't seen a redesign since early 2012. The City leadership mentioned that the website was not a primary focus for them. Until they put out an RFP in August of 2016.
The City of Salisbury needs a website that reflects our commitment to transparency in city government.
Jacob Day – Mayor (2016)
A total of 26 businesses responded to the RFP. I was ecstatic to find out in early September that my bid won. Soon we started into the early consultation and planning phase, with a whiteboard session. Our goal was to synthesize both the assets and challenges down to a sitemap. After we agreed on a sitemap, I was able to begin working on prototype designs.
Developing a prototype
The prototype needed to carefully considered the needs of 11 very different city departments. There was a lot of legacy content that I had to preserve. This legacy content was on three different websites but needed to be joined into this one new website.
After considering all of the possible users and use cases of this website I knew it had to be extremely flexible. My design also needed to rigid in all the right places. Navigation needed to be extremely simple, but despite all the flexibility it all needed to look and feel very cohesive.
I decided to implement a block layout for this website. The block layout would afford the site two benefits. Blocks allow for great amount of flexibility, allowing the city to place sections where they are needed. Block layouts also mean information may only be presented in a handful of different arrangements.
After presenting the prototype, the Mayor's office absolutely loved it.
Design & Development
They asked for very minor tweaks and I got to work solving some of the higher level challenges. I began putting together as many blocks as I possibly could. I designed blocks that could display a single video or video gallery. The city needed a way to present events, so I designed a block for events.These blocks allow almost any kind of data to be presented on any page.
I decided to use a slide out menu due to the possibility of top level navigation items growing beyond 5-7 pages. This slide out menu ended up being one of the best possible decisions I could have made. The menu works excellently on mobile and desktop browsers.
I also gave the city the option of featuring specific menu items outside of the menu toggle. You can see many of the pages the city would like to guide you to being featured above like Report an Issue, Citizen Services, and pay a bill. We wanted to reduce the number of clicks a user would need to get to where they are going. That sitemap from early on in the project really helped make this part of design clearcut.
After presenting the polished design roughly three and a half months later. I was given the go ahead to pull in legacy content and get it on a server.
Making Performance First Priority
Now that we had the website out on the internet and in the wild, it was time to make sure that it was performant. I implemented lazy loading of images and videos, as well as caching both in the browser and at the server level.
Also some tools were installed to reduce the size of assets uploaded by city employees.
For a site of this size we came away with some pretty impressive performance numbers in the page load time. The home page is an image heavy page with lots of assets and blocks being loaded. Both Twitter and Instagram APIs are being hit in addition to Youtube on this page. This page still loads in well under a second regularly.
Training and Education
Now that we had all the development behind us it was time to make sure the City had the knowledge of how to use their website, this was the most vital part of the whole process. I spent a little over a full work week training members from each city department how post to the website and update their own department pages. We started with classes of three departments at a time sending their employees. After training every department I began one on ones for employees who didn't pick it up the first time.
All together I trained 60+ city employees how to run the city website.
The site had to be simple to update and easy to train so that the I.T. Department wouldn't get bogged down make content changes on the website. Each department got their own logins and only has permissions and abilities to change their own content. This makes the information of each department able to move much quicker than submitting a change to the infrastructure team and waiting for them to implement.
After everybody was sufficiently trained each department got to work updating their pages.
Review & Launch
The departments were given deadlines by the Mayor's Office and we began the review process making sure each rabbit hole had answers, each contact point had a form and at least one recipient. After all this work was done I was very proud to announce the new website with the city.
Check out the video below of the announcement of the site.
Check out this article about the website launch in the Salisbury Independent!


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Entry Door Care Tips & Manufacturers
Manufacturers of Steel, Fiberglass, Composite & Wood Entry Doors
The following is just a partial listing of entry door manufacturers. There are well over 100 that I could have listed! If a door company you are considering is not on the following list do not be discouraged.
Door Care Tips/Literature
The newer doors often have very specific care instructions. There is not a catch-all program that will work for all doors. Because these doors represent a major investment in most cases, take the time to read the care instructions that come with the door.
This is very important with respect to finishing the doors. Some of the newer doors, such as the fiberglass doors, require very specific stains to achieve the best results. These stains are almost always available from the door manufacturer. If your contractor looks puzzled when you bring this to his/her attention, continue to probe.
The care of the newer steel doors that have vinyl finishes is important. The method of cleaning the door is important, as you might harm the vinyl if not careful. Once again, the doors come with specific care instructions, be sure to save this literature and read it.
After deciding upon which door you will choose, ask the supplier for specific care and installation instructions at that time. Read these things before talking to contractors. When interviewing contractors, ask questions to see how familiar they are with that particular door. See if they intend to do some (all) of the things that are required by the manufacturer. If you take the time to do this simple thing, I know you will rapidly find out who not to hire for your door job. I wish you good luck on your entry door project!
Column B76


text: by Cory Jensen Dec 2, 2011 Comments (0) AIChE Topics: K-12 Societal Impact Share This Post: This article is the joint effort of Cory Jensen and Michael Mutnan. Greetings from the Rocky Mountain Section of AIChE! Since our section covers a lot of territory, it makes sense that several different types of outreach projects exist throughout the region. We encourage new members and young professionals to lead similar efforts and take the time to share their efforts as well! Below, we highlight two of our outreach efforts: State of Colorado Science Fair Michael Mutnan has served for over 20 years as liaison and special judge in the Colorado State Science Fair, which is held annually at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. As a special judge, Michael evaluates all projects at the fair to identify those that have a chemical engineering focus. Further, Michael coordinates with members who participate as judges. The Fair is held during the first week of April and projects are divided into two groups: Junior (middle school/junior high) and Senior (senior high/conventional four-year high school). For each grade division, our section gives first- and second-place awards that consist of a cash prize, certificate, and invitation to a section meeting for the students to display and talk about their project during our social time prior to a local section professional meeting. The 56th Annual Colorado State Science Fair winners in chemical engineering projects are: Junior Division First Place with an award of $100.00: Emma Frantz, 8th Grade, North Middle School, Colorado Springs. "Does It Stick? Viscosity's Affect on Liquid Mediated Adhesion" Second Place with an award of $75.00: Sydney Matteson, 8th Grade, North Middle School, Colorado Springs. "A Head's Tail: The Effects if Pharmaceutical Pollutants & Remediation on Regeneration of Planeria" Senior Division First Place with an award of $100.00: Sara Volz, 10th Grade, Cheyenne Middle School, Colorado Springs. "Enhancing Algae Biofuels Phase II: Stress Analysis of ACCase, and Enzymatic Factor of Lipid Production" Second Place with an award of $75.00: Kerry Betz, 12th Grade, Fairview High School. Project Title - "Constructing a Novel Cage Molecule for Use in a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell" More information can be found in the May 2001 Rocky Mountain newsletter. K-12 Ties to Innovative Senior Design Projects Serving as a student liaison in the Rocky Mountain region, on the Young Professional Advisory Board, and in the Career and Education Operating Council (and a student at the Colorado School of Mines), Cory Jensen has been involved with the promotion of K-12 outreach that develops ties to senior design project work and community. After utilizing a Denver Urban Garden's community garden in coordination with the Cole Arts and Science Academy (CASA) in the Denver Public School system to innovate experiential "infusion" classes (2010-2011), Cory has worked to translate design for the environment principles that can be incorporated into multidisciplinary senior design engineering project work that is in line with Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) guidelines. View East from Mitchell community garden looking towards Cole Arts and Science Academy. Cole garden plot in the foreground. This academic year (2011-2012), a senior design project was designed drawing upon cross disciplinary engineering expertise to develop a teaching tool conveying education content that illustrates impact (e.g. energy & environment). The design focuses on maintenance of biological systems and utilizes education as a design input. In the future, Cory hopes to develop project work with local businesses, engineering firms, non-profits, and federal agencies. The Renewable Energy Demonstration Center (located in Golden) has been a key partner in developing innovative education and outreach programs with the Colorado School of Mines that has established grassroots connections in the Golden community and with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). How is your local section involved in outreach? Photo: Colorado Rockies, drocpsu via Flickr Log in to post comments


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Waldorf Astoria - Canyons Real Estate
The Waldorf Astoria is a luxury condo hotel development at Canyons Village in Park City, Utah. The hotel is run by Hilton bringing status and first-class service to the Canyons Resort. The Waldorf Astoria in Park City was built in 2009 and it is the first ski-in ski-out resort hotel in the Waldorf Astoria collection. The Frostwood Gondola is located just across the street from the Waldorf.
Residences at the Waldorf Astoria Park City range from approximately 330 square foot studios to 2,000 square foot four bedroom suites. Most of the larger condos have multiple lock-out capabilities to maximize rental income. All rooms feature designer furnishings, high-end appliances, flat screen televisions, granite countertops and alder cabinetry as well as jetted tubs, steam showers, fireplaces, air conditioning and private decks.
Amenities at the Waldorf Astoria include the 16,000 square foot Golden Door Spa, restaurants, concierge services, valet/bell service, outdoor heated pool and hot tubs as well as complimentary ski storage and shuttle transportation.
The Waldorf Astoria is surrounded by the Canyons Golf Course and is a great year-round vacation destination.
Insure that you have the best representation when buying and/or selling a condo at Waldorf Astoria in Park City, Utah. Contact our Canyons Specialists at 435-640-6966 or email firstname.lastname@example.com and learn more about current buyer incentives and set up a time to preview some of the beautiful ski residences.
Below you can view all condos for sale at the Waldorf Astoria Park City.
Listings are updated daily from the Park City MLS and are from all brokerages.
Condominiums for Sale at Canyons Village:
Apex Residences
Fairway Springs
Grand Summit Lodge
Hidden Creek
Hotel Ascent
Hyatt Escala Lodge
Juniper Landing
Red Pine Condos
Residences at Blackstone
Silverado Lodge
Sundial Lodge
Timberwolf Lodge
Vintage on the Strand
Waldorf Astoria
Westgate Resort
White Pine Canyon Village
Canyons Real Estate I Property Map Search
Sellers: Get a Free Comparative Market Analysis Today!
Residences for Sale at Waldorf Park City
2100 W Frostwood Boulevard
2100 W Frostwood Boulevard
2100 Frostwood Drive
2100 Frostwood Blvd, Waldorf Astori
2100 Frostwood Boulevard
2100 W Frostwood Boulevard
2100 W Frostwood Boulevard
2100 W Frostwood Boulevard
Keller Williams Park City Real Estate | Phone: 435-640-6966 | firstname.lastname@example.com
Google by Steve Blankenship


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Thesis Title
The City Is a Morgue
Date of Graduation
Spring 2007
Master of Arts in English
Committee Chair
Wayne Blackmon
short story, infantilism, prescriptions, methamphetamines, ice storm
Subject Categories
English Language and Literature
This creative writing project reveals some social concerns by exploring them in four separate grotesque narratives. Each of these short stories is set in towns much like Springfield, MO. The first piece, "Tin Crib," follows the main character's first day of work at a peculiar daycare. His insecurities and stinted emotional development surface in the form a physical regression into childhood known as Infantilism. "Tape," addresses the pervasiveness of prescription medications in a science-fiction mode. The medications are manifested in physical headsets that the characters wear. The second half of this project was intended as Winter Noir. The frozen landscape is a character in itself. "Kitty Litter," the most realistic piece, is a ride through the underworld of the methamphetamine business in a Midwestern college town. Each facet of the miniature drug ring is visited as the protagonist strives to regain a large amount of stolen merchandise for his boss. "The City Is a Morgue," the final narrative, approaches Springfield's 2007 ice storm by placing the reader in the shoes of a young man in search of his missing sister. He finds some unlikely assistance from a local news reporter and a man with an uncanny ability for discovering dead bodies. The four stories are meant to give an impression of helplessness. Each protagonist is in search of the power needed for self-determination.
© Matthew Charles Dampier
Recommended Citation
Dampier, Matthew Charles, "The City Is a Morgue" (2007). MSU Graduate Theses. 1086.


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"It's getting to the point where we have to ask a simple question: If a social landlord won't house people because they're poor and struggle to make ends meet, who the hell will?" In his latest blog, Quids in! editor Jeff Mitchell this month claims the only difference between applying for social housing and taking a driving test is that someone is more likely to successfully get the keys to a car than a new home.
"Housing Associations have been backed into a corner by the government. These organisations have to survive but if someone doesn't start shouting out for tenants, we're heading back to the days of Cathy Come Home," he adds.
Benefit caps, direct payments and government-imposed rent cuts have caused many housing associations to start vetting new tenants based on their ability to manage their money. As Universal Credit (UC) is rolled out, the bar will rise much further, not least because in pilots 79% of claimants were in rent arrears by the time their first benefit payment arrived, according to the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) and the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH). Other research found direct payments, where the housing element of UC is paid to the tenant instead of the landlord, were unmanageable by many claimants.
Describing levels of debt as a "frightening fact", welfare reform minister, Lord Freud, has ordered an enquiry into why so many tenants are falling into arrears when moving to UC. "We need to understand what the existing arrears are. They are much higher than we expected," he said.
In July Inside Housing reported that Labour peer Baron William McKenzie of Luton said the roll-out of UC was "causing a build-up of debt among social tenants, creating financial hardship and reportedly driving some into the arms of loan sharks".
"Our mind-sets have changed as we look toward a future where 'guaranteed' payment of our rent from most households becomes a thing of the past," one housing worker in London told QIPN. "We are routinely vetting nominations for our properties in order to gain a clear insight into the household's financial position. In short, we are 'filtering out' those whom we feel would be severely challenged to pay rent."
Increasingly, this is the picture across the country with pre-assessment matched with support and advice. In Bath, Curo Housing runs a Passport to Housing scheme that it describes as "a free and confidential service offered by Curo to help people bidding for homes to prepare for a successful tenancy and plan for the expense of moving home". It works with Citizens Advice locally to develop money management skills and ensure prospective tenants are on top of any debts, have an appropriate bank account and can manage a budget.
According to the Joseph Rowntree Trust, however, while social landlords are offering support and advice, many are also screening out any they don't think will be able to stay on top of their money: "Housing associations are intensifying scrutiny of new applicants for new 'affordable' tenancies to ensure they can pay higher rents and service charges. Some of the poorest applicants (whether in work or not) are being rejected and screened out and advised to apply for cheaper homes," its briefing paper The Impact of Welfare Reform on Social Landlords and Tenants reported.
It concludes: "The financial pressures on social landlords arising from welfare reform are raising doubts over their future development plans. Social landlords are trying to reconcile not only their financial viability with their commitment to house low-income tenants, but also their landlord responsibility towards existing tenants with their aim to provide more housing for those in need, particularly vulnerable groups and individuals. Housing associations have made far-reaching changes to prepare for welfare reform, but the challenges are immense and it is unclear what lies ahead."
Jeff Mitchell comments: "Social landlords have been our best friends at Quids in! so I don't believe it's their choice to turn their backs on the founding principles of social housing that it should provide a safety net for all those in serious housing need.
"For some, though, it's worth pointing out that much of their stock was originally publicly owned and I suspect there would be a public outcry if they knew the most needy were being screened out. In turn, landlords should take this back to government. It is not inconceivable that claiming Universal Credit could become a mark against a new tenant in its own right."


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Credit to the Dildo Daves, they acted quickly in addressing the managerial situation at West Ham, following our relegation from the Premier League. We've been relegated before, (now 5 times in my lifetime), but I think the season just gone was the worst. Not just because of relegation, but the manner in which it happened. There just did not seem to be a fighting spirit from either the players or the manager and for that alone, Grant needed to be replaced.
The appointment of Big Fat Sam as the new manager has caused a lot of debate amongst my fellow Irons, primarily because of his perceived long-ball, physical style of football. However, most agree that if he can instill the ethics of hard work and organisation into whatever players he will have at his disposal come the start of the new season, then we will have a sound foundation on which to build for a quick return to the PL. BFS himself says that he is well aware of the tradition of the so-called "West Ham Way" of playing stylish, skillful, attacking football, and wherever practical will try to play this way, while not sacrificing results on the altar of tradition. A few years ago, I would have been less than happy with this appointment, but with the club still having deep financial problems, then needs must, and I say well done to the board on getting a manager with such a good track record.
Getting the new manager in situ so early has meant that we have pulled off a bit of a coup in the transfer market with the signing of Kevin Nolan. I was very surprised that a player that did well for the Toon last year would drop down a division, but I guess that's the pulling power that BFS has – Nolan has signed twice for him before, knows him well and obviously has great respect for him. Nolan is also the sort of player we really need – strong, quite skillful, hard working, and most importantly a goal-scoring midfielder, decent ones of which are not easy to come by. I'm looking forward to seeing him in the claret and blue.
Not so sure with our other new signing, another of BFS's previous players, Abdoulaye Faye. Fair player in his time, but now 33 and this signing is reminiscent of many previous purchases of older, over-the-top players that have rarely produced the goods for us. However, we do need strengthening in the central defence department, as we lack decent, experienced players in that area. Gabbidon was our only one following the departure of Upson (goodbye and don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out), and he has not shown anything like the form that made him one of our star players before a long term injury problem kept him out of the side.
Also on the down-side, we have lost Demba Ba, who's gone in the opposite direction to Nolan. It was probably inevitable, but I'd hoped we might be able to persuade him to stay, albeit with financial inducements rather than career opportunities. I'm certain that Ba would have scored a shed-load of goals for us next season, and good strikers who can regularly find the back of the net are in short supply, so he is going to be difficult to replace.
Fixtures are out and the fixture computer has given us a tough start. Starting with Cardiff at home, we play 3 of the clubs that are likely to feature in the promotion push before August is out, the other two clubs being Leeds and Forest. We also have away games at Donny Rovers and Watford in the first month. So we will need to hit the ground running, otherwise things could easily start to go wrong. If we don't get some good results and the style of play is not to the fans' liking, then I wouldn't be surprised to see the crowd start to turn on BFS, which would not be good news. Patience will be needed, but unfortunately is probably going to be in short supply.


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January 23, 2014 6 Comments
A friend recently posted a picture on Facebook of her Washington-state yard. Like most Washington-state yards at this time of year, it was mostly under two inches of water. Off to one side, however, was the most spectacularly huge-leaved plant:
I mistook it for a Philodendron selloum, which was unlikely, even in warm wet Washington, but my friend quickly corrected me. It is, in fact, a Gunnera manicata.
Gunnera's glory is its foliage. The leaves, as you can see, are comically gigantic. It's sometimes called "wild rhubarb," as the leaves very much resemble those of rhubarb, and some gardeners call it "dinosaur plant," for obvious reasons. Can't you just picture a brontosaurus peacefully chomping on it?
The more I studied the picture, the more I knew I'd seen it before. I went through some old photos and found it in Adare, a picturesque Irish village Partner and I visited in 2007; it was growing at the boggy end of a public park, and its leaves were so spectacular that I had to take a picture of it. I discovered online that it's a moderately common garden plant in Ireland; locals sometimes pick the leaves and use them as umbrellas.
Gardens should always be a mix of old and new, common and unexpected, big and small. We love to see a hundred daffodils in bloom, but we need the darkness of tall ominous pine trees behind them to make them shine. We cherish our one-blossom-at-a-time borders, but we need something big and splashy to give them drama.
Gunnera, with its rich green tablecloth-sized leaves, will give your garden all the drama it needs.
Just don't blame me if you start attracting dinosaurs.


text: Rosso is the main man in at the ProTec Tulum reception, keeping the store open, tanks filled and the electricity bills paid. Rosso is the person you will see first when you walk in with empty tanks or into the reception before 2pm most days. Rosso is a Intro to cave diver and Nitrox blender and in this capacity he is filling CCR tanks as well.


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The mayor of the city of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, has defended his decision to halt the construction of more bicycle lanes, in order to restore the dignity of the poor.
Many South Africans were up-in-arms when they heard the announcement that Mashaba had "put the brakes" on the city's bicycle lane project during his inaugural speech yesterday. He drove the message home by stating that the city would not be constructing a single lane for bicycles until every road in the city has been tarred.
You can read the full transcript of the speech, available on the City of Joburg's website by clicking here.
Mashaba called into the John Robbie show on 702 Talk Radio this morning to explain the reasons behind the decision announced yesterday at his Inaugural Mayoral Speech.
"I live in Sandton and at the same time I have neighbours of mine that I need to take care of as a matter of urgency. People in Alexandra are living across the highway… people with no toilets… no water and dignity and I have to make a decision," Mashaba.
"I see R70 million is budgeted to build bicycle lanes for people in Sandton and now, I look at people of Alexandra"
"Some of them have taken their cases to the Human Rights Commission. I cannot live in a city that deprives people of such basic services'" Mashaba added.
"Now I have to get the budget … I am taking that R70m to give my neighbours' my people' the opportunity to have dignity."
Mashaba said that while bicycle lanes are needed, he can't allow the city to spend money on the infrastructure in a place which is already well-equipped with basic services while the poor continue to live in undesirable conditions.
"I want them [Alexandra residents] to feel like they're also part of the city," Mashaba concluded.
For more info, check out the 702 website.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens.


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DIY Easter Egg Ornaments Craft
Here you are currently watching the result of The Awesome DIY Easter Egg Ornaments Craft Ideas. Every one can be knows about Easter. The Easter is the period in which Easter occurs. Easter is the festival of Christian. Christian loves their Easter Festival. They celebrate this festival with the DIY Easter Crafts and decorations of their houses. Then can be create the DIY Decorations Ideas. This Easter celebrate in the weekend from the the Friday or Monday. The Christian festival of the Easter you can be see the DIY Easter Egg Ornaments Craft. It is a hard-boiled egg that is dyed. It can also be decorated as part of the Easter celebration. You can see the same result of DIY Easter Egg Ornaments Craft Ideas as below this post.


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onecentwinners brauchte ein neues Logo Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 39 Designs von 15 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
My name is Brian and I am creating a penny auction website that is different and better than those already out there. I'm doing this to make money to help pay for school expenses. I am currently a college student and based out of San Diego, CA. I have lived here all of my life. My website aims to present visitors with the chance to win items such as IPods and laptops at cheap prices. This is an auction site and visitors bid on the items until the clock reaches zero.
My desired audience is anyone and everyone who loves auctions and new items at cheap prices. This website is for those interested in penny auctions, whether they are a part of the existing bidders market or are new to the innovative auctions.
The requirements for this design are simple:
1. Must promote the website (http://www.onecentwinners.com)
2. Eye-catching
3. Recognizable and unique
4. Relevant to penny auctions/ cents
As the designer, you can express yourself through this logo. Do not include the "www" and ".com" in the logo. Feel free to include a tag line. "onecentwinners" must be the prominent object though. Use Color. Be free.
Finden Sie heraus, wie ein Designwettbewerb funktioniert, oder lernen Sie mehr über unsere Logo-Design-Angebote.


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How to contact staff
Parents should direct queries to their son or daughter's tutor or hsm in the first instance.
Please see our contact form if you wish to send a message to a specific department within the school. Current parents can also find a list of contact details for each Head of Department after logging into the Parent Area.
Nigel Davies
Teacher of Design & Technology - Design & Technology


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|Decorative OP, Pop Art Mirror-Wall Hanging Art Workca 1950's
By "Tom Tru" distributed by Raymor. Black frame with cream boarder-decorated mirror ground with repeating Mod pattern. 38″- H x 22″- W x 1.5″ deep.
|Classic OP, Pop Art Infinity Mirror
ca 1960's
Unusual repeating lines pattern. Very good original vintage condition with only light signs of wear, normal and consistent with age. 23.5″- W x 6.25″ Deep x 18.5″ – D of mirror.
|Starburst Mirror
ca. 1960's
Diminutive gold frame mirror convex bulls eye mirror 15"- Dia Plastique frame.
|Nickel Plated Shaving Stand
ca. 1900Round Beveled Mirror with Adjustable Shaving Tray Manufactured by the "Adjustable Furniture Co.".63″ H Mirror 12″ Diameter$1850.00


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Ghost is a blogging platform that you can host in your own web server or allow the company to host it for yourself to save time and stress (and to just focus on writing post). Think about it as a WordPress blog that has been tear down to the basic functionality like write post, tag them and no more like that.
"Ghost is a platform dedicated to one thing: Publishing." Ghost's About page
But if you're reading this it means that you already knows Ghost, you already have a blog hosted by them under an URL like yourname.ghost.io, and you already know it can cause you a big headache to configure your custom domain to point to your blog using both the www and non-www version of your domain and not just one as Ghost seems to allow.
I fought with this problem when I created this blog, so probably what I experience can help somebody.
CloudFlare DNS and Page Rules configuration
Let's assume you have the yourdomain.com domain and you want to point it to yourname.ghost.io. Also, let's go a even forward and assume you already add your custom domain to CloudFlare because the main problem here is to make both www and non-www work (because Ghost already explain how to get only one of them working).
DNS settings
Access your domain DNS setting in order to create a new CNAME record that points your subdomain www to your Ghost blog URL.
- Type: CNAME
- Name: www
- Value / Domain name: yourname.ghost.io
You can take a look at my configuration in the image below. The first row is the one that matters for this tutorial, and the others are used to make Google Apps works (so I can have my email hosted by Google).
It's very important that the configured CNAME goes through the CloudFlare servers, which means that the cloud icon at the last column should be orange as the image shows.
Page Rules setting
Lucky us CloudFlare provides a way to configure page rules to redirect somebody who types some URL to another desire URL. In this case we want to redirect the non-www version of our domain (yourdomain.com) to the www version of it (www.yourdomain.com).
Add a new rule for the URL pattern http://yourdomain.com/*, set the Forwarding option to ON, enter http://www.yourdomain.com/$1 as URL destination, and finally set the Forwarding type as Permanent - 301.
Look at my page rule for this blog to get things even more clear.
Probably you're wondering about the * and $1 on the URLs. They are there to match whatever comes after the domain without www in order to add the same to the www sub-domain once the redirection takes place.
For example, with this page rule as described, when somebody types yourdomain.com/this-is-a-blog-post/ it's going to be translated to www.yourdomain.com/this-is-a-blog-post/. No visitor is left behind with this configuration.
Ghost Custom Domain configuration
Finally, this whole CloudFlare setup will make sense if you go back to your Ghost blog configuration in order to set the www version of your domain as the Custom Domain of your blog.
That's all it takes to have both yourdomain.com and www.yourdomain.com working with your Ghost blog.
If you can't see the results, meaning the redirection is not working for you, first take a break because it could take some minutes to take effect, or blame the cache of your browser (clean your browser cache and try again, or simple change the browser you are using).


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|Photo: Whole Foods Market
1 Large Egg
2 Slices of Gluten-Free Bread
1 Tbsp. of Maple Syrup
½ Tsp. of Ground Cinnamon
Toast bread until crisp. Mix all remaining ingredients in a bowl. Place bread slices inside bowl until soaked (flip bread). Coat a large skillet with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Remove bread slices from bowl and place on skillet (medium/low heat). Cook for about 5 minutes (flip bread half way through). Top with maple syrup and/or your choice of fruit.


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Pervy old teacher gets it on with the beautiful Mary.
Mary never thought she'd be having sex with her tricky old teacher. After class he always just said goodbye to her, but he always had his eye on her. It wasn't until she went seeking assistance did something happen. This tricky old bastard tried his luck with her and it worked. He turned on his charms whilst talking about her work and before too long he's got his big old tricky nob in her mouth and she is guzzling it down like a lollipop.
The Newest Scene On The Site:
00:00 / 41:19movie title


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Finally upgraded from a 6 year old Macbook Pro. This is a first build for me! I wanted something powerful and beautiful. It's equal parts a game machine and a work of art. The RGB was a high priority, all components work with Aura Sync so the timings and color transitions are flawless and look really sharp.
Besides the RGB, this PC was built around the ability to play games on ultra settings for the first time. After scraping by on very low settings and 20-40 fps in most games on an antiquated Macbook I decided to finally create a real computer.
It's good for now but there are a number of upgrades I have planned which include:
- Custom water cooling loop
- 4k 144hz monitor
- NVME M.2 Storage
- Tempered glass window
- Coolermaster RGB fans
- Another 2x8gb Trident Z
- Better desk
Part Reviews
Team Red!
CPU Cooler
I love it, but I'm going to be extra critical just because of Corsair's branding department. I don't like the brightly lit "Corsair" tramp stamp right across my CPU. There's no way to turn it off, and no other options for liquid CPU coolers that are the same quality without annoying branding.
Despite this nitpicking, it's extremely quiet. I only hear it ramping up when I benchmark it, and it can almost get to 45c but not quite. In average day to day use and threadkilling games it's quiet and cool as can be, barely hitting 30c with fans running at minimum speed. Idles at 26c, stopping the fans doesn't even increase the temperature significantly at first, the pump and the radiator are incredible. I feel bad for taking 2 stars off, but I don't like the logo, and the LED lighting ruins my RGB lighting.
I would have loved 2x16gb PCIe slots, and maybe an option to use the LED display for temperature instead of just error codes, but this is just being extra picky because I like everything else about this part.
Looks great, runs great, definitely not for everyone but if RGB is what you want, the Trident Z RGB is the best option for RAM.
Video Card
Cost several pennies, but worth every single one. Quiet, cool, and beautiful.
Amazing. Despite my fears about air-flow and dust build up, several months later and it's just as pretty as the day I built it.
The open air case actually seems to improve the temperatures. Seeing as there is no "internal" temperature, exposure to the room itself helps to dissipate the hot air more efficiently than fans in a case constantly pulling and pushing air in and out. Just be aware if you have a hot GPU, you will feel it in a smaller room, great for the winter but can be annoying in the summer without proper airflow through your house.
Power Supply
SILENT. I hear birds calling and leaves rustling out my window but I can't hear the PSU running at all. Or I would if my GPU and CPU could be quiet for a minute. It's overkill for my build, but I like to have a few extra hundred watts on the upper level just in case. It's a really bad day when your PSU blows the rest of your fancy computer and it's worth every penny to get every watt you can.
Does everything I want it to do at a reasonable price. Perfect for someone who wants "just enough", or if you're waiting to save up and buy the really nice monitor of your dreams.
Stunning. The sturdy body, the Cherry Mx Red key switches, the aluminum "aztec" finishing, the outstanding macro options, the braided nylon cord, the swappable numpad that even has a volume wheel, it checks all the right boxes.
It works and it doesn't have more buttons than my keyboard so it's just what I wanted. The larger size keeps my hand from getting cramped, but the Aura Sync software really doesn't like the mouse. Sometimes I have to restart my system to get it to sync up correctly, and sometimes after waiting 5 or 10 minutes it will just sync itself up even if the Aura Sync software seems frozen. Be patient with it. Taking off a star feels unfair since my only complaint is a software complaint, but it's a pretty big selling point for the peripherals so it should work without a hitch.
It's absolutely massive, and yet, somehow still not big enough for my desk.
- 32 months ago
- 3 points
- 31 months ago
- 1 point
- 31 months ago
- 2 points


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Why This List?
Wanessa loves watching kung fu movies from the 90's and all the cliches that come with it. As we've covered all the famous Jet Li and Jackie Chan films, we started to see some hilarious patterns. When we watch these movies on some chill nights at home, we'd check through all this list and have a good laugh when we cover from 25 to sometimes all 30 of these characteristics in these classic movies.
How to Write This List
Four easy steps:
Step One. Grab a pen, paper, and loved one.
Step Two. Put on some old school (70-90s) kung fu movies on your platform of choice
Step Three. Write down and laugh at all cliches you're bound to find.
Step Four. Repeat!
The best way to come up with this list is by living it and sharing it.
- Some type of long scroll decreed by an emperor
- Old government official or monk that loves to laugh loudly at nothing
- Young monks practicing kung fu exercises in unison
- A fight involving food of some sort
- A corrupt government official
- A kung fu competition of some sort
- A protagonist fighter demonstrating a special style of kung fu that no one else can beat
- Badass female fighter
- Someone mildly important dies and gives the protagonist strength
- A workout or training montage
- The protagonist faces a ransom of person or holy object
- The protagonist always starts by losing his final fight
- Miraculously the protagonist digs deep and finds extra strength to win the epic battle showdown after thinking of a new strategy
- There's a quick zoom pan and evil music soundtrack for the bad guy
- Using a random prop (furniture) as a weapon
- Initial resistance of the protagonist for fighting
- Protagonist stumble upon a random stranger and comes to the aid in a heroic gesture
- Fu man chu mustache and ridiculously long eyebrows
- Someone scrambling on a roof
- Steamed buns (for eating and sometimes throwing at enemies)
- Dramatic head toss of braid/hair over the shoulder in a method to make any Pantene model green with envy
- Praying to a Buddha
- Incompetent government henchmen
- Plot twist of more evil people
- Semi-comedic death of a henchman or mid level boss
- Reference to a philosophical Buddhist hymn
- Elderly mentor counseling the young protagonist
- Large urns of Chinese liquor or soup
- Clothing gets ripped off to show the surprisingly muscular fighter
- Terrible English translations
~See Lemons Love Kung Fu


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BlaHoo! Directory » Home » Storage
ORG offers custom solutions for every home organization need…from the master closet to the home office and garage. Your local ORG dealer will help you plan, design and install exactly what you need, where you need it. The process is fast and easy. With a wide variety of styles and finishes, ORG products compliment every home. For more information about ORG or for the ORG dealer nearest you, visit www.HomeORG.com.


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Estonia, Tallinn - 20th-24th June 2013Par Marie Chiff mine dans Programme du guidon conteur pour le dernière ligne droite le 3 Juillet 2013 à 01:52
Lübeck - Travemünde....20 kilometers before boarding for Helsinki first and saturday for
Tallinn.. Good bye canals, rivers ! That's thursday the 20 th of June !
Here's a huge boat for us which will be our cradle for 28 hours ! I say us...because I'm
with some people from Germany with bikes and bikes bags as I. They also go to Tallinn
The boat left the port of Travemünde at 3 o'clock. Everybody is sleeping. The boat is
purring gently. The sea is calm and pleasant all the way of 700 kilometers !
The early morning of that 21st of june brings us sunshine ! The chairs are moving a lot on
the last deck. People take sun baths ! So do I ! Then, I blow a song to the sun that
Brittany needs him right now !
Birch twigs are fastened to the handrail of the deck. Guess why ? This is the longest day
of the year. That's Midsummer in Finland and the boat is finnish. The birch has the
symbol of light and purification. In Estonia, that's the same but the celebration of
Midsummer is on the 23rd of june.
I just arrived in Estonia to the harbour of Tallinn on saturday 22nd in the afternoon with
the sun ! Wououh ! I must take my cap and take off my socks ! It's summertime here !
Wououh !
Sunday 23rd of June looks very special with those all blue, black, white flags everywhere
even on taxis like flying ears ! That's a national event ! It's Midsummer Eve !
Let's go around bonfires for dancing, jumping, skipping over the fires along the baltic sea!
Concerts, dances, songs, games and oral traditions are still alive for that midsummer eve
which is in estonian JAANIPAËV ( = Day of John)
That's fun ! It reminds me my Brittany with this common tradition. But, you know what ?
We've been forced to look at the sunset because he was still here on that clear night !
That was.....Hm ! I don't have any word for it ! That's a long day and the night is very
clear and full of light !
Look at the sky...at four o'clock in the morning !
The pictures tell you some comments but dream what you can't see !
Marie Chiff'mine
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antelope canyon, a sandstone slot canyon located outside of page, arizona, is one of the most beautiful and stunning places i've ever been to. although the canyons were formed through erosion and flash floods, not necessarily a positive thing environmentally, the result is absolutely breathtaking. the ripples and waves the canyon's known for are caused each year during monsoon season as the rain collects above antelope canyon and rushes downhill collecting sand as it flows towards lake powell. consequently, the navajo call the upper canyon "the place where water runs through rocks".
to visit antelope canyon you have to sign up for a tour; the canyon sits on land owned by the navajo nation and they want to preserve it as best as possible, so there is no wandering around unattended and no climbing on the rocks. but the guides are phenomenal -- our guide even told me what settings to use to best capture the lights and colors of the canyon.
the picture on the left was taken using the landscape setting while the picture on the right was taken with the guide's recommended settings: P mode, 1600 ISO, white balance set to cloudy. doesn't it make an amazing difference? the picture on the right is a much more realistic representation of the incredibly beauty of the canyon, although visiting in person is really the best way to view it.
as the guide walks you through the canyon, they stop around every curve to show the best spots to take pictures. at the end of the tour everyone's camera roll looks like a professional photographer stole their camera!
a couple other photography tips: don't shoot all the way up to the sky, it'll wash out your picture, don't ever use the flash, and bring a tripod or camera stick, some pictures may be blurry without it.
like this tumbleweed, debris can be brought into and deposited in the canyon during floods, waiting for the next flood to wash it out again.
when you walk all the way through upper antelope canyon this is your view as you exit. you have to turn around and go back the way you came, but it's pretty cool how the canyon seems to rise out of nothing and return to nothing.
this is the view from wahweap campground: lake powell in the foreground and utah in the background!
there are many tour guides to choose from,
this is the one we used: antelope canyon tours
tours cost $37 adults and $27 children (8-12yo)
tour times: 7am, 8am, 930am, 130pm, 330pm, 430pm
prime time tours (at 1130am) cost $48 adults and $37 children
for lodging we recommend staying at the wahweap campground
$15 fee per car to enter the glen canyon recreation area
and campsites are $26 a night


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A special concert by the Sydney Schubert Society was performed at North Sydney's Independent Theatre rather than its usual venue, a fortunate choice in view of the prevailing cold snap. The Schubert Society has been regaling appreciative esoteric audiences for over sixty years – a lot of thought goes into their programming, chiefly along the lines of the well-known Schubertiades, based on the composer's own times. This afternoon recital was no exception with a subtle departure from the norm.
The first half consisted of four groups of three Lieder sung by David Greco, baritone, and accompanied by pianist Peter Toohey. Familiar songs such as An Die Musik and Der Tod und Das Mädchen were intertwined with lesser known Schubert lieder, with an extra sweetener of three songs by Alban Berg. David took time to explain the backgrounds of the story to each poem which was very helpful. His intonation and expression were excellent and his voice had an adequate range while Peter's accompaniment was precise and balanced.
I particularly enjoyed the unfamiliar "Der Zwerg" (The Dwarf) with its lengthy dramatic background involving three characters and the later "Auf Der Bruck" (By the lookout) which had a peaceful lyrical feel. The Berg songs "Jugenlieder" (Songs for the Young) were short but enjoyable and their more modern tone complemented the more classical Schubert to form a beautifully framed section. Have I witnessed the most dissonant sounds ever heard at a Schubertiade, I ask myself!
The second part of the program consisted of the Quintet in A major "The Trout" written by a surprisingly youthful Schubert but, as in so many of his works, not published until after his death ten years later. Certainly, it has an optimistic aura unlike many of his later chamber works. The audience was treated to an absorbing preview of the work and of Schubertiades in general by the violinist, Marianne Broadfoot. The piano is conspicuous throughout the piece and particularly in the vibrant opening movement where Brenda Jones strutted her stuff with enthusiasm. The unusual inclusion of a double bass as well as a cello allows the piano to play mostly in the higher registers setting the tone for the work. The andante features serene melodies and intricate modulations and it was here that the importance of the balance between the lower strings (Timothy Nankervis on cello, David Campbell on double-bass) and the other trio was so important. Next is a brisk vigorous Scherzo with a typically laid back trio with the viola (Jacqui Cronin) prominent before a return to the main theme. It's the fourth movement which is based on the Lied "Die Forelle", in which the trout is finally caught by the fisherman, but there is no such fate here as the six variations develop on the well-known catchy tune-there is a gradual increase in tempo with runs on the piano before a return to the main theme. The finale, Allegro Giusto, has a memorably emphatic theme, but is perhaps a testament to the composer's inexperience is merely restated in a different key without any development although the ending is effective enough.
An excellent concert brilliantly conceived by the Schubert Society which really wowed the audience and was superbly performed by all concerned. One small quibble, I feel that the inclusion of the lied "Die Forelle" would have been a great appetiser for the quintet that followed.
Photo thanks to Ranui Young
Review for:
The Schubert Society: A Prelude in Tea Concert | Sunday 26 Jun | Independent Theatre North Sydney


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Month: December 2004
Snow? What Snow?
Well, here it is December 23rd and I keep hearing about this snow storm and that snow storm… Do we get any snow? nope… jsut bloody fricking cold weather…
My poor friend Neisha and her family is snowed in at their IN home.
I'm not saying I want that much snow… but a nice covering would help to put me in the mood. Althgouh, if my wish is to be granted, I'd preferr it not start falling till later this evening as I have Christmas gifts to deliever tonight yet. Yeah I know, picky, picky, picky…
Christas Wrapping
Last night I finally got around to wrapping a bunch of gifts. I now have all of the gifts for my friends and co-workers wrapped. Next up family gifts. I did manage to get Sonjas main gift wrapped too.
A little more data
Well, I managed to recover a few more old posts. I had written a few of them in my palm pilot and never deleted them from there. So I copied and pasted them back in. So now I have some stuff in from February.
It's good to be back
Arriving home today, I noticed that I had finally received my replacement keyboard for my laptop. Woohoo!!! Look I can use the 6 key, and the ~ and even the delete key! The delete key is the most important thing, seeing as how windows 2000 and XP won't let you login without CTL + ALT + DEL.
mod rewrite fun
Well, tonight I looked throught my logs for the webserver, and noticed some interesting correlations in posts related to the annoying spamvertisers… I have now made some changes to my webserver based on complicated rulesets that should make it more… uh… fun… for the spamvertisers… 🙂 Nothing like having them redirect to thier own srevers for a tast of fun…
Listen up all you ingnorant spamvertisers, I do not play poker. I have no interest in playing poker. If you continue to attempt to post advertisements on my server I will consider it an attack and will notify the proper authorities. Perhaps now would be a good time to mention that I do have a binder of phone numbers of certain people in washington that would be very interested in your activities. The binder was given to me when I sat and talked with Dennis Hastert in his office… Do I make myself clear?


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Read the whole journal here:
- in english
- in finnish
Published twice yearly, Human Tech Center Finland magazine showcases the expertise, culture and people to be found in the Jyväskylä Region.
* Learner at the centre
* Airport becomes a learning environment
* Training to sky-high standards
* Locally-sourced fish and vegetables
* Gaming, music and great prizes
* Making transport more efficient
* City in a new light
* Exporting Finlands educational expertise
* Cyber security: Controlling the risks
Kaksi kertaa vuodessa ilmestyvä Jyväskylä - Human Tech Center Finland -julkaisu esittelee Jyväskylän seudun osaamista ja vetovoimatekijöitä.
* Oppija keskipisteessä
* Jyväskylän lentoasemasta tuli oppimisympäristö
* Koulutuksen taso testataan maassa ja ilmassa
* Paikallista kalaa ja vihanneksia
* Pelaa, soita ja voita!
* Tehokkaampia kilometrejä NFleetin avulla
* Kaupunki uudessa valossa
* Koulutusosaamista maailmalle
* Riskit haltuun
------ This publication is brought to you by
The City of Jyväskylä, with a population of 135 000, is one of Finlands centres of growth. Recognised as a city of high-quality education, Jyväskylä is also internationally known for the architecture of Alvar Aalto. www.jyvaskyla.fi
Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd. is a business promotion and development company owned by the four municipalities in the Jyväskylä Region. The aim of Jykes is to create a favourable business environment. By offering expertise, support and various networks for companies, Jykes creates opportunities and conditions for profitable business operations. www.jykes.fi
The University of Jyväskylä is one of the largest, most attractive and dynamic research universities in Finland, with about 15 000 students, including international students from some 90 countries. www.jyu.fi
JAMK University of Applied Sciences is a multidisciplinary institution of higher education with a strong international orientation and a student enrolment of 8 000. Our strengths are workplace-driven learning, close cooperation with the labour market and business, as well as extensive international contacts. www.jamk.fi
Jyväskylä Educational Consortium provides vocational and general upper secondary education to young people and adults. The consortiums educational institutions are attended by over 22 000 students. www.jao.fi
ISSN 2342-1002 (Online)
Editorial Office in this issue
Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd., Sepänkatu 4, 40100 Jyväskylä, firstname.lastname@example.com, www.jykes.fi
Taija Lappeteläinen, Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd.
Editorial staff and layout
Viestintä-Paprico Oy, www.paprico.fi
Editorial board
Satu Heikkinen (City of Jyväskylä), Miikka Kimari (University of Jyväskylä), Taija Lappeteläinen (Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd.), Niina Luttinen (Jyväskylä Educational Consortium), Pauliina Hietalahti (JAMK University of Applied Sciences)
English translation
Peter Gregory and Tony Melville
Printed by Kirjapaino Kari Ky Circulation 6 000
Cover photo by Petteri Kivimäki. Patricia Patty Toledo, CEO of FanART Games.


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17 Oct Overview of the Immigration Bill
The Home Office released the latest Immigration Bill in October 2013. The announcement clearly conveys the message that the UK government is determined to tackle the illegal immigration issues, and, at the same time, continue promoting the country to talented and high value migrants who will contribute to the growth of the economy and respect the rules.
The Immigration Bill states that the future reform of the immigration system will involve changes designed with the following aims in mind:
- Reform the removals and appeals system, making it easier and quicker to remove those with no right to be in the UK;
- End the abuse of Article 8 – the right to respect for private and family life;
- Prevent illegal immigrants accessing and abusing public services or the labour market.
In order to deliver the above set of goals, the government will introduce new policies to make it easier to identify illegal immigrants, to remove and deport illegal immigrants as well as to make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to remain in the UK. For instances, the government will extend powers to the relevant authorities to collect and check finger prints and search for passports; cut the number of decisions that can be appealed; require private landlords to check the immigration status of their tenants; introduce new powers to check driving licence applicants' immigration status before issuing one. To read the full details, please visit the Bill web page on www.gov.uk website.


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Consider the nature of rabbits and frogs. One is cute and fuzzy, one is slimy and usually green. One is an herbiforous mammal, the other a carnivorous amphibian. One loves to live on dry, grassy land, the other in wet, swampy conditions. They don't have much in common, do they, other than the ability to jump really high, which makes them ideal characters for jumping-style platform games. But when you are designing such a game, do you go for the cuteness of the bunny and risk over-the-top sweetness, or do you go for the frog and eschew pretty for functional? Well, if you are Dr. Siamese (who apparently works for Nitrome), you instead create a merge-o-matic machine which allows you to take a pretty bunny and a slimy frog and create a freak of nature which will immediately hunt you down for revenge. You also create a game like Ribbit.
Designed by Jay Smith and Aaron Steed of Nitrome Ribbit is the saga of the aforementioned abomination, frantically trying to track down the evil scientist while navigating an increasingly difficult series of platforms populated by some difficult and nasty bad guys. Movement of your odd little hero is accomplished with the left and right [arrow] keys. You see, since the natural born hoppers have been merged at the head, this affront to all that is holy bounces everywhere. Controlling him is a matter of tilting the character to the right or the left, causing it to hop in that direction. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Well it is, at first. However, you will soon encounter areas that require you to master the art of twirling your character 180 degrees in mid-air, creating a super jump to get to higher platforms. And then you will soon need to master the double super jump, which causes the frobbit (my own term) to jump even higher, and gain the ability to destroy most of the enemies he will encounter.
Analysis: What this odd and unique movement dynamic will do is divide casual gamers into two camps: those who can master it will have a fun and enjoyable time frantically moving through the various levels in order to extract revenge from a scientist who just doesn't know when not to mess with mother nature; and those who cannot quite master the dynamic and who face an uphill battle with a lot of frustration. Much of the frustration comes from the fact that with only 20 levels, Ribbit has a steep learning curve. Seriously steep. Precipitously steep. Sooooo steep...seriously, one minute you've mastered the basics of movement, the next you will have to have figured out not only how to rotate the character to create the super jumps, but how to stop the rotation at just the correct angle to move him forward rather than have him ricochet off of the obstructive scenery. Difficulty after difficulty piles on so rapidly that those with slightly slower reflexes might want to play the game in very short bursts, taking lots of breaks before damage is done to monitors, walls, or whatever else is within arms reach.
Ribbit is designed by Nitrome, so expect all the bells and whistles that that implies. Cute graphics, kicking music, high production values, it's all there to enjoy. It would have been nice, however, to have a reset button that allows you to replay a level if you get stuck. On most levels, this is not a worry as mistakes will kill you and send you back to the main menu. However, mistakes on some of the pure block breaking levels can leave you stranded at the bottom of the screen, with no way to reset other than quitting out of the game and going back in. And a slightly more gradual difficulty curve would have been nice. When you first encounter the Rhino Beetle — for instance — if you mess up on that very first move you can be killed, making it more worthy of a level near the end rather than in the middle of the game.
Gameplay flaws aside, Ribbit can still be a lot of fun. Even if you can't quite master the movement dynamic quickly, you can still enjoy watching a thing-that-should-never-have-been smash itself on the scenery with ever increasing speed. And for those who can manage to make the little abomination go where they want it to go, there's a lot of fun action to be had. Beautiful to look at and surprisingly addictive, Ribbit is a fun time waster for anyone with good reflexes and an off-kilter sense of humor. Just track down that nasty scientist who created Something That Should Never Have Been Born and give him a good talking to.


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Jeff Koons retrospective: Whitney Museum, New York
Thursday, 17 July 2014
A playful retrospective showcasing the full scope of artist Jeff Koons' work is currently on display at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
Homebuildlife subscribers can see our full photo file from the show here, and read about the evolution of playfulness and kitsch in our spring/summer 2016 macro trend, Soft Pop.
Labels: Art, Colour, Exhibitions


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Tag: Heal yourself
+ Wellness
Wellness Simplified
Wellness Simplified Have you ever been confused by all of the mixed messages regarding healthy living. Me too, but with diligent research I've been able to deconstruct and simplify the basic components and I will share them with you today. When it comes down to it, health is determined by your lifestyle and choices.
Prioritizing "YOU": My Body Reboot style!!
Prioritizing "YOU: My Body Reboot Style!! There is only one "YOU", and if you plan on living a long and happy life, you will need to start making "YOU" a priority. There are many benefits you will receive, treating yourself with love and compassion and being a steward of your Body, Mind, and Spirit. Lets get started. Here is the "MY BODY REBOOT" approach … Read More Prioritizing "YOU": My Body Reboot style!!


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Tax Day
Due to the 15th falling on the weekend and Monday being Emancipation Day in Washington DC, today is the filing deadline for income taxes in the US. In many area the post offices will have extended hours to accept completed tax forms or requests for delays in filing.
Let's go with Stevie Ray Vaughn instead of the British original.
Update: Due to issues with the IRS web site, the deadline has been moved to tomorrow at midnight. Apparently the site couldn't handle the volume of traffic.
April 17, 2018 Comments Off on Tax Day


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Make this comfy one-bedroom condo your home away from home when you come to Padre Island and revel in a shared heated pool, walking distance to restaurants and a fishing dock, and close proximity to the beach. You can bring along the dog, too, for a small nightly fee!
The beach and Packery Channel are both within two miles, and Schlitterbahn Water Park, less than a mile south, offers hours of fun for the whole family. You'll be within walking distance to a boat slip, available to rent from Anchor Resort, and you'll have access to the best fishing guides available in Texas! When you want to venture out and explore, head 23 miles west into Corpus Christi to the Texas State Aquarium or 16 miles to South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center.
This condo has been fully updated and features cool tile floors, central AC, and a cozy living room, complete with a flatscreen cable TV and DVD player. The free WiFi gives you access to even more entertainment and will help you locate sights and directions to keep your days full of fun activities. The cook's kitchen invites you to come in and prepare tasty snacks and meals to enjoy with your guests, or you can head to the community grilling area near the pool for a barbecue picnic. Plus, the private washer/dryer means you can pack light and save room in your luggage for gifts and souvenirs!
Reserve this condo today and ensure a fun and stress-free Padre Island vacation!
*The individual making the reservation must be 25 years of age or older.
**1 Dog welcome, 35lbs or less A damage waiver, covering up to $2,000 of accidental damage to the property or its contents, is included in the cost of your reservation.
You must be 25 years or older to rent this property.