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Villarreal announce Carlos Bacca signing
Villarreal have completed the signing of Carlos Bacca from AC Milan on a one-year loan deal.
The deal was confirmed in a video on Villarreal's official social media platforms, showing the Colombian striker announced as their new number nine, replacing Roberto Soldado, who left earlier this summer.
A whole host of European clubs had shown interest in the striker with English sides Arsenal and Everton keen to discuss a potential asking price with Serie A side Milan.
Former club Sevilla had also been linked and expected to seal a move, with the player preferring to re-join the Andalusian side.
However, Villarreal have been quick to complete a deal and will make the move permanent next summer should all parties agree.
The much travelled striker is no stranger to Spanish football after spending time with the latter and scored an impressive 49 goals in 108 games, helping Sevilla gain Europa League success in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015.
A statement on the Yellow Submarine's official website confirms that Bacca will be presented on Thursday evening at El Madrigal.
Bacca joined Milan from Sevilla in 2015 and scored 34 goals in 78 appearances for the Rossoneri but after the Italian club completed several new signings this summer – he fell out of favour and was made available for transfer by Vincenzo Montello.
Source: La Liga News


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James Davis, CEO and founder of Upad, comments on the Autumn Statement 2016.
Ban on lettings agent fees
"It shouldn't be a surprise that the Chancellor has announced that it is banning letting agent's fees, but I think the industry is still shocked. Ultimately, market forces haven't prevailed in all of this. Foxtons put their tenant's fees up by £50 every couple of years and it is purely to increase their profits, whilst other high street lettings agents ludicrously charge over £300 simply to press print on an identical tenancy agreement to renew for the following year. Long suffering tenants (as the Government has coined JAMs "Just About Managing") have no choice but to pay it as renting is a necessity; it is not like if a shop put up its prices and the amount it sold would go down.
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
"The Government has needed to have a role to play in this important issue for some time. However, ultimately it is case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, as this cost will get passed onto landlords and consequently tenants through rent rises. Rents in Edinburgh went up 8% in the year after tenant fees were abolished (way over the growth of UK rents that year) and the same will now happen in England. This will only make matters worse for tenants who in some cases are already paying up to two thirds of their salary on rent. Unfortunately, the people making these decisions, don't seem to understand the dynamics of the lettings market and the effect that this will have – both Theresa May and Philip Hammond have themselves previously voted against a ban on fees!
2017 – year of rent arrears
"Already there is a total mismatch between supply and demand, which is driving rents up by as much as 5% a year, rising far higher than salaries, which are predicted to rise by only 1% next year. As a result, 10% of all tenants in the UK have fallen behind with their rent payments (as of August 2016) and I predict that 2017 will see the highest yet, not only with today's news but other landlord taxes set to increase in April 2017. Alarmingly, in the last two months, more properties have been sold than purchased by landlords and if this trend continues, then tenants really will be in trouble."
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subset: commoncrawl


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After a Crash
Although they are called "black boxes," aviation recorders are actually painted bright orange. This distinct color, along with the strips of reflective tape attached to the recorders' exteriors, help investigators locate the black boxes following an accident. These are especially helpful when a plane lands in the water. There are two possible origins of the term black box: Some believe it's because early recorders were painted black, while others think it refers to the charring that occurs in post-accident fires.
In addition to the paint and reflective tape, black boxes are equipped with an underwater locator beacon (ULB). If you look at the picture of a black box, you will almost always see a small, cylindrical object attached to one end of the device. While it doubles as a carrying handle, this cylinder is actually a beacon.
If a plane crashes into the water, the beacon sends out an ultrasonic pulse that cannot be heard by human ears but is readily detectable by sonar and acoustical locating equipment. There is a submergence sensor on the side of the beacon that looks like a bull's-eye. When water touches this sensor, the beacon is activated.
The beacon sends out pulses at 37.5 kilohertz (kHz) and can transmit sound as deep as 14,000 feet (4,267 meters). Once the beacon begins pinging, it pings once per second for 30 days. This beacon is powered by a battery that has a shelf life of six years. In rare instances, the beacon may get snapped off during a high-impact collision.
In the U.S. when investigators locate a black box, it's transported to the computer labs at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Special care is taken in transporting these devices in order to avoid any further damage to the recording medium. In cases of water accidents, recorders are placed in a cooler of water to keep them from drying out.


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Not all Cow Milk are the same like Gir Cow A2 Milk
Almost all brands nowadays selling milks of HF and Jersey cows which has got A1 PROTIEN. Also almost all branded organic milk today contains milk of only HF and Jersey cows . Only a2 Milk comes from cows with hump on back, they naturally produce only A2 protein beneficial and not A1 – and that makes all the difference.
At Captains Farm, we have only pure Gir Cow. A2 Milk produced is totally chemical free and 100 % pure. We sell only Gir Cow A2 Milk


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We are HiroBuilt!
Stay the Course
We are HiroBuilt!
More posts of this qutaliy. Not the usual c***, please
Mylaysia. Thank you for your comment. We hope you continue to come by our site and enjoy what we have. If there is ever anything that you would like to see on the site please let us know. Whatever you do and whatever life throws your way don't leave God's side. Even if you do He will never leave yours and He is always pleased to have you come home.Be Blessed and feel free to comment as much as you would likeRiverAngel42PS Sorry it took so long to respond
Kudos to you! I hadn't thought of that!


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A 90-minute foot chase through the streets and neighborhoods of Maynard ended in the arrest of Jose Mojica, 27, formerly of Framingham.
Mojica, who is currently homeless, has 11 warrants for his arrest and is a suspect in several crimes in Marlborough, including larceny of a motor vehicle and numerous of break-ins, said Marlborough Police Sgt. David Giorgi.
His warrants (mostly default warrants) range from unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and speeding to check forgery and larceny over $250.
Yesterday at 7:40 a.m. Maynard police found Mojica on Mill Street and chased him. A few minutes past 8 a.m., he was found on Mill Street and arrested.
"We knew what he looked like, and we knew he was wanted for several warrants," said Lt. Alfred Whitney. "Once he was caught, he didn't put up a struggle."
Mojica was to be arraigned in the Concord District Court this morning.
(Chrissie Long can be reached at 978-371-5750 or at firstname.lastname@example.com.)


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10 green retro activities making a comeback
Gold prospecting
With the down economy, many are taking their financial futures into their own hands — literally. They're looking for nuggets of wealth — gold, that is — which they hope will yield bigger profits than paper stocks. Certainly mining isn't the greenest of practices, but at least one proponent of the new gold rush argues that with demand for gold continuing to rise, small-scale prospecting is far more eco-friendly than massive, corporate-run gold-mining operations.


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Thank you for your interest in joining The Association of Credit Professionals Board of Directors. Our single priority is our members and we aim to offer support and guidance as well as the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals.
The Regional Board structure supports our mission of increasing the number and standard of Credit Managers and promoting the art and science of good credit management and leadership.
In order to support this growth we are seeking members of the ACP, to apply to become Board Members of the 4 Regional Boards in England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. These Boards will have responsibility for supporting the development and execution of the overarching strategies of the ACP at a regional level.
Full details of the new structure and the Regional Director Roles are available upon request. We hope you will join with us in moving the ACP forward and welcome your interest. Should you have any comments or questions please contact us via email to [email protected]
We are specifically interested in applications for Assistant Regional Director roles. These are suited to anyone who has a passion for the industry and wants to get involved but wouldn't have the experience to become a Director. Each ARD gets a Mentor to help them develop and hopefully become a Regional Director in time.
If you would like to be considered for a Board position please fill in the form below.


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Image Attribution: eng.mataurangamaori.tki.org.nz/Support-materials/Te-Reo-Maori/Maori-Myths-Legends-and-Contemporary-Stories/Maui-and-the-giant-fish
I am a Year 8 student at Pt England School in Auckland, NZ. I am in Room 4 and my teacher is Mrs Stone.
Friday, 22 December 2017
Summer learning journey: Week 1: Activity 1
Image Attribution: eng.mataurangamaori.tki.org.nz/Support-materials/Te-Reo-Maori/Maori-Myths-Legends-and-Contemporary-Stories/Maui-and-the-giant-fish
2 comments:
Hi Bethan,ReplyDelete
My name's Ruby and I'm one of the people who will be blogging with you this summer as part of the Summer Learning Journey. It's great to see that you've been working on these activities. Well done!
You've got some good facts here about Maui. He had a lot of perseverance didn't he! I also like how you have inferred that Maui was probably stressed a lot of the time. That shows some great understanding of the text.
Have you read any other stories about Maui? There is a very good one about Maui and the sun. Here is the link if you would like to read it: http://eng.mataurangamaori.tki.org.nz/Support-materials/Te-Reo-Maori/Maori-Myths-Legends-and-Contemporary-Stories/How-Maui-slowed-the-sun
Let me know what you think!
Hi Bethan!ReplyDelete
My name is Ellee, I am another part of the Summer Learning Journey Crew that is commenting on your blogs this summer.
Looks like you have been off to an amazing start with your blog, Keep up the awesome work!
This is a really well thought out answer to the activity, well done! I really like that you have elaborated on your ideas making them really clear to follow.
I really enjoyed reading the story about Maui and I hope you did too? Did you have a favourite part?
I really like that the fish Maui pulled up became the North Island and his boat the South. When you look at the map of New Zealand they really do look like a stingray (North Island) and a waka (South Island)!
Hopefully you have been having a great break from school Bethan, keep up the awesome work!
Ellee :)


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My Shorts are Baby Pink yet the Polo Shirt is a tad lighter. These are both items I have had in my closet for many years. They fit a little snug now, so I am letting them go. The Flip-Flops are Hot Pink & my New, Plastic Beaded Necklace is Fuchsia. Vivian is wearing a Baby Pink Sundress that has a Bright Pink Cat on it showing off the Graphic trend, paired with a Brighter Pink Tie-Dye Onesie & Fuchsia/Magenta Socks + Matching Bow Pin. That is a whole lot of Pinkness between both of us. LOL We are very Casual but kept our Girly-ness on a Hot Late Summer Day. What do you think? Stay tuned tomorrow to see my New, Hot, Black Skirt. =)
Light, Baby Pink, 100% Cotton Polo Shirt: Aeropostale.
Pink, Cotton Shorts: Gap.
Fuchsia, Plastic Beaded Necklace w/ Royal Blue Star Beads: Ruum (New).
Neon Pink, Plastic Bangle Bracelet: Ruum (New).
Hot Pink, "Surf & Turf", Rubber Flip Flops: Old Navy.
Vivian's Outfit:
Baby Pink "Cat: Print, Sundress w/ Silver Studs: A Children's Boutique.
Pink "Medley", Hand-made Tie Dye Onesie: Gerber (made & Gifted by a Friend).
Fuchsia Silky, Logo Bow Clips: Random Boutique.
Fuchsia & Navy Socks: Wal Mart.
P.S. Linking up with


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***Please note we will be going to a voting system for choosing our weekly winners...voting will happen on Tuesdays at Noon (EST) and end on Wednesdays at Noon (EST).
Our sponsor for this sketch is
A Day For Daisies
A Day For Daisies provides themed categories of over 1000 digital illustrations, including fairy tales and magical mermaids, cutie kids, vintage illustrations, sentiments and lovely designs for all occasions!
ADFD is offering a $ 12 Gift Card to our winner!!
(subbing in for Lesley)
2. Please add a direct link to your blog or to an online gallery.
3. Feel free to use other challenges or for a stamp release, it doesn't matter, as long as you add this challenge link to your post.
4. Any offensive posts or cards that do not follow the guidelines will be removed out of courtesy to fellow bloggers and the design team.
5. As always, please have fun and make the sketch your own!


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Until this year, when my OACAH (oldest available child at home) decided that a nice dinner out with her family would be a good way to celebrate. Less pressure, lots of fun, and that freed me up to concentrate on the parts of birthday celebrating I do enjoy.
Cake is the part I like.
Not just making cake, but looking up new cake recipes and considering them, and trying them out, and testing them, and everything else. So these late in the year birthdays are all about the cake. This one is The Celebration Cake from Bake it Like you Mean it, by Gesine Bullock-Prado.
I had help, too. Not just from the youngest child, who licked beaters, and the dogs, who tried to get at it, but my sister in law is visiting, so I had competent adult help. Even she couldn't keep me from making bonehead errors, which is why there are three spare wrongly-measured ingredient chocolate layers downstairs in the freezer.
Making new ones with appropriately measured ingredients helped a lot.
This one is turning into a marvel of maturity, and her shining qualities keep showing themselves. Her friends are lucky to have her, as are we. We're especially glad that tolerance of her siblings is one of her qualities, because brothers will do things like this if at all possible.
I haven't even tried it yet. Last night's dinner was too filling. So maybe a slice with tea today, then the search for friends and neighbors to feed it to begins. This cake called for 10" layers, which is craziness indeed. I did discover a new restaurant supply house, though, so nothing but all future disposable income is lost.
One more birthday cake, then Thanksgiving pies, then at least one Buche de Noel. I'm a happy winter baker!


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By Julianna Ritzu
An average ACT score of 30, a selective enrollment cutoff score of 896 out of 900, and a course catalog that includes 26 Advanced Placement classes. Payton's statistics look great on paper, and have become the reason why so many hopeful eighth graders from across Chicago apply to Payton each year despite the fact that only about 300 will be accepted. While these accolades are impressive and reflect the high value Payton places on providing a great education that is equal to all students, they don't necessarily reflect the student experience, and more specifically, the female experience.
Twenty-four of all classes offered at Payton are considered to be STEM classes, ranging from chemistry to calculus to computer science, and every student, including every student who identifies as a woman, is enrolled in at least two STEM classes each year. While Payton provides exceptional support to women interested in pursuing STEM fields, the opportunities available to women to pursue STEM as a career are far less accessible.
American women comprise 50% of the college-educated workforce, but they only make up 29% of workers in STEM fields. Even more troubling, minority women constitute less than one in ten workers in science and engineering fields; these professions are overwhelmingly dominated by white men. It isn't just a lack of representation that makes STEM seem so distant and inaccessible for woman interested in following this path; in many cases, there are barriers that actively deter them from doing so.
In 2015, a report released by the University of California, Hastings, revealed that one in three female science professors surveyed had experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. Additionally, over the past five years there have been a number of high profile resignations of male science professors at prestigious universities, such as University of Chicago and UCLA, over cases regarding sexual misconduct with female students.
The victim of these cases were specifically women who had been pursuing advanced degrees in science and were dependent on favorable recommendations from their college professors to be considered for positions in scientific fields after graduating.
Upon further investigation, an underlying theme emerges between each of these examples of sexism. The gender gap in STEM careers is severe, but this bias is not accidental; rather, it is perpetuated by the existing bias in American and global society that women are less proficient in areas of math, science, and technology, or the commonly heard phrase "Girls suck at math." While Payton boasts a strong STEM curriculum and doesn't have a significant gender gap between STEM education for students who identify as men and those who identify as women, there are still significant problems.
"There are already these preconceived biases and being at Payton doesn't mean they just disappear," Yu Jing Chen '18 explains. "It feels like I'm representing women especially in STEM, and I feel like if I fail, people will think women aren't capable. I feel like if I don't step out of my comfort zone and speak up in a class or club, that I will be succumbing to the stereotype that men are the leaders, and women are too passive. Yet there's still that line you have to carefully walk as a woman to not seem too bossy, which men don't really face."
Chen adds, "Sometimes, I see an overwhelmingly high amount of guys in a club or class that's more challenging, such as Chess team, or KAM class and I wonder why. Often, I feel like it's my responsibility to join to diffuse this unconscious bias that women don't do these things, but it really isn't my responsibility nor is it any other girl's responsibility."
Even in classes where there are an equal number of women, female students have experienced this bias. Christina Curry '18 says, "I often notice that when I answer a male student's question in class, especially in STEM based classes, they either dismiss it or look to another male student for validation and if they have a different answer, take theirs over mine."
Even in elementary schools, it has been shown that unconscious teacher bias contributes to discouragement of women from pursuing STEM careers. In 2014, a report was released that examined the score a student would earn on their math test and the possible correlation between the score earned and the gender of the student.
A group of Israeli students, whose ages ranged from sixth grade to twelfth grade, took a math exam, which was then scored by two different groups of people, first by outsiders who scored the exams without the names of the students appearing on the test, and then by the teachers of the students who scored the exams with the child's name included on the test. The female students outscored the boys when the test was graded anonymously; however, when the test was graded by the teachers and included the student's names, even though the answers were exactly the same, the male students did significantly better.
The problem with this bias and discrimination, whether it is intended or done unconsciously, is that it instills in women a belief that they are not good at these subjects, and that their opinions and thoughts are not valid when compared to those of their male peers. Additionally, it teaches girls that STEM jobs are not realistic, and that they will not be taken seriously if they wish to choose this career.
According to Annie Zhou '18, even though she feels no discrimination at school, she feels pressure from her parents. She adds, "My mom does tell me that being a girl in a STEM field is hard."
Whether the pressure comes from their family, peers, teachers, or societal norms in general, the message is clear: Women have been led to believe that STEM careers are not a smart choice, a realistic choice, or a fulfilling choice, and that if a woman chooses to pursue a job in STEM, that she cannot expect to be treated equally or fairly when compared to her male counterparts.
But, what can our society, and specifically Payton, do to fix it? This norm has become ingrained in our society after generations of sexism, and it is up to us, if we wish to create a more intelligent, creative, and informed society, to fix it. How will we choose to respond?


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List price: $88.20Edition: 6thCopyright year: 2007Publisher: Longman Publishing GroupPublication date: 1/10/2007Binding: PaperbackPages: 904Size: 7.50" wide x 10.00" long x 1.50" tall Weight: 3.630Language: English
Bill Jones worked for Granada Television for 27 years, where he was an award-winning documentary maker. He now works as a freelance writer and programme maker. He was researching a documentary about the centenary of the Manchester running club Salford Harriers in 1985 when he first came across the story of John Tarrant (a former Harriers member) and it has haunted him ever since.
Michael Moran is professor of government at the University of Manchester Business School. A Fellow of the British Academy he writes on British politics, and on wider issues in political economy. The 3rd edition of his widely used textbook, Politics and Governance in the UK , is now in preparation.
#60;b#62;Philip Norton#60;/b#62; (Lord Norton of Louth) is Professor of Government and Director of the Centre for Legislative Studies in the University of Hull. His publications include 28 books, including #60;i#62;Parliament in British Politics#60;/i#62; (2005), #60;i#62;The British Polity#60;/i#62; (2010) and #60;i#62;Parliaments in Western Europe#60;/i#62; (3 vols, 1990,1996). He has served as President of the Politics Association and of the British Politics Group in the USA and as co-chair of the Research Committee of Legislative Specialists of the International Political Science Association. He was elevated to the peerage and served as first Chairman of the House of Lords Select… More Committee on the Constitution. Less
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Lancaster Town Hall
Lancaster's Edwardian Town Hall in Dalton Square was officially opened on the 27th December 1909, by Lord Ashton.
Today, the town hall is a popular venue for concerts and events, and with a variety of grand rooms, including the Banqueting Room, is an ideal venue for your wedding ceremony. To the side of the Town Hall is Lancaster's War Memorial and gardens.
Uncover the secrets of Lancaster's Edwardian town hall and explore parts of a building rarely seen by the public with the summer series of guided tours. Full Town Hall Tour 2019 programme TBC.
Website Get Directions
- Dalton Square, Lanncaster, LA1 1PJ
- Get Directions
- http://www.lancaster.gov.uk/news-and-events/town-hall-tours
- 01524 582000
- Attraction History and heritage


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Found Bound / Ghost
Ghost Map is a collaborative collection of books and memories. Books were made and left in the many cities throughout Italy that were visited by students of University of Georgia's Cortona Study Abroad Program, Fall semester 2015.
This project is an extension of my Find and Bind project started in 2005. For Find and Bind I would choose a location in public, collect materials from the location, bind a book from the found items and leave the book behind.
Books were made either from materials found on site and assembled on the spot or were premeditated and crafted in the studio and all were left behind / contributed to the cities in which we traveled. Each book was documented with a photo and the location where it was dropped was pinned as a point on the map. As a group we accepted the notion that books are, at their most elemental, a series of spaces with a corresponding series of signs experienced at different moments in time.
Our hope with this project was to perform a physical and experiential exchange. We wanted to highlight the fact that as we move, albeit quickly, through these place we gain experiences and leave a traceable impact in our wake.
Conceived as a project that encourages collaboration, improvisation, and exploration of place, it evolved into something more. The project prompted questions of content, scale (what makes a "book that isn't mistaken for garbage") and it prompted a lot of fun and inside jokes. The pictures and descriptions convey an experience of Italy that is more intimate than the usual grand photos in commonly acknowledged grand monuments. There are images of quiet, of pause, of hanging out with friends, and waiting for the next thing to happen.
And so, in the end the project has also become a journal of our travels and personalities, a lasting collection of a series of spaces with a corresponding series of signs (or signposts) experienced at different moments in time....with a fabulous group of people.


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Welcome to Bubble Parties – Kids Entertainers Essex
We provide Kids Entertainers in Essex, London and surrounding areas.
Bubble parties provide professional Kids entertainers in the Essex area, for all ages, for any event. Are you planning a Birthday party or need something special for a wedding or event – take a look at the services we offer…
Glance through our website – we have a wide range of Kids parties. Call to enquire or make a booking, or you can email us if you have any questions or suggestions.
Kids Entertainers Essex
It's Party time? Choosing the right kids entertainer in Essex can be a very time consuming. So we have put together from our experience a wide range of party packages that would suit your event. The majority of bookings we take are from previous clients and we are delighted that most of our parties are from clients that a us to come back each year!
We have a great reputation and performed at kids parties in Essex and the South east for companies like Lakeside, Toys R Us and Bluewater.
Our imaginative crew of kids entertainers are enthusiastic, fun, energetic and trained. At Bubble Parties your kids have an amazing fun time!
Kids Parties Essex
With tons of options for our kid's parties to select from – we know you will find the perfect choice. Our birthday party package offers Kid's entertainers / magicians with magic shows, games, puppets, dancing/activity songs, balloon modelling, stickers and sweets with prizes rocket ride balloons and much more. We also offer creative themed parties, bubble and activity parties, face painting, and Storytelling parties. We also have freebies to help make your experience with us even more fun! With free invites and musical cd's…
Areas we cover – Kids entertainers in London and other areas
Bubble Parties are available for Kids Parties in Essex, London, Kent, Surrey, Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Derbyshire.


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Stay in this sculptor's studio turned into a beautiful bedroom. Designed with style by French photographer Saskia Durand-Raucher, it is artistic and elegant, with sculptures, paintings, and antiques. Centrally located, it's the best place to be in Jaipur. It is close to restaurants, bars, art and culture. Youll love the place because of the comfy bed, the coziness, the brand new bathroom and the lovely green terrace.
Furnished with one double bed, closet. No kitchen but - an electric kettle with tea and coffee sachets with sugar - mini fridge - cutlery - Enjoy meals delivered at home on call from most popular restaurants ( which are also nearby ), easily reachable by a landline phone installed right in your living room. Beautiful private terrace with lots of plants and a big bathroom with shower. Only our family lives in the building.
It is perfect for couples, solo adventurers, and business travelers.
Guest access- Studio living space, terrace and bathroom. - Access to fast private wifi on your device. - Terrace/Rooftop- Art gallery (Tarpan's father Ankit Patel is a renowned sculptor. You are most welcome to visit the private gallery, just below your apartment, with a cup of tea, why not?).Interaction with guestsWe will interact in person, if we are away then via email/ phoneOur parents live on the ground floor and we live right across the street so there will always be someone there to guide you and help you in all possible ways.You will feel "at home" !The neighborhood is very safe. Being at central location, most of the popular restaurants, bars, pubs, cafes, ATMs, and majority of the banks are at walking distance or easily reachable. Enjoy meals delivered at home on call from most popular restaurants ( which are nearby ), easily by a landline phone installed right in your living room.
The flat is on the 3rd floor with no lift access. There is NO AC yet, but from mid October until February the temperature is very pleasant and AC is not needed. No Kitchen but the apartment is equipped with- an electric kettle with tea and coffee sachets. - mini fridge - cutlery In accordance with Indian law, we will need to collect a copy of passport and visa for non-indian guests, and id for indian guests.
Check In: 1PM - 10PM. Check Out: 11AM
Only a 10 minute ride to the pink city.
Not suitable for petsMay not be safe or suitable for children (0-12 years)Check-in time is 1PM - 10PM. - No Unauthorized guests or outsiders after 9:30 PM.
Once a payment is made ELT does not offer any Refund. However, some of our hosts do refund in some cases. So, for any refunds, you would need to contact the host directly. Elt doesn't offer any refund for this property on booking confirmation
Please check your email inbox and spam for the confirmation mail.


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Hypersensitive Snowflakes Triggered By McGregor's Compliment After Loss To Mayweather
After a surprisingly brutal showdown in Las Vegas last night between Mixed Martial Arts fighter Conor McGregor and undefeated boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, McGregor was quoted as saying that he turned Floyd Mayweather "into a Mexican."
As you might have expected, the social justice crowd immediately pounced into action across the internet.
Words like racism, bigot and stereotype started flying.
But for those that know anything about boxing, the word "compliment" is more appropriate.
The Mexican style of boxing is one that is often overly aggressive and involves a lot of punches being thrown. Mayweather, though undefeated with a record of 50-0, has long been criticized for his defensive style and low punch volume during fights.
What McGregor actually meant, though completely misconstrued by those looking for some sort of racism to grasp onto, is that the usually reserved Mayweather was forced to fight more aggressively because the Irishmen just kept coming at him.
McGregor racist as shit for that comment lmao???????? " I turned him into a Mexican in this fight" lmao
— Ernie D. (@ernestdeleonjr) August 27, 2017
But in reality… this is actually what McGregor meant:


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The death has taken place of Pakistani businessman Sher Mohammed Rafique, who ran a number of meat plants across Ireland, and first brought Muslim workers to Ballyhaunis.
Mr Rafique opened Halal Meats in the 1970's, with its headquarters in Ballyhaunis.
The company later became United Meat Packers - the second-largest meat processing firm in the country.
The Pakistani-born entrepreneur moved to Scotland following a disastrous fire at the UMP intervention store in Ballaghadereen in 1992.
He later returned to Mayo to try and improve the living and social conditions of the growing Muslim population, and campaigned for housing, better education and playground facilities for those whose ancestors he first brought to live and work in Ballyhaunis.
Mr Rafique, who was in his mid-80's, passed away in hospital yesterday and his funeral will take place today.
His remains will repose at the Mosque on Clare Street, Ballyhaunis which is open to the public from 10am to 12 noon, to allow people to pay their respects.
Following a service at 2pm, he will be laid to rest in the Muslim section of Ballyhaunis cemetery.


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Home Page
Club Pilotos de Mexico…in the beginning
Shortly after opening Hacienda de los Santos® in 1999, Jim and Nancy Swickard were at the Alamos Airport to meet two new guests. Upon landing a smiling Sandy Houston opened the door of the Citation CJ-2. She had just completed her first flight with a newly issued ticket from the FAA for her jet rating. Her husband Sam, then exited and we began a friendship that lasted until his death in 2010. That evening in the Hacienda Cantina the topic came up about making the resort a haven for General Aviation pilots. We all gave a toast to the idea and inaugurated 'Club Pilotos de Mexico' with Sam Houston as member #1 and Sandy as #2. In 2011 we realized that we have grown from two members to more than 500. Of course, the U.S. has the most members, followed by Canada, Mexico, Australia, France, Denmark, England and two from China.
The concept of having the aviation market being the primary focus of our efforts ultimately would include upgrading the airport and having exclusive events for pilots. Gradually the concept developed until today we now have a first class jet capable airport (thanks to the help of the Mexican government rating includes Falcon 20 & Lear 45), a fully fenced airport and extended runway (thanks to the local Alamos pilots who donated funds for land acquisition and more than a mile of chain link fence), a twelve aircraft capacity hangar (which boasts a first class pilot's lounge, lodging for approved commercial charter pilots only). Paved ramp parking for more than 65 aircraft. No night operations or fuel, however at CEN both Jet A and 100LL 52 nm.
The catalyst of the 'Club', and it's positive effect of increased tourism for the village, further prompted the local government to beautify the airport entrance with landscaping and a fountain, as well as the construction of a tower for Unicom service. The 'new' Alamos Police Department is adjacent to the airport and as well from a security standpoint, the tower building is occupied 24/7 and the military visits the airport during random hours to make spot checks. The use of the local airport has enhanced the exposure of the village to a greater number of people within the Republic, including TV and movie celebrities, filming companies and Mexicans from throughout the country. In 2008, Alamos and Hacienda de los Santos®, were chosen as the site for the National Governor's Conference, of course, with every Governor arriving at the Alamos Airport. We learned at that event the capacity of the two paved ramps at 65 aircraft. In 2010, the DGAC (Mexico's FAA) changed the rating for the runway from a KingAir 200 to include the Falcon 20 and Lear 45. In 2018, the State of Sonora, upgraded the runway with a seven layer seal coat, taking the surface back to a 'better than new' condition.
In a spirit of fun, the requirements for pilot membership were conceived with levity. Only three actions are required of each pilot: (a.) The PIC must be able to navigate to Alamos, Sonora, Mexico ( b.) The PIC must make a safe landing on either Runway '31' or '13'.(c.) The PIC, and passenger(s) must stay at the AAA Four Diamond rated Hacienda de los Santos® Resort & Spa.
After meeting these requirements, the PIC (Co-pilots do not qualify) will become a lifetime member in 'Club Pilotos de Mexico'. Annual dues are less than one Peso, however annual pilgrimages, by air, are expected by the staff of Hacienda de los Santos®.
As of 2018, more than 600 pilots have been given the complimentary 'Capitan' cap, (pronounced Ca-Chu-Cha) in Spanish, as well as special pricing for aviation events and regular visits. All 'Piloto' members will receive complimentary parking in the Hacienda hangar (singles & light twins only, on a space available basis) and complimentary ground transportation to and from the resort (advanced notification is required).
Countless pilots have contacted Jim for their first flight into Mexican airspace all arriving at XALA or MM-45 with wide smiles on their faces. After reading the information on this web site he encourages you to contact him by email (sorry no phone calls) at email@example.com , if you have any questions.
As you will discover, Hacienda de los Santos® is much more than a hotel, it is an experience.


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Indo kratom also goes by the name Indonesian kratom. The plants that are used to make this form of kratom are native to the country of Indonesia and they differ from other strains of kratom. This stain of kratom has a lighter effect and when a person uses it they will get a very relaxing feeling. Many people would recommend using this kratom before going to bed so they can enjoy a relaxing sleep as well.
General Information
This kratom is lighter in color than other strains as well. This kratom is made from the leaves of the kratom tree. The leaves are dried out and crushed into a fine power. This power can then be used in this form or it can be put into a capsule. This strain is great for people that are suffering from a high amount of stress in their life and are looking for a way to relax. There are different strains of Indo kratom.
Super Indo Kratom
This kratom is said to be very potent. It is made from the largest leaves on the trees. The bigger leaves have higher leaves of bioactive alkaloids that produce the relaxing effect that people are looking for. Since this powder is more potent a smaller amount is needed.
Premium Indo Kratom
When this type of kratom is made the stems are carefully taken off of the leaves and then they are ground into a powder form. This will allow for a high level of alkaloids. This is a nice quality kratom and is great for those that are just beginning to use this to relax and enhance their lives.
Ultra Enhanced Indo Kratom
This form of kratom is sometimes known as UEI. In this form of kratom the original kratom powder is mixed with 25 percent highly concentrated extra powder for a more intense effect. This is rather strong and is recommended by people that are familiar with kratom and the effects that it has on them.
Most Popular Form
While many people enjoy all the different forms of indo kratom from kratombox.com, the premium is the most preferred form by users. People that use the premium state that it is potent and the effects will last for a long period of time. They also like that there are a number of positive and stress relieving effects that are associated with using this form of kratom. The steams are removed from the leaves before the powder is made leaving the powder to be more pleasant and easy to use.
Indo kratom is a popular form of this supplement and is recommended for those that are looking to reduce the amount of stress they are dealing with in life. Kratom will help a person relax and with indo kratom they can enjoy a positive feeling.


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Latest Event Updates
PEOPLE OF THE WORD!!! Don't Ever Lose H-E-A-R-T—
Keep them going and flowing in your daily every day life; no matter, come what may!
Don't ever allow or let any situations, circumstances, disappointments, hurts, disagreements, hindrances, blockages, nor any influences occur, that would inhibit the free and full flow of a happy, joyful and generous heart; to continually express itself to the world, with love, joy, encouragement, refreshing and the perfect peace of Papa God; which would also include, and yet, not limited to, your immediate family, friends and neighbors! Blessings…
SEEK WISDOM ABOVE ALL ELSE! Repost from 03/17/2014
Day 9-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT-ALERT!!!
TODAY, 3-17-(Happy Saint Patrick's Day!) IS THE NINTH DAY, OF THE 12 DAYS OF "W's" TRANSITION, FROM WINTER INTO A NEW SPRING, IN OUR LIVES!!!
Are you ready for it to be Spring, already, in your life? Many of us need to transition to a New Beginning…The #9 is the # for finality and judgement…We need to finally make sound/good judgements, in our lives…
In Winter, things die, in Spring, things can come back to life, using sound/good judgement, which requires us utilizing Godly WISDOM, the ninth "W" word!!!
We began this transition on March 9th and will complete it on March 20th, the first day of Spring. We'll be looking at a different "W" word on each day!
Day 1, the "W" was WILL-yield yours to His!
Day 2, the "W" was WORSHIP-abandon yourself to Worship Him wholeheartedly!
Day 3, the "W" was WORD-Keep it, feed upon it, daily!
Day 4, the "W" was WORK-Hard and wise/smart-endure to WIN! Wise Observation Reinforces Knowledge! Work It Now!
Day 5, the "W" was WALK-Straight, His way/humbly!
Day 6, the "W" was WORTH-Recognize God's WORTH for us, knowing and understanding the value and love that He has for each one of us!"WORTH"-having value; quality is good or important enough to justify and redeem, ie. highly esteemed! Which is exactly what He has done for us! Wow! That's just amazingly awesome!!!
Day 7, the "W" was WAIT-Prayer, Wait upon Him and don't Worry! Waiting involves; actively serving, praying, tarrying, travailing, trusting, hoping, with great patience and that, without worrying or fretting…
Day 8, the "W" was WASH-Me white as snow, cleanse me thoroughly Lord, spirit, soul and body, that I may be given the strength and ability to then work out my salvation with humility, fear and trembling, through the power of Your Holy Spirit working in me!
The ninth "W" of the "12 W's" to consider how to live, as believers, as we leave Winter and enter into a new Spring is:
WISDOM-Seek it, ask for it, apply it, be taught and trained by it and don't settle for anything less than God's WISDOM! Scripture to consider:
But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind. If you are like that, unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you must not think that you will receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:5-8 GNT) Are there any of you who are wise and understanding? You are to prove it by your good life, by your good deeds performed with humility and wisdom. But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic. Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil. But the wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy. And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace. (James 3:13-18 GNT)"I am Wisdom, I am better than jewels; nothing you want can compare with me. (Proverbs 8:11 GNT) For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the lord. (Proverbs 8:35 NLT) Wisdom has built her house and made seven columns for it. (Proverbs 9:1 GNT) A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. (Proverbs 24:3, 4 NLT)
So, if we lack WISDOM, we can ask for it, as long as we ask without doubting, for if we doubt, then we are double-minded and should not expect to receive anything from The Lord! We can't afford too, nor should we be indecisive! Let our yes be yes and our no be no! Godly WISDOM is characterized by; purity, peacefulness, being considerate, submissive, merciful, productive, impartial and sincere. We should desire WISDOM more than we desire anything else, in life, for nothing in this life even begins to compare with having WISDOM, which results in bringing us a true fulfilling and satisfying life, along with God's favor!
Our house is built with WISDOM, which becomes strong through the good sense that WISDOM brings and also fills our life with precious valuables, from The Lord!
A couple of years ago, The Lord led me to do a 40 day fast, which ended on the 37th day, (that is a story to tell another time), but during the fast, while spending a copious amount of time in The Proverbs, The Lord showed me, without any other source but The Word, The 7 Pillars of WISDOM referenced in Proverbs 9:1! At least this is what I believed He showed me:
(1.) FEAR OF THE LORD-it is the foundation and the beginning of WISDOM. Honor, respect, give glory to, worship, obey and serve with your whole heart. (Proverbs 9:10)
(2.) KNOWLEDGE- is understanding and applying what you know and have learned in appropriate, good, and beneficial ways. (Proverbs 9:10) Also, KNOWLEDGE-brings wealth. (Proverbs 24:4) (3.)DISCRETION/DISCERNMENT-having good counsel, advice, insight and sound judgement. (Proverbs 8:12,14, 15:22)
(4.) PRUDENCE-being wise to overlook insults, do what is right, honorable and pleasing to The Lord. (Proverbs 8:12, 12:16b, 21:3,33) (5.) INTEGRITY-an upright heart in all dealings in life. (Proverbs 11:1,3, 13:6, 20:10,23)
(6.) CORRECTION-discipline, don't despise it, yield to it, don't ignore it, heed it and be honored! Hate it and die! Listen to instruction and live! (Proverbs 12:1, 13:18, 15:10, 15:32, 8:33)
(7.) HUMILITY-walk, clothed in it! Power, wealth and honor comes through humility. We all have a choice…we can choose HUMILITY or choose to be humiliated…we make the choice! (Proverbs 11:2, 22:4, Micah 6:8, 1st Peter 5:6)
I realize this is quite long, but I want to close this "W" day with a prayer I prayed on the tenth day of the fast…
Teach us, Oh Lord, the ways of WISDOM, discipline and understanding. Give to us Your insight for living a disciplined and prudent life. May we choose to do what is right, just and fair. Let us never reject Your WISDOM, but may we always walk in The Light of who You are and fear, (honor and respect, especially revere) The Lord at all times, despising not Your Supreme WISDOM! Without You Lord, we will not find enjoyment and fulfillment in this life, much less in the life to come! May we always please You, so that we may continue to receive and experience Your joy, peace, WISDOM, knowledge and happiness. We know and accept that it is You, Oh Lord, Who makes all things beautiful, in its time! Help us all to live the good life of being happy, full of joy, while doing good while we live. Let us enjoy our work, the work You have given us to do, while we are living. Help us to quickly fulfill our vows made with our lips. Thank You Lord, for Your gifts of health, wealth and the wonderful provision of Your WISDOM, but especially for The Gift of Salvation, Jesus Christ…Amen and Amen!!!
"Help Me To See, Hear And Listen!"
Check out and meditate upon this thought for today from The book of Proverbs!
"Hearing and seeing are gifts from the Lord. Our inner thoughts are a lamp from the Lord, and they search our hearts." (Proverbs 20:12, 27 CEVUS06)
Thank The LORD GOD Almighty that He does give us the ability to hear and see and that He gives us an inner voice that shines its light upon our hearts and inner life!
Just because we have physical eyes and ears, doesn't mean we are able to see and hear spiritually—They are most precious and treasured, gracious gifts from Him!
I encourage each one of us to individually breathe this simple prayer as we begin each new day…
PRAYER: "Dear LORD GOD Almighty, open my spiritual eyes and ears, that I might see and hear correctly, with understanding and insight, all that You desire for me to comprehend and to do in this new day.
Thank You LORD GOD Almighty for the inner voice of conviction, that is the searchlight of my heart!
I pray the inner voice will always be heard and that its light burn bright upon, in and through my life each day; for it is my desire, O LORD, to do Your will…Amen!"
Papa God's Holy Word…
His, Papa God's Holy Word-know it, hide it in your heart, rehearse it, meditate upon it, feed upon it, let it guide you, lead you, restore you, refresh and encourage you, train you, teach you, give you wisdom, knowledge, understanding, peace, joy, comfort and forgiveness, always rejoicing in your salvation, with a thankful heart! Blessings…
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 12/30- "We are Papa God's Incredible Handiwork—His Masterpiece!" (Ephesians 2:10)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: Double Entendre (meaning)…(1) A prescription (script) prescribed, by The Great Physician, for us to take each day, for our benefit and (2) A script written, for the purpose of giving direction and guidance to us, for our everyday life, in the way and manner we ought to be conducting our daily lives, given to us, by the Great playwright, in the sky, The Author of all that is good, right, just and holy. Blessings…
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 12/30- "We are Papa God's Incredible Handiwork—His Masterpiece!" (Ephesians 2:10)
Premise Question: What is Papa God's, perfectly designed, divine plan, purpose and will for all of humankind?
"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)
The art and incredible skill it took to make us what we are, a unique, one of a kind creation, is beyond our comprehension, for we are wonderfully shaped, by the work of Papa God's hands, brought into being out of His own imaginative design, made new in Christ, in order to perform honorable, virtuous, worthy of excellence, righteous good works; which by the way, was already in Papa God's prepared plan for us, as believers, well in advance and even before we were saved, or perhaps, yet even before we were born into this world, so as, to carry out and do, by fulfilling and bringing to complete fruition, His ultimate divine purpose and plan of reconciliation for all of humankind! (Ephesians 2:10 PDCP)
Bottom Line: Papa God's perfectly designed, divine plan and purpose was to ultimately bring all of humankind, whosoever will, of His greatly beloved and most cherished part of all of His creation, back into right standing and intimate fellowship, in an honorable and beautiful relationship with Him—Papa God and His Son Jesus Christ—The Creator of Heaven and earth, humankind and everything therein; and to also do His good work and will, by fulfilling His divinely designed, perfect will, holy purpose and ultimate plan! Blessings… http://www.theshipministry.com papadoncox.wordpress.com #doHiswillHispurposeHisplan #wearehismasterpiece
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: PDCP- 12/29- "Humility Is The Way—And Don't Ever Worry!" (1 Peter 5:6-7)
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: Double Entendre (meaning)…(1) A prescription (script) prescribed, by The Great Physician, for us to take each day, for our benefit and (2) A script written, for the purpose of giving direction and guidance to us, for our everyday life, in the way and manner we ought to be conducting our daily lives, given to us, by the Great playwright, in the sky, The Author of all that is good, right, just and holy. Blessings…
SCRIPT FOR TODAY: 12/29- "Humility Is The Way—And Don't Ever Worry!" (1 Peter 5:6-7)
Premise Question: Just how important is it for us, as members of The Company of The Redeemed, to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of Papa God, and then, to not worry, be offended or be anxious about anything?
"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." (1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT)
You will do well, and, do yourself a huge favor, when approaching The LORD, to come before Him with a humble and contrite spirit; serving and putting The LORD and then others, before and above yourself is the key, and that, without pride or arrogance, but with a gentleness, meekness and a respectful submissive attitude. Consequently, by submitting yourself underneath Papa God's superior ability, skill, power, strength, authority, His unique purpose and specific divine will for your life, in such a manner, He will support and undergird you, by lifting you up and placing you in the perfect position, in order to accomplish His unique purpose and divine will for your life. There is one caveat, though, He will not do this in your time frame, but in His perfect timing, when it is due, on time, and not a moment before or after His appointed time. So, don't spend any valuable time or resources on expending yourself in worrisome anxious thoughts or activities, trying to please others, but leave all of that anxiety with The LORD, and accept the truth, that He loves and cares for you much more than anyone else ever could or would even have the capacity or ability to do so. (1 Peter 5:6-7 PDCP)
Bottom Line: In humility, love and serve Papa God—The LORD GOD Almighty, first and foremost, with your whole heart, mind and strength, in your life!
Then, love and serve others, as a humble, gracious and most grateful servant of The Most High. Leave the timing of any and all promotions up to The LORD, and definitely don't waste any time or resources on being anxious or offended about anything, in your life, because He, The LORD, truly loves and cares for you much more than you could ever imagine or even begin to comprehend! Blessings…
http://www.theshipministry.com papadoncox.wordpress.com #donotworryorbeoffendedoranxiousaboutanything #humbleyourselfunderthemightyhandofPapaGod


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January 2016. We're awaiting the publication of the National Maternity Review report and recommendations. The work has been undertaken in less than a year. If you haven't read the 1993 Changing Childbirth Report, which was also chaired by Julia Cumberledge, do borrow a copy and read it soon – lots has changed since then, but not enough. (Who would have thought that in 2015 22% of women* having a straightforward vaginal birth would give birth in stirrups?)
This is a very long post – you'll see why. Best to say aloud now, I think, what my concerns were at the outset of the current review. I am hoping so very much to have been needlessly worried. I wish so very much for everything to turn out well – for the recommendations to be evidence-based and excitingly forward-looking. I know that all involved are sincere and well-intentioned. If bringing about changes in maternity care were a simple thing, though, Changing Childbirth would have changed the world more than it did. Continue reading


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Social Business
What to Read Next
In last year's report on social business conducted by MIT Sloan Management Review and Deloitte, we highlighted the importance of effective leadership for social business. This finding is echoed in this year's report: effective leadership is one of the most important factors determining both a company's social business maturity and also the outcomes derived from their social business initiatives.
This year's report, however, also provides important nuance about how leadership in a social business differs from traditional management — a paradoxical balance between leading and following.
Start with a Transformative Vision
First, executive leaders must have a clear vision that social media tools can fundamentally transform the way the company does business. As I have written previously, social media tools are not likely to generate any sort of business advantage on their own. Rather, social media tools allow employees, managers, and customers to communicate and collaborate in novel ways, creating opportunities to do business differently.
Fundamental transformation of communication is possible because social media allows previously disconnected people to combine and exchange knowledge in novel ways, particularly between customers and employees. For example, KLM realized that their existing Twitter account could be used as a virtual lost-and-found for passengers who left valuable items on planes but are unable to retrieve them because they had already exited security. By using social media to connect customers on one side of security with employees on the other, lost items could be returned to customers relatively easily. Management vision for how these novel applications can improve business outcomes is essential to encourage employees to look for and implement these more novel applications.
Yet, leaders may not know exactly what transformation will be possible with social in advance. It is notable that KLM's use of social media for this purpose only developed after the Twitter account was already active — even though the company has a longstanding history of innovative use of social media. It demonstrates that leaders may not recognize exactly which new applications may be valuable at the outset in order to have a vision for the transformative potential of social business.
A Latin aphorism captures this leadership challenge: solvitur ambulando, or, "it is solved by walking." Only by doing and experimenting will leaders fully recognize the transformational benefits of social business for their company.
Inspire, Support, and Listen
A consistent theme among the executives we interviewed was that leadership in social business cannot be purely directive. Executives cannot simply mandate that employees begin using social media tools and expect the employees to fall in line. Because social business involves a fundamental transformation of various aspects of the company, its adoption and use by employees will evolve gradually over time.
Instead, leadership in social business involves communicating the vision for social business in the company clearly and consistently through internal marketing efforts. These internal marketing efforts often begin with grass-roots champions who are tasked with communicating the vision for social business, as well as providing support for employees who begin to use these tools for work. Social media champions often start as volunteers who are passionate about using social media within the company, but their roles and responsibilities often evolve into more formal positions as social business begins to take hold within the organization.
These champions also play another critical role. Since they are on the front lines when employees begin to adopt social media for work, they are privy to the anecdotal success stories and the novel applications of social media use within the companies. They are responsible for reporting and publicizing these uses and outcomes throughout the company.
Leaders should take special care to listen to what these champions report about how employees are actually using and deriving value from social business tools, particularly when reports depart from what is anticipated. Because these tools fundamentally change the way people work, social business initiatives often unfold in unexpected ways. Grass-roots champions provide intelligence so that leaders can support and celebrate successful applications of social business tools, highlight and disseminate innovative uses, identify and compensate for unintended consequences, and even abandon unsuccessful initiatives in favor of efforts yielding greater results.
Leadership support of these grass-roots efforts is also critical, as they may conflict with "business as usual." For example, if a project team begins using a social media platform instead of email for collaborating, employees will not copy every possible stakeholder on every marginally relevant email. Such a shift will increase the efficiency of all involved by replacing interminable email threads with more streamlined communications, but it also introduces risks for employees who may be held accountable by outside stakeholders who expect the traditional email notification. Leaders must therefore clearly sanction and support employees' use of social media tools in the face of these risks, lest employees simply default to the path of least resistance.
Reorient and Repeat
The result of this approach to social business leadership yields a recursive feedback loop. Leaders set a vision for social business in their organization; employees execute that vision, with results that may differ somewhat from expectations. Grass-roots champions then provide feedback to leaders on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the initiatives. This feedback allows leaders to refine their vision and set the compass for the next stage of the journey.
This approach to leadership is not weak or indecisive. Each step toward social business maturity changes how your organization works, how you relate to customers, and the competitive environment in which you operate. Only by successfully reorienting at each stage, can managers effectively plot a course for the next stage of development. A "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" leadership style in social business may start in exactly the right direction, only to eventually lead the company miles off course when its very success changes environmental conditions in which the company operates.


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A Day in the Life with a Lemon.
This is Day 1 of the Diabetes Blog Week. Check out the full list of participants!
No day in my world is the same. But here's a sample of what I go through on a typical workday:
6:30 a.m. Alarm goes off. Hits snooze button. Pry my eyes open. Decide I should go to the gym (on other days, I might roll over and go back to sleep).
6:35 a.m. Grab my glucose meter and test. Hopefully I'm high enough that I can go to the gym. On this day, I am.
6:45 a.m. I am dressed in my gym garb, sporting a water bottle and juice box. Leave my insulin pump at home. Ready to rock.
7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. Huff and puff on the eliptical, stationary bike or another newfangled exercise machine. Don't forget to stretch after!
8:00 a.m. – Back home. Test again. Without any basal insulin, my blood sugar hangs steady (if I wear the pump, I tend to drop).
8:00 – 8:40 a.m. – Shower and get ready for work.
8:45 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Ride down on the subway to Union Square where I work at a healthcare communications agency. Sometimes I wonder if there are any other people with diabetes riding on the train. My pump is visible, clipped to my pants pocket. But no one ever says anything.
9:00 a.m. – Pick up breakfast at the local bodega. Sometimes it's cereal, other times yogurt and a banana. Depends on my mood and my blood sugar.
9:15 a.m. – Arrive at the office. Turn on my computer. While it boots up, I test my blood sugar, bolus and then dig in! I'm starving!
10:00 a.m. – Make sure my usual (emphasis on usual, not always) blog post is ready to roll for Lemonade Life. Even if I'm not testing or bolusing, I'm still thinking about the Big D.
1:00 p.m. – Lift my head out of the cloud of work. It's lunch time. I test again. Usually lunch time is the one reading that I am at least normal, having corrected from the morning or simply stayed steady. If I have had cereal, however, this is debatable. My favorite lunch is a salad from Pret a Manger, but on Thursdays, we have pizza in the office. Occasionally I get a subway sandwich. I try not to go too carb heavy at lunch, because breakfast and dinner seem to be my big meals usually. Have to keep everything balance… (or die trying!). This is also when I take 3 Metformin pills for a total of 1500 mg (or I take them at dinner, if I forget).
4:30 p.m. – It's time for another blood sugar reading. For the last couple of months, I have not had an afternoon snack. That habit faded away when we moved to our new office in March. I'm not sure if it has helped my waistline or not. But I like to test anyway, especially if I have skipped my morning workout and I am planning on going in the evening.
6:30 p.m. – I arrive home. Dinner is a wild card. I eat out often, either after a diabetes support group meeting, with a friend, or hanging out with my fiance (!). Other times I order take out, but sometimes I stop by the grocery store on my way home and pick up a sandwich and diet soda. Dinner is my most unpredictable meal of the day. But at least I always test!
10:00 p.m. – It's time to start getting ready for bed. I put on my pajamas, get ready for bed. Sometimes I have a bedtime snack, like popcorn or ice cream while watching an episode of Gossip Girl. I test my blood sugar, which can ping-pong all over the place depending on what I had for dinner. Sometimes I guesstimate correctly, other times, I am way off. I usually read in bed for awhile. Or surf the Internet checking out wedding websites and blogs.
11:30 p.m. – Lights out! And prepare to do the whole thing again the next day…
May 10, 2010 6:09 PM
I'm impressed about the gym too! 😉 Do you ever find that, wearing your pump on the 'outside' that you tend to catch it on things? I'm terrible for doing that. How do you cope with pizza at lunch? I find pizza a bit beasty, but if I'm going to have it then lunch is the best time. Ice cream and Gossip Girl sounds awesome 🙂
May 10, 2010 7:40 PM
I just had an "aha" moment! I never thought of actually leaving my pump at home while I go to the gym (rare occurence). How freeing that could make me feel. I usually just turn it off but it's always bouncing around and pulling things down! Thanks for that little bit of info, I'm going to try that!
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It's hard, right?
Dressing up is easily one of my favorite things to do. I don't really need an occasion to get cute. I just love planning outfits, figuring out what lipstick to wear, and so on. Growing up, I was always that little girl who pretended to be Ann Margaret in Bye Bye Birdie when getting dressed everyday (if you haven't seen that movie then shame on you.) I feel like what you wear says a lot about a person, so I always make an effort to try to look my best, even on days when I don't feel like it.
I'm also very passionate about cute, modest fashion. Its so sad to see young girls and woman who feel like they have to dress like floozie to receive attention. That only shows that they really have no grasp on their self worth and confidence. The same can be said about girls who don't put any care in their appearance at all. I truly believe that in putting 5-10 minutes into planning your outfit a day, the respect of the people around you will increase as well as your love for yourself.
Now getting to the point of this whole blog… CLOTHED MUCH! I found this modest fashion blog two(ish) weeks ago and am beyond beyond obsessed with it. Elaine of Clothed Much is my my fashion role model. I feel like her style would look good on pretty much any body type. It's fun, modest, cute, sometimes casual, sometimes dressy, unique, easy, smart, hip, comfortable… someone stop me. I could go on and on… Each day I model my outfit after one of hers! (And the fact that she's LDS totally rocks my world!)
My parting words to can be summarized in these 4 bullet points:
•You don't need a special occasion to get dolled up. Smack on your favorite pair of heels, lipstick, dress- whatever! You deserve to feel special everyday!
•Ladies- on the first date, don't feel like you have to "look cute" without looking like you're "trying too hard." Let him see the real you from the begining. Don't try to be the girl he wants you to look like. Never sacrifice your fashion sense for a man. What do they know?!
•Modest is hottest.
•Go check out Elaine at Clothed Much!
…oh and on a theatrical fashion note, Friends Don't Let Friends Wear Hooves. JUST SAY NO!
love and laducas,


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Feeding giant birds is oddly relaxing #relax #chill #slowdown
Happy MLK Jr. Day! This man built amazing sand buildings on the beach to celebrate. #mlkday
Happiness is not a goal, it's a way of life. Happy new year everyone! Wifey and I spent the day #geocaching while walking the #dogs.
I love the contrast of the stone neighboring glass. #simplyamplified #sawdustartfestival
Last minute Christmas shopping? Check out natural amplifier art at booth 337 at the #sawdustartfestival #simplyamplified
Looking for Christmas gifts? Choose work from hundreds of artists at the @SawdustArtFestival, and drop by JoyceFactorTan at booth 337 to experience her functional art. Open every weekend until December 21.
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Amazing. It tastes just like an old fashioned - but this one cures headaches instead of giving you one #hiddenhousecoffee
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Status quo report on intergovernmental relations regarding local government
This 2006 report discusses the state of intergovernmental relations with a focus on IGR within provinces, i.e. provincial-local IGR. It assesses compliance with the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act 13 of 20015 by looking at both procedural and substantive compliance, examines district-local IGR and presents a number of developments in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.


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In this episode we unveil several of the new free updates available to teachers using OnCourse, including an updated OnCourse Connect user interface, content partners, assignment grader, printed assessment features, and more.
Assessment Bubble Sheets
Updated OnCourse Connect Interface
OnCourse Connect has a brand new look! Class tiles are now beautifully colored and assignments are color-coded to match their respective classes. Assignments, resources, and messages are now centrally located on the new Class page. There's lots more too.
Teacher Assessment Tab
Hey teachers, we realize that it's a bit annoying having your district's benchmark tests mixed in with your OnCourse Classroom assessments. So, we thought we'd clean things up a bit. From now on, district-wide tests will no longer be visible in OnCourse Classroom, they will have their very own tab, the Assessment tab.
Classroom Content Partners
Our new Classroom partner videos make it super easy for teachers to learn about these amazing classroom tools so they can easily make assignments more engaging for students. When you're creating an assignment in OnCourse Classroom, you'll see links to our new content partners. Each partner has a bank of classroom resources coupled with fun and unique ways to create lessons.
Assignment Grader
That's right teachers, OnCourse Classroom now automatically grades assignments for you, saving you time and effort! Grades are automatically calculated as students complete your interactive assessments and post to your gradebook. And not to worry, you have the ability to override the grade if necessary.
These are just a few of the tons of upgrades released during this summer alone! If you want a full run-down of new features, make sure to check the Update Feed (you'll have to log-in to access OnCourse University).
If you have any questions about how to activate these features, e-mail us at email@example.com.


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Intergalactic Robot Attack!
ScreenCrush reported recently that J.J. Abrams; "Star Wars: Episode 7" will still include the same R2-D2 that we all know and love. That got me thinking about if I would actually go see this new chapter in the Star Wars saga when it hits theaters in a couple years. Ever since Episode 1, I've become increasingly disenfranchised with the whole thing. I loved the originals, I even did a geekathon in the theater for the original three right before #1 came out. After what I felt to be three moderately disappointing Lucas films and an online game that over-promised and under-delivered, I'm not entirely sure I have faith in what is to come.
But sometimes miracles happen. With the creative hand off to Abrams, I might just give this new film a chance. Looking back over Abrams' work, I am really impressed with his past and present projects. I was a big fan of "Lost" (until season 4 when I just couldn't figure out what the f* was going on anymore), "Fringe", his "Star Trek" films, "Person of Interest" and although only a few episodes in, so far I'm digging his new series "Almost Human". It looks like the cards are stacked in your favor, Mister Abrams; this geek girl may just have to get over the past and try to believe in miracles. If anyone can do it, I think this guy can.
Now, let me share this odd little moderately related epiphany I had about R2-D2 and the Daleks ("Doctor Who"). What would happen if a Dalek and R2-D2 were to come head-to-head? I'm not the only one to share this line of thinking, it would go something like this:
Or perhaps this:
What's more hilariously evil than a trash can slowly rolling towards you, threatening to suck your face off with a toilet plunger while egg beating your face and shouting "EXTERMINATE!"? If only my evil twin were that cool...


text: "As an ex-pro trumpet player I had never heard of any Brazilian brass music and was keen to find out about it. What a nice surprise this album is! These guys are excellent players, have a fearsomely tight ensemble but it all feels effortless when listening to it - the mark of a virtuoso performance. Suite Monette (named after the famous trumpet maker) has to be one of my favourites, with it's catchy tunes and rhythms. I liked it so much I took the trouble to import the sheet music and play it with my brass ensemble, and it's lovely to play too. The other pieces on the CD are light, good listening, if a touch samey, and all performed to the same high standard. Sound quality and mastering is top class too. My only problem is that I couldn't get the tunes out of my head for weeks after listening to it. Be warned!"-Anonymous


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SPRING-SUMMER 2010I sea&iI85cnifocushe US charter division of CNI is based in the Palm Beach and FortLauderdale offices. The Palm Beach charter team, betweenthem, count around 60 years of industry experience and haveworked together for 12 years, meaning they have excellentchartering knowledge and a solid inter-office network, numerous benefitsof which extend to their clients. Agnes Howard, meanwhile, heads upcharter in the Fort Lauderdale office. Here, they outline the key elementsof their role.FORT LAUDERDALEAgnes Howard"My life in the yachting industry began almost 20 years ago as a stewardesson a 30m (100') yacht named Trilogy in the Caribbean. My next role was aboardthe Feadship Fifanella (now Kingfisher). We spent time in Japan, cruised theInland Sea and spent several seasons in Thailand. I ended up back in FortLauderdale as I wanted to continue working in this vibrant industry. Myposition as charter manager and marketing director at Bob Saxon Associates,which was acquired by CNI, formed the basis of my professional knowledgeof chartering. I have travelled extensively but only recently had theopportunity to visit the Galapagos and have to say it is one of my favouritedestinations. What I like most about my work is seeing how excited peopleget about their yacht charter experience - I feel lucky to be in on the thrill."PALM BEACHSuzette McLaughlin "I launched into the yachting profession by chance, although growing up inLong Island, New York, I'd always loved the water. In the late 80s, after gaininga Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing and communications from MaristCollege, New York, I was working for Ogilvy & Mather's public relations divisionwhen I was asked to be part of the start-up operation for the prestigious NorthCove Yacht Harbor: a George Nicholson and Emilio Azcárraga project. I spentthe next ten years at North Cove before becoming a charter broker andrelocating to CNI's Palm Beach office, where I have been based for 12 years. I enjoy getting to know my clients and creating bespoke charters, for whichI draw from my experience in public relations and event planning. I endeavourto travel to many of the destinations that my clients book; some of myfavourites being Greece, Turkey, Italy and the British Virgin Islands. As partof my work I attend industry shows worldwide and I am a member of theMediterranean Yacht Broker Association (MYBA), The American Yacht CharterAssociation (AYCA) and the Florida Yacht Brokers Association (FYBA)." Diana Lee Mares-Brody"Having grown up by the water I cannot imagine anything but a life by the sea.After graduating from Southampton College, New York, majoring inpsychobiology and business, I found work on board a classic motoryacht andobtained a USCG captain's licence. I then began working for CNI. Seventeenyears later I'm still a charter broker with the company - and I love every minute. I've arranged charters in the Caribbean, Alaska, Galapagos, Thailand,Bali, the Mediterranean, New England, Seychelles and Florida.As part of my work, I travel a great deal - it's a perfect opportunity toexplore but it's also a key element of my work as it is only by personallycruising the pristine waters of Tahiti, swimming with sharks or findingthe ultimate Alaskan hot spring that I can truly give first hand advice."Barbara Dawson"I have been a charter broker for more than two decades, having joined CNIalmost 16 years ago from my own successful company, New Horizon Charters.I was raised in Virginia and love everything to do with the water. As I becameolder, sailing became more than a passing interest so it was a naturalprogression for me to join the yachting industry. I have been on the board of the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association(MYBA) for the past two years, and am Chairwoman of its Charter Committee.I also sit on the board of the American Yacht Charter Association (AYCA), andam an associate member of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association.I travel extensively to explore the best yachting destinations and I reallyenjoy creating my clients' itineraries, and particularly organizing their specialevents. Attention to detail and knowing your clients' wishes are extremelyimportant. Whether it's dinner for 12 on a deserted beach or a romanticcandlelit dinner on board, it is a wonderful feeling to know that you havehelped create their best ever holiday."nTo contact CNI's Palm Beach office, call +1 561 655 2121 or email: firstname.lastname@example.com To contact Agnes Howard in Fort Lauderdale, call +1 954 524 4250 or email: email@example.com
86Isea&iISPRING-SUMMER 2010From the end of 2007 to the end of 2008, the brokeragemarketplace experienced a sudden spike in the numberof listings coming onto the market, with a whopping 70per cent increase in the fleet available for sale.Correspondingly the number of interested buyers dropped sosharply that there was very limited superyacht sales activitybetween October 2008 and March 2009, particularly in themedium to large size range. Excess supply over demandincreased so abruptly that prices immediately started toplunge, yet with little impact on the number of yachts sold.Statistics indicate that it was the upper segment of the marketthat suffered most, with a 65 per cent drop that no one expectedand which affected the brokerage houses specialising in themedium to larger yachts market - who therefore lost overallglobal marketshare to companies specializing in selling smalleryachts. Although these companies were similarly strugglingto make sales, they fared better over this period as they hadbegun their recession earlier, well before October 2009. Thiswas especially true in the USA where prices had alreadydeclined steeply as they had entered an economic downturnearlier than Europe and the rest of the world. Adjustments made by the market during the first quarter of2009 and a number of distress sales being snapped up bywilling Buyers resulted in a bounce back for the industry in thesecond quarter, both in volume and value. This was the case inall size segments, and so figures overall were onlymarginally down from 2008. Interestingly, the larger yachtsmarket was then quite active, and many believed that thedownturn might already have bottomed out in this area. Themedium-range market segment remained affected, as supplyin that segment remained high, demand low, and pricereductions still very much the norm. The third quarter confirmedthis overall trend, with the larger brokerage firms catching upand the volume of business overall up 50 per cent on 2009 overthe same period - which although impressive, was actually nottoo difficult to achieve given the downturn experienced the yearbefore. But the market has remained unsteady. While the fourthquarter is, even in good times, generally a period of loweractivity, the fourth quarter of 2009 revealed that the upwardtrend of the six previous months had not been sustained.The activity remained chaotic, with no clear trend, andbusiness was done on the grounds of good opportunities andsome further market adjustment. Does this mean a W-type ofrecessional curve for yachting as well, as some people believemay occur to the finance markets? Or has the yachting marketalready fully bottomed out? The CNI (super)yachting Index 2010(due for release in May) will help its readers grasp the full realityof where things stand. Until then, all interested buyers shouldbe aware that there are still many good opportunities to buyfrom the 2,000+ superyachts for sale on the pre-ownedmarketplace; those recently listed by Camper & Nicholsons'brokers and displayed on the following pages being only a smallsample of what we have on offer.nEveryone in the yachting industry surely agrees that 2009 was anunexpected year, with much drama, business down on almost all fronts, andanxiety early on as to what the year ahead might hold. The reality, oncefigures are thoroughly reviewed, is both reassuring and concerning in equalmeasure, as the new CNI (super)Yachting Index will revealDOWN BUT NOT OUTsuperyacht brokerage


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Our phone number is: 508-881-4404
As a family owned business, I know you are busy and need to get your car serviced fast. When you visit our clean, friendly office, we will greet you and make you feel comfortable. Then we will help you get what you need. We offer many different services which you can see on this site to help you extend the life of your automobile and operate it trouble free for as long as possible.


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Once again reading has not been great for me lately. I some life things happening, not bad things, just different things it has been taking up a lot of space in my head. Reading hasn't been the escape that I need it to be. I hope that things will change soon.
Big Stick by Kelly Jamieson– I actually read this last week but forgot that I read it. I think that says something about it. There's only so many hockey books a person can read before they all blend together.
This book was actually pretty decent though. The heroine is a single mom by choice and she owns a sex toy company. The hero plays hockey is kind of a jerk. She needs a place to stay and ends up staying in the hero's guest house. So it is kind of forced proximity when Jodie and Nick have to spend time together.
Even though this is a hockey book and I forgot I read it, once it popped back in my brain I remembered that Jamieson does a good job at making things just a little different or unusual. For example, the hero isn't on the first line in hockey. He is part of the second squad. So he's not a starter on the team. He is a solid player, but he isn't the star. I like that. Not every professional athlete is "THE STAR" so this was refreshing. Jamieson frequently deals with heavier topics and in this book touched on mental illness and suicide. So if those are things that don't work for you, this book is not for you. This was an enjoyable read and I recommend it for someone who enjoys hockey romance and looking for a quick read.
Luci & Hap (Loose Ends) by Kristen Ashley– I read Heaven & Hell in 2012 and I absolutely loved the side love story between Lcui and Hap. Luci's husband Travis died and Hap has loved her from afar for several years. As soon as I finished Heaven and Hell I knew I needed them to get a HEA. I have stalked KA on all mediums waiting for this story. When I saw that KA was FINALLY writing a story for them, I was overjoyed, but also super conflicted about it. I am a very different reader than I was 6 years ago. Additionally, I have struggled with Ashley's most recent works. Her older self pubbed books worked really well for me back in the day. I haven't been able to feel the same about her books in a while. But I HAD to read this story. I know I would probably be let down. And I was.
Here are the things I did not like in this book:
- Hap's mom was a worthless loser (I hate that KA always has at least one terrible women in her books. And it helps shine the light on the heroine being amazing.)
- Sometimes KA tries too hard to incorporate too many things. This story is part of an anthology where she ties up "loose ends." So in Hap and Luci's story, we get a recap of the relationship between Henry and Josie (from The Will). Wait, what? It's one thing to have crossover when a security specialist is needed. It's another things to randomly drop in characters from unrelated worlds. It felt weird and forced.
- There is some weird time hop stuff happening. Heaven & Hell was pubbed in 2011. There are references to flip phones in the book. Luci and Hap's story began in that book. This story picks up a few months after H & H ended. Except it is current time as evidenced by the fact that Luci has an Alexa in her home. And when Henry Gagnon is forced into the story, he and Josie have just broken up. The Will was pubbed in 2014. It felt weird and things like this pull me out of a story.
- There was some low key "Sneaky Jesus" in this book. What is sneaky Jesus you ask? Well it is a term I use when an author sneaks in religion/faith in to a book, especially in the redemption arc of a character who has until that point not shown a religious side. In this story, Hap says that Luci is his religion. That is how he explains his love for her. And then he talks about how he was brought up in the church and some other stuff. But it never comes up again. They don't go to church. He doesn't show any other faith-based traits. Just the one convo and then it's gone. That is sneaky Jesus. I don't mind reading about characters who have a faith and practicing the faith or even questioning it, but it should fit the rest of the story.
Mostly though I was disappointed in their story. It felt like it was lacking in depth. She spent too much time trying to weave in things like the weird connection to Josie and not enough time on the HEA between Luci and Hap. They get together over a weekend and then never separate, as is pretty typical for a KA couple. But I wanted more. I wanted more exploration of their feelings. I wanted it to be drawn out. I wanted it to reflect the 6 years I had to wait for this story.
Long story short, please someone remind me to stop reading new books/stories by Kristen Ashley. I think the time has come that she no longer works for me as a reader. I have to accept the fact that the things I used to be able to ignore and overlook are now the things I absolutely hate about her books.


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|Jessica Rabbit or PoshBird ???
So I wasn't sure whether to write this post or not if I'm honest....but when I started blogging I did so as an outlet for me and also as a window for others to peek through into my life, for anyone who may be interested that is ?! So I suppose it is inevitable that I find myself writing the first part of what I'm lovingly referring to as my 'Boob Job Blog'!
Now straight away that sounds odd for me to say and type, but you see, it's just that I'm actually just about to have a boob job! To be clear, it's not implants as you may suspect and goodness knows they have been all over the news this week. Also I absolutely understand all the issues women with small boobs have and totally sympathise with how they feel. But no for me, I'm at the other extreme, I have 'big' boobs, well for my frame I do and that brings its own issues too.
You see I'm just under 5ft (I'm gutted, I was measured today) and I weigh in at 9st and a few lbs (that is, stark naked, first thing in the morning !) and my boobs are a cup size F ! So I think that it's fair to say that whilst they are glorious, pendulous, attention grabbing and make fabulous pillows for the girls (and Mr Poshbird) to rest their weary heads on; they are also back achingly heavy and bloody hard work to lug around.
I also love to run and I've been known to run half marathons, 10ks and the odd 2.2 mile around my village. However this isn't easy for me and also apparently can't be done without causing extreme toe curling embarrassment for Miss C, whose 16yr old lad mates, often remark that they've seen me out jogging! All this, coupled with the fact that 6 months ago a Dr friend of mine kindly pointed out to me that my spine was curving and that the shoulder and neck pain that I've had for many years was probably due to my wondrous 'bangers' , well I decided to seek the advice of my local GP. If I'm totally honest I didn't have any expectations about receiving a breast reduction on the NHS, after all it's not life threatening, or particularly that serious, although to me it would be life changing in many ways and hopefully reduce my back, neck and shoulder pain....oh and of course having small boobs will enable me to run even faster!
It's funny, but I've always been self conscious of the size of my boobs and have spent years trying to choose clothes that hide them, wearing minimiser bras and the like, but all they do is squash your boobs under your armpits, which is not the most attractive of looks ! And while I know my boobs are the envy of many a less well endowed lady, I've now kind of worn tired of them; and I mean both physically and emotionally tired ! They've served me well I guess, they helped me snare Mr Poshbird and I've breastfed my two daughters successfully with them but now these monstrosities simply have to go! I want the perky, pert, bouncy boobs I was meant to have and I want them NOW!
So after my initial assessment, my GP referred me to see a specialist and to my utter amazement the consultant at the local hospital said I fitted all the criteria. Right weight, non smoker and I have been treated for back related problems, oh and of course I do have gigantic boobs, so operation 'breast reduction' was a goer!
Anyway, all this all took place back in September last year and we joked in the Poshbird household that I'd have my new boobs for Christmas and also my 40th Birthday...well looks they'll be a little late, but hey who in reality wants an operation to interfere with the Christmas drinking and partying scene anyway!
So here I am, about to embark on a life changing and scary set of events. To some they may seem trivial but to me it's so important. This morning was 'pre op' day and having been busy the last month I hadn't really thought too much about the up and coming procedure. Needless to say the pre op wasn't quite what I had expected and I'll share that with you in my next post. But in spite of this I tend to see the humour in most situations, I find it helps to lighten ones life's experiences!
To Be Continued....