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Macular Degeneration Injections: Pros and Cons of This Treatment
A new type of treatment for wet macular degeneration is becoming one of the most common methods of care for this age related disorder. Not only are macular degeneration injections halting the progression of this rapidly advancing condition
, but actual improvements are being made in the visual abilities of recipients. There are however, as with most groundbreaking medical prospects, some pros and cons to this new treatment option.
1. Cost: The current formulation of this injectable type of macular degeneration treatment, known as Lucentis – the only one that has been thoroughly studied and tested, costs $1950 per treatment. That may sound like a great bargain for regained visual ability, but with the macular degeneration injections being done monthly, that cost can be staggering in the long term, although many insurance plans make this cost more affordable to plan participants.
2. Complications: Although most are infrequent and even rare, there are complications associated with macular degeneration injections. One unusual specific is retina detachment, although this occurs in less than .01% of people receiving the treatments. Another concern is infection, which is a common risk factor in many types of medical procedures and is not unique to macular degeneration injections.
1. Sight Improvement: Most forms of treatment for this age related condition improve merely preventing the worsening symptoms of macular degeneration. However, the use of this type of treatment has been shown in studies to actually improve the sight of recipients, a claim that cannot be made with macular degeneration vitamins, a method used to stave off the effects of worsening vision, or glasses for macular degeneration which are merely used to help with magnification and assist with blurriness.
2. Minor Procedure: Unlike surgical applications, most of the time macular degeneration injections can be performed in examination rooms and doctor's offices and don't require trips to the hospital or operating room. Additionally, anesthetic involves only a topical application and there is usually no need to be put to sleep. Not only does this simpler solution mean less discomfort and recovery for the afflicted, but also less risk of typical surgical complications.
Your doctor will decide if macular degeneration injections are ideal for you. This analysis will be based on your current condition, but also some other important factors such as you general overall health and and underlying medical conditions that you have or medications that you are taking. In some cases, you may have to refrain from use of medications prior to having an injection and your health care provider will alert you to these types of contradictions and talk to you about what they mean and how they will affect your care. Macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss in the elderly; however this new and exciting form of therapy may help sufferers regain part of their lost visual sense. It's wise to discuss this form of treatment with your doctor to help determine if this is the right form of therapy for you and your important eyes.


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James Franco & 'PLL' Star Keegan Allen Cuddle Shirtless In Bed – Pic
Sorry Spencer — it looks like Toby has found a new cuddle buddy! After posting a series of shirtless selfies to his Instagram over the past couple weeks, James Franco tapped his new BFF, 'Pretty Little Liars' star Keegan Allen, to join him for the ultimate 'bed selfie.'
Well, at least Keegan Allen's not underage! James Franco, 35, who recently came under fire for hitting on a 17-year-old fan on Instagram, shared a new photo of himself snuggling up to 24-year-old Pretty Little Liars hottie Keegan on April 22. This looks like the beginning of a beautiful bromance!
Keegan Allen & James Franco In Bed: 'PLL' Star & Actor Cuddle Shirtless
This isn't the first time James has taken a shirtless selfie and we're sure it won't be the last. The Palo Alto star has bared his chest in many an Instagram pic, and also famously gotten intimate with a shirtless Seth Rogen in a hilarious spoof of Kanye West's "Bound 2" video.
But James was so jazzed about his smouldering new selfie with Keegan, who plays Toby Kavanaugh on Pretty Little Liars, that he took to both his Twitter and Instagram accounts to share it with his fans.
James captioned the pic: "BED SELFIE WITH KEEGAN ALLEN!!!!! TIME TO GO NUTS!!!!"
In the photo, James and Keegan are both shirtless and cozying up to each other under a colorful blanket. The selfie was taken after Keegan caught a performance of James' Broadway show, Of Mice And Men, on April 22, according to the Daily Mail. The UK paper also reports that the handsome duo are "in the throes" of a "budding bromance."
James Franco Hits On 17-Year-Old Fan
As HollywoodLife.com previously reported, James got into trouble on Instagram earlier in April when he tried to arrange a hotel meet-up with Lucy Clode, a 17-year-old fan from Scotland. The actor quickly did some damage control by going on Live! With Kelly And Michael on April 4.
"I'm embarrassed," James confessed on the show. "I guess I'm just a model about how social media's tricky. It's a way people meet each other today, but what I've learned is you don't know who's on the other end. I used bad judgment and I learned my lesson."
So what do you think, HollywoodLifers? Have you forgiven James for his inappropriate Instagram seduction? Do James and Keegan look hot in their new pic? Let us know.
— Tierney McAfee

subset: commoncrawl


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Dallas Medical Malpractice Lawyer
We trust doctors to diagnose and treat us because we know they have undergone years of special training. Unfortunately, despite this training, many doctors still lack the skill and experience necessary to properly diagnose an illness, or safely perform a medical procedure. When a doctor, nurse, surgeon, anesthesiologist, or other healthcare professional makes a mistake, the patient can be seriously injured, suffer from undiagnosed terminal illness, or even succumb to wrongful death. In fact, hospital errors are now the third leading cause of death in the United States, surpassed only by cancer and cardiovascular disease.
If you or one of your family members was injured or became ill due to medical negligence at a clinic or hospital in Dallas, you are urged to contact the Queenan Law Firm, P.C. for a free and confidential consultation. If your physician acted with negligence, and you were harmed as a result, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical expenses and other losses. To discuss your malpractice claim in a free and private legal consultation with a Dallas medical malpractice attorney, call Queenan Law as soon as possible at (817) 476-1797.
Grounds for Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in Dallas
Unfortunately, even talented doctors are sometimes unsuccessful in their efforts. However, a doctor's failure to successfully treat a patient does not necessarily give rise to a cause of action. If a doctor performs all actions in an appropriate, timely, and competent fashion, he or she has not committed malpractice, even if the patient has a poor outcome. Malpractice occurs when a doctor acts with negligence or carelessness, leading to a serious mistake or problem that would have been avoided by a different doctor.
Four elements must be present in order for the victim to have grounds for a malpractice lawsuit. These elements are:
- Duty of care. A duty of care is created when there is a formal doctor-patient relationship. Taking casual medical advice from a friend, for example, does not create this relationship.
- Breach of duty. The duty of care is violated. Any number of errors may constitute a breach of duty. Some examples of medical errors and hospital errors are listed in the next section.
- Causation. The illness or injury results from the actions of the doctor, such as the failure to sterilize a piece of equipment properly. In many cases, it is not the doctor's actions, but the lack thereof – for example, the failure to order a lab test – that leads to tragedy.
- Damages. The patient is harmed as a result of the doctor's actions, or failures to act. In some cases, this involves an existing illness or infection that goes undetected and therefore untreated. In other cases, the doctor's actions create a new injury or health problem that did not formerly exist.
If all four of these factors are present, the patient may have a cause of action. Our Dallas medical malpractice lawyers can determine whether you may have a case when you contact us for your free consultation.
Common Hospital Errors and Medical Mistakes that Cause Injury
Many people equate medical malpractice with catastrophic surgical errors, such as performing surgery on the wrong limb or wrong side of the body. However, a doctor's failures do not have to be that extreme in order for the victim to have a malpractice case. There are numerous ways in which doctors commit malpractice, and only some involve surgical procedures. Many forms of malpractice involve medication errors, diagnostic errors, or other failures. Some examples of errors that could constitute malpractice include:
- Delaying an operation without a legitimate medical purpose for the delay.
- Diagnosing an illness in a patient who is actually healthy.
- Discharging a patient prematurely.
- Failing to check a patient's medical background for risks, complications, or dangerous drug interactions.
- Failing to diagnose an illness that is detectable.
- Failing to follow up with a patient.
- Failing to interpret lab results correctly.
- Failing to monitor a patient's vital signs while he or she is under anesthesia or sedation.
- Failing to order lab tests.
- Forgetting an object inside of a surgical patient's body. These objects, such as gauze or surgical instruments, are called "unintended retained foreign objects" (URFO).
- Giving a patient too large a dose of medication, leading to overdose.
- Misdiagnosing an illness as the wrong condition, such as misdiagnosing lung cancer as pneumonia.
- Misusing medical equipment or surgical tools, which can cause nerve damage, hemorrhaging, or other serious, potentially life-threatening events.
- Performing unnecessary surgery.
Some malpractice lawsuits do not involve medical mistakes, but rather, the predatory victimization of a patient who is being examined, who is under anesthesia, or who is under sedation. The rape, sexual harassment, sexual assault, or sexual abuse of a patient, such as unnecessary touching during a physical exam, can give rise to a malpractice action.
Dallas Medical Malpractice Lawyers Representing Injured Patients
When the person you trusted to heal you causes you harm instead, the sense of shock, loss, and betrayal is overwhelming. However, you do not have to go through this struggle alone. The Dallas medical malpractice attorneys of Queenan Law will stand by your side to help you pursue compensation and justice for the wrongful acts that led to your illness or injury. We are not afraid to aggressively challenge powerful malpractice insurance companies, and will fight tirelessly to hold your doctor accountable for his or her careless, devastating actions.
Doctor negligence is an extremely complex area of personal injury law, so it is in your best interests to be represented by an accomplished attorney who has experience handling malpractice lawsuits in Texas. To talk about your claim in a free legal consultation, call the Queenan Law Firm, P.C. at (817) 476-1797.


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Andrew Haigh's new film, 45 Years, is based on a David Constantine short story, In Another Country, which was included in the 2005 collection, Under The Dam. The story's title is a nod to Christopher Marlowe's oft-quoted The Jew of Malta - "but that was in another country, and besides, the wench is dead" - which has served as a recurrent motif of alienation and relativism from T S Eliot's Portrait of a Lady, through James Baldwin's 1962 novel to Julian Mitchell's 1981 play about Guy Burgess. The dam of the collection title is the central metaphor of Constantine's story, a glacier holding back a huge body of melted ice-water that global warming will eventually release and "anything human in the way of it will be wiped out". Among the rocks and mud will be the corpse of a young woman: the past returned to haunt the present. Haigh's previous work as a director has focused on gay themes (Greek Pete, Weekend), and this new film could as easily have been about the destabilising revelation of youthful homosexuality for a settled heterosexual marriage, in the manner of 1961's The Victim. It is a tale of inter-generational conflict that largely avoids the young.
The 11-page short story has been skillfully expanded into a film, though it would have worked just as well as a half-hour radio play. A comfortably retired, childless couple, Geoff and Kate Mercer, about to celebrate their sapphire wedding anniversary, are disturbed when he receives an official letter from Switzerland confirming the discovery of the body of his ex-girlfriend, Katya, who fell into a glacier fissure in 1962. Her corpse has been revealed frozen in the ice, as the covering of snow has gradually melted, still as fresh and young as the that day she died. The film coolly watches as Geoff and Kate come to terms with this eruption of the past. Its quality is in the timing and phrasing of the leads, Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, though both are also excellent at subtle visual communication: Courtenay's whole body oscillating between tragedy and comedy; Rampling's face a dark pool of emotion. There are essentially only two and half characters, with Lena, played by Geraldine James, acting as a rather cursory sounding board for Kate's concerns. This is a very British two-hander, in which silences and mutually-assured restraint create space for fears to grow and hopes to curdle.
The alternately grumpy and meek Geoff, who suffered a heart bypass 5 years previously (thus causing the cancellation of their ruby wedding anniversary), becomes loquacious and even poetic as he recalls the events of over 50 years ago when he and Katya walked south to Italy, posing as man and wife for social convenience. His language takes on the cadences of D H Lawrence, particularly of his poetry in Look! We Have Come Through!, a work that partly celebrated Lawrences' own southward Alpine crossing with Frieda Weekley, a woman temporarily estranged from her children by his love, just before the Great War. Geoff rhapsodises a violet flower that sprang up amid the snow (Constantine's story mentions blue gentians as well, an explicit reference to Lawrence's poem, Bavarian Gentians), emphasising how alive the young couple were, with no purpose beyond looking for food and a place to sleep, while the wider world grappled with the Cuban missile crisis and the erection of the Berlin Wall (in the story, set some 17 years earlier, the surroundings were more menacing: "with Hitler where they'd come from and Mussolini where they were going to").
The film has an undercurrent of class antagonism that is absent from the story. Kate was a respected teacher, with perfect upper-middle class diction; Geoff was an engineer, who worked his way up from the shopfloor to management and regrets the decline of the unions (his regret over a lost past is a key theme). She corrects his placing of Tollund (he's referring to the ancient bodies preserved in peat) from Sweden to Denmark ("I had to teach it"), and cheerfully derides his three attempts to tackle Kierkegaard ("you've got three copies of that book and you've never got beyond chapter two" - We never learn which book, but the Dane's concerns with choice and anxiety are suggestive). He generally responds with patient silence, not unlike a cowed schoolboy, but notes her father's dislike of him as a suitor in his speech at the wedding anniversary party: a small revenge. She is a model of structure and habit: walk the dog, drink a glass of water, pop into town. When their shared life appears to be on the brink of unravelling, she cleaves to routine: he'll take his pills, they'll eat their meal, they'll go to bed, and tomorrow they'll go on. But this is more a determination to discipline the imagination than Beckettian resignation.
Their world is flat. The film is set is rural Norfolk, with bustling Norwich serving as a backdrop for Kate's increasing alienation and a rather obvious visual link between weddings and Switzerland by way of a jewellers. Their home is bleached, rustic and comfortingly middle class: the Roberts radio, the grey Skoda, the cream Aga. Kate on screen is far less severe and unsympathetic than on the page, where the couple are only ever Mr and Mrs - only Katya has a first name in the story. The promotion to cinema has also upgraded their material circumstances. In the original, they live in a small house ("nowhere to pace") with a flagstone garden on a dull estate in North Wales (Mrs Mercer takes day-trips to Prestatyn and Horseshoe Pass). Evenings are spent watching TV, rather than listening to classical music, and the books mostly come from the library. What's consistent is the inverted fissure of the loft, a glacier-like deep storage from which troubling mementoes emerge.
In the story, Katya is revealed to be a Jewish orphan and her death occurs in late wartime (what Mr Mercer is doing in Switzerland is unclear). The revelation of Katya's pregnancy comes directly from Geoff, not, as in the film, when Kate discovers old photographic slides. He says they were "heedless", but admits to himself that their certainty that they wanted a child and to go on living together was anything but. In the film this becomes the admission that they would have married, that Katya would have become Mrs Mercer, had she survived. For the actual Mrs Mercer in Constantine's tale, "All she wanted was to be able to say it hasn't been nothing, it hasn't been a waste of time, the fifty years, that they amount to something, if not a child". The story ends with Mr Mercer setting off on a probably abortive attempt to get to Switzerland. In the film he eschews any such mad idea, settles for social conformity and does the right thing at the celebratory party - he toasts Kate as the best decision he ever made and blubs, as Lena confidently predicted he would.
With little visual exuberance - the flat Norfolk Broads are a blunt contrast to the unseen Alps, though they do allow for references to digging - the film over-invests in music as a symbol of the Mercer's shared history, with ironic if unsubtle pointers to their contemporary pain. The Platters' Smoke Gets in You Eyes bookends the film (Kate hums it as Geoff opens the fateful letter, and it is the first number they dance to at the party), but hearing "when an old flame dies" repeatedly is bathetic. A distracted Kate, prompted over the phone for the party playlist, runs out of steam and ends with "Oh, and The Moody Blues". Are you trying to tell us something, dearie? When Gary Puckett & The Union Gap's Young Girl comes on the radio in the car while she is travelling with Lena, Kate promptly turns it off. A more realistic response would have been a sour joke about Jimmy Savile.
Where the film works better is in its suggestive elisions, such as the "big decisions" that Kate now fears Geoff regrets, the key one presumably being the decision not to have children (explicit in the story). Her angst stems from the fear that this was a decision made with Katya in mind more than her. At the anniversary party, Lena presents the couple with a collage of photos, a summary of the view that others have had of them over the years, a moment that is both chilling and warm, and reminiscent of the surveillance trope in that great film of bourgeois guilt, Michael Haneke's Caché. They see how young they were, how dogs substituted for children, and Kate suddenly realises how little all this has meant. Where Geoff at least has had substantial regrets to cosset, she has too easily accommodated herself to limits and lack - making a virtue of placid emptiness. Perhaps Kate's final realisation, superbly rendered on Rampling's haunted face amid the party crowd, is that she has never got beyond chapter two either, and her chance to do so has now gone. Geoff at least repeatedly tried.


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So, a couple days ago, a group of some very close friends and I were discussing the meaning of consent, especially pertaining to the topic of sex and rape. Of course, most of the credit of that conversation goes to my dear friends, as I tend to usually be more of a listener than a talker, at these highly intellectually-stimulating gatherings.
Anyway, the conversation was extremely fascinating, as it really started to make me think and wonder about what it means to give consent. However, before I go any further, we first have to determine what consent really means. From my personal definition, consent, to me, is when both parties agree, either verbally or in print, to perform an act and/or service. There is no force involved. Rather, both parties are very enthusiastic about the act that they are about to perform. (And this could be ANY act; not necessarily intercourse.)
However, it has now come to my realization that consent is not really as clear-cut as I'd originally thought it was. There is more to it than meets the eye. And there are many, many gray areas of consent, which involves instances in which women who may not be in the mood to have sex with their husbands/partners, but don't exactly resist either, nor do they give any sign that they are okay with performing the act. And then it makes one wonder whether this would be equivalent to a rape, where the husband has sex with his wife without her giving him her full, blatant consent. Or, no, this is not classified as rape, because the woman did not exactly resist, as in scream and push her husband away. It's confusing, yes, because it's hard to tell what and how an act has been consented when one of the parties herself/himself does not realize whether she/he has consented to the act.
Nevertheless, this is an argument that is caught up in semantics. Why? Well, because in numerous past discussions, as well as in feminist studies, rape is defined as "unwanted sex inflicted upon one by force." This leaves a wide open gray area. And like I said earlier, what if there was no force or coercion involved, what if the woman was just not enjoying it and kind of faking it all because saying yes and getting it all over with would seem easier? (And this goes both ways, as well, where men who are not in the mood to have sex with their wives/partners, but do it anyway, just to get it over with.)
Since the definition of rape is murky (and usually involves the force of men on women, rather than women on men, which still occurs, but is rarer), I think many women are left feeling befuddled and guilty about the lines of consent. While the battle of semantics is entirely frustrating and harmful to all, I can see why it is so controversial. I mean, after all, a stranger with a gun to your head is not quite the same as a partner who you aren't turned on by, but decide to give in so he doesn't sulk or argue. Yet, they are both expressions of aggression; the act is the same (which is that of sex/intercourse), but there is still that very thin line between what may be deemed as consent and what would definitely be seen as rape.
So, yes, while the act is one and the same, the emotional and physical impacts are very different. As well as the social and legal impacts, which is why I think many people get into the argument of what rape is, or isn't.
There are feminists who sometimes throw around the word "rape-culture" but to say that we have a rape-culture is to discount that we actually have a violence-culture on the whole. There is no doubt that upbringing and the type of culture one is raised in has a hand in this too. Typically, women, in my culture (I am Pashtun) are raised to practically obey their husbands. I am an exception, as I was fortunate enough to come to the West, where BOTH men and women are equal with each other and, when in love, worship/obey each other equally. And I am happy to say that my husband and I are like that, thankfully. However, back home, especially in villages, our women are conditioned with the belief that they cannot have a life without a man. The man is extremely important. And if a woman reaches a certain age, and is not married, she is then looked down upon and considered defective. Furthermore, rape is overlooked in cultures like these, simply because there is no such concept. And even if there is such a concept, the blame is always placed on the woman. People would simply say, "If the woman did not resist her husband, then he wouldn't have to force himself on her. It's *her* fault. She was not performing her 'wifely' duties, so the man/husband had NO choice but to force sex upon her." Yes, as horrifying and despicable as this may sound, this is the justification that not only the men, but also the women in these villages give. But, that's a whole different topic on its own, and I will definitely be touching up on this again, in more depth of course, in a future post.
Anyway, to me, consent begins with radical honesty. It begins with allowing people, whom we trust, into our lives, and with whom we can be vulnerable and honest. The more we can say what we feel in the moment, as well as be honest about our experiences and emotions, the more we can break that cycle of subtlety and suppression of emotions. And because open intimate honesty is rare, I think it is important for a person (she or he) in any sexual or romantic relationship to be aware of their consenting, as well as lack thereof. This is not to imply that there won't be any gray areas still, 'cause that is inevitable. But when a person is in a supposedly loving/stable/long-term relationship/marriage, perhaps it would at least make sense to realize what it is that they are doing.
Wouldn't you agree so? 🙂


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Virtual Reality Porn, Via Room Service, is Coming to Las Vegas Hotels
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Virtual Reality Porn, Via Room Service, is Coming to Las Vegas Hotels
VR Bangers teams up with AuraVisor to bring VR porn to your hotel room.
VR Bangers, a virtual reality porn company, has announced a partnership with headset manufacturer AuraVisor, in an effort to offer a headset preloaded with pornography in hotel rooms. Finally.
The launch will be in none other than Las Vegas, where hotel-goers can pay $20 for "ultra-realistic, immersive porn" via the "VR Bangers Hotel Experience." The Experience is being introduced at a small number of Las Vegas hotels before expanding across the country, IBT reports, and comes with options for both male and female computer-simulated companions.
"You will then choose a girl or guy of your choice, and see your hotel room replicated in the VR headset, making the experience much more realistic," VR Bangers explained. "Next you will hear a knock on the door (in the virtual reality world), and the girl or guy will come into your room in order to enjoy an erotic or sex experience with the viewer."
"While the appeal of virtual reality in gaming and movie watching is obvious, the potential for revolutionizing the porn industry is even more exciting. The true number is not known, but most studies suggest that around 30 percent of web traffic is adult content," VR Bangers said. "Despite this, the porn industry has remained stagnant for years, and many consumers have become bored by conventional porn. VR porn looks set to shake up this stagnant yet huge market, and VR Bangers and AuraVisor are well placed to benefit from the growing adoption of VR technology."
Well, duh. This should've been the first idea suggested to be integrated into VR.
I am surprised that it took this long.
That being said, without sensual feedback, this will be nothing more than a novelty porn.
Easily solved, you just take people from other rooms and once the headsets are on, guide them to eachother, mix and match so the experiences line up with the VR simulation.
When the porn industry picked up VCR instead of Betamax, VCR became dominant even though it was arguably the lesser medium.
Now porn is picking up VR.
The VR age is upon us!
And... it begins.
I really hope they clean those things after each use like they clean hotel rooms... eewwwwwwww. Good luck to who ever wants to try this.
They did. Here is a never before seen, sneak peek, glory hole transcript of the meeting in question.
Developer: So this new VR system can be used...
Board member: Can I view porn on it?
Developer: errr by connecting to the net, sure.
BM: Deal!!
D: But its main focus is gaming and...
BM: Like sex games for our customers? You know, like when they finish their business and want a little side fun to get them into round 2?
D: Round 2?
BM: Yeah! Like imagine I have just finished off with my online hentai tentacle lizard hybrid hotty after I inserted my *beep* into her *beep* and then she use *beep beep* with *beep*, choking him as their bow and arrow goes into my *seriously these are some fucked up beeps here*. All before using the safe word Paula Abdul. Will I then have a moment to play a little side game and then get back to my round two fun with my hentai hybrid and her mom?
D: (silence)
BM: Cat has your tongue? Can this VR do that too? And can I get my tongue into a certain cat? Human kind. If you know what I mean, wink wink!!
D: ... If we added a few more software codes, yes.
BM: See, that's all I wanted to know. You see Jimmy...
D: My names Sebastian.
BM: Don't interrupt. You see, you need to understand that porn has changed the world for the better. It's the only true and meaningful passtime and money make that gets us away from our sad pathetic reality of going to work, paying bills, getting ripped off, getting into debt, having my son being a disappointment and a daughter who can barely look at me but is happy to take my credit card for her weekend trip to who knows where and all while my wife cheats on me with the pool boy, Jes?s. And NO shes not a born again Christian screaming Jesus' name from the top of her lungs telling him to come onto, and fill her with his holy spirit, while on her knees worshipping him. NO SON!! NO SECOND COMING IN MY HOUSE, I TELL YA!!
*stops and clears throat*
BM: Point is, you may want this device to be focused on games and a new virtual world but sooner or later the every day guy will just get bored of it. And do you know what many people do when they are bored?
D: ...play video games?
BM: They jerk off. They flick the bean. Porn will be there for them every damn time. VR porn in hotel rooms is what we want. No more being busted by cops for bringing in the drunk, maybe underaged, hooker into your hotel room. We can do that virtually with no consequences. No law breaking, just premium spreading for the most extreme shit. You know how much you can make from those who like feet and furries? That's a fucking Alaskan gold mined.
D: I just wanted to create this for harmless fun. To expand human development and...
BM: ...and you will be doing that. All great ideas are thought of during the 5 seconds after you have an orgasm. How do you think Salad Cream was invented?
D: please just stop, okay. I'll accept the deal. I just... I just want to forget this conversation. The very scary detailed parts.
BM: Oh, relax. At least you aren't the poor sap who has to write all this down in great detail and maybe with a few beeps, to a gaming/nerd site beginning with an "E".
""Despite this, the porn industry has remained stagnant for years,"
FINALLY someone who says it as it is!
I was thinking more on the hardware where you stick your junk in it, but I like your style. Now only if we could solve the whole pregnancy problem...
Well, the non-porn part of the internet has been growing steadly. I think it is the sign of the end times.
I don't think $20 can be considered "very expensive". Sure, it's definitely more expensive than "free", but it's not a lot of money. After all, in Vegas, they're definitely competing with the possibility of having a real woman sent up...
But who would want a real 3D woman when you can have a superior 2D Waifu?
So now you can see your 2D waifu in 3D? Guess that takes visual novels to a whole new level.
Well there's a "piece of hardware" for sale you could use but is quite expensive.
So this could become an actual thing?
Not true. You wouldn't compare your console(or PC, if that's what you are into) to mere DVD player, would you?
The point of my hypothetical device is all about interactive experience. To provide elevated level of immersion compare to simple porns. The purpose of this device is to provide immersive experience, opposed to best experience.(Like ones we have now)
No sensual feedback means it is nothing more than novelty porn. And considering that 70% of the internet is porn(and many of them are free)...
No, you really have to sell it to make someone pay 20 buckroo when you could get it for free.
I hope they fucking autoclave the headset and controllers after every use...
... just out of interest did anyone else feel guilty for instantly recognising the star in the photo?
Why not? There are already more detailed fleshlights out there.
Some company might skip that step on the onion video and go directly to the sexbot/sexdroid. :p
It's only a 3D movie seen through vr headsets right? at least it's only that if you use real actors with current technology/limitations, or it's a real 3D scene but entirely cgi/ "cartoonish" graphics. The bandwidth/gpu processing power to get the "real VR" experience is years away, fotunately for the birth rate of developed nations.
Cleaning personal of the Las Vegas Hotels: your life is even more miserable now... I feel for you, better move to Hell's Kitchen or Gotham, it's like heaven in comparison.
That...sounds pretty awesome. And $20 sounds like a pretty good deal.
You mean Marica Hase? Not at all. There is no shame in recognizing hotness.
How much cheaper is to use this thing except for a real Hooker?
With your hotel room as the setting? That's fancy. Wonder if they record the porn "on-set", or whether it's just edited in.
It will be a good material as a funny video.
Cheap? How many do you pay to get laid normally? 20 is very high to mastubate...well...alone in reality.
Nothing new here, just the fact they are offering it as a service in a hotel; using VR to see porn has been on the menu since they first said "VR googles available for purchase", although it was nothing more than watching a poorly made 3D video.
Is that a one-off fee, is it by the hour? I need to know for my cost analysis spreadsheet in determining the value of a hooker vs VR.
For science of course.
I mean I'd try it at least once but... I kinda don't see the point. Not like the VR helmet can jerk you off, ya know?
Obviously you haven't seen the latest tech from Japan
yeah but that's not going to be available in a hotel room is it? And even if it was. Who would use it knowing someone else had.
Humanity... Fuck sakes can scientist and inventors stop getting dumb ideas from movies. Is human contact and interact that hard to come by?
The future is now.
Question: Can they be animated? If yes, then I request that they have a bigger shaft with a proportionate bosom to match?
Other that that, just another reason to go to Vegas, I guess... I wonder what the natives/locals [actually] think about this...
I'm not surprised in the least by this and neither should any of you.
Gross. Just one more thing the housekeepers will forget to clean... that you wear on your face... think about it.
Think about the hands that will have touched that VR headset.
So uhhh, who's the chick in the picture? >_>
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Make a meaningful impact as a Maitre D' at Blue Smoke!
Founded by CEO Danny Meyer with the opening of Union Square Cafe in 1985, Union Square Hospitality Group has created some of New York's most beloved restaurants, cafes, and bars such as Gramercy Tavern, Maialino, The Modern, Marta and Porchlight to name a few!
Our ideal candidate will be highly motivated and passionate about hospitality, food and beverage. We are seeking individuals who have great communication skills, strong work ethic, commitment to excellence and who understand the importance of team work.
As a valued member of our team, your compensation will include the following benefits:
What You Bring to the Table


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Strong regions — strong country. This is the name of one of the sections of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's Address to the people dated Sep. 2, 2019, "Constructive Public Dialogue – the Basis of Stability and Prosperity of Kazakhstan." The president instructed the Government to implement a set of measures aimed at the socio-economic development of the regions on time. In particular, to increase the affordability of housing, modernize infrastructure, increase incomes and improve the quality of life of the population. PrimeMinister.kz prepared a report about the development of Almaty region.
Almaty region is located in the south-eastern part of Kazakhstan. The territory is 223.9 thousand km², where 777 settlements are located. The population of the region is 2,037,393 people (as of Dec. 1, 2018). The regional center is Taldykorgan.
The volume of industrial production of the region for 8 months of 2019 amounted to 590.3 billion tenge, an increase of 2.8% compared to the same period last year. Coal and lignite production increased by 70.6% in the mining industry. 510.8 billion tenge were produced in the manufacturing industry, which is 20.6 billion tenge more than in 2018 (490.2 billion tenge). The share of manufacturing in the total volume is one of the highest in the republic — 86.5%.
As noted in the akimat of the region, monthly monitoring of the activities of 22 large backbone enterprises, which provide 46.4% of the total industry of the region. Most enterprises operate with a load of 80% or more.
For 8 months of 2019, 27 new plants were introduced in the region, 9 existing plants were expanded, due to which 734 jobs were created.
In terms of sectors, growth is observed in the following sectors: production of bakery and flour products by 4.4%, beverage production — 15.3%, light industry — 24%, pharmaceuticals — 12.8%, rubber products — 28.1%, production gypsum products for construction purposes — 20.9%, in engineering — 35.4%.
In the Almaty region, export deliveries are carried out by about 30 producers. The main export trading partners are Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, China.
The volume of non-oil exports this year is expected to reach $340 million with an increase of 4.2%. The volume of export of the manufacturing industry in January - May 2019 amounted to $97.8 million, or 150.9% of the corresponding period of 2015.
The export volume for the first half of 2019 amounted to 1,522 tons or 1,742 million tenge.
For example, Mareven Food Tien Shan LLP for 8 months of this year produced pasta and broths for more than 6,914 million tenge or 10,534 tons. The company supplies products to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. The volume of exports for the first half amounted to 2,048.9 million tenge. The company plans to master by the end of the year the production of more than 27 types of new products, to increase exports to 70%.
According to the director of JSC APK Adal, Serik Smailov, the plant produces 63 types of dairy products. Products are actively exported to neighboring countries.
"Only in September, 100 tons of milk were sent to Uzbekistan, 100 tons of butter was sent to Russia. We also grow grain, corn. This year we will receive more than 10 thousand tons of grain and corn, which will also be exported. Now Iran and Afghanistan are interested in our products," said the director of the plant.
Meanwhile, in the framework of the State Program of Industrial and Innovative Development and the Industrialization Map, in 2019, it is planned to implement 11 projects for 61.9 billion tenge with the creation of 1,214 jobs, large of which are the organization of dry cement production by Alacem LLP, the construction of an oil and fat production complex and feed mill LLP Agrocomplex Zhetysu Mazhiko, the construction of a complex LLP Meat Processing and Service.
One of the striking examples of breakthrough projects is the Khorgos-East Gate free economic zone, which allows to fully contribute to the formation of the New Silk Road economic belt and should become a regional transport and logistics hub at the crossroads of goods flows between China, the countries of the Eurasian Union, Central Asia and South Of the Caucasus.
The Khorgos-East Gate zone (4,591.5 ha) includes the Dry Port (129.8 ha), the Logistics Zone (224.9 ha), and the Industrial Zone (224.4 ha). To date, the necessary infrastructure has been commissioned in the territory of the special economic zone, namely, energy facilities, a complex of water intake facilities, access roads, railways, communication networks, office buildings, etc.
Thus, the container throughput at the Dry Port by the end of 2018 amounted to 136,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent), which exceeds the indicator of 2017 by 47% (92,651 TEU). It is estimated that container traffic will be around 500,000 TEU by 2020.
Currently, 82 companies are registered in a single register of participants. 2 objects have already been commissioned (KTZE-Khorgos Gateway LLP, Zarya ltd LLP).
In order to develop cross-border trade, economic, scientific, technical, cultural cooperation between Kazakhstan and China, the SEZ project "Khorgos International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation" is being implemented, which is open to visitors by citizens of Kazakhstan, China and other countries. The daily number of visitors ranges from 1,200 people up to 1800 people; on weekends and holidays — up to 2,000 people. In total, 4,138,806 people visited ICBC Khorgos in 2018. The volume of freight traffic by 2030 is planned to reach the level of 5 million tons per year.
On the territory of the special economic zone, out of 91 planned infrastructure facilities, the construction of 85 facilities has been completed, 6 facilities are at the commissioning stage. In 2019, it is planned to commission 10 facilities.
There are 34 investment projects with a total value of 341.9 billion tenge at various stages of implementation at Khorgos.
The planned volume of investments in fixed assets at the end of 2019 is 624.3 billion tenge. To date, the region's portfolio includes 354 investment projects, with a implementation period of 2019–2026 creating 38,633 jobs. Among them, 28 projects with foreign participation, 7 projects with the participation of transnational corporations.
Since the beginning of this year, such significant investment projects have been commissioned in the region as: the construction of a solar power station in the city of Kapshagai, ENEVERSE KUNKUAT LLP, the construction of a meat processing plant in the Zhambyl district, Empire Food LLP.
Sep. 20, the Prime Minister Askar Mamin opened one of the major investment projects — a plant for the production of lubricants in the Ili district of LUKOIL Lubricants Central Asia LLP.
According to the chairman of the board of JSC National Company Kazakh Invest Baurzhan Sartbaev, this is a very significant event for the Kazakhstan oil and gas chemistry industry. This enterprise is the most high-tech and innovative site for the production of fuels and lubricants in the CIS.
"Today, about 200 permanent jobs have been opened here. The plant will annually produce over 100 thousand tons of industrial engine oils. These products will be sold not only in the domestic market, but also exported to neighboring countries — Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Western China. In order to implement such a large-scale investment project, the Government of the country is doing a lot of work today. The company aims to attract investors who will bring high-tech, innovative, export-oriented projects to our country," Sartbaev said.
By the end of the year, it is planned to open a cement plant in the Kerbulak region of Alacem LLP, a feed mill in the Panfilov district of Phoenix Feed Mills LLP, storage facilities with a total area of 25 hectares in the Panfilov district of KIF Warehouses LLP.
At the same time, in the framework of the second five-year plan of the 2015-2019 State Program of Industrial and Innovative Development, in the region, taking into account the actualization, 24 projects are registered with the creation of 3488 jobs. Since the start of the second five-year plan, 11 projects have been introduced and more than 2,000 jobs have been created. This year, 11 projects are planned to be commissioned totaling 61.8 billion tenge with the creation of 1,214 jobs.
Meanwhile, within the framework of the third five-year plan, work is underway to formulate a list of Map projects for 2020-2024, which provides for the implementation of more than 25 projects with the creation of more than 3 thousand jobs.
The pharmaceutical industry has also been developed. The share of the pharmaceutical industry in total industrial production is 2.8%.
Such projects as Abdi Ibrahim Global Farm LLP, Kelun Kazfarm LLP, Sultan LLP, Dolche LLP, Axel and A LLP, PFK ELEAS LLP contributed to the development of the pharmaceutical industry. The construction of factories has a beneficial effect on the development of the pharmaceutical industry as a whole; the production of a wide range of domestic medicines and medical products previously imported from abroad is ensured.
Along with this, the region is the main producer of juices and soft drinks in the republic, 6 large producers (Gallanz Botlers, Terra Nova, Coca Cola Almaty Botlers, RG Brands Kazakstan, Gold Product, Apple World) make about 1 billion liters per year, the range of products is constantly expanding.
The largest producers of dairy products, which are in demand in all regions of the republic, carry out activities.
The presence of a mineral resource base, significant mineral reserves in the region allows us to develop the construction industry. Today, more than 60 types of building materials are produced in the region. Manufacture of foam concrete blocks and gas blocks, expanded clay bricks, drywall, dry building mixes, paints and varnishes, metal structures for power lines, polyethylene pipes, etc.
The total length of regional roads in the region is more than 6 thousand km. According to the akimat, in order to ensure safe and uninterrupted traffic on regional roads in 2019, it is planned to repair more than 348 km of regional roads.
For the construction and reconstruction of 27 km of roads allocated more than 4 million tenge.
As of Jan. 1, 2019, the share of roads of regional and district significance that are in good and satisfactory condition amounted to 78.1%, up to the end of 2019, up to 81% is planned.
As part of the Nurly Zhol program, 147.5 km were repaired. This year it is planned to carry out reconstruction and repair of 236.3 km of roads, including: reconstruction of the roads "Almaty – Ust-Kamenogorsk – Lepsy – Aktogai," "Almaty – Oskemen – Kyzyl Kayyn – Lepsy," "Saryozek – Khorgos – Kogaly – Koksu – Karabulak," there is also a major overhaul of 51.2 km of roads and 8 bridges, average repairs — 162.1 km of roads.
The volume of gross agricultural production from January to August 2019 amounted to 333.6 billion tenge or 17% of the total country's output, which is one of the highest rates in the country. Compared to the same period last year, growth was 2.4%.
Thus, the number of cattle increased by 3.3% (1,197.9 thousand heads), sheep and goats — by 0.9% (4,337.4 thousand heads), horses — by 5.7% (357, 4 thousand animals), birds — 98.9% (10 126.5 thousand animals). Meat produced — 204.7 thousand tons (102.2%), milk — 530.8 thousand tons (105.2%), eggs — 723.5 million pieces (98.1%), wool — 8.5 thousand tons (100.3%).
This year, within the framework of the State Program for the Development of the Agro-Industrial Complex for 2017-2021, 42 billion tenge of budget funds were allocated, of which the amount of subsidies is 32.9 billion tenge, or of the total amount of 78%.
Of these funds, 13.5 billion tenge are allocated for the development of the livestock sector, 7.3 billion tenge for crop production, and 2 billion tenge for water management, 8.2 billion tenge to compensate for investment investments in agribusiness entities and for subsidizing their loan interest rates liabilities — 3 billion tenge, etc.
For 8 months, almost 60% has been disbursed in accordance with the financing plan. A total of 6.6 billion tenge loans were received from KazAgro JSC. In total, 8,864 agribusiness entities are covered by state support.
In 2019, from all sources of financing, it is planned to commission 784.5 thousand m² of housing. This includes 101.2 thousand m² from budget funds, of which: credit housing with an area of 43.9 thousand m² (8 houses on 510 apartments), rental housing with an area of 52.1 thousand m² (284 houses per 708 apartments), communal housing with an area of 5.2 thousand m² (42 houses with 61 apartments), commercial housing (at the expense of private developers) with an area of 68 , 2 thousand m² (35 houses for 1184 apartments), individual housing construction (at the expense of the population) with an area of 615.1 thousand m².
In January-August, 519.2 thousand m² were commissioned, including 34.3 thousand m² from the budget.
In order to implement the instructions of the Head of State given at the XVIII Congress of the Nur Otan Party, an additional 5.6 billion tenge was allocated from the republican budget to provide housing for large families, including 2.2 billion tenge for the construction of 8 houses for 180 apartments, 3 , 4 billion tenge allocated for the purchase of 492 apartments.
This year it is planned to provide housing for 672 low-income large families in the region.
In 2019, 11.3 billion tenge was allocated for the construction of engineering and communications infrastructure, which will be used to build 71 facilities.
For the implementation of the 7-20-25 program, 35 promising arrays have been identified. Until 2025, it is planned to build more than 2 thousand houses on these arrays with a total area of 4.3 million square meters (115.6 thousand apartments).
In total, 751 commercial and credit apartments will be sold under the 7-20-25 program.
To provide social assistance to citizens of the region by paying 50% of the down payment, but not more than 1 million tenge, 1 billion tenge was allocated from the local budget for the provision of housing certificates for public sector employees with the primary priority of providing honey. workers, teachers, civil servants and police officers, as well as large families.
To date, 68 housing certificates have been issued in the region. By the end of this year, it is planned to issue 300 certificates.
In the second quarter of 2019, 34,156 people were provided with employment, of which 16,330 were permanent jobs, 29,696 were temporary workers, 6,711 were sent to paid public works.
In 2019, in the Almaty region, the Comprehensive Plan for the Promotion of Employment is planned to cover more than 50 thousand people. Since the beginning of the year, 70.9% have been covered by active employment measures.
As part of the Enbek State Program for the Development of Productive Employment and Mass Entrepreneurship for 2017-2021, as of Sep. 1, 2019, 5,096 people, or 57.6% were covered with employment promotion measures. Of these, 3,222 people completed training, 1,684 people, or 52.3%, were employed in permanent jobs. It is planned to send 1,500 people to study the basics of entrepreneurship under the Bastau Business project. According to the Zhas Kasipker project, it is planned to train 1,450 people; today, 1,442 people have been sent.
It is planned to issue 615 grants up to 100 MCI for the implementation of new business ideas in the amount of 155.3 million tenge. To date, 519 grants worth 131 million tenge have been issued.
At the same time, the program provides for the issuance of 1,374 grants of 200 MCI for youth, as well as 360 grants of 200 MCI for low-income categories of citizens and large families. To date, 199 grants worth 100.5 million tenge have been issued.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 8 thousand people have been employed through the electronic labor exchange.
Housing assistance was assigned to 5,075 families for 160.1 million tenge. 1,450 children with disabilities brought up and studying at home received social assistance in the amount of 45.4 million tenge. Social assistance was paid to 712 citizens with socially significant diseases in the amount of 36.3 million tenge.
In 2019, 24.2 billion tenge was allocated for targeted social assistance. As of Sep. 1, 2019, 45,008 families (217,924 people) were approved to receive the assistance for 16,140.7 million tenge.
Of these, 4,344 able-bodied citizens are covered by active measures of employment, namely, they are employed for permanent jobs — 3593, are aimed at public works — 408, social jobs — 30, for retraining, advanced training — 240, for youth practice — 43 people.
In 2019, 3.3 billion tenge was allocated for the rehabilitation of disabled people, which is 537.1 million tenge more than in 2018.
According to the results of the first half of 2019, 767 tourist reception facilities operate in the region, the growth over the same period in 2018 was 9.4%, and 788.6 thousand people were served.
An increase of almost 30% was recorded, for inbound tourism (non-residents) by 24.9%. Whereas the volume of paid tourist and health services increased by 47.7% and amounted to 5,719 million tenge.
The number of visitors on the lakes Alakol, Balkhash and the Kapchagai reservoir as of Sep. 1, 2019 amounted to 1,725.6 thousand people, which is 26.0% higher than the same period in 2018, of which: 1,321.1 thousand people on Lake Alakol , Lake Balkhash — 24.5 thousand people, Kapchagai reservoir — 380 thousand people.
Number of tourist recreation services provided by accommodation sites increased by 1.5 times and amounted to 9,752 million tenge.
In the first half of the year 36 tourist infrastructure facilities were commissioned in the region, with the attraction of private investment in the amount of 1,472 million tenge. Including, on the coast of lake. Alakol introduced 30 tourist reception facilities.
In addition, the design of a number of infrastructure facilities on the lake Alakol was completed, including the construction of water supply systems in Akshi village, taking into account recreation areas, reconstruction of the runway of the airport of Usharal, the republican highway leading to Lake Alakol with a length of 313.5 km, the implementation of railway passenger traffic along the route "Zhetygen – Dostyk – Zhetygen", etc.
At the same time, mountain tourism occupies a significant share of tourism in the region. Reconstruction of the road to the mountain resort "Ak-Bulak," repair of the road to the resort "Oi-Qaragai Lesnaya Skazka," construction of roads to objects of tourist interest like Kolsai Lakes, Tanbaly Museum-Reserve, Sharyn Canyon were completed.
Work continued on a project to digitalize the tourism industry in the region. The international tourism portal zhetysu.travel was developed and launched. An interactive map is built into the portal, which reflects tourist sites and subjects, with the ability to search according to specified criteria. At the same time, about 4,200 tourist sites and business entities are placed on the leading international mapping services Google and Yandex, as well as on the largest travel portals of travelers TripAdvisor and Profi Travel.
In the region, work is underway to provide medical organizations with computer equipment and Internet access. 53 medical institutions are connected to paperless medical records, 117 forms have been converted to electronic format, an electronic health passport has been created for 1,910,240 people, which is 94.3% of the population.
The internet access is provided 100% at the level of regional, district and city hospitals, below the district level — 75%. Computer security is 100%.
As part of the implementation of the implementation of the Compulsory Social Health Insurance, large-scale work is being carried out among the population. In all regions and cities, headquarters and working groups have been created to fulfill measures for the implementation of insurance.
Through the funds of the regional budget, 4.3 billion tenge were allocated for the construction of a maternity hospital with 100 beds, a polyclinic for 250 visits per shift in the village of Uzynagash, Zhambyl district, the reconstruction of the maternity hospital with 105 beds in Sarkan and the seismic reinforcement of the village hospital Shelek of Enbekshikazakh region.
As of Sep. 1, 2019, there are 780 kindergartens and 389 mini-centers, which reach 106 thousand children or 98.5%, which is 3.2% higher than the level of 2018.
At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, the number of 3 shift schools was 28. To eliminate three-shift training, the construction of 16 schools and 15 extensions to existing schools has been determined.
According to the investment project, in 2019 at the expense of the republican budget 1 school and 4 outbuildings for 1,800 student places were built and commissioned, the construction of 3 outbuildings for 1,800 places was transferred to 2020. Design estimates have been prepared with the conclusion of a state examination of five schools for 3,000 student places, the construction of which is planned for 2020-2021. The design and estimate documentation for the construction of 18 schools is also being developed.
There are 1,169 preschool organizations in the region, 84,137 children are enrolled in them, including 780 kindergartens, 69,539 children, 3,898 mini-centers and 14,598 children.
There are 769 secondary schools in the region, of which 760 are state-owned (66 are primary, 59 are primary, 635 are secondary), of which 667 or 87.8% are rural schools. 410,329 students are enrolled in schools in the region, compared with the previous academic year, the number of students increased by 20,242 children. 48,061 children went to the 1st grade,.
All 760 schools in the region are 100% equipped with computers. The total number of computers is 46,698, of which 36,565 (78.3%) are in rural schools.
In 2019, 737 schools (97%) have the BilimLand educational platform. To date, 4,507 teachers have been trained. The number of users is 32,319, the activated accounts are 26,573, the number of views is 209,578.


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Etna hiking day trip"off the beaten tracks"
Etna hiking day trip
Etna hiking day trip
Day trip on Etna. Adventure hiking of 6hours with a local certified tour guide that will show you the authentic Volcano and his story, completely out of the beaten tracks, where nobody goes.
Walk for 15 km around the Volcano Etna to see a lot of different landscapes
Explore lava tubes and learn how the born
Find some shelters into the wild
Climb up a Crater, part of a "Bottoniera"
Go inside a Lava Canyon and find a small glacier
Walk on a desert of the Lava, jumping between different age lava rivers
Find a lava river that stopped into the wood and learn how the lava flow down
Learn a bit of Geology and Volcanology connected to Etna
Enjoy the silent of wild unknown places
Take a Tour
Full Trip Porgram
An exclusive guided trekking on Etna south area; surrounding the volcano, going between 1800 to 2200m on the sea level, 50% of the trip on a natural panoramic track and 50% free hiking completely off the tracks, climbing craters, canyons, volcanic caves and a lava desert, made of many lava rivers from different ages. The itinerary goes on one of the most wild and scenic part of Etna. This walk last around 6 hours.
Included, after is possible to visit to the "Valle del Bove" to take a look at this old caldera that "protect" some of the villages on the Etna park border line. Then, after crossing few town on the Etna slope, as a bonus if you have still energies, stop to the place of the most dangerous eruption of Etna that human remember.
During the hiking, some shelter will be available in case of bad weather to stop and light a fire.
Certified native Tour Guide
Transfers from Catania's area
High quality Photos and Videos
Sandwich, water and snack
Visit to"valle del Bove" and extra places
Overnight on a Shelter on Etna
In order to make your experience on Etna even more exiting and "complete", is possible to organise an overnight inside a refuge of Etna with barbecue on the chimney. We provide all the necessary equipment as sleeping bag and airbed.
€ 90,00 per person
Electric Mountain bikes trip
A spectacular itinerary with to do with e-bikes (mountain bike) to explore the Volcano with extra power on your wheels. Fun is guaranteed! E-bike is the only vehicle allowed inside this area of the Etna Natural park.
We provide Helmet, extra inner tube and repair kit, pump.
€ 70,00 per person
Trekking shoes rental
If you need rental trekking shoes for our Etna trip, just let us know the European size.
€ 5,00 per person
- Duration: 6-8 hours
- Availability: All Year
- Guide Language: English/Spanish/Italian/French
- Number of Visitors: min. 2
- Difficulty: Medium – High
- Trip Style: adventure
Somebody who did this Tour!
We took Andrea's guided walking tour on Etna, too, and it was wonderful – spectacular views, climbing up some of the smaller craters, across lava fields and through a lava cave. Definitely recommended.
– Carolyn Canham
We had a great day on Mt. Etna with Andrea. He is a great guide and took us 'off the beaten tracks'. When you have time go on the mountain with him!
– Gerald & Yvon Steverink
Bardzo mile przyjęcie i fantastycznie zoorganizowana przez Andreas wycieczka na Etnę. Mamy wspaniale zdiecia i wspomnienia. polecam kontakt z Andreas wszystkim ktorzy chcą mieć piękne przygody
– Anna Osinska


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In reading The New York Times's article "When Mom and Dad Share It All" by Lisa Belkin, I could not help but think about whether or not the "equal shared parenting" described here is really the best option in a household. It seems that what we have read about and what tends to be posed in literature when it comes to the splitting of parental roles are the two extremes: the traditional model with the maternal figure being the primary or sole caretaker and this "equal parenting" with a 50-50 split between the two parties. An example of this latter strategy can be seen in the Vachon family, where "They would work equal hours, spend equal time with their children, take equal responsibility for their home. Neither would be the keeper of the mental to-do lists; neither of their careers would take precedence" (Belkin).
But what if one has a naturally more demanding career and does not have as much free time? Or what if one person loves cooking and another hates it? Should these things still be evenly split no matter what? Perhaps rather than splitting each task itself in half, tasks can be split according to skill set or flexibility. Even in just remembering that long list that we came up with as a class of household tasks one must oversee, it seems inefficient to try to split every single one up, and potentially unfair if it puts more of a burden on one parent to meet those needs.
Judith Warner supports this notion and even takes it a step forward in her Time post "Equal Parenting: Why We Need to Rethink a 50-50 Split." She talks about how, if one partner wants to do more of the caretaking role, should they not be allowed to because it would break that balance? Or if the breadwinner of the family — and in her case she talks about instances where the wife inhabits that role — feels they are unable to dedicate their full half, does that make them an inadequate parent? I think that rather than "equality" necessarily, we should focus on the concept of "fairness" when it comes to the matter of shared parenting.
Belkin, Lisa. "When Mom and Dad Share It All." Nytimes.com. The New York Times, 15 June 2008. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.
Warner, Judith. "Equal Parenting: Why We Need to Rethink a 50-50 Split." TIME.com. TIME, 1 June 2012. Web. 3 Dec. 2013.


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Imagine: you and your friends, passionately discussing an issue – be it the latest news, a new TV show or world peace – in a café, at home or under a tree. Suddenly you look at your watch – you can't believe it, hours have passed without you noticing it!
Sounds familiar? We're sure it does.
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Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Secretariat: The Making of a Champion
Chapter Analysis of Secretariat: The Making of a Champion
Click on a plot link to find similar books!
Plot & ThemesAnimal story? - Yes Kind of animal: - horse Sports story? - horse racing Sports story - Yes Period of greatest activity? - 1950+
Subject of BiographyGender - Male Profession/status: - sports figure
SettingHow much descriptions of surroundings? - 8 () United States - Yes The US: - Northeast Farm/Ranch? - Yes Farm/Ranch: - farm Century: - 19th century
Writing StyleBook makes you feel? - challenged If this is a kid's book: - Age 16-Adult Pictures/Illustrations? - A few 1-5 B&W How much dialogue in bio? - significantly more descript than dialog How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 0-25% of book
Books with storylines, themes & endings like Secretariat: The Making of a Champion
|The Horsemen by Jan White
|Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
|The Power of Horses: True Stories from Country Music Stars by Lisa Wysocky
|Jane Goodall: The Woman Who Redefined Man by Dale Peterson
|On The Field With Mia Hamm by Matt Christopher


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Listening to Burke's Robicheaux series means walking into the dark, damp swamps of New Iberia, Louisiana, and the pain-ridden, tortured swamps of Robicheaux's mind. Narrator Will Patton's portrayal of the detective snares the listener in the rich descriptions and philosophizing woven through the action. Patton's rendition of Smiley Wimple, the psychotic, childlike murderer on a mission, is creepily on target. His voice for Robicheaux's friend Clete Purcell, however, is pinched and seems wrong for this big, generous hero. This audiobook is a continuation of Burke's series featuring Robicheaux. There is sufficient backstory, however, so the new listener can follow the narrative. Listeners will be kept thoroughly engaged as they view time, death, and good and evil through Robicheaux's fractured prism. E.Q. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2019]
Trade Ed. Simon & Schuster Audio 2019
CD ISBN 9781508266686 $39.99 Thirteen CDs
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Before I begin with the post I want to tell why I am posting this instead of posting reviews on books. Answer is simple I didn't read any book this week 🙂 I am stuck with "Nights in rodanthe" ( as usual no time to read in office because I recently got caught while reading 😦 ) and My sister's keeper which I am managing to read whenever I get time.
This post is about free e books. I have seen many people downloading the e book in different format from sites which give it for free of cost. E books are always available at low price compared to hard books. There is another category known as online novels, which are given by authors to readers in free of cost (like "The Lycan series'' by Nicky Charles on feed books). That is really good becuase books are available with authors permission. But some e books are available for free without author's permission.
Authors deserve to make money from book. Anyone that makes a copy of the book and puts it online or emails it to others is doing a mistake. Not only authors, but many artists like musicians, script writers and film makers are facing the same problem. There are lot of ways to copy the original stuff and give it for free online.
But a coin has two sides. Same way there are people I have seen buying books after reading the e copy of it. They say that its good to read it first then buy it. They say they can read books from new authors and then buy it rather than buyin it first and then keep it aside without reading. May be this free e books will help them.


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Van Morrison – The Bang Masters (1969, 1992)
The Bang Recordings were the first solo recordings that Van Morrison made after the breakup of the Irish blues-rock band Them. He signed a contract with Bert Berns' Bang Records in which he gave away most of the songwriting royalties and would later come to regret. Most of the later misanthropic anti-music industry songs of his later career can be traced to this period.
The music itself is never less than fascinating. Everybody knows the radio friendly pop hit "Brown Eyed Girl" that leads off this collection, but the sense from listening to the disc as a whole is the diverse nature of Morrison's musical interests. Of course, Bang was looking for another hit after "Brown Eyed Girl" made the Top 10, so many of the songs are filtered through a pop sensibility. There's a female backup chorus on several tracks, but they are arranged well in a call and response fashion, particularly on the remake of Leadbelly's "Midnight Special."
Special mention must me made of one of Morrison's greatest songs, "T.B. Sheets." It doesn't fit in well at all with some of the more superficial pop music on this disc, but the harrowing seven minute epic about a visit to a friend who is dying with tuberculosis is one of the most gut-wrenching songs in the Morrison cannon.
Also, it's interesting to see him setting the stage for his first masterpiece with early run-throughs of "Beside You" and "Madame George" which would appear a year later on Astral Weeks. All in all, this could be seen as a transitional album for Van Morrison, testing the waters of a solo career and injecting pop to the soul/blues framework he had used with Them, but the music stands up on it's own as one of the first steps of a fascinating and mercurial journey.
Rating: 10
Send comments to: Tim


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Local external relations achieve practical results
First, local external relations have been implemented synchronously and comprehensively on the basis of the guidelines and policies of the Party and the State, creating harmonious coordination among external relation channels and specialized agencies with local authorities, contributing significantly to the achievement of external relations in lifting the position and strength of the country. Local authorities have strictly directed specialized agencies to study and implement the Party's policies on international integration, and the State's regulations on the management of foreign affairs, issuing documents, in accordance with the actual situation of localities, while reviewing the previous regulations to supplement, revise and complete in alignment with regulations of the central government and ensuring that external activities are implemented in a coordinated, effective and comprehensive manner.
Provincial Party Committees, Provincial Party Standing Committees, and Provincial People's Committees have provided guidance to local agencies and units in the provinces to comply with procedures on the organization of business trips abroad and management of foreign delegations' visits in the spirit of thrift and efficiency. Many localities have developed programs and plans to mobilizing fund from international non-governmental organizations, set up Departments and Working Groups on international non-governmental organizations to guide and coordinate activities to mobilize, reception and use of non-governmental organizations' assistance in their areas.
Second, foreign economic activities, taking advantage of resources for local socio-economic development, have achieved positive results. Local cooperative relations have become more practical and efficient, enhancing friendship, and the bond between localities of Viet Nam and other countries, opening up new a cooperative space.
In addition, localities have proactively implemented many diversified and flexible external activities, expanding cooperation with partners around the world, contributing to promoting the image of localities in particular and Viet Nam in general in the world. In 2015, Viet Nam's localities continued signing cooperation agreements, and minutes with local partners in neighboring countries as well as in other countries in all continents; some localities signed memorandums of understanding with foreign enterprises and organizations in many fields. By the end of 2015, out of 114 international agreements signed, 41 were between local authorities of Viet Nam and other countries. Basically, the signed agreements focus on the fields of economy, trade promotion, investment, urban management, human resource training, programs and projects on environmental cooperation , green economy, response to climate change, and biodiversity conservation.
Localities have proactively and closely cooperated with central agencies, and diplomatic missions of Viet Nam in foreign countries to implement promotion of investment, tourism, trade in and out the country. Vietnamese diplomatic missions in foreign countries have supported localities to export litchis and dragon fruit to the US and Australian markets, participate in large-scale operations in foreign countries, such as Viet Nam event in Kanagawa, Japan, Economic Cooperation Forums in Israel, Slovakia, investment and talks between the representatives of foreign business associations with local businesses.
Along with signing international agreements, localities have exerted efforts to attract foreign capital. In 2015, foreign investors invested in 51 provinces and cities. Some typical cases having total newly registered and additional capital included Bac Ninh with US$ 3.46 billion (16% of the total registered investment capital), Ho Chi Minh City with US$ 3.32 billion (14.6%); Binh Duong with US$ 2.95 billion (13%); Tra Vinh with US$ 2.52 billion, and Dong Nai with US$ 1.94 billion. Throughout the country in 2015, the total newly registered capital and additional capital stood at US$ 22.757 billion, up by 12.5% compared to 2014 (1).
In terms of official development assistance (ODA) and foreign preferential loans, the total ODA approved by the Prime Minister for the period of 2010-2015 was 96,519 billion dong, of which 44,978 billion dong were for localities and the foreign disbursement for the period of 2010-2015 was estimated at 88,171 billion dong (2). It can be seen that the high ODA commitments manifested the support and trust of donors to the reception and effective use of ODA capital of Viet Nam in general and Viet Nam's localities in particular.
Besides, many localities have mobilized substantial aid from international non-governmental organizations, contributing to local socio-economic projects. By the end of 2015, total commitments for programs, projects and non-project were estimated at USD 268,88 million though 12% lower than that of 2014. Most of the projects of international non-governmental organizations focus on areas such as environment, education, hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, health, rural and community issues, among others. Basically, international non-governmental organizations have operated efficiently, complying with registered purposes, and meeting external political and security requirements.
Third, external relations information dissemination and communication have been proactively, comprehensively and continuously carried out with focus, closely combining external and internal relation information, external information with political activities, economic, cultural and foreign affairs of localities, diversifying external relation information in implementation of the Government's and localities' Programs of Action on external relation information for the period of 2013-2020, attaching importance to information on investment promotion, development cooperation potential, projects calling for local investment through the mass media, websites, conferences investment and commerce promotion, international conferences, publications, and local news bulletins on external relations in foreign languages.
Besides, leaders of provinces and cities in the country have given guidance on information and communication on the protection of national sovereignty, territory, sea and islands. In addition, localities have closely coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in issuing approval, guiding and managing the activities of foreign correspondents in localities. According to statistics, 1,700 foreign correspondents of more than 370 foreign groups came and reported about Viet Nam.
Cultural activities in external relations diversified in content, rich in forms, and well focused have been stepped up by localities. It can be seen that in 2015, localities organized many big activities and cultural festivals with the participation of foreign partners, attracting a large number of Vietnamese and foreigners (3). Many localities, through the National Committee on UNESCO of Viet Nam, have continued preserving and promoting the values of the heritage inscribed by UNESCO as well as actively participated in the preparation of the dossier to be submitted for inscription. These activities have contributed significantly to the promotion of national cultural identity and effectively supported economic, political, social development.
Fourth, people-to-people diplomacy and overseas Vietnamese have been given special attention. Localities have set great store by setting up and developing relationships of solidarity, friendship and cooperation with peoples of other countries, especially neighboring countries and expanding friendships, international partners, thereby promoting the image of the country, investment promotion, and resources mobilization.
Besides, local authorities have effectively implemented Directive 45-CT/TW on continuing to promote the implementation of Resolution No. 36-NQ/ TW of the Politburo, 9th Tenure on the work of overseas Vietnamese in the new situation, connecting and organizing programs and activities with communities, and fellow associations. In 2015, provinces and cities in the country met with overseas Vietnamese on the occasion of the Lunar New Year, organized summer camp for young overseas Vietnamese, kept close contact with fellow associations in foreign countries, and presented certificates of merit for overseas making great contribution to localities.
By the end of 2015, another 266 enterprises of overseas Vietnamese invested in provinces, with a total registered capital of 8,646 billion dong and registered capital contribution of 4,530 billion dong, concentrating primarily on the service sector, industry, pharmaceutical, chemical, health, education, information technology, banking and finance, high technology, and software technology.
Fifth, border cooperation has been strengthened. Provinces and cities having borders with neighboring countries have continued to strengthen coordination with border provinces of Laos and Cambodia to ensure good management and protection of border regions. Many localities have actively implemented cooperation activities with localities of Laos and Cambodia such as exchange of delegations, signing of cooperation agreements, implementation of cooperation agreements in some concrete fields, signing of sisterhood between hamlets, villages, border stations of the two sides, support for Lao and Cambodian localities in building infrastructure, training of students, and provision of free health service.
Positive changes were made in relations between border areas of Viet Nam and China in 2015. Local authorities of the two sides frequently exchanged visits. Friendly and cooperative relations and exchanges were increased. Many friendship and cooperative agreements were signed. Border trade and investment were stepped up. Cooperation mechanisms were favorably put into operation.
Parties have continued coordinating on land border management, as well as effective implementation of programs and projects in infrastructure, socio-economic development in the border areas, thus law and order in the border areas with Laos, Cambodia, and China have been basically stable. Competent authorities and local administrations in border provinces have communicated and urged people in the border areas to abide by laws, maintained periodic briefings on security and order, closely coordinated in border patrols, fought against and prevented crimes; continued implementing the policy on establishing friendship between hamlets, villages border stations and residential areas.
Provinces and cities throughout the country have enhanced legal education for fishermen not to conduct illegal fishing in foreign waters, disseminated preferential policies to encourage investment in building offshore fishing boats, increased patrols, control, prevention, prompt settlement of violations, thus maintaining security and order and marine ecological environment.
Sixth, organizational apparatus, personnel training in localities have been consolidated and completed. Provincial and city Party leaders have increasingly attached importance to and given more concern about organizational apparatus and staff working in foreign affairs. Foreign affair offices of local administrations have realized their role as advisors to the Provincial Party Committees, and People's Committees on Party external relations, and people-to-people diplomacy. Currently, local specialized offices of foreign affairs were consolidated as unified coordinators providing advice and implementing external affairs for local leadership (4). In June 2015, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs issued Joint Circular No. 02/2015 / TTLT BNG-BNV guiding the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Foreign Affair Office, supplementing the function to advise the provincial and city party committees on foreign affairs.
Progress has been made in professional and foreign language training and retraining of foreign affair officials. In 2015, 1,600 cadres, and public employees participated in 24 training courses, updating external relations knowledge; nearly 2,000 delegates from all levels attended 11 conferences, seminars, training courses organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Many localities have proactively cooperated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Commission for External Relations to develop plans and organize training workshops on external relation knowledge and skills for their staff.
Besides prominent achievements and results above, local foreign affair sector has also shown some constraints and shortcomings, such as: 1. The study and realization of the Party Central Committee's lines and policies are not conducted in time and are nominal. 2. Due attention has not been paid to research, forecast and projection of situation. 3. There are constraints in implementation of international cooperation agreements at the local level. The signing of cooperation agreements is sometimes more nominal, ineffective, and impractical. 4. Foreign affair activities such as promotion of trade, investment, tourism, FDI, ODA, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) mobilization have not brought about high efficiency. Awareness of agencies, units, local businesses on international integration is still limited. They have remained largely passive and had no plans to take advantage of opportunities and address challenges. 5. The organizational structures and staff of foreign affairs have been incomplete and fallen short of requirements. There have been overlapping and fragmentation in assignment of work. Some provinces have not established the Foreign Affair Offices; the management of external relation activities has been incomprehensive, resulting in fragmentation and overlapping; some foreign affair tasks have been assigned to specialized units of the various agencies. Local human resources working in foreign affairs have been thin with limited professional and foreign language levels. 6. The budget for local external relation activities, especially fund for trade promotion and investment, has been small.
Effective enhancement of local foreign affairs
In the coming years, it is forecast that the world and regional situation will witness more complicated, and unpredictable, developments, even escalating tensions in many places; the recovery of the world economy will be more difficult. 2016 is the first year when Viet Nam implements the Resolution of the 12th Congress of the Party and the Socio-Economic Development Plan for the period of 2016-2020. For localities, this is also the first year to implement resolutions of local Party Congresses for the period of 2015-2020.
For better and effective implementation of external relation activities, localities must focus on some key tasks:
First, thoroughly and effectively implement the Resolution of the 12th Party Congress and the documents of the Party Central Committee on external relations, especially the Regulation on unified management of foreign affairs issued under Decision No. 272-QD/TW dated 21 January, 2015 and Resolution No. 22-NQ/TW dated 10 April, 2013 of the Politburo on international integration while stepping up research, providing advice and improving the efficiency of external relations.
Second, continue to strengthen comprehensive and extensive international integration, establish and expand friendly relations and cooperation, sign more cooperation agreements with localities in countries in the region and the world, with international organizations and foreign missions in Viet Nam and representative agencies of Viet Nam in a practical and effective manner.
Third, strengthen economic diplomacy, enhance the effectiveness of trade and investment promotion, and mobilization of FDI, ODA and capital from NGOs. Develop plans to raise awareness on the free trade agreements that Viet Nam newly signed or is going to sign for agencies, units and local businesses. Besides, local authorities need to push forward administrative reform through the "one stop shop" mechanism, provide investment support and timely remove difficulties and obstacles for businesses, and ensure safety for foreign investors working in the area.
Fourth, set great store by disseminating information and external relation communication, implement the Strategy on Cultural Diplomacy by 2020, and local Plans of Action, develop data and information resources about countries, and territories with economic, cultural, industrial advantages, and strengthen local potential promotion.
Fifth, protect territorial border, and ensure national security and socio-economic development in the border areas.
Sixth, continue to complete organization and staff working in external relations, boost human resource development, turn out foreign affair personnel with high professional expertise, foreign language proficiency and firm political acumen to meet the increasing requirements of foreign affairs in the new situation.
(1) Source: Department of Foreign Investment, Ministry of Planning and Investment, www.fia.mpi.gov.vn
(2) Source: Ministry of Finance, www.mof.gov.vn
(3) Coffee Festival in Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak province), International Fireworks Festival (Da Nang), Southern Fruit Festival and Asia-Pacific Bonsai Tree Festival; 11th International Tourism Fair ITE; the 3rd Thai Nguyen Tea Festival;
(4) By the end of 2015, 46 out of 63 provinces and centrally-run cities set up Foreign Affairs Departments; 17 provinces have foreign affair offices under the Provincial People's Committees; 44 out of 63 provinces and centrally-run cities have Provincial Unions of Friendship Associations or Friendship Associations with other countries
This article was published on the Communist No 882 (April 2016)