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Unfortunately, there have been years where the president has misinterpreted what Phil said, because Phil's never wrong. Phil's prediction is 100 percent correct, and we blame the variants on the president's interpretation of Phil's prediction. – retired groundhog handler Ron Ploucha from PennLive.
Punxsutawney Phil, 'Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary', predicts six weeks more of winter, despite edible evidence to the contrary. Defenders of his record are quick to remind us that Phil is correct 100 percent, it is the human interpretation that is inaccurate. Well, I am putting my trust into my stomach and eyes. I have seen the season's first mache (lamb's lettuce), flowering brassicas and fava tendrils at the farmer's market; while morels, wild watercress, stinging nettles and miner's lettuce are already appearing in the forests.
In 132 years of recorded history, the furry rodent Phil has only been right 68% of the time. If Phil is wrong, it means asparagus season is not far away. In preparation, I am sharing a quick and easy recipe for a favorite asparagus soup.
Asparagus Soup with Ricotta and Chives
A quick and easy springtime soup.
- olive oil for cooking
- 1 sweet onion sliced
- sea salt and black pepper
- 2 pounds asparagus
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 ounces baby spinach
- 5 ounces ricotta
- 1 ounce citrus flavored olive oil
- 1 tbsp. chopped chives
- 4 each asparagus spears
- freshly cracked black pepper
Saute onions in olive oil, season with a little salt and let cook for five minutes, stirring often.
Break off the woody bottom ends of asparagus and discard. Peel the lower half of the stalks, reserving four spears for garnishes, and finely chopping the rest.
Add chopped asparagus to the onion, and cook for a few minutes just to soften.
Pour in enough chicken stock just to cover the asparagus and onions. Bring to a simmer, and cook 5-6 minutes, or until the asparagus is just cooked. You may need to add a little stock to keep asparagus covered.
Add the spinach to soup, and cook very briefly, just until it wilts.
Pour soup into a blender, and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Mix ricotta, chives and citrus oil together, season with salt and pepper.
When you are ready to serve, trim the 4 raw asparagus spears and cut lengthways into long, thin slices. Rub with citrus olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the hot soup between four bowls, and top each with a generous spoonful of the ricotta mixture, and garnish with ribbons of raw asparagus. Top the ricotta with a sprinkling of cracked pepper and chives, and an extra drizzle of citrus oil.
Recipe Notes
A very simple, cook and delicious soup designed to welcome spring back into our kitchens.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Securing SIP Trunks APPLICATION NOTE.
- Lesley Garrett
- 4 years ago
- Views:
1 APPLICATION NOTE Securing SIP Trunks SIP Trunks are offered by Internet Telephony Service Providers (ITSPs) to connect an enterprise s IP PBX to the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) over the Internet using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) standard. Deploying SIP trunks enables enterprises to take full advantage of VoIP and eliminate costly Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) trunks and TDM gateways. Enterprises route calls over the carrier s IP backbone and use the same IP connection for all their communications. Once enterprises decide to deploy one or more SIP trunks, however, they must address several important security and deployment issues. In particular, enterprises must consider the following security questions: Do the enterprise and the service provider have the same security requirements? Do the service provider and the enterprise have the same security policies for employees, networks, and VoIP system? How can the enterprise maintain control over signaling, media, security, and routing policies? How does the enterprise address new SIP or media threats to the enterprise infrastructure or to the service provider s infrastructure? What changes must the enterprise make to the firewall/network address translation (NAT) device, IP PBX, private IP addresses, numbering plan, and other components? Must the enterprise network topology be exposed? How does the enterprise ensure user/caller ID privacy? How does the enterprise ensure the privacy of actual media communications? How is actual media privacy ensured? Is encryption required? If so, must it be end-to-end? To ensure the deployment of secure SIP trunks, enterprises must implement a solution that addresses all of these questions. Sipera Systems offers a comprehensive unified communications (UC) security solution that enables enterprises to do just that, while defining a security boundary between themselves and the service provider.
2 PROBLEM An enterprise s IP PBX and other UC infrastructure components are not only valuable enterprise assets; they are critical components required for VoIP and UC services. Typically, enterprises control network access to these components through the use of virtual local area networks (VLANs), access control lists (ACLs), and firewalls. However, when enterprises provide connectivity over SIP trunks, opening access to critical resources over WANs and opening ports on the firewall present serious security challenges. Maintaining control over their own security requirements may also raise issues. Different enterprise and service provider security requirements Typically, a SIP trunk provider has one set of security requirements whereas its enterprise customers have diverse security requirements. For example, enterprises standardize on different operating systems, implement security policies differently, define different firewall rules, require different password lengths, and may differ in their need to use two-factor authentication for remote users. In the case of VoIP and UC, these varying security requirements are particularly important. Instead of being forced to adopt the standards of their SIP trunk providers, enterprises must be able to enforce their own unique security standards and maintain control over all aspects of their unified communications to: Ensure secure deployment of their SIP trunks Improve overall network security Determine the specific signaling, media, and applications that are allowed or denied access to their networks to ensure the quality of service (QoS) required for VoIP and UC services Define fine-grained security policies that are enforced based on network, user, device, and time-of-day Protection against VoIP and UC protocol vulnerabilities VoIP offers many more real-time services than data including transfer, conference, and hold, making VoIP protocols more complex, flexible, and exploitable. (Because of this, more than 50 requests for comments, or RFCs, exist for SIP in the IETF, compared with only about10 for HTTP, which has been around more than twice as long.) With known ports open on the firewall to allow VoIP and UC traffic through, enterprises must perform deep-packet inspection and continuously police application traffic to protect the VoIP network, endpoints, and IP PBXs from thousands of application-layer attacks that can cause IP PBX crashes, lost services, and degradation of voice quality. These VoIP/UC-specific application layer attacks include: Reconnaissance Spoofing Eavesdropping Signaling and media manipulation Service theft/fraud Denial of Service (DoS)/Distributed DoS attacks Fuzzing and buffer overflow exploits VoIP spam VoIP phishing Confidentiality and privacy concerns When VoIP traffic is sent over the Internet, both signaling and media traffic must be encrypted to ensure complete privacy of real-time communications. Attackers can use sniffing methods to easily exploit signaling traffic for reconnaissance purposes and to learn detailed call-related information (such as caller and called party IP addresses, date, and time of the call). Media must be encrypted to ensure privacy of the actual communication. However, encrypting media traffic poses the additional challenge of ensuring acceptable QoS without degrading performance. The problem is compounded in terms of management and operational costs if the artificial requirement for a VPN client on the phone or a home VPN gateway is imposed. Private addressing, firewalls and network address translation (NAT) IP addresses in SIP messages and message headers that are exchanged between the service provider and enterprise network must be routable IP addresses in the service provider s network. Unlike data applications, VoIP uses dynamic ports for peer-to-peer media flows between phones. For SIP trunks to work, enterprises must make the following major changes to their firewall policies for performing NAT functionality and protecting internal, private IP addresses.
3 Enterprise firewall policies must support opening dynamic ports for media, which weakens security. Enterprises must provide internal, private IP addresses that are routable in the service provider s network to support SIP message exchanges between enterprise and service provider networks. Access and authorization Before establishing a signaling or media session, remote users must be authenticated. This authentication can be done in a variety of ways, including the use of digest access authentication or certificates. Many enterprises require the use of two-factor authentication schemes such as RSA SecurID for remote access to prevent unauthorized calls on stolen or lost phones. Policy compliance for UC traffic To deploy SIP trunks without compromising established security policies, enterprises must also enforce fine-grained UC policies. VoIP and IT administrators must control voice, video, IM, and other UC applications by defining the way the applications are used and the networks, devices, and users that are authorized to interact with the applications. Policies for mobile users and devices must be dynamic and flexible to satisfy these requirements. SOLUTION The Sipera UC-Sec security appliances offer real-time UC security, including comprehensive threat protection, policy enforcement, access control, and privacy to address the issues of SIP trunk deployments. Built on the foundation of the Sipera VIPER engine and real-time platform, the UC-Sec appliances perform the following functions for securing SIP trunks: Serves as the demarcation point for the enterprise VoIP and UC network and enforces fine-grained security policies. Protects against SIP and Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) threats by blocking them at the enterprise perimeter. Maintains privacy of the enterprise internal network, caller/user IDs, and communications. Performs firewall/nat traversal to simplify the deployment of SIP trunks. Demarcation of the enterprise and service provider VoIP/UC network Enterprises must enforce a demarcation point between their VoIP/UC boundary and the service provider using a UC security appliance like the firewalls and demilitarized zones (DMZs) they install in their data networks. The UC-Sec security appliance becomes this demarcation point and performs all security functions required to enforce enterprise security policies. UC-Sec also provides information from both the enterprise side and service provider side for QoS or service availability such that appropriate service level agreements (SLAs) can be verified and enforced. In addition, enterprises must define policies for VoIP and UC traffic that apply to the SIP trunk. For example, policies might define: Users that are allowed to make voice and video calls The SIP trunk to use for international dialing Trunks that require encryption and threat protection Calls that must be logged and whether or not to report the QoS Enterprises that have multiple departments with different security requirements and applications may require more flexible, fine-grained policy control. Frequently enterprises use multiple routes to reach the PSTN. Enterprises might also have multiple internal call servers and require flexible SIP routing policies at the edge. Sipera s UC-Sec offers fine-grained UC policy control based on network, user, device and time-of-day to give enterprises complete control over their UC infrastructure, devices, and users. Addressing the vulnerabilities and threats in SIP and RTP When traffic from the service provider WAN comes into the corporate intranet to high value assets such as VoIP servers, the traffic must pass through a VoIP security appliance, such as the UC-Sec product, which inspects and validates the traffic.
4 UC-Sec is VoIP-aware and performs deep-packet inspection and tracks call states, which is crucial for UC threat mitigation. The UC-Sec appliance also has a signature update mechanism to enable that same protection against new threats. Maintaining privacy of network topology and internal domains Enterprises require a VoIP/UC-aware appliance at the edge of their networks to hide internal network topology and SIP domain information. Sipera s UC-Sec changes private IP addresses to public IP addresses and changes private internal domains to public SIP domains in SIP messages to prevent exposure of the enterprise network topology. UC-Sec also supports: User/caller ID anonymity User privacy SIP standards that interwork with service providers SIP trunks Encryption of signaling traffic over Transport Layer Security (TLS) and encryption of media traffic over Secure RTP (SRTP) Communicating and interworking disjoint private networks Enterprise firewalls and DMZs enforce strict policies and perform NAT functions to ensure that internal enterprise networks and servers have private addresses that are not directly routable from external networks. Without overhauling these security policies, the Sipera UC-Sec appliance provides NAT traversal for signaling traffic and manages dynamic ports for media traffic. UC-Sec also participates in the signaling traffic to allow only those media sessions that follow the session specification agreed upon in the signaling channel. Unified Communications Security Life Cycle Unified Communications Security Life Cycle 1. Define Security Requirements Compare business objectives for UC with impact on information security compliance: HIPAA, PCI, FERPA, GLBA and others Define Security Assess Posture 2. Assess Security Posture Identify vulnerabilities, assess risk, determine gap between posture and requirements, consider impact on real-time application performance 4. Manage Compliance Review established posture, manage change, gather new requirements as business objectives and regulatory mandates change Manage Compliance Implement Measures 3. Implement Security Measures Optimize security posture and application performance; configure policy enforcement, threat protection, access control, privacy (encryption) Companies around the world rely on Sipera Systems to ensure their UC and VoIP deployments support compliance with information security requirements and mission-critical corporate objectives. Through dozens of successful vulnerability assessments, security architecture consulting projects, and security appliance deployments, Sipera has developed a standardized Unified Communications Security Life Cycle. This process represents a best practice for continuous improvement of the security architecture, enabling an enterprise to be certain that essential security functions can keep pace with the transforming communications infrastructure. To learn more about Sipera s solutions and for personal consultation about your UC security requirements, please visit
5 IMPLEMENTATION To enable secure SIP trunks, a single Sipera UC-Sec security appliance is deployed at the customer premise, between the internal and external firewalls, to provide complete network security, enforce security policies, and handle other SIP trunk deployment issues for the enterprise network. In the deployment shown in the following figure, Sipera UC-Sec performs border control functionality such as FW/NAT traversal (as shown in step 1), interworking, security policy enforcement based on fine-grained UC policies, and threat protection to prevent denial of service, spoofing, and stealth attacks. Because the UC-Sec product is a trusted host in the DMZ, SIP signaling traffic to the enterprise is received by the external firewall and sent to the Sipera appliance, which processes the signaling information. If the SIP signaling traffic is encrypted, UC-Sec decrypts all TLS-encrypted traffic and looks for anomalous behavior before forwarding the packets through the internal firewall to the appropriate IP PBX to establish the requested call session (as shown in step 2). Once a valid call has been set-up, RTP packets are allowed to flow through the external firewall to the Sipera UC-Sec product, which decrypts the SRTP traffic (if required) and looks for anomalous behavior in the media before passing on the RTP stream to the intended recipient (as shown in step 3). RESULT The popularity of SIP trunks is primarily due to cost savings and the increased reliability offered through service provider service level agreements (SLAs). SIP Trunks can deliver much lower cost local, toll-free, domestic, and international long distance services to any enterprise willing to replace its PSTN connectivity. They also offer a unique opportunity for large, distributed enterprises to consolidate their VoIP/UC infrastructure and connectivity to the PSTN. Therefore, it s not surprising that enterprises embrace SIP Trunks as a means to replace costly PSTN trunks and gateways, while using real-time, unified communications ubiquitously over IP networks. In some cases, enterprises use multiple SIP trunks with different providers for disaster recovery, redundancy, or to enable different applications. However, without solving network security and demarcation challenges, SIP trunks cannot be deployed on a large scale. The Sipera UC-Sec product offers a comprehensive security solution with threat protection, access control, policy enforcement, and privacy protection in a single device, enabling enterprises to address all of these challenges and securely deploy SIP trunks. ENTERPRISE IP PBX Intranet Internal Firewall 1. FW/NAT Traversal 2b. Apply VoIP/UC Policies Detect and Prevent VoIP/UC Threats Perform Interworking Functions 2c. Signaling Over TCP/UDP 2a. Encrypted signaling Over TLS 3a. SRTP Media ITSP 3c. RTP Media Sipera UC-Sec deployed in high-availability mode DMZ External Firewall PSTN 3b. Media Anomaly Detection & Prevention
6 UC Security Defined About Sipera Systems Sipera Systems, the leader in real-time Unified Communications (UC) security, is the choice of enterprises and service providers around the world to support their mission-critical UC deployments. Sipera offers groundbreaking, production-proven solutions that secure voice, video, messaging, collaboration, and other real-time communications in converged IP networks, boosting compliance with information security requirements. Backed by the industry-leading research of the VIPER lab, Sipera s solutions provide comprehensive threat protection, policy enforcement, access control, and encryption in a single flexible appliance. V# Sipera Systems Inc Firman Drive, Suite 600 Richardson, TX 75081, USA T: F: E: Copyright 2009 Sipera Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Sipera, Sipera UC-Sec and related products, Sipera LAVA and Sipera VIPER are trademarks of Sipera Systems, Inc.
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Adelaide Fringe. Mark Drama SA. St Barnabas Croydon – Main Auditorium. 16 March 2019
The Mark Drama is a dramatic presentation of the Gospel of Mark. Every incident in the whole of Mark's Gospel is performed in theatre-in-the-round in 90 minutes and the audience will hear nearly all the words of Jesus as quoted in Mark. Englishman Andrew Page conceived of the idea some years ago and The Mark Drama is produced all over the world in many languages. No props, lights, costumes, or even actors are required – all you need is to throw fifteen Christians to the theatrical lions. Page thoughtfully provides a guidebook called The Mark Experiment through which the participants learn each of the six key parts of Mark's Gospel in just ten minutes. The technique of learning and staging the play is copyrighted. For the St Barnabas production, the players had six weeks to memorise their speeches, but as per usual for The Mark Drama system, they only started working together on their interactive movements - under the direction of Reverend Ben Woodd and Henry Davis –shortly before the performance. Rehearsals for Saturday night started on Thursday and finished on Saturday morning, just in time for opening the two-night season later that evening.
The interior of the cavernous St Barnabas Anglican Church is bare, like somebody took all the fixtures and stripped the walls. Seats are arranged in a circle around a tiny acting area the size of a bathroom. The house was packed on opening night. The Gospel comes to life with the exuberance and enthusiasm of the mostly young adult players. They convey the excitement of witnessing miracles and the joy of gratitude from those restored - Jesus gets a big hug every time. Wry humour resides in gossipy asides and ironic flourishes. Amusing is the laziness of the disciples and their initial failures in belief, such as the storm and the walking-on-water incidents during the several crossings of the Galilee - wonderfully portrayed with some imaginary sculling. Yet the disciples do grow in faith and respect, and attempt to protect and advise him, as the end draws near. With a cast of fifteen whooping it up, the audience gets a palpable sense of the awe and agitation created by the presence of Jesus. It's sometimes electric as the closely packed audience provides additional crowd.
David Lang's demonstration of Jesus's distress and anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane, and during the torture and crucifixion, were a startling contrast to his busy and capable Jesus of earlier chapters. Though he had little chance in his role as the Son of God to demonstrate his prowess as a PhD in musical composition. The theatre arena is used very effectively when the players perambulate down the three aisles and along the rows to demonstrate a Jesus constantly on the move throughout Palestine. The production is swift-paced, fun, spontaneous and educational. An unpolished gem.
Whether you are a reader of the Gospels or not, or a believer or not, this is entertaining, grass roots theatre where the didactic discourse is delivered with zesty passion.
David Grybowski
4 Stars
When: 16 to 17 March
Where: St Barnabas Croydon – Main Auditorium
Bookings: Closed


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Fake implies not real. No longer immediately assumed to be fraudulent, fake flowers, faux finishes, costume jewelry, fun fur and even fake art all have their place in our post pop, post modernist aesthetic.
Forgeries (real fakes that is, not fake fakes like mine) intend to deceive. The more they achieve this goal, the more valuable they are. Forgery works when the forger becomes invisible, and the viewer/buyer is fooled, But art about art is fakery exposed and manipulated on purpose by the artist. It takes art as the subject of the work itself. The original appears as if in quotations. It is the interplay of the primary and secondary levels that makes the pieces work.
Not a certifiable FAKE, this is a blend of a Picasso-inspired horse and the color palette of the Picasso painting, Child with Dove.
Acrylic on canvas. 4'x6'. After Tibetan Buddhist paintings of the Goddess Tara. Note the Leger-inspired flowers and her sassy expression.


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VSI established its facilities in Cairo in 1999 to address a long-standing need in the Arabic market for subtitling, voice-over and text translation of unrivalled quality and reliability, coupled with first-class customer service. In 2007, we expanded our Cairo facilities to include dubbing, as well as pre-production and post-production services.
Our client base has expanded rapidly to include several major broadcasters, VOD platforms, production companies, distributors and international corporations, opening up the entire MENA region to them.
Our portfolio of text translation includes published catalogues on Islamic art, as well as copywriting for advertising agencies, and work for consultancies, law, pharmaceutical and financial firms. Our expertise even extends to Arabic translations of operas, librettos and musicals.
In 2015, VSI Cairo introduced an audio description service for visually-impaired audiences, which is now available in major movie theatres through a partnership with one of the MENA region's primary broadcasters and via cable TV, with 46 animated features already available.
We have a dedicated team of in-house subtitlers, proofreaders and project managers, who help to ensure that everything we produce is of the highest standards. VSI Cairo is now one of the largest localisation providers in the MENA region.


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Category Archives: phantom stranger
Aquaman Returns
My friend Rob Kelly is a guy with a lot of passion. Whether it's his work or his hobbies, he puts everything he has into it. Case in point – his brainchild the Aquaman Shrine. His love and respect for the Aquaman character knows no bounds and his passion to see Aquaman get the props he deserves is phenomenal.
When the sea king, in his most classic and recognizable form, was set to return in the pages of The Brave and the Bold, Rob set up a campaign to make sure as many folks as possible were both aware of and ordered the issue. Even here at Welcome to Hell I supported the effort.
Yesterday Brave and the Bold #32 came out, featuring the classic Aquaman and Jack Kirby's The Demon, and here's my review…
Writer J. Michael Straczynski has been rolling throughout time and space in the DC Universe with his tales in Brave and the Bold, and this issue marks the subtitle on the cover "Lost Stories of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" to further ensure he wouldn't be hindered by continuity. Sometimes the complicated soap opera mythology of comics gets in the way of telling stories. If you want to read good stories and worry about that tangled mess – JMS' Brave and the Bold is for you.
This issue, illustrated by frequent collaborator Jesus Saiz, is no different. This done-in-one story brings the classic Aquaman together with The Demon to stop a decidedly Lovecraftian elder entity from entering our dimension. An excellent short story, "Night Gods" tells the tale of Whitford Crane who is trying to find out if he's insane or not by digging up his friend's grave. When captured he relates the story from his point of view. The first two pages have the feel of the old 1970s DC horror comics. I could almost see the Phantom Stranger appearing next, but instead it's the rather odd pairing of Aquaman and the Demon.
The unlikely duo get together once a year to stop this invasion of an elder god into our world, and poor Whitford is stuck in the middle. While Lovecraft is more in the Demon's field, the focus is actually more on Aquaman. As a man of the sea himself, Crane has a healthy respect for Aquaman, and his narration lovingly paints him as the dynamic hero he is. The sea king's underwater fighting prowess and especially his telepathic powers are displayed breathtakingly.
I agree with Rob wholeheartedly that this is the Aquaman we want, and hopefully sales on this issue should tell DC Comics how much we feel this. And even if you're not an Aquaman fan, or even a comics fan, Brave and the Bold demonstrates what good storytelling is all about. Definitely check it out. Highly recommended.
Who Is the Phantom Stranger?
Another darn fine blog from Rob Kelly, this one about The Phantom Stranger, is coming your way on October 31st. Check it out here.


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The Ape DCM Fundraising Party!
The Ape DCM Fundraising Party!
Portland, OR
Join us for an evening of live comedy, bites and booze, music, dancing, prizes and more, all to benefit an incredible journey! Three top Portland improv teams have been invited to New York City to perform in the prestigious 20th Annual Del Close Marathon improv festival, but we need your support...
Saturday, June 16 2018 5:30 PM — 10:00 PM


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Station Break
All news is local. Contact Dan Trigoboff at (301) 260-0923, e-mail email@example.com or fax (413) 254-4133
WFLA Protests to MLB
Tampa, Fla.— WFLA-TV last week protested to Major League Baseball and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays that the team's PR director had threatened sportscaster J.P. Peterson.
The team and the station have been at odds since WFLA-TV aired a tape earlier this month—shot by WESH-TV Orlando, Fla.—that showed Devil Rays Manager Lou Piniella swearing at his team during a loss to the Houston Astros. The team says the tape was made in violation of arrangements between baseball and the media. WESH-TV News Director Ed Trauschke acknowledged that the camera may have been in a different place—near the dugout—during the spring-training game than it would be during the regular season but procedures in spring training are "looser" than in the regular season. The camera was not hidden, and nothing surreptitious done by his cameraman, he said.
WFLA-TV News Director Forrest Carr says the station did not make the tape or do anything unethical in obtaining it. It chose to run it because it was newsworthy. But, with the station's press credentials at apparent risk, Peterson and producer David Cook met with Devil Rays PR Director Rick Vaughn. Carr says Vaughn let loose with a string of profanities of his own, as well as a threat of bodily harm, while standing over Peterson. Carr called the actions "outrageous, unprofessional and unacceptable" and sought both an apology and assurances that the incident would not be repeated. Team officials could not be reached.
Vaughn would not comment on the accuracy of the account but acknowledged to BROADCASTING & CABLE that he had been frustrated and "acted in the heat of the moment." He maintained that the entire situation could have been avoided if the station "had shown better news judgment" and refrained from using the Piniella audio. Carr noted, however, that follow-up reports have shown a positive reaction among fans to Piniella's outburst.
Up and Out at Telemundo
Chicago— Two top anchors at Telemundo station WSNS(TV) have been given plum network assignments in a development that could undercut efforts to unionize the on-air staff there.
Anchors Norma Garcia and Victor Javier Solano have been among the most outspoken station staffers in their support of American Federation of Television and Radio Artists efforts to represent the eight eligible employees, who joined the NBC station group when Telemundo was purchased last year. But Garcia will now be the Houston-based national correspondent for the Telemundo group, and Solano will anchor at WNJU(TV) Newark, N.J., part of the No. 1 New York DMA. No one questions that the moves are advancements for both, but AFTRA suggested that the timing is suspicious, coming right after the election agreement and before the April 2 vote on whether AFTRA will represent the WSNS employees.
Attorney Lyle Rowen, who has been active in the effort to unionize WSNS, says it is "a classic union-avoidance technique and cuts the head off our biggest union support. This hurts our internal organizing, but we're still confident we're going to win."
Telemundo spokeswoman Diana Souza said there was no connection between the timing of the new jobs and the election and added that the assignments were to follow February sweeps.
New Mexico Broadcaster Remembered
Santa Fe, N.M.— New Mexico governors and other state leaders held a ceremony here to honor veteran political broadcaster Ernie Mills, who died at 76 last month after more than 40 years covering New Mexico politics. Gov. Bill Richardson and former Gov. David Cargo were among the dignitaries lauding the late KENW-TV Portales commentator, whose Dateline New Mexico and Report From Santa Fe were broadcast over radio and PBS stations around the state.
According to local reports, former Gov. Bruce King recalled Mills's role in negotiating the release of several prison guards being held hostage during a 1980 riot at the state penitentiary in which 33 inmates were killed. King said Mills helped avoid further bloodshed.
Newscast for Late Commuters
Atlanta— WXIA-TV is dropping its 5 p.m. news in favor of trying to corral Atlanta's late commuters with a 7 p.m. newscast beginning March 31. It will move hit syndicated talker Dr. Phil from 3 to 5 p.m. Its 5 p.m. news has ranked third of the three in the time period. Recent reports have shown Atlanta's commute to be a particularly rough one, with commercial growth in the suburbs causing more traffic snarls in more directions.
The television industry's top news stories, analysis and blogs of the day.


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Chunky knit throw - natural
- Material: 100% Acrylic
- 1 x chunky knit throw 125x150cm (49x59")
- Catherine Lansfield branded
- Machine washable
- Matching cushions available separately
Availability: In stock
Standard UK Delivery* Free
Next Working Day Delivery** £6.99
* Excludes Non mainland UK and Scottish Highlands for orders over 4kg.
** Applies to orders placed before 2pm Monday-Friday, excluding bank holidays. Excludes non mainland UK and Scottish Highlands .


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I'm a statistics guy. The numbers currently....for folks leaving California....forever.....is starting to become noticeable.
From 1 Jan to 1 Jul...California lost around 144,000 folks. That's more than any other state for that period. Course, the number two? New York, which lost 126,000 folks.
This isn't exactly worrying folks....but it could be a trend....a very bad trend. The tax revenue of California is rising. Crime in both LA and San Fransisco isn't going down. Various property issues and job issues are starting to trigger anxiety for most folks that live there.
Lets say that the second half results for California come out in six months.....and its up to 180,000. Then we might have a minor issue brewing. A third report down the road with 250,000 would likely trigger some governor's board to meet and discuss California's future. The same could be true with New York.
Face it....if you were 35 years old and had a chance to move somewhere....would California be at the top of the list? I think most of us would likely turn down the chance. Its nice to visit. Its ok to just tour through....but to live there permanently? Nope.
The amusing thing here is that a huge number of folks are locked in for retirement pensions. If a ten-year trend were to occur and they lost three million residents...the state would be in hardship status. They wouldn't be able to keep pensions for teachers and the state employees flowing for years to come.
So the California dream....is ebbing a bit. And the Bama dream? Strangely enough....surging slightly. The sad thing? Probably 400 of those California guys moved to Bama in 2008.....and that would worry me just a tad. Not that we hate Californians.....but we don't want to create Hollywoodville in Bama.


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The youngest brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd founder Ronnie Van Zant and .38 Special's Donnie Van Zant, Johnny Van Zant grew up in the shadow of his older siblings, who emerged as major figures in rock & roll during the early and mid-'70s. The death of Ronnie Van Zant and other key members of the Lynyrd Skynyrd lineup in a plane crash on October 20, 1977 eventually put Johnny in the position of being one holder of the Lynyrd Skynyrd legacy, but he started performing long before he became a part of the re-formed '80s/'90s version of the band.
Johnny began performing at age 15. His original inclination was to be a drummer, but he ultimately chose singing as his profession -- his brother Ronnie used to say that Johnny had the best voice in the family. His first group, the Austin Nickels Band, featuring Robbie Gay on guitar and Ribbue Morris on drums, played the local bar circuit, with Ronnie as mentor to the band. After Ronnie's death in 1977, Donnie Van Zant helped advise the group, but they didn't record their first album until 1980. Under the name Johnny Van Zant, he cut his first album, No More Dirty Deals, with the band -- by now including Eric Lundgren on guitar and Ronnie Clausman on bass -- in 1980. That debut record concluded with his tribute to Ronnie, "Standing in the Darkness."
Van Zant recorded two more albums for Polydor, Round Two and Last of the Wild Ones, in 1981 and 1982, before moving on to Geffen Records, where he recorded Van Zant in 1985. His career was going strong into the middle of the decade, playing with the same band he'd started with a decade earlier, but later on in the '80s, he found his brand of high-energy Southern rock falling out of favor. Rather than change his sound, Van Zant left the business and spent the next few years making a living driving a truck.
He rejoined the music business with the help of the revived Lynyrd Skynyrd band. He joined the surviving original bandmembers as vocalist for one tour and then became a permanent member. Although some critics consider their tours and periodic recordings to be tantamount to musical grave-robbing, Van Zant once again proved himself a superb vocalist and the group acquitted itself exceptionally well. Van Zant recorded Brickyard Road for Atlantic in 1990, but has otherwise involved himself deeply in Lynyrd Skynyrd during the '90s and 2000s. ~ Bruce Eder~ Rovi


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african diaspora, business, entrepreneurship, feminism, happy, latin america, pioneer, self, tea house, teahouse, travel, women, women march, womens march
One of my favorite novels that I read as an undergraduate at UCLA was "Oh Pioneer."
After reading it, I remember doing an interview and I was asked to give a word to describe myself, I said "I'm a pioneer." But that sentiment had faded. Until today.
In opening my teahouse in Otavalo, Ecuador, I decided it was better that I play the back role and not be the face of my company. Keeping it real is what I do, so I know there are clear limits to my appearance in Latin America. Not many people grow up saying I want to be black with nappy hair; but it is my reality. For one year, I didn't run from "NegraGringa" identity as I ran my teahouse, Mama California, in Ibarra, Ecuador. But I did feel a disconnect with potential clients. I felt a distance between us. But what really nailed it for me is the poor treatment I regularly receive in Quito at semi-high-end places. I don't do flashy name brands nor do I do bourgeois behavior in public (well most of the time, lol), so I'm often not viewed a real client. Thus, subpar service is delivered to me. Lately, I've been walking out of the stores, without saying a word in my gringo accent.
With this understanding of Ecuador, I decided it was best that I lead from behind. Hire "Ecuadorian-looking" people to sell my tea products and language services. (I've been told some of the discrimination that I receive is because I look Colombian and we all know borders create issues.) It was a hard decision to succumb to my racially-charged environment, but I just couldn't be bothered to deal with this factor as I need to focus on building my tea franchise.
Besides, I figured foreigners would automatically know that this was my teahouse and I was a foreigner. Joke's on me. After several surprised faces that yes, this fellow expat is running the tea house. I was surprised and confused that the obvious wasn't been seen by my peers. I was also getting tired of debating my answer each time someone asked me if I was the owner. The self-talk that went on in my head –tiring nonsense of an insecure woman. Was I chasing the dream or was I chasing the money in confining myself to the kitchen? How could I help progress be made if I was hiding?
A tidal wave of frustration arrived this morning as I sent venting messages to my FB support team.
My fellow Afro-Am entrepreneur in Korea told me, "You're a pioneer." And I was like, "O Pioneer."
My other fellow Afro-Am expat in the UK told me not to dim my light and to let it shine, so others can see the result of my faith and hard work.
As I thought about my place in the entrepreneur world, I saw an unprecedented amount of FB photos/videos from people I actually know protesting Trump in the #WomensMarch. The FB bitching had stopped; people were stepping up to do something in the real world.
A white, British male friend asked what this protest was all about. That made me think, what were people doing in those photos/videos. As I started listening to the women speak, I realized it's the silence that divides us. We silently accept the second-class treatment in public and find ways to deal with it (aka my "leading from behind" strategy). This video about what mothers wanted their daughters to learn from the march, made me think — I'm doing what I want in the style that I want– and that is the wish of many of those moms. So I shouldn't run from my "owner" title because people just assume I am not the owner and maybe put off my appearance. Nor should I get supper offended bc they assume that I'm working for someone else or I have a partner; why they can't assume I can be an entrepreneur isn't my concern. I just need a clever response to the "You aren't the owner, right?" Maybe it's as simple as saying "I'm pioneer."
***My favorite quote from O, Pioneer, which deeply impacted me as a young college student trying to figure out what makes people become cold; what turns hippies into CEOs. — the thoughts of a young woman coming into shape in California in 2000s.***
"I'd rather have had your freedom than my land."
Carl shook his head mournfully. "Freedom so often means that one isn't needed anywhere. Here you are an individual, you have a background of your own, you would be missed. But off there in the cities there are thousands of rolling stones like me. We are all alike; we have no ties, we know nobody, we own nothing. When one of us dies, they scarcely know where to bury him. Our landlady and the delicatessen man are our mourners, and we leave nothing behind us but a frock-coat and a fiddle, or an easel, or a typewriter, or whatever tool we got our living by. All we have ever managed to do is pay our rent, the exorbitant rent that one has to pay for a few square feet of space near the heart of things. We have no house, no place, no people of our own. We live in the streets, in the parks, in the theaters. We sit in restaurants and concert halls and look about at the hundreds of our own kind and shudder."
– Willa Cather, O Pioneers!


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In this article, we shall see that the Bible is an explicitly anti-state collection of books throughout and that the few supposed exceptions to that rule are not exceptions at all.
As Norman Horn of LibertarianChristians.com has pointed out, Josephus does describe the origin of tyranny in the rise of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel. Whilst this is entirely correct, the text of Genesis would have had an even more explicitly Anti-statist message to its original readers.
The vast majority of scholars recognise that chapters 1-11 of Genesis are intended as a polemic against Babylonian and other ancient Near-Eastern myths. The Epic of Gilgamesh presents an account in which the barbarian, Enkidu, discovers the wonders of city-life (equal to Statism in that age) after being seduced and lured to the city of Uruk by a prostitute. But Genesis responds with a 'decidedly anti-urban bias' against the city-state propaganda of the Babylonian text.[1] Whilst Nimrod the tyrant wishes to utilise mankind as a resource to his own ends, God wishes that each person be His representative and steward over the earth and its habitats (Genesis 1:26-28), not over each other. The biblical perspective therefore promotes the free, 'uncivilised' (i.e. unconquered), stateless society and the individual sovereignty of the so-called Barbarians.
Indeed, we can see that, far from the historical evidence conveying people rushing to the city-states by the rivers in the plains, where food production was more predictable and occupations more varied, people have actually 'been fleeing the oppressions of state-making projects' to be free from enslavement, conscription, war, taxation and disease.[2] Yet, the historical context of Genesis as a valuable, ancient, political voice against the rise of the city-state (and later Imperialism) is apparently never explained to the average churchgoer; many of whom, particularly in the US, believe that God and nation go hand-in-hand.
Certainly, the rest of Scripture presents us with illustrations of government as various monstrous beasts which are destructive and ungodly (most notably in the books of Daniel and the Revelation). After all, the agent of evil himself, Satan, expresses to Jesus that all governments belong to him (Luke 4:5-6) and their very existence and purpose directly contradict the golden rule taught by Jesus Christ. But what of the nation of Israel which God established? Was that evil? And why does Paul speak favourably of the state in Romans 13?
Did God vindicate Statism by creating the nation of Israel? It is important to recognise that the government of ancient Israel was wholly synonymous with the covenant which God made with Moses and the Israelites. In the ancient Near-East, nations were typically created using the same covenantal method, including the tablets and laws that we read of coming from Mount Sinai in Exodus 20.[3] Therefore, you cannot have ancient Israel without the Law or vice versa.
So, was the Old Covenant a perfect system, designed to last forever? Or was it put forward for us to learn that such a thing was impossible because of our nature? Of course, many Jews today would insist on the former answer, but as Christians we recognise that the latter is true. The Law of Moses embodies that purely judicial system of government which was originally established in ancient Israel (see Judges). However, the New Testament writers are explicit that this was not a perfect system and was only intended to last until the Messiah came to establish His spiritual covenant and kingdom (Hebrews 7-8). Furthermore, the Mosaic Covenant did not have the purpose of showing us how lovely we could all be but of showing us how frequently or seriously we all fail ethically (Romans 3 & Galatians 3). It should be of no surprise then that the national framework which was set in place to administer this legal system was wholly for the same purpose – showing us that government cannot and should not be in the hands of fallible men.
Yes, God established a system of government, but it was apparently preconceived that the Israelites would demand more government to their own detriment (Deuteronomy 17:14-20). As Thomas Jefferson put it, 'The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield [sic.], and government to gain ground.'[4] It is for this reason that Samuel called the Israelites' act of asking for a king 'wicked' and a sin (1Samuel 12:17 & 19) and warned of the calamities of taxation etc. which would come upon the people as a result (1Samuel 8:10-18).
God never intended the Old Covenant nation of Israel to be perfect or to perfect anyone, but to show us our imperfection, especially in demanding increasingly oppressive state control over our neighbours. We shall never find angels to govern us impeccably, nor can people be trusted to vigilantly ensure their government remains limited in power. We are obliged to learn this important lesson from the example of ancient Israel.
Romans 13
As for Paul's comment regarding governments being ordained in Romans 13, I admit that I was (like most Christians) convinced that these verses were ipso facto supporting the immoral practice of government, contrary to my conscience and my rationale. However, upon studying the matter personally, I am utterly convinced of how short-sightedly erroneous that position is.
Whilst these verses are often read as 'Paul's Theology of the State', many scholars have argued that because verses 1-7 stand in such contrast to the many godly rebellions against the state in the Old Testament, the immediate context and normal Pauline language suggest that the passage was a later edition. For example, Paul says to obey and never resist government for the sake of conscience, but what about when Israel did the exact opposite for the sake of conscience, such as the coup against Queen Athaliah (2Kings 11) or the threat to revolt against King Saul because of the unjust law he implemented (1Samuel 14:24-45).
Assuming, however, this passage is a genuine part of the text, there were good reasons Paul would suddenly write about government in the middle of a discourse about Christian love and everyday behaviour. Throughout Romans, Paul deals with divisions in the church, specifically between rich/poor and Gentile/Jew. In its historical context,
'Paul's argument responds to an incipient anti-Judaism, which was already established among Roman aristocrats and was beginning to emerge among Gentile believers as well. Given the horrors of an anti-Jewish pogrom in Alexandria in Egypt (38–41 ce), and even more recent market tax riots that had turned deadly in Puteoli, a city south of Rome, Paul was concerned to prevent in Rome the sort of civic disturbance in which the city's minority Jewish population would be especially vulnerable. This danger may explain the notorious exhortation to "be subject to the governing authorities".'[5]
Furthermore, there was the expulsion of Jews from Rome under Claudius in 49 A.D.; thus, there were significant political events motivating Paul to command peaceful, law-abiding behaviour from the 'Jewish sect' of Christianity alongside the command for Romans and Jews to love each other as brothers.
Jesus had continuously warned in apocalyptic language that Jerusalem would soon be destroyed, something Paul knew was imminent (1Thessalonians 2:16) and which did occur in 70 A.D. Naturally, he wanted to protect his fellow-Christians by discouraging any unsavoury behaviour which would incur state punishment and consequently give Christians a bad name during that tense period. This passage is therefore not commanding absolute obedience to all governments and the rules they impose, but would have been addressing specific political issues which were affecting the congregation at Rome, particularly as they expectantly awaited the First Jewish-Roman War.
The only argument against the Libertarian interpretation of this passage is presented indirectly by Schreiner. Discussing the 'sword' wielded by the Roman authorities, he comments:
'The reference…is to the broader judicial function of the state, particularly its right to deprive of life those who had committed crimes worthy of death. Paul would not have flinched in endorsing the right of ruling authorities to practice capital punishment since Gen. 9:6 supports it by appealing to the fact that human beings are made in God's image.'[6]
Certainly, it is most likely that Paul is referencing Genesis 9:6, as most scholars have recognised and the covenant God made with Noah to establish a system of Capital Punishment and the general principle of lex talionis-style retributive justice for crimes against person (and property). In context, this was done to avoid the savagery before the flood. But do Genesis 9:6 or Romans 13:4 insist that such things must be carried out by the state?
Luther certainly could not see any way in which a judicial system could function without the state and so assumed that '[b]y these words temporal government was established, and the sword placed in its hand by God.' Sadly, the vast majority of Westerners continue to share this superstition. However, according to the Talmud, among other sources, the ancient Jewish understanding of the covenant with Noah was that courts should be established, not the state.[7]
Paul was simply re-affirming the Jewish belief frequently stated throughout the Old Testament - if a government comes to power or is conquered or ceases altogether, all these things are in the providence of God. Paul explicitly says that those governments 'which exist' only do so because God predetermined it. Did God not also predetermine those times in human history when societies were stateless? Paul does not say that states must exist for judicial punishment to take place, rather those which exist should perform that function. Indeed, the era in which the story of Noah is set is prior to and outside of the ancient Near-Eastern city-states. Therefore, the sort of system administering Capital Punishment was understood by the author of Genesis to be a stateless one, perhaps not unlike the Anglo-Saxon Common Law system which 'developed over the centuries by the competing judges applying time-honored principles rather than the shifting decrees of the State…by applying rational-and very often libertarian-principles to the cases before them.'[8]
An argument I previously made against Libertarianism was that my ideological belief (Capital Punishment for the crime of murder) would not be properly administrable in a stateless society. However, upon reflection and study, I found that some of the greatest Libertarian thinkers were and are advocates of Capital Punishment, arguing that it would inevitably become normative in a stateless society. One notable example is the great scholar, Murray Rothbard who, in his article, The Libertarian Position on Capital Punishment, wrote:
'It is relatively easy to allot monetary penalties in the case of theft. But what about such a crime as murder? Here, in my view, the murderer loses precisely the right of which he has deprived another human being: the right to have one's life preserved from the violence of another person. The murderer therefore deserves to be killed in return. Or, to put it more precisely, the victim — in this case his surrogate, in the form of his heir or the executor of his estate should have the right to kill the murderer in return.'[9]
Many typical questions are subsequently raised when one suggests the unspoken idea of people actually having basic rules in a society without a state. But these have been thoroughly answered in numerous works, a more recent book would be Chaos Theory by the Christian Economist, Robert P. Murphy.
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Frederic Bastiat, an Economist and Statesman of France during its revolutionary period, noted: 'antiquity presents everywhere - in Egypt, Persia, Greece, Rome - the spectacle of a few men moulding mankind according to their whims, thanks to the prestige of force and of fraud.'[10] Napoleon himself may also have regretfully agreed with this assertion at the end of his life; in this controversial quote, he compared his military conquests to Jesus winning the hearts of empires and nations:
'I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him.'[11]
The Kingdom Jesus founded exists in our hearts. It is a clear conscience before God and men whereby we recall the example of the love of Jesus and remember His command for us to love each other, our neighbours and our enemies. Jesus did not come to force people to do His will - to love and respect each other - but to live it out and become the greatest example to men and women so that we would willingly do the same, from the heart. Generally, the principle of this kingdom is to do to others as we would have them do to us and to never use force to coerce others to do our will; Libertarians commonly call this the 'Non-Aggression Principle'. It is this universally recognised 'golden rule', naturally at work in our conscience, which Jesus came to hold up as the objective moral law for all people.
We do not need that chief manifestation of coercion and evil, the state, to control us and our families. We only need our freedom, especially freedom of conscience, and the example of the love of Jesus to live out our lives, as stewards of God to the earth, in peace. I invite you to imagine such a beautiful world and to pray and act with me that God's kingdom would come and that the dominion of the evil of a past age would be extinguished forever.
[1] HarperCollins Study Bible (1993) HarperCollins Publishers, p.18
[2] Scott, J. (2009) The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia, Yale University Press, Preface
[3] Lopez, R. (2004) 'Israelite Covenants in the Light of Ancient Near Eastern Covenants (Part 2 of 2)', CTS Journal, Spring 2004
[4] Thomas Jefferson to Edward Carrington, Paris, May 27, 1788 - http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-13-02-0120
[5] The New Oxford Annotated Bible (Fourth Edition, 2010) Oxford University Press, p.1975
[6] Schreiner, T. (1998) Romans: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Baker Academic,
[7] See Talmud Sanhedrin, 56a
[8] Rothbard, M. (1978) For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto, Ludwig von Mises Institute, p.283
[9] Rothbard, M. (1978) The Libertarian Position on Capital Punishment - http://mises.org/daily/4468 (20/10/2014)
[10] Bastiat, F. (2008 ed.) The Law, Misbach Enterprises, Kindle Edition, p.36
[11] See Conversations avec General Bertrand à St. Helena


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This is not a brush review- I will be addressing these makeup brushes in their own right in a separate post. This is instead, a little story about brushes, claims and what I learnt...
UPDATE: Please read on, but find what happened next here.
It starts out with me reading reviews of Rae Morris brushes everywhere, and every one of them raving.
I own every one of Rae Morris's books; I follow her on Twitter and Facebook. I am a fan. So I decided that a product which seemed SO well loved by SO many bloggers I follow, admire AND trust. These brushes would be an investment. A gift to myself to finishing my MUA training. A celebration that I had arrived in this crazy world of cosmetics as more than just a consumer. I was a professional, and I deserve professional quality tools!
Having read all the reviews, I slowly put together a list of the 'must haves'. I already have 27 brow brushes, I don't need one of those, I'll get the Deluxe Kabuki, because then I can use it for the same jobs as the mini kabuki, and other such reasoning a girl makes when purchasing, well, anything.
I did my maths, did I want that whole set? YES! I did, but I did the maths and from my perspective it made most sense to get the personal kit and subsidise it with my other must haves. All in all it came to just over $500 (GULP, I know, but I'll only buy them once, and they ARE worth it...)
$500 for 18 of the finest quality, PETA approved, dye free, ethical (Rae herself has travelled to China to ensure these were manufactured to her strict instructions- no child labour here) professional makeup brushes with fantastic features, like magnets in the handles! SO clever!
Plus, that's not actually that much, I'd easily spend the same or more on fewer brushes from MAC or another equivalent. So I bit the bullet...
Under a week of waiting by the mail box, my brushes arrived, I was so excited.
I opened the packaging, whilst explaining to my sister about how brilliant these brushes were, how everyone loved them, how they were definitely worth the money...
Once I had them out of the packaging to do my first wash (yes, I always wash my brushes before use) I noticed a few things. Two of my brushes had glue through the bristles...yuck, oh well, it will wash off.
Then I noticed that my deluxe eyeliner brush was bent at the tip, not so great for the 'accurate application' of eyeliner....miserable.
Before I washed my brushes I sent a twitter message to another blogger, to ask for advice on cleaning the brushes with no ferrule, was it the same as usual? Yes, but be careful because of the wood. So off I went to wash my brushes to get the glue off and reshape that eyeliner brush taking the utmost care in doing so.
Meanwhile, I had had another response to ask how I found the brushes- I mentioned the glue- I was told it wasn't good enough. I don't like to make a fuss, so I had washed them, but I thought, as a courtesy I would let the company know.
I did this while I waited for my brushes to dry, they agreed it wasn't good enough but that they would replace ANY brushes wasn't happy with, even though I had washed them. (+1 for customer service)
When I went back to my brushes, I found this:
IS...is that dye? I believe so. When I dry my brushes I place them on paper towel so that the water is drawn down and they dry faster.
What I believed this to be was a very basic form of Paper Chromatography, where dye separates as it travels through paper- you can see the initial black- to brown then pink.
I also e-mailed the company about this, they maintain they are meant to be dye free but would check with the manufacturer.
Now, not many beauty bloggers have access to the same resources as me, so I consulted a qualified chemist. He confirmed this is what I thought. Its dye.
I work within a manufacturing environment, I know accidents can happen, perhaps this brush was contaminated through the air with dye, and maybe something odd happened during manufacturing. As suggested by my (at this point, 2) chemists, I recreated the experiment.
I washed my brush again. The second time, I didn't think I'd find much, you know, like when you buy jeans and the first wash brings out the dye, but from then on, they're pretty good to go in a mixed wash?
This is what happened the second time...
You can clearly see it's the same outcome, there is a perfect line around where the bristles end. I'm going to go ahead and say; this is not a dye free brush.
Another of the calims I was always a little uneasy about the claim these brushes were PETA Approved. I was always under the impression, that PETA believe an animal needs its fur and there is no way to remove said fur without cruelty or potential cruelty. This is what I thought, but hell, all those bloggers can't be wrong can they?
In my annoyance at the dye issue, I went searching the Rae Morris website for confirmation of this. NOTHING.
I didn't stop there, I contacted PETA, and their statement on these brushes is:
"We have not and would never approve these brushes"
Oh. OUCH! So who's lying here? I'm not going to link the blogs who made these claims as I don't think that's fair, I suspect that at the brush launch a room full of bloggers were told these brushes were 'PETA Approved' in a verbal declaration, and they ran with it. They can now make the coice to amend past articles.
I have contacted one of the bloggers, and she agreed this is pretty much what happened, she has since amended her post.
So did Rae Morris lie to the bloggers, or had she been misled herself? Are all the brushes full of dye, or did I get a dodgy one (what a set of hands for a dodgy brush to fall into) I'll probably never know, I asked the company to keep me informed about the dye in the brushes, but I suspect I will never hear back.
What I have heard is that my new replacement brushes are in the mail, I only decided to have the 2 gluey brushes and the liner brush exchanged. Perhaps I should have also chosen to replace the (dyed) Flawless Shader Brush, now I know its quality will degrade with the washing out of the dye, like Rae says happens- that's why she wanted her brushes dye free; to maintain softness...
What do you think? do you think bloggers were deliberately used in a ploy to spread the false word? Do you think the PETA comments came out of nowhere, that one blogger said it and the others copied? Either way, I think it's safe to say that most of the reasons I stated for buying these brushes in the first place are now defunct!
I'm disapointed. I was utterly thrilled to have saved to buy these, I had wanted them for ages, even with the new brushes, I can't help but feel a little let down by the whole thing. All that is left for me to do now, is use the brushes and review them in their own right and hope they at least, live up to that hype.


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Pandan Cake with Cheese
Nothing special here. This is a cake I made for snack at home. I made the cake using tons of leftover egg whites that have been sitting in the fridge for a while, with buttercream, cheese, dark chocolate ganche, and red cherry.
2 comments:
- glaciajo said...
I am a little familiar with pandan desserts, but I've never heard of pairing pandan cake with grated cheese as a sweet treat. I am learning something new. Is this a normal mix (pandan and cheese) in certain parts of Indonesia? Thank you so much for great photos and baking.
- October 11, 2010 at 3:35 PM
- Bertha said...
We put cheese on a lot of dessert in Indonesia, but it's now any kind of cheese though. We used Kraft processed cheese with sweeter taste, it is definitely not the same kind of cheese we cook with :)
- October 11, 2010 at 3:38 PM
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Pennsylvania and 36 other states apply the Income Shares Model for calculating child support. Under this model, children of separated, divorced or never-married parents are entitled to receive the same proportion of parental income that they would have received if the parents lived together.
Several economic studies estimate the average amount of household expenses for children in intact households. These studies show that the proportion of household spending devoted to children is directly related to the level of household income and to the number of children.
Pennsylvania's child support guidelines represent average expenses on children for food, housing, transportation, clothing and other miscellaneous items that are needed by children and provided by their parents. The guidelines, which are established by rule by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, are based upon the reasonable needs of the child.
To speak with a Pittsburgh family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.


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Gateway is a work experience programme run throughout New Zealand secondary schools. Learners choose the area of work that they would like to gain experience in and they are then placed with an employer one day per week in Terms 2 and 3.
The Gateway class time is used to do practical unit standards, such as Health & Safety in the workplace, First Aid and preparing a C.V. The class time is also used to catch up on work the learner has missed while on work experience.
The types of work experience suited to Gateway include the following: Trades, such as Building, Electrical & Plumbing, Hairdressing, Travel & Tourism, Hospitality, Vet Nursing, Retail and Early Childhood.
Please contact Silvie Watts if you have any questions about the Gateway Programme on 09 424 9177 ext. 239 or email@example.com
What is Gateway?
WGP College Gateway Programme


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The Way to a Man's ♥
Mustard Potato Salad
This is not technically one of my husband's favorites, but it's a great companion to grilled out burgers, hot dogs, chicken or steak and can generally be found on the table at many a cookout. Some would even say that it's a backyard necessity if you're going to be cooking out. This is my mom's recipe for Mustard Potato Salad, one of my favorites, which I recently discovered is actually called Amish Potato Salad.
4-5 medium to large potatoes
1 small onion
1-2 stalks of celery
2-4 sweet pickles
Miracle Whip
Yellow Mustard
2 Tablespoons of Sugar
Dash of Paprika
- Peel and cube potatoes into bite size. Steam until tender (about 35-40 minutes in a steamer)
- Meanwhile, dice onions, celery and pickles
- Mix Miracle Whip, Mustard and Sugar together until well blended
- Stir in diced raw veggies
- Let potatoes cool for a bit and then stir in the rest of ingredients
- Place in dish with lid and lightly dash with paprika. Refrigerate until cold and ready to serve.


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At Westside Children's Center, we provide thousands of at-risk children and their families with critical, high-quality early education programs, family strengthening interventions for families at-risk of losing their children, foster care and adoption services, and a range of vital, integrated services, such as disabilities screenings/advocacy, nutrition, parenting classes, counseling, bilingual domestic violence classes, dental and vision screenings, and pediatric health consultations. Our highly-trained and dedicated child development and child welfare experts ensure that each child receives the tailored supports that she and her family need to be prepared for success in school and beyond.
Our passion
At WCC, we are committed to breaking the cycles of intergenerational poverty, abuse, and neglect by creating a level playing field— providing children an environment that catalyzes their creativity and innate intelligence and teaching parents how to support their children's physical, cognitive and social-emotional development, thus preparing them for a life of learning. Regardless of economics or family circumstances, we reinforce in children the tools they will need to succeed in life (curiosity, optimism, self-control, resilience, and perseverance).
Guiding Principles
At WCC, we know that families' needs are deep, persistent, and specific to their unique sets of circumstances. Our work is only as good as our team's expert knowledge and willingness to go above and beyond, their persistence in the face of obstacles, and their commitment to the idea that all children have the right to be safe, nurtured, and given the foundation to lead fulfilling lives