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In 1986, Sylvia Prole and her husband Peter had the vision to establish a premier Boarding Cattery in Newark on Trent dedicated just for Cats, on the edge of their woodland area at South Lodge.
Karen and David Roberts purchased South Lodge Boarding Cattery in 2006 and have subsequently continued to develop the facilities by upgrading the chalets, extending the excercise areas and installing heating.
Karen, who takes responsibility for the day to day management and care of our guests, registered the Cattery with the Companion Veterinary Clinic, who have guided Karen in the correct procedures particularly in the handling of cats who may sometimes be nervous with strangers, how to administer medication correctly, etc.
In order to have a stress-free experience at South Lodge Boarding Cattery it is important for your Cat to feel at ease with Karen who always takes time to get to know her guests when ready, on their terms, with cuddles and a few treats (if allowed) as a sign of friendship.
All necessary equipment is supplied including clean bedding, but we do recommend bringing favourite toys or a comfort blanket with familiar aromas to help them settle in.
We fully appreciate the need for continuity in your cat's daily feeding routine and cater for dietary needs by stocking most proprietry brands, also for special diets such as for overweight or food sensitive cats, as well as for kittens and older cats.
We do like our guests to feel at home and be comfortable during their stay.
Please call us on 01636 678368 01636 678368 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Clay Lane
Newark on Trent
For all booking enquiries etc please telephone us between 9.00 am - 7.00 pm Mondays to Saturdays
01636 678368 01636 678368
or email:


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August 23, 2017
Overlake Medical Center Offers Free Health Screenings at Convenient Locations Around Eastside
Bellevue, Wash. – (August 23, 2017) – With health care prominent in the national debate, Overlake Medical Center is giving Eastside residents an opportunity for a wide variety of free health screenings where the barriers of both cost and language are removed. The screenings are free and do not require that patients have health insurance. They include cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, cardiac and diabetes risk assessments. Consultations with a health care provider will allow patients to understand what screening results mean.
Furthermore, not wanting language to be a barrier to patients not fluent in English, Overlake will offer interpreters in multiple languages including Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi, Spanish, and Russian. At no charge to the patient and with no health insurance required, all adults over 21 years old can participate.
The annual Eastside Vitality Screenings and Fair will be held from 8 to 11 a.m. at the following locations:
- Saturday, September 9 at Overlake Medical Clinic, Kirkland
- Saturday, September 16 at Overlake Medical Clinic, Lake Hills
- Saturday, September 23 at Overlake Medical Clinic, Redmond
- Saturday, October 28 at Overlake Medical Center's Main Campus in Bellevue (Additional screenings at this event include skin cancer spot checks, carotid screenings, target heart rate and body mass index (BMI) assessments and leg swelling screenings)
"It is part of Overlake's mission to bring health care out into the community, to make it accessible to all people, and these complimentary screenings help us fulfill that mission in a meaningful way," said J. Michael Marsh, Overlake's president and CEO. "The information patients take away is vital; not only do we offer the screening data, we offer our providers' expertise so patients can take what they have learned to best manage their own health and that of their loved ones."
Walk-ins are welcome, but screenings are limited. Pre-registration is recommended – visit Overlake's Eastside Vitality Fair for details and to pre-register.

subset: commoncrawl


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"Big deal," Mr. Bates replied. "So we have a higher percentage of our population behind bars. But that's where those people deserve to be. Do the crime, do the time."
"You must have a shockingly low opinion of our country," Mr. Magundi said, "if you think Americans are more likely to be wicked than people of every other civilized nation. As a patriot, I find your attitude more than a little offensive. You're lucky I'm a peaceable sort of patriot, instead of one of those patriots with baseball bats. But still, if I were you, I'd refrain from bad-mouthing my country in mixed company."


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Three Fiona Scott-Wilson greeting cards including Wood Mice with Raspberries, Yellow Iris and Kingfishers and Bullfinches with Blossom.
Single Cards are also available.
Set of 3 cards for £12 – postage free.
See also, Greeting Card Set 2 for another special deal on cards in a set (featuring birds with river plants).


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CentsOff Marathon
CentsOff Marathon™ products are accepted only at participating Marathon locations. Our Marathon network continues to expand, but not all locations currently accept CentsOff. Please use our location finder to find participating Marathon locations in your area prior to ordering.
To view and purchase promotional products, log in as an
authorized distributor. Click here to learn more.


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ATTENTION COTTON CANDY LOVERS: Do you love ice cream as much as you love your cloud-like sugary treat? Well, now you can truly get the best of both worlds.
Foodies everywhere are going crazy for Ruimilk — the NYC-based sweets venue that pairs delicious soft serve ice cream with cotton candy. But it's not just the combination of these two treats that has New Yorker's taste buds singing.
Ruimilk has made its cotton candy creations its signature, creating captivating designs out of the treat. This amazing new trend gives you a cup full of your favorite soft serve and tops it with a magical cotton candy creation that will for sure brighten your day.
Obviously, people are over the average ice cream cone. No, now the people want something more intricate that will delight both their palettes and their eyes.
From panda-shaped cotton candy to thunderstorm candy clouds, you have never seen cotton candy like this in your wildest dreams. If this isn't what happiness looks like, then I don't know what is.
Take a look at these mind-blowing cotton candy works of art and try not drool in the process.


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Skip Hire Blackwater and Hawley
We do small skips for hire, medium sized skips for hire, large skips for hire and countless other waste management options – all with professional delivery and collection to Blackwater and Hawley and its surrounding areas! Browse our range of skips for hire online or speak to our experts on the hire team.
0800 808 9696
Call FREE from landlines & mobiles
DIY or Trade
Flexible Hire Periods
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text: Amateur Teen Reverse Cowgirl Fuck With Oily Ass – 4k Best POV Close Up 2 Watch More! 0 / 0 Share Share https://www.wetvids.com/amateur-teen-reverse-cowgirl-fuck-with-oily-ass-4k-best-pov-close-up/ Copy the link Anal amateur amateur teen ass best close cowgirl fuck girl fuck oily pov reverse reverse cowgirl teen with 10:33 Rocco Siffredi Ass Fucks Two Teens + MILK ENEMAS! 1 06:09 Gang bang double fisting and ass fucked teen 0 08:36 Girl with big ass fucking in pantyhose. 0 10:16 18-year-old brunette getting her Ass fucked 0 10:46 hard ass fuck with choking slapping and degrading 2 06:39 nasty adel asanty giving a messy rimjob and get big ass fucked 2 08:10 Brazzers – Slutty teen Jynx Maze gets oilded up and ass fucked 1 12:51 SNAPCHAT GIRL TENDER CUTE SKINNY 18 YEARS OLD GETS HER ASS FUCKED ROUGH 1 07:22 ShemaleIdol TS Ass Fucked by Big Cock 1 10:59 Her Ass Is For Fucking, Her Pussy For Cumming 0 Show more related videos Comments Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *CommentName *Email *Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email.


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Sweet Summer dresses by Curious Georgia
Hi Friends,
You know what is fun? Designing new fabric collections. I just love it! You know what is even more fun? Seeing collections, like Sweet Summer, developed into cute dresses, aprons, totes and quilts. Here are some really cute dresses made by Etsy Shop, Curious Georgia, LTD. I have had the pleasure of working with Heather, the owner on two of my collections and it has been a joy. I asked Heather to tell us a little about herself.
Here are the dresses listed in my shop:


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"Playing with Shadows," a shadow puppet workshop, will bring this ancient but little-known art form to Princeton residents of all ages on Saturday, November 10, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at First Congregational Church. Andrea Caspari of Princeton will introduce dramatic shadow puppets from China, India, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and Turkey, as well as her own puppets. A short performance of a well-known children's story will be followed by a shadow puppet-making workshop, and a chance for participants to bring the puppets they have created to life behind the screen.
This is a family-oriented workshop suitable for ages 5 and up, and anyone interested in art and storytelling. Parents are encouraged to help their young children with the puppet-making. Call (978) 464-5356 with any questions. The workshop is free. The program is sponsored by a grant from the Princeton Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.


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I came in the house to find this rubber shark placed on the table by Hubby who said he found it in our driveway... My Madsnapper MIND kicked in, I used the tablet which was also on the table, to take this pic.. I LOVED IT...
I moved it to the bathroom sink with intentions of filling with water, but when I saw the above photo I liked it as it was..
If you know me at all... you already KNOW I played with it while madly snapping with the tablet.
|note, this is not my camera even though it looks real, it is a filter in the app
A thought popped in my head... I want to tell a story... a CARTOON story would be nice. After thinking about it, I thought I remembered word Cartoonize in SuperPhoto App (prior addiction)
and thus was born the story in my prior post There is a Shark in my Sink
Simply Said. I played with my tablet and a rubber shark and two apps on the tablet.. I am not MAD... ...right?????
PLUS we now have a rubber snake, a rubber lizard and a rubber shark in Bob's garage. All found over the past 2 years in our driveway....Bob may have used the rat and the snake to scare me...
guess what???? I happen to have a PRIOR POST on the rubber snake and the Rubber Lizard PRIOR POST................. It just dawned on me.... DID he find them in the driveway??? hummmmm


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Surprisingly, not all exercises are good for you. In fact, recent studies have discovered that exercises once considered to be an effective way to trim belly fat, get lean & fit and look younger have now been shown to cause middle-age belly fat, loss of lean toned muscle and inflammation that causes you to age faster.
Did you know that after the age of 35 your body hormonally changes and you start to gain weight easier… especially around your stomach area? Not only that, you also begin to lose lean muscle tone, making you weaker and flabbier?
And did you know that doing MORE only makes things worse? By that I mean exercising more than you are now and being even stricter with your diet only adds to your frustrations!
The reason for all this can be blamed on your diminishing levels of youth-enhancing hormones, particularly growth hormones. And unfortunately it's largely a natural process that occurs as you age.
A gradual and progressive hormonal decline that usually begins around middle age and continues insidiously for the rest of your life, which is why it's sometimes referred to as the "middle-age spread."
And some of the most annoying symptoms of the middle-age spread is an increase in belly fat and the loss of lean muscle tone that results in a dumpy, shapeless middle-age body. It's no coincidence that most people over 40 stop wearing form fitting clothes.
And to top it off, it doesn't help that life gets busier as you get older as well. Between family and work, most people don't have time to do anything else, let alone take care of themselves. An over-worked and over-stressed life is another big culprit that adds even more pounds to your already compromised aging body.
Now you may not be able to stop aging yet, but you CAN slow the aging process and actually REVERSE the effects of the middle-age spread. And I'm not talking about having to take anti-aging pills or hormone supplements. Nope. It's much safer and more effective.
Research has discovered that your body has the ability to re-stimulate lagging youth-enhancing hormones naturally.
And it all begins with these 3 key principles you must apply in order to regain control of your body's accelerated aging process and stop the middle-age spread dead in it's tracks.
Now I need to warn you…what you're about to read is probably going to go against all of the exercise and diet advice you've been told, but that's because very few people actually know how to effectively re-activate hormones responsible for stopping and reversing the effects of the middle-age spread.


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Youth Group Outdoor Activities
No matter what season it may be, one of the most fun things that kids get to do is head outside and play for hours! Some of the most fun outdoor games do not involve hi-tech toys or gadgets; all you usually need are a ball, a skipping rope, and perhaps some sidewalk chalk – let your imagination do the rest! One of the great things about outdoor games is that they help us to stay active and healthy without even realizing it; exercise doesn't have to be boring, there are plenty of outdoor activities that help to keep us healthy while having fun. These activities can also be a whole lot more fun, because we get to spend more time with our friends. Remember that anyone can join in an outdoor game; whether it is a parent, kids, neighbors or friends. Be sure to play smart; stay off the roads, don't hurt anybody intentionally, and never make fun of other players. By following these simple little rules, we can all make sure that everyone has a great time.
Of course, sometimes it's a little bit hard to figure out what game to play. There are so many to choose from! Think about what kinds of things you and your friends enjoy doing. There are many games that have been around for at least a hundred years or more, such as hopscotch and marbles, and they're just as much fun today as they were back then! Perhaps you might like other types of playground games, like jump rope, which is perfect for a small group and is a great activity for all ages. If you're camping and have a large group of friends there, there are tons of exciting games, like Capture the Flag, or a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Don't forget that the changing seasons offer us tons of different opportunities, too. Summer is pretty easy in terms of outdoor games, but what about winter? When there's tons of snow on the ground, don't hide indoors with a videogame; head outside and have the biggest snowball fight you can imagine with your friends or have a snowman building contest! Check out some of the fun and zany games and activities we have included below for more inspiration!
Classic Outdoor Games
Large Group Games, Perfect for Outdoors
Jump Rope and Hand Clap Games & Rhymes
Other Outdoor Games


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Know-how Information Information On Cellular, IT, Computers, Info Know-how, New Know-how
AI is studying right from wrong by studying human tales. I have a variety of Nigerian mates, whenever you go spherical to their home they've the largest screens, and are all tuned in to Nigerian movies…… They can be very loud with a number of arguing between the hubby and wife, the woman actually shout and the boys in the ones I've seen all have plenty of lady.
Look at the rising area of neuromarketing and you may see this is definitely the case- plus think about the way that a few of the most successful new products are designed: they're very intuitive and use easy gestures, pokes, and rudimentary human actions as an alternative of more obscure clicks and codes.
As a setting for democratic tradition, Barney means that know-how tends to make ethical questions, including the query of what a superb life consists in, almost impossible, as a result of they already give a solution to the question: a great life is one that includes the use of more and more expertise.
A contemporary instance is the rise of communication expertise, which has lessened barriers to human interplay and in consequence has helped spawn new subcultures; the rise of cyberculture has at its basis the event of the Web and the pc 15 Not all technology enhances culture in a artistic approach; know-how can also assist facilitate political oppression and battle through instruments resembling weapons.
Quick (rotary) potters' wheels enabled early mass production of pottery, however it was using the wheel as a transformer of energy (through water wheels , windmills, and even treadmills) that revolutionized the applying of nonhuman energy sources.…


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- Candles
- Gift Sets
- Scents
- About
- Explore
Give an inspirational gift that celebrates strength. Choose from one of our She Inspires candles in Fearless, Fierce, Queen or Persist and pair it with the gorgeous colors of a natural eco-friendly bullhorn bracelet. A perfect gift for her for all occasions.
Each candle is handpoured to order for a gift that gives back, and comes with a story card about the woman artisan who made it. Click on the What's Inside tab above for descriptions of each small batch item.
Easy Gifting! Add your message in the cart and we'll include a card. Also great for clients, employees and donors. Contact us for large orders.
Sustainable Bracelet
Handcrafted by women artisans from Faire Collection, partnering with Fair Trade Winds, this upcycled bracelet is molded and sculpted from natural bullhorn that has been discarded from local stockyards. Each bullhorn is unique in its color with a beautiful range from white to black, brown and gray tones. You can proudly wear this bracelet knowing you are supporting women in Vietnam, and giving back to artisan communities.
We absolutely love Marjane Satrapi and her inspiring quote, "One isn't born courageous, one becomes it."
She Inspires Candle
Each She Inspires candle is adorned with inspiring words and quotes by fearless women. Choose your favorite word: Fearless, Fierce, Queen or Persist; and we will hand pour each in a unique scent with a protective topper. These 8 oz candles are made with premium soy + coconut wax and burns for over 50 hours. Easily cleaned when finished for a lifetime of enjoyment. Measures 2.75"W x 3.7"H.
Persist "Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women." Maya Angelou
Fearless "One isn't born courageous, one becomes it." Marjane Satrapi
Fierce "She remembered who she was and the game changed." Lalah Delia
Queen "Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail." Oprah Winfrey
Scents: made with essential oils
Persist: An uplifting citrus blend of orange, lemongrass, bergamot and herbal green tea with a subtle touch of cedar.
Fearless: Bright mimosa mingles with notes of cardamom, tonka bean and musk for a captivating scent that is grounding.
Fierce: Bold oakmoss infused with orange, grapefruit, sage and amber for a fierce scent inspiring confidence and strength.
Queen: A robust blend of sweet vanilla, light orchid and almond to inspire feelings of accomplishment and independence.
Handmade - Each candle is individually poured-to-order by a woman artisan who is a former refugee building a new life for herself and her family in the United States. Many of our vessels are handcrafted by women artisans from around the world.
Sustainable - Prosperity Candle is a certified B-Corp, recognized 2 years in a row for its commitment to social and environmental sustainability by B-Lab's Best for the World.
Ethically Made - We are passionate advocates for ethically made goods and support the fair trade principles of gender equity, respect for the environment, and living wages in our studio.
Designed for Good - As a social enterprise that prioritizes positive impact over all else, everything we do helps create opportunities for women artisans to thrive. We believe that equal opportunity for women and girls everywhere creates a brighter future for all.
We believe that equal opportunity for women and girls everywhere means a brighter future for all.
Your purchase helps women artisans and refugees build a brighter future in the U.S. Learn how.
Being B-Corp certified means investing in people and protecting the planet.
Our candles and gifts are sustainably designed and ethically made. We use all natural soy and coconut wax and premium fragrances with essential oils. Never any dyes or enhancers.


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Talking to someone new and getting to know them is an exciting activity for many people. Meeting someone you are interested in dating, however, is exciting and worrying at once. It is difficult to know how a person will respond to your advances. Once you establish that both your acquaintance and you are interested in dating, going on a date and even pursuing a relationship becomes natural. The dates become increasingly more enjoyable and exciting.
Work on your self-confidence. People naturally gravitate towards people who are confident and your acquaintance is more likely to respond positively to your advances. Do this by emphasizing your strengths, taking risks and being self-aware.
Talk to your acquaintance frequently and get to know them better. This helps to establish a stronger relationship and discover things she likes. Remember to include light flirting to show interest in the person beyond friendship. Subtle gestures such as occasional touching, smiling and compliments work.
Plan fun activities for the date. Base the activities on what you learned about your acquaintance in step 2. This shows him that you listened to what he said during your conversations, making him feel important to you.
Tell the person that you are interested in them as more than a friend. Ask your acquaintance if she is interested in spending more personal time with you. Suggest one of the plans you already made.
More Articles
- If you feel unsure about the plans from step 3, dinner at a nice restaurant, a movie or a picnic are suitable suggestions.


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Plant Something NH
Plant Something, a grassroots, nationally established campaign designed to increase the public's support of local growers, nurseries, garden centers, and landscapers through awareness of the benefits of planting specialty crops for the landscape and garden, is coming to NH!
In promoting our mission, the NHPGA is excited to announce a Plant Something NH campaign funded by the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant program. The Plant Something NH campaign is a way to tie the individual marketing efforts of local businesses to a state wide campaign promoting NH grown pants. Information will be regularly provided to membership during the fall and winter as we roll out the program to the public in spring of 2017.
With its adoption of the Plant Something program, New Hampshire joins 22 other US states and British Columbia, CA in this national campaign to educate consumers about the health, environmental and monetary benefits of all kinds of plants.
More info here (PDF).


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At Noir Naturals we believe in supporting the community, especially when it comes to the young community members. Like others, we have purchased more wrapping paper, calendars, popcorn, and cookies we could ever need just so we could help young friends and family members raise funds for their schools, church youth groups, sports teams, and school clubs. We were approached by teachers and parents who sought an alternative to the usual that would have mass appeal, be affordable, easy, earth-friendly, and profitable. After collaboration with local students, teachers, parents, PTO Today, and The Association of Fundraising Distributors and Suppliers (AFRDS), we created the Noir Naturals Fundraiser Program.
Not only do we make fundraising profitable, we make it easy for students and parents. We offer useful products found in every home and at just $5-6 a bar, our soaps are affordable and appeal to a wide range of customers. Your youth organization could earn up to 50% profit with our program and sell to supporters in and out of town.
Why choose Noir Naturals?
1. We only work with one school, club, organization or group at a time, so we can dedicate all of our resources to each fundraiser.
2. We are a small company and manufacture our soaps. There is no middle man, and we are easy to reach by phone and email.
3. Our handmade soaps are made with natural ingredients, so they're better for the skin. They contain no chemicals, preservatives, artificial dyes or pigments. Our soaps are eco-friendly, and something that everyone uses!
4. We have a wide variety of soaps to choose from. We use essential oils, sulfate-free fragrances and even have fragrance free bars. We have something for everyone, even the family dog.
5. Each bar of soap will be individually wrapped and labeled with the soap's scent. Each order from each seller will be packaged separately to allow for easy distribution to buyers.
6. Your organization can earn up to 50% profit with our four-level profit structure. The more you sell, the more you earn.
- 50-99 bars and earn 35% profit
- 100 – 199 bars earns 40%
- 200 – 499 bars earns 45%
- 500+ bars earns 50%
And free shipping for all orders!
7. Top Seller Reward Program – Noir Naturals rewards the top 3 sellers in each fundraisingprogram with gift cards from Wal-Mart, Best Buy or Amazon. The 1st place seller will earn a$100 gift card, 2nd place a $50 gift card, and 3rd place a $25 gift card.
8. Promotional tools – Each seller will receive a seller packer which contains a color catalog, samples of each soap, and fundraising safety tip information.
9. Online ordering – We made it easy for friends and family members to support fundraiser sellers who may not be in the immediate reach of the school, club, organization or group conducting the fundraiser. Each fundraising organization will have a separate page on our website where purchases can be made. Online purchases count toward the total sales of each seller for the top seller rewards. Check out Haley's fundraiser to see how yours could look.
10. Giving Back – We give back to the community by supporting local non-profit organizations. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of our best seller Asta Doggie Soap will be donated to the Louisiana SPCA organization in New Orleans, LA. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of our Baby Noir Soap will be donated to the Be An Angel children's organization in Houston, TX.
11. Referral Bonus – $100 Noir Naturals Gift Certificates are awarded to individuals who refer organizations or groups that use our fundraising program.
Contact us today for more information on our program.
For more information about Noir Naturals and our fundraising program, visit us at NoirNaturals.com


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clyde jones is an outsider artist who lives in bynum, north carolina. my mother is a folklorist so we used to visit him when i was a kid, and recently i had the chance to go back again. he told us to come back any time because everything's always changing. here is his website of sorts.
his paintings are beautiful but the best are these animals made out of logs, often with silk flowers for eyes. clyde only has nine fingers because he cut off one with a chainsaw. my favorite clyde jones story is that once a museum was planning to show his work (relatedly, you can go see some of his pieces at the american visionary art museum in baltimore) and the curators came with a truck, padding, gloves on, etc., to transport his work with the utmost respect and care, but one of the animals wouldn't quite fit in the truck, and the curators tried it this way and that, being oh so very careful, and then clyde came out with his chainsaw and just cut the thing in half.
my mom's map for finding clyde's house--not so helpful, actually (but bynum is about one neighborhood big)
"the north pole is melting so santa done got hisself a new canoe"
this rotting/back-to-nature swan makes me feel both sad and happy
that's me
clyde on his porch


text: Get involved Fundraise for us Take on a challenge Northampton Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 Miles | Registration Fee: Free | Fundraising Target: £100 The Northampton Half Marathon is back for it's fifth year and we would love for you to join our team to take on this half marathon. The Town Centre start will be in the shadow of The Guildhall and loops out to the race course, the town's home of park running, before returning to the Guildhall and then taking in the Shoemakers Museum and the Theatre before heading out of town for some picturesque countryside running and an inspiring finish on the front lawn at Delapre Abbey. Why Child Bereavement UK? Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. We aim to ensure the accessibility of high quality child bereavement support and information to all families and professionals by increasing our reach; plugging the gaps that exist in bereavement support and training across the country; and embedding standards in the sector. When you fundraise for us, you'll receive: a welcome email & fundraising pack from our events team a CBUK running vest to wear on the day with iron on letters support from our dedicated fundraising & events team to achieve your target e-newsletters updating you with news throughout the charity access to our online Facebook group, where other fundraisers share training and fundraising advice I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process of my fundraising journey. The event was fantastic, I received my fundraising pack in good time for the event and there was lots of support on the day to help me through the ½ marathon. Lizee in the fundraising team, kept in regular contact which helped me to not only achieve my target but to nearly triple it! Cannot wait for my next event to help such a good cause! - Matt ran the Northampton Half Marathon and raised over £500! Want to register? Want the opportunity to partake in this years Northampton Half Marathon Marathon Event by registering for one of our charity spaces? Sign up now and register to run for Child Bereavement UK! Sign Up Now If you have any questions about the event, please don't hesitate to contact our fundraising team on [email protected] or give us a call on 01494 569049


text: Venezuela to launch cryptocurrency to fight Trump sanctions Loop News Created : 5 December 2017 Tech Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says his government will launch a cryptocurrency to fight what he calls a financial "blockade" by the Trump administration against the socialist-run country. Maduro said Sunday that the new currency will be called the "petro" and will be backed by the OPEC nation's abundant oil, gold and mineral reserves. In his words, "This will allow us to advance toward new forms of international financing for the economic and social development of our country." He gave no details in his TV address about what the new currency's value will be, how it will work or when it will be launched. Venezuela's traditional currency, the strong bolivar, has accelerated its free-fall in recent weeks as U.S. sanctions make it harder to stay current on its foreign debt. Get the latest local and international news straight to your mobile phone for free:


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Based on the balance of the body is to maintain focus and stimulate the body's internal energy (vital force) Treat yourself to return to normal. Effects of drugs used in the treatment of a drug derived from nature such as leaves, flowers, organic compounds, inorganic minerals, or animal products, synthetic chemicals. Homeopathy is an alternative treatment that does not require chemicals. The extraction of herbal or animal and to knock at the number of times a given. For a drug to be used to treat patients. The treatment of this model would require a medical professional to analyze. The treatment works by stimulating the body's ability to heal (healing process) will suppress the symptoms of the disease to appear. Homeopathy uses substances that cause illnesses common to people suffering from diseases such as cardiovascular therapy.
Alternative medicine like acupuncture, acupressure therapist or Macro-biotic which Homeopathy treatment was approved. from both domestic and international.
The people we like If any matter nor energy, but we were not moving. Or if power is abnormal, it may cause abnormal output. We call that the illness It most often is written to the external skin blemishes, rashes, food allergies, constipation, or stomach, etc.
Thailand Aromatherapy (Aromatherapy) will be treated by taking herbs. Essential oil This is a natural material derived from the treatment. This will vary with the Homeopathy treatment because treatment with this medicine should be kept pulling it out of mass-energy. Alone, and the only energy derived therapies for many diseases. So in keeping with the principle of Homeopathy medicine acupuncture is comparable with that of the Chinese. A stimulating energy within the body to treat diseases of the acupuncture points.


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Thread Rating:
Chinese Home Prices "Unexpectedly" Rebound; Government Loses Interest In "Curbs"
Chinese Home Prices "Unexpectedly" Rebound; Government Loses Interest In "Curbs"
Chinese Home Prices "Unexpectedly" Rebound; Government Loses Interest In "Curbs"

On Friday, we summarized research reports from Deutsche Bank and Bank of America, which came to the same conclusion: the fate of the global economic rebound may be in the hands of the Chinese housing bubble, which through price appreciation has unleashed wealth effect equivalent to twice the annual disposable income of China.

We concluded by saying that those who are looking for key inflection points to determine the future trajectory of the global economy, in addition to the global (read Chinese) credit impulse, we suggest keeping a close eye on what happens with Chinese housing, which has become a - if not the - top variable for the fate of the both the great inflation-deflation debate, as well as the overall fate of the world economy

The key variable is "how Beijing manages to deflate the existing bubble: if it fails to be aggressive enough, home prices will once again spike, leading to an even more precarious bubble. If it is too aggressive, a hard landing is in store, coupled with what a crash in the country's financial system, where the bulk of the banks' $35 trillion in assets is collateralized by housing values. While such a crash may not necessarily lead to a catastrophe for China, where the government ultimately backstops all the banks, the deflationary wave spread around the globe from a housing crash would be dire."

One answer was revealed just hours later, when on Saturday China's NBS revealed that following two months of broad but shallow declines, in February there was an unexpected rebound in Chinese home prices, which last month rose in more cities despite increased "restrictions" on property transactions by local authorities. As Bloomberg reported, new home prices, excluding subsidized housing, gained in February in 56 out of 70 cities tracked by the government, compared with 45 in January, the National Bureau of Statistics said Saturday. Furthermore, prices climbed in 67 out of 70 cities from a year earlier, compared with 66 in January.

As Goldman calculates, prices in the primary market increased 0.4% month-over-month after seasonal adjustment (weighted by population) in February, the same as the growth rate in January.

And while on a year-over-year, population-weighted basis, housing prices in the 70 cities were up 12.0%, slightly lower than 12.4% yoy in January, the nuance was once again among the various city ties. On month-over-month basis, house price growth diverged among different city tiers. Home price inflation decelerated in tier-1 cities, but home price inflation in tier 2/3/4 cities was steady or accelerated, which goes back to the core issue discussed last Friday: for all the talk about moderating home prices, China is first and foremost focused on preserving the wealth effect, which a sharp drop in home prices would crush.

February average price growth was 0.2% month-over-month after seasonal adjustment in tier-1 cities, vs. 0.3% in January. Average property price inflation in tier 2/3/4 cities was 0.6%/0.4%/0.5% month-over-month sa in February, vs 0.5%/0.4%/0.3% in January. Indeed, as Bloomberg Intellgience wrote earlier in March, braking measures to counteract soaring home prices in eastern China's largest cities appear to be diverting demand to smaller ones. Saturday's data confirms this.

* * *

The unexpected pick up in prices takes place as various Tier 1 cities are taking further measures to cool the market: among them, Beijing on Friday raised down-payment requirements for second homes 10 percentage points to between 60 percent and 80 percent. The rule also applied to buyers who don't currently own a home but previously had a mortgage with the same down-payment threshold, making it harder for someone to sell their house to upgrade to a bigger or more expensive property.

Other cities taking additional measures were the southern export hub of Guangzhou, coastal Qingdao and Nanjing in the southeast have also tightened measures. Changsha, the capital of inland Hunan province, joined the ranks on Saturday after the home price data release.

"The government intends to pause the surging home prices, and let them walk steadily up later," said Xia Dan, a Shanghai-based analyst at Bank of Communications Co., adding that if curbs on demand are lifted, prices will rise further. "The government doesn't want the prices to run all the time and ferment bubbles."

As Bloomberg notes, China's biggest cities have seen a round of home price surges in the past year. In Beijing, new home prices rose 24 percent in February from a year earlier, while Shanghai saw a 25 percent gain. Shenzhen prices increased 14 percent in the same period.

"Beijing's tightening will have a short-term effect to stabilize the market, but the power of policy has become increasingly weaker," Zhang Hongwei, a research director at Shanghai-based Tospur Real Estate Consulting Co., said Friday, adding more local tightening may follow.

Or maybe not, because one may ask: is the rebound really unexpected. Perhaps not: as the WSJ reported on Sunday, "this year it seemed China was finally going to make headway on an idea familiar to U.S. homeowners: a property tax.

For many Chinese families, owning a home is one of few options to build wealth, driving buying frenzies as people rush to purchase before prices soar. Imposing costs on homeowners through a property tax is seen as a way to tame such speculation, while also helping fund local governments.

Lu Kehua, China's vice housing minister, last month said the government needed to "speed up" a property-tax law. Economists and academics have long recommended the move.

Yet the annual National People's Congress came and went this month with no discussion of the topic. An NPC spokeswoman said a property tax wouldn't be on the legislative agenda for the rest of the year.

In short, China evaluted the risk of a potential housing bubble burst, and deciding that - at least for the time being - it is not worth the threat of losing a third of Chinese GDP in "wealth effect", got cold feet. Expect the recent dip in home prices to promptly stabilize, with gains in the short-term more likely that not.

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86 Day 2015 at Cyrious Garage
August, 6th, 86 Day in the car community. The AE86 authority in Mississauga is definitely Cyrious Garage. Having campaigned their coupe for numerous years in DMCC and FD Pro2. Every year they open up their shop on this day for a small pop up meet. … 86 Day 2015 at Cyrious Garage


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The Lake Frederick Recreation area is located on a catch and release only lake, with mountainous views just 7 miles from the United States Military Academy, and 50 miles from New York City.
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The Round Pond Recreation area is located in a rocky, woody area, just three miles from the United States Military Academy. Round Pond is a clear mountaintop lake surrounded by a beach, playgrounds, picnic areas and campsites. The Outdoor Equipment Resource Center, located behind the Round Pond Office and Bait Shop, has camping equipment, boats & trailers, party canopies and various sports equipment for rent. West Point fishing passes, as well as power boat passes for Stillwell and Popolopen...
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CoolSculpting FAQ
Am I a candidate for CoolSculpting?
The CoolSculpting body contouring procedure is specially designed for those who have unwanted fat in targeted areas. It's not a weight loss procedure and is terrific for people who are maintaining a healthy weight that they are comfortable with. The best candidates for the CoolSculpting procedure are looking for a non-surgical alternative to liposuction that will reduce noticeable pockets of unwanted fat that are resistant to diet and exercise.
How do I know if surgery is the better option?
While the CoolSculpting procedure will reduce fat in the treated area, it will not correct issues like very loose skin, deep stretch marks, or muscle separation. Potential patients are encouraged to explore our before and after gallery, so that they can see the difference in the results of a CoolSculpting treatment and surgical options such as a tummy tuck. At the Centre for Plastic Surgery, our main goal is for you to achieve the results that you desire. We are fortunate to be able to offer our patients both surgical and non-surgical options on site for the best possible outcome.
How long is the treatment? How many treatments will I need?
During your consultation your CoolSculpting provider will help you create an individualized treatment plan tailored to your specific goals. The length of your CoolSculpting treatment will vary depending on the number of areas being treated during one visit. The latest technology of CoolSculpting can treat one area in 35-60 minutes. However, some patients chose to have more than one treatment during the same office visit which accounts for a longer treatment time.
Can the CoolSculpting procedure reduce fat anywhere on my body?
The CoolSculpting procedure is FDA-cleared for the treatment of visible fat bulges in the some of the most common areas that stubborn fat tends to collect. Those areas are the upper and lower abdomen, flanks (love-handles), inner and outer thighs, bra line fat, back fat, submental (chin) area, upper arms, and underneath the buttocks (also known as banana roll).
Are the results permanent? Where does the fat go?
Once the treated fat cells are crystallized (frozen), they die and are naturally processed and eliminated from the body through the lymphatic system (which means you will typically expel them through sweat or urine). When they are gone, they are gone for good.
What happens if I gain weight after my CoolSculpting procedure?
Many people, after seeing the results from their CoolSculpting procedure, feel even more motivated to stay close to their ideal weight. However, if you do gain weight, you may gain it evenly all over your body including the treated areas but the fat cells in those areas will still be reduced. Therefore, patients that do gain weight before they achieve their final result will not be able to appreciate the results as much as those who maintain their weight following treatment. Click here to learn more about fat cells and weight loss.
Is the CoolSculpting procedure safe?
The CoolSculpting procedure is FDA-cleared for the treatment of visible fat bulges in more areas than any other non-invasive fat reduction treatment on the market. As the #1 non-invasive fat reduction procedure and with millions of CoolSculpting procedures performed worldwide, it is proven to be a safe and effective treatment.
Will I experience any "downtime"?
The CoolSculpting procedure is completely non-surgical, so typically you can return to normal activities immediately. Patients often return to work on the same day after a CoolSculpting treatment is completed. Some patients may experience mild swelling and tenderness in the treated area (especially in the abdomen) for up to three weeks following the procedure. We often recommend that patients take that into consideration when scheduling their treatments.
What does it feel like?
As the cooling begins during the first few minutes, you typically feel intense cold. This soon dissipates. With some applicators, you'll feel some pulling as suction is applied. The area generally goes numb within 5 to 10 minutes during treatment. Many people read, watch videos, work on their laptop, or even take a nap during their CoolSculpting treatment. After the treatment, you may feel some tingling and slight discomfort as the area is massaged for 2 minutes. Patients are usually able to return to normal activities following their appointment.
Are there any side effects?
During the procedure you may experience sensations of pulling, tugging, mild pinching, intense cold, tingling, stinging, aching, and cramping at the treatment site. These sensations subside as the area becomes numb. Following the procedure, typical side effects include temporary redness, swelling, blanching, bruising, firmness, tingling, stinging, tenderness, cramping, aching, itching, or skin sensitivity. With the chin, patients may experience the sensation of fullness in the back of the throat after treatment. These effects are temporary and generally resolve within days or weeks. Though rare, some additional side effects may occur. As with any medical procedure, ask your provider if the CoolSculpting procedure is right for you.
How much does it cost?
The price for CoolSculpting procedures varies by patient depending on your areas of concern, the number of treatments needed, and your ultimate goals. Most patients at the Centre for Plastic Surgery opt to treat multiple areas, but each person is different. We are more than happy to accommodate your individual needs and create a plan that works for you and your budget. We also offer several financing options with flexible payment plans. Click here to see what an average patient pays for CoolSculpting in our office.


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Let's start by finding out who you are. An easy and fun way to do this is to write a poem about yourself. No, it's not too hard.
Just fill in the blanks on the one below, and you will have done it. Poetry does not have to rhyme you know, but see if you can make a pattern with the beats.
Do you know what I mean?
Look at this.
Line 4 will have 7 beats - and so you go on.You can have a pattern of three lines or four, or however many you like, so long as there is a pattern.
Give it a go.
Here's what you write about.
Clap your hands for each syllable as you read it out, and check to see if you have made a pattern.
Well there you go now, you're a poet, and you have thought and written about who you are.
What else did you find out about yourself?
Did you learn how you feel about yourself?
The way you feel about yourself is called self-esteem.
If you feel confident and good about yourself, that's called high self-esteem, and if you feel bad about yourself and have no confidence, that is called low self-esteem.
How to get high self-esteem
How you get low self-esteem
Of course, we all have our times when we feel good and when we feel bad.
What you can do.We can make a difference to how we feel about ourselves by making a choice to aim for high self-esteem.
You know how we all have that 'chatter' going on inside our minds all the time? Well, have a good listen to it and see how much of it is positive (the good stuff) and how much is negative (the bad stuff).
Think about how you feel about yourself.
Try recording your thoughts on your phone or computer and then play it back, or:
Be honest with yourself.
It's not about telling yourself and others about how good you are or trying to prove yourself by putting other people down. It's not about putting yourself down and feeling that you are no good.
Most people have times when they feel bad about themselves, but that's the time to start the positive thinking going and to work out how to learn from mistakes and be happy about the good things that are still happening in their lives.
People who have high self-esteem are not only happy in themselves but are fun to be around, have friends, can be trusted, are full of life and care about themselves and others.
So talk yourself into inviting high self-esteem into your life.
When our family were having problems all sorts of bad things seemed to happen all the time. I felt sad and didn't feel like doing anything. I started to get into trouble at school and had to see the school counsellor. She helped me to see that everything wasn't my fault and that I should look for the good things in my life and work at what I can do well. I am feeling better now and I don't listen to the 'bad' voice in my head.
Having high self esteem isn't about telling everyone how wonderful you are. It's more about trying your best, realizing that you won't always succeed but always being willing to have a go. You can feel good that you are a positive person and others will respect and want to be around you.
Everyone has bad things happen in his or her life and for a time feels really 'down'. Talk to trusted adults if the 'bad voice' is louder than the 'good voice' in your head. Our topic on Resilience - don't let things get you down' may be helpful.
We've provided this information to help you to understand important things about staying healthy and happy. However, if you feel sick or unhappy, it is important to tell your mum or dad, a teacher or another grown-up.
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Last updated: Monday 12 February 2018


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I Visited Yangy Kala Canyon In Turkmenistan
In far, western Turkmenistan is a natural wonder that very few people have heard about and even fewer people have seen, The Yangykala Canyon.
A vast rock landscape with rock walls as tall as 60-100 meters, colored with pink, red and yellow. A landscape that was created more than 5.5 million years ago, when the red cliffs wall you now see were underwater limestone walls full of massive coral reefs from the pre-historical Parathetys Sea.
More info: unusualtraveler.com | Facebook | Instagram
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American Eagle Limousine was founded on three principles: Satisfaction, Trust, and Reliability. This is our philosophy and we apply it to everything we do. Our commitment is to you, our customers. No other chauffeured transportation company goes to the lengths we do to ensure that your trip is even better than you imagined! From our customer service agents, to our logistics experts, to our chauffeurs, every American Eagle Limousine employee participates in a rigorous training program designed to guarantee a positive experience for you, our customers.
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Longtime radio news reporter and anchor Jack Popejoy died of cancer over the weekend. He was 63.
For the last two years, Popejoy, of Sherman Oaks, co-anchored the morning news on KNX, and before that, he worked at sister station KFWB for the past two decades.
KPCC's Susanne Whatley worked with Popejoy at KFWB for seven years and recalls his intelligence and deep sense of knowledge in a variety of subjects when speaking on air.
"We were on the air, a female co-anchor and I, when the Colombia shuttle disintegrated … and heard that Jack Popejoy was going to come in," Whatley said. "And I thought, 'gee' what do they think, the women can't handle this?"
Though, that was not the case because shortly after Whatley found out about Popejoy's knowledge of the space program.
"Sure enough, he [Popejoy] walked in the door, he sat down … and proceeded to talk of the top of his head about … the impact of this tragedy," Whatley said. "I was just staggered by the depth and breath of his knowledge on that subject as well as … astronomy … earthquakes."
Whatley also remembered Popejoy's knowledge on earthquakes since he is quite famous in Los Angeles for his participation in programs to help citizens be aware about earthquake danger; he knew about climatology, local politics, being an expert on different types of subjects, as well.
"I never seize to be amazed at the man's intelligence," Whatley said. "And his ability to tab into a deep base of knowledge when it came to talking on the radio intelligently about a variety of subject."
He worked at KFWB from 1986-2009, where he served as the morning news anchor since 2000. Popejoy also created KFWB's first website and remained the webmaster for a decade. He continued to work on-air until late January.
By then Popejoy had an accomplished career, Whatley added.
"He used to like to talk to me about being the youngest program director in Los Angeles, which was at KIIS," Whatley said. "Although, he called himself the program destructor."
Whatley met Popejoy after college when he worked as a TV reporter.
"There were so many times when he told me who to talk to, what the story was," Whatley said. "He was so incredibly helpful. I owe Jack a lot."
The Los Angeles Fire Department issued a statement lauding Popejoy for his work with first responders.
"Jack Popejoy was involved in emergency planning and management, contributing his significant expertise to the city of Los Angeles Emergency Operations Organization for more years than any other person, and remained an adviser to the county of Los Angeles Office of Emergency Management and ardent supporter of the American Red Cross," fire officials said in the statement.
Born in Austin in 1947, Popejoy spent his early years in the Delaware Valley, living in New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
He came to Southern California in the early 70s and wrote jingles for commercials. In 1972 he was hired as a weekend DJ, then weekday announcer for KIIS, eventually becoming the program director.
In 1976, he became a newscaster at KPOL AM and FM. A year later, as the program director, he changed KPOL-FM's call letters to KZLA.
In 1983, Popejoy joined KCOP, Channel 13, as a reporter and fill-in anchor, after having spent a few years as a news director and anchor in San Francisco television.
A multiple-award winner for broadcast excellence, locally Popejoy was recognized in 1998 as Journalist of the Year by the Society of Professional Journalists. He won 27 Golden Mikes from the Radio Television News Association of Southern California, including a best newscast award just last month for Best News Broadcast. He won eight Press Club Awards.
For the past several months, Popejoy was co-host of KNX Tech News on Saturday afternoons. He created KFWB's original website and served as its webmaster for a decade.
Popejoy mentored the fire department's media relations staff, and city fire named him an honorary chief in 1989.
"Jack's inquiring mind led him to be an indisputable expert on fires, floods and especially earthquakes, not to mention space exploration and astronomy," the fire officials said in their statement.
"To this day, many are surprised to hear that the humble Mr. Popejoy was a regional semi-finalist in NASA's Journalist-in-Space competition, which was canceled in the wake of the Challenger disaster.
"As one of the creators of the annual Great California ShakeOut, with 8 million participants, and a valued crisis communications trainer to countless public officials, Jack leaves a legacy of excellence, as well as an emotional hole in our hearts."
Funeral arrangements are pending.


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It was a boring meeting – kind of a broadcasting where a lecturer speaks to a group of people without caring the reception of the content among listeners. So I decided I would rather do something better then sleeping. Getting an idea from Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers, I decided to list down the uses of an elevator. Heres the list:
1. Transportation – No brainer. An elevator is used to move either up or down.
2. Killing someone – As in like in movies. Let a 10-ton elevator fall on someone and he will not wake up ever.
3. Using Fan – So ACs are not working? No big deal. Get into an elevator and switch on the fan!
4. Privacy – No comments!
5. Experience free fall – Elevator malfunctions and u fall freely. Havent experienced it so do not know what happens in the end.
6. Playing – Only for kids
7. Scribbling – For naughty types of people who think that they are great artists.
8. Racing with it – Lets see who reaches first on the eight floor first – me on the stairs or you with the elevator.
9. Movie making – A murder mystery revolving around it.
10. Using power – If you want to waster some power. Just keep running it up and down.
12. Catching a thief – You catch a thief in your surveillance camera, switch off the power and call police.
13. Practical for mechanic and electrical engg – self explanatory
15. Learning numbers – Board the lift with your kid and keep rocking between 25th floor and ground floor staring at the LCD screen. Call out the numbers loud for better effect.
16. Know the temperature – Some elevators have temperature sensor
17. Scenery view – in the types with transparent glasses
18. Advertisement – OOH is catching up and one can earn a lot putting posters/TV in elevators
19. Notice board – It has been brought to notice that you have been (mis)using the elevator quite often. Any miscreant will be treated strictly and punished with a life sentence. And mind you, this lift can carry just 8 people. The ninth people will go to hell and take other eight along with him.


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♫♪♫ What the World Needs Now is … Creativity … ♪♫♪
Well, for starters, creativity is a much sought after commodity. Ask any major employer and you'll learn that it is one of the most coveted skills in the job market today. And you know what happens with hot commodities … people, important people … figure out ways to produce more and more of that commodity. Everyone else is eventually out of luck.
How does one go about developing a source for creativity you might ask? There are no 'creativity mines' waiting to be exploited. Or are there? Where would you look to find them if they did exist?
If you're an economist, the whole question brings to mind days sitting in a boring (well, not for you since you actually chose to become an economist) economics class in college hearing about human capital for the first time. When the concept was first discussed, it had a bit of a negative connotation. Nobody wanted to think of people as being a commodity, but what if it was their ability to think and create that we were talking about?
And who would stand to benefit the most from this type of human capital with all its intangibles attached? Well, consider a relatively small country with few or no natural resources. Now, consider some of the countries who have been doing well on international tests lately.
Let's take a look at Singapore's Ministry of Education's Gifted Education Programme . In part, they say, "Singapore is a small nation with only human resources to rely on for its progress and prosperity. It is to the advantage of the nation that the gifted are helped and nurtured." Furthermore, "The aim of the GEP is to develop intellectual rigor, humane values and creativity in gifted youths to prepare them for responsible leadership and service to country and society." And, finally, "The intellectually gifted need a high degree of mental stimulation. This need may not be met in the mainstream classroom and the gifted child may become mediocre, indifferent or disruptive in class."
Another country to recognize the need for creativity among its students is Korea. While the rest of the world is concerned about establishing a knowledge-based economy, Korea has already moved on. Almost a year ago, the following was published in The Korea Herald, "Universities should move away from "department-store-like education" and seek ways to enhance global competitiveness … The world is undergoing a major transformation from a knowledge-based economy to a creativity-based economy. Our future society is projected to be led not by knowledge, but by creativity. Whether a country succeeds in nurturing creative talent or not will determine its national competitiveness in the future. … In this vein, now is the right time for a massive transformation of our educational system from the previous cramming system to a creativity-nurturing system." Got your attention now?
Countries are looking to turn around the current economic decline that the world has been experiencing in recent years. Those who were late to the party are now scrambling to reform their educational systems in hopes of reviving their economies. The need for critical and creative thinkers has never seemed greater.
This is an opportunity for advocates of gifted education to educate world leaders in the necessity of supporting their high-ability learners. These students offer the shortest time in development with regard to return on investment.
Now don't be put off by my terminology! It is the language of those who control the proverbial 'purse-strings' when it comes to education budgets and of policy wonks who influence politicians. No, our children are not commodities to be bought and sold, and that is not the intent of this post.
In reality, supporting gifted children – identifying who they are, providing them with an appropriate education, and inspiring creativity – just makes sense for everyone.
Creativity has been defined as "the experience of thinking, reacting, and working in an imaginative and idiosyncratic way which is characterized by a high degree of innovation and originality, divergent thinking, and risk taking." So, here are a few things that need to be considered – innovation, originality, and divergent thinking. Innovation is the introduction of new things or methods. Originality implies something that has never been done before. Divergent thinking is creative, open-ended thinking aimed at generating fresh views and novel solutions. This leads to convergent thinking where all the ideas are brought back together into the best idea. All of which will make the world a better place.
Thus I return to my original premise … what the world needs now is creativity! It's the only thing that there's just too little of …
Post-script: Today in remarks made to the World Bank, U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, made these remarks:" Education is now the key to eliminating gender inequality, to reducing poverty, to creating a sustainable planet, to preventing needless deaths and illness, and to fostering peace. And in a knowledge economy, education is the new currency by which nations maintain economic competitiveness and global prosperity. Education today is inseparable from the development of human capital."
I rest my case.
Study by Kyung Hee Kim at the College of William and Mary, May, 2010.
See: http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/programmes/gifted-education-programme/rationale-and-goals/
The Korean Herald, March 2010, http://www.koreaherald.com/specialreport/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20091215000056
The Maine Art Education Association


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"The gun jammed on the last shot and the baby stood holding the crib rail, eyes wild, bawling. The man sat down in an upholstered chair and began taking his gun apart to see why it wouldn't fire".
"Nothing that happens, nothing, is not connected here by blood".
"Old love, middle love, the kind of love that knows itself and knows that nothing lasts, is a desperate shared wilderness".
Louise Erdrich published "The Plague of Doves" in 2008, and I've just come to it by way of the excellent "Shadowtag" – but it feels different and it feels deeper.
Finishing the story is like surfacing, coming up for air after the longest swim through the bracing blue of some remote northern lake. It has such momentum, as the stories of one North Dakota family after another – white, Objibwe or Chippewa, mixed – unfold and then entwine. In its depths, there are secrets and there is terror and there are stories untold until the very last few pages. It's compelling and mesmerising. It's also visceral, about the stain of family history, and the power of sex. Erdrich voices the kind of thoughts most of us leave unsaid.
I believe in these characters. Evelina Harp, the curious girl who falls hard into womanhood. Billy Peace, the innocent who becomes the monstrous leader of a cult. And the meandering voice of Evelina's grandfather Mooshum. Right at the beginning he tells us the story of the farming community coming together to scare off the plague of doves, but he also sets the spiral of violence in motion by telling another story that he never should have told.
Louise Erdrich runs what she calls a tiny independent bookstore in Minneapolis. It seems the kind of place you might pride yourself on discovering, and hope to find in your own neighbourhood as a sort of home from home.


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I did it! I just won National Novel Writing Month – 50,000 words in…wait for it…only 29 days!
Excuse me while I go dance on air.
Numbers are in and validated at:
Thanks to everyone who helped me get there!!!
November 29, 2013
November 18, 2013
It's Day 18, and I won't be writing tonight. I am ahead! And exhausted. But look, see!
This weekend, I attended an all-night affair we lovingly call "Night of Writing Dangerously" – an event which is always put on in San Francisco, OLL HQ. A group decided to make our own here in northern Virginia, and at the last minute, secured a free space where we could spend the night. I coordinated to get a ride to the library that was hosting us, and arrived around 1pm. We scattered around the library until 4, when we got one of the meeting rooms. At 5, the library closed and the madness began. People brought lots of food to share, a coffee machine, sleeping bags and blankets, copious amount of caffeine, and lots of energy. At peak, we had about 30 people there! Everyone cheered when someone yelled out a milestone:
They finally kissed!!! WOOO
The giggles came and went several times. We had periods of loud talking and laughter and jokes, and then suddenly all would go quiet as people refocused on their novels and characters. I was there 21 hours, and slept just an hour and a half, at the very end, the next morning. The library bought us pizza! And juice and donuts for the morning. Seriously, they rocked it. They were the greatest hosts, which is saying something: have you ever been in the same room as 30 frantic novelists?
As for me, I trudged through and managed to write 10,000 words! So now I'm up to 35,000, which means I have just 15,000 left. So weird. I don't think 50,000 will be the end of my novel, which is strange and exciting. My last novel I wrote ended pretty close to 50,000, and so I'm excited that this one is so sustaining. I'm also excited because I can feel myself growing as a fiction writer. My characters have stepped out of the pages and faced me head on (one even left). When they discover a will of their own, when they make decisions you didn't make for them? It's an incredible feeling (and also wildly disconcerting). Two major things happened with my characters and their wills. One, my villain, put up a fight to my wicked plans for him, and there were hours when I thought he wouldn't do what I wanted him to. That he wouldn't become the villain I'd planned him to be. I mean, villains never think of themselves as villains, right? As I increased his rage, he started yelling – but at me. And all of a sudden I thought: he's not going to do it. It was weird, to get that sense. I have a plan to wrangle him into at least keeping part of my plot – the one I spent days outlining, including several concerning him. Hours went by, and I pushed this problem out. Then, I flipped back to my "present-day" setting and wrote a chapter – and at the end of it, one of my characters told me he was not coming back from the trip I sent him on. He was gone. And he didn't even have the decency to tell me beforehand! And he's generally a good guy. It was shocking, really, to realize that. From afar – and I do mean afar – he waved and said "bye." Come on!
Oh the thrills and woes of writing. I am having so much fun!
November 5, 2013
I am now 5 days into the madness. I don't have much time for anything but writing – and even this post is taking precious noveling time away (or food, or sleep, or other sanity times). But so far, I'm ahead of where I need to be, which is exciting, since I've never been able to do that yet in my three years of trying this. Check it:
I am not certain that this trend will continue, but thanks to awesome pep talks like the one today from Catherynne Valente, it might. It is certainly nice to have the padding. Today I barely made it past the 1,667 requirement before packing up my things. I enjoy writing with other writers – the energy is infectious (and there's the peer pressure and word sprints, too, of course, which help tremendously).
Also I'd like to point out to all y'all that NPR has an article about National Novel Writing Month. Uh-huh. Legit. They even did one last year, too. We're crazy, but there are a lot of us. People who don't do NaNoWriMo are always stunned when I tell them how many novelists there are currently typing away furiously for a month. As of this writing, this moment, there are 280,570.
Uh, yeah, so speaking of….
I will be pretty quiet this month. I'm trying to post daily updates on the fun new meter off to the right, on that nifty sidebar, so check in there for my latest. Cool? Cool. Peace out. Happy writing.
October 29, 2013
10 days ago, in a rather silly mood, I gave you a peek into the world of National Novel Month 2013 and roughly what's in store for me. Much has changed since then, including the major points of my plot. My muse is much happier now, even if it's taking a turn into fantasy, something I never thought I'd do.
But that is actually nothing compared to my excitement over this:
My dad is going to do NaNoWriMo with me this year!
Repeat: my dad is going to do NaNoWriMo with me this year!
I can't even – I'm so excited! SO EXCITED, I tell you. This is awesome because, well, dad. But also, he is an incredible writer. He is king of his industry, and is editor and co-owner of a monthly magazine which is rocking the competition like whoa. I've done NaNo for two years; this will be my third attempt (and hopefully second win!). His plan is to do lots of flash fiction pieces to total 50,000 words throughout November. Dad who beat up cancer last year and threw a party.
Okay, also my plot. You remember that whole thing about ghost lessons? Yeah, that's still there but majorly in the background. Here is my (evidently fantasy) plot as of now: In the 17th century, Richard was in love with Cassandra Hart, but despite everything he did for her, she never loved him back. She married Francis instead, and this made him angry. He appeared at their wedding, threatening they would rue the day etc., before taking a blade and stabbing himself through the heart. He stayed on earth as a ghost, and then underwent the requirements for becoming a Voleruh and took on the name Reshkhi. Voleruhs are evil creatures of the undead that steal ghost's souls. Reshkhi has hunted the Hart family for centuries, with the desire to rip out the female Harts' souls. Thanks to protection left by Cassandra, Jillian's and Lea's ancestor, he was unable to destroy them. Now, the youngest Hart, Jillian, has died at age 17, and her mother, Lea, has been trying to protect her from Reshkhi. Lea died one year ago, and when she did, the protection was broken. Now, Reshkhi is determined to take the soul of Lea's daughter, Jillian.
* For the record, I'm aware of the "isn't a ghost a soul?" issue and my comeback is: ghost = spirit; soul = soul. So hah.
It's a work in progress. I had to create a creature – a Voleruh – which seemed to put me firmly in the fantastic. Which is SO weird. But whatever, let's run with it, right? Don't confuse my startled-ness with disliking fantasy; on the contrary it's one of my favorite genres to read. But it's also a lot of work and I admit I'm pretty nervous. Still, it's an easier switch, as I'm not building worlds or races or languages a la Tolkien.
None of that is really important.
My dad is doing NaNoWriMo with me!
October 19, 2013
I have it! A plot!
Welcome, everyone, to this year's edition of National Novel Writing Month. Joining me this morning is writer S. S has worked on several novels in the past, one of which, Light on the Sea, is going to be published next year. This year, she's at it again. Her method to some seems questionable at best, and so I've asked her in to discuss this year's plans.
Me: Now, S, is your method this year any different than in previous years?
S: No, it's generally the same. It's a little rough to be sure, but it has definite success rates.
Me: Success rates you yourself will soon see, so I hear.
S: Yes! I'm very excited. I've wanted to publish a book since I was little, and suddenly it's turning into a reality. I couldn't be happier. And this year's NaNoWriMo is going to be great, too, I can feel it.
Me: This year's – what? Could you explain to our audience?
S: Oh! Absolutely. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It's a competition of sorts where you write 50,000 words of a new novel in only the month of November. It's a great way to get people writing, laughing, and really learning about their own creativity. You can plan all you want before November, but you can't start any actual writing until 12:01am on November 1st.
Me: That sounds like a fun goal. But it also sounds exhausting.
S: It is [she says with a grin]. It's nutty. But the first one I ever did is Light on the Sea, so it has some potential. Lots of authors have been published through NaNoWriMo. I'm making my calendar for word count, and also food, before it starts.
Me: I guess we should let you get back to planning out this tough course. But before you go, would you tell our listeners and readers what this year's novel is about?
S: Good timing, I just nailed it down this week. This year I'm diving into the world of ghosts: Jillian Truell has just died. She sets about walking through walls, frightening the living, and moving objects around a room – except, she can't do any of it. Confused, hurt, and still dead, she takes up residence in an abandoned house she names "The Temple." It's there she meets Barnabus Bugby, a ghost older in both years and death day – 1774. With his help, she learns all the skills to being a ghost. But is it enough? Read that with a really intense movie voice and you'll get the gist. It's also the first time I'll be trying to write in the first person, so it's sure to be an adventure.
Me: Thank you so much, S. Are there any ways people can support your admittedly – uh, intense – endeavor?
S: There is, actually. See, NaNoWriMo is put on by a non-profit called the Office of Lights and Letters. You can go to this site and donate. Your donation helps bring free creative writing programs to more than 500,000 kids and adults in approximately 100 countries, 2,000 classrooms, and 600 libraries.
Me: Thank you so much for taking the time out of planning to talk with me today, and best of luck!
NaNoWriMo: http://nanowrimo.org
Donation Page: http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=272579


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Hello Readers!
I have been meaning to blog the latest from 7 Deadly S{k}ins ever since the June box arrived and was VERY inspired to do it today after seeing the hotness that are the Misters of Mr. Virtual World 2015! I would like to personally give a lil shout out to Mr Virtual Italy, Trouble Dethly and Mr Virtual Portugal, Bosco Jonson. They are special to me for reasons they are well aware of. *winks and blows a kiss* They are up against some very talented and very handsome men. I did not envy the judges today, but I certainly enjoyed the show! That said, let me get back to 7 Deadly S{k}ins. I know I have said before I adore Izara's work and I do, both male and female. There is just something about her male skins that makes me want to man up! One of my girlfriends (who shall remain nameless because I don't want to embarrass her) saw Izara's "Damon" wanted me to be her boyfriend on the spot! So yes, he is THAT good looking! I of course outfitted him in the latest from Legal Insanity (which is always hot) and the amazing shoes from Pure Poison by Shaleen Kenin. If you have not stopped by Pure Poison to see the awesomeness she is creating for the men you must go!
shape > Sammael v2 by 7 Deadly S{k}ins
skin > DamonV1T3 by 7 Deadly S{k}ins
hands & feet > Slink
hair > *ARGRACE* TAKUMI – Black
eyes > IKON 'Sunrise' Eyes – Deep Hazel
skirt > Legal Insanity – bear shirt group gift – June 2014
pants > Legal Insanity – stefan slim pants patchwork – red
shoes > Pure Poison – Adam Sandals – Black
pose > Slouch
Thank you for reading!
"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea."
~ Robert A. Heinlein


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Central Michigan Railroad Company Bonds
Central Michigan Railroad Company Bonds donated by Jim & Lois Richmond.
About Us
The Michigan Central Station Preservation Society was incorporated in 2009 shortly after the Detroit City Council voted for an expedited demolition of the Michigan Central Station. This sparked a grassroots movement that included support from not only the metropolitan Detroit community, but international support as well.
On June 30th 2009, the grassroots movement turned into a volunteer cleanup effort in collaboration with the Ambassador Bridge Company and Summer in the City. Since then, the Michigan Central Station Preservation Society has operated as a community forum to share memories from its past and creative ideas for its future.
We are excited about the new chapter for the Michigan Central Station under the ownership of Ford Motor Company and we will continue our mission so that we can channel the creative energy of the community!
Follow our Facebook Page
Follow us on facebook by clicking the link


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Assessment Cubes
A set of 3 colourful cubes which are a practical and useful way to involve children in assessing their learning. In order to engage with activities in the classroom, children need to know why they are doing something and what they will do with the knowledge and skills they have gained. Assessment Cubes will do this in an entertaining and rigorous way. Each cube instructs a child to review their learning in a different way.
• The What Cube (Green) explores what a child has gained from an activity.
• The How Cube (Red) helps them decide what they are going to do with their learning.
• The What Next Cube (Blue) helps them to make connections between their learning experiences.
Throw or roll them individually or together to get 216 different combinations. Use just one cube to focus on one aspect of learning.
Involving children in reviewing their learning is vital to effective assessment. These cubes will enable you to do so in an enjoyable and purposeful way.
Thinking Skills - If you use the cubes regularly, children will have opportunities to develop their lower and higher order thinking skills, and to reflect on their thinking and learning, also called metacognition.
Assessment for Learning - The cubes can be used as a means to embed assessment for learning in your classroom. Using the green and red cubes together provides opportunities for children to show where they are in their learning. The blue cube will help them think about where they might go next in their learning. Rolling the red cube again may help them work out what steps to take to get there.
Developed by Mike Fleetham, Educational consultant and trainer.


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The Interim Report of the Bankruptcy Law Reform Committee (headed by former Law Secretary TK Viswanathan and set up by the Ministry of Finance) has been released and it suggests changes in India's corporate bankruptcy legal framework. Vidhi assisted the Committee with legal research and drafting of the report. The Report can be accessed here.
The report has been well-received by the stakeholders. It has been covered by several national and international dailies including the Economic Times, the Business Standard, Live Mint, the Financial Express, the Hindu, and IFR Asia (a Thomson Reuters publication).
Vidhi will now be assisting the Committee in drafting a Bankruptcy Code for India.


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Around here, we used to do a fairly regular feature called Food Poetry Wednesday. It isn't the catchiest name ever, but it was straightforward. Since taking my new job, I've had shamefully little time to concentrate on anything else but keeping my head above water. Today, however, found me laid up in the house most of the day with a terrible allergy attack. After a morning of watching World's Most Shocking Police Videos (or some other such crap) in a histamine-induced daze, I turned off the TV and went back to bed with some books.
One of them was Billy Collins' Sailing Alone Around the Room, a gift from an old friend upon landing my first job out of college. Billy Collins was the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003, but before that he was writing the kind of poetry that has always touched me: poems that elevate the ordinary to something sacred, special or simply humorous. He takes the most routine situations — or even thoughts — and puts them into verses that either make you take everything a little less seriously or make you appreciate the small things just that much more, depending upon the mood in which you've found yourself.
So in honor of a not-so-special Sunday evening in which I've found myself in a fairly rotten mood, here's a food poem by Billy Collins that gave me comfort in spite of myself. Hope it does the same for you, too.
Osso Bucco
I love the sound of the bone against the plate
and the fortress-like look of it
lying before me in a moat of risotto,
the meat soft as the leg of an angel
who has lived a purely airborne existence.
And best of all, the secret marrow,
the invaded privacy of the animal
prized out with a knife and swallowed done
with cold, exhilarating wine.
I am swaying now in the hour after dinner,
a citizen tilted back on his chair,
a creature with a full stomach —
something you don't hear much about in poetry,
that sanctuary of hunger and deprivation.
You know: the driving rain, the boots by the door,
small birds searching for berries in winter.
But tonight, the lion of contentment
has placed a warm, heavy paw on my chest,
and I can only close my eyes and listen
to the drums of woe throbbing in the distance
and the sound of my wife's laughter
on the telephone in the next room,
the woman who cooked the savory osso bucco,
who pointed to show the butcher the ones she wanted.
She who talks to her faraway friend
while I linger here at the table
with a hot, companionable cup of tea,
feeling like one of the friendly natives,
a reliable guide, maybe even the chief's favorite son.
Somewhere, a man is crawling up a rock hillside
on bleeding knees and palms, an Irish penitent
carrying the stone of the world in his stomach;
and elsewhere people of all nations stare
at one another across a long, empty table.
But here, the candles give off their warm glow,
the same light that Shakespeare and Izaak Walton wrote by,
the light that lit and shadowed the faces of history.
Only now it plays on the blue plates,
the crumpled napkins, the crossed knife and fork.
In a while, one of us will go up to bed
and the other one will follow.
Then we will slip below the surface of the night
into miles of water, drifting down and down
to the dark, soundless bottom
until the weight of dreams pulls us lower still,
below the shale and layered rock,
beneath the strata of hunger and pleasure,
into the broken bones of the earth itself,
into the marrow of the only place we know.


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"Cats are dicks."
It's quite a statement, but one that us cat-lovers have come to accept. It is also a fact that The Oatmeal (Matthew Inman) delightfully exploited for us in "How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You" and has continued it for us in his latest, "Why My Cat Is More Impressive Than Your Baby" (Andrews McMeel Publishing).
Welcome to the self-help book you never knew you needed. Welcome to the silly comic book that actually offers baby-owners solace and cat-owners giggles. Not only will this book offer you helpful tidbits on "How To Tell If Your Cat Thinks You're Not That Big Of A Deal" and "How To Be A Dog." The Oatmeal also unpacks the true problems with car seats, expanding on the design with his own inventive additions to keep babies quiet and cats occupied at the same time. All the while, he demonstrates his unique sense of dry and relatable humor.
While this book is, for the most part, a rumination on cats and babies (mostly cats), The Oatmeal also tackles less frequently addressed topics such as farts and sneezes with gusto. Why is it that we are offended when someone farts (a harmless non-disease carrying fart), yet when someone sneezes their germs everywhere they get a "bless you?"
Other delightful topics include why our cats grow up one way when they are spoiled and our babies another. Are we to blame? Are our cats splaying their underside to the world to show off or because it's comfortable? (Hint: It's the first.)
It's a hard realization to come to, but after reading this helpful book of comics, while my own cat is attacking my feet in bed, I think I can come to terms with it: Cats. Are. The. Worst.
Except when it comes to babies.
Because babies are "ham-goblins" that pop out of the womb looking like an alien and screaming. AT LEAST, cats don't do that.
Other revelations I came to from this insightful work: Did you know that farts think that they heal your body and consider themselves your "toot baby?" Or that dogs allow humans to leash themselves to you to prevent the humans from chasing cars, wildlife and/or their dreams?
I mean ... he makes some good points. Also, the book comes with a poster that I personally already have hanging on my wall. Additionally, "Why My Cat is More Impressive Than Your Baby" is a great book to keep in your cubicle at work to relieve stress, or next to the toilet, because, what better way is there to have a good number two than reading a comic about a dog's number two? Or a baby pooping in a litter box? You choose.
"Why My Cat Is More Impressive Than Your Baby" is available now.
BookTrib.com is the lifestyle destination for book lovers, where articles and books are paired together to create dynamic content that goes beyond traditional book reviews.
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Dojo-Pro Katana Model #3 Samurai Sword
Twin crane tsuba
With over 30 models of katana for sale, Ronin's dojo pro line of samurai swords is the largest Japanese sword line in the world. Each unique tsuba is based on an actual antique Japanese katana. The pro line is extensively tested yearly, with testing videos published on you tube having received nearly 5 million views. Ronin has destroyed over $10,000 in swords to help educate the public in what our swords can, and can not do. Ronin strives to produce a safe and reliable workhorse sword that is welcome in dojos around the world. Ronin is a global brand with retailers based in the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Steel: Through hardened 1060 steel samurai sword
Saya: Hand cut and polished buffalo horn Kurikata, Koguchi and Kojiri.
Weight: 2.6 pounds
POB: 4 1/2- 5 inches
Length in saya: 42 inches
Tsuka: 11 inches
Blade: 28 inches
Habaki to tip: 27 inches
Ito: Silk
Sageo: Synthetic silk
Fuchi: Backened iron
Kashira: Blackened iron
Menuki: Brass
4 Reviews
exceptional quality to detail.
This is my first Kah-tah-nah. Looking for a functional sword at a reasonable price can be quite challenging however Ronin has made this achievable. Kojiri, Kurikata, Koiguchi all in polished buffalo horn. Seppa, Habaki in Brass. Ito in Silk. Solid iron Tsuba.Saya in a black flawless laquar finish. All fittings tight. This in a affordable sword is almost unheard of .
The Blade. Very sharp out of box. Polish exceptional. Weight perfectly balanced. Cutting incredibly fluid.
I needed one sword for Kendo training and Ronin's Dojo Pro Katana made that possible.
Beautiful and functional
Received it in Australia quite quickly, full tracking was available.
Although definitely sharp, it is not the sharpest blade I have- it is certainly functionally sharp for cutting. Kurikata fell off in my hand on first draw and its fittings were loose, however this was an easy fix- used fletching glue and have not had a problem since.
Despite being a somewhat heavy blade, it is nicely balanced and has a good natural feel and flow, the contoured tsuba I believe helps with this to a large degree. The finish is simplistic and very well done which is something I find very attractive about it- along with high quality traditional style fittings that suit it very nicely. Apart from the minor repairs I had to make, ALL other fittings and furnishings are very secure and solid. I expected to see waxy or oily residue on the blade as it is a high carbon steel, this in no way affects usability at all.
All in all it is a very nice Katana, and one I can see myself using for years. It is built for functionality and it feels like it- a serious piece of kit and quite a surprise for a production piece.
I will definitely be getting the matching Wakizashi in the not too distant future.
Thank you, Andy
Great Sword
The box that the sword came in wasn't very fancy or anything but it came with a free sword bag so that's a plus. For the first few draws there was a waxy residue on the blade, but it's for stopping rust and it comes off after the first few draws. The blade itself is an excellent cutter. I botched a cut and hit a piece of aluminum and there was barely a scratch. The only problem I had with it was that it was EXTREMELY difficult to dissasemble, I took the mekugi pins out and started hitting my hand to get the blade loose, but it WOULD NOT come loose. After a long time of vigorously hitting my hand(it hurt a lot) it came loose. Overall it's a good sword, it was just difficult to disassemble, and that might've just been a fluke
Amazing Sword
I've had my Dojo Pro for a few years now and its still in great shape. The blade comes extremely sharp, scary sharp. It cuts through leather like its butter. This particular model has the nicest looking tsuba in my opinion. The only thing I dont like is that there is a waxy residue inside the sheath that rubs onto the blade, its probably used to help control moisture or something, but its kind of annoying having to rub it off everytime.


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by Weber Shandwick
A new, groundbreaking global study conducted by Weber Shandwick reveals a rising social movement ignited by the digital and social media era – employee activism. Employee activists draw visibility to their workplace, defend their employers from criticism and act as advocates, both online and off. One in five employees (21%) is estimated to be an employee activist, and another 33% have high potential to be employee activists. As the movement grows at an increasing speed, employers have an enormous opportunity to engage and capitalise on these powerful advocates, or risk missing out on an important group of supporters and, at worst, fail to curtail detractors who have the potential to upend company reputations.
"The employee activist movement should not be underestimated," said Micho Spring, Weber Shandwick's Global Corporate practice chair. "Identifying and activating employees willing to rise to levels of extraordinary support for their organisations will certainly be an important priority for CEOs."
Weber Shandwick partnered with KRC Research to conduct Employees Rising: Seizing the Opportunity in Employee Activism. Through an online survey of 2,300 employees covering 15 markets worldwide, the study explores the employee activist movement to help organisations understand what it takes to catch the rising tide of employee activism.
"These findings are especially relevant for employers across Asia Pacific. Employees in this region are particularly passionate and will actively share their point of view. We know from our conversations with clients that employee engagement is top of their priority lists and building on employee activism is going to be a new way forward," said Tyler Kim, Head of Corporate and Crisis, Asia Pacific.
Social Media Ignites Employee Activism
As business leaders know, the impact of social media on an employer's reputation is now an everyday reality. What some employers don't fully realise is how critical social media is to employee engagement and how it fuels employee activism. Here are some eye-opening facts from employees in the study:
- 50% post messages, pictures or videos in social media about their employer. In Asia Pacific, it's higher with nearly three in five employees posting about their employer (59%)
- 39% have shared praise or positive comments online about their employer. In Asia Pacific, 45% of employees have been positive about their employer, online
- 16% have shared criticism or negative comments online about their employer; in Asia Pacific it increases to 19%
- 14% have posted something about their employer in social media that they regret. In Asia Pacific, this proportion is higher again with 20% admitting they've posted something about their employer in social media that they regret.
Some Employers Have Joined the Movement
Our survey found that one-third of employers – 33% – encourage their employees to use social media to share news and information about the organisation. (Employers in Asia Pacific are even more active with 40% encouraging employees to use social media to share company news and information.) Social encouragement has an outsized impact on employer advocacy among employees. For example, employees with socially-encouraging employers are significantly more likely to help boost sales than employees whose employers aren't socially encouraging (72% vs. 48%, respectively). The report provides many examples of the benefits of encouraging employees to "socialise their employer brands" and the simple ways in which employers are doing so.
Unrest in the Workforce
To understand the roots of this movement, it is important to recognise the challenges facing employees today. There is significant upheaval in the workforce due to:
- Pervasive organisational changes. More than eight in 10 employees (84%) have recently experienced an employer change such as a leadership turnover, extensive lay-offs, merger/acquisition, financial slowdown, etc.
- Ineffective internal communications. Only four in 10 employees can describe to others what their employer does (42%) or what its goals are (37%). In Asia Pacific, this drops to 32% and 29% respectively
- Weak employee engagement. Only 30% of employees are deeply engaged with their employer. This low level of engagement is not surprising given the acceleration of change combined with poor communications
- Employees are on the defence and often serve as "first responders." Nearly six in 10 respondents (56%) surveyed have either defended their employer to family and friends or in a more public venue — such as on a website, blog, or in a newspaper.
The Weber Shandwick Workforce Activism Spectrum™
Using segmentation modeling, all survey respondents are sorted by their reported actions toward their employers – both supporting and detracting. The Weber Shandwick Workforce Activism Spectrum™ model identifies six distinct segments of employees.
The report includes an Employee Activism Tip Sheet, prescribing strategy and underlying tactics for launching an employee activist programme for each of the six segments of employee activists. Weber Shandwick has also developed a tool that classifies an organisation's employees into these six segments based on five easy-to-answer questions.
"The internet and social media are game-changers for employee communications, giving employees an amplified voice. The opportunity for organisations is to harness the exuberance of those employees who see it as their responsibility to be reputation advocates," according to Leslie Gaines-Ross, Chief Reputation Strategist at Weber Shandwick.
Kim added, "With the explosion of mobile internet penetration in many Asia Pacific markets, social media activism in the workplace has enormous positive potential. Organisations and brands need a strategic approach to truly benefit from this increasingly valuable audience."
Take our Employees Rising quiz to find out where you fall on Weber Shandwick's Workforce Activism Spectrum, or click on the infographic below for more information.