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The psalmist said, "Be still and know I am God" (Psalm 46:10). "Be still"…"and know…" In the Hebrew language, when two coordinate imperatives or imperative verbal forms appear together, as in "Be still" and "know" the emphasis goes to the second command. In other words, what the psalmist is saying could be translated to mean, […]
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God!"
Yes, that WAS the title of a sermon given by Jonathan Edwards in the 18th century.
The title has changed over the years; the message has remained the same.
You are a sinner.
To be a sinner is bad.
Jesus suffered God's anger so your sins could be covered.
If you repent, you'll be saved.
You'll live in heaven when you die and avoid hell.
In recent years, I have come to see, not so much the fallacy of this theological logic, just its inadequacy. Maybe this kind of believing…maybe this kind of red-faced, perspiration-producing, stroke-inducing preaching from behind Christian pulpits or, worse, on busy street corners…maybe it served some necessary function at one time in our history. Highly debatable, I concede, but maybe, in some twisted way, it was helpful…that's all I'm saying.
What's abundantly clear is this: If it ever was, it no longer is.
The word "sin" is rich in meaning. It is, as are many words, a "picture" word, meaning "to miss the mark." It points to an archer who aims his arrow at a target but he misses or fails to reach it.
The tragedy of the human experience is not that, if you do not get your nasty, sinful, and hell-deserving condition cleaned up…that is, "under the blood," as it was often described in the days of my youth, you'll suffer eternal conscious torment in a literal hell one day. And, deservedly so. Because, if you end up in hell, as the preacher's reminded us, "it isn't because God sent you there…you sent yourself." In other words, if you don't get "saved," you'll be eternally lost, damned to hell itself, and both because you elected that destiny for yourself.
Silly, shallow logic but it made sense to the limited minds of my youth. Heck, I used to preach that same stuff myself. I'm embarrassed to admit it today, but I did nonetheless.
As Maya Angelou loves to say, "When you know better, you do better."
The real human tragedy is actually worse than the way it was preached by Jonathan Edwards…worse than the way many preachers and priests still preach it today. That tragedy is this: that you and I could live our lives…stuck, as it were, in a limited understanding as to why we are here on earth and so never quite figure out the meaning of our lives…that is, never quite get the point of human existence…the point of our own existence. That we might actually "miss the target," miss THE point of our lives.
I've been reading a new book by Fr. Richard Rohr. This guy gets it. And, he states it infinitely better than I ever could that there are two movements to life. In the first half, it's all about us. The second half is about…or, should be about, getting outside of this "all about me" problem we call "sin" or, the better word today, "ego." His book, and one I would highly recommend you add to your summer reading list – after, of course, you've read The Enoch Factor – 🙂 is entitled, Falling Upward: Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life.
"The most counterintuitive message," writes Rohr, "in most of the world's religions, including and most especially in Christianity…is this: that we grow spiritually much more by doing it wrong than by doing it right."
In other words, to be a sinner is not a bad thing, but a good thing indeed.
How's that for a radically different way of looking at your "fallen" condition…what Catholics and Evangelicals refer to as "original sin?"
Your condition is not something God hates. Or, that God is seething over and, as a consequence, had to send His innocent Son to be His "bully pulpit" and appease His wrath.
Instead, the recognition of your condition, the acknowledgment of my condition, is first simply the inner awareness that, during the first half of my life, it really was all about me. I was "into" the fulfillment of my own ego needs for recognition, for advancement, for rewards that came in the form of big pay checks, a pregnant retirement account, a name for myself and, not only this, but even my religious life was all about securing for myself an eternal destiny that would, in the end, preserve "ME" in heaven forever. Heck, I worked to even have a few trophies up there.
Second, it is the recognition that, in the second half of life, I am all about dying BEFORE I die…I'm all about living a resurrected…connected…compassionate…and conscious life now. I'm all about the death of the ego now, so that "the power of the resurrection," about which Saint Paul spoke, becomes more and more a living reality today (Phil. 3:10).
Conversion, salvation, enlightenment…you can call this "SHIFT" in consciousness – which simply means "awareness" or "understanding" – every religions has its own cultural way of explaining what happens when, after missing the point of human existence for much of my life, the shift occurs and, from point onward, you think differently, live differently, view the world differently. Everything changes. You could not go back if you wanted to. In fact, it would never even occur to you to go back, any more than it occurred to the woman at the well whose life shifted after meeting Jesus (John 4).
You remember the story. She came to Jacob's Well with bucket in hand to carry water back to her home. After meeting Jesus…after having experienced a "shift" in her own consciousness, she returned to the city but left her bucket beside the well.
It would no longer be necessary. She carried the "well" back with her…in her.
For me, the shift came one Sunday afternoon several years ago now, while I was reclining on the living room sofa, beer in one hand, remote in the other.
Suddenly, I just woke up.
If you have not yet awakened…or experienced this shift in consciousness, my story will make no sense to you whatsoever. If you have, few things make more sense.
Do not seek this shift.
It isn't necessary. Life will bring it to you when you are ready. This is what the Bible means by "grace." Grace and salvation or enlightenment is all about God. Religion is all about the ego…doing it on your own…earning your place in heaven.
The shift will come to you…when you're ready. Being "Christian"…being "righteous"…or, being "enlightened," is not something you do. It is something DONE unto you.
If it has not yet occurred, it will. I promise. If you're concerned about when it'll come, I'd be inclined to say, it has happened to you already. But you are again allowing the ego in you to do whatever it can to keep you from acknowledging the change…the shift…because, if it can divert you and so get you to continually look for God, it will have succeeded in edging God out – e g o – and, this need not happen to you, my friend.
God is not difficult to find. God is impossible to ignore.
If the shift has occurred in you, then you are nodding your head in agreement with what I'm writing about today. You are saying to yourself, "That's it! What you describe is what's happened to me."
Then, give thanks this day, my friend.
But then, I know you will.
How could you do anything less?


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Hi opentherm guru's
I am trying to construct a multi-zone heating system. Basic idea is that in the daytime the boiler would use the standard (Rehema iSense) thermostat in the the living room and in the night time use an alternative temperature sensor (MAX! wall thermostat) in the master bedroom. For those interested, hw consists of a RPI, OTGW with otmonitor and MAX! cube + wall thermostat and radiator valve controls. Using FHEM as domotica sw. Works great but just missing one thing, how to calculate the boiler temperature control setpoint when I am using the bedroom thermostat? Btw, the iSense does a great job in maintaining the room temperature when set to a constant setpoint.
I set the room temperature to a constant 21.5 oC and logged the boiler\thermostat data using FHEM and made a load of screenshots from the OTGW graphs. Trying to detect a pattern here. Easiest when nobody turns the hot water on
So far as I can see:
1: The (basic) boiler control setpoint calculated by the iSense varies (for a 21.5 oC room setpoint) between 40 and 45 oC. Seems to vary as a sinewave.
2: Periodically the control setpoint is increased to 90 oC for a short period of time. This seems to be triggered when the boiler water temperature falls to below the control setpoint by 5 oC.
3: This 90 oC boost ends when the boiler water temperature rises to about 10 oC above the control setpoint after a minimum boost time of +/- 4 mins.
Unfortunately the above observations do not always hold true. About 20% of the time the boosts seem to be triggered/stopped by something else. Turning on the hot water seems to have an impact, but this does not explain all the deviations. Also how does the thermostat calculate the basic bolier control setpoint.
Would be grateful if anybody could enlighten me further...

subset: commoncrawl


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Is it bad karma or pure coincidence?
At the beginning of this tournament, Dubai Open has already lost defending champion, Andy Roddick who boycotted the event.
Other top players including Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Nikolay Davydenko also withdrew from this tournament due to injury problems.
And in the latest development, Andy Murray pulled out from the tournament after coming down with a virus.
Now this ATP 500 event is all yours, Nole!
(Image by Marwan Naamani/AFP/Getty Images)


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After the tussle for its release in Nigeria, one of the most-awaited films of this year 'Half of a Yellow Sun' a screen adaptation of Chimamanda Adichie's bestselling novel of the same name, will be available in cinemas across the country from today, 1st of August 2014.
According to an official of Bigsam Media "we are really happy that 'Half of a Yellow Sun' is finally in cinemas today and we wish every Nigerian a happy viewing."
The film, Half Of A Yellow Sun, made its world premiere at the 38th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) at the Winter Garden Theatre, Toronto, Canada, on Sunday, September 8.
The movie which has been released in cinemas in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand has performed tremendously well and it is expected to do more in the Nigerian market, as the producer, director and writer are all Nigerians.
The movie generated Two Hundred and Eighty Million Naira (N280,000,000) abroad from cinema releases, in-flight viewing right sales, and online viewing right sales.
The movie which is expected to become a record-breaking film features stars like BAFTA award winner and Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, BAFTA award winner Thandie Newton, Genevieve Nnaji, O.C. Ukeje, Zack orji and Onyeka Onwenu.
Based on the novel by a prominent Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, it was initially banned by Nigeria's film censorship board because the movie partially takes place during the Biafran War.
It was later approved by the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).


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Nordic Energy Named to Inc. Magazine's 5000 List
Earns distinction as one of America's fastest-growing private companies
Oakbrook Terrace, IL, August 22 – Inc. Magazine recently unveiled its seventh annual Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. Oakbrook Terrace based Nordic Energy Services was ranked at 1,988 with a three-year growth in revenue of 189%. With well over 20 million privately held businesses in the U.S., making the list is a major accomplishment.
"We are proud of our recent inclusion in the Inc. Top 5,000 list of fastest-growing private companies," said President Jim Deering. "To be recognized along side some of the best and biggest companies in the country affirms that alternative energy services are in-demand and offer a real value to consumers," Deering added.
Along with Nordic Energy the list included independent entrepreneurs such as Fuhu (number one on this year's list), Living Social, Edible Arrangements, CDW, Lifelock and many other prominent brands. The companies on this year's list had a median growth rate of 142% and total revenue of $241 billion.
"Nordic Energy's growth is fueled by customer-centric products and steady growth into new markets," remarked Jim Deering. Earlier this year Nordic Energy expanded into Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland as an alternative electric supplier and Michigan as an alternative gas supplier with service coming to Ohio in Mid-September. "We look forward to providing value-driven energy programs to businesses and residential customers with a high level of service rarely seen in the energy industry."
To view the complete Inc. 5000 List visit: www.inc.com/5000
Nordic Energy Services, LLC (www.nordicenergy-us.com) is
an independently owned, Chicago-based, Alternative Retail Electric Supplier (ARES) and
Alternative Gas Supplier (AGS). Nordic Energy supplies natural gas and/or electricity with related services to commercial customers, municipalities and residential customers throughout Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, Maryland – and coming soon Ohio. Working toward its mission of being a fully integrated energy provider, Nordic also produces oil and natural gas commodities. For their commercial customers, Nordic offers customized risk management and hedging solutions, energy scheduling, and bill audit services.


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Author: Ian Livingstone
Illustrator: Ian McCaig
Published: 1984
Level of previous knowledge: Sketchy. I do remember a ninja, a barbarian companion and having to collect gems. And of course the happy little fellow on the front cover.
Plot summary: Once a year the town of Fang is host to the Trial of Champions. Warriors from all over the lands come to enter Deathtrap Dungeon, a maze conceived by the twisted mind of Baron Sukumvit. No-one has ever survived the journey through the dungeon to claim the prize, but this year I have decided that I'll give it a shot.
Rules: Standard rules.
Click here to skip the adventure log
Adventure LogAttempt #1
Stats rolled: SKILL 12, STAMINA 23, LUCK 12 (Yep, really. If I was going to cheat on my stats, I'd do it after I'd worked out the correct route!)
Making my way confidently down the tunnel, I soon came to a stone table upon which were six boxes, each with a contestant's name on it. I opened the box with my name on to find two gold pieces and a warning from Baron Sukumvit that I would need to find certain items to get through the dungeon. Already knowing the author of the book, this came as no surprise. Sadly there was no option to open the other boxes and check them for gold - to be honest I wondered why the other contestants hadn't taken it all. Although maybe there were more than two gold pieces in the box originally? Curse you, other contestants!
Beyond the table was a junction. Aware that this decision would likely determine whether I stood any chance of success or not, I completely ignored the white arrow on the wall which pointed west, and chose the other direction. That'll show em. Judging from footprints on the ground, only one of the previous four contestants went this way, and I followed the tracks until I encountered a large, spongy, brown boulder. Consulting the adventurer's handbook on how to deal with large spongy things, I discovered that it could either swallow me up on physical contact, or explode violently if I pierced it with a weapon, so I looked for an option that involved doing neither of these things. Doh. Clambering gracelessly on to the boulder, expecting to be pulled in and suffocated at any moment, I was relieved to make it to the other side unharmed.
Soon the atmosphere in the tunnel started to become extremely hot. Finding a bamboo pipe on the wall, I examined it to find it filled with a clear liquid. Shrugging at what was probably another 50/50 chance of death, I took the risk and swallowed the liquid. Failing to drop dead on the spot, I continued on through the extreme temperature, and was informed that my choice had kept me alive. I preferred to believe that my superhero powers were responsible.
Coming to a door with an iron plate, I peered through to see a pit, beyond which was a rope on an iron hook. Entering the room, I bounded heroically across the pit, grabbed the rope and bounded heroically back across the pit before the wall grew spikes or the ceiling fell in. Suspiciously no such calamity occured, so I checked the rope for hidden weakness. Finding none, I crept out of the room, feeling like I'd beaten the system somehow. Maybe the pit was a trap and had already been set off by the owner of the footprints.
The footprints led towards another door ahead, where they stopped abruptly. Opening the door carefully, I was greeted by the sight of a dead barbarian, impaled upon a spike trap. Gingerly making my way over to him, I searched his... loincloth, and found some dried meat which I chewed thoughtfully on. The trap was guarding a goblet containing a sparkling red liquid. Having already consumed two things in this dungeon and gotten away with it, I didn't feel like pushing my luck any further, and gave the drink a miss.
My route soon rejoined that of the other contestants, and I followed their footprints into a large cavern. In its centre were two stuffed bird-like creatures flanking a huge idol with jewelled eyes. Entranced by their glitteringness, I made a lasso with my rope, hurled it around the idol's neck and started to climb. Eyeing the birdies suspiciously, I reached the top and attempted to prise out one of the jewels. Obviously I was a poor judge of genuine precious stones - the 'emerald' shattered and released poisonous gas into my face, knocking me out. Not so bad, except for the fact that I was hanging off a rope six metres off the ground. Bounce, bounce, crunch. So long, superhero.
Conclusion: Failure. I fell foul of a classic 50/50 decision. Maybe I was fortunate to get as far as I did.
Number of combats: 2
Attempt #2
Stats rolled: SKILL 9, STAMINA 20, LUCK 9
Just a regular Joe this time - this might be a short trip.
Walking down the tunnel somewhat less confidently than my previous incarnation, I opened the box for the gold pieces and chose the other direction at the junction, following the three sets of footprints. Choosing randomly at the next junction I eventually encountered an unfriendly caveman who I named Ishbo. Despite conforming perfectly to caveman stereotypes (club - check, animal hides - check, grunt grunt spit - check) Ishbo did not survive our meeting, but he did manage to give me a minor clubbing for my trouble. Dismissing a bracelet made from rat skulls I found on his corpse (maybe it was a Bracelet of Devolution?) I nursed my wounds and continued along the tunnel.
Soon I spotted an abandoned backpack leaning nonchalantly against the wall. Not pausing to wonder why it was left here, I decided to have a quick rifle through it, being rewarded for my greed by a single gold piece and a bite from a nasty great big dirty poisonous spider, draining 6 STAMINA points. Ow, said I. I'll have a SKILL point too, said the spider. Grrrr.
The next room I entered was completely bare. Suspecting a trap, I turned to leave but the door slammed shut. A voice then boomed out, demanding that I pay my respects to the dungeon's creator. Not expecting to survive much longer anyway, I responded that Sukumvit was a worm, and was surprised when the voice approved of my spirit. A gold ring magically appeared, which I picked up and wore immediately, without any suspicion whatsoever.
Further along the tunnel, I saw a shaft of blue light with images of laughing faces. Shrugging, I walked straight into it, causing the faces to look a bit upset. One of them whispered a poem about jumping into some water later on if I wanted to get through the dungeon, so I made a mental note of it and moved on.
The next junction offered no clues as to what might lie in each direction, so I flipped a gold piece and went eastwards. I soon came to a pit with a rope hanging from the ceiling. Deciding on the sensible option, I reached for the rope, had a quick check for any scheming bats, took a run up and leapt across. Unfortunately some dastard had sabotaged the rope, so I was soon on a short trip to the bottom of the pit, where I thankfully arrived fairly quickly, at the cost of a mere 2 STAMINA points. Oof, said I. And a SKILL point, said the floor. Argh.
Clambering out of the pit with a smooth rock in hand which turned out to be a ruby (score!) I continued on my way, whistling happily as I went. I may only have a SKILL of 7, but it wasn't like this book was going to contain any really hard fights, was it?
In the next room a crazy old man demanded that I answer his question correctly or be turned to stone. Knowing that it was certain death to attack anyone in lieu of answering a riddle, I reluctantly agreed. Fortunately the question was simple maths, and my hours of counting my decreasing STAMINA stood me in good stead. As a reward he restored a few of my stat points, including one of the SKILL points I had lost.
skeleton holding a piece of parchment. Cringing at the obvious trap, but apparently not thinking to try to disarm or otherwise get the jump on the skeleton before it stirred into motion, I reached for the parchment like a moron and ended up in a fair fight with the creature. Fortunately I only took minor wounds before I was standing amidst a pile of bones. The parchment seemed to be a page from an ancient manticore safety manual, so I held on to it, just in case.
I descended some stairs into a cellar, where I was offered the appealing chance of eating some mushrooms growing in a pile of rubbish. Sticking to my rule of never eating mushrooms in a Fighting Fantasy book (at least one named like this one) I ignored them and continued along the tunnel until I came to a trapdoor in the ceiling, behind which I could hear muffled voices. Assuming this was still Deathtrap Dungeon and not the cellar of The Staggering Foal, I deduced that the owners of the voices were unlikely to be friendly, so burst enthusiastically through the trapdoor to meet them. I cut down the two goblins in no time and had a quick rummage in their cupboards. I found nothing but a wooden mallet and some iron spikes, which I put in my backpack in case the Trial of Champions would ever require me to hang an exceptionally large picture frame.
Leaving through a door chosen by coin flippage, I came to a door decorated with someone's severed hand. Wondering if this was some form of goblinesque feng shui, I opened the door with caution, to find the hand's previous owner chained to the wall. I obliged his request to set him free, and he helpfully informed me that I would need to collect gems and precious stones if I wanted to succeed in my quest. I felt fairly positive about this, with two already in my possession. With that, he ran off to get himself killed in the dungeon somewhere.
Not far along the tunnel I was offered the chance to enter a metre-wide steel pipe in the wall. Unable to resist the golden opportunity to make myself as vulnerable as possible, I crawled into the dark, cramped space. After dragging myself along in an undignified fashion for a while I was informed that the pipe was also slimy. Ew! Reconsidering my direction, I quickly backed out of the pipe, grabbing a small wooden box on the way. The box contained a key and a sapphire, which was almost worth getting covered in goo for.
fellow sporting a large axe and not much else - a key indication of barbarianism. Barbarism. Barbadarianism. Translating his occasional grunts, I agreed to accompany him for the time being.
Our fragile alliance was soon tested when we came across a wide pit, into which my companion, who was called Throm, offered to lower me with his rope. Judging him to be a straightforward kind of fellow who would have hacked off my head by now if he had a mind to, I trusted him to do this. Reaching the bottom at a non-fatal speed, I discovered a tunnel leading onwards and the barbarian climbed down to join me. Inside the tunnel was a shelf upon which sat two leather-bound books. The first fell apart in my hands but provided me with some information about the attractive creature on the front cover of the book, the Bloodbeast. The other book contained a bottle of liquid, which I decided looked like massage oil. I rubbed it into my wounds enthusiastically, but was disappointed when nothing happened. Shrugging at the barbarian, who was clearly starting to doubt my sanity, I led the way down the tunnel.
Throm soon drew us to a halt, sensing the approach of a pair of cave trolls. We hid in the shadows and I was about to suggest some kind of trickery to give us the upper hand when he leapt up and charged them. Sighing, I followed him into combat, and received a severe bashing for my trouble, barely surviving the fight. We found a ring on one of the corpses, which Throm told me would increase the wearer's powers if he proved strong enough to wear it. He also warned me not to touch it, which I took as a veiled insult, and smugly put the ring on my finger. That'd show him. Seconds later my body started to shake and I passed out manfully. I came to when Throm removed the ring from my finger, crushed it under his boot and grunted in disapproval. My grunt translator beeped and said 'southern softy'.
I staggered after Throm and we entered a cavern full of stalactites. Throm had an encounter with a resident mouse which he decided was hilarious and his booming laughter brought half of the ceiling down. Fortunately we were able to dash through the archway without injury before I gave him a good telling off.
Conclusion: Failure. I made it much further than I expected with a SKILL of 9 though.
Number of combats: 9
Attempt #3
Stats rolled: SKILL 7, STAMINA 17, LUCK 11
These stats are a contradiction. Surely no-one this lucky would have both a SKILL of 7 and an irresistable compulsion to explore a deadly dungeon.
As my fate was already sealed by the first die roll, I resolved that during this attempt I would explore new routes where possible, and avoid combat as much as I could. With that in mind I took a different tunnel, and eventually came across a large iron bell, suspended from the ceiling. Wondering if it would summon a very large, helpful butler, I decided to give it a ring. The resulting bong caused the whole area to vibrate intensely, and I soon collapsed to the ground and wriggled about a bit. I lost 2 SKILL points before I was able to still the bell, making me approximately as skilled in combat as a three-legged weasel.
Irritated, I limped onwards to find myself in the chamber with the large statue, complete with guardians. Deciding the climb was pointless to attempt, I passed by, giving one of the immobile guardians a pat on the head as I did so. Soon after I declined the chance to fight a giant fly, some kind of giant worm, and an animated skeleton. In the mean time I managed to drop my shield into a pit after an extremely girly attempt to throw it across, costing me yet another SKILL point. Make that a one-legged weasel.
Eventually I arrived at the stone steps with a trapdoor at the top. Bursting through with my sword drawn would force me into a combat I had little chance of winning, so I decided on the diplomatic approach. Smoothing my hair back, I knocked politely on the trapdoor and waited. The trapdoor was thrown open and before I could say "Rat onna stick?" a goblin thrust a spear through my neck and my trial was over. Still, I avoided combat successfully...
Conclusion: Failure. Obviously.
Number of combats: 0
Attempt #4
Stats rolled: SKILL 12, STAMINA 20, LUCK 7
That will be a Potion of Fortune then.
All went smoothly through the first part of the dungeon and I was able to retrieve the emerald from the statue with only a minor scratch from the annoying guardians. I drank my potion of fortune fairly early on, just before attempting to jump over the pit without throwing my gear into it first. I avenged my previous incaration by enthusiastically hacking up the pair of goblins, and continued until I had met my barbarian friend Throm and progressed as far as the dwarf Trialmaster's chamber.
This time I failed at the dice game, and was forced to swallow a pill that turned me from slightly ill-fated to haplessly cursed. I fared better with the minotaur this time, and was allowed some time to recover before the final test. This was yet another combat, but this time I had to face Throm, who had apparently reacted badly to being bitten by the cobra in the second test and was now a delirious wreck. Despite this he managed to 'axe' some questions of my ability (huh? huh?) before I reluctantly put him down. The dwarf then showed up, crossbow aimed at my chest, and led me to a secret door leading onwards. Glaring at him coldly but thinking better of attacking a Trialmaster, I entered the tunnel.
insects, walled off by a large glass panel. In the middle of the room was a crown, in which was set a large diamond. Lacking any pesticide or means of covering up a bit (the option of wearing my backpack on my head was not, sadly, offered) I smashed the glass, waded into the room and retrieved the crown. By the time I escaped the room I had realised that the diamond was fake and I was in serious need of some Afterbite. I really didn't prepare well for this venture, did I?
Scratching furiously, I soon heard some footsteps approaching. Not wanting anyone to see me with large red welts forming on my face, I hid in the shadows while whoever it was shuffled past. Choosing randomly at the next junction, I came across a wooden chair shaped like a bird of prey, set into the wall. Usually I wouldn't even consider such a thing, but I was really itchy by this point and needed to pause for a good old scratch. Besides, a chair that has death practically written all over it wouldn't be particularly cunning, would it? Sitting down carefully, I gripped the arms in gruesome anticipation. All that happened was that a hidden panel sprang open, revealing a potion, helpfully labelled 'Doppelganger Potion'. Or was it Poison?
Beyond the chair the tunnel sloped downwards until it ended at a deep pool of water. Remembering the poem recited by the spirit girl some time ago, I fished around in my backpack for my diving gear. D'oh - I forgot that too! Nevertheless I swam down into the pool, eventually emerging on the other side of the wall. I then realised that I hadn't closed my lunchbox properly and all of my sandwiches were completely ruined.
Immediately feeling peckish, I continued on until I came to a cavern, in which a girl was wrestling with a giant snake. Racing to her aid, I heroically beheaded the creature but was too late to save her life. She gave me a couple of helpful pointers before expiring so I could loot her corpse in peace. Quite how she'd managed to accumulate so little on her journey through a dungeon packed with free stuff I didn't know, but at least she had some bread. And she'd remembered to close her lunchbox. Om nom nom. I buried her underneath a handy snake corpse and went on my way.
Coming to an iron grille in the floor, I reached in to retrieve a rope and grapple underneath. One thing I remembered from adventurer school is that you are often required to reach into things. One thing I forgot was that reaching into things often resulting in finding other things. In this case a large tentacle attached itself to my arm and crushed it comprehensively for 3 SKILL points of damage. That reminded me belatedly of another lesson I had forgotten - never reach into things with your sword arm. Idiot.
The next room I entered contained a wooden chest and footprints showing that someone had recently approached it. Expecting it to be looted (and therefore untrapped) already, I approached, only for my spidey-senses to start tingling. The potion I drank earlier enabled me to sense the trap still within the chest. Opening it from a distance, I avoided the poisonous gas but also avoided finding anything useful, only a pendant chain with a missing stone. Curse you, other contestant!
Feeling pretty pleased with myself, I walked onward, soon meeting an old man with some kind of wicker basket-elevator contraption. He offered to give me a lift to the upper level, which was apparently the place to be. Giving him some junk from my backpack, I clambered into the basket and was heaved upwards to meet a female troll named Ivy. She demanded payment for her services so I handed her something from my backpack. I was penalised a LUCK point for giving stuff away, but frankly I was glad to be shot of that wooden spike.
dinosaur-like pit fiend standing in the way of the exit. Deciding at random that now would be a good time to throw away that silly bone charm the elf girl was carrying, I tossed it into the pit, where the monster grabbed it in its jaws. The charm expanded to fill the creature's mouth and it stomped about in an annoyed fashion. Taking advantage of its distraction, I started to climb down the wall. My progress was hastened when the pit fiend slammed against me, causing me to fall the rest of the way to the floor. A LUCK score roughly equivalent to that of a flattened squirrel may have had something to do with this. I was then forced to engage the pit fiend in combat, which is of course where this adventure ended. Stupid tentacle.
Conclusion: Failure. My hazy memories of the book tell me that I'm on the right track, though, so progress made in that sense.
Number of combats: 14
Attempt #5
Stats rolled: SKILL 7, STAMINA 21, LUCK 9
Unsurprisingly this attempt ended at the claws of the flying guardians while scaling the statue.
Conclusion: Failure.
Number of combats: 4
OK, this is getting silly now. Time to turn cheat mode on. Four dice for stats, allocated as I see fit.
Attempt #6
Stats rolled: SKILL 12, STAMINA 20, LUCK 10
I take a Potion of Skill this time - I'm not taking any chances.
Taking the same path as in attempt #4, I managed to get as far as the pit fiend's room in similar shape, with a few notable differences - a) I had lost my rope to the stubborn statue, b) I had remembered to close my lunchbox properly and therefore still had some sandwiches left, and c) I had a suit of chainmail I took from the corpse of a certain dwarf Trialmaster who really had it coming.
Unfortunately the lack of a rope left me no choice (for some reason the bone charm wasn't an option from this angle) but to stroll into the pit fiend's er, pit, and wave my sword defiantly at it. An epic battle ensued, but in the end I was victorious, sitting on the monster's tail to eat a few sandwiches. At this point I noticed a trapdoor in the sand, which I lifted to find a shiny, well-crafted shield. Opening the door and entering the tunnel, I felt a surge of confidence - what with my shiny shield and chainmail, I was now a powerhouse of god-like proportions.
Chuck Norris turned up to challenge me. Having just ignored a sign on the wall which tried to persuade me to leave my weapons behind, I had just entered a large hall when a throwing star whistled past my head, missing by inches. I was able to best him in combat and stripped away his mask, only to find the dead eyes of an imposter staring back at me. Curses! He hardly had any items, obviously preferring to travel light. Ah well, he wouldn't have stood a chance anyway. Unless killing me and looting my corpse for gems was his plan all along. Apparently he'd just thrown away his last throwing star, but I did find a diamond, which cheered me up no end. Lacking any other options, I jumped into the chute in the far wall.
When I emerged in the room below, I immediately regretted drawing attention to myself by yelling 'wheeee!' on the way down. I was face to face with the famous Bloodbeast, a disgusting creature wallowing in a pool of slime. Fortunately I was a well-read sort of chap and remembered what the leather-bound book said about the Bloodbeast. Stepping forward, I carefully employed my strategy of hacking desperately at its eyes until I hit the real ones. This took a while because somehow a fat, bulbous creature with no appendages to speak of, stuck in a pool of slime is just as skilled in combat as the now deceased pit fiend. Eventually my blade found its mark and I ran for it, not that the thing should have been able to stop me anyway.
No sooner did I catch my breath than a gnome showed up. Introducing himself as Igbut, one of the Trialmasters, he warned me that his magical powers were great and I should not attack him. He explained that I had arrived at the exit door, and needed to insert three gems into slots in the correct order to unlock it. Despite a brief panic that one of them might be one that I missed this time on account of not falling into a pit, I had all three of the required gems. Having received no clues as to the correct order, I chose at random and braced myself for a zapping. To my amazement, I had guessed right first time, and the door began to swing open. Before I could proceed Igbut ran excitedly through the door in front of me, smashing an orb on the ground which emitted acrid smoke. I avoided suffocation, and grumpily followed the gnome down the tunnel, only to find his corpse, complete with crossbow bolt ear accessory. Where are your magical powers now, shorty? Proceeding to the exit, I was greeted by cheering crowds who looked astonished to see me. Rather than wonder about why they were here if they weren't expecting a victor, I grinned smugly at Baron Sukumvit, who presented me with my prize and proclaimed me Champion of Deathtrap Dungeon.
Conclusion: Success!
Number of combats:16
Writing: The descriptions do a good job of portraying the environment of Deathtrap Dungeon. The concept of the book is an entertaining one - the idea of a deadly contest is engaging and enables the writer to experiment with all sorts of inventive scenarios. In this way the adventure consists of a number of isolated and varied encounters but does not suffer because of it. As the player you feel like you are being constantly tested, and the presence of puzzles, traps and Trialmasters emphasises this. The only thing I feel could have been improved on is the interaction with the other contestants, or at least the effects of their passage through the dungeon before you.
Writing: 4/5
Artwork: The dungeon is depicted superbly and the art does a great job of showing the reader how grim and dark the place is. The detail present in Ian McCaig's illustrations is amazing, especially in the drawings of the troglodytes, the mirror demon and the exit door, just to name a few. The bloodbeast on the cover is fantastic as well - such a shame they changed the cover for the Wizard reprint.
Artwork: 5/5
Design: This book contains mechanisms that would later be described as 'classic Ian Livingstone'. The shopping list of required items, the extremely narrow true path and the plethora of unavoidable, powerful adversaries are all typical signs of his work. These are quite divisive among gamebook players, some of whom argue that gamebooks should not rely so much on luck, whether through the dice or through uninformed choice. However this is Deathtrap Dungeon - it has been designed by Baron Sukumvit as a twisted game to challenge participants in as punishing a way as possible. The very concept of this book gives the writer an excuse to demonstrate his style, and he has done so very successfully.
The dungeon itself is laid out in a fairly interesting way, giving the player various routes to choose from, even though many are on the 'wrong path'. Sometimes I could kind of tell that I was on the correct route because the encounters and puzzles were more interesting and greater in number. Some of the false paths towards the end seem to hurry you to the Bloodbeast's room, as if the writer didn't think it was worth fleshing them out when you were going to fail anyway.
Design: 4/5
Fairness: I'm torn between two perspectives on this category. This book is downright unfair, there's no doubt about that. The only reason I finished it in so few attempts was that some memories came back to me as I played, such as the fact that crawling further down the slippery pipe after picking up the sapphire leads to instant death. That said, of all the books in the Fighting Fantasy series, this one (along with Trial of Champions) has the ultimate excuse - the dungeon is supposed to be unfair, and you are not expected to prevail. On one hand, this level of challenge enhances replay value and makes victory all the sweeter. On the other hand, replaying a book over and over until you find the solution becomes a mechanical exercise which isn't some players' idea of fun.
Fairness: 3/5
Cheating index: Yes, I helped my stats along on the final attempt by rolling four dice and allocating them as I wanted. There really was no point in taking any character with a SKILL lower than 11 into the dungeon once I'd worked out where the true path was.
Average enemy stats
Successful path
16 encounters, SKILL 8.4, STAMINA 8.2
Entire book
40 encounters, SKILL 8.4, STAMINA 8.3
Instant death paragraphs: 30
Any player can win no matter how weak initial dice rolls: It doesn't really need saying that this is a complete LIE.
Final thoughtsThe level of difficulty may make this book a bit frustrating for some but there is no doubt that this is a classic and in my opinion is one of the most enjoyable of the series. Even if you don't finish it, or end up cheating to do so, you'll have a lot of fun exploring the dungeon, and finding new and entertaining ways to get yourself killed.
Final score: 8/10
LinksTitannica page
Buy Deathtrap Dungeon on Amazon.co.uk
Playthroughs from other bloggersTurn to 400
Fighting Dantasy
Fighting For Your Fantasy
Adventure Gameblog


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FPC currently meets for prayer, praise, and preaching at 175 Natchez Trace Dr Lexington, TN. However, we do not believe that the church should be confined to merely a building and for that reason, you will find FPC actively involved in being the church to many areas of our community.
Soon we will be relocating to a beautiful piece of property with which God has blessed us on the west side of town just beside Gateway Tire. Just ask any member, we love sharing the story of this miraculous gift.


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As our Living Waters community has grown one of our main objectives has been to ensure our sense of community is not lost through our size. We determined early on that instead of building a bigger building we would provide multiple smaller gatherings at our Fort Langley location. As God continued to build His church we felt impressed to develop a plan to multiply churches with the hope of extending the influence of Jesus to neighborhoods around us.
The Willoughby location is our most recent example of church multiplication after our community planted an autonomous church in Burnaby (City Lights Church). Unlike City Lights, our Willoughby location is not autonomous but is part of Living Waters – in other words both the Willoughby and the Fort Langley locations share the same DNA, the same values, and the same leadership structure.
As the Lord grows His church, we will continue on a path of healthy and creative church multiplication.


text: Today's seminar was so powerful !! We learnt so much abt Sun Tzu's strategy. Lots of learning points. Many business owners, sales & marketing managers even sales executives attended the event. This was our last public seminar for 2008. Thank you to everyone who attended our public seminars in Hotel Novotel Mangga Dua for the whole of 2008 !! We at Academia promise & commit that seminars in 2009 will be event more exciting ! Stay in touch buy visiting this blog regularly OK! Hv a FANTASTIC week!


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Roger, St. Walker, dum dum Dugan, She-Hulk, the Destroyer
Friday, March 11, 2011
daily sketches batch 06
Posted by kris anka at 10:39:00 AM
Labels: daily sketches, destroyer, dum dum dugan, roger, she hulk, st walker
1 comment:
- Nate Villanueva said...
sketching powerhouse you are! fantastic.
- March 11, 2011 at 10:47 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Kildangan GAA will run a Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport Course on Friday 21st June at 7.30pm. The course is mandatory for underage mentors and open to all. Spaces are strictly limited, if you are interested please text club secretary Maureen Fitzgerald on 087 2286416
Download a copy of the code here
News >


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Promotion of eco tourism by government
There are various destinations across the world, which are renowned for its scenic beauty and various other features. Eco tourism has become one of the greatest opportunities for the visitors from all across the world to know about the eco friendly measures and methods, which are taken into use. With help from eco tourism, travelers are able to experience serenity and beauty all at one place. Places like India, Kenya, and Seoul along with various other renowned places are promoting eco tourism for the betterment of their country. Governments of various countries are promoting eco friendly spots so that visitors are able to experience the best of nature. Various initiatives are being promoted by the governments for making some of the renowned tourist spots eco friendly.
The methods, which are being, adopted the government agencies are for saving the environment from the pollution and harmful chemicals present in the environment. Talking to the press reporters, government of various countries have stated that, they are taking use of the best and high-tech technology along with experienced personals for initiating various eco friendly techniques that are best for tourism. Along with this, spokespersons from different government agencies stated that, the practices, which are being adopted, are in such a manner in which tourists will have a direct experience with nature.
Practices, which are being adopted by the government
Government has taken several measures for promoting eco tourism. Some of the practices are mentioned below.
Conservation: Conserving energy is one of the major practices that are being adopted by the government at tourist spots. The process of energy conservation is done directly at the tourist spots so that visitors from all across the world are able to understand the importance of energy conservation.
Water harvesting: The process of water harvesting is one of the best tourist activities that are being initiated by the government agencies. The complete process about how water can be conserved with different easy methods is being told to the tourists so that they are able to know and understand them in a better manner.
Improvement of flora and fauna: Government has also taken up the practice of improving flora and fauna at the tourist spots all across the world so that eco tourism can have a new face.
Final Verdict of the practice
The experts on environment have stated the practice that is being done by the government is one of the best for promoting eco tourism.


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Low Budget This #Christmas? http://goo.gl/KPYUaI Affordable #ChristmasGift ==> $0.00 U Pay Nothing <== RT #ASMSG #PDF1
Feliz Navidad! Merry Christmas!
https://t.co/UwGbS2CxQu Affordable ChristmasGift ==> $0.00 U Pay Nothing <== https://t.co/w66S9Pua8U RT #ASMSG #PDF1 pic.twitter.com/n1Zt3pvfsQ
— Thomas Jerome Baker (@profesortbaker) November 25, 2015
Christmas. The birth of Christ. The first gifts of the Magi: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. A tradition of gift giving was established on the very first Christmas Day, when the Prince of Peace received gold, frankincense and myrrh from the three wisemen, Balthazar, Melchior and Gaspar (Caspar).
The Christmas story, the birth of Christ, the gift of the magi is our common heritage. It is a classic tale of love, devotion and the art of giving, told and retold in a modern setting, in Chile…
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive, And bear a Son, And shall call His name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."


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Owner of Lisa B Designs Craft Shop, Creative Designer and Demonstrator for Imagination Crafts and guest presenter on Hochanda TV. Run and teach Lisa B Designs craft classes in Maidstone, Kent.
Saturday, 24 October 2015
November Classes - Painting with Starlights
4 comments:
I was at the SECC craft show and had a great time watching Sue and her demonstrations using the starlight paints...wow are they absolutely gorgeous x I also spent some time at the cardio demo's...always great too. I have been loving the teams inspiration for the Card-io stamps etc on this blog, thanks very much xReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks for the kind words, Mable. And you're very welcome, we're glad you're enjoying seeing our projects. The SECC show seems to have been very good, I've heard lots of good reports. The Starlights are faab, aren''t they?? I love using them. Sue's demos are always great, I'm looking forward to watching her at the NEC next month.Delete
Thanks again & have a great Sunday.
Gorgeous poinsettia - looks like it will be a great class. Will try to catch Sue at the NEC - and maybe you too? Will be there on the Friday as I'm at workshops Sat/Sun.ReplyDelete
Alison x
We'd love to know what you think, so please feel free to leave a comment. Every one is greatly appreciated.


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Author(s): Shirley Hughes
Nostalgic Picture Books | Textless Picture Books
Follow the adventures of a little girl who's dream of flying comes true in this stunning story by Shirley Hughes. The illustrations are packed with detail and wordless pages encourage children to engage with the story in a different way. "Shirley Hughes is a national treasure" Philip Pullman
Shirley was born in West Kirby, near Liverpool, and studied fashion and dress design at Liverpool Art School, before continuing her studies at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art in Oxford. She then embarked on a career as a freelance illustrator in London, where she still lives today. She illustrated other writers' work, including Noel Streatfeild, Alison Uttley, Ian Seraillier, Margaret Mahy and notably Dorothy Edwards's My Naughty Little Sister series. Shirley began to write and draw her own picture books when her children were young. Her first book - Lucy and Tom's Day - was published in 1960, and she followed it with, among others, Dogger and the Alfie series. Shirley Hughes has won the Other Award, the Eleanor Farjeon Award, and the Kate Greenaway Medal for Illustration twice, for Dogger in 1977 and for Ella's Big Chance in 2003. In 2007 Dogger was voted the public's favourite Greenaway winner of all time. Shirley received an OBE in 1999 for services to Children's Literature, and is the first recipient of Booktrust's Lifetime Achievement Award.


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Elijah Muhammad
Elijah Muhammad (1897 1975) was the leader of the Nation of Islam ("Black Muslims") during their period of greatest growth in the mid 20th century. He was a major advocate of independent, black operated businesses, institutions, and religion.
Elijah Muhammad was born Elijah (or Robert) Poole on October 7, 1897, near Sandersville, Georgia. His parents were ex slaves who worked as sharecroppers on a cotton plantation; his father was also a Baptist preacher. As a youngster Elijah worked in the fields and on the railroad, but he left home at age 16 to travel and work at odd jobs. He settled in Detroit in 1923, working on a Chevrolet assembly line.
Poole and his two brothers became early disciples of W.D. Fard, the founder of the Nation of Islam. Fard, of mysterious background, appeared in Detroit in 1930, selling silk goods and telling his customers in Detroit is African American ghetto of their ancestral "homeland" across the seas. Soon Fard began holding meetings in homes, and then in rented halls, telling his listeners tales purporting to describe their nonwhite kin in other lands and urging them to emulate these brothers and sisters in such matters as dress and diet. Fard proclaimed Islam the one correct religion for African Americans, denouncing Christianity as the religion of the slavemasters. His meetings became dominated by his bitter denunciations of the white race. Soon Fard announced the opening of the Temple of Islam. It featured much antiwhite invective and embodied an unorthodox form of Islam, but the movement also emphasized African American self help and education.
Fard disappeared, as mysteriously as he had arrived, in the summer of 1934. The movement he had founded quickly developed several factions, the most important of which was led by Poole, who had become a top lieutenant to Fard and whose name along the way had been changed to Elijah Muhammad. The movement had long had a policy of requiring members to drop their "slave" names.
Settling in Chicago, away from hostile Muslim factions in Detroit, Muhammad built what quickly became the most important center of the movement. Chicago soon featured not only a Temple of Islam, but a newspaper called Muhammad Speaks, a University of Islam (actually a private elementary and high school), and several movement owned apartment houses, grocery stores, and restaurants. Temples were opened in other cities, and farms were purchased so that ritually pure food could be made available to members. The movement was a sharply disciplined one. Members had strict rules to follow regarding eating (various foods, Such as pork, were forbidden), smoking and drinking (both banned), dress and appearance (conservative, neat clothing and good grooming were required), and all kinds of personal behavior (drugs, the use of profanity, gambling, listening to music, and dancing were all outlawed).
Muhammad also revised the theology of the movement. Under his system, Fard was proclaimed the earthly incarnation of Allah, the Muslim name for God; (Elijah) Muhammad was his divinely appointed prophet. Muhammad also taught that blacks constituted the origin beings, but that a mad black scientist named Yakub had created a white beast through genetic manipulation and that whites had been given a temporary dispensation to govern the worId that period. That period, however, was due to end soon; now the tirne was at hand for blacks to resume their former dominant role. It was understood that violent war would be likely before the transition could be completed. In the meantime, Muhammad advocated an independent nation for African Americans.
In 1942 Muhammad was one of a group of militant African American leaders arrested on charges of sedition, conspiracy, and violation of the draft laws. He was accused of sympathizing with the Japanese during World War II and of encouraging his members to resist the military draft. He had, indeed, argued that all nonwhites are oppressed by whites, and that it made no sense for African Americans to fight those who were victims of white racism as much as they thernselves were. Muhammad was certainly no pacifist, but he argued that the only war in which African Americans should participate would be the coming "Battle of Armageddon," in which blacks would reassert their rightful superiority. For his words and actions Muhammad spent four years, from 1942 to 1946, in federal prison at Milan, Michigan.
Factions occasionally withdrew from Muhammad's movement. In the early 1960s Muhammad came to be overshadowed by the charismatic Malcolm X, leader of the New York Temple. Tensions between Malcolm X and Muhammad's leadership grew; finally, after Malcolm X commented that John F. Kennedy's assassination was a case of "the chickens coming home to roost," Muhammad suspended him. Shortly thereafter, in 1964, Malcolm X founded his own movement, which moved toward a more orthodox form of Islam. However, Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965.
Elijah Muhammad died on February 25, 1975. After his death the leadership of his movement passed to his son, Wallace (now Warith) Deen Muhammad. The younger Muhammad renamed the movement the World Community of Al-Islam in the West, and then the American Muslim Mission; he also began to call blacks "Bilalians," after Bilal, to have been an African follower of the Prophet Muhammad. Warith Muhammad relaxed the strict dress code, abandoned resistance to military service, encouraged members to vote and to salute the flag, and even opened the movement to whites. In general, he made the movement much more conventionally Islamic.
Many members were disturbed at the movement's new, moderate direction and withdrew to form more traditionalist splinter groups. The most important of them retained the old name, the Nation of Islam, and was led by Louis Farrakhan (born Louis Eugene Walcott of British West Indian Parents in 1934). Farrakhan generally retained Elijah Muhammad's ideas and practices, including the strict behavioral rules. He achieved prominence when he became a major adviser to Jesse Jackson during the latter's presidential campaign in 1984. At that time Farrakhan aroused controversy, particularly for his reported death threats directed at Jackson's Jewish critics.


text: Hi babes! How are you doing? We are doing great. About a week ago we received these detox juices from Kale & Me, a German Detox brand we have tried before. Since we are on holiday now, we thought it would be a great idea to detox before jumping in our bikinis again haha. We did a three day detox, with six juices a day. To be honest it was pretty hard, especially in the evening. However, we managed to be strict and keep ourselves to the juices. They are actually really tasty as well. Our favorite must be the one with carrot (number 2) and the one with beetroot (number 4). So yum!! After these three days, we felt very energized! Definitely worth trying them out. You can check them out HERE! After these detox days, we feel like we shoot do this more often. It´s so good for you. Now, it´s time to chill some more, since that where Sundays are for! Talk soon loves!


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Mississauga is home to one of the most prevalent shopping malls in Canada. "Square One Shopping Centre" sits among City Hall, the Central Library, numerous bars and restaurants and a Playdium. Each year the city of Mississauga plays host to a social festival called Carassauga. There are also some nice, romantic restaurants in the area of Mississauga, Ontario.
The dining room at Breakwater restaurant at the Waterside Inn in Mississauga features silver, china and linen. The cuisine includes lobster bisque and maple-cured salmon trout, and a large wine selection. The Rosewood Bistro provides intimate dining and dishes, such as seared duck breast, herb-crusted lamb, grilled New York steak and roasted Cornish game hen. In addition, the restaurant suggests Grandma D's "pouding chomeur," or apricot-and-walnut cheesecake for dessert.
Fine Dining
The Old Barber house was built in 1862 and is nestled in the old-world village of Streetsville in Mississauga. The quaint surroundings of this Victorian mansion and the atmosphere in the eatery are just right for a romantic dinner for two. As well as a large selection of wines, this restaurant serves seared filet mignon prepared tableside, gnocchi infused with bleu cheese and escargots made with garlic, white wine, sauteed mushrooms, Parmesan cheese and various herbs. Rogues Restaurant serves healthy food, with homemade recipes that are inspired by old-style Italian cooking. Dishes include seared foie gras with blueberry compote, rack of lamb with artichoke puree and panko-crusted halibut with rhubarb butter.
The Canyon Creek Chophouse offers classic grilled steaks and chops with new added twists to the recipes, including chipotle sirloin, and pork chops with lingonberry sauce. Canyon Creek has an elegant but casual romantic atmosphere. The Ruth's Chris Steak House has a comfortable ambiance. The restaurant features filet, porterhouse, rib eye, T-bone and New York strip steaks. The restaurant also takes special requests for items that are not on the menu, as long as you call in ahead of time. Ruth's Chris Steak House serves wine and cocktails, plus desserts, including chocolate sin cake, bread pudding with whisky sauce and caramelized banana cream pie.
Michele's Italian Ristorante offers indoor and outdoor dining with a large variety of Italian dishes, such as specialty pizzas, soups and salads, along with a large selection of dinners that includes grilled calamari, bruchetta, grilled zucchini, and fresh pasta. The Open Cork Eatery and Lounge offers a relaxed atmosphere. The food is a combination of California cuisine with a variation on authentic Italian dishes, including pasta, seafood and soups.


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Agrochemicals is the generic name of chemical products used in the agricultural field. These include pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, nematicides, synthetic fertilizers, bio fertilizer, and chemical growth agents, among others. Increasing population and surging urbanization in turn puts additional pressure on the already diminishing farmlands. Agrochemicals help to effectively cultivate and manage crops to increase production. Thus, these factors greatly support growth of the global agrochemicals market. Various government and non-governmental organizations are focusing on addressing this global concern by increasing funding for programs related to the agricultural sector. The World Bank implemented 146 projects during 2014–2016, which provide agricultural services and assets to 17 million farmers, in turn augmenting growth of the market. The U.S., China, and Japan are the largest producers of agrochemicals, while North America, followed by Asia Pacific are the largest consumers in the global agrochemicals market. Population explosion in countries such as India and China, along with rapid economic growth in these countries is expected to position Asia Pacific as the fastest growing market for agrochemicals in the foreseeable future.Request sample copy of report@https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/254Agrochemicals Market TaxonomyOn the basis of product type, the global market is classified into:FertilizerNitrogenousPhosphaticPotassicBiofertilizersPesticidesHerbicidesInsecticidesFungicidesOthersOn the basis of application, the global market is classified into:AgricultureHorticultureFloricultureOthersOn the basis of geography, the global market is classified into:North AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeU.K.GermanyItalyFranceSpainRussiaRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanASEANAustraliaSouth KoreaRest of Asia PacificLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoArgentinaRest of Latin AmericaMiddle EastGCC CountriesIsraelRest of Middle EastAfricaNorth AfricaCentral AfricaSouth AfricaAgrochemicals Market Outlook – Surge in Food Grains Demand Augmenting Market GrowthThe global agrochemicals market is expected to be mainly fueled by increasing global population and the subsequent increasing demand for food grains. Moreover, rampant urbanization over the last couple of decades has led to a steep decline in farmlands. For instance, total farmland in the U.S. decreased from 1,151 million acres in 1949 to 921 million acres in 2002 (Pfeffer et al. 2006). This increases adoption of duel cultivation, wherein various fertilizers are used to maintain the fertility of the soil and pesticides help improve crop yield. According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations forecast, world cereal production in 2016 was pegged at around 2,543 million tonnes, 0.6 percent higher than in 2015 and only 0.7 percent below the 2014 record high. At that level, production was 17.3 million tonnes higher than that expected in May, reflecting upward revisions for wheat production in Argentina, the EU and the Russian Federation, as well as for maize in Argentina, Canada, the EU, and the U.S. This creates a highly conducive environment for growth of the agrochemicals market.Agrochemicals Market Challenges – Environmental and Health ImpactDespite its numerous advantages, agrochemicals are also associated with certain environmental and health issues. Excessive use of fertilizers has led to ground water contamination with toxic chemicals such as nitrate. Drinking of nitrate-contaminated water causes certain diseases such as immobilization of hemoglobin in blood, reduced oxygen supply, among others. Moreover, the pesticides used for pest control such as DDT, dieldrin, aldrin, among others, also have significant impact on environment and living beings. In the U.S., numerous wild birds die every year due to the use of an agricultural pesticides carbofuran. Carbofuran granules resemble the size and shape of grain seeds, which are the staple diet of most birds. The detrimental impact of insecticides and pesticides on the environment is expected to be the key challenge in the global agrochemicals industry. This has in turn led to increasing efforts by manufacturers and regulatory bodies alike to develop non-toxic natural pesticides and herbicides. This trend is further supported with increasing consumer inclination towards organic food products, which necessitate use of organic pesticides and insecticides. This is a perceived threat to the market, as most natural pesticides are homemade.Agrochemicals impact on soil:Increases pH levels, thus increasing hydrolysis of pesticidesKills helpful microorganismsDecreases the fertility of the soilToxic to microbesAgrochemicals impact on air:Significantly hampers indoor air qualityDecomposes pesticides in presence of sunlightAgrochemicals impact on water:Pollutes ground water, lakes, and riversDisturbs aquatic lifeAgrochemicals Market – Regulatory Scenario:September 02, 1968, The Insecticides Act, 1968 and Insecticides Rules, 1971 in India is governed by The Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) and Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), the act is enforced to regulate the import, sale, transport, manufacture, distribution, and use of insecticidesTo know the latest trends and insights prevalent in agrochemicals market market, click the link below:https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/agrochemicals-market-254Key players in the market include Agrium, BASF SE, BAYER AG, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, Monsanto Company, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Syngenta AG, The Mosaic Co., Yara International, Gharda Chemicals Ltd., Drexel Chemical Company, Qatar Fertilizer Company, Cf Industries, Israel Chemicals Ltd., American Vanguard Corporation, Rotam Corpsciences, FMC Corporation, and Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact UsMr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Website: http://www.coherentnews.com
Due to extra work required to remove the press-releases we have started charging $1.99 for press release removal.
Your press release will be removed in 24 hours, once the payment has been received.


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There's also the feculent two-faced pack of scribblers at Gawker Media. Gawker Media, through Kotaku and Gawker and Jezebel, is consistently outraged at the misogyny of #GamerGate, and has retreated into pearl-clutching couch-fainting at the attacks it has recently endured on its own work. But Gawker Media loves feminism like a glutton loves his lunch. Gawker poses as high-minded for the outrage clicks, then returns to its cash cows: self-righteously promoting revenge porn, ridiculing women based on their appearance, paying sociopaths to describe the pubic hair of women they don't like, gleefully outing people, shrugging at systematic harassment of its employees, leering at hacked nude pics, and generally being about as progressive as a late-night advertisement for Schlitz. If you rush to Gawker Media's defense because it's #GamerGate who is attacking them, aren't you being a useful idiot?I never expected to say anything good about The Sun, but they don't pretend to be anything more than what they are. I stand by what I said a few days ago: "Gawker should be called Mocker. It's designed to appeal to the worst in people who want to think they're the best. "
ETA: Douglas Lain has a phrase I love for people who share many of my goals and few of my tactics: "the Gawker left".


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Image by Stuck in Customs via Flickr
Who will be at some of the coolest, absolute business-developing events during ITEXPO East and what, when, and where? The most interesting people in IP anything! Stay informed, my friends.
Feb. 1, 2011
When and Where: February 01, 2011 Tuesday from 2:00 - 5:00 PM (ET zone), Miami Beach, FL
What: Telecom One-on-One; A JS&A Power Networking Event, Colocated with ITEXPO East 2011
Who: PacketExchange, Tinet, Triangle Unique Communications Ltd, Human Productivity Lab, GlobeNet, PGi, DIDXchange / Techistan, Arbinet, StarView, DealCenter LLC, Oak Tree IT Consulting, Market Strategy and Analytics Partners, RAD-INFO, INC; XKL, LLC; Allied Fiber (Hunter Newby CEO), One Source Networks, Jaymie Scotto & Associates, elx, INOC, CSF Corporation "The 8MS Folks", Hypercube, GlobalVision, Triangle Unique Communications Ltd. New participants are signing on daily. Sign up today!
Feb. 2, 2011
When and Where: February 2, 2011 Wed. Breakfast starts at 8:30 AM at La Provence, 1629 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL. Directions 1/2 mile from Convention Center: http://tinyurl.com/mbeachconvention2laprovence.
Must RSVP on Linkedin with company name, each person's name, and contact info to stay updated and assure a seat.
What: Women in VoIP and Friends Breakfast during ITEXPO East by DIDxchange, Techistan and Jaymie Scotto and Associates
When and Where: February 2, 2011 Wednesday, 9 PM at Organic Italian restaurant, Escopazzo ... RSVP via twitter http://twitter.com/#!/radinfo), LinkedIn, email or comments on Peter Radizeski's blog
What: Peter Radizeski's Eclectic Dinner Gathering
Who: An unexpected mix of great people.
Feb. 3, 2011
When and Where: Feb. 3 from 9 - 11 PM at Mangos Tropical Cafe
What: ITEXPO East All Conference Party sponsored by Lockheed Martin, Eaton, AudioCodes and DIDX
Click for more info and directions!
Feb. 2-4, 2011
When and Where: Feb. 2-4, 2011 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami Beach (Me? I'm there from Jan. 29 - Feb. 5 because I'm booking dozens of biz dev appointments, networking opps, a booth for our DIDXchange/Techistan/Munwo services, and might be participating in the ViPeering meetings again.
What: ITEXPO East and dozens of colocated events, summits, and conferences and expo! A feast for IT and IP anything in beautiful Miami Beach, FL.
Who: 2N TELEKOMUNIKACE, 888 VoIPStore, AT&T, Dialexia Communications, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Microsoft, Paetec, Portaone, PTC, RNK Communications, Xorcom, Faxcore, Sip Forum, RingCentral, Vitelity, Aastra USA, Commetrex Corporation, CommLogik Corporation, and 100s of other organizations and companies. Contact to exhibit at http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/conference/east-11/exhibitors/e11-exhibitor-list.aspx.
Please do add a comment here with other networking activities scheduled during ITEXPO East 2011 in Miami Beach. Include When and Where, Who if possible, What, and what kind of RSVP is required. All comments are moderated by me and will be considered to add to this list of events. Happy 2011 in business and the rest of life!!


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Maybe you're wondering—what is an employer brand?
Think of it in terms of restaurants—some are known to be a good place to eat, others, not so much. Similarly, companies have a reputation of being a good place to work—or not.
Employer branding can weigh heavily on the minds of candidates, customers and other key stakeholders when it comes to assessing a business. It can help a company attract the right candidates and it can even drive bottom-line results. And, with the rise of social media, the world has a more direct view into a company, making employer branding more important than ever.
So what are the elements of a strong employer brand? Recently, Randstad surveyed 7,000 people with a variety of backgrounds and occupations and from all over the country on the key factors that go into employer attractiveness. Overall, the top three industries that garnered the most likes were high-tech manufacturing, technology and aerospace/defense.
Survey Says: A Good Employer Offers More than Just a Good Salary and Benefits
Randstad asked a series of employer branding questions, including:
Another important feature of a strong employer brand is job content. What a day-in-the-life at a particular company is like is important to all workers. Interestingly, however, at a closer look, respondents ranked job content factors differently based on their skill set and background. For instance, the acquisition of skills was important to younger workers with less education while creativity is paramount to younger, higher educated men. More mature women with lower-level degrees value independence while production workers want to be able to rely on their own skills. For office workers, it's more important to be challenged and have the chance to develop functional skills.
In order to survive in a competitive job market, companies need to take a closer look at their employer brand and ensure its attracting the right—and best—talent.
for job seekers
for business
career resources
learning center
about randstad


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I have not lifted a paintbrush since November 2016, but in the last two weeks managed to find time to complete a commission. His name is Monty (Artist Code 1603), and this is the second time I have portrayed him (the first was a graphite drawing, Artist Code 0905). Sadly Monty passed away a couple […]Read More
1603 Monty Two (Commission completed)
Posted by Tina on March 04, 2017 / no comment


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Attorney Shannon Murphy Barnes is a strong advocate for her clients. Attorney Barnes recognizes that being a strong advocate often means assisting clients in resolving their disputes without resorting to litigation. In furtherance of this belief Attorney Shannon Barnes is a trained mediator and collaborative attorney in addition to having 15 years of experience in divorce litigation. Attorney Barnes has served on the board of the North Shore Community Mediation Center and is currently serving on the combined board of Merrimack Valley/North Shore Legal Services and Neighborhood Legal Services.
Since 1997, Attorney Kelly A. Leighton has vigorously litigated all aspects of domestic relations cases for her clients, with special emphasis on custody disputes, support and alimony issues, and the challenges presented by cases involving domestic violence. In addition to litigation involving high-conflict cases, Attorney Leighton has appellate experience, as well as an interest in policy and legislative matters involving family law. She was a member of the Massachusetts Legislature's Alimony Reform Task Force, the committee who drafted the recently-enacted Alimony Reform Act of 2011. She is co-chair of the Boston Bar Association's Family Law Steering Committee, as well as a Board Member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.


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As you all know I did a shoot for my Vintage Boutique just over a week ago. I love the images we got from them, and it appears ASOS do aswell, as Ada's Attic is now on the People Catwalk =D. So I thought you might like to get to know the photographer from our fashion shoot, Kyle Insley, I have asked him a few questions about his work, vintage, art & travel read on to find out more! =D
When doing a shoot where do you get your inspiration from? Do you look at other peoples work or do you find ideas come to you in the weirdest places?
Kyle-I usually go off idea's straight from the top of my head with the rare occasion that I try and vary on a photo that has inspired me and I mostly use those photos purely for inspiration for back drops etc
When I have an idea I spend days to weeks searching the web for images that have features that fit with that idea I have thought up, collating and highlighting them into mood board style collections and then send them to the models/stylists etc. with the idea put into writing along with them..
The idea's rarely seem to work exactly how I'd imagined them but usually for the better, It's really interesting to see someone else's interpretation of the idea you try and put across and usually the best photos are always the ones you didn't try all that hard to achieve.. They just seem to happen!
who's work do you really like and why?
Kyle-I have an endless list of photographers whose work I really like, it's hard to explain why but mostly I find I really like those who have come to develop an identity/style and gone with it, to an almost perfection level..
Among those people are Victoria Sims, Jaime Ibarra, Nikos Vasilakis, Zhang Jingna, Akif Celebi, Alexei Bazdarev, Roberto Girardi & Satin Popalam Putyatina.
Why do you think vintage fashion is so popular right now?
Kyle-I think vintage is starting to become so popular through the whole Lomography scene, although this has been around for years now, especially with things like Instagram being so popular with the vintage photography look so easily achieved on an iphone and other devices, people have appeared to accept this whole concept and the feeling from these photos seems to have begun to spill into fashion more recently with clothing headed more and more toward this direction.
What is your favourite colour, food, place and why?
Kyle-Colour – White, Food – Calzone, Place – Helsinki, Finland – The most beautiful place I've ever been, still true to its Scandinavian roots with its architecture and endless cobbled roads and green parks, very multinational, fluent English speaking place surround in three directions by the Baltic sea endless coastlines, a short train ride from the northern lights and easily the most polite relaxed friendly environment I've visited.
What would be your dream vintage find? It doesn't have to clothes it could be anything?
Kyle- Anything that catches my eye.. usually I tend to buy random and unique picture frames.
How long have you been a photographer?
Kyle- I've been doing photography for the last 8 years on and off, I took it as a main subject at college as an easy grade for my UCAS application and was surprised how technical it all was and how much more work was required from my initial expectations.. After college I continued with it on a low level and always kept an interest in cameras, mostly medium format but only in the last 16 months have I really go back into it, bought a new DSLR, some other kit and ventured into the whole portrait and model type of work which I have found to be the most appealing and have since took a keen interest in the fashion genre..
_The thing that I found to be the most attractive about this direction has been how different and striking an image can turn out to be on camera from what is seem by the naked eye, the things and places you see daily you start looking at as props and locations and people, you start looking at as models and thinking what type of setting the would suit and what you could achieve with them..
Very cliché but it changes the way you treat and look at your surroundings.
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions so well! We loved working with you. To check out more of Kyle's Great work head over to his website- http://kyleinsley.tk/


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Saturday, February 12, 2011
Atelier Brancusi
A museum for the works of Brancusi, one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century, provides a moment of contemplative peace in one of the busiest public squares in Paris, facing the Centre-Pompidou.
The Romanian sculptor, Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957), arrived in Paris in 1904, and from 1916 until his death worked in a modest wooden shed in an alley in the Montparnasse quarter.
Brancusi in his beloved "shed"
Modest though it was, the studio space, lit by north light, acquired singular importance for Brancusi. He came to see his works and the spaces around them as a single harmonious entity. Brancusi arranged his sculptures so that their relationship one to another and to the room itself was balanced. In the end, it became difficult for him to envisage the sculptures outside his studio, and by 1950 Brancusi refused to exhibit his works elsewhere. The year before his death, he left the studio and its contents, including his tools, to the State of France, with the request that it be left undisturbed. Accordingly, Brancusi was made a naturalized citizen of France.
The Kiss - 1916
Soon after Brancusi's death, however, the studio was demolished, along with many other structures, in order to make room for the development of the controversial Tour Montparnasse; in order to carry out the wishes of Brancusi, a replica of his atelier was built opposite the north-west corner of the Centre Pompidou. Faithful to the picturesque scruffiness of the original, it was a quietly poignant place, the more so for being next to the frenetic glamor of the Centre Pompidou's piazza. The little building was difficult to make secure, however, and was hardly advertised, open only two afternoons a week.
Architect Renzo Piano's scheme for renovating the Centre Pompidou included building a new Atelier Brancusi on its former site. Now completed, the "new" atelier (1997) is an evocation of Brancusi's spirit rather than an exact replica; importantly, the replacement building conforms to standards required by modern curators and security.
Observed from the huge piazza in front of the Centre Pompidou, one scarcely notices this simple stone pavilion, which spans a change in level sloping up to Rue Rambuteau. There is just a plain wall of stone blocks with a metallic shed roof. From the steps to the right side, visitors ascend toward the street, then descend another flight of stairs to the left. There is an attractive courtyard with trees to the left of the main entrance (there is no admission fee). Because the building is set below street level, it feels separate from it, and the descent forms a gradual transition from noisy street life to the quiet, contemplative areas found inside.
Photo by M. Denancé
Brancusi's studio now consists of a wood-framed structure divided into four interconnecting spaces with plain white walls lit by north-facing skylights. The studio itself is isolated from human traffic by glass walls, which visitors circumnavigate around the perimeter. The sculptures and various objects like Brancusi's time-worn tools are arranged as he would have wished. There is also a small gallery for Brancusi's photographs.
Open 2-6 pm daily, except Tuesday; free admission!
Place Georges Pompidou (rue Saint-Martin)
Métro: Rambuteau (walk south on Rue Beaubourg, then right on Rue Rambuteau; museum is on the left just before the corner of Rue Saint-Martin.
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1 comment
PAYAL commented
Nice post of the bangalore


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It's another holiday that has come upon us and you know what that means…another siesta for my co-blogger. He made sure that I remembered that the "Five" was my responsibility and that it needed to be on a Friday, not the Thursday that I usually cheat with doing. Unfortunately, unlike my coblogger, I have to work and just got out of some meetings. So let us begin:
1. We're both big fans of the King here at the Beerbarrel and I personally think that we'll never see another performer like the King. No one can match his personality, rockstar lifestyle and love of Peanut Butter and nana sandwiches….well almost noone. Someone needs to explain to this guy, not everything the King did was good!
2. You know if this lady would have just held out for singing like Big Mama Cass or even the King, she probably wouldn't be in this trouble right now. She didn't and decided to give a new meaning to the line "hold the pickle please."
3. Growing up, movies were cool. No question about it. What can kids of today say, we grew up when "Twilight" was big…bleh. Give me a truck, a Trans Am and a dog….
4. Next week…..NHL Playoffs start….'Nuff said (well, maybe alittle more, but you'll have to wait for our Playoff special blog)
5. Finally, to finish the blog with yet another video. I bring you this in honor of the Easter Bunny!
Have a great weekend!


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With the introduction of the 2013 Mazda CX-5 this spring, Mazda is discontinuing its other small SUVs, the CX-7 and the Tribute. The new CX-5 is about the same size as the CX-7 on the inside, and it gets better fuel economy than both the CX-7 and the Tribute, so Mazda representatives say that the CX-5 should fill the gap left by the outgoing models.
The CX-5 and CX-7 are very similar in size and powertrain, but Mazda plans for the CX-5 to compete more directly with other small crossovers. "Dimensionally, the CX-5 is slightly smaller than the CX-7, but actually boasts more cargo capacity and overall interior volume," notes Autoblog. "What's more, the CX-5's nifty new 2.0-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder engine offers substantially better fuel economy than the base 2.5-liter four of the CX-7."
The Mazda Tribute, which is based on the Ford Escape, is on its way out as well, having been discontinued after the 2011 model year. Its dated design was the kiss of death, since it hadn't been updated recently. "All Tributes suffer from crude-sounding engines, low-rent cabin appointments, and a Ford-derived basic design that's more than a decade old," writes Consumer Guide.
By contrast, reviewers who have driven the new CX-5 say it boasts an updated interior and great performance. "With its fuel-efficient engine, engaging driving experience and daring styling, the 2013 Mazda CX-5 is a good pick for those seeking a sporty yet thrifty crossover SUV," reports Edmunds.
Because dealers will want to make room on their lots for the new CX-5s, shoppers will likely be able to get a better deal on the outgoing CX-7s and Tributes. Right now, shoppers in most areas of the country can get zero-percent financing for up to 60 month on a new 2012 CX-7, which is one of the best Mazda Deals in March.
Shopping for a Mazda or another new car? Check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars. Then, look for a great deal on a new car by checking out this month's best car deals. You can also skip negotiating with a dealer by using our Best Price Program. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.


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The Son Character Portraits Set an Ominous Tone
The Son follows the life of Eli McCullough (Pierce Brosnan) as he turns terrible loss in Texas into great wealth — but not without consequences that span generations.
In all-new portraits, get to know the complex characters of Eli's story, including the Comanche strangers he learned to call family, his children, as well as a Young Eli (Jacob Lofland), the innocent boy who will later become the brutal McCullough patriarch.
The Son is set to premiere in spring 2017 with 10 one-hour episodes.
To stay up-to-date on all the latest news, sign up for The Son newsletter.Read More


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Prop. 65 Warning Label


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The buzzing of insects. The damp smell of mildew and the fragrances of swamp plants. There weren't even animal tracks to follow and no landmarks to navigate with. Every now and then the glimpse of a slithering snake, poisonous no doubt.
"It's been three days, with no change. How do you know where we're going?", Elisa asked in weary voice.
"It's less damp here than in last two hours, let's eat", Olazábal noted.
Neshilim turned to face the others, palming sweat and mosquitoes from his bald forehead.
"No. In four hours we'll be at the entrance. This is my land, how could I not know it? If the heretics as far away as my dreams tell me, we might arrive too late." he said with strong conviction.
"…but it's been almost a day since our last proper meal. I'm starving.", Olazábal pleaded
"Stop whining and march faster, we have no time to lose!", Neshilim snapped pacing ever faster.
This was going to be yet another long, tiring night, Elisa concluded to herself and unwrapped another yellow-green striped elven candy, adding pleasant fragrances of lemon and mint to the natural odors of the swamp.
A bloody red sunrise over flat the swamp land reveals barely noticeable mounds a kilometer eastward.
"How the hell could you know those mounds would be here? In the middle of a moonless night?", a dead tired Niffil barked from the depths of his robe.
"At least he got us here… and it didn't rain", Olazábal tried to find more positive tone for the discussion.
Neshilim continued, showing no signs of noticing the discussion.
Grumbling ceased for a moment. The land was actually less wet and muddy and every step toward the mounds made it more solid.
Neshilim walked with eyes closed, clearly concentrating on something else. After couple of minutes, Neshilim opened his eyes, looked at his teammates and curtly nodded to the North, back to the swamp: "The entrance is there."
He didn't wait for complaints or comments, but changed his heading northward. He seemed to follow a path, which no one was able to really see – but could be felt. A step too much to the right and the soil was soft and sodden, as Olazábal noticed. This was a well hidden path.
Ten minutes of marching in silence while the sun slowly crawled to the sky, only to reveal yet another storm front closing in from North. All of a sudden Neshilim stopped and signed that everyone should crouch and be silent. With a question in their faces, everyone followed. Elisa's keen eyes noticed why Neshilim was interested in this unremarkable looking plain – underneath the layers of moss, mildew and lichen there were square stones, obviously man-made and some of those stones had rune markings.
"I know those runes. They are no human runes, let alone cultist runes.", Elisa whispered.
Even Neshilim looked Elisa attentively, dozens of mosquitoes surrounded them as they didn't move.
"These runes are old dwarven runes from eons back.", she continued in a mentoring voice.
"No way, I know my language, elf!", Olazábal spat.
"Sure you do, master dwarf.", Elisa said with a wry smile "These are the runes of your ancestors from the times when neither humans… nor elves lived in these areas. Some very old powers dwell here – or at least did live here. Upon your return, visit the Library and learn your history. Don't do it now, I implore. We have mission, this is no sight seeing trip."
"Bah, you always claim to know better…" "Oh, but I do! I always do."
"Stop it.", came the calm and close to emotionless voice of Bastian. "Elisa is mostly right. We can't squabble like children. None of us alone has the abilities to undertake what we set out to do. It takes everyone's efforts. Now, Neshilim and ladies, please help me to raise THAT stone.", he continued with the impudence of the general he once was and pointed a single stone slab he had uncovered from moss and lichen.
The stone had a single rune engraved, it was one by two paces and looked thick. Not an easy piece to move.
"Simma, you stand in watch. Questions, soldier?"
Simma shook his head, indicating that he knew very well what to do. He took a couple of careful steps away, revealing that the stone-worked area was actually far larger than they thought.
Just as Niffil thought that he had gotten the easy task, Bastian raised his head and gazed at him: "Good sir, do not think for a moment that you'd be left out from the fun. Get stripped. You're going in just as soon as stone is moved."
"Stripped?" "Yes." "Yes, sir…"
And then Bastian took one of the shorter sides of the slab, his huge hands barely able fit in the narrow gap between the stones. With an inhale, he exerted his massive biceps and the slab moved an inch or two.
"Get a sword or something. Make it fast, ladies.", Bastian exhaled. It was clear that slab would fall at any moment.
Elisa took Bastian's own sword from the scabbard and placed it between the rock and hard place just as Bastian's endurance came to a limit – the stone came down snapping the sword in two pieces as if it was made out of dry wood. Astonishment, anger, sadness and other strong emotions were clearly visible in their faces, but before anyone else could react, Neshilim said in his steady voice: "Fellows, do not make fools of yourselves in this once-holy-place. Hasten we must, sure, but let's not be stupid. We must open the correct stone, not every stone. Tactics beat pure strength nine out of ten times."
"… and those are stone pieces. My powers are specially for stone.", added Olazábal, mouth still full of an apple he had summoned from somewhere.
"What? Wrong stone? What about me?", asked the butt-naked Niffil a couple of paces behind the group.
"Get dressed, lad. It will be raining in 10 minutes and there are hundreds of stones. We need to find the one with a rune like this", Neshilim said, drawing a rune in the moss with his dagger.


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- Alternate links
- 01
The Boss Baby in streaming. A man named Timothy Templeton (Tobey Maguire) tells a story through his imaginative point of view as his 7-year-old self (Miles Bakshi) who lives his days having fun with his parents, Ted (Jimmy Kimmel) and Janice (Lisa Kudrow), and wishes it to be just the three of them forever. While tucking Tim in bed one night his parents ask if he wanted a baby brother; Tim declines the offer, saying that he is enough. After he goes to sleep, we see that Janice is pregnant. While sleeping Tim begins to wonder where babies come from. One day, Tim is surprised when a business suit-wearing infant shows up in a taxi at his house, and Ted and Janice proudly call him Tim's little brother. Tim is envious of the attention the baby is receiving, not to mention suspicious when the infant acts odd around him, but his parents, being blind to the baby's eccentric behavior, try to convince him that they will grow to love each other. Soon, Tim learns that the baby can talk like an adult (Alec Baldwin) and he introduces himself as "The Boss Baby". Seeing an opportunity to be rid of him, Tim decides to record a conversation between him and other toddlers who are over at Tim's house for a meeting (under the guise of a playdate by the parents) to do something about how puppies are receiving more love than babies. The Boss Baby and the other infants catch Tim with the recording and after a chase scene throughout the backyard and the house, the tape is terminated after The Boss Baby threatens to tear up Tim's favorite stuffed animal, Lam-Lam. With no evidence to support him, Tim is subsequently grounded by his parents for his actions during the chase between him and the infants, much to Tim and even Boss Baby's dismay.
ViviAnn Yee, Miles Christopher Bakshi, Jimmy Kimmel, Tobey Maguire, Lisa Kudrow, Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Eric Bell Jr.
Directors: Tom McGrath
Duration: 98 min
Year of release: 2017
Genres: Animation
Click the links below to watch The Boss Baby in streaming:
4 thoughts on "The Boss Baby"
you need to make this site better!!!!!!!!!!!!
it doesn't work jackass


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Sandy Bay Flat
This well presented sunny one bedroom flat is located within walking distance of the uni. The property is located under a large house and has its own separate entrance at the rear. The property comprises an open plan lounge, dining and kitchen area. The bedroom is large enough to accomodate a queen size bed and desk and includes built in robes. The bathroom and laundry are combined and there is a separate toilet. This property is available from 8th July 2014


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This plot of land in Apokoronas Chania for sale is located at the village of Kambia, just 600mtrs away from its center. It is 2,400sqms with a building allowance of 200sqms and it offers lovely mountain and countryside views, as well as sea views. The electricity and water supplies are nearby for easy connection.
The popular villages of Plaka and Almyrida with their many tavernas and mini-market are just 2 kms away. A further 10 minute drive takes you to Kalyves, a large traditional Greek village with a fishing harbour, fabulous beaches, shops, supermarkets, banks and tavernas. The historic city of Chania is only 20 mins drive away.
Kambia, Crete is a tranquil, traditional village in a picturesque setting, surrounded by olive groves situated in the region of Apokoronas. If you are searching for property for sale in Crete, Kambia village offers outstanding views to White Mountains of Crete and the Bay of Souda. It is located just 2 kms from popular Plaka village and 3 kms from the fishing village of Almyrida, Crete with its beautiful sandy beach and traditional taverns. Kambia is an ideal place to relax and unwind, with all amenities, shops, mini markets and tavernas nearby.
Apokoronas, Crete is situated at the feet of White Mountains in the north-eastern corner of the prefecture of Chania and is one of the greenest regions of Crete. The area features numerous interesting sights, such as Lake Kournas, the island's only freshwater lake and the archaeological site of Aptera with its superb views of Souda Bay. Apokoronas features an abundance of historic and picturesque villages with traditional taverns and thriving seaside resorts with beautiful sandy beaches along the coast like Kalyves, Almyrida and Georgioupolis and represents one of the most popular destinations if you are searching to buy property for sale in Crete, Greece.


text: Have two different writings of your place of birth on your Italian Documents? You are going to have some difficulties getting things done around here. New Italian bureaucracy warning for the other unfortunate people who have to get an Italian driver's license: I was supposed to take my final driving exam yesterday but (of course, … Continue reading Important Change in Italy