text: Episode 86: Mythotopia, Russian Railroads Lookback and a Short Topic Extravaganza! Episode released on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 Episode 86 the gang decides to review a game that is flying under the radar and should, Mythotopia by Martin Wallace! Then they take a look back at Russian Railroads one year later. Tony T goes wild with the gaming industry news as always. Then the founders finish off the show talking about how they're enjoyment of games changed after becoming reviewers, games that regularly hit the table, organizing public gaming and getting started in CCGs and... Right-click to Download Episode Now! Games Played Happy birthday Tony XCom won! The Ancient World City of Iron Dead of Winter Dead Man's Draw Core Worlds Blood Bowl Tem Manager The Speicherstadt BattleLore: Command Breachside Broadcast Malifaux easter sale Origins Meetup GenCon Meetup Sun king naming Support our 2015 Fundraiser! After 83+ episodes, we have decided it's time to look to the future and take the Secret Cabal to the next level. As we talked about on the show, to move forward we need some funds to get thing done and get them done to the quality level that you've come to expect from our productions. We've decided to roll out a fundraiser initiative on Patreon.com. We love doing the show, it's so much fun for us and we're so happy about the outpouring of support you all have given us in the past. But we want to do more. MORE I SAY! We're very excited about this becasue it means we're going to be doing more content for you guys to consume. Our first phase of the project will be doing a Fifth Wednesdays show! So when we have that week off when there's a fifth Wednesday, we'd plan to start releasing a new show thats a little different. We havent worked out the details of what it'll be yet, but it'll be founders talking about games And hopefully if everything goes as planned, we'll do it more often. This isnt the only thing we'd like to do, there are lots of things we have swimming around in our brains for 2015. We'll keep you guys updated as to what we're planning as things move forward! So anyway, if you guys are so inclined, think we're worth it and have the funds to spare, jump over to our fundraiser page at http://www.patreon.com/thesecretcabal and hook us up. Thank you all so much for your support in the past and going forward. I've said it before and I'll say it again you guys are the best people in the world and I'm proud to be part of this community. mythotopia Mythotopia is a deck-building game set in a medieval fantasy world that draws on the mechanisms found in A Few Acres of Snow with players customizing their personal card decks by drafting cards and expanding into provinces. The game board is composed of forty provinces, each with its own card. At the start of play, you receive a number of Province cards at random, then mark your initial positions with town pieces. Shuffle these Province cards with a set of five Initial cards to form your starting deck, then draw a hand of five cards. The game includes 27 Improvement cards, 16 of which are drawn and placed on display; these cards will be drafted during the game. Russian Railroads In Russian Railroads, players compete in an exciting race to build the largest and most advanced railway network. In order to do so, the players appoint their workers to various important tasks. The development of simple tracks will quickly bring the players to important places, while the modernization of their railway network will improve the efficiency of their machinery. Newer locomotives cover greater distances and factories churn out improved technology. Engineers, when used effectively, can be the extra boost that an empire needs to race past the competition. There are many paths to victory: Who will ride into the future full steam ahead and who will be run off the rails? Whose empire will overcome the challenges ahead and emerge victorious? Previous Article Episode 85: Deus, Nations Lookback, Video Games that should be Board Games and The Founders Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse Next Article Express 03: Assassinorum Execution Force, Chris' Secret Cabal Playlist and 3D Printing


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Lá fhéile Pádraig
Categories: History of food
Each year on 17th March, the patron saint of Ireland is celebrated across the country—and indeed, the UK and beyond—with parades, an abundance of green and the drinking of copious amounts of Guinness. Here we look at the history of this influential man and how he became inextricably woven into Irish identity
On Coney Island, off Streedagh Point in County Sligo, sits a magic stone 'wishing' chair—so magical that you're only allowed to sit on it once a year. The chair, it is said, was created by St Patrick: a small part of the rich mythology inspired by the patron saint of Ireland.
The one thing that everyone associates with St Patrick, besides the mass consumption of Guinness on 17th March, is his apparent success in ridding Ireland of snakes. In the 19th century, when interest in ancient fossils was at its height, locals in the county of Donegal believed the fossilised remains of coral found on the coast to be the remains of snakes that had died while fleeing St Patrick, who chased them into the sea after they interrupted his 40-day fast on top of a hill.
In truth, Ireland never had any snakes. Water has surrounded the island since the end of the last glacial period, preventing snakes from slithering over. Before that, it was too chilly for such cold-blooded creatures.
According to some scholars, the true meaning of the snake myth runs much deeper, providing an allegory for St Patrick's eradication of pagan ideology. The snake was the symbol of the Celts and their priest-caste, the Druids. When St Patrick arrived, the only snakes that his church wished to cast away were the native pagan Celts.
Kidnapped and enslaved
Patrick was born somewhere on the coast of Britain in the 4th century AD, into a family of priests. According to Patrick's Declaration, an autobiographical tract attributed to the saint, he was kidnapped and enslaved by Irish raiders: "I was taken prisoner. I was about 16 at the time. At that time, I did not know the true God. I was taken into captivity in Ireland, along with thousands of others. We deserved this, because we had gone away from God, and did not keep his commandments."
Patrick spent six years working as a shepherd, during which time he "came to wisdom and could distinguish between good and evil". According to the Declaration, God told Patrick to flee to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home.
After arriving back in Britain, Patrick dedicated himself to becoming a priest, before returning to Ireland to convert the pagan Irish to Christianity, drawn there by "the voice of the Irish people". He spent many years preaching in the northern half of Ireland and converted "thousands". According to a later source, he died on 17th March 492 at the ripe old age of 120 and was buried at Downpatrick.
On 2nd February 1808, Bishop Daniel Delany formally declared Patrick the patron saint of Ireland. On his annual saint's day, Chicago's rivers and several million pints of Guinness are dyed green, although Patrick himself was probably more closely associated with blue: the colour of church vestments.
A high king
The rest of the symbolism associated with him is also pretty new. Patrick wore no bishop's mitre, as they weren't invented for another 500 years, and the idea of the shamrock being a symbol of the Trinity was tacked on a thousand years after his death. As far as we know, Patrick never climbed Crough Patrick nor met a high king at Tara.
One myth we can all get behind, though, is that of 'pota Phadraig': Patrick's pot. St Patrick is said to have chastised an innkeeper who had served him a short measure of Irish whiskey. He told the mean publican that a devil lived in his cellar and could only be banished by acts of generosity. The measures became much larger after that.

subset: commoncrawl


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Public Comment
Web-Only Letters to the Editor
Editors, Daily Planet:
Barbara Gilbert's op-ed opposing Bush's impeachment is out to lunch. She revealingly writes that it is "not doable or justifiable." Excuse me, not justifiable? Bush has gotten us into a bloody, interminable war in Iraq that has made us less safe and has routinely given Israel blank checks to do whatever it pleases, as the current military assault on Lebanon demonstrates.
I'm sorry, Gilbert, but your crappy local planning issues pale in comparison to the ongoing crimes, foreign and domestic, of the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld axis of evil. If that landmark preservation ordinance hadn't been so grossly abused they wouldn't have had to change it.
Here in Oakland we have the opposite extreme—a development driven mania orchestrated out of City Hall that is now condoizing everything in sight, and this in an already oversaturated market! Our trouble is that we have too many of these "sensible" Perata Machine "centrist" Dummycrats who can't see beyond their noses, or is it wallets? Hopefully, our incoming Mayor will start to reverse the disastrous policies of Jerry Brown, who is thankfully preparing to leave Oakland. Goodbye and good riddance! Impeach Bush should be on every city council agenda in the U.S.A.
Michael Hardesty
Editors, Daily Planet:
Many young children face the hard consequences of homes broken as a result of divorce or separation. They feel emotionally insecure. They have suddenly lost a space where they are cared for by both parents.
Young children feel love and warmth for both parents. They don't understand the reasons for the absence of one parent. When their parents separate many children lose the power to focus and concentrate. They often imitate the insulting language and rough behavior of their fighting parents. They become sad and full of anger.
In our culture we emphasize fulfillment for the individual partners in a marriage but we do not emphasize the need young children have for a pleasant, peaceful, secure and loving environment. We do not teach partners in a marriage ways of resolving conflicts so that children can continue to count on safety at home.
Let us parents learn the healthy ways of compromise. Let us learn non-violent ways of resolving differences. Let us bring down the divorce rate for the United States.
Speaking as a provider of early childhood education I want to say: a divorce or separation is disastrous for children. Young children should be made happy at home. In order to serve the development of children, we should try to educate the parents about the benefit of togetherness and love.
Romila Khanna
Editors, Daily Planet:
Israel is receiving nearly 3 billion of our dollars a year to fund their military. Look what they are doing with it. Israel is using it for airstrikes and targeting civilians!
Cut them off!
This raw aggression is inexcusable.
Cut them off!
We are paying for these atrocities in more ways than one. I am heartsick by the death of innocent civilians, innocent families, women, children—and I am indirectly funding this? I am outraged! Sickened!
There IS something that we can do. Cut them off!
Maybe this will open your ears: There are innocent Americans stuck there who can't get out—children who've never heard bombs before in their life, in fear of their own lives now who can't get back home.
This loathsome Administration could care less.
Congress has the power to stop the flow of money funding this nightmare.
Cut them off!
Mrs. Jennifer Brass
Editors, Daily Planet:
Hezbollah is not the nation of Lebanon or the Lebanese people, just as the terrorists who orchestrated and executed 9/11 were not the nation of Afghanistan or the nation of Iraq. However, it seems, after an attack, both the United States and Israel, who have the most powerful armies in the world, can blindly "counterattack" whomever they want to, violate UN treaties and not give a damn about civilians. It's amazing how much U.S. and Israeli aggression parallels terrorism.
Wendianne Eller
Editors, Daily Planet:
The recent Israeli military actions in Lebanon are a grossly disproportionate response to the capture of two Israeli soldiers. While the capture of the soldiers was indeed worthy of condemnation, killing scores of innocent Lebanese civilians and destroying critical civilian infrastructure is a completely unjustified and immoral act.
As one of Israel's long-time allies and staunchest supporters, I believe the United States has an obligation to speak out about these atrocities. The United States should demand that Israel stop this violent response, and should withdraw its support for the Israeli government should they persist.
James von Behren
Editors, Daily Planet:
Stop Israel genocidal campaign in the Middle East. This "God-chosen" people have become, with the help of our tax money, their own worst enemy.
Stop the Bush administration support and perpetration of genocide in the Arab world now.
Jose Francos
The Israeli government has totally given more punishment than the kidnapping warranted. Israel's policy seems to be to kill all Arabs, including women and children, that live anywhere near their borders. This needs to be stopped!!
Dan Regan
Editors, Daily Planet:
Please call or write Congress immediately and demand that we do something non-violent and peaceful to stop Israel's bombing of civilians!
We need to demand that Israel and all other aggressors stop bombing now or else we will cut off all military aid to Israel. Our tax dollars and suicidal governmental policies are responsible for feeding Israel's giant military machine.
Please note, that there are many Israeli, as well as Palestinians and many others, who are sick and tired of this war, and desire only peace. We might as well end the Israel vs. Palestine war in these Berkeley Daily Planet op-ed pages, too!
Linda Smith


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Sunday, 13 September 2009
CANAAN - Episode 11
Despite discovering those frozen Canaan clones, Alphard has no problem in letting Maria and Yun-Yun escape, while she also seems more than happy to give the Snakes research data on the Ua virus and their attempts to create a "Canaan army" to Natsume, who then in turns calls in the military and US Special Forces to destroy the site.
While Canaan returns to the building despite knowing of this impending attack to rescue Hakko, so our own interest switches to Liang Qi, who faces off against Alphard only to lose the plot completely... not that she had much grip on her mental faculties from the very start. Her emotional rollercoaster (not to mention her fighting with knives in lingerie) is ended as she takes some experimental pills designed to give Ua virus sufferers synaesthesia, which finally drives her over the edge in a blur of love and hatred for all things Canaan.
As if that whole state of affairs wasn't bizarre enough, we also have Hakko having sex with a dead Santana, before Canaan is forced to make her escape from the factory before it's destroyed - The good news is that she carries Yun-Yun's medication with her, but the bad news is... well, pretty much everything else really.
You know, for all of my fluctuating thoughts and feelings towards CANAAN I can't help but feel like it's missing something, although I can't quite put my finger on what. The last episode did a pretty good job of delivering as required, and this episode also seemed to do everything that was needed of it, yet I still don't feel genuinely gripped by the story it portrays as I feel I should be. Yes, I can marvel at the consistently impressive animation quality and the like, but when it comes to anything deeper I'm left feeling a little empty - I'm not sure whether it's the characters or the story itself, but I just feel as though the entire show just needs something else to bring it from the depths of mediocrity; a certain something which it hasn't managed to consistently capture since those early episodes when everything still seemed fresh and intriguing.
2 comments:
- VucubCaquix said...
I thought something similar. I came to the conclusion that we Americans may be missing a lot of characterization and plot nuance because of the fact that we weren't given the opportunity to play the visual novel that this was based off of, 428.
Since it's a japan wii-exclusive, (which got a perfect 10 from famitsu, a rare feat) we may be missing out on a lot of very subtle things, and may well be for a fairly long time.
- 14 September 2009 at 16:13
- Martin said...
I must be looking for the same thing then. It's hard to fault the art and animation - hell, it's actually very good for a TV show - but the moments where I was expecting to feel something just came across as clumsy and stilted. Which is odd since this episode, on paper at least, had some of the most chilling and emotional scenes so far.
- 15 September 2009 at 10:42


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- Cook pasta as directed on package.
- Drain out all water and place back in pot. Add 1/2 tsp olive oil to cooked pasta and stir.
- While pasta is cooking cut squash and zucchini in fourths long ways and then chunk. Slice and cut onion thin and add all three vegetables to sauce pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil set on medium heat.
- Add salt and pepper and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Once vegetables are done add sauce and continue cooking until sauce is hot, 2-4 minutes. Place pasta on plate and top with squash sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.


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The city of Mysore has always been noted for its erudite community and its grounding in tradition. This city can now brag of yet another frontier – the flavour of education as provided by the Manipal Group.
At MSPS, we bring you a School that seeks to provide the best of academic standards. Our distinctive character is to provide world class education. Our endeavour is to ensure that a high quality learning environment is created that is innovative, challenging and enterprising. Literary, social and cultural aspects are blended with every student's academic life, while strong emphasis is placed on discipline.
The School is promoted by the Manipal group, which has a track record of nearly 60 years in education. Having established a very strong track record in higher education, the group has now entered into the field of School education, thus ensuring the best in quality and holistic education to children. All schools promoted by the group would focus on excellence in academics, sporting, cultural and artistic activities.


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If you are reading this blog then you most likely found it by doing a Google search. There aren't a lot of sites dedicated to cosmetic science so Chemists Corner comes up frequently.
Google is a great search engine but did you know that there are other ones that can give you better results for some specific types of questions?
Alternative search engines
Here is a list of some useful alternative search engines and how a cosmetic chemist might use them.
If you are first starting to research a topic that you know little about, try Factbites instead of Google. Factbites distills results to factual information about a topic and cuts down on editorializing and other distracting info. For example, a search for nanoparticles leads you to a CDC article about the subject and a wikipedia link. The website also tells you how reliable the information might be by flagging potentially misleading sources.
If you don't know all the relevant information about a topic, Quintura can help you figure it out. You start with a simple search and it gives you a cloud of other options related to that search term. So, if you are looking for information about cosmetic emulsions, you'll see related searches for cleansing emulsions, emulsion composition, and emulsion balancing.
This is a great search engine that takes results and clusters them into related clouds. Have you ever done a search on Google and gotten lots of results you weren't interested in? For example, if you search the term "Cosmetics" you'll get information about cosmetics mixed in with information about cosmetic surgery. Clusty (also called Yippy) organizes the search results into handy clouds. It makes it much more useful than Google when you're looking for information about a specific topic.
If you really want to be thorough when searching a topic, then Dogpile is the way to go. It is a search engine aggregator and will give you the results of searching multiple search engines at once. This is the closest thing to a universal search engine as there is. Dogpile is definitely worth using if you want to speed up your online searches.
If you're looking for a quick answer to some trivia question, then you should start with ChaCha.com. Unlike Google that returns completely thorough results for all queries, ChaCha specializes in answering specific questions.
As a cosmetic chemist, you'll often need images to use for creating presentations. Google has an image search function, however Cooliris is just a much better choice. You have to try it out to understand.
Are you looking for a cosmetic chemist job? Then do your search on Indeed.com. You can search jobs by title, company, or key word and even narrow results to location. It's not a place to submit your resume but it lists actual jobs that are looking to be filled.
There are many more search engine alternatives to Google but these 7 should get you started. If you are curious about more, see this profile of 100 alternative search engines.
Do you have a favorite search engine not listed? Leave a comment below and tell us what it is and why you like it.


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'Playful Kiss' reveals Seung Jo's Diary on YouTube
MBC's 'Playful Kiss' came to an end on the 21st of October. The drama went against some tough competition and suffered in the ratings department. Despite that, the show grew a small die-hard fan base and they were quite disappointed to see the show end so soon. However, that disappointment was somewhat turned around when there was news stating that Playful Kiss would continue airing via special episodes through video sharing website Youtube.
This past week, they've released various specials through the YouTube channel ytkiss and now two special diaries featuring Seung Jo have been revealed.
You can view English subs utilizing the cc button on the YouTube player.
Source: ytkiss


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There are spoilers in this review, duh.
There are spoilers in this review. Duh.
SUITS — "Mea Culpa" Episode 508 — Pictured: Troian Bellisario as Claire — (Photo by: Ian Watson/USA Network)
SUITS — "Hitting Home" Episode 507 — Pictured: (l-r) Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane, Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt, Amy Acker as Esther — (Photo by: Shane Mahood/USA Network)


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Philadelphia's fire commissioner is returning to the scene of a devastating weekend fire that killed four children, destroyed eight homes and displaced 32 people.
Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer and other firefighters will be going door-to-door along the 6500 block of Gesner Street on Monday to speak with residents and install new smoke detectors in their homes.
Sawyer's return to the block comes two days after a fast-moving and intense fire broke out along the single block street in Southwest Philadelphia. It was around 2:45 a.m. Saturday when the fire began on a couch sitting on the porch of 6516 Gesner Street, fire officials said. Flames quickly spread to seven other homes up and down the block through the porch roofs. Some residents were forced to jump from the second-floor of their homes, but four children were unable to escape.
Firefighters found the bodies of 4-year-old twin sisters Maria and Marialla Bowah, 4-year-old Patrick Sanyeah and his 1-month-old brother Taj Jacque in the basement of 6518 Genser. The boys along with several others were being babysat by Dewen Boawah, the twin girls' mother.
The woman told authorities she was able to get three of the children out of the burning home before being forced to jump from a second-floor window. She was critically hurt and remains at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Chester, Pennsylvania.
- PAST COVERAGE: On Gesner Street, Shock & Sorrow | Donations Pouring in as Investigation of Fatal Fire Continues | Neighbors Remember Twin Sisters Killed in Fire
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Witnesses told NBC10.com they heard firecrackers shortly before the fire began. Sawyer confirmed officials were looking at whether they could have sparked the blaze.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
The home where the children were killed did have 10-year smoke detectors installed by firefighters in August 2013, officials said.
While the Monday visit by Sawyer is meant to ensure residents' safety, they may not welcome him with open arms. Homeowners shouted and cursed at the commissioner, Mayor Michael Nutter and other city officials as they met with victims along the block on Saturday.
Residents say firefighters took exceedingly long responding to the 2-alarm inferno -- despite having a firehouse several hundred yards away. Sawyer says, however, the first fire crews were on scene in three minutes. The national average is nine minutes.
The commissioner did say one truck from the nearby firehouse, Ladder 4, Engine 40 & Medic 19, was out on another call when the call came in. But he says the other truck immediately responded and the already dispatched apparatus diverted to the scene shortly after. He added that the neighborhood's firefighters were devastated by the childrens' deaths.
Still, residents criticized the department over the weekend. NBC10.com has filed requests with the city for 911 calls and department dispatching data.
The Department of Licenses & Inspections could also begin knocking down the eight destroyed two-story rowhomes on Monday.


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Come together
Meridian Night Out set for Oct. 10
By Simone Wichers-Voss
The National Night Out is a cohesive effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities. In Meridian, the evening planned for Oct. 10 is more of an all-encompassing community involvement event.
Meridian's third annual National Night out sponsored and hosted by the city, from 6-8 p.m. on the east side courthouse square. It will include law enforcement, first responders, churches, civic organizations, youth sports and school organizations. There will be food trucks, games and the movie Moana.
To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition http://www.etypeservices.com/Meridian%20TribuneID88/


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Extended Warranty Information - Protect Your Car
We guarantee our vehicles and provide piece of mind to our customers by offering CERTIFIED Pre-Owned Vehicles. Definitive Motors will provide protection when you drive off the lot. The program is as follows:
Option 1: 3 month / 3,000 Major Warranty - Includes Engine, Transmission/Transfer Case, and Drive Axles, (No Seals & Gaskets)
When considering the purchase of an extended warranty, you should first evaluate the standard factory warranty to determine if the length and degree of coverage meet your driving needs.
Extended warranties are designed to protect you from potentially costly repairs when the factory warranty expires. A variety of extended warranties are available from one to seven year periods and 12,000 – 125,000 miles depending on the vehicle. These time and mileage variables can be selected to meet your specific needs.
Purchase an extended warranty protection plan for your car and unforeseen repair costs are minimized. The small deductible for warranty coverage is minimal compared to the hundreds or even thousands of dollars these repairs could cost.
A wide variety of comprehensive extended warranty protection plans are available. When you purchase an extended warranty from us, we make certain you buy from a reputable company. These are the items we look for extended warranties to include:
- Penalty-free monthly payment plans
- Towing service
- Rental car allowances
- Trip-interruption benefits
- The option to cancel the contract at any time
- 24/7 Roadside Assistance which includes lockout, dead battery, and out of gas.
70% of our inventory comes to us with remaining Factory/Manufacturer Warranties. A typical manufacturer's warranty lasts 3-4 years or 36,000-50,000 miles, whichever comes first and depending on the make and model. The manufacturer's warranty is a guarantee that the manufacturer will make any necessary repairs due to defective materials used or improper manufacturing, at no charge to the owner.


text: The representation of female rappers has gone through an evolution, moving from power through a strong feminist outlook towards a postfeminist power through sexuality with vulgarity and disrespect for both men and women. However, it is now attempting to return back to the positive strong woman image, but maintains the negative connotation due to the persistence of aspects that support the degradation and objectification of women. The progression that has occurred is prevalent throughout the genre, but will be specifically shown through a comparative analysis of lyrics and music videos of the artists Lil' Kim, Nicki Minaj, and Iggy Azalea. Continue reading


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It would be going too far to say that I had an unhappy childhood. I had parents who loved me, a comfortable home, good schooling, some aptitude for sport, which got me out in the fresh air, and I never had a major illness, never experienced poverty, tragedy or even real sadness. But I never had any friends, either. And it is very hard to be happy without friends.
Actually, "no friends" is not quite right. I had one or two. But I had them sequentially. Never more than one at a time. Usually it was another undersized, twitching, antisocial loser like myself.
We would form a bond, huddle together at break time, pretend to be Wombles, Batman and Robin, "Pal" and "Chum" (after the dog foods), Willis and Botham, Starsky and Hutch… but it was only ever two of us, and it rarely lasted longer than a full school year.
If a friend moved abroad (like Nicky Diamond or Jonathan Nicholas), or was bumped up into the "scholarship class" (like Eddie Keene), or even accelerated a whole year (like Charlie Fulford), then that was that. I never had back-up.
Each break-up left me completely alone. Each September (after a long and lonely summer), I started from scratch, suffered endless rejection by group after group, and finally mopped up whoever else was left at the end of the line with me, when the big friend-making sessions were over.
What I really missed was a gang. I was never indispensable to any group's fun and games. I was never the life and soul. I was usually allowed to tag along for a bit because I was intermittently amusing, but pretty soon I became irritating, and was given the cold shoulder – specifically a cold, dark grey, school-uniformed shoulder: literally, the group would close into a circle, and there I'd be, frozen out, wondering how to look like I didn't care, as I wandered off to pick up a stray fellow loser to make friends with.
As my teens wore on, it grew worse. At 16, I had still never met a girl. Literally, not met a member of the opposite sex apart from my mother and sister. Still had no friends. Didn't know where it would end.
But then, in the sixth form, girls arrived at our school. I got invited to my first party. On the way there, requiring courage just to get through the door, I bought a quarter bottle of Smirnoff at the newsagent on the corner, necked it in three gulps and when I woke up on the floor behind a sofa the next morning, I learned that I had stripped to my Y-fronts (with no friends, I had nobody to tell me I should be wearing boxers) and danced in a sailor's hat, taken up smoking, had three fights, done a lot of snogging, now had a girlfriend of eight hours standing, and was the most popular guy in town.
That was 1985. And I have been drunk ever since. Haven't you?
I mean to say, what miracle juice was this? Previously I was bookish, nervous, defensive, twitchy (I had a rapid repetitive blink and a horrible intermittent lip-stretch), infuriatingly talkative (to mask shyness and self-loathing), self-conscious, timid and mean.
Now, under the influence of the firewater, I was relaxed, fearless, louche, attractive, generous. Even, almost, magnetic.
I got into drugs next. Nothing fancy. Just thick, oily hashish ("red seal") of the kind that flooded the London market in the middle Eighties as the Mujahideen ramped up production to fund its defence against the Soviet occupiers.
Smoking it made me miserable and nervous and twitchy again, but selling it – to the kids at school who were even squarer than I was – made me cool, sexy and popular, and funded my drinking.
In my gap year, while others travelled abroad, I got a dull nine-to-five job in London and spent my wages in a handful of pubs in Chalk Farm where I would drink seven or eight pints of Tennent's Extra a night, before repairing to a mate's smeggy basement to smoke joints for a couple of hours until I felt my blood alcohol was low enough to let me drive home.
And so at 1am, three times over the limit and now stoned off my noodle as well, I would stagger off to find my old Ford Escort, reckoning that if I was sober enough to find it, I was sober enough to drive it. When I found it, barely able to walk another step, I'd fall into the front seat and consider myself to all intents and purposes "home".
Sunk into the yellow, furry seat-cover, I'd switch on the radio and the heating, light a fag, point her towards my parents' house and step gently on the gas, reckoning that, like a faithful horse, she could find her way home without me.
That was an attitude that stayed with me well into my thirties: I learned to drink and to drive at the same time, and the two activities were inextricably linked in my mind. I never killed anyone. I never even hurt anyone. But I smashed a few cars, one kebab shop in Shepherd's Bush and my nose on the steering wheel a couple of times.
I drank my way through university, like everyone else, the only difference being that I drove everywhere, too. By the early Nineties, drink-driving was becoming unfashionable and as I staggered out of parties barely able to see, my mates (of whom I now had hundreds thanks to my permanent pissedness and general druggy benevolence) would spread themselves across the bonnet of my car to try and stop me driving away. But off I'd speed, giggling and belching, as the cream of Oxford rolled off my front bumper.
After that it was journalism. Now, with a job to worry about, I started to think it might be time to drop the bottle and get serious about life. I was 23 or 24, settled with a girl, a flat, a new car. We'd cane a couple of bottles a night over pasta and a video, but otherwise I expected to wind it down.
But these were the last days of the old newsroom drinking culture. We were out of Fleet Street physically, but not yet spiritually. In my first week on a national paper, a senior executive randomly selected me to join him for lunch – a coveted honour.
We went to a wine bar in Shadwell and he ordered a bottle of Chilean merlot for £14 (fuck all even then). We drank two and as he ordered the third I began to wonder if we would be eating anything at all. Would it be gauche to ask? Was this some sort of test?
The answers were "yes" and "yes". With the third bottle, he said, "I suppose we'd better have something to eat." So he ordered two cheese sandwiches. I ate mine, he left his, we ordered one more bottle and were back in the office by 4pm.
And that was me, made in the business. While my own generation of newcomers to journalism were serious, socially diverse, clean-living paragons of modern media earnestness who ate sandwiches at their desk, drank only water and so never made friends with the big boys and found their copy left to rot forever on the spike, I was comfortable with the lifestyle of the pissed old public-school farts at the top of the chain and rose smoothly.
I could write my thousand words of daily bilge on two litres of the "red infuriator" in the quiet hour between 4pm and 5pm when the senior executives were having a nap. And they loved me for it.
I was unstoppable. I didn't just drive and party pissed, I worked pissed. Why be sober? I pushed on into restaurant criticism, natural home of the middle-functioning dipso, where I drank freely and for free in a world where, even more than journalism generally, drinking is a badge of honour and non-drinking a mark of shame.
I was drinking, what, 160 units a week? One hundred-and-eighty? Seven or eight times the amount recommended by the government as acceptable. But what the fuck does the government know? Sure, that "settled" relationship I mentioned had ended. But that was because I was a boring, possessive, bullying, fat twat with no self-respect who fell over a lot and snored. It had nothing to do with drinking. Besides there were plenty of PR girls to shag – wahay! And you can't do that sober.
In fact, I have never had sex with anyone for the first time sober. Have you? Has anyone? My numbers are nothing special, a bit better than Nick Clegg, but not much – and I have only ever done it the first time drunk. Is that unusual? Who knows?
The problem with being drunk all the time is that you end up feeling shit and sleepy at the most inconvenient moments, such as when the night is young and there is booze to be drunk. Which is why God invented cocaine. So that was my thirties sorted out.
Sure, my relationships were shorter now, generally less than two years and always ending in accusations of violence, abuse, sexism, drug-addiction, selfishness… but that was nothing to do with booze or drugs. That was just crazy women talking crazy shit like they always do.
Still, I eventually calmed down a bit, got some therapy, got a wife, got a kid, got another one on the way, got pretty much off the charlie (when your baby daughter's favourite game is sucking your nose while you change her morning nappy, then the amount of crusted coke, speed, MDMA and strychnine you want still up it from the night before is severely reduced) and was hardly drinking at all.
Just maybe 100 units a week. Barely five times the recommended amount. Nothing. Almost no downside. Except obviously – being in my early forties – waking up more than half of my mornings feeling sick and headachey and depressed.
Finding the job of writing, alone in an office all day, increasingly difficult with the mild brain damage and biliousness that came with my totally harmless and normal lifestyle.
The future always looked complicated. The week ahead impossibly trying. Can't do much on Thursday 'cos I'm out on Wednesday. Tuesday and Friday afternoons are dead because I'm lunching. Forget about December, I'll be drunk. Forget about May to July – that's set aside for drinking ice-cold rosé.
Some mornings, I looked at the future and saw, at best, 30 more years of health. For 10 of those I'd be drunk, then hungover for 10 more. So only 10 years left when I would definitely be happy and productive. Meh, whevs. Have
a gin and tonic and shut up.
It did occur to me that I could give up drinking, but then what would I do at night? How would I cope with boring dinner parties? How would I get in the mood for a night out? How could I review restaurants? How could I have sex with women? (Wait, I'm married, I don't do that now.) What would happen to my friends? How long would it take them to realise I wasn't fun anymore?
I wanted to clean up my act, but I didn't want to go back to being a short-arse, Nobby No-Mates Jew-boy, alone in the playground, twitching like a gimp and watching telly alone on Saturday nights.
Cutting down a bit? Not an option. For me, a cold glass of premium lager is not a refreshing sharpener but a gateway drug.
I have never swallowed a mouthful of beer without thinking: "Ah yes, now, let's get a couple of bottles of decent claret, then cocktails, a gram or two of quality biff and find some unfussy Doris in from the provinces to molest in the bogs."
And then a few weeks ago I threw a little Sunday afternoon party, with a mate, for us and our children. I'd been drinking quite hard, in a nice way, for the last five days and was feeling a bit ropey, so I opened up with a half of Moretti at 2pm to get me on the right track, and then had another every 20 minutes or so for the next five hours so that
I was never actually drunk (that's unseemly in a host) but so that I fell asleep at the dinner table later, and in the morning couldn't remember anything about the party at all.
Except one thing: the arrival at the party of my mate Ben. The biggest drinker I've known. Always already drunk when he showed up for dinner, even lunch. Big drugs man, too. Tall and good-looking, but had fattened over the years and grown-bloodshot and tired. Argued with his wife all the time, but unquestionably the most popular guy I know. Easily 1,000 close friends. Always made me feel, even drunk me, a bit friendless and pathetic.
I hadn't seen him for six weeks and when he walked in I didn't recognise him. He was slim, his skin was clear, his eyes were bright, his back was straight, his clothes were new and his wife was smiling.
"What the fuck happened to you?" I said.
"Haven't had a drink in six weeks," he said.
And so I stopped. If Ben could do it, so could I. I only ever drank because other people did. So why not stop because someone else had? I would never drink again. Not in a self-pitying, monster hangover, if-I-make-big-promises-this-terrible-feeling-might-go-away sort of way. Just as a matter of fact.
In a moment, that Monday morning, my view of the future turned round. I was now ONLY 43, with most of my productive life ahead of me. Days would have 24 hours in them, weeks would have seven days. The articles I have to write would be done in half of the time. The books would be fun to plan, more so to execute.
The loom of a public-speaking engagement or live telly appearance wouldn't fill me with dread. Every early morning wake-up to look after my kids would be easy. Every dawn would be clear and bright. Every day mine to make work.
I told a few people my plans and got a lot of "yeah, right, get back to me in three days". A lot of "have a drink". And a lot of yawns.
One old soak told me, "I tried it once but I couldn't stand it – because when you wake up feeling shit and old and miserable you don't have the booze to blame anymore."
So I decided to stop telling people. It's not interesting to anyone but me anyway. I decided to make it my little thing.
And two months on, pretty much boozeless, I'm chuffed as fuck. I've lost a stone without trying. I've had the first really good ideas I've had in 10 years. I row with my wife a lot less. I haven't fucked anyone I shouldn't have, committed any crimes (literally none, including driving and drugs misdemeanours) or cried for the longest continuous period since I was 17. It's mental.
I really recommend it. All you have to do is… wait. This feels like time for a numbered plan.
The Rules Of The New Boozelessness:
Rule One: Don't tell anyone. It's nobody's fucking business but your own. They'll only either make you vomit with sympathy or tell you you're a poofter.
Rule Two: Get in a load of Bavaria zero per cent wheat beer. At first, to a hardened beer drinker this shit tastes like a fat bird's first syrupy piss of the morning. But you get used to it, and you need something ice cold and slightly bitter to crack at 7pm to tell you it's downtime.
I've got so used to this stuff I literally look forward to opening one. And if I think of drinking one any earlier than 7pm, I stop and give myself a good talking-to, on the grounds that I'd better wait till I've put my kid to bed.
Rule Three: When you're out with your mates, be first to get the rounds in (as I hope you are anyway). That way you can loudly herald a night's drinking, come clinking over to the table with a dozen foaming pints, and only you will know that yours contains two bottles of Beck's Blue non-alcoholic lager (perfectly drinkable).
Drink the top off it, and then as every further round arrives allow the usual muddle to ensue on the table. With a bit of "whose is this one?" and the occasional subtle bar trip to top yours up, nobody will notice you're not drinking your pints.
Rule Four: In restaurants, YOU order the wine. Sing its praises. Taste it when the waiter pours (it's nice to know what you're missing) and shout, "God, that's fucking DELICIOUS! We'll be drinking A LOT of that!" Then leave your glass untouched.
Nobody will notice. Drunk people notice nothing.
Rule Five: Always have a "meeting" to go to or a "babysitter" to relieve, or a "Doris" to go and shag. The problem with not drinking, and the glory of it, is that you realise how, as 9pm strikes, all your friends just start repeating themselves.
You will miss nothing. And you'll be tucked up in bed by 9.30pm with a nice book while they get fat, sick and miserable.
Rule Six: Never say "no" to drugs. Geezer palms you a wrap in the pub: go "cheers", slip away to the bogs. Go into a cubicle alone (it doesn't work if everyone's piling in together, obviously), wait two minutes (for added credibility, poke a pencil quite hard up your nose so that five minutes later you get a little trickle of blood running onto your top lip), then come out again and ostentatiously palm the wrap back to him saying, "fucking front-row shit, that, man, nice one".
Blink a lot. Tell everyone something you've just realised about how society works which is really, really mental. Say it six times. And then go home. Once the cunts have started on the shnozz, they won't even notice you've left.
Rule Seven: Eat whatever the fuck you like: cakes, KFC, burgers, pizza… nothing can make you fat now. You'll recover your teenage svelteness in three months, eating anything you want. It's the great compensation.
On top of that, not being pissed, you actually don't binge on carbohydrates in the way you used to, so you lose weight that way, too. I'd say you can eat kebabs as well, but that, sadly, is not possible sober.
Rule Eight: Give up exercise. Another of the great boons. You only ever ran to clear your head, sweat out the impurities, repair some of the damage and beat yourself up.
Now your head is always already clear, there are no impurities, there is no damage, there is nothing to beat yourself up for. Burn your Lycra! Running is for pissed wankers.
Rule Nine: Never tell yourself it is forever. If you never have another drink that makes you a teetotaller. Teetotallers are wankers. Giving up drinking doesn't change that.
You'll be having a drink again soon, like any normal person. (Indeed, quite often, when I'm doing the ordering-wine-but-not-drinking-it thing in a restaurant, I drink the odd half glass because it's tasty, and to demonstrate to myself that I'm not some tragic AA wipeout.)
Rule Ten: Put shit in for Sunday. For all your life, Sunday was a dead day, a place for recovering from Thursday, Friday and Saturday. At best, a lunch of Bloody Marys with your saddo drunky pals was doable. But no more.
You have gained a seventh day of the week. A whole year of life, free, added now not later, for every six years you live. You can work, read, love, play, do whatever. It's pretty weird.
Rule Eleven: In fact, put shit in for every day. You're going to need stuff to do. Without booze, your boredom threshold drops dramatically. You can't just sit around doing nothing any more.
And television won't cut it. Sober, even porn is boring. So expand your interests, push hard with your work, build new things, achieve, create, you're a fucking MACHINE, man, and you can do ANYTHING.
Rule Twelve: Finally: if cornered, if everyone's looking, if you're in danger of being unmasked (like when an undercover agent embedded in the Mafia has to kill a cop to keep his cover), then just have a fucking drink.
It's not the end of the world. In fact, in the right hands, it can be rather nice.
Originally published in Esquire's February 2013 issue.
Will Self: I Love Germany
Malcolm Gladwell Explains Himself
David Peace: In The Light


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Monocle cafe one of the stylish & coziest cafe which grabbed my attention while walking in the heart of Marylebone area. This place gave me a real & a unique experience.
All aspects of the café's design, environment & food were out of the ordinary. It felt like having the coffee there is like having it in my living room. Excellent pastries such as cinnamon rolls & the strawberry green tea cake which is a blend of French and Japanese.Monocle is a magazine, which is all about affairs, business, culture & design established in 2007 by Wallpaper* founder Tyler Brûlé.
Monocle team introduced their newly opened branch in London April 2013 after the success of their first branch in Tokyo which opened in October 2011.
"We wanted to create a relaxed space for a morning coffee meeting, a lengthy weekend lunch with the papers, and a glass of Prosecco after work too"- Tyler Brûlé, Monocle's editor in chief.
Note: Their green tea matcha with strawberries cake not to be missed.
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text: TCell™ Air Freshener Refills contain Microtrans®, a true odor neutralizer. TC® refills contain only the highest quality essential oils to reinforce the cleanliness of the washroom and image of the facility. They are available in a wide range of customer preferred fragrances from mild to intense for a clean, fresh scent that lasts. *Dispenser sold separately


text: This week on Exorcast I am joined by The Newsfinder General and were are here to talk about some movies. First up we have a double feature from Full Moon with Shadowzone and Seedpeople! We also have an indie, art house horror to talk about called A Measure Of The Sin. We discuss a bit of horror news including the new 40th Anniversary edition of the Texas Chain Saw Massacre Black Maria edition from Gorgon Video and some convention news. Also, be sure to let us know what you think the metaphor from A Measure of the Sin means and the best one will win something! Send those in next week either by email, Twitter or Facebook!


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A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a mother and daughter who were stabbed to death on Bank Holiday Monday.
Raneem Oudeh, 22, and her mother Khaola Saleem, 49, were attacked at Ms Saleem's home in Solihull just after 12.30am on Monday, August 27.
Following the incident, police and Crimestoppers offered a £5,000 reward for information leading to the detention of Ms Oudeh's ex-partner Janbaz Tarin.
On Friday, West Midlands Police said a 21-year-old man had been detained in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham on Thursday night in relation to the deaths.
The arrest is reported to have taken place on Ivor Road, with unverified video posted on social media appearing to show a man in a red jacket surrounded by officers.
Police said the victims' family had been updated on the development.
Detective Inspector Caroline Corfield, who is leading the investigation, said: "I would like to thank the community for their support over the last few days, the response to our appeals has been excellent and tonight resulted in this arrest."
MORE: Grieving dad hits out at Facebook after 'sick sadist' trolled him about his dead daughter
MORE: Unmarried mother wins Supreme Court battle for widowed parent's allowance for her bereaved children
Three addresses were previously raided by police, including one in Sparkhill. Computer equipment and mobile phones were seized and a van was undergoing forensic examination.
Police also previously said the suspected murder weapon had been recovered.
Ms Oudeh had a two-year-old child – though Mr Tarin is not the father – and her mother had six children, with both victims originally from Syria.


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This 30 day challenge is all about giving you lessons and basic exercises that will improve your abilities as a cosmetic chemist.
Get your copy of the Become a Better Cosmetic Chemist workbook
In this episode
In today's program we cover Cosmetic product testing and research. Specifically, you'll learn of a way to use information found in patents to help improve your formulation efforts.
In this episode you'll find:
- The reality of test methods in the cosmetic industry
- How foam testing is really done
- The different parts of a patent and what you can learn from them
- How to read a patent
- Where to find cosmetic patents
- How to get starting formulas and test methods from patents
Today's challenge
Go to the Google Patent page and find a test method or formulation that you can use in your lab. Focus on finding something that will help you in your prototyping work today. If you work on hair care products, look for a new way to measure some aspect of hair that you hadn't thought of before. If you work on skin products, search for ways to demonstrate the product makes skin look or feel better.
After you come up with your method, post a link to the patent you used and let us know what you found there.


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Was born 1966 in Paros Island in Greece.
Paros Island is located in middle of Aegean Sea. He is a child of Aegean Sea, lives in Aegean Sea and loves Aegean Sea.
His father was teacher in elementary school and amateur painter. Her mother was a music teacher. They initiated him in art very early.
After high school, he attended the School of Fine Arts and after continues studies in Boston Arts Academy. In the same time attended the music school.
He travel through world of art begins at his early age. Sketch book filled with ideas and intricate drawings was his best friend throughout his childhood. His talent was recognized, and rewarded ever since elementary school. His art works became important component of his school's exhibitions and competitions. At age 16 his first painting is sold.
He infinite thirst for experimenting in expressing his artistic personality helped him create variety of works in different mediums and styles (drawings, paintings, graphics, compositions…).
He received strong academic training in perspective drawing, compositions and history of the art and architecture from his professors, which were well known artists and masters in their professions.
Paintings from period of 1988-1998 combine ideas taken from his national heritage, European history, romantic landscapes and architecture. In that period JB original paintings were inevitable part of galleries from Athens, Roma, Paris, Munich and other cities.
Paintings from 1998 until today are full of Aegean Sea images. So, the art people named him "Aegean painter". He moved to the United States to begin a new life as both an artist and architect. He took many awards form exhibitions. That inspired him further, and every free moment that he had, he used it to paint. Soon enough 24 hours in a day became insufficient for his inspiration and ideas. New ideas, horizons, and new temptations brought him a whole new level of inspiration, and formed unique style of his artistic expression.
Quest for "Aegean Beauty" and studying human emotions, takes him into a contemporary portrayal of a woman and feelings.
Formazione artistica
Athens, Greece School of Fine Arts
Boston, Usa Arts Academy
Paintings from period of 1988-1998 combine ideas taken from his national heritage, European history, romantic Aegean landscapes and architecture.
From 1998 He has formed an unique style of his artistic expression and he studying human emotions and Aegean Sea and woman beauty.
Knife painting is his favorite medium. It allows him to create depth and texture within the many transparent layers and his strokes are visible channels of energy.
Valutazione artistica
"Out of Imagination". Paris 1993
"Waiting for". Boston 1995
"The five ruls of present". Boston 1997
Attestati / Premi
Many Awards woldwide.
The Boston Arts Academy Award in 1991
École des Beaux-Arts of Paris Award in 1993


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Welcome to Cahill Back & Neck Care Center:
Your Chiropractor in Inver Grove Heights, MN
If you are looking for pain relief and better health all around, come see Dr. Scott Stinson at Cahill Back & Neck Care Center. Dr. Stinson is a chiropractor with extensive experience and skill who serves the Inver Grove Heights area and the surrounding areas, such as South St. Paul, Sunfish Lake, and West St. Paul. He has served these areas for over thirty years, and is a trusted and valued member of the community. You will find you are in good hands with Dr. Stinson.
Chiropractic Care in Inver Grove Heights
At Cahill Back & Neck Care Center, we offer the finest chiropractic services in Inver Grove Heights. You will find that we are dedicated to getting you the pain relief and better health you deserve. We do this using a variety of natural healing techniques, such as chiropractic adjustments, rehabilitation, massage therapy, and physical therapy. We always design a customized healing program just for you, based on your unique needs and situation. Whether you have pain from a car accident injury, or are looking to treat inflammation, allergies, asthma, ear infections, headaches, muscle tension, or simply want a stronger immune system to keep you healthy, we have the treatment program you need to reach your health goals. Have a look at our testimonials page to see what other patients are saying about us. We are sure you will be encouraged by their words, and know you are trusting the right professional with your health care needs.
What to Expect from Your First Visit to Our Inver Grove Heights Chiropractor
We aim for your first visit with us to go as easily as possible, to give you the confidence you need to know you are making the right choice for your health and wellness. At your first visit, Dr. Stinson will explain to you how chiropractic care works. There is actual scientific evidence to back up its effectiveness. He will perform an evaluation to determine if this type of care is, in fact, the correct one for your health care needs and goals. If Dr. Stinson determines chiropractic care is the best way for you to proceed, then he will work with you to develop a personalized plan of chiropractic treatment that will address your individual concerns and goals.
You can call our chiropractor in Inver Grove Heights any time to ask questions about chiropractic care. This is especially helpful if you've never had it before and want to know more before making an appointment. We also accept referrals, so feel free to recommend us to your friends, particularly those who are looking for better health and pain relief in Inver Grove Heights. You can also subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter for free, even if you're not a patient yet.
What to Do Next: Schedule an Appointment at
Our Chiropractic Clinic in Inver Grove Heights
Give us a call to schedule your initial appointment for a consultation, examination, and your first treatment. We are looking forward to meeting you and welcoming you to the Cahill Back & Neck Care Center family. You can reach us at:
Dr. Scott Stinson
Inver Grove Heights Chiropractor | Cahill Back & Neck Care Center | 651-451-7222
6115 Cahill Ave., Suite 100
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076


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tompetrez3 wrote: »All this talk about y'all mamas being 30s and 40s kinda lowkey turning me on. I want to hit somebody mama off the IC real talk. I'm a fuck around and end up one of y'all niggas stepdad sitting around in a wife beater taking my frustrations with Jay Z out on y'all with a belt.
lighthearted25 wrote: »I've fucked many times to this song.


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If you assumed there's not much to celebrate when it comes to the fight for reproductive rights, well, you'd be correct. Harsh abortion restrictions are sweeping the nation. Reproductive clinics are in danger across a broad swath of the South. Anti-abortion activists are setting their sights on new targets. And the Supreme Court may be poised to grant the right to harass women outside of abortion clinics.
But women are still winning some victories. On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled to block the harshest restriction on medication abortion in the nation, effectively protecting Arizona women's access to the abortion pill.
The law in question requires abortion providers to adhere to the FDA's guidelines for administering the abortion pill, which is the non-surgical method of terminating a first-trimester pregnancy. That sounds logical enough — indeed, that's the whole point, since anti-choice laws are typically framed in seemingly innocuous terms of women's health and safety. In reality, however, it doesn't make much sense. Medical practice has evolved significantly since the FDA first wrote those guidelines.
Now, doctors know that a lower dose of the abortion-inducing medication is safer, more effective, and cheaper. And they know that the abortion pill is a safe option for women up to nine weeks of pregnancy. By forcing doctors to adhere to the FDA's protocol, Arizona's law essentially mandates an unnecessarily high dosage and limits women to taking the pill up to seven weeks of pregnancy. Major medical groups, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Medical Association (AMA), oppose Arizona's law for exactly that reason.
Nonetheless, at the beginning of April, a federal judge allowed the law to take effect while a legal challenge against it proceeds. Reproductive health advocates decried the move to limit women's legal options, particularly because the sole provider in the northern part of Arizona only offers the pill and doesn't perform surgical abortions.
Now, a panel of 9th Circuit judges have reversed that earlier decision, determining that "the Arizona law imposes an undue — and therefore unconstitutional — burden on women's access to abortion." Although it's not a final ruling, it does protect women's access to the abortion pill while the lawsuit continues. And the appeals court saw right through the attempt to frame the law as a common sense method of keeping women safe, writing that the state has failed to prove that the restriction on medication abortion "advances in any way its interest in women's health."
"The message in today's decision is clear: Politicians need to stop playing doctor, leave the practice of medicine to trained health care professionals, and stop meddling in women's personal decisions about their health and families," Nancy Northrup, the president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a statement. "The decision of this court is squarely in keeping with more than 40 years of established law safeguarding women's constitutional right to safe, legal abortion care… It is a vital victory."
Similar restrictions on medication abortion have been blocked in Oklahoma and North Dakota — but judges have upheld other laws in this area in Ohio and Texas. Depending on the final ruling on Arizona's law, this issue could make it all the way up to the Supreme Court.


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3 Bedrooms
Eat in kitchen
Lounge room
Large back yard
Gates to private back yard/carport
Security screen doors Polished timber floors
Call Ian 04121 068289 to arrange a inspection
I found Walker& Keipert real-estate extremely knowledgeable and very helpful . Therefore: I would like to thank them for excellent effort toward the sale of our home.
I found Walker and Keipert Real Estate, extremely knowledgeable and very helpful when selling our Hendon home. they achieved the price promised with determination and without any exaggeration. Open and honest communication was the determining factor when choosing them to sell our home . Andrew delighted vendor ,Hendon
We liked Bruce's appreciation of the quality of the property. We were putting on the market and priced it accordingly resulting in a good return. property sold quickly at a good price with low commission & marketing, giving a higher return overall. Well done Walker & Keipert Roy D NB. We obtained $20,000 higher than other agent quoted advertising price. Bruce Walker


text:
Furball Fitness is a clean and secure dog daycare facility that guarantees days full of fun and exercise for your dog. To ensure everyone is happy, healthy, and safe, the following stipulations must be met before your dog can come hang out:
All dogs must submit up-to-date vaccination records for the following:
- DHPP (Distemper, Parvovirus, Adenovirus)
- Bordetella
- Rabies
All dogs must be spayed/neutered.
The indoor dog park is a communal space for all puppies to enjoy; therefore, everyone at Dog Camp must play well with others.
All packages will be billed at the beginning of each month, prior to service. Accepted forms of payment include credit card, cash, or check (made out to Furball Fitness), in addition to any of the following payment apps: Venmo, CashApp, Zelle, PayPal.
Your balance and payment will reflect the package of your choosing. Should you add any additional services throughout the month, an invoice will be delivered to you via email. Those additional charges will be due with the following month's payment.
Refund Policy
Furball Fitness memberships serve as a reservation for your spot at Dog Camp. Thus, for pre-paid monthly packages, there are no reimbursements or carry-overs for missed days.


text:
It was 72 degrees outside today.
Which means it was room temperature outside.
It also means that soon will begin my epic yearly battle with the temperature of my office will begin.
My office building, being run by cheap-skate security obsessed assholes, refuses to turn on the air conditioning until the last possible second before some obscure deadline set forth years before Global Warming turned Manhattan into the burning sunspot of humidity it is today.
Now, I normally love sweat. Love it. I like the perspiration infused greasy shine I kick off like some hastily wiped butter spill on a flesh colored kitchen counter. But damnit, I don't need to look all sexy at work, I need to be focused.
Eventually of course, they turn on the air conditioning TOO much and I'll have the arctic cone of cold blasting down on my forehead giving me sinus infections galore by the time June hits its stride.
Speaking of A/C is anyone else continually perplexed as to how people used to live without it in the past? I mean, back in the day clothiers everywhere were securely in the pocket of Big Wool and you couldn't go anywhere without like eight layers of wool undergarments.
It gets SO hot here in just my apartment WITH air conditioning that I routinely hang out buck ass nekkid, much to my roommate's disgust and certainly without his permission. So how the hell did those old timey chin strap beard guys do it?
I have no idea.
Though it might explain the South as a whole.


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Explore the Canadian creative economy.
Discover the makers/companies behind Brand Canada.
Following a trend for plant-covered buildings, architecture firm Penda has proposed a high-rise for the city that would feature trees and plants growing from its balconies.
The timber-framed, 18-storey residential tower would be built with a structure made from cross-laminated timber modules assembled off site.


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Platinum Living
Martha and Bill Sykora's 1951 house looks like a conventional, home. Nothing sci-fi about it. Behind the façade, it's anything but conventional. It will be Anne Arundel County's first LEED Platinum-certified home.
The Sykora home proves that an environmentally progressive building doesn't have to look like a science project.
Dreaming Green
When Bill and Martha Sykora bought in Annapolis in December 2009, the modest ranch house needed major TLC. Water flowed next to and into the basement. The newest features, including the HVAC system, were vintage 1970s. It was insulated, barely, with 1950s' fiberglass batting.
On the plus side: Good bones, opportunity and a Broad Creek waterview.
"We've always been environmentally conscious," Bill tells Bay Weekly. "We did what we could to make our other houses more efficient, but we never had the chance to do it all."
This house was their chance.
"The lifestyle we saw as a military family living in Europe made us acutely aware of how much Americans consume," Martha says. "We wanted to change that, at least for our family."
They found inspiration at the biennial Solar Decathlon on the National Mall where collegiate teams design, build and operate solar-powered houses to be cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive. These houses are — and look like — science projects.
"The houses were unlivable," Bill says. "But they all had aspects that were doable in a family home."
For their liveable green home, the Sykoras teamed up with Kensington-based design-build Alexander Group, Inc.
Work began in summer of 2010.
Building Green
It would have been easier to tear down the old house and start fresh, but the Sykoras said no.
"Creating a high performance, energy-efficient home and re-use of major components of the existing structure was challenging," says Alexander Group CEO Alex Dean.
In green lingo, you don't tear down. You deconstruct.
"Deconstruction is the careful disassembly of building components and finding ways to re-use them on-site or for donation," explains Dean.
Wood floors, some windows, interior doors, some trim moldings and the board-and-batten siding were saved. Leftovers were donated to Second Chance salvage in Baltimore.
A big hurdle was Anne Arundel County's building permit system, all the more demanding because the house is in a critical area.
After six months of wrangling, permits in hand, it was out with the old and in with the new almost everything: nitrogen-reducing septic system; geothermal heating and cooling system; sprayed-in, closed-cell, foam insulation; roof-top solar panels; and high-efficiency windows.
The new house is so well insulated that, to make sure it got enough healthy fresh air, an air-quality ventilation system was added.
The 1970s' kitchen was opened up for better traffic flow and light, but the Sykoras kept it modest by today's size standards. They chose energy-efficient Energy Star appliances, cambria countertops made from recycled material and cabinets made from sustainably harvested wood.
Inside and out, the house got a new coat of low- or zero-VOC paint.
The Sykora dream green house passed the county's inspection. But another set of inspectors had to verify the house as an environmental ideal.
LEEDing the Way
The Sykoras wanted a house that was environmentally responsible, efficient and healthy. They hadn't sought environmental certification, but when Alex Dean presented a scope-of-work that would achieve LEED certification standards, the family jumped on board.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000, LEED certification is an independent verification that a structure, even a community, is built to the highest standards of "human and environmental health."
Achieving LEED certification may not be as frustrating as county building codes, but it is no walk in the park.
"Project design must be submitted to a U.S. Green Building Council LEED provider and reviewed," explains Dean, and "a Project Checklist done to determine a preliminary level of certification."
There are four levels of LEED certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and the highest, Platinum.
The Sykoras and the Alexander Group worked from the LEED checklist, marking off boxes.
LEED third party certifiers "literally poked their fingers into the insulation to make sure there was enough there," Martha says. "They even pulled off the sink faucet aerators and shower heads to verify they were low-flow."
Water-wise landscaping earns points. The Sykoras used native plants, many they brought from their former home in Crofton. Dutch white clover, a perennial ground cover, replaced traditional turf.
|There were some things they couldn't do. "Like rain barrels," Martha says. "The LEED qualification said we needed 30 rain barrels based on the total roof surface. We don't have that many downspouts. I've got six rain barrels." To make up the difference, they had to score higher in other categories.
"It's great for erosion control and doesn't need mowing," Martha says.
Only diseased trees were removed.
"There were some things we just couldn't do," Martha says. "Like rain barrels. The LEED qualification said we needed 30 rain barrels based on the total roof surface. We don't have that many downspouts. I've got six rain barrels."
In May, the family moved into a Gold LEED house, one point shy of Platinum.
One Last Box
Nothing about this Gold home says it's different from the neighbor's homes.
The front walk crosses a pond, part of the drainage system. Roof run-off not captured by the six rain barrels feeds the pond. Overflow channels into a rain garden.
The geothermal heating and cooling system lies buried under the clover lawn.
Solar panels that power the entire house can't be seen from street or back yard.
"You can see the panels from the second-floor sewing room," Bill says. "Or from a pier about half a mile down the creek."
It doesn't look different, but it is.
"We have this amazing, beautiful place," Bill says. And there's nothing better than to see the electric meter running backwards."
The whole family has become environmental experts and advocates.
"I learned about nitrogen reducing septic systems, which are very cool," says 15-year-old Sarah. "I love that our house is green. I brag about it."
Still, they've not yet got full bragging rights.
Public awareness and education earns that one last Platinum point. Your reading this meets that requirement. Check.


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Praise be! It looks like we have a legitimate Christmas miracle on our hands, folks.
The folks over at the Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy can finally enjoy a solid night's sleep as it appears Phoenix's very own preservation angel, an LLC owned by an anonymous benefactor, closed the sale transaction yesterday for an undisclosed price. As you may recall, the last time the 2,250-square-foot concrete and steel abode built in the early 1950s had a bite from a potential savior/buyer, the price was $2.379 million, cash. You also might recall that the last time there was a bite, Janet Halstead, executive director of the Conservancy was "cautiously optimistic" regarding the potential sale. She told the New York Times: "We won't know if the house will be saved from the threat of demolition and irresponsible development until we know the intentions of the new owners."
As the story goes, that last potential buyer of the historic, held-for-hostage home ultimately backed out for unknown reasons. That was in November. This new owner is the real deal and their intentions are crystal clear: To turn the David and Gladys Wright Home over to a nonprofit organization that will be responsible for maintaining and restoring the home. The Frank Lloyd Wright Conservancy further explains in an official release announcing the good news:
Planning has begun for the restoration of the house and grounds, and additional donations from the public will be sought for the costs of restoration at the appropriate time. The new owner will request that the City of Phoenix grant landmark designation to the house. The goal after restoration is to make the house available for educational purposes
This is what we have been working toward over the last six months – landmark status and a new preservation-minded owner. Immediately our Conservancy working group was joined last June by local preservationists and concerned Phoenix residents. Their active and sustained commitment has been remarkable. We worked as a team to explore options, often behind-the-scenes, as well as rallying community support."


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System Requirements
The system requirements for using FullCover, FullControl and FullForecast are fairly minimal. No special software is required, and in fact most Windows-based computers purchased within the last few years should work without installing any software at all!
Most important is a 17″ monitor set to at least 1024×768 resolution. A larger monitor is better and many pages will take advantage of a larger screen and display more information.
A broadband Internet connection is also very important; the systems will work acceptably over slow connections but with a fast connection they are as responsive as a typical Windows application.
You'll also need a printer, any monochrome laser printer and/or colour inkjet printer will suffice. Some reports have a colour option for highlighting specific information, so a colour printer can be useful.
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, XP
Web Browser
We recommend using the latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer, but we support version 7 or above. You can obtain the latest version by clicking on the Microsoft Internet Explorer logo below.
Adobe Acrobat Reader
Adobe's free Acrobat reader is required for viewing and printing PDF reports. It comes with most new computers nowadays. We recommend using at least version 8, but you can obtain the latest version by clicking on the Adobe Acrobat logo below.


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Category: Template, Business Cards
Template >> Business Card - Clean Corporate Business Card 18904 by VortexDesign @ CreativeMarket
File Size: 2.55 MB; Requirements: Adobe CS3+; Layered: Yes; DPI: 300 DPI; Dimensions: 3.5 x 2 in.
A simple, clean and informative business card design. This dark themed business card will add a more serious, professional look to your business' image.
- Two PSD files, CS3+ compatible.
- Neatly organized layer structure, fully editable.
- Print ready: 3.5x2" / bleed & trim / CMYK / 300dpi.
- Free font used: Lato (www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/lato)
Keywords: clean, corporate, business, card, modern, professional, informative, black, dark, neat, organized, simple, simplistic, minimal, minimalistic, modernistic, dot, dots, circle, circles.


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Latest Buzz2018-05-25
GDPR Update to Entropia Universe Privacy Policy and EULA
On May 25th, 2018, new European Union legislation regarding personal data handling goes into effect. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) replaces the old rules and defines how companies must handle personal data and the privacy of individuals.
This is a great opportunity to update you about MindArk PE Aktiebolag (publ) policies and to inform you that our Privacy Policy and End User License Agreement (EULA) have been updated.
Here is a quick summary of the changes:
- We are not asking to collect more data, or to use the data we collect any differently than in the past.
- We are being more transparent and specific on how we collect and utilize customer data.
- We are adding information on your ability to access and control the data we have collected related to your Entropia Universe account.
You are entitled to certain rights that affect the processing and handling of your personal data. For example, you have the right to confirm whether or not we shall process personal data concerning you, as well as the right to object to data processing for marketing purposes.
We process your personal data mainly for the following purposes:
- to provide the Entropia Universe service to your device;
- to manage your user account;
- to communicate with Entropia Universe participants, for example via the chat interface;
- to process transactions in Entropia Universe;
- to comply with applicable laws, regulations and decisions as required by public authorities;
- to send Entropia Universe-related newsletters.
If you wish to exercise any of your rights, or if you otherwise wish to contact us regarding your personal data, please log in to your account on the official Entropia Universe website and submit a support case under the 'Account' category.
All details can be found on our Rules & Policies web page:


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With my down-and-out mood today, I figured a mix of activities would keep my mind elsewhere. I picked Rileigh up from a sleepover, treated Patryk to a doughnut for breakfast, cleaned the bathroom (much needed), headed to a shower for an hour or so, finished the laundry, made some protein bars, and SMASH*ed. I have recently decided this is a great substitute for scrapping when I run out of pics and don't fell like printing out new ones or digging into the piles of boxes of old photos. Today, I used the Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour brochure and ticket from our recent trip to VT. I thought it should be Smash*ed as there are no pics of this event, and wanted to document that we did it. I love how it turned out (but don't love that my Smooch black spritz ended up all over my hands and even on my leg as it was clogged.)
I love mixing alphas!!
So that's it. *STILL* waiting for hubby. Missing him a lot...especially since Patryk is Meltdown Central this afternoon. He really misses his daddy! I guess it's back to the craft table, the best way to turn my frown upside down :)


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Mortgage Law, Fraud & Loan Modification
Get Started Finding a Local Attorney Now
Simply fill out this form to connect with an Attorney serving your area.
Loan Modification in Idaho
Idaho has has one of the highest home foreclosure rates in the nation. The lousy economy, combined with high unemployment rates mean that many homeowners have struggled to make their loan payments and remain in their homes. Falling real estate prices have caused other homeowners to question the logic of making big mortgage payments toward a home worth less than the value of the mortgage. If these situations resemble yours, speak to an Idaho loan modification attorney to learn if you qualify for lower mortgage payments.
Reasons to Hire an Idaho Loan Modification Lawyer
When banks modify loans, they're agreeing to change some aspect of the original mortgage. The lender might agree to lower the interest rate, forgive some of the principal or extend the length of the loan. The result: Lower mortgage payments.
You might be a good candidate for a loan modification if:
- You have applied to refinance your loan and your application was denied
- You have a steady monthly income, but your income has decreased since you took out your loan
- Your home is under water, or worth less than the value of your loan
- Your financial situation has changed—perhaps because of divorce or extraordinary medical expenses—and you're struggling to make your loan payments
Idaho mortgage modification lawyers can guide you through the loan modification process and help ensure that you don't become the victim of a loan modification scam.
Find & Hire Idaho Mortgage Modification Attorneys
If you're ready to apply for a loan modification, now is the time to hire a mortgage modification lawyer. And you've come to the right website. Call Attorneys.com at 877-913-7222 or fill out the form on this page to get connected with Idaho loan modification attorneys in your area. Our service is free and it's fast—we can often connect you with a local lawyer on the same day you contact us.


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UK – September 2020
Experience dry fasting under friendly supervision
Freedom from dependencies • Healthiest lifestyle imaginable
Maximize body potential • Boosted awareness
ENERGY and VITALITY • Restful sleep and more time!
Longevity • Freedom in anything you set your mind to
Prepare for the process
- Leave the process to the process. No need to over think it. Just be excited and stay in the present moment. Once you really decide to do it, you might feel some changes in your life begin to happen.
- Read & learn about other breatharians so your sub-conscious will get in the habit and your belief system will begin to shift. You can download Ray's book for free here.
- You can begin practicing a little by doing short water fasts. This is more of a mental & social preparation as you will see that it will become easy for you. It is mostly about how we respond to our friends, colleagues and other people when we tell them we are fasting and building the habit of saying "No" to food occasionally.
- Start being more aware of the the balance of our 4 body systems: physical, emotional, spiritual and mental. We will be working on balancing all four.
- Ray recommends that you do not start talking about it with everyone, as some people are simply not ready to handle the concept and can project their own fears and limiting beliefs onto you quite heavily. We have 2 unique workshops about integration just for that.
- A week before the Process the participants are asked to begin a raw food diet, this helps during the deep detox process.
Every day in the process
Every morning we meet for a short and easy physical exercise using ancient routines followed by specific breathing exercises and a guided meditation. These are all chosen for their special ability to support and strengthen the mind, body and spirit through the process and post process.
During noon time we have different workshops.
Every afternoon the group meets once again for breathing exercises and guided meditations.
In between workshops/sessions there remains a lot of free time to allow the participants to experience and understand the evolving Self through this very special spiritual process.
Every night there is a sharing circle and some nights we have other group activities, workshops / classes / films.
There will be one day of Vipassana and you will learn a unique Karma Cleansing Exercise.
The schedule
Workshops Classes
- Manifestation workshop (two parts) – for more details view this video from Ray's lecture in Norway
- Basic channeling workshop
- A single day of Vipassana
- Unique Karmatic cleansing exercise
- Pranic energy workshop
- Integration with the outside world (two parts) – helps the participants understand how to explain himself and how to integrate the outside world with his new deeper truth. View sample of the workshop
The monitored gradual fast is as follows
- On the first day of the Process we only eat fruits.
- On the second day just drink juice.
- The third day we only drink water.
- Then we do 3.5 days of dry fasting.
- For the last days we only drink diluted juices.
Have no fear with regards to the dry fasting.
Even though it is completely normal to have some fear, please understand that this is because we have been conditioned to believe that we cannot live without water for more than 3 days. There are very logical reasons for the 4 days of dry fasting, which will be fully explained during the Process. It is generally a very happy surprise when participants find it easier than they initially expected.
Inside the retreat
Ray describes the process
Pranic living documentary
Ray discovered the Breatharian lifestyle in 2012 and jumped right in. Since then Ray is considered to be an inspirational guide and a representative of this lifestyle in the western world.
Recognizing the difficulties this lifestyle carries in the west, Ray has created the Pranic Living Retreat initiation in order to bring the experience of breatharianism to modern societies. He is the primary guide for every initiation workshop.
- Caloric intake – On average participants reduce their caloric intake by 80%. Some more and some less, depending on the personal decision of the individual.
- Freedom – Participant receive the gift of independence – Being independent of food is one of the main reasons people decide to go through the process.
- Save money – The process itself returns its investment after just a few weeks or months. After that time your food expense savings become huge. And of course these savings continue as food bills become insignificant, leaving more money available for amazing experiences, securing a home etc.
- Reduce sleeping time – On average the participant will sleep around two thirds of their previous sleeping time leaving more quality time that may previously have been lacking in their life. On average each participant has 4 to 5 hours free every day. The combination of less sleep and time on food related issues such as shopping, cooking, washing dishes etc'. means these hours can be used to do whatever you like… Work, meditate, yoga… Who can say no to more free time?
- Clarity of thought and happiness – After the body cleanse itself, for the first time, after a lifetime of toxic build-up, there is a feeling of lightness and clarity of thought. The opposite is true when just after lunchtime it is very hard for most people to focus. When we allow the body to stay clean for a prolonged period of time, thoughts become clear and a feeling of connection and awareness becomes powerful. The clean Consciousness helps the heart to expand.
- Physical healing – Some of the participants go through different physical healing during the process. However, It is highly individual.
- More stamina, more energy, extra cold heat resistance (happens to some of the participants) – all the energy that was once used by the body to digest is now utilized elsewhere.
- More confidence – The Process has been formulated in such a way that it takes each participant through interesting and powerful inner processes designed to highlight and break/eliminate any personal limitations. The participant finds out that he has a very strong inner strength and lots of positive qualities. This helps them to break any social paradigms and become extremely confident in their inner mastery.
- A cessation of the feeling of hunger or thirst. If hunger does arise, then it is an indication that a negative emotion may be the cause and so helps it to be identified and resolved.
- An ideal body weight – after the process those that persist reach an ideal body weight.
When: September 9th – 17th, 2020
Where: high luxury hotel, Stoke by Nayland Lodges
Set in the stunning Stour Valley, Stoke by Nayland is a country retreat with a tranquil spa.
Closest Airport: Stansted Airport (STN)
Taxi from Airport:
Stanway Travel: +44 (0)1206 73 82 44
Colchester Airport Cars: +44 (0)777 577 577 8
Event Organizer:
Becky ([email protected])
|Package Type
Workshops + Shared Room
Basic + 6 months follow up group support
Comprehensive + 3 private support calls
|Additional options
|6 monthly post-initiation group support calls
|+ 450€
|3 post-initiation private consultations
|+ 450€
- Prices listed in EURO
- Prices are all inclusive except transportation
Registration Requirements
Minimum deposit of 500€ required to register.
Cancellation Policy
You may cancel your registration up to four weeks prior the event. Deposit is nonrefundable but always transferable to another event.
- Bring a friend and save 210€ (105€ each) off Basic Package
- Apply for the Low Budget Program and get a serious discount! Spaces limited!!


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Tackling inequalities and understanding diverse needs must be central to CIH project
Ahead of the first roundtable discussion in Derry/Londonderry next week, the Equality Commission's Deborah Howe says it's vital for Rethinking social housing NI to reflect the needs of all the people in Northern Ireland.
Social housing is under pressure, so the conversation on social housing which CIH Northern Ireland is facilitating is timely. There are serious and diverse challenges to be faced, which include:
- the fact that the 2015/16 waiting list totalled over 37,000, whereas the new build target for the year was just 1500 homes
- the full impact of welfare reform after mitigation payments expire – and the necessity of anticipating the size of home people can afford and the stock available to meet that need
- the need to understand how housing needs will change as the population ages and health and social care is designed increasingly to be delivered at home
- dealing with the on-going impact of residential segregation on where and how we live, which is particularly relevant to social housing, and
- the fact that the private rented sector is now providing homes for people who previously would have been housed in the social sector – this leads to marked differences such as security of tenure and the provision of housing plus services.
The CIH project is focusing on three key questions: What is social housing? What does social housing do? Who is social housing for?
Housing requirements are not the same for all people. The steps needed to ensure an accessible, adequate and sustainable home are likely to differ from one person to another, depending on a number of factors. Understanding these needs is crucial to the work CIH is undertaking.
The Equality Commission's focus is on the characteristics and needs of people who belong to equality groups identified in our legal remit. We have made recommendations to tackle some of the inequalities we identified.
Last year we published a report which identified a range of inequalities in housing. These include, for example, the need to address longer waiting list times experienced by Catholic households. We recommended actions to take account of and resolve factors that shape supply and demand, while ensuring housing allocation is based on objectively assessed need.
We recommend that adaptation services are easy to access and affordable – measures to ensure this could include streamlining existing processes and reducing waiting times.
There needs to be suitable accommodation and services available for homeless single males, for young people affected by welfare reform, and for older people whose homes may have become unsuitable for them.
The CIH project follows the Department for Communities' fundamental review of social housing allocations, which prompted consideration of how the housing market has changed. The Equality Commission welcomed its emphasis on independent, tenure-neutral advice, but we also sought further consideration on measures such as banding applicants based on their time on the waiting list and the removal of intimidation points.
We welcome the broad engagement that CIH is undertaking and recognise that our voice will be one of many. We encourage anyone with an interest in this vital issue to join the discussion.
It is vital that the three questions posed by CIH are answered in a way which truly reflects the needs of all the people in Northern Ireland.
The Equality Commission's papers on key inequalities in housing and our recommendations can be read on our website.
Deborah Howe is senior policy officer at the Equality Commission.
- Get involved in Rethinking social housing NI - have your say as an individual by taking our short poll, or register to participate in a workshop in Derry/Londonderry (12 Apr), Belfast (17 Apr) or Dungannon (2 May).
- Find out more about Rethinking social housing NI.