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Hi Andy, many thanks for the reply - sorry for answering late.
Executing 'builtin_dd if=test2.iso of=/dev/scd0 obs=32k seek=0' /dev/scd0: FEATURE 21h is not on, engaging DAO... /dev/scd0: reserving 286877 block, warning for short DAO recordingDoes it fail in same way if recording is larger than 750MB, preferably ~1GB? Look up "Short DAO recordings with Pioneer units" at http://fy.chalmers.se/~appro/linux/DVD+RW/hcn.html. What I'm implying is that you might suffer from something similar when DAO recording is not divisible by 32KB. A firmware bug might be triggered in this case.
Maybe a bad example. But I tried it explicitely with 0.5GB, 1GB and 1.5GB. Every time the same. In further testing I focused on the 0.5GB because it's faster ;-).
So the "short DAO recording" is definitely not the problem.
:-[ WRITE@LBA=46090h failed with SK=0h/ASC=00h/ACQ=03h]: Input/output error :-( write failed: Input/output error ---------------------- at the same time, kernel logs: ---------------------[ 6030.669547] ata2.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x6 frozen [ 6030.669568] ata2.00: cmd a0/01:00:00:00:80/00:00:00:00:00/a0 tag 0 dma 32768 out[ 6030.669570] cdb 2a 00 00 01 db 40 00 00 0e 00 00 00 00 00 00 00[ 6030.669573] res 40/00:03:00:00:80/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)It apparently times out, which is basically why I thought of "Short DAO recordings."
For your question about the kernel-Log in later mail:As far as I remember, the kernel output belongs to this recording, but I'm not 100% sure. If you think it's important, I will test it again.
With -use-the-force-luke=tracksize:XYZ and XYZ divisible by 16 (=32kB blocks), it works without error. My other drive (Optiarc DVD RW AD-7170A, IDE - not SATA) doesn't have this problem, I haven't found other problems with the LG-drive and I haven't found any problems like this in the internet. Is there a explanation for the behaviour? As far as I understand, DVD-R can only be written in 32kB-Blocks, but the drive itself should fill up incomplete blocks.Yes, it should. But "should" does not necessarily equivalent to "does," does it?
No it doesn't - just wanted to make sure, that it "should".
Could it be a defect drive or a bug of the SATA-Chipset?I'd say it's more likely to be a firmware bug, than hardware defect or SATA problem.
Jörg mentioned in the other reply, that this problem is well known with the drive and cdrecord already implemented a fix. But nobody seems to have documented this in public.
Would it be a good idea to patch growisofs and make sure that tracksize is automatically extended to the next 32kB?Well, originally growisofs was unconditionally padding everything, but in version 6.1 an exclusion was made for DAO recording. This was requested by user[s] [I think it was through K3b] for more accurate media duplication.Or could this lead to other problems?There are naturally two ways to *attempt* to work around the problem: 1. RESERVE TRACK for non-divisible-by-16 amount and then transfer padded last block. 2. RESERVE TRACK for padded amount of data and transfer padded data. Option #1 is in formal specification violation, yet might work in *your* unit, but would *not* in number of others (it's tested). Option #2 would upset users who requested this feature in according with what specification promises. In other words, the answer is "no" to previous question. What one can discuss is to document this case at http://fy.chalmers.se/~appro/linux/DVD+RW/hcn.html and maybe a new command-line option so that you don't have to calculate XYZ yourself. A.
Thanks for the explanation. I wondered why the padding was removed with 6.1. but the argument with "more accurate media duplication" seems to be reasonable.
As long as I'm the only one with this problem, an official patch or commandline option would be overstated. I was thinking about patching the code for myself (maybe buying a new drive would be less effort ;-) ): Just round "tracksize" up to the next 32k-Block in adding something like tracksize=(tracksize+DVD_BLOCK-1)/DVD_BLOCK * DVD_BLOCK to the lines:
tracksize = dao_size ? (dao_size*CD_BLOCK) : sb.st_size; and tracksize=from_733(descr->volume_space_size)*CD_BLOCK; Do you think, that's too crude, even for a "personal" patch? Markus


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Monday, December 21, 2009
What a beauty SHE is.
5 comments:
divine pictureReplyDelete
Thank you shama,your such a sweet heart for commenting.ReplyDelete
I visited this temple so many times. Nice to see this temple in a blog.
Wow,really really nice to see your comments.Thank youReplyDelete
SHE is beauti and Divine.ReplyDelete
Seeing HER in this blog, i am very happy dear.
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subset: commoncrawl


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3D Spheroids Simplified with Corning
Generate, culture, assay, and analyze your spheroids all in one microplate. The Corning® spheroid microplate features a novel and proprietary design that allows you to use one microplate to achieve all of these steps without manipulating or transferring delicate spheroids. The microplates feature black opaque walls and clear, round well-bottom geometry, as well as the Corning Ultra-Low Attachment surface, which is hydrophilic, biologically inert and non-degradable. All Corning spheroid microplates feature a unique well-bottom design that enables highly reproducible growth of 3D spheroid cultures. The opaque side walls and gridded bottom design reduce well-to-well cross-talk and background fluorescence/luminescence.
The Corning spheroid microplate is available in 96-, 384-, and 1536-well formats. The 96-well Corning spheroid microplate is compatible with the HTS Transwell®-96 tissue culture system for 3D immune oncology models for high throughput testing.
The addition of the 1536-well format allows customers to work with Corning products throughout the whole drug discovery workflow. The higher density format enables 3D cell culture in a HTS environment. Each microplate is compatible with most automated imagers.


text:
Next week on the 34th episode of Dobutsu Sentai Zyuohger, with multiple failures at his side of the fence, Vanglay's frustrations grows to new heights as he messes with Yamato by creating a fake from the memories of the red warrior!
Categories: News , Preview , Super Sentai , Tokusatsu , Zyuohger
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Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a condition affecting the nerves of the body that results from nerve damage. disease, or unhealthy nerves. PN leads to alterations in sensation, movement, and balance which can cause pain, gait abnormalities, and/or a decline in overall function. It often is associated with diabetes, but is not all inclusive. Other causes of PN may be medication driven, low back issues, or even just an insidious onset. Although the symptoms of PN can cause discomfort and loss of function, there is evidence that PN may improve over time. Treatment by a physical therapist can help reduce symptoms and improve an individual's quality of life.
Anodyne® Therapy Causes blood vessels (arteries and veins) to temporarily dilate – thus increasing local circulation, and reducing pain, stiffness and muscle spasm.
Pain can have many underlying causes or etiologies – which is why it is sometimes very hard to treat.
Common causes of pain are:
- Lack of blood flow due to peripheral neuropathy/ poor circulation (ischemia)
- Nerve impingement due to inflammation or soft tissue swelling
- Mechanical issues due to trauma, injury, or degeneration
Your blood delivers necessary substances – such as oxygen and nutrients – to the cells of your body; and also transports waste products away from those same cells. Injuries and trauma cause inflammation, making it difficult for blood to reach an injured site in the body.
Additionally, some conditions such as diabetes, vascular disease (PVD and PAD), hypertension, and atherosclerosis contribute to blood vessel narrowing – causing pain.
For patients with the aforementioned conditions, vessel constriction often presents first in areas of the body with the smallest blood vessels such as arms, hands, feet and legs – and can escalate to areas such as the digestive track, kidneys – and heart.
By increasing local circulation, Anodyne® treatments address the underlying cause of many types of pain – poor circulation. Pain medications may only further mask symptoms, and many people can not tolerate their side-effects. For more information, Contact Us Today at Johnson City, TN Center.


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Return to: Degrees and Certificates
The Accounting program offers beginning courses for those persons who have never had formal training in accounting, as well as advanced courses for those already in the accounting field. Cooperative education opportunities are available for students to gain practical experience.
Accountants record, classify, summarize, and interpret an organization's day-to-day business transactions. Accountants monitor the flow of cash and the continuing changes in financial obligations.
The faculty has identified the following Learning Outcomes for all graduates:
Choose three out of four:
OR this single course:
All students graduating from Terra State Community College with an Associate degree of any kind will be functionally proficient in common computer operations and applications. Please see your academic advisor or academic division office for further details.
See your advisor for appropriate course selection.


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Have You Forgotten About Book Divas?
Posted by blatantbibliophiles on April 13, 2009
Have you visited the Book Divas website? Are you on Twitter? Well, if you are a Book Divas fan, and you're on Twitter, you can follow Book Divas on Twitter to get all the latest news abut your favorite authors. Book Divas is an online book club with members all over the world. By following them on Twitter you can keep up with the latest author interviews, giveaways, new books, reviews, and blog posts. Right now they're having a giveaway for the complete Twilight saga series. How cool is that? You can also visit the site to read reviews of Donna Jo Napoli's Alligator Bayou, Rachel Wright's You've Got Blackmail, and Eva Ibbotson's The Reluctant Heiress.
3 Responses to "Have You Forgotten About Book Divas?"
April 20, 2009 at 9:31 am
Thanks so much for posting about Book Divas! We are also hosting an Author Visit with Jen Calonita starting May 4th to talk about her book Sleepaway Girls so stop by then to ask Jen questions!
May 1, 2009 at 6:27 am
I found lots of interesting information on blatantbibliophiles.wordpress.com. The post was professionally written and I feel like the author has extensive knowledge in the subject. blatantbibliophiles.wordpress.com keep it that way.


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One of my lingering memories of road tripping around Italy was the quintessentially Italian experience of standing at a coffee bar (or two) and sipping a tipo denso hot chocolate. The Italian hot chocolate will redefine your notion of liquid chocolate enjoyment: it is rich, dark, dense, indulgent, and if you're lucky you'll have the enjoyable decision of whether to slurp your drink or eat it with a spoon – it's that thick and luscious.
Luckily, Italian-style hot chocolate – and its cousin, the French hot chocolate, which is less thick in consistency but still rich – is available here in London. It can be found in some national coffee chains and also more exclusive, upmarket bakeries, but, not surprisingly, the quality varies from place to place, as does the price, and so on. Having tried a number of them at different times, I found myself wondering:
Which one is the best?
Is it fair to assume that the more expensive or upmarket the coffee shop, the better the hot chocolate?
The Ultimate Hot Chocolate Taste Test…
In the pursuit of answers, I decided to do a taste test of three Continental hot chocolates from three well-known, different bakeries/coffee shops, all available on the high street in London. The conditions were:
- I bought all three fresh and tasted them in the same sitting
- I assessed them based on appearance, taste, and value for money
- For additional verification, I got somebody else to blind taste them too, and give me their verdict – and our verdicts matched 🙂
The Hot Chocolates on test…
- The Hot Chocolate Milano from Caffe Nero (£3.25, one size)
The Italian high street coffee chain describe their hot chocolate as 'sumptuous', and the Milano (their Italian-style hot chocolate) being the 'most decadent'. It is summed up as 'rich, smooth liquid chocolate'
- The Hot Chocolate from Paul (£3.15 for a large size, available in three sizes)
Paul is the upmarket French patisserie and bakery chain, so you would expect them to offer an authentic French hot chocolate. They describe their hot chocolate as 'thick, dark, rich' and 'famous'
- The Chef's Hot Chocolate from Dominique Ansel (£4 for a large size, takeaway (£4.50 eat-in))
The Rolls Royce of bakeries, it's no surprise Dominique Ansel also offers a rich hot chocolate which it says is 'homemade' – it is also the priciest of the three on test
Three hot chocolates, three different brands – let the taste test begin…
1) Price and value for money
Caffe Nero – £3.25 for 10 fl oz – 32p per 100ml
Despite being an ubiquitous coffee chain, this is quite expensive. It is one of the priciest items on Caffe Nero's menu, and only available in one size.
Paul – £3.15 for 16 fl oz (£3 for 12 fl oz; £2.90 for 8 fl oz) – 19.6p per 100ml
This was a real surprise. If you scale up and go for the large size (and why wouldn't you, it's hot chocolate), then this is great value for money, cheaper than the high street brand.
Dominique Ansel – £4 for 10 fl oz – 40p per 100ml
No surprise here. The bakery which charges £6 for slices of (very good) cake and pastries has the most expensive hot chocolate.
Value for money winner: Paul
The clear winner in terms of value for money, but it's only real value for money if it looks and tastes good. Let's see…
2) Appearance
Caffe Nero: This hot chocolate had a light froth on top, and was a rich, dark colour. Its consistency was lightly viscose, so no need to decide between spoon or sip – it's definitely a sipper.
Verdict: 7.5/10
Paul: This was also lusciously dark and rich in appearance, but no froth. It was the darkest of the three on test, and looked like a lake of molten chocolate. Yum.
Verdict: 9/10
Dominique Ansel: this was the lightest and least rich looking of the hot chocolates. It looked more like chocolate milk (which it technically is, but we're after liquid chocolate here), and was the least thick of the three being tested.
Verdict: 7/10
Appearance winner: Paul
Deep, dark, and rich, this hot chocolate looked like smooth molten chocolate, and both myself and my blind taste tester thought that this was the most aesthetically appealing of the three. However, ultimately it's all in the taste, so to the final assessment…
Caffe Nero: what hit me straightaway was the sweetness of this hot chocolate vs the others. I could only have known this tasting them side-by-side. The sweetness was from sugar rather than chocolate, which leads me to think that this hot chocolate has less quality chocolate, and more sugar and thickeners to make it rich and dense. Of the three, this was the lowest quality in flavour and overall taste.
Verdict: 6/10
Paul: this was smooth, rich, chocolatey, and reassuringly thick (although still a sipper). I could definitely taste chocolate over sugar, so this was a good balance between sweet, creamy, and bitter from the chocolate.
Verdict: 8.5/10
Dominique Ansel: this was the least sweet of the three, and I'm guessing it's because it has more chocolate and cream than sugar and thickeners. It was the best quality of the three, but it was not as sweet and decadent as I would have liked in a thick, rich hot chocolate. However, if you are having their Blossoming Hot Chocolate (with the marshmallow which opens up inside it – it's unique to the bakery), then maybe the mild sweetness of the drink itself will balance out the sweetness from the marshmallow.
Verdict: 8/10
Taste winner: Paul
Both myself and my blind taste tester agreed that the Paul hot chocolate edged it over the others. It was smooth and sweet without being cloying, and had the rich quality taste of chocolate.
Overall verdict, and the winner…
None of these hot chocolates were the real deal – all of them were sippers, and none required a spoon. However, they were not all the same, and tasting them proved that the more exclusive and expensive product is not necessarily the best. In fact, the winner is also the one that is easily the best value for money…
The winner: Paul!
The Paul hot chocolate won in all the categories of appearance, all-important taste, and pocket-pleasing value for money. It was almost half the price of the Dominique Ansel one (in terms of price per 100ml), but tasted better (although it was close). If you really love it, you can also buy the 1 litre cartons to make your own hot chocolate at home, for an even more economical £5.95 per litre. The commercial high street version at Caffe Nero came last because of its saccharine taste and relatively poor value for money.
I had been a hot chocolate snob until I did this taste test, assuming that the most expensive would be the best, but I'm pleased to say that this isn't the case.
If you have a firm favourite amongst these, or another brand, what is it? If you agree or disagree with the taste test results here, let me know your thoughts!


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Amy Childs has revealed that her life since she joined The Only Way Is Essex hasn't been all glamour and laughs - in fact, she's been dealing with the darker side of fame too.
In an interview with OK, Amy revealed that she feels guilty for the things her family have been put through, saying:
"My life has changed so much and not all of it has been good. We've lived in Brentwood for ten years. We never had any problems until I went into TOWIE, but some things have started to go wrong.
"A week [after my car was smashed up] we were burgled. Our home was absolutely trashed.
"Oh my God, that made me so scared. They ransacked our home and attacked our dogs – my three pugs are literally my life.
"This has all happened since I became famous. I feel so guilty for my family.
"My mum and dad have given me so much support. I understand what happened to Whitney Houston. People are like, 'It must be great to be famous.' It is, but they don't know how bad things can happen."
That all sounds so scary! Are you sympathetic to Amy's troubles?


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|Machine Wash Deluxe 2.0
|Created on
|2015-05-09 12:38:46
|Mister.Retro.Machine.Wash.Deluxe.v2.0.MacOSX.Incl.Keymaker-CORE/CORE.NFO (8.56 kB)
Mister.Retro.Machine.Wash.Deluxe.v2.0.MacOSX.Incl.Keymaker-CORE/MWD_Mac.zip (298.3 MB)
Mister.Retro.Machine.Wash.Deluxe.v2.0.MacOSX.Incl.Keymaker-CORE/cr-mretro.dmg (469.0 kB)
Descriptions for Description
Name: Machine Wash Deluxe Version: 2.0 Mac Platform: Intel Includes: KG OS version: 10.5 Processor type(s) & speed: Intel RAM minimum: n/a Video RAM: n/a From NFO: Use our keymaker to register the application. Select "offline registration." Please note the high res textures must be purchased separately from the application and are not included in this release. Machine Wash Deluxe was originally created in 2004 to create a dimensional tactile look popular in the apparel industry by eroding textures from layered graphical designs. It was an instant hit. As it matured, we developed new ways for users to have more control over the erosion or 'washing' effect and introduced more sophisticated surface and background effects as we moved from four separate products to a single plug-in. After collecting years worth of user feedback, we approached the next version questioning everything. We built Machine Wash Deluxe from scratch improving and expanding it as we went, making it more versatile, powerful and easier to use than ever before. Fundamentally, there are three separate parts to the Machine Wash Deluxe filter: Wash, Surface and Background and here's how they all work together. When a Wash is applied to an image, it is by default eroding the image to reveal the Background beneath. The actual surface of the loaded image can be further colorized, texturized or altered from there using the Surface feature to create additional effects. You can choose to use just one or all of these tools to create a huge variety of stunning visual effects. https://www.misterretro.com/filters/machine-wash-deluxe


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First things first, Space Engine can export any scene as a 360 cubic panorama, or one made from 6 square cube facets. All you need to do in order to do that is to find a good scene in Space Engine, line up the horizon line (if there is one) by hitting the "1" key on the keypad, then hit "esc" to pull up the main program menu. From here, select "edit", and then select "Export sky box".
You will likely want to export these images as PNG files to reduce quality loss. You can also double the size from 1024 x 1024 to 2048 x 2048, but don't resize to anything but a 100% increase each time, or the export will fail. This will take a while, so be patient. Do not hit "stop", until the "export" button is no longer greyed out. Once those 6 images are complete, you will likely have to edit them in an image editor like Paint Shop, Photoshop, or Gimp. You will likely want to boost the color brightness/contrast by about 25/30, and the color saturation by about 40%, to get nearly the same thing you're seeing in the program. You won't be seeing things like bloom, lens flare, ambient brightness, etc. that are after effects, and not represented in 360 renderings, sadly.
Find these 6 images in your program directory, in the "Export" folder, and put them into your image editor so that they line up correctly. What's directly in front of you should be "Z", but it likely won't be. Decide what's "front", and then rename the files to match that. You may have to rotate the top and bottom to match the shift in "front" orientation, just rotate them in opposite directions. When they all line up properly, they should look like this:
Now rename the center square "front", and do likewise for the left, right, back, up, and down cube facets.
Now we need to turn those 6 cube faces into one image, so grab this program. It has an unlimited demo period, and watermarks the results, but since we're just transferring one data type to another one, it's free, and there's no watermark. Just open it, hit the "select input" button, select "cube faces" as the input type, and input each cube face that you just edited and renamed. Once this is done, hit "OK". Now, 2 buttons down from where you selected the input type, select "Convert Input". Select "equirectangular" (should be the default), select the output type, and hit "Convert".
Now your panorama should look like this:
Once you have achieved that, open it in this 360 panorama viewer.
All done!
Now let's see yours!


text: Paragondi T-shirt come equipped with our Limited Edition short and T-Shirt that are set to make history. Paragondi T-shirt have very detailed designs to them that the average shirt wont have. We worked long and hard to provide the world with a brand that actually means something and still fashionable. Without further commendations this is our official collection.


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- medicine + -logy.] (Med.) Materia Medica; that branch of therapeutics which treats of remedies. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
Look at other dictionaries:
iamatology — study of remedies Sciences and Studies … Phrontistery dictionary
iamatology — n. study of remedies; branch of therapeutics that deals with remedies … English contemporary dictionary
iamatology — n. medical study of remedies … Dictionary of difficult words
Sciences and Studies — This list defines 633 sciences, arts and studies of various degrees of respectability and rarity, ranging from the common and esteemed (chemistry) to the obscure and quirky (peristerophily). Over the past century, the range and scope of… … Phrontistery dictionary


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I have finally arrived at an age where I fully understand and accept the natural rhythm and cycles of my inner world. I go through times when I am on the highest of a happy high and other times I'm just not feeling it. I've questioned if I have a mild bi-polar disorder – maybe I'm the 0.4% to 1% of the world's population with cyclothymia. After all, I always suspected I was special in some way.
According to WebMD, in cyclothymia, moods fluctuate from mild depression to hypomania and back again. Cyclothymia can straddle the line between mental illness and normal variations in mood and personality. Neither the highs nor lows are severe enough that people seek out treatment.
Self-diagnosis of anything via the Internet is a pretty risky and crazy-making thing to do. I tend to google whatever is going on with me and try to determine the cause. I am not, however, seriously worried about having cyclothymia. Fortunately, my shifts in mood don't happen suddenly, are not extreme, and generally don't occur frequently.
I remember several years ago driving down the road and thinking to myself, "This is the happiest I've ever been in my life." In the same instant I had the awareness "this too shall pass." This moment defined a deeper personal understanding of the transitory nature of everything.
I had been accustomed to using the expression "this too shall pass" when I felt down, but had not recognized that it is equally applicable when I was happy. Actually, it pretty much could be said to sum up all of life. Whatever is going on, it's not going to last.
There is for me, however, a constant beneath it all; my sense of an internal Self unchanged. At 18, I wrote a poem asking these questions: "Will I remember now? And will I have the answers? Will I laugh? Will I cry? Will I even BE?" I ended it with the words "I AM."
The "I AM" for me has never seemed to change. Yet I am not the same person as I was then. I am not even the same person as I was last year, let alone five, ten or fifteen years ago. Who I am as a personality has adapted and altered significantly in many ways. The "I AM" and the "I am" are not the same.
So, it is my "I AM" awareness – that indescribable sense of the constant – that is able to hold space for my current cycle of a lack of motivation and inspiration. The knowing "this too shall pass" helps stave off my resistance and stay in acceptance. But that doesn't mean I like it.
I have a half dozen unfinished articles or blogs on my Mac. I had Unity magazine accept my proposal to submit an article on balancing faith and perspective. However, I haven't been able to revise what I had written to where it has the ring of quality work. There is no guarantee they will publish it either way, but I certainly don't want to submit anything less than my best.
My inspiration for sacred caregiving has waned and my overall focus feels lost. It is as if I am floundering again in a sea of uncertainly. I am lacking the passion and zest that were once at the forefront of my brave new adventure into this uncharted world of following my dreams.
Yet, here today, with this writing, I have finally expressed what has been happening for me. I feel the familiar ring of knowing I've got something good here. I am comforted by knowing all is not lost.
Often in life, we cannot find a reason for our cycles of inspiration and lack thereof. For me, I finally recognized what it was that has had me feeling out of sorts. It surprises me every spring because it is so deeply unconscious. It is amazing to me that it's been thirteen years and this sadness still sneaks up unexpected.
You see, it was in April my dad was admitted to hospice with melanoma throughout his body. As I do today, back then I had googled the information he had given me about the stage and location of his cancer. Regardless of his hopefulness – based on what I read – I knew his chances of recovery weren't likely.
I remember writing a poem about how new life was teaming with the coming of spring while my father lay dying. The juxtaposition of the colorful trees and flowers was in stark contrast to the sadness I felt inside. Towards the end of April I took time off work and was at his bedside when he died May 2.
I have come to peace with his death, but this cycle of grieving seems to reappear year after year. I am glad now that I was being gentle with myself for having lost my mojo. It's comforting to have a reason for what I am experiencing.
I am also aware that it's not always so clear as to why I am feeling a certain way. I have learned that everything happens in its own time and not to push the river. I've been okay with the not knowing as much as I am okay with the knowing.
Because when it all comes down to it – "this too shall pass." Whether I understand it or not. And what remains – well, that is the true elixir of life. My sense of an "I AM" that can hold all this with love and compassion and just let it be.


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I am a grad student in the School of Mathematics at the University of Manchester. My research interest is model-theoretic and proof-theoretic methods in Group Theory. Previously, I used Persistent Homology to analyze the behavior of random number generators. I also have a few papers on metaheuristics with applications to various open-source software projects. See below for my papers.
Which one of these three point clouds can we get by sampling the unit cube using a pseudorandom number generator? Surprisingly, the answer is any one of them, depending on the generator we use. All three generators sample the same manifold: the unit cube, which has one connected component and no holes. However, the first two generators are faulty. In the first case, the RANDU generator of IBM, the resulting point cloud consists of 15 separate connected components (parallel planes). In the second case, there is only one component, but it contains many holes.
My honours thesis involved classifying pseudorandom number generators based on their ability to reflect the topological properties of the manifolds they sample. Using persistent homology, it is possible to rigorously define the Betti numbers of a point set, and investigate their relationship to the Betti numbers of the sampled manifold.
I have a strong interest in logic, including proof theory and linear logic as well as computer-verified mathematics and type theory.
I work on Proofbox, a Dependency Injection framework based on Proof Search in the LJT Sequent Calculus.
In 2013, I started formalizing parts of the theory of Synthetic Differential Geometry in the Agda proof assistant. The project is on indefinite hiatus due to other pursuits, but drop me an email if you're interested in taking it up. I still maintain the FAQ on Smooth Infinitesimal Analysis .
My executable Agda formulation of Yablo's paradox is here. Fun exercise: figure out what happens when the paradox term is evaluated.
Thanks to Claudia Faggian and INRIA, I participated in the LOGOI Summer School on Linear Logic .
Thanks to Professor Achim Jung and the nice people at the Birmingham Theory Group, I attended the Midlands Graduate School .
I used various metaheuristics to kill nasty hash container bugs in Hadoop (a distributed computing platform), optimize popular Java libraries for power consumption, and to do DAASE-style improvement programming. I also participated in database query optimization research for Keysight/Agilent.
|Repairing and Optimizing Hadoop Hash Code Implementations. Z. A. Kocsis, G. Neumann, J. Swan, M. G. Epitropakis, A. E. I. Brownlee, S. O. Haraldsson and E. Bowles
|The Representative Metaheuristic Design Pattern. J. Swan, Z. A. Kocsis, and A. Lisitsa
|Object-Oriented Genetic Improvement for Improved Energy Consumption in Google Guava. N. Burles, E. Bowles, A. E. I. Brownlee, Z. A. Kocsis, J. Swan, and N. Veerapen
|Haiku - a Scala Combinator Toolkit. Z. A. Kocsis, A. E. I. Brownlee, J. Swan, and R. Senington
|Embedded Dynamic Improvement. N. Burles, J. Swan, E. Bowles, A. E. I. Brownlee, Z. A. Kocsis, and N. Veerapen


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Tuesday, 31 March 2015
My Kitchen Rules – Application for Next Season
30 comments:
What if you parter up with Liam and reenact the watermelon in your entry video?ReplyDelete
Capital idea, Soph. Fits my profile.ReplyDelete
I love this! Great to start the day with a giggle. You had me at "Benny Hill chase scene". I'd definitely tune in to watch your culinary capers.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Tonia. Hope you wouldn't leave me on the cutting room floor :)Delete
Hey I think you are a shoo in! Me on the other hand would have no hope...cooking isn't my strong suit... We are huge MKR fans, so we will keep tuned and hopefully see you.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Mandy. It would be entertaining, to say the least!Delete
Well... That's all fine... But there's another key question... What's your back story?ReplyDeleteReplies
Back story. I haven't thought that through yet. Maybe just some silent footage of baked bean cans being snapped open, pasta being slapped on the table, and vegetables being scraped off plates and into the bin.Delete
Great idea and post... along with what you've written send a pic of you wearing a cowboy hat with an over processed perm and a perfected sneer so you can get in as the bad one..... add a loud dress and yodel and you'll be a cert.ReplyDeleteReplies
I think we've already seen a few of those in previous series! I need to raise the bar higher.Delete
I could never go on MKR - the pressure! Chuckling over the thought of a Benny Hill style chase and an Alf-ian accent ;-)ReplyDelete
Visiting today from #teamIBOT xReplies
Me too, Janet, I would fall in a heap before entree was served! Whoever wins that prize money thoroughly deserves it.Delete
And thanks for the lovely feedback!
Do it! It'll be the most entertaining season all year. You might even possibly convince me to watch an episode, and that would be a big thing!ReplyDeleteReplies
Yes, it certainly would be a hoot! Thanks for stopping by,Jess,Delete
You'll definitely be in! All you have to do is work on your bitchin' skills and you'll be labeled as the team who hates everyone and only just manages to scrape through each week, leaving viewers wondering why the hell you're still on the show. Oh and please make Manu a giant bucket of sauce so he will stop complaining about not having enough sauce :DReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Tegan. Helpful advice - I'll be sure to keep it in mind, lol!Delete
Can't come at MKR myself as I'm not a Pete fan- though Manu is a dish! Love your strategies- good luck!ReplyDeleteReplies
I'll say hi to Manu for you. Thanks Amy!Delete
You had me at Benny Hill ;)ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Lily. Glad I could give you a laugh :)Delete
I think you have nailed it and should totally apply!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Fleur. Yes, I think I'm on the right track!Delete
I hope you've done your application...you'll 'knock it outa the park'!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Jenni, lol. Yeah, I've got this. Babe.Delete
Well done! I'm so impressed with your courage for applying xReplyDeleteReplies
LOL. Thanks so much for visiting, Cybele!Delete
You are hilarious. I'd love to se you in the mix. I am sure you'd fit right in :) But seriously, I'd do it just to hear Manu say anything haha. Like the recent easter egg thing going around, you could hide Pete's in the garden and tell him to go find it, and he will love it. If he has to forage for it, it's Paleo!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Alicia! Yes, poor old Pete is copping a caning lately, isn't he?Delete
Thanks so much for your lovely comments.
Go for it! I'll be your partner in apron, I reckon between the two of us we'll smash it out the park & be a sautee in for the finale! LOLReplyDelete
Thanks for joining me at #TIKReplies
Ahh, thanks Hayley. That sounds like a plan!Delete


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What a wonderful world
What a wonderful world
Some years ago I bought a book called Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons by Diana Henry. At first I was intrigued by the title but then fell in love with the book after reading it.
In Henry's corner of North London she began her adventure with Middle Eastern food as it was an area with many amazing little stores and restaurants selling ingredients from Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey etc.
These were the places immigrants were able to buy familiar cooking ingredients but also somewhere they could socialise.
Today, in our multicultural societies we can have the same kind of experiences.
We can sample Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Greek and many more cuisines without leaving our shores.
On a recent visit to my local Thai supermarket I was amazed at the huge variety of fresh ingredients.
There were beautiful pandam leaves, Thai basil, galangal, turmeric, Vietnamese mint, little white eggplant, betel leaves and cans of many different products. I couldn't wait to buy the ingredients to make a curry.
If you have a store like this close to you, go and have a wander through. Talk to the shop assistant and ask about the unfamiliar produce as, in my experience, this can be very helpful. They can offer tips on cooking with the different ingredients and, if you're lucky, family recipes.
I have always loved doing cooking classes to learn about different cuisines. From them I have gained a wealth of knowledge, friendship and enjoyment.
Some time ago I went to an Indian cooking class. The man taking the classes had a special interest in the history of Indian food, which made his classes fascinating.
For example, dried fruit was introduced into Indian food through the Parsis who fled Iran. Curries began to appear in Malaysian and Indonesian food following the migration of Indian workers. All this makes food more interesting as you begin to appreciate its impact on societies.
I'd love to hear about some of the interesting adventures you've had with food. What are some of your favourite dishes from another country? What type of cuisine do you love to cook and why?
Until next time…


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Mike Nesmith's four-decade career encompasses some of the earliest combinations of country and rock, video experiments that paved the way for MTV, film direction, novels and the multimedia production company Pacific Arts. For a mere three years of that time, he was also in The Monkees.
That might explain why his replies to Monkees questions — he conducts interviews only via email — aren't as forthcoming as his comments about his output following the Pre-Fab Four. How did last year's tour with fellow Monkees Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz come together, after years of polite declines from Nesmith? "We decided to do it," he answers simply. It "feels like the end game — a resolution of sorts — and feels like it makes people happy. Does me."
Then again, Nesmith is embarking on his first solo tour in about 20 years. The only Monkees song in his set will be "Papa Gene's Blues," a countrified nugget from their first album. The rest of the night focuses on his work with The First National Band and his solo projects. Considering he's released more than 15 albums, it makes sense for him to focus on this vast part of his catalog.
Nesmith, who recently turned 70, knew what his career would be from a young age. "From the first time I heard music, I have never heard anything else. So it is the informing element of all thought for me — even literature, prose and narrative sing a silent song to me as I read them. Same for speeches, conversation and the sounds of nature. It is one continuous symphony."
His earliest singles (recorded under the name "Michael Blessing") went in a folk direction, while his contributions to The Monkees often featured a blend of Southern twang with the pop-song format. But Nesmith writes he never had one style that truly defined him.
"I like country music — especially the blues nature of it and later the rock element," he explains. "But I don't see the lines of genre. I never know one from the other until I am way off in the margins. Sometimes I will start with your 'Your Cheatin' Heart' and end up with Tito Puente — don't ask me how I got there. But it's always a 'top-down/tune-up' trip."
By the time he left the Monkees, in 1969, and started The First National Band, "country rock" had become a recognized style thanks to The Byrds and Gram Parsons. But Nesmith writes that he wasn't really tuned into that. "I hadn't met [The Byrds] and hadn't really heard them. I was up to my neck in Monkees, and FNB was the first step out of that. So [bandmates] John Ware and Red Rhodes and John London and I locked ourselves away and learned all these songs that had been laying around. I had no notion of country rock."
After years of being dismissed for his work with The Monkees, it appeared that the time might have been right for acceptance, but the early days of The First National Band were met with "lots of ridicule and outright laughter at us as we played," he recalls. "It was hard traveling. No approbation — quite the reverse." Nevertheless, the group scored several minor hits such as "Joanna" and "Silver Moon."
Nesmith's songwriting style has always seemed a bit more poetic than a lot of either pop or country music at the time. The Monkees song "Daily Nightly," for example, depicted the riots on the Sunset Strip, wrapping them in almost surreal metaphorical phrases. Nesmith is probably the first and only country singer to title a song with a nine-dollar word like "propinquity." "Words and music run through my head most of the time — very nice to have them," he explains. "And most of the time I just listen and write down what seems salient and new to me. Songs are also a great way for me to express affection, so I try to understand and use the feelings as they arise. This sometimes makes for sweetness, sometimes for thoughtfulness, and sometimes silliness. I never know. I just follow the songs along."
His 1977 song "Rio" was turned into a film, which inspired Nesmith to create PopClips, a Nickelodeon show that was the predecessor of MTV. Around the same time, he created Elephant Parts, a long-form video of songs and comedy sketches which earned him a Grammy. He also served as executive producer on the films Repo Man and Tapeheads.
Nesmith admits he sometimes has a lot of ideas in his mind at once. "The directions of thought are infinite — as far as I can see whichever way I look," he writes. "Sometimes an excursion down these avenues is just like a walk in the park, to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Sometimes they turn into a music video or Elephant Parts or MTV. Right now all roads seem to intersect through the net and beyond."
And regardless of age, Nesmith is intent to keep on creating. "I write a little every day," he states, "and the music plays in my head non-stop."


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Louisbourg Investments seeks a self-motivated individual to join our dynamic team and play a leading role as Investment Counsellor.
One of the few investment management firms established in the Atlantic Provinces, Louisbourg serves its institutional and private clients from offices in Moncton and Halifax. Client-focused investment solutions have resulted in the growth of assets under management to more than $2 billion.
The Investment Counsellor works in a team environment and participates in providing our clients investment, financial, tax and estate planning services in collaboration with our specialists in those areas.
The successful candidate has a passion for the wealth management industry. This individual also has excellent communication and client service skills, a strong aptitude for teamwork and sound leadership abilities.
The individual should have a university degree in finance, accounting or economics and a minimum of 5 years of experience within the financial services industry. A professional designation such as CFA, CPA, CIM, or CFP is preferred. Other combinations of appropriate knowledge and experience will be considered.
If you seek a challenge in line with your career aspirations and are interested in playing a key role in the exciting development of our company, please forward your résumé by Monday, April 22, 2019 to:
Luc Gaudet, CFA
President and Chief Executive Officer
Louisbourg Investments Inc.
1000 – 770 Main Street, 10th floor
Moncton, NB E1C 1E7


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On Schools: My Experience Explained
July 16, 2018
Benefits of Taking an Insurance Career Course
Getting into a career course involves taking time and thinking about the problem. The profession you select will determine the way your life goes, and the choice is one to be taken seriously. Insurance career course is convenient and offers room for growth and deal directly with people and every aspect of life. To learn more about this read more here to know why you need to pick coverage as a career course.
The fact that insurance will always be needed is a sure way to know that there will always be a need for it. Life is risky, and there will still be room for you to give this service. Insurance firms will always have a market for these services which are in the vast market worldwide.
Insurance career course directly connects with people and their possessions and an insurance career lets you impact people's lives. The fact that you will engage people and let them know that their property and family is well taken care of is satisfying. Thus, you give peace of mind so that the individual can concentrate on other issues.
If you are seeking for a career that you will enjoy rapid growth you should consider enrolling for the insurance career courses. The good reviews you get for the excellent work you put in are enough to help you scale the heights of insurance career. The plan is to learn more about the safety of your job and other compensation benefits you get when working in this industry. Hence, you will aim to choose the employment opportunity where you will receive a reasonable compensation plan.
The dynamic environment in the insurance industry offers development and innovations of new ideas and products. The technology to sell this product and services can be achieved if you are motivated enough and have the right attitude to change the way insurance services are accessed. You can also view various sites that will guide you find work or internship with some of the best insurance companies near you. This means that you quickly hit the ground running when you finalize your insurance career training course. Thus, you will learn more about having a successful career in the insurance field.
If you desire to work in an environment that enhances your creativity you should seek more information about insurance career courses. The opportunities are always available and with the right attitude. The career offers an opportunity to learn more and start off early on life with no worries of paying student loans, and the possibilities are limitless. Touching and changing people's lives is also an added advantage if not a motivating factor in the insurance career.


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Moraira lies in the Heart of the Costa Blanca, an area listed as one of the 10 best holiday destinations in Europe. This village on the Alicante coast is the fishing port Teulada. Eight kilometres of coastline and three magnificent beaches with fine sand and crystal clear water make it a perfect place to rest, enjoy a family holiday or experience a few days of romance. A microclimate that guarantees mild temperatures throughout the year makes it a privileged location. It is thejewel of the Costa Blanca.
Moraira and the Costa Blanca are synonymous withMediterranean gastronomy, a healthy diet with tasty and nutritious food. Our cuisine is based on the produce of the land, fresh fish and sea food, meat and rice dishes, plus our most precious ingredient, olive oil.
As one of the best holiday destinations on the Costa Blanca, Moraira has a wide range of sporting activities to offer, most of them connected with the sea.
With beautiful sea beds, the area around Moraira is a great place to scuba diving. There are also kayak and paddle surf excursions, enabling you to reach the nearby coves, to explore inaccessible caves, and to contemplate the beauty of Moraira coastline. All kinds of nautical sports can be enjoyed, from windsurfing and catamaran sailing to longer excursions that allow you to reach more distant coves where you can dive in turquoise waters.
For the more daring, there is parasailing, water skiing, kitesurfing, or wakeboarding. And for the more aventurous, there are hiking trails leading up up to places with breathtaking views and wonderful excursions among cherry trees and almond trees in blossom.
After an exciting day, the nightlife of Moraira opens up with innumerable bars and restaurants offering the best tapas and wines of the Mediterranean.
At the Hotel Swiss Moraira, you can enjoy market cuisine with produce that is always fresh and in season. For the evening meal, five courses of our best dishes are combined with selected wines suggested by our sommelier.
Standard double room for 2 persons:
· Breakfast Buffet.
· Bottle of Möet & Chandon 375 ml Bottle in the room
· Tasting candlelight supper with red, white and sweet wines.
Price per person/night in LOW SEASON
· 140 € VAT Included
Price per person/night in HIGH SEASON
· 150 € VAT Included
Booking for TWO NIGHTS: 10% of discount on the price of the second night.
Upgrades (subject to availability):
Superior Double Room +20€/night or Deluxe Double Room (with JACUZZI in the terrace) +65€/night
· Low Season: 01/01/2016 to 25/06/2016 & 21/09/2016 to 29/12/2016
· High Season: 26/06/2016 to 20/09/2016


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VIDEO: Learn How to Easily Build a Retaining Wall for Your Garden
Does your yard have poor soil? Too much clay? Gravel or sandy?
This can make it difficult to grow a garden because plants and flowers need nutrient rich soil with good drainage.
Making raised garden beds will allow you to have a beautiful garden and give your plants, flowers, shrubs and trees a nutrient dense place to grow.
This video from Lowe's shows you how to build a retaining wall with bricks, stones or rocks. If you have a good blueprint, making retaining walls is pretty easy. Check it out below:
If your yard does have bad soil and poor drainage it can cause problems with your home's foundation and cause your basement to flood. We can help you.
To learn more about how a water management system can help your yard, your basement and keep your foundation strong, click here or call us at 800-700-9171 for a Free Estimate.


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Future and Drake have teamed up many times before. Drake was featured on a song off Future's Honest album. They've also been on several tours together, and even Lil Wayne's "Love Me" single back in 2013.
In our exclusive interview with the Atlanta hitmaker, Future reveals that his third studio album, Dirty Sprite 2, wasn't supposed to have any features on it. "He (Drake) called me the day I was supposed to turn it in, and said 'send me whatever song you want me to get on.'," Future told us.
Catch the full interview with Future on the Revealed season finale this Saturday at 7/6c.
Don't know where to watch? Use our channel finder to locate Fuse in your area.


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Archive for January 2016
Come quick!
Posted January 29, 2016on:
The six new Galaxy Quick Reads for 2016 have been published. These are special annual series of short books written by bestselling authors across different genres.
We already have 3 copies of 'I am Malala' on the shelves. She is one of the most famous Pakistani women in the world and already has a longer autobiography published. This one is great as a snapshot into her life and activism in girl's education. There is more information in this interview on The Guardian website.
The other Quick Reads will be joining Malala in the near future so keep an eye out for them in the LRC.
Great Names – Great Speeches
Posted January 27, 2016on:
18 January 2016 was Martin Luther King Day in the United States of America. If you want to find out more about King and other well-known figures then the Chamber's Biographical Dictionary is the best place to start. This key reference book also covers famous people in the fields of literature, arts, engineering, law, science and politics. To search for his famous 'I Had a Dream' speech try the Chambers Book of Great Speeches. The book gives a short biography of the speech giver and explains the context in which they delivered their speech. Other entries include Churchill, the feminist Betty Friedan and Malcolm X.
For those of you where English is just one of your languages then we've also got a Graded Reader. And if you're interested in Malcolm X then watch Spike Lee's Malcolm X film on DVD.
Having read King's Speech then watch our recording of Simon Armitage explaining how King's speech had such an impact on the BBC programme Speeches That Shook the World. You can catch clips of the programme on BBC iPlayer.
The Periodic table is the way chemical elements are organised and it is controlled by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry whose work it is to standardise naming in this area of chemistry. Earlier this month, the Guardian reported the discovery of four new elements from scientists in Russia, U.S. and Japan in 'Periodic table's seventh row finally filled as four new elements are added'. These are the first new elements since 2011. They belong in the seventh row of the table (super-heavy radioactive elements) and are the elements 113; 115; 117 and 118. They currently have temporary names which will be confirmed shortly.
Scientists are entitled to take five years with their demanding discoveries but let's hope it doesn't take book/ebook publishers as long to update this information which is essential for all science students!
Transferable knowledge
Posted January 16, 2016on:
It's already midway through January 2016! Have you got more resolutions than ever to fulfill but no idea where to start? We've got some handy books to help you be more productive and achieve in academic and personal goals.
How about learning better ways to brainstorm or create lists? Check out: 'How to get your own way' by Craig Shrives and Paul Easter. They also look at developing an argument and common fallacies. These ideas would be useful in essay-writing, presentations and everyday life. It is great when you can apply knowledge to different tasks and situations. There is also a good chapter looking at statistics and how numbers can be used to alter our perceptions.
If you want everyday psychological tools you could borrow 'The Tools' by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels. They give you methods to combat negativity, worry and lack of confidence. Tips and tricks learnt through self-improvement books (aka 'shelf-help') can impact on many aspects of life, not least education.
Dummies by No Means…
Posted January 15, 2016on:
This week we've added two ebooks in the Dummies series to our collection. They are:
Sociology for Dummies by Nasar Meer and Jay Gabler
Psychology for Dummies by Adam Cash
Our students requested these two. The Dummies series are a fantastic way of getting to understand a subject which is completely new to you. The books are great as they all come with lots of call-out boxes and diagrams to break up the text and give you tips and reminders.
We've got a number of ebooks and books from the series. Other handy ones in the study skills area are:
Time Management for Dummies by Clare Evans
Writing Essays for Dummies by Mary Page and Carrie Winstanley
Speed Reading for Dummies by Richard Sutz and Peter Weverka
Video It
Posted January 8, 2016on:
Our LRC Manager has started using Jing to create a short video on how to set up Office 365 on your Moodle account. Drat and double drat! The video was great but because it relies on Flash it doesn't work on iPads! As a result she went back to Phil Bradley's recommendation for Ice Cream Apps in CILIP Update November 2015 and used the screen recorder to make a Windows friendly version. She asked our IT Technician for advice on getting the format of the file compatible with Office 365 so she could load the video onto Office 365's Video area and so thanks to him she's converted it to an MP4 file using Zamzar and then uploaded onto the video area. It's a free piece of kit. Since then she has created two more videos showing:
- learners how to send in a OneDrive file for marking on an Assignment
- tutors how to attach a OneDrive file to a Moodle course block.
Having watched Alistair McNought's two sessions on the CILIP blog post Supporting Library Users with Hidden Disabilities from the Conference of the same name at the University of Portsmouth she's now created transcripts for the videos to help anyone with disabilities. The transcripts can be used with screen readers like Read&Write or NaturalReader.


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Appellate Practice
Typically, the attorneys involved in an appeal are not those that provided original representation in the trial court. Often, when larger "establishment-style" firms take on appellate cases, the ramp-up and learning curve can cause costs to skyrocket quickly. Jacobs & King is a boutique firm that focuses on a successful outcome as well as economical efficiency in these matters. Our attorneys have many years' experience in successful appellate representation and work diligently, effectively and swiftly, keeping costs down as they move toward the desired outcome in your appeal. Our services and appellate experience includes:
- State appellate courts
- Federal appellate courts
- United States Supreme Court
- Criminal appeals
- Civil appeals


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Japanese food! Sake! Taste of Marukai, Apr. 7
A Marukai chef is about to turn this ahi into sashimi.
Courtesy Marukai
Would you pay $95 for a party at a grocery store?
Nearly 900 people showed up for last year's "Taste of Marukai." This year's is Thursday, Apr. 7, 6-9 p.m. at Marukai's Dillingham location.
What's the draw?
- How about an abundance of King Crab legs, fresh-cut sashimi, Big Island abalone and nigiri sushi?
- Japanese food prepared Nobu Waikiki chef Robin Lee and the Marukai chefs under the direction of Katsu Fujita.
- 50 different sakes, including this year those from one of Japan's most famous sake breweries, the 340-year-old Otokoyama Brewery in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, the coldest city in Japan.
- Beers from Kirin and Suntory
- A traditional kagani biraka, or sake barrel breaking ceremony, mochi pounding, Japanese dance and even a demonstration of amezaiku, the Japanese art of candy sculpture.
"It's a celebration of Japanese food, drink and culture," says Marukai's Roy Ishihara. "Plus it brings people into the store. That night we give everyone a discount card, some up to 50 percent off."
There are also door prizes, including a trip to Japan for two. "That's been popular, but we will have to see if anyone wants to go to Japan, this year," says Ishikawa. The store will be accepting donations for its Japan Relief efforts.
Tickets are $85 until Apr. 1, $95 after and at the door. You do not need to be a member of Marukai to attend. For tickets, call (808) 845-5051.
Marukai has changed policy over the last year. Non-members can shop there; they just have to pay more than members.
Marukai Wholesale Mart, 2310 Kamehameha Hwy., (808) 845-5051, www.marukaihawaii.com


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I feel as though the authors of books that are both terribly sad and touchingly inspirational will never cease to amaze me with the depth and rawness of their writing. Jennifer Niven, the author of All The Bright Places, is no exception.
Niven cuts directly to the heart from the first line of the book until the final page. Her characters are so realistic that you feel as if they are telling you the story themselves rather than through words on a page. Narrated from the perspectives of Theodore ("Finch") and Violet, two high school students each struggling with their own emotional walls, the novel digs into the depths of adolescent minds consumed by thoughts too deep and dark for anyone that young to have to handle.
Finch has a soft soul that is utterly torn to pieces by the horrors of the world. When he is not in an almost comatose state of depression, he is weighing the merits of different ways to die. On the day he meets Violet, Finch is standing at the top of the school bell tower, trying to decide if jumping off would be a respectable death for himself, and whether or not it would be convenient for the people in his life. Just as Finch decides that the mess he would leave behind is too much for his school to clean up, he spots Violet on the shallow ledge.
Violet climbed to the top of the bell tower on that fateful day during a subconscious trance of depression and guilt brought on by recent tragic events in her life that she feels overwhelmingly responsible for. Terrified for her safety as she realizes the enormity of her situation, Violet is saved by Finch, and the two eventually become friends.
The novel follows their journey of love and hate for oneself and life, documenting the ups and downs of their emotions and thoughts.
I would recommend this book to anyone emotionally strong enough to finish it. (If you were able to get through and enjoy The Fault In Our Stars or any other novel by John Green, you should be fine.) All The Bright Places highlights the importance of addressing the mental and emotional health of young people. Whether you are struggling with these issues in your life or not, this novel will open you up to an entirely new perspective on feelings and empathy.
Happy Reading!


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This website teaches new noncommutative mathematics useful for processing information about relationships. The new mathematics is constructed out of six ordered numbers, two kinds of +1, two kinds of -1 and two kinds of zero, each constructed out of four ordered polarities.
When two numbers interact, they do so reciprocally by exchanging polarities like people engaged in reciprocal trade.
Each interaction forms a step in an ordered cycle through the six numbers, the steps being defined by a simple oscillation of meaning in the polarities from which the numbers are constructed (↑ means same and ↓ means different or ↑ means same and ↓ means different).
The properties of the numbers can all be related physically to rotation of space.
Because all of the properties of the numbers can be related to the physical world, the new mathematics can be used to design physically interacting components from which new technology can be built.
The technology, being constituted in ordered cycles, can process information about economic relationships equitably, for example as in the exchange of goods and services and voting/decision making. It could be developed as an equitable alternative to money. It offers a new solution to the double co-incidence of wants problem inherent in barter (↑ ↔ ↓ when ↓ ↔ ↑).
The objective of the chiralkine project is to motivate students, scientific researchers, social entrepreneurs and government agencies to experiment with the new mathematics and prototypes that apply it. Invitations to speak, provide workshops or generally participate in activities at schools, colleges, universities, businesses, government agencies and scientific societies are warmly welcomed.


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Keeping up the Kardashians 2.0: The next generation
They Dream. They Reign. One points North and another is a Saint.
We're talking about the Kardashians 2.0 and their numbers are rising on the regular as the reality TV and make-up mogul family of Ks and Jenners gets busy with a baby boom.
The only ones in the multimillion-dollar matriarchy not interested in procreating at the moment seem to be momager Kris Jenner, who is 62 and has plenty of kids, thank you, and supermodel Kendall Jenner, a 22-year-old whirlwind of runway, editorial and other work that has her travelling practically non-stop.
Kendall's little sister Kylie Jenner has yet to confirm whether she is pregnant with rapper Travis Scott amid rumours the two are yo-yoing — on-again, off-again style.
But OG elder sib Kim Kardashian West, who launched them all with a sex tape a decade ago, has been sharing for weeks about her third child with rapper Kanye West. Their No.3 is expected soon via surrogate after potentially life-threatening complications with Kim's two pregnancies.
The most recent baby bombshell came from Khloe Kardashian, who just days before Christmas posted a sweet black-and-white belly shot on Instagram with basketball boyfriend Tristan Thompson that served as their announcement, earning more than eight million likes.
Eldest sister Kourtney was swept into the is-she-PG vortex early on and has mentioned on Keeping Up with the Kardashians more than once that she would like to add at least one child to her existing three with ex-but-never-married-to baby daddy Scott Disick.
This time around, it appears Kourt — the petitest Kardashian — might have merely eaten a large meal at some point or gone through photo editing heck on social media at the hands of creepy bump watchers.
So what about all those second-gen little ones already on this planet? Their numbers have grown, so while we're waiting for the next round here's a little primer of who belongs to whom:
Between all those photos promoting his sock line on Twitter, bro Rob has been a prolific dad machine of adorable snaps of his baby daughter Dream Renee, born November 10, 2016, to Blac Chyna. Aside: Blac Chyna has a son, King Cairo, with rapper Tyga, the former significant other of Kylie. Further aside: Rob and Blac Chyna are no longer together and never married.
There's North West, born June 15, 2013, and baby brother Saint, who came along December 5, 2015. Both belong to hubby Kanye. Among Kim's pregnancy issues was a condition that had the placenta growing into her uterus. She also suffered from pre-eclampsia, a serious condition marked by high blood pressure. She struggled through placenta accreta again with Saint.
Mason Dash Disick, 8, Penelope Scotland Disick, 5, Reign Aston Disick, 3. Kourt and Scott "The Lord" Disick — he actually had himself lord-ed — never married. Disick, a next-level party guy, has expressed a desire over many of their 11 years to reunite with Kourt. Fat chance, Kourt has declared. More than once.
Scott remains in the family. Current situation: Both are with significantly younger people — he with K-family friend Sofia Richie and she with model Younes Bendjima, who used to be friends with Sofia until the two stopped following each other on social media a while back. Try to keep up...
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Which Kindle Device Should You Buy? A Comparison Guide
If you're skeptical about whether or not you need a Kindle, take a moment to read our piece on why every ebook fan needs a Kindle. In short: they're easier on the eyes, they read more like paper than phones do, they can carry thousands of books, and they have incredible battery life.
Convinced? Good. Now, there are several Kindle models you can choose between. Here's how you pick the right kind of Kindle for your particular needs without wasting any money.
Note: This article focuses on the e-reader versions of the Kindle. To learn more about the tablet versions of the Kindle, check out our guide to LCD Kindles. The two are different. Don't accidentally get the wrong kind!
The Kindle Oasis
The Kindle Oasis is Amazon's greatest offering in the Kindle line of e-readers. Think of it as the luxury model—packed with a lot of interesting and extravagant features that you'll probably never need, but is ultimately the most comfortable to use.
Ergonomically speaking, the Kindle Oasis is the thinnest and lightest Kindle device ever made. It comes with a one-side hand grip that tapers out to just 0.13 inches at its thinnest point. The hand grip is perfect for one-handed reading, but at 0.425 pounds, this device might tire out your wrists.
The physical build is also more robust than other Kindle models, made out of electroplated plastic that's stronger yet lighter than regular plastic.
The biggest feature of the Kindle Oasis? Its battery-recharging leather cover. Not only is the leather cover fancy and grand, but when combined with theKindle Oasis's new hibernation mode, you can get months of battery life on one charge. Yes, it's removable. It comes in black, merlot, and walnut colors.
Other notable features include a high-resolution 300 PPI 7-inch display, waterproof design rated at IPX8, Bluetooth pairing with audio devices, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, and a built-in system of LED lights for page-viewing consistency when needed.
Kindle Oasis: The Bottom Line
Only get the Kindle Oasis if you have money to burn. The recharging leather cover is nifty, but ultimately unnecessary unless you expect to find yourself stranded on an island for weeks. The hand grip is its most practical feature, but is it worth such a bump in price? Only you can decide.
Kindle Oasis E-Reader Kindle Oasis E-Reader Buy Now On Amazon $249.99
The Kindle Voyage
The Kindle Voyage was Amazon's top-shelf Kindle model up until the Kindle Oasis was released in early 2016—and now that the Kindle Oasis is here, it almost feels as if the Kindle Voyage doesn't have a reason to exist anymore. It's no longer the luxury option, yet still too expensive for casual readers.
It's technically the second thinnest and lightest Kindle thanks to its thickness of 0.30 inches and its weight of 0.41 pounds, and while those specs aren't bad by any means, it's hard to justify the price difference between the Kindle Voyage and the next model down.
Like the Kindle Oasis, the Kindle Voyage comes with a touchscreen, high-resolution 300 PPI 6-inch display, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, and a built-in system of LED lights for dark reading (although fewer bulbs than the Kindle Oasis). Its battery life is measured in weeks. It lacks Bluetooth connectivity for audio.
The Kindle Voyage is the only model with PagePress technology, which lets you rest your thumb on the edge and lightly press when you want to turn the page. It's a worthwhile quality-of-life enhancement over lesser models that many Kindle Voyage users rave about.
Kindle Voyage: The Bottom Line
You're basically paying $80 over the next model down for three things: half-inch less thickness, a negligible amount of weight reduction, and PagePress technology. Personally, I can live without those features, and if you can afford the Kindle Voyage, you might as well save up for the Kindle Oasis.
Kindle Voyage E-Reader Kindle Voyage E-Reader Buy Now On Amazon $85.22
The Kindle Paperwhite
The Kindle Paperwhite is without a doubt the most popular Kindle model. It's better than the most basic model in every single way, yet only costs marginally more. If you ask me, the Kindle Paperwhite should be Amazon's lowest offered model because there's really no reason to go below it.
It weighs in at 0.48 pounds with a thickness of 0.36 inches, making it the heaviest of all Kindle models—but the actual difference between this one and, say, the Kindle Oasis isn't all that noticeable for everyday reading.
The Kindle Paperwhite comes with a touchscreen, and it's the lowest model that still has a high-resolution 300 PPI 6-inch display, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, and a built-in system of LED lights for dark reading (even fewer bulbs than the Kindle Voyage). Its battery life is measured in weeks.
The only thing the Kindle Paperwhite lacks is Bluetooth connectivity for audio.
Kindle Paperwhite: The Bottom Line
Thinking of buying your first Kindle? You can't go wrong with the Kindle Paperwhite. It's good for portability and long-term reading, doesn't skimp on any fundamental features, and only costs $40 more than the Kindle Basic. This is the everyman's Kindle at an excellent price.
Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader Kindle Paperwhite E-Reader Buy Now On Amazon $63.92
The Kindle Basic
The Kindle Basic is a disappointment. It's obviously meant as an entry-level device for those who want to try e-ink technology without investing too much, but the Kindle Basic's feature set is gimped and offers very little value for what you pay.
This thing weighs in at 0.35 pounds with a thickness of 0.36 inches, which makes it the lightest of all Kindle devices and the best for longer reading sessions where your arms are prone to wearing out.
But really, the Kindle Basic is inferior to the Kindle Paperwhite in almost every other way. It has a touchscreen, but no high-resolution display (only 167 PPI). Its battery life is measured in weeks, but there aren't any built-in LED lights for dark reading, which is bad news for night-time readers.
The Kindle Basic comes with Bluetooth connectivity for audio, and Wi-Fi connectivity but no option for 3G. This is fine though because you can always get around the lack of 3G by creating your own Wi-Fi hotspots, whether by tethering a smartphone or reverse-tethering a laptop.
The Bottom Line
We don't recommend the Kindle Basic. If you do buy one and end up loving it, you're just going to upgrade to a Kindle Paperwhite at some point anyway, so you might as well start off with one. Only go with the Kindle Basic if you're really itching for an e-reader but absolutely can't spare the dollars.
Kindle Basic E-Reader Kindle Basic E-Reader Buy Now On Amazon $79.99
Is an Amazon Kindle Right for You?
Have you decided on which model you want to get? If so, awesome! But before you dive in and order one from Amazon, take a moment to consider whether you need a Kindle right now.
There are valid reasons why you might want to wait before buying an e-reader this year. It's also smart to wait a few weeks before making gadget purchases How to Be Frugal While Still Enjoying Tech & Gadgets Just because you're being frugal doesn't mean you can't enjoy tech! Here are some tips on how to not break the bank with tech purchases. Read More to help you curb impulse spending habits. But if that's not an issue for you, go ahead and start reading ebooks on that beautiful e-ink screen. Your eyes and your mind will both thank you profusely.
Related topics: Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Buying Tips, Ebooks.
Affiliate Disclosure: By buying the products we recommend, you help keep the site alive. Read more.


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Binchotan Charcoal Toothbrush
or make 4 interest-free payments of $3.24 AUD fortnightly with More info
- Activated Charcoal Bristles
- Whitens + Brightens Teeth
- Prevents Damaging Bacteria
- Biodegradable Brush
- BPA free
Keeko's Binchotan Charcoal Toothbrush has activated charcoal from Japanese Ubame Oak blended into each nylon bristle of this medium toothbrush that releases negative ions which help prevent bacteria from growing.
The activated charcoal in each of the bristles helps to prevent bad breath and purifies the mouth. When used in conjunction with Keeko Coconut Pulling Oil and Activated Charcoal, your teeth will be whiter and brighter and your mouth cleaner and healthier.
Always replace your toothbrush when the bristles start to bend. This Binchotan toothbrush is BPA free and recyclableRead more...


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Collapsible Reflector Disc - 7 in 1 - 60cm
This 60cm - 7 in 1 Collapsible Reflector is excellent for the photographer looking to control natural light.
The 7 in 1 means, the central diffuser that you can use on it's own or you can use the diffuser as a strong membrane for one of the 6 colours. The colours available are, white, black, gold and silver and for the blue screen or green screen, there is a green and blue cover.
Tom shows you what is in the 7 in 1 reflectors and how to use them.
Suitable when shooting portraits, fashion and products, this 7 in 1 Collapsible Reflector comes in Gold - for a touch of warm light to a subject, Silver - for a harsh light replicating the sun, Translucent - for use as a large diffuser, Weave of Gold/Silver for an inbetween Gold/Silver effect, Green & Blue for Chroma Key and White, for use as a fill light. Comes in a zip-up bag for easy storage and handling.
This Collapsible Reflector Disc - 7 in 1 - 60cm comes with a full warranty in Australia. Pop into our Gold Coast camera store & warehouse or order online. #CamerasDirect, happily helping you take a better #photo and being at your service. Thank you.
#ReflectorDisc #CollapsibleReflectorDisc
|Camera Dynamic
|Primary Colour


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Unique. Fun. Educational. Important.
Both educational & fun, the "incredible edible bugs demo" will take groups on a unique and thrilling journey into the world of edible insects. Hands-on cooking and tasting demos compliment an educational presentation that covers entomophagy, health & nutrition, farming & sustainability, and entrepreneurship.
If this intriguing educational experience does not pique your curiosity, your curiosity must be tragically un-piquable.
If this intriguing educational experience does not pique your curiosity, your curiosity must be tragically un-piquable.
Interactive cooking demo, sampling of different edible bug products, and educational lecture.
Emphasis on innovation and the importance of new experiences and open minds.
Perfect for:
Events, parties, museums, and classrooms of all ages. The educational content can be adjusted based on the audience.
Topics Include:
Entomophagy (eating insects) Basics
Health & Nutrition
Sustainability & Farming
Innovation &
Events last 2 - 3 hours and can be held at a variety of locations.
Cooking demo options include:
Cricket powder protein shakes, cricket chocolate chip cookies, mealworm tacos, silk worm ceviche, mealworm lentil salad, bug biscuits, bug chili...
Tasting options include:
Cricket popcorn, chocolate bugs, cricket protein bars, raw crickets, honey mustard crickets, bbq mealworms, wax worms, june bugs, dried ants, chili grasshoppers, termites...
Intensity level:
It is understood that some people are more comfortable than others with new foods. If whole bugs are too much for audiences, we can adjust to products like protein bars, cookies, and chips that contain insects.
What to expect:
I take groups though a journey that opens minds and stomachs. I set the stage by defining entomophagy and lead audiences through an engaging discussion on where the industry is now, who eats bugs, why we eat bugs, and how can we eat bugs. I focus on topics like culture, sustainability, the agri business, health & nutrition, taste, and cooking. Throughout, small samples of insects can be passed out. In between topics, I will also conduct cooking demos with simple dishes like smoothies or salads.
Through creating fun & memorable events around eating bugs, I hope to educate future consumers on the importance of bugs in our food system. Just like sushi came into popularity in the 1980s, insects are the next big trend. 80% of the world eats bugs like crickets, grasshoppers, ants, mealworms, beetles and more! Insects are more sustainable to raise, healthy to eat, and can taste delicious. Insects will play a huge role in addressing future food insecurity challenges.
Past & upcoming events with:
Boy Scouts Club, Yale Leadership Form, Natural History Museum, WeWork, The Guild, V Wine Room... (click here to see more)
Email email@example.com. Tell me when & where... and I'm there! We can fit the program to any event and audience size.
Depends on number of guests and types of insects desired. Email email@example.com for a quote.
What will we talk about?
Here's a little taste of what we can cover. I can adjust the content based on the audience's age, expertise, and sense of adventure.
What is entomophagy?
Entomophagy is the fancy word for "eating insects." We'll start with an exploration of the practice of eating bugs – something common for over 2 billion people globally today. We will touch on how different cultures define what is "edible" and the importance of addressing the challenges of feeding our growing global population.
Keywords: food desert, population growth, entomophagy, FAO, food scarcity, malnutrition, public health, food and culture...
Why eat bugs: Nutrition, environmental sustainability, and safety.
The food of the future is sustainable, healthy, and delicious. For a comparable amount of protein, insects like crickets have more calcium, iron, B12, zinc, Vitamin A, and other micronutrients than beef. They also have less fat. Not only are insects healthy and nutritious for humans – they're healthy for the environment too! They require less water, land, and feed to raise than other traditional livestock. We will dive into the basics of nutrition, diets, and the importance of where our food comes from. Then we'll discuss basic farming practices and the importance of ethical and environmentally friendly ways of raising food.
Keywords: health, nutrition, protein, sustainability, livestock, protein, micronutrients, diet, agriculture, farming, allergies, gluten, ethical farming, farm to table...
Eating bugs: What are the most popular? How are they raised? How are they cooked? How do they taste?
How are bugs eaten today? What are the most commonly eaten bugs? There are over 2,000 species of edible insects. We will talk about the most commonly eaten bugs, how they are cooked, and explore different taste profiles. Have you ever heard of a cricket farm? We will discuss how crickets and other insects are farmed and prepared for human consumption.
Keywords: chefs, restaurants, cooking, insect species, biodiversity, flavor profiles, cricket farming, indigenous harvesting, recipes...
The business of eating bugs today in the west: Addressing the "ick" factor:
Let's talk about sushi: less than 40 years ago the U.S. did not relish the idea of consuming raw fish (many even considered it barbaric.) Now it's a thriving industry. All it took was some clever branding, the California Roll, and time. Today, bug businesses are facing some common challenges. We'll talk about entrepreneurship and how new businesses are emerging in this field.
Keywords: entrepreneurship, Food and Drug Administration, marketing, regulations...
Why Aly Moore?
Motivated by deep curiosities and a few burgeoning passions, I'm on a mission to spread joy, open minds, and feed people bugs. I've been a bug blogger for over 5 years. Here's what qualifies me aside from my bad puns, good conversation, and quirky point of view:


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Q: I had this dream of a man who always mocks me, fights with me, humiliates me. So I saw him in the dream. I was leaving the Musjid but still in the musjid by the wudu khana (sahen area) I saw this man coming towards me. Normally he must pass some comments nasty ones I must say. So i realized I had a big wooden good looking stick in my hand. I felt like hitting him with it. I've never harmed ever. I then thought the better of it and told thank you or jazakallah for your good deeds. I then left the musjid . Out side was night. I saw my father also had a stick but smaller. I went in the car but the stick was outside of the window. The window was closing and the stick broke. The other half broke and was hanging. The window then closed.
A: The dream indicates towards the reward of sabr you will receive through exercising patience over the ill-treatment you have received.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:


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By Lew Ritter
Have you ever dreamed of getting an invitation to visit a tropical getaway from an old friend? As the old saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for."
MAD DOGS was adapted by veteran showrunner Shawn Ryan from a British show of the same name created by Chris Cole.
In the U.S. version, which ran on Amazon Prime, Milo (Billy Zane) is the embodiment of the American Dream. He's young, retired and wealthy. He's invited four old friends to join him for some fun and the sun at his palatial villa on the sun -drenched beach in Belize, an island off the coast of South America It's a luxurious villa that even Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg might envy.
At first, the friends frolic in the warm tropical waters on the beaches adjacent to Milo's palatial estate. It seems to be a perfect weekend getaway. They eat at a magnificent four- star restaurant. And to the amusement of the other friends, Cobi (Steve Zahn), brings one of the local girls back to the estate for a night of unforgettable sex.
However, after the initial bonding has worn off, the friends start to notice subtle changes in Milo. Despite the appearance of wealth and luxury, all is not well with him. Below the tranquil surface, quiet tensions and hostilities make themselves felt,l especially after he makes an eerie promise that if anything happens to him, the friends will become owners of the estate. To further complicate things, he begins receiving menacing calls.
Each of the main characters has suffered misfortunes in their personal and business lives. Lex (Michael Imperioli) is a lifelong screw-up with addiction problems. Cobi works in finance and appears to be the only one still happily married. Gus (Romany Malco) is a former lawyer who has been disbarred and apparently works in the antique business. Joel (Ben Chapin) is the wariest member of the group. He senses early on that something is amiss with the reunion.
In a shattering conclusion to Episode One, the friends are assembled for an evening of innocent fun. Suddenly the calm is shattered by an arrival of a mysterious character dressed as a cat. The cat sneaks into the dining room and pulls his gun. Before anyone can stop him, he splatters Milo's brains all over the dining room table.
In shock, the friends realized that they have become involved in something truly deadly. Each of the following episodes depicts their desperate attempts to extricate themselves from Milo's tragedy, leading to them diving deeper into the morass and further into trouble.
They attempt to return the yacht Milo has been using and discover a hidden trove of stolen drug money. They attempt to rent a car and find a safe place to hide the money and wind up being observed by the local police and involved in a car accident. Lex end up in the hospital from an overdose, Joel and several others find themselves in a local jail.
The cast is energetic and enjoyable. Standouts are Billy Zane who makes the perfect smiling cobra of a villain and Michael Imperioli (Lex), who has been a personal favorite of this writer since playing Tony Soprano's cousin. (He also was a standout as a detective in two short lived detective shows LIFE ON MARS AND DETROIT 187.) Here, he has the penetrating gaze and manner of a police detective and dominates every scene that he is in. And Steve Zahn, who normally plays the sad sack or comic relief character in big screen comedies or rom-coms, shows surprising dramatic depth in MAD DOGS as the tragic Cobi.
Some of the best moments of the show are during the quiet moments as the characters reflect on the shambles of their lives. As they face the wrong turns they took that led to their predicament, they, and we, realize that the four characters are much further from each other than first believed.
The show would work better as a spirited two-hour movie rather than a ten episode mini-series. In every episode, the friends engage in some desperate attempt to remedy their situation. Each of the characters chooses one bad option after another, which further complicates their already tenuous situation. This works for the first few episodes, but soon feels repetitious and predictable and works against any need a viewer might have for binge-watching.
The fact that at the end of the series, we learn that the usual suspects – the CIA, corrupt police, and drug gangsters – all were involved with Milo is a major creative letdown…a reason to be glad I didn't binge on this show.
To me, the biggest betrayal to viewers, though, stems from something I really liked – the discovery that the characters' lives have been deeply troubled and that they aren't nearly as close as they've liked to think. This fact flies in the face of Milo's motivation for wanting to ruin their lives
There is one saving grace to this version of MAD DOGS. The irony inherent in the fact that Milo's motivation for wanting to ruin the lives of his friends has been that he thought they were all so much happier and better off than he was. In the end, his revenge proves to be – nothing.
Speaking of the ending, it's structured so that most of the characters have escaped back to America. Only one of them remains in Belize and appears ready to take over where Milo has left off.
In context, this creates a somewhat interesting cliffhanger. Will the others be lured back to help their friend? Amazon clearly hasn't become interested enough. The show has been cancelled.
Lew Ritter is a TVWriter™ Contributing Writer. Learn more about him here.


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Jeanette Lai Thomas
Jeanette Lai Thomas is the founder and sole designer of jewelry collection Moratorium. Thomas has lived around the world and found her place in the industry after taking a silversmithing class in Amsterdam. With a background in fashion production, Thomas already understood the importance of precision and attention to detail. And with these qualities in mind, she founded Moratorium with the same ethos. Based on authenticity and a commitment only to use precious metals and labor intensive treatment processes – the brand immediately sets itself apart as distinctive and quality driven.
What's your background? Where are you from?
I was born in Singapore and raised in Hong Kong. At 16 I left to study in the US. After I finished school I moved to New York, where I met my husband and stayed until 2008 when his work took us to Portland, Amsterdam, London and back to New York in 2011.
How did you learn silversmithing?
I signed up to do an intensive private class the week I arrived in Amsterdam, January 2009, and fell in love immediately. I worked in fashion production for 5 years, where precision and detail are prerequisites and I saw many similarities when it came to silversmithing. I loved the challenge and rewards that came with making something 100% with my own hands. I also learned very early on that when something looks simple to make, it's not necessarily the case.
Where do you source your metals?
I source all my materials in New York. It's an amazing place to make things—once you've figured out where you can buy the materials you need!
Why are using precious metals important to you?
I work exclusively with precious metals because I believe in integrity within design. Jewelry to me is precious. It's a luxury; something special and coveted that retains value over time. It's not seasonal or trend-based. I've never for one second considered making Moratorium from anything other then precious metals.
Why do you think other brands tend not to use precious metals?
I imagine their reasons for not using precious metals are primarily driven by profit. The margins you make from jewelry produced from plated brass will be significantly greater than those made exclusively from precious metals. If consumers are willing to pay silver prices for silver-plated brass, I understand why other brands do it. It's just not something I choose to do with Moratorium for personal reasons.
In what other ways does Moratorium set itself apart in a crowded jewelry market?
Moratorium isn't a seasonal collection; it's a body of work that expands over time. I perpetually refine existing designs, adding to them and taking away when needed. I'm the archetypal perfectionist!
It's also a collection that's immediately recognizable. Some of my designs may look simple to produce, but it's the complete opposite. The many different facets and planes are very labor intensive to produce, which is probably why I'm the only one making jewelry like this. I've been told many times that I could make my work easier by simplifying the designs but I refuse to. I'm also very proud to be able to say it's made entirely in New York.
Moratorium is designed with both genders in mind – Do you find one gender over another gravitates toward certain pieces?
From the very beginning, I've designed what I wanted to. There has never been a formula based on what retailers want, or what makes the most money. Moratorium is my creative freedom, the one thing in my life where there are no rules.
Within the collection there are pieces that traditionally may be seen as more feminine, such as the Pyramid earrings or the 10 piece Kimers earrings, but I don't consider them for women only. In fact, I've sold Pyramid earrings to men before. I feel people who are attracted to Moratorium share the same disdain for being told what they can and can't do, as I do.
Where are you currently sold?
In the US, Moratorium is available exclusively from our website: www.moratoriumstudio.com
What are your bestsellers? What do you consider signature pieces?
My Cut Away Pyramid and Kimers collections are certainly the most popular. Because of the labor-intensive method used to produce them, there aren't other jewelry brands making similar geometric styles, so it remains something exclusive to Moratorium. Another design detail unique to Moratorium is the high polish finish on all edges and facets, made possible through a rigorous process that I'm not willing to compromise on.
What other designers/brands are your customers wearing with your jewelry?
The diversity of people who wear Moratorium is kind of crazy. I honestly couldn't describe the quintessential Moratorium consumer by what they wear, only by their attitude. I'd define them as people who notice the things that others do not. I've always believed that it is the detail that sets you apart.
Are you doing any special pieces for the holidays?
I've been working on a new finish to compliment my silver and gold collections for a while, and I'm finally happy with it! It's a permanent industrial treatment that gives a mesmeric spectrum-colored finish to sterling silver. There are 9 styles I'm offering in this exclusive iridescent finish. I'm super excited about it!


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July 12-14, 2016
Moscone Center
San Fransisco, CA
Our Smart Laser technology "Beam Mixer" will transform the world soon.
With this technology, any kind of projectors that require space-saving, such as retina scanning smart glasses, VR displays, in-vehicle head-up displays, and smart speakers, etc can be realized in a smart way.
Contents of "Beam Mixer"
Ultra-compact RGB laser light source module:
World's smallest level laser light source module using MEMS PLC and RGB semiconductor laser
MEMS PLC (Planar Light wave Circuit)
The semiconductor chip that achieves combining with 50% or more efficiency in visible to IR light wave semiconductor lasers.
PLC Size 2.5mm x 6.0mm (Future 1.6mm x 4.5mm)
By using our Smart Laser technology "Beam Mixer", you can make various projector products smart.
We are looking forward to talk with you at booth 5359.
Small Power Model (BMM-002)
・RED Laser Typ.638nm, > 2mW
・GREEN Laser Typ.520nm, > 2mW
・BLUE Laser Typ.450nm, > 2mW
・Color to Color Misalignment ≦0 deg C
The package size(Interim)
・ Small Power Model W 9.0 mm x H 2.5 mm x D 7.4 mm (0.17 cc).
・Electrical/Optical Characteristics (Ta=25 deg.C)
Our technology is mixing multiple light sources using the MEMS PLC.
With this combiner, it can combine multiple lasers into one complete beam.
This figure shows that the three beams are combined, but the number of connections can be any.
The in/out efficiency of the MEMS PLC can reach 50% or more, and the output of the semiconductor laser diode can be effective use.
It may be used to combine communication IR lasers, as the wavelength allow from visible light to IR.
SEMI Global Headquarters
673 South Milpitas Blvd.
Milpitas, CA 95035
Tel: +1.408.943.6900
Tel: +1.408.943.6986
Copyright 2018, a2z, Inc. All rights reserved.