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Their music was described as New Age, although it also could be considered adult instrumental
Eros EP | Mythosmusic.com
Vancouver's Mythos was formed by Bob D'Eith (piano) and Paul Schmidt (guitar) in the mid-1990s to make music that was predominantly instrumental using guest singers to do vocalizations rather than perform lyrics. Among those who have worked with the band is Jasmin Parkin of Mother Mother.
At the time, their music was described as New Age, although it also could be considered adult instrumental as well, with similarities to Enigma and others.
The band was nominated in the Juno Awards' Instrumental Artist of the Year category in 1998 and enjoyed considerable success with its albums entering the Billboard New Age charts. The group's last release was 2013's Journey.
Eros marks the group's return. Here are five things to know about it:
1 — Stripped-down: With only vocalist Jennifer Scott and bassist Rene Worst guesting, this is really a showcase for D'Eith and Schmidt to layer and build their duo sound. This results in a less-is-more approach on tracks such as Catana, where Schmidt's guitar rises to the fore throughout the tune.
2 — Synths are your friend: Always a group that liked to layer on the synthesizer patches, it sounds like D'Eith has picked up some nifty new gear since the last recording as, right from the opening tune Kawakari, there is quite a variety of sounds coming at you.
3 — Production values: Mythos always put a lot into its production as that is key in the New Age genre. The work that D'Eith put in on Eros is no different, and proves that Adagio Media/Studio in Maple Ridge clearly has some nice gear on hand.
4 — Professional lives: Both members of Mythos took time off to pursue non-musical ventures. D'Eith became a music lawyer and was the executive director of Music B.C. for a number of years. Schmidt studied at the London School of Economics and then took up a position at a university in South Korea. This explains why it took five years to come up with Eros.
5 — Allure: Hands down my preferred track on Eros is track 4, titled Allure. The pulsating synth line that runs underneath almost the whole track has elements of Jean Michel Jarre's work and there is a cool, neo-flamenco touch to the guitar parts.
Also in heavy rotation this week:
Allman Brothers Band: Filmore East 1970 (Allman Brothers Band Recording Company/Orchard Distribution)
Recorded in February 1970 by Grateful Dead soundman Owsley "Bear" Stanley when the Allmans opened for the Dead, this predates the group's seminal Live at the Filmore session and features the first known live recording of guitarist Dickey Betts' searing instrumental In Memory of Elizabeth Reed. The band sounds amazing and it's not hard to appreciate how it had such a reputation as a live act when you hear them rip Hoochie Coochie Man to shreds or rock out on Statesboro Blues. In his notes, Owsley mentions that he wasn't sure if his mix worked. It's possible that it's an even better mix than the Filmore album. The drums, keyboards and guitars are all way up in the mix and you really appreciate just how well this crew played together this early on listening to the 30 minute-plus workout Mountain Jam.
Dennis Lichtman: Just Cross the River (dennislichtman.com): Fourteen cuts of pure joy come bursting off of this latest recording from clarinetist/multi-instrumentals and bandleader Lichtman. Here, he is tracing the history of musicians who moved to Queens from more expensive Manhattan back in the 1920s. Among the musicians who called the borough home were Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane and Louis Armstrong, who lived there for the last 30 years of his life. Yet Queens never gets the same respect as Manhattan or Brooklyn and is rarely mentioned in song, although the one the album takes its title from is a 1950 song that is thought to be the first to mention Queens. Backed by The Queensboro Six — Dalton Ridenhour on piano, Gordon Au on trumpet, J. Walter Hawkes on trombone, Nathan Peck on bass and Rob Garcia on drums — the music swings, shakes, rattles and walks with serious sass. Road Street Court Place Avenue Drive, in particular, romps with all the cool you could find in a downtown hot spot. One of the best traditional jazz recordings I've heard this year by far.
Megative: Megative (Last Gang Records): A new Brooklyn-based crew with Canuck pedigree and more than a bit of London circa '79 in its sound, Megative features Tim Fletcher, former lead singer of Montreal's the Stills, Juno-nominated bassist/producer Gus Van Go, Brooklyn-via-Jamaica dance hall toaster Screechy Dan and assorted other collaborators. The music they make is dubbed-out punky reggae that isn't far from Generation X's Wild Dub. The production from NYC's Like Minds (Wu-Tang Clan, the Roots, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West) and Screechy Dan is bass heavy, echoing and messy in a good way. From the stoned groove of More Time to the speaker-jumping Can't Do Drugz (Like I Used To), the 11 tunes are almost all laid back, mid-tempo jams. She's Not Real could make a pretty tight leadoff single.
Sarah Davachi: Gave In Rest (sarahdavachi.com): One time Vancouver-based electronic musician now relocated to Los Angeles to go to UCLA, Davachi found time in between studies to drop the seven tracks that make up her latest album. Her explorations of the auditory appeal of droning repetition fusing with religious music produce some truly compelling sounds, ranging from the quite gorgeous Evensong — with its soaring voices and long, drawn out orchestration — to the extended tones that rise and crash in Third Hour. Working with Silver Mt. Zion's Jessica Moss (violin) and Thierry Amar (contrabass), Terri Hron (recorder) and vocalist Lisa McGee (Higuma), her album certainly fits the Montreal scene sound. Davachi does call the city home when she isn't in L.A. If you meditate with this playing, you are sure to get into some near Dr. Strange levels of inner vision.


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Fried Lava Chicken Slider with Creamy Slaw
Fried Lava Chicken Slider with Creamy Slaw
Prep: 15 Minutes
Cook: 35 Minutes
Serves: 1
Submitted by:
Recipe Details
6 Boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs beaten
1 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
Salt & pepper To taste
1/4 cup KING'S HAWAIIAN Big Island Lava Sauce
1 package KING'S HAWAIIAN Original Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls
1 package Pre-made coleslaw
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375.Step 2
Begin by laying your ingredients out for breading the chicken. Lay out three wide, low-bottom bowls in the following order: flour, eggs, breadcrumbs.Season the flour and bread crumbs with salt and pepper to taste.Step 3
Wash and dry the chicken thighs, then dunk them in the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Repeat until the chicken thighs are fully coated in breadcrumbs.Step 4
Lay each chicken thigh on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping half way through.Step 5
Build the sliders by layering the breaded chicken, KING'S HAWAIIAN Big Island Lava Sauce, coleslaw, cilantro and red onion.
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With Big Island Lava, it's all about the heat. Turn it up for your taste buds, with the boldness of red jalapeños, spicy island flavor, and a hint of sweet. Whether you're adding sizzle to fish or chicken, or just about anything that needs a kick, it's th

subset: commoncrawl


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I Am France
Hector sat in an armless wooden chair in front of a cold steel card table, drumming his jeweled fingers in hard-time and obsessively checking his watch. He didn't want to miss his flight, but it looked like there was no choice about it. He would have to book another one.
He could afford it. That certainly wasn't the problem.
He thumbed through his passport again -- and again! – and adjusted his wine-colored tie under his pink, baby-smooth set of chins.
In front of him, as imposing and out of place in the little room as the maw of an airlock, was a heavy institutional door with what seemed to be claw marks running down it in jagged stripes.
Behind him was a white brick wall.
To his right, was a white brick wall.
To his left, was a white brick wall with a hard plastic window at picture-level. Behind the window were three people in sensible glasses and pink suits with "Travel Agency" lapel pins, making notes on legal pads attached to clipboards and sitting (evenly spaced) behind one long gray desk. There was one middle-aged man, one middle-aged woman, and one young man who would soon be middle-aged and looked as if he welcomed it with open arms, as one might welcome a favorite nephew, or a golden retriever.
Every time Hector looked over at the window, one of the three watchers waved. Hector waved back.
After another fifteen minutes of waiting, the heavy institutional door opened creakily and a woman in sensible slacks and a partially open white blouse entered the room. There was a bandage across her forehead and she had a black eye. She held her left arm high up on her ribs, as if protecting her lungs, and she walked with a slight limp. Hector noticed blood on her socks. Despite her disheveled appearance, she seemed calm and composed – intense in both focus and carriage.
She sat down in the chair across from Hector and turned in her seat, watching the heavy door slowly come to a close. As soon as it snapped shut, the woman pulled a cigarette from behind her ear.
"Fuck you," she said. "You can't go to France. And that's all there is to it. What the hell are you thinking anyway?"
Hector stammered. He stood up in his chair and then sat back down.
"I am going on vacation," said Hector. "I bought a ticket and arranged all of my affairs. I have followed every security procedure down to the very last silly specification. And yet here I am. I DEMAND an explanation."
"Fuck you," said the woman. "You're not getting one."
Hector pouted.
"We'll just see about that," said Hector. Hector fumbled in his coat for his cell phone, but as soon as he pulled it out, the woman grabbed it and threw it into a corner where it probably broke.
"Look what you made me do," said the woman.
Hector sat on his hands, glum.
The woman sighed and set her cigarette on the card table. She massaged her elbow, rolled the cigarette across the table to her other hand, and then picked it back up.
"I am going to start listing truths," said the woman. "You stop me if you hear something you don't like or that sounds as if it might be bullshit, Mr. Friesling."
"This doesn't sound like a very good game. Who are you, anyway? Do you work for the Travel Agency?"
"I do not," said the woman. "My name is Alice, and I work for the Office of Immigration Management. That's truth number one."
"That sounds like bulls…like a lie," said Hector. "I've never heard of an Office of Immigration Management."
"Well, OBVIOUSLY you don't know very much about anything, right? That's why you are here. Because OBVIOUSLY you are a stupid jerk who likes to put people's jobs in danger that he's never even met, just so he can take a vacation, whatever that means. How the hell did you even get approval for a VACATION?"
"I work for the Office of Vacation Approval," said Hector.
"Oh," said Alice. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."
Alice turned her head to the window and sneered.
"It seems like EVERYBODY is A WORTHLESS GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONARY NOWADAYS," she shouted. The people behind the glass snickered and shook their heads.
"Back to truth," said Alice. "Correct me when I'm wrong. I won't be."
"Alright," said Hector. "The Travel Agency will be receiving a bill for my cell phone as soon as I put an invoice together. I know lawyers."
"Truth number one. The government we live under is classified, unabashedly, as a Tyrannical Bureaucracy."
"This is a big deal."
"So I've heard."
"A Tyrannical Bureaucracy functions without any enumerated rights for the people, controlling all information and transportation, and killing all dissidents with such glee that no one really gives a fuck anymore. This makes everyone free, somehow. Makes 'em feel free. No one understands why, but everybody feels good all the time. You feel good; I feel good; we all feel fucking great."
"Yes, that is generally acceptable and pleasing."
"Fuck pleasing. It's true."
"Truth number two. One of the easiest ways to maintain a functional Tyrannical Bureaucracy is to keep a tight lockdown on all immigration in or out of the country. We do this in any number of ways, not the least of which is controlling passport qualification and vacation approval. As you damn well know."
"It's my job," said Hector.
"And how many vacations have you actually approved while doing your job?"
"Personally?" asked Hector.
"Sure," said Alice.
"It's a big department. There are too many numbers to keep track of. Too many personalities. I couldn't really say."
"No, you couldn't," said Alice. "Is a pattern emerging yet?"
"I don't understand any of this," said Hector.
"Truth number three," said Alice. "Maintaining elaborate fictions is also vital to the sustenance of a Tyrannical Bureaucracy, both to keep the public ignorant and therefore tractable, and to give people in what were once called "creative professions" something to do. You can't kill everyone. Plus, creativity isn't really genetic. Some people are going to make shit up, and it is better to use them than to destroy them. Generally speaking."
Alice picked at the edge of the bandage across her forehead.
"I don't know anything about that," said Hector.
"Sometimes creative people get carried away," shouted Alice. "Sometimes they are better than the jobs they are given. Does that mean that they should be PUNISHED? Or PROMOTED?"
Hector shifted in his chair. He didn't know how to respond, or if he should even try.
"So are you getting a picture yet?" asked Alice. "Is it all becoming clear?"
Hector played with his jewelry, twisting the bands around on his fat fingers like rings orbiting the nether planets.
"Well then," said Alice. "I suppose you'd better tell me why you are here, then. I suppose you'd better tell me about France."
Hector smiled and sat up in his chair. His well-scrubbed cheeks glowed.
"My favorite subject," said Hector.
"No doubt," said Alice.
"If you can believe it, at first I wasn't interested in other countries at all," said Hector. "Not one jot. Can you believe that? I didn't care even whether any place even EXISTED beyond our beloved country. Why would I? We live in a wonderful place. Here."
"Fair enough," said Alice.
Hector hazarded a quick glance to the three watchers. Their three identical mugs were topped off to surface tension with lazy quiescence.
"I go to my job; I work very hard. I go home, and watch movies, and eat fruit, when I can get it. I live in a Couch Case in the suburbs, just big enough for my arms and legs. But I have a moderately fast connection for my means, and so I get around, if you know what I mean."
"Nothing illegal, I hope?" asked Alice.
"Oh no, nothing like that," said Hector. "I have my groups. I have my stories. I have girls I know, and places that…herm…relax me. Nothing illegal. Nothing dramatic. Nothing very INTERESTING even."
"Fine," said Alice.
"It was an accident, really," said Hector.
"Most problems start that way," said Alice.
"I was spending a tremendous amount of time AT WORK over one winter cycle, and I was processing all of these REQUESTS, when one day I must have heard about France. It wasn't an epiphany or anything. It was just something that stuck in my mind, and I made a note on the back of my hand, with an ink pen, to look it up when I got home. I don't like wasting official time. I'm not one of those. But I made a note to look it up, and then I didn't even think about it. Poof. Out of my mind.
"I'm sure the request was turned down, but it was so INTRIGUING, you see. Most requests are for places like Camelot, or New York, or Oz, or Felizidadez, or for the Palace of a Million Unlit Suns. Everyone knows about those places. But what was this France? I'd never heard of it before. Who LIVED there? What sorts of enchanted folk were these Francemen and Francewomen?"
"What indeed," said Alice.
"But to tell you the truth, I almost forgot all about it, even as I wrote it down. I have a terrible memory, and it would have just been flushed away as soon as I nestled into my Couch Case and plugged in. But I was touching myself – you know, in an approved and useful State fashion – when I must have looked down at my hand and seen what I'd scrawled there. 'Find France,' it said.
"At first, I could only get my hands on picture books. I read stories about King Napoleon and Queen Joanna riding around the countryside and chopping the heads off of their enemies, and then making fine cheese out of moonbeams and poetry in the empty skulls. Stories about snail races up and down towers and cathedrals, where the Gypsy winners take home maps to catacombs full of treasure, guarded by wine drinking elephants who never speak.
"As I scoured for more, however, I found stories about the REAL France. It became an obsession for me. I learned about the Louis Brothers, and the Thermidor Society for Corrective Discipline. The history was fascinating. The wars, the persecutions, the poverty, the songs. I grew addicted. In my library, my personal library, I have some of the most obscure Francian texts you could ever see. It is even said that they speak a different language – different from the way you and I speak. Can you imagine that? They wouldn't get any work done!
"But from what I have gathered, they don't worry about work anyway. In France, there are doctors for even the lowliest workers – albeit of inferior quality to our own medicines, of course. Work is secondary to most things, including eating. How does their State persist? I don't get it. I haven't the foggiest. I long to see it. I want to know. To bring back stories for my co-workers and online friends.
"I have no illusions. I know it will be a backwater. A diseased, infectious hole where people die by their own hand and there is no true happiness. Not the kind we feel, anyway. But there is some spark, there, isn't there? I couldn't even point to it on a map. Ha! I couldn't tell you if it were north, south, east, or west. But I aim to see it, and as a senior Government official with over 30 years of recorded service, I think I ought to be able to go."
Alice was silent.
"Have you ever heard the story of the Lady of Light?" asked Hector. He leaned across the table conspiratorially, and Alice leaned back out of his way, as if he were infected by plague.
"Hmmm," said Alice.
"It is a beautiful tale," said Hector. "Really tipped the scales. There's nothing like it here."
"Uh-huh," said Alice.
"Have you heard it? I'll tell you. Underwater in France's biggest lake, there once lived a lady who was made completely of light. She was immense. She was as long as parts of the lake itself when she stretched out to sleep, and her fingertips breached the surface when she stood up and raised her hands to the sky. Her head was light, her clothes were light, and her body was made of light from her toes to her pate. She ate light from the sun during the day, and then at night she glowed – illuminating the surrounding villages better than electricity.
"One day, a little matchstick girl – that's a girl who sells matchsticks to peasants for picking your teeth or cleaning out your nostril – one day a little matchstick girl was rowing on the lake and met the Lady of Light. The lady was painting a picture of the clouds from underwater, merging their billows with the rocking of the waves.
"Oh Lady of Light," said the little girl. "We are so lucky to have you. I couldn't imagine what it must be like to live next to a lake without a lady so beautiful as you."
"What do you mean?" asked the Lady of Light. "Isn't there someone like me in every large body of water? What are you saying?"
"Oh no," said the little girl. "You are one of a kind and all alone. There's no one like you in all the land."
"But instead of being happy about being so unique, the Lady of Light was devastated. It was one thing to live peaceably all alone when it was a choice, and in fact, the Lady of Light was simply waiting for the right man to come along and sweep her off her feet – waiting to create a family with a handsome stranger who would love and respect her always. After all, she had come from somewhere, and so presumably she had parents herself, although she had never met them. But this little girl said differently! This little girl said there was no one like her in ALL the world, and that she would grow old and die – alone – nothing more than a colossal carriage lantern for the ungrateful Francian countryside.
"The Lady of Light climbed out of the lake and stood there on the shores, gazing into the horizon.
"I guess I'd better go and find me a husband," said the Lady of Light. "I guess that means I'd better cross the ocean to where the Earth is red, and the land is new..."
"Enough," said Alice. "Just stop right there."
"Have you heard this one before?" said Hector. "It gets better. There's a Prince of Darkness, and a Rainbow Pony…"
"Can't you see how silly you are?" asked Alice.
"You HAVE heard it before, HAVEN'T you?" pouted Hector.
"Heard it!" said Alice, standing. "I wrote it!"
Alice looked at the three watchers, who had all dropped their pens and their jaws. The youngish man stood up. The woman capped her pen and set it down slowly in front of her, as if it were a sharpened arrowhead dripping with cyanide.
Alice picked up her chair and sneered. She tossed it twice in the air and caught it, as if testing its weight. All three watchers were on their feet now.
She spun around to face the door behind her and jammed the strut of furniture under the door's long steel handle. It fit surprisingly well. Alice crossed her arms and turned back around to Hector, who was gripping the table in front of him as if it were a stopped heart in his chest.
"Here's the deal," said Alice. "There's no such place as France, and there never was. I inherited it from this guy Lincoln who ran the France file before me. And I've been making up stuff about it for the past year and a half."
"But what about the Lady of Light, and the Amazing Louis Brothers…"
Somebody began pounding on the door. The watchers were pacing back and forth in their room, all three of them chattering into cell phones.
"There's no such place as France. In fact, there aren't any other countries at all, okay? Everyone knows that. What are you, a child? There are just blocks and blocks of interlocking city and rural land covering the whole Earth like a patchwork, and one united governing body that rules them all. You can't leave your block, okay? There's no such thing as vacations. You need to go back home and forget all about France, unless you want to get me fired or killed or worse."
The door handle waggled back and forth furiously, but no matter how much twisting came from the other side, the chair stayed where it was.
"What's worse than death?" asked Hector, shuddering.
"The Office of Vacation Approval, maybe," said Alice.
"But where did France come from? Was there ever a France?"
"I am France!" shouted Alice. "Me! I read the materials that came before me, and I make up crap as it suits my tastes and inclinations. It's supposed to be a horrible, inefficient backwards place. I can't imagine why in a million goddamn years you would ever want to go some place like that, anyway."
"Then how come I can buy a plane ticket?" asked Hector.
"So the authorities will know who to question," said Alice.
The pounding grew louder. The chair, even wedged as tightly as it was, began to splinter.
"The Lady of Light…" stammered Hector.
"It's a metaphor!" shouted Alice. "And it's a metaphor about how great we have it here! Jesus Christ, you are dense. Now repeat after me. There is no France."
"There is no France," said Hector sadly.
"There never was."
"There never was."
"And I am very sorry I wasted a talented writer's day."
"And I am very…sorry…I wasted a talented writer's day."
The door finally gave, and a beefy-looking soldier punched through, masked in leather and carrying a shotgun. He breathed through a gasmask, probably to keep him from inhaling the tranquilizing drugs that permeated the whole atmosphere – dropped in constant lilting streams, like pollen, from orbiting hot air balloons.
Furtively, the three watchers lined up behind him inside the room and resumed taking notes on their clipboards.
"What's going on in here, eh?" asked the soldier. A voice modulator made it impossible to tell whether the soldier was male or female.
"Nothing," said Alice. "I was just explaining – succinctly – why it is impossible for Mr. Friesling here to go to France."
"I suppose he'd rather go to Oz, or Las Vegas, then eh?" said the soldier, chuckling. "Maybe he'd like a VACATION on the moon?"
"No, no," said Hector. "I'm quite satisfied with my lot in life. Work, love, life, death, and all that."
"Yeah, very satisfying," said the soldier with contempt. He lifted Alice's tender arm with his shotgun, and then let it flop back against her side. Alice's eyes filled momentarily with hate, and then clouded over. She lit another cigarette.
"France," said the soldier. "I've never heard of that one. That must be one of the new ones. Sounds dumb. Like Atlantis."
"You wouldn't understand," said Alice. The soldier looked back and forth between Hector (who was quivering with fear, his jowls literally flapping against his neck like dangly pancakes), and Alice (who smoked her cigarette as if she was hiding in underwater rushes and it was a straw to air, never meeting the soldier's eye).
"You wouldn't understand at all," said Alice, again.
"Thank God," said the soldier. "Now back to work everyone."
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Just when you thought there wasn't anything left in the entire universe that Frankie hadn't put their name to, along comes Frankie Goes To Hollywood —
You start life as a little bloke (or blokette) with no personality, scuttling around the terraced streets of 'Mundanesville', trying to collect everyday items like sperms and flak jackets. As you do this, a little bar graph shows how much of a 'complete person' you've become. Gradually you discover various parallel universes, where you have to perform all sorts of heroic feats (e.g. save Merseyside from destruction, shoot Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan etc.). Do all this (and lots more), and you eventually become a 'complete person', and allowed into The Pleasure Dome.
It's not easy; I played all night and only achieved a personality rating of 35% (Quite accurate really —
Vici MacDonald


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Hello and a very happy Monday to you all! For today's Take Three I'm looking at primers, which are something I've added into my routine relatively recently.
The first one I tried was a Body Shop mattifying primer, which did a pretty good job and since then I've become a true convert and have built up a little collection. They aren't something I use every time I wear make up but if I know it's going to be a long day or I'm likely to get good and sweaty (ie if I have to do any kind of slightly strenuous activity, like moving at all) I always turn to a primer and, luckily, all of the ones I've tried do the job. Some are obviously better than others, though, so I've picked three out of my make up drawers to compare for you today.
|Note: The Seventeen and Benefit primers are both full size but the Smashbox pick is the travel size
|Note: This is only the travel size


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Every once in a while Don Kiki comes up with a very unique cigar that has a special blend "Liga Especial" of finely aged tobacco. Retail cigar stores line up for them and sell them between $8 and $10 each. They can't be made on a regular basis because there just isn't enough of the extensively aged tobacco available. The Sub Marino Maduro cigars are Don Kiki's newest Special Blend creation. Handmade by master cigar rollers, these premium figurados come from the rich tobacco fields of Tabacalera Esteli. They were part of a late harvest Habano crop that was aged for over 6 years. A perfect draw and burn is only the bonus. When it comes to flavor, this is where the Sub Marino Maduro stands out. You'll relax with notes of earthy notes of chocolate, cream, coffee, and salty and sweet floral undertones. They have that special taste that cigar aficionados have come to love and enjoy from Don Kiki's Special Blend cigars.
Sub Marino Maduro cigars contain a Nicaraguan Cuban-seed Habano filler and binder, and are wrapped in a rare brazilian-grown Maduro wrapper. This Liga Especial combination of Habano filler, binder and Connecticut wrapper provides a tasty full-bodied smoke that's smooth and full of flavor.
These exquisite full-bodied cigars produce a well-balanced taste that is sure to tickle your taste buds, and the best part is that when you're done smoking the cigar you'll have a sweet tobacco taste that coats your mouth, as opposed to the harsh tobacco taste that many other cigars leave behind. Smoking the Sub Marino Maduro is a pleasure that you have to experience. We only have a few bundles available so take advantage and treat yourself while we have them in stock.
The Sub Marino Maduro Liga Especial is 6 inches long with a ring gauge of 60. They are handpacked in bundles of 25 cigars and are fully backed by Cuban Crafters Full Satisfaction Money-Back Guarantee.


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19 Celebrity Couples You Never Saw Coming
These Hollywood pairings shocked even the best of us. In a good way, of course.
Prince Harry and Meghan MarkleIt's not the first time a prince fell for an actress but perhaps because the ginger royal was such a notorious stud, it caught us by surprise. We couldn't love the newly engaged pair together any more though.
RELATED: Stars Who Broke Up With Their Partners and Totally Traded Up
Amber Heard and Elon MuskAnd he's infinitely better than her allegedly abusive ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Lindsay Shookus and Ben AffleckThe actor and SNL producer are rolling out their relationship pretty quickly, and with some reports saying they started seeing each other while he was still married to Jennifer Garner, others insist Ben and Lindsay are new. Not sure what the truth is, but as long as Jen and Ben can keep things healthy for the kids, he's Lindsay's problem now.
Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer LopezThe genetically blessed couple seemed like a match made in tabloid heaven so it was a tad surprising that they were actually the real deal.
RELATED: 16 Celebs With a Penchant for Younger Men
Benji Madden and Cameron DiazSome people didn't even know they were together as they had only dated for a few months before getting married in an intimate ceremony at their home. Aw. When you know, you know.
RELATED: Celebrity Couples Who Prove Opposites Attract
Cheryl Cole and Liam PayneEvery 1D fan got the news they had been waiting for when news broke that Payne and his longtime girlfriend, Sophia Smith, broke up. But Liam wasn't alone too long before embarking on another relationship — with someone who's been in his life since 2008 in a BIG way: X Factor judge Cheryl Cole. Now they're parents and living happily ever after.
RELATED: Celebrity Couples Who Could Totally Pass for Twins
Julian Assange and Pamela AndersonThe Baywatch babe and WikiLeaks founder. Sure.
RELATED: 20 Celebs Who Are in Relationships With 'Normal' Folks
Colin Jost and Scarlett JohanssonThe gorgeous action star and hilarious Saturday Night Live writer? We're here for it. Also, ScarJost is just too easy.
RELATED: Celebrity Couples Who Probably Aren't Getting Married
Chloe Green and Jeremy MeeksThe heiress and mugshot model have been hot and heavy, despite his now-estranged wife and kids. Ugh.
RELATED: Celebrities Who Survived Cheating and Stayed Together
Alexis Ohanian and Serena WilliamsThe tennis great and Reddit co-founder revealed their engagement over the holidays and we couldn't have been more surprised. Now they've got a baby on the way and we're just as in love with them as they are in each other.
RELATED: The Surprising Ways These Stars Popped the Question
Travis Scott and Kylie JennerHe seems like a much better choice over Tyga, her brother's ex-girlfriend's former ex-baby daddy.
RELATED: Celeb Couples Who Are Always On-Off
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It could hardly be said that before the tragic crash of airline MH17 Russian Vladimir Putin's reputation was untarnished. The invasion of the Crimea, Russia's stance towards homosexuals highlighted in the winter Olympics and allegations of corruption in the presidential elections in 2012 are just a few of the instances where the former KGB officer has found himself at the sharp end of international criticism.
Yet throughout this the self-styled 'strongman' has deflected allegations, downplayed sanctions and seemingly marched on, oblivious to international opinion. This time though the level of condemnation, the strength of international public opinion and the widespread anger around the circumstances of the alleged strike against the Malaysian passenger aircraft feels somewhat different.
Today the media front pages are full of headlines about 'Putin the pariah' and questions of culpability and sanctions dominate the broadcast media. We've selected five headlines that sum up media sentiment and suggest that, from a reputation management perspective, Putin's reputation is beyond repair.
Headline 1: The Independent
Headline 2: The Telegraph
Headline 3: The Sun
Headline 4: The Mail
Headline 5: The Times Europe


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Even though I had a busy day, I swore I'd at least celebrate a small Mabon even if I had to do it very late. I came home from work around 4 am, and what did I do? I set up my altar and celebrated and small Mabon. Not elaborate at all. Just thanking The Mother Goddess and Harvest God and asking for their blessing and protection, while offering what I had at home.
Still, I'm pleased and even though I had a hurried Mabon it was still very spiritual and I feel at peace.


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In the Owens Valley, there has been an observed shift in community composition from perennial grasslands to perennial shrublands. We are studying how these changes in the vegetation cover affect carbon (C) cycling on both short and long timescales. In particular, we are focusing on the differences in belowground C allocation and cycling between the shallow-rooted perennial grasses and more deeply-rooted perennial shrubs.
Site 1. Grassland
Site 2. Shrubland
To do this, we are using a combination of isotopic tracers to measure C storage in soils, C allocation and root dynamics in these two plant functional types with differing depth to water table. The isotopic signatures of 13C and 14C in vegetation and respired CO2 inform us about differences in the overall residence time of C in each vegetation type on multi-annual to decadal and longer timescales. To investigate C allocation on shorter timescales (years or less) we developed a novel dual C isotope (13C and 14C) pulse-chase tracer method to quantify the timing and contribution of current photosynthetic products to respiration, growth, and storage in different plant components.*
Automated chambers continually measure the CO2 flux from the soil surface (soil respiration)
The large portable dome allows us to introduce our isotopic tracer which is photosynthetically assimilated by the enclosed plants; and also measure ecosystem CO2 exchange (net ecosystem exchange, light and dark)
*work funded by the Kearney Foundation


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Green Skips is privately owned and was formed in 2002. We are Telford and Shrewsbury's leading skip hire and recycling company with a purpose built manual recycling facility (MRF) situated in Telford.
We have a fleet of modern vehicles to service our customer's requirements.
To ensure that as a company you wholly comply with the legal requirements of the Environmental Agency, we have a fully computerised waste management system in place and with our trained staff we are on hand to discuss your waste/recycling needs.


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Event Archive - Power Clown, Bloody Betty, Snaggletooth
Thu. May 16th 2013 @ Funky Winker Beans (No Minors)
9PM - 1AM doors at 8PM
10 BUX at the door only.
Presented by: NO BOLLOCKS EVENTS
Event CategoriesMusic: Punk / Metal / Hardcore, Tribute / Cover Theatre:
ReviewsNo articles have been linked to this profile
Power Clown (Maiden East Van)
Members from D.O.A., The Real Mckenzies, and Death Sentence dressed clowns thrashing out tunes to create the greatest Maiden tribute band ever! more info
Snaggletooth (MOTORHEAD)
SNAGGLETOOTH is a MOTORHEAD tribute band. We are doing this tribute to show respect to the best metal / hard rock band in the world, THE GODFATHERS OF METAL - MOTORHEAD. more info


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I just got off the phone with Javila Schelhorn at Enso Condominiums and they are moving units at a pretty incredible pace. In fact their latest closing has them under 50 condos left to sell. As we move towards the expiration of the tax credit and more market confidence, I would venture to say that Enso's sales team will have the project sold out before we know it. Remember that they took a pro-active pricing approach to "meet the market". It pays off! I made sure to inquire about any upcoming events and at this time they do not have anything scheduled.
Their website has plenty of information to sift through and they are open daily from 11am-6pm.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a showing click here.


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Summer kicked off yesterday, June 20, although it feels like the season never really left. Despite scorching temperatures and frequent rainstorms, Miami offers a bevy of summertime activities to look forward to.
From art walks in Wynwood and fresh markets in downtown to endless miles of coastline and a smattering of new restaurants, start Miami's hottest months on the right note. Whether you choose to embrace South Florida's sauna-like outdoors or spend your days inside, these ten pastimes sport a little something for everyone.
10. Stroll Through Sidewalk Art in Wynwood
Most people roam Wynwood for its graffitied walls. But walls aren't the only vividly painted concrete canvases in Miami's ever-growing arts district. What about the ground below you? Although the practice isn't legal, plenty of lawbreakers have stenciled and painted quotes,
9. Roam a Farmers' Market
A common misconception is that farmers' markets are less prevalent in the summer months. This time of year is just as perfect to roam a market as any other. On any given weekend, dozens of farmers' markets across Miami offer the freshest and brightest fruits and vegetables grown right in our backyard. Wherever you are, there's a good chance a market is nearby.
8. People-Watch at the Beach
Summer technically began June 20, but in Miami, every day feels like the scorching-hot season we all love to hate. Because the outside temps reach upward of 90 degrees, you'd better cool down at the beach. South Florida features endless coastline, and the best part is most of its free (give or take a few parking fees here and there). There are myriad public-access beaches, including Haulover (10800 Collins Ave., Miami Beach), Bill Baggs Cape Florida (1200 S. Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne), Lummus Park (Fifth to Fifteenth Street east of Ocean Drive), Surfside (9301 Collins Ave., Miami Beach), and North Beach (50th Street east of Collins Avenue, Miami Beach). Make sure to pack a suit, towel, and lots of water (and maybe some cold beer). Oh, and bring the darkest shades you can find. Besides blocking the sun, sunglasses will give you a surefire way to secretly people-watch Miami's most outlandish beachgoers.
7. Forget the Beach and Try the Pool
Whether it's the drive, the struggle for parking, the sand in all the wrong places, or all of the above, sometimes trekking to the beach is just too much. Why not chill poolside instead? From water parks in Hialeah to SoBe-style pools and Coral Gables' beloved Venetian, take your pick at one of the best public spots around. Grab a towel, snag a
6. Try a New Restaurant
We're only six months into 2016, but a plethora of new restaurants have opened. So many, in fact, that it's been difficult to try them all. From fast-casual and vegan-friendly to downright lavish, pick one and treat yourself to a reservation. The summer is notoriously slower for Miami's restaurant industry, meaning you'll probably get better service, food, and experience.
5. Work Off All the Food You've Eaten
All bodies are "summer bodies," as far as we're concerned. But if you're in need of a confidence booster, why not try a new workout? Miami offers free hourlong yoga sessions nearly every day of the week. The Underline Cycling Club features free rides, and many newly opened gyms, from boutique
Miami isn't always bike-friendly. But if you know where to go, the 305 has a few great paths waiting to be wheeled on. There's Hialeah's Amelia Earhart Park, Miami Beach's Rickenbacker Causeway, Shark Valley inside Everglades National Park, and Virginia Key's mountain-bike trails. Because it's summer, make sure to bike early (before the standard 3 p.m. thunderstorm) and check the weather before you head out.
3. Hang Out at a Museum
Museums are a favorite summer pastime in the 305 — not least because most are indoors and boast high-functioning air conditioning. Sometimes visiting is pricey, ranging from $10 to $30 including transportation and parking. But if you plan right, you can save big. The first Thursday and second Saturday of every month, admission to Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
2. Catch an Indie Flick
Forget mainstream, crowded movies at traditional theaters. Cool off with a flick at one of Miami's many independent theaters, which feature a selection of classic, foreign, art, and family films year-round. There's O Cinema, which has three locations in Miami, including Wynwood, Miami Shores, and North Beach; Little Havana's Tower Theater, which is one of Miami's oldest landmarks; Bill Cosford Cinema, which often welcomes actors, directors, and industry professionals to take the stage and discuss film; Miami Beach Cinematheque, located inside the historic South Beach City Hall; and the Coral Gables Art Cinema, right across from Books & Books in the heart of the Gables.
1. Get an Artsy Dessert in Wynwood
Booze-infused ice cream? Uniquely flavored doughnuts?
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Player Spotlight: Ryan Bates
Many people think Saquon Barkley is a one-man wrecking crew in the backfield, but his monstrous 2016 campaign wouldn't have been nearly as successful had it not been for the outstanding play of the offensive line.
The injury-plagued group still managed to pave the way, led by freshman standout guard (now sophomore) tackle Ryan Bates.
The Archbishop Wood alum out of Warrington, Pa. has had great success ever since strapping on the pads his freshman year of high school. A three-year letterman and two-time Pennsylvania state champion, Bates was a part of an offensive line group that protected highly touted quarterback recruit Anthony Russo, who is now the starting quarterback for the Temple Owls. The offensive tackle earned many accolades in high school, including Pennsylvania Football News Lineman of the Year in 2014 and an invite to the Under Armour All-America that same year in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The depth chart was released on Tuesday and the Penn State faithful will see Bates back at left tackle, his natural position from his high school days. After starting nine games at guard, he was pushed out to tackle last year following a Paris Palmer injury suffered during the Iowa game, but he handled the move seamlessly, still being a stalwart lineman at two different position.
At 6'4" and 312 lbs., Bates possess the rare body type that allows him to be mobile enough to pull through holes as a lead blocker and trap block edge rushers as a guard, but be big enough to be a matchup nightmare for Big Ten defensive ends across the conference. This versatility is what earned him multitudes of regular season honors in his first full season of action.
Bates was one of the major components in the Nittany Lions' high-powered offensive attack that saw Trace McSorley and Saquon Barkley launch themselves into to Heisman contention for this year. The Big Ten All-Freshman honoree carved holes for Barkley, who rushed for 1,496 yards, as well as protect the pocket for McSorley as he broke the single-season passing record with 3,614 yards. He also received high praise from the Football Writers Association of America and USA Today, earning a spot on their Freshman All-American team.
Penn State is poised for a big season this year, starting at No. 6 in the AP rankings for their first week matchup against the Akron Zips and the tackle position will be key to getting the season off on the right step.
The two exterior linemen positions were the areas where Penn State ailed the most in the health department. A total of three lineman went down last year while playing the position, tallying a total of five guys who started the two different positions. The injury bug didn't affect him last year, as Bates, along with Brian Gaia, were the only two linemen to start all 14 games last year. Bates is the man for the job this year, leading the charge for an offensive line group with the big task of protecting an all-conference quarterback and a running back with aspirations far beyond Happy Valley.
Travis Sutton is a sophomore majoring in Telecommunications. To contact him, email him at email@example.com.
About the Contributors
Travis Sutton
Junior / Telecommunications


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15 Things Every New Mom Needs To Know About Co-Parenting
I'll never forget the day I found out I was pregnant. I had a feeling that had been supported by a positive take-home pregnancy test, but it wasn't until an ultrasound technician swiveled that small screen in my direction and pointed to a tiny "bean," that it truly hit me: I was going to be a mom, my partner was going to be a dad and, together, we were going to be co-parents. I was in my late twenties and didn't plan on getting pregnant, suddenly finding out the things every new mom needs to know about co-parenting; things that would change my relationship for the better; things that were honestly somewhat surprising but have definitely become the foundation of my co-parenting relationship.
My partner and I weren't together for what many would consider a "long time" before I found out I was pregnant and we decided we wanted to be parents. We weren't married (still aren't) and once we announced our pregnancy we were bombarded with co-parenting "tips" from friends and family members and even well-meaning acquaintances. Because we did things a little "out of the ordinary" according to a society that usually wants people to be married first (I guess?), people had a few questions about our co-parenting situation. How was this going to work? Who was going to move in with who? Were we going to get married? Whose last name will the kid take? I mean, who knew so many people would care about something as intimate and personal as a co-parenting situation, right?!
My partner and I weathered that initial storm, and every subsequent parenting storm since, thanks to the lessons we have learned as new parents. We know we don't need to get married and we know that we get to make our own co-parenting decisions and create a healthy parenting environment that works best for our son and ourselves. So, if you're about to be a mom or you're a new mom and you're wondering how co-parenting is going to work, rest assured that not only will you figure it out, but the following tips will help you and your partner come up with a co-parenting plan that works best for you both:
It's Not Going To Be Easy...
Even if you have the healthiest, most on-the-same page relationship, you're going to struggle. Even if you're one of those couples that never fight or you've never had so much as a disagreement, parenthood will provide you with multiple situations in which you can do both. When there's an other life in the mix, suddenly how you were raised vs how your partner was raised, how their parents disciplined vs how your parents disciplined, and every other past choice or situation you have experienced separate from your partner and together with your partner, matter. To the degree in which they matter varies, of course, but you will not always agree.
...And That's Normal
You know that constantly regurgitated, ridiculously annoying platitude that goes, "Nothing in this life worth having is easy" that you've probably rolled your eyes at a thousand times? Yeah, well, it's stupid but it's also true. Like, there's a reason why it's a cliché. Parenthood isn't easy, and that's normal.
There Will Be Moments When You Disagree...
Because you and your partner come from different backgrounds with different parents and have different life experiences, you're going to disagree. Eventually. I mean, obviously it's a good idea to discuss parenting philosophies prior to procreating (or after you've found out you're pregnant, in the case of my partner and I) but it's impossible to cover every parenting scenario because you have no idea what you'll inevitably face. You're two different people, with varying thoughts and opinions and beliefs, and respecting one another's individualities while working together as a team is going to create a few disagreements, but end up strengthening your parenting abilities.
...And That's Normal
Not being on the same page or disagreeing or even fighting with your partner (as long as it's in a heathy way) is normal. You're not some doomed couple, I promise.
You Won't Always Like Your Co-Parenting Partner...
I love my parenting partner, but I don't always like him. When I was breastfeeding in the middle of the night for the seventh time and he was sleeping in the bed next to me, I didn't like him. When we argued over gun control, I didn't necessarily like him. I have never once not loved my partner, but I have experienced plenty of occasions when we disagree and I'm exhausted or he does something that is annoying or anything but helpful, and I find myself not necessarily liking him.
...And, You Guessed It, That's Normal
I also, sometimes, don't like my mother and don't like my brother and don't particularly like my best friend, even though I love all of those people to the damn moon and back. It's normal to not always get along with the people you love the most. I mean, we're human beings.
Constant Communication Is Key
I knew that communication was important in general, but I didn't know just how important it was until I was co-parenting. My partner and I are constantly checking in with one another, making sure everything from our romantic relationship to our sex life to how we feel we're doing as parents to what we want to cook for the week, is in order and we're on the same page. That's the only way we can co-parent efficiently.
Compromise Is The Name Of The Co-Parenting Game
Since becoming a parent, I have realized that being "right" is not as important as doing the right thing. My ego needs (and should) take a back seat, especially when it comes to my relationship and my son. That means that I have had to compromise and my partner has had to compromise, so we can do the best thing for our son and for ourselves. It isn't always easy, and there are moments when (I think) compromise isn't warranted and either I or my partner should stand our ground but, in the end, compromise is the name of the parenting game and the sooner you learn how to compromise in a healthy way, the better.
If You Want It To Work, Don't Keep Score
You're part of a team, so don't keep a mental scoreboard up-to-date by tallying every time you do something and your partner doesn't. You shouldn't be doing the dishes or the laundry or changing a diaper, just so you can highlight that one time your partner didn't. You two should be giving and taking, helping each other out when you can, regardless of how that ends up looking.
Let Your Partner Vent And Actually Listen...
My partner and I frequently vent to one another (about work, about our apartment, about bills, about adulthood, and definitely about parenting) and I can't tell you how helpful that is. I mean, I spend so much energy just parenting a toddler, that there's zero ounces left that I can use to keep negative thoughts and feelings bottled up inside. I physically can't do it. To be able to have someone that will sit and listen about that horrific tantrum my kid just threw is so helpful, especially when that person understands and is personally invested and has probably sat through the same tantrum, too.
...Without Judgement...
There are things a mom thinks that she's so afraid to say out loud, because our society has decided that a "good mother" is someone who absolutely loves every single solitary moment of parenting and will willingly sacrifice all of herself in order to raise a child. Nope, that's not true. Parenthood can suck and you need to be able to express those feelings sans judgment. If you can do that with your parenting partner, you will both be better off.
...And Make Sure Your Partner Provides You With The Same Ability
It needs to be a two-way street. I mean, it's basically that simple. If one parenting partner is venting, there should be a "switch" somewhere in the conversation so that the other can do the same.
Don't Be Afraid To Spend Some Time Alone
My partner and I recently started having weekly date nights, but with ourselves. I get to take myself out to a nice dinner or a movie or go to a cafe and read a book, while my partner watches our son. Then, next week, it's my partner's turn to take himself out and spend some quality time with himself. I think it's vital that, when you're part of a partnership, you're also focusing on yourself and your individuality. You don't have to lose who you are in order to be part of a healthy team.
You Can Customize Your Co-Parenting Situation...
Sure, take people's advice and read parenting books and learn from those around you, but make sure that whatever co-parenting situation you have going on is one you've created it. No two co-parenting situations are the same, and you have not only the ability but the right to make your own decisions about what works best for you and your family.
So Do What Works Best For You
Seriously, that's all that matters. If you are married but sleeping in separate beds while you co-sleep with your kid works for you, do it. If you're not married and you don't plan on getting married, even though others are claiming you should for your kid, don't do it. You get to decide what is best for you, and then you get to actually do it. Don't worry about the judgment that is sure to come your way. No one knows your parenting situation better than you and your co-parent, so make sure your decisions are benefiting you guys and your family, first and foremost.


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The Waboba is no ordinary ball because it skips and bounces only on water.
Measuring 6cm, this high performance ball with the signature gel core floats as well as bounces on water. Spread out and let the adventurous fun begin as you play in teams or on your own with this mini ball that bounces fast, far and high. Perfect if you want speed over control! Take to the local pool, lake or beach and give it a try, great for holidays too - highly addictive watersport fun!
PLEASE NOTE: Colours will be picked at random
Over 30 different cards to choose from. Then have your message handwritten by the neatest Elf.
Balance the wooden discs as they spin out of control - addictive fun!£12.95
Easy to catch 9cm ball that actually bounces on water - great fun!£5.95
Fantastic puzzle, brilliant in it's simplicity - baffle your friends!£4.95


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Many people think of the internet as a kind of a "Wild West" of information. It's true that anonymity is a major part of operating online, but it's also a part of online operation that is slowly fading away. While many sites require registration with your real name and personal identification, it can still be particularly difficult for a private citizen or a business to get the information that they need online. This is where a domain lookup comes in – as an important tool for those who need to peek behind the veil of internet anonymity to contact those who are really behind sites on the web. To understand the importance of a domain lookup, though, you have to start at the beginning – by understand not only what a domain name represents online, but also by understanding how lookups work.
What is a Domain?
As you begin your journey to finding out more about domains, it's important to understand exactly what you're looking for. After all, a journey towards a specific type of knowledge is particularly useless if you are not sure where you are heading. Fortunately, understanding what a domain is and what it can do is actually quite simple – and it can help you to understand why a safe and secure domain lookup may be an important part of your future.
At its core, a domain is a website's address on the internet. It is the place where the site is located, and the string of characters that a user inputs in order to be taken to a particular site. Most people think of a domain as a .com address – look at webdevel.com as an example. As the internet has grown and changed, though, there have been many new players on the scene. The .com domain may still be the most popular, but one can just as easily see a .net domain, a .org domain, or even a .eu domain.
It is important to realize that not only does every site on the internet have a domain name, but that name is an important source of information for those who want to know more about the site's owner. Like a house's address, this name can be used to find out more about the person who owns it.
What is a Domain Lookup?
A domain lookup – generally called a Whois Lookup – is very similar to checking out a phone book when you want to get the information about a person at a specific phone number. This sort of search helps you to bring up a great deal of information about both the owner and the website, and can help you to figure out exactly what you need to know in a relatively short amount of time. Lookups are extremely common online, yet they tend to be performed only by individuals who are investigating websites for one of a few specific purposes.
Looking up a domain generally requires going to a specific website and inputting the information that you need to know. There are a few different types of lookup services available, each of which will bring you a different type of data. You can perform a search that will lead you to the contact information of the person behind the web address, or you can perform a search that will give you more information about the history of the page. In either case, the goal is the gathering of information itself.
A lookup, then, is an information gathering tool. You can do quite a bit with such a tool, of course, and it has spectacular business applications. Learning how to embrace this tool is a good way to help you kick-start your online ambitions, especially if you have an eye towards improving your own web space.
Why is it Important?
These lookups are quite important for several reasons, not the least of which is learning more about a site. A simple lookup can return a great deal of data, ranging from personal information to the number of pages cached by Google. This information can, in return, be used by a business to help increase its own standing online.
One of the most common uses of a lookup is finding a domain name for a business. It's important to have a unique name for your site, and it's also quite important that your customers know where to find you. A typical quick search will tell a company whether a domain is taken or empty, and will let the company decide how to proceed from that point. A more thorough search might turn up the proper contact information for a particular website, which can then be used by the first company as a way to get in contact with a domain owner and possibly negotiate a sale.
These lookups are also quite important when you need to get data about a site. If you need to know when the site was created, for example, or how many Google has recorded from the site, you'll do a search. If you need to contact a site owner with a cease and desist order, odds are in your favor that you'll find the real information that you need with a lookup. You might use the search to locate why you're receiving so much spam, and who to contact in order to make it stop.
Where Can You Safely Get Whois Domain Lookup Data?
Once you've figured out how important a lookup is, your next step should be to figure out how to safely conduct a domain name lookup without compromising the security of your computers or giving away your personal data to a clever program. There are far too many sites out there that use the Whois search as a method of gathering data on your rather than giving you the data that you need about others, and failure to recognize the potential danger inherent in using an unknown search tool is a good way to get your identity stolen.
If you want to get Who is domain name lookup data while still maintaining a secure system, the best place for you to go is webdevel.com. Not only can we provide you the services that you need in order to get information quickly and discreetly, but we can do so in a manner that won't cause a breach in your personal security. If you want to make sure that you are able to get your data, you should exercise caution – only work with a recognized and reliable partner during your search.
There are many reasons to conduct a domain lookup, but the only ones that matter are those that will benefit for your business. Whether you need to send a legal notice or negotiate the sale of a domain name, the lookup process will help you. Don't be blinded by the dangers of using unknown websites during your lookup journey, and always make sure to use a safe partner like webdevel.com. Once you realize the benefits in working with us to conduct your domain lookup, you'll realize the value of having the best tools on the web available at your convenience. If you need to conduct a lookup, come visit us today to get the process started.


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The feature film NEVER LOOK AWAY by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (Pergamon Film, Wiedemann & Berg Film, Beta Cinema) will represent Germany as the official submission for the 91st Oscar® in the category Best Foreign Language Film. This has been decided by an independent jury appointed by German Films. A total of 11 films were submitted for the selection process.
The nine-person jury, headed by jury representative Moritz Hemminger (Association of German Film Exporters), substantiated its decision as follows: "With great epic breadth, NEVER LOOK AWAY tells a moving story of an artist's fate in post-war Germany, in a time where it was difficult to find one's own artistic language. Supported by a terrific ensemble of actors, the film has great poetic moments and poses an essential question which is still relevant today: Finding one's own stance."
Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck:
"My actors, producers and I, we asked ourselves in the making of NEVER LOOK AWAY: What movie would we ourselves like to see on the screen? The result is a love story, a family drama, a biography of Germany in the 20th century, and a stroll through modern art. The fact that the independent jury has now selected NEVER LOOK AWAY to represent our country in the "Olympic Games" in Hollywood of course makes our whole team, our distributors, commissioning editors, funders, and myself very happy."
Producer Jan Mojto: Pergamon Film:
"NEVER LOOK AWAY is a unprecedented, great film about Germany, one which, realistically and with great attention to detail, recounts 30 years of German contemporary history for a young audience and the world. The decision to submit this film into the Oscar® race is, in my opinion, only logical."
Producer Quirin Berg, Wiedemann & Berg Film:
"Every film takes its own, and often unpredictable, course. THE LIVES OF OTHERS was a unique success story for us. And now we are elated that NEVER LOOK AWAY will celebrate its world premiere in Venice and also has the honor of representing Germany for the Oscars®. NEVER LOOK AWAY is a film about the power of art, about the power of love, and a film about Germany itself. We hope the audiences' enthusiasm will carry the film far and we would like to thank everyone involved in making this film possible."
About the film:
For director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, this is second time in the running for the Oscar® for Best Foreign Language Film: in the summer of 2006, his film THE LIVES OF OTHERS was selected as the German submission and won the Oscar® for Best Foreign Language Film in February 2007.
Inspired by true events, NEVER LOOK AWAY tells the story of the art student Kurt Barnert (Tom Schilling) who falls in love with his fellow student Ellie Seeband (Paula Beer). But Ellie's father, the celebrated medical professor Carl Seeband (Sebastian Koch), sees everything he hates and despises in this potential future son-in-law. He does everything he possibly can to destroy the relationship. But what no one knows is that their fates are already intertwined through a horrible crime Seeband committed many years ago. NEVER LOOK AWAY is an emotional rollercoaster ride through three decades of German history, told through the eyes of a young artist in whose family the paths of both victims and perpetrators tragically cross.
NEVER LOOK AWAY is a production by Pergamon Film and Wiedemann & Berg Film. Producers are Jan Mojto, Quirin Berg, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, Max Wiedemann and Christiane Henckel von Donnersmarck. Co-producers are Dirk Schürhoff (Beta Cinema) and Christine Strobl (ARD Degeto/BR). The film was realized in cooperation with Sky Germany and ARTE. The production was funded by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, the German Federal Film Board, the German Federal Film Fund, and the Czech Film Fund.
NEVER LOOK AWAY will celebrate its world premiere in competition at this year's Venice International Film Festival. Afterwards, the film will have its North American premiere in the prestigious Special Presentations at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Sales agent and co-producer Beta Cinema has already sold Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's film in over 60 territories, including Spain, Italy, France, UK, Latin America, and the USA. Sony Pictures Classics will release the film in US cinemas. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Germany will release the film in Germany.
The path to the Oscars®:The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will publish a list of all international submissions for the category Best Foreign Language Film in the first week of October. Last year, 92 countries submitted films. Shortly before Christmas 2018, the Academy will announce a shortlist of nine films which will remain in the race for the Oscar® in this category. Five films will then be nominated on 22 January 2019. The awards ceremony will take place on 24 February 2019 in the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
About the German selection process:
The German entry for the Oscar® in the Best Foreign Language Film category is decided by a selection committee appointed each year. This committee consists of representatives from eight different trade associations and institutions active in the field of cinema. As the responsible umbrella association, German Films is charged with the preparation and organization of the selection procedure for the German candidate to be submitted into the race for the Oscar® in the Best Foreign Language Film category. German Films is not represented in the selection committee.
More about the submitted films and the selection jury…
Nicole Kaufmann (Regional Coordinator USA)
Birgit Koch (Press & PR)


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The Chubb Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty insurance to businesses and individuals. The company operates through three segments: Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance, and Specialty Insurance. The company is member of the S&P 500 and the S&P Dividend Aristocrats indexes.
Chubb has consistently increased dividends every year for 44 years. The company announced a 6.10% dividend raise in February 2009, plus a 20 million share repurchase initiative in December 2008.
Between June of 1999 up until June 2009 this dividend growth stock has delivered an average total return of 3.90% annually. The stock is trading almost 50% above the levels it was changing hands a decade ago.
The company has managed to deliver an 11.60% average annual increase in its EPS between 1999 and 2008. Next year Chubb is expected to earn $5.15 share, followed by $5.20/share in FY 2010.
The Return on Equity has ranged over the past decade between a low of 2% and a high of 20%. Rather than focus on absolute values for this indicator, I generally want to see at least a stable return on equity over time. With the exception of 2001 and 2002, this indicator has been stable.
Annual dividends have increased by an average of 8.40 % annually since 1999, which is slower than the growth in EPS. The disparity is mostly due to a gradual decrease in the dividend payout ratio and the billions of dollars the insurer has spent on stock buybacks.
An 8 % growth in dividends translates into the dividend payment doubling almost every four years. If we look at historical data, going as far back as 1984, Chubb has indeed managed to double its dividend payment every eight years on average.
The dividend payout ratio has been on the decline, and is still much lower than my 50% threshold. 2001 and 2002 stick as outliers, since earnings per share were lower on high underwriting combined ratios. A lower payout is always a plus, since it leaves room for consistent dividend growth minimizing the impact of short-term fluctuations in earnings.
Currently Chubb is trading at 9.20 times earnings, yields 3.10% and has an adequately covered dividend payment. In comparison rival Travelers Cos (TRV) trades at a P/E multiple of 10 and yields 2.80% , while Cincinnati Financial (CINF) trades at a P/E multiple of 8 and yields 6.40%. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B) is also a competitor to Chubb(CB), although it trades at a P/E of 29, and does not pay a dividend. The company does spend a lot of its cash flow on stock buybacks, which could prove beneficial in the long run since it could provide above average dividend growth over time for the same effort. I like the company and its business model. Insurance companies like Chubb (CB) are a way for investors to fill in the need for exposure to the financial sector, after several high profile payers like Citigroup (C) and Bank of America (BAC) cut their distributions.
I believe that the company is attractively valued at the moment; thus I would be looking forward to adding to my position in Chubb (CB).
Full Disclosure: Long CB
Friday, August 14, 2009
Chubb (CB) Dividend Stock Analysis
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Wednesday, January 09, 2008
viva el señor nazareno
... the 2 who died suffered from heart attack, i do feel for them but we all know that procession is not for the faint of heart. i haven't been to its feast day but i have plans of attending the procession someday, i am not a devotee of the nazarene but i do visit the church.
i cant really tell the devotees not to go gaga over the 400+ year image... but it's supposed to be a show of devotion but somehow why does it always end up in a tragedy?
11 meow:
- Joy said...
Great capture! What's your camera again? Kumusta ang Maynila? :D
Thanks for visiting Your Love Coach and leaving your footprints behind. Do visit again!
The Goddess In You
Norwich Daily Photo
Your Love Coach
- January 09, 2008 5:47 PM
- Sidney said...
You should definitely go to the Feast of the Black Nazarene...it is NOT dangerous if you choose a safe place to watch it.
Today I took a little bit more risks than usual and I saw how people were crushed by the crowd. I must say that some people are without any common sense. I saw countless parents with little children... even babies...!
Old people...
A lot of women trying to pull the rope this year.
But it is something unique... the devotion... the excitement...
Thanks for the link to my pictures in your other blog. Much appreciated.
And before it is too late... Happy New Year!
Will be back on line January 28.
- January 09, 2008 7:20 PM
- Thess said...
Oh dear, poor people (the 2 who died) ..I used to go with my lola who was a devotee talaga...kung hindi ka nga matibay-tibay, tutumba ka sa dami ng tao
- January 09, 2008 10:11 PM
- pusa said...
@joy - tnx, am using canon ps A520 =) manila's still beautiful like me hehehe
@sidney - hey glad to hear you're back and safe, hardheaded pinoys those bunch who brought their kids! anyways cant wait to see your photos... i know i should, maybe next year i'll go with you and senor enrique =)
@thess - yeah, talaga nakasama ka na sa procession, di pa ko eh... i dont like crowds kc hehehe, i really should do it next year
- January 09, 2008 11:10 PM
- Ely said...
dalawa namatay sa procession...too bad. I swear to God i will never attend processions like that. :P
- January 10, 2008 8:06 AM
Why isn't it for the faint hearted ate?
- January 10, 2008 11:22 AM
- Edong said...
akala ko nga naandon ka... kasi ang daming mga ordinaryong tao na may dalang mga camera... you should try to capture it someday like sidney.
- January 10, 2008 12:54 PM
- Sidney said...
Of course you can use any of my pictures!
i know i should, maybe next year i'll go with you and senor enrique =)
Is that a date? ;-)
Not the perfect place since we might get lost between the other 2.6 million people. ;-)
- January 10, 2008 1:58 PM
- Pretty Life Online said...
good catch!!! romano catholico ka pala ganda!
- January 10, 2008 2:57 PM
lapit ko lang dyan pero di ako nagpupunta kapag fiesta. pero one time kapag may pagkakataon baka pumunta ako :)
- January 10, 2008 3:23 PM
- pusa said...
@ely - yeah too bad, but i would try this next year :)
@kyels - you've seen the photos from sidney and eric, that's a huge crowd! there'll be pushing and the heat is suffocating.. you really have to be fit in order to survive ;)
@edong - i will next year with sidney LOL
@sidney - thanks! yeah its a date, mark your calendar for next year :)
@pretty - yep, tnx =)
@manilenya - i think we really should try this at least once in our lifetime
- January 10, 2008 3:47 PM


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- Many thought that the end to British rule would mean the end to Hong Kong..... Well they were wrong. A beautiful flag now symbolizes the new Hong Kong. Share your pride with these beautiful Hong Kong flag cuff links!
Looks brilliant with our upgrade box with engraving.
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Orders placed before 3 pm EST ship out the same day.


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'Riverdale': First Trailer Of Sexy Archie Comics-Themed Drama Revealed — Watch
The 'Riverdale' trailer is the one we've been waiting for — and it's finally here! The CW show debuted its trailer on Nov. 28, along with a whole bunch of photos from the new show. And let's just say, everyone in it is stunning.
Attention, comic book fans… or just TV fans who miss a good teen drama. Seriously though, they're very few and far between these days with The CW's lineup of superhero dramas. However, Greg Berlanti doesn't just do capes. Riverdale looks like exactly what we wanted.
'Riverdale' Season 1 Photos
The CW has released the very enticing synopsis: As a new school year begins, the town of Riverdale is reeling from the tragic death of golden boy Jason Blossom, and its changed everything. Archie Andrews (played by KJ Apa) is still the all-American teen, but the summer's events made him realize that he wants to pursue a career in music — not follow in his dad's footsteps—despite the sudden end of his forbidden relationship with Riverdale's young music teacher, Ms. Grundy (Sarah Habel).
Archie's friendship has recently failed with Jughead Jones (Cole Sprouse), and the girl-next-door Betty Cooper (Lili Reinhart) is anxious to see him — she's been crushing on him forever but isn't ready to tell him. But she better move fast: when new girl Veronica Lodge (Camila Mendes), arrives in town from New York with her mother, she's drawn to Archie (this sounds very Dawson's Creek season one like, no?), but doesn't want to risk she and Betty's new friendship.
And then there's Jason's sister, the Queen bee, Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch) who is hiding something about the death of her twin brother. Luke Perry, Marisol Nichols, and Ashleigh Murray also star.
Intrigued? See all the premiere pics in our gallery above, and check out the premiere; Riverdale airs on The CW on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 9PM ET.


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Texas A&M at Qatar Hosts Alumni
Texas A&M University at Qatar alumni and university leaders recently gathered together to reconnect and discuss various aspects of student and alumni success.
Career Networking Night 2018
Texas A&M at Qatar hosts industry representatives at annual networking event More than 65 students and 25 former students met with 65 representatives from 35 companies in the region about internship and employment opportunities.
Engineering Leaders Series with Mariam Almeer '12
Almeer discussed her professional experience at Qatar Shell, as well as her graduate school experiences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with faculty, staff, and students at Texas A&M at Qatar. She also provided students with valuable advice on how to make the most of their experience at Texas A&M at Qatar.
Texas A&M at Qatar names Alyafei alumnus of the year
Dr. Nayef Alyafei '09, assistant professor for petroleum engineering at Texas A&M at Qatar, has been named the branch campus' recipient of its Alumnus of the Year award for 2018.
Former Student won 'Engineer of the Year' award
Maryam Al Bishri '10 has been awarded 'Engineer of The Year' in Qatar Today's inaugural Women of The Year awards. The event was held in October 27 in partnership between Oryx Publishing & Advertising and Qatari Business Women Association. Women of The Year is an initiative to recognize and honor distinguished Qatari women for their accomplishments and efforts within the region. Congratulations Maryam!
Former student's research featured on ScienceDaily
A research by Akanksha Menon '13 was featured on US-based website ScienceDaily. Menon and her collaborators at Georgia Institute of Technology have revealed proof-of-concept wearable thermoelectric generators using flexible polymers and novel circuitry arrangements printed on paper. Click the button below to read the article!
Former student's paper recognized by journal and awarded for excellence
Dana Abdeen '14 has been designated by the Rapid Prototyping Journal as a 2017 Highly Commended Paper and recipient of the 2017 Emerald Publishing Literati Network Award for Excellence.
Former student hosts workshop at local girls school
Maryam Al-Bishri '10, a reservoir engineer at Qatar Petroleum, hosted an oil and gas workshop at Rufaidah Preparatory School for Girls. She showed seventh graders the process of producing oil and gas, from exploration to drilling and producing, as well as refining and transportation.
Former Student Building Access Cards
We are proud to announce that Texas A&M at Qatar is currently offering former students building access cards, which will allow smoother entry to our Engineering Building. This is a benefit that former students have been seeking for quite some time. Please click below to read more.
5 – 6 February
Education City Career Fair
What it means to be an Aggie
An Aggie is a student at Texas A&M University. In the early 1900s A&M students were referred to as Farmers. The term Aggie began to be used in the 1920s and in 1949, when the yearbook changed its name to Aggieland, Aggie became the official student body nickname. The term Aggie has come to include faculty and staff members of Texas A&M. "Once an Aggie, always an Aggie." Because the Aggie spirit runs so deep that our graduates never really leave the university (in spirit, at least), we refer to our graduates as former students rather than alumni or "exes" because there is no such thing as an ex-Aggie. Together the nearly 400,000 Texas A&M former students comprise the Aggie Network, which is known far and wide for supporting Aggies in ways big and small.
Doha Aggie Club
The Doha Aggie Club brings Aggies together in Doha for service projects, social events and Muster gatherings. Join the club on Facebook. Update your current contact information or sign up for our distribution list here. Or find us on the Aggie Network.
Association of Former Students
Texas A&M's Association of Former Students reaches far and wide. Make sure you're an active member to get the most out of the Aggie Network. More
Aggies in ActionTexas A&M University at Qatar Former Students are doing wonderful things. What have you been doing since graduation? Let us know, and we could feature you here.
Shaikha Al-Mannai '14 recently took on a new role at RasGas Company Ltd. as an Instrument & Control Engineer, operating in Ras Laffan. This new job has been challenging, motivating and exciting for Shaikha, as she learns new things, delivering engineering solutions for all instrument and control related issues to ensure reliability and availability of the various assets.
Congratulations to Sinan Obaidan '11 who have become a recipient for National Science Foundation Innovation Corps Site grant! The NSF I Corps Site identifies and supports student teams with highly innovative ideas and aids in the commercialization of their ideas. With this grant, Sinan would like to revolutionize the farming industry to meet global population demands and challenges.
Congratulations to Zaid Abou Qamar '13, winner of the Microsoft Imagine Cup National Gaming Competition 2015. This competition took place in Qatar on 27 April 2015. Zaid participated on his own under the team title Alzubara, and pursued his childhood dream of developing a game. Congratulations, Zaid!
Facts and Figures about our Former Students
More than 950 engineers have graduated since 2007.
Class of 2007
Texas A&M at Qatar's first graduates were two Chemical Engineering Qatari females in 2007.
40 countries
Texas A&M at Qatar graduates come from over 40 different countries and backgrounds.
Office of Development and Alumni Affairs © Copyright Texas A&M University at Qatar www.qatar.tamu.edu


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Korean Air is strengthening its global service by introducing a fuel efficient cutting edge aircraft to its fleet. The flag-carrier is set to introduce its brand new A330-300 aircraft, on its south-east Asia routes. The newly introduced A330-300 aircraft will join the fleet serving on Korean Air's routes to Sydney, Brisbane, Singapore as well as other routes in south-east Asia and Oceania.
Category: NewsBy admin4493


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I had a nice handful of questions this week. Three to be exact. Let's dive on in.
Question #1
Shawn wrote:
Hi Joe,
I am recording a instrumental jazz/bossa nova piece with classical guitar. I have a mbox2, AT 4033, MXLV69, AKG C1000S, and a Universal Audio 2610. Should I rent a mic or a to d conv and go digital in on the mbox. I have no space and like the acoustics of my bathroom. What would be the best option for the limited budget. A U87 is $30 a day. The rosetta I think 800 is $100 per day.
Thank you so much for your time.
Website: shawnfleming.com
Great question, Shawn. First of all, kudos on the Universal Audio 2610!! That's a great preamp. While you have some nice microphones, I think it would make more sense to rent a really nice mic to go along with that really nice preamp. At $30/day, it wouldn't be too hard to rent a pair of U87s and get a phenomenal recording.
I have to admit, I'm drooling a little at the thought of the U87 matched up with the 610 preamp. Great combination.
While there are better converters out there than what's on the Mbox2, the Mbox converters aren't bad. If it was me, I'd get the better microphone(s) first, then move my attention to converters.
Question #2
Krem Osle wrote:
Hello Joe,
I'm looking for a good pair of monitors based on what you recommend on your 12 studio necessities guide. However, as I was searching for a good brand and reviews and all that, I found out about passive and active monitors. I read that with passive I would need an AMP but actives do not need that since they supply their own power. Multiple sites mentioned that both are the "schnitzel" and I just gave up researching. Joe, what is YOUR recommendation?
Website: http://kremstudios.com
Thanks Krem. Originally, all studio monitors were passive. You would buy a nice power amp, and run wires from the back of that into a pair of passive monitors.
Now, you'll only find a handful of passive monitors. The overwhelming majority of studio monitors out there today are active, meaning (like you said) they have the power amp built in.
I prefer active monitors for three reasons:
- Since almost all of the studio monitors are active, you have plenty of choices.
- Since the amp is built-in, you know that it is matched perfectly with that speaker. You don't have to worry about matching a power amp to a set of speakers.
- They're just easier to use – no need for an amp, speakers, and all the cables to connect them all to your recording equipment.
There's nothing wrong with passive monitors. Pair them up with a good amp, and you're in great shape. However, there just aren't that many options. I can count on one hand the various passive models out there that I am aware of. However, I could go on for days listing out all the different active monitors.
Good luck, Krem!
Question #3
Gregory Marquez wrote:
I have a question about a set in protools. I have a track that I have been working on and I feel the track is progressing well. For the most part I have been successful introducing instrument tracks to the session and then selecting the RTAS to play. To be more efficient I convert the RTAS over to a wave file by creating a new audio track and then placing the instrument and audio track on solo and record the .wav version of the instrument thus saving computer cycles. For reason that are beyond my comprehension and for everything that is holy and good in the world my audio track will not pick up any of the instrument track even when putting them on solo. To add to this twisted mystery is the fact that when I select the audio track it plays the first instrument on the session however it will not record it. Either way ,, it is clear just by reviewing the session that what ever audio track I put in it will not pick up any internal RTAS players … it has no problem picking up my Korg Triton when i hit the local
control. To check my systems I opened a new session to check to see if the problem would resolve itself and it did. This tells me the set somewhere is wrong however I am unable to locate it. I have a finite amount of hair upstairs and this problem is putting me over budget. Any advice?????
Website: www.binge-records.com
Hi Gregory. That sounds like a headache for sure. To summarize, you're trying to record an instrument track to an audio track, so you can then deactivate the instrument track and save on the extra computer processing it takes to play back the instrument. Am I right? If not, leave a comment, and we'll discuss it further. Otherwise, I'll go ahead and answer, since this is a great topic.
Not all computers are created equal. Some of us can play back seemingly endless tracks with hundreds of plugins. Some of us can't get more than 4 instruments playing at once.
For those of us with slower computers, you'll need to "print" your instruments and effects. In other words, you need to record these instruments and effects to a new audio track. That way you can turn off the processor-intensive plugins and simply play back the audio (which is much easier on your computer).
To do this, simply set the output of the first track to a bus, something like "Bus 1" or "Bus 17-18." Then, set the input of your new audio track to the same bus. Record-enable the new track and start recording! That's it.
Gregory, I'm not sure why you're soloing the track. I think perhaps you don't have things routed properly. If you route it like I described above, you won't need to solo anything, because only one track will be feeding that bus, and only one audio track will be "listening to" that bus.
As always, thank you all for your questions. If you have a question, you can submit it via the Ask Joe form. Also, if you have additional suggestions, please leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you.