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|Every man has his excuses, and the more vile the man becomes, the more touching the story has to be. What is my story now, I wonder?
–Sand dan Glokta, The Blade Itself
Sand dan Glokta was a former champion swordsman and dashing war-hero of the King's Own, before his capture and years of torture by the Gurkish. Now a shunned cripple, he has turned torturer himself, as an Inquisitor in the King's Inquisition. A major point of view character in The First Law Trilogy.
A former brave and dashing cavalry officer in the King's Own, Colonel Sand dan Glokta was considered a rising star in The Union, destined for great things, possibly even a future candidate for Lord Marshal. His victory in The Contest gained him the reputation as the greatest swordsman of his generation. He was loved and respected by all, and notorious as a womaniser.
Glokta's meteoric rise was brought to a sharp halt during the First Gurkish War, some nine years before the start of the trilogy. In Kadir, he led a heroic but suicidal cavalry charge against the insurmountable Gurkish defenders of a bridge. Although he saved the rest of the Union Army, it led to the deaths of his entire regiment, and his own capture. In Sharp Ends, we see Colonel Glokta in his prime just prior to the event. He is seen as arrogant and reckless; envied by men and loved by women, who come to a warzone just to see him. He often dueled with his comrades to show off his skill, and, looking for a real challenge, goaded his only real friend Collem West into a fight. Glokta was infuriated when he lost, and demanded a rematch; a rematch destined never to happen. Voluteering to lead the charge, he ordered West to remain, needing someone competent to watch the camp.
Glokta was imprisoned in the dungeons under the Gurkish Emperors' palace, where he endured unimaginable torture. After two years, he was released in an exchange of prisoners, alive but a broken cripple; one of the few prisoners to survive for so long in such cruel conditions. On his return, Glokta spent some time convalescing at his mother's house. During this time, he was shunned by his old friends who once worshipped him, including Collem West, or so he thought. West had visited Glokta twice but his mother, then a servant turned him away. He grew bitter and cynical; little did he know but his mother had turned West away without telling him, because she disapproved of the lowborn man.
With few options available to a cripple, a year after his return, he joined the King's Inquisition, and was sent to Angland to run a prison/ penal mining colony. He made few friends in the Inquisition in Angland, and developed a mutual hatred with Superior Goyle. Nevertheless, during his three years in the penal colony, production was doubled. So he was brought back to Adua, to work under Superior Kalyne as an Inquisitor in the House of Questions, where the organization is more interested in gaining political favour than securing the safety of The Union. He investigates cases of treason, corruption, and dissent, extracting confessions from the accused through torture, aided in his work by his two Practicals; Severard and Frost.
Sand dan Glokta is only thirty-five, but his visit to the Emperor's prisons has left him severely crippled, appearing far older, and in constant physical pain. Most notable of his multiple disabilities is his useless left leg, which is prone to spasms of intense pain; possibly the result of muscle death or simply repeated breakages. He walks with a hunch, limping and leaning heavily on a cane, wincing with every step; stairs are his bitter enemy[1].
He needs to piss sitting down, and must be helped getting out of bed by his elderly servant Barnam, often after losing control of his bowels. Half his teeth have been removed, but where the teeth were removed above, they were left below, so that he cannot eat solid foods[2]. Instead, he eats soup and porridge. He describes every day is its own little hell.
He dresses in the Inquisitions traditional black, and broad-brimmed hat.
Before he was captured, Sand dan Glokta was a bold, clever, and dashing golden-boy, yet overly-arrogant and reckless. He is now a cripple cast aside by polite society; his former achievements - winning The Contest, heroically saving the Union Army – are treated like they never happened.
He is bitter, self-pitying, and cynical through and through, but also possess a very sharp tongue and wit, often mocking his own condition; he views steps as his arch-enemies and chairs as his greatest allies.
He often asks himself why he turned to torture, having been tortured himself, but rarely comes up with a satisfactory answer. Despite this, he carries on regardless. In fact, his choice isn't wholly motivated by evil, but by pragmatism; there are few options available in The Union to a cripple, and his experience has given him an superb insight into how to break people.
He is highly intelligent and devious, with a cunning ability to out-think his opponents. He always knows when he's being lied to. Throughout the series, his determined and ruthless nature means he's more than capable and willing to do abhorrent things when they need to be done, yet not out of amoral sadism, but to achieve his goals; from torturing a false confession, to merciless slaughter. He's messed up, to put it mildly, but he does sometimes show mercy; it usually comes back to bite him.
Perhaps Glokta's greatest asset is his lack of fear. He does not fear death, and even would dearly like someone to kill him, since it would release him from his life of pain, and make him stop what he does. Despite this, he cannot stand to lose.
| Glokta: Why?
Ardee: Because you're a ruthless, plotting, bitter, twisted, self-pitying villain? You asked.
Glokta: The question was meant to be rhetorical.
–Glokta and Ardee West, Last Argument of Kings
Recent EventsEdit
The Blade ItselfEdit
Inquisitor Sand dan Glokta's story begins with the interrogation of Salem Rews, a member of the merchant Guild of Mercers, who has been evading the King's taxes. The Guild has paid bribes to avoid prosecution, so when his boss, Superior Kalyne, finds out about Glokta's overzealous investigation, he informs the Inquisition's leadership. Glokta's interrogation is interrupted by Arch Lector Sult, the head of the Inquisition and one of the most powerful men in The Union. Sult actually encourages Glokta to continue his investigation of the Mercers, and to expand it to include Sepp dan Teufel – the Master of the Royal Mints.
After torturing a false confession out of the Master of the Royal Mints, Glokta finds himself drawn deeper into Sult's scheming. Glokta learns that Sult wanted Teufel removed as a candidate for the vacant Lord Chancellor seat on the Closed Council, in order to promote his own preferred candidate. Now Sult wants Glokta destroy the Mercers, so he can take their resources as his own and also weaken the nobles.
However, Glokta's investigation leads only to a slew of dead bodies; the Mercers are ruthlessly cleaning house. An operation is concocted to use Salem Rews to trap the assassin. The assassin named Carpi leads Glokta to a high ranking Mercer called Hornlach, and finally the high treason of the Guild is laid bare. Glokta is ordered to arrest everyone at the Mercers Headquarters; however he is unable to prevent Magister Kault, the overall head, from committing suicide. Before he hangs himself, Kault implicates other culprits—the banking house Valint & Balk and members of the Closed Council.
The Arch Lector rejects Glokta request to extend his investigation to Valint & Baulk. Instead, he tasks Glokta with proving that the Magus Bayaz, who has recently arrived in Adua, is a fraud. When a break-in and an unusual explosion occurs in the Magus' chamber, Glokta takes the opportunity to meet Bayaz. However, the Magus proves to be a wily character, who dares Glokta to prove he is a phony.
At the University, Glokta tries to find a mundane explanation for the explosion in Bayaz' chamber. However, the Adeptus Chemical is unable produce any meaningful results. So Glokta turns to the Adeptus Historical. The old man knows quite a bit about the Magus, The Seed, and Kanedias, but Glokta focuses on one simple fact; the real Bayaz has the only key to the House of the Maker. Glokta leaves the University satisfied, with the kernel of a plan.
One night, Glokta is woken by an icy cold and mysterious figure in his room demanding The Seed. Then she simply disappears, leaving Glokta puzzled whether it was a dream or not. The next day, the Inquisitor investigates a mauled body found near Bayaz' chamber; mauled by human bites. However, his new boss, Superior Goyle, arrives and throws his weight around - dismissing it as merely a dog attack.
Glokta is in the crowd as Bremer dan Gorst and Jezal dan Luthar meet in the final of The Contest. Glokta watches in shock as the arrogant young noble impossibly rallies and eventually wins. In the crowd, he spots Bayaz working hard at some unseen purpose, and becomes convinced that Jezal and Bayaz have somehow cheated.
The Arch Lector and Glokta contrive a plan to discredit Bayaz at Jezal's victory banquet. During the dinner, Sult challenges the Magus directly to prove his identity by producing the key to the House of the Maker. Bayaz casually removes a key from his robe, and promises tomorrow he will open the ever closed House.
Inquisitor Glokta accompanies Bayaz with Jezal and Logen Ninefingers to the House of the Maker. Glokta's beliefs are shaken by the experience: the crippling sense of dread outside; the bizarre clockwork of the door; the massive creepy space within; and the Houses ability to warp time and space. Although, Glokta is still skeptical by the Magus, Bayaz is impressed by the Inquisitor's astute mind and candor.
At night, Glokta gets a visit from his former friend Collem West, who asks him a favour; to watch over his sister Ardee while he is at war in Angland. Bitterness rises in Glokta - where was West when he was broken and alone after the Gurkish war? Glokta is rocked when West reveals that he did visit him, but was turned away by his disapproving mother. The pair renew their former friendship, bonding over their shared self-loathing.
At his next meeting with the Arch Lector, Sult explains that Superior Davoust of Dagoska has disappeared. With the situation in the city deteriorating, Glokta is appointed the new Superior of Dagoska. To Glokta's chagrin, Sult attaches Vitari to his Practicals, who he believes intends to spy for the Arch Lectory.
Before They Are HangedEdit
Sand dan Glokta arrive in Dagoska with his Practicals. He's tasked to investigate the disappearance of his predecessor Superior Davoust, root out traitors in the city council, and defend the city at all cost from the Gurkish who are preparing for the Battle of Dagoska. They are met at the dock by Inquisitor Harker, who leads Glokta through the city Dagoska to seat of government. Walking through the city, Harker provides a running commentary filled with ignorant bigotry for the native Dagoskans.
Superior Glokta first assesses the state of the investigation into the death of his predecessor, but finds that Harker has simply brutalized the native sevants. He releases the only survivor, Shickel, and dismisses Harker for his incompetence. Next he meets Dagoska's ruling council: Lord Governor Vurms, Carlot dan Eider of the Guild of Spicers, General Vissbruck, Korsten dan Vurms, and Haddish Kahdia the speaker for the natives. They're less than thrilled to learn that Glokta now has full authority in the city.
With the Gurkish blockading the city by land, massively outnumber the defenders, Superior Glokta make a deal with Kahdia for concessions to the natives, in exchange for troops and workers to repair the cities deplorable defences. There is also a mercenary company in the city led by Nicomo Cosca, although he has a history of betrayal.
The situation in the city is soon improved, the outer wall is fixed, and the moat is ready to be flooded. However, the ruling council is now deep in debt. The situation seems dire until a man named Mauthis from Valint & Balk walks into Glokta's office carrying a million marks in silver, gold, and gems. Glokta can have the money in return for unspecified future favours for the clandestine banking house. With no other choice, the Superior agrees.
Soon Glokta gets a visit by the Magus Yulwei who warns him that the Battle of Dagoska is about to begin. Before the bombardment begins, Shabbed al Islik Burai, an ambassador from the Gurkish, arrives to offer terms. After the meeting, Glokta takes him into custody, and tortures him into admitting that the Union's traitors are Vurms and Eider. The Superior manages to have them arrested, when Cosca switches sides thanks to Glokta's newfound wealth.
Glokta interrogates Carlot dan Eider, who admits to conspiring to hand over the city to the Gurkish, but only to stop the inevitable bloodshed. When Davoust discovered their plot, she told the Gurkish, and he disappeared the next day; she does not know who the assassin is. Glokta, moved by her noble motives, has a crisis of faith and allows Practical Frost to usher Eider onto a ship for Westport and freedom.
In his room, Glokta observes the Gurkish catapults pound the city. When his servant Shickel steps into the room, he waves her back, admitting he's expecting a visit from the Gurkish assassin. She ignores him and the Superior realizes that Shickel is the Gurkish assassin. As she moves to kill Glokta, she admits to killing Davoust and eating him. Before she can strike, Severard, Vitari, and Frost descend on her. After breaking bones that won't stay broken, they wrap Shickel in layers of heavy chain. Glokta has someone new to question.
Beneath the palace, Glokta observes his Practicals torturing Shickel. Though the torture has no effect, she chooses to tell her story anyway. She admits to being an Eater, and explains a little of their different gifts. She's disgusted with herself, but she cannot stop, not least because Khalul's will is inevitable. As she finishes her story, the Superior orders them to burn Shickel; if she wants to die, Glokta is happy to oblige.
Soon, Arch Lector Sult orders Glokta back to Adua, leaving Vissbruck in charge with orders to fight to the last man. However, Glokta urges them to surrender at the earliest opportunity. Preparing to leave, Vitari begs the Superior to take her with him. Again demonstrating a weakness for vulnerable women, Glokta agrees. Soon, Glokta, Frost, Severard, and Vitari are rowing across the bay, leaving Dagoska and the war behind.
Back in Adua, rather than going directly to the Arch Lector, Glokta first visits Ardee West. He finds her apartments empty of furniture. Ardee explains that a man named Fallow came to collect on her father's debts. Glokta has Frost track him down and explain to him who he has offended. Fallow immediately fills the house with expensive if gaudy new furniture, but Ardee still pays him back with gusto, kicking him in the face, until he crawls away.
Glokta heads to his meeting with Sult. Expecting an angry, if not deadly reception, Glokta is surprised to find Sult pleased. Dagoska was always going to fall, but by delaying the inevitable for months, Sult was able to undermine High Justice Marovia. Not to mention, Magister Eider's treason has given him leave to dissolve the Guild of Spicers, adding their trade rights to the Inquisition's coffers. Sult dubs Glokta co-Superior of Adua with Goyle.
With Dagoska now fallen to the Gurkish, the Emperor sends an envoy to Adua to negotiate peace, Ambassador Tulkis. That night, Crown Prince Raynault is found brutally murdered in the palace. Ordered to find the culprit, Glokta notices a piece of white cloth clutched in Raynault's hand. Glokta recognizes it; a clue too obvious to ignore or to trust. In the interrogation room, the Inquisitor confronts Tulkis. Despite Glokta suspecting the man is innocent, under pressure from the Arch Lector, he obtains the man's confession.
However, the truth is something Glokta cannot ignore, and he orders Severard continue the investigation. However, Glokta soon get a visit from Mauthis of Valint & Balk. He orders Glokta to immediately stop his private investigation into the Prince's death. Taken aback, Glokta realizes he is bought and paid for, and agrees.
Last Argument of KingsEdit
With both heirs to the throne dead, the next High King of the Union must be be elected in Open Council. Superior Sand dan Glokta is charged with bribing and threatening the Arch Lector's way to victory. He visits nobles whose vote he can influence, but each time Harlen Morrow has been there first on behalf of High Justice Marovia[3][4]. Eventually, Morrow lures Glokta to a slaughterhouse near the Four Corners, under the pretence of coming to a mutually beneficial arrangement, but intent on killing the cripple. Unfortunately, Morrow has sorely underestimated the Inquisitor. Glokta's Practicals promptly kills Morrow and his assassins, and feed him to the pigs.
In the meantime, Glokta learns that Jezal dan Luthar is back in Adua, and has started a relationship with Ardee West. When he fails to deter Ardee from the foolish dalliance, he instead confronts Jezal. He demands that Jezal either marry Ardee or break it off entirely, else a third option will emerge that involves Glokta's bag of tricks. Jezal turns the threat back around, responding angrily that of course he intends to marrying Ardee.
Meanwhile, Sult still doesn't have enough votes to influence the election. Glokta proposes a radical plan; to throw their votes in with Sult's enemy Marovia. Glokta makes the offer to the High Justice who agrees if a suitable candidate presents themselves. Impressed by Glokta Marovia suggests he find a new master.
Glokta is in the Open Council for the election of the new High King. However, Bayaz interupts the polling and reveals the existence of an illegitimate son of King Guslav, none other than Colonel Luthar. Glokta tries to warn Sult that Bayaz has planned this all along, but the Arch Lector throws his votes behind the young fool. Glokta watches forlornly as the Union nobles elect King Jezal the First.
However, Jezal soon proves to be less malleable than expected, and the Arch Lector orders Glokta to look into Bayaz and whether Jezal is truly Guslav's bastard. Glokta arrests and tortures Brother Longfoot into revealing all he knows about Bayaz's journey and The Seed. Glokta tries to ask the Adeptus Historical about The Seed, but is interrupted by Superior Goyle, and ordered to leave and not come back. Finally, Glokta meets Ferro Maljinn, who he bonds with over their hatred of the Gurkish, and Glokta learns a little more.
However, the investigation comes to an end when Glokta gets another visit from Mauthis of Valint & Balk. Soon both the Arch Lector and Valint & Balk become frustrated with Glokta's lack of progress in their conflicting investigations. Glokta wonders how they both know so much. Between a rock and a hard place, Glokta turns to High Justice Marovia. Although Marovia would be willing to help him, he demands proof of Sult's treason.
Even with Adua under siege by the Gurkish in the Battle of Adua, Sult refuses to end his machinations, now intent on getting rid of Glokta. Glokta gathers Ardee with Nicomo Cosca and his ragtag mercenaries, and heads to the dilapidated mansion. While Cosca deals with the Practicals sent to kill him, Glokta takes Severard down below. After torturing him, Severard admits that he spied for Valint & Balk, but not the Arch Lector. Confused, Glokta meets eyes with Frost and realises it was him. When Frost turns on Glokta, Ardee hears the commotion, and with her help and a blade hidden in his cane, they kill his former assistant.
With the roads blocked by the Gurkish, Glokta has Brother Longfoot lead them through the sewers to the House of Questions. There they find Goyle and torture him into confessing that Sult is at the University conducting demonic incantations with Silber to contact The Other Side.
When taking Goyle's confession to Marovia proves a dead end, they head to the University. Inside, they find it protected by Practicals, led by Vitari. As things seem destined to end in violence, Glokta bluffs her with threats to her children who he claims to have in custody. Vitari and her Practical stand aside without a fight. In the room behind the black riveted door, they find the demonic incantation in progress. Reluctant to cross the salt, Nicomo Cosca kills Silber with his throwing knife. The incantation ends to everyone's relief, and Sult is arrested with the others for high treason against his Majesty the King.
With the Gurkish siege ended, Glokta returns home exhausted, only to find Bayaz waiting. Bayaz admits to owning Valint & Balk. He offers Glokta the Arch Lector's ring and complete power over the Closed Council; Glokta has a new master.
After a meeting of the Closed Council, Hoff pulls Glokta aside, and tells him that Ardee is pregnant with Jezal's bastard, which could be used against the King's position. His heart pounding, Glokta goes to Adree's house and pulls out a ring with a colossal diamond. He must marry her to protect her and her unborn baby. Surprisingly, she agrees without protest; he was after all, the man of her dreams when she was young.
Later, Glokta notices that King Jezal and Queen Terez do not sleep in the same room, and offers to speak to the Queen. Glokta quickly realises that Countess Shalere and Terez are lovers. By threatening the Countess, he forces Terez to sleep with the King and bear him four royal offspring.
In the end, Glokta is in his office meeting with Lord Marshal West. As he leaves, his assistant Pike lingers behind. The scarred man springs at Glokta, and holds a knife at his throat. Recognition slowly washes over Glokta that this is Salem Rews. As Rews hesitates, Glokta gently coaxes him to release him, promising a far more suitable revenge. Glokta leads him to Sult's prison cell. Practical Pike show the prisoner the instruments, as Glokta gets to work.
Standalones Edit
Although never named, Sand dan Glokta is referred to a couple of times. In Best Served Cold, Carlot dan Eider expresses her fear of "the cripple", who really has control in The Union. In Red Country, now Superior Pike refers to the Arch Lector, and Nicomo Cosca comments "We are close friends, you know."
A Little Hatred Edit
Sand dan Glokta is now a silver-haired, pale, and wrinkled old man, pushed around in a wheel-chair, designed by Honrig Curnsbick. Yet the Arch Lector's mind is still as sharp as ever, and there is little that happens on the Closed Council without his approval. Glokta freely admits that things in the Union have never been so bad. The slums boil over with disaffected labourers, and dissident groups like the Breakers and Burners. The fractious nobles rail against intrusions on their ancient rights and privileges. They were taxed heavily to fund the king's wars in Styria, are enclosing common land to compensate, causing peasants to flood into the cities. It is a time of change, a time of chaos. Glokta now has his own Inquisitor Exempt, Vick dan Teufel, like he was for Sult; she even lives in his old rooms in the Agriont. Savine has grown up to be more like her ruthless step-father, rather than her dimwitted biological father; she's even a reasonably capable swordswoman. He frequently reminds her to have nothing to do with Valint and Balk, or with Bayaz, "Whatever they ask for, whatever they offer, refuse, do you understand? Refuse and come to me at once."
- ↑ The Blade Itself, Part I, Questions
- ↑ The Blade Itself, Part I, Teeth and Fingers
- ↑ Last Argument of Kings, Part I, Feeding Time
- ↑ Last Argument of Kings, Part I, The Poison Trade


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|Project by Todd Sauer
|posted 03-24-2014 02:15 AM
|3023 views
|18 times favorited
|25 comments
Here is the drafting table I just finished. It is curly maple and African mahogany, finished with Tung Oil. The design came together really well, and it looks like it did in my head before making it. There are mistakes and little issues which my wife insists only I see, but overall I think it came out very well. It is adjustable with regard to tabletop height and tilt. The curves on the top are not inlaid, but rather curved pieces glued up into the top. I would love comments or suggestions.
My main question are regarding how humidity may affect the moving parts. It's winter, and I'm in Minnesota, so there simply isn't any humidity at the moment, but spring is here (meaning it's above zero today) and summer is coming (for a week in July), and I'm wondering if this will cause any changes. Any input would be much appreciated. Thanks!
-- --Sauerkins; Duluth, MN
25 comments so far
#1 posted 03-24-2014 02:47 AM
Beautiful. That is an heirloom piece for certain!
#2 posted 03-24-2014 02:49 AM
Well that's a good question.
But enjoy the moment, it looks nice, very tough design to pull off. Give us an update on how it moves with the humidity.
Fortunately you are not in the north east, where it would move heavily.
Nice work.
Btw : welcome to LJ's..that's an impressive entrance for a project.
-- Jeff NJ
#3 posted 03-24-2014 03:08 AM
Posts like this only solidify what I already know: Im never moving to Minnesota! It's nice, I'm sure; lotsa lakes and stuff. Anyway, that's an awesome build. How much play is there in the moving parts? Do you anticipate that with average humidity it will seize up? I like this, though; nice work.
-- Tree, wood, and box lover from Pennsylvania
#4 posted 03-24-2014 03:21 AM
Beautiful drafting table. I like the design and the ingenious adjustment mechanism
-- Yves
#5 posted 03-24-2014 03:26 AM
Thanks all!
Josh, there is some play with the moving parts, so it will be interesting to watch. The moving parts can be adjusted to an extent (by sanding mostly) if it tries to seize up. There's more play with the grain then there is across it.
Also…it's supposed to be above freezing by the end of the week! But we got a foot of snow last week. March in Minnesota really tests a guy's optimism.
-- --Sauerkins; Duluth, MN
#6 posted 03-24-2014 05:15 AM
That's pretty slick Todd. Now maybe a matching stool to compliment?
-- "My god has more wood than your god" ... G. Carlin.
#7 posted 03-24-2014 05:22 AM
Woah, this is awe inspiring. It would be a shame to cover up that top with anything.
-- http://woodspotting.com/ -- Discover the most interesting woodworking blogs from around the world
#8 posted 03-24-2014 09:44 AM
Very nice Todd, Beautiful Drafting table wood choice and design, not just in the table top but the whole project.
-- Dave.......If at first you don't succeed redefine success....
#9 posted 03-24-2014 12:16 PM
I still like to make mechanical drawings and that table is just too nice. Wood combination is great. Welcome to LJ's.
-- Dan, Naperville IL, I.G.N.
#10 posted 03-24-2014 12:39 PM
That is very cool, great work
-- steve, simple and effective woodworking---etsy.com/shop/SussmanWoodworking--
#11 posted 03-24-2014 01:37 PM
Very nice table. The top sure looks inlaid to me! I wouldn't worry too much about wood movement if your home is conditioned. In most houses that are the humidity only tends to fluctuate +/-20% which is enough for wood to move, but it's not like it's 0% in your house in the winter and 90% that one week in the summer. Even if there is some, you'll be able to remove the parts and make fines adjustments with sand paper. I'm usually more worried about captive panels splitting my work. That's a lot harder to fix. Plus, your finish is a breeze to reapply, then you'll be back to drafting your next woodworking project on that fine table!
-- "Begin every endeaver with the end ever in mind."
#12 posted 03-24-2014 02:03 PM
Very nice looking piece. I really like the design. As for how the coming humidity will affect it only time will tell. Keep us posted.
#13 posted 03-24-2014 04:52 PM
Nice work.
-- Les B, Oregon
#14 posted 03-24-2014 05:01 PM
LesB, That was my main concern too. I used mortises and tenons to connect the pieces of the frame to each other, and then half-lap joints to connect it to the center piece. The mortises and tenons are not ridiculously tight, so I think there is a little room for some movement. It certainly could end up being a learning experience, but I don't think it will be too hard to repair if something happens. Thanks!
-- --Sauerkins; Duluth, MN
#15 posted 03-24-2014 06:29 PM
WOW amazing beautiful I love it, I'm a cadd drafter now but I started out on one of these many a year ago. Mine never looked this good
Thanks for sharing
-- Wood and Glass they kick (well you know) Have a great day - Dug
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Do you care about the plight of Britney Spears? Have you bothered to form an opinion on her mental condition? Won't you admit to wanting to give her a hug; to send a message of support? I thought not. Or at least not in public.
Redtop readers, I am happy to report, are more caring. Last Thursday, for example, the Sun printed a column of heartwarming emails to Spears. "Take the help that is offered away from the glare of publicity," advised Sandbunny. "Call your mum." Whodat offered more: "Fly to the UK, make your way to Brighton . . . and crash at mine for a few weeks . . . I'm sure you'll have a fab time. Even my girlfriend . . . said you should come." Earlier, the Daily Mail formed "a panel of experts" to write open letters to Britney. "Please do not despair," wrote Oliver James, a psychologist with a book to plug. "With the right therapy, I am sure your life will come together again."
Since Spears was carted off to a Los Angeles hospital two weeks ago - after police were called to make her hand over to Kevin Federline, her former husband, the two children of whom he has custody - the redtop appetite has shown no sign of diminishing. She is not quite up there with Diana and Madeleine but, like them, she is (or was) blonde, young and appealingly vulnerable. Just as the McCann case allows every reader to play detective, so Spears allows every reader to play psychiatrist, offering counselling to her and her family and choosing between bipolar, multiple personality and attention deficit from the range of mental disorders that may be diagnosed.
Though she is out of hospital, new evidence that "Britney is far from solving her problems" (the Sun), and therefore needs help from all of us, appears in the tabloids almost daily. There's a new boyfriend from, of all places, Birmingham (England, that is, not Alabama) who, the Mail damningly revealed, wore "heavy black-rimmed glasses" and "dowdy shirts" as a teenager. The splendidly named "insider" J Randy Taraborrelli revealed, also in the Mail, a suicide threat. The paparazzi pictures flood in. Last week, the Mirror had Spears in "a frumpy grey hoodie"; next day, she had ripped tights in the Sun.
As the Sun explained, "the train wreck keeps thundering into the buffers". You may have thought trains, once wrecked, couldn't go anywhere, but the metaphor is basically sound because, for the press, a celebrity crash is like a train crash, in that the damage is not only in the future, but also retrospective.
Just as Hatfield, for example, revealed systemic faults in the railways, so Britney's troubles reveal systemic faults in her background, and probably her genes too. What was once portrayed as a happy upbringing in a stalwart Baptist family, with a schoolteacher for a mother and a building contractor for a father, has now become, according to last week's Sun, "a troubled childhood" in which "the demons of suicide, mental instability, addiction, homelessness and violence all lurk". Her father was a drunk, her grandmother shot herself at 31, and two uncles ended up as homeless hillbillies. Even her virginity, her first marketable asset, was lost at 14, the Sun claimed.
Is this, as Peter Preston argued in the Guardian, "mental illness as the new spectator sport" in which the journalists who bring news and pictures of her latest escapades - assisted by an assortment of unnamed people described as friends, pals, confidantes and relatives - are working on our behalf? Up to a point, Lord Copper. I've acknowledged myself that newspapers can now, from internet activity, get an instant guide to what interests the public, and Britney Spears is Googled more often than anybody on the planet. But we are dealing here with an industry, the celebrity industry, that makes it hard to know where reality lies. As Hilary Freeman, one of the Mail's "experts", put it, Spears "isn't a person, she's a brand".
I would not accuse Spears of faking what appears to be a mental illness, any more than I would accuse Kylie Minogue of faking cancer. But as both cases show, the celebrity industry, with the connivance of the news outlets, is capable of turning any kind of illness (except, I suppose, things like irritable bowel syndrome) to its advantage. One is reminded of Oscar Wilde: the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. Spears's latest single, Piece of Me, shot almost immediately to number two in the UK charts. She'll be on the cover of next month's Rolling Stone. If she performs again, of course, it will be part of an "amazing comeback". What price the tickets on her next concert tour?
So I'm not sure that you should avert your eyes from this life "unravelling before the world" (the Sun again). It's cruel, it's ugly, it's tasteless and, as always with redtop stories, a lot of what's reported is probably plain wrong. I wouldn't, to be honest, read Britney stories myself if I weren't writing this column. But it's a bit like boxing: what's worrying is not so much what it does to those directly involved as what it does to the spectators. Celebrity is the biggest cultural phenomenon of the age. The industry behind it deserves more scrutiny.
A free Independent would not make for a quality product
It's only a matter of time, we keep hearing, before one of the nationals goes free. Some suggest the Sun, now its circulation has dropped below three million, will blaze the trail. The latest rumours concern the Independent where circulation is heading down to 200,000. The sources for these stories? Mostly media buyers. Well, they would, wouldn't they? They'd love to offer their clients shedloads of readers while making newspapers utterly dependent on the advertising industry.
Simon Kelner, the Independent editor, has dismissed the stories about his paper as "utter rubbish". I believe him. The Independent has only recently been persuaded to make its content free on the web. Becoming a freebie would be an extraordinary change for a paper that has always marketed itself, however unconvincingly, as a premium product.
Giving away papers works best when you can target the audience, reaching exactly the people your advertisers want. City AM, distributed in the City and Canary Wharf, is one example. Another is Metro, distributed to commuters so that it reaches many of the much coveted under-35s.
The Independent, like most upmarket papers, already does targeted free distribution, giving away more than 40,000 copies or nearly a quarter of its UK circulation in "bulk sales" (a misnomer, since only nominal sums change hands) to, for example, well-heeled guests in upmarket hotels. It can expand bulks without going wholly down the free route.
As for the Sun, it would need enormous advertising growth to offset the loss of revenue from 2.99 million sales, even if some are at just 20p. And we can surely be confident that Richard Desmond, the Express proprietor, won't be going down the freebie route. When the Financial Times speculated this month about redtops going free, the Sunday Express ran an op-ed denouncing it for "irresponsible journalism".


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Welcome to the 8th edition of My Fortnightly Movie/TV Thoughts. Last fortnight I reviewed Die Hard 2 (1990). This fortnight I'm reviewing:
- Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), rated M for moderate violence, moderate coarse language
- Die Hard 4.0 (2007), rated M for moderate action violence, moderate coarse language
These are the Australian ratings; in the United States, they're rated:
- Die Hard with a Vengeance – R for strong violence and pervasive strong language
- Die Hard 4.0 – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language and a brief sexual situation
As usual, I give the trailer and a clip at the end. And as usual, the following disclaimer applies:
Die Hard with a Vengeance
Although technically not quite reaching the heights of the original Die Hard, John McTiernan's third installment in the beloved action thriller franchise comes close, and is my personal favourite of the series.
The movie starts with a bang – literally. A Los Angeles Bonwit Teller department store is blown up. As the NYPD investigates, they get a call from a mysterious Simon (Jeremy Irons), who claims responsibility. He demands John McClane (Bruce Willis) stand in the middle of Harlem – a predominantly African-American New York suburb – in his undershorts with a sign "I hate niggers", or there'll be more explosions.
McClane complies and is almost killed by a gang – but is saved by a shopowner named Zeus Carver (Samuel L Jackson) – a racist with an attitude. Back at NYPD headquarters, Charlie Wiess (Kevin Chamberlain) has discovered another of Simon's suitcase bombs (one he had intended them to find), and demonstrates the binary liquids Simon uses – and the powerful explosions they create. Simon calls again – and leads McClane and Zeus on a sadistic game of Simon Says across the city, all a big distraction from his own heist plans, although there's a hidden motive the characters are trying to work out. Can McClane, Zeus and the police figure out Simon's game and save the day? (Does that question need to be asked?)
First and foremost, like the rest of the films in its series, Die Hard with a Vengeance is enormously fun to watch. We watch these movies to have fun seeing terrorists getting their arse kicked, and that's exactly what we get – with a vengeance! I dare say it's possibly THE most fun-to-watch movie in the series, and is definitely the best of the Die Hard sequels – and possibly the whole series (it's my personal favourite, at the least). There's plenty of tense, fun action – and heaps of violence of course.
The script/story is quite good. It has quite a mystery element to it, much more so than the first two films. What Simon's motive is, what he's planning, who the heck he is, etc. The movie walks a fine line between recycling old plot elements, and combining it with new stuff – and I think it manages the balance between the two quite well. It contains plenty of stuff we've seen in the previous Die Hard installments, yet feels – and is – too fresh to be called a remake of its predecessors.
The acting is great. Bruce Willis is his usual excellent as John McClane, once again the reluctant hero (who in this case literally has no choice). Samuel L Jackson is similarly excellent – more so, in fact – as Zeus Carver, the shopkeeper who's even more reluctant than McClane ever was. Willis and Jackson have a great chemistry – by far the best in the series. I like the character development between the two – especially Zeus', as his attitude towards whites softens during the film's course (and I can't help but enjoy the moment McClane calls him a racist). Both excellent performances.
And Jeremy Irons is perfect as the mysterious Simon, who isn't quite as great a villain as Hans Gruber, but is nonetheless great in his own right. There's a few twists and turns and surprises with his character (which I won't spoil). Like his brother, he's absolutely ruthless. Really great performance.
As is to be expected from a Die Hard film (indeed, any Bruce Willis action film), Vengeance is quite violent. However, it's definitely not as violent as the first two – in fact, violence-wise, it's almost mild by comparison. That said, it still has the potential to disturb younger viewers (John McClane is still his blood-covered self by the end of the film – not the only part that could disturb, much as I personally enjoy it). It's language, however, is just as strong as previous installments. Overall, an excellent, excellent action movie! (With an excellent music score.) HIGHLY recommended!
Die Hard 4.0
Len Wiseman's contribution to one of the greatest film series of all time is variously hailed as the best sequel in the series, or as a major disappointment. I beg to differ with both: while Die Hard with a Vengeance will always be my favourite, Live Free or Die Hard (as this film is known in North America) is a solid, hugely entertaining action thriller (and, from "best" to "worst", the "middle" film of the 5).
The FBI's Cyber-Security Division falls victim to a hacking attack. Several of the expert hackers on the FBI's watch list (who had unwittingly helped the villain hackers [couldn't immediately think of a better term] create a cyber-security hacking algorithm) are immediately killed in house explosions triggered by a computer virus. The FBI immediately begins rounding up the surviving hackers on their watch list.
Detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) is trying to bust his daughter Lucy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and her boyfriend Jim (Jake McDorman) – which only further frays his frosty relationship with his daughter – when he gets a call to bring in local hacker Matt Farrell (Justin Long) for questioning. McClane is just in time to save Matt from assassins, and the pair make their way to Washington, DC. Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant), the lead villain, begins taking control of the transportation grids and the stock market (they are shown to turn all traffic lights green, causing massive mayhem and crashes – disturbingly, there is a brief image of a DON'T WALK signal being changed to WALK). They also hack into all the news outlets, broadcasting a threatening message by cutting-and-pasting parts of recordings of presidential speeches. Matt recognises it as a fire sale – a three-staged cyber-attack that will destroy the US infrastructure. He and McClane must save the day.
Die Hard 4.0 stands out somewhat from the other films in the series in that it's about a cyber attack that just happens to endanger lives – rather than the guns-and-guts terrorist attacks/hostage situations of the previous films. It's quite a well-done premise and plot.
As usual, it's enormously fun to watch, with plenty of great action and thrills. It's a true thriller. And completely unbelievable – not so much the premise as some of the action, and McClane's survival. It's totally preposterous – and fully embraces it. It revels in its unbelievability – and I love every second of it!
Bruce Willis, as usual, is excellent as John McClane, "the immortal cop" (to use one online description) who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time (or is that right place at the right time?). And for the first time in the series, he's BALD.
I quite enjoyed Justin Long's performance as Matthew "Matt" Farrell, the young hacker unwillingly caught up in this national mess. He provides quite a bit of humour, and I like his interactions with John McClane. And then of course there's the romantic hints between him and Lucy…
And I of course got a kick out of Mary Elizabeth Winstead as McClane's feisty daughter Lucy.
Timothy Olyphant was quite interesting as Thomas Gabriel, a former government guy whom the government had wronged, and who then chose to go rogue.
And of course there's Maggie Q as Mai Linh, Gabriel's girlfriend, and cold, highly skilled assassin. Really skilled. I got great satisfaction out of her death.
And while Die Hard 2 has the best "Yippy-kay-ay, motherfucker!" moment, Die Hard 4.0 has the most original one. (The "fucker" part was muted by a gunshot.) Die Hard 4.0 is also the mildest of the Die Hard movies – the language, while expletive-ridden, is milder then previous installments, and the violence is toned down as well. There's plenty of intense violence and fights (but no blood), so I recommend parents watch it themselves before decided whether or not their kids will.
Die Hard 4.0 is great, preposterous fun! (And also of all the Die Hard films, is the only one to almost recreate the tension of the first.)
Die Hard with a Vengeance trailer:
Die Hard 4.0 trailer:
Die Hard with a Vengeance clip:
Die Hard 4.0 clip:


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There are often times in our journey towards our goals and dreams where we would rather stay in bed a little bit longer and start working a little later, or not put that extra hour each week at the gym – because we are feeling "tired".
Or in the case of Jerry West, not putting in that extra practice shooting hoops on a day were he wasn't particularly feeling 100% his best.
As humans, our brain is wired to minimize effort, this can often be to our detriment as we can form bad habits, become lazy and make up poor excuses.
Our mind quite's 1000 times before we are actually at our limits. We should try to overcome our mind while being cautious about not going beyond our actual breaking point (both physical and mental). So don't find excuses, find reasons to succeed!


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Tonight while we were watching House I made a really killer salad. Really, it's a salad for a small army, country or more likely, family.
I break lots of rules all the time when it comes to salad. I put fruit in salad, I put dried fruit in salad, I put bread items in salad, I put fish in salad–I even will put noodles in my salad. Needless to say these salads are not meant for someone who is trying to fit herself into an Oscar dress, but for the gal who just enjoys really delicious food, good for the heart, the mind and the taste buds!
This salad would make a wonderful brunch salad because it's literally sprinkled with a hash (not quite hash brown, not quite boring potato). It also has some very fresh ingredients like shrimp, cheese and garlic from the farmer's market (but special Green Garlic from Knoll Farms pictured below–they look like green onions).
This is a salad that is a full meal, not an appetizer. This salad will fill up your kitchen patrons 100%.
In real life the colors of the salad pop–the photo doesn't do it justice.
For this very eclectic salad you will need to start by visiting your local farmer's market (or wherever you can get the freshest locally grown produce). Hopefully these ingredients are native to your area.
I always tell you this but I will say it again. You don't need every ingredient for this salad. Make it your own! I generally just use what looks good in the kitchen. The one thing I will tell you is, get to your local Farmer's Market. It's worth it!
Ingredients For Blake's Hashable Salad:
1. Multi-colored small potatoes (round)
2. Bread (can be a little stale) note-I used black bread for this recipe, but any loaf will do
3. Mixed lettuce (mustard greens mixed with arugula and other blends are optimal)
4. One egg
5. Goat cheese (optional)
6. Green garlic (optional) note. You can use regular garlic (minced, and mixed with some green onions for a similar look/effect).
7. Olive oil
8. Balsamic vinegar (black)
9. About 12 shrimp or more depending
10. Cocktail sauce (I like mine hot with horse-radish yum)
11. Some nuts/trail mix. I like the wasabi mix from trader joe's which has wasabi peas, dried fruit and assorted nuts.
12. lemon
13. salt/pepper
14. Any herbs and spices you think would make your salad flavorful. I used Smoked Apple Salt, Herbs of Provence Salt, & Coriander.
15. Fromage blanc goat cheese. (I love Cowgirl Creamery)!
Again–don't freak out. You don't need 15 ingredients. I just tend to experiment and play with what's in my cupboard :0] And with everything in life, especially cooking, failure is important–so you learn what flavors go well together and what don't.
And despite my extensive list of ingredients I always encourage you to KIS. Keep It Simple.
1. Skin and mince garlic and simmer in olive oil (I used a cast iron pan–the best for potato hash).
2. Chop potatoes into very mini pieces.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (mini oven is preferred).
3. Stir potatoes until browned on all sides and somewhat soft. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Chop day old bread into bite size pieces and dress with a nominal amount of olive oil and put into pan.
5. Pour 1/3 cup of Wasabi Trail Mix into Pan.
6. Put cast iron into oven to bake.
7. If frozen, thaw shrimp in bowl of warm water. Let soak.
8. Clean and chop Green Garlic. If possible chop into tiny tiny pieces or chop in your food processor.
9. Put egg in boiling water.
Stir frying or baking nuts are a wonderful way to bring out the oils and the flavors of the nuts. They add a lot of umph to your dish.
10. Mix together three tablespoons of Fromage Blanc cheese with green onion and blend in food processor (I used my blender–not recommended).
11. Pat down shrimp and drizzle lemon over shrimp.
12. Take somewhat hard egg, cut in half using some of the egg whites in the salad and half the egg in the center of the salad.
13. Put dollop (or three) of cocktail sauce in the center of the plate.
14. Put dollop (or three) of Fromage Blanc in the center of the plate on top of the cocktail sauce.
15. Place half your perfect egg on top of those two creamy condiments.
16. Arrange the salad leafs around the periphery of the sauces and
17. For dressing I usually do a simple mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (black) along with lemon juice salt and pepper.
(note make sure your potatos have enough salt. I know I'm not your doctor–for those of you who need to go easy on the salt–go easy on the salt :-]
Crispy homemade croutons baked in a drop of olive oil are delicious
My mom raised us on funky salads. They are delicious and as a kid I ate salad every single night. And I wouldn't have it any other way. If I could name one "Barefoot Contessa" of salads, it would be my mom, my inspiration for this dish.


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Category Archives: Bianchi
Winter Riding
It has been warm and snowless up here in Massachusetts. I am not complaining, the weather has been perfect for winter riding. If you don't mind riding without snow or freezing temperatures. After last winter, this is something I don't … Continue reading
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Tiny Bikes Go Magical Places
Well, everyone could have predicted this, but here it is anyway: I finally got my grubby hands on a Brompton bicycle! Yes, it was at great personal sacrifice to my bike fleet. A couple of dear favorites ended up … Continue reading
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Bianchi Mini Velo Bicycle
I have a new obsession. This is a Bianchi Mini Velo. They are smaller than regular road bikes but have the same ergonomic geometry to feel almost similar to a full sized road bike. The purpose of these bikes are … Continue reading
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ROME, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Sardines and anchovies are disappearing from the Adriatic as a result of poor fishery management, Greenpeace said while urging sustainable fishing practices.
The environmental watchdog's report focused on Chioggia, one of the largest fishing ports in the Mediterranean, and Pila di Porto Tolle in Veneto. Together, the two ports "supply a considerable proportion of the Italian sardine and anchovy market all year round" and also "export catches to other countries," Italy's ANSA news agency reported Friday.
Fish populations in the north and central Adriatic have declined largely during the last 40 years because the Italian government has allowed an increase in the number and capacity of authorized boats and issued "experimental" licenses, Greenpeace said.
The Greenpeace report urged European governments and the European parliament to adopt laws to guarantee fish stocks can be naturally replenished.


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Life Size Models
Dinosaur Models (72)
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Theme Models (83)
Popular Models (39)
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Retail Models (75)
Our Gift Ideas (112)
Our life size models and props need to be seen and felt to truly understand the care and craftsmanship that goes into each and every product.
Our models are designed by artists and then crafted by skilled sculptors and formers. Each life sized model is lovingly painted in realistic tones. However we have been known to create the odd lilac cow or rainbow sheep – We don't discriminate your Artistic Licence!
The life size models are great in a marketing environment to attract attention to your business. Be that a retail unit, restaurant, car show room, sports complex, tourist attraction or anywhere for that matter; Alba Shed products have found homes in the most unusual of places. From the gardens of the rich and famous to the busiest theme parks in the world.
We have supplied hundreds of realistic Dinosaur statues from awesome Velociraptors to life size Brachiosaurs reaching twenty metres high!
Our seasonal range of Christmas, Halloween and Easter models are perfect for window dressing, to create an eye-catching promotion, or to have in your home as that something different – We usually take orders well in advance to ensure stock is available in time.
Looking for a Gorilla, an Alpaca or just your average Yeti? You will be seriously impressed with the range we stock and are continuously adding new models to the store and getting our back catalogue online.
If you do not see exactly what you want then please do get in touch via our contact form. We will do our very best to help you!
We also take on bespoke commissions but these invariably take time to design, proof and produce as well as attract higher costs due to manufacturing overheads.
Don't forget – any item can be ordered in any colour(s) – There may be an additional charge.


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Vanderveer Pl, Flatbush / Ditmas Park
Great for
- No ratings yet
Not great for
- No ratings yet
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
Got a burning question? Why not ask the locals! Simply ask your question below
Vanderveer Pl
"Don't Expect Much"
I wouldn't expect much from this street. It's kind of far away from the better shopping streets and really nothing to offer in the way of great food, it's just a residential street that is not worth seeing on your trip to New York . If you're looking for somewhere to live, however, this place could be considered on account of its accessibility and its Brooklyn location.
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids


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My life is turning into an evangelistic crusade to raise awareness about the risks of prostate cancer treatment. Tens of thousands of men are undergoing unnecessary radical prostate cancer therapy with dire sexual consequences. These inappropriate and often fatefully wrong treatment choices are made because men are often completely unaware of the irreversible effects of the treatment itself.
Thankfully, I am not alone in this battle to inform men about the harm associated with prostate surgery. Another prostate oncologist, Dr. Celestia Higano from the University of Washington, recently published a scientific review on this very topic in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO). For those of you who haven't heard of the JCO, I consider it to be the most prestigious scientific cancer journal in the world.
Today's blog will offer quote seven selected sections from Dr. Higano's important article. To add some gravitas to the eye opening statements you are about to read, please realize that every one of her comments was referenced to a specific scientific report. In other words, these statements have nothing to do with opinions. They are genuine outcomes from published scientific studies.
So without further ado let's start with the first quote from the article:
Quote #1: "Unfortunately, many couples believe that even if they have problems with erectile dysfunction (ED) … they will be able to resume their normal sexual practices through the advances of modern technology.4 They are not informed that sexual function will never be the same after any form of therapy and they are often unprepared for the changes in their sexual and intimate relationship." (Italics mine)
Quote #2: "PDE5 inhibitors (Viagra, Cialis) and other erectile aids are not successful for all patients with ED and, even when effective, half the patients stop using them within one year.11 Why couples stop using ED therapies has not been adequately investigated , but disappointment that sex life is not the same … likely contributes to this outcome."
Quote #3: "In a Memorial Sloan-Kettering series of 475 men … 20% of men who had radical prostatectomy (RP) had climacturia at one year, and climactauria as associated with both painful orgasm and penile shortening.13" (Climacturia means that orgasm results in the ejaculation of urine instead of semen).
Quote #4: "At the Karolinska Institute, 1,288 patients had either open or robotic-assisted laparoscopic RP, and of the 691 men who were sexually active, 38% reported climacturia at least sometime during sexual activity. Of the men who reported climacturia, 72% had climacturia less than half the time, 17% more than half the time, and 11% all the time.14"
Quote #5: "In a review of 1,459 men who had RP at New York University, climacturia was found to decrease from 44% at 3 months to 22% at 24 months after surgery. Climacturia is a common complication of RP but is often overshadowed by concerns about ED and overt urinary incontinence.14-16"
Quote #6: "In a study of VED (vacuum erectile device) use after RP, the length and circumference of the penis decreased in 63% of patients who did not use a VED after RP compared with only 23% who did.18-20"
Quote #7: "Surgery can also result in Peyronie's disease (also called, "crooked penis") in up to 16% of patients.23"When patient are informed of the dire consequences of surgery they are often mystified as to why urologists, who must be aware of the damage surgery causes, continue vigorously to recommend it. I have heard many patients voice the opinion that urologists are driven by a selfish desire for financial gain.
The financial motive, however, fails to ring true. As medical procedures go, prostate surgery is poorly reimbursed. Also, when urologists are diagnosed with prostate cancer they themselves often proceed with a radical prostatectomy. So money is not the primary issue. Rather, consider that performing surgery is part of the very fabric of a surgeons' persona. From a surgeon's point of view, if you are not operating, you are not a surgeon.
Men considering surgery for prostate cancer need to be aware of its substantial risks. And when getting advice about which treatment to select, patients also need to realize that surgeons usually can't provide balanced advice. They are too close to the trees to see the forest.


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The first thing that you see from the airplane as it descends is Kabul's barren landscape -- both beautiful and breathtaking. I have mixed feelings as I enter Afghanistan. My family and friends could not understand why I wanted to go to a place which is among the most insecure contexts in the world. The bombing of Kunduz is still fresh in my memory and the pain has not waned inside Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) as well, but I'm not sure if the external world remembers the loss. I'm in Kabul to join the project team for an annual gathering called Field Associative Debates. These debates are an integral part of MSF and are intended to feature voices from the field, helping keep MSF's strategies and direction close to our operational reality.
A car bomb explodes nearby, but then everything quickly returns to business as usual; back to your desk or whatever you were doing.
On my first evening in Kabul, we are extensively briefed on how to conduct ourselves in accordance to local customs, and about MSF's current work in Afghanistan. There you go! A car bomb explodes nearby, but then everything quickly returns to business as usual; back to your desk or whatever you were doing. I can see the ease with which humans think 'it won't ever happen to me'. I also see many messages on my WhatsApp, my friends and family asking if I am okay. I confirm that I am fine and reassure them that MSF puts in place all possible procedures and measures to keep its staff safe.
I have, till now believed that working with MSF means protection and immunity in conflict zones since we save lives, work in hospitals, and have no relation to anyone who may be party to the conflict. However, life shakes the ground beneath your feet every now and then. On 3 October last year, the Kunduz trauma centre was bombed in spite of repeated calls made to the concerned authorities to stop. The bombing did finally halt, but the aftermath left us devastated. We lost 42 patients and staff in this attack.
I meet a surgeon who worked in Kunduz and was present that fateful night. His name is Dr Esmat. His face has hardened with time, witnessing the ordeal of war day in and day out. He shares how a few nights before MSF was receiving a lot of wounded patients. He explains how an injured family arrived at the hospital -- two sisters died, and the third was in shock, her intestine half out. The staff was left in tears, says Dr Esmat, when they heard the child saying, "Mother, mother I am dying!"
Dr Esmat has cried almost every night since [the bombing]. His words and agony overwhelm all of us present in the room. I feel angry, helpless and sad...
She was taken into surgery after which OT staff donated their blood as the blood bank had run dry because of the increase in the number of patients. She was luckily saved. However, on 3 October the hospital came under attack. As he shares his pain, he says, "They were our brothers. We couldn't find anything, only burnt bones and no bodies." His eyes are emotionless and calm. But he has cried almost every night since then. His words and agony overwhelm all of us present in the room. I feel angry, helpless and sad as somebody who is part of MSF, and I can't even begin to imagine his despair and that of others like him. There are so many unanswered questions. Why were doctors, nurses and patients killed? What wrong did they commit? Some will remain questions for eternity.
The people of this country are brave. They wake up each morning stringing pieces of their life together, with the hope that tomorrow will be a better day. You hear how a mother saved her baby, the only living soul, while the ICU and OT were in flames. I feel this to be a message of hope. Life continues.
You hear how a mother saved her baby, the only living soul, while the ICU and OT were in flames. I feel this to be a message of hope.
With a heavy heart, and mind amazed at the resilience of the people I've met, I sit down for a cup of tea. I see a smiling, friendly face watching me. I walk over to her and get introduced. She's Mahtab, who worked in Kunduz as a medical translator. I hesitate to bring it up and somebody does the job for me by asking her where she was on the day of the bombing. She had a week off to spend time with her relatives, she says. I see her face turning pale as she recalls the first time she went back to the hospital after the attack. She was greeted by a colleague whose first words were, "Oh Mahtab, you're alive!" She swallows her tears and does not let her grief show for long. I realise how extraordinarily difficult it must be. Even with the emotional pain, Mahtab is working as a translator alongside a psychologist who offers mental health support to the families of the staff that lost their lives. I wonder how she can absorb so much. My understanding of our work is reinforced -- motivated souls like her and Dr Esmat keep us going at MSF.
Our work in Afghanistan continues but no decision has yet been taken about the future of our presence in Kunduz and the country. It may come across as business as usual, but in our memories it will never be so. We will keep on asking questions to help bring closure to the bereaved families, and to ensure the safety of our staff. I leave Kabul having learnt a lot from my colleagues. Even after all their adversities, the Afghan people have not forgotten how to smile and be hospitable to guests. Thank you Afghanistan, you teach me a lesson which I may have read but not often practiced!
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Box Filters
The level of filtration you need depends in part on how you stock your pond. Box pond filters are ideal for medium to heavily stocked goldfish and koi ponds and present an attractive option.
Compatible with a wide range of pond pumps and UV sterilisers, which we can also supply, our range includes the top brands and some good value options as well. Speak to us about bundle deals and we can put together a super package just for you.
Don't forget, everything is backed by industry leading customer service and free delivery!


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Black oak beer, jalapeños, & cheddar sausages
Black oak beer, jalapeños, & cheddar sausages
- 3 lb organic beef, medium ground
- 2 lb organic pork, medium ground
- 1 tbsn salt
- 0.5 tbsn pepper
- 1 tbsn ground mustard seed
- 1 tbsn chili powder
- 200 grams of grated cheddar
- 2-3 chopped jalapenos
- 0.25 cup of chopped parsley
- 0.25 cup of garlic
- 1 bottle of Black Oak Nut Brown Ale
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 pork casing
- Your pork casing will likely have been sold to you packed in salt. Rinse off all the salt, and put the casing in a bowl of luke warm water for a few minutes while you do the rest of the prep.
- Mix together all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Your goal is to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. The last thing you want to do is bite into a pocket of black pepper for example. Make a little patty with the mixture, and cook it up in a frying pan. How is the flavour? If it needs a bit more of some ingredient, salt for example, now is the time to add it and mix again.
- Fill your sausage stuffer, and then punch down the meat to eliminate any air pockets. Sausage stuffers range in size and quality. The Healthy Butcher sells a decent quality 5lb sausage stuffer for $150, and also rents out sausage stuffers for very little cost for people wanting to host their own "sausage party."
- Lubricate the horn of your sausage stuffer with a bit of vegetable oil, then apply the pork casing.
- Fill your casings by applying a bit of pressure at the end of the horn with one or two fingers. Your goal is to nicely fill your sausages; but be careful, if you fill them too much they will burst!
- Link your sausages by pinching the sausage at the desired length, then twirling the sausage 3 or 4 times in a forward direction. Move along the casing the same distance, pinch the sausage, then twirl it in a backward direction. continue twirling forward, then backward, then forward, etc. until all of your sausages are done.
- Leave the long length of sausages uncut and refrigerated for 12-24 hours before you cut individual sausages. This will give the sausages time to hold their shape and ensure that when you cut individual links, the casing won't unwind.
- Cook your sausages by pan frying, roasting, or grilling! Enjoy.
Courtesy The Healthy Butcher, www.thehealthybutcher.comTags: fry, grill, sausage, summer, winter


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Update from Mark White
We were out in Hambleton east again on Wednesday evening. We called at nearly 200 houses (including some that we missed on Monday) and we have a large number Labour promises and people are taking posters.
The next event is the street stall in Thirsk Market Place on Saturday (September 22nd) morning starting at 10am until 3pm, and the next canvassing session is in in Hambleton East on Thursday September 27th – meet outside ATS Tyres on Long Street at 5:45pm for a prompt 6pm start.
Many thanks to Philip Smith, Deanna Pearce, Andy Hart, Sally Hughes, Marcus Missen and Janet Guy.


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February (10th, 11th 12th) is Bay Area Flyway Festival and on:
February 11th Sears Point Property (Dickson Trial / Baylands) tour with Sonoma Land Trust 10am to 11:45am.
February 11th Sears Point Property (Dickson Trial / Baylands) tour with Sonoma Land Trust Noon to 1:45pm.
February 12th Solano Land Trust tour at Lynch Canyon Open Space 10am to 2pm
February 16th - 19th (Thursday -Sunday) Klamath Basin Audubon Society,
Winter Wings Festival @ Lower Klamath Basin Region. West County HawkWatch is not planning on going but we have some folks in the Region to help you if you are there, we have 25 years of history in the basin.
February 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) West County Hawkwatch,
Trip to the Lower Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuge complex, including but not limited to the Butte Valley, Lower Klamath and Tule Lake. WCHW member, guest and VIP tour 2017. Exclusive and Extensive tours with our own group.
March 4th, (Saturday) Spring Lake Cub Scout Bird and Nature Hike. Cub Scout Pack 25
West County Hawkwatch Nature Outing. Bird, Hawk, Nature hike at Spring Lake Park 2pm to 4pm, Meet at the Environmental Center at Spring Lake Park, looking for birding and naturalists to help lead. Call or email Larry 707-791-0335 or firstname.lastname@example.com (I need help! please consider helping me lead the next generation of birders!)
March 5th (Sunday) 10am to 2pm Sonoma Land Trust,
Skaggs Island Over-wintering Birds of Prey and wildlife tour with Sonoma Land Trust Website: www.sonomalandtrust.org under the "out on the lands" calendar.
March 9th (Thursday) 7:00 to 8:30pm, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation,
Birds of Prey Identification and Natural History PowerPoint Presentation at the Laguna Foundation Center
March 11th (Saturday) 10am to 2pm, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation,
Laguna Birds of Prey Identification and Natural History walk on the Laguna Trail.
March 18th (Saturday) 1pm-5pm, Saturday Solano Land Trust,
2016 - 2017 Season close, PowerPoint and Hike, Birds of Prey Identification and Natural History, at Rush Ranch - starting at 1pm. West County HawkWatch presents "Local Hawks in the region, Migration, Resident and Over-wintering identification and Natural history" a beginning and novice talk and PowerPoint presentation. Details on how to identify what you see when you are looking at hawks. Some history on the past, present and future of our Birds of Prey. Opportunities to go out and see these birds on upcoming scheduled hikes, walks and counts. Plus some handouts of Hawk Identification process paperwork. Solano Land Trust website: www.solanolandtrust.org under events calendar. Pre-registration recommended.
Raptors from Ridges
(Sonoma County Regional Parks 2017 program launch, March, April, May, see below)
Larry Broderick & Dave LaCasse will guide and lead you helping you soar to new heights for the spring raptor migration and resident wildlife viewing! Expect up-and-down terrain on these 3-5 milers with experienced Naturalist's and Bird Guides. Bring lunch, water, layered clothing for the varied elements, binoculars, and field guides for your learning pleasure.
Raptors from Ridges
Heavy rain cancels. Info.: (707) 565-2041
March 19 - (Sunday) 9am -1pm - North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park
April 9 - (Sunday) 9am -1pm Tolay Lake Regional Park
May 7 - (Sunday) 9am -1pm Taylor Mountain Regional Park – Petaluma Hill Road Entrance
(all photos, copyright original photographers, used for non profit and educational use only)


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Events planned for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Genesis House kicked off Domestic Violence Awareness Month by delivering purple iced cookies to supporting businesses in the area. They held a launch for their November campaign at Morden-Winkler MLA Cameron Friesen's campaign office Oct. 31. "We want people to start talking about domestic abuse," Community and Resource Development for Genesis House Kari Kauenhofen said. "One in four women have experienced or are currently experiencing domestic abuse in their home. We know it's out there and we just want to start talking about it."
This month includes several local initiatives including Peace Begins at Home hockey games, The Power of PJ's, and a masquerade gala.
That's all part of a larger goal to meet people on their turf to start conversations about domestic violence.
"As an issue in every community, we felt it was important to find different ways to engage people to be part of the solution," Executive Director Ang Braun said.
"It's not just a womens' issue, it's really a community issue," Kauenhofen added. "A lot of people think it's a behind closed doors issue and it should only be talked about within the family or not even talked about at all, but we really want to expose it and shed some light on the issues that are going on in our community."
MLA Cameron Friesen praised Genesis House for the work they do and encouraged community members to take part. "This is an important month in which we as a community can pay attention to this very important issue, domestic violence," he said.
Peace Begins at Home
Local hockey teams will wear Peace Begins at Home jerseys for specific games. Taking part will be the NPC Nighthawks on Nov. 12, the Pembina Valley Hawks Girls on Nov. 15, the Winkler Flyers on Nov. 16 and the GVC Zodiacs on Nov. 26.
The Power of PJs
A shelter campaign, The Power of PJ's seeks to collect enough pajamas to clothe the people that come to their shelter in a year.
For Genesis House that is 65 pairs of womens pajamas and 80 pairs of children's pajamas. They can be dropped off at South Central Regional Libraries.
"The idea of pajamas really resonates with the community because it is something that everyone needs," Braun said. "It is a tangible gift that you know will bring comfort and warmth to the person that receives it."
Unmasking Domestic Violence Masquerade Gala
A new event, this takes place Nov. 23 in Morden.
Party goers will enjoy a dinner, rainbow auction, live auction and entertainment from The Mood. Guests are encouraged to dress in cocktail attire, festive mask, theatrical hair and make-up. This event takes place at the Minnewasta Golf & Country Club with supper at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite for $100 with a $60 tax receipt available.
Bran said they want the events to remind people that resources are available to ending family violence.
"Genesis House recognizes that the issue of family violence is a community safety concern," she said. "We know that in order to break the cycle of violence there needs to be support in the community for men, women and children. All community members can be a part of the solution by speaking up and supporting victims and calling out behaviours that are inappropriate or abusive."
South Central Committee on Family Violence (Genesis House) is operated by a six member board which is dedicated to providing a confidential service, including a shelter for abused women and their children. The last fiscal year saw Genesis House provide shelter to 48 women and 36 children.


text: NYSE:ALLAllstate Stock Price, Forecast & News Adding Choose a watchlist: Adding You have already added five stocks to your watchlist. Upgrade to MarketBeat Daily Premium to add more stocks to your watchlist. Adding Allstate Corp Please log in to your account or sign up in order to add this asset to your watchlist. Log In and Add $96.19 +1.80 (+1.91 %) (As of 08/3/2020 04:00 PM ET) Add Compare Share Today's Range$94.00Now: $96.19▼$97.2450-Day Range$85.82MA: $93.70▼$99.1252-Week Range$64.13Now: $96.19▼$125.92Volume1.98 million shsAverage Volume2.27 million shsMarket Capitalization$30.22 billionP/E Ratio8.06Dividend Yield2.29%Beta0.84 ProfileAnalyst RatingsAdvanced ChartCompetitorsDividendEarningsFinancialsInsider TradesInstitutional OwnershipHeadlinesOptions ChainSEC FilingsSocial Media The Allstate Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty, and other insurance products in the United States and Canada. The company operates through Allstate Protection, Service Businesses, Allstate Life, and Allstate Benefits segments. The Allstate Protection segment offers private passenger auto and homeowners insurance; specialty auto products, including motorcycle, trailer, motor home, and off-road vehicle insurance; other personal lines products, such as renter, condominium, landlord, boat, umbrella, and manufactured home insurance; and commercial lines products under the Allstate, Esurance, and Encompass brand names. The Service Businesses segment provides consumer electronics and appliance protection plans covering TVs, smartphones, and computers; device and mobile data collection services, analytics and customer risk assessment solutions, and telematics services; roadside assistance services, such as towing, jump-start, lockout, fuel delivery, and tire change services; and vehicle service contracts, guaranteed asset protection waivers, road hazard tire and wheel protection, and paintless dent repair protection services under the SquareTrade, Arity, Allstate Roadside Services, and Allstate Dealer Services brands. The Allstate Life Segment offers term, whole, interest-sensitive, and variable life insurance products, as well as non-proprietary retirement product solutions offered by third-party providers. Its Allstate Benefits segment provides life, accident, critical illness, short-term disability, and other health insurance products. The company sells its products through agencies, as well as directly through contact centers and Internet; and financial specialists, brokers, relationships with wholesale partners, and affinity groups. The Allstate Corporation was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois.Read More Beat the Market (BTM) Rank™ 3.3 Analyst's Opinion Consensus RatingAllstate has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.67, and is based on 8 buy ratings, 6 hold ratings, and no sell ratings.Price Target Upside/DownsideAccording to analysts' consensus price target of $114.86, Allstate has a potential upside of 19.4% from its current price of $96.19.Amount of Analyst CoverageAllstate has been the subject of 5 research reports in the past 90 days, demonstrating strong analyst interest in this stock. Previous Next 2.9 Community Rank Outperform VotesAllstate has received 883 "outperform" votes. (Add your "outperform" vote.)Underperform VotesAllstate has received 638 "underperform" votes. (Add your "underperform" vote.)Community SentimentAllstate has received 58.05% "outperform" votes from our community.MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Allstate and other stocks. Vote "Outperform" if you believe ALL will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote "Underperform" if you believe ALL will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next 3.3 Dividend Strength Dividend YieldAllstate pays a meaningful dividend of 2.29%, higher than the bottom 25% of all stocks that pay dividends.Dividend GrowthAllstate has been increasing its dividend for 9 years.Dividend CoverageThe dividend payout ratio of Allstate is 20.71%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%.Dividend SustainabilityBased on earnings estimates, Allstate will have a dividend payout ratio of 19.32% next year. This indicates that Allstate will be able to sustain or increase its dividend. Previous Next 1.0 Company Ownership Insider Buying vs. Insider SellingIn the past three months, Allstate insiders have sold more of their company's stock than they have bought. Specifically, they have bought $0.00 in company stock and sold $67,275,235.00 in company stock.Percentage Held by InsidersOnly 1.80% of the stock of Allstate is held by insiders.Percentage Held by Institutions76.53% of the stock of Allstate is held by institutions. High institutional ownership can be a signal of strong market trust in this company. Previous Next 1.9 Earnings and Valuation Earnings GrowthEarnings for Allstate are expected to grow by 2.19% in the coming year, from $10.94 to $11.18 per share.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. the MarketThe P/E ratio of Allstate is 8.06, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the market average P/E ratio of about 16.05.Price to Earnings Ratio vs. SectorThe P/E ratio of Allstate is 8.06, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the Finance sector average P/E ratio of about 15.89.Price to Earnings Growth RatioAllstate has a PEG Ratio of 1.15. PEG Ratios above 1 indicate that a company could be overvalued.Price to Book Value per Share RatioAllstate has a P/B Ratio of 1.31. P/B Ratios below 3 indicates that a company is reasonably valued with respect to its assets and liabilities. Previous Next Analyst Opinion: 3.3Community Rank: 2.9Dividend Strength: 3.3Insider Behavior: 1.0Valuation: 1.9 5 -4 -3 -2 -1 -Overall Beat the Market Rank™2.49 out of 5 stars Industry, Sector and Symbol Stock Exchange NYSE Industry Fire, marine, & casualty insurance Sub-IndustryProperty & Casualty Insurance SectorFinance Current SymbolNYSE:ALL Previous Symbol CUSIP02000210 CIK899051 Webwww.allstate.com Phone847-402-5000Debt Debt-to-Equity Ratio0.30 Current Ratio0.31 Quick Ratio0.31Price-To-Earnings Trailing P/E Ratio8.06 Forward P/E Ratio8.79 P/E Growth1.15 Sales & Book Value Annual Sales$44.68 billion Price / Sales0.68 Cash Flow$13.84 per share Price / Cash Flow6.95 Book Value$73.31 per share Price / Book1.31Profitability EPS (Most Recent Fiscal Year)$10.43 Net Income$4.85 billion Net Margins9.38% Return on Equity17.53% Return on Assets3.38%Miscellaneous Employees46,290 Outstanding Shares314,120,000Market Cap$30.22 billion Next Earnings Date8/4/2020 (Confirmed) OptionableOptionable $96.19 +1.80 (+1.91 %) (As of 08/3/2020 04:00 PM ET) 30 days | 90 days | 365 days | Advanced Chart Receive ALL News and Ratings via Email Sign-up to receive the latest news and ratings for ALL and its competitors with MarketBeat's FREE daily newsletter. Allstate (NYSE:ALL) Frequently Asked Questions How has Allstate's stock been impacted by COVID-19 (Coronavirus)? Allstate's stock was trading at $92.77 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, ALL stock has increased by 3.7% and is now trading at $96.19. View which stocks have been most impacted by Coronavirus. Do Wall Street analysts recommend investors buy shares of Allstate? 15 Wall Street analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Allstate in the last year. There are currently 6 hold ratings, 8 buy ratings and 1 strong buy rating for the stock, resulting in a consensus recommendation of "Buy." View analyst ratings for Allstate. When is Allstate's next earnings date? Allstate is scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings announcement on Tuesday, August 4th 2020. View our earnings forecast for Allstate. How were Allstate's earnings last quarter? Allstate Corp (NYSE:ALL) announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, May, 5th. The insurance provider reported $3.54 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.92 by $0.62. The insurance provider had revenue of $9.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $9.64 billion. Allstate had a return on equity of 17.53% and a net margin of 9.38%. Allstate's revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.30 earnings per share. View Allstate's earnings history. How often does Allstate pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for Allstate? Allstate declared a quarterly dividend on Thursday, July 16th. Investors of record on Friday, August 28th will be given a dividend of $0.54 per share on Thursday, October 1st. This represents a $2.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.25%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 27th. View Allstate's dividend history. What price target have analysts set for ALL? 15 brokerages have issued twelve-month price objectives for Allstate's shares. Their forecasts range from $101.00 to $135.00. On average, they expect Allstate's share price to reach $114.86 in the next year. This suggests a possible upside of 19.4% from the stock's current price. View analysts' price targets for Allstate. Has Allstate been receiving favorable news coverage? News coverage about ALL stock has trended somewhat positive this week, according to InfoTrie Sentiment Analysis. The research group identifies negative and positive media coverage by analyzing more than six thousand news and blog sources in real-time. The firm ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of negative five to positive five, with scores nearest to five being the most favorable. Allstate earned a daily sentiment score of 1.8 on InfoTrie's scale. They also assigned media headlines about the insurance provider a news buzz of 0.0 out of 10, meaning that recent media coverage is extremely unlikely to have an impact on the stock's share price in the next several days. View the latest news about Allstate. Who are some of Allstate's key competitors? Some companies that are related to Allstate include Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), Progressive (PGR), Travelers Companies (TRV), Markel (MKL), Cincinnati Financial (CINF), Arch Capital Group (ACGL), W. R. Berkley (WRB), Erie Indemnity (ERIE), Fidelity National Financial (FNF), Cna Financial (CNA), First American Financial (FAF), Old Republic International (ORI), RLI (RLI), Hanover Insurance Group (THG) and Axis Capital (AXS). View all competitors. What other stocks do shareholders of Allstate own? Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some companies that other Allstate investors own include Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), Endologix (ELGX), CA (CA), Honeywell International (HON), AT&T (T), Cisco Systems (CSCO), BlackRock (BLK), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Micron Technology (MU) and Home Depot (HD). Who are Allstate's key executives? Allstate's management team includes the following people: Mr. Thomas Joseph Wilson II, Chairman, Pres & CEO (Age 61)Mr. Mario Rizzo, Exec. VP & CFO (Age 52)Mr. Steven Emil Shebik CPA, CPA, Vice Chairman (Age 62)Mr. John Edward Dugenske C.F.A., M.B.A., CFA, Exec. VP and Chief Investment & Corp. Strategy Officer of AIC (Age 52)Mr. Glenn Thomas Shapiro, Pres of Allstate Personal Lines - Allstate Insurance Company (Age 53) What is Allstate's stock symbol? Allstate trades on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol "ALL." Who are Allstate's major shareholders? Allstate's stock is owned by a number of institutional and retail investors. Top institutional shareholders include First Trust Advisors LP (0.60%), Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. (0.56%), Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (0.52%), Prudential PLC (0.29%), Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. (0.18%) and New York State Teachers Retirement System (0.16%). Company insiders that own Allstate stock include Croker Trevor, Glenn T Shapiro, Harriet K Harty, Jesse E Merten, Judith A Sprieser, Mario Rizzo, Mary Jane Fortin, Steven E Shebik, Susan L Lees and Thomas J Wilson. View institutional ownership trends for Allstate. Which major investors are selling Allstate stock? ALL stock was sold by a variety of institutional investors in the last quarter, including Prudential PLC, Zweig DiMenna Associates LLC, MERIAN GLOBAL INVESTORS UK Ltd, Sawgrass Asset Management LLC, Railway Pension Investments Ltd, Gateway Investment Advisers LLC, Ziegler Capital Management LLC, and Mackay Shields LLC. Company insiders that have sold Allstate company stock in the last year include Jesse E Merten, Judith A Sprieser, Mario Rizzo, Steven E Shebik, Susan L Lees, and Thomas J Wilson. View insider buying and selling activity for Allstate. Which major investors are buying Allstate stock? ALL stock was purchased by a variety of institutional investors in the last quarter, including First Trust Advisors LP, Retirement Systems of Alabama, Assenagon Asset Management S.A., Gradient Investments LLC, Stack Financial Management Inc, Hexavest Inc., Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, and Swarthmore Group Inc.. View insider buying and selling activity for Allstate. How do I buy shares of Allstate? Shares of ALL can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include Vanguard Brokerage Services, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Robinhood, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab. What is Allstate's stock price today? One share of ALL stock can currently be purchased for approximately $96.19. How big of a company is Allstate? Allstate has a market capitalization of $30.22 billion and generates $44.68 billion in revenue each year. The insurance provider earns $4.85 billion in net income (profit) each year or $10.43 on an earnings per share basis. Allstate employs 46,290 workers across the globe. What is Allstate's official website? The official website for Allstate is www.allstate.com. How can I contact Allstate? Allstate's mailing address is 2775 SANDERS ROAD, NORTHBROOK IL, 60062. The insurance provider can be reached via phone at 847-402-5000 or via email at [email protected] This page was last updated on 8/4/2020 by MarketBeat.com Staff 30 Days of MarketBeat All Access for $1.00 Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Best-in-Class Portfolio Monitoring View the latest news, buy/sell ratings, SEC filings and insider transactions for your stocks. Compare your portfolio performance to leading indices and get personalized stock ideas based on your portfolio. Stock Ideas and Recommendations Get daily stock ideas top-performing Wall Street analysts. Get short term trading ideas from the MarketBeat Idea Engine. View which stocks are hot on social media with MarketBeat's trending stocks report. Advanced Stock Screeners and Research Tools Identify stocks that meet your criteria using seven unique stock screeners. See what's happening in the market right now with MarketBeat's real-time news feed. Export data to Excel for your own analysis. Start Your Risk-Free Trial Subscription Here Questions? Get Started with MarketBeat — Read Your Daily NewsletterCheck Out My MarketBeatWatch Our Tutorial VideosAdd a Stock to Your WatchlistSet Up an Instant AlertView a Company's Profile PageView Our Financial CalendarsView Today's Analyst Ratings


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Sometimes our principles and ideals are put to test. This past January I found out exactly where the rubber meets the road, I had to put my money where my mouth is, show and prove and every other cliche you can think of.
Put up or shut up.
So my nephew and his girlfriend both suddenly became unavailable to parent their child. The reasons are not all that uncommon, but suddenly I was faced with a decision. Either take the kid myself or let him go off into foster care.
I know there are a lot of good foster parents and homes out there. But there are quite a few that are not so good either. And the idea of sending a kid off to total strangers didn't sit well with us either. My mother and I.
But my life is so different from when I began this blog. Then I had Ye Old Matey and Little Arabella and the double duo Mighty Mutts. Now, Ye Old Matey is Ye Ex Matey. Little Arabella isn't even College Arabella. She's Grown Up Living In New York with her Lesbian Girlfriend Arabella. The Mighty Mutts are both dead.
I'm back home with my mother.
I went back to school and finished an Associate's Degree and an internship. I've made several career moves since then and I finally landed a job that seems to be lasting.
The last thing I expected to be doing at this point was raising a toddler. But who am I to claim that "children need homes" and deny my own family? So, here I am, typing with a two-year-old at my knee.
It's where the rubber training pants meets the road. I hope I'm up to the challenge. Again.
Round two.
Ding ding.


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Dear Forumers:
Are there any other J-Music artists you like or listen to aside from Mika, if any? They can be any J-music artists at all (J-Pop, J-Rock, Anime, etc.). For me, the J-music artist with which I'm most familiar aside from Mika is Ayumi Hamasaki. I don't have any of her CDs but I did listen to a lot of her songs on the Internet. I also listened to a few other J-musicians such as L'arc en Ciel, Hyde, and Yuna Ito but I don't own any of their CDs (or any CDs by almost any other J-music artist for that matter).


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Bollywood debutant Sooraj Pancholi has slammed rumours of dating "Singh Is Bliing" (SIB) actress Amy Jackson.
Earlier, it was reported that Amy had personally invited Pancholi for a special screening of "SIB" and later, the two spent quality time together.
When asked about whether he is dating the actress, Pancholi told DNA: "None at all. What can I do if I am at the same venue as these girls, they take pictures of us chatting together and people decide we were together at the venue?"
Also, it was reported that Amy shifted to a new apartment, which is close to Pancholi's house in Bandra.
On this, a source told The Times of India, "She has rented an apartment in Bandra which is nowhere close to Juhu where Sooraj lives with his parents."
The actor entered Bollywood with Salman Khan's production film "Hero", which didn't do that well at the box office.
It seems Pancholi is currently not looking out for any relationship and focusing on his just-started career.
Pancholi was in a relationship with Jiah Khan, who committed suicide and reportedly blamed him for taking such an extreme step.
"I haven't dated or even interacted properly with any girl after my last relationship (with Jiah Khan). It's not that I am afraid of falling in love again. In fact, I am waiting for it to happen. But sadly, there is nobody. There has been nobody in the past three years," Pancholi told DNA.
After his past relationship, Pancholi revealed that he does not want to date anyone from the film industry.
"Right now, I'm putting in as many hours as possible to train for my next film. So I don't see any chance of love happening. In any case, I'd never date a girl from the film industry. It has to be someone not connected with the entertainment world," Pancholi said.
It may be recalled that Amy and his first Bollywood co-star Prateik Babbar's relationship story made headlines for a long time. They were so much in love that they got each other's names tattooed on their hands.
However, they hardly dated for a year after which the actress moved back to London. She returned to the film industry in 2014 with South Indian films.