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Extra Virginity, by Tom Mueller
Olive Oil's Growers, Chemists, Cooks and Crooks
A few pages into Tom Mueller's new book, "Extra Virginity," there's a funny moment when an olive oil expert holds up a bottle that's covered with dubious claims: "100 percent Italian," "cold-pressed," "extra virgin." The man shakes his head and says, perhaps with a hint of Don Rickles in his voice, "Extra virgin? What's this oil got to do with virginity? This is a whore."
The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, By Tom Mueller
These are sentences to savor. They underscore this book's project, which is to demonstrate the brazen fraud in the olive oil industry and to teach readers how to sniff out the good stuff. These are also, sad to say, among this book's few digestible lines. Earnest and sentimental from start to last, "Extra Virginity" doesn't have a shrewd or slutty bone in its body. It's an unintentional master class in how to say waxy and embalming things about fresh food.
Mr. Mueller is an American writer who lives in Italy. And not just anywhere in Italy but, his dust flap reveals, in a description that's the prose equivalent of Corinthian leather upholstery, "in a medieval stone farmhouse surrounded by olive groves in the Ligurian countryside outside of Genoa."
"Extra Virginity" grew out of a cogent article titled "Slippery Business" that Mr. Mueller wrote about olive oil in 2007 for The New Yorker, and his book is filled with information mindful eaters will wish to have. In this regard "Extra Virginity" is another reminder of why subpar nonfiction is so much better than subpar fiction. With nonfiction at least you can learn something.
The news Mr. Mueller brings about extra virgin olive oil — E.V.O.O., as Rachael Ray likes to put it — is alarming. The liquid that gets passed off as such in supermarkets and restaurants is often anything but. Shady dealers along the supply chain frequently adulterate olive oil with low-grade vegetable oils and add artificial coloring.
Mr. Mueller cites an Italian producer who suggests that 50 percent of the olive oil sold in America is, to some degree, fraudulent. The Food and Drug Administration considers this adulteration a low priority. Grody olive oil is not killing anyone. We're talking about a first-world problem here. Caveat emptor.
"Extra Virginity" suggests consumers put a priority on purchasing fresh olive oil, and taste before they buy. The good stuff is peppery and alive and, sipped neat, can make you cough. In the same way that many Americans have never tasted real maple syrup, not believing Aunt Jemima would do them wrong, many have no idea olive oil can be anything but a urine-colored and musty butter substitute.
Mr. Mueller spends time with olive growers, with chemists, with cooks and with crooks. His history lessons are never less than interesting. He explains how olive oil was a driving force of life in the Mediterranean, a source of wealth and power. "A jug of olive oil on the dinner table," he writes, "marked the triumph of Roman cuisine over barbarian beer and lard."
The Greeks anointed their athletes with olive oil, which could be rather sexy. Mr. Mueller quotes Tom Scanlon, a classics professor at the University of California, Riverside, who says: "The oil on a gleaming, tanned, healthy body was a literally 'flashy' adornment. Oil heightened the body's erotic charge, and encouraged male same-sex desire and pederasty, first in Sparta, then throughout the Greek world."
Thomas Jefferson was among the first Americans to champion olive oil. He saw to it, Mr. Mueller writes, "that an olive branch, heavy with fruit, was placed in the talons of the eagle on the Great Seal of the United States." Mario Puzo, in "The Godfather," modeled Vito Corleone after a criminal olive oil boss named Joseph Profaci. Puzo even gave Corleone his own olive oil business, Genco Pura, as a front company.
For all its provocative bits Mr. Mueller's book feels unctuous — oil coated — right from the start. It is packed with so many heroic artisans and sentimental peasants that it feels like a dinner theater production of "Fiddler on the Roof" or a canvas by Thomas Kinkade, the "painter of light."
One man here has a "hint of wonder in his voice." Another "laughed, high-pitched and merrily." A woman has "almond-shaped eyes that seem to look straight into your soul." This same woman has "a twinkle in her eye." Throughout, it is as if we are reading about elves.
Olive oil brings out Mr. Mueller's inner Windham Hill pianist. Olive oil reveals, he suggests, people's "secret passions and dreams." He speaks of its "sacred and mythic dimensions." He writes about one producer: "Alissa Mattei is another person olive oil has touched, bringing out her inner contradictions."
Mr. Mueller uses the words "wondrous" and "wondrously" in back-to-back sentences. A misdemeanor, but a telling one. When he inhales the scent of fresh oil, he reports that he has "aromas and aromatics dancing like angels in my nose."
There's a second funny moment in "Extra Virginity" when a Swiss agronomist explains, succinctly, what great olive oil will make a person do. It will make you, he says, "get down on your knees" like a Baptist preacher and shout out a word that's not printable in a family newspaper.
That hollered obscenity reminds you that where there's a flask of olive oil, you also pray to find some vinegar.


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At Digital Telecom Airtime Limited we pride ourselves on our customer support. If you need any help whatsoever please do not hesitate to contact us.
How long will it take for a new line to be installed?
Install time will vary based on many things. Analogue lines and ISDN2 lines it will take approximately 1-2 weeks to install, ISDN30's vary but it will usually be at least a month to install. All line installs are subject to BT Openreach engineer availability and any additional work such as site surveys.
How long will it take to transfer my lines?
It normally takes at least 2 full weeks to transfer a service from another provider. Some providers however do not utilities BT lines so it then means we have to port the number which can take 1-2months in some cases. Once an order is placed to transfer (or port) a line we will email you and inform you of the date your services will switch to us.
How long will it take to fix my fault?
All faults are different and as such, giving fix timescales is extremely difficult to do. You can minimise the time it takes for BT Openreach to respond to any fault we log with them by increasing your care level on your line. All BT lines have care levels, even the ones in your home, the cheaper (or free care levels) tend to have a longer response time which may mean your line may be down a few days before BT Openreach can allocate an engineer, the more expensive care levels offer a much greater response time.
|Care Level
Analogue = FREE
*Only available on Residential Lines
Analogue = FREE
*Only free on Business Analogue, ISDN2 and ISDN30 Lines
|Analogue = CHARGABLE
|Reported by 12.59 – response by 23.59.59 same day or the day of the appointment where later.
Example: Reported after 13.00 – response by 12.59.59 next day (Monday – Sunday including Public and Bank Holidays)*
|Analogue = CHARGABLE
6hr response round the clock, 365 days a year. Rare instances may occur where BT do not believe it to be a line fault at diagnostic level and so will not send an engineer within 6hrs.
Call us on 01204 575 652 to discuss the best option for you.
What broadband speed am I getting?
Broadband speeds can be affected by multiple factors, if you experiencing slow broadband speeds, please visit http://speedtest.btwholesale.com (if it loads of course!) and follow the steps, also consider taking some screenshots of the speed tests by pressing the PRTSCN key on your keyboard and then pasting the image into a Word document for your records. If the speed test indicates the speeds you should be getting (we can help you with this if you aren't sure). If the speed tests show the correct speeds for what you should be getting and your broadband is still slow, its likely to be a problem with your Router, Cables or your Computer.
I can receive calls but I can't make outbound calls
It will depend on what sound or error message you get when you try to make a call.
Here are a few examples of common error messages:
|Error Message
|What it means
|"Sorry, there is a fault"
|Most commonly associated with a genuine BT fault, if we know this is the message you are getting, we can usually get BT to fix it much quicker.
|"You are not registered to use this service"
|A common issue associated with outbound calls. If you hear this, try dialling 1280 (no leading zero) before your number, if this works, let us know, we can arrange for the service to be fixed and in the interim until the fault is fixed, you will be able to call using the 1280 prefix. NOTE: if you dial 9 to get an outside line you will need to still dial this, for example: 9 1280 01204 575 652
|"Telephone number xxxxx has been changed to xxxxx"
|This indicates the owner of the line you are calling has ceased the line and changed it to a new number. Most likely, the owner has moved address. You would need to hang up and redial the new number.

subset: commoncrawl


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A new collaboration between '47 Brand, Hombre Nino and United Arrow & Sons brings a fashion-forward, contemporary twist to MLB team apparel.
Designers YOPPI of Hombre Nino and Poggy of... Read More »
Fanatics teamed up with legendary hop hip group Run-DMC, to design a line of fan apparel that fuses fashion and music and sports. The exclusive "RUN-CTY" collection ranges from... Read More »
Though their personal style is distinctly different, Victor Cruz and Russell Westbrook have both been lauded among the top-dressers in their sports and beyond. Vanity Fair has released its 2016 International Best... Read More »
Following his college football career at Ohio State, Braxton Miller embarked on both football and fashion endeavors. The Houston Texans wide receiver was quickly tapped as an ambassador for luxe Swiss fashion... Read More »
Alyssa Milano has expanded her vast range of Touch By AM offerings, with the debut of a new NFL Maternity line of apparel. Touch By AM features fan fashions... Read More »
Hillflint is changing the college fashion game, with an array of sweaters styles that are equal parts sporty and sophisticated. Reminiscent of early Ivy League designs, the apparel is... Read More »
Fashion and sports have proven to be a winning combination for Carl Banks. The former New York Giants linebacker and president of G-III sports has developed a successful range of... Read More »
Since partnering with the brand in 2011, Tom Brady continues his role as UGG Men's ambassador, with the launch of an updated campaign. For Fall '16, Brady is joined... Read More »
Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler, was tapped as the first brand ambassador for Bonobos. The menswear company launched its new campaign with Butler on September 12. The spot, dubbed... Read More »
Following the launch of successful MLB and collegiate collections of handbags and accessories, Dooney & Bourkey has expanded its sports resume to include the NFL, as a new set... Read More »


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Discovering New Monitoring Use Cases
by Augusto Barros | November 6, 2015 | 5 Comments
We've been thinking about the multiple processes around monitoring use cases for our next research project. This week, the focus was on the use case discovery process. So you have the ability/technology to implement use cases; but how to find out which ones?
As Anton explained in his post, the process is a mix of compliance regulations mining, threat and risk assessments, etc. The use cases are then assessed and prioritized from a relevance and "doability" point view. But exploring this a bit further, what kind of use cases we can get? It seems that they would be classified in three big buckets:
- Control Oriented Use Cases: those use cases required as a control from a framework or other regulatory document, such as PCI DSS. The use case can be the control itself (such as "investigate all unauthorized access attempts") or a way to demonstrate a control presence or effectiveness (denied events, antivirus signature update events, etc).
- Threat Oriented Use Cases: the UCs implemented to identify a specific threat or threat actor. Those are the use cases where you try to find activities related specific sources and destinations (that content you're getting from your Threat Intelligence provider?) or specific activities related to Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs). Lots of interesting stuff to look for here: network events similar to C&C activity, executables running from user profile folders, DLL injection attempts, crazy stuff detected by the malware sandbox, etc.
- Asset Oriented Use Cases: We know a lot of malicious activity we want to detect, but hopefully you also want to know about activities touching specific data assets – payment card data, for example. Those are the UCs looking at events from DLP systems, File Integrity or Activity Monitoring or even business applications.
It is expected to have use cases from all those buckets; it doesn't make sense to "select" one of those as the right one. If you are only putting in UCs from one of those it might be time to stop and think if you really shouldn't be doing anything else related to the other two.
We are having a lot of fun finding ways to "slice and dice" use cases and use case selection and development processes. As usual, another call to action: Let us know how you select (and classify) monitoring use cases!
Additional Resources
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Category: siem-and-log-management threat-detection
Tags: siem use-cases
Thoughts on Discovering New Monitoring Use Cases
Great concept. I would argue that we could also consider a fourth bucket, perhaps called the "Operations Bridge Oriented Use Cases". These would be the use cases related to the impact of an organization's operational practices on security posture/practices. How is the execution (or not…) of the change management process affecting security results? How does the cadence of IT operations align with the pace of security-specific events? How costly is it – in terms of operational complexity – to implement specific security initiatives or controls?
Basically, leveraging the SIEM platform to inform not only on the state of security controls within the organization, but on the maturity and operation of the security program itself.
I think the strength of detection is in the correlation between these three use case categories. So this should also be a part of the selection process or at least some thing to keep in mind.
[…] Discovering New Monitoring Use Cases […]
[…] Discovering New Monitoring Use Cases […]
[…] use case content, but DO rank them by means of your risk/threat assessment, compliance, etc – see this for details! Also, link the use cases you keep to your security operations processes, such as alert triage […]
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The Informant!
Sept. 18, Warner Bros.
When he's not making Ocean's Eleven sequels, filmmaker Steven Soderbergh reinvents himself. Whether wading into the jungle for the 4 1/2 -hour epic Che, or going out on a limb to give hardcore porn star Sasha Grey a starring role in indie flick The Girlfriend Experience, Soderbergh is not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Still, neither of those movies, nor The Good German, lit the box office on fire. In order to fund his more artistic endeavors, Soderbergh has to score with the occasional studio movie starring some award-winning A-list actor. That's The Informant!, starring Matt Damon as a corn industry whistleblower. His performance is getting serious awards buzz this year, and may carry The Informant! to box-office success despite the darkness of its comedy. Soderbergh surely hopes so; his future plans for challenging films may be at stake. Google "Soderbergh, Moneyball" for proof.
Jennifer's Body
Sept. 18, Fox Atomic
After winning an Oscar for writing Juno, Diablo Cody saw her chance to breathe new life into a genre that was running out of fresh ideas. High school-set horror comedy Jennifer's Body represents a chance to establish herself as a screenwriting brand, and to prove she's not a one-hit wonder.
Transformers pin-up Megan Fox plays the titular cheerleader, who's turned into a bloodthirsty demon by a Satan-worshipping rock band. The adorable and talented Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!) inherits the role of Jennifer's nerdy best friend from Ellen Page (who dropped out of the movie), and the film's redband trailer features Juno-style witty quips ("Nice hardware, Ace"). But striking the right tone for this genre may be difficult for Cody to pull off, even with director Karyn Kusama (tough-chick films Girlfight and Aeon Flux) at the helm.
Sept. 25, Disney
With the exception of the ill-advised sequel Live Free or Die Hard, Bruce Willis hasn't been the star of a live-action movie since the forgettable 16 Blocks in 2006. Since then, Willis has done a number of supporting roles in movies both big and small, but Surrogates will be the first real test of his leading-man appeal in years.
This futuristic tale about a cop investigating a series of surrogate (i.e. robot) murders looks like an intriguing mash-up of Strange Days, Minority Report and I, Robot. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's written and directed by the same guys who brought you Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Between this and Kevin Smith's next movie, Willis is on the comeback trail, but he'd better hope audiences come down with a case of 12 Monkeys-like movie amnesia before they enter the theater.
Capitalism: A Love Story
Oct. 2, Overture
It's been two years since Oscar winner Michael Moore released Sicko and the lesser-seen Captain Mike Across America, but the incendiary provocateur couldn't return to theaters at a more appropriate time. In Capitalism: A Love Story, Moore sets his sights on the U.S. economy and the global financial crisis during the transition from President Bush to President Obama.
Not much is known about the movie, but expect Moore to ask tough questions of important people and to push some government buttons in the process. Moore says this may be his last documentary for a while, so he'll have to make it count if he wants to end this phase of his career on a high note.
Whip It
Oct. 9, Fox Searchlight
After opting out of Jennifer's Body, Oscar-nominated actress Ellen Page made a bold decision to star in Whip It, Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, which follows a beauty pageant-averse misfit who joins a roller derby league in Austin, Texas.
Adapted from Shauna Cross' novel Derby Girl, this tale of teenage-rebellion-on-wheels boasts some great choreography and a hip soundtrack, and co-stars Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis and Barrymore herself, with Jimmy Fallon as the league's cheesy, hung-over announcer.
Barrymore has a solid track record as a producer but she's unproven as a director, so it remains unclear whether Page made the right decision to walk away from a more commercial movie and the creative team that made her a star.
An Education
Oct. 9, Sony Pictures Classics
This Sundance sensation from director Lone Scherfig and writer Nick Hornby, who adapts Lynn Barber's coming-of-age memoir, is generating major Oscar buzz thanks to newcomer Carey Mulligan.
An Education follows Mulligan as a teenage girl growing up in 1960s suburban London. Her life changes after she meets a charming older man, played by Peter Sarsgaard, who teaches her about life and sweeps her off her Oxford-bound feet. Emma Thompson co-stars as the headmistress of the girl's school, while Alfred Molina plays her disapproving father.
Mulligan has a bright future ahead of her, but an Oscar nomination could boost her career to another level (think Marion Cotillard) and establish her as a leading lady in Hollywood for years to come.
Where the Wild Things Are
Oct. 16, Warner Bros.
Spike Jonze's adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book has suffered through as tortured a development as any in recent Hollywood history. To give you an idea of how long this film has been in the works, there was a teaser trailer attached to prints of The Grinch in 2000.
That said, Where the Wild Things Are looks amazing. Jonze lined up the voices of Forest Whitaker, James Gandolfini and Catherine O'Hara as the Wild Things, newcomer Max Records as the young protagonist Max, and Catherine Keener and Mark Ruffalo as Max's mother and her boyfriend. And the whimsical production design does an incredible job of establishing a live-action new world.
Yet this is an undeniably challenging story for Jonze and screenwriter Dave Eggers to adapt. Jonze hasn't directed a feature film since Adaptation in 2002, and the pressure is on him to live up to his reputation and deliver a timeless hit for fans of the book.
The Box
Nov. 6, Warner Bros.
Writer-director Richard Kelly's debut, Donnie Darko, showed real promise, but his follow-up, Southland Tales, was a major disappointment. Now he puts his studio-system future on the line with The Box.
Based on Richard Matheson's short story Button, Button, which was previously adapted as a Twilight Zone episode, The Box stars Cameron Diaz and James Marsden as a married couple who are visited by a disfigured man (Frank Langella) with a box. Inside the box, there's a button. If they press that button, they will receive a million dollars ... and someone that they do not know will die.
That's the premise of this creepy, '70s-set thriller, and it provides a solid moral dilemma to test its characters. Here's hoping Marsden's acting chops are up to the challenge, and Diaz rediscovers her movie-star mojo. If nothing else, The Box will be full of surprises, including 80 minutes of original music that members of Arcade Fire recorded for the film's score.
A Christmas Carol
Nov. 6, Disney
Robert Zemeckis has spent most of the last decade experimenting with motion-capture technology, first with The Polar Express, and most recently with Beowulf. Zemeckis' efforts culminate with A Christmas Carol, which finds the writer-director putting some new twists on the Charles Dickens classic. The Victorian-era tale stars Jim Carrey (making his Disney debut as Ebenezer Scrooge) and Gary Oldman in four and three roles, respectively, as well as past Zemeckis collaborators Robin Wright Penn (Beowulf) and Bob Hoskins (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?).
The Polar Express was a megahit with audiences, but Beowulf didn't quite slay the box office dragon: It took in only $82 million domestically despite a reported budget of $150 million. If A Christmas Carol doesn't connect with audiences, Zemeckis may want to consider a return to live-action filmmaking, which he, pardon the pun, Cast Away back in 2000.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Nov. 13, Fox
Using stop-motion animation, writer-director Wes Anderson adapts Roald Dahl's book, following a family of foxes forced to fend off a group of angry farmers tired of sharing their chickens.
Anderson will have help from the voices of George Clooney and Meryl Streep, as well as those of usual collaborators Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson and Bill Murray. Fantastic Mr. Fox looks as Wes Anderson as any of Anderson's live-action movies, and the quirky filmmaker's comic sensibility may be the perfect match for the material. That said, there are several animated movies coming out this fall, and this one may not be as "kid-friendly" as 9, Astro Boy, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs or Planet 51.
Click here for the complete Fall Arts Preview 2009 table of contents!


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5 NFL Facts to Know for Week 11
We didn't see Ben Roethlisberger throw for six touchdowns in three consecutive games, but we did see a six-touchdown performance from a quarterback for the third straight week.
Aaron Rodgers had a feast Sunday evening against the Bears, and he only played two series into the third quarter. Rodgers didn't get pulled due to injury – it just happened to be 42 to 0 at that point in the game, so it wasn't necessary for Rodgers to keep playing.
Some were disappointed to see Rodgers leave, as he could have had a great chance to throw eight touchdowns in a game, breaking a record set last year. But there were still some records broken. Let's start this week's article with a look what Rodgers accomplished.
There's No Place Like Home
Coming in to the game, Rodgers shared a record with Peyton Manning and Brett Favre - all three have thrown 20 touchdown passes without an interception when playing at home. Thanks to his six touchdowns, Rodgers firmly holds this record; and some of those six touchdowns were significant as well.
One of Rodgers' touchdown passes included a 56-yard catch and run by Eddie Lacy. It was Rodgers' third 40-yard touchdown pass of the game, tying former Packers' quarterback Cecil Isbell's mark from 1942.
The 73-yard bomb to Jordy Nelson was Rodgers 16th touchdown pass of 70 or more yards in his career, breaking another record he shared with Favre and Manning. Nelson later nabbed another touchdown pass that was 40-plus yards, giving him five such touchdown receptions on the season; the next closest has only three.
For Rodgers' final touchdown of the game, Randall Cobb made a spectacular one-handed grab right before halftime. With that catch, Cobb tied former Packer Sterling Sharpe's record of scoring a touchdown in six consecutive games.
Rodgers now has 18 or more fantasy points in 6 straight contests, and will face a Philadelphia team this week that's allowed the fourth-most points to fantasy quarterbacks this year.
Don't Forget About Seattle
Despite all the accolades for the Packers, we can't just focus on them. If the playoffs began today, the Packers could be sitting at home instead of playing in the playoffs due to the Eagles win on Monday night. The Packers and their fans can thank the Seahawks' victory in Week 1 for that, as they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker.
It won't be easy to surpass the Seahawks if they run over everyone else like they ran all over the Giants this past weekend. Marshawn Lynch had a monster game after having a few duds and became the 19th player to rush for 4 touchdowns and 140 or more yards in a game.
Joining him in destroying the Giants rush defense was Russell Wilson. Wilson's 107 rushing yards gave him three 100-plus yard games on the season. Since the merger, Michael Vick is the only other quarterback to have three 100-plus rushing yards in a game. The defending champs won't be quietly going into the night, that's for certain.
Battle Royale in the AFC North
Is the AFC North the toughest division in the NFL right now? The Browns and Bengals are 20th and 24th in our power rankings, but the Steelers come in at 14th. And, despite being fourth in their division, the Ravens are fifth according to the rankings. Records aren't everything, but in this case, this division does have something rare going on.
The AFC North is the first division in which every team is at least 2 games over .500 since the 1935 Western Division pic.twitter.com/wvarcOjYoM— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) November 10, 2014
Cincinnati is the only team without six wins within the division, and could have had a chance at six if not for the tie against Carolina. However, thanks to sweeping the Ravens, they have the best division record at 2-1. But three divisional games in their final four weeks of the season could prove to be brutal.
Thanks to beating the Bengals, the Browns now sit atop of the division but only have a 22.3% chance to win the division. They had mixed results against the Steelers and lost a close one to the Ravens on their way to a 2-2 divisional record. Weeks 15 and 17 will be pivotal for the entire division.
Night and Day Difference
The Steelers may be a part of the toughest division in the NFL, but if Roethlisberger and company wouldn't have had such a horrid game in Week 10, they could have a half-game lead over the Browns right now. The loss to the Jets isn't all on Roethlisberger's shoulders, as the defense gave up two first quarter touchdowns. But four turnovers won't help anything.
How bad was Roethlisberger? Despite 343 yards, Big Ben only managed one touchdown late in the game to Martavis Bryant. Roethlisberger threw two interceptions and only contributed 2.47 Passing Net Expected Points (NEP), one-tenth of his contributions through the air in Week 9. Roethlisberger's Passing NEP from Week 10 was also his third-worst performance of the year.
Touchdown Futility
Le'Veon Bell scored his only rushing touchdown on the season in Week 1. LeGarrette Blount also scored a rushing touchdown in Week 1 and tacked on another in Week 3. But since the Steelers' pass-to-run ratio has increased since Week 3 (1.36 to 1.54), they have not scored a rushing touchdown in their last seven games.
But the Steelers aren't the only team experiencing a lack of touchdowns at a position. The Kansas City Chiefs are in a similar boat, as no Chiefs wide receiver has caught a touchdown. It's not a lack of production from the offense though - it's more of a lack of talent at the position.
Tight end Travis Kelce has been a legitimate threat for the Chiefs, contributing 41.34 Target NEP and 47.13 Reception NEP to go along with his 4 touchdowns on the year. Even Anthony Fasano, Jamaal Charles, and Joe McKnight have caught two touchdown passes.
But "main" wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has no touchdown catches, and only a 44.49 Reception NEP (31st among all receivers) and 27.96 Target NEP (19th). With other - better - options around for Alex Smith, it's no wonder a wide receiver has yet to catch a touchdown for the Chiefs.


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Shipping costs are Australia Post costs per order. Orders are insured and must be signed for on delivery.
Exact costs will be sent to you prior to despatch. Certain oversized items, i.e playground equipment, toy boxes & furniture, doll houses, castles and trikes may be charged at higher rates.
Return Policy
Purchase of incorrect item – Items being returned must be forwarded within 7 days of being shipped. Items must not have broken packaging or be damaged in any way. An exchange will be given under these conditions.
Purchase of faulty item – All goods are considered to be in working order when they leave the premises. If fault occurs : phone 02 4952 1822 to report the problem within 7 days. Refund or exchange of goods will be dependent upon the date of purchase.


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Grand Giver Program
Grand Givers are our Cornerstones of Love
When difficulties arise in the life of a child, focus often narrows to the things that matter most: things like home and family. The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Intermountain Area (RMHC) is to surround families with the support they need to be near and care for their seriously ill or injured children – such as providing a place to call home while their child receives life-saving medical treatment at a local hospital and staying together as a family.
It is through the support of our generous community that we are able to help families hold on to precious time together. Our Cornerstones of Love Grand Giver Program is comprised of a special group of individuals who make a personal annual direct gift of $1,000 or greater to ensure that the doors of the Ronald McDonald House remain open to all who need our services, now and in the future. Grand Givers are undoubtedly the cornerstone of love for thousands of families each year; coming together with a shared vision and determination to better our community. As a Grand Giver to RMHC you are the foundation of our work – you provide the profound, immediate support that makes our day-to-day programming possible and directly impacts families in need.
Join the Grand Giver Program today!
We invite you to participate as a Grand Giver at one of these levels of giving:
- $10,000 Heart of Compassion
- $5,000 Heart of Hope
- $2,500 Heart of Comfort
- $1,000 Heart of the Home
Please view the Grand Giver Brochure for a complete listing of giving levels and benefits of being a Cornerstones of Love Grand Giver. Donations can be made in one lump sum or through monthly, quarterly or bi-annual installments, as well as an annual reoccurring gift. Your contribution will help to ease daily burdens and empower families of hospitalized children with meaningful experiences and quality time together.
Appreciation Dinner
Grand Givers are invited to join us for fine wine and great cuisine at an exclusive Cornerstones of Love Grand Givers Toast and Appreciation Dinner on October at La Caille. The entire evening will be underwritten, allowing us to provide the highest quality evening for our guests while ensuring your donation goes directly to support the families served by Ronald McDonald House Charities. Invitations will be mailed in September.
Please feel free to contact Vickie at firstname.lastname@example.com or 801-363-4663 for additional information.


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When John and Jane were dating, every moment with each other was sweet and romantic. In the first year, they met up every single day, no matter how busy they were. At that time, there were no mobile phones so when they had something to say to each other, they would write letters to each other or pen what they want to say in a diary that they shared. They believed they have found their soul mate in each other, and married in 1997.
After marriage, life started to get routine. The daily drudgery of work, chores and parenting slowly weighed on them.
Being physically together sometimes caused more friction. Minor differences in their habits, expectations and needs started to irk each other. They began to spend less and less time doing things together, and lived individual lifestyles as if they were still single.
Eventually, the daily grind and the lack of satisfaction at home led John to seek comfort and excitement elsewhere. When Jane found out about his extramarital affairs, their relationship blew up right in their faces. Things got so tumultuous that they were on the brink of divorce.
Jane felt so heartbroken that the intensity of pain could not be measured. It was like stabbing a knife into her heart. How could the man who had professed and promised to love and honour her, cause her so much pain? Her dreams and hopes were shattered, and her sense of self-worth fell drastically.
In the daytime, she tried to live her life as normally as she could, but the nights were unbearable. Thoughts of suicide even crossed her mind.
John, on the other hand, felt immense guilt and shame for betraying Jane, and causing the marriage to break down. The feelings of guilt, regret and shame were so overwhelming that he attempted suicide. It was the darkest time of his life, and he was physically and emotionally drained.
Jane turned to the only thing she knew that could give her comfort – the rosary. Though she was not a Catholic then, meditating on the rosary was the only way to give her some peace during the times of trouble.
Every single day was a challenge but she did not give up praying to God, attending masses and saying the rosary. She reflected on the past and how she could have done better as a wife and partner. She finally realised that there was simply no purpose in finger pointing and self-pitying.
John was also not a Catholic. However, he sought atonement and found peace in the Church. He was determined to turn over a new leaf and save their marriage.
But with all the existing hurt and issues between them, they did not know how to go about healing their marital relationship. It was a steep uphill struggle and they felt lost and hopeless.
By God's grace, they found out about the Retrouvaille programme. It was the turning point in their broken relationship. At the weekend, they discovered the importance of forgiveness and trust in their relationship, and healing. They learnt to make decisions to love, to communicate at a deeper level, and to solve problems as a couple.
"This means that we have to take action to work on our marriage, instead of just reacting to the romantic feeling that diminishes in times of conflict. This is a daily decision to love, honour and forgive each other, making our marriage a priority."
Slowly, they rebuilt their lives and marriage. The journey was difficult in the beginning, and the progress was agonizingly slow – three steps forward and then two steps backward. There were times when they felt like it was easier to just give up.
However, with God's mercy and guidance, they found the strength to plough on. The momentum picked up, and the going became easier and easier.
Through their eventual conversion to Catholicism and their transformation after the Retrouvaille programme, they have come to realise that love is not a feeling but a verb.
John said, "This means that we have to take action to work on our marriage, instead of just reacting to the romantic feeling that diminishes in times of conflict. This is a daily decision to love, honour and forgive each other, making our marriage a priority."
Jane added, "God is now part of our marriage. He is our constant source of strength in times of conflicts. We pray daily as a family and as a couple. We seek His help in prayer and invite Him to be a part of our healing process. Love is work but we discovered that the reward is worth the effort."
They admitted that they are still working at it. They encourage couples in hurting marriages not to give up too easily God's gift of their spouses whom they held dearly at the start of their marriages, but to work together to build their relationship.
"We learnt that growth in the marriage relationship cannot come from one person doing all the pushing for growth. It takes two. As both of us take an active interest and share the responsibility, our marriage is now a source of love and joy for us and our family," said Jane.


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Credible Intervals
I know you can get the credible intervals on the inferential change score statistic (i..e that takes into account the prior information) in R, but is there a way to also get this information through JASP? While you can get the credible intervals on the descriptive statistics, these don't take into account the influence of prior knowledge. Is there a way to get the credible intervals on the differences scores for paired or unpaired t tests in JASP? Thanks in advance!
Hi danke147,
You can get the 95% credible interval if you click on "prior and posterior plot". I agree it's not optimal though. Ideally we report this in a table, and allow the user to set the %. I'll make a GitHub issue for this.


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YouGen Blog
Politics wins the day as Government waters down green levy
Posted by Cathy Debenham on 2 December 2013 at 10:41 am
The government has just announced a series of measures that it claims will reduce the average energy bill by £50, without slashing the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) which adds about £47 to every energy bill.
While we're glad that they haven't done away with ECO there's a disappointing amount of watering down that comes as part of this policy change and we think that the government should have stuck to its guns, and if anything strengthened its policy, and made it easier to access. If it were showing strong leadership it would argue the case and explain the long term benefits.
The UK has the oldest, draughtiest, coldest housing stock in Europe. The reason it's expensive to heat is that a lot of heat leaks out and is wasted. The only effective way of bringing down energy bills in the long term is to reduce the need for heat. Cutting green levies is short term political expediency and reduces the long term benefit for many.
Headlining the changes is a rebate (money from general taxation) to give a rebate of an average £12 on domestic electricity bills for two years. That takes us up to the general election giving the impression that it's more about politics than policy.
In the same time period it proposes to reduce the cost of ECO by cutting the part of it that provides support for solid wall insulation and hard to treat cavity walls by 33 per cent bringing average reductions to bills of £30-35.
While we are pleased to see that the elements of the Energy Companies Obligation aimed at low income and vulnerable households have been maintained, it is disappointing that the Carbon Emissions Reduction Obligation is being reduced. People are already finding it very difficult to get ECO for solid wall insulation, and we believe that help needs to be strengthened, rather than reduced.
Just as the feed-in tariff has helped the solar industry to develop and grow - with more people installing solar panels and massive price reductions as a result - we believe that the solid wall industry needs similar support to grow. This should encourage innovation and economies of scale so that it eventually becomes affordable without subsidy.
The government is also watering down other parts of the energy companies obligation aimed at people in fuel poverty and vulnerable communities, allowing the energy suppliers to insulate easy-to-treat cavity walls and lofts as part of their ECO targets. They are already only focusing on the easiest and cheapest measures, leaving people in expensive to heat off-gas properties without support. There is already help for householders to install loft and cavity wall insulation under the Green Deal, so it makes most sense if the ECO money is spent on the more difficult measures.
The good news is that the feed-in tariff, renewables obligation and contracts for difference remain unchanged. There are also some other welcome initiatives. In future, people could get up to £1,000 from the government to spend on energy saving measures when they buy a new home. This is traditionally a time when people make home improvements and could include energy saving improvements without extra disruption. Up to £4,000 will be available for particularly expensive measures.
The government is also introducing a scheme to support private landlords which aims to improve around 15,000 of the least energy efficient rental properties a year for three years. £90m will be spent over three years improving the energy efficiency of schools hospitals and other public sector buildings. Funds available to local authorities to support street by street programmes for hard to treat homes will increase from £20m to £80m.
Changes are also afoot to streamline and improve the green deal.
More information about ECO and the green deal on YouGen
Photo: ShutterstockBy Cathy Debenham
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On Our Bookshelf: The Hidden Curriculum
On Our Bookshelf: The Hidden Curriculum: Practical Solutions for Understanding Unstated Rules in Social Situations, by Brenda Smith Myles, Melissa Trautman, and Ronda Schelvan
Audience: Parents and caregivers of individuals with autism, Aspergers or other difficulties in social interactions
From the introduction of The Hidden Curriculum: "The hidden curriculum refers to the set of rules or guidelines that are often not directly taught but are assumed to be known. The hidden curriculum contains items that impact social interactions, school performance, and sometimes safety. The hidden curriculum also includes idioms, metaphors, and slang – things most people "just pick up" or lean through observation or subtle cues, including body language."
Many children on the autism spectrum find it hard to understand the hidden curriculum that peers seem to naturally follow. For example, young adults will typically speak more formally to a grandparent, while they may use more "colorful" language around peers. During an elementary school band concert, most children will not proclaim loudly their opinion that the musicians sound horrible. While everyone in the audience may indeed be thinking the same thing, the hidden curriculum protocol for this situation is to sit quietly and congratulate the musicians on their hard work, rather than offer a critique. Many of our culture's social expectations depend on the context at hand: it may be appropriate to greet a favorite cousin with a fist bump at the park, but not at a funeral. These concepts are typically not directly taught, and the majority of children will follow along, or respond to subtle cues, such as a parent pursing their lips and raising their eyebrows to indicate disapproval. Children on the autism spectrum have difficulty noticing and interpreting these types of social cues. They require more specific lessons regarding the hidden curriculum.
The Hidden Curriculum offers parents and caregivers a look into the complexity of social protocols, and presents lists of potential challenges in topics from personal hygiene, rules for different types of restaurants, and classroom guidelines. It also includes a list of common idioms and the meaning behind them (e.g. "You're killing me" really means to make another person laugh, not actually kill them).
Available from major booksellers and the Autism Asperger Publishing Company.


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I know, I know. Where have I/we been? It's been so long since I last posted to my blog and I feel horrible about that. Please forgive me. I'm going to try and write a little more regularly. I don't know how often that would be, but I am certainly going to try and post weekly, not weakly, but weekly.
So, here's what's new with us.
Kristi and I had an amazing trip to Israel in March 2012 and I want to say thank you to those of you who supported us financially to go on this trip. It was truly an amazing experience and one that has changed my life greatly. If you've never been to Israel, please try to make a trip there. You'll see so many of the places that you've read about in your Bible, but they come to life in an amazing way.
Between Kristi and I, we took 1,000 pictures and it was just incredible to be there. We went to Caesarea, stayed in Tiberias for a few days going to Chorazin, Gadera, Capernaum and had an amazing boat ride on the Sea of Galilee too.
We went to Qumran, the Dead See, Jericho, Bethlehem, Mosada and then the last few days of our trip was spent in Jerusalem, visiting the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, Caiaphas' house, the Western Wall the Old City of Jerusalem too.
The coffee there was phenomenal and had hummus for the first time there too. I was even able to practice reading and speaking a little bit of Hebrew while there too. Only a little.
Our guide for the trip, my Old Testament professor, Dr. R. Bryan Widbin was such a great guide for the trip. I was blessed to have him as a teacher in seminary and he was an even greater blessing as a teacher in Israel.
Well, to start, Kristi and I welcomed our son, Kaleb Thomas into the world on June 18th and our little guy was 8 lbs. 10oz. too. He was born via C-section because his body was upright and not upside down as the baby was supposed to be, so she had to have a C-section.
We had to be at the hospital by 9 a.m. and we thought the baby would be delivered by noon, but that didn't happen, not because of any complications on our part, but there were three other women in delivery that were experiencing complications in their natural birth and had to be moved to having a C-section performed.
It wasn't until about 3:30 p.m. when we were able to be next in line and shortly after 4 p.m., our son, Kaleb Thomas was born.
|When I came to work after Kaleb was born, I saw this sign
and it just brought me to tears. I love and miss them very much.
Once my 5 year anniversary at The Home Depot occurred, I was able to use my 3 weeks of vacation to go to Cape Cod and visit some of my cousins before we moved. It was a little bit of a family reunion too and my mother flew out from California and she would meet her grandson for the very first time, up close and personal. I was as excited for her to meet my son as I was when my father held him for the first time too. The joy that our son has brought into our lives and to our parents is just beyond words.
|Cape Cod, August 2013
It's difficult now living in Texas where many of our friends back home are only able to watch Kaleb grow up through our pictures or videos that we share on Facebook. What a blessing FaceTime and Skype have been for us too, to be able to have our parents see Kaleb live at any time and still keep in touch. It's probably time for another video call soon too.
Another new thing to share with you is that we've moved from Danbury, CT to Arlington, TX and as of September 1, 2013, I have been the pastor of Central Assembly of God here in Arlington.
Central Assembly is a small church that is located less than 5 minutes from the University of Texas at Arlington and we're minutes away from both AT&T Stadium - home of the Dallas Cowboys and the newly named Globe Life Park - home of the Texas Rangers.
Make no mistake, we're going to be Yankees fans for life. We miss going to see the Yankees play in the Bronx and in late July, we were able to get tickets to watch him play one last time as a Yankee. I can't imagine what it's going to be like when the last game of the season comes and how emotional he may be. I do hope they make the playoffs and even win the World Series, but the chase to make the Wild Card and the playoffs is getting tight and I do hope they make it. What a great way for Derek to finish off his career with another World Series championship.
This past year has been an incredible learning experience for me as a pastor too. I'm learning how important prayer is, not just once in a while, but every single day because I need it. I need to meet with God and humbly ask him for the strength I need to do this work, but I can't do it under my own strength at all. I could, but it wouldn't be worth it because when you forget that you need God's help in ministry, the ministry can become more about yourself than about ministering to people through the Word of God.
So, here I am now, a year later, having moved my family half way across the country, to the great state of Texas, to serve God and lead His people in a growing relationship through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ and to also win those who are without Christ, to Christ, so that they may grow to love Him for what He has done, to redeem them from the wrath of God.
There is still much work to be done here and it all must be bathed in prayer, relying upon the strength of the Holy Spirit, to enable me and equip me for the service of ministry that God has called me to.
So that's it in a nutshell. Stay tuned as I begin to post more regularly and I appreciate your subscription to the blog and look forward to sharing more new content with you.
Have a blessed day ya'll.


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WRITERs WORKSHOP...
The FIRST STAGE WRITERS' WORKSHOP meets the first and third TUESDAY nights of the month at 7:00 PM. Please check CALENDER.
Member WRITERS bring sections of their projects to this workshop and have them cold read by professional actors. The writers have a chance to get immediate feedback on what they have presented. Focus is on the writing, not the acting. All writers are welcome to audit this workshop before joining.
The Writers' Workshop also provides an excellent opportunity for any and all ACTORS to work on their cold reading skills.
Theater Unlimited (T. U. Studios), 10943 Camarillo Street, North Hollywood, CA


text: Focus on building trust as opposed to trying to bend and break the rules. That way, you rise above Google's often-changing rules which are getting better and better at finding people who are looking for shortcuts. If a URL is too long then it misses out on the benefit of having any keywords within it bolded, which will likely draw more attention to the user. Many people fixate on "on-page SEO" in their marketing efforts. They make sure their keywords are jammed in the copy and the internal links and silos are set up correctly. For a typical WordPress site this might take an hour or two to knock out the easy stuff. Whenever a high authority blog links to your website, Google considers it as a positive signal toward your blog. Your blog becomes more important and it gives your site a boost in search rankings. The more backlinks you have, the higher you rank on Google Search. Important elements of a website redesign oftentimes get pushed to the side when timeframes are constrained. One of the most important components of a new design project is to take time at the beginning to analyze current traffic to ensure current visitors are not lost.


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There's no easier way to increase power in the stock market. You can now leverage on your existing investment portfolio to capitalize on market opportunities and to maximize the returns on your investment.
Multiply Your Investment Power
Up to 2.5 times trading limit Need not sell existing investments or withdraw existing deposits
High Margin of Financing
Up to 60% margin of financing
Reasons why you should capitalize on our SMF packages now!
With the volatility of the stock market and not knowing when the next market boom will hit, you would need to have a ready pool of financial resources at your immediate disposal to further invest in opportunities as they roll along.
Collateral Accepted
Cash / Fixed Deposits pledged to Hong Leong Bank Acceptable quoted shares on Bursa Malaysia Unit Trust funds managed by Hong Leong Asset Management
Trading Limit
Up to a maximum of 2.5 times against Cash / Fixed Deposits Up to a maximum of 1.5 times against Shares / Hong Leong Asset Management's unit trusts
Investment Power is Multiplied
SMF loan is the only facility that gives you a higher leverage to trade shares
Non-liquidation of Assets
Existing assets do not need to be liquidated to raise capital for shares trading. Thus, it increases clients' holding powers
Flexible Repayment
No fixed repayment is required provided there is no Margin Call. Interest on outstanding balance is capitalized on a monthly basis.
Cash Drawdown
SMF loan allows you to perform a cash drawdown upon 24-hour notification
Time & Effort Savings
Hong Leong takes care of prompt payment to remisiers & saves client the hassle of ensuring payment reaches remisier on time.
Extensive List of Panel Stock Broking Partners
Wide range of panel stock broking partners to suit your investment needs.
Q: Do I have to trade with specific brokerage firms?
A: Yes. Hong Leong Bank Berhad has a list of panel broking firms to select from. You can continue to use your present remisier as long as the stock broking firm that he/she is attached to is on our panel of stockbrokers.
Q: How do I qualify for the SMF Loan Application?
A: Hong Leong Bank Berhad will evaluate each loan application based on its merits and demerits. Generally, the approval is based on applicants' personal resources, repayment capabilities, past payment patterns, legislative, collateral to be pledged and Hong Leong Bank Berhad's requirements.
Q: What are the collaterals that Hong Leong Bank Berhad accepts?
A: Hong Leong Bank Berhad accepts collateral in the form of :-
- Cash / Fixed Deposits pledged to Hong Leong Bank
- Acceptable quoted shares on Bursa Malaysia
- Unit Trust funds managed by HLGUT
Q: What documents do I need to submit to Hong Leong Bank Berhad?
A: Applicants are required to furnish the following documents:
- SMF Application Form
- Photocopy of NRIC
- Latest Form BE / Income Tax Assessment
- Salary slips (3 months)
- Banks statements (3 months)
- CDS Statement (if initial collateral is quoted shares)
- Unit Trust Statement (if initial collateral is unit trusts)
Corporate (Investment Holding Company only)
- SMF Application Form
- Business Registration
- Memorandum and Articles
- Form 9, 24, 44 & 49 and Annual Returns
- Audited Financial Statement
- Bank Statements (3 months)
- Company Profile
- Company Resolution (Stating the authorized personnel to trade on behalf of the company)
Q: How long is the approval valid for?
A: Approval is valid for 14 days. However, Hong Leong Bank Berhad reserves the rights to withdraw the loan approval and / or to vary the loan terms and conditions without prior notice.
Q: How do I make my monthly payments?
A:There are no fixed repayments as long as your margin does not breach the approved margin limit.
Q: Is there any credit limit for SMF application?
A:Yes, the minimum credit limit you may apply is RM50,000 while the maximum is RM5,000,000 per customer.
- Individual age between 21 and 65
- Malaysian or non-Malaysian residing in Malaysia with PR status


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There are many reasons to watch this trailer for Dom Hemingway, the new British dark comedy starring Jude Law and Richard E. Grant.
One might be that Jude is rocking the kind of whiskers that, in less enlightened times, would have been mockingly referred to as buggers grips (it's an unspeakable story, don't ask us to explain). Another might be Richard's rock star shades and general wastrel demeanor. Or indeed the fact that Jude strips off at one point and goes for a walk in a spinney.
But actually, the real reason is that it's a very funny trailer for what looks like a pretty funny film. And as it shares producers with the astonishing Sexy Beast (which, if you haven't seen it, you most definitely should), it has to be worth a go.
Dom Hemingway hits British theaters on November 15 (and other distribution networks afterwards).Read More


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Power is the best way to gauge training effort and therefore train effectively, and the PowerTap seems the easiest way to get that all-important information, but do we agree?
Sitting at the top of CycleOps? PowerTap range, this version features a lightweight hub, wireless connectivity to the head unit, and uses 2.4GHz data transmission to avoid information break-up. Total cost is £1,000.
Comprising nothing more than a hub and head unit, there is very little to fitting the SL 2.4, providing you have the hub built into a wheel ? a £70 additional cost when built into a Mavic Open Pro rim. The wheel works like any other and doesn?t need any form of sensor or sender to communicate with the handlebar-mounted head unit. Of course, a chest strap is supplied to give heart rate readings.
Already paired with the CPU, the chest strap and hub work from the first time you switch them on, and the set-up, date/time and wheel size can be entered either from the head unit or via your home computer ? a CD comes with the software.
It?s hard to imagine a way CycleOps could make the set-up or operation simpler; the
computer operates in a very clear and straightforward manner and displays all the relevant info. In fact, the only criticism could be directed at the size of the display, as it can be hard to see in the rain or low light conditions ? but that?s hardly a deal breaker.
Having used all of the power systems available, the PowerTap is the most user-friendly and
the 2.4 Wireless the best of the best. There may be more expensive options, but after just one ride, the SL 2.4 is clearly the best if you don?t have a sports science degree.
Contact: Paligap 0117 982 3673. www.paligapltd.co.uk
There are three main options from CycleOps: the Pro with a sturdy hub, wired connection and 2.4 heart rate transmission at £600; the SL hub is lighter but still wired and costs £800; and then there is this version. Several other manufacturers, such as Bontrager and Zipp, offer the PowerTap technology built into wheels.


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Rent a Maserati in Bern
Your Maserati car hire will automatically attract the eyes of everyone you pass by. This fits in perfectly with the medieval city of Bern, which attracts your attention from the sheer beauty and architecture of the buildings and surrounding landscape.
As attention was paid to the details of the buildings in Bern, so the same was given to the Maserati. Its design, performance, and responsive nature are meticulously crafted even today ensuring these ingenious sports car lives up to your imagination.
Maserati is a tasteful car hire with its understated appearance and lavish comforts within. Its romantic side fits wonderfully with the nightlife of Bern such as the theatre or opera performances you can attend while on holiday. Maserati will add to your adventures as you drive around the entire Canton of Bern testing your car hire's speed and agility.
The Canton offers hills, quick turns, open road, and amazing sights not to mention the cheese factories and pull-offs you could park your Maserati at for visages of the city.
Following here all our Maserati available to rent in Bern:
Maserati Gran Cabrio rent, Maserati Gran Turismo rent, Maserati Quattroporte rent.If your favourite Maserati model is not in the list ask for a quote anyway and we will do our best to get that for you!


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"Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also.
For my life is spent with sorrow
And my years with sighing;
My strength has failed because of my iniquity,
And my body has wasted away.
Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach,
Especially to my neighbors,
And an object of dread to my acquaintances;
Those who see me in the street flee from me.
I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel." -Ps. 31.9-12
The element of human weakness in the Psalms is a great provision for the Church, for the moment we come onto the grounds of flowery religious cliche, we at once come to unreality, and God will not work with us along those lines. It is noteworthy for us to consider that the sweet-singer and priestly King of Israel, David himself, had seasons where his soul was overcome with grief and confusion, paranoia and weariness, fear and hopelessness. This does not make him an insignificant figure in the history of the faith, but is rather a testament to the faithfulness of God, Who is able to save "to the uttermost" all who call upon His name.
The Psalms are filled with David's inner turmoils and wrestlings, and he was not afraid to sing of them in the Tabernacle of old. He did not think of his spiritual image before men, for he was pre-eminently concerned for the presence of the heavenly King. He knew that the One Who had formed the world and knit him together in his mother's womb, was well acquainted with the actual condition of his life. He felt no need to perform spiritually, but to come to God on the grounds of truth, bringing to the Lord the whole of who he was, "warts and all."
This is a great call for our nip-and-tuck, fashion-obsessed, image-dominated society. We unfortunately bring the unreality of worldly thought into our experience of religion, and most of us can be found putting up the self-image of our choosing; that which looks most presentable to men. But God has ever and always been eager for the reality and truth of our condition, for it is only on those grounds that we meet with His mercy and transforming power.
We would be quick to accuse, and even quote a verse at David if he were to pour out his soul to us as he did in Psalm 31. His pleas with the Lord were often antithetical to the boisterous, Dominionist views of many modern souls in the Church. We might think of his song as a bad witness, a complaining rant, or a sign of his weak spirituality. But how was it that David became such a precious figure with such favor from God? How is it that when Jesus comes He will restore the "tabernacle of David," that He will sit on "David's throne," and that He did not wince when He was called "the Son of David" by the blind man?
God is not ashamed to be identified with David because David cried out to Him from the ground of reality. And it is David's pursuit of God from the ground of weakness, in grief, in sorrow, even in iniquity, that made him a "broken vessel" who is still "blessing the families of the earth" today. His weakness is the condition of all humanity, but out of that low place, he continued to cry out to the One who is "high and lifted up," and we are still feeling the reverberations of his life in God in our generation. Am I pursuing Him from the ground of reality, or have I got some image to uphold before men?
When I come to Him from the ground of my own brokenness, at once I am touched by the only One who has the power to cleanse, heal, and restore my soul, and to bring me into alignment with the reality of Himself. And to live in the reality of God Himself, walking circumspectly before Him in all His glorious light, is to be "free indeed."
"For I have heard the slander of many,
Terror is on every side;
While they took counsel together against me,
They schemed to take away my life.
But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD,
I say, 'You are my God.'
My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
Make Your face to shine upon Your servant;
Save me in Your lovingkindness." (vv. 13-16)


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Women are natural nesters. It only stands to reason that our feathers get a little ruffled at the idea of starting all over again…
in this 1960's house in Minnesota.
Minnesota?! We can't move to Minnesota!
I just finished these curtains for our living room, here, in Texas.
And so, I pored over these photos day after day,
trying to imagine life in Minnesota; in this house.
finding inspiration for pink-tiled bathrooms
and imagining the kitchen with some french country flair.
My mind raced with thoughts like,
Can I decorate with sunflowers in Minnesota? Of course, I can. And all the Minnesotans will think I'm such a talented decorator that they'll want me to decorate for them. It will be the launch of a new career, and I'll make so many new friends that way. No, I won't be lonely in this small Minnesota town, where I don't know a soul.
I spent soooo much time decorating this house in my mind, that it was a little disappointing when our plans came to a halt. Have you ever felt that way?
I occasionally wonder what life would be like if we had moved to Minnesota,
but, last night at Fashion's Night Out, I realized how much I LOVE city life.
I'm so happy to keep feathering my nest right here in Texas.
Until next time,
by Sharon Hines
It was last January when we thought we were moving. We do not plan on moving any time soon.


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Community is at the core of Rita Ranch Storage, Car & Dog Wash. Now, we're giving you a way to raise extra money for your organization while building team camaraderie!
We offer a variety of fundraising options at our facility.
People come to Rita Ranch Storage, Car & Dog Wash every day to get a clean car. On Sunday afternoons, you can reserve a few of our self-serve car, dog, and RV wash bays.
We reserve our self-serve wash bays for your sports team, church group, or any other type of non-profit organization wanting to make money. Once there, you have full access to all of the car wash supplies you need in a fun, safe, supervised environment. Here are a few of the benefits to using our facility for your car wash:
Contact us to schedule your fundraiser!
Sell our popular Ultimate Car Wash and keep the profits! We give you coupons for our Ultimate Car Wash. Then, your team hits the pavement selling the car wash coupons to anyone with a car. You keep the profits from the sales!
Do you know people who love their pets? Sell coupons for our self-serve dog wash and spread the love to pet owners and to your organization.
Our dog wash facility is one of the most popular in town. That's because we have one of the best dog washes in town. Here's what your customers get:
Now your organization can reap the benefits of our car and dog wash! Sell self-serve car or dog wash coupons and keep the profits of each sale for your organization. Contact Mike Adams at firstname.lastname@example.com to get started selling!
Now you can raise money for your organization all month long! Receive a rebate every time your followers purchase a Combo Ultimate Car Wash($2) or Ultimate Car Wash($1). How it works: You provide us with a code (street or phone number) that we'll program into our pay station. Tell your members to use this unique code when they stop by Rita Ranch. At the end of the month, we'll cut your organization a rebate check for the number of washes purchased with your code. Contact Mike Adams at firstname.lastname@example.com for more information.
If you have an idea for a fundraiser and think our facility would help you make it a success, we want to hear from you! We're always open to new fundraising ideas and hosting out-of-the-box events.
Contact Mike Adams, owner and chief fundraising manager at firstname.lastname@example.com to find out how we can help you host the perfect fundraiser for your organization.