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European markets end lower
The stronger than expected UK growth figures have given a lift to the pound on the basis that an interest rate rise next week is almost certain. With sterling up nearly 1% against the dollar, the FTSE 100 has fallen back thanks to its host of overseas earners which lose out when the pound is stronger. German and French markets also fell back as investors took profits, while Wall Street came back from its record highs after a handful of disappointing results. The final scores in Europe showed:
- The FTSE 100 finished down 79.33 points or 1.05% at 7447.21
- Germany's Dax dropped 0.46% to 12,953.41
- France's Cac closed down 0.37% at 5374.89
- Italy's FTSE MIB fell 0.81% to 22,446.39
- Spain's Ibex ended 0.51% lower at 10,153.3
- But in Greece, the Athens market edged up 0.01% to 737.25
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is currently down 164 points or 0.7%.
On that note, it's time to close for the day. Thanks for all your comments, and we'll be back tomorrow.
Wall Street's falls are accelerating, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average now down 95 points or 0.4%.
Following its recent record breaking run, any disappointment in the host of earnings reports coming out looks like an excuse for some profit taking. Joshua Mahony, market analyst at IG, said:
The recent US stock market surge came to a halt today, as the positive earnings releases of days gone by were nowhere to be seen. With 70% of S&P 500 earnings beating estimates, it is no surprise that confidence has been sky high of late. However, given the underperformance of AT&T and Boeing earnings, it's not a shock that the wider S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq markets are all in the red as we realise that further earnings outperformance may not be a given.
Sterling remains strong against the dollar, now up nearly 1% at $1.3261. Connor Campbell, financial analyst at Spreadex, said:
The pound continued to romp higher this Wednesday, as investors indulged in a hawkish view of the morning's UK third quarter GDP reading.
Despite a better than expected pair of durable goods orders figures from the US – the core reading rose to 0.7%, while the non-core number hit 2.2% – cable widened its gains as the day went on.
All this put the FTSE in a miserable mood, with the UK index dropping 50 points to fall to its lowest price in nearly 3 weeks. With the likelihood of a November rate hike from the BoE only increasing following the (slightly) better than forecast third quarter growth reading – leaving sterling in line for another boost – the UK index may struggle to muster the momentum required to climb back, and stay, above 7500 in the coming weeks.
US home sales for September have jumped sharply to the highest level in a decade, confounding expectations of a small decline.
Uncertain start for Wall Street
After their recent record breaking run, US markets have paused for breath.
A handful of companies including Chipotle and AMD released underwhelming updates, giving investors an excuse to hold fire after what has up until now been a positive earnings season.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is currently down around 2 points while the S&P 500 opened 2.79 points lower and the Nasdaq Composite lost 10.62 points.
Back with UK GDP, and here are chancellor Philip Hammond's latest thoughts on the figures:
On the latest US data, Dennis de Jong, managing director of UFX.com, said:
President Trump will be heartened by today's durable goods orders, which have come in well above expectations and point towards a manufacturing sector performing strongly, despite an uncertain economic backdrop.
The challenge for Trump will be maintaining this momentum, with a big decision due in the coming weeks on the future Janet Yellen as Fed chair.
Having run on a jobs platform during last year's election, the president will also need to find a way of ensuring that strong manufacturing performance leads to an uptick in job and wage growth.
US capital goods orders beat forecasts
Over in the US, there have also been some better than expected economic figures.
New orders for US made capital goods - excluding defence and aircraft - jumped 1.3% in September, better than the 0.5% rise expected by analysts. The August figure was also revised upwards, from an initial 1.1% to 1.3%.
The data comes ahead of Friday's third quarter GDP estimate, which is expected to show an impressive annualised rate of 2.5%, albeit down from the second quarter's 3.1%.
The positive figures will add to the expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise US interest rates again before the year end.
UK GDP: A recap
OK, time for a quick catch-up on this morning's growth figures.
Britain's economy grew a little faster than expected in the third quarter of this year, but still below its long-term growth rate.
GDP rose by 0.4% in July-September, ahead of City expectations. It's an increase on the 0.3% growth recorded in the first two quarter of 2017, but still a fairly moderate performance.
The service sector, which makes up around three-quarters of the economy, grew by 0.4%.
Manufacturing, encouragingly, grew by 1% during the quarter. But construction suffered its second quarterly contraction in a row.
Darren Morgan, the Office for National Statistics Head of National Accounts, explains:
"Growth in the third quarter of 2017 continued at a similar rate as seen in the first half of the year. Services, led by increases in IT, motor trades and retail, continued to drive GDP growth.
Manufacturing also boosted the economy with an improved performance after a weak second quarter.
Chancellor Philip Hammond said it was a "solid" performance, as Britain's economy continued to outperform expectations. But his Labour opposite number, John McDonnell, criticised the government for not investing more.
City economists have generally agreed that the UK economy looks somewhat lacklustre. Several blamed the Brexit vote, for cutting the value of the pound and deterring firms from investing in new machinery and buildings.
Kallum Pickering of German bank Berenberg sums up the mood:
The current pace of UK GDP growth is ok, but it could be better. While the short-term risks to demand since the Brexit vote have not materialised in a serious way, the UK economy should be riding high on the back of the on-going global upswing.
Uncertainty from Brexit is weighing on firm and household confidence.
The forecast-beating growth figures appear to increase the chances of an interest rate rise next week. That sent the pound rallying almost 1% today.
This has pulled down Britain's FTSE 100 share index, as a stronger pound undermines the value of overseas earnings.
Pound jumps on rate hike forecasts
Sterling has now gained a whole cent against the US dollar today, to $1.325.
City investors seem increasingly confident that the Bank of England will raise interest rates next week, on the back of today's growth figures.
An interest rate rise would help savers, but could be bad news for over-stretched borrowers. With real wages shrinking this year, many households have been forced into debt to pay for basic items.
Fran Boait, director of the Positive Money campaign group, argues that interest rate shouldn't rise until wages have caught up with inflation.
With many people already drowning in debt, even a small increase in mortgage rates and credit card bills could push them under. People urgently need a boost to their incomes before any rise in interest rates. Our message to the Bank of England and the government is that there should be "No rate rise without a pay rise".
Difficult times call for radical measures...and Labour MP Liam Byrne argues that Britain needs to rethink its economic model to get growth motoring again.
Writing in the Guardian, Byrne says:
London is an incredible 40% more productive than Wales. And in contrast to the shibboleths of traditional growth theory, our regions are failing to converge over very long periods of time. A bold new model would grant new fiscal freedoms to regions to borrow to invest in infrastructure and housing – as first proposed by the Keynes-inspired 1944 white paper on full employment. Devolution of the apprenticeship levy would rescue a failing policy and allow regions to coordinate technical education. And a radical boost to the Higher Education Innovation Fund would transform the power of regional universities to provide research and development to Britain's underproductive small business base.
However elegant the strategy, said Winston Churchill, it's good to occasionally look at the results. Today's economic results are disappointing. It's time to change the theory and practise of the strategy.
Duncan Weldon, head of research at the Resolution Group, says the big picture is that Britain's economy has slowed over the last decade.
That's partly due to Britain's weak productivity - a problem that no-one seems close to solving.
But Brexit doesn't help, he writes:
Increased uncertainty over the UK's future trading relationships, regulations and migration policy have led many firms to put investment on hold. The British economy has no doubt performed better than many analysts (including this one) expected since the referendum, but that performance still can't be termed "strong". It is important to remember that the UK's better-than-expected performance – relative to the most pessimistic pre-Brexit vote views – has come at a time when the global economy as a whole has been putting in a stronger performance.
This month the International Monetary Fund estimated that the global economy would grow 3.6% in 2018 and that advanced economies would expand by 2.2%. Those numbers compare to estimates of 3.2% and 2.0% before June's referendum. Meanwhile they now pencil in growth of just 1.7% for the UK next year as opposed to an estimate of 2.2% 18 months ago. In other words, while the prospects for the world economy and other developed countries have improved, our own outlook has darkened.
More here:


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I tried a new technique with this card. I used my Heidi Swapp woodgrain background stamp to stamp some white gesso, and then after it was dry, I blended in some Distress Inks to color it. It created a resist effect that I really like. Ill have to practice this technique more in the future.
After the woodgrain panel was finished, I picked out some fun background paper and some other bits and embellishments to coordinate. The chipboard letters are actually from Target's dollar section, the flowers are die cut with my Sizzix, and I probably couldn't even tell you where I picked up the washi tape.
Anyway, I added a scalloped border to the side of the woodgrain panel and then adhered it all down on a piece of fun foam to give it some dimension.
I love how all the patterns and papers coordinate to create this fun card that can be sent for almost any occasion!
Here's some fun products I used!
I'm linking this project up with:
Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge!
1/10/2016 04:54:49 pm
The wood grain resist is lovely! Charming card with such lovely freshness! Thanks for playing along in the "Something New" challenge at Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge!
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So glad you found me! This blog is my little space where I can share bits about my life and my latest crafting projects (mostly handmade cards). My goal is to share, inspire, and to be a positive presence in the creative community.
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January 2018
Link Love

subset: commoncrawl


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Happy Easter to the void. What a great time of year, and what a great period of celebration. I love Easter for so many reasons.
I was a little anxious about this one though, as a couple of days before, I was due my first ever eye test.
I had noticed over Christmas, when I was driving, that my husband could read road signs a lot earlier than I could. It had me a little worried as I'd always thought my eyesight was perfectly normal. However, find that sometimes, after a long day of close reading, for example, it takes a while for my eyes to be able to focus on something far away. Because of this, I went to the opticians (found a free eye test using http://www.moneysavingexpert.com).
I rocked up. Sat in the blindingly white waiting room (I reckon it's all part of the test), and attempted to read any sign I could see around me. I then had a preliminary test in the world's smallest office, which involved air being blown on my eye and lots of machines being used. Was relatively amusing, although I was disappointed I didn't have to read any letters.
Sat back out in the waiting room and was called into anther tiny room for the letter reading stuff as well as some very close-up examinations – not one for those who are protective of personal space. As I looked at the letters on the wall, I tried so hard to make my eyes see them. Of course, it didn't make a difference, but I at least passed the stage where you are allowed to drive.
Result was, I possibly need a low strength lens for driving and for church or things requiring long distance reading. No serious problem. Phew.
However, it got me thinking. I'm staring at words on pages or on a computer screen constantly for around 6/7 hours a day. Apparently, there is no research to say either way if long periods of close reading will affect your eyes long term. It just takes a little time for your eyes to readjust (this is what the optician told me). However, I would recommend, for those who are slightly worried about it like me and who like a bit of preventative medicine:
– give your eyes rest. If you stop to think, think with your eyes closed. Massage them lightly with your fingers.
– give your eyes practice. If you need to go somewhere in the department, as you walk down the corridor, focus on the exit signs on the doors furthest away from you. Or if you're in an office, look at the small writing on posters once in a while.
– give your eyes time. Of course they'll take a while to adjust after being close-up to pages/ screens for the whole working day. So on the way home, keep looking from short distance to long, focusing on different objects.
As for me, no glasses as yet – have only shopped around one opticians and found it quite an exhausting experience. Will persevere another day.


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Chipy.io is helping businesses grow their online presence, without needing any technical expertise
Chipy.io is a rapidly growing company that helps small to medium-sized businesses in growing their presence online. It helps the companies in deploying their web presence and sales funnels via one easy to use platform. It combines the best of major websites like ClickFunnels, SquareSpace, and Shopify in one platform, that is managed via an integrated CRM. Businesses can develop, deploy and grow their web presence faster with Chipy.io, without needing any technical expertise. This chart shows, how Chipy.io performs in comparison to ClickFunnels.
Chipy.io offers services like website development, Sales Funnels, e-commerce shops, Payment processor, and CRM. These services are best suited for budding entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to expand their business online without getting into complicated technical stuff. Using the Chipy.io platform, the users can add beautiful pre-made design blocks, pages, and funnels. They can pick one of their high-converting sales funnels or build their own flows, as per their requirement.
The A/B testing option enables users to see what converts best. Using this, they can track their sales and conversion rates. The user-friendly CRM interface can help the businesses in managing their customer contacts, leads, sales and members in a simple manner. Chipy.io provides a smooth Drag and Drop experience with professional pre-defined templates. The users can modify their pages in minutes with simple drag & drop that allows them to arrange elements and create margins simpler than ever.
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More information can be found on Chipy.io.
Media Contact
Company Name: Chipy.io
Contact Person: Michael Spano
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: chipy.io


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The Installation of Bishop Peter Nguyễn Văn Khảm of Diocese of My Tho
WCBCV -- Mỹ Tho – Vietnam (30 Aug. 2014) The diocese of Mỹ Tho was greatly joyful to welcome and receive her new shepherd, Bishop Peter Nguyễn Văn Khảm. His installation gathered more than a thousand faithful from his home archdiocese of Hồ Chí Minh City and diocese of Mỹ Tho where he took on his new shepherdship.
Bishop Peter was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Hồ Chí Minh City by Pope Benedict XVI on October 15, 2008, ordained bishop a month later, and was appointed Bishop of Mỹ Tho by Pope Francis on July 26, 2014. Bishop Peter graduated from Catholic University of America with a doctorate degree in ministry.
From the early morning of August 30, a delegation from the diocese of Mỹ Tho drove 70 km to the Pastoral Center of the archdiocese of Hồ Chí Minh City, where Bishop Peter had stayed and served as Auxiliary Bishop, to accompany the Bishop-elect to his new diocese. After having been received at the Cathedral, Bishop Peter professed his faith for this new mission and then presided the Eucharist. Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, Non-resident Representative of the Holy See, joined 17 archbishops and bishops of the CBCV (Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam) at this Eucharist.
In his homily, Bishop Peter exegeted two images of the Church from the gospel of John (20:19-23): After Jesus was crucified, the disciple gathered in closed door with fear; but when Jesus came among the disciple and gave them peace, Jesus sent them out. Bishop Peter encouraged his flock to live without fear. He also extended his gratitude to his predecessors of the diocese of Mỹ Tho and asked everyone to pray for him in this new mission.
Before the end of the Eucharist, Archbishop Girelli delivered his remarks on behalf of the Pope and Archbishop Paul Bùi Văn Đọc, president of the CBCV, extended his greetings on behalf of the Vietnamese bishops.
After the Eucharist, the diocese of Mỹ Tho hosted a warm and fraternal lunch to welcome the new shepherd and all the guests of the diocese. The diocese of Mỹ Tho was created by Pope Jonh XXIII on November 24, 1960 and covered almost three provinces of Tien Giang, Long An, and 2/3 of Dong Thap.
Related news items:
Newer news items:
- Cardinal Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation, on a pastoral visit in Vietnam - 19/01/2015 10:59
- The Pope appoints 20 new cardinals - 04/01/2015 16:30
- Archbishop Paul Bùi Văn Đọc: "Pastoral Care for Family Is an Art" - 30/10/2014 16:26
- Vietnam-Holy See Joint Working Group: Pathway of Hope - 15/09/2014 11:41
- Holy See - Vietnam Joint working group to meet in Hanoi - 07/09/2014 20:48
Older news items:
- 30th National Congress of Our Lady of La Vang 2014 - 18/08/2014 21:42
- Appointment of Bishop of Mỹ Tho (Việt Nam) - 28/07/2014 20:45
- Young Vietnamese Catholics "in Korea to welcome the Pope, our father in faith" - 25/07/2014 15:33
- Homily for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul - 03/07/2014 14:43
- Vietnam Bishops Annual Meeting I – April 21-25, 2014 - 29/04/2014 14:56


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It's 4:30 AM, and I'm awake. I got up around 3:30 to use the restroom, only to realize that there was a gnarly thunderstorm going on outside. "This is my time to shine" I thought to myself, and raced into my mother's bedroom—privacy isn't really a thing in my house—to attend to Maggie.
Maggie is a 5-ish year old rescue dog. She was about to be put down (in Kentucky, of all places), when my mom—who at the time was volunteering as a foster mom for rescue dogs—got the call: would we save Maggie's life?
Duh. The person on the other end of the phone knew exactly what he or she was doing, because the fact is, we're terrible foster parents. No dog that we've taken in has ever been adopted. Each one has been absorbed into our menagerie, so like those who came before her, Maggie went straight from the doggy version of the green mile into her forever home.
Whatever happened to her before we did… it left a mark. While never hostile, this is a dog that approaches people with trepidation. You have to know the right and the wrong way to engage her (in fact, to this day certain kinds of human contact will cause her to lash out in fear). When we first got Maggie she was completely silent, a first for us, as we've always had "guard dogs" that protected us by alerting entire neighborhoods to the presence of squirrels, human puppies on tricycles, etc. It was pretty exciting to have a dog with no bark, until we realized that she did indeed have a voice, a voice that fear and abuse had long stifled. Within a week or two in our house she'd assimilated beautifully, and now she barks with a reckless abandon that is as endearing as it is annoying. She throws back her head with such relish whenever she barks… it's truly a sight to behold.
I told my dog Maggie I was going to take a picture. She responded by striking this noble pose. pic.twitter.com/9ndJ0rDt58
— Andrea Milne (@MyPenHistorical) July 19, 2014
Unfortunately, in learning how to bark, she's also learned how to cry. We're exceedingly good to Maggie, and she knows it. So great is her fear of losing her forever family that coming home—be it after six months in California, or, you know, six minutes at the grocery store—elicits the kinds of yelps and doggie tears normally reserved for YouTube clips of returned servicemen and their pets. No matter what we do, this is a dog that believes we will abandon her.
Sad as her aforementioned separation anxiety is, it's not unusual in rescue dogs. But don't be fooled: Maggie is special. She is quite possibly the most neurotic dog in the world.
This is a creature who recently picked up the habit of hiding in my brother's room whenever my mother picks up or answers a phone. Why? Because one time, while on an important business call, my mom yelled at her to stop barking. Now her tail goes between her legs every time a member of her family tries to contact the outside world.
Dinner? No way… you can't eat that without adult supervision. Even with a human sentry standing guard, you need to stare at the kibble for at least a half hour (or four) to make sure it's not, in fact, a threat.
At the tender age of five, Maggie takes evening walks measured in feet, not miles. After all, who knows what's behind that stop sign? Trying to get her to expand her boundaries in the slightest throws her into a panic, as if you've suddenly decided she's not allowed to come home. (This is a trait she shares with another of our three pups, Sadie. It's hard not to feel like a bad pet owner when walking all of your dogs separately only takes about ten to fifteen minutes.)
And then there's thunder. Many dogs are afraid of thunder; three out of four members of our animal family (three dogs and one cat) have storm-related anxiety. But Maggie dials it up to eleven.
At even the hint of a storm, Maggie begins trembling… not shaking, trembling. She drools, and her tail goes between her legs. Sometimes she'll content herself with hiding in the bathtub or behind the toilet, but more often than not she responds to thunder by going into a blind panic. She runs from room to room, family member to family member, too frightened to be soothed by any of us. "Get a thundershirt" you say? Hah! Been there, done that. Despite numerous efforts, it's become clear that no amount of tightly-wrapped fabric will soothe the likes of Maggie.
Then I came home for a month.
My mom was the first one to notice it. Around the time I started this blog, Maggie started spending more time with me generally, and starting sitting in my lap for extended periods of time when thunder threatened. "You must be in a good place mentally," my mom suggested, "because Maggie doesn't normally sit still this long during a storm. You make her feel better in a way the rest of us can't."
My family is currently living in South Florida, so storms are an almost daily occurrence. That meant I had time to test the theory. And test I did. Taking a cue from thundershirt technology, I started grabbing Maggie whenever the thunderstorms began. I held her so tightly I worried that I was going to scare and/or hurt her, but after a couple of seconds of struggling, she'd lay down. Even after I released her from my grasp, she rode out the rest of the storm on my lap, trembling and drooling, but calmer than we'd ever seen her.
It worked day after day after day. I am, as it turns out, a human thundershirt.
So at 3:30 AM or so, when I realized that Maggie was in distress, I jumped into action. I am not this dog's primary person—my mother is—so she doesn't automatically come to me for relief; I have to go to her. I tried bringing her into my bedroom, but she didn't want to leave the rest of the group. So the two of us crawled into my mother's bed (permission neither requested nor attained) and assumed the position: me curled up on my side, her laying in my arms. It took almost a solid hour, but Maggie finally stopped shaking. And I decided to go blog about it, because who needs sleep?
As a kid I was terrified of thunderstorms. To be honest, they still scare me a bit. I don't let it show anymore, though, because somebody's counting on me for protection. In fact, part of me actually looks forward to thunderstorms these days. The light and noise offer me an opportunity to bond with my crazy dog, to—through nothing but love and a decent grip—get her through her terror. I'm not here forever—in fact, I'm heading back to California tomorrow—but for the time being, I get to be Maggie's hero.
Being a canine thundershirt also validates all the Six Million Dollar Scholar-style work I've been doing these past couple months. The more I do to get right with myself, to be the best version of myself I can be, the more I radiate peace. The more I radiate peace, the easier it is to bring peace to others. As of 4:30 this morning, I have a new mantra to deploy in the moments of self-doubt, the moments where I start to wonder if this blog—if all of the self-improvement crap—is motivated by narcissism:
And now… this thundershirt is going back to bed.
"The Six Million Dollar Scholar" is the personal blog of Andrea Milne, a Ph.D. candidate in modern U.S. History at the University of California, Irvine. To get the story behind the blog's name, click here.


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By Mathew Lodge
With vCloud Air, we're firmly focused on solving enterprise customer cloud problems – especially making the transition from today's investments in apps and data to a cloud future as easy as possible. And that means building a different kind of cloud – those that matter to enterprises. To make that very concrete for those familiar with Amazon Web Services (AWS), here are 10 things in vCloud Air to make that transition easier that you can't do in AWS.
1. Free automatic availability monitoring and fast VM restart
vCloud Air includes hot standby redundant capacity to maximize the uptime of your application. It's free and requires no configuration. vCloud Air automatically monitors all servers and if there's a catastrophic failure, immediately re-starts all affected VMs on hot standby hardware in the same vCloud Air cluster. At reboot time, the VM's file system is exactly as it was before the failure, preserving as much state as possible to allow the OS and application to recover quickly. It also has exactly the same network configuration – MAC addresses, IP addresses and so on – ensuring other VMs can communicate with the new VM without reconfiguration.
By contrast, AWS offers no redundant capacity, no automatic monitoring, and no fast VM restart. New EC2 instances don't have the same MAC address and require extra configuration to get the same IP address. For redundancy you must buy extra instances, buy and manage a load balancer (assuming the app traffic can be load balanced), architect and code a state-sharing mechanism, buy and manage monitoring, and orchestrate VM re-start.
2. Free automatic proactive performance management
The same VMware technology that watches for server failure in vCloud Air also monitors the overall performance and health of servers. It's free and there's no configuration. If any particular server is overloaded, vCloud Air automatically live migrates VMs to a server with more capacity. There is no downtime and no "pausing" of the application – it just keeps on running.
The variability of AWS performance is legendary, leading users to devise cunning strategies to juice performance. One example: start more AWS instances than you need, conduct performance tests to see which ones perform well, and kill off the poorly performing instances. Rinse and repeat until you have enough working instances, and continue to monitor instances during their lifetime. With vCloud Air, this "Darwinian instance infanticide" isn't necessary.
3. Non-disruptive maintenance
When AWS needs to do preventative maintenance on a server (e.g. a hypervisor security patch), your instance is going to die. There's even an API where you can learn about when this will happen. vCloud Air uses live migration to move VMs to redundant server capacity, then performs maintenance on the affected server. The net? Your apps don't stop because VMware needs to do server maintenance. There is no need for an "apology API."
4. Create a VM of any size
With vCloud Air, you get to choose exactly the VM dimensions you want — any ratio of CPU, memory and disk up to the physical maxima. All VMs run on physical servers with 20Gbit/sec aggregate connectivity, unlike AWS servers with single 100Mbit or 1Gbit network cards. Unlike AWS, there is no need to process a complex decision tree of 29 instance choices (as of Feb 2014) to figure out which one you need (choose wisely because you can't change it later). In vCloud Air, there is no need to over-buy CPU when all you want is high memory, or over-buy memory when all you want is good I/O.
On AWS, you have to buy up to the largest size that meets your memory or I/O requirement. If you get it wrong, then you have to pick a new instance and figure out if you can run what you want on it (not all AWS images run on all instance types), and how to transition your application without down-time, which leads me to…
5. Resize a VM or disk while it's running
On vCloud Air you can add vCPU, memory and disk space to any running VM. Operating system support for adding CPU, memory and disk is present in Linux distros and Windows versions shipped since 2008. AWS instances cannot be expanded, and ensuring they can scale effectively requires careful planning (picking the right instance type and a fixed disk size) and writing code to do state sharing (adding parallel instances). Inadvertently making a bad sizing choice for horizontal scaling can put you in a world of operational pain – if, for example, your instances start running out of disk space, adding more of them just means more instances failing in exactly the same way because they're all clones of each other.
VM and disk resize on vCloud Air can be a lifesaver for operations teams managing a critical application that is under load and needs more memory, disk or CPU right away.
6. Get strong I/O performance as standard, with no clever tricks
Netflix only ever buys AWS instances that completely fill a physical server in order to eliminate the I/O performance variation that comes from multiple tenants sharing the same physical server. This is just one example of clever strategies AWS customers have devised to extract better performance, along with choosing "EBS optimized" instance types – i.e. instances that run on servers with a 1 Gig NIC card.
On vCloud Air, all servers have 20G of aggregate network bandwidth 20 times that of "EBS optimized" instances at AWS. Storage is a maximum of two network hops from server, unlike AWS, minimizing congestion. Couple that with the ability to have any size of VM, and you can get exactly the VM you want, with the I/O bandwidth you need.
7. Higher performance disk without paying for provisioned IOPs
The standard disk tier on vCloud Air is a blend of SSDs (flash) and enterprise high-end disk. The flash acts as a cache for most-recently-used blocks, and multi-tenancy of the disk subsystem is limited to improve good cache hit rates. Therefore, you get the acceleration of flash and high performance disk without having to buy higher-priced all-flash disk with I/O guarantees, or settle for AWS' low-performance SATA-based EBS.
8. Bring your own VM without conversion, with full app vendor support
vCloud Air can run any VM you currently run on vSphere, Workstation or Fusion without any conversion into a proprietary format – and it's supported by the software vendor for your application. You can also transfer and run practically any x86 physical machine running any operating system from DOS onwards, without having to switch to a special kernel or re-platform. There's no waiting, or testing cycles to ensure that the converted VM actually works the same way. There is no arguing with your vendor about whether or not they support the deployment if it's one of the 5,700 apps already certified on VMware.
With AWS, you must convert the VM, and that only works for a very small set of operating systems, and then covert it again if you want to export the VM. If the VM is at all dependent on any AWS services, you can't run it in your own data center later because they don't exist and they use proprietary APIs. You must also make sure that your software vendor can support your deployment on AWS.
9. Use the management tools you already have
vCloud Air can be managed by any of the VMware management toolset, third party tools that support the vCloud API, or offer generic REST API adapters. You can manage vCHS from the vSphere client (web or Windows), vCloud Automation Center (vCAC) and vCenter Operations (vCOps). This is huge for many customers because it means they don't need a second operations team to manage cloud infrastructure – one that assumes the radically different AWS architecture and operational model, along with the "fix it yourself" approach to performance and availability.
10. Stretched layer 2 networks between data center and vCloud Air
VMware allows you to stretch an Ethernet (layer 2) network from your data center to vCloud Air, making it appear like a single flat LAN segment. The simplest way to do this is with Direct Connect, a dedicated link between your data center and vCloud Air. Traffic is simply bridged between vCloud Air and your data center using the virtual networking capabilities of vCloud Air. To applications, it looks like all VMs are "on net" in the same LAN segment, which is useful for those apps that have a rigid, pre-defined idea of how the network should work and can't be easily reconfigured. AWS by comparison offers no layer 2 stretched networks, only IP (layer 3) network connectivity.
All of these capabilities are designed to make it easier to run today's and tomorrow's applications with high performance and high resiliency. There's no reason going to the cloud should mean a wholesale re-architecture where you take on the burden of implementing and managing those.
For future updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @vCloud and Facebook.com/VMwarevCloud.
For more information about the VMware vCloud Air, visit vCloud.VMware.com.


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In Part 1 of my Dragon Warriors RPG review, I touched on character creation. I will now describe a bit about the different Professions that can be chosen.
These appear to be the classic Arthurian knights, generally coming from warrior aristocracy. They are the only profession that can wear plate armour without penalty. They also have the best Defence of any profession. Knights receive several special abilities at Rank 1 (Track, Armour Expert and Ride Warhorse), and a host of new combat abilities at Rank 8. Player Tip: Choose a Knight if you want a "Tank" character who can withstand many blows, or if you like the idea of a PC who lives by a chivalrous code.
These are the hard-eyed, battle weary savages that can draw inspiration from sources such as Icelandic Vikings or even Conan of Cimmeria! Barbarians are hands down the best offensive profession, wielding huge weapons that can hack through any armour. Defensively, they are not as tough as Knights and can only wear up to chain mail, suffering penalties if clad in plate armour. Barbarians gain several special abilities at Rank 1 (Track, Berserk, and Ride Warhorse), and they gain a super-berserk ability at Rank 8 called Bloodrage. Player Tip: Choose a Barbarian if you want the savage juggernaut who can mow down adversaries and has little use for fancified concepts of honor.
These are the prototypical wizards, such as Gandalf or a D&D Magic User. Oddly, they are all left-handed! Due to severe combat and spell-casting penalties, few Sorcerors wear anything heavier than padded armour. They are weak in combat. In addition to spells, Sorcerors gain special abilities starting at Rank 4 and continuing through Rank 10 (Calligraphy, Alchemy, Artifice, and Use of Wands). For example, they gain Calligraphy at Rank 4. This grants them the ability to write magical scrolls. Player Tip: Choose a Sorceror if you want to be the arcane master creating scrolls, potions and wands in his workshop but equally adept at blasting his foes with a jet of flame from his fingertips.
Mystics rely solely upon the power of their minds, eschewing such occult fripperies as wands. In addition to their normal selection of spells, Mystics can also choose one spell to Master (and they can change the selected spell each time they gain Rank). This spell is always "on" and doesn't require any psychic fatigue or Magic Points to cast. Mystics can wear up to a mail hauberk without penalty. In addition to their spells, Mystics gain Premonition and ESP at Rank 1, Enchantment of Arms and Armour at Rank 4, and Adepthood at Rank 8. Player Tip: Choose a Mystic if you want to be the mysterious psychic/psionist who can read minds, heal the body, create magical arms & armour, and eventually take his mental abilities beyond that of any mortal being.
Elementalists are the druids and shamans of Dragon Warriors, using their willpower and cleverness to harness the very elements of nature. Elementalists can specialize in Fire, Air, Water, Earth or Darkness. Elementalists are just as weak in combat as Sorcerors, rarely using anything beyond padded armour. However, Elementalists have many powers in addition to spells. They all have Raw Power, which is seperate from magic. For example, a Fire Elementalist can shoot out a jet of flame doing massive damage to foes. And Elementalists gain many resistances to their own element. So an Air Elementalist has huge defense bonuses against magical and mundane hurricanes, wind, tornadoes, etc. Player Tip: Choose an Elementalist if you like the idea of bending nature to your awesome will, similar to Storm of the X-Men or the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four.
Warlocks are the human equivalent of a F/MU multi-class (very similar to B/X elves). They are master of both sword and spell. Unlike Knights and Barbarians, who are skilled in all weapons, Warlocks must specialize in specific Weapon Groups (e.g., Weapon Group 1 = Flail, Mace and Morningstar; WG 2 = Dagger, Shortsword, and Sword, etc). Warlocks have the unusual ability of being able to cast multiple spells simultaneously in the same round. Warlocks can wear up to chain mail and still cast spells unimpeded! Warlocks get a number of very cool abilities starting at Rank 8. Player Tip: Choose a Warlock if you love playing B/X Elves or AD&D F/MU. These guys have the best of both worlds, although they are slightly weaker in combat than a Knight or Barbarian and slightly weaker at spellcasting than a Sorceror.
Our last profession we will examine is the Assassin. This profession is exceedingly rare, as the book states "Barely one adventurer in a hundred is an Assassin." The Assassin in DW reminds me of a combination of warrior, monk and thief. Assassins are strong offensively, but weak defensively. In fact, they are penalized when wearing chain mail or plate armour. Assassins get a wide array of special abilities, ranging from stealthy thieving skills, to combat techniques such as "Throwing Spikes," to mental techniques like "Deathvow." Player Tip: Choose an Assassin if you like playing the evil or chaotic type and enjoy stealth, trickery, and killing.
Coming in Part 3: The Adventure!


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Electrifying Postal Delivery Vehicles in KoreaCase-Specific Policy Analysis, Policy Insights,
3 March 2020
- Continue replacement of motorcycles in the current delivery fleet with compact e-vehicles.
- Carry out focus group studies to capture qualitative data and pilot studies to reflect local context.
- Prioritise driver confidence through training and clear communication of vehicle safety features.
- Communicate overall efficiency gains with e-vehicles to drivers.
Safe MicromobilityCorporate Partnership Board Report, Policy Insights,
17 February 2020
- Allocate protected space for micromobility and keep pedestrians safe.
- To make micromobility safe, focus on motor vehicles.
- Regulate low-speed e-scooters and e-bikes as bicycles, higher-speed micro-vehicles as mopeds.
- Collect data on micro-vehicle trips and crashes.
- Proactively manage the safety performance of street networks.
- Include micromobility in training for road users.
- Tackle drunk driving and speeding across all vehicle types.
- Eliminate incentives for micromobility riders to speed.
- Improve micro-vehicle design.
- Reduce wider risks associated with shared micromobility operations.
Transport Innovations from the Global SouthCorporate Partnership Board Report, Policy Insights,
5 November 2019
- Update transport policy and regulation to accommodate innovation that can contribute to economic growth and make transport more sustainable.
- Cooperate with research and industry, coordinate with all government levels.
- Leave room for bottom up innovation through a light regulatory touch.
- Be ready to facilitate discussion between innovative actors and traditional operators.
- Foster innovation in the delivery of concessioned transport services.
- Support change and build on existing cultural practices in order to improve quality of life for all.
- Create innovation sandboxes/living labs.
- Look beyond transport towards non-traditional policy matters.
Understanding Consumer Vehicle ChoiceCase-Specific Policy Analysis, Policy Insights,
3 November 2019
- Target the company car market to boost the uptake of electric vehicles.
- Address non-monetary factors in vehicle purchase decisions.
- Use stated preference surveys to improve understanding of consumer choices
What is the Value of Saving Travel Time?Roundtable Report, Policy Insights,
1 October 2019
- Update the value of reductions in travel time periodically to reflect changes in preferences and travel patterns.
- Account for the quality of travel conditions.
- Employ stated preference surveys supported by other evidence for determining the value of reductions in travel time.
- Investigate how the use of Big Data can improve understanding of travel behaviour.
- Continue to use cost-benefit analysis in transport decision making.
- Strengthen the link between modelling, appraisal, monitoring and evaluation.
Regulating App-Based Mobility ServicesRoundtable Report, Policy Insights,
26 August 2019
- Maintain a permissive regulatory environment for new app-based mobility services.
- Treat incumbent mobility providers and new market entrants equally.
- Revise outdated and fragmented regulatory frameworks for mobility services.
- Focus regulation on addressing clearly-identified market failures.
- Take the broader urban policy environment into account when designing regulations.
- Consider subsidies for app-based mobility services where appropriate and invest in supporting infrastructure.
New Directions for Data-Driven Transport SafetyCorporate Partnership Board Report, Policy Insights,
22 May 2019
- Develop standards and platforms for the collection and sharing of safety-critical vehicle data.
- Ensure privacy in the use of safety-critical data.
- Refine the applications of surrogate traffic safety metrics.
- Harness Big Data for road safety but beware of biases.
- Review training needs for road safety professionals.
- Empower transport users and workers through mechanisms to report safety concerns.
- Make safety-critical vehicle data available for telematics applications.
- Find ways to integrate smartphones into Cooperative-ITS to benefit all users.
- Improve and link police and hospital data on road crash injuries.
- Prevent, detect and signal driver distractions.
- Revise trigger mechanisms for automatic crash notification and event data recording.
- Share data to enforce limits on driving hours in the gig economy.
- Favour more accurate and relevant geo-spatial accuracy for safety applications.
- Update legal frameworks to account for ubiquitous sensing data and their use in improving safety.
Повышение торгово-транспортной связности и развитие грузоперевозок в Центральной АзииCase-Specific Policy Analysis, Policy Insights,
13 May 2019
- Улучшение транспортного сообщения на местном уровне наряду с развитием международных коридоров.
- Установление цен на транзитные перевозки, покрывающих все связанные с ними расходы.
- Реформирование системы финансирования дорожно-ремонтных работ и инвестиций в дорожные сети.
- Привлечение частных инвестиций исходя из соображений экономической эффективности.
- Содействие в формировании современной логистической отрасли.
- Внедрение передового опыта в сфере транспортного планирования.
- Установление стандартов деятельности для таможенных органов.
- Упорядочение регионального и международного сотрудничества.
Enhancing Connectivity and Freight in Central AsiaCase-Specific Policy Analysis, Policy Insights,
13 May 2019
- Enhance local connectivity along with improvement of international corridors.
- Price transit traffic to cover its full costs.
- Reform road investment and maintenance funding.
- Pursue private investments for cost efficiency.
- Support the creation of a modern logistics sector.
- Institutionalise best practices in transport planning.
- Set performance standards for customs.
- Straighten regional and international cooperation.
High Capacity TransportCase-Specific Policy Analysis, Policy Insights,
1 May 2019
- Use the potential of High Capacity Vehicles to increase transport efficiency, reduce traffic volumes, lower emissions and achieve better safety outcomes.
- Use well-monitored trials to introduce High Capacity Vehicles on a road network.
- Configure High Capacity Vehicles for the specific area in which they will operate.
Smart Use of RoadsResearch Report, Policy Insights,
18 March 2019
- Make use of smart technologies part of the response to congestion.
- Invest in improving junctions where these create bottlenecks.
- Use hard-shoulder running and ramp metering to get the most out of trunk road capacity.
- Use congestion pricing for active traffic management as part of integrated urban policies.
- Adopt barrier-free electronic tolling to remove bottlenecks.
Commercial Vehicle On-Board Safety SystemsRoundtable Report, Policy Insights,
23 January 2019
- Ensure international harmonisation of regulation for autonomous trucks.
- Use the flexibility within existing regulatory frameworks to accommodate vehicle automation technologies.
- Weigh the advantages, disadvantages and limits to stretching existing regulatory frameworks to cover safe vehicle automation.
- Consider data-led approaches for regulating vehicles with high automation levels. Consider government intervention to address labour issues if and where they arise.
Policies to Extend the Life of Road AssetsResearch Report, Policy Insights,
19 December 2018
- Introduce a proactive approach for the maintenance of road assets.
- Build a proactive, data-driven approach to the maintenance of road assets.
- Strive for continuous professionalisation in road asset management.
- Move from managing the assets to cross-asset management.
- Adopt regulatory frameworks that treat the use of road assets as an economic input.
- Implement infrastructure pricing for trucks to improve cost recovery.
- Better understand the reasons for non-compliance with truck weight limits.
- Focus on positive incentives for efficiency in regulatory and compliance frameworks.
- Develop use cases and business models for the digital infrastructure of truck traffic management.
- Create incentives for the logistics sector to implement truck traffic management.
- Improve awareness of the mutual impact that policies have on the environmental performance of road freight transport and extending the lifespan of road assets.
- Focus on creating a comprehensive regulatory environment rather than on individual measures.
Private Investment in Transport Infrastructure: Dealing with Uncertainty in ContractsResearch Report, Policy Insights,
21 June 2018
- Pursue private investment in infrastructure on the merits of improved efficiency.
- Invest more into upfront preparation of projects to reduce inefficient risk pricing by suppliers.
- Undertake a comprehensive analysis of how to assist suppliers.
- The pursuit of certainty in delivery should be balanced against cost.
- Stimulate innovation through early contractor involvement or alliancing, not public-private partnerships.
- Avoid transferring demand risk to public-private partnerships if service levels do not strongly impact demand.
- Bundle and cross-fund public-private partnerships to reduce demand risk.
- Adopt the regulatory asset base model where competition is absent or demand not strongly endogenous.
- Introduce a transparent public accounting standard to maximise the value for money of private investment.
- Foster competitive markets to achieve cost-effective infrastructure.
- Pursue data collection on how contract design affects project outcomes.
- Support the development of an evidence-supported procurement tool.
Safer Roads with Automated Vehicles?Corporate Partnership Board Report, Policy Insights,
22 May 2018
- Reinforce the Safe System approach to ensure automated vehicles are used safely.
- Apply Vision Zero thinking to automated driving.
- Avoid safety performance being used to market competing automated vehicles.
- Carefully assess the safety impacts of systems that share driving tasks between humans and machines.
- Require reporting of safety-relevant data from automated vehicles.
- Develop and use a staged testing regime for automated vehicles.
- Establish comprehensive cybersecurity principles for automated driving.
- Ensure the functional isolation of safety-critical systems and that connectivity does not compromise cybersecurity or safety.
- Provide clear and targeted messaging of vehicle capabilities.
Cooperative Mobility Systems and Automated DrivingRoundtable Report, Policy Insights,
2 May 2018
- Shared mobility is still a relatively new field but is progressing rapidly. With business models and preferred technologies still in flux, policy makers need to prepare considered responses to these developments without delay.
- Service concepts and technology currently and on the brink of being explored need to consider a range of design domain restrictions, dependencies on infrastructure, operating principles and user interfaces.
- Specific service concepts should be matched to specific operational environments, on a detailed local level as well as across continents and cultures.
- Government action will affect how automated vehicles will impact society. Existing approaches will not be appropriate for long. Their understanding and input will help to balance the debate on whether AVs can indeed alleviate a series of stubborn problems.
Lightening Up: How Less Heavy Vehicles Can Help Cut CO2 EmissionsCase-Specific Policy Analysis, Policy Insights,
2 November 2017
- Consider the potential of vehicle mass reduction when designing climate policies.
- Do not rely on vehicle mass reductions alone to achieve the European Union's target of a 60% transport CO2 reduction.
- Nudge consumers into buying lighter vehicles by emphasising their benefit.
Mesurer les avantages socio-économiques des transportsRoundtable Report, Policy Insights,
1 October 2017
- Les directives relatives à l'ACA peuvent être élargies pour prendre en compte la fiabilité et certains effets plus larges.
- Des travaux de recherche supplémentaires sont nécessaires sur les avantages en matière de fiabilité afin d'améliorer la confiance dans les résultats.
- Les effets économiques plus larges devraient être étudiés dans les cas où l'on s'attend à ce qu'ils soient importants.
- Des travaux de recherche supplémentaires sont nécessaires sur les effets plus larges à saisir et les outils permettant de le faire.
- L'ACA peut jouer un rôle important dans la prise de décision, mais ne doit pas occuper une place prépondérante.
Managing the Transition to Driverless Road Freight TransportCase-Specific Policy Analysis, Policy Insights,
30 May 2017
- Continue driverless truck pilot projects to test vehicles, network technology and communications protocols.
- Set international standards, road rules and vehicle regulations for self-driving trucks.
- Establish a temporary transition advisory board for the trucking industry.
- Consider a temporary permit system to manage the speed of adoption and to support a just transition for displaced drivers, while ensuring fair access to markets.
Data-led Governance of Road Freight TransportCorporate Partnership Board Report, Policy Insights,
30 May 2017
- Use currently available data within existing frameworks.
- Consider a completely new data-driven regulatory approach.
- Develop cross-sectoral approaches to data handling and processing.
- Investigate the best uses of new technologies, systems, and data science.
- Investigate applicability of wider and less structured big data sets.
- Consider impacts of automation of road freight vehicles.
Regulation of For-Hire Passenger Transport: Portugal in International ComparisonCase-Specific Policy Analysis, Policy Insights,
9 June 2016
- Steer policy development towards mobility services that allow efficient achievement of public policy objectives regarding the needs of consumers and society.
- Encourage innovative and more flexible regulation of for-hire transport services.
- Embrace data-led regulation to improve societal outcomes.
- Keep the regulatory framework of for-hire passenger transport services as simple and uniform as possible.
App-Based Ride and Taxi Services: Principles for RegulationCorporate Partnership Board Report, Policy Insights,
9 May 2016
- Focus policy regarding for-hire passenger transport on the needs of consumers and society.
- Keep the regulation framework of for-hire passenger transport services as simple and uniform as possible.
- Encourage innovative and more flexible regulation of for-hire transport services.
- Embrace data-led regulation to improve societal outcomes.
Shared Mobility: Innovation for Liveable CitiesCorporate Partnership Board Report, Policy Insights,
9 May 2016
- Shared mobility benefits depend on creating the right market conditions and operational frameworks.
- Shared mobility has significant environmental benefits, even with current engine technology.
- Shared mobility will radically change public transport and most traditional bus services will disappear.
- Public authorities must guide the deployment of shared mobility systems and anticipate their impacts.
Road Infrastructure Safety ManagementIRTAD, Policy Insights,
6 October 2015
- Benchmark road infrastructure against good practices in other countries.
- Implement new minimum safety standards for road infrastructure.
- Continue evaluation and research to quantify safety impacts of planning decisions.
- Implement suitable Road Infrastructure Safety Management procedures for each stage of road development including planning design, pre-opening and full operation.
- Make Road Infrastructure Safety Management procedures legally binding.
- Involve both road and health authorities when developing road accident data bases.
- Assure adequate institutional management capacity and investment levels.
- Use existing tools and guidelines; adopt second-best solutions where state-of-the-art solutions are not feasible.
- Identify the Road Safety Infrastructure Management procedures that fit specific needs and understand barriers to implementation.
- Share good practices of Road infrastructure Safety Management procedures and intervention measures.
- Monitor the safety performance of road infrastructure.
- Develop self-explaining roads.
Automated and Autonomous DrivingCorporate Partnership Board Report, Policy Insights,
30 April 2015
- Automated driving comprises a diverse set of emerging concepts that must be understood individually and as part of broader trends toward automation and connectivity
- Uncertainty on market deployment strategies and pathways to automation complicates the regulatory task
- Incrementally shifting the driving task from humans to machines will require changes in insurance
- The shift from human to machine may have an impact on what product information developers and manufacturers of autonomous vehicles share, and with whom
- Regulators and developers should actively plan to minimise legacy risks
Cycling, Health and SafetyResearch Report, Policy Insights,
19 December 2013
- Insufficient evidence supports causality for the "safety in numbers" phenomenon – policies increasing the number of cyclists should be accompanied by risk-reduction actions.
- Efforts must be made to harmonise definitions of bicycle accident terminology so as to be able to make reliable international comparisons on cyclist safety.
- National authorities should set standards for, collect or otherwise facilitate the collection of data on non-fatal cycling crashes based on police reports and, in either a systematic or periodic way, on hospital records.
- Authorities seeking to improve cyclists' safety should adopt the Safe System approach - policy should focus on improving the inherent safety of the traffic system, not simply on securing marginal improvements for cyclists in an inherently unsafe system.
- Authorities should establish top-level plans for cycling and cycling safety and should ensure high-level coordination among relevant government agencies to ensure that cycling grows without aggravating safety performance.
- Speed management acts as "hidden infrastructure" protecting cyclists and should be included as an integral part of cycle safety strategies.
- Cyclists should not be the only target of cycling safety policies – motorists are at least as important to target.
- Where appropriate, traffic speeds should be limited to less than 30km/hr where bicycles and motorised traffic mix but care should be taken so that speed control devices do not create hazards for cyclists.


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Robin Haigh
Robin Haigh is a composer from London, whose music has been performed across the UK, as well as in America, France, Lithuania, and Taiwan. He is particularly interested in dramatic music, and his opera "The Man Who Woke Up" was performed in London and Louisville in 2015 and 2016. More recent dramatic works include his "1936: An East London Uprising" commissioned by East London Music Group, and a new piece in collaboration with Austrian writer Raphaela Edelbauer to be performed in the basement of Shoreditch Town Hall in June 2017. Another key interest has been in writing for early music performers such as lutenist Elizabeth Kenny, the Dunedin Consort, and recorder player Tabea Debus. Robin studied at Goldsmiths, University of London with Dmitri Smirnov, and is now completing his Masters degree at the Royal Academy of Music with Edmund Finnis and David Sawer.
Robin says:
"I am really looking forward to being able to write a piece in a really focussed and collaborative way, and to have several intensive sessions working with the performers. To then be able to display the products of this work via NMC and Sage Gateshead will be a real highlight of my career so far."


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About Me
- Lindsay Mason
- I'm a freelance artist, designer and demonstrator and have been involved in arts and craft my whole life in one way or another. I design stamps for top British company Personal Impressions, under the "Lindsay Mason Designs" brand, as well as papers, templates and other crafting products. I'm a certified Ranger Educator and my first book,"Stamping", was published in 2009. I also design regular projects for Crafts Beautiful magazine and have made guest appearances from time to time on QVC. I've recently joined You Tube under the name of LindsayMason1000 where I'm posting short technique videos and you can buy my paintings and hand crafted pieces from my Etsy shop. My work takes me all around the country demonstrating stamping, papercrafts and general inkiness! When I'm not working, I love gardening, church & community activities, nature watching, journalling, music and theatre and just relaxing at home. Email me at: firstname.lastname@example.com
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
A lovely weekend
Friday, 25 June 2010
Quick reminder
Monday, 21 June 2010
My art and I
The painting below was the result of stopping by the roadside for a coffee on the way home from Scotland. I loved the scene and made some sketches, took a few photographs and painted the picture after we got home. I loved the contrast between busy foreground and peaceful panorama behind. Russell Grant, the astrologer, bought one of my landscapes featuring a country lane, as he said he could just imagine walking down there and seeing what was round the corner!
The next picture is of Blue Tits, and it's appropriate as I've been watching very similar scenes this week from my window! The adults are flitting to and from our feeders and their fledglings, who are keeping them really busy. The chattering they are doing is really loud as well for such tiny birds!
The last picture is one that now hangs in my parents' home. My mum really liked this painting which I told the lady who bought it. When she died she left the painting to my mum, so she finally did get to hang it on their wall. The subject is of an Owl being mobbed by other birds (which is what they do if they discover an owl anywhere near a nest). I kept the background very uncluttered and simple as I wanted to focus just on the birds. Whenever I hear the Magpies clacking away and the Blackbirds shouting an alarm call I wonder if they are after a poor, unsuspecting and sleepy owl!
Well, I hope that you enjoyed the insight into my background. I sold many paintings over the years and David and I ran our own Gallery for a few years too. Unfortunately, as art in the UK veered into the strange world of installations and more abstract forms, I found that I needed to change the focus of my work. My interest in crafts had been there since I was a young child and I have always enjoyed creating a wide variety of things. It is a very long story, but I began to design stamps for Personal Impressions about seven years ago and it's something that I really enjoy. Seeing what people create with the stamps is as much a thrill as it was when I first began. Now I'm working on other things such as papers as well, so there is always something new to excite me. Sadly, because my work keeps me so busy, I really don't get the opportunity to paint "pictures" anymore, but I love being able to show people who think that they aren't artistic that they, too, can create something unique and to be proud of.
Time to rest
The card below was made using one of my new character stamp sets. This one is Finlay the frog (PICSA6113 Prince Frog) and I stamped one of him lying down and then used several impressions of the sitting version to create the crowd behind him.
I simply cut the grassy strips with my scissors, but the Martha Stewart grass punch, or fringing scissors give a really good effect if you have them. I used the crown and message from the same set. The frog stamps are great for male cards...which man wouldn't like to think he was the real Prince! As you can see, I enjoy making fun, whimsical cards, but I also love making more artsy pieces as you will see further down.
These pictures are of the sample which I made for the workshop, showing the front and back of the canvas. The colours don't look as vibrant as they really are, but I used ochres and gold combined with teal as my pallette. The flowers are all hand dyed ( a technique I'll be demonstrating in my next few demonstrations) and the "secret" area in the back has a mixture of photographs, a "love letter", a lock of hair (mine!), an altered matchbox, flowers etc.
I think all the ladies were a little
intimidated by the stark white canvasses to begin with, so I got everyone to sponge paint on them straight away - amazing how some colour makes an empty space less scary! We then used tissue to create texture, added crackle paints, grungeboard letters and stamped images.
As you can see, everyone was soon getting quite engrossed in their pieces of art. Here's a face that many of you will recognise! Amy made a very girly pink and lilac version, complete with fairytale castle and winged key, for a little girl's bedroom. Below you can see Sheila's canvas coming together. It was, as always, fascinating to see how different everyone's style was.
We had a lot of fun, with lots of laughter throughout the day, and we over ran the allotted time too! I think that all the ladies were going to add extra ephemera, charms etc to their creations once they got home as well.


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Please welcome talented author Anita Philmar and her Shapeshifter Syfy Romance, Banished Hero.
Book 1 of her Banished series has all the elements that make us swoon: #shapeshifter #changling #syfy #alphahero #princessromance #bookseries
Can a lost princess find her way home?
Can a sexy wolf save her or is he out to eat her alive?
Shapeshifters need love too!
With no memory of her past, Faye Lynn Berton clings to a father who curses her ability to shape-shift, then uses her special skill to scam local villagers. The only freedom she knows comes as she soars through the sky in falcon form. A chance meeting with another changling turns her world upside down. Beyond satisfying the powerful sexual cravings that follow transformation, he reveals a surprising dimension of sex between their kind…one to unlock the secrets of her soul.
Havyn Westmore has questions…Faye Lynn holds the answers. Determined to unravel her secrets, he must strives to gain her freedom and trust. Teaching her the finer techniques of transformation keeps her close while sex strengthens their bond. But on the trail of discovery, Havyn must confront his own past. Accused of a heinous crime, he was banned from his homeland. Now, he must choose between returning to face certain execution—or robbing Faye Lynn of her birthright and a life in Paradise.
Read a Long Excerpt
Available at
Excerpt (PG)
"So tell me, how did you get onto my property?" He leaned against the rock where she'd transformed.
His nostrils flared. He turned his head. His dark hair caught the light of the falling sun and sparked with the same red highlights from the night beast. The fabric across his chest expanded, displaying strong, well-defined muscles.
He turned and nailed her with a piercing black stare. "You're a shape-shifter, aren't you?"
Uncertain if she should speak the truth, Faye Lynn shook her head. "Why would you say such a thing?"
"Because I can smell you." He stepped forward. His rubber boots splashed in the shallow waters of the river. Each step drew him closer.
If she knew how to swim, she would've turned and swam away, but alas, she didn't. "What? What smell?"
A lustful smile passed over his lips. His white sharp teeth looked ready to feed on her flesh. He licked his lips and stopped a few paces from her. "An alluring scent of a shape-shifter. After changing form, they burn with a hunger that can only be satisfied in one way."
Her heart jumped into high speed at idea of this excellent example of a man knowing her desires. She studied him again, taking in his narrow hips and powerful legs.
Oh, what a superior lover he'd be.
Faye Lynn swallowed her yearning to mate and denied his claim. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I just decided to take a quick dip in the lake so I could cool off after the walk I took through the forest."
His gaze examined her, and she shifted lower into the lake, wondering if he could see her naked body under the clear water.
A flame lit his eyes. "Then where are your clothes?"
Other Books in the Banished Series
Banished Scoundrel
Banished Witch
Banished – 3 books in one
Some of Anita's other Titles
Black Dragon's Blood
In Deep Water
In Too Deep
Duty's Bride
More Than Ready
A Cowboy's Pleasure
The Country Doctor's Bride
Bio for Anita Philmar
Anita Philmar likes to create stories that push the limit. A writer by day and a dreamer by night she wants her readers to see the world in a new way.
Influenced by old movies, she likes to develop places where anything can happen and where special moments come to life in a great read.
Naughty or Nice?
Read her books and decide.
Website: http://www.anitaphilmar.com/
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar


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PEL has extensive capabilities to undertake mechanical design using 3D CAD tools such as SOLIDWORKS and Finite Element Analysis using COSMOS packages. Our systems engineers have vast experience in executing designs for cost optimization and manufacturability always keeping the customer's total requirements at the fore front. PEL applies its niche capabilities in material selection, component development, material treatment, fabrication and assembly to the design and production of: -
Copyright 2019-2020 : Precision Electronics Limited


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Hey there every peoples!
I seem to have gotten into hot water with certain folks (they'll probably call this post stupid as well). But I'll deal with them later. Before i did i really wanted to talk about something that i have wanted to for a long time. It is about a problem that is quite pervasive in museums and one that needs to be rectified. Because it has repercussions for us all.


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In my therapeutic practice I have been working with people who have a wide range of issues. I provide a safe, confidential and calm environment in which to explore a person's own experience with the intention of facilitating change.
Change from within is the key to uncovering who a person really is, the true Self. Each person is born with a Self that is unique to them. The Self can become hidden away for safe keeping and is protected by strong effective defence systems, this happens because of life's conditioning that occurs through the family and society. It is because of these defence systems that it is not possible for a person to make changes by themselves, another person is needed to help them see and become more conscious.
When the true Self is hidden away it begins to leave a person feeling unhappy and like something is missing. Psychotherapy then is a journey into the unknown of the psyche.
I am able to work with people on specific issues they may have or with people who may want longer term support with their personal inquiry. The therapy can therefore be short term or long term depending on individual needs.
I have experience of working therapeutically with adults and young people (from 16 years) on a wide range of issues.
Training & Qualifications:
|Master of Arts (MA) Transpersonal Counselling & Psychotherapy (Passed with Distinction)De Montfort University, Leicester, in collaboration with the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education (CCPE), Beauchamp Lodge, London W2
|Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy, CCPE, Warwick Crescent, London W2


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Are you the same person online as you are in the real physical world?
I was once accused online of being an old man who goes into chat rooms naked pretending to be a teenage girl. Ew! Can't imagine anyone who meets me in person accusing me of that, but it makes me wonder.
Who are the real people behind the names at the blogs where I read and comment? Are they lying about who they are? Their gender? Their age? How would you know? Leave aside the pervs and the creeps, and wonder why people are so different? Probably they don't like who they are. Are there other reasons?
I am more upbeat and more outgoing online than I am in person. Also more athletic. But I am still me. Are you?
Then again, I meet a lot of "real" people who are much more like avatars than human beings. High school can be like that but so can churches and synagogues. In HS, you understand that we're all still becoming who we will grow up to be, and so it's OK to try on new interests and new styles. But new personalities? No thank you!
But there are also a lot of adults, way past 20 or 25 adults, who act more like internet avatars than actual humans. I know someone who calls the Stepford Wives. They're pretty scary, and sometimes it hurts to find out who the human being underneath actually is.
In 2008 I want to become a little more like my online avatar, and I want her to become a little more like me.


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Replacement Parts
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Hugh MacPherson, BSc(Hons), PhD.
Board of Advisors
Dr. MacPherson works for the University of York as a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Health Sciences. He trained as a practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in the early 1980's and continues to practice acupuncture in York. He subsequently founded the Northern College of Acupuncture, based in York, and steered the College towards achieving university validation for the first acupuncture degree course in the UK. Hugh retains his clinical practice, working as he Clinical Director at the York Clinic for Integrated Healthcare where he works as an acupuncturist.
As a result of his interest in research, he set up the Foundation for Research into Traditional Chinese Medicine 1993 and joined the Department of Health Sciences, University of York, as a Senior Research Fellow in 2003. He has been supported by a Career Scientist Award, Grant for Applied Research, both from UK's National Institute for Health Research, and Arthritis Research UK. Hugh is also the author of over 80 scientific and medical articles, and lead editor of two books.


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Reverend Alicia Teo was saved in Sri Lanka in 1989 receiving two visions of the Messiah during two consecutive Saturday afternoon church services prior to reading the Bible which was in line with the descriptions in the Books of Daniel and Revelation. In the same year, she ministered healing in signs and wonders with her first miracle where a nine year old boy, who was mute from birth suddenly spoke.
God has used her mightily in the nations of the Philippines, India, Indonesia, East and West Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore in signs and wonders through healing the chronically sick. Stroke patients healed and bow down before Jesus, deaf ears opened, blind eyes opened, the mute speak, bones broken into three joined, lupus healed, arthritis healed, cancer tumours disappeared and heart attack miraculously healed just to name a few.
She has been a full time revivalist/evangelist, preacher, prophetic minister, encourager and author who has been raised up to bring hope and healing to the Body of Christ. Without vision, the people perish and the Lord has been using her to speak forth individual and corporate vision, to revive people from their comfort zone and spiritual weakness and to minister in powerful revival anointing and revelatory ministry. Her passion is to share the love of Christ and His amazing miracles and to unite people to the love of our Heavenly Father, exhorting them to rise and shine! She is extremely accurate in her prophecy to individuals and nations. In 1996 for two consecutive Sunday services at Bethel Assembly of God Evangelistic Ministry, she was prophesied to be a powerful prophetic intercessor/prophetess and a counsel to the pastors. On the same years, she counselled pastors who were extremely wounded in ministry. In 2008 she was prophesied by a prophetess from Israel that God was going to use her powerfully in healing and deliverance ministry and since 2009 God gave her a program on inner healing. Since then she has been teaching on inner healing and in 2012 launched the Father Me Inner Healing and Sanctification Program.
Rev Alicia has also preached in Melbourne, in Bethany International Church (youth section), Bread of Life , Victory Family Church and Bethel Assembly Evangelistic Ministry (Friends For Jesus). She has spoken in the marketplace ministry and full gospel in Penang and Singapore and at the entrepreneurial conference summit in Philippines and Singapore.
Before she assumed the position of Honorary Pastor on 1 Dec 2019, she had been a full time Senior pastor of a pioneering church, Trinity Community Centre in Singapore She is ordained by the Omega Team, USA which is an apostolic and prophetic network, serving in the Healing and Deliverance Ministry for more than twenty years first in Sri Lanka and then in Singapore and the nations.


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When it comes to fresh water salmon, celebrity New Zealand chef Al Brown was a self-confessed cynic.
That was until Tsunami Sushi's Scott Murray dropped by one day with a whole fish from Mt Cook Salmon.
"It was quite extraordinary," Al said.
"I got a call from Scott one day saying 'can I drop by and introduce you to this salmon'.
"I was sceptical because I'd always thought salt water salmon was better than fresh.
"But it was a bit of an honour to have him around, he's a legend around these parts."
Partly out of intrigue about King Salmon grown in the Mackenzie Country hydro-canals, and partly out of admiration for the caller's skills, Al welcomed the chance to see Scott's 30 years of sushi and sashimi experience in action.
"He brought a whole fish around and I started to cut it up and he finished it up. He's the master and it was really cool to have him there to talk us through it," Al said.
"The fish itself was absolutely beautiful.
"I love all fish and I've eaten a lot of salmon. I think the New Zealand product on the whole is really good.
"I've used a lot of product from New Zealand – Akaroa and New Zealand King Salmon have always impressed me."
And the fresh water product did not disappoint.
"The flavour is really pure and clean," he said.
"I've always associated the colder the water with the finer the taste.
"Which makes sense when you get an understanding of how these fish are bred in the cold, clean water with the strong current."
The experience drove Al to Tweet.
"Best salmon I've ever eaten…period!" he told the world via the social networking site Twitter.
Al later said it wasn't just the fish, but the whole experience that Scott created that wowed him.
"That was a fantastic surprise," Al said.
"To me, you get huge ups from people or producers that do that kind of thing.
"It's lovely to see the whole form of the fish and then cut it down.
"It makes so much more sense when you see the product, connect with it, and hear the story, see Scott's prowess and skills".


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Jobless Data Sends Down Major Indices (SBUX, MS)
Major indices were down by over half a percent today, as investors reacted to negative economic data. In particular, despite the fact that there were 2,000 fewer jobless claims last week than the week before, economists had expected there to be 18,000 fewer claims. In corporate news, Starbucks (SBUX) announced that it will discontinue the use of an extract from an insect known as the cochineal, which it had been applying as food coloring. Morgan Stanley (MS) had a better than expected quarter, with earnings per share 61 percent higher than forecasted.
Word on the Street
- Major indices were down by over half a percent.
- Starbucks (SBUX) will stop using insect extract for food dye.
- Morgan Stanley (MS) beat expectations with their Q1 earnings.
- The next generation of Apple's (AAPL) iPhone may come out in October.
- The IMF Chief announced that funds would be increased.
- Jobless claims fell by less than expected.
Interesting Tidbits
Published on Apr 19, 2012By InvestorGuide Staff
Posted in ...Market Commentary Daily Market Commentary


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Teen and Young Adult Internet Use
A new Pew Internet Project report reveals that 93% of teens ages 12‐17 go online, as do 93% of young adults ages 18‐29. Three quarters (74%) of all adults ages 18 and older go online. Over the past ten years, teens and young adults have been consistently the two groups most likely to go online, even as the internet population has grown and even with documented larger increases in certain age cohorts (e.g. adults 65 and older).


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Property ID: DE43
Address: Jl. Gili Air Desa Gili Indha Kec Pemenang Gili Air Island 83352 Indonesia
Phone: 6282146496379
At the Grand Sunset Gili Air, paradise and luxury is within reach. Situated on Gili Air, a small island on the northwestern shores of Lombok, Indonesia, and quick boat ride away from Bali, the Grand Sunset is an oceanfront resort where azure waters and curving coastlines of white sand beaches intertwine with contemporary design and architecture, including modern conveniences. Guests also have a great view of the Bali Sea and the breathtaking Mount Agung, Bali's largest volcano! There's a restaurant, beach club and full-service bar on site with a gourmet mix of traditional Indonesian cuisine and western delights. In addition, guests can enjoy the pool along with the scuba and dive center with daily snorkeling trips right from the resort.
Bar/lounge (Nearby)
Fitness Center (Nearby)
Indoor swimming pool (Onsite)
Laundry facilities (Onsite)
Medical facility (Nearby)
Salon (Nearby)
Beach (Onsite)
Boating (Onsite)
Fishing (Onsite)
Golf (2 Miles)
Shopping (Nearby)
Water Skiing (Onsite)
Our hotel rooms have elegant, chipped marble walls and smooth marble floors that help create a cool environment indoors. All accommodations have fully functioning air conditioning systems for added comfort; keycard locks and safes for improved security and sound-proof PVC windows for a peaceful slumber. In addition, the open-air bathrooms make for a majestic spa-like experience. Guests are treated like royalty, sleeping on queen size beds with pillow top mattresses covered with 500 thread count sheets for the ultimate comfort after an eventful day on the island.Each unit has a partial scenic view of the Bali Sea, as well as a relaxing pool view. Unlike other island resorts, connectivity is never a problem at The Grand Sunset, as guests have access to fast, in-room WiFi.
Bandar Udara International Lombok - LOP (31 Miles)
Check In: 13:30
Check Out: 12:30
Weeks Check In Days: Friday


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You all know that improper dental hygiene can lead to cavities and tooth loss. But did you know that it can also lead to painful infections? You don't want to have to deal with the severe pain that can result from these infections. However, if the tooth does get to that point, you might need a root canal. But don't worry! A root canal is not as bad as many think it is. Here's what you need to know.
The Basic Root Canal Treatment
The first question that probably comes to your mind is: what exactly is a root canal? Beneath the teeth, there are channels that connect the tips of your teeth roots with the pulp chamber that connects the veins and the blood vessels from the jaw to the center of the tooth. These channels are known as "root canals." Therefore, a root canal is a dental procedure that deals with fixing these bodily root canals. The dentist will essentially clean out the infection and decay from the tooth.
Your next question is probably: is a root canal a painful procedure? The answer is a simple one. No. In fact, it actually helps stop the pain you are probably feeling if you need a root canal. Instead of removing your tooth to replace it with an implant (which can sometimes be painful), the doctors remove your tooth nerve and clear the pulp from your cavity, and then seal it so that further damage can be avoided. If you don't receive treatment and the infection is severe, it will spread beyond the tooth root, leading to extra pain and swelling.
The Procedure Itself
First, your dentist will take an x-ray of your tooth to determine its exact condition. Then, local anesthesia is applied, allowing the doctor to drill into your tooth without you feeling any pain. Once the hole is deep enough to reach the nerve and the pulp, the dentist will clean out your nerves, removing all the infected pulp in the root canal. After this is finished, the dentist will apply some medication to ensure that the infection is fully removed and will not come back. The tooth is then sealed.
The process is basic and is usually completed in only one sitting and will drastically improve your way of life. Contact us for your appointment and get pain-free teeth!


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126 Honors Way
PRIME LOCATION! Welcome home to this lovely 3 Bedrooms + LOFT, 2 1/2 Bathrooms, 1 Car Garage Townhome in the Gated Community of Heritage Park in Winter Springs. Zoned for top-rated Seminole County Schools, this move-in ready townhome is centrally located to Winter Springs Town Center, Restaurants, Parks, and Recreation. As you enter, you are greeted by a spacious foyer, ½ bath and garage entry. As you continue, you'll find the multi-functional living space is ideal for family gatherings and entertaining friends. The spacious kitchen features wood cabinets, closet pantry, and stainless steel appliances all conveniently open to the dining area. Upstairs master bedroom retreat offers much need privacy, is light and bright with ample room for furniture, large walk-in closet and dual vanity master bath. Bonus loft is ideal for a playroom, office or den and separates master retreat from secondary bedrooms, shared bath and laundry room, which is also conveniently located upstairs! Cozy back patio is perfect for the family to enjoy the outdoors and is within close proximity to the community pool. This family friendly community features large, sparkling pool, playground, and picnic area affording plenty of opportunity for fun. Come see for yourself!
Property Details
Address: 126 Honors Way
City: Winter Springs
State: FL
Zip: 32708
Baths: 2.5
Square Feet: 1888
Garage: 1
Year Built: 2005
Status: Sold


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Are you disappointed that you will be missing out on the 2015 Focused Blogging Conference? Maybe you didn't have the finances to cover all the expenses for the 3 day conference, or maybe just getting away at this season of your life makes it … [Read more]
How Networking (And Black Chicken) Saved My Blog
It was a blogger's worst nightmare! My homeschool mom blog, Golden Reflections Blog was down during the launch of my brand new ebook! I didn't know it yet, but all the networking I had been doing with other bloggers ended up being my lifesaver! And a … [Read more]
Podcasts Every Blogger Should Listen To
I have recently been addicted to Podcasts! When one of my homeschool blogging networks, iHomeschool Network started putting their G+ Hangouts into Podcast format, it really got me into listening to Podcasts! They are so easy to gain huge amounts of … [Read more]
Improve Your Pinning Skills with Pinterest Savvy
If you own a business or run a blog and have not tried marketing your site with Pinterest, than Pinterest Savvy by Melissa Taylor needs to be on your reading list! Melissa grew her Pinterest following to over 1,000,000 strong (yes, you read that … [Read more]
7 Free Chrome Extensions for Bloggers
As bloggers, we are always looking for tools to help us get our jobs done quicker and more efficiently. Today I want to share with you 7 FREE Chrome Extensions for Bloggers. I will admit, it took me a while to get on the Google Chrome bandwagon. I … [Read more]
How To Use PicMonkey Like a Pro
Confession time: I am a PicMonkey addict! If you have never heard of PicMonkey and are wanting to learn how to use it to make that awesome pinnable graphic you keep seeing on Pinterest, than you have come to the right spot! Learn how to use PicMonkey … [Read more]


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You must file a grievance within 60 days from the date of the event that led to the complaint. Grievances are reviewed on an individual basis and we will resolve the grievance as quickly as your health status requires. If you call us with a complaint, we may be able to give you an answer on the same phone call. If you do not wish to call (or you called and were not satisfied), you can put your complaint in writing and send it to us. If you put your complaint in writing, we will respond to your complaint in writing. Expedited or fast grievances will be responded to within 24 hours if the grievance is related the plan's refusal to make a fast coverage organizational determination or reconsideration and you haven't received the medical care yet. We will address other grievance requests within 30 days after receiving your complaint. If we need more information and the delay is in your best interest or if you ask for more time, we can take up to 14 more calendar days to answer your complaint.
How to contact us when you are making an appeal or a complaint:1-866-535-8343


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Eclipse Tip: Hide Closed Projects in Eclipse Project Explorer View
Post: #1
Eclipse Tip: Hide Closed Projects in Eclipse Project Explorer View
Ever wanted to hide all those closed projects in eclipse? Well, here is a simple trick that you may not know already.
Imagine your Eclipse workspace is filled with many projects that you created in past just to test some small functionality. Now you are done with these projects and hence you have closed it. Eclipse by default show all the closed projects in Project Explorer. Hence your project explorer may look like following where only two projects are open and rest competing for your attention although they are closed!
Eclipse comes with a cool tiny feature that many of us not know. You may want to Hide all those closed projects from your workspace in Project Explorer tab. Simply follow following steps and do this is few seconds!
Step 1: Click on right corner of Project Explorer tab and open context menu. Select Filters option from menu.
Step 2: Check Closed Projects option from Filter and press Ok
Now check your project explorer tab, all the closed projects are gone! Doesn't it looks more clean
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Mary Ouellette
Metallica Share Live + Behind the Scenes Footage from Edmonton, Alberta Show
In a new lengthy video clip posted by Metallica, the metal band takes you behind the scenes at their meet and greet at one of their Canadian tour stops Edmonton, Alberta. Additionally, the video invites fans into Metallica's intimate tuning room on tour and shares live footage of one…
Nickelback Debut 'Trying Not To Love You' Video Starring Jason Alexander + Brooke Burns
Nickelback have just premiered their new video for 'Trying Not To Love You' that might surprise fans of the big ballad.
Marilyn Manson Writes Obscenity on Face to Deter Paparazzi at Airport
When it comes to Marilyn Manson, fans know to expect the unexpected, now the paparazzi can join that club too. During a recent trip to California's Los Angeles International Airport on Aug. 10 Manson decided to write a few choice words across his own face in an effort to outwit the p…
Randy Blythe Released From Czech Prison – Rockers React on Twitter
Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe was finally released from a Czech prison on Thursday (Aug. 2) after being incarcerated for more than a month. Blythe was being held on manslaughter charges from a 2010 incident in which a fan died from injuries alleged to have been sustained during a Lamb of God con…
'Dark Knight Rises' Shooting in Aurora, Colorado – Rockers React on Twitter
Thomas Cooper, Getty Images
On early Friday morning (July 20) as movie-goers piled in to the Century 16 theater in Aurora, Colo., to see the new Batman movie 'The Dark Knight Rises', the unthinkable happened. An armed gunman with a gas mask entered the venue, threw tear gas into the theater…
On early Friday morning (July 20) as movie-goers piled in to the Century 16 theater in Aurora, Colo., to see the new Batman movie 'The Dark Knight Rises', the unthinkable happened. An armed gunman with a gas mask entered the venue, threw tear gas into the theater…
Evans Blue, 'Halo' – Exclusive Video Premiere
We have the exclusive premiere of the new video for Evans Blue's hauntingly empowering track 'Halo.'
Randy Blythe Gets New Bail Hearing Court Date, Can Remain Imprisoned for 6 Months If Denie…
As the public outcry for the release of Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe from a Czech prison where he's being held gets louder and louder, his release now suffers another setback.
Papa Roach Reveal New Album Title and Offer Tease of First Single
Papa Roach are releasing the details of their new upcoming disc piece by piece, keeping fans in full suspense. A few weeks ago, the band announced a release date of Oct. 2 for the new release, and now P-Raoch have confirmed the title of the disc will be 'The Connection.'
Pennywise Singer Zoli Teglas Undergoes Emergency Surgery After Collapsing Onstage
Pennywise singer Zoli Teglas recently collapsed onstage in Germany during his band's set at the With Full Force Festival. Click through to find out what happened.
Avenged Sevenfold + Halestorm Unleash Rock 'N' Roll 'Nightmare' – Review and Photos
Avenged Sevenfold and Halestorm joined forces and offered up a rock show for the ages. Click through for review + photos.
Shinedown Set for Live Loudwire Twitter Chat and Conan Performance on June 20
Shinedown will continue to celebrate the release of their new disc 'Amaryllis' throughout the summer as the headliner on the Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival kicking off in August with Godsmack, Staind, Papa Roach and more – but even leading up to that, they have a l…
Three Days Grace Announce New Album Title and Release Date
Canadian rockers Three Days Grace have been using social networking to clue fans in on a big announcement that they were planning to drop today. As anticipated, the good news includes confirmation of the album title and a release date for their upcoming fourth studio disc.


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We've, Silkscreen Print by LessLIE, Cowichan Nation
Regular price
We've, LessLIE, Cowichan Nation, 22" x 22" paper size, silkscreen print, edition of 100.
We've. You are forever deeply ingrained into my heart and memories. I was wrong to say that I would choose my art over your heart. If I could carve a companion, make a wooden woman for you to notice and love me again, I would. If I could trade my Salish soul for your Heltsuik heart, I would. If I could paint a path back to your heart, I would. If I could relive my life like Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy," I would. If i could relive my life, I would surrender my artistic talent for your love. We are supposed to complete each other, and weave a life of love.
Born in 1973 in Duncan, B.C., lessLIE is Coast Salish of Cowichan, Penelakut, Esquimalt, Irish, and Italian and French descent. His colonized Catholic Canadian name is Leslie Robert Sam. lessLIE has a Bachelor of Arts degree in First Nations Studies from Malaspina University-College. While working on this undergraduate degree, lessLIE began to study Coast Salish art. He has been studying Coast Salish art for over ten years. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Victoria. The thesis of this Master's degree is a critique of the literature on Coast Salish art. As a component of this graduate degree, lessLIE has worked at Thunderbird Park Carving Studio.
When he first began to study Coast Salish art, lessLIE was inspired and encouraged by his cousin, Joe Wilson. He has also been influenced by other young Coast Salish artists such as Manual Salazar, Maynard Johnny Jr., and Shaun Peterson. His main influences as an artist are Susan Point and Robert Davidson.
"In my graduate work I have devoted a great deal of time and energy to the study of Coast Salish art. Through my studies I have come to truly appreciate this unique art form. It is an incredible gift our ancestors have given us. My artwork is intended to bring a greater appreciation of Coast Salish art to Coast Salish communities as well as to the general public. My goal as an artist is to provide a contemporary expression of this ancient and distinctive art form."


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Acca Kappa celebrates the old-world traditions of quality, luxury and simplicity in a collection of gift sets imported from Italy. Acca Kappa gifts. Pure luxury to give. Pure joy to receive
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