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Finding Contentment
Contentment, or all-sufficiency, toward possessions is repeatedly instructed to us in the scriptures. From the very beginning, God's law demanded contentment. Along with not committing murder, not committing adultery, and not stealing, God also commanded in the ten commandments to not be covetous (Exodus 20:13-17).
Jesus said,
"No one can serve of two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and of money" (Matthew 6:24).
Paul said,
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. Now you, man of God, run from these things" (1 Timothy 6:10-11).
The desire for more causes us to do things that we would not normally do. On television we have these reality television shows where contestants can win one million dollars for performing various activities. Recently a"Christian" couple was on one of these programs. They are willing to lie and treat the other contestants terribly so they can win the one million dollars. Meanwhile, there was another couple who did not make any claim to Christianity, yet treated the other contestants far better than the supposed Christian couple. What is the root of the supposed Christian couple's evil actions? Clearly,their desire to gain more wealth is the root of the problem, just as Paul said.
The psalmist used prayer to help keep himself focused on what was right.
"Turn my heart to Your decrees and not to material gain. Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in Your word" (Psalm 119:36-37).
We must see that eternal life is more important and more valuable than anything this world has to offer. Our possessions do not matter in the scheme of our lives. We can place such an emphasis on having certain things that we desire, yet no possession is truly important. God is more important and our families are more important. But we seem to forget this fact until tragedy strikes our lives. Suddenly we remember that our possessions are worthless and we would trade everything we had to spend more time with our beloved family members. Instead of making sacrifices for our families and for God, we are sacrificing our families and sacrificing God for more money and possessions. The things that matter most in this life are the very things we treat as worthless. Will our children thank us for spending time with them or for buying them toys? All of us have made the comment at some point that kids would rather play with the box than the toy inside. Yet we fail to understand that our children would rather be with us than with a bunch of possessions. We have to keep our head on straight and always remind ourselves about what is really important. Will possessions matter in 20-30 years or will our parents, children, and friends matter more? If we sacrifice our relationships now, we will not have any relationships in the future. If we sacrifice God now, we will not have a relationship with Him and He will not know us on the day of judgment. Many times the reason we work extra hours and make sacrifices of our family is because we simply want to have more for ourselves.
The parable of the talents reminds us that we will be accountable to God how we used the possessions we have. First century Christians were eager to sell their possessions to help other Christians who had need. We ought to be impressed by the Christians in Macedonia who were so poor themselves, but longed for the opportunity to give what they had to help others who had similar need. In every case we see the purpose of possessions was to give glory to God by helping others. We must always be willing and longing for the opportunity to be helpful to others with what we have. We must always remember that everything we have comes from the Lord. David was aware of this fact when he said,
"Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Riches and honor comes from You, and You are ruler of everything. In Your hand are power and might, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all" (1 Chronicles 29:11-12).
When we change our focus to the attitude that David expresses in this passage, we are more able to become content with what we have. It is easy to think that everything is ours, but we must remember that what we have is on loan from God. When we accept that nothing is mine to begin with, we can say the words of Job,
"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).
Perhaps the most difficult place to be content is with our situation and circumstance in life. We almost always want things to be better. We are not happy with where we are in our lot in life. We may think we have been shortchanged. We may think we are being treated unfairly. Perhaps the greatest place we exercise discontentment is looking into the world and seeing evildoers in better circumstances than ourselves. We even have a song in our songbooks that express this very feeling. Consider the words to "Farther Along." "Tempted and tried we're oft made to wonder why it should be thus all the day long, while there are others living about us, never molested though in the wrong. When death has come and taken our loved ones, it leaves our home so lonely and drear; then do we wonder why others prosper, living so wicked year after year." The encouragement of the song is to stay faithful to death and we will understand why later farther along. Asaph put it this way,
"This is what the wicked are like—always carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence" (Psalm 73:12-13).
Yet later in the psalm he came to the realization that the wicked will receive the justice that is due to them. They will eventually come to ruin but the righteous will not.
How can we remain content when we are dealing with physical limitations, afflictions, trials, and persecutions? Philippians 4:11-13 shows how Paul dealt with the various circumstances in his life. Paul says he has learned to be content in any circumstance he is in. He knew how to have little and have to have a lot. In any and all circumstances he learned the secret of being content, whether he was hungry or well-fed, whether living in abundance or in need. What is the secret to being content? The secret is we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. How is this the secret to contentment? What did Paul mean by this? You can get through anything when God is with you. You can handle any circumstance when you have the strength of God to get you through. Paul says he has been at both end of the spectrum. He has been in abundance and he has been in need. He has been well-fed and he has been hungry. He has gone through the roller coaster of life. How do you get through? We get through these challenging times by knowing God is with us despite all we may be suffering. Know that farther along we can understand why. Without God, there is no understanding. How can we explain anything bad in life without God? Many try to suggest that since bad things happen to people that we ought to realize there is no God. But if we suffer these things and there is no God, then there is no point to our lives and our suffering. There is no hope because evil people get away with things and will never be brought to justice. But with God, we know that God is trying to help us conform to His image. How did Paul learn the secret of contentment? He learned the secret of contentment by going through these extremes of abundance and need. Our weaknesses are to help us depend upon God. If we did not lack anything in this life, then we would not see any need to seek after God. But it is through our turmoil and our tragedies that we are reminded to seek the Lord to get us through. We accept the hardships now to receive the glory of the Lord later. As Christ said to the church at Smyrna,
"be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).
God has done more for us than we deserve. One secret to finding contentment is to realize that God has done more for us than we deserve. God does not have to be merciful and generous to the sinful. He does not have to provide us with possessions and standing in this life. We are all violators of God's law and we are all deserving of God's wrath for our actions. God, in His love, chooses to bless us and watch over us. We deserve God's wrath. We have received God's mercy and blessings. We are able to do all things through Him who strengthens us. God is able to get us through any difficulty we encounter. We may have bad times fall upon us. We may have a wonderful life. In any circumstance, God is there to help. God will not forsake us and will never leave us. Therefore, we know we can handle any challenge of life.
Focus on the truly important things in life. When we start looking at all that we have outside of our possessions, outside of our position, and outside of our circumstances, we can see that we have been given so much. We have been given a family. Though not perfect, they are people who love us and care about us. We have been given one another to help each other and to rely upon one another. We have relationships that cannot be broken because of our love of the Lord. Once we see these things and add the physical blessings of God, we can see that we have all we need. Let us see the sufficiency we have in Christ.


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On this page we will show how easy it really is to switch an existed Xojo project, that uses built-in SQLite database to Valentina SQLite Server.
We will use example "Xojo/Example Projects/Database/SQLite/SQLiteExample.xojo_binary_project" to modify it. Let`s copy it, for example, to the Desktop and open in Xojo.
To start working with Valentina plugin we should add one or few of its initialization methods:
In this example, we are going to access Valentina Server as SQLite Server. So let's add in Application class a new event handler Open().
Also we should shutdown Valentina plugin using one of 3 shutdown methods. Let's add into Application class a new event handler Close().
We will make this application to be able to work in both modes Local and Client!
To choose a mode let's add checkbox ClientMode on the top of window with default value = False
Please notice, that in real life app, you will use, most probably, some boolean flag instead visual checkbox.
Double click button "Create SQLite DB" to see its method, which creates local SQLite db in the original example of Xojo.
In the above method we can see that original code uses
App.DB = new SQLiteDatabase
Instead we should use VSQLiteDatabase class from V4RB plugin. For this click property DB in the App class
and change its type in the inspector to VSQLiteDatabase:
At this point you can try to RUN this modified project in LOCAL mode, to see that it still works using built-in SQLite engine of Xojo.
Let's open the folder of Valentina Server to see later that database will be created in the folder 'databases_sqlite'.
Now let's start application again. But at first click checkbox 'ClientMode' and then click all 4 buttons. You will see that application still works, and you see the correct results:
Again let's look into Valentina Server folder. This time you will see new folder 'databases_sqlite' with database 'example.sqlite'.
We was need only
to convert EXISTING SQLite Example of Xojo to Valentina SQLite Server.
The same amount of job you will need for projects of any size, because you only need correct db create/open/connect code.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tunisia's revolution started in December 2010 and sparked a wave of uprisings across the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. During the uprising women vigorously participated. Despite targeted sexual harassment and rape – often by police forces – they organized at grassroots level, participated in the protests and were active in cyber activism. Tunisia's revolution has secured increased freedom. However, a lot of work remains to be done on issues of violence, political representation or equal pay and opportunity.
Women are systematically sidelined in decision making processes. While female representation in Parliament tops 30 percent, which is high compared to the pre-revolution era, women remain almost absent from the leadership at local level. The new Constitution declares that the state needs to ensure equality between men and women, but till now they did not take all appropriate measures to end violence against women. Currently, the Secretary of State for Women Affairs, along with several civil society organizations, is leading a process of harmonizing the Tunisian legal framework with the Constitution and with international instruments ratified by Tunisia for the protection of women's rights. There are already some improvements; since very recently women in Tunisia have the right to travel with their children without the authorization of the father.
Despite political assassinations and social unrest Tunisia keeps showing signs of positive change. Tunisian women activists remained strong in their advocacy & loud in their demands. A major achievement is that the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet has been awarded the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize for its important role in establishing peace and stability in Tunisia. The Tunisian General Labor Union is one of the four civil society organisations of the Quartet, and a Women on the Frontline partner organisation.
Read here more about the latest developments in Tunisia


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By Tim O'Riordan
I do not believe what I am about to suggest will happen. Nevertheless I feel it is timely to express it. I am a Gaianist, in that I subscribe to the provable evidence of an almost miraculous self-organising and self-perpetuating planet. We appear to be in stage two of the Gaian journey. The beginning was the microbial age of single celled biota which still colonise the microbiomes of our internal life giving functions. The second age of the more sophisticated many celled biota led eventually to the emergence of humanity. We seem to be heading towards the end of this age. What looms is a third Gaian age of a planet which is essentially post human. This could emerge within the coming thousand years. By post human I posit a species which has essentially lost any moral concern for the viability of its offspring, nor has the capability of being able to create the conditions for meaningful survival of the remaining human race. In essence that third Gaian age heralds the emergence of a species that can only live for its own existence. The humanness of caring, sharing and reciprocating will have atrophied. The essence of sustainability, namely providing both the conditions and the capabilities for future generations to live sustainably, will have been lost.


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New York Gay karaoke bars and clubs by distance
- 9th Avenue Saloon (0.4m) The original Hells Kitchen gay bar for over 30 years, Ninth Avenue Saloon features an internet jukebox, video games, free wi-fi, photo booth, great beer selection, and a good place for a cheap pint and a chat...more
- Barracuda (1.6m) Chelsea late-night lounge with table service, DJ's and excellent drag performances at midnight most week nights. Great place to start the night with friends or meet new ones in the busy front bar...more
- Lips (2.1m) The ultimate in drag dining, reservations recommended and essential weekends...more
- Stonewall (2.4m) W. Village two-level dance bar and birthplace of the NY gay rights movement and riots in 1969. Grab a drink downstairs and watch the go-go boys. Dance upstairs to house or hip-hop. Under new management. Happy hour Monday - Friday 2 pm - 8 pm...more
- Duplex (2.4m) Boasts a piano bar with open mic every night of the week, a comfy lounge, seasonal outdoor cafe (which affords smokers a place to hang) and an intimate, off-Broadway cabaret theatre...more
- Suite (2.8m) A fun gay bar catering to locals (mainly Black/Latin) and Columbia University students and faculty. They have Karaoke and some pretty awful drag queens, but hey, it's cheap...more
- Lucky Chengs (2.9m) Drag karaoke, cabaret, dinner and a good time ...more
- Icon (3.2m) Icon is a gay ultra lounge in the heart of Astoria, Queens NYC. Themed nights include karaoke, showtunes, boardgames, and a girls night. Happy hour every Sunday through Friday 6pm - 9pm and Saturday 8pm - 10pm...more
- Albatross (3.8m) Small friendly Queen's bar featuring pool, darts, chess, and karaoke. Happy hour every day from opening till 8pm...more
- Metropolitan (4.1m) Williamsburg local gay bar with a pool table, DJ/jukebox, working photo booth and outdoor deck. Metropolitan provides 2 fireplaces to keep you warm. In the summer there is the best patio in Brooklyn and the best gay BBQ every Sunday with free food and cheap beer. Lot's of cute Brooklyn boys and girls and everyone's welcome at this gay bar...more
- True Colors (5.4m) True Colors serves up a nightly party in Jackson Heights. Events include karaoke, tequila night, underwear party and DJs. Never a cover and happy hour specials every day from 4pm to 10pm...more
- Tempo Libero (5.8m) Tempo Libero is a new fun bar in Jackson Heights featuring nightly events including karaoke, hip-hop, and drag. Happy hour week days 5pm - 10pm...more
- Feathers (10.3m) Club Feathers is a local bar with DJ spinning the latest hits, 80's and 90's music. Themed nights include karaoke, Latin, drag and bingo ...more
- Duval Bar and Lounge (16.6m) Small, upscale lounge, bi level bar with two lounge areas. Live entertainment on Thursdays for Ladies night with Girls Gone Acoustic and Piano bar Sundays...also DJ and karaoke on other nights. Partly managed by Miguel Allure from Jerseylicious...more
New York Gay Bars and Clubs from ClubFly
ClubFly provides a gay bar, club, nightlife and GLBT center mapper for New York, New York and the rest of the USA. New York gay bars and clubs are mapped in your gayborhood with tags, transit/walking directions, and driving directions.


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Vivendi places a €2.1 billion bond
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Friday, January 30, 2009
Welcome Back, Darth.
My good friend, Tim Challies, has finally left the Dark Side.
The world is a better place now.
(Your day is coming, Julian. Resistance is futile.)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
New City Baptist Church Toronto
Thanks to some excellent Challies design work, the New City Baptist site is now up and running!
Here is What Al Mohler Has to Say About You, if You Have Had an Abortion
"You know, there may be someone reading this today, there may be someone reading this ten years from now - and you are someone who has experienced an abortion. There may be someone who has experienced not only one, but multiple abortions. There may be someone here who is haunted by empty footsteps. The sight of every stroller and crib brings a pang of conscience.
I have good news for you. I know who you are. You are a murderer. I have good news for you. I know who you are. You are a sinner. I have good news for you. There is a savior. I have other news for you. You are in the company of fellow murderers.
You see, the story of the Bible, the story of the Gospel is that when Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, those Jesus was sent to save, killed him. Jesus himself told the parable of the wicked tenants within the vineyard. Because of their wickedness - a picture of our human wickedness - when the vineyard owner sends his own son, the tenants killed him!
I want to tell you, if you have yourself chosen abortion, if you have experienced abortion - you are a murderer. But you are in the company of fellow murderers with blood on our hands because sinful humanity killed the sinless Son of God.
If that is where the story ended, then death would have its victory, sin would have its victory, and that would be the end of it. We would have nothing to say and we would just go home and live out whatever remains of our lives in the despair of a people who know no hope.
But that is not where the story ends, because that is where the Gospel turns and tells us that even in light of the fact that we are sinners beyond even our own imagination to understand our sin, even though we rob God of His glory, even though we do everything we can and everything within our power to do new ways of doing evil, even though the Apostle Paul makes clear - "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" - God loved us so much! It was His purpose in the very beginning before we ever existed. He knew us and He loved us, before we were formed in the world He had a plan for us and He sent His Son, to die on the Cross, to shed His blood, to pay the penalty for our sin, to pay a price that we could not pay, to die in our place, and yes, by that one death, to accomplish salvation for sinners."
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Two New Churches Are Born!
Last Sunday night New City Baptist Church launched in downtown Toronto. It was a humbling experience to watch this new church be born. John Bell is leading the work and preached an excellent message from Matthew 16 challenging all of us to live like the Gospel is true. One of my favorite lines from his preaching: "Do you know what our biggest handicap is in evangelism? Who human beings are under sin."
The Lord has been with this work so far and I cannot wait to see what He will do in the months and years to come.
Three weeks ago, we were able to launch a second church. Grace Chapel is pastored by Habib Sakr in Markham, a suburban area just north of Toronto. This work had a decidedly different birth than New City, but the Lord is clearly in it. Habib immigrated to Canada from Lebanon and was saved by God along the way. After many years of faithful associate pastor work, the time came for him to launch a new reformed and Baptistic church and amazingly, the Lord has gotten them up and going quickly. We were there for there first service where my brother preached an excellent sermon from Hebrews 11 on the faith of Noah. My favorite line from that sermon? "There was Noah before Noah. It was not like he had some model to follow!" That brought faith as humble reliance on God into a new light.
Please pray for us as we help both these churches move ahead. The lack of blogging around here has been in large part to the added work of helping these works begin. That has been absolutely joyful labour!


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We are flabbergasted! The interest has exceeded the wildest dreams of all of us at the CCC and our CERN colleagues. And thanks to the press coverage and avid retweeting of the news, the response in terms of number of people trying to register to this new project has been phenomenal.
A week ago, we reached 8000 registered users which pushed the number of computers simultaneously connected to our server well over 1000. To give a sense of scale, with just 100 simultaneous connections we had already reached the equivalent of all the computing power at CERN that the physicists who developed this project have access to. So getting more than 10x that in just a few days boggled our minds - and also bogged down our servers! We're going to open gradually to more participants in the near future. We'll then stabilize for a while before further increases.
This was announced as a beta-test to explore the limitations of our system, and we certainly succeeded in doing that, thanks to the support of the volunteer community. Particular thanks to all the experienced BOINC users in the forums who have been patiently explaining to newcomers that this sort of thing is normal in a beta-test. And hats off to our technical crew (which is basically just Artem and Anton in Geneva and Daniel in Madrid) who have been working literally around the clock to get the system running smoothly again.
Just what does this mean for LHC physics? To put that in colourful perspective, here's a quote from a great article by Jacqui Hayes, editor of International Science Grid this Week, interviewing amongst other Peter Skands, the lead physicist on the project:
"We would never be able to simulate as many events as the LHC," Skands said. "The fastest Monte Carlo I have would produce one collision per millisecond, on average. But the LHC produces 40 million per second."
At this point of our interview, Skands paused and leant back in his chair. "How many volunteers would we need to produce as many events as the LHC?" He shrugged as he said it, and he meant it merely as a rhetorical question, a nod to the incomprehensible size and speed of the LHC. But, as he started to answer his own question, it suddenly dawned on him that he could actually produce a fully-fledged virtual atom smasher if just 40,000 volunteers ran his Monte Carlo simulations at the same time.
Until that point, Skands had been hoping for perhaps 10,000 volunteers on his project."I never even considered that a possibility before now," said Skands. "Honest to God, that would be a fun thing to do!"Fun, indeed! Who knows, maybe by the time you read this blog post, the virtual atom smasher will have caught up with the data rate of it's real world cousin.


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On Saturday, audio of the dispatch call made by Mandalay Bay security guard Jesus Campos after Las Vegas Gunman Stephen Paddock began shooting, was released. "Hey, there are shots fired in 32-135," Campos is heard saying. The numbers relayed by Campos correspond to Paddock's hotel room, where the gunman killed 59 and injured hundreds.
Audio source: LA Times
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It's been nearly one month since the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history took place and we still do not know the motive. The background of Campos has been under intense scrutiny. The hotel security guard cancelled various media appearances and his employer claimed he had vanished (a lie MGM would later admit to). Campos then resurfaced for a softball interview on 'Ellen.'
Tweet source: Ellen DeGeneres
TRENDING: Mayor Lori Lightfoot Lashes Out at President Trump -- Says National Guard Not Needed After Looters Ransack Downtown Chicago, Attack Police for 5 Straight Hours (VIDEO)
Jesus Campos & Stephen Schuck, the 1st people to encounter the Las Vegas shooter, tell their story on my show today. https://t.co/RXfwNCWc7o
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) October 18, 2017
As The Gateway Pundit's Kristinn Taylor previously reported, Tucker Carlson dropped a bombshell report Wednesday night about the 'hero' security guard. Jesus Campos, according to a Customs and Border Patrol log leaked to Fox News, entered the United States at the San Ysidro crossing in San Diego County seven days after the attack. Carlson said Campos crossed the same border post in January driving his own vehicle.
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Further complicating the case, we recently learned Paddock's computer hard drive has gone missing.
New York Times reports:
Examining suspects' computers and phones has become an essential part of criminal investigations, allowing law enforcement officials to retrace their steps, track their communications and identify their motives and possible accomplices. ABC News first reported that Mr. Paddock's hard drive was missing from a computer on Wednesday.
By now, it's clear Stephen Paddock was a twisted and disturbed individual — although, that doesn't completely explain his motive behind carrying out the most deadly shooting in U.S. modern history. Researchers are now in possession of Paddock's brain and will probe it for hidden diseases.
Will researchers crack the code, unlocking the motive behind the Las Vegas massacre? At this point, little faith can be put into law enforcement investigating the case.


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56 Wonderful Paper Roll Crafts Ideas
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VCE Models 3 and 4: a examine … Read More


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Freshly popped kettle corn, a new handmade piece of art, a cold lemonade—it's time for summer festivals. Find a complete list of 2018 Best North Shore festivals here … read more
Freshly popped kettle corn, a new handmade piece of art, a cold lemonade—it's time for summer festivals. Find a complete list of 2018 Best North Shore festivals here … read more
I've been revisiting some of my favorite trails in order to update trail information in my guidebook. Here's a sneak preview of one of the most dramatic trail views on the North Shore. … read more
It's hard to believe that it's already the Fourth of July. Since Independence Day falls on a Wednesday this year, the North Shore might not be quite as frantic with travelers. That means a great opportunity for North Shore fans to enjoy some great Fourth of July traditions. Tofte Wilderness Trek Start your day off right with a 10 kilometer run (or walk) through the woods and ridges near Tofte. It's best to register in advance. Here's more info. Parades Too hot to run along the North Shore? Sit and watch a parade instead. Come to the festival at the Tofte Town Hall … read more
Canadians rushing down Highway 61 to Duluth on our Thanksgiving because their Thanksgiving was last month.Lines snaking past the kitschy keychains and into the Rubbermaid aisle at Joynes' Ben Franklin. And a black-and-white poodle getting all the love on a day known just for the black.Today was Black Friday, and the North Shore nearly missed it. No doorbusters at the Lake Superior Trading Post in Grand Marais. No controversial midnight openings at Waters Edge in Tofte. Just 20% off all clothing and footwear at Grand Marais' landmark five and dime, Joynes.All the super good deals must have been in Duluth and … read more
How can you share your love of the North Shore with the friends and family on your gift list? Here are ideas for gifts that will make your loved ones' Christmas morning feel like finding the perfect agate or the biggest blueberry patch. This year, buy local...buy on the North Shore. 1. Wood engravings, lino cuts, and giclee prints, oh my!One-of-a-kind notecards, groovy t-shirts, whimsical prints, and northwoods novelties come from our friends at Kenspeckle Letterpress. Rick and Marian produce their magical art in Duluth's Canal Park. 2. The sweet stuffWho doesn't love real maple syrup on their pancakes? The North Shore … read more
Beth Gauper, in the most recent of her always-informative Midwest Weekends e-mail newsletter, wrote that "Grand Marais is our No. 1 place to take children in Minnesota." She cites the rock-skipping and the donut shops, to start with.I really love the quote from some teachers visiting from Australia: "We've been to the Mall of America and Disney World, places where (the kids are) excited to be, of course, but realistically, I think they're having more fun here.'' … read more
Artists Point in Grand Marais is a wonderful North Shore destination. If you're in Grand Marais and you've had your fill of t-shirt shops or microbrews, head out along the east, or left, side of the bay, through the big parking lot to the big old white house. Artists Point awaits.Last year, our family was hanging in Grand Marais on the Fourth of July, escaping the bugs of the Sawbill Trail. We had a great visit to Artists Point. We went to the right, toward the lighthouse along cement retaining walls. A week or two ago, I went back to … read more
Thanks to the folks at Northern Wilds for capturing this image of the first oil tanker to arrive in the Grand Marais harbor. According to the normally straight-shooting Amber Pratt, the massive ship is owned by Norway Energy Resource Operations, whose only presence up to this was a flannel-wearing Erik Rashim. Erik was known only as a big tipper at the South of the Border Cafe. In this photo, the tanker just dwarfs the lighthouse.Here's the harbor entry without the supertanker.Personally, I think it's all a big April Fool's scam, made possible by judicious use of Photoshop. Everyone knows that … read more
What sane person sees a sign that reads, in essence, "Go This Way to Die," and chooses then to follow it? Well, besides fans of Russian roulette, cross country skiers follow some dangerous indicators of doom. In Ely, MN, you can follow just such a sign, except it is labeled "Screamer."Ely is the Grand Marais of the Iron Range. Instead of Norwegian fishermen, Ely has equally charismatic Finnish miners. There's a Sven and Ole's, "Sir G's," only without those cheesy bumperstickers or TV ads. And just as Grand Marais has Pincushion Mountain, Ely has a mighty fine nordic ski system … read more


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AKA the day my bestie (Friday) showed up like a huge, cranky a-hole. Do you ever just have one of those days where you feel bleh and… Read more "When Friday Didn't Happen"
What I Shoved in My Mouth Wednesday
Yesterday was weird. You guys, I have been convinced for the last three days now that I have an ulcer. I realize this as an absurd thought… Read more "What I Shoved in My Mouth Wednesday"
Easy Asian Turkey Bowl
Who else loves cooking but hates cooking!? (No I have not been drinking) Listen, I love food. I also am weird and love grocery stores. Like I… Read more "Easy Asian Turkey Bowl"
A Weekend of Epic (pro)Portions—of Wine
Can we just talk about the phenomenon I'd like to call " somehow you can drink 27 glasses of wine with your friends without dying even though… Read more "A Weekend of Epic (pro)Portions—of Wine"
Friday.My Bestie.
Friday. My bestie. My light at the end of the tunnel. My motivation to get through a hectic week. My drinking buddy. I heart you. Please never… Read more "Friday.My Bestie."


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It all started from this very influential shoujo manga series…
If you are manga fan, you'd probably have heard this news. Thanks to Lemonade Lagoon, a reader of this blog, i found out about Hana Yori Dango.
Hana Yori Dango is a popular Japanese shōjo manga created by Kamio Youko.
It is also known as "Boys before Flowers" or "Boys over Flowers".
The gist of the story goes like this…
Adorable Makino Tsukushi is the only poor student studying at the prestigious Eitoku Gakuen private school for the ridiculously rich and privileged. The school is "governed" by a group of four boys who come from powerful families and call themselves "Flower 4" or F4. If you were unfortunate enough to tick any of the F4 guys off, you would get a red notice and they would make your life a living hell. (wikipedia)
That premise has since been made into an anime series, adapted into a Taiwanese TV series called Meteor Garden (2001), then in 2005, the Japanese dorama version of Hana Yori Dango was aired. Both the Taiwanese and Japanese drama versions were garnered high ratings and was very well received by viewers. Meteor Garden created sequels in the form of Meteor Rain and Meteor Garden II.
That's not the end…the four actors who played F4 in Meteor Garden shot to fame and became the boyband F4 (Flower 4).
Now, the Korean drama version is in the making: 꽃보다 남자 . The production team behind this third drama installation is Group Eight and they are the people who brought you k-dramas Fantasy Couple and Goong S. The drama is said to have 24-episodes and will start airing second half of 2008.
Many are apprehensive at this news as the Japanese drama version was superb (i heard). It is said that the Japanese cast was perfect, the cinematography excellent, in short – it was arguably one of the best manga-adapted dramas ever! Now how does one top that? The Korean version certainly has big shoes to fill and expectations from fans are high.
Which Korean actor/actress would you want to see bringing these manga characters to life?
From the top of my head, i'd say pick any of the four from the suave Dong Bang Shin Ki boys to play F4. But then again, i saw the DBSK boys in a variety show which tested their acting skills over the Lunar New Year holidays and they were really bad actors. Okay, maybe Micky wasn't so bad…but still that's a no-go.
Have you seen j-dorama Hanayori Dango or Meteor Garden?
- Read the original Hana Yori Dango manga (yep, all 241 chapters of it)
- Dramabean's most excellent review of the Japanese dorama version


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In an effort to eat less meat, I have been trying to soak beans once a week. This week I decided to commit to a bunch of chickpeas. Here's what I found for inspiration:
A delicious chickpea stew from Smitten Kitchen:
Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew
Adapted from Aida Mollencamp
So, about those preserved lemons: This isn't the first Moroccan dish I've made, but I've always been on the fence about the inclusion of preserved lemons. What if I searched all over town for them and ended up dropping $10 on something I hated. Would I like salt-pickled lemons? This time, I took the plunge (found them at Garden of Eden, for you New Yorkers, gourmet/specialty shops for everyone else or you can try Elise's homemade recipe) and well: I think they're an acquired taste that I haven't acquired yet, but hope to. Yet they were wonderfully fragrant in the dish and if you're looking to try out something new, or if you're already smitten with them, go for it.
Serves 6 to 8
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound butternut squash, large dice
3/4 pound red potatoes, large dice
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
Pinch saffron threads (optional)
1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped
1 cup brined green olives (Aida recommended Cerignola)
Steamed couscous, for serving (directions here and elsewhere on the web)
Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish
Toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
Plain yogurt, for garnish
Hot sauce of your choice (for serving)
Heat butter and olive oil in a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add squash and potatoes, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir to coat, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add broth, chickpeas, tomatoes and their juices, and saffron, if using. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in preserved lemon and olives. Serve over couscous garnished with cilantro, almonds, and yogurt.
This Indian chickpea stew with quinoa and lentils looks good too, though I haven't tried this one yet.
- 1/2 a red onion diced
- A splash of sunflower oil
- 1 clove of garlic chopped
- a small knob of grated ginger
- 1 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander, chillies and turmeric
- 1/2 tsp of ground cloves
- 1 cup of red lentils
- 2-3 cups of chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 can of chickpeas aka garbanzo beans
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa
- salt and pepper to taste
- thick yogurt and chopped coriander to garnish
- squeeze of lime juice
- Heat the oil in a thick bottomed saucepan and fry off the onions on a medium heat.
- Add the ground spices and stir until it becomes aromatic
- Add the garlic and ginger and stir again for a few minutes
- Add the red lentils and toss in the spice mixture for one minute
- Add the chicken or vegie stck and cook on high heat till it comes to a rapid boil
- Lower the heat and let the ingredients simmer for about 10-15 mins. Season to taste
- Remove from the heat and blend using a stab blender or do it manually using a regular blender
- Add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and let it simmer for another 5 mins
- Take off the heat and stir through the cooked quinoa
- Squeeze a little lime juice
- Garnish with a dollop of thick yogurt and chopped coriander
The lentil soup is best served hot. You may wish to accompany it with some naan bread. Hope you enjoy this zesty, spicy soup/stew.


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Monday, 3 March 2008
Market Forces
I've just been reading around the sub prime mortgage crisis.
Here's the situation as I understand it:
- 1 in 5 homes in the US have sub prime mortgages
- it's mainly something that's been sold to America's poor communities who find it harder to get credit ratings
- these generally have 2-3 year fixed periods which then 'balloon' into much higher variable rates
- 3 million families will probably lose their home last/this year as a result
- whole towns & cities are being hit hard; streets with boarded up houses, with crime & associated problems
- the reason this has affected banking across the world is that the debt has been sold on in packages, a massive case of 'pass the parcel' resulting for instance in a £$17B write off announced by HSBC today
- the knock on effect being a liquidity crisis, with banks too worried to lend to each other
But actually the main problem as far as I'm concerned - and the story I had been missing from most of the reporting - is that poor people who had a pretty hard lot to start with, are now being thrown out on the street because they cant repay punitive loans. It's not even what we understood by liberal, capitalist democracy - it's more like feudalism.
In 1989 growing economic pressures - and food queues - in the soviet states led to the collapse of the communist system. You've got to wonder whether like the former communists we have been cooking the books - in our case to feed the idea that a never ending 'economic growth' is possible; like some kind of indian rope trick.
For instance:
- subprime lending, a prime example
- current accounts in the UK, all the profits from which a banking insider told me come from overdraft charges
- 'productivity gains' in the service industry, also known as people working longer and longer and longer hours
- the insanity of free market pricing where a flight can cost £10 (or a t shirt £1) yet millions of people in fuel poverty cant afford to heat their houses in winter
- the action of fashion cycles and artificial redundancy (or both in the case of computers, phones etc.) making for profits based upon wasting resources
- also I was told some years ago (by a major figure in the UK IT scene) that it is doubtful that the productivity gains from IT have ever/would ever outweigh the costs of all the upgrades, and teething problems and integration and so on
Up until the mid 1980s the market and book value of companies were approximately equal. After that we took a trip into an unknown territory which may strike historians as being something a ponzi scheme. A Ponzi scheme is roughly one where current participants in a racket steal from future participants. Is a housing market boom which has made housing literally unaffordable to present and future generations anything other than this. According to the British Banking Association, the average monthly new UK mortgage repayment (based on a £159k loan) is more than 100% of the average take home salary. And back at the sub prime crisis, history suggests that those with the least will lose the most, yet again. Dont even get me started on record profits in the oil industry!
This will all have huge implications for any response to the growing environmental crises. Looked at another way, maybe we needed a crisis of some sort to wake us up from a system built on broken promises (and broken lives, communities, families)?
As the banner in the (foreclosure protest) picture above puts it: (can they) save the American dream?
And is the ideal of economic growth at all costs born out by the ugly realities?
Posted by John Grant at 13:15
2 comments:
- Freya said...
I love this interpretation. Am forwarding to my friend Zoe at the CDP who will be right with you. Hope all's well, F.
- 4 March 2008 at 11:44
- John Grant said...
Hi Freya, lovely to hear from you - all's well thanks. I saw Tamara a couple of weeks ago when she was in London (and from what I gathered your one woman sustainability revolution in the agency business continues to go from strength to strength?) :J
- 4 March 2008 at 13:05
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Give Any Project a Reliable and Professional Finish with Mentor Optical Electronic Solutions from ERNTEC
ERNTEC can offer a wide range of options to give any project a reliable and professional appearance. ERNTEC has access to high quality optoelectronic solutions from Mentor GmbH, from standard LED to custom light guide systems.
Opto Electronic Components
Opto Electronic Components
- SMD LEDs, THT LEDs
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- Light barriers
- LED Tester
- Light guides for Front panels
- Light guide Displays, Lying and Upright
- Multiple Displays
- Flex Systems
- M-PIPE (LED Light Guide Components)
- Custom Options
- M-TUBE (LED light guide system that disipitates light perfectly homogeneous to the environment)
- Accessories
Related ERNTEC Pty Ltd News
Supplier news
14/10/10 - Light guide systems with Miniature Multiple Display, lying w. Spherical Radiating Surface Ø2mm are available from ERNTEC.
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05/11/08 - The IDG-B DIN miniature enclosures from Erntec are fully insulated and fulfil the requirements of the machinery and car industry. The enclosures have the installation width of 35 mm for the IDG-B2, 70 mm for the IDG-B4, 105 mm for the IDG-B6 and 157 mm for the IDG-B9.
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04/11/08 - The LDG-A miniature enclosures from Erntec are engineered for quick and easy installation for standard DIN-rail or screw mounting. These non-metallic enclosures are ideal for housing electrical, electronic and electromechanical devices such as sensors, controllers, power supplies, monitors, timers and many other small electronic components.
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Photography Classes in Bloomington NE
Interested in learning about photography in Bloomington NE? No matter if you are a professional, beginner, or hobbyist, the most effective way to improve your photography skills is through hands-on classes with skilled instructors.
Nebraska offers numerous recognized and accredited photography schools. Photography classes cover techniques like digital capture, lighting techniques, exposure, composition, outdoor photography, and many other basic and advanced camera techniques. Being a skilled photographer can pave the road to a prosperous professional career or lifelong hobby.
There are many Photography Classes in Bloomington NE:
- Bloomington Studio Photography Classes
- Bloomington Photography 101
- Bloomington Digital Photography Classes
- Bloomington Nature Photography Classes
- Bloomington Editorial Photography Classes
Bloomington NE Photography Classes
Metropolitan Community College Area
30 & Fort Street
Omaha, Nebraska 68111-1610
Phone: (402) 457-2400
180.91 miles away


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Image Remarks: A ceremonial gathering in Charmahal Bakhtiyari province which is a live anthropology museum where nomadic tribes defy city life. Bakhtiyari Women in their Traditional colorful dressess dance around a circle per occasion. Clues&Views:Iranian nomadic tribes also called Ashayer spend their whole life travelling. Unlike gypsies in Europe, they are hard-working people who still have a share in Iran's Gross National Product without harming the ecosystem. Until World War II, Iran's top exported items were wool and carpet. A great part of the wool used to be produced by Ashayer.
Tags :Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province , Tribe , Women , Traditional , Dress , Ashayer -Section :Person


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January 20, 2014
Tampa's rich immigrant history becomes tangible and delicious inside the many bakeries around town. Cuban, Italian and other Latin American treats are often tucked away in unassuming shops, their breads, pastries and cookies displayed behind glass cases. Here's the inside scoop on some of the best bakeries in Tampa.
When Cuban immigrants rolled cigars in Ybor City, Cuban bread was a staple of their daily diet. Tampa's version was made a little denser and heartier than Miami's, and it's still made daily at several outposts in Tampa. Its crunchy outer crust and warm, soft centre can't be beaten, and Tampa's visitors can get it straight from the source.
La Segunda Central Bakery claims the honour of being the city's oldest Cuban bread company, having officially opened in 1915. Today, La Segunda produces approximately 12,000 loaves each day.
La Segunda Central Bakery: 2512 N 15th St. Tampa Bay
At Mauricio Faedo's Bakery, bakers work methodically, kneading the dough and pulling it into long shapes. Each one gets a thin strip of palmetto frond placed on top, which helps split the bread down the top. Visitors at the shop can watch their quick precision, honed by practice.
Mauricio Faedo's Bakery: 5150 N Florida Ave. Tampa Bay
Each bakery also serves flaky guava pastries filled with a tangy guava paste – as delicious as they are messy.
For all things Italian, head to Tampa icon Alessi Bakery, which recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary. Try the cannoli, tiny Italian wedding cookies and the black-and-white cookies, which are so fluffy they taste like a cross between cake and cookie.
Nicolo Alessi opened Alessi Bakery in 1912, and the bakery quickly became known for its elaborately decorated cakes. Today, customers visiting Alessi can watch decorators put the final touches on wedding cakes. Also try the scachatta, which means, "smashed bread" in Italian. In Sicily, this dish was traditionally made from leftover dough and ingredients from the day's pizza. It's eaten cold and makes for a delicious lunch.
Alessi Bakery: 2209 W Cypress St. Tampa Bay
At Mi Pueblito, glass cases hold delicious Columbian treats, including the dense, buttery pandebono and flaky croissants, which come either plain or filled with ham and cheese. Workers at the shop warm the savoury treats before serving them. Add a heavy-on-the-milk café con leche.
Mi Pueblito: 5802 N Armenia Ave. Tampa Bay
Just up the road, La Montaa Bakery is a colourful, family-owned Columbian bakery, wedged between a Latino supermarket and an Asian grocery. Visitors come here for the typical cheesy Colombian treats, which the shop's owners are up making well before dawn. Try the crispier, spherical version of the pandebono and order some juice at the counter.
La Montaa Bakery: 8206 N Armenia Ave. Tampa Bay
Our partnership with Delta connects you to and from a range of destinations across the United States and Canada, making it easier to book flights to Tampa Bay.
Have you visited any of these Tampa bakeries? Which would you recommend? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Written by Jessica Vander Velde


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Wil Jennings, 75
United States, Hammond
About me
I am a retired education technology consultant, having taught for many years. I love to travel, cook, and read a great deal. Recently returned from Amsterdam, Berlin, and Bruges. Great trip!
I'm interested in
- Consultant
- International Travel
- Israel
- Jerusalem
- Strasbourg
- Sweden
- Switzerland
Personal info
City, CountryHammond, United States
Profile visitors this month: 1


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Sikh Claims Harassment by Polish Border Guards
Norma Costello | 22nd November 2011
This article has been read 43 times
British Sikh, Shaminder Puri, appeared in a Warsaw court at the end of October as part of an ongoing dispute with the Straż Graniczna (Polish Border Guards) over being forced to remove his turban.
Mr Puri claims he has now become a victim of harassment after bringing the incident to the attention of Polish officials.
"I became a particular target; the soldiers got to know me and heard I was writing letters to head office. Soon after, they started to harass me," claimed Mr Puri.
CCTV footage was played in court that showed Mr Puri being told repeatedly to remove his turban, despite the presence of scanning equipment that could have been used without Mr Puri having to take off his headgear.
Mr Puri claims he is the victim of discrimination by individual border guards after he wrote to the head office of the Straż Graniczna following an incident in October 2009 when Puri, a frequent traveller to Poland, was forced to remove his turban after the Polish Border Guard adopted stricter security policies in airports.
On September 20, 2010, ten days after the launch of Mr Puri's court case, he was asked to exit the queue for his flight and, after he refused to do so, was charged with obstructing the work of the Straż Graniczna.
The case went to court, but the courts questioned the constitutionality of the guards' actions and the outcome is pending.
Individuals identifying themselves as members of the Straż Graniczna have been writing about Mr Puri's case on the Internet forum of the Staff Association of the Polish Border Guards (www.nszzfsg.org.pl).
"They have been hurling insults and abuse at Sikhs and also at me personally. I feel particularly outraged that a public service can have such a personalised discussion about an individual," said Mr Puri.
"The public services in Poland must understand that their job is to serve the public and not to intimidate, harass and insult them. Poland is a tolerant, educated and cultured country yet some elements in society are lost in the new Poland," he continued.
A British Sikh, Mr Puri's religion is opposed to the removal of the turban in public or to allowing strangers to touch the fabric. For Sikhs, the turban is a religious requirement and being forced to remove it is a source of shame.
Changes to EU airport security regulations in 2010 caused controversy because they allowed for hand searching of religious headgear. New regulations issued by the British Department for Transport in February 2011 allow individuals to refuse hand searches of religious headgear as long as they submit to screening by security technology. Last summer Italian courts decided Sikhs would no longer be asked to remove their turbans during airport security checks.
With Euro 2012 fast approaching, initiatives are mushrooming across Poland to challenge racial stereotypes and attract more tourists to bolster the Polish economy.
According to Adam Giersz, Polish Minister for Sports, Euro 2012 is expected to bring in the equivalent of two per cent of Poland's gross domestic product for the period 2008–20 and should bring an influx of international visitors.
Last year the Mayor of Krakow led a trade delegation to India to attract investment and to promote cultural relations between the cities of Hyderabad and Krakow – an initiative that could lead to many Sikhs visiting the city for business and cultural reasons.
Mr Puri feels that serious changes are necessary to facilitate this: "Several Sikh businessmen and priests have come to me saying they have all being treated in this insulting and demeaning manner. Everybody complained but, because they don't speak Polish or have access to any help, they have to comply."
Mr Puri's case has been called "precedent setting" by Gazeta Wyborcza and will continue on December 14. The Straż Graniczna have declined to comment on the case to the Krakow Post.
Photo: Sikh men and boys wearing traditional, religious headgear


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When you want to change your look and give your hair a sleeker and more polished appearance, you can always trust the best flat iron to do the job. Sometimes, those with curly or wavy hair want to experiment with a different style and use a hair tool to get them out of the monotony of the everyday hairstyle. Of course, the best flat iron is necessary in order for that new hair style to look fabulous instead of something that resembles a disaster.
When it comes to discovering what the best hair iron for your hair is, there are certain factors to take into account such as styling materials, temperature, plate size and hair type. All of these must be researched so that you can get to the best hair iron for your hair. Some people may recommend what they think is the best hair iron but you will have your own specific hair needs to cater to, so researching one that is the best for you personally is the smartest route.
Let's talk first about styling materials. Now, the best materials are ceramic or tourmaline (or both) especially when their in genuine form. What does this mean? Well a lot of standard hair irons feature regular metallic plates coated with ceramic or tourmaline and while this may seem to work at first, you will have to deal with the consequences if you use one of these flat irons frequently. The coating can peel away and cause burning and snagging and general damage. With the best flat irons, you will obtain genuine or pure ceramic or tourmaline plates, which offer an even heat distribution and negative ions combined with effective heat to style your hair perfectly.
Temperature is important, as is plate size and hair type. The temperature and plate size of the hair iron depends on the hair type you have. For example, if you have fine, thin or short hair, the best hair iron would be one with narrow plates, adjustable temperature settings (or generally low temperatures) as well as genuine ceramic or tourmaline heating elements. If your hair is thick, curly or long, you should go for a flat iron with wider plates and higher temperatures.
There are many brands of hair irons that can match your needs, just make sure you know what those needs are instead of buying the first flat iron you see. If you need a head start, check out the Karmin G3 Salon Pro which features 100 percent genuine ceramic tourmaline plates, adjustable heat settings and many more benefits.


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We always hear that men age gracefully, well so does their style. Men have less to choose from than women and should be able to make less mistakes. As they age, they don't have to choose boring styles. They can stand out in the crowd, especially if they are still young at heart.
Ageless Fashions for Men


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The Cleveland Browns have always had an above average special teams unit. From Gerald McNeil to Eric Metcalf to Dennis Northcutt to Josh Cribbs, the Browns have always been dangerous in the return game. From Lou Groza to Don Cockroft to Mark Moseley to Matt Bahr to Phil Dawson, Cleveland has had their fair share of reliable kickers. Special teams coach Chris Tabor has done a fine job this season. Here are the grades on special teams for this season.
A week before the first regular season game, Cleveland cut both Shayne Graham and Brandon Bogotay. The Browns were left without a place kicker until the signed Billy Cundiff just five days before their home opener. The shoes Cundiff would have to fill would be monstrous as the departed Dawson remained etched in the hearts of Cleveland-ers. So far, Cundiff has missed just two field goals and stayed pretty calm under pressure. Cundiff has knocked down 87% of his attempts, including a long of 51 yards. He booms kickoffs out of the end zone or for touch backs the majority of the time and has just done a nice job this season. Cundiff is a pro's pro that has yet to cost the Browns a game like many had thought he would do.
Grade: B+
Spencer Lanning came into camp fighting for a job. When the cards unfolded, Lanning beat out TJ Conley for the somewhat important position. Tied for the most punts (50) in the NFL, Lanning is averaging 45.7 yards per punt. That is good for 16th in the league, but he has been great at dropping punts inside the 20 yard line, doing it 16 times this season. Lanning has also thrown a touchdown pass this year on a fake field goal attempt.
Both kick and punt return positions have been a little spotty this season. Speedster, Travis Benjamin is out for the year with a knee injury. Despite his small and skinny frame, the Browns could rely on Benjamin's return efforts many time this season. Now that Benjamin is out, veteran Davone Bess has taken over. Bess single handedly fumbled away a winnable game against the Chiefs. Greg Little has been terrible in kick returning and new addition Fozzy Whittaker has held his own with a 28.5 yard average in five returns.
Grade: B
Other Specialists:
Every season, it seems like a special teams demon emerges. Last year, it was Johnson Bademosi. This season, there has been a few. Reserve linebacker, Paul Hazel has been one that has stuck out. Although he is out for season with an injury, Josh Aubrey was another one. Finally, long snapper Christian Yount, who recently signed a contract extension, has done everything right. Rarely are his snaps out-of-place and doesn't make mental errors in the overlooked position.
Grade: B-
Ryan Ruiz is the Cleveland Browns Beat Writer for The Inscriber: Digital Magazine. You can follow him on Facebook: Ryan (BrownsWriter) Ruiz and Twitter @ryanpruiz24. Ryan is also a Browns correspondent for The Sportsfix. Tune in every Friday at noon on www.thesportsfix.net. Have a question or comment for the "ASK Ryan" column on Fridays? Email Ryan at email@example.com


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I got a letter in the mail today. It was from Emmett's Occupational Therapist. She doesn't want to see Emmett anymore. He has progressed far enough that the small challenge he has with pencil grip can easily be handled by the resource teacher at his school.
I remember when we started our therapy journey and had to pick up all these specialists on the way, and now they are dropping us off.
It feels good. I am bursting with pride for Emmett and all the hard work he has done.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Good News
6 comments:
- tammi said...
That's awesome! What a great feeling!!
- 9:00 PM, June 03, 2009
- Ami said...
Go Emmett!!!
That's really good news.
- 9:49 PM, June 03, 2009
- Obi-Mom Kenobi said...
That's fantastic! I'm so happy for him (and you).
- 9:56 PM, June 03, 2009
- Rina said...
*huge smiles*
I am so happy for you all! What amazing news - Emmett, you are AWESOME.
- 12:29 AM, June 04, 2009
- kitten said...
Awesome!!! Big Hugs to you and yours!
- 8:28 AM, June 07, 2009
- EmmaNadine said...
That's awesome! Go Emmett!
- 2:37 PM, June 11, 2009
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Hi there,
I've just created a Fan Page within Facebook for my company - I assume you guys are familiar with these - and I'd like to mention in my next monthly e-newsletter to our subscribers that this page is up and running, and provide a link so that they can view it and join if they wish.
Because our logo and the Facebook logo will probably be very familiar to the majority of our newsletter readers, I'd like to create a jpg image of our logo and the Facebook logo next to each other to use as the header image so that people will recognise it within the newsletter before they've read the text. Can I do this, or will the Facebook logo be fiercely protected?
Thanks in advance for your help
Using Facebook logo in a newsletter
'Is it legal', 'can I do this' type questions and discussions.
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
- New Member
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:46 pm
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1


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Their commitment to keeping Project CARS up-to-date in terms of content, "without being locked in to a pre-paid scheme," Slightly Mad Studios announced Project CARS On Demand today.
With On Demand, Slightly Mad will give Project CARS "continual free updates that improve and expand upon the original core game, free cars and vehicle liveries delivered at no extra charge, and additional content made available without the usual obligation to purchase a long-term season pass" throughout 2015 and beyond.
So far, the Lykan Hypersport and ten community-created liveries have been given away, with today bringing the Racing Icons Car Pack. This new pack adds two Bentley GT and Prototype models, plus three more GT machines from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and McLaren.
You can learn more about On Demand over here, with update 1.04 coming soon and addressing ghosting on PlayStation 4, improved frame rate on Xbox One, more realistic AI behavior in wet weather situations, and more.
Another future free update will also bring these:
- Fixes for the highest priority issues identified by the community
- Improved balancing and defaults
- Additional functionality and expanded support for existing features
- Brand-new items that open up new possibilities within the game
- Support for new hardware released
The second free car and second pack of community liveries are coming soon, with the first track expansion coming in July. In all, Project CARS will add 12 unique locations consisting of road tracks, historic locations, modern circuits, and ovals through Track Expansion Packs, which also include vehicles.
[Source: Project CARS (1), (2)]


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Stage Fright
I first conceived this semi-surrealist painting when I was in college. I enjoyed the concept but didn't enjoy the execution; the colors were iffy to me, the shading in places were too muddy and overall, the painting was too small. Not to mention the purple butterfly lines. About a year later, I tried again, did more research, took my time and I am so much happier with the result. (colors are still hard, but it's an improvement!)


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10 Legitimate Ways to Earn Money from Home
Hip2Save may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. Read our full disclosure policy here.
The holidays are approaching! 😀 If you're looking for legitimate ways to earn a little extra money from your own home, here are 10 "HIP" ways you can earn money from home…
Do you receive a lot of junk mail in your inbox or mailbox that just goes into the trash? If so, you may want to check out the Small Business Knowledge Center (also known as SBKC and rated A+ with the BBB!) as they will PAY YOU for your junk mail! Plus, if you are a business owner or are self-employed, you will earn bonus points for the materials you send!
As a SBKC Consumer Panelist, you'll be asked to regularly send them your emails and junk mail related to Insurance, Investments, Banking, Mortgage, Credit Cards, Leisure, and more. Just forward all of your qualifying emails or place your direct junk mail in the postage-paid envelopes they provide and return to them about once a week.
How quickly will you earn money? According to SBKC, "Frequent participants can earn as much as $20 in points every 6 to 10 weeks! Business owners and those who are self-employed can earn rewards even faster." Head on over here to sign up and for more details.
Whenever you browse using a search engine (such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.), it uses a "complicated" algorithm" to determine the results you see…and you may not always get the results that you're hoping for. That's why real humans are needed to look at the results and judge them for quality, relevancy, and usefulness. And, the best part is you can get paid anywhere between $12-$15 per hour just for becoming a search engine evaluator for companies such as Lionbridge, Appen, or Leapforce (keep in mind that you will work as an independent contractor, not an employee).
Did you know that you can earn cash by purchasing products that you are planning to buy anyways (products that you may also be able to score FREE or cheap with coupons!) with various grocery apps?! Below are my favorite money-saving apps that will allow you to earn cash back just for buying products at the grocery store…
* Ibotta – You can unlock offers by completing various tasks, such as learning a fact or watching a short video. Then, search for offers in-store by scanning the barcode of items that are in your shopping cart. After making a purchase, you can submit a rebate by tapping on "redeem" for eligible items purchased. Then scan the product bar code and submit a picture of your receipt.
* Snap by Groupon – Browse through the different offers available and buy items from the Offer List at ANY store – note that some of the offers can be redeemed as many times as you'd like! Each offer's redemption limit is clearly noted on its details page. Then, just upload a photo of your entire receipt using the app or website within 2 days of purchase. When your account reaches $20, you can request payment under the 'My Account' page and select 'Cash Out'.
* Checkout 51 – Browse through the different offers available and buy items from the Offer List at ANY store. Upload a photo of your entire receipt using the app or website (it is recommended that you upload your receipt immediately after purchase since there are only limited quantities of offers available). When your account reaches $20, you can cash out and they'll mail you a check. Note that offers go live on Thursdays at 12AM in each time zone and they expire the following Wednesday at 11:59PM in each time zone. You must submit the receipts while the offers are live.
* Shopmium – Click on the Offers tab and browse through all the current offers. If you find a product you'd like to try, click on the product and then click on the pink "Discover This Product" button to find out specific information about which products are eligible and where you can find the product near you. Once you have purchased the eligible items at the store, go back to the offers tab, find the offer and then click the "Request My Rebate" button. You will then be prompted to scan the barcode of the purchased item AND to take a picture of the store receipt.
* Shrink – Get cash back when you purchase select items at the grocery store AND earn rewards for buying certain items as well. Shrink recommends items based on your preferences (and you earn cash for trying these products!); and if you buy these items multiple times, you can even unlock loyalty rewards! Browse through Shrink's offers and click the Reserve button to claim the offers you like before they're gone. After you have purchased the item(s), just snap a picture of your receipt. Once you have reached a total of $20 cash back, you can redeem your cash back via Paypal.
* SavingStar – View offers on your mobile app or online – there are often 100% cash back "surprise" freebies during the month. Then, use your registered card at checkout as you normally do. For receipt-scan stores, take a picture of your receipt and submit through the SavingStar app or website. Note that discounts are not received at checkout but will be posted in your account within 2-22 days depending on the store. In addition to cashing out your earnings using your bank account or PayPal, you can use your earnings to score Starbucks eGift Cards, AMC Theatres eGift Cards and iTunes Gift Codes.
Enjoy sharing your opinion? Although online surveys are not a huge source of revenue, they are easy to do while watching TV, waiting at the airport, and can add up over time. Most companies will pay via check, PayPal, or you can submit for a reward by mail after you've accumulated enough points to cash out. My top 5 survey companies are –
* e-Poll (rated A+ with BBB)
* Harris Poll Online (rated A- with BBB)
* Inbox Dollars (rated A+ with BBB)
* Toluna (rated A+ with BBB)
* PineCone Research (rated #2 on Survey Police)
If you spend a lot of time browsing the web, you may consider switching from Google or Yahoo to Bing. Like a frequent flyer program that rewards you for flying, Bing Rewards gives you credits for searching the web (while using Bing) as well as taking advantage of special offers. You can then redeem your credits for gift cards at popular retailers and restaurants (such as Starbucks, Amazon, ToysRUs) and/or donate them to a local school through Bing in the Classroom.
Did you know that you can become a Mechanical Turk for Amazon and earn money from home just for reading articles, completing tasks, and more? After signing up, just search or browse through the Human Intelligence Tasks (HITs) and click on the one that interests you. Accept the HIT and follow the instructions. When you're done, submit your work and after the requester approves your work, money is deposited into your Amazon Payments account.
Interested in starting your own business? Become a company rep for brands such as Amway, Avon, Barefoot Books, Cutco, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Scentsy, Thirty-One Gifts, or Young Living Essential Oils just to name a few. Each company offers different pay schedules, referral systems, and has different training requirements, so be sure to check out the ones you're interested in.
If you or a family member has a closet filled with outdated clothing, consider packing up a box and selling it online via thredUP.com. Start by ordering a free Clean Out Kit, pack it full of styles you've loved, and return it to them for free. They will inspect the clothing and determine an amount to pay you. The amount you're paid depends on the original price, brand and category of each item. You can use their Earnings Estimator to see how much others have earned for similar items.
Another site that allows you to sell your gently-used clothing is Tradesy. Just list any fashion item in good condition, snap a few photos, propose a price, and use the free box and label to ship without leaving your house.
A growing work-from-home opportunity is to answer inbound customer calls for large companies like 1-800 Flowers, J Crew, or Walgreens. How is this possible? These companies (and many others) outsource their customer-service calls to companies that hire U.S.-based virtual agents, such as Alpine Access, ACD Direct, LiveOps, Sutherland Global Services, Arise, Asurion, TeleTech, and many others.
Before considering this type of opportunity, keep in mind that you must have high-speed Internet access, a computer, a landline, and a quiet place to work. You can expect to make an average of $8 and $15 an hour depending on your experience and will work a minimum of 15 to 20 hours per week.
Have a knack for photography? If you have a smartphone and often take photos, there's a new app called Foap that allows you to sell your smartphone photos for CASH. To get started, download the free Foap app (available on Google Play or iTunes App Store), upload your photos, and make them available for purchase on the Foap Market. For each photo you sell you make $5 and you can sell the same photo an unlimited number of times. Now, this isn't a huge source of income BUT think about it…if your photo sells 10 times, you make $5 each time and will end up with $50 in your pocket. Sweet!
VIPKID.com is looking for teachers who are high-energy, great with children, and motivated to work with a promising company that is growing at a fast pace in China. Qualified teachers will be able to work 7.5+ hours per week teaching English to young students online and will make between $14-$22/hour. Note that a bachelor's degree in any field AND 1 school year of traditional teaching experience or the equivalent in mentoring, tutoring, or alternative education is required.
Or, if you love your field and want to share your knowledge all while working from home and earning extra money, you'll love being an online tutor with Tutor.com. You can help students of all ages—from K-12 to college to adult learners—gain a better understanding of your favorite subjects, while keeping your skills sharp. Plus, there are no fees or costs associated with applying to become a tutor!


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Patient Testimonials
"To the entire staff at Waco Gastroenterology Endoscopy Center: Thank you all so much for your professionalism and loving care I received. The whole time I was there I felt like I was in great hands. Y'all rock. Thanks again and I will see you in one year."
"I was a patient at Waco Gastroenterology yesterday because it had been five years since I had a Colonoscopy.
I wanted to let you know that I was very impressed with all of the staff members and satisfied with every aspect of my visit. Each and every person whom I came into contact with from the front desk until the time that I was released demonstrated a caring and outstanding attitude.
I have been around long enough to know that when each and every member demonstrates a positive attitude towards patients and works to make the experience as stress-free as possible then it is clear that your clinic prioritizes good service to patients.
The attitudes of those I came into contact with clearly show that you have a well-managed hiring selection process followed by good training and emphasis on taking care of patients.
No one enjoys going to a medical facility for treatment but I must say that all of you made the visit very stress-free for me and I left with the feeling that your clinic demonstrated a very high level of professionalism combined with genuine concern for your patients."


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This past April for Record Store Day, one of the more unique items to come down the road was made available to vinyl nerds: a mini-turntable made by audio electronic company Crosley. The RSD3 weighed less than one pound, played 3-inch vinyl records and cost about $70. The instant grat came in the form of a 3-inch of the Foo Fighters hit 1996 single "Big Me."
At about six inches wide by five inches deep and three inches high, the turntable is powered by either four AA batteries or USB. It features an AT3600 moving-magnet cartridge, adjustable pitch control, fully supported platter, an aux out port and comes with a built-in speaker, although Crosley teased, "use the aux-out and included RCA cable adapter to hook this mini turntable into larger speakers and you're in for a surprise."
The mini-turntable not surprisingly originated in Japan, where back in 2004 the lo-fi 8ban player launched to play the 3-inch vinyl, which can play about three minutes worth of music per side. They didn't exactly take off but caught the eye of the White Stripes frontman Jack White, who brought the idea back to the States and pressed up some 3-inch vinyl for his label, Third Man Records. The problem was the creators of the player in Japan had destroyed almost all the units that didn't sell, so what was a $30 item suddenly hit eBay for upwards of $2000.
Enter Record Store Day and the recent resurrection of vinyl and continued growth of the format. Earlier this month, based on the Recording Industry Association of America's mid-year report, it was estimated that vinyl would outsell compact discs this year for the first time since 1986. In other words, it's a perfect time to try to launch this novelty item.
The organizers of Record Store Day and Crosley in April promised new releases "always being added to the catalog" and you could sign up for the RSD3 email newsletter to be the first to find out when the next "big little single" was released. There haven't been that many, to be honest, and most of them were "blindbox packages," which meant the were sold in a set of four, so it would be worthwhile for the label to have them manufactured in the first place.
Record Store Day in April had an Epitaph Records set featuring the likes of Bad Religion and Rancid, and July saw the 25th anniversary of the Beastie Boys 'Ill Communication' LP celebrated with a 3-inch of the song "Sabotage," that came with an outer box that reproduced the original 7" single sleeve art and included a pull-out poster. Both had limited initial pressings. Third Man Records has released a couple of blindbox sets, and in late summer Insane Clown Posse made one available, smartly limiting it to 1000 copies.
This week it was announced that the 50th anniversary of the legendary Sun Records move to Nashville in 1969 would be celebrated with an RSD3 special collection of iconic tracks from the label's vault, set for release Oct. 18. The 3-inch series showcases four of the most iconic names in the Sun catalog; Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison.
Each single includes a unique fold-out poster, and they are available individually or as a set of four. The Sun run will feature Johnny Cash's "Cry! Cry! Cry!," the Jerry Lee Lewis smash "Great Balls of Fire," Carl Perkins classic "Honey, Don't!" – later recorded by The Beatles – and Roy Orbison's "Devil Doll."
The RSD3 mini-turntable is a neat piece of kitsch and, so far, it looks like the titles are going to keep coming so it won't collect a ton of dust. Crosley isn't selling the player on their website anymore, but at press time they had 20 units left on their official Amazon seller page. One can probably be picked up at any local independent record store in the region, or with a modicum of online digging for close to the original retail price.
Keep an eye on this spot as each week we'll be looking at new or soon-to-be-released vinyl from a variety of artists. It might be a re-pressing of a landmark recording, special edition or new collection from a legendary artist. This week, it's a best of collection from a legendary crooner making its first ever appearance on vinyl.
A few weeks ago, Morrissey performed at the BB&T Pavilion with the New York City post-punk outfit Interpol. He was supporting his recent covers album, 'California Son,' where he reinterprets songs by some of his favorite artists like Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison. Mozzer also busted out some of well-known hits he's penned, both from his time with mid-80s indie legends The Smiths and from a prolific solo career. It's the latter that's the focus of a collection which recently made its vinyl debut, 'The Best of Morrissey.'
Morrissey surpassed the commercial success of The Smiths after the singer/lyricist launched a solo career in 1988. Over the next decade, the "Pope of Mope" released six studio album and a string of hit singles before going on a brief recording hiatus. On Nov. 6, 2001, 'The Best of Morrissey,' a compilation that brought together his most memorable work as a solo artist up to that point, was released on CD in North America only. Sire/Parlophone records has revisited that classic collection by releasing it as a double-LP set. Also available on the Rhino Records website (Rhino.com) is a clear vinyl version, limited to 500 copies, which at press time was still available.
The year after The Smiths disbanded in 1987, Morrissey returned with his debut as a solo artist, Viva Hate.' The album was certified gold in both the U.K. and the U.S. and topped the album charts in England. 'The Best of Morrissey' includes two key tracks from that record in "Everyday Is Like Sunday" and "Suedehead."
The singer followed his debut with a series of non-album singles that were eventually collected on 'Bona Drag' in 1990, along with several B-sides. That collection was certified gold in the U.S. and reached the Top 10 in the U.K. Several tracks from the album are included in 'The Best of Morrissey,' including "Interesting Drug," "The Last of The International Playboys" and "Hairdresser on Fire," which originally appeared as the B-side to "Suedehead."
This collection also spotlights two key albums from the solo-Morrissey canon with eight songs from 1992's Grammy-nominated 'Your Arsenal' and 1994's UK chart-topper 'Vauxhall And I.' Featured songs from those LPs include "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful," "Glamorous Glue," "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get" and "Hold On To Your Friends."
All the other studio albums the singer released between 1988 and 1997 are represented on 'The Best of Morrissey' with "Sing Your Life" from 'Kill Uncle' (1991), "Do Your Best and Don't Worry" from 'Southpaw Grammar' (1995) and "Alma Matters" from 'Maladjusted' (1997). Other tracks on the collection include the non-album single "Sunny" and the B-sides "Sister I'm A Poet" and "Lost."
Find 'The Best of Morrissey' online and in stores from all respectable retailers who carry vinyl.
To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to email@example.com. Also, check out his blog at www.thechroniclesofmc.com


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This is a project that aims to build a 280mm quadcopter with racing/cruising characteristics completely from spare parts. The idea came to mind after Banggood sent me by accident a broken/used Flying3D instead of my paid order (they sent me later my brand new unit); the broken unit had burnt ESCs, the power distribution board was severely damaged, even the flight controller board was not responding. I can only assume that the previous owner (there was printed e-mail exchange between Banggood and the U.S customer inside the box) tried to mod the quadcopter unsuccessfully and then returned it to Banggood as defective. My God, what people are out there!
Banggood was kind enough to let me keep the broken one, to be used as spare parts: the canopy – although scratched and used – is fine, plus two extra legs and a working TX, so no complaints. Immediately, I started searching for information regarding the broken parts, in order to fix it but quickly came to the conclusion that it would be easier if I could use some of the working parts (the TX/RX and the motors were the only parts that were verified as working at that time) and buy some new parts to build a frame-based quadcopter. Of course, there is no point doing that if it is to build another 7.4V platform, so I opted to go 3S which means new ESCs as I knew the stock ones (which did not worked anyway) could not support 11.1V. So, at that time – in order to save on costs – I've decided to search for a frame that could support the stock motors I had available. But things would change.
A friend of mine that repairs PCBs by reflowing/reballing asked if he could try fixing the BigFlyShark flight controller from the broken FY-X6. To my surprise after some cleaning – he told me that it didn't even "touch it" (i.e re-solder) – the flight controller came to life and after doing some bench-tests, the GPS circuit also worked! Miracles do happen sometimes and now I could use this excellent flight controller and GPS to build my quad but this meant extra weight, so this means also new motors and a frame that could accomodate all these parts into something that would fly.
5 days later and after many hours of online searching, reading and viewing YouTube videos, I finally decided on the frame I'd use: it would be the Tarot TL280H (half-carbon as full-carbon was over twice the price), together with EMAX Nighthawk Pro 2204/2300kV motors and EMAX BLHeli 12A ESCs. I chose this frame as is one of the best-looking frames and Tarot is known for building high-quality R/C accessories, plus it supports GPS either by directly mounting it on the "third floor" area or by using their GPS mount pole (I chose the pole option). Order placed – together with other spare parts that I will list on next posts – and about a month later, everything arrived at my door.
Assembling the frame as the main frame came pre-assembled and only the upper "third floor" part needed work (the cat's "head"). Using the owners manual and the correct torx screwdrivers, after about an hour I had assembled everything including the GPS mount pole.
Unfortunately Banggood split the order in several smaller ones which meant that I had the frame but not the motors or ESCs and I was also waiting for the 3S batteries to arrive. This meant that I had to divert my attention to the other spare parts, particularily the flight controller and the RX board.
Stay tuned for the next post regarding setting-up the flight controller and the RX using a custom-made case.