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…but Nooo!
Earlier this week the days were becoming a little more humid. Visitors to the area claim it is very humid. I think not. With humidity hovering around 75% it is not noticeable to us locals but visitors feel it. It is not until the humidity wanders past 90% that locals feel it too. Rest a bare arm on a piece of paper and within moments the paper is stuck to your arm, particularly those glossy brochure type pieces of paper. When the real humidity arrives a hot shower is wonderful but you cannot get dry, the sky becomes moist again within moments.
A few nights this week it has rained, or should I say showered. Sometimes a good heavy shower but not lasting more than half an hour. During the day this week I have noticed a build up of dark grey cloud most days. This is usually a signal of the approach of the wet season. Today is a startlingly clear sky. Only a few puffy white clouds here and there. This is the weather most people travel here to experience. They take boat trips out to the reef and most only semi listen to advice about covering up with a hat and shirt and suntan cream or blockout. Most tourists arrive back on the mainland with sunburn. Some with really bad painful sunburn. This is not the sunlight most tourists, Australian and Overseas are used to. Once upon a time we had television commercials to Slip, Slop and Slap. Slip on a shirt, Slap on some sunscreen and Slap on a hat ( add some sunglasses too) so you can enjoy the evening and the next days without the pain of sunburn. Also lessens the chance of Melanoma.
Today at 2pm the temperature in the kitchen was 27 degrees C and i do not care to speculate how hot it is outside except to say I spent some time working outdoors today and it is hot!
On Thursday this week I installed Skype on our PC.
I have unlimited download but a slower speed. I guess it is all a sacrifice. If I increased the speed and decreased the download it would cost an extra $20 per month. The sound is OK it just means I cannot have a meaningful video camera so we have elected to use Skype without video.
Spoke for ages with Geoff C in Nowra NSW on Thursday night within minutes of setting up the Skype microphone. He reprted the audio was ok but had breaks. I suspect we may have been trying to talk over each other.
On Friday night I spoke with Greg T from Bribie Island Qld and he reported the audio clear and without interruption. Greg asked how the MH was going and was surprised that we now have a Winnie. I directed him to this blog site so he can catch up with the news of the last 7 months.
Today I spoke with Laurie H in Paynesville, Vic. She has video and although not perfect the picture was clear enough and audio was very good. She has had her B&B on the market for many months and it seems the buyer has finance. If all goes to plan she will need to be out of there by December and will then go on the road full time after finding a suitable Sunliner and trade in the old one.
Also spoke with Linda and Doug H who are staying in a hotel in Mexico on the way to their condo at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (I think that is how it is spelled). They drove from Vancouver. Audio was clear. They have a laptop and although equipped with a camera I do not think her settings are turned on. I could hear but not see.
Pam and Gerry were here yesterday in their Winnebago Explorer. Gerry likes the masses of power, compliments of the solar panels, and huge huge huge inverter/charger. They use it to run a microwave, or electric frypan, toaster and kettle. If battery levels get a little low he pushes a button inside and a massive 5 Kva generator starts up and runs his toys and charges the batteries. When toys/appliances are turned off and batteries are at max he flicks a switch and the gennie turns off!
They leave on Tuesday morning to head South to who knows where or when. Happy travels P&G.
Thought I would throw in another photo of the works going on in Airlie Beach. This time with my trusty steed.
Hasta luego caimán


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[[Category: Japanese 4.5x6 viewfinder folding]]
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Revision as of 17:53, 7 August 2006
The Middl 120[1] (ミドル・120) is a series of Japanese folders, made by Otowa around 1952–3. The first models are horizontal folders for 4.5×6 pictures, with straight diagonal struts and a back hinged to the left. The last model is for both 6×6 and 4.5×6, but no picture has been found of it yet.
Probable early model
There is a record of a presumably early model with a folding optical finder.[2] It has a flat top plate, in chrome finish, with an accessory shoe on the left end and the advance knob on the right end. The finder in centered, the bed opening button is slightly to the left and there seems to be a body release above the right strut.
The Middl 120-A
The Middl 120-A[3] has a top housing, that contains the finder, slightly offset to the right, and supports an accessory shoe. The latter is offset to the left, with the bed opening button just in front of it. The body release and the advance knob are on the right end and a decorative round plate on the left end[4]. The film advance is controlled by one red window at the bottom of the back, protected by a horizontally sliding cover.
The camera is engraved Middl and 120-A above the viewfinder, with the OKS logo in front of the top housing. It is also embossed Middl 120 in the back leather. It is reported that the piece of leather covering the back latch is embossed Middl Optical Works.[5]
This model is advertised in the December 1952 issue of Ars Camera[6], with Otowa mentioned as the maker and Mizuno Shashinki-ten (水野写真機店) as the authorized dealer. The lens announced as a Seriter 75/3.5, but this focal length has not yet been observed and is maybe a mistake. The shutter gives B, 1–200 speeds, has a self-timer and is synchronized via an ASA bayonet connector. No marking is visible on the shutter but it is certainly an NKS.
Two examples have been observed[7] with a Seriter Anastigmat 80mm f:3.5 and an B, 1–200 shutter identified as NKS on the speed rim. The shutter plate of these examples has a logo and a small NKS marking at the top, that seems to be absent from the one pictured in the advertisement.
An example has also been observed[8] with a lens marked MiddL.
A Middl 120-A2 is reported but no detail is available.[9]
The Middl 120-Z
The Middl 120-Z is a dual format model, for both 6×6 and 4.5×6. It is offered in an advertisement from the January 1953 issue of Ars Camera[10], with a Seriter 75/3.5 and an NKS shutter having the same features as the one mounted on the previous model. Curiously, this advertisement illustrates the description of the new model with a picture of the Middl 120-A. It also employs the name Middl Six (ミドルシックス) together with Middl 120-Z.
- ↑ The name is consistently written this way, with a missing "e".
- ↑ The only document found is the picture in this page of the AJCC, where it is called both "Middl" and "Middl 120".
- ↑ McKeown lists this model both under the companies "Middl Optical Works Ltd" (p. 670) and "Otowa Kogaku" (p. 770), with a duplicate description.
- ↑ The decorative round plate has fallen from the example pictured in McKeown, p. 770.
- ↑ McKeown, p. 670.
- ↑ Reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 192.
- ↑ One in this page at Japan Family Camera and one pictured in McKeown, p. 770.
- ↑ In this page at je2luz.
- ↑ Lewis, p. 83.
- ↑ Reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 192.
Printed bibliography
- Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7. Items 903 and 905.
- McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). Pp. 670 and 770.
- Lewis, Gordon, ed. The History of the Japanese Camera. Rochester, N.Y.: George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography & Film, 1991. ISBN 0-935398-17-1 (paper), 0-935398-16-3 (hard). Pp. 79 and 83 (brief mentions only, it erroneously calls them "Middle 120").
In Japanese:
- Middl 120 with a folding optical finder at a page of the AJCC, it is the folder pictured on the right
- Middl 120-A with sample pictures at je2luz
- Middl 120-A at Japan Family Camera

subset: commoncrawl


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13 in. Pneumatic Wheelbarrow Tire (2-Pack)
Browse all deals at Home Depot
See more in Lawn Mowers, Tractors & Accessories
See more from Farm & Ranch
* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with Home Depot to confirm actual price & availability.
- Be the first to comment!
Home Depot
1601 W Morton Ave
Jacksonville, IL 62650


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Michael Irvin has a ton of respect for Jerry Jones, and the feeling is pretty mutual dating back to their days with the early 90s Cowboys and the glory years.
Jones was the brash owner who helped build the dynasty, and Irvin was the heart and soul of that team, which also featured fellow Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith. Irvin showed tons of passion in his playing days, and shows the same in the present day in his role as an analyst on NFL Network.
Irvin called into a show on the network on Wednesday and let his feelings be known very clearly in regards to the Cowboys' current situation with free agent running back DeMarco Murray, who appears set to be signed by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
"A lot of people…are talking out of their booty if they think they could stick just anybody back there," Irvin said, as he got more and more impassioned as the interview went on.
"You have a man that just led the league in rushing. What message does it send to the rest of your team to leave him out?" Irvin added. "I would say to Jerry I don't care if you overpay a little right here. It sends not a bad message but a good message."
Murray would be the first NFL rushing champ to leave his team the ensuing offseason, so we're talking about uncharted territory here. Irvin made some solid points about team chemistry and the team identity that was established last year with Murray and the offensive line.
Ultimately, the Cowboys have had a tough decision to make on this, and while it's not yet final, it seems Murray is as good as gone.


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Gallery Box
Dreamscapes Gallery
Jan Jackson owned art businesses in Ohio, Arizona and Illinois before she came to Albuquerque.
See the work at Dreamscapes Gallery on 5th from noon to 5 p.m., closed Wednesdays and Sundays at 1523 Fifth NW. For more, call 242-1311 or go to dreamscapeson5th.com.
Culture Shock
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue
Ah, marriage. The joining of two parts into a stronger whole, and other metaphors. Since summer is the traditional wedding season, let us look to pieces that seek to marry disparate elements in the creation of holistic works of art. Or, if you're more carnally inclined, a couple of artsy parts do it and have an art baby.
Performance Review
The Truth About Beauty
The Vortex Theatre presents Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde believed in beauty, and the aesthetic movement he helped to promulgate held that life was to be lived decadently, beautifully. He was a large man of larger appetites. He saw living as a string of opportunities for happiness through sensuousness, not a series of moral lessons to be suffered and learned. It's too bad he happened to live in Victorian England.


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The Singapore government has recently released a white paper on population and it is interesting to compare how other countries are tackling the issue of falling birth rates, like hongkong, where this news article highlighted HK's woes and constraints in importing foreigners.
Another asian city, Shanghai, is also facing population challenges as it grows, and as this news article points out, "The continual growing population overloads the city's public services. Housing, education, health and other public services will face even more pressure."
Not unlike these countries, Singapore has also felt the immense strain and pressure of a growing population (mostly through immigration), and in recent years we have seen great levels of dissatisfaction in the same domains of housing, education, health, and public services like transport where MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) trains have encountered major breakdowns (through poor maintenance and increased usage) and public bus drivers going on strike the first time in decades due to perceived poor treatment by their employer.
Like my fellow Singaporeans, I too feel the pressure of a higher population density in our tiny island state and going forward I will be comparing notes with other countries on how they make population planning policies for the benefit of their citizen's overall welfare, not just for the country's economic progress.
It is always not easy to navigate the murky waters of population policies, especially where numbers are required to sustain the economy.
Nevertheless first off, I'll lay out the basic Singapore population statistics from the sources to look at the growth trend. In my further articles, I'd like to compare country policies in the area of immigration vs natural population growh.
According to wikipedia, Singapore's population as at 1 July 2012 is at 5,312,400, ranked 116th worldwide, see here.
In 2010, Singapore's population was at 5,076,700, ranked 117th worldwide, see here.
Cross referencing from Singapore's Department of Statistics on Population Demographics, and going back, it looks like this:
2012 – 5.312 million
2011 – 5.183 million
2010 – 5.076 million
2005 – 4.265 million
2000 – 4.028 million
1990 – 3.047 million
1980 – 2.414 million


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new 10.125" wide heatsink
the new 10.125" heatsink die was ran tonight,it needs to be worked on to get it flat and will be resampled wednesday i may have this for sale within the next 2 weeks,i hope some people are interested,.
.375" base
26 total fins
2.5" finheight off the base
12.5 pounds per foot a real monster
thanks for your patience
do you have an estimated cost per foot?
Ditto ^^^^^^
I may be interested in 4 heatsinks. What would be the lenght?
Any degC/W specs on it?
And I just bought some of the 8 inch jobs... Looks ideal for a class AAAAAAAAAAB amp I have in mind.
Ya, I have a local tech who has used barrredboss for sinks, and has been very impressed with his work. That why I'm holding off buying heat sinks until I see what happens.
Russel, can you post some pictures of the heatsink?
10 inch heatsink
The sink was sample run a second time and is closer but needs further revision we are looking at another 4-5 days yet,
I hope they get it right this time i want to get this product on the market
Russ Boss
Well, I haven't seen the first group buy so I don't know what it looks like. I'm considering using this heatsink to my amp and trying to figure out the best way to mount it on my chasis.
Could you give us estimate cost per foot, so I can set aside a budget for it?
The heat sink will be reasonably priced per linear foot if my previous experience with the Boss is any guide, so you won't need no steeenking group buy...
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I grew up as a beach girl in Santa Barbara and Ventura, California. I was always a mild-mannered yet out going child; I always say that I'm an introvert with great social skills and this was true for my childhood as well.
I was raised in a spiritually open space. Of course, you never know this when you are a kid but now looking back, I was lucky to be raised by very young parents that loved exploring spiritual movements. After all, it was the 70's! At the time, all of my friends' parents were of like mind; where Yogananda and Ram Das were common names. I was also raised vegetarian, as my parents thought this would allow my sisters and I to complete our karma at a rapid pace as well as accelerate how many times we were to reincarnate in the future. Oddly, as a young child this made complete sense to me. I remember sitting by the fireplace at my grandparents house and my Mom and Grandma discussing what ghosts were visiting and where they traveled on the Astral the previous night…You know, the usual stuff!
Like most growing children, once I hit my teenage years, I moved away from my innate spirituality. My parents put me in a Catholic High School, I'm pretty sure this was the catalyst for my separation from the divine and my personal spiritual space. Once in my 20's I moved even further away. Almost as a rebellion, as I look back on it.
My teen's, 20's and early 30's my life experiences taught me the life lesson of The Wounded Healer. For this, I am most thankful for! I would not be standing before you today, as a spiritual psychic and healer had I not experienced the life of hard knocks, through the eyes of a wounded healer.
I rekindled my kindred spiritual quest about 10 years ago…after almost a couple of decades of self-hatred, co-dependency and extremely unhealthy boundary setting…and a divorce too…I needed help and good ol' therapy was NOT doing the trick. I knew I needed more. I knew in order to work on myself, I needed to work on my soul. The deep dark depths of my soul. I knew this was where my healing needed to take place.
I dove head first into seeking out any and all forms of "alternative" healing. I became a student of spiritual knowledge, taking in every healers different technique. It felt magical to me and honestly it was the true sense of divine. I felt the wounded woman I once was completely rise like a Phoenix from the ashes with a new-found love of all creation of life. It took years of healing energy work for my light to shine bright again and it was the best years, unraveling and learning my soul.
I am a constant work in progress but now I try not too take myself to seriously. Leading with love and amusement, the highest vibration of energy. Sometimes I nail it, other times I'm a big FAIL and that's ok! We are all ok! Life is beautiful, it's just the shift of energy sometimes to see the light of how beautiful life really is.
Now, I am so blessed to have my own Healing Master, a Being Without Body or Light Being or some would say Spirit Guide, but he is so much more. Cebu is his name and he has given me the gift to heal others along their journey of life.
Before becoming a professional clairvoyant psychic and healer, I was a commercial and corporate flight attendant for 21 years. Traveling the globe, picking up stories and information from past lives to bring forward for this very moment!
Luna is my best friend and roommate. You can often find us cruising the beach or paddling the harbor. She's an amazing companion and very wise. Our story of how we were united or really how we were reunited is so beautiful. We are the truest version of what souls reuniting lifetime after lifetime are. She's my little selkie mermaid. I thank her everyday for blessing me and enriching my life. I am the best version of me because of her!
Here's an interesting thought; have you ever wondered what past lives your pet has lived? Watch my video below for more 🙂


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Since his fiction began appearing more than 30 years ago, William Styron has enjoyed a critical and popular eminence not entirely free from notoriety. His first novel, ''Lie Down in Darkness'' (1951), was praised for its insight and psychological power, and criticized for its blatant similarities to Faulkner's masterpiece ''The Sound and the Fury.'' Later successes like ''The Confessions of Nat Turner'' and ''Sophie's Choice'' have drawn considerable unfavorable comment from critics who dislike Styron's heavily rhetorical prose style and sexual explicitness and who find his obsession with grand sonorous subjects geared toward best-sellerdom.
This first collection of his nonfiction writings will doubtless be welcomed as evidence by Styron's admirers and detractors alike. It's a miscellany of work written between 1953 and 1981, comprising book reviews, think pieces, tributes to his friends and colleagues, speeches given at schools he's attended, descriptions of his experiences as a writer, and accounts of the making of his several novels.
Proportions and emphases indicate certain preoccupations. Styron was often sought out to review books on assorted Southern subjects and personalities. He's especially persuasive on the celebrated diary published as ''Mary Chesnut's Civil War'' (''a great epic drama of our greatest national tragedy''). Another Styron specialty, which was evident in ''The Service,'' stimulated such interesting pieces as his laudatory reviews of Vietnam memoirs by Philip Caputo and Ronald Glasser, and his incisive analysis of the enigmatic personality of Douglas MacArthur (in a consideration of the general's ''Memoirs''). His backward looks at deceased friends include a moving account of William Faulkner's funeral and a really lovely ''Elegy for F. Scott Fitzgerald.'' Unfortunately, we're also treated to a bathetic, defensive eulogy on the late novelist James Jones (''the critics hauled out their greasy little toolkits, but they never get hold of you at all'').
Styron himself points out in a preliminary ''Note'' which is annoyingly condescending that ''readers who are familiar with my novels are likely to find here frequent echoes and reflections of my larger works.'' Indeed, the background and integrity of ''The Confessions Of Nat Turner'' (1967) are effectively articulated in the impressive title essay, which details ''my search for Nat Turner.'' His brooding consideration of ''slavery's continuation in the horror we have come to call Auschwitz'' clearly links up with Styron's Holocaust novel, ''Sophie's Choice'' (1979).
And, though it isn't spelled out, the concern with crime and punishment that infuses his very uneven 1960 novel, ''Set This House on Fire,'' shows forth powerfully in the present book's best section, ''Victims.'' Its centerpiece (''The Death-in-Life of Benjamin Reid'') is a thoughtful, candid account of Styron's aid in the efforts to rehabilitate a doomed young killer. It will inevitably be compared with the Jack Henry Abbott-Norman Mailer affair, and it should be said that Styron's chastened struggling with the issues of capital punishment, victims' rights, and ''the Christian doctrine of redemption'' seems far more admirable than Mailer's composed detachment.
Elsewhere among these essays, the Styron method is rather less appealing. He often overwrites, and overdirects the reader: The memoir ''Chicago: 1968'' lambastes Mayor Richard Daley as ''the hoodlum suzerain of the city. . . . this squalid person''; his review of ''Calley'' treats the disgraced lieutenant with simple supercilious contempt, focusing on his ''fathomless dereliction'' from duty. The point is unarguable, but it's buried under hysterical rhetoric.
So it is with virtually all of this writer's work. ''This Quiet Dust'' is minor Styron indeed, but it will be of real interest to anyone who has found his fiction rewarding.


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- Universal controller serving multiple counting technologies
- Used for single space monitoring, loop counting and sign communication
- User friendly menu keys to scroll through various configuration tasks
- Optional integrated wireless communication chip
Q-Free's Single Space Zone Controller TZC-100 uses a three bus system allowing it to provide power to and exchange data with up to 96 single space sensors (32 single space sensors per bus interface). Large installations employ multiple zone controllers which link to a server.
The zone controller operates as a data concentrator transmitting the information to the PC, from the PC to the indicator lights in the sensors, as well as to other external devices like dynamic parking guidance signs. The controller also provides counter information based on count pulses generated by digital inputs.


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New Designs
Hunter Jumps
Premium Horse Jumps For Sale
What makes a great horse show jump? It's a sum of many things. It's quality materials – a jump is only as good and only as durable as it's weakest part. It's the smart design, that comes from experience and working with equestrians in real showjumping environment, that can be earned only with time. It's the details, know-how and extra effort we put into our jumps to make sure every single one of them meets the highest of our standards.
3 Decades of Experience
We earned our experience working on numerous projects. We have supplied equestrians, horse jump shows and horse sports enthusiasts for over 3 decades, since 1987 with quality, precision and performance.
in numbers


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Friday, December 16, 2011
Disney's "It's A Small World" iPhone - iPad App is a Charming Tribute to Disneyland Beloved Attraction
Disney released recently on the iTunes Appstore a new iPhone - iPad application called "It's a Small World", and this new app is a lovely, charming tribute to Disneyland beloved attraction.
Let's be clear from the start: this is an application designed as an interactive app for very young children. Still, all of you who love Mary Blair's attraction and who are always young at heart - and own an iPhone or iPad or iPod Touch - should enjoy the app. Why? Because they've succeed, i think, to find back the original childhood spirit of the ride. It's not perfect, but you can feel that the guys who developed the application tried their best to find back this "original spirit".
One of the great things is all the interactive part: almost wherever you "touch" elements of each image something is happening, the characters are moving, a crocodile goes out of the water, a dragon breath fire, etc... until the final where you launch your own fireworks by taps in the night sky. So, basically, the app is as much animated as the ride is!
There is 15 "chapters" in the app, and each one transport you, just like in the ride, in a different country or continent. In most of them you'll find Mary Blair famous color tones, and even reminiscences of her style. Here is screen captures of some of them, and although they don't pay totally justice to how it looks when you're experiencing the app, i'm sure you will identify which country / continent they are showing.
As i've told you the interactive part is charming... for instance in this chapter inspired by the jungle scene of the ride the page will look like this when it appears...
But if you tap on the crocodile or in the black area where you see the glowing eyes then the jungle animals appear, the hippo goes out of water, etc...
Each image is also slowly moving, almost as the same pace than the boat in the ride, giving you the feeling to discover each scene like you do when you're in the ride!
Again, it's a read along / sing along app for young children, but if you download it you'll be surprised how charming it is. The app cost $3.99 or 2.99€ on the Appstore, and knowing all the work it is to develop an app as i create applications also myself as you know, i can tell you that it's a fair price. And no need to say that if you have young children they will love it! Here is the iTunes direct link for those who are interested. There is an iPhone version of the app but of course if you own an iPad it looks even better on it. Finally, Disney also released a promotional video that you can see below.
Pictures and video: copyright Disney
Publié par Alain Littaye à l'adresse 1:34 PM
Libellés : disneyland, it's a small world, it's a small world app, mary blair, walt disney imagineering
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School leaders have to be cognizant of the severe emotional toll this pandemic has taken on students, staff and ourselves.
Being politically inactive during this crisis is not an option. Administrators must clearly articulate the needs of their schools to policymakers.
To do so, we have to organize. Council of School Supervisors & Administrators (CSA), AFSA Local 1, Government Affairs Director Gabriel Gallucci and AFSA Political Strategist Jon Bernstein provided key insights into forming political action committees (PACs), as well as Washington's recent COVID relief packages for schools.
Building Your Local's PAC


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NicAA: Clear, tea-colored, thin head. Subtle aroma, mostly light molasses and some pumpkin puree on top of biscuit malt. 7/10
NicTM: Light body, low carb, strong biscuit malt and low spice. Some nutmeg and vanilla tones make for a mellow finish. 8/10
NicP: You can taste pumpkin puree, but light spice means even with the "crust" from the biscuit malt, it's not a pie beer. 5p
NicO: Light spice+clean finish make it v. sessionable. The maltiness is delicious, I'd like just a tad more fall spice. 82/100
AlexAA: Pours a vibrant amber tone with a playful foamy head – aroma is subtle, but the pumpkin is there. 7/10
AlexTM: definite bigger spice taste from can – balanced cinnamon & nutmeg w/ a LOT of carbonation 7/10
AlexP: Slightly too full on the pumpkin flavor making it almost fruity from sweetness. 7P
AlexO: Just like all meat tastes better on a stick, 12 ouncers taste better from a can to me, esp. this one. 75/100


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Last weekend, as hundreds of thousands of women gathered in Washington to protest the inauguration of President Trump, the novelist Margaret Atwood began getting a string of notifications on Twitter and Facebook. People were sending her images of protesters with signs that referenced her dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale."
"Make Margaret Atwood Fiction Again!" one sign read. "The Handmaid's Tale is NOT an Instruction Manual!" read another.
"There were a honking huge number of them," Ms. Atwood said.
"The Handmaid's Tale," which takes place in near-future New England as a totalitarian regime has taken power and stripped women of their civil rights, was published 32 years ago. But in recent months, Ms. Atwood has been hearing from anxious readers who see eerie parallels between the novel's oppressive society and the current Republican administration's policy goals of curtailing reproductive rights.
In 2016, sales of the book, which is in its 52nd printing, were up 30 percent over the previous year. Ms. Atwood's publisher has reprinted 100,000 copies in the last three months to meet a spike in demand after the election.
"The Handmaid's Tale" is among several classic dystopian novels that seem to be resonating with readers at a moment of heightened anxiety about the state of American democracy. Sales have also risen drastically for George Orwell's "Animal Farm" and "1984," which shot to the top of Amazon's best-seller list this week.
Other novels that today's readers may not have picked up since high school but have landed on the list this week are Aldous Huxley's 1932 novel, "Brave New World," a futuristic dystopian story set in England in 2540; and Sinclair Lewis's 1935 novel "It Can't Happen Here," a satire about a bellicose presidential candidate who runs on a populist platform in the United States but turns out to be a fascist demagogue. On Friday, "It Can't Happen Here" was No. 9 on Amazon; "Brave New World" was No. 15.
The sudden boom in popularity for classic dystopian novels, which began to pick up just after the election, seems to reflect an organic response from readers who are wary of the authoritarian overtones of some of Mr. Trump's rhetoric. Interest in "1984" surged this week, set off by a series of comments from Mr. Trump, his press secretary, Sean Spicer, and his adviser Kellyanne Conway, in which they disputed the news media's portrayal of the crowd size at his inauguration and of his fractious relationship with American intelligence agencies. Their insistence that facts like photographs of the crowd and his public statements were up for interpretation culminated in a stunning exchange that Ms. Conway had on NBC's "Meet the Press," when she said that Mr. Spicer had not lied about the crowd size but was offering "alternative facts."
To many observers, her comment evoked Orwell's vision of a totalitarian society in which language becomes a political weapon and reality itself is defined by those in power. The remarks prompted a cascade of Twitter messages referencing Orwell and "1984." According to a Twitter spokesman, the novel was referenced more than 290,000 times on the social network this week. The book began climbing Amazon's best-seller list, which in turn drove more readers to it, in a sort of algorithm-driven feedback loop. It amounted to a blizzard of free advertising for a 68-year-old novel.
On Wednesday, the CNN host Van Jones read a famous passage from the novel about efforts to force citizens to "reject the evidence of your eyes and ears," and urged his viewers not to become complacent when faced with a barrage of falsehoods. "Let's not go down the Orwellian road, and I hope that's not where Trump is trying to lead us," he said.
Of course, it is not the first time that readers and pundits have invoked the novel to criticize the actions and statements of a government. It is such a standard trope that Orwell's name has become an adjective. And because so many American readers are exposed to the novel in high school or college, most people have a passing familiarity with its basic themes about the dangers of authoritarianism, and use phrases like "big brother" as a shorthand to describe a multitude of things, from Google to homeland security.
"It's a frame of reference that people can reach for in response to government deception, propaganda, the misuse of language, and those are things that occur all the time," said Alex Woloch, an English professor at Stanford University who has written about the roots of Orwell's political language. "There are certain things this administration is doing that has set off these alarm bells, and people are hungry for frames of reference to understand this new reality."
The sudden prominence of such novels reflects a renewed public interest in decades-old works of speculative fiction as guides for understanding our current political moment. Readers who are grappling with a jolting shift in American politics, when easily verifiable facts are subject to debate and civil liberties and democratic norms feel fragile, are turning to dystopian novels for guidance and insight.
"Many of these books are becoming more important to the average American reader because they want to know what's next, because we've never been through this before," said the novelist Gary Shteyngart, author of the dystopian novel "Super Sad True Love Story. "Language is being used to destabilize people's perception of reality, and that's very new to this country."
Readers may also be returning to the comfort (if you can call it that) of familiar dystopian novels because these stories offer moral clarity at a time when it can be difficult to keep up with the convulsions of the daily news cycle, and the fire hose of information and disinformation on social media.
"Maybe it's a feeling that nonfiction has failed us, that journalism has not been able to keep up with things," Mr. Shteyngart said.
While many of these novels are perennial best sellers and staples on high school reading lists, publishers were still unprepared for the recent rise in demand. Shortly after the election, "It Can't Happen Here," an 82-year-old satirical novel that was popular in its time but was never really enshrined as a classic, was sold out on Amazon and on Books-a-Million's website. The book has sold about 45,000 copies since Nov. 9. Sales for the mass-market edition in 2016 were up 1,100 percent over 2015, according to its publisher.
"The book has certainly been known and alluded to since its publication, but now it's really caught on because there are so many astonishing parallels to the present," said Michael Meyer, an emeritus English professor at the University of Connecticut, who wrote an introduction to the novel. "It's a satire about the politics of someone like Trump."
The trajectory for "1984" has been even more dramatic. Since the inauguration, sales of the novel have risen 9,500 percent, according to Craig Burke, the publicity director for Signet Classics, a paperback imprint at Penguin. The book became the top seller on Barnes & Noble's website this week, and appeared in the top 10 on the Indie Bestseller list, which tracks sales at hundreds of independent bookstores across the country.
The novel "1984" is a reliable best seller — it was an instant hit when it was first published in 1949, and it continues to sell some 400,000 paperback copies in the United States annually. Still, the recent demand caught the publisher and some booksellers off guard. Signet, which publishes the mass-market paperback edition of "1984," is reprinting 200,000 more copies of the book, and another 100,000 copies of "Animal Farm." (Its edition of "1984" is currently out of stock on Amazon.)
"We're getting significant reorders from all our accounts," Mr. Burke said. "We've printed, just this week, about half of what we normally sell in a year."
Publishers and book retailers have been quick to seize the momentum and take advantage of renewed interest in decades-old titles. The Amazon page for "It Can't Happen Here" now features a bold print quote from Salon, calling the book "the novel that foreshadowed Donald Trump's authoritarian appeal." This week, Penguin started an online advertising and social media campaign to promote "1984," which included posts with quotes from the novel on Facebook and Instagram.
Dozens of new reviews of the novel appeared on Amazon, and some readers drew parallels between recent political events and Orwell's chilling vision.
"Sadly, this book is more than relevant in America right now," one reviewer posted. "Today Kellyanne Conway announced that we were given alternate facts," another wrote, adding, "Get ready to party like it's 1984."
There's perhaps another reason that readers are returning to "1984" and other dystopian classics during unsettling times. Sometimes, it's nice to be reminded that things could be worse.


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Hell NO WE Won't Go
The year is 1973 and I am 15 years old. This year I entered High School as the last leg of my studies to graduate. From that point on I have few choices I can make in my life. One get married and have a family. Two go off to College and further my education. Three take a few years off and travel. Four get a job and move out on my own. But this year is different. As I watch my school mates being drafted and shipped overseas to a war nobody wants to be in. The Vietnam War; that makes young men flee from their County in fear of the draft.
In the years past I sat and watched the body bags and caskets being unloaded from the planes as they brought home the dead. I hear the fear in my friends' voices as they announce their brother just received his draft notice in the mail. He has to register and be shipped off to this senseless war. The look in their eyes, the fear, the question will they ever see him again?
By 1973 the war has started to affect everyone. I for one was no different. I had started to participate in a rebellious battle. My hair was long past my butt and half way to my knees. I braided my hair each day adding a leather band on my forehead. I would add flowers to my hair. I wore tie-dyed shirts to make a statement. I would take the new Levis my parents bought for me and soak them in bleach with rocks inside the bucket. After I would cut the legs outer seam of my pants up to the knees and add bright flowered material to make the bell bottom jeans everyone was wearing. I spent hours on end embodying peace signs, flowers, and anti-war designs on my pants. I had to do my part.
Everyone at school was wearing leather and silver bracelets with someone's name on it. Praying for the men and boys who were captured or missing. Some of my friends' Mothers volunteered at the offices set up for families of the war. Their job was to keep track of the POW's and MIA's. After school we would go to the office and collect bags of bracelets and roam the streets selling them to everyone. We believed if everyone wore a bracelet with a soldiers name on it he would come home again to his family.
My solider was Col. Joseph Bowers. He never made it home. He is still on the list today of the MIA's that never made it out of Vietnam. I followed my solider each day looking on the list hoping he was found. Hoping he would be reunited with his family and loved ones. He never was. To this day nobody knows what happened to him.
As part of our anti-war efforts my friends and I created a book. We wrote pomes to the loved ones to give them hope. We sent our pomes off to the families of the solider we carried on our arms. We put forth all our efforts to try and stop a war that nobody wanted to fight. At one point we organized a sit in the middle of town. We thought if the Government would not listen to us maybe our local Congress would. Our efforts were of no vial. Nobody cared what happened to our friends. How young they were and why they had to leave to a Country that did not care about another person's life.
This is my Poem to the family of Col. Joseph Bowers and all the other men who were captured or lost in Vietnam.
The Sorrow of our Times
Holy Father in Heaven above
Protect the men that we do love
Bless our children's innocent face
Keep them safe in this unknown place
May they know that we are there
Holding hands in silent prayers
Holy Father in Heaven above
You created him for me to love
You picked him out from all the rest
Because you know I'd love him best
Holy Father in Heaven above
Look upon his innocent face
Protect his soul from his fears
Let him shed no more tears
Holy Father in Heaven above
Take my son to thy above
Cleans his soul for what he's done
Keep him safe for years to come
Holy Father in Heaven above
Keep my son safe for me
Let him look from Heaven above
Knowing we are there to love
Holy Father in Heaven above
Keep his memories safe with me
His touches so soft and kind
Will stay with me to the end of time
I wrote this prayer to Col. Joseph Bowers's family in his memory. He was sent to Vietnam and never returned home again. His body was never found and his family still morns his death to this day. I was 15 years old when Col. Joseph touched my life. I wore his name on my arm for years after the war. As I grew older I took this silver band off and placed it in a safe place. Every now and then I pull it out and look back on time to the year of 1973. To this day my bracelet still carries the blue star incased in the white circle telling me that Col Joseph Bowers is still a MIA in Vietnam.
Never forget the men and women that are away from home. It might not be Vietnam but it is a war all the same. My Uncle was lost in WW2. He boarded the last submarine in Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. He and his crew limped the damaged sub to San Francisco for repair. The last time my Mother ever saw her brother was the day he boarded the sub again headed towards Japan. His sub was lost somewhere in the South Pacific never to be found again. My Uncle rests at the bottom of the ocean incased in a medal prison.
Never forget the men and women who have given their lives for America. Say a silent prayer now for each person who has given their lives so that you can be free today. Say a prayer for each man and woman that is away from their families now at war. Say a prayer for their families to bring their loved ones home safe to them. Each day take a moment to reflect back on the men of the past and the families that went on after they were gone.
By Ann LeFlore
A reflection back in time to the years of war that affected an entire nation


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Mr F was correctly riding his bike down a cycle track in Shrewsbury when a lorry pulled out of a loading bay and ran him over causing him to suffer personal injury.
Mr F contacted Hayward Baker personal Injury Solicitors and instructed them to act on his behalf for his claim for personal injury compensation. Once his solicitor had received all the signed paper work from Mr F they stated the claim to the lorry drivers insurance company via the low value insurers on-line portal.The insurers immediately acknowledged the claim and within 3 weeks liability was admitted in full which meant that provided that a subsequent medical report confirmed that the injuries were caused by the accident the insurers have agreed to pay compensation.
Prior to the medical appointment Mr F was asked to supply details of his injuries, any ongoing treatment and details of medication so this can be passed to the expert when the medical appointment is requested. In addition Mr F was asked to supply details of any out of pocket expenses he has (special damages) as a result of the accident and these could be travelling expenses to and from medical treatment, prescription costs, loss of earnings etc.
Mr F attended his first medical appointment with an Orthopaedic Consultant who after examining him formulated a report upon his injuries which stated that the injuries which were a broken right ankle requiring two screws and washers to the inner aspect of the right ankle,severe bruising to both legs and cuts and grazes to his left leg all of these injuries were reported as being as a result of the accident. It is this report that will be used as evidence in support of Mr F's claim and to enable his solicitor to value the claim for compensation and associated losses.
The consultant also mentioned in his report that Mr F would have further physiotherapy treatment for his ankle and his current symptoms were swollen prominent veins in his ankle and was still unable to walk correctly and walked with a limp, suffered nightly discomfort and swelling to the ankle causing more pain.
As Mr F's treatment was ongoing the Consultant wanted to review Mr F's injuries one year after he is discharged from physiotherapy. 6 sessions of physiotherapy were arranged.
At a later date medical report and physiotherapy notes were sent to the lorry drivers insurers and Mr F informed his solicitor although he disclosing these documents now he wanted to wait until the prognosis period of one year post physiotherapy had expired before settling his claim.
However the lorry drivers insurers quickly made an offer of £12500.00 to settle the claim now but this was rejected by Mr F. Mr F's solicitor informed him that as he has decided to continue with the claim and not settle now that further medical evidence would be required so that his solicitor could advise of the likely financial outcome of the claim. Mr F was further advised that if the medical evidence indicates a financial value in the region of the current offer of £12,500.00, yhe would not then be entitled to any further compensation simply on the basis that he waited for that evidence. The financial value of his claim is based on the injuries he sustained and how long they took to resolve, not the duration of the claim itself.
One more medical appointment was attended by Mr F and the report followed, the consultant stated that Mr F would require orthotics during the rest of his working life, two injections for ongoing symptoms during his working life and an Arthroscopy.
Mr F was now ready to settle his claim and all the medical reports along with a copy of his special damages schedule was sent to the lorry drivers insurers along with a covering letter from Mr F's solicitor making an offer of £28000.00 to settle the claim.
A counter offer was received from the insurers for £18,000.00 but was rejected by Mr F.
Mr F's solicitor pushed hard with the negotiations and put forward a further offer of just over £23,000.00.
The case finally settled for just over £22,000.00 to include an amount for care and assistance required by MR F when his symptoms were worst to include washing, ironing, shopping and housework, travelling expenses, physiotherapy and the future treatments mentioned above.
Free No Obligation Advice
If you've been involved in an accident or suffered an injury, you probably have many more questions than answers. Contact Hayward Baker on 01329 227 986 or complete our On-Line Form today to discuss the potential for a Personal Injury Claim.
Suffered an injury in a cycling accident?
You may be entitled to claim compensation.


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This course is designed for persons who have the responsibility to administer basic first aid in the workplace.
Course Content
During the course candidates will learn how to deal with the following:
• Understand the role of the first aider including reference to the importance of preventing cross infection and the need for recording incidents and actions.
• Use of available equipment.
• Assess the situation and circumstances in order to act safely, promptly and effectively in an emergency.
• Administer first aid to a casualty who is unconscious including seizures.
• Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
• Administer first aid to a casualty who is wounded or bleeding and/or in shock.
• Administer first aid to a casualty who is choking.
• Provide appropriate first aid for minor injuries.
First Aid manuals are provided for all candidates.
Assessment is by trainer observation of practical tasks and a short multiple choice question paper.
On successful completion of the program candidates will receive a Qualsafe certificate together with a plastic wallet sized First Aid certificate. This is valid for three years, it is recommended candidates attend an annual 3 hour refresher course.
A one day course covering CPR, how to deal with an unconscious casualty, control of bleeding, burns and basic first aid treatments.
Course: Qualsafe Emergency First Aid at Work Course
Price: £50.00 Per Person (Exc. VAT) NB: Min 6 Max 12 candidates
Duration: One Day
Call us for more information:


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In case you haven't noticed....I love Santa! I got busy on this darling little Mr. & Mrs. Claus last week at my ceramics class....and finished them just in time as a special treat to me :) I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!!!
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Sunday, December 22, 2013
A Peek at Some New Things I Have For the Holidays This Year.....
It seems like I've been getting ready for Christmas for months...and I guess in a way, I'm getting ready all year long!! I've really gotten into ceramics this year.....and several of the projects I've worked on have been Christmasy things just for me :)
My favorite movie of all time is It's a Wonderful Life...This summer I won the lighted village of Bedford Falls on Ebay. It makes me so happy to see it glowing by my tree.
I have added some trees and people from the Dollar Tree to make it even better!
My mom had a tree like this when we were growing up....I called to ask her about it last year to see if she still had it, but she got rid of it when she moved to Florida....And this is how my ceramics passion started, I needed to make one for me.
A few Santas....
And a pretty candle centerpiece for my table....
Of course a couple of new ornaments too....Here is one that will always be special.
I love the original Grinch, and watch it every year.....with, or without kids. I got this Grinchy green glitter frame at Michaels and made cute little sign for myself.
I hope you've had some crafting fun this holiday season too :)
Posted by the treat girl at 8:40 AM 2 comments:
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Soul Sisters Annual Ornament Exchange.....2013 edition
Hello! Happy December!! Happy almost Christmas! Trust me....I have had the best intentions of posting some wonderful things on this blog for weeks now....but as you can see, the days have been flying by and I'm only just now showing you our annual Soul Sisters ornament exchange. I was really looking forward to spending the evening with my sisters....We met at the restaurant where we celebrate every year and got a private room!! It was soooooooo nice! We were all tucked in for the night and didn't even realize we shut the place down :) Well.....on to the the super cute ornaments we created for each other this year....I am really still amazed at our talents! They all look soooo special on my Soul Sister tree.
Marzipanmom created this little, delicate tree from wire and beads. Very lovely!
Jennifer Juniper got the inspiration for this melted snowman from a cookie she saw on Pinterest. You can check out her really famous blog Hopestudios for step by step instructions. Love him. I can't wait to make a bunch for my nieces and nephews next year.
I handpainted these adorable Mr. and Mrs. Claus ornaments at the ceramics class I've been going to almost weekly. And I love it that I actually painted them back in January so I wouldn't have to stress about doing them in these crazy weeks before Christmas :)
And look how I wrapped them up....In these cookie jars from Hallmark from the Goodwill that I collected randomly throughout the year. Crazy!
Megan collected these exquisite feathers from her hens all summer and placed them in a clear ball. I didn't realize how beautiful hen feathers could be???
And Joy used real tools and lots of hot glue to make us these fantastic stars. She was inspired by a page from a design magazine. That girl is so inspirational!
We had a lot of laughs and the evening flew by waaaay to fast! I'm looking forward to January so we can get together again!
Posted by the treat girl at 12:34 AM No comments:
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The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has announced that wheelchair curling player Robert Prenoveau has accepted a public warning for an anti-doping rule violation.
Prenoveau, 51, tested positive for the presence of hydrochlorothiazide and its related metabolites as a result of an in-competition urine sample he provided on November 5 in 2016.
The testing took place at the USA Curling wheelchair national team trials in Wausau in Wisconsin.
Hydrochlorothiazide comes under the category of diuretics and masking agents and is prohibited under the World Anti-Doping Code.
"After a thorough review of the case, including the examination of medical records provided by the athlete, USADA determined that Prenoveau's positive test was caused by a prescribed medication that he was using in a therapeutic dose under the care of a physician," read a statement from USADA.
"USADA has since granted Prenoveau a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) authorising his continued use of this medication."
In addition to accepting a public warning, Prenoveau has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on the date his positive sample was collected.
Prenoveau has cerebral palsy.
He was an alternate on America's team at both the 2005 and 2008 World Wheelchair Championships.
The the 2017 World Wheelchair Curling Championships are currently taking place in Gangneung in South Korea.
Prenoveau was not scheduled to compete for the US with Stephen Emt, Kirk Black, Jimmy Joseph, Penny Greely and Justin Marshall forming their squad.
The WCF had nothing further to add to the USADA statement comment,while USA Curling reaffirmed its intention to follow anti-doping laws closely.
"USA Curling regrets that wheelchair curler Robert Prenoveau did not request a TUE for a prescribed medication to treat a medical condition in advance of competition," said USA Curling's director of communications, Terry L. Davis.
"Mr Prenoveau has accepted his warning and has worked with USADA to receive the proper TUE.
"USA Curling and its athletes are committed to following the USADA and WADA guidelines to ensure that our athletes compete clean."


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Know the Benefits of Metal Roofing for Your Property
The roof is known as the most essential element of your property that functions to protect the homeowners from every kind of dangers and threats that they might be exposed to. Therefore the right selection of roof is crucial for getting a safe and protected place to live and for this you will need to consider the various roofing options that are available. Regardless of whether you are adding a new roof or giving a complete makeover to your existing roof, you will need to select the right material after weighing its pros and cons so that you can make the right selection.
Roof installation has a positive impact on the functionality, longevity and safety of your property which makes it even more important for you to ensure that you are selecting the most efficient and cost effective option for your home. Among the other options, metal roofing is considered to offer a large number of benefits to the property owners as it is popular for its energy efficiency, minimal maintenance and longevity.
Benefits offered by metal roofs
Metal roofing is considered as an attractive option for your residential property as you can select from a wide variety of metals including galvanized steel, copper, aluminum, zinc and tin. The type of metal that you select should be based on your tastes, preferences, climate of your place and safety features that you are looking for. Moreover the roof will also help in increasing the energy efficiency of your home while reducing its maintenance and operating costs so that you will live in a beautiful and well maintained property.
Metal roofs are known to positively impact the performance of your building by providing sustainability, durability and longevity to your property. These kinds of roofs are also known to have cost saving attributes as it will last for about 40 to 50 years so that you can save money on roof replacement.
Moreover, it is also known as a safe option for your home because it is fire resistant so that it does not allow fire to spread in your property. It is a non-combustible roofing material that comes with class A rating which manes that it will protect your property during fire accidents or hazards. Therefore, it can also be called as a long lasting investment for you because it will last for many years and you will enjoy its benefits for a lifetime and at an affordable price.
Metal roofing is the best way of increasing the resale value of your home and overall curb appeal of your property so that you will become a proud owner of your property. Even though, the initial cost of metal roof installation is high, you will enjoy its benefits for a long period of time because this roof requires minimal maintenance so that it will last for more than 50 years.
Reasons to hire roofing contractors
Metal roofing is a popular option for homeowners because it offers benefits like attractive curb appeal and longevity so that you will get higher returns on your investment. But for roof installation, you will need to hire experienced and trained roofing professionals who will help you get high quality roofs at an affordable price. Therefore you will need to hire contractors who will make use of their skills, training and expertise for ensuring that your home will get a functional, beautiful and visually appealing roof.
These roofs will last for many years to come so that you and your family will live inside your home with complete comfort and protection. There are different materials, styles, designs, shapes and sizes of the roofs that are available so that you can select the one that will complement the interiors of your property.
Metal roofs are also known to withstand every kind of weather conditions so that your home will remain cool and comfortable all year round regardless of the outside temperature. The durability of metal roof will help in protecting your property from water leakage and extreme weather conditions so that you will enjoy living in a safe and protected property.
It is an energy efficient option for your home because metal roofs are known to assist you in achieving the desired indoor temperature. When considering the different options, you should definitely consider metal roofing for your home for enjoying a host of benefits.


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In May 2015, the Retailers' Association of India of which Future Group is a member had filed a writ petition in Delhi High Court, demanding FDI policy parity with ecommerce.
The court had observed that there was prima facie violation of FDI rules by the latter because inventory-led commerce was barred for them.
In a chat with Rasul Bailay, Biyani speaks of the RAI's objectives to create a level playing field for retail industry and the need for law enforcement agencies to start taking action against errant companies.
Brick-and-mortar retailers have been really active, be it advocacy or lobbying the government...
Almost 95% of our efforts at Retailers Association of India (RAI) has been only towards mending the retail business and emphasising the importance of retail to various governments and creating more ease of doing business for the entire industry.
How successful have you been?
It is not a single project. It has been ongoing work and if we have to look at the results that we've been able to achieve, I think we've done very well as an association.
Are you meeting the government on issues like ecommerce or GST?
As an association, our objective is to ensure that there is always a level playing field and an ease of doing business for the so called consumer trade business and RAI does not discriminate on the channels that we use.
RAI's objective is to represent anything that is linked to the end consumer.
It doesn't makes a difference to RAI which channel it is happening for. Every type of commerce is welcomed by RAI. Every channel of commerce is welcomed by RAI.
Does this new legislation takes care of your concerns or is there still a long way to go?
RAI and all its board members wentand addressed the press themselves and welcomed the entire decision that the government has taken.
Does this new legislation takes care of your concerns or is there still a long way to go? RAI and all its board members went and addressed the press themselves and welcomed the entire decision that the government has taken.
But there were loopholes…
The loophole is the responsibility of the government and the implementing agencies and it is for them to ensure that all the players comply with it. We are not the implementing agency.
Are you keeping tabs on who is doing what and alerting the government?
RAI is not in the investigating business and RAI is not about pointing fingers to a single company.
RAI will only react to if there are challenges and these challenges are being encountered by its members. But the real responsibility is of the implementing agencies to ensure the fact that the law of land is in place and people who are participating or people who are trading are compliant.
This is right question to ask for the Enforcement Directorate or the Ministry of Finance if they have been encountering any non-compliance issue.
What we know for a fact is that ED has still not submitted any of their reports, in terms of any investigation.They have not submitted it till date.
So what would be your next course of action? The legal case, is it dead or is very much alive after this FDI regulation?
Retailers' Association of India never had a legal case. RAI made a representation to the government.
Last time we met you said nothing is happening on the legal case which you filed…
The truth is Enforcement Directorate is going to take some time. I think the way you have to look at this is that the government is very serious.
They are going to make sure that the policies are implemented completely.
That is what I have heard. The government is serious and it recognises the importance of the marketplace as an enabler.
So, you think the government agencies will take action against non-compliant players?
That ambiguity does not exist now. The spirit of the law is exponentially clear.
The ambiguity around it is zero now. If ambiguity doesn't exist then you must trust the law and trust the implementing agency that whenever they deem fit, they will take action.
The action will be upheld in the court of law because the law is absolutely clear. There is no escape path for the violators.
So whoever does this business now is doing it knowingly that they are taking a risk. That is like committing suicide.
We will keep on asking the government to implement the policies in spirit also.
As an association our only objective is to ensure what is good for the country.
Whatever I read in the newspapers today seems to suggest that whatever is happening is good for both the industries. So far, ecommerce players are seen to be moving in the right direction and that is what the experts are saying now.
RAI has only worked for fairness and level playing field for the entire industry. The loophole is the responsibility of the government and the implementing agencies and it is for them to ensure that all the players comply with it. We are not the implementing agency.


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The traditional French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, first published in the mid-seventeenth century, goes like this: An evil fairy turns a vain young man into a hideous monster; the key to regaining his human form and good looks is true love. But how does he find that when he looks like a monster? By duping, imprisoning, and seducing a woman with luxury and riches — only the pure, young beauty the Beast finds has no interest in such things. Love eventually triumphs in this charming morality tale, first filmed, exquisitely, by Jean Cocteau in 1946. The story has been updated numerous times since, including as a Disney musical. Now we have the version for Twi-Hards, written and directed by Daniel Barnz. And it is ghastly.
Barnz has set his update in a Gossip Girl–style Manhattan prep school and not only has he sucked all charm from the story, he has made it even more implausible. Here's how:
There's no such thing as ugly in Hollywood, and no one can resist a six-pack: To cast the high-school witch who lays the curse on superficial jock Kyle (Alex Pettyfer), the producers cast 90-pound fashion label kingpin and model Mary Kate Olsen. Kyle calls her a "self-mutilated, tatted Frankenskank," but Olsen's character is just fashion-forward — a goth goddess dressed as if by Jean-Paul Gaultier. Kyle's sincere love interest, High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens — supposedly a nerdy, environmentalist do-gooder who prefers substance over style (we know this because one of her first lines is, "I'm substance over style") — falls for super-buff Kyle at his jerkiest, pre-Beast.
The Beast is actually hotter than he was before: Kyle begins the film as a cretinous, pampered prep who sports the sort of tailored suits that only tools wear to high school. He's essentially a Winklevoss dressed like a junior-varsity Patrick Bateman. His transfiguration into the Beast is supposed to be terrifying, but it's more like a downtown makeover: The witch basically scars him, shaves his head, applies some cool tattoos (a tree, some tribal markings), and adds a hip Harry Potter–ish silver slash down his forehead. And thanks to the tats, Kyle has even more reasons to rip off his shirt and show off that ripped bod. In fact, he's not a monster at all: He's the alternative dude Ke$ha might molest in a music video.
The story is dumbed down to the point of drooling: Barnz's script is so egregiously, insultingly telegraphed, the individual lines so sloppy and repetitive, he might as well have spray-painted them on billboards from a speeding car. The worst lines, you ask? There are so many to choose from! But here's a taste:
- "Should you vote for the rich, popular, good-looking guy with a famous news anchor dad? Hell, yeah!"
- "People like people who look good."
- "Wow, looks are important to you."
- "Anything bangable." [Kyle's online personals description of what he's looking for.]
- "Que sera sera: That's Spanish for 'Sucks to be an ugly cow.'"
You know things are bad when even Neil Patrick Harris is terrible: And, really, that says it all.


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Hello,Yeah, this sucks. Even though I wasn't very active on the channel these days, I still had about 1600 subscribers and quite a loyal following. My LPs were also pretty good stuff I think, it's a shame it's suddenly unavailable for everyone.
my Youtube channel "Zeckul" (https://www.youtube.com/user/HDGamingReplays) was closed "due to grave or repeated non-respect of terms of use". I believe this is a mistake.
I have received no notification of a copyright strike on my channel. I have received 7 Content ID matches, but in each and every case, the email I received explicitely stated that this had no incidence on the status of my account.
I can only hypothetize that the Content ID matches were confused with Copyright Strikes by your system. I will list them here as a reference:
I must stress that for each of these, I received an email stating (in French): "Cette réclamation n'a pas d'incidence sur l'état de votre compte" (This reclamation has no incidence on the status of your account). I hope you understand that I could never expect my channel to be closed and every video on it to become unavailable as a result of these matches. I received no warning nor any notification after the fact. I only discovered it as I attempted to access the channel.
I therefore ask that the channel be re-opened, as it had no copyright strike and no indication of bad standing. I act in good faith and I will take down any video that Youtube may flag as infringing copyright.
[My coordinates and legal disclaimer followed.]
it is generally youtube automated. like angryjoe showed the screenshot of his copyright notice on his tomb raider review, saying it was copyrighted by tombraider, although many of these companies are not doing so themselves. if the gameplay has songs that we released as a soundtrack, it may cause problems this way, as ubisoft has warned. developers including ubisoft, deep silver, blizzard, and capcom have told youtubers to dispute the claims and give them the url that they may get rid of the claim, because they didn't really do it, and of course it is free advertising. i bought starbound because i saw gameplay, making me ask around, and come around to buy. it works!Coriander said:
Any notice on who the copyright claimant is?
"AdRev for a 3rd party" - not even sure if it's bullshit. The videos with ContentID claims were from Icewind Dale 2, I think they matched the music.Coriander said:
Any notice on who the copyright claimant is?
Nope, nothing yet except an automated response.marceror said:
@zeckul Have they at least responded yet? They owe you a better explanation, at the very least!
Honestly if the channel is to remain down forever I'm not sure I'll ever re-up the videos. It's dozens of gigabytes which would take literally months to upload and nothing guarantees Youtube won't just do the same thing again.typo_tilly said:
ack because of the music? -_- argh, that sucks.
I hope you can get the videos up again.
I am very touched by this, thanks.Adul said:
I am really sad about this. I wrote YouTube a letter and I do hope they restore your account and videos.
That statement by Youtube can basically be translated as "screw the little guy, big music corporations give us more $$$!"Pecca said:
Disgraceful.typo_tilly said:


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Andrew Bynum has played himself into Mike Brown's doghouse and not for the first time. The Cavaliers suspended Bynum Saturday for conduct detrimental to the team.
(Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer)
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The rush to christen Andrew Bynum the biggest free agent signing in Cavs history was always a Grand Canyon leap of faith and a suspension of sound logic.
Now it simply looks like the most ridiculous claim in the history of Cleveland sports.
With Bynum suspended indefinitely and likely getting traded or possibly waived, the temptation is to say, Andrew, we hardly knew ye.
Instead, we knew him too well. Or should have.
Well enough to suspect that the risk-reward -- while clearly appealing -- wasn't just about the health of his knees but also about his head.
Six million dollars for a 7-0 post scorer is a good bargain. (The other $6 million is guaranteed if Bynum is on the roster after Jan. 7).
Even if it only costs you $1.50, though, it should at least buy a player who likes his job and who's driven by more than collecting a check.
Bynum has made $22 million for playing 24 games over two seasons.
He only needed half that many games to admit his passion was ebbing, that his explosiveness was gone, that he was a shell of himself.
It wasn't a good sign when he admitted all that on his return to Philadelphia in early November.
Philly fans didn't have to hear it. They saw the lack of passion last year.
On a title contender, he might keep his chin up. But Sixers fans saw him for what he was last year when he practiced one day, didn't play a single game and re-injured his knee.
Slam Magazine quoted an unnamed former teammate of Bynum's saying, "I've never met another player in the league who likes basketball less [than Bynum]."
The Cavs talked him up all season, said he worked hard to get back on the court for the beginning of the season; and said they had to do a better job getting him the ball in the post.
Mike Brown, who benched him in L.A. for throwing up a mindless three in a game (Bynum said he would do it again), was Bynum's biggest cheerleader.
Now, Bynum appears to be thanking him and the Cavs by forcing his way out of town. So he can go get propped up by a better team? So maybe somebody will shower him with more even more money down the road?
That's the thing about this mess. It could happen. Bynum somehow still has trade value.
Because of that, the Cavs could decide to keep him after Jan. 7 and continue to try to deal him. What a warm, cohesive atmosphere that would create.
My guess was he'd break down physically before quitting on another organization but I always thought it would be close.
The signing made sense for the Cavaliers. Getting rid of him now makes even more.
And if there's another team in his future ... rinse and repeat.
• The Browns have put four games in the win column and five players in the Pro Bowl.
You might think you'd have to go to HealthCare.gov to sign up for this kind of efficiency.
• Linebacker Barkevious Mingo and defensive coordinator Ray Horton apparently agree that the No. 6 overall choice needs to spend the offseason "living in the playbook" and Horton adds "living in the weight room" to that.
So, you know, nothing major.
• The Browns don't worry about Mingo being on the light side weight-wise. The first question Horton asks is, "Can he get to the quarterback."
He has two sacks in the last 11 games.
So, yes he can, just not lately.
• LeBron James was named the Associated Press top male athlete for 2013.
Said James, "I'm chasing something and it's bigger than me as a basketball player. I believe my calling is much higher than being a basketball player. I can inspire people."
Hence the nicknames "Madiba" and "Tata."
• You have to give James this much, even if he never reminds anyone of Nelson Mandela. He was only the third NBA player to ever win the award. Michael Jordan and Larry Bird did it, too.
I know. You would've guessed Metta World Peace.
• From a just-rewards standpoint, it's a shame Dennis Rodman isn't still playing while working on his Nobel Peace Prize or James would've had a run for his money.
• Bill Belichick is blaming injuries in the NFL on changes to the collective bargaining agreement that limit practice time during training camp and in the offseason.
"It's a matter of record, not opinion," Belichick told reporters.
Except there's no statistical evidence supporting his claim that injuries are increasing.
Belichick can only go by what he sees.
Or in this case, what he doesn't see.
• While ESPN reported earlier in the week that Dallas quarterback Tony Romo would require season-ending back surgery, Cowboys' head coach Jason Garrett would only say that Romo "doesn't look overly comfortable."
That's right out of Butch Davis' script.
A step away from calling it a "teeny-tiny herniation of a non-weight-bearing disk."
Romo had surgery Friday.
• Jets' defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson was flagged and fined $15,000 for landing on Browns' quarterback Jason Campbell with his full body weight last week at MetLife Stadium.
So he did what every NFL players does in this case. He Tweeted his displeasure:
"For Christmas I want the league to go back to real football . . . where every man is equal no matter the position," Richardson said later.
You can imagine how he feels. The fine was actually $12,000 for failure to cradle and $3,000 for failing to hum "Kum-ba-ya" in Campbell's ear on the way to the ground.
• Clippers' big man Blake Griffin accused the Golden State Warriors of "cowardly basketball" after he felt they goaded him into an ejection.
On top of that, the league office admitted the officials were wrong to eject Griffin.
I don't associate bravery or a lack of bravery with playing sports.
But I will say it took some courage on everybody's part to appear in public on Christmas still wearing their pajama tops.
• Dallas owner Mark Cuban blasted the NBA uniform change adopted for all Christmas day games. Instead of tank tops, players wore short sleeves.
"Hated it," Cuban said. "I just think it made our guys look more like a high school wrestling team or a college wrestling team."
And you know Cuban. He never disagrees with anything the NBA does.
• South Carolina defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney got his second speeding ticket in three weeks. This time he was stopped going 27 miles an hour over the speed limit (84 in a 55).
Three weeks ago, he was stopped going 40 miles an hour over the speed limit (110 in a 70.)
• Clowney told police he was late and that he had just three minutes to make it to the stadium where the Gamecocks were gathering to leave for the Jan. 1 Capitol One Bowl.
When has the "of course I was speeding I was in a hurry" defense never failed to work?
• NFL Hall of Famer Chris Doleman had this to say on Inside The NFL:
"There's a lot of soft players out there. Soft, soft players. I watched a piece on 60 Minutes that talked about the millennials and really touched on the quarterbacks and the players out there today — this is a class of players that feel like they deserve so much more. I don't know if the work ethic is still there. I think these guys want to win, I think they want to be good players, but are you willing to do the hard stuff?"
I think I've heard this before from every generation about the next generation.
Doleman sounds like Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino.
Now, get off his lawn.
• Houston's Wade Phillips sent game tape to the league because he believed Denver wide receiver Eric Decker didn't have possession of a pass from Peyton Manning that refs ruled a touchdown. The league agreed.
The call stood, giving Manning his 50th TD pass of the season. He later broke Tom Brady's record with his 51st.
"Poor Manning, he thought he broke the record," said Phillips.
So ... take that?
"Things can turn around quickly" – Alex Mack, on why he'd like to return to a team that is 23-56 since drafting him.
They just never do.
(The End-of-Browns-Season-Clearance Edition)
I read that one of your fellow sportswriters has said that LeBron never seems to be overly impressed with himself ... now I'm trying to figure out how to do a double take by email -- Frank Bruno, Westlake
What gives his humility away? The Chosen One tattoo or The King vanity plates?
Credit Joe Banner getting to the bottom of the Browns' troubles and switching the team's medical service. Now that there is an overhaul, look for the playoff chants to start. Next he may want new auditors – Bill Litzler
So you're saying there's a chance.
Please tell me the Texas Rangers paid Shin Soo Choo in lira or pesos – O. Bill Stone
I believe judging from the picture Tweeted by Rangers' beat writer Evan Grant at Choo's introductory press conference they are paying him in salon gift cards.
Hey Grantland Rice:
When you are trying to meet deadline with your Pulitzer winning bi-weekly Spin articles, do you suffer from "psychological pressure effect " – Devin, Concord
That doesn't apply to me. The Browns fear failure. I've made a career out of avoiding success.
Will the new scoreboards be visible from the MUNY lot? -- Jack
Given their size and shape, I believe the idea is to make them visible from Tennessee.
Brian Hoyer, with his "extensive" body of work, has been talked up as the next Browns franchise QB or at least next year's starter. Isn't that kinda like touting the 9th grader who got a B+ on his first writing assignment as the next Bud Shaw? – Dale, Medina
I'm pretty sure "touting" isn't the right word in the example you cite.
Some people say the Masters, but don't you agree the wasting of timeouts by the Browns is a "tradition like none other"? -- Jim Lefkowitz, Pepper Pike
Actually, it's a tradition like all the others: 4-12, 5-11, talk of "internal progress" and "sustained success"...
Hi Bud:
Now that Chud is at the half way point of his Browns career, how would you rate him in team coaching history. Bottom third, quarter, 10 percent? -- Thomas Jezeski
First-time "You Said It" winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.
Will University Hospitals be willing to take on the Browns despite their chronic pre-existing condition? – Jim Corrigan, Fairview Park
Repeat winners must register on Tshirt.gov to get another one. Good luck.


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Three excellent "R's" by which to live are: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions. I read a book recently that reminded me there is only one person who can control your actions, your temper. That person is you. One can blame, blame, blame parents, society, school and government for their behaviors, but when it comes right down to it blame belongs to the individual, regardless of how one is raised, no matter their circumstances. So, before you curse someone, before you clench your fist to strike, before you throw your trash out the window of your vehicle, and before you run someone off the road (road rage), do remember that you and only you can control your actions. Your children learn more from your actions than from your words.
Referring to the recent and disgusting act of our government to force religious entities to pay for abortions, contraceptives, etc. which is against their belief, I received a comment from a friend: "The one thing nobody has yet mentioned, which I find disappointing, however, is that this is not just about church freedom. It's about freedom period! It does not matter a tittle who is forced to pay for it, whether the govt., or the buck passed to the insurance companies, the drug companies, or the doctors and hospitals – [it is always the taxpayer in the long run, italics mine]. It's not even about the cost of any or all of those things rising due to being forced to provide it. It's about a government of law and not of men. If freedom of religion goes, so goes all other rights. It's not about anyone's opinion, preference, bias on religion or anything else. It's about whether anyone or everyone in government can suspend our bill of rights."


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100% original NDesigns created logo 👌🏼
LC Fair Team Building
Sirius-ly, it's almost the weekend 💃🕺🏼@sirius_archery_products
When the big boss and the little boss woke up on the same wave length 😂👯♂'
Secret Sauce
The secret sauce to having the baddest shirts around is side imprints 😎
Happy Birthday Jeff!
Ending the week by celebrating the big man's birthday! Happy early Birthday Jeff! Enjoy your toupee and dentures, we've saved all year to get you the perfect gift!
BAA Worlds
We had a lot of fun creating this design for @bowfishingassociationofam
Great Combo
Great Combo!
Reposted from @sohoflightco – Better late then never for fishing season! –
Nashville Lineman Rodeo
Love how this #linemanrodeo design and print turned out for #Nashville Electric!


text:
I have never been one of those mothers that gets all weepy when my kid does something mean to me. I've been smacked, bitten, kicked, head butted, tugged on, scratched, pinched…
Keep in mind, I'm no push over in regards to violence. It doesn't happen very often and when it does I make it real clear, real quick that I am not the one to be kicked around. There are ways to do that without loosing your cool. Sometimes I use those ways and sometimes I don't but this post is not really about that.
It's about Isaiah's latest bad habit.
You're MEAN!
Yep, I am a mean, mean mommy. He started saying it awhile ago. At first I just let it roll off. As long as he obeys….Then I realized how disrespectful! In his mind, mean is the worst thing he can call me. What if someday he decides I'm being a real
b@$%#? What will I do then?
The next approach was….better explained with an example.
Your MEAN!
Me: Oh, you think one day is bad without a video game?! Just wait. I'll show you mean! No video games for a week! No three months! Say something else!
You are just green with envy at my amazing parenting skills, aren't you?
Something in me starts playing the dozens when he calls me mean. I want to take him to the mattresses. I know that I am a good mother. I know that after God gave that child life, he has been dependent on my love for food, shelter and guidance. When he calls me mean, I want to karate chop the ungrateful bugger.
But I don't. I finally got a better idea.
I tell him to put it in writing.
What? Did you say something? I can't hear you. Yeah…I thought so.


text:
Ok – I'm back at trying to do things at home … I'm working on my procrastination with the "no-excuses" way of working out.
My personal background has been years of yoga taught by a variety of practitioners, a couple of years of Pilate's, Jazzercise in my past, and step/regular aerobics classes. I've done a little bit of zumba. I firmly believe that I, like most, do better in class situations, but some classes have been better than others and it's a scheduling thing.
My process:
1. Watch the disc at least 1 time for whatever level I'm doing COMPLETELY!!! No matter how many years I've done something, a tape is different than class or private practice. It's also how I find out if it's something I'm even interested in. I've gotten rid of a lot of tapes or learned what I've got to do to modify the disc for my use.
2. Put it into a rotation. Yeah – rotation. Some are an hour, some are 10 minutes … need to know what I need when. Readers who are trainers, I'm more than happy to take your expert advice on how to mix things.
3. Watching things recommended by friends. Netflix rocks!
As I do discs (tapes), I'll pop thoughts on them … and by doing this, it makes me actually do them 😉
- Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shread
- Yoga Conditioning for Athletes – Rodney Yee
- Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss – Suzanne Deason
- New York City Ballet Workout
- Windsor Pilates – 20 Minute Workout
- Daily Stretch – Madeline Lewis
- Sports Conditioning Mini Yoga Workouts – Rodney Yee
- Yoga For Beginners – The All-Day Yoga Workout – AM: Rodney Yee, Stress Relief: Suzanne Deason, PM: Patricia Walden


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9 Things I Thought I Had To Do As A Young Mom, But Really Didn't
Becoming a mother at any age can be a challenge, but young moms deal with an entirely different set of obstacles and expectations than those that waited until what society considers the "appropriate" time to procreate. I, myself, am a young mom, and though my parental adventure was (mostly) planned, there is still some stigma attached to it. Having children when you're young usually means that everyone, from your grandmother to your grocer, wants to tell you about the things that all new moms should do, which is fine, but their advice rarely takes into consideration that being a young mother doesn't mean that you're an inept one.
I know, from my own personal experience, that people assumed the age I was when I became pregnant meant that I was going to be over-my-head and ill-equipped for motherhood. No one took into account that my husband and I were both self-sufficient, independent, and mature individuals. No one assumed that we did the responsible thing and, you know, actually discussed parenthood before deciding to enter into it. There are plenty of things you can do to help a new mom, but telling her how to live her life and warning her of the impending doom she'll be powerless to overcome, isn't one of them. There are things every new mom worries about, no matter what her age is, so assuming that a young mom should have more fear or anxiety about motherhood , just because of her age, isn't only off-base, it's rude.
Personally, as a young mom, I unfortunately allowed other people's expectations of me become the very expectations I had for myself. Those unrealistic or unnecessary expectations morphed into the following nine things I though I had to do because I was a young mom, but as it turns out, I didn't, and you don't have to either.
Lose The "Baby Weight" Immediately
I hate when people talk about getting your body back after having a baby. Like, my body never left, so why are people telling me to get it back? We didn't break up, we made a human. Together. Still, we live in a world that is constantly sexualizing women and holding them to unrealistic beauty expectations, and if I didn't "get my body back," I was afraid that I would no longer be relevant or meaningful (at least not as much as I used to be, before kids). My age made this especially hard, because I was not yet at the point where people expected me to "let myself go," and dear god people are just the worst.
Pregnancy took a major tole on my body, and it probably won't ever look the same, but that's okay! What I gained in my life far outweighs the pounds that I haven't lost, and what my body accomplished when it made my sons is far greater than the abs I once had.
Want To Immediately Be Social
Having kids doesn't mean forfeiting your social life, but it does affect it. As a young mom, some of my friends and acquaintances expected me to be back at the bars just weeks after having my son. While I think girl's nights are a great and necessary part of postpartum life, I enjoy spending more time at home with my children than I do hanging out in bars. That's sometimes hard for my friends that don't have kids to understand, and I often have to answer what should be the rhetorical question, "Where ya been?" Well, obviously I've been taking care of my kids. You know, being a good mother!
Prove My Maturity
I know by now that age is no indication of maturity, but not everyone agrees. Young moms, especially, have to deal with the unfair assumption that just because we're young, we must be immature. That's just not the case, but that didn't stop me from wanting to prove to others that I did, in fact, have my shit together and I was, in fact, capable of raising another human. I know now that the opinions of anyone other than my child and my partner are irrelevant, and that the health and well-being and happiness of my children, speak for themselves.
Listen To Everyone's Advice
I like to think that when people offer their unsolicited advice, they mean well. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. When my kids were sick or fussy or sleepy (but refused to sleep), people wanted to tell me what I needed to do. No one ever stopped to consider that maybe my husband and I knew how to take care of our baby, or that we maybe knew our kids' behavior a little better than most. Advice and suggestions, when asked for, can be great, but when it's delivered in a condescending manner, it's insulting. I had to learn to trust my own instincts and say, "Thanks, but no thanks," when others tried to intrude on my parenting.
Start Planning For Another Baby
Why does everyone assume that where there is one baby, another must immediately follow? I've got two boys, yes, but being a one-and-done parent was something I seriously considered. I had roughly five minutes with my first son, before people started asking about a second.
Go Back To Work Immediately
As a young mother, I felt like I was still proving myself in my career. I cut my maternity leave short, not just for financial reasons, but because I wanted my boss and coworkers to know that I was serious about my job. Unfortunately, this cut into some of those precious first weeks with my son, and proved to be one of the most guilt-inducing decisions I've ever made.
Not Want To Go Back To Work At All
On the other hand, I also felt like I was missing some maternal gene because of the fact that I wanted to go back to work. I thought that I was supposed to want to stay at home with my son all the time. While, yes, I did want to spend as much time with him as possible, I also wanted to maintain my sense of self, and working outside of the home was a big part of that.
Hop Right Back Into Bed With My Partner
Our society assumes that young women are constantly exuding sexuality, and if we don't, well, we must be prudes or hate men. I loved being physical with my partner, but having a baby made me a little hesitant to jump back into bed with him. Being physically prepared for sex after having a baby is one thing, but even once I reached that point and was cleared for sexual activity, I still wasn't sure whether or not I was mentally and emotionally prepared for it. Our sex-obsessed society only made me feel worse about not wanting to have sex immediately after I had a baby. Women, no matter their age, shouldn't have their sexuality questioned ever, but especially after having a baby.
Try To Be The Same Person I Was Before I Had Kids
Becoming a mother means making so many sacrifices and constantly putting another person's needs above your own, without hesitation (okay, maybe a little hesitation). Having a baby changes a person, sure, but in my own case, I feel like I was better because of those changes. When you're a young mom it can feel like you have to constantly prove yourself to, well, everyone. We're supposed to prove that we can still be the people we were before we had kids; that we're still fit and fun and relevant; that we're able and mature and capable of rising to the occasion. I still feel like I'm the same person at my core, but the person I am today completely trumps the one I was before I had kids because I am able and mature and capable of rising to any occasion that parenthood throws my way.
Sure, I'm also still proving myself, but not to the people that question my maternal abilities because of my age; I'm proving myself to my kids. I'm proving every single day that I can be everything that they need me to be, and that is all that I really have to do, not because I'm young, but because I'm a mom.


text:
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