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If food groups had superheroes, Arborio rice would certainly deserve the name Amazing Absorbo Grain.
Able to absorb twice its weight in liquid. Able to transform its pearly white flatness into dense creamy deliciousness in a single pot.
The dish with claim to its fame is called risotto (ree-zot-to). In short, it's Italian Arborio rice that absorbs chicken broth, and is mixed with cheese to create a creamy but nubby delight.
While risotto is commonly listed as a pasta dish on Italian restaurant menus, the rice dish seems to be claiming its own spotlight. More restaurants are serving it; even boxed versions of dried risotto can now be found in stores.
''It's comfort food, without question,'' says Steve Chevalier, manager at the popular Tuscan Grill in Waltham, Mass., where risotto is a steady favorite.
In Italy, risotto has long been celebrated for its hearty versatility.
''Rice is to northern Italy what beans are to central Italy, what macaroni is to southern Italy,'' says Mary Ann Esposito, author of the new ''Celebrations Italian Style'' (Hearst Books, 342 pp., $25). While risotto is eaten as a first course in Italy, it is often served as a main course in America, she observes.
Regardless, ''risotto is one of the best things in life,'' says Judy Witts Francini. In Florence, Italy, Ms. Francini has been teaching Tuscan ''Rustica'' cooking in her home for nearly 10 years.
One evening she prepared saffron risotto with a group of students from Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y. (Francini, who is American-born, has taken it upon herself to teach them cooking survival skills during their semester abroad.)
She explains that Arborio rice is grown in the Po Valley region of Italy. Its flat shape and starchy makeup account for its ability to super-absorb. In making risotto, the goal is to end up with a dense rice dish that has a creamy consistency and a good bite, she says. Timing is everything.
There are three rules in cooking risotto, writes Patricia Wells in her book ''Patricia Wells' Trattoria'' (Avon Books, 1993): ''Do not add too much liquid at once; do not add more liquid until the previous addition has been absorbed; and stir, stir, stir.''
Francini has her students stir-stir-stirring. Occasionally, one of them takes a taste. ''It should be al dente,'' Francini says. She will later add porcini mushrooms and saffron for flavor and a golden hue.
Risotto is the type of dish where the variations are endless, says Ms. Esposito, host of public television's ''Ciao Italia.'' She suggests adding seafood, vegetables, or a variety of cheeses.
Just as there are rules for preparing risotto, there are guidelines for eating it. Steaming servings are mounded in shallow, pre-warmed bowls and delivered to the table immediately. There, diners add grated Parmesan and eat from the outside rim in, so the core stays hot. As Esposito says, ''Once risotto is ready, it waits for no man.''


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By Guardian Special Correspondent
The ability of the citizens of Tanzania to determine their own future and to govern themselves and address some of the critical challenges in their respective areas is commendable. The Father of the Nation and the First President of Tanzania Mwl Julius Kambarage Nyerere in early years of independence had a slogan that stated "Mjenga nchi ni mwananchi mwenyewe", which literally means a country is built by a countryman.
This slogan is what TGNP Mtandao, a feminist organization with the vision of a transformed Tanzanian society characterized by gender equality, equity, empowered women, and social justice tries to promote over 50 years later.
Speaking to this paper recently in an exclusive interview during a seminar that brought together participants from community Knowledge centres from Mara, Mbeya, Dar es Salaam, and Morogoro, TGNP's Programme officer mobilization and outreach Deogratias Temba said that in order to ensure citizens become responsible and accountable in solving some of the challenges and problems that are within their ability without waiting for the government to do for them, in 2017 TGNP Mtandao established "Bunge la Jamii"-Community Parliament where they had formed Knowledge Centres.
For Temba, "Community Parliament is not a political oriented one; it is not formed by politicians, not affiliated to any political parties; but is a functional parliament. It is not a government organ in a given state; it is not a parliament that holds accountable, corrects and oversees the government. Adding:
A community parliament is a platform that brings together leaders and development key stakeholders from ward, village and street levels in participatory discussion, mainly looking into the proper ways on how to tackle challenges facing them and bring sustainable developments in their respective localities."
The main objective of the community parliament is to give chances/opportunities to participants (parliamentarians) to break the silence and speak out against bad cultural customs and give education awareness to a given society on the impacts those customs and come out with solutions on how to address them.
Josephina Bhoke Mong'awi one of the participants from Nyakonga Knowledge Centre, Tarime Rural in Mara Region, told this paper during that meeting that, through their Community Parliament they have helped many women in their areas and in the neighbourhood to know their civil and social rights and where to get them.
She further detailed that in the first instance she didn't know the harm caused by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). "Unlike the one who hasn't undergone FGM, a girl who has undergone FGM gets more complications at the time of delivering and bleeds profusely," she reveals.
So, in order to end this critical challenge among the Kurya tribe, they established a community parliament that brought together leaders and elders of clans, local leaders and villagers to discuss the effect and harm of continuing practicing FGM.
"Thus, through the different education awareness campaigns on the impacts of FGM, most women and men and their youth from the Kurya clans, have stopped practicing FGM among them.
Again through their community parliament and the centre's initiatives, women who have lost their husbands are given power to own properties, and inherit land.
"We have been successful in these areas. Many of the Kurya people have stopped sending their girls for FGM cultural practices. And the centre has also reconciled broken marriages and helped to end child marriage and marriage between women-commonly known as 'Nyumba Ntobu'.
Through their community parliament they were able to rescue around 201 girls of the 316 girls who were to undergo FGM in 2016. Further, they also resolved the critical long standing conflict between the citizens surrounding the mining site and the Acacia Mining Company. In this conflict residents were compensated their properties.
She further explained that it was hard for some family members to agree not to continue practicing FGM by insisting that it was their cultural custom from time immemorial. But through their knowledge centre, community parliament, religious leaders, teachers and village assembly, most people have changed their mindset on continuing with the practice.
For his part, Secretary of Knowledge Centres networks of Ukenyenge Ward, Kishapu District, Shinyanga Region, Peter Nestory commended TGNP Mtandao for coming up with the idea of establishing Community Parliament in their area because it has awaken them from asleep.
Through the community parliament "We were able to solve some of the burning issues faced us, like increasing the number of toilet holes at our Bulimba Primary school, from one hole to twelve holes-serving 705 pupils," he explained.
Furthermore, the community parliament and the knowledge centre in closely collaboration with the local government leaders, though have been working voluntarily, but have managed to reduce the degree of early pregnancies and child marriages among girls after formulating bylaws.
"Community Parliament is a major solution for everything, especially for communities that are located in the peripheral areas of the country. It makes members in the community to know their responsibilities and implement them without depending on the central government," he noted.
Therefore, he has urged TGNP Mtandao to establish as many knowledge centres as possible across the country because they will be like an eye opener the citizens in those areas to know their rights, how to seek them and how to be responsible.

subset: commoncrawl


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Deen is not like a bird.
This post ostensibly should be about Nelly Furtado's return — at least her English language return to the scene. But I'm going to use this as yet another excuse to ramble about Nas. After all, it's Escobar Season again.
The amount of publicity that Nas is doing via guest appearances, interviews and music releases is almost unsettling. The cynic and shitty comedian in me immediately harkens back to the IRS and Kelis. While that shit is undoubtedly true, it's also possible that the man just feels artistically liberated again. That's no excuse for him not trying to fanute that Nicki Minaj video appearance into an actual fake tabloid-style relationship to promote his upcoming album. However, his female fan base seemed pissed off enough with the shitty acting he did in the video, so maybe stopping there was the right call. Personally, I would have done the US Weekly shit then asked Nicki to let me hop on the "Right By My Side" remix. Jay Electronica would have done the same shit when he was alive and making music. #RNS.
But back to Nelly Furtado's thin voice. What the fuck has she been doing in the last six years? Was her voice always this flimsy or is it the absence of Timbaland's electro-boogaloo bullshit that exposes her on this particular track? I'm perturbed at how faint she sounds on this shit – she really needs to stick to that sultry shit I remember. Or the hippie guitar spirit body bullshit from even earlier. I guess I like the song, but I don't know how I feel about what she's been doing with her voice lately. The lead single, "Big Hoops" (with production from the original Timbaland imitator, Darkchild – keep cashing those checks buddy) has her doing some loud and nasally shit that makes my dick soft too. So there's that to consider as well. Oh and don't get me started her Nelly's tan or lack thereof. It really messes with the exotic vibe she used to give off. Now she's just some pale Canadian broad tryna be sexy n'shit. Nah boo, I'mma need a little more than that to get me to not buy your new album the same way I didn't buy your old albums.
As for Nas' appearance, he offers yet another slight variation of the same rap James Bond shit he's been recycling on R&B features for years. That's not a complaint because I could care less. It's just more publicity for the guy. Pop & R&B fans tend not to care about supreme rapperists scatting all over their shit unless said rapperist is a bit of a pop savant himself. Nas is not a pop savant. Nevertheless, it would be nice to see Nasir get a verse on someone's CLUB/Dance single for once. He's not so humorless that he'd dry vaginas up if that happened. No?
All these pop and R&B types always put him on the more radio friendly – or gasp – "deep and reflective album" shit instead. That's nice, but it's very "meh" to me at this point. This is yet another one in the long line of those songs for me and since I swore off radio a decade ago, I don't care. For the umpteenth time, I just want to do bath salts and eat white bitches in the club while listen to my favorite rapper. So if Nelly Frutada (I know, I'm acting like I'm 5 again) and Salaam Remi aren't willing to make that happen for me then I'll have to call it a day and go back to this Azealia Banks EP.
So yeah, I think I wrote a bit more about Nas than Nelly Furtado, but I kept the ratio around 60:40, so let's call that a minor victory for me in my war against excessive stanning. And to be completely clear for once, I really like this song. Yes. I like the song.
That felt weird. Pause? Ugh…


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Usually, the heart rules over the mind.
That's why teenagers nowadays doesn't think of the possible effect or result of what they are doing. They just want to be free and enjoy life as teenagers of today's generation..
LOVE. Does teenagers really know the real meaning of this word? If I were to answer, I don't really know the true connotation and how to deal with this certain powerful thing. All I know is I follow what my heart is trying to tell me..whether it may be a significant love or just a mere infatuation. I have been very careless ever since I entered the kingdom of love. Not to the person I love, but to myself indeed. Even if I know that I would get hurt, I still persist to love that person because no matter what I do, I can't bear the fact that I cannot properly concentrate on something I am presently doing if I got a dillema about him. Obviously, it's really different when you're so much in love and you're so much hurt. These two things makes a teenager's life meaningful and on the other side, miserable. Some even attempt to do bad things against themselves when they think they can't take it anymore. Others just forget everything that had happened to them for they just think that it's useless anymore since it ended already. People who haven't been in love might say that people whose undergoing this kind of situation are kinda over acting because of surrogating such things like this. But maybe someday they would know how it feels to be in pain when they finally experience being hurt by the person they love.
With the situation I am undergoing right now, I could really say that it is so hard. I'm finding ways to let myself enjoy life while I'm still living. I still have lots of things to prove, so much to experience, so much to do and so much to say. hehe. God is still having plenty of plans for me. I know someday I can get through this sorrow. Perhaps it's just a matter of time. And prayers will help me move on from this major major kind of pain and sadness.


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Britain will soon be able to ditch George Osborne's austerity and embrace a programme combining cuts in taxation with balancing rises in spending on key services such as health and education.
We – who correctly predicted that the Treasury and the OBR would have to revise their figures – say that from 2020, the Treasury will have a surplus of more than £25 billion a year and rising to play with. This would enable a 2 per cent cut in the 40 per cent top rate of tax and in corporation tax on business profits. It would also create scope for a cut in the punitive "supertax" rate of income tax of 45 per cent. At the same time, the Government would have an extra £14 billion a year to spend on boosting spending on public services.
To our report in full, click here.


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Offering Fellowship, Nurture and Encouragement for Christian Believers, Seekers, and Naturists in a courteous, respectful environment.
Moderators: jochanaan, MatthewNeal, jimmy, natman, Senior Moderator, Moderators
jasenj1 wrote::like:
I suspect she went home and had a good laugh about it with her husband.
Bare_Truth wrote:it might have been a good time for me to get in a comment that I was not a nudist but a Naturist Christian
MoNatureMan wrote:Who knows!?!?
Maybe she will talk to her husband and you could end up with a nudist couple living next door.
Well that is not so clear, the muzzle blast might cover a yelp and a near miss might well spook the dog into yelping jumping or suddenly veering off path. even when hunting even a good solid hit can be questionable.webmeister wrote: you would think she would know for sure she shot the dog,
MoNatureMaN wrote:Maybe she will talk to her husband and you could end up with a nudist couple living next door.
Bare_Truth wrote:If you have not read the original post, go read that first or this won't make much sense.
My neighbor is a wood cutter who sells firewood. I have a tree that i took down late last summer and cut up, but the guy who said he wanted it has not come back even after several urgings to do so. Accordingly I decided to offer it to my neighbor just to get rid of it. And of course this is the same neighbor where the Lady of the house came over on our property looking for her dog and came found me gardening naked.
So it being in the low nineties I drove over to make arrangements for the wood. and when I got there I was greeted by about 5 dogs. I was making nice with the pack so I could get up on the porch where the door bell is when the lady of the house comes driving up. So I greeted her and explained my mission to rid myself of the wood scattered over the corner of my field.
I inquired about whether she had found her dog and that led to discussion about our meeting the previous day when she encountered me nude. In that discussion she said that it had not bothered her at all and shrugged saying "Hey, this is the country" and asked if such encounters got people upset, and I related the account of when I encountered hunters that I had previously had. and she was amused that some people usually got flustered and I allowed as how sometimes they got quite so. I asked her if she was a farm girl, and she allowed as how she was and it did not bother her at all. I tossed in a comment about being a Christian Naturist and mentioned that the term was reasonably defined on Wikipedia.
We chatted a bit and arranged for the wood cutter to give me a call next week and in the chatting it came out that she is about to take over the wood cutting business. I do not know the details, but from some of what she said I think she is not afraid to do some of the work herself though she may hire some help as well. she probably doesn't tip the scales over 120 lbs if that much but she appears thoroughly fit and not afraid of labor. The house there is a rental these days as the landowner is in an assisted living facility in town and not living there himself. Plus I am not sure whose kids I have seen there Hers, His, or Theirs, or a mix thereof. Seeing as how they are as industrious as they are and not afraid of work, and somewhat entrepreneurial I suspect that they will prove to be good neighbors in the long run. At least there won't be a fuss if they see me being a naturist.
While that might be true, I will not jump to that conclusion as they do have children there at times so I will still be cautious when following my trail that parallels the fence past their house. particularly at those seasons when the leaves are off the trees.prairieboy wrote:It sounds as if you don't have to be very careful on that side of your property.
Alas that is true. The dog has not been seen since. As it was a mostly grown pup from the spring litter, we might speculate that after a traumatic experience the dog might have decided that it was time to venture out and find a new home. We have kept an eye out to see if the dog has turned up anywhere, and on the (ironically) positive side of things we have watched for any sign of buzzards circling as that is the likely final disposition of any animal that meets its end in the wild around here, and there has been no sign of that as we would expect had the dog died. As that process for an animal of that size usually goes on for at least a few days the probability of that fate being seen can be expected. So no buzzards is a good sign for the fate of the dog. (e.g. previously a dog of about 40 lbs, that was seriously injured by a vehicle and had to be "put down" required nearly a week of buzzard activity to be "clened up"). I know that sounds a little gruesome, yet it is a positive indication .sara grant wrote:But we still don't know what happened to the dog !!!
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March 29, 2013
2013 Minidoka Pilgrimage Press Release
Press Release – For Immediate Release
2013 Minidoka Pilgrimage June 20 – June 23
Scholarship for 80 Years Old and Over Imprisoned in Any of the American WWII Concentration Camps
Seattle, WA – March 11, 2013 –Seventy-one years ago, close to 13,000 people of Japanese-ancestry, many of whom were American citizens, were removed from their homes in the Pacific Northwest and sent to a desolate "incarceration camp" near Twin Falls, Idaho. This summer, the 11th pilgrimage will take place with former incarcerees, their families, and friends – from Seattle, Portland and across the nation – to the former Minidoka Camp in Idaho. This is an opportunity to learn, share memories, and ask questions about the Minidoka experience. Consider participating as a way to bring your family together and reconnect with friends. Participation is limited.
The 2013 Pilgrimage will include:
- Access to an original barrack building and mess hall. People will be able to go in portions of both historic buildings.
- Reconstructed fence is complete. It runs about one mile in length from the stone entrance buildings along the North Side Canal to the historic swimming hole. The trail is parallel to the fence, so that visitors can see the fence and walk along it.
- New collections storage building completed to house Minidoka collections items at Hagerman Fossil Beds.
- Guided tour of the Minidoka National Historic Site by National Park Service staff.
- Commemorative Closing Ceremony at Minidoka.
This year, the Civil Liberties Symposium sponsored by Friends of Minidoka is going to be held at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI). The Pilgrimage will officially begin in Twin Falls on Thursday evening, June 20, 2013.
Registration deadline is June 1, 2013. You can mail your forms and payment to: Minidoka Pilgrimage, 511 16th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98144. Please note that lodging is not included in either the Seattle/Bellevue Package or the Twin Falls Package. Please arrange your lodging accommodations in Twin Falls, Idaho on your own. Also, Pilgrims in need of services of a personal nature are responsible for arranging for such services prior to registering for the pilgrimage and are encouraged to travel with a companion for such purposes.
We will again be offering a SENIOR SCHOLARSHIP for this year's Pilgrims who are over 80 years of age and older, and were imprisoned in any of the American Concentration Camps during WWII. This scholarship covers the registration fee, hotel, and bus costs (roundtrip bus transportation from Bellevue College to Minidoka) will be waived. We are grateful to the 2003 Minidoka Remembrance fund and the proceeds from the 2013 Day of Remembrance Taiko Festival for making this opportunity available.
For other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com. All documents will be available on the Pilgrimage website: minidokapilgrimage.org. If you are unable to access the forms and information by computer, please leave your name and address with Ann Fujii Lindwall at 206-367-8749 and they can be mailed to you.
Contact: ANN FUJII LINDWALL; (206) 367-8749; firstname.lastname@example.com
June 4, 2010
Early Registration Deadline is today!
Just a friendly reminder that the early registration deadline for the 2010 Minidoka Pilgrimage is today, June 4th! Please get your registration forms in! Registration postmarked after today's date will be subjected to a $20 late registration fee.
April 21, 2010
2010 Minidoka Pilgrimage Registration
Registration forms are now available for the 2010 Minidoka Pilgrimage! To register for the 2010 Minidoka Pilgrimage , download our registration form at: http://minidokapilgrimage.org/2010_Minidoka_Pilgrimage_Registration_Form.doc
Hotel Information is available at: http://minidokapilgrimage.org/2010_Hotel_Info_Sheet.doc
More detailed Pilgrimage information can be found at: https://minidokapilgrimage.wordpress.com/2010-minidoka-pilgrimage-information-page/


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You are here
National Bal Bhavan
Bal Bhavan is an institution which aims at enhancing the creative potential of children by providing them various activities, opportunities and common platform to interact, experiment, create and perform according to their age, aptitude and ability. It offers a barrier-free environment with immense possibilities of innovation, minus any stress or strain.
Located at Kotla Road, near I.T.O., New Delhi, it caters to children between the age group of 5 to 16 years. Bal Bhavan is an autonomous body under the ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD). It remains closed on Sundays, Mondays and Gazetted Holidays. It remains open from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
For more details, click here: nationalbalbhavan.nic.in


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This is a lot of reading so I do apologies. I���ve had sightings and a possible abduction since I was a kid and as recent as last fall. I am not going to put all, just the ones that I deem the strangest. Please also excuse any grammar mistakes. My father is English major, growing up he always crammed it down my throat. I guess as a form of rebellion, I made it a point not to do great in English. Needless to say, I feel like the dummy now.
When I was about 10 years old my family and I were just walking through the door on 4th of July. The whole house lit up green and you could clearly tell something went over it. My father being the way he was then wrote it off as fireworks but, I remember my mother running to the porch and looking everywhere thinking a plane had crashed or something. After a few minutes of gazing into the woods, she then came in a searched the news for information. The really odd thing about it though was, the next day not my father, my brother, or my mother had any recollection of it.
When I was seventeen my cousin (Justin,) two friends (Zach and Brandon) and I made a day trip from Lake Eire to Canada. It was about ten or eleven a clock at night when we crossed the border back into the United States. Now, I want to say the drive is about three and a half hours but, I could be wrong give or take a few. Justin was driving I was sitting behind him. Zach was the passenger and Brandon to my right. When I woke I could see a boat swaying back and forth but could not move or talk just stare. It then accorded to me a boat can���t be on the road. I realized it was being pulled by a truck and was finally able to move my eyes. Everyone in the car was just stiff and staring straight ahead with emotionless faces. Somehow Justin was still driving. After about a minute and a half I was able to speak. ���What happened?��� Justin was the next to come out of the ���trance.��� ���I do not remember driving.��� He said in a weird sort of disbelief. After that all of us came out of it and there we saw the exit for Erie. To all of us though, it was as if we had just crossed the border ten minutes ago. Justin was always the logical type. He did not believe in anything paranormal. I remember being kids going to places that were said to be haunted and he was the type to run ahead and hide in the woods to scare you. He always had an explanation for everything. However Years later just a few months before his death I asked him if he remember this. Instantly I saw him get Goosebumps and he said to me. ���Sean, I can explain everything in my life. That I cannot and it still scares me a bit to this day.���
Roughly a year after the Erie incident about four of my friends and I took a walk on The Montour Trail in Cecil Township Pennsylvania. We did this often at night. The walk was about a mile and half long. Our ending point was this huge old train bridge that sits about two hundred feet above the water. On our way back not one of us said a word over half the way. There was this mesmerizing light right in the center of the sky that I can only best describe as a lantern. It was so bright and we were all entranced by. It was almost as if when one of use finally said something about it, the object started to move to our right. One of my friends and I then ran up a steep hill to see where it was going. Once we got to the top, we saw the ���lantern��� about half mile out over farm land spin and drop. We then observed another similar looking object coming in from the right. Shaken, we ran down this hill to the rest of the group and quickly got to the car. Zach, whom was with us in Erie, lived right up the road from this on a good bit of land. He once told me of something possibly landing in one of his field and scaring his dogs. However I cannot speak for Him.
Last September or October I was sitting outside my parents��� house on the outskirts of Canonsburg Pennsylvania. My mother who before this day did not believe in anything of this sort was sitting on the porch. I was in the yard playing guitar when I notice a blinking light in the distant sky. It was mostly blinking purple by would from time to time go clear. I had my mom come look and I could tell she was a little confused by it. After five minutes of sitting still, smaller lights started to come from all directions towards it, and then it was just gone. About a week after this my Grandmother, Mom, and I sat on the porch talking. My mom brought up those lights. Not long after something huge flew over the yard beside the house. I ran over but there was nothing. You could not hear it coming or going, just when it was on top of you. I was still on the side of the house and another one flew right over top of me. Once again, no sound was coming or going, just when it was above you. When I looked up it was massive, about the size of the house I would say. I don���t know if it was because it was so big but, it looked like it was only two hundred feet in the air. I remember thinking it was going to scrape the tree tops. It was a V. Just like the letter looks. I could see the dark sky in-between it. It was really black but it seemed to me to be reflective like something metallic. As quick as this all started it was over. My grandmother was really shaken and I remember her describing it as ���It sounded like the world was coming to an end.���
I have seen and experienced some other strange things, but these are the ones that stick out most in my mind. Keep doing what you do. The world needs more people in it that research this sort of thing.
With best regards


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The Payne racing clan is savouring Michelle's history-making Melbourne Cup win, after the large family's youngest child became the first ever female jockey to win the great race.
Payne, 30, rode Prince of Penzance to victory, with the Darren Weir-trained horse also making history as the fourth horse with triple-figure odds to take out the cup, at $101.
Payne is the youngest of 10 children and one of eight who have pursued careers in the racing industry.
Seven have gone on to be professional jockeys, according to racing.com.
Her brother Stevie, who has Down Syndrome, was her strapper for the race.
He picked the prized Barrier 1 for the horse, and has worked as a strapper at Darren Weir's stables for about a decade.
The siblings have also served as ambassadors for Down Syndrome Victoria, using the Spring Premierships to promote the cause.
Payne's family ties also expand to fellow Cup jockey Kerrin McEvoy, who is her brother-in law. McEvoy rode Excess Knowledge, who placed seventh.
Her brothers Andrew and Patrick have also ridden in past Cups, and Patrick now works as a trainer.
The family was hit by tragedy in 2007, when eldest sister Brigid died after a fall in 2007.
Father Paddy, an ex-trainer, had raised the children as a single dad after his wife died in a car accident six months after Michelle was born.
Payne's racing career began when she was 15.


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Medicare Counseling Funding Slashed
The wildly popular Medicare Insurance Counseling program faces the possibility of curtailing service, just at the time when more than 10,000 people nationwide join Medicare every day. Last year, during the October 15 to December 7 Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, four local counselors met with 331 different individuals; those who chose to enroll in a different plan and asked the counselors to make that change for them saved more than $212,000 in medication costs in 2013.
The four counselors who work from Maury River Senior Center are among 17 that Valley Program for Aging Services uses to serve its five-county, five-city service area. Last year the year-round service cost VPAS more than $187,000 to operate.
VPAS has been notified that Federal funding for the program will be cut again this year. For the 2013-14 year, the service will receive $29,560, about $4,500 less than last year, and down from $83,269 two years ago. "We want to be sure that everyone who asks for our assistance can receive it, but this continuing cut in funding will make it very difficult for a private non-profit like we are to continue without the support of our communities," says Jeri Schaff, VPAS Director of Senior Services for the Rockbridge area.
Washington and Lee University's Community Grants Committee awarded $4,420 to help with training expenses and modest compensation for counselors in 2013; United Way of Rockbridge is expected to provide $3,000 for the program in 2014. VPAS and MRSC are turning to the community to request donations from individuals, civic groups and others.
"We want to be very clear that we are asking only for tax-deductible donations, and that we will continue to serve everyone, regardless of their ability or willingness to make a contribution, for as long as we can," Schaff notes. "Our hope is that those who can afford to help keep this assistance available will consider making a gift in appreciation for the peace of mind this program provides. For those who find they can save money by switching plans, we invite them to consider making a donation of perhaps 10% of their annual savings."
For more information about Medicare Insurance Counseling, or to make a counseling appointment, interested persons are invited to call Maury River Senior Center at 261-7474.
More online at www.MauryRiverSeniorCenter.org.
UVA Basketball Fans!
Dick Vitale on Team of Destiny: "This is a hoops story you will LOVE! Jerry and Chris capture the sensational and dramatic championship journey by Tony Bennett and his tenacious Cavalier team. UVA was Awesome Baby and so is this book!"
Ralph Sampson on Team of Destiny: "Jerry and Chris have lived and seen it all, even before my time. I highly recommend this book to every basketball fan across the globe. This story translates to all who know defeat and how to overcome it!"
Feedback from buyers: "Got the Book in the Mail Saturday, and could not put it down! Great read and great photography as well! Love all of the books I've received, but hands down, this is my favorite!" – Russell
Buy here.


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12 February 2019Issue archive Send to a colleague Print-friendly page Visit our website
Dear Member,
Welcome to this edition of the SFA e-zine.
This week we have two articles on Brexit, firstly, GDPR advice for your business if you transfer personal data to the UK, including Northern Ireland. Secondly, we focus on customs and the implications of trading with the UK in a post-Brexit environment.
As part of our Grow, Scale, Succeed campaign we discuss ways to engage with your employees in an impactful way. We provide a roundup of our successful Business Connect event which took place last Thursday and information on the Modos training course for businesses in the food, craft or retail sectors in Dublin interested in sustainability.
Our next Smart Business Workshop is taking place this week in Gorey on Friday, 15 February, we would love to see local businesses attending. Registration is now open for Business Bytes on 13 March focusing on how small business can use consumer research and insights.
The first of our three digital marketing masterclasses is scheduled for 21 February and will examine social media fundamentals for small businesses. Find out more about our upcoming training courses on performance management and appraisal, running effective disciplinary processes and project management. We also provide a summary of recent press coverage.
As always, we'd love to hear from you about any queries you may have, issues you wish to have raised with Government or other stakeholders and your ideas on how we can improve the business environment for us all. Please contact me on tel: 01 605 1602 or e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com or tweet: @SFA_Irl or visit: www.sfa.ie.
Kind regards, Sven Spollen-BehrensSFA Director
Does your business transfer personal data to the UK, including Northern Ireland? If yes, read on to prepare for the possibility of a "no-deal" Brexit…
This week our Brexit focus looks at the implications of trading with the UK in a post-Brexit environment...
As part of our Grow, Scale, Succeed campaign, we share a few of our excellent podcasts on employee engagement. Discover how you can engage with your employees in an impactful way…
Last week the SFA brought together 350 small and large businesses together at a special event in the Aviva Stadium. A packed programme with top class speakers as well as time for networking were the ingredients for an interesting and successful day. Here is a snapshot of the event...
If you are a small firm in the food, craft or retail sectors operating in the Dublin Region for at least 18 months this training course can benefit you...
Sven Spollen-BehrensDirector, SFAWith responsibility for strategy and overall management, lobbying, media and business queries. Sven is the chief spokesperson and government and media liaison.Tel: 01 605 1602 / Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Elizabeth BowenSenior Executive, SFAWith responsibility for policy and lobbying, "Better Business" magazine, surveys, committee representation, business queries and SFA events, including SFA Annual Lunch and Business Bytes events. Tel: 01 605 1626 / Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Helen QuinnExecutive, SFAWith responsibility for all HR and employment law member queries, member engagement and various SFA events.Tel: 01 605 1668 / Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Louise KenrickExecutive, SFAWith responsibility for member communications, marketing, websites, social media, sales and membership queries.Tel: 01 605 1664 / Email: email@example.com
The SFA is part of Ibec clg which is registered in Ireland. Registration No. 8706. Website www.ibec.ie
Directors - Paraic Curtis, Pat McCann, Larry Murrin, Alastair Blair, Edel Creely, Gerry Collins, Frank Gleeson, Cathriona Hallahan, Anne Heraty, Brian MacCraith, Patrick Manley, Eugene McCague, Danny McCoy, Francesca McDonagh, Liam O'Donoghue, Tony Smurfit, Siobhan Talbot, Kevin Toland.
Registered address: 84/86 Lower Baggot Street Dublin 2Phone: +353 (0)1 605 1500 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Website: www.sfa.ie


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Analysis of high-res imagery finds extent of damage over-estimated, calls zero civilian casualty claim 'anomalous'
President Donald Trump declared his deployment of the "mother of all bombs" on a remote region of Afghanistan last month a "very successful" mission, but a new analysis is raising questions as to what was actually accomplished and why the mammoth explosive was even dropped to begin with.
The U.K.-based geographic information services (GIS) analyst group Alcis on Wednesday published a new report on the long-term, on-the-ground impact of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB).
"Drawing on very high resolution satellite imagery, along with recent ground photography and reporting, it is now clear that the recent MOAB strike in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan created far less damage and destruction than was initially widely reported," the report states.
While the survey confirms the "absolute" destruction of "38 buildings and 69 trees within an area extending 150 meters from the center of the strike location," the high-res images also reveal "the absence of a 300 meter crater at the strike location"—which was said to be an "expectation" of the blast.
Further, "debunking media reports of the MOAB strike destroying buildings over three kilometers away," the analysis finds that the damage reported in nearby villages was more likely the "consequence of the ongoing conflict in the area, most likely airstrikes carried out by the U.S. military."
"Whilst media interest in the story of the MOAB strike was significant, military commentary on the other hand was and still remains muted, save for a few limited press statements and briefings" Alcis observes, noting that the U.S. military is "yet to release a full damage assessment" of the strike.
The Pentagon claimed that the MOAB was dropped to destroy an Islamic State (ISIS) tunnel complex and was, according to Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis, "necessary to break" the terrorist group in that region.
"In Afghanistan, [U.S. forces] have been engaged in that fight up in that corner against ISIS elements up there for some time," Mattis said at the time. "The battle was going on, and we were going to use what was necessary to break ISIS. And we've made that very clear in every theater where we're up against ISIS."
However, the report notes that "damage to caves and tunnels within the strike location has not yet been assessed." The Guardian previously reported that the U.S. military has only allowed the Afghan government "limited access to the blast site," making it impossible to verify the impact.
At the time it was dropped, critics accused Trump of employing the massive weapon to distract from his domestic political woes, such as plummeting approval ratings and various legislative failures—a so-called 'Wag the Dog' moment. Not only was the bombing successful in capturing the media's attention, it was also approved by a majority of the American people despite the dearth of information on its impact.
Reporting on the new analysis, the Guardian's Sune Engel Rasmussen noted Friday that the study "once again raises the question why the MOAB was used."
"In Afghanistan," Engel Rasmussen observed, "ISIS constitutes a minor military threat compared to the Taliban. There has been speculation that the U.S. wanted to send a signal to other powers in the region, but [U.S. military spokesman in Kabul, Capt. William Salvin] insisted the MOAB was used for a 'specific tactical purpose on the battlefield.'"
However, Richard Brittan, managing director of Alcis, said "that argument only made sense if the U.S. wanted to deploy MOABs on hundreds of similar settlements in the targeted Mahmand valley, which would put years of development work at risk," Engel Rasmussen reported.
"If their approach is that they are going to level this valley with all its settlements, then MOABs galore," Brittan said. "But getting people back to making a living off the land is what you've got to focus on."
The Alcis analysis, which is the second of three reports on the strike, also casts doubt the Afghan military's claim that "94 militants including four major commanders had been killed in the strike," calling that assessment "overly precise." At the same time, it says the claim of zero civilian casualties is "anomalous."
Satellite imagery of active crops in the region led the researchers to suppose that the fields would not have been left unattended. "Indeed, it is likely that some of the farmers tending these fields would have been residing within the buildings of the settlement obliterated by the MOAB strike," the report states. "It is therefore entirely possible that the count of casualties has included working-age male farmers rather than solely militants, as the Afghan defense ministry has indicated."
Mattis has refused to give an estimate of the death toll.
Notably, the analysis comes amid reports that the Pentagon is going to request 3,000 to 5,000 more soldiers to be sent to Afghanistan to help "break a deadlocked fight with the Taliban," according to AFP.


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Padstow we only spent the day and we definitely need longer than a day really but we actually found we really loved it here. So many people said to us that we had to visit Padstow and that we had to go here or there whilst we were there. Now I'm one of those people that if too many people are saying something is great it probably isn't that great if you know what I mean? A bit like "The Walking Dead" or those really horrendous critically acclaimed films that are actually crap and shouldn't be winning anything. So I worried people were hyping up Padstow and I'd actually be super disappointed, I wasn't thankfully.
Next stop was our next hotel which was Fistral Beach hotel and spa. Now this was also a lovely hotel but you know how I said there's usually always something missing when you're of the disabled variety? Well this is a prime example. As lovely as hotels are and can be they can be let down by their lack of thought when it comes to someone with accessible needs. Firstly it was like an obstacle course or marathon length to get to the reception in the first place when having a simple ramp would have been ample enough but no you had to go through two restaurant areas, actually past the reception, up past their toilets and past their spa area, back through the bar area and finally you were at the reception area. All credit to them though their check in service was lovely with a lovely complimentary drink that was quite tasty.
Now I completely understand that all hotel rooms aren't going to be like the St Moritz so the Fistral Beach hotel did have quite a lovely room with a lovely bathroom and its defining feature was certainly it's view. Mark and I always enjoy a lovely sea view and we love waking up to the sound of the sea and just being able to see it from your room so it was definitely worth it for that. MY only annoyance I suppose was having steps up to the room, they were only two but I really feel for any guest who is disabled who physically is incapable of walking at all luckily I can at least combat two steps.
Here is where I discovered my sunburn :-/ and not just 'ye olde' regular sunburn, actual great big old blistering sun burn. Mark and I weren't even in the sun for that long whilst in Padstow but my knees were exposed and due to my severely immunosuppressed immune system when I get sunburnt I REALLY get sunburnt! I have been in agony for days now but, we're dealing with it. Lots of Aloe Vera Gel at the moment :-). It didn't stop us getting out though, with the disappointment of Rick Stein's in Padstow we decided instead to give "The Fish House" next door which is by the chef who actually studied under Rick Stein for 15years. Now this was much better or maybe it was because we didn't really have any expectations but I had a 'Fish Finger sandwich,' Mark had a Seabass wrap and we shared bread and squid. It was Soooo Yummy!!!
As always, thank-you for reading and chat soon


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The 3 Things To Consider When Investing In IT Products
Development and Innovation Small and medium-sized businesses represent a rapidly-growing segment in the Canadian marketplace.
Business Development Bank of Canada reports that 98.2 percent of Canadian businesses have less than 100 employees, and that small and medium-sized businesses represent more than half of Canada's gross domestic product.
And yet, despite the fact that the majority of Canadians are researching and making their purchases online, only 12 percent of small businesses have an online sales presence.
It's due time for Canadian business to take advantage of the new opportunities inherent in the twin trends of rapidly increasing internet connectivity and rapidly decreasing computer technology prices.
The three metrics
There are three key factors for a business owner to consider when investing in new information technology products: affordability, reliability, and scalability.
On the affordability front, the situation could hardly be better, with solutions that were only within reach of the largest corporations as little a year or two ago now being accessible for even the smallest companies. And more than 8o percent of small businesses that invest in new technology see a measurably positive return in productivity, competitiveness, and efficiency.
In terms of reliability, its importance cannot be overstated. A recent global data protection study reported the worldwide business cost of downtime and data loss in 2014 at over $1.7 trillion dollars. The magnitude of that number is not lost on IT providers, and companies like HP are now championing reliability at every market segment.
"With Microsoft Windows Server 2003 reaching the end of its service lifecycle, many companies are looking to upgrade their data infrastructure for the first time in decades."
Finally, scalability. Nobody wants to overspend on IT but, at the same time, business owners recognize the dangers of adopting a solution that may become undersized as the business continues to grow. Between cloud computing and plug-and-play server technology, however, scalability is quickly becoming a solved problem.
Young businesses are now able to adopt cloud-based solutions from day one and grow both their on-site and remote infrastructure painlessly, according to need.
In all, massive changes in the hardware and software world have resulted in ever more advanced information technologies being accessible to small businesses. With Microsoft Windows Server 2003 reaching the end of its service lifecycle, many companies are looking to upgrade their data infrastructure for the first time in decades. Others are looking to make their first steps online and stop being part of the 12 percent.
In either case, and by all three metrics, there has never been a better time than now.


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How to get the Windows 7 firewall settings correct.
The biggest problem I've been seeing is people mistaking "Public" for meaning, Make my computer Public, and "Private" for Make my computer private, when It's actually quite the opposite. So I'm going to hopefully help dispel some of that confusion right here, right now.
The Network location feature is really just firewall profiles, based on if you trust (Private) or don't trust (Public) the computers around you. There are 2 Network Location Types that we will discuss here: Public and Private.
Should I chose the Private or Public Network Location?
Private Network Location In your own network, behind your router or firewall and the only computers on your network are your own, then you would trust these other PCs, so you should set Network Location to Private, thus allowing your PC to be discovered and for its resources to be accessed by your other PCs on your network.
Public Network Location If you were away from home,like at a random WiFi hotspot, seedy hotel,on your neighbors wireless router, etc, you would not and should not trust the other PCs on this network so you should set your Network location to Public. This will make your PC/Laptop fairly secure on the network, and less likely to be discovered or exploited.
For each new/separate network you connect to Windows ask you each time if you would like to set the network location to either Public or Private.
How to change the Network Location setting once it has been set:
Goto the Network and Sharing Center and click on Customize for each adapter you wish to change.
You can find the Network and Sharing Center either through the Start Button Menu – > Network – > Network and Sharing Center OR by clicking on the Network Icon by the Clock in the tray, and Choosing Network and Sharing Center.


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TeamCrafted was a Minecraft gaming group that was founded in February 2012 by now-former member Deadlox. They bought a house for the entire group, but now only TrueMu lives there now. They have inspired hundreds of people. Several members have quit and during March of 2014 the group collapsed. In June of 2014, it was announced that TeamCrafted was having a re-launch.
The Beginning Edit
Team Crafted was first started by Deadlox in a Skype call with SkyDoesMinecraft. While at first, Sky thought it wouldn't work out, but soon changed his mind and joined. From there, they recruited MinecraftUniverse, Setosorcerer, HuskyMudkipper, KermitPlaysMC, and Sky's now ex-girlfriend, Dawn. They were also accompanied by DeceptiBonk, who served as their artist. One year, later Cavemanfilms
New ArrivalsEdit
However, CavemanFilms' membership didn't last long as he left the team after several days. Soon after he left, JeromeASF anlold TheBajanCanadian joined the team after meeting Sky at PAX East and were asked to join. However, in June 2013, Dawn, who was engaged to Sky, broke up with him and left the team, deleting all her social media accounts. At the start of the summer of 2013 Kermit left to go solo, claiming he does not want everyone to think he got all of his subscribers from Team Crafted. Around that same time ,Blue Monkey and WeedLion joined as the team's animators, forming the team's production crew alongside their artist, Bonkers. Team Crafted then launched their new website and announced that they were going to buy a house for all of them to live together which will enable them to record together easily.
Beginning of The EndEdit
In early November of 2013, Team Crafted then opened their channel in which they showed off their new house and announced that they were going to do vlogs, skits, and a survival series with the team. However, at that time fans began to notice Seto was absent on the Team Crafted features channel (which showed all seven of the "lets player's" of the group except Seto) and that Seto was removed from all of the the rest of TC's channel's, except Deadlox and Bonkers, with the addition of at that time Seto's channel was largely inactive.
Seto then released a video (believed to be a personal attack against team crafted, due to all the drama it obviously would create), which tells his side of the story, saying that he had been removed from Team Crafted since early August and that he was depressed because of that, even going on to list several reasons why he was kicked and that he thought his removal was unjust because he received no warnings, which was the cause of inactiveness. He also said the only one who tried to keep him in the group was Deadlox. Soon after, the video was taken down but was re-uploaded by another YouTuber later, which violates the copyright laws since it was reproduced without the original author/owner's consent. Either way the damage was done and Team Crafted received a large amount of backlash and hate for this (except Deadlox), mostly BajanCanadian, who was the one that suggested they remove Seto.
On his now inactive Tumblr, Sky then posted his side of the story, in which he revealed Seto's name was Harvey, that Seto's depression was because of family's matters and that, the true reason Seto was removed was because the rest of the team wanted to do other stuff other than Minecraft, like go to events and skits, but Seto didn't want his name, face or location to be revealed. Because of the requirement that all members must be present, they eventually decided to remove him from the team and that Deadlox too voted him off as well, and the only reason why Seto did say Deadlox didn't vote him out was because he was only speaking to Deadlox. Though they did offer to keep recording with him, Seto "vanished". In the end Sky apologized to Seto and wished he was a better friend to him. Seto then said to his fans that he and Team Crafted are on good terms again and that he didn't want the ordeal to be discussed any further and that he was moving on with his channel. On March 2, 2014 ,the group announced XRpMx13 as the newest member of the team. This was only a couple of days before the collapse of the team.
On March 6, 2014, Sky on Twitter said he left the team and that he was still on good term's with everyone. He didn't give a reason, though fans speculate that this has something to do with Team Crafted's new commercialized approach from their manager, Matt Michaelson. This was later confirmed by Sky's girlfriend, Alesa on her ask.fm account. She said Sky did not like how TC was with the new commercial approach. Following Sky also was Deadlox, the founder who claimed he was in the "same boat as Sky, HuskyMudkipper who wanted to move on with his channel on his own and Blue Monkey, who claimed that an animator in a group of let's player did not make any sense. On March 12 and 21, both Bonkers and WeedLion respectively left the team giving no reason as well, bringing TC membership down to five.
The reason for the sudden departure's has been widely discussed. Some blame Mitch, some blame Adam, and some blame the team's manager for the incredibly commercialized approach. The channel fell silent and the team was largely deemed disbanded.
A New EraEdit
On June 1st 2014, Deadlox made a video that he said Team Crafted was getting a re-launch with a new roster. He disproved how the group had become commercialized. He also went on to say that he wanted TC to be a community channel where friends would get together and commentate with each other. He then went on to say that he would bring TC in a "new era" by making it a channel in which smaller YouTubers would be brought into the spotlight.
An hour later this video was made private by Deadlox, but was re-uploaded by another YouTuber The Team Crafted channel also briefly had new members on the Features module, but the module itself was removed.
The channel remained silent, slashing any hope of a rebirth of Team Crafted.
Fan Site Edit
A website was made in early 2014, where fans could interact with Team Crafted members. Unfortunately, the site began the inevitable decline as none of the TeamCrafted members were active, leaving the site without admins. Sometime during mid-2014, Backplane assigned JDantastic to the site as an admin. He maintained the TeamCrafted Factions server as well as the site.
Around of the end of the summer of 2014, Dan announced that he had left Backplane and was no longer an admin for the Team Crafted site. The site resumed it's decline, leading the inevitable collapse of the site. The fans on the site had taken it to themselves to maintain order to the site. The site has since been dissolved and was known as "AllMinecraft" and was hosted on Place, the revamped "Backplane". After the switch to AllMinecraft, typing in teamcrafted.com used to bring users to the Nexus website. However, this is no longer the case as the Nexus shut down mid-2016.
In 2016, months after Place announced that they'd be closing down, the site was quietly shuttered. Users of the site found no alternative for the forum and have since switched to Discord.
Post-Breakup FeudsEdit
It is believed that Adam had a falling out with mostly Mitch and Ian, but mainly Mitch, which seems to be true as most of Mitch's channel links are missing in previous videos.
Adam/Mitch- This by far has caused the most controversy, due to the sudden lack of regular recordings together for months. Many believe the cause to be a seemingly small Twitter feud over Animation April, in which it Adam accused Mitch of taking his subscriber's hard work to profit off of, but this has not been proven, though Mitch never explicitly stated how he would pay animators or if he would at all. Mitch responded saying "everyone has those 'friends' nothing more to say here.", which was removed a few minutes later.
Preston's (TBNRFrags) girlfriend, Sara, a good friend of Mitch and Jerome said this on her ask.fm page to answer a question asking about it:
"They just realized that they wanted different things and they decided to not record/be friends anymore. It's very common for people to drift apart due to different wants."
Sara, being a friend of Mitch and Jerome's, was a reliable source at this time. On October 9th, it was officially confirmed by Adam that something between him and Mitch had transpired through this tweet.
While this isn't really news to the fans who had been researching their sudden lack of recordings, it is the first official confirmation by one of them that something happened. Jerome replied to with this tweet, with Mitch later replying, accepting Adam's apology. Still, some people are mixed on this "make up". Some believe that their commentary styles have changed, as evident in the awkwardness when Adam and Jerome recorded a video together sometime ago. Another notable difference is the fact that Adam curses in his videos while Jerome and Mitch tend to keep their videos PG.
Many fans do not want them to record together, as they feel Mitch puts more effort into his recordings/commentary while Adam just screams random stuff. People also doubt Mitch officially accepted this apology as he replied on Jerome's tweet, meaning he may not have responded if Jerome hadn't tweeted about it. This doubt is contradicted by the fact that Mitch's skin appears in Adam's animation, A STORY OF A FISH!
On August 30, these tweets were made by Alesa regarding why when she retweeted fanart. She seems to have cut out Jason and Mitch. The first tweet explains this. The second tweet, she explains that Mitch and Adam were not good friends. The third tweet, she confirms that there was no fist fight between Adam and Mitch, as previously rumored.
Adam/Ian- Though smaller than the other feud with Mitch, it is believed that Ian and Adam had a fallout after the TC event as well, or rather a few hours after it concluded. Ian, who could not make it due to anxiety of airplanes, opted to go to a different event closer on the same day as the TC event. He made no mention of this beforehand, so Adam called him out on it. Since then, the only contact between them was on one of Adam's Mine-Pranks video.
Adam/Jason- About 6 months ago, according to Alesa, Jason stopped being in contact with them. The reason is unknown, but he may have felt Jerome and Mitch were better friends than Adam, though this is unconfirmed. This feud has seemed to have past with Jason appearing with Adam in several more recent videos as well as Ty.
Future of TeamCrafted Edit
It is strongly believed now that TeamCrafted is dead. Adam has had notable fallouts with Jason, Mitch, and Ian, which may still be happening. He has only talked to each of the fallouts on one occasion each. No business links are available on the TC channel, their Twitter account posts every once in a while about the website, and some members have gotten rid of the classic TC-styled avatar and banner by Bonks. No channels have the TC channel on their featured channel module anymore. The channel also remains inactive.
Adam now records with YouTubers known as Ross (House_Owner) and Barney (ThatGuyBarney), Ian records with a YouTuber known as Crainer (MrCrainer), Mitch and Jerome are in a new group called "The Pack." Meanwhile, Jason, Quentin, and Ty went solo.
However, back in February 8th 2016, Adam (Sky), Ian (SSundee), Mitch (Bajan Canadian), Jerome (ASFJerome), Quintin (HuskyMudkip), Ty (Deadlox), and Jason (TrueMU) , had a reunion of cops and robbers. After that, TeamCrafted has been abandoned.
Past MembersEdit
These include members of the team who either left, were removed, or status-unknown as of the announced Team Crafted re-launch.
- CavemanFilms (Dan) - Ninth member of the team to join. In early 2013, he left for unknown reasons
- Dawnables (Dawn) - Sixth member to join. After breaking up with Adam, she closed all social media accounts and left the team in March 2013
- KermitPlaysMinecraft (Dakota) - Eighth member to join. Left in June of 2013 to 'go solo' to prove he did not get all his subscribers from TC, and because he felt like he really wasn't apart of the team anymore, besides believing he had different recording/comedy styles.
- Setosorcerer (Unknown (the name is actually still unknown, names like, Jimmy or Harvey are just jokes that they did.) - Fourth member to join. Was removed in August of 2013 due to several reasons which unintentionally caused a major controversy. His removal was confirmed in November of 2013.
- SkyDoesMinecraft (Adam) - Second member and co-founder of Team Crafted. Left on March 6, 2014 without giving a reason, but later announced he did not like all the drama and commercialization that's affiliated with the group.
- BlueMonkey (James) - Thirteenth member and joined alongside WeedLion as their animators. Part of the production crew. He left on March 6, 2014, stating that an animator working with a group of "Let's Players" did not make any sense.
- Deadlox (Ty) - Founder of Team Crafted. Left on March 6, 2014 alongside Adam due to not liking the commercialization for the team.
- HuskyMUDKIPZ (Quentin) - Fifth member to join. He left on March 7, 2014, later stated he wanted to go his own way.
- DeceptiBonk (Bonkers) - Seventh member to join. On the production team as an artist. She left on March 12, 2014, stating that she too was leaving the group and was glad to have met everyone.
- WeedLion (Inge) - Fourteenth member and joined alongside James. He left on March 21, 2014. On production team as an animator. He confirmed on Twitter that he left after getting messages on it.
- MinecraftUniverse (Jason), SSundee (Ian), JeromeASF (Jerome), TheBajanCanadian (Mitch) and XRpMx13 (Ryan) - The third, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, and fifteenth to join respectively.


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Friends —
Join us on Thursday, December 10, at 5:30 PM for a public engagement session on South Carolina's energy future. The meeting will be hosted by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and will feature formal presentations on new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) carbon reduction requirements, as well as a question and answer session with the public.
What: Public Engagement Session on South Carolina's Energy Future: SC's Energy Plan and EPA's Clean Power Plan
When: Thursday, December 10 at 5:30 PM
Where: Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln Street, Columbia, SC 29201
We believe that South Carolina should pursue a "No-Regrets" energy plan that lowers electricity bills, creates jobs, and improves competitiveness in the 21st century marketplace. A "No-Regrets" strategy will work for South Carolina with or without federal carbon reduction targets – and will help low income residents the most.
The No-Regrets strategy puts electricity customers first by empowering them to lower their bills with cost-saving efficiency upgrades and affordable renewable energy. Compared to business-as-usual scenarios (building more costly power plants), this consumer-first strategy meets our power needs while saving billions of dollars and producing thousands more jobs.
The No-Regrets path also reduces pollution that endangers people's health and degrades the climate on which our economy and quality of life depend. Learn more about the EPA's Clean Power Plan by visiting http://coastalconservationleague.org/projects/epa-clean-power-plan/.
Thank you for your support,
Hamilton Davis
Energy Director


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DreamFields elbow macaroni mixed with corn, red bell pepper, onion and arugula tossed in a creamy cilantro yogurt sauce. Pairs perfectly with any grilled meats or burgers, though is just as good if eaten alone.
I love sneaking in Greek yogurt to replace mayo in traditional creamy salads. It amps up the protein, reduces the overall fat content and adds such a subtle taste, you won't miss the mayo a bit.
I've found it is best to make this salad right before serving, as macaroni salads made with mayo/yogurt tend to dry out if they sit too long, therefore requiring additional sauce. This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature. I thoroughly enjoyed it both ways 🙂
If you're not a fan of the grainy (or what I like to call "earthy") taste of whole-wheat pasta, DreamFields is an excellent alternative. It has 5 grams of dietary fiber per serving – 2.5x more than traditional pasta. It also contains a natural plant fiber called inulin that helps support optimal digestion. It's also a little higher in protein than traditional pasta. Between the protein and fiber content, this pasta will have less impact on your blood sugar and help you stay full longer. Double win!
DreamFields is sold in most grocery stores in the pasta section. If you are looking for a gluten-free alternative, brown rice pasta is also good. I've tried a few brands and they all taste pretty similar.
The yogurt dressing is subtly sweet and tangy, and pairs so nicely with all of the other flavors, making the entire salad light and refreshing. Not to mention how vibrant and summery it looks. With theses cold temperatures outside, I found it mighty satisfying to revive the summer aura in my kitchen.
Bring this to your next BBQ, picnic or tailgating event for a nutritious crowd-pleaser.
Creamy Macaroni Salad with Corn & Arugula
Makes 5 cups prepared; Serving size: 1 cup
- 1.5 cups DreamFields elbow pasta
- 1.5 cups frozen corn, thawed
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 red onion, diced
- 1 tbsp olive oil for sautéing
- 1/4 cup 0% fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- 2 handfuls of baby arugula
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Bring 4 cups of generously salted water to a boil. Add 1.5 cups of DreamFields elbows into water and return to boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.
- In the meantime, heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add red bell pepper and red onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes over medium heat, until softened. Add 1.5 cups thawed corn, turn off heat and remove pan from burner.
- In a small bowl, whisk Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper until well combined.
- In a large bowl, add cooled pasta, veggies and yogurt sauce and toss until well-combined. Stir in arugula right before serving.
Nutrition facts per serving (1 cup)
Calories: 200; Total Fat: 4 gm; Saturated Fat: <.5 gm; Cholesterol: 2.2 mg; Sodium: 150 mg; Carbohydrates: 38 gm; Fiber: 4.5 gm; Sugar: 4 gm; Protein: 8 gm


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US_National Whitewater_Center_519.jpg
@ Patrick Schneider Photography. All rights reserved. Image may not be used without permission. 5400x3654 / 18.1MB
July 4th Celebration USNWC, Aerials + sense of place (USNWC Charlotte), Water sports + activities (USNWC - Charlotte NC)
US National Whitewater Center, USNWC, whitewater rafting, family outings, things to do in charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, NC, travel, tourism, attractions, outdoor adventure, eco tourism, adventure travel, photos of charlotte nc, travel photos charlotte nc, stock photography, stock photos, charlotte photographer, uswnc.org, world class, card


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Provost Dunn and Dean Kiss have an announcement:
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Ellen D. Haskell has been appointed as the Herman & Zelda Bernard Distinguished Scholar of Jewish Studies. She is an outstanding professor and teacher-scholar in the Department of Religious Studies.
The Herman & Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professorship was established by family and friends in recognition of the Bernards' contributions to the Jewish community in North Carolina. Zelda Bernard, a native of Danville, Virginia, was employed by the Works Progress Administration and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office until her marriage to Mr. Bernard in 1945. Herman Bernard, a native of High Point, North Carolina, was the founder of Casard Furniture Manufacturing and Bernards Inc., a furniture import business. The Bernards were both active in the affairs of B'nai Israel Synagogue and other important Jewish boards and communities in North Carolina.
As the new Bernard Scholar, Dr. Haskell brings groundbreaking approaches to Jewish Studies in her work on theology, culture, and gender. Her research productivity includes the publication of two monographs in important scholarly presses within four years, well-articulated plans for future scholarship, and most recently, an invited book chapter that will soon be published by Oxford University Press along with contributions from an international group of scholars.
Dr. Haskell's area of specialty is late 13th-century Jewish mysticism and in particular the highly influential "Book of Splendor (Sefer HaZohar)," the major work of the Spanish Kabbalistic tradition. The Kabbalah is an esoteric school of Jewish thought that teases out the hidden meaning of Jewish scripture. Her scholarship focuses especially on two areas of discourse: gendered religious imagery, and indications of cultural transmission and the relationship between medieval Jews and Christians. In her first monograph, Suckling at My Mother's Breasts: The Image of a Nursing God in Jewish Mysticism (SUNY, 2012), Dr. Haskell explores the many spiritual and theological meanings that invest the mystical representation of God as a nursing mother.
Dr. Haskell's recently published second book, "Mystical Resistance: Uncovering the Zohar's Conversations with Christianity" (Oxford, 2016), initiates a new scholarly direction. In this volume, she transforms our understanding of the Zohar by uncovering within it a range of hidden Jewish arguments against Christian claims. Her groundbreaking reinterpretation of the Zohar uncovers a rich record of the strategies and specific arguments that 13th-century Spanish Jews used to contest Christian power and illuminates Jewish resistance to a persecuting society in innovative ways. In summary, these achievements make clear that Dr. Haskell is a significant figure in her field and that she will continue to be a dynamic and engaged scholar.
We are pleased that Dr. Haskell will be the Herman & Zelda Bernard Distinguished Scholar of Jewish Studies at UNCG.


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**If you are a company and would like to see your brand advertised in a M.O.O.N. event similar to this please contact firstname.lastname@example.com
Saturday, November 30, 2013
FLASH GIVEAWAY! $299 Riivia Microderm Kit! Ends December 1!
**If you are a company and would like to see your brand advertised in a M.O.O.N. event similar to this please contact firstname.lastname@example.com
14 comments:
- AnonymousNovember 21, 2013 at 9:24 AM
If I won I would be keeping it for myself! :)ReplyDelete
- Danette DWNovember 21, 2013 at 9:42 AM
I would keep it for myself. This mama is looking a little old.ReplyDelete
- Danette DWNovember 21, 2013 at 9:46 AM
I clicked on vote button for all three and is says I can submit but a popup box says you must click vote first. I did. All three of them.ReplyDelete
I would keep this for myself! I really need some new skin care and my skin has been super dry since it's been so cold!ReplyDelete
My Daughter is now in her 40's and concern about the condition of her skin. This set would be an awesome gift for her to combat aging conditions.ReplyDelete
I would love to keep it for myself...I have always wanted to purchase one as Im in my late 40's and I think it would be great for my skin as its aging (lots lol).ReplyDelete
I would give this to my mom as a gift!ReplyDelete
My 51-year-old face would thank me for this! I would be keeping this one for myself.ReplyDelete
I would be keeping this for myself. My 51-year-old face would thank me for it. ;-)ReplyDelete
Keep for myself to use on sunspots!ReplyDelete
"Thoughts-of" on Facebook is a broken link.ReplyDelete
I would KEEP it because a sisa is hitting thr BIG 40!ReplyDelete
if i won, i would keep this for myself b/c i'm turning 30 in a few months so i really need to kick up my skin care routine :)ReplyDelete
- Sarah ElyceDecember 1, 2013 at 6:03 PM
I will be keeping this for myself. :)ReplyDelete
Thank you for stopping by Monica's Rants, Raves, & Reviews...I hope you enjoyed reading my blog. Please comment and come back anytime!


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Audrey Hepburn Web Sites
Many thanks to Spellbound for helping to compile and maintain this list of websites.
Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund
The official site of the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund, a non-profit organization, created to continue Audrey's international appeals on behalf of ill-treated and suffering children around the world.
L'Ange des Enfants
One of the largest Audrey sites on the net. The photo gallery contains over 3,000 images. This site is also home to the A1 forum, a really friendly forum where lots of fans gather.
Audrey Hepburn Library
A unique site that contains a collection of Audrey Hepburn articles published in magazine and newspapers. The articles are organized by decade to help you browse them.
A1 Forum
This part of L'Ange des Enfants deserves it's own entry because it is the biggest and friendliest Audrey community on the net. There are over 500 members from all over the world.
Audrey Hepburn: A tribute to her humanitarian work
A site dedicated to highlighting Audrey's humanitarian work on behalf of UNICEF and the continuing work of the Audrey Hepburn Childrens Fund.
Audrey Hepburn Autographs and Writing Samples
A unique web site that studies Audrey's hand writing and autograph styles. Contains lots of example images including personal letters and signed photos.
Gardens of the World
Website created to provide information about the new release of Gardens of the World on DVD.
Classically Audrey
A very stylish tribute to Audrey, created by Erin McVicker - well worth checking out. All the usual areas are here; biography, galleries and a nice memories section.
de Nederlandse Audrey Hepburn Site
A Dutch site dedicated to Audrey. Contains biography, photo galleries, film posters and more. Worth visiting for the film posters section alone.
Audrey Hepburn - That Face
This site is a brief multimedia timeline of Audrey's life, shown using pictures of her face. Created by Beaker and Sands of the A1 forum.
Audrey Hepburn: The Fairest Lady
Another great fan site with tons of information. This one is well known in the Audrey community, unfortunately it hasn't been updated for a for a few years now.
As if She Had Always Lived in a Garden
A great tribute site to the beloved and dearly missed Audrey Hepburn. There is a lot of information here, condensed in to three easy to read sections.


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AARP Experience Corps Evansville, Ind., has been hosted by Carver Community Organization since 2008. AARP Experience Corps volunteer members 50 and older volunteer in schools, working with students in grades K-3 who are struggling with reading and literacy performance skills. Our focus is on assisting them to become proficient readers by the end of third grade. The AARP Experience Corps volunteer members work with students one-on-one or in small groups as directed by the teachers. The goal of the program is to improve children's literacy skills, strengthen our communities and help develop cultures of inspiration in our schools. Our dedicated volunteer members impact society every day with the academic help/guidance given to students and their partnership with classroom teachers to make schools better places to learn.
Carver Community Organization has been in existence for over 65 years. It provides services from infants to seniors. It is the beacon of the community with the programs it provides, which include AARP Experience Corps Evansville, child care, after/out of school care, and senior services, including adult day services. Together, these programs touch the lives of many children, adolescents, seniors and their families through a variety of educational, recreational, social and health programs. Carver's mission is to offer unique services within a safe environment that teaches respect for self, others and the community.
Program Impact (2017-2018 school year)
Program Manager
Lonita Bennett
(812) 402-3170
AARP Foundation Experience Corps is looking for adults 50 years and older interested in tutoring K-3 students who are struggling to read.
AARP Foundation Experience Corps has nearly 2,000 highly-trained volunteers working in more than 20 cities and serves over 30,000 students every year in high-need elementary schools.
Donate to AARP Foundation Experience Corps. Your generous support will bring experience to life.
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Limited Time Special - Feminine
The latest special at Siss Boom is the Feminine dress The skirt part of the dress has a ruffled top and a wide lace band at the bottom. The bodice is a halter that ties into a bow in the back of the neck. The dress comes with three types of panties: bow, lace and plain. The panties come as underwear system layer or Omega applier. The Feminine dress is made for five mesh/fitmesh sizes, Maitreya, and Slink Hourglass/Physique. It is available in six soft skirt colors pictured below.


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Who Does the American Military See in the Mirror?
Jomini and Clausewitz coexist in many modern militaries. Jomini, with his emphasis on principals and application may dominate at the tactical level of war. Clausewitz, with the emphasis on ambiguity, complexity and politics tends to become more important at the more senior leadership levels. The break point logically seems to be at the level of brigade command. Brigade commanders are the military's senior tacticians. They are involved in the day to day operations and maintenance of the force and have the responsibility to planning, leading, and executing operations. Brigade commanders live in the tactical environment. Cause and effect relationships at the brigade level are more direct and the certainty of factors influencing decisions is higher. Some general officers operate in the tactical environment as well –depending on the operational situation. However, at the general officer level the tendency is for issues to become more complex and for effects to become more separated from causes. Politics, media, and other factors beyond the military's control begins to intrude on decision making at the general officer level.
Do you agree or disagree with the above analysis?
A challenge facing the effectiveness of general officers is two-fold. First, how does one select the best officer to operate in the Clausewitz world (senior leader) based on the performance of officers who are typically operating in the Jominian world (tactical)? In addition, how does the army train senior leadership (Clausewitzian) thinking before the leader makes the general officer ranks, if there is little or no opportunity to practice it for most of an officer's career at the tactical level?
Some analysts believe, whether the above described relationship exists or not between Jomini and Clausewitz's ideas, its irrelevant because American culture demands a demonstrated, positive, scientific approach to all activity and thus the Jominian approach to war dominates the American way of war at all levels. Do you agree?
Clausewitz, Politics and the American Military
Clausewitz is famous for his comment that war is an extension of politics by other means. This is not the definition of war, but rather the context within which war takes place. That is, war takes place and is only understandable within the context of politics. By extension then, to be able to effectively plan, supervise, and conduct war a senior military leader must, in addition to his expertise regarding military matters, also be expert at understanding politics.
The sticking point here, is that the professional American military officer is taught to avoid politics. Expert on American military professionalism, Morris Janowitz, stated:
Under democratic theory, the "above politics" formula requires that, in domestic politics, generals and admirals do not attach themselves to political parties or overtly display partisanship. Furthermore, military men are civil servants, so that elected leaders are assured of the military's partisan neutrality.
In practice, with only isolated exceptions, regulations and traditions have worked to enforce an essential absence of political partisanship.
Has this tradition of non-partisanship caused American military leadership to focus too much on the mechanics of making war at the operational and tactical level? What is the role of the senior military leader in formulating national strategy and can that leader avoid being politically partisan if the different political parties disagree on strategy?
How has the war in Iraq illustrated Clausewitz's concept of the relationship between war and politics?
How do Clausewitz's ideas, including the important idea of the trinity, influence our understanding of the current situation in Afghanistan?
People's Army: An Idea Whose Time Has Past?
Some say that the concept of a "People's Army" that is large, represents the responsibility of citizens doing their duty in service to the nation, but is relatively untrained, is a quaint 19th Century idea that is irrelevant to the modern nation state. What the modern nation state needs is a military that is highly skilled, manned by expert long service professionals, who are capable of precisely wielding the sophisticated high technology weapons of the 21st century to achieve decisive effects with minimum collateral damage. A professional l military allows war to be executed quickly and with the minimum of casualties to all concerned. A "people's army" is good for violent, costly, and chaotic revolution, but the professional army of the stable nation state is the ultimate military force.
A different point of view insists that the professional army is a costly and wasteful arm of government that permits a nation to constantly wage war without the commitment or approval of the vast majority of the population. The standing professional army is inherently destabilizing to the international system. This argument maintains that when the cost of war is low than war is common. Thus, the relative ease and lack of debate with which the U.S. entered war with Iraq was a function of the standing professional military that made engaging in war "too easy" for the American population.
Does a professional army allow a country to go to war with the minimum of disruption to civilian life? Is this a good thing or does it contribute to the willingness / ease with which a country might decide on a war option?
The trend of Western Armies is toward small, professional, volunteer forces. Has the nature war changed in the 21st Century to make the people's army irrelevant? Or, have transnational groups taken the idea of the "people's army" to the next level and found a way to match it asymmetrically against a professional force?
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Last time my husband and I were driving around Utah (having come to see Bryce Canyon, the holiest place in the world, full of glowing gilded cathedrals of God-carved stone), we were suddenly stopped dead in our tracks.
There was a sign up ahead saying, "Tourist Stop: THE BIG ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN!"
I looked at Bill.
"There's never a Big Rock Candy Mountain. It's a Burl Ives song."
"No, it was based on this mountain here! Let's stop."
He got out and enthusiastically took a picture of a small, ordinary-looking mountain, the farthest thing from rock candy imagineable. We were hungry, and there was a restaurant. As we walked past a nominal gift shop with cheap t-shirts and cellophane bags of rock candy, Bill blinked in surprise, then whispered in my ear.
"There he is."'
"You know! Look over there."
At a table in the corner, facing a beer and a corned beef sandwich, was a heavyset older man with a grey goatee.
"Hm, well, it does look like him, but the truth is - "
"I know it's him."
"See, that's the thing. He's been dead for ten years."
"Maybe he faked his own death."
"Then he'd be 116 years old."
"Well, he looks it, doesn't he?"
He did. But he didn't look much like Burl Ives to me.
When I think of Burl Ives now, I think of Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: his surly, snappy, sour performance was one of the best I've seen in a character actor.
But I also thought of other things. I was raised on Burl Ives. One of my first memories was that mild, burly tenor voice of his singing, "Here's a song about a whale, with a most amazing appetite." There was also Holly Jolly Christmas and Little Bitty Tear and a couple other mainstream hits, but they came second to his songs for children, his "Little White Duck" and "The sow took the measles and she died in the spring" (kind of an awful song for the kiddies, probably an old Appalachian thing.) There were some I did myself when I briefly had a kids' TV show in Alberta: "Old witch, old witch, she lives in a ditch, and she combs her hair with a hick'ry switch."
Having never heard it before, the kids loved it.
Anyway, my husband ordered a corned beef sandwich and a beer and kept shooting glances at this Burl Ives stand-in. It occurred to me later (hell, it just occurred to me this second) that they'd hired this local yahoo to stand in and wow the tourists.
Another thing that happened just this second: I looked up the Big Rock Candy Mountain, and found out that it was really just a song, something invented by hoboes. There were approximately seventeen Big Rock Candy Mountains scattered all over the US, each claiming to be THE Big Rock Candy Mountain, bearing big signs and restaurants serving corned beef sandwiches and beer.
Did they all have a Burl Ives lookalike? I really can't say.
Anyway, the video I've posted is haunting. It reminds me structurally of the Child Ballad, I Gave my Love a Cherry, and also evokes Christ's temptation in the wilderness. It's no doubt deeply Appalachian, thus harking back to somewhere in ancient Britain, preserved as only music preserves ancient things.
I have a hankering for another Burl Ives song which seems to be impossible to find. It was on one of his more contemporary albums (meaning, no Child Ballads), and it had songs like Mr. In-Between and Shanghai'd.
Deeply remeniscent of Long Black Veil, it was called That's All I Can Remember. I didn't recall much about it except that it was an execution song, like something out of The Green Mile. It had a couple of lines in it that stuck in my head like barbed wire: "And the wheels in my head started turnin'. . .and they turned on the juice, and I felt something a-burnin'. " If this man was looking back on his own execution, it surely wasn't from Paradise.
I dug around, and dug around, and couldn't find a recorded version anywhere (though supposedly it was also recorded by Lefty Frizzell. Who the fuck is that?). But I found a fragmentary, scrambled-up lyric, which I'll try to reconstruct here. Since there is more than one version, there's some repetition of lines. I fought and fought and fought to have consistent line-spacing, and my computer just wouldn't let me do it, but since nobody reads this anyway. . .
I've never killed anyone, but I do identify with this fellow's loneliness.
That's All I Can Remember
Come listen while I tell you 'bout a man that's gonna die
Be patient with me won't you please, if I should start to cry
Maybe one of you can understand my story
How a fool lost his soul for a moment of glory
(And that's all, that's all, that's all
That's all that I can remember)
I'm lookin' up from somewhere below
The atmosphere is warm and they've got plenty of coal
Maybe someone above can hear my story
How a fool lost his soul for a moment of glory
(And that's all, that's all, that's all
That's all that I can remember)
Now Bill was my friend, throughout my short-lived life
'Til I caught him out with Mary, my wife
Then the wheels in my head started turnin'
A death plan I made up for both of those concernin'
(And that's all, that's all, that's all
That's all that I can remember)
They took me to prison and they locked me in a cell
They gave me my last big meal then strapped me to a chair
Then my life before my eyes came returnin'
Then they turned on the juice, and I felt something a-burnin'
(And that's all, that's all, that's all
That's all that I can remember)
There's another verse in there, about how he killed Bill and Mary, a very lurid one, but I can't find it anywhere. I can't find the composer and lyricist of the song. In fact, I barely found it at all.
But it stuck in my head, which is how songs are transported or propelled forward. It happened even before anything was written down. Most of the people who sang and remembered them couldn't read or write anyway. People from Appalachia who sang those twangy, multi-versed songs with tunes that all had similar intervals, and even told similar stories. Unlike the kid from Deliverance, most couldn't play very well, and just strummed one chord on the banjo, bom-jigga, bom-jigga, bom.
Everything went around in a circle then, and everyone was everyone's cousin. How many broke away? Some must have. But mostly, the musicologists had to go after them, first with pen and ink, then gramophones, then more sophisticated equipment.
If you want a repository of those songs, go listen to Joan Baez' first album. I can hardly stand it now, her voice is so bleak, so wintry, so devoid of youth or joy. My brother used to sing songs about someone named Geordie, put to death for poaching "the King's royal deer". I used to think they were being cooked, like eggs. My sister sang "Go 'way from window" and other cheery ditties (one of them called Poor Old Horse: "the dogs will eat my rotten flesh, and that's how I'll decay"). But then, my sister was bitter and emotionally deformed, even in her twenties. She was weird, holding the guitar between her legs like a cello, and having a new boy friend every six months.
How did I get on to all this? Burl Ives didn't really have a very good voice, but then, neither did Pete Seeger or Bob Dylan. Charisma, they had, and an understanding of the underpinnings, the deep traditions of music. They were building on something. There wasn't an internet then, but songs were a repository, not necessarily of history, but of things that happened all the time. Not factual, but nevertheless true.
POSTSCRIPT. I just listened to this song again, and I take it back, what I said about Ives' voice. It vibrates like Waterford crystal, sounds like nothing else, and defies all analysis.
And the song! Listen to it one more time. It's clearly Appalachian, probably a Child Ballad from antiquity, with that plainspun tune and spooky medieval intervals. But what grabs me is that he plays just two chords. Two. There used to be a joke that if you could stand up and play three chords, you were a folk singer, but this trumps even that standard for minimalism. Pick-twang, pick-twang, pick-twang: not even full chords, but maybe three strings. And he tells this incredible story, this question and answer. Why nine questions? The Trinity/three wishes, times three, making it three times more powerful? Nine-ty-nine-and-nine-teeeeee. Three nines. But flip those three nines over, and you have. . .
The devil's number.
POST-POST-SCRIPT. I guess I can't count. There are only eight questions. So what is the ninth: whether he's "God's or mine"?


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This video was inspired by Solaris's music quoted below. As I was listening to it, a series of flashes passed through my mind and the idea of creating a short artistic view about the Mayan culture was started. The fascination with a race of people who at their peak had formed fully functioning cities of more than 100,000 inhabitants each and then simply dissipated was overwhelming.
Below I added some background and history to better explain this puzzle/ tragedy.
Mayan kings were known as "Jaguars". An exploration of Mayan culture, buildings/ruins, language, poetry and its descendants are presented. Most photography was shot in Guatemala and next to Belize and Mexico's borders. The sound track contains brief excerpts of a poem by Popol Vuh.
Elements Used in this Production:
Music: Deep Rising by Solaris :: jamendo.com/en/track/476520
Photography all @ Flickr.com :
~ Dennis Jarvis-Archer10;
~ Chris Dumbar-Chris Bottles;
~ Pedro Szekely-Szeke (HDR);
~ Leo Bar
Animation, Effects and Montage: Leo Bar
Background & History:
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period (c. 2000 BC to 250 AD), according to the Mesoamerican chronology, many Maya cities reached their highest state development during the Classic period (c. 250 AD to 900 AD), and continued throughout the Post-Classic period until the arrival of the Spanish. At its peak, it was one of the most densely populated and culturally dynamic societies in the world.
The Maya civilization shares many features with other Mesoamerican civilizations due to the high degree of interaction and cultural diffusion that characterized the region. Advances such as writing, epigraphy, and the calendar did not originate with the Maya; however, their civilization fully developed them. Maya influence can be detected from Honduras, Guatemala, Northern El Salvador and to as far as central Mexico, more than 1000 km (625 miles) from the Maya area. Many outside influences are found in Maya art and architecture, which are thought to result from trade and cultural exchange rather than direct external conquest.
The Maya peoples never disappeared, neither at the time of the Classic period decline nor with the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores and the subsequent Spanish colonization of the Americas. Today, the Maya and their descendants form sizable populations throughout the Maya area and maintain a distinctive set of traditions and beliefs that are the result of the merger of pre-Columbian and post-Conquest ideas and cultures. Many Mayan languages continue to be spoken as primary languages today; the Rabinal Achí, a play written in the Achi' language, was declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.
(Source: Wikipedia)