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"Oh lonesome night, and babbits bawling, the wind biting the bone. Wind like this…full of voices…"
So begins a story of cosmic connections, love that spans multiple reincarnations, and the impact those unbreakable connections play in the shaping of the world. Released in 2012, the film took four years to produce and is one of the most expensive independent films ever made. The German government felt strongly enough about the message in the film to give $20 million to the effort. Another sweet oddity of the film is the method used to direct it – the Wachowski siblings filmed 3 of the time segments, while Tom Tykwer filmed the other 3, each using a completely separate crew, with not one person overlapping to work for both. The main cast consists of some wonderfully strong actors, including four Oscar winners – Hugo Weaving, Halle Berry, Tom Hanks, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant, Susan Sarandon, Doona Bae, and the incomparable Keith David. Not a large cast, you say? Wait until you see how skillfully each actor plays multiple, nearly-unrecognizable roles, with the help of masterful makeup artists.
The project was the brainchild of Lana Wachowski, who adapted it for the screen after being given the novel penned by David Mitchell. Natalie Portman was the gift-giver, and she gave more than just Lana a gift that night. She gifted us all with the seeds for a most inspiring work of art in the visual medium.
At the beginning of the film, we are blessed with the ruminations of a publisher who bemoans the folly of flashbacks and flash-forwards – something one might hear from my favorite author, Stephen King. For me, that is an immediate hook to the soft vitals that reels me in and keeps me close. From there we begin to meet the many characters that comprise a lovely example of why sometimes, just sometimes, it is indeed permissible to flash forward, backward, and sideways to make your point – rather like Wonka's famous elevator.
I will not – nay, cannot – delve into each character and time segment that is examined in this film. Instead I want to discuss the way that the film connects each of those timeframes and so beautifully illustrates the concept of connection and replication of souls that continue forever, without change, in a web that holds everything together and gives all things meaning.
The main characters – Hanks, Berry, Bae, Broadbent, as well as Jim Sturgess, James D'Arcy, and Ben Whishaw – live lives in 6 separate time segments: 1849, 1936, 1973, 2012, 2144, and 2321. As different as each period of time may be, each character is painfully the same. The only difference is their appearance, in which at times there is only one feature that connects them in the viewer's mind to that character's other incarnations. In some ways that is part of the fascination and fun of the film, but in no way is it the truest magic that the viewer will discover. That lies in the complexity of the relationships held with each character and the one other character tethered inexorably to their soul, down through all the ages.
"Our lives are not our own – from womb to tomb we are bound to others, past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future."
Beautiful quotes ripple through each character, repeated by other characters in other incarnations, all to make those messages abundantly clear. Repetition is learning, so they say.
The main message is clear – through all of our many lifetimes, we each play the same basic role. We must, in order to learn from and fix our mistakes. Only when we have attained enlightenment and fixed our mistakes do we change roles and become revolutionaries, able to step outside our singular selves and benefit a larger part of the world. In every lifetime we have "our" kindred spirits – the ones we recognize and evolve toward, the ones we must fix our mistakes with in order to climb through the levels of being and become our superior selves. We are connected to "our" spirits and every lifetime we act out the same play in the same roles, albeit a different stage and with different stage dressing.
Some instances of echoing synchronicity include the soft-hearted lawyer who stands up for minorities through the ages, and helping those same enslaved beings to mount a rebellion of sorts, to break their bonds and break the mold of their time. He aids a slave in one lifetime, and frees a Fabricant from her Soylent Green-like existence in another, so that she may become a symbol of inspiration for a movement to dissolve such slavery once and for all. This Soylent Green-like existence is also shouted from the rooftops (figuratively) to fellow patients at a nursing home, before Fabricants came into being, by the same publisher who begins the tale with his warning of flashbacks and flash-forwards. His warning is not heeded, at least not by them. But do the ripples not reach that future Fabricant and fuel her rebellion, just as much as the love of her liberator? It seems so.
A dark thread also runs through these lifetimes. There are characters that do not seem to want to evolve or fix their mistakes. They share a motto as well – "The weak are meat, the strong do eat." These people are always the villains, always spreading darkness across every segment of time they inhabit. They know not love and do not have a connection in this way to any other characters. They repeat, perhaps, simply to create friction and prevent those striving for enlightenment from attaining it. They deal in suffering as readily as a gunslinger deals in lead, and with as catastrophic an effect. In all times, in all lives, these forces exist.You can find them if you look closely – they are always played by the same actors (Weaving is one, hint hint), just as it is with the others. They serve chaos and discord, but they serve.
For me, one of the most riveting relationships is that between Doona Bae's Fabricant character and that of Jim Sturgess's Hae-Joo Chang, her savior, liberator, and beloved. The purity of her love for him is evident in every line of her face and movement of her body, and his adoration for her, his luminous face of revolution, is just as evident in his actions. His heartbeat soothes her, and he believes she has the power to change the world. He shows her horrors beyond her imagining, and in return she awakens to what she must do.
Their fight for a cause grander than their own freedom to love is heart-wrenching in its sweet naiveté and fierce devotion. She fears she has lost him, but he continues to save her and be saved by her. "I won't let you go again." His death and departure from this life with her leads to her capture, and she welcomes the opportunity to tell her story and change just one mind before meeting her own death, and moving on to where she knows she will once again connect with her love. Because separation is an illusion, and temporary. And sometimes, changing just one mind is enough.
Archivist: The reports said Commander Jang was killed in the assault.
Somni-451: That is correct.
Archivist: Would you say that you loved him?
Somni-451: Yes I do.
Archivist: Do you mean you're STLL in love with him?
Somni-451: I mean, that I will always be.
In relation to this mindbending film, this is a vague article. I meant it to be. I hope it intrigues you to delve into the world of Cloud Atlas for yourself. Like the finest things in life, it can only be fully understood by personal experience, and personal relation to it.
The bright spot in a film rife with sorrow and pain is the ending idea that one cannot leave the film without absorbing – no matter the mistakes we have made, we can redeem ourselves through positive actions, such as love and selflessness, courage and tenacity. It is never too late to right a wrong. Souls that belong together will always come back together. We are all connected.
"Moments like this, I can feel your heart beating as clearly as I feel my own, and I know that separation is an illusion."


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The past week or two I have been a little out of sorts. I could feel something within me that needed to be birthed, but I could not put my finger on it. It has been a busy summer, full of lots of fun activities, and plenty of work, too. I have been feeling tired, not in a physical way, but in an emotional way. Because there has not been a lot of time to think, or write my way out of whatever it was, I felt stuck. Last night, it finally dawned on me. The last few years, or more honestly, the last decade has been a really tough one, and while I have made it through to the other side and into a comfortable way of living, and loving others, and myself, I realized I had done what I have always done. I got through everything the Walt Disney way–"Keep moving forward." When I stopped to look at everything that I had been holding inside of me it became abundantly clear that I had every right to be fully exhausted.
From childhood, it has been my habit to keep moving forward, making my way from one trauma to the next, with varying degrees of success, without ever really taking the time to stop and acknowledge what I have been through. I can stay it out loud, and know it intellectually, but all of that is done quickly, sweeping the dirt under the rug so that I do not have to see it anymore, or feel it. I clean houses for a living and I never sweep dirt under the rug when I clean a house, but I am the master of sweeping my own feelings under the rug, and moving on as if whatever it was had never happened. It has been a survival mechanism for me, but it has left me weary.
Certainly, there are benefits to going through life this way. I have had to start over many times, and move beyond some pretty huge things that might waylay many people for a very long time. I bounce back up from every knock that life gives me with the resilience of one of those blow up clowns weighted with sand at the base. You can punch them and punch them and punch them and they just spring right back up, seemingly indestructible. So, I bounce back up, I let go, I move forward, and I also pretend like nothing bad ever happened. I never take the time to honor the battle I have fought, feel the pain I carried silently throughout, or acknowledge that I have every right to be tired, or hurt, or angry, or sad.
I know now that I will continue to be tired until I allow each trial to be fully seen, felt, and honored for what it was at the time for me, and what gifts and lessons I gained from each hurt, and difficult experience. To continually deny all of the exceptionally hard experiences of the past decade is to deny a huge part of myself, because it has been those experiences that have brought me to the happiness and joy I have today. Through those pains and knocks, I learned to love myself, and to love and rely on God in a much deeper way.
My little boy is helping me to learn how to do this honoring in order to truly and fully release and heal. The child has a memory that is truly amazing, and so much of what he remembers are thing I would prefer under the rug. He has been speaking frequently of our dog, Tanner, who we left when we left the "blue house," the house of horrors, and my marriage to the sociopath. Tanner was not a young dog, and I imagine Tanner is no longer alive. I have no idea what my ex-husband did with him, but my son wants to talk about Tanner and about all of the other animals he loved on our farm. It hurts me so much, and far too deeply to think about what may have happened to the animals we left behind, but do it I must now.
After I found half of our herd dead, and piled in heaps in a barn the winter before we got out, I shut down. Twenty-five or more animals starved to death, all the while I was being told they were "fine." I will never really know what happened to those animals, and I thought I had shielded my son better, but he remembers so much, and now, three years later, he wants to talk about it. He needs to talk about it because he has been carrying the horror of all of that around for three years in his little seven year old body. At first, I was inclined to change the subject when my serious little boy brought awful memories up, but now I let him talk—we talk about it.
He is a much different child now than he was when we left three years ago. He is far more relaxed, and he is extremely resilient. He feels things very deeply, and now he needs to talk about those feelings, and as he finally does, there is less of what little anger he has had left every day. He is letting go the right way, and I will not hinder that process anymore by not being brave enough to feel the hurt myself. I will not teach him to sweep things under the carpet. Together we are learning to bring the dirt out into the light so that we can sweep it away for good. He is a brilliant teacher and a very kind and caring soul, wise way beyond his years.
So now I must stop, and look at it all, and give it all due space and honor and light—the dirt. I have to feel the hot tears rolling down my cheeks as I think of the awfulness of my drinking, and the arrests and jail time and the time away from my older children, now grown. I have to feel the pain of the relapses, and the rehabs, and the halfway house. I have to look at my marriage and the abuse we endure for far too long. I have to honor the time I spent in prison, having to leave my little boy for six months, and the sadness that brought me, which I hid from. I have to feel the weight of rebuilding a life from the ground up in the last year, single parenthood, and surviving the mother of all nasty, long, drawn out divorces and custody battles.
I have to feel that crushing pain and heaviness in my chest…the full weight and size of it–and I have to feel the hurt, and the anger, and the sadness. It has been in there for years now, slowly pushing its way up to the surface. Now that it is bursting out of me like hot lava flowing out of a long dormant volcano I can already feel the release of pressure. I have no plans to wallow, but I have no choice but to let it flow. The flow is all of the pus from wounds suffered but never treated properly. I am finally really healing and so I am going to treat myself like someone who needs quite a lot of tenderness and care for a bit. I want to make sure all of the dirt gets swept out for good this time. If I need someone to talk to so I do not impede my own healing process, I know where to go.
As happy as I have been in recent years, it has not been complete and now I know why. It is impossible to relax fully into joy and contentment and authenticity while you continue to deny a part of yourself. I am on my way now to a higher level of all around health and happiness. No more dirt under the rug for me. Yesterday, I took my serious, yet wacky, son to the playground. He sailed down one slide, landed on his feet at the bottom, threw open is arms and shouted, "I love life!" Do you know how long I have been waiting to hear him say those words–to just feel unbridled joy?
I hugged him hard and kissed him. Then I said, "You know what? I love life, too, and I love you!" It is all true. I do love life and I know for a fact that were it not for all of that dirt that has scared me so, I would not know the happiness that I do now. The dirt has served its purpose now. I stand, with broom in hand, ready to sweep it out as it continues to unearth itself. A clean start, and cleaner, lighter, fuller heart. We are really healing this time and we are doing it together. Yes, I love life!

subset: commoncrawl


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John Minchillo / AP
Sea water floods the Ground Zero construction site, Oct. 29, 2012, in New York. Sandy continued on its path Monday, as the storm forced the shutdown of mass transit, schools and financial markets, sending coastal residents fleeing, and threatening a dangerous mix of high winds and soaking rain.
Lucas Jackson / Reuters
Superstorm Sandy made landfall Monday evening on a destructive and deadly path across the Northeast.


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These are my "Natural Disasters".
The Earthquake
Cameron "Camo" is my oldest. He's what I lovingly refer to as my guinea pig for parenting. At 9lb. 1 oz., he came into the world as a force to be reckoned with. He doesn't just walk- he stomps. You know when he's around- and when he's not.
He's an AMAZING older brother to Jacob and Nicholas. He's smart (too smart), funny, sensitive, and determined.
The Tornado
Jacob is my middle son. He's a whirlwind of energy that never dies down, and he constantly leaves destruction in his path. He's used to being the baby right now, so he tends to act spoiled- expecting everyone to pick up after him and everyone to do what he says. The problem is, with his big blue eyes, its hard to say no.
He's sweet and cuddly, funny and -much like his older brother- EXTREMELY smart. He figured out how to navigate the worldwide web at 1 1/2. This can be a good thing and a bad thing- we've encountered MANY computer viruses over the years due to his love of the computer.
The Hurricane
Nicholas is my baby. He's only been in this world for a short time, but we can already see his determination. He hates sleeping- its as if he's afraid he's going to miss something important. He has an infectious laugh and a beautiful smile. He's VERY demanding- we often refer to him as the Mini Master; if you aren't giving him your full attention, he'll let you know that isn't ok with him.
So, why "Hurricane"? When he was younger, he was a mess of spit up and everything else. Now that he's older, you'd think he's less wet, but…no. Now, he doesn't spit up; he just has an INSANE love for water- including the kind that can be found in the toilet. Add to that massive destruction left in his wake, and he rivals Hurricane Katrina.
(Like the pictures? If you live in the SoCal area, check out THIS page and ask for Victoria!)


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A veterinary technician performs the same task as a nurse does. The career of a veterinary technician can be fulfilling only if you love caring for animals and do not shun from attending to them. The main responsibilities of veterinary technicians include collection of blood samples of animals, performing different tests and analysis of animals. The career of a veterinary technician actually becomes interesting when it comes to taking care of pet-owners. So, while you practice as a veterinary technician, you do not only ease the discomfort of pet animals but also try to comfort their owners. Therefore, the career gives you an opportunity to understand the behavioral attributes of animals as well as experience the bonding that exists between people and their pets.
It is actually a veterinarian under whose guidance veterinary technicians performs their task. Though at the very first look the veterinary technician career may look a bit unpleasant, it has its rewards too. The profession of a veterinary technician adds much to your knowledge. During your career, you get to know more about people, their behavior and the love that they share with their pets. The career of veterinary technician makes you aware of how different animals can react in some particular situations. At the end of the day, it will make you feel contented that you provided comfort to an innocent creature. So, you have both physical as well as mental challenges to face during your career.
The exact responsibilities of veterinary technicians may differ a little depending on the location you are practicing in. Usually, the veterinary technician would be collecting blood samples of animals, conducting numerous clinical tests, keeping the animal medical history and reporting to the veterinarian under whose supervision they are working.
Degrees/ Courses Required
To become a veterinary technician, students can enroll themselves in a 2-year associate degree which trains them in animal anatomy, veterinary technology and animal physiology. These degrees are offered at many universities and colleges across the world. Online veterinary technician courses are also a good option for candidates. If you want to be trained using live animals, you should go to a local college or university rather than earning a degree online.
Career Outlook & Salary of Veterinary Technician
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a 41 per cent employment growth rate increase in the coming years. As a result, around 29,000 posts for veterinary technicians will be created in the US. Looking at this increasing employment growth, it can be said that career as veterinary technicians will prove to be very profitable. Pet owners continue to increase in number. Therefore, the requirement for veterinary technicians is also on the rise.
The career of a veterinary technician can fetch you an annual salary ranging anywhere between $28,920 and $43,380. Landing a job in government agencies would bring higher earning opportunities.


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From "Chopped" to "The Apprentice," Company Provides Services for a Host of Non-Scripted Shows
(BURBANK, Calif.) – As the Fall television season rolls out, a wide array of reality programming is being supported by Bexel, a leading worldwide provider of broadcast services and solutions. Bexel can be found behind the scenes on a veritable who's who of non-scripted programming, including Chopped and The Apprentice, providing them with the equipment, state-of-art systems, and engineering support needed to meet the highest broadcast standards.
The span of Bexel's services in reality television covers the entire gamut the genre has to offer. From competitions like American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Hell's Kitchen, RuPaul's Drag Race, and Utopia; to the real world exploits of Beyond Scared Straight, Black Ink Crew, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, The Real Housewives of Orange County, Vanderpump Rules, Watch What Happens: Live, and White Girl Problems; to sports-based shows including The Big Break, Deadliest Catch: The Bait, and Hard Knocks, Bexel contributes expertise, support, and solutions to some of television's most entertaining shows.
Bexel provides a variety of premier technology solutions to these shows, including complete ENG camera packages with wireless monitoring, full ENG audio packages with multi-track recording, Cat-5 monitoring for offstage production offices, fiber booth kits, flypack systems, director/DP monitoring solutions, and much more. The company's services also incorporate on-site design and installation, overall project management of the technical production, customized communication systems, and frequency coordination and consultation.
Chopped, which will soon begin airing its 22nd season, has been working with Bexel from day one. The popular cooking competition works with a 12 ENG camera flypack from Bexel, utilizing 10 Panasonic AJ-HDX900s cameras and two Panasonic AK-HC1500G robotics systems. The show is provided with CopperHead and SMPTE fiber cable, as well as Bexel's custom camera harness, to make the ENG cameras work as needed in a studio application.
"From season one, we've worked with the great team at Chopped to build a camera package specific to their needs," says Ernesto de la Torre, business development manager for Bexel. "To be cost effective, they need a very versatile system. With their 12 cameras, they have the flexibility to do what they need in the fast-paced Chopped Kitchen, while still being able to go ENG, which they do for the contestant bio packages. We're also able to support their Steadicam Operator, who uses a Teradek Bolt Pro system. It allows him to record onboard with the Bolt, and transmit his signal to the control room integrating it into the full production process."
Bexel also provides hands-on engineering support, delivered in a way that is uniquely integrated with the production. Timothy Quinn, a system engineer for Bexel, serves as the Engineer in Charge on Chopped. In that role, Quinn oversees the technical engineering aspects of the entire production. "Tim is an integral part of the show, and he's truly considered to be a member of the Chopped crew after all these years," notes de la Torre. "We also provide a Video Operator who's charged with making sure all the cameras are matched when the show is being produced, which helps manage time and budgets during the editing process. Bexel's commitment to our clients is exemplified by Tim and the complete services and support we're proud to provide for Chopped."
"Bexel's support has been invaluable on Chopped," comments Notional's Loe Fahie, Line Producer for Chopped. "As an equipment and services provider, they've been with us every step of the way. Even when we moved studios a few seasons ago, everything went seamlessly. The team at Bexel knows our production requirements and anticipates our technical needs, which helps keep our production on schedule. I love this team. Ernesto and Tim act as if our show is their show as well. Bexel is part of the Chopped family!"
Bexel has also enjoyed a longstanding relationship with The Apprentice franchise. The popular series, featuring Donald Trump, will soon begin airing its 14th season (The Celebrity Apprentice 7), and Bexel has been in "the boardroom" from the very beginning. Each season the company sends a team of engineers to execute and oversee the entire installation in The Apprentice's Trump Tower studios. For the upcoming season, the production is utilizing 24 cameras from Bexel, including 18 Sony PDW-F800s cameras and 60 channels of wireless audio from Sennheiser and Lectrosonics.
"From the very start, versatility was key for this production," notes Gregory Bragg, vice president of Global Sales for Bexel. "Their field crews are able to use the 18 ENG cameras to shoot the contestants in 'reality situations' and set up mini-fly packs with six to ten cameras to cover a 'task delivery' in the field. Then all of those cameras are able to come in when they shoot the boardroom material. They get tied into Bexel's control room facilities and become part of the studio flypack as well. The Apprentice franchise is the reason we originally developed our custom harness system. The only cost effective solution for them was to allow the flexibility of an ENG camera into a flypack situation, and our harness has continued to serve us well on many other shows."
Bexel has served as a resource to production companies from the initial days of reality television. "Since the dawn of the early MTV shows in the mid-1990's, including Road Rules and many others, Bexel has been at the forefront of support for reality television," concludes Bragg. "As the genre has evolved, so have the services and solutions that we offer. The depth of our reach into the reality market is really unmatched. Whether it's a small two to three camera production, a 24 camera mega-show, the 90 robotics involved in Hell's Kitchen, or the massive infrastructure of Utopia, Bexel covers the entire range."
About Bexel
Bexel is the pre-eminent worldwide provider of broadcast services including video and audio equipment rentals, fiber services, new audio sales, used equipment sales, and repairs/maintenance. Bexel provides brilliantly designed and flawlessly executed systems and solutions to all customers – including producers of the biggest and most important televised events in the world. For more information, visit www.bexel.com, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
About the Vitec Group
Capture the moment(tm)
For over 100 years, through every innovation in photography, film and digital image-making, Vitec businesses have developed a powerful portfolio of brand and products that have enabled some of the most amazing moments to be captured under some of the most challenging conditions. Vitec is an international Group principally serving customers in the broadcast photographic and military aerospace and government (MAG) markets. Vitec is based on strong, well-known premium brands on which its customers worldwide rely. Vitec is organized in three divisions: Videocom, Imaging and Services. Videocom designs and distributes systems and products used in broadcasting and live entertainment, film and video production and MAG. Imaging designs, manufactures and distributes equipment and accessories for photography, video and events. Services provides equipment rental, workflow design and technical support for camera, video, audio, fiber optic and wireless technology used by TV production and film crews. More information can be found at www.vitecgroup.com.
# # #
Media Contacts:
ignite strategic communications
Christine Purse, [email protected]


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Living by the sea we often have sea mist in the mornings, and occasionally we have fog which might last all day; however we very rarely have a thick enough fog to cause us any problems. When I was a child before the clean air acts, and before car engines were as efficient as they are now, fog would become smog and it would be so dense you literally could barely see your hand in front of your face. later when I went to Manchester, there would be dense, blinding fog; I remember walking to college, my hand against the wall beside me because otherwise I might have stepped into the road and got lost. I heard a noise behind me but there was nothing there except a faint glimmer, and then the glimmer became lights, a pair of lights inching their way forward… a bus… How grateful I was to get on it, but I think it might have been quicker to walk!
In the first novel I published, Deke is staying on Farholm Island and she goes exploring; she reaches a village up on the top of the hills and then the fog comes down:
Deke hobbled swiftly down the stable, flung open the door and rushed out into the fog, she would go back to the cafe and phone someone, anyone to rescue her, to take her back to her cottage and she would pack and run away. The fog was thicker than anything Deke had ever experienced, it was quite frightening, like a disembodied entity pushing up against her face, its cold breath chilling her skin and dewing her hair.
She blundered on and she heard Michael somewhere calling her, his voice oddly directionless in the obscurity. She came up against a wall and followed it, passing an unlit window and came to a door. She banged but there was no response, it wasn't the cafe. Michael was still calling her name and then she heard other voices. Quite close at hand a woman said
"Who is it?"
"Its me, Deke," she answered because the voice sounded familiar.
"Where are you?"
Deke stumbled on to where the woman seemed to be. There was grass beneath her feet, she had strayed out of the confines of the village. She was very frightened. Something moved in the fog in front of her and thankfully she hurried towards it only to collide with a startled cow. She turned and tried to go back the way she had come. She had no idea which way she was facing, towards the village or away and into the hidden wilderness.
"Where are you?" said the woman again.
She stumbled on and unexpectedly her crutch sunk into mud. She was on the edge of a pond, the pond she had seen in the photo of the children. She had staggered into the cow trampled ooze and she slithered and stuck, her crutches pushing down into the smelly slime.
"I'm by the pond," she called, her voice sharp with panic and fear.
"Which side? Can you see across it?"
Deke looked across the dull grey water and could just make out a clump of reeds. She was shoved violently and she slipped and fell with a great splash. She floundered and thrashed desperately as a foot pressed down on her back, between her shoulder blades. Then it was gone and she turned onto her back, hacking and coughing as she tried to sit up. Then the pond seemed full of other people and she was pulled up, hawking and spitting.
If you haven't read my book, Farholm, here is a link:


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ULEN, Minn. (AP) — Firefighters from several departments are battling a large brush fire near Ulen in northwestern Minnesota.
Clay County Sheriff Bill Bergquist says the fire destroyed one structure Sunday, but there have been no injuries. He says one farmstead was threatened, but firefighters were able to save it, and no other structures appear to be threatened at this point.
By early Sunday evening, he said, the fire was mostly burning in some woods. He says trucks aren't able to get in there, so firefighters are doing everything by hand or with ATVs. He says the hot weather is also making the work hard.
The sheriff says authorities heard the destroyed building was an abandoned farmstead but they couldn't immediately confirm that.
Bergquist says the cause of the fire hasn't been determined.
(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Denim Totes for Spring
Count the Stars, Tell Your Story
It all began with a telescope. Our great aunt pursued her passion and blazed a trail for others to follow. Her legacy became our family history and an enduring lesson. Each of us has a story to tell as brilliant as a thousand stars. This is Star Cottage Cloth.


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Cabbage Fried Rice Recipe
Some Information About Cabbage Fried Rice
Sometimes you may feel too lazy to make elaborate dishes that involve many steps of cooking. On such days, cabbage fried rice can be a good meal choice. You need only a few ingredients to make this yummy dish, and it takes only a few minutes to make.
Cabbage fried rice is less spicy, because this recipe does not involve any sauce. If you want to make it hot, use red chili sauce or Szechuan sauce. Adding mace and star anise gives this fried rice a unique flavor.
This dish can be served hot or warm with a vegetable salad or with tomato sauce.
- 1 1/2 cup raw white rice, or long grain rice, cook it al dente
- 2 1/2 cups cabbage, shredded
- 1/4 cup capsicum, julienned
- 1/8 cup carrot, julienned
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/6 inch ginger, finely chopped
- 2 green chilies, slit and cut in long pieces
- 1/4 tsp pepper powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil or any other cooking oil
- 3/4 tsp salt, or as per taste
- 1 strand mace
- 2-3 petals star anise
- 3/4 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
Step-By-Step Instructions and Images for Making Cabbage Fried Rice
- Wash rice. Cook it al dente or cook till firm, don't overcook. That means that the cooked rice grains should be separated from one another. Spread it for cooling.
- Heat oil in a wok or deep bottom pan. Add chopped garlic, mace, and star anise. Stir fry them for a few seconds. Throw in chopped onion and green chilies. Continue frying till onion turns golden.
- Add all other vegetables. Stir fry till the veggies turn soft yet crunchy. Now the cabbage will become golden and will start emitting a nice aroma. Add cooked rice, salt, and pepper powder. Mix well. Add vinegar.
- Stir fry for 1 minute on low fire or till the spices coat well on the vegetables and rice grains. Take it off the fire.
- Cabbage fried rice is now ready to serve. Serve hot or warm in a bowl with vegetable-yogurt salad or with tomato sauce. Enjoy eating!
Nutritional Information of Cabbage Fried Rice
|Nutrition Facts
|Serving size: 1 cup
|Calories from Fat
|% Daily Value *
|Fat 6 g
|Saturated fat 1 g
|Carbohydrates 28 g
|Sugar 1 g
|Fiber 3 g
|Protein 6 g
|Cholesterol 43 mg
|Sodium 260 mg
|* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.


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stop huffing paint
very good point, youve changed my mind!
nobody cares enough about what you think to try and change your mind
You set the benchmark for this discussion with your well thought-out response theyre retarded
then why bother replying
because it's kind of entertaining to watch you struggle to own people in this thread
ironic youd consider me as the self righteous one lol
you entered an LGBT pride thread to call transgender people mentally disabled. that is pretty self-righteous in the sense that you sought out people specifically to condescend them.
seems like everybody in this thread is pretty self righteous
"all cops kill miniorites" you forgetin idiot they literally just kicked out a bunch of people from the force just for saying stuff on facebook
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Microsoft today announced legal action around the world against online auctioneers who allegedly orchestrated international marketing schemes and sold counterfeit software.
At the centre of its lawsuits is the so-called Blue Edition of Windows XP, a counterfeit version of Microsoft's aging operating system on CD.
In the UK, Microsoft began seven civil cases for alleged trademark infringement against traders on various internet auction sites for selling "high quality counterfeit" Windows and Office software.
Hundreds of buyers duped
Microsoft reckons that these sellers may have sold over 900 individual counterfeits to an estimated value of over £69,000.
Similar legal proceedings - 63 in all - were launched in the US, Germany, France, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico and New Zealand, emphasising the global nature of software piracy.
Despite the rampant sale of counterfeit and pirated software on internet auction sites, none of the actions Microsoft filed today have been brought against eBay or other auction sites.
In fact, says Microsoft, "Certain internet auction platforms, like eBay, proactively cooperate in the fight against counterfeiters."


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March 17, 2017 at 5:50AM
DCP frame rate = recording rate 24 vs 25 fps
As I understand, there are two DCP standarts, one is 24fps Interpop and other 25 fps SMPTE and none of them is not universal.
The best I understood - its better to have both versions of film - 25 and 24 fps.
Then, I face a question - which frame rate is better for recording?
Somehow, it feels like that its possible to build in both vesrions: 25 fps to 24 fps OR 24 fps to 25 fps.
BUT, my idea that shooting 24 is safer, because for 25 fps we will have only to make everything slightly faster.
I worried that building 24 from 25 could influence badly for movement or panning.
What do you know on this subject? Thank you
1 Comment
The best one to use depends on your goals. If you are an American, fund-raising from Americans, looking to release in America, and hoping that it will screen widely in America, then shoot 24p. If you are European, fund-raising from Europeans, looking to release in Europe, and hoping it will screen widely in Europe, shoot 25p. If you are somewhere between those two, figure out which you are closest to and choose. It is a binary choice. You cannot shoot both. One will be better than the other for the "native" market. You have to pick your market, then make your film. Then, if there's demand from the other market, you can hire a post house to do a high-quality conversion from 24p to 25p, or vice-versa, depending on what you originally shot.
March 17, 2017 at 8:38AM, Edited March 17, 8:39AM


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A $275.00 value - Ticket included as a choice with your Dubai Explorer Pass!
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Hours of operation are subject to change. For the most up-to-date hours of operation, please see the LEGOLAND Dubai park hours prior to your visit.


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Five years after Amendment 64 was passed by Colorado voters, counties and municipalities across the state continue to create and refine legislation surrounding marijuana legalization.
The Fremont County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday heard the first reading of an ordinance that would regulate the cultivation of marijuana on residential properties, in residential structures, in accessory structures on residential properties, on vacant or unoccupied land and on non-residential property, and require registration of caregivers.
The 16-page ordinance repeals and replaces two existing home grow ordinances. County Attorney Brenda Jackson said the restructured ordinance cleans up some of the language and definitions in the ordinances and addresses plant counts.
One change is that medical or personal use marijuana cultivation is now prohibited within a travel trailer park, campground or on any property allowing or containing temporary residential uses by non-owners.
Another change is the plant count limit.
Under the new ordinance, no more than 12 marijuana plants would be allowed to be grown on any single-family residential property at as given time; no more than six plants would be allowed to be grown on the property of any unit of a multi-family dwelling; no more than 24 medical marijuana plants would be allowed to be grown by a patient or primary caregiver on any single-family dwelling residential property; and no more than 24 medical marijuana plants would be allowed to be grown by a patient or primary caregiver on any vacant or unoccupied property, except under the authority of a valid, Extended Plant Count Permit.
"In the past, we have gone up to as many as 99 plants," Jackson said. "We have eliminated that and capped it at 24, and that is only for medical."
Cultivation of personal use or recreational use marijuana on non-residential, unoccupied property is prohibited with no exceptions.
A new section of the proposed ordinance creates a permitting process for medical marijuana that allows an extended plant count by permit.
"We can exceed the 24 plant limit if an extended plant count permit is applied for and granted by the county," Jackson said. "A cooperative grow may be done through a permit — there is an application process, there are requirements on the permit, there is a revocation process for violation of the permits, and an appeal process if the permit application is denied or if a revocation of a permit occurs."
Second reading and adoption of the ordinance will take place at the Dec. 12 or Dec. 26 meeting, and if approved, would be effective Jan. 1.
The proposed ordinance is available on the county's website, www.fremontco.com and individuals also may request a copy at room 105 in the County Administration Building.
In other business, the board scheduled a special meeting at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 19 to certify the mill levy and adopt the 2018 budget. The board also approved the closure of the Fremont County Administration Building and the Garden Park Building at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 14, with the Clerk's Office to close at 2 p.m., for the annual administration Christmas party.
Carie Canterbury: 719-276-7643, firstname.lastname@example.com


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Then again, why would Microsoft release Surface at all? Windows 8 is a huge play call by Microsoft. By re-imagining Windows, they are bringing in major change. And there hasn't been anything like this amount of change since Windows 95. It's a risk and everyone wants to mitigate risk.
What we've learned in the last 3 years is that the device plays as much of a role in the consumer sale as the operating system, if not more. Microsoft has always relied on hardware partners for the most part. Yes, they've built a better mouse, a better web cam, and the XBox. But in the PC realm, they relied on partners.
Look at some of the devices that we've seen announced. There have been many slate PCs and tablets that offer nothing new – just more of the same that used to run Android and would now run Windows 8 – former wannabe iPad killers. In the the Ultrabook market we have seen some rather strange device choices too … that one with the screen on the outside was ridiculous.
Not all have been silly or lacked innovation. I like the look of some of the slide-out slates/tablets where the keyboard lives under the screen and can slide out to produce a more normal looking laptop experience.
My guess is that Microsoft wanted to lead on the success of Windows 8, rather than depend on the hardware leadership of others. By creating Surface, Microsoft has built sexy, stylish, and innovative devices, something that the OEMs should have done. They have challenged the OEMs to produce something different, something better. Don't just reinvent the same old thing with a different OS and new processor version. Be creative. Use new form factors. Take advantage of new components. Challenge each other and steal the lead from Microsoft.
By launching now instead of at Windows GA (October is my guess) it's giving the OEMs time to get their act in gear sooner rather than later. I hope the OEMs do respond positively – I'd like to see cool devices for Windows 8 being sold outside of the USA.
That's my 2 cents on the matter.


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Building on our theme of cellular hackery, Dave has a three part series on his blog dedicated to the creation of a remote start system for his car. What's the catch, you say? Oh, no catch, no catch at all… except that he wired his remote start to work via cellphone input, so he can give his whip a call before he leaves work and climb into a warm car immediately upon arrival at the parking lot.
Considering he purchased the cell phone in question for $10 from a drug store and spent $71 in total on parts, we think this is a pretty solid hack. If you've ever researched remote start for your own car, you know that adding equivalent functionality usually requires an iPhone and about $500 burning a hole in your pocket.
We always get a kick out of using cell phones to do creative things, especially when they're the non-smartphone variety. What other projects have you readers dreamed up with your spare texts or data plans?


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Always follow your gut instinct.
This week has been a revealing and pretty testing one. When I was made redundant just before I fell pregnant, it was pretty messily and insensitively handled and frankly, the writing had been on the wall for a while, just that I didn't read the signals. It shook my confidence so then determinedly, I secured a role that on paper was more exciting, more strategic, more pay and well, just more. For some reason however, it just didn't feel right. I held off from accepting the offer for two whole weeks and as I drove to work on my first day as a newly pregnant and formally dressed person, I wasn't excited. I didn't even feel neutral. I knew the difference between nervous apprehension and plain dread.
It turned out that my gut instinct was right. It was a mistake, but I was brave enough to put a stop to that interlude. However it was another factor that I let augment my self perception.
This week I spoke to so many people with emotive challenges I'm life. For some reason my shoulder is pretty attractive to secretly woeful people who carry themselves with a smile. I listened to a friend who has anxiety attacks at work, I've wiped the tears from friends who miss their children because they are busy being hamsters at work. I've held the hands of friends contemplating fertility treatments and encouraged my neighbour back into education as she has now raised her children. I also said no to a corporate role that would have sucked the life out of my life. I listened to my gut instinct. Nobody should actively or passively do things in life that they know will make them sad.
A the same time my husband has been away for work this week. I've had friends and family over this week back-to-back and I feel loved and blessed. How to thank them? There's less money in my household now so I'm not taking each of them for dinner, but what I can do is put some quality and love into a thoughtful gift.
Christmas and Diwali are around the corner, why don't you try these either for yourself or as gifts for loved ones. It's so lovely to receive a gorgeous catch of something tasty that doesn't perish in a day or two. My lychee and chilli dipping sauce is versatile and smells amazing. So far I've used it with chips and spring rolls and can't with each mouthful I've thought, 'I can't believe I made this' .
This dipping sauce carries an exotic aroma, has a zesty and hot kick and is cheekily sticky. Go on, if you like it hot and sweet…
Two tins of lychees
5 tbsp of caster sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
8-10 red finger chillies
1. Mince the chillies to a paste and keep them to a side.
2. Put the lychees int a food processor and blend them together to as smooth a consistency as possible, although it may be quite chunky don't worry,
3. Pour the lychees into a non-stick pan together with the chilies and the sugar and bring the mixture to a simmer. Turn the heat to a medium flame and simmer for 15-20minutes until the juices have thickened.
4. Return the sauce to a food processor and blitz it until the lychee chunks have smoothed into the sauce.
5. Place the sauce back onto the hob and simmer for a further 5minutes until the sauce is thick and sticky.
Allow the sauce to cool before serving. If you aren't serving it straight away then store it in an air tight, sterilised jar.
I am entering this made from scratch Homemade sweet lychee and hot chilli dipping sauce to Javelin Warrior's Made with Love Mondays.


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Wii fit plus vs Raving Rabbids- Game review
I fell in love with Wii fit and have yet to fall out of love with it (except everytime it tells me how much weight I have gained). For years I have waited for Wii fit plus to go down in price to put more fizz into using my board.
So when I brought the second hand copy from CEX and found the game was actually a disappointment, you can tell I wasn't a happy bunny.
Compare it to Raving Rabbids, and you have a different story however, as this is a game I have been looking forward too since it first came out, struggled to find the original game for years when I could afford it. It is a great game, and tired out my poor arms due to the fun nature of it. The game really absorbs you, especially someone who adores cute like me. This then gets you putng more into winning, into losing yourself and forgeting your waving your arms madly and getting you off the sofa.
Comparing the "Kung foo" of the Wii fit to one of the dance games in the rabbids game, I know I expelled far more energy with the bundles of white fluff and its was more fun!
Yes I have only just got both games, and the wii fit set programs make it eaiser (and lazier) to focus on something in particular, and maybe there are alot of great things that will slowly come out of this game, but the inital "wow" isn't great.
It is more like a Wii fit 1.2… and I just want to play more rabbid games…


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The number of animals used in scientific research at the University of B.C. dipped by almost five per cent in 2013 from the previous year, though there was a slight increase in the more invasive and painful categories of research, according to a recently released disclosure statement.
Almost 60 per cent of all animals used in research were rodents, while about 1.5 per cent were other small mammals, large mammals and marine mammals. The remaining 40 per cent were fish, reptiles, amphibians and birds.
In all, 63 animals — 0.03 per cent of all 216,450 animals used for research — were subjected to so-called Category E conditions of severe pain near, at, or above the pain tolerance threshold of unanesthetized conscious animals, as defined by the Canadian Council on Animal Care in science (CCAC).
The number of animals subjected to Category D research, involving moderate to severe distress or discomfort, grew by 2.55 per cent to 76,496 animals.
The animal rights group Stop UBC Animal Research responded to the report by calling on the university to end the most invasive categories of research and adopt research protocols that do not require animals.
Andre Menache, the group's scientific adviser, pointed out that nearly 60 per cent of all animals used are for basic research, rather than medical and veterinary research or regulatory testing of drugs and medical products, which are required by Canadian law before they can be used on humans.
"Most people are opposed to inflicting harm and suffering on animals for the sake of curiosity-driven research," said Menache, in a statement.
Menache urged UBC to add outside experts to the panel of scientists that reviews animal research proposals, "to include scientists with expert knowledge of replacements to the use of animals in research and testing."
UBC's associate vice-president for research Helen Burt said the university adheres to the highest ethical standards for animal research and remains the only university in Canada that discloses animal research statistics.
"As an institution with one of the largest health research programs in the country, we feel it is appropriate to engage with the public in discussing the nature — numbers of animals, species and types of studies — and importance of animal research in understanding human and animal disease, new medical discoveries, new therapies and better conservation practices for animals in the wild," she said in an email interview.
The university's animal care committee, the group charged with monitoring the health and welfare of animals and managing changes in animal welfare protocols, is comprised of UBC experts, veterinarians, faculty, a student representative and two members of the public, said Burt.
Public representatives are usually members or employees of humane societies or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, according to the CCAC.
All aspects of animal research at Canadian Universities are overseen by the CCAC, which is comprised of 24 scientific and government and non-governmental organizations, including the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies.
The university's guiding principles for animal research as the "Three Rs," replacement, reduction and refinement, said Burt.
"Investigators carefully design research projects and continually refine procedures to reduce the number of animals used and replace them, where possible, with non-animal methods," she said.
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South Africa, 22. July 2019 – Parker Hannifin, the global leader in motion and control technologies, contributed time and goods to the local community in Tembisa in support of the 10th annually-celebrated Nelson Mandela International Day.
On Nelson Mandela International Day, thousands of South Africans head out to spend their 67 minutes in commemoration of the late former president Nelson Mandela's birthday.
Mandela would have turned 101 on July 18. Former president Jacob Zuma introduced the initiative in 2009 to celebrate Mandela's birthday by encouraging others to do an act of kindness and for the public to get more involved with charitable organisations.
On Thursday 18 July, Parker Hannifin Sales Company South Africa visited Kids Haven (a non-project organization based in Benoni) with volunteers who spent some quality time with the children. Volunteers also assisted with covering the children's school books.
On Saturday 20 July, Parker Hannifin Sales Company South Africa visited the Harriers Running Club, located in the nearby Tembisa township area, and donated 67 blankets to children, parents and grandparents who need a warm blanket. Volunteers spent some quality time with the children, their parents and close family, and assisted with cleaning the surrounding area.
About Parker Hannifin
Parker Hannifin is a Fortune 250 global leader in motion and control technologies. For more than 100 years the company has engineered the success of its customers in a wide range of diversified industrial and aerospace markets. Learn more at www.parker.com or @parkerhannifin.


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A SAW is excited on a side of a piezoelectric platelet (LiNbO3) by an inter-digital transducer. The SAW propagating along the plane of lithium niobate is accompanied by a high-frequency electric field. This electric field penetrates into the 2D channel located in the semiconductor structure placed on the surface. The field produces electrical currents, which, in turn, cause Joule losses. As a result of the interaction of the SAW electric field with charge carriers, the SAW attenuation and its velocity shift are governed by the complex high-frequency conductivity, σhf(ω) . Therefore, the real and imaginary parts of the conductivity could be calculated from the SAW attenuation and velocity measured in the experiment. This "sandwich"-like experimental configuration enables contactless acoustoelectric experiments on non-piezoelectric 2D systems, for example built from Si and Ge.
Click on images to view a larger version or to download.
- Lithium Niobate plate (about 12x5mm2) with two interdigital transducers mounted on a sample holder. Lithium Niobate plate (about 12x5mm2) with two interdigital transducers mounted on a sample holder.
- Sketch of sample mounting (upside down) between two interdigital transducers. Sketch of sample mounting (upside down) between two interdigital transducers.
Resistive Magnets
Superconducting Magnets
- Signal Generator Agilent E4424B
- Signal Generator Agilent E8257D
- Signal Generator Agilent N5171B
- Signal Generator Stanford Research Systems SG382
- Function generator Stanford Research Systems DS345
- Digital Delay / Pulse generator DG535
- Gated Integrator & Boxcar Averager SR250
- Preamplifier SR240
- Colby Instrument Programmable Delay Line PDL-100A-100n
- Oscilloscope Tektronix TDG3034B
- Oscilloscope LeCroy HDO4054
- Homemade two channel (Amplitude & Phase) RF detector (30 – 2700 MHz)
Related Publications
I. L. Drichko, et al, Acoustoelectric effects in very high-mobility p-SiGe/Ge/SiGe heterostructure at low temperatures in high magnetic fields, J. Appl. Phys. 114 (2013) Read online
I.L. Drichko, et al, Acoustic studies of ac conductivity mechanisms in n-GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs in the integer and fractional quantum Hall effect regime, Phys. Rev. B 83 (2011) Read online
I. L. Drichko, et al, Magnetotransport in low-density p-Si/SiGe heterostructures: From metal through hopping insulator to Wigner glass, Physical Review B, 77 (2008) Read online


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Jim, Good catch. You are correct, the spec. should have a terminating "?>". Also, I note that in the current version of the XML specification, the "XML" has been changed to lowercase. The BNF productions for the XML version can be found in Section 2.8, Prolog and Document Type Declaration, of the XML specification. The version number is part of the XML declaration, which is part of a document's prolog. I will ammend the specification so each XML example begins with: <?xml version="1.0"?> - Jim On Friday, December 12, 1997 1:14 PM, Jim Davis [SMTP:email@example.com] wrote: > In the DAV spec, the examples of XML all show the XML processing instruction > as > > <?XML version="1.0"> > > Shouldn't that be > > <?XML version="1.0"?> > > with a trailing question mark? > > Reason I ask is that I'm actually trying the examples in the spec and get > an error with that processing instruction. But it could be that my XML > parser is flaky -- it is not from any known-reliable source.Received on Sunday, 14 December 1997 20:47:06 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Friday, 17 January 2020 20:01:12 UTC


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Chip shots around the Newport-Mesa golf scene …
• Two-time Costa Mesa City Championship runner-up Ryan Knapp, who regained his amateur status earlier this year, is returning to the field for the 45th annual golf extravaganza Saturday, Aug. 5, and Sunday, Aug. 6, at Costa Mesa Country Club.
Knapp, who works for a bank full-time, has been swinging the clubs well lately, causing some to wonder why he stopped playing on the professional mini tours after 1½ years, according to his affable father, Bob. His younger brother, Jake, plays on the PGA Tour and earned medalist honors in May at the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada USA West No. 2 Qualifying School.
Ryan Knapp, 26, played at Estancia High, Orange Coast College and UC Irvine, and qualified for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in 2014. It would be quite a story if Knapp captured the 2017 Costs Mesa title, also known as the Will Jordan Classic.
While in college, Knapp, who grew up playing Costa Mesa, placed second in the 2009 and 2012 Costa Mesa City Championships. He was fourth in 2011.
Golfers play 18 holes each on the two public courses, the par-72 Los Lagos Course and the par-70 Mesa Linda Course. Hand carts and caddies are allowed and golfers tee off at 6 a.m. each day. There is also a Senior Division for players 50 and over. In addition to the golf course currently playing in its best condition in years, golf course management tries to make the layout challenging.
"We do everything we can to make the golf course as tough as possible," said Danny Lane of Mesa Verde Partners, which operates the golf courses.
Past champions at Costa Mesa include Mark O'Meara (1979) and then-USC great Scott Simpson (1974). O'Meara won the Masters and British Open in 1998, and Simpson won the 1987 U.S. Open.
• As local private country clubs upgrade golf course and building facilities and compete for families and members, equity-owned Mesa Verde Country Club is the latest to announce plans for major renovation.
Club members last month approved a $7.3 million renovation plan to improve the golf course and clubhouse, and this coming on the heels of a $7 million clubhouse and dining room remodel in 2002.
The Mesa Verde calls for about $3 million allocated for clubhouse upgrades, and $600,000 for the lower deck and terraces, which provide panoramic views of the golf course. Construction on the 42,000-square-foot clubhouse is expected to last four to six months.
The plan includes $2.8 million in renovations on the 135-acre golf course, including rebuilding greens, adding fairway bunkers, realigning contours, reconstructing tee complexes, tree enhancement and beautification, irrigation system improvements and modifying practice greens and facilities. Golf course renovations are expected to be completed in 18 months.
Also, $900,000 is earmarked to help rebuild and upgrade the maintenance facility, which was built after the course opened in 1959.
Mesa Verde's golf course, which has played host to many PGA and USGA events, will remain opening during construction, which will begin in January.
The signature hole on the 6,803-yard, par-70 golf course is the 18th hole, a classic par-3 against the wind and across from a lake.
• Mesa Verde opened a rooftop garden last year in which all herbs and vegetables are fully organic and hydroponic. The herbs and veggies are used in salads, dressings, sauces and specials. Among the items Mesa Verde grows: Sorrel, mustard greens, kale, rainbow chard, chives, parsley, basil and watercress.
• Following its grand reopening last fall, the rerouted golf course at Santa Ana County Club continues to take shape and reportedly will need a few more years to really blossom into the type of old-style course envisioned by architect Jay Blasi. Santa Ana was closed for six months last year during its reconstruction.


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- High quality services with plain English IT expertise.
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Faculties come together to offer seven unique presentations on Big Data.
As a part of the Queen's University 175th anniversary celebrations, a cross-faculty group at Queen's University are presenting Big Data 175 – a year-long exploration into the pros and cons of Big Data in fields such as health care, marketing and national security.
Tuesday, Oct. 4 - What is Big Data and Why Does It Matter?
Paul Zikopoulos, vice-president Big Data Analytics and Competitive, IBM
Goodes Hall Commons, 6:30 pm
Wednesday, Oct. 5 - Is Your Neighbour a Liberal or a Conservative? Voter Surveillance and the Data-Driven Election Campaign
Colin Bennett, University of Victoria
Ellis Hall, Room 226, 12:30 pm
Monday, Jan. 16 - Film screening and discussion event
The Screening Room, 6:45 pm
Tuesday, Feb. 7 - Big Data, Cyber Security and Healthcare
Denise Anthony, Dartmouth College
The School of Medicine Building, Room 132A, 6:30 pm
More details will be available closer to the event
Big Data is large amounts of data that can be used to spot business trends, prevent diseases and combat crime, among other uses. These data sets are so large that traditional data processing applications are inadequate to deal with them. Security around Big Data is also a concern - an issue being addressed during the BD175 series.
"There are lots of great events happening around campus for the 175th, but I also saw an opportunity to create an event that was academic and involved all of the faculties," says lead organizer David Lyon, director of the Surveillance Studies Centre. "We are exploring Big Data on a local scale, and around the world."
BD175 is a series of seven events at Queen's, each hosted by a different faculty or department. The series opens with What is Big Data and Why Does It Matter? presented by Paul Zikopoulos, vice-president of IBM's Competitive and Big Data Analytics team. Mr. Zikopoulos is an award winning writer and speaker who has been consulted on Big Data by the television show 60 Minutes among many others.
The series celebrates Queen's contributions to Big Data innovations and the event is accessible to students, faculty, staff and the wider Kingston community. External speakers, along with Queen's professors and students, will define, describe and debate Big Data through lectures, seminars, panel discussions, video showings, film discussions, an art exhibit and other media.
"It's energizing to meet with people from all over Queen's and realize we have a common goal of presenting Big Data to the public," says Dr. Lyon. "We are opening the black box of Big Data, exploring what's being done with Big Data on campus, and arguing about the pros and cons of Big Data in fields from healthcare to marketing to national security and beyond."
For more information, including up-to-date information on presentations and topics, visit the BD175 website.


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Amsterdam's Caro Emerald is often referred to by us Anglos as "the Dutch Adele," but she's very much got her own style, sound, and name, and it's one to keep your eye on.
In the same vein as the Beibs, Emerald's "accidental" success is heavily due to YouTube. Even after her virtual popularity, few record labels recognized the potential of her now mega-hit, "Back It Up," forcing her producers—believing so strongly in her unique sound—to set up their own label, just for her. That album has since sold over a million copies and has even taken down the King of Pop's Thriller from the number one spot in the Netherlands. With her North American debut on the horizon, we're thinking it might be time for her to make moves on the US charts...
Noisey: Hey, Caro! How are you?
Caro Emerald: I'm good, how are you?
Fantastic, thank you. Just enjoying a lovely day in Brooklyn.
Nice! That's New York, right?
Come to think of it, the Dutch actually founded Brooklyn. Have you ever been out here?
No, not to Brooklyn. I've been to New York once, though. I actually have heard that story about the Dutch and Brooklyn. It's based after the village, Breuckelen, that's here as well.
So speaking of the States, I know you're making your US debut in LA. Have been out there before?
Yeah, I went there for the first time this year.
What did you think?
Well, it's huge. It's sort of a culture shock in that way. We stayed in Hollywood and, obviously, I saw the sign—which is really cool when you're from abroad and you actually get to see it—but other than that, I didn't really see a lot. We were so busy and so jet-lagged that it was pretty hard to get a good idea of the city being that it is so large.
Definitely. How long were you there for?
Just a couple of days.
Ah, that's totally not enough time. I'm from LA myself and I recommend at least a week to two for a visit. It's sprawling, you know? You gotta be able to sprawl (and that's really hard to do in a matter of a few days).
Yes, definitely. It is really just so incredibly large. If you're in one neighborhood, you might like that, and the other one, not.
Los Angeles—the "industry"—has your music all over it, from Pretty Little Liars to Vampire Diaries, and even a Disney movie. How was it working with Disney?
They were featuring one of my songs, called "That Man," as sort of the theme song of the movie, Chimpanzee. When I heard they wanted to have that song, I was really thrilled. They sent me the scenes where they would use it, and it was just so funny to see a little monkey hop around to it and think about why they chose to use it there. In a way, it's a dream come true, because I always wanted to sing in a Disney movie.
What's your favorite Disney movie?
The Lion King.
Me too!
Oh yeah, really?
Definitely. I mean The Little Mermaid is up there.
For me too!
Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor (2010) is obviously a reference to the film industry. I'm big on film and was trying to think of Dutch directors before this call and the only one that came to mind was Paul Verhoeven.
[_Laughs_] I don't think there are many Dutch directors that have made it that far.
I mean, a lot of directors in general haven't made it that far. Or "go" that far. Do you like any of his films?
Verhoeven… now, I really have to think about the films he did.
Starship Troopers, Showgirls, _Robocop_**…** Showgirls! Yes, well, his movies are not really in my genre. I've seen Showgirls. There was a lot of discussion about that movie and it was certainly entertaining, but it's more "interesting," you know what I mean?
Totally, he's sort of his own genre in that way. Back to the album at hand though—you beat out Thriller for number one on the Dutch charts. How did that make you feel?
Thank you! It was kind of strange, because I was very young when that record was released (in '81, as I'm from '83). It also happened during a strange period for me, because I had just started out as a debut artist and it's really hard to break as such, but everything just went so smoothly. I know it's a small country, but even in Holland, there's not a lot of space for artists.
I didn't know anything about the music industry; I really had just started. People would tell me all sorts of things, but I didn't know what it was to be "normal" or what to expect, so when they told me I sold 10,000 copies, I was like, "Okay, that's great." I didn't have a sense, yet!
I mean, how do you even prepare for that at all?
Yeah! I really didn't know how great that was until this happened about half a year after our release, and that punched it in. If you beat Thriller... that is something. But in a way, it was sort of embarrassing, because you can never really beat the King of Pop.
True, but, in a sense, you did!
30 years after, yes! But it still felt really weird. I'm so proud and have to take it so seriously, but I honestly would be happy with second place.
If you had your choice of Michael Jackson albums to beat out, though, would it be Thriller? Is that your favorite album?
Yeah, I think so. I actually don't know by heart what's on that album, and I'm pretty sure I like some songs from Off The Wall and Beat It, but I think Thriller is a really good one.
What are you up to creatively right now? Just preparing for your US debut?
Yeah! We've been super busy planning everything, but strangely, right now—years after actually I starting my career—I've got some time to breathe while working on our new album, so I'm also in the studio a lot.
It's really nice to have the time to prepare for this US release, because I thought we would have produced a second single right now, but we ended up saving all my time for promotions as the album is delayed. It's actually wonderful, because I have a lot of energy saved up for this. I'm really, really looking forward to it, even just to fly so far from home—to get to go to the "Land of Promise!"
You know, we're a very small country in Europe and I guess, being from such a small country, you sort of look up to the big countries like Germany and the UK. When you do well in those countries, people really look up to you, so me going to the States is a big thing—it makes the whole country proud.
Yeah, I can only really think of a few other artists that are recognized by the mainstream over here. They're mostly electronic acts, though.
Yeah, all the DJs.
Tiesto, Armin van Buuren, Laidback Luke…can you think of any other Dutch acts we might know?
Do you know Within Temptation?
No, not at all.
They're of a very particular genre and have a very particular audience, big in the live scene. From earlier on though… Golden Earring?
No, not ringing a bell either.
Yeah, they're from a long time ago. Esmée Denters—you know her?
Um, yeah, actually?
Oh yeah? She's signed to Justin Timberlake's record label and her first album was released in the States. I think she had a hit single, or at least she had a hit single here, but I haven't heard about her in a while.
Aside from those artists, of course, I'm wondering if there's a 40s/50s revival scene in Holland we just don't really know about over here that had maybe influenced you at all or if that sort of sound is all you?
Well, I guess both, in that it's sort of a revival thing in general.I like it a lot, it think it suits me. I guess I've always had this jazzy thing going on, which I didn't particularly choose; that's just the way my voice sounds. I studied jazz and I've always been very charmed by the music from that period.
That's a good way to describe that period in music: charming.
It is very charming. That sound in the song just sort of came because everybody was interested in that period.
The song itself was sort of accidental, wasn't it?
Yeah, it was, actually! Then I thought it was so cool, I was in love with the song as it had every ingredient that I like; it was happy, you could sing along, danceable, but also cool, understated—understated cool and, in that way, a bit intelligent, if you know what I mean?
Well, I think I've gotten through this whole interview without mentioning clogs once, so I'm taking that as a good sign to sign off.
Catch Caro stateside when she hits LA's El Rey Theater on November 13th.


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Alex Ferguson in my opinion was the greatest football manager there has ever been. He was Manchester United manager for 26 years winning 38 trophies including 13 Premier League titles and 2 European Cups. But his successor David Moyes was sacked this week after only 10 months in the job.
As Manchester United search for the new 'chosen one' the transition from Ferguson to Moyes has got me thinking about leadership particularly when you follow someone who has done so well.
So I have come up with 10 lessons I think we can learn about leadership.
1) Succession Planning is vital when a departing leader is successful
Moyes was picked by Alex Ferguson to be his successor and you could see why as he appeared to be almost made in Ferguson's image!
The Salvation Army has a much greater capacity for succession planning with local leadership positions than with the officers who run corps (churches). This is because officers are normally appointed from service elsewhere in the organisation rather from within a certain corps or department. However, I believe succession planning should be given more consideration when a departing leader has been successful over a long period of time.
2) Give the successor time
Ferguson's lengthy tenure as manager was always going to impact the early years of his successors tenure. I respect Manchester United's leadership succession strategy but wish they had stayed true to their original beliefs and given Moyes more time.
It is the same in The Salvation Army and maybe where you work. Even when people expect results immediately people need time. I have heard time and time again in my training that often it is not until the 4th or 5th year of an appointment that things really start. I appreciate that this might be too long in other spheres of life but remember Alex Ferguson's first trophy for Manchester United came after 4 years!
3) Be careful what you change
When taking up leadership Moyes changed some of the key backroom staff. If his previous successor had left after a period of inertia then fair play, change the staff, but because the club had just won the league then maybe he should have kept them on. Why fix what is not broken? Furthermore, the club also lost their Chief Executive at the same time as Alex Ferguson.
If we focus on a successor alone without considering other changes that are taking place within the management team this will provide an incomplete picture of the subsequent effect on the performance of the organisation.
Again there may be reasons for ringing the changes in a workplace, but after a long period of success the philosophy does not need changing. The foundation is there so be careful what you change.
4) What you do change needs to work and make sense
Moyes only made one signing in his first summer and it was not one that improved the squad in my opinion. He did not get the other star players he wanted.
Knowing what to change when you take over leadership must be a difficult task. I think it all depends on what kind of circumstances you take over from but the things you do change need to make sense.
5) Responsibility lies with players/members too
While Moyes ultimately takes responsibility for the team, I think the Manchester United team need to also. They did not play well; made far too many individual mistakes and really only their goalkeeper improved his game this season.
I believe The Salvation Army is only as strong as its membership. The Salvation Army is known for many things such as 'Faith in action' and 'Christianity with its sleeves rolled up'. However, we are not known for incisive thinking, academic ability and for developing members and leaders in a strong 'thinking culture'. I am not suggesting we all become intellectuals and know all the theories but we need a vibrant 'thinking culture' across the whole movement so we can engage with God's word and the challenges in the world. This is not just down to leaders.
6) The role of luck
I think Moyes has been unlucky with injuries and crucial game changing moments this season. That extra bit of luck might have saved him his job.
Although I do not believe in 'luck' per se the successor does need a period without things persistently stopping their leadership momentum. There will be things we can control and things we cannot. Some people believe in fate and many Christians have a strong belief in the providence of God. However, I believe chance is at work in our world but it is not the all that is at work in our world. Maybe I will come back to that topic one day!
7) The importance of Sabbath or rest
Manchester United and Bayern Munich both had manager changes after successful trophy winning seasons. Bayern Munich not only got a manager who had experience at winning at the highest level but they also got a manager who had just taken a year off resting. He came in fresh and won the league for Bayern in record time.
Salvation Army officers all too often burn as it is not a 9-5 job, it is a lifestyle. Interestingly too, it is compulsory for Methodist ministers to have a 3 month sabbatical every 7 years. Salvation Army officers are allowed to apply for a sabbatical, but it only available once you have served for at least 15 years. Maybe that is something that can be improved.
8) Vision needs to be clear
Ryan Giggs, the new caretaker manger of Manchester United, has outlined the vision of how he wants the team to play; with passion, speed, courage, imagination, a strong work ethic and to put the smiles back on the fans faces. Incidentally this encapsulates the philosophy of the team from the last 20 years bar this year.
While I think organisations need a vision, my feeling is that values are every bit as important. However, people need to buy into the vision/values and therefore it is crucial that the vision is not chosen merely because it matches the leaders strengths.
9) Grooming potential leaders
One thing Moyes did do was he appointed two of 'Fergie's fledglings' Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville to the coaching staff. I think it is great that leaders come through the system. Grooming potential leaders is a process that takes years and needs to be planned for.
I think the challenge for The Salvation Army is to bring through leaders in an environment that encourages differences of opinion. Unless we want to develop 'yes men and women' we need to give future leadership room to engage with decision-making.
10) Supporting the leader
The Manchester United fans never stopped supporting their team when they could have turned on them.
Organisations such as The Salvation Army and the leaders within it need all the support they can get. Many people and organisations support us in our work. But internally when the going gets tough people need to rally around their leader although inevitably every situation will have its own merits for how long this is the right thing to do.


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Oatmeal Breakfast Jar - SOLD OUT
Start your day off right with this gluten free breakfast jar, packed with nutrition, with ingredients designed to keep you full. The oatmeal comes ready to go in a complimentary mason jar. Each jar contains a single 4.75oz serving of oatmeal.
Just boil water or your favorite milk (we like almond), then add the contents of the jar. Enjoy the organic oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, as well as dried fruits.
Buy a package of 6 to get your breakfast for the week covered. Each package contains three each of the Fiber Boost Jar and Tropical Energy Jar.
Fiber Boost Jar contains: Organic gluten free quick cooking oats, organic pumpkin seeds, organic chia seeds, organic hemp seeds, organic dried prune, organic dried figs, dried raisins.
Tropical Energy Jar contains: Organic gluten free quick cooking oats, organic hemp seeds, organic goji berry powder, dried mango, dried papaya, dried golden raisins, organic coconut flakes.
Gluten Free, Vegan.
We never use preservatives, food coloring, or artificial ingredients.


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Demanding Montgomery County parents may be quick to gripe about the shortcomings of their children's schools, but most will ultimately say they know their children are getting a top-notch education.
Parents at Potomac's Ivymount School — which serves children with serious physical, cognitive, speech, and learning disabilities — offer praise of a different magnitude.
"I thank God and I'm not a particularly religious person," said Bob Astrove, father of a high-schooler with autism and a member of the Ivymount Board. "Every day, miracles happen there."
"I just feel so eternally grateful that she's there," said Beth Eisman, whose daughter Dana, 15, has autism. "It's hard to get into Ivymount now. You have to pray for your spot."
IVYMOUNT is the only school to win the United States Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award-winner in the Washington area and the winner of several other awards.
The few private schools certified to provide special education services in the region each address particular niches, such as children with emotional disturbances of children with psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. Ivymount is the only area school that caters to students with multiple disabilities and has specialized programs for children with autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Consequently, it draws its 215 students not only from Montgomery County, but from Prince George's and Frederick counties, from Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia and as far away as Baltimore and the Eastern Shore.
All that made it easy for Maryland Sen. Brian Frosh (D-16) to ask his colleagues to support a $170,000 bond bill for classroom and bathroom renovations at the school. The money would help to complete improvements made during a major renovation five years ago. Since the building was built as a traditional public elementary school in 1961, it has to be retrofitted with ramps and other fixtures to be Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant.
"It's a modest amount of money for an extraordinary resource," Frosh said. "They had a small and outdated facility that they've been improving and they're getting there. … It really is a statewide resource."
Frosh is joined by Sen. Rob Garagiola (D-15) and six other senators in sponsoring the bond bill.
In the House of Delegates, all six representatives of Districts 15 and 16 are sponsors. Ivymount, near the corner of Seven Locks Road and Tuckerman Lane, is on the border of the two districts.
The bill was favorably received in both houses and Frosh said that the funding is very likely to come through.
IVYMOUNT IS USUALLY described as a non-public school. The school leases its building — the former Georgetown Hill Elementary School — from Montgomery County and charges annual tuition. However, nearly all of its students are referred by their home public school systems, which pay for Ivymount.
As a certified provider of special education services and a referral recipient, Ivymount is stringently monitored by the state, which audits its $10 million annual budget, oversees detailed licensing requirements and conducts on-site monitoring every third year.
Ivymount's 215 students occupy a rather spacious school. But while a public elementary school might have one teacher per 25 or 30 students, Ivymount has a student-staff ratio of 1:1 in many classrooms, with teachers, assistants, speech and physical therapists, nurses and specialists.
"I have some of the most wonderful staff members. They are so talented and dedicated," said Janet Wintrol, the school's director. "They could be teaching, even in the school system, for more money."
The school now has services for students ages 4-21, with an emphasis at all levels on developing skills that will foster greater independence. Students participate in many of the activities of mainstream school — the school holds a science fair and students publish a newspaper — but also learn how to handle tasks like buying shoes or getting a haircut.
"Everything they do is kind of a lesson," Wintrol said. "Our goal when a child leaves here is that they have something to offer somewhere."
Older students also work on developing job skills. High school and middle school students operate class businesses — selling quesadillas or root beer floats, for example — through which they learn about managing money, organizing orders, and interacting with others.
Astrove's son Scott just got his first outside job — working under a teacher's supervision at PetSmart in Rockville.
"He likes it," Astrove said, but more than that, "Scott loves going to school. Scott comes home every day and starts reciting to us his schedule for the next day."
If getting a spot at Ivymount is increasingly difficult, more difficult still is finding a place for students leaving the school and transitioning into adult life.
Students like Scott Astrove and Dana Eisman will lose a community that they have been a part of for as long as 18 years. Dana, 15, started at Ivymount when she was 2 and a half.
"The state really needs to do something. There's not many options for once they leave a school like Ivymount and it's scary," Beth Eisman said. "I can't believe that it's just six more years left."


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Home > Shop by Manufacturer > Tsukineko, Inc > Lilac Walnut Ink (7264400000)
Lilac Walnut Ink
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New color! We love the look of walnut ink spritzed onto papers, quotes, slide mounts and sarabinders™. Spray and let dry for a cool speckled effect, or spray and use a paper towel to rub the walnut ink into the surface for smooth color. This 2 oz. bottle comes with a spray cap for easy application.
Item #: 7264400000
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HANADURI / DesignjunctionLondon, 2018C49 HANADURI is thrilled to announce that we are part of designjunction 2018 for the first time.Read more.
HANADURI / Accent on DesignNew York, 2018#4115 In August, HANADURI will participate in NY NOW 2018 at Javits Center inRead more.
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Miami, FL (PRWEB) January 20, 2013
On January 20th, 2013, leading cigar provider TrueTobacco.com will be donating the proceeds from every blunt the company sells to the Autism Society of America. If you're an aficionado of these popular round tip cigars, mark your calendar.
Throughout 2013, TrueTobacco will be supporting the efforts of many of the national and international organizations that make a positive difference in our lives. On each one of the company's designated Days of Service, one nonprofit will be the beneficiary of all proceeds made that day through the sale of one of TrueTobacco's popular line of products.
"We believe in giving back," says TrueTobacco general manager Nick Gordon. "We couldn't have achieved the high level of success we have if we didn't have a community rooting for us. We're rooting for our community as well. Of course, if you're an Internet business, your community has a broader geographic base."
Approximately 1.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with autism, a complex disorder that affects the development of the brain. The Centers For Disease Control and prevention say that 1 out of every 88 American children has autism.
The disorder is characterized by repetitive behaviors and a high degree of social awkwardness. In many cases, autism is also associated with cognitive deficits, an inability to concentrate, sleep disorders and poor motor coordination. Sometimes, however, autism is associated with enhanced abilities in math, music and art
Scientists don't fully understand the causes of autism. The disorder appears to be rooted in the very earliest stages of brain development. In the past 40 years, the number of autism diagnoses has risen 400 percent. Though improved diagnostic techniques may be partly responsible for this increase, most medical experts agree the incidence of autism appears to be rising.
The Autism Society of America is one of 36 organizations TrueTobacco.com has singled out for support throughout 2013. On a pre-designated day, True Tobacco will be donating all proceeds from one of its many popular product lines to each of these organizations. It's a win/win situation for customers who can show appreciation for their favorite nonprofits by purchasing high quality cigars and cigar-related products at very affordable prices.
Want to learn more about how you can show support for the Autism Society of America by purchasing your favorite blunts? Simply log on to http://www.TrueTobacco.com.
About TrueTobacco.com: Since its founding in the autumn of 2012, the company has become one of the Internet's leading sources of cigars and cigar-related products. The company owes its popularity to two things: an impressive array of products that includes over 150 brands, and its dedication to customer service. Since TrueTobacco adds new products all the time, true cigar aficionados have its website bookmarked.
About the Autism Society of America : The Autism Society of America is an organization dedicated to raising public awareness of the challenges faced by autistic individuals and their loved ones. In its capacity as an advocacy group, the organization has spearheaded many precedent-setting pieces of legislation at the local, state and federal level, including the 2006 Combating Autism Act.
About blunts: The term "blunt" was once used to describe any type of cigar that as wrapped in a continuous leaf. These days, however, the term is more often used to describe cigars with broad or rounded tips, as opposed to cigars with more tapered points. TrueTobacco.com sells Phillies Blunt Cigars, which come in many different flavors such as peach, apple and grape, as well as the more upscale Garcia y Vega.


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After finding the BJ's Wholesale Club deal, I couldn't help but look around a little more on Groupon!
Here are some of the awesome deals I've found on Groupon today…
- Women's Crystal-Embellished Silicone Watches $4.99 ($19.99 value!)
There are LOTS of different colors to choose from here, including mint green and hot pink.
Ends today!!
- Multifunction Megaphone Bullhorn $9.99 ($29.99 value!)
This just might come in handy. Has record and playback, and siren functions.
Ends today!
- 6-Piece Calendar Bundle $9.99 ($80 value!)
Something for every member of the family here. Includes six calendars – Mom's Family Calendar, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die, The 365 Days of Puppies a Year, Out on the Porch, Audubon Songbirds, Lego: The Calendar.
Ends in 4 days.
- Dedicate 1 or 2 Stars from YourStarForever.com $8.99 for 1 and $14.99 for 2 (Normally $29 – $58!)
This is definitely a gift someone will remember! Each star dedication comes with a photo, message, and YouTube video, and a downloadable certificate for you to print. You can also view the star online anytime.
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- Dash Go Bulk Yogurt Maker $18.99 ($49.95 value!)
Compact countertop yogurt maker that doubles as storage container. Can use any type of milk, and each batch is about 1 quart. This one may not arrive by Christmas, though.
Ends in 5 days.
- Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ 32GB 9″ Tablet $129.99 ($179 value!)
Nine inch display, 32 GB storage, up to 10 hours of reading time, wi-fi, and a whole lot of other bells and whistles! You can also get free Nook books through the Barnes and Noble website.
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- Nano Metal Spy Copter $39.99 ($100 value!)
Come with Gyro Nano spy copter, IR transmitter, 1GB micro-SD card, USB micro-SD card reader, USB charger, battery for helicopter, instructions, two spare main rotors, and two spare tail rotors. A great way to spy on the kids…or have them spy on you.
Ends in 2 days.
Don't forget to read all of the fine print before you buy any Groupon deal!