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They brought me to a dark place beneath the Temple of the Lady. They strapped me down on a rough wooden board and left me there, naked with fear. From out of the shadows stepped Balcruin, Right Hand of the Lady. He looked down at me, his expression almost gentle.
"Do you know why you are here?" he said. His face held a quiet intensity that dug its way into my soul.
I closed my eyes. "I do, your Grace."
"Good." Balcruin nodded slowly. "As I said, we do believe you. But it is my duty to ensure that all blasphemy be scourged from the people, by any means necessary." His fingers touched my face, cold worms tracing my cheekbone, and I fought back a shiver.
At the sound of boot scraping on stone I opened my eyes. Beside me stood a man, his face hidden by a black hood. His chest was bare, and on it the Lady's Name had been carved into his flesh in a twisting red scar. Without a word he placed a long knife against my chest. I heard Balcruin's voice, distant: "Recite the tale of the Lady's Ascension to divinity."
Closing my eyes, I began.
My name is Stovon Alzrin, born in the city of Lasone. Before this I lived a simple life. My past had been clouded from me by wounds I suffered as a youth in the service of the Lady. I had accepted the shrouding of my past and remained content to see each day. But with the coming of Jan Taldos, a kernel of doubt was planted deep inside my heart.
It started simply enough: the first day of the Festival of Spring Rejoicing. Last night's storm clouds had moved on, and the morning sunshine was slowly drying the fairgrounds. Soon they would be filled with brightly dressed crowds, celebrating the Lady's Ascension.
As I waited for my first customers I tended the cooking fire. The rich scent of toasting mellonhusks filled my nostrils as I turned them to keep them from overheating. Gillan, my alleged assistant, had disappeared again; doubtless the boy had snuck away to watch the musicians setting up. A good lad, but mad for music.
Satisfied for the moment, I looked up to see a man standing not far from the fire. At first glance there was nothing to draw the eye to him. He wore the clothing of a tradesman, perhaps a carter. At his throat an amulet winked silver.
What held me was his face. While his clothes were respectable enough, his face was as gaunt as if he had recently recovered from some terrible illness. More disconcerting, he wore an ugly sneer, as if everything displeased him. It seemed unnatural for a man to feel so ill-tempered on such a glorious and holy day. Perhaps some recent personal tragedy had brought him sorrow. His apparent plight touched me. Surely I could cheer him, I thought, so I raised a hand and called out to him.
"The Lady's blessings upon you, sir." Addressing a stranger above his station was risky, but might also result in a purchase.
The man's eyes jerked to focus on me, filled with sudden surprise. I smiled. "Would you care to purchase a mellonhusk? Hot and bubbling from the flames, I assure you," I said, gesturing to the cooking fire.
He walked over, the sneer relaxing but his face still marked with lines of anger. He pointed at a mellonhusk. "These things," he said in a curious accent, "are you cooking them? What are they?"
"Mellonhusks, sir. They are delicious, the juice like nectar and the meat manna! Only two copper ortras, cheapest and finest at the Lady's fair." I was surprised for a moment that he would not recognize a common delicacy.
He nodded, then began slapping hands at hips, a rhythmic search ending at his money pouch. He poured the contents into his hand, then held it out to me.
In his hand glittered a dozen assorted coins and a small comb made from argassian turtle shell. I looked at his face and he looked back, eyes uninterested. Again his ignorance puzzled me. Did he not know the value of his own purse?
Unworthy temptation clamored within me for a moment before I thrust it away. I picked out a silver octrim, then dug in my own purse for change. While I did so he held up the comb, turning it back and forth in the sunshine, watching the light reflecting off its glittering patterns as though he'd never seen it before.
"Forgot you had that, eh?" I said as I dropped the change into his hand.
He shrugged and smiled for a moment. "How can a man forget what he never knew?"
"Ha, a philosopher!" I said, chuckling. I picked up the long metal tongs and pointed at the cooking mellonhusks. "Choose your victim," I said, and flourished the tongs.
"Select for me, if you please."
I plucked a fat one from the coals and set it on a nearby rock. Two swift blows with my pick opened the shell, and I presented it to him. He nodded and took a deep drink. After a moment he brought the shell down, eyes wide, then drank again, longer this time. A single red drop trickled down his cheek.
Finally he lowered it and smiled wide. "Exquisite. Truly marvellous."
I nodded. "Thank you, sir."
He threw his head back and drained the husk, wiping his juice-stained mouth on his sleeves afterwards. "What is your name, good sir?"
As he had drunk I had seen his amulet clearly: it bore an aspect of the Lady, the Beautiful Damsel. Was he one of the Lady's Bonded in disguise, seeking out the proud and sinful? I bowed my head hastily. "I am no sir, only Stovon Alzrin."
"Honored to meet you, good Alzrin. I am Jan Taldos, a stranger here." I gave the formal bow of greeting, politely taking no notice of his lack of response. "Tell me, Alzrin," he said, "what festival is this?" He gestured with the empty mellonhusk about the grounds.
Such a question was outrageous on the face of it. I glanced around, but saw no watchers. "Why, the Festival of the Lady's Ascension, sir." His face remained blank. I pointed at the amulet at his neck. "You wear Her likeness, I presumed--"
Taldos wrapped a hand around the chain at his neck and tugged hard. The thin silver links dug deep into the flesh of his neck, but did not break. He sneered. "Let me assure you, sir, I wear this not by choice. It was a woman's gift to me, a woman I would now gladly throw into the fires of hell if given the chance."
The morning breeze turned cold then, and a prickle of fear ran down my back, an icy feather brushing my spine. For a moment a nameless dread gripped me. If he truly was a Lady's Bonded, he could be testing me, my worthiness. Such things were rumored to happen: the exaltation of the low found worthy, and the terrible fate of those tested and found wanting. My life could change according to what words I said next. I steeled myself, then looked him in the eye. "Jan Taldos, are you an unbeliever?" I said, my voice trying not to falter over the last words.
He smiled then, a broad smile that lifted up the corners of his mouth but did not reach his eyes. "I assure you, it is all too likely I will believe."
"Then come with me, sir, and I will show you. Her likeness can be seen not far from here. I will bring you to it, so that you may look and realize the truth."
At that moment Gillan appeared, out of breath, his second-best tunic coated in mud. "What's this?" I said. "What happened to you?"
My nervousness gave my voice a harsh edge. Gillan gulped in fear and surprise, eyes popped wide. "Pl-please, master, I fell--"
I cut him off with a wave of my hand. "Makes no difference. You must keep up appearances, my boy, do you hear me?" He nodded, his head bobbing up and down like a branch in a windstorm. "Good. Sit. Watch the fire. Sell to those who have the coin. No gifts to your friends, hear?" Gillan mumbled obedient noises. I nodded. "Good. I'll be back shortly." Taldos fell in beside me, and we headed off.
We passed more and more people as we walked: local craftsmen hoping to sell their goods, farmers from the surrounding land taking a day of rest from the soil. All come together for the reverence of the Lady. From elsewhere on the fairgrounds laughter and delighted chatter could be heard mixed with the cry of the fife and gitar.
As we walked, I told the story of the Lady: Her semi-divine birth, the miracles She performed in childhood, Her Ascension to divinity over us, and Her continuing struggle against the Enemy Outside. It was the story we all learned in childhood, and my only childhood memory. It fell from my lips with no stumbling or hesitation, and I found myself moved by its beauty.
When I finished, however, Taldos only grunted. We walked the rest of the way in silence.
We finally reached our destination, a low hill situated across from the sprawling Temple of the Lady. On the temple's eastern wall, a vast bas-relief depicted the Lady in her most common form, the Savior Empress. My heart surged as I looked upon it. Around us stood others of the faithful, some chanting paeans to Her, others whispering prayers, but most simply gazing with worshipful adoration.
"Look upon the Lady's Face, Jan Taldos, and know the truth!" I said, and pointed.
He stood staring for some time. As I watched him, his face seemed to change from within, as though some realization had come over him. Finally he spoke.
"Oh, I know her," he said, face contorted with rage. "That miserable witch, who cursed me to this miserable life!" He held up his fist and shook it. "Deceiver! Whore!"
Attracted by his cries, a crowd began to gather, murmuring. I drew back from him, horrified. "J-Jan, you are mad, mad, to insult the Lady, the goddess who protects and shelters us--"
"Goddess? No! She is nothing more than a betraying, vengeful witch!" he roared, whirling about. A gasp of horror rose up from the crowd, and a thrown clump of mud splattered against Taldos's tunic. Before more could happen, the festival guard appeared, a dozen strong men wearing the Lady's emblem.
The sight of them drove him mad. He became a wild man, and charged them, howling. In the end it took all of their strength to capture him. They hauled him away in chains, heels dragging trenches in the muddy ground.
Someone in the crowd told the guard captain I had been speaking with Taldos. As a result, they brought me along. They treated me with the respect due my years, but the guards' flinty eyes regarded me with contempt. Did I ever look so, when I served in the Army of the Faithful?
The guards dragged us through the curious crowds, until we reached the ivory and gold splendor of the Temple of the Lady, to stand before Her Hands for judgement. I trembled as we entered, but Taldos only spit and howled until a guard silenced him.
The air in the temple smelled of burnt offerings, rose petals and sandalwood. Through long corridors we walked, until we reached the main hall.
Our feet clattered over the floor's intricate mosaic of the Lady's Ascension. At the far end of the hall, on thrones of gold and rubies, sat the Hands of the Lady, the instruments of Her will upon the land, waiting. They stood frozen, like twin statues dressed in silk, distinguished only by their faces: Balcruin the Right Hand, with his agate eyes set above a permanent scowl, and Holkress the Left Hand, her thin ivory face a still mask. Behind them hung the Lady's Icons, Her Nine Aspects. Each one seemed to look into my soul.
We came to a stop before the thrones, the guards and I hurrying to kneel. Only Taldos remained standing.
Balcruin's face twisted into a lopsided smile. "Obviously this man is committing the sin of pride," he said. "Has he committed any other crimes?"
The captain raised his head. His voice echoed in the stillness. "Blasphemy, your holiness. Before several witnesses this man heaped abuse upon the name of the Lady, and denied her divinity. This man--" he gestured to me "--has been identified as his companion, but he has committed no crimes--" he threw me a sharp glance "--to our knowledge."
The two Hands nodded. "You there," said Holkress, pointing at Taldos, "what have you to say?"
"To say?" said Taldos. The ugly sneer from before returned. He looked at them. "I say that the woman you worship as a savior and goddess is nothing of the sort. She is a harlot and a witch, a foul, deceitful harpy!" The guards stirred, but neither of the Hands moved.
"Know, your holinesses," he said, the scorn in his voice twisting the title, "that in my land I am a powerful man, with vast obligations and responsibilities. I tarried with this woman you call a goddess for some time. When circumstances of duty forced me to set her aside to take a bride of suitable position, she betrayed me and my land." He opened his tunic to reveal the amulet gleaming on his chest. "This bauble she sent to me on my wedding feast-day, claiming it was a present. When I put it on, its foulness claimed me. I found myself in a strange world, deposited like a sack of ashes. A vile trick, from a vile woman!"
One of the guards yanked on Taldos's chains to silence him, but Balcruin held up a hand. "Let him speak. To know best his fate we must first hear his words, so that we may judge him."
"When the dawn comes I disappear to a new world. And each world this cursed thing sends me to--" Taldos pulled on the amulet "--is a world that flatters her, and mocks me. I have seen a painting of her, a little smile on her face, hanging in a palace, gawking fools drawn up for miles to view it. I have walked through a ruined city in perpetual twilight, lit only by a full moon resembling her face. I have seen a world where she is held up as a paragon of beauty and virtue, and all women who dwell there alter their faces by the knife and worse, until they are her shadows." He drew himself up, chains clinking as he straightened. "Such a thing cannot be, that the universe could so honor this spiteful witch. And so, your holinessses, I have concluded it is all false, a delusion of my mind, created and maintained by the curse she has placed me under."
Holkress arched one thin eyebrow. "If this woman you speak of is so well regarded on these other worlds," she said, "I find it a wonder that you have not already been put to death."
Taldos nodded. "Oh, but I have been, dear woman. Her foul believers have burned, crushed, and torn me to pieces time and again as screaming hordes cheer. It matters not. Illusions cannot harm me. With each new day I awake, restored, to experience another fresh hell of her making."
Balcruin's dark eyes narrowed. "I do not think you are an unbeliever, Jan Taldos. No, you are a madman."
Taldos smiled thinly. "It hardly matters what you believe, as you are only a delusion."
Holkress leaned forward in a rustle of silk. In a flat voice she said, "In any case, you shall not see another day here. When the sun rises you shall be thrown from the Lady's Face, cast from Her grace, to die in the dust beneath her."
Her hand twitched once. The guards stepped forward to drag Taldos away, but, suddenly calm, Taldos turned and walked before them, the clatter of his chains echoing in the stillness as the guards escorted him away.
I stared after him. On the surface of it his story was madness. And yet, I did not think Jan Taldos mad.
"And what of you?" said Balcruin, those dark eyes now focused on me. The Hand's words awakened me, freeing me from the horror of Taldos's story. The danger of my position sank into my heart.
I fell prone to the floor, only my hands upraised as I begged for mercy. "Your holiness, I beg you. I only met this man this morning, and attempted to show him the error of his ways. Please know I am the Lady's most humble and faithful servant." My voice broke a little at the end.
Holkress rested her chin on one hand and regarded me. "I believe you," she said finally.
"As do I," said Balcruin. He turned to regard Holkress. "But we must be certain. It is our duty to ensure the unbeliever's words have not taken root in this loyal subject. He must be tested."
Holkress's pale face looked solemn. "I agree," she said. They nodded together in unison, and I prayed to the Lady for strength as the guards took me away.
By the end of the ordeals they were satisfied of my innocence. I had remained true. Two monks bound my wounds and offered me water laced with mophr root to ease the pain. As I limped from the temple, they announced the sentence of Jan Taldos: at dawn he would be thrown to his death from the Lady's Face. The traditional punishment of the heretic and blasphemer.
My heart felt strangely heavy as I trudged back to Gillan and our cookfire. I took no notice of the crowds, although that morning they would have given me joy.
When I returned I found Gillan crying and the ripe odor of burned mellonhusk rind. Bored and inattentive during my long absence, he had let the mellonhusks overcook. Their juices overheated, cracking the shells and spoiling them. No one would buy them now.
I looked down at his tear-streaked face. In the past such negligence would have earned him a beating. Instead I knelt down and hugged him until he stopped weeping. I dug into my purse for the silver octrim Taldos had given me and pressed it into Gillan's hand. He stared at it, trembling. I smiled and nodded. "Go on, boy. Get something to eat, then go watch the singers." I made my voice gruff. "Go, go, before I change my mind." He dashed away and vanished into the crowds.
I sat down beside the fire to watch as it burned itself out. The valuable fruit lost and a day's earnings frittered away by the carelessness of a boy. Once such waste would have angered me and consumed my thoughts. Now I scarcely cared; it seemed trivial.
I put out the coals and buried the smoking mixture. Then I walked back to the low hill across from the temple, alone in the crowds. At the top of the hill I sat down and looked east, my back to the Lady's Face. Overhead the cold stars wheeled, turning inexorably in the sky as the dawn approached. If Taldos was a liar or a madman, then when the dawn came, he would die, screaming as he fell to earth. But if he spoke the truth. . . .
I could not remember the sound of my father's voice, the color of my mother's eyes, the smell and feel of the sheets of my bed as a child. The battles I had fought, the men who had served with me -- when I closed my eyes, their faces eluded me. Only recent days, each one much like the last: cooking and selling the mellonhusks with the boy. A simple life, yes, and perhaps false.
If what Taldos said was true, then perhaps I could not remember my past because it never happened. I, Gillan, the smiling crowds, perhaps we had all been created by this curse Taldos claimed he suffered.
I looked at the faces of the passersby, all smiling, happy, laughing. What lay beneath each one of them? What of their memories, their pasts, their selves? If you tore away the coverings and peered inside, would they prove to be hollow shells?
How do you know a thing is true? Because you remember it?
I shivered and sat back, waiting for the dawn.
Copyright © 2001 Jon Hansen
Jon Hansen's work has appeared in a variety of places, including Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine, Dark Regions, Flesh and Blood, Neverworlds, Star*Line, and most recently the anthology Such A Pretty Face. Jon currently lives on the edge of Atlanta with his wife Lisa and four assorted cats. For more about him, see his Web site.


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Date and Time:
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm (EST)
Presented by Gabriela Isturiz, Co-Founder and President of Bellefield and Jane A. Bennett, Founder of Global Legal Ebilling
We are excited to sponsor the next edition of the ALA Solutions Series Webcast which will focus on billing compliance. During this webcast we will discuss the effect that noncompliance, followed by rejected invoices, has on a firm's bottom line. In particular, we will take a deep dive into:
- What firms need to know to effectively manage billing and outside counsel guidelines (OCG)
- How to maximize profits by managing OCG and billing guidelines
- Strategies to reduce write-offs through OCG and billing compliance
- … and more
Please join us at 2:00 pm (EST) on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 for this free webcast to learn strategies to improve your firm's billing process and maximize revenue.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tech Open House 2019
The Simons Foundation invites technology professionals to its New York City headquarters on Thursday, April 25 to learn more about the foundation's various in-house scientific and computational initiatives in an informal setting.
Attendees will have a chance to see the Simons Foundation's growing portfolio of initiatives in multiple technical arenas via interactive booths. These areas include web-based applications, scientific computing systems and data analytics work that support breakthrough scientific research on topics such as autism, astrophysics, neurosciences, quantum physics and genomics.
Technical, scientific, programmatic and human resources staff will also be available to talk about the foundation's work-life culture as well as to highlight open positions and future hiring opportunities.
The event will take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and refreshments will be served. Registration is required.


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Maker of 'Gasland' to present Waxter Forum
Sweet Briar College will host Josh Fox, maker of the documentary films "Gasland" and "Gasland Part II," as the 2014 Julia B. Waxter Environmental Forum speaker. Fox will present "The Case for a Total Ban on Fracking" at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, in Murchison Lane Auditorium. Admission is free and non-ticketed with open seating.
Fox's provocative 2010 documentary "Gasland" and the 2013 sequel explore the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, known as "fracking," to extract oil and natural gas trapped in shale deep below Earth's surface. Although not a new drilling technology, fracking for natural gas has helped fuel the recent energy boom in the United States. But Fox believes, and seeks to illustrate in his films, that hydraulic fracturing is too damaging to the environment, particularly to watersheds in areas where drilling occurs.
Assistant professor of environmental science Tom O'Halloran has shown "Gasland" in his Introduction to Environmental Issues class for several years, and led the effort to bring Fox to Sweet Briar as this year's Waxter Forum speaker. Fracking is, O'Halloran notes, "one of the biggest environmental issues of our time."
It became a matter of concern to Virginians two and a half years ago when the U.S. Forest Service's draft 15-year management plan for the George Washington National Forest included a prohibition on fracking. Oil and gas companies, fearing it would set a precedent for banning the practice on public lands, objected, stirring a debate that hadn't yet reached the state.
The forest lies mostly in Virginia, including in Amherst County. Along the state's western border, the GWNF overlies the outer edge of the Marcellus Shale — the source of the most productive natural gas drilling in the eastern United States. The portion in Virginia is considered less attractive for drilling than the middle of the shale formation that underlies parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. Fox alleges drilling on private lands in states where fracking is allowed has contaminated local water sources and threatens watersheds.
Since the public response to the proposed fracking ban began, the Forest Service has delayed issuing its updated management plan, which governs what activities are allowed in the forest. As of Dec. 12, 2013, the analysis and review was ongoing, according to the USFS website. Drilling for oil and gas using any technology is allowed in the nearly 1 million-acre forest, but Roanoke-based public affairs officer JoBeth Brown says she isn't aware of any leases or interest in developing wells in the GWNF.
According to his publicist, Fox will tell his personal story and speak about hydrofracking and his latest film, "Gasland Part II," during his visit to Sweet Briar. He'll discuss grassroots efforts across the country to stop fracking, as well as what gas companies plan to do with future gas production.
For more information about Fox or his films, visit blueflowerarts.com/booking/josh-fox.
For more information about the event, please contact O'Halloran at [email protected] or (434) 381-6389.
Category: Environmental Science, Environmental Studies


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I love this poem this time of year! "Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light; The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going,…read more »
Moving across the country to a place you've never been before, starting a job you've never done before, and living in a community where you don't know anybody is a bit like standing on a BOSU exercise ball. Since the photo uploader thingy isn't working, all I can do is describe what a BOSU ball…read more »
I finally finished cleaning out my classroom! It is now completely clutter-free, and I can start to arrange and decorate to my heart's content. It's SUCH a relief to have that done, because I feel like I can really get started now. I'm also feeling better about this fall. The more prepared I become, the…read more »
That's the best word to describe me right now. I got back from Math Pilot Orientation on Tuesday night, and since then I've been completely overwhelmed with all of the work I have to do. I don't have the energy to do a cohesive blog entry, so I'm going to do bullets. I've been spending…read more »
TFA is big on Teach Like a Champion. It's a really good book, and I plan to implement some of its tenets in my own classroom. One of the most popular concepts in the book is using the acronym SLANT for active listening position: Sit up Listen Ask and answer questions Nod your head Track…read more »
I did my second classroom observation a few days ago, and it was a little bit frightening. I've noticed that whenever I do a classroom observation, I mentally put myself in that teacher's position, which I guess you're supposed to do. The only problem is that I tend to assume that my class will be…read more »
I had my first teaching-related nightmare last night! I dreamed that it was the first day of school, and I had to take over another teacher's class, and I was NOT prepared at all. The students loved the teacher that I was taking over for and were incredibly disappointed. I had nothing to pass out,…read more »
Well, I officially passed the Praxis II, aka Math Death Test!! Granted, my score was about 68%, but it counts in Mississippi! Good enough for me!! I had been saving my gigantic stack of flashcards I made in preparation for the test, and it was SO nice to be able to throw those away! I…read more »
I've been reading so much lately, my eyes just might fall out. Not really, but I have been reading a lot. And when I read too many teaching books, I get kind of overwhelmed. At this point, all of the opinions I have about how I'll run my classroom are just that – opinions. I…read more »
Okay, so all of you overwhelmingly recommended doing classroom observations, but do you all have any further advice on what specifically to look for? I'm super busy this semester, and the picture I had in my mind was me going in from 8-11 twice a week, every week for the rest of the semester. As…read more »
What is one thing you wish you'd done to prepare for your TFA experience, especially in your last semester of college?read more »
I took my Praxis II yesterday, and it was a bit of a shock. Like waking up and realizing that all of my furniture was on the ceiling. AUGH! See, all this math is already atrophying my ability to make up similes! I'm losing my English major-ness! Anyway, I've been studying my little brains out since…read more »


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Helen at our common table, telling about her life, septiembre 2013
This is not a cheery story even when it starts out, so maybe don't read it. I just saw her about every day so want to note it. (I moved out of the house described yesterday, as planned.)
Helen Hines was the first person to officially meet us here in Oaxaca. Her house shares the courtyard with ours, the whole compound owed by her partner Agustino's daughter, Cathy. Agostino appeared earlier in these postings, sunning himself outside in a nice hat and a shawl.
Helen at Mercado Sánchez Pascuas, septiembre 2013
She met us when we arrived in early September, gave us keys and a tour of the whole two-room house.
We have gotten small bits out of her, mostly practical information. She informs where to hide the small plastic-wrapped 5-peso coin for the collector when putting out trash, which restaurants she likes (very similar menus at each of a consommé, spaghetti, and one kind of meat or another, with a special fondness for fish, conclude with "and for only 40 pesos!"), and where I might find some special thing I have asked about, though maddeningly she can't recall street names, and "it's right past that other place" that I have never heard of either. You know the type.
Helen is apparently quite old, but won't talk numbers. (She said she once fired a lawyer who disclosed her age to someone.) Also, every conversation starts with a lot of "What? What?" and a moment or two of firing up the hearing aid before proceeding.
Once in September, I asked her over to the table in the shared patio space, and offered a bit of the wine I had opened.
"Why not?" she said. And in that quiet one-on-one I heard a bit of her life. She has been in Mexico, specifically Oaxaca, a long time, more than twenty years, but other versions have put it much longer than that.
She must have been a bit of a seeker — after growing up in New York, there was time in San Francisco, then Guatemala, where she was asked to use her background as a librarian to start a library. There was a marriage, which ended badly, and Helen has a son in New York City. "But that was with another guy," she said, waving her hand loosely at some dismissed relationship.
At some point, she met? fell in love with? hung on to? Agostino, Mexican, once an accomplished archaeologist in Mexico City. He went to study in the United States, and somehow his career went awry.
So there's searching, finding, scholarship, romance in the past, now making way for aging, immobility, dementia, deafness and other troubles. Who knows what else. And you can see from the picture that she was beautiful, with fine features and gestures.
They live in the house behind the gate we share and now owned by Agostino's daughter in New York. Helen tries admirably to be the on-site caretaker, but the daily skills don't come so easily any more. To use the washing machine, we follow fairly straight-forward instructions, read to us over and over, with the warnings of the bad things that will ensue if we do it wrong. When the water pump to our house suddenly went out, she yelled increasingly loudly to turn off the pump, ignoring William's yelling back that it was never on. And more like that. Frustration and fear. Shouting at Agostino and his shouting back.
Her joy remains the Oaxaca Lending Library, a part of her life for all these years. Through the original and long-time librarian there, Ruth Gonzalez, came her attachment to this house. Everyone at the OLL has great esteem for Helen, invariably grateful for her volunteer time there and praising her intelligence. Until recent weeks, she has performed her job there organizing all the periodicals.
Sadly, in the short time we have been here, we cannot help but notice a huge decline. Daily trips to market, just around the corner, are harder and she needs help with the small package and with clearing the obstructing stairway that's always been here.
More later.


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Monkian's Bargain is the thirty ninth episode of ThunderCats (original series)
Monkian goes to Mumm-ra and agrees to give him anything if Mumm-ra will make him powerful enough to rule Third Earth. Mumm-ra agrees cleverly, and gives him Power Spheres which make him super strong and give him super weapons. He freezes all the Thundercats, then defeats Lion-O and takes the Sword of Omens back to Mumm-ra. Mumm-ra takes it, and then says that Monkian's part of the bargain will be that he can keep the spheres, but he has to stay in Mumm-ra's pyramid for all eternity.
The walls start to surround Monkian, and every time he breaks them down, a new set of walls shows up. While Monkian and Mumm-ra are arguing, Lion-O retrieves the sword and frees the other Thundercats. Monkian gives up his power to be free again.
- Main Characters
- Guest Characters
|Previous episode:
"The Demolisher"
|ThunderCats Season Guide
|Next episode:
"Tight Squeeze"


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Talking Dead Airs This Sunday 10:30/9:30c With Norman Reedus
This Sunday, AMC's live The Walking Dead after show Talking Dead airs at 10:30/9:30c. Joining host Chris Hardwick this week to discuss The Walking Dead Season 6 Finale will be Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon), and Executive Producers Robert Kirkman and Scott M. Gimple. They'll be taking questions live during the broadcast, so go to TalkingDead.com and submit your questions. Then, during the episode, go to talkingdead.com/playdead on your phone, tablet or computer to answer questions posed during the show. The results will be broadcast and discussed on the show in real time! You can also submit a video question for a chance to be featured on-air.
Come back to TalkingDead.com the next day to check out exclusive video and photos from the episode.
Talking Dead airs this Sunday at 10:30/9:30c after a special 90-minute episode of The Walking Dead on AMC. Watch a bonus scene from Episode 15, featuring Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha), Co-Executive Producer Denise Huth and superfan Yvette Nicole Brown.Read More


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Rachelle and I have been swamped lately, but I need to keep in the habit of blogging. So I figure I'll share my experience with another of the strange fruits of southeast Asia — the Durian.
The durian is known as "The King of Fruits." It is large, spiky, and stinky. You could probably kill someone with one, but the reason they're banned from some places is the smell. When I first arrived in China I thought durians smelled a little off – it's kind of difficult to describe the smell, but most people unfamiliar with it would describe it as a stink of some fashion. The smell eventually grew on me, though, and I worked up the courage to try some durian candy I found in our local Park'n'shop. The candy was both sweet and garlicky, and I had sulfurous burps which reminded me of garlic and vulcanized rubber for some time after. Despite my description, it wasn't bad per se, and the more I tried, the more it grew on me. And so, when I got to speaking with one of my Chinese teacher friends on the subject of spiky deathfruit, and she invited me to have some real durian, I knew I could not decline, especially as the peak season for durian (in the summer months) was drawing to a close.
And so it was that I found myself standing in front of a rather large display of durian on a side street under a highway interchange ("They have the best durian"), trying to make sense of how my friend was choosing a good fruit.
After she had found one and had the shop owner break it open and package the flesh, we went to a nearby park to enjoy our stinky bounty. The elderly Chinese walking around the park and slapping themselves stared in amazement at a foreigner in their park–especially one eating such a fruit!–but we paid them no mind and begun to dig in.
Durian flesh, ideally, is supposed to be soft and creamy, with a texture reminiscent of a firm custard. Ours wasn't perfect, so there were some bits of flesh that were firm and mostly flavorless (the white parts). The taste is harder to describe than the smell–it's slightly sweet, definitely sulfurous, with a hint of onion somewhere in there. If you can get past the first few bites, it's said, you'll be hooked, and I found myself eating more and more, until my face was messy with durian pulp and all we had left were the pits. The seeds are large and woody, and are supposed to be edible when cooked, but not really worth the trouble.
My friend brought out a bag of mangosteens. Durians supposedly raise heat in the body (according to traditional Chinese medicine), so it is customary to follow durian with a cooling fruit, like mangosteen.
You cannot eat the outer shell–it is woody and so bitterly astringent that you would immediately regret such an attempt. Generally, you can use your nails to pull it apart, or crack it open with a firm twist, trying to get as little juice as possible on your clothes (it stains!) or on the flesh inside (detracts from the flavor). Once it's opened, you can eat the squishy white flesh, being careful of the seeds in the larger segments, and enjoy a flavor that kind of reminds me of pear and grape, only sweeter and lighter.
It was dark by then, so my friend and I went to the local artist and hipster neighborhood for one more tasty anomaly.
Chocolate and wasabi cheesecake. Where is your god now.


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Treloar's School & College
Treloar's School in Hampshire provides education, care, therapy, medical support and independence training to young people with physical disabilities from all over the UK and overseas. The school's aim is to prepare theyoung people in its care for adult life, giving them the confidence and skills to achieve their full potential.
You can support the ongoing work of Treloar's this Christmas by buying charity Christmas cards from our online shop. Browse our selection below.


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CSA meaning Community Supported Agriculture, is the best way to shop for organic food. It's as local and seasonal as possible and the food is the freshest available. Most of the produce available at the grocery store is non-organic and usually irradiated. The CSA produce is from local farms grown in local earth. The organic soil is the most important ingredient for the foods. No pesticides are sprayed on the food and the seeds are organic non-GMO certified. What that means to you is more important to your good health than excise! This should answer the question: What is the meaning of CSA?
Our CSA doesn't require a membership. Most farms require a long term commitment. In Florida, our season is very long. Especially for produce like mango, avocado, lemons, kale, etc. But the best part of our farm is the varied assortment. We offere 17 organic produce items YEAR ROUND! However, we don't make you subscribe to our farms havest for the whole season. You may come and go as you choose. Our membership is cancellable after only 1 week! This should answer the question: What is a CSA membership?
The CSA Box consists of 17 Local Harvest Organic items: 3 leafy greens, like lettuce, kale and spinach; 4 or 5 fruits like apples, banannas, peaches & pears; and a lot of wholesome vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, cauliflower, etc; and usually 1 or 2 berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. It's Fruitful Field of food you've always wanted. There isn't a CSA Brochure, and how to choose a csa isn't easy, but we post the produce list on the website weekly. There's a Hungry Harvest Farm Picked For You with a CSA delivery near me.
How to choose a CSA
Too many farms offer their CSA's with a long term commitment to their growing season. The problem with this is you wind up getting an abundance of what they grow. So, if you're tired of kale or zucchini, your going to keep getting those items over and over again. Also, the selection is usually limited to an abundance of just a few items. Who needs 30 pounds of potatoes every week?
Choosing the right CSA is always best when the club has a large selection of fruits and vegetables. We offer 17 different organic produce items every week. But, you can order evey other week so you have plenty of time to consume everything.
Also, you can cancel your CSA at any time and you can jump back in anytime too. So, if you travel, or go on a vacation, simply pause your share of the farms produce delivery and resume at your convenience. It's the best of both worlds!
To learn more about CSA information, learn the CSA definition or find a CSA near you we've supplied this government link: Community Supported Agriculture | Alternative Farming Systems …


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The 2014 Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour consists of nine legs, five in the Middle East (Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, UAE and Saudi Arabia) with a men's division only and four in East and South East Asia (Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau and Indonesia) featuring men and women in separate divisions.
Players earn ranking points based on how they finish in each event. The top 16 men and the top 16 women at the end of the 2014 season qualify for the ABF Tour Tournament of Champions scheduled for March 2015 (date tbd) in Kuwait.
2014 ABF Tour Men's Titles
1 - Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE
Mahmood Al-Attar, UAE
Shaik Abdul Hameed, India
Mohamed Al Saud, Saudi Arabia
Eric Tseng, Hong Kong
Yeri Ramadona, Indonesia
2014 ABF Tour Women's Titles
1 - Kritsanakorn Sangaroon, Thailand
Putty Armein, Indonesia
Sharon Limansantoso, Indonesia
2014 ABF Tour #1 Bahrain
Ozone Entertainment Center in Sitra, Bahrain (March 8, 2014)
Men's Champion:
Shaker Al-Hassan, UAE
2014 ABF Tour #2 Kuwait
Cozmo Bowling Center in Salmiya, Kuwait (March 15, 2014)
Men's Champion:
Mahmood Al-Attar, UAE
2014 ABF Tour #3 Thailand
Blu-O Rhythm & Bowl Ratchayothinon in Bangkok, Thailand (April 17, 2014)
Men's Champion:
Shaik Abdul Hameed, India
Women's Champion:
Kritsanakorn Sangaroon, Thailand
2014 ABF Tour #4 Egypt
International Bowling Center in Cairo, Egypt (May 1, 2014)
Men's Champion:
Mohamed Al Saud, Saudi Arabia
2014 ABF Tour #5 Hong Kong
South China Athletic Association Bowling Center in Hong Kong, China (June 16, 2014)
Men's Champion:
Eric Tseng, Hong Kong
Women's Champion:
Putty Armein, Indonesia
2014 ABF Tour #6 Macau, China
COTAI bowling center in Macau, China (June 23, 2014)
Men's Champion:
Yeri Ramadona, Indonesia
Women's Champion:
Sharon Limansantoso, Indonesia
2014 ABF Tour #7 UAE - Dubai (October 15, 2014)
2014 ABF Tour #8 Indonesia - Jakarta (October 27, 2014)
2014 ABF Tour #9 Saudi Arabia - Riyadh (December 2014)
2014 ABF Tour Tournament of Champions-Kuwait (March 2015)
See more at: bowlingdigital.com


text: When the old KFC at the corner of Highways 17 and 41 shut down, folks on the north side of Mt. P were cut off from a regular source of tater bowls and popcorn chicken. Then Skarney's moved into the empty building and made everything better. This ain't one of those high-falutin' gourmet places that serve their burgers on brioche buns with fried green tomatoes or powdered unicorn horn on top. It's a straight-up old-fashioned burger, fries, and milkshake joint. The burgers are made from fresh beef, put on a flat, toasted bun, and wrapped in plain waxed paper. And a combo with fresh cut fries and a drink will run you under six bucks. So long, Colonel.


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0184 - 2281786
Karnal Beauty Zone
SCF-42, Near PNB, Sector - 7
Karnal, Haryana 132001.
Su. - Sat. : 09:00 Am - 09:00 Pm
Some featured images of Karnal Beauty zone's creations . We are always ready to make your day extraordinary by offering you eminence services at our beauty salon. So, if you've not been before, why not visit us today.
Now book your appointment on the go with Karnal Beauty Zone. Just select what you want from our services and place a reservation for your visit.
FacialsEyebrow & EyelashesMicrodermabrasionAcne Treatments
WashCut & FinishBlow DriesHair Colouring & Highlights


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We are so excited to inform you that we'll be opening our DiGuardo Spring PopUp Shop at 196 Kensington Park Road W11 2ES, Notting Hill Monday 13th March until 26th March.
Come and see us and browse our new spring collection.
We're Looking forward to seeing you all soon!
Letizia x


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Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, Goa
India, Goa, Sinquerim
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The resort is located in Goa, in close proximity to the beach, and offers a range of spacious villas and cottages.Built on the ramparts of a 16th century Portuguese fortress, this beach resort is part of a sprawling 73-acre complex overlooking the Arabian Sea. With its exotic tropical beauty, pristine beaches, 9 restaurants, and vibrant local culture, guests can discover many opportunities for fun. Facilities on offer include a lobby area, a currency exchange facility, lift access, a café, a bar, a restaurant and conference facilities. Guests may also take advantage of the room and laundry services and there is parking available for those arriving by car.Spacious and sophisticated, each guest room features stylish décor, with exotic, native materials. The superior rooms offer a view of the landscaped gardens, and there are inter-connecting rooms available on request (on the ground level only). All rooms have a private outdoor area and are equipped with centrally regulated air conditioning, overhead fans, an electronic safe, comfortable bathtubs, a TV, Wi-Fi and a direct dial telephone. Furthermore, a private en suite bathroom with shower, a hairdryer, a minibar and tea and coffee making facilities are provided in all accommodation as standard.The hotel offers sports facilities which include a spa, a fitness centre and gym and guests may participate in regular fitness classes or enjoy a game of badminton, tennis, squash, table tennis, billiards, cricket batting and beach volleyball. The hotel grounds also feature an open air swimming pool.Guests can look forward to a wide selection of delectable dishes and refreshing drinks. The hotel offers a distinctive dining experience, one that explores the nuances of the finest Indian and international cuisines, through traditional and contemporary favourites.
Wifi / Internet access
Room Service
Air Conditioning
Resort Essential Information
Currency Indian Rupee
Language Hindi
Time Zone GMT+05:30
Avg. Flight Time 9h 5m
Peak Travel December-March
Price of a pint £1.20


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Latisse - Facts You Must Know About Latisse!
by: Mariana Cathy Johnson
All women wish to have longer thicker eyelashes, these are seen as more attractive and feminine which accounts for many people going to great lengths to try and grow their lashes using many different synthetic and natural products. Mascara and eyelash curler are the most common and basic ways in which we can extend and tint our eyelashes to make them appear darker and more luscious.
These are great ways to enhance our lashes for short term use, it gets to be a lot of work and hassle to be doing the same routine each day as well as making sure that it is all taken off properly at the end of the day. The next step has always been to apply false eyelash extensions which are a semi-permanent solution, but again, come with their own set of problems and complications as well as being quite an expensive procedure. Though these are perfectly acceptable solutions, the new and innovative product, Latisse, is proving to be very popular as a new cosmetic solution to limp and weak eyelashes. Latisse is a new ophthalmic solution to hair loss and is designed to help the growth rate and strength of lashes so that they become healthier, thicker and darker in a natural and safe way.
The FDA-approved solution is applied once a day to the upper eyelid where the hair follicles are based, usually after about a month results will be seen with longer and darker lashes. Although Latisse is an alternative solution to eyelash extensions and cosmetics, it has one main difference which is that it has to be prescribed by a doctor. It is classed as a medicine and so cannot be purchased by anyone over the counter and is assured to be given only to those who require it and can use it safely without suffering any unwanted side effects.
Latisse was found by accident through a side effect from a different drug. The glaucoma medicine Lumigan was used to treat the pressure in the eyeball and reduce the effects of this pressure rising. Patients who had been using Lumigan for a while noticed that they had longer, darker and fuller lashes; this was then looked into by the experts who found that the product was working well to promote healthy growth in our eyelashes. The drug was then altered to be made appropriate for the generally public and, since its FDA approval, has been helping people all over the world to grow strong and beautiful lashes no matter their current condition.
Eyelash Growth Remedies
Longer, Thicker and Darker Eyelashes! Latisse can give you an eyelash extension, eyelash extensions are no more needed with the use of FDA approved Latise. You can expect eyelash growth of up to 1/2 inch over time, typical results show in as little as 4 weeks. Order Latisse on Discount Here, 75%-85% Discount Coupons!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mariana_Cathy_Johnson


text: Now's your chance to own the beautiful and rare 2017 South Korea 1 oz Silver Chiwoo Cheonwang coin. Struck in .999 silver and with a limited mintage of only 50,000 this coin is set to rise. Check out pricing on 2016 Chiwoo Silver coins to see how collectible these 2017 coins can be!


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Moon Rock Loop makes a 5.3 mile loop, when combined with the Blevins Trail, which serves as its main access trail. It is located in Usery Mountain Park near Mesa, Arizona and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for mountain biking and is accessible year-round.
Use LocalRaces for simple, beautifully designed online event hosting and registration.


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Explore wide range of Diwali Quotes to celebrate the festival of lights. Diwali, the most loved festival of India known as the festival of lights. The festival is a celebration of victory of good over evil and is marked by lighting, crackers, sweets and celebrations. Diwali, the festival of lights transcends religion and is unanimously celebrated by Indians worldwide.
Diwali festival is also associated as the gift giving festival in India. The tradition of exchanging gifts, sharing Diwali Quotes, Diwali SMS, Diwali Messages is very popular during Diwali. Friends go out of their way to gift their beloved one as it is associated with prosperity. This tradition of Gifting has been harnessed by everyone today.
The basic idea behind the tradition of exchanging Diwali Greetings is to accelerate the feeling of bonding, affection and appreciation. People convey their respect, good wishes, blessings and appreciation for their dear ones through gifts. Since Diwali is a religious festival, sending Diwali Gifts also symbolizes one's prayers to the almighty for the prosperity and well-being of the recipient.
Diwali Messages on Diwali day is not a recent trend. From ancient times this has been followed. These Diwali Quotes are considered as a token of good wishes.
Spreading the Light of Happiness, External Victory Of Light Over Darkness… May This Divine Light Fulfil Your Wishes On This Diwali And Always…!!!
"May you all attain full inner illumination!! May the supreme light of lights enlighten your understanding! May you all attain the inexhaustible spiritual wealth of the Self! May you all prosper gloriously on the material as well as spiritual planes."
Let this diwali burn all your bad times and enter you in good times.
"He who Himself sees all but whom no one beholds, who illumines the intellect, the sun, the moon and the stars and the whole universe but whom they cannot illumine, He indeed is Brahman, He is the inner Self. Celebrate the real Deepavali by living in Brahman, and enjoy the eternal bliss of the soul."
The truth is that existence wants your life to become a festival…because when you are unhappy, you also throw unhappiness all around.
"Memories of moments celebrated together
Moments that has been attached in my heart, forever
Make me Miss You even more this Diwali.
Hope this Diwali brings in Good Fortune & Abounding Happiness for you!"
The sun does not shine there, nor do the moon and the stars, nor do lightning shine? All the lights of the world cannot be compared even to a ray of the inner light of the Self. Merge yourself in this light of lights and enjoy the supreme Deepavali.
"Many Deepawali festivals have come and gone. Yet the hearts of the vast majority are as dark as the night of the new moon. The house is lit with lamps, but the heart is full of the darkness of ignorance. O man! Wake up from the slumber of ignorance. Realize the constant and eternal light of the Soul which neither rises nor sets, through meditation and deep enquiry."
Troubles as light as Air, Troubles as light as Air, love as deep as Ocean, Friends as Solid as Diamonds, and Success as bright as Gold… These are the wishes for you and your family on the eve of Diwali.
"As the candlelight flame, Your life may always be happiness' claim; As the mountain high, You move without sigh; like the white linen flair, Purity is always an affair; As sunshine creates morning glory, fragrance fills years as Flory; with the immaculate eternal smile, attached to you mile after mile; All darkness is far away, As light is on its way.
Wish all of you a very happy Diwali."
Today's the `Festival of Lights' all over; A joyful day for minds and hearts and souls; Laughter and smiles for many days; Let there be triumph in every way.
A warm Diwali wish for all the happiness. May the warmth and splendor, that are a part of this auspicious occasion, fill your life with happiness and bright cheer, and bring to you joy and prosperity, for the whole year."
Diwali – The gorgeous festival of snacks and sweets everyone enjoying a royal feast; when old and young with delight meet and with love and affection do all hearts beat.
"I Pray to God to give you Shanti, Shakti, Sampati, Swarup, Saiyam, Saadgi, Safalta, Samridhi, Sanskar, Swaasth, Sanmaan, Saraswati, Wish you and your family Shubh Deewali."
"Our life is like Diwali, so let's promise to celebrate each and every part of our life like Diwali. May have a bombastic and sparkling Diwali."
Diwali is here – the gracious festival celebrating victory, of myth and mystery; the festival that signals triumph over tragedy. May it Bestow all with Love and Happiness!
"All that I wish for you on festival of Lights is:
D= Dazzling Lights
I= Immense Joy
W= Windfall
A= Abundance Peace
L= Lavish Peace
I= Illustrious Life
The significance of Deepavali is the removal of darkness and ignorance from the mind and filing it with goodness. – Sri Chandrasekhranda Saraswathi
"The great significance of the Diwali is light up new, bright and colorful dreams, fresh hopes, and undiscovered ways and fills our days with pleasant surprises and moments."
May these rich blessings be your due, a wealth of friendships, old and new. Some service rendered, some solace given, and gentle peace with god and heaven. Heartfelt wishes for you and your family on the eve of Diwali.
"Little unexpected gifts of love and happiness, warm and happy feelings friends and family express, simple joys that mean a lot and bring a smile your way. These are the wishes made for you with love, by all of us on Diwali and always."
For this, is a special time when family and friends get together, for fun. Wishing amusement and fun to cheer your days, in this diwali festive season.
"Consent to me to make your Diwali more bright and colorful with the enlightenment of wishes of my heart, hope this auspicious Diwali burn your old bad period and light your way in good period."
Let us keep Diwali holding it close 2 our hearts for its meaning never ends and its spirit is the warmth and joy of remembering friends.
"May the festival of lights be the harbinger of joy and prosperity. As the holy occasion of Diwali is here and the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of mirth and love, here's hoping this festival of beauty brings your way, bright sparkles of contentment, that stay with you through the days ahead."
May this diwali, you be blessed with good fortune – as long as Ganeshji's trunk, wealth and prosperity – as big as his stomach, happiness as sweet as his ladoos and troubles – as small as his mouse.
"A warm Diwali wish for all the happiness. May the warmth and splendor, that are a part of this auspicious occasion, fill your life with happiness and bright cheer, and bring to you joy and prosperity, for the whole year."
Light a lamp of love! Blast a chain of sorrow! Shoot a rocket of prosperity! Fire a flowerpot of happiness! Wish u and your family "SPARKLING DIWALI
May This Diwali Fulfill All Your Dreams And Bring Happiness To Your Life Forever. Wish you Happy Diwali !!
Paying respects to the gods, and decorating for them the Thali, this is what the occasion is all about, this is the spirit of Deepavali.
May The Divine Light Of Diwali Spread Into Your Life Peace, Prosperity, Happiness, And Good Health….Happy Diwali!!
With gleam of diyas and the echo of the chants, may happiness and contentment fill your life. Wishing You & Your Family very Happy and Prosperous Diwali!
May This Light Of Happiness Light Up Your Life, May This Diwali Be The Most Sparkling And Lightning The Sights And Sound Filling Up Your Heart With Joy And Happiness Wishing You And Your Family Happy And Safe Diwali.
Diwali Is THE Day TO Light THE Diyas, Ignite The Rockets And Burst Crackers, But It's Also The Time To Be Safe, From The Fireworks And All The Sparklers. Happy Diwali.
Wishing That This Diwali Brings Prosperity To Your Business And More Opportunities For Us To Work Together! Happy Deepawali.
An Occasion To Celebrate Victory Over Defeat, Light Over Darkness, Awareness Over Ignorance…An Occasion To Celebrate Life…May This Auspicious Occasion Light Up Your Life With Happiness, Joy, And Peace.
Wih A Hope That You Attain Success And Bliss With Every Light That Is Lit On The Day Of Diwali…Happy Diwali!!
May Goddess Laxmi And Lord Ganesha Bless You And Your Family A Bright And Colourful Diwali. Happy Diwali!!
May The Beauty Of Deepawali Season Fill Your Home With Real Joy, And May The Coming Year Provide You With All That Bring You Everlasting Happiness. "Happy Diwali"
"Ram! The light of lights, the self-luminous inner light of the Self is ever shining steadily in the chamber of your heart. Sit quietly. Close your eyes. Withdraw the senses. Fix the mind on this supreme light and enjoy the real Deepavali, by attaining illumination of the soul."


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Even though it's cold, a sunny warm front heating the surface waters for a few days makes for some good action. This will draw bass up from deeper waters and drives them to feed. When they swim upward after a warm front, bass will readily strike a spinnerbait swimming above them. When this happens, start your hunt by casting a spinnerbait towards structure such as fallen trees, or windfalls on steep, rocky banks. Here, bass can quickly move shallow or deep as they respond to the weather.
With a 7-foot medium-heavy baitcasting rod and 50-pound braid, you should have little trouble. The sensitivity of braid will let you know right away when you've got a strike, but you'll also be able to feel every bump when it contacts a log. Where you don't want to use braid, though, is in crystal-clear water, where 14-pound fluorocarbon is a much better option.
When you're choosing a bait pattern, start with a ¾ ounce chartreuse and white. I've also found that using one with a small, nickel Colorado blade ahead of a gold number 7 willowleaf blade leads to success. The big willowleaf blade's flash allows you to creep the spinnerbait along at slow speeds but still draw strikes from sluggish bass. Let your spinnerbait sink to your desired depth and then slow-roll it back to the boat.
Slow-rolling structure after a period of sunny days will definitely boost your chances of catching bass during the colder months of the year. If you're still able to get out on the water, implement the tips outlined today and you'll be sure to pull fish after fish to your boat.


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Anders Breivik, the Norweigan who has admitted the mass killings in Oslo and at a summer camp last summer, in the second day of his trial invoked Hiroshima to justify his act of terror. Just as the United States acted morally in bombing Hiroshima and other attacks on civilians because the Americans had a good end in mind- ending the war, averting American losses that would have entailed from an invasion- so Mr Breivik, whose own goal was averting a Marxist/Muslim takeover of his country, claims he was justified in killing 77 people, most of whom were children of Labor Party members.
If this sounds familiar it should: Osama bin Laden also invoked Hiroshima to justify the attacks of 9/11.
Those who kill mass numbers of people in the name of some perceived greater good always invoke their moral aims as justification; Truman did the same.
For those of us who think consequentialism is evil, the face of Andres Breivik reveals where that path leads. It is alway wrong to intentionally kill innocent people, and no good end justifies evil: not the salvation of your nation, not averting imagined future evils, not ending a horrid war.
And it is pity we live in the country which sets the standard for terrorists.


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Here's a little snippet from Rescue Me, my NA ms out on query.
He kisses me on my lips as soon as I open the door.
"Damn. Every time I see you, you take my breath away a little more," he says.
My cheeks grow warm in seconds. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Princess." He gives me a bunch of red roses and a Barbie doll dressed in a ball gown.
"Oh my God, Ty. You didn't have to!" Tears fill my eyes at his romantic gesture.
"What happened?" He asks, shocked, "Are you allergic to the flowers?"
I shake my head. "It's not the roses," I say although it's the first time I've ever received roses — and a doll — from a guy, "I'm just so touched. . ."
"I couldn't find your doll," he says apologetically when I stare at Barbie.
"It doesn't matter. I love her." I say while unwrapping Barbie. She doesn't look at all like the one that drowned but she's just as gorgeous and special because Ty bought her for me. Ty follows me inside the kitchen and waits for me while I fill a vase with water and ice cubes before popping the roses inside. I leave Barbie on the kitchen counter.
He holds me from behind the minute the roses are in the vase and presses tiny, hot kisses on my neck. "Missed me?" He asks.
"Yes," I answer a little breathless.
He pulls me closer as his hands creep higher. He teases my nipples with his fingertips. "I missed you too," he says.
"Is this your surprise?" I can't resist asking. Because if it is then it certainly is a wonderful way to spend the rest of the day.
"No," he groans, "every time I'm around you I lose track of my plans."


text: Abortion, Induced: Intentional removal of a fetus from the uterus by any of a number of techniques. (POPLINE, 1978)Abortion, Spontaneous: Expulsion of the product of FERTILIZATION before completing the term of GESTATION and without deliberate interference.Abortion, Veterinary: Premature expulsion of the FETUS in animals.Abortion, Criminal: Illegal termination of pregnancy.Abortion, Therapeutic: Abortion induced to save the life or health of a pregnant woman. (From Dorland, 28th ed)Abortion Applicants: Individuals requesting induced abortions.Abortion, Missed: The retention in the UTERUS of a dead FETUS two months or more after its DEATH.Abortion, Septic: Any type of abortion, induced or spontaneous, that is associated with infection of the UTERUS and its appendages. It is characterized by FEVER, uterine tenderness, and foul discharge.Abortion, Habitual: Three or more consecutive spontaneous abortions.Abortion, Threatened: UTERINE BLEEDING from a GESTATION of less than 20 weeks without any CERVICAL DILATATION. It is characterized by vaginal bleeding, lower back discomfort, or midline pelvic cramping and a risk factor for MISCARRIAGE.Abortifacient Agents: Chemical substances that interrupt pregnancy after implantation.Abortion, Incomplete: Premature loss of PREGNANCY in which not all the products of CONCEPTION have been expelled.Aborted Fetus: A mammalian fetus expelled by INDUCED ABORTION or SPONTANEOUS ABORTION.Abortifacient Agents, Steroidal: Steroidal compounds with abortifacient activity.Abortion, Eugenic: Abortion performed because of possible fetal defects.Misoprostol: A synthetic analog of natural prostaglandin E1. It produces a dose-related inhibition of gastric acid and pepsin secretion, and enhances mucosal resistance to injury. It is an effective anti-ulcer agent and also has oxytocic properties.Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal: Non-steroidal chemical compounds with abortifacient activity.Pregnancy, Unplanned: Unintended accidental pregnancy, including pregnancy resulting from failed contraceptive measures.Pregnancy, Unwanted: Pregnancy, usually accidental, that is not desired by the parent or parents.Vacuum Curettage: Aspiration of the contents of the uterus with a vacuum curette.Pregnancy Trimester, First: The beginning third of a human PREGNANCY, from the first day of the last normal menstrual period (MENSTRUATION) through the completion of 14 weeks (98 days) of gestation.Pregnant Women: Human females who are pregnant, as cultural, psychological, or sociological entities.Contraception: Prevention of CONCEPTION by blocking fertility temporarily, or permanently (STERILIZATION, REPRODUCTIVE). Common means of reversible contraception include NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING METHODS; CONTRACEPTIVE AGENTS; or CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES.Sterilization, Reproductive: Procedures to block or remove all or part of the genital tract for the purpose of rendering individuals sterile, incapable of reproduction. Surgical sterilization procedures are the most commonly used. There are also sterilization procedures involving chemical or physical means.Legislation, Medical: Laws and regulations, pertaining to the field of medicine, proposed for enactment or enacted by a legislative body.Minors: A person who has not attained the age at which full civil rights are accorded.Fetal Death: Death of the developing young in utero. BIRTH of a dead FETUS is STILLBIRTH.Women's Rights: The rights of women to equal status pertaining to social, economic, and educational opportunities afforded by society.Family Planning Services: Health care programs or services designed to assist individuals in the planning of family size. Various methods of CONTRACEPTION can be used to control the number and timing of childbirths.Gestational Age: The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated as the time from the last day of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization.Personhood: The state or condition of being a human individual accorded moral and/or legal rights. Criteria to be used to determine this status are subject to debate, and range from the requirement of simply being a human organism to such requirements as that the individual be self-aware and capable of rational thought and moral agency.Mifepristone: A progestational and glucocorticoid hormone antagonist. Its inhibition of progesterone induces bleeding during the luteal phase and in early pregnancy by releasing endogenous prostaglandins from the endometrium or decidua. As a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, the drug has been used to treat hypercortisolism in patients with nonpituitary CUSHING SYNDROME.Contraception Behavior: Behavior patterns of those practicing CONTRACEPTION.Reproductive Rights: Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health. They also include the right of all to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence.Birth Rate: The number of births in a given population per year or other unit of time.Dilatation and Curettage: Dilatation of the cervix uteri followed by a scraping of the endometrium with a curette.Pregnancy Outcome: Results of conception and ensuing pregnancy, including LIVE BIRTH; STILLBIRTH; SPONTANEOUS ABORTION; INDUCED ABORTION. The outcome may follow natural or artificial insemination or any of the various ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNIQUES, such as EMBRYO TRANSFER or FERTILIZATION IN VITRO.Beginning of Human Life: The point at which religious ensoulment or PERSONHOOD is considered to begin.Pregnancy Trimester, Second: The middle third of a human PREGNANCY, from the beginning of the 15th through the 28th completed week (99 to 196 days) of gestation.Neospora: A genus of protozoan parasites of the subclass COCCIDIA. Its species are parasitic in dogs, cattle, goats, and sheep, among others. N. caninum, a species that mainly infects dogs, is intracellular in neural and other cells of the body, multiplies by endodyogeny, has no parasitophorous vacuole, and has numerous rhoptries. It is known to cause lesions in many tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord as well as abortion in the expectant mother.Pregnancy Trimesters: The three approximately equal periods of a normal human PREGNANCY. Each trimester is about three months or 13 to 14 weeks in duration depending on the designation of the first day of gestation.Parental Notification: Reporting to parents or guardians about care to be provided to a minor (MINORS).Pregnancy in Adolescence: Pregnancy in human adolescent females under the age of 19.Contraceptive Devices: Devices that diminish the likelihood of or prevent conception. (From Dorland, 28th ed)Uterine Hemorrhage: Bleeding from blood vessels in the UTERUS, sometimes manifested as vaginal bleeding.Life: The state that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, manifested by growth, metabolism, reproduction, and adaptation. It includes the course of existence, the sum of experiences, the mode of existing, or the fact of being. Over the centuries inquiries into the nature of life have crossed the boundaries from philosophy to biology, forensic medicine, anthropology, etc., in creative as well as scientific literature. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed; Dr. James H. Cassedy, NLM History of Medicine Division)Pregnancy Complications: Conditions or pathological processes associated with pregnancy. They can occur during or after pregnancy, and range from minor discomforts to serious diseases that require medical interventions. They include diseases in pregnant females, and pregnancies in females with diseases.Cattle Diseases: Diseases of domestic cattle of the genus Bos. It includes diseases of cows, yaks, and zebus.Catholicism: The Christian faith, practice, or system of the Catholic Church, specifically the Roman Catholic, the Christian church that is characterized by a hierarchic structure of bishops and priests in which doctrinal and disciplinary authority are dependent upon apostolic succession, with the pope as head of the episcopal college. (From Webster, 3d ed; American Heritage Dictionary, 2d college ed)Parity: The number of offspring a female has borne. It is contrasted with GRAVIDITY, which refers to the number of pregnancies, regardless of outcome.Illegitimacy: The state of birth outside of wedlock. It may refer to the offspring or the parents.Judicial Role: The kind of action or activity proper to the judiciary, particularly its responsibility for decision making.Coccidiosis: Protozoan infection found in animals and man. It is caused by several different genera of COCCIDIA.Pregnancy, Ectopic: A potentially life-threatening condition in which EMBRYO IMPLANTATION occurs outside the cavity of the UTERUS. Most ectopic pregnancies (>96%) occur in the FALLOPIAN TUBES, known as TUBAL PREGNANCY. They can be in other locations, such as UTERINE CERVIX; OVARY; and abdominal cavity (PREGNANCY, ABDOMINAL).Sheep Diseases: Diseases of domestic and mountain sheep of the genus Ovis.Maternal Age: The age of the mother in PREGNANCY.Placenta Diseases: Pathological processes or abnormal functions of the PLACENTA.Gynecology: A medical-surgical specialty concerned with the physiology and disorders primarily of the female genital tract, as well as female endocrinology and reproductive physiology.Pregnancy Complications, Infectious: The co-occurrence of pregnancy and an INFECTION. The infection may precede or follow FERTILIZATION.Marital Status: A demographic parameter indicating a person's status with respect to marriage, divorce, widowhood, singleness, etc.Jurisprudence: The science or philosophy of law. Also, the application of the principles of law and justice to health and medicine.Morals: Standards of conduct that distinguish right from wrong.Women's Health Services: Organized services to provide health care to women. It excludes maternal care services for which MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES is available.Chlamydophila: A genus of the family CHLAMYDIACEAE comprising gram-negative non CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS-like species infecting vertebrates. Chlamydophila do not produce detectable quantities of glycogen. The type species is CHLAMYDOPHILA PSITTACI.Legislation as Topic: The enactment of laws and ordinances and their regulation by official organs of a nation, state, or other legislative organization. It refers also to health-related laws and regulations in general or for which there is no specific heading.Congenital Abnormalities: Malformations of organs or body parts during development in utero.Maternal Mortality: Maternal deaths resulting from complications of pregnancy and childbirth in a given population.Fetus: The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.Supreme Court Decisions: Decisions made by the United States Supreme Court.United StatesHorse Diseases: Diseases of domestic and wild horses of the species Equus caballus.Obstetrics: A medical-surgical specialty concerned with management and care of women during pregnancy, parturition, and the puerperium.Placenta: A highly vascularized mammalian fetal-maternal organ and major site of transport of oxygen, nutrients, and fetal waste products. It includes a fetal portion (CHORIONIC VILLI) derived from TROPHOBLASTS and a maternal portion (DECIDUA) derived from the uterine ENDOMETRIUM. The placenta produces an array of steroid, protein and peptide hormones (PLACENTAL HORMONES).Administration, Sublingual: Administration of a soluble dosage form by placement under the tongue.Human Rights: The rights of the individual to cultural, social, economic, and educational opportunities as provided by society, e.g., right to work, right to education, and right to social security.Intrauterine Devices: Contraceptive devices placed high in the uterine fundus.Population Surveillance: Ongoing scrutiny of a population (general population, study population, target population, etc.), generally using methods distinguished by their practicability, uniformity, and frequently their rapidity, rather than by complete accuracy.Goat Diseases: Diseases of the domestic or wild goat of the genus Capra.Government Regulation: Exercise of governmental authority to control conduct.Human Characteristics: The fundamental dispositions and traits of humans. (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed)Contraception, Postcoital: Means of postcoital intervention to avoid pregnancy, such as the administration of POSTCOITAL CONTRACEPTIVES to prevent FERTILIZATION of an egg or implantation of a fertilized egg (OVUM IMPLANTATION).Conscience: The cognitive and affective processes which constitute an internalized moral governor over an individual's moral conduct.Value of Life: The intrinsic moral worth ascribed to a living being. (Bioethics Thesaurus)Parental Consent: Informed consent given by a parent on behalf of a minor or otherwise incompetent child.Uterine Perforation: A hole or break through the wall of the UTERUS, usually made by the placement of an instrument or INTRAUTERINE DEVICES.Moral Obligations: Duties that are based in ETHICS, rather than in law.Administration, Intravaginal: The insertion of drugs into the vagina to treat local infections, neoplasms, or to induce labor. The dosage forms may include medicated pessaries, irrigation fluids, and suppositories.Reproductive Health: The physical condition of human reproductive systems.Fetal Resorption: The disintegration and assimilation of the dead FETUS in the UTERUS at any stage after the completion of organogenesis which, in humans, is after the 9th week of GESTATION. It does not include embryo resorption (see EMBRYO LOSS).Ethics: The philosophy or code pertaining to what is ideal in human character and conduct. Also, the field of study dealing with the principles of morality.Reproductive Health Services: Health care services related to human REPRODUCTION and diseases of the reproductive system. Services are provided to both sexes and usually by physicians in the medical or the surgical specialties such as REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE; ANDROLOGY; GYNECOLOGY; OBSTETRICS; and PERINATOLOGY.Hydatidiform Mole: Trophoblastic hyperplasia associated with normal gestation, or molar pregnancy. It is characterized by the swelling of the CHORIONIC VILLI and elevated human CHORIONIC GONADOTROPIN. Hydatidiform moles or molar pregnancy may be categorized as complete or partial based on their gross morphology, histopathology, and karyotype.Abnormalities, Drug-Induced: Congenital abnormalities caused by medicinal substances or drugs of abuse given to or taken by the mother, or to which she is inadvertently exposed during the manufacture of such substances. The concept excludes abnormalities resulting from exposure to non-medicinal chemicals in the environment.Chlamydophila psittaci: A genus of CHLAMYDOPHILA infecting primarily birds. It contains eight known serovars, some of which infect more than one type of host, including humans.Infertility, Female: Diminished or absent ability of a female to achieve conception.Health Services Accessibility: The degree to which individuals are inhibited or facilitated in their ability to gain entry to and to receive care and services from the health care system. Factors influencing this ability include geographic, architectural, transportational, and financial considerations, among others.Fertility: The capacity to conceive or to induce conception. It may refer to either the male or female.Religion and Medicine: The interrelationship of medicine and religion.Aftercare: The care and treatment of a convalescent patient, especially that of a patient after surgery.Questionnaires: Predetermined sets of questions used to collect data - clinical data, social status, occupational group, etc. The term is often applied to a self-completed survey instrument.


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Fran Hawthorne writes about the sometimes tumultuous personal relationship between investors and financial advisers in her new article in the New York Times. It begins as follows:
In spring 2001, after losing about $75,000 in the dot-com crash, Jerrie Champlin and her husband, Robert Baranowski, decided it was time for professional help.
The couple, then living in Rockland County, a New York City suburb, found a local financial adviser who seemed to have strong Wall Street experience. They were further reassured by a 90-minute interview with him in which they discussed their goals and the adviser's philosophy.
Over the next three years, however, the relationship deteriorated.
"He was not really paying attention to who we are," said Ms. Champlin, 62, a former business manager. "Bob would have an idea, and it would be, 'No, that doesn't really fit with the plan.' He decided what level of risk we would be willing to take."
Read the full article from the New York Times here.
Posted by Logan Davis, Associate Editor, Wealth Strategies Journal.


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Ollin Pierpont 86, of Smiley went to meet his heavenly father on Thursday, Feb. 1, after a lengthy battle with cancer.
He was born Aug. 30, 1931, the fourth of five boys and was also a twin to Walter Fieldon Pierpont and Minnie Claudia Passmore Pierpont.
He proudly served his country in the US Army.
He married Joyce Cowey on March 1, 1958 at the United Methodist Church in Monthalia, Texas.
After his tour in the service he worked for the King Transport in San Antonio hauling new trucks in Detroit, Michigan. In 1957, he bought the Sinclair service station in Smiley. Later, he sold the station and started selling Reliable batteries. In 1969 Ollin and Joyce decided go into the poultry and cattle business. He later retired from that in 2005.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and three brothers: James, Eugene, and twin brother Olen Pierpont.
He is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Joyce Pierpont, and a daughter Cindy Lott and husband Richard of Leesville; grandchildren: Jason Lott and wife Jenny of Kingwood, Courtney Lott Bunch and husband Wesley of Smiley, and Kimberly Lott of Leesville; great-grandchildren: Jaxon Lott, Colton Maxey, Addie Maxey, Ava Bunch, and Cheyenne Bunch; his brother Jerry Pierpont and wife Martha of Hillsboro and numerous nieces and nephews.
Ollin loved his family and country. His favorite past times were watching the Dallas Cowboys and the Spurs and trapping hogs and eating out. He also enjoyed a good Travis Club cigar and wearing his King Ranch caps.
The funeral service will be held Saturday, Feb. 3, at 11 a.m. at Finch Funeral Chapel in Nixon with Visitation beginning at 10 that morning. Interment will follow at the Bundick Cemetery in Smiley. Pallbearers: Bill Pierpont, Brad Pierpont, Jason Lott, Jim Pierpont, Jonathan Morrell, and Tom Pierpont. Honorary Pallbearers: Jerry Pierpont, Richard Lott, Wesley Bunch, Colton Maxey, Michael Grant, and David Pierpont. Memorial contributions may be made to the Bundick Cemetery Association or the American Cancer Society. You are invited to leave messages of condolence at www.finchfuneralchapels.com.


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We are committed to providing all users with a quality experience on Askedoo. For technical support, please visit our Contact page and provide us with your contact information and a brief description of your issue.
Got suggestions on how to improve Askedoo? We'd love to hear from you! Tell us on our Contact page.
How do I get started with Askedoo?
Woot! We're counting that as your official first question, and we're so glad you asked. Go to the app store on your phone and download Askedoo. Open the app, and follow the introduction guidelines. You'll have an opportunity to create an account through Facebook, Twitter or Google mail. Once you login, you'll be prompted with step-by-step instructions.
How do I invite friends to use Askedoo?
During a broadcast swipe left on the screen. This will bring you to a page with basic information and options for this particular broadcast. Below the user's profile picture and name is a button labeled "Share Broadcast". Once clicked you'll be able to share through text, email, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest – or any other social platforms you've enabled on your phone. Thanks for spreading the word about Askedoo!
How can I ask a question?
Simply click on the orange plus sign in the middle of the taskbar. Select "Ask & Get Free Help", type in your question, select the appropriate channel for your question, allow access to the microphone and camera and click "go live".
How do I answer a question?
Provide answers in free public broadcasts by clicking on any live broadcast under the "Questions Being Asked" section. Once inside the broadcast, provide answers by typing into the textbox if an asker feels your answer was the most beneficial they can help build your credibility with user-endorsed ratings.
Are all broadcasts public?
Good question. No, not all broadcasts are public. Broadcasts have the ability to be marked as either public or non-public. Public broadcasts are uploaded to YouTube, but non-public broadcasts aren't. You are also able to "Share A Skill" in which users will pay to enter your private show.
How do I see who is watching my broadcast?
By swiping right during your livestream, the screen will display the usernames of everyone who is/has tuned in to your broadcast, whether that be live or after your broadcast has been made public.
How do I manage push notifications?
Click on the profile icon on the taskbar, from the profile screen select "Settings". Once on the settings screen click "Notifications" to manage your notifications settings. Click "Save" to save your preferences before exiting the screen.
How do I reset my password?
Click on the sliding arrows icon on the far right side of the taskbar, this will open the Settings screen. Click "Login Info", and then click "Password". Submit your current password, and then choose and re-enter a new password. Click "Submit" to complete this process.
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Click on the profile icon on the taskbar, this will open the profile screen screen. On the top right corner of the screen, click "Edit". Click on the bio text to edit. Click "Done" to complete this process.
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You can't. Not through the app. If you have a reason to change your name or email, please submit a question to Askedoo to ask for assistance. Click on the profile icon on the taskbar, once here select the settings button, this will open the Settings screen. Click "Email Askedoo" and send your request through the feedback form. We'll be in touch.
What do High Fives mean?
Askers award High Fives to particularly helpful answerers and their comments.
How do I report inappropriate or illegal activity?
Let's keep it clean folks! However, if you notice that someone is acting somewhat unsavory, please let us know immediately by tapping their user icon during a broadcast and selecting which behavior most fits what you're experiencing. After tapping "Submit" we'll receive a notification and take it from there!


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Sometimes, our traits and the things that we do can be the reasons why we do not a good financial life. In this post, I listed a few to help you realize why you are having a bad financial life.
Here are the signs that you have A poor Financial Life:
1. You always know the latest sale events and frequently visits the Mall to check and buy the latest items on "SALE." This kind of activity will drain your wallet quickly and that's why you better change it now. How? Self-control and discipline plays a big role if you want to stop impulsive buying. Create a budget plan and stick with it and avoid the mall as much as you can.
2. If you are very emotional, remember to have a clear mind when deciding on your finances and to avoid making decisions when you are emotional. Often times, people makes bad financial decision because they are clouded with their emotions.
If you are feeling bad or too happy, try to have clear mind and stable emotion so you can think properly before making financial decision.
3. You have a limited source of income. If you're somebody who only relies with one source of income then you might end up miserable in your coming years especially when you spend a lot. Having multiple streams of income means you can save more and prepare for the future.
You next source of income doesn't need to be big. You can start by checking out small businesses that you can do on the side. For example, selling cellphone load doesn't take that much time. You can do it even if you are employed and your co-workers, family and friends can be your market.
Your skills and talent can also be a good source income by doing freelance work during weekend or free time. Remember time is gold and how you spend your time determine your success.
4. Take responsibility for the things that is happening in your life. Be in charge of your life and do the necessary things that will improve it.
5. Knowledge is power! If you don't have time to learn new things then you will miss one way to improve yourself and may mean lost opportunity. Developing yourself is important. Just think of it as investing to your most valuable property – YOU!
6. Know yourself! Understanding and acknowledging your weaknesses and strengths can help you determine things that you are good at and things that you need to improve on.
7. Do not be afraid to ask! Your pride prevents you to ask others for help and this can hinder your growth. If you can't do a certain task and there is someone who can help you then ask for help. It will save you time and you will create less mistake if there is someone to guide you on it.
8. Know your priorities and the things that are important to you. You will feel lost in your journey to your financial freedom if you don't have any plans. By having a clear plan, you can set your short term and long term goals. These goals can guide you in your success and it also helps you to do things that are not in line with your goals and waste your time.
9. Be bold, be adventurous, do not be afraid on trying out new things. You wouldn't know if you will be successful in one endeavor if you don't try it. Getting used to something and hiding in your comfort zone can hamper you from reaching your success. The younger you are, the bolder you should be in trying out new things because you can still correct mistakes that you make and learn from them.
10. You always compare yourself with others. Stop gauging your worth base on other's success. Each of us are different and my definition or measurement of success will be different from yours.
11. Trying to stop or run away whenever you encounter a problem. Try facing your problem because it will not solve itself. Facing your problems can help you improve on your problem and having good, strong problem solving skills can make a huge difference not only to your career but also for your future.


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Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon
Related Gear:
Ball Watch Night Train DLC
Interview: Robert Love, Software Engineer
The Ball Engineer Hydrocarbon is very much a tool watch, in that it is built for hard duty. To that end, the 42mm case is made of titanium, which helps keep the weight down to 108g. Not particularly a lightweight, no, but still rather reasonable for a watch of this size. On top of that titanium is a black DLC coating which should hold up pretty well. While the outsides are tough, inside there is plenty of protection for the movement… (via The Wrist Watch Review)


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The passage of Dr. Dean K. Brooks this past week, just six weeks before his 97th birthday, didn't catch those of us who knew him and loved him—and you couldn't know him and not fall in love with him—off guard. He fell about two weeks before he died and he told me, "Bob, I'm not going to make it." He had reason to know about death. Several times, he talked with me and others about his "NDEs"—near death experiences, in which he realized he was dying and entered a beautiful room with blue flowers all around. Each time, a caring nurse lightly touched his chest and told him he would be alright. But this time it didn't happen that way and I think he was ready.
In these and in every story I heard from him, it was the relationship, the touches of those around us, that make all the difference. Relationships have healing power. To be sure, it wasn't just relationships in some generic sense, but respectful, authentic touches of real people to real people. His never-ending mantra during and after his 27 years as Superintendent of the Oregon State Hospital was, "It's all about the patients." We can quibble about his use of the term "patient" and the assumption that as an MD, he was a traditional medical model advocate. He never, that I know of, thought of himself as a social worker or was enamored of the fact that he was a doctor. But honest respect made all the difference. He knew that any institution, whether it was a state hospital or a prison or a nursing home or even a church, can be hierarchical and authoritarian. That's really what "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was all about—he told me this many many times.
Because of the high risk of any state hospital—even his—to be a "total institution", he told me to remember the words of John Stuart Mill: "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." Never mind that this quote may be misattributed to Mill, the message is the same. Dean made sure he never forgot it in administering his state hospital. One of his first actions as Superintendent in 1955 was to form a "Superintendent's Council" made up of only patients so he could hear their concerns without other staff around. He learned in one of the early meetings that patients on a particular ward were being given hot coffee each morning in paper cups. He was incensed. Relationships didn't always have to be gentle touches and he went to the ward the next morning, filled a paper cup with very hot water, carefully held it by the rim and walked over to the head nurse. He held it out and offered it to her and she took it. The pain "hurt like hell" is what I remember him saying and the nurse dropped the scalding cup and never did it again.
I was fortunate to spend hours with Dean (as he was known to everyone who loved him) and listened to story after story after story. Right up to the end, he was telling stories that even his family had never heard. I won't try to tell more of them here, but some of his noteworthy stories were about guests and some staff that he brought to the hospital. At one time or another he knew the co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, Dr. Bob Smith and Bill Wilson, and brought to Oregon State Hospital Thomas Szaz, Aldous Huxley, Dr. Maxwell Jones, and of course, Ken Kesey. I'm trying to imagine any other state hospital medical director who would bring the father of anti-psychiatry to their hospital.
Dean spoke with earthiness, with fire, and sometimes with profanity. Once, when I told him I was kind of depressed, he told me dirty jokes. Years earlier, when it was well-known that he was part of a breakfast prayer meeting with the Governor, he threw a couple of men out of his office who thought they saw an opportunity to proselytize by turning OSH into a "Christian hospital." He reviewed his staff in his mind, noting one who was a Hindu, another Jewish. He dispensed with his visitors with some colorful language. All this from a man who was deeply religious and served in many local and national church leadership positions. I asked him once about the way he lived out his religious beliefs at the hospital and he said simply, "I don't believe in wearing my religion on my sleeve."
About 6 months before he died, I was in his room when an aide came up and said, "Dottie [another resident of his nursing home] needs to see you right away! Her granddaughter just died suddenly of an aneurysm." Without hesitation, he said he would go downstairs and see her. I told Dean I should go and let him talk to Dottie privately. He insisted, "No, no, you're coming with me." I followed the doctor's order and went with him. Dottie was crying inconsolably and Dean talked gently with her about how she had been able to handle so many things in her life and that she would somehow find her way through this too. His message was about resilience. I was witnessing a 96 year old psychiatrist doing supportive therapy with a 94 year old woman who, as it turned out, had been a state hospital staff member about 40 years earlier.
There is no way we can ever replace Dean. But we can take his lessons and live them out as best we can the rest of our lives. I like the way the current Superintendent of Oregon State Hospital put it in the Statesman Journal article, "Every superintendent should aspire to be the second coming of Dean Brooks." I would say that should apply to all of us.


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PCI DSS Compliance
Protecting Customers
Protecting Customers
To protect customers, organisations taking credit card information over the telephone are required to be fully compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). This ensures compliance with the requisite security standards deemed necessary by the major credit card brands.
Recent studies show that 54% of contact centres consider compliance to be either unattainable or years away. According to Connected World: "Contact centres that operate on behalf of customer organisations could suffer severely should they be exposed as non-compliant." Non-compliance can lead to substantial fines and the loss of trust with customers.
Legacy recording systems can be a barrier to compliance as they may store card security codes after authorisation. Even if this data is encrypted, it is not acceptable.
Manually pausing and resuming call recording is also not an acceptable method of protecting card-holder data. Agents may forget to pause the recording of sensitive card-holder data, or they might forget to resume recording, resulting in the failure to capture details of customer transactions.
Liquid Voice provides a state-of-the-art recording system which automates PCI DSS compliance. It helps to build higher levels of trust with existing and new customers through the assurance that their credit card information is safe.
Liquid Voice PCI DSS solutions provide a seamless, integrated and compliant process ensuring that card data is never recorded or stored by agents.
PCI de-scoping is available as an alternative. In this instance, calls are transferred to an automated credit card payment system, using Interactive Voice Response (IVR), or customers use their telephone keypads to enter the card data whilst on the telephone phone to an agent.
For organisations that take a small number of payments in may be appropriate to have a number of non-recorded handsets next to payment terminals. When agents take payments they transfer the calls through to the non-recorded extension.
This extension can be answered either by a dedicated payment team or by the agents themselves.
Instead of taking sensitive information over the phone, agents can conference in an automated IVR system where caller enter the payment details using their telephone keypads with the assistance of agents if required. The tones being entered by callers are clamped (removed from the audio) to ensure they are not recorded or overheard by agents.
If you outsource payment channels to a compliant service provider this does not automatically equate to PCI DSS compliance. Liquid Voice will review your current processes to determine the most cost effective option and the best routes to take from a compliance perspective.
A range of approaches are offered by Liquid Voice for obtaining PCI DSS compliance as listed below:
An application is run on the agents' PC desktops that monitors for a payment portal being loaded. When a payment portal is detected, the current call recording for the agent will be silenced and when the payment portal is closed, the call recording will be un-silenced.
Alternatively, Liquid Voice has a PCI DSS silencing API that can be called from applications to silence or un-silence calls at the appropriate time.
Instead of agents taking sensitive information over the telephone, they can transfer calls to an automated IVR system where callers enter their payment details without being recorded.
Protecting our customers' data is vitally important, so Liquid Voice's automated PCI compliance is criticalFlagship Housing Group
The key benefits of the automated PCI DSS system are that our customers can have peace of mind that their data will be secureEast Durham Homes
The Liquid Voice PCI solution allows us to be fully compliant with PCI DSS requirements for taking paymentsBernida