text:
Pro-abortion forces have had some success at the local level, with Baltimore enacting an ordinance requiring crisis pregnancy centers to "display signs stating they do not provide abortions or birth-control referrals," as the Baltimore Sun reported last November. Montgomery County, Maryland, and Austin, Texas, have since followed suit.
The abortion lobby has had less success at the state level; but at the federal level, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) have reintroduced the Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act, which, as The New American reported in July, would require the Federal Trade Commission to "promulgate rules to prohibit, as an unfair and deceptive act or practice, any person from advertising with the intent to deceptively create the impression that such person is a provider of abortion services if such person does not provide abortion services." The purpose, of course, is to restrict advertising by crisis pregnancy centers.
Pro-lifers have not stood idly by while all this is taking place. In fact, they have enlisted the aid of women who received help from crisis pregnancy centers and chose to keep their babies rather than kill them. The women's own stories, delivered in person — accompanied by the living, breathing proof that they made the right decision — are powerful weapons against the angry, impersonal attacks of the pro-abortion forces.
CNSNews recently profiled two of these women, both of whom attended the July "Babies Go to Congress" event, sponsored annually by Heartbeat International, an organization of crisis pregnancy centers, maternity homes, and adoption services. Both described how well they had been treated by pregnancy centers and how helpful the people at the centers had been, in contrast to the way they had been treated by Planned Parenthood, whose sole purpose, it seems, was to get them to abort as quickly as possible.
Danica Fountain, for example, found herself pregnant at age 18. Seeing a sign at a pregnancy resource center offering free pregnancy tests, she decided to take the center up on the offer, but surreptitiously, so as not to let her family know of her condition. She had planned to abort if the test came back positive. However, her experience at the center began to change her mind:
The woman [at the center] asked Fountain if she would consider options other than abortion and if she wanted to see the developmental stages of the fetus in the first trimester.
"She showed me a picture of this baby that had arms and legs and a head," Fountain said. "I couldn't believe it because everyone referred to that as 'tissue,' that it was not a baby, which is why I was comfortable going through with an abortion."
Not yet convinced that having the baby was her best option, Fountain went to Planned Parenthood, where, she says, her situation was discussed openly in the waiting room, embarrassing her. The receptionist simply scheduled her for an abortion, urging her to have it done as soon as possible; she made no mention at all of adoption or parenting.
Fountain returned to the pregnancy center and underwent an ultrasound. She described the experience to Catholic Online:
"I was absolutely shocked to see that this so-called 'blob of tissue,' the term I so commonly heard people use when referencing a pregnancy this early on, was in fact a fully-formed baby! She had a head, arms and legs," said Fountain. "When I saw my baby's heart beating I knew I would do anything to protect my child."
"The emotional support I received from the pregnancy center helped me realize that I could succeed as a single mom. So I continued in my full-time position at the bank, knowing they were there if I needed more encouragement or practical help. I can never thank the Women's Center of Tucson enough."
Nikki Payne related a similar experience. Pregnant at age 19, she, too, wanted to do away with the inconvenient child. She told CNSNews that her visit to Planned Parenthood was an "awful experience," "very impersonal and robotic," whereas a counselor at the pregnancy resource center she visited "spent several hours talking to her about alternatives to abortion." An ultrasound also helped convince her to keep her baby, whom she now calls a "blessing," adding that "there is no way I could choose whether he lives or dies. It's not my place to choose to take a life away."
Stories such as these surely help the cause of crisis pregnancy centers, putting the faces of women who have been helped by such centers in front of legislators who have otherwise been bombarded with NARAL's anti-pregnancy-center propaganda. CNSNews writes:
Melinda Delahoyde, president of Care Net, which oversees a network of more than 1,000 pregnancy resource centers around the United States, said that NARAL's attempts to discredit the work that centers do through these kind of reports, and also in court cases it has brought against centers, actually can work in their favor when people hear the stories of women like Fountain and Payne.
"When we go in front of state legislators and tell what we do, it's not working to [NARAL's] good," Delahoyde said. "It works for our good because they hear from women themselves.
"We have a chance to educate the media, community leaders, public health officials — everyone who is there in that room," Delahoyde said. "Here are the stories from women. Here is what actually happens: what do pregnancy centers do and how we're connected in our local communities."
NARAL's campaign is a well-funded, top-down approach that attempts to restrict pregnant women's options, proving that the organization is not about "choice" but about ensuring that as many abortions as possible take place. The activism of mothers such as Fountain and Payne, on the other hand, is a genuine grassroots effort aimed at preserving crisis pregnancy centers' freedom to inform women of the full range of options available to them in the belief that, given the proper information, they will choose life. Even jaded politicians ought to be able to tell which side is in the right and then, one hopes, to vote accordingly. It really is a matter of life and death.


text: A slimy combination of bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa, which adhere to each other and to a surface. This develops in unchlorinated water that is not subject to sanitization. You may have seen this effect in fish tanks that haven't recently been cleaned. It is commonly found in bottled water coolers which have not been sanitized

subset: commoncrawl


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Three days until the wedding.
The day of the wedding got closer. Things were comming together. The church was shaping up. There was still much to do.
The night before ,tracy ,amber and her mother conplied a list of things left to do. They put together a time table of when they wanted to get it done.
Tracy and amber got up fairly early. This had been there tradition thoughout the week. They got thr cofee ready. Her mom came down the stairs. Tracy and amber said helo to her.
"Mom! I know i have got a little out of hand this week. " tracy said."your excited about your upcoming wedding.you should be.its understandible." her mom said.
"How are you doung with all this?" tracy asked her mom. "Its been hard.it has been a little bit of an emotional roller coaster. I am ok. " she said.
"I have wanted to talk to you about this. I have been a bit self involved. I wanted to check up on you. " tracy said.
"This week i have definently felt his absence. It is unavoidable. I knew it would. I am not just thinking about the fact he is not hear. I have been thinking about the good times. " she said. "There have been Manny? " Tracy said. She smiled. "There have indeed. " her mom told her.
"Its hard to see you growing up. Going on your own. I am proud of you trace. " she said. Tracy huged her."thanks mom. That meens alot. " she said.
"You! Miss amber you beter not be a stranger! " she told amber. "I wont. I will definently visit. I will keep in touch via phone and social media. You cant get rid of me that easily." amber said. "Good!" Tracy's mom said.
After a while matt arived. He got some cofee. "Hi mom. Hi trace hi amber." he said.they all said hi back.he huged his mom. He huged her sister . it was unclear if he did this out of a paturn but he huged amber as well. Neither realized tbat they were hugging until they were well into it. They were both a little embarrassed. Neither one really regretted it though.
Neither one knew what to say.they both tried to move on from that action. Hopefully mom and tracy could overlook it.
Steve arived as well. Tracy and steve hugged. They had breakfast.then they left for the church. They all got together near the front of the church. They asembled for the morning brefing as it were.
" ok midweek service is at 6:00. We need to stop at 4:30. We have a lot to get done and not a lot of time to do it in. " matt said.
"I want to have the dining hall today. We will need to tidy it up friday.the caterers wil arive. I want what we can get done now done today. Tomorrow we will push hard on the sanctuary. I would love for downstairs to be totaly done." tracy said.
"I think we can. I just wanted to press that point." he said. He led in prayer then they got to work.
Matt and Steve finished up working on the lattice work. They finished up the gate and made a door. The decorations on the wall was finished up. A cd player was brought in. During the reception,they would play instrumental sacred music.
They put the finishing touches of downstairs felowship hall. Decorations were placed in the coridors as well.
While decorarions and lattice work for the auditorium began. They started to lay the groundwork. They would not set it up today but they would have it all ready to go the next day. The more done today the better was the mood of everyone involved.
They did some cleaning up and vacuming as well. Usualy the dining hall was used as prayer room on wendsday. Today upstairs room would be used.
Alot had been accomplished. Things were about where tracy wanted them to be. They had everything ready for the service and the work for the next days. The big push would occur Thursday and friday. There waa a rehearsal dinner held at there mom's house and then the rehersial. Everything had to be done before then. Time would be of the essence. Crunch time would be on Thursday morning.
They left at four thirty. They went home for supper. After dinner,they all got ready for the service. Amber went with him to the church. They took some of the younger kids.
As pastor , matt preached. He got to the podium. " i want to preach tonight on the unchanging God. Hebrews tels us that God is the same yesterday, today and foever. Our lord is consistent. He is a God of order. He is a God of structure. Sometimes we read leviticus and we can get bodged down. The purpose of the book of leviticus to saw God is a God of order.he ordaned that israel his chosen nation would have distict laws. Thes laws are extensive. It shows a system a structure. Some of these laws were ceremonial. God still has structure. Some cerimonial laws are not observed. Others are stil in place. Murder is stil murder for example. " he said.
"God is holly. Peater qaoting from the old testament said,'be holy for i am holy. ' God is holly is a concept that goes all the way from genises to revelation. He is different. He is set apart. 'numbers. 23:9 said 'God is not a man that he should lie.nor the son of man that he should repent. ' God does not lie. That does not change. God is truthful. Jesus said that he is the way truth and the life. Jesus also said that the truth will make you free. It is not just truth in general. The truth of who he is. "
"We see that his promises do not change. He promised abraham that he would be a great nation. His seed will outnumber the stars. There was a belief that the covenant God made with Moses whitch was a conditional covenant superseded the Abrahamic covenant. Paul in galations said that could not be further from the truth. On the cross jesus declared that it is finished. The author of hebrews said that christ is the author and finishers of our faith. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. We trust him because we see evidence of his unchanging nature. "
"I take comfort in his unchanging nature. I love his consistency. We see that the lord if a person of his word. We live in an unchanging world. Circumstances change. There are events we canot forsee. He loves us. He knows what is best for us. This church has changed. It started as a church of two families meeting at a laundry mat in to this building. My dad is now with the lord. Tracy is about to start her jouney. I know that God has an overal plan. I trust in that.i am thankfull for it."matt said.
The men and women separated into groups. After the prayer time the guys talked for a bit. " so who is next to get maried in your family?" Charlie a deacon asked. "I want to get though this wedding. Probably joel or Philip. Perhaps merisa. " he said.
"Not our young pastor? " an older man named henry asked. "It could happen i supose. Right now i do not forsee it but i gues it could happen. " he said.
"You and that young lady who is Tracey's maid of hournor is not the future mrs pastor davis?" charlie asked. He blushed a bit. "The lord knows what is best. I am sure that if i am to be maried ,it will be the best choice." he said.
Amber prayed with tracy,her mom and a few other ladies. "We are so excited for this wedding! " elsa an older lady said. " thanks. We are too. "Tracy said.
"It is really coming together. "Tracy mom said."i can see that." the older lady said. "So who is the nect Davis to be maried? " another lady asked. " i think the pastor is the next davis child who will be maried. " tracy said. Amber tried not to blush.
"I can see that. " amber said. They laughed. Amber was surprised that tracy said that.
When they walked back upstairs amber talked to tracy. "You realy think that matt will get maried next ?"amber asked. "I realy do! " she answered.
After a closing remarks thr service was concluded. The davis returned to her house. Matt sat on the porch. Amber came out. " lost in thought? " amber asked. " a little! Tonight was the last time our family in its current form will go to church. So Manny changes. Seems like yesterday i played in the dirt over there. " he said.
"I cant imagine you playing in the dirt." amber said. "I loved playing in the dirt. I loved playing with toy trucks. One of the advantages of having young brothers is i can play with trucks with them. Of course when they go down for a nap i have to stop. " he said.
"I wont tell anyone? " amber said. He laughed. "Alright! " he said."i loved your mesege tonight. I know it was from the heart!" she said. "I had trouble coming up with a messege . i was a bit distracted. My message camebout of my feelings. It started comming together. " he said." i know the lord will use it. " amber said. "I definently hope so. I too believe it will." he said.
"You ok?" she asked. "Yes i am. I am just feeling melancholic. I think i am just tired. I am happy how the wedding preperation is going. I think it is exhaustion. " she said. " ok.i just wanted to make sure. " she said.
After a while matt decided to go to his place. He was ready for bed. Amber walked him to his car. He hugged her. "Good night!" he said. "Goodnight!" she said.
End of part 7
Next up
As the push to get the church ready for the wedding go into high gear, amber and matt consider there future.


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If you read my previous post about dealing with SQLite and SQL CE, then you know that I am on a mission to get unit tests working correctly with a SQLite database. I decided to see if I could get "assembly retargeting" working. First, what is "retargeting"?
.NET allows assemblies to be "redirected" in a sense when the platform is different. This is how the .NET Compact Framework actually works. All .NET CF assemblies are retargetable. In your application, you are referencing assemblies such as System.dll. However, ever notice that .NET Compact Framework application will run on a desktop? That's because the runtime is silently retargeting them to the full assemblies, like System. This is key to getting the application working on different platforms. Under all of the covers, .NET relies heavily on platform invoke to do the heavy lifting in the WinForms world. However, the P/Invoke calls between a Windows Mobile application and a workstation are wildly different. This is why redirection is needed to work on multiple assemblies.
How can we get this to work for SQLite?
There are a few things you need to get retargeting to work. You need two assemblies, one for the Compact Framework and one for the full framework. I am using the managed wrapper provided by PHX software, which happens to be open source as well. They have ZIPs of both full and compact assemblies.
The second catch is they need to have the same strong name. Oddly, these two managed wrappers use a different strong name key depending on the platform, but since it's open source it's very easy to download, synchronize the keys, and recompile.
The final bit is putting the assemblies in a place the application will look for them without causing problems. In your project, add a reference to the Compact assembly. Leave this for now.
Open a command prompt with administrative permissions and use gacutil to install the Full one.
Finally, you need to make sure the unmanaged libraries are ending up in your project output directory for both compact and full. There are 5 files:
- System.Data.SQLite.exp
- System.Data.SQLite.lib
- SQLite.Interop.065.lib
- SQLite.Interop.065.exp
- SQLite.Interop.065.dll
All of these are needed. The best bet is to include them in your project with compile action to "None" and ""Copy if newer" for copying.
All things done right…Tada! It works, but what is really going on? What we are really doing is tricking the .NET Framework into loading the full framework assembly instead of the compact assembly. This has to do with how assemblies are resolved. Without going over a lot of details, assemblies are resolved in this order:
- The GAC
- The probe path of the current application as specified by the AppDomain (like the bin)
That's the very brief description, and a bit simplified. For the real down-and-dirty, check out this MSDN article. When the runtime looks in the GAC, it finds the assembly we installed. The assembly hash isn't the same, but since it was retargetable and the strong name keys matched, it loaded it from the GAC anyway and didn't even bother looking at the one we actually referenced. When it is deployed to a mobile device, it is not in the GAC, so it loads the one we referenced which should have been copied to the output. For the platform invoke, since we copied both the Win32 and the ARM libraries, platform invoke resolved their location from the deployed directory.
Neat stuff, but seemed harder than it could have been.
For what it's worth, this is also how SQL CE is working. However it does it's magic by putting the assembly in the GAC for the desktop version and the compact version.


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LONDON, UK – London, UK based creative lighting and event design practice Renegade designed all the technical production and co-ordinated equipment supply – including lighting, video and visuals, set and scenic elements plus sound – for the high profile SHINE 2011 Benefit Dinner.
This was staged at Old Billingsgate Market, one of London's premium event venues. The evening featured a gala dinner for 500 guests, complete with charity auction, rounded off by a performance by 1970's African/American disco/rhythm/R&B superstars Chic – headed by guitarist Nile Rogers (also a highly acclaimed music producer). They romped through their greatest hits including 'Le Freak', 'Good Times' and other anthems with great panache.
The event raised money for the charity, which supports additional educational initiatives encouraging children and young people to raise their achievement levels.
Renegade has worked closely with SHINE for the last eight years, producing all their live events. Each year for this special event, Renegade's Nick Gray comes up with a fresh and inventive visual theme for the evening.
The 2011 SHINE Benefit Dinner was project managed for Renegade by Mike Fidler working with Nick Gray and Andy Cobb from Sculptivate, who collaborated with Gray on the overall concept and coordinated the set and stage build.
The venue was divided into a two room format. Gray's lighting design for the dinner section on the west side, created a cozy and intimate feel within the proto industrial chic of the space. Renegade brought in drapes specialists Blackout to clad the walls, but leaving the impressive arches running down the sides of the room exposed and ripe for architectural highlighting.
To ensure the dinner setting had a real vibe and atmosphere, Gray suspended five pre-wired vintage lightbulbs – of varying large sizes and wattages – over each table, all with striking filaments, distinctive copper fabric cables and individual control. This brought a really magical illuminative touch to the room.
A 6mm high resolution LED wall was built in the middle of the dining room to show constantly updated results of the progress of the auction.
Six trusses were installed above the dining room, rigged with VARI*LITE V*L2500 Wash and Martin Professional MAC 700 Profile moving lights, which were used to skim the walls, floor and tables. The room columns and arches were uplighted with battery powered wireless LED units.
The band stage room (on the east side) also doubled as the reception for when guests arrived – transformed from one to the other by the production team in lightning quick time as guests enjoyed their dinner.
Integral to Gray's design were eight panels of white gauze hung above the stage, used for projection surfaces, fed with custom-created disco visuals and animation material for the band. The projections were fed – via a Catalyst media server – to two 20K projectors positioned on balcony level, supplied by XL Video.
A series of staggered drop bars from the trusses flown above the stage were positioned between the scrims, populated with 12 Martin MAC Auras, six Atomic strobes and 12 2-lite Moles attached to their ends, giving the stage a quirky look. Above, on the trusses themselves were V*L 2500 Spots and Clay Paky Alpha Wash 700 moving lights.
An audience truss was rigged down the length of the room, and hung with Martin MAC 2Ks and Clay Paky Halo fixtures above the dance floor area.
The two long corner bars in the room each had a line of vintage bulbs hung above, on barrels suspended below the trussing,and the room pillars were again picked out by LED up-lighters, which were supplied by Shok London.
All the stage lighting was supplied by White Light and operated by Trent O'Connor using a grandMA light and a Chamsys MagicQ consoles. Renegade crew chief Chris Fyfe co-ordinated the seven lighting crew over two days of load-in and rehearsals.
Audio was supplied by Andrew Frengley of Matrix 9, and Blackout also supplied and did all the rigging.
The challenges, relates Gray, were making the space warm and comfortable for the dinner – in a supper club style – and also the tight get in schedule as all the production was brought in specifically for the occasion. He comments, "It was a real pleasure to work on this event again. We had a great team that worked fabulously together on all the creative and production elements, with SHINE putting a lot of trust in us to deliver a top class memorable event that was a hugely successful fundraiser."


text:
The sacking of Croation police chief Ivan Kresicin has seen Britt Lapthorne returned to newspaper headlines once again. Despite our burgeoning information technology, we are still putty in the hands of those who give us the details they choose about what is happening in the world.
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text:
What we did:
- Post-Production
Stone and Grove is an Olive Leaf Tea producer positioned as a wellness brand, focusing on the health benefits of the Olive Tree.
The task was to pitch Stone and Grove to both domestic and international stockists, highlighting the product and the brand image.
The brand's boutique, elegant craft aesthetic was the key feature to highlight.
As part of a larger pitch to stockists, compiling a sizzle reel of pre-existing footage of olive groves and the olive tea itself enabled the asset to act complimentary to the pitch by the Stone and Grove sales team.
With some outstanding existing assets to work with, we manufactured a piece that harmonised the product and brand in a elegant and bespoke manner.


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|This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link referred you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
The term faction usually refers to an in-game reward system, where "faction" points are awarded for completing challenges or quests in the service of a certain entity. There are four types of faction in Guild Wars:
- Faction (Balthazar), faction with Balthazar, the God of War.
- Faction (Kurzick), faction with the Kurzick nation of Cantha.
- Faction (Luxon), faction with the Luxon nation of Cantha.
- Faction (Imperial), faction with the Imperial (Cathan) Empire. May be exchanged for either Kurzick, Luxon, or Balthazar Faction.
The plural form, Factions, usually refers to Guild Wars Factions, the second campaign of Guild Wars.
Faction can also refer to:
- Faction (alliance), the two sides in the perpetual war taking place in Guild Wars Factions.
Community content is available under CC-BY-NC-SA unless otherwise noted.


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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tomorrow Girls: Behind the Gate
I am pleased to offer you the following post written by Ellen, one of my sixth grade students.
Louisa and Maddie live in 2020 when their country is in war. They are running out of gas and fresh food. They are being sent away to a school called Country Side Manor (CMS). They don't know where this school is or when they can come home, but Louisa knows that she will have the freedom her parents never gave her. Maddie is a little different; she doesn't want freedom from her parents. She only wants to see her parents who are off fighting in the war.
The two girls get on the bus heading for school. There they meet a very paranoid girl, Eleanor. Eleanor thinks the school is some sort of trap for kids, but she has no proof. Louisa and Maddie also meet a sporty, "too cool" girl named Rosie. Rosie doesn't talk to them; they just overhear her conversation with some other girls on the bus.
When they get to CMS, some pretty strange things happen. Is Eleanor right? Is this school a trap?
The Tomorrow Girls: Behind the Gate is a riveting read. This book hooks you from the start and never lets you go. It is definitely in my top ten books that I have read this year. The entire series consists of four books that are amazing! Eva Gray did a wonderful job writing these books!
THANK YOU, Ellen, for this post!
Click HERE to see a book trailer made by Ellen and her classmate, Tessa. Thanks for your time and effort to create this, girls! Job well done!
Happy Reading!
Mrs. T :)
P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!
Labels: guest post, science fiction
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Straight from the music and movie industry lobbyists, across Amy Klobuchar's desk, and now pending before the Senate, Amy Klobuchar wants to put people in jail for posting a video of a performance of copyrighted material (i.e., that video of you singing "My Sharona" in the shower). Like how one of the biggest artists on the planet (Justin Bieber—ask your kid) got his start:
Hey, it's not my thing, but I want this kind of video to exist; it's this kind of thing that makes the Internat great. Amy Klobuchar wants to kill it.
Klobuchar says the bill would only apply to people who make money from posting performances of copyrighted material. Not so. The bill covers any video that is played 10 or more times, if the copyright owner says the value of those "performances" exceeds $2,500 . Given what filesharing cases are going for these days, that shouldn't be hard to allege. And who knows what YouTube makes off those ads it shows next to your video, anyway. Any guess what 36 million+ views is worth? That's what the above video has gotten.
To be fair, she's just making a bad law worse. But it's quite likely she's doing so at the behest of the music and movie industry. If so, she's sold out, and no matter what the bill says, that means it's time for her to go. Sellouts don't belong in Congress.
Edit: More felons.
(Thanks, Anne!)


text:
I usually write funny stories, so Marlene Dotterer's challenge to write a scary story really made me work. Since the whole shebang started with critters in the sewing room, I decided to go there for inspiration. This is what I came up with:
The jeweled spider is an important character, as suggested by Julaina Kleist-Corwin, so it has a prominent position on the tray. I made the ceramic crow and the purple snowflake ornament, but the other pieces are things I found in odd drawers and corners.
This isn't the first time a sewing room find inspired a story. Another horror story I wrote, "The Family Tree" (published in Eve's Requiem by Spider Road Press) was inspired by my tree fabric collection. This story is called:
All Over But The Screaming
My sister cornered me in the sewing room, demanding a quilt for her fifth grandchild. She grabbed the amethyst batik I had just made and said, "This will be perfect for little Angelica. Her aura is such a vibrant purple, it's as if she told you this was what she wants."
"Angelica hasn't told me a thing. That batik is going into an art piece I've been planning for six months."
My sister tossed her perfect auburn curls. "But you will be making art. It will cover Angelica instead of hanging on a wall, but it will still be art. I'll make sure Angelica knows how lucky she is to be related to a famous fiber artist." She flashed the million-dollar smile I paid for after the car accident, with me at the wheel and her side smashed into a tree.
Every cut I made into that batik felt as if I were slicing into my own heart. Never say no to family, that's the motto pounded into our heads. I made the quilt with care, but not with love.
I finished the center and realized there was still enough of the batik left for my project if I used something else for the borders of the baby quilt. I searched through my stash for a suitable substitute. A golden leaf print blended well with the other fabrics, as did an aquamarine solid, but both seemed more like afterthoughts than integral parts of the design. While I never apologize for my decisions, I knew my sister would nag me about those fabrics so put them back in the drawer.
I considered a black polished cotton with gray circles, even sent a picture to my sister. She was horrified. "The specter of death is hovering over this quilt," her text read. "Didn't you see the ghost in the corner? It's on the right, near the edge of the screen."
I stifled the impulse to throw my phone across the room. The talismans my sister had given me at the summer solstice – a ceramic crow, a jeweled spider and other bric-a-brac on a tray – caught my eye. She said it was an altar of protection, and that I desperately needed it. I snatched the jeweled spider and broke one of its legs.
The wire pierced my skin. A drop of blood welled on my finger. As I watched it grow, the blood turned from dull red to a glowing red-orange, like lava. Sparks of light rose along the edges, as if they were bubbles in water about to boil. The sparks flashed diamond-white.
The spider wriggled from my grasp and crawled up my arm. My skin opened everywhere the raw wire touched, bringing pain and heat.
I heard a crackling sound, and the spark bubbles exploded from the blood drop. They scattered about the room. Smoke puffed from each spark. I smelled burning cotton and silk, and the toxic odor of melting plastic.
The spider waved its wire stump at me. "Apologize." It spoke with a crystalline voice – sharp, high, unyielding.
I tried to sweep the spider from my arm, but the beveled edges of the jewels sliced my hand as if it were so much sandwich meat. My knees buckled. Stacks of fabric tumbled to the floor with me. The air swirled with each avalanche, fanning the tiny sparks into flames.
"Apologize, and I will bite you," the spider said. "You will die tonight, one way or another. My poison will make your death easier."
I watched the flames jump from fabric to bookshelf to curtains. The smoke smelled angry. It smelled of my own hate. Now I must choose how I will end, in bitterness or rage.


text:
The travails of the Senate President continue to intrigue me, it's not personal. For what its worth, I find him rather interesting but that's neither here nor there. The trial excites me because it's being conducted open and it signals the government seriousness in ensuring erring officials are prosecuted.
At the heart of his case are CCB charges which border on anticipatory and false declaration of assets i.e. he declared the assets before he owned them, he didn't declare assets that he did owned (there are charges that also that he declared assets in his second term which his salary as a governor doesn't justify etc).
The crux of Saraki's defence, which was obvious on his first day at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) was that 'the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) should have invited him to explain the discrepancies on his asset declaration for before charges were laid'. This concerns section 3 (d) of the Code of Conduct and Tribunal Act;
3. Functions of the Bureau The functions of the Bureau shall be to‐ (a) receive assets declarations by public officers in accordance with the provisions of this Act;
(b) examine the assets declarations and ensure that they comply with the requirements of this Act and of any law for the time being in force;
(c) take and retain custody of such assets declarations; and
(d) receive complaints about non‐compliance with or breach of this Act and where the Bureau considers it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by section 20 of this Act in accordance with the provisions of sections 20 to 25 of this Act:
Provided that where the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non‐ compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary
This contention has been supported by several well regarded lawyers and most importantly, by the precedent set by the CCT itself in case the of Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) where it held;
1.Contrary to the rules of the Code of Conduct Bureau, the CCB had not afforded Asiwaju Tinubu an opportunity to be confronted with the complaints against him and be allowed to admit or deny before the charges were filed against him. The court noted that the opportunity to admit or deny was given to other Governors and public officers charged with violation of the code of conduct, but was not given to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
2.That the prosecution abused the process of court by not seeking leave of the Tribunal to file two additional counts and that the filing of two sets of charges simultaneously constitutes an abuse of process.
3.The charge did not disclose a prima facie case against the accused person as there was no proof of evidence attached to the charge, and that the charges did not show that the accounts were held by the accused persons, in fact the names were names of other persons.
As one can see with reason 1, Saraki's defence is predicated on terra firma, right?
Now, there are all sorts of innuendos as to why the CCT discharged the case against BAT, I don't care to examine those, just like I'll give no dice to the rumours explaining Saraki's current predicament. What do we know for sure are the facts as stated above.
Let me just say, without the full facts of the CCB's case against BAT that reasons 2 & 3 seem like plausible grounds for dismissal. Now, let us look at reason 1. The law requires all public officers to complete an Assets Declaration From and (this is the really important bit) to; see line 6 of the below:
The declarant is required to swear to the veracity of the information on the form, BEFORE its submission, right? An affidavit. What is the definition of an affidavit?
An affidavit is a written statement, which is sworn under oath (a religious pledge) or affirmation (a non-religious commitment) by a person authorised to do so by law. Essentially, it is a formal declaration to the effect that the contents of a particular statement are true.
What does the Nigeria law say about the admissibility of affidavits re trials? Well, the Evidence Act holds that;
All this is in essence; the Asset Declaration Form (ADF) is in and of itself evidence admissible in court, having sworn to the truthfulness of the information contained on it, the declarant cannot reasonable expect the CCB to refer to him again in the course of its investigations or verification of the 'truth' contained on that form. That is to say, the CCT erred in finding for BAT with reason 1 and Bukola Saraki himself is mistaken in believing that reason 1 is grounds for an appeal for dismissal of his case.
Let quickly examine Section 3(d) of the CCB&T Act though;
"(d) receive complaints about non‐compliance with or breach of this Act and where the Bureau considers it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by section 20 of this Act in accordance with the provisions of sections 20 to 25 of this Act:
Provided that where the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non‐ compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary."
This section is essentially concerned with where the information presented to the CCB does not emanate from the declarant, essentially, he has to be given a chance to respond to those claims AND if he admits his guilt, there ends the matter. So, the 'Tomatoes Association of Gbosere' (TAG) discovers that Saraki holds a farm in Gbosere and they send a notice to the CCB informing them of this fact; the CCB should inform the declarant of this and he's within his right to acknowledge that he failed to declare the farm and the matter is dropped.
(this actually helps the defendant in theory – if, for example, Saraki had been informed, say through unofficial means, of the investigation, he could have organised that parts of the charges which concern failure to declare were brought to the CCB's notice, which then would have necessitated the CCB to write to him.)
The caveat which forms the latter half of 3(d) is deliberately reductive, so as to limit its application to (d).
We'll never know why the court chose the erroneous definition of section 3(d) in BAT's case, but it behooves it to correct itself this time. It goes without saying that the interpretation of the law shouldn't depend on presidential whim and the deliberate misapplication of provisions within the law makes an honest process that much more suspicious.
The aim here isn't to examine Saraki's guilt or innocence, only to challenge this claim that's been making the rounds using Section 3(d) as its bedrock.


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Working to Improve the Patient Experience (AL LEND)
January 2, 2019
Each year, LEND Trainees at the Civitan-Sparks Clinics in Birmingham, Alabama develop a project that will aid in improving the experience of our patients. As an interdisciplinary clinic, families who come into the Civitan-Sparks Clinics see a wide variety of professionals, including Speech/Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition, Pediatrics, Audiology, Psychology, and Dental. As such, many parents are unsure of what to expect from a visit with each of these disciplines, particularly when they are new to our clinic. Additionally, while the range of areas of concerns that families come in with is broad, visits to each of our disciplines are largely the same clinic to clinic.
The 2018-2019 LEND trainees have spent the past few months creating one-page family-friendly information sheets with pictures that outline what to expect from visits with each of the disciplines. These information sheets have been placed in each of the observation rooms and posters are also currently being created for the waiting room. By allowing families to have easy access to what to expect from each visit, the children and adolescents we serve will be better prepared.
In the past, the interdisciplinary LEND trainees have created visual schedules that can be individualized for each patient, accumulated a list of local restaurants who were provided information about Autism Spectrum Disorders and related disorders, and developed a social story which is available both online and in our waiting room, to name a few. With the addition of information sheets regarding what to expect from both the child's and parent's perspective for each visit, it is the trainees' hope that families will find our clinic to be even more accessible.


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Broken Shed Distilleries, Inc. is excited to announce that Broken Shed Vodka will be sponsoring the 2017 Cocktail Wars Summer Splash. The event will take place throughout the summer over 7 weeks, at a different venue every Sunday in Newport, Rhode Island. The event will start on July 9 at Christie's in Newport, Rhode Island. The full list of venue participants is listed below:
Week 1 (July 9): Christie's @ 351 Thames Street, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
Week 2 (July 16): Hotel Viking @ 1 Bellevue Ave, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
Week 3 (July 23): The Rooftop of The Vanderbilt Grace Hotel @ 41 Mary St, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
Week 4 (July 30): Marina Café @ 5 Marina Plaza, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
Week 5 (August 6): Skiff Bar @ 25 America's Cup Ave, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
Week 6 (August 13): Gurney's Newport Resort @ 1 Goat Island, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
Week 7 (August 20): Newport Vineyards @ 909 E Main Rd, Middletown, Rhode Island 02842
Renowned mixologists and locals are expected to attend the event to compete with their creative vodka concoctions. Participants will receive brand merchandise, while the grand prize winner will receive a "Star of the Bar" award to commemorate their win.
"We are excited about the quality and purity of Broken Shed," says Broken Shed's Executive ChairmanSamuel Brown, "and look forward to seeing everyone at the events, and hope everyone is as excited as we are to try some of the summer's best cocktails mixed with Broken Shed Vodka ."
About Broken Shed Vodka
Broken Shed Vodka (BSV) was founded in 2010 as a craft New Zealand vodka. It is free of gluten, chemicals, GMOs and additives. The recipe was developed by two friends in a broken shed on the banks of Lake Wanaka, New Zealand — the home of our aquifer and source of our water.
Find Broken Shed Vodka Online
Website: www.brokenshed.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/BrokenShedVodka
Twitter: @BrokenShedVodka
Instagram: @brokenshed
New York, NY (June 1, 2017) —
Contact: Eric Schwamberger
Phone: +1 (917) 653 0632
Email: email@example.com
To keep up with the latest news and updates, join our Founders' Club for exclusive access to all things Broken Shed.


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Weekly: Code Club
Code Club runs every Sunday at 9:30am. Our sessions typically last 1½ hours.
Code Club is a free coding session aimed at 8 – 11 year olds! Our projects are easy to follow step-by-step guides which help children learn Scratch, HTML and Python by making games, animations and websites.
Call to book a place before they fill up!


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Sibling rivalry and mama's missing top:Both mysteries solved. Interestingly enough....
How are things at your house these days?
Are you wearing the splendid to NYC?
ps - love this text message.
LOL!! Love this. :)
lovely texts... :) I wanna go to NYC...
Fun holiday time ... going to miss you guys in NYC ... bummer! But I'll love hearing about it!
Funny thing - the birthday card I gave to my Dad dissed my brother:)
Oh what did 'your other child' do that was so idiotic .. and are you wearing the Splendid flow-y top in/to NYC?
how can you leave us hanging like that? what did he do???
Love how the bird "tattles". Your kids have such class LOL
Me and Peach HAVE to come to NYC dagnabit!!


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Sunmica Sheets
Product Code : SS-03
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Price And Quantity
Product Specifications
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ANIKA TRADING All Rights Reserved.(Terms of Use)
Developed and Managed by Infocom Network Ltd.


text:
Conventional relationship advice might dictate that monogamy is the only option to have a profitable, trusting relationship, but it surely's actually fairly common for people to hunt out various relationship structures. I've asked your questions, shed your tears and tried to reply among the very nagging questions you are asking now and that is why you might have this web page. If you are able to go per week with out speaking to the one you love, then maybe the two of you should re-consider the relationship. It is as a result of the individual will not be getting what they need out of the relationship.
Relationship counselling is concentrated totally on making sure relationship issues are dealt with in a method that supports the well being and nicely-being of those concerned. I know of a lady who was in an abusive relationship and he or she made the choice to leave together with her three daughters go a shelter and accept welfare. This page has grown over time, and with the help of YOR submissions who have submitted your favorite Quotes…its Over, now What! Just remember to are both on board relating to discovering options to save lots of your relationship. It's tough to imagine a more egalitarian or participatory relationship than this one.
Many relationships might trigger a whole lots of punishment to our private experience whereas any relationship with anyone is termed to be a cheerful relationship (a mutual type of relationship) whereby both Mr. A and Mr. B will see the relationship benefiting to themselves. When all of this began I puzzled why the mom of my daughter would try to destroy my relationship with my daughter. There's a common perception that your relationship might be much stronger should you each begin with nothing and construct your method up collectively. They aren't nervous about establishing good relationship with their clients and potential shoppers. You are usually having to reassure them that you're committed to the relationship. We will likely be stacking the percentages of an incredible Relationship with Sagittarius Males in your favor.
Once I asked my pal if he regretted his decision after he ended the relationship and was nonetheless hurting, he informed me that he didn't. Whenever you actually want to have a profitable marriage or relationship and preserve your love life recent and ongoing, you want to understand your companion from a special perspective. Everybody modifications as relationships progress, Orbuch says, so it is probably your accomplice has completely different interests and passions from the early years of your relationship.
To not point out heartache for children if the relationship fails they usually lose you, and HUGE monetary obstacles. We additionally noticed that lots of your pieces of advice for texting him or, sexting examples, or sexting ideas, or Flirty Text messages to send a guy additionally resemble ours. Being together for image — as a result of the relationship appeared good on paper (or in photos), not as a result of the … Read More


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30 minutes
All audiences
Impact of biosimilars on affordable cancer care
This module forms part of the following courses:
Learning outcomes
After completing this module, you should be able to:
- Understand how case studies and evidence can affect the uptake of biosimilars
- Understand how organisations can utilise the dynamics of competition within the biosimilars market
- Describe the potential issues around multiple switching.
Gustaf Befrits
Last updated
06 Aug 2018
Release date
06 Aug 2018
|Accreditation statement
|0:30 hours
|BMJ Learning has assigned half an hour of CPD/CME credit to this module. BMJ Learning modules are being certified for ASCOFAME VIRTUAL (Colombia).
|Austrian Academy of Physicians
|0.5 credits, 0:30 hours
|BMJ Learning modules have been certified for DFP Punkte. DFP Punkte are accepted in Austria
|Azerbaijan: The Scientific-Medical Council of the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan Republic
|0.5 credits, 0:30 hours
|The Scientific-Medical Council of the Ministry of Health of Azerbaijan Republic has formally accredited all BMJ Learning modules for medical doctor`s continuous professional development. Completion of one module is considered as the equivalent of 0.5 credits or 30 minutes of learning.
|BMJ Learning
|0.5 credits, 0:30 hours
|BMJ Learning has assigned half an hour of credit to this module
|Bhutan Medical and Health Council
|0.5 credits, 0:30 hours
|Bhutan Medical and Health Council has formally accredited all BMJ Learning online modules for continuous professional development. Bhutan Medical and Health Council will accept the CME credit provided by BMJ Learning to any registered members of Bhutan Medical and Health Council for renewal of their registration.
|Dubai Health Authority
|0.5 credits, 0:30 hours
|BMJ Learning is approved as a CME resource by the Dubai Health Authority (accreditation number 0013/18)
|Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization
|0.5 credits, 0:30 hours
|Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization (KIMS) of the Ministry of Health, State of Kuwait is the authority responsible for organising all aspects of postgraduate training of medical practitioners and other health professionals in Kuwait. Users within Kuwait can claim 30 minutes or 0.5 credit per half an hour of learning completed.
|Oman Medical Specialty Board
|0.25 credits
|The Oman Medical Specialty Board accredits this module for 0.25 credit points under Category II
|Pakistan Society of Family Physicians
|0.5 credits, 0:05 hours
|The Pakistan Society of Family Physicians has assigned half an hour of credit to this module.
|Royal Australasian College of Physicians
|0:30 hours
|The RACP does not accredit CPD activities, but MyCPD Program guidelines state that fellows can claim a maximum of 50 credits per year for online learning under 'Category 6 - Other Learning Activities'.
|The Ministry of Public Health in Qatar
|0.5 credits, 0:30 hours
|The Ministry of Public Health in Qatar represented by the Accreditation Department of the Qatar Council for Health Practitioners recognizes the continuous medical education (CME)/continuing professional development (CPD) modules provided through BMJ Learning as Category II self-directed learning activities in the State of Qatar. Healthcare professionals in Qatar can thus claim continuing professional development credits for their activity on BMJ Learning, calculated as 0.5 credits unit per 0.5 hours (Organization Code OP-02).
|The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
|0.5 credits, 0:30 hours
|RNZCGP endorses the British Medical Journal online CME programmes
|UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention
|0.5 credits, 0:30 hours
|This Program has been awarded 0.5 CPD Credit Hours by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.
|University of Health Sciences Lahore
|0.5 credits, 0:05 hours
|University of Health Sciences Lahore has assigned half an hour of credit to this module.


text:
L-103.net took 2.19 seconds to load. 0 is the popularity ranking of this domain by Alexa.
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Ruroni Kenshin Vol I
By Nobuhiro Watsuki
So it's the dawn of the 21st century. I'm stationed in Okinawa and like many young men there, bored out of my skull and in a video rental store (In my day you had to go to a store to get movies! In a car! Both ways!) when I see a skinny redheaded dude in a samurai get up plastered on a video box with the imaginative title "Samurai X". I rented that movie and would watch it 10 times in 2 days during a weekend when we weren't allowed off base thanks to Bill Clinton (he was visiting so no one was allowed to see a civilian so we wouldn't embarrass the old horn dog). That was my introduction to Himura Kenshin the Battosai, and I was hooked. It wasn't until years later that I was able to hunt down the manga that kicked started the whole thing. Ruroni Kenshin was first published in venerable Weekly Shonen Jump magazine starting in April 1994 and would continue until November 1999. From that beginning would come forth anime series, movies, video games and a grand empire of licensed goods. So let's take a look at where it all started, but first, our humble writer and artist.
Nobuhiro Watsuki was born in Tokyo in 1970 and raised in Nafaoka in Niigata prefecture. It is currently a large city and while it was a big one in Nobuhiro's childhood, it has grown a great deal since then. A videogame and anime fan, Nobuhiro studied Kendo in high school but by his own admission wasn't very good at it. He has a long list of works, many of them set in historical periods although like in Ruroni Kenshin he does take certain liberties to tell a story. He does avoid my pet peeve of radically altering real people, or as far as I know he does. He's also known for encouraging his fans to write fan-comics and even asking fans to send them to him. Which honestly speaks well of him in my book. He currently lives in Tokyo with his wife Kaoru Kurosaki.
The Kenshin story is set in the early Meiji era of Japan, where the Shogunate was replaced after a series of battles, upheavals and turmoil known as the Bakumatsu. Our main character Kenshin was in the thick of it during that time working for as an assassin for the anti-Shogun forces. He gained a reputation as a walking blood bath by... being a walking blood bath. At the end of the conflict, Kenshin resolved to find a way to live without being one of the top five causes of death in Japan; even going so far as to have a sword forged that would be difficult to kill with (Katanas usually only have one side sharpened, Kenshin has the other side sharpened so a normal strike won't cut you open, just break your bones). Our story begins when Kenshin wanders into Tokyo and runs into a young lady trying to clear her dojo's name. Some mysterious thug has been running about killing people declaring himself a member of that dojo, giving them a reputation as a pack of mad dogs. As a result of this, most of the students have left. The young lady named Kamiya Kaoru is hoping to find this thug, beat him senseless and turn him over to the police to clear the dojo's name. Kenshin is drawn into this when he witnesses the confrontation and the thug declares himself the Battosai. While he's not proud of being the Battosai and is trying to be a different person… He ain't going to let just any two bit thug pick up his name and run with it either.
That said, I have to mention this: now I know it's before television or even radio but... Humira's a bloody redhead in Tokyo! He looks nothing like the towering thug who's pretending to be him. I mean sure I can understand some confusion over what an assassin looks like but he didn't kill everyone who saw him! Just like 90% tops! Considering everyone else in this series is drawn with a standard Japanese phenotype you think word would get around that hey, the Battosai is a skinny redheaded guy so if you find yourself in the street with one... run! Sorry, but that bugs me. Anyway, when the dust settles, Kaoru imperiously invites Kenshin to stay at her dojo, providing our set up for the series.
Let me touch on Kaoru a bit here, she is the only child of a sword master and dojo owner and when he dies, she is determined to keep the dojo going. This is despite the fact that women aren't really considered proper teachers of swordsmanship at the time. Lucky Kaoru is actually very talented in the martial arts, if completely out of her league at Kenshin's level. Kaoru is kind of the center of the group here, it's her dojo that gives them a base of operations and it's because of her that Kenshin hangs around long enough to form the group. Her main connections are with Kenshin and Yahiko though. Speaking of which let's talk about Yahiko.
Yahiko was the son of a samurai who died during the transition from Shogunate to Meiji Era, his mother being dispossessed of her home and property had to turn to prostitution to keep her son and herself fed. This more or less worked until she contracted a disease and died from it. It's a sad but not uncommon story of the time. What's interesting is Yahiko isn't ashamed of his mother's action, but of his own after her death. He became a pickpocket working for the yakuza and goes after Kenshin. He gets caught and the arc becomes Yahiko wanting to go legit. We learn at the end of the story line that Kenshin is refusing to pass on his skills with the sword and encourages Yahiko to learn under Kaoru instead. Yahiko plays the part of the apprentice in most of the story lines, the jr. member that needs things spelled out to him because well, how else would he know?
We're also introduced to Sanosuke, Sanosuke was a member of a extremist group, the Sekiho Army that was destroyed by the Meiji side of the civil war despite fighting on their side. It's touches like this that I enjoy about this series by the way. While Nobuhiro is clearly not a scholar, he is also very clearly a big fan of history and does study the period he uses a bit. While he does include a lot of fantastical elements, he also brings in little touches. Sano is pretty bitter about this and becomes what he calls a "fight merchant" or what I call a low rent mercenary. He's actually hired to fight Kenshin and is excited to battle him. The fight is a pretty good one without going overboard, in fact a lot of the early fights are actually pretty quick. Which helps enforce the idea that Kenshin is a scary man. Sano is the first fight that lasts for a bit, which helps give Sano a bit of credit with the readers.
We're also introduced to the last member of the crew Megumi, she's a woman from a long celebrated line of doctors, unfortunately it looks like she is the last survivor of a long line of celebrated doctors. Her older family members marched onto the battlefield to provide care for the injured during the uprising and never came back. She did manage to get work as an assistant to another doctor but he turned out to be in bed with a very wealthy drug dealer making a type of super opium (this is another little touch). When the doctor is killed in a disagreement over money, Megumi is left as the only person who knows how to make this super drug. Despite the fact that she has been part of a drug ring that kills people, Kenshin is still more than willing to come to the rescue when he finds out.
Which brings us to the themes present in this collected edition. We met each of the members of the team, Kenshin, Kaoru,Tahiko, Sanosuke and Megumi. With the exception of Kaoru, each member of the team has a past they are not proud of and want to make up for. They all have special talents and skills that are the result of practice, study, and determination. They're all hopeful of a better world while admitting that the current world falls woefully short of the expectations of the people who sacrificed for it. Make no mistake the Meiji government is painted as corrupt and fairly insecure here. So we have hope and redemption against a background of sin and violence. This creates a great dynamic for the story. Nobuhiro manages to avoid the perils of Shonen stories, such as drawn out fights that devolve into "now let me show you my true power" or everyone having to wait around for the main character to solve everything, as Sano and Yahiko and even Kaoru are given things to do (although in many cases Kaoru is turned into a hostage or made to wait at home, the fights tend to be boys only here). There are touches of the ridiculous, such as a villain with flint for teeth and a oil bag in his stomach so he can be walking flamethrower but I'm willing to accept some fantasy here. That said, if you dislike manga on principals and can't stand Shonen stories, then you might want to pass on this. Still I enjoyed the book and for that I'm giving Ruroni Kenshin Vol I (the collected edition) By Nobuhiro Watsuki a A-.
Edited by Dr. Ben Allen.


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During the last FIFA World Cup over 3.2 billion people watched at least some part of a match.
This gigantic number might make the Courserian community of over 8 million strong seem small. However, we Courserians know that the impact of our community is incredibly powerful, long-lasting and widespread.
We are MASSIVE football fans, yet can't help but think that if as many people that watched the World Cup took a course on Coursera, what an interesting, fascinating and learned world it'd be!
The Coursera Cup Leaderboard is a measurement of the most active Courserians per capita per country/region with over 10k learners. We are measuring "Activity" by video lectures watched and number of learners per capita:
Top 30 Countries/Regions
- Singapore
- Taiwan
- Hong Kong
- Ireland
- Australia
- United States
- Canada
- Israel
- New Zealand
- Greece
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- Lithuania
- Denmark
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Portugal
- Norway
- Croatia
- United Arab Emirates
- Sweden
- Finland
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Serbia
- Chile
- Hungary
- Costa Rica
- Czech Republic
- Romania
Countries that need to start inviting more friends and watching those lecture videos…
Make Your Country the Coursera Cup Winner
Make your country dominate the #1 spot of the Coursera Cup. Invite your friends to Coursera and keep up with lecture watching during the World Cup until the Championship Game on July 13th, 2014.
The Coursera Cup Leaderboard is determined by the "activity" of learners per capita in each country/region with over 10k learners. "Activity" for the Coursera Cup is measured by number of lecture videos watched as well as the % growth of new learners on Coursera from that country.
The Coursera Cup Leaderboard Standings will be updated weekly and posted to the Coursera blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin social media pages. Follow us to stay updated!
Viva fútbol! Viva Coursera!


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$ 84.00
$ 0.00
Double Strap Crop Top
Bikini top with adjustable double straps and back closure, foam padded lining.
Model in Coral is wearing size XS. Model in Aqua is wearing size S.
72% Polyamide / 28% Elastane
Hand Wash Cold / Line Dry
MADE IN USA of imported materials.


text:
Captain Liz is a surfer, writer, eco/spiritual activist, & brand ambassador living aboard her sailboat & seeking to inspire others to live their dreams!
Through her website SwellVoyage.com, Liz shares her journey with the world in an effort of inspire people to live out their passions, spend more time in nature, engage in self-awareness and personal growth, and develop a consciousness of their everyday planetary impact.
So, Kai says "Dad, I have an idea for a film to help tell the Avasol story". Like a little pro, he made some notes and a story-board on a scrap of paper. We shot it over the course of a day, but we fiddled with it for the past year till we got it where we liked it. We just got around to playing the soundtrack.
This is a first for us on a lot of levels; first YouTube video, first time shooting with a GoPro, or DSLR video, first time editing in iMovie, first time recording and mixing in GarageBand, first time playing a Bass Ukulele. All of this probably shows, but we hope you enjoy it... Set your viewer to 1080p HD and enjoy.
A huge thanks to everyone who has supported our mission. Aloha to all our new friends!
Team Avasol


text:
by Bill Chestnut
Where to see Birds
We don't need a bird hide at Inverawe. Our birds aren't tame but they are not shy, either. We don't feed the birds at Inverawe, they can do that for themselves but we do provide bird baths. Inverawe can get very dry in summer. We think that some of the guys with fur and whiskers drink from the bird baths at night, too. Away from Inverawe, your best chance of seeing birds is at a park at the edge of a bush area, where birds are used to seeing people.
You will need a field guide for birds in your area. Guides we like are:
Additionally, we couldn't manage without The Australian Bird Calls Tasmania CD, recorded by David Stewart. This CD is the single most valuable source we have for identifying birds. Most birds have more than one call and learning these will let you form a mental map of all the bird activity swirling around you. Try: http://www.naturesound.com.au/cd_tasmania.htm for supply details.
You will also need a set of binoculars. Most serious bird watchers have a fairly high powered set but I use a small set that slips easily into my jacket pocket. Mostly I'm spotting birds when I am working on the property, so most of my bird spotting is done with the naked eye.
What to Wear
You are more likely to see birds if you dress in fairly quiet, loose fitting clothes. Shapeless browns and greys are ideal. Find a seat where the background helps obscure your shape and sit still and quiet. If you are still and quiet and not too obvious, the birds will resume their activities.
Time and Patience
Experienced bird watchers disappear at Inverawe for hours. You won't see many birds in a quick visit. It takes time for the birds to adjust to your presence. You are more likely to see birds just after sunrise, and just before sunset. This is when birds are at their busiest, foraging.
Horses for Courses
Every bird species has its own environmental niche. If you want to see a particular bird you need to go somewhere that environment exists or create the environment on your own property as we have done at Inverawe. Some birds rarely leave the tree canopy, some hop around branches and tree trunks searching for insects under loose bark, whilst others like the grasslands.
Residents and Visitors
Some birds are regular residents. New Holland Honeyeaters are with us, every day of the year. Other birds are seasonal visitors. We see Robins in the autumn, rarely at other times. Green Rosellas turn up when certain plants are in flower. Some birds turn up, hang around for a while, and then disappear. White Goshawks and Little Falcons fit this category. Some birds visit just once – once we saw a Pacific Heron. It was around for a couple of days and then vanished, never to return. Other birds, like Wedge Tails and Sea Eagles, wander over an extended range of which Inverawe is only a part. As a bird watcher you need to be around at the right time. If you learn your regular residents, this will help you identify less common species. The Swamp Harrier is such a common sight at Inverawe that we judge other, less familiar raptors in comparison – larger than, smaller than, flatter wing dihedral and so on.
Having trouble identifying the bird?
Most of all, keep bird watching. Identifying species can be very frustrating for beginners, as the bird in the field often just doesn't seem to be in the guide. The good news is the more time you spend watching, the better you will get. Good luck!
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Locations>St. Louis Children's Specialty Care Center
Many Washington University specialists now see patients at the St. Louis Children's Specialty Care Center, a new outpatient facility located at Highway 40/I-64 and Mason Road in west St. Louis County. At the center, Washington University Physicians and St. Louis Children's Hospital pediatric nurses and staff bring nationally recognized expertise to children and families, in an environment completely dedicated to kids and teens.
The Center is a warm and inviting space for children of all ages, supporting their physical, social and emotional needs. Families are surrounded by an uplifting and creative environment that reduces stress, promotes healing, and provides a superior patient experience.
Features and Amenities
Dedicated, specialized space: Three stories and 141,000 square feet of space focused on child and adolescent health care, with a separate pick-up area for surgical patients
On-site food kiosk: Offers food and drink choices available for purchase
Safety Stop: Provides a variety of safety gear plus car seat, helmet and home safety consultations with trained safety technicians
Family Resource kiosk: An interactive information station that connects families to personalized child health information
Classroom Space: Parenting presentations and classes on infant massage, CPR, babysitting and staying home alone
The Specialty Care Center features a range of outpatient pediatric medical services including:
Adolescent Medicine
Cochlear Implants
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
General Surgery
Urologic Surgery
Plastic Surgery
Additional outpatient services:
3 operating rooms
Imaging – fluoroscopy, MRI, plain film x-ray, ultrasound
Pediatric Acute Wound Service (PAWS)
Infusion center
Lab services
Therapy: Physical, Occupational, Speech
St. Louis Children's Specialty Care Center
13001 North Outer Forty
St. Louis, MO 63017
Phone: 314-454-KIDS (5437)
Get Directions
Washington University Physicians are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children's Hospital


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Jan. 24 Update: Microsoft Office 365 is finally available on the Mac App Store.
Buying a MacBook is like getting a ticket to a land of fantastic new software. In addition to all of the free apps that Apple gives to every Mac owner, both the Mac App Store and independent developers provide tools that make using your computer easier — and a little more fun. Our must-have list includes apps that remember your passwords, organize your notes and to-dos, and follow your package deliveries. There's even a Mac App subscription service that outfits your MacBook with more than 75 programs for only $9.99 per month!
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CYC Limited – General Conditions of Hire Last updated – January 2019.
Christian Youth Camps Ltd (CYC Ltd) seeks to put the Christian faith into practice through camping and conferencing ministries in an environment where people can personally experience Christian life and values, in harmony with the beliefs, principles and doctrines of the Christian Community Churches in Victoria and Tasmania.
- Christian Youth Camps manage a wide range of venues in Victoria (Australia), catering to hundreds of school, church, corporate, conference and other special interest groups throughout the year, as well as its own Holiday Camps and Leadership Development ministries. CYC was established by the Christian Community Churches in Victoria and Tasmania (CCCVaT) to manage its camping and conference facilities and properties, in furtherance of the objects and purposes of the CCCVaT, including Adanac CYC, Phillip Island Adventure Resort, CYC The Island, City CYC, and Forest Edge CYC.
- While it is appreciated that not every group who uses the campsites will share the Christian beliefs of Christian Youth Camps (CYC), all users are expected while attending the campsite to show respect for those beliefs and to avoid conduct and not permit activities (including seminars, conferences, workshops and speeches) during the time at CYC that are inconsistent with those beliefs. The General Manager of CYC Ltd maintains the right to refuse or cancel bookings, within the limits of the law, from any group whose activities are deemed to be inappropriate for our venues.
- The Christian beliefs of CYC are set out in the Statement of Faith to which every member of CYC needs to subscribe and which appears here. In addition, CYC shares the beliefs, principles and doctrines of the Christian Brethren Trust and the Christian Community Churches in Victoria and Tasmania. A copy of CYC's Statement of Faith may be obtained from the CYC head office, 1801 Phillip Island Rd, Cowes, Victoria +61 03 5952 2417. The website of CCCVaT contains its beliefs, principles and doctrines which can be found at www.cccvat.com.au.
- Any person applying for a booking at a CYC campsite thereby agrees on behalf of all persons for whom the booking is sought that they will at all times while attending a CYC campsite respect the doctrines, beliefs and principles of CYC referred to above and will not, while attending a CYC campsite, engage in conduct nor permit activities (including seminars, conferences, workshops and speeches) inconsistent with those doctrines, beliefs or principles, and in addition will not injure the sensitivities of the members of the CCCVaT.
The Client and the Client's Representative are jointly and severally deemed to be responsible for overall supervision, behaviour & safety of Guests at all times, so as to ensure that:
- Their use of the Facility and conduct while at the Facility, show respect to and do not cause injury to the religious sensitivities of people of the CCCVaT.
- Adequate numbers of dependable & capable adult leaders are provided by the Client, to enable adequate supervision and safety of Guests.
- All Guests are briefed on the safety & emergency procedures herein, those displayed on-site & those outlined during the safety briefing by Facility staff on arrival.
- That all Guests, including day visitors, understand & comply with the following conditions/regulations.
ACTIVITIES (where applicable)
- No Activities are to be undertaken without the prior approval of Facility staff. Most Activities have restricted use after dark.
- It is the responsibility of the Client to notify the Facilities in writing regarding any Guest unable to participate in either Supervised Activities or Specialised Activities due to personal health or safety reasons.
- It is the responsibility of the Client to provide responsible and authoritative leaders to be trained by Facility staff in CYC Standard Operation Procedures (SOP's) in order for Specialised Activities and Supervised Activities to be accessed and safely used.
- The signed acceptance by such trained persons (refer point 7) regarding the adequacy of their training, & their acceptance of the risk and responsibility involved, is a requirement prior to equipment being made available.
- Facility staff reserve the right to withdraw equipment or access to all Activities should the Client not provide responsible and experienced activity leaders, or be found abusing Activity equipment or acting in an irresponsible manner.
- While Facility staff, or their sub-contracted activity providers, take responsibility solely for the technical skills & technical safety aspects of a Specialised Activity, including instruction, demonstration and personal protective equipment assistance, it is ultimately the Client's choice to decide whether or not to proceed with the use of any or all of these facilities and Specialised Activities. The Client and the Client's Representative acknowledge that there is an inherent risk involved in the Specialised Activities and that CYC will under no circumstance be held responsible or liable for any injury or loss sustained or resulting from participation in Specialised Activities. Further, it is the responsibility of the Client and the Client's Representative to advise Guests of the inherent risk involved in the Specialised Activities.
- To avoid doubt, the Client agrees to be ultimately responsible for identifying safety issues associated with all activities and excursions, & ensuring all necessary safety precautions are taken.
- No Activities are to be undertaken or supervised within 8 hours of a Guest's or supervisor's alcohol intake.
- The use of private or personal recreational sport or fitness equipment (or the like), and or the bringing onto the Facilities of the same by any Client or Guest is NOT permitted without the previous WRITTEN permission of CYC or its authorized agents. Facility management reserves the right to refuse the use of, or to confiscate any equipment it considers to be breaking this condition, or beyond the spirit of this agreement.
- CYC holds the necessary insurance for public risk and injury for all activities and equipment provided by CYC in accordance with the following recognised industry accreditation standards: Australian Camps Association and/or National Accommodation Recreation and Tourism Accreditation. The Client must arrange insurance coverage for private or personal recreational, (refer point 13) sport or fitness equipment or the like, and must produce proof of such coverage before CYC will consider or agree to these activities being undertaken at the Facilities. (This is because CYC insurance does not cover risk or injury associated with the use of such equipment).
- To the full extent permitted by law, CYC and its employees do not accept, and the Client and Client's Representative therefore release CYC from and indemnify CYC against, any liability for the loss of property or damage or personal injury arising from the use of the facilities or equipment or participation in any Activities (including Specialised Activities, Supervised Activities and Free Time Activities) or Excursions.
- It is the responsibility of the Client and the Client's Representative to assemble Guests at the earliest mutually convenient time for a safety briefing, site orientation & explanation of CYC's 'Good Neighbour Policy'. If group dynamics do not allow this, it is the responsibility of the Client's Representative to convey all given information & instructions to all guests no later than at the groups' first meal or gathering.
- Facility staff are to be informed of any calls for emergency services. (000 is a free call and can be made from any facility phone.)
- Fire Fighting, Safety & Emergency Equipment must not be tampered with or removed. Damage to such equipment will be charged to the Client (Refer point 24 and 25).
- No fire may be lit on the property at ANY time without the consent of Facility staff.
- Fire restriction notices and Total Fire Ban Days must be strictly observed.
- First aid, training and equipment are the responsibility of the Client.
- On Code Red days the Client is responsible for enacting their own Emergency Management Plan (EMP), however if no group EMP has been formulated then the Client agrees to follow all directions and instructions linked to the Facility EMP.
- Alert level requiring emergency transport to move Guests off site to a recognised 'safer place' the Client agrees to pay the cost of this transport as part of their final account.
- The Client understands and accepts that full payment in accordance with the original fees, booking period and conditions of the signed Facility Hire Agreement will still be due and payable, even when it is deemed necessary to evacuate Guests to a 'safer place' in accordance with the groups EMP, the Facility's EMP, or a group volunteers to leave the site due to an emergency fire alert level.
- All damage, breakage, theft or loss to Facility property or equipment is to be reported to Facility staff. Breakages & loss costs will be included in the final account at time of invoicing. Any damage, breakage or loss discovered during the cleaning and damage check following the departure of the Client will be added to the final account or, if applicable, a new account will be issued. No account will be considered finalised until full restitution for all damage and loss has been received.
- CYC takes no responsibility for loss or damage to personal property.
- Guests are only permitted to access the buildings which have been allocated to them.
- All vehicle parking is strictly at the risk of the vehicle owner and restricted to sign-posted areas.
- Speed restrictions of 15 kph on approaching driveway to building line, & 10 kph around ALL buildings strictly apply.
- The Facilities is not a licensed venue and does not supply, sell or disburse alcoholic beverages.
- Permission for the consumption of alcohol on the Facility premises is considered on a case-by-case basis, and permission is entirely at the discretion of CYC. Approval for the consumption of alcohol must be gained prior to the Client's arrival.
- All alcohol consumption must be conducted within legal and publically acceptable behavioral guidelines, and within the assigned area/s. All Activities and Activity areas are glass & alcohol free zones. Under-age drinking is not permitted at any time.
- Over-consumption of alcohol, or any form of drug-taking, will not be tolerated and will result in immediate removal from the Facility, loss of fees and possible police intervention.
- It is the responsibility of the Client to procure applicable license/s to permit alcohol to be consumed at the Facility premises.
- Music amplification, Public Address systems (PA systems), and other amplification equipment: CYC and the Facility follow strict Music Amplification and Public Address protocols as required by Local Council, EPA standards, the CYC board and the Facilities' own 'Good Neighbours' policy. This protocol includes, but is not limited to:
- a) A strict 9.00 am starting & 10.00 pm finishing curfew for all amplification equipment, all days.
- b) A co-signed individual permit from the site manager, to operate any outside PA equipment at any time is required.
- c) CYC retains the right to refuse use of, close down, remove and control sound levels of any amplification equipment. Permit applications are available from Facility administration.
- The entire Facility and grounds are a sanctuary for flora and fauna. As such, the Client and Client's Representative are responsible to ensure that all plants, animals, shells and soil are left as found and not interfered with by Guests, that Guests do not litter, and that vehicles always stay on the roads.
- Workshops, residences, neighbouring properties and storerooms & electrical switch-rooms are 'out of bounds' areas. Access to other areas may be restricted at the discretion of CYC for Client and Guest safety or security reasons.
- It is the responsibility of the Client and the Client's Representative to notify CYC and Facility management of any Guest allergies, including food allergies, and any special dietary requirements.
- Food and beverages are not permitted in Guest accommodation rooms.
- All electrical equipment brought onto the Facility must be tested and tagged in accordance with Victorian Occupational Health & Safety regulations.
- The Client is responsible for compliance with all applicable regulations of the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act and any other applicable Act of Parliament or law relating to Occupational Health and Safety.
- All personal information supplied will only be used in accordance with the Facility Privacy Policy, a copy of which can be found here
- Unless specified on the Facility Hire Agreement multiple Clients may be staying at or using the Facility at any one time.
- No Facility bedding, furniture or equipment is to be removed or moved from its designated area without the prior authority of the Facility manager or duty person.
- All areas of the Facility including buildings and grounds hired by/used by the Client are to be maintained in a clean and tidy condition.
- Dining Room obligations (where applicable) include setting, clearing/wiping-down of tables & vacuuming.
- Arrival & Departure – Guests must not enter the Facility or surrounding grounds prior to the allocated arrival time as per their Facility Hire Agreement (unless previously agreed to), and must not overstay their allocated departure time as per their Facility Hire Agreement (unless previously agreed to). In certain circumstances, Guests may be asked to vacate their sleeping accommodation by 9.30am regardless of the stated departure time on the Facility Hire Agreement.
- Communicable Illnesses – (a) must be reported immediately to management (b) Clients must ensure Guests do not attend the Facility with a Communicable Illness or related symptoms (c) the Client will accept all costs incurred in the clean-up & disinfection of the Facility to the satisfaction of the local Health Department, due to the introduction of a Communicable Illness by a Guest or group of Guests.
- Before being vacated, all areas used or occupied by the Client are to be cleaned & tidied to a standard acceptable to Facility management, & equipment returned to its specified area. Failure to do so may result in a cleaning fee being added to the final account.
- CYC requires an Occupational Health & Safety 03.1 Accident/Incident Report & Investigation Form to be completed and returned for all Incidents which occur during the Client's stay, a copy of which can be provided on request by Facility management.
- A detailed list of all Guests must be tendered to Facility administration on arrival.
- Courtesy toward other Guests' personal property & the environment is required.
- The entire Facility & its grounds are private property
- Non-school Clients, where parents/legal guardian/s are not in attendance, must ensure that all Guests under 18 years of age complete an appropriately signed parent/legal guardian form that:
- a) gives consent for the minor to attend these Facilities
- b) outlines all major on-site activities to be undertaken as well as full details of all educational programs to be conducted
- c) provides health/medical information regarding medical conditions & emergency contact numbers. Proof of the use of this form may be required at time of final guest numbers being received. Completed sheets must be readily available to the Client & Facility staff for the duration of the Client's stay.
- Prohibited in Rooms: Smoking, Cooking, Candles, Mosquito Coils.
- Prohibited on Site: pets, weapons, fire crackers, candles, mosquito coils, and illegal drugs.
- Facility staff are empowered to take any action deemed necessary for the proper conduct of the camp.
- TERMINATION OF OCCUPANCY: CYC reserves the right to terminate a Client or Guest's occupancy without notice for any breach of the General Conditions of Hire.
- PAYMENT: Final & full payment as per invoice is due and payable at time of departure. The final invoice will include a charge for each person attending or visiting the camp, based on the price per person set out in the Facility Hire Agreement, provided that if the number of people attending the camp is less than the minimum number of people set out in the Facility Hire Agreement, the Client agrees to pay the minimum invoice amount set out in the Facility Hire Agreement. The final invoice may also include the cost of rectifying any damage, breakage or loss, in accordance with paragraph 25 of these General Conditions of Hire, and any other amounts payable under these General Conditions of Hire.
- CLIENT CANCELLATION: Deposits are not refunded in the event of a client cancellation. The Client must give at least five (5) months' notice IN WRITING of cancellation. Cancellation within 5 (five) months of the commencement of the agreed dates will incur a cancellation fee equal to 80% of the fee for the minimum number, stated in this agreement (unless due to a government suspension of camps & excursions, where the booking is rescheduled to the earliest agreed timeslot). If CYC Ltd is able to fill the cancellation it will reduce the cancellation fee, by an amount equal to the amount received from any subsequent booking/s for identical booking dates. In signing, the client hereby fully agrees that the 80% cancellation fee does not constitute a penalty clause and represents fair and reasonable financial settlement, having regard to the monetary loss & costs CYC will suffer when the required five (5) months' notice of cancellation is not given.
- INDEMNITY: Notwithstanding any other clause herein, the Client hereby indemnifies CYC against any and all claims, losses liabilities of whatsoever nature which CYC may suffer, incur or sustain as a result of the Client breaching any of its obligations or responsibilities under, or failing to act in accordance with, these 'General Conditions of Hire'.
- Nothing herein excludes, restricts or modifies any condition, warranty, right or remedy, implied or imposed by any statute or regulation that cannot be lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified. However, all express or implied representations, conditions, warranties and provisions, whether based in statute, common law or otherwise, relating to the provision of services as contemplated by these General Conditions of Hire that are not contained in these General Conditions of Hire, are excluded to the full extent permitted by law.
- If any condition or warranty is implied into these General Conditions of Hire under the Fair Trading Act 1999 (Vic) or any equivalent or corresponding Federal legislation and cannot be excluded, and CYC is able to limit liability for a breach of such a condition or warranty, the liability of CYC for breach of that condition or warranty is limited, at CYC's absolute discretion, to the following: to supply the services supplied by CYC under these General Conditions of Hire (Services) again or to pay the cost of having the Services supplied again. This clause is subject to clause 64.
- Section 32N of the Fair Trading Act 1999 (Vic) in certain circumstances permits a term of a contract for the supply of recreational services to exclude, restrict or modify the liability of the supplier pursuant to section 32J or 32J (a) of that Act for death or personal injury relating to that supply. CYC hereby excludes and limits its liability for death or personal injury relating to the supply of recreational services to the full extent permitted by section 32N.
- To the full extent permitted by law, CYC excludes liability and will not be responsible for loss or damage arising from a Guests failure to obey CYC safety directions or instructions, any pre-existing medical or psychological condition, and any negligent act or omission by CYC or any person for whom CYC is responsible.
- To the extent permitted by law, the Client and the Client's Representative release and discharge CYC from any claim, action, demand or proceeding (including those arising from negligence, to the extent permitted by law) relating to or arising from participation in services contemplated under these General Conditions of Hire.
- AUTHORITY: I agree to the 'General Conditions of Hire' and understand that CYC reserves the right to change the conditions, as necessary, for legal compliance, general Guest safety or comfort. I agree to ensure that all members of the Client understand and comply with these conditions.
Terms Used
Client – means an individual or group hiring the Facility, or part thereof for the purpose of conducting a camp, retreat, conference, or event. Client Representative – means any person working on behalf of or representing the client, and their/its interests. Communicable Illness – means gastroenteritis, stomach flu or similar. CYC – means Christian Youth Camps Ltd, which is the organisation that operates the Facilities on behalf of The Christian Community Churches of Victoria and Tasmania. Facility / Facilities – means Adanac CYC, Phillip Island Adventure Resort, City CYC, CYC The Island, and Forest Edge CYC. Guest – means a person who is part of, or in any way associated with, the Client (including day visitors). Incident – means when a Guest suffers an injury of any kind during their stay at the Facility. Specialised Activities – means all activities identified as such by CYC Activity Safety Guides. Activities – means all on-site Activities including Specialised Activities, Supervised Activities, and Free Time Activities.


text: Mugabe is under pressure to step down as the cholera death toll nears 600 people [AFP] "They are also dead set on ensuring that there is an invasion of Zimbabwe but without themselves carrying it out. In those circumstances, they will stop at nothing. "We would not be surprised if they spring a 'mission' involving the UN," he said.Under pressureOn Tuesday, George Bush, the US president, called for an end to Mugabe's "tyranny" and urged African leaders who have not yet done so to "join the growing chorus" pushing for his ouster. "As my administration has made clear, it is time for Robert Mugabe to go," Bush, who hands over to Barack Obama on January 20, said in a statement.Bush's call followed tough action by the European Union which on Monday increased diplomatic pressure on the Zimbabwe government, broadening sanctions on Mugabe and his inner circle while Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, added his voice to growing calls for Mugabe's resignation.Raila Odinga, Kenya's prime minister, has also called on African nations to consider sending troops to Zimbabwe "to take control of the country and ensure urgent humanitarian assistance". But the African Union has made it clear that it did not back calls for tougher action on Zimbabwe, saying only dialogue could solve the country's many problems and that sending in troops or removing Mugabe by force were not options. "We have a serious humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. We have cholera. Do they think that we can eradicate cholera with guns?" said Salva Rweyemamu, the spokesman for Jakaya Kikwete, the AU chairman and Tanzanian president. The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs puts the number of cholera cases in Zimbabwe at 13,960. "We have a serious humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. We have cholera. Do they think that we can eradicate cholera with guns?" Salva Rweyemamu, the spokesman for Jakaya Kikwete, the AU chairman and Tanzanian president Doctors say the death toll could be much higher than the nearly 600 reported, and the UN children's agency Unicef has warned that 60,000 cholera cases could emerge in the coming weeks. Unicef said on Tuesday that it needed $17.5m to tackle the epidemic. The country's health system cannot cope with the cholera outbreak and the water supply network has failed.The disease has spread to neighbouring South Africa where a camp in Madimba on the border with Zimbabwe is accommodating hundreds of cholera-infected Zimbaweans receiving medical treatment.Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from the camp, said: "It is a huge problem because Zimbabweans keep pouring into South Africa. "Health authorities say that since November 15 they have registered about 630 cases here in South Africa. They say at the moment about 57 patients are in hospital and there have been eight deaths." Caroline Hooper-Box from the aid organisation Oxfam told Al Jazeera that the situation in Zimbabwe is expected to get worse as the rain season is just about to start. "The problem is that Zimbabwe's health and sanitation system is completely disintegrated. Cholera is a waterborne disease, and as the rain starts to fall, cholera spreads, further and faster. We're expecting things to become quite a lot worse, quite quickly," she said. National emergency Zimbabwe has declared a national emergency and appealed for international aid to fight the disease. Basic foodstuffs in the country are running out, prices of goods are doubling every 24 hours, and the 100 million Zimbabwean dollar a week limit for bank withdrawals buys only three loaves of bread. Nearly half the population is expected to need emergency aid next month, according to the United Nations. Mugabe blames Western sanctions for Zimbabwe's crisis, while his critics accuse him of increasingly authoritarian rule. The crisis has been accelerated by political deadlock between Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai over implementation of a power-sharing deal brokered by South Africa. SOURCE: Al Jazeera and agencies


text: "Everywhere you look these days you see something on how to be happy — how to manifest abundance, desires and success, find your bliss… Whatever happened to experiencing the grace of melancholy, which requires reflection: a sort of mental steeping, like tea? What if all this cheerful advice only makes you feel inadequate? What if you were born morose?" [Read Article]


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The City of Nampa's Code Compliance and Community Relations Division, Streets Division and Fleets Services are joining together to host an opportunity for Nampa residents to drop off used automotive tires Saturday, September 14, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 106 W. Railroad.
Staff will be collecting used tires free of charge on a first come, first served and space is limited.
Additional collection guidelines include:
The event is part of the City of Nampa's effort to keep our community clean.
For questions, please contact Carol Shackelford via email (email@example.com) or phone (208-468-5460).


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Share the gift of relaxation and wellbeing with a reflexology gift certificate.
You can trust we'll take good care of your special person. Once on the massage table, people often close their eyes and allow the warm massage table and Nancie's gentle touch to begin soothing and relaxing them.
Now you can pay for your gift certificate on-line and we'll mail this gift certificate to you or directly to the one you wish to honor. Gift certificates are $95 and include an herbal foot bath and massage.
If you'd like to talk with Nancie about this gift certificate, call or text 503-867-2778 or email her at email@example.com and she'll get back to you today.
Serving the greater Portland Oregon area.
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