text:
The house was in ruin. Though it had survived a civil war and countless natural disasters, the good fortune that had always surrounded the old place had come to an end. The walls with their elegant murals had been pulled down. Painted tiles and leaded glass were turned to rubble and woodwork to splinters. Water sprayed from ruptured pipes as a child's summer game. Electricity snapped and popped, starting small fires in the wreckage.
Amidst the destruction lay an old woman. She was wearing a well cut suit, fine jewels circling her wrists and neck. The woman, Minerva, had been handsome once but that small beauty had been wiped away by the same force that had destroyed the house. Bruised and battered, she seemed at peace despite her suffering, seemed to know that she was about to move on to a better world.
"Look what you made me do," snapped Gwendolyn, standing over her victim like an eagle with a fish in its talons. She was young and beautiful and terrible. "Now I've wasted all morning. I know you have it. Are you going to tell me where the book is or shall I instruct you in the ways of pain?"
The old woman's only reply was a smile. Blinking, she looked into the endless sky and murmured something under her breath.
"What's that?" Gwendolyn spat, raising a hand contorted with the workings of some secret menace, flecks of green fire rising in her palm. "Enchantments? How absurd. You must know by now there is nothing you can do."
Saying the woman's name like the speaking of a curse, Minerva replied, "No Gwendolyn, my greatest escape is yet to come." Satisfied with this small act of defiance, she returned to her prayers without further explanation.
Furious, Gwendolyn said, "You will tell me what I want to know. Where is the book? Where have you hidden it?"
"No, I will not tell you. And there is no threat by which you can make me tell. You have defeated me, but you will not have victory if I may prevent it. There will be others. Your wickedness shall not endure."
"Others? Don't make me laugh," Gwendolyn taunted. "Come then, fool, call your friends. Where are they now?"
"The powerless, the lowly, these are the ones that will defeat you. Let this be my final prediction." So saying, Minerva closed her eyes and let out a deep breath, the many toils of her life coming to an end.
Gwendolyn lifted her hand. Invoking words of power, she shined a yellow light over the broken body at her feet. "Now, now, I will not let you die so easily, not until you have told me everything I want to know."
Plucking a single hair from her head, Gwendolyn pulled the golden strand taut between her fingers as she worked the enchantments that would give it strength. With a fierce, predatory gleam in her eye, she pushed the old woman to the floor and thrust the needle sharp hair through her shoulder. Minerva screamed as the golden thread pierced her flesh. Taking her time, enjoying the extended torture as each new hair penetrated skin and bone, Gwendolyn pinned her victim to the floor.
With Minerva stretched out like a frog on an examination tray, Gwendolyn turned to survey the ruin in which she stood. She found a broken china bowl that would serve her needs. Scattering the fragments in which the bowl lay, she pulled it from the wreckage and set it upon an upturned chair.
Button by button Gwendolyn opened her blouse, revealing a shapely bosom, flawless in curve and form. But like the body of which it was a part, the flesh was corrupt. Increasing from shoulder to crest, sickly pustules rose from porcelain skin.
Checking each of the riper blisters, Gwendolyn found one ready to be put into service. Something black and wormlike swam inside, visible through the thin membrane. Under careful ministrations the blister broke open. Blood and pus splattered into the bowl, taking the worm-thing with it.
Seeing her pet hungered by the efforts of birth, Gwendolyn squeezed the open sore, giving the creature her blood on which to feed. "Now for some mother's milk," she said when the blood ran dry, her own ripe bosom providing the substance by which the thing would gain strength and come to know its master.
When the worm-thing had fed, Gwendolyn brought it to where her victim lay, turning the bowl over the old woman's ear. Hungry still, the worm-thing slithered to the end of the short canal. Into the woman's brain it went, eating hungrily, getting a taste for the finer meat that was offered there. Tears wetting her soft cheeks, Minerva could do nothing to resist.
"Don't fight it," said Gwendolyn in a silky voice, seeming to be a friend, someone who only wanted the suffering to end as soon as possible. "Just tell me what I want to know and it will all be over. No more pain, no more worry. Tell me where the book is and I'll set you free."
And as the worm-thing burrowed deeper, guided by its wicked master, Minerva could not help but tell what she knew. She told about the location of the book. She told about the young witch charged with the duty of keeping it safe. In the end, she told everything she had to tell, and then she died.
The storm had kept Lynn Weigenmeister away from home much longer than expected. Thirty-eight inches of snow had fallen in little over a day, stranding her, but it was hardly noticeable for the condition of the roads now. The good folks at the county garage had cleaned it all up rather nicely. Even so, she had to slow down. Icy patches could turn up even on the most assiduously tended of highways. The drive had been long and tedious, but she was making good time and it would soon be over.
In the distance, dark shapes circled above the snow banks. She counted fifteen in all, remembering a silly rhyme about birds in a pie. Coming to the spot, she slowed, watching crows gather at the carcass of a deer. By the look of things, a big truck must have struck the poor animal and left it for dead.
Crows and other carrion birds are viewed as harbingers of death by folklore the world over, but Miss Weigenmeister didn't share those superstitions. The birds only behaved in the way survival had taught. They were even known to work collectively, a sign of intelligence, protecting each other from larger predators such as hawks and foxes. Working together, what was called a mob by less enlightened, the birds would sometimes even chase away an animal as large as a wolf.
Seeing the dead deer was posing no threat to other motorists, and feeling a special kinship with the gathering crows, she decided to let the poor birds have the best of the feed and drove on. Another hour's travel brought Miss Weigenmeister to her turn, the county road that led to the gravel tract on which she lived.
But as she took her foot from the accelerator, an awful clanking sound came from the dashboard, followed by the grinding of gears and a puff of sweet smelling, white smoke. The smoke grew thick and clung to the windshield. Fearful she might swerve into the opposite lane in her blindness, Miss Weigenmeister slowly pumped the brake, angling toward what she hoped was the shoulder of the road.
Rethinking her general scorn of all machinery to include her automobile, she opened a window to clear the air of the sickly odor and was amazed to find herself on the outskirts of town. The local auto repair garage was not three city blocks away.
"That's odd," said Miss Weigenmeister to herself as she tried to put together the means by which she had come to this place.
Finally she decided that it must have been a trick of the snow banks, making less of her than a rat in a maze. If she hadn't been away from home for such a long time, with the added weariness of the hours of travel, she might have gone right then to see what the mechanic had to say about her malfunctioning vehicle.
As it was, she was too tired. Wiping the windshield with a handkerchief and rolling down the windows as far as she could endure, she turned the car around and headed for home.
A county road meandered some twenty miles into the wilderness before bringing her to the gravel track on which she lived. The road was lined with overhanging trees, draped with the softest snow, looking like a joyous Christmas wonderland in some romanticized, greeting card scene.
At times the county was late in clearing the gravel tract on which she lived. She was the only one who was out that far and after a big storm it sometimes took days for her to be plowed out. Not this time, she saw with relief as she neared the intersection. She was in luck. She wouldn't have to hike in.
Slowing, happy the journey was almost over, Miss Weigenmeister pumped the brakes and turned the wheel. The car did not respond. It kept going straight down the county road, past the little tract and up the rise beyond, accelerating, defying the laws of gravity as she understood them.
Wrenching the wheel, she punched the gas, hoping to regain control. The back wheels spun wildly on the snow covered pavement. Panicking, she stepped on the brake, harder than she should have, locking the wheels and sending the Volvo into a skid. There was nothing to do but hold on until the car came to a stop. Moments later Miss Weigenmeister found herself wedged in the ditch. Try as she may, rocking the car back and forth did nothing to free it.
"What is going on today?" she said aloud, an odd sense of danger pricking her nerves. Lynn Weigenmeister had a talent, as aptly named a curse, for finding trouble. As she sat behind the wheel of the old Volvo, she began to wonder if the car had been possessed and was now the tool of some malevolent force.
"Maybe it's just me," she finally decided. "I've heard tales of ordinary objects taking on enchantments when in proximity to practitioners of the magical arts, a sort of mystic radiation if one is to believe in such accounts. But could that have happened to an automobile?"
Thinking for a moment, she said, "I did have that nice summer dress take on a life of its own, but that was as a result of a direct spell of my own make. Well, I guess the book helped."
At the mention of the book, that particular book she had used in painting the wall mural of her upstairs hallway, the radio turned on by itself. A raucous tune that seemed a soundtrack to murder played at thunderous levels. Between the music and the growing ache in her skull, Miss Weigenmeister felt as if she were being assaulted.
"Enough!" she commanded, the radio going dead.
Addressing the car directly, she said, "My apologies to you, then. I think I have finally figured out what you have been trying to tell me. There is some danger connected to the book, a danger that may have found me out."
"Well, I'll have to leave you until morning. I am afraid I won't have the opportunity to call a service truck if things are going to go as badly as your warning suggests. Sorry, but I'll provide for you as soon as I may."
With that, she stepped out of the car and into the wild.
"What a disgrace. An iron cauldron over the fire and a few potted herbs, these are hardly proper conditions for practicing the noble arts," Gwendolyn said with a sniff, looking over the sitting room, trying to discover if some hiding place had been secreted from her. But there was no trace of a spell beyond the feeble wards that guarded the windows and doors.
"I supposed it is to be expected. Once a maidservant, always a maidservant. Why those fools would have entrusted the book to her, I really can't imagine."
Gwendolyn stepped into the hallway, continuing her search. Coming to a rather substantial bookcase, she paused to take a look, thinking it absurd to have hidden the precious volume in such an obvious place. Still, she cast her spell. Closing her eyes, she let the magic guide her fingertips.
"War and Peace, what romantic trash," she said, reading the dust jacket, not even bothering to open the book. "I can't imagine anyone reading that nonsense."
Heading up the stairs to the second story, Gwendolyn came upon a wall mural. It was painted in the likeness of a snow covered meadow. As she looked on, the dead branches of the trees seemed to sway with the wind. Snow drifted into the distance.
There was a small nest in one of the trees, made of grass and twigs and mud. A single thread of tinsel was caught within. Drawn to the strand of silver, flagging with the feral wind that blew, Gwendolyn was overcome by the feeling that she could reach out and touch the thing if she wanted to. All she had to do was to take a single step and she would be close enough to catch it in her hand.
And with the thought upon her, the wind seemed everywhere, growing in pitch and ferocity as snow swirled all around. Coming to her senses, Gwendolyn pulled back. She was in the hallway once again. A pile of snow lay at her feet.
"Fool girl to leave something like that out in the open," she hissed, breathing hard from the effort of freeing herself. "Why, anyone could walk into the thing and be gone, and then you'd have some explaining to do. They may not burn you at the stake like in the old days, but I imagine they have devised tortures in this technological age that would make a burning seem a summer fête in comparison."
More cautious now, taking another look at the painting to see if it hid some passage to a secret hollow or locked door, Gwendolyn thought she recognized the book's magic. Having learned everything she could from the mural, she sniffed, "No accounting for talent, I guess you don't have to paint very well for the magic to work, and what an atrocious job it is on both accounts."
Appalled, she went on, "Why, the destination is indeterminate. A person could step into that and end up just about anywhere. The more I learn of this maidservant the less I like, such brazen carelessness is the sign of a weak mind. To have something so magical and so dangerous in a hallway is stupidity."
But her musings were cut short. The wards that protected the house began to tremble with the approach of their mistress.
Winter days in the northlands are fleeting, and as Lynn Weigenmeister walked the last few steps to her own front gate, the sun was already beginning to set behind the western mountains. Long shadows were turning the failing day to an early twilight, a grim reminder of the dangers that lay ahead.
Though the protections she set upon the house were intact, Miss Weigenmeister could not suppress the feeling that danger lurked within. There were no tracks leading to the door. The snow in the drive and yard were unmarked by human passing. But she trusted the warnings her car had made, and she knew there were those with power to travel by other means.
Opening the front door, she prepared herself for attack. Unmolested as she went inside, Miss Weigenmeister took off her coat and scarf. To save energy, she had turned down the thermostat upon her departure, but the house was warm and she could smell a wood fire. Strange, she hadn't noticed smoke coming from the chimney.
The odd silence too much for her, she called out, "Hallo? Is anybody there?"
"Yes, and shame on you for keeping me waiting, girl," said a woman from the next room.
In the sitting room Miss Weigenmeister saw a tall, attractive woman seated primly on the davenport. "My apologies, I was not expecting guests. I have been away on business and have only just returned. How may I be of service?"
"I have come seeking a certain, unique object, a book of magic that once belonged to your mistress," the woman replied in a smooth voice, a voice that seemed to calm the nerves and unburden the mind.
Recognizing the enchantment for what it was, and being especially adept at the sort of spell, Miss Weigenmeister turned her mind away, isolating herself from the seductive effects.
"I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage," she began, trying not to reveal too much about her strengths. "Again, my apologies, but I do not believe we have met."
"Gwendolyn, Lady of Devonshire, House of Stewart, Council of the East," the woman replied. "My praise to you for keeping the book safe, but I have come to relieve you of that duty. Come now, I've wasted enough time. I know you have had the book in your possession for I have seen your picture on the wall upstairs and recognize the magicks it employs."
Knowing the book in question resided in the hall, guarded by a particular amount of trickery only a librarian would think of, Miss Weigenmeister said, "The book was entrusted to me and I have not been instructed to relinquish it to anyone. If your intentions are honorable, would you not explain?"
"How dare you!" Gwendolyn said, furious. She stood, raising her clenched fists and saying, "I do not have to explain myself to you."
Miss Weigenmeister leaped back into the hallway only just in time. A ball of green fire flew inches from her head. The fire exploded against the wall, spreading up the wainscoting and across the floor.
Knowing her only hope was in escape, Miss Weigenmeister began loosening the confines of her clothing as she made her way toward the stairs, saying the words that set the mural into action. She felt the energy of the portal build, knew it would be ready if she could only reach it before Gwendolyn overpowered her.
"This is all so tedious," Gwendolyn said from the sitting room, the pleasure in her voice belying her words as she followed. "I will win. I always do. I will make you tell me what I want to know. Then, maybe, I will kill you; if I don't feel like making other sport of you first."
Free of her garments at last, Miss Weigenmeister began to change. Her nose extended into the shape of a beak. Her fingers splayed, her arms turning at the elbow, sprouting black feathers. Soon her transformation into a crow was complete. Up the staircase she rose on wings of midnight.
"My, my, look at that," Gwendolyn mocked her. "You are full of surprises."
Not to be outdone, Gwendolyn began chanting a spell. She took the guise of a bird also, but she made herself stronger, more predatory. By the time Miss Weigenmeister reached the top of the stairs, Gwendolyn had taken the shape of an eagle, white headed and majestic, fierce and powerful.
"Here I come, girl," she said, calling up the hunt with a screech of delight.
As she flew into the painting, Miss Weigenmeister struggled to remain focused on the journey. She knew the destination of the portal could change as quickly as one thought to the next. Just as easily, she could lose herself in the journey. But inside her mind was the growing hope that she could use the magic doorway to be rid of her adversary, arriving at some nearby forest or meadow and shutting the way behind her before Gwendolyn could get through.
For some inexplicable reason, she was unable to pull her thoughts from the scene of earlier that day. She saw fifteen crows feeding on the carcass of a deer. The matter caught in her mind, taking her to the very spot.
She found herself high above the road, alight upon currents of winter air that buffeted her like a tall ship on the open sea. Realizing she had returned to the material world, Miss Weigenmeister commanded the portal to close.
As the magical doorway began to shut, Gwendolyn thrust into the world, just escaping the snare. Battered by the winter winds, she desperately flapped her eagle's wings in an attempt to stay aloft. At times she would be swept up to frightening heights, while at other times she would plummet to within a few feet of the ground before catching the air.
Seeing Gwendolyn had evaded her trap, Miss Weigenmeister cut through the sky, heading for the dead deer and the safety of the birds collected there. She hoped to hide amongst them, using confusion to make her escape.
Crows are a crafty sort of bird, highly intelligent and possessed of a certain quickness of body, talents by which their unfavorable reputations were made. Miss Weigenmeister knew the other birds were in no physical danger from Gwendolyn in her present form, not unless she chose to use sorcery upon them. She just needed the murder to give her time to decide what to do next.
Dropping lightly to her feet at the end of the carcass, Miss Weigenmeister made a few quick hops in amongst the others, dipping her beak into the spoilt flesh as a camouflage of action, trying to mix with the group as best she could. When she dared look to the sky, she saw the eagle plummeting toward her.
"Here I come, girl," said Gwendolyn, screeching like an eagle as she swooped down, scattering the crows.
One of the younger birds was slow to get out of the way, and upon the poor bird the attentions of the eagle became fixed. Gwendolyn raked her talons across its back, tearing the bird's wing to shreds. But the young crow was not without friends.
A nearby crow reached out, savagely nipping the eagle's backside. Thinking she had picked the wrong bird, Gwendolyn attacked, chasing it into the sky. Before she could follow, another bird tore a piece of flesh from her thigh. She turned on the new threat just as another crow attacked, and another.
Abandoning Gwendolyn to the gathering fury of the mob, leaving her to be clawed and pecked to death, Miss Weigenmeister turned away. It had been dirty business with Gwendolyn and she was glad for it to be over. For now, she was safe and the book was safe.
The End


text:
I have been hearing so much about oat-less..yes oat-less..oatmeal that I decided to give it a go yesterday morning. It exists and is totally paleo friendly and approved. I am not paleo, although I have been contemplating doing the whole30 or at least trying it. Come September it may be a very big possibility but we'll see..anyways here is the recipe for OATLESS oatmeal.
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
- 3 egg whites
- 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 banana, mashed
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Whisk together egg whites and milk
- Add in flaxseed, cinnamon, mashed banana, and vanilla
- Whisk until completely combined
- Pour mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat
- Constantly stir the mixture and scrape the bottom of the saucepan until you reach a cooked oatmeal consistency. The cooking should take no more than 5 minutes.
- Scoop into a bowl and top with toppings!
Without any toppings it comes out to be around 200 calories.
Circuits are my favorite absolute favorite kind of workout and I'm always up for trying and creating new ones. The other day I came up with this one which is a combination of strength exercises using a medicine ball with some jump roping in-between each move. This workout is about 30 minutes long and definitely gets your heart rate up!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
(CNN) – Ben Quayle, the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle who is seeking a House seat in Arizona, is making a splash with a new campaign ad in which he looks straight into the camera and declares, "Barack Obama is the worst president in history."
"My generation will inherit a weakened country," Quayle also says solemnly in the new 30-second spot. "Drug cartels in Mexico, tax cartels in DC. What's happened to America? I love Arizona. I was raised right. Someone needs to go to Washington and knock the hell out of the place."
Quayle, the 33-year-old son of the former vice president, is one of 10 Republicans seeking the GOP nomination for the third district House seat of retiring Rep. John Shadegg. The Republican-leaning district primarily encompasses Phoenix and its surrounding suburbs.
Quayle recently ran into controversy after admitting to having posted on the controversial website DirtyScottsdale.com four years ago. The racy website features scantily clad women and focuses on profiling the Scottsdale nightclub scene. Quayle told a local TV station Tuesday he posted on the website on behalf of a friend to "drive some traffic."
The primary will be held on August 24.
This from the son of Dan Quayle! Would he recognize a great president? He probably thinks Bush was one of the best, we know his kind...scary stuff. Drinking the Arizona kool-aid. We in Arizona are getting used to our kooky politicians and their goofy ideas and statements.
EXACTLY!! Your taxes went up so much this year because of Barack Obama's tax cartel. Also, Barack Obama put all the drug dealers in Mexico.
What a weepy dopey dooooosh like his father. Typical right wing empty headed crybaby.
What a perceptive young man..............he has my vote.
You don't know much 'bout history, do ya bennie boy? President Obama didn't "increase spending". He's just making us pay for the previous occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue's wars of choice. Prior to January 2009, those two boondoggles, which BTW, enriched a bunch of the previous occupant's supporters were entirely off the books before President Obama. Truth hurts bennie boy. Deal with it.
Yeah Yeah but can you spell POTATO(e)??
If you want the vote from this voter, you need to start talking about what you plan to do once in office. Quit bad mouthing others who are currently there working for change. We all have our opinion about the folks in office. We need to be hearing about what you plan to do, what changes you are going to make. Bashing the President does absolutely nothing to improve your image (all the bashing does is make you look childish). And, it sure isn't going to make me run out to vote for you!!!
People who have to bash others in an attempt to boost their own image are sickening and not someone who will ever get my vote.
How are Mexican Drug Cartels Obama's fault? lol
More of the same rich right and left trash polluting the nation...
The nut didn't fall from the tree, did it?
yep...just looking at this guy and you get the sense that he will go to Washington and "knock the hell out of it". Personally, I think my 14 month old daughter has more balls...and I do know she is smarter.
Only time will tell...but Young Mr. Quayle may be on to something. Obama has been a major disappointment to the Left and exactly what the righ thought he would be...a Tax and spend liberal. He can't control pelosi and Reid...actually he enables them. My opnion is that Quale is right. Obama has hurt the country for decades to come.
33 years old – has he ever held a real job? Does he know anything apart from the world of politics? And whatever happened to the ideal of sending people with age, experience and wisdom to the legislature? At 33 you don't know anything, and if you've never worked in the real world, you know even less.
For the record, I still consider myself relatively young (43 if you're asking) and I'd rather see people with more experience and wisdom than myself making laws for our country.
Well as the "good book" says the apple does not fall far from the tree. This man doesn't know anything about history. And how would he decribe the 8 years of W that brought us this mess. How is it that the repubs can spend 8 years screwing things up and then expect Obama to fix it all in 18 months? Such is the nonsense of repubs.
100% true, BO is hands down the worst
Nothing like stating the obvious but it's about time somebody just came right out and said it! Vote this guy IN! He tells it like it is...
I'm guessing the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. After all this is the offspring of his father who once quipped that he didn't speak Latin on a trip to Latin America. Like his father, a whole lot of feathers and not much chicken.
Ha! He just revealed how dumb he is. Like father, like son.
What else coming from a potato{e} head
I'd like to know, where were all these bashers when Bush was in office? Bush started all these problems that Obama inherited and OMG – it's Obamas fault. I'm sorry but I am going down that road – it stinks of racism. There are alot of people that are SOOO upset that this country has someone who is not a WASP as president. Would these same people be bashing if Obama was white and Jewish or if Hillary who is WASP but a female, still be bashing. It's not because Obama is a democrat. Of course no one is going to say Yes it is because Obama is AA, and that's because they are cowards who hide behind "tea parties" and the like. Get over it people – you will have to deal with it until the next election, just like we democrats had to deal with that idiot Bush for 100 years (well it felt like that to me)
All I can say is to consider the source on this one. No mention is made of any of his qualifications to serve in Congress, only that his daddy is a former VP. Just like his post on dirtyscottsdale.com, he's just trying to "drive some( ignorant and uninformed) traffic" to his campaign. This is how you campaign if you have absolutely nothing to offer. Unfortunately, there's that fringe element of the Republican Party that eats this stuff up.
Oh, Gawd, why does this dolt have to live in my state?
Gross, just gross. Arizona needs intelligent people and discourse to address immigration and spending not "guys here were raised right" so they can post on line to increase traffic on porn sites.
One member of Congress has no power to "knock the hell out of the place". Especially when that member belongs to the GOP. Quayle's ad is targeted at Obama haters and offers absolutely no alternative ideas. I don't vote based on fear but rather varying ideas from the various candidates. Quayle is a victim of GOP propaganda. Lots of fear and hate but a dearth of ideas for moving this country forward.


text:
How to Purchase an Original Painting or Limited-Edition Print
Original Paintings and Prints may be purchased by contacting email@example.com
Originals vary in price from $400-$1000, and prints cost $42 to $75, plus shipping. ($15 to $25 for prints, $50 to $100 for originals.
The Giclee Prints are made on all-cotton fine art paper with archival inks. Properly framed, they will last for generations. These are signed, numbered, limited edition prints in runs of 200.
There are 3 print sizes available… 8 x 10, 11 x 14 and 15 x 19 for rectangular images (some reasonable deviation should be expected due to the various canvas sizes of the originals.) Prices are $42, $60, and $75, plus shipping.
For square images, the sizes are… 9 x 9, 12 x 12, and 15 x 15. Prices are $42, $60, and $75, plus shipping.
I work as a shipboard naturalist on a small eco-tour cruise ship about 3 months of the year. (Lucky me!) so processing your order may take a bit more time than you expected. Once I hear from you, we can set a shipping date. The longest wait would be 30 days.
Thanks for your interest and Happy Trails,
Bette Lu


text:
Join the Accelerator
We are looking for partners across the public and private sector to help us harness the problem solving-potential of the Blockchain.
The innovation behind Blockchain begins with the fact that no central entity owns or controls the systems. All its data is stored across a global network of computers.


text:
Song Activities are welcomed by students every time!
What are some ways to create a song worksheet so that it is profitable in the sense of learning?
Below, there's a link with a song worksheet I really liked using with my students...
With a new song, from the Rio Movie Soundtrack!
Students unscramble the letters to guess the correct words!
http://www.getenglishlessons.com/6376/r ... the-world/
What do you think?
Song Worksheets
For general discussion between ESL teachers.
Moderator: Joe
Post Reply
First unread post • 1 post • Page 1 of 1
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1


text:
International Business has evolved in terms of sophistication and taken on a much larger scale. This is a kind of business that needs one to be thoroughly aware of cultural, social and economic developments in the world around them. Operating on an international level is very different to operating on a domestic level. The entire game changes with a new set of rules that need to be followed. The different aspects of International Business have to be followed and developed in order for the business to be a success.
One of the pillars supporting International Business is taxation. The laws regarding tax keeps changing from one country to another. For example, laws in the United States would be different from the one that are followed in India. The various acts are defined by the law of a country that is abided by while conducting the business across boundaries. Tax treaties are one dimension of taxation you need to be aware about.
A tax treaty is an agreement between the two countries that are entering into a business transaction. The treaties can cover aspects like income tax, inheritance taxes, value added taxes and anything else that is agreed between the parties involved. Tax treaties that are drawn are all different depending from country to country, though there are few points that do overlap, some of which are mentioned below.
- The treaty defines the terms on which the taxes are to be covered along with identifying who is a resident and eligible for benefits.
- The amount of tax that is withheld from interest, dividends and royalties paid by a resident of one country to one of the other country is reduced.
- The agreement will determine the conditions in which the income of individuals resident in one country will be taxed in the other country, including salary, self-employment, pension and other income.
- It is also provides terms for exemption of certain types of organizations or individuals
- The frameworks for enforcement and dispute resolution are also provided.
Besides defining the terms and condition of the agreement, the tax treaty also serves the purpose of reducing taxes of one treaty country for residents of the other treaty country in order to reduce double taxation of the same income. The aim of drawing a tax treaty is to reduce double taxation while another aim is to eliminate tax evasion and to encourage cross- border trade efficiently.
Welingkar Distance Learning Program is one such institute that accommodates to fit your needs. But don't go by what we see, check it out for yourself!


text:
Last updated on June 27th, 2020
Sambar recipe– Sharing the authentic sambar recipe that has been tried and tested many many times in our home for many years. Indulge in the essence of south Indian cuisine with this best sambar and rice!
Dal Sambar is the quintessential dish from south India that is always served as first course with rice before rasam. Sharing the perfect south Indian sambar recipe that is delicious and flavorful with video and step by step photos.
Vegetable sambar is the most popular dish in south India and every state especially has its own signature recipe. In Tamil nadu cuisine also there are many types of sambar recipes. The one I am sharing today uses fresh spice paste with coconut.
Making sambar is easy. You can make sambar as much quick or elaborate as you want. I sometimes just saute all the veggies with homemade sambar powder and use a pressure cooker to make sambar. Especially I do this when I want to fix lunch quickly. I will call that everyday sambar and this varutharacha sambar is a bit special.
This sambar recipe is the one we make at home for years. This is my mother's version of making sambar. In this recipe, a freshly roasted and ground spice powder is used instead of regular sambar powder. The fresh spice powder makes this sambar recipe so fragrant and tasty, just perfect to serve with steamed rice.
Here I have used carrot and capsicum in this sambar recipe. I just love these two vegetables in any sambar. You can also add vegetables like potato,ladies finger (okra), eggplant, cluster beans, broad beans, french beans. Especially white pumpkin is another excellent vegetable to use in any sambar. I will share vegetable sambar recipe in pressure cooker using white pumpkin as I make it very often.
Sambar is best served with steamed rice, potato fry, aloo gobi fry, okra fry, raw banana fry aloo beans and also potato chips. You can also serve this sambar with idli, dosa, adai and pongal just like tiffin sambar
To make best sambar recipe, use good quality toor dal (the one that is not shiny), the dal should be completely cooked and mashed. Because if the dal is not thoroughly mashed, the consistency and texture of sambar will be affected. The color of the sambar greatly depends on the type of tamarind you use. We use dark tamarind that is well aged for and sambar recipes as this type of tamarind is less sour and deep in color.
Tips for making best sambar:
- Add tamarind extract only after cooking the vegetables for some time as tamarind will hinder with the cooking of vegetables.
- Use aged dark tamarind because that is not overly sour and also gives a nice color.
- You can add a very small piece of jaggery while simmering to round off the flavors.
- Make sure that the dal is properly cooked and thoroughly mashed. One of my aunt's just grind the cooked dal before adding to the sambar.
- Do not boil the sambar for long time after adding cooked dal.
- When making in large scale you can add some rice flour mixed with water to thicken the sambar.
For Tamilnadu style sambar recipe, It is best to use small or pearl onions. Small onions are widely used in Tamil recipes as they are more flavorful and tasty. If you prefer you can leave out tomato and increase the amount if tamarind. Do try out this best south Indian sambar recipe and enjoy 🙂
Homemade sambar powder is the best one to use for preparing sambar. If you are not able to prepare homemade one you can use MTR sambar powder. I have personally tried it and like it.
Variations in making sambar recipe:
- to make a no onion version you can just replace onion with asafoetida.
- You can also skip coconut in spice powder if you want to.
- If you want to make sambar quickly use sambar powder instead of fresh spice powder.
- I have also shared full recipes for different types of sambar. Please refer below.
There are many varieties of sambar made in south India and I have shared some tasty recipes like uduppi sambar, kadamba sambar, hotel sambar, tiffin sambar etc.
South Indian sambar recipe video
How to make sambar recipe
1. First of all soak tamarind in 1/2 cup water for 15 minutes and extract thick juice. Peel the onions. Finally also chop carrot, bell pepper into big pieces and tomato finely.
2. Pressure cook 1/2 cup toor dal with 2 cups water until completely mushy. Once pressure is released mash the dal very well.
3. Use the back of ladle or a mashed and mash the dal until very smooth. This is very important for making perfect sambar. You can mash the dal only if it is completely cooked. So adjust water and cooking time according to the quality of your dal. You can also grind the also to make it smooth.
3. Heat a pan and dry roast channa dal, coriander seeds, dried red chilies and fenugreek seeds in low flame. Roast till the dal and spices turn aromatic and take care not to burn the spices. Switch off the flame and finally add the grated coconut. Mix well and allow to cool. Finally grind everything to a coarse powder.
3. Next heat 2 tablespoons in a kadai or thick pan and temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
4. Add pearl onions and saute till it changes color slightly.
5. Next add all the chopped vegetables and saute well for 3-4 minutes. Then Add turmeric powder and mix well. Saute well.
6. Now add 3/4 cup water and cook the vegetables for 3-5 minutes. After that add the thick tamarind extract and mix well. Cook well for 5-7 minutes.
7. Then add the mashed dal and mix well. Cook in medium flame for 2-3 minutes.
8. Season with salt and ground spice powder. Cook for 3-5 more minutes. Finally garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve sambar hot with rice. Goes well with okra fry or brinjal fry or cauliflower poriyal or carrot curry or potato fry.
Sambar recipe card below:
Sambar Recipe | South Indian Sambar Recipe
For sambar:
- 1/2 cup pigeon peas
- Tamarind small gooseberry sized ball.
- 10-12 shallots
- 1 small carrot peeled and chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper cubed
- 1 small tomato finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt
To roast and grind for making sambar masala
- 1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon channa dal
- 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 3-4 dried red chilies
- 1 tablespoon urad dal optional
- 2 teapoons grated coconut
To temper sambar
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons oil
- Pressure cook toor dal until very soft. Mash the cooked dal thoroughly and set aside.
- Soak tamarind in water for 15 minutes and extract thick juice.
- Peel the onions, chop the vegetables.
- Heat a pan and add 2 tablespoons oil to it. Temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Add pearl onions and saute well.
- Add the veggies and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add turmeric powder and saute well. Add 3/4 cup water and cook the veggies for 5 minutes.
- Add tamarind juice and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the cooked dal and mix well. Add salt and ground spice powder. Cook for 5 more minutes.
- Add cilantro leaves and serve sambar hot with rice or dosa.
2. Use sesame oil for authentic flavor and taste.
3. If your dal is not very smooth after mashing, you can use a grind it before adding to the sambar.
4. The vegetables should not be over cooked, the shape and crunch should be slightly retained.


text:
PASADENA (CBSLA.com) — Authorities on Saturday said three men have been hospitalized, including one in critical condition, after being shot in Pasadena late Friday.
The possibly gang-related shooting unfolded in the parking lot of Robinson Park on North Fair Oaks Avenue about 11:05 p.m., according to Lt. Art Chute of the Pasadena Police Department.
The lieutenant said one of the victims was shot in the chest; the second in the buttocks; and the third in the hand. All were expected to survive.
Chute said the suspect allegedly fired 10 rounds at the victims.
A suspect description was not available.
(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)


text:
Discussion in 'Demo User Tech Support' started by Christian, Apr 19, 2017.
I can not do anything in the user registration window. seems that it is locked.
I run windows 10.
You can't enter the information manually, because it's too long. Please review the instructions:
But it is not possible to enter manually, nothing happens. Nothing happens when i copy the entire message to the clipboard. I
can not write anything to the registration window.
The most likely reason it is not working is your email client is adding extra hidden characters, or is messing up the formatting of the message.
I will PM you a txt file containing your license. You can then use the "Load File" button on the registration window to load your license.
thanks. now it works
Hey guys,
The same thing keeps happening to me. How do I stop those hidden caracters from coming?
I find the easiest way is to copy it into "notepad" first, and clean it up there to remove any special formatting. You could also try a different email client.
I have tried this but it doesn't seem to work. It still respons: 'No valid license could be found in the file'.
Sent PM
Separate names with a comma.


text:
Nathan Myhrvold and the Modernist Cuisine team's latest exploration is into one of the greatest human creations. Bread. Throughout time this marvel has taken on numerous different shapes and sizes, these have been dependent on the resources and technology of the time. Recent archaeological discoveries now suggest that humans were harvesting grain 100,000 years ago. We originally believed it to have been just 10,000. Bread has been integral to our species; if you take a quick glance across the world you will see hundreds of different variations of our humble loaf, from Injera, the sourdough-risen flatbread of Ethiopia, to Damper, the traditional Australian bush bread cooked over hot coals, we have utilised what has been available to us to make our humble loafs.
The announcement of Modernist Cuisine's new book on bread has been meet with an enormous amount of excitement. In just one day over 110,000 people were reached with the news. The Modernist Cuisine website had almost 6 times it's daily views. Bread is something that has been portrayed to so many of the general public as evil – how can this be true, when we have been reliant on it for so many years. What is evil is what we have done to our beautiful bread and the sedentary lifestyle that a large number of us live that results in our expanding girths – our waist lines are not a result of this develish bread (I sit here on my high horse, the plumpest I have ever been). But I digress; the social media has been RISING, Modernist Cuisine received over 800 likes on their Instagram account on the day they announced the title, name and release date. Modernist Cuisine is currently gaining over 1000 new followers a week on Instagram alone.
Chefs, bakers and home cooks have all been sending over reams of questions regarding what the book will entail; "Will it include gluten free recipes?", "Will it have information on baking at altitude?". These questions will be answered on release, but there is no point in denying the fact bread is not evil. We love bread.
Something foodie with the real Willie Wonka
Modernist Cuisine have now moved from their refurbished Harley Davidson showroom, to their new state of the art kitchen. Questlove's tour of the new home of Modernist Cuisine and discussion with Nathan Myhrvold has been published in his new book Something to Food About, which was released in the USA this week.
In the chapter of Questlove's book, Nathan and this music star discuss the development of food around the world and what has been the catalyst in this. Nathan believes that the discovery of the New World made a gigantic change to the food we ate and eat today, the explorers returned with tomatoes, chocolate, corn and revolutionised our diet. This has now been accelerated with air travel being so common; now for lunch our ever-expanding palate's desire things such as Sushi or Thai food, nations have become melting pots for cuisines. On average, the world knows about all the world's foods and hence why Nathan now believes the only way we shall fix our thirst for variety is to invent.
Art Culinaire also had the privilege of touring Modernist Cuisine and to sample some of the mystically marvellous things the modern moment's Willie Wonka had to offer. The article can be found in Art Culinaire's issue number 118, that is soon to be released.
By Oliver Ivey (The Plump one)


text:
Summer is officially here in full force, and although New York's spike in temperature is much appreciated, with it comes sweating, rubbing, sunburn, and all sorts of unwelcome threats to your skin. The worst of all is chafing, better known as chub-rub. In the humidity and heat, tight clothing (or even your own skin) can irritate your skin, creating red bumps, soreness, or itchiness. It's also important to realize that chub-rub happens to the best of us, thigh gap or not. Even bras or ill-fitting shoes can rub up repeatedly against sweaty skin to cause chafing, the symptoms of which could persist for days and make anyone feel miserable. This year, combat irritated skin by protecting yourself from chafing using any of these all-natural products.
"Silky Underwear" Dusting Powder by LUSH
LUSH is famous for it's superior beauty products, made up of all-natural ingredients that are often self-preserving and free from packaging. This British company is well known for its aromatics and vegan ingredients, which have come together to create a lightweight layer of protection against sweating and rubbing. Silky Underwear contains cornstarch, which helps absorb and control some excess moisture, and cocoa butter to keep your skin moisturized. The small packaging is also ideal for travel or long nights. You can slip the bottle into your purse, or measure out enough for a single night and put it into a smaller container.
"Thigh Rescue" by Megababe
Founded by people who were tired of the "ouches and ughs" of being a woman, Megababe is a small company dedicated to creating all-natural products that help alleviate some of the unspoken issues of being a woman. Their modest product line contains and a rose-scented anti-perspirant "Rosy Pits," a revolutionary product to control breast sweat "Bust Dust," and "Thigh Rescue," an aloe-based anti-chafe stick. Both "Bust Dust" and "Thigh Rescue" aim to save women from sweating and irritation, but "Thigh Rescue" is the most convenient method for fighting chub rub. This aloe product looks like a mini deodorant stick, but is full to the bursting with nourishing pomegranate and grapeseed oils to smooth your inner thighs and create a barrier against skin irritation.
"Bandelettes" by Bandelettes
This Staten-Island based lingerie company pioneered a line of sexy-but-practical lace wraps that go around your upper thigh. They're like a garter with more material, which protects your inner thighs from repeatedly hitting one another on the hottest days of summer. Bandelettes are cute and concealable, but lacy and sexy if you wanted to wear them as an accessory at the same time. This slip-on lace band has some serious press coverage too, featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, Women's Health, and beyond.


text:
Trellis Weave Wicker Coffee Table
Or 4 interest-free installments of $137.00 by
Style No. 42359026
Woven from lightweight, 100%-recyclable synthetic fibers over a fully-welded aluminum frame, this open weave coffee table was designed and crafted especially for terrain.
- A terrain exclusive
- Aluminum frame, round poly rattan
- Indoor or outdoor use
- Clean periodically with mild soap and water
- During the off season, cover your outdoor furniture with high quality outdoor furniture covers and, if possible, we highly recommend storing it in an enclosed, dry area. This will extend the life of your furniture. Clean and make sure completely dry before covering and storing
- Imported
Shelf: 9.6"H | Leg: 3.1"H


text:
Quantitative Methods
This content was COPIED from BrainMass.com - View the original, and get the already-completed solution here!
(See attached file for full problem description)
Case Problem 2
Cinergy Corporation manufactures and distributes electricity for customers located in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. The company spends $725 to $750 million each year for the fuel needed to operate its coal-fired and gas-fired power plants; 92% to 95% of the fuel used is coal. Cinergy uses 10 coal-burning generating plants: five located inland and five located on the Ohio River. Some plants have more than one generating unit. As the seventh-largest coal-burning utility in the United States, Cinergy uses 28-29 million tons of coal per year at a cost of approximately $2 million every day.
The company purchases coal using fixed-tonnage or variable-tonnage contracts from mines in Indiana (49%), West Virginia (20%), Ohio (12%), Kentucky (11%), Illinois (5%), and Pennsylvania (3%). The company must purchase all of the coal contracted for on fixed-tonnage contracts, but on variable-tonnage contracts it can purchase varying amounts up to the limit specified in the contract. The coal is shipped from the mines to Cinergy's generating facilities in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. The cost of coal varies from $19 to $35 dollars per ton and transportation/delivery charges range from $1.50 to $5.00 per ton.
A model is used to determine the megawatt hours (mWh) of electricity that each generating unit is expected to produce and to provide a measure of each generating unit's efficiency, referred to as the heat rate. The heat rate is the total BTU's required to produce 1-kilowatt hour (kWh) of electrical power.
Coal Allocation Model
Cinergy uses a linear programming model, called the coal allocation model, to allocate coal to its generating facilities. The objective of the coal allocation model is to determine the lowest-cost method for purchasing and distributing coal to the generating units. The supply/availability of the coal is determined by the contracts with the various mines, and the demand for coal at the generating units is determined indirectly by the megawatt hours of electricity each unit must produce.
The cost to process coal, called the add-on cost, depends upon the characteristics of the coal (moisture content, ash content, BTU content, sulfur content, and grindability) and the efficiency of the generating unit. The add-on cost plus the transportation cost are added to the purchase cost of the coal to determine the total cost to purchase and use the coal.
Current Problem
Cinergy signed three fixed-tonnage contracts and four variable-tonnage contracts. The company would like to determine the least cost way to allocate the coal available through these contracts to five generating units. The relevant data for the three fixed-tonnage contracts are as follows:
Supplier Number of Tons
Contracted For Cost $/ton BTUs/lb
Peabody Coal Sales 300,000 26 13,300
American Coal Sales 275,000 22 12,600
For example, the contract signed with RAG requires Cinergy to purchase 350,000 tons of coal at a price of $22 per ton; each pound of this particular coal provides 13,000 BTUs.
The data for the four variable-tonnage contracts follow:
Supplier Number of Tons
Available Cost $/ton BTUs/lb
Consol, Inc. 200,000 32 12,250
Cyprus Amax 175,000 35 12,000
Addington Mining 200,000 31 12,000
Waterloo 180,000 33 11,300
For example, the contract with Consol, Inc., enables Cinergy to purchase up to 200,000 tons of coal at a cost of $32 per ton; each pound of this coal provides 12,250 BTUs.
The number of megawatt hours of electricity that each generating unit must produce and the heat rate provided are as follows:
Generating Unit Electricity Produced (mWh) Heat Rate (BTUs per kWh)
Miami Fort Unit 5 550,000 10,500
Miami Fort Unit 7 500,000 10,200
Beckjord Unit 1 650,000 10,100
East Bend Unit 2 750,000 10,000
Zimmer Unit 1 1,100,000 10,000
For example, Miami Fort Unit 5 must produce 550,000 megawatt hours of electricity, and 10,500 BTUs are needed to produce each kilowatt hour.
The transportation cost and the add-on cost in dollars per ton are shown here:
Transportation Cost ($/ton)
Miami Fort
Unit 5 Miami Fort
Unit 7 Beckjord
Unit 1 East Bend
Unit 2 Zimmer
Unit 1
Peabody 3.75 3.75 3.5 3.75 3.5
American 3.00 3.00 2.75 3.00 2.75
Consol 3.25 3.25 2.85 3.25 2.85
Cyprus 5.00 5.00 4.75 5.00 4.75
Addington 2.25 2.25 2.00 2.25 2.00
Waterloo 2.00 2.00 1.60 2.00 1.60
Add-On Cost ($/ton)
Miami Fort
Unit 5 Miami Fort
Unit 7 Beckjord
Unit 1 East Bend
Unit 2 Zimmer
Unit 1
Peabody 10.00 10.00 11.00 6.00 7.00
American 13.00 13.00 15.00 9.00 9.00
Consol 10.00 10.00 11.00 7.00 7.00
Cyprus 10.00 10.00 10.00 5.00 6.00
Addington 5.00 5.00 6.00 4.00 4.00
Waterloo 11.00 11.00 11.00 7.00 9.00
Managerial Report
Prepare a report that summarizes your recommendations regarding Cinergy's coal allocation problem. Be sure to include information and analysis for the following issues.
1. Determine how much coal to purchase from each of the mining companies and how it should be allocated to the generating units. What is the cost to purchase, deliver, and process the coal?
2. Compute the average cost of coal in cents per million BTUs for each generating unit (a measure of the cost of fuel for the generating units).
3. Compute the average number of BTUs per pound of coal received at each generating unit ( a measure of the energy efficiency of the coal received at each unit).
4. Suppose that Cinergy can purchase an additional 80,000 tons of coal from American Coal Sales as an "all or nothing deal", for $30 per ton. Should Cinergy purchase the additional 80,000 tons of coal?
5. Suppose that Cinergy learns that the energy content of the coal from Cyprus Amax is actually 13,000 BTUs per pound. Should Cinergy revise its procurement plan?
6. Cinergy has learned from its trading group that Cinergy can sell 50,000 megawatt hours of electricity over the grid (to other electricity suppliers) at a price of $30 per megawatt hour. Should Cinergy sell the electricity? If so, which generating units should produce the additional electricity?


text:
[This is probably the oldest article ever written about advertising as we know it today. It has been quoted often, but rarely read as a whole. Samuel Johnson published it in issue 40 of his magazine The Idler, on January 20, 1759. I find the first footstep of it in http://www.gandalf.it/m/johnson.htm – I think was necessary to be read today…]
Advertisements are now so numerous…
The practice of appending to the narratives of public transactions, more minute and domestic intelligence, and filling the News-papers with advertisements, has grown up by slow degrees to its present state.
Genius is shewn only by Invention. The man who first took advantage of the general curiosity that was excited by a siege or battle, to betray the Readers of News into the knowledge of the shop where the best Puffs and Powder were to be sold, was undoubtedly a man of great sagacity, and profound skill in the nature of Man. But when he had once shewn the way, it was easy to follow him; and every man now knows a ready method of informing the Publick of all that he desires to buy or sell, whether his wares be material or intellectual; whether he makes Cloaths, or teaches the Mathematics; whether he be a Tutor that wants a Pupil, or a Pupil that wants a Tutor.
Whatever is common is despised. Advertisements are now so numerous that they are very negligently perused, and it is therefore become necessary to gain attention by magnificence of promises, and by eloquence sometimes sublime and sometimes pathetic. Continue reading


text:
The key to every success is hard work and also religiously following a proper routine. Find out the best CA Foundation Classes in Kolkata.The CA Foundation program is the first level of the Chartered Accountancy Course. The candidates who are sitting for the 12th board exams or have already issued the exam managed by the physical body that is created by the Indian law or any approved by Central Government can enter the Institute for CA Foundation Classes in Kolkata. The pupils are permitted to perform the Foundation examination only after clearing the senior secondary examination. After joining with the institute, the active applicants are informed and prepared for the main competing examination. The course is escorted closely for a term of four to six months from the enrollment date in order to make the pupils able of developing and deciphering the challenging exam at one chance. Continue reading A Few Important Points to Crack CA Foundation Clearance Exam
Monthly Archives: June 2018
Can A Top CA Institute can Take Anyone at the Top Answer Is "NO"
A coaching institute can make it possible and hence it is essential, to find the Top CA Institute in Kolkata first. But hard work is necessary.It's not any spoiler but it's true that no Top CA Institute in Kolkata can take anyone at the top of its game unless the applicant follows a proper study regime. It would give a better contrast if anyone is taking about a gymnasium whose primary goal is to help some stay fit and in shape as well. It will only help someone and guide in better ways to stay in shape but if the proper fitness structure is not being followed that it is all useless. That goes same for the CA caching as well. A coaching can only teach you and can guide aspirant to crack this tough exam but there are some specific rules one has to abide by. If these two matches perfectly then success is certain. So, in order to sail through, there are some strategy one has to follow. Continue reading Can A Top CA Institute can Take Anyone at the Top Answer Is "NO"


text:
We are not on our way, as a people, a culture, a statistical glob, to destruction. We are already there - we most of us just do not yet realize it.
I read and hear words of the "we need to X..." sort, whether from libertarians, antifa, socialists, or whatever other label you care to cough up. Those words are always vague in the sense that they say what must be done in the opinion of he who utters, yet never tell us how to do them, nor do they suggest in the least manner how we do them such that we do not end up in an equally horrible position in the aftermath, or worse.
On the whole, we humans are utterly horrible creatures, our short but blood-soaked history a vulgar and frank testament to the truth of the assertion. There is little to recommend us, which may well be the reason we have not heard from other worlds. Who in their right minds would place into human hands the technologies that take objects between star systems? We cannot even handle our own means, much less those of more capable beings.
Note how all the classical big-mouths of history have told us precisely how to "revolution", yet not a one has uttered so much as a single meaningful peep as to how to live with one another; how to structure ourselves in aftermath such that we do not become precisely that which we just killed off. It is all well and good to speak of "draining the swamp" and all it implies, but nobody is talking much about what to do after the gore has painted our streets and the walls of the capitols.
Forgetting the rest of the world, we Americans are "slouching our ways to Gemmorah", as my little bro is fond of saying. At best, we have vague notions of proper human relations; of what it means to live in accord with our birthrights as free men, and here I am being generous to an ill-reasoned fault. In truth and in deeper detail, we have little clue as to what it means to be free. We do not, in fact, recognize actual freedom as such and when confronted with it even as a theory, most of us recoil in fear, horror, disgust, and openly hostile, dripping, raving hatred.
We, the most of us, have neither the recognition of what life in accord with proper relations between men is, nor the inclination toward learning.
Therefore, we are already destroyed. The only step that remains to us is to acknowledge and accept that this is the case. Because we will not change how we are in sufficient measure as a statistical whole, the only thing we can do is wait for the end, because that is where we are heading, "end" not necessarily meaning extinction of the genus, but certainly the end of any condition that anyone with sense would consider worth the living. The few with aspirations even the most meekly adventurous beyond the corridors our apparent future shall define for us, will be consumed as such temerity will one day soon meet with zero-tolerance.
This is where we stand, and that is where we are going, all by our own choices; all because we chose false convenience and token fortune over that which is right and proper.
Enjoy what you may, because I suspect things are only going to get worse as we lurch forward into a future that is very likely not worth the living. Even if a man like Trump turns out fulfilling his promise to us, what about the day he leaves office? Who and what will fill the vacuum? If he were the savior - the great drainer of the swamp, so what? Are we cut of a cloth to inherit the improved America? I say not. Why? Because we were and are not of the fabric to do this work ourselves. We pimped our responsibilities off onto the shoulder of a "leader", demurring so pathetically from being leaders ourselves. We deserve nothing of our freedoms - not a whit of it, but rather only the degradations of the slaves that we have become precisely because we are filthy little cowards, addicted to the aforementioned conveniences, cheap and tawdry.
Yes, whoop it up while you can. Indulge yourselves in the pretty lies and bull$#@!, because it matters no whit - we are destroyed.
Site Information
About Us
- RonPaulForums.com is an independent grassroots outfit not officially connected to Ron Paul but dedicated to his mission. For more information see our Mission Statement.


text:
Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Medical College Hospital, Hyderabad Walk-in Interviews for recruitment of Senior Residents (1 year tenure) on Contract basis in ESIC Medical College Hospital, Sanathnagar, Hyderabad. The Walk in interview scheduled to be held on 27th June 2020.
Name of the Post
No of Vacancies
Age Limit
Senior Residents
09 (Pediatrics - 02, General Surgery - 02, Radiology - 03, ENT - 01, Anesthesia - 01)
Not exceeding 35 years as on 27-06-2020. Age Relaxation as per Govt. Rules.
PB-3 of ₹ 15,600-39,100 carrying grade pay of ₹ 6,600. In addition they would be entitled for allowances admissible as per the Central Govt. Senior Residency Scheme.
Educational Qualification: PG Degree / Diploma in concerned specialty from a recognized University. If such candidates are not available in particular specialty, those without PG qualification having at least 02 years experience after MBJJS in a reputed hospital including Junior Resident in a Govt. Hospital in the concerned specialty can be considered.
Eligible Applicants are to attend for Walk-in Interview on 27/06/2020 at 09.00 A.M to be held at ESIC Medical College Hospital, Sanathnagar, Hyderabad along with all original certificates and one set of attested copies of testimonials/certificates in support of Age/ Qualifications/ Caste/ Disability/ Experience/ MCI Registration etc,.& complete Bio- data viz., Name in Block Letters, Father's/Husband's Name, Date of Birth, Postal Address, Telephone No, E-mail I.D, Permanent Address, Whether SC/ST/OBC/PWD, Education Qualifications, Experience, duly affixing recent passport size photograph.
|Official Notice >>


text:
Mountsbay Badminton club is situated in Penwith College – Penzance and is the largest Badminton Club in West Cornwall, welcoming new members and visitors. The club is affiliated to Badminton England and forms a large part of Counwall County Badminton association. The club comprises of a junior section of around 30 youngsters ranging from 7 – 17 years old, and a Senior section of over 30 members. We have a range of players up to County level using a peg system which means that every player will have the opportunity to practice together. Feather shuttlecocks and membership to Badminton England (providing insurances and other benefits ) are included in our reasonable annual fee.
We enter 8 teams into the competitive West Cornwall Badminton Leagues meaning that most members will have the opportunity to play matches for the club (if they wish) against other similar standard sides in their division.
The Junior club started in 2007 in Mounts Bay school but moved to Penwith College in April 2008 when the Senior club began.


text:
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame freshman golfer Lindsey Weaver (Scottsdale, Ariz.) was selected as the 2013 BIG EAST Player of the Year and unanimously chosen as the Freshman of the Year by the conference's eight head coaches the league office announced Thursday evening. In addition, Irish head coach Susan Holt was named the BIG EAST Coach of Year for the third time in her tenure (2008, 2011, '13) at Notre Dame. Freshman Talia Campbell (Dallas, Texas) and sophomore Ashley Armstrong (Flossmoor, Ill.) join Weaver on the all-BIG EAST team as unanimous selections.
"Both honors achieved by Lindsey (Weaver) warrant the success she has had this season," says Holt. "I am very proud of Lindsey and all of the golfers on the roster this year. It truly has been a team effort. Talia (Campbell) and Ashley (Armstrong) are also very deserving of their conference accolades."
Holt, currently in her seventh year, has coached five BIG EAST Championship medalists and helped the Irish place third or better at the league tournament since 2007. Furthermore, under Holt's watch, the Irish have had 17 different golfers earn all-BIG EAST honors.
The 2012-13 season marks the first time in the history of the program an Irish golfer has been named the Player of the Year since the program first began in 1988. Weaver becomes the first golfer in the history of the conference to be named both Player and Freshman of the Year in a single season.
Weaver, the No. 16 player in the nation, is the second-straight Irish golfer to be chosen as the Freshman of the Year with Armstrong earning the accolade last season. It is also the seventh-straight year that Notre Dame has had at least three golfers named to the all-BIG EAST team.
Weaver has finished 10th or better in eight of the 10 tournaments played during her first season. The freshman has finished four tournaments under par and accumulated a total of 14 even or under par rounds in 25 rounds played.
The 2012-13 Irish all-BIG EAST team trio earned their league citation as they chase multiple school records.
Armstrong is ranked second in career stroke average (minimum 35 rounds) for Notre Dame with a 74.98 average and is third in the lowest rounds (relative to par) with a five-under 67. Armstrong is tied with Katie Brophy (2002-06) as the program's record holder in medalist honors with three, attaining two tournament victories this season.
Campbell is ranked third in the Notre Dame record books in season stroke average (minimum 20 rounds) with a 74.54 average. The freshman is tied for seventh for the lowest round (relative to par) fired with a three-under 69. Campbell is tied for second with Weaver and Lisa Maunu (2007-08) for the lowest 54-hole tournament score, carding a six-under-par 210 at the 2013 BIG EAST Championship.
Weaver leads all Irish golfers in the history of the program with the lowest season stroke average (minimum 20 rounds) with a 72.56.
Holt and the No. 26 Fighting Irish captured the program's fifth BIG EAST title April 23 at Reunion Resort and Golf Club's par-72 Tom Watson Course (6,124 yards), firing a three-day total of a six-under-par 861 (294-285-282) through 54 holes.
The 54-hole total stands as the best team score for the Irish in the BIG EAST Championship in the history of the tournament and as the program's second best score.
Weaver and Campbell each fired six-under par totals of 210 to share medalist honors. The six-under par mark was the lowest 54-hole total in the history of the BIG EAST women's championship. Armstrong tied for fifth at the conference championship carding a three-over-par 219 (77-72-70) for the 54-hole tournament.
The Irish earned their automatic bid in the NCAA East Regional after capturing the conference championship. Notre Dame will play as the No. 9 seed in the region of 24 teams and in a pool of 72 teams spread throughout three regions. The Irish are set to tee off in the school's sixth-straight team entry (eighth overall) into the NCAA Regional May 9-11 at Auburn University Club (Auburn, Ala.). Follow UND.com for all the coverage surrounding the NCAA Championship tournament.
Susan Holt BIG EAST Coach of the Year
Lindsey Weaver BIG EAST Women's Golf Player of the Year
Lindsey Weaver BIG EAST Freshman of the Year*
Lindsey Weaver BIG EAST Championship Co-medalist
Talia Campbell BIG EAST Championship Co-medalist
Talia Campbell All-BIG EAST Women's Golf Team*
Lindsey Weaver All-BIG EAST Women's Golf Team*
Ashley Armstrong All-BIG EAST Women's Golf Team*
Lindsey Weaver BIG EAST Women's Golf Player of the Month (Oct.)
Ashley Armstrong BIG EAST Women's Golf Player of the Week (March 28)
Ashley Armstrong BIG EAST Women's Golf Player of the Week (March 21)
Lindsey Weaver BIG EAST Women's Golf Player of the Week (March 14)
* unanimous selection


text:
LISTEN: New Varg On Posh Isolation
Christian Eede
, June 14th, 2018 15:35
Varg returns with fifth volume in his Nordic Flora series
Varg's ongoing Nordic Flora series reaches its fifth volume later this month seeing the Swedish produder return to Danish label Posh Isolation following previous iterations on the same label as well as Northern Electronics.
The fifth volume, entitled Crush, sees the producer team up with the likes of Ecco2k, AnnaMelina and Chloe Wise amongst others across its 14 tracks. Premiering above is one of the record's solo cuts '(+46) Placing My IPhone X Facing Up To See When U Answer My Texts' which appears early into the album.
It's a pulsating, icy cut driven by fractured, gunshot percussion and crystalline synths, and forms one of the album's highlights.
Posh Isolation will release Nordic Flora Series Pt. 5: Crush on June 22.
If you love our features, news and reviews, please support what we do with a one-off or regular donation. Year-on-year, our corporate advertising is down by around 90% - a figure that threatens to sink The Quietus. Hit this link to find out more and keep on Black Sky Thinking.


text:
Hike of the Day: Hadley Mountain in the Adirondacks
Ascend 1.5 miles to Hadley Mountain, an Adirondack peak with wide-open views of Great Sacandaga Lake, the High Peaks, and Lake Champlain. A fire tower stands on the southern end of this broad mountaintop. Climb six sets of stairs to reach the top, says Lisa Densmore, a BACKPACKER map contributor and local guidebook author.
Check out more trail info and photos at backpacker.com/hikes/502926
Hike more.
Kris Wagner, map editor


text:
At Server Sorcery we do it all - from custom workstations and WiFi, to servers and security. Consider us for your IT project management, consulting, and implementation. We even build custom rigs for enthusiasts. Let us conjure up the right solution for you.
Popular Services
Popular Services
Custom Workstations
Development, Integrations and More
Areas of Expertise
Areas of Expertise


text:
Document Operating Procedures
A complete set of business plans is the underlying foundation of a consistent customer experience. A clear and concise written set of your operating procedures is useful to train new employees and maintain consistency. It also produces a template to duplicate your success and expand your brand at new locations.
Operating procedures are the most valuable intellectual property of a business. They define everything from how to greet a customer and the number of espresso shots in a cappuccino to your nightly cleaning chores. The more detail described in each step, the less remains open for interpretation by your management and employees. The result is a consistent experience with fewer deviations from the plan.
Develop an employee training manual that includes step-by-step instructions of each job. A separate managers' guide includes extra detail and other management functions like hiring. As an interesting side effect of this process is that you will learn more about your business. You do not know what is missing from your procedures until you write them all down.
Once everything is recorded, don't simply lock it away in a vault. Return to the documents often and make updates to reflect changes. Whether you open more locations, franchise or sell the business, you'll want a clear set of documents. It's much easier to keep them up-to-date as you go.


text:
Letters to the Editor
AutoInc. magazine is always looking for input from its readers. For suggestions, comments or other correspondence concerning either AutoInc. magazine or AutoInc. Online, contact Doug Myers, Content Manager, by email, phone or mail. He can be reached at:
(817) 514-2900, ext. 116
8209 Mid Cities Blvd.
North Richland Hills, TX 76182-4712
You may also use the form below to submit a letter to the editor.


text:
Send announcements to The Loudoun Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to email@example.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Friday, two weeks before the event. Photos/artwork encouraged. For more information, call Jennifer Lesinski at 703-917-6454.
This free listing is reserved for activities and events that are open to the public at no or minimal cost.
The Sully Elementary School PTO will be holding a fund-raiser at Chick-Fil-A at the Sugarland Plaza Mall Thursday, Feb. 23, from 5-8 p.m. Chick-Fil-A will donate a portion of the proceeds to Discovery Park, the planned Science Park and Playground at Sully. Everyone is invited to join us to help raise money for this community project.
Loudoun County Public Schools and the Loudoun School Business Partnership Council are teaming with Inova Loudoun Hospital to sponsor the annual "Job for a Day" program Feb. 23. The program is an opportunity for students to "shadow" a professional and explore different health-care careers in which they have interest. Students will be able to attend meetings along with other daily activities in an effort to help them understand what a certain job entails.
Participating students have been assigned to different departments in the hospital, such as the ER, the Birthing Inn, pharmacy, surgery center, physical medicine and rehabilitation and the lab. For those students interested in becoming a physician, they will be spending time with private doctors that have privileges at Inova Loudoun Hospital.
Student participants are required to review and sign a confidentiality commitment compatible with HIPAA guidelines.
The Broad Run High School Band Boosters is hosting a live art auction Feb. 25. The event is to benefit the music education program at Broad Run High School. The auction will also feature "Lord of the Rings" memorabilia and various music and sports memorabilia. Preview of all the items will start at 7 p.m. and the actual auction will begin at 8 p.m. Major credit cards accepted. Tickets are $10 each or $15 per couple and includes desserts and hors d'oeuvres. Call 703 723-2995. Tickets also sold at the door.
Hillside Elementary School PTO announces its upcoming winter carnival Feb. 25, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The carnival is the biggest fund-raising event coordinated by the Hillside PTO. Parents, students and all area families are invited to attend the carnival which will be held at Hillside Elementary School. There will be more than 30 games and activities this year including the popular cupcake walk, game walk, price is right, lobster box, baseball throw, lollipop pull and pencil pull. Concessions will also be available, including drinks, pizza, bagels, chili dogs and desserts from the bake sale table. There will be a raffle with prizes from many local partners. Also includes live entertainment. Visit the Web site, www.hillsidepto.org.
The Roar newspaper of Potomac Falls High School is offering genuine Indian River Florida citrus to area residents in a fund-raising drive. The funds will be used to pay for the newspaper printing costs and to help send the Roar staff to the National Journalism Convention in San Francisco.
Students who attend the convention will have the opportunity to meet with professionals in the journalism field and attend more than 200 workshops and one-on-one critique sessions. They will also compete in the National Write-Off competition and attend the Journalism Association National Awards ceremony.
The Roar staff members will be taking orders through Feb. 27. To order online, visit the Potomac Falls Web site and follow the link "Buy Some Florida Sunshine." The fruit will be delivered to Potomac Falls High School around March 15-17.
Belmont Ridge Middle School will hold its next family diversity dinner is planned for Feb. 27. The Belmont Ridge Step Team will perform at that dinner. The school invites the Belmont Ridge community to attend.
Dominion High School's Latin Dance Team will hold a Parents' Night Out with Latin dance classes, from 7-8 p.m., and a social dance, from 8-9:30 p.m., Friday, March 3. Partner dances such as salsa and merengue will be taught. This community event is open to singles and couples. Baby-sitting and refreshments will be provided. This event is free. Donations will be accepted, which will be used for uniforms for the Latin Dance Team. The school is located at 21326 Augusta Drive, Sterling.
Young writers in Loudoun County are being encouraged to continue using their writing skills by entering writing contests created by Community Voice Media, LLC.
The contests are as follows: February, winter or snow poem; March, personal essay; April, pet or wildlife article, nonfiction; May, essay " is my hero because É;" June, poem on any topic and July, summer humor essay. Information on additional contests will be added to the Web site regularly. The deadline for each contest is the end of that month. Each poem requires an entry fee and has certain requirements. There will be cash prizes awarded for the first-, second- and third-place entries.
All students from grades kindergarten-12 including Loudoun County Public Schools, private schools or home-schooled children are eligible to enter the contest. Submission Guidelines are available on the Community Voice Media Web site www.communityvoicemedia.com.
Long & Foster Real Estate Inc. announces the Long & Foster $200,000 Scholarship Program for well-rounded graduating high-school seniors entering an accredited four-year college or university. The program will award $1,000 each of 200 worthy recipients for the 2006-2007 academic year.
The deadline for applying is March 1 and the scholarships will be awarded in the beginning of April. The monetary scholarship award will be made payable directly to the college or university in the studentÕs name.
Applications for the program can be obtained from any of Long & Foster residential sales offices, from high-school guidance counselors or via Long & FosterÕs Web site at www.longandfoster.com/scholarship. Also visit the Web site for details on eligibility and application requirements.
Daniel Jang, an eighth-grader at River Bend Middle School, has been selected to participate in the Junior national Student Leadership Conference, a leadership development program for outstanding middle-school students. Approximately 1,500 students from across the U.S. and 45 countries worldwide will take part. During the conference, students attend workshops and classes where they study distinctions of leadership.
Route 28 Corridor Improvements LLC, consisting of Shirley Contracting Company and Clark Construction has made a donation of $3,550 to the Sully Elementary School PTO in support of Discovery Park, the new science park and playground to be built at Sully Elementary School in October 2006.
Shirley is sponsoring all of the "bridgesâ" in the park Ñ the Trampoline Bridge, Earthquake Bridge, and Bouncy Bridge as well as buying a T-shirt sponsorship for the Discovery Park T-shirts that will soon be printed up.
The check was presented to the project coordinators Peter Kronenberg and Valerie Petrey by John Harmon, vice president of Route 28 Corridor Improvements LLC. Also present were Principal Clark Bowers and Assistant Principal Michelle Walthour.
In addition to the financial support, Shirley will also provide a work crew to assist in the construction of the park during the build, which is scheduled to take place Oct. 18-22. Shirley will also assist in lining up material donations from various suppliers.
The Discovery Park coordinators would also like to acknowledge some other recent donations. Some other T-shirt sponsors are Dry Home Roofing and Siding, The Curiosity Zone, and Verizon Yellow Pages. David Mohile of Medical Engineering Services is also sponsoring the Caring Pillar Ñ one of the Six Pillars of Character. The others are Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, and Citizenship. The Loudoun County Water Authority is also sponsoring the Water Cycle Tactile Wall.
Mike Minnicino of PMR Printing donated the services of his company in designing and printing up more than 6,000 brochures for Discovery Park, which will be sent home with students and distributed throughout the community.
Del. Tom Rust (R-86) of Patton, Harris, Rust & Associates also recently completed a survey of the area where Discovery Park will be. Thanks also to Sully parent Greg Turner who helped to pinpoint the location of some of the utility lines so that they can be accurately reflected on the survey. The survey allowed the design firm, Leathers & Associates, to complete the final blueprints for Discovery Park, which are now on the way.
Shenandoah UniversityÕs Northern Virginia Campus in Leesburg is seeking nominations for its Teacher of the Year award, which recognizes quality teaching in Loudoun County. The nomination process concludes April 19. All finalists will be recognized at a reception and the winner will be announced at a Loudoun County School Board meeting in May.
To be eligible, nominees must be full-time teachers in Loudoun County in a specialized area, such as special education, art, music, physical education, drama, English as a Second Language or gifted and talented. Nominees may work at any grade level, but must have at least five years of teaching experience in Loudoun County.
A screening committee from Shenandoah will select the winner based on his or her commitment to students and teaching, subject knowledge and teaching philosophy, ability to manage and monitor student learning as well as service to the community. The screening committee is looking for nominations that demonstrate the teacherÕs impact on students. Letters of recommendation from peers, parents and students will be of particular importance in the selection process.
For information or application forms, contact RT Good, dean of the School of Continuing Education, at 540-665-1290 or Kelly Burk, chair of the Northern Virginia Advisory Council, at 703-779-0037.
Potomac Falls High School will open its doors to the community Saturday, April 22, 6-11 p.m., for its second annual "A Night at the Falls." This family-oriented event will highlight the many dimensions of PFHS and will support academic programs that directly benefit its students.
Features a donated dinner from Outback Steakhouse and a silent auction, Texas Hold ÔEm tournament, 3x3 basketball, drama and music performances by students, cake walk and the Mr. Potomac Falls pageant. A medieval theme this year brings new activities, including tricycle jousting, tug-of-war, a KnightÕs Quest and more.
Admission to the dinner and all evening activities is $25 for adults and $20 for students, seniors and children 5 and older. General admission, which does not include dinner, is $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors and children age 5 and older.
Tickets go on sale March 1; the ticket request form will be on the Web site. To contribute or make a donation to the silent auction, contact Cheryl Marin at firstname.lastname@example.com or Doreen Hinnant at 703-450-9212. Visit the event Web site at www.nightatthefalls.com.
Dates for SAT and ACT testing for 2005-2006 have been established for Loudoun County Public Schools. The tests are administered on nationally standardized dates and require advanced registration.
Students may register online or may obtain paper registration materials from the guidance office of each high school. Registration and study information is available at www.collegeboard.org for the SAT and at www.act.org for the ACT. Students should register at least six weeks in advance of the tests.
Most colleges require SAT or ACT for college admissions. Some colleges also require certain SAT II subject tests for admissions or placement. Students should check with all of the colleges to which they plan to apply to determine which tests are required and preferred.
Students usually register for the SAT or ACT in their junior year and repeat the test in the senior year. Some students elect to take both the SAT and ACT.
The SAT test dates are:
* April 1: SAT only, Loudoun County High School.
* May 6: SAT and SAT II subject tests, Broad Run High School.
* June 3: SAT and SAT II subject tests, Park View High School.
The ACT test date is April 8, Broad Run High School.
In recognition of student volunteerism in Loudoun County, the Loudoun Volunteer Services Board has established scholarships for graduating seniors from each Loudoun County public and private high school and from the home-school community.
In support of the Student Volunteer Program, the scholarships recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the Loudoun County community through their volunteer efforts. Different from traditional scholarships, the Loudoun Volunteer Services' Student Scholarships place more emphasis on a demonstrated interest in and service to the community than on academic or athletic excellence.
It is the goal of the Loudoun Volunteer Services Board to provide opportunities and to encourage students to become active in their community through volunteer service. The Loudoun Volunteer Services' Student Scholarships are funded each year through contributions from county businesses and civic groups.
Students should submit the scholarship applications to Loudoun Volunteer Services, 1 Harrison St., S.E., P.O. Box 7000, Leesburg, VA 20177-7000, by the close of business May 1. Applications are available at each school, by visiting www.loudoun.gov/pio/student.htm or by calling 703-777-0113.
Dominion High School's second annual Project Graduation, a night-long celebration of the Class of 2006, will take place June 17, at the high school from 11 p.m.-5 a.m.
This alcohol- and drug-free event, following that morning's graduation exercises, is sponsored by ATLAS and being organized by the parents of underclassmen to provide an exciting, fun-filled, and safe celebration.
The theme will be "A Day at the Beach" and will feature a disc jockey, dancing, games and giveaways. Food is expected to include submarines sandwiches, ice slushies and a chocolate fountain. Door prizes will be drawn all night. A grand prize will be awarded at breakfast.
Many businesses and community organizations have already contributed to make this a truly memorable night for students. Businesses, organizations or individuals that would like to donate items or make a monetary donation are encouraged to contact Jane Lettmann at 703-444-5139 or e-mail email@example.com.
The 1976 gradating class of Broad Run High School in Ashburn is holding its 30-year reunion July 22, at the Holiday Inn at Carradoc Hall in Leesburg. The class is looking for classmates and need help from friends and family of alumni. Call Ana Mallory (Miranda) at 847-797-9043 or e-mail email@example.com.


text:
Get Rid of Cellulite
How to Diminish Cellulite While Giving Your Self-Confidence a Boost
Photo 2 of 6
Tone Up
Once you decrease the fat on your body, tone strong, lean muscle by doing strength-training moves that target trouble spots. Try this video that tones the hamstrings and glutes, or grab your mat and move through this leg- and core-strengthening yoga sequence to improve the tone of your muscles, which will help make your legs, tush, and abs appear smoother. This 30-minute video workout combines cardio with strength training for an effective and fun workout.


text:
In the decades since 1978, when Hampton University held its first conference dedicated to unpacking the issues facing black families, plenty of aspects of American life have changed for people of all races. At the 36th annual event, held this week on the campus of the Virginia HBCU, participants took a critical look at the media's ability to stay up to speed when it comes to portrayals of contemporary African Americans.
"Essentially Black: Media and the Modern Family," hosted by the school's Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications and chaired by its dean, Brett Pulley, featured input over three days of discussions from speakers including Black Entertainment Television co-founder Sheila Johnson, CBS News' Michelle Miller, ESPN's Chris Broussard and ABC News Chief National Correspondent Byron Pitts. It also included a focus on what Pulley called "the evolving media portrayal and images of black families."
A Thursday panel discussion attended by approximately 150 students and guests set out to explore the on-screen reflections of "spirituality, sexuality and multiethnicity" in African-American culture. As Pulley put it in explaining the importance of the topic, "Families are changing, and some things that may have been taboo in black families should now be front and center."
According to the latest research, 3.7 percent of all African Americans identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, with 84,000 African Americans living in same-sex couplings and roughly a third of those couples raising children. The biggest increase in interracial marriage since 2008 occurred among blacks. And despite Christianity's historic role in black culture, 16 percent of African Americans report that they have no religious affiliation.
Moderator Carletta Perry, an assistant professor of psychology at Hampton, said that portrayals of all of those experiences are important, noting that there's a negative psychological impact "if you don't see reflections of your experience or your family's experience in news and entertainment coverage." Even among what many deem "traditional" lifestyles, she added, "There's much more going on with black people than the struggle."
Kiera Weldon, a 22-year-old senior, wanted to see realistic portrayals of the black experience overall, even if they risked being controversial. "It's great to share what could be, but we have to show what is, too," she said after the panel.
A related forum titled "50 Shades of Black" invited the audience to join media professionals in "exploring evolving portrayals and images of modern black families across the burgeoning universe of digital and traditional media."
Overall, said panelist Broussard, an ESPN sports analyst and ESPN.com columnist, the media often "misses the nuance of black life," noting, "We're not monolithic. We've got many different types of families and different types of people."
For example, he said, "Black men get a bad rap, but I've always been around black men who are happily married and taking care of their children. You don't see a lot of those types of black men on television or in the media."
Attendees linked those negative images on-screen and in print to real-life—and potentially deadly—consequences, blaming stereotypes about black men in particular for the deaths of African-American teenagers Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, who many believed were killed because their race and gender alone caused white men to deem them threatening.
"The Trayvons and Jordan Davises remind us that a lot of stuff out in the media seems like it's attacking the black family. You can really get lost in that and think that's all that what's going on, until you have something like this that gives you hope," said 24-year-old Hampton graduate student Olivia Lewis, a conference organizer.
Many participants saw diversity behind the scenes in media as a potential solution to stereotypical, negative or limited representations of black families. "For example, if you have someone who has never been around single mothers or never been around children raised by single mothers, they may have a perception of those types of families that are negative—out of ignorance, not knowing," Broussard said.
"Whether we're talking about Saturday Night Live or the staff at Google, all of these places need diverse voices," said Pulley. "Producers of programs such as SNL, publishers and news directors who ignore the reality that the world is, and that broad and diverse group of people make up their audience … compromise their consumer base."
A historically black college like Hampton, he added, was the right place to highlight what was at stake. "I absolutely feel strongly that we as a school of journalism at an HBCU should take a lead on these types of things—issues related to the African-American family," he said. "We have to take this stuff on. If we don't do it, who will?"
Jenée Desmond-Harris is The Root's senior staff writer. Follow her on Twitter.
Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.