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In a better world, you wouldn't have to work so hard to find kindergarten teacher Kathy Robertson's new CD. This fine album, featuring guests Rosie Flores, Chris Gaffney, Bonnie Owens, Big Sandy, Katy Moffat, and members of the Hellecasters and Merle Haggard's Strangers, would be readily availableand you could bring it home, throw it in your machine, and be happier for it.
But such is not the case; you'll have search it out. Do so. You'll find Robertson's strong voice swinging on Tex-Mex polkas ("La Locura"), rockabilly numbers, roots rockers (Flores' "It Came From Memphis"), and, mostly, classic Bakersfield-sound country music. Robertson previously was on one of Restless Records' Bakersfield discs.
On her wonderful cover of Jean Shepard's "Twice The Lovin'" Robertson evokes Shepard's spirit so well you'll swear you're listening to the original Honky Tonk Heroine. "I wanna get a Ph.D in fun at the University of Merle Haggard" Robertson sings, and she sure deserves it, with honors. (909-989-2664)


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Wild birds have clearly stolen our hearts. Today, approximately 85 million Americans enjoy observing, photographing or feeding wild birds, according to USA Today. A growing number of these individuals identify their passion as "birding," which is different from bird watching, in part because it involves more than just the sense of sight.
For the serious birder, bird songs and calls are just as important as visual identification, especially when the bird is obscured by heavy foliage, darkness, distance or other factors. However, "birding by ear" does require a good sense of hearing.
Gael Hannan, a blogger at www.hearinghealthmatters.org, has a passion for birds, but her hearing loss used to prevent her from enjoying avian music. "The high-frequency cochlear hair cells of people with sensory hearing loss are usually toast," she writes. "And that's unfortunate, because this is the range in which birdies make their music; the average frequency of songbirds is about 4,000 Hz (Hertz). Many are even higher."
For example, the beautiful tinkling song of the winter wren (observed throughout most of the eastern U.S.) typically occurs between 4,000 and 8,000 Hz. Many hearing-impaired people have trouble hearing in these sound frequencies without amplification.
With hearing aids, Ms. Hannan was able to rekindle her enjoyment of birdsong. If a hearing loss makes it difficult or impossible to participate in birding by ear, call Amplifon Hearing Health Care today to schedule an appointment with a provider near you.

subset: commoncrawl


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I decided to give WRD another round after a year break and in the first game a funny bug occurred - hilarious enough to spare some time to pack this action into some crazy vibes and MLG stuff.
So please enjoy this story about a Cobra that got hit so hard it retreated to outer space and gloriously came back to kick some a$s. And to meet its maker.
Thought it would be nice to pay some tribute to the franchise that took almost a thousand hours of my life (oh god)
Shooting star [a krazy Wargame video]
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This project was inspired by the Professional Engineering course taken by all first year engineering students at McMaster University (1P03). The final project for the course was to design a solution to a problem of your choice that was given by St. Peter's Residence at Chedoke, a long term residence care home located in Hamilton, Ontario. One of the projects proposed by St. Peter's was to create a falling alarm to notify the nurses in the event of one of the residents having fallen.
What it does
It notifies nurses if a resident falls or stumbles via a push notification to the nurse's phones directly, or ideally a nurse's station within the residence. It does this using an accelerometer in a shoe/slipper to detect the orientation and motion of the resident's feet, allowing us to accurately tell if the resident has encountered a fall.
How we built it
We used a Particle Photon microcontroller alongside a MPU6050 gyro/accelerometer to be able to collect information about the movement of a residents foot and determine if the movement mimics the patterns of a typical fall. Once a typical fall has been read by the accelerometer, we used Twilio's RESTful API to transmit a text message to an emergency contact (or possibly a nurse/nurse station) so that they can assist the resident.
Challenges we ran into
Upon developing the algorithm to determine whether a resident has fallen, we discovered that there are many cases where a resident's feet could be in a position that can be interpreted as "fallen". For example, lounge chairs would position the feet as if the resident is laying down, so we needed to account for cases like this so that our system would not send an alert to the emergency contact just because the resident wanted to relax. To account for this, we analyzed the jerk (the rate of change of acceleration) to determine patterns in feet movement that are consistent in a fall. The two main patterns we focused on were:
- A sudden impact, followed by the shoe changing orientation to a relatively horizontal position to a position perpendicular to the ground. (Critical alert sent to emergency contact).
- A non-sudden change of shoe orientation to a position perpendicular to the ground, followed by a constant, sharp movement of the feet for at least 3 seconds (think of a slow fall, followed by a struggle on the ground). (Warning alert sent to emergency contact).
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are proud of accomplishing the development of an algorithm that consistently is able to communicate to an emergency contact about the safety of a resident. Additionally, fitting the hardware available to us into the sole of a shoe was quite difficult, and we are proud of being able to fit each component in the small area cut out of the sole.
What we learned
We learned how to use RESTful API's, as well as how to use the Particle Photon to connect to the internet. Lastly, we learned that critical problem breakdowns are crucial in the developent process.
What's next for VATS
Next steps would be to optimize our circuits by using the equivalent components but in a much smaller form. By doing this, we would be able to decrease the footprint (pun intended) of our design within a clients shoe. Additionally, we would explore other areas we could store our system inside of a shoe (such as the tongue).


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Popular Today
The Arc'teryx Zoa Hoody is a lightweight, versatile, snug fitting pullover that crosses the bridge from a mid layer (on those colder crag days in the mountains) to an outer layer just for that added warmth in spring or fall season climbing. The stretchy breathable fleece and helmet capable hood makes it sound like the perfect inter season cragging companion…
Comfort & Fit
The first thing you notice when you pick up the Zoa Hoody is how soft it is, the outer soft brushed surface feels like a traditional soft-shell like material but a little thinner. The inside is a seriously soft fleece material which makes it blissful next to your skin… as snug as a bug in a rug comes to mind.
By being a slim fit, right down to the snug fitting ScubaHood™ (which is designed to fit under a helmet) the Zoa keeps in the warmth and the cold draft out. Despite it's slim'ness, it is well cut so that it doesn't give that squeezed into lycra look that some of the stretchy tight fitted jackets can, a really nice balance.
The Zoa is also quite long on the body (for 160cm/ 5"2' female wearing size S/P) so fits brilliantly and remains comfortable under a harness even when in the most dynamic of sessions. The Kangaroo pockets are very subtle within the hoody design which is a great look. Although the pockets are relatively useless whilst climbing due to lying directly under your harness. They are quite nice to warm your hand up whilst encouraging a fellow climber up a route. Comfortable and technical, great!
Talking about the stretchiness I can honestly say it was a pleasure to climb in this hoody. The mobility was great and the jacket does not ride up…ever! At no point when climbing with the hoody did I feel any restriction or an unwanted draft probably due to the 16% elastane composition. I originally thought that the thumb loops on the cuffs would get in the way whilst climbing, but I just found myself just pulling my sleeves up my forearms immediately before I started to ascend.
I didn't see this as much of a problem, but I guess it would be down to personal preference. Saying that when pulled up, the sleeves did stay in place and I didn't feel any pressure on my forearms due to the stretch material and cut of the cuffs. The thumb loops are a nice gesture for the rest of the time when not climbing (belaying, travelling, hiking, fast packing etc). I personally love the hood configuration, as a rule I am not a fan of hoods on a jacket, especially one that claims to be used as a mid-layer, but this one works.
What I like about the cut of the hood is that its snug and elasticated lip keeps out a draft without feeling restrictive or digging in. Even for ladies like myself with long hair, which I find usually pulls the lip back from the forehead, this hood is deep enough to accommodate this. Its thin enough to slip under a helmet without feeling uncomfortable but perhaps not the most attractive hood appearing exactly as described – scuba like!
The Zoa hoody is easy to wash and generally washes well. If I was going to be really picky I guess the cuffs have a tendency to bobble slightly but after a significant amount of washes (see the photos). However the rest of the garment looks as good as new after each and every wash. It dries really quickly too which is great for those like me who can be rather on the lastminute.com side of things. I feel I have really put this hoody through its paces, it has stood the test of time through those deep forest deserted overgrown crag hikes and sliding at speed on all parts of my body down that rather technical alpine trail trying to beat the elements or before it gets dark!
Warmth & Breathability
The hoody is not waterproof but I have been caught out once or twice in scattered showers on the mountain and have not felt damp at all, that said, anything more than a slight shower though you will really need a shell as expected. Similarly, with wind resistance, it will stand up the a moderate breeze but anything more you will need to combine with a shell.
This is a great jacket in its own right, be that when climbing in the shade of a north face, or during dusk and dawn when its a tad chilly. It is also an excellent mid layer for those even colder adventures, whether thats Alpine, Ice or mixed climbing this jacket will seal in the warmth mainly due to its fit trapping the heat in close to your body.
The Arc'Teryx's Torrent™ material is comprised of 84% polyester and 16% elastane claims to be moisture-wicking and breathable. If things do get hot and sweaty, (for me this is normally on the hike in) the Polygiene® finish also manages odour. I'm guessing this works, as I have worn this hoody all day and have not smelt bad… In my opinion… perhaps I should have got my climbing buddy to do an independent sniff test… thats perfectly normal right? The best and most immediate ventilation feature is the 1/2 front zip at the front which runs low enough to provide a breeze but not low enough to interfere with your harness and gear.
Lightweight,stretchy comfortable pullover with snug fitting 'scuba' like hood great as a mid layer in colder Alpine adventurers or as an outwear layer at a crag when it gets a little bit chilly. A perfect crag companion.


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Is it Acrost or across?
Each part of the United States has some sort of accent along with terms unique to their area. I grew up in Iowa, living there for 18 years, but we do not have much of an accent.
There are some words that we mispronounce or at least say differently than the rest of the world. One that my wife (a Coloradoan) corrects me on is "acrost." Apparently, the word is across. As in across the street not acrost the street.
Now, thanks to the Iowan.com blog, I know why I say speak this way. The Iowan calls it speaking Iowish. I like being an Iowishman better than my late father-in-law's term Iowweigen.
The Iowan website says using acrost is more common in speech than in writing. I agree. It goes on to say that gramaphobia.com cites the Dictionary of American Regional English in reporting that a 1759 Massachusetts document contained the sentence "Ye enemy fird at our men a Crost ye River."
At any rate, I am trying to speak proper English and say across instead of acrost.
Next time, this Iowishman will look at the word "wash." It seems there in no R in it. Hmmm.


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An anthology of twenty-two short stories in a mixed bag of quality in this tenth in the Tales of Valdemar subseries as part of the Valdemar series.
Posts Tagged: Foresight
Book Review: No True Way: All-New Tales of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey
I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.No… Read more »


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> Sexiest Games
> All Sex Games
> Random Sex Game
Sex Game Tags
Top 3 Fuck Games
> Tales of Steam
> Realm of Sex
> Hot Cops
Sexy Sex Sites
The Sexual Misadventures of Hayley- Hayley wants to take it from every angle, so here's your chance to watch ! There's four scenes to choose from and you'll never get tired switching between watching her titty fuck a biog dick then turn around and take it from behind, all spread out for you to watch !
Tags: asian, japanese, chinese, korean, blowjob, fellatio, doggystyle, dildo, sex toys, vibrator, strip, dress-up, undress, hentai, anime, manga, teen, harley quinn, hayley, creampie, animation


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Little Flynn Rider Costume Photo 4 of 4
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|Costumes for Boys
This homemade costume for boys entered our 2015 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Aditi, the 'Little Flynn Rider' costume creator:
At last I saw the light & decided to make a Flynn Rider costume for my little boy this year! He loves Tangled & requested to be Flynn. For his costume, I already had most... Read more »


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Critique among students in Virginia Tech's Spring 2013 STS course on the Normative of chapters 10 – 12 of Jerome Ravetz's Scientific Knowledge and Its Social Problems focused on his characterization of the natural sciences as the sole purveyors of science and the social sciences as being immature sciences at best and folk sciences or pseudosciences at worst. We agreed that the social sciences could be as important as the natural sciences, however, we also did agree with Ravetz that they may benefit from exploring other methods of drawing conclusions rather than relying upon statistical experimental methods. Noting that Ravetz assumed that science contributed to progress, we wondered why he did not explore whether progress is actually science's aim or whether progress even exists. Furthermore, did Ravetz idealize an earlier era of scientists as being more concerned with creating new knowledge than are current scientists?
Largely, however, we could not conceive of "science" as being or becoming radically different from what Ravetz describes and prescribes, for if many of the factors he elucidates no longer played any role, would science remain scientific? Would science then be something other than science? Fpr us, the following factors seemed to remain integral to science: Science is a social activity. Science becomes science by processes of group laboratory work, apprenticeships, and peer review. Science is a craft activity and largely can be learned through working with a master scientist and thereby developing tacit knowledge. Despite our concern with Ravetz's unflattering characterization of the social sciences, we recognized the split in method of inquiry and result between natural and social sciences. The latter does not lend itself as readily to experiment or modeling. We also were concerned that scientific practices have become the standard to which other fields aspire, even with scientific methods do not suit the kind of knowledge created in those fields. Last but not least, we discussed how science may remain scientific if it seeks to serve the public; one solution may be for scientists to develop an awareness of their ideological commitments. Last but least, science cannot rest on its laurels; scientists should be critical of their own work and always be questioning.


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Culture & Entertainment
Travel just got a whole lot cheaper!
Culture & Entertainment
Travel just got a whole lot cheaper!
Great deal for the single traveller (and a slow death of wifi charges?) I did the Happy Dance not once but twice this week. What induced such high-stepping histrionics? Two of my long-standing travel bugaboos, paying for wifi and shelling out extra cash as a single traveller, are being reconsidered by some leading hotel and vacation properties in Canada. 1. No more paying for wifi. No one should have to pay for wifi in a hotel. Tap water is free. The towel in your room is free. So, too, should wireless access. Slowly, ever so slowly, smart-thinking hotel chains are nixing their wifi fees. Just a few days ago, Delta Hotels announced that wifi will now be free in 15 of their 45 properties. Let's hope that it expands to the entire chain and that other hoteliers follow suit. 2. Discounts for single travellers. So often we read, either in the fine print or stamped across the top of travel promotion literature, the unfortunate phrase, "single supplements apply." Or, without so much as one word, the voyager on his or her own ends up paying for the price of two, without any negotiation. In an age when more and more people are living alone and travelling alone (even couples are known to take separate vacations), this strikes me as outdated and unfair to solo travellers. [caption id="attachment_15036" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Long Beach Lodge Resort, Tofino (Photo: Vince Klassen)[/caption]
•••So I was delighted, especially during the advent of Valentine season–with its mega deals for couple getaways–to learn that Long Beach Lodge Resort in Tofino, British Columbia is offering discounts for solo guests until May 31. The "Solo Rate" is 40 per cent off regular room rates and starts at $119 per room (taxes not included). [caption id="attachment_15038" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Long Beach Lodge on Cox Bay, Tofino, B.C. (Photo: Vince Klassen)[/caption]
•••Who wouldn't want to take advantage of that offer to visit the tiny West Coast village (population around 2,000) located in the magnificent Clayoquot Sound, which is one of British Columbia's prime spots for surfers and nature-lovers. The property includes 41 lodge rooms, 20 two-bedroom cottages, great food, surfing, adventure activities, outdoor hot tubs, and great access to the beach. Too cold at this time of year? There's plenty of wildlife to enjoy. [caption id="attachment_15040" align="aligncenter" width="360"] Orcas frolicking in Cox Bay, Tofino, British Columbia (Photo: Josh Lewis)[/caption]
•••Condé Nast Traveler Magazine has twice ranked Long Beach Lodge Resort the No. 3 Resort in Canada. Let's hope this is the beginning of a new trend in travel. If you know of any resort or hotel chains which give special (and fair) consideration to solo travellers or don't charge for wireless – or both! – please share it with other readers by posting below. For more information on Tofino, visit www.hellobc.com.


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| 20.8°C Dublin
Rory McIlroy believes he is yet to hit top gear in pursuit of a first win of the year after setting up a weekend battle with Masters champion Danny Willett in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
McIlroy had missed the cut in his home event for the last three years but added a second round of 70 to his opening 67 at The K Club to finish just a shot behind Willett and Scotland's Marc Warren.
Warren surged through the field with a superb 66 to join Willett on eight under par, the world number nine carding five birdies and four bogeys in a 71 in his second tournament since claiming a maiden major title at Augusta.
McIlroy is the only member of the world's top five without a win in 2016 and admitted he was frustrated at what he felt was "negative spin" being put on his results, which include six top-10 finishes in 10 events.
"I knew I was coming in here playing pretty well so I never thought the cut was going to be an issue. I'm excited to be up there with a chance to win," said the world number three, who has slipped more than four points behind number one Jason Day in the rankings after the Australian's seventh win in his last 17 events in the Players Championship.
"The Irish Open is one of the most important tournaments of my year and I'd dearly love to win it one day. I feel like I've given myself a great chance."
Asked if he could find another gear over the weekend, the tournament host added: "I do. There's definitely more in there. Whether I get to show that could depend on the conditions, but I just feel like there's something waiting there to click and when it does, I could be off and running and that could be the catapult or the momentum that I need to have another great summer."
Willett beat the scoring average for the field by an incredible 8.9 shots with an opening 65, but struggled to reproduce that form despite again getting the best of the weather conditions.
"It wasn't bad, a little bit scrappy," the 28-year-old said. "It was windy at times and there were a couple of sneakier flags out there as well so you can't come off being joint leader and be too unhappy."
Asked what he can go on to achieve in his career, Willett added: "I have no idea. I really don't. You practice, you work hard and you do what I've already done and it's just now more of the same.
"You kind of re-evaluate things and make sure you don't get too complacent. We've worked very hard to get where we've got, so don't stop working hard and hopefully you can rack up a few more.
"Other people think you're able to come out and win every week because you won a major, but we know that doesn't happen."
Warren has yet to record a top-10 finish on the European Tour this season and had missed the cut in five of his last seven starts, but hopes a run of events will help him recapture the form which took him into the world's top 50 last year.
"I felt in the last three events as if I was close to some decent form," said the 35-year-old from Glasgow.


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The Overnightscape 895: Heptagonning (7/13/12)
- July 14th, 2012
- Posted in Podcast
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download
2:11:48 – Heptagonning, Peter Potamus and So-So, ape incidents, wave of weirdness, cigar, Rockefeller Center, temporary buildings, rich and poor, Tony Hawk videogames, Burnout Paradise, Need For Speed World, Next Issue magazine app, comic book distribution, buying stuff online instead of in a store, object printers, horns, discovered a new shape, more heptagonning, Led Zeppelin album Presence, Pictures of Matchstick Men, Times Square, The Naked Indian, rampling, stores, Dhalsim, pole grease incident, Paul's grandfather from A Hard Day's Night, Sanford and Son, low level weirdness, metallic mimes, dowloading toys, Iron Man, some lost audio, Overnightscape Central, obscure things, green coffee, beverage review (Starbucks Cool Lime Refresher), search for the pole, 1001 days since the Radio Vacation, Edward Scissorhands, back and forth in Times Square, Ape, Keith Haring, "new adult concept" Tenga, smile hassles, immersed in a miasma of narcissistic joy, 1Q84, Groove Tube toy, Nutella heir death, Tetra Pak heiress death, enjoyability of an ultra rich lifestyle, Overnightscape Central synchronicities (graves, rubber bands for braces), receipt codes, synchronicity theory, monk, Funhouse pinball on my telephone, Bowcraft, technological change, Mr. Sneeze, crummy arcade, Marble Madness, Ouya, in the studio, weird bus ride home, Seize The Day – Living Worlds, If I Can Dream, meat, Big Brother, grease, F for Fake (1975), UFOs, Orson Welles on The Dick Cavett Show, the stuff of The Twentieth Century, visions of the future, analog electronic media, and preserving some ideals from the previous century here on The Overnightscape Underground. F1845
License for this track: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). Attribution: by Frank Edward Nora – more info at TheOvernightscape.com


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|Cannon, Steven
|Shoemaker, Randy
Submitted to: Journal of Breeding Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/19/2011
Publication Date: 2/4/2012
Citation: Cannon, S.B., Shoemaker, R.C. 2012. Evolutionary and comparative analyses of the soybean genome. Journal of Breeding Science. 61(5):437-444.
Interpretive Summary: Major challenges for soybean breeders have included the relatively limited amount of genetic diversity in this crop species, the difficulty of separating desired from undesirable traits (such as for yield or growth characteristics), and the difficulty of introducing valuable traits from related species. The soybean genome sequence (the set of all DNA letters that determine the characteristics of a plant) was determined by the end of 2008. An understanding of how the soybean genome is organized can help plant breeders and researchers address those challenges. With access to the genome sequence, breeders can rapidly design tests to find useful genetic variants that might be present in the many soybean varieties that are maintained in U.S. and international gene banks. The genome sequence also allows researchers to identify when desirable and undesirable traits may be strongly associated. And new, targeted gene transformation methods may enable soybean researchers to precisely modify genes and make use of valuable traits from related species. Altogether, the soybean genome sequence should enable many improvements for soybean breeders -- and eventually, for farmers and consumers.
Technical Abstract: The soybean genome assembly has been available since the end of 2008. Significant features of the genome include large, gene-poor, repeat-dense pericentromeric regions, spanning roughly 57% of the genome sequence; a relatively large genome size of ~1.15 billion bases; remnants of a genome duplication that occurred ~13 million years ago (Mya); and fainter remnants of older polyploidies that occurred ~58 Mya and > 130 Mya. The genome sequence has been used to identify the genetic basis for numerous traits, including disease resistance, nutritional characteristics, and developmental features. The genome sequence has provided a scaffold for placement of many genomic feature elements, both from within soybean and from related species. These may be accessed at several websites, including http://www.phytozome.net, http://soybase.org, http://comparative-legumes.org, and http://www.legumebase.brc.miyazaki-u.ac.jp. The taxonomic position of soybean in the Phaseoleae tribe of the legumes means that there are approximately two dozen other beans and relatives that have undergone independent domestication, and which may have traits that will be useful for transfer to soybean. Methods of translating information between species in the Phaseoleae range from design of markers for marker assisted selection, to transformation with Agrobacterium or with other experimental transformation methods.


text: Stick with me, it gets better... It's Sunday. I got back from holidays a week ago and I've worked 3 days out of the six and I'm BLAH! I have spent the morning with my daughter, dozing off on the couch while she watched movies and occasionally startled me out of the doze. It may … Continue reading The end of week 1 of yet another recovery phase


text: With more time on my hands, at this stage of life, I thought I would try a new craft. I found I enjoy collecting fat quarters from the fabric store. The eye catching patterns and colors get me every time! To put some of my fabric to use, I decided to try and make a fabric bird! Continue reading "My First Attempt At A Fabric Bird"


text: I have a TabPanel that contains two other TabPanels, and I want them to lay side by side inside the parent TabPanel (one on the left and one on the right). I tried to use the HBOX layout, but it said, "Object doesn't support this property or method." Is there any work around for this? Any help would be appreciated.


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The Scoop: Since 1998, aspiring college students have logged onto Scholarships.com for free access to a carefully maintained database of more than 3.7 million scholarship opportunities. The site acts as a portal for researching colleges and universities as well as a directory for browsing thousands of scholarship opportunities in dozens of categories, including relationship and family counseling, psychology, and therapy. As a source of news and information on planning and preparing for college, Scholarships.com acts as a support service for students from all walks of life. COO Kevin Ladd's personal commitment to student advocacy and volunteerism has made mentorship and helping students turn their aspirations into fulfilling lives and careers central to the site.
Kevin Ladd, Co-Creator and COO of Scholarships.com, helps aspiring students and their families find money to pay for college. But Scholarships.com is more than a business for Kevin — it's a manifestation of his personal commitment to seeing students succeed.
That commitment grew out of Kevin's own challenges as he was getting his start in life. "My parents told me that I was going to go to college, but they didn't tell me how I was going to go to college," he said. "Because we didn't have enough money to pay for it. It was just something I had to figure out."
A native of Waterville, Maine, Kevin found a way to attend a state university as a studio arts major by working in restaurants and construction before getting into web development. Kevin learned how to pay for college, but, after it was over, his passion turned to helping others find an easier path.
Scholarships.com was founded in 1998 by Larry Gerber, and co-created by Larry, Kevin, and Scholarships.com CTO Dan Walowski. The goal was to help college-bound students identify the best scholarship offers without having to wade through hundreds of thousands of search results.
"We started as a matching service for people who were looking for scholarships based on a fairly simple algorithm," Kevin said. "We were basically like one of those online dating sites, but for scholarships."
The team built and maintained an ever-growing database of scholarship offers that users would search by submitting personal data to trigger matches. The value for students was in saving time by eliminating the offers they didn't qualify for and finding opportunities they otherwise would not have known existed.
"We've been working on the database since the beginning, and we expanded that into searchable information about the colleges themselves," Kevin said.
The site generates millions of pageviews per month, saving countless hours of research for parents and students. The listed scholarships and grants have a combined value of more than $19 billion, money just waiting to help deserving applicants.
"We're a trusted source of news and information about colleges and the college experience," Kevin said.
Easy-to-Use Tools for Turning Aspirations Into Reality
First-time visitors to Scholarships.com are invited to start a free search by creating an account on the site. After they enter information about intended majors (e.g., family counseling or psychology), extracurricular activities and interests, grades, and standardized test scores, the site generates a list of scholarship offers, sorted by scholarship name, amount, and application deadline. Users of the site may also suppress those they don't like and highlight the ones they do.
"One of the ways we build trust with our students and families is we don't include any offers that carry application fees," Kevin said. "And we know none of them are scams because we personally vet them — we have a staff that looks at each one. So it's a safe environment in which to search for financial aid that you know is a legitimate opportunity."
"There's a lot of support out there for students who are good prospects and hard workers. Never hesitate to ask for help." — Kevin Ladd, Co-Creator and COO of Scholarships.com
Users can eliminate offers they don't qualify for, while fine-tuning their search criteria as they go along. The site also maintains a directory of thousands of its most popular offers.
"If you're looking for gender-specific scholarships, or scholarships for a particular race or culture, or just for nontraditional students, you can choose to search our directory for these and a number of other categories," Kevin said.
Students also may not be aware of how many institutions out there offer scholarship money and are waiting for eligible applications. So the site offers a search service that looks for investigating colleges and universities according to state, college type, academic major, cost, and many other criteria.
"Spend the time and be strategic about it, be intelligent about it," Kevin said. "There's a lot of support out there for students who are good prospects and hard workers. Never hesitate to ask for help. That's good advice overall, but it's definitely good advice when it comes to scholarships and colleges."
Kevin Ladd: The Mentor at the Heart of Scholarships.com
One aspect of a comprehensive scholarship-search strategy, Kevin advised, is to use the process to graduate debt-free, or as close to debt-free as possible. "Most US schools are more than capable of providing a great undergraduate education," he said, "or they wouldn't be accredited."
"So I definitely recommend keeping an open mind about schools and not being so concerned about attending a top-tier institution like Harvard or Yale or MIT if you don't qualify for big institutional scholarships at one these schools," he said. "It's probably never bad advice, in my opinion, to find a less expensive way to start your college career and try to save some funds in case you decide to go to grad school.
He also advises students to think about attending community college for two years first because it can come at a fraction of the cost and the credits will transfer to a university.
"It'll probably only cost you a couple of thousand dollars a year versus, you know, tens of thousands of dollars," Kevin said. "Of course, you need to also consider whether you will qualify for institutional aid as a transfer student as opposed to beginning as a freshman at a four-year undergraduate school. All of these things are on the table and should be researched."
That's the type of advice that Kevin has given many students in his role as a volunteer mentor with the Chicago Scholars Foundation. The organization works with academically ambitious students from under-resourced communities to help them complete college and become the next generation of leaders.
"A big part of the reason I've felt compelled to serve on scholarship boards," Kevin said, "is because I don't have children, and so maybe I can help some kid whose parents can't, or who doesn't have both parents around anymore."
It's been a rewarding experience — a passion project that connects to and extends what he does for a living, Kevin said.
"Whatever you end up pursuing in life, you gain a certain amount of experience and knowledge, and I think it's our obligation to share that and help people if we can," he said. "I find it very fulfilling, and I've met a lot of great people — not just the kids but co-mentors, administrative staff — all kinds of people."
A Free Portal to Educational Opportunity for Students
Scholarships.com is so much more than a business interest for Kevin; it's an investment in the future. As a mentor, he tells the kids he works with to "get after it." Mentorship is about turning young people who are receptive to advocacy from others into advocates for themselves — and then into leaders.
"That's one thing I always try to teach the kids I work with," he said."I remember one scholar who was polite, had a great smile, and all the stuff you'd want in a teenager in terms of body language and approachability. But he was very shy, so we went over eye contact and a firm handshake, and we went and talked in a group for 20 minutes. He did great and began to build confidence in himself. That's a huge factor; self-confidence. Not just in school or college applications or scholarships but throughout life."
That's an important message that Scholarships.com helps get across: Be an advocate for yourself and don't be afraid to find your voice.
"Don't waste your time being shy. There are certain points in your life that you can't go back and do over," Kevin said. "So if you're in high school, or a college freshman or sophomore, and you're still super shy, you might miss a bunch of opportunities. You might not join organizations or groups. You might not dare to try things because you're too shy. Dare to."
Scholarships.com is a free tool that millions of students have used to help them focus on their opportunities, build plans, and turn them into realities. As the site continues to improve its functionality — it recently streamlined the profile creation process to make getting started easier than ever — it also continues as an expression of that core commitment to mentorship.
"Don't waste your time by starting something you're not going to finish," Kevin said. "Make sure that you're committed to it by setting aside time to sit down and actually apply for these scholarships. And follow through, because you just might get them."


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I had the absolute pleasure of photographing this lovely little girl last winter. She was only 3 months old and so sweet... and SO tiny.
She had such a fun personality. When she was awake, she was smiling and giggling away.
This lucky baby has a wonderful mommy. I had such a good time chatting with her during the shoot and getting to know her, I just had to post some of these candids I got of her. So prettty.
Baby shoots are some of my very favorite. I mean, look who I get to work with all day!? :)


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Congratulations to Rhonnda Claiborne, Realtor/Associate Broker, Keller Williams Realty, who was named the Chamber's Ambassador of the Year for 2013. Rhonnda began volunteering as an Ambassador in September 2012, attending networking functions and volunteering at Chamber programs.
When asked how she felt about being named the Ambassador of the Year, Rhonnda responded, "I feel very excited and honored, I was not expecting it." Rhonnda attends the Morning Schmooze, Business After Hours, the Business Education Series, and many other Chamber events. Rhonnda says that she recommends membership with the Chamber frequently. "I talk about the benefits of the chamber because I feel that you have an opportunity to meet a lot of business minded people and you get a chance to build relationships," she said.
The Ambassador Committee is a diverse group of 15 volunteers who are dedicated to making a difference in the Chamber and the community. Ambassadors are liaisons between the Chamber and new and existing members. For more information about the Committee, call 757-664-2504.


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Blog Archives
Michael Jackson: The Experience
Michael Jackson: The Experience is an interactive performance based music video game inspired by the King of Pop "Michael Jackson" developed and published by Ubisoft. The game is based on Michael Jackson's music and songs and is available on multiple platforms, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360's Kinect, Nintendo 3DS, iOS (iPad only), PlayStation Vita, Mac OS X, Wii U, iPad 2.
The game features three different modes for both PlayStation 3 and Wii version. Two of the modes are "Classic" and "Duo". Another mode that the game features is "Crew". These three different modes in the gameplay features different kind of play where in "Classic" mode player follow the on-screen Michael Jackson avatar. In "Duo" mode the game offers two main characters, player can choose either Michael Jackson or other character to dance. In "Crew" mode the game features MJ and two backup dancers or sometimes five during some particular songs, player can opt any character to dance. The game features a wide track list and excellent choreography. Michael Jackson: The Experience the game features many of Michael Jackson's hits such as Thriller, Rock with you, The Way You Make Me Feel, Smooth Criminal, Black or White, Beat it, Billie Jean and Bad.
The game features instant gameplay with your friends, the game offers versus and co-op modes supporting up to four player gameplay but lacks simultaneous play. The Kinect version features full body tracking and offers entirely different choreography to that of Wii version and includes two game modes, "Party" and "Solo" which features up to four-players and one player gameplay respectively. PlayStation 3 version allows you to sing or dance at the same time as other players and also features to record the dance clips and even pictures out of the play can be taken which further can be uploaded to sites such as Facebook.
If you're a fan of king of Pop "Michael Jackson", the game is all for you.
Make your move just like Michael Jackson. Experience the "Michael Jackson The Experience"
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Beenox and published by Activision for Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Wii, Android, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows and iOS. The game is now available for purchase. It has been released on June 26, 2012 in NA, and was released today acrossEurope. The game is in tie-in with The Movie "Spider Man", based on Marvel Comics superhero, Spider Man, developed by Beenox, also developer of Spider-Man: Edge of Time and Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.
The gameplay features a new combat system evocative of Batman game series developed by Rocksteady Studios, designed using a free flow mechanism and counter attacks. RockSteady development team had really done a good job with the Batman game series, Dee Brown head at the Beenox Studio told that "I played both of the Batman games and really had a good gaming experience, that's why for development of The Amazing Spider-Man development team at Beenox Studio took a clue from the Batman game series.
The Game features new costumes such as "Big Time" Kaine, a black suit and a party hat inspired by the Sam Raimi trilogy, these costumes can be changed at Peter Parker's apartment, the game introduces incredible combat abilities to that of Spider Man's old ones, with each progression in the game the player can unlock alternate costumes, and can also collect vintage comic books such as Amazing Fantasy. A whole new adventure begins at the land of New York with a new SpiderMan.
All in All The Amazing Spider-Man is in fact Amazing with its amazing features, gives the gamer a whole new combat and adventurous experience with SpiderMan.
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Welcome To GothamCity! Become a Super-Hero!!
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is an action-adventure open world video game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. and is a sequel to Lego Batman: The Videogame. Interactive Entertainment. The game has been released on June 19, 2012 in NA, June 22, 2012 in EU and June 27, 2012 in AUS for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Lego and the TT games provide an amazing action and light hearted humor gameplay that all age's peoples are going to like. Samantha Ryan said at a press conference while revealing the information about the game that DC Super Heroes will come together with Lego Batman's gaming experience to give the player a whole new fun gameplay.
DC Super Heroes includes Super Heroes from the DC universe. In the gameplay there will be Superman, Green Lantern, Cat Woman and Wonder Woman joining the Batman and Robin to save theGothamCityfrom fury of the tarnished villains. Villains, well who can be other than Joker and Lex Luthor in villain's place. The game features simply amazing graphics, cool characters, a rich and expansiveGothamCitythat gives the player a whole new gaming experience, young gamers and elder ones can have the fun together.
WONDER WOMAN: Blessed with the gifts of the Olympian gods, and is one of the strongest human beings on the planet. She has a magical lasso that forces anyone within its confines to tell the absolute truth and bracelets that can deflect bullets.
SUPERMAN: Blessed with incredible powers, heat vision, freeze breath, super breath, x-ray vision, super strength, fight and invulnerability features.
ROBIN: Robin has the option to change suits with different gadgets and abilities. As the dark knight's most trusted partner robin was trained by batman himself in marital arts, as well as sleuthing skills. He is adept in the use of electronic devices, especially computers. He can be immune to icy conditions with the ice suit and walk up shiny blue metal walls with the magnet suit.
BATMAN: master detective with a brilliant deductive mind, quite possibly the greatest marital artist alive. Batsuit is Bulletproof and fire resistant, other amazing features include batarangs, grapple hook, marital arts expert, and batman has access to a range of suits which increase his gadgets and abilities.
CATWOMAN: A formidable fighter with expertise in boxing and various marital arts disciplines, includes feature of double jump, a whip and acrobatic skills which enables her to traverse up certain walls and great distances using the acrobat poles.


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If you'd like to enjoy a different experience, don't miss out on a trip to WESTERN PARK - Mallorca's only western-themed water park.
We are a company which began its work Mallorca on the island. The are a group of friends who share a passion and play paintball. We want to share that passion with you and make you participate. Our project started with great enthusiasm and wanting to do things well. We started by selecting a perfect space in an enviable environment of the island in its northern region and that is Alcudia. This space meets with features ideal for the practice of Paintball, in an urban and a forest with mountain views and leisure and hospitality in close proximity that allow you to enjoy this exciting activity even in your holiday to the island . We have introduced a new feature exclusive to the island and it is our shooting gallery, to perform complementary to the games, even individually, target practice and thus improve the aim. We are working with leading brands and offer kits with the latest technology in marker, overalls, helmets, gloves, … also have sales of equipment and accessories. In our facilities enjoy a variety of scenarios so we also offer services such as restaurant and bar with terrace, changing rooms with showers, bathrooms and areas accessible to public outdoor minuvalidos and parkin.. Of course, this activity is suitable for all audiences. We invite you to celebrate with us your birthday, bachelor party or even to go with your company and share with your colleagues.
Welcome to "actionsport Prodive Mallorca"! Our base is located in the scenic impressive north part of the island and you will find us in the nice coastal town of Port de Pollenca close to the town center and few meters from the beach promenade. Close to the Dive Centre you will find a number of accommodations. You can also check our Dive centre for apartments. We are open every day from 9 am to 10 pm. Our two boats can accommodate each a maximum of 12 divers and it will carry you fast and comfortable to numerous interesting spots. It will take you only 2 walking minutes from the base to the place where our 2 boats are waiting for you. Actionsport Prodive Mallorca is equipped with everything that will render your stay with us as beautiful as possible. More than 90 tanks ( 5 to 15 liters)as well as a complete rental equipment, filling station, learning and training room, a dry room for the equipment also for guests, a dive-shop and a cozy Majorcan courtyard makes it for you to a perfect stay. For simple and easy living we provide single, double or three bedrooms and apartments at our Dive Centre for reasonable prices. If you need more information please contact Us.
KARTINGMANIA,™ at Hotel Bellevue, Puerto Alcudia — SPAIN'S Number One Fun Track! New, lightweight, exhilarating, British Biz karts; 200cc unrestricted engines; a circuit designed specifically for maximum fun; friendly staff = KARTINGMANIA'S™ ONE AND ONLY FORMULA! Just arrive and drive — whenever. Kids karting also… we are THE unrivalled experts. Open 9.30am until midnight. Full info www.kartingmania.es Tel: 636 722 752 " Brilliant ", " Awesome" (daily comments). Twin-engine Pro Karts also…
Company dedicated to make your vacation unforgettable and leisure. With all kinds of outdoor activities in a natural paradise as Valldemossa and around. Our location is unbeatable, in a valley surrounded by mountains and the sea located just 6 kms. We offer a high variety of guided tours. Multisport tours (kayaking, snorkeling, diving and deep water soloing) and we have a team of experts offering courses and ravines climbing at all levels of experience and we provide an alternative to the more exciting. The tandem paragliding and paratrike, in which you can enjoy the views from one of the most spectacular sites in the world, the beautiful island of Mallorca, all much more organized from our shop, with all kinds of sports equipment mountain , climbing, water activities and outdoor activities.
Experience Mallorca - Add some Adventure and Adrenalin to your holiday. This is the place to be if you enjoy Adventure Sports. Whether you are looking for a full on adrenalin fuelled adventure sports holiday or just fancy sampling something different whilst here in Mallorca. We currently have over 10 adrenalin packed activities for you to choose from available anywhere in Mallorca. These include canyoning, coasteering, climbing, caving, adventure trekking, cliff jumping and so much more. New For 2014 we have Sea Caving a great way to cool of this summer There is no need to be a hardened thrill seeker.... Experience Mallorca brings the adventure alive at all levels. Whether you are an avid adrenalin junkie or just want to taste the adventure, let us know. No experience is required! We can always find the right adventure activity for you. So, whether you are coming to the island for an activity break, a walking holiday or fancy an adventure away from the pool on your package holiday then we make your time in Mallorca something you will always remember. Our speciality is combining the beautiful diverse landscapes of the Island of Mallorca with a personal challenge to get your adrenalin going. We know that it will be so good, and you will keep talking about your adventure activity for months. We are confident that you will leave us a happier person. We use Internationally recognized safety standards so be assured you are safe in our hands. Our enviable reputation for safety, diversity and undiluted fun is bringing us all over the island. We want everyone to be able to experience the wilder side of Mallorca. Why not escape the cold and rain and join us for a fantastic winter break when canyoning in Mallorca is at its best?.


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Hog & Corn Comments – 06/28/10 Hog prices get beat up
If you have trouble viewing this page please visit the market commentary section of www.leanhog.net
Corn – The Sep '10 corn contract made a new contract low of $3.40 3/4 but settled just above this level. If we have another close below $3.44 tomorrow then we could open the gates to some lower prices. We do however have the annual Planted Acreage report coming out on Wednesday morning which could give direction to the market in either direction. The weekly chart is setting up for a strong CONDITIONAL buy signal in the Sep '10 chart. If we close above $3.45 on Friday July 9th, we could be in for some buying and POSSIBLY the low being set for the Sep '10 contract.
I am not calling a bottom just yet because a lot of things need to happen first but I'm watching the interesting setup that is taking place. As always now is an excellent time to cover some of your feed needs with a know risk strategy assuming your hog crush is profitable. The U.S. Dollar Index is still showing signs of longer-term weakness and is in the process of starting the right shoulder of a bearish head and shoulders pattern. There is a lot that needs to happen for this to be confirmed, I'm just pointing out that fact that it is setting up this way.
Bottom line – The intraday charts suggest corn makes an early low tomorrow. Now is a good time to consider covering some feed needs with a strategy that fits your operation.
Meal – The Aug '10 meal contract provided a nice little rally near the end of the day today. I don't have much to add to the meal comments other than the charts still look good to me with the exception of last week's trade. The trade action today negates some but not all of last weeks negativity, the market will need to close at $283.30 or higher this week in order for me to feel like we could see some movement toward $300.00 again.
Now is a good time to look at protecting any profits you have in your crush margin. You never know what can happen in these USDA reports or with weather or whatever the case may be. I still prefer a known risk strategy with some purchases to mix up the coverage some. Visit with your risk manager to develop a plan that is right for you.
Bottom line – The intraday charts suggest meal makes an early high tomorrow.
Hogs – Wow, what a day today was, I can't say I saw that coming. The 50% retracement level back to the $78.20 low is $81.675 and we should see some good support there for the time being. I do have a buy signal in the Aug '10 hog contract at $82.20 STOP. The risk management sell stop would be $.50 below the current low at the time the order fills. This is one of those signals that produces a swift move when they are good. The market needs to close above $82.075 tomorrow in order for the signal to remain in play, if it doesn't then it is no good.
I am expecting an early low tomorrow for Aug '10 hogs and assume that should be the case considering the cutout was only down $.27 today but on light volume. The cash market was over $3.00 lower during the noon report but closed the day only down around $.17 in the Iowa/Minnesota region.
I would be in talks with my risk manager to develop a sales plan if you don't already have one to take advantage of any market rallies we may encounter. Keep making business decisions and protect profits where you can.
Bottom line – The intraday charts suggest hogs make an early low tomorrow.
Hurley & Associates believes positions are unique to each person's risk bearing ability; marketing strategy; and crop conditions, therefore we give no blanket recommendations. The risk of loss in trading commodities can be substantial, therefore, carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for you in light of your financial condition. NFA Rules require us to advise you that past performance is not indicative of future results, and there is no guarantee that your trading experience will be similar to the past performance.


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Places to go. People to see.
Shopping and socialising are a big part of living at ALTO. Just a five minute walk away you'll come to 'the triangle', an eclectic mix of high street chains,dotted with boutique clothes shops,independent bistros, restaurants and a sprinkling of classic gastropubs, all filled with character and atmosphere.
There are plenty of fun and characterful choices for meeting friends, browsing and just taking time out, not to mention an indispensable Sainsbury's for all your everyday essentials.


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i cared a lot but not now, m done with the part, m done with you, no more lies, no more you, you live how you want to, let me live mine, how i want to, no one to stop, no one to blame, just you, because of you. its better to make the ones smile who are with me than to the ones who leave for no reason. i tried my best, wasnt ready too, but in the end, it doesnt even matter.
youre all the same, just the different faces but the same inner you. i dont care what you think, because your thoughts are always according to what youre told and not by the truth. youre blind, to ones who love you but good to ones who hate you. you dont love or hate when you want to but when told, mind control. not in senses, not in control, cannot breath, cannot laugh, smile or cry when want to. i saw that, tried helping but couldnt. this is life, with or without you. i say, you shouldnt be in ones life, youll destroy them for no reason. you dont think and react but react and lose. youre bad, youre ugly, youre not you.
if i like you for no reason, i could hate you for non too!
— ارسلان محمد خان (@amk) November 24, 2013


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By Mary
While June may be a busy time of year, it wouldn't seem complete without the annual round-up that is held over at the ranch. The round-up consists of a busy Saturday with a full crew of help to gather cows from the hills that are covered in mist early on summer mornings. This year my sister in law Nicole showed up as an amazing addition to the crew, to document the event in photographs. Nicole is an amazing photographer and you can find more info about her work here.
After riders bring the cows and their calves in they get sorted into corrals that hold groups of the mama cows and isolated pens of nursing calves.
Every cow is given a series of shots
and some are freeze branded with the classic ranch's D symbol.
If the calves are bulls they get castrated and their testicles are thrown into a heaping bucket that sits out in the sun all day. Later on in the evening rocky mountain oysters are served along with a big cowboy supper for all the people who spend the day helping out. Need I mention exactly how fresh and local this entré is? Ick, is makes my stomach sick to think about. The brief description above is more or less the general outline of what happens each and every year at the round-up. This year there was a funny addition to the day though.
If you are wondering why in the world there is a big patch on the eye of a calf that has essentially a get well card scrawled across the denim patching, that's a totally reasonable question! To fully understand why there is even a patch on the eye of the cow, I should clarify that the beef herd has been dealing with a flare up of pink eye which is a common problem in cows. Cows with pink eye need treatment to get better. The treatment can be done by administration of medication, and at times an eye patch that is put on with a square of rubber cement glue. The day before the round-up I had been over at the ranch working moving cattle. Just before leaving, I asked my sister-in-law, Aurora if she needed any help with anything before I went home for the night. Now I will clarify that Aurora is super pregnant and super exhausted these days, so she was more than happy to get any help she could to aid in the craziness of pulling of the round-up which is to be honest a ton of work and productive chaos.
Aurora handed me a heap of Patrick's old work pants that have been destroyed from thousands of hours of farm labor and asked if I could cut out patches for the next day. I joked that I wanted to turn the task into a quilting job and that I just so happened to have fabric markers in my car. This joke tuned into serious business when kids started flocking over to "help". I sent one to my car to get the markers and before I knew it I had a circle of kids around me who turned the task into a crafting activity and were fighting over scissors, markets and ideas.
I am a huge proponent of creativity and find great joy in sharing it with kids so it was a humorous blessing to watch them delight in drawing pictures
and sympathy cards on the patches.
Each kid has was proud of their work
and their aunty was pretty amused with the entire unexpected project the next day when watching calves burst out of the chute.
It put a smile on my face just to sit on my horse and watch patched up calves with art on their eyes charging about bellowing!


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On a visit to Ralleigh in May for a Triangle Woodworkers Association monthly meeting, I visited my favorite consignment furniture store. It did not disappoint being filled with lots of news inventory for me to examine and share. Three desks stood out to me as being especially worthy of exploration.
First up is a large carved desk. Not much storage but lots of carved details.
Next is this attractive yet fairly conventional slant front desk.
With a nice but rather conventional gallery.
Only thing is the sliding door that allow access to a storage compartment below the gallery and above the drawers.
If you look at the original picture, you can see the drawer that usually lives between the lopers (lid support) is missing.
The last desk is this ornately carved fall front desk.
It too has a missing drawer between the lopers.
When you look in the gallery, you can't see any obvious access to the storage compartment.
Until you find the sliding board in the floor of the gallery.
And in this desk, the lopers are actually small drawers.
Click HERE to see more pictures of the desks and the rest of the furniture at this shop.


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Check out our upcoming events
as well as highlights from past events.
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Find important information about autism, including helpful web sites
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We need your help to support research & the needs of our children. View info...
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The Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders at:
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Web site designed & managed by GEORGE PRIDE


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Have you ever just felt like you needed to chat with a good friend? Maybe a mom who was a step ahead of you in homeschooling?
Then you've come to right place!
Homeschooling is an amazing opportunity to bond and connect with your child. But, it can also make you want to pull your hair out or take a nice long vacation. Alone.
Homeschooling can be stressful, overwhelming, and confusing.
In those stressful seasons, you may feel like you need to talk it out with someone who has been on this journey before and is still trucking through. While I'm not an expert on much, I do know a thing or two about homeschooling, working from home, and what has worked (and not worked) in our homeschool.
Through my years of homeschooling, I have mentored a number of moms in our local community. I have helped them get started working from home, showed them how to plunge headfirst into this whole homeschooling thing, and talked a few overwhelmed moms off the ledge.
And, I'd love to help YOU too!
Why Are You Offering Homeschool Consultation Services?
As a homeschool family, I know what you are going through. Talking to someone who is just a step ahead of you can help you put your struggles and concerns at rest. Helping homeschooling families on their homeschool journey is a ministry to me. I love encouraging moms to homeschool with joy. I love helping moms find a way to bring in a second income for their families. Establishing a routine in my homeschool and knowing I can take that expertise and help others is something that makes me happy, and brings me joy. I truly feel this blog and encouraging homeschool moms is my ministry. And I love it, and each one of you.
But, wait a minute, if I love helping homeschoolers, why do I charge a fee?
To thoroughly consult with homeschool moms on a one on basis takes quite a bit of time. Because, my time is valuable, I do charge a small fee for my consultation services. I offer free blog posts, a soon to be podcast, a YouTube channel, a Facebook group, and an email newsletter. All of this free content takes time, and I give it away because I enjoy doing so. But, homeschool consultation is a one on one service that will take additional time. I receive comments and emails from many parents asking me for specific directions or answers about their homeschooling issues. My heart yearns to answer each of these questions in depth, but I simply can't. Like many moms, I work from home in order to provide for my family. Offering one on one homeschool consultation services allows me to answer those questions and concerns from individual moms while also blessing my family with a secondary income.
Who is Homeschool Consultation for?
Homeschool consulting is just what you need if:
- You are just starting your homeschool journey.
- You have lost your joy due to too many hard days of homeschooling.
- Your days never run smoothly, and you struggle with establishing a solid homeschool routine.
- You want to learn how to work from home, but you're not sure you have the time to make it work as a homeschool mom.
- You have skills that you know would allow you to work from home, but you don't know where to start.
- You are a work at home mom struggling with time management.
- You're brand new to homeschooling and are totally lost as to how to begin.
- The homeschool catalogs are giving you nightmares because you just know you are going to pick the WRONG one.
- The yellow bus is looking brighter and brighter each day.
Bottom line? Any mom can benefit from homeschool consultation. If we're honest we ALL have struggles and concerns when it comes to our homeschool journey, and we NEED a friend to talk us through those concerns and off the ledge. But, sometimes those friends haven't been where we are, or they don't understand homeschooling. Sometimes, we just need an extra set of ears and a helping brain to help us work through a particular struggle. And then there are those times when we just need someone who will be totally honest with us and tell us those things we don't want to hear, but we NEED to acknowledge. THAT is where homeschool consultation comes into play.
What Does Homeschool Consultation Include?
Great question! I want you to know in advance exactly what you will receive. Homeschool consultation with me includes
- A Google form that will be delivered immediately upon checkout. This form will help me know exactly what you want to receive from consultation services and will help me plan our phone call. Within 72 hours after the form is completed, I will contact you to schedule your homeschool consultation.
- A one-hour phone call where we will chat about your needs, possible solutions, and more. Within 72 hours after the phone call I will send an email with links we may have discussed, and a summary of our conversation.
- One detailed follow-up email within the first 30 days after your consultation. I will check in and see how you are doing, if needed I will offer additional help and resources via email. If additional correspondence is required, these will be billed at $10 per email.
I want to make sure you succeed in the areas where you are struggling. I believe in homeschooling, and want to encourage moms to stay the course, and be good stewards for their families. I promise you that at the end of your consultation you will be better equipped to homeschool effectively and will be on your way to a more joyful homeschool.
What Does Homeschool Consultation NOT Include?
- Counseling. I am not a mental health professional.
- Special Education services. Even though I am homeschooling children with special needs I can not diagnose learning problems, ADHD, or Dyspraxia.
- Legal or state-specific advice (unless you are in Ohio) I am not an expert in homeschool law so I can not provide information on homeschool laws in your particular state.
To get started with homeschool consultation check out below. If you want more specific advice about what I offer from homeschool consultation keep scrolling.
What Others Are Saying About My Homeschool Consultation Services
Misty is an amazing resource! She got me started working from home; and when the ledge looks tempting, she's still the one I contact ~Linda
I so appreciate Misty's wisdom. She has prayed with me, and has always had an answer for my homeschool questions~Leslie
Planning Your Homeschool Day
Thinking about homeschooling but not sure where to start? Let's chat!
I love helping new homeschoolers! Starting to homeschool can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking. When you are just starting out, you have tons of questions and don't know where to turn.
I remember the first time the Lord laid homeschooling on my heart. I had no clue where to begin or what to do. All I know is that I had this longing and needed to fulfill it. The truth was I had no clue how to homeschool. I had no clue what I was getting myself into and I had no clue what a journey homeschooling would take me on.
You know what helped me the most? A seasoned homeschool mom who came alongside me and encouraged me. She listened to me, and helped me realize I can do that homeschooling thing!
That is who I want to be for you.
I Just Need Help!
Maybe your struggle isn't listed here. You may just want to chat homeschool curriculum, fears, or how to get your joy back. You just want a friend to listen and bounce ideas off of. I'm here! I would love to chat with you about any of the following topics. I limit what I can help with because I know there are seasons of homeschooling that I've not dealt with. I want to make sure I am able to help you with your struggles, and not waste your time or money.
- Finding more joy in your homeschool day
- Conquering the fear of homeschooling
- Starting a homeschool group
- Choosing a curriculum
- Navigating multiple ages while homeschooling
- Dealing with fidgety and distracted kids
So, are you ready to chat with me? Check out below to get started with your homeschool consultation session. Upon purchase, you will be emailed a google form. That form will help me prepare for our session. After that form is filled out, I will contact you within 72 hours to schedule your homeschool consultation phone call.


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The United States Department of Defense Military Health System has established a health care system, known as TRICARE, which provides health benefits to a substantially large number of beneficiaries around the world – approximately 9.5 million. These beneficiaries include individuals, who are currently serving in the United States military, members of the National Guard and Reserve, individuals, who have retired from work and families of people who have retired from their posts in the United States military. In addition to this, these facilities are also extended to survivors as well as former spouses or any other individuals who have been registered or enrolled in DEERS, which is the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System.
The facilities at TRICARE draw from both military clinics and hospitals, as well as civilian providers of health care services. TRICARE offers comprehensive and all-encompassing health coverage to the beneficiaries, which includes dental treatment, emergency care, hospitalization, preventive facilities and pharmacy. Furthermore, all the plans that are being offered under the TRICARE system include all health care facilities and services as stipulated in the Affordable Care Act for the minimum level of essential coverage that has to be provided to people.
At present,TRICARE offers a number of different types of health plans to people, and the availability of these plans depends on the individual and where he or she is located. Plans that are currently available include TRICARE Prime, TRICARE for Life, TRICARE Retired Reserve, TRICARE Standard Overseas, TRICARE Standard and Tricare Extra, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas, TRICARE Prime Remote, TRICARE Prime Overseas, TRICARE Young Adult and the US Family Health Plan. For more information and further details about what each of these plans entail, you can click on the respective links and you will be directed to the appropriate pages. You can go through the various benefits that are included in each program, as well as the eligibility criteria, in order to determine which one you can qualify for.
However, if you are still not sure about the health care plan that applies to you, our website has a very helpful Plan Finder, which can help you in identifying which health plan you can potentially become eligible for. Please note that the Plan Finder is only there for your understanding and to guide you to health plans that you may qualify for; suggestions offered by the Plan Finder by no means imply that you are definitely qualified for the use of that particular plan.
Which TRICARE Plan is for YOU?
Which TRICARE Plan is for YOU? , When using the Plan Finder, you will be asked a number of questions. Once you have provided the answers to these questions, the Plan Finder will display a list of health care plans that you may potentially be able to enroll for and use. Furthermore, please keep in mind that the same health care plan may not apply to every member of your family. Thus, it is advisable for you to individually run through the Plan Finder if you wish to find out which health care plans you may eligible for.


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Hi there, I'm Licia, a product designer living in New York City. I love to learn about people's thought processes, behavior, and how they interact in both physical and virtual contexts.
I conduct user research and design products to solve problems in smart, simple ways. I am enjoying using collected information to translate ideas from users/clients into engaging and highly usable design.
I received a Master of Landscape Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design. My experience designing urban spaces helped me develop analysis, problem-solving, creative thinking, and empathy skills. I have designed two urban innovative projects to improve people's urban experience with digital products.
I transitioned into UX / product design because I wanted a larger audience and more opportunities to make connections and get feedback from end users. My goal is to design meaningful and beautiful products, particularly by using new technologies and innovative methods to improve people's lives.


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French News
Some of you may know that as well as being the French teacher here in the Junior School, Madame Vinton also runs the Sustainability Club on a Monday before school. Over the last two weeks, the Sustainability Club (a devoted group of five boys from Year 1 to Year 5, plus some very fine volunteers) have been preparing the garden beds and planting out our winter veggies. They were very stoic and hard-working on the day we spread the cow manure to prepare the beds and then everyone pitched in to get the sprouts, basil, beetroot and even a new passionfruit vine into the ground. The job isn't over yet, with capsicum, leeks and sweet potato still to go in next week. Thankfully some great rain over the weekend gave everything a good soaking in, so the plants should do well. Do take a look at the beds if you walk through the area between the dining hall and the Art Studio, we are very proud of our green fingers! Au revoir.
Madame Vinton
French Specialist


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I just got my wisdom teeth yanked out…or…"gently extracted" and now I'm all numb and tingly. I spent like three hours unconscious. Good times, good times. So I will be spending my last Memorial Day weekend in Mankato as a drooling, mumbling mess of a human being, should be tons of fun.
I did, however, get to keep my teeth which is super cool. When I first went in the doc told me that I wasn't allowed to keep them because of some crazy OSHA rule or something like that. But when I woke up, there they were, waiting for me in a little baggy. From this I can deduce one of three things. A) They f'd something up real bad and assumed that if they gave me my teeth I wouldn't sue or B) He was just yanking my chain to get me uber surprised when it was over or C) One of the 438 assistants they had in the room for the surgery decide he/she was in love with me and wanted to make a very subtle, almost creepy, pass at me.
Grace and I are taking a preliminary trip out to Boston in a few weeks. Unfortunately, the only time that really worked was the weekend we had set aside for a big birthday bash for Old Man Kunkel. Luckily though we don't leave until the afternoon on Saturday which leaves us Thursday and Friday nights to get down with our badselves. We are going to be in Boston from the 17th until the 20th as a scouting trip of sorts; checking out apartments, maybe jobs, trying out the public transit system and checking out UMass-Boston. All-in-all, I think it'll be a fun time. I was hoping we could catch a Red Sox game…and if we'd have been able to get the tickets we wanted, for the weeked prior, we totally could have…but alas, it appears as though Fenway will have to wait until I am officially a Bostonian.
Is it weird for an oral surgeon to prescribe ecstasy as a painkiller? Hmmmm…sometimes I wonder how they do things here in Minnesota.
Well I suppose I think I'm going to go gum some applesauce or something. I'm starving, but I can't eat any REAL food for a few days…so times are going to be rough. Pray for my stomach!
That's all for now.


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Consisting of only 7 special, private rooms and pool villa accommodation, sala khaoyai resort is dramatically perched on a scenic hilltop above the lush, green Khao Yai countryside.
Our boutique resort in Khao Yai features the enchanting sala hilltop restaurant and bar with panoramic 360 degree views of the surrounding area. Next to the restaurant is a stunning infinity edge swimming pool with spectacular elevated views of romantic Khao Yai sunsets.


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An FBI unit reportedly facing a criminal investigation for Patriot Act abuses is asking Congress for $5.3 million in 2008 to pay three telecoms to build data centers to store Americans' communication records for years in order to provide the FBI "near real time" access to Americans' phone and internet records.
The FBI already pays three telecoms, including AT&T and Verizon, about $1.8 million a year to process written "emergency" requests for telephone and internet records. It says the 2008 requested funding (.pdf) will get them more than that.
The requested funding will allow for the development of data storage and retrieval systems by each contractor, accessible only by the contractor, for at least two years' worth of network calling records. In addition, each contractor would provide a dedicated on-site employee to process the exigent lawful requests for data.
The Justice Department has long been pushing the nation's phone companies and internet providers to keep records about Americans' communications for longer periods of time. These contracts largely achieve the FBI's goals without having to persuading Congress or federal regulators to mandate data retention guidelines as Europe has. The new databases will store years of land line phone call, calling card, cell phone call and internet communication records.
The contracts were first revealed after the Justice Department's Inspector General put out a report in March showing that a key anti-terrorism office were getting phone records from telecoms with letters that included knowingly false statements.
FBI employees in the Communications Analysis Unit, which analyzes phone records for investigators, sent more than 700 "emergency letters" to those telecoms asking for phone records, promising falsely that a follow-up subpoena was in the works.
Those employees had no authority to ask for records themselves, according to the Inspector General's reort. Top FBI officials told privacy groups last week that a criminal investigation was underway.
The Telecommunications Data Collection Center, the unit in the FBI's anti-terrorism component that is requesting the money, warns that without the government-funded snooping databases, counter-terrorism investigators will face obstacles:
Market demands on these companies only require them to keep records online (quickly available) for the short period required to collect bills. After billing periods have passed, records are archived; therefore, retrieving them in a time frame shorter than several weeks is not possible.
The requested funding would allow for the continuation of telecommunications industry participation at the current level of three carriers, providing access to land-line phone call, calling card, cellular phone call, and Internet communications records, all delivered in an electronic format that can be exploited immediately to help resolve terrorist threats.
The Justice
Department has refused to respond to Wired News' open government request for copies of the contracts.
Note: re-edited for clarity Thursday 9:30 a.m. PST


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We all know a fine wine or scotch needs a fair few years to mature into something of a distinct quality and the same can be said for Italian hard rockers Hungryheart. It took ten years from their beginnings in 1998 before the release of their self titled debut album its arrival, bringing encouraging and positive responses; now the quartet return with their follow up One Ticket To Paradise on Tanzan Music, full of sounds ranging from power, hard, and melodic rock at its best. Hungryheart take their influences from 80's classic hard rock, flavouring their sound with sprinkles from the likes of Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, and Journey amongst others. Consisting of twelve melody led tunes One Ticket To Paradise is a vibrant pleasure for those people readily eager for good AOR releases as well as those who might be dipping their toes into the waters of melodic rock for the first time.
The album begins with the unashamed straight classic rock glory of 'Stand Up'. This is simply great rock 'n' roll written well, created solidly, and delivered perfectly. Yes, it may not be the most original track you will hear but there will not be many as instantly accessible or have you eager to join in either. 'One Ticket To Paradise' follows and immediately stands out as a contender for the best track on the release. Further venturing into the album reveals not quite but the song shows the bands musical skills at their height. The guitar of Mario is riveting and mesmerises the listener throughout the track whilst the rhythm attack of Steve Lozzi on bass and Paolo Botteschi drive the song skilfully and firmly as they do on every track on the album. Enhanced with the great vocal ability of Josh Zighetti the title track is more than pleasing. The ballads on One Ticket To Paradise show the band can bring emotion and atmosphere just as easily as simple rock sounds to a song as in the rock ballads 'Let Somebody Love You' and 'A Million Miles Away'. The first of the two heartfelt tracks shows Zighetti can sing with great expression to match the lyrical sentiment whilst the latter featuring Percudani on lead vocals with its neat elegant mellow flow show a band in control of their music and songwriting.
Two tracks vie for the best on album, 'Boulevard Of Love' soaked in great harmonies vocally and musically, and the bluesy rocker 'Let's Keep On Tryin''. The second song is a flat out blast of great rock music, infectious and satisfying. Stylish and rippling with the musical prowess of each member of Hungryheart it encapsulates all the band is about within its frame. One Ticket To Paradise is not a 100% perfect album with tracks like 'Just A Little Closer' and 'Love is The Right Way' though decent enough slipping under the level of other tracks on the release and staying too rigidly to the standard formula of the genre. This is really a minor criticism and a compliment to the standard of the strongest songs on show. One might also wince at the inclusion of the Michael Jackson song 'Man In The Mirror' but actually the band pull off a strong version and though fans of the original would disagree one could arguably say a better one.
One additional feature to the album is the wonderful keyboard sounds of Alessandro Del Vecchio. The newest member of Eden's Curse is a rock music maestro who unfailingly accentuates the mood of any track as well as giving it depth. On One Ticket To Paradise he delivers yet again bringing his special spices to already great songs. Hungryheart has provided rock music fans a fine addition to the hard/classic rock genre and though it may be too lightweight for people who enjoy sounds that drill away at the senses, for those in love with hooks and melodies it is a must have. Check out Hungryheart's official website at www.myspace.com/hungryheartofficial
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For the last couple months, Naomi has been very busy changing the store around to serve you better. While doing so, she also toyed around with some other changes that she'd like to implement. Today, I'm going to share a little bit about those changes.
Somewhere around the beginning of June last year, we implemented a schedule where freebies and new releases were posted bi-weekly on opposite weeks. That format served us well these past seven months. During that time we even managed to build up a small team of dedicated ladies to showcase Naomi's digi stamps. Well, it is time once again to change things around a bit. While change can be difficult for some, it is good for the soul because it doesn't allow us to stagnate in any one situation for too long a time period. As the focus of this blog switches, so must the format.
Therefore, Naomi has decided that she no longer will be giving out regularly scheduled freebies. Now those of you that love getting Naomi's images, don't panic just yet. Note I said, 'regularly scheduled freebies'. I didn't say there wouldn't be any, just that they will no longer be handed out on a bi-weekly basis or in any set pattern. Naomi may decide to do a freebie one month and then none the next. Then you might get two or three over the course of a couple weeks. That is why it will still be important to continue to pop by on a regular basis so you don't miss out on any potential freebies.
So, that leave our new releases. Naomi has been itching to do more and more digi creation and as a result is planning on having a new release almost every single week. I say almost because there might be some months where we decide to give our hard working team members a little time off AND because of something else we are looking at incorporating every once and awhile--CHALLENGES! Yup, you read that correctly. Over the course of the rest of this year we are planning on having three special challenges. If everything goes according to plan, there will be one in March, one in July and the final one for the year, one in November. Now, I'm not going to get into any more detail about the challenges right now. I have to leave somethings up for surprise, don't I? Besides, the very first one is only 3 and 1/2 weeks away so you'll be hearing about it soon enough!
The other big change is in regards to the day of the week we will be showcasing New Releases. Starting this coming week, our New Release posts will take place on Wednesdays. So that means that almost every single Wednesday, you will be able to feast your eyes not only on the newest digital images going into the store, but also on some great inspiration provided by our team members. Wednesdays are going to be wonderful around here!
AND don't worry, you'll still have the opportunity to participate and win goodies with our sneak peek guesses and of course have the opportunity to win a copy of each new release. Nothing is changing as far as that goes.
Now since we no longer have a Freebie Team and a New Release Team, our teams will be undergoing some slight changes as well, although there will still be two of them.
First up is....
Team Bugaloo which consists of currently active members--Vicky and Monica. You'll be seeing Team Bugaloo's creations this coming Wednesday, February 12th. In case you are interested, Bugaloo is a slang term, often used as a name for showing affection or endearment towards a person.
Then next up is...
Team Bugalug which consists of currently active members--Suze and Judith. You'll be seeing Team Bugalug's creations the following week, on February 19th. The word Bugalug is an Australian term of endearment.
Don't you just love the new team names? Cute as a bug's ear right? Now just because the gals are divided, doesn't mean that you won't sometimes see a member of Bugaloo showcase a card when Bugalug is scheduled and vise versa. Some of our gals have extra time on their hands and it is always great to be able to showcase another way to use Naomi's images.
Well, I think that that covers it for now. Naomi and I are looking forward to switching things up around here and we hope that you will continue to stick around and grow with us.
So on that note, how about we get to this Saturday's sneak peek while it is still Saturday in most parts of the world...
This coming Wednesday marks the launch of a new three week collection of images. Of course I'm not going to tell you the theme yet...although you can find a hint of it elsewhere on the blog if you look around a bit...
Don't Forget...
There is still an opportunity to win a copy of Naomi's latest release, 'Snowden'. Click HERE and scroll down to find out how.
Thanks for popping in! Have a wonderful week everyone and I will see you all on Wednesday! Of course, now I also have to remember to get the post done on Tuesday night instead of Wednesday so wish me luck!


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Happy Eurovision Fletcherfans. I was going to do my usual post-Eurovision analysis but Twitter has left such a bad taste in my mouth that honestly I'm just not going to bother.
In the non-EU country of Cabot Cove, someone is breaking into a safe down at the Lomax sheet metal factory oh God I'm already bored. The thief nicks off with a suitcase full of sweet cash dollar before Deputy Andy arrives.
Meanwhile, JB and Mort are plotting a surprise birthday dinner party for Seth and are trying to coordinate gift-buying plans so that they don't double up, bless them. It would appear that Seth has a similar attitude towards his birthday that I do to mine (except I completely forgot mine was even happening). The birthday boy himself wanders in to see what's going on, but Jess informs him she's chatting to Mort about storm windows and finalising dinner party plans. Mort gets a call from Andy and heads down to the crime scene, while Seth tells Jess he thinks it's ridiculous for Jess to be throwing a dinner party with all that she has on – there's no reason for it, it's not like there's an anniversary coming up. Or a birthday.
Down at the crime scene the owner of Lomax Sheet Metal, Sanford Lomax, is telling Mort that only about $300 dollars were taken which is about $50,000 short of being true. He also says the knife that was used was his. Mort gives the knife to Andy to dust for prints and tells Sanford he's sorry this happened. Andy feels terrible, if he'd been able to get there sooner he could have caught the guy.
"Maybe next time." Says Sanford in a ringing endorsement for Cabot Cove crime levels.
As Mort and Andy depart, Sanford gets a call from the mafia wanting to know where their money is. He tells them there's been a tiny hiccup, but not to worry the kid who took the money will be terrified and he'll sort it out. The mafia will have their money in the morning. Mafia guy gets off the phone and tells his goon they have a problem.
That is, of course, Charlie Garratt, last seen here and currently just chillin' between cases. His phone rings and it's Sanford wanting him to come up and investigate a case of industrial espionage. Charlie's not interested until he gets promised his usual fee plus 50%.
Back in the Cove Jess is shopping for Seth's birthday present down at Celia's Antique Store where Celia's daughter Libby sells paintings as well as works for the Cabot Cove Hall of Records, and her brother Harvey works for Sanford Lomax. Celia meanwhile is PISSED AS HELL with Jessica for sending a late thank you note four years ago.
Down at the docks Sanford goes to confront the thief, Walter Perry, who it turns out just so happens to be engaged to Libby Terhune I mean what were the odds. Sanford demands his money back but Walter tells him he knows nothing about it and besides there was only $300 missing, what's the big deal?
Down at the soon to be relocated Hall of Records office, Libby is packing things into boxes when Walter drops in to tell her what he did. She tells him to go to the cops but he says he can't – clearly whatever Sanford is into is illegal and Walter is now a witness of sorts to that so basically, they're in big trouble. Before Libby can continue Jess pops up to ask for her trust deed. Libby walks with her to the front desk where she's stashed it for her. Harvey turns up to grab more office supplies to take back to Celia and offers to give Libby a lift. Walter stashes the backpack (with 900K in it) in one of the filing cabinets and leaves the office.
Charlie Garrett watches Walter get into his car and drive away, and also watches the mafia goon Oscar Gandile follow him. He goes to follow too, but crashes into Seth who needless to say has some strong opinions.
It's only when Jessica recognises Charlie that he's off the hook. He pops round to House Fletcher for a cup of tea and to get the goss from JB about Walter. Jess tells him he had a rough start (orphaned, raised by his grandmother who died recently). Charlie thinks JB isn't telling him everything and Jess isn't saying anything until Charlie tells her who he is working for.
Starting to smell a rat, Charlie pays Sanford a visit who swears it's 100% not about mafia work, he nabbed classified documents from some friends at the defence department and that's what Walter stole and he needs them back. Charlie stashes a bug under Sanford's desk and tells him he saw the Mafia guy also following Walter.
Down at the Sheriff's office, Jess is begging Mort to have a chat with Walter, she's concerned for him. Seth is starting to get suspicious about Mort and JB's scheming and plotting and suspects birthday involvement.
Andy tells Mort that Walter's place has been broken into and trashed as has his boat (it turns out). Mort visits him on the boat but Walter swears he has no idea why and he swears he had nothing to do with the break-in at Sanford's. Mort tells him to think hard about it and leaves him on the boat, casually being surveilled by Oscar and Charlie.
Mort's next visit is to Libby Trehune but she gives him nothing. Celia wants to know what's going on and reminds Libby about some other dude she could marry but she storms out, leaving Harvey to calm Celia down.
Sidebar: this outfit.
Meanwhile, Mort fills JB in on what he's discovered. Jess says she'll swear in court that Walter's fish knife was missing and that she's sure it's the one that was used in the break-in. Mort wonders why Sanford said it was his, and Jessica tells him she's starting to wonder about this Sanford Lomax, and that possibly Mort's mate in the Chicago PD that told him all about Charlie and his misdemeanours could fill him in.
Later that night Charlie observes Walter breaking into the Cabot Cove Hall of Records before being clocked on the head by Oscar Gandile. Inside, Walter has just discovered his backpack full of money is missing when he hears someone come into the outer office. There are noises and Oscar Gandile falls to the floor, quite dead.
The next morning Seth is grumping around at JB's while she's trying to get hold of Charlie Garrett when the man himself wanders in with jelly doughnuts. Before he can explain himself Mort calls looking for Seth – they've just found a dead body down at the hall of records but they can't identify him. Charlie takes that as his cue to leave.
After examining the body Seth tells Mort the mystery man died between 1 and 5pm. Mort is rather keen to speak to Charlie Garrett and gets Andy to put out an APB on him. Libby tells JB that she knows nothing about anything and flees before Jessica can question her further.
Jess decides to pop round to see Sanford Lomax who tells her he knows nothing about nothing, and if Walter knows something he'd better come forward or else some people that Sanford knows nothing about will do something drastic
Sanford tells Jess if she tells the Sheriff anything he'll deny the conversation ever happened. Jess has already spotted Charlie's bug under the desk and so couldn't really care less about that. Charlie is, of course, listening to the whole conversation and thinks JB is a gutsy lady.
Jess goes to see Celia but Libby's not there either. Mort also drops by looking for her – it turns out Walter's prints are the only ones on the murder weapon.
Walter and Celia are going to make a break for it, but Walter doesn't want to leave without the money and he figures the only person who could have it is Sanford Lomax. He busts in on Sanford and the mafia guys duking it out about the money but before it can kick off Mort and Andy burst in and arrest everyone just to be on the safe side. Charlie, still listening, wonders where the hell the money is.
Down at the Sheriff's office Mort is pissed he has to let Sanford and the mobsters go, but Walter is giving him nothing. Jess gently suggests the Witness Protection Program, and Walter finally explains everything – he didn't kill Oscar, he was in the next room. And the money is still missing.
Jess returns home to discover Charlie chilling in her lounge room. He swears he doesn't know who the killer is or where the money is. It's only when Charlie starts slicing an apple that Jess works it out.
Apple cutting is a lot like paper cutting, it turns out.
These are the things that happen when you steal mob money. I'm still trying to get my head around Celia being pissed about a late thank you note. WHY WAS THAT EVEN IN THE SHOW I DON'T UNDERSTAND.


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