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Table of Contents
Front, Central and Back Vowels
Vowels are classified in a couple of different ways, one of those ways is the frontness of articulation, which indicates the part of the tongue used to pronounce the vowel.
Front, Central and Back Vowels
Front Vowels: These are produced with the front part of the tongue. There are 5 front vowels
- / i: / as in beat ( High Front Unrounded)
- / e / as in bet (Mid-Low Front Unrounded)
- / ɪ / as in fist ( Mid-High Front Unrounded)
- / æ / as in bat (Low Front Unrounded)
Central Vowels: These are produced with the middle of the tongue. There are central vowels:
- The first of the high vowels is /uː/ (as in food)
- The second high vowel is /ʊ/ as in good.
- The vowel made with mid tongue elevation is /ɔ:/ (as in caught).
- The vowel with the lowest tongue elevation is /ɑ:/ (as in palm).
- The final vowel with slightly higher tongue elevation and slightly retracted tongue position is the sound /ɒ/ (as cot, pot and lot)
Back Vowels: These are produced with the part of the tongue closest to the throat. There are 3 Central vowels
- / ʌ / as in cup
- / ɜː / as in Learn
- / ə / as in about
Front, Central and Back Vowels- Lesson Plan
Students will be able to identify front, central and back vowels in spoken language.
Teacher reviews each one of the concepts:
- Central Vowels
- Back Vowel
- Front Vowels
This task has to do with identifying the different type of vowel sounds in spoken language.
- Teacher ask students to bring their smartphones and earphones to the class in advance
- Students get together in groups of three.
- Teacher sent the link via whatsapp or email to the students and you have to indicate which file each group has to download.
- Once students has download the tracks, they have to assign a track to each member of the group
- Students listen to track and try to identify front, central and back vowel sounds and write them in the worksheet prepared for this exercise.
- Once every group member has finished, they make sure the classification that they did is correct
- When all of groups have finished, they start checking their results with each other.
Teacher will send some words transcribed phonetically so they can figure out what they are. One of the best tools to do this is the Cambridge Online Dictionary
For this task, you will need tracks, I have selected these but you can select yours.
- Group #1
- Group #2
- Group #3
- Group #4


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All qualifying parts are identified with a message stating "Qualifies for Free Shipping..." Parts without this message do not qualify for Free Shipping.
The following do not qualify for Free Shipping:
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subset: commoncrawl


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When it comes to superior EMS and ambulance billing solutions, you have multiple options to make the transition to Cornerstone seamless. We understand your concerns. It is a big decision. Everything is in place so you will rest easy.
Unlike other EMS billing companies, we guarantee your results. Simply put, we set a goal and we reach it. Period. If we fail to reach our guaranteed target or if for any reason you are not satisfied with our services you have the freedom to leave.
We stake our reputation on performance just like you. Whether you are in the field or we are in the office, the standard remains the same. A 99% client retention rate attests to it.
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Minquas Fire Company No. 2


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Butte County Association of Governments completed traffic counts at 252 locations throughout Butte County for the period from Fall 2013 to Spring 2014.
The counts were three-day, 72-hour traffic hose counts collected from Tuesday through Thursday. Bi-directional data was collected for each site and was recorded in 15-minute intervals. Peak hour and daily totals were included. Counts were not performed during special community events, holidays, rain or any such event that would alter typical traffic conditions and patterns. A map of Paradise traffic counts may be found below:
BCAG acquires a consultant to perform traffic counts approximately every three or four years. Determination of which locations are counted is dependent on the location that will best supplement the BCAG traffic model program. Counts are listed by geographic area and alphabetized within. To view the local and county-wide data, please download the following file:
For a more detailed breakdown of these counts, contact BCAG's Brian Lasagna at (530) 879-2468.


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UK: 1,400 non-Muslim Children Exploited by Muslim Rape Gangs, Authorities Did Nothing "For Fear of Being Thought as Racist"
Posted by: Frank Roman on: 08/29/2014 05:46 PM [ Print | 0 comment(s) ]
UK: Bring on another Crusade or be prepared to die as a nation.
You can write that as the epitaph of Great Britain. The British government kowtowed to Islamic supremacists "for fear of being thought as racist." The British government hounded counter-jihadists domestically and banned ones from the U.S. from entering the country "for fear of being thought as racist." The British government worked with Islamic supremacists it mistook for "moderates" "for fear of being thought as racist." The British government funded liars who exaggerated claims of Muslim victimhood "for fear of being thought as racist." The British government for years ignored an Islamic supremacist takeover of public schools "for fear of being thought as racist."
As Britain collapses into inevitable chaos, civil war, and jihad in the streets, Blair, Cameron, May and the rest, and all the dreary Sarah Browns (one of the proprietors of the Leftist dhimmi hate site Harry's Place) among their dreary, dreary supporters, can congratulate themselves that as they bring down a once-great civilization upon their own heads, at least no one will think that they were "racist."
"Rotherham child abuse scandal: 1,400 children exploited, report finds," BBC, August 26, 2014:
At least 1,400 children were subjected to appalling sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, a report has found.
Children as young as 11 were raped by multiple perpetrators, abducted, trafficked to other cities in England, beaten and intimidated, it said.
The report, commissioned by Rotherham Borough Council, revealed there had been three previous inquiries.
Council leader Roger Stone said he would step down with immediate effect.
Mr Stone, who has been the leader since 2003, said: "I believe it is only right that as leader I take responsibility for the historic failings described so clearly."
The inquiry team noted fears among council staff of being labelled "racist" if they focused on victims' description of the majority of abusers as "Asian" men.
'Doused in petrol'
Professor Alexis Jay, who wrote the latest report, said there had been "blatant" collective failures by the council's leadership, senior managers had "underplayed" the scale of the problem and South Yorkshire Police had failed to prioritise the issue.
A victim of sexual abuse in Rotherham told BBC's Panorama: "I was a child and they should have stepped in"
Prof Jay said: "No-one knows the true scale of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham over the years. Our conservative estimate is that approximately 1,400 children were sexually exploited over the full inquiry period, from 1997 to 2013."
Revealing details of the inquiry's findings, Prof Jay said: "It is hard to describe the appalling nature of the abuse that child victims suffered."
The inquiry team found examples of "children who had been doused in petrol and threatened with being set alight, threatened with guns, made to witness brutally violent rapes and threatened they would be next if they told anyone".
Five men from the town were jailed for sexual offences against girls in 2010, but the report said police "regarded many child victims with contempt".
Ch Supt Jason Harwin Ch Supt Jason Harwin said victims had been "let down"
District Commander for Rotherham, Ch Supt Jason Harwin said: "Firstly I'd like to start by offering an unreserved apology to the victims of child sexual exploitation who did not receive the level of service they should be able to expect from their local police force.
"We fully acknowledge our previous failings."
Ch Supt Harwin said the force had "overhauled" the way it dealt with such cases and had successfully prosecuted a number of abusers.
But he admitted: "I accept that our recent successes… will not heal the pain of those victims who have been let down."
'Racism' fear
The report found: "Several staff described their nervousness about identifying the ethnic origins of perpetrators for fear of being thought as racist; others remembered clear direction from their managers not to do so."
Failures by those charged with protecting children happened despite three reports between 2002 and 2006 which both the council and police were aware of, and "which could not have been clearer in the description of the situation in Rotherham".
She said the first of these reports was "effectively suppressed" because senior officers did not believe the data. The other two were ignored, she said.
The inquiry team found that in the early-2000s when a group of professionals attempted to monitor a number of children believed to be at risk, "managers gave little help or support to their efforts".
The report revealed some people at a senior level in the police and children's social care thought the extent of the problem was being "exaggerated".
Prof Jay said: "The authorities involved have a great deal to answer for."
A victim of abuse in Rotherham, who has been called "Isabel" to protect her identity, told BBC Panorama: "I was a child and they should have stepped in.
"No matter what's done now… it's not going to change that it was too late, it should have been stopped and prevented."
UK: 1,400 non-Muslim Children Exploited by Muslim Rape Gangs, Authorities Did Nothing "For Fear of Being Thought as Racist"


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Systems for classified material handling have been developed by professionals in this field and perfected over the past 100 years. Mainly, this work was performed at the US government level. As the need increased for similar controls, business borrowed the techniques and adapted them to a somewhat less restrictive environment.
The first step in the process of limiting access to information is to identify thespecific information to be protected and decide how limited that access will be.
In business, three classifications are sufficient for almost every need. Reference to these "levels" of secrecy will be according to their government names—restricted, secret, and top secret. Those in the public sector also classify information according to type, which groups financial data, real estate appraisals, research and development programs, production schedules, and so on.
One production document might be "restricted," while another is "top secret." No matter what the level of classification or the topic caegory under which it is classified, leaks are possible. But because the number of individuals with access to the material shrinks at each classification stage, so that far fewer managers are able to see top secret documents than restricted matter, leaks in higher classifications are usually more easily detected, and those responsible more easily defined.
Make certain your group understands this. While all material which has been classified must be treated with care, documents in the highest secrecy category will most likely cause greater concern of revealed. So these will receive the greatest amount of checking and investigation after a leak is discovered.
My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir – Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Line of Sight


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Stuff, a news and information website in New Zealand, has launched a campaign about finding the best beaches in the world. It has created an editable World map that displaying locations suggested from readers.
Click on the pins (or the numbered circles then see the clustered pins), and you can see photo and description that provided by world-wide readers. You can participate this campaign and haring your experience to people all around the world.
If you are interested in creating similar crowdsourced maps, you can seek assistant using several online mapping software, and normally the maps can be easily created in few steps. We have created a demonstration that details can be found there.


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San Jose, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/18/2012 -- Payday loan provider, paydayloansonlinelenders.com, has received 96% positive reviews according to a study conducted by Customer Survey. The website has made certain changes to further increase the number of customers after their successful feedback. They are now offering loans up to $1500 and their processing time has also been cut down enabling loans to be sanctioned within 1 hour.
Payday loans have gained quite a demand in the banking industry for the past few years. When media spokesperson of the company, Charles Redmond was asked to elaborate on the success of Payday Loans, he quoted "Payday loans have become successful due to three main reasons. First being the quick processing of sanction of these loans. We have managed to give loans within 1 hour in number of occasions. At most Payday loans are assured to be given in the next business day. Second reason for their popularity is lenient financial background checks. People with bad credit, bankruptcy, financial issues in past and present have received loans without any hassle. A steady monthly income suffices for the payday loans. The application process of these loans being 100% online is the third reason for demand of payday loans. Online application can be filled within minutes and the process begins immediately."
According to the website, there are 70+ trusted lenders standing by to give loans. A statement that is uncommon amongst Instant Payday Loan providers. The fact that the site has lenders ready to give loans makes the company credible, and stands out amongst others. Features such as no fax required, no credit check, same day service and 24/7 bank deposit methods are also mentioned on the website. The process of loan requirement can be completed online through their instant Apply Now process at the site.
A 96% positive feedback is an achievement that the company is very proud of said Charles, "Our objective is to meet our customers' needs and provide exceptional support. 96% positive reviews for Payday Loans Online at our site reflect our efforts to make the process of payday loans hassle free and customer friendly."
About PaydayLoansOnlineLenders Inc
PaydayLoansOnlineLenders Inc is one of the leading payday loan providers. The company is known for providing loans through trusted lenders via their online platform http://www.paydayloansonlinelenders.com/. They are based out of San Jose, CA and have been offering cash loan services since 2010.
For more information about payday loans, or to schedule a meeting or interview with founders of paydayloansonlinelenders.com, please email at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Dear Friends,
Over the last few weeks, our whole country has watched residents in flooded areas of Texas and Florida be called to make a decision: to leave their homes or to hunker down, to walk or drive away or to cling to all they have come to value as their own. In short, to stay or to go.
One reason we have been absorbed in their stories is because they are our own stories. Throughout history, people like you and me, indeed, whole communities have been asked to decide whether to stay or go. Within the last 25 years, the people of Hong Kong (1997), in the face of a pending return to the control of mainland China, had to decide; the people of Scotland in a referendum (2015) had to decide whether or not to leave the British Commonwealth. Most recently, all of Britain had to decide whether to leave the European Union (2016).
Individuals have had to decide whether to leave a marriage, a job, their church which they have found less than welcoming, their homeland, their plans, their pets, their remembered safety and security.
To be faced with that decision – to stay or to go – is to stand on a threshold, to be called beyond ourselves as we have been. The deepest call is to be faithful to our heart, to our God and to the values which we know to be life-giving. How can we cross that boundary? Will we have the strength to do and to become anew?
Most of the time, people in these frames of mind or situations don't have the luxury of a long time to think, and have to rely on their store of learnings, understandings, intuition, orientations, values and relationships to see them through. At times, no one asks us out loud whether to stay or go. We just hear it in our hearts. But sometimes the question is public, so that our responses can stir others to thought and decision as well.
To my mind, the most vivid biblical moment where the question – to stay or to go – is public occurs in Chapter Six of John's Gospel. Jesus tells his listeners that He is the bread of life, the living bread. "Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. (Jn. 6.53)" Murmuring followed, and many of his disciples concluded, "This is a hard saying; who can accept it? (Jn. 6.60)" Jesus watched many walk away and then said to the Twelve "Do you also want to leave? (Jn. 6.67)"
There it is. Will you stay or will you go? Will you walk with me or not?
Thankfully, Peter spoke words of belief on behalf of all of them, and hopefully for us all well.
That is the clue when we are standing at our own personal thresholds. Dare to believe God first. Include and embrace the community in the decision in some way. Dare to go forward without clarity but with confidence in God and our choices nonetheless. "Another road will take you into a world you were never in. New strangers on the path await, new places that have never seen you will startle a little at your entry...May you travel in an awakened way" (John O'Donohue, To Bless The Space Between Us).
~Sister Joan Sobala


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Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Acronyms, Wikipedia.
1. one of the legendary twelve peers of Charlemagne's court
2. a knightly champion
in medieval Western European literature, one of the 12 peers of the Frankish emperor Charlemagne. Later, the term came to be applied to any valorous knight devoted to his lord or lady.
The term "paladin" is also applied ironically to any person utterly devoted to an idea or person.
archetypal gunman who leaves a calling card. [TV: Have Gun, Will Travel in Terrace, I, 341]
See: Wild West


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Pioneering Change For Autism
University of Virginia seminar studies tension between "The Science & Lived Experience of Autism."
Despite a recent surge in attention and research over the past decade about autism, controversy exists.
Alexandria: 'Cherry Challenge' Winners
The George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee announced the winners of the eighth annual "Cherry Challenge." The Cherry Challenge took place between Jan. 28 and Feb. 11 in 53 Alexandria restaurants. It featured cherry-inspired dishes, appetizers, drinks, and desserts created by the restaurant chefs. Some of the restaurants have competed in the past, but there were many restaurants new to the competition this year.
Alexandria Snapshot: House Sparrow
12:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 6: A house sparrow keeps watch from a cottage window in Northridge.
Arlington Courage Wall: Overcoming Fear To Achieve Dreams
The Courage Wall was unveiled in Ballston's Welburn Square on Thursday afternoon, July 2. Ballston residents and visitors are invited to use a piece of chalk from one of the buckets hanging on the Courage Wall to share their wishes and express their joys and fears on the blank lines.
Mount Vernon Scouts Go Broadway
Scouts attend week-long camp with a Broadway theme.
More than 300 Mount Vernon scouts attended a week-long camp at Fort Hunt Park.
Alexandria: Splash with DASH
DASH to operate free service on pool bus route.
The Alexandria Transit Company (DASH), in partnership with the Advocates for Alexandria Aquatics, and the City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities, revealed a new initiative to get families and children to the Old Town Pool this summer. More than 20 local businesses, along with the support of the USA Swimming Foundation – Make a Splash, are sponsoring free rides during July and August on DASH's AT10 route.
Alexandria: Brunch Benefits Surgical Services
The Board of Lady Managers held its annual brunch on June 21 at the Union Street Public House. The brunch raised funds for the purchase of two state-of-the art neurology microscopes for Inova Alexandria Hospital Surgical Services. So far over $5,000 has been raised towards the goal of $640,000.
Alexandria Snapshot: Disability Awareness Awards
Mayor Bill Euille and Alexandria Chamber of Commerce chair Walter Clarke congratulate the 2015 Alexandria Commission of Persons with Disabilities award recipients: Donna Shaw of Senior Services of Alexandria, Dave Hammond of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Bishop Ireton graduate Iman Smallwood, Mary Lee Anderson of Senior Services of Alexandria and former ACPD chair Chuck Benaugh.
Bidding Farewell to Mount Vernon High School
The year has not been without its challenges, but so many wonderful things happened for us this year, too, as we celebrated 75 years of excellence.
Arlington: Washington-Lee High Graduates Look to the Future
Washington-Lee High School's 2015 graduation was held at D.A.R. Constitution Hall on June 18.
Arlington: A Farewell to Yorktown High School
Yorktown High School held 2015 graduation ceremonies at DAR Constitution Hall on June 18.
Arlington: Preparing for Hawaiian Festival
Halau O 'Aulani, a Hawaiian cultural school, will present its first Ho'olaule'a — a Hawaiian cultural festival, on Saturday, June 20, at Gunston Theatre One.
Potomac: Farewell to Winston Churchill High School
Winston Churchill High School held Commencement Exercises at D.A.R. Constitution Hall on Tuesday, June 2.
Historic Alexandria Foundation Distributes Funds, Plaques
Harriet and Tom Lankford opened up the gardens and pool house at their home "Clarens" for members and guests of the Historic Alexandria Foundation (HAF) on Sunday afternoon, June 7.
Snapshot: Under the Rainbow
Mount Vernon High School varsity softball team warms up on the field after a game delay was called due to rain on May 28.
Potomac: Wootton's Graduates March into the Future
"'The time has come,' the Walrus said.
Alexandria: Campagna Center Goes Platinum
The Campagna Center celebrated 70 years of service and positive change within the Alexandria community May 9.
Child & Family Network Center's Annual Multicultural Celebration
The Child & Family Network Centers hosted its 12th Annual Multicultural Celebration in the parking lot at the Birchmere on May 26.
Alexandria: Memorial Day at Rocky Versace Plaza
The sounds of trumpets and flutes rose in the air as the musical prelude to the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the Captain Rocky Versace Place began on Monday morning, May 25.
Mount Vernon: Goats Enlisted in War against Invasive Plants
The Hollin Meadows Swim and Tennis Club welcomed 60 goats to its property to graze on invasive plants and vegetation on May 11.
Arlington: Four Mile Run Restoration Project Begins
Cooperative effort cited at groundbreaking.
Arlington County and the City of Alexandria have been working with a citizen task force for several years to plan the Four Mile Run Restoration Project.
Mount Vernon High School Turns 75
The Michael M. Skinner Field House at Mount Vernon High School was transformed into a ballroom on Saturday evening, May 16, for the school's 75th anniversary dinner and gala.
Volunteers Gather to Pay Tribute to Fallen Soldiers
Dozens of volunteers gathered in Ivy Hill Cemetery on Sunday, May 17, to decorate the 661 identified graves of veterans for Memorial Day.
Enjoying the 28th Annual Taste of Arlington
More than 50 Arlington restaurants served up sample tastings at the 28th annual Taste of Arlington on Sunday, May 17, in Ballston.
St. Patrick's Day Parade
PIctures from the 2015 Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in Alexandria.
Presenting 5th Season of the Hammond Hammerheads in Alexandria
The Hammond Hammerheads joined blues artist and musician Curtis Blues for a musical assembly and concert on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 25 at the middle school.
Festival Highlights Local African-American History
The Drew Community Center hosted the 23rd annual Arlington Black History Celebration on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 28.
Encore Stage & Studio Presents 'Three Musketeers'
In 17th-century France, a poor young nobleman named D'Artagnan leaves home to join the famous Musketeers of the Guard – defenders of the King and masters of the rapier.
Standing Up 2 Cancer in Arlington
Celebrating the one-year anniversary of surviving "major league" cancer, Alexandria resident and retired Air Force veteran Pat Malone held a 24-hour marathon fundraiser at Fire Works American Pizzeria & Bar in Arlington.
Winter Harvest in Arlington
Half a dozen vendors set up tables laden with winter fruits and vegetables, handmade jams and jellies, grass-fed meats, eggs and home cooked foods, freshly baked pies and breads at the Sunday farmers market on Columbia Pike.
Arlington Atheletes Participating in 30th Annual Mid-Atlantic Erg Sprints
More than 1,700 rowers from 13 states and the District of Columbia participated in the Mid-Atlantic Erg Sprints on Saturday, Jan. 31 at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria.
Gathering To Play the Energy Journey Game in Arlington
Is your water too hot? Did you know if you install a low faucet aerator you can reduce water use by as much as 50 percent in your home?
Wintry Snapshot in Arlington Cemetery
Stopping by a snowy cemetery....
Alexandria: Final Performances
The 2015 cast of Aldersgate Church Community Theatre presents the final performances of their production of "Shrek, Jr." this weekend. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday evenings, Jan. 23 and 24 at 7:30 and Sunday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. A special matinee performance is on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1071559
'The Journey to be Free' in Alexandria
It was standing room only in City Council Chambers as the 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. poster exhibition program began on Monday afternoon. The contest, originating in 1990 by the Alexandria Society for the Preservation of Black History, Inc. (ASPBH, Inc.), highlights the artwork of Alexandria City Public School students.
A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. in Arlington
"The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by bad people but the silence over that by the good people." – Martin Luther King, Jr. Arlington County held its 46th annual tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. on Sunday evening, Jan. 18, at Washington-Lee High School.
If the Shoe Fits... in Arlington
Encore Stage & Studio presents "Cinderella."
A young girl, nicknamed Cinderella by her stepsisters, dreams of leaving her work behind and becoming a princess in this classic musical being presented by Encore Stage & Studio.
Celebrating Life of Aldo Leopold in Alexandria
The Northern Virginia Conservation Trust sponsored a Read-a-Thon in honor of the 128th birthday of environmentalist Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 10.
ACCT To Present 'Shrek, Jr.' in Alexandria/Mount Vernon
The Aldersgate Church Community Theater is bringing children's favorite ogre to the stage. Based on the Oscar-winning film, "Shrek The Musical Jr."
Masonic Memorial in Alexandria Turns Blue
In recognition of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, the George Washington Masonic Memorial was illuminated in blue throughout the evening of Friday, Jan. 9 to show support for Alexandria's law enforcement officers and Project Blue Light.
Alexandria: Saved from Dog Meat Farm
Rescued dogs from Korea arrive at animal shelter.
The vans pulled up a little after 8 p.m. at the delivery doors of the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter on Monday evening, Jan. 5. Eleven large traveling crates were removed and brought indoors.
Alexandria: Thousands Turn Out for 2014 Turkey Trot
Two days out from Thanksgiving, more than 5,000 people had registered for the annual Turkey Trot in Alexandria.
Alexandria: Raising the Bar on Giving
For the 4th year, Keller Williams Realty has reached out and given back to the community at Thanksgiving.
Alexandria: Decorate Those Doors
Members of the Old Town Walled Garden Club will be strolling down the streets of the Old and Historic District of Alexandria the week of Dec. 7, identifying the most striking door decorations in town, and choosing the winners of the 47th Annual Holiday Door Decorating Contest.
Alexandria: Annie B. Rose Crafters
Dozens and dozens of brightly colored knitted caps filled the table beside a Christmas tree in the lobby of the Annie B. Rose House on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 2.
Arlington: 'The Nutcracker' Returns
Once again the stage was a flutter with fairies and clowns, mice and dolls, soldiers and snowflakes, flowers and Clara as the students at Kenmore Middle School prepared for performances of "The Nutcracker."
Trick or Treat in Shirlington
Zombies, firefighters, cheerleaders and frozen princesses filled the sidewalks with dozens of other costumed characters for an afternoon of Trick or Treating in Shirlington on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 1.
Oktoberfest at St. Aidan's
The Mount Vernon Community Band set up as volunteers heated up the grills for cooking German sausage in preparation of St. Aidan's Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 11.
At Firehouse Open House
Mekhai Goodwin gets a feel for the weight of the fire hose that the firefighters carry into burning houses and buildings. Hundreds of residents toured the nine Alexandria Fire Stations during the annual open house on Saturday, Oct. 11.
Art on the Avenue
Pictures from Art on the Avenue
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Copywriting tips: FINAL comments on long versus short copy
Would you marry a woman after one date?
Would you buy a family home after seeing a few photos of it?
Would you buy a car without taking a test-drive?
Would you allow a doctor to operate on you without having some sort of x-rays or an MRI done?
If you're like most (normal) people, you probably answered "No," to each one of these questions, right?
Let's talk about this, because the real issue related to today's e-mail, has nothing to do with how MUCH copy you should use… and these questions are relevant to where we are going with this.
The debate over whether long copy sells better than short copy, has been around forever.
"Creatives" will argue that your buyer's attention span is short, and you need to condense your message into a very quick missive.
Copywriters and armchair psychologists like me, argue that buyers need to have things thoroughly explained to them, before they can make a good buying decision. Which, whether you realize it or not, is what's going on in those four questions I asked you a few minutes ago.
However, the real issue isn't either of these things. The real issue is "How much" is enough, not "how long" is enough.
And just like you wouldn't marry a woman after one date… you wouldn't buy a family home without walking through it and sniffing out your surroundings… you wouldn't buy a car without test-driving it… and how you wouldn't allow a doctor to operate without other verifying exams, first… "selling" works the same way.
Your buyers don't need to know a LOT, and they don't need to know a LITTLE. They need to know ENOUGH to make a buying decision.
And so it's your job to give them everything they need to know, in a clear, brief manner. Nothing more, but for sure, nothing less!
And unless you're selling something very simple or quite well-known… this means they need a lot more than a logo and a couple of bullets.
They need details, tons of benefits, incentive to order, and a call to action. Not to mention testimonials, guarantees, and a reason to take action now.
And I don't know about you, but I sure as hell can't get all this into a logo and a few bullets.
It's your call, though.
Now go sell something, Craig Garber
P.S. The best example of long vs. short copy is my book, How To Make Maximum Money With Minimum Customers. The book is 354 pages long and most people say they have NO idea how long it is because it's like having a conversation with me directly. Get it here — it comes with a LIFETIME Guarantee so you can make that decision for yourself
This month only: get 2 FREE issues PLUS these 18 (yes, eighteen!) Bonus Gifts (including TWO free copywriting critiques) — and discover why Seductive Selling NL is now read in 14 countries world-wide (watch the video and see all 18 bonuses)!
Maximum Money FAQs
Maximum Money QAFs
NEW: Craig Garber & kingofcopy.com Products
If you enjoyed this, forward it on to a few of your friends and business associates. And if you have any comments leave them here on my blog:


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OPKIX, a Costa Mesa, Calif.-based maker of a compact wearable smart camera with companion studio editing/sharing app, raised $5.7m in Series B funding.
The round, which brought total funding to date to $11.8m, came from Ash Avildsen, Founder and CEO of Sumerian Records and Films, 2X Olympic Gold Medalist Dorian van Rijsselberghe, Stunt Rider Robbie Maddison, and World Surf League Tour Surfer Joel Parkinson.
The company intends to use the funds to extend to new markets to establish itself as a global direct to consumer camera brand in the wearable, optics, accessories and mobile camera space, and – to expand mass distribution within its first year of launch.
Led by Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer C. Lawrence Greaves, OPKIX is launching its flagship product, the OPKIX ONE, which offers a compact hardware and innovative software solution to capturing, editing and sharing high-quality video. Combining proprietary form, function, and technology with lifestyle and social media, the product has applications in multiple verticals with early adopters including actors, actresses, musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs and more.


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The breakout of cold war politics regarding the emerging civil war in Syria casts some light on the insurance markets for ships. Briefly, the United States would like to enforce an arms embargo on the Syrian government, and the Russians are supplying arms. What tools are in Washington's arsenal, short of acts of war? It turns out the answer is ship insurance. (And ship insurance may be a simpler market than ship ownership...) The Telegraph reports: US enlists Britain's help to stop ship 'carrying Russian attack helicopters' to Syria
"Washington, which last week condemned Moscow for continuing to arm the Syrian regime, has asked British officials to help stop the Alaed delivering its alleged cargo by using sanctions legislation to force its London-based insurer to withdraw its cover.
"Under the terms of the current European Union arms embargo against Syria, imposed in May last year, there is a ban on the "transfer or export" of arms and any related "brokering" services such as insurance. Withdrawal of a ship's insurance cover would make it difficult for it legally to dock elsewhere and could force it to return the cargo to port.
"It is insured by Standard P and I Club, which is managed by Charles Taylor and Co Ltd of London, whose offshore syndicate director, Robert Dorey, confirmed on Saturday that they were investigating claims that the ship was carrying arms.
"Like most international cargo ships, the Alaed has a complex ownership and management structure. Its registered owner is Volcano Shipping on the island of Curacao in the Dutch Antilles, but it is listed as part of a fleet belonging to a Russian company, FEMCO, which was unavailable for comment last night. According to FEMCO's website, the ship's commercial management and chartering is carried out by United Nordic Shipping, a Danish company based in Copenhagen, but yesterday, United Nordic shipping said that the management agreement had never actually been finalised, and that FEMCO's website was wrong.
The insurance on the ship in question has subsequently been cancelled, and the news reports leave me in some doubt about what happens next.
The Telegraph thinks the withdrawal of insurance stops the ship:
Britain stops Russian ship carrying attack helicopters for Syria: A Russian ship believed to be carrying helicopters and missiles for Syria has been effectively stopped in its tracks off the coast of Scotland after its insurance was cancelled at the behest of the British government.
"As it neared the Dutch coast, the authorities there also hailed the ship, the security sources said, and it made an abrupt turn, heading towards Scotland. It was last night now off the coast of the Hebrides but with no insurance covering the ship security sources say it may now have to return to port."
The NY Times is less sure: Insurer Cancels Policy on Syria-Bound Russian Ship
"The ship, the 400-foot MV Alaed, owned by the Russian shipping company Femco, was last tracked about 100 miles to the west of Scotland early Tuesday, according to data available online. The state-owned Russian news agency Ria Novosti reported that it was carrying "a cargo of Mil Mi-25 attack helicopters" and "coastal-based anti-ship missiles" to Syria.
"Its insurer, the Standard Club, said in a statement that the coverage was withdrawn, raising the prospect that the ship would be delayed as it sought an alternative, because its cargo had breached Standard Club's rules. "We were made aware of the allegations that the Alaed was carrying munitions destined for Syria," the statement said. "We have already informed the shipowner that their insurance cover ceased automatically in view of the nature of the voyage."
"It was not immediately clear why the cargo ship was off the coast of Scotland on its voyage to Syria or whether the ship would continue in defiance of the insurance policy withdrawal."
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Ship insurance, ship ownership, and arms embargoes
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Concealers are extremely important in anyone's makeup routine. Concealers are used to conceal any dark spots, blemishes, or discoloration. They are also used to highlight the face in different areas such as the middle of the forehead, bridge of the nose, and chin. I use concealers to correct the dark circles underneath my eyes as well as to highlight the faee. If you have problems with makeup creasing underneath the eyes these concealers pictured above would be perfect for you because they have a thinner consistency rather than a cream concealer. My four favorite concealers are pictured above.
Viseart Theory Palettes
The Viseart Theory Palettes are three individual eyeshadow palettes containing six eyeshadows. Each palette contains three matte shades and three shimmer shades. Viseart shadows are so smooth and easy to blend with loads of pigment. Each palette has corresponding shades for you to create a cohesive look. They are very versatile and many different looks are achievable with these palettes. From the left, Theory Palette I Cashmere contains a vanilla shade, a light cool tone brown, and a dark cool tone brown. The shimmers in this palette are a light champagne color, a tan shimmer, and cool tone taupe shimmer. The middle palette is the Theory II Minx palette which contains a light matte peach shade, a matte warm tone brown, and a deeper warm tone brown. The shimmers in this palette are a tan shimmer shade, a copper simmer, and a burgundy shimmer. The last palette on the right is the Theory III Chroma. The matte shades are a pale white shade, a cool tone gray shade, and a black shade. The three shimmers are a soft gray, a gunmetal gray, and a deep charcoal shade. These palettes are higher in price but the pigmentation and buttery texture is definitely worth it in my opinion. These palettes can be found online at sephora.com and beautylish.com
Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette
The Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette is my personal favorite contour palette on the market. The shades range from light to medium to dark so any skin tone will be able to use this palette. The top row of shades are matte highlight shades. The highlight shades are used on the tops of the cheeks bones, to set the under eye, center of the forehead, and bridge of the nose.
Holiday Gift Set Part Two
Another amazing holiday collection by Sephora has hit stores and its called Sephora Favorites Extravagant Eyes. This collection focuses on the hottest products for your eyes. The total value of this box is $134 but it is sold for $42 which means you get a lot of items for your money. The Extravagant Eyes box will help you branch out of your eye makeup routine and will help you test out some amazing products you might not have thought to try before.
Holiday Gift Set Part One
Sephora Favorites Trending: Beauty's Most Coveted is an amazing gift set that Sephora puts together for the Holidays. The value of the box is $219 but retails for $75 which is incredible. This specific box includes Sephora's best selling products. The products range from full size to deluxe sample and mini sample sizes. Including in the box is a range of products from skin care, face, eye and lip products. Most importantly if you have been wanting to try a bunch of new products, these Sephora Favorites boxes are the perfect way to help you decide if you like certain products or not without committing to buying the full size.
Bombshell Beauty Bath Cosmetics
Bombshell Beauty Bath Cosmetics is a local bath cosmetics company located in Rayne, Louisiana. They sell a wide variety of bath cosmetics including bath bombs, bath dust, bubble bars, jelly soap, body lotion, body butter, exfoliators, bath soaks and so much more! They even have headache rescue bath soak which is a natural way to help relieve headaches as well as a sinus soak that will help you with your sinuses. Every product smells absolutely amazing and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. I personally have sensitive skin and these products do not irritate my skin at all. The bath bombs come in different shapes and sizes.
Cleansers for All Skin Types
Cleansers are a vital part of everyone's skin care regimen. Cleansing the skin should be the first thing you do after removing your makeup. Cleansers target specific skin types whether you are oily, dry, sensitive or combination. The cleansers pictured above are for all skin types.
Micellar Cleansing Waters
Micellar Cleansing Waters are cleansers that do not need to be rinsed off. They make removing makeup and debris quick and easy. For both micellar waters you would need to apply the water to a cotton pad and apply to the face.
The Garner Micellar Cleansing Water is powerful yet gentle to the skin. Like a magnet the micelles capture and lift away dirt, oil, and makeup without harsh rubbing. It leaves the skin clean, hydrated and refreshed without over-drying.
The Simple Micellar Cleansing Water is made with natural ingredients such as Vitamin B3 and C, and triple purified water to remove contaminants. It removes makeup, dirt, impurities and unclogs pores. I use micellar water to remove makeup before I use a regular cleanser. These micellar waters can be found at your local drugstore or on ulta.com
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Pulcinella's is a top of the range Italian with the perfect mix of sophistication and cosiness. Dimly-lit with tables nestled in snug nooks, this is the ideal venue for a date or a quiet meal with friends. Whether sitting street-side watching the world go by or in the main restaurant with its striking display of black and white photography, the ambience is spot-on here.
With prices averaging 12 euros and a delicious range of options from meat and cheese Antipasto to Quattro Formaggi Pizza and Spaghetti alla Carbonara, you really can't go wrong with the food. The Tiramisu is heavenly and the limoncello, the perfect way to round off the evening.
Address: Calle de Regeros, 7, 28004
Nearest metro: Chueca
Tel: 913 19 73 63


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The logo design is the starting point of where to invest more resources to the creation and development of a strong brand.
The core identity is instead the most profound and spiritual of the brand: in it identifies the "core" of the company, ie the core, which is generated by the values of its founders, gives rise to the vision and mission.
The realization of the brand is definitely among the activities that require more attention and professionalism.
For these reasons, the agency plans an early stage of analysis, within which the staff gathers as much information about the company, as well as conducts investigations relating to competition and the market, to get to the realization of the brand, it's like a genuine leather of which the company can get dressed and mirror.


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Happy Christmas Eve,
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
May Review...
Happy Christmas Eve,
23 comments:
Hi John,ReplyDelete
I Love the Beautiful Cards shown today, have a great Christmas Eve!
Hugs from Sam x
Hi John.ReplyDelete
Brilliant cards thank you for all the inspiration You give us. Have a very Happy Christmas and all the best for 2015. take care KItty.
I love all 3 cards on today's selection-all brilliant. Good luck cooking the Pork Pie.ReplyDelete
Hi John. Wonderful cards today. I love the blue one, it's perfect for the men. I will be thinking of you making your pork pie. ( I have only ever made one, and that was at school many moons ago! I do remember that my Dad loved it) Good luck with yours : ) Take care.ReplyDelete
loving these cardsReplyDelete
have a lovely christmas...im sure your pork pie will go down a treat!
Hi these cards are all gorgeous. I hope your pie making goes well. Enjoy your day. Hugs JackieReplyDelete
Lovely card choice again. Good luck with the pork pie, I have never tried that. My "thing" at the moment is sourdough bread. Perhaps your recipe book should be your next project...blog followers favourites!!ReplyDelete
Have a good Christmas Eve
Janice W
These are beautiful! Merry Christmas :)ReplyDelete
Hi John, more amazing cards, thanks for sharing, Have a great Christmas, hope that the pork pie works out. You are a lot braver than I am. BxReplyDelete
Eh up JohnReplyDelete
Hope its a hand raised hot water crust! Im sure you'll have fun with that one lol!
Have a great day.
Ang x
Hi John just wanted to say have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year and thanks for all the inspiration you have given me Beryl xxReplyDelete
Happy Christmas John and happy new year, hope u r enjoying Spain. I am like you I love the Tranquil Moments die and of course all of Sue's dies.ReplyDelete
Here is to a fab 2015 and good year for you with Creative Expressions Design Team. Crafty Regards Julie Kay xxx
A hand made pork pie! Goodness me John is there no end to your talents? Best of luck I hope all goes well in the kitchen.ReplyDelete
Another wonderful bundle of cards thank you and may I wish you a magical Christmas and a wonderful new year with further successes at Creative Expressions.
Festive hugs
Margaret corgi owner
Morning John,ReplyDelete
Happy Christmas to you and yours. I have loved the look back at your cards. Good luck with the port pie.
Just made the crunhie thingy.
Lovely cards John, and best of luck with the pork pie!ReplyDelete
Absolutely gorgeous cards John! Wishing you a Fabulous Christmas and a Wonderful New Year! Debra xReplyDelete
fab cards John,have a great Christmas John and good luck in the new year .Laura OReplyDelete
I my word A pork pie! Good luck - photos please Never attempted one! I'm on my second batch of Mrs Duck's Thank Crunch it's Friday - I think that's what she calls it Was a huge success at Salsa party and work So just made some for tomorrow I love May's offerings I really must have another go with this background die!ReplyDelete
Hi John, all of those three are exquisite. LOVE your first's colour choice.ReplyDelete
Good luck with the pie, I'm sure you'll do it well.
Have some really good Christmas days.......
Cheers, Rose
Three lovely cards John, thank you.ReplyDelete
merry Christmas to all.
Lynne x
Happy Christmas John, hope the pork pie worked out well (I love home made Pork Pie)ReplyDelete
Beautiful cards love the Ginger with pink.
Have a great day, Brenda
- Anonymous25 December 2014 at 11:25
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Look forward to 2015! Hugs Kim xReplyDelete
Beautiful cards. Really enjoying the review. Apologies for the late commenys, just getting chance to catch up.ReplyDelete


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Get involved >
Patient and public involvement
SECAmb has a long record of working with patients and members of
the public to improve its services. As a foundation trust
there are even more opportunities for people to get
You can get involved whether or not you have
used our services. If you or your family have been a patient of
ours recently, we would really appreciate your comments - good or
bad - and suggestions. You may actually never have used the
ambulance service, but if you have an interest we'd still love to
hear from you.
Our Inclusion Strategy
The Trust has developed an Inclusion Strategy
to ensure that we engage and involve all our stakeholders
effectively, in ways appropriate to them. All our foundation trust
members will receive regular invitations to get involved. You might
like to attend group meetings or perhaps just take part in surveys
from time to time; you may want to take part on a one-off basis to
comment on a particular issue, or as an ongoing member – it's
completely up to you to have as little or as much involvement as
you would like.
If you haven't joined already, do join us as a
foundation trust member - it's completely free! You'll be
asked how you would like to get involved.
The Inclusion Strategy was developed in partnership with our
stakeholders during a 6 month consultation period. A full
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the consultation undertaken and its outcomes is
Be part of our Inclusion Hub Advisory
To help deliver and monitor the
progress of our Inclusion
Strategy, we recruited members to participate in an 'Inclusion
Hub Advisory Group (IHAG)' of people bringing a range of views and
perspectives from across the South East Coast area. SECAmb
staff brief the group on plans and service changes and seek
the group's advice on whether wider community engagement is
necessary or simply gather the views of the IHAG to inform our
plans. This group are also able to feed information on issues
of importance to them into the Trust.
Members were recruited to the group following a comprehensive
recruitment campaign which was launched in summer 2012. We had a
huge response and as a result now work closely with a
wonderfully diverse group of individuals on a regular
basis. A role
description developed as part of this process sets out the
purpose of the group, and includes more information about how the
group works and the skills and qualities identified as beneficial
to the group. Members of the IHAG spend a minimum of 6 days
per year working with us to ensure the views of our members are
taken into account whenever we plan changes to our services. All
members are required to become members
of the Trust.
The group currently reflects the criteria identified during our
consultation on developing an Inclusion Strategy. However, we
know that vacancies will arise at some point in the future and if
you are interested in applying to join the IHAG or finding out more
about the work of the group, please contact Angela Rayner,
Inclusion Manager, using any of the following means:
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Home > PXJ > Vol. 2 (2015) > Iss. 2
Article Title
The effect of soothing sound machines and meditation using CD players on relaxation in acute care orthopedic patients
This research studied the relaxation effect in orthopedic surgical patients using guided meditation or soothing sounds (SS) machines. The study used a comparative study design to evaluate differences in the effect of SS or guided meditation on patients' perceptions of relaxation. IRB approval was obtained prior to initiating the study. A convenience sample of orthopedic surgery patients consented to voluntarily rate their perceptions of relaxation on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "none", "mild", "moderate", "good" or "very good". A demographic survey was used to describe the sample. The sample included 50 patients with ages ranging from 40 to 70 years. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of the sample was female and 22% were male. The participant selection of relaxation type was 82% soothing sounds machines, meditation 12%, and both (SS machines and meditation) 6%. The response rate was 100% for the guided meditation as compared to the 93% response rate for the SS machine. The greatest relaxation change was noted for the guided meditation (66.5% good to very good) as compared to the SS machines (63.5% good to very good). Both SS machines and guided meditation improved relaxation with greater than 82% rating moderate to very good change. More patients selected SS machines over guided meditation. The active process for guided meditation provided a higher relaxation rating than the passive process using soothing sounds machines.
Recommended Citation
Bauer, Barbara Ellen; Mitchell, Carolyn; and Salmon, Erin
"The effect of soothing sound machines and meditation using CD players on relaxation in acute care orthopedic patients,"
Patient Experience Journal: Vol. 2
, Article 8.
First Page
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I've been cognizant for some time of a gap in my experience: the latest craze in fantasy that even non-geeky friends of mine are into: Game of Thrones, the HBO series rendered from George R.R. Martin's series A Song of Ice and Fire.
So over the past few months I've been snatching up the DVDs to try and get caught up. And as it turned out I saw through season 3 just in time for season 4 to kick off and I have this to say: I'm hooked. I can't wait to find out what happens next.
I also think it's rubbish.
This is the annoying tragedy of arc-based TV: as io9 and blogger Richard H. Cooper have remarked, they suck you in by teasing you with promises every episode of what comes next, so that should it eventually become clear that the answer is 'nothing much' you've already become emotionally invested.
By my count there have been a maximum of six claimants in the war for the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, plus their extended families and their mercurial allies. The Starks, who are as close to being the protagonists as anyone is, had five seperate branches of the family in play at one point. Then there's the Night's Watch who keep tabs on things on the Wall and are facing the return of the undead White Walkers, and the Northern Wildlings seeking their own piece of the pie. Meanwhile Daenerys, Mother of Dragons, the descendant of the deposed kings of House Targaryean, is on her own campaign to build a power base abroad to retake Westeros. Oh, and there's a lot of intrigue at court as the various sub-factions like the devious and charming Tyrion Lannister and the smooth and lecherous Lord Baelish compete with the King and his meddling mother for dominance in the capitol. Oh, and there's a religious revolution fomenting behind one of the claimants. Oh, and there's this twit named Theon Greyjoy whose family deserted him to torture after he won them victories against the Starks. Oh, and…
This, you see, is the biggest problem with Game of Thrones: there's too damn much of it! Any three of these threads might have made a really great series – except the Greyjoy one, I mean blimey – but with all of them blended together they become so dense that it becomes difficult to remember who's whom, or what they're doing or whose side they're on. It took me into season two before I even started getting their names right!
I rather suspect this is an attempt by HBO at a successor to another epic series of theirs: Rome, a dramatization of two soldiers living through the rise and fall of Julius Caesar. As a history buff, I applaud the idea of trying to replicate historical resonance in fantasy, with all the attendant complexity, unpredicability and human impact. It lends a sense of reality, as opposed to the fairy tale or epic-poem neatness characterized by Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately, Martin and the series' writers have let the 'complexity' aspect run away with them and spun the threads so intricate that 'complex' becomes 'indecipherable.'
Not unlike the Honor Harrington series, in fact. The most recent books are a little like the third season of Game of Thrones: characters disappear for ages and arcs get stuck in a holding pattern because they depend on so many other factors slotting into place before they can get anywhere that effectively nothing happens for long stretches.
Which might be tolerable if the fluff and world-building of Game of Thrones were more interesting. In Honor Harrington, you get to see lots of neat planets, ships and learn the intricacies of the interstellar political system, however dry the delivery. Rome painted a picture of a seedy but vibrant civilization where the morals and standards are radically different but still manage to be understandable.
The world of Game of Thrones certainly is rich and big and unusual, but it's so relentlessly awful that it's not any fun to visit. There's no Shire, no Rivendell, no sense of relief or even that Westeros is worth fighting for – inevitably the characters who seem to have the most relatable and promising moral compasses are the ones suffering the above bogging-down of their arcs. Otherwise, there's just a bunch of factions and armies engaged in seemingly equal and endless amounts of rape, pillage, murder, rape slavery, betrayal, rape and torture. And also rape.
This is the big thing that's supposed to set Game of Thrones apart: the gritty violence and salacious aspects that allegedly give it an air of realism. But, as with the actual plots, any pretense of boldness is lost under sheer volume. Complaints that the show has a preposterous number of sex and nudity scenes are usually rebutted with the claim that they serve the plot. Even if I believed that (and I get more dubious every episode) it uses them so often and predictably (I can almost say 'she's going to disrobe in 3, 2, 1…') it's become yucky, repetitive and annoying.
The violence and rape and so on is allegedly in the name of showing moral greyness and the horrors of war and medieval politicking, but once again, there's so much of it that all it serves to do is make me feel like I'm watching some twisted form of pornography. The long-term effect is that one feels that none of the factions is worth rooting for. They're all so nasty that I don't want any of them to win. And at the rate they're dying, I doubt any of them will.
Which is the third major excess of Game of Thrones, and the most talked about: Martin achieved a remarkable twist by killing off Ned Stark in season one, as he'd seemed to be the main character until then. But then he just wouldn't stop. It's amazingly consistent that every time I sense an arc starting to gain momentum, a character in it dies. After a while it starts to seem less as if Martin is aiming for emotionally demanding storytelling and more like he has some kind of pathological compulsion he can't control. With the infamous 'Red Wedding' last season, he literally decapitated what I, and, apparently, most people assumed was the main trunk of the story, leaving only what had been B-Plots with the least coverage until then.
And the ones he doesn't kill he traumatizes: Tyrion hardly did anything but mope in season 3; Arya's gotten nowhere except further into a need for therapy, Jon Snow has yet to achieve anything except getting alternately shot at and lectured to, and Daenerys has just been going from city to city, in a saga that would be interesting were it shorter and less burdened by incipient racism.
When the Dark Age of Comics started in the late 80s, it eventually became criticized for trading daring themes and plots in for a thick layer of sex, violence and graphic nastiness. Likewise, Game of Thrones, as far as I can tell, has no themes at all. Nothing about the human condition, or history or politics or warfare is affirmed, satired, or examined. It's that deeper "applicability to the thought and experience of readers," to quote Tolkien, that make Discworld, the Lord of the Rings, Avatar: the Last Airbender or Harry Potter great, and it's the one thing Games of Thrones doesn't have!
And for all its graphic content, it isn't all that daring. It only seems that way if you believe the myth that fantasy is all sparkly and twee. I mean, what, other than put ludicrous amounts of guts, blood, and boobs on TV has the show actually done that's unusual? Wars over thrones are as old as storytelling. I can think of a ton of ways the story could be more original. What if Daenerys was a brown person liberating a ton of enslaved blonde people? What if the setting was Classical or Renaissance instead of High Medieval? What if women and men were equal and what effect would that have on the story? What if the Wildlings were pacifists out for their rights under a Gandhi-like leader? What if the war for the Iron Throne ended with, say, Tyrion calling the whole thing off and declaring Westeros a Republic? Now those are fantasies that might actually enrich or challenge us viewers.
Now that the show has been confirmed to run to six seasons, I can only shake my head miserably. Even if the story gets all wrapped up and the tone turns around, I can barely care anymore. Most of the people the series spent three seasons investing me in are dead, and the ones left are either emotionally crippled or just hideously unpleasant people trying to out-nasty one another. The show's plot is already barely moving; it could have told many of these stories in half the time if it could make up its mind which ones it wanted to tell. The 'realism' is really just a grotesque white noise. The acting (especially Peter Dinklage, but it is well-cast generally), the dialogue, design and music are absolutely spectacular, but the story they're telling is deceptively unoriginal, tedious and meaninglessly depressing.
Want to know the worst part, though? At this stage, I'll probably watch the damned thing anyway. But at this point I'm just rooting for Hodor.


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Thinking about all the people I might struggle to identify with, and you might be surprised to find that in some ways, atheists are not too hard for me to have empathy with. God, the knowledge of his existence and goodness permeates, well, everything in my life, and so trying to think of a world, of even a breath, without him, simply doesn't compute. And yet, I have a deeply analytical, logical mind, and can totally see how, without encounter, that might lead to deep, humanistic thoughts.
Two of my favourite writers, Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, were atheists; they were also admirably compassionate people. Whereas Sir Pterry did teeter on the edge of agnosticism on occasion, Adams described himself as a "radical" atheist.
I will let him speak for himself today: "God used to be the best explanation we'd got, and we've now got vastly better ones. God is no longer an explanation of anything, but has instead become something that would itself need an insurmountable amount of explaining. So I don't think that being convinced that there is no god is as irrational or arrogant a point of view as belief that there is." (excerpt from Adams' interview with American Atheists in 1998)
Adams had a vast intelligence, but as I've said in other articles, genius can blind us to spiritual truths. There is not much point arguing God's existence by logical means, though many have tried. His existence is extremely logical, that isn't the problem. The problem is that the type of mind that wants to have God proven logically, is not prepared to take evidence of heart and soul into account. Any apologist who leaves out the heart of the matter is diluting God to the point where he might be explained away. And that can lead to all sorts of problems, as Adams ironically (and aware of the irony) well knew….
"Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that anything so mind-bog-gglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as the final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God.
The argument goes something like this: `I refuse to prove that I exist,' says God, `for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing.'
`But,' says Man, `The Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. QED.'
`Oh dear,' says God, `I hadn't thought of that,' and promptly vanished in a puff of logic.
`Oh, that was easy,' says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets
himself killed on the next zebra crossing." (from Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams)
It can be hard to respect and empathise with a viewpoint so different from one's own, but a sense of humour, respect and dignity, are vital, as is remaining calm. Passion is often misunderstood. Besides stupidity (like denying the age of fossils), there is nothing more damaging to a logical apologist's argument, than the tell-tale steam coming out of her ears. In my view, we are always better off living love as our witness of God's heart.
If you would like to read my article "The Blindness of Genius" you can find it here http://jellyjots.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-blindness-of-genius.html
Photo and text © Keren Dibbens-Wyatt 2017


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Ernest Truely (US) & New Start Finland: Kuopio Encounters
Saturday 23.9.
11:00 – 14:00 Kuopio Market Square
Welcome to Kuopio party
Multicultural, community-building event with art, dance and music.
Experience your neighbours' talents in art and culture!
Everyone is welcome!
Participate in party preparation!
ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival invites you to join us organizing a party!
Meet together to plan, prepare and cook for the event!
Share your talents and culture with the Kuopio community!
Contact Jyri to meet us: 050 409 8519 (WhatsApp) or firstname.lastname@example.com!
New Start Finland!
Artist Ernest Truely invites new immigrants as well as locals to playfully, and creatively, respond to ideas of identity. Truely began a series of creative workshops in May 2017. The project is a part of New Start Finland! research project at the University of Eastern Finland.


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THIS OPINION HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE. IT SHOULD NOT BE CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN ANY PROCEEDING EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 268(d)(2), SCACR.
In The Court of Appeals
Loretta C. Novak, Appellant,
Joye, Locklair & Powers, P.C., Richard Scott Joye, John Wesely Locklair, III, and Delton W. Powers, Jr., Respondents.
Appeal From Georgetown County
J. Michael Baxley, Circuit Court Judge
Unpublished Opinion No. 2010-UP-225
Submitted March 1, 2010 – Filed April 1, 2010
Bonnie Travaglio Hunt, of North Charleston, for Appellant.
Lovic A. Brooks, III, of Columbia, for Respondents.
CURETON, A.J.: Loretta C. Novak filed suit against the respondents, alleging wrongful termination in violation of a clear mandate of public policy and civil conspiracy. The circuit court dismissed her complaint for failure to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action.[1] Specifically, the circuit court found the respondents neither violated the criminal law by firing Novak nor required Novak to violate the law as part of her employment.
Novak appeals the circuit court's dismissal of her complaint for wrongful termination in violation of public policy, arguing the trial court erred in finding she failed to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action. We disagree. We modify the circuit court's order as described below and affirm[2] the dismissal.
Initially, we recognize Novak argues the novel issue in her complaint rendered it ineligible for dismissal pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6). We decline to address this argument because it is not preserved for our review. See Wilder Corp. v. Wilke, 330 S.C. 71, 76, 497 S.E.2d 731, 733 (1998) ("It is axiomatic that an issue cannot be raised for the first time on appeal, but must have been raised to and ruled upon by the [circuit court] to be preserved for appellate review.").
With regard to the merits of the dismissal, a defendant may offer the defense that the plaintiff has "fail[ed] to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action" by motion instead of in a responsive pleading. Rule 12(b), SCRCP. However, the defendant must make this motion before pleading. Id. In deciding whether the circuit court properly granted a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6), SCRCP, the appellate court must consider whether the complaint, viewed in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, states any valid claim for relief. Gentry v. Yonce, 337 S.C. 1, 5, 522 S.E.2d 137, 139 (1999). If the facts and inferences raised by the complaint would entitle the plaintiff to relief on any theory, then a dismissal for failure to state a claim is improper. Id.
South Carolina has recognized the doctrine of at-will employment since 1936. See Shealy v. Fowler, 182 S.C. 81, 87, 188 S.E. 499, 502 (1936). Generally, under this doctrine an employer may discharge an employee for good reason, no reason, or bad reason without incurring liability. Ludwick v. This Minute of Carolina, Inc., 287 S.C. 219, 221, 337 S.E.2d 213, 214 (1985) (citing H.G. Wood, Master and Servant (1877)). However, an employer may nonetheless become liable in tort to the discharged employee under the public policy exception, which protects the employee when "the retaliatory discharge of an at-will employee constitutes violation of a clear mandate of public policy." 287 S.C. 225, 337 S.E.2d at 216.
Our supreme court has held the criminal law clearly expresses public policy, and consequently, discharges violating the criminal law or based upon the employee's refusal to violate the criminal law fall within the public policy exception. Garner v. Morrison Knudsen Corp., 318 S.C. 223, 226, 456 S.E.2d 907, 909 (1995). The Garner court expressly declined to hold that the criminal law was the sole expression of public policy, leaving the boundaries of the public policy exception somewhat flexible. Id. However, South Carolina courts have declined to enforce the Rules of Professional Conduct as the public policy of the state. Weatherford v. Price, 340 S.C. 572, 580-81, 532 S.E.2d 310, 314-15 (Ct. App. 2000).
Novak successfully alleged facts supporting retaliatory termination but failed to identify a clearly stated public policy. A party claiming wrongful termination in violation of public policy must assert 1) she was discharged from at-will employment, 2) the discharge was retaliatory, and 3) the discharge violated a "clear mandate of public policy." Ludwick, 287 S.C. at 225, 337 S.E.2d at 216. Novak's allegations support only two of these elements. In her complaint, Novak presented facts establishing the respondents terminated her at-will employment. She also alleged facts supporting her argument the discharge was in retaliation for her performance. However, her reliance on the rule "that attorneys take direct responsibility for matters of professional responsibility and ethics in regard to the handling of legal matters for clients" as public policy is misplaced. This requirement exists in the South Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct, which appear in Rule 407, SCACR, but have not been codified by the Legislature. Because the Rules of Professional Conduct are not enforceable as public policy, Novak failed to allege facts sufficient to meet the third element of wrongful termination in violation of public policy. See Weatherford, 340 S.C. at 580-81, 532 S.E.2d at 314-15. Consequently, the circuit court did not err in dismissing her complaint under Rule 12(b)(6).
In restricting its analysis of the public policy element to whether Novak's termination violated criminal law or whether the respondents asked Novak to violate the criminal law, the circuit court relied on Lawson v. S.C. Dep't of Corr., 340 S.C. 346, 350, 532 S.E.2d 259, 260-61 (2000). We find no indication our supreme court intended its opinion in Lawson to overrule or limit its opinion in Garner. Accordingly, we modify the circuit court's decision to omit the statement that Lawson limited the public policy exception to terminations involving violations of the criminal law. Even without this limitation, in light of Weatherford, we find the circuit court properly dismissed Novak's complaint because it failed to enunciate any clear mandate of public policy violated by her termination. Therefore, the decision of the circuit court is
GEATHERS, J., concurs.
PIEPER, J., concurring in result only: I concur in result because I would find Novak failed to preserve any of her issues for appellate review.
[1] Neither Novak nor her counsel appeared at the hearing on the respondents' motion to dismiss. Although the circuit court's final order recognized this failure to appear, the dismissal was based solely upon Novak's failure to state a claim.
[2] We decide this case without oral argument pursuant to Rule 215, SCACR.


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The project is due to be completed by the end of next month and has been called for following the change in leadership last summer when left-winger Derek Simpson replaced Sir Ken Jackson.
It is understood Simpson wants considerable improvements in the way leadership communicates with members.
Amicus was created in January last year by the merger of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union and the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union.
An insider close to the four-way pitch process to handle the comms audit said: 'Derek sees the relationship between the general secretary and the membership as master and servant with him as the servant. That needs to be reflected in communications.'
The agency reports to Amicus communications director Richard O'Brien.


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The Cinque Terre in Italy is one of the most visited places on earth and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Please be aware of that before you decide to go there, meaning, make sure you do protect the village's beauty by keeping it clean and respecting the locals, make sure you plan well ahead, keep in mind that it's not just one area, it is a whole area of land and hiking is part of it, so make sure you leave your heels at home and put on some fabulous walking or hiking shoes!
It can get confusing on where you want to stay and preferably start from Florence. Cinque Terre is north of the Tuscan borders so it would take you around 3 hours by car from Florence.
Here is a quick introduction and a guide to the Cinque Terre, you could spend the night at any of the 5 villages or make it a day trip. Getting around and in between the villages is easy by train and by boat. If you like to hike between the 5 villages, start early and you can make it through them! Also, time your day accordingly so you spend equal amount of time on each village if you are planning to visit them all in one day. You would not want to rush it through.
Start in the southernmost village of Riomaggiore, dating back to 13th century, is built into a river gorge, (the name which means "major river") walk along the cobblestone streets and be prepared for lots of stairs! According to legend, the settlement of Riomaggiore dates from the 8th century, when Greek religious refugees came here to escape persecution by the Byzantine emperor. It has one main street, a rocky beach, a castle, a church and a few restaurants. It also has good train connections and is the closest to the main city of La Spezia. Have a drink at A Pie' de Ma' (Via dell'Amore, Riomaggiore.) Watch the sunset over the harbor and dine in one of the restaurant most recommended, Il Grottino. A great hiking trail is Riomaggiore to Portovenere (It's quite long but fabulous and free!).
Head to the tiny village of Manarola next one of my favorites and home to medieval relics and a plethora of grapevines. This is the village where it has been photographed the most! You can also cliff jump here! To get the best views, walk up north along the walking path. This village is definitely one of my favorites, spend as much time as you can here discovering it. Da Billy restaurant has great views and is a hike up so make sure you are ready!
The smallest village is Corniglia. She's a rebel. She's built far above the ocean on the cliffs. To arrive in Corniglia you have to hoof it up the 365 steps (one for each day of the year) to reach the center of town. If you have excessive luggage don't stay here. But saying that, it's where to go to get away from it all.
The beauty queen of the Cinque Terre is named Vernazza. You can also get here if you hike the trail from Monterosso. This is one of the most beautiful village and one of the most photogenic one! Vernazza is a one-street town with a church built on the water. She has a castle, the remains of the old wall that protected against pirates, a gorgeous waterfront piazza and a harbor with a tiny bit of sand. In 2011, a bigger beach was created thanks to the floods. A little beauty out of a disaster. Definitely a favorite, make sure you spend a good time here as well. ,
Take a boat to travel to Monterosso or you can train it from Riomaggiore to Monterosso, the largest of the 5 villages and the one in our opinion the most commercial and more of a 'resort' stay and one of my least favorite but still beautiful to see. Monterosso is the biggest one of the 5 lands. There are roads, cars, old towns and new towns and lots of hotels. If you are not looking to hike or look at beautiful landscapes and want to be in an area that is 'newer', a larger area to swim, then Monterosso is for you.
Hotels: Sleep In
* Park Hotel Argento [Book here] Levanto (Via Sant'Anna s.n. 19015) just a short distance away in the heart of Liguria
* La Serra Sul Mare [Book here] Monterosso al Mare, Cinque Terre, Italian Riviera
* La Torretta [Book here] Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italian Riviera
* La Mala [Book here] Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italian Riviera
* Thanks to Italian Fix for showing me around!


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Artifact Details
TitleGeneral Purpose Analog Computer dial
Catalog Number102674843
TypePhysical object
Date1950 ca.
ManufacturerGeneral Precision Systems (GPS)
Identifying Numbers
|Other number
|Number is printed in the center of the handle of the knob.
Dimensionsoverall: 1 1/4 in x 3 in x 3 in
CreditGift of the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School
Lot NumberX42.79
Related Records
|General Purpose Analog Computer


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QUANG NINH (VNS)— The Yen Tu Festival, one of the country's most famous spring festivals, will offer a wide array of activities when it opens today, including hot-air balloon rides for the first time.
The festival is traditionally held on the 10th day of the Lunar New Year in Thuong Yen Cong Commune, Uong Bi City in the northern province of Quang Ninh. It will run until the end of the third lunar month.
Bui Thi Kim Thuy, deputy head of the Yen Tu Relic and National Forest Management Board, said that this year's event would feature several new highlights, including hot-air balloon rides over the area.
The new service, launched by the Ha Noi-based Chien Thang Company, costs VND200,000 (US$9) for adults and VND100,000 for children. Each balloon can carry three adults and six children (equivalent to 500kg). Tourists will receive safety instructions before they take a ride.
"We hope it will be an interesting experiences and attract more tourists," Thuy said.
The festival opening would also include the hoisting of a 25.5m-long and 20m-wide Buddhist flag, which would fly between the peaks of Chua and Giai Oan mountains, Thuy added.
Known as the country's biggest Buddhist flag, it will fly for 10 days displaying five colours that represent the solidarity and unity of Buddhism across five continents.
Another highlight will be a photo exhibition depicting the area taken by veteran artist Do Giang, who is known for his aerial pictures of Ha Long Bay.
To top it off, a spring flowers festival will add more colour to the event.
As a prelude to the festival, a ritual was held to officially open the forest in Yen Tu yesterday, along with a variety of folk games.
The roads to Yen Tu are already packed with pilgrims and tourists, who are eager to greet the start of the festival today.
This has led to traffic jams on several sections of the routes leading to Yen Tu Mountain and Hoa Yen Pagoda, where part of the festival is being held.
This year, the organisers have decided to move vendors from the Giai Oan and Dong pagodas at the top of Yen Tu's highest peak in order to prevent overcrowding.
They will also ensure the cost of goods remains stable, food hygiene and safety standards are met, environmental laws are adhered to, and small-change money exchanges are banned.
The board said that security officers, the army and young volunteers would be deployed to manage and guide visitors.
Traffic Police have also been instructed to manage transportation flow to avoid congestion on the road leading to the relic site.
The area received nearly 300,000 domestic and foreign tourists during the 10-day Lunar New Year holiday.
This year's Yen Tu Festival is expected to receive over two million visitors, including 2,500 Buddhist pilgrims.
Sacred site
Yen Tu has been considered one of the country's Buddhist hubs since Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), the third king of the Tran Dynasty, founded "Thien Truc Lam Yen Tu", Viet Nam's hallmark Buddhist meditation sect.
The king and his two successors built hundreds of pagodas and shrines throughout the Yen Tu complex, including famous structures which boast thousands of prized statues and artefacts.
Provincial authorities started preparing a dossier for UNESCO recognition of the complex as a World Heritage Site in December last year.
The area has a beautiful natural landscape and awe-inspiring scenery, along with the surrounding ancient pagodas and heritages.
Yen Tu was officially listed as a special national relic site in September 2012, and has been declared one of the 10 most attractive spiritual destinations in Viet Nam by the Vietnam Records Organisation. — VNS


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For those who are advertising as an affiliate, I always advice them to write their own affiliate presale letter instead of advertising the standard sales page prepared by the product owner. There are 3 important reasons why such move is advisable:
1. People believe a 3rd party more than the product owner, even if they don't know you! Your presale letter is the best tool to deliver your confidence in the product.
2. By not revealing too much about the product in your presale letter, you can increase prospects' curiosity and they will be more interested to read through the actual sales letter.
3. You have more control over your advertised page. For example, you can build a list, follow up with the prospects and sell them other products. You can also track the click through rate to the sales page and determine if you are advertising to the correct target audience.
The big challenge is, how to write an effective affiliate presale letter?
Below is a simple format that has been working for me……
1) Story telling
A presale letter typically begins with the classic Feel-Felt-Found method which goes something like this… "I understand how you 'FEEL'…. I was in your position before and I 'FELT' the same before…. Now I finally 'FOUND' the solution….
That's only the beginning.
2) Give proof and sell dreams
To make the presale letter more powerful, you have to end the presale letter with 2 things – Proof and Dream.
Proof usually comes in the form of a written or video testimonial, which can easily be copied from the product sales letter.
Painting a dream requires some talent from you. If you are promoting a money making opportunity, post some of your pictures taken from your Europe tour, tell the prospect how your dream has come true.
3) Call to action
Last but not least, if you want to build a list, you will want them to opt-in to your list to get the full report on how you manage to solve the problem. You will only reveal the product that you're promoting AFTER they've opt-in.
If you are not building a list, you can just give them a link to see the solution you've found, which is the product you're promoting.
No Time For Long-Winded Presale Letter? Here's The Short-Cut
1) Write a powerful headline that stirs curiosity and sells dream. For example, "Discover A Lucrative Alternative To MLM – You Are About To See A Simple Online System That Pulls In Over $21,900 A Month (Proof Below)…"
2) Throw in a few proofs, such as proof of earnings.
3) Throw in a few testimonials (with photographs if possible).
Tips: You can copy the proofs and testimonials from the actual sales letter. If you can get proofs and testimonials from other sources, it's even better. One trick is to write to the company to ask them for other proofs and testimonials that are not used in the sales page.
4) End with a call to action, such as "Get Your Instant Access Now!", "Get The Report Now!" and recently, one of my regular advertisers use this – "Click Here For More Testimonials", which is not a bad idea I thought.


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Russia: You Are What You Eat
Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing
Russians have told so many lies about themselves they hardly know who they are anymore. In the 1990s, President Boris Yeltsin created a federal commission to draft a text describing the "national idea." These days, President Vladimir Putin talks gibberish about Russia having a "cultural code," which he seems to imagine is some sort of a spy code for the spirit. They should have started with food. There is no common Russian equivalent for the saying "you are what you eat," but it is no accident that Russians have hardly any idea of distinctively Russian food—except perhaps bad sushi, which is served in Moscow restaurants that claim to be Japanese as well as in those labeled as Italian, Georgian, French, Russian, or any number of other national cuisines. Then there is mayonnaise, which saturates all traditional holiday dishes. And, most recently, sushi made with mayonnaise.
On an August day in the early 1970s, little Anya von Bremzen, visiting Odessa from Moscow, was instructed by her relatives to watch "true Jewish food" being prepared. The process was interminable, the heat was intolerable, the whole place smelled of fish, and Anya ran away. "I suppose you can't blame a late-Soviet big-city kid for fleeing the primal shock of gefilte fish," she writes. Except for a notation in her mother's passport, and the passport of every relative on her mother's side of the family, there was nothing Jewish about Anya: she was a Soviet child, which meant she ate pork fat ("Of course we ate pork fat. We loved it.") and was profoundly cynical. Her new book traces how she, and Soviet culture, got to be that way. Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking is an unfortunate title, for it makes the work sound like a cookbook—von Bremzen has written several excellent ones in the past—but this is something else entirely.
Nor is it, as the subtitle indicates, solely "A Memoir of Food and Longing." It is a painstakingly researched and beautifully written cultural history but also the best kind of memoir: one with a self-aware narrator who has mastered the art of not taking herself entirely seriously. It is also a breathtaking balancing act inasmuch as it tells the story of von Bremzen's relationship with her mother, Larisa, a love story told with enough candor to trouble the reader—but not Larisa herself, who emerges as both a character and a collaborator in the book.
The story of Soviet cooking begins with the devastation of the Russian economy during World War I, causing bread shortages and a series of upheavals that culminated with the Bolsheviks in power. Over the first two decades of their rule, the Soviets annihilated not only much of the peasantry that produced Russia's food but also the bourgeoisie that cooked and…
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electronics (Jeanie-Aprille Tang) + percussion (Nava Dunkelman)
IMA [ii-ma] 今. 瞬間 focuses in the present moment in time and other distorted time perspectives, mirroring, non-retrograde, reflection, modulation, paralleling, echoes and melodies in speech.
Jeanie-Aprille Tang aka Amma Ateria is an audio visual artist + electro-acoustic composer/improviser. Born in Hong Kong, she gravitates to rhythms of construction sites, roaming traffic, inaudible conversations, and airplanes. Her instrument is a collection of electronic hardware and plexi-glass.
Nava Dunkelman is a Bay Area based percussionist and improviser. Born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in a multi-cultural environment by an American father and Indonesian mother, Nava's musical interests span the globe from Japanese taiko to Indonesian gamelan to American marching band, as well as performed classical to contemporary to the avant-garde.
IMA have performed and collaborated with avant garde pioneers such as John Zorn, Fred Frith, Ikue Mori, and many others.
The Lily Project
Megan Gage -vocals, Keith Penney – piano and accordion, Casey Lipka – bass, Rose Cangelosi – drums, Randy McKean – saxophone.
With her group The Lily Project, Sacramento-native vocalist Megan Gage performs her ethereal yet driving original compositions and improvisations with bass, drums and piano. In both composition and performance, Megan draws equally from her experience singing jazz and the hours spent pining in her teenage years to '90s female singer-songwriters, and for many of her compositions, Megan uses text as a starting point; she reveres the way lyric and melody can compound each other's effect. Megan's first set with the group in 2014 marked the 10th anniversary of her aunt Lily's suicide by setting to music and improvisation the poetry Lily composed over her lifetime.


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Maaf kawan2, terpaksa promote sebab rasa rugi kalau tak promote. InsyaAllah saya pun akan grab one set =)
New green set, sangat cantik. akan keluar next week isnin.
come with affordable price
Blossom Microwaveable Serveware = RM 249
member price less 25%= RM187.00
Blossom Bowls & Plates Set = RM 57.40
member price less 25% = RM43.00
Blossom Mugs &Seals = RM 37.40
member price less 25% = RM28.00
Beli sume Complete Sets = RM 343.80
member price less 25% = RM257.85
FREE Blossom Pitcher worth rm52.90
HOT ITEM selling FAST!!!
Sapa nak boleh booking dulu rm50. full payment boleh buat bila barang dah kat tangan saya.
For serious buyer only.
Happy shopping!!


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Since its inception in 1999, MAP has grown into a team of twenty experienced, educated, creatively minded staff with a myriad of ideas which meld together to produce a well-rounded whole.
Each project is the result of a collaborative effort, where every individual shares skills, initiative and insight to create architecture which is pragmatic and commercially minded yet still innovative.
Hailing from all over the globe, the team offers a wealth of knowledge covering all facets of design. Here, architects work alongside interior designers and experienced associates, providing support and assistance to both clients and the rest of the practice every step of the way.


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Spend some time at your new place.
Welcome to the park! Since you now have a Nature IN-Deed, we're honored that you're here. Start looking around and you'll learn about the wildlife that helps make Indiana the great place that it is.
Where on Earth is my land?
We'll show you! Just click here to get started.Find your land


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Firstly apologies for being quiet on the blog lately. I had all last week off work so have been doing lots of lovely things with the darlings. We've had a couple of days out that I'll share this week. I've also been busy making a birthday cake for my mum over the weekend... photos and recipe will also follow shortly.
Anyway, here is Sunday Soul Food {2 days late!} for this week. The words are very apt for me at the moment. We've been wanting to move house for around three years now. Our house was up for sale for two years without success and I need to get my arse in gear to put it back on the market. It will happen eventually when the time is right and I need to remember to be more patient.
What do these words mean to you? What have you been waiting for?