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What to watch in the leading soccer leagues in Europe this weekend:
Manchester City looks to end a 15-year wait for victory at Anfield when the champions visit Liverpool in a meeting of the top two teams in the Premier League on Sunday.
The sides are tied on 19 points after winning six of their seven games this season.
City lost at Anfield twice last season: 4-3 in the Premier League to end its 22-match unbeaten start, and 3-0 in the Champions League quarterfinals en route to getting eliminated. City manager Pep Guardiola has struggled in matches against Liverpool counterpart Juergen Klopp, winning only one of their six meetings while working in England.
Chelsea, the other unbeaten team heading into the eighth round of matches, visits Southampton on Sunday.
Manchester United, in 10th place, looks for a first win in five matches across all competitions when it hosts Newcastle on Saturday.
Winless in three Spanish league matches and with its defense faltering, first-place Barcelona visits a Valencia side that held Manchester United to a goalless draw in the Champions League in midweek.
Barcelona has conceded seven goals in four games, including two in Wednesday's win at Tottenham in the Champions League. Valencia ended a seven-match winless streak last weekend.
Real Madrid, behind Barcelona on goal difference, visits sixth-place Alaves on Saturday still reeling from a Champions League loss at CSKA Moscow on Tuesday. That made it three straight games without scoring for Madrid, after a home draw against Atletico Madrid and a 3-0 loss at Sevilla.
Alaves has yet to lose at home and has been one of the early surprises in Spain.
Third-place Sevilla, one point behind Madrid and Barcelona, hosts struggling Celta Vigo on Sunday. Sevilla has outscored its opponents 17-4 in its last four matches, and forward Andre Silva is the league's leading scorer with seven goals.
— By Tales Azzoni in Madrid
Bayern Munich bids to end a three-game run without a win in a home match against Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Bayern lost the league lead last weekend to Borussia Dortmund, which faces Augsburg on Saturday. Augsburg was the side that ended Bayern's seven-game winning start to the season.
Third-place Hertha Berlin visits Mainz on Saturday, when Schalke will look for another win at Fortuna Duesseldorf after ending its five-game losing start last weekend.
Bayer Leverkusen visits Freiburg on Sunday, when Leipzig hosts promoted Nuremberg.
— By Ciaran Fahey in Berlin
Given how sloppy Lyon's defending has been at times this season, a trip to free-scoring Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday is hardly what the club needs.
Lyon's weakness at the back was exposed in the Champions League on Tuesday, when it fell 2-0 behind at home to Shakhtar Donetsk before rallying to draw 2-2.
A 6-1 rout of Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League took PSG's tally of goals to 35 in 10 games overall. Neymar has 10 goals in his last eight games.
Victory against Lyon will set a new French record of nine straight league wins.
All is going well for PSG's new coach, Thomas Tuchel, but the pressure is mounting on Monaco's Leonardo Jardim, who needs a home win against Rennes on Sunday with his side languishing in 18th place and star striker Radamel Falcao out of sorts.
Second-place Lille — the season's surprise package after almost being relegated last season — hosts fourth-place Saint-Etienne on Saturday.
— By Jerome Pugmire in Paris.
Juventus can extend its perfect start at Udinese, while second-place Napoli hosts Sassuolo looking to build on its Champions League victory over Liverpool in midweek.
On a weekend without any standout matches, Roma visits Empoli, AC Milan hosts Chievo Verona and Inter Milan visits Spal in the eighth round of fixtures.
In a game featuring two sides that have shown flair in the early weeks, third-place Fiorentina visits seventh-place Lazio.
Krzysztof Piatek, who leads the league charts with eight goals, will look for more as Genoa hosts Parma.
— By Andrew Dampf in Rome


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Team LED is excited to offer a few home décor birthday gift ideas for the special Pisces friends in your life (February 19-March 20). Pisces are so wonderfully unique, so why not help them make their spaces show that off!
As lovers of art from birth, your friend will adore any piece that evokes emotion out of them. This art piece titled "Unity" may be the piece that will touch their soul. These coasters not only play to the Pisces' delight for their stone, aquamarine, but each one is different from the next, hinting towards their love for unique qualities in all aspects of their lives.
The ability to have a place for reflection, meditation and peace is important to a Pisces, and what better place to take that time than sitting in this amazing carved hand chair, gazing at this three dimensional wall art that plays on their gravitational pull to lunar patterns. To further add to the full moon's good energy, use this floor lamp and this half moon mirror, which will also light up any room.
This stained concrete stool gives off the feeling of having our heads in the clouds, a relaxing piece to add to any Pisces' space. Meaningful accessories are appreciated by all, and this marble table top container will make any Pisces feel at home with their star sign pressed into the lid.
With their Zodiac sign being a fish, it is sage to say that your friend is one with the ocean. This gorgeous artisan pillow made by one of our favorites, Aviva Stanoff, will be the star of any room. Don't you love the impression of the sea fan on the velvet?! Petrified beach wood sculptures are the perfect table top elements too. We're drawn to the unique qualities of each piece, Pisces will agree because of their admiration for natural beauties.
Happy birthday to your Pisces friends, we hope these home décor gift ideas tailored to them will help make their spaces as incredible as they are! If you're interested in learning more about Pisces characteristics, this is one of our favorite resources.
Some linked items are To-The-Trade only. Please contact firstname.lastname@example.com if interested in purchasing.
Image Sources: Top, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

subset: commoncrawl


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This sample of Green Dream shatter comes to us from HGH extractions, a multiple award winning LA based extraction company. Over the last few months, I've come to recognize HGH as the absolute leader in creating quality extractions. This concentrate is a BHO extract, which many people fear to be unhealthy. When done right, BHO extraction is safe. And this is shatter done right.
Green Dream is a cross between two sativas: Green Crack and Blue Dream. I've also seen it on menus as Blue Crack. It is a well designed hybrid looking to capitalize on each parent's dominating effects–both in taste and effect.
When I first picked this up from Second Story, it was a real glass-like shatter. My half gram was made up of one big burnt-amber colored chunk and some smaller slivers and shards that had broken off it. When I got it home, it became soft and tacky in warm weather, and my office sits in our powerful Orange County afternoon sun. The longer I had it, the more the consistency changed to that of a wax, feeling soft and buttery. It became cloudier as well. The taste profile again is balanced between the two parent strains, combining Blue Dream's dark berry flavor with the tropical sweetness of Green Crack.
This strain hits at mach speed as a concentrate, and I felt the effects on the exhale. Blue Dream brings a spacey and creative high, that doesn't hesitate to add relief and comfort to the body, too. Green Crack, on the other hand, can be energetic and productive sativa. Either late at night or in the early morning, this medicates like a cup of coffee. But relaxing, so with a little added whiskey for good measure. I found it to be all at once dreamy but engaging. It is much more clear headed than Blue Dream alone. More stoney than just Green Crack.
Sadly, I only got a half gram this trip. If I knew the kind of high it spawned, I would have donated for more. Be sure to swing by Second Story and grab yours quick. It won't last long.
$40/ .5g
Second Story
1820 E. Garry Ave., #221
Santa Ana, CA


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Restoring Canaveral Light – Brick by Brick!
The mission statement of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse Foundation is "To Assist the 45th Space Wing in preserving, protecting, and interpreting the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse and its historical significance to the Florida Space Coast, State of Florida, and our Nation." The US Air Force owns and maintains Cape Canaveral Light, but the Foundation exists to be of assistance in its restoration and to share its remarkable history.
In many ways Cape Canaveral and the Lighthouse is a bridge between the age of exploration and exploration yet to come; a bridge between the sea and the stars!
On October 13th, 2012 I attended a gathering at the Canaveral Lighthouse with my father to celebrate the progress having been made on the restoration of this special and significant beacon. Although, we had visited the light by special permission a couple of years ago in order to photograph, I did not then have the opportunity to see the interior of the tower. Saturday, October 13th, could not have been a more perfect day to gather, discuss goals, walk the newly built Keeper's Brick Paver Walkway, and climb!! I have to say right here that I was amazed that my 88 year old father was able to navigate the stairs better than I did! The metal lighthouse is lined with brick and the winding stairs curl upwards around a center pole with no hand railing along the brick walls. Of course, it was probably because I was lugging my heavy camera!! Probably!! Continue reading


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Gun Metallic 2020 Nissan Rogue S AWD CVT with Xtronic 2.5L I4 DOHC 16V
25/32 City/Highway MPG Price includes the following rebates, but not all customers qualify for all rebates. Please contact dealer for more details: $2000 - Nissan Customer Cash - Rogue. Exp. 09/08/2020
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Prompt service. Friendly staff. Good price. Low pressure for add on service but still offered. I actually drove 55 miles out of my town to get service in Saginaw because of your quality staff!
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text: Tenancy Assistance and Advocacy Program Skip listen and sharing tools Listen The Tenancy Assistance and Advocacy Program (TAAP) 2017-21 is funded by Consumer Affairs Victoria and provided by community agencies across 17 service areas. What is the TAAP? The community agencies we fund to provide TAAP services help Victorian tenants dealing with issues in a private tenancy agreement, to avoid homelessness. The agencies provide a range of services, including information and referral to other services, negotiation with landlords or real estate agents, and assistance in preparing for and attending hearings at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Who is eligible for TAAP services? TAAP services are available to Victorian residential tenants who are financially disadvantaged. The term 'tenant' refers to: tenants with private residential tenancy agreements rooming house residents residential park and caravan park residents. TAAP can assist a range of financially disadvantaged tenants, such as those: on a Centrelink benefit with no income with insufficient income to sustain personal financial commitments and who have defaulted on paying rent, utility bills or other personal debts. TAAP services are also available to those experiencing family violence, regardless of their financial circumstances, because family violence can quickly impact a tenant's housing situation. How to contact a TAAP agency For a list of community agencies that provide TAAP services in your area, view our Tenancy Assistance and Advocacy Program providers 2018-19 page. Where to next: Read about our Tenancy and Consumer Program 2017-21 Read about our Financial Counselling Program Find out more on our Consumer Assistance and Advocacy Program Find out more on Victorian property grants Back To Top


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The Hits Albums 1-10 – Two tribes go to war
Batman needs the Joker. Tottenham Hotspur need Arsenal. Jerry needs Tom. But I suspect NOW could have done without the bother of the Hits Album. Having seen EMI and Virgin come together to dominate the charts over Christmas 1983, and perhaps more importantly, repeating the success in the early months of 1984, it was perhaps inevitable that the other big boy record companies would think "we want some of that". And so it was that two more of the major labels, WEA and CBS, joined forces to take NOW on, head on, for Christmas 1984. And, briefly, they would take over as top dog. But thanks to mismanagement, poor marketing and NOW upping its game, it would be a short-lived victory.
The Hits Album copied NOW's template so slavishly it could be accused of plagiarism. The cover design is, for the 80s, relatively under-designed, with the slight whiff of a rush job. The giant capital lettered HITS in the centre tips a hat to the NOW brand, almost egging it on into a fight. The spiral background being the slightest concession to the swirly, garish design favoured by its rival. Yuppie minimalism seems to be the order of the day here, with the Monopoly style outer edge giving it to us straight: star photos, names and, unlike NOW , the song titles too. No messing here, they were so confident they were not going to leave anything to your imagination. You want the hits? Well you can have 'em: Thriller, Ghostbusters, Drive, I Feel for You, Freedom, Purple Rain… this was as strong a line-up as any NOW album, and probably bigger than all of theirs bar NOW 1. The back repeats the formula, but with a weird star shaped thing replacing the spiral, and the actual track listing taking centre-stage.
The gatefold inner apes NOW's look to a tee (photo, mini bio on the song, album details and catalogue number), but because the layout is simpler, it allows space for a vital photo of the artists current album. This was bound to make things easier for lazy or stupid people in Woolworths the following Saturday when they wanted to buy Chicago's Chicago 17 or Shakey's Greatest Hits.
While I'm not going to go into too much detail here (after all this blog is about NOW not HITS!) it's note worthy how Hits did differ from NOW in one area which probably went completely unnoticed by the buyers of each series. Due to the labels involved, there is an unavoidable bias towards American acts on the Hits albums. Now when those artists include Jacko, Prince and Madonna, you can't really complain. But when you're trying to persuade 'the kids' of the relative merits of The SOS Band, The Cars or Deneice Williams, it looks a bit more like filler, to make up those precious 32 top chart hits, which, incidentally would have been two more than NOW had had on an album up to that point. But with NOW 4, they decided to go for two more as well. Not that it helped.
Incidentally, I'll just quickly quash a vicious rumour about NOW that has been repeated ad nauseum by lazy journalists over the years: the reason Madonna never appeared on NOW albums has got nothing to do with her being a huge megastar who wanted nothing to do with compilation albums, it's simply that her record company didn't want her to. She may have been able to appear on the first NOW with Holiday; Warners were happy to license other artists to the album, and Madonna was nowhere near big enough to throw her weight around about not wanting to appear on dirty old compilations. She obviously had no such qualms appearing on most of the first 10 Hits albums, and even on the first Monster Hits compilation, which I'll come to later.
The Hits Album was released in direct competition with NOW 4, and trumped it in the number one stakes, racking up three (Freedom, Careless Whisper and I Feel For You) and just about every number two that got stuck behind Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Two Tribes for nine weeks, including Hole in my Shoe by neil (sic) which looks very odd finishing off the album, following in the footsteps of such giants on side four as Van Halen, Meatloaf and Shakin' Stevens.
The best track is obviously Kenny Loggins' Footloose. By a mile.
Hits 2 followed quickly, in April 1985, possibly the reason why NOW refrained from releasing an Easter collection, and instead diverged into the first of a series of NOW Dance albums. (NOW 5 would eventually arrive in the summer.) It's a very strong line-up again, featuring three massive chart toppers (I Wanna Know What Love Is, You Spin me Round, Easy Lover) and one that no one remembers (Jim Diamond's I Should Have Known Better). There were other good tracks on there, too, with Kirsty MacColl's excellent cover of Billy Bragg's A New England, Prince's 1999 and Close (to the Edit) from Frankie label mates, Art of Noise.
Maybe as a sign of the design chaos to come, there seems to be much confusion over the correct title of the release. It's commonly referred to as The Hits Album 2, or simply Hits 2, but the spine refers to it as Hits 2 The Album… catchy.
Phil Collins appearance here, on Easy Lover, indicates a little tit-for-tat game that would happen a lot over the next few years, due to the fact that EMI/Virgin (NOW) and WEA/CBS (Hits) were not likely to license their own acts to the rival series, at least not when they were releasing albums at the same time. Every so often an opportunity would arise where an artist broke ranks to record something for another label. We saw how on NOW 4, they took advantage of a rogue Motown album to include a Michael Jackson song, and on Hits 2, Phil Collins duet with Philip Bailey appeared on Bailey's label, CBS, so Hits were able to include it. Even if it hadn't been a number one, it would probably still have been included just for the sake of including a track from one of the rival series' artists.
Another example of this is the inclusion of The Pet Shop Boys on Hits 4. Although signed to EMI subsidiary, Parlophone, West End Girls had originally been released on CBS in 1984 when it had not been a hit. By 1986 it was a massive number one, and The Pets were big news. And no doubt CBS still held some rights. Odd that the Pet Shop Boys aren't one of the featured acts named on the cover though.
Hits would continue to be successful throughout the mid 80's, relying on a dependable bunch of stalwarts (Madonna, Prince, Eurythmics, Paul Young) and a succession of huge number ones (The Power of Love, I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Eternal Flame). They would, like NOW, sometimes struggle to fill the quota, leading some truly odd appearances for people like ELO (the massive number 28 hit, Calling America… no, me neither), The The (the brilliant Infected on Hits 5 would, amazingly not be their only appearance) and The Jesus and Mary Chain (April Skies). The last two are great songs and you could argue it's laudable that they were brought to a wider audience, but they just seem so out of place. Drive by The Cars would shamelessly appear on The Hits Album AND Hits 3 just a year later! Somehow, for reasons history does not record, the song made the top ten twice; number 5 in 1984 and number 4 in 1985. That doesn't excuse its inclusion twice in such a short space of time.
Hits did often seem to be the slightly edgier cousin of NOW's pure pop factory, but the fact is their respective track listings were probably interchangeable. Many 'free agent' artists not signed to one of the major labels would appear on both series', sometimes if the albums were out at the same time, an artist would appear on both albums with different tracks (the same track by the same artist was rare, but not out of the question).
For me, what eventually did for Hits was, ultimately, having no faith in the strength of the content, leading to a series of horrendous marketing decisions which led to customer confusion, and eventually, apathy.
Just like NOW, Hits took a while to find an established look, or 'brand', and it's arguable they never did. Ask old farts like me to describe a NOW cover, or the NOW logo, and most will have a stab at the balls (as it were) or the giant floating capital letters still in use today. Some might even mention the pig. Ask those same old farts about the Hits albums and you are likely to receive a shrug, or the kind of blank-faced look more commonly associated with my stupid cat.
The first three Hits albums all used some form of giant letter and Monopoly board approach, which was very distinct and stood out. it also gave the feeling of being a bit brash, sure of itself and just a tad cocky. And when you're featuring such luminaries as Strawberry Switchblade, Matt Bianco, or Frankie by Sister Sledge, six months after NOW had included it, cocky doesn't sit too well. Also, by this point, NOW had employed a new design team and the artwork had more of a whiff of cryptic cigarette adverts about them, which to mid-80s teenagers was always going to appear much cooler than an album emblazoned with "As advertised on TV", like the old K-Tel and Ronco albums used to.
To counter NOW's new look, Hits 4 featured a Mondrian inspired elaborate '4' on its cover. Truth be told, the style was probably more likely inspired by the then current Studio Line range of hair-gunk products, which also used Mondrian as a ripping-off point (as did a LOT of things in the 80s), but we'll give them the befit of the doubt. With no NOW album in direct competition, Hits 4 has a strong line-up. I mean REALLY strong. Side one is as strong as NOW 6's opening salvo, but it sustains the quality much better, only finally stumbling on side four, which still manages to include Kate Bush's Hounds of Love (See the full track listing here.)
nowmusicfanblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/The_Hits_Album_5.jpg">Hits 5 featured a giant red die, of course, where all the sides have five on them. I've no idea what the thinking behind this was. It's very silly. There was some continuity on the branding though, with the Hits strap at the top of the design retained from Hits 4. Hits 5 went head-to-head with NOW 8 at Christmas 1986, and would see Hits first CD compilation (it would be the start of NOW regularly releasing a CD as well, after the abortive NOW 4) and it fared badly in comparison.
Hits 6, potentially, hit on something unique and special with its spectrum of criss-crossing lines on the sleeve. Not as garish as the early NOW albums' attempts to mimic Max Headroom or the horrible Paintbox graphics that used to appear on-screen on Top of the Pops. Although it's not immediately representing a '6', once you know that's what it's meant to be, it makes perfect sense. That, along with the more elegant 'Hits Album' rather than just 'Hits', should have set the series up in the style stakes. it's simple, minimal, adaptable, everything a successful brand should be. So of course, they ditched it.
Maybe it was because Hits consistently came in second place that the parent labels, CBS and WEA, felt it was the designers who were letting the side down rather than the content. It must be very difficult for two of the world's biggest record labels to admit that, maybe, they haven't quite got as much good content as they would like to fill just 64 tracks a year over two compilation albums (Hits would never release more than two per year). If you, Joe Public, aren't buying it, and are instead going for their rival, then it stands to reason that the designers are rubbish. Obviously.
So between Hits 4 and 8, the only design constant was the font used for the title (and even the title would change from Hits back to The Hits Album). Whilst this, in itself, shows a surprising continuity, the 'Big Idea' of each sleeve is so radically disparate and that title almost an afterthought) it's no wonder the public could be confused that this was actually a series. the NOW balls was an instantly recognisable logo, so much so that they could have been placed in almost any scenario and people would still know this was a NOW album. Hits would never have that.
Hits 6 had seen the giant BMG record label join the fray. They, along with MCA, had made a shameless attempt to get on the compilation bandwagon with two Out Now! albums (I may try and analyse these at some point, if I can hold of them). The track listings may have been good, filling in many of the blanks left by both Hits and NOW, but clearly this was a cash-in rather than an attempt to launch a serious rival. It's possible they simply wanted to test the water with a view to a potential link up with one of the rivals. BMG would add little to the table, beyond exclusivity for a few more artists, potentially making NOW's job slightly harder, but by this point NOW had lassoed Polygram into their stable.
A giant 7, and an odd building block design for 8 continued to show that, frankly, Hits didn't have a clue. Maybe the bosses were right, and the designers WERE clueless. It must have been frustrating to see album after album throwing away the promise that line-ups including Prince, George Michael, Madonna, a-ha (when they were still huge) were failing to top NOW. Hits 7 would feature such stone cold classics as Eric B and Rakim's Paid in Full, I've Had the Time of My Life and Never Gonna Give You Up. But it also featured utterly forgettable one hit wonders from the likes of LaVert, Scarlet Fantastic, Desireless (which reached the dizzy heights of number 53, but their story continues below) and as well as a Ray Parker Jr song that ISN'T Ghostbusters! It's this "throw enough mud and some will stick" approach that makes Hits seem cheaper and more 'fly by night' than NOW. NOW's line ups always betray a certain amount of thought and preparation. Hits track listings generally work like this: All the big songs on Side one; maybe keep back a number one for side three; everything else in no particular order.
As an example, Hits 8 features Bros. Largely forgotten today, in the summer of 1988 they were the biggest thing around and were on their way to a massive Wembley appearance (topping the bill at a kind of one-day Glastonbury for screaming teenagers that you could get the tube home from) just months after their first single. I Owe You Nothing (ultimately their only number one) is easily the biggest track on Hits 8 and should open the album. It's track 5, halfway through the first side. The album actually opens with Stay on These Roads, by a-ha, a top 5 hit, but not the hottest of 'Hot Hits of Summer '88' advertised by the album cover. Hits 8 also featured Desireless again. I did say on Hits 7 that they were a one-hit wonder, with Voyage, Voyage. Well, that still stands because it's the same bloody track (albeit in a very mildly remixed form, though it doesn't say that on the track listing). Putting Drive on two on the first three Hits albums is one thing, but putting the same track on two consecutive releases? That suggests either incompetence or such a lack of respect for the punters it almost makes you glad the series would ultimately fail.
And failure was but a short step away, thanks to Christmas 1988, and Hits 9. Except it wasn't Hits 9. Well, it was Hits 9 but it just didn't say it was Hits 9. For some reason it was decided to drop the number, releasing it as simply The Hits Album, but the catalogue number confirms that this is in fact Hits 9 (if you are the sort of sad case who looks at album catalogue numbers and then writes blog posts about them). That horrible cover is a still from the dreadful, hugely irritating, and more importantly, cheap-looking, Bruno Brookes-narrated, TV commercial.
If this was their idea of a re-launch, or in modern parlance, a re-boot, of the series then it would turn out to be an utter disaster. there is zero brand recognition here, and going up against NOW 13 in the crucial Christmas market, this would prove utterly suicidal for the series. it didn't help that the track listing was dreadful, with an over reliance on including tracks that were as up to date as possible, rather than what was necessarily popular (Yazz' Stand Up For Your Love Rights is a great song, but The Only Way is Up was the earlier, massive hit, and found itself opening NOW 13). When big hits were included they seemed to be the wrong ones: Orinoco Flow and One Moment in Time may have been number ones, but would 'the kids' really want them on their Christmas double album of top chart hits from the year? And I don't care how high in the charts Chris de Burgh got, he shouldn't be anywhere near this album.
This insistence on being more 'now' than NOW may have also scuppered the chances of three of the labels' artists in the Christmas charts. It's extremely rare for Christmas songs to appear on Hits or NOW, but Hits 9 featured TWO songs released specifically for the '88 Christmas chart, and another which was in the running. One of these was a genuine contender for the Christmas number one, Bros' Cat Among the Pigeons. It's traditional for the biggest act of the year to make a play for the festive top spot, and they rarely achieve it, often being humiliated by a kids TV character or some cloying novelty song championed by a DJ who sees it as his duty to "inject some fun into Christmas". Bros' single (a double A-side with an unlistenable version of Silent Night) had been released just a week before The Hits Album, so surely some kids who would have bought the single thought, sod that, I'll get Hits 9 instead and get that other pant-wetting teenage tune of '88, Angry Anderson's Suddenly, the soundtrack to Kylie and Jason's wedding in Neighbours, which was also vying for the Christmas number one!
Another Christmas casualty included on the album was Chris Rea. Driving Home for Christmas is now, rightly, regarded as a Christmas classic. But back then it failed to even make the top 40. With all these festive tunes gathered on one album, it's no wonder everyone went out and bought Mistletoe and Wine instead. Yes, Hits 9, or whatever you want to call yourself, I blame YOU for Cliff's Christmas onslaught.
As a final indignity, Hits 9 never came close to even threatening NOW 13, only reaching a dismal number 5 (all previous Hits had reached at least number two). It would also be the last to compete in the 'proper' album charts, as from January 1989, compilation albums were siphoned off into their own chart.
June 1989 would see the swansong of the series in this form, with the release of Hits 10. The spectrum design from Hits 6 was regenerated, cleverly re-worked into a record design which also doubled as a 10. It's great, and shows the possibilities there could have been had there been more faith in the original idea. The collection is a typically hit and miss affair with some absolutely huge hits (Eternal Flame, Sweet Child of Mine), massive flops (Luther Vandross' Come Back, anyone?) and some forgotten gems (Robert Howard and Kim Mazelle's Wait, Alyson Williams' Sleep Talk). The reliance on current hits again results a generally dreary collection over all with the likes of Mike and the Mechanics' The Living Years and 1927's That's When I Think of You prompting the fast forward button. It does however, feature The The and Pop Will Eat Itself back-to-back, so it's not a total bust.
What was a bust though, was the series. Hits 10 managed an impressive six weeks at the top of the compilation chart, going platinum, much better than its predecessor, and not too shabby considering its release two months before the school summer holidays. Despite this, another re-vamp was in the offing. It would appear NOW was just too big, and too trusted a brand to be taken on in this manner. Hits had been number two pretty much since day one (but for the brief moment of glory with the first release) and for these boys number two just wasn't good enough. Getting to number one would, however, remain out of their reach, though it wouldn't stop them trying.
For Christmas 1989, they would take a leaf from NOW's book and adopt a cool animal as their ambassador. A new direction was needed to take them forward into the new decade, and quickly… make it snappy.
8 Responses to The Hits Albums 1-10 – Two tribes go to war
Fwiw, the reason The Cars' "Drive" went back into the top 10 in 1985 was that it was featured in a video sequence that was used at a very prominent moment in Live Aid. I seem to remember it following David Bowie's set, and I think the story at the time was that Bowie had dropped one of his own songs in order to make room in the running order for this highly emotive video. But why "Drive" was used as a song to soundtrack four minutes of footage from Ethiopia, I couldn't say.
Firstly: I love this blog. Secondly, I may be jumping the gun a bit here (and also completely wrong), but do you remember when the Hits album came back? In the same week that Now 49 was released, some crafty record company folk thought they'd steal the march on it and release 'Hits 50' (presumably hoping that people would assume that music worked like computers, and so a higher number meant it was better). They soldiered on too, releasing Hits 51 against Now 50. Not sure if they made it to 52 though.
Great post. However it was never either / or for me. I remember Hits 2 coming out at the end of March 1985. Now Dance (as opposed to a regular Now) was released at the same time so the former went to No 1 in the album charts. Hits 2 certainly has some gems – Art of Noise, Kirsty MacColl, Mick Jagger. The sound quality is slightly better as they initially restricted the total number of tracks to 28.
When The Hits Album was released in 1984 I begged my parents to buy it for me with NOW 4. Despite all the nagging I ended up witth NOW for Christmas. How disappointed was I? Gutted!!!!
NOW had a handful of tracks that I liked which I managed to pick out of Woolies bargain bin for 5p a piece (a snip!). The rest I couldn't have cared less for. For all it's bravado and stonking design I was most disappointed that it didn't match NOW 3 in it's tracklisting. Even at this point i was a mad collector for NOW and couldn't wait for each subsequent release. I DID finally get my copy of The Hits Album in January (for my birthday – lucky me), and even though I had it about 8 weeks after it's release I still loved it.
In hindsight I used to collect the Hits collection as it always complemented NOW.
Just think how strong a line up NOW 4 would've had if those bastards at CBS / WEA hadn't got in the way?
Things could have been so different….


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Fairy: (in folklore) one of a class of supernatural beings, generally conceived as having a diminutive human form and possessing magical powers with which they intervene in human affairs.
Author Lucinda Berry Hill wrote this great poem for Tell a Fairy Tale Day last year.
Magical powers… wow, that would be a fantastic thing to possess, wouldn't it? Wave your arm and speak anything into being and… boom!
What would you speak into being if you were a fairy? I thought today I'd just have a little fun and post some of my little fairies from my group, A SECOND HELPING OF WELLNESS… WITH A DASH OF HUMOR & A PINCH OF FAITH.
Wouldn't it be GREAT if we could use fairy magic to get rid of migraine headaches?
Who else is so tired of hateful attitudes and behavior? If we were fairies, we could just speak it away!
Dieting is so difficult, isn't it? Wouldn't it be wonderful to command the fat to fly away permanently? That's how fairies can stay so slim, you know. They put on a few pounds – it starts to show – and they just wave their wand and tell it to take a hike – no sweat – literally!
Those lovely hot flashes… ever feel like you could pop corn on your head? Yeah – it'd be great to just speak those to the four winds forever, wouldn't it?
Cancer of any kind is so scary… it would be so great if with the swish of a wand it could be spoken away forever!
Before 1994 I didn't know much about diabetes. Actually, I didn't know anything about it. I can honestly say I've read every book and article I can get my hands on about the disease. Wow, it would be so great to be a fairy and magically demand it be GONE!
Fairies are imaginary and magic is illusion, but it doesn't hurt to have a little fun with it, right? 🙂


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Today, Minsk is a well-kept, tidy city of 2 million people. It is Belarus' cultural capital and has many theaters, museums and Catholic and Orthodox cathedrals and hurches. Keep in mind though that the city is incredibly cold during winter.
Tempo médio para chegar ao aeroporto: 50-70 minutes
Distância do aeroporto: 42 km
Preço médio de uma corrida de taxi: 25-50 US dollars
Preço médio de aluguel de um carro: N/A


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How to Install Linux Mint Alongside Microsoft Windows
Installing Mint on a Windows PC
The Linked Linux Tutorials Show You Step-by-Step and Visually How to Install Linux Mint on Top of Microsoft Windows 7/8/10.
The Mint Installation on Windows 8/10 PCs Result Now Easier than on Windows 7, that because it Doesn't Need of a Reserved Partition or Free Space on Disk… .
The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a Modern, Elegant and Comfortable operating system which is both Powerful and Easy to use.
The 64-bit Mint ISO is Recommend for all modern computers (Almost all computers sold in the last 10 years are equipped with 64-bit processors).
Mint Installation on a Windows Computer
Install Linux Mint on Top of Windows 10
Install Linux Mint on Top of Windows 8


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Today's birthdays include Claire Weaver, Sophia Smith, Matthew Stevens, Landon Leyda, Emmalee Green, Brianna Couto, Michael Evans and Caryn Smith.
Local birthdays:
Claire Weaver, Canal Fulton, 2.
Sophia Smith, Canton, 4.
Matthew Stevens, 5.
Landon Leyda, 7.
Emmalee Green, 9.
Brianna Couto, 18.
Michael Evans, 27.
Caryn Smith, North Canton.
Celebrity birthdays:
Country singer Bill Anderson is 72. Actress Barbara Bosson ("Murder One," "Hill Street Blues") is 70. Actor Robert Foxworth ("Falcon Crest") is 68. "Hustler" publisher Larry Flynt is 67. Actress Marcia Wallace is 67. Country singer Kinky Friedman is 65. Music producer David Foster is 60. Singer-guitarist Dan Peek (America) is 59. Saxophonist Ronald Khalis Bell of Kool and the Gang is 58. Country singer-songwriter-producer Keith Stegall is 55. Singer Lyle Lovett is 52. Actress Rachel Ticotin is 51. Bassist Eddie MacDonald of The Alarm is 50. Singer Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers is 47. Singer-keyboardist Mags Furuholmen of a-ha is 47. Drummer Rick Allen of Def Leppard is 46. Country singer Big Kenny of Big and Rich is 46. Singer Sophie B. Hawkins is 45. Rapper Willie D of the Geto Boys is 43. Actress Toni Collette ("The Hours," "Muriel's Wedding") is 37. Actress Jenny McCarthy is 37. "American Idol" runner-up Bo Bice is 34. Actor Penn Badgely ("Gossip Girl") is 23. Actor-drummer Alex Wolff ("The Naked Brothers Band") is 12.
Submit your own or a family member's birthday by e-mail to email@example.com. Birthdays must be submitted at least 10 days prior to publication.


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Wow… need i say more
See more here
Wow… need i say more
See more here
Posted in Illustration, Type
Tagged Layout, quote, typography
Artist Hong Seon Jang makes elaborate cityscapes, called Type Cities, using old discarded pieces of moveable type from printing presses.
Totes Amazeballs!
Tagged Hong Seon Jang


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Pepperdine University Libraries arranged trial access for all faculty and students to The Business and Management Collection from HSTalks – an extensive resource of over 950 video lectures and case studies by leading experts from commerce, industry and academia. This trial runs through December 31, 2016.
Extracts of lectures and case studies, as well as complete talks, are easy to integrate and embed in courses to enrich the teaching and learning experience.
HSTalks provides access to world class lectures and case studies by leading experts from commerce, industry, the professions and academia, in one online resource – accessible wherever, whenever and as often as is wanted. View the complete list of HSTalks editors at https://hstalks.com/about/.
For off-campus access to this trial, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Yesterday, September 27, the Global Footprint Network declared as Earth Overshoot Day: the day that humans have used up all renewable resources available for the year. Not good. This obviously cannot continue. Limitless growth in material consumption and "production" clearly cannot be sustained on a finite planet. (We can have limitless growth in culture, the arts, science, the mind, spirituality and quality of life, but not in material production and consumption.) We are depleting our collective inheritance: which should rightfully be shared equitably, through democratic popular control of the commons to which we all share usafructory rights – despite our present unjust and unwise socio-economic, legal and cultural norms – as well as used wisely and compassionately, and not squandered. We are rapidly draining nature's capital, to put it in crass economic terms, which are the only terms most politicians and pundits and corporate elites seem to understand.
We are racing towards ecological bankruptcy at an ever-accelerating rate, and will see our children live as beggars in an ocean of toxic waste if we don't change our course, and fast. Of course, most people – aside from the business and political elite – understand this by now. But awareness is not enough. It is high time for much more serious action.
Addressing the present and rapidly escalating environmental crisis which humanity undeniably faces will require more of us than a simple act of recycling or "buying green." It will require, above all, a restoration and a renewal of democracy – a reclaiming of democracy from the ruling and highly pathological corporate elite.
You don't have to be anti-business to be opposed to corporate rule, by the way: to be opposed to rule by corporate elites is simply to favour democracy; and frankly, to call it as it is: to oppose fascism. Corporatism, as Mussolini himself defined, is the merger of business with the state. Anyone who values freedom or democracy must therefore oppose corporatism: which is the unchecked power of business elites, and an empire of corporate dominance over all aspects of society, including the economy, politics, culture and the media. To be anti-corporatist is not to be anti-business: it is simply to understand that any form of unchecked power invariably leads to tyranny and the destruction of freedom; and therefore, to be opposed to such unchecked powers by any kind of elite.
You don't have to be anti-business to oppose the take-over of democratic government by business elites – you simply have to be sane. You can be pro-business and anti-corporatist: and anyone who truly values democracy must, of logical and practical necessity, be anti-corporatist, regardless of their views on business. I am belabouring the point because the corporate-owned and dominated media repeatedly portray any kind of critique of unchecked corporate powers as leftist lunacy. Here is breaking news for anyone who still buys into this red-scare propaganda that lingers from the McCarthy era, like a can of rotting tuna stinking up the entire house and driving the people to nausea and revulsion: people on the right and the left and in the centre politically are, by an overwhelming majority, in favour of constitutional democracy, and opposed to any kind of dominance over the democratic political process by any kind of elite, including the now globally dominant business elite.
Where once we had to wrest power from the church and the aristocracy who were overstepping their bounds, in order to secure democracy, human rights and freedom, we now must wrest power from an unwieldy and overbearing, frankly tyrannical and self-serving business elite – and everybody who is in the least way sane and rational, and who hasn't been living under a rock for the past fifty years, knows it.
Support for constitutional democracy and checks on corporate power, and the resultant or concomitant opposition to corporate rule, now cuts across the political spectrum. The people are no longer fooled by the red-scare tactics, nor by the broader corporate spin which seeks to mask the obvious: the emperor has no clothes, and everybody knows it – corporations have usurped democratic political powers, and are far over-stepping their proper bounds. Conservatives, liberals and progressives alike now understand this, and know this quite viscerally – and are rightly concerned and rapidly running out of patience in the face of an intolerable situation of corporate oligarchy that seeks limitless powers for itself, while undermining every human value and endangering our very survival on this earth.
The reality, which virtually everyone knows, is that the democratic governments of the world are now in hoc, in debt, in dependency and in servitude to a globally dominant international business elite; and virtually all of the major political parties are now the servile lackeys to the ruling corporate empire. Meanwhile, the people increasingly see through this whole pathetic charade, and are becoming quite fed up with it.
You don't have to lean toward the left politically to be opposed to corporate rule: and at the level of the grassroots, people from the right and the left, conservatives, liberals and progressives, are now beyond wary of unchecked corporate powers – and wish to see democracy reclaimed by the people. What is needed now is a coalition of all those who favour democracy over corporate empire and corporate rule. This is beginning to emerge, and none too soon.
The suicidal kleptocracy of our presently reigning global order of neo-feudal corporatism must end – and now, before we extinguish ourselves from this small and beautiful, fragile, little blue planet. Democracy must be restored: and with power returned to the people, where it rightfully belongs, the commons can once again be protected and shared, wisely and judiciously, for the benefit of all.
If we wish for survival, for a future worth living, or for any future for our children and the children of the earth, then it is absolutely necessary that democracy be reclaimed by the people. This is the most urgent necessity of the time. If Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington or Voltaire were alive today, they most assuredly would be urging it. We should heed their call, the call of their distant but ever-near voices of reason and common sense, and reclaim our power. Restore democracy now. Bring the power back to the people, and let us begin again.
Let it begin. The great turning is here. A new renaissance is being born. Let us work together to bring about a better future and a better world for all. The power is in our hands. We must simply own it, and acknowledge that it is ours.
We have run out of time for idle chit-chat, partisan zealotry and pleasant euphemisms, for polite evasiveness and meek avoidance of the realities that we face. Let us now renew and reclaim our democracy: and we shall in the process, and by this means only, renew and reclaim the commons, for the common good of all. It is this, or it is a dark age ahead – make no mistake. Make your choice wisely. Our future, and our children's future, depend upon the choices we make now.
Be bold I say, and let us reclaim our future, and the future of humanity – if not for ourselves, then most certainly and assuredly, for the sake of the children of this earth. Their lives and their future cannot be written off, even if we are willing to write off our own. Act now.
"The other superpower" is beginning to stir: humanity is beginning to awake. And nothing, no reactionary force, can stop the rising tide of an awakened humanity. The future is in our hands. I urge all of us now to embrace that power, and to act together to reclaim our future and our world, by first reclaiming our democracy and our power.
Unite now, and let us restore democracy to its proper place – in the hands of the people. Our future and our children's future hangs in the balance. Let us not hesitate now – we cannot afford to do so. Let us begin, or begin again with renewed energy and a deepened commitment: for we shall succeed, and humanity shall have a new day.
I would like to end this conversation, which I hope will be only the beginning of an ongoing conversation, and more importantly, the basis of strong, bold and dedicated collective action, with one of my favourite quotations, which seems ever-fitting – and especially so now:
"There is more day yet to dawn.
The sun is but a morning star."
– Henry David Thoreau
And a second, which is equally powerful, equally apt, and equally appropriate to our time:
"It is within our power now to begin the world anew."
– Thomas Paine
And one last quote: one that is oft-used, and yet profoundly underappreciated – and also extremely relevant to our time and to the task at hand:
"We must all hang together, or assuredly, we shall all hang separately….
United we stand, divided we fall."
– Benjamin Franklin
As Arundhati Roy so eloquently and beautifully put it, another world is not only possible: she is already being born. Go now – reflect, read, ponder and discuss: then let us act together to bring in a new day and a new dawn for humanity and this earth. I urge you, act now. It is not too late, and what we do or fail to do now, will decide our future, and the future of humanity.
Above all, unite the people to reclaim their democracy. This is the most pivotal and most urgent of tasks at hand. Unite now, and let democracy reign!
The people will reclaim their power. It has already begun. The writing is on the wall. The corporate empire – the last of a series of empires that have risen and fallen through the past five thousand years of history, the clay feet that David spoke of – is teetering and about to fall. It is a wounded and dying, and still yet a dangerous beast, to be sure, but this latest of empires is now crumbling – even while it flails madly in its death throes to preserve its life and maintain its power, and flaunts its power with brazen disregard and sheer contempt for humanity, democracy and life on earth. Its legitimacy is destroyed, by its own acts of malfeasance and abuse of power; and it is only a matter of time before its final demise. The people should see and clearly recognize the opportunity, and reclaim their power and their democracy now.
Rise now and unite. It is time for the full flowering of democracy, and the healing of this fair earth and all our communities. Unite! And let us take back our democracy, for the benefit of all, and for the future of all life on earth, including our own children, and our children's children. Act now. The time has come for a new dawn.
September 28, 2011
(My apologies for the Surf-Canyon highlighted link on the word "clothes" – a shopping link, no doubt, and I certainly did not put that in there: another example – a mildly annoying one this time, unlike the subject of the survival of humanity – of corporate overshoot, and the over-stepping of proper bounds. Time to whack them on the nose with a rolled up newspaper, and push them back. Enough is enough – in so many regards.)
See Daly and Cobb, For the Common Good, as a prime example of economics that are not insane.
See also:
The Corporation – Joel Bakan (Canadian constitutional lawyer)
Power To the People (In Suits) – Paul Bigioni on Z Net
A Brief History of Progress – Ronald Wright
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed – Jared Diamond
The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies – Richard Heinberg
Power Down – Richard Heinberg
Mutual Aid – Peter Kropotkin
The Ecology of Freedom – Murray Bookchin
World As Lover, World As Self – Joanna Macy
Walden – Henry David Thoreau
The Poverty of Affluence – Paul Watchel
Small Is Beautiful- E. F. Schumacher
Year 501 – Noam Chomsky
Necessary Illusions – Noam Chomsky
Shock Doctrine – Naomi Klein
The End of America – Naomi Wolf
Escape From Freedom – Erich Fromm
The Power Elite – C. Wright Mills
Global Showdown – Maude Barlow
On Civil Disobedience – Henry David Thoreau
The Discourse on Voluntary Servitude – Etienne De La Boittee
The Great Turning – David C. Korten
Power to the People (In Suits) How a whole new kind of business lobby is a threat to democracy by Paul Bigioni
Fears of a corporate police state – David Sirota – Salon.com
Why Isn't Wall Street in Jail? | Rolling Stone Politics
Three Things That Must Happen for Us to Rise Up and Defeat the Corporatocracy | Truthout
Big Ideas That Changed The World : Democracy–Tony Benn …
Talk – David Korten – The Great Turning – YouTube
Joanna Macy on The Great Turning – YouTube
The Corporation (complete, chapters 1 to 23) – YouTube
Life and Debt [HQ Full Movie] – YouTube
The Yes Men – Trailer – YouTube
The Secret Government: The Constitution In Crisis (1 of 9) – YouTube
The Shock Doctrine (2009) — Naomi Klein – YouTube – full length film
"The End of America" Full Length HQ Film – YouTube
Jared Diamond – Collapse! part 1 – YouTube
Amazon.com: The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power (9780743247443): Joel Bakan: Books
The Corporation Film: About the Book
#Science Earth's Annual Resources Used Up Today, Group Says bit.ly/n8flsq
Amazon.com: For The Common Good: Redirecting the Economy toward Community, the Environment, and a Sustainable Future (9780807047057): Herman E. Daly, John B. Cobb Jr.: Books


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Families of slain Marawi troopers to receive 1M each from Anonymous donor
"There is a one single soul dito na sobra-sobra 'yung magnanimity niya. Ayaw kong sabihin kasi ayaw rin niyang sabihin. Ayaw niyang sabihin ko sa publiko o kanino man," the President said.
"Sabi niya, 'Huwag lang malaman,bBasta ako magbigay.' Bigay siya ng one million para sa inyo isa't isang pamilya. I can see the soul of the man. Ito 'yung pupunta talaga sa langit," Duterte said.
His announcement drew loud applause from members of the bereaved families of 101 slain security forces as well as from the benefactors and other government officials who were invited in the event.
Besides the PHP 1 million from the anonymous donor, each of the bereaved families also received more than PHP 200,000 from the Go Negosyo Kapatid for Marawi and the FFCCCII.
Some of the country's top tycoons, among them First Pacific Company CEO Manny V. Pangilinan, LT Group CEO Lucio Tan, and SM Investments Corp. Vice Chair Teresita Sy-Coson, were present at the event.
According to the Go Negosyo Kapatid, the event's host, the Kapatids have also gone the extra mile by providing travel and accommodations to the families who traveled to Manila for the event.
The Tan family (Philippine Airlines) has given free airfare to fly in all the families while Injap Sia (Double Dragon Properties) and Tony Tan-Caktiong (Jolibee Food Corp. & Double Dragon Properties) gave the families free accommodations at Hotel 101 and free meals through Mang Inasal and Jollibee.
Go Negosyo Founder and Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said the Palace event aims to show the unwavering commitment of the private sector to inclusivity and peace and its genuine gratitude to the heroes through helping their families get through these tragic times.
"The events that have transpired in Marawi over the past weeks are truly heartbreaking. Many of our brave soldiers have laid down their lives in order to bring safety and peace amidst the violence and struggle," he said.
"Through this occasion, we want to honor these courageous souls by showing that their fellow countrymen—from the government to the business sector—have not forgotten about their ultimate sacrifice and their loved ones who miss them dearly," Concepcion said.
In the meantime, President Duterte expressed the government's deep gratitude to the Filipino businessmen for their generous donations of cash and other assistance to the Marawi cause.
"I would like to commend our partners from the private sector for their participation in the rehabilitation of the city of Marawi. Your humanitarian activities are continuous sources of hope for the thousands of displaced families in the region," he said.
"Thank you for extending the much-needed support for the bereaved families of our fallen AFP and PNP troops," the President said.
"To the Go Negosyo Kapatid Family Care Fund under the Go Negosyo Kapatid for Marawi Program, your tireless efforts show that nothing is impossible as long as we work together. I hope that we can continue this harmonious partnership to bring back prosperity, not only for Marawi but for the rest of the country," Duterte said.
According to a press statement issued by Go Negosyo Kapatids, members such as the FFCCCII, DU30 Cabinet Spouses Association, Tessie Sy-Coson (BDO, SM Group), Josephine Gotianun Yap (Filinvest), Jaime Zobel de Ayala (Ayala Corporation), Manny Pangilinan (PLDT SMART Foundation), Alfred Ty (Metrobank Foundation), Jean Henri Lhuillier (Cebuana Lhuillier), Mildred Vitangcol (St. Peter's Chapel), Alice Eduardo (Sta. Elena Corporation), Federico Lopez (First Philippine Holdings), Michael Tan (Asia Brewery & Philippine Airlines), Tony Tan Caktiong (Jollibee Foods Corporation), Injap Sia (Double Dragon Properties), Joey Concepcion (RFM Corporation), Jojo Concepcion (Concepcion Industries), William Belo (Wilcon Depot), Dennis Uy (Chelsea Logistics), Santi Araneta (LBC), and Sabin Aboitiz (Aboitiz Corporation) as well as many other have shown their genuine concern and support through their generous donations to the Marawi fund for grieving military families.
The statement said that since the onset of the Marawi conflict, the Go Negosyo Kapatid network has pooled together its resources and efforts in order to bring support and relief to the soldiers in Marawi.
The community has been able to send out more than 5000 care packages which included food, water and personal care items to the displaced Maranaos and to the troops on the ground.
This was done in collaboration with Kapatids such as Santi Araneta (LBC) and Dodong Sebendal (Pilmico Iligan) who volunteered their warehouses as centers for packaging and delivery purposes.(CMR/PNA)
Families of slain Marawi troopers to receive 1M each from Anonymous donor Reviewed by AsianPolicy.Press on 5:31:00 AM Rating:


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Natural Stonework
As old as civilization, the use of natural stonework in the art of building is an enduring quality which showcases the true craftsmanship in any structure. Unlike man-made products the colors and patterns in custom stonework cannot be controlled. That's why we find our natural stonework to be the perfect complement for handcrafted logs and timbers. Neither the stones nor the timbers are perfect and, as raw materials, both share the exact qualities for which Mother Nature intended.
Grand View Log & Timber Frames and Maine Stone Crafters are experts in natural stonework and custom stonework masonry. Whether you're building a complete home package or just looking to add stone interest to an existing structure such as a stonework fireplace, stone pillar entry way, or other architectural stonework, we invite you to Contact Us so we can chat about your ideas. View the online Portfolio of Our Work.


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Countdown is on 'till a festive break, but we are still running foodie tours for you!
Well we don't know about you guys, but we are looking forward to taking a short break here at the taste.walk.talk HQ! Whilst we love our foodie tours, as a small family business, both Brock + Fi work in other jobs whilst we build taste.walk.talk, and we find the juggling of our young family, school, after-school and weekend commitments and two other jobs exhausting sometimes! So … we're taking a little break … think kayaks, beaches, family, friends, BBQs and warm summers evenings.
But never fear … we're still running taste.walk.talk tours in line with our top-notch, local producers opening hours, and two of our trusty gourmet fiends, I mean friends/tour guides, Mandy and Curly will be on hand to take you on tour around delicious Launceston. Please check availability on our bookings page to make your tour reservation … and of course don't forget our tasty gift vouchers for the hard to buy for foodie in your life!!
So whether you celebrate Christmas or not, whether you get a holiday break or not, we hope that you get some time to get out and enjoy this fabulous Tassie summer weather and get to enjoy our yummy island state!


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My Best Friend son had a birthday party, and it was a big one. This was his first Birthday he was celebrating in his new home and his new room. He is really into Batman right now, so I wanted to make him something using my Batman Cartridge. I decided to make a shadow box featuring Batman. I started with a base of yellow card paper. I cut both of the Batman figures at 6.25. I used the basic colors that were used in his bedroom set. On each Batman I used blue pain markers on the blue parts to give it a shinny finish to match what a superhero's outfit would look like. On his grey suit I used an ink blotter and highlighted it with black ink to give it a look of texture. I used also a white gel pen to color in his eyes and mouth. Mental note...trying to cut out Batman's tiny eyes will make you go mental. I then took black pearl pain and colored Batman's under ware/thong (whatever superhero's call that area of clothing). I did this since his cape was black, it helped separate it from his cape. I found the "ZAP", "POW!" and "BOOM" on the same cartridge. I used the same colors and finished the top color using Stickles Glitter Glue. I used the font on the Batman Cartridge to spell out Amari and Room. I once again used the blue paint markers to give it the shinny finish that a superhero's suit would have. I took the Batman sentiment and matched the same colors. I used the black pearl pain again on the Batman Logo and the blue paint marker to match the suit. I used foam squares to raise up his name, the word room, the batman logo and the three action words. I finished the background off by gluing star embellishments and metallic candi's dots. Here is a photo of what it looked like in his room:
He LOVED it which made my day that much better!


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- Bee Keeping Supplies
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New Products
Hotline Shrike Energiser
Hotline Shrike Energiser
The Shrike 3v Energiser is a modern design ideal for equestrian use on short temporary fences.
Perfect for Gun Clubs for use round Pheasant Release Pens.
This unit is not recommended for use on electrified poultry, sheep or goat netting, but can be used with short rabbit netting.
Place the unit on the fence line between two posts, placed closely together to prevent the unit being blown along the fence line.
Alternatively, the Shrike can slide on to the earth stake which then serves as a stand.
It works off 2 D cell batteries (link below) which will last up to 6 weeks, 24 hours a day (ideal conditions).
There is an On/Off switch plus and LED to indicate that the unit is working.
There is a 2 year warranty on all Hotline energisers.
Performance Figures:
Supply: 3v 2 x 1.5v D cell batteries
Stored Joules: 0.04 joules
Output Volts: 8600v
Output Volts (under heavy load): 580v
Recommended max distance: 0.8km
Approx battery life: 6/8 weeks
Hotline Fencing is Distributed in Ireland by Mac Eoin Ltd of Dingle.
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Motherwell FC can today confirm that negotiations between the 'Well Society and Les Hutchison have been successfully concluded and the club has now transferred into fan ownership.
You will recall back in January of 2015, after fourteen years, John Boyle sold his majority shareholding in the club to Les Hutchison for £1 (as a guarantor) to instigate the transition to fan ownership.
At the recent Well Society Annual General Meeting and subsequent Q&A session, the Society Board reported that they would only agree to terms and conditions that would allow them to take ownership and at the same time maintain the sustainability of the club.
The basis of the now signed agreement is that the Society would purchase Les Hutchison's 76% shareholding for the £1 he purchased it for, and the club will be responsible for repaying any outstanding money.
As well as governance of the operation, the on-going responsibility of the Well Society will be to generate additional income for the running of the business through the monthly direct debit payments of £10 or more, a cornerstone for financial stability over the coming years.
The Society wish to acknowledge and to thank Mr Les Hutchison for his valuable input to the club in terms of financial support and business experience, and for assisting in our drive towards fan ownership.
They would also like to thank Mr John Boyle for his huge service over the years as majority shareholder and continuing support and assistance in concluding this successful transfer agreement.
And finally, to the loyal, dedicated, passionate Motherwell supporters, without whom, none of this would have happened.
[pullquote]This is a historic day for all involved with the Motherwell FC, and we are delighted that the outcome we all wanted as members of the Society has now been achieved.[/pullquote]
Jim McMahon, Motherwell Football Club Chairman and a founder member of the Society commented: "The last two years have been dramatic and challenging for the club.
"Having triumphed in the play offs we all hoped that the next period would be more settled and allow us to move gradually to fan ownership over the five year timescale envisaged.
"Instead the opportunity arose almost immediately and it is a credit to the Well Society that they have been able to deal with the abrupt change. I agreed to act as Chairman during that transition and it is an honour to serve the club that I have supported all my life.
"I appreciate there have been different views expressed in meetings, online and on social media about the validity of fan ownership, but it is now up to us to make this work – for our part, we will aim to become more open, change the governance structure and listen to all and any ways to help. This is a real chance to do something special"
Douglas Dickie, Well Society Joint Chair, said, "Our aim of fan-ownership has been, at times, a challenging road, but it has been achieved by a great amount of effort by Well Society members, fans and volunteers.
"It has also been made possible by a number of people who have given their expertise and commitment over a period of time to reach a satisfactory conclusion to our goal. We are now entering a new phase in our history.
"Fan ownership has responsibilities and we all need to realise that continued and growing financial support from all fans will be required. Together we can maintain, strengthen and be proud of the qualities and values of this great Community Club. The future is what we make it!"
To read the 'Well Society update, click here.


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I am back. You can see why I was away on dogtiredtravelwriting.
New images and posts coming soon.
I am back. You can see why I was away on dogtiredtravelwriting.
New images and posts coming soon.
For the travel writing click here.
Unfortunately the link to the slide show has been removed. I will have to venture how to use this blog to post the images.
First 12 images are of Siracusa on the island of Ortigia.
13 & 14 were taken while on the road to and from towns.
15-35 & 37 are of Ragusa.
38-43 & 50 were taken in Noto.
36, 44-49 were all taken in the Vindicari National Park.
51-53 are also in Noto taken at night and converted to Black and White.
54-68 are of the town of Modica.
67-74 are on the roads around and in Noto Antica.
75-79 we are back in Siracusa, at the Taberna Sueva. First on the Global Restaurants to visit page here.
80-86 are all taken at our accommodation just outside Noto, Masseria Degli Ulivi.
I am yet to decide what to place on my Redbubble site. Some feedback would be helpful.
Happy travels.
As if to justify the blog entry "Which first DSLR – August '08 – Thought 2 – Bells & Whistles" I found the following in Park Cameras catalogue that was an unwelcome addition to this weeks Amateur Photographer which is otherwise a brilliant magazine.
Besides the Image Stabilisation, the other three were all raised as "bells and whistles". Thanks guys.
This competition was sparked by a discussion in the 'A Photographers Craft' forum. The idea being to photograph an apple or something similar, and use digital imagery to alter the original image.
Two of the top three have been mentioned here before in the Promotion, so i will not re-introduce them. Karri is a mother with a talent for turning the everyday image into a piece of art. All three have a wealth of talent and are very deserving of their efforts in the competition. Adriana Glackins effort has some lovely texture and simple colours that bring the apple to life. Dana DiPasquales image once again emphasises the colour of the apple, with a lovely perspective and texture. Karri Klawiters use of light is exquisite.
Pyrus malus by Adriana Glackin
Thought No.1, and you are happy with your lens choice. Thought No.2, and you know not to fall for the gimmicks. So what then should you look for?
A – Opinions differ, and so do DSLRs, so first and foremost: get what is right for you.
Utmost importance to a photographer is the features and functions.
Maybe you like lot of outdoor photography? A camera with a good weather sealing would be handy. You love the way your old compact can view images and capture while viewing the LCD? Then check the Live View capabilities. Do not like wading through menu's to change functions? Check the location/functions of all buttons and dials, and the customisation capabilities of these and the menu. You love to collect things and want to be able to purchase old lenses on EBay? Check the compatibility of the lens mount. Want to make extra large poster prints? Check the pixel count versus the image quality. Want to start studio photography? Then check out the remote flash capabilities.
There are many things to consider. My advice would be to narrow down what is most important to you, and go with it.
The other important consideration is the handling of your camera. Get down to your local photography shop and pick the camera up. Ask if you can mount the lenses you are considering for purchase, and see how it fits and feels in your hand. Play with the menu system and function buttons to check they are in easy reach. Even consider asking if you can place the items in a camera bag and feel for weight. You may be carrying this around for a whole day. If you carry your camera around your neck, try this also.
I was considering the D40 as my first camera, but decided on the D80. I felt spending a few more quid was worth it, as the D40 was a little too small for my hands. This is basic ergonomics. I knew I would be carrying the camera in my hand or on my arm most of the day and it must be comfortable.
B – Important to most people is the image quality.
Note: the DSLR considered to have the best image quality today, with in the next six months, and certainly one year, will be surpassed. DSLR technology is moving along at a rapid rate.
When you are researching image quality, also take into account lens types used in the tests, the specified conditions of the test, and which format is being referred to. All DSLRs have RAW and JPG capabilities. RAW is the unprocessed camera information. JPG is processed in camera.
When talking image quality, most commonly, noise will be discussed. Noise becomes a factor when using higher ISO speeds. Higher ISO captures more light, in turn allowing more creative control (when not using a tripod). The capability of noise reduction in today's DSLR is moving on quite quickly. Nikon's first full frame DSLR the D3, is a leap ahead of the rest for high ISO/low noise capability. But do not expect it to stay there for long. The sensor is said to be a Sony production, and Sony are promising a full frame camera very soon. Please note, that noise only becomes a factor when printing large images. If you do not intend to print over A4 size, do not worry about noise.
Also considered in image quality is the dynamic range of the camera, its colour reproduction and the amount of chromatic aberration. Dynamic range is of considerable importance, essentially being the range of light the sensor can deal with. Colour reproduction can be dealt with; in post processing if need be, with ease. Chromatic aberration should also be considered. It is not easily to deal with in post processing. Note that these three factors are all dependant on lens type and quality.
C – The camera system.
When you buy a DSLR, you purchase into the manufacturers system. I touched on this in Thought 1, as most of your money will be spent on lenses. In addition to lenses are all the other bits and bobs you are likely to need at some stage like flashguns, remote cords, infra red remote, software, and so on. For example, if you do not have much to spend on software, Canon DSLRs come with free software capable of processing the RAW images from camera, compared to Nikons which is an extra £130. So consider once again the type of photography you will be undertaking most often, and research what accessories you might need.
D – The future.
In this rapidly ever changing world, try to have some patience. (Unlike me!) Have a look at what is in the pipeline. Sometimes announcements are made about function or new technology that will be arriving in the coming months. So check and see what advances are about to be made, and consider their importance to you. An example is the Micro Four Thirds system announced by Olympus and Panasonic as noted in Thought No.2 with most useful live view to date and the smallest DSLR. Samsung has also claimed to be making a similar system, compact style DSLR, but it is not due for release until 2010.
When i was about to purchase my first DSLR, I used camera magazines and also the reviews on the net by DPreview, to do my research.
At this moment on DPreview, i read "Panasonic has unveiled what it is calling the World's First Full-time Live View Digital Interchangeable Lens Camera – the Lumix DMC-G1". There you go.


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The first snowy day
This year it is on 5 December that snow covers everywhere and it gets cold.
Starting of Kamyar's military service
On 10 September Kamyar my younger son starts his military service. Like the military service of his elder brother, Shahryar the advent of his military service reminds my military service twenty-seven years ago and the tortures and bad wills that I faced in doing it when the war between Iran and Iraq was passing its severe days. After passing two months in the military training camp he will have 21 months to end his military service that is compulsory for each Iranian young male man. It is worth to say that Kamyar's military service training course is carried out in a camp that I just performed it at the same place 27 years ago. I think that the history is being repeated. Although there are lots of differences at work the culture ruling on the trend of the military service in Iran is the same as before and I see no change from this point of view and I even feel that it has gotten worse. The only much and important thing is that Kamyar's military service will open his future way ahead and give him the opportunities that are not limited only to inland but to the entire globe. Passing his military service successfully will led him to get rid of the only option of studying in the academic level in the country which has lost its quality and efficiency particularly in recent decade in shadow of the malicious wills and plans of the masters of the empire of dissimulation ruling the country. This in turn will give him favorable job opportunities definitly. We in the family believe that Kamyar will get free by passing his military service and reaching the freedom in following his study interests in a wider and open atmosphere instead of losing his luck and opportunities in a limited and unpromising inland condition that is nothing but the atmosphere of torture for all the youth of the country who wish to step forward and progress freely and far from the polarized thoughts and views imposed by the rulers of the empire of dissimulation to the society.
The first book written only about Iran space endeavor; a turning point
On July 18 I finish signing the contract of publishing the book 'The Iranian Space Endeavor – Ambitions and Reality' with the Springer Publishers. I finished writing the book by 28 May 2013. Perhaps for those who look at the trend of the progress and movement of the Iran space endeavor from outside it is difficult to recognize what passes behind the scene, however, for the one who observes the events and currents from inside and personally experience and witness, the form and the procedure of the currents has a very different sense and meaning as well. In this book hesitating of selective ignorance I try to enlighten new and different profiles of Iran space if not all but at least partly, those that seeing them is too hard or perhaps impossible for the observers that look from outside. In addition to technical other profiles include historical, legal, social and cultural. This is the remarkable and distinguished characteristic of the book that is hoped to grab the attention and interest of the readers globally by giving a possibly touchable sense about Iran space. It is about the country that claims to be the ninth leading country in the world that is capable of manufacturing the satellites and launching them indigenously, plans to land an astronaut on the Moon in a decade, its president of state likes to sacrifice himself to be the first astronaut of Iran to travel into space; he is even ready to auction himself and give for the progress of Iran's space plan! However the book shows that these are not all the things on Iran space. Reading this book may seem to be a journey to the Wonderland; albeit the things, events and people look strange but all are real.
The book reflects a technocratic point of view and is written by a technocrat who have closely worked and lived with the Iranian space endeavor for a long time (nearly 21 years). Technocracy in Iran faces lot of tension particularly in recent decades however it continues its life by its members and the people who representing it whether inland or abroad; the same is for the Iranian space technocracy in a higher degree. It has always confronted many problems and obstacles including social, historical, economic, managerial and administrative hitch. As a member of the space technocracy I have been active and involved both in the international and national level while the share of my international contribution has been much more. I believe that like space itself, the space endeavor of the countries need to devote a larger attention to the international cooperation and interaction about space activities, of course based on the mutual and multilateral respect and hesitating supremacy.
The book is the first one devoted only to Iran space endeavor. In the dimension that the book is written, there is no book to compete directly with it however there are two books published in recent years part of which is devoted to Iran space endeavor. Those books detail are as follows:
I) Harvey, Brian; Smid, Henk; Pirard, Theo: Emerging Space Powers; the New Space Programs of Asia, the Middle East, and South America, Springer/Praxis, ُSwitzerland, February 2010
II) Soofi, Abdol S. (Editor); Ghazinoory, Sepehr (Editor): Science and Innovations in Iran: Development, Progress, and Challenges, Palgrave Macmillan, USA, January 2013, Chapter 9, pp. 184-216
For the book I, the author has been a source for the chapters of the Iran space endeavor, and for the book II the author has been a contributor to the chapter 9 of the book that focuses on Iran aerospace.
Moving to a new home
On Thursday 30 May we start living in a new home about 50 meters from the previous one. It is a nice apartment in the fourth floor and we can see the view of the long distance around home. We changed the balcony to accommodate our large number of books and publications. It is also a cozy place for studying, cogitating and looking far around.
In the local media of my birthplace
Lecture at the Electronics and Telecommunications Department of the Politecnico di Torino, Italy
I am invited by the Electronics and Telecommunications Department of the Politecnico di Torino in Italy to give a lecture to the professors and students on April 9, 2013. The title of my lecture is 'Space-borne SAR Interferometry Technique Applications.' I also make a visit to other sites of the university to get familiar with the space-related activities of the Ploitecnico and negotiate the possibility of scientific cooperation.
Piedmont Railway Museum,Turin/del Museo Ferroviario Piemontese, Torino
Happy New Solar Year and Happy spring!
New book on Iran's science and innovations
The book 'Science and Innovations in Iran: Development, Progress, and Challenges' which editors are Abdol S. Soofi and Sepehr Ghazinoori is published. This 274-page book is published by Palgrave Macmillan in the United States of America. The book is in English language and I am the contributor to the Chapter 9 of the book that is on Iran's Aerospace Technology.
Over the course of the last two decades, Iran has gone through major industrial transformation, in spite of the major obstacles in the path of the country's development. This comprehensive book examines the Iranian government's mobilization of resources to develop science and technology, presenting an overview of the structure, dynamics, and outcomes of the government's science and technology policies. It evaluates sectors at the systems level and emphasizes the prominence of the government, rather than of the market, in the innovation system of the Iranian economy. Written by authors who are in positions of leadership in the industries they discuss, this book offers an unparalleled look into Iran's current technological achievements.
Abdol S. Soofi is a professor in the Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Soofi received his PhD in economics from the University of California, Riverside, and has published over forty scholarly articles in various academic journals in the fields of economics and international finance, input–output modeling, economic doctrinal history, nonlinear deterministic dynamics and economics, and technology modeling and management. He has authored a book on international business and co-edited Modeling and Forecasting Financial Data: Techniques of Nonlinear Dynamics with Linagyue Cao. Soofi was a visiting scholar at the Institute of Mathematics and Systems Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, in the summer of 2002, and has been a visiting scholar at the School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China on many occasions since 2005. Soofi is also a Fulbright senior specialist. Sepehr Ghazinoori is an associate professor in the Department of Information Technology Management, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. He received his BSc, MSc, and PhD in Industrial Engineering from Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST). He has authored many books in Farsi and has published articles about cleaner production, strategic planning, and management of technology in English. He was also a consultant to Iran's presidential Technology Cooperation Office for four years and a senior consultant in formulating the national Iran Nanotechnology Initiative. He is currently an advisor to different ministries and organizations in Iran.
The content of the book and the related contributors are as follows:
Preface- H. M. Doostdar
Chapter 1: Introduction- A. S. Soofi and S. Ghazinoori
Chapter 2: History of science in Iran from a physicist's perspective– Reza Mansouri
Chapter 3: From developing a higher education system to moving toward a knowledge based economy; a short history of three decades of STI policy in Iran– M. Goodarzi and S. Ghazinoori
Chapter 4: National Innovation System of Iran; a functional and institutional analysis– A. S. Soofi, S. Ghazinoori and S. Farnoodi
Chapter 5: Information and communication technology; between a rock and a hard place of domestic and international pressures– S. Ghazinoori and R. Jamali
Chapter 6: Nanotechnology; new horizons, approaches and challenges– F. S. Yazdi and M. A. B. Zarj
Chapter 7: Biotechnology in Iran; a study of the structure and functions of the technology innovation system– T. Miremadi
Chapter 8: Nuclear technology; progress in the midst of severest sanctions– B. Soltani and M. Shaverdi
Chapter 9: Iran's aerospace technology– Parviz Tarikhi, M. Abbasi and M. Ashrafi
Chapter 10: Automotive industry; new trends, approaches, and challenges– M. Manteghi
Chapter 11: Concluding remarks– S. Ghazinoori and A. S. Soofi
January 3
Happy New Year 2013!


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LA Alleys contributor Erwin Recinos sends us this shot of Long Beach, proving, yet again, that the city of Los Angeles does not have a monopoly on noire.
Category Long Beach
Long Beach #2
As word about your favorite alley website spread quickly around. the. internet yesterday, we received an email from John Williams (not that John Williams, as far as we can tell), who also fashions himself a fan of L.A. sidestreets. He sent along this picture and these words:
I decided recently that one way to improve my photography would be to examine the images of some of the masters, and then go out and try to capture some of those qualities in my own shots. The day I took this I had Eugene Atget in mind. He took thousands of photos of Paris around the turn of the century and was known for his urban documentary style, so I chose the city of Long Beach as my subject. Some of the qualities I was trying to capture in this shot were a broad tonal range, layering of light, and the use of positive and negative space. I also used a 3-stop neutral density filter so I could use a long exposure (in this case 5 seconds at f/25), as he would have used in the old days.
Have you found inspiration in a Los Angeles Alley? Email us.
Long Beach
"I simply placed the camera on the floor to keep it steady since I knew it would be a long exposure, and clicked away after a car showed up. The cross processing of the film created the nice colors." — Nuno Oliveira, via Flickr


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Why Visit Carolina in the Fall?
There is no better time for a visit to western North Carolina than in the fall. The temperatures are perfect, the skies are the bluest and the leaves are changing. Most of my life has been spent in the foothills of NC and I must be honest and say that there is no place I would rather be in October.
Whether you are taking a leisurely drive on the picturesque Blue Ridge Parkway, hiking the trails at Grandfather Mountain or descending into Linville Gorge, the crisp mountain air and the stunning colors of the foliage will take your breath away. For those new to the adventure, I will provide you with a few tips for success.
Tips for traveling Carolina in the Fall.
- First, plan early! Lots of folks know about the amazing Octobers in western NC and they plan on being here. So, go on over to our link for accommodations and book your room NOW at the Wilkesboro Hampton Inn or Holiday Inn Express! Finding a hotel room on up the mountain will prove to be both costly and difficult. Wilkesboro is a beautiful 30 minute drive from the Parkway in several directions, US 421, NC 16 and NC 18.
- Secondly, bring every type of clothing you have. : ) As Forrest Gump said, "You never know what you are going to get". The weather this time of year is very… changeable. If you don't like today, tomorrow will be different. I have had to wear winter coats and I have been out hiking in shorts, so come prepared for anything.
- Thirdly, map out your trip. Knowing where to go and when to go will make the most of your days. Do some research ahead of time on some good websites for the area. Be sure to visit the Parkway website and enjoy! www.blueridgeparkway.org Allow plenty of time, crowds and slow drivers will require more time than you might think.
- Fourthly, Relax!! There is no better place to go to just relax and breathe in some refreshing. Take a moment right now… close your eyes, imagine you are standing at one of NC's scenic overlooks, the leaves are a mix of yellows, orange and reds, the temperature is a crisp 55 degrees and all you hear is the sound of the wind in the trees. Yeah, I know… every day should be like that.
- Lastly, enjoy the people! You are in a friendly part of the world. Don't be afraid to talk to a stranger. Eat at the Daniel Boone Inn in Boone, NC and chat with your waiter. He/ she will make the meal feel like you are eating at Grandma's house. Stop at one of the many roadside markets and purchase some sourwood honey, apples or some homemade jelly or jam. (you might even find a little mason jar for sale at some locations)


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The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CBT) is likely to begin listing options contracts for Bitcoin futures. And the CBOE is very likely to follow suit. What impact will this have on the value of Bitcoin holdings around the world? And what impact on it's use as a money transmission mechanism?
This Financial Times article* explains that an internationally accessible options market will create the first opportunity for betting against Bitcoin, other than unloading coins which were previously purchased. Some individuals feel that this could precipitate a crash in the Bitcoin exchange rate.
I disagree. Buying "puts" or Selling "calls" against a commodity risks upward spikes, because individuals writing an uncovered option must make good on the contract buy buying it, even if the price has recently run up. This pushes the commodity even higher into the stratosphere—until the buyer unloads to realize his gains. This magnifies short term volatility (sometimes massively), but has no effect for long users or term buy-and-hold investors.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, it also has no effect on the utilitarian value of Bitcoin as an instrument of debit, payment and settlement. Volatility has no real effect on payment users or long term investors. But adding sanctioned financial markets—even risky ones, like CBT options—adds demand to capped commodity. Like real estate, no one can make more Bitcoin. There will never be more than 21 million units. So, in this respect, the new market will push ever more early investors into millionaire territory.
* Disclosure: I had no role in this article, and I do not know the author. But The Financial Times was a sponsor for my keynote presentation to the Cryptocurrency Expo in Dubai 3 weeks ago (End of October 2017).


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Automated trcuk convoys, commercialized space flight, and sex. Yep, it's Geekdays.
Show notes and links:
- Log In – New York Times (nytimes.com)
- This link has no title (sciencedaily.com)
- Peter Thiel Helped Land His Private Space Bros on Trump's NASA Transition Team (vice.com)
- This link has no title (sciencedaily.com)
- Sex evolved to help future generations fight infection, scientists show — ScienceDaily (sciencedaily.com)
- Game developer and anti-harassment figure Brianna Wu will run for Congress (theverge.com)


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Program Description
Study a Bachelor of Interior Design (Commercial) and help brands connect with their customers by creating immersive and unique environments.
The Bachelor of Interior Design (Commercial) gives you the skills and creativity to respond and adapt to the ever-changing drivers of commercial environments such as retail stores and exhibitions, hotels, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, workspaces and even the design of online virtual commercial environments.
Throughout your study, you will engage with the theoretical and practical elements of commercial interiors – branding, lighting, sustainability and materiality. You will discover how commercial interior design strategies are developed and assessed and explore how commercial interiors can engage an audience. You will make commercial environments a reality through documentation, contract management, professional design practice and cross-disciplinary interaction. You will also have the opportunity to apply theory to practice by creating a range of commercial interior design solutions for real clients.
Graduate with the valuable skills to create state-of-the-art commercial interiors. Digital technology is a strong focus of this course, as not only will you engage with contemporary theory, but also learn how to represent spatial environments, and communicate information relevant to designing, costing, evaluating, and constructing commercial interiors using industry standard software. You can also apply for an internship with one of our industry partners giving you real-world experience, key contacts in the interior design industry and material for your professional portfolio.
This course is available as a full-time or part-time study on our campuses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
- Skills to work with the ever-changing drivers of commercial environments
- Theoretical and practical elements of commercial interiors
- Make commercial environments a reality
- Understanding of spatial environments
- Industry standard software skills
- Industry standard software skills
Admissions criteria
Year 12 equivalent to ATAR 60.
This course is open for the international student to apply. Please see entry requirements for more information.
Approved English tests include:
- IELTS 6.0, with no subscore less than 5.5
If you do not meet the ATAR requirements, you can apply through Special Entry;
Demonstrated ability to undertake study at this level:
- Work experience, and/or other formal, informal or non-formal study attempted and/or completed, OR
- Design portfolio (6-10 pieces of original creative work)
Workload and assessment
Each subject involves 10 hours of study per week, comprising 3 timetabled study hours and 7 personal study hours (which may include a facilitated online component).
- Practical assignments
- Research projects
- Presentations
Career opportunities
- Commercial interior designer
- Resort designer
- Brand strategist
- Furniture and joinery designer
- Retail designer
- Branded environment designer
- Restaurant designer
- Commercial design journalist and editor
- Innovative workplace designer
About the School
Laureate is the largest education network in the world. Laureate International University Institutions offer hundreds of career-focused, undergraduate, master and doctoral degree courses in fields in ... Read More


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Coming next year.
What you see above is the newest trailer for the PlayStation 4 version of Sniper Elite 3, the newest entry in the shooting series with a twist.
Sniper Elite 3 is a prequel, set before the events of Sniper Elite v2, albeit still taking place in that game's famed World War II setting. The game is set in the Western Desert conflict in North Africa, which was America's first battle fought against the Axis powers in the second World War.
As always, Sniper Elite 3 features intricate bullet physics, a nuanced X-Ray camera, and an emphasis on stealth action. It features multiple new gameplay and graphical improvements made possible by the game's development entirely within Rebellion's Asura game engine.
Sniper Elite 3 will be coming out in 2014 on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. No Wii U version has been announced, which might have something to do with the dismal performance of the (bad) Wii U port of Sniper Elite v2.
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