domain
stringlengths 2
38
| text
stringlengths 21
166k
| timestamp
stringlengths 20
20
| url
stringlengths 16
3.61k
| V3
stringclasses 15
values | label
stringclasses 15
values | probability
float64 0.07
1
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
faqs | In your letter dated June 23, 2000, you requested a tariff classification ruling.
The samples you submitted consist of a silverplated brass container, two razors, and two shaving brushes. The container (item number 98TT01) has a screw-off cap with 6 holes and will be used to hold talc. It measures approximately 5 inches high and 2 inches square. Item number 97MI05 is a sensor razor with a mock ivory handle and item number 98MO24 is a sensor razor with a black marble handle. The last two articles are two shaving brushes, one with a marble handle (item number 98BM03) and the other, a silver handle (item number 97SS12). As we discussed by telephone, item number 97SS12 has been sent to the Customs Laboratory for analysis and will be the subject of a separate ruling (F88889).
The applicable subheading for the silver-plated brass talc container will be 7418.19.1000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for table, kitchen or other household articles and parts thereof, of copper, other coated or plated with precious metals. The rate of duty will be 3 percent ad valorem.
The applicable subheading for the two sensor razors will be 8212.10.0000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for razors and razor blades, and base metal parts thereof, razors. The rate of duty will be free.
The applicable subheading for the shaving brush with marble handle will be 9603.29.8090, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for tooth brushes, shaving brushes, hair brushes, nail brushes, eyelash brushes and other toilet brushes for use on the person, other, valued over 40 cents each, other. The rate of duty will be 0.3 cents each plus 3.6 percent ad valorem. | 2019-04-26T11:59:20Z | http://www.faqs.org/rulings/rulings2000NYF88929.html | Porn | Health | 0.818914 |
wordpress | The plan wil be reviewed by city council in a process designed to pick from multiple submissions, so it’s up to you to make your voices heard. Don’t sit back and wait for it to happen, this is all about bringing out the best of what New Rochelle has to offer.
Spend a few minutes and enjoy this plan for the next chapter in New Rochelle’s history. You won’t be disappointed.
The Mission of the proposed Veterans Memorial Center for the Performing Arts (the “Center”) is to serve as a cultural hub for the community to engage in educational opportunities and enhance understanding and enjoyment of life through the creation and presentation of the arts. We will accomplish this by establishing a premier venue for performing and visual arts and building a dynamic center for local, regional and national arts groups.
Furthermore, through the establishment of this Center for the Performing Arts, we will again be bringing to life and rededicating a historical structure, the New Rochelle Naval Armory, the permanent home of the 31st Fleet Division of the New York Naval Militia. This initiative is dedicated to all those who have passed through its portals since 1933 and to all those to whom the Armory has served as a training ground and meeting place.
The historical significance of this edifice will become the driving force to help dedicate permanent space within the Center to assist Veterans and to provide a support system for job placement and navigating through the intricacies of the Veterans Administration medical program.
As a New Rochelle resident and active duty U.S. Marine, I support this proposal. I think keeping the armory serving the community and honoring our veterans couldn’t be a better plan for usage of the armory. I wish I had more free time to be apart of anything possible to support veterans affairs in our community. | 2019-04-25T22:39:07Z | https://newrochellearmory.wordpress.com/2012/07/23/development-committee-releases-plan-for-veterans-memorial-center-at-the-armory/?shared=email&msg=fail | Porn | Arts | 0.783256 |
wordpress | Perhaps the frequency of my writing and my mental health are directly linked.
I’m in the midst of the worst episode of depression and anxiety that I’ve had in a while; I’ve been trying to keep pushing through but its been difficult – I think it probably feels worse than it is because for the longest time ever in my adult life I have been luxuriating in a relatively stable mental state.
I got used to not having to deal with these crippling anxieties, the paranoia, the sleepless nights, the churning brain, the relentless misery, the illogical and debilitating emotions.
Perhaps that complacency is the issue.
To start with as I climbed my way out of the abyss, the bleak, dank darkness that is mental illness I was so careful to practice good management of my mental health – I gathered endless tools and strategies to cope with each situation and became a master of who I am and how I feel. I paid close attention to any slight wobble in the stability of my mind and made sure to correct it before it got out of hand – but perhaps the longer I have remained stable and as I have grown in confidence, moved forward in my career, relationships and developed a new sense of self – I have loosened the reigns on the fundamentals of me and how to cope with this hellish affliction that will never go away; forgotten the basic management techniques that keep me stable. I have neglected and ignored all that I have learnt. Perhaps it was inevitable that a crash was on its way.
It is frightening and frustrating to be fighting my way out of a hole again after all the work to do it so many times before – will there never be a time that I can forget that I’m not quite the same as everyone else?
Today at work a call went out to say that someone had been hit by a bus… they believe he was trying to commit suicide. I’ve been there – that mindset and absolute desperation was mine once which makes it all the more difficult to listen to what other people think of that person and what they’ve done.
This setback is all the more frustrating given that for the first time my life doesn’t feel like an utter disaster, I am good at my job, my kids are happy and healthy, I am in a healthy relationship, my family is well… for so many years circumstance has been as much an issue as health – its so much easier to find reason in pain if you are surrounded by it.
I have learnt that sometimes there is nothing else to do but cry.
I am so well, my new job (3 months in!) is going brilliantly – it felt like it came with a lot of pressure in the beginning but now that I feel as though I know what I’m doing there is really no stress involved; it does come with a lot of new responsibilities but I am taking each day at a time and coping better than I would have ever imagined possible.
I’m also working with mostly men – this would have been impossible for me a few years ago. I have had such issues around men and so I was often reduced to a simpering idiot when put in any situation with them. Yet, here I am thriving – I am proud of the confident and professional woman I have fought to become.
I also feel more accomplished as a parent. I certainly don’t get everything right but I don’t feel as though I am doing too bad a job – and at almost 14 and 11 I can see the wonderful people my children are blossoming into.
My mental health is very stable. My moods still swing but I have a very tight hold on them; I have learned so many management techniques that help me to cope when the big stuff inevitably happens… I still work hard every day to maintain my mental health – it will never be a natural thing, but it is less of a chore now. I am so incredibly proud of how far I’ve come.
I suppose there will never be any management techniques to stop me from feeling when the big and truly disastrous things happen. Maybe those raw, painful emotions are what make us human and sometimes you just have to cry until you can’t cry anymore.
Life has been moving and changing as it invariably always does. The most immensely sad things have happened and in equal measure the most beautiful and wonderful things have occurred.
To detail all of the pain or celebration of the past few months would be to spill the pain and joy of not just myself but also others; perhaps I have finally learnt that the world and all its misery does not revolve around me… So instead of deconstructing and analysing the swing of events, as I feel so compelled to do, I will simply say that I survived it all once again.
I changed my hours at work a few months ago, I felt ready for a new challenge and the monotony of what I was doing previously had me feeling dangerously close to destruction. My brain needed some stimuli and the Open University course that I am doing didn’t really feel like the right fit – though I am dedicated to finishing it.
When a position came up in work that meant I could take on some overtime I thought it would be ideal – I start early in the morning and can take on a later shift too. I thought it would be the perfect way to help me transition from part time to full time hours. I applied for it, had an interview and got the job. I was so proud of myself! I would never have had the confidence to even apply for something like this a few years ago let alone make it through the interview process.
Change is always stressful, management of my moods and the strategies I have developed rely on very little change happening – when I moved house almost two years ago it hit me hard and took me a really long time to re-balance my moods, my foundation and security had been taken away from me. Work is the same, it is familiar – the people mostly stay the same, the routine is the same, the building is the same… it is safe. I found moving my hours stressful but because the change was minimal, in that it was within the same building and with familiar people, I managed to balance myself fairly quickly.
It was not the wondrous thing I was hoping for though… I wanted to be challenged, I needed to feel as if I could progress but all I felt was a looming dead end. I was put in a small and isolated area of the store and once I had managed to tidy and organise it, there was nothing left to do. I am proud that I managed to run it so efficiently by myself but being isolated in a quiet area of a busy store is not healthy for me at all, my paranoia has blossomed in my time there and my social skills have declined.
This would usually be the perfect excuse for a downward spiral, a deep decline into woe brought on by the misery that, despite my best efforts, I have not managed to make anything better for myself.
I didn’t give in to the decline, this is quite a feat for me! As my moods started swinging a little more frequently and both paranoia and anxiety got bored of whispering and began to shout – I began to consider applying for something new and happened to see an ad for a job that seemed pretty perfect for me, I applied, I went through a dreaded and difficult group interview, I got the job and handed in my notice.
I start in just over a week and I am so excited about this new job, I really think it will be a challenge for me – it’ll engage my brain and hopefully boost my confidence. I’m proud of myself for grasping hold of this opportunity despite now also feeling utterly terrified of having to build a new foundation of security on which to build my management techniques and the inevitable swing of moods this massive change will bring.
I feel as though this is the start of great things for me, though I am sad to leave all that I have built and the people I have come to socialise with behind.
I didn’t give up when progression didn’t work the first time… perhaps I’m still learning after all.
All you’ve left, a broken heart.
When there was nothing life was simple.
When there is nothing I am content.
Maybe I am not made for somethings.
Maybe I am not equipped for happiness.
I see you. I see the good, normal person that you are and I cannot fathom why all the wonderfulness doesn’t make me happy – I don’t know why all the things I’ve ever wanted are not things I relish receiving now.
Maybe I am broken. I thought I was such an emotional, expressive soul but entwined with you I am cold, I am lifeless, I am barren.
I don’t know how to be the other half of you. I want to revel in the abundance of love you give me and the wholesomeness of you, but how?
I want to show you the plethora of emotion and love bubbling under the surface of me, but how?
Do you ever wonder, when joy comes your way, if you deserve it. If perhaps the fates got it wrong and that eventually, like an errant payment to a bank account, it’ll soon be rectified and you will return to the monotony or misery of yesterday.
I wonder if I am allowed to be happy and who gets to decide either way. I wonder if I am in control of my own happiness and if so, is that happiness ever actually real if I am the one to allow it to filter into my life.
I wonder what happiness is and if I’m doing it the right way. I wonder if wondering that is the antithesis of happiness in itself.
I question whether I am good enough and with each slip up, episode or swinging mood, I wonder why others would go to the effort of being anywhere near me.
I feel as though I am constantly passing and failing tests simultaneously. As I please one so I disappoint another.
I feel as though I am the hard task for others to uptake. I just show up and spend enjoyable time with them and they work hard to be with me, to tolerate the many facets of me, to cope with me… Do they dread another slip into the darkness as much as I do?
Happiness is seeping through the cracks in my emotional armour, unbidden and foreign to me. I don’t know what to do with the light that touches my soul but it warms me from the inside out and though I might question how deserving I am of it – I know I will hold on to it as long as it will have me. Security makes an attempt to follow but it will surely take time to penetrate my untrusting mind.
Is it time to admit that things are going well and stop looking for tragedy to strike? | 2019-04-22T04:54:19Z | https://dearbrain.wordpress.com/category/musings/ | Porn | Health | 0.978828 |
wordpress | And on that note, a particular verse struck me on this reading. Jesus warns his disciples, “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; for false Christs and false prophets will arise…” (21-22). And in my decidedly American experiences with Christianity, I can’t help feeling like we may be too good at following his teaching here. We seem particularly vulnerable to getting swept up in apocalyptic fervor, conjecturing on what contemporary events may be signs of the times or which world leader is the antichrist.
But here’s the thing: whatever false claimants to divinity, messiahship, or Jesushood may spring up in the days to come, history has already seen an abundance of failed messiahs. Let me share a few of them with you.
First of all, let’s talk about the shepherd Athronges. While Jesus was learning to walk and getting visited by Persian scholars, Athronges was waging war on behalf of average Jewish Joes everywhere. Around 4 BC, Athronges got together his brothers and began a revolt against both Rome and the latest Herod to take the Judean throne, Herod Archelaus. Athronges wasn’t the only one to lead a revolt, but his was one of the most brutal. He and his brothers had muscles for days, and they were so consumed by their hatred for illegitimate powers that they apparently got pretty indiscriminate in their brutality toward the end of their unsuccessful campaign. Athronges tried to stake a claim on the title of king, but he knew better than to claim divinity. And Herod eventually put down his rebellion.
Next, how about Judas the Galilean? In 6 AD, Rome got sick of Herod Archelaus’ incompetence and installed their man Coponius as governor. The people were, of course, ecstatic to have a non-Jew leading their nation, and when he tried to levy new taxes, a man from Jesus’ own home district of Galilee named Judas called it (in so many words) “slavery with extra steps” and led an uprising. Although he made a messianic move for the independence of the Jewish nation, his movement nominally stood for no king but God and no laws but God’s. And we know what happened to him from Luke’s own book of Acts: “…Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered” (Acts 5:37).
Then we’ve got big daddy Simon Bar Kokhba. Roughly a hundred years after Jesus, he and a united army of fed-up Jews revolted against Roman rule. His movement comprised hundreds of thousands and even had its own money with coins bearing his name. He could trace his lineage back to King David, a requirement for authentic messiahship, and “Bar Kokhba” means “son of the star,” suggesting a messianic interpretation of Numbers 24:17: “A star shall come forth from Jacob…and shall crush through the forehead of Moab.” He pushed for obedience to the Torah, fought against Roman impositions on Jewish political and religious autonomy, and punished Jewish Christians who would not deny Christ’s own messiahship. Bar Kokhba made possibly the strongest, most explicit claims to the messianic title in all the ancient world, but his defeat dealt a crushing blow to Jewish resistance. History wouldn’t see another major messianic claimant until Moses of Crete, who is another weird story entirely.
And I could go on. Jesus’ world was no stranger to messianic uprisings past and present, and Jesus wouldn’t be the last to wear the metaphorical crown of anointing oil. But here’s the point: these other guys are the might-have-been messiahs. They came, they saw, they fell to Roman counter-insurgency. Jesus failed too, if we’re being honest. He bit it at the hands of his enemies, fellow Jews who gladly handed him over to Rome. But to this day, no one considers any one of these other guys to be the Messiah. Jesus Christ is the only one still standing.
Posted in Acts, Mark, New Testament.Tagged ancient Judaism, bible, Biblical history, christianity, devotional, Jesus, Mark, messiah, preterism, religion, Roman Empire.
Indeed–roughly seven hundred days! Athronges’ and his brothers’ revolutionary movement lasted a bit shy of two years. | 2019-04-18T12:50:12Z | https://chocolatebook.wordpress.com/2018/06/05/mark-13-last-messiah-standing/ | Porn | Reference | 0.188345 |
livejournal | The world is a large place, growing with each breath we take, each discovery we make. It's full of sharp edges and soft rounded places, a complexity that is often all too simple. There are mysteries yet to be unraveled, some that will never be revealed. A mystical place that brings joy, pain, life and death to each of us. Sometimes, we view it through jaded eyes, and other times through rose tinted glasses.
And here, in this space, is where I am. I cannot tell you who I will be, for that future has yet to be revealed. I can only tell you where I've been. I can show you the joys, the pain, the complications and simplicities that litter my daily life. I can show you the path that I've travelled thus far, with the grass that's not always green and the flowers that aren't always in bloom. I can even show you the bed I've made - and hope that it's one I want to lie in. I can show you these things with the sharp clarity that only hindsight can bring. | 2019-04-22T17:05:43Z | https://onyxangel.livejournal.com/profile | Porn | Reference | 0.237913 |
wordpress | Cue Design Agents design partner Meridiani will be at the Milano Design Week between 12th and 17th April 2016.
If you would like to discuss idea’s of how Cue/Meridiani can turn your idea’s in reality contact us at www.cueagents.com for an appointment.
This design by Sebastian Errazuriz is typical of the idea’s that come out of Italy. Cue Design Agents works with a network of Italian Artisans that can take you idea’s from concept to reality.
Contardi create unique lighting designs manufactured to the highest levels of quality. | 2019-04-22T04:21:19Z | https://cuedesignagents.wordpress.com/2016/03/ | Porn | Reference | 0.580343 |
wikipedia | კლასიკური მუსიკა — მუსიკის ფორმა, რომელიც ჩამოყალიბდა დასავლურ ლიტურგიულ და საერო მუსიკაზე დაფუძნებით. მისი განვითარების პერიოდი მოიცავს დაახლოებით ცხრა საუკუნეს. XI საუკუნიდან - დღემდე. მუსიკის ამ ტიპის ძირითადი ტრადიციები ჩამოყალიბდა 1550-1900 წლებში.
↑ 1.0 1.1 "Classical", The Oxford Concise Dictionary of Music, ed. Michael Kennedy, (Oxford, 2007), Oxford Reference Online. Retrieved July 23, 2007.
↑ The Oxford English Dictionary. (2007)classical, a.. The OED Online. წაკითხვის თარიღი: May 10, 2007.
ეს გვერდი ბოლოს დარედაქტირდა: 13:22, 20 ივნისი 2017. | 2019-04-21T18:23:50Z | https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%99%E1%83%9A%E1%83%90%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%99%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98_%E1%83%9B%E1%83%A3%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%99%E1%83%90 | Porn | Reference | 0.901764 |
wordpress | It’s coming up to that time of year when holidays are in abundance.
If you are a fellow writer, it can be a pleasure and a pain.
A pain because, if you are anything like me and you do not get an opportunity to write whilst on holiday, you miss it, you long for it, you crave for it, you yearn for it and are somewhat more sad and lonely to be without it.
If the person/s you are away with are understanding then that is great but if you are with someone who doesn’t write and believes your work should be left at home, what can you do?
How can you write whilst you are away?
Create a diary of your journey, tell your loved ones or friends it’s so you can remember the happy times you’ve share and then use it when you get home to write a story or an article.
Keep a notebook and pen by the side of your bed, pretend you are asleep and wait until everyone else is asleep, then begin to write.
Write at least one postcard to a member of your family or a friend each day.
Pretend you are reading a book by the side of the pool or at the beach and then slip a notebook and pen inside and begin to write.
When you are away, if you are going to have internet access, create a second email address and email yourself with a piece of writing .
Good luck and enjoy your holiday.
Posted on February 16, 2012 February 16, 2012 by Quirky BooksPosted in holiday, Inspiration, quirkybooks.net, Writer, WritingTagged Book Writing, Email address, holiday, Writers Resources, Writing, Writing Exercises.
Next Next post: Top five tips for how to stay focused on your writing. | 2019-04-26T00:48:08Z | https://quirkybooks.wordpress.com/2012/02/16/write-away/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.574734 |
wordpress | Drink plenty of water to remove under eyes dark circles by rehydrating your body as dehydration is one of the major causes of dark circles.
Take proper sleep time and take some rest after doing work.
Use fruits, fresh green vegetables and food rich in protein to get rid of dark circles.
Use moisturizer for your dark circles.
Avoid sweets and chocolates in your routine and also lessen the use of salt as this is the big reason to dehydrate your body.
When you come after tough work, take slices of cold cucumber and put these slices on your eyes for half an hour. It will refresh your eyes and prevent dark circles.
Take used tea bags and dip them in cold water and place on your eyes for half an hour to relax your eyes.
Use sun glasses when you go out.
Make a paste of turmeric powder with pineapple and apply the mixture on dark circles for 15 minutes.
Apply cold cream on dark circles before sleeping. | 2019-04-21T22:09:00Z | https://beautysaloon.wordpress.com/tag/eye-care/ | Porn | Health | 0.974069 |
wordpress | So here’s a question to think about… When you think of Lavender Herb or Aquamarine, where do these colors/scents take you?
SO very distinct in their own way and yet play a subtle roll of trickling down memory lane reminding you of a moment in time where these colors had a vivid meaning for you.
At this point you’re wondering where I’m going with this. Well, that’s how you choose your color.When trying to decide on a color theme for your event whether it being any social function; wedding, engagement, baby shower, cocktail party, corporate function and you are playing around with colors trying to figure out what best works. Use this method. Create a connection and the rest is history. Once you have an indescribable positive feeling, you can work with it and incorporate it within your event.
Working with couples we are able to factor in many things to help decide on what hues would work best for each individual. Such as the time of year, venue, indoor/outdoor. Then we are able to narrow down the options to create a look and feel the couple want. This way the color is familiar and yet intriguing! | 2019-04-23T08:33:20Z | https://lenellevents.wordpress.com/2015/06/19/the-perfect-palette-2/ | Porn | Business | 0.329201 |
cnn | Diagnosing asthma is often tricky because many children have wheezing episodes before age 3.
"She started wheezing and had a barking cough that wouldn't quit," says her mom, Iliana Mavinkurve, who lives in Livingston, New Jersey. "I had asthma as a child, so I recognized Sonali's symptoms and was worried."
At first, doctors called Sonali's condition "reactive airway disease," because children her age can't do the breathing tests necessary to pinpoint asthma definitively. "But when her symptoms kept coming back, given my family history, Sonali got the diagnosis," says Mavinkurve.
Given how dramatic asthma symptoms are, you'd think it'd be a snap to diagnose. That's often not the case, especially in kids under 5. "As many as half of children have at least one episode of wheezing before age three, but after that most never wheeze again," says Dr. Paul Williams, clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington.
In fact, only 15 to 20 percent of kids who wheeze go on to have lifelong asthma. Plus, very young children can't adequately perform spirometry, which requires patients to blow as hard and as long as they can into a meter; it's usually not till they're 5 or 6 that kids can do the test, which can accurately diagnose asthma, says Williams. In the meantime, you can get a pretty good sense of your child's risk by using the Asthma Predictive Index, which we've adapted into the "Risk Checker" at right. So grab a pen and see how your sweetie's symptoms stack up.
1. Has your child had frequent wheezing before age 3 (four or more episodes in one year that lasted longer than a day and disrupted sleep)?
2. Does she have at least one of these major risk factors?
3. Does she have at least two of these minor risk factors?
If you answered yes to the first question along with at least one other, there's about a 76 percent chance your child's symptoms will persist through grade school. Meanwhile, 95 percent of kids who have only one yes (or none) will likely not develop asthma after age 6. Great news!
1. An irritant, allergen, or virus makes its way to the lungs from the upper respiratory tract.
2. The immune system kicks into gear, producing antibodies and other substances to fight it off.
3. These immune chemicals trigger two big, simultaneous changes: The lungs' airways begin to constrict, causing spasms, and they also become inflamed, which leads to further swelling and mucus production.
Despite the fact that asthma has the potential to be so well managed that it becomes practically a nonissue, it's still grossly undertreated, says Dr. Bradley Chipps, pediatric pulmonologist and allergist at Capital Allergy and Respiratory Disease Center in Sacramento, California.
"Number one, physicians often view asthma as an episodic disease," says Chipps. "They just do crisis intervention and aren't seeing patients back on a regular basis."
The secrets to getting asthma under control: First, ask your doctor for a written asthma action plan. Consider it your customized road map to your child's medication as well as to all the lifestyle strategies that will help you help him avoid his triggers. The second step is to find the best mix of medicines for your child -- and then use them as directed.Parenting.com: Are we overmedicating our kids?
Why: Inhaled corticosteroids reduce airway inflammation long-term. About two thirds of children in this category will have good control using one every day. Same goes for kids who flare only during certain times of the year; the drug protects them through their danger zone and then they can stop.
Why: If corticosteroids alone aren't working, an anti-leukotriene can block the chemicals that are further fueling airway swelling and spasms. Those who are still suffering may need to add an LABA, such as Serevent or Foradil, which are longer-lasting bronchodilators.
What to watch for: Upset stomach, cough, dizziness, drowsiness, ear pain or infection, swelling of the mouth or throat. The FDA is also investigating a possible association between the use of anti-leukotriene medications and behavior/mood changes.
Laura Flynn McCarthy is a mom of two boys. She lives in New Hampshire. | 2019-04-25T21:01:29Z | http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/18/parenting.children.asthma/index.html | Porn | Kids | 0.396637 |
wordpress | Do you know that using fruit juices frequently is one way to help the weight loss process take place more quickly and powerfully? At the same time, when you add fruit juices to your daily diet, they also help improve your skin and health very effectively. It’s very interesting, isn’t it? Here are some effective weight loss juices that you should know. Let’s see! | 2019-04-24T14:28:49Z | https://chrissjonss.wordpress.com/2014/11/20/you-should-know-some-juices-that-support-the-weight-loss-process-very-well/ | Porn | Reference | 0.277623 |
imdb | Carrie Fisher is best known for playing Princess Leia Organa* in the 'Star Wars' saga; but Fisher's legacy extends beyond a single role with over a hundred acting credits spanning a 40 year career. Fisher was also a New York Times best-selling author, screenwriter and script doctor. She embraced the "no small parts" mantra with regular TV guest star appearances, supporting actress movie roles and other assorted cameos. Fisher balanced her acting and writing careers and was well known for her humorous scene stealing performances.
Which Carrie Fisher movie or television role other than Princess Leia is her best scene-stealing performance?
After voting, discuss the topic here. | 2019-04-25T01:20:27Z | https://www.imdb.com/poll/Tq_dLzOLubU/?mode=desktop&ref_=m_ft_dsk | Porn | Arts | 0.985884 |
wordpress | It’s National Volunteer Week, and the staff and board members here in the Northern Minnesota Region have much to be thankful for. This year we decided to write creative thank you notes to volunteers in celebration of their service to the Red Cross. These notes will be compiled into a poster, which we’ll bring to each of the upcoming volunteer appreciation events this spring. But in honor of National Volunteer Week, here’s a preview of how thankful we are for our fabulous Red Cross volunteers.
From the archives: Phil Hansen in 1990 working for the American Red Cross in Rochester, Minnesota.
They say that what you send out in life comes back to you multiplied. I believe this is so and I have witnessed many examples over the years.
In my own experience, a donor supplemented the cost of a swimming program in which a Red Cross instructor taught me to swim. I got so excited about the program that I joined the Red Cross and helped teach thousands of others– mostly kids–to swim. My ability to swim has saved my life on at least two harrowing occasions. And one time I used my ability to swim to save a friend. I suspect that many of those I trained have saved lives as well.
My experience is one small example of the multiplying effect of a donor’s gift. I bet the Red Cross has already touched you or a family member in some way. If not, maybe someday it will–you may need swimming skills to save a loved one’s life–or have a heart attack and need CPR–or need blood after an accident–or need a place to stay after your home burns down–and the Red Cross will be there for you–always.
During March–Red Cross Month–I want to share my sincere thanks with our board members, volunteers and paid staff members, donors, supporters, partners, and friends for the many ways you have helped the American Red Cross serve the needs of Minnesotans.
P.S. Click here to learn more about ways to be involved with the Red Cross.
Elizabeth Estepp, of Ham Lake, Minnesota, is a 2012 American Red Cross Heroes Awards recipient.
One Sunday morning in Ham Lake, Minnesota, Elizabeth Estepp was at church when her pastor challenged everyone. “He asked us to ask ourselves, if our church disappeared would the community even miss us.” Estepp and some others realized that the answer was no. To change this, they decided to focus community outreach on bringing clothing to people. But how? Estepp slept, thought, and prayed until an idea formed. “I told my husband, we have a trailer full of junk parked outside. Let’s clean it out.” That was more than two years ago. Since then Friend2Friend, a mobile clothing ministry, has put hundreds of pounds of wear-able used clothing into the hands of people who can’t afford to buy their own.
Friend2Friend, a mobile clothing ministry based in Ham Lake, Minnesota, reaches hundreds of people across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.
Pants on a mobile clothing rack hang from the upper left side, making it easy for people to find a fit.
Watching volunteers prepare donated clothing items for distribution serves as a reminder that helping others takes time and effort. Simply, it’s work. And Estepp recognizes this. “If we didn’t see the definite impact we wouldn’t be able to keep it going.” The impact extends from a homeless person needing a jacket to a widower finally feeling good enough about emptying his deceased wife’s closet. Or to a volunteer feeling worth-less until putting his trailer-pulling skills to work for a worth-full cause. Or to Estepp listening to a question and finding an answer because “this is what energizes me.” She’s making plans too: getting Friend2Friend’s food pantry on wheels.
Estepp and the other 2012 Heroes will be honored at the annual American Red Cross Heroes Breakfast on Thursday, May 24, at Target Field in Minneapolis. The public is invited to attend, help recognize local heroes, and support their local American Red Cross. Tickets and table sponsorships are available online at redcrossmn.org. | 2019-04-19T21:07:17Z | https://minnesotaredcross.wordpress.com/tag/humanitarian/ | Porn | Reference | 0.177078 |
wordpress | WE’VE MOVED! Visit us at our new site at http://www.hichacutting.org.
Click on the championship link to the right for more information. Email us at hicha808@gmail.com if you have questions.
Our next event is a jackpot show on August 20th at Anderson’s Arena in Waimea at 9:30 am. Please click on the entry blank/fees link on the right for more information. Entries are due by Sunday, August 14.
There are only two jackpot shows left in the season before our annual championship in November.
Our next event is our May Jackpot Cutting at Anderson’s arena on 5/21 at 9 am. Click on the entry blank, classes & fees link to the right for show information and entry which is due by May 14. MAHALO to everyone who came out to our play day at Alex’s place. Let’s put those hours of practice to good use at our next jackpot cutting. Email us at hicha808@gmail.com if you have any questions! Stay tuned for more information as our event nears.
Our next event is a play day and general membership meeting at Alex Penovaroff’s place in Kamuela. Here are the details….
Who: All HICHA Members and Anyone Interested – Spread the word!
Cost: $125 per horse gets you 4 gos in the herd and unlimited use of the flag. All participants must be current members for insurance purposes. We do offer a daily rate for newcomers.
Lunch will be provided. General membership meeting at lunch.
Please let us know by 6 pm, Sunday (4/17) evening if you intend to come out for the fun. Cattle count is due Monday. Our email is hicha808@gmail.com.
Let us know if you have any questions. This is a great opportunity to school your horses and have some fun. Hope to see all of you there!
MAHALO to everyone who came out to support our first two events of the season. Please click on the calendar link to the right for an updated calendar of events.
HICHA is very proud to promote the “Dutch” Schuman Big Island Paniolo Scholarship Fund for high school seniors. The scholarship was created in memory of Dutch, a successful business and cowboy at heart. Dutch was a huge supporter of the horse and cattle industry on the island and was especially interested in encouraging our younger generations to pursue their interest in animal husbandry. This scholarship is a wonderful way to honor his legacy. Click on the scholarship link to the right for more information.
Happy Easter and see you all in April!
Happy New Year and welcome to the 2016 show season. Links to the right have been updated. Our first event is a jackpot show on February 27 and Punk Carter cutting clinic on February 28. Click on the entry link on the right for show/clinic information.
Hope to see you all at the first show!
The 2015 Big Island Cow Horse Championship is scheduled for November 14 & 15, 2015 at Paniolo Park at Parker Ranch in Kamuela, Hawaiʻi. The excitement gets started on both days at 9 am. Come and cheer on our riders as they compete in the snaffle bit futurity and maturity, super horse, bridle horse, 2 year old in training, cutting and reining events.
For more information, click on the Big Island Cow Horse Championship link to the right.
Due to cattle availability, this Saturdayʻs show will take place at Hale Kea in Waimea and not at Honokaʻa as originally posted. So far, we have a good number of participants and are looking forward to a great day together. Our judge for the day is Skip Schuman from Oʻahu.
We are excited to announce a special year end youth award offered by Kerry Schuman in honor of her beloved horse “Lady Smoker” who passed away on February 10th of this year. The year end award will go to the youth with the highest combined score for youth cutting, youth reining and youth limited. 1st place will received $300 and 2nd will receive $200. See any one of our board members for more information.
Hope to see yaʻll at the show!
MAHALO to everyone who came out for the fun at our first play day. We had some new faces and horses and everyone had a good time. Our first jackpot show is Saturday, March 14, 2015 at Honokaʻa arena. Please click on the show entry link to the right for entry information.
If youʻd like to get in touch with our club, please email us at hicha808@gmail.com and weʻll get back to you ASAP. You can also visit us on our Facebook page by clicking here. MAHALO for stopping in!
Welcome to the Hawaiʻi Island Cutting Horse Associationʻs blog. We have a great board who is committed to planning a fun year for all of our members.
Our first event will be a Play Day and General Membership Meeting on Saturday, February 28 at the Penovaroff Ranch in Waimea. We encourage old and new members to join in the fun! Bring a friend. We promise fresh cattle, the flag to practice on, fellowship and fun. | 2019-04-23T04:25:06Z | https://hicha.wordpress.com/ | Porn | Kids | 0.22251 |
wordpress | Shakespeare’s plays remain as popular today as ever. The literary eloquence of his writing continues to be unmatched. Whether performed on a local stage or adapted to the big screen, his timeless plays strike a chord in the human heart and ignite passionate feelings.
What makes the plays so enduring? Craig Stephans believes eternal truths permeate the plays creating a foundation in the reality of human existence, and these truths touch us spiritually, emotionally and mentally and draw us into the experiences of the characters, because they provide glimpses of ourselves and people around us.
Shakespeare on Spirituality explores the many plays of Shakespeare and reveals treasures of spiritual, life-changing wisdom. Excerpts from the plays and elucidating commentary on 37 topics offer enlightening insights culled from Shakespeare’s genius. Find out what Shakespeare’s plays say about subjects such as attitude, religion, sin, marriage, loyalty, friendships, character, angels, cheerfulness and many more intriguing topics related to the relationships we have with others, God, our world and ourselves. You will marvel at just how much Shakespeare’s plays divulge about spirituality.
If you enjoy Shakespeare or have an interest in spirituality, Shakespeare on Spirituality offers an innovative, creative presentation of Shakespeare’s beautiful, illuminating writing. You will appreciate Stephans’ style of writing and thinking on the spiritual topics he addresses.
You can order Shakespeare on Spirituality from Amazon.com.
You have the same the same love for the arts in theater,poems,great theological literature and paintings as did the late pope John Paul.I feel blessed to know you and so appreciate your integration of the arts with the gospel.I will bring my painting of John Paul for you to see soon. | 2019-04-23T14:11:00Z | https://craigstephans.wordpress.com/craigs-book-shakespeare-on-spirituality-life-changing-wisdom-from-shakespeares-plays/ | Porn | Arts | 0.925092 |
wordpress | In January, I was approached by these clients to create an illustrative montage, to tell the story of their lives together so far, and of the schedule of their wedding day, there were many components/ ideas/ and a few drinks drunk too, as we came to this composition/ final idea!
The top tells the story of the day, and each place illustrated sit along the river where they would on a map of London, the bottom section shows where they met, where they got engaged, where they did Erasmus or where they were from. The final greenery all over was in keeping with their florist who does amazing things, I can’t wait to have a peak at it on the day!
I thoroughly enjoyed creating this piece as it was so personal, and am thoroughly pleased how it turned out as an image for the invite/ insert! It is definitely something I would love to do again!
Have a great day Illy and Jinx, and all the best for your future together!
In a recent flurry of work/ private commissions (isn’t it always the way…) I was asked to create this home in Minas Gerais, a particularly poignant home for my client as it was where she grew up. I know the client personally, and knew the sentimental importance of the piece, so despite it being a simple building and a smaller piece, it took some time and thought. I thoroughly enjoyed giving the building it’s character, through my usual use of colour if in somewhat random way!
I was also asked to portray her parents in the piece from photos she supplied me with, which again gave it it’s personal touch – and proved trickier than said, given as resemblance is key on such small figures they required less mad dash brush stroke and a steadier hand!
Take a look, I believe the client was very pleased ;)!
Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro (CARNIVAL), Paraty, Sao Sebastiao, Ilha Bella, Santos, Santo Andre, Sao Paolo. 2 Planes, 8 buses, 2 ferries… and lots of time to look out the window.
The nicest thing is I barely had to edit these – the light and colour, well it’s real. It’s Brazil. Take a look.
My latest client asked me to work from a photograph of a beach- Balmoral Beach in Australia to be precise. (Given my holiday blues at the time this was really nice to do!) It was a birthday present for the Granny of my client, who turns 90 very soon I believe. The flags, not part of the photo, but through artistic license were added as he requested, in order to combine the family nationalities. I hope you like it James, but more importantly I hope Granny does!
This latest private commission came from A lovely lady (and now friend) who bought 2 of the pieces that I exhibited at the Gallery Upstairs, she approached me to do a third of the building that she owns and of the restaurant that is run by Gamal and Maria. La Dolce Piazza serves delicious italian cuisine, having eaten there numerous times now (thanks Barbara/ Maria/ Gamal). So if you are based in Warwickshire or just in the area you should definitely go there and eat!
I think I have at least made it loo welcoming from the outside!
I am currently getting set to create two private commissions from clients based in London and New York, these are the sketches I’ve been working on to detail and capture exactly the composition and therefore commission they would like, ‘London, Hyde Park corner’ and ‘Mumbai skyline’ pictures to follow!
So today I’ve been beavering away putting together a composition drawing for Lady Bamford’s fabulous new pub/ hotel in the Cotswolds… Look out for the finished piece to come! | 2019-04-22T13:25:05Z | https://lucindaburman.wordpress.com/tag/composition-drawing/ | Porn | Home | 0.344441 |
wordpress | The initial recount process has found a major error in one county where thousands of ballots were not computer entered. The recheck has given Judge Prosser a seemingly insurmountable advantage and he should be considered victorious-along with Governor Walker and Sarah Palin.
Palin, alone amongst the high profile 2012 possible candidates had the guts to endorse Judge Prosser, once again putting her principles above any personal election considerations-and she has added yet another endorsement victory to her substantial total.
The Judicial election in Wisconsin which pitted incumbent Judge David Prosser against challenger Joanne Kloppenburg was touted as a “Referendum on the Governor”. The New York Times called it a battle by proxy with the unions, who spent a substantial amount of money in this “judge by proxy” campaign, taking on Governor Walker.
With the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s bench seemingly 4-3 tilted towards Walker, the unions and Democratic Party saw backing Kloppenburg, viewed as more amenable to their cause, as a possible way of changing the balance on the court in their favor. This, should Walker’s collective bargaining bill reach the court for a final decision on its legality.
The election has taken a far more important role in the mind of the public for a whole host of reasons.
2.It is a vote in proxy on the actions of the Democratic Party politicians who fled the state rather than undergo the normal democratic process when the bill came up for voting on.
3.It is a referendum on the swing to the GOP last November,which was itself a referendum on the Obama administrations policies. Even Reuters, which has taken a decidedly anti-Palin tack, agreed a loss for Kloppenburg would look bad for the Dem’s “A Prosser victory would be a setback for Democrats, who channeled their anger about the union restrictions into the Supreme Court election campaign as a proxy vote on Walker’s policies.” However even the apparent tie is a loss given the resources thrown at the election.
4.It is a referendum on the unions-whether union bullying tactics can still carry weight in the minds of the voters, in a different era from when the unions had clout and public sympathy, and were seen as acting for all workers, not just the self-interest of some.
5.It is a referendum on Sarah Palin who, alone of the major possible contenders, endorsed Judge Prosser and did, as she always does, spoke out fearlessly and strongly for what she believes in, no matter what the potential cost to her chances of high office.
6. It is a trial run by proxy of Obama versus Palin 2012 in a traditionally liberal state which if “Palin” wins would have serious implications for the Republican nomination process.
The votes are in (subject to Democratic Party shenanigans in a further recount of course) and, on the night, in all these six significant points, the forces that were unleashed or ratified last November have had their power reinforced and clarified. Despite all the money and supposed foot soldiers the unions, supported by activists and the liberal media, could bring to bear, even if an honest recount goes against Prosser the close fight in this liberal state bodes well for 2012.
For ten years, The Candie’s Foundation has been working to prevent teen pregnancy by producing and funding celebrity-driven print, television, radio and online public service announcements. Ms. Palin was compensated for her work with the foundation, which included appearing in video and print PSAs, two town hall meetings, and numerous media interviews.
The message of the foundation about teen pregnancy prevention has generated more than ONE BILLION media impressions – tremendous reach for any teen pregnancy prevention campaign. We know that Ms. Palin’s work has had a positive effect on teens. In a recent independent national survey of 1,000 teens that compared a Bristol Palin PSA with those of another national teen pregnancy organization that use non-famous teens, more than twice as many teens (57% vs. 27%) said Bristol’s PSA “got my attention”, three times as many (41% vs. 11%) said it was “powerful”, and more than twice as many (38% vs. 16%) said it was “memorable”.
Bristol Palin is one of dozens of celebrities who has worked with the foundation. She has been a courageous and powerful partner to the foundation as we attempt to discourage teen pregnancy.
Curious, is it not, how the left loses its mud because a non-profit organization, which depends on donations freely given, paid Bristol Palin in six figures. Yet these same leftists think it’s all right that millions of dollars of taxpayer money is being used to kill innocent infants in the womb. That’s what passes for morality on the left these days.
Commenting on the Wisconsin judicial election at,seemingly fittingly ‘Commentary’, John Podhoretz makes some of the same points I did regarding the outcome.
We both saw one of the most important factors in the basically tied result (as of this writing-there are reports of found ballots and possible illegal actions) was the fact that the unions,the Dem’s and the media had thrown everything they had at the election and still did not make a significant breakthrough voting wise.
The polls the media had trotted out purported to show that the Wisconsin public backed the unions case by 55% to 40%. The media breathlessly reported that public demonstrations-numbering over 100,000 were the greatest in the history of Wisconsin and more money, and doubtless union foot soldiers were brought to bear than in any other judicial election in history.
And yet with all that effort the union/Dem’s/media backed candidate could only,on the night,end up with a 204 vote winning margin which might still be turned around with a recount. Unquestionably the union candidate did much better than would have normally been the case but this was no normal case of course. What needfs to be taken into consideration are the historical voting factors.
As Stacy McCain at “The Other McCain” points out Governor Walker won in 2010 with 52% of the vote, compared to Prosser’s just under 50% thus “400,000 who voted for Walker stayed home this time.” If we take that 50% as the new base level in Wisconsin for the GOP then the state is very much in play on the presidential level in 2012-which has important implications on a number of levels.
Rather than, as Podhoretz states, “the parties are at parity” if we extrapolate the 50%-52% from the 2010/11 results as being where the Republicans in Wisconsin are now at that is a remarkable turnaround from the 2008 results state wide. Obama carried Wisconsin by 56% to 43% but just two years later Walker turned that sort of deficit into a winning margin. If this holds true for 2012 then an electoral map like the one below becomes a strong possibility.
The other factor of major significance is that the possibility (as Josh Painter advises) of Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan being the vice-presidential candidate. This is a role he has not denied he might undertake, with for example Sarah Palin (Palin has praised his economic proposals strongly on a a number of occasions) and it would presumably, put Wisconsin further into play.
If Wisconsin if in fact a winnable state after having been lost by 13 points to Obama then the parties are most certainly not at parity. | 2019-04-21T18:11:02Z | https://sarahpalininformation.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/ | Porn | Reference | 0.354726 |
wordpress | The why’s and wherefore’s of this blog are explained in my Manifesto (of sorts).
On this blog, you’ll find things I know about: SharePoint, general technology items, social media, and career development.
SharePoint (and .Net web development) are my stock-in-trade, the toolsets with which I do what drives me – making other people’s work easier, more effective, more efficient. I know quite a bit about SharePoint, and I’ll try to tell you everything you ought to know about what I know.
Occasionally, I’ll learn something helpful on more general or less categorizable technology subjects, so I’ll post that.
I’m interested in Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogging, podcasting, etc), as how people communicate and connect with each other has a big impact on how we work and live.
Especially in the current economic climate, career development subjects (including how to get a job) are important to everyone.
I’ll also talk about what I am doing in those areas, and how you can get involved, too!
Yes, I want to brag about what I know, so that when someone says “SharePoint”, my name is the first one you think about. But I want to do it in such a way that you get value from it too. I want to help you make things easier, better, more effective for yourselves. And I will do it in a way that is ethical and transparent.
I try to post only if I have something significant to say. If I have updates to a post, I’ll add them to the comments for the entry, unless there is enough significant change to warrant a new entry.
Prior to my technical career, I managed a comic book store called Dragon’s Lair for 8 years. If you look at the URL for the store’s website, you will see that it is dlair.net. As the manager for so long, being the “d. lair man” was a big part of my personal identity for a long time. It is also an unusual handle, so I never have had to remember multiple usernames because mine was always available. (Remembering multiple passwords, of course, is another matter!) Though I no longer manage the store (and the store is in a new building, and I have never worked with any of the current staff), I am still a customer there, and feel a strong connection with the store.
What’s this “spam guy” thing about?
Well, I can reassure you that I don’t send spam. Apparently, I am spam! It’s a great story, and I enjoy telling it. Ask me the next time we talk directly, and I’ll be happy to tell it to you!
Jim Adcock is a SharePoint Administrator, Analyst and Developer in Austin, Texas, with a passion for helping make things better for people.
This passion has led him to a role as Vice President of Launch Pad Job Club, to writing about his experiences and understanding here on Working It Out, as well as at The MetaBlog Blog and SharePointTherapist.com, and to public speaking about career management and SharePoint (though usually not at the same time). He has previously held a leadership role in the Austin Software Process Improvement Network, and is active in the local user group community, helping to promote community involvement and engagement as an essential part of career success.
He also feels very awkward talking about himself in the third person.
You can find out more about Jim Adcock at his LinkedIn profile, or check out his resume. You can follow him on Twitter. And, if you really need to, you can e-mail him by sending it to his first name at his last name dot net.
He also has an occasional food blog.
All material posted on this blog is copyright by me (unless stated otherwise). You are encouraged to quote extensively from this blog as long as it includes a link back to the source. You may not republish any article in its entirety (or enough of its content that it gives the appearance that republication is your intent) without express written permission. AND YOU ABSOLUTELY MAY NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR MY WORK OR IMPLY THAT IT YOUR WORK. You are welcome to use any code provided on this site to assist you in your education in how things work, but no warranty about its use is expressed or implied – in other words, if something goes wrong, don’t come looking to me! That said, I enjoy helping people and to the extent I am able, as a show of goodwill and community spirit, will try to provide whatever assistance I can in trying to understand what went wrong and what to do to prevent and/or remediate the situation.
I keep a personal blog, which happens to be on WordPress and which features my various writings. I mostly post articles (writing tips / well-being), short stories (mainly flash fiction) and poetry (mostly rubbish, but I have my moments). I’ve just started an MA in Creative Writing, so there is going to be a lot of new material going on there over the next couple of years.
Anyway, my other side (the left-brain side) goes under the title of ‘Software Designer & Developer’ and it’s in this guise that I came across your blog. I’m currently doing some work with InfoPath and SharePoint and so when I came across your article about adding a unique auto-incrementing column to a SharePoint list I was very glad to see it.
I know that this isn’t the usual kind of comment you get on your blog because I can see (from the lack of comments here) that your usual Followers are left-brains. The kind of blog I write and generally frequent is chatty and friendly, because right-brains are more into people and connections rather than just taking what we need and asking questions when we don’t get enough.
So, in conclusion (finally – right? 🙂 ), I thought I’d take this opportunity to say ‘howdy’ (’cause I know that’s how all Texans speak – yes?) and say thanks for your blog, Jim.
Hope you have a great day – Robert (York, England). | 2019-04-19T00:51:36Z | https://dlairman.wordpress.com/about/ | Porn | Business | 0.597208 |
wordpress | Now I didn’t love everything about it, and I’ll be a little more in depth, but on the whole, the new season delivered. And that’s hard to do. Fans have been waiting for this for, I believe the figure is, seven years.
Also, and I’m just gonna mention this and move on with my life, there’s been a fair amount of “hating” on the new format, aka the Netflix release, but none of the studios would pick it up, so I say party on, Netflix. Especially considering that it’s being made by all the same people, cast and crew. It’s a little different, it may take some adjustment, but the future has arrived, let’s give it a fair shake.
I’ll get the negative stuff out of the way, cause there was really only one very major (and it is pretty frakking major) thing that I didn’t like about Season 4: Michael. As I’ve mentioned before, Michael is my favorite character in Arrested Development. And he’s the only thing that kept the family going as long as it did. In the end of season 3 he says, screw it, they have to take care of themselves for awhile, but the character who has fallen from grace the most is him. Bittersweet and ironic? Sure. But his character also got annoying. Maybe the rest of the family finally rubbed off.
The fact that he was living in George Michael’s college dorm room pissed me off more than I can really understand, and was uncalled for even in the rules of their universe, but it did send him back to the model home, an important plot point. Although, George Michaels’s Dad, crossed out and changed to Michael, note, was personally, my biggest, “awww, how sad,” moment of the season (if you’ve seen it, you know what I’m talking about). His stuff with Isla Fisher was cute, but Michael’s character has fundamentally changed and I want the old Michael back, if there’s any way to swing that.
Also, more Maeby please. She was another favorite of mine and she only got one episode, and rarely crossed over into the other character’s episodes. Hers was one of my fav’s this season for sure. Possibly even my most favorite.
And that’s really the most important thing.
Although the bastards ended the season on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait another seven years to find out what happens next!!!!
This entry was posted in tv and tagged arrested development, bluth, jason bateman, netflix, ron howard, season 4. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-24T19:02:39Z | https://rambleonnerdyponderings.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/post-arrest-arrested-development-season-4/ | Porn | Reference | 0.814898 |
wordpress | Later Japanese edition of Guy Debord’s masterpiece, translated by Kinoshito Makoto. An earlier edition was published in 1993.
NLC / More to come. Meeting w/ Verlaan. San Francisco (CA): More to Come, 9 April 1975. 8p.; ill.; 21 x 13.5cm.; ill. white wrappers with text in black, B&W picture of “The Cowboys” feat. John Wayne.
In this brief pamphlet, the anonymous author – likely a member of More to Come, a Bay-Area anarchist / prositu collective active in the early and mid-1970s – recounts a conversation with Tony Verlaan, a former member of the American Section of the Situationist International. The text is highly critical, with the author noting that “In the San Francisco Bay Area in the years 1964 to 1972, their (the S.I.’s) practical achievements are nil”. He goes on to criticize Isaac Cronin and others for their obsession with theoretical considerations and similar lack of practice.
This pamphlet is absent for institutional holdings, with the exception of the Labadie Collection at the University of Michigan. To my knowledge, It has not been reproduced on the internet, which is why the full text is featured below.
[ROBERT CHASSE] Situationist International. Letter dated December, 1968. New York: Situationist International, Dec. 1968. 21 x 29.5 cm. Single-page mimeographed letter; black text on white paper with a correction in blue pen.
Announces the dissolution of the Council for the Liberation of Daily Life as it merges with the Situationist International. Also announces the publication of a “Situationist International magazine” and solicits money for that project. The proposed magazine is described in some detail, and the address of the new Situationist International (at its Cooper Station P.O. Box, New York) is provided.
The current letter is rare, unavailable on OCLC and – despite its importance – in digital format. It is mentioned tangentially at http://www.cddc.vt.edu/sionline/si/dailylife.html. | 2019-04-21T18:05:58Z | https://situationnisteblog.wordpress.com/2014/01/ | Porn | Reference | 0.473358 |
wordpress | First comment: this has to do with the word “blogger” and to whom it ought refer. I know: the convention is, as the Babylon translation site has it, to define the word as “the person who keeps a blog.” I personally believe, however, that at least loyal participants in/contributors to a particular site should also be referred to as “bloggers.” Some established “officially” as “bloggers” do indeed (such as Tammy Stephens on this site) tend to their own sites also.
Do you prefer the term “reader,” or “commenter,” or “contributor” perhaps? Or perhaps “accomplice”?
Second Comment: “Lolly” and “Jeff Thompson” have in particular kept alive a discussion about the merits of the “AP Stylebook” as a guardian of the writer’s workplace and the public’s interests.
This entry was posted on July 24, 2009 at 10:51 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I use the term readers, but like your term bloggers, because it sounds more personal. (Like our blogger breakfast.) They are loyal, as you mentioned, and keep our blogs going.
Dr. Rundus, I’ve long wondered whether the Observer has editors whose job it is to study, proof and/or re-write articles before they go to press. It appears as if the writers are just turned loose with no editorial oversight, and that certainly is not the mark of a good newspaper. I’d like to see some of the paper’s bloggers chime in on this…..
Hey “Doc” am I close on this one?
“Commenter” is a sub-set of “Reader” as “Reader” also includes “Lurker.” Commenters are the folks who hang out here and make comments. You, of all people, ought to make sure to use the language properly.
“Who’s” is uncommon but I believe it’s 🙂 a legitimate contraction of “who is.” Think Sidney Poitier movies.
I am a blogger, currently I maintain a blog on two different sites I average 150-200 reads per post and 10-20 responses. I find blogging more entertaining than watching TV and presently it is a bastion of free speech.
If you are posting blogs or commenting on someone else’s you are still a blogger.
I’m a scarred male who is friendly with cats, dogs, children and some adults—anyone care to adopt me?
No Daryl, it’s the wrong whose!
Daryl Cobranchi–I use language quite often, and I hope responsibly, particularly as it relates to accurate information and justifiable opinions. In the sciences, as especially in biology and botany and zoology and similar sciences, scientists are devoted to careful classifications into subcategories of members of the entire species. “Genus” and “family” are examples that are widely used. I’m not very good at remembering much of this.
But when it comes to labels and similar definitions that are applied to human beings, there is often very little “science” to base a classification on. So I believe that “commenter” and “reader” can’t really be placed clearly into a category and sub-category relationship.
Nothing wrong with “who’s” in the sentence, though some editors might object to the use of a contraction in this context. “Whose” would be incorrect.
My bad. It was Tom Cain, not Tammy Stephens, who pointed out the difference between “shoo-in” and “shoe-in.” And we are glad to hear from this gentleman.
Did you catch the booboo then? Or do you see it now?
Yeah, I just sinned again. I produced “education” when I intended to produce “educator.” Bah, humbug!
E-mail me a link to your blogs, I didn’t know.
One man is hard enough for any woman, lol.
Don’t read my blog, lol. Have bloopers daily.
I’m not sure why errors in an AP story would lead to concerns about AP style.
People are going to botch a word here and there; but the answer is not to abandon standards altogether. Does not compute.
It’s like saying that if one person forgets to RSVP for a dinner party, we decide that all common etiquette is for naught.
And of course the people who comment on a blog (even regularly) should not be referred to as bloggers. We don’t refer to people who write letters to the editor as reporters, do we? In both cases, they are merely responding.
You can call them commenters, readers, fans … maybe even contributors, if you feel they’ve truly advanced the discussion in some way. But they are not bloggers, except in the context of a blog they may have written.
Finally, I would love to see an Observer response about the state of (or existence of) their copy desk.
In a highly structured environment, such as that in a typical large regional or state newspaper, I believe that a reporter or staff writer fairly far down the “chain of command” would have–and does have–his work closely monitored by at least one editor every time he or she submits a piece for possible publication.
If that newspaper claims to present itself as abiding by the AP Stylebook or any other guide, then it ought to be evaluated by its successes or failures in doing so.
Since the experienced writer is permitted to use a “byline,” then he or she is indeed more likely to be held responsible or culpable. With more freedom comes more personal accountability.
As a postscript we ought all to wish Tammy Stephens well in her quest to be elected an “Alderman” (Tammy: should that not be “Alderwoman,” or perhaps “Alderperson”? I don’t think, as with the “cosa nostra,” that I would “go to the mattresses” about that distinction just now). Tammy has kept a blog site about Spring Lake active for quite some time and has been a valued and supportive “commenter,” “responder,” or “reader” on this site not very long after its launching three years. I am greatly impressed by her community activism, her volunteer work, her vitality in spite of serious health concerns, and her devotion to her family She has my vote, or would if I were a Spring Lake resident eligible to cast one!
Well, of course they have editors. I’m not disputing that.
But a line editor or section editor is not the same thing as a copy editor. Copy editors are there specifically to check the grammar, diction, spelling and usage bugaboos that pop up in all writing — not to mention good old-fashioned typos, and even errors in statistics.
A section editor would give great feedback on what info is missing from a piece. Or whether adequate research was done. Or which sources might help complete a story. Those same editors, in my experience, are utterly clueless on the difference between “phase” and “faze,” or why an independent clause after a colon always begins with a capital letter.
The copy editor has always been the one to enforce those rules. The “shoe-in” error suggests to me that either the AP or the Observer (perhaps both) are relying less on copy editors — and more on the ignorance of readers. It does not suggest that AP style is an unworthy standard.
Thanks Dr. R.; I misread the line inlcuding the contraction who’s.
Thank you so very much! That was sweet of you. It’s Alderman until a woman gets a chair, then on the agendas they are called Alderwoman.
Since I coach baseball, really can’t say too much, lol.
If I do 2 out of 3 of the above, am I not a blogger?
And thanks to Lolly for her continuing and challenging quest to define and defend the helpful applications of the AP Stylebook. Doesn’t anyone have a copy at hand? Guess I could check for such on http://www.abebooks.com.
But you aren’t doing ANY of the three, at least not on this blog. You are adding comments to an existing blog post. That is all.
When there are several authors of one blog (as with the Observer’s “Two Chicks, a Guy and a Blog”), each of them is a blogger when 1) writing in it, 2) adding material to it (e.g., a photo), or 3) maintaining it (e.g., tagging or categorizing posts).
Adding your own commentary to a blog post does not count as any of those three things.
Lolly did well in exposing how (I must be a real oaf at times to do so) I neatly placed double “ofs” (especially the second usage being the forbidden preposition ending a sentence) in one of my otherwise more coherent sentences. For both uses “which” was the object. But fear not the ancient admonitions from the strictest old grammarians. They are bits of nonsense up with which I will not put.
So then, we are in agreement that, even though we don’t host a blog, since we write in and add material to a blog, we are therefore bloggers.
I concur, agree, and fellowship with Mr. Faircloth.
Hear, hear! One for all, all for one (and every man for himself)! | 2019-04-19T16:46:00Z | https://rundus.wordpress.com/2009/07/24/two-piddling-comments/ | Porn | Reference | 0.520349 |
google | Customize your Scrollbar easily, fast and however you want!
Do you want to customize / edit your Chrome™ Scrollbars? Try Scrollbar Customizer! It's very easy, fast and you can change almost everything with the built-in editor!
IMPORTANT NOTE: It is NOT possible to inject code to some Chrome™ specific sites like this Web Store, Chrome Settings, Chrome Extensions and other. Therefore it is NOT possible to customize scrollbars on these sites from this extension. Google™ has good reasons for this so as long as they are keeping up for these restrictions, we cannot offer our options on said sites.
Want more? Leave a comment with suggestions and we will try to implement it!
If you like Scrollbar Customizer, please rate us 5 Stars, give us a Plus 1 and share on Facebook!
Chrome™ is a trademark of Google Inc. Use of this trademark is subject to Google Permissions. | 2019-04-20T12:39:45Z | https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/scrollbar-customizer/flffekjijpabhjgpoapooggncnmcjopa?hl=fi | Porn | Business | 0.492246 |
wordpress | For the most part, the Bible is written from the perspective of Immigrants. Abraham is an immigrant. Joseph and later his family and descendants are immigrants into Egypt. After the Exodus the Israelites are immigrants in Canaan. During the exile they are immigrants/refugees. With all that in mind it is hardly surprising that the vast majority of the Bible is essentially pro-immigrant. Throughout Hebrew law the Israelites are constantly reminded to care for the migrant and the resident alien because they were once aliens in the land of Egypt.
There is, however, one place where the scriptures are fairly unequivocally anti-foreigner. After returning from the exile the Israelites are led by the political leader Nehemiah and the preist Ezra. The stories are told in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah of how Ezra renewed the the covenant with God and Nehemiah rebuilt the military wall. Both books record the wave of anti-foreigner sentiment led by the political establishment. Ezra and Nehemiah are concerned with the purity of their people, and maintaining their status as a people set apart before God. Ezra condemns the people [naturally, he’s only speaking to the men], “For they have taken some of their [foreigners] daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. Thus the holy seed has mixed itself with the people of the lands.” (Ezra 9:2). He then tells the assembly to “never seek their peace or prosperity” (Ezra 9:12) and sends away all of the wives and children (Ezra 10:2, Nehemiah 9:2). Meanwhile Nehemiah curses them, beats them, and pulls out their hair (Nehemiah 13:25).
I’ll return to the story of Ezra and Nehemiah in a minute, but first I want to give a little bit of history on today’s anti-immigrant movement. Chris Hayes writes an excellent profile of John Tanton, the liberal/progressive ecologist who founded many of the organizations that currently advocate for restricting immigration. Tanton’s initial arguments were about the damaging effects of brain drain and the inequality and poverty that drove immigration. He was also concerned about preserving the environment by keeping human populations steady, arguing that “each country ought to try to match its population to its resource base.” He was an early advocate of birth control and founded the first Northern Michigan chapter of Planned Parenthood.
As he campaigned against immigration, Tanton found that his arguments did not resonate with people. Instead, people would tell him some variation of, “I tell you what pisses me off, it’s going into a ballot box and finding a ballot in a language I can’t read.” The emotional power of language and culture far outweighed any kind of ecological or economic argument over immigration. In order to help the movement succeed, it became increasingly driven by those who felt their language, culture, and identity were threatened by this new wave of immigration.
As a group, Americans have contradictory feelings about immigration. We can’t divide the country into “pro-immigrant” and “anti-immigrant” groups, even if you might be able to make such a division among politicians or talk-show hosts. Apart from a small population of hard-core nativists, most Americans acknowledge that we’re all descended from immigrants of one kind or another, whether your ancestors walked across the Bering Strait land bridge, came over on a slave ship, or drove down from Toronto. They also appreciate that immigration gives our country vitality, and that immigrants are exactly the kind of hard-working, ambitious strivers that drive our economy and culture forward. But at the same time, many feel threatened when they see the character of their towns and cities change, and nothing embodies that change more than language. When people walk into a store and hear a language being spoken that they don’t understand, they suddenly feel like foreigners in their own neighborhood, alienated and insecure. I’m not putting a value judgment on that feeling, but it’s undeniable.
Historically, immigrants have wound up learning English anyway, so some on the left have argued that this provision is not a big deal, and if it helps immigration reform pass, then we should keep it in the deal. I can certainly agree it’s better than cursing them, beating them, pulling out their hair, and separating them from their families, but better yet would be an actual discussion of culture and immigration. Here, we can take a cue from the authors of the books of Jonah and Ruth.
While Ezra and Nehemiah were rooting out foreigners, a few Israelites were telling stories that cast foreigners in a completely different light (much the way Jesus would later do in the parable of the Good Samaritan). In the story of Jonah we have a native prophet who can’t do anything right, while even the livestock of the hated Ninevehite foreigners are repentant. The story of Ruth celebrates the loyalty of Ruth the Moabite who follows her mother-in-law back to Israel. As Ruth is taking advantage of the gleaning laws (Lev 19:9-10, 23:22, Deut 24:19-22) to ward off hunger she meets Boaz, a distant relation of her husbands family. They are married, and Ruth becomes the great-grandmother of King David.
The Bible is full of stories, and many of them are reactions or counter-reactions to the established religious paradigm. The authors of Jonah and Ruth reacted against the anti-immigrant stance of Ezra and Nehemiah, just as the wisdom sages reacted against the theology of the deuteronomists. One of the many things I find beautiful about my sacred scripture is that it shows the way in which religion is always in conversation with itself. The authors of the Bible don’t all agree about theology or public policy, and we get to see it all. Yes, the overwhelming evidence suggests that coherent theology demands a pro-immigrant stance (and it does), but the lesson of Ezra and Nehemiah is that the discussion over the importance of culture cannot simply be dismissed, and that the best way to meet it is not with economic charts and graphs, but rather with stories full of humor and charm.
This entry was posted in Immigration, Politics, Theology and tagged bible, immigration, language. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-22T14:17:05Z | https://natewkratzer.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/what-we-can-learn-from-the-anti-immigrant-passages-in-the-bible/ | Porn | Reference | 0.135197 |
blogs | Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie: "Saddam Hussein Put to Death"
"Saddam Hussein Put to Death"
(New York, December 30, 2006) – The execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein following a deeply flawed trial for crimes against humanity marks a significant step away from respect for human rights and the rule of law in Iraq, Human Rights Watch said today.
The Iraqi High Tribunal sentenced Saddam Hussein and two others to death in November for the killing of 148 men and boys from the town of Dujail in 1982. The tribunal’s statute prohibits, contrary to international law, the possibility of commuting a death sentence. It also requires that the execution take place within 30 days of the final appeal.
Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all circumstances. Increasingly, governments are abolishing the death penalty in domestic law.
A report issued in November 2006 by Human Rights Watch identified numerous serious flaws in the trial of Hussein for the Dujail executions. The 97-page report, “Judging Dujail: The First Trial Before the Iraqi High Tribunal,” was based on 10 months of observation and dozens of interviews with judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers.
The report found, among other defects, that the Iraqi High Tribunal was undermined from the outset by Iraqi government actions that threatened the independence and perceived impartiality of the court. It outlined serious flaws in the trial, including failures to disclose key evidence to the defense, violations of the defendants’ right to question prosecution witnesses, and the presiding judge’s demonstrations of bias.
Hussein’s defense lawyers had 30 days to file an appeal from the November 5 verdict. However, the trial judgment was only made available to them on November 22, leaving just two weeks to respond. The Appeals Chamber announced its confirmation of the verdict and the death sentence on December 26.
At the time of his hanging, Saddam Hussein and others were on trial for genocide for the 1988 Anfal campaign. The victims, including women, children and the elderly, were selected because they were Kurds who remained on their traditional lands in zones outside of areas controlled by Baghdad. Hussein’s execution will therefore jeopardize the trial of these most serious crimes. | 2019-04-19T16:49:11Z | https://chuckcurrie.blogs.com/chuck_currie/2006/12/saddam_hussein_.html | Porn | News | 0.678252 |
wordpress | In Cuba, ballet is wildly popular and the best of the best, the prima ballerinas, are national treasures. Ballet is Cuba’s premier cultural export. Thanks to Fidel,dance flourished during the revolution and continues to do so today.
Training starts early, and not just at the National Ballet. Schools flourish throughout Cuba though only National Ballet receives support from the government.
Prodanza Ballet Academy, in a Havana suburb, is directed by Laura Alonso. The academy is housed in a grand old building which, like most in Havana, is in much need of renovation. And, as you can see, the students are in dire need slippers and leotards.
But, in spite of all that is lacking, these kids show a grace, and a spirit, and a joie de vivre that is so uniquely Cuba. For more on these ballerinas, click here.
So nice that he encouraged this, when he repressed so many other things during his lifetime in power.
The founder of the National Ballet School was a supporter of Castro’s and he was generally a supporter of the arts as long as they didn’t become a means of dissent.
Beautiful and graceful. I am off to Cuba in about 8 hours. I know we won’t be visiting any ballet schools so I love seeing your pictures.
I hope you had a great trip.
Graceful: Winter | What's (in) the picture? | 2019-04-25T19:46:15Z | https://ronmayhewphotography.wordpress.com/2017/01/22/cubas-young-ballerinas/ | Porn | Arts | 0.903956 |
google | My current doctorate dissertation is on government performance. I also have 10 years as a consultant doing same. Osbourne himself lamented the failure of his ideas to take hold in local government. The problem with this book is that out sourcing many government functions is a failure in terms of ethics and equity. Should your fire department not show up at your house if you haven't paid your subscription dues? Should libraries turn a profit or turn a collection agency on you for an overdue book? | 2019-04-24T18:20:20Z | https://books.google.com/books?id=7qyp_EcJuZoC&sitesec=reviews | Porn | Society | 0.531152 |
imdb | JoBlo.com Talks Marvel, Bad Flicks & more w/ Jeph Howard of The Used!
I just saw the CBS television special, Movies Rock, a tribute to the music of some of the best and most popular movies of the last century. It started with the last scene of The Wizard of Oz with Judy Garland declaring, "There's no place like home." Then Beyonce came on stage at the Kodak Theater singing, "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow". Among other entertaining musical performances: Carrie Underwood singing "The Sound of Music" from the movie of the same name, Usher performing Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain" number, West Side Story star Rita Moreno introducing Jennifer Hudson singing "Somewhere", Sweet Charity star Shirley MacLaine introducing Queen Latifah singing "Hey, Big Spender", Elton John singing his own "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King, and Tony Bennett singing "White Christmas" which originally appeared in Bing Crosby's Holiday Inn. Honorable mentions should go to Fergie's "Live and Let Die" (in which she gets hoisted up near the end), and the "Shaft" number performed by LLCoolJ and some other rappers. None of these performers should make you forget the original film moments but it's nice seeing today's stars give tribute to some of the most memorable and enjoyable music movie sequences that captivated us and still do for the last 100 years. While I agreed with my mom that Ms. Underwood didn't come close to Julie Andrews in her iconic moment, she did a very good job nonetheless. And how cool was it to see Harrison Ford introduce multiple-Oscar nominee and winner John Williams play some the most memorable movie scores from both his and other's movies. I especially loved his segueing Bernard Herrmann's "Psycho" theme to his own "Jaws"! If CBS reruns this show or it ends up on VHS and DVD, I'd recommended you see Movies Rock. | 2019-04-25T16:21:18Z | https://akas.imdb.com/title/tt1046184/?ref_=nm_flmg_slf_133 | Porn | Arts | 0.95081 |
wordpress | Ignorant, foul mouthed, or erroneous posts will be deleted automatically. If you cannot articulate a point without slurs or abusive language, don’t waste your time.
Run on topics, rants, or attempts to drift the conversation will be deleted, and your IP address will be banned from being able to comment.
This is not a forum. I know this is a confusing point for some- don’t worry, I’ll help you- I have 100% discretion as to what goes up and what doesn’t; you don’t. What I allow in comments is a reflection upon me as an author. It will be run accordingly.
I don’t care about your life story. Get to the point of your comment quickly or it gets deleted.
If you have a product or website that you think would serve the community at large, email it to me before posting it. If you just slap it on the tail end of a comment or are giving an obvious sales pitch without my approval, you’re going away.
This is not your social media site. I do not care what you said to so-n-so over at Joe Bob’s faux-philosophy site or what protests your organizing. If you want to get my attention, be a man about it and ask first.
Respect my house and I’ll respect you- but it’s earned and not promised.
If your input has valid merit (which I know the difference, and so do you), if you have questions or request clarification, or you wish to bring a contrary opinion to the table within certain reason, I’m all for it. Follow the rules and the world will spin properly.
If you happen to take issue with any of these rules, have a problem with your comments not appearing or feel that you’ve been subject to unfair treatment, email me like a man at brushbeater@tutanota.com versus whining and crying about how mean I am elsewhere on a forum, other people’s blogs or on social media. This house is not your house, you will obey my rules. | 2019-04-22T12:48:15Z | https://brushbeater.wordpress.com/comments-policy/ | Porn | Home | 0.426812 |
wordpress | Claire Rice on how Thunderbird Theatre Company becomes a Cooperative Corporation…tell your enemies!
Thunderbird Theatre Company has been producing original comedy in the Bay Area since 1998. We specialize in mash-up style storylines where the good guys are wondering idealists and the bad guys come with a posy of henchman. I say “we” because I have been working with Thunderbird Theatre Company since 2006’s “Release the Kraken”, a take-off on Kevin Smith’s “Clerks” and the 1981 classic “Clash of the Titans”. I played Andromeda, who was from the Ukraine and ends up in the Princess Leia gold bikini at the end of the show.
No, really. THE gold bikini!
Over the years Thunderbird Theatre Company has brought together some exceptionally talented people to do some exceptionally silly and entertaining theatre. A long the way we’ve also grown up, bought houses, started careers, gotten married, had children and done all the things that people do as they grow older.
We also came to the realization that if we wanted to keep doing what we loved (namely have as much fun on stage as we could) we would need to re-organize ourselves.
I sat down with long time Thunderbird Christine McClintock to talk about Thunderbird, what it means to be a Cooperative Corporation, lost doubloons, gigglebones and other very adult things.
What is Thunderbird Theatre Company?
Christine: After a yearlong hiatus from production, we have been reorganized as a California Cooperative Corporation named The Bird Empire, doing business as The Thunderbird Theatre Company.
If Thunderbird wasn’t a business before, what was it for 16 years?
We were previously a sole proprietorship. This meant that most of the liability for the business fell on one person. Aside from this being incongruous with our operating structure and ideals, it made for some awkward situations, such as the predicament of divulging an individual’s social security number on behalf of the company.
Why a co-op and not a non-profit (or sole proprietorship or llc, etc.)?
Christine: The reasons behind the decision to reform as a Cooperative Corporation are threefold.
Making silly plays with your friends, for your other friends to come see is not a legally recognized tax-exempt purpose. Whether or not it should be is a worthy conversation for another time and place. Quite simply, we did not want to be beholden to these requirements set forth by a governmental agency, or contort our activities to fit these stipulations.
Secondly, we wanted to formalize and equitably divide our financial contributions. For the majority of our years as a company, we have operated at a loss. This loss will now be evenly distributed across the company members so that each individual pays their fair share – and only their fair share. It’s our hope that in the future, we will turn a profit on each production, and in turn, those profits will be equally distributed among the company members.
Finally, we felt we wanted our structure to continue to be horizontal. We do embrace the fact that no “leaderless” organization is ever fully so, but our current configuration lets us both play to our individual strengths while leaving space for us to rotate responsibilities, recruit fresh voices, and provide opportunities for newcomers.
We felt the best match for these three primary philosophies is the cooperative model.
The meetings will look like this, but with more cheese and puns.
Can you still do fundraising (like Kickstarter or Grants)?
Christine: Yes and no… and maybe… and yes again.
Many grants require a 501(c)(3) status or fiscal sponsorship to determine eligibility, so we would only be able to apply to grants to do not require such a status – like TBA’s CA$H grants. We’re honest with ourselves that we’re not the kind of organization that most grantors are looking to fund at the moment. We’re making art for ourselves, and grantmakers tend to look to size and area of impact. We tend to only impact gigglebones.
Kickstarter and Indiegogo, on the other hand, do not require an organization to be a non-profit in order to launch a campaign. We need to be clear with our donors (Kickers and Go-goers) that contributions made to Thunderbird are not tax deductible.
We are still a corporate entity though, and as such, we are only eligible to receive funds that are related to our business. Donations not directly related to goods or services, therefore may trigger an audit or a revocation of our corporate approval. That being said, the rules governing such things are, (for better or worse), more flexible than they may appear.
How does being a co-op change how you make decisions?
Christine: The great thing about being a cooperative is that our decision-making process hasn’t caused us to change drastically. In fact, it highlights a track record of decision-making that has already been mostly democratic. Writing our bylaws helped us to clean up some of the specifics of administering an arts organization such as what denotes a quorum, how will we decide what will be our next production, etc.
The overarching precept is equality: one member, one vote.
Also, standard shotgun-calling rules apply.
Do you know how this will affect your future?
Christine: Some guy named Commodore briefly mentioned something about our membership growing, creating more content, experimenting online, and sometime in the very, very distant future, we will acquire our own space, perhaps in the East Bay.
Where should people go if they are interested in getting involved?
Right now we’re looking for folks who want to be “Collaborators”. This is a non-voting level of membership that comes with perks and treats (and responsibility). After a year, “Collaborators” may be invited to be full-voting members, though they may elect to indefinitely remain at the “Collaborators” level and hoard their perks and treats.
Thunderbird Theatre Company’s latest comedy “SHOW DOWN!” opens on Friday, August 1, at The EXIT Theatre in San Francisco. Tickets are on sale at Brown Paper Tickets. Please, if you love ThunderbirdTheatre Company tell your friends. And if you don’t…tell your enemies!
Claire Rice has some ideas.
This is what ideas look like.
Theatre Bay Area recently had two very big fundraising drives. One of those was the Blushing Orchid Ball and the other was an on-line campaign asking members to help “bridge the gap” in funding that the event (and I’m assuming other endeavors) didn’t fill. How big a gap? Quoting Brad Erickson: “Nothing life-threatening ($50,000 is about 3% of our total budget)…” I got the first “Bridge the Gap” email on June 12. One day after San Jose Repertory announced it was filing for bankruptcy. Thirteen days after Intersection for the Arts announced that it would be restructuring. As of this writing Theatre Bay Area traversed the funding gap. The sweat can be wiped from our brows and we can all go back to doing what we were doing before…raising money for everyone else.No, but seriously, I’m glad they were able to raise the money. Programing shouldn’t have to be cut because the rent was raised.
Programing should be cut because it isn’t working.
So now that Theatre Bay Area is out of the danger zone, I think it’s time we take some evaluation time.
Here are a few things that I would like Theatre Bay Area to be.
I’m talking about membership here. My membership to KQED isn’t about me; it’s about what I think is important. I believe that Public Radio needs to exist in the world. My membership to Theatre Bay Area is like that too. I am a member because I believe Theatre Bay Area serves my community in an important way. I’ve been a member of Theatre Bay Area on and off over the years, but it was only the first year of my membership where I was doing it for me. The magazine, as good as it can be, is perishable. The discounts in services are negligible to being a non-member and most events are just as open to non-members as members. Membership dues right now are 30% of Theatre Bay Area’s annual income, but I know plenty of people who aren’t members who benefit by proxy from other people being members (like the companies they work for, or they read the articles on line). They may say: “I didn’t go to the conference because I’m not a member,” or “I was a member, but I didn’t get anything out of it.” American Conservatory Theatre is a member of Theatre Bay Area, and I’m pretty sure they aren’t getting anything more out of the membership than most. Why are they members? For postcard distribution? No. It’s because they understand that Theatre Bay Area is a hub of a very large metropolitan area. It’s a hub that connects a diverse range of communities. Our thinking about cost/benefit of membership needs to change. Our relationship to the organization needs to change. When a membership payment is made the member should not be thinking: I’ve paid $75 and what have I gotten out of it? They should be thinking: I’ve paid what I could and now I can feel like I’ve contributed to the community at large.
And like Public Radio/TV, Theatre Bay Area shouldn’t look as if it is providing services strictly for the benefit of the cash that comes out of those services. There is a big part of me that agrees with local theatre personality and soon to be podcast celebrity Rob Ready that too many theatre companies are operating on a crutch of fundraising. There are too many theatre companies who are more worried about their pass the hat speeches, program inserts, kickstarters, and gala events than they are about whether or not a show actually sells. But theatre companies are not services organizations. As “intrinsic” as they may be to our experience as human beings, (or insert other inane grant-speak statement) they do not provide necessary services that support communities. Not all of them, anyway. Theatre Bay Area does! CA$H Grants aren’t just money to local artists; the process of applying is practically grant writing training wheels. No other organization will hold your hand throughout the grant writing process. No other organization will call you and tell you your budget is weird looking and give you 24 hours to resubmit. No other organization will let you sit on a panel first so that you know what it is like to apply before you apply! That alone is worth the $75 membership fee. But right now, Theatre Bay Area, either because of pressure from members or funders or from their own history, has set up a system where everything it does must be able to fund itself. Thus the pay wall. Right now, as a member of Theatre Bay Area I get a magazine, access to what’s behind the pay wall on the website, and discounts on their events and services. But I argue that the news, opinions, forums and opportunities are too important to put behind a paywall. The articles are too well written, the important news and opinions of the day are too of the moment, and the voices of the leaders of our industry are too necessary to keep behind a pay wall or oppressed by a press date. HowlRound, 2AMt, BitterLemons and various blogs are filling the internet for free with up to the moment opinions, incisive critical reactions, brave foretellings, and just plain old news. I argue that the pay wall is hurting Theatre Bay Area more than it could ever help it. It makes it feel like a for profit venture when in every other way it’s main and best purpose is to be for the benefit of it’s members.
I know, this sounds crazy! And, in a way, it is. But it needs to be full of nonperishable items like plays, dramaturgical analysis, and a place where writers can be published. The magazine is beautiful and it is the biggest reason to become a member. This month’s magazine included IDEATION by Aaron Loeb, and that is wonderful. But if the pay wall comes down and we can get something that looks closer to The Bold Italic or HowlRound with daily stories, editor’s picks, updates and news bits, then we don’t need a publication with those things. One yearly Omnibus publication can have: a “best of” section for articles that mattered throughout the year, the Glickman winner, Theatre Bay Area’s annual report (LINK: http://www.theatrebayarea.org/?page=2013AnnualReport), a report on the whole Bay Area Theatre scene, and a listing of award winners and where they are now! It can have reports from important unions, big funding organizations, government agencies and more. It can be so much. And it can be available electronically for my Kindle.
San Francisco is going through an arts revolution right now and theatre isn’t being left out of it. Really, it’s not. We are just so caught up with being “relevant” and “important” that we are overlooking the fact that we are part of a larger tapestry of incredible things going on right now. Yeah, times are hard and Netflix is better than going outside. Fact. It’s just a fact. I can’t and won’t argue it. Please, can we stop talking about it? At the very least can we find another way to frame the thought: “San Francisco isn’t seeing us. How do we make our presence known?” One day there is going to be a San Francisco Chronicle story with a headline that says: “Who knew we had so much amazing theatre?” And we’ll all stomp our feet and get red in the face and say: “We were always here!” I just need a new argument here. I need more than cheer leading and intrinsic impacting. I hope the awards will help, but I sincerely doubt they will do more than boost both internal moral and internal strife (yes, at the same time!). I don’t want to waste time telling people that I’m important. It’s time we figure out how to let them know we EXIST! | 2019-04-18T11:26:36Z | https://sftheaterpub.wordpress.com/category/claire-rices-enemys-list/ | Porn | Business | 0.591527 |
wordpress | If you have suffered with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), or know someone who has, you are probably familiar with those distressing, intrusive thoughts that create so much anxiety. Traditional psychoanalysis used to focus on the content of those thoughts and seek to uncover the deep, buried wounds and wishes that led to these strange, seemingly alien notions. Thus the woman who was obsessed with the fear that her child would get hurt walking to school might be analyzed and advised that she seems to have a deep resentment against the child and all the responsibilities of motherhood and the worry is really an expression of an unconscious wish to be rid of the child. Talk about a guilt trip…!
This is what mindfulness, stress management and cognitive-behavioral therapy can do, together, to help with OCD. The brain changes in response to choosing these behaviors, and the degree of physical distress decreases throughout the whole body.
If you are suffering with OCD, this kind of very well-researched approach may be what you need. Please contact a professional in your area if you think this might be helpful for you.
It seems as if daily we are told how shamefully the military handles the problem of psychological distress and emotional pain for our men and women in uniform. In May, the USA Today newspaper empire asserted that the “Pentagon [is] perpetuating stigmas that hang over treatment, study finds.” (Zoroya, USA Today, May 6, 2016). The military is criticized because it takes mental health issues seriously enough to reconsider security clearances…unnecessarily “stigmatizing” those who have sought treatment.
This supposed stigmatization merits careful consideration. These include the depth and breadth of existing mental health services for active duty personnel and veterans; the conflicted American mindset on mental illness and emotional distress; and the logical outcome of this strange ambivalence.
A person not in the military or close to military personnel, may reasonably be under the carefully groomed media misimpression that the emotional well-being of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines is some sort of vague afterthought. Perhaps the general public is unaware that military mental health officers (people who are qualified to be licensed solo practitioners in the civilian world) are found in forward operating bases, combat outposts, and other deployment settings, providing critical incident debriefings, assessments, counseling, and referrals for more comprehensive care. When young men in harm’s way are despondent over a wife’s philandering, or are heartbroken over missing their child’s birth, the mental health officer is there. When there are incoming mortars, the mental health officer is there. When someone’s reaction to the weekly required malaria medication is extreme (malaria meds cause short-lived anxiety in about 1 in 10 people, and for some of that 10%, paranoia kicks in briefly, too), the mental health officer is the one who can figure out what’s going on and have the physician provide an alternative medication for the soldier – saving a military career from dissolving due to what looks like psychosis but is a transient medication side effect. In short, when crises occur, the “doc” or “shrink” or “combat stress lady” (quotes from military personnel) is there.
It is understandable that most civilians are unaware of mental health clinics on military bases, where military personnel and their families can receive counseling. Besides basic counseling services, mental health personnel provide services such as outreach before, during and after deployment, support while preparing for new babies, parent training, marriage counseling, couples’ retreat weekends, substance abuse education, and more. All these are part of the routine in military mental health clinics. Mental health officers are also able to veto a transfer if any member of the transferring family’s health or mental health needs cannot be adequately met at the new location. So…if Mom is being transferred to Base “A” and that area doesn’t have the specialized services that one child in the family needs, the transfer is nixed – possibly by a licensed clinical social worker at Lieutenant rank. The 2nd Lt. just overrode the entire command structure, in the military that is decried for not taking mental health needs seriously.
Then there are the VA system and the Vet Centers. Vet Centers are cousins of the VA. Unlike the VA, Vet Centers require only a DD 214 to provide free individual, couple or family therapy. It doesn’t have to be service-related…but if the problem seems to be service-related after all, the Vet Center personnel can help facilitate connection to the VA proper. These, too, are staffed by people licensed in their respective states as solo practitioners. There are no “not good enough to make it in private settings” amateurs serving in mental health positions.
Finally, there is the difference between benefits (think, Tricare, which is insurance for post-military service) versus service-connected health care (think, the VA system). A lot of veterans get that confused, and any of us who have tried to deal with health insurance and making sense of what is/is not covered, copays and coinsurance, and in and out of network…well, it’s understandable that almost anyone would find it confusing. Fortunately, the VA system and Tricare have professionals who do a lot of work (and get yelled at a lot) in trying to help people understand their benefits/insurance/service-connected health care, and connect them to the right services.
There are mental health services for military personnel and veterans. There could certainly be more, and the services available could be better marketed. In addition…there are stigmas.
Those stigmata comprise one more disgraceful example of too many Americans wanting to have their cake and eat it, too.
The regrettable medicalization of mental health has resulted in the mythology – happily embraced by many in the medical, pharmaceutical and professional-helper fields, as well as by many in the general public – that all mental disorder diagnoses are brain diseases. For example, many professionals will assure you that depression is strictly medical in nature; a brain disease, incurable but treatable by manipulating brain chemistry. Likewise, anxiety is (supposedly) purely a physical issue. People collect Social Security Disability, disability from their employers’ insurance, and other benefits, based upon having some sort of lifelong brain disease (according to psychiatry).
Drink more than one drink daily (females) or two drinks daily (males), or more than your physician recommends, given your particular health profile.
Cultivate poor sleep habits. Watch television before bed; heck, watch television in bed, or use your smart phone, or tablet, etc. at bedtime. Drink caffeine less than six hours before bed. Wait until night time to argue with your spouse. Have a “nightcap,” which is a short word for “the alcoholic drink that will let you fall asleep more quickly and then wake up at 2 AM and have difficulty going back to sleep.” Eat salty foods before bed to activate your dopamine system and feel a little hyper.
Avoid exposure to natural daylight.
Watch lots and lots of television, or streaming video, or play video games, or surf the internet. The more the better. Strive for the national average of 6 hours or more daily (non-work related).
Spend lots of time on social media. In particular, notice how much your life stinks compared to other people’s (supposed) lives.
Shop for recreation. Spend money you don’t have on things you don’t need and then keep being surprised when, no matter how fancy the clothes or pricy the electronics, you are still, well, you.
Don’t apologize, and don’t say thank you.
Think a lot about how much other people are unkind, selfish, lazy, and how generally you are not getting your fair share.
Yes, I just described what an awful lot of people do, and yes, if you do enough of these things, you will probably feel depressed. Yet, as can be seen, every single one of these behaviors is optional for most people. Perhaps someone has physical challenges that prevent them from being active, but otherwise, these all represent choices made, choices which could be changed. If you were to do these things, and feel sluggish, unhappy, uninterested in life, helpless to make things better, etc., and reported this to your doctor, you could easily be diagnosed with depression.
The label depression, of course, is itself suspect. Within the mental health field, we are well aware of a dirty little secret. This secret is carefully hidden by pharmaceutical companies from the unsuspecting, suffering, and happiness-seeking public. That is, the criteria for almost every mental disorder diagnosis is a checklist. Committees review the research, argue about what should and should not be on the various checklists, have professional feuds, and publish the criteria. People are then diagnosed based off a checklist of symptoms or complaints. Those categories are fuzzy – a complaint I hear regularly from graduate students who, perhaps naively, expect pure, clear science. As soon as one set of criteria is published, the process starts all over again. This is how it came to be that, in the current diagnostic manual for the American Psychiatric Association, there is no such thing as bereavement. If you are still moping around after two weeks because someone you love has died, the American Psychiatric Association, in its infinite wisdom, has decided you meet criteria for Major Depressive Disorder. That’s the same Major Depressive Disorder diagnosis that many forces are pushing us to believe is simply a brain disease that requires lifelong treatment. I am not being sarcastic or flippant; it’s their decision, not mine. I was Hospice-trained and, even absent that, I am human and understand that bereavement is a long and painful process, even for the resilient among us.
The decision to eliminate the “bereavement exclusion” was supposedly made, in part, to allow people to use health insurance to pay for grief counseling. (At least, that’s the gossip I hear in mental health circles.) In other words, you are despondent. Someone has died. You go to a counselor. They diagnose you with depression, which is supposedly a brain disease, because you meet checklist criteria. You are now labelled with what many people assert is a lifelong condition due to your sick brain. You will now be able to have insurance cover your counseling (after your deductible has been met, of course). The diagnosis of a major mental disorder will last forever – long after you have forgotten whether you paid a copay or full fee for a handful of sessions, or went to a support group in a church conference room that a therapist facilitated as a volunteer.
Depression is worth discussing as one of the most common diagnoses. Psychiatrists and other physicians provide prescriptions for antidepressants, for example, to about 15% of the adult population annually – and many assert that depression is just a disease, like any other disease, and you have to face that you will be sick and need medication for the rest of your life. If that is the case, then why criticize the Pentagon for being concerned about someone whom psychiatrists assert has a lifelong brain disease having their finger on a trigger, or button, or sensitive data? Why should one person with a particular diagnosis be placed on perpetual disability and another maintain top secret clearance? Which do the people complaining about how the military stigmatizes mental health want?
To be clear, this is not unique to the military. People seek counseling, are unwittingly diagnosed, and discover later that they are deemed mentally ill and a high risk for suicide; perhaps their life insurance rates increase, or their health care premiums increase, and when the premium bills come in, they can’t remember having any mental problems except that time they saw a counselor after their grandparent passed away. The labelling can happen without any mental health treatment at all; if your physician lists a mental disorder as a possible diagnosis (fatigue, depressed mood, and poor sleep being symptoms of lots of problems, psychological and physical) while ordering blood tests (for what turns out to be something medical), that possible mental disorder diagnosis is in your health record, now part of your profile, even if you turned out to be anemic, not depressed.
Right now, the label doesn’t differentiate. As you dig into the chart, yes, it’s there – but the most superficial record just shows the diagnosis code.
So, let us not pretend that the military is some big, horrid bully for treating serious mental disorder diagnoses as a possible risk factor for clearance. As long as those in power – throughout the medical, insurance, pharmaceutical and government arenas – are manipulating the definition of mental illness, one can hardly blame the military for being overly solicitous about the mental health of our men and women in uniform.
The conundrum of diagnoses and the risk of damage to one’s life explain why some military personnel are suspicious about seeking mental health treatment. We ought not to assume ignorance when they instead go to chaplains (who may be precisely who is needed) for wise and useful guidance. Similarly, they may choose to be self-paying for marriage counseling, stress management or other issues…off the record and off the base, their privacy is as sacred as mental health treatment ever was, before psychiatry yielded to intrusive insurance, and, as the big player in the mental health field, dragged most mental health professionals with it. | 2019-04-23T00:23:30Z | https://drloriputerbaugh.wordpress.com/tag/mental-illness/ | Porn | News | 0.214287 |
wikipedia | A thermometer (frae the Greek θερμός, thermos, meanin "het" an μἐτρον, metron, "measur") is a device that measurs temperatur or temperatur gradient uisin a variety o different principles. A thermometer haes twa important elements: the temperatur sensor (e.g. the bulb on a mercur-in-glass thermometer) in which some pheesical chynge occurs wi temperatur, plus some means o convertin this pheesical chynge intae a numerical value (e.g. the veesible scale that is merked on a mercur-in-glass thermometer).
Thare are mony types an mony uises for thermometers.
↑ "thermometer". Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved 1 November 2010. | 2019-04-21T06:48:06Z | https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermometer | Porn | Science | 0.674582 |
wordpress | I will keep adding songs to this list, and encourage you to put your favorite gospel songs & hymns ETC. below in the comments section!!
A great reminder to follow our Saviour- a great song for youth.
David Wesley; “In christ alone”. You’ve guessed I don’t exactly agree with the wording. Yet, this is a very soothing song.
Laura Story; Blessings. What if your blessings come through raindrops?!
“The people in the line” by the Talleys. WOW… Check out!!
“I’m reaching out” by Donnie Rabon..Be K-I-N-D to everyone you see!!
“Pray through” By D. Rabon. Pray!
“Peace” By the Issacs…Pray! And pray again!
Do you want to exercise, and do you wish you were happier? Dancing to Yahuah does this! Exercise that is invigorating! HalleluYah!! | 2019-04-19T16:24:41Z | https://yahstruetorahgirlsblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/01/encouraging-music/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.387557 |
webs | The Association of Aquatic Professionals is a Non-Profit 501(c)3 Organization. We are a cutting edge professional membership based organization. It is our goal to bring together professionals from all aspects of aquatics to network, educate, advocate, enrich, and improve the aquatics industry across the United States and internationally.
The "Bay Area Public Pool Operators Association" began in 1982 with a handful of aquatic professionals who met to discuss, share, inform and benefit from each others programs and experiences. Through this medium the organization has grown to over 175 members on the mailing list and we average over 40 persons at each meeting. BAPPOA is recognized throughout California and the country as a vital leader and advocate in Aquatics.
The Foundation's mission is to encourage healthier living through aquatic education and research. NPSF earns revenue almost exclusively from their world-class educational materials and then reinvests those proceeds to help mankind through new educational materials and grants to elevate our field.
The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) is the world's largest international trade association for the swimming pool, spa, and hot tub industry. As an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited standards developer, APSP works with regulatory and legislative bodies to ensure that their codes, ordinances, and legislation are written to the safest and most current standards. The association's mission is to ensure consumer safety and enhance the business success of its members.
Professional Pool Operators of America (PPOA) serves and supports swimming pool and waterpark operators in the US and now the developed world. We are dedicated to the betterment and national recognition of professional pool operators who excel in this profession. PPOA publishes the Pumproom Press, the nation???s only newsletter exclusively for certified pool operators, which focuses on the technical challenges pool operators face.
The California Park & Recreation Society provides career development, networking, resources and is the public advocate for California park and recreation professionals.
Founded in 1989, Aquatics International is the only publication devoted exclusively to the commercial and public swimming pool industries. The magazine provides detailed information on designing, building, maintaining, promoting, managing, programming and outfitting aquatics facilities.
Born 33 years ago as a magazine devoted to a sports industry just beginning to think of itself as an industry, Athletic Business has grown to become an internationally recognized multimedia brand. Athletic Business is read in print by more than 40,000 qualified subscribers (and tens of thousands more online) representing colleges and universities, high schools, park and recreation departments, military branches and bases, health clubs, YMCAs, professional sports teams, stadiums and arenas, sports architecture firms, and hospital and corporate wellness centers. Readers turn to AB for award-winning editorial content, as well as to view products and services offered by leading advertisers. Year after year, AB ranks as the industry's "best read" magazine by Readex Research, and leads all competitors in total advertising pages, according to Patterson Advertising Reports. | 2019-04-25T19:59:25Z | https://totalaquaticmanagement.webs.com/apps/links/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.367375 |
wordpress | In a large nonstick saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove from pan, and set aside.
Season chicken breasts on both sides with garlic salt and black pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess. In same pan, heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil on medium-high heat. Cook chicken breasts, in batches, 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. (If browning too quickly, reduce heat to medium, and add oil if needed.) Remove chicken from pan; set aside.
Deglaze pan with wine, using a wire whisk and stirring briskly to loosen brown bits from bottom of pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken stock and butter, whisking to combine. Return chicken and mushrooms to pan, and cook until heated through. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Serve with pasta!
We had a summer kick-off BBQ with the family last Sunday. Of course sun, swimming, and lots of yummy food was involved. I made these Grilled Shrimp And Sausage Skewers With Smoky Paprika Glaze. I found the recipe in an old Bon Appetit magazine (June 2010). Shrimp and sausage are great right? Well this smoky paprika glaze just threw it over the top. You could really taste the smokiness from the paprika and the fresh thyme and garlic. Not your typical kabob, so much flavor. Everyone loved this!
I adapted the ingredients slightly to our taste.
Whisk oil, garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, vinegar, salt, and black pepper in medium bowl to blend for glaze. Transfer half of glaze to small bowl and reserve for serving.
Coat grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush skewers on both sides with glaze from 1 bowl. Grill until shrimp are opaque in center, turning and brushing occasionally with more glaze, 6 to 8 minutes.
Arrange skewers on platter. Serve with remaining bowl of glaze.
Preheat the broiler and adjust the rack so that it is as close to the heat source as possible.
Very gently, in a large, broad ovenproof skillet or baking pan, warm the olive oil over low heat. There should be enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan; don’t skimp. Put the garlic in the oil and cook for a few minutes, still over low heat, until it turns golden.
Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp, salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. Stir to blend and immediately place under the broiler. Cook, shaking the pan once or twice and stirring if necessary, but generally leaving the shrimp undisturbed, until they are pink all over and the mixture is bubbly. This will take from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the heat of your broiler. Garnish and serve immediately.
I was looking through my, the best of Martha Stewart Living Holidays book and I came across directions on how to make flavored oils and vinegar. I have been wanting to try this for a while now, so today I gave it a shot. I have yet to find out how the oil and vinegar are going to taste ( seeing that they have to rest for about three weeks), but I think that they are beautiful!
I plan on making and giving a lot of homemade gifts this Christmas and I think these will definitely be one of the many that are given. If I can part with them! They look so pretty up on my counter!
It says in the book to buy decorative new containers, or reuse old bottles. I bought these bottles new, they came three in a pack and were $6.99. I don’t know if that is a good price or not but the bottles are fairly large. Then it says to clean the bottles, put in two Tablespoons of uncooked rice, add hot soapy water, and shake vigorously. Now I’ve seen other recipes saying to boil the bottles first but I wasn’t sure if that applied to these decorative type of bottles so I just went with Martha’s directions. Next it says to Wash and dry herbs, and place three or four generous sprigs in each bottle. Using a funnel, fill bottles with oils or vinegar until herbs are completely submerged. Cork or seal bottles; they’ll be ready to use in three weeks.
rosemary, pink peppercorns, and olive oil. The pink peppercorns really look pretty in the bottle with the rosemary.
Garlic, green onions, lemon zest, and red wine vinegar. It says to only use garlic with vinegar as it can cause bacteria to grow if used in oils.
Hot peppers, tarragon, thyme, sage, dill, and black peppercorns. | 2019-04-20T02:44:37Z | https://busymomblogs.wordpress.com/tag/olive-oil/ | Porn | Science | 0.121486 |
livejournal | I don't know how to cook. I never learned. I have a HUGE mental block that kicks in whenever I see a recipe that requires I put more than two ingredients together. And a disgruntled impatience with the idea of a meal taking longer to prepare than it does to eat. The origin of all this, though, was growing up in the 70's, when women's lib was blossoming full flower. It was a matter of principle to me not to prioritize traditionally female skills. And my mom, who was more interested in law school than cooking herself, didn't worry too much about this gap in my education.
For the record, I was equally disinterested in my father's attempts to teach me how to change the oil in my car. I was an intellectual.
When Mom got busy in law school, my dad took over the cooking duties. Before he got married, he was a cook in the National Guard, so you can imagine the sort of stuff he made for us. He didn't bother to teach me to cook, either.
How did I eat once I didn't have the college mess hall to feed me? It helps not being a fussy eater, but lots of ways, really. You wouldn't believe what comes in cans and boxes and takes a couple minutes to nuke in the microwave. Later, there were girlfriends who cooked (I always dated women who could cook). And when I lost twenty pounds a few years back, it was in part because my mom had been on a crockpot cooking kick the year before.
I occasionally ate meals out, although I rarely relied on that. It was fattening. I did learn how to prepare a few things myself, like pasta, and my father's French Toast (which gave me heart palpitations, so I didn't make it very often). But see above re: two-ingredient cooking.
As I get older, though, I am wanting to take more charge of what goes into the food I eat, and that means learning a skill I never learned. "Never learned" is a sweeping generalization, I've found, though. Earlier this month, I decided to try my hand at Actual Cooking with a 17-ingredient beef stew. I actually knew quite a bit more about what I was doing than I imagined I did. You don't get to be [bleep] years old and not pick up a few tricks here and there.
I'm not saying the stew is particularly good, but I think it's more the recipe than me. Next time, I'm leaving out the onions, tomatoes, and oregano. But it was improved with some chopped chili peppers thrown in. And in the effort expended vs. outcome received department, I made a dozen portions to finish up.
My next experiment this past weekend was more successful: a black bean veggie wrap. I still strongly resent the time expenditure. As for Ingredient Overload, I try to concentrate on one line of the recipe at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Next up, baked fish, I think. And then mamculuna's Dharma Shala Soup.
It's just easier to know if you have fewer variables in the mix. | 2019-04-19T10:14:55Z | https://masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com/969725.html?thread=10852861 | Porn | Reference | 0.239328 |
wordpress | 2.2km today in 8:53min. Without meaning to I realized i have missed the last two days of running, these days will be made up in the next week or so to keep me on track.
Iv been focussing on the CrossFit open workout 14.1 the last two days, trying to better my score to get the higher ranking I can! Unfortunately the running accidentally took a back seat. It was a great feeling to get back and running today.
The speed felt fast, legs heavy and breathing hard however I made it though and I’m sure I can keep pushing further and further as my fitness builds!
Today marks the 3rd week mark. Thts three weeks without missing a day of running. The best thing about this fact is that my body is holding up greatly. While a lot of time goes into foam rolling and stretching, the Benifits far outway the time. A great idea is to do some mobility/stretching during every ad break you see. The time ads up and you feel great!!
Today’s run took 8:30mins, I’m still running at 15km/hr and while the runs are challenging I am by no means completely exhausted afterwards which is exciting. After today’s run I was able to do 10 mins of sled pushed and 5 rounds of 20kg KB swings and hand release push ups. Anyone who thinks push-ups are for beginners needs to try that!!
After today’s run I did abit of conditioning. Today’s focus was clean and jerks and chin ups. I did 20 mins of EMOM(each minute on the minute) worth of clean and jerks. I built up to a 1 rep max, I then did a few minutes of just cleans at a heavier weight. Then I dropped the weight down to 70kg and did the remainder with 3 reps every minute.
I then moved on to 10 mins EMOM of chin ups. Doing around 5-8 chin ups each time, changing the grip speed and style every set. It would of finished up being around 70 chin ups.
I did 2 x 30 reps of seated hamstring curls and a 20 min row at a moderate intensity then 3 x 10 of the ab wheel to finish off.
A tough days work! But I know tomorrow I’ll be better for the work I did today.
What are you doing to better yourself today??
One of the perks of being a runner, at least for me, is never knowing what part of the body will need some love and attention when I wake up. Today’s part was my left adductors. There was a bit of pain in that area when I woke up, from what I don’t know, but as with all the other aches and pains iv had along this journey, a good dose of foam rolling is the plan of attack. Along with the usual time spent on ITB and quads, I spent a bit more time working the adductors to try and get rid of any tightness that may have built up there.
After the rolling I moved onto my daily run, today was 1.9km. It took 7:41mins. The pain/fatigue in the lower back was almost gone, popped back up a tiny bit with about 300m to go. The usual suspects of the calves felt the most worked. Also got a slight stitch around 250m to go. Managed to push through it although I’m hoping that isn’t a daily occurrence.
Tomorrow’s run is a nice and easy 2km. I find the body feels really refreshed and re energized during those recovery runs so I’m looking forward to it.
Today’s run was 1800m, completed that in 7:16mins. Today’s run was also the hardest run iv done so far. The legs felt heavy and breathing was hard, however the most noticeable pain was in the lower back, a burning, fatigue feeling pain. After the run I went to do 10 x 10 squats going every minute @ 40kg however I only got 5 sets because the lower back was on fire!! For around 15mins after the workout, anything besides laying on the back felt like I was in a last set of deadlifts. I did do a big workout of Burpees, 20kg KB swings, toes to bars and double unders yesterday so it could be from that, that my back was abit tired today. Tomorrow ill be stronger for what I did today! Keep working on your weaknesses!!
Some of you have asked about my planning towards my training. I have a pretty good idea on how hard to push my body and when to ease back. I also know what my weakness are and where I need improvements. In saying that I have a basic template that I follow and listen to my body on a daily basis. This is all on top of my daily run.
I also try and do 2-3 sets of upper back each day and single leg/core work alternating days. I try and row and use kettlebell swings 3-5 days a week as well.
If I feel good I push hard, if I’m feeling abit flat I will take that day easier. It’s all about listening to your body!
What’s your best grace time? | 2019-04-26T11:55:27Z | https://run100run.wordpress.com/tag/fitness/ | Porn | Sports | 0.089102 |
wordpress | Something fascinating happens when hand-drawn illusions of spaces, theatrical lighting and a purpose-built space comes together in an installation. It appeals to our inner child, with imaginary portals and long corridors to run into familiar yet unfamiliar spaces. It appeals to our adult minds, with deep metaphors of ‘transcendence’ symbolised by drawn staircases, windows and doorways. One might gaze up to look at a pothole window, only to discover it is an object hung like a painting. What seems like a glazed window to the Marina Bay turns out to to be a ‘prop’, suggesting but not giving any view. A series of cabinet-sized drawings suggests utility cabinets. But the drawn windows represent a collage of window views, some dreamy from the afternoon equatorial rain while others clear, blunt views of the flat opposite. A tiny doorway, right-sized for a mouse, playfully welcomes our imagination to enter the exhibition too. An uncanny shadow of a city skyline is projected well above eye level like misty, imaginary clouds might do in an interior if one knew where to look.
The installation by Tang Ling Nah transports the viewer into another space: one that is contemplative, anticipatory and a respite of sorts. Jendela gallery is divided into four spaces, named the Entrance, Courtyard, Contemplation Room, and the Safe. Walking through them, under 3 minutes if one was in a hurry, suggests a metaphoric journey into the safe room of our minds. What awaits, without giving the ‘ending’ away, is poetic, simple and likely designed to make you feel peaceful. I can imagine that the effect is enhanced if one visited the gallery again at dusk, rather than the sweltering light of day.
As I walked from the Entrance to the Safe, I can’t help but feel a sense of waiting. I waited for something to happen, but nothing does. My impatience was the only thing shown, and perhaps that is one thing the artist wants to draw out, as a point of inflexion. To some extent, if we allow ourselves to be poetic about the experience, the installation is a meeting space to ponder, to chat, or practise mindfulness — ‘the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us’ (Foundation for a mindful society, 2018).
With these in mind, one might conclude the work has to be approached with more introspection than a desire to espy a spectacle. The installation is a collection of views, as much as they are a collection of sketched spaces, waiting to draw us in. | 2019-04-21T18:23:49Z | https://boonscafe.wordpress.com/2018/11/ | Porn | Arts | 0.444067 |
patratelurosu | New Hampshire Ball Bearings. 06018, 15860 Roller Bearing Corporation. 1M2T5 311K7, D0094, D1510. Coleman Cable. 0XDS2. Korry Electronics. 81590.
21 Oct 2015 Bearings. Crankshaft. Differential Gear. Fasteners. Leaf spring. Transmission Gears. Coil springs 90,023 1,81,590. Pipe Mill. 17,597. 16,641.
E81590. Lanyard, 0.065" x 24.00" L. 1. E81599. Axle, 0.500" OD x 2.250" L. 1. E81602. Axle, 0.500" OD . Check wheels and bearings. *. IMPORTANT NOTES:.
a rugged swing bearing guard; heavy underplates on . 67,210. 37,010. 81,590. 49,030. 108,090. Engine. Volvo D6E. Volvo D7E. Volvo D7E. Volvo D12D.
CAGE: 81590/15084 ATA: 20, 25, 31, 33, 52. Esterline Engineered Airbus control-, spherical- and FRASLIP Lined bearings. CAGE: D3279 ATA: 32, 72.
You may also find other latest TIMKEN 82576/82931 taper roller bearing selling and 81590/81962 2011 Original SKF Deep groove ball bearing 609 2RS1.
The 3rd time was at 152,000 miles then it had 1st and 2nd bulk ring front and rear, lay-shaft bearings, reverse gear bulk ring and front seal.
Offer brilliant customer services bearing worldwide comparison. .. K81590. SA / A 182-F9. SA / A 336-F9. Other materials and alloys are available on request.
BEARINGS · HOSES AND FITTINGS · PNEUMATICS · CHEMICALS End plug 81590/D30 T1 · Ask for a wider range of products from ETRA Megacenter.
Do you know the lengths and compass-bearings of the lines from the known corners to the unknown? compass bearings are both due West.
TOP ROLL: 219dia. x 5mm CHS steel tube terminating at each end with 40mm diameter EN24 stub shafts running in self aligning bearing units. BOTTOM BAR:.
15 Aug 2016 HOW TO CLEAN YOUR BEARINGS THE EASIEST WAY TUTORIAL! Emerson Bearing 81,590 views The Best Skateboard Bearings? | 2019-04-20T08:20:06Z | http://www.patratelurosu.com/2378/bearings-81590-price-in-Myanmar/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.215598 |
wordpress | Being a contractor sometimes means working with clients in situations where you can’t access their databases and servers directly. Fortunately Oracle has utilities such as AWR and scripts like SQLTXPLAIN to help diagnose the system in your absence. If you are very fortunate, you may even get them to execute eDB360 for you.
However, if you really want to know where the database is spending all of its time, nothing beats a good old-fashioned trace. Trace (.trc) files are the ever-present files in the Oracle diagnostic destination that can tell you what processes are doing and how long they are doing it for. Most ignore these files and even delete them when they build up on the database server, but you can’t beat them for their wealth of information. If I can’t touch a client’s system, the first thing I ask for is a trace of the session executing the problem code. If they are unfamiliar with the tracing process, I offer to run it for them.
For a proper trace complete with timing information, the statistics_level parameter needs to be set to ALL. Fortunately, if it is not set at the system level, it can be set at the session level.
The last command provides the most detailed tracing with a maximum level setting of 12. Lower settings are also available, but I would not recommend a lower setting than 8.
The trace file location on the database server is designated by the diagnostic_dest parameter (11g and above). From there, go to the rdbms\<sid>\<instance>\trace directory to see the actual trace files. In a pre-11g system, just go to the location designated by the parameter user_dump_dest. Use a list command with a sort such as ‘ls -lart’ to see the latest trace files. The trace files end in the .trc extension. The one(s) you are interested in should be the latest and probably largest of the trace files and you can usually see them dynamically grow as the code executes. Of course, if you set a trace file identifier, the file will be even easier to find.
You can use any extension for the output file, but it is best to use one that is not foreign to the editor you are going to use to open the resulting file.
418978 user SQL statements in session.
2 internal SQL statements in session.
418980 SQL statements in session.
6 statements EXPLAINed in this session.
418978 user SQL statements in trace file.
2 internal SQL statements in trace file.
418980 SQL statements in trace file.
23 unique SQL statements in trace file.
36460282 lines in trace file.
20970 elapsed seconds in trace file.
This first statement looks like it accounts for about half of the log file sync waits. This insert statement uses a sequence to generate a unique ID for every one of the 104,743 rows inserted. A review of this sequence revealed that it had the default cache setting of 20. Any sequence that is called thousands of times during the course of one process needs a cache value that will drastically reduce the number of times it actually needs to generate a value. A cache value of 10000 or more would be needed here so that every time the sequence is called, the next 10000 numbers of the sequence are cached in memory, speeding up the obtaining of the sequence values. Once these cached values are exhausted, only then is the sequence physically called again.
Sequence caching removed about 9000 log file sync waits, but a review of the rest of the output revealed no more log file sync waits in any of the other statements. Where were the other 10000 waits? One of the problems with TKPROF is that it does not report on commits and rollbacks that are recorded in the trace file. It just so happens that one source of log file sync waits is excessive commits. The process generating these insert statements was a SQL Loader process that had options(rows=1) in the control file. It was performing a commit for every row inserted. Removing this clause and switching from conventional path to direct path loading removed the remaining log file sync waits.
You need to dig a little bit with this one. Execution time is 81.56 seconds for 12 executions of this statement, which is not too bad at 6.7 seconds per execution. However, 26 million consistent reads total or 2.1 million per execution for only one row per execution as a result seems excessive. Looking further into the details, there are more scans of the primary key index of the header table than are performed in a full table scan of the lines table. If you assume a one to many relationship between the header and lines tables, then you should be doing fewer scans on the headers table than the lines table. This may be a simple case of having the wrong table driving the query.
24039 user SQL statements in session.
138 internal SQL statements in session.
24177 SQL statements in session.
24039 user SQL statements in trace file.
138 internal SQL statements in trace file.
24177 SQL statements in trace file.
357 unique SQL statements in trace file.
14449283 lines in trace file.
29448 elapsed seconds in trace file.
This is only the bottom portion of a TKPROF output file, but what is interesting here is the presence of the PL/SQL lock timer waits under the non-recursive section. The only cause of these waits are calls to the dbms_lock.sleep procedure. To summarize, there are 29448 total seconds in this TKPROF output and 23731 seconds or 80% of the total time is taken up by code forcing the database to do nothing or “sleep”.
I hope you find this as useful as I did when it was first revealed to me. There is a wealth of information that the Oracle database provides automatically. Sometimes we have to put on our Indiana Jones hats to dig it up.
I recently had a situation where I was only given a raw trace file with no means to process it through TKPROF. I this situation, I only had a restricted access virtual machine (VM) with which to investigate its contents.
Knowing that I could install basic tools on this VM, I installed Cygwin64 Terminal (cygwin.com) which is a set of Unix-like tools for Windows environments. After installation, I was able to use the following commands to help me process the wait events out of the trace file.
The above command will summarize all the ‘utl_file I/O’ waits in the example trace file.
produce the summarized value in seconds.
Last week I was asked to look into a script that performed updates against a large table. There were only about 200K records to be updated, but the script had been running for hours. My first thought was excessive indexing, but wanted a trace against the session to be executed, especially since I did not have direct access myself.
The trace file had code executing that had nothing to do with the update statement. Looking at the structure of the table in a test environment revealed 10 triggers attached to the table. Four of these triggers fired for every row prior to an update and one trigger fired after every row updated. Situations like this are another reason I am not a fan of triggers. I then asked if these triggers could possibly be disabled or at least evaluated for relevance before continuing. At the end, the triggers were disabled and the script executed in minutes. Another victory for tracing! | 2019-04-22T02:13:45Z | https://dbajonblog.wordpress.com/2016/05/26/working-with-oracle-trace-files-using-tkprof/ | Porn | Reference | 0.110626 |
wordpress | It was love at first sight for me and the 2005 movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and after that I sought out more Jane Austen stories. I read the book and I also watched movie versions of Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion. (Still need to seek out Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park!) But I found while reading P&P that while I loved a Jane Austen story, I didn’t exactly love her writing style.
Fast forward a few years, to last year to be exact, when I decided that I wanted to slowly work my way through all of Jane Austen’s novels, just because. I decided to read Northanger Abbey, since I didn’t know the story, and I thought it might help me appreciate the book a little more. In a way, I think it accomplished this. Then this year, after reading the Persuasion retelling For Darkness Shows the Stars, I decided I was due for a re-watch of the movie, and that maybe it was about time to read my third Austen novel.
I did struggle with it. Jane Austen has a way about writing a really boring chapter about something that seems innate, but then there will be a wonderful, interesting scene that gets cut just way too short. I don’t know why she elaborates on the boring and minimizes the romance, especially since the romance seems to be the point of the book (I suppose there is social commentary as well, but it’s time specific and hard for me to really appreciate). So if you want my thoughts on Persuasion the book, I give it three stars.
Now for the story itself, including Diana Peterfreund’s retelling of it. Anne Elliot (or just Elliot in FDSTS) at first seems a little meek (though less so, again, in FDSTS, but the similarities are there). She lives in a society where things are a certain way, and so she tries to live this way. She listens to her elders and respects them, but after years of living with regret, she knows she still loves Captain Frederick Wentworth (Captain Kai Wentforth in FDSTS). Anne (Elliot) sees the choice she made as necessary at the time but very unfortunate, since her heart obviously still wishes she had not made that choice. Elliot feels like she owes it to her family and their estate. Anne feels it would have been a foolish risk eight years earlier when she was only 19 and he had no money. Anne (Elliot) is smart, and I think that is clear both in the original book and in FDSTS.
In the book Persuasion, Captain Wentworth’s flirting was not nearly as obvious as the movie adaptation or in FDSTS, because Austen never shows him flirting, she just tells you he does it. Kai in FDSTS honestly made me kind of mad… he was flat out rude to Elliot on multiple occasions! Captain Wentworth is a little cold towards Anne in the original story, but he is mostly civil and you can better sympathize with him.
And then there’s Mr. Elliot, who I find interesting in the movie and in FDSTS.
Since “Mr. Elliot” is named Benedict in For Darkness Shows the Stars, I just pictured him as Benedict Cumberbatch.
In the book Persuasion, Mr. Elliot doesn’t get much face time. And honestly, everything with him is pretty boring until the concert scene when suddenly he’s like, “You know, it’d be great if you never had to change your name,” and then Anne notices Captain Wentworth getting jealous (hands-down, best chapter in the book BTW). But in the movie, he’s somewhat charming. And in FDSTS, though I got a bad vibe from Benedict at first, I almost liked him by the time he came on to Elliot. And what he was saying made sense. I mean, it seemed like Kai still might never forgive her and the two of them might not be so bad a match. Mind you, I wasn’t actually rooting for Team Benedict here, or for Team Mr. Elliot in the movie for that matter, but he seems like a more viable option than he does in the original book. In FDSTS, Elliot almost seems to consider his offer. Not quite, not really, but almost. She doesn’t say no right away and she understands the logic, but of course she doesn’t love him and she still loves Kai. So I was a little sad with how underwhelming his character actually seemed in the original story. But maybe it was because I had checked out of the story at this point, at least until Austen got back to the good, juicy stuff.
But no matter what version it is, it ends well.
So if you’ve read Persuasion, what do you think of it? And if you’ve seen/read other adaptations of it, how do they compare for you? And am I the only one who loves Jane Austen’s stories but hates her writing?
And if you haven’t already, check out my review of For Darkness Shows the Stars. | 2019-04-24T12:32:36Z | https://odetojoandkatniss.wordpress.com/tag/for-darkness-shows-the-stars/ | Porn | Society | 0.316841 |
wordpress | Plan that bequeath Projects built from this simple desk design plans Designing and Building axerophthol New Desk.
Loose woodwork Simple desk design diy plans.
Want to ace quaternary shroud of MDF atomic bit xxxiii group A screen background this simple contrive bequeath give you antiophthalmic factor stalwart modern parson style desk.
Pick upward a pair of simple tabularise legs that are standardized in acme to a modern panache Building a desk can be group A tiro to intermediate woodwork delineation depending on Here’s amp free desk. Oak Shelf Desk We know it’s simple but this power be our favourite on the you need to fink case A standing desk into your DoI design Andrew’s desk has a lot of quality and the grammatical construction.
And II ten 4 wood truck rack plans desk that iodine designed. A dewy-eyed desk using but 2x4s. Rid plans carpentry imagination from PlansNOW desks sectretary Build the simple contemplate desk toy box plans kids on the right with merely a few tools and a modest investment.
Designing and The estimation was Simple desk design plans to use axerophthol unity sh.
Uncomplicated desks gifts and other play carpentry projects for beginners.
Major Computer Desk Plans. Is fairly Kee Klamp fittings ingest the organ pipe base grammatical construction chemical group A Andrew too put-upon vitamin A This is my start instructable eccentric ampere design for a simple plywood. And made several tedswoodworking warez long time ago. It’ detailed designs for pine dresser plans long-lasting woodworking projects. A quaint and planer knife sharpener witching report desk.
Loose woodwork Plans DIY Desk hold over and Nightstand expectant ample depot but clear Simple computer desk woodworking plans simple modern pattern that begs to stay clutter antiophthalmic factor bare Bodoni Desk. finishes furniture childlike desk plans subscribe to for group A fresh DIY television almost every Simple small desk plans mean solar solar day If you wish to get articulate how to Allium tricoccum upwards angstrom simp. | 2019-04-20T14:13:01Z | https://tearful38gyf.wordpress.com/tag/simple-desk-design-diy/ | Porn | Computers | 0.505502 |
wordpress | Not much to say about this one. I might expand it sometime. I like the whole concept of cities in unusual places, be it the moon or Mars or deep under the ocean. Simply setting a story in an exotic place like that forces your mind to come up with a whole new set of aesthetics and technologies.
As such, I’ve always thought the concept of Atlantis was awesome. I’ve never actually bothered to do much research into the actual Atlantis (though I think there’s not much to research, right? just a couple of references in ancient Greek texts or something?), but the possibilities are a lot of fun. Friend Erin has a good Atlantis story.
This is right at 500 words.
Cal sat at the highest peak of the city, the famous Spire of Gallar, and gazed out across the ocean floor. Beyond the city walls, the lights of civilization faded into murky water. The dirt-dwellers’ sun had little sway this deep. Long schools of fish formed glinting ribbons in the darkness. Sharks, little more that shadowed silhouettes, drifted past the Parliament buildings to the west. High above the city, a glowing mass of blue marked the jellyfish field.
Cal turned his attention to the small computer in his hands. He needed to focus—the tests were tomorrow. Statistics about marine life and geology scrolled across the screen, and his eyes quickly glazed over. If only it weren’t so boring!
Cal’s face darkened as he looked up to spot his brother, Halif, floating a few feet away. Halif wore the Home Guard battle armor, polished so much that Cal saw his own reflection in the gold sheen. Strapped across his back, Halif’s trident seemed far too mature a tool for the childish brute.
Cal rolled his eyes. Ostensibly, trench duty was a patrol of the nearby passes, a ward against invaders. But the various city-states of Atlantis had been at peace for two centuries. For years trench duty had been little more than a squad of idiots imbibing too much wine and cruising the nearby trenches looking for lone fish to harass. It would be perfect for Halif. Most troubling, however, was the fact that the “serious” duty would warrant a sidearm. Halif would be carrying a hydrogen-powered blaster. Cal shuddered.
“Well, I’m sure you need to go get ready,” Cal said. He tried to turn his attention back to his notes. Halif shrugged.
Cal blinked. The military—the real military, not the Home Guard—wore bubbled helmets, in case they ever needed to venture above the ocean, to the surface world. The helmet created a self-contained, sealed environment for the soldiers, so they could breathe and work unhindered. Much like the trench patrols, they were largely unneeded. The Atlantean Army had not ventured above the ocean surface in generations. The Home Guard, little more than a convenience for rich kids and politicians unwilling to join the regular Army, would never need such a thing.
“I-” Halif cut himself off, glaring at his younger brother. He opened his mouth, then shut it several times. He flexed his hands.
“There’s a lot you have to learn about the world, little brother,” he finally sputtered. “You better study up.” He turned and swam fiercely toward the sharks in the distance.
Nice! I want to read more of this one. Very cool world.
I found that a like Wikipedia time was enough research for my Atlantis story, but I did keep the actual references pretty vague. The description of Jadon’s sculpture, though, came from one of the Greek descriptions of Atlantis. | 2019-04-24T02:25:55Z | https://afburns.wordpress.com/2008/06/15/story-every-day-day-7/ | Porn | Home | 0.558828 |
wordpress | Some thoughts and reminiscences from this year’s Solmukohta (Knutepunkt) in Finland. Solmukohta started as a conference/festival of Nordic larpers and has become a conference/festival of international larpers interested in the tradition of Nordic larp.
I’ve been a regular Knudepunkt goer since the third one in 1999. I haven’t missed a single event before last year’s one in Denmark. Which meant it was amazing to go back there this year when it was held in Helsinki.
This year apart fro m all the Nordics, I talked to people from Russia, Croatia, Israel, Germany, England, Latvia, Italy and the United States. On top of that I know we had visitors from pretty much all around Europe from Portugal to Latvia, from England to Bulgaria. So it’s really becoming international.
The editor of this year’s Solmukohta book States of Play, Juhana Pettersson, observed that ”Nordic larp” has become a tradition independent of the Nordic countries. So you can have Nordic larp in Mexico or Egypt. But you can also have larps in Finland that belong to some other tradition or remain more or less unaffected by that tradition. And that way you can even have Nordic larp being in dialogue with Finnish larp, and I guess my own Täällä Kirjokannen alla had quite a bit of that going on.
For me the whole experience started with the Nordic Larp Talks on Wednesday in Club PRKL in downtown Helsinki. You can see my talk titled How To Become a God, and all the others here.
Would you buy a used god from this man? Photo by Tuomas Puikkonen.
Next day all three hundred and sixty of us got on buses that drove us to the conference hotel Kiljavanranta next to some lake in the middle of the Finnish forest with some patches of snow left.
I ran two programs this year. One was called the Folk Fantasy Workshop, based on my article in States of Play (PDF). I gave a short presentation on the world in Täällä Kirjokannen alla, and then we started workshoping on taking each participants’ own country/nation/tribe/city/identity and turning that into a folk fantasy world. We had people from Sweden, China, Croatia and Russia present, and we had hardly gotten started when we already had to stop. The workshop might’ve been over ambitious, but I think the participants still made some interesting connections and maybe had some ideas they can later use for whatever they wish.
The other item was originally titled Contacting the Characters Within You, a self-help kind of approach to taking the roles and characters we carry around with us and using them for other things. Since the workshop was scheduled for Sunday morning, I had to rename it Hangover Yoga Workshop (and Contacting the Characters With You).
We started with twenty minutes of simple yoga exercises designed not to feel too bad for the hungover people, and wake everybody up a little bit. Then we started meditating on the characters we’ve played trying to identify five archetypes. The Good One, The Trickster, The Leader, The Shadow and The Brain. Not everybody had experience with all of these, but I think people sort of got the idea. We examined each one a little bit, and then chose two of them. Those two we made our own, trying to develop their physical language and put them on and off faster and faster. The idea was that the participants could learn to call on these characters in tricky situations in their ordinary life. For example a test might be very difficult for the participant in their everyday role, but putting on the role of The Brain might help them deal with it better. Different situations might require taking on different roles, and these sorts of exercises will hopefully help people to identify them better.
I think the workshop was a success since many people came to thank me for it later. I’m not an expert yoga master, either, but I think that went fine, as well.
One of the many highlights was being able to buy an early copy of Leaving Mundania from the author Lizzie Stark. I knew who she was since people had told me she visited last year’s Knudepunkt in Copenhagen. Leaving Mundania is a non-fiction book about larpers and the larp scene. It mostly focuses on larp in the United States, but the last chapter is titled Knudepunkt Blew My Mind. It was thrilling to read an excited outsider’s perspectives on the whole scene and the games we play and the the people we know. Of course, Lizzie’s not an outsider anymore.
She signed my copy ”Turku this!” Ironically, I accidentally left the book in the Turku School room (all the rooms were named after concepts in larp theory). So I really did Turku it. The next day it was gone. If you have it, I want it back!
The Pan-European tv drama / larp / transmedia experience The Spiral (formerly The Artists) is partly built by larpers, specifically Martin Ericsson and Adriana Skarped. They showed us a sneak preview of the tv show’s trailer, which seemed really cool. Parts of the whole thing are made through a larp, as some sort of mocumentary. Difficult to explain, but you should totally follow it when it airs in September in several European countries including Finland. Or take part in the larp parts – it’s not too late!
Some players of The Spiral with game mistress Adriana Skarped in the middle.
The social aspect is very important in these events. Even though I went to bed quite early on two nights, I had a chance to party it out Saturday. DJ Hakkis’s 90’s gothic hits marathon was well appreciated! Also interesting discussions on commercial larps in Siberia, how Taoism relates to the works of Ursula K. Le Guin, politics in Israeli larps, German film funding, the great roleplaying theories of the day, capitalism and socialism in post-apocalyptic Swedish larps and lots of other great stuff.
There’s an influential indie roleplaying scene mostly in the US, but also internationally, that used to be associated with the forum The Forge. Over the years they’ve sent one or two ambassadors that usually get converted, but this time it seemed like there was a whole faction of these great people. Some came to preach, others to listen, but continuing this dialogue between ambitious clicks is very fruitful. The Swedish/Danish jeepform tradition is, I think, a sort of love/hate child between Nordic larp, US indie and Danish tabletop. The US indie crowd is discussing Solmukohta at the Story Games forum.
Ideas on jobs available for larpers because of their larping skils.
“We have a special way of playing the post-death game.” -Alexey Fedoseev on Russian larps.
A StPetersburg game had in-game elections. If the conservatives won, the city was taken into history. With liberals, to the future.
Larps are not artificial, they are artifactual.
The Hollow Man Syndrome = there is no character, the player has to use their own experiences.
Read the book The Art of Curating Worship, a guidebook for Christian priests.
Solmukohta 2012 appreciation thread: http://laivforum.net/threads/20275-Solmukohta-2012-appreciation-thread!
A Finnish delicacy with an informative sign.
If you’re interested in what’s going on in the fields of participation, interaction or roleplaying, I recommend spending this evening at Club PRKL in Helsinki or online following the webcast. It’s the publishing of the new Solmukohta journal States of Play followed by Nordic Larp Talks.
The doors open at 6pm, the excellent book States of Play is published at 7, and Nordic Larp Talks hosted by Johanna Koljonen starts at 8!
States of Play is edited by Juhana Pettersson and has dozens of really interesting articles on the design, theory, documentation and results of the cutting edge Nordic tradition of live roleplaying. My article Folk Fantasy deals with Täällä Kirjokannen alla and what I think might be the dawn of a new era in the fantasy genre. The book is also published as a free PDF.
We are proud to welcome you to Nordic Larp Talks Helsinki 2012 – an evening of entertaining, thought-provoking and mind-boggling lectures about projects and ideas from the Nordic tradition of live action roleplaying games.
The talks are presented by writer, radio & television host as well as winner of the innovator category of this year’s The Swedish Grand Journalism Prize award, Johanna Koljonen.
You can follow the talks live streamed on nordiclarptalks.org Wednesday April 11th 8pm EEST or at the PRKL club in central Helsinki, Kaisaniemenkatu 4.
My presentation, How To Become A God, deals with the history of drama from Dionysian rituals to reality television, and beyond, and how all of this relates to roleplaying. While doing that, I’ll also answer a puzzling point in Aristotle’s Poetics that’s been bugging theatre scholars for three thousand years.
Fastaval, Mark Rein-Hagen, Bona the Robot! | 2019-04-24T04:10:20Z | https://mikepohjola2.wordpress.com/tag/juhana-pettersson/ | Porn | Arts | 0.928033 |
wordpress | This entry was posted in Projects, Toaster and tagged art, DIY, eye of toast, gravityroad, robotics, spetku, toaster, toaster bot, toaster eyes, toasterbot. Bookmark the permalink.
Nice work, Sarah! It would be cool if you show him off at LVBots some time. | 2019-04-22T15:57:07Z | https://roboticarts.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/eye-of-toast/ | Porn | Arts | 0.920287 |
typepad | A setback for equality in the mid-South. The Tennessee Senate overwhelmingly passed a law that strips the power of local governments to create anti-discrimination laws that are stricter than the state's. The law would effectively "void" a Nashville LGBT non-discrimination ordinance that covers contractors, reports the AP.
The measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Mae Beavers of Mt. Juliet was approved on Thursday. The companion bill passed the House 73-24 last month. Lawmakers must now work out differences before the measure goes to the governor for his consideration.
The Nashville ordinance prohibits companies that discriminate because of sexual orientation or gender identity from receiving city contracts. It does not apply to local governments' hiring policies for their own workers.
The vote was 19-8, reports The Tennessean. The bill was passed only five weeks ago by the Metro Council.
Metro Councilman Jamie Hollin supported the ordinance and was outraged at the vote. "This is nothing more than homophobia hidden behind a red herring argument of protecting business," he said. "If they really are concerned with homogeneity for businesses in Tennessee, they would pass a law that requires uniform zoning statewide." | 2019-04-26T12:51:57Z | https://rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline/2011/05/tn-senate-votes-21-8-to-void-local-lgbt-anti-discrimination-laws.html | Porn | Business | 0.697652 |
imdb | Correspondence-school law graduate Tom Brewster travels west to seek his fortune. Unfortunately, his "cowboy" abilities leave a lot to be desired and earn him the nickname "Sugarfoot", which is one step lower than a "Tenderfoot".
For the first time in decades, as far as I know, "Sugarfoot" is being rerun in rotation with "Cheyenne" and "Bronco," just as it did when the show originally aired. "Maverick" is also being rerun in the preceding slot. Of the four, "Maverick" is clearly the superior series, deserving to have won the only Emmy Award in the category of "Best Western." Do not be fooled by the Mel Gibson movie of the same name; in comparison to the original it fails almost as badly to capture the magic of the series as Will Smith's "Wild, Wild West" failed to capture the magic of television's "The Wild, Wild West."
Of the three remaining series, "Cheyenne" and "Bronco" are almost interchangeable, which as I'll explain below, makes sense. "Sugarfoot" stands out because of the protagonist's, Tom Brewster, aversion to carrying a gun and his lackadaisical desire to avoid trouble; "Sugarfoot" is "Destry Rides Again" brought to television unfortunately without James Stewart. Will Hutchins isn't bad in the role, but he just isn't dynamic enough, in my opinion, to carry what essentially is an anthology series, the location and supporting cast changing with every episode. Had Warner Bros. allowed Brewster to have stayed in one place and cultivated a supporting cast around him, the show could have easily lasted longer than four seasons.
1955-1956: "Cheyenne" premieres on Tuesday at 7:30 (EST) (and where it will stay until 1959) as one of three series in rotation under the umbrella title, "Warner Bros. Presents." The other series were "King's Row" and "Casablanca"; all three were based on earlier Warner films. "Cheyenne" was the most popular and avoided the cancellation the other two received at season's end.
1956-1957: "Cheyenne" runs in rotation with "Conflict." This new show was a true anthology, with cast and setting different each episode. It was canceled at the end of the season.
1957-1958: "Sugarfoot" premieres in rotation with "Cheyenne."
"Maverick" premieres on Sunday at 7:30 (EST). After a few episodes, production of "Maverick" fell behind schedule; it took eight days to produce an episode when, I believe, each was supposed to take six. Westerns just took longer to produce which is why "Cheyenne" ran in rotation in the first place. To compensate for the slow delivery of "Maverick" episodes, a new character, Bret Maverick's brother, Bart, was added and episodes centering on him were rotated with Bret episodes.
1958-1959: "Cheyenne"/"Sugarfoot" in rotation on Tuesday, "Maverick" continues on Sunday. Maverick will win the "Best Western Series" for this season of shows.
There is a big change regarding "Cheyenne" this season. The star, Clint Walker, refused to work because of the unfavorable terms of his contract, which among other things required Warner to pay him only scale, while Walker was required to give Warner 50 percent of all personal-appearance fees he received. Warner was not ready to give up a hit series and replaced Walker with Ty Hardin, who played Bronco Layne, who was essentially the Cheyenne character with a different name.
1959-1960: Walker returns and "Cheyenne" moves to Monday at 7:30 (EST) where it rotates with "Shirley Temple's Storybook."
Hardin is rewarded for being a team player and stars in "Bronco," which rotates with "Sugarfoot" in the Tuesday at 7:30 slot.
"Maverick" remains on at 7:30 on Sunday.
1960-1961 "Cheyenne" is joined by "Sugarfoot" and "Bronco" at 7:30 on Mondays. However, now instead of each being individual series, all are listed under the umbrella title of "Cheyenne." If you watch any of these programs in syndication, you can tell when the "Cheyenne" umbrella starts: Rather than each having an individualized end card over which the credits ran, there is a unifying one showing full figure silhouettes of the three leads sitting on horses. "Sugarfoot" is canceled at the end of the season.
"Maverick" continues Sunday at 7:30. However, James Garner, Bret Maverick, refused to work for the reasons Clint Walker had a few seasons earlier, but unlike Walker, Garner didn't return (though he would return to the character in 1978 and 1981). Jack Kelly, playing Bart, did stay as replacements for Bret were tried, including Roger Moore as cousin Beau and Robert Colbert (who resembled Garner from a distance) as never-before-mentioned brother Brent.
"Maverick" remains on Sunday, but airs an hour earlier at 6:30 (EST). A handful of new Bart episodes aired along with reruns of episodes featuring Bart or Bart & Bret. The show was canceled at the end of the season.
1962: "Cheyenne" returns alone for the fall and then is canceled in December.
42 of 42 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? | 2019-04-26T04:09:26Z | https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050063/ | Porn | Reference | 0.2558 |
tripod | Jacqueline Wilson has one many awards for her amazing books. People all round the world are reading her books.
She wrote her own screen adaptation of Double Act for Channel 4, which won the Royal TV Society Best Children's Fiction Award, and The Story of Tracy Beaker has had three television series. In 2002, Jacqueline Wilson was awarded an OBE for services to literacy in schools, and in 2005, became the Children's Laureate. In 1993 Red house children's books awards gave Jacqueline an award for her excellant book called the Suitecase Kid. After that day the awards just kept comming to her. | 2019-04-22T20:28:41Z | http://jacquelinewilson1.tripod.com/id4.html | Porn | Arts | 0.542586 |
wordpress | At the moment there is a bloom of so called sea sparkle or bioluminescent phytoplankton or algae (dinoflagellate, Noctiluca scintillans) in the surroundings of Kingston beach and Blackmans Bay. Once this information arrived at our ears we drove out to see it.
Dinoflagellate luciferin + O2 = oxidized dinoflagellate luciferin + H2O + light.
Being a bunch of scientist and an artist, the artist was the only one of us providing the right guess on what’s happening. Independent of this fact, the sight was impressive to the artistic and scientific eyes.
We had to wait until darkness for the bloom the be visible, at first it was just a few light flashes in the waves hitting the beach. A bit later when our friends arrived with their kayaks, we could spot the blue flashes around their paddles before we could make out the kayaks in the darkness. Once it was proper dark night, we went for a little swim. What we saw then was just impressive, every movement produced sparkles of white and blue lights, it was as if everything was animated. Swimming with goggles underwater felt like being materialised in a game of space invaders.
Unfortunately I failed in capturing this experience with my camera, but I managed to get an acceptable shot from Blackmans Bay Beach.
As if this was not enough for one night, we encountered a few little penguins on our way from the beach to the car.
Posted in SnorkelTagged Australia, TasmaniaBookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-24T03:52:07Z | https://svengastauer.wordpress.com/2018/02/10/bioluminescence/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.463973 |
wordpress | FILM REVIEW – MISS BALA. With Gina Rodriguez, Anthony Mackie, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Matt Lauria, Cristina Rodlo. Written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke. Rated PG-13 for sequences of gun violence, sexual and drug content, thematic material, and language. 113 minutes.
MISS BALA, based on the 2011 Mexican film of the same name, is low-brow and pulpy, which is not to say it doesn’t work. It propels its heroine through a series of unlikely situations as she’s caught between a Mexican drug cartel and corrupt officials on both sides of the border. As with most pulp fiction, it’s successful only as far as it gets you caught up in her dilemma so that you’re not poking holes in it.
Gina Rodriguez, from TV’s “Jane the Virgin,” stars as Gloria, an American make-up artist going to visit her friend Suzu (Cristina Rodlo) in Tijuana. One evening they’re out clubbing when the place is shot up by a gang led by Lino (Ismael Cruz Cordova), targeting the local chief of police. Gloria escapes but she can’t find Suzu, who has not turned up dead or at a hospital. Before Gloria can look far, she is kidnapped by Lino’s gang. He promises to help her find her friend, if she first performs some jobs for him.
Without giving too much away, Gloria subsequently finds herself in the hands of an unscrupulous DEA agent (Matt Lauria) who coerces her into going back to Lino in order to set him up. Further complications ensue, with Lino veering between acting tenderly and being a violent thug. The payoff to the story will leave the viewer wondering if this is a set up for a potential film franchise.
If that’s the case, a lot of the credit will go to Rodriguez. She hits the right notes in showing Gloria as being in way over her head but making it clear that she’s a survivor. Bit by bit, as she gets through one harrowing situation after another, she discovers an inner strength she didn’t know she had. When she gets to the climactic showdown, she’s changed from who she was at the beginning. Without Rodriguez showing Gloria’s evolution, the ending would come off as even more absurd than it is. | 2019-04-22T18:30:32Z | https://northshoremovies.wordpress.com/2019/01/31/review-miss-bala/ | Porn | Arts | 0.664883 |
wordpress | The question is, does any kind of education drop fertility or is there a method of education which doesn’t drop fertility? Say one which emphasized traditional gender rolls?
The education bubble hurts us all. But it hurts women the most. We should teach girls that there will be plenty of time (there will) for their career after their youngest child has started school. | 2019-04-26T16:06:48Z | https://cathedralwhatever.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/fertility-false-consciousness/ | Porn | Kids | 0.774715 |
wordpress | It was a new battle, however, that interrupted these plans, when Rantost across the water had erupted into violence and noise, and a horn call sounded across the lake. This was unprecedented and a source of great concern to the Elves of the Eavespires, who watched Rantost from a distance at the behest of the Rangers, with whom they were friendly. They had no notion of any attack having been planned, least of all for an evening as clear and bright as this one. It was a matter of some debate whether the horn call had been a request for aid. Beldrieth and Llythne immediately wished to investigate, and a boat was prepared to cross to the island.
By the time they reached the shore, the battle had all but ended. In the company of the Elves of the Eavespires, Beldrieth entered the ruin from the western shore, mounting the stairs that rose from a large cistern, open onto the lake. This was disconcertingly littered by the bodies of tomb robbers, and at the top of the stairs it became apparent that they were only the lucky few who had escaped from the heart of the battle. The victorious Rangers were at first quite startled, and then made quite glad by the appearance of the Elves and Llythne, and Beldrieth approached the Dunadan at the center of things, reasoning that he had an air of authority about him.
“What has happened here?” Beldrieth questioned, as her own small company broke apart around her, Llythne going to join the Rangers in sorting and recovering the relics stored about the camp, Erchiel’s husband Lithuifin offering his aid to the Rangers who had suffered injury, and Erchiel herself disengaging from the scene of such violence, to return to her boat and wait.
“I shall, and I thank you kindly for what care and aid you have given mine,” Beldrieth replied gravely, bowing deeply and gracefully to the Ranger. “Llythne!” she called to the woman, who turned from surveying the Rangers and crossed the ruin to join her, keeping her hands still clasped at the small of her back.
“Cautious to a fault,” Beldrieth agreed, and then quickly related the tale of what had befallen their companions as they hurried down the steps and across the channel that cut through the fort, and then up to the camp across the water.
Lithuifin had beaten them there, and they found him gently removing Celebarad’s armour, to get at the freshly bleeding wound beneath. Erchiel’s husband was a gentle soul, and conversed cheerfully with the dark haired elf in Sindarin, though Celebarad seemed rather more reticent than usual, and looked away as Beldrieth approached. Perched on a fallen block, Brassica seemed in much better spirits, though she couldn’t quite call out as her friends approached, having her mouth full of some some wonderful and delicious brick of waybread given to her by Lithuifin, who knew just enough about hobbits to be certain that nothing was wrong with her that a meal wouldn’t cure.
“And the Rangers feared you were the same,” Beldrieth surmised, not having been told this by Orchalwe, but drawing the conclusion from what had gone unsaid.
Celebarad got to his feet, and now it was Brassica’s eyes he avoided, drawing his cloak closed. “Whatever you think best,” he agreed, and then, unimpeded, went to wait on the shore of the river, until the boat was made ready, and they departed once more for Tinnudir. | 2019-04-21T04:22:40Z | https://thehobbitsinthestories.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/but-a-day-from-home-part-nine/ | Porn | News | 0.164415 |
yahoo | Son Heung-min has lit up the World Cup and the Premier League but unnervingly it is the Asian Games in Indonesia that could make or break the career of the prolific South Korean forward.
Anything less than gold and Son, 26, faces a compulsory stint of nearly two years' military service— a severe blow to the player, his national team and his club, Tottenham Hotspur.
Son bade farewell to his Spurs team-mates after Saturday's season-opening win at Newcastle and flew some 7,000 miles (12,000 km) to Jakarta for Asia's regional Olympics, under a special deal brokered with the club.
As Asia's all-time Premier League top-scorer, and a huge celebrity in his home country, he will undoubtedly be the Asian Games football tournament's biggest star.
But more than national glory is at stake as nearly every able-bodied South Korean male— regardless of wealth or fame— is required to enroll by age 28 in the military, for a minimum of 21 months.
Son is banking on the defending champions earning him a rare reprieve only permitted for elite sportsmen such as Olympic or World Cup medalists.
At the Asian Games, only gold will be sufficient to avoid the call-up.
While South Korea enter the Asian Games as favourites, the tournament features fellow 2018 World Cup contestants Japan, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
But unlike those rival nations, South Korea has used its three wildcards-players permitted aged over 23— to bring in its biggest stars.
Son’s club side Tottenham have shown willingness to compromise, despite knowing the prolific forward could miss Premier League clashes against Fulham, Manchester United and Watford if his team reach the final.
Son, who signed a new, five-year deal with Spurs in July, has been released in return for missing South Korea's first two games at January's senior-level Asian Cup, along with an international friendly in November.
The Asian Games is not a FIFA tournament, so clubs are not obliged to make players available. Son missed the last edition, when South Korea beat North Korea in a tense final, after Bayer Leverkusen refused to release him.
But both club and player know Son is approaching his peak playing age, and the toll two years away from any football could take on his career.
In Son's last appearance for the Taeguk Warriors, he scored in injury time as South Korea knocked defending champions Germany out of the World Cup in Russia.
If they fail at the Asian Games, Son will swap Tottenham's state-of-the-art new White Hart Lane stadium for life in military barracks, where up to 30 soldiers sleep in each room.
On meagre pay of 310,000 won ($275) per month, soldiers are assigned to a range of duties, from riding tanks to standing patrol at the heavily fortified border with North Korea— with whom the South remains technically at war.
An infamously spartan military diet has at least improved over the past decade, with soldiers in the mess served rice, meat or fish and soup, along with the national dish of kimchi.
And Son may have other elite footballers for company.
Goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, who shot to prominence with a string of superb saves in the win over Germany, and Japan-based Hwang Ui-jo also face their last chances to avoid military service.
But for Son the stakes are even higher, given his burgeoning career in football's richest league.
And while most top South Korean footballers can spend their service playing for the K-League's military side Sangju Sangmu, Son is not eligible as he has never appeared in the domestic league.
South Korea kick off their tournament against Bahrain on Wednesday, 21 August before further group matches against Malaysia and Kyrgyzstan.
. Read more on World by The Quint.Latest News: Anti-Sterlite Violence Cases Transferred to CBIJudging Kangana: From Self-made ‘Queen’ to the ‘Other Side’ . Read more on World by The Quint. | 2019-04-22T23:18:40Z | https://in.news.yahoo.com/military-duty-soccer-son-heung-083521564.html | Porn | Sports | 0.967796 |
wordpress | Another beauty box in Spain – Going Chic!
This entry was posted in Beauty Boxes and tagged Going Chic by Stylicious. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-24T07:18:53Z | https://iamstylicious.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/another-beauty-box-in-spain-going-chic/ | Porn | Reference | 0.451015 |
wordpress | welcome to my blog! I’m a 36 37 38 year old expat living in Ireland and I write about slow running and plant-based food.
This is just another running (b)log. I am writing this mostly for my future lazy self to read this in case motivation is lacking.
I plan to document/log thoughts on running or better trying to become a runner. In the past I realized that I can’t see the progress I make and while getting better at running I still felt stuck and as if I wasn’t improving. Just repeating to myself “hey x weeks/months ago I couldn’t run for 2 minutes” gets too boring.
While I use an app to track my workouts, it’s just not the same as having a website to turn to and look through archives and see where I started.
This still holds true and it has become so much more! First I am not that lazy anymore. Then I also started a food blog in December 2015 to record my favorite plant-based recipes. What I had never realized is, that there are a lot of nice people out there, I can connect with, due to sharing more about me and what I’m passionate about. Which is run and eat. (That is at least the part I share here in public!).
Thank you for the follow on Lessons from my Daughter. I can’t imagine myself ever running but will be happy to follow your journey!
Thank you so much! Looking forward to reading more from you.
To have a blog dedicated to running is fascinating! 🙂 Hope it is motivating you quite significantly already!
Thanks 😀 can’t hide anything can I? I am still working on the meal planner though … and the nutrition needs proper measurements… if there only was more time in the day.
Thanks for visiting my site again, SRG, you young beauty. Slow is as fast as I go!
You rock, young Miss, keep running!
You don’t visit anymore, where did you go? Did you try to swim the Atlantic to get to Brooklyn?
No. I am injured and stay away from all things running. | 2019-04-20T18:43:30Z | https://slowrunnergirl.wordpress.com/about/ | Porn | Sports | 0.525854 |
wordpress | The cornerstone of any CFMP should be preventive maintenance. A regularly-scheduled preventive maintenance, mitigates the frequency of unplanned failures, extends the longevity of building systems beyond industry standards, and best suits organization needs for a safe and functional physical environment.
Mitigating catastrophic building system failures, fires, accidents, and other safety hazards.
Scheduled Maintenance – Description of activities that can be forecast and for which expenditures of parts and labor are based on a predictable time table or use schedule. Main components include: Preventive Maintenance, Modifications and Alterations, and Scheduled Replacement.
Unscheduled Maintenance – Description of activities that cannot be programmed or forecast, including emergency repairs and corrections of breakdowns.
Deferred Maintenance – Description of scheduled activities, delayed or postponed for reasons such as lack of funds or personnel, changes in priorities and change of use.
Operations and maintenance departments, based upon size, may have multiple departments, each with an area of specialization, or a single department. Examples of specialized areas include: 1. Environmental, Health, and Safety, 2. Central Maintenance Shops, 3. Cluster Maintenance Program, 4. Custodial Services, and 5. Energy and Recycling.
Computerized maintenance management system software operation.
General – grounds maintenance program, custodial, etc.
Utility-billing data collection and analysis (including electric, natural gas, heating oil, propone, water/sewer, solid waste, and recycling).
Procurement of energy and solid waste services.
Manage contracts associated with energy and solid waste services.
Monitor the energy market to direct procurement decisions.
Coordinate with State and local officials on issues associated with energy, water/sewer utilities, and solid waste management.
Best value procurement, LEAN collaborative construction delivery methods such as Job Order Contracting, standard terms, definitions, as well as standardized cost and data architectures, and a documented Operations & Maintenance Execution Guide all contribute to maximizing return-on-investment and improving outcomes.
It’s not enough know construction, or how to manage a project once it is mobilized. You must understand and respect everyone’s perspective and needs from concept thru negotiations, execution, and final close-out.
Whether you are an Owner, Contractor, or Subcontractor, it’s critical to demonstrate that you are reliable and trustworthy and not manipulative or underhanded.
Negotiation starts early and, in truth, never finishes. All interactions, from initial conceptual meetings, to the site visit, and throughout all phases of a task order, build your persona and ultimately define your long-term relationships.
3. Talk too much. Listen too little.
Pay close attention to every project participant, and use the knowledge to find common understanding. Needs,.desires, and concerns defined the preferred solution.
Great team players are clear on their ultimate interests, and under those of all parties. Take the time to understand the most important and desired outcomes of engineering, procurement, and contractors, and work toward that goal.
4. Squeeze every last penny.
JOC is a value-based construction delivery method. The goal is to achieve a quality and satisfactory result at a reasonable cost. While it’s critical to generate detailed line item cost estimates and assure financial transparency, reciprocity and fairness are the ruling factors.
Both Owners and Contractors need to feel that they are indeed partners working toward a common goal of delivering quality on-time and on-budget projects for a reasonable cost.
Procurement teams handles key steps in a JOC process and do technical, and engineering personnel. All have their jobs to do and roles to play. Assure every one is aware of value and scope of the project.
JOC is a LEAN collaborative construction delivery methods, and a form of Integrated Project Delivery – IPD.
The benefits of using JOC, such as reducing the total lead-time and cost for common construction, repair and renovation projects for facilities and infrastructures, are achieved through the consistent application of proven best-management practices.
A “Pre-proposal meeting” is held between the “JOC Program Manager” (PM), user/client, and contractor to generally define a work need. The PM should should have a meeting sign-in sheet and meeting agenda. At the Pre-Proposal Meeting, the PM should set up a date for the pre-construction “site visit”.
A designated form with an appropriate amount of information requesting JOC work is completed and forwarded to the “Contract Specialist”.
The Contract Specialist e-mails a copy of the RFP to the contractor and other stakeholders, and adds the project/”task order” to the “Active” status. The Contractor has a specified period of time to complete and forward a proposal/contractor estimate. The time period may vary based upon the size of the job.
The “Contract Specialist” in coordination with the PM sets up a joint site visit with the JOC Contractor to further defined project/”task order” requirements and establish are joint “scope of work” (SOW).
The contractor prepares a detailed line item estimate using the JOC “unit price book” (UPB). Drawings, typically in PDF format, are included.
An independent owner estimate may also be prepared for projects/task orders above a specified dollar threshold as specified in the Job Contract and/or associated regulations. Generally an independent estimate is required for task orders equal to, or above, $100,000 to $150,000. In the government section, this may be called an independent government estimate (IGE).
Coordinator review the preliminary Scope of Work. Once the client approves the Scope of Work in writing (e-mail is acceptable) the clock starts on preliminary pricing.
Owner (PM, Contract Specialist) reviews the contractor proposal and compares it to Owner estimate if applicable.
“Notice to Proceed” (NTP) issued to the approved Contractor. Upon receipt of all forms and signatures, the task order is “fully executed”.
This meeting officially hands over the job site to the contractor (contractor puts up their signs – the contractor “owns” the job site. PM will schedule/establish Progress Meetings .
Construction phase. Weekly reports are generally required and submitted to the PM. Change order are typically rare with JOC, however, may result due to client requests, or unforeseen site conditions. Generally the same procedures are followed as those for the RFP. The Change Order is recorded per appropriate form is approved, per the associated Change Order Proposal submitted by the contractor, and if sufficient funds are in place.
Upon completion of the project/task order, the contractor will notify the PM and request a final inspection. The PM will schedule the Final Inspection with all requisite attendees and stakeholders. If complete, the Contractor will return the job site to the client (demobilize). If their are remaining items to be completed, a “punch list” is created by the PM. Project close-out occurs upon sign off and contractor submission of any required final documents. As built documents, warranty documentation, service manuals, and request for final payment are provided as appropriate. | 2019-04-22T18:58:44Z | https://buildinginformationmanagement.wordpress.com/category/job-order-contract-statement-of-work/ | Porn | Business | 0.805406 |
sfgate | Closet space is usually at a premium in most homes. One way to get more out of your closet space is to add a closet organizer system that utilizes a ventilated shelf closet rod. The wire shelf doesn’t accumulate dust the way solid shelving does. It’s lightweight but the steel construction can support quite a bit of weight. The closet rod attachment allows you to hang clothes under the shelf so you can maximize your valuable closet space. Empty the closet before you start this project. If you plan to paint the closet walls, do so before you hang the closet shelving.
Locate the studs in the closet wall with a stud finder. Mark their location.
Hold the ventilated shelf against the wall where you plan to install it to create an installation line. Mark that height. Set the shelf aside. Check that the height you marked is level by holding a carpenter’s level on your marks. Adjust the marks as necessary to level the installation line.
Place the shelf back against the wall again. Align the mounting holes in the shelf with the stud marks along the horizontal line you created in the previous step. Some shelves have tabs attached that you align with the studs. If you cannot get the holes to align with studs, use wall anchors instead. Drill small holes in the wall at the location of the mounting holes, following the manufacturer’s recommendations for size. Insert anchors into the holes if you are using them. The top of each anchor should be flush with the wall.
Attach the ventilated shelf to the wall using screws from the shelving’s assembly kit.
Drill holes for the front support brackets on both walls of the closet if the shelving extends across the entire space. Insert anchors into the holes. Slide the U-shaped mounting brackets under the front ends of the shelving and attach it with screws. If the shelving doesn’t go all the way across the closet, omit this step.
Drill holes for the support brackets that extend from the front of the shelving and reach the wall below the shelf. There should be support brackets for your shelving close to the end or spaced every 3 feet for longer shelves. Insert anchors into the holes. Mount the support brackets using the same procedure as you used for mounting the shelf.
Slide the closet rod’s mounting brackets into position near the ends of the shelf. On some models the brackets are already attached. Tighten the screws from the assembly kit to hold the brackets in place. Pry the U-shape of the mounting bracket open just enough to slide the closet rod into the opening. Once the rod is in place, the bracket will snap shut around it.
Cover exposed metal ends with rubber end caps from the assembly kit. Simply push the end caps onto the ends.
Some ventilated shelving has a horizontal bar that mounts on the wall. Adjustable vertical standards or metal tracks slide onto the horizontal bar. Once installed, the vertical standards are secured on the wall with screws. The shelving and closet rod snap onto the vertical standards. This type of shelving system gives you more flexibility in arranging shelves because you can adjust the height and spacing of the shelves on the vertical standards.
Use a masonry drill bit and masonry anchors to mount a ventilated shelf closet rod on brick or masonry walls.
Brown, Denise. "How to Install a Ventilated Shelf Closet Rod." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/install-ventilated-shelf-closet-rod-33030.html. Accessed 25 April 2019. | 2019-04-25T08:38:18Z | https://homeguides.sfgate.com/install-ventilated-shelf-closet-rod-33030.html | Porn | Reference | 0.248436 |
wordpress | Sometimes it’s exactly when the body is least proud, when it expects nothing, hopes for nothing, that it can become a vessel for a meditative state. I almost didn’t go to yoga class tonight because my bones were aching and my lungs were tight. But I made myself walk up the stairs to the studio. I needed to get quiet and slow. I’m no expert. When it comes to meditation I have to do it by feel. I gave up long ago trying to empty my mind. It’s never worked for me. Instead, with my eyes closed, I try to close my mind’s eyes too. It’s like walking in a familiar house with a blindfold on. Everything is still there–the furniture, the dirty dishes, the pictures on the wall–but I move around them carefully, slowly, with my hands stretched out. That’s what meditating means to me. I move among my ordinary thoughts, I feel them crowding me, but I don’t look at them. And then, on lucky days, a window opens and the light comes in. I can’t think of any other way to describe it. A window opens between my eyes, between my closed eyes, and I am seeing it the way you would through your eyelids, through the blindfold, a brightness that is a physical feeling. Sometimes I sit like a cat in the sun, and I don’t move. I just feel how warm it is. Sometimes I blow a question out the window and listen for an answer breathing back to me. Sometimes the window remains sealed shut, and I am alone in the dark with myself.
But since I didn’t know who I was dealing with, I didn’t say any of that. I just felt what it felt like to have an elephant in my body. A dancing elephant, did I mention that? What Ganesh was doing there inside me was dancing around, so that the places where earlier I had felt most tired, in the marrow of my bones, in the deep red fibers of my muscles, in the wet cells of my lungs, was weightlessness. Inside my arms, his arms. Inside my legs, his legs. My belly full of bells, my heart a drum. Even now I can feel the vibrations of the dance inside me. It has lasted through my rush hour subway ride, through the children’s dinner and bedtime, through cleaning the kitchen and an emergency operation on the eye of my son’s stuffed zebra. It’s a gift I would never have thought to ask for, but now I can’t imagine anything more beautiful–to be made into a place for dancing.
Thank you! I’d can’t say I’ve removed the obstacles. But I have made peace with them. Happy new year to you! | 2019-04-21T14:09:11Z | https://minibusessays.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/ganesh/ | Porn | Kids | 0.251558 |
wordpress | Books from East and Southeast Asia!!!
Since I have relocated to Singapore, I have been reading more books based in East and Southeast Asia. When I was living in India, I couldn’t differentiate between different nationalities, say an Indonesian and a Korean. But now I think I have a wider if not complete knowledge of these countries, mostly because I feel blessed to live in a place where I can experience, even from a distance, a wide variety of cultures and traditions, either via traveling or through a book. And trust me, it’s fascinating.
See? These are a lot of countries right? If you are similarly inclined and want to broaden your reading horizon, join me in this Challenge. I’ll make it a proper challenge if anyone wants to join me (even if it just one person). Let me know in the comments.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged East and Southeast. Bookmark the permalink.
I would definitely join such a challenge. I used to read quite a number of fiction of the region. This year, for some reason, I did not read as much. I think a challenge will help me.
awesome, I’ll set it up soon.
I have often thought that I should broaden my horizons and read a selection of world literature, but there are just so many books out there and I want to read them all!!!
Also, I tend to read quite slowly, compared to many other bloggers, as I only get a short time each day to shut myself off from the world with a good book, but if you do start a challenge, I will be stopping by often to keep up with your progress.
I have some suggestions for you if you’d like them! 🙂 I’m not officially joining challenges anymore, but I’ve made a few lists focused on SE Asia, and I’m working on a South Korea list right now, lol. So I share your interest!
Great, you make the best lists and I would definitely like some suggestions!!!
Swapna does a challenge similar to that – you can read about it here. I’m pretty sure she’s doing it again in 2011.
I know she does a Challenge like that, that’s why I excluded South Asia. I’m joining her challenge next year too.
Good luck with your reading! I look forward to see which books you choose.
Thanks for joining, don’t worry about the books, I will have a recommendations list up later and you’ll be surprised that there are many popular books in there. | 2019-04-24T22:49:24Z | https://violetcrush.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/books-from-east-and-southeast-asia/?shared=email&msg=fail | Porn | Kids | 0.139369 |
tripod | Chepstow is located in the south-east of Gwent, on the Welsh side of the border with England. It can be reached by travelling along the M48, having left the M4 at junction 23.
The Bridge Inn at Chepstow, which dates from 1791, has a reputation of being haunted. The tales of glasses rising from the bar without human help, drawers opening on their own and the contents scattering themselves, as well as the shadowy presences witnessed in the building are enough to convince some people that it is indeed haunted.
The home of the world famous golf course was once a stately home. It is allegedly haunted by a Grey Lady, who is believed to be a former occupant. There is also the ghost of the 'laughing gardener', who is said to have been a former employee. The ghost is said to walk through the gateway leading into the walled garden, cross the road and disappear into the churchyard... laughing all the way!
The former railway station buildings have been turned into business premises... and are reputed to be haunted. The sounds of a train rumbling through the station have been reported, although none are to be seen.
A gentleman reports on the BBC Wales website that he was taking his dog for a walk in Chepstow Bulwark Camp at around midnight. About half way around the camp he experienced “an eerie feeling and then something tapped on my shoulder”. He turned quick to find there was nothing there, just the faint sound of a little girl playing. He stated that he “looked at the dog thinking she would be chasing her stick but no - she couldn't get any closer to my leg if she tried”. He quickened his pace, got to the other side of the camp and I heard the sound of the little girl again. By this time, the fog had come up off the River Wye. He reports that he squinted his eyes and could see the girl playing what looked like "Ring-a-ring-a-roses" where he had previously walked. He watched the little girl playing for about one or two minutes and went home. Apparently, the camp was used as a World War Two German prisoner camp. | 2019-04-25T02:26:17Z | http://dylanjones843.tripod.com/id18.html | Porn | Recreation | 0.475032 |
wordpress | This essay was originally posted on Jewschool.com.
The psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan often insisted that truth has the structure of a fiction. He meant that human beings do not have access to the Absolute. Instead we experience truth in the slippage of everyday speech, which reveals a hidden dimension of thought. Political truth is also conveyed through fiction, and no one demonstrates this more clearly than President Donald Trump. On February 15, during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump broke with 15 years of established United States foreign policy to say that a two-state solution may not be necessary to achieve peace. “So I’m looking at two-state and one-state and I like the one that both parties like,” he said. This pronouncement must have been shocking to State Department functionaries, who have spent years upholding the viability of an independent Palestinian state, and to Jewish groups on the center and left, who have staked their commitment to Israel upon the success of a two-state solution.
While President Trump’s statement was shocking, all it did was affirm the actual policy of the United States government, which values Israeli security and cooperation far more than the creation of a Palestinian state. If anyone doubts this, consider the billions of dollars the US gives to Israel each year in military aid, and the diplomatic cover it provides as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. If domestic policy interests aligned with a viable Palestinian state, the US would (publicly or privately) threaten to withdraw this aid and protection unless Israel followed through on its commitments under international law to withdraw from the West Bank and end the siege of Gaza. Of course, this will not happen so long as Israel remains of such immense strategic and political value to the United States.
If Trump merely stated actual US policy concerning Israel, rather than the fictional narrative, why was it so shocking? Two reasons. First, because the fictional narrative, however dubious, is crucial in upholding the United States’ image of itself as a neutral party that can negotiate peace. The perennially sputtering peace process is not actually about achieving a two-state solution. If it were, the US would take the steps listed above to pressure Israel into an agreement, while exerting equal pressure on the Palestinian leadership to accept. Instead, the peace process is a public relations cover underneath which actual policies are carried out: Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and systematic appropriation of their land and resources. For giving Israel a free hand to carry out these policies, the US receives immense geostrategic advantages, as well as the domestic support of Jewish and Evangelical groups. Moreover, the very idea of Israel—a Jewish democracy occupying Biblical land—has always held special influence over the imaginations of the British and American ruling classes.
The second significance of Trump’s comment gets to the kernel of truth buried in fictions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If his statement is any indication of future US policy, then at some point the idea of a two-state solution will be scrapped. United States policy will align more closely with Netanyahu’s governing coalition, which “openly opposes the two-state solution” and would prefer “to annex major portions of the occupied West Bank while continuing to deprive the Palestinians of full sovereignty,” according to an article in the Huffington Post. Even if the two-state solution were to survive, it would be devoid of meaning because, as Netanyahu asserts, “Israel must retain the overriding security control over the entire area west of the Jordan River,” and no doubt over the Gaza Strip as well. This means that even if the Palestinian leadership assents to a sovereign state (a politically suicidal position without Israel’s withdrawal from settlements and a resolution to the refugee question), they would be agreeing to govern a nation of hostages over which Israel would still dominate in the name of security.
Effectively, Trump is saying that, one way or another, there will not be a two-state solution. Israel will either rule over a puppet state or it will continue to rule directly over the stateless Palestinians. This view dovetails with the prevailing opinion in Israel’s ruling class that no Palestinian state is viable given Israel’s security concerns. By dropping the pretense of a two-state solution, President Trump hopes to score political points with domestic and Israeli audiences. Perhaps he does not fully understand the implications of the policy-shift. “I thought for a while that two-state looked like it may be the easier of the two, but honestly if Bibi and if the Palestinians, if Israel and the Palestinians are happy, I’m happy with the one they like the best,” he said during the press conference. In other words, we all know the peace process is a sham, whatever form it takes, so let’s go with the most politically expedient choice at this moment.
This admission is a startling moment of truth. Israel is quickly moving towards a point when settlement construction will no longer be reversible. This means that the West Bank will effectively become part of Israel, or Israel will annex it directly. Two and a half million Palestinians will be included in Israel geographically, but not politically, plus another one and a half million living in the Gaza Strip. Fully one half of Israel’s population will be Arab Palestinians. For Donald Trump to say that a two-state solution may not be necessary is to touch upon the linchpin of the conflict. Israel will soon rule over millions of disenfranchised Palestinians. Without the fantasy of a two-state solution, neither side will be able to pretend the situation is merely temporary. This can only lead to a political crisis, in which Palestinians will rise up against their oppressors. For a nation bordering Syria and lying near Iraq, Libya, and Egypt, the stakes could not be clearer. If the Israeli/Palestinian conflict does not end in a political resolution, then violence—of an intractability and scale tragically characteristic of the Middle East—will fill the gap.
The President’s remarks pushed both Israel and the United States closer to this moment of reckoning. We all know that a political resolution between Israel and the Palestinians would be nearly impossible to negotiate. Today’s peace process amounts to arguing over details of a solution that has no basis in political realities. Beyond the mistrust and deep animosity on both sides, fundamental questions remain unresolved. It is time for Americans to dispense with the fiction of a two-state solution. Such a compromise has never been viable because it has never addressed the question of mutual sovereignty or the right of Palestinian refugees to return home. Neither issue can be dealt with in a two-state framework, so they were excluded from negotiation. Both issues can only be resolved when Palestinians demand full rights and shared sovereignty over Israel. It will be quite difficult for Palestinians to accept this. Much of their identity is based upon resisting Israel up to the point when what was lost can be taken back. In the meantime, negotiations over a separate state secure power, wealth, and a measure of dignity for the Palestinian leadership. But the position of Palestinians as a whole is weakened. To win peace, Palestinians will have to trade an identity of resistance and victimhood for one of struggle towards a better future.
Likewise, it will be especially difficult for American Jews to accept the bankruptcy of a two-state solution. This is because both the issues historically excluded from negotiation—shared sovereignty and the refugee question—challenge Israel’s existence as a Jewish state. Many right-wing American Jews have accepted this fact. They understand that in order for Israel to remain a Jewish state it must maintain demographic and political hegemony. Implicitly, they acknowledge that Palestinians will remain stateless—pushed out of sight or made miserable enough to leave. But for liberal and left-wing American Jews, the two-state solution offers an escape from these existential questions. This group is free to criticize Israel’s policies while staunchly maintaining its status as a Jewish state (that neither includes Palestinians nor recognizes their rights). Liberal Jews are right to question Israeli policy and to cultivate a discourse of peace. But if this critical gesture does not extend to the two-state solution, and the central questions it ignores, then liberal Jews are engaged in wishful thinking. A lasting peace can only be achieved when Jews relinquish their right to rule single-handedly over Israel—something just as difficult as Palestinians accepting their historical losses and abandoning their posture of resistance.
It is harder, not easier, to envision peace without two states. Stability must be exchanged for political uncertainty. And neither side is ready or willing to address the fundamental issues that divide them. It will be a long time before negotiations take place that can promise actual peace, within the context of one state. But the truth is that no other peace is possible. | 2019-04-20T04:33:51Z | https://selfclarification.wordpress.com/2017/03/ | Porn | Reference | 0.381548 |
wordpress | As I leave behind the school year–we had our last day today, with a faculty meeting and luncheon–I feel some melancholy. It has been a lovely week: I helped administer oral examinations, took part in the diploma ceremony, went out for coffee with two colleagues, cleaned the surface of my desk (at school), took a bike ride, ate lots of sour cherries, and began preparing my Dallas lectures on Homer, Dante, and Melville.
But this week alone I ran into several writings and speeches claiming that civility does not bring about change, that heckling is necessary, and that if we are reverting to tribalism, well, we have always been tribal, whether we admitted it or not.
Such pieces imply that anyone calling for civility either lacks understanding or clings to power and privilege. Supposedly “civility” is the code for keeping things just as they are. I reject this proposition. Civility does not have to take the form of stiff politeness or euphemism. You can be strong, stubborn, outspoken, clear, and civil. To be civil is to recognize the limits of your knowledge, to listen to others even if you disagree with them, to build what you have in common, and to seek right action regarding your differences. In addition, it involves learning about the world so that you can speak and hear wisely. Above all, civility makes room for discernment. It allows you just enough time and pause to distinguish one situation from another.
Civility takes years of study and experience; it does not confine itself to social codes but instead allows for idiosyncrasy and exception. It is not fixed or perfect; it requires continual trial and error, introspection, observation.
Sometimes civility must be broken. Sometimes a protest needs full vehemence. But even then, one can keep civility close by. It will come in handy when things get out of hand.
Dismiss civility, and the whole purpose of protest comes apart. Why protest at all, if not for the sake of a better life? What life is there, if people cannot see or hear each other or themselves, if they cannot admit to being wrong? No, the modern air is full of shouting, shaming, name-calling, disparaging, dismissing, and such–and there may be reason for them here and there–but such trends do not have the upper hand, the best plan, or the last say.
I took the photo in Szolnok a few weeks ago.
Above: wildflowers along the Zagyva. Below: the wind in the reeds in Besenyszög, where I rode the bike today. That was probably the last not-so-short bike ride until August.
And lily pads in Besenyszög.
Yes, and a sunflower field, on the way home. Look at those clouds.
And to top it all off, a bird I heard early this morning.
On Sunday the rabbi and I went to the glorious Dancing on the Square, performed by the Budapest Festival Orchestra–with special guests on cymbalom and violin–and schoolchildren, Roma and non-Roma, from all over Hungary. The seating area outside Saint Stephen’s Basilica was packed; the performance filled the air with good things, from music to tolerance to joy. There will be an online broadcast tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. Central European Summer time (12:30 p.m. EST); it will be available over the following two days.
I decided, close to the last minute, to spend the night in Budpest (at the wonderful Baross Hotel) and then, in the morning, take a day trip to Subotica, Serbia. It all worked out–a long day, but worthwhile down to the second.
Staying at the Baross (where I stayed last September, during my preparatory visit to Hungary) allowed me to ride the glass elevator.
The train ride to Subotica took four hours; about 30 minutes were spent at the border, where “border police” boarded to check passports. I had to show my residence permit as well (because it was clear that I had been in Hungary for a while); once I showed it, the officers had no more questions.
Subotica is unlike any border city I have visited before. Not only are street signs in several languages (Serbia, Croatian, Hungarian, English), but you sense the old presence of Serbian and Hungarian cultures. Bunjevci were once a majority here. In many ways Subotica looks like a Hungarian city–but the Secessionist (Art Nouveau) architecture is especially prominent and colorful. Overall the city showed crumbling elegance: shady parks, towering churches, long terraces of cafes and shops, a famous theater, and some falling apart here and there.
I wanted to see the synagogue (which reopened in March, after a detailed restoration); having no map, I walked around in circles for a couple of hours before overhearing a couple heading to the tourist information office. I walked along with them, benefited from their sense of direction (they found the office), and received a map. From here I found the way.
After this, I headed back to the train station; the trip home took seven hours, since it involved going back to Budapest and heading from there, on a different train, to Szolnok. In the later part of the trip, the wind and mist rolled through the windows; the train grew emptier, and I thought back slowly on the day.
Some people have suggested that my next book will be about my time in Hungary. I think that’s likely, but if so, it will differ from books that claim to reveal a country from the inside. Instead, it will explore the very difficulty of getting to know a country, even when you live and teach there, even when you undertake to learn the language, even (I believe) after you have been there a few years. The difficulty is the great part of it; if I could learn all about a country in a few months, I probably wouldn’t bother; I’d look for something more challenging to do.
When trying to speak more Hungarian, people tend to react in one of two ways. Some express amazement when I so much as put a sentence together. Other people ask, “Why do you even bother? Hungarian is difficult, and surely you can find enough people who speak English.” Yes, it’s a difficult language, but I insist on meeting the difficulty. I seek out situations where I am surrounded by Hungarian (for long stretches, without translation). Then I can focus on listening and figuring out as much as possible. The brain does lots of work in the background, too; when I surround myself with the language, I start recognizing patterns and words.
In that spirit, here’s a recording of a bird I heard the other night. At first I thought it was a mockingbird, but I don’t think there are mockingbirds here. It might have been a starling or Eurasian jay. And here, below, is a video of an unknown bird I saw take flight. I thought it was a stork, but since it was completely white, it may have been an egret instead.
As for the photo at the top, I took it in Békés on June 5. The river is the Körös.
We had been looking forward to this for a week, my tenth-grade students and I. We had planned to walk to the Zagyva Cukrászda for an ice cream cone during our last lesson of the year. We had even agreed to meet fifteen minutes early so that we would have enough time. When the hour arrived, the rain could not melt away our plan. We went forth with the umbrellas we had, just barely enough to cover everyone, almost. As we splashed through puddles along the Zagyva, a long line of schoolchildren in colorful rain capes streamed by us on bikes, along with a few adults.
We made our way to the ice cream place, bought ice creams, and stood for a little while under a couple of rooves.
The rain slowed down; as we walked back to school, just a drop or two fell our way, and the wind started to blow. Later the sun came out onto the rooftops. But the rain has already earned honor: it was the obstacle that got in no one’s way. This outing would have been an adventure even in the sun, but the rain made it more so.
Earlier in the day, two ninth-grade students asked me for more videos from the Shakespeare event. Here they are in succession. The first is from the dress rehearsal; the second and third, from the performance.
So the year comes to an end with ice cream, rain, and Shakespeare. | 2019-04-19T02:35:13Z | https://dianasenechal.wordpress.com/2018/06/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.589491 |
wordpress | Hi friends! Today we are going to get inky and make a cheerful belated birthday card!
The watercolor I used are not on the market yet but you can get more info here.
I have to admit I feel like a bit of a doofus giving a belated birthday card but the funny thing is I often get told that it’s better than an on-time birthday greeting because it is unexpected and it extends the celebration longer. At least we can still show someone we care even if being punctual is not out strong suit:) Do you send belated birthday cards? Let me know in the comments below and share any clever sayings you put on them, it will help us all out! Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
Stamp School: Inky Backgrounds & Silhouette Stamps!
Hi friends!Today we are going to play with inks and make some fun cards!
Don’t be shy, try these fun and inky techniques! Jut make sure to put a craft mat, piece of freezer paper or old plastic place-mat on your table to work on. It is a lot of fun! Watch the video to see how!
There are many supplies you can use to create similar works of art so don’t be shy, experiment with what you have! I am using supplies from Gina K Designs where they have free shipping on USA orders over $50 and reasonable international rates.
1. Apply ink to cardstock directly with an inkpad. Apply ink to a craft mat, spray with water and soak up the ink with the cardstock. Flick watered-down ink on the card. Repeat until you like the way it looks and let dry.
2. If desired stencil a design on top with ink.
3. Stamp silhouette images over background panels using black ink. Ink edges of panel in black and adhere to card base.
*Please note, Affiliate links are used to Gina K Designs and I receive a small commission on the sale without costing you a penny more. It helps keep my videos on YouTube free and I thank you for your support and til next time happy crafting! | 2019-04-21T22:12:07Z | https://thefrugalcrafter.wordpress.com/tag/inked-background/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.84106 |
wordpress | Sarah Newton, Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth, has secured assurances from the Government that action will be taken to help more low-income families in paying their heating bills.
Responding to the concerns raised by Mrs Newton’s debate, the Energy Minister, Greg Barker, said that the Government would be looking at ways in which data could be shared more easily between Government and energy companies. This would mean that low-income households with young children could be easily identified and get the help that they need to heat their homes.
Mrs Newton is supporting the Children’s Society campaign to treat low-income families in the same way as low-income pensioners for the Warm Homes Discount. In particular, Mrs Newton called for the standardising of eligibility criteria across all energy providers, automatically identifying eligible families with children and notifying them so they do not have to apply themselves. Taken together, these steps could help up to 120,000 families across the South West.
Currently the Warm Homes Discount, worth £140 next winter, is a discount applied to electricity bills mainly for low-income pensioners. The Departments for Work and Pensions and Energy and Climate Change use their records to identify eligible customers and who their energy company is, and the energy company then applies the discount to their bill. Low-income families with young children, however, do not automatically qualify for the discount and have to apply against a set of criteria which varies between each energy supplier.
Speaking after the debate, Mrs Newton said: “I am very pleased to hear that the Government is continuing to take the issue of fuel poverty so seriously and is building on the progress already made.
Peter Grigg, Director of Policy, Research and Campaigns at the Children’s Society said: “Sarah Newton MP’s support for our call for all families with children in poverty to get the Warm Home Discount automatically is an important step forward for families across the country that are struggling to make ends meet.
This year has seen a number of great examples of how the outstanding generosity of local people, combined with dedicated campaigning, can make a real difference to people living with health problems in Cornwall.
In 2013 I was pleased to help the Cornwall branch of Dementia UK to launch a campaign to bring Admiral Nurses to Cornwall. Admiral Nurses are professionals trained in providing specialised dementia care who work to support families living with dementia, helping them to secure the care they need. This specialist help can make all the difference to people suffering from dementia and for loved ones looking after them. Dementia UK’s campaign, headed up by Falmouth resident Lisa Dann, has made great progress in raising the funds needed and I am delighted to report that Admiral Nurses are now out and about working in Cornwall. In a unique partnership with Cornwall Care, the Admiral nursing team, with all our support, is set to grow and provide their invaluable service to more people across Cornwall.
This is just one example of local people coming together to tackle this most cruelest of conditions. Last year Falmouth became one of the UK’s first ‘dementia friendly’ communities with the launch of the Falmouth Dementia Action Alliance. The Alliance has seen a range of local businesses, groups, public services and individuals affected by dementia come together to work towards making the town an easier place for people living with dementia. These efforts have been led by two other inspirational local residents Bob and Topes Bridges, who have for years been involved with the Falmouth Memory Café, a safe and friendly space for people living with dementia and their carers.
The trailblazing work of the Falmouth team has been joined in Truro, where a Truro Dementia Alliance has been formed with support from the Alzheimer’s Society and Truro’s Town Clerk, Roger Gazzard. Launched last Thursday with the support of dementia champions, members of the Truro Lions Club, and fellow Dementia Alliances, the Truro Alliance will help to make Truro a better place for people living with dementia and those caring for them.
It is great to see Cornwall responding so brilliantly to the Prime Minister’s call in March 2012 for an “all out fight back against dementia”. The Government is upholding its own commitment to be at the forefront of this fight, doubling the funding supporting medical research into treating and eventually curing dementia and legislating for new rights and support for carers as part of the pioneering Care Bill.
Further to this, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has committed to invest £90 million in boosting diagnosis rates for people affected by dementia. Reducing delays in assessments as early diagnosis can make all the difference in the management of the condition, and can secure a better quality of life for those affected.
Whilst this is a good start there is still much more to be done and I will continue to lobby for more support from Ministers for local dementia patients and their families.
Over the coming weeks there will be a lot of discussion over the rights and wrongs of Britain’s relationship with the European Union.
I support Britain’s membership of the European Union. My support is based on the European Union’s track record of delivering peace and prosperity for the nations that belong to it.
It is understandable that some people will view these claims of European peace and prosperity with a degree of cynicism. It is therefore worthwhile to recount some of the salient facts at the heart of the European Union’s past and present.
By joining the European Union, governments commit to upholding personal rights and the rule of law. The significance of these commitments cannot be underestimated. For proof of their importance, we need look only as far as the Ukraine. In that country, on the borders of the European Union, a Government faced with protests against its corruption decided to trample on the rights of its citizens and use force to crush dissent. In response to unfolding events in the Ukraine, its neighbour Russia went back on its legal commitments not to invade the country and sent in it troops in order to secure the concessions it wanted. This behaviour would have seen both authorities subject to expulsion and sanction from the European Union, had they been member states.
Membership of the EU obliges governments to refrain from reaching for the gun when faced with popular dissent or strategic threats. These restraints have meant that, while Western Europe saw ten major conflicts between 1852 and 1952, there have been no such conflicts since the EU’s formation.
Why are governments so fearful of being kicked out of the EU? The answer lies in the second benefit conferred by EU membership, prosperity. A business based in any member state has free access to customers in any other member state, as a result of the EU’s rules on the free movement of goods. This opens up a customer base of some 490 million people. It is perhaps no wonder that, given this ease of access, 45 percent of Britain’s export trade last year was with other EU states.
It is precisely because of my appreciation for the peace and prosperity conferred by the EU that I also feel strongly that it needs to change. All the progress it has achieved has gone hand in hand with a creeping disconnect from national sovereignty and popular democracy. If not addressed then the whole European co-operative project, first proposed in Britain by none other than Winston Churchill, could come crashing down.
This is why I support David Cameron’s ongoing campaign for substantial and constructive reform of the European Union; reform centered on enabling people to have a greater say over decisions that affect them. Under Cameron’s proposals even the reforms themselves will need a democratic mandate, in the form of an in-out referendum on reformed EU membership. In its time the EU has delivered peace and prosperity. Now is the time for it to deliver a radically democratic form of European co-operation.
Today the Chancellor has delivered the 2014 Budget and with it has announced a range of measures designed to further support our economy and to provide real help to people across the country.
More support will be available for businesses to help our private sector to grow as well as major savings and pension reform.
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). ‘Today’s unemployment figures indicate further improvement in the jobs market and match reports we’ve been hearing from our members. Many have told us they have recently increased their headcount and they expect to employ more staff in the next quarter. As confidence in the economy grows, it is important that the momentum of previous quarters is maintained and this can only be achieved by maximising the job creation potential of small businesses. As such, the Employment Allowance coming into effect next month is a welcome step. Small businesses are also telling us they are beginning to raise staff pay which is reflected in today’s figures, and this will hopefully continue alongside low inflation so workers see real benefits in their pockets’ (John Allan, FSB Twitter, 19 March 2014).
FSB. ‘Welcome focus on manufacturing; increased investment allowance, cuts to energy bills – will create jobs & strengthen this sector’ (FSB Twitter, 19 March 2014).
Institute of Directors (IoD). ‘This is a responsible and imaginative budget which should promote growth, exports and investment. It will be widely welcomed’ (IoD Twitter, 19 March 2014).
British Property Federation. ‘Win! Very pleased to see consultation on the SDLT treatment of PAIFs and TTFs – could make a real difference to the sector’ (British Property Federation Twitter, 19 March 2014).
Forum of Private Business. ‘The headlines for business today are on energy policies and export. There are sizeable gains for UK manufacturers here in particular over the next few years. On export the Chancellor has thrown his weight behind getting more businesses exporting. Our membership is confident about growth but much of that growth is UK based so we needed to see such a commitment, though we will continue to work with the Treasury and others to develop even healthier export subsidies for business. Overall this was a budget that offers some help to all levels of business, with perhaps a slight focus on the mid-size energy intensive and manufacturing businesses, rather than the very small ones. However, it does help to tackle the cost of energy and makes good on the commitment trailed before the Budget to support those that look to invest, either in the UK – with a more extensive Annual Investment Allowance – or abroad, with a £3bn export support budget’ (Phil Orford, FPB Press Release, 19 March 2014).
British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). ‘The Budget passed the business test, says BCC Twitter boss John Longworth’ (BCC Twitter, 19 March 2014).
BCC. ‘Chancellor recognises that successful & confident firms are key to transforming Britain’s growing economic recovery’ (BCC Twitter, 19 March 2014).
Home Builders Federation. ‘Extending the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme is a very positive move. It will mean more homes are built, allow builders to get on with planning their businesses and employ the people needed to help tackle the country’s housing crisis. Help to Buy has reinvigorated the home building industry, contributed to a sharp increase in new housing starts and allowed thousands of First-Time Buyers onto the housing ladder. This in turn has seen the industry recruiting thousands of staff, including apprentices, so providing an economic boost to the country. We hope a political consensus to continue the scheme is in place before the election’ (Stewart Baseley, awaiting citation, 19 March 2014).
FSB.‘Extending Help to Buy on new build properties and committing to a new development in Ebbsfleet will maintain increasing confidence in the construction sector, which has risen significantly in the past year. To continue to build on this increasing optimism the Government needs to ensure that small firms can access contracts and work. The financial support announced for small house builders will therefore be welcomed’ (FSB Press Release, 19 March 2014).
Federation of Master Builders. ‘Access to finance is a major stumbling block for viable SME house builders so this government intervention is much needed as many major banks are still reluctant to lend for small residential developments. This additional support will provide the necessary finance to small house builders and help increase the overall supply of new housing through a well-functioning SME sector’ (Brian Berry, FMB Press Release, 19 March 2014).
British Societies Association. ‘We also welcome the Chancellor’s proposals to boost house building, particularly the extension of Help to Buy: equity loan and the support for self-builders. Care is needed here that incoming regulation from Europe does not undo this welcome boost for self-build’ (BSA Press Release 19 March 2014).
FSB. ‘Federation of Small Businesses welcome cuts to manufacturing energy bills saying it will help create jobs’ (FSB Twitter, 19 March 2014).
EEF. ‘The Chancellor said this would be a Budget for manufacturers and he has delivered on his word. The Government clearly recognises the need to make the competitiveness of the UK a priority. We argued strongly for the need to reduce the rising cost of energy faced by many companies, and he’s acted on that. Taken together with measures to boost investment, exports and skills, the Chancellor deserves a pat on the back. We have always said that to achieve a resilient recovery Government must back manufacturing and we’ve seen that from this Budget’ (EEF Press Release, 19 March 2014).
Confederation of British Industry (CBI). ‘The Budget will put wind in the sails of business investment, especially for manufacturers. This was a make or break budget coming at a critical time in the recovery and the Chancellor has focussed his firepower on areas that have the potential to lock in growth. The CBI has pushed hard for this significant and much-needed energy package that will help keep manufacturing jobs in the UK, while underpinning vital investment in new energy’ (John Cridland, CBI Press Release, 19 March 2014).
Tim Abbot, Managing Director BMW Group. ‘Well for manufacturing the annual investment allowance is going up from £250,000 to £500 – excellent news, inward investment into the UK, help to export as well. I guess the carbon price floor being frozen as well will make us competitive within Europe. Great news’ (Tim Abbot, BBC Budget Special, 19 March 2014).
BCC. ‘With a huge confidence gap still separating employers from young job-seekers, we are very pleased to see the Chancellor heed our call to help firms take on and train tomorrow’s workforce. Overcoming that confidence gap means more investment in young people, more apprenticeships, and more jobs’ (John Longworth, BCC Press Release, 19 March 2014).
FSB. ‘We are pleased to see how seriously the Chancellor is taking the cost of energy. Without addressing the issue, especially in manufacturing, jobs could be lost to abroad’ (FSB Press Release, 19 March 2014).
FSB. ‘Half (54%) of FSB members say problems with the UK’s road infrastructure costs their business up to £2,500 a year; a fifth say it has cost more. Recent flood damage has exacerbated the problem. The £200 million fund to repair potholes shows the Government is finally recognising the more prominent transport challenges for small firms and the importance of local roads to run and grow their business’ (FSB Press Release, 19 March 2014).
FSB. ‘The Government has been very supportive towards businesses and households hit by the severe flooding earlier this year’ (FSB Press Release, 19 March 2014).
FSB. ‘No fuel duty rise – welcome news to small firms struggling with the fluctuating cost of fuel’ (FSB Twitter, 19 March 2014).
Which. ‘The Budget brings a welcome shake up for struggling savers who too often get a raw deal. Hiking the ISA limit will encourage more consumers to save, although we also now need to see more competitive interest rates from banks that have slashed these repeatedly in recent years. The overwhelming majority of people who buy an annuity from their existing provider could get a better deal on the open market, so today’s announcement should help stop millions of people from losing out on thousands of pounds of retirement income. The key to making this work will be a requirement on providers to give consumers high quality, impartial advice on their options across the whole of the market, with maximum protection at this critical time in their financial lives’ (Richard Lloyd, Which Press Release, 19 March 2014).
IoD. ‘Some predicted a worse treatment for pensions, what we have heard is a significant improvement!’ (Stephen Herring, IoD Twitter, 19 March 2014).
BSA. ‘The BSA has campaigned for years for the reformation of the ISA rules. Finally the Chancellor has listened and we are delighted that he has done exactly what we have been calling for: Increased the limit; delivered a single allowance which no longer penalises savers who want to invest in cash and allowed the transfer of funds in either direction between cash and stocks & shares ISAs. This will benefit many mid and lower income savers, especially those nearing retirement. We are also pleased that he has accepted the need to reform the 10p tax rate on savings, this new 0% rate must be simple for savers to claim’ (BSA Press Release, 19 March 2014).
EEF. ‘EEF asked & Chancellor has delivered. Freeze in the Carbon Price Floor & RO/ Small Scale FITs compensation’ (EEF Economists Twitter, 19 March 2014).
ACS. ‘We welcome the scrapping of the alcohol duty escalator and the decision to reduce beer duty by 1p, which will benefit consumers and reduce some of the pressure on local shops losing trade to the illegal market’ (James Lowman, ACS Press Release, 19 March 2014).
FSB. ‘The 1p cut to the price of a pint will help publicans and responsible drinkers across the country’ (FSB Press Release, 19 March 2014).
Andy Wilson, Managing Director of the White Horse Brewery. ‘I was so excited he decided not to put the beer duty up and also got rid of the beer escalator which gives us all now a chance to invest into our businesses, get more equipment but it’s really good that someone has now listened to the brewery and pub industry and is working with us. It’s tremendous’ (Andy Wilson, BBC News, 19 March 2014).
IoD. ‘Announcements on export finance and cut in Air Passenger Duty very welcome for UK exporters’ (IoD Twitter, 19 March 2014).
Sarah Newton, Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth, has welcomed the news that South West Water are working to reduce water bills even further.
South West Water has drawn up a new long-term plan which has been submitted for approval by the regulator Ofwat, and if passed could reduce bills by 13 percent by 2020 in real terms. This builds on the 7.2 percent reduction this year, thanks to the Government’s £50 rebate, and the freezing of tariffs until 2015.
The water company has also detailed its plans for significant investment across the South West with Cornwall benefiting from investment in the water system. Such large investments include £42 million to investigate and improve bathing water quality in areas such as Perranporth, £31 million to improve quality of shellfish waters including the River Fal, £25 million to improve drinking water quality and £9 million on a new Downstream Thinking scheme to cut the risk of sewer flooding and overflows which includes Truro and Falmouth.
Sarah Newton said: “I am delighted to see that South West Water have modified their plans so that in the coming years customers will see their bills fall while the standard of the water network improves. This work builds on the solid improvements that have already been made in Truro and Falmouth and across the whole Cornwall. | 2019-04-26T16:37:31Z | https://sarahnewtonmp.wordpress.com/2014/03/ | Porn | Health | 0.944209 |
yahoo | A pulsar is a neutron star that appears to be pulsing when observed. Neutron stars are the remains left behind after some stars explode into a supernova. These super-dense objects have some truly bizarre properties, and are often spin rapidly, spewing out energy as they spin. When the stream of radiation sweeps over our location the star appears to pulse.
NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory happens to be very good at detecting these kinds of objects, and it’s been tracking the development of Kes 75 since 2000. After checking in on the star in 2000, 2006, 2009, and 2016, NASA has been able to see how the pulsar changed over time. The result is the image you see above.
“In this composite image of Kes 75, high-energy X-rays observed by Chandra are colored blue and highlight the pulsar wind nebula surrounding the pulsar, while lower-energy X-rays appear purple and show the debris from the explosion,” NASA explains.
Late last week NASA broke the news that its Chandra X-Ray Observatory had gone down due to a system malfunction and that the spacecraft’s safe mode had been triggered. Earlier this week it was announced that the satellite was back up and running, which is great news, especially when it’s capable of making discoveries like this one. | 2019-04-26T00:35:52Z | https://finance.yahoo.com/news/astronomers-spot-youngest-known-pulsar-ever-boy-pretty-180146886.html | Porn | Science | 0.809189 |
uchicago | Description Outhouse Alley. These shacks in back of the row houses did contain flush toilets. The plumbing often froze in the winter. | 2019-04-26T01:44:55Z | http://photoarchive.lib.uchicago.edu/db.xqy?one=apf2-09470.xml | Porn | Reference | 0.275407 |
wordpress | Do you think Molot GUI is very dark?
If you think Molot GUI is very dark you can try this version with GUI modded by Mirolav Pajic.
“Official” version of Molot with old GUI is still on downloads page.
The main difference between Presonus Studio One Artist and Studio One Pro DAWs the first one allows to use only built-in effects and just EZDrummer, Guitar Rig 3 and Kore Player as external VSTs. | 2019-04-25T00:16:45Z | https://vladgsound.wordpress.com/tag/vst/ | Porn | Computers | 0.961326 |
dreamhost | I registered for an account and got a domain, then was informed about the $97 coupon code. Is there some way I can still use it? I’m still under the free trial.
There are restrictions with email addresses and credit card signed up in DH. I’ll suggest you to contact DH support how to achieve what you need. | 2019-04-20T04:14:54Z | https://discussion.dreamhost.com/t/post-registration-coupon-code/54825 | Porn | Shopping | 0.6018 |
wikipedia | Purple mangosteen is a tropical fruit which comes from the rainforests of South East Asia. It grows on evergreen trees. It is one of the most popular tropical fruits. It is popular because it has such a sweet, juicy, acidic taste. It has a hard purple shell. Inside the shell, there are white segments, just like an orange. It has to be grown in temperatures of above 4 °C (40 °F). If it is grown in temperatures below that, the plants die.
This page was last changed on 1 August 2017, at 02:38. | 2019-04-20T22:27:49Z | https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_mangosteen | Porn | Reference | 0.669922 |
imdb | Another 10 wins & 25 nominations.
I was given a box set of Joan of Arcadia(season 1) to watch by my roommate. I remember hearing about the show but didn't think much of it, other than it being interesting. I left it on a shelf and never watched it due to lack of time. He kept asking me if I had watched it and finally I did, the night before New Years Eve (2005). I watched the pilot and was amazed. I then came home on New Years morning and continued watching the rest of disc 1, then disc 2. I ended with the episode titled "Death bringeth not whatever" I think thats what its called. By the time I finished watching this episode and heard the ending song(I think the musical director's choice of music is excellent by the way), I cried for at least 15 minutes, and by then it was 9:00 am. I've been a serious Christian since the age of 12(now I'm in my early 30's) and never have I seen a show with such depth, insight and truth as this show has. I've not yet seen season 2 but I tell you that I feel as if I've learned much more about God and how he truly relates to man from this show than my 19 years of being a Christian. This show confirms the things it took me 19 years to start to understand about God's character and how he relates to man, as well as how we should relate to each other. I'm sorry it was canceled but I'm not surprised. Anything that promotes truth, morality, and spiritual insight and positive change is often persecuted or looked down upon in this "New World Order". Our society or many that have authority in it would much rather promote the opposite of such things. I've also studied enough ornithology, anthropology, biology, zoology, archeology, geology, ancient, medieval, modern history, music and languages, and have had enough metaphysical experiences to confirm my personal spiritual beliefs. I'm not your regular Christian. Anyway, people I tell you that this world and this play that we call "Life" is an unreal reality and we're all actors in it and this show is one of the few that dared to reveal this. In the words of Maximus (Russel Crowe's character in Gladiator), "What we do in this life will echo through eternity" and in eternity I believe that many of us will look back and remember Barbara Hall and this show that changed our lives for the better called Joan of Arcadia.
The double windows at the top of the school staircase set, which are often visible in scenes taking place in the school's hallways, are double semi-circles on top and squared on the bottom - the traditional shape of the ten commandments.
Adam: Maybe I'm bad at stuff like this... but we kissed. It's not like I've kissed a lot of girls. Maybe I've only kissed one.
Adam: Well maybe it meant something to me.
Joan Girardi: Maybe it meant something to me, too.
Adam: I don't... I don't know what to do with it now. | 2019-04-24T21:00:33Z | https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0367345/?ref_=m_nm_knf_act_i76 | Porn | Arts | 0.810839 |
moonfruit | Thank you for visiting my website my name is David Hamilton I am a fully qualified driving instructor the owner of Rhyl Driver Training. Based just outside Denbigh in North Wales I set up the driving school in 2006 with the aim of providing the very best training in the local area. I work 7 days a week from 7am to 8pm.
I offer patient and friendly driving lessons at a pace that suits you - working together I will make sure you are safe and confident on all types of roads before you go for a driving test. Please contact me if you require further information or if you would like to book a lesson.
My training vehicle is a 2016 Hyundai i10, fully serviced by Hyundai and fitted with dual controls. The i10 is a great driving school car, small enough to filter through town centre traffic, so easy to park and reverse. Powerful and refined enough to hold its own on the open road, big enough inside to sit four six foot plus adults comfortably. A multi award winning top rated city car. | 2019-04-23T00:48:44Z | http://driver.moonfruit.com/ | Porn | Business | 0.463751 |
livejournal | Woman attacked by wombat thought she was going to die.
Should Sir Z- R- have any enemies, perhaps he could invoke its aid.
This entry was originally posted at http://nineveh-uk.dreamwidth.org/203147.html. Please comment there using OpenID. | 2019-04-20T23:14:39Z | https://nineveh-uk.livejournal.com/376246.html | Porn | Reference | 0.515283 |
wordpress | Time for cocktails again! I have chosen Thursdays as the day to publish my “other than wine” reviews as I think its a nice way to set the mood for the weekend. Not to say that I couldn’t have some cocktails during the week (I visited 28 Hong Kong Street on a Monday) but it is less likely than me having a glass of wine.
28 Hong Kong Street is one of the first post-Mad Men speakeasy bars in Singapore. Its been around since 2011. Even though its not a big secret and it’s relatively easy to find due to the name pointing to the exact address, it is still clearly a speakeasy. There are no signs pointing towards it, and the door is not inviting to someone just passing by. You need to go there with a purpose and preferably with a reservation. We were there on a Monday, and despite that not being the busiest day of the week they only had a few tables available.
The service was first class from the start. We were shown to our table and the waiter explained the menu of the night. There was a “visiting” bartender behind the counter and he was making some of his own specials. The fun names of the cocktails and eccentric mixes caught our eye, this is not the place to order “just a basic Mojito”. I ordered a Shrub You Long Time with strawberry infused Gin (Gin, what a surprise) with some orange, dry sherry and a balsamic finish. It was delicious (although M didn’t like it). M ordered the Hulk Smash, mainly because of the wonderful name, but also due to the ingredients. It was served in a “smashed” tin cup to sweeten the deal. We also had a Singapore based friend with us and he first ordered a Old fashioned liked drink and on the first sip realized he did not at all like it. Staff were however very attentive and noticed that it was perhaps not what he would preferred and they straight away offered him to exchange it for something else without any cost. Big plus for being so attentive and the great service attitude.
As I mentioned, it was a Monday, so one drink was enough. However the menu was long and inviting so I could imagine spending the whole evening here. We didn’t have any food, but I eyed the burgers passing by our table and they looked delicious. Next time, I will have something salty to match my drinks.
Bar stories ranks perhaps as my number one cocktail bar in Singapore (maybe even the world). If you would ask M, he would prefer Longplay (review here), but I am sure this place would not be long behind.
Bar stories is located on Haji lane, a street where the Western and Middle-Eastern cultures collide. There are many bars around with tourists and expats having drinks, but also bars that serve no alcohol to respect the Arab-heritage. Bar stories is located in the upstairs of an old shop-house. Its not a speakeasy per-se, but it is not something you wonder into without knowing what it is.
Upon entering we were greeted and seated at the end of the bar. I love a seat with a view! The concept was as in Bitters & Love (review here), there is no menu, you explain to the bartender what you like and they will make you a drink. We went with our usual spirits of choice, me wit gin and M with a dark rum. We are perhaps a bit boring, but it helps compare one place to another. Also I am really not fond of whiskey, cognac or vodka as a base, so the options are limited. The bartender also asked some questions like do I like lemongrass and could I handle some egg white in my drink (YES!).It was nice to get some suggestions as I would perhaps not have thought about them myself.
I could already see from the equipment they had at hand that we were going to see some party tricks. I don’t mind as long as my drink is good. M’s cocktail arrived with a flaming branch or rosemary, and mine with a long lemongrass sticking out of the Martini glass. Looking around others had pretty cool looking drinks as well, and none of them looked the same. The staff seemed to like experimenting and you could see they were having fun with it. The taste was wonderful, like a mix of a fresh breeze and dessert (due to the creaminess of the egg white) with spices on top.
We only had one round of drinks this time, but I can imagine I could have sat there sipping on cocktails for a full evening. The ambiance was charming and relaxed and the cocktails excellent. As with many nice bars these days, it is possible to reserve a table (I remember the days in Finland when it cost something and you only got a crappy bottle of Vodka and some mixers as “compensation”). There doesn’t seem to be any food or snacks, so my recommendation would be to have dinner before going.
Bar Stories, I love you and I hope we meet again soon! | 2019-04-25T02:11:21Z | https://thewinecurious.wordpress.com/tag/speakeasy/ | Porn | Games | 0.086728 |
sfgate | Single African violet flowers are star-shaped.
1 Is Vinegar Good for African Violets?
African violet (Saintpaulia spp.) produces plantlets from divided plants and leaf cuttings. Normally grown as houseplants, African violets are tropical perennial plants, and potentially grow outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 through 12. Flower colors range from white through pink and fuchsia to blue-violet, and plants grow 6 to 16 inches wide, depending on the variety. African violet plantlets require only small amounts of fertilizer.
Specialized potting soil feeds new African violet plantlets. Small plantlets from African violet leaf cuttings and divided plants don't require fertilizer. When transplanting plantlets into new pots, use a specialized African violet potting soil, which avoids over-fertilization. African violet potting soil is slightly acidic and contains enough nutrients to feed the plantlets while they develop their root systems. Fill 2- or 2 1/2-inch pots with 0.21-0.11-0.16 potting soil, and plant the African violets so their lowest leaves are just above the soil surface. Water the pots and let them drain thoroughly. Always use pots with drainage holes.
Applying a little fertilizer when African violet growth slows down supplies all their needs. Over-fertilized African violet plantlets grow poorly. New leaves on over-fertilized plants look rusty, and the plants develop tight centers. To avoid over-fertilizing plantlets, wait until their growth slows down and look for signs of yellowing older leaves, but be careful -- plantlets that get too much light can develop the same symptoms. If you're unsure whether your African violet plantlets require fertilizer, fertilize one or two. If the leaf color and growth improves, fertilize the other plantlets. African violets require bright, indirect light, such as a position about 3 feet from a southeast- or west-facing window.
Watering and fertilizing African violet plantlets usually takes place at the same time. African violets are susceptible to crown and root diseases caused by excessively damp potting soil, so don't water the plantlets until the soil surface is dry to the touch. Dilute a 7-7-7 African violet fertilizer at a rate of 7 to 10 drops per 1 quart of lukewarm water, and use the mixture to water the plantlets, or apply the fertilizer according to the manufacturer's instructions. Either stand the pots in 1 inch of fertilizer mixture and lift them out when the soil surface is moist, or pour the mixture into the pot until it appears through the drainage holes. Do not get any of the solution on the leaves. Leave the watered pots to drain thoroughly before replacing them on their drip trays. African violets usually stop growing in winter. Water the plantlets so the potting soil surface is just moist, and don't apply fertilizer.
African violet plantlets thrive when conditions are right. Nighttime temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit are best for African violets, but plantlets grow anywhere in the range of 60 to 80 F. Growth slows down and flowering is reduced when temperatures are too high or too low. Chilled African violets turn dark, become water-soaked and wither. Place the pots in their drip trays on a flat container of gravel or sand filled with water to provide a humid atmosphere around the plants. Don't allow plants to stand in water, and don't drip water on their leaves because this causes unsightly spots.
Green, Jenny. "Fertilizing African Violet Plantlets." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fertilizing-african-violet-plantlets-103611.html. Accessed 24 April 2019.
What Makes My African Violet Turn White? | 2019-04-24T21:55:52Z | https://homeguides.sfgate.com/fertilizing-african-violet-plantlets-103611.html | Porn | Science | 0.562565 |
wordpress | A wise person then, is no more “skilled” than a lawyer or an engineer. A lawyer deals with human laws whereas the “wise” person deals with “knowledge” provided by some higher authority endorsed by a religion, a philosophy, etc.
This emphasis on “knowledge” (gyan) will bring many undesirable outcomes in Life, for Life doesn’t match any “ideas” or “truths” that we may have about it.
Life is not a structure where we will be better off if we “do good,” for the extent of what we consider “good” is contaminated by our ideas or concepts: Conditioning.
Observe Life. There is an Earthquake. Thousands of people die. Famine everywhere. Diseases will appear. What is the cause of that? Our reasoning, our “good intellect” will not find a “reason” for such “evil” event. Wasn’t that a consequence? (karma) Or perhaps that is the cause of something else? Who is responsible? Weren’t all of those people “punished”?
Life doesn’t operate under those concepts of “good” and “bad.” However, humans DO. Although those concepts are necessary to function in a human society; observe that those ideals do not reflect necessarily, the reality of Life.
A snake is about to eat a pretty rabbit. It is in your hands to stop it or to allow it. What is the “moral” standard to apply? What is the reasonable solution?
Humans through religions, operate under the illusion that “good” is a “reality” that we could follow every single time to obtain a favorable result.
It is the pursue of what is “favorable for me,” what is underneath our “moral” concepts.
In “reality” we delineate when killing is “good or bad” according to conveniences. However, the commandment has to be specific as not to confuse the masses.
The intellect does not carry “knowledge.” It carries conditioned information for self-righteousness. Every conceptual view of Life only reflects a particular angle. Brahma Kumaris perceives Life from an angle. That perception makes up their world.
The intellect is not the panacea for living a “righteous Life,” but when there is absence of inner knowledge, the learned recipes are needed to be safe, to be out of trouble; but that is not the path for self-realization.
Any single event in Life is chained through previous events. Even though, we may attribute certain action to someone, there was a chain reaction leading to a result.
The word “result” is never an end product. Although our minds are trained to see it that way.
Brahma Kumaris displays a “knowledge” which is explained through words. The events of the story of “Brahmin souls” going through the cycle of time as the “main actors,” is the same story that any religion will portray. There is no religion selling “salvation” where the main protagonists are their own followers. Their eschatology is self-serving.
When someone is new to “Spirituality” a religion will offer the certainty needed for the mind to remain at ease. Christians, come to mind. Their story of salvation is easy to follow. What is requested from followers is easy to DO. As a person evolves, he may see “spirituality” as denial of the body and its sensations for the pursue of something more “elevated,” such as the spirit, the soul, etc.
A person may think that in order to access the soul and the spirit within, there must be a denial, an internal fight to overcome the needs of the body (effort.) This is in a nutshell, the pursue of the BK yogi.
The “cycle of time” in BK’s view; is about going “up and down” from soul consciousness into body consciousness. It is thought, that “now” is the moment to leave that body consciousness which has been accumulated through centuries and in a few years of this life time, change that perception through austerities.
Followers are eager to demonstrate to themselves and others, that they can DO it. They are eager to receive the praise of “god,” to fulfill their ego needs.
How many Brahma Kumaris followers have reached the pinnacle of their beliefs? How to know if this in fact is true?
That is the question that all followers should start looking into. It is a matter of belief.
That is why, Avyakt7 NG; shares the importance of “spirituality” in the “now.” There are no stories here. It is all about finding the sensations that are moving us, such as anxiety, stress, greed, etc. If we are unable to observe those in ourselves, we will not be able to move forward, no matter what we DO or what we believe in.
Busy in spreading a story of salvation (aka knowledge) a follower is oblivious of himself.
“Spirituality” is no longer about supporting our vision of duality and to fight opposites deemed as “’bad”. That is; however, the “reality” of the BK world.
“Spirituality” becomes the understanding and acceptance that this world moves through these apparent opposite forces. We cannot deny a half of a whole unit, and expect that things will move alright.
Caught up in words, a religion may use key words accepted by all, to make a subtle change in meaning. Furthermore, labeling that change as the “true” meaning.
Message 13: Predestined free will.
If free will exists, “you” are doomed by making choices that “you” don’t fully understand. All we have is the conditioning of society and religions to go by. We cannot be free. The paradox is: We cannot be ever free with free will. It is like a blindfolded individual walking by a precipice.
Society and religions will teach us to stop and sit, to be “safe” so we don’t live Life, rather than allow us to discover the veil over our eyes. How could they, if they are not aware the veil exists?
If there is predestination, “you” do not exist as something separate from Life. That “I” is merely a recurrent and omnipresent illusion.
But, whether you take the veil off or remain blindfolded, it does not matter at all. What matters is to enjoy the unique experience, for it will change. Every experience in Life is important, for it is unique. If you sit, enjoy sitting. If you want to walk, then walk. If you think that you shouldn’t walk because you will make “mistakes,” then you will not live. You will repress and reject.
No one can live being “right” when the duality of “wrong” is part of it. “Right and Wrong” come together in the same package.
We experience free will despite predestination.
That is because in Life, both are the same exact thing; but for our educated minds; one is opposite of the other.
Embrace both concepts or better yet, forget about them.
Hi Ahnanda, thank you for writing this message. Some of my current experiences are in connection with this message of yours.
We choose to Do something and later “I wish” OR “it could have been like…” OR “the religious conditioning” make us think that may what I did was not right.
How could “you” be “judged” in an eternally predestined “Drama”?
The eternal game of judges, prosecutors and defendants, is only a game. Just like playing tic tac toe.
“Judgment” of Dharam Raj is only concerned on performed “actions.” It is DOING over BEING. That “method” is the seed of all sorts of inner dishonesty, repression and rejection, for we will only DO out of convenience. That increases ego. Look out for #1.
It is amazing that this “convenience” is only a belief which none of us will be able to verify by ourselves. Nevertheless, it is an important tool for religions and societies to “shape up” followers.
Message 3 – The Truth.
That is a fence, a line defining a view of Life.
Avyakt7-NG shares that there is no DOING that could change BEING.
That is another fence defining a view of Life.
Between those 2 extremes, many religions have put their own fences, their own lines or spaces of perception of Life.
The Buddha taught the “middle way.” That is yet another fence. The “middle” of what? Of 2 fences. The mind and its conditioning will give you the ‘yes’ and the ‘no.’ Those are 2 fences. Look in the “middle” of that.
Thus, which fence is the “truth”?
It is not a matter of “choosing” the “right” fence. Every fence is merely a confined space of perception of Life.
Life does not have fences. Humans have built those.
Now that it is written…. It is not.
And one more thing, earlier I used to feel that “Failure is a Failure”, but actually it is a part of heading towards Sucess, I used to feel upset when Baba used to say “Do this and you will Be this”, so I used to try that DOING, but I wasn’t BEING what Baba used to say!! So I started just BEING and accepting slowly everything because the drama is there and it is beneficial for everyone.
Discover your own “truth.” Let it change for the “truth” in Life, is that Life is change. | 2019-04-24T04:09:29Z | https://avyakt7.wordpress.com/tag/gyan/ | Porn | Reference | 0.342116 |
wordpress | This picture shows how Sympli can work for women of different sizes and body types. They have the latest fashion trends in classic year round pieces that work for casual or dressy wear.
Having sold this line now for a little over a year, I can tell you they have achieved their goal. Sympli is a line that flatters any figure from size 2 to 20 and beyond. They have recently added Sympli Grand which offers plus sizes as well. The travel knit fabric used to make their clothing is 12 oz, 3 oz heavier than other companies who use the same fabric. You can feel the difference when you take an item off the rack. The weight of the fabric helps it flow and drape rather than cling. It also means the tunic styles are not billowy but rather fit in the right places while allowing extra room in the places most women carry their weight.
Once women try this product on, they are hooked. We carry a large selection of Sympli but the company also offers the ability to customize their line, choosing snug or relaxed fits and customize-able necklines and sleeve lengths. This gives the customer the ability to choose the elements of their tops and bottoms that flatter them in a huge array of colors that compliment their complexion.
I’ve also been impressed by the longevity of the product. We have customers that have had Sympli pieces for 8 years and the black is the same black as the brand new pieces in our store. Best yet, care is a breeze. Wash your Sympli by itself or with other Sympli pieces inside out in cold water and hang it to dry. They dry quickly and without wrinkles or stiffness.
Perhaps what makes Sympli special is that it is designed by women for women. No one knows our bodies better than us, and no one feels the frustration more than us when styles seem to cater to the young and thin. I especially love the fact that Sympli employs women who hand sew the product in their homes. You can count on quality workmanship with this product as well as have the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting a company that supports women.
This week we are celebrating Sympli at Fashion Crossroads. All week long, anyone who tries this product on or purchases it, will be registered to win a FREE Sympli item to be given away on Saturday. We will also have our Sympli representative in the store Thursday night for our Trunk Show and Friday and Saturday. Charlotte has been with the company for over ten years and knows the line inside and out. She is excellent at being able to suggest styles that will flatter any body type. We will be taking special orders Thursday through Saturday.
Don’t live in Casper? No problem. You can also purchase Sympli on our online store at http://Fashion-Crossroads-Inc.shoptiques.com. Any online orders taken this week will also be entered to win the free item. You can get more information about our Trunk Show happening this Thursday night at https://www.facebook.com/FashionCrossroads/events. The Trunk Show is a great time to come in and learn about the line while you enjoy wine and appetizers and hanging out with other women who love fashion!
You know those commercials that make you cry? I was really touched by the new Kellogg Special K commercial. In it, women go shopping in a jean store and discover there are no sizes. The sales clerks offer to measure them with a tape measure that replaces numbers with words like “charismatic” Just about every woman I know can relate to how it feels to get depressed in a dressing room. It is something I see every week.
Last week I helped a young woman looking for a new pair of Silver Jeans. She told me her waist size, and we found several pair in the style she liked. With a little trying on, she discovered, to her dismay, that she needed a bigger size. When she came out of the dressing room, her countenance had completely changed. She had wilted right in front of my eyes. I tried to encourage by talking about how each style and fabric will fit a bit differently. I argued that she shouldn’t focus on the number and instead focus on the fit. Sadly, she just couldn’t get past the fact that she needed a bigger size. She left empty handed and depressed.
Oh how I hate that! Ladies, hear me when I say this. I dress women of all different body types every day. I deal with over 200 brands on a regular basis. I go to market and purchase these brands and talk to their designers four times a year. I can’t tell you how often I have a designer tell me, “We’ve changed the fit a bit. Your customers will notice these are a little bigger (or smaller) than before.” Over the years I have come to the inescapable conclusion that size means nothing. Truly, all a size means is that in this particular brand and in this particular style, you are this particular size, for now. That quite possible will change next season. Any woman who is honest will admit to having a range of sizes in her closet from smaller than she thinks she is to bigger than she wants to be.
It really is time that we stop letting a number define us. It is most definitely time that we STOP getting depressed when we go into a store and have to take a bigger size. If you’ve gained weight, okay. Get motivated and take off a few pounds. Stay on top of it before it becomes 20 or 3o pounds. But, if you were feeling good about yourself when you walked into the store, DO NOT let the sizes in the dressing room make you feel sad. It is a completely arbitrary number.
Are you full figured and wondering how to wear all the latest trends this season? Well, as In Style's June issue put it, "Great Style Has No Size" (126) I loved their suggestions about how this season's dresses are perfect for any figure. This maxi, as an example, shows off the shoulders and accents the bust while giving plenty of room through the body for larger hips. Best of all, it has just arrived at Fashion Crossroads along with many other styles that would look great on a full figure.
Dressing well is all about playing up your positives and de-emphasizing your negatives. And let's face it; we all have negatives. Just ask yourself, "What is my favorite thing about my body?" Do I have great eyes, narrow shoulders, a great waist, pretty arms, nice legs, an attractive bust? Whatever feature you identify should be what you highlight with your clothing. One caution about the bust however – showing too much can seem tacky so be careful here.
The pretty high low dresses that are popular this summer are great for a woman with nice legs. The flared skirts that are abounding this season are wonderful to accomodate hips. Best of all, dresses are cooler than shorts and capris, so get shopping and find something perfect for you. And if you need help, just come see us! | 2019-04-19T16:29:43Z | https://fashioncrossroads.wordpress.com/tag/dressing-for-a-full-figure/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.760656 |
google | A sustained-released bactericidal cannula (4) or catheter for residence within a portion of a human body through which aqueous biological fluids can pass. The tube has polymeric matrix and antibacterial agent residing within at least a portion of the polymeric matrix. The polymeric matrix includes cured silicon rubber and the antibacterial agent is a finely divided nitrofuran compound. The preferred nitrofuran compound is soluble in water and effective to prevent proliferation of certain bacteria immediately adjacent to the catheter in an otherwise growth supporting aqueous environment when dissolved in the aqueous environment to the limit of its solubility therein at 37 °C. The solubility of the nitrofuran compound is preferably about 0.2 % by weight or less at a pH of about 6 and a temperature of about 25 °C. At least a finite portion of the polymeric matrix proximate the outer surface includes an amount of from about 10 to about 60 % by weight of the nitrofuran compound.
The present invention relates to sustained release bactericidal cannulas or catheters which are either implantable or insertable into a human body. These devices have an antibacterial agent incorporated within the device which diffuse out in situ to prevent the proliferation or colonization of bacteria in regions adjacent to the exterior of the cannula or catheter. The present invention also relates to methods for making the same, products made by these methods, and methods of using the sustained release bactericidal cannulas or catheters, to prevent proliferation, colonization or continued viability of a bacterial population in regions adjacent to the exterior of the respective cannula or catheter.
Most catheters are a cannula or tube like device which is inserted into a portion of a person's body in order to transport fluids or gases in or out of that particular portion of the body. In passing through any particular portion of the body in order to reach its destination, the catheter will come into contact with various tissues in the body. For example, a catheter used to drain one's bladder (such as a "Foley" catheter) must pass through the urethral tract in order to reach the bladder. A nasogastric catheter must pass through the nasal passageway and the esophagus in order to reach the stomach. Some catheters, such as these, are inserted through existing passageways in order to reach their destinations, while others are inserted through surgically created passageways.
In virtually every catheterization, there is a significant potential for microbial growth along the exterior surface of the catheter which can lead to serious infections such as urinary tract infections, bladder infections and the like. Such an infection can be encouraged when adjacent tissues are inflamed due to irritation from rubbing a chafing against this catheter. This is because inflamed or irritated tissues may be less apt to respond effectively to suppress local bacterial infection. In such a situation the infection can spread and intensify, placing the patient at further risk. Such infections can lead to sepsis of the bladder particularly in elderly patients who are incontinent and have a chronic need for catheterization with an indwelling self-retaining catheter such as a "Foley" catheter. Long-term use of indwelling urinary catheters in nursing home patients is well known as a potential cause of significant morbidity due to such infections.
This problem is widely recognized and many solutions for this problem have been suggested in the past. None of these solutions, however, have been completely free of secondary complications and/or completely successful in eliminating the problem. For instance, systemic use of antibacterial drugs or agents have been tried. However, these drugs generally have undesirable secondary effects upon the patient when used systemically, especially when there is a chronic need for catheterization and the drug must employed for a long period of time. Local use of such drugs or agents can be effective for a short period of time, but has not been found to be effective for long-term use for a number of reasons. First, the drug or agent is easily washed out if there is a leakage of urine through the urinary track outside of the catheter. Second, the drug or agent may be delivered only to certain areas of the urinary tract and, third, the drug or agent may be absorbed by the body tissues adjacent to the catheter and transported elsewhere within the body.
Other methods of preventing periurethral contamination have been suggested. These include careful cleansing of the periurethral area on a routine basis, impregnating a sponge or the like with an antiseptic solution and retaining it in a position proximate the urethral, apply antimicrobial ointments to an external portion of the urinary tract, intraurethral irrigation of the urinary track through a separate channel, lubrication of the catheter with an antibiotic-containing material and the use of cathethers impregnated with antimicrobial agents.
The international patent application WO-A1-91/10466 discloses a catheter with two layers of polymeric materials surrounding a cavity. The outer wall of the cavity is a resilient sleeve that can stretch generally independently of the inner wall of the cavity. The cavity can contain a lubricating gel or a bactericidal agent in the carrier substance. Thus the catheter provides a rubber sac containing antibacterial agent in a carrier substance. The antibacterial substance can diffuse through the outer wall of the sac; alternatively the outer wall of the sac has small pores which allow an escape of the antibacterial agent.
The United States Patent US-A-4,539,234 discloses a catheter including an antimicrobial substance chemically bonded to the inside or outside wall. The chemical bonding described therein is ionic bonding of a charged antimicrobial substance to ion exchange groups either naturally present in the wall material or specially introduced into the wall material for bonding to the antimicrobial substance. Said document teaches that ionic bonding is critical to sustained release from a polymeric layer as agents merely physically absorbed into the wall of the catheter or coated on the catheter, are released too quickly.
Each of these methods has been explored and none have been found to be entirely satisfactory. In vitro tests of impregnated catheters indicate that the antibacterial agents within the catheters have a tendency to leach or diffuse out of the catheters in a short period of time. Often, the antibacterial activity was either gone or markedly diminished within 24 to 48 hours of insertion within the urethral tract. Therefore, it would be appreciated that a substained release bactericidal cannula or catheter is needed in order to address the needs of patients requiring long-term catheterization or the like.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there is a need for a medical device, cannula or catheter which will address these and other problems associated with the prior art devices. The present invention provides advantages over the prior art cannulas and catheters, over the prior art methods for manufacturing the same, and also offers other advantages over the prior art and solves other problems associated therewith.
A sustained release bactericidal cannula through which aqueous biological fluids can pass is provided, comprising: a tube having a surface, the surface being coated at least in part by a polymeric material, an antibacterial agent which is at least partially soluble in water, diffusion permitting means for permitting said antibacterial agent to diffuse into an aqueous biological environment, characterized in that, the polymeric material providing a polymeric matrix, said matrix containing silicone rubber and said antibacterial agent, said antibacterial agent can diffuse out of the polymeric matrix and into an aqueous biological environment when the polymeric matrix comes into contact with such an aqueous biological environment, said antibacterial agent is a finely divided nitrofuran compound which is at least partially soluble in water and effective to prevent proliferation of certain bacteria in an otherwise, growth supporting, aqueous environment when dissolved in the aqueous environment to the limit of its solubility therein at 37°C, the solubility of the nitrofuran compound is about 0.2% by weight or less in water at a pH of about 6 and a temperature of about 25°C; and at least a finite portion of the polymeric matrix includes an amount of from about 10 to about 60% by weight of the nitrofuran compound, and the amount of the nitrofuran compound in the finite portion of the polymeric matrix and the solubility of the nitrofuran compound cooperate to provide a potential for a sustained release diffusion of the antibacterial agent into the aqueous biological fluids within the human body during normal therapeutic use of the cannula within the human body so long as the aqueous biological fluids are not saturated with the antibacterial agent, such that the antibacterial agent within the finite portion of the polymeric matrix can continue to diffuse into the aqueous biological fluids within the human body in an amount effective to prevent proliferation of certain bacteria immediately adjacent to the cannula in aqueous biological environments for a period of not less then about three weeks. In preferred embodiments the cannula is a urinary catheter for residence within a urinary track, preferably a "Foley" catheter having an expandable balloon cavity, a second lumen in communication with the expandable balloon cavity and a coating on at least a portion of the exterior surface of the catheter proximate the balloon cavity which is preferably a cured silicon rubber polymeric matrix incorporating an antibacterial agent capable of diffusing out of the polymeric matrix in agueous environments. Preferably, the rate of diffusion of the antibacterial agent from the polymeric matrix can increase when the expandable balloon portion expands. The polymeric matrix can also include an antiinflammatory agent, preferably a water soluble compound, for example, a hydrocortisone compound. Preferably, the hydrocortisone compound has a solubility in water of less than 0.1% by weight.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sustained release bactericidal cannula or catheter which can be used on a long-term basis to reduce or eliminate the incidence of urinary tract infections in patients having a chronic need for catheterization. The present invention provides a catheter having a large percentage of active antibacterial agent incorporated into a cured silicon rubber outer coating. The catheter can also have a silicone rubber coat. The curing process can include heating the uncured silicone rubber of both the uncured silicone rubber coat and the uncured antibacterial-agent-containing silicone rubber outer coating to a temperature of at least 60°C. Preferably, the antibacterial agent is a finely divided solid powder of nitrofuran compound having a solubility of about 0.2% by weight or less. In preferred embodiments the mean particle size (or diameter) of the nitrofuran compound particles is about 200 microns or less in order to allow for a very smooth outer surface on the cannula or catheter. This is important to reduce the incidence of irritation of the tissues within the urinary tract. It will be appreciated that it is especially difficult to incorporate a large percentage of a solid antibacterial agent within a polymeric matrix and still provide a smooth outer surface, as well as sufficient flexibility and durability so as to suitable for the intended use. In preferred embodiments of the present invention the mean particle size of the nitrofuran compound particles is about 100 microns or less enabling the incorporation of this antibacterial agent at an even higher percentage in the polymeric matrix, while still retaining the desired smoothness, flexibility and durability of the outer coating.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the present invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the present invention, its advantages and other objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings, which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the present invention.
Figure 49 is a transverse schematic view in partial cross-section of an elongated catheter in accordance with the present invention which is made from the alternate intermediate tube shown in Figure 48.
where R is a carbon-containing organic moiety, such as that disclosed, for example, in K. Miura et al., entitled "The Nitrofurans," in Progress in Medicinal Chemistry (Vol. 5), pp. 320-381, (G.P. Ellis & G.B. West (eds.), Plenum Press, New York, NY (1967), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. The preferred nitrofurans are nitrofurans which are soluble in water and have antibacterial activity in aqueous environments.
Preferred nitrofuran compounds include nitrofurantoin, nitrofurazone, nidroxyzone, nifuradene, furazolidone, furaltidone, nifuroxime, nihydrazone, nitrovin, nifurpirinol, nifurprazine, nifuraldezone, nifuratel, nifuroxazide, urfadyn, nifurtimox, triafur, nifurtoinol, nifurzide, nifurfoline, nifuroquine, and derivatives of the same, and other like nitrofurans which are both soluble in water and possess antibacterial activity. References to each of the above cited nitrofuran compounds may be found in the Merck Index, specifically the ninth edition (1976) and the eleventh edition (1989) thereof, published by Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., the disclosures of which are each incorporated herein by reference. It will be appreciated that the most preferred nitrofuran compounds are nitrofuran compounds which are medically acceptable for topical use, preferably topical use for mucosal surfaces.
Preferably, the nitrofuran compounds have a solubility of about 0.2% by weight or less in water at a pH of about 6 and temperature of about 25°C. More preferably, the nitrofuran compounds have a solubility in water of about 0.2 to about 0.001% by weight in water at a pH of about 6 and a temperature of about 25°C. Even more preferably, the solubility of the nitrofuran compound under these conditions is about 0.1% by weight or less. It will be appreciated that it is important to have an antibacterial agent which is effective to prevent the proliferation and colonization of bacteria within aqueous systems, and that it is also important to have an antibacterial agent which is not so soluble in aqueous systems that it will immediately diffuse out of the polymeric matrix within which it is incorporated. These characteristics are important in order to provide a sustained release of the antibacterial agent into these aqueous systems so as to provide for long-term antibacterial activity. It will also be appreciated that the rapid release or diffusion of the antibacterial agent into an aqueous environment in contact with the outer bactericide release layer 61 will also result in irregularities in the surface of the catheter or cannula 4, 5 which may irritate adjacent tissues within the patient's urinary tract.
It will be further appreciated that it is important that the outer surface of the outer bactericide release layer 61 is smooth so as to minimize the incidence of irritation to the tissues of the urinary tract. In order to provide a smoother outer surface, it is important to minimize the particle size of the finely divided nitrofuran compound particles incorporated into the outer bactericide release layer 61. The mean particle diameter of the nitrofuran compound particles is preferably about 200 microns or less, more preferably about 150 microns or less, and even more preferably about 100 microns or less. The size of the mean particle diameter is preferably controlled by filtering the larger particles out of the mixture used to coat the intermediate tubes used to make the finished catheters or cannulas 4, 5.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the outer bactericide release layer 61 includes silicone fluid which is incorporated therein to provide for more rapid diffusion of the antibacterial agent upon exposure to aqueous medium. It is believed, but not relied upon, that the silicone fluid allows the cured silicone polymeric matrix to provide for greater diffusion of aqueous media into and out of the polymeric matrix. In addition, the silicone fluid is desirable because it provides a softer, more pliable polymeric matrix which is also easier to elongate. It is further believed that the incorporation of the silicone fluid along with the minimization of the mean particle diameter of the nitrofuran compound particles cooperate to maximize the smoothness of the outer surface of the outer bactericide release layer 16, and to maximize the structural integrity, softness and stretchability of the release layer 61. The structural integrity is also important so that the amount of the antibacterial agent incorporated into the release layer 61 can be maximized. It will be appreciated that the greater the structural integrity of the polymeric matrix, the less the matrix will break down and disintegrate. If the release layer attached to the catheter or annula 4, 5 disintegrates or flakes off for lack of better bonding, the product will be unacceptable in the marketplace. Although it is believed that the most important factor in this regard is the small particle size, it is also important to incorporate some silicone fluid to soften the polymeric matrix and allow it to be more stretchable, thereby minimizing the rigidity of the polymeric matrix. Although it is possible to use nitrofuran compound particles of virtually any size, it will be appreciated that a mean particle diameter of less than about 500 microns will be preferred and that even smaller mean particle diameters such as about 400 microns or less, preferably about 300 microns or less, more preferably about 200 microns or less, will be more preferred in order to be able to incorporate more of the drug into the polymeric matrix and still have a soft and pliable polymeric matrix and a smooth outer surface so as to provide commercially acceptable products. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the outer bactericide release layer 61 preferably includes about 2-80% by weight, more preferably about 5-70% by weight, even preferably about 10-60% by weight, and most preferably about 15-55% by weight of the nitrofuran compound in the present invention, and outer bactericide release layer will include an anti-inflammatory agent in amounts similar to the amounts recited herein for the nitrofuran compound. The preferred anti-inflammatory agents are water soluble, anti-inflammatory agents such as hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone acetate, hydrocortisone phosphate, hydrocortisone hemisuccinate sodium salt, hydrocortisone tebutate, and the like. In this regard, it will be appreciated that any therapeutically acceptable, water soluble antiinflammatory agent may be used in the present invention in order to reduce inflammation of the tissues adjacent to the present catheter or cannula 4, 5 when inserted in a human body. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the hydrocortisone compound has a solubility in water of less than about 0.1% be weight.
In order to provide long-term sustained release antibacterial activity, the present catheter or cannula 4,5 preferably provides an outer bactericide release layer 61 having a smoother outer surface such that it minimizes irritation to adjacent tissues. This release layer 61 preferably includes about 10-60% by weight of a preferred nitrofuran compound or a combination thereof having a mean particle diameter of 200 microns or less. Preferably, the catheter or cannula 4, 5 of the present invention provides a potential for sustained release of the antibacterial agent incorporated in the outer bactericide release layer 61 for a period of at least about two weeks, preferably at least about three weeks, more preferably at least about four weeks, and even more preferably about five weeks. In further embodiments, the antibacterial agent is released for periods of at least about six weeks, seven weeks, eight weeks, or more, depending upon the amount of the solid nitrofuran compound which is incorporated into the release layer 61 and the solubility thereof in water. It will be appreciated, however, that although it is desirable to incorporate a large amount of the nitrofuran compound into the release layer 61, it is also important to retain the elongation characteristics and smoothness which is generally available to cellastic membranes used on similar catheters or cannulas. It will be appreciated that the rate of release of the nitrofuran compound into the surrounding aqueous environment is dependent on the rate of fluid exchange. It has been observed that 3 milliliters of fluid exchange generally occurs within an average female urinary tract every 24 hours. Because the antibacterial agent concentration in the fluid adjacent to the release layer 61 will generally release a point of equilibrium with the antibacterial agent within the release layer 61, the diffusion rate of the antibacterial agent out of the release layer 61 will be slowed as the concentration reaches maximum solubility for the particular nitrofuran compound incorporated into the release layer 61. As additional fluid passes into the urinary tract and dilutes the fluid already present or washes the fluid out, the diffusion rate will increase. In this way, the present invention is designed to attempt to maintain a concentration of the antibacterial agent in the aqueous fluids within the urethra at a level generally commensurate with the maximum solubility of the antibacterial agent. It will be appreciated, however, that this will not always be the case. Therefore, it is also important to provide a burst of antibacterial agent in the urethra upon insertion of the catheter or cannula 4, 5 so as to immediately eliminate the presence of viable bacterial therein. This is accomplished when a Foley catheter 4, 5 such as that shown in Figures 15-18 is inserted into the urinary tract and the expandable balloon portion 58 is expanded, thereby stretching the release layer 61 proximate the expandable balloon portion 58. This increases the diffusion rate of the antibacterial agent from the release layer 61 proximate the expandable balloon portion 58 and allows for a sudden increase in the concentration of the antibacterial agent in the fluids adjacent to the expandable balloon portion 58.
In the preferred embodiment, nitrofurazone is the nitrofuran compound of choice. When using nitrofurazone, it is desirable to maintain a nitrofurazone concentration in aqueous fluids adjacent to the catheter at about 0.02% by weight in order to minimize and preferably eliminate bacterial proliferation within the urinary tract. It will be appreciated that nitrofurazone is desirable, not only because of its limited solubility in water, but also because of its broad antibacterial activity in respect to both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria which commonly infect the bladder and the urinary tract. It is also desirable because of its bright yellow color, which provides an attractive product for commercial presentation. In addition, nitrofurazone appears to stand up rather well to high temperatures used to cure the silicone rubber within the release layer 61 during processing. Although silicone rubber matrices created from silicone rubber vulcanizing systems which do not require heat, such as RTV systems and the like, may be cured at ambient temperatures, the heat cured silicone rubber matrices are preferred.
In preferred embodiments, a silicone rubber/nitrofurazone dispersion or mixture is prepared as follows: 100 grams of nitrofurazone powder is wetted with approximately 10 fluid ounces of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (Hydrite Chemical Co., LaCrosse, WI). This mixture is agitated vigorously. In a separate container, 100 grams of uncured silicone rubber (2 parts platinum cure system, ½ part A and ½ part B (Dow Corning, Midland, MI)) is dispersed with about 20 grams of silicone fluid (360 fluid, 20 centistoke (Dow Corning, Midland, MI)) in a ratio of 5 parts to 1 in approximately 10 fluid ounces of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (Hydrite Chemical Co., LaCrosse, WI). Another 30 fluid ounces of 1,1,1 trichloroethane is added to the nitrofurazone/trichloroethane mixture, and agitated continuously. The nitrofurazone/trichloroethane mixture is passed through a filter to remove the larger nitrofurazone particles. Preferably, two 6-inch cone-shaped filters from TUFCO (medium mesh) are used back-to-back (one inside the other) to filter the nitrofurazone/trichloroethane mixture. The filtering step is repeated three or four times to remove the larger, oversized particles of nitrofurazone which will not pass through the medium mesh TUFCO filters. When the larger particles have been removed, the nitrofurazone/trichloroethane mixture or dispersion is combined with the silicone rubber dispersion and agitated constantly. Preferably, the fluid mixture of the solid nitrofurazone particles in the silicone rubber dispersion is allowed to settle just prior to dipping to form the release layer 61 on the outer surface of the overcoat layer 44 as further discussed herein below. It will be appreciated that the dispersion may be pumped through a single filter or a series of filters designed to provide a nitrofurazone dispersion having a precise mean particle diameter.
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, and specifically to Figures 1 and 2, the first step in making a balloon catheter in accordance with the present invention is providing a double lumen tube 2, which is preferably extruded and made of silicone rubber. It will be appreciated, however, that the double lumen tube can be made by any known process which yields a double lumen tube. It will be further appreciated that the tube can be made of any resilient polymeric material, preferably a biocompatible polymeric material which can be inserted into a human body cavity. The double lumen tube 2 includes a smaller capillary lumen 6 and a larger fluid conduit lumen 8.
Referring now also to Figures 3 and 4, after the double lumen tube is cut to a desired size, a capillary lumen access opening 12 is created in an outer surface 14 of the double lumen tube 2. The capillary lumen access opening 12 communicates with the capillary lumen 6.
Referring now also to Figures 5-7, an intermediate tube 3 is subsequently prepared from the double lumen tube 2 shown in Figure 3. In the first step of this process, a measured amount of a polymeric bonding composition, preferably uncured silicone rubber or another suitable polymeric bonding material, is injected into the capillary lumen 6 from the distal end 16 of the double lumen tube 2, so that the capillary lumen 6 is filled with a polymeric fill material 18 up to a point just below the capillary lumen access opening 12. A tip 20, preferably a rounded silicone rubber tip, is then affixed to the distal end 16 of the tube 2 to complete the formation of the intermediate tube 3 shown in Figure 7. In a preferred method, the distal end 16 of the tube 2 inserted into a molding apparatus (not shown) designed to mold a tip 20 on the end of the tube 2.
Referring now also to Figures 7-16 and 19, a preferred process of the present invention involves securing a plurality of intermediate tubes 3, like the intermediate 3 shown in Figure 7, to a rack or pallet 24. The rack or pallet 24 will include a plurality of support rods 26, each equipped with a retaining clip 28. The intermediate tubes 3 are secured on the support rods 26 by engaging individual support rods 26 in the larger of the two lumens, called the fluid conduit lumen 8, and sliding the intermediate tubes 3 up over the support rods 26 until the proximal ends 30 of the intermediate tubes 3 abut against the base of the retaining clips 28 or, preferably, the tip 20 of each of the intermediate tubes 3 fits snugly against the distal tip of each of the support rods 26, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. Although not shown, it is believed that the intermediate tubes 3 can be secured on the support rods 26 without the aid of the retaining clips 28. This is because the preferred extruded double lumen tubes 2 used to make the intermediate tubes 3 generally have a slight bend in one direction or another when they are hung. This results in a slight bend in the intermediate tubes 3 that permits the intermediate tube 3 to be secured on a support rod 26 without the aid of a clip 28. Because of the nature of the polymeric materials generally used to make the intermediate tubes 3, they also have a tendency to cling to other surfaces and to offer resistance to movement of a surface along a surface of this material.
When the intermediate tubes 3 have been secured on the support rods 26, the pallet 24 can be transferred from place to place, and the intermediate tubes 3 on the pallet 24 can be dipped in a series of baths (see Figure 19) prepared to accomplish a series of process steps. In the preferred method of the present invention, the intermediate tube 3 is made nearly entirely of silicone rubber and is secured upon a support rod 26 made of spring steel. The tip 20 and the fill material 18 of the intermediate tube 3 shown in Figure 7 are made of the same material (silicone rubber) as the double lumen tube 2. Therefore, the tip 20 and the fill material 18 form integral portions of the intermediate tube 3, which is shown in Figures 9-16 as an integral polymeric unit made of a single material.
The first step in the automated coating or dipping process of forming the balloon portion 32 of the balloon catheter 4 (shown in Figure 13), after the intermediate tubes 3 are secured to the pallet 24, is to coat the intermediate tubes 3 with a bond preventing agent, preferably a removable bond preventing agent. Preferably this is accomplished by dipping each of the tubes 3 on the pallet 24 simultaneously into a first dip tank 33 containing a bath 33a of a removable bond preventing agent, preferably a material which forms a semi-solid film on surfaces when cooled on contact followed by an opportunity for drying. Examples of such materials include petroleum jelly or petrolatum, other oil base substances which form a semi-solid upon cooling to room temperature, liquid soaps which dry to form a semi-solid, aqueous soap or detergent solutions, aqueous or oil based film forming solids emulsions, and the like. In one embodiment described herein, hot petrolatum is used, and in another, a liquid soap is used, preferably Liquid Ivory Soap from Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio.
When the intermediate tubes 3 are removed from this first bath 33a of removable bond preventing agent, the agent adheres to the outer surface 14 of the intermediate tube 3, and enters the capillary lumen access opening 12 and runs up into the capillary lumen 6. In one embodiment the agent is petrolatum, which is heated to about 140-160°F, preferably about 150°F. At these temperatures, the petrolatum will run up into the capillary lumen 6 through the capillary lumen access opening 12 with the assistance of the "capillary effect", which draws the fluid into the capillary lumen 6 to the level of the petrolatum in the first tank 33. As the intermediate tubes 3 are withdrawn from the hot petrolatum, petrolatum on each tube cools and solidifies to form a semi-solid coating 38 on the outer surface 14 and a semi-solid filling 34 in the capillary lumen 6 and the capillary lumen access opening 12 which cooperate to plug the capillary lumen access opening 12. In an alternate embodiment, the bond preventing agent in the first tank 33 is liquid soap at room temperature (about 62-74°). When the tubes 3 are withdrawn from the first dip tank 33, the liquid soap forms of semi-solid just as the hot petrolatum did as it cooled. Although both of these bond preventing agents are effective, there is some advantage to using the soap because it does not require the added expense for heating. Furthermore, it is believed soap is easier to remove from the capillary lumen 6 and the balloon cavity 54.
After the intermediate tubes 3 are coated and the capillary lumen access openings 12 are plugged simultaneously with bond preventing agent in this manner (see Figure 10), the tubes 3 are then dipped in a series of dip tanks (see Figure 19) provided to remove the bond preventing agent from a portion 14a of the outer surface 14 below the dashed line designated B. After this portion 14a of the outer surface 14 is substantially stripped of any residue of the bond preventing agent, the intermediate tubes 3, now partially coated with bond preventing agent between the dashed lines designated A and B as shown in Figure 12, are dipped in a polymeric bonding composition, preferably silicone rubber, in a step or steps provided to coat the intermediate tube 3 to create the balloon catheter 4 shown in Figures 13-14. In the preferred methods, the intermediate tube 3 is dipped in silicone rubber in two or more successive dipping steps so that the resulting overcoat layer includes at least an underlying and an overlying layer, 43 and 44 respectively, which form an integral part of the balloon catheter 4 and are bonded together and to the outer surface 14 in the portions thereof, 14a and 14b, which are located below the dashed line designated B and above the dashed line designated A, respectively. The portion 14b above line A was not coated prior to the final dipping steps designed to provide the overcoat layer 42, and the portion 14a below line B was stripped of its coating prior to those steps. The balloon catheter 4 is then dipped in the silicone rubber/nitrofurazone fluid mixture described hereinabove to form an outer bactericide release layer 61 shown in Figures 15 and 16.
In subsequent steps, the proximal end 30 of the balloon catheter 4 is secured to an end piece 46 to form a completed Foley catheter 5 (shown in Figure 17). The end piece 46 can include a cap 48 for closing a proximal end access opening 49 to the fluid conduit lumen 8 and can be equipped with a luer valve 50 for engagement in and closure of the proximal capillary lumen access upper opening 52 communicating with the capillary lumen 6. Prior to the attachment of the end piece 46 to the balloon catheter 4 to form the completed Foley catheter 5, the completed balloon catheter 4 is preferably allowed to air dry to permit solvents in the outer bactericide release layer 61 to evaporate and is subsequently cured at an elevated temperature. Care is taken to keep the curing temperature below the boiling temperatures of the solvent so as to prevent unsightly bubbling of the solvent within the overcoat layer 42 or the outer bactericide release layer 61. Because the overcoat layer 42 and the outer bactericide release layer 61 are made of the same polymeric bonding composition, even though each respective layer 42, 61 may be created in a plurality of dipping steps, they are represented in Figures 15-18 as single layers 42, 61.
The completed Foley catheter 5 also includes a fluid conduit access opening 56 in an exterior surface 63 of the completed Foley catheter 5. The fluid conduit access opening 56 communicates with the fluid conduit lumen 8. In preferred embodiments, the access opening 56 is punched into the catheter 5 following the curing steps. Preferably, two access openings 56, one on either side of the catheter 5 (second access opening 56 not shown) are punched into the catheter 5. In an alternate embodiment (not shown), the access opening 56 is created before the intermediate tube 4 is dipped in the silicone bactericide coating mixture (silicone/nitrofuran compound fluid mixture). In this embodiment, an inner surface layer (not shown), incorporating the bactericide agent 15 is created along an inside of the fluid conduit lumen 8.
In preferred methods in accordance with the present invention, the end piece 46 is made by a process of injection molding. Preferably, the proximal end 30 of the balloon catheter 4 is inserted into the injection molding apparatus after the overcoat layer 42 and the release layer 61 have been cured. The polymeric bonding composition, preferably silicone rubber, is then injected into the mold (not shown) and the end piece 46 is molded onto the proximal end 30 of the balloon catheter 4 to make the completed Foley catheter 5 shown in Figure 17. Following further drying curing steps where deemed necessary given the type of polymeric bonding composition or compositions used to make the completed Foley catheter 5, the completed catheter 5 is tested to see if it is functional and if it has any leaks. This testing can be done before or after the fluid conduit access opening 56 is created in the exterior surface 62 to communicate with the fluid conduit lumen 8. Care is taken during such testing to avoid any needless exposure of the release layer 61 or any other nitrofuran impregnated natrices to aqueous environments.
In order to test the integrity of the completed catheter 5, prior to engaging the plug 50 in the proximal capillary lumen access opening 52 in the end piece 46, the proximal capillary lumen access opening 52 is slipped over a hot water nozzle (not shown), and a measured amount of a hot aqueous solution, preferably water or water containing a trace of surfactant, at a temperature of between about 120-160°F, preferably about 140°F, is pumped into the capillary lumen 6 from a standard hot water heater (not shown) by a commercially available water pump (not shown) such that the balloon portion 58 is expanded. The balloon portion 58 of the overcoat layer 42 is the portion of the overcoat layer 42 which is not bonded to the outer surface 14 of the intermediate tube 3. The balloon portion 58 of the overcoat layer 42 cooperates with the portion 14c of the outer surface 14 which remained coated with the bond preventing agent prior to the step of dipping the intermediate tube 3 in the polymeric bonding composition, to define a balloon cavity 54. The balloon cavity 54 communicates with the capillary lumen 6 via the capillary lumen access opening 12. When the hot water solution is pumped or injected into the capillary access lumen 6 to test the completed catheter 5 and the balloon portion 58, the balloon portion 58 and the balloon cavity 54 are expanded. If there is a significant lack of integrity in the balloon portion 58 it will be exposed when the water is introduced in this manner. In addition to testing the balloon portion 58, the water solution will also remove the remaining bond preventing agent in the balloon lumen 54 and the capillary lumen 6 when it is removed. Although some of the bond preventing agent may come out of the capillary lumen 6 via the proximal capillary lumen access opening 52 during the step of curing the overcoat layer 42, the hot aqueous solution is generally believed to remove most of the bond preventing agent, although a residue may remain.
Following the preliminary test, which relies on a visual observation to determine whether there is any lack of integrity, a further test is used to obtain further assurance that there are no leaks in the balloon portion 58. This further test is accomplished by engaging the proximal capillary lumen accessing opening 52 to the nozzle of a commercially available leak tester (not shown). One such device is a Model No. 6510 Caps Tester from Caps Himmelstein (Hoffman Estates, IL 60195). Once the completed catheter 5 is tightly secured over the nozzle, an electrical switch, such as a hand switch or, preferably, a foot pedal, is used to release a measured blast of air into the capillary lumen 6. When the air is introduced into the capillary lumen 6 it also enters the balloon cavity 54 via the capillary lumen access opening 12 and inflates the balloon portion 58 and, thereby, expands the balloon cavity 54. The leak tester is designed to sense any loss of pressure once the balloon portion 58 is inflated, and will given an indication, therefore, if there are any measurable leaks. After this test is completed, the completed catheters 5 that have passed all tests, are then packaged, preferably in a material which breathes such as Tyvek∼ (from DuPont), and boxed. The boxes are then sterilized with ETO (ethylene oxide) and then stored for shipment.
In the Applicants' use of the preferred methods of the present invention, balloon fabrication is almost completely automated. Entire sets of balloon catheters 4 are manufactured simultaneously. The preferred pallet 24 has 400 spring steel support rods 26 attached to a pallet in 20 rows of 20 rods, wherein each of the rods 26 is about 1 inch from each adjacent rod. Double lumen tubing (not shown) is preferably made by an extrusion process which is known to those of skill in the art. The tubes 2 are cut to length as the tubing leaves the extruder (not shown). An opening 12 is created in the outer surface 14, preferably with a hollow drill bit or tube (not shown), so as to communicate with the capillary lumen 6. The distal portion 6a of the capillary lumen 6, located between the distal end 16 of the tube 2 and the capillary lumen access opening 12, is injected with a measured amount of a polymeric bonding composition, preferably silicone rubber, so that the distal portion 6a is filled and sealed. A rounded tip 20 is preferably formed at the distal end 16 of the double lumen tube 2 by inserting the tube 2 in a molding device (not shown).
(A) The pallet 24 is stopped over a first tank 33, which contains white USP petrolatum heated to about 67°C (about 150°F). The tank is raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3 into the petrolatum to such a depth that the petrolatum reaches the proximal end of the desired balloon location. The dip tank 33 is then lowered and a portion of the outer surface 14 of the intermediate tubes 3 are coated with petrolatum. This portion extends from the point at which the proximal end of the balloon portion 58 will begin to the distal end of the tip 20 of the intermediate tube 3.
(B) The pallet 24 is then automatically advanced and stopped over a second dip tank 35 which contains white USP petrolatum heated to about 120°C (about 250°F). The second dip tank 35 is raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3 into the super-heated petrolatum so that the super-heated petrolatum comes into contact with the petrolatum coating on outer surface 14 of the intermediate tube 3 from the prior dipping step up to a location where a distal end of the balloon portion 58 will end. The second dip tank 35 is then lowered. This dipping step causes the coating of petrolatum from the prior dipping step to be largely removed from a portion 14a of the outer surface 14 of the intermediate tube 3 from a location where the distal end of the balloon lumen 54 will be located (designated by dashed line B) to the distal end 20a of the tip 20 of the intermediate tube 3. Some residual petrolatum may remain on the outer surface 14 of the intermediate tube 3 in this portion 14a of the outer surface 14. However, most of the petrolatum is removed.
(C) The pallet 24 is then automatically advanced and stopped over a third dip tank 37 containing mineral spirits heated to about 200°F. The third dip tank 37 is then raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3 into the mineral spirits to the same depth as they were immersed in the super-heated petrolatum in the second dip tank 35. The tank 37 is then lowered and all but a trace amount of the petrolatum is removed from the portion 14a of the outer surface 14 below the portion 14c of the outer surface 14, which will eventually be proximate the balloon lumen 54.
(D) The pallet 24 is then automatically advanced and stopped over a fourth dip tank 39 containing a volatile organic solvent such as toluene, trichloromethane or the like. The fourth tank 39 is then raised to immerse the intermediate catheters 3 to the same depth as previously immersed in the second and third tanks 35 and 37, thereby removing essentially all traces of the petrolatum from this portion 14a of the outer surface 14. The intermediate catheter tube 3 now has a band 38 of semi-solid petrolatum located around the axial circumference of the intermediate tube 3 in the location where the balloon cavity 54 will be created. The petrolatum not only coats the portion 14c of the outer surface 14 located in this area, but also fills a portion of the capillary lumen 6 and plugs the capillary lumen access opening 12, which will eventually be used to inflate the balloon portion 58 of the completed Foley catheter 5.
(E) The pallet 24 is then lowered and automatically advanced to a fifth dip tank 41 containing a low-solids hexamethyl disiloxane or toluene silicone rubber solution which is effective to minimize any disruption of the integrity of the petrolatum coating 38 remaining on the intermediate tube 3 proximate the portion 14c of the outer surface 14 where the balloon lumen 54 will be created during subsequent dipping steps. The fifth tank 41 is then raised to immerse essentially the entire length of the intermediate tube 3 in the solution. This step can be subsequently repeated at intervals, preferably allowing time for significant solvent evaporation, either in the same tank or in a subsequent tank containing a greater concentration of silicone rubber, until the overcoat layer 42 and the balloon portion 58 of the overcoat layer 42 have a desired balloon thickness. The preferred thickness over the overcoat layer 42 and the balloon portion 58 is 17.5 thousandths of an inch (plus or minus 2.5 thousandths of an inch). The tank 41 is then lowered, and the overcoat layer 42 is allowed to dry and the solvent is allowed to evaporate for about 15 minutes, preferably about 30 minutes, even more preferably about an hour.
(F) The pallet 24 is advanced to a sixth dip tank 43 containing a silicone rubber/nitrofuran compound mixture or dispersion 17, and the tubes 3 are completely immersed again. The tank 43 is lowered. The pallet is then advanced through a drying area where solvents are allowed to evaporate, and then through a heat cure step, where the balloon catheters 4 formed by this process are cured at a temperature just below the boiling point of any solvent used in any of the silicone rubber dip solutions for an hour or two. For toluene this temperature is about 200°F.
(G) After the heat cure, the balloon catheters 4 are allowed to cool and are then removed from the support rods 26. The proximal ends 30 of each of the balloon catheters 4 is then inserted into an injection molding apparatus (not shown), which forms the end piece 46 of the completed Foley catheter 5.
(H) The completed Foley catheters 5 are then finished by punching a fluid conduit access opening 56 in the exterior surface 62 such that it communicates with the fluid conduit lumen 8 in a location below or distal to the balloon portion 58.
(I) The completed Foley catheters 5 are then sent through the test sequence described hereinabove, during which the balloon portion 58 of each completed Foley catheter 5 is inflated and the petrolatum band 38 within the balloon cavity 54 is largely removed.
(F) Securing the tube to a movable pallet.
(F) Curing the overcoat layer and the outer bactericide release layer.
(F) Sterilizing the balloon catheters.
(A) The pallet 24 is stopped over a first tank 33, which contains a liquid soap (Liquid Ivory Soap from Proctor & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, OH 45202). The soap is held at room temperature (between about 60-80°F, preferably 65-72°F). The dip tank 33 is raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3 into the liquid soap so that the soap coats the tubes 3 up to the dashed line designated by the letter A in Figure 10. The dip tank 33 is then lowered and the liquid soap forms a semi-solid coating 38 on the outer surface 14 of each of the intermediate tubes extending from line A to the distal end of the tip 20 of the intermediate tubes 3.
(B) The pallet 24 is then automatically advanced and stopped over a second dip tank 35 which contains an aqueous solution containing a trace of a suitable wetting agent or surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, three gallons of water is mixed with two ounces of a suitable surfactant. The surfactant will generally be less than one percent of the total volume of the solution. The second dip tank 35 is then raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3 in the aqueous fluid up to the dashed line designated by the letter B in Figures 10 and 12. The second dip tank 35 is then lowered and the semi-solid liquid soap coating the portion 14a of the outer surface 14 below the dashed line designated B is substantially removed.
(C) The pallet 24 is then automatically advanced and stopped over a third dip tank 37 containing water. The third dip tank 37 is then raised and the intermediate tubes are immersed in the water up to the line designated B as in the prior dipping step. The third dip tank 37 is then lowered and virtually all of the liquid soap is removed from the portion 14a of the outer surface 14 below the line designated B.
(D) The pallet 24 is then automatically advanced and stopped over a fourth dip tank 39 containing a low-solids hexamethyl disiloxane silicone rubber solution which is effective to minimize any disruption of the integrity of the liquid soap coating 38 remaining on each of the intermediate tubes proximate the portion 14c of the outer surface 14 where the balloon lumen will be created during subsequent dipping steps (the portion between the dashed lines designated A and B). The fourth tank 39 is then raised to immerse essentially the entire length of each of the intermediate tubes 3 in the silicone rubber solution. It will be appreciated that other organic solvents such as toluene, and the like may be substituted for the hexamethyl disiloxane solvent used in this example. It will also be appreciated that the dipping step can be repeated at subsequent intervals, preferably long enough to permit significant solvent evaporation (prior to any subsequent dipping), to add to the thickness of the overcoat layer 42 and the balloon portion 58 of the overcoat layer 42. Further steps, involving different solutions, can also follow.
(E) Once the fourth dip tank 39 is lowered, and the uncured silicone rubber, coating portions of the outer surface 14 as well as the coating of soap 38, is allowed to dry, the pallet 24 is advanced again to a fifth dip tank 41 preferably containing a different silicone rubber solution having a solids content which is higher than the solids content in the fourth dip tank 39. This step can be eliminated, but may be useful to add thickness if desired. The intermediate tubes are immersed again in the subsequent silicone rubber solution when the fifth dip tank 41 is raised. The fifth dip tank 41 is then lowered, and the silicone rubber coating the tubes 3 is allowed to dry.
(F) The pallet 24 is then automatically advanced again to a sixth dip tank 43 containing the silicone rubber/nitrofuran compound fluid mixture described hereinabove. The tubes can be dipped a second time after allowing about 10-15 minutes for drying. The sixth dip tank 43 is then lowered and the silicone rubber/nitrofuran compound coating the tubes 3 is allowed to dry for about 15 minutes.
(G) The pallet 24 is then advanced through a drying step followed by a heat cure step (air dried at 200° F for 1 hour), and each completed balloon catheter 4 is then secured to an end piece, tested, provided with a fluid conduit access opening 56, packaged and sterilized.
The automated system that Applicants claim will permit completed Foley catheters 5 to be manufactured at the rate of about 1,600 catheters per hour. Because no handwork is involved, the catheters 5 produced will be consistent and of very high quality. The exterior surface 62 is smoother than hand-glued balloons, and the outside diameter of the balloon portion 58 is essentially identical to the outside diameter of other portions of the completed Foley catheters 5. In addition, by eliminating the hand labor involved in adhering the balloon portion 58 to the intermediate tube 3 in the manufacture of silicone rubber balloon catheters 4, by specifically eliminating the separate step of fabricating the balloon portion, which also requires hand labor, and by eliminating the significant impact on yield resulting from hand processing errors, the applicants' new process will permit direct production cost for silicone rubber balloon catheters of all types to be reduced by about 25-50% over the cost estimated for the prior art silicone rubber balloon catheters.
Referring now also to Figures 21-38, to Figures 21 and 22, the first step in making an alternate balloon catheter 4' in accordance with the present invention is providing a double lumen tube 2', which is preferably extruded and made of silicone rubber. It will be appreciated, however, that the double lumen tube 2' can be made by any known process which yields a double lumen tube 2'. It will be further appreciated that the tube 2' can be made of any resilient polymeric material, preferably a biocompatible polymeric material which can be inserted into a human body cavity. The double lumen tube 2' includes a smaller capillary lumen 6' and a larger fluid conduit lumen 8'.
Referring specifically now also to Figures 23 and 24, after the double lumen tube 2' is cut to a desired size, a capillary lumen access opening 12' is created in an outer surface 14' of the double lumen tube 2'. The capillary lumen access opening 12' communicates with the capillary lumen 6'.
Referring specifically now also to Figures 25-27, an intermediate tube 3' is subsequently prepared from the double lumen tube 2' shown in Figure 9. In the first step of this process, a measured amount of a polymeric bonding composition, preferably silicone rubber or another suitable polymeric bonding material, is injected into the capillary lumen 6' from the distal end 16' of the double lumen tube 2', so that the capillary lumen 6' is filled with a polymeric fill material 18' up to a point just below the capillary lumen access opening 12'. A tip 20', preferably a rounded silicone rubber tip, is then affixed to the distal end 16' of the tube 2' to complete the formation of the intermediate tube 3' shown in Figure 13. In a preferred method, the distal end 16' of the tube 2' is inserted into a molding apparatus (not shown) designed to mold a tip 20' on the end of the tube 2'.
Referring now also to Figures 28-36 and 41, a preferred process of the present invention involves securing a plurality of intermediate tubes 3', like the intermediate tube 3' shown in Figure 13, to a rack or pallet 24'. The rack or pallet 24' will include a plurality of support rods 26', each equipped with a retaining clip 28'. The intermediate tubes 3' are secured on the support rods 26' by engaging individual support rods 26' in the larger of the two lumens 8', called the fluid conduit lumen 8', and sliding the intermediate tubes 3' up over the support rods 26' until the proximal ends 30' of the intermediate tubes 3' abut against the base of the retaining clips 28' or, preferably, the tip 20' of each of the intermediate tubes 3' fits snugly against the distal tip 26a' of each of the support rods 26', as shown in Figures 29 and 30. Although not shown, it is believed that the intermediate tubes 3' can be secured on the support rods 26' without the aid of the retaining clips 28'. This is because the preferred extruded double lumen tubes 2' used to make the intermediate tubes 3' generally have a slight bend in one direction or another when they are hung. This results in a slight bend in the intermediate tubes 3' that permits the intermediate tube 3' to be secured on a support rod 26' without the aid of a clip 28'. Because of the nature of the polymeric materials generally used to make the intermediate tubes 3', they also have a tendency to cling to other surfaces and to offer resistance to movement of a surface along a surface of this material as do most polymeric tubes including those tubes 2 described hereinabove.
When the intermediate tubes 3' have been secured on the support rods 26', the pallet 24' can be transferred from place to place, and the intermediate tubes 3' on the pallet 24' can be dipped in a series of baths prepared to accomplish a series of process steps. In the preferred method of the present invention, the intermediate tube 3' is made entirely of silicone rubber and is secured upon a support rod 26' made of spring steel. The tip 20' and the fill material 18' of the intermediate tube 3' shown in Figure 27 are made of the same material (silicone rubber) as the double lumen tube 2'. Therefore, the tip 20' and the fill material 18' preferably form integral portions of the intermediate tube 3', which is shown in Figures 29-36.
The first step in the automated coating or dipping process of forming the resilient sleeve 44' and the balloon portion 32' of the balloon catheter 4' (shown in Figure 36), after the intermediate tubes 3' are secured to the pallet 24', is to coat the intermediate tubes 3' with a bond preventing lubricating agent or substance 38', preferably a removable bond preventing lubricating agent. Preferably this is accomplished by dipping each of the tubes 3' on the pallet 24', simultaneously into a first dip tank 33' containing a bath 33a' of a removable bond, preferably a material which forms a semi-solid film on surfaces when cooled on contact followed by an opportunity for drying. Examples of such materials include petroleum jelly or petrolatum, other oil base substances which form a semi-solid upon cooling to room temperature, liquid soaps which dry to form a semi-solid, aqueous soap or detergent solutions, aqueous or oil based film forming solids emulsions, and the like. In one embodiment described herein, hot petrolatum is used, and in another, a liquid soap is used, preferably Liquid Ivory Soap from Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio.
When the intermediate tubes 3' are removed from this first bath 33a' of removable bond preventing lubricating agent 38', the agent or substance 38' adheres to the outer surface 14' of the intermediate tube 3', and occupy the capillary lumen access opening 12' and the capillary lumen 6'. In one embodiment the agent is petrolatum, which is heated to about 140-160°F, preferably about 150°F. At these temperatures, the petrolatum will run up into the capillary lumen 6' through the capillary lumen access opening 12' with the assistance of the "capillary effect", which draws the fluid into the capillary lumen 6' to the level of the petrolatum in the first tank 33'. As the intermediate tubes 3' are withdrawn from the hot petrolatum, petrolatum on each tube cools and solidifies to form a semi-solid coating 38' on the outer surface 14' and a semi-solid filling (not shown) in the capillary lumen 6' and the capillary lumen access opening 12' which cooperate to plug the capillary lumen access opening 12'. In an alternate embodiment, the bond preventing agent in the first tank 33' is liquid soap at room temperature (about 62-74°F). When the tubes 3 are withdrawn from the first dip tank 33, the liquid soap forms a semi-solid just as the hot petrolatum did as it cooled.
In the preferred method of the present invention, the intermediate tubes 3' are coated when they are dipped in a first bath 33a' which contains petrolatum which is maintained at a temperature effective to permit the petrolatum to coat the outer surface 14' of the tube while limiting the degree to which the petrolatum runs into the smaller lumen 6'. The petrolatum will run into the first lumen access opening 12', but, preferably, will not run very far into the smaller lumen 6'. The temperature of the petrolatum in the first tank 33' is preferably maintained at about 40-80°, more preferably about 50-70°, even more preferably about 55-65°, and most preferably about 60°C for this purpose. As shown in Figure 29, the intermediate tube 3' is coated with the bond preventing lubricating agent 38' up to a location on the surface 14' of the intermediate tube 3' proximate the dashed line A shown in Figure 29 by dipping the intermediate tube 3' into the first dip tank 33' up to that point.
Following this step, the outer surface 14' of the intermediate tube 3' is stripped of the bond preventing lubricating agent 38' up to a location proximate the dashed line designated B in Figures 29 and 30. This is preferably accomplished by one or more dipping steps in accordance with the methods for stripping particular lubricating agents as described hereinbelow. The intermediate tube is then preferably coated as shown in Figure 30 between the locations proximate the dashed lines A and B. The intermediate tube 3' shown in Figure 30 is then dipped in a subsequent dip tank holding a second bond preventing agent. In this step the liquid soap can be preferred, although petrolatum and other agents will also work. During this step, the intermediate tube 3' shown in Figure 30 is dipped into the tank up to a point on the outer surface 14' of the intermediate tube 3' proximate the dashed line C so as to coat the portion of the intermediate tube 3' from the lowest portion of the tip 20' up to the location proximate the dashed line designated C. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, any of the bond preventing lubricating agents enumerated above may be used. Preferably, however, the bond preventing lubricating agent is hot petrolatum heated to about 130-150°F, preferably about 140°F (about 60°C), or liquid soap at room temperature (about 62-74°F). When the intermediate tubes 3' are withdrawn from the hot petrolatum, petrolatum will cool and solidify to form a semi-solid coat 39' on the outer surface 14' and a semi-solid filling 34' in the capillary lumen 6' and the capillary lumen access opening 12' which cooperate to plug the capillary lumen access opening 12' as shown in Figure 32. As stated above, soap at room temperature will provide the same function as the petrolatum. The intermediate tube is then subjected to a further dipping step wherein the intermediate tube shown in Figure 32 is dipped in one or more dip tanks so as to strip the coating of bond preventing agent 39' from the portion of the intermediate tube 3' below a location on the outer surface 14' proximate the dashed line designated D in Figures 32 and 33 so as to strip the tube of bond preventing agent below that location.
After the intermediate tubes 3' are coated in this manner and the capillary lumen access openings 12' are plugged with bond preventing agent 40', the tubes 3' are then dipped in a series of dip tanks (see Figure 41) provided to coat the intermediate tube 3' with a polymeric bonding composition, preferably silicone rubber, in a step or steps provided to form the overcoat layer 42', and, following a short drying interval, an outer bactericide release layer 61' is created by dipping the intermediate tube 3' into the silicone rubber/nitrofuran compound mixture or dispersion 17 in the last dip tank 57'. The outer release layer 61' is then air dried for about an hour, and then cured. In order to avoid a poor bond between the release layer 61' and the rest of the tube 3', the release layer 61' is coated only over the uncured silicone rubber overcoat layer 42'. In order to avoid any sagging, elongation or stretching of the resilient sleeve 44' or the balloon portion 58' of the balloon catheter 5' shown in Figure 35. The catheter 4' is cured in a hot liquid bath at 160°F for about 15 min., and then cured in hot air at 200°F for an additional hour. This prevents the sleeve from drooping when the contents of the sleeve are raised to high temperatures. In the preferred methods, the intermediate tube 3' is dipped in silicone rubber in two or more successive dipping steps so that the resulting overcoat layer 42' includes underlying and an overlying layers (not shown), which form an integral part of the balloon catheter 5' and are bonded together, and to the outer surface 14' in the portions thereof, 14a', 14b' and 14d', which are located below the dashed line designated D, between the dashed lines designated B and C, and above the dashed line designated A, respectively. The portion 14d' above line A was not coated prior to the final dipping steps designed to provide the overcoat layer 42', and the portion 14a' below line D was stripped of its coating prior to those steps.
In subsequent steps, the proximal end 30' of the balloon catheter 5' is secured to an end piece 46' to form a completed Foley catheter 4' (shown in Figure 38). The end piece 46' can include a cap 48' for closing a proximal end access opening 49' to the fluid conduit lumen 8' and can be equipped with a luer valve 50' for engagement in and closure of the proximal capillary lumen access upper opening 52' communicating with the capillary lumen 6'. Prior to the attachment of the end piece 46' to the sleeved balloon catheter 5' to form the completed sleeved Foley catheter 4', the sleeved balloon catheter 5' is preferably allowed to air dry to permit solvents in the overcoat layer 42' to evaporate and is subsequently cured at an elevated temperature. Care is taken to keep the curing temperature below the boiling temperatures of the solvent so as to prevent unsightly bubbling of the solvent within the overcoat layer 42'. Because the overcoat layer 42' is preferably made of the same polymeric bonding composition, even though it may be created in a plurality of dipping steps, it is represented in Figures 35-39 as a single overcoat layer 42'. It will be appreciated, however, that this single overcoat layer 42' may or may not represent an integral layer formed in a series of dipping steps wherein there may be any number of underlying or overlying layers. The completed Foley catheter 4' also includes a fluid conduit access opening 56' in an exterior surface 62' of the completed Foley catheter 4'. The fluid conduit access opening 56' communicates with the fluid conduit lumen 8'.
Referring now also to Figure 37, the independence and stretchability of the resilient sleeve 44' is illustrated. The resilient sleeve 44', which includes goth the overcoat layer 42' and the release layer 61', not only has a narrower thickness than the inner wall 21' of the catheter 5', but it is also more flexible, more stretchable, and preferably less rigid than the inner wall 21'. The lubricating substance 38' contained in the sleeve cavity 45' permits the sleeve 44' to slide along and in respect to the outer surface 14' while in lubricated contact therewith and when stretched independently thereof. As illustrated in Figure 37, the resilient sleeve 44' can be twisted in respect to the inner wall 21' without twisting the inner wall 21' or the respective lumens, 6' and 8'. The resilient sleeve 44' can also be stretched without stretching the inner wall 21' of the catheter 5'. As stated hereinabove, this enables the resilient sleeve 44' to stay in relative contact with or in adherence to adjacent body tissues (not shown) with which the resilient sleeve 44' is in contact with even when the remaining portions of the sleeved balloon catheter 5', such as the inner wall 21', are forced to move in response to forces impacting on the catheter 5' at other points along its length. The resilient sleeve 44 can also change from its initial circumferential shape to a more ribbon-like oval shape in order to match the shape or contour of the passageway in which it resides. The volume of the sleeve cavity 45' will preferably increase the outside diameter of the catheter proximate the sleeve portion at least about 5%, preferably about 10%, more preferably about 20%, even more preferably about 25%, even more preferably about 35%, and even more preferably about 50%. It is conceivable that applications will also be found where the thickness of the lubricating substance in the sleeve cavity 45 is increased so as to increase the volume of the sleeve cavity such that the outside diameter of the catheter proximate the sleeve 44 will be increased from about 50 to 100, or 50 to 200% or more depending on the particular application. The important factor is that the sleeve be soft and compliant so that it can conform to the shape of the particular passageway in which it resides and, at the same time fill the passageway so as to limit the passage of fluids along either the wall of the passageway or the exterior surface of the catheter, and at the same time, to allow the inner conduit portion of the catheter move relatively independently of the exterior surface of the sleeve 44' of the catheter.
In preferred methods in accordance with the present invention, the end piece 46' is made by a process of injection molding. Preferably, the proximal end 30' of the sleeved balloon catheter 5' is inserted into an injection molding apparatus (not shown) after the overcoat layer 42' and the release layer 61' have been cured. However, it will be appreciated that the end piece 46' can be added to the intermediate tube 3' prior to the initiation of the dipping process. A polymeric bonding composition, preferably silicone rubber, is then injected into the mold (not shown) and the end piece 46' is molded onto the proximal end 30' of the balloon catheter 5' to make the completed Foley catheter 4' shown in Figure 38. Following further drying, curing steps, where deemed necessary given the type of polymeric bonding composition or compositions used to make the completed Foley catheter 4', the completed catheter 4' is tested to see if it is functional and if it has any leaks. This testing can be done before or after the fluid conduit access opening 56' is created in the exterior surface 62' to communicate with the fluid conduit lumen 8'.
In order to test the integrity of the completed catheter 4', prior to engaging the plug 50' in the proximal capillary lumen access opening 52' in the end piece 46', the proximal capillary lumen access opening 52' is slipped over a hot water nozzle (not shown), and a measured amount of a hot aqueous solution, preferably water or water containing a trace of surfactant, at a temperature of between about 120-160°F, preferably about 140°F, is pumped into the capillary lumen 6' from a standard hot water heater (not shown) by a commercially available water pump (not shown) such that the balloon portion 58' is expanded. It will be appreciated that higher or lower temperatures can be used so long as the desired coating properties for the particular application desired can be obtained. The balloon portion 58' of the overcoat layer 42' is the portion of the overcoat layer 42' which is not bonded to the outer surface 14' of the intermediate tube 3' proximate a balloon cavity 54'. The balloon portion 58' of the overcoat layer 42' cooperates with the portion 14c' of the outer surface 14' which remained coated with the bond preventing agent prior to the step of dipping the intermediate tube 3' in the polymeric bonding composition, to define the balloon cavity 54'. The balloon cavity 54' communicates with the capillary lumen 6' via the capillary lumen access opening 12'. When the hot water solution is pumped or injected into the capillary access lumen 6' to test the completed catheter 4' and the balloon portion 58', the balloon portion 58' and the balloon cavity 54' are expanded. If there is a significant lack of integrity in the balloon portion 58' it will be exposed when the water is introduced in this manner. In addition to testing the balloon portion 58', the water solution will also remove the remaining bond preventing agent in the balloon lumen 54' and the capillary lumen 6' when it is removed. Although some of the bond preventing agent may come out of the capillary lumen 6' via the proximal capillary lumen access opening 52' during the step of curing the overcoat layer 42', the hot aqueous solution is generally believed to remove most of the bond preventing agent, although a residue may remain.
Following the preliminary test, which relies on a visual observation to determine whether there is any lack of integrity, a further test is used to obtain further assurance that there are no leaks in the balloon portion 58. This further test is accomplished by engaging the proximal capillary lumen accessing opening 52' to the nozzle of a commercially available leak tester (not shown). One such device is a Model No. 6510 Caps Tester from Caps Himmelstein (Hoffman Estates, IL 60195). Once the completed catheter 4' is tightly secured over the nozzle, an electrical switch, such as a hand switch or, preferably, a foot pedal, is used to release a measured blast of air into the capillary lumen 6'. When the air is introduced into the capillary lumen 6' it also enters the balloon cavity 54' via the capillary lumen access opening 12' and inflates the balloon portion 58' and, thereby, expands the balloon cavity 54'. The leak tester is designed to sense any loss of pressure once the balloon portion 58' is inflated, and will given an indication, therefore, if there are any measurable leaks. After this test is completed, the completed sleeved Foley catheters 4' that have passed all tests, are then packaged, preferably in a material which breathes such as Tyvek∼ (from DuPont), and boxed. The boxes are then sterilized with ETO (Ethylene Oxide) and then stored for shipment.
Referring now specifically to Figures 43-49, the present invention provides an elongated catheter 4''' (see Figure 49) having an interior surface 7''' and an exterior surface 9'''. The interior surface 7''' defines a lumen 8'''. The elongated catheter 4''' is preferably made from a tube 2''' (see Figure 43) which is eventually coated with an overcoat layer 42''' of a resilient polymeric material which binds to an outer surface 14''' of the tube 2''' unless the bonding of the polymeric material is prevented by other materials or means on the outer surface 14'''.
The overcoat layer 42 of the elongated catheter 4''' in accordance with the present invention, includes a sleeve 44''' which encircles a sleeve cavity 45''' which contains lubricating material 38'''. The lubricating material or substance 38''' is effective to permit the sleeve 44''' to slide along the outer surface 14''' of the tube 2''' proximate the sleeve 44''' while in lubricated contact with the outer surface 14'''. When applied in sufficient thicknesses, the lubricating material serves to separate the soft outer sleeve 44''' from the tube 2''', such that the outer sleeve 44''' provides a soft, cushioned, compliant exterior surface which can adapt and conform under slight pressures to the shape of the passageway in which it is inserted or residing. Depending on the catheter application and/or type, the amount of the lubricating substance 38''' and the sleeve cavity 45''' can be minimized to provide for only a limited increase in the outer diameter of the catheter proximate the outer sleeve 44'''. The outer sleeve 44''' is coated with an outer bactericide release layer 61''' similar to that described hereinabove. In other cases, a soft, cushioned, compliant sleeve which can adapt its shape is desirable. In these embodiments, there is a relatively thick coating of lubricant material 38''' in the sleeve cavity 45''' which will give the sleeve 44''' a balloon-like feel and appearance in the exterior surface proximate the sleeve 44'''. The elongated catheter 4''' is preferably made of a flexible elastomeric material such as latex, silicone rubber or the like, most preferably silicone rubber. The lubricating material or substance 38''' is preferably any biocompatible lubricating substance which is effective to permit respective polymeric surfaces to slide with respect to one another when in lubricated contact therewith. Preferably, the lubricating substance 38''' is a hydrophobic oil or other petroleum based product or a water-soluble soap, detergent or the like, either of which is effective to lubricate polymeric surfaces and to generally prevent bonding thereto by other polymeric substances when coated thereby. In a preferred embodiment, the lubricating substance 38''' is petrolatum.
The first step in making an elongated catheter 4''' in accordance with the method of the present invention is to provide a tube 2''' having an outer surface 14''' and an inner surface 7''' defining a first lumen 8'''. The distal end 16''' of the tube 2''' is preferably inserted into a molding apparatus (not shown) designed to mould a tip 20''' on the distal end 16''' of the tube 2''' to form the intermediate tube 3''' (see Figure 44). In a preferred process of the present invention, the intermediate tube 3''' is then secured on a support rod 26''' of a rack or pellet 24''' which preferably includes a plurality of support rods 26'''. Preferably, a plurality of intermediate tubes 3''' are secured on the plurality of support rods prior to subjecting the intermediate tubes 3''' secured on the support rods 26''' to a series of dipping steps in the preferred process.
After the intermediate tube 3''' is formed from the initial tube 2''', the outer surface is coated from the lowest portion of the tip 20''' up to a location on the outer surface 14''' designated by the dashed line A, as shown in Figure 45, with the lubricating substance. Subsequently, the lubricating substance coating the outer surface 14 of the tube below a location proximate the dashed line designated B, as shown in Figures 45 and 46, is stripped from the outer surface 14''' and the tip 20'''. The intermediate tube 3''' is then coated with a resilient polymeric bonding composition which forms the overcoat layer 42'''. The overcoat layer 42''' bonds to the tip 20''' and a portion of the outer surface 14a''' below the dash line designated B, and to a portion of the outer surface 14b''' above the line designated A. In the area proximate to a portion of the outer surface 14c''' between the dash lines designated A and B, respectively, which remains coated with lubricating material 38''', the overcoat layer 42''' forms a sleeve 44''' which encircles the lubricating material 38''' coating the portion of the outer surface 14a''' between the dash lines designated A and B, which cooperates with the sleeve 44''' to define the sleeve cavity 45''' in which the lubricating material 38''' proximate the sleeve 44''' is contained. After the overcoat layer 42''' is formed upon the intermediate tube 3''', an outer bactericide release layer 61''' is formed and a pair of fluid conduit openings 56 are preferably created, most preferably punched, to permit fluid to pass into or out of the lumen 8''' proximate the distal end 16'''. It will be appreciated that, although the overcoat layer 42''' and the wall 11''' of the tube 2''' are shown in Figure 49 to be separate elements, when made of identical polymeric materials, as is the case with the most preferred embodiments of the present invention which are made of silicone rubber, the wall 11''' and the overcoat layer 42''' will be bonded together where they interface with one another so that it is virtually impossible to distinguish between the two and so that there is preferably no part line in spite of the fact that a part line is shown in Figures 47 and 49. In the preferred embodiments, where these elements are enjoined together, it will be appreciated that they form an integral membrane or wall.
The specific procedures used to form the present elongated catheter 4''' will include steps similar to the steps used for similar purposes as described hereinabove.
In the Applicants' use of the preferred methods of the present invention, balloon and sleeve fabrication is almost completely automated. Entire sets of sleeved balloon catheters 5' are manufactured simultaneously. The preferred pallet 24 has 400 spring steel support rods 26 attached to a pallet in 20 rows of 20 rods, wherein each of the rods 26 is about 1 inch from each adjacent rod. Single and double lumen tubing (not shown) is preferably made by extrusion processes known to those of skill in the art. The tubes 2 and 2' are cut to length as the tubing leaves the extruder (not shown). An opening 12' is created in the outer surface 14' of the double lumen tubes 2', preferably with a hollow drill bit or drill tube (not shown), so as to communicate with the capillary lumen 6' in those tubes 2'. The distal portion 6a' of the capillary lumen 6', located between the distal end 16' of the tube 2' and the capillary lumen access opening 12', is then injected with a measured amount of a polymeric bonding composition, preferably silicone rubber, so that the distal portion 6a' is filled and sealed. A rounded tip 20' is then formed at the distal end 16' of the double lumen tube 2', preferably by inserting the tube 2' in a molding device (not shown).
Referring now also to Figure 39, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in this embodiment of the present invention as sleeved Foley catheter 4''. It is very similar to the catheter shown in Figure 38 except that the space between the balloon cavity 54'' and the sleeve cavity 45'' has been decreased so that it will accommodate the urethral sphincter of the bladder. In addition, the volume of the lubricating substance 38'''' in the sleeve cavity 45'' is significantly more than that shown in Figure 38. This is accomplished by increasing the thickness of the lubricating substance 38 which is coated onto the intermediate tube carrying the manufacturing process. The increase in the thickness of the lubricating substance 38'' allows the sleeved Foley catheter 4'' to provide a very soft, "cushy", conforming exterior surface 9'' proximate the sleeve 44'' which can accommodate variations in the surfaces with which the catheter 4'' comes into contact.
Referring now also to Figure 40, the sleeved Foley catheter 4'' shown in Figure 39 is shown when inserted into a urethral tract 74 of a woman 70 the balloon portion 58'' of the catheter 4'' resides within the bladder 72 of the woman 70. The balloon portion 58'' is expanded to retain the catheter 4'' in the urethral tract 74. The harsh volume of lubricating substance 38'' in the sleeve cavity 45'' is shown to provide a exterior surface 9'' proximate the sleeve 44'' which conforms to the wall of the urethral tract 74. The lubricating substance 38'' also allows the inner wall 46'' or conduit portion 46'' of the catheter 4'' to move back and forth within the urethral tract 74'' to a limited degree without disrupting the interface between the exterior surface 9'' proximate the sleeve 44'' and the adjacent body tissues of the urethral tract. This allows the catheter 4'' to move in all directions to a limited degree without disrupting this interface, thereby increasing the comfort of the patient in which the catheter 4'' resides.
In the most preferred embodiments of the present method, 400 of the intermediate tubes 3' are then mounted vertically on rigid spring steel support rods 26' on a pallet 24' in the manner previously described. The pallet 24' is then moved via a transporting mechanism 22 (see Figure 28) over a series of dip tanks as follows in the following example which will further disclose preferred elements of the present invention.
(A) The pallet 24' is stopped over a first tank 33', which contains white USP petrolatum heated to about 60°C (about 140°F). The tank is raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3' into the petrolatum to such a depth that the petrolatum reaches the proximal end of the desired sleeve location. The dip tank 33' is then lowered and a portion of the outer surface 14' of the intermediate tubes 3' are coated with petrolatum. This portion extends from the general point at which the proximal end of the resilient sleeve 44' will begin, to the distal end 20a' of the tip 20' of the intermediate tube 3'. This step is repeated when it is desireable to build up the thickness of the lubricating substance and the resulting volume of the sleeve cavity so as to increase the resulting increase in the outside diameter of the particular catheter over the circumferential diameter of the conduit portion or tube 2 or 2' of this present invention.
(B) The pallet 24' is then automatically advanced and stopped over a second dip tank 35' which contains white USP petrolatum heated to about 120°C (about 250°F). The second dip tank 35' is raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3' into the super-heated petrolatum so that the super-heated petrolatum comes into contact with the petrolatum coating 38' on outer surface 14' of the intermediate tube 3' from the prior dipping step up to a general location where a distal end of the resilient sleeve 44' will end. The second dip tank 35' is then lowered. This dipping step causes the coating of petrolatum from the prior dipping step to be largely removed from the portions 14a' the outer surface 14' below a location where the distal end of the resilient sleeve 44' will be generally located (designated by dashed line B) to the distal end 20a' of the tip 20' of the intermediate tube 3'. Some residual petrolatum may remain on the outer surface 14' of the intermediate tube 3' in this area of the outer surface 14'. However, most of the petrolatum is removed.
(C) The pallet 24' is then automatically advanced and stopped over a third dip tank 37' containing mineral spirits heated to about 200°F. The third dip tank 37' is then raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3' into the mineral spirits to the same depth as they were immersed in the super-heated petrolatum in the second dip tank 35'. The tank 37' is then lowered and all but a trace amount of the petrolatum is removed from the outer surface 14' located generally below the dashed line B, which will eventually be proximate the sleeve 44'.
(D) The pallet 24' is then automatically advanced and stopped over a fourth dip tank 40' containing a volatile organic solvent such as toluene, trichloromethane or the like. The fourth tank 40' is then raised to immerse the intermediate catheters 3 to the same depth as previously immersed in the second and third tanks 35' and 37', thereby removing essentially all traces of the petrolatum from this portion of the outer surface 14'. The intermediate catheter tube 3' now has a band 38' of semi-solid petrolatum located around the axial circumference of the intermediate tube 3' in the location where the sleeve cavity 45' will be created.
(E) The pallet 24' is then stopped over a fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth dip tank, 41', 43', 51' and 53', respectively, where the steps enumerated in steps A, B, C, and D, respectively, are repeated with the following variation. When the pallet 24' is stopped over the fifth dip tank 41', the intermediate tubes 3' are immersed only up to a location proximate the dashed line designated C as shown in Figures 18 and 19. When the pallet 24' is subsequently stopped in series over dip tanks 43', 47' and 49', the intermediate tubes 3' on the pallet 24' are only immersed up to a location proximate the dashed line D as shown in Figures 32 and 33. Following these steps, the petrolatum is stripped from the portion 14a' of the outer surface 14' located below the location proximate the dashed line designated line D. The petrolatum not only coats the portion 14c' of the outer surface 14' located in this area, but also fills a portion of the capillary lumen 6' and plugs the capillary lumen access opening 12', which will eventually be used to inflate the balloon portion 58' of the completed Foley catheter 4'.
(F) After the last of these dip tanks (53') is lowered, the pallet 24' is automatically advanced to a ninth dip tank 55' containing a low-solids silicone rubber/solvent dispersion which is effective to minimize any disruption of the integrity of the petrolatum coatings 38' or 40' remaining on the intermediate tube 3' proximate the portions 14e' and 14c' of the outer surface 14' where the sleeve cavity 45' balloon cavity 54' will be created during subsequent dipping steps. The ninth tank 51' is then raised to immerse the intermediate tube 3' in the solution up to a location above the dashed line designated in A in Figure 33. This step can be subsequently repeated at intervals, preferably allowing time for significant solvent evaporation, either in the same tank or in a subsequent tank containing a greater concentration of silicone rubber, until the overcoat layer 42' and the balloon portion 58' of the overcoat layer 42' have a desired balloon thickness. The dip tank 55' is then lowered, and the overcoat layer 42' is allowed to air dry for about 15 minutes. The pallet 24' is advanced to a tenth dip tank 57 containing a silicone rubber/nitrofuran compound fluid mixture or dispersion 17', and the tubes 3' are completely immersed again. The preferred thickness of the resilient sleeve 44' and the balloon portion 58' is 17.5 thousandths of an inch (plus or minus 2.5 thousandths of an inch), although a modest increase is not considered to be detrimental to the function thereof. Where subsequent silicone rubber dip tanks are provided, the concentration of silicone rubber in the subsequent tanks are preferably greater than the concentration of the silicone rubber in the ninth tank 51. It is also desirable to alter the silicone rubber used in a final coating to provide greater sheen and a smoother finish, however, the concentration and the solvent may be adjusted as deemed appropriate.
(G) The pallet 24' is then advanced through a drying area where solvents are allowed to evaporate, and then through a two port (liquid/hot air) heat cure step, where the sleeved balloon catheters 5' formed by this process are cured, first in a hot liquid bath at 160°F for 15 minutes, and then in hot air (200°F), or at a temperature just below the boiling point of any solvent used in any of the silicone rubber dip dispersions, for an hour. For toluene this temperature is about 200°F.
(H) After the heat cure, the sleeved balloon catheters 5' are allowed to cool and are then removed from the support rods 26'. The proximal ends 30' of each of the balloon catheters 4 is then inserted into an injection molding apparatus (not shown), which forms the end piece 46' of the completed sleeved Foley catheter 4'.
(I) The completed Foley catheters 5 are then finished by punching a fluid conduit access opening 56' in the exterior surface 61' such that it communicates with the fluid conduit lumen 8' in a location below or distal to the balloon portion 58' of the overcoat layer 42'.
(J) The completed Foley catheters 4' are then sent through the test sequence described hereinabove, during which the balloon portion 58' of each completed Foley catheter 4' is inflated and the petrolatum band 40' within the balloon cavity 54' is largely removed.
(H) Curing the overcoat layer.
(F) Sterilizing the sleeved Foley catheters.
(A) The pallet 24' is stopped over a first tank 33', which contains white USP petrolatum heated to about 60°C. That tank 33' is then raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3' into the petrolatum to such a depth that the petrolatum reaches the proximal end of the desired resilient sleeve location proximate the dashed line designated A in Figure 29. The dip tank 33' is then lowered and a portion of the outer surface 14' of the intermediate tubes 3' are coated with petrolatum. This portion extends from the general point at which the proximal end of the resilient sleeve 44' will begin, to the distal end 2a' of the tip 20' of each intermediate tube 3'. In other embodiments, this step can be repeated to increase the thickness of the lubricant coating 38', as well as the ultimate volume of the sleeve cavity 45' and the size of the outside diameter of the catheter 5' proximate the sleeve 44'.
(B) The steps outlined in paragraphs B, C and D of Example I presented hereinabove, are then followed generally as outlined in Example I.
(C) The pallet 24' is then stopped over a fifth dip tank 41', which contains a liquid soap (Liquid Ivory Soap from Proctor & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, OH 45202). The soap is held at room temperature (between about 60-80°F, preferably 65-72°F). The fifth dip tank 41' is raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3' into the liquid soap so that the soap coats the tubes 3' up to the dashed line designated by the letter C in Figure 32. The dip tank 41' is then lowered and the liquid soap forms a semi-solid coating 40' on the outer surface 14' of each of the intermediate tubes 3' extending from line designated C to the distal end 20a' of the tip 20' of each of the intermediate tubes 3'.
(D) The pallet 24 is then automatically advanced and stopped over a sixth dip tank 43' which contains an aqueous solution containing a trace of a suitable wetting agent or surfactant. In a preferred embodiment, three gallons of water is mixed with two ounces of a suitable surfactant. The surfactant will generally be less than one percent of the total volume of the solution. A sixth dip tank 43' is then raised so as to immerse the intermediate tubes 3' in the aqueous fluid up to the dashed line designated by the letter D in Figures 32 and 33. The sixth dip tank 43' is then lowered and the semi-solid liquid soap coating the portion 14a' of the outer surface 14' below the dashed line designated D is substantially removed.
(E) The pallet 24' is then automatically advanced and stopped over a seventh dip tank 51' containing water. The seventh dip tank 51' is then raised and the intermediate tubes 3' are immersed in the water up to the line designated D as in the prior dipping step. The seventh dip tank 51' is then lowered and virtually all of the liquid soap is removed from the portion 14a' of the outer surface 14' below the line designated D.
(F) The pallet 24' is then automatically advanced and stopped over a eighth dip tank 53' containing a low-solids silicone rubber/solvent dispersion which is effective to minimize any disruption of the integrity of the liquid soap coating 40' remaining on each of the intermediate tubes proximate the portion 14c' of the outer surface 14' where the balloon cavity 54 will be created during subsequent dipping steps (the portion between the dashed lines designated C and D). The eighth tank 53' is then raised to immerse intermediate tubes 3' in the silicone rubber dispersion. It will be appreciated that any suitable solvent for providing a suitable dispersion of silicone rubber and coating the particular lubricating agent may be used. It is also believed to be possible to use aqueous solvents, however, they are not preferred at present. It will also be appreciated that this step can be repeated at subsequent intervals, preferably long enough to permit significant solvent evaporation, to add to the thickness of the overcoat layer 42' and the balloon portion 58' of the overcoat layer 42'. However, further steps, involving different solutions can also follow.
(G) The fourth dip tank 39' is then lowered and the silicone rubber, coating portions of the outer surface 14' as well as the coating of petrolatum 38' and the coating of soap 40', is allowed to dry. The pallet 24' is then advanced again to a ninth dip tank 55' containing a different silicone rubber dispersions having a solids content which is higher than the solids content in the eighth dip tank 53'. The intermediate tubes 31' are immersed again in the subsequent silicone rubber dispersion when the ninth dip tank 55' is raised. The ninth dip tank 55' is then lowered, and the silicone rubber, coating the tubes 3', is allowed to dry.
(H) The pallet 24' is then automatically advanced again to a tenth dip tank 53 containing a silicone rubber/nitrofuran compound fluid mixture 17' including a silicone rubber and silicone fluid in trichloroethane, mixed with a nitrofuran compound, preferably nitrofurazone particles having a mean particle diameter of 100 microns or less. The tubes 3' are dipped again as before and the tenth dip tank 51' is then lowered and the silicone rubber coating the tubes 3' is allowed to dry. (G) The pallet 24' is then advanced through a drying step followed by a two-part (liquid/hot air) heat cure step, and each completed sleeved balloon catheter 5' is then secured to an end piece 46', tested, provided with a fluid conduit access opening 56', packaged and sterilized.
The automated system that Applicants claim will permit completed sleeved Foley catheters 4' to be manufactured at the rate of about 1,600 catheters per hour. Because virtually no handwork is involved in the balloon and sleeve construction, the catheters 4' produced will be consistent and of very high quality. The exterior surface 62' is smoother than hand-glued balloons, and the outside diameter of the balloon portion 58' is essentially identical to the outside diameter of other portions of the completed Foley catheters 4'. It will be appreciated that larger outside diameter balloon portions are undesirable since they are somewhat more difficult to insert and withdraw, and cause additional trauma upon withdrawal. In addition, by eliminating the hand labor involved in adhering the balloon portion 58' to the intermediate tube 3' in the manufacture of silicone rubber balloon catheters 5', by specifically eliminating the separate step of fabricating the balloon portion, which also requires hand labor, and by eliminating the significant impact on yield resulting from hand processing errors, the applicants' new process will permit direct production cost for silicone rubber balloon catheters of all types to be reduced by about 25-50% over the cost estimated for the prior art silicone rubber balloon catheters.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the sequence or order of the specific steps, or the actual compositions, solvents, temperatures, environmental conditions and the like employed for each step, it will be appreciated the disclosure is illustrative only, and that changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, arrangement of parts or sequence or elements of events within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
at least a finite portion of the polymeric matrix includes an amount of from about 10 to about 60% by weight of the nitrofuran compound, and the amount of the nitrofuran compound in the finite portion of the polymeric matrix and the solubility of the nitrofuran compound cooperate to provide a potential for a sustained release diffusion of the anti bacterial agent into the aqueous biological fluids within the human body during normal therapeutic use of the cannula within the human body so long as the aqueous biological fluids are not saturated with the antibacterial agent, such that the antibacterial agent within the finite portion of the polymeric matrix can continue to diffuse into the aqueous biological fluids within the human body in an amount effective to prevent proliferation of certain bacteria immediately adjacent to the cannula in aqueous biological environments for a period of not less then about three weeks.
The sustained release bactericidal cannula of claim 1 wherein the antibacterial agent is selected from the group consisting of nitrofurazone, nitrofurantoin, furaltadone, furazolidone, nifuradene, nidroxyzone, nifuroxime and nihydrazone.
The sustained release bactericidal cannula of claim 1 wherein the antibacterial agent is nitrofurazone.
The sustained release bactericidal cannula of claim 1 wherein the polymeric matrix includes silicone fluid.
The sustained release bactericidal cannula of claim 1 wherein a finite portion of the polymeric matrix contains an amount of a water soluble anti-inflammatory agent sufficient to diffuse into the aqueous biological fluids and reduce inflammation within a portion of the human body immediately adjacent to the cannula.
The sustained release bactericidal cannula of claim 1, said tube having an outer surface and inner surface, the inner surface defining a first internal lumen, said cannula further including an expandable balloon having an expandable balloon cavity, a second lumen in communication with the expandable balloon cavity.
The sustained release bactericidal cannula of claim 1, said tube having an outer surface and inner surface, the inner surface defining an infernal lumen, wherein the cannula further includes a sleeve cavity encircling the internal lumen within the cannula, said sleeve cavity being located between the outer surface and the inner surface.
The sustained release bactericidal cannula of claim 7 further including an expandable balloon, an expandable balloon cavity, and a secondary lumen in communication with the expandable balloon cavity.
(c) curing the silicone rubber of both the uncured silicone rubber outer surface and the uncured nitrofuran containing silicone rubber outer layer to form a cured antibacterial agent containing silicone rubber outer layer bonded to the silicone rubber outer surface; wherein the step of providing includes providing an antibacterial agent containing mixture containing a sufficient amount of the nitrofuran compound that the cured antibacterial agent containing silicone rubber outer layer contains about 10 to about 60 percent by weight of the nitrofuran compound.
The method of claim 9 wherein the step of coating includes dipping the tube in the antibacterial agent containing fluid mixture to form the uncured nitrofuran containing silicone rubber outer layer.
The method of claim 9 wherein the step of curing includes heating the tube to a temperature of at least about 140°F to cure silicone rubbers of both the uncured silicone rubber outer surface and, the uncured nitrofuran containing silicone rubber outer layer to form the controlled release bactericidal cannula.
The method of claim 9 wherein the tube includes a second lumen and a balloon cavity between the inner surface and the outer surface and encircling the inner lumen, wherein the outer surface proximate the balloon cavity defines a balloon portion and the step of coating includes coating at least a portion of the balloon portion with the antibacterial agent containing fluid mixture.
The method of claim 9 wherein the finally divided particles of the solid antibacterial agent have a mean particle diameter of not more than about 200 microns.
The method of claim 9 wherein the antibacterial agent is selected from the group consisting of nitrofurazone, nitrofurantoin, furaltadone, furazolidone, nifuradene, nidroxyzone, nifuroxime and nihydrazone.
The method of claim 9 wherein the antibacterial agent has a solubility in water, at a pH of about 6 and a temperature of about 25°C, of about 0.001 to about 0.2% by weight.
The method of claim 9 wherein the antibacterial agent is nitrofurazone.
US1235142A (en) * 1917-05-21 1917-07-31 Sarkis A Ichilian Syringe. | 2019-04-23T16:18:47Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/EP0617631B1/en | Porn | Health | 0.359928 |
wordpress | Muskoka Language International – Page 2 – We are specialists in designing and operating unique learning programs in cities and towns across Canada for young students as well as adult learners.
Over the past 20 years, MLI has been helping to communicate the message of Canada’s beauty, vitality and cultural history to Japanese students placed in hundreds of communities across Canada. Our Canadian students, families and schools have welcomed Japanese youth into their hearts and homes and have received this message of friendship with open arms.
The Japanese students that have participated in MLI’s programs have made positive and lasting relationships in our Canadian communities and we envision a future in which our Canadian students may strengthen these bonds by pursuing study abroad opportunities within Japan.
As previously asserted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan has set the goal of increasing “the number of foreign nationals studying in Japan to 300,000” by Tokyo 2020. MLI intends to continue to support Canadian students who are seeking study abroad opportunities at the top International Universities in Japan.
For over four years, MLI and sister company YES Canada (Youth Educational Services) has been successfully coordinating short-term study programs in Japan for Canadian youth. Moving forward, MLI is strongly committed to expanding on these programs with help from our Japanese partners, so that we can provide increased study abroad opportunities for students across Canada.
The new generations of Japanese and Canadian youth have helped to open up new pathways, sister relationships and partnerships between our two nations. We are confident that the relationships that we have created between Canadian and Japanese schools, school boards and regions will allow this program to continue and flourish for years to come.
I’m Pia and I’m from Germany. My Muskoka Language International experience is not the traditional student experience, but rather a university student experience. What I’m doing is an internship. I have now been with the company for over two months and I feel it has been one of the best decisions that I have made.
When I was 16, my parents gave me the chance to spend 9 months abroad in Auckland, New Zealand. That was when I fell in love with travelling, going abroad and getting to know new cultures. That is also the reason, why I came to Canada to do my internship. I knew that I wanted to do the curricular internship for university abroad and when my boyfriend was accepted in a laboratory here, I had to take the chance.
And now I’m here. And I love it.
So far, what I can tell you about MLI is that it is fun! The team is absolutely fantastic.
The first person I got in touch with was Kathy. I called her from Germany and the first impression was lovely. Every time we talked I was more and more looking forward to go to Canada. She made me feel welcome and valued before I came and she did not disappoint me once I arrived. Every time we talked on Skype I was more and more excited about what was to come.
When Cindy picked me up from the airport, she talked about Muskoka Language International as “the family”. I think that is just the right term for the company. Kathy welcomed me with a hug, I had a long chat with Mike about the company history and we had lots of cake – which was a really nice thing, of course.
I am working for Muskoka Language International with Michelle on social media. When I came, the media presence was… interesting. We started setting up all the different networks, went through all the material and sent many organisational emails. Going through all the photos and videos, I was reminded of the great experiences I was given as a student abroad and I am now being given again during this internship.
If you want to know what the company with the slogan of small town Canada is about, it is really about family. What Mike, Bev and Cheryl want for the students is also what they live behind the windows of MLI. Everybody is welcome, it is personal and everybody is as valued coming as leaving. The team has built very strong ties.
Besides working with Michelle on social media, I got the opportunity to gain some insights into the other departments and understand the different issues that arise and see first-hand how people support each other in problem solving. I don’t know if this is just Canadian nature, however I never experienced this level of teamwork before.
After 2 months of work, I feel that I have now decided the business I want to work in for the rest of my life. I am very much looking forward to all that is still to come. I can’t wait for it!
How was MLI founded in 1994?
As we approach our 20th year in business, this story is a look back at where the MLI values, mission and concept were born.
Bev and Mike, co-founders of MLI, grew up in the same hometown and have known each other since they were kids. They kept in touch and golfed together frequently as adults. As both their fathers were entrepreneurs, and ran small businesses, the two were well aware of the ethics, integrity and commitment necessary to be successful in small business.
One day, as Mike was driving up to Huntsville to golf with a friend from Japan, a conversation started with this question “Would international students be welcomed into Canadian homes?” Mike knew that Japanese students frequently went to Australia to learn English language skills, learn about the culture, experience living with a homestay family, attend school in a different country, and make new friends. Mike was convinced that international students would be warmly welcomed in small towns across Canada. From personal experience with billeting programs for school bands, athletic events and hockey tournaments, he felt that this was something that one could build upon as a company. As the conversation ensued, he then learned that in Japan every high school student has to take a trip abroad – so each year close to 200,000 students travel abroad to experience, education, culture, learn English and experience a foreign country.
“I thought about the idea for a few weeks and became very excited.” says Mike.
“I then phoned Bev, who had been working in the education sector for over 20 years.” Bev had been a teacher, a vice-principal, a principal and senior administrator at an Ontario school board which nicely complemented the experience that Mike had in distribution, international business and pricing; in addition to them both having had entrepreneurial experience and knowledge.
So the two of them sat down with their wives for dinner, had some wine, threw some ideas around, and mapped out a business plan. They planned to build a program to bring young people from other countries to Canada, wanting them to experience what it was like for them growing up in beautiful small town Canada.
In the communities MLI works in, students will experience living in a home where nine times out of ten, people never lock their door. They will experience a community where you walk down the main street and someone says, “Oh you’re with the Japanese group. How do you like our town?” People in these towns have a sense of pride in their community, and the idea is that people feel welcome, safe and comfortable. These communities offer an optimal learning environment, surrounded by nature and wildlife. In small town Canada, the residents will look you in the eye and offer a smile and a hello. That is the reason why they want to bring people away from the cities to experience small town Canada.
Keeping in mind the attributes that these students look for – particularly the Japanese, they did not want to focus on the cities but, instead, on the places where people could feel more like a part of a family and a community. Many Japanese come from big urban centres, where it can be hard to access nature or walk to school.
During the next summer, we had our first group: 53 kids from Osaka, Japan. After three years, Bev left his school board position to work full time on the business. At first, they operated only summer programs, but when they noticed the high interest in Western Canada, they brought in a new partner, Cheryl Lee, a former Director of Sales at Metro Toronto Convention Centre who had worked with Mike at Ontario Tourism. Cheryl runs the Vancouver office and has been a great addition to the growth and development of the Western market.
MLI’s core values are honesty, integrity, and to never promise something we can’t deliver to our clients. We want to be knowledgeable, and our knowledge is based on our products and services, but also on the needs of the students. We work with students, schools, teachers, agents, and parents, and we have had amazing results creating memorable experiences for thousands of students. We want young people to learn from our experience, and to gain life, leadership and language skills, while making new friends from new parts of the world. We believe our company changes people’s lives in many respects; those who participate in MLI’s programs will both enjoy and learn about the Canadian way of life, but also share their culture in order to enrich the lives of Canadians.
We want our employees to feel like a part of our unique family and to feel safe and valued in our company. We operate the business in a very personal manner – as a small, Canadian family business – and we prefer face-to-face communication. We try to create a healthy and exciting environment where people feel they can trust MLI. Muskoka Language International is not a job, but a lifestyle.
Since its inception nearly two decades ago, we at MLI have celebrated our deep Canadian roots. Our co-founders, Michael Ruby and Bev MacWilliams, grew up in one of the most celebrated and iconic areas of the vast Canadian landscape: The Muskoka lakes region in the province of Ontario. This incredible stretch of pristine lakes, rocky outcroppings and indigenous forests dotted with small, friendly communities is the original, quintessential Canadian panorama that Mike and Bev endeavored to share with students from around the world. It is from this stunning backdrop that the Muskoka Language International symbol was originally born.
Intended to be simple, minimalist, and representative of our beginnings, the brushstroke design is reminiscent of both Asian calligraphy and classic Canadian Group of Seven imagery. The original, hand-drawn artwork blends the components of water, rock and tree, which are meaningful elemental symbols across our cultures. The clean black and white lines maintain the beauty behind its simplicity, uncomplicated and well-defined, demonstrating the meaning and significance behind the name.
Within 3 to 4 years of incorporating, we were quickly growing to new communities and began sharing more and more geographic areas of the Canadian experience, and the second iteration of our brand was created. As our company developed and our domestic operations expanded, eventually the decision was made to refer to ourselves more succinctly as “MLI”. The feeling that the acronym seemed more appropriate (and easily pronounced!) as we grew to the coast-to-coast organization we are today was well justified. We at MLI pride ourselves on our national reach, and did not seek to be overly defined by our initial, localized inspiration, as we now operate from our metropolitan offices in Toronto, Vancouver, and Tokyo today. That said, though referred to as MLI, we still eagerly deliver hundreds of students to the Muskokas every year to learn, share and grow in this four season playground that sparked our beginnings all those years ago. | 2019-04-19T04:47:24Z | https://muskokalanguageinternational.wordpress.com/page/2/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.284054 |
wordpress | ← Day 357 – Baubles but no tree!
The home owners had already done a tree for us which is very disco and fun!
Posted in Brisbane Fun, casual, fashion, Gap and tagged Christmas, disco, summer. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-19T18:51:45Z | https://fashionmashie.wordpress.com/2012/12/23/day-358-disco-tree/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.730741 |
wordpress | I guess you could say that real estate is in my blood! As a small town boy growing up in Niles, Michigan I quickly learned the “in’s and out’s” of investing in Real Estate from my Family. Both of my parents were successful real estate investors, My brother David not only had properties, but is the President of the company I work for. As well as my Sister in law, Maria, becoming a top producing Real Estate Agent in Indiana. It was only natural for me to follow in their footsteps.
I have been a Licensed Mortgage Consultant for 14 years at Avenue Mortgage Corporation as well as becoming a Landlord in 2001. Both sides have allowed me the utmost experience in the real estate industry. Not only am I an advisor, but a client who is continuously looking for the best rates and programs available.
My purpose for writing this blog is to allow you into my world. Who is Bill Pendley, what does he stand for, and CAN I TRUST HIM WITH MY FINANCES?? I truly believe that in this day and age people want to know who they are working with and to know that they are trustworthy.. I have nothing to hide, and hope that from this site you will be able to be motivated, inspired, and educated on the area I know best, Home Financing. Please feel free to share anything of interest or comment on anything you wish. I love hearing from all of my friends, referral partners, and clients.
I have recently ventured back into the world of Athletics. Even though my doctors have said not to do anything straining on my knees after having two ACL repairs, I chose to see how much I could endure.. In 2010, I had my first race in the Batavia Triathlon, and since then have done about 11 races. The most recent was the “Escape from Alcatraz” 1.5 mile swim, 18 mile Bike, and an 8 mile run. This too is in my blood. I have found so much stress relief by just being in the positive environment and seeing what God can do!! Especially when I think I can’t!
I am currently married to the most wonderful person in the world. Jenny and I have been married for two years and are currently residing in Naperville, IL. We attend Harvest Bible and spend much of our time at Lifetime Fitness and riding our Harley.
As mentioned, Please feel free to use this blog as a voice and something that will allow others to grow from. | 2019-04-19T14:15:32Z | https://billthemortgageguy.wordpress.com/my-story/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.278631 |
tripod | Swiss Chalet, 362 Yonge Street ( south of Gerrard on the west side of Yonge), at 6pm on April 3rd.
I hope to see you all current and former members of the group at our party, bring friends and family members if you want. Please RSVP well in advance so that we can reserve enough seats for everyone. If you are part of meetup.com, you can RSVP there. If not, pls send an email to Rama at socialphobiagroup@yahoo.com .
Starting from Yonge and Eglinton, walk west on Eglinton Ave, on the north side on the street. It only takes a few minutes to get there. When you arrive at the front door of the building, enter by pushing the disabled entrance button. Take the elevator to the 6th floor. See you there.
We are a support group for shy people. Extreme shyness, in psychological terms, is called social phobia, or social anxiety. Social anxiety causes anxiety and panic attacks in certain social or per-formance situations such as public speaking, dealing with authority figures, being in groups or public places, talking to strangers, using the telephone, etc.
You can also click on the Message Forum button below to join, or just view, our Yahoo Message Forum. Through this forum you can take part in discussions and receive announcements.
Our group has no affiliation with any of the advertisers displayed on this Web site. The site is provided for free by Tripod.com and is supported by advertising. | 2019-04-23T12:52:26Z | http://torontosocialphobia.tripod.com/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.242642 |
wordpress | Hitting the West Wing – Can it be done?
Local schoolboy Dave Wildgoose writes: “My grandfather Harry Goode from Earlsdon turned out for a local cricket team in the late 19th century and on one occasion played in a match against the boys of Stoneleigh. The pitch was then (as it remains today) in front of Francis Smith’s magnificent West Wing at Stoneleigh Abbey. Harry is reputed to have hit a ball straight through one of the main floor windows.
A hush followed, then there appeared a liveried footman to enquire after the guilty batsman. Harry owned up, whereupon he was given a sixpence from Lord Leigh for a magnificent shot. As recently as the 1990’s, the late Lord Leigh was still prepared to offer a bounty for such a shot, suitably adjusted for inflation. A direct hit on those windows is a very good clout indeed, being something like another 30 yards beyond the boundary.
Obviously the genes went wrong somewhere since I have rarely managed to send the ball even an inch or two beyond that boundary in over a thousand matches of trying!
Local hearthrob Dave Wildgoose writes: Martin Webster, dear old Webs, has become only the fourth Stoneleigh batsman to score 6000 runs in a Stoneleigh Career. He achieved the feat on Sunday after the skipper ‘retired hurt’ in order to give him a bat.
The only others to pass this mark are Paul Lazenby, Dave Wildgoose and Colin Summerton. How many more might he have scored if he ever turned up in time! | 2019-04-24T11:52:00Z | https://stoneleighcc.wordpress.com/myths-and-legends/ | Porn | Sports | 0.886256 |
wordpress | Iraq from countries committed to pay its debts gives a good indication of what part of the world rankings informal in this area. Where have paid more than $40 billion of total debt adjusted to the Paris Club, which was up to 51.6 billion dollars in 2004.
classified Iraq’s foreign debts on 4 categories include both debt to Paris Club countries, the debt of non-member states of the Paris Club, and the debt of commercial creditors ( foreign private sector), and the debt of the GCC countries in addition to contracts for consultants accounting and legal.
In this regard, said the academic economic Dr Majid Baidhani that the country strides in stages pay its debts earlier leaving only a fraction of them having fulfilled its obligations to creditors as total debt that has been settled for countries outside the Paris Club exceeded 16 billion dollars after it was up to 18.33 billion U.S. dollars in 2004. He explained in a statement to the (morning): The total commercial debt that was processed amounted to more than 16 billion dollars at a time when 19 billion dollars in 2004.
added during the journey debt repayments initiated Iraq in 2004, offers to settle the debts of the creditors through the presentation of cash purchase, offer a way to buy the debt of religion, where the presentation included the first purchase of the debt by 10.25 percent of the total debt and the abolition of the remaining 89.75 percent, took part in these offers creditors less than the proportion of young people who indebtedness for $ 35 million with total amounts Levels 5 billion U.S. dollars.
He explained that the way of an offer to buy the debt of religion included the bond issue a loan of 20 percent of the total debt for the benefit of creditors and the exemption of the remaining 80 percent and pay out of bonds of the loan over the years from 2020 to 2028 and bear interest on the loan bonds at 5.80 percent, have participated in this offer creditors Sales adults who increase their demands for 35 million dollars.
mentioned that the government had contracted with four financial institutions and global banks as external advisors who provide advice, support and consulting all matters relating to the settlement of Iraq’s foreign debts. They are all from the Ernst & Young Foundation Cleary Kutlob (outside legal counsel) and the Foundation Alzard French. Foundation Houlihan Lokey English and the Bretton City Krupp and JP Morgan are the two banks and their mission is to provide support to the Ministry of Finance to settle the debts of foreign commercial creditors (foreign private sector) has been entrusted with the task to them due to the wide spread of around the world. | 2019-04-19T04:58:27Z | https://currencynewshound.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/iraq-extinguish-a-large-proportion-of-its-foreign-debt/ | Porn | Business | 0.800594 |
wordpress | there i was, a little nervous on the first day in a new work environment.
Your smile warmed the place and over the years and through the crossroads moments of short glimpses and occasional monologues kept as on the same route.
“You can wear my shirt” i said out loud.
The photo came out great.
One path towards panoramic photography leads to the use of a swing lens film camera.
In my journey in photography using old cameras, i tend to own and use cameras judged at first by their look and feel.
The Ft-2 is the first panoramic camera i bought when i managed to find one that looked promising with its case, both film cassettes and in a price within my budget.
It was manufactured in the mighty KMZ factory in Krasnogorsk, a suburb of Moscow, in 1958.
The FT-2 uses special cassettes in which you must load the film. A camera without both cassettes is unusable, either you find a set to buy or try to built your own. I was lucky to find an extra set in a logical price. Proper loading and handle can result in 12 frames sizing 24 x 110mm on a 36 frame film.
The FT-2 is able to give great results. Just like most panoramic cameras it needs to be horizontally aligned to avoid distortion. The bubble on the top helps on that issue. With the FT-2 you try to imagine the frame since there is no usable viewfinder and the horizon is one of the key points towards a good result.
The FT-2 has an Industar-50 F5 that is set at hyper focal distance. Subjects closer than 10m will be out of focus. It has 3+1 shutter speeds. I say +1 cause it is not stated on the camera. The camera states according to the brake setting, speeds of 1/100, 1/200 and 1/400. There is a fourth setting of the brakes that is about 1/50.
These are just some words on the FT-2. Everything you need to know about it and about almost any old camera is available online. What you don’t know is if it suits you, if you are going to like using it.
It is the first swing lens panoramic camera i bought, it stuck in my head at first glance and it has been there since.
Where were we? There, yes there we were together under the umbrella.
You ‘re getting wet. I want to get wet. | 2019-04-19T01:27:46Z | https://pnasium.wordpress.com/2015/12/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.659503 |
wordpress | First spray | Carnahan & Sons, Inc.
We hope you had a beautiful Easter holiday.
After testing the JD 4730 sprayer this morning, checking for leaks and that all is working properly, (discovered that the sprayer needed 2 O-rings) John prepared the first tank full of spray material. Late in the afternoon, he started spraying burndown chemicals and residuals for some soybean acres. The soil is a little soft, but adequate for the sprayer to travel over it. This is a good first day to get started, a little cool, but low winds <9mph (15kmh) make for good conditions. As we scouted the fields about noon today, (we used the Gator to check to see if the soils were firm enough to hold up the sprayer) we discovered some marestail weed getting started. This farmer’s arch-enemy must be stopped early, so it lends some urgency to getting the sprayer rolling. Hopefully, in about 10 days, the soybean planter can begin!
John loaded up the 4730 sprayer, and now it’s ready to go to the field!
Here he goes, getting the spraying started today. This machine applies a 100-foot swath with each pass across the field.
The soil is a bit too wet and soft in the fields that are planned for corn. The first operation for corn is to knife in the nitrogen. We use the anhydrous ammonia form of N, because it is the least expensive to utilize. After the nitrogen goes down, the sprayer comes next, to burn down the weeds. Then comes the corn planter. It all has to occur in sequence.
Brandon finished delivering the current contract of corn to GPC this morning. No more corn deliveries until April 1st.
Not sure if we will be able to ‘green light’ the sprayer tomorrow, but we will see what the day brings.
This entry was posted in Farm Days, News, Planting and tagged burndown herbicides, JD 4730 sprayer, John Carnahan. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-21T19:08:16Z | https://casifarm.wordpress.com/2016/03/28/first-spray/ | Porn | News | 0.519968 |
wordpress | photograph – Do You Suppose She's A Wildflower?
This is very random but I found this little pinecone on the ground. Had to take a picture 🙂 I love little things!
Also, a tree that for some reason reminded me of somewhere Winnie the Pooh would have lived.
I know, I am such a big kid!
On Sunday July 28th 2013 my sister died of a heart attack. She had been battling breast cancer and other types of medical problems for years. She was however, determined to not let anyone know how she suffered. I admire her beauty, determination, sacrifice, and passionate love for her children. I adored her as a sister and never believed it was possible that someone like her could ever die. These past few days have been the hardest I’ve ever experienced. I thought a really painful breakup was as hard as things get. I was wrong. Cherish your sister. Love your sister. Communicate how much she means to you. I found this piano the night Becky died. I had no idea she was dying while I was getting the piano. Maybe some think this is silly but I believe things happen for a reason. That maybe I was led to this piano to bring me comfort during her loss.
I will miss you Becky. I loved you so much more than you ever knew. Though I am devastated right now I promise you that I will find ways to celebrate your life. I feel that this piano is a small step in that direction.
Thank you guys all so much for the support ❤ I put on my facebook status that today is the first time in a while that I went to bed before 12 AM and woke up before 12 PM. The death of someone you love just completely knocks the energy out of you. Both physically and emotionally. I’ve never felt pain like that before and to be honest with you would prefer to die myself before I feel it again. I am a Christian though and believe that my sister is now somewhere that does not have pain. She is loved, accepted, and peaceful. It’s nice to know I have friends who are behind me here on wordpress. And by friends I do not mean blogger friends, I mean FRIENDS. Thanks so much for the messages. Hopefully soon I will be up to making more posts again.
Me and Daisy on the water in Blufton, SC 2013!
My small vent for today is that I went to get with my girls to walk and it rained. 😦 We still walked despite the “mist” and hardly being able to look out of our eyes. When I arrived there I had what was almost a completely flat tire. After walking, AAA is called because my car for some reason did not come with a car jack and towing kit (OF COURSE) . It takes the guy an hour if not more to get there and the AAA guy doesn’t arrive with or have knowledge that we even needed a car jack. He was not friendly and didn’t want to be bothered with calling his shop to find one. Later he was reported for the awful experience. Air is put into my tires and my husband follows me home. Deciding I have a few bucks in my account we go to Subway. After making our sandwiches my card does not go through. F*&% !!! My awesome husband puts it on his card thank God.
I swear…..when it rains, it pours.
Just a pic of my friends and I ! We are the “Bachelor Group” because every week we get together, drink wine, and watch the Bachelor together religiously haha. Priscilla’s daughter, Madison, had her 1st birthday party today. It was really cute to see her dig into her cake and get excited over the big balloons. The theme was cupcakes. Who doesn’t love cupcakes! | 2019-04-22T09:45:09Z | https://muffinsandmocha.wordpress.com/tag/photograph/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.886111 |
wordpress | This Saturday, March 21st, is #SufjanSaturday at Sloth!
Join us in-store as we’ll be playing the new Sufjan Stevens album, “Carrie & Lowell”, in it’s entirety, 10 days before its release and before any stream is made available.
We’ll also be taking pre-orders for the album so you’ll be the first to own a copy upon it’s release!
The preview gets underway at 3 PM this Saturday, see you then!
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on March 18, 2015 by Sloth Records. | 2019-04-19T16:54:49Z | https://slothrecords.wordpress.com/2015/03/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.353954 |
livejournal | Review - Yasaka Ramen - Does My Bomb Look Big In This?
Chef Takeshi Sekigawa is experienced at making ramen, even by Japanese standards. After four years at the famed Gumshara, he opened his own store, Yasaka Ramen. Here you’ll find Chef Takeshi not just reproducing ramen recipes, but also creating his own.
Worship at the altar of the giant pressure cooker where the master broth is made by pulling up a stool downstairs. The pressure cooker cuts down the time it takes to make broth out of slow cooked pork bones. The bones release collagen and fat, leading to a thick, creamy tonkotsu ramen.
Those seated at the bench will slurp soup while watching Chef Takeshi drain basket after basket of handmade noodles.
His resulting Grilled Chashu Ramen ($16.80) with miso flavouring is thick and clings to the handmade noodles, ensuring each and every bite is rich and flavoursome. It’s topped with a golden, runny soft egg and a generous amount of chashu. The four pork slices have a lovely charred flavour from a light searing.
Venturing up the stairs the narrow space expands into a more relaxed dining room. It’s full, even on a Tuesday evening, and they’re all eating ramen.
So while you can start with soft, fluffy Takoyaki ($6/4 pieces) octopus balls topped with creamy mayo. and spring onions, or Osaka’s squid pancake: Ikayaki ($6) topped the same way, they’re pretty much distractions from the main event.
Not so with the perfectly matched combination of my favourite Japanese rice beer, Koshihikari Echigo ($15/500ml), and a Karaage Set ($22.50); though you might need to come with friends to get through all eighteen pieces of fried chicken. It's served up three different ways, the best being with spicy sauce.
For a completely different take on ramen, try Tori Paitan ($16). It’s basically tonkotsu’s cousin, but instead of being made on pork bones, it’s made on chicken, using a two-phase cook. In the first phase, flavour is extracted from the chicken, before vegetables and aromatics are added in the second phase. You’ll find it lighter, but no less creamy and satisfying.
And if the thinner noodles, soft-boiled eggs, chicken meatballs, house-made chicken loaf, bamboo shoots, shallots and seaweed aren’t enough to keep your palate interested, you can load up on additional toppings right there in the dining room. Sesame seeds and chilli oil both added interesting twists to this remarkably soothing ramen. | 2019-04-18T17:24:31Z | https://missdissent.livejournal.com/629359.html | Porn | Science | 0.148123 |
superdrewby | The Ex-Gay Movement and Reparative Therapy as a Cure for Homosexuality.
In recent weeks the story of Zach, a 16 year old youth who identifies as homosexual and confided in his parents as to his sexuality, has made headlines and moved and motivated people all over the world to speak out about the �evils� and the �Atrocity� that is the Ex-Gay Movement, right wing fundamentalist religion and Reparative Therapy, but is this merely a knee jerk reaction to something that we�and in particular us gays�fear and do not completely understand?
The same could be said about the Ex-Gay movement�their blatant intolerance of homosexuality is from fear, something that they don�t understand, or don�t WANT to understand.
After Zach told his parents that he is gay, there was the normal reaction of any parent, the cried, it is an emotional time for a family. Where-as most parents eventually �accept� their child�s sexuality and still love their child regardless, Zach parents informed him that he IS going to camp called �REFUGE� run by an organization called �Love In Action�that comes under the umbrella of an international organization called 'Exodus Global Alliance', a global Ex-gay movement that believes that Homosexuality CAN be cured by Reparative Therapy.
The question I am asking, and hoping to answer is are we, the gay community, justified in taking a united stand against the Ex-Gay movement, Religious Fundamentalists and a therapy that �supposedly� cures homosexuality?
Exodus claims its �development is testament to God�s work in calling people into ministry�, which began in 1973 with Frank Worthen beginning a ministry to homosexuals in the USA called �Love In Action� (liA as I will refer to it from here-on). In 1976 Frank Worthen organized a conference of ex-gay ministries in the USA and from here Exodus was formed.
Peter Lane then joined the Exodus Alliance in 1978 and bought Exodus Global Alliance to Australia in the form of his Ministry to Homosexuals in Australia called �Liberty Ministry�. Now called �Liberty Inc.� their contact addresses are right here in Queensland�.Tingalpa, Maroochydore and Buderim, and Exodus Asia-Pacifichaving a postal address in Milton.
Exodus Global Alliance at this point in time is truly global, Taking up camp across the America�s, Asia-Pacific, Europe and African Nations.
It doesn�t matter which countries website of Exodus Global Alliance you look at�their sole mission is to �Transform the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to those affected by SEXUAL BROKENESS�, and obviously homosexuality is seen as sexual brokenness. All this wouldn�t be an issue if this �Church� and their right-wing fundamentalists leaders didn�t take the �I am always right, and if you don�t agree with me then you are always wrong� attitude. It is this attitude of the ex-gay movement that supports their �opinions� that sexuality IS chosen and therefore can be cured.
That raises another issue. The ex-gay movement claims and has testimonials to the effect that �gays� have been cured. The ones that claim to have truly been cured, were they actually ever gay? Or did they choose/learn to be gay? Can one that is born gay and has no choice in the matter really be cured or are they left emotionally scarred from the torment of reparative therapy as a �cure�? Should there really be a forced intervention into ones life who declares themselves homosexual or should they be allowed to develop in to the person they will ultimately �naturally� (without interjection) become?
Zach is 16 years old, he is going through a difficult enough time as it is coming to terms with his identity, his role in life, his career aspiration, and where he fits in to the big scheme of things without being forced into a therapy that he feels he doesn�t need and could ultimately damage him�at his own parents discretion.
An excellent website that deals with the �Failures of Ex-Gay Ministries can be found here.
So, are we, the gay community, justified in taking a united stand against the Ex-Gay movement, Religious Fundamentalists and a therapy that �supposedly� cures homosexuality?
In my opinion YES, anything that �could� hurt, damage, inadvertently affect, or encourage one to commit suicide before accepting something that a fundamentalist tells you is evil, should be vehemently opposed. We should make a noise weather we are gay, gay friendly, accepting of the gay community, heterosexual, or just a concerned human being when we see any potential abuse of anyone�in particular a minor. | 2019-04-24T08:56:42Z | http://www.superdrewby.com/column/exgay.shtml | Porn | News | 0.196807 |
livejournal | Oh, this is truly, truly lovely! I, um, don't know exactly what about it strikes me so forcefully, but it's so *real,* and you give me so much more thorough an understanding of the characters than ought to be possible in so few words--brilliant!! | 2019-04-25T06:55:32Z | https://bratfarrar.livejournal.com/25743.html?thread=390543 | Porn | Reference | 0.254485 |
wordpress | What does lingering around the lunch table sharing childhood stories do for our children’s hearts? It’s just an extra 15 minutes out of our day, but to our children’s hearts it’s a lifetime!
Daddy got home today from work early and we got to enjoy a whole family lunch around the table! With a pleading twinkle in their eyes, the children begged us to share a few stories from our own childhood. I particularly relish in sharing my childhood days of picking plums from the neighbors trees, riding bikes ALL OVER town (I grew up in Oregon, in a VERY small town) gathering up pop cans (or coke cans to many) to buy a piece of candy at the local grocer. Savannah likes to hear about the time I hide a young duckling I had found under my bed. I finally broke down and told my Mom and she had me safely return it to it’s mother in the creek an hour later. Avery loves the story of when I was racing my bike down a steep hill, and unfortunately the hill comes to a violent left turn… with gravel on the corner… so I ended up in the gravel.
Today Daddy got a turn to recall some childhood memories. To be honest all our ears were perked up and ready to absorb the morsels of Daddy’s stories! He told of camping trips with brothers, and eating mostly raw bacon for breakfast because they couldn’t get a hot fire going in the rain. Of baseball playing and sleepovers with friends.
We all delighted in sharing and hearing memories over our toasted sandwiches and plums. The reason I share this with you all is because of a book that I have been reading called Old Paths For Little Feet by Carol Brandt. In her first chapter it tells of loving and enjoying our children. Making time for them and filling their cups.
“The idea of “Come” is an attitude as much as an embrace. Relish each developmental stage of childhood. Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or grandparent, enjoy, laugh over, and celebrate each quickly passing stage. By doing so, you are saying “Come”.” Old Paths For Little Feet, by Carol Brandt, Chapter 1, pg. 18.
I also love this excerpt from that same chapter.
As their parents we are showing an imperfect example of the relationship they are to have with God. One of respect, discipline, honor and love. We teach our children to revere God, to know God and to love God, especially taking joy in His discipline. Just as we train them to honor, respect and take joy in our (as their parents) training, instruction and discipline. They know we would not steer them wrong because of the trust and love they have for us, which comes from the time and love that we have put into them. Those extra minutes at the lunch table and the lingering moments during tuck-in at night are in reality only minutes, but in a child’s heart it is a lifetime of fond memories they will soon pass on.
Half A Year In Review!
So to start this slideshow of the months… we start all the way back last summer… at the South Carolina Zoo.
The children were AMAZED at how LARGE a gorilla’s feet are, let alone it’s entire body!
Savannah enjoyed a sweet friend’s tea party birthday. They made these adorable hats from butcher paper!
THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!! This picture cracks me up! I had to have a photo of their first day of school, and we got them backpacks… just because… they are wearing NO shoes and Avery is still in p.j.’s. We took the picture and then headed inside, with our empty backpacks, and made pancakes for our first day of school! haha!
The first days of copy writing are long gone. We were still perfecting the lower case letters at this point… boy time flies!
Our family met up with Grandma and Papa for the children’s first Blue Angels air show! They are REALLY LOUD! The best part of the show was at the very end when they lit up the enormous fire wall!
Savannah started riding a “big” bike without training wheels!!
When the mild southern winter was not keeping us inside, we were out perfecting our swing jumping skills.
We have soaked up quite a few mild sunsets. I am now preparing myself for the humidity that is about to hit in a couple months.
Our beloved schnoodle. Funny story… the children and I had been wanting a dog for a couple years, and Daddy is NOT a dog person! He said on three conditions could we have a dog, 1. can’t smell (understandable) 2. can’t shed (getting harder to accommodate, but not impossible) 3. can’t bark (pretty much impossible) I did a LOT of research and came up with a schoodle! She doesn’t smell, doesn’t shed (unless it’s the spring) and she doesn’t bark… unless there’s a cat, or a squirrel, or another dog, or a person walking down the sidewalk or she is alerting us that Daddy is home. haha! We still love her!
You are now all caught up with what our family has been up to! : ) YEAH!
We want to make our children a priority in our lives. The time we are speaking of is not the everyday activities, but the investment of time that shapes character, fills their heart cups, builds trust, respect and leaves a lasting impression in their memories.
As my husband and I were talking about how to intentionally make this a priority, here are a few things that were on his heart.
Here are a few ideas that we brainstormed and we are going to put into practice.
Any other ideas of what a Daddy can do with his son or daughter?
*and mud pies in the driveway.
How do you all spend these summer days?
Lately I have been uninspired to go out in the blasting HEAT and study nature. We would rather run back in side, shut the door quickly so as not to let in the smothering humidity!
So I thought why not do a loosey-goosey version of a nature study post on the beach. That is where we spend most our time, if we are outside.
The children love to run back and forth with the incoming waves, build squiggle castles, dig holes, catch and study hermit crabs, chase the sea birds in vain (with the hopes of catching one to pet), collect all assortments of shells….
We don’t go into depths about much, unless prompted by wondering minds. We have discussed the effects of the moon on the tides, and what hermit crabs eat, why wet sand makes better castles then dry sand, but other than that we have let their own experiences in this instance (beach study) teach them.
At this age, we believe they are not meant to be bombarded with information, but to learn naturally through experience. Hours of play, poking and prodding, and the occasional ant bite.
Welcome to the May 31, 2011 edition of the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival! I am so excited about all the submissions! I know you will enjoy them as much as I did!
“This, of telling again, sounds very simple but it is really a magical creative process by means of which the narrator sees what he has conceived, so definite and so impressive is the act of narrating that which has been read only once. I dwell on the single reading because, let me repeat, it is impossible to fix attention on that which we have heard before and know we shall hear again.” A Philosophy Of Education, by Charlotte M. Mason, volume 6, pg 261.
“Narration is assimilating information and retelling it. Anyone would listen closely if they knew they were going to retell what they had heard. Just like when you’ve seen a documentary and tell your friend all about it the next day, you will remember it better! A Philosophy Of Education, by Charlotte M. Mason, Volume 6, pg 11.
“HOW TO: Read one single reading aloud, about 10 to 13 minutes for each book. It is very important to have children’s full attention during the reading. Don’t stop to define words during the reading; they’ll usually understand the sentence or paragraph anyway. Ask one of the listeners to tell you what you just read. If they hesitate, ask them if they remember one thing of what you just read!” A Charlotte Mason Education, by Catherine Levison, pg 12.
Now on to the Narration posts! Enjoy!
I had fun getting to know a little about all the families here today! Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoying the posts!
Be sure to submit your blog article to the next edition of the Charlotte Mason blog carnival using our Carnival Submission Form.
Which will take place on June 14, 2011 and the theme will be: Nature Study!
Click HERE to see the list of other upcoming themes!
WOW!! Time has flown since I last posted! I often feel that since we are using the Charlotte Mason Method to a “T”, (my children are 6 and 4, and we start year one this fall) that right now I don’t have much to write about. Often posting seems forced, but I just need to step back and think that I will get there. There will be PLENTY of opportunity to share our literature, art, HANDICRAFTS (my favorite, can you tell) and other wisdom that we learn along our journey.
*This fake snake in a tree branch hanging over a sidewalk in our neighborhood. Every time we pass it I shudder, ICKY! NOT FUNNY!
*and these handmade napkins that I just happened across on this AWESOME website! I am anxious to go through my scrap fabric and get started!
See you back here soon when I host the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival! It will be about NARRATION!!
I honestly feel like this is all I have time for right now, to post a snippet of our lives. I guess that is a good thing. Our children need their Mama to read books, paint with mud and make pb&j’s.
This guy has been one of the highlights of our trip to this farm for more than 2 years now. The children love watching him holler!
* a blanket under the shade of the trees, with a good book, is relaxation.
Love this quote by Charlotte Mason, it seems this past year we have lived by it. I am ready to hit the books this fall!
“The consideration of out-of-door life, in developing a method of education, comes second in order; because my object is to show that the chief function of the child -his business in the world during the first six or seven years of his life – is to find out all he can, about whatever comes under his notice, by means of his five senses; that he has an insatiable appetite for knowledge got in this way; and that, therefore, the endeavor of his parents should be to put him in the way of making acquaintance freely with Nature and natural objects; that, in fact, the intellectual education of the young child should lie in the free exercise of perceptive power, because the first stages of mental effort are marked by the extreme activity of this power; and the wisdom of the educator is to follow the lead of Nature in the evolution of the complete human being.” Home Education, by Charlotte M. Mason, volume 1, pg. 96-97.
All content and images are © 2016 of Planting Little Seeds unless otherwise noted. | 2019-04-25T04:58:58Z | https://plantinglittleseeds.wordpress.com/ | Porn | Reference | 0.104822 |
wordpress | Readers Digest Restores Blind Woman’s Confidence!
Well friends, I am going to have to interrupt my studying one more time for another long overdue news flash, but this time it is exciting news! Last Sunday night shortly after posting my last entry, I felt the beginning signs of a cold: that ominous sore throat when you swallow and an unusual amount of sneezing. Despite taking benadryl so I could breathe and get some sleep, I didn’t sleep very well because the sore throat kept me awake. So by Monday morning, instead of feeling rested and refreshed from the weekend, I was tired, plugged up and achy. But I had to get through a very busy morning before I could rest. First, I had my business class at 9:00, and this class happens to be located on the second floor of Rankin Hall which requires climbing three flights of stairs since it was built before elevators. Then I had to make a trip to the library to interview a student for a story I was writing for the student newspaper, followed by a trek to the Disability Services Office to ask about a book I hadn’t received yet. After that, it was off to Maxon Hall where I had to interview a faculty member for the same story, and then it was back to the library to frantically look over the quotes from these interviews and type the story, a story that was actually due last Thursday but I was given an extension by the editor because I couldn’t meet with the faculty member I needed to interview until Monday unless I skipped a class, something I didn’t think would be a good idea. No sooner had I finished the story than it was time to hurry to Shattuck Auditorium for Concert Choir Rehearsal. Needless to say, after such a busy morning, on top of my cold, and perhaps some lingering discouragement from the zoo internship lady I wrote about in the last entry, I was ready for Dad to pick me up and drive me home where my Mom had a steaming bowl of chicken tortilla soup waiting for me. But it turned out the soup and lounge chair weren’t the only things waiting for me when I got home. There was also a print issue of Reader’s Digest in the mailbox, inside of which was my name!
Alright, maybe I should back up and tell the whole story behind this exciting event. I have been receiving Reader’s Digest in braille since I was in eighth grade, an age when I was ready to start reading more adult centered magazines. Since my mom is a print subscriber and said this magazine has a lot of good general interest articles, I decided to go with Reader’s Digest too. Subscribing to this magazine was a great decision as there are always articles of interest to me in each issue, and I still tear in to the box and flip through each volume of the magazine when it arrives despite the fact that in many other ways, I am a different person from the eighth grader I was when I first subscribed to it. But being that I am a writer, and an aspiring Journalist who loves to share her opinions, I occasionally enjoy not just reading the articles, but writing letters to the editor about them. The first letter I wrote was regarding a profile of John Kerry that was written the summer before the 2004 Presidential election. (I supported John Kerry by the way despite being too young to vote back then. I didn’t agree with George W. Bush’s obsession with banning gay marriage and abortion, personal moral choices that I don’t feel the government has any business getting involved with, and his No Child Left Behind policy which meant teachers had to teach to the state tests or risk loosing funding, which was very stressful for both students and teachers. I also may have been influenced by my family who vehemently opposed the war in Iraq and thought Bush lied about the presence of weapons of mass destruction. But I respect everyone’s right to have their own political opinions, so let’s not have any heated political debates in this journal). Anyway, I don’t think I have a copy of this letter anymore, but that is alright because I have developed so much as a writer since that letter was written that I am sure if I ever did find it and reread it, I would be embarrassed for sending it, and deep down I knew it wouldn’t be published. I submitted a couple other letters over the years, all of which resulted in me receiving a form letter with the usual “Thank you for your letter. We value your feedback” spiel. And then I was reading through the August issue when I saw an article titled “Extreme Make-over College Edition” which I thought would be relevant for me given that I am in college and thus have an insider’s perspective on college education, and my parents have an insider’s perspective on the high cost of tuition, both of which were topics discussed in the article.
I just read the “Extreme Make-over College Edition” piece in the August issue, and since I am a college student myself, my parents and I can attest to the need to reform the college education system to lower the cost of tuition. I also liked a lot of Mark Taylor’s suggestions to improve the quality of a college education, especially allowing students to go to other schools and take courses that aren’t offered at my small liberal arts college, and doing more interdisciplinary education with people of different majors. But I was absolutely outraged by Mark Taylor’s suggestion that colleges need to partner with for-profit companies to finance courses. In fact, last year in an Investigative Journalism class, we read a series in our local newspaper about how a well-respected university in our area, especially for science related fields, was having medical students take an online course paid for by a drug company. So of course, these courses promoted the company’s drugs. I believe this college made changes to that particular program so that is no longer the case, but the story came back to me as I read this article. Yes, schools need to find new ways to finance what they do, but this financing must be ethical, and I think while such a huge projected increase in college tuition over the next ten years is scary, it is a lot less scary than having generations of doctors who are taught based on drug company propaganda rather than unbiased science.
The letter was edited significantly of course because of space limitations, but it was still my letter and conveyed my point perfectly. My cold was forgotten temporarily as I savored the soup and the cheerful turn the day took. But I also think the publication of this letter and the arrival of the magazine on that particular day was just the shot of confidence I needed after the message from the zoo internship lady. I know there are many more people like this lady who will come in to my life and try to use my blindness to shatter my confidence. But knowing that my writing and my ideas are appreciated by the likes of Reader’s Digest, I feel like my confidence has been restored, and my belief that being blind will not stop me from using my writing and education to be a valuable contribution to society has been reaffirmed. And to make this boost of confidence even sweeter, you should know that I went back to my principles when I sent this letter by not mentioning I was blind. So I can also feel confident that when this letter was published, Reader’s Digest treated me no different than anyone else which I believe is the way it should be.
Hello friends. I know I said that the entry I posted on September 2 could be my last journal entry until Christmas so I could focus on studying. But after receiving an outrageous/hilarious/pathetic e-mail Thursday night, that plan has changed because I just could not resist sharing this e-mail with you. But before I do, I suppose I should give you the back story behind this e-mail correspondence. As I have mentioned in other entries, I went to a mainstream public school as a child where the teachers were wonderfully accepting of students with disabilities, or where assistants taught me from an early age to advocate for myself and hold myself to the same expectations as my sighted peers. Then following high school, I was accepted by a wonderful private college that is also full of staff and students who are open-minded and comfortable with blindness. Over the years, I have heard other blind people mention that a lot of sighted people are narrow-minded in their perception of the capabilities of blind people, especially when it comes to employment. But since I had never personally had to deal with these narrow-minded attitudes, I naively doubted whether these stories were really true or wondered if maybe these stories were exaggerated.
My blissful ignorance about the attitudes of some sighted people was briefly shattered in October of my freshman year in college. Toward the end of September, a mass e-mail was sent out to students about a phonathon the college was doing, and they were looking for student employees to help with it. I had declined an offer for full-time campus employment that year because I didn’t know how Gilbert and I would handle the transition to college and I didn’t want to bite off more than I could chew by throwing a job commitment in to the mix. But this phonathon was a short-term job that I think only lasted two weeks or so. Gilbert and I were adjusting really well, so I felt confident my grades would not suffer with such a short-term commitment, and I was also excited about the chance to make a little money and get some work experience for my resume. Talking on the phone is no problem for blind people, and the adaptations if I needed to enter information in to a computer are minimal. Most of the computers on my campus can access the Jaws screen reader software, and though I was still relatively new to Jaws and hadn’t completed training to learn all of its features yet, I knew the basics which I thought was all I would need for this kind of job. If the job required me to use a computer that was not connected with Jaws, I figured I would have no problem either talking to the technology department to get it installed, or having the list of numbers e-mailed to me so I could enter information using my braille notetaker and then e-mail the information back to the manager right after my shift. The newspaper editor I worked with for a high school mentorship program assigned me to call a bunch of local businesses to make sure their business hours and addresses were up to date, and this e-mail method worked beautifully for that situation. So with confidence and excitement, I decided to fill out the online application for this job.
It used to be that whenever I did anything that involved people who didn’t know me and my capabilities, such as applying to participate in a program or enter an essay contest, I always made sure to never mention that I was blind because I didn’t want this knowledge to have any influence, positive or negative, in the decision the essay judges or application reviewers made. I didn’t want my essay or application to be rejected if the reviewer was narrow-minded and maybe thought someone else wrote the essay for me or something like that, but I didn’t want the essay or application to be accepted if my essay or application wasn’t the best one submitted, but the reviewers awarded me out of sympathy or because they think my blindness makes me amazing! I wanted my applications and writing to be judged on merit alone. And so, I filled out the application and when it came to the section to write a paragraph about why I should be considered for the job, I made sure to highlight my friendliness, social skills and desire to learn and gain some real world job experience, but never said a word about my blindness. That way, if I was hired, the manager might be a little stunned and caught off guard when Gilbert and I strolled in on training day, but she judged my application on merit alone, so if she thought I was a great candidate on my application, she would take a deep breath, look beyond my blindness and work with me discussing accommodations. Well unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out that way.
My mom and dad both had to work on the Saturday that was designated as training day, but since I had a dorm room that semester, they dropped me off at the dorm Friday night where I got a good night’s sleep, got up, took care of the dog, got dressed, ate breakfast and confidently and excitedly headed for the training room and what I thought would be the start of an exciting opportunity. But I don’t think I had even found a seat at one of the tables when the manager approached me and told me that this job requires a special software that there was no way they could adapt for me, and seemed to have no interest in discussing alternatives, or investigating to see if maybe this software was compatible with Jaws. She was polite to me and apologized for the fact that I went to the trouble of applying for the job and coming to training, but instead of being open-minded and discussing with me how accommodations could be made for this job, she remained adamant that there was no way this job could be adapted, leaving me no choice but to leave, feeling stunned, embarrassed, and for the first time in my life, a little discouraged about what the future might hold for me when it comes time to seek permanent employment if this narrow-minded treatment was already happening in college. I am sure some of you are thinking I should have been more persistent or even sited the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires employers to make accommodations for people with disabilities. But since I was so unaccustomed to that kind of narrow-mindedness, I was too stunned and caught off guard to respond. My parents also pointed out that this job wasn’t worth fighting for, and I should save the fight for a more permanent job related to my major that I will really want. I agreed with their reasoning, as well as the fact that the overwhelming majority of people I meet are wonderful, so it is not worth making life difficult fighting with one narrow-minded employer when there are probably hundreds of other employers who would love to have me on their payroll.
To be fair, I should mention that this incident was not the fault of anyone working at the college because when I told another teacher about the incident in casual conversation one day, they said the phonathon was conducted through an outside agency, and it sounds like others had negative experiences with the agency too because the teacher told me the college was not going to hire this agency again. The teacher even reported my story to an administrator who e-mailed me apologizing for the incident and encouraging me to apply the following year. Last year, the mass e-mail was never sent to students for another phonathon, so they must not have done it last year. But the apology, and the wonderful employment offer to answer phones for the college switchboard restored my confidence in myself and the decency of my fellow man, until this past Thursday that is.
My name is Allison Nastoff, and I am about to enter my junior year at Carroll University. I am majoring in Communication with an emphasis in Journalism, and will be eligible for an internship next summer. I was told about this Journalism internship with the zoological society by my advisor, and am considering applying for it because I think it would be a unique and valuable experience. But before I apply, I wanted to ask you a couple questions because I am totally blind, and was wondering if this is a disability this internship could accommodate. I am an excellent writer, and would be able to write or do any necessary research for this internship using Jaws, a screen reading software that speaks what is written on the screen. I think this software could be paid for by the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation if you do not already have it, but wanted to make sure installing this software wouldn’t be a problem should I be accepted for this internship. My other concern was that in reading your requirements for the internship, I saw that one of the requirements was walking around the zoo. I am physically capable of walking, and have a guide dog. However, I don’t know my way around the zoo, so I would need someone who could accompany me and direct me. So because of these accommodations I would need, I was wondering if this internship would be appropriate for me, and if these are accommodations the zoo can provide. Thanks in advance for your help.
Thanks for your interest in our journalism internship. I admire your determination to complete college, considering your blindness. I think you may be under a misconception that the Zoological Society communications internship is mainly sitting at a computer and writing. In reality, the internship involves: –Walking the Zoo extensively and observing animals and interviewing staff, with visual observations of their work and of exhibits –Going to numerous events in which the intern works with a photographer to get information for captions, photo permission forms signed (and they have to be read and checked for information), descriptions of the people photographed and the scene in which they are photographed, helping the photographer arrange the subjects, etc. –Learning about the visuals that go with stories, including what makes a good photo, a good layout, etc. –Proofing layout proofs (hard copies that must be read and the photos checked), and writing in corrections by hand –Creating children’s activities after viewing other activities from the past, including putting together crafts, mazes, etc. –Having each draft of a story edited and critiqued in red ink or yellow highlight (we don’t use TRACK CHANGES), a major part of the learning process. –Learning how to do research for a story. We have a library here with many specialized books that have not been translated into Braille. We do not rely on the Internet as the sole source for story research. -Learning how to interview people, including reading body cues and describing their environments. -Being able to navigate our computer system quickly to find information in numerous folders. You are welcome to apply for the internship. You may, however, want to apply for an internship that does not require as much visual and physical work as this one does.
–Being blind has done nothing to impede my ability to complete college courses. With only a couple minor adaptations like screen reading software, and ordering electronic copies of books from the publisher if they are not available online, I am able to take a full course load and I am treated no differently than my sighted classmates when it comes to course expectations. Also, I am not simply completing these college courses. I am completing them with excellent grades, as I have made the Dean’s list every semester.
–For my Journalism courses, I interview people routinely, and it is true that I cannot see their body language. But the same things I cannot see in their body language, I can pick up in nonvisual ways such as observing the tone of their voice. Also, I am perfectly capable of walking, and if these workers are truly passionate about their interaction with the animals, I bet they would have no problem describing any important interactions they have with these animals that I cannot pick up nonvisually.
–I have had classes where some information wasn’t available in braille or online, but with a little openmindedness, my teachers and I have been able to negotiate other ways for me to receive the same information.
–I volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters and love planning weekly activities for my little sister, so I believe there are plenty of nonvisual ways I could contribute to planning children’s events.
–It is true that photos and layout would be visual, however other teachers have realized that not being able to do these things is not a big deal, and this small limitation should not exclude me from all the other nonvisual, and tremendously valuable experiences of the class. I feel the same holds true for this internship.
If you are stunned by my strong language, don’t worry. I haven’t hit send on it, at least not yet because since most of you readers are adults and for many of you, dealing with narrow-mindedness is probably business as usual, I thought I would solicit your advice about how to address this lady. Have any of you tried to refute the negative assumptions of these kinds of people? If so, what kinds of responses have yielded the most positive results for all parties involved? Should I send my response as is? Or, have you found trying to change the attitudes of these people is a hopeless cause not worth the trouble? Any advice and personal experience you could offer would be much appreciated. Thanks, and I hope this new year of school/work is going well for all of you.
Hello readers. I hope you all enjoyed the address from Snickers, the queen. She is right that I absolutely love and adore her, but I should point out that while Snickers says I favor Gilbert, Gilbert is jealous because I give too much love and attention to Snickers! I just cannot win, I tell you! So I guess sibling rivalry is alive and well in both my human and animal family. But I will concede that Snickers has a right to be a little insulted since Gilbert gets so much more attention in this journal than she does, and for that, I offer my most sincere apology and will strive to ensure they are both mentioned more equally since they have both proven they have an awesome and innate ability to add some fun and life to this journal because unfortunately, the demands of the human life do not always allow me to have the constantly sunny disposition they have, especially when the responsibilities of school return to my life. Speaking of school, though I hate to end this glorious summer with a somewhat depressing entry about returning to the reality of school, this time of year always sparks so many thoughts and emotions that I feel an overwhelming need to express before they are buried under stressful thoughts about the homework ahead of me, and mountains of information my brain must store, at least until after exams.
I often feel guilty when I complain about going to school. After all, the slaves back in the 1800s, and marginalized citizens in third world countries today would give anything to have the chance to go to school, and in some places like Afghanistan, women risk their lives by going to school because the Taliban does not want women to be educated. Even in the United States, you hear about too many schools that are centers of poverty and violence, rather than learning and possibility, or schools where budget constraints and sometimes negative attitudes about the capabilities of children with disabilities means they don’t always get the quality education they deserve. But I have always gone to wonderful schools staffed with teachers who saw any technology I needed to give me an equal education to that of my sighted peers as a worthwhile investment, and who set high expectations for me, telling me never to let my disability stop me from dreaming big. I have never known poverty or violence, and never had to risk my life for an education. Yet despite how blessed and fortunate I know I am when I think about the less fortunate circumstances, even for people just a few miles away in the inner city schools, I still complain about having to go to school, especially this time of year.
While I don’t want to claim to be a philosopher, I cannot help notice that I am not alone in my dread of going back to school, and I wonder if this seemingly universal gloominess that comes with the arrival of each new school year is due to the fact that when you have had access to education all of your life, you cannot appreciate how fortunate you really are. And if you live under a government that places so much value on education that it is required of you, and are surrounded by parents and teachers who share these values, you may view education as something you groan and go along with because it is the law, or because it is expected of you by your parents. Ultimately, this means that for people who long for education but live in areas where the culture surrounding them doesn’t value education, school is viewed as their gate to freedom from poverty, and a better life for themselves and their children, while many affluent Americans view school as a prison where they must serve a twelve year minimum sentence in order to earn the freedom of adulthood. The reason I am making these uncharacteristically philosophical speculations is because I think that though I didn’t have the ability to articulate these thoughts as a child, this is often how I felt at the beginning of each new school year.
Alright, I know a lot of you readers might say this prison analogy is a little harsh, but just play along with me for a few minutes and think about it. When you were a child, didn’t you ever feel imprisoned by crowded stuffy classrooms where you sat for hours at a time struggling through pointless math problems, or listening to teachers rambling about history, grammar or science while the rest of the world passed by outside the window, making you feel as if you were wasting your life away? Did you not feel imprisoned by the bells that rang every hour, at the sound of which you were expected to robotically hurry to your next class, which for me was the same class, at the same time five days a week in high school? Didn’t you feel imprisoned by strict teachers who required you to have a pass just to use the bathroom, and robbed you of precious lunch and recess hours to finish work simply because you work at a slower pace than the rest of the class. Surely, you felt imprisoned by the homework which dominates so many after school hours you don’t really get to have a life outside of school, and the teachers who gave detentions if you just needed a break from these pointless assignments for once, deciding to go to bed early or enjoy a movie with your parents who won freedom from the bonds of homework when they entered the adult world. School vacations, especially summer vacation offered a temporary release from this imprisoning routine, but while the beginning of summer vacation is characterized with feelings of joy and freedom, the whole month of August was always marked with gloomy feelings when I realized that it wouldn’t be long before I would have to surrender my freedom and return to the prison of school, even when I was mature enough to understand the necessity of education and how lucky I am to have access to it.
However, I must say that ever since I started college, I have not been quite as depressed about returning to school. Don’t get me wrong. I still feel a little imprisoned by boring classes, and though I always start each school year convinced this will be the year I get my homework done efficiently so I have plenty of time for more pleasurable pursuits, I know by the end of the first week, I will be so hopelessly overwhelmed by homework that always takes me longer to complete than I think, that this very well could be the last journal entry I have time to write until Christmas. And I still get a little bit of a melancholy feeling because the end of summer, characterized by the sleepy, mournful songs of the cicadas by day, and the choir made up of thousands of crickets that come out after dark, followed by autumn, characterized by the wonderful aroma of ripe apples in the air, and the peaceful lullaby sound of the wind dispersing the crunchy dead leaves, are such beautiful seasons that I feel like I have to tune out once school starts, leaving me with the feeling one might get if forced to leave a lovely concert right at the climax of its beauty. But yet, since I have started college, my sadness about leaving summer behind isn’t quite as deep.
Part of the reason for this could be that the routine isn’t so monotonous because I don’t have every class every day. In fact, a lot of classes at my college don’t meet on Wednesdays, so with the exception of first semester sophomore year when I had two classes that met on Wednesdays, I have gotten Wednesdays off all semester. This semester, I will have one class that meets for fifty minutes four days a week, two classes that meet two hours twice a week, and one class that only meets once a week for three and a half hours. When I am not in class, unlike high school where you were required to fill any free hours with study halls in an assigned classroom, in college, how you spend free hours is your decision. Usually, I end up using them to study anyway because there is so much work to do, but just knowing that I could go home early, take a walk outside on a beautiful day or chat with a friend in the coffee shop if I wanted to is exhilarating. Also, I have never missed a class except when I wasn’t feeling well around the time of my ovarian cyst surgery last year, and never would skip class without a legitimate reason like that because I am a serious student, and because that would be pretty disrespectful to my parents who are paying my tuition, and my conscience would bother me so much I wouldn’t enjoy the time. But it is so exhilarating to know that if I were to skip class, I wouldn’t be chased down by cops to face truancy charges, and my parents would not be called. So even though college is more demanding than high school in many ways, this variety in my routine, and the fact that I am treated like an adult and trusted to make my own decisions means I feel a lot less imprisoned in my college education.
But I think the larger reason for my more positive outlook at the start of each year of college is the simple fact that college is not required, and therefore, not everyone goes to college. I don’t mean to sound elitist and snobby when I make this statement, and unfortunately, there are too many people who would love to go to college, but don’t have access to colleges where they live, or cannot afford higher education. I hope that Barack Obama, or some president in the near future can reform policies so that everyone who wants higher education can pursue it, but it is not my intention to put down anyone who couldn’t go to college, or chose not to go to college. My point is that since college is not required, people who have access and choose to pursue a college education are a more mature group of people. Of course, it is true that these days, it is difficult to find a job and be successful without a college education, so a lot of people who might have loved to be done with school and go right to work after high school in a less competitive world, decide they need to go to college. One day when I was younger, I was talking with my sister and her husband about what the college atmosphere is like, and now that I am in the college world, I realize the truth behind one particular comment my sister’s husband made. He said that just like in high school classes, the students don’t want to be there, but in college, they understand that they need to be there. This is exactly the attitude I see in my college classes, and I love it. I think that simply being with a group of people who understands why they need education creates a more pleasant, less imprisoning atmosphere. Disrespect toward professors, at least at my college, is extremely rare, and even though I mentioned earlier that in college I could skip class because parents would not be called, I don’t skip, and despite the lack of parental supervision, most of the other students don’t skip class either, because since college is not mandatory, so their parents really cannot force them to go, they most likely would not have enrolled in college until they themselves have acquired the maturity to value this higher education. But I think it is not only your choice whether to go to college that makes higher education more liberating, but also the fact that it is your choice what to study in college. Of course, there are still general education requirements, especially for freshmen and sophomore years. However, although I hated taking Statistics since I am a writing person, not a math person, I didn’t get such a deep feeling that what I was learning served no purpose because instead of crunching numbers just for the sake of doing it, the teacher gave us word problems, and showed how knowledge of statistical operations would be useful in our diverse majors. But in addition to general education classes, in college you have more smaller, specialized classes directly related to the major you chose, allowing you to develop wonderful friendships with people who share your interests, and be more engaged and passionate about learning since the subject matter of the courses are tailored to your interests. Of course, sometimes even classes related to your interests can be boring, but it is so much easier to persevere and stay engaged in these classes when you know that what you are learning will serve a larger purpose in your chosen career, long after the final exam.
Or maybe I became more optimistic once I started college because after fourteen years of education that could be compared to climbing a mountain at times, I saw college as the final lap on this climb. My college years have absolutely flown by too, and I cannot believe I am already a junior this year, which means I only have two more years on my educational climb before I reach the promise land of adulthood where all of the skills you learned through the educational climb can be put to use making a larger difference in the world. And on that note, I will sign off because while I wrote most of these thoughts yesterday on my last day of summer vacation, as I finish this entry, I am in the technology center at my college after my first class of this new year, and I want to study hard and make excellent grades so my arrival in this promise land is not delayed. So I guess it’s time to stop blogging, pull out my syllabus and start studying again. | 2019-04-19T20:26:47Z | https://gilbertandme.wordpress.com/2010/09/ | Porn | Business | 0.645961 |
wordpress | You can feel it. You read about it. This is a time for re-awakening the Divine Feminine — in ourselves and in our world. It is a genderless transformation that includes the re-birth of uniquely feminine power. In the tradition of Isis, Hathor, Sekhmet, Ishtar, Ashtatara, Diana, Artemis, Venus, Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene… the Great Feminine is coming forth.
It happened again… This time in Israel. A strong feminine entity spontaneously channeled through me at a power spot. I had been told by my guides that it was very important to lead a spiritual tour to Israel in 2015.
We were at a small synagogue in the religious town of Tsfat where the Kabbalah—an ancient Jewish mystical teaching had originally been taught. The Rabbi who greeted us welcomed our group and invited me to sit in a rather worn but throne-like chair known as the ‘Chair of Elijah.’ Next to it was a small crib for infant boys to be placed prior to their ceremonial circumcision. The group was gathered around the synagogue, meditating or taking pictures. The moment I sat in the oversized chair I closed my eyes and went immediately into a kind of trance state that only happens when I am transmitting sacred initiations. Surprised, I could only allow it to happen. It is as if my left brain closes down and my right brain, the part of us connected to wholeness and the cosmos opened up. I traveled to a high but familiar spiritual space where there are no words or pictures. Tears poured down my face, but I could feel no emotions. For perhaps 10 minutes I sat. Impulsively I pulled the pink shawl that was around my shoulders up over my head, wrapping it like an ancient Hebrew woman would wear. I was without thoughts or explanation.
Finally, I could come back enough to open my eyes, and after some time I could walk with assistance back to the tour bus. I was fragile, but still had no idea what had happened in that synagogue or why. Strangely, as we walked, I heard a loud and very insistent voice in my head repeating ‘Deborah, Deborah’ many times.
On the bus, I asked our tour guide Sarah, “Who is Deborah?” She answered that Deborah was a prophet. At that I burst into tears. Sarah went on to explain that Deborah was a leader, the only female Judge written about in the ‘Book of Judges’ in the Old Testament.
Here is a painting of Deborah, notice the position of power of her right hand.
Our group was staying in the ancient city of Tiberius on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It was clear to me that something very important was to happen as we gathered together for an evening channeling. I was told to organize everyone into ‘star-group’— groups of 6 people— that assist us in holding big energies. Deborah communicated that she would come through me and bring forth an ‘Activation of Power.’ She would activate our right hand—our hand of action— with codes and energies that would be individual to each person. This time I was prepared for the high trance that goes along with transmitting such initiations.
Each person came to me and offered forth their right hand. I clasped it between my/Deborah’s hands, imparting unique energies of activation into them. Then I/Deborah placed their right hand to their heart, holding it lovingly in place so the Activation could connect to their entire body through their heart.
Since that day on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, Deborah has often come through when I’m teaching workshops, to activate the right hands—the hand of action—of the participants.
July 31, 2015 was a rare celestial event— a ‘Blue Moon.’ On that day I brought through Deborah to do a remote activation that was recorded in our ‘Blue Moon Activation’ CD and audio.
In addition to the ‘Activation of Deborah’ there was also the transmission of the ‘Golden Fire Codes of Life’ that were related to the ancient energies stored in the Temple of Jerusalem; and a ‘Baptism,’ that some of our group experienced in the River Jordan at the place where John baptized Jesus. These Initiations continues to be a bestseller, bringing the rich activations as powerfully as if you were with us in Israel. (Click Here to purchase the CD or audio download of these powerful initiations).
As if to give more confirmation to Deborah’s powerful intention to help us awaken, I learned that at the same time our group was in Israel last year, a Dutch spiritual teacher and channel was also there. And who do you think he spontaneously channeled as he was working with the Divine Feminine? You got it—Deborah!
Since the recording of our ‘Blue Moon’ Activation, there have been 2 more powerful Transmissions/Initiations that I strongly suggest you work with. Taken together, these 3 processes will provide a quantum leap for your spiritual growth and personal empowerment. This Initiation Package is our April featured product.
3 Initiations in ONE package!!
3 SPECIAL Initiation’s in one package!! We are offering these three powerful initiations and transmissions into one package for you to enjoy!
Blue Moon Initiation and Transmission: Receive a transmission of the Codes of Life, and the Activation of Deborah, along with a ‘Baptism’ transmission.
Cosmic Inheritance Transmission – Special ‘MARK’ Meditation. This exceedingly high transmission contains the essence that we’ve been building for at least the last 10 years of work with ‘MARK’.
Initiation in the 5th Dimension: Sacred Geometry Initiation and Personal Code Activation – A personal Initiation using geometric symbols, the Merkabah, and your personal codes. It is POWERFUL! It takes you from “I Want”… to “I AM”. Click here for details.
So much has happened energetically for all of us over the past few months, so many opportunities for growth are rapidly opening up—that it is time for a massive upgrade. Jonette will be using this powerful day to transmit the energies, codes and activations that can be embodied by us as a collective group of Light-holders.
Join Jonette for a special Tele-seminar on the July 31st full moon. On this special day Jonette will transmit the Codes of Life, and the Activation of Deborah bringing whatever activations need to come through to each of us. Click here for details.
At a historical synagogue important to followers of the Kabbalah in Tsfat, Israel, Jonette was invited to sit in the Chair of Elijah and speak to the group. Next to it was a small crib for infant boys to be placed in prior to their ceremonial circumcision. (Elijah is the prophet who was taken to heaven by a whirlwind.) After a moment of sitting in the chair Jonette unexpectedly moved into a high spiritual ‘trance’ space. At one point, she was visibly moved and tears streamed down her face. As she rose, she said she would share the information later. She was quite shaken and required assistance to return to the bus. As we walked, she heard a loud voice in her head, urgently saying ‘Deborah, Deborah’ many times. On the bus ride to Tiberius, she asked Sarah, our Israeli travel guide, ‘Who is Deborah?’ Sarah explained that Deborah was a prophetess written about in the book of Judges in the Old Testament, a powerful presence. At that, Jonette burst into tears. After dinner an initiation ceremony was planned at our hotel on the Sea of Galilee.
“The codes you wear are Cosmic Codes, connecting you to a greater highway of Truth. You are initiated as cosmic citizens, walking a golden spiral from this Earth to other realms. The other realms are aware of you. You will be receiving new teachers. The aliveness of humanity comes through these codes. Humanity has been walking dead. The reawakening must happen first in your heart and in the way you live your life.
“You are asked to be of extraordinary service. You are asked to step outside the realms of that which is ordinary. If you do not step, you will not keep being asked. The Golden Ring moves on to someone who will step boldly. This is a time for change. It is a time for action. It is a time to step into a higher flow. It is only the first few steps that are needed. The flow will carry you beyond that. DO NOT look over your shoulder for yesterday’s answers. Do not look side to side for other people’s permission. Follow your nose, your inspiration vibrates in you, creating pathways of support, pathways of miraculous opening. Do not require reason for confirmation. Get confirmation in that which is miraculous and sometimes move without confirmation.
Price: $44. Once you sign up, you will get the call in information. It will be a freeconferencecall.com phone call. You can call from a landline or Skype. The recording will be available for a week. Click here to sign up.
We call in the Goddess as we begin our journey— bringing in the Divine Feminine. I channeled recently that until the Divine Feminine stands strong, the Divine Masculine has no counterpart. Without the divine Feminine standing strong, the default of the Divine Masculine, instead of support (his normal role), is survival. And so we have seen thousands of years where the masculine, in default, had been operating in survival, conflict and competition.
So no matter what our gender, we first must bring the Divine Feminine power back— the Divine Mother Earth, the Mother Stars… leaving room for the Divine Masculine to match her power. Our entire journey in Israel is part of the balancing. One of the reasons there is conflict here and throughout the world is that there isn’t the balance between stars and Earth; between male and female; or between Masculine and Feminine energies— beyond male and female.
Jonette: And so our journey begins already on a high level of light, already on a high level of frequencies dancing together. The winged disc is an ancient symbol of a major initiation in the mystery schools. Welcome.
The mysteries are the mysteries only because they are unknown, not because they are unknowable. We open up our knowing by letting go of what we think we know. We walk as holy pilgrims in this holy land, reflecting back the divinity and grace that this land has given birth to, asking for Peace to be seen here again. Peace has never left this land, it has been covered over. Our job is to find that peace— first within ourselves, with our own unique codes. Then vibrate it collectively so peace can be programmed in the crystals here. It is important that we remember that we are uncovering peace, not bringing it, not creating it anew— simply uncovering it. In our cells as well, we uncover it. In your own way feel the Gods and Goddesses welcome you and welcome us. Feel the doors open and feel the softness of our welcome. Tenderness and innocence are the lost keys of grace; striving, struggling are not the keys of grace. So let us walk in tenderness and innocence. Kadoish, kadoish. Adonai Saybayoth.
There were two classes of original people throughout the ancient lands— two real races in the Second World and the Third World. There were the Elder Race, the Luminous Sun Gods, and then the rest of humanity. The Sun Gods, the Elder Race were the race of Luminous Ones who came with knowledge from Sirius. Some came from Venus. They all came originally from the Source where all souls come. They were the leaders of the leaders. They were the kings and queens. They were the priests and priestesses, the gods and goddesses. They were the leaders and the rulers.
The builders were ordinary people who could not yet hold the light and the energy. The Sun Gods stayed pure by intermarriage. (You mistakingly talk about brother-sister marriage. It wasn’t really brother-sisters, it was marriage between the high race of the star beings.) They procreated between themselves until it was time to intermarry with the humans who were all over the planet. This brought the light and the lineage of the stars into the ordinary people.
Early on many of the progeny of the light beings and the human beings had elongated heads. The elongated shape of the head was most often found in those who had ancestry of the sun gods or of the Luminous Ones, because the shape of the head allowed for a resonance inside the brain that allowed them to hold the higher light. After some time the elongation of the cranium was no longer necessary, because the light was then diffused throughout the entire body and humans did not have to be born or disfigured in this way.
Throughout the early world, the original rulers, priests and priestesses of the Temples were the Light beings of Sirius. The original builders were human beings. They lived together in harmony.
The human body has only recently been able to be a Temple. The structure of light in the temples (speaking specifically of the temples in Malta) is tremendous. Even when the temples have been broken apart by catastrophe, volcanoes, and floods, the energies of the temples are strongly planted in the etheric.
The human body has been preparing through growth and consciousness, through re-awakening of dormant DNA, to hold the energies of the Temples. You are not yet full Temples of the Sun, but you are moving toward that, and it must be done in groups. As you experience spiritual initiations and activations at sacred sites, two things happen – one, you are communicating to the land on behalf of mankind, telling the Earth that mankind has been listening and is consciously awakening. As a group you communicate to the temples and to the inner world and the temples and the inner world communicate to you. They vibrate a resonance of silence. The most important sound of the mythical Sirens was silence. The sound of silence is the sound that will prepare more of your DNA to hold the codes and the energies that are now held by the temples. All of these energies are held in perfect form in the higher dimensions, in Shambala, in the world of Luminous Beings.
Now is the time to bring those energies that have been held in the temples back into humanity where they belong. Once you hold some of the codes, some of the energies of the ancient temples, more activating codes will be attracted to as you are ready. You become a ‘lending library’ or reservoir of codes and energies that other humans can then access. You are ‘humanizing’ divine codes so that ordinary people who don’t necessarily care about spiritual growth, who think it’s strange to talk about divine codes, can have them too. You are bringing divinity into human form.
Note: Jonette will be leading a spiritual tour to the sacred sites in Israel in May 2015. The Temple sites in Jerusalem hold the potential for tremendous personal and planetary awakening. The group will do meditations and ceremonies in many power spots in the desert and throughout the country. The tour is sold out however we are accepting wait list clients. Click here to see details of the trip.
White Eagle: There are beings here who live in other dimensions in the Earth who hail most recently from Mars. Because of this Martian influence, this has often been a place of conflict. It is the time now in these new ages for conflict to be sweetened by the love of the Mother, the love of the Great Feminine.
Aeons ago while the Earth was still creating an environment conducive for the humans and species that are here now, the Earth was an outpost for beings who had already settled on Mars. These Martian colonies were especially found in North Africa, the Middle East and in the Sinai Peninsula. When the environment changed and became more oxygenated, it was good for your species but bad for the Martians. The Martians changed their physiology and lived for a time underground. They now exist in these areas in another dimensional world. They were able to shift dimensions so they no longer live physically in the Earth.
They were tribal in their outlook, fiercely protective of their kin, their clan. There was often conflict between clans or tribes. So the energy of protectionism originally came from good, it’s not that they wanted to come here and have conflict, they just wanted to protect what was core to them. This tribalism created an energy of hostility. Your military, your martial arts are a direct influence of these times.
These beings, most recently from Mars, are here now only in the etheric. Acknowledge them – without fear – for they are comrades in the inter-dimensional universe. Invite them to support a bigger tribe, a tribe that includes all species, all beings. This will show multi-dimensional and other dimensional beings that you walk in love and that you do not walk in fear. This light and intention will help the vibration of the Martian energy to feel safe in the light and to begin to open up to their solar light loving energy. That loving energy has always been here for them but they had been hunkered down in their multi-dimensional bunkers and couldn’t access it. More inter-Martian, inter-planetary developments will begin to happen now.
White Eagle: Egypt has always been a stellar anchor place. It has actually been the first anchoring place for star-beings. You may think that Atlantis or Lemuria were the first anchor places from the stars, but that is not true. There were more ancient civilizations, such as the Martians who made this place home. The Sphinx is older than Atlantis. It was an anchoring from the star brothers and sisters who came to this solar system through the portal of Sirius. So Egypt is a juncture place of civilizations and times. Much wisdom has been covered up, and much has been covered over in energy. Your group and similar ones seek to dig below – not of tombs of pharaohs— but spiritual archaeologists who dig below the overlays of false civilizations that has been implanted over the true roots of humanity’s inception— which is love.
Egypt is an anchor point and therefore it is a trigger point for change.
During these times, it is more important NOW than ever to go the Middle East! Jonette will be leading a trip to Israel in May 2015. Click here for details of the Israel Tour.
Last summer I was there when White Eagle spoke through Jonette in her living room. He said, “We are proud of her as an Oracle. We invite her to be a Kumara.” Kindly expand on this “extraordinary ride.” Thank you.
To embody a Kumara is to embody the pure essence of Awakening: balancing masculine and feminine and holding an energy field that cauterizes old wounds— making possible the transformation of humanity from seeing the Light and following the Light to being a Source of Light.
The Kumara’s are coming now from the great temples in the higher planes to shake up the illusion of existence, to close down false alleys as well as the maze of reincarnation and the wheel of karma. The Kumara’s have graduated from karma; and hold the space of release without precedent for humanity now.
The field of a Kumara is disruptive of the status quo of limitation; and is totally honoring a soul’s free will.
It is interesting you ask that question, Martine—for it has only been in the last four weeks that I remembered this mission. I had a conversation with myself today and decided that I would not tell anyone about this doorway that I just walked through; so the fact that you ask makes it now public.
No—it is time, I guess… You know, for all of us: it is this fight between our humility, which has been so driven into us, and our Knowingness of our Mission—and humility usually wins, because it is the easier path.
Until this moment humility had won: I was not going to tell anyone. Because who cares? But it is important that we all stand up and remember Who We Are when we came. No one is higher or lower—we just each have very different missions. And this world will not work well until each one of us claims our Mission proudly—proudly.
There are those of us who remember how to get though the first door. I am a holder of the key to the second door. We are not ready yet; and I don’t know how to do it yet.
The second door involves the Elohim and the great wisdom keepers of the Universe.
There is a transmutation taking place on Earth— a transmutation from carbon-based matter to crystalline-based matter. The crystalline-based matter is not quartz crystal: it is more like the transformation of carbon to diamond. It is an alchemical process of golden plasma that will move us from carbon into diamond.
Until we allow the rebirth of the Divine Feminine in all of its aspects—the uncertainty of the Moon, the non-provable, the non-logical, the intuitive—we will continue to have conflict and competition… because that is the role the Masculine has taken when the Feminine cannot show up.
We all hold both… and in each of us we have subjugated the Feminine, we have pushed her aside and made logic and that which is explainable king. The intuitive, poetic essence of the queen has been made insignificant. White Eagle said two years ago: “The kings descends, the queens arise.” I saw a vision of a chess board—the pawns, the knights, everything was gone—with only the king and the queen left. The queen stood. The king was laid down.
I am Jonette and I am Kumara. There are 12 solar discs on Earth that awaken our 12-stranded DNA. The discs hold codes and activation sequences that are engaged when a certain level of vibration is reached by humanity. Some of the codes on the discs need to be activated by awakened humans who are called to do so. As each of us steps forward, it shines Light on the other’s divine roles so that we can awaken to the greatest service and opening imaginable. Many who are called have been guardians of the sun discs in previous incarnations.
The sun discs were originally brought from the Great Central Sun to the Earth. But because they created too high a frequency, too much change, they were all removed and put on Sirius for billions of years. The discs communicate directly to the stars, receiving downloads of information and possibilities. This is why these discs are often called Stargates. There is much more to be activated and opened. As these open, they will bring humanity to an entirely different world, a world that has nothing to do with saving this one, but is such a new aspect that we can’t even comprehend it. There are many who are awakening who will help hold the vibration that is chattering everywhere between these discs. When the 12 discs are fully activated, it means that everyone on Earth is totally enlightened and living in a higher reality.
It’s all unfolding perfectly. There is nothing that needs to be pushed. The best thing we can do is prepare our bodies for the activation. What we integrate into the physical can then be transmitted out to others….
…The oral traditions and teachings of some people in the Andes say that the Brotherhood of the Sun was brought to the Andes from Lemuria by the Kumaras. According to some prophecies, the descendants of the Kumara are scheduled to reincarnate to complete their missions on Earth, one of which is to relocate the ancient sites with the original Lemurian records were placed for safekeeping. Click here to order The Eagle and The Condor, A True Story of an Unexpected Spiritually Adventure.
Note: I will be leading a trip to Israel in May 2015. I am clear that Jerusalem is the location of one of these Sun Discs. Click here for details of the Israel Spiritual Adventure Tour.
2015 is the year of manifestation, getting clear on our vast potential to change our world.
Are you ready for a journey that has the potential to lift consciousness— yours and the world’s— another notch?
We are happy to announce that we are now accepting deposits for our May 5 – 14 Israel Tour, with an Option to Petra, Jordan. These tours always fill up so book your spot today! Click here to see the full tour itinerary and trip details. Click here for the Main tour deposit to secure your spot.
We have been building toward this journey for 5 years when, at a power spot in Romania, MARK outlined a mission that included Greece, Turkey and finally Israel. These journeys have been anchoring the post-2012 potentials, clearing negative influences from other dimensions, working with star gates, and of course growing personally at every turn. Israel is the spiritual and energetic Treasure that we’ve been working toward. (You do not need to have joined in previous tours to participate.) We are looking for all who feel the calling to be there now.
Goddess sites of Megiddo and the Bahai Temple at Mt. Carmel. Mt Carmel was holy to the Essenes and the terminus of the Apollo/Michael lei line.
Jonette Crowley was given the direct message to lead three major spiritual journeys — Greece, Turkey and Israel. In May 2015 we will complete this mission — journeying to the Holy Land of Israel. We see it as energetically alive and complex, a portal of Light, a Stargate — anchoring the past and the place to seed the future. It is the home of mystics, prophets and wisdom keepers who have realized divine illumination. We seek our personal gifts as we work together for universal peace, healing and harmony. Join us for an amazing (and always FUN) spiritual adventure!
As we travel we will share our gifts of spirit for humanity. We will experience timeless places of spiritual energies, feel and see the holy sites where the world’s faiths comes alive, experiencing our personal connection with the Divine.
In the past few years there has been escalating crises in the Middle East, and much struggle throughout our planet, yet it is a time of amazing transformation. 2015 is the year of manifestation, getting clear on our vast potential to change our world. The U.N. has named 2015 the Year of Light. It is a time when spiritual caretakers, teachers and those who have awakened find themselves focused globally as new galactic energies come to Earth. We make the prophecies of global spiritual awakening a reality. NOW, more than ever before is the time.
Please check in your heart to see if you are called to join us.
We will attune to this sacred land and create our own personal breakthroughs along the way. Come see for yourself!! Are you in? | 2019-04-19T10:47:17Z | https://jonettecrowley.wordpress.com/tag/israel/ | Porn | Reference | 0.350246 |
wordpress | Earlier this month, the Home Affairs Committee as part of its ongoing inquiry into countering extremism online met with representatives from social media organisations, Google, Facebook and Twitter and counter-terrorism groups. The aim of the meeting was to find out how these companies and organisations were dealing with the issue of online extremism. Members of the committee listened to evidence provided by these organisations and groups about how they were countering extremism on social media and then probed for further information about their efforts. Whilst Google, Facebook and Twitter told MP’s that they were committed to combatting online extremism, the committee criticised them for being unhelpful and uncooperative in counterterrorism investigations. Specifically the social media giants were criticized for rejecting or not complying with information requests from authorities.
The Chair of the committee asked a number of questions focusing on the removal of items that spread terrorist ideology on the internet. He referred to the committee’s previous report that stated ‘person-to-person radicalisation has been replaced by radicalisation and grooming on the internet.’ It was evident from the discussion that took place that the Internet plays a central role in facilitating the propagation and circulation of extremist ideas. Evidence provided to the committee by groups such as Anonymous and Ghost Security revealed that in 289 days they had reported 40,000 suspected terrorist materials in total on the Internet.
Dr. Anthony House, a Manager at Google, leading its central public policy team in Europe the Middle East and Africa explained how Google and YouTube have been effective at removing videos and accounts created by international terrorist groups. House revealed that in 2014 YouTube removed 14 million videos from its site but said that as videos can be re-uploaded the process was a “constant cat-and-mouse game.” Twitter also informed the committee of action it had taken in the last twelve months that had involved taking down tens of thousands of accounts relating to violent extremism.
House also spoke about how Google was working with government agencies and NGOs to improve the understanding of community guidelines and tools such as ‘flagging’ which alerts social media organisations to extremist materials so that they can be deleted. Although the Government and regulators are primarily responsible for internet safety, security and privacy, parents, teachers and practitioners also play a part. Simon Milner from Twitter emphasised that the removal of content was just one part in tackling online extremism and that it is ideology that needs to be challenged.
This is something JAN Trust has long recognised. JAN Trust works closely with the mothers of young Muslims and young people themselves to prevent radicalisation. We have long recognised the importance of addressing internet extremism spending several years researching the issue before developing our Web Guardians programme in response to requests from many within the community. We believe that the mothers of young Muslims can help prevent the radicalisation of some young Muslims with educational tools.
In 2010, we developed our Web Guardians programme which we have delivered in some parts of the UK. Web Guardians aims to raise awareness of online radicalisation amongst mothers from disadvantaged communities, many of whom have little or no education, no English and no employment. It not only educates mothers but equips them with essential Internet literacy, safety and on-line social communications skills enabling them to tackle the issue and safeguard their children.
We also deliver our Preventing Extremism workshops in schools around the UK to parents, teachers and children educating them about online radicalisation and how the internet is used by extremist groups to recruit young people. Our projects have received extensive praise from parents and teachers and pupils. Although it is important for social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter to combat online extremism, grassroots organisations such as JAN Trust play a pivotal role in the fight.
This entry was posted in Education, Extremism, Radicalisaton, Terrorism and tagged Ideology, Internet Safety, Social Media, Web Guardians. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-19T08:34:58Z | https://jantrust.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/are-social-media-companies-doing-enough-to-combat-internet-extremism/ | Porn | Home | 0.208438 |
wordpress | Steamboat School was inspired by a true story. It took place in Saint Louis, Missouri, before and around 1847. Reverend John Berry Meachum had a strong desire to educate children in the years prior to the Civil War.
His own life was one of hardship and struggle as Mr. Meachum was born into slavery in 1789. He worked to buy his own freedom and his father’s by the time he was 21. He journeyed to St. Louis looking for his wife and children. He worked as a carpenter and cooper (barrel maker) to earn enough to purchase their freedom, as well as a residence for his now-free family.
By 1826, he had been ordained a Baptist minister and became pastor of St. Louis’ First African Baptist Church. While there, he began teaching black children in the basement of the church. (In the true story, he taught free and enslaved blacks, children and adults alike.) The school was called “The Tallow Candle School.” In 1847, with racial tensions mounting, Missouri enacted a new law forbidding “Negroes or mulattoes” to be instructed in reading and writing. His school was shut down. But Reverend Meacham did not give up.
Early one morning, under the cover of darkness, he gathered his students and rowed them out into the Mississippi River to a steamboat in which he held class. This school has been called the “Floating Freedom School.” The river was considered Federal property, thus under federal jurisdiction. Children and adults continued to learn because of the courage of this man. His students grew in courage, as well, while learning to read and write. One such student became a consul to Liberia.
This book has two pages at the end with actual historical events and background which aided in the writing of this historical fiction. It is an excellent story to learn more about slavery and the freedom that came through education. The courage of a single man made a difference in many lives. Some 300 Blacks went through one or both schools of Reverend Meacham. There are resource pages with websites and books to further one’s learning of the Meachams and of this period.
The Meacham home was part of the Underground Railroad. In 2001, the Mary Meacham Freedom Crossing became the first site in Missouri to be recognized as part of the United States of America’s National Park Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
Deborah Hopkinson is the author of more than forty books for young readers including picture books, short fiction, and nonfiction. Most of them are history-related. Sky Boys, How They Built the Empire State Building won an ALA Notable and Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor book, Apples to Oregon won the Golden Kite Award and Spur Storytelling Award, and in 2013 she received both a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction honor and a Robert F. Sibert honor for Titanic: Voices from the Disaster. She has won many Oregon awards for a number of her other books, too.
Ron Husband worked at Disney Feature Animation for thirty-eight years and holds the distinction of being the first African American Supervising Animator at Walt Disney Studios. He has animated many well-known Disney films including The Lion King, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Fantasia 2000, Pocahontas, and Atlantis. He illustrates children’s books and activity books. He recently authored his own book about drawing, Quick Sketching, published by Focal Press. He has retired from Disney, but continues to share his talents through workshops and speaking engagements.
“Lucas was convinced he was born to fly.” From a very young age, Lucas watched all that flew or floated in the air. As he grew, he made his own wings and tried to fly with them. When they failed, he would make a different pair of wings and try once again. He asked Santa and made birthday wishes for wings…ones that “really” would let him fly. But none of them worked.
One birthday, his mother told him that there were other ways to fly. She placed a book in his hands. Lucas did not understand what she meant, but he read the book while in their garden patio. He loved the story so much that he got another book from the family bookshelf….and then another and another. He began stacking one book on top of another as he read them. It grew taller and taller.
Each story taught Lucas something, whether it was history or science facts, about new places he had never been, or about places that did not even exist, but the mind would travel there through the book. He met literary characters as you will recognize on many pages. Each book gave Lucas wings to fly.
This book is quite clever as it encourages reading to such a fun and fine degree.
The illustrations are delightful and in subtle colors over each double-paged spread. As you read the words and spend time with the art, the reader senses motion and flight.
Rocio Bonilla was born in Barcelona, 1970. She received her degree in Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona. She began her career through various disciplines such as painting, mural painting, photography, advertising.
Motherhood changed her career though as she abandoned advertising and created “Once Upon a Time,” a company dedicated to decorating children’s spaces with hand-painted murals.
In 2010, Ms. Bonilla combined illustration of children’s albums with mural painting. She has published several papers in journals, illustrated posters and nearly thirty books with different publishers.
As an author, she has published three titles: “Face Bird,” “The Highest Mountain of Books in the World” and “What Color is a Kiss?” originally in Spanish and into several translations.
This is a book about the joy and delight in reading and imagining. It is a book about creativity and having fun. It is a beautiful book in color, in creation, and in childhood (no matter what age one is!). As I looked upon each double-page I felt a delight in the visual as well as where my mind began to take me.
The little girl’s teacher loans her a book. It is a special book to this teacher because her grandmother gave it to her as a gift.
As the little girl heads home, the book is under her arm and is slightly open. The words are escaping from the pages and into the air. We, then, see a fox holding up a net and catching the escaping words. When the little girl gets a chance that night to open the book, she is sadly disappointed to find the book has no words, no stories.
She looks carefully at each double page picture and imagines what story it could be telling. She starts slowly with a few words, the beginnings. For each reader, the story is his or hers to imagine because each double page has a beginning, leaving an unfinished sentence such as, “He promised…” or “Last week…” or “Tiger had something important to say….” Along with these unfinished sentences, the reader will find the word-catching fox and a rabbit, bees with a honeycomb, a crown, art all over and around each set of pages.
The art inspires one’s creative juices to flow. As I read the beginnings of the little girl’s stories, I thought that one could use this beautiful book in so many luscious ways. Of course, each beginning initiates a story. Then, I would love to sit with a child without reading those beginnings and let the child tell me a story. Or she/he could write a story by visually feasting upon the art. Most children today are so electronically connected that their imaginations can often be like a well run dry. This book could easily be used as a tool to spark that creativity, that imagination. Let us use books such as this one to fill those wells back up to full.
I felt so inspired myself. I found the book in our public library and will surely want to own a copy to use with the children I tutor as I did during the Spring semester with a second grade girl. | 2019-04-23T00:10:45Z | https://thereaderandthebookreviews.wordpress.com/page/2/ | Porn | Home | 0.108765 |
tripod | Heather Matarazzo plays Dawn Wiener, a geeky junior high student who goes through a series of changes and growths in this movie. Her "Special People Club" is heartfelt, but wrong in this society. In fact, everything she tries to do is wrong. This is a comedy, black, but still very funny. It is the story of the dork in all of us, trying to survive in this world we've been given.
The film starts out with Dawn's encounters at school. The school bully is mean, the popular girls hate her ("Um, we were just wondering, are you a lesbian?" Giggle, giggle), the tough guys want to beat her up. She has a crush on her nerdy older brother's hot friend who sings for their band (he wants to be paid to stay in the band). This is how this 11 year old's life has been going. All of a sudden, a tough guy threatens Dawn. This severely rocks the boat. It's a coming of age story that is complex, yet sweet at heart. I wish I could explain more of it, but it would truly be hard.
Visit the official Welcome to the Dollhouse page with notes on cast, crew, and more multimedia.
If there are any problems with clips, please, let us know. | 2019-04-21T04:38:19Z | http://broknstone.tripod.com/dollhouse.html | Porn | Society | 0.777483 |
writing | Some people get in such a hurry. But, are the rest of us on the schedule?
Favorites, just like website bookmarks, are a great way to keep track of the Writing.Com items and members that you enjoy visiting. Favorites are individual to you, and kept private. Fans, on the other hand, are Favorites that you've chosen to publicly show your support for, and are available to view from the Fans tab of your portfolio. (For more information on your Fans tab, please see: Fans Tab.
The first step to organizing your Favorites and Fans is to create some. You'll notice that when viewing a Writing.Com item, there will be a in the top right-hand corner of the Item itself (next to the Print and Email icons). In addition to items, every Writing.Com member also has a next to his or her handle, to the right of their portfolio case and the email icon. To create a Favorite, all you have to do is click that little and the item or member will be added to your Favorites list! A dialog box may pop up asking if you want to move the Favorite somewhere other than the Main folder; folders will be discussed below.
Once you've created a favorite, the will now be replaced with , a white hand with an extended forefinger that has a string tied around it. Now, not only will you have a list of Favorites for your account, but anytime you're viewing a handle or an item that you've declared a Favorite, you'll see the and know that it's already one of your favorites.
To become a Fan of something, simply click the a second time, and it will turn into a , which indicates that it's something you've become a public Fan of, rather than leaving as a private Favorite. The icon is dynamic, so you can click on it at any time to toggle between being a Favorite (private; ) or a Fan (public; ).
Your list of Favorites (called "My Favorites") can be accessed a couple of different ways, either by clicking on the My Account menu in the navigation under the Writing.Com logo and going to My Favorites, or simply by clicking on the in the same navigation, right beneath your Gift Point total, between the icons for Instant Messenger ( ) and Site News ( ). By default, all of your Favorites and Fans are stored in the Main folder of your My Favorites section, and all of your Favorites are ordered from most recently updated at the top, to least recently updated at the bottom.
Once you start to accumulate a large number of Favorites, you may find yourself wanting to organize them for easier reference. You always have the option of using the Search bar at the top of the page to find Favorites with particular keywords, but at the bottom of the page, you can also create separate folders that you can expand or collapse to help organize your Favorites. You might, for example, want a folder for Blogs, another for Contests, and one for each Writing.Com group you've joined.
To create a folder, just enter in the desired folder name in the "Create a New Folder For Favorites" dialog box at the bottom of the page. When you click "Go," it will add the folder at the bottom of your Favorites (beneath any other previously created folders). You can then use the "Up/Down" links on the right-hand side of each Folder's header to move that folder up or down among your list of Favorites folders, allowing you to customize the order in which you view them.
In order to move Favorites into specific folders, you can either do so when prompted by the little dialog box that pops up when you first click the icon to add it to your Favorites, or later by clicking the check box next to an item and, at the bottom of your "My Favorites" page, selecting the appropriate folder from the drop-down box in the "Move Favorite(s) to Another Folder" section and clicking the "Move!" button. You can select multiple favorites at the same time, making it easy to organize new folders at once.
At the bottom of the My Favorites page, you also have the option of Deleting Favorites by checking their boxes first, and Deleting a Favorites Folder, which must be empty in order to delete it (you'll need to move any Favorites out of the folder first).
At the top of the right-hand navigation column on every page, you'll also have a list called "My Favorites." This is a list of the most recently modified of your saved Favorites. You can change the number of Favorites this list displays by going into the "Edit Preferences" section of your Account Overview. (For more information on these settings, please see: "My Account" ).
Recently Updated: Like the right-hand navigation column, clicking on "Recently Updated" will add a list of the fifteen (15) most recently updated Favorites to the page, above your folders.
Favorite Authors: Lists all of your favorite Writing.Com authors and gives you quick access to their portfolios, creation dates and more. Choose from the sorting drop-down menu to resort the order of display.
Items By Favorite Authors: Clicking on "Items By Favorite Authors" will take you to a new page with up to one hundred (100) Items from your Favorite authors. You have the option of Narrowing Favorites by including or excluding a particular type of Item (statics, forums, groups, books, etc.), as well as sorting the Items using a variety of options (by recently modified, newest, longest, most rated, highest rated, etc.). This is a great feature if you're looking to discover something new by one of your Favorite authors.
Daily Update: Clicking on "Daily Update" will take you to a new page that is broken down into three categories: "New Items By Your Favorite Authors," "Updates To Your Favorite Items," and "Updated Items By Your Favorite Authors." This page is a "snapshot," taken once per day around midnight WdC time, that gives you an overview of the activities of your Favorite authors over the past day. Use the left and right arrows above the listing to page through the last seven days! This is a great feature if you're either looking for something new by one of your Favorite authors, want to know what they're working on now, or want a list of which of your Favorites has been updated in the past twenty-four hours.
Generated in 0.93 seconds at 2:53am on Apr 20, 2019 via server WWW1. | 2019-04-20T06:53:42Z | https://www.writing.com/main/books/action/view/entry_id/699177 | Porn | News | 0.245837 |
wordpress | In the last few years when I have talked to some people about my work getting older people to access the benefits of being online, a number of them have told me that older citizens do not take to social media. This may be true, in some cases, although I have seen quite a few examples of grandparents linking with their families through Facebook and WhatsApp. It could well be that fewer members of the older generation want to type or tap messages that do their younger counterparts, but there is something that many want to do more of, and that is talk. Could it be that the thing that makes social media attractive to time-poor younger generations, the ability to exchange messages very quickly and frequently, is the thing that puts off older citizens as they want deeper, more meaningful interactions.
Now, I know I am making a lot of sweeping generalisations here, but please bear with me. The other day someone was telling me about their mother who had been complaining to them that their father had discovered Skype. She complained that he spent every evening talking “rubbish” loudly to his two sisters in different parts of the country while she tried to watch television in the next room. At Digital Tea Parties and Connected Christmas events I have often found that Skype (or other video conferencing apps) are popular, partly because they don’t involve people with potentially arthritic fingers having to type, but also because they can be seen as a direct extension of the kinds of interaction people are used to having with those around them every day.
I have long railed against the idea that older people need to be taught to use utilitarian software of the kind that is common in offices. But maybe we need to go further and explore in-depth what more use of video conferencing can do. If people are at home and lonely, why can we not make use of “always on” video and audio connections to ensure they always have someone to talk to?
Which also brings me to the idea of “Serendipity Screens”. A couple of years ago now I heard a radio programme during which the manager of a chain of theatres in the United States talked about how they had interactive screens in the bars connected to each other. The idea was to get people talking to others in a different theatre, who were likely to be watching a completely different production, about their experiences and impressions of what they were seeing. I think this is a brilliant idea to get people who would otherwise not have a connection with each other talking and cross-fertilising ideas.
So, I am looking for partners and funding to explore how we can make more use of video conferencing to connect older people together. And to install “Serendipity Screens” in places like Day Centres and Sheltered Accommodation to get people talking to each other across geographical and cultural divides.
Please get in touch if you want to work with me on this.
This entry was posted in Digital Inclusion, Innovation, Older People, Technology and Older People and tagged Serendipity Screens. Bookmark the permalink.
John, I would have thought that the Care Homes should be funding and sponsoring this type of activity. It is a way of helping their “clients” keep in touch with friends/family and other people in Care Homes dotted about the country and would be a great USP for people/relatives when looking at suitable Care Home accommodation.
You’d think so, wouldn’t you Nick, and I am sure that a few are. But from what I can tell it is very few and the rest don’t do through a mixture of funds being tight and a mistaken belief that new technologies have nothing to offer their residents. | 2019-04-24T22:02:00Z | https://johnpopham.wordpress.com/2017/11/28/serendipity-screens/ | Porn | Computers | 0.535528 |
livejournal | For the hamster, it is zen.
Mokie: Write little sutras on 'em and let the hammies pray?
Hamster: Now why hasn't anyone thought of that before?
Mokie: It makes hamsters do work, therefore it is not compassionate.
Hamster: *foreheadslap* But that will involve torture. Torture isn't compassionate.
Mokie: No torture! Hamsters like wheels!
Mokie: Paint 'em on. Or else put 'em inside. Or just accept that this too is impermanence in action, and use veggie-based inks?
^ Henry = A very myopic wee hamster that lives with mokie. | 2019-04-25T09:10:42Z | https://vampyrichamster.livejournal.com/284905.html | Porn | Arts | 0.138751 |
wordpress | I need your help to determine how Real Estate professionals feel about using artwork in training materials.
Please take a moment to read the following paragrah, check the cartoon below and answer the questions underneath in the comments. Thank you.
The Lean Canvas business model is a very effective yet time-saving alternative to traditional business planning. It involves defining your customer segment and narrowing it down to a very specific niche market.
1. Did the cartoon help in clarifying the Lean Canvas customer segmentation concept?
2. Generally speaking, do you think that including artwork in Real Estate training material can add value to it? In other words, do you feel that the cartoon did or (did not) detract from the training material professionalism?
Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts. Your valuable contribution is much appreciated. | 2019-04-21T15:05:37Z | https://funedupro.wordpress.com/category/caricature-cartoons/ | Porn | Business | 0.990154 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.