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webs | Best Vacation & Travel Prices Worldwide!
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wordpress | "hate" speech, ancient dna, ashkenazi jews, australian aborigines, autism, behaviorism, cuckoldry rates, denisovan jewelry!, denisovans, eagle hunters, ebola, etruscans, evolution, facial expressions, franz boas, genes and mortality, genes and phenotypic variability, genetic admixture, genetic engineering, genetically modified organisms, genetics, genius, heritability, human origins, kazakhs, kin-selection, life on earth, menstrual cycle, mexicans, mexico, mongolia, music, mutation rates, nature and...we dunno!, optimism, optimists vs. pessimists, personality goes a long way, pessimism, polygamy, polygyny, psychopaths, psychopathy, speciation, the brain, the chinese, the mind, the sociologist's fallacy, ticker tape synesthesia, virtue signalling, visual illusions, where do memes come from?
Deep-ocean microbe is closest living relative of complex cells – “A new study indicates that plants, fungi, and animals are descendants of archaea, the group of single-celled organisms that includes Sulfolobus, a resident of hot springs.” – h/t bill barendse! – see also: New Loki Microbe Is Closest Relative To All Complex Life.
A Surprise for Evolution in Giant Tree of Life – “Researchers build the world’s largest evolutionary tree and conclude that species arise because of chance mutations — not natural selection…. This controversial proposal stems from efforts by Hedges and collaborators to build the world’s most comprehensive tree of life — a chart plotting the connections among 50,000 species of Earth’s vast menagerie. Their analysis suggests that speciation is essentially random. No matter what the life form — plant or animal, insect or mammal — it takes about 2 million years for a new species to form. Random genetic events, not natural selection, play the main role in speciation.” – see also Was Charles Darwin Wrong About Speciation? from razib.
Genetic changes to basic developmental processes evolve more frequently than thought – “Newly evolved genes can rapidly assume control over fundamental functions during early embryonic development. The findings suggest that evolutionary changes to the genetics of fundamental biological processes occur more frequently than previously thought.” – h/t david bachinsky!
Team Characterizing DNA from Ancient Human with Recent Neanderthal Ancestry [registration req.] – see also Ancient DNA from an Upper Paleolithic European with recent Neanderthal ancestry – “the male sample, Oase 1, is 37-42K years old and comes from the Pestera cu Oase site in southwestern Romania. it’s estimated to harbor 5-11% of genome-wide Neanderthal ancestry, with as much as 50% on chromosome 12. the admixture is in relatively long stretches, which suggests that the mixture took place four to six generations before Oase 1 was alive.“ – @the eurogenes blog.
The archaeology, chronology and stratigraphy of Madjedbebe (Malakunanja II): A site in northern Australia with early occupation – “The stone artefacts and stratigraphic details support previous claims for human occupation 50–60 ka and show that human occupation during this time differed from later periods.” – h/t chris stringer!
Stone bracelet is oldest ever found in the world – “Dating back 40,000 years to the Denisovan species of early humans, new pictures show beauty and craftsmanship of prehistoric jewellery.” – denisovan jewelry!!
The Old Race – from greg cochran.
Ancient DNA Tells a New Human Story – “The study of ancient DNA has challenged this view. We now know that mass migrations occurred repeatedly, overwhelming natives while absorbing some of their genes…. Joseph Pickrell of Columbia University and David Reich of Harvard University argue that ‘major upheavals’ of human population have been ‘overwriting’ the genetic history of the past 50,000 years. The result, they say, is that ‘present-day inhabitants of many places in the world are rarely related in a simple manner to the more ancient peoples of the same region.'” – from matt ridley.
2,500-year old Etruscans – “All that can be said based on this is that they seem broadly southern European and not particularly Tuscan.” – from dienekes. – h/t anthropology tip!
The time and place of European gene flow into Ashkenazi Jews – @the eurogenes blog.
Symbolic bones and interethnic violence in a frontier zone, northwest Mexico, ca. 500–900 C.E. – “Persistent interethnic violence has affected some global regions for centuries…. In the prehispanic Northern Frontier of Mesoamerica, approximately 500–900 C.E., people of different ethnic backgrounds struggled for standing in a shifting sociopolitical landscape. Evidence is consistent with long-term social violence….” – h/t gaetan burgio!
London Conference on Intelligence 2015 Keynote – from dr. james thompson.
Three hundred years of low non-paternity in a human population – “Here we use this approach to investigate 1273 conceptions over a period of 330 years in 23 families of the Afrikaner population in South Africa. We use haplotype frequency and diversity and coalescent simulations to show that the male population did not undergo a severe bottleneck and that paternity exclusion rates are high for this population. The rate of cuckoldry in this Western population was 0.9% (95% confidence interval 0.4–1.5%), and we argue that given the current data on historical populations we have to conclude that, at least for Western human populations, cuckoldry rate is probably in the range of 1%.” – h/t debbie kennett!
Immediate susceptibility to visual illusions after sight onset – h/t laura kelley!
The glass is half full *and* half empty: A population-representative twin study testing if optimism and pessimism are distinct systems – “Here, we addressed these questions in a genetically informative sample of 852 pairs of twins. Distinct genetic influences on optimism and pessimism were found. Significant family-level environment effects also emerged, accounting for much of the negative relationship between optimism and pessimism, as well as a link to neuroticism. A general positive genetics factor exerted significant links among both personality and life-orientation traits. Both optimism bias and pessimism also showed genetic variance distinct from all effects of personality and from each other.” – h/t stuart ritchie!
Nature or nurture? Are sporting champions born to win? – h/t razib!
The kind of student you were in elementary school predicts mortality – h/t timothy bates!
Polygyny without wealth: popularity in gift games predicts polygyny in BaYaka Pygmies – h/t steve stewart williams!
The kin selection argument continues, with those denying its importance holding firm. They’re wrong. – from jerry coyne.
Behaviorism and the revival of antiracism – from peter frost.
Is reading to your kids “unfairly disadvantaging” others? – hahahahahaha! – h/t brian boutwell! who tweeted: “The nonsense that you can believe when you’re convinced that genes don’t matter.” – see also Is having a loving family an unfair advantage?
How uncommon is tickertaping? Prevalence and characteristics of seeing the words you hear – h/t kevin mitchell!
Peter Visscher: Genomics, Big Data, Medicine, and Complex Traits – @steve hsu’s.
Memes are Genes – from evolution theorist. (where do memes come from?) – h/t jayman!
How can our future Mars colonies be free of sexism and racism? – (>.<) #virtuesignalling – h/t ed west!
Paternity Case for a New Jersey Mother of Twins Bears Unexpected Results: Two Fathers – ruh roh!
After Nearly Claiming His Life, Ebola Lurked in a Doctor’s Eye – “Before he contracted Ebola, Dr. Ian Crozier had two blue eyes. After he was told he was cured of the disease, his left eye turned green [temporarily].” – whoa.
How music evolves – “Statistical analysis of music reveals the truth about its periods of revolution.” – h/t argumatronic!
When Baltimore Shook With Anger, Here’s What China Saw – “Online reaction revealed much about Chinese tension with an influx of African immigrants.” – h/t holtz!
No, there’s no “hate speech” exception to the First Amendment – duh. – from eugene volokh.
bonus: The migration of the eagle hunters – awesome!
anglo-saxons, biology 101, biology and behavior, biology matters, britain, british isles, british people, cows, different peoples is different (duh!), england, english, europe, europeans, genetics, medieval britain, medieval england, u.k., what's this hbd business all about anyway?
Although mutation rates (per base pair) have clearly changed across primate evolution, many analyses continue to assume that all present-day human populations have the same mutation rates. Recently, William Amos analyzed 1000 Genomes Project and Complete Genomics sequences and found evidence of significantly higher divergence rates on African than on non-African lineages since separation (W. Amos, PLoS One 4, e63048). The detected pattern was strongest in genomic regions of high polymorphism rate, a pattern that the author hypothesized was due to ‘heterozygote instability’, whereby gene conversion events surrounding heterozygous sites increase the mutation rate. To further test this observation, we measured the relative accumulation of mutations in lineages drawn from two different populations, using 25 deep genome sequences generated according to the same experimental protocol using the Illumina technology. We carried out pairwise comparisons of five sub-Saharan African (Dinka, Mandenka, Mbuti, San, Yoruba) and eight Non-African populations (Australian, Dai, French, Han, Karitiana, Mixe, Papuan, Sardinian) on all divergent sites. We observed statistically significant differences in the relative accumulation of mutations for many pairs of African and Non-African populations. Among the strongest differences is significantly more lineage-specific mutations in Mbuti than in Han Chinese (R=1.044, standard error (SE) =0.0015). On average, we observed about 1% more mutations on African lineages compared to Non-African lineages. We also observed some significant differences across non-African populations, with the Han Chinese who have experienced extreme expansions in population size associated with agriculture having more mutations than the Karitiana, a hunter-gatherer population from Amazonia who did not experience such expansions (R=1.015, SE=0.0014). The results are consistent across both European and African segments of the human reference sequence, so are not an artifact of reference sequence bias. Taken together, these results support the view that per-base pair mutation rates may be dynamically and substantially changing across humans.
wrt to greater number of mutations in african lineages: polygamy (and, therefore, older fathers)? life in the tropics?
adhd, agricultural revolution, autism, bacteria, birds are people too!, clever monkeys!, dogs are people too!, evil, evolution, fungi are people too!, genes and behavior, genes and health, genes and taste, genes and the brain, genetic inheritance, genetics, innate differences between boys and girls, just because you're paranoid..., mammals, monkeys, native americans, onset of puberty, plants are people too!, primates, race and health, schizophrenia, supertasters, that's no moon..., tribalism, tribes, what's this hbd business all about anyway?
And Yet Another Tale of Two Maps – from jayman.
Why are girls and boys maturing earlier? – from peter frost.
Tribal societies and war – from mangan.
Crime and Twins – from dienekes.
HVGIQ: Cayman Islands – from jason malloy.
Evil Genes and the Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul – @bad data, bad!
Men are from Mars Earth, women are from Venus Earth – “That men and women approach their social world similarly does not imply that there are no differences in average scores between the sexes. Average differences do exist, write the authors.” – yes, average differences do exist.
Gene today, gone tomorrow: Genes for autism and schizophrenia only active in developing brains – “Genes linked to autism and schizophrenia are only switched on during the early stages of brain development, according to a study in mice led by researchers at the University of Oxford.” – curioser and curioser….
On Genteels – @bloody shovel.
bonus bonus bonus: What Are Dogs Saying When They Bark? [Excerpt] – “Experiments have now shown that dogs use different barks and growls to communicate different things.” – see also: Your dog really does understand you… They’re more likely to steal food if they think you can’t see, research reveals.
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: Fast Food Robot Builds the Perfect Burger – won’t need mexicans for flipping burgers anymore.
Racial differences in narcissistic tendencies – “Study 1 (N = 367) found that Black individuals reported higher levels of narcissism than White individuals even when controlling for gender, self-esteem level, and socially desirable response tendencies.” – @steve sailer’s.
Moment Magazine’s great (Jewish) DNA experiment – “Moment Magazine … wrote about their Great DNA Experiment, in which they look at the 23andMe results of 15 notable Americans of Jewish ancestry and make some interesting genetic connections…. The piece shows it’s not ‘six degrees’ that separates these individuals from each other, but, in all but one case, no degrees of separation.” – @race/history/evolution notes.
Are the cads outbreeding the dads? – “Is natural selection now favoring the ‘cads’ over the ‘dads’?” – god, i hope not! – from peter frost.
bonus: NYU loses years of scientific research and thousands of mice to Hurricane Sandy – well that s*cks. | 2019-04-21T00:12:08Z | https://hbdchick.wordpress.com/tag/genetics/ | Porn | Science | 0.810535 |
wordpress | These words were written by Wislanska Szymborska who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1996. Among her many poems, she wrote “Museum” in 1962 in a poetry collection called “Salt” and “Archaeology” in 1986 in a poetry collection called “The People on the Bridge”. I find her poetry quite inspirational. Maybe I’ll have my friend Michael (not Ashley) set it to music and create something for our Remediated Places project with it. I’ll write and ask her if I can re-purpose it in this way.
~ by chimeraspider on November 12, 2007. | 2019-04-25T08:39:26Z | https://chimeraspider.wordpress.com/2007/11/12/wislanska-szymborska-the-poetics-of-place/ | Porn | Arts | 0.739691 |
wordpress | I am no exception; so when I came to know that one of my best friend’s wedding was fixed, I got restless. I decided to step it up a notch from the clichéd sari and salwar kameez.
At first I thought I would wear my mom’s Banarsi sari with a stylish blouse but the zari of the pallu had withered away with time. (I would be using the sari for something else so keep watching this space : )). Even 2 days worth of effort was not enough to find something suitable for the reception; whatever I liked was way too expensive.
It was time to ransack my wardrobe and I found this old lehenga which my mom had bought for me when I was in 10th Std :).The lehenga had a uncool top and a chunni, so the designer in me 😉 couldn’t help and take over the challenge of giving it a makeover. The fact that lehenga is creamish , gave me room to experiment with colours.
I had been longing for an opportunity to wear velvet since long, so I bought a dark blue velvet material(1 meter) for the blouse and decided to go for a red chunni to stir things up a bit. Now what material to use for Chunni was a challenge. I wanted the chunni to be lively and bright, I saw a lot of materials and finally settled for Satin (2.5 meters). No material could beat the brightness Satin gave. Now the next task was to buy the laces that would go well with the material and the colour I had chosen for the blouse and the chunni. Nowadays the laces for dress materials are easily available in the market so it was not that difficult. Since the blouse was of blue colour I went for a thick border of same colour for the lehenga and a thin red lace to compliment the chunni.
For the chunni I settled for a thick golden lace and a thin dark blue lace, golden piping and some dark blue patches with some golden work on them,.Objective was to put it all together so that it complements each other. Lace, for the lehenga and the chunni combined, cost me around 2000 INR.I did all the shopping from Bombay(Bandra and Malad).
The next step was to give it for stitching.A good tailor can do magics to your dress and a bad one can completely spoil even the costliest of the clothes. I am lucky to have a good tailor ,in Mumbai, who has been stitching my clothes for over a decade now .I kept the blouse simple so i could reuse it, may be with some other saree.The neck is round with a back bit deep,the dori has red tassels.The lehenga has a golden dori for tying and red tassels too.
I wanted the stitching to be neat and the tailor did a pretty good job.
On the stitched piece,I stuck the patches myself with fabric glue on the chunni,allowed it to dry off for half an hour and packed it for the wedding.You can add tasselss too at the corners.
Trust me it was easier to get this lehenga done than shopping for something new.I bought the material and laces in an hour ,gave it for stitching and done.So go on girls,ransack that wardrobe,get creative and wear designer clothes ;).
The result is beautiful! Great job!
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Absolutely lovely. You did a wonderful job!
wow, u did an inspiring job!!..
i wanted to make a lehenga out of an old saree of my mom’s….
may ask where did you do your lace shopping from?
where in malad and bandra?
Thanks a lot…Natraj market in malad and there is a shop opposite to mochas in Bandra Hill road.You can try in santacruz too near the station.
Looking forward to that..do share a pic on the facebook page too :)..Happy shopping!!
sharing in delicious. And obviously, thanks for yolur sweat!
I am so proud of you, even I do such stuff when I have to attend an Indian function, everything that we like is so super costly. I’ll do a post about it sometime for sure, I planned about doing a post about this even when I did not have a blog 😛 And in Delhi, I have found really, like really, good markets for cloth pieces. But the tailor/designer scene is very sad. You have to pay through your nose to get stuff stitched well. The tailor that I go to is not very good fit-wise. I have had horrible experiences with tailors, like I have actually cried in two boutiques!!
nice… u really made a pretty lehenga.. i wish i also make some changes in my existing lehenga.
Thanks a lot..its ver easy..give it a try..
It’s in Thakur complex , Janus boutique , near Gokul heaven . You can take my name(Ila) she knows me .
Thank u 😉 will post u if I get anything stitched from her !
Oh my goodness, girl! That. Is. Fabulous! If only I could channel my home interior gift into clothes! | 2019-04-21T06:56:52Z | https://mystylemusingz.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/the-designer-in-me/ | Porn | Shopping | 0.992154 |
wordpress | I went to the park today, just to see if I could. I was lonely. And then, eventually, I was only thinking about the walk.
There was a blue heron in the lake and it watched me watching it. I wanted to think it was a sign of something, but it remained only itself. | 2019-04-21T13:11:57Z | https://tinycatpants.wordpress.com/2013/11/09/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.986679 |
wordpress | I’d forgotten how much obligatory reading I used to have to do. In 1985, I was in the first year of my degree course in French and Scandinavian Studies (mostly Swedish, with a bit of Danish thrown in for good measure). I was never the fastest of readers, so by the time I’d got through Stendhal‘s epic Le Rouge et Le Noir (which, according to my diary, I bought today), the entire four-year course was all but over.
These days, it feels like it would be so much easier.
Yes, I’m talking about my Kindle.
I haven’t read a physical book since I was introduced to my Kindle; but I’m not sure ‘read’ is really the right word – Kindling is an activity that feels different enough to deserve its own name.
Like everything else, Kindling comes with its good and bad points, so here are my top ten reasons why it’s great – plus another five that should reassure you that my love is not blind.
1. I can read faster on my Kindle.
I have absolutely no scientific evidence for this whatsoever, but as a notoriously slow reader, I can tell when I’m motoring through pages at a decent lick – and my Kindle maximum is a darn sight higher than my standard top speed.
2. I never have to buy trashy airport novels or exceed my baggage allowance with loads of weighty books.
I have as much of the world’s literature as I can afford already in my pocket – and it will never weigh an ounce more, even if I do decide to buy Le Rouge et Le Noir at some point for old times’ sake.
3. I can try before I buy.
As someone from the old school of being morally obliged to finish a book once I’ve started it, sample chapters are a godsend and can save me months of heartache and frustration. I just wish my Kindle had been around before I bought The Da Vinci Code. There’s a few months of my life I’ll never see again.
4. I can concentrate on what I’m doing.
There’s nothing else really going on to get in the way of some serious reading, like dog-eared pages, coffee cup stains or distracting covers. The uniformity of the overall experience lets me hone my powers of Kindling to the max.
5. No one knows what I’m reading.
Embarrassing books or covers are no longer a worry in public places. I haven’t read Fifty Shades of Grey and have no intention of doing so, but you get the idea. ‘Nuff said.
6. I have a vague feeling of being part of something.
In a spooky way, I feel just a teensy bit connected to other books and other people. I can ignore both if I want to, but at least they’re there if I need them.
7. I Kindle on my own terms.
Font size and line spacing are suddenly up to me, not an anonymous typesetter somewhere. If that isn’t power, I don’t know what is.
8. I can save my favourite bits.
Not just from one book, but from every book I read – and keep them all together in one place. I have no idea why I find this so cool, but I do.
9. I actually look up words I don’t understand.
In the past, I would almost never have looked up the meaning of a word I didn’t know in a dictionary – especially if I was cosy and warm and tucked up in bed. On my Kindle, I do it all the time and now know the meaning of crepitus , xenobiotic and of course, sciolism.
10. I can fool myself that my eyesight is not deteriorating.
Just adjust that font size and pretend it’s not happening. Who knows, it might not be.
1. Every book feels a bit the same.
There’s so little that obviously distinguishes one book from another – size, weight, colour, font, spacing – that I occasionally get myself all mixed up and start wondering why Jack Reacher is suddenly in Life of Pi.
2. You can’t easily flick backwards to check stuff.
OK, you can, but not easily or quickly enough for my liking, and especially not if you’re going back a long way and need to check the name of a minor soldier you last encountered 300 pages ago in War and Peace.
3. Pages don’t stay the same.
This is probably just me, but I remember a lot of what’s-happened-when in a book from the physical layout of the page. I’ll know for example that a particular scene happened a couple of pages after the start of the previous chapter, on a page with lots of dialogue and a long, solid paragraph at the bottom, and with a speck of mud-coloured dirt in the top right-hand corner. Kindling doesn’t give me these kind of clues, and if a bit of mud-coloured dirt is on one page, it’s on every page.
4. There’s no hard evidence of what you’ve read.
Finishing a book has always provided a moment of minor celebration and achievement for me, but somehow I don’t get the same buzz with my Kindle. Putting a completed book on a shelf somewhere has been like a rite of passage. All I’ve got now is a screen full of digital covers that only I ever see. My bookshelves are starting to look rather forlorn, and increasingly either out of date, empty, or filled with other stuff that’s probably even harder to dust. If I was in the bookshelf industry, I might start thinking about diversifying.
5. You can’t see what other people are reading and get inspired by it.
Watching someone absorbed in a book on the train and making a mental note to buy a copy is becoming a thing of the past. I can confirm that peering closely at fellow travellers’ Kindles to try and achieve the same effect is frowned upon and considered impolite, creepy and whatever else it was that woman said before she moved to the other side of the carriage.
This entry was posted in Books, Language, Popular culture, Reading and writing, Technology and tagged Amazon Kindle, E-books, Jack Reacher, literature, Stendhal, The Red and the Black, Top 10 on March 29, 2013 by followthehumming.
On this day back in 1985 I am not happy. One of my cassette tapes has broken, beyond even the ability of a rewinding pencil to repair it.
Understand please that this was not just any tape. To record it five years earlier in 1980, I had plugged a tiny microphone into my portable cassette recorder, and propped it up against the speaker of my bedside radio alarm clock. The squeaky-sounding reward for my efforts had eventually been the full second series of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which I then listened to on a fairly perpetual loop every night for years afterwards. The lost episode was the one in which Zaphod utters the most obscene word in the universe (‘Belgium’, in case you were wondering – fortunately here on Earth we don’t know what it means) – not once but twice.
No such trouble these days, with the entire five Hitchhiker radio series available for download from the likes of the iTunes store, stored in the cloud if I need to access any of them, and syncable across as many devices as I can afford.
It can feel as if this sort of ubiquitous availability is somehow also equivalent to permanence – that Douglas Adams‘ work is now saved and secured forever. But that’s surely a mistake. Who’s to say what the world will be like years from now, and whether we’re even capable of building a digital infrastructure that will stand the test of time?
Interesting then, that when the Long Now Foundation – an organisation dedicated to long-term thinking and the originators of the wonderful 10,000 year clock – were considering how best to preserve a record of the world’s many disappearing languages, they decided to etch the information onto a nickel disk in addition to committing it to the potentially ephemeral ones and zeroes of the cloud. Copies of the disk will be sent off into the centuries to come in the hands of individual owners across the world – a physical, distributed, analogue storage system far more capable of surviving a journey of thousands of years into into the future than anything the digital world currently has to offer.
If we want to avoid on a grander scale the kind of sad end that befell my cassette, we’re going to have to work a lot harder at managing both our data and the platforms that allow us to access it. Within a year or two – possibly less – the technology required to play my remaining Hitchhiker tapes will probably have departed the house – unlikely ever to return.
This entry was posted in Books, Communication, Language, Popular culture, Storage, Technology and tagged Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Long Now Foundation, Long-term thinking, Rosetta project on March 20, 2013 by followthehumming. | 2019-04-19T09:19:08Z | https://followthehumming.wordpress.com/category/reading-and-writing/books/ | Porn | Health | 0.097605 |
wikipedia | NHS Lanarkshire is responsible for the health care of more than 652,000 people living within the council areas of North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire in Scotland, making it the third largest health board in the country after NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and NHS Lothian. NHS Lanarkshire employs approximately 12,000 staff. The board is based at Kirklands, Fallside Road in Bothwell, South Lanarkshire.
There are three district general hospitals in the area - Hairmyres Hospital, Monklands Hospital and University Hospital Wishaw. Each of has an accident and emergency department and provides a range of specialist medical and surgical services. Maternity and paediatric services are based at University Hospital Wishaw.
In 2012-2013, the board had to set aside £50m of its £980m budget for the PFI hospitals at Hairmyres and Wishaw.
Primary health care is provided in the community and includes general practitioners (GPs), dentists, pharmacists, health visitors and a wide range of health professionals.
NHS Lanarkshire's primary care facilities include health centres and 15 community hospitals.
The State Hospital (also known as Carstairs Hospital or locally as the Pen), at Carstairs, while within the NHS Lanarkshire boundaries, is the responsibility of a special board of NHS Scotland.
The board's proposals to withdraw the out-of-hours GP service at Wishaw General Hospital and centralise the service at either Hamilton or Airdrie because of difficulties recruiting GPs to work out of hours have been opposed by John Pentland. The board's review was independently verified by the Scottish Health Council, which found they had complied with the national guidance service change. Its proposal to end referrals to Glasgow's Centre for Integrative Care for services such as acupuncture was opposed by Elaine Smith. The Scottish Health Council took the view that the equality impact assessment did not reflect the disproportionate impact on people with long-term conditions and disabilities and how it would be mitigated. 4,800 people responding to the board’s public consultation and 80.6% voted to continue.
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland produced a report entitled “Learning from serious failings in care” in July 2015. They found above-average mortality rates at Monklands Hospital and called on NHS Lanarkshire to make widespread improvements.
Some data was found which had apparently been submitted late and when this was analysed it was found that the mortality rates were NOT statistically different to the rest of Scotland.
^ "About Us". NHS Lanarkshire. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
^ "Funding the future: New wave of NHS 'big build' projects". BBC News. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
^ "Community Hospitals". NHS Lanarkshire. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
^ "Scottish Health secretary Shona Robison urged to intervene to stop the axing of the out-of-hours GP service at Wishaw General". Daily Record. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
^ "Campaigners take fight for homeopathic hospital to Holyrood". Evening Times. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
^ "Patients are being 'denied democracy', claims group fighting to save Scotland's 'last hope' hospital". The National. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015. | 2019-04-24T03:56:37Z | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHS_Lanarkshire | Porn | Health | 0.3878 |
wikipedia | Detail o a contemporary portrait mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna.
Justinian I (Laitin: Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus Augustus, Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ἰουστινιανός Flávios Pétros Sabbátios Ioustinianós) (c. 482 – 14 November 565), tradeetionally kent as Justinian the Great an an aa Saunt Justinian the Great in the Eastren Orthodox Kirk, wis a Byzantine (East Roman) emperor frae 527 tae 565. In his ring, Justinian socht tae revive the empire's greatness an reconquer the lost wastren hauf o the historical Roman Empire. Justinian's rule constitutes a distinct epoch in the history o the Later Roman empire, an his ring is merkit bi the ambeetious but anerly pairtly realised renovatio imperii, or "restoration o the Empire".
Acause o his restoration activities, Justinian haes whilees been kent as the "last Roman" in modren historiografie. This ambeetion wis expressed bi the pairtial rekivery o the territories o the defunct Wastren Roman Empire. His general, Belisarius, swiftly conquered the Vandal Kinrick in North Africae. Subsequently, Belisarius, Narses, an ither generals conquered the Ostrogothic kinrick, restorin Dalmatie, Sicily, Italy, an Roum tae the empire efter mair than hauf a century o rule bi the Ostrogoths. The prefect Liberius reclaimed the sooth o the Iberian peninsula, establishin the province o Spania. Thir campaigns re-established Roman control ower the wastren Mediterranean, increasin the Empire's annual revenue bi ower a million solidi. In his ring, Justinian an aw subdued the Tzani, a fowk on the east coast o the Black Sea that haed niver been unner Roman rule afore.
A still mair resonant aspect o his legacy wis the uniform rewritin o Roman law, the Corpus Juris Civilis, that is still the basis o ceevil law in mony modren states. His ring an aw merkit a blossomin o Byzantine cultur, an his biggin programme yieldit sic masterpieces as the kirk o Hagia Sophia.
↑ Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2008, ISBN 1593394926, p. 1007.
↑ For instance bi George Philip Baker (Justinian, New York 1938), or in the Outline of Great Books series (Justinian the Great).
↑ On the wastren Roman Empire, see nou H. Börm, Westrom (Stuttgart 2013).
↑ "History 303: Finances under Justinian". Tulane.edu. Archived frae the oreeginal on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
↑ John Henry Merryman and Rogelio Pérez-Perdomo, The Civil Law Tradition: An Introduction to the Legal Systems of Europe and Latin America, 3rd ed. (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2007), pp. 9–11.
This page wis last eeditit on 14 November 2018, at 05:43. | 2019-04-22T00:58:49Z | https://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justinian_I | Porn | Arts | 0.549116 |
wordpress | Posted on March 10, 2016 by youniquebydking. This entry was posted in Beauty, Cosmetics, Makeup, MLM, Network marketing, Younique and tagged australia, canada, france, germany, mexico, new zealand, spain, united kingdom, united states. Bookmark the permalink. | 2019-04-23T08:41:14Z | https://musclesmascaramakeup.wordpress.com/2016/03/10/international-younique-markets/ | Porn | Business | 0.737526 |
wordpress | ← Nuna legend optimistic….Stainless likes the Dees in 2012 !
Cameron Clark and David Cowell junior opened the batting for the Nuna Pirates Under 12s on Friday in a must win game vs Blackburn. In a sensational start to the innings, they put on an unbroken 57 run partnership in 8 overs before both players were retired. There were pull shots galore as these young tyros did their Dads proud and helped set up the Pirates competitive score of 5/175 cc. Speculation abounds that the sons are already better cricketers than their Dads ! | 2019-04-24T20:23:58Z | https://nunawadingcc.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/clark-and-cowell-do-it-for-the-pirates/ | Porn | Sports | 0.588372 |
wordpress | Halloween night 2010 was Kaima’s going away party.
To say I was a hot mess would not begin to cover how I was feeling.
I remember plenty from that night, including meeting a rather good-looking individual and being struck dumb by the way he said my name. “Kiki. Wow. That’s an interesting name. It’s nice to meet you, Kiki.” Beyond that, I remember him spending the rest of the evening talking to a brunette. Not that it mattered much, Kaima was leaving and my heart was broken.
As I struggled with the pain of losing him and moving on with my life (Enter A Certain Stubborn Bear), I forgot that moment when a stranger said my name.
Exit A Certain Stubborn Bear.
Enter fresh loss. And pain. Enter being BRAVE. Enter being alone. Enter YOLO.
And one day, while serving at church, Enter Stranger.
He said my name again. We might have talked for all of 5 minutes max, but I was again struck.
This time I went hunting for the Stranger on Facebook. To no avail. He was hidden from me and, apparently, lost forever.
Off and on I would remember to look for him at church, but that was more off than on and he again faded into a dim memory.
And then I decided to be Intentional this year.
And I decided to start dating.
And there he was: The Stranger.
I thought about it, and finally decided to send him a message. I asked if he wanted to be friends. I mean, who WOULDN’T want to be friends with ME? However, he had never found me on Facebook and, let’s face it, I’m pretty easy to find so I had to check first.
Of course he wanted to be friends (he’s not an idiot).
Kevin is not thrilled about being awake today. | 2019-04-19T08:49:31Z | https://kikitiando.wordpress.com/author/kikitiando/ | Porn | News | 0.226851 |
wordpress | It’s not a ceremony nor is it a “zar”. It is a form of dance that women do called “buranbur”. If you search that term in Youtube, you can witness the form of dance clearly shown here.
Thanks Samaale for your comment, this is helpful! | 2019-04-23T12:43:23Z | https://mogadishuimages.wordpress.com/2015/01/06/healing-ceremony/ | Porn | Arts | 0.698603 |
sfgate | A clogged toilet can cause a huge mess that results in damage to your flooring. Usually plunging is the most effective way of removing a toilet clog, but sometimes a plunger might not be available. If you don’t have a plunger handy, you might not have to call a plumber to get rid of that clog. A couple of household items can be used to safely and effectively remove toilet clogs.
Lay towels around the floor to protect it from an overflow. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the dirty toilet water.
Bale some water out of the toilet using a cup you can discard later or an old can. Empty the water into a bucket if the toilet is full . You’ll need space to add hot water later.
Pour a generous amount of dish soap into the toilet bowl. Usually 1/2 cup to 1 cup is adequate.
Leave the soap to work its way into the blockage. Dish soap is heavier than water, so even if there is water in the bowl, the soap will work its way down the drain and into the clog, where it acts as a lubricant.
Heat a pot of water until it boils. Add as much boiling water as you can to the bowl. Hot water is not as dense as cold, so it tends to remain at the top of the bowl. This weight on the clog, added to the lubrication of the soap, will help to push the clog down the drain.
Repeat the procedure if the toilet continues to drain slowly to remove remaining material in the drain.
Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the dirty toilet water.
Bale as much water as you can out of the toilet and into a bucket. Baling the water out beforehand ensures there is limited water for the baking soda to combine with and become wet.
Pour at least 1/2 of a box of baking soda down the drain.
Lay towels around the base of the toilet and have a couple extra towels handy just in case the baking soda bubbles over the lip of the toilet bowl.
Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar into the bowl. Use a towel, old cloth or rag to cover the drain opening in the bowl. This keeps the vinegar and baking soda inside the drain near the clog and prevents it from bubbling out, where it will be wasted.
Leave the vinegar and baking soda to bubble in the drain for about 30 minutes, so it has time to break down the material causing the clog.
Boil a pot of water and remove the towel or rag from the bowl. Pour the boiling water into the drain slowly.
Flush the toilet to make sure the clog has cleared. If the toilet still drains slowly, repeat the application of baking soda and vinegar to further dissolve the material.
If these methods do not unblock your toilet and you're unable to get a plunger, contact a plumber to remove the clog.
Miller, Renee. "How to Unblock a Toilet Without a Plunger." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/unblock-toilet-plunger-35748.html. 15 December 2018. | 2019-04-20T20:27:07Z | https://homeguides.sfgate.com/unblock-toilet-plunger-35748.html | Porn | Science | 0.232396 |
msu | Meaningful Play 2014 took place October 16 - 18, 2014 in East Lansing, MI, USA. It was hosted by the Michigan State University.
All paper submissions were peer-reviewed by at least three members of the program committee (see below) specializing in the area of the paper topic.
Paper submissions were considered for Top Paper awards by the program committee. Top Paper awardees were invited to submit a modified manuscript to the Meaningful Play 2014 Special Issue of the International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations (IJGCMS).
Below are the papers included in the electronic proceedings. Follow the links to view the abstracts or complete papers when available.
Avatar Projecting Actual, Ideal, or Ought Self: Which One Do We Feel Close To?
What is ludic about ludic design?
Opening the Bottleneck: Descriptive examples of teachers integrating video games for learning.
What's in an (educational) game? Ub3r mechanics and 1337 motifs! | 2019-04-20T18:29:28Z | http://meaningfulplay.msu.edu/proceedings2014/ | Porn | Games | 0.911671 |
wordpress | Brett Says: Well it’s that time again where the four year cycle comes to an end and the top teams in Canada fight it out to represent their country at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea.. We kick things off with the Road to the Roar where 14 men’s and women’s teams get one last shot at one of two spots in the Olympic Trials. The format for this preview will cover the Favourites, Darkhorses, Wildcards and teams that well….I guess rather be at the patch?
Lucas Says: Whoever decided that viewers only wanted to see the playoff games on TSN this weekends needs to be hit with a wet salmon. Anyways, as you will see with this field in both divisions, there’s a number of rinks that can end up anywhere in the overall standings when the event concludes Sunday.
Widely considered to be the second best team in Manitoba, Einarson has steadily rose up the curling ranks over the last two years, as she has won two Grand Slam events and finished fourth in her first trip to the Scotties in 2016. Last year’s provincials didn’t go very well at all as she missed the playoffs, but if Einarson has consistent play this rink should be a potential lock to make her first Olympics trials. Now if only she could beat Jennifer Jones somehow.
After being away from the national scene for a few years, Krista McCarville has brought Northern Ontario women’s curling to new heights after a second and fourth place finishes at the last two Scotties. Having finished third at the 2009 Olympic Trials, McCarville has a great chance to return to that event if the front end of Sarah Potts and Ashley Sippala can play well.
Given her recent form over the past couple of years, especially on the Grand Slam scene, the Einarson rink should make it into the Trials with ease. If they get there, I wouldn’t be surprised if they sneak into the playoff discussion given how topsy-turvy the women’s scene is at the moment.
Okay so our pick of her winning the Scotties last year didn’t go as planned, but the Thunder Bay group has been in the mix at every event they’ve been in for the last couple of years despite playing on a limited basis. Doubt them at your own peril as they might be able to get into the finals in Ottawa if they gab nab one of the two spots in Summerside this weekend.
Besides becoming the first team to represent Northern Ontario at the Scotties in 2015, Tracy Fleury has been a bit hot and cold over the last couple of years. Since acquiring Crystal Webster the team has gone to a five person rotation, and while they did make a Grand Slam final two years ago where they lost to Rachel Homan, they’ve had some mostly mediocre showings since then and haven’t been able to get back to the Scotties. Fleury has been in the pre-trials before and they are in the mix again here, though she might have been a potential favourite if it wasn’t for the inconsistent play.
Over the last couple of years, this rink has risen through the ranks in Ontario to steadily become one of the better teams in the province. Last season, Harrison captured her first Grand Slam title by beating Krista McCarville in the Tier II Tour Challenge and was in the mix to win a provincial crown. She should be in the mix once again this week and could knock off one of the favourites.
Last year was pretty much a revival of sorts for Shannon Kleibrink as she upset Val Sweeting to make the Scotties, although she was sidelined for most of the week with back problems and Heather Nedohin stepped in to skip the team. This year, she has brought in former Canadian Mixed Doubles champion Kalynn Park at the second postion which should help things a little. As former Olympic trials champion and a finalist on two other occasions, Kleibrink has the experience to help this rink get in the mix.
Having just missed out on qualifying for the main trials, Fleury’s Sudbury rink entered the season as one of my favourites to advance out of Summerside along with her provincial rival McCarville. Now while she’s probably been passed by Einarson given the Manitoba’s squad strong start to the year, this is a team that can be in the mix if everything goes well. Plus who doesn’t love Amanda Gates.
Given her strong season last year, which saw her make the playoffs at a few Slams and pick up a few wins over Rachel Homan, Harrison is one of those rinks that is sliding in under the radar but isn’t talked about a lot for whatever reason. A good showing this week might change that, along with a possible Scotties trip later this year.
This is a rink that is due for a breakout performance and it might happen this week. Given the talent they have and the experience Kelsey and her team have gained over the last couple of seasons, a playoff trip isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
A two time Canadian Junior runner-up Shannon Birchard has been giving some of the bigger teams in Manitoba fits, especially with a semifinal trip in 2016. I expect her to push a lot of the top teams here this week and make a run at the Scotties in the near future, especially as everything changes in Manitoba once Jennifer Jones moves on.
One of the young teams who have been around the WCT circuit for a while, Meilleur has been in the mix at the Manitoba Scotties recently and almost got into the tiebreaker mix last year. This team is kind of in the same situation as Shannon Birchard and Kelsey Roqcue, though their probably isn’t as much pressure on them as some of the other rinks. Plus, BJ Neufeld is their coach, so that’s cool.
For a team that has had a ton of experience at big events, including a runner-up finish at the 2013 Olympic Trials, this is probably their last gasp at making the Olympics. Their play at the Grand Slams this year hasn’t been great, as they have a 1-7 record through two events and a few blowout losses. They have a chance to be in the mix here, but it’s hard to see them going much farther.
Let’s be honest, the first two seasons on the World Curling Tour have been rough for the former two time Canadian and World Junior champion. Personally, I think this team is going to use this experience to start their run towards the 2022 Olympics as their is a lot of talent and potential in this squad. A playoff berth this week isn’t out of the realm of possibility either.
Julie Tippin has pretty much been, dare I say, the walking mediocrity of Ontario women’s contenders, even though she’s made the last two provincial playdowns. Granted, she’s started to play in more Grand Slam events and made it to the tiebreaker at the Tier II Tour Challenge in September where she lost to Eve Muirhead, so she might make some noise in the future. However, it’s hard to tell at this point.
One of the skips to watch for the next Olympic cycle, Birchard has been in the mix in Manitoba for the last couple of years and could be one of those breakout rinks in the coming years. It probably won’t be this week for the mixed doubles partner of Jason Gunnlaugson, but a standout showing is coming.
Now if Heather ‘Shitballs’ Nedohin had been a part of this rink, I’d probably pick them to win the whole thing, but alas she’s not here. Given Shannon’s success in other trial runs, it’s not that crazy to think that she could be one of the playoff teams this weekend, even if she hasn’t curled in a lot of major events besides last year’s Scotties.
Like Shannon Birchard, Meilleur is another one of those young Manitoba rinks that are in the mid-level of the provincial scene but will probably be a contender in the next few years. I don’t see that jump happening this week, but she will pull off a few upsets in the round-robin.
It feels odd to put the 2013 Trials runner-up in this spot, but it feels like Middaugh has fallen well back of the rest of the pack on the women’s scene. I mean, she’ll probably have a good week in Summerside, but I don’t think she would be in the mix in Ottawa next month against a stronger field.
So how does a team who has not made the Scotties out of Nova Scotia the last three years make the pre-trials? When you look deeper Theresa Breen has been to three Scotties as a member of Anne Merklinger’s rink and she made the Nova Scotia provincial final in 2015. With that said, how did Jill Brothers not get a spot in here.
Let’s be honest, the only reason Robertson is in a pre-trials spot was due to her shocking run at last year’s Manitoba Provincials, where she not only obliterated Kerri Einarson in a tie-breaker but also pulled a gigantic upset over Jennifer Jones in the semis. Like Breen, Robertson has a lot of Scotties experience in the past but with limited success, so don’t expect much.
They have sponsorship from Audi and Rebecca Konschuh from the old Jocelyn Peterman junior championship rink is on the team. However, this Alberta team hasn’t done a lot over the lats couple of years so they might be in tough here.
If you recall her first trip to the Scotties, Thompson got off to a bad start with lose to Nunavut in the pre-qualfying round but she bounced to keep British Columbia in the main event. She’s made a strong addition to her lineup with Shannon ‘Crooked Neck’ Jonaisse this year, and this rink could be a wildcard if everything goes right for them this week, but I wouldn’t hold my breath about it.
I mean it’s an East Coast team so they’ll get supporters that way, but I’m not expecting a lot of a rink that hasn’t really done a ton over the last three years. To me, it’s just filling out the numbers and I’m still wondering how Jill Brothers missed out like Brett is.
Given what she did in her upset-filled run to the Manitoba provincial final last year, Robertson will surprise a few rinks I’m sure this week, but I can’t see her being in the playoff mix given how strong the field is.
When you curl in a strong province like this one, it’s hard to get a chance to break through against strong fields unless everything goes right. Unless a lot of teams change lineups over the next calendar year, I feel like Scotland falls into this category.
Given the tough spot the province is in since Kelly Scott left the competitive scene, Thompson is the best rink in British Columbia right now but might be a mid-level rink at best on this scale. I feel like this province is just waiting for either Corryn Brown and the Van Osch’s to break through nationally before becoming a true contender again.
A playoff run might be too much to ask for this rink, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Tippin’s squad ends up in the mix in the coming years as they play in more Grand Slam events and provincial playdowns.
Brendan Bottcher was a player that a lot of people kept an eye on after winning two Canadian Junior titles earlier this decade, and he’s been getting better each yaer. He made a couple of Grand Slam playoff runs in 2016 and made it to the Brier last year after Darren Moulding replaced Pat Simmons just before the provincials at third. I think he’ll be a main threat in the Trials in the next four-year cycle, but he could surprise this year’s field if he is able to make it to Ottawa.
#BeAGunner (Someone needs to make that a trending topic on Twitter.) Anyway, the king of bombs and smashing rocks has returned to the mix after jumping around from team to team over the last few years. He’s taken full advantage of his chances this year with a win at the Tier II Tour Challenge and a quarter-final run at the Masters. Gunner’s always been a crowd favourite with his giant hitting ability and he should make some more fans this week with a great chance to return to the Trials after his surprise run in 2009.
Johnny Mo has been back with Jim Cotter for the last couple of years now, and while they haven’t been quite as good as they were in their Trials and Brier run in 2013 and 2014, they did win the Elite 10 event last spring on the Grand Slam circuit. This season, there’s been a lineup change with Catlin Schneider joining the rink at second and Tyrell Griffith moving down to lead. Even with those differences, this probably the best bet to make the Trials, though may not be quite as strong as they were when they lost to Brad Jacobs in the 2013 final.
With a Brier trip under his belt, the former Canadian junior champion is on the verge of becoming a legit contender. That will probably happen in the next Olympic cycle once everyone changes rinks, but a trip to Ottawa might accelerate that process if Bottcher has a good week in Summerside.
A national hero, well for me at least, the man with the biggest takeout weight in all of curling and one of my all-time favourites is having a strong campaign to start this season. As a result, he has a legit chance to be in the mix not only for an Olympic Trials spot but to maybe win the Manitoba playdowns depending on what happens in the coming months.
Sure the return with Cotter hasn’t been as successful as there’s first go-around together, but it’s Johnny Mo. He’s always solid when it comes to these events and I penciled him right away as one of the teams to make the Trials, where a really good field puts him as a darkhorse to contend once again.
After stunning Glenn Howard in the 2014 Ontario men’s provincials to make his first Brier appearance, we have not heard a whole lot from Greg Balsdon as he’s made quite a few lineup changes since then. He might be a bit more of a wildcard than a darkhorse, but he has had previous pre-trials experience including a come from behind victory over Brad Jacobs when he was down 8-3 back in 2013.
For the first time in his career, Glenn Howard will be in the situation of playing in the pre-trials in what will be his final kick at the can of making the Olympics. He has a pretty good lineup, even with Richard Hart out with an injury and Adam Spencer stepping in, and he has a good chance of making some noise. Maybe he can catch some of the old magic that led him to two Brier titles as a skip yet again.
So besides all of those trips to the Brier, Menard has not done a lot on the tour circuit over the years. However, we all know that he’s always a tough team to play against on the national stage. If he gets off to a strong start this week, he’s got a good shot of making it to the Olympic Trials in what might be his last run at it.
Pat is now on his third different team in as many years, and he’s inherited a pretty good young Manitoba rink by joining up with Matt Dunstone’s old squad that made it the provincial finals in 2016 just weeks after winning the Canadian Junior title. Pat’s previous experience should help these guys out a ton, especially with a young group of curlers that can throw some big weight.
A threat whenever he plays at the Brier, Menard might be in the mix here this week if everything goes right. A key will be a good start though, as it might be hard to make ground in the pool process.
With Matt Dunstone moving on to join Steve Laycock’s rink, the former Brier champ has moved into a good situation with a young trio of talented hard throwing players. With the veteran presence, they should be in the mix this week to be in the playoffs.
Maybe it’s me, but I feel like Charley is super under the radar coming into this weekend. Sure, he hasn’t been in the mix for major event titles like his competitors, but Thomas is always solid and he has a good team around him. Doubt the former Junior star at your own peril.
After leaving PEI in 2016, Casey took over skipping duties in Saskatchewan and it turned off with a beating of Steve Laycock in the provincial finals and a 5-6 finish at the Brier as he took over a Shawn Meachem rink that had been in the mix the last few years. There is a lineup change with Brock Montogomery coming in to replace Catlin Schneider at third, so it’s hard to say how things will go.
Following their provincial final loss to Adam Casey, their was a switch to Steve Laycock’s squad as Colton Flasch left the rink and was replaced by Matt Dunstone. Now a skip, Flasch has done a pretty decent job so far picking up he’s won an event and played in the Tier II Tour Challenge. It’s hard to say how he’ll fair here, but I’m sure there would be lots of hype if he somehow faced his old team at the Trials.
William Lyburn is another one of those skips that is always giving the big teams in Manitoba fits, but isn’t quite on the same level as a Reid Carruthers or a Mike McEwen. He did make it to the Tier II Tour Challenge final earlier this year where he lost to Gunner, so there’s a chance for him to surprise this week.
Besides Brad Gushue because of obvious reasons, Jamie Murphy is the top team in the Maritimes at the moment with a couple of decent Brier showings over the last couple of years. Paul Flemming has joined the squad this year to add some veteran depth, and I think this will help them to some degree.
It seemed like at the beginning of last year, Thomas was finally starting to turn the corner on the men’s circuit but he hasn’t really done a lot since then. Plus, with Craig Savill leaving the rink after last year, it feels like he’s been dealt a big blow lineup wise in addition to missing out on the playoffs at all of the event he’s been at lately.
Ever changing lineup aside, Baldson is one of the guys that will also present a tough challenge at any event. He may not make the playoffs this weekend, but he will be in the mix.
With a great group of curlers on his side and some good shot making ability, Casey is one of those guys that will be in the mix for years to come out West. A good showing this week will probably help him in an always stout provincial field later this year as everyone will be trying to stop him from making a second straight Brier trip.
I mean, he’ll probably beat John Epping in the provincial finals again, but it’s hard for me seeing Howard being a legit threat in this event given not so great Grand Slam showings over the last couple of years. He will be at the Olympics though either way as the coach for Eve Muirhead.
Brett said this already, but Lyburn’s a solid skip and has a good team that has yet to break through in Manitoba. Don’t be surprised if he becomes more of a threat in the coming years.
Bice made the Brier in 2014 with Greg Baldson and is now pretty much skipping that former Ontario championship rink after some lineup changes. We haven’t heard a lot from them recently, but they are always in the mix come playoff time.
Last year was technically Deruelle’s best year as he rose to 16th in the CTRS rankings. Other than that though, I can honestly say I’m not expecting much from this team.
Nothing against Bice, but I don’t think the depth in the Ontario’s men side is all that great at the moment and that might be tough to deal with at a strong field like this one.
Please see my previous statement.
It’s odd to not see Flasch with the Laycock rink, but he’s in a good situation with the old member of Bruce Korte’s squad. It’s a young team so this will be a learning week for them, but they might be in the mix in Saskatchewan this year in the provincial playdowns.
Jamie’s a solid skip and his rink will play well at the Brier, but it’s hard to see him being a legit threat at a field like this. With the said, being one of the East Coast sides should give him some support to build off of from the fans. | 2019-04-25T02:00:22Z | https://lpunkari.wordpress.com/2017/11/ | Porn | Sports | 0.954674 |
wordpress | Bharatanatyam performance by artistes from Kaladiksha School, Chennai!
I am back after a satisfying 235 Km road trip to Alamparai Fort in Kadapakkam village, almost 100 Km from Chennai (via East Coast Road). I simply loved the fort ruins and the lovely backwaters!
From what i gathered, this brick and limestone fort was built by Nawab Dost Ali Khan (Nawab of the Carnatic from 1732 – 1740). It was then gifted to the French who subsequently lost to the British (think Battle of Plassey – 1759), post which the British captured and destroyed the fort. The fort by itself was used a primary trading port by the Arcots of Nawabs and recently state archaeologists found a copper mint beneath the fort ruins along with arms and ammunition in the soldiers quarters!
The coins minted at the fort were used as official tender from Mughal era till the 19th century (apparently had great monetary value at that time) Each coin was called as an Alamparai Varagai (equal to 3 rupees) and the fort exported ghee, zari (cloth) and salt to Rome, France and other European countries. There is evidence of trade with certain South East Asian countries such as China as well.
This place is a history buff’s delight and i was certainly awe-struck imagining the soldiers and traders walking/guarding the fort in front of my eyes! This place is on the very popular ECR stretch, but is not well-known among the locals – i for one am quite happy i stumbled on this marvelous location! Each brick has a story to tell, but sadly the fort is in terrible shape – thanks to the British and the 2004 Indian Tsunami. I came to know about the copper mint only after i visited the fort, else i would have done some 200+ year old alamparai varagai hunting myself!
If you folks ever take a drive down ECR, do not miss this gem of a fort – the backwaters is amazing! | 2019-04-25T20:38:00Z | https://576mp.wordpress.com/2014/01/ | Porn | Arts | 0.672089 |
wordpress | Muddy River Media – free Christian video clips for teaching, background, etc.
Biblical Art – an easy way to find art based on biblical themes or bible passages, however it is only then a links site you still need to sort out copyright if you find something you want to use.
stock.xchng – an interesting idea for exchanging stock photos. Again, I haven’t yet had the need to use this but the search lists seem comprehensive.
US Government Archives – links to a mix of copyright and royalty free links, so check what you are downloading.
Pixel Perfect – an image archive with commercial and non-commercial free images.
Open Photo – Creative Commons site.
Lycos news photos – Lycos news photos. There are some restrictions on use here but it’s probably the safest if you need news photos.
Mobi Gratis – tracks from Mobi designed for film and video use, you have to apply to use each track but if successful it’s all free.
Church Video and Video in Worship – tips, guides, resources, etc.
Creative Cow – video tutorials, reviews, articles and forums. Excellent for video tips.
I’m building a new website for people to share videos – http://www.motionshare.com – I’ve also added this website to our resources directory, I wonder if you’d like to add http://www.motionshare.com to your page too. -If you’d like to be involved in motionshare, then let me know too, as I’m looking for people to add their media to site. | 2019-04-24T22:21:23Z | https://christianvisualist.wordpress.com/resources/ | Porn | Arts | 0.448731 |
wordpress | Robert Fanning is the author of six poetry collections, including four full-length collections: Severance (Salmon Poetry, Ireland. Forthcoming, 2019), Our Sudden Museum (Salmon Poetry, Ireland. 2017), American Prophet (Marick Press, 2009), and The Seed Thieves (Marick Press, 2006), as well as two chapbooks: Sheet Music (Three Bee Press. 2016), and Old Bright Wheel (Ledge Press Poetry Award, 2001). His poems have appeared in Poetry, Ploughshares, Shenandoah, The Atlanta Review, and many other journals. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Sarah Lawrence College, he is a Professor of Creative Writing at Central Michigan University. He is also the founder and facilitator of the Wellspring Literary Series in Mt. Pleasant, MI., where he lives with his wife, sculptor Denise Whitebread Fanning, and their two children. | 2019-04-20T05:23:57Z | https://robertfanning.wordpress.com/books/ | Porn | Arts | 0.966261 |
wordpress | It’s not the time to ask about vacation time and parking spaces: it’s the time to finish strong. The questions you ask can be used to show that you’ve done your homework and have spent time researching the company. They can help you clarify a point you may not have made as strongly as you wish you had earlier in the interview.
WorkandMoney.com offers some suggestions which you should, of course, tailor to the position you’re applying for and the company you’re interviewing with.
Previous Previous post: Yeah, Just Type Faster !
Next Next post: What !! OH, OK. Writing Prompt. | 2019-04-21T20:51:27Z | https://tutoringyoudotorg.wordpress.com/2019/01/23/careers/ | Porn | Business | 0.732859 |
yahoo | NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / October 23, 2018 / Toymaker Hasbro was in the red on Monday after reporting lackluster third quarter results while JetPay soared almost 134% after Wall Street learned that NCR has agreed to buy the company.
Hasbro, Inc. shares were down a little over 3% on Monday after reporting financial results. The company missed on both the top and bottom line with U.S retail inventories down 17%. Net revenue for the third quarter was down 12 percent from last year at $1.57 billion while analysts were waiting for $1.71 billion. Adjusted EPS at $1.93 also missed estimate of $2.23. Hasbro's CEO Brian Goldner remarked, "We were unable to meet all of the demand within the quarter." He also said, "These are real retailer reductions across our business and then certainly Toys R Us has some impact." Goldner also said on the earnings call, "Just over one year ago, Toys "R" Us filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and put into motion a process which ultimately resulted in the rapid closing of most of their stores including all stores in the US, UK, and Australia and transitioning to new owners in select markets. In certain markets, this transition is ongoing. We continue to believe this is a near-term retail disruption that will last for the next few quarters. Our established and differentiated brand blueprint strategy has enabled us to transform. And we've invested in industry-leading, brand-building capabilities. To best position our company for profitable future growth, we need to continuously drive new ways of competing." Hasbro announced earlier this month it would be cutting less than 10% of its workforce.
JetPay Corporation shares closed up nearly 134% yesterday, hitting a new high of $5.00 on about 8 million shares traded. The big gains came after Atlanta-based NCR agreed to buy the company for $184 million. A cash tender offer of $5.05 for each JetPay share represents a multiple of 2.9 times the 2018 consensus revenue forecast of $63.4 million, according to NCR. The company said the purchase will be financed with a combination of cash on hand and existing capacity under its revolving credit facility. “JetPay has always focused on taking great care of our customers, creating value for our stockholders, delivering innovative solutions, and expanding our market reach,” said Diane Faro, Chief Executive Officer, JetPay. “This combination dramatically accelerates our capabilities across these initiatives. NCR’s global footprint, brand recognition and track record of innovation will help us accelerate our strategic objectives and create even more value for our customers.” Faro was recently inducted in to the ETA Hall of Fame, established this year to recognize members who have made significant and lasting contributions to the financial services industry.
Our Actionable Research on Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) and JetPay Corporation (NASDAQ: JTPY) can be downloaded free of charge at Research Driven Investing. | 2019-04-18T13:55:34Z | https://finance.yahoo.com/news/today-research-reports-stocks-watch-120000713.html | Porn | Business | 0.534559 |
cnn | BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Senate Commerce Committee now meeting on Capitol Hill. The topic today: media violence. There is the chairman, John McCain. Here now Joseph Lieberman, the Democratic out of Connecticut who we know more better as the running mate for Al Gore. Let's listen now.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... I think all of the country feels secure and encouraged when your steadfast and principled advocacy is at work.
Mr. Chairman, we're hear today to talk about the threat of violence to our country. In particular, the troubling way that the entertainment media are promoting and selling adult-rated products to our children.
But we're also talking, as the two distinguished speakers before me have made clear, and members of the committee did as well, about a broader theme, which is the level of concern about values and the thread of values that connects us as a nation, the growing concerning about the impact that the popular culture is having on our moral fabric. That connection, I think, is critical to understanding what's at stake here, and I want to just take a moment to discuss it.
Mr. Chairman, Senator Hollings, as you know, this conversation has been reverberating around the country for the last several years. It's not new. There is widespread anxiety that so many of our common values are deteriorating, that our standards of decency and civility and safety are eroding, that families are weakening and, as a result, that the quality of our lives, no matter our prosperous we are, is suffering.
Many of us in public office, particularly members of this committee on both sides of the aisle, under your leadership and Senator Hollings, have tried to give voice to these concerns. In particular, to the complaints of parents who feel locked in a losing competition with the culture to raise their children, our children.
Then came Columbine, which I think was a psychic breaking point for our country. It was a warning that the culture of carnage surrounding our children may have gone too far, and that the romanticized and sanitized visions of violence that our children are being bombarded with by the media has become part of a toxic mix that has actually now turned some of them into killers.
So, we pleaded, after Columbine, with the leaders of the entertainment industry to join us at the table, along with parents, the gun industry and many other groups involved in this problem, and work with us to reduce the risk of another student rampage and help us fight the larger problem of youth violence. That's what lead to the call to the FTC to conduct the investigation, which concluded this week in a report that indicates just how far we still have to go.
Rather than helping to shoulder the growing burden on parents, according to the FTC report, the entertainment industry too often has chosen to go behind parents' backs targeting the sale of violent adult-rated products directly to children. In fact, the FTC found dozens of what might be called smoking guns about smoking guns, internal marketing plans which show conclusively that the movie, music and video game industries were intentionally cutting out what might be called the middle mom and dad, and routinely, aggressively and intentionally marketing violent, harmful products to our children.
This practice is deceptive, I believe it's outrageous, and I hope it will stop. The leaders of these industries have to realize that they cannot tell parents that these products are inappropriate for their children in the ratings and then turn around and market them to those same kids. That makes a mockery of the rating system that parents depend on to make the right decisions for their children, it greatly decreases the effectiveness of the warnings and it greatly increases the odds that children will be exposed to materials that hundreds of studies have conclusively shown can be harmful to them.
That is why in response to the FTC report, Vice President Gore and I have demanded an immediate cease-fire in the marketing of adult- rated products to children. And it is why we have challenged the entertainment industry to develop their own uniform codes of responsibility to enforce this policy just as the FTC has recommended, with real self-enforced sanctions for offending companies.
The video game industry actually has such a code, and last year the game-makers agreed to strengthen it and step up its enforcement. While I suppose you could say that it has not worked as well as it should have, it is a step, a significant step in the right direction, and I think the game-makers deserve credit for taking it. We should expect no less of the music industry, which recently announced some encouraging changes in its parental advisory program, and of the movie industry.
I'm hopeful that these entertainment industries will now respond responsibly to the FTC's findings. But I must say this morning I am disappointed by the failure of the movie studios to produce witnesses here before your distinguished committee. The FTC report raises serious questions, and this committee, not to mention America's parents, deserve serious answers, not distant excuses.
The vice president and I believe that vigorous self-regulation is the best solution to this problem, and we hope these entertainment industries step up to the plate to do just that in the next six months. The Walt Disney Company did just that yesterday, issuing a strong statement that it would incorporate the FTC's major recommendations into its marketing policies, and I want to thank and commend them for that step.
But if the entertainment industry fails to act, and if they market adult-rated products to kids in violation of their own standards, then I believe they must be held accountable. Specifically, if the FTC has the proper authority, it should move swiftly to bring actions under its false and deceptive advertising rules.
If the FTC finds those rules do not apply to this unique circumstance, then we should introduce new, narrowly tailored legislation to augment the FTC's authority with the understanding, of course, that it has to be fully consistent with the First Amendment, and in no way regulate or restrict the underlying content of the movies, music or video games. We're focusing on how they market, not what they make.
The FTC report also talks about where they sell and the critical role retailers must play in protecting children from harm. The investigation found that movie theaters and retail outlets, at best, haphazardously enforce the age-based ratings and often do nothing at all. An undercover sting revealed that kids age 13 to 16 were successful in buying M-rated games and records with the explicit lyrics label 85 percent of the time. Now, look, that kind of laxity is just unacceptable.
Just as the FTC has done, we must challenge the retailers to adopt a tough, enforceable, voluntary code of responsibility prohibiting the sale of adult-rated products to children, complete with real self-enforced sanctions for offending businesses. Again, as has been said, K-Mart, Wal-Mart and Target just recently made a commitment to enforce exactly this kind of policy for violent M-rated video games as had Toys "R" Us previously. I applaud those companies for lending parents a helping hand and setting a high standard of corporate citizenship, and I'd urge the rest of the industry to follow their principled leads.
Mr. Chairman, all of these constructive steps won't ultimately be effective if parents are also not engaged. This is a critical point that many in the entertainment industry emphasize. And on this one, they are absolutely right. We've been working to give parents empowering tools to help them fulfill what we all agree is their primary responsibility, to protect their children from harm: the V- chip rating systems, a wide foray of Internet blocking and filtering technologies.
This FTC report recommends several additional worthwhile ways to make these tools more useful from investing in educating parents, providing better ratings with more information and fully disclosing the reasons for those ratings in the ads and on the packaging. But they're not going to be useful if they're not used, which is why we have to challenge America's parents to do more to monitor their children's media diets.
In the end, Mr. Chairman, what we're asking for today, again, is not censorship, but simply better citizenship. The same entertainment companies that we're calling on contribute so much to our culture, to our economy and to the American experience. They make some wonderful products that entertain, education and elevate us as a people, but they are also contributing to some serious national problems, and we need their contribution and help, cooperation and support, if we're going to make things better.
The FTC report and we here today, I think all of us across party lines, are saying to Hollywood quite simply, "Work with us and with the America's parents. Provide them good information to make good judgments, and help us meet our shared obligation to protect our children and our country from harm."
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), CHAIRMAN, COMMERCE COMMITTEE: Thank you, Senator Lieberman.
On behalf of the entire committee, we thank you for this important testimony, your continued involvement in this very important issue. And it's very good to see you again.
LIEBERMAN: Thank you, dear friend, Mr. Chairman.
HEMMER: Sen. Joseph Lieberman now delivering his statements there to the Senate Commerce Committee in Washington. This dealing with the FTC report on media violence that came out on Monday of this past week saying that the industry now catering its marketing toward young teenagers, anywhere from the ages of 12 or 13, on up to 18. The committee hearing continues today. Later, industry analysts also will be along to take questions from the committee as well. So we'll track it throughout the day, let you know what's happening at the Commerce Committee in Washington. | 2019-04-20T22:56:55Z | http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0009/13/se.01.html | Porn | News | 0.688098 |
typepad | NOW AVAILABLE: A Whole New Way To View HomeVisit Photos!
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tripod | You meander through the trees, hoping to find another creature. Perhaps you'll even manage to find something talkative, who can tell you a bit more about this place and what other wonders there are in the land. You keep your eyes open for any movement, and your ears listening for any crack of a stick or crunch of a leaf.
A fierce whinny, followed by a snort and the crash of undergrowth sets you in motion. You rush towards it, wondering if there's some battle in progress between an equine and some predator, or something like that. When you stumble across the source of the sounds, you find that you are wrong. Only one creature stands before you. He breathes heavily, and has a wild fire in his eyes as he glares out from under his forelock. You involuntarily take a step back.
"What is it that you are seeking, human?"
You start a bit at his question and take another step backwards before stammering out an answer.
"Well, there is only one creature to see here," he replies, still breathing heavily, as if he'd just run for a length of time. "I am the Lord of this part of the forest. Have you any better reason for being here, or are you simply going to stand around and stare at me all day? My patience runs low, and the path is that way." He gestures with a curt shake of his head towards the left, and you mumble an apology and make quickly take your leave.
He reminds you of someone, or someones, though you can't immediately place who. Then your mind returns to the Crystal mare that had passed you while you walked along the bank of the stream; perhaps she was his mother? And a memory of an equally dispassionate stallion comes to mind as well... with a sigh, you let the thoughts slip past and concentrate on walking onwards through the forest. | 2019-04-20T11:14:28Z | http://dragongoddess.tripod.com/mist37.html | Porn | Reference | 0.195641 |
typepad | For hundreds of years, Tibet’s unique ecosystem with its fertile grasslands, breathtaking glaciers, lakes and rivers as well as its immense riches in minerals and other natural resources, has been home to the local nomadic population.
Influenced by global climate change and local environmental pollution, Tibet’s glaciers are melting fast. More than ten Asian countries depend on their water supply. China’s excessive exploitation of local resources, minerals and in particular a sustained denuding of Tibetan forests leads to the erosion of entire hill-areas, destructive floods and the displacement of the indigenous population.
To call attention to this injustice, the “Tibet Intergroup” of the European Parliament (TIG) arranged a conference on environmental issues in Tibet on19 June 2013. Under the auspices of the Members of the European Parliament, Satu Hassi, Lidia Joanna Geringer de Oedenberg and Thomas Mann, members of the TIG and their assistants as well as representatives of the “International Campaign for Tibet” (ICT), the “Unpresented Nations and Peoples Organization” (UNPO) and the “Office of Tibet in Brussels” participated in this meeting.
In an impressive and striking presentation, Tenzin Norbu, the Chairman of the “Environment and Development Desk of the Central Tibetan Administration”, informed on alarming developments and their terrible consequences. A fascinating documentary updated the audience about the unacceptable situation of indigenous nomads. They are banished from their homes and often deported to various refugee camps as a result of China’s policy of exploitation.
There is an evident connection between the exploitation and pollution of the environment and the various violations of human rights by Chinese administrations in Tibet.
The Members of the European Parliament are not going to stop to focus on this issue and organize more conferences in the near future. We will do everything possible to support this country and its population to fight for their rights!
Nicht wegducken bei der Verteidigung des Existenzrechts der Tibeter!
Bei der Kundgebung die der Verein der Tibeter in Deutschland im Gedenken an den Volksaufstand am 10. März 1959 veranstaltete, appellierte der chinesische Schriftsteller und Dissident Bei Ling an das tibetische Volk, den Einsatz von Selbstverbrennung als Ausdruck des Protestes abzuschließen. „Für den Fortbestand des aktiven Widerstandes des tibetischen Volkes gegen die chinesische Unterdrückung ist es notwendig, sein Leben zu schützen und die gemeinsame Kraft aller, für vielfältige Formen des Protestes zu erhalten“.
Dieser bedeutende Jahrestag des Freiheitskampfes des tibetischen Volkes wurde bundesweit mit Kundgebungen, Demonstrationen und Gedenkveranstaltungen begangen, in 1212 Städten und Gemeinden wurde die tibetische Nationalflagge gehisst. | 2019-04-23T05:52:51Z | https://eutibet.typepad.com/tibet_intergroup_blog/page/2/ | Porn | Reference | 0.619253 |
google | 1998-07-20 Assigned to WALKER ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED PARTNERSHIP reassignment WALKER ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED PARTNERSHIP ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: JORASCH, JAMES A., TULLEY, STEPHEN C., WALKER, JAY S.
A ticket for an instant lottery game and method for playing the same is disclosed. As described in one aspect of the disclosure, a ticket for an instant lottery game simulates computerized video poker. The ticket comprises an initial hand of cards imprinted on the ticket, wherein the initial hand is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to the initial hand is altered, the initial hand is revealed. The ticket also includes a plurality of strategies for the game each imprinted on the ticket, wherein each strategy is related to the initial hand, wherein the strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game, and wherein each strategy is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when an alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of strategies is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed. The ticket also includes a plurality of final hands for the game imprinted on the ticket, wherein each of the plurality of final hands is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of strategies, and wherein each of the plurality of final hands is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area. In this way, when a strategy is selected by a player and the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered, the final hand for the game is revealed.
The present invention relates to a ticket for an instant lottery game and a method for playing the same.
Instant lottery games are well known and widely practiced. Indeed, they represent a $15 billion industry in the United States. A typical instant lottery game is implemented using a ticket, which includes a background section and a play section. The background section usually includes the name of the game, instructions for playing the game, information describing winning combinations, and associated payouts that may be won by a player. It may also include other miscellaneous information such as the price of the ticket and the name of the entity sponsoring the game.
The play section of the ticket usually includes one or more play areas, each of which contains outcome indicia. The outcome indicia are typically compared to the winning combinations to determine whether the ticket is a winner, as is described in more detail below. The outcome indicia are generally obscured from the view of players and vendors selling the tickets by an alterable opaque covering surface, such as latex.
The background and play sections of the ticket often are designed in accordance with a theme of the instant lottery game. Attributing the theme to the game is intended to make the game appear more interesting and exciting to the players. To this end, the background section generally is designed to reflect the theme and is made to be colorful and fanciful. The outcome indicia and the alterable opaque covering surface of the play section also are usually designed in accordance with the theme.
Regardless of the game theme and the particular design of the ticket, instant lottery games are generally played in the same manner. More specifically, to play a typical game, a player removes the alterable opaque covering surface from a play area of the ticket to reveal the outcome indicia. This may be done, for example, using a coin or other suitable means to scratch off a covering surface such as latex. The outcome indicia themselves often indicate the payout. Typically, six outcome indicia are revealed, with the player winning a payout if three of the outcome indicia match each other. If three matching outcome indicia are not present, the ticket is a loser and there is no payout to the player.
Instant lottery games can be classified into one of two categories—that is, standard games and probability games. The standard games category include non-probability games in which a ticket, at the time it is sold to a player, is predetermined as a winner or a loser. Thus, with standard, non-probability instant lottery games, every ticket is not a potential winner.
The second category of instant lottery games are probability games in which every ticket is a potential winner. One such probability game is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,205, issued to Behm et al. As disclosed in that patent, a ticket for such a probability game includes multiple play areas. Each play area contains outcome indicia indicative of a dollar amount. The outcome indicia are covered by a removable latex material.
To play this probability game, a player removes the latex material from a predetermined number of play areas, which is less than the total number of play areas. If the revealed outcome indicia match a predetermined combination, then the ticket is a winner and the player can redeem it for a payout. In this case, the payout is the dollar amount indicated by the outcome indicia. However, if the revealed outcome indicia do not match a predetermined combination, then the player loses the game and the ticket has no redeemable value. The ticket is voided if the player removes the latex from more than the predetermined number of play areas.
The popularity of probability-type instant lottery games with players can be attributed to the fact that, for such probability games, every ticket is a possible winner. The player thus feels as though he has an element of control since he is free to choose those play areas that will be played. If a player has lost the game, he can remove the remaining latex to confirm that at least one winning combination is present on the ticket, which leaves the player with a feeling that the game is fair.
The standard instant lottery games described above suffer from a number of problems. First, the games typically only require that a player remove some of the opaque covering surfaces of a ticket. The player need not make any decisions during the game, even the most basic one concerning which of the play areas will be played. This results in a perception that the games are based on pure luck. Further, these games tend to be simplistic and boring to the players. While the probability games offer an opportunity for the player to make this basic decision, these games still are based on pure luck and do not allow a player to use strategy to improve his chance of achieving a favorable outcome for the game.
Another problem with known instant lottery games is that the amount of time it takes to play such game is usually quite short. In most cases, the player simply purchases a ticket and alters the opaque covering surface. There is no opportunity to ponder game strategies and make decisions based thereon that may affect the outcome and extend the life of the game.
Unlike prior art instant lottery games, video poker is a game that gives a player control to exercise skill by considering game strategies and making decisions based thereon that will affect the outcome of the game. Video poker games, which are generally played in gaming establishments, have become extremely popular and are quite exciting. In fact, they are one of the fastest growing segments of casino revenue.
The basic game of video poker is played on a computerized video poker machine. A player is dealt an initial hand of five cards from a standard deck of fifty-two cards. The five cards are randomly chosen by a computer and displayed to the player on a video screen. With a goal of maximizing the value of his hand, the player decides which cards, if any, to hold. Given the initial hand, the player may decide to hold all five of his cards—i.e., stand. To do this, he presses a button labeled HOLD under each displayed card.
Alternatively, the player may decide to hold only certain of the five cards dealt to him in his initial hand. In this case, the player presses the HOLD button under each card he decides to hold. After the player has decided which cards to hold, he press a button labeled DEAL. This causes the computer to discard the cards that the player has decided not to hold, and replace them with additional cards that are randomly selected from the remaining fortyseven cards of the deck.
After the DEAL button has been pressed, the final hand of the player is evaluated by the computer. If the player's final hand matches a predetermined combination—e.g., a Full House or Three of a Kind, then the player is awarded a payout in the form of either play credits or coins in accordance with a payout table. The payout table is stored in the memory of the computer and is also displayed on the video screen for the player to view. The payout for a particular final hand increases with the value of the hand. Thus, hands with higher poker values are awarded more play credits or coins. For example, very rare poker hands such as a Royal Flush are awarded payouts of 800-to-1 in some game variations.
Cells 1105A-1105J each indicate a final hand that is possible for a player to receive, given an initial set (or hand) of five cards. Cells 1110A-1110J each depict the frequency (or probability) that the player will receive the associated final hand. These frequencies assume that the player is employing strategies that maximize the expected value of each play. Cells 1115A-1115J each indicate a payout (or prize) that the associated final hand will pay if it is received. Cells 1120A-1120J each depict an expected value of the associated final hand, given the associated payout.
The expected value for a cell 1120A-1120J is calculated by multiplying the associated frequency from a cell 1110A-1110J by the associated payout from cell 1115A-1115J, respectively. For example, the expected value for a Royal Flush ($0.0199) is calculated by multiplying the frequency of cell 1110A (0.0000249) by the associated payout ($800) shown in cell 1115A. The total expected value illustrated in cell 1120K ($0.9949) represents the dollar amount returned to the player over an extended period of time. For this particular payout schedule, the player will receive 99.49 cents for each dollar wagered. This payout requires perfect play, however, so many players will receive a few cents less on average. A total expected value of more than $1.00 would represent a video poker machine in which the player had an advantage over the operator thereof. Some games having an expected value of more than $1.00 still can be profitable for the gaming establishment if the majority of players are not playing perfectly.
In addition to the basic game of video poker described above, other variations which include wild cards and jokers are also played, such as “Joker Poker, ” “Deuces Wild,” and “Bonus Poker.” Further information on these and other video poker games, payout tables and calculations, and game strategies may be found in Paymar, D., “Video Poker Precision Play,” (published by Enchanceware of Las Vegas, Nev.).
The popularity of video poker games may be attributed to the player's ability to exercise an element of skill during the game. More particularly, by deciding which cards to hold from an initial hand, the player makes a decision that directly affects the outcome of the game. Thus, this exercise of an element of skill tends to keep the players interested in the game. Further, the players are also attracted to the potential to receive a high payout, as compared to other casino games, such as craps and blackjack.
However, video poker games have major drawbacks. First, while many variations of such games exist, each variation is computer- and video-based. Thus, the games require complex electronic apparatus, which can be prohibitively expensive. Moreover, video poker games typically can be played only in a controlled gaming environment.
One patent that attempts to combine an instant lottery ticket with a game of poker is U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,109 to Gumina. According to this patent, a player scratches off an area to reveal an initial hand of cards. The ticket includes twenty-five other areas that indicate cards that can be kept from the initial hand. The player draws additional cards from one of the twenty-five areas in an effort to improve the value of his final hand. The result of the game is determined based on this value.
However, the Gumina patent is plagued with problems that likely have resulted in reduced player interest in the game. More specifically, the number of areas from which the player can draw cards is numerous. This leaves the ticket cluttered, confusing, and visually unappealing.
Further, for any given initial poker hand, there are usually only a few reasonable choices of cards to draw in order to optimize the final value of the hand. The ticket disclosed in the Gumina patent presents a player with twenty-five choices. Thus, it is not in the player's best interest to select a majority of the choices because they lessen—rather than increase—the player's chance of optimizing the final value of his hand. To a typical player who is not an expert poker player, this can be discouraging. Even further, due to the confusing nature of the layout of the ticket, a player may accidentally uncover an unintended area. This may leave the player feeling cheated and frustrated.
Still further, the ticket disclosed in the Gumina patent limits the cards that a player can draw. This is because the draw cards include only certain cards from the remainder of the deck from which the initial hand was dealt. Thus, a player does not have any control over the cards that he can draw in order to obtain a desired final hand. For example, if a player decides to draw certain cards in an attempt to obtain a Flush, there is no guarantee that the ticket includes draw cards that would enable him to obtain the Flush.
In view of the above, what is needed in order to increase player interest in instant lottery games is a ticket in which a player is guided to the best choices for him to select and in which he also is given an opportunity to select choices from a universe of choices that are not preselected by the manufacturer of the ticket.
A first aspect of the present invention is directed toward a ticket for an instant lottery game. The ticket includes an initial configuration section comprising an initial configuration for the game. The ticket also includes a strategy section comprising a plurality of strategies for the game, wherein each strategy is related to the initial configuration. The strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game. The ticket also include an outcome section comprising a plurality of outcomes for the game. Each of the plurality of outcomes is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of strategies. Each of the plurality of outcomes is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when a strategy is selected by a player and the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered, the outcome for the game is revealed.
A second aspect of this invention is directed to a method for playing an instant lottery game using a ticket. The method comprises the steps of determining an initial configuration for the game from the ticket and selecting a game strategy from a plurality of game strategies on the ticket. Each of the game strategies is based on the initial configuration and the game strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game. Further, from a plurality of alterable areas on the ticket each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of game strategies and each corresponding to one of a plurality of outcomes for the game, the method includes the step of altering the alterable area corresponding to the selected game strategy to reveal the corresponding outcome for the game.
A third aspect of the present invention is directed to a ticket for an instant lottery game, wherein the game has game indicia associated therewith. The ticket includes an initial configuration section comprising an initial configuration for the game, wherein the initial configuration represents a subset of the game indicia. The ticket also includes a strategy section comprising a plurality of strategies for the game, wherein each strategy is related to the initial configuration. The strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game. The ticket also includes an outcome section comprising a plurality of outcome areas, wherein each outcome area is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of strategies, and wherein each outcome area comprises a plurality of indicia normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area. The plurality of indicia represent a complement of the subset with respect to the game indicia so that when a strategy is selected by a player and a portion of the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered based on the strategy, a predetermined number of the indicia are revealed so that an outcome for the game can be determined.
A fourth aspect of this invention is directed to a method for playing an instant lottery game using a ticket, wherein the game has game indicia associated therewith. The method comprises the steps of determining an initial configuration for the game from the ticket, wherein the initial configuration represents a subset of the game indicia. The method also includes the step of selecting a game strategy from a plurality of game strategies on the ticket, wherein each of the game strategies is based on the initial configuration, and wherein the game strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game. Further, from a plurality of outcome areas each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of strategies and each comprising a plurality of indicia representing the complement of the subset with respect to the game indicia and normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area, the method includes the step of altering a portion of the alterable area corresponding to the selected game strategy to reveal certain of the indicia so that an outcome for the game can be determined.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is directed to a ticket for an instant lottery game that simulates computerized video poker. The ticket comprises an initial hand of cards imprinted on the ticket, wherein the initial hand is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to the initial hand is altered, the initial hand is revealed. The ticket also includes a plurality of strategies for the game each imprinted on the ticket, wherein each strategy is related to the initial hand, wherein the strategies are those that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game, and wherein each strategy is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when an alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of strategies is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed. The ticket also includes a plurality of final hands for the game imprinted on the ticket, wherein each of the plurality of final hands is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of strategies, and wherein each of the plurality of final hands is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area. In this way, when a strategy is selected by a player and the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered, the final hand for the game is revealed.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is directed to a ticket for an instant lottery game, wherein the game has game indicia associated therewith. The ticket comprises an initial configuration section comprising a plurality of initial indicia, wherein the initial indicia represent a subset of the game indicia. The ticket also includes an outcome section comprising a plurality of final indicia normally hidden under an alterable area, wherein the final indicia represent a complement of the subset with respect to the game indicia. In this way, when a predetermined number of the final indicia are revealed, an outcome for the game can be determined.
A seventh aspect of this invention is directed to a method for playing an instant lottery game using a ticket, wherein the game has game indicia associated therewith. The method comprises the steps of determining an initial configuration for the game, wherein the initial configuration comprises a plurality of initial indicia representing a subset of the game indicia. The method further includes the step of altering a portion of an alterable covering surface normally hiding final indicia representing the complement of the subset with respect to the game indicia to reveal a predetermined number of the final indicia so that an outcome for the game can be determined.
An eighth aspect of the present invention is directed to a ticket for an instant lottery game, wherein the game has game indicia associated therewith. The ticket comprises an initial configuration section comprising a plurality of first indicia. The ticket also includes an outcome section comprising a plurality of second indicia normally hidden under an alterable area, wherein the second indicia represent each of the game indicia. In this way, when a number of the second indicia are revealed such that the second indicia match the first indicia, a payout to a player of the game can be determined based on the number.
FIG. 1 depicts a ticket 100 in accordance with the present invention, as it is normally sold to a player.
FIG. 2 depicts ticket 100 after all of the alterable covering surfaces have been altered.
FIG. 3A depicts a payout table 300 that may be used with the present invention to determine payouts.
FIG. 3B depicts a table showing how expected values of final hands may be determined.
FIG. 3C depicts the reverse side of ticket 100.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart for a process 400 by which a player plays the instant lottery game using ticket 100.
FIG. 5A depicts ticket 100 after the initial configuration has been revealed.
FIG. 5B depicts ticket 100 after the initial configuration and the strategies have been revealed.
FIG. 5C depicts ticket 100 after the game has been completed.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart for a process 600 by which a player may claim a payout.
FIG. 7A depicts an alternative embodiment of a ticket 1100 in accordance with the present invention, as it is normally sold to a player.
FIG. 7B depicts ticket 1100 after all of the alterable covering surfaces have been altered.
FIG. 8A depicts an alternative embodiment of a ticket 2100 in accordance with the present invention, as it is normally sold to a player.
FIG. 8B depicts ticket 2100 after all of the alterable covering surfaces have been altered.
FIG. 8C is a flow chart for a process 800 by which a player plays the instant lottery game using ticket 2100.
FIG. 8D depicts ticket 2100 after the initial configuration has been revealed.
FIG. 8E depicts ticket 2100 after the initial configuration and the strategies have been revealed.
FIG. 8F depicts ticket 2100 after the game has been completed.
FIG. 9 depicts an alternative embodiment of a ticket 2600 in accordance with the present invention, after all of the alterable covering surfaces have been altered.
FIG. 10A depicts an alternative embodiment of a ticket 3100 in accordance with the present invention, as it is normally sold to a player.
FIG. 10B depicts ticket 3100 after the alterable covering surface of the outcome section have been altered.
FIG. 10C depicts ticket 3100 after the game has been completed.
FIG. 10D depicts the reverse side of ticket 3100.
FIG. 11 depicts a payout table 1100 that is used with conventional computerized video poker games.
Referring to FIG. 1, an inventive ticket 100 for an instant lottery game is shown. The instant lottery game is one in which a player exercises an element of skill to play the game. More particularly, the player considers game strategies and makes decisions based thereon to improve his chances of achieving a favorable outcome for the game, such as obtaining a cash payout. For example, in the present embodiment, the instant lottery game simulates a computerized video poker game. In this case, as will be described in more detail below, the player is dealt an initial hand of cards and decides which cards to hold from the initial hand. In this way, he exercises the same type of skill as he would in the computerized video poker game.
While the following description is set forth for an instant lottery game that simulates computerized video poker, it is contemplated that the game may be configured to simulate or implement any other game involving an element of skill. The invention thus may be used to play other games such as blackjack, craps, baccarat, roulette, Pai Gow, trivia, bridge, gin rummy, and games with sporting themes.
Still referring to FIG. 1, ticket 100 is depicted as it is normally sold to a player—that is, before the game has been played. Ticket 100 includes a play section 105 and a background section 150. Play section 105 includes an initial configuration section 110, a strategy section 120, and an outcome section 130. Play section 105 may also include a payout section 140.
Initial configuration section 110 is used to indicate an initial configuration (or starting point) for the game. A heading 110A, such as “YOUR CARDS, “may be imprinted on ticket 100 to indicate initial configuration section 110. An alterable covering surface 110B hides initial configuration 110C (FIG. 2), which comprises indicia imprinted on ticket 100, as will be explained in more detail below. In order to hide initial configuration 110C, alterable covering surface 110B may be opaque or translucent. Further, alterable covering surface 110B is such that, when altered, it cannot easily be returned to its unaltered state.
In the exemplary embodiment in which the game simulates computerized video poker, initial configuration 110C is an initial set (or hand) of cards that is dealt to a player. In this embodiment, alterable covering surface 110B is made from a well-known scratch-off material, such as aluminum permeated latex, as is typically used on scratch-off lottery tickets. Alternatively, alterable covering surface 110B may be made of a wash-off material, such as those which are made from photosensitive, ink, thermal, or watermarked materials. In yet another embodiment, alterable covering surface 110B may be made from a peel-off material, such as a sticker, perforated paper, or the like.
Strategy section 120 is used to indicate a plurality of strategies for the game, wherein each strategy is related to initial configuration 110C (FIG. 2). A heading 120A, such as “STRATEGY,” may be imprinted on ticket 100 to indicate strategy section 120. Alterable covering surfaces 120B-120D hide each of the plurality of strategies 120E-120G (FIG. 2), which comprise indicia imprinted on ticket 100, as will be explained in more detail below. Alterable covering surfaces 120B-120D may be of the type described above for alterable covering surface 110B.
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, three strategies 120E-120G (FIG. 2) will be available to the player to use during the game. The strategies relate to initial configuration 110C in that they indicate particular cards that a player may decide to hold and/or those he may decide to discard. The player will be able to exercise an element of skill by considering the strategies and deciding which strategy to use to maximize his expected value.
In an alternate embodiment of ticket 100, alterable covering surfaces 110B and 120B-120D are not used. In this case, it is apparent that initial configuration 110C and strategies 120E-120G (FIG. 2) would be viewable by a player and a vendor selling ticket 100. Therefore, to prevent the player and the vendor from ascertaining tickets for which a high payout is possible, ticket 100 is provided to the vendor and is sold to the player in a package that obscures initial configuration 110C and strategies 120E-120G from their view. Such a package may be made from an opaque or translucent foil material.
Outcome section 130 is used to indicate one of a plurality of outcomes for the game. Each outcome is associated with a corresponding one of the strategies contained in strategy section 120. A heading 130A, such as “OUTCOME,” may be imprinted on ticket 100 to indicate outcome section 130. Alterable covering surfaces 130B-130D hide each of the plurality of outcomes 130E-130G (FIG. 2), which comprise indicia imprinted on ticket 100, as will be explained in more detail below. Alterable covering surfaces 130B-130D may be of the type described above for alterable covering surface 110B.
In the present embodiment, there are three possible outcomes for the game, each of which corresponds to one of the three strategies. The outcomes indicate three final hands of cards, each of which result from a decision to use the corresponding strategy. The outcome for the game is determined by the player selecting the outcome that corresponds to the strategy he decides to use.
Payout section 140 may be used to indicate one of a plurality of payouts that the player may obtain for the game. Each payout is associated with a corresponding one of the outcomes contained in outcome section 130. A heading 140A, such as “PAYOUT,” may be imprinted on ticket 100 to indicate payout section 140. Alterable covering surfaces 140B-140D hide each of the plurality of payouts 140E-140G (FIG. 2), which comprise indicia imprinted on ticket 100, as will be explained in more detail below. Alterable covering surfaces 140B-140D may be of the type described above for the alterable covering surface 110B.
In the present embodiment, there are three payouts that a player may receive, each of which corresponds to one of the outcomes of the game. The payout for the game is determined by the player selecting the payout that corresponds to the selected outcome for the game, which corresponds to the strategy he decides to use.
In the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, background section 150 of ticket 100 includes the name of the game 150A, such as “SCRATCH-OFF VIDEO POKER” and instructions 150B for playing the game. Fanciful indicia 150C-150F may be used to improve the appearance of ticket 100 in accordance with the theme of the game, here video poker. On the reverse side of ticket 100, as shown in FIG. 3C, background section 150 may also include payout information 150G, instructions 150H to claim any payout, and machine readable indicia 1501, such as a bar code, that uniquely identifies ticket 100.
FIG. 2 depicts ticket 100 after all of the alterable covering surfaces 110B, 120B-120D, 130B-130D, and 140B-140D have been altered. As is seen there, when alterable covering surface 110B is altered, initial configuration 110C is revealed. In this exemplary embodiment, initial configuration 110C comprises an initial set (or hand) of five cards that is dealt to a player—e.g., Ace of diamonds (Ad), King of clubs (Kc), Queen of hearts (Qh), Ten of diamonds (10 d), and Six of spades (6 s). Of course, initial configuration 110C may include indicia other than cards depending on the type of game being played. Further, the number of such cards and other indicia may be made vary in accordance with the type of game that is being played.
Initial configuration 110C may be chosen to increase a player's interest in the game. Thus, in the case in which initial configuration 110C comprises the initial hand of cards, the hand may be chosen so as to leave open the possibility that the player's final hand may be a flush or a straight. Typically, these hands are more exciting to players than a pair of cards, given the potential for a higher payout. Of course, the content of initial configuration 110C may be randomly determined or otherwise made to vary as desired.
When alterable covering surfaces 120B-120D of strategy section 120 are altered, corresponding strategies 120E-120G are revealed. Strategies 120E-120G each are related to initial configuration 110C. As stated above, strategies 120E-120G allow the player to exercise an element of skill during game play. That is, the player may consider the strategies and decide which strategy to use to improve his chances of achieving a payout.
Thus, in this embodiment in which initial configuration 110C comprises the initial hand of cards Ad-Kc-Qh-10 d-6 s, three strategies are available to the player which relate thereto. Strategy 120E indicates that the player may decide to attempt to obtain a straight and thus draw two cards to the Ad-Kc-Qh—i.e., discard 10 d-6 s. Strategy 120F indicates that the player may decide to attempt to obtain a straight and thus draw three cards to the Kc-Qh—i.e., discard Ad-10 d-6 s. Strategy 120G indicates that the player may decide to attempt to obtain a Flush or Straight Flush and thus draw three cards to the Ad-10 d—i.e., discard Kc-Qh-6 s. Such a strategy provides the player with the opportunity to achieve a royal flush, the highest payout in the game.
When alterable covering surfaces 130B-130D of outcome section 130 are altered, corresponding outcomes 130E-130G for the game are revealed. As described above, each of the outcomes 130E-130G is associated with a corresponding one of strategies 120E-120G. More specifically, outcome 130E is associated with strategy 120E. Thus, if the player decides to use strategy 120E, then outcome 130E will be the outcome for the game. Here, outcome 130E indicates that the player has drawn a Jack of hearts (Jh) and a Ten of hearts (10 h) so that the outcome of the game is a straight—i.e., Ad-Kc-Qh-Jh-10 h.
Outcome 130F is associated with strategy 120F such that if the player decides to use strategy 120F, then outcome 130F will be the outcome for the game. Here, outcome 130F indicates that the player has drawn a Four of clubs (4 c), Six of hearts (6 h), and Three of spades (3 s) so that the outcome of the game is a king high—i.e., Kc-Qh-4 c-6 h-3 s. Outcome 130G is associated with the strategy 120G. Thus, if the player decides to use strategy 120G, then outcome 130G will be the outcome for the game. Here, outcome 130G indicates that the player has drawn a Five of diamonds (5 d), Five of spades (5 s), and Five of hearts (5 h) so that the outcome of the game is Three of a Kind—i.e., Ad-10 d-5 d-5 s-5 h.
When payout section 140 is used, and alterable covering surfaces 140B-140D are altered, corresponding payouts 140E-140G are revealed. In one embodiment, each payout 140E-140G indicates a dollar amount, a bar code indicative of the dollar amount, and the name of the final hand and whether the player has won or lost. Of course, any of these or other indicia, alone or in combination, may be used as desired.
As described above, each payout 140E-140G is associated with a corresponding one of outcomes 130E-130G. More specifically, payout 140E is associated with outcome 130E. Thus, if the outcome of the game is outcome 130E, then the player will receive the dollar amount indicated by payout 140E. Here, payout 140E indicates that the outcome of the game is a straight and that the player has won four dollars.
The use of machine readable indicia, such as the bar code, assists vendors in ascertaining the appropriate payout for ticket 100. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the vendor may scan the bar code for the outcome of the game so that the appropriate dollar amount is displayed to him on a computer screen. Alternatively, the bar code 1501 (FIG. 3C), which uniquely identifies ticket 100, may be used to access a database so that all three of the dollar amounts of payouts 140E-140G may be displayed to the vendor. Thus, when displayed, the vendor may be assured that the dollar amount of the payout is valid.
In yet another embodiment, ticket 100 may be provided with an electrical circuit therein, in accordance with the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,205, issued to Behm et al. and incorporated herein by reference. In this case, a payout can be determined using an electronic verification device to determine which alterable covering surfaces have been altered on ticket 100 and to calculate an appropriate dollar amount payout therefrom.
In the present embodiment in which the game simulates video poker, the payouts and the expected values are made to differ from those described above with reference to payout table 1100 (FIG. 11) for computerized video poker. More specifically, FIG. 3A depicts a payout table 300 that may be used to calculate payouts for the game of the present invention. As is seen there, cells 305A-305J each indicate a final hand that is possible for a player to receive, given an initial hand. The final hands of cells 305A-305J are the same as those in cells 105A-1105J (FIG. 11). Cells 310A-310J each indicate a payout that the associated final hand will pay if it is achieved. Cells 320A-320J each depict an expected value of the associated final hand, given the associated payout, indicating the house advantage of the game associated with these payout levels.
A comparison of cells 305A-305J and cells 1105A-1105J indicate that the payouts for Three Of A Kind and Two Pair have been made to differ. That is, the payouts have been changed from $4 to $2 for Three Of A Kind, and from $2 to $1 for Two Pair. As a result of this change, the expected values of cells 320G-320H are calculated as $0.1490 and $0.1294, which is less than the expected values $0.2235 and $0.2588 for computerized video poker, respectively, shown in cells 1120G-1120H. Thus, the total expected value shown in cell 320K for the inventive instant lottery game is $0.7910. This means that tickets will return (assuming best player strategy) an average of 79 cents over an extended period of time. The total expected value shown in cell 320K for the instant lottery video poker game has thus been made lower than that of the computerized video poker game. This serves to increase the lottery's advantage so that it more closely resembles the typical 60 cent payout for instant lottery tickets. The higher payouts of video poker are not desirable for ticket based games because of the higher cost associated with printing and distributing tickets.
The universe of strategies that theoretically may be available for a player to use for a given initial configuration 110C may be such that it would be impractical, if not impossible, to present them to the player within the confines of ticket 100. Moreover, even if possible, the number of such strategies would be make the ticket cluttered, confusing, and visually unappealing, as in the case of the prior art Gumina patent.
Thus, in this embodiment, a subset of this universe that includes the strategies that are most likely to result in a player achieving a favorable outcome for the game are presented to the player. Here, those strategies are the three with the highest expected values, rather than all of the thirty-two possible strategies.
More specifically, given initial configuration 110C which comprises an initial hand of five cards, there are thirty-two possible draw combinations. If the expected value of each of the thirty-two possible draw combinations is calculated as described below in FIG. 3B and ranked in descending order, then the three strategies that are included on ticket 100 for the player to play are those with the highest expected values.
FIG. 3B shows the calculation for these expected values in more detail. As is seen there, initial configuration 110C, and strategies 120E-120G are shown for reference as 325 and 330A-330C, respectively. Cells 335A-335J each indicate a final hand that is possible for a player to receive, given the initial hand indicated by reference number 325. Cells 340A-340J each indicate a payout that the associated final hand will pay if it is received. Cells 350A-350J, 360A-370J, and 370A-370J each indicate a number of different draws that can result in a final hand, if the strategies noted by reference numbers 330A, 330B, and 330C are followed, respectively. Cells 355A-355J, 365A-365-365J, and 375A-375J each indicate the total payout associated with each possible outcome and are calculated by multiplying a payout from column 340 by an associated draw from column 350, 360, or 370, respectively.
The totals 350K, 355K, 360K, 365K, 370K, and 375K are calculated by adding cells 350A-350J, 355A-355J, 360A-360J, 365A-365-J, 370A-370J, and 375A-375J, respectively. The expected value 355L is calculated by dividing the total payout 355K by the total draws 350K. The expected value 365L is calculated by dividing the total payout 365K by the total draws 360K. The expected value 375L is calculated by dividing the total payout 375K by the total draws 370K. As is readily apparent, if the player is given these three strategies, the one which would most increase his chances of achieving a favorable outcome for the game is the strategy shown in 330B since it results in the highest expected value.
FIG. 4 illustrates a process 400 by which a player plays the instant lottery game using ticket 100. At step 410, the player determines an initial configuration for the game. In this embodiment, the player thus alters the alterable covering surface 110B (FIG. 1) to reveal initial configuration 110C (FIG. 2). In this way, initial configuration 110C is revealed in the form of the player's initial hand of cards—Ad-Kc-Qh-10 d-6 s. FIG. 5a depicts the state of ticket 100 after step 410 is performed.
At step 420, the player selects a game strategy from game strategies 120E-120G. To do this, the player alters alterable covering surfaces 120B-120D (FIG. 1) to reveal each of the game strategies 120E-120G (FIG. 2). Then, the player exercises an element of skill. That is, the player considers revealed game strategies 120E-120G and makes a decision as to which strategy to use. FIG. 5b depicts the state of ticket 100 after step 420 is performed.
At step 430, the player reveals the outcome for the game. To do this, the player alters alterable covering surface 130B-130D that is associated with the game strategy that he has decided to use. For example, if the player chooses strategy 120B, then the alterable covering surface 130B would also be altered. In this case, the outcome of the game would be a straight (Ad-Kc-Qh-Jh-10 h), as depicted in FIG. 5c. If the player alters more than one of alterable areas 130B-130D, then ticket 100 becomes void.
If ticket 100 is configured to include payout section 140, then, at step 440, the player may determine the payout he has won based on the outcome revealed at step 430. Thus, the player may alter one of alterable covering surfaces 140B-140D that is associated with the selected outcome of the game. In this example, the player would remove alterable covering surface 140B, which is associated with outcome 130E. As shown n FIG. 5c, payout 140E indicates that the outcome of the game is a “straight” and that the player has won four dollars. At this point, process 400 is complete.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart for a process 600 by which a player may claim his payout. At step 610, the vendor identifies ticket 100 that is being redeemed. To do this, the vendor uses a scanning device to scan the bar code 1501 (FIG. 3C), which uniquely identifies ticket 100. At step 620, the vendor determines the payout for ticket 100. Thus, the vendor uses the scanning device to scan the bar code that is included as part of payout 140B. At step 630, a processor in communication with the scanning device receives the bar code data and calculates the payout, which is displayed to the vendor on a computer screen. The vendor then pays the player the appropriate dollar amount payout at step 640 where process 600 is complete. Of course, process 600 may be modified accordingly to accommodate alternate embodiments of ticket 100, such as the one in which ticket 100 is provided with an electrical circuit to determine the appropriate payout for ticket 100.
Referring next to FIGS. 7A and 7B, an alternate embodiment of an inventive ticket 1100 for an instant lottery game is described. In FIG. 7A, ticket 1100 is depicted as it is normally sold to a player—that is, before the game has been played. Ticket 1100 includes a play section 1105 and a background section 1150. The play section 1105 includes an initial configuration section 1110, a strategy section 1120, and an outcome section 1130.
Initial configuration section 1110 is used to indicate an initial configuration (or starting point) for the game. A heading 1110A, such as “YOUR CARDS,” may be imprinted on ticket 1100 to indicate initial configuration section 1110. An alterable covering surface 1110B hides initial configuration 111C (FIG. 7B), which comprises indicia imprinted on the ticket 1100, as will be explained in more detail below. Alterable covering surface 1110B may be of the type described above for the alterable covering surface 110B (FIG. 1). In the exemplary embodiment in which the game simulates video poker, initial configuration 1110C is an initial set (or hand) of five cards that is provided to a player.
Strategy section 1120 is used to indicate a plurality of strategies for the game, wherein each strategy is related to initial configuration 1110C (FIG. 7B). Alterable covering surfaces 1120B-1120D hide each of the plurality of strategies 1120E-1120G (FIG. 7B), which comprise indicia imprinted on the ticket 1100, as will be explained in more detail below. Alterable covering surfaces 1120B-1120D may be of the type described above for alterable covering surface 10B (FIG. 1). Headings, such as “STRATEGY 1,” “STRATEGY 2,” and STRATEGY 3” may be imprinted on the alterable covering surfaces 1120B-1120D, respectively, to indicate the strategies of section 1120.
In the embodiment of FIG. 7A, three strategies 1120E-1120G (FIG. 7B) will be available to the player to use during the game. The strategies relate to initial configuration 1110C (FIG. 7B) in that they indicate particular cards that a player may decide to hold and/or those he may decide to discard. The player then will be able to exercise an element of skill by considering the strategies and deciding which strategy to use to improve his chances of obtaining a payout. Similar to alterable covering surfaces 110B and 120B-120D of ticket 100, alterable covering 1110B and 1120B-1120D need not be used if ticket 1100 is sold in a package that obscures such alterable covering surfaces from the view of players and vendors.
Outcome section 1130 is used to indicate one of a plurality of outcomes 1130E-1130G (FIG. 7B) for the game. Each outcome is associated with a corresponding one of the strategies contained in strategy section 1120. Alterable covering surfaces 1130B-1130D hide each of the plurality of outcomes 1130E-1130G (FIG. 7B), which comprise indicia imprinted on ticket 1100, as will be explained in more detail below. Alterable covering surfaces 1130B-1130D may be of the type described above for the alterable covering surface 110B (FIG. 1). Headings, such as “OUTCOME 1,” “OUTCOME 2,” and “OUTCOME 3” may be imprinted on alterable covering surfaces 1130B-1130D, respectively, to indicate the outcomes of section 1130.
In the present embodiment, there are three possible outcomes for the game, each of which corresponds to one of the three strategies. The outcomes indicate three final hands of cards, each of which result from a decision to use the corresponding strategy. The outcome for the game is determined by the player selecting the one outcome that corresponds to the strategy he decides to use.
In this embodiment of the inventive ticket 1100, payouts that the player may win for the game, if any, are hidden under alterable covering surfaces 1130B-1130D. Thus, each payout is associated with a corresponding one of the outcomes contained in outcome section 1130.
In the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 7A, background section 1150 of ticket 1100 may be configured to include information similar to the type described above with reference to background section 150 (FIG. 1).
FIG. 7B depicts ticket 1100 after all of alterable covering surfaces 1110B, 1120B-1120D, and 1130B-1130D have been altered. As is seen there, when alterable covering surface 1110B is altered, initial configuration 110C is revealed. In this exemplary embodiment, initial configuration 1110C comprises an initial set (or hand) of five cards that is dealt to a player—e.g., Eight of diamonds (8 d), Eight of spades (8 s), Jack of spades (Js), Queen of spades (Qs), and King of spades (Ks). Initial configuration 111C may be chosen and configured as described above for initial configuration 110C (FIG. 2).
When alterable covering surfaces 1120B-1120D of strategy section 120 are altered, corresponding strategies 1120E-1120G are revealed. Strategies 1120E-1120G each are related to initial configuration 1110C. Similar to strategies 120E-120G of ticket 100, strategies 1120E-1120G allow the player to exercise an element of skill during game play. That is, the player may consider the strategies and decide which strategy to use to improve his chances of achieving a payout.
Thus, in this embodiment in which the initial configuration 111C comprises the initial hand of cards 8 d-8 s-Js-Qs-Ks, three strategies are available to the player which relate thereto. Strategy 1120E indicates that the player may decide to attempt to obtain a hand such as Three or Four of a Kind and thus hold the pair of eights—i.e., discard Js-Qs-Ks. Strategy 1120F indicates that the player may decide to attempt to obtain a hand such as Two Pair or a Full House and thus hold the pair of eights and the king (8 d-8 s-Ks)—i.e., discard Js-Qs. Strategy 1120G indicates that the player may decide to attempt to obtain a Straight Flush and thus hold the jack, queen, and king (Js-Qs-Ks)—i.e., discard 8 s-8 d.
In an alternate embodiment of ticket 1100, each of the strategies 1120E-1120G may include indicia that indicate a maximum payout if the strategy is selected. Thus, for example, strategy 1120E may be modified such that it indicates to hold the pair of eights and that the maximum payout for the player's use of this strategy is $25.
The instant lottery game using ticket 1100 is played in the same manner as the game described above for ticket 100—i.e., according to process 400 (FIG. 4). Additionally, ticket 1100 may be configured to include machine readable indicia, such as bar codes, that are indicative of payouts. Ticket 1100 may also include electrical circuits therein so that payouts may be determined using an electronic verification device, such as the one described above. Further, strategies 1120E-1120G may be chosen in the same manner as strategies 120E-120G. Still further, process 600 may be used by a player to claim his payout.
Referring next to FIGS. 8A and 8B, an alternate embodiment of an inventive ticket 2100 for an instant lottery game is described. In FIG. 8A, ticket 2100 is depicted as it is normally sold to a player—that is, before the game has been played. In this embodiment, the game has game indicia associated with it. For example, in the case in which the game simulates computerized video poker, the game indicia include the fifty-two cards that make up a standard deck of playing cards. The game indicia may also include jokers and wildcards.
Ticket 2100 includes a play section 2105 and a background section 2150. Play section 2105 includes an initial configuration section 2110, a strategy section 2120, and an outcome section 2130. Play section 2105 may also include a payout section (not shown) similar to the type described above.
Initial configuration section 2110 is used to indicate an initial configuration (or starting point) for the game. A heading 2110A, such as “YOUR CARDS,” may be imprinted on ticket 2100 to indicate initial configuration section 2110. An alterable covering surface 2110B hides an initial configuration 211C (FIG. 8B), which comprises indicia imprinted on ticket 2100, as will be explained in more detail below.
In this exemplary embodiment in which the game simulates video poker, initial configuration 2110C includes a subset of the game indicia—e.g., an initial set (or hand) of five cards that may be dealt to a player. Alterable covering surface 2110B may be of the type described above for alterable covering surface 110B (FIG. 1).
Strategy section 2120 is used to indicate a plurality of strategies for the game, wherein each strategy is related to the initial configuration. Headings 2120A, such as “STRATEGY 1,” and “STRATEGY 2,” may be imprinted on ticket 2100 to indicate strategies of section 2120. Alterable covering surfaces 2120B-2120C hide each of the plurality of strategies 2120D-2120E (FIG. 8B), which comprise indicia imprinted on the ticket 2100, as will be explained in more detail below. Alterable covering surfaces 2120B-2120C may be of the type described above for alterable covering surface 110B (FIG. 1).
In this embodiment, two strategies 2120D-2120E (FIG. 8B) will be available to the player to use during the game. The strategies relate to the initial hand in that they indicate particular cards that a player may decide to hold and/or those he may decide to discard. The player then will be able to exercise an element of skill by considering the strategies and deciding which strategy to use to improve his chances of obtaining a payout.
Similar to alterable covering surfaces 110B and 120B-120D of ticket 100, alterable covering 110B and 1120B-1120D need not be used if ticket 1100 is sold in a package that obscures such alterable covering surfaces from the view of players and vendors.
Outcome section 2130 includes a plurality of outcome areas 2130D-2130E (FIG. 8B) for the game, from which the outcome for the game will be determined. Headings 2130A, such as “DRAW 1” and “DRAW 2” may be imprinted on ticket 2100 to indicate outcome section 2130. Each outcome area 2130D-2130E is associated with a corresponding one of the strategies contained in strategy section 2120.
Alterable covering surfaces 2130B-2130C each are in the form of a grid having a plurality of cells, wherein each cell is defined by a particular row and column. Alterable covering surfaces 2130B-2130C may be of the type described above for the alterable covering surface 110B (FIG. 1).
Each alterable covering surface 2130B-2130C hides a plurality of indicia. Each of the plurality of indicia represent the complement of the subset including the initial configuration. For example, in this embodiment in which the game indicia include the fifty-two cards in a standard deck of playing cards, the plurality of indicia include forty-seven cards and may also include jokers and wild cards. The forty-seven cards represent those contained in the deck of fifty-two cards, with the exception of the cards shown in initial configuration 2110C. In the present embodiment, the player will draw a number of cards, based on a selected strategy, by altering cells of one of alterable areas 2130B-2130C to reveal a corresponding number of cards.
Thus, in view of the above, a player influences the outcome of a game by being able to select from among all possible remaining game indicia. Applicants have recognized that such an ability to select from all possible game indicia—rather than from only a few preselected by the designer or manufacturer of the ticket—significantly increases player enjoyment. This is because the player is a provided with a feeling that he can control the outcome of the game by having all remaining game indicia from which to choose.
In this embodiment, ticket 2100 may include a background section. It may be configured to include information similar to the type described above with reference to background section 150 (FIG. 1).
FIG. 8B depicts ticket 2100 in which alterable covering surfaces 2110B, 2120B-2120C, and 2130B-2130C have been altered. As is seen there, when alterable covering surface 2110B is altered, initial configuration 2110C is revealed. In this embodiment, initial configuration 211C comprises the subset of the game indicia—e.g., an initial set (or hand) of five cards that is dealt to a player from a deck of fifty-two cards. Here, the initial configuration includes the Ace of diamonds (Ad), King of clubs (Kc), Queen of hearts (Qh), Ten of diamonds (10 d), and Six of spades (6 s). Initial configuration 2110C may be chosen and configured as described above for the initial configuration 110C (FIG. 2).
When alterable covering surfaces 2120B-2120C of strategy section 2120 are altered, corresponding strategies 2120D-2120E are revealed. Strategies 2120D-2120E each are related to initial configuration 2110C. Similar to the strategies described previously, strategies 2120D-2120E allow the player to exercise an element of skill during game play. That is, the player may consider the strategies and decide which strategy to use to improve his chances of achieving a payout.
Thus, in this embodiment in which initial configuration 2110C comprises the initial hand of cards Ad-Kc-Qh-10 d-6 s, two strategies are available to the player which relate thereto. The strategy 2120D indicates that the player may decide to attempt to obtain a hand such as a Straight and thus draw three cards to the Kc-Qh—i.e., discard Ad-10 d-6 s. Strategy 2120E indicates that the player may decide to attempt to obtain a Flush or a Straight Flush and thus draw three cards to the Ad-10 d—i.e., discard Kc-Qh-6 s.
When alterable covering surfaces 2130B-2130C of outcome section 2130 are altered, the plurality of indicia representing the complement of the subset including the initial configuration are revealed. In this example, the plurality of indicia thus represent forty-seven cards of the deck from which the initial configuration was dealt and a wild card. An outcome for the game will be determined from this complementary set. More specifically, a predetermined number of the forty-eight cards will be revealed when the player alters cells of an alterable covering surface 2130B-2130C.
FIG. 8C illustrates a process 800 by which a player plays the instant lottery game using ticket 2100. At step 810, the player determines an initial configuration for the game. In this embodiment, the player thus alters the alterable covering surface 211OB (FIG. 8A) to reveal initial configuration 211C (FIG. 8B). In this way, initial configuration 211C is revealed in the form of the player's initial hand of cards—Ad-Kc-Qh-10 d-6 s. FIG. 8D depicts the state of ticket 2100 after step 810 is performed.
At step 820, the player selects a game strategy from game strategies 2120D-2120E. To do this, the player alters alterable covering surfaces 2120B-2120C (FIG. 8A) to reveal each of the game strategies 2120D-2120E (FIG. 8B). The player then considers revealed game strategies 2120D-2120E and makes a decision as to which strategy to use. FIG. 8E depicts the state of ticket 2100 after step 820 is performed.
At step 830, the player reveals certain draw cards from which the outcome for the game will be determined. To do this, the player alters a portion of either alterable covering surface 2130B or 2130C, depending on the game strategy that he has decided to use. For example, if the player chooses strategy 2120B, then he would alter three of the cells from alterable covering surface 2130B. As shown in FIG. 8F, if the player alters three cells 2130D-1, 2130D-2, and 2130D-3 so that a Nine of clubs (9 c), Queen of diamonds (Qd), and a wild card (WILD!) are revealed, the outcome of the game would be Three of a Kind—i.e., Kc-Qh-Qd-WILD!-9 c. At this point, process 800 is complete.
Ticket 2100 may be configured to include machine readable indicia, such as bar codes, that are indicative of payouts. Ticket 2100 may also include electrical circuits therein so that payouts may be determined using an electronic verification device, such as the one described above. Further, the strategies 2120D-2120E may be chosen in the same manner as strategies 120E-120G. Still further, process 600 may be used by a player to claim his payout.
Referring next to FIG. 9, an alternate embodiment of an inventive ticket 2600 for an instant lottery game is described. In this embodiment, the game has game indicia associated with it. For example, in the case in which the game simulates computerized video poker, the game indicia include the fifty-two cards that make up a standard deck of playing cards. The game indicia may also include jokers and wildcards.
This embodiment is similar to that of ticket 2100, except that there is no strategy section. The player is presented with an initial hand of cards and then selects the cards that he wants to draw. In FIG. 9, ticket 2600 is depicted after an alterable covering surface (not shown) covering outcome area 2630D has been fully altered.
Ticket 2600 includes a play section 2605 and a background section 2650. Play section 2605 includes an initial configuration section 2610 and an outcome section 2630. Play section 2605 may also include a set of game instructions (not shown) similar to the type described above.
Initial configuration section 2610 is used to indicate an initial configuration for the game, as in ticket 2100. A heading 2610A, such as “YOUR CARDS,” may be imprinted on ticket 2600 to indicate initial configuration section 2610. An alterable covering surface may be used to hide initial configuration 2610C, in manner similar to that described above. If used, the alterable covering surface is altered by a player to reveal the initial configuration 211C. Initial configuration 2610C, in this embodiment, is a subset of cards from a standard deck of fifty-two cards.
Outcome section 2630 includes outcome area 2630D for the game, from which the outcome for the game will be determined. Heading 2630A, such as “DRAW UP TO FIVE CARDS,” may be imprinted on ticket 2600 to indicate outcome section 2630. Outcome area 2630 is normally covered by an alterable covering surface (not shown) that is in the form of a grid having a plurality of cells, wherein each cell is defined by a particular row and column. Under each cell is indicia (e.g., a card) such that when a cell is altered, the indicia is revealed. The plurality of indicia located under the cells of the alterable area represent the complement of the subset including the initial configuration.
For example, in this embodiment in which the game indicia include the fifty-two cards in a standard deck of playing cards, the initial configuration includes five of those cards. In this way, the plurality of indicia representing the complement of the cards that make up the initial configuration include forty-seven cards (and may also include wild cards). The forty-seven cards represent those contained in the deck of fifty-two cards, with the exception of the cards shown in initial configuration 2610C. In the present embodiment, the player will draw a number of cards by altering cells of the alterable area to reveal a corresponding number of cards.
In this embodiment, ticket 2600 may include a background section. It may be configured to include information similar to the type described above with reference to background section 150 (FIG. 1).
The instant lottery game using ticket 2600 is played in the same manner as the game described above for ticket 2100—i.e., according to process 800, with the exception that strategies are not used. Additionally, ticket 2600 may be configured to include machine readable indicia, such as bar codes, that are indicative of payouts. Ticket 2600 may also include electrical circuits therein so that payouts may be determined using an electronic verification device, such as the one described above. Still further, process 600 may be used by a player to claim his payout.
Referring next to FIGS. 10A and 10B, an alternate embodiment of an inventive ticket 3100 for an instant lottery game is described. In this embodiment, ticket 3100 simulates a game of bingo in which the player wins a payout depending on the number of scratches he requires to obtain five in a row, with fewer scratches resulting in a higher payout. In FIG. 10A, ticket 3100 is depicted as it is normally sold to a player—that is, before the game has been played. The game has game indicia associated with it. In this embodiment, the game indicia include the seventy-five numbers that make up the called numbers from a typical bingo game.
Ticket 3100 includes a play section 3105 and a background section 3150. Play section 3105 includes an initial configuration section 3110 and an outcome section 3140.
Initial configuration section 3110 is used to indicate an initial configuration (or starting point) for the game, and represents the information contained on a conventional bingo card. A heading 3110A, such as “YOUR CARD,” may be imprinted on ticket 3100 to indicate initial configuration section 3110. An alterable covering surface 3110B having numbers printed thereon allows the player to track his game progress as described in more detail below. There is no need to hide initial configuration section 3110 since no bingo card is inherently better than any other.
In this exemplary embodiment in which the game simulates bingo, initial configuration 3110 includes a subset of the game indicia—e.g., a card of twenty-four numbers and a free space. Alterable covering surface 3110B may be of the type described above for alterable covering surface 110B (FIG. 1). Thus, as is readily seen, in this embodiment, initial configuration 3110 comprises the player's bingo card. Initial configuration 3110 may be generated at random or produced sequentially.
Outcome section 3140 includes an outcome area 3140C (FIG. 10B) for the game, from which the outcome for the game will be determined. Instructions 3150A may be imprinted on ticket 3100 to indicate the elements of game play.
Alterable covering surface 3140B, which covers outcome area 3140C, is in the form of a grid having a plurality of cells, wherein each cell is defined by a particular row and column. Alterable covering surface 3140B may be of the type described above for the alterable covering surface 110B (FIG. 1). Rather than hiding the complement of the subset including the initial configuration (as in the above poker embodiments), alterable covering surface 3140B hides each of the game indicia—e.g., all seventy-five numbers that may be drawn in the game.
In the present embodiment, the player will draw a number of numbers by altering cells of alterable area 3140B to reveal game numbers. The player continues to draw numbers until he has matched five in a row of his initial configuration 3110.
In this embodiment, ticket 3100 may include a background 3150 section. It may be configured to include information similar to the type described above with reference to background section 150 (FIG. 1).
FIG. 10B depicts ticket 3100 in which alterable covering surface 3130B has been altered. As is seen there, when alterable covering surface 3130B is altered, a plurality of indicia if the form of numbers 3130C are revealed. In this example, the plurality of indicia correspond to each of the game indicia—i.e., the seventy-five numbers which the player is trying to match to the numbers of initial configuration 3110. An outcome for the game will be determined based on the number of cells that a player alters in order to match five numbers in a row.
FIG. 10C illustrates a ticket 3100 which has been completed by the player. In this example, it is seen that the player has altered nine cells thus revealing nine numbers within outcome area 3140. The numbers “16,” “19,” “20,” 22,” and “23” represent numbers that appear within the initial configuration 3110 in a five in a row configuration, specifically all five numbers in the “I” column. The player has also revealed numbers “12,” “53,” “69,” and “72,” which numbers do not contribute to his bingo of the “I” column. While the number “53” falls within initial configuration 3110, it plays no part in the bingo of the “I” column.
Since the player has completed a bingo, there is no further need to continue revealing locations from outcome area 3140. At this point, the player determines that nine cells have been altered and refers to the payout information on the back of the ticket 3100 to determine if he has won a payout.
FIG. 10D illustrates the reverse side of ticket 3100, and has a payout area 3150B, a payout redemption instructions area 3150C, and a bar code 3150D. In this embodiment, the payout is determined based on the number of cells that the player alters in order to achieve bingo. Further, as is seen by the payout information area 3150B, the payout to the player decreases as the number of indicia revealed increases. In this example, payout information area 3150B indicates that for a bingo achieved by altering only nine cells, the payout is $500. Those of ordinary skill will appreciate that the payout options could include more levels of payouts, as well as smaller or larger amounts.
so that when a strategy is selected by a player and the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered, the outcome for the game is revealed.
2. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the game comprises a computerized video poker simulation.
3. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the initial configuration comprises a plurality of cards.
4. The ticket of claim 3, wherein the strategies are those with the highest expected values.
5. The ticket of claim 1, wherein each of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcomes comprises a scratch-off material.
6. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the ticket is sold by a vendor to a player in a package that obscures the ticket from the view of the vendor and the player.
7. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the initial configuration is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to the initial configuration is altered, the initial configuration is revealed.
8. The ticket of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of strategies is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when an alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of strategies is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed.
9. The ticket of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of strategies is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when a selected one of the alterable areas is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed.
10. The ticket of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of strategies indicates certain of the plurality of the cards to hold.
11. The ticket of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of outcomes indicates a second plurality of cards.
12. The ticket of claim 1, further comprising a payout section comprising a plurality of payouts for the game, wherein each of the plurality of payouts is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of outcomes.
13. The ticket of claim 12, wherein at least certain of the plurality of payouts comprises a dollar amount that is to be paid to a player of the game.
14. The ticket of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of payouts comprises a machine readable indicia indicative of the payout.
15. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the ticket comprises an electrical circuit associated with each of the plurality of outcomes, and wherein the electrical circuit may be read by a machine to determine a payout for the game.
16. The ticket of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of payouts is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of payouts is altered, the payout corresponding thereto is revealed.
17. The ticket of claim 1, wherein the initial configuration is selected to increase a player's interest in the game.
18. The ticket of claim 1, wherein at least certain of the plurality of strategies also indicates a maximum possible payout if the strategy is used.
19. The ticket of claim 1, wherein when more than one of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcomes is altered, the ticket becomes void.
so that when a strategy is selected by a player and the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered, the final hand for the game is revealed.
so that when a strategy is selected by a player and a portion of the alterable area corresponding thereto is altered based on the strategy, a predetermined number of the indicia are revealed so that an outcome for the game can be determined.
22. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the game comprises a computerized video poker simulation.
23. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the initial configuration comprises a plurality of cards.
24. The ticket of claim 23, wherein the strategies are those with the highest expected values.
25. The ticket of claim 21, wherein each of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcome areas comprises a scratch-off material.
26. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the ticket is sold by a vendor to a player in a package that obscures the ticket from the view of the vendor and the player.
27. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the initial configuration is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to the initial configuration is altered, the initial configuration is revealed.
28. The ticket of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of strategies is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when an alterable area corresponding to one of the plurality of strategies is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed.
29. The ticket of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of strategies is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when a selected one of the alterable areas is altered, the strategy corresponding thereto is revealed.
30. The ticket of claim 23, wherein at least one of the plurality of strategies indicates certain of the plurality of the cards to hold.
31. The ticket of claim 23, wherein the revealed indicia comprise at least one card.
32. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the outcome for the game is determined based on the initial configuration and the revealed indicia.
33. The ticket of claim 32, further comprising a payout table for determining a payout for the outcome of the game.
34. The ticket of claim 32, wherein the ticket comprises an electrical circuit associated with the outcome areas, and wherein the electrical circuit may be read by a machine to determine a payout for the game.
35. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the initial configuration is selected to increase a player's interest in the game.
36. The ticket of claim 21, wherein at least certain of the plurality of strategies also indicates a maximum possible payout if the strategy is used.
37. The ticket of claim 21, wherein when more than one of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcome areas is altered, the ticket becomes void.
38. The ticket of claim 23, wherein the indicia comprise the cards from a standard deck of cards with the exception of the plurality of cards.
39. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the alterable area comprises a plurality of cells.
40. The ticket of claim 21, wherein the alterable area comprises a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows.
41. The ticket of claim 20, wherein the strategies are those with the highest expected values.
42. The ticket of claim 20, wherein each of the alterable areas corresponding to the plurality of outcomes comprises a scratch-off material.
43. The ticket of claim 20, wherein at least one of the plurality of strategies indicates certain of the plurality of the cards to hold.
44. The ticket of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of dollar amounts imprinted on the ticket, wherein each dollar amount is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of final hands, and wherein each dollar amount is normally hidden under a corresponding alterable area so that when the alterable area corresponding to one of the dollar amounts is altered, the dollar amount corresponding thereto is revealed.
Beggs, Charles E., People Are Getting On Board With Video Poker, The Bulletin (Bend, OR), Jun. 14, 1996, 3 pages.
Dyer, Scott, Lottery Unveils Games Similar to Video Poker, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), May 28, 1996, 2 pages.
Grochowski, John, Explaining Video Poker: How the Cards Are Dealt, Chicago Sun-Times, Jun. 10, 1994, 2 pages.
Grochowski, John, Pick Five Shuffles Video Poker, Chicago-Sun Times, Sep. 21, 1997, 3 pages. | 2019-04-24T14:46:42Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US6250685B1/en | Porn | Business | 0.18256 |
wordpress | To me, the sign of how good a book is, is how quickly I can read it.
And trust me when I say, this one is a freaking brilliant book. I devoured it in one sitting.
The boyfriend has been telling me as long as we have been together that I absolutely must read this book. (I’ve told him the same with The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho) So I added it to my mental list of things to read, but never got round to it.
“well, alright then, I’ll give it a go,” I thought to myself.
I stayed up past my bed time to read this book! Naughty Emily!
This book, as it says on the cover, is ‘a journey through the madness industry.’ It talks about the list they use to determine if someone a psychopath, what their tendencies are, how their mind works, as well as following certain people’s stories and studies.
Ronson’s journey begins when he is contacted by a neurologist to investigate a cryptic book she has received in the post.
From there he meets an inmate of a mental institution who swears he is sane, as well as doctors who study psychopathy, and other people involved in the industry.
Jon writes in a way that makes 3 hours of reading time feel like about 15 minutes. It made me laugh in places, but ultimately it’s just so darn interesting you will not want to put it down!
I have told everyone I’ve seen in the past 2 days about this book.
In all, this book totally deserves 5/5 stars.
Now go and buy it. | 2019-04-23T12:08:13Z | https://mulberrygrace.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/review-the-psychopath-test-by-jon-ronson/ | Porn | Reference | 0.494911 |
wordpress | Freeedooommm!! As per Mel Gibson’s yell in Braveheart as William Wallace was being executed. Explanation coming.
I’m still here, just not very active in terms of blog or riding. Almost through the month and I’ve one whole ride to show for it. Or is it two? Not sure and the Garmin site is conking out so I can’t see.
Last week, I dropped the trike off at the shop to get the spring thing done to it as well as contemplate options for upgrading the gearing since the chain needs replaced as well. 9 speed cassettes are near impossible to find now. Kinda like 26 inch tires. So, upgrading to 10 speed.
The gears aren’t done yet, as Bobby wanted to research the options and figure out the cost before ordering, but he did get the tires and pedals swapped. Once that was finished, I rode it from shop to storage. Longest ride since Valentine’s day. Thankfully, my hip hardly seemed to notice it.
Naturally as soon as I swapped to smoother, not-studded tires and back to my SPD pedals, the temperature dropped and we had ice, snow. I wasn’t going to risk skidding around while people in cars with summer tires did the same. Not to mention having subfreezing winds howling through the cleat slots in the bottom of my shoes. It’s been nice not having my toes feel like they’re getting twisted off with pliers this winter. I’d kinda like to keep it so.
Once it warmed up, of course, I slept wrong and aggravated my hip. Yay.
But there is progress. I’ve been reveling in having most days with a mostly pain free hip. I’ve been jealously guarding that feeling which has de-motivated my urge to ride. Also, since my miles were so abysmal during even January and February before I waved the white flag to my hip, I just feel there’s no way to catch up the lost miles to make 2017 the new ‘Best Year Ever’.
But, in the past week, there has been a new mental shift from, ‘No! I won’t ride because I like my hip not causing constant pain’ to ‘I want my freedom back!’ I’ve been working hard to cultivate it.
I’ve been eating better to help with my weight. It’s been driving Jens a little nuts because he’s like, ‘Hey! Let’s go to our favorite restaurant’ and I respond with a ‘meh’ at best or an outright no. I’ve committed to more gym time to do the exercises my SIL has recommended. She’s even gone with me twice so far. Once to teach me the exercises and again to be sure of my form.
And I’m not doing this to just plop my rump in the trike seat and do circles on the River Loop. The key word here is FREEDOM.
That is something I’ve been losing for the better part of 2 years now. Even with last year being the best ever in terms of miles, it’s been the absolute worst for quality miles. Out of some 200 rides last year, close to roughly 170 of them have been on what I call ‘hamster tracks’. About 140 of them, just on my basic River Loop hamster track. Even just going for ‘short’ 8 mile jaunts to do things downtown like I did until about September last year became too difficult. I loved doing errands on my trike. Admittedly, I loved pelting out through the countryside for 20-30+ miles more, but still, the 7-12 mile rolls to tend to things while dragging my rattling trailer around was nice too. I’ve lost it. Lost it all. I’m trapped on the same 3-6 mile circle when I’m not deprived of the trike all together.
My trike used to be my wings. Well, they’ve been clipped and left me flapping in small, repetitive circles. I’m sick of it.
It’s been brought home harder to me the past couple weeks too. Firstly, the yearly produce market has started appearing at Vaksala Square near the concert hall. Parking in the area is nigh impossible and, since I’ve been able to cycle so little, my neuromsuclar pain makes it agonizing to walk a half mile, particularly if I try carrying 5 lbs of fruit for half of it. It has to be the trike. Both to remove the parking issue, but also to help remove the symptoms of the nerve pain.
The other portion of having it ‘brought home’ to me happened on Friday when I ran an errand in the area of Enköping.
Well, it appears that Loke has had the bad sense to go get allergic to reindeer, which yes, relates to the errand in Enköping. Loke’s new potential allergy been a multi-layered discovery and mostly by accident. He’s been having issues for quite some time. Stiffness and limping that had us undergo the treatment with a shot a week thing. It kinda seemed to help, but then a few days after the injections, he’d been stiff again. Even after the last one, while he was better than before the treatments, it wasn’t quite as good as I hoped.
Then toward the end of last month, he developed another symptom of inflammation though I’ll spare the details.
When his then current batch of boiled reindeer ran out, I was too busy to carve out a 4 hour window to boil another block. Running errands so couldn’t sit at home for that long a stretch of time. Jens didn’t work from home at all for over 2 weeks so he couldn’t babysit it either. I didn’t want to do it in the evenings because then it has to sit on the stove overnight because it’s too warm to go in the fridge until well after I’m desperate for bed.
So, for about 8 days, Loke had just kibble. After about 4 of them, he started moving better. Very little limping, almost no stiffness, and the other symptom disappeared as well. My tender-hearted hubby insisted, no, it couldn’t be the reindeer. Maybe Loke just got into some bread crumbs that had dropped to the floor while Jens was cutting from a loaf. He absolutely hates the idea that the rest of Loke’s life will be nothing but kibble.
I finally had the time to boil up more of the meat and WHAM, the symptoms came back. Stopped giving it to him and they disappeared again. Jens still isn’t entirely convinced, mostly because he wants to have something to spoil Loke with, but I’m pretty sure and since I’m in charge of the furball’s feeding and medical, that’s just the way it is.
Unfortunately, a diet of nothing but the hideously expensive (nearly 100 USD per 17 lbs!) binds Loke up. So, I did some research online about dog-food from rabbit sources. My efforts turned up very little at first, until I found a rabbit farm out on the fringes of the Enköping area. I sent an e-mail and yes, they package the scraps from their butchering to sell as dog food. Several different kinds even. Some is just internal organs, some with a mix muscle and organs, even a kind that includes pulverized bone. It’s all from what they provide for restaurants so from good quality source.
So, Friday, off Loke and I went to the farm just outside of Enköping. It was on the drive that brought home hard just what I’ve lost in terms of cycling. The first 2/3rds of the way there was on the big roads, so it didn’t hit me so keenly. Then I made the turns onto the small country roads and pang hit. I’ve ridden most of the roads I drove down. Explored churches, chased down runestones, rolled by the gorgeous scenery of rolling hills, wooded patches, and charming wooden farm buildings painted in the traditional Swedish red. Some of them are roads I’ve never ridden the trike down and views just as stunning. I ached to explore them on 3 wheels with a husky jogging along side.
It drove the final nail to secure my determination. Correct the imbalance between muscle atrophy of the muscles inside my leg and the over development of those on the outside. Get my ability to ride long and far again. I need it.
We found the farm no problem and the man was very nice. An older gentleman who didn’t know much English, so we had to muddle along since rabbit based dog-food doesn’t come up in my conversations in Swedish very often. He carefully described what he had in stock. I picked the mix of meat and organs. Then I was horribly mortified. I’d been absolutely convinced that I had 200 kr on me, but when I went to pull it out, I couldn’t find it any where. Annoyed at myself and sad for Loke, I went to hand it back. He shook his head and pushed it away, saying if my dog could eat it, I could pay for it when I came back for more.
The drive back out from the farm only pounded my determination more firmly. Oddly, instead of taking me back the way we’d come, GoogleMaps took me down the smaller roads for much longer. I felt almost teary as I drove by Långtora church, one of first few mentioned in my blog. Swung around a sharp curve where a runestone sits that I’ve passed on the trike 2 or 3 times while pedalling through scenery to make one smile. Riding by pastures and knowing they were burial grounds that I’d not properly ‘collected’.
I stopped at a few places on the way back to walk Loke. He enjoyed that immensely.
He was also drooling with the smell of that frozen block of meat tucked securely in a bag. When we got home, he was looking between me and the bag while kissing the side of this kennel when I went to get him out of the car. As I carried it in, he was prancing along in anticipation.
After the first tiny serving of it, so far so good. No noticeable allergy effects so far. Last night, I gave him a slightly bigger share of it. So, we’ll see. Fingers crossed. It will make Loke happier I think, as well as the hubby though he’s sworn he will NOT touch it for anything on this earth.
Another benefit if we can continue feeding him the stuff, it will make that solid gold kibble we feed him last longer. | 2019-04-21T23:14:32Z | https://terii.wordpress.com/2017/04/23/freeedoommm/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.890954 |
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A method for the treatment of a stenosis or an occlusion in a blood vessel in which an occlusive device is first delivered and activated at a site distal to the occlusion to at least partially occlude the vessel. A therapy catheter is then introduced to treat the occlusion and a debris removal device is delivered to aspirate debris from the vessel. The present invention eliminates the need for a separate irrigation catheter and irrigation fluid which allows the procedure to be performed quickly and efficiently, and is especially useful in the removal of occlusion from saphenous vein graft, the coronary and carotid arteries, arteries above the aortic arch and vessels of similar size and pressure.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/049,857, filed Mar. 27, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,991, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/813,807, filed Mar. 6, 1997, now abandoned, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to an improved method for aspirating emboli, thrombi, and other types of particles from the human arterial or venous system, the method being particularly well suited for treating stenoses or occlusions within saphenous vein grafts, coronary arteries, arteries above the aortic arch such as the carotid and cerebral arteries, and similar vessels.
Human blood vessels often become occluded or completely blocked by plaque, thrombi, other deposits, emboli or other substances, which reduce the blood carrying capacity of the vessel. Should the blockage occur at a critical place in the circulatory system, serious and permanent injury, or even death, can occur. To prevent this, some form of medical intervention is usually performed when significant occlusion is detected.
Coronary heart disease is an extremely common disorder in developed countries, and is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Damage to or malfunction of the heart is caused by narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries (atherosclerosis) that supply blood to the heart. The coronary arteries are first narrowed and may eventually be completely blocked by plaque, and may further be complicated by the formation of thrombi (blood clots) on the roughened surfaces of the plaques. Myocardial infarction can result from atherosclerosis, especially from an occlusive or near occlusive thrombi overlying or adjacent to the atherosclerotic plaque, leading to death of portions of the heart muscle. Thrombi and emboli also often result from myocardial infarction, and these clots can block the coronary arteries, or can migrate further downstream, causing additional complications.
Various types of intervention techniques have been developed which facilitate the reduction or removal of the blockage in the blood vessel, allowing increased blood flow through the vessel. One technique for treating stenosis or occlusion of a blood vessel is balloon angioplasty. A balloon catheter is inserted into the narrowed or blocked area, and the balloon is inflated to expand the constricted area. In many cases, near normal blood flow is restored. It can be difficult, however, to treat plaque deposits and thrombi in the coronary arteries, because the coronary arteries are small, which makes accessing them with commonly used catheters difficult.
Other types of intervention include atherectomy, deployment of stents, introduction of specific medication by infusion, and bypass surgery. Each of these methods are not without the risk of embolism caused by the dislodgement of the blocking material which then moves downstream. In addition, the size of the blocked vessel may limit percutaneous access to the vessel.
In coronary bypass surgery, a more costly and invasive form of intervention, a section of a vein, usually the saphenous vein taken from the leg, is used to form a connection between the aorta and the coronary artery distal to the obstruction. Over time, however, the saphenous vein graft may itself become diseased, stenosed, or occluded, similar to the bypassed vessel. Atherosclerotic plaque in saphenous vein grafts tends to be more friable and less fibrocalcific than its counterpart in native coronary arteries.
Diffusely diseased old saphenous vein grafts with friable atherosclerotic lesions and thrombi have therefore been associated with iatrogenic distal embolic debris. Balloon dilatation of saphenous vein grafts is more likely to produce symptomatic embolization than dilatation of the coronary arteries, not only because of the difference in the plaque but also because vein grafts and their atheromatous plaques are generally larger than the coronary arteries to which they are anastomosed. Once the plaque and thrombi are dislodged from the vein, they can move downstream, completely blocking another portion of the coronary artery and causing myocardial infarction. In fact, coronary embolization as a complication of balloon angioplasty of saphenous vein grafts is higher than that in balloon angioplasty of native coronary arteries. Therefore, balloon angioplasty of vein grafts is performed with the realization that involvement by friable atherosclerosis is likely and that atheroembolization represents a significant risk.
Because of these complications and high recurrence rates, old diffusely diseased saphenous vein grafts have been considered contraindications for angioplasty and atherectomy, severely limiting the options for minimally invasive treatment. However, some diffusely diseased or occluded saphenous vein grafts may be associated with acute ischemic syndromes, necessitating some form of intervention.
There is therefore a need for improved methods of treatment for occluded vessels such as saphenous vein grafts and the smaller coronary arteries, the carotid and cerebral arteries, which decrease the risks to the patient.
The present invention provides a novel method for removing plaque, thrombi, emboli and other types of obstructions or occlusions from blood vessels having an inlet fluid pressure of at least 0.2 psi at any time during the diastolic/systolic cycle of the heart. Although the pressure within the vessel may fall below 0.2 psi during relaxation between heartbeats, so long as the pressure created by the heartbeat rises to at least 0.2 psi, the pressure within the vessel will be sufficient. The method preferably includes the use of an occlusive device such as a balloon or filter to occlude the vessel distal to the obstruction, an optional therapy catheter to treat the obstruction, and a source of aspiration to remove the debris created by the therapy. By utilizing the fluid pressure and flow within the blood vessel, this method eliminates the need for a separate irrigation catheter and irrigation fluid. The present invention allows for the removal of occlusions more rapidly than known methods. Speed is essential in such procedures, since blood flow is significantly decreased or stopped during the time the vessel is occluded. The speed with which normal blood flow is restored is more critical in main vessels which supply blood to collateral vessels. The method of the present invention allows for the removal of occlusions from saphenous vein grafts, coronary arteries, arteries above the aortic arch such as the carotid and cerebral arteries, and blood vessels of similar pressure. The minimally invasive treatment can be provided at low cost and at relatively low risk to the patient.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for the treatment of a stenosis or an occlusion in a blood vessel having a fluid pressure of at least about 0.2 psi. The blood vessel can be a saphenous vein graft, a coronary artery, a blood vessel above the aortic arch, or any other vessel with a fluid flow rate of at least about 10 cc per minute (prior to occlusion of the vessel using an occlusive device as described below), and more preferably, about 60 to 80 cc per minute, or about 120 to 140 cc per minute. This flow rate is needed to provide adequate irrigation fluid, which allows for substantially complete aspiration of the area surrounding the occlusion in a very short period of time. Using this combination of irrigation provided from the blood flow into the vessel and aspiration, it has been found that aspiration of debris and fluid within the working area can occur in less than 3 seconds, but can also continue for 10 to 20 seconds or longer, until the procedure is completed. Thus, the physician can quickly and efficiently clear the debris from the area and restore normal blood flow through the vessel.
One aspect of the method comprises first inserting a catheter or guidewire having an occlusive device at its distal end into the blood vessel, until it is distal to the stenosis or occlusion. It is to be understood that the stenosis or occlusion could be in a discrete location or diffused within the vessel. Therefore, although placement of the occlusive device is said to be distal to the stenosis or occlusion to be treated, portions of the diffuse stenosis or occlusion may remain distal to the occlusive device.
Once in place, the occlusive device is activated to substantially or completely occlude the vessel distal to the existing stenosis or occlusion and to create a working area surrounding the stenosis or occlusion. A therapy catheter is then inserted into the blood vessel until it reaches the stenosis or occlusion, and a desired therapy is performed on the stenosis or occlusion. The fluid inlet pressure within the vessel prevents any particles produced during therapy from flowing against the pressure and out of the working area, thus localizing the particles for aspiration. The therapy catheter is removed, and the distal end of an aspiration catheter or other device which creates an area of turbulence and uses negative pressure to aspirate fluid and debris is delivered into the vessel with the preferred placement being at the working area in a position just proximal to the occlusive device. Fluid is aspirated from the working area inside the vessel preferably proximal to the occlusive device to remove debris, while the fluid pressure within the vessel provides irrigation fluid within the working area. This aspiration creates a fluid flow within the working area, and provides a flow of irrigation fluid into the area. It is this combination of irrigation and aspiration that allows for very fast and efficient removal of debris. Once aspiration is complete, the aspiration catheter or similar device is removed and the occlusive device deactivated. Finally, the catheter or guidewire is removed from the vessel as well.
The insertion can include the act of inserting the proximal end of the guidewire into the hollow lumen inside the aspiration catheter and advancing the aspiration catheter over the guidewire. This is commonly known as “over-the-wire” insertion. Alternatively, the proximal end of the guidewire can be inserted into a separate guidewire lumen on the aspiration catheter. Only a short portion of the aspiration catheter, as little as 5 cm, rides over the guidewire as the catheter is advanced. This is known as a single operator system, since, unlike the over-the-wire systems, a second operator is not required to hold the long guidewire while the catheter is inserted into the patient; a single user alone can deliver the catheter over the guidewire in this system.
The distal end of the aspiration catheter or similar device should be slidably inserted into the vessel, across the occlusion and preferably as close to the proximal side of the occlusive device as possible. Thereafter, aspiration is begun and the aspiration catheter should be pulled back by the operator, such that the distal tip slides proximal to the occlusion and the occlusive device. Thus, while the distal tip of the aspiration catheter is preferably initially at a position distal to the occlusion and no more than about 5 cm proximal to the occlusive device, or preferably no more than about 2 cm proximal to the occlusive device, the operator then slides the aspiration catheter back during aspiration, crossing the occlusion and increasing the distance between the distal tip and the occlusive device. Aspiration can therefore occur anywhere between about 0 to 20 cm proximal to the occlusive device. Alternatively, the distal tip of the aspiration catheter may be initially positioned proximal to the occlusion and the occlusive device. Aspiration is begun, and the tip is moved in a distal direction, across the occlusion and immediately adjacent the occlusive device. The tip is then moved in a proximal direction, back across the occlusion. This distal and proximal movement of the catheter tip during aspiration ensures the complete removal of particles and debris from the patient.
The irrigation fluid supplied by the proximal portion of the blood vessel will move any particles or debris from a position proximal to the distal end of the aspiration catheter, thus allowing them to be aspirated. If a particle, however, is too far distal to the tip of the aspiration catheter, the irrigation fluid will tend to keep it there and not allow it to be aspirated from the vessel. The tip of the aspiration catheter can therefore be slidably advanced in a distal direction more than once if desired, to ensure complete removal of debris. Once aspiration has begun, additional blood will flow into the area, creating turbulence and also allowing for the removal of debris.
If desired, a guide catheter can first be inserted into the patient's body to aid in the insertion of the guidewire and catheters. The guide catheter can be used to provide aspiration in place of the aspiration catheter if desired. The guide catheter is then removed following completion of the procedure.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for the treatment of a stenosis or an occlusion in a blood vessel having a fluid pressure of at least about 0.2 psi, and a fluid flow rate of at least about 10 cc per minute (when not occluded using an occlusive device as described), and more preferably, about 60 to 80 cc per minute, or 120-140 cc per minute. The method comprises the steps of inserting a guidewire or catheter having an occlusive device on its distal end into the blood vessel, until the occlusive device is distal to the stenosis or occlusion. The occlusive device is activated to substantially occlude the vessel distal to the existing stenosis or occlusion and create a working area surrounding the stenosis or occlusion. A therapy catheter is then inserted into the lumen of an aspiration catheter or similar device, and the therapy catheter and the aspiration catheter are simultaneously delivered into the blood vessel until they reach the stenosis or occlusion. Therapy is performed to eliminate the occlusion, and the fluid pressure within the vessel acts to prevent any particles produced during therapy from flowing against the pressure and out of the working area. When therapy is complete, the therapy catheter is removed while the aspiration catheter remains, and fluid inside the working area is aspirated to remove the particles while the fluid pressure provides irrigation fluid within the working area. When aspiration is complete, the aspiration catheter or similar device is removed and the occlusive device is deactivated. The guidewire or catheter is also then removed.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for the treatment of a stenosis or an occlusion in a blood vessel having a fluid pressure of at least about 0.2 psi, and a fluid flow rate of at least about 10 cc per minute (prior to occlusion using an occlusive device). The method comprises inserting an occlusive device into the vessel until the occlusive device is distal to the stenosis or occlusion. The device can be attached to the distal end of a catheter or guidewire. The device is actuated to occlude the vessels distal to the existing stenosis or occlusion and create a working area surrounding the stenosis or occlusion. The fluid pressure within the vessel prevents any particles dislodged during insertion of the guidewire or catheter from flowing against the pressure and out of the working area. The distal end of an aspiration catheter or similar device is inserted to a position just proximal to the occlusive device, and fluid from the working area inside the vessel just proximal the occlusive device is aspirated. This will remove the stenosis or occlusion and any free particles while the fluid pressure provides irrigation fluid within the area. When aspiration is complete, the aspiration catheter is removed and the occlusive device deactivated. The guidewire or catheter is then removed.
Another aspect of the present invention involves the use of an expandable device, such as an inflatable balloon, to inhibit the migration of emboli or other particles in a proximal to distal direction within the vessel. This can be done by at least partially occluding the vessel at a site distal to the emboli or other occlusion. Again, although placement of the expandable device is said to be distal to the emboli or other occlusion to be treated, in the case of a diffuse occlusion, outlying portions of the occlusion may remain distal to the device.
The fluid pressure within the vessel prevents emboli or other particles from migrating in a distal to proximal direction. If desired, a therapy catheter may be used to perform therapy on the vessel at the site of the emboli or occlusion. The therapy catheter may be removed, and a catheter, such as an aspiration catheter, having a lumen in fluid communication with a distal opening in the catheter is advanced across the site of the emboli or occlusion such that the opening is distal to at least a portion of the emboli or occlusion. Fluid is then drawn through the distal opening in the catheter to remove the emboli, occlusion or debris. By drawing fluid into the opening, a fluid flow is created in the lumen of the catheter in a distal to proximal direction, while simultaneously, fluid flows in a proximal to distal direction in the vessel.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for the evacuation of emboli from a blood vessel. A catheter having a lumen in fluid communication with a distal opening in the catheter is positioned such that the opening is distal to at least a portion of an occlusive substance, such as emboli, within the blood vessel. Fluid is then drawn from the vessel into the distal opening such that the emboli are carried from the vessel into the distal opening and through the lumen of the catheter. The fluid intake preferably simultaneously creates a fluid flow in the lumen in a distal to proximal direction, and in the vessel in a proximal to distal direction. During the fluid intake through the catheter, the distal opening in the catheter is preferably moved from a position distal to the occlusive substance, to a position proximal to the occlusive substance, to a position distal to the occlusive substance to ensure complete removal of particles.
Accordingly, the present invention provides for very fast and efficient aspiration of an area surrounding an occlusion in a blood vessel. The patient's own blood provides the irrigation fluid, thereby eliminating the need for a separate irrigation catheter and supply of irrigation fluid. By reducing the number of devices needed to be inserted into the patient, the present invention reduces the amount of time required to complete the procedure, and allows the physician to restore normal blood flow in the vessel in a very short period of time.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a human heart showing a saphenous vein graft used to bypass a portion of the coronary arteries.
FIG. 2 is a side view of an over-the-wire aspiration catheter in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross section of the aspiration catheter of FIG. 2, taken along line 3—3 in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a cross section of the aspiration catheter of FIG. 2 showing a guide wire over which the aspiration catheter rides.
FIG. 5 is a side view of a single operator type aspiration catheter in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross section of the proximal end of the aspiration catheter of FIG. 5, taken along line 6—6 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a cross section of the distal end of the aspiration catheter of FIG. 5, taken along line 7—7 of FIG. 5.
FIGS. 8A-C are side views of the various embodiments of the distal end of the aspiration catheter of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an over-the-wire aspiration catheter and guidewire inserted into a saphenous vein graft in accordance with the present invention, with the vein graft shown partially cut away.
FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a distal portion of the catheter apparatus shown in FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an over-the-wire aspiration catheter and a guidewire bearing an occlusive filter inserted into a saphenous vein graft, with the vein graft shown partially cut away.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a therapy catheter delivering a drug and a guidewire having on occlusive device inserted into a saphenous vein graft, with the vein graft shown partially cut away.
FIGS. 14A-D show a perspective view of the movement of an over-the wire aspiration catheter during aspiration in a saphenous vein graft, with the vein graft shown partially cut away.
FIGS. 15A-B illustrate the positioning of the occlusive device distal to the occlusion in branching and non-branching blood vessels.
The present invention provides an improved method for aspirating emboli, plaque, thrombi or other occlusions from a blood vessel. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is adapted for use in the treatment of a stenosis or an occlusion in a blood vessel in which the stenosis or occlusion has a length and a width or thickness which at least partially occludes the vessel's lumen. Thus, the method is effective in treating both partial and complete occlusions of the blood vessels. It is to be understood that “occlusion” as used herein, includes both complete and partial occlusions, stenoses, emboli, thrombi, plaque, and any other substance which at least partially occludes the lumen of the blood vessel.
The method of the present invention can be used to provide aspiration without the need for a separate irrigation catheter and irrigation fluid. In the context of removing plaque, thrombi or other blockages from blood vessels, it has heretofore been proposed that an isolated “chamber” surrounding the occlusion be created prior to attempting treatment, and that separate irrigation fluid be provided through an irrigation catheter to the chamber. It has been surprisingly discovered that isolation of the occlusion is not required, and that the occlusion can be successfully removed without the need for delivery of a separate irrigation catheter and irrigation fluid in those vessels where certain pressure and fluid flow conditions exist, such as saphenous vein grafts, coronary arteries, carotid arteries and other vessels.
In non-bifurcated areas of the blood vessels, it has been discovered that fluid from the collateral vessels or from the proximal portion of the same vessel acts as an infusion source. One can therefore occlude only the distal portion of the vessel to create a working area surrounding the occlusion and allow blood to flow from the proximal portion of the vessel into the working area. The area surrounding the occlusion is aspirated through the guiding catheter or aspiration catheter. It should be noted that, as used herein, “proximal” refers to the portion of the apparatus closest to the end which remains outside the patient's body, and “distal” refers to the portion closest to the end inserted into the patient's body.
The aspiration method is adapted for use in vessels in which no bifurcation or branching occurs for a distance of approximately 2-10 cm past the site of the occlusion. Such a vessel 80 with an occlusion 82 is illustrated in FIG. 15A. This distance allows the vessel 80 to be occluded using an occlusive device 84 without the risk of any particles being carried downstream by the blood flow, where they could cause further damage (as illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 15B). There are exceptions, however; for example, the internal and external carotid arteries. Here, the common carotid artery bifurcates into the internal and external carotid arteries. It is possible to occlude the internal carotid artery only and allow particles to be carried away through the external carotid artery, since it is widely accepted that these particles can be carried safely away and will cause no damage downstream.
The aspiration method can be used in any vessel of the body where the pressure is at least 0.2 psi at any time during the diastolic/systolic cycle of the heart, and preferably, is about 1.2 psi, with a flow rate of at least 10 cc per minute. Thus, although the pressure within the vessel may fall below 0.2 psi during relaxation between heartbeats, so long as the pressure created by the heartbeat rises to at least 0.2 psi, the pressure within the vessel will be sufficient.
A preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention is particularly suited for use in removal of occlusions from saphenous vein grafts, coronary and carotid arteries, and vessels having similar pressures and flow where a suitable working area can be created. A saphenous vein graft is depicted in FIG. 1. The graft 2 is used to bypass one of the occluded coronary arteries 4, and connects the aorta 6 to the coronary artery at a location distal the occlusion 8. Although the present invention will be described in connection with a saphenous vein graft, it should be understood that this application is merely exemplary, and the method can be used in other blood vessels as well.
In a preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention, a guide catheter having a single lumen is first introduced into the patient's vasculature through an incision made in the femoral artery in the groin and used to guide the insertion of other catheters and devices to the desired site. Following insertion of the guide catheter, an occlusive device is delivered to a position distal the occlusion. For example, a second catheter having an expandable device (reference numbers 51 and 52, FIGS. 9 and 12), such as an inflatable balloon, filter, expandable braid or other mechanical occlusive device, attached at its distal end is inserted through the guide catheter and past the site of the occlusion (illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 12). The expandable occlusive device should be capable of preventing the migration of particles and debris from the working area, either through total or partial occlusion of the vessel. Note that the occlusion of the vessel need not be complete. Substantial occlusion of the vessel can be sufficient for purposes of the present invention. The catheter should be sized so as to be slidable with respect to the therapy and aspiration catheters inserted over the catheter. The catheter is preferably made of metal such as stainless steel or nitinol, plastics, or composites. A guidewire having an occlusive device on its distal end is also suitable for use in the present method. The method can be effectively carried out using a number of guidewires or catheters that perform the function of occluding the vessel and allowing for the slidable insertion of various other catheters and devices. The term “catheter” as used herein is therefore intended to include both guidewires and catheters with these desired characteristics.
A preferred catheter for use to occlude the vessel is illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. The catheter apparatus 110 is generally comprised of four communicating members including an elongated tubular member 114, an inflatable balloon member 116, a core-wire member 120 and a coil member 122. The catheter apparatus 110 is preferably provided with an outer coating of a lubricous material, such as TEFLON.
The body member 114 of the catheter apparatus 110 is in the form of hypotubing and is provided with proximal and distal ends 114A and 114B as well as an inner lumen 115 extending along the tubular member 114. The balloon member 116 is coaxially mounted on the distal end 114B of the tubular member 114 by suitable adhesives 119 at a proximal end 116A and a distal end 116B of the balloon member 116 as in the manner shown in FIG. 11. The core-wire member 120 of the catheter 110 may be comprised of a flexible wire 120. The flexible wire 120 is joined by soldering or brazing at a proximal end 120A of the flexible wire 120 to the distal end 114B of the tubular member 114 as in the manner show in FIG. 11.
Preferably, the proximal end 120A of the flexible wire 120 has a transverse cross sectional area substantially less than the smallest transverse cross-sectional area of the inner lumen 115 of the tubular member 114. In the preferred embodiment, the flexible wire 120 tapers in the distal end 120B to smaller diameters to provide greater flexibility to the flexible wire 120. However, the flexible wire may be in the form of a solid rod or a helical coil or wire or combinations thereof.
As shown in FIG. 11, the distal end 120B of the flexible wire 120 is secured to a rounded plug 118 of solder or braze at the distal end 122B of the coil member 122. The coil member 122 of the catheter 110 may be comprised of a helical coil 122. The coil member 122 is coaxially disposed about the flexible wire 120, and is secured to the flexible wire 120 by soldering or brazing at about the proximal end 120A of the flexible wire 120 as in the manner shown in FIG. 11.
The balloon member 116 is preferably a compliant balloon formed of a suitable elastic material such as a latex or the like. The flexible coil 122 is preferably formed of a wire of platinum based alloys. The flexible core-wire 120 and the tubular member 114 are preferably formed of a nickel-titanium alloy.
Alternatively, the occlusion catheter can be configured so as to allow for aspiration through the catheter, thus eliminating the need for a separate aspiration catheter. In this embodiment, the catheter has a long hollow shaft, having an outer diameter of less than about 0.038″, and preferably about 0.025″ to about 0.035″. The inner diameter or lumen of the shaft is about 0.020″ to about 0.030″. Aspiration occurs through the inner diameter of the catheter. The catheter has an occlusive device attached to its distal end. The occlusive device is preferably a mechanical device such as a self-expanding braid or coil which acts as a filter, preventing particles from moving downstream. The catheter shaft further comprises at least one opening, and preferably several openings, located just proximal to the occlusive device, which allow for aspiration. The proximal end of the catheter is adapted to allow a source of negative pressure to be attached, such that it is in fluid communication with the inner lumen.
Once the guiding catheter and catheter have been properly positioned inside the vessel, the occlusive device at the distal end of the catheter is actuated to occlude the vessel distal to the existing occlusion. A therapy catheter then is delivered to the site of the occlusion. The term “therapy catheter” is meant to include any of a number of known devices used to treat an occluded vessel. For example, a catheter carrying an inflatable balloon for use in balloon angioplasty can be delivered to dilate the occlusion. Thermal balloon angioplasty includes the use of heat to “mold” the vessel to the size and shape of the angioplasty balloon. Similarly, an intravascular stent can be delivered via a balloon catheter and deployed at the site of the occlusion to keep the vessel open. Cutting, shaving, scraping or pulverizing devices can be delivered to excise the occlusion in a procedure known as atherectomy. A laser or ultrasound device can also be delivered and used to ablate plaque in the vessel. Various thrombolytic or other types of drugs can be delivered locally in high concentrations to the site of the occlusion. It is also possible to deliver various chemical substances or enzymes via a catheter to the site of the stenosis to dissolve the obstruction. The term “therapy catheter” encompasses these and similar devices.
After the therapy has been performed and the occlusion has been removed using any of the methods and apparatus described above, the area is aspirated to remove fluid and debris. Aspiration can be provided through the guide catheter if desired. A source of negative pressure is attached at the proximal end of the guide catheter, and fluid and debris are aspirated through the guide catheter's main lumen. Alternatively, an aspiration catheter or similar debris removing device is used to remove particles and any other debris. The term “aspiration catheter” includes any device which creates an area of fluid turbulence and uses negative pressure to aspirate fluid and debris, and includes thrombectomy catheters, rheolitic devices and those devices which create a venturi effect within the vessel. Thus, it is possible that a single catheter is used as both the therapy catheter and the aspiration catheter. It should be noted that any particles which break free during therapy and aspiration procedures will be kept at the site of the procedure by the occlusive device occluding the distal portion of the vessel in combination with the fluid pressure coming from the proximal portion of the vessel. The debris is prevented from migrating elsewhere, and remains localized for removal by aspiration.
An aspiration catheter particularly suited for use in the method described is illustrated in FIG. 2. The catheter 10 includes an adaptor 14 and a seal 16 at its proximal end. The catheter 10 further includes an aspiration port 18 to which a source of negative pressure is attached. The aspiration catheter further comprises a long hollow shaft 20 having a distal end 22. The distal tip 22 can include a radiopaque marker to aid in locating the tip 22 during insertion into the patient, and is preferably soft to prevent damage to the patient's vasculature.
The aspiration catheter illustrated in FIG. 2 is an over-the-wire catheter. As seen in FIG. 3, the catheter shaft 20 is hollow. During insertion of the aspiration catheter 10, the proximal end of a guidewire 26 is inserted into the distal end of the aspiration catheter 22, and the aspiration catheter 10 is slidably advanced over the guidewire 26, which is positioned inside the hollow lumen 24 of the aspiration catheter 10. The position of the guidewire 26 relative to the shaft 20 of the aspiration catheter 10 is illustrated in FIG. 4, but of course can vary. For this type of aspiration catheter 10, a very long guidewire 26, generally around 300 cm in length, is used to facilitate the insertion of the aspiration catheter 10 over the guidewire 26.
Alternatively, the aspiration catheter 30 can be of a single operator design, as illustrated in FIGS. 5-7. The catheter 30 has an adaptor 32 and an aspiration port 34 at its proximal end. Like the over-the-wire aspiration catheter 10, the single operator aspiration catheter 30 further comprises a long hollow shaft 36 having a distal end 38. The distal tip 38 can include a radiopaque marker to aid in locating the tip 38 during insertion into the patient, and is preferably soft to prevent damage to the patient's vasculature. At the distal end of the shaft 38, a guidewire lumen 40 is attached. This lumen 40 provides a separate lumen, apart from the main aspiration lumen 42 of the catheter 30, for the insertion of the guidewire 26. This guidewire lumen can be as short as 5 cm. As illustrated in FIG. 7A, during delivery of the aspiration catheter 30, the proximal end of the guidewire 26 is inserted into the distal end of the guidewire lumen 40, and the guidewire lumen 40 is slidably advanced over the guidewire 26. Unlike the over-the-wire catheter 10 described above, only a short segment of the single operator aspiration catheter 30 rides over the guidewire 26, and the guidewire 26 remains in the guidewire lumen 40 and does not enter the aspiration lumen 42 of the aspiration catheter 30. With the single operator system 30, the long guidewire 26 used with the over-the-wire catheter 10, and the extra operator needed to handle it, are not required.
Although the guidewire lumen 40 is shown in FIG. 5 as being located only on the distal end 38 of the shaft of the aspiration catheter 36, the lumen 40 can also be made to extend the entire length of the shaft 36 if desired. In both embodiments, the aspiration lumen 42 is advantageously left completely unobstructed to provide more efficient aspiration. The guidewire lumen 40 can also include a slit in the outside wall of the lumen to facilitate faster and easier insertion and removal of the guidewire 26 through the side wall of the lumen, as shown in FIG. 7B.
In another embodiment not shown, the aspiration catheter can be configured such that the therapy catheter can be inserted through the lumen of the aspiration catheter. The aspiration lumen is made large enough to accommodate the desired therapy catheter. This allows the aspiration catheter and the therapy catheter to be delivered into the patient at the same time. When therapy is complete, the therapy catheter is removed while the aspiration catheter remains in place. This eliminates the need to separately deliver the aspiration catheter after removal of the therapy catheter, saving valuable time. It is preferable that the size of the guide catheter used during this type of procedure be sized from at least 8 to about 10 French to accommodate the size of the “over-the-therapy-catheter” aspiration catheter.
In yet another embodiment, also not shown, the therapy catheter can be built over the aspiration catheter. For example, a dual-lumen catheter having a dilatation balloon at its distal end can be used. One lumen is used to inflate the dilatation balloon to be used for angioplasty, while the second lumen is used for aspiration. This design allows a single combined aspiration catheter and therapy catheter to be delivered into the patient. When therapy is complete, aspiration is carried out without the need to first remove the therapy catheter.
In the embodiment where the occlusion catheter is adapted to allow aspiration therethrough, no separate aspiration catheter is required. Once the occlusive device on the catheter is positioned distal to the occlusion, the occlusive device is activated to at least partially occlude the vessel. A therapy catheter is delivered and therapy performed on the occlusion. Once therapy is complete, a source of negative pressure is provided at the proximal end of the occlusion catheter, and aspiration occurs through the openings at the distal end of the catheter, just proximal to the occlusive device. Aspiration is therefore accomplished without the need for a separate aspiration catheter, or removal of the therapy catheter.
FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C illustrate various embodiments of the distal end of the aspiration catheter. FIG. 8A shows the preferred tip 44, wherein the end has been angled. This tip 44 is also shown in FIG. 5. This angled tip 44 maximizes the area of aspiration. The distal tip of the aspiration catheter can also be blunt 45, as shown in FIG. 8B, or can be tapered 46, with holes along the tip 47 to provide for aspiration, as illustrated in FIGS. 8C and 2.
Additional details relative to the catheters described above and their use are found in copending application Ser. No. 08/812,876, filed Mar. 6, 1997, entitled “Hollow Medical Wires and Methods of Constructing Same, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,623, application Ser. No. 08/858,900, filed May 19, 1997, entitled “Catheter for Emboli Containment System”, application Ser. No. 09/026,013, filed Feb. 19, 1998, entitled “Aspiration System and Method”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,909, application Ser. No. 09/026,225, filed Feb. 19, 1998, entitled “Balloon Catheter and Method of Manufacture”, application Ser. No. 09/025,991, filed Feb. 19, 1998, entitled “Syringe and Method for Inflating Low Volume Catheter Balloons”, abandoned, application Ser. No. 09/026,106, filed Feb. 19, 1998, entitled “Occlusion of a Vessel”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,407, application Ser. No. 08/975,723, filed Nov. 20, 1997, entitled “Low Profile Catheter Valve and Inflation Adaptor”, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,972, and application Ser. No. 09/049,712, filed Mar. 27, 1998, entitled “Exchange Method for Emboli Containment”, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The method of the present invention as used to remove plaque and any associated thrombi from a saphenous vein graft is described below in connection with FIG. 9. Again, it should be noted that this application is merely exemplary, and that the method of the present invention can be used in other blood vessels and to remove other types of occlusions as well.
A guide catheter (not shown) is introduced into the patient's vasculature through an incision in the femoral artery in the groin of the patient. The guide catheter has a single large lumen, and is used to guide the insertion of other catheters and devices. The guide catheter is advanced until it reaches the aorta and the ostium of the vein graft, where it will remain in place throughout the procedure. Fluoroscopy is typically used to guide the guide catheter and other devices to the desired location within the patient. The devices are frequently marked with radiopaque markings to facilitate visualization of the insertion and positioning of the devices within the patient's vasculature. It should be noted that at this point, blood is flowing through the vessel in a proximal to distal direction.
Next, an occlusive device is delivered to a site distal the occlusion. For example, a catheter or guidewire 50 having an occlusive device at its distal end is delivered through the guide catheter into the saphenous vein graft 5 and past the site of the occlusion 56. In this example, the occlusive device is an inflatable balloon 52. The balloon 52 is inflated to occlude the vein graft 5 at a site distal to the occlusion 56 to create a working area surrounding the occlusion. By “working area” is meant an area extending from the occlusive device in a proximal direction for a distance up to about 20 cm. The blood coming from the aorta enters the saphenous vein graft 5 and keeps any particles 58 dislodged during the procedure from flowing proximally. In addition, the blood pressure and flow coming from the aorta provides the irrigation necessary for aspiration. As noted above, the blood pressure in the vessel is preferably at least about 0.2 psi, and the flow rate is at least about 10 cc per minute at some point during the diastolic/systolic cycle of the heart.
Once the vein 5 is occluded, a therapy catheter 150, as illustrated in FIG. 13, is delivered, if desired. The therapy catheter can be any of a number of devices, including a balloon catheter used to perform angioplasty, a catheter which delivers a stent, a catheter for delivering enzymes, chemicals, or drugs to dissolve and treat the occlusion (as illustrated in FIG. 13), an atherectomy device, or a laser or ultrasound device used to ablate the occlusion. Alternatively, the therapy catheter can be eliminated and use of the guide catheter or a separate aspiration catheter alone can be used to aspirate the occlusion. This method is especially useful to remove emboli from the coronary arteries following acute myocardial infarction, because the aspiration catheter can be made small enough to enter the coronary arteries.
Once the desired therapy is performed, the therapy catheter is withdrawn from the patient's body and an aspiration catheter 60 is delivered over the guidewire 50 and through the guiding catheter. The aspiration catheter 60 rides over the guidewire 50 with the guidewire 50 inserted through the aspiration lumen 62 of the catheter 60. Alternatively, a single operator type aspiration catheter can be used, in which only a portion of the aspiration catheter rides over the guidewire, which is inserted into a separate guidewire lumen. FIG. 9 illustrates the treatment site during delivery of the over-the-wire aspiration catheter 60 into the saphenous vein graft 5.
The treatment site during the aspiration procedure is illustrated in FIGS. 14A-D. The distal tip of the aspiration catheter 64 crosses the site of the occlusion 56 and is initially positioned distal to the occlusion 56 and as close to the occlusive balloon 52 as possible, preferably less than about 5 cm, and more preferably less than about 2 cm, from the proximal side of the balloon 52 (FIG. 14A). Thus, in one embodiment, the distal tip of the aspiration catheter 64 is initially positioned immediately adjacent the occlusive balloon 52. Aspiration is begun, and the operator moves the aspiration catheter in a proximal direction, crossing the site of the occlusion 56 and increasing the distance between the distal tip 64 of the catheter and the occlusive balloon 52 (FIGS. 14B and 14C). During aspiration, the distal tip of the aspiration catheter 64 moves in a direction proximal to the balloon 52, crossing the occlusion 56, and continuing in a proximal direction for a distance that is preferably at least 1 cm proximal to the site of the occlusion 56. The distal tip of the aspiration catheter 64 may continue to be moved in a proximal direction away from the occlusion 56 for up to 10 cm or more, or until the tip 64 reaches the guide catheter. Aspiration can therefore occur anywhere between about 0 to 20 cm proximal to the occlusive device 52. During aspiration, the flow of fluid within the vessel is in a proximal to distal direction, while fluid flow within the lumen of the catheter is in a distal to proximal direction. If desired, the distal tip of the aspiration catheter 64 is then again advanced across the occlusion 56 in the distal direction until it is again just immediately adjacent to the occlusive balloon 52 (FIG. 14D). This movement of the tip of the aspiration catheter 64 in a proximal and distal direction can be repeated more than once to ensure complete aspiration of all debris.
In an alternate embodiment, the distal tip of the catheter 64 is initially positioned proximal to the occlusion 56, preferably at least 1 cm proximal to the occlusion 56. Aspiration is begun, and the distal tip of the catheter 64 is advanced in a distal direction across the occlusion 56 until the tip 64 is positioned immediately adjacent to the occlusive balloon 52. The tip of the catheter 64 is then moved in a proximal direction, back across the occlusion 56. Preferably, the tip of the catheter 64 continues in a proximal direction for a distance that is preferably at least 1 cm proximal to the site of the occlusion 56. As described above, the distal tip of the aspiration catheter 64 can continue to be moved in a proximal direction away from the occlusion 56 for up to 10 cm or more, or until the tip 64 reaches the guide catheter. This movement of the tip of the catheter 64 in a distal and proximal direction can be repeated as often as desired to ensure complete removal of particles and debris.
The blood flow supplied by the aorta will move any particles 58 from a position proximal to the distal tip of the aspiration catheter 64, thus allowing them to be aspirated, as illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 9. If a particle, however, is too far distal to the tip of the aspiration catheter 64 (for example, more than about 2 cm), the blood pressure will keep it there and not allow it to aspirated from the vessel 5. The aspiration pressure can be increased, but not without the risk of severely damaging the vessel. Rather, this distal and proximal movement of the aspiration catheter, including placement of the tip immediately adjacent the occlusive balloon, will allow the user to completely capture these distal particles. In addition, once aspiration has begun, additional blood will flow into the area adjacent and distal to the tip of the aspiration catheter, creating turbulence and allowing for the complete removal of debris.
A preferred source of negative pressure is any rigid container containing a fixed vacuum, such as a syringe, attached to the proximal end of the aspiration catheter at the aspiration port 34 (see FIG. 5). A mechanical pump or bulb or any other appropriate source of negative pressure can also be used. The difference between the existing pressure within the vessel and the aspiration pressure within the vessel should not exceed about 50 psi. As noted above, if too much aspiration pressure is applied, the change in pressure in the vessel will be too great and damage may occur to the vessel itself.
After the area inside the graft 5 is aspirated to remove any particles 58 or other debris, the aspiration catheter 60 is removed. The balloon 52 is deflated and the guidewire 50 and guiding catheter are removed.
As described above, the aspiration catheter can be sized such that it can receive the therapy catheter within its lumen or the therapy catheter can be built over the aspiration catheter. In either case, the aspiration catheter and the therapy catheter are delivered over the guidewire and into the vein graft together. When therapy is complete, the therapy catheter can be removed if desired while the aspiration catheter remains in place. When aspiration is complete, the aspiration catheter, guidewire and guiding catheter are removed from the patient's body. Delivering the aspiration catheter and therapy catheter together saves time, which is critical during these types of procedures. Alternatively, the guide catheter can be used to provide aspiration through its main lumen.
In yet another embodiment, aspiration takes place through the lumen of the occlusion catheter or guidewire. The occlusive device on the catheter is positioned distal to the occlusion, and the occlusive device is activated to at least partially occlude the vessel. The therapy catheter is delivered and therapy performed. A source of negative pressure is provided at the proximal end of the occlusion catheter, and aspiration occurs through openings located at the distal end of the catheter just proximal to the occlusive device. This eliminates the need for a separate aspiration catheter, and the need to remove the therapy catheter prior to aspiration. Again, this saves time, which is critical during these types of procedures.
drawing fluid from the vessel into the distal opening such that (a) a fluid flow is created in the lumen in a distal to proximal direction, and (b) said fluid flow is simultaneously created in said vessel in a proximal to distal direction, whereby said emboli are carried by said fluid flow from said vessel into said distal opening and through said lumen of said catheter.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the occlusive substance includes material on a wall of the vessel.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said advancing comprises moving said distal opening such that said distal opening is distal to at least some of the material on the wall of the vessel.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the distal opening in the catheter relative to the expandable device during said drawing of fluid.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said expandable device is an inflatable balloon.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said expandable device is a filter.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising advancing a guide catheter until a distal end of the guide catheter is positioned proximal to the emboli, and wherein said catheter is advanced through said guide catheter.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said blood vessel comprises a saphenous vein graft.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said fluid pressure is provided by blood from the aorta.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said blood vessel comprises a carotid artery.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the emboli are located in a segment of the blood vessel having substantially no side branches.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the catheter is advanced over the guidewire.
moving the distal opening in the catheter until it is proximal to said location during the drawing of fluid into the distal opening.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein positioning said expandable device further comprises delivering a guidewire into said vessel, said guidewire carrying said expandable device.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said catheter is positioned in the blood vessel over said guidewire.
16. The method of claim 13, further comprising actuating said expandable device into an expanded position prior to drawing fluid from the vessel.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein said drawing fluid further comprises creating a fluid flow in the lumen in a distal to proximal direction, and simultaneously creating fluid flow in the vessel in a proximal to distal direction.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the distal opening in the catheter is positioned distal said location more than once during the drawing of fluid.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein said expandable device is an inflatable balloon.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein said expandable device is a filter.
21. The method of claim 13, further comprising, prior to drawing fluid into the distal opening of the catheter, performing therapy on the occlusion, the performing of therapy causing emboli to break off from the occlusion.
deactivating said occlusive device and removing said catheter.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein said aspiration catheter comprises a hollow lumen and a separate second lumen for receiving said guidewire, and wherein said aspiration catheter is delivered by inserting a proximal end of said guidewire into said second lumen, and slidably advancing said second lumen of said aspiration catheter over said guidewire.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein said distal end of said aspiration catheter is inserted at least one time to a position no more than about 5 cm proximal to said occlusive device and thereafter slidably withdrawn in a proximal direction.
25. The method of claim 22, wherein said blood vessel is selected from the group consisting of a saphenous vein graft, a coronary artery, and a vessel above the aortic arch.
26. The method of claim 22, wherein said blood vessel has a fluid flow rate of at least about 10 cc per minute.
27. The method of claim 22, wherein said blood vessel has a fluid flow rate of from about 60 to about 80 cc per minute.
28. The method of claim 22, further comprising inserting a guide catheter to aid in the insertion of said occlusive device and said guidewire.
29. The method of claim 22, wherein activating said occlusive device results in the vessel being substantially occluded.
30. The method of claim 22, wherein said occlusive device is a balloon and said activating step comprises inflating said balloon.
31. The method of claim 22, wherein said occlusive device is a filter and said activating step comprises deploying said filter to prevent migration of particles downstream.
32. The method of claim 22, wherein performing said therapy comprises delivering a drug directly to the site of said occlusion.
33. The method of claim 22, wherein performing said therapy comprises creating a venturi effect within said vessel to aspirate said occlusion, and wherein the fluid aspiration occurs simultaneously.
34. The method of claim 22, wherein performing said therapy comprises creating fluid turbulence within said vessel to aspirate said occlusion, and wherein the fluid aspiration occurs simultaneously.
35. The method of claim 22, wherein said therapy catheter is selected from the group consisting of a thrombectomy catheter, a rheolitic device, and a device which creates a venturi effect within the vessel, and wherein the therapy and the fluid aspiration are performed simultaneously.
36. The method of claim 22, further comprising moving the distal end of the aspiration catheter within said working area during aspiration.
37. The method of claim 36, wherein the distal end of the aspiration catheter is moved in a distal to proximal direction during aspiration.
38. The method of claim 36, wherein the distal end of the aspiration catheter is moved in a proximal to distal direction during aspiration.
39. The method of claim 22, wherein the emboli are located in a segment of the blood vessel having substantially no side branches.
drawing blood from the vessel into the distal opening such that (a) a blood flow is created in the lumen in a distal to proximal direction, and (b) said blood flow is simultaneously created in said vessel in a proximal to distal direction, whereby said emboli are carried by said blood flow from said vessel into said distal opening and through said lumen of said catheter.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein said advancing comprises moving said distal opening such that said opening is distal to at least some of the emboli.
42. The method of claim 40, further comprising moving the distal opening in the catheter in a distal to proximal direction during said drawing of blood to cross at least a portion of the occlusion.
43. The method of claim 40, wherein said expandable device is an inflatable balloon.
44. The method of claim 40, wherein said expandable device is a filter.
45. The method of claim 40, wherein said catheter is advanced over the guidewire.
46. The method of claim 40, further comprising, prior to drawing blood into the distal opening of the catheter, performing therapy on the occlusion, the performing of therapy causing emboli to break off from the occlusion.
moving the distal opening in the catheter relative to said lesion while continuing to draw fluid into the distal opening.
48. The method of claim 47, wherein the distal opening in the catheter is positioned at a location distal to at least a portion of an occlusive substance within said blood vessel.
49. The method of claim 48, wherein the occlusive substance comprises emboli.
50. The method of claim 48, wherein the occlusive substance includes material that is attached to the walls of the blood vessel.
51. The method of claim 48, wherein the distal opening in the catheter is moved in a distal to proximal direction until it is proximal to said location while drawing fluid into the distal opening.
52. The method of claim 51, further comprising moving the distal opening in the catheter in a proximal to distal direction after moving the distal opening in a distal to proximal direction.
53. The method of claim 47, wherein said catheter is delivered into the blood vessel over a guidewire.
54. The method of claim 53, wherein the guidewire includes an occlusive device at its distal end.
55. The method of claim 54, wherein the occlusive device is an inflatable balloon.
56. The method of claim 54, wherein the occlusive device is a filter.
moving the distal opening of the catheter during the drawing of fluid into the distal opening in a direction such that the distal opening crosses at least a portion of the occlusion.
58. The method of claim 57, wherein the expandable device is actuated at a location distal to the occlusion.
59. The method of claim 57, wherein the distal opening of the catheter is moved during the drawing of fluid in a direction such that the distal opening crosses at least a portion of the occlusion.
60. The method of claim 57, wherein the emboli are carried through said lumen of said catheter in a distal to proximal direction.
61. The method of claim 57, further comprising, prior to drawing fluid from the vessel into the distal opening, performing therapy on said occlusion, the performing of therapy causing emboli to break off from the occlusion.
62. The method of claim 57, wherein the expandable device is an inflatable balloon.
63. The method of claim 57, wherein the expandable device is a filter.
64. The method of claim 57, wherein the distal opening of the catheter is moved in a distal to proximal direction during the drawing of fluid.
65. The method of claim 57, wherein the distal opening of the catheter is moved in a proximal to distal direction during the drawing of fluid.
66. The method of claim 65, wherein the distal opening of the catheter is moved in a proximal to distal direction after moving the distal opening of the catheter in a distal to proximal direction during the drawing of fluid.
67. The method of claim 57, wherein the distal opening of the catheter is moved over a distance of about 10 cm or more during the drawing of fluid.
68. The method of claim 57, wherein the distal opening of the catheter is moved repeatedly across the occlusion during the drawing of fluid.
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Free format text: THE PATENTABILITY OF CLAIMS 47-53 IS CONFIRMED. CLAIMS 1-46 AND 54-68 WERE NOT REEXAMINED. | 2019-04-25T14:41:09Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US6454741B1/en | Porn | Business | 0.22837 |
iastate | A network of pheromone traps has been placed throughout the state to assist in scouting efforts for western bean cutworm. Iowa State University Extension is cooperating with Pioneer Hi-Bred agronomists to survey for western bean cutworm emergence. Most traps are now in place and results are being posted on a western bean cutworm website. Traps cannot be used to predict which fields should be sprayed; rather, they can indicate those areas that have significant moth flights and where fields should be scouted.
Pope, Richard O. and Rice, Marlin E., "Western bean cutworm in 2006" (2006). Integrated Crop Management News. 1319. | 2019-04-20T14:45:41Z | https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cropnews/1319/ | Porn | News | 0.561055 |
wordpress | Monday’s can be stressful but in my mind, coffee makes everything all the more better. As many of you already know, I have a second blog – Kopi Katha – that I work on with a bunch of other friends and I thought it would be fun to highlight one of the posts that discussed lesser known facts about the global coffee industry.
If you want to read on follow the link and do subscribe to the blog for weekly updates!
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wordpress | Well, it’s been a busy weekend for us – nonstop traveling – and we are traveling again today to celebrate Passover today with family. Thank goodness we’ll be home for Easter!
In lieu of a longer post today, I’ll say Happy Passover (I’m sure there’s a Hebrew phrase for it, but I, the shiksa, don’t know it) – and happy Last Supper (because that’s what it likely was, right?) … and hey, happy early Easter while I’m at it!
And here’s a funny, quick exchange I had with Toddler at 3:16 Sunday morning in the hotel room. We had a great hotel room in downtown Baltimore with a separate bedroom – therefore, the girls could sleep in the main area (in a pack n play and small blow up bed for Toddler) while my husband and I were in the bedroom. Well, Baby woke up crying at 3:16, so I nursed her to calm her down.
Naturally, the crying woke up Toddler as well. It was completely dark, so she could only see me holding her sister on the couch.
Funny, right? You can guess we watched “The Wizard of Oz” two weeks ago!
Oh gosh, the Wicked Witch of the West? Haha, I love toddlers so much!
So entertaining, right? I’m dying to know if she was dreaming about her!!
I guess she wasn’t too scared of that wicked witch! That’s funny. I just recently taught my almost-5-yr-old “ding dong the witch is dead.” And Happy Pesach!! This may be the first year we don’t have an actual Seder to host or attend. Enjoy all the spring festivities!
Thank you! Happy Pesach to you also! We had a quick seder this year, and Baby survived for the most part! Both my girls were variously at the table and playing around it … and there may or may not have been Cheerios involved (whoops! Thank goodness my MIL didn’t mind!)….
Oh, well….. 🙂 My husband eats bacon all the time, so …! | 2019-04-23T04:42:52Z | https://welcometothenursery.wordpress.com/2017/04/10/happy-passover-and-bonus-toddler-talk/ | Porn | Kids | 0.976008 |
indiana | August 10, 2015 by rosemary pennington & filed under General.
Cultural genocide — that’s what a Canadian commission ruled that country’s former practice of forcibly removing First Nations children from their family homes.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada spent six years investigating Canada’s residential schools for native children. In the late 19th into the 20th century, Canadian officials would take First Nations children from their homes and send them to boarding schools meant to help them assimilate into white Canadian culture.
Over the course of their history, the schools saw 150-thousand children of native background walk through their doors. At the boarding schools students were stripped of their native culture; many also were subjected to various kinds of abuse. Native families and communities are still working to come to terms with the legacy of forcible removal.
The commission’s labeling of the practice “genocide” sparked a heated debate in Canada — over whether it is the right term to describe what happened; others suggest the use of the term blots out Canada’s attempts at crafting an inclusive society; others have pointed out that in 1948 Canada, along with the United States and some Western European countries, fought a United Nations move to ban cultural genocide.
…a crime of intentional destruction of a national, ethnic, racial and religious group, in whole or in part.
Long before Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission made its ruling, activists, scholars, and governments have debated whether native peoples the world over have been the victims of genocide.
Andrea Smith argues in her book Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide that the history of violence and colonialism endured by Native Americans serves as a kind of genocide — stripping native populations of power and, at times, of their culture.
In 2011, NPR produced a series of reports exploring how the foster care system removed Native American children from their families, placing them in non-native homes that served to sever them from native culture. The practice has been equated with the United States own history of forcible removal. Like Canada (and Australia), the US once sent Native American children to boarding schools in order to “help” them assimilate into white American society.
In their book, Stories in the Time of Cholera: Racial Profiling during a Medical Nightmare, authors Charles Briggs and Clara Mantini-Briggs document the systemic failure of Venezuelan public health officials in the fight against cholera. This was due, in part, to the way the disease was racialized — this racialization, its connection to indigenous populations, allowed officials to blame the victims of the illness and often kept necessary resources from flowing to the region affected.
In Australia, two-thirds of indigenous people die before they are 65 — some arguing this is because of the lack of resources indigenous Australians have access to. There are others who suggest that the resources that have been stripped from native peoples, resources that have often contributed to global climate change, may prove genocidal as not only are the resources taken but native land may become uninhabitable.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has made 94 recommendations on how Canada can move forward — including adopting the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
In writing of the commission’s findings, Julian Brave Nosecat at the Huffington Post, wondered when the United States would confront its own history of forced removal.
Without the sort of inquiry that Canada has committed to — and with few options for legal recourse — broad understanding of the experiences of generations of Native American children who faced the systematic erasure of their culture (and worse) remains lacking, said Andrea Carmen, executive director of the International Indian Treaty Council and a board member of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition.
Increasing public knowledge about the Native American boarding schools is an important first step, she added.
Australia also removed children of indigenous background from their homes, ostensibly to protect them from parental abuse or neglect. These children have become known as the “Stolen Generation” — like their counterparts in the United States and Canada, while at boarding school the children were stripped of their native culture and experienced various kinds of abuse.
In 2008 then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd offered an apology to the Stolen Generation as well as Australia’s indigenous population more broadly.
Though governments are increasingly aiming a critical eye at their treatment of indigenous peoples, that examination does little to right the erasure, the “cultural genocide,” many native cultures have experienced.
Joy Hendry as well as John and Jean Comaroff have written about how native groups are finding ways to push back against systemic cultural and social erasure as they try to move past the legacy of trauma and abuse — sometimes latching onto historic understandings of what they feel to be their culture; other times seeking ways of monetizing that culture in order to bring more resources into the community.
Framing Fellow Katerina Teaiwa’s most recent book, Consuming Ocean Island: Stories of People and Phosphate from Banaba, tackles a number of issues related to resources, identity, and indigenous culture.
It remains to be seen how the Canadian government will respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s findings, or whether other countries will fund similar commissions.
You can follow us on Twitter: @FramingGlobal.
Is “Global” a Dirty Word? | 2019-04-19T17:14:57Z | http://framing.indiana.edu/2015/08/10/the-question-concerning-genocide/ | Porn | Health | 0.532803 |
wordpress | Chafik Besseghier really impressed me with his SP at TEB this year. This kid is talented: he moves across the ice smoothly and he covers it quickly with ease. His spins are fast and his footwork is well-timed to the music. However, I would like to see him use his knees a little more in his landings. He does have personality and I hope that the French Federation will give him a chance to shine.
A very interesting exhibition number with very unique break dancing elements incorporated into it.
I think 2008 is one of my favourite years in terms of how podiums turned out. This was also a lovely gem from that year. Oh Daisuke, may you never lose your pizazz.
Which figure skater do you think is the best artiste on ice?
Myriane Samson is the current Canadian National silver medalist. She’s a bit of a headcase in international competitions and hasn’t landed on the podium for any major international competition but this performance at Canadian Nationals this year impressed me. Loved that turn into a triple flip.
Choreographed by Marie-France Dubreuil and Julie Marcotte.
Adam Rippon + Shae Lynn Bourne = maybe magic?
This appeared on Adam Rippon’s twitter today.
I’m rather excited for this pairing. Now, if only Mao got some choreography from Shae-Lynn.
Rachael Flatt is on her way of being dumped by the USFSA?
I – and I’m not the only one – have frequently complained about Rachael Flatt, the most uncharismatic and boring ladies skater the U.S. has to offer at the moment. Rachael has consistency – which has led her to victory at U.S. Nationals – but her personality and her skating are about as exciting as watching paint dry. This season, however, we watched Rachael bomb starting with the GPF all the way to Worlds where she finished in 12th. Now, the USFSA (and Frank Carroll) are pissed that they don’t have a third spot for next year’s Worlds and now they’re pointing fingers at Rachael.
We may finally see the end of Rachael Flatt’s successes. She’s left Tom Z but as Mao has proven, it will take a lot more to correct her jumping technique and her plain boring personality (and her personality isn’t going to help her PCS one bit…). She should have followed everyone’s advice and stop skating because at this point, she may see a downward trend in the results of her skating career.
If Frank Carroll’s statements about Mirai are true, she may be catapulted above Alissa for the next season. If Mirai is sent to one of those minor “practice” competitions like Nebelhorn, it may be a good indication that Mirai is being serious about her skating with Frank’s full political support behind her. A combination not to be taken lightly.
If Rachael is truly dumped, retribution will occur through a bronze medal at Nationals for flat skates from Flatt. That will be sufficient to keep her out of the World team. I don’t know if any U.S. lady other that Nagasu, Czisny or Flatt can challenge for the podium at the moment but keeping Flatt off the podium would probably spell the end of a successful career.
Frank Carroll is after Rachael Flatt’s blood. Go Frank, go.
Any opinions out there? Debates are fun!
In a fit of nostalgia, I’ve been streaming a show that I loved in my childhood called “Worst Witch.” (I’m also a children’s literature aficionado so I’ve read a few of the books as well.) In any case, while watching, I thought that Felicity Jones, who plays the antagonist, Ethel Hallow, in season 1 looked a little bit like a young Sasha Cohen when he face is in the right angle.
The resemblance sort of diminishes as these two grew older as Sasha’s face became rounder and Felicity lost her remaining baby fat. The older Felicity may resemble Sasha just a teensy weensy bit more… maybe?
See the resemblance? Or does someone you know look like Sasha? Feel free to tell me!
EDIT: Fellow figure skating aficionado ay-sa pointed out the obvious resemblance between Sasha and Alexis Bledel. I can’t believe I forgot about Alexis Bledel!!!
Edit 2: Another reader, Gemma found that Mackenzie Rosman resembled Sasha as well.
The French Federation released this press release yesterday stating that “MOROZOV will prepare the choreography of Florent AMODIO’s both programs for the next season in New York starting June 10th.” They also explicitly said that the press release was meant to “close the rumors speaking about the end of their cooperation.” With Morozov being a special coach to the skaters of Mother Russia, it seems that his non-Russian skaters will have to give their coaching appointment a bit of thought, seeing that Morozov has relocated to, I believe, Moscow and will put his focus on the Russian skaters.
…but it’s clearly front-loaded with tons of random posing. Florent is super talented and I would like to see him push himself even further. I don’t usually recommend Brian Orser but the Orser/Wilson pair may do well for him in order to polish up his technical skating AND unleash his creativity with clever and well-constructed programs. As well, Orser no longer has a star male pupil to concentrate on, so whichever goes to him now has a chance to be his priority (which comes with a fair amount of politicking, I suspect). Furthermore, Florent deserves this kind of political and technical support. He may not have Brian Joubert’s high cheekbones but he’s an adorable personality with a touching backstory that can sell. The French Federation has yet to throw all of their support behind Florent but a coaching change followed by improvement and good results could solidify his position as the #1 French man.
Then again, we don’t quite know the reasoning behind the decision and my opinions are after all, my opinions. Who knows what the future will bring.
What are your thoughts about Florent and his non-coaching change? | 2019-04-24T21:55:59Z | https://rinksidecafe.wordpress.com/2011/06/ | Porn | Sports | 0.750434 |
newgrounds | Wow I finally found this after all these years. Great music, jazz songs always seem to be your best songs!
Glad u love it UltimateG. | 2019-04-20T18:24:59Z | https://www.newgrounds.com/reviews/portal/223664/3/date/3 | Porn | Arts | 0.982035 |
wordpress | Goldschmeding and his wife, who have three children, were arrested in March on child abuse charges and released after questioning. ‘They told me I can no longer teach using that passage from the Bible. But it is not a doctrine I made up,’ he told Dutch newspaper The Telegraaf.
Goldschmid defended his teachings on the basis of his right to “freedom of religion.” It is noted here that in the Netherlands, “freedom of religion” is recognized human right which is incorporated in the Dutch constitution. This may well prove to be an interesting angle for the New Zealand jurisdiction as well. I could also see how such an argument could be expanded into a cultural debate.
DVDs of the preacher’s sermons have been confiscated.
A survey of parents in the Hague, Netherlands last year found 50% think giving a child aged one to five a ‘light slap’ is an acceptable form of punishment. Like New Zealand, the Dutch law in principle forbids the use of a correctional smack. The discretionary powers of the police to investigate and of the public prosecutor to prosecute however are well more embedded in the Dutch legal system.
I guess John Key must have felt better of staying in Australia with all the heat going on: Rodney Hide and the Maori seats and on top of the smacking debate. New Zealand voted against “a smack as part of good parental correction” being a criminal offence, whatever the media and even the pro and anti smacking are crying in the media. John Key took a series of proposals to Cabinet today following Friday’s referendum victory for opponents of the 2007 child discipline law change.
I am still wondering whether most of the people that voted no, despite my own preference for that, actually understood that it was not about whether a parental correctional smack should be allowed, but whether or not it should be classified as a criminal offence.
I again point out that it does not necessarily mean when you voted NO that you are PRO smacking. Could it maybe be that you do not see how a correctional smack warrants being classified as a criminal offence. Criminalizing should in my view be an “ultimum remedium” and therefore reserved for those acts that cannot be seen as anything else but a crime. The debate and referendum however has lost all its true perspective in any event as it is turned into a are you for “assaulting your children” or not. (That is the position of amongst others Sue Bradford and followers.) It is quite some distance from a “parental correctional smack” to “assaulting your children” I would imagine. It is also a distance from personally being a against a correctional smack to considering that it should be a criminal offence. he discussion and debate however seems to be polarized as FOR or AGAINST smacking. Subtle differences I admit but played out to their max to influence public opinion.
I would like to point out that it is not how you are being treated, but the fundamental principle that despite of your treatment YOU ARE COMMITTING A CRIMINAL OFFENCE. the fact that you will not be treated as a criminal is hardly reassuring. Many high profile fraudsters end or ended up not being treated as a criminal, but does that make them less of a criminal? Many don’t get caught, therefore are not treated as a criminal. It’s all non-arguments.
The referendum is pretty clear in what it tried to answer. The outcomes are equally clear. We were asked whether a smack as part of good parental correction should be a criminal offence and we said NO.
Arguments that no one has been prosecuted are not compelling, arguments or proposals that would implicate police discretion are equally not convincing. The fact that there are many potential defences should you be prosecuted is of no importance either.
Now suppose your neighbor we’ll call her “Auntie Sue”, sees what is happening, than she could report it as a crime and in Auntie Sue’s case you bet your bottom dollar that she will report that you are “assaulting” your child. There you are, things have settled down and you and your child are by now sitting on the couch reading from “Thomas the Tank Engine” or well whatever and there’s a police officer ringing your doorbell asking questions about a reported incident of assaulting your child, or equally bad, CYFS is doing the same. Regardless of whether you are prosecuted or not, you are investigated as a suspect of a crime that technically has been committed if this law remains unchanged. The mere follow up and questions are enough to make you feel as suspected to be a criminal and since you technically have committed an offence, you are.
Personally I can’t help but feeling that despite not changing the law “if it works” is an unconvincing approach, in fact a spineless approach. Gandhi once said: “Cowards can never be moral.” And it shows.
Have Key and all those others before him forgotten that they are elected to REPRESENT the people and that it is our tax money that pays their bills and perks? A law was pushed through in 2007 that had no democratic support, Parliament, by allowing this law to pass, already ignored its voters, the people once. And now again? The referendum is to inform out politicians of our opinion, the elections are there to enforce our sentiments upon those we choose to represent us. These boys and girls in the Beehive are getting things mixed up. Parliamentarians are send to parliament every three years as representatives of their voters, they should therefore be adhering to what we want them to do not the other way around. And here we have a John Key, prior to the referendum already telling us that regardless of the outcome he will not change the law. And basically sticking to that position despite the outcomes. Have those politicians forgotten that the overwhelming majority of New Zealand never wanted this law in the first place? No-one wanted a back-office “compromise” deal of John Key and Helen Clark and in any event, NO ONE PERMITTED THESE POLITICIANS TO GO AHEAD AN DO IT ANYWAY. An yet, here we see it being done twice!
Then again, try to place yourself in Key’s shoes: changing the law in accordance with the documented wishes of the people would mean losing face of course, cause how will you explain agreeing to this unwanted law change in the first place and subsequently changing it back. Step up John, and admit you made a mistake in 2007 and are now prepared to admit this and set the record straight. Now that would be the act of a REPRESENTATIVE. That would be a Parliament that represents and would justify the people to voluntarily comply with, because it represents the consensus of public opinion. TIME TO RETHINK THE BASICS I would say.
Ignoring the referendum results, is like seeing democracy die for the benefit of ELECTED politicians, that have become so power hungry, that they think they have it within their right to ignore those who elected them in the first place. If that is the case, we may as well stop pretending and admit that voting rights are no more than window dressing and keeping up a democratic myth so as to keep the population quiet and unaware that we are actually living under some form of dictatorship.
With the referendum on smacking at a go and media reporting rather one sided in favor of the so called YES vote. The Vote NO site gives you the other side of the story. The site is understood to be an initiative of Family First, and appears to be supported by the For the Sake of Our Children Trust, FI ANZ, the Pasefika Trust, the Fact and Family Trust, the Sensible Sentencing Trust, Unity for Liberty, Focus on the Family, Cross Power and Family Life NZ.
The FAQ page consists of highly condensed yet to the point information in relation to the issues at hand: is the law working, prevention v correction, did this law help stopping child abuse, smacking and minor acts of physical discipline and more. So for those that want to hear the other side of the story as well I recommend you check the site out.
I do recommend you read the pamphlets with real life cases resulting from this law either here >>> or the case descriptions on the Family First website.
In addition to the site itself, you could have a look at the blog, follow this site on twitter or join their facebook group.
Also check out The Yes Vote Fail site for a slightly lighter approach, where I found the videos below.
Deceptive, Polarising Media Practices in New Zealand.
A referendum on whether or not smacking as part of the parental correction options should be a criminal offense or not. In 2007, public opinion already seemed to be against making a correctional smack an offense but despite of that the act was pushed through.
The media seems at least in my opinion very good at making it easy form people to ensure them that they get the “right vote” on your form. Personally I am appalled by how the matter has been presented by the media; back than and again more recently.
Just so you understand: if you are silly enough to vote “no” you will be part of the legion of ‘smack happy’ people. Let’s be clear, the questions and matters subject to a referendum are of an entirely different nature.
The question is not whether or not parents should be allowed to give their child a correctional smack if and when they see that need BUT whether or not a correctional smack by a parent should be considered a Criminal Offense.
These are two entirely different matters as I could imagine myself being AGAINST any form of correctional smacking by a parent BUT at the same time I could be AGAINST making a correctional smack by a parent a criminal offense.
The first deals with a personal vision on parenting, the second deals with a vision or perspective on criminal law and a perspective on how far a state should be allowed to interfere in the private lives of our citizens.
… However, Green Party MP Sue Bradford, who introduced the private member’s bill leading to the anti-smacking legislation, disagrees, saying the key point is that New Zealand has outlawed smacking for the purposes of correction.
She said laws like those in NSW or Britain gave parents permission to beat their children.
She said supporters of the “no” vote in the referendum wanted to “have a law which defines the level and nature of violence that it would be acceptable to use on our children.
See what I mean? From whether or not smacking is a parental right, we shift quickly to saying that is it just fine to beat your child. But what happened to the question in the middle? Even if the overwhelming majority of people find that a correctional smack is NOT a parental right: does that justify that such a smack is made a criminal offense? Were there really no other options? Is it really so that those that see a correctional smack as acceptable are of the opinion that it is alright to use “violence” against their children? I dare to say not at all, it is just that those that are of the opinion that a correctional smack could be part of the parental toolbox hardly ever get seem to get a chance to publicly discuss their views. The media seems hardly interested in their side of the story and instead pursue the anti-smacking position (the yes vote), until we all believe that that is the way to go. Thank God for Magazines like Investigate and reporters/authors like Ian Wishart.
So what we are actually looking at is a law that was pushed through despite serious questions about whether or not this was something that was backed by the people of New Zealand, parents that need to consider that they are actually committing a criminal offense when they actually use a correctional smack, an extra burden on an already overstretched law enforcement apparatus, a referendum that addresses only part of the relevant issues, a referendum, that is most likely not going to change anything anyway and politicians and media that obscure the issues at hand.
Somehow I see a parallel with the climate change/global warming debate.
70% indicated that they would vote in the referendum, of which 83 percent indicated to vote “no” (e.g. in favor of smacking your children). | 2019-04-25T13:47:28Z | https://johndierckx.wordpress.com/tag/smacking/ | Porn | Reference | 0.093618 |
wordpress | Sydney was where I started to fall deeply in love with cafes, the act of sitting with a coffee, reading, writing, soaking in the unique vibes of a thoughtfully-built space, and parking oneself by the window and watching the world go by.
It was so nostalgic and lovely to be able to do that in this temperature again.
Returning to this place after almost a year? Some changes to the interior, but the coffee and vibes tasted and felt as comforting as before.
The extremely crowded school holiday. | 2019-04-22T14:50:07Z | https://kyohinaa.wordpress.com/category/food/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.560951 |
wordpress | So I’ve been spending most of my time decluttering, making plans for further decluttering and prepping for house stuff, kid stuff and various other life stuff that is on the menu for this calendar year. Story submission is not happening sooner than April, pretty likely.
Some posts coming up about The Feminine Mystique, it’s interesting to me anyway how nothing’s changed since Betty Friedan wrote it.
Most people don’t know this, but comedy can be disassembled and deconstructed and why certain sounds and jokes are funny can be written up. At one point we sat down and did that very thing. I can’t find the notebook though.
I already have some characters I’d love to attribute those words to.
The last written page is actually not from 2015, though. I skipped some blanks sometime last year and started anew with writing notes. One is for a children’s series Dagmar dictated. The rest of the page is a bunch of calculations from which I was deriving triplet birth rates by educational attainment and college attendance rates crossed against income levels.
I tend to feel like I do very little writing by hand, and just putter about for months on end doing not much. But I clearly keep trying and doing so for weeks at a time, so there must be something there.
February writing update, submission tracker.
It looks like I can submit to The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in the next two weeks. Spending a lot of January nursing sick people kind of got in the way, but things have cleared up a lot and mid-Feb looks pretty solid to get this done. The first submission is the hardest, but then you have a formatted story and can just cut and paste as needed if you need to do it again and again. I was going to go with Asimov’s, but MSF has a higher pay rate for the length of story I’m submitting. | 2019-04-23T12:14:21Z | https://thepracticalconservative.wordpress.com/tag/writing-process/ | Porn | Science | 0.242741 |
wordpress | Tailspin, by Sandra Brown. Coming August, 2018.
Pilot Rye Mallett needs to deliver a mysterious black box to a Dr. Lambert, but he is greeted first by a sabotage attempt that causes him to crash land, and then by Dr. Brynn O’Neal, who claims she was sent for the box in Dr. Lambert’s stead. Soon Rye and Brynn are in a 48-hour race to deliver the box before time runs out.
Paradox, by Catherine Coulter. Coming July, 2018.
Chief Ty Christie of Willicott, Maryland, witnesses a murder at dawn from the deck of her cottage on Lake Massey. When dragging the lake, not only do the divers find the murder victim, they also discover dozens of bones. Working together with Chief Christie, Savich and Sherlock soon discover a frightening connection between the bones and an escaped psychopath. Savich, Sherlock, and Chief Ty Christie work at high speed to uncover the truth before their own bones end up at the bottom on the lake.
The Mark, by Janet Evanovich. Coming August, 2018.
A sinister adversary has Nick Fox and Kate O’Hare in his crosshairs, and will stop at nothing to eliminate them. They’ll need to assemble the team to defeat their enemy. Unfortunately, their number one player, Kate’s father, is on the run and on the most wanted list, after being betrayed by an old friend. The trio is going to have to watch their backs at every turn to rid the world of their two greatest foes, and clear their names.
Serpentine, by Laurell K. Hamilton. Coming August, 2018.
Anita Blake faces new, even deadlier enemies as she and the people she loves confront major changes in their lives, in the latest adventure featuring the vampire hunter.
Walking Shadows, by Faye Kellerman. Coming August, 2018.
Detective Peter Decker and his wife, Rina Lazarus, risk life and limb to solve a pair of brutal murders that may be tied to a crime from more than twenty years ago.
Safe and Sound, by Fern Michaels. Coming August, 2018.
In their 29th adventure, the Sisterhood team up to find a gifted but neglected child the home he deserves.
Texas Ranger, by James Patterson. Coming August, 2018.
Texas Ranger Rory Yates arrives in his home town to find a horrifying crime scene and a scathing accusation: he is named a suspect in the murder of his ex-wife, Anne, a teacher whose only controversial act ever was deciding to end her marriage to a Ranger. In search of the killer, Yates follows the Ranger creed–never to surrender–into the the most twisted and violent minds he’s ever encountered. That code just might bring him out alive.
The Money Shot, by Stuart Woods. Coming August, 2018.
Teddy Fay is working undercover as a stuntman and actor starring in Centurion Pictures’ newest film. When the leading lady begins receiving blackmail threats, Teddy is in the perfect position to investigate. From the seedy hidden corners of Los Angeles to the glamorous Hollywood hills, it will take every ounce of Teddy’s cunning to save an actresses’ career, protect the studio, and finish filming Centurion’s next big hit.
The Fallen, by David Baldacci. Coming April, 2018.
Amos Decker is visiting his sister in western Pennsylvania when he finds two dead bodies. Faced with a stonewalling local police force, and roadblocks put up by unseen forces, Decker must pull out all the stops to solve the case. And even Decker’s infallible memory may not be enough to save him.
I’ve Got My Eyes on You, by Mary Higgins Clark. Coming March, 2018.
The Sixth Day, by Catherine Coulter. Coming April, 2018.
When several major political figures die, the truth becomes clear–the deaths are well-constructed assassinations, and the Covert Eyes team is tasked to investigate. Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine home in on Roman Ardelean, a descendant of fifteenth century Romanian Vlad the Impaler–often romanticized as Dracula. Along with MI5, the Covert Eyes team must race against the clock to find Ardelean before he unleashes a devastating attack on London intended to destroy those he believes betrayed him.
The Cutting Edge, by Jeffery Deaver. Coming April, 2018.
Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs investigate a murderer targeting engaged couples. The Promisor takes the lives of men and women midway through the purchase of an engagement ring, after a meeting with a wedding planner, or trying on the perfect gown. Rhyme and Sachs must track down a witness that was left behind before the killer can correct his fatal error. Then disaster strikes, threatening to tear apart the very fabric of the city-and providing the perfect cover for the killer to slip through the cracks.
Shattered Mirror, by Iris Johansen. Coming April, 2018.
Eve Duncan is thrown into a deadly game of intrigue when she receives a package containing a skull–and instructions to do her work reconstructing it. When she does, a beautiful woman’s face emerges. But when Eve is introduced to the dead woman’s mirror image, a game is on where her twin’s life hangs in the balance.
The Road Home, by Beverly Lewis. Coming April, 2018.
After an accident leaves Lena Rose Schwartz and her siblings orphans, the children are split up and she has to leave her Old Order community in Centerville, Michigan. How will the others manage without her to care for them–especially eight-year-old Chris? And what about Hannes Lehman, the beau she was sure would soon be asking her to marry him? It won’t be forever, she consoles herself. I’ll come back as soon as I can to take care of my family–and to make a home with Hannes. But doing so may prove far more complicated than she ever imagined.
Truth or Dare, by Fern Michaels. Coming March, 2018.
Find out what’s in store for the Men of the Sisterhood.
The 17th Suspect, by James Patterson. Coming April, 2018.
A series of shootings exposes San Francisco to a methodical yet unpredictable killer, and a reluctant woman decides to put her trust in Sergeant Lindsay Boxer. A decorated officer, loving wife, devoted mother, and loyal friend, Lindsay’s unwavering integrity has never failed her. But now she is confronting a killer who is determined to undermine it all.
Twenty-One Days, by Anne Perry. Coming April, 2018.
1910: Twenty-five-year-old Daniel Pitt is a junior barrister in London and eager to prove himself, independent of his renowned detective father’s influence. When his client, arrogant biographer Russell Graves, is found guilty of murdering his wife, Daniel is dispatched by his superior to find the real killer before Graves faces the hangman’s noose–in only twenty-one days.
Twisted Prey, by John Sandford. Coming April, 2018.
Lucas Davenport had crossed paths with her before. A rich psychopath, Taryn Grant had run successfully for the U.S. Senate, and he was convinced that she’d been responsible for three murders, though he’d never been able to prove it. Now he’s heard rumors that Grant has found her seat on the Senate intelligence committee, and the contacts she’s made from it, to be very…useful. Pinning those rumors down was likely to be as difficult as before, and considerably more dangerous. One way or the other, he was going to see it through to the end.
Shoot First, by Stuart Woods. Coming April, 2018.
Stone Barrington is enjoying a round of golf in Key West when the game is violently interrupted–and it seems as if the target of the disturbance may have been one of his playing companions, the brilliant businesswoman behind a software startup on the cutting edge of technology. From the Florida shores to an English country retreat, Stone embarks on a quest to protect his new companion while searching for the mastermind behind the plot against her. | 2019-04-20T14:32:29Z | https://sclsbestsellersclub.wordpress.com/tag/fern-michaels/ | Porn | Reference | 0.453639 |
typepad | Here is another way to give to celebrate Third Day's GRAMMY wins tomorrow.
I couldn't say it better than Natalie Grant did on Twitter this morning.
As promised, Mac delivered his Big News Friday evening, and here it is!
Mac and his wife Aimee have adopted another baby! This time a sweet little girl. You can see her photo here!
Text "Haiti" to Celebrate Third Day's GRAMMYs This Sunday!
Your donation will go to the NRB's (National Religious Broadcasters) Haiti Relief Fund. They’re working with NRB member organizations like Compassion International, Samaritan’s Purse, and Operation Blessing, who are qualified to bring both material help and spiritual hope to those in need. And it couldn't be easier than to give by texting!
Please share this idea (and the previous post) with your friends. Such a simple and fun way to celebrate with a purpose!
This Sunday is the GRAMMY Awards. Third Day is nominated for three! In one single night, they could double their number of career GRAMMY Awards, going from three to six! And I believe they will.
Third Day has already challenged us to help Haiti through World Vision. I think I know how we can do that and celebrate their GRAMMY wins at the same time.
Contest - What's the Big Secret?
A week ago, on January 19, 2010, Mac Powell had this to say on Twitter.
The "NEXT Fri." is this coming Friday, January 29th. I don't know about you, but the suspense is killing me!
What do you think the big secret is?
I think I know, well, sort of. I mean, I don't "know" know. I'm just venturing a guess. And I'm sure you all have your guesses, too, right?
Here's what I'm going to do. Y'all comment below, and tell me your best guess about what Mac is going to announce after next Friday. The first person to guess right will win a prize. A runner-up prize will be given to someone chosen at random out of those that also guessed right (if there is more than one person who guesses right). And not fair posting a comment, if you already know what the news is, say if you saw Third Day at a Meet & Greet on the Winter Jam Tour and wheedled it out of them.
So give me your best guess before they make an announcement. And know that he said "after NEXT Fri." which means he may not announce his news on Friday. It could be anytime after Friday. And it could be anyone announcing it, not necessarily Mac.
Comments must be posted on this page, under this particular blog post. No others will be counted as entries. You must include your email address in filling out the comment form in order for me to notify you of your win. If no email address is given, and I don't happen to know that person's email address, another winner will be chosen. Your information will not be shared with anyone else.
Want to Help Third Day at Winter Jam?
Third Day needs volunteers to pass out Third Day goodies at the Winter Jam shows. Want to help?
By now, you've heard the news and seen the graphic images and video of the unbelievable destruction in the nation of Haiti.
In times like this, we must rise up to be the hands and feet of Christ. We have no doubt that many of you, individually and collectively through your local churches, will respond to this challenge in significant ways in the coming weeks. However, this is an emergency situation, and there is no time for delay.
Third Day has decided to make a $20,000 donation from our COME TOGETHER fund to World Vision's Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. We have seen firsthand the amazing work that World Vision does around the world. They are first call responders to these kind of disasters, and will immediately maximize our dollars to care for those suffering in this difficult time.
We would like our donation to serve as a challenge. We invite you, as Third Day fans and a community of believers, to match our donation to help our brothers and sisters suffering in Haiti today.
We hope that you will keep the people of Haiti in your prayers, but we also hope that you will be part of God's answer to their prayers as well.
Please click on the link below and donate as much as you can.
(FRISCO, Tx.) Jan. 1, 2010— For the fourth consecutive year, the Christian Music Hall of Fame has announced their inductees into the Hall of Fame. This year’s inductions include a very mixed group of individuals and bands which cover a wide range of Christian music.
The inductions consist of Babbie Mason, Bloodgood, Bruce Carroll, the Newsboys, Randy Stonehill, Steve Green, Third Day and Whiteheart.
The inducted artists will be formally recognized during the 3rd annual Visionary Awards show to be held in the Dallas, Tx area on November 6, 2010. The Visionary Awards are an annual event highlighting the top talent in a variety of genres of Christian music.
The Christian Music Hall of Fame is a non profit 501(C)(3) charity paying tribute to Christian artists in all genres of music. Funds are currently being raised to open a museum highlighting the careers of numerous artists. For more information, please visit their web site at www.hallmuseum.com or contact Andy Woolard at andy@hallmuseum.com. | 2019-04-25T13:16:49Z | https://gomertopia.typepad.com/new/2010/01/index.html | Porn | News | 0.37087 |
wordpress | with a dove in his hair.
Isaiah, saw a suffering servant.
or the prayer he taught his disciples.
intimately all four kinds of soil.
we love who have gone before us.
talitha cumi – get up little ones.
and none is left behind.
It was so long ago — a camel’s life.
so the baby was safe … back then.
royal oil for burying the dead.
I hope she saved it.
She could use it now.
for that was what they tried to end.
heard about the fig tree.
by the time he was twelve.
being so proud and so very afraid.
as she offered two copper coins.
she put in everything she had.
joy, memory, and being so afraid.
in the bodies of those endangered today.
I am grateful to Red Crearte for this post, to Daylíns, theologian and professor from Cuba, for her generosity in sharing it (and the image chosen by her)and Luz for her translation on this Maundy Thursday.
un mensaje de Amor incomprensible.
and to hearts fearful and hopeful.
was out in the middle of the night.
I’m Joanna. Nickname — Joanna-Always-a-Bridesmaid.
pretentious for a sandal maker’s daughter, you think?
into my well-worn bridesmaid dress – hint, hint!
with my lamp but no flask of spare oil.
showed up at midnight – Showtime!
and five of us were out of luck.
The other four took off for their homes.
if she knew I was unprepared!
going down by the closed market.
and got cash for betraying Jesus.
Kissing – is that nasty or what?
I was in the shadows and I started to shake.
but Jesus is … deep and kind to everyone.
He noticed me once and he’s old – must be thirty.
What kind of friend would betray him?
I just felt sad and sick.
all the way home to my mother.
or the wedding or the oil.
It felt like my lamp went out for good.
as soon as they washed and ate.
he had brought Rufus and Alexander.
but nothing like Passover in Jerusalem.
and never get involved with Romans. | 2019-04-22T00:27:32Z | https://giftsinopenhands.wordpress.com/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.072976 |
wordpress | Getting your bearings and knowing everything you can about a Forest/Domain you are migrating is key. Which domain controllers in the Forest and Domains hold the Operation Masters roles is one of those important details as you modify or decommission domain controllers. In Today’s article I am showing you how to identify your Operations Master Roles and then how to migrate them to other domain controllers using PowerShell.
Honestly, this is my go to procedure to migrated the Operation Masters roles. Using these PowerShell commands is much easier to move Operations Master Roles than hunting and pecking through the different Active Directory management consoles. Here is how to do it.
Single Level Forest to get Operations Master Role locations.
Now that we know where the Operations Master Roles reside, we can now move them to other domain controllers with another simple command.
Note: Permission are key. You will either need Enterprise or Domain Administrator permissions to perform these moves.
From one PowerShell window you can identify and move any Operations Master role in your Forest or individual domain. No more opening multiple Active Directory management consoles. Whether you are moving the roles before a Domain Controller rebuild or migrating the roles off for other reorganizational reason, this makes it easy.
So once you have cleaned up your group policies like I outlined in my last two Active Directory Scripts Highlights, what’s next? In this article I have a couple of variations of scripts using the Get-GPOReport cmdlet that will allow you to export all of your Group Policy settings into HTML pages, just like you would see from the Settings tab from within Group Policy Manager.
The first script exports all of your Group Policies into one big HTML page.
This will allow you to both have a record of all of your group policy settings, and it is also a quick way to produce a single searchable page for certain Group Policy settings within all of your Group Policies.
The second script exports your Group Policies into individual HTML files. These are searchable from a folder level based on name or text inside each of the HTML files.
Note: Remember to Create your output path with the following command first or your PowerShell script will error out.
Both of these scripts provide a way of capture your group policy setting from a point in time to document your environment or give you a professional output when providing documentation to those organization you are performing migrations for.
Do you have any GPO Documentation scripts? Paste them in the Comments below.
Going a step further from the previous post with a little more detail, the script below adds of GPOStatus, and version increment number for Computer and Users section for each Group Policy.
With the addition of GPOStatus, Computer Version, and User Version, a few more cleanup options are possible, both to remove orphaned policies and to make Group Policy processing faster during logon or computer restart.
Two things to look for with the addition of GPOStatus and Computer and User Version numbers. If you see a Group Policy with a zero in both the User version and the Computer version, you know that no settings are set for that policy and the policy can be deleted.
Additionally, if you see a Group Policy that has a zero in either of the User version or the Computer version and the GPOStatus is set to AllSettingEnabled, you could speed up the Group Policy processing by disabling the User or Computer portions of the policy.
Any PowerShell tricks to keep your Group Policy Objects cleaned up. Drop you tips in the Comments below.
Todays Active Directory cleanup topic looks at Group Policy Objects. In most of the environments I have prepared for migrations, old Group Policy objects are another problem area that should be cleaned up before an Active Directory migration. In many cases, as organizations are brought into the fold of another company, some of the OU structure is maintained until full integration can happen at a later date. In this case, maintaining the active Group Policies to preserve user and computer object settings, limiting the number of changes during this transition, is important. Finding the group policies that are active is the trick. The example below will give you a good base understanding of the migrating organization or your current Group Policy structure to enable you to clean up potentially stale Group Policies objects.
Sometimes the simplest scripts and get you a long way. Today’s Group Policy identification script is a basic inventory of what you have for Group Policies with their creation time and last modified time.
Looking for Group Polices that were created a long time ago and not modified in a while could signal the first pass a what could be targeted for removal. Working together with the administrators of the organization being migrated on this list of Group Policy Objects will likely reveal more that could be removed allowing you to focus on only active Group Policies slated for migration or cutting some of the fat and making your Active Directory a little leaner.
In the last of my Active Directory cleanup post, I have given you some options to identify, disable, and move User objects based on a certain time of inactivity. In this post I am going to give you some simple scripts to do the same thing for your Computer objects. The hope it that by following these posts you will be left with the real target of objects to be migrated, or to give your Active Directory a good spring cleaning that often gets neglected in the day to day management of your environments.
The first script will give some basic information back on Computer Objects that have not set their computer password in the last 180 days that are not already disabled. Output gives SamAccountName, LastPasswordSet, Name, DistinguishedName, and confirmation that the Computer Object is enabled. Sorts the output by LastLogonDate attribute and Exports the output to a CSV location. This is a broad sweep to get an idea of what is out there so you can make determinations about location and age of Computer Objects.
Modifying the output to include more or less attributes is as simple as adding them to the select-object string.
So after you have reviewed the output, what do you do with the data? This is where cleaning house starts to come in. After you have determined that the accounts are the target that you want, you can then take action to disable them. I recommend disabling them instead of deleting them because it is inevitable that someone will come back after a long sabbatical and have trouble logging on because their Computer Object has been deleted. The script below identifies the same group of Computer Objects over 180 days since their computer renewed its password as we did before, sets it as a variable and disables all of those identified Computer Objects and then moves them to a designated DisabledComputers OU.
One more modification to the above script as searching your entire domain as the script above to identify all Computer Objects over 180 days old most certainly will be too broad. The script below targets an OU. In most environments you will probably have your Computer Objects in one OU and your Server Objects in another OU. They are all Computer Objects in Active Directory so the script below will allow you to target just the right OU to make sure your disabling doesn’t reach the wrong population of Computer Objects. By Specifying “-SearchBase” you can target only Computer Objects location you desire.
Have your own Active Directory cleanup scripts. Computers? Users? Groups?. Help out and add them in the comments section.
Both Dell and HP have released System ROMs to protected against the Spectre variant 2 vulnerabity for their Haswell and Broadwell line of servers which encompasses most of the PowerEdge 13G line and the HP Gen9 server lines. Last week the PowerEdge 14G line and HP Gen10 line System ROMs were released. Whereas this was good progress, the bulk of enterprise server environments rely on the Haswell and Broadwell line of Intel processors at this time. With this release, it will now allow for most of these environments to be protected.
Dell PowerEdge 12G and HP Gen8 System ROMs are still being developed with hopes to be released in the coming days/weeks, but there is little hope for pervious generation servers will have a full fix at the System ROM level. Stability will be the key as the first round of System ROM releases were a bit shaking causing crashes both at the Host and VM levels. I will be installing the new ROM and will report my findings. If you see any issues, let me know. | 2019-04-23T18:19:23Z | https://virtuallyaware.wordpress.com/ | Porn | Computers | 0.10488 |
wordpress | As I have quite a busy day coming up tomorrow, I’ve decided to do some of tomorrow’s chores and jobs today, including this blog post.
First thing in the morning I have to take the dog back to the vet. He seems to have had a nail-bed infection and all of his tablets, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic, run out today. The toe itself looks a lot better than it did, although at first it didn’t look like anything and I didn’t know why he was limping. The infection flared up a couple of days after I initially took him to the vet and we had to make sure it wasn’t a grass seed that had burrowed under his skin.
The next job tomorrow is another of those admin jobs – tax my car. If I can do it online, I will. But now the laws have changed regarding displaying a valid tax disc, it’s all going to be all different on there now, and I may end up having to go to the post office to do it.
I’ll be picking the poet up at teatime, which means my working day finishes at 3:45pm instead of 5 – 5:30pm. When we move house the railway stations we can choose from should be much closer and when I have to play taxi-driver again, it won’t take such a huge chunk out of either end of my working day.
It’s our friends’ 1st wedding anniversary on Saturday, so we’ll be delivering a greetings card. And, if the poet’s train isn’t delayed, there’s a gig we fancy going to Friday night at our most local working man’s club before it’s no longer our most local any more.
In between all of that, I also have work to do.
Today I have electronic edits to do before sending the edited Word file back to the author for him to answer queries and questions. And I have diary work to do.
Yesterday I was asked if I could do another big editing job, but that hasn’t come in yet. So the next job on the list is another Great War book, another biggie. Today or tomorrow I’ll be printing off the next editing job so it can go into my editing folder.
On Saturday I want to go to the 1st Leeds write-in for NaNoWriMo 2014, but they’ve changed the times from 1pm – 3pm (core) to 2pm – 4pm. The later start means a longer lie in, but it also means a later finish, which for me means I’ll be coming into the home railway station at 5:20pm. So the jury’s still out on that one for now, even though I’ve so far said that I’m going.
Sunday, for the most part, will be chill time or packing time. NaNo will have also started, so I’ll also need to write 1,667 words for that.
What are you up to over the next few days?
Admin, it has to be done. And I’ve been doing a lot of it in the past few days.
Last week I had to sort out my car insurance. I’ve gone for a straight renewal, but they hadn’t sent details of monthly repayments, and they’d added a legal expenses fee on my behalf without even checking. So I had to call them to ensure they wouldn’t take the whole premium in one go and to insist that they remove the legal expenses fee. That brought it down a little.
This week it’s the tax return. I should have done it yesterday, but I wasn’t feeling great yesterday and didn’t do any “proper” work at all beyond take the poet to the dentist. Next year’s should be easier, as I changed all of my bank accounts over at the start of 2014, which means I’ve had to collate 3 lots of statements for the 2013 – 2014 tax return. Next year, it should all be in one place. At least I’ve been able to export them all, though, and merge them together in Excel. This year, for the first time ever, I’ve not sat and painstakingly written out all of my expenses by hand.
Next job is to get out a search party for my tax return form so I can transfer the information from Excel and get it in the post. As I do the return by hand, it has to be in by 31 October. If I did it online, I’d have until 31 January. But if I do it now, it’s done and out of the way and they can work out how much tax I owe them … which isn’t usually very much.
I also have books to edit this week, but so far no author/proofreader revisions as I shifted all of those last week. Apart from the one where we’re still waiting to hear from one of the authors.
The poet is off to Scotland again tomorrow. I thought that was it, but it seems he still has quite a few days to do up there and just forgot to mention them to me.
So how’s this week going for you?
I’ve been busy getting work in again while also trying to keep on top of mundane things like washing.
I’ve pitched for 17 jobs this week, including one that was invited for and one outside of the job boards. And I won one so far. I also have revisions to do on existing work plus a new edit to start.
Writing-wise, I haven’t done much this week, as I’ve been doing other stuff, admin stuff. But I did do the walks report and get it sent off to 6 local newspapers.
The weather’s been very hit-and-miss, but I have managed to get washing dry and the dog has been walked.
And that’s it. More of the same for me this week, and probably into the weekend too.
Maybe the Universe couldn’t manage the nice weather I ordered for my research trip. Maybe that’s why my car broke down and I couldn’t go. It’s horrible being grounded, though, and nowhere near any rail stations. I feel as though my wings have been clipped. The weather anyway, for the midsummer weekend and super moon, was atrocious. Blustery showers and grey skies the whole time.
The diary that I ordered on Thursday was here on Friday. That’s quite good going considering they only charged me £1.50 for 3 – 5 days delivery (apx $2.30). Next day delivery would have cost me a lot more, and I got it anyway. Friday evening I had a lovely time acquainting myself with the new diary.
When the post came in on Friday and on Saturday, I touched it once, and shredded or binned it straight away. I had some money-off vouchers come from Tesco, more than £5-worth (apx $7.75), and those went straight into my purse.
On Saturday I did some baking. I made a Quiche Lorraine and a plum crumble – yes, I’m hard enough to make a plum crumble … Sorry. Ahem … I walked the dog up to the Co-op to get some odds and ends, I took a rucksack so I could carry it home and still have my hands free for the dog. And I took the rest of the day off. I faffed, played games, caught up on old NCIS episodes and generally dossed, and baked.
I’ve started to do a big shop at Tesco just once sometimes twice a month, getting all the tinned, bottled and other heavy stuff, and then filling-in in between on a weekly basis, usually locally. It’s working out quite a bit cheaper, approximately £40 – £45 a month (apx $75), and I’m throwing even less food away.
On Sunday I had an idle lie-in and faffed some more. Then I knuckled down to some more baking (choc chip muffins), housework and then some writing work. I picked up 5 books on Kindle for just over £6 (apx $9.30) to read up on a potential new genre. When I wasn’t reading I was watching telly, but just for an hour. I would have liked to have gone out, but my wings had been clipped … I do miss my car.
When I get the car back I’ve discovered I can get to Leeds for the Saturday afternoon write-ins a bit quicker and a bit cheaper just by going to a different railway station. It’s not in a nice area, so I’d need to look at the car park security, etc. But if it saves me nearly £3 (apx $4.60) and about 20 minutes each way, it might be worth considering. It means the dog won’t be left so long on his own too.
This week, then, I have a new historical novel to edit, the walks report to write and submit, the daily comps to enter, job boards to surf daily, a well-woman clinic to attend, the gig list to upload for July (July already, sheesh!), a do diddle day, a book to write, diary work, invoices to raise, a trip to Birmingham, and – hopefully – a research trip to Derbyshire (weather and car permitting). Then I change to my new diary. | 2019-04-20T16:45:07Z | https://bagginsbottom.wordpress.com/tag/admin/ | Porn | Business | 0.603767 |
webs | This is what we plan but only God knows for sure!
Plan on breeding Annie to Draco.
Hope for a litter in June 2019.
Expect fawn, brindle, fawn pied & brindle pied.
If you are interested in a future litter, remember once they are born we don't release them until at least 8 weeks of age, call, email or fill out a form on the Application page and I will email you an application and keep you informed about new litters. | 2019-04-19T04:32:07Z | https://ruffaroundtheedges.webs.com/plannedbreedings.htm | Porn | Business | 0.888682 |
wordpress | I am trying to get into the habit of writing something here every day, even if it is just a sentence. So bear with me, faithful readers!
Understand that to recommend an app, I *really* have to find it easy to use and supremely useful in my daily life. I am not a “techy” person. Tech serves its purpose, but I would prefer a pen and paper most times. (Although I wish I could have an “undo” button for life.) And I miss the ability to leave the house and not be contacted, or expect to be contacted. (Of course, it is super convenient and solves many problems, blah blah blah. Let me be a Luddite for a moment…. she says on her blog…..) Where was I going with this, again? RIGHT!
Ok, so you probably know about/use some of these fairly regularly. But here are MY reasons for loving them, as well as some you might not have heard of!
Calm – (free, in-app purchases) great for destressing, centering, focusing, and calming. I wish there was more free content (lots of in-app purchases), but those that are free are great, and I use them almost daily. One of my besties loves the sleep stories.
Meditation Studio – ($4) another wonderful mindfulness app with lots more content, including many targeted guided meditations and courses. Totally worth the price! With anxiety, depression, and ADHD, this app is an important tool for me.
Librivox – (free) public domain audiobooks read by volunteers. You have a limited selection, as all the books must be in the public domain (not under copyright), but the classics are worth it. Most books have a few different versions, so you can pick your favorite reader. I’m a bibliophile and I’ve got a few favorite classic novels that I just LOVE hearing read aloud, just like when I was a little girl.
Audible – (free trial, paid content) this is the premiere professional audiobook site. You can pay for a subscription, or pay as you go for the titles. And tons of podcasts provide codes for a free audiobook. Neil Gaiman reads many of his own books! Awesome! I love that even if you decide to cancel your membership, you can ALWAYS listen to the books you’ve paid for. Yay!
Time Timer – ($1 – $5 depending on device) a godsend for people like me who have trouble with time. As their website states, this is a “visual timer designed to ‘show’ the passage of time through the use of a patented red disk that disappears as time elapses.” It helps me better understand and track time for each task.
WhatsApp – (free) a messaging and calling app that works all over the world. Great for avoiding text charges, and allows you to keep in touch with people using foreign phones! I use it to keep in touch with friends from Italy, UK, and USA.
Tinybeans – (free) a *secure* online baby photo journal that you can safely and easily share with family and friends! Requires a password for access. You can also opt to have a daily or weekly summary email sent to you with the photos. One of my besties just had her first baby, and since I am far away, this makes me feel like I’m still a part of the family.
Waze – (free) my mom (who taught me how to text) turned me on to this app. It uses crowd-sourcing data to keep it up to date on traffic and road conditions, and it will alert you of hazards, cops, and quicker routes. You can pick the navigation voice. It also helps you find the nearest and cheapest gas stations. I drive long distances to visit family and friends, so this is wonderful.
Spotify – (free, with paid upgrades) Most people know about this. Music streaming service, but you can create custom playlists of certain songs. You can also share them with friends, and see what your friends are listening to (if they’re public). I love the amount of control I have. There are public playlists, so you can discover new music, or pick a playlist based on your mood, but you always have your personal music, too.
Facetime – (free built-in iTunes feature) This is a unique to iPhones app, and it’s essentially Skype for your phone, but I have to give it props. I never really used it much until recently (because vanity). I use it a LOT now because I’ve discovered it helps me and my loved ones feel more connected than just listening to a disembodied voice on the phone. There’s something special about seeing the face of someone you care about. I have a weekly Facetime date with one of my besties, and when I’m homesick, I use it to call my parents.
What apps do you use all the time, and why? | 2019-04-26T11:51:50Z | https://handsintheworld.wordpress.com/2017/04/29/my-top-10-smartphone-apps/ | Porn | Kids | 0.147079 |
wordpress | — A fantastic performance by Ciaran Hinds as Jim Browner, telling Holmes about the sister-in-law who connived to destroy his marriage, with tragic results. From THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES adaptation of THE CARDBOARD BOX.
In this age of streaming and Netflix, the DVD/Blu-ray is still the format of choice for those who want to do more than ‘see’ the movie, but explore it and enjoy it. I’m speaking of special features.
As a rule I don’t purchase DVDs/Blu-rays, unless it is a movie or series I intend to watch more than once. And as such a director’s commentary is an essential part of the DVD for a film fan such as myself.
I can watch the DVD once for the program, then go back and watch it for the cast/crew insights into the film. So that said, what are the best DVD/Blu-ray commentaries?
Robert Altman’s IMAGES/THE LONG GOODBYE- I put these two films together as one, because they are Robert Altman at his most experimental, and to my mind, while not his biggest or most lavish or most acclaimed films, IMAGES and THE LONG GOODBYE are his most interesting and stylish and surreal films (and they also sport two of the most amazing, experimental scores).
They are my favorite Altman films. And while endlessly watchable on their own, the excellent special features push them over the top. While not really a commentary, the films instead sport brief interviews with Robert Altman, but such informative and formative interviews. Altman gives a great insight into the division of labor between Director/Writer and Actor, and how as a writer a work is 2D, and it is incumbent on the actor and others to make it 3D, to bring it to life. Between the film and the interviews, it’s a class on film-making, for the price of a DVD.
Michael Mann and Tony Scott are two of my favorite directors, they make fantastic films, and their commentaries are full-on clinics in film-making. So just about any movie they make, I purchase as much for the commentaries… as the film. So you can easily fill a top ten or twenty list with just these two directors.
Tony Scott’s MAN ON FIRE showcases two excellent commentary tracks.
Another one of my favorite directors is Werner Herzog, and his commentaries are always things of high drama and art onto themselves. Everyone of his films are worth owning as much, and in some cases more for his commentary. Just a fascinating director, and a fascinating man.
Like Mann and Scott, every one of his commentaries could fill a best of list, but again for the sake of brevity we’ll narrow it to one.
DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS- Put together a novel from one of my favorite writers, a few of my favorite actors, and one of my favorite directors in Carl Franklin, and you have a movie that makes anyone’s purchase list. Add a riveting commentary from director Carl Franklin, and you have DVD as film and film-experience.
THE COMPLETE FARSCAPE- People who are fans of this show, a show that at its heart is this great love story, are fans because they are so connected to the characters that the actors and writers bring to life. Outside of possibly BABYLON 5, FARSCAPE is the most emotional and best acted show of the fantastic (Browder giving wrenching, award worthy performances). So the chance to reconnect with these shows, especially by listening to Ben Browder and Claudia Black, who obviously have as much chemistry off screen as they do on… is just a joy. Even lukewarm episodes of FARSCAPE, rare but they do exist, are made ‘must-haves’ by the commentary. A fantastic series, adorned with fantastic commentaries.
So that’s it for the first five favorite commentaries. Join me in the next installment as we cover #s 6-10! And in the interim feel free to leave comments about your favorite commentaries.
MIAMI VICE THE MOVIE: THE DIRECTORS EDITION is quintessential Miami Vice. It’s everything that’s great about that mad 5 year show, that dream of Balmy Days and blood warmed nights… distilled. And to think in 2006 it received a dismal 44% rating from critics of the day (even judging just on the theatrical cut) says a lot about the sad state of critics.
The film is everything a big screen adaptation of MIAMI VICE should be. It’s a love letter to a place, it’s romance writ large. And for anyone to go into a MIAMI VICE film and complain about too much romance, or sensuality, or sentimentality is for people to be completely bereft of such necessary things in themselves. And yes it’s moody, and layered, and languid, like hot days and hotter nights.. and purposely so, it is paced for you to enjoy the view. Which is something too few of us do in this life… with anything.
And for all its languidness there’s not a wasted frame. Michael Mann coming home with this film, and showing he has lost nothing of his considerable directorial skill, and indeed has added new tricks to his bag.
All those are to the good. And the entire cast does a great job reinterpreting iconic television roles and putting their own spin on it, successfully I think. Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell and Gong Li and Naomie Harris to name a few of this stellar ensemble cast. Particularly apt is the romance, the counterpoint of the two relationships, as these men who spend so much time with lies, struggle to keep something real.
Ultimately MIAMI VICE is about people who lie for a living, and the toll such duplicity, for whatever reason, to whatever real or imagined good, ultimately takes on them. Much like the series, the film is about people who live on the edge, and their precarious balancing act.
It’s a great film, which is no surprise coming from Michael Mann, a filmmaker who consistently has created great films. An Actors’ Director, who understands giving actors that Authenticity in order to create (check the featurette to see the gun range preparation all the actors went through— Amazing!).
MIAMI VICE: THE DIRECTORS EDITION is in summation a consummately sumptuous, beautiful and frenetic film, crafted by one of the great directors of our time. My contention? When you put Michael Mann’s body of work in perspective… it will stand the test of time with the best of this still young, century old medium, called film.
Mann is not just a director, he’s a dissector and a biographer, a stylish one to be sure, of our age; And that is clearly seen in just how mesmerizing his director commentaries, and any special features are on his DVDs. If I’m an actor, Michael Mann is the director I want to work for.
And for film fans, he remains a director to watch and be inspired by.
Ridley and Tony: The Scott Brothers! A movie making dynasty! ROBIN HOOD & UNSTOPPABLE! Pt 1 of 2!
Ridley Scott’s ROBIN HOOD and Tony Scott’s UNSTOPPABLE.
The Scotts, brothers Tony and Ridley, are a movie making dynasty. Having really defined the look and beats and high points of cinema for three decades now.
Ridley Scott, in his seventh decade, has over fifty producing credits to his name and has directed over twenty feature films. His influence on cinema, in a variety of genres cannot be overstated. Before Michael Bay (love him or disparage him, you can’t argue that he is technically an innovative and stylish director) or David Fincher he was very much the crafter of this new, innovate, sensory intensive, style of filmmaking.
His best films are his early painterly, saturated, stylish, and somewhat aloof films, particularly THE DUELLISTS, ALIEN, BLADERUNNER (I’ve always preferred the voice-over version myself), SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME (his most underrated film, but a personal favorite), and BLACK RAIN.
Going into the 90s, starting with THELMA AND LOUISE, and continuing in films such as GI JANE and GLADIATOR and BLACK HAWK DOWN, and pretty much everything he has done since (with the exception of AMERICAN GANGSTER) the magic of his earlier work tends to be absent. To put not too fine a point on it, I don’t care for them.
I think the quality difference is analagous to the difference in Brian Depalma’s early work to his post 90s work.
I think Ridley Scott’s later films lack true heart, while appealing to the simplest most jingoistic terms of the audience. There’s a slight slant to Ridley Scott’s latter-day work, that doesn’t appeal.
However 2007s AMERICAN GANGSTER was a welcome return to greatness for Ridley Scott, and 2008s BODY OF LIES a good if not great followup. He still uses the camera as good as anyone in the business, and better than most.
So now we have his latest offering breaking on theaters this week, 2010s ROBIN HOOD, reteaming him with Russell Crowe. And that can be a problem. Because I wasn’t a fan of their first teaming, and from initial trailers it really looks like Russell Crowe is sleepwalking through this one. He comes across as very uninterested and uninteresting in the trailers.
But hopefully I’m wrong and the film offers the energy, and interest and vibrancy that seems missing from the trailer.
Hopefully with writer Brian Helgeland, who is known for providing quality screenplays (MAN ON FIRE, THE ORDER, GREEN ZONE, LA CONFIDENTIAL, TAKING OF PELHAM 123) Ridley should have the necessary framework/substance, to apply his visuals to, while maintaining an interesting/rousing story.
Going to see the film in a couple days, so time will tell. Though for my money the definitive Robin Hood will always be the 80s BBC series, ROBIN OF SHERWOOD.
Check back next time as I bring you the review on ROBIN HOOD, as well as the second half of this article, where we take a look at Tony Scott’s astounding body of work and his upcoming UNSTOPPABLE with Denzel Washington.
And speaking of Tony Scott, In many ways I find his arc is in opposition to his Brother. I think Tony’s early films were good, but his later films (starting really with 1998s ENEMY OF THE STATE) are a marked improvement, being brilliant. I think it’s a rare and special thing when the right director and the right actor team up, and together they produce cinema that is more than the sum of its parts. You get that with the pairings of Ford and Wayne and Woo and Fat and Leone and Eastwood and Hitchcock and Grant and Capra and Stewart.
And you get that with the pairings of Tony Scott and Denzel Washington. Together these two make films that get me in the theater and me buying the DVDs ( I love listening to Tony Scott commentaries, outside of Michael Mann’s commentaries they are the most insightful, interesting and brilliant commentaries you’re going to hear).
Wait, I’m supposed to be leaving some of this for the 2nd half. 🙂 . Check back soon for part 2! | 2019-04-19T06:44:23Z | https://heroictimes.wordpress.com/tag/commentaries/ | Porn | Arts | 0.102701 |
wordpress | I had 5 minutes talk about Tachikoma at YAPC::Asia Tokyo 2013. I talked 5 times about Tachikoma, but this is first time for me going well! I’m very happy. | 2019-04-21T14:51:03Z | https://sanematsu.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/updating-library-dependencies-off-and-on-with-tachikoma/ | Porn | Reference | 0.285104 |
livejournal | Discussion of other of Duane's novels will also be welcomed, as long as it does not devolve into (for example) the merits of one Star Trek series over another or any topic unrelated to the novels themselves. All posts should specifically relate to Duane's books, although discussion/comments may wander far afield therefrom; people who persistently post on unrelated topics will be banned.
This community is maintained by conuly. Only members can post, but anyone can comment. Welcome! | 2019-04-24T22:07:53Z | https://youngwizards.livejournal.com/profile | Porn | Reference | 0.742344 |
wordpress | Posted on August 16, 2013, in Current Events, Hip Hop, Pop/ Hip Hop Culture and tagged big sean, diss track, drake, east coast, hip hop, kayne west, kendrick lamar, king of new york, nyc, Papoose, west coast. Bookmark the permalink. Comments Off on Papoose – Control “Freestyle” (Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, Drake, Kanye West Diss) Listen/Download. | 2019-04-25T09:44:01Z | https://ourshirtsrock.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/papoose-control-freestyle-kendrick-lamar-big-sean-drake-kanye-west-diss-listendownload/ | Porn | Arts | 0.72908 |
wikipedia | For other films with similar names, see The Clown (disambiguation).
I clowns (also known as The Clowns) is a 1970 film by Federico Fellini about the human fascination with clowns and circuses.
The film was made for the Italian TV station RAI with an agreement that it would be released simultaneously as a cinema feature. RAI and co-producer Leone Film compromised on its release, with RAI broadcasting it on Christmas Day, 1970, and Leone Film releasing it theatrically in Italy the following day, December 26, 1970.
It is a docufiction: part reality, part fantasy. The film has sometimes been referred to as the first mockumentary in film history, although 1964's A Hard Day's Night may have a superior claim to that distinction. Being documentary and fiction in one, The Clowns distinguishes itself by being a mockumentary with unique characteristics, not the least of which is reflecting Fellini's own increasing fascination with how documentary films reflect "reality". Fellini would further explore this semi-fictional documentary genre in 1972's Fellini's Roma and 1987's Intervista, both of which contain unreliable depictions of Fellini himself making the film within the film narrative.
^ Baxter, J.: Fellini, page 260. St. Martins Press, 1993.
^ Baxter, J.: Fellini, page 270. St. Martins Press, 1993.
This page was last edited on 22 November 2018, at 16:25 (UTC). | 2019-04-22T03:47:09Z | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clowns_(film) | Porn | Reference | 0.753749 |
columbia | The following settings are web preferences of the LawContempSoc web. These preferences overwrite the site-level preferences in TWiki.TWikiPreferences and Main.TWikiPreferences, and can be overwritten by user preferences (your personal topic, eg: TWikiGuest in the Main web).
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List this web in the SiteMap. If you want the web listed, then set SITEMAPLIST to on, do not set NOSEARCHALL, and add the "what" and "use to..." description for the site map. Use links that include the name of the web, i.e. LawContempSoc.Topic links.
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wordpress | Why is it that being a 20-something, you always feel like your time is limited and people are always wanting you to split yourself in ten different directions all at once?
I had last Friday off of work for a ‘Tay Day’ and I do not feel relaxed at all. Is it that I had the nagging feeling all day that my Spanish work was calling me? Or was worried about my German exams? Or that all of my friends have the freedom to go out every Friday and Saturday night and I no longer have the time or money to be able to join them every time? Either way, it’s really tiring and stressing me out.
I used to be able to go out Thursday, Fridays and Saturday every weekend, go to the gym 4 times a week and still have ‘me’ time. Does studying for a degree and a boyfriend really eat up so much of my time? Weighing up what makes me happy in life and what are necessities is becoming an issue recently. Realistically I’d like to do shift work or at least 4 days a week instead of 8-5 Monday – Friday, it is so mundane, but like most I have bills to pay as I don’t live with my parents anymore.
I don’t regret not doing full-time Uni, or else I would never have travelled or worked up in the city. But I am beginning to wonder if I have taken on too much. I rarely see the gym anymore, I can barely afford to go out once a week and I’m hardly keeping up with my deadlines.
I guess this is more of a rant than anything else. I’ve read a lot of blogs online recently about the same issue, we all think we have it the worst. I guess I have to put things into perspective sometimes and realise there is more to life than getting a degree, getting hammered and affording nice clothes. | 2019-04-25T14:23:43Z | https://taysbucketlist.wordpress.com/tag/studying/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.680726 |
wordpress | When Adam was away he was looking for something to buy the kids, he came across these ‘delightful’ Angry birds t-shirts. Of course they LOVE them. Me?… not so much. Blue for Will, yellow for Arch and red for Eli.
Here are the two youngest getting ready for preschool, both wearing their angry birds t-shirts. | 2019-04-22T06:12:40Z | https://katiemdocumentsdelight2012.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/day-253/ | Porn | Kids | 0.728685 |
wordpress | A couple of weeks ago my dear friend and fantastic writer Ann Y.K Choi ( if you haven’t read her book Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety – get with it! Do yourself a favour and pick up a copy!) suggested I submit some of my writing to Blank Spaces Magazine – a super cool Canadian Literary mag.
Turns out, they like me! Well, at least my writing, ha! Check out my story First Day featured on the Blank Spaces blog.
OMG, maybe this time next week I’ll be on Live with Kelly? | 2019-04-26T04:40:17Z | https://littlebiggirl.wordpress.com/2017/01/10/they-like-me-they-really-like-me/ | Porn | Arts | 0.855328 |
typepad | In a moment of truthful frustration, one of the intermediate staff at the Rehab Center asked me to "compromise." Compromise about what? His suggestion was that we ask the home care agency to provide companions who would work closely with the CNAs and thus provide "necessary assistance" whenever mom needed help in transportation or toileting. At first my temptation was to resist, as I knew Medicare was covering rehabilitation costs, while we were paying out-of-pocket for the home care agency's employees, who as companions were not "certified" for certain assistance. But I have realized that the only real hope of a solution was if everyone pitched in and did whatever was necessary to help Mom get from point A to point B, and to get on with her therapy.
The good news for my tiny family is that everyone became pretty darned motivated to get mom successfully through therapy with a core goal: getting her back safely on her feet. Our mother has once again proved to be an Olympian in recovery. She's walking again and, amazingly, seems more accepting of help at key moments. She will continue with PT and OT in the assisted living facility where she has been doing well for over a year. It was a relief for my sister and I when our mother seemed relieved to be "at home" again there.
I'm too close to this, and also probably too jet lagged, to see true solutions. What should happen when call bells ring in a hospital, rehabilitation center, or any form of care? Can the problem be solved with laws or regulations mandating staff ratios? I'm not sure. I know I became frustrated whenever one of the rehab center employees would tell me the law did or did not allow them or us to do something. I'm quite sure they were equally frustrated with my responses also quoted the law. Laws are about limits, not best practices.
I do know that we need some way to allow everyone who cares about their loved ones, including the nurses, CNAs, and family members, become part of the solution. Without practical solutions, we are left with broken systems.
Thanks for sharing your experience. It is consistent with the experience of nearly everyone I know and the vast majority of my clients as well. The only "best practices" in our "health care system" are those which serve the shareholders of the corporations which dictate how much and what kind of care a patient gets. We can't afford to support those shareholders and the billionaire fraudsters who engage in "cherry picking" and "lemon dropping" who pass for "businessmen." I don't think there's a fix for our broken system, our only hope is something completely new which actually serves our health needs, not the lining of the pockets of the health care executives and their investors or shareholders. | 2019-04-22T20:38:49Z | https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/elder_law/2019/03/broken-systems-and-good-people-who-still-care-1.html | Porn | Health | 0.917128 |
wordpress | Posted in adversity, Baseball, children, Christianity, Faith, family, Family Values, father, Foster Care, fostering, General, God, Jesus, kids, Love, Marriage, mom, Salvation by It's just a web site man!
Today I have been thinking about what people’s lives are compared to what they wanted it to be as children.
When we are kids, we are always asked that question. What do you want to be when you grow up? If you listen to children, you will usually hear things like cowboy, astronaut, doctor, sports athlete, or fireman. Those are all wonderful career choices. As children grow, however, those choices change. Our likes and dislikes, as well as our aptitude in different skills dictate what we eventually do when we grow. Even more than that, are the life circumstances during our early years that often decide what we eventually choose to do with our lives.
But the most important decision maker in my mind is God’s plan for our life, combined with our free will to choose or not choose that plan.
I started out wanting to be a professional baseball player. I was an avid fan as a child. I couldn’t wait to get home from school so I could grab my glove and ball and go outside to play. I knew all of the stats for my favorite players. Being a Yankee fan, I knew every player on the team, the lineup, pitching rotation, and pretty much everything else that mattered about the team. I just knew that eventually, I would be a Yankee too.
As I grew older, I realized that my skill level just wasn’t there. Sure I could keep up with my team members in the league I played in. And I was generally better than the average neighborhood kid. But once I got to high school, I realized that my dreams of playing in the big leagues was just that – a dream.
So my interests changed. They changed several times. Eventually I ended up in my current career. It is a career I absolutely love. I am one of those people that love what they do. I enjoy working. And I believe it was God’s plan that I end up doing what I do. I believe that throughout my life, he was shaping me, molding me, and making me into the man I am today.
But what about those people in the world that have fallen?
What about my little one’s mom? I cannot imagine that when she was young, she wanted to grow up and have her children turned over to the state. I am sure that as an innocent child, she wanted for herself a wonderful life, a wonderful upbringing, a wonderful career. I am also convinced that God also wanted that for her. I am even more convinced that God’s love has not changed, and that He continues to want that for her.
So today I wonder if it is God’s plan all along for some to fall? Did God want my little one to be taken from her mom all along? No I don’t believe so. I believe God want us to bear children, then protect them and keep them safe, raising them to honor Him. I think it is our free will and the human race’s fall from grace that causes us to do things that do not honor Him. We live in a fallen world, a world that contain great good, and also great evil. Because of the grace of God, my wife and I went one way, and my little one’s bio family another.
As our little one grows into a woman, I pray that her dream about what she wants to do when she grows up, combined with her free will, and God’s plan for her life, results in a positive and enriching life that honors God always. | 2019-04-21T22:18:06Z | https://ginzotalk.wordpress.com/2014/06/19/are-you-doing-what-you-wanted-to-do-when-you-grew-up/ | Porn | Sports | 0.548948 |
wordpress | Sometimes I like indulge in a little bit of armchair sociology. Lately I’ve been thinking about parallels between our current social and economic situation and the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Back then society was dirt poor, literally, living in dirt, fighting the dirt in dust storms. Sadly the dirt wasn’t even especially good for farming, so there was a lot of hunger and poverty. Big time hunger and poverty. Currently, things are bad, compared to what we’re used to, but not as bad as things were back then, at least not as far as I can tell.
Even though the situation is better than it was then, for us, it’s still kind of scary and there are lots of “What If’s” roaming around willy nilly without answers. For instance, what if we run out of oil and can’t use our cars any more, what will happen, how will we cope? My kids and I were chatting about this very subject this weekend. I thought about it and came up with some ideas.
Running out of oil is a gradual process. It doesn’t happen overnight. It happens over a period of years, and possibly decades. In the mean time, we will do what we’ve always done, we’ll adapt. Most of us are adapting to the oil shortage and price-hike already. Car-pooling, only driving when necessary, putting off errands until a lot of them can be done at the same time, not running the air conditioning, visiting with distant friends and family less frequently, talking on the phone instead of in person, walking and biking when possible, parking SUV’s and using smaller cars that get better mileage. All sensible ways of dealing with the current gas situation.
If these conditions persist then people will fuss at local governments to provide more public transportation, and the governments will have to oblige us or economies will take an even bigger hit than they’re currently taking. Another thing is that small neighborhood communities will grow. When we don’t have the gas to drive to the big supermarket, it’s easier to walk down to the corner store to get a dozen eggs or carton of milk. This is really good for local economies. Some of the old neighborhood stores that have shut down over the past 25 years, may open back up. Those which haven’t shut down, will be doing better business.
During the 1970’s there was a sewing and craft resurgence. Partly due to the Spirit of ’76 and our country’s bicentennial. The other part though, was in reaction to the plastic MOD look of the 1960’s. All of that plastic, chrome and futurist themes that pervaded every aspect of our lives, got to be too much. Hippies went “Back to the Land” and those who couldn’t actually move physically experienced a similar spiritual change, if not a geographical one. Instead of sleek, hard and smooth–textures became soft, nubby and old-fashioned. Primitive homemade gifts became more desirable than shiny Store-bought gifts, Home sewing and crafting experienced a resurgencethat satisfied our society’s need for homemade instead of store-bought. Homemade bread, homemade dresses, homemade scarves and hats, gardens and chicken coops. Making things at home helped us deal with the deprivation we experienced because of the recession in the 1970’s, and helped us get back in touch with our own simple skills, which can be very empowering when everything costs too much and what we’ve got is all we’re going to get. Creating, in any form–sewing, cooking, carpentry, crafts, engineering–is the best way to manage a lack of resources. We don’t have something we need. We can’t buy this thing we need. So instead we create this thing we need, using supplies we already have. It’s my favorite part of being poor.
I see parallels in what happened then, to what is happening now. In my own home, nearby family is dropping by more often, letting the kids hang out together while the grownups talk and laugh and help with the dishes. Our one set of neighbors has been chatting with us over the fence and sharing a good laugh over pets and children. Since it’s easier and cheaper to cook than going out to eat, we’re eating better–saving gas, resources and cash. Plus getting better nutrition in the process. More people are gardening now too. Like the Victory gardens people had during WW II. Even growing a few herbs or baby tomatoes on a balcony or windowsill saves a little bit of money.
If things continue the way they’re going then things are going to get worse. I admit to that. But some things are going to get better too. Unable to rely on the crutches of money, cars, fast-food, and buying more stuff, we have to look deeper within ourselves, both individually and as a society. We must adapt, stretching outside of our comfort zone and redefining it as something new, which better suits current economic and social circumstances. We have the opportunity to witness the creation of The Good Old Days, a mythical time that we and our children will be bragging about to generations to come. The Good Old Days always come about during times of adversity and trial. Times when our society is forced to look beyond physical goods, beyond more-more-more, beyond the economics founded upon covetousness. We get to look past all the physical and watch the spiritual reawakening of our society–a change that I predict will be for the better.
P.S. After this flowery speech from atop my soapbox, I must admit that consumerism still has me in it’s grip. I really like the new Ruthie Doll by AG. She’s the first one with curly brown hair and no bangs. So she’s the first one with hair like me. Actually one of the dolls has hair exactly like mine, but otherwise she doesn’t look like me. I don’t own any AG dolls, but I find myself contemplating whether or not Ruthie should be my first. Not that I have the $90 that she costs, far from it. But one day we will feast again, and when that time comes, I may want Ruthie. Then again, I may not. I wonder how she would look in a snood?
Every now and then I survey the stores I usually shop at to determine what the best buys among meat are. Over the past couple of years, and even more specifically the past 6 months, prices have risen but many bargains remain. What follows is my list of the cheapest meats, their price per pound and price per serving. People often tell me the prices I find are much lower than the prices they can find. While the cost of living in my area isn’t especially high, it’s not the lowest in the nation either. I think that if you look hard enough, and really pay attention to your market, that you’ll be surprised at how many out-right bargains you can find among the regularly priced goods.
Medium Eggs–about $1.50 per dozen–25¢ per 2-egg serving–Medium eggs weigh about 21 ounces per dozen. Large eggs weigh about 25 ounces per dozen. Each medium sized egg weighs about 1-3/4 ounces instead of 2 ounces. I’m willing to give up 1/4 of an ounce of egg for the significant savings that medium eggs can bring.
Ground Beef–5lb bullets–$1.75 per lb–44¢ per 1/4lb raw or about 2.5 ounces cooked lean meat–Most cuts of beef are at least twice this price. A single pound of regular ground beef (27 to 30% fat) gives you about 10 ounces of cooked, lean meat. The fat content of ground beef can be drastically reduced through the common tightwad practices of rinsing it in warm water after frying. This gives the cooked meat a nutritional profile similar to cooked 10% fat ground beef, and for a much better price.
Chicken Leg-Quarters–10lb bags–58¢ per lb–29¢ per 1/2lb raw or about 3 ounces cooked lean meat–Half a pound of chicken is necessary per serving because of all the waste going to bones, skin and fat.
Whole Chickens–88¢ per pound–44¢ per 1/2lb raw or about 3.5 ounces cooked lean meat–whole chickens provide slightly more cooked chicken per pound than leg-quarters, but usually cost about twice as much per pound. When on sale for the same price as leg-quarters, whole chickens are the better buy. They make a fancy meal for company too.
Frozen Fish Fillets–Whiting, Pollock, & Flounder–2 lb bags–$4.50 to $5 per bag–56¢ to 63¢ per 1/4 pound raw or about 3 ounces cooked lean meat. Note that this is over the twice the cost of a servings of chicken leg-quarters. We love fish, and try to serve it at least twice a week. Canned fish for one meal and frozen for the other. When we’re especially poor we stick to canned fish because frozen fish fillets are one of the most expensive foods in our budget.
It’s easy to pay $4 to $5 per pound of beef, costing $1 to $1.25 per serving. Compare to 44¢ per serving for regular fat ground beef.
Boneless Chicken Breasts, especially all-natural brands, often charge $6 per pound or $1.50 per serving of 3 ounces cooked lean meat. Compare to 29¢ per serving for chicken-leg quarters.
Pre-cooked, packaged bacon costs $1.50 for a 1-ounce serving of cooked bacon. Compare that to 21¢ for a larger serving of homecooked bacon ends & pieces. Plus with homecooked bacon you have the extra kitchen byproduct–bacon grease; for FREE.
Most fish, frozen or fresh, costs upwards of $4 to $12 per pound, or $1 to $3 per serving. Compare this to 56¢ to 63¢ per serving of frozen fillets.
Home cooked dry beans are the best bargain. Bulk beans at 50¢ per pound provide 6 hearty servings for only 8-1/3¢ per serving. Beans or lentils that cost as much as $1 per pound are still only 17¢ per large serving.
It’s easy to see how combing beans with meat is an excellent way to make it stretch farther and reduce your costs. If you’re trying to keep costs down as low as possible, then Eggs, Chicken Leg-Quarters & Canned Tuna are the best meat buys and dry beans are the best protein bargain by far.
Today I celebrated Independence day weekend by cleaning out the freezer and getting all the oldest stuff ready for the grill. Fred’s home today, and he’s grilling for me. I hate to clean out my freezer but I do it every now and then, to make sure of what we’ve got. Turns out I had a lot more in there than I knew. Over 20 pounds of ground beef, 25 pounds of chicken and about 15 pounds of ground turkey and turkey sausage. We are not starving in our household at all. Not even close. I wore gloves as I cleaned it out, to protect my hands, and found a lot of stuff I didn’t know we had.
All the packages of meat that were 2 years old (or older EEK!) I took out and they are thawing on pans on the picnic table. When Fred grills this evening we’ll cook all the stuff that’s thawing. I figure grilling meat is the best way to cover up the taste of any freezerburn. So far I’m thawing about 5-pounds of chicken leg quarters, 2 pounds pork chops (might be 3 years old or older, shame on me 😦 ) A couple of chicken boneless chicken breasts, some thin sliced round steaks (older than pork chops, double shame on me 😦 ) and 3 pounds of ground turkey that I had packaged into individual patties and needs to be used up. We’ll be feasting tonight and the rest of the weekend.
We’re still not sure which family members are coming over, but whoever shows up, we’re ready for them.
By the way, it occurred to me that grilling chicken leg-quarters is probably one of the best ways to use them. I haven’t grilled them much in the past, but if they turn out good tonight, then I may do it more often in the future. We’re dousing everythign with steak sauce and barbecue sauce while grilling, so it will all taste pretty much the same, ie Not Like Freezerburn 😉 .
Hope everyone’s weekend is spectacular.
Every time food costs go up, food manufacturers reduce the size of their packages while charging we, the consumer, the same price. Pound sized packages drop to 14 or even 12 ounces and then advertise “Now! 3/4-Pound in Every Box” like they’ve done us a favor by giving us more, when in fact they’re giving us less. Our favorite sunflower seeds were $1.19 for 12 ounces, now they’re 99-Cents for 7 ounces. the Package tells me that now they’re only 99-Cents which seems like it costs less. Only they’re giving us 5-ounces less in the package, so the company is actually making a lot more, while pretending to be a friend of the consumer. Really they’re just being a friend to their own greedy interests. Since the sunflower seeds are no longer the good deal it used to be, now I’m buying them from the bulk bins at the Natural Foods Co-Op. They’re $2.59 a pound and never NEVER trick me with packaging.
America’s Shrinking Food Wraps–YahooNews–Article about this very topic.
We’ve been on our diet for 2 months now and we’re getting more of a comfort zone about it. We don’t go out to eat anymore, ever. Because it’s just too hard to make sure things are gluten-free and because we’re trying to limit our expenditures. All of our bills have gone up, but our income is the same. We have been able to save money in times past. But these days we’re using every dollar just to make ends meet. I know we’re not doing everything we can to reduce our costs, so I’m trying to do more every day, or every week, to use less cash.
The first month of giving up gluten and casein I spent too much on groceries. It’s easy to do when making the transition from one way of eating to another. We’re finding new favorites and adapting some old favorites to the new diet. I made a list of shopping techniques that are helping me keep the food budget under control. One day I hope to write an entire article (or several of them) on these things. For now though, writing these out reminded me of each of them and it’s helping me follow them more faithfully. Every little bit helps.
Analyze the market. Compare prices. Shop the ads.
Shop carefully. Always carry a list. Resist supermarket tricks and impulse buys.
Compile a record of the least expensive staples. Build meals around these staples.
Avoid convenience foods. Cook from scratch.
Give up food prejudices and status foods. Adjust our comfort-zones.
Substitute cheap ingredients for expensive ones.
Buy in bulk when it saves money but avoid waste like the plague.
Communicate with the family about what they want to eat.
Develop new favorites; keep them in a recipe binder.
Plan menus and shopping lists ahead of time.
I’ve written extensively on similar ideas in the past, but I feel like the GFCF diet has really propelled me to a level of carefulness that I haven’t always had in the past.
Numbers 5 and 6 above have been major players in my weekly planning. There are several status foods I used to buy every now and then–Frozen Chicken Nuggets for the Kids, Brie Cheese for me–and all of these are out of the picture now. This is probably for the best, but giving up old favorites is hard because at first there’s just an empty vacuum that sits like a gaping hole. Eventually new favorites rise to fill the hole, but new stuff can’t fill it, until the old stuff is chucked out. Then the transition time of waiting and being empty is uncomfortable.
I’ve been substituting cheap things for expensive ones too. This is especially true with gluten-free starches and baking. I’ve learned that Rice can be used instead of spaghetti under Tomato Sauce. Cooked rice can replace cooked pasta in casseroles. Brown Rice is 60 Cents a pound (at it’s cheapest, bulk price) and GF pasta is $3 to $4 a pound. Holy Buckets! For that much savings I gladly take 45 minutes to cook brown rice. ACtually I’ve found that if I cook up 3-cups of dry brown rice, in 6-cups of water (making 9-cups of cooked rice), at the beginning of the week, then we have rice to use as a base for quicky meals all week long. I’ve only done that one week, but it worked so good I will try to do it every week.
I’ve worked really hard on developing some gluten-free bread recipes that the family likes and that don’t cost too much either. I’ve tried to avoid using Xanthan in as many of our homemade breads as I can, and so far the results are good. Xanthan costs $10 to $12 for 8-ounces. Usually recipes just use 1 or 2 teaspoons and it really does make GF breads mimic wheat breads more closely, especially yeast breads. For many quick breads though, Xanthan isn’t necessary in the least.
I’m particularly proud of my Xanthan-Free Bread Collection [Click here]. I hope to develop some more of them in the future. Some Garlic Bread Sticks would be especially yummy. I’m working on a recipe for Xanthan-Free Pizza Crust that uses Rice Flour and Cornstarch as the only flours. The recipe still needs a little tweaking and I don’t want to share it until I get it perfect. | 2019-04-23T04:31:09Z | https://frugalabundance.wordpress.com/2008/07/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.340586 |
wordpress | At four in the morning, when you’ve had to change your pajamas twice from being spit up on, and you will soon come to the realization that you are not going back to sleep before your 5:30 am wake up time, it is hard to say you’re living the dream. I am living the dream…God’s dream for my life. The cool thing about God’s dream for my life is that it addresses the desires of my heart. The inexplicable thing about God’s dream for my life is that the way in which he chooses to fulfill the desires of my heart are completely different than the way I dreamed they would be and prayed they would be.
God has always known that his plan for my life would be for me to begin fostering and then to begin dating the love of my life. He knew the challenges that would come from dating in a godly way while being a single foster mom and working full time as a teacher. He is with me every step of the way as I walk through this challenging but dream fulfilling time. He brings me joy and peace and patience and just enough understanding to get through moment by moment…if I let him…if I go to him and do this life he’s given me on his strength instead of my own. God is in my past, my present, and my future. He knows what will happen next with Baby Incredible and with my relationship with my boyfriend. He’s already there. He’s got it covered.
One year ago, I did not have any idea I’d be fostering. I didn’t even have any idea I wanted to foster. One year ago, I had absolutely no idea I’d be in love. I didn’t see it coming at all! God knew. He knows our future, and he will reveal it to us in his own time, which actually ends up being perfect timing for our own good. God gives us what we need, not necessarily exactly what we want, to the specifications that we want it. He fulfills the desires of our hearts according to his glory and purpose, not according to what we want and would be most comfortable with.
It seems like many people who are around my age (late twenties to mid thirties) are striving to discover their dreams. Some of them are believers and some of them are not. Either way, it seems that this age group brings with it a re-evaluative stage. Some people never really got settled into a career. Others did, but they discovered that career was not really for them.
Watching this in my peers makes me so incredibly grateful that I have been living my dream for the past ten years. Sometimes I lost sight of the fact that I was because there were more desires of my heart that had not yet been fulfilled. The truth is, God allowed me to know ahead of time, like from the time I was in elementary school, that teaching was the profession for me. He allowed me to achieve that goal in my early twenties and live out that goal for the past ten years. It is not lost on me what an incredible gift that is. I know so many people who changed majors in college at least a handful of times, trying to figure out what direction they wanted their lives to take.
In looking back on the last ten years, I do feel a little bit of regret that I sometimes didn’t fully appreciate what a gift I’d been given because it brought me so much sadness that my desire to get married and have a family of my own was not yet being fulfilled. Now that I am seeing more of God’s plan for my life unfold, things are starting to make a little more sense than they once did.
It is my prayer for myself and for my peers that I dream big for my life but that I allow God’s dreams for my life to be my driving force, even when I don’t like them or understand them, even when I don’t think the dreams God has for my life are big enough or noble enough, even when I think the dreams God has for my life are too daunting to consider taking on. God tailor makes our dreams for us. We need to trust him with them. He loves us more than we can fathom.
This entry was posted in Foster Parent and tagged baby, desires, dreams, faith, foster, foster mom, joy, love, mom, patience, peace, prayer, single mom, teacher on March 19, 2013 by mamamango. | 2019-04-26T10:08:08Z | https://mamamango.wordpress.com/tag/desires/ | Porn | Home | 0.092824 |
wordpress | As a student at East Tennessee State University, I am very aware of the soundscape that surrounds my place in the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program. There is a great deal of music going on at any given time within the small focus of Sam Wilson Hall and Brooks Memorial Gym, and the numerous students within this department frequently are found learning through performing for crowds, jamming with peers, and practicing alone. From an ethnomusicologist’s standpoint, I feel that there are several fascinating case studies waiting to be explored within this microcosm of the university, and I came across one that had a great deal of importance to me and my own playing, as well as many others.
When I had been in this program for about a year, I was approached to see if I was interested in playing in a Celtic band. This was somewhat unusual at the time, since I was attending the university for the purposes of studying bluegrass music, and most bluegrass musicians did not cross into this other genre. I accepted the offer, and in order to become more adept at this style which I was so keen to study, I took a semester’s worth of lessons with Jane MacMorran. In one of these particular lessons down in the individual instruction suite in Sam Wilson, I realized that I was sounding too much like a bluegrass fiddler, and asked my teacher to help me with this conundrum. As Jane patiently showed me how the bowing and ornamentation differed from the styles that I was used to playing, I hit upon the realization that I had a great deal to learn not only to develop my skills as a bluegrass fiddler, but also as a Celtic musician. I tried unsuccessfully several times to correctly copy the snippet of the tune that she was showing me, and finally, after thinking more critically about my technique, I was able to execute it to both of our satisfaction. After the lesson was over, I went to take another class, but I wasn’t satisfied. I decided to make sure that I truly had a good grasp on this technique, and I went back yet again to the individual instruction suites to practice it. I performed it over and over again until I was able to get through the part without making a mistake or lapsing into my old cross-genre habits, and as I did so, I was aware that I was being watched. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I found out later that Will and Jane MacMorran were listening to my practicing, and determined to place me in the Celtic Pride Band. Despite the fact that others then took this simple act of musical exploration and discouraged me strongly from entering into this field of bimusicality, stating that it would not help my career at all, I felt that it was a valuable and worthwhile pursuit to enable me to better understand other musical styles and musicians.
This self-awareness of my own grappling with cross-genre explorations has spawned some reflections on the struggles with bimusicality that ETSU students face. Interestingly, I have observed three particular observations on this matter. Firstly, many of the students that study bimusicality do so within a small area of Sam Wilson Hall. Secondly, they usually practice within these rooms in the suites by themselves, rather than engaging in jamming in the lounge with their peers to learn their craft more fully. Thirdly, these two facts are interestingly tied into ethnographic research that has been conducted on the use of musical practice rooms and the concept of solo practice in a way that constructs a separate social identity…the “social” norm for these students to learn is to take information from their teachers, and then “asocially” perfect it by themselves.
I look to further examine this interesting facet of social and musical construct in my final project, which will examine the soundscapes of the Sam Wilson individual instruction suites and the situation of bimusicality within them. | 2019-04-22T06:58:06Z | https://appalachiansoundposts.wordpress.com/authors/aynsley-porchak/ | Porn | Arts | 0.898052 |
sfgate | You can reset your GE top-loading washer’s motor by following a few simple steps.
If your super capacity GE washer fills with water but does not agitate, spin or drain, you may need to reset the motor. Since this machine comes with a direct drive system, it does not require a transmission to agitate or spin. But if the washer’s electronic system senses a power spike, a disruption in power, or an unbalanced load, it may send a fault code to its motor. As a safety measure, this fault code automatically shuts it down. If this happens, resetting the motor restores the agitator and spin cycle.
Turn the unit off and power the latent electronics down by unplugging the washer’s power cord from the outlet.
Wait one full minute and then plug the power cord back into the wall outlet.
Lift the lid by at least 2 inches to break the magnetic lid switch connection, and then lower it completely.
Repeat this action 6 times within the first 12 seconds immediately after plugging the machine back into to wall outlet. This breaks the connection between the magnetic lid switch and the electronic circuit, and resets the motor. You might hear a clicking noise on some models, as you lower the lid and activate the magnetic lid switch.
Run a small wash cycle without placing clothes in the unit to ensure that the machine agitates and drains properly. If the test is successful, add a load of washing and complete a full wash cycle.
Schedule a service call if your washer fails to start correctly or if it runs properly but stops working after several loads of washing.
Kelly, Ian. "How to Drain Water Out of a GE Super Capacity Plus Washing Machine." Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/drain-water-out-ge-super-capacity-plus-washing-machine-94996.html. Accessed 21 April 2019. | 2019-04-22T06:58:40Z | https://homeguides.sfgate.com/drain-water-out-ge-super-capacity-plus-washing-machine-94996.html | Porn | Home | 0.828447 |
wired | SAN FRANCISCO — A new calculation of the world's coal reserves is much lower than previous estimates. If validated, the new info could have a massive impact on the fate of the planet's climate.
That's because coal is responsible for most of the CO2 emissions that drive climate change. If there were actually less coal available for burning, climate modelers would have to rethink their estimates of the level of emissions that humans will produce.
The new model, created by Dave Rutledge, chair of Caltech's engineering and applied sciences division, suggests that humans will only pull up a total — including all past mining — of 662 billion tons of coal out of the Earth. The best previous estimate, from the World Energy Council, says that the world has almost 850 billion tons of coal still left to be mined.
"Every estimate of the ultimate coal resource has been larger," said ecologist Ken Caldeira of Stanford University, who was not involved with the new study. "But if there's much less coal than we think, that's good news for climate."
The carbon dioxide emitted when humans burn coal to create usable energy is primarily responsible for global warming. Leading scientists think that the stability of Earth's climate will be dictated by how the world uses — or doesn't use — its coal resources. And the thinking has been that the world has more than enough coal to wreak catastrophic damage to the climate system, absent major societal or governmental changes.
Rutledge argues that governments are terrible at estimating their own fossil fuel reserves. He developed his new model by looking back at historical examples of fossil fuel exhaustion. For example, British coal production fell precipitously form its 1913 peak. American oil production famously peaked in 1970, as controversially predicted by King Hubbert. Both countries had heartily overestimated their reserves.
"The record of geological estimates made by governments for their fossil fuel estimates is really horrible," Rutledge said during a press conference at the American Geological Union annual meeting. "And the estimates tend to be quite high. They over-predict future coal production."
More specifically, Rutledge says that big surveys of natural resources underestimate the difficulty and expense of getting to the coal reserves of the world. And that's assuming that the countries have at least tried to offer a real estimate to the international community. China, for example, has only submitted two estimates of its coal reserves to the World Energy Council — and they were wildly different.
"The Chinese are interested in producing coal, not figuring out how much they have," Rutledge said. "That much is obvious."
The National Research Council's Committee on Coal Research, Technology, and Resource Assessments to Inform Energy Policy actually agrees with many of Rutledge's criticisms, while continuing to maintain far sunnier estimates of the recoverable stocks of American coal.
And don't look to technology to bail out coal miners. Mechanization has actually decreased the world's recoverable reserves, because huge mining machines aren't quite as good at digging out coal as human beings are.
With Rutledge's new numbers, the world could burn all the coal (and other fossil fuels) it can get to, and the atmospheric concentration of CO2 would only end up around 460 parts per million, which is predicted to cause a 2-degree-Celsius rise in global temperatures.
For many scientists, that's too much warming. A growing coalition is calling for limiting the CO2 in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, down from the 380 ppm of today, but it's a far cry from some of the more devastating scenarios devised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
"Coal emissions really need to be phased out proactively — we can't just wait for them to run out — by the year 2030," said Pushker Kharecha, a scientist at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. "There is more than enough coal to keep CO2 well above 350 ppm well beyond this century."
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change uses economic models that assume that the world will not run out of coal. Some IPCC scenarios show 3.4 billion tons of coal being burned just through 2100. That's more than five times what Rutledge thinks will be possible — and a good deal higher than the WEC's estimate for recoverable coal reserves, too.
On the other hand, if the world were really to encounter a swift and steep decline in accessible coal resources, it's unclear how humans could retain our current levels of transportation, industry and general energy-usage.
"Peak Oil and peak gas and peak coal could really go either way for the climate," Kharecha said. "It all depends on choices for subsequent energy sources." | 2019-04-20T10:49:47Z | https://www.wired.com/2008/12/world-coal-rese/ | Porn | Science | 0.123566 |
he | Hello! Just wondering if anyone has had any luck configuring the HE tunnel on a Time Capsule? (Mine is the 3rd generation running 7.5.2). I set up the tunnel in the IPv6 area of AirPort Utility according to the "Example Configurations" tab in the HE Configuration, and I don't get any errors, but I still can't access IPv6 sites, and my MacBook still isn't getting any IPv6 configuration from the Time Capsule. Any help much appreciated!
Mine works like a champ, I've set up a couple of tunnels via airport utility on a couple of different airport routers. It was pretty straightforward.
I do remember that there was some terminology thing when originally setting it up, it seemed easy to reverse two addresses in the airport config.
On your MacBook, in the Network preferences pane, make sure you have Configure IPv6: Automatically set and apply the changes.
HTH! Please let me know if you have any success with this.
Thanks for the input, jgeorge! I did end up getting this working. As it turns out, HE tech support was able to confirm that my tunnel was up, but my client (my MacBook Air) wasn't getting an IPv6 connection. I tried all sorts of things — turning WiFi on and off, renewing DHCP (not sure if that even works for IPv6), and logging in and out. Finally, after a restart, it worked just fine. Not sure if this is a Lion bug, an Air bug, or just how these things work as I'm new to IPv6, but it is now working! | 2019-04-23T22:09:59Z | https://forums.he.net/index.php?topic=1933.0;prev_next=next | Porn | Computers | 0.983241 |
wordpress | The poet, painter, political philosopher, and mystic George William Russell (1867-1935)—better known as “A.E.”—was no stranger to divine visions and secret wisdom. Often he oracled out of his shadow these revelations to friends and fellow writers: how he bore witness to a “dazzling processions of figures, most ancient, ancient places and peoples, and landscapes lovely as the lost Eden”; or how in his youth the “rock and clay were made transparent so that I saw lovelier and lordlier beings than I had known before and was made partner in memory of mighty things, happenings in ages long sunken behind me”. Even Russell’s pen-name—“A.E.”, an esoteric sigil imbued with cosmic mystery as much as it is a nom de plume—came to him in a moment of transcendental significance.
He began to paint his visions, and had been attempting an ambitious series of pictures on the history of man, in one of which he “tried to imagine the apparition in the Divine Mind of the idea of the Heavenly Man”, when, as he lay awake considering what legend he should write under the picture, something whispered to him “call it the Birth of Aeon”. Next day the entire myth “incarnated in me as I walked along the roads near Armagh”.
The word “Aeon” thrilled me, for it seemed to evoke by association of ideas, moods and memories most ancient, out of some ancestral life where they lay hidden; and I think it was the following day that, still meditative and clinging to the word as a lover clings to the name of the beloved, a myth incarnated in me.
I returned to Dublin after a fortnight and it was a day or two after that I went into the Library at Leinster House and asked for an art journal. I stood by a table while the attendant searched for the volume. There was a book lying open there. My eye rested on it. It was a dictionary of religions, I think, for the first word my eye cause was “Aeon” and it was explained as a word used by the Gnostics to designate the first created beings. I trembled through my body.
Unfortunately neither Eglinton’s account, nor A.E.’s are given dates. However, that Russell initially requested an art journal is not surprising. From October 1883 until the summer of 1885, he was enrolled at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art in Kildare Street; and from 1885 until 1887, he attended evening sessions affiliated to the Royal Hibernian Academy. The building that housed the Metropolitan School of Art, now non-extant, at the time stood across the road from the library. The National Library of Ireland currently (and appropriately) houses a substantial archive of A.E.’s manuscripts, letters, and artworks—all accessible to the public. Go see A.E.’s papers if you have the opportunity.
At the time of A.E.’s now mythic revelation, the National Library was located in Leinster House, presently occupied by the Houses of the Oireachtas. In September 1890, the collection was relocated to the north wing of Leinster House, an extension added to the central structure in the late-nineteenth century, where it remains to this day. This is where I found myself one afternoon doing research for Swan River Press’s anniversary edition of A.E.’s Selected Poems.
While the old catalogue remains available—tall, tattered books with pleasantly loose hinges lining the shelves just inside the reading room—the modern catalogue can be accessed online or via the computer terminals adjacent their analogue ancestors. That afternoon I had a revelation of my own. It seemed a reasonable assumption that not only would A.E.’s “dictionary of religion” still be in the library’s collection, but I should also be able to call it up from the stacks.
I conducted a search for book titles containing the words “dictionary of religion” published between the years 1780 and 1890. Among the results I found two possibilities.
The first was A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion (Trübner, 1879) by John Dowson. Given A.E.’s life-long reverence for the Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, Theosophy, and the eastern religions, this book seemed a sound likelihood, and so I put in a request to see it. There is, however, no entry for “Æon” to be found in this volume.
The other option was the aptly titled Dictionary of Religion (Cassell, 1887) edited by the Rev. William Benham, B.D., F.S.A., Canon of Canterbury; and Rev. J.H. Blunt (the latter editor indicated only in the preface and by an emendation lightly pencilled in on the title page). This book is described in the library’s catalogue as “An Encyclopaedia of Christian and other Religious Doctrines, Denominations, Sects, Heresies, Ecclesiastical Terms, History, Biography, etc. etc.” I scribbled the call number (203 b1) onto the slip and waited for the book to arrive. I took a desk in the reading room and switched on the green-shaded Emeralite lamp.
Æon.—An “eternal being”; the name given to the “emanations” from the Supreme Being in the Gnostic system.
Could this be not only the book that Russell chanced upon, but even the actual copy? The entry for “Æon” was there, the definition similar to what he later recalled, and it was published in the late-1880s while Russell was still an art student—this all seemed to fit my theory. But what other information could I find?
The National Library’s copy of The Dictionary of Religion bears three purple stamps, two of which are topped by a royal crown. The first bears the date “26 AUG 87”, an accession stamp indicating the library acquired the volume on 26 August 1887. The preface by Benham is dated March 1887, and so the book was probably published during late spring or early summer of that year.
The second stamp, also under a crown, reads “BOUND 22 APR 92”; while in the downward horseshoe design of the third stamp is printed “BOUND 25 JUN. 1900”. A duty librarian confirmed that these latter two stamps indicate the book was twice rebound.
I left the library that afternoon pleased that I had found and held in my hands a unique volume, one that rested inconspicuously in the stacks of the National Library for well over a century. A book which I hoped might be removed from the general collection and re-catalogued with the A.E. manuscripts in special collections. A book that seemed to me most definitely a literary relic. Alas, this elation would last only until I got home to my own library, and from these otherwise faithful volumes a single uncertainty emerged . . .
I was thinking of what would be the sound for the most primeval thought I could think and the word “aön” passed into my head. I was afterwards surprised at finding out that the Gnostics of the Christian Era called the first created being “Æons” and that the Indian word for the commencement of all things is Aom.
This extract is from a letter dated December 1886, and appears as a footnote on page fourteen in Henry Summerfield’s highly-recommended biography of A.E., That Myriad Minded Man (1975). If the date on this letter is correct, then it predates the publication of Benham’s Dictionary of Religion by some five or six months. Although A.E. does not mention a “dictionary of religion” in this extract, or even the arcane happenstance in the National Library, he does imply that he was already familiar with the definition of the word “Æon”.
My wholly unsubstantiated intuition tells me that A.E. did in fact consult Benham’s Dictionary of Religion, and that later recollections were an intentional conflation of events for the purpose of self-mythologising—something of which his kindred soul W.B. Yeats was also guilty. It is also perhaps significant that A.E. became acquainted with Yeats in mid-1884 while attending the Metropolitan School of Art. The two became deeply imbued with esoteric thinking—cf. Summerfield, “The two young men would discuss such subjects as the nature of the cosmic sounds that stimulated the growth of mushrooms.” Such an embellishment of one’s own origin of character, as detailed by A.E., must have seemed natural and indeed even appealing.
But as evidenced in the letter to Rea, A.E. must have come across the word “Æon” much earlier than he would lead us to believe thirty years later in The Candle of Vision. His happening upon Benham’s Dictionary of Religion in the National Library, while still possibly by chance, might nevertheless have led to an intentional, if idle, looking-up of “Æon” while waiting for that art journal.
I hasten to add, if I am correct, that this does not dismiss in any way the epiphany or inspired choice to focus on “Æon” as his true name. After all, Æon seems to have been embedded in his psyche much earlier, and should not diminish A.E.’s National Library experience in any way.
So perhaps the recounting in The Candle of Vision was a conscious attempt at streamlining or telescoping a personal mythology? I have not yet been able to locate the original manuscript of the Rea letter—but I wouldn’t mind verifying the date and reading the rest of it just to be sure.
Curiously this letter to Rea is not included in Letters from A.E. (1961) edited by the meticulous scholar Alan Denson. The earliest missive collected in Denson’s book signed as “AE” (instead of “Geo. W. Russell”) was written to Helena Blavatsky, co-founder of the Theosophical Society, which A.E. later formally joined. Though dated 6 November 1888, it appeared in the December 1888 issue of Lucifer, the society’s monthly journal edited by Blavatsky, and is generally considered the first time Russell used his new identity in print.
A second letter to Blavatsky signed “A.E.”, apparently written in December 1888, appeared in the January 1889 issue. But Summerfield notes that it wasn’t until February 1893, following his admission to the Theosophical Society’s Esoteric Section, that Russell started using his pen-name regularly, perhaps then recognising fully the power and significance of his two chosen letters.
Although Russell initially preferred the diphthong—“Æ”—typesetters persistently divided the letters—“A.E.” Ultimately Russell accepted this easier transcription. He both signed himself with the letters separated, and published the majority of his books using the latter rendering.
Russell’s first volume of poetry, Homeward, Songs by the Way, appeared in 1894 under the name A.E. So too did his second collection of verse, The Earth Breath (1897), his social commentary The Dublin Strike (1913), his political volume The National Being (1916), and so on. A.E. continued to use this sacred identity, his “true face”, not only to sign his poetry, but also his paintings, books, political pamphlets, letters to newspaper editors and friends alike, etc. etc. Whatever may or may not have occurred in the National Library in the 1880s, one thing is for certain: George William Russell had become A.E.
But by the close of the twentieth century, A.E. had been reduced in popular memory to little more than a footnote in Ulysses. In episode nine, “Scylla and Charybdis”, Joyce refers to Russell as “A.E.I.O.U.”, a playful allusion to the bearded sage of Dublin as much as to Joyce’s debt to A.E. for publishing his first stories in The Irish Homestead, stories which were later collected in Dubliners.
Yet despite all this, the name A.E. is still imbued with a certain magic, a presence that gathers around it the like-minded, drawing with a natural magnetism, ears straining to hear old traces of the new songs of Ireland. And just as they did during his lifetime, readers, historians, writers, mystics, activists, poets, students, journalists, organisers, politicians, artists, and the open-minded are still discovering kinship in A.E. and his works.
As for me, I still have one lingering question: Did I find the right book in the National Library? I have further theories, and you’re more than welcome to ask me about them some day. But if you’re looking for an answer now . . . Go see A.E.
This article originally appeared on the Irish Times website on 10 April 2017.
Swan River Press’s deluxe hardback edition of Selected Poems, in celebration of A.E.’s 150th birth anniversary, is now available on our website www.swanriverpress.ie.
If you’d like to read more about A.E., please see our previous post here.
You might also be interested in A.E.’s short essay, “The Making of Poetry”, which you can read here.
And don’t forget to check out our journal The Green Book (Writings on Irish Gothic, Supernatural and Fantastic Literature), past issues of which have featured A.E. and his work.
The following article by Fred Henderson was first published in the Eastern Daily Press (Norwich) on 19 July 1935, just two days after A.E.’s death. We reprint it here on the cusp of A.E.’s 150th birth anniversary.
Most of the papers to-day, in announcing the death of the famous Irish poet, George Russell—better known to the lovers of beauty in literature all the world over as “A.E.”—make some appraisement of his work, and most of them might easily convey to the reader an impression which is quite inaccurate. It is probably not intended, but when we are told that “fairyland was Russell’s spiritual home, and in his edition of collected poems there is reflected a spirit of calm, perfect in its serenity,” the ordinary reader might very easily take “fairyland” to indicate the ineffectual dreamer in literature. And nothing could be further from the truth about Russell than that. Of the calm serenity of his outlook on the future of humanity there is no question. I have never met any man more serenely confident about the assured triumph of beauty in human life and human associations, or less perturbed by all the evidence to the contrary which our present squalors and the ugliness of a world spending its resources on providing itself with teeth and claws for its barbarian quarrels presents to us. But his serenity was not the vague hope of a poetic dreamer. It was based on a profound philosophy and knowledge of the deeper things stirring in the world’s life “under the measureless grossness and the slag.” Russell was a practical man, if ever there was one; practical as only the man with a great vision and purpose can be. His work with Horace Plunkett in the building up of the co-operative movement in Irish agriculture should be sufficient evidence of that.
I had the great privilege recently of spending a fortnight in seclusion with him on his return home from America. I missed him by only a few days at Washington where he had been visiting the Agricultural Department of the Federal Government and studying the projects which were being worked out there under the Roosevelt administration; and I had no idea when I went on board the Aurania homeward bound that he was returning by the same boat. But we came across one another before we got out of New York Harbour, and my remembrance of the rest of the voyage is mainly a remembrance of George Russell. It was a voyage of incessant storm, thirteen days out from New York before we landed in London. There were few passengers on board; and for the three most violent days of storm we had the deck pretty much to ourselves, watching the magnificence of the great seas, and talking together over the whole range of human interests and world affairs. The charm of the man; his soft musical Irish voice; his genius for discerning the tidal movements in human affairs under the foam and uproar of the surface—I treasure the remembrance of those days, and more than ever now that one knows that it was the last period of spiritual expansion in the setting of the elemental natural movement of the wild sea and sky which he loved that life was to give him. I wonder whether if now he knows the word which we spend an hour trying to discover one afternoon when a great sunburst, with a hundred shafts of light moving with the movement of the scattering clouds, turned the welter of the mountainous seas into a wild glory, and we flung line after attempted line at one another in the effort to picture it and express its movement, and found it inexpressible.
I am happy in having not only the memory of that fortnight of a great companionship, but a tangible evidence of Russell’s infinite variety in pursuit of the beauty which he loved. On the morning of our landing at London he brought me a copy of one of his books. “Let me,” he said, “inscribe it in my own way as a remembrance of the time we’ve had together”; and thereupon sat down in a deck chair, took a box of coloured crayons from his pocket, and in about ten minutes sketched in on the title page a drawing of a piece of mountainous sea coast, “The coast at my home in Donegal.” His last piece of work, I imagine, as an artist in colours as well as in words.
It was easy to understand, on such an intimacy with him, the deep and almost devotional affection in which people of all parties in Ireland regarded George Russell. It was not only what he wrote or what he painted, nor even what he did in the active movements of Irish life; the man himself was an inspiration. | 2019-04-19T10:38:53Z | https://swanriverpress.wordpress.com/2017/04/ | Porn | Reference | 0.112944 |
nuxit | This is a spin-off of "The Adventures in Nick City".
Summary: This takes place at Ms. Puff's Driving School in Nick City. SpongeBob goes here, and also Blik. Together, like Susie and Angelica, these two inhumans go on lots of crazy adventures and meet situations.
Everyone was in Ms. Puff's class. Chatting about stuff before she arrives.
"Hey, haven't you guys heard?" Mr. Blik asked.
"The legend. They say that the school is haunted at night. By the full moon, everything will come alive and attack your soul."
"Man, that's kid stuff. Crazy stuff."
"What you guys talking about?" SpongeBob interrupted.
"Just talking about the school legend-ed." Norbert replied.
"I've been at this school much longer! What makes you guys think that this place is haunted?" SpongeBob asked.
"Well, strange things have been happening." Waffle said as Stimpy, Dog, and Daggett came over.
"Yeah. Like this one guy, who came into the school, he disappeared. Never to be seen again." Daggett said. Then, Norbert shot off the flashlight his brother was holding.
"Yep, anyone is crazy to stay here at night." Stimpy added. Dog nodded.
"That's the most dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Cat snapped at his attached bro.
"Yeah. So, I dare you, SpongeBob SquarePants, to stay here at night!" Blik yelled.
"What? Are you nuts?" SpongeBob asked.
"OK. I dog-gone-quadraple dare you to stay here at night!" Everyone gasped. Rocko and Gordon came over, who were the last two people in class.
"No one can back out on a dare like that!" Gordon said.
"It's against the rules to do so." Norbert added. SpongeBob looked around his classmates.
"Fine, I'll do it." SpongeBob said. He shook Blik's hand. Ms. Puff came inside.
"Good morning, class. Take your seats." she said. Everyone else did so.
After school, SpongeBob stayed behind of Blik's dare. He avoided all the teachers so he didn't have to tell them about the dare. Most of the teachers were gone now.
"Well, in about 2 minutes, I'm gonna face the biggest fear of my life." SpongeBob said to himself looking at his watch. It said 7:58. The little guy gluped. The two minutes were now gone and a huge clock rang a few times. "Gee, everything sure is dark. Luckily, I brought my flashlight just in case."
Spongebob pulled out his flashlight and looked around the school. Meanwhile near the lockers, four familair people were snickering.
"So, why are we doing this again?" Norbert asked.
"Because, we're gonna make the school act like it's haunted and scare SpongeBob to bits. Then, the next day, he's gonna walk in like a little baby!" Mr. Blik replied.
"Do you think the legend is true?"
"Heck, no! Anyone's a goon to believe it!"
"Then, where's Cat?" Ren asked. Blik turned around and only saw his cane (because Cat is attached to Dog and wants to go without him).
"Oh, please. I bet he wanted to get back home because he was scared."
"What's the sound?" Norbert asked. Something or someone made an errie noise. Green fog started to come out. The group's eyes grew big.
"So, maybe it's SpongeBob playing a prank on us!"
Back with him, SpongeBob saw the fog come out, too. Then, he started to shiver.
"Man, it's so cold. I just hope I don't catch the suds." he said as he walked. In a trance like way of walking, SpongeBob seemed to walk to the end of the school door.
Near where he was, Blik, Ren and Norb were also walking.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" asked Norbert.
"Relax, it's a school, not the woods." Mr. Blik replied.
"Although it seems like it." Ren said. Then, they spotted SpongeBob. Blik wnet up to him.
"Hey, buddy!" Blik said, but SB ignored it and kept on walking. "Hey, I'm talking to you! Hey! Get back here!" Blik waved his arm at SpongeBob, and nothing happened. "Ok...ay." Norbert and Ren walked up to him.
"I don't know. He's so weird. Like in a trance." Blik replied again.
SpongeBob turned around and had red eyes. Norb jumped back.
"You know, you look so different."
"What's your point?" SpongeBob asked and punched Norb in the stomach. Mr. Blik and Ren saw him fall back.
"Ahh!" Blik and Ren screamed in unison while holding each other. They opened their eyes and turned to each other. "Ahh!" and they turned back to SB. "Ahh!"
"Do you guys think you can trick me? Well, you're wrong! I'm gonna...I'm gonna..." SpongeBob fell down suddenly and landed 'oof!' right on the floor. Blik and Ren looked at each other again.
YEAH, GIVE 'EM WHATB THEY DESERVE, SPONGEBOB! I-err-Spongebob...wait, no closer, WHAT WOULD MR KRABS SAY? AAAGGHHH!
In other words, great story.
"Oh, what happened?" SpongeBob rubbed the top of his head.
"What was gonna happen?! You were about kill us!" Blik replied.
"Hey, what are you guys doing here? And, where's Cat?"
"You," Norb panted. "trance, heading for," pants again. "DOOR!"
The three turned around and saw the door, 'Underworld Bringer' was open. They shurgged and went inside. When they went inside, the door closed by itself.
"Are you sure coming in here was a good idea?"
"Of course! You worry too much." Blik snapped. "Besides, what's the worst that can..."
"Look!" Ren pointed and saw Cat in a cage.
"Cat, you're alive!" Norbert said.
"Wait, don't come near me!" Cat yelled.
"Why not?" SpongeBob accidently stepped on something and the others got trapped too.
"That's why." then, an evil laugh was heard. It came from a white and brown ghost with red eyes. The animals screamed at once.
I have a feeling this won't be good for Spongebob and his...non-friends.
"It's the ghost of the boating school!" Norbert yelled.
"Criminy! Run for it!" Ren said. The rest did as so, expect for SpongeBob.
"What's that SpongeDork doing?" Blik asked. Then, SpongeBob transformed into hsi superhero form (because this is a spin-off of course of TAINC, and SB still has his powers).
He attacked the ghost with his karate moves. While the ghost was distracted, Blik, Ren, and Norn snook back and got out Cat. Norb gave him his cane after that.
"Wow. Who knew SpongeBob was the superhero?" Cat asked.
"I know. We should thank him." Norb said. SpongeBob used his jellyfish blast and his other powers that knocked the ghost down.
"All right! I surrender!" the ghost shouted.
"Perfect. But, I got one thing to keep your mind off scaring people at night." SpongeBob said as he transformed back.
"'Bob, thanks for saving our lives," Blik said. SpongeBob smiled. "But don't let it go to your head!"
The next day, the ghost was now teaching another class.
"And that's how you make a turn." he finished. The other class was writing this all down. SpongeBob, Norbert, Ren, Cat, and Blik looked though the door.
"Now that's what I call an happy ending." SpongeBob said and then winked to the audience.
Great fic! Especially like the ending, it was funny!
In SpongeBob's pineapple on a bright morning, he work up from his bed, but didn't feel cheery as usual.
"Ugh, I don't feel so good." SpongeBob groaned. He tried to get out of bed, but couldn't. Gary came over.
"Meow (that's now good)." he meowed.
"I nose, Barry." SpongeBob's nose was stuffed up and red. Also, where was freckles too.
"Meow meow (I think you have the...Scallop Flu)." thunder and lighting come from outside.
"Oh, Gary! Anything but thats!" SB sneezed. Gary gave him a tissue box from his shell. "Hanks." the sick sponge took a tissue and blowed his nose. "Everyone knows that the Scallop Flu is incureable! I hope that Ms. Puff would understand..."
Meanwhile there, Mr. Blik and the rest of the classmates were seating down taking their seats.
"Man, where the heck is he?!" Blik asked.
"SpongeBob, you nimrod!" his brother snapped. "I had a whole box of pranks for today, but no! He chickens out!"
"Maybe he's just sick." Gordon replied.
"Oh, please! Everyone knows that sponges only get the suds, and it can be cured up instantly! What of of sickness does he have then?!"
The school bell rang and everyone took their seats.
"Class, today we're gonna learn how to..." Ms. Puff got interrupted by a phone call. "Who is it?" the class can hear someone talking, a cough, a sniffle, and more talking. "Oh, that's horrible, SpongeBob. The scallop flu? OK, bye." Ms. Puff turns back to her class. "Um, excuse me for a moment, class." she said. Ms. Puff goes into a near-by closet. "HALLUJA, he's got the Scallop Flu! Yeah!"
"The Scallop Flu? What the heck is that?" Blik asked. Everyone else mumbled about it.
Mrs Puff, you shouldn't rejoice that you'll never have to crash a boat and air up again. You should worry about Spongebob.
Ms. Puff came out of the closet and the animals stopped talking.
"Now, about our lesson..." she started.
"Ms. Puff, what's the Scallop Fly?" Waffle asked, raising his hand. The others wanted to know as well.
"You people really wanna know, don't ya?" the classmates nodded at once. "Fine. You see, the Scallop Flu is a fly that only sea creatures get, like myself. Many people die from this sickness, due to no cure. And what will happen to SpongeBob will be a mystery...Anyway, now, we're gonna learn..." Ms. Puff got interrupted again when the school bell rang for lunch. "Never mind."
Inside, the cafertia, Mr. Blik and friends were sitting down with their food.
"So, what now?" Blik asked.
"We need to find the cure to the Scallop Flu."
"Wait, why are you interested in all of a sudden?" Ren asked.
"Well, I think..." Waffle, Dog, Daggett and Stimpy came over. Cat and Dog put their canes away because they were closer to each other now.
"that we should help them for mankind!" Waffle finished.
"I guess it's settled then. We're gonna find the cure for the Scallop Flu, like I did for Stinky Toe." Dag said. Gordon and Rocko came overhearing this.
"Well, I guess it is up to all of us then and find the cure, bring SpongeBob back to health, and everything will be back to normal." said Gordon. The others agreed. | 2019-04-22T22:23:05Z | http://superyo.nuxit.net/nickdisk/_fanfic_driving_school_daze-670.htm | Porn | Kids | 0.965574 |
typepad | This image was actually shot many months ago while little Isla was still in her beautiful mama's belly. When I saw that the weekly challenge on i heart faces was sunflare, it made think of this moment... of the gorgeous sunset, the love that these two expecting parents share and... oh, and how I am so overdue on my blog postings!
ps- be sure to sop by iheartfaces to check out all the other sunshine!
Love the moment you've captured. Great shot!
Beautiful golden tones in this sentimental image. | 2019-04-26T10:05:49Z | https://ldpphotography.typepad.com/liz_depuydt_photography/2011/03/isla-sun.html | Porn | Arts | 0.422469 |
wordpress | LONDON (Reuters) – A close ally of Prime Minister Theresa May on Saturday became the first cabinet minister to float a possible Plan B if, as expected, parliament next week rejects her proposal to leave the European Union.
With her own future in the balance, May insists her deal, laboriously negotiated with the EU over many months, is the only one on the table and that the alternatives are a painful ‘no-deal’ exit from the EU or possibly no Brexit at all.
However, members of parliament, including from May’s own Conservative Party, look set to reject her deal, which envisages continued close ties with the EU, in a move that would pitch the world’s fifth-largest economy into even deeper uncertainty.
While agreeing with May that her deal provides the best option for exiting the EU, Amber Rudd, the work and pensions minister, said a Norway-style relationship with the bloc might also offer a way out of the current deadlock.
“If it (May’s plan) doesn’t get through anything could happen: people’s vote, Norway plus, any of these options could come forward,” she told BBC radio on Saturday.
Rudd told The Times newspaper in an interview her own preferred option, if May’s deal failed, was the “Norway Plus” model, adding it “seems plausible not just in terms of the country but in terms of where the MPs are”.
Norway is not an EU member but is in the bloc’s single market, which allows for free movement of goods, capital, services and people. ‘Norway plus’ envisages Britain also staying in the EU’s customs union, which Norway is not in.
Senior officials on both sides of the EU-UK negotiations on May’s deal have voiced scepticism to Reuters about the “Norway pivot” idea, saying it seems far removed from British demands for more control over rules and could need lengthy new talks.
Some pro-EU lawmakers have also expressed support for a second referendum on EU membership, or ‘a people’s vote’.
The Times reported on Saturday that plans were being made across party lines to vote against May’s leadership if she loses Tuesday’s vote. The Daily Telegraph quoted a senior Conservative lawmaker as saying she might be forced to resign.
Rudd said she believed May should stay on as prime minister even if parliament rejects her Brexit deal. “There is no question of her going,” Rudd told the BBC.
The Times said the main opposition Labour Party was seeking an alliance with rebel Conservatives and the Democratic Unionist Party, the small Northern Irish party which props up May’s minority government, to call a vote of no-confidence in the prime minister.
That vote would not be binding but would place enormous pressure on May to resign, it added.
Conservative lawmaker and former leader Iain Duncan Smith was quoted in the Telegraph as saying her leadership could come into question if she lost Tuesday’s vote.
“I believe that if (May’s) response is ‘we’ve lost but we will do this all over again’, it will become a leadership issue,” he was quoted as saying.
The newspaper also said three ministers were considering resigning in opposition to her deal, without citing sources.
If the Brexit deal is rejected, ministers have 21 days to state how they intend to proceed. The government has previously said that if the agreement is rejected, Britain will leave the EU without a deal.
May’s spokesman said on Friday the vote would go ahead next week despite calls from some MPs for it to be delayed to avoid a defeat so big that it might bring down the government. | 2019-04-24T04:51:35Z | https://unhingedgroup.wordpress.com/2018/12/08/amber-rudd-floats-plan-b-before-key-vote-on-mays-brexit-deal-reuters/ | Porn | Reference | 0.139465 |
cnn | Europe is proposing new gun control laws in response to recent terror attacks and mass shootings.
The European Union has agreed to ban sales of the most dangerous semi-automatic firearms, and to make it much harder to legally buy other weapons in the EU.
People across the EU will now have to go through medical checks before getting a license to buy firearms. Online sales will also be limited.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the European Commission, called the agreement a "milestone in gun control in the EU."
"We have fought hard for an ambitious deal that reduces the risk of shootings in schools, summer camps or terrorist attacks with legally held firearms," he said.
The EU will also make it easier to track legally bought firearms in order to prevent them from being re-sold on the black market.
States across the EU will also start sharing more information about firearm sales to make sure that a person who fails checks in one member state cannot buy guns elsewhere in the European Union.
Gun ownership is lower in the European Union compared to the U.S. According to official statistics, only one in ten European citizens, or 10%, own or have previously owned a firearm. But according to a 2015 Gallup research, 41% of Americans have a gun in their home, while 28% own one personally.
The top three European institutions -- the Commission, the Parliament and the Council -- finally reached a political agreement on the new rules on Tuesday, after more than a year of difficult negotiations.
The European Commission, Europe's top regulator, was pushing for even stricter rules, including a complete ban on semi-automatic weapons.
However, some member states opposed that approach. Finland said such ban would affect its national defense, which relies on reservists being able to train with semi-automatic weapons.
The Czech Republic and Sweden also protested, saying the ban would hurt those who use firearms legally for sport or hunting.
Luxembourg, on the other hand, was arguing for even stricter rules.
Firearms United, one of the biggest gun lobby groups in Europe, was campaigning against the new rules. It organized a petition against the proposal, which gathered over 330,000 signatures.
The group argued that "restricting legal gun ownership will not stop terrorism." It said that recent terrorist attacks, including the mass shooting in Paris last November, were committed using unregistered black market weapons.
Automatic weapons had already been banned in the EU, but the new rules expand the ban to include more versions of semi-automatic weapons.
The new rules will still need to be formally agreed upon by the three European institutions before becoming law next year. | 2019-04-18T18:24:27Z | https://money.cnn.com/2016/12/21/news/firearms-rules-europe/index.html | Porn | Recreation | 0.167926 |
wikipedia | Fritz Sittig Enno Werner von Hanstein (3 January 1911 – 5 January 1996), nicknamed "Huschke von Hanstein", was a German racing driver who from the 1950s served both as Porsche's public relations manager and chief of their racing department.
Hanstein was born in Halle, German Empire, to a Prussian noble family which originated in the Eichsfeld. His father, Carlo von Hanstein (1875–1936) was a Prussian Army officer and Junker.
In the late 1930s, "Huschke" drove a BMW 328 sports car. As he had joined the SS, his car was fitted with SS rune number plates (SS-333). In 1940, he, together with Walter Bäumer, won the Mille Miglia in a BMW 328 coupe. He was one of the only three non-Italians to have won the Mille Miglia, along with fellow German and 1931 winner Rudolf Caracciola and 1955 winner Stirling Moss.
As a result of World War II, Hanstein's family's possessions were lost in socialist East Germany. In June 1950, he married Ursula von Kaufmann (1916-2005) on the Nürburgring race track. After the war Hanstein acted again with seeds. In 1950 he first went to Volkswagen in the press department. In 1951 he moved to Porsche, where he was head of public relations and race director from 1952 to 1968. Hanstein joined Porsche, then a small sports car manufacturer, serving as a kind of ambassador especially to foreign markets like France, which were rather difficult for Germans at the time. He became the face of Porsche to the motorsports world and press, a perfect partner for Ferry Porsche's more quiet leadership. Due to his aristocratic background and diplomatic skills, he succeeded both in selling cars as well as passing technical inspections before races, like at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where he led Porsche 356 to class wins.
In 1956 Hanstein drove a Porsche 550 Spyder all the way to Sicily to enter in the Targa Florio, for which he hired Umberto Maglioli. The experienced Italian did most of the driving in the long distance race across the mountains, scoring Porsche's first major win. Hanstein led the Porsche racing teams until the middle of the 1960s, when Porsche decided to let young engineers like Ferdinand Piëch take over. Without Hanstein's aristocratic skills, the Porsche team promptly ran into trouble at 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans due to misunderstandings with the French.
Huschke von Hanstein, the so-called "racing baron", continued to serve as representative in German and international automobile organizations. During the mid-1970s, he was the German representative for the Commission Sportive Internationale (CSI), the organization responsible for all racing regulations for Formula One. He died in 1996 in Stuttgart.
^ "BMW 328 of SS member Huschke von Hanstein". Img32.imageshack.us. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
^ Tobias Aichele. Huschke von Hanstein: The Racing Baron. ISBN 978-3829029001.
Tobias Aichele: Huschke von Hanstein. Der Rennbaron, 287 Seiten, Verlag Könemann, 1999, ISBN 3-8290-2900-4, ISBN 978-3829029001, English version ISBN 3-8290-3320-6 .
Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Adelige Häuser A Band XV, Seite 226, Band 71 der Gesamtreihe, C. A. Starke Verlag, Limburg (Lahn) 1979, ISSN 0435-2408.
This page was last edited on 12 October 2018, at 21:43 (UTC). | 2019-04-22T23:19:54Z | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Huschke_von_Hanstein | Porn | Sports | 0.881652 |
wordpress | Great review! The story sounds unique. Not like any I have read before.
Exactly – I have never read anything like this before and it really surprised me in a good way. | 2019-04-25T20:26:05Z | https://missbookeater.wordpress.com/2015/01/19/review-the-death-house-by-sarah-pinborough/ | Porn | Reference | 0.4015 |
livejournal | Hmm. Change one vowel and that's worryingly accurate!
Now that sounds hauntingly like Zhaan exept that we won't forget her. | 2019-04-18T21:24:55Z | https://vilakins.livejournal.com/15636.html | Porn | Reference | 0.286431 |
google | Cadence® PCB layout and routing technology offers a scalable, easy-to-use, constraint-driven PCB design solution for simple to complex PCBs, including those with RF etch components. It also includes innovative new auto-interactive technologies that efficiently and quickly accelerate routing of highly constrained high-speed interfaces.
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For years here at TMI we use the tool to combine visual benefits for our customers with ease of use. Altium Designer has been built from the ground up as a powerful, single-application electronics development environment that contains all the advanced design tools you’ll need to complete your design project. Altium Designer puts flexible and powerful global editing tools at your fingertips.
We at TMI create & manage all types of footprint and schematic libraries for cadence allegro , mentor xpedition , Pads & boardstation , Altium designer & all other older layout systems like Pcad2006 . We create custom footprints , step models & schematic symbols according to a defined set of rules. Each company has it's own separate library with it's own set of constrains. | 2019-04-25T16:57:03Z | https://sites.google.com/view/tmisystems/pcb-design | Porn | Business | 0.606341 |
wordpress | Game 1: No. 9 Longwood Lancers (6-23) at No. 8 Charleston Southern Buccaneers (11-18), 7 p.m.
Game 2: No. 10 Presbyterian Blue Hose (5-24) at No. 7 Campbell Fighting Camels (14-16), 7 p.m. | 2019-04-19T13:06:26Z | https://collegehoopshaven.wordpress.com/2017/02/27/228-tournament-schedule/ | Porn | Games | 0.554416 |
tripod | Or at some sunlit touch, our place of birth.
Unloosing tears as dark and wide we roam.
Click on the tear to take you there. | 2019-04-24T08:33:25Z | http://sarasmom.tripod.com/index.html | Porn | Reference | 0.279273 |
cnn | Even before Tesla unveiled its new Model 3 on Thursday night, more than 115,000 people had already paid $1,000 to reserve one of the highly-anticipated electric cars.
These early buyers didn't know what the car would look like -- a lot like a smaller Model S with an up-turned nose -- or that it would have a starting price of exactly $35,000. They also didn't know that it would go from zero to 60 in less than 6 seconds and have a range of at least 215 miles.
"We don't make slow cars," CEO Elon Musk said at the car's unveiling, adding that these are minimum specs the company hopes to exceed. "You will not be able to buy a better car for $35,000, or even close, even if you get no options," he said later.
Musk said the Model 3 will seat five comfortably, and he emphasized "comfortably." After the launch event at the automaker's Southern California design studio, Tesla executives gave guests brief rides in prototype Model 3 cars. The vehicle does, in fact, seat at least four people comfortably. Five would probably be a squeeze.
The windshield and back window nearly touch, leaving only a narrow bar of actual roof to separate them, which makes for a nearly complete view of the sky over occupants' heads. There is no gauge cluster in front of the driver, only air-conditioning vents.
A rectangular touchpad screen mounted on the dashboard between the front seats is the only information display. The car's speed is displayed in the upper left corner within easy view of the driver.
The car I rode in was an all-wheel-drive dual-motor version which would cost more than $35,000, but also be more powerful that the base model. Acceleration was neck-strainingly quick, and the ride was -- as always with electric cars -- strangely quiet.
Like the larger Model S, the Model 3 has a trunk and a "frunk," meaning there are large storage areas at both ends of the car. That gives it more storage space than any gasoline-powered car of similar size, Musk boasted.
Musk stuck by his promise that the Model 3 will go on sale by the end of next year. The Fremont, Calif. factory where Tesla (TSLA) builds its cars used to produce nearly half a million cars a year when it was owned by General Motors (GM) and Toyota (TM), he said, so it should have no trouble meeting Tesla's needs for this third model.
Tesla's enormous new Nevada Gigafactory should also be able to produce more than enough lithium ion batteries to meet demand. | 2019-04-25T04:31:06Z | https://money.cnn.com/2016/04/01/luxury/tesla-model-3/index.html | Porn | Business | 0.676066 |
sfgate | Linus Torvalds was a 21-year-old computer science student at the University of Helsinki in Finland when he grew frustrated with his two options for a PC operating system.
The low-end choice was Microsoft DOS. It was cheap, but didn't have the power to run the sorts of programs he needed as a serious computer scientist.
The high-end solution was Unix, the same operating system he used on the university's workstations. But Unix cost thousands of dollars at the time, more than he could afford.
"I realized there was this gaping hole for a solid, high-performance OS," said Torvalds.
So in 1991, he sat down to write a PC operating system. It began as a hobby, but quickly gathered steam after he posted messages on Internet newsgroups, inviting other computer scientists to critique and improve upon his work.
Within months, hundreds of people were using, testing and embellishing upon what they began to call Linux, or Linus' Unix.
Torvalds says the Internet made it all possible by serving as a virtual laboratory where collaborators around the world could share their work.
Today, between 3 million and 8 million people use Linux, according to the Linux Journal in Seattle.
Most Linux users are programmers or technical people who value the power of the OS over "user friendly" features found in Windows or on the Macintosh.
"But even the technical community is a very large market," said Larry Augustin, president of VA Research, a Mountain View firm that sells powerful PCs that run Linux.
Augustin, who became a Linux programmer while studying computer science at Stanford University, said Torvalds is the reason Linux is a success. He is technically smart, personally modest and politically savvy enough to minimize the passionate in-fighting -- and engineers do get passionate -- that could have divided the Linux community, he said.
"Linus is the benevolent dictator the whole community trusts."
Torvalds, now 28, says he's never thought of starting a company around his OS.
"Linux has been a strange kind of love," he said. "I'm making a comfortable living with Linux as a very important hobby."
But while Linux hasn't brought him riches, it has conferred a degree of technical fame. And that made it easy for him last year to emigrate from Finland to Sunnyvale, where he now lives with his wife and infant daughter.
Torvalds came here to work for a startup called Transmeta Corp., but won't say anything about his job other than "It has nothing to do with Linux." | 2019-04-19T20:51:04Z | https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/FREEWARE-PIONEERS-Torvalds-Linux-Broadened-PC-3010121.php | Porn | Business | 0.789445 |
livejournal | We have engaged the Sith Lords to protect opaleyes' Pullip collection while they are in Auror Department custody.
We intend to use Veritaserum on each and every one of them to discover the true nature of your associate's involvement with Lord Voldemort and his idiotic minions. We will smoke you out, come hell or high water, and all those of you who share in this villainy will taste justice. You have my word.
The Pullips, on the other hand, will be protected and either returned to their owner, should her innocence be proven, or we will transfer their guardianship to opaleyes closest known non-Death Eater relation. They will not be harmed, mistreated, or dressed as characters from 80s movies without their consent.
Shh, they're models from the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts folks! We thought it made the picture look more menacing!
OMG, THE PULLIPS! WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF THE PULLIPS?!
SITH LORDS AND DEATH EATERS ARE NOTHING ALIKE. GEEZ.
Dibs on the one with purple hair!
I dunno. I don't think they're gonna talk.
He's their poster boy, LOLLOLOLOL.
Monsters! What's this Veritaserum, UMBRIDGE?!?!
Though it's amusing that at least one of them seems quite pleased to be in such good company.
Er... so is Darth Maul there poking the one in the head with his lightsaber? Doesn't that hurt?
...He's giving her hair a trim.
I don't like the way Darth Maul is looking at that one on the end.
The Pullips all have shifty eyes. Thank goodness for veritaserum.
What I want to know is where the Sith Lords found that very tiny stormtrooper on his his wee mini-bantha mini-lizard-thing-that-is-not-a-bantha-but-whose-name-I-have-forgotten.
This is what Harry Potter is all about, dude.
IF NIKKI'S A DEATH EATER I GET HER PULLIPS. I'M JUST SAYIN'. | 2019-04-20T02:47:02Z | https://teaberryblue.livejournal.com/468867.html | Porn | Business | 0.658089 |
tu-berlin | Weekly colloquium with international guest speakers.
Joint event with SFB 910.
Seminar with international guest speakers.
scientific activities within the Research Training Group.
A student-organized seminar, usually happening once a month.
Yearly workshop of GRK 1558 lasting 4-5 days.
Symposia on special topics of GRK 1558.
on the broad variety of research topics of GRK 1558.
Special activities and events powered by GRK 1558. | 2019-04-24T01:56:13Z | https://www.itp.tu-berlin.de/menue/research_training_group_grk1558/events/parameter/en/ | Porn | Science | 0.832695 |
wordpress | white | LOVE LETTERS TO HOME.
So David and I have taken on the challenge of redecorating the master bedroom and the guest bedroom in his house. From picking out colors, painting, painting fiascos, beds, bedding, etc. it has all been a huge learning experience, but so much fun! This home-spiration comes from the fact that we finally made the plunge and got all new amazing ALL WHITE bedding from Pottery Barn for our new bedroom. I was a little nervous about all white, but I LOVE the idea of monochromatic bedding! So here are some of my favorite home-spiration photos for white bedding.
I love a good white piece, really anything white. I am always the one wearing white after Labor Day and before Memorial Day! But as the great Carrie Bradshaw says “I will never be the woman with the perfect hair, who can wear white and not spill on it” So that is why the idea of a white couch really makes me weary. But I still can’t stay away from this look! Here are I’m home-spirations for amazing white couch looks!
With wedding white on the brain now that my brother is officially engaged I thought I would do a bright white post! Here are a few of my favorite home-spirations really focused on clean and bright white looks! | 2019-04-22T01:15:20Z | https://loveletterstohome.wordpress.com/tag/white/ | Porn | Home | 0.898804 |
typepad | My blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, is a voluntary, part-time effort and a labor of love. When my schedule and inclination permit, I review a small number of children's and young adult books. However, my reading time is extremely limited. I have a full time job (unrelated to this blog) and an elementary-age daughter. Therefore, I regret that I am no longer accepting offers of review titles from individuals (and only a very limited number of titles from publishers).
My acceptance of a review copy from a publisher does not guarantee that I will write a review, that my review will be uniformly positive, or that I will get to the book within a particular time period. My guideline for deciding to write a review concerns whether or not I have something to say about the book, not whether or not I received a review copy. I always disclose the source of the book in the review.
I never sell review copies or ARC. I do not receive any compensation for writing reviews - the only money that I currently make from this blog is from Amazon affiliate referrals (whereby I get a small commission if you click through a product link from my site and make a purchase during that same session).
I do not participate in blog tours or book giveaways or promote book-related Kickstarter projects - I prefer to save my focus for book reviews and literacy news, and to work according to my own (not anyone else's) schedule. I appreciate your understanding.
Thanks for taking the time to read through this policy. Due to the high volume of emails that I receive, I am not able to respond to individual requests. | 2019-04-25T16:22:47Z | https://jkrbooks.typepad.com/blog/my-review-policy.html | Porn | Kids | 0.634733 |
wikipedia | Earth's energy budget accounts for the balance between the energy Earth receives from the Sun,[note 1] the energy Earth radiates back into outer space after having been distributed throughout the five components of Earth's climate system and having thus powered the so-called Earth’s heat engine. This system is made up of earth's water, ice, atmosphere, rocky crust, and all living things.
Quantifying changes in these amounts is required to accurately model the Earth's climate.
Received radiation is unevenly distributed over the planet, because the Sun heats equatorial regions more than polar regions. "The atmosphere and ocean work non-stop to even out solar heating imbalances through evaporation of surface water, convection, rainfall, winds, and ocean circulation." Earth is very close to being in radiative equilibrium, the situation where the incoming solar energy is balanced by an equal flow of heat to space; under that condition, global temperatures will be relatively stable. Globally, over the course of the year, the Earth system—land surfaces, oceans, and atmosphere—absorbs and then radiates back to space an average of about 240 watts of solar power per square meter. Anything that increases or decreases the amount of incoming or outgoing energy will change global temperatures in response.
However, Earth's energy balance and heat fluxes depend on many factors, such as atmospheric composition (mainly aerosols and greenhouse gases), the albedo (reflectivity) of surface properties, cloud cover and vegetation and land use patterns.
Changes in surface temperature due to Earth's energy budget do not occur instantaneously, due to the inertia of the oceans and the cryosphere. The net heat flux is buffered primarily by becoming part of the ocean's heat content, until a new equilibrium state is established between radiative forcings and the climate response.
In spite of the enormous transfers of energy into and from the Earth, it maintains a relatively constant temperature because, as a whole, there is little net gain or loss: Earth emits via atmospheric and terrestrial radiation (shifted to longer electromagnetic wavelengths) to space about the same amount of energy as it receives via insolation (all forms of electromagnetic radiation).
To quantify Earth's heat budget or heat balance, let the insolation received at the top of the atmosphere be 100 units (100 units = about 1,360 watts per square meter facing the sun), as shown in the accompanying illustration. Called the albedo of Earth, around 35 units are reflected back to space: 27 from the top of clouds, 2 from snow and ice-covered areas, and 6 by other parts of the atmosphere. The 65 remaining units are absorbed: 14 within the atmosphere and 51 by the Earth’s surface. These 51 units are radiated to space in the form of terrestrial radiation: 17 directly radiated to space and 34 absorbed by the atmosphere (19 through latent heat of condensation, 9 via convection and turbulence, and 6 directly absorbed). The 48 units absorbed by the atmosphere (34 units from terrestrial radiation and 14 from insolation) are finally radiated back to space. These 65 units (17 from the ground and 48 from the atmosphere) balance the 65 units absorbed from the sun in order to maintain zero net gain of energy by the Earth.
The geothermal heat flux from the Earth's interior is estimated to be 47 terawatts and split approximately equally between radiogenic heat and heat leftover from the Earth's formation. This comes to 0.087 watt/square metre, which represents only 0.027% of Earth's total energy budget at the surface, which is dominated by 173,000 terawatts of incoming solar radiation.
Human production of energy is even lower, at an estimated 18 TW.
Photosynthesis has a larger effect: photosynthetic efficiency turns up to 2% of the sunlight striking plants into biomass. 100 to 140 TW (or around 0.08%) of the initial energy gets captured by photosynthesis, giving energy to plants.
Other minor sources of energy are usually ignored in these calculations, including accretion of interplanetary dust and solar wind, light from stars other than the Sun and the thermal radiation from space. Earlier, Joseph Fourier had claimed that deep space radiation was significant in a paper often cited as the first on the greenhouse effect.
An imbalance must show in something on Earth warming or cooling (depending on the direction of the imbalance), and the ocean being the largest thermal reservoir on Earth, is a prime candidate for measurements.
Earth's energy imbalance measurements provided by Argo floats have detected an accumulation of ocean heat content (OHC). The estimated imbalance was measured during a deep solar minimum of 2005–2010 to be 0.58 ± 0.15 W/m². This level of detail cannot be inferred directly from measurements of surface energy fluxes, which have combined uncertainties of the order of ± 17 W/m².
^ a b c d e "The NASA Earth's Energy Budget Poster". NASA.
^ IPCC AR5 WG1 Glossary 2013 "energy budget (of the earth)"
^ a b Graeme L. Stephens; Juilin Li; Martin Wild; Carol Anne Clayson; Norman Loeb; Seiji Kato; Tristan L'Ecuyer; Paul W. Stackhouse Jr; Matthew Lebsock & Timothy Andrews (23 September 2012). "An update on Earth's energy balance in light of the latest global observations" (PDF). Nature Geoscience. 5 (10): 691–696. Bibcode:2012NatGe...5..691S. doi:10.1038/NGEO1580.
^ a b Lindsey, Rebecca (2009). "Climate and Earth's Energy Budget". NASA Earth Observatory.
^ M, Previdi; et al. (2013). "Climate sensitivity in the Anthropocene". Royal Meteorological Society. 139 (674): 1121–1131. Bibcode:2013QJRMS.139.1121P. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.434.854. doi:10.1002/qj.2165.
^ a b S M Reddy; S J Chary (2003). University Botany II : (Gymnosperms, Plant Anatomy, Genetics, Ecology). New Age International. ISBN 9788122414776. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
P D Sharma. Environmental Biology. Rastogi Publications. ISBN 9788171337491. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
P D Sharma. Environmental Biology & Toxicology. Rastogi Publications. ISBN 9788171337422. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
^ Wild, Martin; Folini, Doris; Schär, Christoph; Loeb, Norman; Dutton, Ellsworth; König-Langlo, Gert (2013). "The Earth's radiation balance and its representation in CMIP5 models". Egu General Assembly Conference Abstracts. 15: EGU2013–1286. Bibcode:2013EGUGA..15.1286W.
^ Davies, J. H., & Davies, D. R. (2010). Earth's surface heat flux. Solid Earth, 1(1), 5–24.
^ Anastassia M. Makarieva, Victor G. Gorshkov, and Bai-Lian Li "Energy budget of the biosphere and civilization: Rethinking environmental security of global renewable and non-renewable resources", Table 1, p. 283; Ecological Complexity, 5, 2008. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
^ J.M.K.C. Donev et al. (2019). Earth's energy flow, Figure 2 and associated text, Energy Education. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
^ Connolley, William M. (18 May 2003). "William M. Connolley's page about Fourier 1827: MEMOIRE sur les temperatures du globe terrestre et des espaces planetaires". William M. Connolley. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
^ a b c James Hansen; Makiko Sato; Pushker Kharecha; Karina von Schuckmann (January 2012). "Earth's Energy Imbalance". NASA.
^ Stephens, Graeme L.; Li, Juilin; Wild, Martin; Clayson, Carol Anne; Loeb, Norman; Kato, Seiji; L'Ecuyer, Tristan; Stackhouse Jr., Paul W.; Lebsock, Matthew (1 October 2012). "An update on Earth's energy balance in light of the latest global observations". Nature Geoscience. 5 (10): 691–696. Bibcode:2012NatGe...5..691S. doi:10.1038/ngeo1580. ISSN 1752-0894.
^ B.A. Wielicki; et al. (1996). "Mission to Planet Earth: Role of Clouds and Radiation in Climate". Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc. 77 (5): 853–868. Bibcode:1996BAMS...77..853W. doi:10.1175/1520-0477(1996)077<0853:CATERE>2.0.CO;2.
^ a b "NASA: Climate Forcings and Global Warming". 14 January 2009.
^ "NASA GISS: Science Brief: Earth's Energy Imbalance". www.giss.nasa.gov. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
This page was last edited on 15 April 2019, at 12:48 (UTC). | 2019-04-25T14:13:11Z | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_energy_budget | Porn | Science | 0.868896 |
blogs | In this book, Nancy gets slapped. SLAPPED.
"I'm worried about that darling Swenson child and her mother[, who we just met at the fair five minutes ago.] I wish we could do something to help them."
"You mean," said Bess, "find Mr. Swenson, or the money his wife told us[, virtual strangers, even though she is an extremely proud woman] he had promised to send?"
"Yes," Nancy answered. "It's very mysterious, since apparently he has been away for some time [and it's impossible that he simply abandoned them, as that sort of thing doesn't happen in the River Heights area]. I wonder if his letters--containing money orders--were stolen. [I'm reminding the two of you about the money orders in case you've forgotten -- we did learn about them a whole five minutes ago.]"
It should be noted that during that conversation, Bess ate at least three sandwiches and a deviled egg.
She expressed her opinions firmly, but did not force them on others. Nancy's abilities of leadership were welcome and depended upon in any group.
She also "possessed an intangible appealing quality which people never forget." Maybe that quality has something to do with her willingness to be generous to the poor -- assuming, of course, that they are attractive, polite and neat. Or maybe it's just that she's not a litterbug. (See page three for proof of that.) We also learn that if your car is rear-ended, it's smart to be very polite to the crappy driver behind you because he might be a Very Rich Factory Owner Who Has a Connection to Your Case.
Nancy Drew, evidence suppressor. She sees a blond man running away from the scene, calls at him to stop, but he escapes. Though "his actions were those of a guilty person", she decides that his appearance ("tall and gaunt, and poorly dressed") suggests otherwise. When she finds a diary that in all probability belongs to the escapee (it's partially written in Swedish and, after all, he was blond) on the grounds, rather than turn it over to the police, she keeps it, hoping to get it translated.
Nancy is suspicious when a strange -- but handsome -- boy at the fire scene jumps into her car and drives away, but it turns out that he's just trying to save the blue convertible from being scorched by the falling embers. Enter Ned Nickerson.
What's that, you say? Wasn't Nancy knitting Ned a sweater in Book #5, The Secret of Shadow Ranch? Well, yes. Yes she was. But we'll just ignore that. Ah, the dangers of multiple authors and multiple re-writes.
As usual, the blue convertible suffers mightily. Nancy gets rear-ended, resulting in quite a lot of damage, including a dragging bumper. Ned to the rescue! He rips the bumper off with his BARE HANDS and tosses it into the back seat of the car. Wow. Thoughtful and manly.
Later, while slowly (to preserve her springs) traversing a one-lane, rutted dirt road, Nancy and Co. suffer harassment from Crazy Honking Truck Man, who wants to drive faster. Ultimately, he sideswipes them while passing ON A BRIDGE. A creaky, cracking, falling-down wooden bridge. Oddly, that adventure was totally random and had NO BEARING WHATSOEVER on the case.
"It may furnish a clue. But shouldn't the ring be turned over to the police?"
For once, Nancy's meddling gets her in trouble. She and the girls get hauled into the police station and questioned. As Carson Drew's daughter, I was a bit surprised that she didn't demand a lawyer.
"He's handsome, too." Bess giggled. "And what a soulful expression in those big blue eyes of his when he looks at our Nancy!"
"Were they blue? I thought they were--" Nancy broke off as she realized that Bess has deliberately trapped her.
Who would've ever guessed that Bess Marvin had it in her to trick Nancy Drew?
Ned is rather persistent young man -- he calls FIVE TIMES in one day to invite her to history's most wholesome fraternity party. At the party, she just happens to meet the Stanford postmaster's son who gives her a clue (and trusts her with some confidential information).
More coincidences: Carson Drew's latest case? He's representing a man who just happens to be suing the owner of the smoking ruins. The Swenson family... hmmm... Swenson is a SWEDISH name, isn't it? Wasn't it a blond man who dropped the diary while running from the scene of the fire?
Loot: Joe Swenson's mother's signet ring.
Next Up: Nancy's Mysterious Letter.
Got a kick out of the Nancy Drew review. Keep them coming!
I love these reviews. I look forward to them.
Original outline by Edna Squier. Manuscript written by Mildred Wirt. Rewritten and edited by Harriet S. Adams. Lots of hands in this one. Squier was not involved in the writing of "Shadow Ranch" which may explain the Ned problem. That was in 1932. Then in 1962 Harriet S. Adams rewrote the manuscript which was edited by Jocelyn Starzyk. So lots of authors and editors. I am assuming that the version you have is post-1962.
Hooray for Nancy Drew reviews! I want MORE. FASTER!
Actually, if you could get up two or three a day, spaced out sort of evenly (say every 4 hours? starting at 8 am?) that would be cool. Just till Monday.
Which is when I HAND IN MY DISSERTATION.
I really enjoy the Nancy Drew reviews. I loved the books as a kid, and still enjoy them when I go back to visit periodically. But now a big part of my enjoyment is how seriously and wonderfully flawed they are.
She has to do something in those seconds she's not eating!
Heh. I love the Nancy Drew reviews--they're great. | 2019-04-25T10:43:27Z | https://bookshelvesofdoom.blogs.com/bookshelves_of_doom/2006/11/the_clue_in_the.html | Porn | Society | 0.380999 |
wordpress | This 19th-century word has found new life in modern times as a brand name for a tabletop game company. Back then, however, it was an insult given to a person who is easily imposed upon—or, in more basic language, someone you’d refer to as a doormat or pushover: “I wish he would stop being such a zafty and stand up for himself!” You won’t be a pushover with these science-backed tips to boost your confidence.
It may sound like the name of a drink you’d order at a bar, but a rum peeper has absolutely nothing to do with alcohol. Rather, upper class women in the late 1600s polished their coifs in front of “rum peepers,” which was the name given to an exquisite, silver looking glass, or, as well call them today, mirrors. Here’s proof that selfies have been popular since the 1800s.
This tongue twister of a word, pronounced “con-TOOM-yoo-lee-us,” is a Middle English word derived from both French and language. It was often used in literature to refer to someone who is insolent, or arrogantly rude and disrespectful: In the 1847 novel Jane Eyre, for example, Miss Ingram pushes the young Adele away with “contumelious epithet.” Avoid being contumelious by skipping these annoying texting habits. | 2019-04-22T06:00:40Z | https://quirkywritingcorner.wordpress.com/2016/10/26/10-words-we-no-longer-use-but-should/ | Porn | Health | 0.139036 |
wordpress | It’s been exactly 12 days since my last post. Compared to last month, when I was pumping a post out everyday, this is a sad representation of my productivity potential. Fortunately, I know that I am being just as productive, but the medium of my expression has shifted temporarily.
Overall, the last two months has been extraordinarily productive for me, as far as writing is concerned. Last month (really April/May) I was involved in the 30 day blog challenge, organized by Connie Green – @ConnieGreen , Build Your Online Empire – In this challenge, over 50 bloggers committed to writing a blog post of at least 150 words, everyday, for 30 consecutive days.
I know within myself, that I would not have done this on my own. And once I had publicly made the commitment, knowing that there was a group of people expecting to see a post from me everyday, there was no turning back. Connie’s challenge, although posed to the group became personal for me. I had to prove to myself, I could meet the challenge.
Since my involvement in the 30 Day Blogging Challenge, my followers on Twitter has grown by over 300, Before starting a blog and joining the challenge, it took me a year to get 100 followers.
Four weeks ago, I entered the 6 Weeks to Sunrise project. In this weekly teleseminar, Vernon Muhammad – @thehighroad and HighRoadism – has challenged us to achieve an extraordinary goal in 6 weeks.
The goal that I set for myself is indeed extraordinary, for I would never have challenged myself to accomplish, what I am accomplishing right now as part of this project.
My goal for the end of this project was to launch a new business venture from just an idea and book at least one public speaking engagement. To my surprise, by week three I had already booked 2 (one I have already fulfilled) and have commitments for two more.
The amount of content I have produced- from written goals and weekly task, web content, to white papers, surveys, and USP’s (and occasional blog post) and execution- calls, written correspondence, follow up, in the last four weeks, is unusual for me.
I have always been a mood writer. I write when the spirit moves me. But the purpose of having a coach, is to learn how to encourage, train and harness the power of the spirit. To move out of your comfort zone and into The Outer Limits. To be on the edge and allow yourself to become intimate with your un-comfort zone.
This is what we do as fitness coaches and personal trainers. We challenge people to Show Up, Step Up and Shake Up their usual routine. Coaches and trainers create challenging situations and allow their clients to experience and overcome discomfort.
This proves to them that they are capable of not only getting through it, but rising above it. In the process they realize that discovering the flexibility of their perceived limitations, can also be a lot of fun. As they meet their health and fitness goals, that reward is the fuel that feeds their fire for greater challenges and higher expectations for themselves.
Many times, people hire coaches and trainers, not because they have know idea what to do. They hire us because they have no idea how to get themselves to do it.
If you want to do more than you are doing, produce more than your are producing, reach higher than you are reaching, I suggest you find a coach/trainer that specializes in the area of performance you’re involved in. Whether it’s in business, health, sports, relationships or whatever, the expertise, accountability and encouragement of a coach will go a long way.
Let them be the fire underneath your feet and the blazers of your path, until running becomes your preferred means of travel. | 2019-04-20T02:47:04Z | https://50fit.wordpress.com/tag/change/ | Porn | Business | 0.576209 |
wordpress | Today marks 5 weeks since I started my healthy lifestyle change. Woke up at 3:45AM to get a small workout in and take a shower before work. I recently started using The My Fitness Pal app again, in the beginning I felt too restricted using it and I would get discouraged. In the past few days I’ve felt comfortable enough to start using it again. So this morning while eating my 2 scrambled eggs with onions, peppers, and 1 slice of pepper jack cheese I logged my breakfast, lunch and snacks for the day. I still have 1,632 calories left for the day. Now I’m walking in place in the parking lot at work before I start, I want to hit my 10,000 steps goal early today! Happy Friday everyone!
P.S. If anyone would like to follow me on my fitness pal, fitbit, and/or Weilos my screen name on all three is: mannyq1987. Feel free to friend me or comment your screen name/email address so I can give you a follow. Staying accountable with more people has helped me so much in my short journey so far, so I’m hoping to continue and help anyone else that I can.
Im sorry for the lack of posts as of late. I’ve been a little busy with work and family life. I have been keeping up with my healthy eating habits, but have become a little complacent in the exercise department. As I’m writing this now I’m preparing breakfast for my wife and I for tomorrow morning. I’m doing this so I can have time to get a good workout done in the morning before work. I normally get up at 4:30AM to get ready for work, so I’m setting my alarm clock for 3:30AM. I’m hoping this sticks, I’ve heard such good things about the benefits of working out in the morning as opposed to at night like I’ve been doing. Anyway, it’s almost 10:00PM now and I’ve got to wake up early. Goodnight everyone. Here’s to continuing to better ourselves.
I plan on posting these regularly, or at least when I feel it necessary. Hence the title of this blog entry. Just thought I’d explain it a little bit.
I am here to admit that for the last three or so days I have not been keeping up with my workouts/exercises. I have on the other hand been continuing to make healthy choices, except for a cheat meal I had last night while out in Santa Monica with my wife and son. I had a burger, skipped the fries, and washed it down with water. It wasn’t as good as I was hoping by the way. After measuring my weight this morning I was at 308.0lbs, a total loss of 19.5lbs from my start weight. I am very proud of this, and will not let myself get down because of the lack of exercise. Today is a new day and I plan on getting my workouts back on track tonight after work. The weird thing about it is I am actually excited. Look at me, looking forward to exercise. Here’s to continuing with my lifestyle change, one day at a time.
For the past week and a half I had been stuck between 312-310lbs. After losing 15lbs in the first two weeks I was starting to feel a little discouraged that I had hit a plateau. I weighed myself this morning and I was at 308! Felt so good to see the scale moving again. Here’s to staying focused through my first plateau and moving forward with my weight loss.
It’s been almost three weeks since I made the decision to become healthier. I’ve been eating smaller portions, analyzing what I want to go into my body, and exercising 30 to 60 minutes a day, 5 to 6 days a week. Am I missing something?
Since I started I’ve lost anywhere from 15 to 17lbs (it fluctuates day to day), I understand that to me it is a huge accomplishment and one I should be very proud of, but for the past 5 days I can’t seem to get past that point. Have I really hit a plateau so early in my journey?
It’s hard not to get discouraged and return to my comfort eating. I am staying the course though, I know now that this for me is no longer an option. Getting healthy has now become a must. I want to be someone to my son, when he gets older, that he can look up to. I want to make my wife proud to have me as her husband.
I guess I just wanted to vent a little. By all means, if anybody has any tips I would gladly appreciate them.
I understand that I am still at the very beginning stages of my fat loss/lifestyle change journey. So let me start off by saying that I have always been a bit big, since about as far back as fourth grade I can remember wishing I weighed less. Fast forward to about three weeks ago: my wife and I spoke about getting into shape. As usual I blew it off until she told forced me to get on the scale, it read 327.5 lbs. This blew my mind, I had never been this heavy before, and I couldn’t believe I had let it get so bad. Since then I have been making a conscious effort to control my portions, control what kinds of food I put into my body, and exercise at least 4 to 5 days a week. It HAS NOT been easy, and I am far from perfect, but this is me trying to make a change. I am doing this not just for myself, but my wife and son too. I owe it to them to offer the healthiest version of myself. So here’s to making the first steps towards a better me. | 2019-04-20T02:58:05Z | https://mannyq1987.wordpress.com/ | Porn | Health | 0.199707 |
wikipedia | The timestamps in the edit history list for any talk page appear in UTC, or in the local time that is set in your preferences. If you did not adjust the time in your preferences, then the times in the edit history list are in UTC.
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Timestamp from the edit history. | 2019-04-19T19:06:18Z | https://ur.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%DA%86%DB%81:%D8%BA%DB%8C%D8%B1_%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%B7_%D8%B4%D8%AF%DB%81 | Porn | Reference | 0.279906 |
yahoo | TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Economy Minister Akira Amari said on Monday that the government should deploy fresh fiscal stimulus to prop up the economy if third-quarter preliminary gross domestic data due on Nov. 17 turns out weak, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Amari also said the stimulus steps should be taken regardless of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision by year-end on whether to proceed with a second sales tax increase planned for next year aimed at reining in massive public debt.
The comments came days after a shock move by the Bank of Japan to expand its massive monetary stimulus raised speculation that Abe would go ahead with the next tax hike in October, if it were followed by promises of added fiscal steps to offset a tax pain.
Amari said additional fiscal stimulus should be aimed at stimulating private consumption, particularly low-income groups and families with children, hit hard by April's tax hike to 8 percent from 5 percent.
The government plans to raise the levy to 10 percent in October next year. But April's tax hike triggered the deepest economic slump since the 2009 global financial crisis, when the economy contracted an annualised 7.1 percent in the second quarter, and a weak recovery in the following quarter cast doubt about the next tax hike.
Amari, speaking at a seminar, noted some private-sector economic forecasts for July-September are said to be short of an annualised 2 percent, compared with an initial projection of above 4 percent growth, according to NHK.
Analysts polled by Reuters expect an annualised 2.9 percent bounce in July-September.
"If figures turn out to be bad, (government) support would be needed. Consumption has fallen a lot among low-income groups and child-rearing generations, and it would likely be that steps should be taken by pinpointing" the target, Amari said.
Speaking to reporters after the seminar, Amari added: "It should not be mistaken that "support" (for the economy) means support for the sales tax hike. I think the prime minister will think of the two as separate matters."
Abe is expected to make a final decision on the tax hike after revised July-September GDP data is published on Dec. 8. | 2019-04-23T02:05:49Z | https://finance.yahoo.com/news/japan-economy-minister-calls-fiscal-045721194.html | Porn | Business | 0.518211 |
wordpress | Philadelphia Soul is not so much a genre as it is a sound. The “Philly Sound” is described pretty well by its Wikipedia entry, Producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff (pictured) are the pioneers behind much of the music with this moniker but it is not restricted to Gamble & Huff or the Philadelphia International Records label.
Since I wanted to learn more about the sound, its history, and the producers and musicians who made it come to life, I thought a playlist was just what I needed to traverse its soundscape.
I’ve bookended the playlist with Grover Washington Jr. The closing selection is from his brilliant live album, Live at the Bijou. You can read my review of that here. Although his breakthrough was 1980’s Winelight (Elektra Entertainment), Grover Washington Jr.’s rise arguably began 13 years earlier when he landed in Philadelphia as a sideman. I wonder if the warm bass and keyboard textures on Mister Magic were the product of or inspiration to recordings in the Gamble & Huff songbook?
MFSB and the O’Jays are two acts that were firmly in the Philadelphia International Records stable. MFSB (or Mother, Father, Brother, Sister) featured prominent string arrangements and squelchy guitars that would win them a place on the now classic Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (RSO, 1977), released two years after K-Jee was recorded.
The Stylistics showcase a falsetto vocal, prominent in many classic Philly Soul recordings. This tune was used beautifully in the opening montage of Spike Lee’s film, Crooklyn. Vocals are also featured on the next three tracks, beginning with the relaxed smoothness of Lou Rawls. Philadelphia natives Daryl Hall and John Oates, were undoubtedly influenced by their surroundings and carried the torch admirably well into the late Eighties. The next track, Me & Mrs. Jones, was covered by Hall & Oates but I’ve selected Billy Paul’s original here, written by Gamble & Huff themselves.
The next two tracks by Breakwater and The Doobie Brothers are not officially associated with the Philly scene. But this is proof the “sound” escaped the confines of Gamble & Huff’s realm and influenced so many artists past and present. Minute by Minute was an uncharacteristic album for a “country rock” band like the Doobies but it was their greatest success. I posted a short review of that album here.
The Jones Girls were another staple with Philadelphia International Records. Nights Over Egypt was not their biggest hit but has weathered the years better than most other songs in their catalogue. Nights was written by Dexter Wansel, a close collaborator with Gamble & Huff. | 2019-04-24T22:59:36Z | https://torontoarm.wordpress.com/tag/the-ojays/ | Porn | Games | 0.085493 |
wordpress | BSI January 8, 2019, https://esrdncc.org/en/events/2019/january-2019/bsi-qia-lan/.
Home Dialysis January 15, 2019, https://esrdncc.org/en/events/2019/january-2019/home-modality-qia-lan/.
Transplant, January 22, 2019, https://esrdncc.org/en/events/2019/january-2019/transplant-qia-lan/.
Patient Experience of Care, January 23, 2019, https://esrdncc.org/en/events/2019/january-2019/patient-experience-of-care-peoc-lan/.
Home Modality August 14, 2018; see https://esrdncc.org/en/events/20182/august-20182/home-modality-qia-lan/?date=8/1/2018.
Transplant August 21, 2018; see https://esrdncc.org/en/events/20182/august-20182/transplant-qia-lan/?date=8/1/2018.
Patient Experience of Care August 22, 2018; see https://esrdncc.org/en/events/20182/august-20182/patient-experience-of-care-peoc-lan/?date=8/1/2018.
The ESRD NCC calendar is kept at https://esrdncc.org/en/events/. | 2019-04-19T13:03:04Z | https://nwrnbulletins.wordpress.com/category/facility-staff/patient-centered-care-staff/ | Porn | Health | 0.532793 |
wordpress | ‹ PreviousRats in the Attic.
I love this, particularly the ‘pink torn out/of the pages/of genesis’ lush imagery.
Hey Peter, as I began this poem I thought: yep, that’s like the Auckland sky, many layers, pillars, light…so I enjoyed the swift relocation as I read to end!
Thanks for commenting, guys. Just love those thousand skies and poplars, fill up my eyes with stone, cloud and poplars every time I’m down Otago way.
I still haven’t been this far south… You paint a breathtaking picture! | 2019-04-24T04:00:49Z | https://poetryorgnz.wordpress.com/2018/02/16/otago-sky/ | Porn | Arts | 0.948108 |
yahoo | 25%62°55°Night - Mostly cloudy. Winds E at 7 to 8 mph (11.3 to 12.9 kph). The overnight low will be 54 °F (12.2 °C).Cloudy with a high of 64 °F (17.8 °C). Winds variable at 6 to 9 mph (9.7 to 14.5 kph).
0%70°55°Cloudy today with a high of 70 °F (21.1 °C) and a low of 55 °F (12.8 °C).
45%60°55°Scattered showers today with a high of 60 °F (15.6 °C) and a low of 55 °F (12.8 °C). There is a 45% chance of precipitation.
Tonight - Mostly cloudy. Winds E at 7 to 8 mph (11.3 to 12.9 kph). The overnight low will be 54 °F (12.2 °C). | 2019-04-26T01:19:48Z | https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather/argentina/buenos-aires-province/salliquelo-467055 | Porn | Reference | 0.27236 |
wordpress | I was talking to my brother recently about how his wife always loads the dishwasher wrong (let’s be honest, it’s a pretty specific skill that not many have mastered). He was wondering if he could blame the whole episode on feminism. As a supportive sister, I told him he could blame whatever he wanted and he proceeded to write Gloria Steinem a strongly worded letter.
I felt guilty about our conversation, though, because while obviously the problem is feminism, I feel like Gloria probably loads her dishwasher effectively. She just strikes me as a strong, independent woman who doesn’t want to eat off a plate covered with hardened cheese particles.
By the way, this is one of those dishes you’re going to want to soak for a sec before you try to scrub the cheese off. Just in case there is anyone out there who needed a little remedial dishwashing LPT.
Lentils and quinoa fly all over the stove any time you use them. It’s ok, because you can just ask your housekeeper to come back to clean up again once the food is done.
Did I clean up some of the spilled quinoa in between pictures? Probably. Because I’m a feminist who also appreciates a clean stovetop. So I made my boyfriend wipe it off in between shots.
Heat oil and add spices. Allow to simmer for a minute. Add butternut squash, lentils, quinoa, tomatoes, and veggie broth. Add lemon, quartered with seeds removed. Keep the skin on, you’ll remove all the lemon chunks before serving. Simmer for a while, until butternut squash and lentils are soft. I think mine simmered for about 45 minutes, but it could have been done sooner.
If it is too thick by the time everything is done, I will sometimes throw in a full can of tomato sauce. I also do that if I accidentally made it too spicy.
Serve with tortilla chips, avocado, and/or cheese.
Think about how we’re now getting 79 cents on the dollar now, ladies, it’s really starting to come together for us!
I know that in your day job you’re a doctor or something that saves people’s lives, or maybe you’re a plastic surgeon, I can’t remember (ugliness kills too though), but you really missed your calling as a slutty feminist food blogger. I’m just assuming you’re slutty by the amount of lentils in your diet. | 2019-04-20T10:50:34Z | https://eggplantandpie.wordpress.com/2017/11/19/quinoa-lentil-chili-and-feminism/ | Porn | Health | 0.200971 |
livejournal | Last night plumtreeblossom and I had a lovely dinner and drinks with cathijosephine and vanguardcdk at Five Horses, a new upscalish restaurant in Davis Square that surrealestate and Dreaming had introduced us to. It was Yum! Mee! And the company was excellent. Was great to get some catching up — I hadn’t seen cathijosephine in a couple weeks, and while I see vanguardcdk on a fairly regular basis, it’s nice to get to sit and have a relaxed chat.
The food was, well, “spectacular” would only be a very slight overstatement. I think “superb” is the right adjective. I love that place. It’s yuppified comfort food. They have bread and butter on their menu — bread and butter — and yes, it’s definitely worth the $4 or so, at least if you like the flavour of goat milk. My Kentucky-fried Cornish game hen (with jalapeño mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese flavoured with pork belly) was as yummy as it was last time, and we all had lots of appetizers to share. And the Old Fashioned I had was very good, very mellow.
And when we got back to plumtreeblossom’s place (also vanguardcdk’s place) she and I put some fruit to drying overnight in her food dryer, so we each have snacks for work today.
I like that place, despite the plaid flannel wearing hipster waitstaff.
Did you really mean you hadn't seen Plumtreeblossom in a couple weeks? That doesn't seem right.
Then who was that in my bed all this time?!?!?!?!
I don’t know, but he sure is a lucky boy!
This page was loaded Apr 25th 2019, 4:47 pm GMT. | 2019-04-25T16:47:12Z | https://beowabbit.livejournal.com/440023.html | Porn | Business | 0.450789 |
wordpress | One of the greatest pleasures of summer is the opportunity the season affords me to catch up on reading. I have been mowing through books lately, taking my time with larger tomes such as Proust’s Within a Budding Grove, Henry James’ The Ambassadors, Plutarch’s Lives, and Knausgaard’s My Struggle Book 1 — books that require diligence and patience and are best savored slowly in languid hours. Because I teach college, I am lucky to have the hours to dwell in those tomes during time off. I seem always to be juggling several books at once, and I like to balance the long and dense ones with shorter, less clotted books. Yesterday I finished Hermann Hesse’s Rosshalde. Like all of Hesse’s books that I have completed to date, it was a fast read. I got through it in a day. Hesse has a clean, direct prose style, and the effortless translation by Ralph Manheim probably has a lot to do with that.
Rosshalde is the kind of novel that awakens your sense of being in time, and how we become aware of this at pivotal points in life, when circumstances erupt and change becomes inevitable. | 2019-04-25T22:32:09Z | https://jamesesch.wordpress.com/tag/reading/ | Porn | Reference | 0.406569 |
wordpress | Santa says… SPOOL TOOL! | The Life and Times of a "Renaissance Ronin"
Here at RR, it’s not just about Shipping Containers. It’s about building better lives. It’s about building and living sustainably. It’s about having the BEST tools, so that you can do the best job. In the field, on the job, around the house… we’re known and even judged by our tools.
And today I’m going to share one of my favorite tools with you. It’s going to surprise some of you.
Are you looking for that perfect stocking stuffer for your Outdoors oriented guy or gal?
DO you have a Paracord crafter in your family merrily churning out bracelets and lanyards?
Seriously, do you want to keep your gift budget for “crazy uncle Al” under “fast food prices”?
Or… do you like your family and friends so much that you wanna rock their Christmas?
This is truly one of the most valuable tools in my pack.
Keep one in your ruck.
Keep one in your shop.
Keep TWO or even THREE n your packs.
Paracord. It’s the “Outdoorsman’s Duct Tape”. It has a million uses, once you untangle it from that mess of a bundle you just retrieved from under your truck seat.
The Spool Tool is the all-in-one multi-tool solution for storing and working with Paracord. Paracord is the outdoorsman’s Duct Tape. Paracord has 1,000 uses. From building homes, working around the house, making repairs in the shop or doing disaster response, Spool Tool has earned it’s place in our gear bags with flying colors.
We’ve personally carried Spool Tools into places like the earthquake-ravaged Philippines and tsunami-stricken Japan (Fukushima). It’s seriously a tool that you shouldn’t venture out… without. It’s without question the best tool under $20 we have EVER bought.
Spool Tool is an uncomplicated little device that holds up to 100′ of 550 Paracord. Spool Tool features everything you need to measure, cut, and heat-seal the Paracord ends as you build your lines or rigging.
Say good-bye to tangled line, missing tools and hot melted gobs of goo burning your finger tips and sticking to your gear!
The Spool Tool is “Tonka Tough”. It’s molded from glass-filled nylon for strength, lightness and durability.
The replaceable blade is the best available. The Spool Tool guys use Lenox’s patented, shatter-proof, bi-metal alloy blade with a titanium-coated edge.
The Spool Tool can also securely hold a mini BIC lighter (not included) for heat-sealing Paracord.
Plus, securing a small lighter to the tool gives you yet another fire source in your gear!
At 6” long, 3” wide, and just over 1/4” thick, the Spool Tool is small enough and light enough to easily carry in a cargo pocket or backpack pouch.
Better still it’s got an attachment hole for a carabiner so you can hang it off your pack or belt.
And you’re going to need to use a sturdy carabiner to attach it to something or it’ll walk off by itself. I swear, if you put them down, they’ll grow legs and walk off.
If you’re interested in just about the best stocking stuffer ever, contact GINO. Tell him Ronin sent you.
And, Gino has given me a special discount code that will get you 25% off of your Spool Tool purchase AND free shipping!
This coupon code will expire on January 5th, 2015.
I suggest you shop fast and hard. A quick trip around Google this AM revealed to me that a lot of his vendors are already sold-out.
I know this cat. Big shoulders, big heart. Gino Rocks!
Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
← Would you like a Corten Cathedral? | 2019-04-21T02:48:48Z | https://renaissanceronin.wordpress.com/2014/12/07/santa-says-spool-tool/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.642671 |
wordpress | The heading of Proverbs 3 is “Guidance for the Young,” and there are gems about money and health and peace and delights and correction. We all need God’s favor to navigate calm and rough seas, no matter what age we’ve attained.
Proverbs continually stresses wisdom and tells us the fear of God gives wisdom and gives knowledge. The Bible gives insight for daily living.
Ephesians 5:15-17, (NKJV), says: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
The following verses in Ephesians 5 show us what to do to please God and Ephesians 5: 22-31 instructs husbands and wives how to live together with love, submission, and respect.
Those three acts under God’s authority and with God’s help will cause marriages to thrive and families to prosper and feel secure. Ephesians 6 begins by teaching children and parents how to get along.
Talk about enabling favorable circumstances! We’re not perfect, but my husband and I have found them to be true.
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/media/daily-broadcast/managing-marriage-conflicts-in-healthy-ways will take you to a site that enables you to hear their daily broadcast on September 26, 2017 at Focus on the Family radio.
Erin, Greg and Gary Smalley wrote book, The Wholehearted Wife: 10 Keys to a More Loving Relationship, which was published by Tyndale House, Carol Stream, IL and copyrighted in 2014.
The Smalley’s and Jim Daly discussed the benefits of conflict and the dangers of unrestrained conflicts that cause harm.
“Focus on the Family” radio’s input blessed our family dynamics numerous times over the decades that I’ve listened to them and to the experts they interviewed. If you’ve never heard their broadcast, I invite you to check them out now.
My husband and I celebrated more than 40 years of marriage this month. The actual day, we usually try to go out to eat and maybe take in a movie. It’s not as easy to choose a flick nowadays because the options are not as wholesome as they were in our growing up years.
That day fell flat because we had obligations we couldn’t overlook. So, we decided to put off our date until later in the week. My husband was not feeling well, and that inhibited his enthusiasm. I offered to wait even longer, but our schedule is really full sometimes. We found a restaurant we both like in a little out-of-the-way town. Since we only stop every nine months or so, we’re always delighted with the physical changes the owners make.
My husband worked in the food industry for many years, so he especially notices when they re-pave the parking lot, put in new landscaping, add new décor, update the restrooms, etc.
Unfortunately, they must have hired a new cook, because our entrees lacked seasoning. If we stop again, maybe we’ll take the opportunity to ask if they still have the same cook and suggest a change in recipes. It’s a little awkward. We added condiments to help improve the flavor.
Our love languages are not the same, so I should remember what his choices are so that his “emotional bank account will be filled up,” when I meet that need, according to Mr. Chapman.
A few days after our anniversary, we opened our home to family for at least seven days. You might think that would interfere with our relationship, but since we enjoy our children and grandchildren so much, it actually drew us closer with the laughter and the challenges.
The youngest ones went home and now our son is staying for a few days. So, last night we drove to a bigger area to get my car looked at and watched a movie after our meal.
On the way to the car I began to hunt for my keys. They were somewhere in the mall. I thought of three places they could be, so the guys went back to our theater seats and I stopped at the concession stand. She called her boss whom alerted the cleaning crew and within moments the head cleaner removed the key chain from his apron.
It’s been a stressful week for me and for some of my friends. My mind was not in full gear. My husband said, “Well, you’ve never done that before,” after all was well. I tried to smile and then I almost cried and he shook his head gently in an it’s okay kind of motion.
It’s those kind of kindnesses that make me glad I married him.
Today, when under a time pressure and because of being tired and because sometimes I just feel ornery, I interrupted him to demand he listen to me. He waited while I got my point across and then started at the beginning of what he’d been trying to tell me. After I heard him, I realized he just answered my question and so I started on my last-minute project.
He’s not perfect, I’m not perfect and I guess we try to accent the positive and downplay the negative. I don’t take advantage of his good nature, or at least I try not to take his attitude for granted. He speaks up if he feels the need to, which I appreciate.
A few years back, I helped an eighty-something year-old woman with her memoirs. She said, “I believe in laying your cards on the table. People need to talk honestly with each other,” when I asked her what helped her marriage last all those years.
So, I did and he smiled when I pulled it out of the bag.
She’s quiet about her grief, but occasionally it overwhelms her and then she’ll tell us she can’t wish him back. He’s with Jesus and one of their sons that passed on ahead of them, and now he’s healthy and strong in heaven.
I can’t imagine being married for 70 years, but at the age of 20, being married 40-some years felt like a long time.
I hope you are doing well. If you love Jesus, keep looking up. Take advantage of praying for others, many people need it even if they don’t ask for intercession. One nice thing about being a Christian-Jesus said He’s up there talking to God the Father on our behalf.
May God bless you and protect you from the spiritual enemy of mankind. | 2019-04-19T02:49:12Z | https://constancebuckley.wordpress.com/category/marriage/ | Porn | Recreation | 0.497798 |
wordpress | Three Bees Studio ~ the blog – Page 2 – Three Bees Studio is a Fine Art Children's Photographer located in Northumberland County, Ontario.
We are booking for tree farm mini sessions..We will have some beautiful sets. Located at Rising Sun Tree Farm in Brighton. I am so excited for these fun sessions.. Book yours here https://directory.bookedin.com/three-bees-studio- .. | 2019-04-20T04:15:38Z | https://threebeesstudio344416983.wordpress.com/page/2/ | Porn | Kids | 0.521573 |
wordpress | Welcome to Moving Solutions, a premium online portal that helps you choose the right packers and movers in any city of India at very affordable and genuine rates; ensuring quality services. Moving to a new place with lots of items is considered to be one of the most challenging and tedious tasks of life but with us you can move from one place to another easily, safely, smartly and economically. As our name suggest we ensure for complete moving solution to all your relocation needs’ whether you are looking for services of professional movers and packers for home shifting, corporate relocation, office shifting, industrial goods shifting, car transportation, domestic shifting or international relocation. When you are planning your move with MovingSolutions you are saving your precious time, money and energy.
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What are the Major Aspects of Car and Bike Transportation?
This entry was posted in Packers and Movers in bangalore, Public Post | Articles and tagged packers and movers, packers and movers bangalore reviews, Packers and Movers in bangalore. | 2019-04-20T09:13:53Z | https://businesssearchengineinbangalore.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/moving-solutions-packers-and-movers-in-india-toll-free-1800116878/ | Porn | Business | 0.879203 |
wikipedia | The 2014 Laurence Olivier Awards was held on Sunday 13 April 2014 at the Royal Opera House, London. The awards were presented by Gemma Arterton and Stephen Mangan. The highlights programme was presented on ITV after the ceremony.
The nominations were announced on 10 March 2014 in 26 categories.
^ "Gemma Arterton and Stephen Mangan to host Olivier Awards". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014. | 2019-04-22T08:30:36Z | https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Laurence_Olivier_Awards | Porn | News | 0.506208 |
wordpress | ATTENTION: Informational post, no pictures.
Since I have had several requests for tips and tricks when I am cooking/baking, I figured I’d better start brainstorming. First off, I’m sure these aren’t all of tips and tricks but these are the ones I use pretty frequently. Secondly, they all work! I will never share something that isn’t of use or won’t work when you try it but with that being said; follow the instructions. Many of mine will be up for debate until you try them for yourself. I’ve tried alternatives that I have come across through the internet and through others. If there is a tip you are questioning or one you don’t see on my list, feel free to ask me below in the comments. I’d be happy to test them or may have a direct answer for you!
Hard boiled eggs– Completely cover in cold water. Add 3 tbsp white vinegar and cover. Bring them to a boil on the stove, lower to a simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave covered for another 5 minutes. Place the eggs in an ice bath for 5 more minutes. The skins should remove easily in the ice water and the yolk is perfectly cooked with no gray ring.
Pasta water– Bring water to a roaring boil and place 1-2 tbsp salt in the water. Add the pasta and wait until the water is boiling again. Stir the pasta and turn the heat down at least half way. The water will continue to boil just not as frantic. Cover and with a low boil, the water does not boil over.
Cutting onions-Refrigerate the onion a couple hours prior to cutting and place knife in the freezer 5 minutes before chopping. It may not stop you from completely tearing up but it will minimize the effects.
Thickening soups, stews, etc.– Gravy: 2 tbsp corn starch and 1/3 cup of warm water. Mix until smooth and no lumps. Soups and stews: 2 tbsp flour and 1/3 cup warm water or milk. Mix until smooth and no lumps. Macaroni and cheese: always use flour to conduct the rue. Cornstarch does not act the same and you will have a much thinner consistency.
Fresh herbs-chop small enough to fit in ice cube trays. Fill with olive oil or melted unsalted butter. Freeze and use in different recipes such as oven baked chicken or pot roast.
Tomato based foods– for soup, sauce, or any tomato filled dish; store in plastic containers or zip lock bags. Steel or aluminum will break down after the acid in the tomato is on it for so long. Wooden bowls will begin to absorb the tomato and it makes it almost impossible to remove that tomato stain.
Cast iron pots and pans– never, ever, EVER put them in the dishwasher. Always wash by hand with warm soapy water and oil after every use. This will ensure that they remain a true cast iron with no rust. Put a couple drops of oil in the dried pan and rub the pan with a paper towel.
Bacon– Yup! Let’s talk bacon! Bake it, don’t fry it! Why? More crispy, completely flat, little to no mess. Line a baking sheet with non stick foil. Preheat the oven to 375° and bake until crispy (about 20 minutes). You’ll never go back to pan frying ever again.
Prepping fruits and veggies– Why? It makes for a quicker and smoother transition when cooking a meal. How? Chop, dice, peel, etc. to the same size. They cook evenly and look pretty when serves.
Prevent fruit and veggies from turning brown– toss in 1 tsp or lemon/lime juice or vinegar. It won’t flavor anything but it will keep it from turning brown and looking old. Also, sanitize the same way. Add a cup of water with the lemon/lime juice or vinegar. Toss the veggies/fruit in and place on paper towels to air dry.
Melons– how to tell if they’re ripe? Cantaloupe and watermelon should have a yellowish color on the skin. A watermelon will have no smell but a cantaloupe will have a sweeter smell to the skin. Pineapples will not be bright green. They will be starting to turn yellow and if you gently pull on a leave it should easily come loose.
Buttermilk– if you can’t make it to the store, just combine 2 cups whole milk, 2-3 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tsp cooled melted butter. Stir it together and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. It should thicken a bit.
Sinking chocolate chips or berries– toss them in 1 tbsp of flour and add them to the recipe. They won’t sink to the bottom.
Hot peppers– place the peppers in an ice bath for at least 15 minutes prior to cutting. This will help with watering eyes, or in my case, choking from the spicy fumes. Remove all the seeds since they contain additional heat. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and lemon juice. Avoid contact with eyes for at least an hour.
Small lemons and limes– place them in the microwave for 10 seconds and roll with your palm. This with allow you to get as much juice as possible from them.
Garlic– if raw garlic is too strong, roast a couple cloves in the oven. Place the cloves in tin foil with a drizzle of olive oil and salt. Form a packet and bake it for 20 minutes and 350°. The garlic will be less intense, a little sweet, and just squeeze out of its skin.
Restaurant style home fries– bake the potatoes for 25 minutes at 350°. Cut them into squares and fry. Season with seasoned salt and they will taste like diner style home fries. You can freeze them after they are cooked for a quick breakfast during the week or for additional filling for burritos.
I hope these tips, tricks, and ideas help you in the kitchen as they have myself. Please, leave me comments of you have questions abut any you see here or any for the future. As always, enjoy! | 2019-04-18T22:32:50Z | https://honestcravings.wordpress.com/2017/08/11/mirandas-tips-and-tricks/ | Porn | Reference | 0.378168 |
typepad | The Official Modest Needs Blog: Are Food Prices Rising Where You Live?
Are Food Prices Rising Where You Live?
Food-producing countries must relax export controls and divert production away from biofuels to prevent millions more people being driven into poverty by higher food prices, the head of the World Bank, Robert Zoellick, said on Thursday in Washington.
Without action to increase the supply of food, an extra 10 million people could fall below the extreme poverty line of $1.25 (76p) a day over the next few months, in addition to the 44 million pushed into poverty by soaring food prices over the past year, he warned.
"More poor people are suffering and more people could become poor because of high and volatile food prices," said Zoellick. "We have to put food first and protect the poor and vulnerable, who spend most of their money on food."
And while this inflation situation is most dire for the poor in developing nations, the poor in the United States, who also spend a large percentage of their income on food, will also suffer.
How soon will we see prices rise on the shelves here in the states? You tell me. Have you seen food prices rise in your area? Which items are more costly now where you live?
If you've noticed high prices in the grocery store aisles where you live, tell us about it in the comments.
Well shrimp has more than doubled since the accident in the gulf of Mexico. My family relies on mostly protein and veggies because of wheat and corn intolerance. Our bill is always higher than standard because we don't buy bread or sugars unless it is a special occasion. With the cost of food and gas going up we have had to start eating a lot more rice and even skipping meals. We ran out of food entirely between checks this month. We used to be able to feed our family on about $300/month and now it costs more like $500. That may not seem like a lot to some,it is for us. My husband commutes an hour to work, so our gas is high and is nearly $500/month as well. Those two alone are 1/3 of our income.. | 2019-04-21T18:43:53Z | https://modestneeds.typepad.com/modestneeds/2011/04/are-food-prices-rising-where-you-live.html | Porn | Shopping | 0.710091 |
wordpress | I went to see the film Jason Bourne a couple of weeks ago, the latest instalment in the Matt Damon/Paul Greengrass (mostly) spy thriller saga. In my defence, it was a quiet week; I have argued that cultural geographers should be a lot more interested in popular (visual) culture (here, if you’re interested); and it was one of Sight and Sound magazine’s films of the month. So off I went.
Coming out of the cinema, I felt I’d been turned into a sort of visual punchbag, subjected to frequent slapping image impact for the movie’s full 123 minutes and 10 seconds. Once my head cleared a bit, though, it did seem to me that there were some interesting things about that visual experience, several of which are pointed to by Sight and Sound‘s review of the movie, written by Henry K Miller and which you can read in full here.
The triple crisis of the modern spy movie is the redundancy of human intelligence, of the secret agent, and of spectatorial agency.
Wow. That’s quite a claim. But in Bourneworld it’s true: the spy is replaced by digital databases; no one can hide from digital surveillance now; and since what is knowable and visible is mediated by digital tech, the filmic ‘realism’ of classic cinema is redundant.
This has various consequences. For example, simply looking at the world isn’t enough any more to give movie spectators the evidence they need to figure out the plot; instead we have to be shown endless screens and their information (computer screens, desktop and laptop and wallsize, and phone screens, get a lot of screen time in the movie).
And if what screens show become a crucial part of the action so too, therefore, as Henry also points out, does the control room: the darkened room where CIA operatives stare at screens. (Interestingly, the more senior the CIA official in Bourneworld, the less glued to a screen they are – though the movie also suggests that understanding the culture of the digital world is increasingly important for such characters).
The aesthetics of those screens are interesting too. They carry all sorts of images, from photographs to printed text to maps to satellite images to real time data flows to animated algorithmic calculations to graphics of many kinds, and often switch from one to the other with complete ease (there’s no bugs or glitches in Bourneworld, though there are hackers, of course). They have a visual profligacy which is typically digital (I’ve written about a different kind of example of this here.) And data is shown in neon colours glowing on black backgrounds, which is very typical too: a lot of smart city visualisations use the same colour range.
In Jason Bourne, it’s screens that appear to offer greater insight into both the events structuring the film and into the films’ characters too. You don’t go to any of the Bourne movies for extended, introspective dialogue, as several critics have pointed out, it’s true. But it’s still striking that Bourne’s motivation and even creation is explained in the movie by an online document, which we read on a screen over Jason’s shoulder. And the camerawork that captures the characters as human bodies (rather than the screen aesthetics that capture them as data) is relentlessly mobile and choppy, fragmenting what can be seen into near-incoherence.
And if the characters are often represented as the data trail that they leave as they move, the final fistfight seems to take particular pleasure in emphasising the embodied human as disposable ‘wetware’, with blood and grunts and close-ups of stranglings, very visceral, and very vulnerable: huge numbers of bodies are simply felled in the movie by assassins of various kinds.
All this happens at speed: everything happens fast in the film. No-one starts a car slowly, or strolls aimlessly; engines are revved, walking is purposeful and more than likely to break into a run. The camera wheels and pans relentlessly. It’s all about flow – just like digital networks.
So, while the movie doesn’t advance the spy movie genre (though the final car chase is a pretty damn fine exemplar), or indeed the conventions of the franchise (as Henry also comments), it does offer an intriguing commentary on some of the visual recalibrations occurring as the visual field is more and more produced digitally.
Of the many reasons to be grateful for the journalist Laurie Penny, her review of the movie Mad Max: Fury Road now ranks pretty high for me. Thankyou Laurie – and Jessica Valenti – for tipping the guilty pleasure of the film much more towards the pleasure than the guilt, by writing fantastic reviews that suggest it’s a really feminist movie. There’s also a great Tumblr site giving Max new lines, all feminist-y too.
Ultimately, though, the burning Mad Max question is: how does a professor get to be listed in a Mad Max film credits?! I swear I saw two profs thanked as the credits rolled. Who are they, what did do they do to get thanked, and (depending on the answers), can I do it too please?
I don’t very often blog just to enthuse, but today is an exception. I’ve been to see the film 20,000 Days on Earth, directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard about a sort-of day in the life of Nick Cave, and it is just fantastic. Visceral, funny, weird, lots of rain and sea stuff, amazing scenes of Nick Cave singing, a slightly freaky psychoanalyst – my god he listens intently – Kylie Minogue, and a voice-over from Nick Cave musing on memories, performing and writing. If you love writing, go see the film to hear him talk about writing his songs, it’s a beautiful account of the process – even if you don’t like his music – but how could you not. Fantastic cinema.
I gave a talk at the final meeting of the Nordic Research Network in Digital Visuality last week, thanks to a kind invitation from Karin Becker. It was a great workshop, full of interesting presentations.
I particularly enjoyed catching up with the work of Robert Willim, an Associate Professor of Ethnology at Lund University in Sweden. Also a musician and a filmmaker; his Vimeo channel is here, and he discusses the link between his academic and art work here.
The works are made solely from audio and videomaterial found on the web, material that emanate from a specific place. The audiovisual pieces are manipulated and composed into a surreal journey through an estranged landscape. The films are based on the culturally bound and stereotypical preconceptions of the artists.
They were a nice play on the idea that site-specific artwork has to be based on a first-hand, intimate – and therefore somehow more authentic – encounter with a place. He discusses them in the book Anthropology and Art Practice, which came out last year from Bloomsbury.
At the NRNDV workshop, he screened three more recent pieces, all of which again explore the complexity of perception, particularly visual perception. My favourite was called Fieldnotes, a really beautiful encounter with the otherness of a shrouded, billowing building which also suggest the difficulty of grasping what is being seen. The effect of the video is considerably enhanced by the music, which to my (non-musical) ear sounds as if it is also trying to avoid any neat tune-making structure.
Unlike so many films and videos that are made by academic researchers, these short pieces don’t aim to show, reveal or describe. Instead, they meditate on the difficulty of doing those things, complicating the aural and visual fields, evoking and provoking. Lovely. | 2019-04-20T02:28:49Z | https://visualmethodculture.wordpress.com/category/film/ | Porn | Computers | 0.293679 |
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